Commentary

COVID-19 News Update: The Post BANNED by Facebook

This content was banned in a post I attempted to share Facebook. Meantime, I received word from a dear friend who had to make the decision to take his father off a ventilator and be allowed to die because of the coronavirus (my friend is an M.D.). These are trying times for sure. Lots of pain, and fear.

Here’s is EXACTLY what I tried to share via Facebook (statistics are for 2020):

—————————————-

My son in Switzerland has been worked over by the coronavirus, but he’ll be okay. 

Meantime, here are real time statistics (as of April 2, 2020) from worldometer.com: 

52,580 – Coronavirus deaths this year
123,380 – Seasonal flu deaths this year
10,786,151 – Abortions this year
2,084,123 – Deaths caused by cancer this year
1,268,562 – Deaths caused by smoking this year
634,681 – Deaths caused by alcohol this year
426,589 – Deaths caused by HIV/AIDS this year
342,552 – Road traffic accident fatalities this year
272,121 – Suicides this year
248,910 – Deaths caused by malaria this year
Comments? 
———————————–
The point I was trying to make was (I’m not denying there is a coronavirus, my 24-year old son has it) that all of these deaths mentioned in the post brought forth tears. However, the government response is out of whack versus COVID-19, and it’s got me to ask questions.  Why aren’t we banning cigarettes (1.2 million deaths so far this year)? What about alcohol (634K deaths so far)? Clearly condoms and seatbelts aren’t saving enough lives either (426K AIDS/HIV and 342K traffic fatalities). Why are so many taking their own life (272K suicides)? Most malaria deaths occur in Africa–don’t those lives matter (248K)?
And then there is abortion (10.7 Million this year). Yes, I believe the women who have abortions cry too.  And the innocent babies…?
There’s something else at play here and because I’ve never seen anything like this before it’s more than a bit mystifying.
Meantime, the talking heads on FoxNews keep telling me, “We’ll get through this together.”
May God bless you all, and may you remain safe.
Brian

COVID-19 Special: Government Power, Wasteful Spending, and China’s Faults

Please note: an expanded audio version of this article is available in my Hidden Headlines Podcast, Episode 55 (available on this website, or Soundcloud, iTunes, Google Play, etc). 

I’m coming out of my media hibernation because I feel some critical elements of the current health crisis are not being properly brought into the light by the majority of media reporters and commentators.

As for my personal health, I’m slowly but surely doing better and the long-term prognosis is really uplifting. I really appreciate your thousands of prayers and words of encouragement.

First off, I know the coronavirus is real—my 24-year-old son in Switzerland had it.  Talking to him via WhatsApp during the course of his illness made it apparent this virus was akin to a very rough version of the flu which lasted for the better part of a month. That said, from a purely mathematical standpoint this epidemic is not statistically significant. No one in the mainstream media has addressed this fact, but percentagewise the virus thankfully kills very few people–although it must be emphasized that those who do lose their life experience terrible respiratory distress. That’s why my wife and I are doing our very best to protect her 95-year-old parents from getting this terrible illness.

It should also be noted that forecasters at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (at the University of Washington’s School of Medicine) examined the latest COVID-19 data at a local, national and international level. While at this writing the U.S. death toll for the pandemic is now past 1,000, with 68,000 confirmed infections (not including many thousands more who had the virus but were never seen by medical professionals), we may be on a path to more than 80,000 deaths in the U.S. alone.  The concern is that severely infected patients will overwhelm hospital capacity nationally as soon as early April even if so called “social distancing” measures are respected. That stated, our government’s plan to deal with this virus is to close most businesses and urge otherwise healthy people to shelter in place.  This has never been done before. In the past shelter in place orders were given to protect the population from natural disasters such as storms and floods, terrorist attacks and mass shootings. We have also experienced quarantines, where the sick are mandatorily kept from the general population. However, never in history has the confinement of a healthy population been used to fight a disease. While some may argue the current shelter in place is currently a wise move, let us not be so naïve to think that in the future such a command could be used by power hungry politicians to better control the masses, as I explain in the podcast.

What’s particularly troubling about this virus is the lack of a cure.  What’s also troubling is the fact that there are a multitude of players, both nationally and internationally, who are gaming this sickness to their advantage—as I also explain in the podcast.

All said, give this another couple weeks and it’s easy to predict that those who have blown through their free government money and are without funds to buy food, booze, pot, gas, dog food or whatever, are going to start to get way more than stir crazy. Perhaps that’s when the shelter in place will voluntarily include business owners boarding up shop, residents doing the same to their homes, as well as making sure security systems (including those of the Second Amendment variety) are up to speed.

CHINA VIRUS

Secondly, I was not offended by President Trump referring to this illness as the “China Virus.” All indications are that COVID-19 originated in an open air “wet market” in Wuhan, China.  Many experts are convinced the virus was transferred from a bat (considered by the Chinese to be a delicacy that supposedly improves poor vision) to a human. Such a viral transfer from animal to human is not unprecedented in China. By the way, go online and look at these markets for yourself—they are beyond grotesque. Exotic animals, birds, dogs, cats, monkeys, bats, and livestock are slaughtered with filthy cleavers for takeout. When God presented Moses with the kosher dietary laws penned in the book of Leviticus, he did so for a reason. The stuff sold as consumable food in these markets is not to be eaten by humans for a reason. We can become sick and die.

What isn’t being reported is that in November, as COVID-19 was spreading in Wuhan, China, the communist party’s primary concern was ensuring that the local People’s Congress gathering in Wuhan in January would take place as planned ahead of the National People’s Congress assembly in early March. In order to keep their political schedule intact, the communist party downplayed the seriousness of the outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan. This resulted in a steady spread of infections.  Next came the Chinese New Year in late January.  Nearly half of Wuhan’s population (nearly five million people) left the city for their various holiday plans without objection. The virus was thus carried to other parts of the Chinese mainland and around the world, leading to today’s pandemic.

REPUBLICANS GET PLAYED

Third, in a supposed political effort to fight the coronavirus, the Republicans in our Congress were suckered into a TWO TRILLION DOLLAR emergency aid package with outlandish Not one senator even had time to read the final language of the bill they voted for.

$2 Trillion is ten-percent of the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP). Unreal.

While President Trump is publicly cheering the Senators for their unanimous support of the coronavirus funding, what he’s actually thrilled for is the fact that this congressional unanimity is another step in assuring his victory in November. By the way, while the two trillion does add to the national debt, prior to this aid package the debt total under the Trump administration had risen only 10-percent. During the eight years of Obama it rose 100-percent.

I provide all the details in my podcast, but let me show you a little of what is in this Two Trillion Dollar crap sandwich:

 

  • Nancy Pelosi’s version includes a section entitled, “Improving Corporate Governance Through Diversity.” The legislation stipulates: “Any corporation that receives federal aid related to COVID-19 must maintain officials and budget dedication to diversity and inclusion for no less than five years after disbursement of funds.”
  • $25 million in the Senate bill went to the John F. Kennedy Center For The Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. During the past ten years, the center received $68.3 million in federal grants (2010-2019). The Kennedy Center has total assets of $557 million. The Pelosi bill earmarked $35 million.
  • $75 million in the Senate bill funded the Corporation For Public Broadcasting. Why does National Public Radio and Big Bird get a coronavirus subsidy? The Pelosi bill allocated $300 million.
  • $1.2 billion in the Pelosi bill to require airlines to purchase expensive “renewable” jet fuel. It was $200 million per year in grants (2021-2026) to “develop, transport, and store sustainable aviation fuels that would reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.” The Senate bill eliminated this provision.
  • The Senate bill allows the Food and Drug Administration to speed up the review of sunscreen products (sunburn is not tied to the coronavirus, but can occur if you drink too many Corona’s on the beach).

Rahm Emanuel, the former Clinton Administrative counselor once said, “Never let a serious crisis go to waste.”  Nancy Pelosi has simply employed an age old liberal tactic. Shame on her.

Thanks for allowing me to pop-off. I hope you’ll check out the podcast.

May you allow the God of Heaven to richly bless you,  no matter what the circumstances.

Brian

Waiting and Wondering What’s Next

This post was originally published on my Facebook page. An expanded version of this message is available via audio format at Hidden Headlines Podcast, #54 

Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!  –Psalm 27:14

Psalm 27, written by ancient Israel’s King David, is one of great encouragement, particularly for those finding themselves in a time of trial. At this juncture in my life’s journey it’s a divine message that strikes a chord.

As some of you are aware, God has allowed me to be inflicted by an infirmity that at times has the ability to negatively impact my cognitive wellbeing.  As such I could not, with confidence, conduct a live radio talk show.  Other aspects of my life are also at times compromised by this disorder (such as my ability to drive—a real bummer because I own a car that is, shall we say, exhilarating).

Fortunately, there are tried and true medicines that should eventually bring my situation under control.  It’s also possible that (if the Lord allows) this condition will eventually depart for good.

Before I share my plans going forward, allow me to elaborate on Psalm 27, verse 14.

The original Hebrew word used in this passage for “wait” is qavah (pronounced kaw-vaw). It implies a type of waiting that includes tension, patience, and endurance. In other words, this type of waiting is not passive, it’s expectant.

“Courage” is chazaq (pronounced kaw-zahk). It means to be strong. In this context it seems David is telling us to be especially determined during our time of expectant waiting.

This verse also uses the Hebrew word amets (pronounced aw-mets) which means stout, strong, bold, and alert. In this case it’s translated “strengthen.”

The Hebrew word for “heart” is leb. It refers to our inner human, that is our mind and will, the things that make us tick.

So, my personal interpretation of this text is:

Expectantly and with determination, wait for the Lord to provide remedy.  As you do, allow Him to enable you to confront the challenge that lays before you and He will in the process strengthen your mind, thus permitting you to gain clarity and see what He will/can/is able to do.

Oddly, it’s not medical challenges that have caused me to wait on the Lord.  The question laying before me is what to do with the gifts and talents He has blessed me with.  I no longer host a hugely popular radio program; it’s as if my worldly significance as a man has been lost. However, I’m reminded of another Biblical scripture which is pretty deep, but says this:

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel (Colossians 1:21-23).

In more simpler terms, this passage declares that all of us are inherently opposed to the ways of God. However, God came to earth in that of the perfect human, Jesus the Messiah, to be sacrificed for our sins, thus reconciling us before our heavenly Father and, should we decide to place our faith in Him, give us eternal life.

That said, my significance is not based on the gifts and talents which made for a good radio show. Instead, my significance is based on what God did for me: He died for my miserable sins and has promised me life eternal. That’s beyond awesome!

So, at the advice of some trusted friends (and my always astonishing wife), I am waiting on the Lord.  They’ve all suggested I sit out from mass media for an entire year.  It will be a time for me to seek God’s will and hopefully realize how He would like to use the abilities He has graciously given me going forward.

It’s interesting to note that the Colossians passage I shared was written by the man often referred to as Saint Paul.  He was an ultra-orthodox Jew who formerly hunted down fellow Jewish men who followed Jesus, even putting some to death. After his shocking decision to become a follower of Jesus, Paul disappeared for well over a decade to wait on the Lord for direction. I’m sort of doing the same thing.

I have no idea what the future might look like. A blog? A podcast? A video-channel? A book? Live speaking? One-on-one communication? Or nothing of the sort? I have no clue, but I’m open to whatever God wants from me.

So, this is my last post perhaps for a long time.  Right now, I plan on returning for a follow up in three-months, just to inform those interested where I am in this pilgrimage and what God is revealing to me.  I have produced a brief podcast and video (available via my website) which also share this same message.

Thank you for your outpouring of support. I eagerly await what is to come.

May the God of all Creation richly bless you.

 

 

America Not Ready for a Communist, nor Mayor Pete, for President

In my most recent podcast (Hidden Headlines, Episode 53) I explain how Bernie Sanders is, and has been for decades, a communist. Listen, I know there are millions of communists in this world, but (thank God) the United States of America is not ready to have one as president–for now. Communism is antithetical to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Communism is also not compatible with the God of Creation and His Son, the Messiah Jesus.

To socialists and their communist counterparts, all that really exists is the material world. Karl Marx, the father of socialism/communism, invented the notion of dialectical materialism — the belief that matter contains a creative power within itself. This enabled Marx to eliminate the need for a creator, essentially erasing the existence of anything non-material.

To the Marxist, suffering is caused by the unequal distribution of material possessions, and salvation is achieved by the re-distribution of the same. There’s no need for the spiritual. If everyone is given equal stuff, all the problems in society will somehow dissolve.

This worldview contradicts both Bible-based Judaism and Christianity which affirms the existence of both a material and a non-material world and teaches that humankind’s greatest problems are spiritual. The Bible says the cause of suffering is sin, and salvation is found in the death and resurrection of the Messiah.  And, even if we are unable to accumulate personal wealth, the Bible teaches that we can still have an abundant life here on earth. That’s because our quality of life is not determined by how much stuff we have, but by our relationship to God.

There are still enough well informed, Bible-believing citizens in the country who reject Bernie’s communism.

As for Democratic candidate Pete Buttigieg, America is not ready for a homosexual to be president, particularly one who is not just very liberal, but one who pushes a gay agenda.

It was less than five years ago that the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in a ruling that dramatically advanced gay rights in America. Over the past two decades, public support for same-sex marriage, seen as an indicator of acceptance of the LGBTQ community as a whole, has flipped from 60 percent opposition to more than 60 percent approval. I contend that flip is because of the aggressive manner in which LGBTQ activists publicly crucify any who are outspoken against their agenda.

I know this is difficult for those reading this who stand with the LGBTQ agenda to believe, but as a follower of Jesus I do not hate or even dislike you; I just oppose any agenda that is antithetical to God’s Word as revealed to us in the Bible.

Some claim Jesus never said anything about homosexuality and therefore is neutral on the topic. Not true. Jesus was unequivocal in saying that to understand marriage and the sexual union, we must go back to the beginning and see how God created humanity and to what end. (See Matthew 19 and Mark 10.) Jesus holds up the creation story in Genesis not as a quaint Sunday school lesson, but as authoritative — reminding us that God created each of us male and female, each for the other. And the sexual union that God created and ordains is for husband and wife to come together in physical union, one flesh. As for marriage, it’s also God’s desire that one man be committed to one woman (and vice versa).

When God said that it “is not good that the man be alone” (Genesis 2:18) he wasn’t bemoaning that Adam didn’t have a friend or was lonely. He was saying that the male could not really know himself as male without a contrasting human.  The Bible reveals that both male and female become fully human via their interaction and contrast with one another. This happens most profoundly (and mysteriously) in marriage.  It’s also biologically evident that for humans to multiply male and female genders are required.  The male and female roles are so remarkable in marriage that even in Heaven the church will be recognized as a bride and Jesus the bridegroom.

As for sexuality and sexual drive,  at some point we all have some manner of sexual urges that compel us to disobey (or contemplate disobeying) God’s design for sexuality. In the New Testament book of 1 Corinthians we read a daunting passage that hits numerous sins and vices with equal clout:

Don’t you know that unrighteous people will have no share in the Kingdom of God? Don’t delude yourselves — people who engage in sex before marriage, who worship idols, who engage in sex after marriage with someone other than their spouse, who engage in active or passive homosexuality, 10 who steal, who are greedy, who get drunk, who assail people with contemptuous language, who rob — none of them will share in the Kingdom of God. 11 Some of you used to do these things. But you have cleansed yourselves, you have been set apart for God, you have come to be counted righteous through the power of the Lord [Jesus] the Messiah and the Spirit of our God.
I Corinthians 6:9-11 (Complete Jewish Bible version)

We’re all tempted, but not all of us fall into sin.  Scripture tells us that Jesus was tempted in all ways as we are, but did not sin (see Hebrews 4:15). Sexual sin is giving in to that desire in either mind or body.  Engaging in same-sex acts is sin, just as is engaging in premarital or extra-marital sex between a man and woman.

I have many friends and acquaintances who are or were same-sex attracted, but live obediently within a Christian sexual ethic; some are now married to a man or woman of the opposite sex.  I also know heterosexuals who live in celibacy. God requires that we each subjugate our sexual (and many other) desires to our faith in Him; and countless same-sex attracted believers do so willingly and joyfully. One of the signs of a Christian is his or her desire to be obedient to Jesus’ teaching and His teachings are demanding. The scriptures define and change us, not the other way around.  Biblical morality cannot change with the times.  In addition to his homosexuality Buttigieg contends he is a Christian. If this is so, he is living a life that is defiantly in opposition to the precepts of God.

Besides living in proud defiance of God’s ways, Buttigieg is an activist who encourages even young kids to go gay.  Buttigieg had an emotional moment this past Saturday night with a nine-year old boy who asked him for help to come out as gay.  During a Q&A session where questions were drawn from a fishbowl, the boy, later identified as, Zachary Ro, thanked the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana for his bravery and sought help from Buttigieg on coming out.

“Would you help me tell the world I’m gay, too?” Ro asked the first openly gay presidential candidate, adding, “I want to be brave like you.”

Rather than suggesting therapy to this confused pre-pubescent child, Pete told the boy to basically go-for-it. “I don’t think you need a lot of advice from me on bravery, you seem pretty strong,” Buttigieg responded.  “It took me a long time to figure out how to tell even my best friend that I was gay, let alone go out there and tell the world. And to see you willing to come to terms with you who you are in a room full of thousands of people you never met, that’s really something.”

Pete seems like a nice guy, but he really needs to surrender his life to the Lordship of Jesus the Messiah and allow God to transform his sexual desires into that which are congruent with the Bible.

Meantime, America’s not ready for Pete.

Latest Podcast: Is Bernie a Communist? (Duh).

Bernie Sanders a communist?

Make that claim about the Senator from Vermont and you’re met with many supporters who immediately proclaim, NO, he’s a socialist. Others counter that he’s a “democratic socialist.” But here’s what one well known organization says about their choice for president, Bernie Sanders:

“Of all the forces facing down Trump, only one can truly be characterized as ‘popular.’ The presidential campaign of Bernie Sanders is not just that of a progressive personality but the backbone of a broad and transformative popular movement led by the working class…. To this end, the Party should not just campaign for Sanders but must fully immerse itself within the progressive and anti-establishment movement for which Sanders is the spokesman.”

That comment was made by the Communist Party USA.

Bernie is a communist, and I prove it, in this edition of Hidden Headlines.

Listen on this website, or wherever you get your podcasts from!

Please like, share, and subscribe!