Uncategorized

Hidden Headlines Episode 61 – COVID-19: A Test of the Totalitarian Implementation System

A President of the United States once said: “You and I are told increasingly we have to choose between a left or right. Well, I’d like to suggest there is no such thing as a left or right. There’s only the ultimate in individual freedom, consistent with law and order, or the ant heap of totalitarianism. And, regardless of their sincerity or their humanitarian motives, those who would trade our freedom for security have embarked on this downward course.”

That brilliant statement was made by Ronald Reagan.

And during this time in American history, marked  by COVID 19 and the coronavirus, Reagan’s words certainly ring true today.

Progressive politicians and leaders relish the opportunity to use a crisis to further their ultimate goal of total domination. In this edition of Hidden Headlines I note their many unscientific efforts to supposedly curtail the spread of COVID-19 and the coronavirus, when in fact they are actually conducting a test.
A test of the Totalitarian Implementation System.

COVID-19 must not cause us to choose government-mandated security over our freedom to make wise decisions.

Are we trading our freedom for supposed government oversight of our lives? If so, we are edging closer to totalitarianism? Is President Trump correct that we must open this country and restore the freedoms of the American people?

What is the Left’s end-game with this virus?

So many questions…

All in Episode 61 of Hidden Headlines: Faith, Family, Freedom.

Available on this website, SoundCloud, iTunes, GooglePlay, etc.

My Eyewitness Take: Trump and Pelosi at the National Prayer Breakfast

I was there to see the contention between the President and the Speaker–and there was contention.

The last time I witnessed a National Presidential Prayer Breakfast in Washington DC was in the mid-Eighties. Ronald Reagan was President and Billy Graham was the keynote (more on that in a moment).

It was awesome.

This time around the keynote was a guy who I didn’t know (and interestingly, I don’t recall his name). However, he gave a compelling talk about loving your enemy. I must say, his speech hit me between the eyes. The day before I visited the Holocaust Museum (I’m a Jew who believes Jesus is Messiah).  I have to say, the museum’s opening feature literally left me gasping for breath. By the end of my three hours I was an emotional wreck.  Anyway, the thought of loving (and more importantly forgiving) the Nazi’s who slaughtered portions of my family is daunting.

Anyway, before the guy spoke all the people on the stage had a word or a prayer to share, including my congressional representative, Speaker Nancy Pelosi.  Keep in mind, Pelosi is a Catholic. She shared (in my opinion) a non-inspiring prayer about the poor.

Shortly thereafter, an unseen announcer came over the public address system and said, “Ladies and Gentlemen, the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump!” which was followed immediately by Hail to the Chief.

All 4,000 people assembled in the Hilton Hotel ballroom stood to their feet looking straight ahead at both the stage and the two giant video screens to each side simulcasting the scene before us.

In walks the President. He was all smiles as he graciously waved to the adoring crowd. All stood, including Pelosi. Then, with a smirk, he reveals the front page of USA Today which in extra large bold type proclaimed, ACQUITTED.

In that moment Pelosi looked like she aged a decade.

Yes, given the setting, one could make the argument it was a bit juvenile of Trump to his the stage with the paper in hand, but I have to tell you I haven’t laughed that hard in years. Especially as I witnessed the scowl that instantly formed on Pelosi’s face.

Priceless.

The President took his seat and the keynote did his thing.  When he was done Trump took to the podium,  looked at the guy and said, “That was a good speech, but I’m not so sure if can do it.”

I appreciated Mr. Trump’s honesty regarding forgiving your enemies, especially given the crap he’s been rolled thought over the past couple of years. Forgiveness is not easy, even when aided by faith in God.

But here’s the Hidden Headline.  In his speech, the President talked about the recent Executive Order he signed allowing prayer in the public schools.  Everyone in the room rose to their feet in applause–except Nancy Pelosi.

Then Trump spoke of his commitment to the sanctity of life (ie, his stand against abortion). Once again Nancy–the catholic–sat on her rear end refusing to clap.

By the way, did you hear about this on a single news outlet (including Fox)?

NO.

Shame on Pelosi.

I’m not sure exactly where Donald Trump is regarding his faith in Jesus as Lord, but I can tell you God is pleased with a President who has placed his support in the column of both prayer and LIFE.

As for my first Presidential Prayer Breakfast, in the middle of the festivities the coffee I consumed kicked-in and I had to visit the restroom.  As I walked out of the restroom and into the totally empty hallway to get back into the auditorium there was Billy Graham.  Four years earlier (read this) I had interviewed Graham for the TV station I was working for in Reno. I walked up to him and introduced myself and without missing a beat he remember me.

Unreal.

Meantime… Kudos to Donald Trump, shame on Nancy Pelosi.

Hidden Headlines Podcast: Was Jesus Born on December 25th, and When Was His Birth First Celebrated?

Next week, on December 25th, billions of people will celebrate Christmas and in doing so will acknowledge the birth of Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah of the God of Israel. In the process, many will attend midnight church services, some will light religious candles, and countless will worship in song,  Gifts will be given, food will be consumed, and beverages will flow. Some family gatherings will be awesome, some intolerable. All of these activities will top off a shopping spree wherein gifts will be given to friends and loved one on Christmas Day.

I should also mention that all of this will foreshadow mall madness which will occur the following day, as gifts are returned and retail prices are slashed.

But how much of this massive celebration actually has Biblical roots?  Seriously, I don’t mean to be a downer, but given all of the anxiety and expense associated with preparing  for Christmas, how much of this holiday can be authenticated in the Bible?

In this special holiday edition of Hidden Headlines you’ll discover answers to these questions:

 – Was Jesus really born on December 25th?
– Was Jesus’ birth important to his first generation of followers?
– Is Christmas in the Bible?
– When did Christmas become a significant holiday?
– Was Christmas originally connected to pagan holidays?
– Christmas or Easter–which is more significant?

You can listen to Hidden Headlines on this website, Apple iTunes, GooglePlay, or directly at Soundcloud, just click here

Enjoy Independence Day: My “World Famous Patriot Ribs” Recipe

These ribs really are world famous.  Since I originally posted this recipe 10-years ago, I’ve received positive feedback from people all over the planet (including from American states that are known for their own awesome ribs).

Well-meaning BBQ aficionados tell me my ribs should have a little more “bite,” but I’ve found the average consumer loves seeing that meat simply fall off the bone.  So, the Patriot Rib recipe is what it is—a delicious crowd pleaser!

By the way, I’ve tweaked the recipe a bit over the years, with the help of my professional chef son, so this is the latest and greatest version!

Here’s the recipe:

Remove the ribs from the wrapping. DO NOT rinse the ribs. Place the ribs bone-side down in a ceramic, or glass, baking pan. Cover both sides of the ribs with BBQ rib rub of choice (I prefer Kirkland’s Sweet Mesquite BBQ Rub from Costco, but if you have a favorite use it!).  By the way, St. Louis pork ribs work just as well as the baby backs (I cannot guarantee this recipe for beef ribs).

Next, give your hands a good wash  and then pour a nice stout beer (I prefer Guinness Stout)) into the pan, a little less than an inch deep.  Do not try this with anything other than a dark stout beer or the ribs will be ruined.

Cover with aluminum foil and let the ribs sit for an hour on the kitchen counter.

Preheat your oven to 320.  Bake the ribs (in the pan, with the beer, covered with foil) for two hours.

Next, turn off the oven. Let the ribs remain in the closed oven for another hour.

While the ribs are sitting in the oven, when appropriate fire up your BBQ/grill and get the cooking grate nice and hot.

Now we’re ready for “show time.”  Take the ribs out of the oven and directly onto the grate, bone side down. Slather your favorite BBQ sauce (Sweet Baby Rays is a big winner in my household) on the meat side.  After three minutes flip the ribs and apply the sauce onto the bone side.  Let them cook for 5-minutes.  This will allow for some nice grill marks to develop and allow the sauce to caramelize. When 5-minutes are up, flip the ribs back onto the bone side and let them cook for another 2-minutes.

Finally, get those ribs off the grill and onto a big serving plate!  Don’t be surprised if a couple bare bones lay behind.  Once served, the meat will literally fall off the bone. If your guests want additional sauce on their ribs make it available—and don’t forget a roll of paper towels in the middle of the table.

God bless you, your family, and America! Enjoy the ribs!

 

Christian Discrimination: At Ivy League Colleges Originally Founded as Bible-Centered Institutions of Learning

Senator Ted Cruz  (R-Texas) is investigating the Yale Law School claiming that the institution has unconstitutionally discriminated against students espousing “traditional Christian views.”

On Monday, according to the Washington Examiner, Cruz, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Constitution Subcommittee, sent Yale Law School a demand letter, urging the college to release communication records related to the treatment of conservative and Christian students. This is not the first letter Yale has received from Cruz.  In April, the dean of Yale Law received a message from Cruz detailing his plans to investigate a recently approved school policy that he believes allows the school to “blacklist Christian organizations” and “punish” students based on their beliefs.

This same sort of intolerance is going on at colleges and universities across the nation.  What’s truly shameful is the that institutions like Yale, Harvard and Princeton, for example, were all started as schools that were centered on THE WORD OF GOD.

In fact, most of the colleges in the United States that started over 300 years ago were originally Bible-proclaiming. Yale and Harvard were founded by the ultra orthodox Puritans, and Princeton was founded as a Presbyterian school (back when Presbyterians actually followed Biblical principles involving marriage, sexuality, and Jesus being the only way to Heaven) .

Yale was started by clergymen, Harvard was named after a Christian minister, and Princeton’s first year of class was taught by Reverend Jonathan Dickinson. Princeton’s crest still says “Dei sub numine viget,” which is Latin for “Under God she flourishes.”

As for Yale,  its beginnings coincided with the founding of the New Haven Colony in 1638 by a band of 500 Puritans who fled from persecution in Anglican England.  It was the dream of the Reverend John Davenport, the religious leader of the colony, to establish a theocracy and a college to educate its leaders.

Harvard College, the first of the Ivy League schools, was established for the sake of educating the clergy and raising up a Christian academic institution to meet the needs of perpetuating the Christian faith.  All of the Ivy League schools were established by Christians for the sake of advancing Christianity and meeting the academic needs of the New World.

And by the way, the increasingly secular
“new world” in which we live today needs the saving hand of God like never before.

What’s happening on our college campus’ is in keeping with a conclusion spewed by Karl Marx: “History means nothing.”