Author Archives: Marsha West

About Marsha West

Marsha West is the owner and managing editor of Christian Research Network, Apprising Ministries (the late Ken Silva’s blog) and On Solid Rock Resources. She is also co-founder of Berean Research. For two decades Marsha was the owner and managing editor of Email Brigade website as well as the EMB News Report, a bi-weekly email report for conservative people of faith. For many years Marsha was a regular contributor to several blogs including CRN, RenewAmerica, News With Views and Web Commantary as well as popular websites she no longer endorses: American Family Association, Worldview Weekend, Stand Up For The Truth, The Christian Post and Christian Headlines. Although Marsha still blogs, her primary focus is CRN. Marsha also writes Research Papers (White Papers) on various topics that are published on CRN, Berean Research and On Solid Rock Resources. Visit Marsha’s other sites: On Solid Rock Resources https://www.onsolidrockresources.com/ Apprising Ministries http://apprising.org Marsha’s RenewAmerica Column http://renewamerica.com/columns/mwest Marsha’s Facebook Page http://facebook.com/marsha.west.77

Therapy bans and trans regret

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , ,

As of Jan. 1, adult residents of New York City may change their gender to “X” on their birth certificates and parents may choose “X” for the gender of newborn babies. The City Council passed the measure in a 41-6 vote in September, and Mayor Bill de Blasio signed the bill in October, saying, “You be you. Live your truth. Know that New York City will have your back.”

(Joel Maas & Kiley Crossland – World)   The success of LGBT activists in dictating how therapists counsel minors about sexuality and gender dysphoria continues to gain momentum as we head into 2019. Some pro-LGBT groups want to make it illegal for therapists to encourage children to embrace heterosexuality or their biological sex and expect legislative victories in at least four states this year: Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, and New York. Continue reading →

6 Ways Your Credibility is Crushed When You Defend a False Teacher

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , , ,

“Jesus says that following and defending false teachers doesn’t match your claim to be one of His sheep (a Christian). And rejecting incontrovertible biblical truth because you consider it to be foolishness is a symptom of someone who isn’t saved. Either you’re a genuinely born again Christian who embraces biblical teaching and rejects false teachers or you embrace false teachers and reject biblical teaching because you’ve never truly been born again. The Bible says you can’t do both at the same time.”  

(Michelle Lesley)  It’s so predictable it would be almost comical if it weren’t so wearisome and worrisome. Every time I write an article about a false teacher or mention on social media that someone is a false teacher, her disciples come out of the woodwork to defend her. Continue reading →

Yes, There Is A Crisis At The Border — The Numbers Show It

Posted by ∙ ∙ In News ∙ , , ,

“Even if Cato [Institute] is right that the crime rate among Hispanic illegals is a bit lower than for natives, that’s cold comfort to victims of these crimes, which would not have happened had the border been more secure. They would likely agree with Trump about their being a crisis at the border.”

(Investor’s Business Daily)  Democrats and the mainstream press accuse President Donald Trump of manufacturing a crisis at the border. The numbers tell another story. Continue reading →

Looking at Christine Caine’s Speech at Passion 2019

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , ,

“In addition to Caine’s Word of Faith doctrines showing her as a false teacher, she was inappropriate elsewhere in her speech. She spoke twice of how husbands can be “getting some action” out of their wives. She spoke of a skiing accident where she was loaded onto a stretcher and bemoaned the fact that she wasn’t wearing any underwear. Yes, these items were included in her speech to thousands of teenage and young male adults listening. Should a teacher or pastor say this ever? Of course not.”

(Elizabeth Prata – The End Time)  The Passion 2019 conference concluded last weekend. The event has expanded to four simultaneous venues spread among three cities, and all four were sold out. A total of just over 43,000 youths between the ages of 18-25 were in attendance. Continue reading →

Parents beware: Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria a social contagion among girls

Posted by ∙ ∙ In News ∙ , ,

“The weight of support for subjecting healthy young women to experimental medical procedures that will render them infertile and may permanently damage them in other ways is crushing for parents who want to save their daughters.”

(Dorothy Cummings McLean – LifeSiteNews)  A new social contagion, called Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria, is making families miserable as previously contented girls attempt to become boys through hormones and surgery. Continue reading →

Liberals’ plans extend health care to illegals, placing them on par with U.S. citizens

Posted by ∙ ∙ In News ∙ , , ,

“The question is, should California’s taxpayers bear the financial burden of bad immigration policies by progressives in the state of California and now at the national level?”

(Valerie Richardson & Tom Howell Jr – The Washington Times)  New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday that the city will provide illegal immigrants with a way to obtain affordable health care as part of a broader program to cover city residents traditionally shut out of insurance options. Continue reading →

Mattis, Kelly marched to the establishment beat. Trump was right to fire them

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , ,

Photo credit 1zoom.me

“What is it with these generals? Imagine their reaction if someone under their command behaved like they did with President Trump. This is not about having yes men around. In business, there’s a saying: “Disagree and commit.” It means that everyone should speak up before a decision is made. But once the boss has decided, you all get behind it to make it happen. … With these generals, it was less disagree and commit than disagree and resist.”

(Steve Hilton – Fox News video & transcript)  The new year began as the old year ended – with the establishment up in arms over generals leaving the Trump administration. How would the world survive the departures of John Kelly and James Mattis?

“Today has just been a cascade of what would be generally seen as absolutely apocalyptic news in any other presidency…Let’s start tonight with the resignation of the Secretary of Defense James Mattis,” Rachel Maddow lamented. Continue reading →

Read This Blistering Open Letter To James MacDonald

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , ,

“As you, James, have so often taught in the past, resolution and reconciliation means far more than merely offering words.  It requires concrete acts of repentance that demonstrate the fruit of the spirit and the sincerity of the words beings offered.  To that end, we would like to suggest a small series of public – not private – acts that you could take that would genuinely help move your audience to honestly reassess your character and motivations.”

(JD Hall – Pulpit & Pen)  Pulpit & Pen has been threatened to be sued hundreds of times. Greg Locke, Clayton Jennings, Jonathan Cahn, Perry Noble, and many more, have threatened to sue us and, in some cases, sent us cease-and-desist letters, which we ignore (or post them online, because they’re funny). Continue reading →

Fair Share? Top 20% Of Households Pay Vast Majority Of Income Taxes

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , ,

“The top 81-90% of earners averaged $157,000 and saw that reduced to $125,000.”

(James Barrett – Daily Wire)  The Democrats have officially taken over the House for the first time in eight years, and among the swarms of far-left “fresh faces” is democratic socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who is proposing, among many other things, a steep increase in the federal income tax rate, which would see the top bracket jump from 37 to 70%. Continue reading →

Lauren Daigle Rebrands Image as Non-Christian Artist

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , ,

“Daigle recently writhed seductively on Ellen’s program, and then claimed she didn’t know enough about the Bible to say whether or not homosexuality was a sin (Andy Stanley is her pastor, so that makes sense).”

(JD Hall – Pulpit & Pen)  Lauren Daigle writhes seductively with her midriff exposed in her Christian music videos, while singing about Jesus in tones that make you wonder if he’s her boyfriend. The Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) industry and its fans love it, as they look for a genre as close to godlessness as possible while still occasionally eluding to Jesus. It sells. Continue reading →

Twitter mocks ‘creepy twins’ Schumer and Pelosi for their Trump response

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , ,

“Code Blue in ER! Code Blue-ER stat! 2 elderly Caucasion patients; We can’t get a pulse on either! Get the paddles! CLEAR!”

(Katelyn Caralle – Washington Examiner)  Social media erupted Tuesday night over the awkward appearance of Democratic leaders in their response to President Trump’s Oval Office address.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., were side-by-side in a scripted response to Trump’s appeal on why the situation at the border is a crisis and responding to demands for a border wall. Continue reading →

Four Simple Ways to Grow Spiritually

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , ,

“If one of your goals in 2019 is to grow spiritually, focus on doing these four simple things…”

(Tim Barnett – Stand To Reason)  The new year brings with it New Year’s resolutions. Many people will look to better themselves physically. They might flood to the gym, start new diets, and quit unhealthy habits, all in pursuit of this goal.

I have some similar physical goals. But my goals aren’t merely focused on the physical. As a follower of Christ, I’m looking for ways to grow spiritually. Paul writes, “For while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:8). Continue reading →

The Scientific Experts Who Hate Science

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , ,

“Here’s the truth: Men are looking for meaning in a world that tells them they are perpetuators of discrimination and rape culture; that they are beneficiaries of an overarching, nasty patriarchy; that they are, at best, disposable partners to women, rather than protectors of them.” 

(Ben Shapiro – Townhall)  This week, the American Psychological Association proved once again that it is a political body rather than a scientific one. It has done it before — in 2013, it reclassified “gender identity disorder” in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, calling it “gender dysphoria” and then explaining that living with the delusion that you are a member of the opposite sex is not actually a mental disorder at all. …  Continue reading →

What is the Gospel?

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , , ,

“The reason there was so much opposition to Jesus’ ministry is because his gospel got to the heart of matters. He wasn’t giving a muddled dry exposition, his goal wasn’t the dissemination of information, or simply to create controversies about how to correct human behavior. Jesus had one great goal: the salvation of people.”

(Christopher J. Gordon – Abounding Grace Radio)  Years ago I remember hearing an elder say that if my sermon could be accepted in a Jewish synagogue then it is not a distinctively Christian sermon. I’ve thought a lot about that over the years. What makes Christian sermons distinctively Christian? What damage could be done in the life of the Christian church if our sermons lose their distinctively Christian character?  To answer that, of course, one would need to understand and appreciate what makes a gospel message distinctively “gospel”. Continue reading →

30 Transgender Regretters Come Out Of The Closet

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , ,

“Can you imagine what it must be like to tell a therapist of your experience being abused as a child, which you offer as a possible explanation for your dysphoria, only to have the psychiatrist totally ignore that aspect of your past and instead push you to sex-change procedures as the only way to overcome your angst?”

(Stella Morabito – The Federalist)  Walt Heyer knows firsthand what it’s like to undergo sex change surgery and then regret it. After living as a woman for nearly a decade, he decided to accept his biological sex and de-transition back to male. By then, Walt had received intensive cognitive therapy that helped him recognize early childhood trauma he had experienced. Continue reading →

‘Pastor’ Who Said He Hoped God Would ‘Finish the Job’ of Orlando Shooter Steps Down Over Prostitutes, Gambling, Drugs

Posted by ∙ ∙ In News ∙ , ,

“Churches frequently just cover things up. That is wrong. It’s sad how it makes Christianity look bad and Baptists look bad, but it’s not right to cover this up.”

(Heather Clark – Christian News Network)  The leader of a professed church in Texas affiliated with Steven Anderson’s Faithful Word Baptist Church in Arizona, who spoke positively of the deaths of 49 people in the 2016 Pulse homosexual nightclub massacre, has resigned after admitting to being involved with prostitutes, gambling and drugs. Continue reading →

SBC’s Russell Moore Signs Statement with Muslim Leaders, Claiming ‘Common Ground’

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , , ,

“I’ve read this document thoroughly, and let me tell you, there is a 100% reason to assume that the signers of this statement – from everything written therein – would support both gay marriage and abortion in the name of “religious freedom.” Zero doubt…none.”

(JD Hall – Pulpit & Pen)  If you don’t think the American Evangelical Intelligentsia would sell their birthright for a bit of peace and prosperity, you don’t know them. They are sniveling, weak, effeminate men without spinal columns, courage, or guts. They are shells of humanity, with the good stuff taken out and replaced with cream puffery. Continue reading →

Is Francis Chan Right That God Will Destroy Those Who Challenge Christian Leaders?

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , ,

“Consider if someone teaches that we are all little gods or messiahs, or that Jesus is not God in the flesh, or that there is no Trinity. According to Chan, we have no right to speak on this. Chan calls it gossip and warns you will be judged. In contrast, what does Scripture say about exposing false doctrine and those who spread it?”

(Let Us Reason)  I’m going to use an example of a disturbing sermon from a popular teacher* to show why the church is being misled by false teaching and starving for truth in God’s Word. Recently, Francis Chan spoke to a group at Bethel Church, and using Bible verses, he warned that God will destroy (kill) anyone who questions or opposes the teachings of Christian leaders. He proceeded to name some of those leaders (e.g., Rick Warren, Mark Driscoll, John Piper, etc.) who should not be spoken against. Continue reading →

Is the Vatican trying to recast McCarrick abuse of teen as ‘consensual’?

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , ,

Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, first cardinal in history to step down from the College of Cardinals because of sexual abuse allegations.

“Many are thinking that all of this is just one huge smoke screen. Rome has no real concern about this issue, too easily adopts a ‘blame the victim approach,’ and is content to treat this scandal as just an ‘American thing’ that will be forgotten soon enough.”  

(Doug Mainwaring – LifeSite News)  In a shocking reversal, the Vatican reportedly indicated that it deemed the allegations of sexual abuse by Archbishop Theodore McCarrick against an altar boy, found to be credible by the Archdiocese of New York, to be “not credible,” essentially nullifying the grievous testimony upon which the Holy See’s case against the prelate was being built.

The former altar boy, 16 years old at time the abuse occurred in 1972, had testified that in preparation for Christmas Mass at New York’s venerable St. Patrick’s Cathedral, McCarrick sexually abused him in the Cathedral’s sacristy and then again a year later in a lavatory. Continue reading →

The Left Will Make 2019 a Dark Year

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , ,

“The Democratic Party and the media will do to American political life what it has done to the arts; the universities; the high schools; the Boy Scouts; race relations; religion; the happiness of so many women (misled by feminism regarding marriage and career); the moral fabric of American life (morality reduced to feelings); late-night television; mainstream Judaism, Catholicism and Protestantism; pro football; and the sexual innocence of the young: It will poison it.”

I rarely make predictions — whether of election results or anything else. My policy has always been to say what I believe should be done, not what will be done. Continue reading →

Russell Moore Takes Pelosi’s Side, Urges Trump to Give Away Your Taxes to Foreign Countries Amidst Shutdown

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , , ,

“Most of the other signers are of the same Soros-funded and Soros-created group, Evangelical Immigration Table, of which Moore, Anderson, and Rodriguez are all members. And now, they’re pressuring the President to end the shutdown, even if it means funding the abortion provision bill by House Democrats.”

(JD Hall – Pulpit & Pen)  President Donald J. Trump is resisting pressure to sign a Democrat-led House bill that would end the government shut-down but wouldn’t fund the border wall and would instead use tax dollars to fund abortions overseas. Russell Moore has recently joined with 24 other “faith leaders” to urge the president to not cut foreign welfare no matter what. Continue reading →

Chronic Pain and the Ministry

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , ,

It is to this hope I seek to point God’s people. No, it doesn’t take away the pain usually. However, It is not a trite answer that does nothing. It is, in fact, the hope of every Christian: to see Christ, to be with Christ, and to be made like him in every respect (1 John 3:2)… So that is how I minister though I, too, suffer. I minister by pointing them to the exalted Minister who knows my agony yet conquered the reason of my anguish.

(William Hill – The Aquila Report)  When I was halfway through seminary, I was diagnosed with a neurological issue that affects my spinal cord. It was a long, drawn-out situation that left many doctors confused and unable to offer much help. The illness results in numerous problems: numbness in my limbs, pain shooting through my head and back, disorientation and dizziness and the constant feeling that I am going to collapse. It is a frustrating issue. In God’s providence, I managed to get through seminary though I struggled immensely for over two and a half years. I still struggle today, and my circumstances have escalated. Continue reading →

Federal Court Sides With Trump Admin’s Transgender Military Ban

Posted by ∙ ∙ In News ∙ ,

Prior to his resignation, Defense Secretary James Mattis said he is “prepared to defend” the ban, concluding that troops diagnosed with gender dysphoria carry “impacts of healthcare costs, readiness, and unit cohesion,” and as such present “considerable risk to military effectiveness and lethality.”

(Paul Bois – Daily Wire)  The Trump administration’s ban on transgenders serving in the U.S. military got a major boost on Friday when a federal appeals court ruled that the ban should not have been blocked by a lower court. Continue reading →

A New Years Thank You Note From The Evangelical Industrial Complex

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Satire ∙

What is the Evangelical Industrial Complex (EIC)? Some Christians believe that a powerful evangelical “celebrity machine” exists in the visible Church. What exaclty is the EIC?  According to dictionaryofchristianese.com: Major publishers of Christian books, music, and other media as alleged to be secretly, if informally, in league to promote and support selected high-profile Christian pastors, preachers, authors, and musicians in order to continue to make money from sales of books and other media products. Such promotion and support is alleged to be behind the downplaying or eliminating of any criticism or scandal that touches these high-profile Christian leaders.

Over at Messed Up Church, blogger Steven Kozar has penned a thank you note from the EIC — it’s satire:  Continue reading →

Actually, 2018 Was a Pretty Good Year

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , ,

“For all the pro- and anti-Trump invective and media hysteria, the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation circus, and the bitter midterm elections, the U.S. was relatively calm in 2018 compared with the rest of the world. There was none of the mass rioting, demonstrations, and street violence that occurred recently in France, and none of the existential and unsolvable divides over globalization and Brexit that we saw in Europe.”

(Victor Davis Hanson – National Review)  The year 2018 will be deplored by pundits as a bad year of more unpredictable Donald Trump, headlined by wild stock-market gyrations, the melodramas of the Robert Mueller investigation, and the musical-chair tenures of officials in the Trump administration. Continue reading →