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

Baylor drops reference to “homosexual acts” in sexual conduct policy

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According to WacoTrib:

Baylor University has dropped language in its sexual conduct policy specifically outlawing sexual relationships between same-sex partners, though the university does not appear to be endorsing gay and lesbian couples or sex outside of marriage.

The university’s sexual misconduct policy previously listed “homosexual acts” among the sexually related conduct that could prompt disciplinary action, along with adultery, fornication, incest, sexual abuse, harassment and assault.

But that clause is dropped under a new sexual conduct policy approved by Baylor’s Board of Regents at its last meeting. The policy now no longer outlines specific actions that would be considered violations.

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Ignatian Spirituality Conference: Jesuits call for the contemplative silence

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This piece is over at at My Word Like Fire. According to Father General Adolfo Nicolás, SJ, “We need the ability to become ourselves silence, emptiness, an open space that the Word of God can fill, and the Spirit of God can set on fire for the good of others and of the Church.”

John Lanagan has provided a video of the interview. View article →

Read CRN’s research paper on Contemplative Prayer

Christian Bakers Who Declined to Make Cake for ‘Gay Wedding’ Ordered to Pay $135,000 to Lesbians

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According to Christian News Network:

The owners of a Christian bakery in Oregon have officially been ordered to pay $135,000 in damages to two lesbians who claimed that they suffered emotionally after they were told that the bakery could not make a cake for their ceremony because of their convictions not to participate in others’ sins.

As previously reported, Aaron and Melissa Klein operate Sweet Cakes by Melissa in Gresham, which is now operated from the couple’s home after the Kleins’ shut their doors due to harassment. In January 2013, Aaron was approached by a mother and her daughter as the two were interested in a cake for the daughter’s upcoming wedding—to her lesbian partner.

“My first question was what’s the wedding date,” Klein told television station KTW in Portland. “My next question was [the] bride and groom’s name. … The girl giggled a little bit and said, ‘It’s two brides.’”

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40 Questions for Christians Now Waving Rainbow Flags

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Pastor and best selling author Kevin DeYoung asks questions of professing Christians such as: When Jesus spoke against porneia what sins do you think he was forbidding?

DeYoung begins:

Rainbow flagFor evangelicals who lament last Friday’s Supreme Court decision, it’s been a hard few days. We aren’t asking for emotional pity, nor do I suspect many people are eager to give us any. Our pain is not sacred. Making legal and theological decisions based on what makes people feel better is part of what got us into this mess in the first place. Nevertheless, it still hurts.

There are many reasons for our lamentation, from fear that religious liberties will be taken away to worries about social ostracism and cultural marginalization. But of all the things that grieve us, perhaps what’s been most difficult is seeing some of our friends, some of our family members, and some of the folks we’ve sat next to in church giving their hearty “Amen” to a practice we still think is a sin and a decision we think is bad for our country. It’s one thing for the whole nation to throw a party we can’t in good conscience attend. It’s quite another to look around for friendly faces to remind us we’re not alone and then find that they are out there jamming on the dance floor. We thought the rainbow was God’s sign (Gen. 9:8-17).

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Rick Warren will speak at Papal Mass in Philadelphia

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Southern Baptist pastor Rick Warren will be a part of the ecumenical and interfaith gathering this September where Pope Francis himself is expected to appear. In the Catholic Herald piece we learn that the most important thing that can happen at the week long congress is conversion so that “families can become a force of change for good.” Obviously the conversion they’re referring to is placing their faith in Roman Catholicism. So it’s doubtful that the purveyor of pragmatism, Rick Warren, will share the true gospel of Jesus Christ during his speech, as that would certainly be viewed as divisive. But we shall see.

The Catholic Herald’s report begins:

More than 1.5 million people are expected for the Mass with Pope Francis in Philadelphia this September, said organisers of the next World Meeting of Families.

A high-level delegation from Philadelphia, led by Archbishop Charles J Chaput, was in Rome as of Monday to meet Vatican officials, review some of the planning and promote the week-long congress.

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John Piper: “Weeping,” not celebrating, correct response to “shameless” homosexuality

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Christians are looking to their leaders for guidance and wisdom on SCOTUS’ disastrous ruling on same-sex “marriage.” Enter John Piper. Dr. Piper was once considered a leader in the Church. However, in the past couple of years he has been under fire for uniting with and giving his stamp of approval to false teachers. Thus, a number of people who held him in high esteem have become disenchanted with him. Even so, there are people who still want to hear from Dr. Piper on issues pertaining to the Church and the culture, particularly those who share his Reformed views.

ChristianExaminer has a piece with Dr. Piper’s reaction to the High Court’s ruling and also informs us what one high profile Canadian pastor has to say on the subject.
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Girl Scouts reject $100k donation over anti-transgender provision

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According to Fox News:

The Girl Scouts of Western Washington said it refunded a $100,000 donation because it came with a provision that the money couldn’t be used to support transgender girls.

The group said it sent the money back in May after the donor had asked that the gift be returned unless the group guaranteed it would not be used to benefit transgender girls.

“Girl Scouts is for every girl, and that is every girl regardless of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion. Every girl is every girl,” Megan Ferland, CEO of the Girl Scouts of Western Washington, said in an interview Tuesday. “It was a sad decision, but it was not a difficult decision. There was no way I would be put in a situation of refusing a girl participating because of a gift. It was really that quick.”

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OFFICIALS: STUDENTS’ GENDER IDENTITY DETERMINES RESTROOM USE

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The AP reports:

The U.S. Justice Department says in a court filing that transgender students must be allowed to use the restroom that corresponds with their gender identity.

The department says in a statement of interest filed Monday that failure to do so amounts to sex discrimination under Title IX of the U.S. Education Amendments of 1972. The document is in response to a federal lawsuit filed against the Gloucester County School Board by a 16-year-old transgender student who wants to be allowed to use the boys’ restroom.

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Driscoll Publicly Repents…For Criticizing Osteen

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From Pulpit & Pen:

Courtesy Berean Research. Cartoon by Rod Anderson.

Courtesy Berean Research. Cartoon by Rod Anderson.

Speaking at the Hillsong conference, Mark Driscoll repented for a number of things. Praise God. Hallelujah.

Milking the Best-Seller’s List by Improperly Using Church Funds

Asking staff about their wive’s favorite sexual position

Well more than a dozen counts of plagiarism

Porno-graphic discerno-vision

Throwing people under the Mars Hill bus

No. Driscoll didn’t repent for any of that stuff. Driscoll repented for having criticized Joel Osteen.

Pulpit & Pen has the audio.

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The US Supreme Court “gay marriage” ruling – how we got to this, and what do we do now?

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Supreme Court 5-4MassResistance (MR), a pro-family group based in Massachusetts, admits that the pro-family movement as a whole made huge blunders in their approach to winning the “culture war.” According to MR, the “religious pro-family establishment is as treacherous and opportunist as the national Republican Party establishment.” No surprise there. Many of us in online discernment have reported on the deceptive pro-family movement for years. Our beef with pro-family groups is mainly who they choose to align themselves with. One example is the apostate New Apostolic Reformation. So that you’ll know who these pro-family leaders are and the ways in which they’ve given credibility to the worst sort of false teaching imaginable, we’re including a few eye-opening articles:

The Religious Right uniting with religious renegades, part 1 part 2 part 3

Pitiable capitulating pro-family leaders part 1 part 2

Assemblies of God Exposed to New Apostolic Reformation through Empowered21

Now to MR’s full report. View article →

FAITH-BASED CRISIS MANAGEMENT FIRM HELPS PASTORS “COME OUT”

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Stand Up For The Truth reports:

In light of the recent Supreme Court decision to make same-sex marriage the law of the land, a few strong pastors are making biblical public statements affirming God’s Word in the matter, and taking a stand based on what He says rather than what the world says. If your church or ministry hasn’t done that yet, have you prayed? Have you studied Scripture for your statement? Or are you waiting for the right PR message promising a solution to help you Come Out?

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Homosexual, Transgender Activists Blaspheme Jesus Christ at Brazilian Pride Parade

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According to Christian News Network:

Brazil Pride ParadeImages taken at a recent homosexual pride parade in Brazil are raising concern as they show a number of attendees blaspheming Christ and desecrating religious images during the event.

One of the photographs creating the greatest stir is that of “transgender” actor Viviany Beleboni riding in a two million spectator pride parade in Sao Paulo as he hangs from a cross.

According to BuzzFeed, Beleboni asked an effects artist to simulate Christ’s bloody wounds on his body, and then was affixed to a cross wearing a crown of thorns and only a loin cloth. The sign over Beleboni’s head read “Enough of Homophobia.” He said that the depiction was to parallel Christ’s suffering with that of homosexuals.

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Here’s How Religious Business Owners Could Protect Themselves Against Gay Marriage Decision

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Kelsey Harkness, columnist for The Daily Signal, says states need to adopt their own statutes to provide business owners with sincere religious beliefs protection. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal has already started the process. According to Harkness, “Last month, Jindal quietly issued an executive order that “prevents the state from discriminating against people or their business with deeply held religious beliefs.”
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Texas governor: First Amendment, not Supreme Court ruling, is priority

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According to ChristianExaminer:

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has issued a memo to all state agencies instructing them to prioritize compliance with laws that protect the religious freedom of the state’s employees as they deal with the fallout of the Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized gay marriage in all 50 states.

“As leaders of this State, we have an obligation to secure the right of all Texans to live their lives according to the principles of their religious faith,” Abbott wrote.

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The Body Politic Is Queer

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On the heels of the U.S. Supreme Court’s disastrous decision to legalize same-sex marriage, Peter Jones of truthxchange penned a piece with this warning to Americans: You cannot introduce into society a life style, now considered legal, without it redefining what the culture must receive as morally and spiritually acceptable. Putting blue dye in one end of the pool affects the color of the water in the whole pool.

Now to Dr. Jones’ piece, which can be read in full over at truthxchange:

Ironically, this claim [“the body of Christ is queer”], by an ordained bi-sexual female, Layton E. Williams, in the PC(USA), appeared the day before the decision of the USSC to legalize same sex marriage in all fifty states.

Culturally, this legal decision represents an historic moment for the United States. The Declaration of Independence, declaring that rights and laws are endowed by the Creator, has been rendered meaningless by a fake redefining of marriage, with no reference to the Creator or to any objective standards. The charade is over. This decision indicates that what has been happening for some time is finally here for all to see: the USA is clearly a “godless nation.” Let public figures supporting this decision no longer say or sing: “God bless America.” or “Amazing Grace.” It is just as worthless as their view of marriage.

This is a victory for “progressives,” though we have not made much progress. Augustine in his City of God vividly describes the 5th century pagan “games” offered in honor of Tanit, the celestial “virgin” and mother of the gods. He also describes the public display of the goddess’s homosexual priests. “They were seen yesterday, their hair moist, their faces covered in make-up, their limbs flaccid, their walk effeminate, wandering through the squares and streets of Carthage, demanding from the public the means to subsidize their shameful life.”

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Proposed “Homage to Satan” Near Ten Commandments Monument to Be Unveiled

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According to Christian News Network:

Satanic TempleA New York-based Satanist group has announced the unveiling of its sculpted ‘homage to Satan,’ which it seeks to place next to a Ten Commandments monument on the grounds of the Oklahoma state capitol building.

As previously reported, the Satanic Temple issued a news release about its intentions in 2013 following the filing of a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which asserted that the presence of the Ten Commandments display on government property violated the Establishment Clause of the United States Constitution.

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Justice Scalia Issues Scathing Dissent in Same-Sex ‘Marriage’ Ruling: ‘Pride Goeth Before a Fall’

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Christian News Network reports:

As one of the four justices that dissented from today’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling declaring that all 50 states must legalize same-sex “marriage,” Justice Antonin Scalia issued a sharp rebuke of his colleagues’ arrogance, warning that “pride goeth before a fall.”

“The opinion is couched in a style that is as pretentious as its content is egotistic,” he wrote. “It is one thing for separate concurring or dissenting opinions to contain extravagances, even silly extravagances, of thought and expression; it is something else for the official opinion of the court to do so.”

Scalia was speaking of his disapproval of five black-robed justices issuing an edict that he opined was “highly unrepresentative” of the nation and “hardly a cross-section of America.”

“Today’s decree says that my ruler, and the ruler of 320 million Americans coast-to-coast, is a majority of the nine lawyers on the Supreme Court,” he said. “And to allow the policy question of same-sex marriage to be considered and resolved by a select, patrician, highly unrepresentative panel of nine is to violate a principle even more fundamental than no taxation without representation: no social transformation without representation.”

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More A.A. Fun Facts for you and your friends

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We frequently post articles written by researcher John Lanagan that bring to light the A.A. co-founders’ involvement in spiritualism and other anti-biblical activity. In this short piece Lanagan offers convincing evidence that these men were up to their ears in what the Bible calls sorcery during A.A.’s formative years. It’s unfortunate that many people have been led to believe that A.A. is a Christian based organization, when nothing could be further from the truth.

Ouija board game

“The ouija board began moving in earnest. What followed was the fairly usual experience-it was a strange melange of Aristotle, St. Francis, diverse archangels with odd names, deceased friends–some in purgatory and others doing nicely, thank you! There were malign and mischievious ones of all descriptions telling of vices quite beyond my ken, even as former alcoholics. Then, the seemingly virtuous entities would elbow them out with messages of comfort, information, advice—and sometimes just sheer nonsense.” (A.A. co-founder Bill Wilson, quoted in PASS IT ON, Wilson’s official A.A. biography, pg. 278) (emphasis mine)

“Do not seek out mediums and spiritists; do not seek out and be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.” (Leviticus 19:31)

“…[AA co-founders] Bill and Dr. Bob believed vigorously and aggressively. They were working away at the spiritualism; it was not just a hobby.” (Early A.A. member Tom Powers, quoted in PASS IT ON, pg. 280) (emphasis mine)

Want to learn more? Seances, Spirits, and 12 Steps

Reposted with permission.

Would the Son of God Contradict the Father?

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Marsha West

Marsha West

Is it true that Jesus never mentioned anything about homosexuality? That He never brought it up, even once? Most of us have heard the argument that the Gospels have no record of Jesus condemning homosexuality. There are individuals, especially from the militant homosexual rights movement, who utter this fabrication with all the raw hostility of liberals who think abortion is their God given right.

The “Jesus never mentioned homosexuality” argument is meant to bully people into believing that Jesus actually took a benign attitude towards same-sex acts. Liberals reason that if Jesus disapproved of homosexuality, He would have said so. Moreover, He never mentioned gay sex, thus He didn’t condemn it.

Most people, including some Christians, don’t have a clue what Jesus did or did not say on any given subject, let alone what He thought about same-sex practices, so they fall for the “Jesus never mentioned homosexuality” lie, hook, line and sinker.

So, does Jesus approve of homosexual relationships?

At the very heart of the Christian view of God is the Holy Trinity. (This is not an essay on Christian doctrine, so bear with me for a moment.) Classical Christianity has believed that God exists in Holy Trinity, or tri-personality — the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Trinity is not three gods in one. Each Person of the Trinity is fully God. They are one in essence with three separate and distinct personalities. All are infinite and eternal. Jesus Christ, the Son, is the Second person of the Trinity. The Son is in perfect union with the Father and the Holy Spirit. They are never, nor could they ever be out of union with one another. Jesus said, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). The deity of the Holy Spirit is also evident. In Acts 5:3-4 Peter told Ananias that by lying to the Holy Spirit, he had lied to God.

Following is one way of illustrating the Trinity:

“H2O…is common water-two parts hydrogen, one part oxygen. You can freeze H2O and you would have the solid, or ice. You can turn on your faucet and you would have the liquid H2O. You can hear the whistle of H2O that comes out of the tea kettle spout which is steam, but it would still be H2O. H2O can and does exist in solid, liquid and gas. The solid is not the liquid; the liquid is not the gas; and yet all three are of one nature: H2O. And that is exactly how it is with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Father is not the Son, the Father is not the Holy Spirit, and Jesus is not the Holy Spirit.” (emphasis added – Source)

The crux of the matter is this: Those who try to make their case by arguing, “Jesus never mentioned homosexuality” are either ignorant of the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, or they ignore it for the purpose of supporting a hollow argument. View article →

“I will not bow to the Court on this gay-marriage decision any more than the Founders bowed to British tyranny”

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The words of Gov. Mike Huckabee on the Supreme Court ruling:

“The Supreme Court has spoken with a very divided voice on something only the Supreme Being can do-redefine marriage. I will not acquiesce to an imperial court any more than our Founders acquiesced to an imperial British monarch. We must resist and reject judicial tyranny, not retreat.

“This ruling is not about marriage equality, it’s about marriage redefinition. This irrational, unconstitutional rejection of the expressed will of the people in over 30 states will prove to be one of the court’s most disastrous decisions, and they have had many. The only outcome worse than this flawed, failed decision would be for the President and Congress, two co-equal branches of government, to surrender in the face of this out-of-control act of unconstitutional, judicial tyranny.”

“The Supreme Court can no more repeal the laws of nature and nature’s God on marriage than it can the laws of gravity. Under our Constitution, the court cannot write a law, even though some cowardly politicians will wave the white flag and accept it without realizing that they are failing their sworn duty to reject abuses from the court. If accepted by Congress and this President, this decision will be a serious blow to religious liberty, which is the heart of the First Amendment.”

Rick Warren’s “Power of a Campaign for Revival and Spiritual Awakening”

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Berean Research has the latest on Rick Warren:

Rick WarrenSaddleback’s and Amurica’s pastor Rick Warren is talking revival and spiritual awakening! Can it be that he is finally preaching repentance and surrender to Christ? Well, not exactly. We’re talking about a movement by numbers again, from his latest email blast. What does the Bible have to say about this?

Rick Warren: “If God allowed you to baptize hundreds of new believers, add almost hundreds of new members, and increase your average attendance by thousands in just 40 days, would you call that a revival?”

I’d call it nickles and noses. Proof of revival is not in numbers. Remember, GOD does the increasing. Acts 3:19-21 “Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.”

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‘There Are Still … Minds to Change’: Obama Hosts ‘Gay Pride’ Reception at White House

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According to Christian News Network:

Barack Obama hosted a “gay pride” reception at the White House on Wednesday as part of LGBT month recognized by his administration each June, declaring that there are still “minds to change” on the issue.

Obama spoke to a crowd in the White House East Room while being accompanied by Vice President Joe Biden and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. He touted the achievements that his administration had made in the six years that he has been president.

“Together, we ended ‘don’t ask, don’t tell.’ We passed a historic hate-crimes bill named in part after Matthew Shepard. We lifted the HIV entry ban, and this summer, we’re going to be updating our national HIV/AIDS strategy, which will focus on eliminating disparities that gay and bisexual men and transgender women face,” Obama said.

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Gospel for Asia’s Leader K.P. Yohannan to Speak at Calvary Chapel Missions Conference

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Patheos columnist Warren Throckmorton has raised several questions with regard to the forthrightness of Gospel for Asia leaders. He writes:

According to this website, Gospel for Asia’s founder and president will speak at Calvary Chapel in Downey, CA as a part of a missions conference. I wrote the church to ask if Yohannan plans to address any of the controversies swirling around Gospel for Asia and will add any answer I get.

Specifically, it is not known if any leader at Gospel for Asia is going to publicly acknowledge that the leaders prevailed upon their own students and ministry partners to carry envelopes of undeclared U.S. cash to India in apparent violation of U.S. law. Thus far, GFA has not apologized for violating their own financial integrity guidelines or requiring students as young as 18 to engage in smurfing of large amounts of cash to India.

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You’re being secretly tracked with facial recognition, even in church

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Kashmir Hill, columnist for Fusion, writes:

We know that Facebook has a vast facial recognition database so good that it can recognize you when your face is hidden, that the FBI has built a millions-strong criminal facial recognition system, and that Google’s new Photos app is so effective at face recognition that it can identify now-adults in photos from their childhood. But now facial recognition is starting to pop up in weird and unexpected places: at music festivals (to identify criminals); at stadiums (to weed out “sports troublemakers“) and at churches. Yes, churches.

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