Commentary, analysis and opinion.

Yoga and meditation on the rise among US adults and kids

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Read this….and then read Going Against God “Just for Fun” to see what God says about His people playing around in the world of the occult.

(Naomi Thomas – CNN)  More Americans are turning to forms of complementary medicine such as yoga, meditation and chiropractors, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics.

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, part of the National Institutes of Health, says in reports released Thursday that more than 30% of US adults and about 12% of children use “healthcare approaches that are not typically part of conventional medical care or that may have origins outside of usual Western practices.” Continue reading →

Going against God ‘just for fun’ (Reprise)

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FLASHBACK FRIDAY

This article by CRN managing editor Marsha West was first published May 2, 2013.

Today we’re hearing a lot about Spiritism or Spiritualism, not to be confused with spiritual or spirituality, as in “I’m not religious, I’m spiritual,” or “I’m into spirituality.” The term Spiritism has replaced what was once called animism and other religious practices involving the invocation of spiritual beings.

Some religions meld Spiritualism with Christianity. For example, a blend of Christian and African folk beliefs that originated in Brazil is now practiced in the U.S. Spiritualism is much the same as Spiritism only it has adopted Christian rites and prayers. People visiting Spiritualistic services can be misled into thinking they’re Christian churches. The problem is Christianity cannot be melded with any other religion or practice. Continue reading →

Can A False Teacher Be A Christian?

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“Our job is to evaluate what we can see – the person’s behavior, writings, sermons, teachings, and conversation – and determine whether or not it aligns with Scripture. If it doesn’t – even if we personally believe the person is actually saved – those teachings, and the person who teaches them, have no place in our churches or personal study materials.”

(Michelle Lesley)  I recently had the opportunity to read a fascinating and thought provoking Twitter discussion among some brothers in Christ about what constitutes a false teacher, and whether or not some false teachers might actually be genuinely regenerated Christians. Continue reading →

Christians are People of Truth

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“When you are born again, you have a new heart with new motives and suddenly your loophole deceitful schemes violate your heart in a way that they never did before.” 

(Josh Buice – Delivered By Grace)  It was Daniel Webster who once remarked, “There is nothing so powerful as truth—and often nothing so strange.” We live in a culture of lies. The devil is the father of all lies and this world is filled with a web of lies. When it comes to life in general, people expect to be told lies. We anticipate it at the car dealership, in the world of sales, and certainly in the world of politics. Continue reading →

Colorado Elects First Openly Gay Governor In U.S. History As The State Persecutes Christians

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“I think it really gives Colorado an opportunity to stick a thumb in the eye of Mike Pence whose view of America is not as inclusive as where America is today.” 

(Paul Bios – Daily Wire)  The state of Colorado made U.S. history on Tuesday night by electing the first openly gay man to the governorship.

According to the New York Post, “Democrat Jared Polis, a congressman from the state’s second district, received 51 percent of the vote compared with state treasurer Walker Stapleton’s 45 percent.” Continue reading →

For Trump, challenge of governing with Dem House, but full speed ahead with GOP Senate

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“So look for Trump to pursue an even more Senate-focused strategy. A continued string of judicial confirmations, coupled with executive actions that do not require congressional approval, could give the president more accomplishments even if he cannot pass legislation.”

(Byron York – Washington Examiner)  It took a while for President Trump to get used to working with the Republican-led Congress, but he developed a style of dealing with lawmakers that led to the passage of tax reform and a number of smaller measures. Continue reading →

Seven of the Most Outrageous Media Reactions to the Midterm Results

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“A lot of Americans decided to go out and vote … to support a man who spent the last month of the campaign not making subtle appeals to racism, but making overtly bigoted, racist statements, attacking brown people, attacking black people, attacking people who were the others.”

(Kathryn Blackhurst – LifeZette)  Democrats won the House and Republicans maintained control of the Senate following the Tuesday midterm elections — and the results were met with predictably partisan reactions from liberal mainstream media members. Continue reading →

It’s No Accident When Children are Drawn to Satanism

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“Witchcraft is being normalized and glamorized to young girls through media like Teen Vogue. This fall, a revived “Sabrina” series is debuting on Netflix, and this time, it’s not a comedy but a gruesome drama with storylines that include Satanism. And “Charmed” is back as well, with a plot that’s a diabolical stew of occult rituals along with feminist politics—and of course, the requisite sexual perversion. One of the characters is a lesbian.”

(Linda Harvey – Mission: America)  You may think you don’t have time to deal with your child’s obsession with astrology, weird Internet games, horror movies or dark-themed music. Or that new book about cool teens who are witches. Continue reading →

At Star-Studded Rally, Trump Makes Closing Argument: ‘Stop Radical Resistance In Its Tracks’

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President Trump and Fox News host Sean Hannity

“Hannity said Trump is a man of his word: “Promises made, promises kept.” And Pirro, host of “Justice With Jeanine,” knocked out the crowd when she said: “If you like the American that he is making now, you’ve got to make sure you get out there tomorrow if you haven’t voted yet.”

(Joseph Curl – Daily Wire)  President Trump brought out the big guns in his final rally before Election Day as he made his closing argument, urging voters to “stop the radical resistance in its tracks” to prevent Democrats from undoing the gains he’s made in his first two years.

In a rally in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, talk radio host Rush Limbaugh emerged first, drawing cheers from thousands packed into an arena. Continue reading →

Nadia Bolz-Weber: It’s okay to look at porn, especially if it’s ‘ethically sourced

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Lutheran “pastor” Nadia Bolz-Weber

“Exposing the ELCA, a website which is critical of the teachings and pastoral practices of the Lutheran sub-denomination, identifies Bolz-Weber as its most famous pastor, author, and speaker, noting that she was chosen to speak to 31,000 ELCA teenagers at a summer youth conference.”

EXPLICIT

(Doug Mainwaring – LifeSiteNews)  A prominent progressive pastor has said viewing pornography is just fine, especially if it is “ethically sourced porn.”

Reverend Nadia Bolz-Weber of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) heads a congregation composed of many LGBT members and which features a “Minister of Fabulousness,” according gay news site outinjersey.net. That website recently released a lengthy interview with the female pastor in which she shared some of her pro-LGBT and pro-pornography opinions. Continue reading →

The importance of teaching sound doctrine

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Much is at stake, but great things are in store if a church stops playing games and bolts the Bible to the pulpit and the pulpit to the floor boards. Sure, some people may not like it, but God’s word promises that the blessings will outweigh the backlash. Let’s look at five reasons that preaching sound doctrine matters…

(Costi Hinn – Servants of Grace)  Some years ago we did things a little differently at our church than we do now. We had a band that was filled with hired guns and we paid them to play the lights out every Sunday. To illustrate: our guitarist would tour the world with a famous boy-band, then roll in on Sundays to put on a show for our church—true story. Continue reading →

Tim Keller: Darwinian Evolutionist

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By Toni S. Brown

“In order to be true to my own principle, I won’t bother you with information about the different views of the flood. Let me just lay out my own assumptions. I believe Noah’s flood happened, but that it was a regional flood, not a world-wide flood…those who insist on it being a world-wide flood seem to ignore too much the scientific evidence that there was no such thing.”   (Tim Keller, Genesis: What Were We Put in the World to Do? [New York: Redeemer Presbyterian Church, 2006], pg 81

My own principle? My own assumptions? Scientific evidence there was never a global flood???

Take note of the dire warning to the Lord’s church by the Apostle Peter from his second epistle, whereby he clearly illustrates how to recognize the “scoffers” in this warning:

“This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:  That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Savior: Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, for this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:  Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished.”   2 Peter: 3: 1-3, 5-6

Question: What does Peter say will be the mark of the coming ungodly scoffers?

Answer:  Denial of the worldwide flood.

Keller is a Darwinian evolutionist and you will find him regularly partnering with the BioLogos Foundation, which was organized for the sole purpose of replacing the biblical account of creation with Darwin’s theory of evolution inside the church. This heresy is being cleverly propagated onto the church as “theistic” evolution, and again we see the manipulation of language used to promote heinous error in the church.

Theistic

ADJECTIVE

belief in a personal God as creator and ruler of the world.

“Animals, whom we have made our slaves, we do not like to consider are our equal.”  Charles Darwin

There is not a word of scripture that suggests any type of evolutionary process in the Genesis account of creation, as scripture makes clear that God created in six literal days and rested on the seventh. How do we know the six days are literal? Because a day is defined in the creation account:

“And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.” Genesis 1:5

Can it possibly be any clearer than this? No.

To prefix the theory of evolution with the term “theistic” makes it a much easier “sell” to the churches. A clear, concise creation account of what God did in the span of six days comes from the word of God. Darwin’s profane and dastardly theory, developed for the sole purpose of eliminating God, comes from the pit of hell. There is nothing “theistic” about Darwin’s godless theory, as we review the full title of (and concept behind) Darwin’s thesis:

“On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle For Life.”

By means of natural selection?

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”  Genesis 1:27,2:21-23

Preservation of favored races?

“Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.” Acts 10:34

Evolution, from the idea of natural selection to the perversion of preserving only favored races, cannot be “Christianized.” But that will not stop the false teacher, as they never allow truth to get in their way. Dr. Timothy J. Keller says the Genesis account of creation is just poetry, insisting that “science falsely so-called” should have the last word in the church.

“O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: 21 Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.”   1 Timothy 6: 20-21

In an essay he wrote for BioLogos titled Creation, Evolution and Laypeople, Dr. Keller revealed something that is both troubling and very telling about himself and his mission:

“If as a pastor I want to help both believers and inquirers to relate science and faith coherently, I must read the works of scientists, exegetes, philosophers, and theologians and then interpret them for my people. Someone might counter that this is too great a burden to put on pastors, that instead they should simply refer their laypeople to the works of scholars. But if pastors are not ‘up to the job’ of distilling and understanding the writings of scholars in various disciplines, how will our laypeople do it?  This is one of the things that parishioners want from their pastors. We are to be a bridge between the world of scholarship and the world of the street and the pew.  I’m aware of what a burden this is. I don’t know that there has ever been a culture in which the job of the pastor has been more challenging. Nevertheless, I believe this is our calling.”   https://biologos.org/blogs/archive/creation-evolution-and-christian-laypeople-part-1

Tim Keller says the pastor must build bridges of unity between the world and the church; he says it is their “calling.” He says it is what believers want from their pastors…? God’s word is void of any such concept but rather completely condemns this idea, as Paul warns us:

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord.”  2 Corinthians 6:14-17 

And the Apostle John couldn’t agree more:   “And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.”   1 John 5:19 

Peter concurs that the church and the world are incompatible:

“Dear friends, I warn you as temporary residents and foreigners to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.”   1 Peter 2:11

The Apostle Peter identified believers as “temporary residents” and “foreigners” in this corrupt world; this doesn’t help much to promote Keller’s idea of “unity” and community. Jesus is completely at odds with the idea of his church uniting with the world:

“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me first.  If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you.”   John 15:18-20 

The Apostle Paul details the role of the men who teach the church in undeniably clear language and it is the polar opposite of Keller’s definition of pastoral ministry:

“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.”  2 Timothy 4:1-2 

“Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”  Acts 20:28 

“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ”  Ephesians 4:11-13 

Below is a link to the list of pro-evolution essays Keller has produced for The BioLogos Foundation:  https://biologos.org/author/tim-keller 

Pastor John M. Otis has written a great book exposing the sinful error of any form of evolutionary thought in the church, as it robs God of his glory in creation, undermines all confidence in the word of God and collapses the very foundation of the Cross regarding the fall of Adam, sin and death.

Chris Arnzen interviews John Otis about his book on the sinfulness of evolutionary compromise, with warnings about Tim Keller.  (159.24 minutes) http://www.ironsharpensironradio.com/podcast/july-24-2015-isi-radio-show-with-john-otis-on-theistic-evolution-a-sinful-compromise/

PDF file of John Otis’ book (to read Chapter 8 “The Compromisers: Dr. Tim Keller” click on the link and scroll down to page 121, which is the beginning of chapter 8 on Keller) http://triumphantpublications.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/TheisticEvolution.pdf

You can add Darwinian evolution to the long list of heresies Tim Keller is promoting in the Lord’s church. 

Research:

Tim Keller

Creation vs Evolution

Research: Progressive (Social Justice) ‘Christianity’

Published with permission www.judeonefour.com

Leftist Race Slander Could Backfire

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“Liberals seek to disparage, intimidate and silence conservatives with these slurs, but they’ve raised it to a new level in the Trump era because they are running out of rational arguments to explain away Trump’s policy successes and they live in abject fear of losing their vise grip on the minority vote.”

(David Limbaugh – Daily Wire)  If you don’t think the political left is conspiring to smear President Trump, his supporters and the GOP as racists, then you probably haven’t been paying close enough attention.

I’m aware of the preferred school of thought that says targets of false political accusations shouldn’t take the bait and respond, the rationale being that defensiveness just makes them sound guilty and calls undue attention to the charge. Continue reading →

Voting – what does the Bible say?

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Bible teacher and pastor Alistair Begg of Truth For Life offers biblical advice on voting. He writes:

Dear Friend,

In less than a week, those of us in the US will exercise our right to vote. I thought it would be timely to consider what the Bible has to say about the privileges and obligations of citizenship.

Many passages and examples in the Bible clarify our responsibilities as citizens, not the least of which is found in Paul’s letter to the Romans, where he writes, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment” (13:1–2). Continue reading →

Sin is at the heart of what is wrong in your life

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FLASHBACK FRIDAY

This article by CRN managing editor Marsha West was first published October 8, 2013.

No one has any right to believe that he is indeed a Christian unless he is humbly seeking to obey the teachings of the One whom he calls Lord. Christ once asked a question that can have no satisfying answer, “Why do you call me, `Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” –A. W. Tozer

Bill and Beth (not their real names) are professing Christians.  Bill gave Beth a “promise ring” so she decided that God would be okay with them living together as man and wife.  If the arrangement works out, they’ll marry.  If it doesn’t work out they’ll move on to the next relationship.

Beth’s mom is also a Christian.  Beth opened up to me that when her mom found out she had decided to live in sin her only concern was that she could become pregnant.  Both of Beth’s sisters have children out of wedlock and this understandably distresses Mom as she worries that her youngest may follow in her two older sisters’ footsteps.  To me what’s more troubling than the pregnancy issue is that this Christian mother isn’t all that concerned that by living together Beth and Bill are sinning against God!  In fact, she hasn’t even broached the subject with her daughter. Continue reading →

What the Tree of Life Synagogue Massacre Means

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“For Jews to blame the most pro-Israel president since Harry Truman — the only president with a Jewish child and Jewish grandchildren, moreover — for increasing anti-Semitism is another example of a truism this Jew has known all his life: Unlike Jewish liberals, who get most of their values from Judaism, Jewish leftists are ethnically Jewish but get their values from leftism.”

(Dennis Prager – National Review)  ll my life I have reminded fellow Jews in America that we are the luckiest Jews to have ever lived in a non-Jewish country. I know what I’m talking about. I wrote a book on anti-Semitism, taught Jewish history at Brooklyn College, and fought anti-Semitism since I was 21, when Israel sent me into the Soviet Union to smuggle in Jewish religious items and smuggle out Jewish names. Continue reading →

Why Did Media And Democrats Abandon Their Investigation Into Brett Kavanaugh?

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“Any reporter who was able to verify the claims against Kavanaugh would be an instant hero and awarded all the journalism prizes. Is anyone even attempting to do so? Democrats took the claims so seriously that they charged Kavanaugh with the crimes in Senate hearings. Did they mean what they said? If they’re telling the truth, he should be impeached and imprisoned.”

(Mollie Hemingway – The Federalist)  What happened to the multiple allegations of sexual misconduct levied against Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation battle? The claims ranged from Christine Blasey Ford’s remotely plausible if unsubstantiated allegation of a violent attempted rape to Michael Avenatti’s completely outlandish and also unsubstantiated allegation of hosting serial gang rape parties. Continue reading →

The First Project Between the Obamas and Netflix Could Be a Trump Takedown

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Former president and first lady have a major deal with the streaming giant — and they seem to be going political with it.

(Zachery Lehman – LifeZette)  Remember earlier this year when the Obamas got in bed with Netflix?

And remember how they promised that the content they pushed out would highlight “the talented, inspiring, creative voices who are able to promote greater empathy and understanding between peoples” in a public statement? Continue reading →

Roma Downey Promotes New Age Doctrine (God ‘In’ Everyone & Everything)—Christian Leaders Say Nothing

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Pastors Rick Warren, David Jeremiah, Greg Laurie … “The tragedy about this situation between Roma Downey and Christian leaders is that the leaders are using Roma Downey, Roma Downey is using the leaders, and our Adversary is using them both—and countless naïve and undiscerning Christians are buying into the whole thing.”

(Lighthouse Trails)  Proclaim 19

First she’s there; now she’s gone, or is she? New Age sympathizer Roma Downey was scheduled to speak at the National Religious Broadcaster’s 2019 convention, Proclaim 19. … Continue reading →

Political Subversion Moving Christians Into Democrat Party Fold

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“Former Obama administration Faith Based and reelection campaign Faith Outreach Coordinator Michael Wear is now working with [Tim] Keller’s TGC. Wear’s book sports endorsements from Keller and Evangelical leaders Russell Moore, Andy Stanley, Ann Voskamp and fellow Obama spiritual advisor Joel Hunter. Wear is also writing for TGC on topics like ‘Holding the Christian Ethic Together.’” 

(Thomas Littleton – Thirty Pieces Of Silver)  Midterm elections demonstrate that the classic battle lines are being redrawn among Evangelical voters. Ongoing and concerted efforts through American conservative Christian seminaries, churches and secular mainstream media are intensifying to reshape the foundations and convictions which drive the Evangelical vote. … Continue reading →

Reformation Day Should be Bible Appreciation Day

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“I think it’s appropriate today to thank the Lord for the Bible that you hold in your hand.”

(Jordan Standridge – The Cripplegate)  October 31 should be Bible Appreciation Day.

While the world’s children appreciate candy and playing dress up, we Christians ought to appreciate those who shed their blood in order for us to hold the Bible.

If only Wycliffe, Hus, and Tyndale could have seen a vision of my iPhone as they were being killed for their hard work! They would have seen the dozens of translations I hold in my Bible gateway app, or my Logos app, that allows me to have access to so many tools, including the ability to parse Greek words at the drop of a hat! Continue reading →

‘Churches’ Celebrate Halloween With Zombies, Dancing Skeletons, ‘Haunted Hayrides’ and ‘Spooktaculars’

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“Matt Chandler of The Village Church…released a video last week in which he opined that Halloween is, to most people, ‘probably far less about demons and witches’ and ‘far more about candy and costumes and fun for the kids.’”

“Demons are for real. Witches are for real. Sorcery is for real. There is nothing good or clean or funny about any of it,” wrote Alan Morrison of Diakrisis International. “To encourage children to be involved in such things in any way is surely irresponsible and can ultimately be damaging to their spiritual health.” Continue reading →

Four Things You Can Do Right Now to Harden Your Place of Worship Against a Shooter

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“It is critical for everyone on the security team to understand that church members are the first responders. If someone gets through security and starts attacking, you cannot wait for the police to show up.”

(Jeff Sanders – PJ Media)  Sadly, America has experienced yet another maniac shooting up innocent people at a house of worship. On Saturday, a man armed with an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle (which is NOT an “assault rifle” since it cannot fire automatically as only a true assault rifle can) and three semi-automatic pistols murdered 11 people in a Pittsburgh synagogue and wounded several others (including four police officers). This kind of attack on houses of worship is no longer unheard of. Continue reading →

Denying reality at a steep price

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“This is about much more than some people claiming to be the other sex and trying with the help of the media to rig the culture and legal system to their version of reality. It’s a power struggle. The ruling elites aim to make us say that up is down, right is wrong, sweet is bitter and life is death.”

(Robert Knight – The Washington Times)  The idea of two distinct sexes has been acknowledged as fundamental reality for thousands of years by billions of people, biology and every major religion. Continue reading →