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A-P - MEDIA
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- Gary Abernathy - Christiane Amanpour - Tom Ashbrook - Annika Brockschmidt - James Carville - Jen Hamilton - Sean Hannity - Matthew Hoh - Laura Ingraham - Megyn Kelly - Dan Kennedy - Don Lemon - Laura Loomer - Kathy Jean Lopez - Amanda Marcotte - Matt Mcmanus - Elon Musk - Rene Nal - Peggy Noonan - Randy Ogles - Candace Owens - Jeanine Pirro - Jen Psaki -
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==gary abernathy======
Gary Abernathy
Gary Abernathy (born 1956) is an American political commentator who writes a nationally syndicated column for The Washington Post and makes frequent appearances on the PBS NewsHour. Abernathy is a prominent conservative columnist and editor whose writing often explores the intersection of Christianity, politics, and culture in America. He frequently contributes to The Washington Post and other outlets. Abernathy has written extensively on why evangelical Christians remained loyal to Donald Trump. He argues that many evangelicals view themselves as fellow sinners who value the "grace of Jesus Christ" and do not expect moral perfection from a political leader, viewing his flaws as secondary to his policy goals. He maintains a personal blog and devotional site called The Oak Tree Devotional, where he writes more personally about his faith. His posts focus on "the basics" of Christianity, such as gratitude, guarding one's heart, and the importance of keeping Christ at the center of marriage and family life. He has reflected on the history of American Christianity, noting that while many believers see "God's hand on America," this belief was traditionally apolitical and a source of comfort rather than a political weapon. His writings often touch on the dangers of self-righteousness. He has explored questions like whether it is better to be an atheist or a "bad Christian," emphasizing the biblical instruction not to judge others. He is occasionally confused with Ralph David Abernathy, a famous civil rights leader and co-founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), but the two are not the same person
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It has long been acknowledged that the United States’ energy infrastructure isn’t particularly secure, a concern exacerbated by the lack of a central planning process for our nation’s piecemeal electric grid. Presidential administrations and Congress have been slow to address the problem, apparently daunted by the mere size and scope of the challenges the needed upgrades would present. That needs to change now. The recent news that China apparently installed hidden “kill switches” in solar equipment sold to the U.S. was the latest in a long list of reasons to be concerned about our electricity infrastructure and the foolhardy rush to replace traditional energy sources with so-called “renewables” using technology that is often sourced from China. As Reuters reported, “Rogue communication devices not listed in product documents have been found in some Chinese solar power inverters by U.S experts who strip down equipment hooked up to grids to check for security issues … Using the rogue communication devices to skirt firewalls and switch off inverters remotely, or change their settings, could destabilize power grids, damage energy infrastructure, and trigger widespread blackouts, experts said.” As one source summarized it, “That effectively means there is a built-in way to physically destroy the grid.” Or, to put it in even simpler terms, the U.S. is purchasing Chinese equipment complete with a “kill switch” that would allow China to disable the U.S. power grid at any moment. Even more concerning, the problem is not relegated to the United States. Britain’s GB News reported, “Chinese companies dominate the market for power inverters, with firms like Huawei and Sungrow controlling more than half the market in 2023, according to Wood Mackenzie research. The European Solar Manufacturing Council estimates that more than 200 gigawatts of European solar power capacity relies on Chinese-made inverters.” (One gigawatt is equal to one billion watts.) --Gary Abernathy We Need a ‘Kill Switch’ on Foreign Powers Tampering With Our Electric Grid 6.4.25 |
August 25, 2023: PBS reported: Washington Post columnist Gary Abernathy and freelance journalist Sarah Smarsh join Geoff Bennett to discuss the week in politics, including the first GOP debate of the election season and the response to Trump's arrest in Georgia.
December 13, 2023: Abernathy in The Hill Op/ed: Early signs offer reason for guarded optimism. Trump’s comparative lack of post-election media visibility and relatively restrained social media posts lend credence to the suggestion that Trump may be taking a different approach. His first major post-election interview with Kristen Welker on “Meet the Press” over the weekend was encouraging. Trump promised that he is “not looking to go back into the past” to seek retribution, indicated support for allowing “Dreamer” immigrants to remain in the U.S., and even said, “I love you,” in response to what message he would send to non-Trump voters. ED NOTE: Trump lied. He has always been all about the retribution. Started on his first day in office. |
MAGA chronicler: 'Trump supporters aren't going away'
You could call him "The MAGA Whisperer." "They should start fathoming," he wrote, observing that Trump’s outsider, anti-establishment approach and "open contempt for all things politically correct" were energizing people who had been disaffected by traditional politics. For the past eight years, Gary Abernathy traced the rise of the Donald Trump base of supporters that became known as the MAGA (Make America Great Again) movement. As editor-publisher of the Hillsboro Times-Gazette in the heart of Ohio’s Trump Country in the southern part of the state, Abernathy, who earlier had spent years in Republican Party politics, wrote in January 2016 that many of his friends in professional GOP politics could not fathom a presidential ticket headed by Trump. (Cincinatti.com 3/21/24) READ MORE>>>>>
You could call him "The MAGA Whisperer." "They should start fathoming," he wrote, observing that Trump’s outsider, anti-establishment approach and "open contempt for all things politically correct" were energizing people who had been disaffected by traditional politics. For the past eight years, Gary Abernathy traced the rise of the Donald Trump base of supporters that became known as the MAGA (Make America Great Again) movement. As editor-publisher of the Hillsboro Times-Gazette in the heart of Ohio’s Trump Country in the southern part of the state, Abernathy, who earlier had spent years in Republican Party politics, wrote in January 2016 that many of his friends in professional GOP politics could not fathom a presidential ticket headed by Trump. (Cincinatti.com 3/21/24) READ MORE>>>>>
==christianne amanpour======
Christiane Amanpour
Christiane Amanpour was raised Roman Catholic and has stated that her faith is an important part of her life. Her personal background and professional work intersect with Christianity in several ways: Born to a British Catholic mother and an Iranian Shia Muslim father, she was raised in Tehran and attended a Catholic church there until the 1979 Islamic Revolution. She attended the Holy Cross Convent School and the New Hall School (a Catholic boarding school) in England. She has described her family as an embodiment of the three Abrahamic faiths, as she is married to a Jewish-American man. Amanpour has frequently explored the role of Christianity in global politics and history through major documentary projects: "Back to the Beginning" (ABC News): A two-part special where she retraces biblical stories from Genesis to Jesus, exploring the roots of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. "God's Warriors" (CNN): A documentary series examining religious fundamentalism. The segment "God's Christian Warriors" focused on the rise of the evangelical movement in American politics. On her PBS program, Amanpour & Company, she continues to interview experts on topics such as the rise of Christian nationalism and its impact on modern democracy. She began her journalism journey at CNN in the early 1980s, starting from the bottom and gradually rising through the ranks. Her breakthrough came during the Gulf War, where her fearless on-ground reporting earned international recognition. Over the years, she covered some of the most dangerous and defining conflicts, including the Bosnian War, the Iraq War, and crises across the Middle East and Africa.
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“There are some situations one simply cannot be neutral about, because when you are neutral you are an accomplice.” --Christiane Amanpour
Traditional journalism often promotes neutrality as a core value, but Amanpour has argued that neutrality should not come at the cost of truth. Amanpour has long advocated for “truthful journalism” rather than “neutral journalism.” This means reporting facts accurately while acknowledging when one side is clearly engaging in wrongdoing. Amanpour’s quote is a powerful reminder that neutrality is not always the right choice. It challenges individuals to rethink their role in moments of injustice and recognize that silence can carry as much weight as action. --Economic Times 3.26.26 CNN’s Christiane Amanpour: ‘We are not impartial…we should be truthful’ “The Amanpour Hour,” a weekly CNN show focused on news from around the world, debuted Nov. 5, 2023, creating a different take on the network’s international anchor’s existing brand name. The Saturday morning hour is hosted by CNN chief international anchor Christiane Amanpour, who has managed to create a brand around her last name — including using the name by itself as a handle on various social media platforms — so it makes sense to leverage that as part of the title, which also has unique alliteration thanks to how “H” is pronounced in the word “hour.” (Press-Gazette 5/17/24) READ MORE>>>>> |
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‘Amanpour Hour’ builds on host’s surname-centric brand
“The Amanpour Hour,” a weekly CNN show focused on news from around the world, debuted Nov. 5, 2023, creating a different take on the network’s international anchor’s existing brand name. The Saturday morning hour is hosted by CNN chief international anchor Christiane Amanpour, who has managed to create a brand around her last name — including using the name by itself as a handle on various social media platforms — so it makes sense to leverage that as part of the title, which also has unique alliteration thanks to how “H” is pronounced in the word “hour.”
(Michael P Hill/Newscast Studio 11/17/23) READ MORE>>>>>
“The Amanpour Hour,” a weekly CNN show focused on news from around the world, debuted Nov. 5, 2023, creating a different take on the network’s international anchor’s existing brand name. The Saturday morning hour is hosted by CNN chief international anchor Christiane Amanpour, who has managed to create a brand around her last name — including using the name by itself as a handle on various social media platforms — so it makes sense to leverage that as part of the title, which also has unique alliteration thanks to how “H” is pronounced in the word “hour.”
(Michael P Hill/Newscast Studio 11/17/23) READ MORE>>>>>
==tom ashbrook======
Thomas E Ashbrook
Thomas E. Ashbrook is an American journalist and radio broadcaster. He was formerly the host of the nationally syndicated, public radio call-in program On Point, from which he was dismissed after an investigation concluded he had created a hostile work environment. Prior to working with On Point, he was a foreign correspondent in Asia, and foreign editor of The Boston Globe. He currently hosts a podcast, Tom Ashbrook—Conversations .
Dan Kennedy
I listened to the podcast of “On Point” host Tom Ashbrook’s recent interview with the poet and author Jay Parini. The subject was Parini’s new book, “Jesus: The Human Face of God” (Icons).
I was fascinated. Here was someone who described himself as a believer — an Episcopalian, the denomination of my youth, no less — who spoke of Jesus and Christianity in terms of myth and metaphor rather than as some sort of rigid, literal reality. I wanted to see how he brought the seeming contradictions of belief and mythology together.
Unfortunately, the book itself does not quite live up to the promise of Parini’s conversation with Ashbrook, mainly because he tries to have it too many ways — starting with what it means to be a believer. “In its Greek and Latin roots,” he writes, “the word ‘believe’ simply means ‘giving one’s deepest self to’ something.” And he quotes St. Anselm: “For I do not seek to understand so that I may believe, but I believe so that I may understand.” To my way of thinking, that is putting the metaphorical cart before the metaphorical horse.
My principal unease with Parini, though, is that he writes about “remythologizing” Jesus without quite doing so. On the one hand, he suggests that the miracles Jesus performed and his resurrection are not meant to be taken literally. On the other, he does not rule out the possibility that they actually did happen. Parini doesn’t seem to think it matters all that much whether Jesus came back from the dead metaphorically or materially. Yet to me that’s the most important question.
I say that in full awareness of my own intellectual limitations. Like most people who were educated in a Western context, my thinking tends to be binary. My attitude toward religion is that it’s either literally true or it isn’t; and since it almost certainly isn’t, then it’s something I needn’t trouble myself with. Mind you, I have no patience for Christopher Hitchens-style atheism, and I’m intrigued enough by the whole notion of spirituality to attend a Unitarian Universalist church. But belief to me is a state of mind, based on provable facts, and not something I would give my “deepest self” to in the absence of such facts.
Still, there is much to recommend in Parini’s short biography. Parini is a warm and humane guide to the life of Jesus and the early roots of Christianity. He is especially valuable in explaining Jesus “the religious genius” who synthesized Jewish, Greek and Eastern ideas, especially in the Sermon on the Mount. Parini’s learned exploration of Jesus’ moral and spiritual teachings transcends the reality-versus-metaphor divide.
If you’re looking for answers, then “Jesus” is not for you. There are none, and Parini doesn’t pretend otherwise. But if you’re interested in a different way of thinking about Christianity, then Parini’s brief guide is a good place to start.
--Dan Kennedy; Media Nation; Myth, reality and Jay Parini’s life of Jesus 1.28.14
I was fascinated. Here was someone who described himself as a believer — an Episcopalian, the denomination of my youth, no less — who spoke of Jesus and Christianity in terms of myth and metaphor rather than as some sort of rigid, literal reality. I wanted to see how he brought the seeming contradictions of belief and mythology together.
Unfortunately, the book itself does not quite live up to the promise of Parini’s conversation with Ashbrook, mainly because he tries to have it too many ways — starting with what it means to be a believer. “In its Greek and Latin roots,” he writes, “the word ‘believe’ simply means ‘giving one’s deepest self to’ something.” And he quotes St. Anselm: “For I do not seek to understand so that I may believe, but I believe so that I may understand.” To my way of thinking, that is putting the metaphorical cart before the metaphorical horse.
My principal unease with Parini, though, is that he writes about “remythologizing” Jesus without quite doing so. On the one hand, he suggests that the miracles Jesus performed and his resurrection are not meant to be taken literally. On the other, he does not rule out the possibility that they actually did happen. Parini doesn’t seem to think it matters all that much whether Jesus came back from the dead metaphorically or materially. Yet to me that’s the most important question.
I say that in full awareness of my own intellectual limitations. Like most people who were educated in a Western context, my thinking tends to be binary. My attitude toward religion is that it’s either literally true or it isn’t; and since it almost certainly isn’t, then it’s something I needn’t trouble myself with. Mind you, I have no patience for Christopher Hitchens-style atheism, and I’m intrigued enough by the whole notion of spirituality to attend a Unitarian Universalist church. But belief to me is a state of mind, based on provable facts, and not something I would give my “deepest self” to in the absence of such facts.
Still, there is much to recommend in Parini’s short biography. Parini is a warm and humane guide to the life of Jesus and the early roots of Christianity. He is especially valuable in explaining Jesus “the religious genius” who synthesized Jewish, Greek and Eastern ideas, especially in the Sermon on the Mount. Parini’s learned exploration of Jesus’ moral and spiritual teachings transcends the reality-versus-metaphor divide.
If you’re looking for answers, then “Jesus” is not for you. There are none, and Parini doesn’t pretend otherwise. But if you’re interested in a different way of thinking about Christianity, then Parini’s brief guide is a good place to start.
--Dan Kennedy; Media Nation; Myth, reality and Jay Parini’s life of Jesus 1.28.14
==annika brockschmidt======
Annika Brockschmidt is a freelance journalist, author, and podcast-producer who currently writes for the Tagesspiegel, ZEIT Online and elsewhere. Her second non-fiction book America's Holy Warriors: How the Religious Right endangers Democracy was published in German in October 2021 and was an immediate bestseller. She co-hosts the podcast "Kreuz und Flagge" ("Cross and Flag") with visiting professor at Georgetown University, Thomas Zimmer, which explores the history of the Religious Right.
Mike Johnson isn't your Average Christian Right Avatar - He's influenced by fringe movements Unfamiliar to Most Political Analysts
Who is Mike Johnson, the man with horn-rimmed glasses who managed to become Speaker of the House—something Steve Scalise, Jim Jordan and Tom Emmer all failed to do? And what does he have that the other three didn’t? Johnson comes off as polite, speaking into microphones rather than shouting into them, and he’s considered affable and friendly. He was also widely unknown even in Washington political circles until recently (when asked about Johnson, Republican Senator Susan Collins said she didn’t know who he was and would have to Google him first). There are however a small handful of political commentators who don’t have to Google Johnson to know who he is and what he stands for: Those who’ve been writing about White Christian nationalism in the US for years.
As many commentators have noted since his election as speaker, Mike Johnson has been an integral part of a movement that’s been sawing away at the democratic foundations of the country for decades: The Christian Right. But Johnson, like much of the Christian Right itself, is also profoundly influenced by fringe Christian thinkers and movements that few reporters and analysts of US politics are familiar with. (Annika Brockschmidt/Religion Dispatches 11/5/23)
Read More>>>>>
Who is Mike Johnson, the man with horn-rimmed glasses who managed to become Speaker of the House—something Steve Scalise, Jim Jordan and Tom Emmer all failed to do? And what does he have that the other three didn’t? Johnson comes off as polite, speaking into microphones rather than shouting into them, and he’s considered affable and friendly. He was also widely unknown even in Washington political circles until recently (when asked about Johnson, Republican Senator Susan Collins said she didn’t know who he was and would have to Google him first). There are however a small handful of political commentators who don’t have to Google Johnson to know who he is and what he stands for: Those who’ve been writing about White Christian nationalism in the US for years.
As many commentators have noted since his election as speaker, Mike Johnson has been an integral part of a movement that’s been sawing away at the democratic foundations of the country for decades: The Christian Right. But Johnson, like much of the Christian Right itself, is also profoundly influenced by fringe Christian thinkers and movements that few reporters and analysts of US politics are familiar with. (Annika Brockschmidt/Religion Dispatches 11/5/23)
Read More>>>>>
==james carville======
Dem Strategist Says Christians More Dangerous Than Terrorists
In a recent interview on HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher,” Democratic strategist James Carville, the “Ragin’ Cajun,” sparked controversy by asserting that Christian Republicans pose a greater threat to the United States than Islamic terrorists. Carville specifically targeted U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, alleging that his beliefs and affiliations are a fundamental danger to the nation. During the interview, Carville declared, “Mike Johnson and what he believes is one of the greatest threats we have today to the United States. This is a bigger threat than al-Qaeda to this country.” He went on to describe his perceived threat as ‘Christian nationalists,’ as a significant peril, claiming they have infiltrated key positions, including the Supreme Court.
(James Lasher/Charisma 12/5/23)
READ MORE>>>>>
In a recent interview on HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher,” Democratic strategist James Carville, the “Ragin’ Cajun,” sparked controversy by asserting that Christian Republicans pose a greater threat to the United States than Islamic terrorists. Carville specifically targeted U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, alleging that his beliefs and affiliations are a fundamental danger to the nation. During the interview, Carville declared, “Mike Johnson and what he believes is one of the greatest threats we have today to the United States. This is a bigger threat than al-Qaeda to this country.” He went on to describe his perceived threat as ‘Christian nationalists,’ as a significant peril, claiming they have infiltrated key positions, including the Supreme Court.
(James Lasher/Charisma 12/5/23)
READ MORE>>>>>
Political Strategist's Dire Warning About Mike Johnson
Democratic political strategist James Carville issued a dire warning on Friday about House Speaker Mike Johnson and what Christian nationalism could do to the United States. After Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, was elected as speaker in late October, questions arose about his political past. He has been accused of having strong ties to Christian nationalism, a movement that believes the United States is a solely Christian nation and that its laws and government should be focused on the religion's values. (Rachel Dobkin/Newsweek 12.2.23)
READ MORE>>>>>
Democratic political strategist James Carville issued a dire warning on Friday about House Speaker Mike Johnson and what Christian nationalism could do to the United States. After Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, was elected as speaker in late October, questions arose about his political past. He has been accused of having strong ties to Christian nationalism, a movement that believes the United States is a solely Christian nation and that its laws and government should be focused on the religion's values. (Rachel Dobkin/Newsweek 12.2.23)
READ MORE>>>>>
==jen hamilton======
People Who Left 'MAGA Christianity' Share What It Really Took To Step Away
A viral video by nurse and content creator Jen Hamilton, in which she reads Matthew 25 alongside a critique of MAGA politics, crystallized a conversation that had been percolating for years: When faith and ideology clash, some believers choose to walk away because of their convictions — even if it costs them the communities that raised them.
One commenter, reflecting on their own experience, wrote, “I grew up Catholic but left the church because of the toxic views and opinions on ‘morality.’ If most Christians were like you, I reckon I’d go back.”
(AOL; 3.29.26)READMORE>>>>>>
A viral video by nurse and content creator Jen Hamilton, in which she reads Matthew 25 alongside a critique of MAGA politics, crystallized a conversation that had been percolating for years: When faith and ideology clash, some believers choose to walk away because of their convictions — even if it costs them the communities that raised them.
One commenter, reflecting on their own experience, wrote, “I grew up Catholic but left the church because of the toxic views and opinions on ‘morality.’ If most Christians were like you, I reckon I’d go back.”
(AOL; 3.29.26)READMORE>>>>>>
==sean hannity=================
Christian Leaders Celebrate Israel Amid Warnings Of Waning Support
The list’s breadth speaks to the diversity of Israel’s Christian supporters. Among this year’s honorees: Rev. Johnnie Moore, director of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation; world boxing champion Floyd Mayweather, lauded for funding emergency aid after the October 7 attacks; Daystar Television founder Joni Lamb; Pastor Jentezen Franklin, recognized for leading humanitarian relief for Israeli communities; Fox News host Sean Hannity; Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy; CPAC Hungary Director Miklós Szánthó; actor and producer Kelsey Grammer; and Family Research Council President Tony Perkins. Each, the IAF says, has played a crucial role in “mobilizing global support for Israel, especially in the face of rising antisemitism and international criticism.” “This year’s list reflects the extraordinary commitment of Christian leaders who have stood with Israel, particularly during the challenges of the past two years,” IAF President Josh Reinstein told Breitbart News. “Their support is a testament to the enduring bond between the Christian and Jewish communities, rooted in shared Judeo-Christian values.” (Grand Pinnacle Tribune 10/6/25) READMORE>>>>
The list’s breadth speaks to the diversity of Israel’s Christian supporters. Among this year’s honorees: Rev. Johnnie Moore, director of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation; world boxing champion Floyd Mayweather, lauded for funding emergency aid after the October 7 attacks; Daystar Television founder Joni Lamb; Pastor Jentezen Franklin, recognized for leading humanitarian relief for Israeli communities; Fox News host Sean Hannity; Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy; CPAC Hungary Director Miklós Szánthó; actor and producer Kelsey Grammer; and Family Research Council President Tony Perkins. Each, the IAF says, has played a crucial role in “mobilizing global support for Israel, especially in the face of rising antisemitism and international criticism.” “This year’s list reflects the extraordinary commitment of Christian leaders who have stood with Israel, particularly during the challenges of the past two years,” IAF President Josh Reinstein told Breitbart News. “Their support is a testament to the enduring bond between the Christian and Jewish communities, rooted in shared Judeo-Christian values.” (Grand Pinnacle Tribune 10/6/25) READMORE>>>>
With Turning Point Faith, Pastors Use Politics as a Church-Growth Strategy
His first stop was Godspeak Calvary Chapel of Thousand Oaks in California, headed by Pastor Rob McCoy, a former city council member and local mayor who had been a rising star in conservative evangelical circles during the early days of COVID-19. Under his leadership, Godspeak openly flouted California’s pandemic restrictions, holding in-person, maskless services that prompted a series of legal battles with county and state authorities. According to McCoy, Kirk helped land the pastor on Sean Hannity’s Fox News show to talk about his activism. As media attention grew, Godspeak’s attendance ballooned: far from dissuading churchgoers, COVID-related controversy only raised the church’s profile — and, according to multiple accounts, packed its pews. “We experienced 400% growth,” McCoy told Religion News Service in a recent interview.
McCoy said he encouraged other pastors to host Kirk, who lionized congregations that refused to close as garrisons against “tyranny,” a talking point that still shows up in Kirk’s stump speeches. Eventually, McCoy became co-chair of TPUSA Faith; “We play offense with a sense of urgency to win America’s culture war,” reads a tagline on a pamphlet distributed at TPUSA events.(Word & Way 6/12/23) READ MORE>>>>>
His first stop was Godspeak Calvary Chapel of Thousand Oaks in California, headed by Pastor Rob McCoy, a former city council member and local mayor who had been a rising star in conservative evangelical circles during the early days of COVID-19. Under his leadership, Godspeak openly flouted California’s pandemic restrictions, holding in-person, maskless services that prompted a series of legal battles with county and state authorities. According to McCoy, Kirk helped land the pastor on Sean Hannity’s Fox News show to talk about his activism. As media attention grew, Godspeak’s attendance ballooned: far from dissuading churchgoers, COVID-related controversy only raised the church’s profile — and, according to multiple accounts, packed its pews. “We experienced 400% growth,” McCoy told Religion News Service in a recent interview.
McCoy said he encouraged other pastors to host Kirk, who lionized congregations that refused to close as garrisons against “tyranny,” a talking point that still shows up in Kirk’s stump speeches. Eventually, McCoy became co-chair of TPUSA Faith; “We play offense with a sense of urgency to win America’s culture war,” reads a tagline on a pamphlet distributed at TPUSA events.(Word & Way 6/12/23) READ MORE>>>>>
==matthew hoh======
Matthew Hoh
Matthew Hoh is a former U.S. Marine Corps captain and State Department official who became a prominent anti-war activist after resigning in protest of the Afghanistan War in 2009. He currently serves as the Associate Director of the Eisenhower Media Network. He served nearly twelve years (1998–2008) in the Marine Corp, including two tours in Iraq. He was a company commander in Anbar Province from 2006 to 2007. In the State Department Hoh worked with reconstruction and governance teams in Iraq (2004–2005) before being appointed as a Foreign Service Officer in Afghanistan in 2009. In September 2009, he resigned his post in Zabul Province, Afghanistan, citing the "American escalation" of the war as counterproductive. His resignation letter was considered an "Essential Document" by the Council on Foreign Relations. In 2022, he ran for the U.S. Senate in North Carolina as a Green Party candidate, focusing on healthcare as a human right, ending "forever wars," and tackling political corruption. He is a frequent commentator on foreign policy and military issues, contributing to outlets like The Guardian, USA Today, and The Washington Post. He has recently provided analysis on conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, and Iran. He has received the Ridenhour Prize for Truth-Telling in 2010 for his public stand against the Afghanistan War. Hoh is a 100% disabled veteran, having suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and moral injury during his service. He has been open about his recovery and struggles with PTSD, often writing about these experiences on his Substack
As time goes on, the war favors Iran. But we’ve seen that Iran prepared for this war. They resourced themselves. They had a strategic plan for the war based upon achieving their political objectives and their immediate political objectives are to establish or re-establish deterrence so that a war like this cannot happen in the future and that their sovereignty is protected. And the way the Iranians calculate they can achieve that is by putting so much pressure, creating so much economic harm, not just in the region, but throughout the world, that that is the pressure that in the future would prevent the United States from carrying out a war like this again. Make this war so costly, not simply to the Americans and the Israelis, but to America’s allies throughout the region, as well as throughout the world—that in the coming years, the ability of the United States to do something like this again will be severely limited. Essentially, the way the Iranians have carried out the strategy to achieve that objective is, as you stated, by waging economic warfare, putting the world on the path to global recession and quite possibly if the worst outcomes—as can be assessed in terms of the crippling of energy production in the Middle East occur—quite possibly a global depression. And likewise too, the other way they have carried out their strategy to achieve their objectives is by expanding the war throughout the region so that this war is just not between three countries. It now involves, I think, 13 countries total, the number of countries that have been hit by missiles and drones.
--Matthew Hoh to Scott Harris on Between the Lines radio news Magazine
--Matthew Hoh to Scott Harris on Between the Lines radio news Magazine
==laura ingraham======
Laura Ingraham
Laura Ingraham is a practicing Roman Catholic. Though she was raised in a Baptist household, she converted to Catholicism as an adult. Ingraham's conversion was influenced by her godfather, Washington D.C. attorney Pat Cipollone, and Monsignor Peter Vaghi. She has described Catholicism as a "grounding influence" and has renewed her consecration to St. Joseph. She frequently references her faith on her Fox News program, The Ingraham Angle. This includes appearing on-air with ashes on her forehead for Ash Wednesday and framing political issues as "spiritual battles". Her religious views often intersect with her conservative political commentary: She holds strong anti-abortion positions based on her interpretation of biblical teachings like "Thou shalt not kill". Ingraham has stated that faith and virtue are essential for the survival of the United States. She regularly hosts Christian figures, such as Franklin Graham and John MacArthur, to discuss the intersection of religion and politics. In 2016, a Catholic bishop discouraged attendance at one of her speaking engagements, citing her partisan political punditry on issues beyond core religious teachings like abortion and euthanasia. She has faced criticism from some who argue her political rhetoric—particularly regarding immigration and demographic changes—conflicts with traditional Christian values of compassion
March 20, 2026:
RANDOM NOTES & POLITICAL BYTES
Zorek
I think as a whole the nation has lived believing the government, for the most part, had our backs (citizens). Maybe even they thought they had our back. But we started veering off course several decades ago and then believed the Constitution would stop people like Trump from happening.
Too many of us, including elected officials. don’t quite know what to do now. Democrats are trying to play a game with rules against a party that’s playing a game without rules. The rich are calling many of the shots by whom they donate to and with no limits…which there SHOULD have always been limits. Now rich people buy congressmen all the time on national and state levels. Since the advent of Fox News and the internet bad information has been served up for anyone willing to eat it. Fox News, BTW, started out with their mantra being "we report-you decide" and they would often put a Dem against the GOP and they would let the people decide (Remember Hannity & Colmes?) They dropped that pretty fast and went right wing rogue.
“Drinking the koolaid” is party policy for way too many. Then we have the insecure citizens who want to believe they are part of something and go where they can post and report whatever they want without realizing the consequences…but they get their personal likes and hearts and they are good for another day.
Those that are truly wanting to stop Trump’s agenda either dont have the power to do so…or they are afraid to do something or dont know what to do. (complicity essentially endorses the bad players) Those who can make noise. But who’s listening?
Then there’s those who wont say anything for fear it will effect their paychecks and million dollar donations.
It will be interesting to see how this all plays out. Or maybe..in the end…how many are left.
Too many of us, including elected officials. don’t quite know what to do now. Democrats are trying to play a game with rules against a party that’s playing a game without rules. The rich are calling many of the shots by whom they donate to and with no limits…which there SHOULD have always been limits. Now rich people buy congressmen all the time on national and state levels. Since the advent of Fox News and the internet bad information has been served up for anyone willing to eat it. Fox News, BTW, started out with their mantra being "we report-you decide" and they would often put a Dem against the GOP and they would let the people decide (Remember Hannity & Colmes?) They dropped that pretty fast and went right wing rogue.
“Drinking the koolaid” is party policy for way too many. Then we have the insecure citizens who want to believe they are part of something and go where they can post and report whatever they want without realizing the consequences…but they get their personal likes and hearts and they are good for another day.
Those that are truly wanting to stop Trump’s agenda either dont have the power to do so…or they are afraid to do something or dont know what to do. (complicity essentially endorses the bad players) Those who can make noise. But who’s listening?
Then there’s those who wont say anything for fear it will effect their paychecks and million dollar donations.
It will be interesting to see how this all plays out. Or maybe..in the end…how many are left.
Laura Ingrahm
“If anyone watching tonight is surprised when America stands alone, well, you haven't been paying attention. Now, of course as usual, liberals claim that Trump is the reason that any alliances are frayed. That is a joke.”
“As usual, they don't need to take out their wallets or risk any political heat at home, especially with the burgeoning Muslim population in the U.K. All this proves is that President Trump was right all along about these friends — well, they’re friends who took advantage of us for about 80 years.” -Laura Ingraham
First rule of Fox News Lie Club: Repeat what Trump says as fact.
“As usual, they don't need to take out their wallets or risk any political heat at home, especially with the burgeoning Muslim population in the U.K. All this proves is that President Trump was right all along about these friends — well, they’re friends who took advantage of us for about 80 years.” -Laura Ingraham
First rule of Fox News Lie Club: Repeat what Trump says as fact.
All of these people and anchors from Fox and Newsmax said today that they dont mind paying more at the pump for gas because it's the patriotic thing to do. Laura Ingraham makes $15 million a year and the rest of them are not far behind. They are telling people to do the patriotic thing and ride it out. The majority of the people in this country that have to buy gas to get to and from work or school don't have any where near their paycheck. These talking heads are so far out of touch with the people and it shows whenever they talk from their version of "reality." Trump, BTW, is asking for another $200 billion for his war in Iran. In the meantime gas prices and grocery prices will continue to rise.
November 4, 2023: Faithful America, an online Christian group that supports social justice causes, released their second-annual "False Prophets Don't Speak for Me" campaign featuring a list of top Christian-nationalist leaders in both church and politics along with a petition on Tuesday. The list, which in addition to Johnson, identifies former President Donald Trump, pastor Mark Burns, self-proclaimed prophet affiliated with the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) Julie Green, Fox News host Laura Ingraham, Ohio Representative Jim Jordan, conservative activist and radio talk show host Charlie Kirk, pastor Jackson Lahmeyer, Texas' Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, Archbishop Carlo Viganò, self-proclaimed prophet affiliated with NAR Lance Wallnau, and co-founder of Moms for Liberty and school board chair in Sarasota, Florida, Bridget Ziegler as "false prophets."
==megyn kelly======
Megyn Kelly
Megyn Kelly is a lifelong Roman Catholic who has recently spoken openly about navigating a "crisis of faith". While she remains identifying as Catholic, she has expressed deep frustration with the Church’s institutional processes and has begun exploring broader Christian intellectual arguments. Much of Kelly's recent struggle stems from seeking a Catholic annulment for her first marriage (to Daniel Kendall) in order to fully participate in sacraments like confession and communion within her current 16-year marriage to Douglas Brunt. She has described the process as "intrusive," "judgmental," and an unwelcome "interjection of man" between her and God. In early 2024 and 2026, Kelly admitted this process was driving her away from the church rather than closer to it, leading her to question the necessity of human intermediaries in a relationship with the divine. Influenced by the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk (whom she frequently discussed in late 2025 and early 2026), Kelly has been reading various faith-based books to construct more "intellectual arguments" for Christianity. She has hosted religious figures like Bishop Robert Barron, Father Mike Schmitz, and apologist Dr. Frank Turek on The Megyn Kelly Show to discuss these topics. Kelly frequently criticizes what she perceives as "Christian and Catholic bashing" by Hollywood and the mainstream media. In 2013, Kelly sparked a major media storm by asserting on Fox News that both Santa Claus and Jesus were white, a statement she later clarified by acknowledging Jesus' historical Middle Eastern roots. More recently, she has engaged in discussions about "spiritual warfare," linking current political and social shifts to a supernatural battle between good and evil.
December 15, 2025: Florida Pheonix reported: Inventing persecution where none exists. Remember the War on Christmas, when conservatives worked themselves into a lather over America-hating freaks wishing people “Happy Holidays,” putting on community celebrations called “Winterfest” instead of Christmas or parking a Festivus Pole next to a Manger Scene? Or the Black Santa phenomenon, which so horrified Fox News’ Megyn Kelly she felt compelled to declare “Santa is white”? Good times. Right-wingers’ obsession with what they see as secular assaults on Jesus and the fiesta of capitalism with which we mark his birth are no longer confined to December.
==dan kennedy======
Dan Kennedy
Dan Kennedy is a professor at Northeastern University’s School of Journalism, specializing in opinion journalism, media ethics and the future of local news. He writes about developments in community journalism and co-host a podcast with his research partner, Ellen Clegg, at their website and podcast, “What Works: The Future of Local News.” Our book, “What Works in Community News: Media Startups, News Deserts, and the Future of the Fourth Estate,” will be published by Beacon Press in January 2024. From 2007 to 2022, Kennedy wrote a weekly column on media and politics, first for The Guardian and later for GBH News. He also wrote for The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Nieman Lab, Nieman Reports, CommonWealth Magazine, The Huffington Post and other publications. His blog, Media Nation, is a nationally recognized source of news and commentary. In 2019 he received the Yankee Quill Award from the Academy of New England Journalists for a “lifetime of achievement and distinction in New England journalism.” In 2018 he received the James W. Carey Award for Outstanding Journalism from the Media Ecology Association. From 1991 through 2005 Kennedy worked at The Boston Phoenix, mostly as the alt-weekly’s media columnist. While at the Phoenix, he won the 2001 Rowse Award and the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies’ 1999 award for media reporting. The Phoenix, at one time the largest weekly paper in New England, ceased publication in March 2013.
Dan Kennedy
I listened to the podcast of “On Point” host Tom Ashbrook’s recent interview with the poet and author Jay Parini. The subject was Parini’s new book, “Jesus: The Human Face of God” (Icons).
I was fascinated. Here was someone who described himself as a believer — an Episcopalian, the denomination of my youth, no less — who spoke of Jesus and Christianity in terms of myth and metaphor rather than as some sort of rigid, literal reality. I wanted to see how he brought the seeming contradictions of belief and mythology together.
Unfortunately, the book itself does not quite live up to the promise of Parini’s conversation with Ashbrook, mainly because he tries to have it too many ways — starting with what it means to be a believer. “In its Greek and Latin roots,” he writes, “the word ‘believe’ simply means ‘giving one’s deepest self to’ something.” And he quotes St. Anselm: “For I do not seek to understand so that I may believe, but I believe so that I may understand.” To my way of thinking, that is putting the metaphorical cart before the metaphorical horse.
My principal unease with Parini, though, is that he writes about “remythologizing” Jesus without quite doing so. On the one hand, he suggests that the miracles Jesus performed and his resurrection are not meant to be taken literally. On the other, he does not rule out the possibility that they actually did happen. Parini doesn’t seem to think it matters all that much whether Jesus came back from the dead metaphorically or materially. Yet to me that’s the most important question.
I say that in full awareness of my own intellectual limitations. Like most people who were educated in a Western context, my thinking tends to be binary. My attitude toward religion is that it’s either literally true or it isn’t; and since it almost certainly isn’t, then it’s something I needn’t trouble myself with. Mind you, I have no patience for Christopher Hitchens-style atheism, and I’m intrigued enough by the whole notion of spirituality to attend a Unitarian Universalist church. But belief to me is a state of mind, based on provable facts, and not something I would give my “deepest self” to in the absence of such facts.
Still, there is much to recommend in Parini’s short biography. Parini is a warm and humane guide to the life of Jesus and the early roots of Christianity. He is especially valuable in explaining Jesus “the religious genius” who synthesized Jewish, Greek and Eastern ideas, especially in the Sermon on the Mount. Parini’s learned exploration of Jesus’ moral and spiritual teachings transcends the reality-versus-metaphor divide.
If you’re looking for answers, then “Jesus” is not for you. There are none, and Parini doesn’t pretend otherwise. But if you’re interested in a different way of thinking about Christianity, then Parini’s brief guide is a good place to start. --Dan Kennedy; Media Nation; Myth, reality and Jay Parini’s life of Jesus 1.28.14
I was fascinated. Here was someone who described himself as a believer — an Episcopalian, the denomination of my youth, no less — who spoke of Jesus and Christianity in terms of myth and metaphor rather than as some sort of rigid, literal reality. I wanted to see how he brought the seeming contradictions of belief and mythology together.
Unfortunately, the book itself does not quite live up to the promise of Parini’s conversation with Ashbrook, mainly because he tries to have it too many ways — starting with what it means to be a believer. “In its Greek and Latin roots,” he writes, “the word ‘believe’ simply means ‘giving one’s deepest self to’ something.” And he quotes St. Anselm: “For I do not seek to understand so that I may believe, but I believe so that I may understand.” To my way of thinking, that is putting the metaphorical cart before the metaphorical horse.
My principal unease with Parini, though, is that he writes about “remythologizing” Jesus without quite doing so. On the one hand, he suggests that the miracles Jesus performed and his resurrection are not meant to be taken literally. On the other, he does not rule out the possibility that they actually did happen. Parini doesn’t seem to think it matters all that much whether Jesus came back from the dead metaphorically or materially. Yet to me that’s the most important question.
I say that in full awareness of my own intellectual limitations. Like most people who were educated in a Western context, my thinking tends to be binary. My attitude toward religion is that it’s either literally true or it isn’t; and since it almost certainly isn’t, then it’s something I needn’t trouble myself with. Mind you, I have no patience for Christopher Hitchens-style atheism, and I’m intrigued enough by the whole notion of spirituality to attend a Unitarian Universalist church. But belief to me is a state of mind, based on provable facts, and not something I would give my “deepest self” to in the absence of such facts.
Still, there is much to recommend in Parini’s short biography. Parini is a warm and humane guide to the life of Jesus and the early roots of Christianity. He is especially valuable in explaining Jesus “the religious genius” who synthesized Jewish, Greek and Eastern ideas, especially in the Sermon on the Mount. Parini’s learned exploration of Jesus’ moral and spiritual teachings transcends the reality-versus-metaphor divide.
If you’re looking for answers, then “Jesus” is not for you. There are none, and Parini doesn’t pretend otherwise. But if you’re interested in a different way of thinking about Christianity, then Parini’s brief guide is a good place to start. --Dan Kennedy; Media Nation; Myth, reality and Jay Parini’s life of Jesus 1.28.14
==don lemon======
Evangelicals divided over what faith demands as immigration tensions deepen
Several organizers of a protest at the church were arrested for disrupting the worship service earlier this month. On Friday (Jan. 30), journalist Don Lemon, a former CNN anchor, and another independent journalist, who livestreamed the protest, were arrested in connection with it. Youth from Cities Church have volunteered with Arrive, and some church members signed on to a 2017 EIT letter promoting immigration reform. Last year, a pastor at Cities Church used the idea of refugee resettlement to talk about the way that Christians will be welcomed by Jesus into heaven. (Julie Roys; 1.30.26) READMORE>>>>>
Several organizers of a protest at the church were arrested for disrupting the worship service earlier this month. On Friday (Jan. 30), journalist Don Lemon, a former CNN anchor, and another independent journalist, who livestreamed the protest, were arrested in connection with it. Youth from Cities Church have volunteered with Arrive, and some church members signed on to a 2017 EIT letter promoting immigration reform. Last year, a pastor at Cities Church used the idea of refugee resettlement to talk about the way that Christians will be welcomed by Jesus into heaven. (Julie Roys; 1.30.26) READMORE>>>>>
Don Lemon Got Arrested Over a Church Protest. It’s Not Just Any Church.
Why is the Trump administration arresting journalists and activists over a protest inside a Minnesota church? The official reason the government cited Friday—when it arrested independent journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort, as well as two others—was that they were part of a “coordinated attack” on Cities Church in St. Paul. It’s a strange claim: Videos from the incident, which occurred Jan. 18, showed protesters being loud in interrupting a worship service, but not physically touching anyone or damaging any property. The protest may have been unpleasant for those in the pews—videos showed at least one man haranguing people for their complicity in supporting ICE—but it’s hardly an “attack.” (Slate; 1.30.26) READMORE>>>>>
Why is the Trump administration arresting journalists and activists over a protest inside a Minnesota church? The official reason the government cited Friday—when it arrested independent journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort, as well as two others—was that they were part of a “coordinated attack” on Cities Church in St. Paul. It’s a strange claim: Videos from the incident, which occurred Jan. 18, showed protesters being loud in interrupting a worship service, but not physically touching anyone or damaging any property. The protest may have been unpleasant for those in the pews—videos showed at least one man haranguing people for their complicity in supporting ICE—but it’s hardly an “attack.” (Slate; 1.30.26) READMORE>>>>>
==laura loomer======
Trump supporters hail US strikes in Nigeria as ‘amazing Christmas present’
Key The US’s Christmas Day strikes against Islamic State targets in Nigeria have been met with praise by Donald Trump supporters who for months had been agitating for the president to respond forcefully to the killings of Christians in the country. “I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Christmas than by avenging the death of Christians through the justified mass killing of Islamic terrorists,” the far-right political activist Laura Loomer posted on X. “You’ve got to love it! Death to all Islamic terrorists! Thank you.”Loomer said she had been informed by the US defense department – which the Trump administration calls the war department – that the American cruise missile strikes carried out with the Nigerian government’s cooperation had been “a direct response to [IS] jihadi terrorists killing Christians in Nigeria”. (The Guardian; 12.26.25) READMORE>>>>>
Key The US’s Christmas Day strikes against Islamic State targets in Nigeria have been met with praise by Donald Trump supporters who for months had been agitating for the president to respond forcefully to the killings of Christians in the country. “I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Christmas than by avenging the death of Christians through the justified mass killing of Islamic terrorists,” the far-right political activist Laura Loomer posted on X. “You’ve got to love it! Death to all Islamic terrorists! Thank you.”Loomer said she had been informed by the US defense department – which the Trump administration calls the war department – that the American cruise missile strikes carried out with the Nigerian government’s cooperation had been “a direct response to [IS] jihadi terrorists killing Christians in Nigeria”. (The Guardian; 12.26.25) READMORE>>>>>
kathryn jean lopez
Kathryn Jean Lopez
Christianity in Iraq, on the other hand, is in a different place, on the other side of the ISIS genocide that drove most of the Christians from Mosul to Erbil, near Kurdistan. When it comes to the persecuted Church, Iraq is a hopeful story, if a work in progress.
“ISIS is defeated, Christ is victorious,” Archbishop Bashar Warda tells me. “The Church is back again. Mass is back again.”
Warda, who established the exchange program with Franciscan University, says it has helped change how young Iraqis see Americans.
At first, many of his people thought the students coming to teach them must have been desperate for jobs. But as the Iraqis got to know the American teachers, they saw real faith, talent and generosity.
The young people are coming because “they want to serve the needs of the Church. They show the beauty and kindness of American Catholics,” Warda says.
During the genocide, Warda was able, with the help of the Knights of Columbus and Aid to the Church in Need, to establish a Catholic university and a hospital, among other things, for the people who wound up on his doorstep as refugees from ISIS.
He was able to help Christians see a future in Iraq — education for children and jobs for their parents. Warda credits good priests like then-Father (now Bishop) Thabet Habib Yousif Al Mekko for doing the difficult work of “accompanying his people through that long, painful road.” (Both Warda and Thabet were in Orlando for the annual Knights of Columbus convention this summer.)
This is no small thing. In 2014, Iraqi Christians understandably were tempted to think “this is the end ... That there is no future for them in Iraq,” Warda remembers. --Kathryn Jean Lopez; Press Republican; Christianity is alive and well in Iraq 9.18.23
“ISIS is defeated, Christ is victorious,” Archbishop Bashar Warda tells me. “The Church is back again. Mass is back again.”
Warda, who established the exchange program with Franciscan University, says it has helped change how young Iraqis see Americans.
At first, many of his people thought the students coming to teach them must have been desperate for jobs. But as the Iraqis got to know the American teachers, they saw real faith, talent and generosity.
The young people are coming because “they want to serve the needs of the Church. They show the beauty and kindness of American Catholics,” Warda says.
During the genocide, Warda was able, with the help of the Knights of Columbus and Aid to the Church in Need, to establish a Catholic university and a hospital, among other things, for the people who wound up on his doorstep as refugees from ISIS.
He was able to help Christians see a future in Iraq — education for children and jobs for their parents. Warda credits good priests like then-Father (now Bishop) Thabet Habib Yousif Al Mekko for doing the difficult work of “accompanying his people through that long, painful road.” (Both Warda and Thabet were in Orlando for the annual Knights of Columbus convention this summer.)
This is no small thing. In 2014, Iraqi Christians understandably were tempted to think “this is the end ... That there is no future for them in Iraq,” Warda remembers. --Kathryn Jean Lopez; Press Republican; Christianity is alive and well in Iraq 9.18.23
==amanda marcotte======
Amanda Marcotte
(Mike) Johnson largely managed to keep his name out of the national news before his ascendance as the highest-ranking Republican on Capitol Hill. That's why he won, as Republicans hoped to conceal his far-right radicalism under the veil of ignorance. .....This is, after all, the same politician who once fought to secure taxpayer funding for a Noah's ark-based theme park. Yes, he did so out of a conviction that a literal flood wiped out all life on earth except that of an old man, his family, and a boatful of animals around 2300 B.C. Never mind that there is a historical record of thriving, well-documented civilizations like Mesopotamia and Egypt at the time, and they did not disappear into a flood. The Noah exhibit even claimed dinosaurs were on the ark, which did not stop Johnson from arguing that 'what we read in the Bible are actual historical events.'" --Amanda Marcotte; Salon
==matt mcmanus======
Matt Mcmanus
".....everyone hopes God is on Brandon Johnson’s side — and a statement of hope about the environment. And that wraps this meeting of the ecology reading group of the Institute for Christian Socialism — a name the political Right would locate somewhere between oxymoron and heresy.
The Institute for Christian Socialism (ICS), founded in the late 2010s by scholars and activists, is one of a growing number of left Christian organizations to emerge or be revived over the past decade, from radical Black churches to LGBTQ-affirming congregations. Stridently opposed to the right-wing approach to the Gospels, Christian leftists and socialists profess a radical faith centered on our duties to the least among us. Conventional wisdom suggests all forms of socialism share a bedrock commitment to atheistic materialism, following Marx’s infamous description of religion as the “opiate of the masses.” Less remembered is that, in context, Marx suggests religion is something like medicinal: it’s “the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions.” Many socialists agree with Marx’s dialectical take here, that one of religion’s major draws is how it makes sense of an unjust world. But to Christian socialists, religion isn’t merely consolation; it’s a profound call to action and good works. The roots of Christian socialism are in scripture itself. While conservative Christians view humanity as radically fallen — thus requiring the steady hand of tradition and authority to curb evil — Christian socialists turn that theology into an injunction against the corrupting influence of political and economic power. For Christian socialists, the equality of souls under God obligates us to care for the marginalized and vulnerable while guarding against domination. When Jesus declared that it’s easier for a camel to pass through the eye of the needle than for a rich man to enter heaven, or insisted that God stands with the “wretched of the earth” — the title of Frantz Fanon’s anti-colonial masterpiece — he laid the groundwork for Christian socialism. --Matt Mcmanus; In These Times; Christian Socialists Are Reclaiming Faith from the Right 9.18.23
The Institute for Christian Socialism (ICS), founded in the late 2010s by scholars and activists, is one of a growing number of left Christian organizations to emerge or be revived over the past decade, from radical Black churches to LGBTQ-affirming congregations. Stridently opposed to the right-wing approach to the Gospels, Christian leftists and socialists profess a radical faith centered on our duties to the least among us. Conventional wisdom suggests all forms of socialism share a bedrock commitment to atheistic materialism, following Marx’s infamous description of religion as the “opiate of the masses.” Less remembered is that, in context, Marx suggests religion is something like medicinal: it’s “the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions.” Many socialists agree with Marx’s dialectical take here, that one of religion’s major draws is how it makes sense of an unjust world. But to Christian socialists, religion isn’t merely consolation; it’s a profound call to action and good works. The roots of Christian socialism are in scripture itself. While conservative Christians view humanity as radically fallen — thus requiring the steady hand of tradition and authority to curb evil — Christian socialists turn that theology into an injunction against the corrupting influence of political and economic power. For Christian socialists, the equality of souls under God obligates us to care for the marginalized and vulnerable while guarding against domination. When Jesus declared that it’s easier for a camel to pass through the eye of the needle than for a rich man to enter heaven, or insisted that God stands with the “wretched of the earth” — the title of Frantz Fanon’s anti-colonial masterpiece — he laid the groundwork for Christian socialism. --Matt Mcmanus; In These Times; Christian Socialists Are Reclaiming Faith from the Right 9.18.23
Matt Mcmanus
When Jesus declared that it’s easier for a camel to pass through the eye of the needle than for a rich man to enter heaven, or insisted that God stands with the “wretched of the earth,” he laid the groundwork for Christian socialism..............The roots of Christian socialism are in scripture itself. While conservative Christians view humanity as radically fallen — thus requiring the steady hand of tradition and authority to curb evil — Christian socialists turn that theology into an injunction against the corrupting influence of political and economic power. For Christian socialists, the equality of souls under God obligates us to care for the marginalized and vulnerable while guarding against domination. When Jesus declared that it’s easier for a camel to pass through the eye of the needle than for a rich man to enter heaven, or insisted that God stands with the “wretched of the earth” — the title of Frantz Fanon’s anti-colonial masterpiece — he laid the groundwork for Christian socialism. --Matt Mcmanus; In These Times; 9.18.23
==elon musk======
With antisemitic tweet, Elon Musk reveals his ‘actual truth’
New York CNN — Elon Musk has publicly endorsed an antisemitic conspiracy theory popular among White supremacists: that Jewish communities push “hatred against Whites.” That kind of overt thumbs up to an antisemitic post shocked even some of Musk’s critics, who have long called him out for using racist or otherwise bigoted dog whistles on Twitter, now known as X. It was the multibillionaire’s most explicit public statement yet endorsing anti-Jewish views.(Allison Morrow /CNN 11/17/23)
READ MORE>>>>>
New York CNN — Elon Musk has publicly endorsed an antisemitic conspiracy theory popular among White supremacists: that Jewish communities push “hatred against Whites.” That kind of overt thumbs up to an antisemitic post shocked even some of Musk’s critics, who have long called him out for using racist or otherwise bigoted dog whistles on Twitter, now known as X. It was the multibillionaire’s most explicit public statement yet endorsing anti-Jewish views.(Allison Morrow /CNN 11/17/23)
READ MORE>>>>>
==RENEE NAL=====
Renee Nal is an investigative journalist and documentary film producer. She is currently writing at Keywiki.org and TrevorLoudon.com. Nal is an employee at the RAIR Foundation USA, a grassroots activist organization where she serves as a journalist. She has been involved in producing documentary films focused on political research. Her work often involves in-depth reporting on political movements and public figures for the Capital Research Center. She maintains profiles on platforms like Flickr and Facebook.
Renee Nal: Capital Research Center: Weaponizing “Hate”: Understanding Criminal Motives
ON THE RECORD: Feb 2, 2014: Renee Nal (Illinois Review) asks "Is Christianity being hijacked by progressives?" Nal wisely notices that "An effort is underway, and has been for some time, to persuade Christian Americans on various policy issues, including same-sex marriage, extending unemployment benefits, and anti-Israel initiatives, by using an oftentimes cherry-picked and/or unusual interpretation of biblical teachings." Nal says "The organizations seeking to sway public opinion are well-coordinated and often times funded by extreme leftist groups, such as the Open Society Foundation." Napp Nazworth of the Christian Post discussed one of those efforts: “Evangelical leaders supporting immigration reform praised the new set of principles on immigration reform released by House Republicans after their winter meeting.” The “Evangelical Immigration Table” leaders “hail from the left and right of the political spectrum,” Nazworth wrote, “including leaders of Focus on the Family, National Association of Evangelicals, Sojourners and the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission.”-------------
Adrian Warnock: How Progressive or Liberal Christianity destroys the Church
American Unitarian Conference: When Liberal Christianity Becomes Too Liberal
Daily Beast: Can Nadia Bolz-Weber Resurrect Liberal Christianity?
Essential Christianity: A History of Evil Liberalism in the Southern Baptist Denomination
Huffington Post: The Problem With Assuming Liberal Christians Hate the Bible
NBC News: Is liberal Christianity signing its own death warrant?
Religion Online: The Future of Liberal Christianity
Right Scoop: Are liberal ‘Christians’ leading homosexuals into hell? Read this before you decide being gay is not a sin
The Atlantic: The Rise of the Christian Left in America
Adrian Warnock: How Progressive or Liberal Christianity destroys the Church
American Unitarian Conference: When Liberal Christianity Becomes Too Liberal
Daily Beast: Can Nadia Bolz-Weber Resurrect Liberal Christianity?
Essential Christianity: A History of Evil Liberalism in the Southern Baptist Denomination
Huffington Post: The Problem With Assuming Liberal Christians Hate the Bible
NBC News: Is liberal Christianity signing its own death warrant?
Religion Online: The Future of Liberal Christianity
Right Scoop: Are liberal ‘Christians’ leading homosexuals into hell? Read this before you decide being gay is not a sin
The Atlantic: The Rise of the Christian Left in America
==peggy noonan======
For those of us who remember the 1960s and the killing of Medgar Evers, both Kennedys and Martin Luther King, it feels like we’re going through another terrible round of political violence. It’s tempting to think, “That was terrible but we got through it.” But the assassinations of the 1960s took place in a healthier country, one that respected itself more and was, for all its troubles, more at ease with itself. It had give. Part of why this moment is scary is that we are brittler, and we love each other less, maybe even love ourselves less. -Peggy Noonam WSJ 9.11.25
==randy Ogles======
Threat of imposing religious law in America isn't from Muslims | OpinionLately, some politicians are pushing us down the Christian nationalist path, where Islam is the foil against which to define authentic American identity. Rep. Andy Ogles, the Tennessee Republican who has proclaimed that “America is and must always be a Christian nation," recently posted on X: “Muslims don’t belong in American society. Pluralism is a lie.” (USA Today; 3.22.26)READMORE>>>>>>
==candace owens======
How Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson Are Using Replacement Theology to Drive Modern Antisemitism
Christian influencers like Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson are rallying their followers against Israel — and Jews. And to do so, they’re also weaponizing a centuries-old concept that underlies many strains of Christianity.It’s called supersessionism, and it’s the idea that Jesus’ existence supersedes all commands, laws and beliefs that came before it. Christians often say that Jesus’ death “fulfilled” God’s commandments, meaning that everything God said to Jews in the Hebrew Bible, all of the covenantal promises and laws, are obsolete. These views on Israel, and their theological interpretation, collide with a Christian Zionist movement that deeply supports Israel for its own scriptural reasons, believing that Jews must return to Israel to fulfill a prophecy and herald Jesus’ own return. (Faithfully 3.28.26) READMORE>>>>>
Christian influencers like Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson are rallying their followers against Israel — and Jews. And to do so, they’re also weaponizing a centuries-old concept that underlies many strains of Christianity.It’s called supersessionism, and it’s the idea that Jesus’ existence supersedes all commands, laws and beliefs that came before it. Christians often say that Jesus’ death “fulfilled” God’s commandments, meaning that everything God said to Jews in the Hebrew Bible, all of the covenantal promises and laws, are obsolete. These views on Israel, and their theological interpretation, collide with a Christian Zionist movement that deeply supports Israel for its own scriptural reasons, believing that Jews must return to Israel to fulfill a prophecy and herald Jesus’ own return. (Faithfully 3.28.26) READMORE>>>>>
The hijacking of ‘Christ is King’
What did Candace Owens mean when she posted that “Christ is King” in the midst of a very public dispute with her Daily Wire employer Ben Shapiro? I’m not going to enter into the details of that dispute other than to say I agree with Shapiro’s concerns. Here, I want to focus on Owens posting the words “Christ is King” on X (formerly Twitter). (Michael Brown/ Christian Post 11/20/23)
Read More>>>>>
What did Candace Owens mean when she posted that “Christ is King” in the midst of a very public dispute with her Daily Wire employer Ben Shapiro? I’m not going to enter into the details of that dispute other than to say I agree with Shapiro’s concerns. Here, I want to focus on Owens posting the words “Christ is King” on X (formerly Twitter). (Michael Brown/ Christian Post 11/20/23)
Read More>>>>>
==jeanine pirro======
Jeanine Pirro
".......look, this country was found on the Judeo-Christian ethics. We, you know, when I was the judge in my courtroom above my bench, it said “In God we trust.” I think that America is moving so far from that foundation that we are in a dangerous point that every person who is a person of religion or a person of God understands the inherent dangers of what is happening in America today.
We are flirting with the kind of destiny that only destroyed nations and fallen empires find themselves in. And so that's why I wrote the book Crimes Against America. What the left is doing to our children in schools and to Americans across the board, and especially to those believers, people who believed in God and are faith-driven, is it is destroying them.
And, you know, we saw it with the Dobbs decision. When our own Department of Justice would not follow its own rules of making an arrest of anyone who is parading or protesting in front of a Supreme Court justice’s home in the hope of getting them to change their opinion. Not one of those people was arrested, but you could rest assured that everyone, everyone who was involved in any way — and some of them who were clearly innocent and found to be not guilty by juries later — who got involved in any kind of pro-choice objection ended up being arrested and ended up being prosecuted.
But any of the pro-life centers or the pregnancy centers, any of the attacks on them were not even — they were not even investigated. And so, when you look at what is happening, the takedown of religion in America, it forebodes a very difficult future. And I think that people of faith need to worry about not just what's being taught in schools in terms of transgender nonsense, but what is happening in our society today against religion." --Jeanine Pirro; Flashpoint w/Pastor Gene Bailey May 30, 2023
We are flirting with the kind of destiny that only destroyed nations and fallen empires find themselves in. And so that's why I wrote the book Crimes Against America. What the left is doing to our children in schools and to Americans across the board, and especially to those believers, people who believed in God and are faith-driven, is it is destroying them.
And, you know, we saw it with the Dobbs decision. When our own Department of Justice would not follow its own rules of making an arrest of anyone who is parading or protesting in front of a Supreme Court justice’s home in the hope of getting them to change their opinion. Not one of those people was arrested, but you could rest assured that everyone, everyone who was involved in any way — and some of them who were clearly innocent and found to be not guilty by juries later — who got involved in any kind of pro-choice objection ended up being arrested and ended up being prosecuted.
But any of the pro-life centers or the pregnancy centers, any of the attacks on them were not even — they were not even investigated. And so, when you look at what is happening, the takedown of religion in America, it forebodes a very difficult future. And I think that people of faith need to worry about not just what's being taught in schools in terms of transgender nonsense, but what is happening in our society today against religion." --Jeanine Pirro; Flashpoint w/Pastor Gene Bailey May 30, 2023
==jen psaki======
Jen Psaki
“Another deeply religious conservative Republican just ascended to the speakership… The problem with Johnson isn’t at all his faith. He is entitled to his personal beliefs as everyone is…even if they come from the 18th century.” -Jen Psaki 10/28/23
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