Category: blaze media

A New York Times report documents how the environmentalist Sierra Club group imploded after trying to maneuver into diversity, equity, and inclusion policies in the last few years.

The report included many firsthand accounts of how racial activists were brought into the fold and then colonized the environmental mission, leading to the downfall of the organization.

‘That’s fine, Delia. But what do wolves have to do with equity, justice, and inclusion?’

The Sierra Club was one of the foremost influential environmentalist groups before it allowed social justice proponents to hijack its agenda, the report suggested. The result was a drop in donations and membership and a rise in layoffs.

A tax filing analysis showed that the group consistently brought in tens of millions of dollars more every year than it spent from 2015 until 2019. In 2020, it was about even, but the expenditures far exceeded revenue in 2022 and 2023.

“Sierra Club is in a downward spiral,” read a letter to the leadership from a group of managers.

The Sierra Club had about four million members and supporters in 2019 but has lost a whopping 60% of those since, the report claimed.

The report said the organization pivoted to expand its focus during President Donald Trump’s first term to include racial justice, labor rights, gay rights, immigrant rights, and other causes. That experiment failed so badly it had to fire Ben Jealous as executive director, whose previous job had been heading up the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

On the way there, the group aliened many of its dedicated volunteers.

It drove away longtime volunteers who loved the club’s single-minded defense of the environment, by asking them to fully embrace its pivot to the left. Some even felt they were investigated by the club for failing to go along. Many hard-core supporters felt the Sierra Club was casting aside the key to its success: It was an eclectic group of activists who had one, and sometimes only one, cause in common.

The Sierra Club also issued an “equity language guide” that warned employees against using problematic words, including “vibrant,” “hardworking,” “lame duck session,” and even the word “Americans.”

One Sierra Club director objected to a budget that paid for only two full-time employees to fight Trump’s policies on the Arctic refuge while funding the equivalent of 108 full-timers on DEI. They passed the budget despite his protest.

After former President Joe Biden won the election in 2020, the report said that the Sierra Club lost supporters over a public argument about making Israeli divestment an environmental issue. The group backed off on the issue but not before damaging support.

RELATED: Wisconsin mom who criticized ‘woke, White’ social justice coordinator beats defamation lawsuit

One anecdote included in the report was a staff member’s response to an ecologist volunteer who opined that Sierra Club should seek more protections for the wolf population in Colorado.

“One of the staff said, ‘That’s fine, Delia. But what do wolves have to do with equity, justice, and inclusion?’” she recalled.

The Colorado chapter responded: “No one was investigated or accused of values misalignment on the basis of wolf conservation efforts.”

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Sierra club, Org crippled by dei, New york times report, Environmentalist vs dei, Politics 

An internal memo has rocked the leadership at the British Broadcasting Corporation.

Last week, another outlet in the United Kingdom revealed that the memo had accused the BBC of deceptively editing footage of President Donald Trump’s speech on January 6, 2021.

‘We fight like hell, and if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not gonna have a country any more.’

The Telegraph reported that Michael Prescott, a former independent external adviser to the BBC’s Editorial Guidelines and Standards Committee, wrote a dossier on the BBC’s alleged bias before leaving his position in June.

The report accused the BBC of splicing together Trump’s comments on Jan. 6 to appear as if they were made in the same breath, even though the remarks were about 54 minutes apart.

As Blaze News previously reported, the edit in question appeared on the BBC’s one-hour Panorama special, titled “Trump: A Second Chance?”

The documentary featured a clip purporting to show Trump saying, “We’re going to walk down to the Capitol, and I’ll be there with you. And we fight. We fight like hell.”

In reality, Trump’s actual statement was:

“We’re gonna walk down, and I’ll be there with you. We’re gonna walk down. We’re gonna walk down, any one you want, but I think right here, we’re gonna walk down to the Capitol, and we’re gonna cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women. And we’re probably not going to be cheering so much for some of them, because you’ll never take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength, and you have to be strong. We have come to demand that Congress do the right thing and only count the electors who have been lawfully slated. Lawfully slated. I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.”

The edited clip also featured Trump’s words from about 54 minutes later, when he was discussing election integrity.

“Most people would stand there at 9 o’clock in the evening and say, ‘I wanna thank you very much,’ and they go off to some other life, but I said something’s wrong here, something’s really wrong, can’t have happened, and we fight.”

“We fight like hell, and if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not gonna have a country any more,” Trump added.

Now, BBC Director-General Tim Davie and CEO of BBC News Deborah Turness have both handed in their resignations.

RELATED: BBC allegedly deceptively edited Trump’s Jan. 6 speech into riot lie

Tim DAvie. Photo by Dominic Lipinski/Getty Images

Davie issued a memo to his staff on Saturday and claimed that it was completely his decision to step down.

“I wanted to let you know that I have decided to leave the BBC after 20 years. This is entirely my decision,” Davie wrote, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

The director said he had been reflecting on the “very intense personal and professional demands” that come with his role and claimed that “in these increasingly polarized times, the BBC is of unique value and speaks to the very best of us.”

Without directly mentioning the video editing controversy, Davie called the BBC a “critical ingredient of a healthy society.”

‘As the CEO of BBC News and Current Affairs, the buck stops with me.’

Turness, however, was openly self-deprecating in her decision to resign.

“The ongoing controversy around the Panorama on President Trump has reached a stage where it is causing damage to the BBC — an institution that I love,” she wrote in a memo. “As the CEO of BBC News and Current Affairs, the buck stops with me — and I took the decision to offer my resignation to the Director-General last night.”

She added that “in public life, leaders” must be “fully accountable, and that is why I am stepping down.”

Still, Turness said despite the mistakes, any “allegations that BBC News is institutionally biased are wrong.”

RELATED: The UK wants to enforce its censorship laws in the US. The First Amendment begs to differ.

CEO of BBC News Deborah Turness, October 13, 2022 in London, England. Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images

As the BBC is a government-run institution, the ruling Labour Party chimed in on the controversy.

“I want to thank Tim Davie for his service to public service broadcasting over many years. He has led the BBC through a period of significant change and helped the organization to grip the challenges it has faced in recent years,” said U.K. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy.

Nandy said the BBC charter, which defines “Object, Mission and Public Purposes” for the organization, will be reviewed to help the BBC “adapt to this new era” and secure its role at the “heart of national life” for the future.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​News, Trump, Bbc, England, United kingdom, J6, January 6th, Capitol, Deceptive, Republican, Politics, Media 

News broke last week that Harvard University — that ancient temple of American prestige and intersectional pride — may finally attempt to curb its notorious grade inflation. For decades, Harvard has handed out A’s like party favors at a preschool graduation. But now, administrators seem to fear the public has noticed that every graduate’s transcript reads: Congratulations! You’re brilliant.

Naturally, the students have responded with calm reflection and humility.

The American university had one job — to cultivate wisdom and virtue. If Harvard students now treat studying as oppression, maybe it’s time to grade the universities themselves.

Just kidding. They’re in full moral meltdown — which is remarkable, since most of them deny morality exists unless it’s part of an identity rubric. Touch their grades, though, and suddenly they rediscover absolute truth, glowing with divine fire.

What provoked this crisis of the soul? The rumor — merely the rumor — that they might have to study.

One distraught undergraduate complained that stricter grading would force students to spend time on academics instead of extracurriculars. And as every Harvard student knows, college is all about extracurriculars. Academics are a high-school hazing ritual — a price of entry to the elite club where you never have to study again.

Other students reportedly spent the day crying. It’s a hard life.

When they lamented losing time for extracurriculars, some surely meant yachting. Others meant activism. Who will dismantle “colonizing heteronormativity” if the revolution has to pause for midterms? Who will liberate the oppressed from the tyranny of citations?

Their outrage, ridiculous as it sounds, reveals at least three uncomfortable truths about the American university system — and the students it produces.

1. They worked hard once so they never have to again.

Some students said they nearly killed themselves to get into Harvard. Not to study there — don’t be ridiculous! — but to ensure that they’d never need to study again.

If you’re an employer expecting a Harvard graduate to be a disciplined thinker, brace yourself. You may be hiring someone who hasn’t cracked a book in years. Many of them majored in activism and minored in demanding that you pay them to keep doing it.

These students treat the workplace as an extension of campus — a new platform for “advocacy,” complete with your office space, Slack channels, and HR department. You wanted an employee. You may get an organizer.

2. Entitlement isn’t an accident — it’s the admissions policy.

Harvard attracts a particular type: students convinced that excellence is their birthright and that hard work is a microaggression.

Some even claim that “work ethic” must be decolonized as a relic of whiteness — a fragile idea until you remember they say it while demanding an A for not working. One almost admires the nerve.

We should stop treating “Harvard graduate” as a compliment. It’s becoming a warning label. These students expect to skip effort, skip merit, skip discipline — and demand that you “check your privilege” if you object.

Why wouldn’t they? Harvard built an entire institutional culture around their sensitivities. The modern university no longer shapes students; it rearranges itself around their demands.

3. The university system has failed.

The Harvard meltdown exposes a national rot. For decades, Americans have been told that college is essential for success. Universities responded by expanding enrollment, inventing dozens of useless “studies” degrees, building administrative empires, and raising tuition to swallow every loan dollar available.

The result?

Now we’re mass-producing indebted graduates with inflated expectations of high-paying careers and no knowledge or skills to justify either. Education has become a luxury accessory — a handbag whose value lies in the logo.

To test the system’s bankruptcy, try asking a recent Ivy League graduate:

What is wisdom?What is the highest good?How did your education make you a more virtuous person?

You’ll likely get a breathless word salad about “advocating for marginalized identities and dismantling structures of oppression.” Ask how that helps anyone achieve the good, and you’ll get a vacant stare fit for a zoning map.

Of course, technical fields like engineering still demand real work. But those are small islands in a vast sea of bureaucratic waste. Most universities now operate as billion-dollar community centers with a few classes on the side — entertainment disguised as education.

RELATED: The real fraud in higher ed: Universities need that Chinese money

Photo by VCG / Contributor via Getty Images

Can the system be saved?

Maybe, but don’t bet on it.

You can’t “hire your way out” of a faculty that’s 97% left or far left. That’s not an imbalance; it’s a monoculture. And monocultures don’t reform themselves.

But the reckoning is coming. Enrollment is falling, budgets are exploding, and public trust is collapsing. The only thing keeping many universities alive is their ability to convince students that identity activism and LGBTQ+ advocacy are transcendent educational callings.

The solution is simple: Stop paying for the nonsense. No one is obliged to spend $80,000 a year to hear a gender-theory lecturer attack the biblical definition of marriage. No law, moral or otherwise, requires funding your own indoctrination.

Let them lecture to empty rooms.

The American university had one job — to cultivate wisdom and virtue. If Harvard students now treat studying as oppression, maybe it’s time to grade the universities themselves.

And the report card is long overdue.

​Harvard, Grade inflation, Hate crime, Woke, Opinion & analysis, Higher education, Ivy league schools, Elite 

If you read the label on your favorite “healthy” food, the chances are high that you’re going to be extremely disappointed — and maybe even inspired to make a massive change.

And that’s exactly what happened when Christian homesteader Michelle Visser took a harder look at what she was putting in her body.

“I had been a junk food junkie my whole life, and I had been eating processed food my whole life,” Visser tells BlazeTV host Allie Beth Stuckey.

“I started looking at the ingredients of the processed food, and I started realizing, well, instead of using this little pack of taco seasoning, I could make my own taco seasoning. And instead of buying this ice cream that has antifreeze as one of its ingredients, I could make my own ice cream,” Visser explains.

“What differences did you see in your own body and in the health of your family when you started making those changes?” Stuckey asks.

“So much more energy and just zest for life and a really good feeling about food that I had never had before,” she responds, telling Stuckey that the difference between opening up a cardboard box and making your own food from scratch is staggering.

“It just doesn’t give you the satisfaction and the creativity that real food can give you,” she says. “So I started feeling much better in that way. Just more energy, sleeping better, just really good overall.”

Stuckey points out that in many cases, removing processed foods from diets does alleviate a lot of chronic symptoms people may have had.

“It’s not just one quick fix, but you know, a lot of the things that people in America struggle with today, when it comes to our gut, when it comes to our skin, a lot of the things that start with our digestion, they can be alleviated, or helped a lot, by what we do in the kitchen,” Stuckey says.

And Visser has some shocking news for those who believe they’re being healthy by drinking tea every night.

“It turns out it’s one of the most heavily unregulated, yet heavily sprayed with pesticide food or drink that you can eat,” she tells Stuckey, explaining that even when the tea is “organic,” it may come in a toxic bleached bag.

“So maybe loose leaf tea is the way to go,” Stuckey says.

“That’s what I recommend,” Visser agrees.

Want more from Allie Beth Stuckey?

To enjoy more of Allie’s upbeat and in-depth coverage of culture, news, and theology from a Christian, conservative perspective, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

​Camera phone, Sharing, Video, Upload, Video phone, Free, Youtube.com, Relatable with allie beth stuckey, Relatable, Allie beth stuckey, The blaze, Blazetv, Blaze news, Blaze podcasts, Blaze podcast network, Blaze media, Blaze online, Blaze originals, Homesteading, Pesticides, Tea with pesticides, Antifreeze in ice cream, Processed foods, Maha 

Liberals have made no secret of their desire to see harm come to President Donald Trump.

A survey conducted by the Network Contagion Research Institute and Rutgers University’s Social Perception Lab revealed in April that 55% of respondents who identified as left of center said that assassinating Trump would be at least somewhat justified.

When asked by pollsters about the September 2024 attempt on the president’s life at his golf course in Florida, 28% of Democrats said it would have been better for Trump to have been slaughtered on the green.

This murderous loathing for the president leached into popular culture long before Democrats rushed to mock Trump’s brush with death last year in Butler, Pennsylvania. For instance, a theater production simulated his assassination in New York City and an aspiring D-list comedian posed with a fake decapitated head made to look like the president.

A masked London-born agitpropist who calls himself Mason Storm recently contributed to this unhinged anti-Trump genre with a hyper-realistic, life-size sculpture of the president dressed in an orange prison jumpsuit and set on a cross-shaped gurney in a cruciform pose. The sculpture, which is titled “The Saint or the Sinner,” depicts Trump as incapacitated with the implication — made explicit elsewhere — that he is dead as the result of a lethal injection.

According to a statement shared online by Storm, “In a world increasingly driven by polarized narratives, this work offers a moment of reflection, urging us to take responsibility — and to realize that every decision tells a story.”

RELATED: Evil unchecked always spreads — and Democrats are proof

Photo by SEBASTIEN BOZON/AFP via Getty Images

While the title of the sculpture and the corresponding statement from Storm suggest there’s an ambiguity about the work’s meaning, Storm made clear online his antipathy toward Trump, writing, for instance, “He’s not the messiah he’s a very naughty boy!”

‘Simply deviant.’

The sculpture, which was shown earlier this year in Vienna, was also going to be shown at the central train station in Basel, Switzerland; however, Gleis 4, the gallery responsible for the planned pop-up, called it off, citing “expected large crowds and feared disturbances.”

On Saturday, Gleis 4 reportedly installed the sculpture in a showcase window on Kunstmeile, an indoor pedestrian walkway in downtown Basel.

According to France24, the sculpture has been purchased by an “internationally renowned figure living in Europe” whose identity will remain confidential.

Bishop Hermann Glettler of the Diocese of Innsbruck has called the sculpture “simply deviant.”

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Donald trump, Hated, Leftism, Mason storm, Trump, Basel, Switzerland, Swiss, Tds, Trump derangement, Radicalism, Art, Propaganda, Politics 

Too many right-wingers today equate conservatism with opposing the left, voting for Republicans, or trying to get back to the “good ol’ days.”

But being a true conservative is none of those things, says Glenn Beck. Conservatism isn’t about reacting to the left, obsessing over policies, or worshipping the past. “It’s really about principles,” he says. “And that’s why we’ve lost our way because we’ve lost our principles.”

So what are the principles that undergird conservatism?

In this episode of “The Glenn Beck Program,” Glenn delivers an unflinching monologue that reminds us not only what being a conservative is really about, but why recovering true conservatism is critical for the nation’s survival.

1. Stewardship

“Being a conservative has to mean stewardship — the stewardship of a nation, of a civilization, of a moral inheritance that is too precious to abandon,” says Glenn.

This begins with understanding that the word “conserve” means to “stand guard” — in this case to “defend what the founders designed: the separation of powers, the rule of law, [and] the belief that our rights come not from kings or from Congress but from the creator Himself.”

Right now, our founders’ brilliant blueprint for our government is treated like “a museum piece” instead of “a living covenant between the dead, the living, and the unborn,” says Glenn.

2. Confronting reality

“This chapter of conservatism must confront reality: economic reality, global reality, and moral reality,” says Glenn.

Just being against things, like high taxes and runaway inflation, isn’t going to cut it, he warns. We have to be for something — things like “economic sovereignty,” the “right to produce and to innovate,” “fiscal prudence,” and national independence.

“Being a conservative today means you have to rebuild an economy that serves liberty, not one that survives by debt,” says Glenn.

3. Recovering America’s soul

In our current “age of dislocation,” family, faith, and objective truth have all taken a massive hit. The results have been catastrophic. Depression and suicide are rampant. People feel like their lives are meaningless. Millions fill the emptiness with technology and other mind-numbing activities.

“If you want to be a conservative, then you have to become the moral compass that reminds a lost people that liberty cannot survive without virtue, that freedom untethered from moral order is nothing but chaos, and that no app, no algorithm, no ideology is ever going to fill the void where meaning used to live,” says Glenn.

In order to do this, we have to “rebuild competence,” “champion innovation,” “reclaim education, not as propaganda, but as the formation of the mind and the soul,” “harness technology in defense of human dignity,” and above all “restore local strength” through families, schools, churches, and charities.

Drawing these threads together, Glenn paints a vivid portrait of the conservative’s role in the years ahead: “A conservative in 2025-26 is somebody who protects the enduring principles of American liberty and self-government while actively stewarding the institutions, the culture, the economy of this nation for those who are alive and yet to be born.”

“We have to be a group of people that are not anchored in the past or in rage, but in reason and morality, realism, and hope for the future. We’re the stewards. We’re the ones that have to relight the torch,” he pleads.

To hear more, watch the video above.

Want more from Glenn Beck?

To enjoy more of Glenn’s masterful storytelling, thought-provoking analysis, and uncanny ability to make sense of the chaos, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

​The glenn beck program, Glenn beck, Conservatives, Conservatism, America, Founding fathers, Founding principles, Blazetv, Blaze media 

Despite his well-known aversion to using the “other N-word” and discussing the issues connected to nuclear deterrence and nuclear saber-rattling by America’s adversaries, the president, during his recent trip to Asia, dropped a bombshell of his own.

On October 29, President Trump posted a brief statement on Truth Social about nuclear weapons testing, which contained the following key points:

The United States has more nuclear weapons “than any other country.”During Trump’s first term in office, the U.S. accomplished a “complete update and renovation” of existing U.S. nuclear weapons.Because of other countries’ testing programs, the president has “instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis.”The process of testing our nuclear weapons “will begin immediately.”

Sadly, whoever provided the president with the background information for each of his statements is manifestly unaware of the easily ascertainable facts. The president is being extremely poorly served by his own staff.

The president appears to have been informed that the Department of War is responsible for nuclear weapons testing. It is not.

First, the Russian Federation has more nuclear weapons than any other nation. Its stockpile of nuclear weapons available to the Russian military is about 5,200, while its overall stockpile is about 5,600. The numbers for the U.S. are about 3,700 and 4,400, respectively. This information is readily available in public sources such as the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute Yearbook or the annual assessments published by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.

Second, during the president’s first term, progress was made on the Strategic Modernization Program initiated in 2010. Still, no new platforms (submarine-launched ballistic missiles, bombers, or land-based missiles) were deployed between 2017 and 2021. Instead, we rely today on aging systems that are decades old.

Importantly, a small number of modified, low-yield submarine-launched warheads were produced and placed in service, and development of new Air Force nuclear warheads began, but none were deployed.

Related: America must lead the Mars race before China claims the final frontier

Photo by NASA/Getty Images

Third, the president’s staff has a profound misunderstanding about the difference between the test of a nuclear system’s delivery vehicle (i.e., a ballistic or cruise missile) and the test of a nuclear warhead. In the days before the president’s post, Russia conducted a test of a new cruise missile and a new trans-oceanic torpedo (both of which, incidentally, are not constrained by the new START treaty). Tests of missile systems are commonly conducted by all the nuclear powers, including the United States.

Today, with the sole exception of North Korea in 2017, neither Russia nor China nor any other nuclear power has conducted a nuclear warhead test in this century. To be clear, the U.S. intelligence community has raised concerns that both Russia and China may be covertly carrying out extremely low-yield tests of experimental nuclear designs, but those do not appear to be the “tests” to which the president’s Truth Social post was referring.

Finally, the president appears to have been informed that the Department of War is responsible for nuclear weapons testing. It is not. That responsibility belongs to the Department of Energy. Based on over 30 years of neglect, that department would be unable today to conduct a nuclear weapon test in the near future. Based on estimates provided by the Department of Energy to Congress, it would take 24-36 months to do so, at a cost of several billion dollars — dollars that have not been authorized or appropriated by Congress.

When asked, on his return flight from Asia, why he had delivered this signal of U.S. strategic nuclear weapons muscle-flexing, the president said he believed that if others were testing, then we should too. Depending on the state of our own nuclear weapons (currently assessed by the military as being reliable), and if he had been properly informed on the facts that others had resumed testing of nuclear weapons, there would be something to this argument. But as things stand, the president owes it to himself and to America’s national security to improve the quality of advice he is being provided on the vital issue of nuclear deterrence and our ability to sustain it — and soon.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published by RealClearDefense and made available via RealClearWire.

​Trump, Nuclear weapons, Russia, China, Nuclear tests, Opinion & analysis 

A new study has uncovered an alarming trend: Fewer regular churchgoers believe the Bible is clear on transgenderism and homosexuality.

The survey — conducted by the Family Research Council and the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University — found that only 47% of regular churchgoers believe that scripture is “clear and decisive” about “whether homosexuality is morally acceptable.” That’s a significant decline from 63% in 2023.

The moment believers treat biblical truth as negotiable, Christians become yet another cultural echo chamber.

Researchers, meanwhile, found that 26% believe the Bible is “unclear or ambiguous” about homosexuality, while another 16% said they believe scripture doesn’t address the issue.

Even worse, only 40% of regular churchgoers said the Bible is “clear and decisive” on “whether transgenderism is morally acceptable,” a 12-point drop from 2023. Nearly a quarter (23%) said they believe the Bible is “unclear and ambiguous” on trans ideology, while 24% said they believe the Bible doesn’t address it.

These results demonstrate that American churches are experiencing a crisis of biblical truth.

But how?

But these results are surprising for two important reasons, not least of which is that they appear to refute suggestions of a Christian revival in America.

First, while these are two issues central to the progressive project that have largely become cultural orthodoxy, a growing number of young people are rejecting the left’s version of the good life. Thus, you’d expect the data to reflect the trend away from progressivism and toward objective truth.

Second, the Bible is by no means unclear or ambiguous on either issue — no matter what “progressive Christians” say.

On homosexuality, the Bible establishes in Genesis that central to the union of man and woman (i.e., marriage) is the ability to reproduce. This prescription is reaffirmed countless times. Jesus even cites Genesis when challenged about the true purpose of marriage (hint: He does not affirm homosexuality). Moreover, as the fledgling church grappled with questions of sexual morality, the apostles affirmed that sexual immorality of any kind — that is, porneia, or any sexual activity beyond the confines of a marriage between one man and one woman — is sinful and contrary to God’s design. This, of course, includes homosexuality.

On transgenderism, Genesis is clear: God created man and woman, a complementary pair that reflects the divine union. God chooses our gender for us — not our feelings.

So what do we do?

First, we must name this for what it is: not a cultural or data problem, but a discipleship problem. The Bible hasn’t changed, and scripture isn’t suddenly vague. The truth is that many pastors and churches have gone quiet on these important issues, which demand moral and biblical clarity.

Silence has a cost, and now the bill is due. When pulpits grow timid, the pews grow confused.

Second, Christians must recover confidence in the Bible’s authority. God’s word is true and timeless. It doesn’t need to be apologized away or reinterpreted to acquiesce to our cultural moment. It speaks as clearly today as it always has. Cultures and politics may change, but God’s truth remains the same.

The moment believers treat biblical truth as negotiable, Christians become yet another cultural echo chamber — and lose their saltiness.

RELATED: The poisoned stream of culture is flowing through our churches

ChristinLola/iStock/Getty Images Plus

Third, Christian leaders must teach clearly, intentionally, and with conviction what the Bible says about sex, marriage, and human identity. Christians today are drowning in confusion, as this study proves. They desperately need clarity, truth, and courage to stand up for biblical truth and to live it out.

Finally, Christians must take heart and remember that decline isn’t defeat. It’s never the end of the story. Every generation of God’s people has faced moments of crisis and confusion. Revival is found on the other side of those moments. And it happens when ordinary Christians rediscover and reaffirm the power of God’s word and refuse to bow to cultural idols.

But that renewal only comes when Christians stop apologizing for what God has already made clear, is making clear, and will continue to make clear.

Now is the moment for Christians to decide what kind of witness they will be. One that bends to the culture? Or one that stands firm on the Rock? The world is desperate for truth. Thankfully, we have access to God of truth, and in the end, He wins.

​Survey, Christianity, Christian, Church, Homosexuality, Transgenderism, Lgbtq ideology, Trans ideology, Culture war, Biblical truth, Faith 

Canada already has one of the world’s most expansive and permissive euthanasia programs. Under current law, adults don’t even need a terminal illness to apply for Medical Assistance in Dying. Chronic illnesses and disabilities are qualifying conditions as long as the patient is of sound mind.

But some advocacy organizations, such as Dying with Dignity Canada, want the law to be expanded to include “mature minors” — youth as young as 12, who they argue can demonstrate full decision-making capacity, with added “safeguards” such as mandatory parental consent for teens 15 and younger. Sixteen- and 17-year-olds, they argue, are mature enough to agree to be euthanized without their parents’ permission.

Canada’s Special Joint Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying apparently agrees. In February 2023, the committee determined that “eligibility for MAID should not be denied on the basis of age alone.”

While the Canadian government has announced no plans to expand MAID in this way, the issue of “mature minors” will likely resurface in 2027, when Parliament re-evaluates the program’s next major expansion — whether to allow MAID for people whose only medical condition is a mental illness.

When Pat Gray, BlazeTV host of “Pat Gray Unleashed,” heard of Canada’s MAID advocacy for minors, he had no other word for it than “evil.”

“Nothing else explains that,” he sighs. “It’s unbelievable. Canada has just, they’ve gone off a cliff.”

To hear more, watch the video below.

Want more from Pat Gray?

To enjoy more of Pat’s biting analysis and signature wit as he restores common sense to a senseless world, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

​Pat gray, Pat gray unleashed, Blazetv, Blaze media, Canada, Maid, Assissted suicide, Euthanasia 

“No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear,” wrote C.S. Lewis in “A Grief Observed” after the death of his wife. Grief often strips away our certainties, leaving us to fear if God is who we thought He was, or if our suffering has any meaning at all. In allowing grief to become his teacher, Lewis left a road map for others, showing how to sit with sorrow, process it, and respect both loss and trauma.

That understanding doesn’t come casually; it takes time. In that willingness to observe pain rather than manage it lies a quiet reverence, a recognition that some experiences are not meant to be conquered but understood.

Suffering doesn’t exist to make us louder or more righteous. It exists to make us wiser — to teach maturity, not mobilize outrage.

I watched a young widow step into public life just weeks after her husband’s death. The world called her strong — and maybe she is — but what I saw most was sorrow: raw, recent, and surrounded by noise.

We rush to praise courage yet hesitate to sit with grief. Pain now unfolds before an audience eager to watch and quicker still to turn sorrow into argument. The question isn’t whether we’ll look, but how. Will we meet grief with reverence or rhetoric?

Suffering doesn’t exist to make us louder or more righteous. It exists to make us wiser — to teach maturity, not mobilize outrage.

When nations grieve

What’s true for one heart is true for a nation. After 9/11, America was ready to fight — and we did. But what did we learn? How did we grow? What did we lose along the way? Pain can rally a nation, yet fail to mature its people. Did we take enough time to observe our national trauma?

The lives lost, the wounded carried home, and the enormous resources spent all suggest we did not. And what is true of nations is true of hearts: When we rush past pain, we forfeit the wisdom it offers.

The thought that God rules our pain can make us flinch. If God doesn’t rule it, suffering has no purpose — something to endure but not to transform. His sovereignty may not always appear kind, yet as William Cowper reminded us, “Behind a frowning providence, He hides a smiling face.”

In four decades as a caregiver, I’ve learned that trauma has its own language, one that will not be hurried or managed. It needs presence, patience, and space. Dr. Diane Langberg, who has spent her life among the wounded, often reminds us, “We dare not rush what God Himself is willing to sit with.” That is ministry: sitting beside, not speaking over.

The wisdom of mourning

The Jewish people understand this. When someone dies, the bereaved sit shiva — seven days of stillness and shared silence. Friends come not to fix but to accompany. Then comes sheloshim — 30 days to move slowly back toward life. For a parent, mourning extends a full year. Their wisdom tells us what our culture forgets: Mourning isn’t an interruption of life; it’s part of it.

We can learn from that rhythm. When tragedy strikes, our nation lowers its flags to half-staff. For a day or two, we pause, reflect, and pray. Then the flags rise again and life resumes. That is understandable for a country, but not for a soul. For the bereaved, the flag stays lowered long after the headlines fade.

Even the church can hurry the hurting. We mistake composure for recovery and public strength for peace. But grief that is forced to perform eventually breaks in private and sometimes spills into public.

When my wife, Gracie, lost her legs and entered decades of agony, healing did not come through attention or activity. It came through grace, tears, and time, mostly in obscurity. People see her sing or laugh and assume she has gotten over it, that she’s moved past it. What they do not see is that she had to redefine her life; this is her life. Someone once told me, “Process the pain privately, share the process publicly.” That wisdom has steadied us for years.

The quiet saints of suffering

Our culture is too quick to parade its wounded on stages when they would be better served by sitting in stillness, in pajamas or sweats, without having to put on makeup or smile for the cameras.

I’ve seen that truth in lives like Joni Eareckson Tada’s, who has lived with quadriplegia (paralysis affecting all four limbs and the torso) for nearly 60 years after a diving accident. In her, suffering has distilled faith into something deep and steady, strong enough to hold her and extend grace to others who suffer.

Forgiveness, like healing, takes time. To forgive is not to excuse or forget; it is to trust God with justice and mercy, believing He knows what we cannot. Forgiveness is faith expressed with open hands — the slow loosening of the grip around another’s throat.

Philip Yancey once observed that grace, like water, flows to the lowest places. That is where I have found it: in hospital corridors, in the lonely watches of the night, and in the long quiet of waiting rooms. Not in applause or attention, but in the hush where pain meets patience.

RELATED: The poisoned stream of culture is flowing through our churches

Photo by Anadolu / Contributor via Getty Images

The best model for us

Our culture distracts us from sorrow, rushing past pain as if speed can save us. “Don’t look in the rearview mirror,” people say. “Keep moving forward. Get past it.” But some wounds do not recede with distance. They remain, reshaping who we are and how we see the world. Grief, but only if we resist the urge to flee from it.

Scripture tells us that Jesus Himself was “a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3). If He carried sorrow, then sorrow itself is not unclean. His setting apart for redemption doesn’t happen on cue, not in our timeframe. It unfolds in God’s time, often unseen and unhurried. Our pain, when entrusted to Him, becomes something consecrated, set apart not for ruin but for restoration. In His hands, our sorrow becomes sacred ground.

When trauma shatters a life, our calling is not to elevate but to shelter. We are called to stand nearby like those who sit shiva, unhurried and unafraid of silence. We can only observe another’s trauma, but God enters it. The wounds in His hands and side show us that He understands the anguish of loss, rejection, even death. His way is not avoidance but presence, and His model is a good one for us.

Solitude with God is not empty silence, but the stillness where His healing takes root. The psalmist wrote, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). In that quiet, we see what countless believers across the ages have discovered: Even what was meant for evil, God weaves for good. He does not waste our sorrow. When we trust His timing, the trauma observed gives way to the grace observed.

​C. s lewis, Mourning, Grief, Opinion & analysis, Caregiving, Caregivers, Faith, Religion, Erika kirk, Pain, 9/11, William cowper, God, Prayer, Wisdom 

Renting a car should be simple: You reserve a vehicle, drive it, and return it at the end of your trip.

But for millions of travelers each year, what seems like a straightforward process can quickly become a source of frustration and unexpected costs.

In 2024, US car-rental companies collected more than $2 billion in optional insurance and add-on fees.

Hidden fees, deceptive insurance upsells, false damage claims, and overpriced extras have become all too common, turning a simple rental into a costly experience. Understanding how rental companies operate and knowing what to watch for can save you time, money, and stress.

1. Hidden fees

One of the most pervasive problems in car rentals is the hidden fee. Travelers are often lured in with low advertised rates, only to be shocked when extra charges appear on their final bill.

These can include cleaning fees, administrative charges, or taxes that were not clearly disclosed. A rate that appears to be $25 a day can quickly balloon when additional costs are tacked on. The key to avoiding these surprises is vigilance: reading the contract carefully, asking for a full breakdown of potential charges, and choosing reputable rental companies that provide transparency from the start.

2. Fuel charges

Fuel charges are another frequent source of frustration. Many agencies offer prepaid fuel options, promising convenience at a flat rate. In reality, these plans often overcharge travelers. A prepaid tank might cost $70, while filling up locally could cost half that. The best strategy is to select a policy requiring you to return the car full and refuel it yourself, giving you control over price and avoiding overpayment.

3. Insurance upselling

Insurance upselling is a classic tactic at rental counters. Agents may encourage you to purchase extra coverage, claiming your personal insurance or credit card benefits are insufficient. Many credit cards already include rental car insurance, and personal auto policies often extend coverage to rentals. Knowing what protections you already have, and bringing proof, allows you to confidently decline unnecessary insurance and avoid paying for coverage you don’t need.

RELATED: 10 tactics to beat even the pushiest car salesman

Mark Sullivan/Getty Images

4. Damage claims

Damage claims can create even bigger headaches. Renters are frequently billed for scratches, dents, or other damage that existed before their rental. Without proper documentation, disputing these charges can be difficult. To protect yourself, inspect the car thoroughly before and after driving, take comprehensive photos or videos, and ensure any pre-existing damage is recorded by the rental agent. A few minutes of documentation can prevent thousands of dollars in unjust repair charges.

5. ‘Free’ upgrades

Even seemingly generous “free” upgrades can carry hidden costs. A larger or fancier car may require premium gasoline, have lower fuel efficiency, or carry higher insurance rates. What seems like a perk can quickly become an unexpected expense. Always confirm the details of any upgrade before accepting it and assess whether it truly makes sense for your trip.

6. Early return penalties

Timing is another area where fees can accumulate. Early returns may trigger additional charges, as some companies consider schedule changes disruptive to their fleet planning. Returning a vehicle late, even by an hour, can also result in steep penalties, sometimes amounting to a full extra day’s rental. Understanding the agency’s policies, communicating any changes in advance, and planning your return carefully are essential to avoid unnecessary fees.

7. Unauthorized driver penalties

Unauthorized drivers are another hidden cost. If someone not listed on the rental agreement drives the vehicle, you may face significant penalties. This can be particularly costly during family trips when multiple people share driving duties. The solution is straightforward: Ensure every driver is added to the contract up front. Some companies even offer one free additional driver, which can reduce the financial burden and prevent insurance complications.

8. Location surcharges

Location surcharges are a more subtle form of deception. Renting at airports or central city locations is convenient, but convenience comes at a premium. Airport locations can be 20% to 30% more expensive than nearby off-site branches. Taking the time to compare rates at alternative locations and factoring in transportation costs can yield substantial savings.

9. Add-on accessories and services

Additional accessories and services: GPS devices, car seats, and toll passes are often priced exorbitantly. Renting a car seat can cost $15 to $20 per day, adding up to over $100 for a week-long trip. Smartphones equipped with navigation apps can replace GPS units at no extra cost, and parents can often check car seats on flights for free, avoiding rental fees altogether.

Protect yourself

The reality is that the rental industry profits heavily from these practices. In 2024, U.S. car-rental companies collected more than $2 billion in optional insurance and add-on fees, a significant portion of which came from products renters didn’t truly need. Legal challenges have occasionally forced companies to settle claims over hidden fees and false damage charges, but systemic issues remain.

Navigating this environment requires preparation and awareness. Researching rental companies in advance, documenting the condition of the vehicle, confirming coverage with your insurance and credit card, and reading the fine print of agreements are essential steps. Avoiding high-pressure sales tactics, understanding the cost implications of upgrades, and planning for return times can save significant money and prevent unpleasant surprises.

While consumer advocacy and regulation are slowly increasing transparency, renters remain the first line of defense against these tactics. Until industry-wide standards are strictly enforced, vigilance is essential. Understanding how companies maximize profits and where they might bend the rules puts you back in control of your rental experience.

Renting a car doesn’t have to be stressful. With careful planning, attention to detail, and knowledge of potential pitfalls, travelers can avoid unnecessary costs and enjoy a smoother, more predictable journey. In the world of car rentals, the most important tool is not a GPS or a car seat, it’s knowledge.

​Car rentals, Scams, Consumer protection, Lifestyle, Rip-offs, Hidden fees, Align cars 

A Mississippi mother fatally shot a monkey to protect her children after the “aggressive” animals escaped from an overturned truck, according to multiple reports.

Police said a truck transporting 21 rhesus monkeys from Tulane University’s National Biomedical Research Center in New Orleans overturned on Interstate 59 north of Heidelberg, Mississippi — approximately 85 miles southeast of the state capital of Jackson.

‘I hate that it happened, but I’m going to protect my kids at all costs.’

On Oct. 28, the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement, “A truck hauling monkeys from Tulane University has overturned around the 117-mile marker, north of Heidelberg. It has been reported that several monkeys are on the loose.”

Police stressed, “Do not approach the monkeys if you see one. Call 911. They do pose potential health threats and are aggressive.”

Officials from Tulane noted that the university wasn’t transporting the monkeys, and the animals do not belong to the university, according to NBC News.

Tulane told WTVT-TV, “Non-human primates at the Tulane National Biomedical Research Center are provided to other research organizations to advance scientific discovery.”

The sheriff’s office initially warned residents that the animals “carry hepatitis C, herpes, and COVID” based on preliminary reports by the truck’s occupants.

However, the biomedical research company PreLabs — which owns and was transporting the animals — told WDAM-TV, “The animals being transported were not infected with COVID-19, hepatitis, and herpes as indicated in certain news articles.”

PreLabs added, “The animals were being lawfully transported in compliance with all federal and state regulations to a licensed research facility.”

At the time of the car accident, 13 rhesus monkeys were quickly recovered at the crash site, according to another report from WDAM-TV. Meanwhile, another five monkeys were killed near the crash site — but three escaped, according to Jasper County Sheriff Randy Johnson.

RELATED: Army veteran miraculously survives grizzly bear attack with stroke of luck that saved his life in ‘most violent’ plight ever

Jessica Bond Ferguson — a 35-year-old mother with five children who range in age from 4 to 16 — was alerted by her 16-year-old son about a monkey running around the property of their home near Heidelberg.

Ferguson said she got out of bed, grabbed her gun and her cell phone, then went outside to locate the monkey, which was roughly 60 feet away.

Ferguson told the Associated Press, “I did what any other mother would do to protect her children.”

The mom recalled, “I shot at it, and it just stood there, and I shot again, and he backed up — and that’s when he fell.”

“If it attacked somebody’s kid, and I could have stopped it, that would be a lot on me,” Ferguson declared. “It’s kind of scary and dangerous that they are running around, and people have kids playing in their yards.”

She also blasted those responsible for the monkeys’ escape, telling TMZ that “I wish it didn’t have to happen that way. I just wish they took better measures in taking care of it and trying to find them.”

Ferguson continued, “I feel like if they wanted us to do something else, then they should’ve had a search team out. They could’ve had drones flying around. They could’ve taken more measures to look for these monkeys and prevented this from happening.”

She stressed, “I hate that it happened, but I’m going to protect my kids at all costs.”

In addition, a small-town pastor neutralized one of the other escaped monkeys.

On Monday, Pastor George Barnett was in his car traveling with his two young children and his wife to visit his mother at her home in Vossburg when his wife allegedly spotted a monkey near the highway.

NBC News reported the monkey “scampered into a tree and flashed its teeth.”

With that, Barnett, 45, grabbed his rifle and fired twice, the news network reported, and the monkey fell to the ground.

Barnett told NBC News, “As soon as I saw it, the only thing I thought about was, ‘What if this thing attacks one of those people that I grew up with, or my children?'”

On Thursday, the last escaped monkey was captured.

The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks told the Associated Press that a resident who lives near the crash site told authorities about the monkey’s location, and authorities “successfully recovered” the animal.

The Mississippi Highway Patrol is investigating the cause of the crash.

PreLabs and the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to Blaze News‘ request for comment.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Escaped monkeys, Monkeys, Self defense, Animals, Mississippi, Mississippi news, Escaped monkeys update, Human interest, Mother, Pastor, Protecting others 

Imagine calling 911 and no one answers. A hospital loses internet access mid-surgery and your child is the patient. You can’t work, access your bank, or contact your doctor — all because a few thieves ripped copper wiring from the ground to sell for scrap.

These aren’t distant hypotheticals. They’re happening across the country right now. In recent weeks alone, copper wire thefts darkened 5,500 streetlights in Tucson, shut down Denver’s A-Line train, and caused $1.25 million in losses in Bakersfield, California, where thieves stripped wiring from electric-vehicle charging stations.

Broadband is critical infrastructure — the digital lifeline of daily American life. Protecting it is not a corporate issue but a consumer one.

The problem isn’t slowing down. Two new reports reveal a stunning rise in theft and vandalism against America’s broadband and wireless networks. Between June 2024 and June 2025, more than 15,000 incidents disrupted service for over 9.5 million customers nationwide. In just the first half of 2025, incidents nearly doubled from the previous six months.

Hospitals, schools, 911 dispatch centers, even military bases have been hit — exposing a growing national vulnerability.

Not just a local nuisance

The cost of stolen wire is trivial compared with the damage it causes. Between June and December 2024, theft-related outages cost society between $38 million and $188 million in losses. California and Texas took the biggest hits — $29.3 million and $18.1 million — while smaller states like Kentucky suffered millions too. Every cut cable ripples outward, silencing entire communities.

These aren’t weekend thieves looking for beer money. They’re organized, brazen, and increasingly strategic. Some know exactly which copper or fiber-optic lines to hit. Others destroy fiber cables by mistake, assuming they contain metal. Either way, the result is the same: chaos, cost, and danger.

Consumers pay the price. Each attack disrupts 911 access, paralyzes small businesses, and stalls health care, banking, and remote work. Broadband expansion — especially in rural and underserved areas — slows to a crawl.

When vandalism becomes sabotage

Some of these attacks are so severe that investigators now treat them as potential acts of domestic terrorism. Charter Communications reports a 200% increase in felony attacks on its Missouri fiber network this year. In Van Nuys, California, vandals cut 13 fiber lines in one night, knocking out 911 dispatch, a military base, and hospitals for 30 hours. These were no petty crimes. They were coordinated strikes that endangered lives.

Businesses, taxpayers, and consumers have invested billions to build these networks. Letting criminals dismantle them for pocket change is unacceptable.

Yet under current federal law, destroying broadband infrastructure isn’t punished like attacks on pipelines, railways, or power grids. In many states, penalties are outdated or nonexistent — effectively giving vandals a free pass to cripple critical systems.

A bipartisan fix

Congress has begun to respond. Reps. Laurel Lee (R-Fla.) and Marc Veasey (D-Texas) have introduced H.R. 2784, the bipartisan Stopping the Theft and Destruction of Broadband Act. The bill would amend federal law to explicitly criminalize the destruction of broadband infrastructure, giving law enforcement the tools needed to act.

Adding broadband systems to the list of protected critical assets under Title 18 of the U.S. Code would send a clear message: This isn’t scrap-metal scavenging — it’s sabotage, and it will be prosecuted as such.

RELATED: China rules the resources we need to build the future. Now what?

Liudmila Chernetska via iStock/Getty Images

To defend consumers and our connected economy, lawmakers must:

strengthen penalties for theft or destruction of communications infrastructure, matching protections for other critical sectors;crack down on black-market copper sales by holding scrap dealers accountable;increase funding and coordination for law enforcement to investigate and prosecute network attacks; andsupport industry-led security upgrades without adding regulatory burdens that slow innovation.

States like Florida, South Carolina, and North Carolina have already moved to deter these crimes. Congress should follow their lead.

Defend what we built

Broadband is critical infrastructure — the digital lifeline of daily American life. Protecting it is not a corporate issue but a consumer one. Americans shouldn’t have to wonder whether their connection will work when they need it most.

We built the connected economy. Now we must defend it — before the vandals win.

​Opinion & analysis, Theft, Vandalism, Sabotage, Copper, Wire, Communications, Infrastructure, Charter communications, Fiber optics, Public safety, 911 call, Laurel lee, Marc veasey, Congress, Legislation, Telecommunications, Lights out 

From the moment I first studied the United States Constitution through the lens of scripture, I’ve been struck by how carefully our founders embedded God-given liberty into the fabric of our nation. Freedom of conscience, equality before God, and protection from government overreach are not just political ideas; they are biblical principles.

The more I study, the clearer it becomes that Islamic systems like sharia law, enforced as government policy abroad, stand in sharp contrast to both the freedoms our Constitution guarantees and the liberties scripture upholds.

Christians must be informed, discerning, and proactive in defending freedoms that allow people to come to God freely.

Sharia law, when enforced as government policy, conflicts with constitutional freedom and biblical principles of liberty, including protections for personal conscience, speech, and moral choice.

Sharia law vs. constitutional liberty

Sharia law is a system derived from Islamic religious texts, guiding personal conduct and societal governance.

In countries where it is enforced, it often dictates punishments, civil law, and social norms based on religious authority rather than individual liberty. This approach contrasts sharply with the U.S. Constitution, which separates church and state, ensuring that government does not dictate religious belief or practice.

Scripture emphasizes the importance of freedom in Christ. Galatians 5:1 reminds us, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” The Constitution mirrors this principle, protecting Americans from coercion in matters of conscience, ensuring that individuals may follow God freely without fear of government reprisal.

Real-world examples of sharia governance

When we examine Muslim nations governed by sharia-based systems, the consequences for personal freedom are clear.

In countries like Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Afghanistan, civil and criminal codes often derive directly from religious texts. These laws enforce strict moral codes, restrict freedom of speech, and impose severe punishments on offenses such as theft, adultery, or apostasy.

RELATED: The Islamification of America is well under way

osmanpek/iStock/Getty Images Plus

Punishments include public lashings, stonings, and even amputations for certain crimes. LGBTQ individuals face particularly harsh treatment, including imprisonment, corporal punishment, or death. Women’s rights and freedom of expression are often restricted as well.

These policies illustrate a system in which government enforces religious conformity, which directly conflicts with the freedom of conscience guaranteed by the Constitution. The U.S. founders recognized that human governments are fallible; they designed laws to protect liberty and allow people to make moral and spiritual choices voluntarily rather than under coercion.

The biblical perspective on liberty and government

Scripture provides a firm framework for understanding liberty. Romans 13:1-4 teaches that governments are instituted to punish wrongdoers and maintain order, but within limits. Civil authority is meant to restrain evil while upholding justice, not to enforce religious orthodoxy.

John 8:32 reminds us, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” True freedom, in both spiritual and civil contexts, comes from the ability to choose God and live according to His moral order voluntarily.

The Constitution’s protections for freedom of religion, speech, and equal protection under the law reflect these same biblical principles. They ensure that no one is coerced into adherence to a particular religious code, preserving liberty and human dignity.

Sharia-based governance, when implemented as law, replaces personal conscience with mandatory religious observance, undermining the freedoms that God and the founders intended.

How Christians should respond

Loving our neighbors does not mean ignoring the truth about systems of governance. But discernment calls us to distinguish between individuals and systems of law that impose religious authority on entire societies.

Christians are called to defend freedom and truth, speaking boldly yet compassionately.

Understanding the differences between sharia-based governance and constitutional liberty is not purely academic; it’s practical. Nations that merge religion and state often face suppression of speech, persecution of minorities, and human rights violations. Christians must be informed, discerning, and proactive in defending freedoms that allow people to come to God freely.

Practical engagement may include:

Praying for wisdom to navigate cultural and political issues.Educating others about the value of freedom of conscience.Participating in civic discourse in ways that honor God while upholding liberty.

Sharia law and the protection of minorities

One area that starkly highlights the contrast is treatment of LGBTQ individuals. In sharia-governed regions, homosexuality is often criminalized, with penalties ranging from imprisonment to corporal punishment, even death. Theft or other criminal offenses can result in amputations, and adultery may be punished by stoning.

Christians are charged to uphold liberty, educate themselves on systems that restrict freedom, and advocate for policies that reflect God’s justice while protecting human conscience.

These practices illustrate the deep conflict between enforced religious law and personal freedom, especially for vulnerable minorities.

In contrast, the U.S. Constitution protects all citizens, ensuring legal equality, freedom of conscience, and due process. The biblical principle that every person is made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27) supports the need to defend dignity and liberty for all.

Historical lessons and modern implications

History demonstrates that societies enforcing religious law as government policy often struggle with oppression and instability. By embedding freedom and separation of powers, the U.S. Constitution creates space for citizens to practice faith voluntarily, without fear of legal coercion.

As Christians, we can see how these principles align with biblical teaching and recognize why coercive religious legal systems are incompatible with God’s design for human freedom.

Standing for freedom with compassion

Understanding these contrasts calls us to vigilance, prayer, and action. Christians are charged to uphold liberty, educate themselves on systems that restrict freedom, and advocate for policies that reflect God’s justice while protecting human conscience.

Loving our neighbors does not mean compromising truth; it means defending freedom in a way that is rooted in Christ’s example of compassion and moral clarity.

By examining Islam as a governance system, we see clearly the importance of constitutional and biblical liberty. Freedom of conscience, protection of minorities, and the ability to choose God freely are not negotiable — they are foundational to both faith and the American experiment.

Standing for these freedoms is an act of love, truth, and obedience to God.

This article is adapted from an essay originally published at Arch Kennedy’s blog.

​Christianity, Christian, Jesus, God, Sharia law, Islam, Religious freedom, Constitution, Founding fathers, Faith 

It’s a sad week for the de facto capital of the world, New York City. The epicenter of American finance, media, and dynamism now enters a self-imposed trajectory of decline.

But those of us on the populist right should not merely shake our heads and bemoan the extremism of Zohran Mamdani, frightening though it is. Instead, we must understand his appeal, so that we might effectively counter his un-American ideas and continue to build on our 2024 triumph by earning further big gains nationally among young voters.

We have much to learn from Mamdani, even though he is a dangerous Marxist. Establishment Republicans have no effective answer to this kind of populism.

Polling shows the pathway to that success.

First, the great news. Young voters have swung massively to the right over the last three presidential election cycles. President Trump won young men in 2024, and overall, voters 35 and under shifted materially from a +37% preference for the Democrats in 2016 to only a +13% preference in 2024, cutting the young adult margin by two-thirds in just over eight years. It represents a massive macro shift.

In addition, a new national poll of 2,100 voters ages 18-25 shows a substantial rejection of Democrats’ radicalism on key social issues, especially transgenderism and free speech. Simultaneously, young voters express extreme frustration with the current economy, creating a clear opening that Mamdani drove a campaign truck right through.

So, backed by data, here are the three lanes of success that Mamdani exploited.

‘Affordability’ is key

Even though all of his Marxist answers are wrong and immoral, Zohran is laser-focused on the issue that matters most to voters, especially younger ones. Most young citizens have not benefited from the massive run-up in asset prices in recent years. Without substantial holdings of equities or real estate, they struggle to afford the staples of life amid sky-high costs. Even worse, the job market got substantially tougher for young adults, adding even more angst.

These voters correctly blamed the Democrats for the pain of Bidenomics, but that anger has now shifted over to Republicans, fair or not.

Right now, per TIPP Insights polling, only 24% of young adults rate Trump’s performance on the economy as “good” or “excellent,” while 54% rate it as “poor” or “unacceptable.” On inflation, using letter grades, only 6% of young independents give the president an A, while 44% deliver an F.

Mamdani smartly dove into this issue. All his proposed solutions will only make inflation worse, of course, from “free” public transit to lavish benefits for illegal aliens. But regardless, he fixated on what matters to voters, especially young ones.

Media skills

After watching Mamdani throughout the campaign, it’s clear he hates the founding principles and history of the United States. He exemplifies how America’s immigration system — even its lawful pathways — too often imports people who reject the nation’s heritage rather than embrace it.

That said, as a media professional, I can only respect his acumen in front of the cameras.

In this new digital age, which President Trump helped create, successful politicians must be able to perform effectively. Mamdani exudes charisma and likeability. His youth and enthusiasm captivated voters, especially those in the streaming/TikTok spaces.

Media savvy combined with lots of ludicrous promises of freebies is a pretty powerful approach in this populist age. Young people are especially receptive to the heavy use of new/alternative media. TIPP Insights shows that only 31% of independent young adults have positive sentiment for legacy media, and only 34% of young women.

Focus on home

Perhaps the most compelling moment of the campaign for Mamdani was during the July debate, when all candidates were asked where their first foreign visit would be as mayor of New York. All of them said Israel, with Ukraine thrown in as well. But Mamdani gave a truly “New York First” answer instead, one that might well have been uttered by a MAGA partisan. He said, “I would stay in New York City.”

That answer clearly appeals to young voters, who are decidedly non-interventionist abroad. For example, a whopping 69% of young men think we “intervene too much in foreign conflicts.” Only 26% of young adults think the United States should remain involved in Ukraine if Putin and Zelenskyy cannot reach a settlement soon.

RELATED: The kids aren’t all right — they’re being seduced by socialism

Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

That non-interventionism seeps over into a very negative view of Israel among young voters. Survey results found that only 25% of them have a positive view of Israel, versus 52% negative. Among young independents, only 18% have a positive view of Israel.

Therefore, Mamdani probably did not generate the blowback he deserved for extremist postures, such as embracing a pro-terror jihadi who was implicated, but unindicted, in the 1993 World Trade Center bombings.

We have much to learn from Mamdani, even though he is a dangerous Marxist. Establishment Republicans have no effective answer to this kind of populism, because their default is always “cut taxes for the wealthy and go to war.”

The MAGA movement has a very different vision — one that can appeal to reasonable young people in increasing numbers — to continue this patriotic, populist surge for decades to come.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published by RealClearPolitics and made available via RealClearWire.

​Opinion & analysis, New york city mayoral race, Zohran mamdani, Socialism, Election, Free buses, Rent freeze, Affordability crisis, Finance, Economy, Jobs, Wages, Young voters, Gen z, Millennials, Inflation, Donald trump, Populism, Tipp poll, Pollsters, Anti-semitism, Jews, Jihad, Israel 

President Trump has granted a pardon to a cast member from his hit show “Celebrity Apprentice” for the second time this term.

In February, Trump pardoned former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) after commuting the politician’s 14-year prison sentence in 2020.

The new pardon again extinguishes charges laid against a member of the Season 3 cast of Trump’s hit reality show, this time for a legendary baseball player.

‘Mr. Strawberry found faith in Christianity and has been sober for over a decade.’

“President Trump has approved a pardon for Darryl Strawberry, three-time World Series champion and eight-time MLB All-Star,” a White House official told the New York Post.

Strawberry had an iconic 17-year career in the majors, spending 13 seasons with teams in New York. He came into the league with the New York Mets and finished his career with the New York Yankees.

Back in 1995, Strawberry pleaded guilty to a single count of tax evasion over a failure to report nearly $500,000 in income from baseball card shows and autograph signings between 1986 and 1990.

As UPI reported at the time, Strawberry was sentenced to three years of probation in April 1995, along with six months of home confinement and $350,000 in restitution for tax evasion

At just 32 years old, Strawberry was also battling substance problems that cost him some opportunities in MLB.

RELATED: Pete Rose still might never get inducted into the Hall of Fame. Here’s why.

Photo by James Devaney/WireImage/Getty Images

Strawberry was beloved as a member of the Mets and was hilariously immortalized in the iconic episode of “The Simpsons” titled “Homer at the Bat.”

However, the trouble started after he moved back to his home state of California to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Following an All-Star campaign in 1991, the outfielder never played a full season again.

Just three days prior to appearing in front of a federal judge for the tax evasion charges in 1995, Strawberry was suspended by MLB and released from his new team, the San Francisco Giants, over his continued use of cocaine.

Months later, Strawberry signed with the Yankees and played well, but only appeared in 32 games. He retired from baseball after the 1999 season.

RELATED: DOJ pardon attorney doubts validity of Biden autopen pardons as nullification campaign picks up steam

Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images

“Mr. Strawberry served time and paid back taxes after pleading guilty to one count of tax evasion,” the recent White House comment added.

“Following his career, Mr. Strawberry found faith in Christianity and has been sober for over a decade — he has become active in ministry and started a recovery center, which still operates today.”

Strawberry has been praised in recent years for overcoming his drug-abuse problems and turning to God, and he now preaches alongside his wife.

“There’s nothing too hard, there’s nothing too big for God,” Strawberry was recorded telling a group of prisoners in 2024.

“There’s nothing too hard, there’s nothing too big for God to fix in your life right here, right now,” he preached, as the men rejoiced. “God has not forgot about you. You’re not a mistake to God. We’ve all made mistakes. We have all fallen short. The Bible didn’t say some of us. The Bible says all of us have fallen short.”

Strawberry concluded, “So you gentlemen need to know that today I stand up here; there’s nothing great about me. I was a liar. I was a cheater. I was a womanizer. I was an alcoholic. I was a drug addict, and I was a sinner, saved by grace.”

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Fearless, Trump, Mets, New york yankees, Baseball, Mlb, Pardon, Tax, Irs, Faith, Sports 

True grassroots communist revolutions are a myth, says Mark Levin. These political uprisings are always orchestrated by privileged, educated elites who romanticize poverty and oppression while living comfortably.

It’s a theme that echoes throughout history. Revolutions rarely start in slums or sweatshops; they start in lecture halls, cafés, and salons where theory outweighs experience.

Take China’s Mao, Russia’s Lenin, Cuba’s Castro, or Germany’s Marx as examples. All were brought up in well-to-do families, educated, and set up for success. They preached justice for the working man, pretending the whole time that their ivory towers were actually trenches.

New York City’s new Democrat mayor, Zohran Mamdani — a self-described socialist — is no different.

“His family is worth millions. … The mother, funded in part significantly by Qatar; the father secretes himself into Columbia University, where he makes a good salary as a radical professor promoting anti-Westernism, anti-Americanism, anti-Semitism, and terrorism,” says Levin, calling Mamdani “a trust-fund baby” who married a woman even “richer than he is.”

Mamdani’s socialist supporters — primarily Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) — have similar stories. Neither grew up in impoverished homes or worked much in the private sector before rising to political prominence. And yet they push socialist reform to the masses as if they knew the taste of poverty.

Levin then highlights his own blue-collar beginnings and decades of conservative activism as proof that he understands real work and therefore real America.

“I was a litigator. I was a lawyer for a nonprofit organization. We wouldn’t have school choice in this country but for Landmark Legal Foundation and the battles that we fought in the Wisconsin Supreme Court. … We are the ones who went after the NEA. … We’re the ones that went after the Environmental Protection Agency that was trying to push out a zillion regulations right before Donald Trump took office,” Levin recounts.

“’76 — the Reagan campaign. ’80 — the Reagan campaign. The Tea Party movement … that’s where I met Donald Trump. He was very interested in the Tea Party movement,” he adds.

“[The Convention of States movement] was started by Mark Meckler and me with my book ‘The Liberty Amendments.’ … It’s now 5, 6 million members.”

“I’m [sharing] this to explain that when I come to you and I talk about these things on this platform, on Fox, on my radio show, where I write about them, it’s not esoteric. It’s not theory. It’s from experience,” says Levin. “So when I see Marxist Islamists doing what they’re doing, I take them on. I expose them.”

“We do not want these poisonous people destroying what our ancestors have worked for — our founders.”

But that’s exactly what’s about to unfold in New York City under Mayor Mamdani, with his socialist agenda poised to wring the city’s capitalist core from the nation’s economic capital.

Levin warns: “It matters what happens in New York because [Marxist Islamists] are organizing in the states and in the cities across the country.”

The plan doesn’t end with New York City. It won’t stop until America herself — and everything that makes her exceptional — is erased.

To hear more of Levin’s commentary, watch the clip above.

Want more from Mark Levin?

To enjoy more of “the Great One” — Mark Levin as you’ve never seen him before — subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

​Levintv, Mark levin, America, Islam, Marxism, Communism, Blazetv, Blaze media, Zohran mamdani, New york city 

We live in an era of mental health awareness. Therapy has exploded into a multi-billion-dollar industry, with the United States accounting for roughly half of global mental health spending. Nearly a quarter of the U.S. population, including children, has at least one mental health diagnosis.

One might think that more awareness and therapy = healthier, happier people.

But sadly, that’s not the case at all. We’re actually in the throes of a mental health crisis that’s getting worse, not better.

According to Dr. Greg Gifford — pastor, licensed biblical counselor, and author of “Lies My Therapist Told Me” — therapy culture has become an issue as big as the conditions it claims to treat.

The problem? The secular world doesn’t understand the human soul as God designed it.

In this fascinating interview with Allie Beth Stuckey, BlazeTV host of “Relatable,” Dr. Gifford lists three common lies secular therapists tell their clients.

Lie #1: Brain = Mind

In the world of secular therapy, the mind and brain are deeply interconnected. An ailing mind is indicative of an ailing brain. That’s why mental health issues are often linked to “chemical imbalances.”

But Dr. Gifford says the mind and brain are vastly different. Unlike the physical brain, the mind, which is synonymous with our spirit or soul, is “immaterial” and “will continue to exist after [the] brain has deceased.” In Romans 12:2, we are told God renews not the brain but the mind. For the Christian being sanctified, this happens even as the brain organ is deteriorating with age.

The brain, says Dr. Gifford, is “the control center of your outer man. … It’s not determining my thoughts. It is more like a filter … of what is happening in my thinking.”

Unfortunately, the default perspective of the Western world is that “everything has a medical explanation,” which means we rarely question “what’s happening in my inner person in my soul.” The result is that people with mind/soul issues leave the psychiatrist’s office with medication that treats the brain.

And even worse, these drugs are prescribed even though no actual medicine — brain scans, deficiency testing, or otherwise — was practiced.

Lie #2: Medicine is the answer

When we understand the distinction between the mind and the brain, it becomes clear that soul problems need soul answers — not the psychotropic medications the secular world leans on.

“Start to develop a worldview that the solutions are coming from the scripture, not from the secular therapeutic,” says Gifford.

Even if we are experiencing physical symptoms that point to physical issues, that doesn’t mean our minds aren’t a factor — or even a root cause — in our distress. As the Holy Spirit cultivates in us the fruits of the Spirit, our bodies are impacted as well. Peace can regulate a palpitating heart. Joy can boost serotonin levels in the brain.

Further, there is freedom in knowing our bodies cannot make us sin. The Spirit “can direct the mind no matter what’s happening in our physiology,” says Allie.

Lie #3: Your struggles aren’t sin

Repentance is a cornerstone in the Christian walk. “What does repentance mean practically?” asks Gifford. “Change of mind, not change of brain.”

Secular therapy often frames anxiety, depression, or relational conflicts as innocent “disorders” or traumas — biological glitches or environmental bad luck — with no call to examine the heart. The lie? Your pain isn’t tied to sin, rebellion, or a hardened mindset, so you don’t need to repent and turn to God’s word for real renewal.

But Gifford warns this skips the soul surgery only scripture can provide, leaving people stuck in symptom loops rather than being transformed.

For those who need support, he suggests “[finding] somebody who would use God’s word as the source and authority to really help [you] with the root of what’s going on.”

To hear more of the conversation, watch the full interview above.

Want more from Allie Beth Stuckey?

To enjoy more of Allie’s upbeat and in-depth coverage of culture, news, and theology from a Christian, conservative perspective, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

​Relatable, Relatable with allie beth stuckey, Allie beth stuckey, Therapy, Therapy culture, Mental illness, Mental health crisis, Mental health, Blazetv, Blaze media, Dr. greg gifford 

An immigration enforcement operation in Oklahoma resulted in dozens of arrests, including 34 illegal alien truck drivers, according to ICE.

‘To lawfully operate a commercial motor vehicle in Oklahoma, you must be here legally and you must be able to understand English.’

The arrests announced earlier this week come amid concerns about road safety and national security related to an influx of foreign drivers entering the American trucking industry following the Biden administration’s open-border policies. These concerns have intensified following several recent fatal crashes involving illegal alien truck drivers.

Operation Guardian, a two-day sweep along the I-40 eastern corridor in late October, led to the arrests of 70 illegal aliens. Among those detained were 26 individuals with CDLs and eight others who were operating commercial vehicles without valid licenses, ICE stated.

The operation involved ICE and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, as part of a 287(g) partnership. The agreement allows OHP troopers to enforce immigration violations.

“For the second time in just the past month, the state of Oklahoma and ICE have banded together to bolster public safety along Oklahoma’s highways, identifying and apprehending illegal aliens who are in the country illegally and have been recklessly issued a commercial driver’s license by states like California, Illinois, and New Jersey,” stated Marcos Charles, the executive associate director of ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations.

Many of those arrested who were operating commercial vehicles were not in compliance with English proficiency requirements, according to Charles.

RELATED: Beloved basketball coach, wife identified as victims of fatal crash allegedly caused by illegal alien truck driver

Photo by John Moore/Getty Images

Of the 70 illegal aliens nabbed by immigration officials, 36 reportedly had a prior criminal history with offenses that included assault and battery, soliciting prostitution, and DUI. Two illegal aliens were wanted overseas for fraud and burglary.

Those arrested originated from 15 different countries, including China, Colombia, Georgia, Guatemala, India, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and Venezuela.

A similar September raid in Oklahoma resulted in the arrests of 120 illegal aliens, including 91 who were operating commercial vehicles.

RELATED: Truckers push back on driver-shortage ‘myth’ that has led to flood of foreigners in long-haul industry

Photographer: David Peinado/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Oklahoma’s Department of Public Safety stated that the CDLs were issued to the illegal aliens by the following states: California, Washington, Pennsylvania, Illinois, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, New Jersey, Texas, Minnesota, Ohio, and New York.

“Operation Guardian continues to successfully keep Oklahomans safe,” Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) said. “To lawfully operate a commercial motor vehicle in Oklahoma, you must be here legally and you must be able to understand English. These are commonsense standards that we will continue to enforce.”

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​News, Oklahoma, Kevin stitt, Commercial driver’s licenses, Cdls, Cdl, Commercial driver’s license, American trucking industry, Trucking industry, Immigration and customs enforcement, Ice, Immigration crisis, Illegal immigration crisis, Illegal immigration, Trucking, Immigration, Politics 

The Labour government that rules the United Kingdom is hardly a year old, but its time is already coming to an end. Its popular legitimacy has collapsed, and it is visibly losing control of both the British state and its territories.

Every conversation not about proximate policy is about the successor government: which party will take over, who will be leading it, and what’s needed to reverse what looks to be an unalterable course. What is known, however, is that the next government will assume the reins of a fading state after what will likely be the final election under the present, failed dispensation.

We should equip our friends on the other side of the Atlantic with the lessons of the new right’s ascendancy and of a nation-first government in America.

The Britain birthed by New Labour three decades ago, deracinated and unmoored from its historic roots, is unquestionably at its end. Its elements — most especially the importation of malign Americanisms like propositional nationhood — have led directly to a country that is, according to academics like David Betz of King’s College London, on the precipice of something like a civil war. That’s the worst-case scenario.

The best case is that a once-great nation made itself poor and has become wracked with civil strife, including the jihadi variety. It is a prospect that will make yesteryear’s worst of Ulster seem positively bucolic.

American policymaking is curiously inert in the face of the dissolution of its closest historic ally. This is not because Britain’s decline is anything new: the slow-motion implosion of that nation’s military power has been known to the American defense establishment for most of the past 20 years. Ben Barry’s excellent new book, “The Rise and Fall of the British Army 1975–2025,” offers many examples to this end, including the 2008 fighting in Basra in which American leadership had to rescue a failing British effort.

The knowledge that Britain is facing a regime-level crisis has remained mostly confined to the establishment. Outside of it, the American right has mostly dwelled on an admixture of Anglophilia and special-relationship nostalgia, obscuring the truth of Britain’s precipitous decline.

The American left, of course, entirely endorses what the British regime has done to its citizenry — from the repression of entrepreneurialism and the suppression of free speech to the ethnic replacement of the native population — and regards the outcomes as entirely positive.

It is past time for that inertia to end. The last election will redefine the United Kingdom — and therefore America’s relationship with it. Even before it comes, the rudderless and discredited Labour government has placed Britain into a de facto ungoverned state that may persist for years to come.

The United States has an obligation to protect its own citizenry from the consequences of this reality. It also has what might be called a filial duty to assert conditions for Britain to reclaim itself.

That duty means taking a series of actions, including denying entry to the United States to British officials who engage in the suppression of civil liberties. American security and intelligence should focus on the threats posed by Britain’s burgeoning Islamist population. The U.S. should give preferential immigration treatment to ethnic English, Scottish, Welsh, and Northern Irish who are seeking to escape misgovernance or persecution in the United Kingdom.

Furthermore, the United States should make it clear that the robust Chinese Communist Party penetration and influence operations in U.K. governance will result in a concurrent diminishment of American trust and cooperation.

Also necessary is the American government’s engagement with pro-liberty and pro-British elements within the U.K. This means working with Reform U.K., which presently looks to gain about 400 parliamentary seats in the next election. Its unique combination of a dynamic leader in Nigel Farage, intellectual heavyweights like James Orr and Danny Kruger, and operational energy in Zia Yusuf makes it a compelling and increasingly plausible scenario.

RELATED: Cry ‘God for England’

Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

Although the Tories are polling poorly and have had their reputations battered by their substandard record in government over the past decade, they nonetheless merit American engagement.

America’s role here is not to endorse, and still less to select, new leadership for Britain, which would be both an impossibility and an impropriety. However, we should equip our friends on the other side of the Atlantic with the lessons of the new right’s ascendancy and of a nation-first government in America.

In the fraught summer of 1940, the American poet Alice Duer Miller wrote, “In a world where England is finished and dead, I do not wish to live.” The island nation has not feared its own end at foreign arms for a thousand years. But its crisis today is from within, carrying existential stakes.

The current British regime is nearing its end, and the last election is coming. So too is our decision on how to engage it in the years ahead.

Editor’s note: A version of this article appeared originally at the American Mind.

​Opinion & analysis, United states, America first, Foreign policy, United kingdom, Great britain, Elections, Labour party, Kier starmer, Conservative party, Tories, Reform uk, Nigel farage, Chinese communist party, Censorship, Free speech, Tyranny, Alice duer miller