178 Pentecost 2: More. Much, Much More.
"The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of coins of gold and silver." ~ Psalm 119:72
More. Much, Much More.
Wizards do not do it just to get it done.
Maybe you don’t want to be a wizard? That’s too bad, Harry. It’s in your blood. You are a member of the body of Christ, correct? Yes? Then it’s very settled: you are chosen to get wizened. Buckle in.
Wizening Tip of the Day: whether it is reading the Proverbs, praying the Psalms, wrestling on a mat, folding the laundry, building a wall, climbing a mountain or any and every other endeavor in this wide and long life, if it is worth doing at all, it ought to be about much more than just getting it over with. That is why “Getting Things Done,“ and “Get’r Done,” and every other productivity cult rests their progressive, consumptive Gnostic covenants on sophistry.
Productivity is about dollars. Dollars are about quantity. The wizened see clearly that quantity is at times not a boon but a curse, especially if there is no standard of quality.
Soooo… the next time you find yourself in the habit of just trying to scratch another thing off your endless piles of lists, press pause on that robotic life a moment, and ask if that thing you're willing up the power to get done is really worth doing.
Then, no matter the answer, act like it’s your birthday. Go do whatever you do, and enjoy the heck out of it, as one working for the King who sees all things, even that which is done in secret.
Till angel cry and trumpet sound,
The Mad Christian
Stuff of legends
Clickbait Paradise
In this edition of Mad Mondays:
Woke means always having to say you're sorry, so don't!
Indictment 2.0
Dragons, bears and ships, oh my!
The week in review and some nonsense for your Monday..
Don't flinch
Talk show host Megyn Kelly delivered a stern monologue during one or her shows last week. She outlines her pivot from promoting transgender ideology to today, lamenting her compliance with the use of personal pronouns as a "gateway drug" into the whole nasty transgender business. Kelly says she happily used the authorized language of gender ideologues – gender-affirming care, cis-gender – but started to question why she "had to deny reality in order to be polite." She calls on men to protect women and for women to refuse to tolerate men in their spaces, sports, and their clothing.
Kelly previously worked in corporate liberal media and now has a largely conservative following. It is great to see high-profile folks taking a stand against the gender tyranny, but did it have to come at cultural gunpoint, as Auron McIntyre puts it? Is it only after someone grooms your children or unfriends you for misgendering them that we will live what we believe? This is not a call to be obnoxious, but for wisdom and courage.
MLB pitcher Anthony Bass may have learned the hard way that the grip of wokeness on our culture means you can never say you're sorry. Bass posted in support of Target boycotts, but apologized after backlash from trans activists. He promised to educate himself and was rostered to deliver the opening pitch at the Blue Jays "pride night". However, when pressed by reporters to totally renounce his beliefs, Bass maintained that what his views are not hateful. Whomp-whomp. That's the wrong answer for the spirit of the age. Bass was soon after designated for assignment and could lose his position on the team.
It is not certain that things would have been different if he had stuck to his guns from the outset. And we acknowledge that it mustn't be easy to stand against media scrutiny and say unpopular things, but let's just say, apologizing to the spirit of the age gets you nowhere. This zeitgeist wants nothing less than the destruction of humans, especially the ones who speak the truth.
For those who are baptized into Christ, God's gifts of his Word and his Spirit mean we really have nothing to lose. We have power on earth to stand in the face of hell, to borrow a line from a 90s Christian band. In fact, as Rev Fisk once wrote, we can't lose. "Christianity is the definitive reality that we (in our Lord) have already won."
He is risen
You are paid for
You are immortal right now
So let's live like it.
---
In some brighter news from the front-lines of the sexual revolution.. While most readers will be familiar with Matt Walsh's movie on transgenderism, writer Joshua Paling has highlighted another documentary coming out shortly that shows that progressives are also starting to wake up to the devastation caused by this ideology.
Missouri Governor Mike Parson has approved a bill which "protects children from puberty blockers, hormones, and transgender surgeries." Well done, sir!
Fresh accusations
Donald Trump has been indicted on charges relating to classified documents found during a raid on Mar-A-Lago last year and for alleged violations of the Espionage Act of 1917. The news has been met with a wide variety of responses, as to be expected in a divided nation.
While the progressive Left asked in sheer exasperation what it would take to shake Republican support for Trump, conservative media had other things on their mind. The Federalist joined others who see the indictment as fresh effort to get Trump, which sets a dangerous precedent about using government apparatus to punish political opponents. Ben Shapiro wasn't the only one to point out that this sure looks like a double standard, when many politicians, including Hillary Clinton have sketchy records when it comes to handling government secrets. However, political and legal commentator Jonathan Turley said if the accusations prove true, then they are "extremely damning."
We will need to be patient to see what comes of this, since indictments stand or fall as the trial progresses. It is a sad commentary on the caliber of our political class, that dishonorable behavior is almost expected. If these accusations were against a man known for good character, integrity and honor, there might be less reason to suspect them to be true. Pray earnestly for our nation, that God would raise up leaders who punish evil and reward good.
Which way, young man? Set your trajectory for righteousness by unplugging, wrestling and studying God's Word.
Grooming for fun and profit
A new bombshell report claims that Instagram's algorithms actively curated content for pedophiles. In failing to police explicit hashtags or check their predictive capabilities, reporters say that Instagram placed children in danger and facilitated massive pedophile networks. In case anyone needed a reminder, when men are greedy to satiate their basest desires – be that money, power or sexual appetite – it is the most vulnerable who suffer. New technology but the same old problem.
Instagram may be a victim of its own sprawling success, an empire too vast to rule carefully, so we will lay off accusing them of playing accessory to perversion. For now. But those who commit dark deeds (and they really are dark) cover for each other, as Romans 1 shows. Not only do their deeds reveal they are children of Hell, but they heap condemnation on themselves by approving those who act in like manner.
On the flip side, City Journal contributing editor Kaye Hymowitz points out, our culture has swallowed the lie that children are just "little adults", assigning a level of autonomy to kids that is beyond their ability to manage. This forms the reasoning, as Hymowitz explains, behind the push to have young children "choose" their gender, but it can also distort our thinking as parents when it comes to devices and online content. Letting kids have access to screens gives the illusion of enlightened, modern parenting, but it plays right into the hands of nefarious adults who are happy to have access to unprotected children. The situation with Instagram only serves to highlight the dangers of assuming children can navigate online encounters in the way we would.
We cannot trust tech companies to have our children's well-being in mind. Even if it was their first priority, it is clear evil men will use whatever they can to get what they want. So know what is being put in front of your children and also pray against the ones who allow sin to proliferate, whether by intention or neglect. Think about how you can fight back. As Rev Fisk often says, there are not enough good men, so become one!
Dragons, bears and Taiwan
There's a bit going down with China, so we thought we'd give a quick update. Chinese and U.S. warships almost collided in the Taiwan Strait last week. The U.S. says the near-miss was a deliberate act of aggression on the part of China's navy, while China says the U.S. and its allies have "no business" being in the Indo-Pacific. Meanwhile, Politico says China is aiming to spy on America using a base in Cuba. (Couldn't they just send more balloons?) Oh, and they are digging a very deep hole in the earth.
Amid concerns over China's saber rattling, a British expert, Charles Parton, says he believes Xi Jinping will not invade Taiwan, as many fear. He predicts that conquering the island nation would require an enormous army and reduce China's economy to rubble. In Parton's estimation, Taiwan's strategically-valuable microchips industry is not portable, nor easily replicated, making it a hard target for China to acquire. In the end, he concludes that China will continue its charm offensive, trying to persuade/threaten Taiwan to come back to the motherland of its own volition.
Experts are wrong all the time, so we should take pronouncements with a grain of salt. As formidable an enemy China may be, it might suit the Communist Party to just remain an inscrutable agitator.
And some Russian news... A break in a Ukrainian dam has flooded farmland and displaced thousands from their homes. The Kakhovka Dam is in on the edge of Russian-held territory in the Kherson region. Ukraine and Russia have blamed each other for sabotaging the dam, but some said that poor maintenance by Russian authorities may have caused it to fail of its own accord.
Documents leaked by Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira reportedly show that the CIA knew that Ukraine was going to blow up the Nordstream pipeline.
A group of Russian hackers has threatened to release data stolen from British Airways, the BBC, and major retail chains if they do not respond within days.
Odds and Ends
Politics
A "credible human source" is claiming that bribery accusations against President Biden are true. The President is accused of accepting $5M to deflect investigations into an Ukrainian oil company when he was Vice President. The accusations are not new, but a GOP-led committee says they want FBI documents proving the claim to be released to the public. (Fox, Fox)
Religion and the church
Word-faith TV preacher Pat Robertson has died, age 93. Robertson founded Christian Broadcasting Network and a Christian university. He also made a bid for president in 1988. Robertson was credited with mobilizing the "religious Right" through the 80s, drawing fire for his outspoken stance on homosexuality and false religions. (New York Times)
Productivity
A list of traits found in sporting champions contains a few you might not expect. Many winners are people-pleasing introverts, who dabbled in other sports before finding the one they loved best. Most say they used visualization, tempered their high emotion with high self-control and gained self-confidence from working harder than their opponents. (Art of Manliness)
If at first you don't succeed... The optimal failure rate is 16%. (Big Think)
Climate and the natural world
Smoke from Canadian wildfires has blanketed Northeast USA, with the dramatic drop in air quality prompting school closures and the cancellation of outdoor activities across the region. While right-wing internet conspiracies suggested the fires were deliberately set to prompt stricter climate action, lefties blamed global warming. But it is more likely that "green ideology" leads to lack of forest management. (CNN, Daily Signal)
Tesla is eyeing expansion of battery production into Mongolia. The country has rich deposits of copper and rare earth metals used for electric vehicle batteries. (CNBC)
Mr. Bean actor, Rowan Atkinson, has questioned the climate credentials of electric vehicles, saying that contribution to global warming in harvesting resources for their production outweighs the benefit of their use. Atkinson also noted that the current three-year leasing model for EV ownership encourages constant purchasing of new cars. Critics say he is cherry picking his facts. (Epoch Times)
Science
Scientists guide lightning bolts with lasers. (Smithsonian)
New "super repellent" offers protection from 99% of mosquito bites. (EuroNews)
Researchers believe a gene therapy shot could prevent female cats from ovulating. They are hoping to use the technology to control global feral cat populations. (Science News)
NASA's mission to explore the metal-rich Psyche asteroid is due to launch later this year. (Space)
French armed forces are hiring science fiction writers to imagine possible threats and innovations in weaponry. (France24)
Technology
Open AI is being sued by a Georgia radio host who says that ChatGPT lied about him embezzling money. (Gizmodo)
Medical
Study links sucralose, an artificial sweetner, to DNA damage and increased cancer risk. (Fox)
Korea: Autopsies reveal that cardiac deaths caused by covid-19 vaccines likely to be higher than recorded in injury registry. (Just the News)
Study: Walking and yoga can cut risk of cancer spreading or returning. (The Guardian)
Shingles vaccine associated with lower risk of dementia. (Nature)
Marriage, sex and children
California is considering a bill which would punish parents who don't "affirm" their child's gender identity. LGBT activist senator, Scott Weiner co-authored the Bill, which would force foster parents to cooperate with the gender confusion of children and prioritize trans-affirming parents in the case of custody disputes. (Free Beacon)
Matt Walsh sent his producer to do a bit of undercover work and discovered that a patient could qualify to have genitals removed after a 22 minute telehealth appointment. (Twitter)
Pew research shows young adults are reaching milestones – getting a job, leaving home and marrying – later in life than in previous decades. (Pew)
Software engineer who designated his pronouns as "assigned by God" is suing his employer for religious discrimination. (ZeroHedge)
Sports
The PGA tour has announced it will merge with the Saudi Arabian LIV Golf. While proponents of the merger say it will ensure the financial security of the sport, critics don't like the reliance on Saudi money, with its links to terrorism. Top professional golfers were offered lucrative contracts years ago to defect to LIV, with former President Donald Trump warning that the merger was inevitable. (WNG, Golf Digest)
Argentinian soccer superstar, Lionel Messi, will play for Inter Miami. (Palm Beach Post)
Headlines from far away
Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has left politics. Johnson says he was shown a soon-to-be-published report into allegations that he broke covid restrictions during his time at Downing Street. He called the investigation a "kangaroo court", aimed to "to find [him] guilty, regardless of the facts." (BBC)
Iran says it has a hypersonic missile (AP News)
Missing Mexican call center workers have been found dead in a grisly round of cartel violence. It is thought that the workers likely wanted out from their job, defrauding Americans and Canadians in a timeshare scam run by one of the most notorious cartels. (WNG)
Nearly 80 school girls believed to be poisoned in Afghanistan. Authorities say all the girls are fine. The attacks are similar to mass poisonings in Iran earlier this year. (The Guardian)
Four children have been found in Colombia's jungle forty days after surviving a plane crash. (The Guardian)
Korea set to investigate hundreds of old adoption cases. Throughout a series of military governments, adoption was seen as "a tool to reduce the number of mouths to feed and reduce the number of unwed mothers." (WNG)
John Michael Jones Gets a Life is produced for Mad ⳩ Mondays by E. Darwin Hartshorn. Episodes can also be found on Tuesday, along with previous episodes, on Bunny Trail Junction at bunny-trail.com.
Quick Hits for the Eyebuds
🔢 For all your tricky number puzzles: The Online Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences
🇿🇦 The crazy tale of a baboon that was paid in beer to operate a South African rail switchboard
🪙 The science behind metal detectors
🌿 Photos of kelp forests
🍪 How Cookie Monster's puppeteer does air quotes
🦈 Yikes! Great White sharks lurk near swimmers more often than you know
🌋 At the gates of Mordor: you can watch a livestream of Hawaii's volcano
🦛 If a 1910 hippo bill had passed, Americans might have been ranching "lake cow bacon"
Only Illuminati Need Apply
Your Reaction Highlights
We know we have clever readers! Here are a couple of helpful recs brought to our attention by all y'all:
McCabe recommended a Twitter thread from Save our Sons, with a ton of activities to inspire your boys and broaden their skills.
Hurin Thalion put us on to a list of the Psalms grouped into themes.
A Good Word: Links from the Show Notes
The Fisks tackled a few big ones on the last episode of Stop the White Noise, including the differences between men and women and what to do while you wait for God to gift you a spouse. Here are some of the recommendations:
For ladies-in-waiting..
For Women Only: What You Need to Know about the Inner Lives of Men by Shaunti Feldhahn
For Young Women Only: What You Need to Know about How Guys Think
Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus by John Gray
In addition to helping understand how your prospective husband ticks, these books provide insight into raising boys:
Bringing up Boys by Dr. Dobson
Wild Things: The Art of Nurturing Boys by Stephen James and David Thomas
Proverbs 31: King Lemuel's mother has wise advice for the use of alcohol and a model of the sanctifying power of God's grace in the life of a godly wife.
Rev Fisk knows there will be haters, so recommended two Michael W Smith songs at his peril. These songs are Not Safe For Worship so, don't drag them into your sanctuary! But for recalling the promises of God and beating back fear, try the helpfully repetitive:
"Surrounded" - It may look like I'm surrounded but I'm surrounded by You
"Light to You" - Even the darkness is light to You
Promo of Friends
A number of folks have been asking where to find the online store the Fisk family are selling their art. Here's a link to the Studio31twentyfour Etsy store:
Sweetness You May Have Missed
The Journey: 3 Weeks to Build an Ark B
#146 Neologistic Parabiotics
Let us pray: Almighty and most merciful God, You sent Your Son, Jesus Christ, to seek and to save the lost. Graciously open our ears and our hearts to hear His call and to follow Him by faith that we may feast with Him forever in His kingdom; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.