195 Pentecost 19: Empowered by Patience
"Restore us, O God of hosts; cause Your face to shine, and we shall be saved!" ~ Psalm 80
Empowered by Patience
“Consider it, when you are ambushed by various temptations and trials, that the Master’s tempering of your patience takes time. This is great comfort. So, be certain. You lack nothing.” Be certain. You lack nothing. These words are my personal translation of James 1, and I find great hope in them. Even when things don’t make any sense, even when I can’t see a reason why, even when it feels like the deepest night on the darkest sea, even my darkness is Light to Jesus Christ. He is risen, reigns and doesn’t let anything, not even the devil himself, get out of hand. As we remembered last weekend that we are guarded by hosts of Angels and Archangels, we take ownership of our belief that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the powers of a present darkness. Yet, in this we are already more than conquerors through Jesus, for he loves us. He says, “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you. Again, I will build you. You shall be rebuilt.” Jer. 31:3-4 Till angel cry and trumpet sound, The Mad Christian
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Odds and Ends
Politics
Mad’splaining: Vacating the chair. Eight Republicans joined with the full chorus of Democrats to oust House Speaker Kevin McCarthy last week. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who led the motion, accused Speaker McCarthy of failing to keep the promises he made when he took up the speakership just a few months ago. The GOP Reps’ main issue is with government spending. McCarthy had promised to prevent omnibus bills (where multiple budget items are voted on together) in the House. So when Speaker McCarthy passed a Continuing Resolution to avoid a government shut down, Gaetz accused him of making “secret deals” with Democrats.
Critics of omnibus bills say that they hinder efforts to really scrutinize and cut spending. Allocating money to government agencies indiscriminately also makes it more difficult to keep them accountable or rein in their ability to be weaponized, as Speaker McCarthy had vowed to do. While some said Gaetz has recklessly caused chaos without an alternative solution, others welcomed the opportunity to see Congress wrangling through issues.
Funding for Ukraine is also a sticking point, dividing the GOP and the American public. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), who is touted to replace McCarthy, told Fox News he won’t send more money to Ukraine unless there is a set objective for the war.
BTW Congress has not passed a proper budget for 27 years.
For a gentle take on the Speaker fight, journalist Roger Kimball on The Spectator.
For a fiery take, Blaze TV’s Auron McIntyre had thoughts.
In other political news: A new report claims that the FBI is so concerned about violence breaking out in connection with next year's presidential election that they have created a separate domestic terrorist category for supporters of Donald Trump. (Newsweek)
Economy, Markets and Jobs
President Biden says that American people are "better off financially than they were before" but one Costco price sleuth might disagree. (Twitter, Not the Bee)
Job growth was stronger than expected in September, according to payroll data but consumer spending is slowing down. (CNBC, PBS)
President Biden says he will "pursue new measures" to deliver $9bn in student debt relief to 125,000 borrowers, many of whom already receive benefits from the government. (Reuters)
Kaiser Permanente employees have ended their three day walkout at hospitals and medical offices in five states over "chronic understaffing". The strike ended without resolution. (NPR)
Border
President Biden has announced that he will build around 50 miles of wall on the US southern border, in a bid to curb the amount of illegal crossings. The project will involve waiving 26 federal environmental protection laws to enable building on wildlife reserves and private property. In addition to physical barriers, policy expert, Andrew Arthur says the President will also need to change "catch and release" policies to really stem the flow of immigrants into America. (The Blaze, Daily News, New York Post)
Marriage, Sex and Family
California Governor Gavin Newsom has appointed a new Senator to fill the vacancy left after the death of Senator Dianne Feinstein. Laphonza Butler was appointed, not only because of her intersectional points (she is a black lesbian), but also because of her ability to raise money for abortion advocate, Emily's List. Pro-abortion groups are big donors to Democratic causes, which may explain why it's no biggie that Butler doesn't even live in California. As David Harsanyi writes at The Federalist, "We’re just skipping the part where we pretend senators represent states rather than political parties." (Not the Bee, The Federalist)
And some good news…
Florida's law imposing death penalty for raping child under 12 is in effect. (Not the Bee)
Student walkout puts pressure on Pennsylvania school board, causing them to reverse their transgender policy. Boys will no longer be allowed in girl's bathrooms. (The Blaze)
Crime and Policing
An appellate court has ruled that former President Donald Trump's business enterprises in New York may not be dissolved as requested by New York judge, Arthur Engoron. A court case which began last week alleges that Mr. Trump committed financial fraud by overestimating the value of his properties to broker deals. The former president has also been banned from posting about the case on social media. (The Blaze, The Guardian, Axios)
President Trump's legal team is arguing that he has "presidential immunity" and cannot be prosecuted. (The Federalist)
Hunter Biden has entered a not-guilty plea to federal gun charges. (ABC News)
Oof! A new car dealership in Philly had over 60% of its vehicles stolen within first week. (Not the Bee)
70 cities blame manufacturers for car theft, but Kia and Hyundai say it's TikTok’s fault for allowing videos online showing how to get past vehicle security features. (Vice)
Covid
The Nobel Price for medicine has been awarded to two scientists who discovered how to make mRNA code sneak past the body's immune system. And they wore masks at the ceremony to receive their prize. Things that make you go, “hmm..” (Big Think, Twitter)
Investigations into Pfizer's covid vaccine have revealed that the pharmaceutical company used two different processes for manufacturing its product, with "process 2" apparently cheaper and easier to scale. Journalist Ben Bartee says this could explain variations between trial and real world as well as adverse reaction rates across different batches. (PJ Media)
Religion and the church
Pope Francis continues to blur moral lines by suggesting that "it may be possible for the church to bless same-sex unions." In a request for clarification from five cardinals, the pontiff affirmed that marriage is still between one man and one woman, but wants the church to welcome everyone by focusing on God rather that "ideological battles.” (WNG, Babylon Bee)
Three out of ten Americans say they have no religious affiliation. (Axios)
A Methodist church in North Austin, Texas, has used ChatGPT to conduct its Sunday service, with the AI language app creating “create prayers, a sermon, and an original song based on the sermon itself.” Some churchgoers said that the service lacked “heart and the human spirit of joy and authenticity”. (Mirror)
Science
The Giant Magellan Telescope being built in Chile's Atacama desert has begun a four-year process to fabricate and polish its seventh and final mirror. When completed, it will be the largest Gregorian telescope ever built, and is expected to have 4 times the resolving power of the James Webb telescope. (SciTech Daily)
The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has issued the first fine for space debris. It was given to a broadcasting company which sent its out-of-commission satellite to a "graveyard orbit" instead of bringing it back to earth. (The Guardian)
Technology
Subliminal messages in images have reached a whole new level with the help of AI. Wonder how hard it would be to hide a “He is risen!” in there? (Twitter, Know Your Meme, Rumble)
Tom Hanks says it’s definitely not him in an AI-generated advertisement promoting a dental health plan. (Gizmodo)
Apple's new iPhone 15 is overheating due to bugs. (Gizmodo)
Tesla’s cyber truck was spotted towing a rocket around at Texas' starbase. (Electrek)
Boost your wi-fi with aluminium foil? (RD)
Arts and History
U2 gave the first performance in the eye-popping Las Vegas Sphere, no doubt leaving a few folks feeling woozy. (Wallpaper, Insider)
A cross-section of British highway reveals a millennia of history. (Earthly Mission)
Four time capsules have been discovered in the spire of a Polish church, containing letters and coins from 1700s. (Not the Bee)
An American actor moved to England to help restore an ancestral manor. (Epoch Times)
World War II-era tunnels could soon become a London tourist attraction. (Smithsonian)
Pythogoras’ theorem may have been old [Babylonian] news. (IFL Science)
Climate and the Natural World
Climate insanity means we may just have to content ourselves with roaming around a metaverse! Various climate activist organisations have proposed strict limits on air travel. Either that or price Average Joes out of the market. "For 90 percent of Earth’s history, [it] was too warm to have ice at both poles, and 90 percent of Earth’s history had higher CO2 levels and higher temperatures than today.” Climate policies are about power and need to be debunked at every opportunity. (The Federalist)
Tire dust is the biggest contributor to microplastics found in oceans and in humans. (The Drive)
Scientists discover that jellyfish can modify their behaviour based on previous experiences, despite having no brain. (BBC)
UNESCO has added 42 new entries to its heritage-listed sites, including the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks in Ohio. (Travel and Leisure)
Stories from Far Away
Mad’splaining: Hamas attack. An attack on Israel by Muslim group Hamas has left hundreds dead and many injured. Hostages were taken from a music festival on the Gaza-Israel border. Israeli Defense Forces have retaliated and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said power and supplies to the Gaza strip would be cut. Focus has been on how the attack took Israeli intelligence by surprise and whether Iranian funds, unfrozen by the US in exchange for the return of American citizens played a role in the attack. There were claims made that American weapons left behind in Afghanistan were used in the strike. Observers say the attack was intended to scupper deals between Israel and Saudi Arabia, however Egypt and Turkey are also invested in peace in the region. Videos of Muslims worldwide celebrating the attack circulated on social media as well as images of Hamas militants parading the bodies of dead Israelis in the streets.
And other stories.. The beginnings of a set of "Crisis Regulation" rules in Europe have been sealed after member states agreed to a draft policy, addressing illegal immigration. The EU is hoping to implement a coordinated response to mass immigration, particularly helpful for countries that finds themselves “in a crisis situation." (Euro News, European Council)
Singapore is now charging people to own a car. The island nation has been capping the amount of vehicles on its roads for a while, previously issuing limited permits for vehicle ownership. (Sky)
US college student arrived back home after being jailed in Dubai for touching an guard's arm in a layover stop. (New York Post)
Promo of Friends
Dr. Koontz will be speaking at the Christian Faith & Life Conference 2023 in Sycamore, Illinois, Saturday, 18th November. He will be taking up the theme, "Strong under Pressure: The Church’s Life in Paul’s First Letter to Timothy." More information can be found at EventBrite.
Your favorite pixelated hero will return when EDH has returned from a well-earned rest..
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
🎈 The 51st Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
🍌 POV: What if there was a giant banana orbiting the earth?
➰ A precision spring-making machine
🚆 For the trainspotters: every type of rail car in fifteen minutes
🚘 Why don't cars have hood ornaments any more?
🛑 Supercut: songs that stop on the word “Stop”
♭ AI “cloning” makes artists cover Weird Al Jankovic covers of their songs..
👽 The alien who came to tea?
💪 These guys understand team work
🗺️ Compare geographical regions by size, side by side
A Good Word: Links from the Show Notes
This week's Stop the White Noise was deemed “a plethora of wonderment and good teaching”. As always, Pastor Fisk and Meridith discussed a range of topics and answered a few pressing questions from the listeners/watchers.
In our efforts to “bring every thought into captivity”, Jonathan suggested reduce the amount of inputs, write down the thought, return to it, then (….. meanwhile reading the WORD of God) Assess, Accept or Reject.
“Open Air Life” by Linda Åkeson McGurk (Norse theology, so deploy discernment!)
Daring Greatly by Brené Brown
For homeschooling: Robinson Curriculum (online)
Sweetness You May Have Missed
This Week Preached:
Podcast Release:
Let us pray. Let us pray. Gracious God, You gave Your Son into the hands of sinful men who killed Him. Forgive us when we reject Your unfailing love, and grant us the fullness of Your salvation; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.