221 Easter 4: Home at the Gate
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me.” ~ Psalm 23
Home at the Gate
You can’t plug all the holes. But you must plug the holes that you notice.
Christianity is a positive temporal future vision as well as an apocalyptic Spirit, but the catholic Church is never a quick fix. It’s time to circle your wagons, team up and lean forward under the grace of Christ.
As a family, relying on the filial chain of command is important in all seasons. Believing in the goodness of Fatherly authority, the power of feminine submission, and the value of every member of the body in its role and place is essential to successful Christian living in every case. Being unified in heart and mind as a unit prepares you when things go sideways. All the more, when things are going well, shared vision in the name of the house enables your family economy to fire on all thrusters.
Understanding that your family is an economy, that your house is a city, and that all power rests in the conversations in your market is a much bigger piece than MM can hold. But no matter how you splice it, Gnosticism is the religion that makes you forget just how substantial God created you to be. You are a body that has a soul. You live in a den and know the value of a pack. You live in a castle and it has a gate.
Reign with the words you use. Protect your village. Be the guy in the white hat. Do the simple things now, like learn what to do when someone pushes you.
Next week: When Pushed, Push Back
Until next time….
The Mad Christian
Births, Deaths and Marriages
A federal appeals court has ruled that a West Virginia law banning boys who identify as girls from playing on girls' sports teams is discriminatory against transgender athletes, according to Title IX. Originally, Title IX was part of the Civil Rights Act aimed to prevent female athletes from being discriminated against at federally-funded educational institutions. However, in 2014 and again in 2016, the Obama administration decided that banning discrimination “on the basis of sex” also included “gender identity,” threatening schools that wouldn’t allow boys to access girls’ bathrooms and locker rooms. President Trump rolled back inclusions to simple biological sex, but on Friday, President Biden’s education department released new regulations which once again give priority to trans-identified males. Critics of the Civil Rights Act have long seen it as a Trojan Horse for all sorts of mischief and they are being proved right. (Just the News, Magnolia Tribune)
The SCOTUS has ruled in favor of an Idaho law which bans the use of puberty-blocking drugs, hormone therapy, and sex-change surgeries for minors. The ruling was voted 6-3 with the liberal justices saying the wording is too broad. Idaho’s law can go into effect, but the two children whose parents brought the lawsuit will be allowed to continue their treatment delusion. (Hot Air)
The recent attempt by Donald Trump to thread a needle between a principled pro-life stance and political expediency has revealed what a moral crystallizer saving babies has become. Arizona’s Kari Lake who is running for a Republican Senate nomination made a glossy ad saying she’d choose life, but other women may need to kill their baby, so bans are bad (a very popular stance with middle America, BTW). Meanwhile, liberal late night host Bill Maher seems to understand the issues better than some politicians who claim to be pro-life. If it is murder, how can you have abortion before 15 weeks, he asks? How can it be okay in some states and not others? He spelled it out to his audience: abortion rhetoric against pro-lifers is made up: “They don’t hate women…They just think [abortion] is murder.” He then went on to say he knows abortion is murder but he’s “just okay with it…There [are] eight billion people in the world, I’m sorry, we won’t miss you.” (MadPxMondays, FrontPage Mag)
The United Nations’ Commission on the Status of Women has concluded that unpaid housework is oppressive to mothers. The Commission thinks universal daycare would free women to do “socially productive work” and eliminate poverty. Translation: let the state raise your children. (Mercator)
The world’s oldest conjoined twins have died at age 62. (AP)
Hearts and Minds
Some of us probably need to hear this: stop acting like you’re famous. “Stop optimizing for a non-existent audience and instead focus on what makes you enjoy [an] activity.” Fear not, you are worth more than many ‘likes.’ (AJK Projects)
Mario meets Pareto: Choosing the best Mario Kart using a Pareto front reveals that “if you already know the exact weights you want to assign to each variable” tradeoffs can be easier to decide. (Mayerowitz)
Ideas to inspire a culture of creativity, not consumption. (Intellectual Takeout)
Science
Boston Dynamics has retired its well-known humanoid hydraulic Atlas bot and released an all-new electric version. Atlas Jr is very bendy and will be set to work in Hyundai’s factories to find “new use cases and possible work environments.” (Tech Crunch)
NASA says it is looking for new “out of the box” ideas to bring rocks collected on Mars back to earth. Currently, it will cost $11bn and take until 2040. (BBC)
Researchers are experimenting raising earthworms in moon soil. “Worms and microorganisms are things that help our plants thrive here on Earth, so I think it would be silly to not employ those in other areas where we’re growing terrestrial seeds.” (Ambrook Research)
Yikes! A small piece of the International Space Station has crashed through the roof of a Florida home. (BBC)
God’s Green Earth
Scientists found out by accident that hibernating queen bees can survive more than a week underwater. (Smithsonian)
How long does it take for a Great White Shark to cross an ocean? (IFL Science)
America’s rubber latex farmers are hoping for a comeback after the pandemic. (Ambrook Research)
J-School Mindset
Viable Truth
Arts, History and Sport
Here’s a little known Holocaust story: Stanisława Leszczyńska, a Polish midwife, delivered over 3,000 babies in Auschwitz. Most died or were drowned by Nazis but “in the midst of this squalor and horror, Stanisława was an Angel of Life. She discretely tattooed babies who were to be “germanised” so that someday they might be able to find their real parents. ‘Many a mother was consoled by the thought that one day she would find her lost child,’ she said. With the permission of the mothers, she baptized Christian babies. She led the women in prayer. She filled the block with her singing to calm women in pain or fear.” Jesus grant us such strength in the face of evil! (Mercator)
White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia kept a nuclear bunker designed to accommodate the entirety of Congress a secret for three decades. (Smithsonian)
20 minutes of Charles Schulz drawing Peanuts cartoons. (via YouTube)
Last week in history:
1775 Paul Revere’s famous midnight ride. (Britannica)
1912 White Star’s Titanic sinks in the northern Atlantic Ocean. (Britannica, USA Today)
1950 Apollo 13 returned safely to earth. (NASA)
The Digital Age
A “divest or ban” bill to force China to sell off social media platform, TikTok has passed through Congress as part of a military aid package. Tied to funding for Ukraine and Israel, the bill will be more difficult for Senators to vote against. (The Verge)
Brainwaves are now protected in Colorado. (ArsTechnica)
Apple approved a Nintendo emulator for iOS. (ArsTechnica)
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Politics
The House has passed three foreign aid packages worth $95bn, with funds pegged for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. Some GOP Reps are threatening to ouster Speaker Mike Johnson for breaking his promise to secure America’s southern border before sending money abroad. (NBC, Just the News)
The US Senate has approved an extension to Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) until 2026. Section 702 provides loopholes for intelligence agencies to spy on Americans. Our write up last week. (Reclaim the Net)
The Supreme Court of the USA has heard oral arguments in the case of a January 6th defendant. A Pennsylvania man, Joseph Fischer, is challenging the charge of obstruction, which has been commonly charged to J6ers. The Justices questioned the DOJ’s broad definition of what it means to obstruct government proceedings. (WNG, The Federalist)
A helpful thread on why conservative American towns still host drag queen story hour. And some steps to combat it. (Not the Bee)
A Good Deterrent
Crime and Punishment
The Supreme Court of the US has ruled 9-0 in a case called Muldrow v. City of St. Louis. A female police officer alleges she was transferred to a different department because she is a woman. She had lost her case in lower courts since she could not show “significant harm”. Supreme Court justices however ruled that according to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, any harm is enough to sue for discrimination, signalling that the bar for challenging diversity prejudices just lowered significantly. (Daily Signal)
The FBI has opened an investigation into the Dali cargo ship which crashed into Baltimore’s Key Bridge. (Epoch Times)
Thunderdome
Twelve jurors have been selected for the criminal “hush money” trial of Former President Donald Trump. Finding impartial candidates would prove hard anywhere in America but in New York it is extra difficult. Arguments begin today. (BBC, Rev Fisk via X)
A man has died after setting himself on fire outside the court where the trial is being held. It appears he was protesting fascism and government conspiracies. (ABC, Not the Bee)
A whole bunch of Kennedys are endorsing President Biden. (Not the Bee)
President Biden has kept factcheckers on their toes, with his latest crazy story. (ZeroHedge)
Money, Markets and Jobs
Sports and betting have had an uneasy relationship for some time. But sports writers say the impact of the SCOTUS’ 2018 decision which effectively legalized easy sports betting needs to carefully monitored. Major League Baseball and the NBA both have contracts with offical betting partners, even as individual players have been found running moneymaking scams. “By promoting sports betting through various partnerships, US sports leagues suggest to fans that gambling and betting on sports games is a fun pastime. While most fans may place the odd wager, some will bet nightly and potentially run up ruinous debts. The impact on players and coaches is already being felt.” Related, Toronto Raptors Jontay Porter has been banned for life from the NBA for changing his on-court play to accommodate bets. (Sportcal, ESPN)
Tesla has recalled all Cybertrucks for potentially faulty accelerator pedals. (Tech Crunch)
The ship men who maintain undersea internet cables. “It hasn’t changed in 150 years... The Victorians did it that way and we’re doing it the same way.” (The Verge)
Nike boss says remote work is not conducive to creating innovative shoe design. (CNBC)
Got any new ideas for sneakers?
Health, Medicine and Food
Drug shortages in the US have reached record highs, including chemotherapy injectables and low-cost generic medications which have “razor-thin profit margins”. (ArsTechnica)
Americans report that they are more tired and stressed than a decade ago. (Gallup)
Jesus would never have eaten a banana according to plant geneticists. Most of the food we eat didn’t originate in our part of the globe. “Crops from anywhere are now grown and consumed just about everywhere.” (Gastro Obscura)
Coming to America
A large crowd of illegal African immigrants has marched on City Hall in New York demanding easier access to work and better places to stay. (CBS, Not the Bee)
A Mexico-based NGO has reminded illegal immigrants in a memo to vote for President Biden, so it can keep operating. According to reports, Resource Center Matamoras is all tangled up with progressive activist billionaire Georg Soros and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas. (Not the Bee)
House Republicans delivered articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas earlier this week. Secretary Mayorkas has been accused by the GOP of putting the nation in jeopardy by failing to enforce border policies or combat illegal immigration. Critics of the move say the charges are not in accordance with the Constitution's criteria for impeachment but the Senate put a swift end to legal action anyways. (WNG, AP)
War and Rumors of War
It looks like WWIII is on hold, at least for now. After Israel and allies shot down Iranian missiles, President Biden told Israel it should “take the win” and not retaliate. However, on Thursday night, Israel did strike Iran directly. Reports claim the attack included a stealth missile which had some commentators praising as an understated way to deter reprisals. Iran downplayed the strike but seems to have stopped saber rattling for the time being. (ZeroHedge, The Intercept)
It’s become evident that the US is trying to keep everyone happy, with reports claiming the Biden administration signed off on Iran’s planned attack, just asking that it stay below an escalation threshold. In other news, the US vetoed a move by the United Nations which would have paved the way to recognize the state of Palestine as a member. (Hot Air, Reuters)
Saudi Arabia has publicly acknowledged it helped defend Israel by shooting down Iranian missiles which flew through its airspace. (Daily Wire)
The US and Britain have imposed fresh sanctions on “16 individuals and two entities ‘enabling’ Iranian drone production”. (Politico)
The Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health has revised its death toll down, saying it has “incomplete data” for almost a third of its reported fatalities. (The Telegraph)
The Kremlin has announced it will withdraw almost 2000 troops currently stationed in Azerbaijan’s Karabakh region. The soldiers were deployed to help stabilise the area after Armenians who had lived almost autonomously for some time, were pushed out of their homes. “They had a peacekeeping mandate until at least the end of 2025, but Moscow is directing all available resources into its war on Ukraine…News of the pullout comes amid a growing rift has emerged between Armenia and its historic ally Russia.” (Politico)
Stories from Far Away
🇮🇳 The world’s largest elections have kicked off in India, with almost 1 billion eligible voters heading to the polls. (CNBC)
🇦🇪 Dubai has received almost a year’s worth of rain in a day, resulting in devastating floods. Authorities in the United Arab Emirates have admitted to using “cloud seeding” techniques to gin up additional rainfall in the arid state, but fact-checkers say even if cloud seeding works, it could not have caused such a deluge, instead blaming climate change. (AP, New Scientist)
🇦🇺 The stabbing of a bishop, a priest and several parishioners at an Assyrian orthodox church in Sydney has been declared a terrorist act by Australian authorities. A 16-year old boy has been arrested for the “religiously motivated” attack during a live-streamed service. Crowds of supporters surrounded the church building, demanding the attacker be handed over. Two police officers were injured and several police cars were destroyed. (BBC)
🇫🇷 Organizers of the Paris Olympics are on high alert after Muslim groups issued terror threats against the opening ceremony and specific events. Meanwhile, the Olympic torch has started its journey from Greece. (Semafor, NBC)
🇸🇴 Somali pirates have released a Bangladeshi ship and its crew for $5m ransom. The vessel was captured off the coast of Somalia about a month ago. (BBC)
🇲🇲 Rebels in Myanmar have wrested a border town from the control of the military junta which took over the country three years ago. A spokesman for the Karen National Union (KNU) said junta leaders should see recent setbacks as a sign that it is time to hand power back to the people. (Bangkok Post)
🇩🇰 A fire has torn through Copenhagen's Old Stock Exchange, a building which dates from the 17th century. Passers-by pitched in to carry paintings and artifacts away from the fire. (Reuters)
🇫🇷 France’s Parliament has adopted a law that if you move next to an existing shop, bar or farm, you don’t get to complain about the noise. Not even the cows that moo at night! (The Guardian)
🇿🇦 South African users of Starlink will be disconnected at the end of this month. Elon Musk’s satellite internet network is not licensed in that country, as communication authorities mandate 30% ownership by “historically disadvantaged groups” to be approved. South Africans have used workarounds to join the network illegally. (Africa News)
🛩️ The world’s busiest airports
🇨🇳 A “shadowless church”
🇮🇹 A propaganda mobile from 1930s fascist Italy, compete with projector
🚆 Can you really run along the top of a moving train?
🥋 Because, why not? The inaugural car jiu jitsu championship
📎 Clip art, circa 1990s
👞 Nicholas brothers epic dancing, 1943
🇬🇷 Quiz: Is this an Olympic sport?
🇩🇪 How the Berlin Wall worked
🗑️ The time when a 7th-grader asked President Reagan for emergency funding when his mother declared his bedroom a disaster area
⚭ “What God has Joined Together - A Lutheran Conference on Marriage” May 3-5, 2024, Ontario, Canada. Featuring keynote speaker, Dr Adam Koontz. Details here.
✝️ Join us on Memorial Day in Rockford IL to learn how you can start your local men's group and nurture Christian brotherhood. Come check out the Hebron Collegium, share your experience with praying the scriptures, and participate in the mutual consolation of the brothers. Bring a tent or bedroll if you'd like to camp out, or else reach out for more info on lodging opportunities. Wives and children are welcome to attend, but lodging options are more limited. To RSVP or for more info, send an email to sos.113.487@gmail.com or reach out via the SoS contact page.
On Stop the White Noise (YouTube or Rumble) last week, Jonathan and Meridith spoke about suffering, shut-ins and the gift of baptism. There was some talk of the Lutheran penchant for overexplaining and the joy that comes with a simple faith. Pastor Fisk also got quite excited to talk about his other passion: BJJ!
Some honorable mentions from the show:
Philippians 4:4-8 contains promises for the end of days
Just like Jesus by Max Lucado
Glory to Glory by Iron Bell Music
If you missed it, Meridith put out a call for anyone who would like to make a quilt for men who stay at the Hebron Collegium. If that is something you would be interested in helping out with, please reply to this email or send a message through madpxm.com/contact.
Our disclaimer: These are some resources the Fisks have found edifying, but when dealing with human-authored texts, apply discernment liberally!
This Week Preached:
Podcast Release:
Let us pray. Almighty God, merciful Father, since You have wakened from death the Shepherd of Your sheep, grant us Your Holy Spirit that when we hear the voice of our Shepherd we may know Him who calls us each by name and follow where He leads; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.