The coronavirus pandemic is showing the world what communist China is truly about—suppression and secrecy. Just like the Soviets, its leaders are hiding how bad it is and muzzling those who try to tell the truth to the world.
This always happens.
As the state grows in power, those who begin as comrades become controllers. They are their gods. When they taste power, they want more. It’s the ultimate drug.
Socialism always devolves into slavery. It does so because it’s incompatible with our bent nature and broken world. It never works. This is why Chinese communism is doomed. And it’s good news.
The good news about the coronavirus, as with all viruses, is that it’s not the end of the world and should recede in intensity as winter becomes spring and then summer. I sure hope so.
I also hope that, like Chernobyl was the deathblow to Russian communism, the coronavirus cover-up will be the beginning of the end for Chinese socialism.
It’s my prayer that lives will be spared, so that as many Chinese as possible will be there to build a new and free nation on the ruins of a failed socialist state. They deserve it.
Freedom always wins. Why? Because we’re made for it.
Photo by Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)
Mayor Pete says Trump’s conduct is incompatible with Scripture. He also holds that, according to his scriptural interpretation, life begins at first breath.
Yet Scripture says otherwise. In Psalm 139:
“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”
Amen. Nothing about first breath here. More like a breath of fresh air. But Pete maintains his trust in Scripture by relying on his personal interpretation. By holding to his interpretive position—even though it conflicts with Scripture AND science—he can support abortion up to the moment of a baby’s first breath AND consider his position scripturally sound.
Pete also says that God is apolitical. And that he has a hard time imagining that the Almighty had anything to do with Trump becoming president. If God had nothing to do with Trump’s election, who’s responsible? The devil? Deluded voters and bad Christians? Pete doesn’t say, but he kinda does.
What odd scriptural positions Mayor Pete holds. To recap:
1) Trump’s conduct is immoral. Even though he champions the sanctity of life and opposes late-term and up-to-birth abortion, both of which Pete supports.
2) The mayor doesn’t tell other Christians how to be Christian, but if they support Trump, they are not scriptural Christians and aren’t doing Christianity the right way—Pete’s way.
3) He says he has a high regard for Scripture, yet disregards many of its basic truths: We’re created in God’s image, he knew us before we were born, and all life is sacred.
It seems that Pete’s scriptural positions aren’t particularly compelling—politically, medically OR scripturally. So why does he hold them? Because they’re compatible with his lifestyle and political beliefs.
Pete seems to deny the essence of Scripture. By its nature, it’s steadfast and unchangeable; it doesn’t conform to anyone’s belief preferences. We conform to its truths; it doesn’t conform to our wants. And if we embrace it, we do so because we believe it’s true and that it reflects the love and nature of God.
It’s not that God is apolitical; it’s that he is as far above petty politics as he is above conforming to our preferences.
Mayor Pete is right about one thing: Trump does conduct himself in ways that are incompatible with Scripture. So do I, from time to time. So do you. And so does Pete.
Sometimes Trump’s conduct aligns with Scripture. Like when he uses his power to protect the innocent. Or when he shows mercy by pardoning the penitent. Or when he brings justice to murderous terrorists.
I would respect Pete’s brandishing of Scripture much more, if his words and actions aligned with what it teaches. If I could, I’d say this to Pete:
Please revisit your untenable position about when life begins and whose is sacred and whose is optional. And don’t make a devil of The Donald—he’s just another sinner like you and me.
Fars News Agency [CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)]
By killing Iranian General Soleimani, America just kicked Iran in the teeth.
Many say his fiery demise was long overdue and will save lives. Not sure about this metric, but one thing’s certain—there’s one less terrorist doing his dastardly worst in the world.
Best of all, Soleimani’s death may trigger the end of an evil Iranian regime and the beginning of real freedom for Iranians.
Worth the risk? It is to them. Risk and reward aside, we’re living in dangerous days.
Is America’s playing with fire and inviting more bloodshed? Absolutely. A leading presidential candidate says we just “threw a stick of dynamite into a tinder box” and he may be right this time.
To be fair, the president has an age-old Iran problem on his hands. It’s a situation he claims was exacerbated by the policies of his predecessor in the form of clandestine cash payoffs, hostage ransoms and flat-out appeasement.
All true. But I would argue that the supreme monument to Barack Obama’s misunderstanding of the Iranian regime (and other truly Islamic nations) is his signing of a worthless and enabling nuclear agreement.
It’s a testament to self-deception or narcissism or naiveté or a blend of all three. No matter. What’s done is done.
Soleimani is dead.
And now leaders of the regime see blood red. Depending on whom you read or watch, Iranians are either enraged and ready for revenge or are secretly overjoyed and itching to rebel.
I’m no foreign policy expert, but based on actionable evidence and word of mouth, I must conclude that Iranians who chant “Death to America! Death to Israel!” likely mean us harm.
Here’s my advice to the administration:
Keep punching them in the mouth. Meet force with overwhelming force. Violent people respect violence; give them more to respect. Draw a real red line in the sand and send this message. Hit us and we’ll hit you back—harder.
This approach will hearten Israel, our only real ally in the region. They daily face Iranian haters with missiles and nuclear dreams. All they hear from their Arab enemies is that the Jews and their Zionist friends deserve death. Israel’s annihilation is the will of Allah, you infidel.
Tough choice, only choice
How does America deal with a regime that refuses to recognize, let alone value, Israel’s right to exist and our right to help them do so?
Refuse to give an inch. Deploy the diplomacy of power. Respond disproportionately. Proportionate responses are for proportionate adversaries. We’re the superpower and they’re not. And their regime may be weaker than we know.
Iran’s leaders are clinging to power by subjugating their people and engaging in tired propaganda and incessant chest beating. The sanctions are squeezing them. The killing of Soleimani has unnerved them.
This strategy seems extreme because it is. It could mean war. But let’s be honest with ourselves for once about Islam and Iran—it’s not a religion of peace, and they’ve been at war with the West for centuries.
Gasp. Truth.
And to those ripping Trump and going all Chicken Little over the killing of Soleimani and its repercussions, what is your strategy? How would you deal with a regime that seeks regional dominance and the destruction of Israel?
