A Quick Briefer For Hill Staffers On Church Meetings, First Amendment Worries And Coronavirus

Thousands of churches and synagogues across the country have moved their regular services from meeting together in one facility to gathering “together” via Internet teleconferencing. It’s a suitable approach for coping with a temporary problem.

But what if the problem becomes more long-lasting, with official directives banning gatherings of 10 or more people continuing past the end of April and well into … well, who knows how long? That’s when things could get very complicated and when that happens, Congress almost always gets involved.

PJMedia Managing Editor Paula Bolyard has a thoughtful, accessible look at why the situation is a challenge for Bible-based congregations now and a warning of what could be coming down the road.

Bolyard’s title sets the context: “Should Church Violate Shutdown Orders? The Answer Is More Complicated Than You Might Imagine.” That’s why Hill staffers need to know this stuff, regardless of whether they are followers of any particular denomination or faith, or none at all. Continue reading “A Quick Briefer For Hill Staffers On Church Meetings, First Amendment Worries And Coronavirus”

And Now, Here’s Some Good News From John Krasinski’s ‘Some Good News’ Show

If you’ve been breathing and sentient at any point in the last decade or so, odds are good you took in at least a couple of episodes of “The Office.” One of the supporting cast stars of that sitcom was actor John Krasinski.

Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic, he recently went looking for some good news. And boy did he find it. Being an actor, he turned it into a show. Just not your typical show. Being a journalist by profession, I couldn’t resist.

“For years now, I’ve been wondering, why is there not a news show dedicated entirely to good news?” Krasinski explains on the first edition of his Some Good News (SGN) on, where else, youtube.com. “Well, desperately seeking my fix somewhere else, I reached out to all of you this week, asking — nay, begging — for some good news.” Interesting discussion with Steve Carrell, too:

Here Are 10 Of The Most Amazing Facts About Jesus They Didn’t Tell You In School

What About The World On The Other Side Of This Pandemic?

Bob Perry is a commercial airline pilot who has seen the coronavirus pandemic up close and personal in recent days. He’s also talented, thoughtful observer from a Christian perspective, writing at True Horizon. Here’s a sample:

“Christianity exploded during the plagues and persecutions in the ancient world. And it did so precisely because Christians served those who most needed it. They comforted and cared for the sick and dying. This isn’t just a job for healthcare professionals. It’s a duty for us all …

“The economic expectations we have come to accept as normal are reckless, selfish, and short-sighted. We borrow and spend too much. We save too little. Our leaders are more worried about the next election than the next generation. Continue reading “What About The World On The Other Side Of This Pandemic?”

UPDATED: Coronavirus? Odds Are, Bats Would Not Be Eaten In China If The Beijing Regime Wasn’t Persecuting Christians

Coronavirus appears to have made the transition from bats being sold for consumption in an open market in Wuhan, China, and now virtually every country on Earth is dealing with the pandemic that has killed thousands of people, most of them elderly.

Now, as we all deal with the challenges of safe distancing from one another, working from home whenever possible and following the news, here’s something to think about: Would bats not be eaten in Wuhan or elsewhere in China if the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) regime in Beijing were not actively and ruthlessly trying to suppress Christianity?

Here’s the reality: If China’s growing Christian population were instead allowed to practice their faith openly and share the Bible, including both the Old and New Testaments, with their fellow citizens, hundreds of millions of people in the world’s most populous country would know God warned the Hebrews millennia ago in Leviticus 11:19 not to eat or even touch bats because they are “unclean.” Continue reading “UPDATED: Coronavirus? Odds Are, Bats Would Not Be Eaten In China If The Beijing Regime Wasn’t Persecuting Christians”

CULTURE: ‘I Still Believe’ Topped Charts On Opening Day In Theaters

It’s based on a true story and features stars like Shania Twain and Gary Sinese in supporting roles, and, despite the gathering quarantining as a result of the coronavirus crisis, the new movie “I Still Believe” had a highly successful debut at No. 1, according to Christian Post.

“The Lionsgate film, made with a budget of $12 million, brought in over $9 million in ticket sales over the weekend, causing it to rank at No. 1 on Friday, beating out Sony’s ‘Bloodshot’ and Disney’s ‘Onward.’ Weekend totals show the film at No. 2 overall.

“’I Still Believe’ chronicles the story of how the award-winning Christian singer Jeremy Camp fell in love with and married Melissa Lynn Henning, who died in 2001, less than a year after they were wed.”

Go here for the rest of the Christian Post story and here is the official trailer:

Here’s What Football And Sunday’s Super Bowl Teaches Us About The Purpose Of Life

San Francisco’s 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs meet Sunday in the Super Bowl and millions of people around the world will be tuned in to watch what could be one of the most exciting such games ever.

Nobody on the playing field, in the grandstands, listening on radio or watching the game on TV will have any doubt whatsoever about the purpose of the game — score more points than the other guys and win the Lombardi Trophy, the biggest victory anybody can gain in the great game of football.

But how should the “score” be calculated in the game of life? Depends on what the rules are, according to Dr. Frank Turek of cross-examined.org. As he explains in the following video, it’s a lot like how we know the difference between a touchdown and an interception:

While You’re Here, Have You Read?

The Impeachment Trial Prayers Of Senate Chaplain Dr. Barry Black

So, You Think That Jesus Story Is Nothing More Than A Mass ‘Shroom’ Hallucination?

You may if you’re susceptible to conspiracy theories, love to get high with the assistance of natural or chemical “friends,” or just can’t be bothered with coming to grips with the central fact of history.

Meet well-known comedian, religion critic, and podcast host Joe Rogan, who, according to The Federalist’s Hans Fienne, has fallen under the spell of a little-known Dead Sea Scroll scholar, John Marco Allegro, who back when real Hippies roamed the Earth authored the book “The Sacred Mushroom and the Cross.”

Allegro explained away the resurrection with a theory that said Jesus never really existed but was instead simply the product of a mass hallucination among a bunch of muchroom-loving ancient Sumerians. Somewhere along the way, the early Christians took it all way too literally and the rest is history.

Fienne, a Lutheran minister with a genuine sense of humor and an impressively learned mind, disassembles this conspiracy theory that helpfully illustrates the absurd lengths to which we humans will go to avoid “the man (or woman) in the mirror.” That’s a reference to the book, by the way, not the Michael Jackson recording (the lyrics of which are also worth pondering).

I guarantee you will enjoy reading Fienne’s analysis, and you will probably also come away with a better understanding of the genuine significance of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Go here.