In this issue: More at summit.org » pg. 2 From the President’s Desk » The latest announcements and the » pg. 5 Doc’s recent reading news on philosophy » Find us on Facebook » pg. 6 Responding to God and the Gay Christian » Check our Twitter journalJuly 2014 Volume 14 Issue 6 feed: @summitmn Sexual Brokenness, Part 1: Why the Church Falters in Its Defense of Biblical Sexuality — and What to Do About It Note: This is part one of a two-part SBC’s Ethics & Religious Liberty series on living as Christians in a Commission, in his review of sexually broken world. In part one, God and the Gay Christian. “It we’ll seek to answer the question, has to be written in order to “How can Christians develop a introduce confusion within the consistent, defensible sexual ethic in evangelical firmament, one of the the church?” Next month, we’ll seek last remaining constituencies in to answer the question, “How can America that has not embraced I express the truth about sexuality homosexuality with gusto.” without being unloving?” But whether Vines is articulat- The sexual revolution has ing his own thoughts or attempt- borne its fruit, and its conse- ing to create space in the church quences are heartbreaking: for the gay rights movement, • Seventy percent of 18- to biblically-faithful Christians 24-year-old men visit porno- seem to be at a loss for how to graphic websites in a typical respond. When it comes right month1. Among other conse- down to it, what is a biblical basis quences, pornography is linked for a consistent ethic of sexual to a culture of rape2, child moles- Article by Aaron Zubia wholeness? tation3, and sexual trafficking4. In 1988, Multnomah Books published Developing an Ethic of Sexual • By 2023, the majority of American Randy Alcorn’s Christians in the Wake of Wholeness children will be born outside of wed- the Sexual Revolution to help Christians According to the traditional Christian lock5. Sadly, children born outside of recover integrity amidst sexual broken- conception, a human being is a dynamic wedlock have more mental, emotional, ness. In April, Multnomah’s sister imprint, unity of mind, body, and soul. Unfor- Convergent Books, published Matthew tunately, many Christians discount the health, and educational problems, and Vines’ book 6 God and the Gay Christian: importance of the body. This is a mistake. are six times as likely to live in poverty . The Biblical Case in Support of Same-Sex We cannot afford to ignore the body’s role • Compared with children who grew Relationships, in which the author claims in God’s design for human flourishing. up in biologically intact mother-father that the church is sinning by rejecting A biblical ethic of sexual wholeness is families, children who live with same-sex intimate relationships that fall outside of a story with five acts. Let’s take a look at parents reported significantly lower levels man/woman marriage9. each one. of education and employment and signifi- The release ofGod and the Gay Chris- Act 1: Recognize the Dangers of cantly higher levels of experience of sexual tian marks a significant turning point in Evangelical Gnosticism abuse and rape, depression, sexual promis- the same-sex marriage debate. For the 7 The Christian conception of the human cuity, and drug use . first time, an author who professes to be person is that we possess both natural, And it’s getting worse with each passing an evangelical Christian and who claims material bodies and supernatural, im- generation. Sixties-era Baby Boomers were to hold a high view of Scripture has been material souls. Our souls rule our bodies, thought to epitomize sexual promiscu- given a platform and a megaphone to con- disciplining them in accordance with ity, but studies show that young adults travene the church’s teaching on sexuality. God’s eternal law. The secular worldview, today are nine times more likely than Baby Some think Vines is playing into the based on scientific materialism, dismisses Boomers to engage in promiscuous sex hands of a movement designed to dis- 8 the soul. Humans are merely bodies — and twice as likely to view pornography . mantle traditional marriage altogether. animals fueled by desires that we may The fruit of the sexual revolution has “If I were mapping a playbook for the gay legitimately pursue as long as no one else now been harvested and is arriving by the rights movement, this book is an impor- is harmed in the process. truck load in our communities and homes. tant point in the strategy,” writes Andrew Secularism’s claims have led some And even in the church. Walker, director of Policy Studies for the See sexual brokenness page 3 from the president’s desk a word from dr. jeff myers

One of the most pressing ques- God rescued them from same-sex prevent them from tions people ask about our two-week attraction and how students can be re- living fully for the programs at Summit is how we handle stored to sexual wholeness and purity. Lord. issues like same-sex marriage, sexual Masculinity/Femininity. Barton The impact of this is profound. Two brokenness, and masculinity/feminin- and Sarah Stone, Summit graduates days ago, I had a conversation with a ity. who teach at a prep school in Denver, former Summit student who was set It’s one of my favorite questions to spend an evening with the students free from an addiction to pornogra- answer because our team does an out- talking about how God designed us to phy through getting a strong sense standing job working with students on be male and female, and how to hon- of purpose, understanding a biblical these tough subjects, both intellectu- orably live out that design. Afterward, worldview, getting accountability, and ally and emotionally, and we’re seeing our staff hosts a “Manference” for the intentionally seeking out wise men- dramatic growth in students’ lives. young men and a “Feminar” for the tors to help guide him. He’s gone from Here are some of the topics we cover: depression to joy, from guilt to excite- Biblical Theology of Life — In- We are so thankful ment. The change in his countenance cluding Sexuality. At Summit, we “ tells the whole story. help students develop a biblical ethic to have the You might not expect a worldview of sexuality starting with Genesis opportunity to help and leadership camp to be the place 1. Our instructors help students where students find hope and healing, understand God’s story of creation- the rising genera- but we’re watching it happen before fall-redemption and how a biblical tion navigate this our very eyes. worldview responds to the challenges As students grow in maturity, of worldviews such as Secularism, difficult terrain they’re also reconciling with their fam- Marxism, New Spirituality, Islam, and with integrity ilies and developing a healthy basis for Postmodernism. Students quickly un- pursing a life of God-given purpose. derstand that only a biblical Christian and joy. As they move into their twenties, worldview has a consistent, livable ” we’re watching how this enables them doctrine of creation that accounts for to form godly guy/girl relationships marriage, life purpose, work, worship, Dr. Jeff Myers that move into marriage and parent- and stewardship. ing, showing the world what it looks Marriage and Same-Sex Attrac- young women so they can ask their like to have God’s perspective on tion. This summer, John Stonestreet tough questions and learn how to be one-flesh unity and preparing a rising is with us explaining the biblical case men and women of God. generation of culture-shapers. We are for man/woman marriage and re- Life Purpose. As each Summit so thankful to have the opportunity to sponding to the arguments being used session nears an end, I spend time help the rising generation navigate this to advance the same-sex marriage with students pursuing the question, difficult terrain with integrity and joy. agenda. But we help students with “What larger story does God want to Seats available in August. Sum- personal issues as well. Sean McDow- tell through your life?” Most young mit’s session 7 in Manitou Springs still ell speaks about how to be set free adults struggle with a sense of purpose has around 50 seats available, August from pornography, an addiction that in life, and we’re finding that through 17-29. This is our last session for 2014, affects 70 percent of men and more the teaching they receive as well as the and we’d love to have the young adults than 30 percent of women in America. one-on-one mentoring with our staff, you know and love take advantage of And Mike Haley, Ricky Chellete, and they are able to stop making excuses the opportunity to learn, grow, and be Christopher Yuan all share about how and break through the barriers that transformed. Go to www.summit.org.

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Christians to spurn the body, viewing from the dust of the earth, were formed God with your body” (1 Corinthians it as an obstacle to godly living and, as in God’s image, and when God saw all 6:18-19). a result, as something less worthy than that he had made, he declared that it According to the secular worldview, the soul. Based on a false understanding was “very good” (Genesis 1:31). personal gratification is the wellspring of the Apostle Paul’s differentiation be- Jesus’ ministry also affirms the good- of human fulfillment. But according tween the “spirit” and the “flesh,” these ness of God’s creation. John reminds to the Christian worldview, happiness Christians exalt the soul at the expense us that “the Word became flesh” (John derives from the pursuit of holiness, not of the body. The body becomes a sort 1:14). God took on human flesh and from the pursuit of pleasure. Beth Felk- of prison from which the soul longs to offered his body as a sacrifice for us er Jones, assistant professor of theology escape. (Hebrews 10:10). During his lifetime, at Wheaton College, writes, “Where This teaching isn’t new, and it doesn’t Jesus healed both the souls and the bod- sinners want their bodies to be for come from the Bible. It actually comes ies of those who came to him in faith. themselves alone, a means of unfettered from Plato and others influenced by Throughout his ministry, Jesus gives personal gratification, Christians have his writings. In St. Augustine’s day, the every indication that the body is more ways of seeing the body as being turned Manichees considered the material than simply clothing for the soul (Mat- outward, toward God and others.” world to be evil and the spiritual world thew 6:25). It is an essential part of our When it comes to human sexual- to be good. The Manichees taught that being. The resurrection of Jesus’ body, ity, God’s design is fully conveyed material existence was the cause of all which foreshadows the bodily resur- in the pre-fall marriage relationship evil and that humans could only be between Adam and Eve. Men’s and saved by a spiritual act of denounc- women’s physical complementarity is ing the body. This ancient heresy has a We should base our not incidental to the marriage relation- name: Gnosticism. “ ship. Masculinity and femininity give us When we stop seeing how our bodies notions of right and two ways of being in a body and make glorify God or begin thinking of Chris- wrong not on our possible the mutual self-giving that is tianity as a way to escape our bodies, we definitive of marriage and constitutive lose our basis for understanding the Bi- fallen state, but on of human fulfillment. ble’s description of the one-flesh union As human beings, our bodies are in marriage as anything other than figu- our original state. good. But as fallen creatures, our bodies rative. This is the error Vines falls into in ” are also broken. If we are to honor God God and the Gay Christian, emphasizing with our bodies — with our feminin- the spiritual union of Adam and Eve rection of all the faithful, is the ultimate ity and masculinity — then we must and de-emphasizing their physical unity. indication that our bodies matter. And if grasp how God designed us to express If our souls are good and our bodies are our bodies matter, so does our sexuality. sexuality. bad, then what matters about Adam and Paul says as much in 1 Corinthians Act 3: Establish a Theology of the Eve’s relationship is that they were com- 6:13-14 when he writes, “Our bodies Body panions — not that they shared sexual were not made for sexual immorality. Early in the Genesis 2 creation complementarity. They were made for the Lord, and the account, man is a solitary person — But honest Christians wonder how Lord cares about our bodies. And God ‘adam. With the introduction of Eve, to respond. After all, creation is fallen, will raise our bodies from the dead by there is a shift in Scripture’s language. right? Doesn’t that mean we ought to his marvelous power, just as he raised No longer is man the solitary ‘adam. focus on spiritual things rather than our Lord from the dead.” From that point on, man is distin- material things? We honor God with our bodies when guished between ‘is and ‘issah, male and Act 2: Rediscover the Importance of we flee sexual sin. Paul notes, “No other female, two distinct and complemen- the Body sin so clearly affects the body as this tary ways of being human. J. Budzisze- Gnosticism’s negative portrayal of the one does. For sexual immorality is a sin wski, professor of government and material world is nowhere to be found against your own body. Or don’t you philosophy at the University of Texas, in the Bible. Genesis praises the good- know that your body is the temple of writes, ness of the material world that God the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and Short of a divine provision for peo- created. The Psalmist frequently praises was given to you by God? You do not ple called to celibacy, there is some- God’s handiwork, which attests to his belong to yourself, for God bought you thing missing in the man, which glory (Psalm 19). Humans, molded with a high price. So you must honor See sexual brokenness page 4

July 2014 Page 3 sexual brokenness continued from page 3

must be provided by the woman, While Adam and Eve shared the same As we will see in next month’s issue, it and something missing in the wom- humanity, they also expressed dual is possible to affirm the dignity of those an, which must be provided by the natures — two ways of being human. wrestling with same-sex attraction with- man. By themselves, each one is in- These two natures — the masculine out giving in to sexual brokenness or complete; to be whole, they must be and the feminine — have value in and submitting to a cultural agenda that is at united.10 of themselves. As they combine in a odds with biblical teaching. Acceptance To be united is exactly what God mutually self-giving, one-flesh union, of a new sexual ethic is not the path to required of the married couple. In Gen- we learn more fully what it means to be healing and reconciliation; only salva- esis 1, immediately after God created human. tion in Jesus Christ and the work of the them male and female, he tells them “to It is both their same humanity and Holy Spirit can accomplish that. be fruitful and multiply.” Without sexual their unique makeup that enable a Notes complementarity, there is no potential man and a woman to come together 1. David Roach, “Pastors: Porn a Big Problem of procreation. Further, without the and form one distinct human person. Among Members,” Baptist Press, November potential of procreation, the married Each of them fills what is missing in 10, 2011. couple cannot do everything God the other. Through the continual and 2. Mike Allen, “Exposure to Pornography and Acceptance of Rape Myths,” Journal of Com- instructs them to do. The author of reciprocal act of mental, spiritual, and munication, Vol. 45, No. 1, Winter, 1995, pp. Genesis notes that all subsequent mar- bodily self-giving, the man and woman 5-14; Shawn Corne, “Women’s Attitudes and riages ought to model the structure of represent the totality of created human- Fantasies about Rape as a Function of Early the first marriage. In the imitation of the ity, incorporating both the feminine and Exposure to Pornography,” Journal of Interper- first couple, “a man shall leave his father masculine components of our nature. sonal Violence, Vol. 7, No. 4, December, 1992, and his mother, and be joined to his If it matters that Adam was a man and pp. 454-461. wife; and they shall become one flesh” Eve was a woman, then Matthew Vines’ 3. The latest statistics are available at http:// (Genesis 2:24). biblical argument misses the point en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relationship_between_ In the procreative act, the man and entirely. Their maleness and femaleness child_pornography_and_child_sexual_abuse. the woman literally become a single are not merely figurative. Both their 4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffick- organism. Writing about the biological bodies and souls matter. ing_of_children 5. H. Brevy Cannon, “New Report: Falling significance of the one-flesh union, J. Act 5: Promote Sexual Wholeness Birth, Marriage Rates Linked to Global Eco- Budziszewski notes, Christians do not have the luxury of nomic Slowdown,” October 3, 2011, If we were speaking of respiration, it remaining passive. The rising generation 6. http://news.virginia.edu/content/new-re- would be as though the man had the has been encouraged to decouple sexu- port-falling-birth-marriage-rates-linked-global- diaphragm, the woman the lungs, ality from gender and to pursue whatev- economic-slowdown. and they had to come together to er kind of relationships give temporary 7. See, for example, “The Consequences take a single breath. … [T]hat is satisfaction to their desires. of Fatherlessness,” http://www.fathers. precisely how it is with the procre- From the culture’s viewpoint, Mat- com/content/index.php?option=com_ ative powers. The union of comple- thew Vines’ argument is conservative content&task=view&id=391. mentary opposites is the only pos- because he advocates monogamy, being 8. See, for example, Mark Regnerus, “How sible realization of their procreative committed to one person. But the different are the adult children of parents who have same-sex relationships? Findings from the potential; unless they come togeth- biblical teaching on sexual ethics, which New Family Structures Study,” Social Science er as ‘one-flesh’ — as a single organ- is based on God’s design for human Research, Vol. 41, 2012, pp. 752–770. ism, though with two personalities flourishing, was established before the 9. George Barna, “Young Adults and Liberals 11 — procreation doesn’t occur. fall and continues to be God’s design. Struggle with Morality,” http://www.barna. Children are the proof that this one- As Jesus confirmed, the creation ac- org/teens-next-gen-articles/25-young-adults- flesh union is not an incidental aspect count is the basis for our approach to and-liberals-struggle-with-morality. of marriage. Their minds, bodies, and marriage (Matthew 19:4-6). We should 10. Matthew Vines, God and the Gay Chris- souls demonstrate that through pro- base our notions of right and wrong not tian: The Biblical Case in Support of Same Sex creation the married couple continues on our fallen state, but on our original Relationships, (New York: Convergent Books, God’s work of creation by confirming state — our initial condition, not our 2014), 162. and renewing the existence of man as modern condition. The question is not 11. J. Budziszewski, “Designed for Sex,” Touchstone, July/August 2005. the image of God (Genesis 5:3). “your” sexuality or “my” sexuality, but 12. Ibid. Act 4: Affirm Masculinity and true sexuality as God intended it to be Femininity expressed.

Page 4 July 2014 a look at our world news and commentary

ent world, and one in which we humans are explanations. This Editor’s Note: Our President Emeri- not truly at home.” A truly human outlook will not do, accord- tus, Dr. David Noebel, helps us with involves the intuition of intangible realities ing to Mr. Scruton. research by sending 20-30 pages that find no place in even our most sensitive Even if the guild of of clippings of each month’s news. systems of biology, chemistry, or physics. scientists produced To see the complete list of Doc’s Philosophers and theologians have a million-volume clippings, go to www.summit.org/ traditionally understood that certain things tome that comprehensively tracked the transcend our abilities to fully perceive, tortuous series of causes and effects that led resources/the-journal/, open the comprehend, and articulate them, and that from the pinpoint origin of material existence PDF, and scroll to page 9, or call us at the way we incorporate those things into through the Big Bang and the earliest wrig- 866.786.6483. our lives is through the experience of the glings of life, all the way to our own wedding sacred — the eruption of the transcendent vows and Pachelbel’s Canon in D, we would Philosophy into our mundane reality. The sacred stands, still need more. We would need the sacred. The English philosopher and writer Roger as Mr. Scruton puts it, “at the horizon of our In making this case, Mr. Scruton employs Scruton might receive more grudging admi- world, looking out to that which is not of this the concept of Verstehen borrowed from ration than any other living thinker. My aes- world” but also “looking into our world, so the German philosopher Wilhelm Dilthey thetics tutor at Oxford — a self-consciously as to meet us face-to-face.” While sacredness (roughly, this means the kind of understand- Wildean character with long hair and puffy is most commonly associated with religious ing that is the product of human interpreta- sleeves — once assigned a text by Scruton actions and artifacts — such as sacraments, tion and interaction rather than scientific with a caveat: There is, he explained, a little scriptures, and holy places — it is not limited measurement). To take an example, the mo- known but valid form of argument called to these. Mr. Scruton argues that our encoun- ment of a first kiss is not experienced simply argumentum ad Scruton: “If Scruton says p, p ters with one another, and indeed with na- as the mating ritual of complex gene-perpetu- is necessarily false.” This “argument” has what ture, are experiences of the sacred as well. He ating machines. To describe it thus would be currency it does because Scruton is defiantly makes his case with bravado and sensitivity, to take leave of the human perspective. Our conservative, and he wears that designation exploring the role of the sacred in such realms actual experience is better captured by more on his (decidedly unpuffy) sleeve. But to the as music, city planning, and moral reasoning. emotionally, spiritually freighted language. As irritation of bien-pensants everywhere, his Happily, it is entirely possible to embrace Mr. Scruton writes, “the lips offered by one philosophical work is simply too sharp and the findings of science without rejecting the lover to another are replete with subjectiv- cogent to be ignored. older vocabulary of the sacred, even if one ity: they are the avatars of I, summoning the The Soul of the World is an example of what finds oneself (as Mr. Scruton does) unable to consciousness of another in mutual gift.” conservatism can be at its best — a clear- fully embrace the claims of any metaphysical The interface between I and You is, for Mr. eyed, affectionate defense of humanity and doctrine, religious or otherwise. The reduc- Scruton, the defining human perspective. In a well-reasoned plea to treat the long-loved tionist leap is unnecessary, in the first in- terms of religion, he writes: “People who are with respect and care. This kind of conser- stance, because the idea that “this is all there looking for God are not looking for the proof vatism comes into being when something is” could never be substantiated by science. of God’s existence ... but for a subject-to- good is threatened: Here, Mr. Scruton aims subject encounter, which occurs in this life, to conserve “the sacred” in the face of threats but which also in some way reaches beyond from scientific reductionism, an ideology Mr. Scruton aims this life.” Myriad other examples abound. that asserts that all phenomena — including “ When we make a vow to our lover, we do things like love, art, morality, and religion to conserve ‘the sa- not — or, Mr. Scruton says, we had better — are most accurately described using the not — understand ourselves as signatories vocabulary of contemporary science. cred’ in the face of to a provisional, mutually beneficial contract Viewed through the lens of scientific but rather as willing parties to a binding, reductionism, all existence is fundamentally threats from scien- eternal, even transcendent pledge, something the bouncing around of various material tific reductionism. stronger and more substantial than our mo- particles, some arranged in the form of gene- mentary desires. perpetuating machines we call humans. Mr. ” Viewed through the lens of science, we Scruton almost agrees — we are, in fact, may be the products of genes and chance. But gene-perpetuating machines, and the finer, Ian Corbin viewed as people, we are free, responsible, higher aspects of human existence emerge and creative — and kisses are richer phenom- from, and rest upon, biological machinery. As What experiment could possibly prove that ena than any scientific analysis can capture. he points out, though, it’s a long jump from there is no such thing as a soul or that God — Ian Corbin this acknowledgment to the assertion that doesn’t exist? But perhaps all science needs to The Wall Street Journal “this is all there is.” The jump, according to do is present a complete explanation for real- Mr. Scruton, lands us in “a completely differ- ity that eliminates any need for nonmaterial May 16, 2014, p. A1

July 2014 Page 5 summit spotlight responding to God and the Gay Christian A Response to God and the Gay Christian Matthew Vines’ bookGod and the Gay Christian, and the movement it represents, is a direct confrontation to the church’s traditional understanding of marriage. If the book falls into the hands of uninformed Christians, who are liable to succumb to cultural pres- sures and adopt the sexual standards of a secular world, then the rising gen- eration of evangelicals may lose sight of God’s design for human sexuality. What Are Vines’ Arguments? In God and the Gay Christian, the 24-year-old Harvard graduate uses Scripture to purportedly show that “same-sex orientation is consistent with God’s image” and that “Chris- tians who affirm the authority of Scripture can also affirm committed, monogamous same-sex relationships.” sex relationships, Vines notes: “Not of mankind in one root, and Earth Vines, who is openly gay, reinterprets only were [same-sex relationships] not with Hell to mingle and involve, done six biblical passages that are typically harmful to anyone, they were charac- all to spite the great Creator.” Virtu- used by Christians to prove that same- terized by positive motives and traits ous means do not sanctify wayward sex relationships are sinful. However, instead, like faithfulness, commit- ends. Are the virtues Vines mentions Vines’ interpretation of these passages ment, mutual love, and self-sacrifice. employed to honor the Creator or to depends on some mistaken assump- What other sin looked like that?” spite his design? Response: Most sins look like this. Vines states that traditional Vines’ interpretation Faithfulness and self-sacrifice, when Christian teaching has produced “ used to justify something that does bad fruit. Those struggling with of these passages de- not honor God, become counterfeit same-sex attraction are frequently pends on some mis- virtues — and may be all the more tormented by depression, suicidal dangerous. In Paradise Lost, Satan thoughts, misery, and self-loathing. taken assumptions. exhibits Christian virtues such as In Vines’ opinion, such bad fruit is ” courage and self-sacrifice when he directly caused by the bad tree of tra- tions. Below, we will review several of promises to undertake the treacherous ditional church teaching on sex. his points and provide a brief response journey from Pandemonium to the Response: It is a shame if churches to each. new world. But why does he exhibit do not love people struggling with Vines states that sexually exclu- these traits? Why does he go to the same-sex attraction, or any other sive gay relationships exhibit Chris- new world? As Milton describes it, he struggle for that matter. Many of our tian virtues. Describing how he lost does so in order “to confound the race struggles are characterized by a feel- confidence in the sinfulness of same-

Page 6 July 2014 summit spotlight continued from page 6

ing that this is the “real me” and are ship, sexuality is properly exercised. as though they are one flesh actually therefore justified. This is how Paul That was the norm utilized by both become one flesh. When the bibli- — as a Christ-follower — described Paul and Jesus in all of their discus- cal writers his struggles. He knew that he was sions on sexual ethics. Indeed, Vines mentioned Suggested responsible for adhering to God’s de- fails to take into account the entire one-flesh Reading sign, even though the battle between biblical narrative, in which sexual eth- union, they sin and holiness caused inner turmoil ics are based not on the shifting sands did not forsake and wretchedness (Romans 7:22-24). of modernity, but on God’s design the common- He did not attempt to change God’s before the fall. sense meaning law to suit his preferences. Instead, Vines states that gender differ- and completely he humbled himself before God’s law, ences are not essential to marriage. spiritualize the regardless of what felt right to him. According to Vines, “Adam and Eve’s concept in the While we may undergo considerable sameness, not their gender differ- process. Biol- torment when we can’t follow our ence, was what made them suitable ogy attests to impulses, we experience even greater partners.” Pressing his theory that the Creator’s torment when we make reason subject marriage is primarily about compan- design, indi- to desire and operate contrary to ionship — and not physical comple- cating that his God’s design. mentarity — Vines writes, “In Jesus’ intention for Out of a Far Country Vines states that the Bible does understanding of marriage, covenantal a comprehen- by Christopher Yuan not speak to our current situation. commitment is foundational. The abil- sive one-flesh On sale now at Vines insists that the concept of a ity to bear children is not. … In keep- union be- summit.org/store. fixed sexual orientation is a modern ing with the focus on Ephesians 5, the tween a man development that was foreign to bibli- essence of Christian marriage involves and a woman in marriage includes cal writers, and thus we must develop keeping covenant with one’s spouse physical oneness. a modern ethic to keep up with our in a relationship of mutual self-giving. In order to refute Matthew Vines’ developing understanding of human That picture doesn’t exclude same-sex interpretation of Adam and Eve’s mar- sexuality. “The new information we couples.” riage relationship, we must rediscover have about sexual orientation actually Response: Vines’ entire thesis why human embodiment and gender requires us to reinterpret Scripture,” depends on his re-interpretation of difference is essential to our under- Vines writes. the creation story. According to Vines, standing of marriage, sexuality, and Response: It is an age-old tempta- the Bible’s language of one-flesh union one-flesh union (see cover story). tion to reinterpret Scripture to make it is figurative, not literal. Throughout A fuller response to each challenge fit the ideas of our age. This represents the Bible, however, one-flesh union is Vines poses may be found at: a low view of Scripture, not a high considered to be both. In order for a http://www.albertmohler. one — as Vines claims he possesses. couple to become one flesh, they must com/2014/04/22/god-the-gospel- In the Gospel of Matthew, when actually become a single organism in and-the-gay-challenge-a-response-to- Jesus was asked about marriage and the procreative act. The literal physi- matthew-vines/ divorce, he did not base his response cal union between husband and wife on prevailing cultural norms. Instead, symbolizes and completes the spiri- and he referred his listeners to the Genesis tual, mental, and emotional bond that http://www.canonandcul- creation account, which states that in is based on a Christ-like, covenantal ture.com/wp-content/up- the beginning, God created male and love. In the conjugal act, the male and loads/2014/04/20140421_AA_God- female. Within this marriage relation- female who commit to each other and-the-Gay-Christian_update2.pdf

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Almost daily we hear news reports that confirm the acceptance of homo- sexuality in our culture. But is this acceptance healthy for society? Few top- ics can raise so many questions so quickly. And for many readers, those questions hit close to home as they learn of the homosexuality of a loved one or close friend. Here are the answers to the most often asked questions about homosexuality, fielded by an expert on the subject ... and a former homosexual himself. Now 25% off in the Summit bookstore!

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PO Box 207, Manitou Springs, Colorado 80829 | Phone: 866.786.6483 | URL: www.summit.org | Email: [email protected] a look at our world from the desk of dr. david noebel, continued from page 5

Marijuana Legalization be the fault of other potential factors, Extortion: How Politicians Extract Your like personality or socioeconomic Money, Buy Votes, and Line Their Own Marijuana, the most common illegal status. But if the hypothesis is true that Pockets (Houghton Mifflin, 2013) drug in the United States, is increas- pot dulls mental abilities, we should pay significantly includes the word “politi- ing in popularity among the nation’s attention to another trend: Teenagers cians” and not “Democrats.” Schweizer youth. The trend bodes ill for the future, are becoming more likely to believe the sees governmental power benefiting suggests new research that is the first to drug is safe. politicians from both parties: Demo- show even “casual” smoking of marijua- A Department of Health and Human cratic sponsors of a Washington-centric na — as infrequently as once a week — Services survey released in December bill solicit campaign donations from is linked to major changes in the brain. 2013 found that a declining number of those who would benefit by it, while In the study, a team of research- American high-school seniors — only Republicans “denounce the bill as a ers from Northwestern University in 40 percent — believe regular marijuana terrible idea that is destructive to the Illinois, Harvard Medical School in use is harmful (in 2012, 44 percent economy, but the threat of its passage is Boston, and Massachusetts General thought so). A quarter of seniors have a moneymaking opportunity for them Hospital used MRI to measure the smoked weed in the past month, and too.” volume, shape, and density of the amyg- 7 percent smoke it daily — up from 2 Schweizer gives depressing example dala and nucleus accumbens, two brain percent in 1993. More than one in 10 after example to lock down his case that structures related to emotion, reward, eighth graders have used marijuana in solving problems is good but nonlu- and motivation. The scans revealed the past year. crative: “It is gridlock, confusion, and abnormalities in these structures among The more open-minded teen atti- rehashing fights that create streams young adults ages 18 to 25 who smoked tudes toward marijuana have no doubt of income — like an annuity — for pot at least weekly. been encouraged by the push toward the Permanent Political Class.” He “People think a little recreational use legalization. Twenty-one states, plus compares government officials to the shouldn’t cause a problem if someone the District of Columbia, now permit Manhattan squeegee men who would is doing OK with work or school,” said marijuana for medicinal purposes. threaten a broken windshield if a driver Hans Breiter, one of the co-authors and Washington and Colorado already al- didn’t fork over cash, but “these extort- a psychiatry professor at Northwestern. low recreational use. ers wear nice suits, speak eloquently, “Our data directly says this is not the In states with medical marijuana and know how to present themselves in case.” laws, one-third of 12th graders who use front of a television camera.” Appearing in an April issue of The pot say they sometimes obtain it from Extortion is a sobering read that will Journal of Neuroscience, the study adds somebody with a medical marijuana help politics-watchers expand their to a body of research suggesting pot prescription. According to the National vocabulary by learning about the variety leaves a long-term mark on the brain, Institute on Drug Abuse, around 9 of moneymaking bills: milkers, juic- especially among younger users. A percent of those users will eventually ers, and fetchers. The book is a good New Zealand study published in 2012 become addicted. Add in the decline complement to Jim DeMint’s Falling found that people who began smoking in IQ, and we have the ingredients of in Love With America Again (Center marijuana heavily as teenagers lost an a social experiment with generational Street, 2014), which argues that “the average of eight IQ points between the consequences. only way to get rid of corruption in high ages of 13 and 38. Other research has — Daniel Devine places is to get rid of the high places.” found marijuana users have fewer brain World Magazine DeMint points out how big govern- connections in regions responsible for May 31, 2014, p. 62 ment, big business, big unions often memory and learning. Politics work together to hurt little guys ranging Some skeptical researchers say the from security guards in Michigan (re- association between weed and IQ could The subtitle of Peter Schweizer’s quired to have three years of specialized

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education) to fortune tellers in Mary- of Skip Pescosolido.” sus covered “man-made” but left out land (required to go through a licensing — Marvin Olasky “dangerous”— and scores of articles process). World Magazine by prominent scientists such as Rich- One DeMint story is of Altria, the May 31, 2014, p. 26 ard Lindzen, John Christy, Sherwood parent company of Philip Morris, the Climate Change Idso, and Patrick Michaels, who ques- largest tobacco company in America. It tion the consensus, were excluded. The supported the Family Smoking Preven- Last week, Secretary of State John methodology is also flawed. A study tion and Tobacco Control Act of 2009, Kerry warned graduating students at published earlier this year in Nature which placed tobacco products under Boston College of the “crippling con- noted that abstracts of academic heavy-handed regulatory control. Was sequences” of climate change. “Ninety- papers often contain claims that aren’t it a breakthrough for the big company seven percent of the world’s scientists,” substantiated in the papers. suddenly concerned with public health, he added, “tell us this is urgent.” Another widely cited source for the or a realization that Altria would do Where did Mr. Kerry get the 97 consensus view is a 2009 article in Eos, better by crafting regulations that would percent figure? Perhaps from his boss, Transactions American Geophysical work to its advantage and leave smaller President Obama, who tweeted on Union by Maggie Kendall Zimmer- tobacco markets operating in a mine- May 16 that “ninety-seven percent of man, a student at the University of field without a map? scientists agree: #climate change is Illinois, and her master’s thesis adviser, A healthier story is of how Sunkist real, man-made, and dangerous.” Or Peter Doran. It reported the results of a ran an orange cartel in California until maybe from NASA, which posted (in two-question online survey of selected Skip Pescosolido, a relatively small more measured language) on its web- scientists. Mr. Doran and Ms. Zimmer- grower but a Harvard-educated econo- site, “Ninety-seven percent of climate man claimed “97 percent of climate mist, declared war on the marketing- scientists agree that climate-warming scientists agree” that global tempera- order system that limited the supply of trends over the past century are very tures have risen and that humans are a oranges offered for sale, thus boosting likely due to human activities.” significant contributing factor. prices. The theory was that the system Yet the assertion that 97 percent of The survey’s questions don’t reveal would protect smaller farmers, but scientists believe that climate change much of interest. Most scientists who Sunkist used it to maintain its market is a man-made, urgent problem is a are skeptical of catastrophic global dominance, since small producers were fiction. The so-called consensus comes warming nevertheless would answer unable to expand their businesses. from a handful of surveys and abstract- “yes” to both questions. The survey Pescosolido described the system counting exercises that have been was silent on whether the human as one that allows “a committee of my contradicted by more reliable research. impact is large enough to constitute a competitors to sit around in a smoke- One frequently cited source for the problem. Nor did it include solar sci- filled room and tell me how many consensus is a 2004 opinion essay pub- entists, space scientists, cosmologists, oranges I can sell each week.” The lished in Science magazine by Naomi physicists, meteorologists, or astrono- political and court battles lasted for 20 Oreskes, a science historian now at mers, who are the scientists most likely years, but by 1991 the marketing-order Harvard. She claimed to have exam- to be aware of natural causes of climate system was gone not only for oranges ined abstracts of 928 articles published change. but for other fruits and vegetables as in scientific journals between 1993 and The “97 percent” figure in the Zim- well. DeMint’s conclusion: “Today, not 2003, and found that 75 percent sup- merman/Doran survey represents only are small farmers free to expand ported the view that human activities the views of only 79 respondents who their businesses and create more jobs, are responsible for most of the ob- listed climate science as an area of ex- but your grocery bill is a lot lower than served warming over the previous 50 pertise and said they published more it would otherwise be, thanks in large years while none directly dissented. than half of their recent peer-reviewed part to the courage and determination Ms. Oreskes’s definition of consen- papers on climate change. Seventy-

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nine scientists — of the 3,146 who activity is causing most of the current relevant chapter of the Fifth Assess- responded to the survey — does not a warming. Elsewhere, climate scientists ment Report addressing “anthropo- consensus make. including Craig Idso, Nicola Scafetta, genic and natural radiative forcing.” In 2010, William R. Love Anderegg, Nir J. Shaviv, and Nils- Axel Morner, Of the various petitions on global then a student at Stanford Univer- whose research questions the alleged warming circulated for signatures by sity, used Google Scholar to identify consensus, protested that Mr. Cook scientists, the one by the Petition Proj- the views of the most prolific writ- ignored or misrepresented their work. ect, a group of physicists and physical ers on climate change. His findings Rigorous international surveys con- chemists based in La Jolla, Calif., has were published in Proceedings of the ducted by German scientists Dennis by far the most signatures — more National Academies of Sciences. Mr. Bray and Hans von Storch — most than 31,000 (more than 9,000 with a Love Anderegg found that 97 percent recently published in Environmental Ph.D.). It was most recently published to 98 percent of the 200 most prolific Science & Policy in 2010 — have in 2009, and most signers were added writers on climate change believe found that most climate scientists or reaffirmed since 2007. The peti- “anthropogenic greenhouse gases disagree with the consensus on key tion states that “there is no convincing have been responsible for ‘most’ of the issues such as the reliability of climate scientific evidence that human release ‘unequivocal’ warming.” There was no data and computer models. They do of ... carbon dioxide, methane, or other mention of how dangerous this climate not believe that climate processes such greenhouse gases is causing or will, change might be; and, of course, 200 as cloud formation and precipitation in the foreseeable future, cause cata- researchers out of the thousands who are sufficiently understood to predict strophic heating of the Earth’s atmo- have contributed to the climate science future climate change. sphere and disruption of the Earth’s debate is not evidence of consensus. Surveys of meteorologists repeat- climate.” In 2013, John Cook, an Australia- edly find a majority oppose the alleged We could go on, but the larger point based blogger, and some of his friends consensus. Only 39.5 percent of 1,854 is plain. There is no basis for the claim reviewed abstracts of peer-reviewed American Meteorological Society that 97 percent of scientists believe papers published from 1991 to 2011. members who responded to a survey that man-made climate change is a Mr. Cook reported that 97 percent of in 2012 said man-made global warm- dangerous problem. those who stated a position explicitly ing is dangerous. — Joseph Bast or implicitly suggest that human activ- Finally, the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Roy Spencer ity is responsible for some warming. Panel on Climate Change — which The Wall Street Journal His findings were published in Envi- claims to speak for more than 2,500 May 27, 2014, p. A13 ronmental Research Letters. scientists — is probably the most fre- Energy Mr. Cook’s work was quickly de- quently cited source for the consensus. bunked. In Science and Education in Its latest report claims that “human MSNBC host Chris Hayes, in a August 2013, for example, David R. interference with the climate system is recent column in The Nation, likens Legates (a professor of geography at occurring, and climate change poses his ambition to abolish fossil fuels the University of Delaware and former risks for human and natural systems.” to the abolition of slavery. While he director of its Center for Climatic Re- Yet relatively few have either written hastens to point out that he’s not mak- search) and three coauthors reviewed on or reviewed research having to do ing a “moral comparison between the the same papers as did Mr. Cook and with the key question: How much of enslavement of Africans and African found “only 41 papers — 0.3 percent the temperature increase and other Americans and the burning of carbon of all 11,944 abstracts or 1.0 percent of climate changes observed in the 20th to power our devices,” Hayes neverthe- the 4,014 expressing an opinion, and century were caused by man-made less seems to think the only losers in a not 97.1 percent — had been found greenhouse-gas emissions? The IPCC fossil-fuels ban would be “the world’s to endorse” the claim that human lists only 41 authors and editors of the most profitable corporations and the

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nations that partner with them,” who into the game for hours per day and festo Rodger stated, “Yes, after I’ve are naturally analogous to antebellum would dream of Warcraft when he annihilated every single girl … .” slave owners. He needs to check in went on family vacations and could The Hellscream character several with the International Energy Agency, not play. times makes threats starting with “yes,” which reports that fossil fuels meet What has been missed until now such as, “Yes, yes, I can see it now. I can more than 80 percent of the world’s is that quotes from his final YouTube see the future of this world. A world energy needs, and all windmills, solar video announcing his murderous ruled by the horde … .” panels, geothermal plants, and other intentions seem to come from the Rodger was reportedly found dead forms of “clean energy” meet just 1 Warcraft character known as Garrosh Saturday from a gunshot wound, percent. Even if they could maintain Hellscream, whose pursuit of domi- possibly self-inflicted, after a shooting an implausibly high growth rate in- nance and power lead him to hate the spree throughout Isla Vista, adjacent to definitely, these other forms of energy Warcraft races, including his own. Santa Barbara in Southern California. would not replace fossil fuels for more In his last YouTube video, Rodger He reportedly killed six people. Eight than half a century. By any yardstick, stated in what seems like prepared re- others were shot and wounded and fossil fuels have been a Promethean marks, “If I had it in my power, I would four more were injured when his black gift to humanity. It’s not a coincidence stop at nothing to reduce every single BMW hit them. that the human population has in- one of you to mountains of skulls and — Aaron Klein creased sevenfold since the invention rivers of blood, and rightfully so.” World Net Daily of the continuous-rotation steam The Hellscream character similarly May 26, 2014 engine or that the internal-combustion went on a diatribe citing mountains of A group of 58 gay-marriage advo- age has seen the development of trans- skulls and rivers of blood. cates have signed a letter that repri- national markets for food, widespread Official sound files from World mands the “eagerness by some sup- travel and education, human aviation, of Warcraft’s Mists of Pandaria have porters of same-sex marriage to punish full-time employment for left-wing Hellscream, voiced by Patrick Seitz, rather than to criticize or to persuade commentators, and even the abolition stating, “I have seen mountains of those who disagree.” “We reject that of slavery. Hayes is wrong to downplay skulls and rivers of blood, and I will deeply illiberal impulse,” the group the moral comparison. There is a very have my world.” explained, “which is both wrong in moral argument involved in his aboli- Hellscream then goes into a relaxed, principle and poor as politics.” The tion scheme; he’s just on the wrong manic laugh that Rodger seems to missive is timely. It has become sadly side of it. mirror. fashionable of late to compare the — National Review The Hellscream character’s pursuit fight for gay marriage to the civil-rights May 19, 2014, p. 4 of superiority may have fed Rodger’s movement of the late 1960s, a con- Culture YouTube statement, “I am in truth the nection that presents opponents not superior one, the true alpha male.” merely as being of a different view but From his eerie laugh to specific Like Hellscream’s hatred for his own as unreconstructed bigots who must quotes in his chilling YouTube diatribe, race, Rodger stated, “I hate all of you. be excommunicated from the public mass shooter Elliot Rodger seems to Humanity is a disgusting, wretched, square. Brendan Eich, the short-lived be channeling, perhaps even mim- depraved species.” CEO of Mozilla, recently discovered to icking, a specific character from the Hellscream and Rodger even evince his dismay that although he exhibited violent Warcraft video game, WND the same speaking pattern. They both no animus toward his gay employees has learned. begin threats with the word “yes,” whatsoever, his views were held to be It has been widely reported Rodger expressed using similar, threatening beyond the pale and his employment was an avid Warcraft player. His online intonation. was therefore considered to be manifesto states he would retreat deep For example, in his YouTube mani-

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inappropriate. The “best and most free pages of books listed on the Acceler- to him about the book he’s reading as society is one that allows the larg- ated Reader Program’s website. These opposed to the curriculum for public est number to live true to their core represent but a few of the ‘wide range schools. Mrs. S. Thomas. Thank you. beliefs and identities,” the signatories of books’ from which students, like our Have a wonderful day. Bye-bye.” explained. Whether that “best society” client, could choose to read. Among the Paul Rubeo, the father, picked up on lies ahead remains to be seen. titles, you will note, are the following: the constitutional issues immediately. — National Review Acts, Amos, Chronicles 1, Chronicles 2, “When someone’s civil rights and May 26, 2014 Colossians, Corinthians 1, Corinthians constitutional rights are being violated, Education 2, Daniel, Deuteronomy, Ecclesiastes,” and that happens to be your child, I’m the letter said. sure that any one of you would do that A legal team protecting the rights of “As you would imagine, each of these for someone you love.” a student to read the Bible during his titles — these are merely the titles listed The district then mailed a letter stat- class reading time claims officials in on the first of 11 pages of search results ing that religious materiel is permitted the Broward County school district — are books contained within the Holy before or after class. Two weeks later, in Florida lied about their ban on the Bible and of the very same translation officials admitted that the Bible was OK Bible. (NIV) that our client brought to class during “free reading” as well. A second demand letter from the Lib- on April 8, 2014. Moreover, we note But the school had been adamant the erty Institute on behalf of the student that each of these books are rated for student’s Bible reading was during a revealed that while the school apparent- ‘Middle Grade’ readers, meaning the special reading program time, and the ly was claiming the Bible was disallowed same are suitable for readers between program didn’t allow it. because it wasn’t on a list of approved the fourth and eighth grades,” the law- “Broward County Public Schools reading sources for an advanced readers’ yers explained. justified censoring the Bible because program, it actually was. “Each title provides the coveted they thought it was not part of the Ac- “One of the reasons you cited on the Accelerated Reader points for students celerated Reader Program, but, in fact, phone for the ban on the Bible during like Giovanni to earn credit. And, each the Bible and other religious books Accelerated Reader Program time was title has pre-written online quizzes for about the Jewish, Buddhist and other that the Bible is not included on the students to take when they finish read- faiths are included,” said Jeremiah Dys, Accelerated Reader Program list of ap- ing the same,” the letter said. Liberty Institute senior counsel. proved books that have corresponding The issue arose earlier this month, “It is unlawful viewpoint discrimina- online tests,” said the letter from Hiram reported WSVN-TV in Miami, when tion under the First Amendment for the Sasser, director of litigation for the fifth-grader Giovanni Rubeo wanted to school district to selectively censor reli- institute, to Marilyn McNamara of the read his Bible during the free reading gious books from the large list of books Broward County schools. time at Park Lakes Elementary but was available to students in the Accelerated “In fact, you flatly stated that there is forbidden by his teacher. Reader Program,” he said. no test or quiz for the Bible within the The teacher left a voice mail for Liberty Institute said it has given Accelerated Reader Program,” he wrote. the student’s father, saying: “Good Broward County Public Schools until Even “assuming your factual assertion morning, Mr. Rubeo, Mrs. Thomas. May 19 to lift the ban on the Bible and that the ban did take place during Accel- Giovanni called you because I asked other religious books and to take steps erated Reader Program time, Giovanni him to. I noticed that he has a book, a to inform classroom officials that they Rubeo and other students in the school religious book, in the classroom. He cannot ban the Bible from the Acceler- district have a constitutional right to is not permitted to read those books ated Reader Program. read the Bible as part of the Accelerated in my classroom. He said if I told him — Bob Unruh Reader Program as well,” he pointed to put it away you would say not to do World Net Daily out. that. So please give me a call, I need to May 18, 2014 “Enclosed, you will find eleven (11) have some understanding on direction July 2014 Page 13 a look at our world from the desk of dr. david noebel, continued from page 13

A California school district is go- shut down the teaching. He asserted it’s not the job of gov- ing too far when it has public school “The Sonima Foundation is a re- ernment to pick religious winners and students “bowing to the sun god” and ligious organization with a religious losers. participating in “liturgical/ritual reli- agenda. They have the explicitly “We must not allow the cultural gious practices” aimed at having them religious ‘outreach’ ‘mission’ of teach- elites to decide by fiat which politically “become one with god,” according to a ing Ashtanga yoga to children, which correct religions, such as Hinduism brief filed with an appeals court. is based in Hindu religious beliefs and or Islam, are acceptable for the state The National Center for Law and practices,” said NCLP Chief Counsel, to promote to our children with our Policy is taking their fight over the Dean Broyles. taxpayer resources, and which religions, Ashtanga yoga teachings of Encinitas He charged that by partnering with such as Christianity, are not acceptable,” Union School District to the Fourth Sonima, the school district “has vio- he said. “Our children are not spiri- District Court of Appeal in California lated the First Amendment and has tual ‘guinea pigs’ and should never be after a district judge said the school committed an egregious breach of the subjected to such misguided religious program is religious, but officials can public trust.” experimentation by the state.” teach it anyway. “I am appalled that Sonima is ar- The brief to the appeals court argues The Jois Foundation, also known as rogantly pushing ahead with its na- that the district “still today leads the Somina, has partnered with the district tional public school launch prematurely, children in constitutionally forbid- “to develop an Ashtanga yoga program before the three-year study is complete den religious group exercises — ritual to replace traditional physical educa- and before the appeal is decided,” he liturgical Ashtanga yoga practices, tion,” according to the brief filed on said. “This shows a callous disregard for including the Surya Namaskara A/B behalf of students and parents in the religious freedom, parental rights, and involving worship of the Hindu Solar district. the importance of objectively studying Diety Surya.” Among the founders was Sonia the program.” As long as the district’s “health and Tudor Jones, an ardent devotee of yoga Read Yoga Uncoiled — From East to wellness” program is called “yoga,” the who wanted to “spread the gospel of West and discover the true foundation brief said, the program label “will send a Ashtanga through the country and even of Hindu philosophy embedded in the positive message about ‘yoga,’ a Sanskrit internationally.” Jones worked on a plan activities. term widely understood to mean yok- for a three-year “scientific study” in the He blasted the teachings. ing with the divine.” schools using the religious program. “Leading young impressionable “Even if the yoga taught in EUSD When the lawsuit was heard, the children with tender consciences classrooms had all ‘religion’ stripped trial court judge “acknowledged that, through group liturgical/ritual religious from it, which is not the case, the EUSD although not structured as a religious practices including bowing to the sun yoga program still conveys a positive foundation per se, Jois/Sonima is god, practices that lead practitioners view of other forms of ‘yoga’ children ‘deeply involved in yoga and Ashtanga to ‘become one with god,’ is obviously might encounter and excessively en- yoga’ and ‘has a mission to establish religious,” he said. tangles the district with religion by forc- and teach Ashtanga yoga,’” the plaintiffs “Jois, now deceptively rebranded as ing it to monitor, supervise, and control explained. the Sonima Foundation, has purchased the religious speech and conduct of They have pointed out that the direct access to a captive audience of the yoga teachers in the classroom and Ashtanga yoga supporters have “af- young and impressionable children embodied in the yoga curriculum.” firmed … explicit teaching that the by paying EUSD nearly $2 million to The case was brought by parents mere ‘physical practice’ of the yoga … beta test its religious Ashtanga program of children in the district’s elemen- leads practitioners to ‘become one with on kids and jointly develop a religious tary school system. They alleged that god … whether they want it or not.’” yoga curriculum with the district,” said teaching yoga in schools is an improper The appeals court is being asked to Broyles. attempt at religious indoctrination.

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San Diego Superior Court Judge John of the Ozark Mountains. The school school was run on the same work-for- Meyer heard the case and declared in is College of the Ozarks, and it oper- education principle as it is today. his July 1, 2013, decision that yoga, ates on an education model that could Just over 40 years ago, this news- including the Ashtanga yoga taught at overturn the perverse method of financ- paper made College of the Ozarks Encinitis, is religious. But the judge also ing college education that is turning famous with a 1973 front-page story said that the district did not violate the this generation of young adults into a that nicknamed the school “Hard Establishment Causes of the U.S. and permanent debtor class. Work U.” In 1988, when he became the California constitutions by hiring yoga At this college, the tuition is nowhere school’s president, Jerry C. Davis started instructors to teach yoga to students near the $150,000 to $200,000 for a plastering the moniker “Hard Work during class hours. four-year degree that the elite top-tier U” on nearly every structure and piece “Meyer found that EUSD had some- universities are charging. At College of of promotional material printed at the how stripped enough religious content the Ozarks, tuition is free. That’s right. college. “We saw this as a huge market- out of the program so that the hypo- The school’s nearly 1,400 students don’t ing coup because it sets us apart from thetical ‘reasonable observer’ student pay a dime in tuition during their time nearly every other school in the coun- would not perceive that religion was be- there. try,” explains the colorful Mr. Davis, ing promoted,” the legal team explained. So what’s the catch? All the college’s who in 26 years as head of the school After objections from the plaintiffs in students — without exception — pay has brought to campus such luminaries the case, the judge revised his decision, for their education by working 15 hours as President George W. Bush, Margaret concluding that the school’s yoga poses a week on campus. The jobs are plenti- Thatcher, Tom Brokaw, and Norman are identical to those taught by Ashtan- ful because this school — just a few Schwarzkopf. ga yoga and guru P.K. Jois. miles from Branson, a popular tourist “We don’t do debt here,” Mr. Davis “Evidently, in spite of Judge Meyer’s destination — operates its own mill, a says. “The kids graduate debt free and stated grave concerns about Jois Foun- power plant, fire station, four-star res- the school is debt free too.” Operating dation’s mission to promote Ashtanga taurant and lodge, museum, and dairy expenses are paid out of a $400 million yoga to public school children and farm. endowment. Seeing the success of Col- Ashtanga devotee Jen Brown’s transpar- Some students from low-income lege of the Ozarks, one wonders why ent conflict of interest as a Jois Founda- homes also spend 12 weeks of sum- presidents of schools with far bigger tion employee and EUSD yoga teacher, mer on campus working to cover their endowments don’t use them to make these red flags were not enough to cause room and board. Part of the students’ their colleges more affordable. This is Judge Meyer to find ‘excessive govern- grade point average is determined by one of the great derelictions of duty of ment entanglement with religion’ and how they do on the job, and those who college trustees as they allow universi- suspend the religious yoga program,” shirk their work duties are tossed out. ties to become massive storehouses of the law center said. The jobs range from campus security wealth as tuitions rise year after year. The school’s yoga teachings are for to cooking and cleaning hotel rooms, In an era when patriotism on pro- children in kindergarten through grade tending the hundreds of cattle, building gressive college campuses is uncool or six. new dorms and buildings, to operating even denigrated as endorsing American — Bob Unruh the power plant. imperialism, College of the Ozarks World Net Daily The college was founded in 1906 as actually offers what it calls a “patriotic May 10, 2014 the “School of the Ozarks” atop local education.” “There’s value in teach- Mount Huggins, named for brothers ing kids about the sacrifices previous Looking for the biggest bargain in Louis and William Huggins from St. generations have made,” Mr. Davis says. higher education? I think I found it in Joseph, Mo., who gave the school its “Kids should know there are things this rural Missouri town, 40 miles south first endowment. From the start, the worth fighting for.” of Springfield, nestled in the foothills

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He says a dozen or so students will mouth or Stanford or Wesleyan would be with Madame Lagarde, considered be taking a pilgrimage to Normandy no doubt call it a violation of their hu- one of the world’s most accomplished in June to commemorate the 70-year man rights. Others are too busy holding women? An online petition signed by anniversary of D-Day and the former rallies for unisex bathrooms, reparations some 480 offended Smithies said the College of the Ozarks students buried for slavery, and an end to fossil fuels to IMF is associated with “imperialistic there. Amazingly, four of the school’s work while in school. As the humorist and patriarchal systems that oppress graduates served as generals in the U.S. P.J. O’Rourke once wrote: “Everyone and abuse women worldwide.” With military during the Vietnam War. wants to save the world, but no one unmistakable French irony, Ms. Lagarde The emphasis on work in exchange wants to do the dishes.” withdrew “to preserve the celebratory for learning doesn’t mean the class- At Hard Work U, the kids actually spirit” of Smith’s commencement. room experience is second rate. The do the dishes and much more while On Tuesday, Haverford Col- college has a renowned nursing pro- working their way through a four-year lege’s graduating intellectuals forced gram, business school, and agriculture degree. Nearly 90 percent of graduates commencement speaker Robert J. program. As one who has lectured at land jobs — an impressive figure, given Birgeneau to withdraw. Get this: Mr. many universities, I can attest that the the economy’s slow-motion recovery. Birgeneau is the former chancellor of many students I met on the campus are “If I were an employer, I’d take our UC Berkeley, the big bang of political refreshingly respectful, inquisitive, and graduates over those at most any other correctness. It gets better. grateful for the opportunity to learn. schools,” says Mr. Davis. “The kids at Berkeley’s Mr. Birgeneau is famous as These aren’t the highest academic these East Coast colleges strike me as an ardent defender of minority stu- status kids (the average ACT score is being a little spoiled. Our graduates dents, the LGBT community and un- 21), but there is an unmistakable quest don’t expect to come into the company documented illegal immigrants. What to succeed. To gain admittance, each as the CEO.” But they certainly join a could possibly be wrong with this guy student must demonstrate “financial company knowing the value of work. speaking at Haverford??? Haverfordians need, academic ability, sound character, — Stephen Moore were upset that in 2011 the Berkeley and a willingness to work.” Elizabeth The Wall Street Journal police used “force” against Occupy Hughes, the public-relations director, May 17-18, 2014, p. A13 protesters in Sproul Plaza. They said Mr. says: “We don’t have a lot of rich kids ... It’s been a long time coming, but Birgeneau could speak at Haverford if they have plenty of other schools they America’s colleges and universities have he agreed to nine conditions, includ- can choose from.” finally descended into lunacy. ing his support for reparations for the That doesn’t mean the school is not Last month, Brandeis University victims of Berkeley’s violence. in high demand. Unlike many small banned Somali-born feminist Ayaan In a letter, Mr. Birgeneau replied, liberal-arts schools that are suffering a Hirsi Ali as its commencement speaker, “As a longtime civil rights activist and steep decline in applications, last year purporting that “Ms. Hirsi Ali’s record firm supporter of nonviolence, I do not College of the Ozarks had 4,000 ap- of anti-Islam statements” violates respond to untruthful, violent verbal plicants for about 400 freshman slots, Brandeis’ “core values.” attacks.” which makes this remote little school This week higher education’s ritualis- Smith president Kathleen Mc- among the nation’s most selective. tic burning of college-commencement Cartney felt obliged to assert that she All of this raises the question: To heretics spread to Smith College and is “committed to leading a college bring down tuition costs elsewhere, is Haverford College. where differing views can be heard and it so unthinkable that college students On Monday, Smith announced the debated with respect.” And Haverford’s be required to engage in an occasional withdrawal of Christine Lagarde, the president, Daniel Weiss, wrote to the honest day’s work? Many of the privi- French head of the International Mone- students that their demands “read more leged class of kids who attend Dart- tary Fund. And what might the problem like a jury issuing a verdict than as an

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invitation to a discussion or a request this point. It is fantastic that the liberal get their kids a job in an economy that for shared learning.” former head of Berkeley should have to wants quantification skills. Parents and Mr. Birgeneau, Ms. McCartney, sign a Maoist self-criticism to be able to students increasingly will flee the politi- Mr. Weiss, and indeed many others in speak at Haverford. Meet America’s Red cized nut-houses for apolitical MOOCs American academe must wonder what Guards. — massive open online courses. is happening to their world this chilled These students at Brandeis, Smith, Still, it’s a tragedy. The loonies are spring. Haverford, and hundreds of other becoming the public face of some once- Here’s the short explanation: You’re U.S. colleges didn’t discover illiberal revered repositories of the humanities. all conservatives now. intolerance on their own. It is fed to Sic transit whatever. Years ago, when the academic left them three times a week by professors — Daniel Henninger began to ostracize professors identified of mental conformity. After Brandeis The Wall Street Journal as “conservative,” university adminis- banned Ms. Hirsi Ali, the Harvard May 15, 2014, p. A13 trators stood aside or were complicit. Crimson’s editors wrote a rationalizing The academic left adopted a notion editorial, “A Rightful Revocation.” The In 2014, an estimated 1.6 million espoused back then by a “New Left” legendary liberal Louis Brandeis (Har- American college students will move German philosopher — who taught vard Law, First Amendment icon) must their tassels from right to left. The at Brandeis, not coincidentally — that be spinning in his grave. secret to their success? Parental involve- many conservative ideas were immoral Years ago, today’s middle-aged liberals ment in high school, according to a and deserved to be suppressed. And so embraced in good faith ideas such as new policy brief from the American they were. that the Western canon in literature or Enterprise Institute. In Dad and the This shunning and isolation of “con- history should be expanded to include Diploma: The Difference Fathers Make servative” teachers by their left-wing Africa, Asia, Native Americans, and for College Graduation, sociologist W. colleagues (with many liberals silent such. Fair enough. The activist aca- Bradford Wilcox finds that teenagers in acquiescence) weakened the foun- demic left then grabbed the liberals’ with “involved” fathers are 98 percent dational ideas of American universities good faith and wrecked it, allowing more likely to graduate from college — freedom of inquiry and the speech the nuttiest professors to dumb down than their peers with uninvolved dads. rights in the First Amendment. courses and even whole disciplines into Father may not know best, but his being No matter. University presidents, tendentious gibberish. around does seem to boost learning. deans, department heads, and boards The slow disintegration of the hu- — National Review of trustees watched or approved the manities into what is virtually agitprop May 19, 2014, p. 12 erosion of their original intellectual on many campuses is no secret. Profes- For those who have not yet caught framework. The ability of aggrieved sors of economics and the hard sciences up with it, in the academic world the professors and their students to concoct roll their eyes in embarrassment at phrase “trigger warning” means alerting behavior, ideas, and words that violated what has happened to once respect- students to books that might “trigger” political correctness got so loopy that able liberal-arts departments at their deleterious emotional effects. Should a the phrase itself became satirical — institutions. Like some Gresham’s Law Jewish student be asked to read Oliver though not so funny to profs denied for Ph.D.s, the bad professors drove out Twist with its anti-Semitic caricature tenure on suspicion of incorrectness. many good, untenured professors, and of Fagin, let alone The Merchant of Offensive books were banned and his- that includes smart young liberals. Most Venice, whose central figure is the tory texts rewritten to conform. conservatives were wiped out long ago. Jewish usurer Shylock? Should African- No one could possibly count the One might conclude: Who cares? American students be required to read compromises of intellectual honesty Parents are beginning to see that this Huckleberry Finn, with its generous use made on American campuses to reach is a $65,000-a-year scam that won’t of the “n-word,” or Heart of Darkness,

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which equates the Congo with the end So much of this history begins in good softer social sciences and much of the of rational civilization? Should students intentions and ends in the tyranny of humanities. They have established a who are ardent pacifists be made to read conformity. reign of quiet academic terror, and that about warfare in Tolstoy and Stendhal, Sometime in the 1950s, American has made the university a very touchy or for that matter the Iliad? As for gay universities determined to acquire place indeed. and lesbian students, or students who students from less populous parts of the Meanwhile many of those students have suffered sexual abuse, or those country to give their institutions the who in the late 1960s arose in protest who have a physical handicap ... one feeling of geographical diversity. In the have themselves come to prominence could go on. 1960s, after the great moral victories and even to eminence as professors in Pointing out the potentially damag- of the civil-rights movement, the next their 60s and early 70s. Having fought ing effects of books began, like so much obvious step was racial preferences, in their youth against what they thought these days, on the Internet, where intel- which allowed special concessions to the professorial old-boy network, they lectual Samaritans began listing such admit African-American students. In now find themselves old boys. Unable emotionally troublesome books on conjunction with this, black professors to discover a way to replace the pre- their blogs. Before long, it was picked were felt to be needed to teach these sumably unjust society that they once up by the academy. At the University of students and, some said, serve as role sought to topple, they currently tend to California at Santa Barbara, the student models. Before long, the minority of stand aside when students and younger government suggested that all course women among the professoriate was professors cavort in bumptious protest, syllabi contain trigger warnings. At noted. This, too, would soon be amend- lest they themselves be thought, God Oberlin College, the Office of Equity ed. “Harvard,” I remember hearing forfend, part of the problem. Concerns advised professors to steer around this time, “is looking for a good University presidents and their clear of works that might be interpreted feminist.” increasingly large army of administra- as sexist or racist or as vaunting vio- All this, most reasonable people tors have by now a 50-year tradition of lence. would concur, was fair enough. Then cowardice. They do not clamp down Movies have of course long been things took a radical twist. Suddenly when students reject the visits on rated and required to note such items women, African-Americans, and (later) their campuses of such courageous as Adult Language, Violence, Nudity gay and lesbian professors began teach- or accomplished women as Ayaan — ratings that are themselves a form of ing, in effect, themselves. No serious Hirsi Ali, Christine Lagarde, or Condo- trigger warning. Why not books, even university could do business without an leezza Rice because their views are not great classic books? The short answer African-American Studies Department. perfectly congruent with the students’ is that doing so insults the intelligence Many female professors created and own jejune beliefs. When students of those supposedly serious enough to found an academic home in something and younger faculty line up behind attend college by suggesting they must called Gender Studies, which turned the morally obtuse anti-Israel BDS not be asked to read anything that fails out to be chiefly about the suppression (Boycott, Divest, Sanction) movement, to comport with their own beliefs or of women, just as African-American wiser heads do not prevail, for the good takes full account of their troubled past Studies was chiefly about the histori- reason that there are no wiser heads. experiences. cal and contemporary maltreatment of The inmates, fair to say, are running the Trigger warnings logically follow blacks. Something called Queer Studies joint. from the recent history of American came next, with gays and lesbians The trigger warning is another pas- academic life. This is a history in which instructing interested students in the sage in the unfinished symphony of demographic diversity has triumphed oppression of homosexuals. political correctness. If the universities over intellectual standards, and the dis- Over time, the themes of gender, do not come out against attacks on play of virtue over the search for truth. class, and race were insinuated into the freedom of speech, why should they

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oppose the censorship implicit in trig- faculty cabal joined by (let us charitably in students the core lesson that (in the ger warnings? The main point of these say) ignorant students promoted the words of one recent graduate, writing warnings, as with all political correct- value of repression over the values of online at the Huffington Post) “harm- ness, is to protect the minority of the America’s liberal democracy. ful structural inequalities persist on the weak, the vulnerable, the disheartened, Opponents of free speech have lately basis of class, race, sex, sexual orienta- or the formerly discriminated against, chalked up many such victories: New tion, and gender identity in the U.S.” On no matter what the price in civility, York City Police Commissioner Ray- too many campuses, as in a funhouse scholarly integrity, and political sanity. mond Kelly prevented from speaking mirror, ideological commitment to di- Do they truly require such protection, at Brown University in November; a versity has brought about its opposite: even at the price of genuine education? lecture by Charles Murray canceled by ideological hegemony, which is much Nearly 200 years ago, Alexis de Azusa Pacific University in April; Con- more harmful to the life of the mind Tocqueville, in his book on American doleezza Rice, former secretary of state than the alleged structural inequalities democracy, feared the mob of the ma- and national-security adviser under that social engineering set out to cor- jority. In the American university today, the George W. Bush administration, rect. that mob looks positively pusillanimous harassed earlier this month into declin- In 1995, I participated in a campus next to the mob of the minority. ing the invitation by Rutgers University debate on affirmative action that drew — Joseph Epstein to address this year’s convocation. so much student interest it had to be May 28, 2014, p. A15 Most painful to me was the Harvard rerouted to Harvard’s largest audito- There was a time when people look- scene several years ago when the Com- rium. This year, I was asked by a student ing for intellectual debate turned away mittee on Degrees in Social Studies, cel- group to participate in a debate on from politics to the university. Political ebrating its 50th anniversary, accepted modern feminism. Though I am not backrooms bred slogans and bagmen; a donation in honor of its former head hotly engaged in the subject, I agreed universities fostered educated discus- tutor Martin Peretz, whose contribu- and waited for confirmation, thinking sion. But when students in the 1960s tions to the university include the chair it might be fun to consider a women’s began occupying university property in Yiddish I have been privileged to movement that has never graduated like the thugs of regimes America was hold. His enemies on campus generated from sisterhood to motherhood. There fighting abroad, the venues gradually a “party against Marty” that forced him followed several emails apologizing for reversed. Open debate is now protected to walk a gauntlet of jeering students for the delay and finally a message acknowl- only in the polity: In universities, mug- having allegedly offended Islam, while edging that no one could be found to gers prevail. putting others on notice that they had take the pro-feminist side. Evidently, Assaults on intellectual and political best not be perceived guilty of associa- one of those asked had responded: freedom have been making headlines. tion with him. “What is there to debate?” No wonder Pressure from faculty egged on by Mus- Universities have not only failed to those who admit no legitimate opposi- lim groups induced Brandeis University stand up to those who limit debate, they tion to their ideas feel duty-bound to last month not to grant Ayaan Hirsi Ali, have played a part in encouraging them. shut down unwelcome speakers. the proponent of women’s rights under The modish commitment to so-called Because conservative students do not Islam, an intended honorary degree diversity replaces the ideal of guaran- take over buildings or drown others out at its convocation. This was a replay of teed equal treatment of individuals with with their shouting, instructors feel free 1994, when Brandeis faculty demanded guaranteed group preferences in hiring to mock conservatives in the classroom, that trustees rescind their decision to and curricular offerings. and administrators pay scant attention award an honorary degree to Jeane Females and members of visible when their posters are torn down or Kirkpatrick, former U.S. ambassador minorities are given handicaps (as in their sensibilities offended. As a tenured to the United Nations. In each case, a golf). Courses are devised to inculcate professor who does not decline the

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label “conservative,” I benefit from this who at peril of her life, and in the name Human Rights Watch, which is not imbalance by getting to know some of of liberal democracy, has insisted on exactly known for its impartiality when the feistiest students on campus. exposing such outrages to the light. The it comes to reporting on Islamic issues, But these students need and deserve struggle for freedom is universal; would claimed the Nigerian military wantonly every encouragement from outside that our universities were on its side. slaughtered 183 civilians and burned their closed and claustrophobic en- — Ruth R. Wisse down over 2,000 homes and businesses. virons. As one of them put it to me, The Wall Street Journal The Nigerian government denied “There’s more faculty interest in climate May 12, 2014, p. A15 the claims saying the death toll and control than in the Western canon.” International Affairs destruction had been vastly overstated Multiculturalism guarantees that by its enemies, and in fact 30 Boko courses on Islam highlight all the good Boko Haram claimed that their rights Haram terrorists, six civilians, and one that can be said of Muhammad and the had been violated by the Nigerian soldier had died in the fighting. Reports Quran, but there is no comparable aca- government, after the pattern of Islamic from the Baga clinic, which treated 193 demic commitment to reinvigorating supremacists everywhere, who always people following the battle, but only 10 the foundational teachings of American claim that they are the wronged and ag- with serious injuries, seemed to back up liberal democracy or to strengthening grieved party. The Obama Administra- the Nigerian government claim that no the legacy bequeathed to us by “dead tion, as clueless and Islam-sympathetic large-scale massacre had occurred. white males.” as ever, bought it. The U.S. Nigerian Ambassador, So far, the university culture has not “Obama Administration Threatened blindly believing any Islamist sob story been able to destroy the two-party Nigeria With Sanctions in 2013 for that crossed his path, responded in a system, but its influence on the cur- Fighting Boko Haram,” by Fred Dard- May 2013 meeting with human rights rent administration in Washington ick, Canada Free Press, May 14, 2014 activists by defending Boko Haram: gives some sense of what may lie ahead (thanks to Pamela Geller). Mr. Terrence announced to the activ- unless small “d” democrats — which Hillary Clinton wasn’t the only ists that the U.S. congress had previously these days means mostly conserva- Obama administration official who passed a law that bars the United States tives — begin to take back the campus. went to bat for Boko Haram over the from rendering military assistance to any Through patient but persistent means, past few years. government that violates basic rights of they ought to help students introduce Soon after John Kerry took over as citizens. He said the Obama-led U.S. speakers, debates, demands for courses, Secretary of State, the U.S. Ambas- government has therefore ceased to assist and all the intellectual firepower they sador to Nigeria, Terence P. McCulley, Nigeria militarily in obedience to the law. can muster in favor of American excep- accused the Nigerian government of The threat of military sanctions, and tionalism, the moral advantages of a butchery during a confrontation with whether or not they were actually im- free economy, and the need to protect Boko Haram terrorists in Baga, a Nige- plemented, is an open question as there democracy from enemies we are not rian town on the shores of Lake Chad, has been zero coverage of this issue in afraid to name. and in May 2013 threatened to with- the mainstream media, and may have In short, let the university become as draw U.S. military aid from the West had a chilling effect on Nigerian mili- contentious as Congress. In Nigeria, African nation. tary operations against Boko Haram. Islamists think nothing of seizing Boko Haram militants attacked a Since Ambassador McCulley’s procla- hundreds of schoolgirls for the crime Nigerian military outpost in April mation, the Nigerian civilian death toll of aspiring to an education. Here in the 2013 outside Baga, killing one soldier. by Boko Haram Islamic militants has United States, the educated class thinks Following the three-day battle, human skyrocketed over the past year. nothing of denying an honorary rights activists, including the George No wonder the Nigerian govern- degree to a fearless Muslim woman Soros-funded and liberal aligned ment was initially reluctant to accept

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U.S. assistance with finding the more of the kidnapped girls, but because in which the authorities are blamed for than 200 Christian girls kidnapped by it undermines the Nigerian govern- not fixing the socioeconomic problems Boko Haram last month. Embolden- ment. They aren’t trying to help the in terrorist regions that are impossible ing Nigeria’s Islamic terrorist enemies kidnapped girls. They’re trying to bring to fix without defeating the terrorists and having been already accused by the down a government that hasn’t gone and blamed for violating the human Obama administration of crimes against along with their agenda for appeasing rights of the terrorists when they try to humanity for fighting militants who Boko Haram and Nigerian Muslims. defeat them. were responsible for hundreds of civil- The hashtag politics aren’t aimed at The mainstream media has been ian deaths since 2010, they likely felt the terrorists. They’re aimed at helping more blatant about carrying Boko Ha- that Obama’s belated support was more the terrorists. ram’s bloody water. Their stories begin a product of diplomatic CYA than actu- There’s a reason why the media and with the kidnapped schoolgirls and skip ally caring about the fate of kidnapped so many leftists have embraced the over to a sympathetic reading of history Nigerian children. hashtag. #BringBackOurGirls isn’t a in which Boko Haram only took up — Robert Spencer rescue. It denounces the Nigerian gov- arms after government brutality. Jihad Watch ernment for not having already gotten Two years ago, the New York Times May 15, 2014 the job done even as the State Depart- ran an op-ed titled “In Nigeria, Boko Leftist policy is the search for the ment stands ready to denounce any Haram Is Not the Problem.” root cause of evil. Everything from a human rights violations during a rescue The op-ed contended that Boko street mugging to planes flying into the attempt. Haram didn’t exist, that it was a peace- World Trade Center is reduced to a root Obama and Boko Haram want to ful splinter group, and that the Nigerian cause of social injustice. Throw pov- bring down the Nigerian government army was worse than Boko Haram. erty, oppression, and a bunch of NGO and replace it with a leadership that is Somehow these three claims were made buzzwords into a pot, and out come the more amenable to appeasement. It’s the on the same page. The editorial warned suicide bombings, drug dealing, and same thing that is happening in Israel the U.S. not to give the impression that mass rapes. and Egypt. it supports Nigeria’s Christian president It doesn’t matter whether it’s Boko State Department officials responded or it would infuriate Muslims and sug- Haram, the Islamic terrorist group to Boko Haram attacks over the years gested that Christians might really be that kidnapped hundreds of Nigerian with the same litany of statistics about behind the Muslim terror attacks. schoolgirls, or a drug dealer with a unemployment in the Muslim north Last year, Secretary of State John record as long as his tattooed arm. and the 92 percent of children there Kerry, after a pro forma condemnation Obama and Hillary resisted doing who do not attend school. When of Boko Haram terror, warned, “We anything about Boko Haram because Hillary Clinton was asked about the are also deeply concerned by credible they believed that its root cause was the kidnappings by ABC News, she blamed allegations that Nigerian security forces oppression of Muslims by the Nigerian Nigeria for not “ensuring that every are committing gross human rights government. Across the bloody years of child has the right and opportunity to violations, which, in turn, only escalate Boko Haram terror, the State Depart- go to school.” the violence and fuel extremism.” ment matched empty condemnations Clinton acted as if she were unaware Kerry was blaming the victims of of Boko Haram’s killing sprees with that Boko Haram opposes Muslim Boko Haram for the violence perpe- condemnations of the Nigerian authori- children going to school or that it would trated against them and claiming that ties for violating Muslim rights. take the very same measures that her resistance to Boko Haram caused Boko Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton State Department has repeatedly op- Haram’s attacks. haven’t championed #BringBackOur- posed to make it possible for them to The U.S. Commission on Interna- Girls because it’s a hashtag in support go to school. This is a familiar Catch 22 tional Religious Freedom, three of

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whose members had been appointed Nigerian security forces’ excessive use May 13, 2014 by Obama and one by Nancy Pelosi, is- of force in response to Boko Haram is Liberals sometimes wonder why sued a report blaming Nigeria for Boko unacceptable and counterproductive.” conservatives don’t have more respect Haram’s murderous Jihad. A year earlier, Deputy Secretary of for the United Nations. Maybe this will The report’s findings claimed that the State William Burns had proposed help- help: The U.N. has just elected Iran to Nigerian government’s “violations of ing Nigeria develop “a comprehensive the women’s-rights committee — the religious freedom” had led to “sectarian counterterrorism strategy” that includes U.N. Commission on the Status of violence.” It echoed the propaganda of “citizen engagement and dialogue.” This Women. Iran, remember, is a regime the Islamic terrorist group, stating that, was really a proposal to export Obama’s that stones girls to death for the “crime” “Boko Haram also justifies its attacks on failed appeasement strategy in Afghani- of having been gang-raped. Our ques- churches by citing, among other things, stan that had cost over 1,600 American tion is, why do liberals respect the U.N. state and federal government actions lives to Nigeria. so much? against Muslims.” Boko Haram’s kidnapping of the National Review The report suggested that the Nige- schoolgirls is both convenient and May 19, 2014, p. 11 rian government was too focused on inconvenient for Obama and the State fighting Boko Haram and not focused Department. On the one hand, it has Gabriel Garcia Márquez did what few enough on dealing with Christian vio- brought negative attention to their writers can: get millions of people to lence against Muslims. “The Nigerian stance on Boko Haram, but on the read them. His novels, especially One government’s failure to address chronic other hand, it may end up toppling the Hundred Years of Solitude, are among religion-related violence contrasts with Nigerian government and empowering the most praised books of our time. its commitment to stop Boko Haram, Muslims. And they see a more flexible Literature is often a matter of taste, and which at times has resulted in the indis- Nigerian government as the only means Garcia Márquez’s “magic realism” is not criminate use of force against civilians of coming to terms with Boko Haram. for everyone. Character is less a matter and in human rights abuses.” This isn’t just their strategy for of taste, or should be: Garcia Márquez The solution was to scale back the Nigeria. It’s their universal approach to was a friend and defender of the Soviet fight against Boko Haram and appease Islamic terrorism. It’s why Kerry blamed Union and Communism everywhere. Nigerian Muslims. Israel for the collapse of the peace talks He was a very great friend and defender “In meetings with Nigerian officials, with the PLO. It’s why Egypt is being of Fidel Castro. At the same time, of including Secretary Clinton’s meet- pressured to free its Muslim Brother- course, he was a determined foe of ing with Nigerian President Goodluck hood detainees. And it’s why the United Castro’s enemies, i.e., Cubans who want Jonathan in August 2012, the U.S. States is never allowed to defeat Al to live in a free country. Garcia Márquez government consistently has urged Qaeda. was a Colombian who lived in Mexico. the Nigerian government to expand Obama is trying to bring down gov- In every generation, there are people in its strategy against Boko Haram from ernments that fight Islamic terrorism, free countries who support, perfume, solely a military solution to addressing whether in Egypt, Israel, or Nigeria, and and love dictators who keep other problems of economic and political replace them with governments that ap- countries unfree. “Gabo,” as they called marginalization in the north, arguing pease terrorists. This shared goal creates him, was maybe the most prestigious that Boko Haram’s motivations are an alliance, direct or indirect, open or person in the whole of Latin America. not religious but socio-economic,” the covert, between Obama and the Mus- His prestige could have done great report stated. lim Brotherhood, Obama and the PLO, things for the Cuban people, and in par- “Additionally, senior U.S. officials and Obama and Boko Haram. ticular the political prisoners. Instead, frequently warn in private bilateral Daniel Greenfield Garcia Márquez lent his prestige to their meetings and in public speeches that FrontPage Magazine jailers and torturers. Cuba is a one- party dictatorship with a gulag. “Gabo”

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gloried in this fact. He may have written women. in newsrooms. prettily, but he did nasty things with his Many remain unconvinced. Leo It had all the makings of 1984-style life. Dead at 87. R.I.P. Depuydt, a Brown University Egyp- intimidation of journalists, and it was al- National Review tologist who wrote an accompanying legedly abandoned shortly after a public May 19, 2014, p. 12 critique of the fragment in Harvard outcry. Biblical Studies Theological Review, said he was “100 I say “allegedly” because our betters percent certain” the fragment was “a never give up their quest to dictate to us New dating tests rekindled debate forgery, and not a very good one at what is allowable speech. last month over the “Gospel of Jesus’ that.” Depuydt said the Coptic text They wait until they think we’re Wife,” a pretentiously named shred of contained “grammatical blunders” an not paying attention, and try again. A papyrus first announced in 2012. At ancient author wouldn’t have made. couple of years ago, they floated, but that time, Harvard Divinity School “There is no doubt whatsoever in my abandoned, the old Fairness Doctrine, historian Karen King said the fragment mind personally that … the ‘Gospel of which throttled talk radio before the dated from the second century and was Jesus’ Wife’ is a patchwork of words and FCC under President Reagan rescinded the only example of ancient writing in phrases from the published and well- it in 1987. which Jesus claimed to be married: In known Coptic Gospel of Thomas.” In recent days, an even more hare- part, the 1.5-by-3-inch fragment reads, Michael Kruger, an expert on New brained plan has arisen, courtesy of “Jesus said to them, ‘My wife …’” and Testament texts at Reformed Theologi- Sen. Edward J. Markey, Massachusetts “… she will be able to be my disciple.” cal Seminary in Charlotte, N.C., agrees Democrat, and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, Enough people questioned the with the forgery conclusion. But even New York Democrat. They’re sponsor- authenticity of the Coptic fragment, if it’s genuine, it doesn’t tell us anything ing a bill to have federal researchers which belongs to an anonymous owner, about the historical Jesus, he told me: comb through broadcast radio and that King submitted it to research teams “The fragment is a late production. … television, cable and public-access TV, to have its age tested. She published It’s well after the time of Jesus, and well “commercial mobile services and other the results this year in an April edition after the time of the apostles.” electronic media,” and, get this — the of Harvard Theological Review. Using Another possibility, said Kruger, is Internet — for any communications carbon dating and spectroscopy that “wife” in the text is supposed to be that may have prompted violent acts techniques, the teams concluded the a metaphorical reference to the church, and “hate crimes.” papyrus is indeed centuries old, and not Jesus’ actual wife. (King herself Given that our governing elites insist that the soot-based ink shows no signs concedes that possibility.) “There is no that merely stating that marriage neces- of being recently forged. They placed historical evidence anywhere in early sarily involves a man and a woman is the papyrus between the sixth and Christianity that Jesus was married,” evidence of “hate,” this is scary stuff. ninth centuries — several centuries Kruger said. The bill’s language assures us that later than King first concluded. — Daniel Devine the eventual report on all this data will The test results don’t definitively rule World Magazine include recommendations “consistent out the possibility of forgery (someone May 17, 2014, p. 62 with the First Amendment.” could have carefully written on an old Media Remember, this crowd thinks the scrap of papyrus). King and others be- Constitution is a “living document” lieve the artifact is genuine. She doesn’t It’s hard to think of a more dangerous constructed primarily of judicial Silly take it as evidence the historical Jesus threat to First Amendment freedoms Putty. was actually married, but believes it than the Federal Communications The good news is that the Hate Crime points to a debate among early Commission’s scheme a few months Reporting Act of 2014, introduced in Christians over celibacy and the role of ago to station government “researchers” early April, is not going anywhere in the

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current Congress — we hope. Using as a platform the news about it to be a place where capitalism is Even liberal commentator Alan armed federal agents seizing the cattle a memory, the United States is the Colmes has raked it over the coals. of Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy (who military equivalent of Tunisia, everyone Noting that Messrs. Markey and Jeffries has since gotten into scalding hot water is subsistent on the government, three tied their companion bills to the deadly over his beyond-insensitive racial re- people of any sex can marry, guns are shootings on April 13 at a Jewish center marks), Mr. Starnes wrote: confiscated, Christianity is effectively in Kansas, Mr. Colmes writes, “No mat- “Rancher Bundy should’ve told the silenced, Tea Party membership is ter how many heinous crimes are com- feds that those were Mexican cows — actionable, and illegal immigrants vote mitted by deplorable white suprema- who came across the border illegally to early and often. cists, it’s inane to make the case that it’s seek better grazing opportunities. It was It’s up to the rest of us to do what we because [of] something someone said an act of love.” can to make sure their dream doesn’t on the radio.” Well, they didn’t find this amusing in become our nightmare. Besides, there’s more than enough the Facebook guard tower, where they — Robert Knight left-wing censorship in the media with- donned their Ministry of Truth helmets The Washington Times out the government getting into the act. and pushed buttons. Presto, the post- May 5, 2014, p. 32 The Los Angeles Times’ letters editor, for ing was gone, along with thousands of Economics instance, announced last October that comments. In a column published on he would no longer run letters from the Christian website CharismaNews. Pope Francis called Friday for gov- people who deny the existence of man- com, Mr. Starnes relates what next ernments to redistribute wealth and made climate change. transpired: benefits to the poor in a new spirit of As with the 1970s prediction of a “‘We removed something your page generosity to help curb the “economy of coming ice age, the science is apparently posted,’ Facebook told me in a rather exclusion” that is taking hold today. settled. Well, OK. At leastThe Times is unpleasant message. ‘We removed the Francis made the appeal during a out and proud with its suppression of post below because it doesn’t follow the speech to U.N. Secretary-General Ban skeptics. Thanks for the warning. Facebook Community Standards.’” Ki-moon and the heads of major U.N. Over on Facebook, the censors are Mr. Starnes continues: “I reached out agencies who met in Rome this week. hard at work, removing postings that to Facebook to find out which part of Latin America’s first pope has fre- offend liberal sensibilities. This is not the message violated their standards. quently lashed out at the injustices of to be confused with Mozilla Firefox’s Never heard back. I suspect I should’ve capitalism and the global economic recent forced resignation of CEO used the term illegal-alien cows. system. On Friday, Francis called for the Brendan Eich for donating $1,000 six “It’s not the first time my postings United Nations to promote a “world- years ago to a campaign for California’s have been bleeped by the Facebook wide ethical mobilization” of solidarity Proposition 8 marriage amendment. Purge Police . I’ve been banished, with the poor. A few days ago, Facebook removed a blocked, and censored for writing about He said a more equal form of eco- posting by Fox News and Commentary Chick-fil-A, God, the Bible, Paula Deen, nomic progress can be had through radio host Todd Starnes that was slyly Cracker Barrel rocking chairs, sweet tea, “the legitimate redistribution of eco- critical of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. Jesus, the Gaither Vocal Band, the Gide- nomic benefits by the state, as well as Mr. Bush, a Republican, had said that ons, the National Rifle Association, and indispensable cooperation between the “many” illegal immigrants came here June bugs.” private sector and civil society.” “because they had no other means to It’s not possible in one column to Francis urged the U.N. to promote work to be able to provide for their fam- chronicle all the ways the political left development goals that attack the root ily. Yes, they broke the law, but it’s not a is suppressing dissent to turn America causes of poverty and hunger, protect felony. It’s an act of love.” into a socialist paradise. They want the environment, and ensure dignified

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labor for all. of art and major shares in global com- Trotsky. Their ideas led to the deaths Friday’s audience came just days after panies. Gold ingots could be sold for of millions, he said. the Holy See was battered in a second redistribution purposes, Savage said. Savage also suggested Francis is trying round of grilling by a U.N. committee Francis on Friday told a group of U.N. to unify the masses in South America over its record of handling priestly sex delegates, including Secretary-General and Africa and get the haves to rise up abuse. Neither the pope nor Ban spoke Ban Ki-moon, that they should urge against the have-nots. of the issue. Francis did refer to another world governments to back “the — Greg Richter topic at the U.N. hearings: the church’s legitimate redistribution of economic Newsmax opposition to abortion, which U.N. benefits by the state, as well as indis- May 11, 2014 committee members have criticized as pensable cooperation between the an impediment to women’s access to private sector and civil society.” reproductive health care. Savage’s response: “It’s Karl Marx in a Francis called for respect for life papal outfit.” “from conception to natural death,” He noted that Francis is from Argenti- and his denunciation of the “culture of na, home to liberation theology along death” echoed previous papal exhorta- with much of Latin America, in the tions against abortion. 1960s and ‘70s. And although Francis During the meeting, Ban invited himself never practiced liberation Francis to speak to the United Nations. theology, “he was certainly shaped by The Vatican hasn’t confirmed any such it,” Savage said. trip, but Francis is widely expected Liberation theology focuses on the to visit the U.S. in September 2015 plight of the poor, though critics to participate in a church meeting on such as Savage have long claimed it is families in Philadelphia, making a U.N. Christianized Marxism. stop likely. Savage said he already pays 39.7 per- — Nicole Winfield cent federal tax and 13 percent state Associated Press tax in California as well as various May 10, 2014 local taxes. Conservative radio talk show host “But that’s not enough for the pope or Michael Savage says if Pope Fran- Obama or the other Marxists on the cis wants income redistribution, he planet,” he said. “How does the pope should start with his own Church. differ from the Occupy Movement?” On his Friday show, Savage said he The Catholic Church, he said, op- would bid $1 million for Michelan- posed Marxism “until this pope.” gelo’s famous painting on the ceiling Though various Catholic priests of the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican. throughout Central and South Amer- “The reason I’m offering that money ica have championed liberation theol- to the pope and the Vatican is so they ogy, the Vatican itself has opposed can redistribute the wealth that begins what it has termed Marxist elements. in the Vatican itself,” Savage said. Savage accused Francis of violating the Savage said he was making a point that “separation of church and state” and there is vast wealth within the Catho- warned he’s heard the same talk from lic Church, including priceless works Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin, and Leon

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