NICARAGUAN NIGHTMARE: SANDINISTAS ATTACK CHURCHES

SEPTEMBER 15, 2018

As Pope Francis comes under fire, Protestants in the U.S. face a church-too movement WE

Accuser April Avila TOOspeaks up

A PERSECUTED, FORGOTTEN PEOPLE: THE UIGHURS OF WESTERN CHINA

CONTENTS | September 15, 2018 • Volume 33 • Number 17

32 19 44

48 52

FEATURES DISPATCHES 7 News Analysis / Human Race / 32 Crouching at every door Quotables / Quick Takes Sexual abuse is a problem in both Roman Catholic and Protestant churches—and here are three environments in which Protestants CULTURE are especially vulnerable 19 Movies & TV / Books / 44 Going to pot Children’s Books / Q&A / Music As states legalize marijuana, tobacco companies are indicating NOTEBOOK their interest in the reefer business 57 Lifestyle / Technology / Politics 48 No place sacred VOICES 4 Joel Belz Amid protests across Nicaragua and efforts by Christians to help the hurting, a worsening government crackdown targets 16 Janie B. Cheaney Nicaragua’s churches and Christian organizations 30 Mindy Belz 61 Mailbag 52 A forgotten people? 63 Andrée Seu Peterson China is holding hundreds of thousands of minority Uighurs in re-education camps, and Chinese financial muscle is keeping 64 Marvin Olasky much of the world silent about it

ON THE COVER: Photo by Alex Garcia/Genesis

Give the gift of clarity: wng.org/giftofclarity Notes from the CEO “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof; the world and those who dwell therein.” wrote about the cost of paper last time (refresher: it’s going up) —Psalm 24:1

and now I’ll write about the other big “P” that affects the way we Chief Content Officer Nick Eicher deliver WORLD to you, and that’s postage. Editor in Chief Marvin Olasky Senior Editor Mindy Belz I It, too, is going up. With postage costs, it is impossible to know with much cer- Editor Timothy Lamer tainty or specificity just how much they’ll rise. In the past, new National Editor Jamie Dean Managing Editor Daniel James Devine calendar year rates for periodicals have been based on the annual Art Director David K. Freeland Consumer Price Index through August. This year, with the index rising about 3 Associate Art Director Robert L. Patete Reporters Emily Belz • Charissa Crotts percent, we can expect at least that much of an increase in January. Sophia Lee • Jim Long • Harvest Prude East Asia Bureau June Cheng • Angela Lu Fulton In addition, the Postal Regulatory Commission may approve a plan to allow an Story Coach Susan Olasky Senior Writers Janie B. Cheaney additional 3 percent increase over the rate of inflation, which could mean some- Andrée Seu Peterson • John Piper Edward E. Plowman­ • Lynn Vincent thing in the neighborhood of a 6 percent increase. Correspondents Sandy Barwick • Megan Basham But that’s not all. Now there’s talk that Washington plans to reexamine the Julie Borg • Anthony Bradley • Bob Brown Michael Cochrane • John Dawson Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act, and tweak the law to allow for even Juliana Chan Erikson • Katie Gaultney Charles Horton • Mary Jackson • Sharla Megilligan steeper price increases. And readers of periodicals are likely to carry most of the Jill Nelson • Henry Olsen • Arsenio Orteza Jenny Lind Schmitt • Russell St. John load. Marty VanDriel • Jae Wasson Mailbag Editor Les Sillars The law has two goals, in particular, that create tension with one another, and Executive Assistant June McGraw Editorial Assistants Kristin Chapman problems for publishers. 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But, as always, our primary responsibility is deliver high-quality Editorial Assistant Whitney Williams journalism that glorifies God—regardless of what Caesar charges. Website wng.org/radio Executive Producer/Cohost Nick Eicher Managing Editor J.C. Derrick News Editor Leigh Jones Cohost Mary Reichard Reporters Kent Covington • Jim Henry Sarah Schweinsberg Correspondents Paul Butler • Mary Coleman Kevin Martin Laura Finch • George Grant • Kim Henderson Cal Thomas • Emily Whitten [email protected] Producers Johnny Franklin • Carl Peetz (technical) Kristen Flavin (field) Listening In Warren Cole Smith • Rich Roszel It’s not just science, but a study of God’s incredible creation. 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MISSION STATEMENT Biblically objective journalism that informs, WORLD (ISSN 0888-157X) (USPS 763-010) is published biweekly (24 issues) for $59.95 per year by God’s World Publications, educates, and inspires. (no mail) 12 All Souls Crescent, Asheville, NC 28803; 828.232.5260. Periodical postage paid at Asheville, NC, and additional mailing ­offices.Printed ­ in the USA. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. © 2018 WORLD News Group. All rights reserved. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to WORLD, PO Box 20002, Asheville, NC 28802-9998. AOP aop.com It’s not just science, but a study of God’s incredible creation. It’s not just math, but an encounter with a God of order and logical reasoning. It’s not just language arts, but an appreciation for God’s great gift of communication. It’s not just history, but an understanding of mankind and his relationships. It’s not just the Bible, but the living guide for His children.

AOP aop.com VOICES Joel Belz

So we cheer when President Trump seeks— and gets—a defense budget for next year with a staggering price tag of $840 billion. That’s a lot of muscle. But we like it so much better when the strongman of North Korea backs off ­without a shot being fired and ­suggests a peace treaty might be better. And we puzzle over whether it was all that muscle that produced Muscle and the concessions. It’s also why the U.S. Constitution, by any measure still the most effective man-made restraint charter of government ever devised and tested PEOPLE WANT FROM GOVERNMENT WHAT now for almost 2½ centuries, is so slender a document that if you spread its words in EVEN KIDS WANT FROM AUTHORITY ­newspaper format it wouldn’t fill two pages of USA Today. And it’s why that Constitution— “People want to be lightly governed by and especially its amendments—majors­ in R strong governments.” what the federal­ government shouldn’t It was a fine point first brought to my do, and only minors in what it should do. ­attention in the middle of a long editorial in Phrases like “Congress shall make no The Wall Street Journal. That was 25 years law …” are basic to its assumptions. ago—and the observation made such good I think it’s partly why American sense that I was compelled to enlarge on it in ­tourists used to love to go to this column. Now it’s time to reflect on that Washington and feel proud of what that wisdom again. city stood for, barely regretting the cost “People want to be lightly governed by strong of building so magnificent a city. But governments.” it’s also why those same small-business It’s what you’ve yearned for since you were people throw up their hands in dismay a small child. You wanted your dad to be big while trying to understand the newest and strong and able to do anything he wanted— environmental regulations and hiring except that when he dealt with you, it had to be laws. It’s why all of us get disdainful of with tenderness. government while trying to figure our You wanted that, I think, with every authority taxes, and why no three IRS agents can figure who was part of your life, both when you ordinarily figure those same taxes so that were little and ever since. You wanted your ‘People want they come out with the same answers. junior high teacher to know everything there “People want to be lightly governed by strong was to be known and to be able to solve any to be lightly governments.” problem, but never ever to embarrass you in governed The evidence piles up on every side. In a front of your classmates. by strong way, it’s so obvious it hardly needs to be argued. You wanted a policeman on the corner with You know it by intuition. the heft to stop a neighborhood bully, but who governments.’ But ultimately, that’s not how you know it. would also hoist you on his shoulders to help In the end, it’s a theological truth: People want you find your parents when you lost them in to be lightly governed by strong governments the crowd at the county fair. because that’s how God governs. The omnipotent You’ve also wanted a church that knows in governor of the universe is also the one who some detail what it believes, defends that truth invites us so tenderly: “Come unto me all you vigorously, ferrets out error before it does who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give ­serious damage—and deals with you like a you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn shepherd deals with a lamb. from me, for I am gentle and humble in spirit, Lots of muscle, lots of restraint. and you will find rest for your souls. For my There’s an innate yearning in almost all of us yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” for that rare combination in civil government. If the framers of the U.S. Constitution, the When evil leaders rise up, within our borders editors of The Wall Street Journal, and the KRIEG BARRIE and without, we want a government with the ­common citizen agree on these basic truths, even clout to back them down. Yet we never want that is because God Himself quietly implanted that clout turned on us. such truth in our hearts in the first place.A

4 WORLD Magazine • September 15, 2018  [email protected]

Five regional winners were selected based on their embodiment of effective compassion. The overall winner is selected by you.

Voting ends Sept. 8th, so VOTE NOW at wng.org/compassion

HopeAward18-fullpage.indd 1 8/10/18 1:24 PM DISPATCHES News Analysis / Human Race / Quotables / Quick Takes

Morning memorial Flags flew at half-staff at dawn near the U.S. Capitol on Sunday, Aug. 26, in honor of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who died a day earlier. McCain, a Vietnam War hero and two-time presidential candidate, died at his ranch in Arizona at the age of 81 following a battle with brain cancer. J. DAVID AKE/AP

Manage your membership: wng.org/membership September 15, 2018 • WORLD Magazine 7 DISPATCHES News Analysis

Cardinal Archbishop Emeritus Theodore McCarrick greets Pope Francis in 2015.

could lead to the establishment of ­refugee camps lasting for years. Meanwhile, a handful of candidates in the U.S. midterm elections are touting the utopian promises of democratic socialism. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., brought fresh popularity to the idea during the 2016 presidential election, and New York congressional candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has found instant fame with her recent primary win running on a socialist platform. Democratic socialists say comparing them to Maduro isn’t fair, since they aim to make changes through free and fair elections. But Venezuelans freely elected former President Hugo Chávez, largely based on his promises of a vast welfare state that quickly turned social- ist and has now crumbled under his successor. Now, Venezuela’s money is worth so little that its highest use is in Papal and presidential handbags made entirely out of bolívars, worth 0.0004 of a penny on Aug. 24. The New York Times seemed truly pressures enthusiastic only in calling for one very END-OF-AUGUST NEWS: ROME, CARACAS, NEW unlikely resignation: Donald Trump’s. YORK, WASHINGTON by Marvin Olasky & Jamie Dean “Congress, Do Your Job” read one Times headline after a dramatic hour in the afternoon of Aug. 21: As former “He knew from at least June 23, ­resignation of their country’s president, Trump lawyer Michael Cohen pleaded

R 2013, that McCarrick was a serial Nicolás Maduro. What was once the guilty to eight felonies in New York DREW/AP RICHARD • MADURO: IMAGES NEWTON-POOL/GETTY JONATHAN MCCARRICK: predator. … Pope Francis must be the richest nation in Latin America City, a jury near Washington first to set a good example for cardinals now has extreme food was convicting­ former and bishops who covered up shortages, and in late Trump campaign chair- McCarrick’s abuses and resign along August those fleeing man Paul Manafort on with all of them.” his failed socialist eight criminal That’s from a statement Archbishop regime found the charges: bank fraud, Carlo Maria Viganò released on Aug. exodus growing even tax fraud, failing to 26, attaching the pope to accusations more difficult. disclose foreign bank that Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, the Rioters in Brazil accounts. former Washington, D.C., archbishop, drove hundreds of How should we had sexually abused seminarians. The Venezuelan refugees wade through that New York Times twisted itself into a back over the border and swamp? Two pundits pretzel in covering this story: The burned their makeshift­ camps. whose names ended in Z saw Times applauds homosexuality and Residents of the border town of it differently: Politically liberal Alan Francis’ liberalism, dislikes celibacy Cúcuta, Colombia, haven’t responded Dershowitz said, “Trump appears to be and cover-ups, and was obliged to to massive border crossings with vio- guilty of political sins, but not federal report that the pope, in a late evening lence, but many say they can’t absorb felonies or impeachable offenses.” press conference on Aug. 26, did not more refugees into the already-strained Politically conservative Norman deny Viganò’s charge. region. Residents want outside help but Podhoretz wrote seven times in one The Times showed more sympathy are reluctant to have the United Nations column that Trump “committed a for Venezuelans who wanted the officially declare a refugee crisis: That felony.”

8 WORLD Magazine • September 15, 2018 BY THE NUMBERS

(The issue involves Cohen paying off women to stay quiet about two ­possible Trump extramarital affairs, including one with a porn star: Trump has denied both.) Some conservative evangelicals are OK with the present but worried about the future. On the plus side, many are satisfied that President Trump has ­honored his campaign promises regard- ing judicial appointments and done what he can on abortion (not much, given the Senate’s recalcitrance). On The share of money raised by the South Carolina Education Lottery the minus side, it’s clear that leftists that actually goes toward K-12 education. The rest mostly goes using Trump as a community organiz- to colleges, WCIV reported. ing device have also been gratified: 18% Their armies are motivated and growing. What will happen down the road? Are we building a city on a hill, to use the term that Puritan John Winthrop brought to America and President $92 million Ronald Reagan popularized in the The Pentagon’s estimated price tag for a military parade originally scheduled 1980s—or are we slouching toward for Nov. 10, according to an anonymous defense official. The Trump Venezuela? Donald Trump’s particular administration has indefinitely postponed the parade. unpopularity among new and future voters is troubling. One poll showed 82 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds who identify with Republicans saying they “want another Republican to challenge President Trump for the party’s nomi- nation in 2020.” Another poll showed most younger Americans sympathizing with socialism. The last youthful twitch toward socialism came in the 1960s and 1970s, as Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon propelled many to favor what they were against. Ronald Reagan’s skill as a public educator stopped that move- The number of years since a major league team has turned a triple play with- ment: His firm exhortation and gentle out retiring the batter, before the Texas Rangers did so on Aug. 16. humor appealed to the best in us. Today, it’s not surprising that young 106 people instructed for years in public schools, left-dominated colleges, and propagandizing media will repeat what their instructors have taught them. But to avoid a Venezuela-like debacle, we need admirable leaders who can explain how private enterprise serves the public. By the way, we try in WORLD to keep a balance of positive and negative news, and we’re sorry that this issue The U.S. youth unemployment rate in July—the lowest since 1966. has lots of negatives. We’re praying for a better September. A 9.2%

 [email protected]  @WORLD_mag September 15, 2018 • WORLD Magazine 9 DISPATCHES Human Race

presidents, including at the Tried inauguration of Barack Saudi Arabia’s public pros- Obama in 2009. She also ecutor is calling for the won the Presidential Medal ­execution of five activists of Freedom, the nation’s currently on trial before highest civilian award. the Saudi state, including a woman named Israa al- Died Ghomgham. Ghomgham, Kofi Annan, the seventh who has been in jail since secretary-general of the 2015, is well-known for her United Nations and the work spreading and sup- first black African to hold porting the anti-government the position, died on Aug. protests that have been 18 at age 80. In the early going on in the Qatif region 1990s Annan since 2011. But, as Human was in charge Rights Watch pointed of peace- out to the media, keeping none of the state’s operations accusations against for the Ghomgham or the UN, giving other four activists him respon- on trial include vio- sibility for UN lent behavior, making actions during the the call for the death pen- Rwandan genocide and the alty “monstrous.”­ HRW and conflict in Bosnia, where other groups are asking Died finance regulation and fed- he made decisions that Saudi officials to drop the AP VIA TREZZINI/KEYSTONE MARTIAL • ANNAN: MAGANA/AP LUIS JOSE • FRANKLIN: IMAGES WILSON/GETTY MARK MCCAIN: U.S. Sen. John McCain, eral funding for embryonic would haunt him for life charges against Ghomgham. R-Ariz., died on Aug. 25 at stem cell research. and influence his tenure as age 81. McCain, the son and secretary-general. “I real- Deported grandson of admirals, was a Died ized after the genocide that The U.S. government has naval aviator who endured Aretha Franklin, the often- there was more that I could deported Jakiw Palij, an ex- five years of torture as a called “Queen of Soul,” and should have done to Nazi guard, after trying for POW in Vietnam after his died on Aug. 16 at age 76. sound the alarm and rally 14 years to get rid of him. airplane was shot down. He The singer grew up in a support,” he said. He held Palij came to America in refused an opportunity for single-parent home as the the office of secretary-gen- 1949 and lied on his immi- release—offered by his daughter of a Baptist eral for 10 years beginning gration papers about his North Vietnamese captors ­pastor. At 18 Franklin in 1997, becoming known employment during World because of his father’s stat- signed a deal for personal diplomacy and War II. He lived in New ure—and said POWs cap- with Columbia a willingness York City until 1993, when tured before him should be Records and to intervene investigators found him released first. After his launched her in conflicts. and his true background release, he became a con- career in New Annan won came out. The SS trained gressman, senator, and two- York. Franklin the Nobel Palij when he was 18, and time presidential candidate. went on to win Peace Prize he served the Nazis at He lost the 2000 GOP 18 competitive in 2001. Trawniki labor camp in ­nomination for president to Grammys, and occupied Poland in 1943. George W. Bush and then her song The Nazis killed over 6,000 became the GOP nominee “Respect” made Jews in one day in that in 2008, losing the general her an early sym- camp. A federal judge election to Barack Obama. bol for the civil stripped Palij, now 95, of McCain was generally rights and feminist his U.S. citizenship and ­conservative but became movements. Her ordered him deported, but known as a maverick for fame grew, and no country would take him championing liberal causes Franklin would until Germany agreed to do such as strict campaign perform for so this year.

10 WORLD Magazine • September 15, 2018 Visit WORLD Digital: wng.org

DISPATCHES Quotables ‘I ran away from Iraq so I would not see that ugly face and forget anything that reminds me of it, but I was shocked to see him in Germany.’ ASHWAQ HAJI HAMID, a young Yazidi woman who was abducted by ISIS and sold into slavery in Iraq in 2014, on encountering the man who enslaved her in Schwäbisch Gmünd, a town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. “The first time was in 2016,” she said. “He was chasing me. He was the same person, but the second time, he came close to me and told me he knew everything about me.”

‘The most marvelous

‘I wanted CALL/NEWSCOM ROLL WILLIAMS/CQ TOM • JONES: BOURG/REUTERS/NEWSCOM JIM • DUNCAN: IMAGES AFP/GETTY HAMID: HAJI of human Paul Manafort to be achievements innocent, but he wasn’t.’ is to not lose PAULA DUNCAN, a vocal supporter of President hope when Donald Trump who served on the jury for the experience financial fraud trial that resulted in Manafort’s has taught conviction on eight counts. Duncan said that she would have convicted Manafort you hope is on all 18 counts, but the jury had for fools.’ a lone holdout. MARK SALTER, former ­speechwriter and chief of staff to Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., on the death of McCain, who served five years as a POW during­ ‘I’m seeing the Vietnam War. myself more on TV than I did last ‘I won’t say year when I ran.’ a word U.S. Sen. DOUG JONES, D-Ala., on pressure from about it.’ outside groups over the upcoming confirmation POPE FRANCIS on vote for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. claims that he knew about the sexual In the six weeks after the nomination, misconduct of former pro-Kavanaugh groups spent $7.5 million on Washington Archbishop ads supporting the nominee, compared Theodore McCarrick since with the $1.3 million liberal groups 2013, but allowed him to spent opposing him. become a cardinal ­anyway (see p. 32).

12 WORLD Magazine • September 15, 2018 Give the gift of clarity: wng.org/giftofclarity

TORONTO: I-AM-DOGGO/REDDIT • GERMANY: ANDREAS ARNOLD/PICTURE-ALLIANCE/DPA/AP • ILLUSTRATION: KRIEG BARRIE • STINE: MISSOULA COUNTY JAIL • ARBY’S CUP: HANDOUT felony charge. Police arrested arrested Police charge. felony on Aug. 9 on Aug. facing a ­ facing 48-year-old water cup with soda at a restaurant is now is now a restaurant at with soda cup water Robert Daniel Stine A Montana man who allegedly filled his free filled his free A Montana man who allegedly after an Arby’s an Arby’s after A drink far too employee reported reported employee television station on Aug. 16. The next day, city day, The next 16. station on Aug. television the incident. According to to the incident. According Plant in a pothole Residents of a Toronto neighborhood have found success fighting success found have neighborhood of a Toronto Residents Road, residents pitched in to plant tomatoes in the space. With the in the space. plant tomatoes in to pitched residents Road, attention from a local ­ from attention workers dug up the tomatoes and patched the road. City officials say City officials the road. and patched up the tomatoes dug workers plants having grown and setting fruit, the impromptu garden garnered garnered garden fruit, the impromptu and setting grown plants having against potholes by adopting horticultural tactics. After spending weeks spending weeks tactics. After adopting horticultural by potholes against demanding the Canadian city address a massive pothole on Poplar Plains on Poplar pothole a massive city address demanding the Canadian workers transplanted the maturing plants to a nearby community garden. community a nearby plants to the maturing transplanted workers police, Stine put soda in his water cup then tried cup in his water put soda Stine police, him. stop who tried to kick an employee to of a in the restroom Stine found later Authorities a brief altercation After restaurant. Denny’s nearby subdue the to Taser used a in which officers robbery on a felony booked was Stine ­suspect, counts. as misdemeanor as well charge , Quick Takes

Foiled by a fly by Foiled

Volunteers in Nidda, Germany Volunteers September 15, 2018 • captured three lesser world records. world lesser three captured they hoped would be the most mini dominoes hoped would they reaction to begin in the wrong place. Organizer Organizer place. in the wrong begin to reaction tiny, fingernail-sized dominoes, causing the chain dominoes, causing fingernail-sized tiny, to set up. The insect landed near the beginning of the beginning near landed The insect up. set to were nearly finished setting up dominoes for what setting up dominoes finished nearly were the set, so the run—though shortened—still lasted lasted shortened—still the run—though so the set, 15 minutes, toppled nearly 600,000 dominoes, and 600,000 nearly toppled minutes, 15 An insect foiled a Guinness world record attempt in attempt record a Guinness world foiled An insect toppled in a chain reaction. A fly landed on one of the reaction. in a chain ­toppled Germany on Aug. 3. on Aug. Germany Patrick Sinner said the run took volunteers two weeks two volunteers Sinner said the run took Patrick assumed her contact lens had been knocked out. knocked lens had been her contact assumed eyelid. The doctor found a cyst that contained a contained that a cyst found The doctor eyelid. the patient’s to very lens. According old contact a shuttle during a by hit in the eye she was mother, 14. She had when she was game badminton that had been stuck in a woman’s eye for 28 years. years. 28 for eye stuck in a woman’s had been that in a doctor to complained 42, recently The patient, her upper around about swelling Scotland, Dundee, Long-lasting lensLong-lasting lens a contact removed have in Scotland Doctors DISPATCHES WORLD Magazine 14 SYROS: GOD’S LITTLE PEOPLE CAT RESCUE • NURSES: ROSS D. FRANKLIN/AP • SONNEBORN: CHARLES KRUPA/AP • ILLUSTRATION: KRIEG BARRIE • NEW ZEALAND: HELEN MACKY Manage your membership: wng.org/membership told the Hungarian news outletParameter. Plácido Domingo, butnot like this,” oneneighbor received acourt order to stop, she persisted. “Ilike sound ofabarkingdog. Andeven after she from Plácido Domingo, inorder to drown outthe she began playing themusic,whichfeatures vocals ­sunset every day since 2002. Neighbors claimed Verdi’s been playing afour-minute segment ofGiuseppe Slovakia, thewoman—identified onlyas Eva—had for 16 years. According to police inSturovo, she allegedly blared anopera onherstereo system a woman andcharged herwithharassment after Authorities inasmallSlovakian town have arrested song old Same nurses by makingtwo additionsto thesaladbar:picklesandolives. meanwhile, hasmadechanges, too, reportedly responding to arequest from oneofthepregnant nursing shortage asthenurses are allduebetween September andFebruary. cafeteria, Thehospital pregnant at thesametime,butthat ithappenedthat way. says Thehospital it’s planningfor a only counting thenurses intheintensive care unit.Thenurses say they didn’t planto become Banner Desert MedicalCenter inMesa,Ariz.,iscurrently dealing with16 pregnancies—and that’s Laboring together La Traviata onaloopfrom sunrise to Police inasmallNew Zealand town deployed part oftheislandnation received phone calls fast food to capture apig causing chaos ona busy street. Officialsin Waihiinthenorthern church. Apolice spokesman saidhebelieves rolls to tricktheanimalinto amakeshift pen turned to KFC. Police used french friesand about astray pig that weighed inexcess of 300 poundsonAug. 12.After conventional tactics totactics round upthehog failed, officers Hoof-licking good? Hoof-licking constructed onthelot ofaPresbyterian the pig was anescaped pet. Syros andwhat Bowell callsa“livingwage.” job would provide livingaccommodations ontheislandof would includethecaringandproviding for 55 cats, andthe be olderthan45andhave “cat-whispering skills.” Duties Little People Cat Rescue owner, theideal candidate would Greek islandintheAegean Sea. According to theGod’s to hire someone to runhercat sanctuarylocated ona an August Facebook post,Bowell wrote that she’s looking Do you like cats? Joan Bowell may have thejobfor you. In wanted Cat whisperer September 15, 2018 15, September long shot against incumbent vote andfinished fourth. The he lives, 15.8 taking percent. in 2017, advantage taking of paring to enter hisfreshman requirement for candidates. captured 8.2 percent ofthe cast ballots for themselves, teenager didslightly better 14-year-old Ethan was pre Republican Gov. PhilScott. ­quixotic politicalcampaign Ethan Sonneborn In theAug. 14Democratic in Addison County, where Hallquist, isconsidered a Vermont’s lack ofanage gubernatorial candidate. Democratic nomination and fourth While other candidates primary election, Ethan odd Election Day for a The winner, Christine Sonneborn began his Fourteen vying for Vermont’s year of high school. • WORLD Magazine WORLD had an hadan - 15 VOICES Janie B. Cheaney

Arthur Brooks was so concerned about the contempt he saw in public life he asked the Dalai Lama what to do about it. The sage replied, “Practice warmheartedness.” Perhaps we should practice “heartedness” first. That is, contemplate God’s heart, then critically examine our own. “God is mighty, and does not despise any,” claims the brash Elihu (Job 36:5). Is this true, Heaping doses or a typical Job-counselor platitude? God pours out righteous anger because He takes His image-bearers seriously enough to hold them of contempt accountable. But His contempt is rare. In Psalm AMERICAN PUBLIC DISCOURSE SEVERELY 73:20, He will despise the wicked “as phantoms” after they’ve lived all their days and made all LACKS ‘HEARTEDNESS’ their evil choices. By then they will actually be phantoms, not human beings. In a lecture at the Harvard Kennedy Nahum prophesied that the Lord R School last year, Arthur Brooks, of the would pour contempt on Nineveh, American Enterprise Institute, analyzed the but only after showing great state of public discourse: “We don’t have an ­compassion for the Ninevites and anger problem in American politics. We have a rebuking the prophet who despised contempt problem in American politics.” them (Jonah 4:11). God laughs pre- Though “Contempt” was not the subject of the sumptuous rebels to scorn in Psalm lecture, audio engineers chose those comments 2—before urging them to repent. to feature in a promotional video on Facebook. Far more often, it’s the people Within a very short time, the video had received who despise God. See Numbers over 12 million views—making Brooks think he 14:11, 1 Samuel 2:17, Malachi 1:6, might have touched a nerve. and one of the most heartbreaking In political conversation, it’s not persuasive passages in all of Scripture: “He reasoning that tallies up likes and retweets, but was despised and rejected by men.” the ability to “skewer” or “destroy” an opponent. If we were to ask people on the In everyday life, scoring often matters more than street, “Do you despise God?” most peacemaking. Has this ever happened to you? would reply, “Of course not!” Some 1 You’re making a deeply felt argument over I doubt that would even claim to love God. But He might a religious or political issue, and become aware have a different view: “You hate ­discipline, and that your opponent is only listening for a gaffe God values you cast my words behind you” (Psalm 50:17). to exploit or a pause to seize. our capacity He’s speaking to His own people there, those 1 You overhear two colleagues at work to skewer who claim to be on His side while carelessly ­discussing Christians, and their tone is so assuming He is on theirs. ­dismissive and scornful it makes your stomach Democrats, God has words about how we think and what hurt. atheists, or we say about each other, both in the church and 1 You bring up a sensitive subject with your Unitarians. outside it: “In humility count others more spouse, and the minute you get worked up or ­significant than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3). emotional, the eye-rolling starts. “Honor everyone” (1 Peter 2:17). “Be quick to If so, you know what contempt feels like—on hear, slow to speak” (James 1:19). When deal- the receiving end. Now ask yourself honestly: ing with ideological opponents, those are words Have I ever listened only to attack? Mocked we are prone to throw behind us. Why do we anyone who believed and acted differently? judge other people’s motives? Why do we call GEORGEPETERS/GETTY IMAGES Brushed off loved ones when they got upset? names? “My brothers,” says James, “these That’s what contempt feels like on the giving things ought not to be so” (3:10). end. It may be a fleeting emotion you regret I doubt that God values our capacity to later, but how do you feel about comedians who skewer Democrats, atheists, or Unitarians. We make jokes about abortion or transgender are not His shock troops but His agents of activists who persecute innocent cake bakers? ­reconciliation, sent not to destroy our enemies Can you draw a line between despising the but to pray for them and plead with them. If actions and despising the person? we don’t, who will? A

16 WORLD Magazine • September 15, 2018  [email protected]  @jbcheaney

wng.org/podcast

See the world clearly

TWE-FullPageAd_clearly.indd 5 6/8/18 1:43 PM CULTURE Movies & TV / Books / Children’s Books / Q&A / Music

Movies Holy terror? FILMMAKERS ARGUE HORROR FILMS CAN HAVE A PLACE IN CHRISTIAN LIFE by Megan Basham & Sarah Schweinsberg

Of all the film sets a for the Christian imagina- ism’s rejection of the hellish ­pro-family and pro-life R reporter for a tion. Dante had his Inferno, in our storytelling deprives implications, is leagues Christian magazine might Marlowe his Faustus, and us of the chance to reflect on away from the gory Saw expect to visit, one for hor- Bosch the hell panel from serious aspects of our faith. franchise. “But both are ror would probably come his Garden of Earthly Christian and horror novel- labeled horror,”­ Duran said. in dead last. Spooks, spirits, Delights, not to mention ist Mike Duran wrote a He believes that while each and things that go bump in Shakespeare’s “weird sis- book on the subject and has of us is beholden to our the night aren’t exactly ters” terrifying Elizabethan argued in outlets like The own consciences as laid out synonymous with popular audiences. More recently, Gospel Coalition for a fresh in Romans 14, Christians evangelical viewing. Yet the reading Frank Peretti’s engagement with the genre. should reconsider our filmmakers behind a new tales of the demonic was With the caveat that modern notion of edifying film,The Nun, invited almost a rite of passage for Christians should be dis- viewing being the same as WORLD to check out their pulp-minded believers of cerning of any entertain- safe or inoffensive viewing. creepy Romanian abbey the 1980s. Since then, how- ment we consume, Duran “Dante, Marlowe, van der and chat with their cast ever, you’d be hard-pressed points out that what consti- Weyden, Arthur Machen, and crew in both Bucharest to name a major Christian tutes horror is quite diverse. and Flannery O’Connor and Mexico City. film or book to deal with The recent filmA Quiet have been consigned to Once upon a time, hor- anything more frightening Place, which has strong another era, anomalies rors, or, at least, depictions than atheist professors. from [our] distant past.” of the horrific, weren’t such Some Christian artists Taissa Farmiga as Sister The Nun screenwriter

WARNER BROS. PICTURES an unusual preoccupation think modern evangelical- Irene in The Nun Gary Dauberman (who also

 [email protected]  @megbasham September 15, 2018 • WORLD Magazine 19 CULTURE Movies & TV

co-wrote 2017’s monstrously larly after a few unexplained successful It) champions occurrences, like medicine The Nun and the Conjuring cabinets falling off the walls universe it comes out of as and strange symbols something more in line with appearing in cracks in the what Duran describes as pavement. Director Corin possibly acceptable horror— Hardy only half laughs a story that takes paranor- while admitting he “felt mal evil seriously in which safer” after the ecclesiasti- Movie a priest and a young novi- cal visit. tiate confront a demonic The priest may have force in the form of a nun. merely psychosomatically Crazy Rich Asians Dauberman says he person- soothed some skittish Crazy Rich Asians storyline is universal, ally gravitates to scary nerves, but it’s interesting R checks off every maybe even clichéd: supernatural stories like this how many of the Hollywood requirement of a romantic Stinking rich boy Nick because, “For me it’s like the skeptics were willing to comedy: Gorgeous lovers? Young (Henry Golding) belief in something beyond extend their faith that far at Check. A wacky, punch- meets girl-­next-door line-winning sidekick? Rachel Chu (Constance us. If evil exists, if these least. Check. A jeans-to-­ Wu) in Manhattan. Nick demonic forces exist, then It remains to be seen Cinderella-gown transfor- brings Rachel to so must the good forces.” whether The Nun lives up mation? Check. A happily Singapore to meet his Duran says such attrac- to Duran’s criteria for wor- ever after? Well, you’ll family, which Rachel didn’t tion only makes sense, even thy horror. If nothing else, have to watch the movie. realize was like the royal for nonbelievers, because director Hardy, who origi- Yes, Crazy Rich Asians family of Southeast Asia. stories that draw on the nally studied to be an artist, is a mindlessly fun movie Nick’s mother Eleanor existence of angels versus may have inadvertently like other mainstream (Michelle Yeoh) disap- demons, heaven versus hell, offered some wisdom to rom-coms—but here’s proves of Rachel, and has appeal to our innate recog- aspiring Christian storytell- something it checks off no problem­ letting Rachel nition of Biblical reality. ers in any genre: “I learned that others don’t: It know. Conflict ensues. This could account for why early on in painting that I boasts a majority-Asian What’s different about churches and clergy con- always did better by begin- cast hailing from America this movie is how it high- tinue to loom large in what ning with the darkness and to the U.K. to Malaysia, lights the familiar conflict is arguably the industry’s then bringing in the light. and the few white actors of Asian-Americans who play waiters and show- will never be Asian or most profitable genre even You can’t get a contrast with girls. Crazy Rich Asians is American enough. For as our culture grows more a constant day-lit scene.” A the first wave of a move- example, when Rachel secular. ment to bring more Asians proudly tells Eleanor how In Bucharest onto the big screen. hard her immigrant The Nun cast BOX OFFICE TOP 10 The last Hollywood mother worked so her and crew pro- FOR THE WEEKEND OF AUG. 24-26 studio movie to feature a daughter could pursue according to Box Office Mojo vide proof of majority-Asian contem- her passion, Eleanor gri-

Duran’s point. CAUTIONS: Quantity of sexual (S), violent­ (V), porary characters was maces. To the matriarch, To the degree and foul-language (L) ­content on a 0-10 scale, The Joy Luck Club from that story shows how that any express with 10 high, from kids-in-mind.com 25 years ago, another Americanized Rachel is religious belief S V L novel-based movie that to prioritize her own it’s agnosticism `1 Crazy Rich Asians* PG-13...... 4 3 5 earned about $33 million. ambition over her family. `2 ...... or nonspecific The Meg PG-13 1 6 4 Crazy Rich Asians has so At its core, Crazy Rich `3 New Ageism. The Happytime far fared much better: It Asians is exactly what its Murders R...... 8 6 10 PICTURES BROS. BUCKO/WARNER SANJA Yet several grossed $26.5 million in title suggests: a movie `4 Mission: Impossible— its opening weekend, and about crazy rich Asians ­people are Fallout* PG-13...... 1 6 5 then made $25 million its doing crazy rich things, amusingly eager `5 Mile 22* R...... 2 8 10 second weekend—an like literally throw money `6 PG...... 1 2 1 to share that a Christopher Robin* unusually strong second into the air. Most Asian- `7 ...... priest blessed Alpha* PG-13 1 6 1 weekend, especially for a Americans like me can’t `8 ...... the set early in BlacKkKlansman R 1 5 10 romantic comedy. relate to that, but hey, shooting. They `9 Slender Man PG-13...... 2 6 5 For a movie that even wealthy people describe how `10 A.X.L. PG...... 2 5 1 claims to represent wrap pork dumplings as

this comforted *Reviewed by WORLD Asian-Americans, the we do. —by SOPHIA LEE them, particu-

20 WORLD Magazine • September 15, 2018 Isaac and Kingsley Hideously plump, beaming, matronly house- wife who brews normal tea for guests. OPERATION FINALE One night in a stakeout, Peter PORTRAYS EICHMANN watches the Nazi AS AN EVIL EVERYMAN clutch his blond by Sophia Lee infant son at the ­window as they watch the train whoosh by—and it disturbs Peter to see the image of evil reside in the posture of a loving father. Nevertheless, Peter believes he can keep his cool Don’t expect exciting extradite Eichmann to Israel intensity by Oscar Isaac), as he tells Eichmann his R spy thriller action in for trial. To do so, the Israelis who still has nightmares name, shares a cigarette with Operation Finale, a true-life need to enter Argentina about the murder of his sis- him, and helps him shave. drama about how Israeli with fake passports, hide ter and her children. It takes And thus begins a cat-and- secret agents flew to him from the officials who every ounce of self-will not mouse psychological battle— Argentina to kidnap Adolf safeguarded him, and some- to throttle Eichmann as he but it’s uncertain who’s the Eichmann, the so-called how ferry him out without peacefully sleeps in his bed cat and who’s the mouse: “architect of the Final drawing suspicion. in his pajamas, but he needs Peter tries to convince Solution.” As exciting as the It’s a messy international to convince Eichmann to Eichmann to agree to facing plot sounds, the most affair, but not as messy as sign an official document the jury in Israel; Eichmann ­energetic moment in this the internal conflict stewing agreeing to a trial in insists that he was just movie involves one clumsy within the Mossad agents Jerusalem. To do so, Peter ­following orders, so why kidnapping scene. over their mission. One decides to appeal to should he bear the “mis- For the rest of the ­evening as they sit eating Eichmann’s humanity—that takes” of his country? “We’re 122-minute movie, you’ll see dinner, they ask each other is, if he has one. all animals,” he tells Peter. a blindfolded Nazi napping, whom they had lost to the An Israeli court psychia- Operation Finale plays eating crackers, and doing Holocaust, and one agent trist who interviewed the same psychological game squats in a makeshift prison chills everyone into silence Eichmann before his 1961 on the audience: Should while his captors wait for when he reveals, “I’m the trial once proclaimed him a Eichmann gain sympathy him to agree to a trial—and only one left.” “completely normal man, from us? Dare we, should that seems to be the whole They wonder why they’re more normal, at any rate, we, buy his reasoning that point: How is it that someone sacrificing their own safety than I am after examining any individual—including who helped ship 6 million to bring Eichmann out alive him.” Indeed, Eichmann us—would have done the Jews to their deaths can in one piece so he can receive (played with steely brilliance same if placed in his shoes? appear so unremarkable? the dignity of a fair trial, by Ben Kingsley) seems What if evil doesn’t just And how do you bring such where he would undoubt- utterly, pathetically human: sound like the lunatic cack- a man to justice? edly defend his atrocities to He’s a near sighted, aging les of a serial killer who The year is 1960, and the world. “Why are we factory worker living with delights in his cruelty—but someone sends a tip to the making him famous?” one his wife and two sons in the the logical, emotionless Mossad that Adolf Eichmann agent growls. “We should put dusty suburbia of Buenos excuses of an ordinary- is hiding under a fake iden- him down like a mad dog!” Aires. For his wedding looking man who till his tity in Argentina. Mossad One of them is Peter ­anniversary, he buys fresh death refuses to repent and

METRO GOLDWYN MAYER PICTURES sends a team of spies to Malkin (played with great flowers for his wife, a admit his sins? A

See all our movie reviews at wng.org/movies September 15, 2018 • WORLD Magazine 21 CULTURE Books

Buckley is right says a 10 percent to say that con- increase in immi- Conservative sumption doesn’t gration led to a 6 make for happiness: percent reduction We want to be “man in the black class politics the creator, man the employment rate. UNDERSTANDING TRUMPISM producer. Homo Buckley also faber.” We know the points out that “lib- by Marvin Olasky difference between erals cheered the “the purposeful and the degradation of our popular F.H. Buckley’s The Here’s Buckley’s expla- purposeless life,” and we culture, and then professed R Republican Workers nation: “I am a Marxist to know “there’s nothing more to be surprised when it Party (Encounter, 2018) is the extent that I see truly revolutionary than a spilled over into our politics. the best explanation of America divided into differ- capitalist system that opens … The NeverTrumpers … Trumpism that I’ve ent classes and think its doors to industry and tal- assume that they’re entitled seen. President this is a revolu- ent, that erases unearned to something better than a Trump himself tionary time. … privileges.” President Trump. But wher- used that It is like 1917, Buckley sees the immi- ever did they get that idea?” “Workers except that gration battle as a subset of One reason for our cul- Party” term now it’s the class struggle: “The wealthy tural degradation: Schools at the 2017 Left that is are better off when their and media train young peo- CPAC con- counter­ goods and services are pro- ple in nihilistic values. That ference to revolutionary, duced more cheaply by could change if Trump describe what Buckley wanting to immigrants, but these gains comes through on the he wanted the keep things as come at a cost to poorer pledge he made at the 2017 GOP to be, and Buckley they are, unjust, unequal. Americans who lose their Values Voter Summit: to (who has written speeches … It wasn’t free-market jobs or whose wages are “break the government for Trump) doesn’t shy ­capitalism that made us pushed down by competi- monopoly and make schools away from its Marxist immobile. Instead, it was all tion with immigrant labor.” compete to provide the best sound—except that he calls the barriers to advancement He cites one study that con- services for our children. himself a “right-wing that liberals created, through tends a 10 percent increase The money will follow the Marxist” and says, “I see statutes and regulations in immigration depressed student to the public, pri- public policy questions that place a stumbling block the earnings of native-born vate, or religious school that through an economic in the path of those who Americans by 4 percent is best for them and their prism.” seek to rise.” between 1960 and 2010. He family.”

BOOKMARKS happening to many as “Christian.” He criticizes “high-­ Are we heading back to a religious Christians around production church services that feel world like that of the Roman the world. more like a concert and TED talk than Empire in the second century? Alan Noble’s a sacred event.” Michael Kruger’s Christianity at Disruptive Pastors grown weary of interact- the Crossroads (IVP, 2018) Witness: Speaking ing with difficult church members and describes the Christian presence in Truth in a secular antagonists should read that era sociologically, politically, Distracted Age 12 Faithful Men: Portraits of intellectually, and economically. Brian (IVP, 2018) notes that the sower in Courageous Endurance in Pastoral Stanley’s Christianity in the Jesus’ parable found some good soil Ministry, edited by Collin Hansen and Twentieth Century (Princeton, 2018) not by chance, but because he or Jeff Robinson (Baker, 2018). John is a useful scholarly overview. Under ­others had cultivated it—and we need Bew’s Realpolitik (Oxford, 2016) is a Caesar’s Sword: How Christians to do the same. Noble offers ways to useful survey of how European and Respond to Persecution, edited by thank God for beauty and explains American diplomats concluded that Daniel Philpott and Timothy Samuel why novels that make us uncomfort- faithfulness is irrelevant, since Shah (Cambridge University Press, able may draw us more to God than ­countries have no permanent allies, HANDOUT 2018), overviews what’s currently saccharine art sometimes described only interests. —M.O.

22 WORLD Magazine • September 15, 2018 FOUR NEW NONFICTION BOOKS reviewed by Susan Olasky

BOOK GIRL Sarah Clarkson Clarkson wants everyone to learn the pleasures of the reading life. In this memoir she describes how she inherited a love of books from her parents, especially her mother. She explains how reading introduced her to ideas and characters crucial in her formation. After making a AFTERWORD case for reading, she offers practical suggestions for developing the Merve Emre’s The habits and skills to read well. She also offers annotated book lists in Personality Brokers: The ­different categories, made up of her favorites. Think of it as an adult Strange History of Myers- version of Honey for a Child’s Heart. Briggs and the Birth of Personality Testing PATRIOT NUMBER ONE: AMERICAN DREAMS (Doubleday, 2018) is the IN CHINATOWN Lauren Hilgers engaging biography of a Hilgers tells the gripping story of Zhuang Liehong, a democracy mother/daughter team, activist from a village in southern China who escapes with his wife to Katharine Briggs and Isabel Flushing, N.Y. The book recounts Zhuang’s life in China and then his Briggs Myers. If those names struggle to find a foothold in America. Hilgers has a unique vantage seem familiar it’s because point from which to tell the story: She was a journalist in China they developed the person- ­covering the events in Zhuang’s village—and he sought her out in ality test that came to be New York when he arrived. The book offers a closely observed known as the Myers-Briggs. account of life for newly arrived Chinese immigrants and the Emre also tells the history ­institutions, including church, that help them thrive. of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), begin- UNCENSORED: MY LIFE AND UNCOMFORTABLE ning with Briggs’ infatua- CONVERSATIONS AT THE INTERSECTION OF tion with Carl Jung and her BLACK AND WHITE AMERICA Zachary R. Wood amateur efforts to devise a personal- Recent Williams College graduate Zachary Wood achieved some ity typing system fame when he joined an organization that challenged liberal using his ideas. ­shibboleths by inviting conservative speakers to campus. That’s not Isabel Briggs the interesting part of this book. What’s interesting is his back story: Myers embraced a mentally ill and emotionally abusive mother, a self-sacrificing her mother’s sys- father who lived in another state, and both parents’ desires for their tem, developing, bright son to have the best education they could provide. He writes testing, and refin- frankly—and with unfiltered language—of challenges both at home ing it. She, like and at elite private schools in Michigan and D.C. her mother, believed personality type was fixed: THE CLASS: A LIFE-CHANGING TEACHER, HIS Her test, she believed, could WORLD-CHANGING KIDS, AND THE MOST unlock essential truths INVENTIVE CLASSROOM IN AMERICA about individuals. Heather Won Tesoriero Untrained in statistics, Industrial scientist Andy Bramante decided to chuck that career to dowdy in dress, and suspi- teach high-school science in Greenwich, Conn.—and this book traces cious, she exasperated her a school year with his science research students, the smart, creative colleagues at Princeton’s kids who enter and win elite, national science fairs. The book focuses Educational Testing Service, on six such students, drawing the reader into their lives as they pursue which hoped to verify its big projects while navigating ordinary high-school life. Tesoriero had scientific validity. They incredible access and uses it to showcase Bramante’s energy and failed, but the test took off dedication and the way these kids (many of them children of immigrants) use their privilege to anyway. A fascinating,­ well-

HANDOUT achieve success. Warning: some obscenities and profanities. told story. —S.O.

To see more book news and reviews, go to wng.org/books September 15, 2018 • WORLD Magazine 23 êêêêê CULTURE Children’s Books “The quality of their watches is equal to many that can go for AFTERWORD ten times the price or more.” — Jeff from Safe and secure As children get ready for school in Sarah V.’s The Old McKinney, TX READ-ALOUDS FOR LITTLE ONES reviewed by Mary Jackson Man (Gecko Press, 2018), adults shoo a homeless man from his makeshift sidewalk YELLOW KAYAK Nina Laden bed. The picture book, A young boy and a giraffe set off in a small wooden boat geared for ages 5-8, follows ­anticipating a pleasant day trip. But they face a crisis as a squall the man aimlessly drifting appears, they lose a paddle, and night descends. 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YING FUK-TSANG

Document 19, which said that religious groups could not forcibly convert minors. But this has been interpreted Persevering differently: Is it enough to not coerce them? What if they choose to convert themselves? This was not a law, but a CCP policy. At the time, many cities did churches not allow churches to run children’s ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF CHINA’S GROWING Sunday schools. But as the number of RELIGIOUS RESTRICTIONS by June Cheng churches grew, many parents faced the dilemma that they wanted to attend church on Sundays but didn’t know what Ying Fuk-Tsang directs the will use these minor infractions to close to do with their kids. They couldn’t R Divinity School of Chung Chi the house churches. leave them at home unaccompanied, College, part of the Chinese University Second, President Xi has abolished and the children would disturb others of Hong Kong. I asked him in April how the Religious Affairs bureau and placed if they sat in the service. churches were faring 2½ months after the responsibility of managing religion So churches used this excuse to Beijing implemented new regulations on low-level officials. Village, neigh- start providing child care. They told the that restrict religious activities. Here borhood, and street-level government government officials that it was not a are parts of our interview edited and officials are now responsible for Sunday school, but a child care service translated from Mandarin. ­understanding and investigating the to watch the children. Yet the Christians From a 30,000-foot level, how will religious situation in their area. They in charge of child care would teach the new religious regulations affect have to investigate if there are any them worship songs and tell Bible sto- churches in China? The regulations, a problems. They’ll be judged based on ries. This is how churches found a gray revision of China’s 2005 Regulations on their performance. In Henan many area to start children’s Sunday schools. Religious Affairs, reflect President Xi churches have received notices stating As time went on, children’s Sunday Jinping’s views of religion. Xi since children under 18 are not allowed to schools became so common that offi- 2013 has wanted to use legal means to attend church. They can’t hold Sunday cials in some areas stopped trying to manage and control religious groups. school classes or youth services. regulate them. But now Xi is very con- The biggest change for Chinese Third, the government has also cerned about Christianity growing so churches: The government can point to focused on the separation of church and fast. One reason: Parents bring their specific articles and charge Christians education, especially Sunday school children to church from the time they for breaking the law. classes and college fellowships. Many are little. Government-sanctioned A phrase the government likes to house churches start college Bible study churches won’t publicly baptize use is, “There is no religion outside of groups and evangelize on campus. Some minors, although they may do it quietly. the law, there is no man outside the Christian professors share their faith With such a large number of law.” The government will claim to with students and invite them to church. Christians in the country, how can the ­protect lawful religion and attack only The government is very nervous about government enforce this law in all of unlawful religion. It will use the law to this and is enforcing the ban on religious China? There’s no way to control all of regulate and control house churches. activities and evangelism on campus. the churches. This is why ever since On the ground, what changes have Fourth, the government is concerned China opened up 30 years ago, Beijing churches in China been experiencing? about party members coming to Christ. hasn’t been able to solve the house First, unregistered house churches: Officials have found this to be a serious church problem. You can’t completely The government doesn’t acknowledge problem and are trying to figure out extinguish house churches: The politi- them, but views them as private gather- why Chinese Communist Party (CCP) cal, administrative, and economic costs ings of Christians. They are not legal. members are professing faith. We’ve are all too big. So the government isn’t The government wants to investigate seen the government deal with this trying to eradicate churches immedi- these house churches, especially looking issue before, but since February it has ately, but to shrink the space they have into whether their meeting places have been more strictly enforced. and to stop outside resources from any fire safety violations or if the group In the past, were minors allowed at flowing into them. They will persecute received any noise complaints. They church? In 1982, the CCP released selected regions to make others afraid

26 WORLD Magazine • September 15, 2018 Does international concern about certain churches and ­pastors help them or harm them? International concern has some use, but it may be decreas- ing as China becomes stronger. Before China entered the World Trade Organization, China was more concerned about its ­international image and the United States could press China regarding human rights and ­religious freedom issues. But now that China is the second- largest economy, it can say it is going to walk its own path. If the international community sees China persecuting a certain group and no one criticizes it, then the Chinese government might go even further. When the Zhejiang govern- ment took down church crosses, many foreign media outlets ­criticized the move, and that influenced the government’s actions. If international groups are concerned with a certain church, the Chinese government could claim the church has ­connections with Western groups and it could get in trouble. But if more reporters write about the bad things the government is doing, it will bring some protections. ‘There is hope in knowing political What hope do you have for power can’t extinguish religion.’ the future of the Chinese church? There is hope in knowing political power can’t extinguish religion. The Chinese government and more willing to work with the The Chinese government often wanted to do that during the Cultural government. mentions its desire to “sinicize” Revolution, so it shut down all religious How is Beijing trying to shut down Christianity. Could you explain this gatherings and it looked like religion house churches? The regulations note term? It’s about political identity: had died—but religion grew very fast that if a landlord rents his building to Christianity must love the CCP leaders after that. Not only did believers an unlawful religious group, he could and support socialism. Christians are ­individually keep their faith alive get in trouble. In the past the govern- required to interpret the Bible in ­during the Cultural Revolution, but ment would put informal pressure on ­accordance with the core values of they evangelized to others. landlords, but now they will be fined. socialism and get rid of anything that Right now regulations around This means less room for house doesn’t contribute to China’s progress. … churches are very strict, but the number churches because they can’t even find a Churches need to improve to face of Christians is so large that the church is space to meet. In the future, when ­challenges: Is a church theologically an important social presence. We don’t house churches try to rent a space, the knowledgeable enough to counter need to fear a large-scale eradication: landlord will ask if it’s for unlawful those ideas? Does it have enough legal The power of faith comes from God.

KENNETH HU/KEN8 PHOTOGRAPHY HU/KEN8 KENNETH ­religious activities. knowledge to protect itself? That is where your hope lies. A

 [email protected]  @WORLD_mag September 15, 2018 • WORLD Magazine 27 CULTURE Music A world of Variations PART II: CLARITY AND WARMTH SHOWCASE THE 2018 GOLDBERGS by Arsenio Orteza

Since the appearance of the last issue’s And lest anyone think that Borregaard has R review addressing new recordings of come by his approach haphazardly, there’s Bach’s Goldberg Variations, at least two more this self-penned confession from his liner have been released. And the one by the notes: “I’m deeply attracted by the fact that ­harpsichordist Wolfgang Rübsam (Naxos music can make us completely forget about Classics) surpasses even those by Diego Ares Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for a brief— and Yoshiko Ieki (see “There-and-back-again but remarkably intense—moment.” His journeys,” Sept. 1). arpeggiated Aria chord shimmers. Actually, Rübsam’s instrument is the Speaking of comparisons and contrasts Baroque-period lute-harpsichord, which (and subtlety), admirers of Beatrice Rana’s ­differs from contemporary harpsichords in its 2017 piano Variations may want to investigate facilitation of the independent voicing of Reiko Fujisawa’s piano Variations (Quartz polyphonic melodies. Hearing Rübsam play Music) if only to ponder the ways in which the Variations on his specially commissioned minuscule differences (such as Fujisawa’s Keith Hill model at the slow, concentration- harder attack) can accumulate gradually into inducing tempos that he prefers is like looking larger ones. at snowflakes (32 to be precise) under a In other words, it’s a lot easier to tell microscope. whether Rana or Fujisawa is playing when The crystalline clarity of each detail invites one juxtaposes their performances as a whole the listener to admire the intricacy and the than when one juxtaposes them Variation by transparency of each Variation’s construction. Variation. (Meanwhile, why Fujisawa has (The arpeggiated chord in the Aria’s 11th appended as an encore Toru Takemitsu’s measure seems to crumble in slow motion.) If determinedly non-Bachian “Rain Tree Sketch the mind of Bach, as opposed to the minds of II (In Memoriam Olivier Messiaen)”—other the performers, could be said to shine than to demonstrate her delicacy of touch in through any 2018 Goldberg, Rübsam’s is it. the service of impressionistic evocation, that Of course, when the performers’ minds is—is anyone’s guess.) are as translucent as the composer François Contending for the Most Ambitious Meïmoun’s, there can be plenty to savor in Goldberg Variations of 2018 Award are New the hues that the Variations acquire thereby. Goldberg Variations (Dreyer Gaido) by David In its IBS Classical recording of Meïmoun’s Geringas (violoncello) and Ian Fountain arrangement for strings, the female string (piano) and Goldberg 1.5 (Footprint) by My quartet Quatuor Ardeo achieves a glowing, Eklund (recorder) and Lisa Oscarsson legato quality notwithstanding the members’ (organ), aka Kondens. occasional pizzicati. Their Variation 30 (the Both albums come with liner notes that Quodlibet) doesn’t so much march as glide, and unpack their backstories and aims. But the their arpeggiated Aria chord practically melts. short version is that they comprise suites in A similar warmth pervades BIS Records’ which various composers use Bach’s Variations Variations as performed by the classical as a framework within which to make fresh accordionist Andreas Borregaard. One may musical statements. As theatergoers know, not need both Borregaard’s and Philippe the playwright Tom Stoppard made similar Thuriot’s 2015 accordion renditions, but use of Hamlet for Rosencrantz and there are differences, one of which is that Guildenstern Are Dead. Were one to wax Borregaard opts for subtler, more subdued Shakespearean in describing Kondens’ effects and a more cloistered if not quite ­mysterious, dreamlike timbres, The Tempest ­hermetic mood that some listeners anyway would come to mind. might consider more appropriate to the And although the pleasures of New Variations’ innate grandeur than Thuriot’s Goldberg Variations are more cerebral than somewhat festive, public-spirited take. intuitive, they’re pleasures all the same. A

28 WORLD Magazine • September 15, 2018  [email protected]  @ArsenioOrteza NEW OR RECENT RELEASES reviewed by Arsenio Orteza

ARTHUR BUCK Arthur Buck The Arthur is Joseph, the seldom boring singer-song- writer-visual-artist. The Buck is Peter, the guitarist ­without whom R.E.M. might never have taken the ­underground overground. And if this collaboration isn’t the strongest musical statement that either has ever made, neither is it anywhere close to their weakest. As ENCORE the programmed drums seem to emerge from the One can learn a lot about acoustic-electric-guitar mesh, the lyrics seem to emerge Circus of Life (Echo Hill), from the hooks. They also resonate on more than one the firstKinky Friedman level even when they’re calling for another American album of original material revolution. in decades and the most subdued Kinky Friedman GAME DAY Peter Holsapple album ever, from what its The Holsapple album that this one most recalls is Like creator recently said about This, which he recorded 34 years ago as the leader of it in an interview: “There’s the dB’s. Both find him up to his elbows in the just no chance that you can ­power-pop basics, distorting them until they conform to write 12 great songs in your the needs of the songs, each of which is about someone 70s.” It’s not a risky assess- or something so specific that you feel as if you know ment. Going 12 for 12 is hard him, her, or it or at least that you should. “Inventory” is under any conditions. Still, it would be interesting to especially recommended to anyone tempted to lay up know what Friedman treasures for himself upon earth. means by “great.” Does he mean clever THE TREE OF FORGIVENESS John Prine enough to turn holding Prine has survived cancer twice, and he chuckles in the Willie Nelson in the “high- face of death. The down-home, seen-through-a-glass- est” regard into a double darkly impressions of the afterlife in the rollicking entendre? Or does he simply “When I Get to Heaven” are no more irreverent than mean anything less senti- those in the old National Review cartoon in which one mental than the song about haloed cloud dweller offers another a cigarette and says, him and his guitar or the “It doesn’t matter now, does it?” Considered from song about a kitten named another angle, it balances “God Only Knows” (not the after a fighter plane? My Beach Boys’), which immediately precedes it and isn’t guess is that he means funny (or irreverent) at all. “Jesus in Pajamas,” which he adapted from the pages of his own life—and, whether IMITATION WOOD GRAIN & OTHER he knows it or not, from the FOLK SONGS Ben Vaughn last dozen verses of One significant difference between these “folk” songs Matthew 25. —A.O. and the rock ’n’ roll songs that Vaughn recorded for Restless circa 1985 to ’90 is that these feature Vaughn and only Vaughn—his aw-shucks voice, his carefree ­nostalgia, his acoustic guitar, and, on two songs, trumpet imitations courtesy of his breath and lips. Another is that he’s not as insightful as he used to be. But he’s still funny. “Echo Chamber Blues” has coffee-house-crowd- favorite written all over it. The rest would certainly do

ANTHONY PIDGEON/REDFERNS/GETTY IMAGES PIDGEON/REDFERNS/GETTY ANTHONY for a campfire.

To see more music news and reviews, go to wng.org/music September 15, 2018 • WORLD Magazine 29 VOICES Mindy Belz

Trot as a way to gain perspective. I sent it off to colleagues for feedback on whether it was worth doing. To my surprise, they quickly said it was. Anyone can type a catalog of news in a wide-open field. What were my criteria? To begin, Psalm 24:1, which has opened the pages of WORLD since its beginnings: “The earth is Why globe trot? the Lord’s and the fullness thereof; the world and those who dwell therein.” God’s people ENDLESS NEWS CYCLES ACTUALLY LIVE have a front-row seat on the nations because INSIDE THE DRAMA OF REDEMPTION He made and cares for them, broken and all. Next, the work of Christ is Above my desk hangs a cross-stitched redeeming “all things, whether on R banner made by a refugee from Syria: earth or in heaven,” as Paul writes “The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears in Colossians 1:20. This energizes from all faces.” our global engagement with the The banner captures why I do what I do, profound idea that men and trotting the globe figuratively and literally. The women created in the image of sorrows of the world are real, multidimensional, God engage in works of eternal and heartbreaking. Eternity—what Merriam- value in a trying present. As the Webster calls “endless time”—also is real, Puritan Cotton Mather put it, where the old order of things passes away and “The very wheelbarrow is to be there will be no more death or mourning or with respect looked upon.” crying or pain. With that mandate Globe Trot Where we live right now is in the high launched six years ago, an email of reaches of the arc of that drama, the taut period news sent three times a week. A between problem and resolution. For all its typical offering in August included everyday frustrations and calamities, this the latest recorded speech of ISIS between-time puts us at the pitch of excitement: leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, plus The story is about to get good. the sight of Yazidis returning to a That reality grounds Christian journalists if shrine in Iraq they had managed they take time to reacquaint themselves with it to protect from Baghdadi’s every day, sometimes many times a day. clutches. Then there was a video Otherwise, we ride waves that usually end in clip of Syrian boys jumping—no, chasms of cynicism. We will begin as idealists— This cannon-balling—off a newly installed bridge in with hope in certain institutions, causes, Raqqa, once ISIS headquarters,­ recaptured ­mentors, or political parties, or simple faith in between-time from ISIS last year. In such daily fare, we begin the way society does things—and we will puts us at to see the fallen state of the world, as well as become incurable cynics as one after another the pitch of acts of redemption that leave us relieved, even lets us down. As a journalist for more than 25 laughing. years, I have watched such crashes, and fallen excitement: I did not anticipate how Globe Trot readers myself into chasms of discouragement. The story is would form a unique community—analysts and Some inventions arise from such times, and about to political aides, pilots and farmers, pastors and Globe Trot began that way. I faced a ritual teachers, missionary doctors and one whole ­frustration: too many potential stories coming get good. high-school history department. I didn’t foresee across my desk yet not enough hours in the day how it could spark conversations, and tips. I or fingers on my hands to report and write cannot respond to every comment, but I read them. And I faced a persistent undercurrent them and take to heart especially corrections of despair: Covering war and injustice led and better ideas. The discipline it requires—and inevitably to sitting across from war victims, able assistance currently from new WORLD drinking tea with exiles, widows, and orphans. reporter Charissa Crotts—makes me appreciate

What, in the end, did an endless round of such how such news can quicken us to the high BELZ MINDY news mean? drama that is the world we live in right now. A So one Monday morning in 2012 I typed up Sign up to receive Globe Trot by emailing Mindy a summary of international news I called Globe (see below) or read it online at wng.org/globe-trot

30 WORLD Magazine • September 15, 2018  [email protected]  @mcbelz

FEATURES

Sexual abuse is a problem in both Roman Catholic and Protestant churches—and here are three environments in which Protestants are especially vulnerable CROUCHING AT EVERY DOOR by MARVIN OLASKY, SOPHIA LEE, and EMILY BELZ photo illustration by Krieg Barrie

Warning: This special report contains disturbing information Stories like that display a Roman Catholic problem, right? about alleged ministerial abuse. Look at centralized Catholicism’s opportunity to shuffle priests from one parish to another, few questions asked. Look at the e interrupt our regularly scheduled Catholic ban on priestly marriage, and the pressures that ­publication plan to bring you a special ­creates. Look at homosexuality within the priesthood. report on sexual abuse within Protestant But evangelicals should recognize that clerical sex abuse is churches. widespread, and some evangelical and fundamentalist churches Why now? Last month Pope Francis do cover up problems and pass them on to others. Although the addressed rampant sexual abuse among decentralized nature of Protestantism makes statistics very Catholic clergy: “With shame and repentance, we acknowledge hard to find, we’ve particularly found opportunities for abuse Was an ecclesial community that we were not where we should and cover-ups in three kinds of situations. have been, that we did not act in a timely manner, realizing the (1) Some congregations have dominating pastors with magnitude and the gravity of the damage done to so many lives.” unchecked authority. When Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò accused Francis of (2) Evangelical culture has a conference and lecture circuit ­personal involvement in the cover-up, Francis on Aug. 26 did with celebrities and quasi-celebrities who come to cities for not immediately deny Viganò’s charge. weekend workshops and one-night lectures that provide That flare-up came after a Pennsylvania grand jury report ­opportunities to sin and go, leaving behind casualties. showed more than 300 “predator priests” in that state had raped (3) Megachurch leaders face the ordinary temptations but and molested more than 1,000 victims during a 70-year period. also extraordinary pressure to cover up problems, knowing that Given the number of destroyed documents and silent victims, a sniff of scandal will summon packs of critical reporters. the total is probably understated, and the report does not cover WORLD over the years has paid attention to such misconduct. one-fourth of Pennsylvania dioceses, including Philadelphia’s— For example, “Clergy Sexual Abuse: The Protestant Problem,” a but what it does cover is chilling enough. March 2002 cover story, named names in several churches. For example, Pittsburgh priest George Zirwas for years was We’ve also seen problems beyond the three problem areas the subject of specific allegations by parents and victims. The noted above: The cover headline on a September 2010 issue of grand jury report says he was one among a ring of WORLD read, “Uncovering a Boarding School Sex priests who passed children from one priest to LEB T Abuse Scandal.”­ But we’ve never in one issue looked A EA another, manufactured child pornography, and C M at all three of these major opportunities for sin.

“used whips, violence, and sadism in raping their A We’re also not saying these problems are new.

I

victims.” From 1987 to 1995 supervisors who T A 1984 Fuller Seminary survey of 1,200 ministers N ­allegedly knew of Zirwas’ perversions moved him V R showed 1 in 5 theologically conservative pastors E O from parish to parish. He finally moved to Havana S P admitted to some sexual contact with a church T E I G R and was murdered in his apartment in 2001. A T I V E member outside of marriage. More than two-fifths of

32 WORLD Magazine • September 15, 2018 CROUCHING AT EVERY DOOR

September 15, 2018 • WORLD Magazine 33 “moderate” pastors and half of “liberal” ones acknowledged PART ONE: the same. A 1993 survey showed 6 percent of Southern Baptist pastors acknowledging sexual contact outside of marriage with someone in the congregation. Pastors with The turn of the millennium did not bring improvement. In 2002 Roy Woodruff, executive director of the 3,000-member American Association of Pastoral complete Counselors, estimated­ 15 percent of pastors “either have [violated] or are violating sexual ethical boundaries.” Churches that financially protect themselves against lawsuits authority by taking out umbrella policies covering abuse accusations by Sophia Lee must let insurers know about charges, so here’s another statistic: In 2007, the three largest insurers of Protestant churches and nonprofits in the United States revealed they lmost every kid at Faith Baptist Church (FBC) in receive about 260 reports of child sex abuse each year. Wildomar, Calif., 75 miles southeast of Los Angeles, So why this special report now? Enough is enough. We saw Malo “Victor” Monteiro as a cool youth pastor. He do not know how large the problem is in the Protestant Aknew how to have fun—he jumped into the waves with the world, nor how rates of abuse compare with those of kids at the beach, pulled pranks, and joined all the games. Catholicism, but such comparisons in one sense are beside Former youth group members say he could also be handsy— he would slap the girls’ backsides, wrestle them to the ground, invite them to cling onto him while he rode a jet ski or dirt bike. One time, he dropped a live lizard down April Avila’s shirt, laughing and watching as she squirmed about, trying to We do not know how large the fish the wiggling reptile out from her bra without exposing problem is in the Protestant world, herself. nor how rates of abuse compare Today, Avila is 32 and says she realizes that Monteiro was crossing boundaries. Two decades ago, nobody said anything with those of Catholicism, but out loud. The youth pastor was married, with children. such comparisons in one sense When April and other girls felt uncomfortable, they laughed it off, thinking:If what he did was wrong, surely someone would are beside the point: Sin is stop him … right? Yet when a few adult members saw Monteiro crouching at all our doors, fooling around with the girls, they castigated the girls for ­acting “too friendly” with a man of God. Avila said no one and is no respecter of ever confronted Monteiro’s behaviors: “It was always the denominational distinctions. girl’s fault.” By the time Monteiro’s interactions with April allegedly progressed beyond butt-slaps and shoulder-caresses into more sexual acts, she knew what he was doing was wrong. She was the point: Sin is crouching at all our doors, and is no a deacon’s daughter whose life had revolved around FBC, an respecter of denominational distinctions. independent fundamental Baptist church, ever since she was Our special section presents well-documented examples of reported and alleged offenses by pastors with complete authority, conference speakers, and megachurch leaders. Monteiro We are reporters, not judges and juries, so we take seriously the word “alleged”: Stories of suffering are not proof. But stories are helpful in showing how some sexual exploiters work—and knowledge can help us establish protocols and stick with them so opportunity for abuse decreases. We should understand that no system can shut out sin, but we can keep praying and protecting. What James Madison, trained by evangelical pastor John Witherspoon, said about civil government also applies to church government: “If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the KABC-TV governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.” Who shall govern our church governors?

34 WORLD Magazine • September 15, 2018 ALEX GARCIA/GENESIS asked for that,” Peach said. blamed herforhisbehavior. “It was always YOU didthat.YOU says thatsoonprogressed tosexual abuse, andclaimsMonteiro Monteiro, she says, began texting explicit messagestoher. She Monteiro’s attention. One, RachelPeach, was 15in2007when counted thedays tillshecouldescapeto college. She preached aboutpurityandchastity, shealways blamedherself. she recalls, “No manwillever want you.” WhenMonteiro told herhow muchsheturned himon,butwould thensnarl,as when shewas 14. Sheconfusedlysaw himasamanofGodwho he sexually groomed andthenabused herforfouryears starting one reason April kept silentforyears aboutMonteiro. Shesays ­yourself pure. Will anyone want thisflower?” rose: “Lookatthis. Thisiswhathappenswhenyou don’t keep petals were nolongerlovely. Monteiro heldupthat bruised around whatstarted outasa ­ private school,and spentallhersocialactivitieswiththechurch. born. Shegrew upinFBC’s nursery, attendedanFBC-affiliated Other teenagersallegedlyreplaced April asobjectsof That hauntingimageofthedrooping, soiledwhiterose was She watched at ayouth group meetingasMonteiro passed was wicked anddirty. Shehidher painandconfusion pristine whiterose. Soontheivory knew aboutother improper relationships between itsyouth a lawsuit against FBC fornegligence, claiming thatthechurch remains incustody onan$80,000 bail.Peach, now 26, alsofiled ­comments atthistime. defense attorneyDavid Grande toldmeMonteiro hasno to 2014. On Aug. 16 hepleadednotguiltytoallseven. His seven felony countsofsexual crimesagainst minorsfrom 1999 Department arrested Monteiro, now 45, andcharged himon police. OnJuly 27, 2018, theRiverside CountySheriff’s continuing hispractice withothergirls. Avila calledthe then heard more stories, theyrealized thatMonteiro couldbe and never cameback. Monteiro offwithpraise andbegantopray. She walked out young pastor. RachelPeach was inchurch whenGoddard sent Monteiro would helptoplantanewchurch nearby witha youth pastor, neededabreak andanewchallenge, so announced inchurch thatMonteiro, after18years asFBC’s priate relationship withMonteiro. Goddard quickly Pastor BruceGoddard thathisex-girlfriend hadaninappro Robyn Flores of the Sheriff’s Departmenttoldme RobynMonteiro Flores oftheSheriff’s This year, asAvila andPeach heard eachother’s stories and In 2013theex-boyfriend ofanotheryoung woman toldFBC September 15, 2018 15, September • WORLD Magazine WORLD April Avila - 35 DURBIN: GREG LEHMAN/GENESIS • GIOVANELLI: YOUTUBE - - essentially appointed them and may also influence their liveli sins hoods, among leaders can bereadily up. covered tremendous power by unchecked other church Many officers. such churches of boards have but ifdeacons, hasthe pastor Cameron Cameron Giovanelli When Shiflett went on YouTube to criticize YouTube went on When Shiflett But the current pastor of Calvary, Stacey Stacey of Calvary, pastor current the But public accusation, North Soon after Jackson’s yet contacted any victims when they released any contacted yet told me Trieber Jack Pastor NVBC that statement. in “not interested” on a brief phone call that he’s talking to a reporter. of abuse, cover-ups repeated his denomination’s blog posts wrote IFB pastors some fellow where a culture created ­attacking him. “We’ve speaking feel comfortable victims cannot even going against like almost Shiflett said. “It’s out,” in in ministry still active is Giovanelli the mafia.” teaching the Book of Florida, and is currently did not He on a new Bible podcast. James Shiflett, did, and investigated. Shiflett says says Shiflett he investigated. did, and Shiflett, claims that made Jackson’s found evidence of text me screenshots showed He “credible.” messages Giovanelli Facebook messages and and another sent to Jackson to have appeared These occasions. college-age girl on separate a but suggested not incriminating, messages were middle-aged that of a pastor friendliness beyond Donna Another woman, woman. and a young text explicit exchanged told me she had Hudson, while with Giovanelli sex messages and had oral and marriage counselor at her pastor he was told her to take had She said Giovanelli Calvary. their affair “to our graves.” that an IFB megachurch Church, Baptist Valley a state released college, Giovanelli’s operates of “allegations it had received ment saying conduct”­inappropriate and had conducted a until investigation” and honest “thorough Shiflett doubts that NVBC resigned. Giovanelli its leaders had not says He did an investigation: The IFB movement has a church culture unusual in the 21st culture has a church The IFB movement respond to my repeated requests for an interview. requests repeated to my respond taboo. the knee are and skirts above dancing, Drinking, century: similar to other denominations where it’s in other ways But wield pastors long-term is independent and many each church September 15, 2018 • FBC isn’t the only IFB church with such scandals. In May, In May, with such scandals. the only IFB church isn’t FBC Goddard did not respond to my three requests for interviews. requests three to my did not respond Goddard WORLD Magazine Kathy Durbin Kathy might not take her claims seriously. might not take 36 a 16-year-old attending Calvary Baptist Church, an IFB church Church, Baptist attending Calvary a 16-year-old Jackson, Sarah That woman, once pastored. that Giovanelli some IFB pastors when she realized charges later pressed Cameron Giovanelli resigned from his position as president of his position as president from resigned Giovanelli Cameron after a woman an IFB college, College, Baptist Golden State abusing her when she was of sexually accused him on Facebook Goddard at a service in May and told him, “This whole scenario at a service in May Goddard he began to broken, “was Goddard Cook says terrible.” is pretty no idea.’” I had did this. that Victor believe said, ‘I can’t He cry. … Avila and Peach, is now the pastor of Menifee Baptist Church, Baptist of Menifee the pastor is now and Peach, Avila Cook says, sent Monteiro. to which Goddard the IFB church 18 years was understanding My me no reason. … gave “Goddard Cook saw looking for a change in scenery.” just at one place, in Indiana. Fox did not respond to WORLD inquiries. to WORLD did not respond in Indiana. Fox alongside at FBC group youth Cook, a member of Monteiro’s Pat FBC youth pastor, Laverne Paul Fox, did to her in 1990 what Fox, Paul Laverne pastor, youth FBC she Durbin says and Peach. allegedly did to Avila Monteiro out to move it who quickly worked told Goddard, eventually church (IFB) to another independent fundamental Baptist Fox pastors and minors yet did not report them to authorities. Kathy Kathy them to authorities. report did not and minors yet pastors an earlier says sister-in-law, 43 and Monteiro’s Durbin, now HANDOUT F declined andtried toleave, hepinnedheragainst thewall and become abest-selling authorifshesleptwithhim.When she boasted abouthisaccomplishments, andoffered tohelpher requests foraninterview):Hensley sprawled onthesofa, had timetokill,andhewas asuccessfulwriter. conversation aboutpublishing. Wilbee accepted—afterall,she his assignedapartment,Hensley invited herintocontinue their airport: Hensley was oneofthem.Aftershedropped himoffat Seattle in1983. Shehadvolunteered topickupeditorsatthe novel whenshefirst met Hensley atawriters’conference in inappropriate, andsometimesabusive behavior. Hensley formore thanthree decadesgotaway withbrazen, should andcouldhave beenstopped years ago. Theysay announced theywillnolongerinvite him.Theyalsosay he university, gladmany writers’conferences andthey’re have relievedtold methey’re Hensley isnolongerworking atthe against him. “significant andcredible allegationsofseriousmisconduct” saying Hensley hadresigned amidaninvestigation intosome on July 12, 2018, whenTaylor University released astatement ued inviting Hensley totheirevents—until itallcametoahead accounts tocorroborate them.Soconference directors contin were scattered andisolated,withnoonegatheringthese them. Thesestories datebackmore than30years, butthey himself, thathecornersandlungesatwomen tokissorgrope about Hensley. ers TheysaidHensley can’t keep hishandsto circle, andwomen talk.For years, several women warned oth University. sexually assaultedheratawriters’conference atSeattlePacific Hensley—just asshewas backin1983, theyear shesays Hensley Wilbee’s eyes, theywere like fresh meatforsomeonelike tion andhelpingettingafootintothepublishingworld. In conferences attracted mostly young women eagerforrecogni Time How toMotivate Yourself andOthers including winning Christian authorofmore thanfive dozenbooks, University’s professional writingprogram andtheaward- writers’ conferences: DennisE.Hensley—a professor inTaylor by SophiaLee speakers conference Christian PART TWO: Here’s Wilbee’s account(Hensley turneddown my repeated Wilbee was afreshly divorced motherworking onhersecond Wilbee andotherwomen whospoke withTaylor officials The writers’conference world isaniche, female-dominated Each timeWilbee saw hisname, sheworried. Thesewriters’ , and repeatedly saw hisnameonadvertisements forChristian magazines whenever shewas atthedoctor’s office. She or years, Brenda Wilbee would rifflethrough thewriters’ The Power ofPositive Productivity How toManage Your Money , How toManage Your . , Writing forProfit ­ - - - , threatened thedirector withalawsuit andsimilarlythreatened first and was now retaliating asa“scorned woman.” Hensley he hadconfronted Hensley, whosaidWilbee cameontohim not asserioushers. Theconference director latertoldWilbee women hadcomplainedaboutHensley, buttheirconcernswere and assistant director whatHensley haddone. Theysaidseveral airport aloneterrifiedher, soshetoldtheconference director just getover it—but thethoughtofdrivingHensley backtothe fault. He didn’t rape her, shewas finenow, somaybe sheshould several days, thinkingmaybe Hensley was rightanditwas her white dress.” Hensley left,saying, “It’s your fault.You’re wearing thatpretty again. Shecringed,twisted away, andpoundedthehorn. seat next toher. Hensley grabbed herneckandtriedtokiss keys intotheignitionwhenHensley climbedintothepassenger’s out. Shejumpedintohercarandwas abouttoinserthercar began kissingher. Shemanagedtopushhimaway anddashed going topray. Hensley grabbed herhands, shoved heragainst door, andshe extended herhands tohis, thinking theywere to pray. Theyentered adark,emptyroom. Hensley shutthe made funofherwriting. Hensley suggested theygointoaroom Christian conference andwas upsetbecauseoneattendeehad privacy, buthere’s heraccount:Shewas attendingherfirst sional downfall. Iagreed nottogive hernametoprotect her 2011 hadanexperience thateventually ledtoHensley’s profes people are comingbecausehe’s goingtobethere.” ingly saidtometheywant theirconference tobeasuccess, that No director shewarned ever disinvited him:“Theyoverwhelm called thedirectors totellthemaboutherexperience withhim. about him.Whenshesaw hisnameonaconference brochure, she still being invited toconferences.” Shedecidedtowarn people doing that?He was supposedtostop.” ­happened, thatfriendrolled hereyes andreplied, “Oh, ishestill walked inonthem.WhenRedding latertoldafriendwhat while shewas in adormitoryhall,stopping onlywhensomeone University, Hensley hadtriedtosliphishandsontoherbreasts Christian Writers Conference atEastern Carolina State Here’s heraccount:Intheearly1990satBlueRidge warned conference directors aboutHensley formany years. Redding, aretired editorof More from Wilbee: Shesecond-guessedherselfforthenext One woman whoattended awriters’conference inTexas in More from Redding: “People knewhis behavior, andhewas Brenda Wilbee September 15, 2018 15, September The Upper Room assistant director. and we couldnotfindthe ­conference director isdead, this isallfrom Wilbee: The Wilbee forayear. Again, didn’t doanything aboutit.” knew abouthimandit very aware thatthisindustry ‘Oh yeah, you too?’Ibecame lishing world, “itwas like, certain women inthepub name poppedupamong but whenever Hensley’s ences foryears afterthat, Christian writers’confer Mary LouDavidson Wilbee avoided • magazine, says she WORLD Magazine WORLD - 37 - - - WILL VRAGOVIC/KRT/NEWSCOM - Inside Inside Custer was not satisfied. She wanted not satisfied. She was Custer Custer says she ran out of the room and out of the room she ran says Custer her to go back to the campus and report it toher to go back to the campus and report later Custer A week school administrators. and her mother had a second meeting with Randall Dodge and three dean of students Dodge told me that officials. he other Taylor Taylor established and the officials followed They interviewed procedures: University in the accusation, all individuals involved said Custer office where visited Hensley’s the incident happened, and tried to find The investigation potential witnesses. descriptions as to in “conflicting resulted and Taylor what actually took place,” file. into Hensley’s placed a record a position of from to be removed Hensley She felt women. young authority over no point did I feel like intimidated: “At on the side or even side, on my was anyone the incident She reported of righteousness.” has lupus and is in a great deal of pain. I deal has lupus and is in a great so time, in a long held a woman haven’t He can support each other.” we maybe jumped Custer leaned in to kiss her again. Hensley go.” to “I have back and stuttered, said, “This can be our little secret.” told He her minivan. called her father from that he embraced Custer but did not kiss her: “She but did not kiss her: “She Custer that he embraced But Custer’s report is just one among many. Some of the one among many. is just report Custer’s But Again, we’d like to have Hensley’s account, but he has not Hensley’s to have like we’d Again, “I thought I was completely safe with him,” Custer told me. me. told Custer him,” completely safe with I was “I thought was totally in shock—she doesn’t remember the situation the remember doesn’t totally in shock—she was told a local newspaper reporter 70, now Hensley, it was.” way a ripple out of the #MeToo him were that allegations against and the high ground take and he had decided to “just movement, death.” die its own call it quits and let this thing and just retire, and others angry, collection are in Everson’s email recollections is that Jesus to forget want “I don’t says, mournful. Everson are soul. I blackened for Dennis Hensley’s as hard just weeping for his soul.” grieve to the police, but they told her Hensley had not committed a had not but they told her Hensley to the police, and tried to therapy, went out of Taylor, dropped Custer crime. other She had no idea that many about Hensley. to forget had similar tales about him. women did tell He interview requests. repeated to my responded Ed Higher home from a pool hall when someone attacked and raped her. her. raped and attacked when someone a pool hall from home off for a week asked police and to the the rape She reported advisory appointment her first to keep but decided work, from one with him. easy to schedule been hadn’t It with Hensley: visibly so she was Hensley, as she sat before That afternoon, Custer wrong. was if something asked that Hensley ­distraught him what happened. into tears and told down broke a good was He of the clergy. … an extension he was me, “To account: Custer’s Here’s man with a good reputation.” Christian They decided her hands. and grabbed forward leaned Hensley con As Custer hugged her. Hensley the meeting. to reschedule kissed her and his, took off her glasses Hensley tinued weeping, away pushed the mouth. Custer and then kissed her on tears, she “Yes, replied, a wife?” Hensley have you “Don’t and asked, - - September 15, 2018 • WORLD Magazine The woman involved in the Fort Wayne incident was Rachel incident was Wayne in the Fort involved The woman Everson sent these accounts to Taylor University, which University, these accounts to Taylor sent Everson Last year the woman told her story to Eva Marie Everson, Everson, Marie to Eva her story told the woman year Last in 2004 Hensley Hensley have him as her adviser. One day at 1 or 2 a.m. she was walking 1 or 2 a.m. she was at One day him as her adviser. have 38 Custer. She says she entered Taylor’s writing program because writing program Taylor’s she entered She says Custer. to excited She was of accomplishments. long list of Hensley’s warned him not to interact with students “in any way that could way “in any with students him not to interact warned record Garringer said Hensley’s impropriety.” suggest remotely but neither incidents,” “disciplinary more included two advances. or unwanted or harassment, students, Taylor involved it. Garringer says the administration “was not able to find “was the administration it. Garringer says Taylor administrators of the allegation.” ­sufficient corroboration and that student further contact with any from forbade Hensley person Jim Garringer said the only sex-related incident involving Garringer said the only sex-related person Jim had in its files came in previously that the university Hensley told closed. A student now campus, Wayne 2004 at its Fort Hensley denied and Hensley had kissed her, that officials Taylor investigated: That led to Hensley’s resignation. Taylor spokes Taylor resignation. That led to Hensley’s investigated: break your career.” your break wordings: “You don’t understand, my wife has lupus” or “I just my understand, don’t “You wordings: to silence them, also tried He been so long.” it’s need a woman, “This will be our little secret” oreither saying or “I can make about Hensley and received 13 emailed statements, along with statements, 13 emailed and received about Hensley mes those read I’ve messages or phone calls. text more seven They charged know: didn’t Everson women from mostly sages, similar by acts accompanied aggressive sexually with Hensley says she “believed her, but I didn’t know what to do with it”— what know but I didn’t her, she “believed says of a Hensley another report she heard when until this May, stories collecting that she was put out the word ­incident. She the wall, kissed her neck, reached his hand down her shirt, and her hand down his reached her neck, kissed the wall, out. ran and free broke She breasts. her grabbed Everson Conference. Writers Christian of the Florida director MARK BLACK/DAILY HERALD/AP W stepped down, hetoldhischurch, “Itoooften placedmyself in founding pastor. Hybels still deniesany wrongdoing. Theday he look intotheseallegations. Bothinvestigations cleared the internal investigation andcommissionedanoutsidelawyer to York Times ­misconduct andharassment. accounts from several women whoaccusedhimofsexual his earlyretirement afterthe one. OnApril 10, 2018, foundingpastor BillHybels announced have beenaterriblescandalturnedintobiggerandsadder ­client, notthevictim. so, orby turningfirst toalawyer whoseaimistoprotect the abuse caseby themselves notqualifiedtodo even whenthey’re the safernarrative. Theydothatby internallyhandlingasexual sured tohandle themasquietlypossible, orchoose tobelieve arise against theirpastors, megachurch leadersmay feelpres loses control of itsnarrative tothemainstream media. entire tragedy plays outonanationalstage, andthechurch emanates from thecelebritypastor ofsuchaninstitution, the congregations inthenation.Whenstench ofasex scandal Barrington, Ill.,oneofthelargest andmost influential evangelical megachurch like Willow Creek CommunityChurch inSouth it aTwitter blurb. Not sowhenthesubjectinquestion isa by Emily Belz leaders Megachurch PART THREE: The That’s whathappened atWillow Creek, where whatwould So whenallegationsofsexual misconductorsexual crimes Tribune wrote thatWillow Creek’s eldershadconductedan a hen ascandalbreaks outatasmalllocalcongregation but couple oflocalornichepublicationsmightcover it, The New York Times andothernationalnewspapers such as Chicago Tribune probably wouldn’t even give his early retirement Hybels announcing published published The New - , Redeemer andCTCtriedtohandlethescandalinternally, but multiple allegationsfrom multiplewomen against Hybels. against aCTCleader—a casedifferent from she-said the he-said Hope forNew York. Earlythisyear itfacedanaccusation such aschurch-planting Cityto(CTC)andpoverty-fighting thousands ofmembersandafamilysuccessfulministries America) inNew York Cityisanotherinfluentialchurch with investigation intotheallegations. done better.” Willow Creek recently started anewindependent We are sorryfortheplaceswhere we couldhave andshouldhave we’ve beenon.We’ve hadmissteps, mistakes, blunders. slip-ups, August withaconfession:“There isnomapforthejourneythat Tom DeVries beganitsannualGlobalLeadershipSummit in believing thevictims. President ofWillow Creek Association that theyhadmishandledtheseseriousallegationsby not ignations soonaftertheonslaughtofmediacoverage, admitting lead pastor andtheentire board ofeldersannouncedtheirres participated inoral sex withher. (Hybels deniedtheclaims.) A repeatedly fondledher, forced hertowatch pornwithhim,and church membersgroaned inresponse andcried,“No!” situations thatwould have beenfarwisertoavoid.” Some He insists, “I have never sexually assaultedorabusedanyone. … several years aftertheincident, according toemailsKimposted. is anarea ofheateddebate. ordained inthePCAattime, butconsentinthesesituations atthetimeofanincident.Kimwas advice, not aid,orcomfort” says clergy, Minnesotalaw says clergy whoare giving“spiritual define potentiallyculpableindividualsdifferently: Texas law clergy orspiritualadviser isinherently notconsensual.They of them—have laws thatsay sexual contactfrom someone’s staff and students. Legally, several states—New Jersey isnotone that includesaprohibition ofromantic relationships between incorporated in2005, hashadanannualtraining since2007 encounterwas consensual. admitted to—the spiritual authority, andwhether—solely basedonwhathe the question here iswhether Kimwas abusinghispositionasa thousands oftimesayear atPrincetonandothercolleges, but ­followed by differinginterpretations ofwhathappened,occur nor didshemove away oraskmetostop.” Such encounters, did sheexpress any verbal ornonverbal discomfort orrefusal, chest over herclothes, butsaidinhisstatement, “At nopoint was indicating interest inhim.He acknowledges touchingher momentary consensualphysical encounterwhenhethoughtshe tightly pressed against her. including underherclothes, andlyingontopofherwhile assaulting heroneevening—touching herallover herbody, “trusted himasaspiritualleader,” butaccuseshimofsexually onSaturdaygroup nights. worship Willems meeting” says she a 2001pagefrom Manna’s website, andhewas leadinga“large 2001 listed himasa“staff worker,” according toascreenshot of earlier. He becameManna’s executive director, butManna in had foundedthePrincetoncampusministry Manna seven years was aseniorin college. David Kim—27 or28andunmarried— months laterthenewscameout. Redeemer Presbyterian Church (Presbyterian Church in Later, inAugust, onewoman toldthe Willems andKimremained infriendlycommunicationfor This question hasspiritualandlegaldimensions. Manna, Kim vociferously deniesthis, andsays theyonlyhada This sadstory beganin2001.Jen Willems, anewChristian, September 15, 2018 15, September Times • WORLD Magazine WORLD Hybels had 39 - KIM: PHOTO COURTESY OF SOUTHEASTERN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY • WILLEMS: FACEBOOK - - - discipline, and encourages encourages and discipline, Willems With accusations from many years ago, Denhollander said ago, years many from accusations With The letter emphasized that it was the first and only accusa the first The letter emphasized that it was about the HR process. questions to my CTC did not respond the who was and Christian a lawyer Rachael Denhollander, She said openness helps all parties, protects the accused from protects She said openness helps all parties, ­ an unfair dismissal or “overzealous” other potential victims to come forward. the issue is not simply the details of what happened, but how not have She said Kim at the time may the accused responds. his position of authority as part of a campus minis recognized She noted the danger of that now. but should acknowledge try, using their of abuse, to reports responding leaders, church authority in an “un-Biblical way” independent and recommends Redeemer had “additional third-party information” corroborat third-party had “additional Redeemer ing that. against had heard Redeemer behavior sexual tion of improper had launched an independent Kim, and said the organization his during other instances any were to see if there investigation out to Redeemer After the letter went at Redeemer. 11 years at director the longtime assistant Amilee Watkins, ­circles, in an email to CFW saying resigned, and Work, Center for Faith several the past over that “the courses of action taken circles leaders well-intentioned although determined by weeks, in the face of a difficult situation, do not comport ­operating as an organization.” with our theology or our values (Few or no ones. yes seven responded only to officials Redeemer for dismissal—as reasons behavioral acknowledge organizations fear did in their letter to congregants—for CTC and Redeemer only to say organizations typically instruct of litigation. Lawyers began and ended.) when employment Nassar of doctor Larry Gymnastics USA publicly to accuse first She accusations. about abuse educates churches abuse, sexual been cases “internal communications have in numerous says She been poor.” have communications to congregations poor, a written policy for all accusations of to have advises churches and notifying the congregation misconduct that requires sexual investigation. then immediately commissioning a third-party “sought to maintain confidentiality in this matter on behalf of“sought to maintain confidentiality pushed them to speak. developments” but “recent all parties,” crossing The letter said Kim had admitted to “inappropriately and that while in campus ministry, boundaries” with a student - Kim - September 15, 2018 • WORLD Magazine Realizing that the story was becoming public, Redeemer becoming public, Redeemer was the story that Realizing All of this was still happening privately. On July 25 Willems 25 Willems On July happening privately. still All of this was Willems was also unhappy with CTC’s internal investigation. internal investigation. with CTC’s also unhappy was Willems Kim said he did not get a fair hearing: He said the CTC staff Kim said he did not get a fair hearing: He Redeemer and CTC—separate entities but in the same family Redeemer Kim is now an author Kim is now letter began by saying that the pastors and CTC staff had and CTC staff that the pastors saying letter began by 40 pastors and CTC CEO Steve Shackelford sent a joint email to Shackelford and CTC CEO Steve pastors The early in August. and those in their ministries congregants wrote in a later post that Kim “behaved inappropriately towards towards inappropriately that Kim “behaved in a later post wrote targeted, David and moved. … me multiple times until I graduated Kim assaulted, abused, gaslighted and silenced me.” groomed, denies this. put up a Facebook post stating her accusations, both about Kim her accusations, stating post put up a Facebook Willems handling of the investigation. and about Redeemer’s She and Kim both said they wanted an independent investigation. She and Kim both said they wanted qualified and occasions to hire on two CTC said it “endeavored to lead an independent investigation— investigators respected declined to accept.” Willems both of whom Ms. at an event for Christian MBA students in February, scrubbed in February, students MBA for Christian at an event its website. mention of him from nity to give a full explanation of his conduct. Kim said he was a full explanation nity to give that included a one-year agreement with a separation presented in faith and ministry him from noncompete clause prohibiting speaker Kim as a featured had listed which InterVarsity, work. only talked to him once about the incident and never shared the shared the incident and never to him once about only talked opportu had the him, and he never specific allegations against on leave and then in June, after a unanimous agreement from after a unanimous agreement and then in June, on leave elders and Redeemer that includes Redeemer the CTC board dismissed him without public Tim Keller, founding pastor explanation. several sources, when Willems contacted Redeemer HR it had contacted Redeemer when Willems sources, several its policy on handling sexual on revamping been working placed Kim CTC members. staff ­misconduct accusations against Resources (HR). Resources to According of ministries—conducted an internal investigation. which Redeemer is a member, but then stopped that process, that process, but then stopped is a member, which Redeemer of all male presbytery group “a involve which she said would in investigating or training no experience members who have Human She contacted Redeemer abuse allegations.” sexual He was the director of the director was He initially Willems until June. and Work Center for Faith CTC’s of presbytery, York New the Metro through planned to work article. experience with 11 years’ as a leader at Redeemer. statement. Both Kim and­statement. declined to Willems for thisquestions answer we’ve been through with been through we’ve that we an organization in,” once deeply believed in a publiche wrote egregious ­egregious accusations, communica misleading and the process tions, I handled this situationI handled family My appropriately. … been absolutely and I have these by devastated DAVID HARRISON/GENESIS  knew, but the church would repent publiclyiftheoutside anyone inleadershipaware thiswas takingplace?(Not thathe ­sexual abuse?(Yes, and thepastor explained why indetail.)Was ­statement, answering three majorquestions: Is thisreally Pastor Robert Cunninghamreleased anextensive public dent investigation andtoreport findingstothepolice. Senior WORLD’s attemptstoreach Waller were notsuccessful. abuse beyond footrubbinginhisconfessiontothepresbytery. to Tates Creek leaders, thoughWaller haddeniedany physical began toemerge thatthe abusewent past footrubbing, according this, 10peoplecameforward withtheirown stories. Evidence happened. It heldacongregational meeting, andin the courseof through theprocess, andemaileditscongregation aboutwhat immediately hadameetingofelders, hired anattorneytogo law enforcement. presbytery removed himfromto officeandsenthisconfession the feetofmenandboys whenhewas counselingthem.The authority,” saying thathehadsexual gratification from rubbing and Waller confessedtothepresbytery to“thesinofabuse pastor, Grace Church oftheIslands. Thepresbytery investigated, Savannah presbytery overseeing thechurch where Waller was a with Waller tohiscampusminister, whothenreported ittothe pastor, Brad Waller, whoserved atthechurch until2006. ­members, learnedrecently of abusefrom aformerlongtime ­accusations. Tates Creek, aPCAchurch withabout1,250 Presbyterian, offersamodel of how to respond toabuse own community.” investigations: “It’sit’s very difficulttoseeclearlywhen your Denhollander [email protected] Tates Creek eldersunanimously voted to beginanindepen Even thoughWaller hadbeengonefor12years, Tates Creek A collegestudent hadreported anuncomfortableexperience Denhollander says achurch inLexington, Ky., Tates Creek  @WORLD_mag - T from ashes, redeeming whatsinhaslaidwaste.” And above all,remember thatourGodisfaithful tobringbeauty determined thatwe prioritizerighteousnessover reputation. … to beconcernedaboutthereputation ofthechurch: “Iam He promisedwhentheinvestigation “transparency” isover. the investigation reveal thatwe have muchtoconfess,” hewrote. last thingwe want todois‘patourselves ontheback’andthen further untiltheindependentinvestigation was complete:“The reported backthattheywould stick totheirpolicyofnottalking straightforward approach, heconsultedotherchurch leadersand handleditright.”they’ve be abletocomeforward toaleadership like thatbecause becaught.By thatsametoken, asurvivorthey’ll orvictimwill going tostay inachurch like that,becausetheyknow that going toleave Tates Creek,” saidDenhollander. “No predator is involving thewell-known organization GRACE.) response? (Cunninghamdetailedaninvestigation process ­investigation revealed that.)Whatsteps are we takingin Our next issue will contain a postponed article onfall electionprospects.Our nextissuewill containapostponedarticle Protestant churches aswell. **deeds**.” these emptypromises from theepiscopate, whatcountsnow are “Nice words from Pope Francis, butafterallthistime, andall the CatholicChurch, columnist Rod Dreher wrote onTwitter, weary sigh.” victims willbethesame. Andwe just have toletitgo, witha out oftheashes:“I’mnever goingtobethesame. … None ofhis of themare still waiting fortheday theycanriselike phoenixes of sexual abuselike herfeelasifapartofthemdied,andsome Dennis Hensley ofsexually assaultingherin1983, toldmevictims vulnerable, sothiscouldbeawake-up callfortheProtestant world. ­mentioned above. More churches are askingforhelptothe abuse withintheircommunities, asshown inmany cases churches are acknowledging theexistence andseverity ofsexual ­culture thatenables andminimizestheseverity of­ crime tolegalauthorities, failedtochangetheinstitutional authorities failedtobelieve orprotect them,failedtoreport the the violatingactitself:Trauma festered whentrusted church guilt, shame, andanguish.Theysay theirtrauma isn’t just from evangelical churches voice theirown talesoflong-suppressed have stories of#ChurchToo, inwhichmen andwomen within victims. Ascries of#MeToo reverberate across thenation,sotoo have notalways doneagoodjobprotecting andempowering the CONCLUSION In theYear ofourLord 2018, that’s whatcounts in In reaction totherecent papalannouncementofsex abusein Meanwhile, Brenda Wilbee, the woman whoaccusedwriter Cunningham asked hiscongregation to“resist thetemptation” When IcontactedCunninghamtotalkmore abouttheir “If there’s goingtobeapredator inthatchurch, they’re Yet becausethisissuehasbecomesopublic,more andmore Our investigations show thatmany churches andministries also aProtestant problem, andadeeplyhumanone. fact thatsexual abuseisnotjust aCatholicproblem. It’s he fewcasesmentionedinthisstory shouldhighlightthe September 15, 2018 15, September A

—Sophia Lee —Sophia —with reporting from SophiaLee • WORLD Magazine WORLD sexual abuse. 41

FEATURES THIRD IN A SERIES ON THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA AS STATES LEGALIZE MARIJUANA, TOBACCO COMPANIES ARE INDICATING THEIR INTEREST IN THE REEFER BUSINESS

by JIM LONG photo illustration by KRIEG BARRIE

IG TOBACCO IS JOINING have all considered manufacturing ciga- has dropped the number of tobacco the Green Rush. For years, four rettes containing cannabis. farms from 179,000 in 1982 to 10,000 as Big Tobacco companies—R.J. In 1970, a memo in the Philip Morris of 2012. Meanwhile, most states have Reynolds, Philip Morris (now file suggested that marijuana could be a legalized medical marijuana, nine have known as Altria), British friend—or a foe: “We are in the business legalized recreational use, and 3 in 5 American Tobacco, and of relaxing people who are tense and Americans favor changing laws to make Imperial Tobacco—have played providing a pick-up for people who are pot as readily available as tobacco. down interest in the emerging bored or depressed. The human That changed environment marijuana market. Now, they are posi- needs that our product fills will may help Big Tobacco in two B Btioning themselves to pounce, a half not go away. Thus, the only LE TE ways. First, marijuana use A A C M ­century after the wacky weed first real threat to our business A might encourage more

gained mass popularity. is that society will find ­people to smoke cigarettes.

I

T Dial back to 1969: President Richard other means of satisfying N The CDC says high-school V R Nixon formally declared a “war on these needs.” E O cigarette smoking dropped S P drugs.” Hippies gyrated in tie-dyed That same year Charles T E from 28 percent in 1991 to I G R shirts and suede fringe vests while Ellis, principal adviser on A T I V E 16 percent in 2013, but the ­passing around weed at Woodstock. And technical research to British UCSF study found students who Philip Morris scientist Alfred Burger American Tobacco’s board of directors, smoke marijuana are more likely than wrote, “Just living among young people, prepared a detailed plan for the compa- nonusers to start smoking tobacco as I can predict that marijuana smoking ny’s entrance into the future pot market. well. A 2003 study at the University of will have grown to immense proportions Ellis said marijuana eventually could be Florida found 65 percent of students in within a decade and will probably be simply an expansion of smoking habits— 10 undergraduate classes had used both legalized. The company that will bring comparable to a cigarette smoker marijuana and tobacco within the same out the first marijuana smoking devices … switching to cigars. hour, and 31 percent said they had will capture the market.” Big Tobacco’s growing interest in smoked tobacco to prolong the effects Investigative researchers at the cannabis came after a decline in tobacco of marijuana. University of California, San Francisco use: Smoking among American adults Second, Big Tobacco with its (UCSF) unearthed that prediction as dropped from 42 percent in 1965 to 37 ­established markets is well-positioned they spent eight months sifting through percent in 1970, according to the Centers to sell marijuana legally. Evidence of 80 million pages of tobacco industry for Disease Control and Prevention intentions: Between 2009 and 2010, documents that became public through (CDC). But pot’s illegality and general Altria Group Inc. took legal action multistate litigation. The researchers unpopularity stymied the big companies: to secure the domain names published their findings in 2014 through According to the Pew Research Center, AltriaCannabis.com, AltriaMarijuana. the Center for Tobacco Control 81 percent of Americans in 1987 believed com, and MarlboroWeed.com. In 2014, Research and Education: They showed pot should be illegal. Altria purchased Florida-based Green that Philip Morris, British American A half century after those memos, Smoke, a company that sells e-cigarettes Tobacco (BAT), and R.J. Reynolds (now fewer than 1 in 5 American adults with menthol cartridges. (Pot users often a BAT company), despite public denials, smokes cigarettes, and reduced demand prefer menthol, which has a cooling

September 15, 2018 • WORLD Magazine 45 PHILIP MORRIS FACTORY: NICOLO FILIPPO ROSSO/BLOOMBERG VIA GETTY IMAGES • SYQE: HANDOUT • VAPE CARTRIDGE: ALEX MILAN TRACY/SIPA/AP - - large growing facility growing large at Valued in Ontario. is AOI billion, $1.27 leaf largest one of the in thetobacco sellers provides It world: to product processed The coming pot battle may be vaping The coming pot battle may into entrance a Big Tobacco Still, Altria’s goal may be to produce be to goal may Altria’s THC—marijuana’s high-creating active THC—marijuana’s chemical—is suspended in juices with concealed in that are appealing flavors in appear pens less contraband vaping joint. ance than a rolled with smoking left far behind. edibles, vs. Project The pro-pot Policy Marijuana the drug with a can deliver vaping says times higher thanpotency up to 16 of majority smoking the bud: “The vast are which utilize oils, these devices While forms of cannabis. ­concentrated THC, percent can contain 5-20 flowers oils contain up to 80 the concentrated THC.” percent devices vaping cannabis space through market pot some current goes against pro become the have Edibles trends. Cigarettes Cigarettes made at being Morris a Philip International production in facility Colombia Imperial, International, Philip Morris chief Pieter AOI Reynolds. and R.J. part of the acquisitions are said Sikkel out into efforts to branch the company’s agricultural fast-growing higher-margin, also AOI such as cannabis. products hemp company. Carolina a North owns similar (a practice ­marijuana for vaping of the inhalation involving to smoking, device an electronic by created “vapors” suspended inthat can heat THC, for or a similar substance, ­glycerin odors reduces metabolization). Vaping and uses oils that can and coughing, vaping, With tars. eliminate plant-based -

Early this year, North Carolina tobacco Carolina North Early this year, developing and expanding its portfolio and expanding developing Imperial’s Products.” Generation of Next “From new teaser ad campaign reads: tobacco to something better.” supplier Alliance One International of pot producer bought 75 percent (AOI) and 80 percent Garden Island Canada’s of Goldleaf Pharm, which is building a (left); inhaler cannabis Medical Syqe (right) cartridge oil vape cannabis a typical chairman of PharmaCielo, a Canadian chairman of PharmaCielo, This year medical marijuana business. Capital, Imperial joined with Casa Verde and singer Snoop Dogg’s invest rapper a British biotech ment firm, to purchase website of Oxford firm: The Imperial says Cannabinoid Technologies focusing attention on “is increasingly September 15, 2018 • Altria competitor Imperial Brands Altria competitor Imperial Brands In 2015, former Altria subsidiary In 2015, WORLD Magazine 46 board of directors Simon Langelier, the Simon Langelier, of directors board treatment.” treatment.” of maker (formerly Imperial Tobacco; added to its year last and Kool) Winston patients at Haifa’s Rambam Hospital Rambam Hospital patients at Haifa’s world to hospital in the made it “the first medical cannabis as a standard prescribe nearly $20 million in Syqe Medical, an Medical, million in Syqe nearly $20 of 3D-printed, manufacturer Israeli metered-dose The cannabis inhalers. use for said the inhaler’s Times of Israel with increased oils, which pot experts which pot experts oils, with increased and enhanced highs. tie to better flavors Altria invested of this year, In January Philip Morris International of Philip Morris growing filed a patent for Switzerland genetically modified marijuana plants effect that counters the throat dryness effect that counters the throat inhaling marijuana smoke.) caused by MATTHEW STAVER/THE NEW YORK TIMES/REDUX  installment. Marijuana andpoliticsinournext inaugural celebration. million toPresident DonaldTrump’s Reynolds Americancontributed$1.5 alone, andreported thatAltriaand the United States profit thesecompanies noted that8outof10cigarettes soldin juggernaut isnotable: product.” statutory definition of“tobacco the from and “a personalelectronic vaporizer” by specifically excluding e-liquid” “an tory griponvaping devices considerably the billwould loosenthe FDA’s regula Vapor Alternatives Act.” If successful, Smoking Reduction andElectronic to passH.R.2194, the“Cigarette efforts. Reynolds alsopressed lawmakers $2.3 milliononWashington lobbying BAT), haslobbiedforH.R.1136:It spent Reynolds American(itselfowned by fifth-leading contributor. donated $15,000 toBishop, makingithis and leadershipPAC $20,000. Altria 2017-18, givinghiscampaigncommittee second-biggest contributortoColein market thancigarettes.” Altriawas the difficult for vapor to products tocome Administration from “makingitmore also stop theFood andDrug guidelines forvapor products.” ­commonsense licensingandadvertising themeasure would “impose D-Ga., Tom andSanford Cole, R-Okla., Bishop, Act.” According toitssponsors, Reps. “FDA DeemingAuthority Clarification the billsitpushedwas H.R.1136, the through AltriaClientServices. Oneof million infederal lobbying efforts smoking. Last year, Altriaspent$10.3 into softeningstandards forelectronic other metabolites.” lasting andmore potentthanTHC’s that’s longer-THC, calledTHC-COOH, brain andproduces aspecial form of adds another‘stop’ onTHC’s pathtothe Besides, the positive imageof“medicalcare.” marijuana cigarette doesnotconjure up the imageofsmokingarolled, unfiltered delivery intothebody, maybe because moted meansofmedicalmarijuana [email protected] We’ll take acloserlookatBig The Altria-Reynolds-BAT spending R.J. Reynolds’ parent company, The bill(still incommittee)would Big Tobacco isputtingbigmoney —Parts 1and2ofthisseriesare inthe High Times A Aug. 4and Aug. 18issues noted, “Digestion noted,“Digestion  The Guardian @WORLD_mag

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much more thanbefore—and sickness are apparently paying People for whouse marijuana personalized patient-grower network ofthemedicalprogram quietly driedup.” have switched to themore lucrative recreational market—and marijuana “the marijuana’s peak, 420dispensariesexisted inthestate. Since 2016, producers industry.has hurtthemedicalmarijuana Thenewspaper noted that at medical 1 law.marijuana Cleveland SchoolofCannabis offers awide range ofclasses. including Vanderbilt, theUniversity ofDenver, andOhioState, offer courses in plant chemistryaimedat thegrowing industry. marijuana Several law schools, Laboratory.” NorthernMichigan University hasafour-year degree inmedicinal College, atrade school inNelsonville, Ohio, willsoon offer adegree in“Cannabis is therise inuniversity andtrade school courses devoted to itsstudy. Hocking people since both thelaw andsocial taboos previously kept themfrom usingit. The studynoted that littleresearch exists ontheeffect onolder ofmarijuana and were regular users ofalcohol, tobacco, other illicitdrugs, orprescription drugs. unmarried. They typicallyhadmultiplechronic diseases andpsychological stress usersincrease were use. Oldermarijuana in marijuana more likely to bemaleand 2000 and2017 andconcluded that adultsage 50 andolderhadthegreatest use amongtheelderly. Theresearchers looked at 18 studiespublishedbetween 1 have similarlaws. Noneofthose states hasyet legalized recreational marijuana. to seek no-cost expungement oftheircriminalrecords. Delaware andMaryland allows convictions persons withpast marijuana (for possessing less than1ounce) But it’s not necessary to legalize pot to stop over-incarceration. RhodeIslandnow recreational they are marijuana—and also getting ridofpast criminal convictions. minority communities.” “reduce disproportionate criminalization andincarceration ofracial andethnic ­communities ofcolor.” Thereport concluded would that legalizing marijuana arrests­emphasis onminormarijuana hashadadisproportionate impact on ­pro-legalization report, whichnoted, “Over thepast 20years …theincreasing prompted reform efforts legalization issue. by people onboth sidesofthemarijuana penalties for breaking laws. marijuana Thedesire to right that historic wrong has 1 by ROUNDUP WEED Surterra anadvantage over competitors. percent), andColorado (51percent). Wrigley’s experience inconfections may give increasing share markets ofthemarijuana inCalifornia (37 percent), Oregon (51 com noted that edibleforms (gummies andcandies) make ofmarijuana upan market, whichisforecast to surge above $5 billionthisyear.” ConfectioneryNews. in thedomesticrecreational plans to eventually participate News reported that “Surterra company.marijuana Bloomberg Surterra Wellness, amedical ­chairman oftheboard of gum-maker), hasbecome the Wrigley Co. (theChicago former president andCEO of supposed to eliminate. market, whichlegalization was many are turningto ablack Thejournal For many years, poorandminorityindividualscommunities suffered disparate The Guardian Another evidence that cannabishasbecome respectable, at least inacademia, Massachusetts, Oregon, andCalifornia are amongthestates withlegal adult-use For example, theNew York State Health Department recently issued a William “Beau” Wrigley Jr., SUSAN OLASKY Gerontology andGeriatric Medicine reported that thelegalization ofrecreational inOregon marijuana in Denver, Colo. gummies for sale Marijuana-infused September 15, 2018 15, September published a study of marijuana publishedastudyofmarijuana • WORLD Magazine WORLD

47 FEATURES

NO PLACE SACRED Amid protests across Nicaragua and efforts by Christians to help the hurting, a worsening government crackdown targets Nicaragua’s churches and Christian organizations

3 When visitors show up at Raul Zamora’s Church of Divine The protesters called for Ortega to step aside and allow for Mercy in Managua, what they see shocks them. Bullets have new elections. The former Sandinista leader, who battled left baseball-size holes in the tabernacle windows. Gunfire U.S.-backed Contra rebels in the 1980s and ruled the country punctured the panes that let in light near an altar and pock- from 1979 to 1990, won election in 2006 and abolished term marked the walls. An oil-painted image of Christ bears three limits in 2014, potentially making himself president for life bullet holes. with his wife Rosario Murillo serving as vice president. Parishioners have swept the floor of glass and debris, but Despite widespread and ongoing street unrest, the protest- they asked Father Zamora to leave unrepaired the damaged ers have proved no match for Ortega’s militants. Besides the imagery and panes with their gaping holes and spidery veins hundreds killed, more than 2,000 Nicaraguan civilians have of broken glass—a lasting testament to a 15-hour siege in July. been injured and hundreds are in jail or have simply disap- “Our church has become a sign of governmental repression peared. More than 23,000 Nicaraguans have fled south to but also of hope for Nicaraguans since many lives were saved neighboring Costa Rica, which by mid-August showed signs in the attack,” Zamora said. of itself fraying in what could become a regional crisis. Zamora had no intention of making his church the flash Few understand the deadly force unleashed by Ortega as point in a mounting crisis in this Central American nation. Zamora does. For months the Catholic Church sought to Slight of build, quiet-spoken, and wearing glasses, Zamora ­broker a dialogue between demonstrators and the Ortega also did not see himself taking sides in a street revolt that’s regime. Instead, the church has become a target in the ­government’s crackdown. In early July Zamora noticed a drone flying over his church during Mass. Then he began to see drones flying over Managua’s National Autonomous University of Nicaragua (UNAN), a sprawling campus adjoining the Church of Divine Mercy where student ­protesters had set up barricades NO PLACE SACREDBY MINDY BELZ of brick and barbed wire. Few had firearms, and most had rocks or turned into a deadly crackdown and the largest homemade mortars or simply waved flags. But uprising in Nicaragua since civil war ended nearly three UNAN became one of the last strongholds for protesters in the decades ago. capital, and on July 13 paramilitary units closed in, opening Human rights monitors estimate between 300 to 500 fire on the students, most of them 17- and 18-year-olds. Fearing Nicaraguans have been killed in what began as protests in for their lives, some used their cell phones to call Zamora. April over social security reforms set to cut pensions. “The university is under my pastoral care,” Zamora President Daniel Ortega responded by dispatching masked explained. “I know many of them personally and attend to their paramilitary units into the streets, along with police backed spiritual care. Of course I told them to come to the church.” by heavy weapons. The protesters, rather than caving to the When students began arriving wounded, Zamora and heavy-handed response, dug in, forming barricades, firing ­others on the church staff quickly saw the urgency of rescuing homemade mortars at police, and increasing their demands. others, and made multiple trips to the UNAN campus using parish cars to ferry students to safety. As darkness fell, Zamora’s rectory became a triage center with blood on the floor. The church filled with about 200 students, many with Masked police (top) patrol a street near the Church of Divine Mercy; volunteers (below) clean up serious bullet wounds, including one medical student who after the attack on the church. had been treating others on campus when she took a bullet in

PHOTOS BY ALFREDO ZUNIGA/AP September 15, 2018 • WORLD Magazine 49 1 AND 3: CRISTOBAL VENEGAS/AP • 2: ALFREDO ZUNIGA/AP - Archbishop Archbishop (2) A student who had taken refuge at the refuge who had taken A student (3) church embraces a relative after his release. after a relative embraces church (left) negotiated for the safe transfer of students out of the out of students of transfer the safe for negotiated (left) “It’s really very difficult because the government has madegovernment difficult because the very really “It’s of paramilitaries 20 a group on Aug. daylight In broad Anyone carrying out charity work in the midst of the crisis in the midst out charity work carrying Anyone been vul have organizations also and affiliated Churches Nicaraguan police pose with Ortega on July 13. on July 13. with Ortega pose police Nicaraguan Sommertag (right) talks with journalists after Cardinal Brenes Brenes Cardinal after with journalists (right) talks Sommertag 1 Divine Mercy church. church. Divine Mercy 2 ` ` (1) nerable to government sweeps, targeting teachers and other targeting sweeps, to government nerable police and paramilitary where in areas who work caregivers up protesters. barricades and rounded destroyed units have said not,” are we not, and they know are us enemies when we with arrest priests continued to threaten have Police Zamora. places of entered said, and have Zamora and kidnapping, property. church and in some cases destroyed ­worship legal adviser of the Episcopal ­kidnapped Carlos Cárdenas, organizations providing humanitarian aid. In what Ortega humanitarian providing organizations used machinery and paramilitaries sweep,” called a “clean in up protesters barricades and round remove artillery to heavy a brutal campaign that left hundreds was what witnesses say dead. targeted have suddenly has become suspect. Authorities protesters—dismissing suspected of treating health workers at public hospitals nurses who work 135 doctors and at least Rights Watch. to Human according Nicaragua, across - reporter Joshua Partlow, who Partlow, Joshua reporter September 15, 2018 • Washington Post Washington WORLD Magazine A new anti-terrorism law enacted at the end of July enacted at the end of July law A new anti-terrorism In the days following the students’ release, Zamora would would Zamora release, the students’ following In the days But the end of the siege—which had received national and had received the end of the siege—which But “This is a moment when the Church gives witness and gives “This is a moment when the Church Working through the night to secure the students’ release, release, the students’ the night to secure through Working “Lord, we ask you to protect us in this moment,” Zamora Zamora us in this moment,” to protect you ask we “Lord, Partlow also recorded how Zamora and his assistant—with and his assistant—with Zamora how also recorded Partlow Trapped inside, Zamora noted, were students who were who were students noted, were Zamora inside, Trapped Zamora believed students would be safe inside Divine be would students believed Zamora President Ortega after the siege abruptly changed tactics. President but also to target members of churches and nongovernmental and nongovernmental members of churches but also to target 50 up to 20 years in prison anyone participating in a “situation of participating in a “situation in prison anyone up to 20 years armed conflict” or public property. private or destroying it could be used to criminalize protesters, Opponents warned and said, “The opposition is in league with Satan, and the and said, “The opposition is in league with Satan, them.” bishops should exorcise and sentence to ability to arrest the government’s expanded anniversary of the Sandinista victory over the Anastasio victory over of the Sandinista anniversary Ortega told thousands of supporters that Somoza regime, bases to attack and assassinate,” had been used “as churches 3 called “terror as mediators he now leaders he treated Church to accusing them of an alliance with opponents wanting ists,” 19 speech on the 39th In a July the government. overthrow clergy went jail to jail and found and secured the release of the release jail to jail and found and secured went clergy he said. unaccounted for, remained but many some students, has gotten more complicated. There is currently a persecution is currently complicated. There has gotten more going on in the whole country.” and other He of them had disappeared. learn that several international attention—did One month not end the crisis. email, “The situation in Nicaragua told me by later Zamora not in our life, if we are not willing to suffer for love, then our not willing to suffer for love, are if we not in our life, trying to Just as something that is exterior. stays just religion have when we Our faith starts do what is ritually appropriate. and His message.” in Jesus that deep conviction really shines forth the face of Christ in us,” Zamora told Zamora in us,” shines forth the face of Christ really is the cross after the siege ended. “If Agency Catholic News negotiated a middle-of-the-night release for Partlow and negotiated a middle-of-the-night for Partlow release had been killed students two But students.) wounded ­several injured. shooting and about 16 in the overnight the church leaders—Archbishop of Nicaragua Waldemar Waldemar of Nicaragua leaders—Archbishop the church Leopoldo Brenes—by and Cardinal Sommertag Stanislaw to negotiate an end to the at Divine Mercy morning arrived Department with the Catholic clergy State (The U.S. siege. outside. “We believe in you, Lord, those of us who have no those of us who have Lord, in you, believe “We outside. army.” this great against strength university—got on their cell phones to Catholic leaders in on their cell phones to university—got And prayed. Nicaragua. of gunfire crack under the students said as he huddled with energy of a field hospital run mostly by non-doctors.” non-doctors.” by a field hospital run mostly of energy and the adjoining church at the fire directing paramilitaries Catholic and Protestant, and some who were atheists. Also atheists. and some who were Catholic and Protestant, was trapped as “the hectic, confused the church described the scene in They cut off the only exit out of the church and opened fire on opened fire and exit out of the church the only They cut off building and Zamora’s including the church the compound, continue all night.would The gunfire rectory. the leg, breaking her femur. Volunteers carried her into the her into carried Volunteers her femur. breaking the leg, splint. in a cardboard her leg with church the area. units swarmed but soon the paramilitary Mercy, peaceful.” The resident, who spoke to me on condi- tion that he not be named due to security concerns, said within blocks of the downtown protest starting, a paramilitary shot to death a protester. “Our gate is locked and we are on high alert, not letting anyone on campus,” said Greg Kynast, an American who serves as director of NCA, which runs a program for students from pre-kindergarten through high school. The school year in Nicaragua typically runs from February to November, and Kynast said school days since April have been “really tense.” At the height of protests—with fuel shortages and routes to the school blocked by barricades—many classes were moved online or to a satellite campus that students reached by crossing a narrow pedes- trian swing bridge over a river to avoid clashes. Despite extra security, explosions from mortars nearby and gunfire isn’t uncommon. “We’re not unused to seeing guns on the street, but these are assault weapons,” Kynast said. Like NCA, other Christian-based organizations I contacted said they plan to soldier on, though they are taking new precautions to avoid danger and many want to avoid appearances of opposing the government. With a crackdown on dissent appearing to be the country’s new normal, protesters now decry the Ortega regime’s moves to deny Nicaraguans the safety of churches. But Ortega’s Sandinistas have cracked down on religious groups before. In the 1980s, when the Soviet Union backed the revolution, the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) sent communist spies into churches to search out opponents. Missionaries and foreign-based church organizations were largely banned from the country. That changed under Violeta Chamorro, who `3 defeated Ortega in 1990 elections and succeeded in bringing an end to the Contra War. Ortega lost two more presidential elections Conference of Nicaragua. Cárdenas was at his home on the before winning in 2006. While outwardly discarding Marxist outskirts of Managua with his wife and 10-year-old daughter. ideology to become the dominant party, the FSLN under The hooded assailants threatened to kill his daughter unless Ortega has gradually realigned itself with Russia, along with Cárdenas left with them. The Episcopal Conference had China and Iran. Not surprisingly, it also has moved the joined Catholic clergy as one of the principal mediators ­country toward a more authoritarian regime. between the Ortega government and protest leaders. “If Ortega-Murillo regime in #Nicaragua gets a big loan from #Russia to bail them out of crisis they created, it will 3 Nicaragua’s population is approximately 58 percent confirm what I have been arguing for some time,” tweeted Catholic and about one-third evangelical, according to Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., on Aug. 20. “Ortega is [Vladimir Operation World. The crisis extends beyond Managua and Putin’s] closest supporter in Latin America & therefore a Catholic leaders, with other churches and affiliated organiza- national security risk to U.S. we must address.” tions affected also. At a meeting of the Organization of American States on At the evangelical Nicaragua Christian Academy (NCA) in Aug. 22, U.S. Ambassador Carlos Trujillo said the United Matagalpa, 80 miles north of Managua, classes began this States was prepared to explore “all possible sanctions” against summer with 15 percent of the student body missing. Some the Ortega government and called for the reinstatement of the had left the country with their families, or parents were afraid national dialogue. He left unclear whether the United States to send them to school. One teacher had to leave Nicaragua would press for Catholic and Episcopal leaders to be rein- after falling under suspicion for praying at protest sites. stated as part of that dialogue. Parents and other relatives have been caught in the Ortega Zamora has remained in Managua but said few parishioners dragnet, too. A school parent was arrested at a march in are coming to his church, and he is not sleeping at the Church Matagalpa on Aug. 18 that one resident described as “completely of Divine Mercy rectory: “It’s too dangerous.” A

 [email protected]  @mcbelz September 15, 2018 • WORLD Magazine 51 FEATURES A FORGOTTEN PEOPLE? CHINA IS HOLDING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF MINORITY UIGHURS IN RE-EDUCATION CAMPS, AND CHINESE FINANCIAL MUSCLE IS KEEPING MUCH OF THE WORLD SILENT ABOUT IT by June Cheng

Residents of Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region walk past a statue of Mao Zedong and billboards that read “Patriotism” and “Democracy” in the city of Kashgar.

NG HAN GUAN/AP A FORGOTTEN PEOPLE? CHINA IS HOLDING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF MINORITY UIGHURS IN RE-EDUCATION CAMPS, AND CHINESE FINANCIAL MUSCLE IS KEEPING MUCH OF THE WORLD SILENT ABOUT IT by June Cheng

hen exiled Uighur activist Dolkun Isa first got word Isa’s mother, Ayhan Memet. They called police stations in the of his 78-year-old mother’s death, nearly a month region until one official­ revealed she died in a detention center W had already passed. A friend broke the news to him, in her home prefecture of Aksu, where she had been held for yet questions lingered in Isa’s mind of what happened to his the past year. mother back in his homeland of Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous “When I heard the news, it was very heartbreaking for me,” Region (XUAR) in western China. Chinese authorities have cut Isa said. “My mother was 78 years old, a very ordinary housewife, off communication between Xinjiang and the rest of the world, and the Chinese government dare put her in a camp [where she] leaving Isa in the dark about details surrounding her death: died. What was going on inside the camp? What happened?” Did she die at home? At a hospital? Or at a re-education camp, A layer of secrecy shrouds the Chinese government’s clamp- where authorities have sent as many as 1 million Uighurs, a down on Muslim ethnic minorities in the region of Xinjiang. Turkic ethnic minority, in the past year? Authorities continue to deny the existence of re-education Isa, the president of the Munich-based World Uighur camps there and punish anyone who speaks out publicly about Congress, is not only banned from communicating with his fam- them. Some citizens of Kazakhstan have been detained in the ily, but Chinese authorities have detained his relatives, labeled crackdown, and released Kazakhs are one of the only sources of him a terrorist, and pressured European countries to arrest Isa information about what is going on inside the camps. without providing evidence that he committed any crimes. Since 2016, the government has trans- Formerly a student protest leader, Isa escaped China in 1994— formed the region into a dystopian the last time he saw his family—and is now a German citizen. surveillance state with cameras Uighur reporters at the U.S.-government-funded and checkpoints covering Radio Free Asia (RFA) investigated the death of the cities, residents

SeptemberSeptember 15,15, 2018 2018 •• WORLD WORLD MagazineMagazine 53 CHECKPOINT & SURVEILLANCE CAMERA: NG HAN GUAN/AP • ISA: YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/AFP/GETTY IMAGES 4 ` As-Salaam- Muslim men Muslim men religious websites, or sent any word or word or sent any websites, religious the Arabic greeting of “ greeting the Arabic (3) A police surveillance surveillance A police (2) Dolkun Isa. Dolkun (4) ” could get a Uighur sent to a re-education camp. In sent to a re-education camp. ” could get a Uighur 2 ` Uighurs stopped at a checkpoint or taken from their homes from at a checkpoint or taken stopped Uighurs ethnic minorities to the camps sending Muslim started Police One of Chen’s hallmark policies is his “grid management” hallmark policies is his “grid One of Chen’s scan their cell phones with a to pedestrians stop Police asked as the government among neighbors grew Distrust Xinjiang residents walk through a security a security through walk Xinjiang residents for suspected “religious activity”for suspected “religious disappear into the re-education no trial, no meeting with a lawyer, recourse: without any system members who Family and no information for their family. get taken at worst get ignored, after the missing at best inquire of with the children Local orphanages overflow in themselves. sent some to orphanages in and authorities have detainees, to RFA. of China, according other areas Uighurs who had visited targeted sweep The first 2017. of in April Uighurs apart from Han, including beards, headscarves, Muslim headscarves, including beards, Han, apart from Uighurs confiscated Police and Muslim-sounding names. clothing, escape the country. they couldn’t passports to ensure Uighur police stations” of “convenience of hundreds consisting system cameras of surveillance network feet, a 650-1,000 set up every security force and a large software, with facial recognition and 2016 August the local population. Between from recruited positions, security-related 90,866 advertised Xinjiang 2017, July at the Zenz, a researcher Adrian by to a report according and Theology. School of Culture European device that can find bannedif any the user had downloaded visited any ­messaging apps, Even to Islam. image related Alaikum neighborhoods and authorities demolished Uighur Ürümqi, to scatter residents former forcing sold the land to developers, Uighur families than five no more neighborhoods with into Han in each neighborhood. allowed with tipsters on their neighbors and awarded residents to report as out the door, time they step smiles every fake cash. Uighurs “The move. their every and informants follow security cameras the the old people who hang around benefits from government said one and ears,” neighborhood as they become their eyes these people.” to cross want don’t “You resident. Ürümqi Han (1) Chinese showing a screen below checkpoint Xi Jinping. President in Xinjiang province. camera in Xinjiang outside a mosque and police province. that set banned anything He each resident. information from 1 ` - - - - or household registration or household registration hukou neighbors, and police throwing Uighur and police throwing neighbors, September 15, 2018 • leaders to press President Xi Jinping on the Xi Jinping President leaders to press cally of the country’s important to China as it holds a third and is situated on the historic gas and oil reserves natural ordering Kazakhstan and Mongolia, Xinjiang is strategi and Mongolia, Kazakhstan ordering

Building on his experience, Chen began an enormous bio on his experience, Building In response to the terror threat in Xinjiang, the Chinese in Xinjiang, threat to the terror In response Ethnic tensions erupted in the Ürümqi riots of July 2009, 2009, riots of July tensions erupted in the Ürümqi Ethnic In August, a United Nations committee stated that based on committee stated Nations United a In August,

WORLD Magazine fingerprints, iris scans, and iris scans, fingerprints, 54 metric collection in Xinjiang, using mandatory health checkupsmetric collection in Xinjiang, as collecting photos, as well and blood samples, to obtain DNA Communist Party Secretary of XUAR. Chen had previously previously Chen had of XUAR. Secretary Party Communist he had successfully of Tibet, where been the party secretary surveillance, checkpoints, through region “stabilized” the restive and re-education in monasteries. government has clamped down on the region, most noticeably most on the region, has clamped down ­government as the Chen Quanguo took over after beginning in 2016 tourists. In 2014, members of the group stabbed commuters at commuters stabbed members of the group In 2014, tourists. A few 141. killing 31 and injuring Station Railway the Kunming with explo cars packed two TIP members drove months later, killing 43. market, street into the Ürümqi sives (TIP), a jihadist group that is active in Syria, also plague the in Syria, that is active group a jihadist (TIP), a car into Tiananmen rammed terrorists 2013, In country: people in the car and two killing the three in Beijing, Square restricting religious practices. religious restricting mostly claims led to 200 deaths, which the Chinese government Party Islamic the Turkistan attacks by Terrorist people. of Han long bristled at China’s heavy-handed attempts at assimilation, heavy-handed at China’s long bristled numbers of the majority Han large which included moving and schools to teach in Mandarin, forcing Chinese to the area, Silk Road, which China aims to revive with its recent Belt and with its recent which China aims to revive Silk Road, have living in the area the 11 million Uighurs Yet Initiative. Road internment of Uighurs before it escalates into an ethnic cleansing. before internment of Uighurs their dependence on Chinese investments. Western democracies Western their dependence on Chinese investments. for a few voices unconcerned, save largely also remained have calling for their ­ lion Uighurs. A Chinese delegation denied the existence of re- Chinese delegation denied the existence A lion Uighurs. has the international community In general, education camps. Muslim noted most done little to call China out on its actions: Isa the issue with China because of to raise reluctant countries were their husbands and sons are held and whether they are alive. held and whether they are are their husbands and sons has detained one mil the Chinese government reports, credible tasked with spying on their ­ spying with tasked and brainwashed they are men into re-education where camps, where know don’t and mothers wives Left-behind tortured. B JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/GETTY IMAGES O  Communist Party saved Uighurs andotherethnic minorities learned China’s version ofXinjianghistory—namely thatthe they learned“red songs,” studied theChineselanguage, and Chinese nationalanthem.Allday they sat inclassrooms where he and1,000 otherdetaineeswoke upatdawn tosingthe ploy tohelpMuslims escape. agency helpingChineseapplyforKazakhtourist visaswas a Associated Press. Thepoliceclaimedthathiswork atatourist campforanotherfourmonths, Bekali re-education toldthe as theeconomicgiantpoursinvestments into itsneighbors. many countriesintheregion, Kazakhstan is indebtedtoChina government willeventually force Kazakhstan tosilencehim.Like seems ambivalent abouthiswork, yet hefearsthattheChinese Kazakh detaineesquiet:Bilashsaidthegovernment trade partnerwith China,haskept itsdiplomaticeffortsto release campsinXinjiang.heard” Kazakhstan, of re-education aclose Ministry alsotoldtheAssociatedPress (AP) thatit“hadnot to deny theexistence camps. China’s ofre-education Foreign the “medicine”guards forced themtotake. with mentalabnormalitieslikely causedby severe trauma and woman toabortherbaby, andBilashsaidthemencameout both women andmeninfertile. Thegovernment forced one touch thefloor, andinjectedwithunknown medicinethatleft shackles ontheirwrists andanklessothattheirfeetbarely ­“difficult deprived ofsleep, tolisten to”—detainees hungby eight monthsindetention.Thestories theytellBilashare who fearreturning toChina. Xinjiang, andprovides summerhousingfor college students helps supportthefamiliesofKazakhChinesedetainedin Atajurt, organizes released detaineestoshare theirexperiences, Serikjan Bilash,theheadofKazakhstan humanrightsgroup crackdown are tooafraid tospeakoutaftertheirrelease. ethnic minoritiessuchastheKazakhs, Kirghiz, andHui. consider allUighurs enemies of thestate, aswell asotherMuslim pected were religious. But over time, thegovernment cameto any typeofcriminalrecord, andUighurs thegovernment sus foreign countries, Uighurs withrelatives inexile, Uighurs with [email protected] At campinthenorthern suburbsofKaramay, there-education Zhang Wei, China’s consulgeneral inKazakhstan, continues At least 10Kazakhnationalshave beenreleased aftersixto Many Kazakhnationalswhohave beenswept upinthe whisked himaway toprisonforfourmonthsthena Xinjiang forawork trip inMarch 2017whenpolice ne released Kazakhdetainee, OmarBekali, was in  @WORLD_mag ` - 3 destroy evidence ofwhathappenedinsidethecamps. are onelast way todesecrate traditional culture aswell as ­traditional burial ceremony forthedead,so thecrematoriums nine crematoriums, RFA reported. Uighurs typicallyhave a be difficult of ever tofindout:Xinjianghasbegunconstruction they couldn’t even turnover whilesleeping. room ­ are soovercrowded that20to30peoplewere stuffed inasmall wrists andankles, forover 24hours. Isa notedthatsomecamps some inatigerchair, ametalcontraption withclampsonone’s fights, heorshe would facebeatingsortorture: Police locked accommodations, Bekali told AP. who were especiallyvigorous were awarded more comfortable criticize theirreligious past andthatoftheirclassmates. Those Cultural Revolution, interneesstood infront oftheirclassto propaganda. Harkening sessionsofthe backtotheself-criticism andthememorizationofCommunist Partyon self-criticism the Motherland! ThankPresident Xi!” before eachmeal,inmateshadtochant“ThanktheParty! Thank from theirbackward andrepressive culture. Bekali toldAPthat open thedoorto agreater massacre.” remain silent,Chinamay becomemore encouraged, anditmay family membersofsixRFA reporters. aswell population intheworld asthedetentionof today” what theycalled“thelargest massincarceration ofaminority on Terry Branstad, U.S. ambassadortoChina,investigate of theCongressional-Executive CommissiononChina,called Sen. Marco Rubio andRep. ChrisSmith,thechairandco-chair (including Chen)involved insuppressing religious minorities. pressed theTrump administration tosanctionChineseleaders to know whenthathatred mightmake itselfmanifest.” even hatred. Five years from now, 15years from now, it’s difficult being created here isanenvironment ofdeepresentment and Macquarie University inSydney, Australia. “Probably whatis quite low,” saidKevin Carrico, Chinesestudies lecturer at think theprospect forlong-term peaceandstability are actually the skillsnecessarytofighttheirChineseoppressors backhome. fighting withthemin Syria andIraq, promising toteachthem andISISusethesegrievances tolure Uighurs ­al-Qaeda into rid theregion of—extremism. Overseas terrorist groups like they may alsobecontributingtotheexact thing Chinawants to number ofterrorist attackstodrop tozero inthepast year. Yet million. Inonesense, Chen’s draconian policieshave causedthe detainees ranges from aconservative 200,000 tomore than1 leaked government reports, Zenzbelieves thetotalnumberof Westerners outoftheregion. exceedingly dangerous, andthegovernment haskicked most missionaries thatminister toUighurs now findtheir work excuses formeetings, shouldneighborhoodpolicedrop by. Han groups toavoid detection,andchurch membersprepare alternate Watch Monitor. House churches have broken upintosmaller camps,are according alsolanguishing inre-education toWorld No oneknows how many have diedinthecamps, anditmay If anyone disobeyed orders, arrived atclasslate, orgotinto Much ofhistimeintheindoctrinationprogram was spent “We strongly urge theWest tospeakout,” Isa said. “If they Sam Brownback, theU.S. ambassadorforreligious freedom, “Xinjiang seemstoadegree tohave beenpacified … butIdo Based ongovernment construction bids, hiringads, and More than100Christian Uighurs whoconverted from Islam designated forsix.Interneeswere packed sotightthat September 15, 2018 15, September A • WORLD Magazine WORLD 55 The world needs to know about ministries that make a difference.

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Lifestyle hold jobs in restaurants and in hydroblasting until he failed a drug test. He Handcrafted recovery tried a rehab center in Northern California but AN INDIANAPOLIS FURNITURE SHOP IS A PLACE OF relapsed. HEALING AND JOB SKILLS TRAINING FOR FORMER He tried to start over in ADDICTS by Russ Pulliam a move east to Indianapolis for a woman he met on the internet. That didn’t work Jesse Slaugh sees his men who have been through young age and graduated to out well. Following a R time behind bars in rehab at an Indianapolis marijuana, then to stronger domestic dispute, he wound Indiana as one of the best rescue mission. Purposeful opioids. up with a short prison events of his 42-year-old Design assumes that “I wanted to do every- ­sentence at a low-security life. Christian faith and work thing my parents told me prison in Indiana. He felt He wound up free of opportunity are as vital for not to do,” he recalls. “I he was sent there unjustly, opioid abuse, with a new the opioid crisis as a top- don’t have a reason for that but he learned Romans 8:28, outlook on life and a job notch medical response. except for hanging out with which teaches Christians building handcrafted Slaugh’s problems the wrong crowd and that God controls events furniture. started when he was grow- experimenting.” and arranges them for their These days he works at a ing up in Utah, where he Even with his drug long-term benefit. small business, Purposeful rebelled against his parents ­habits, Slaugh managed to “Going to prison was Design, which makes through drug and alcohol one of the best things that ­custom furniture and offers abuse. He started with Vincent Mader works at ever happened to me in my

KELLY WILKINSON/INDYSTAR KELLY work for formerly homeless alcoholic beverages at a Purposeful Design. life,” Slaugh said. “I needed

Visit WORLD Digital: wng.org September 15, 2018 • WORLD Magazine 57 NOTEBOOK Lifestyle

to quit everything. I was spent several years doing designed to work,” Mayes Purposeful Design, which running out of options.” Bible studies with mission says. “One of the most spir- is legally a limited liability Once out of prison on residents. He rejoiced as itual things God creates business under the owner- probation, he had no place they grew in Christian man to do is to serve others ship of the nonprofit to go except the Wheeler faith, developing good through work.” Sagamore Institute in Mission homeless shelter ­habits to replace bad ones. Sales jumped from Indianapolis. in downtown Indianapolis. Sometimes a breakthrough $36,000 in 2014 to almost Purposeful Design is Prison helped him realize came when a man saw his $1 million last year. At the expanding out of a small, his need to get serious addiction to alcohol or bottom line the company is old church building to a about the Christian faith drugs was a crutch, or even close to breaking even, with larger warehouse, adding a commitment he had made an idol that needed to be 12 employees. About half program to train more men a few years earlier. At the replaced with worship of the revenue goes to men’s in woodworking skills along mission, he joined the the true God. One of the salaries, and the rest to with the core business of STEPS program, rising at 6 biggest challenges was administration, materials, making custom furniture. a.m. and learning disciplines helping them find jobs. supplies, and delivery of The plan is to have a more such as Bible study and Sometimes an arrest record orders. Large Indianapolis permanent workforce for prayer. closed a door to employ- companies, including furniture-making. Then, in Through STEPS—Steps ment. Or disciplined work Salesforce and Lilly, have the company’s “School of Toward Economic and habits were missing after bought products from Woodworking and Personal Stability—he grew years of addiction. Discipleship,” skills training in his understanding of basic Palmer launched could become available to work skills such as coming Purposeful Design in 2013, 50 to 100 men who can go in on time and getting starting with a few men to on to other jobs. along with co-workers. He fill custom furniture orders. Since Purposeful Design heard about a year-old Retired firefighter Dan almost breaks even, Palmer ministry called Purposeful Mayes, who had several is pleased to keep an eye on Design, where men started years of woodworking another important bottom the workday with a time of experience, joined as a line—men free of opioid prayer. It turned out to be a supervisor. “Men were abuse, growing in faith, good fit for Slaugh. working, and sometimes He is skeptical of a Slaugh (right); men at work rebuilding marriages and ­medical cure for the opioid at Purposeful Design families. A epidemic: “I hope people learn that they don’t need opioids, but they want them. You’re not sick. You just want it. The cure for addiction is Jesus.” Slaugh’s story may not be the cure for everyone addicted to opioids, but it shows how faith can help a man or woman steer out of KELLY WILKINSON/INDYSTAR • BOTTOM: HANDOUT TOP: addiction to a productive life. Many of the faith-based approaches to the problem avoid government funding and often rely on former addicts to provide the hard-nosed counseling sometimes needed for recovery. Purposeful Design grew out of Wheeler Mission, where board member and businessman David Palmer

58 WORLD Magazine • September 15, 2018 Give the gift of clarity: wng.org/giftofclarity NOTEBOOK Technology

An autistic child interacts with his mother at the Wall Lab in Stanford, Calif. (left); a screen- shot of the app (below).

sadness, anger, disgust, surprise, fear, neutral, and contempt. The child tries to identify the correct emotion. In “capture the smile,” the child gives someone clues about the emotion he wants to see expressed until the other person acts it out. Of the 14 families involved in the study, six saw large enough declines in their child’s scores on the SRS-2 autism scale to move down one step in the severity of their autism classifica- tion. Twelve of the families reported their children made more eye contact after receiving the treatment. “Parents said things like ‘A switch has been flipped; my child is looking at me.’ Or ‘Suddenly the teacher is telling me that my child is engaging in the classroom,’” said Wall after post-study parent interviews. Although the pilot study did not use a control group, Wall thinks the findings are promising. His team is Help on the spectrum currently conducting a more compre- COULD THE GOOGLE GLASS DEVICE BENEFIT KIDS hensive, randomized trial of the WITH AUTISM? by Michael Cochrane ­therapy, according to Stanford. A

Children with autism seemingly treatment called applied behavior R improved their social skills after analysis, in which a trained practi­ using a wearable device that helped tioner teaches emotion recognition them recognize emotions in people’s using flash card exercises. facial expressions, according to new “We have too few autism practi­ research. tioners,” study senior author Dennis In a pilot study in NPJ Digital Wall, associate professor of pediatrics Medicine in August, a team at the and biomedical data science, told Stanford University School of Medicine Stanford Medicine News. “The only developed a smartphone app and way to break through the problem is to paired it with Google Glass to provide create reliable, home-based treatment real-time cues to kids about facial systems. It’s a really important unmet expressions. The device, worn like a need.” pair of glasses, has a camera that In the study, 14 families with records the wearer’s field of view, as ­autistic children used the Google Glass well as a small audio speaker. As the system for 10 weeks, with at least child interacts with other people, the three 20-minute sessions per week. camera captures those people’s facial The researchers had the children use expressions and the app identifies and the system in three ways: free-play names their emotions through the and two game modes. In the “guess my Google Glass speaker. emotion” game, a parent acts out a The study authors based the facial expression associated with one

TOP: JEFF CHIU/AP • BOTTOM: HANDOUT ­therapy on a well-studied autism of the eight core emotions: happiness,

September 15, 2018 • WORLD Magazine 59 NOTEBOOK Politics

ning as an independent. Republican voters there gave their hapless nomi- Senate sleepers nee less than 10 percent of the vote, figuring he had no chance and that the U.S. SENATE RACES IN TEXAS, NEW MEXICO, AND real choice was between a Democrat NEW JERSEY COULD BECOME UNEXPECTEDLY who supported President Bush on Iraq CLOSE IN THE FALL by Henry Olsen (Lieberman) and one who opposed him (Lamont). New Mexico Republicans could make a similar choice, figuring The battleground for Senate state that one must still rate Cruz as the that Johnson would be a strong vote WALSH/AP SUSAN • HUGIN: SCHULTZ/AP RICH • MENENDEZ: RAOUX/AP JOHN BRYAN/AP • JOHNSON: MONTOYA SUSAN •HEINRICH: W. RODRIGUEZ/AP RICHARD • O’ROURKE: WALS/AP SUSAN CRUZ: R ­control looks well defined. favorite, but no one should be surprised for tax cuts, smaller government, and Republicans have six clear targets, and if the race tightens considerably once constitutionalist judges. If Johnson the Democrats have three. But some O’Rourke hits the airwaves in earnest. raises enough funds, this race could other developing races could become tighten considerably by October. unexpectedly difficult for the incum- 0 New Mexico has become a reliably bent. These “sleeper” Senate races are Democratic state in recent years, but 0 New Jersey is the third sleeper state. worth watching as election activity an unusual development might put Democratic incumbent Sen. Robert heats up in the fall. Democratic incumbent Sen. Martin Menendez was indicted on federal Heinrich in some jeopardy. Former public corruption charges, but the case 0 Texas is home to the sleeper likeliest governor and two-time Libertarian was dismissed after a 2017 trial resulted to emerge as a full-blown target. Polls presidential nominee Gary Johnson in a hung jury. He won renomination have repeatedly shown that Republican entered the race in mid-August on the this June with a stunningly low 62 incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz is not a lock Libertarian ticket. Johnson retains sup- percent of the vote after facing an port in the Land of Enchantment even unknown and underfunded opponent. though he has not been governor there Polls show he has only a small lead over since 2002. (He received over 9 percent the Republican nominee, wealthy phar- of the presidential vote in New Mexico maceutical executive Robert Hugin. in 2016, with support spanning partisan New Jersey is a very expensive and racial lines.) An August Emerson state to campaign in. It is served by the College public poll showed him starting large television markets of New York out in second place with 21 percent and Philadelphia, and has not elected support, behind Heinrich’s 39 percent, a Republican to the Senate since 1972. with 30 percent of voters undecided. Johnson’s chance depends on his Cruz O’Rourke ability to garner the vast majority of Republican votes while simultaneously for reelection. While the RealClear­ attracting independents and moderate Politics polling average had him ahead Democrats who don’t like President by 6 points in late August, a recent NBC Trump. His model would be the 2006 News/Marist poll found only a 4-point U.S. Senate race in Connecticut, where gap. That poll’s underlying demo- Democratic incumbent Joseph graphic breakdowns show Cruz doing Lieberman lost renomination to the poorly among whites with college more progressive Ned Lamont, but degrees, a finding that mirrors polling nevertheless won reelection by run- Menendez Hugin data about declining GOP support in this demographic across the country. Menendez’s weakness, though, makes Cruz is ahead only because he has 42 this race one to watch, especially if percent of the Hispanic vote, an unusu- Hugin is able to afford extensive ally high share for a Republican in a ­airtime in early October. competitive contest. His Democratic Sleepers usually don’t pan out, but opponent, U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke of the experienced campaign analyst El Paso, has so far raised millions more knows better than to dismiss them dollars than Cruz, giving him the ability entirely. Keep an eye out for O’Rourke, to wage a serious campaign in Texas’ Johnson, and Hugin if you want to large and expensive television media keep abreast of the battle for Senate Heinrich Johnson markets. Texas is such a Republican control this fall. A

60 WORLD Magazine • September 15, 2018 Manage your membership: wng.org/membership VOICES Mailbag

‘Go and do likewise’ AUG. 4 The organizations profiled in your Hope Awards issue are so inspirational, and thank you for the encouragement to “go and do likewise.” We are all capable of making a difference. —KATIE POWNER on wng.org

‘Lakota lessons’ and informative article, and I look AUG. 4 I am so thankful for this school, for ­forward to reading more. the Konurs, the teachers, and all who —BECKY FILIPEK / Lidgerwood, N.D. support them in bringing God’s glorious light to the Lakota nation. May God I’ve expected this battle over marijuana bless each and every one of the staffers, for years, but where do we go from We all choose the candidate most the students, and their community. here? Which groups can we trust? I’m likely to represent our views. We as —ELAINE SUDERMAN on Facebook concerned that the green giant lobby Christians have to get involved politi­ will win because no one will show up cally to fight for the religious freedom ‘They’re like birds’ to do battle. I do not think people real­ and freedom of expression set out in AUG. 4 I prayed for Li Ling, and thank ize how terrible pot is for the brain. our founding documents, or the God for Colorado Burma Roundtable —JULIE VON VETT / Wyoming, Minn. republic fails. Network! —JOHN B. STONE on wng.org —ANNE SCHENK on wng.org I feel vastly differently about marijuana than I did before losing a younger ‘A history of separation’ ‘Erasing Laura’ ­sister to cancer in 2016. I saw the pain AUG. 4 I appreciate Joel Belz discussing AUG. 4 No one ever went broke under­ she was in, and now I support medical the hypocrisy of progressives who estimating the American Library uses. Addiction to any substance— decry the government separation of Association and its revisionist political beer, tobacco, pot, or harder drugs—is children from parents, or from those agenda. Whenever such an organization wrong, but the key is moderation. claiming to be their parents. What do criticizes a TV series with a family- —JEFFREY EVERROAD / Columbus, Ind. they think abortion is? That’s the oriented message like Little House on ­ultimate separation of children from the Prairie, it’s a compliment. ‘Season of the Wolf’ parents. —JOE ROBERTS / Jackson, Miss. AUG. 4 Michelle Wolf and those like her —DOUGLAS A. SHEARER / Huber Heights, Ohio don’t have a problem with ripping a We live in a crazy, shallow, and undis­ child from its mother’s womb, and they It seems misleading to say that the cerning world where popular culture would advocate ripping a child from his Trump administration’s treatment of and political correctness continually or her parents when the child wishes to immigrants’ children makes it look override common sense. switch genders and the parents­ say no. “incompetent.” The executive branch —RHONDA STARK / Palmer, Alaska —MIKE BRICKER / Springdale, Ark. is upholding existing law—how is that ill-conceived? And don’t the Don’t be fooled by the explanation I spend a lot of time browsing the parents and human traffickers bear from the Association of Library streaming services and often come up responsibility for putting children in Services for Children about “dated” with just dark and God-dishonoring harm’s way? cultural attitudes. Those people want things. I really appreciate this article —RICK FLANDERS on wng.org to wipe out our national history and pointing me in the right direction. the stories of the people who built this —RHEA LLOYD / Gaithersburg, Md. The government’s biggest child/­ great country by dumbing down parent separation effort in the 20th everyone instead of inviting thought­ ‘Compassion and politics’ century was Indian education. All the ful dialogue. AUG. 4 I was encouraged to hear Eric Native Americans of my age (early —BRENDA & BRYAN PECK on Facebook Metaxas express what I have felt 70s) I have met appear to have been about every single one of those ques­ deeply injured by the forced separation ‘The green rush begins’ tions. To me, his is a voice of reason from family and brutal denigration of AUG. 4 I love the idea for the Caleb and wisdom for our times. their language and culture. Team (and the logo). This was a great —SANDRA HART / Gibsonville, N.C. —PHILIP FRIESEN / Minneapolis, Minn.

Visit WORLD Digital: wng.org September 15, 2018 • WORLD Magazine 61 VOICES Mailbag

‘Deep community’ liberty.” I could almost hear D.C.’s deep A church elder by himself told the AUG. 4 Thank you for reviewing this laugh. Play ball! Voice of the Martyrs (VOM-USA) wonderful movie, A Man Called Ove. I —TIM WILLIAMS on wng.org board of directors about sex abuse laughed. I cried. I felt Ove’s anger, his accusations in 2016, not 2015 (“Far despair, his utter loneliness, and his ‘God in three Persons’ away from home,” Sept. 1, p. 54). big heart. I felt the power of love. AUG. 4 Some Bible translators in In 2016, Mark Underwood was —WENDY DAVIS on wng.org Muslim cultures avoid terms such as VOM-USA’s vice president for interna­ “Son of God” because it is offensive to tional ministry. Cole Richards became My Danish husband loved this movie. Muslims, but Jesus’ claim that God is VOM-USA’s president in 2018. VOM- He understands the challenge of the His Father was offensive to the Jews. USA had a funding relationship with “white shirts” because he lived it and Wasn’t that truth the whole point of Voice of the Christian Martyrs in is quick to see where it shows up in Christianity? It is offensive. It is the Nigeria (“Far away from home,” Sept. our land too. foundation of the gospel. 1, pp. 54-57). —RHONDA KILDEGAARD on Facebook —MARTHA EATON / Carlsbad, Calif. The family of a 10-year-old girl alleged she had been molested by Tom ‘Lift every voice and sing’ Corrections and White (“VOM and Tom White,” Sept. AUG. 4 Thank you for this interesting clarifications 1, p. 57). look at an interesting man with an “Enjoy” in Spanish is disfrutar, and the interesting job: Washington Nationals name of the painting is La Posada national anthem singer D.C. (“Corporate compassion,” Aug. 4, p. 65). LETTERS and COMMENTS Washington. I enjoyed learning a little Jordan Jarrett was an opinion Email: [email protected] Mail: WORLD Mailbag, PO Box 20002, about the Negro National Anthem writer for the Liberty Champion in Asheville, NC 28802-9998 and loved the phrase “harmonies of 2016 (“Papered over,” Sept. 1, p. 42). Website: wng.org

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“679” touch. Not “678” or “670.” If you can’t get them with fake generalizations, get them with fake precision.) My dad re-enters the room and says, “Is this written by the same guy who writes the articles on a pill for cancer, hair loss, and weight prob- lems?” Me: “I don’t know.” I glance at the byline: “Associated Health Press.” Hmm, sounds like A curious report an important organization. Sounds like “Associated Press,” in fact. I WHEN A STORY MAY BE LESS THAN quickly google Associated Press: A U.S.-based, MEETS THE EYE not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York. My father will be disappointed if I don’t But this is the “Associated Health R write this column, so here goes. We were Press,” and I’m a little leery. That’s having lunch, and he says, “Hey, take a look at because decades ago I was taken in by this newspaper article and tell me what you a concert of the Vienna Boys Choir at think. I’ll be back in five minutes.” a local theater. Except that it wasn’t The item, three full columns on B5 of “The exactly the Vienna Boys Choir, turns Region” section of The Philadelphia Inquirer, out, but the Vienna Choir of Boys, or next to “Jersey Joe Walcott to get place of the Vienna Singers Who Are Boys, or honor in Camden,” is titled “Pills May Replace some facsimile or other. I would never Diapers and Padded Underwear at Stores.” Well have noticed the bait-and-switch had now, here’s a game-changer for men over 65, not the singers’ squirminess and nose- which is 23 million Americans. Good for scratching made me do a double take. ­journalists for jumping on this medical I tried to track down the breakthrough. “Associated Health Press,” but there I start at sentence one: “Adult diaper sales seems to be no such entity except as a are expected to plummet as results from a Passive voice shadowy projection of the commercial arm of ­clinical trial on a new patented bladder control the manufacturer of the miracle pill. My eyes pill have finally been released.” is the refuge fly to the top of the article; there in small print Red flag: passive voice, the refuge of of scoundrels. is “Advertisement.” ­scoundrels. Expected by whom? Diaper sales Expected by It was the strange familiarity of the diaper pill are expected by whom to plummet? Wouldn’t “news” report to other reports we’ve occasionally you—if you were a stand-up news guy—say whom? read in the papers that must have prompted my instead something like: “Clinical trials on a new Diaper sales father’s question about the author’s identity— patented bladder control pill, …” followed by an are expected some solitary drone he imagines hunched over active-voice disinterested report on the specific a typewriter in an underground bunker under a scientific findings, rather than jumping straight by whom to long chute that regularly slides him new prod- to speculating on a long-term commercial plummet? ucts to fit to the boiler plate by changing a word trend? Isn’t the writer “leading the witness”? or two. Paragraphs must always begin with the Like the sneaky DA to the defendant: “Do you phrases “Scientists believe,” and “Research has have any problems with your boss?” shown that,” and “Many [brand name inserted I reread: “Adult diaper sales are expected to here] users say,” interspersed with testimonials plummet. …” The harried morning commuter, of happy customers. being, like most men, insecure in his knowledge If I ever start my own company, I shall and his place in life’s Inner Ring, does not notice remember to include the nice touch that that no substantiation is made for the claim. ­“scientists believe” and that “research has Sales are expected by whom to plummet? Well, shown” regarding my product—since, after all, by all right-thinking people, he thinks to himself. I consider myself as much a “researcher” as the Everybody in the country is on board but me! next guy, and I may have a cousin who took In the 1930s we read in Life magazine, “20,679 biology and will support me, which counts as physicians say ‘Luckies’ are less irritating” than “scientific” validation. other cigarettes. How did we know the claim Discernment is a gift the Spirit wants for was true? Because the Lucky Strike ad said so, you (Philippians 1:9-10). There never was a that’s how. (Note the ring of authenticity in the greater need than now. A

 [email protected] September 15, 2018 • WORLD Magazine 63 VOICES Marvin Olasky

In short, the 6 million deaths—four of them were probably my great-grandparents—made the birth of Israel possible. To me that makes the survival of Israel even more important. We don’t know the big picture. We do know f you could give God is sovereign but He also values man’s free will—and the free will of Nazis and millions of your daughter others caught up in targeted blood lust was more confidence, Israel at 70 genocidal. God could have miraculously over- ridden that murderous free will. We’ll never I DID 6 MILLION JEWS GIVE THEIR LIVES FOR IT? know, at least in this life, why He didn’t—but unstoppable faith, may we suspect that God permitted the horror Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, to further some other purpose? How about the servant heartedness, R begins the evening of Sept. 9. This is the establishment and survival of Israel, and the new courage, 70th year of Israel’s existence, which owes way it could help to transform the Middle East? much to the support various camps of U.S. Man’s free will, within God’s sovereignty, and patient wisdom, Christians have given it—for various reasons. changed the outcome in 1948. Most Israeli Jews Some Christians are supersessionists who accepted UN Resolution 181, even though they all in an encouraging say Christians have replaced Israelites as God’s wanted more land than it offered. Most Arabs people. Most still cheer for Israel because it is a did not accept it, confident that their armies atmosphere filled with David amid Goliaths. Others, dispensationalists, could continue Hitler’s work. Israel won the say the spiritual sons of Abraham have not war in 1948 and subsequent wars, and gained laughter, would you replaced the physical sons, so the land of Israel more land plus defensible borders. is still the Jewish inheritance. Tragically, Palestinian leaders continue to give it to her? I sympathize with both camps, but see invest in suicide bombings rather than produc- Israel as important for one more reason. tive work—but it doesn’t have to be that way. In Sometimes when we buy a product from an The Times of Israel, Juliet Moses asks regarding artisan, we say its value is only what it fetches the Palestinian leadership, “What if they That’s in the marketplace. But sometimes, if we know inspired their young to become teachers and what we the hours or the sacrifice that went into making May we Nobel prize-winning scientists, rather than it, we willingly pay more. indoctrinated them with hate to become That second way is how David in 2 Samuel 23 ­suspect ­murderous martyrs? What if, instead of storing thought. valued water from the Bethlehem well that his that God rockets under hospitals, they built state of the three mighty men risked their lives to obtain. ­permitted art facilities?” David poured it out in tribute to God and their Israelis and American Jews would love to There is still time courage: “Far be it from me, O LORD, that I the horror help Palestinians progress. As Moses asks, should … drink the blood of the men who went at of the “What if they had a thriving start-up economy to register for the risk of their lives.” So what about 6 million Holocaust that developed phenomenal technology? … Jews whose blood flowed from 1939 through What if they commemorated their own Worldlview Academy 1945 in a manner so horrible that it made many to further Independence Day every year, and not the United Nations members 70 years ago willing some other ‘Nakba,’ the ‘catastrophe’ of Israel’s creation? … fall camp. to upset the Arab world? Those governments purpose? Palestinians only need to look at Israel to know echoed the thinking of the British Labour Party, what they could have had. The Jews chose which declared the call for a “Jewish National redemption over [refugee status], triumph Home” in Israel “irresistible … after the over tragedy, prosperity over paralysis, and unspeakable atrocities of the Nazi plan to kill self-determination over self-immolation.” all Jews in Europe.” There’s still time for Palestinians to go and The Holocaust made President Harry do likewise. Truman sympathetic to the formation of Israel. By the way, David’s refusal to drink the The U.S. State Department sided with the Bethlehem water—he would not “drink the Camps where students

Arabs, but Truman instructed the U.S. delegate blood of the men who went at the risk of their HARVEPINO/ to the UN to vote for Resolution 181, which lives”—is another of God’s foreshadowings. become bold leaders in truth and grace. ­partitioned the land west of the Jordan River During the Lord’s Supper we drink living water, and thus created Israel. Many Latin American the wine that represents the blood of the www.worldview.org • 800.241.1123 I STOCK countries did the same, wanting to stay in U.S. Bethlehem-born descendant of David who not favor. only risked His life but gave it, for us. A

64 WORLD Magazine • September 15, 2018  [email protected]  @MarvinOlasky

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