EARNING YOUR TRUST, EVERY DAY. 09.12.20 VOLUME 35 NUMBER 17 AN APOCALYPTIC INTERNET MOVEMENT “PEOPLE ARE ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATED BY THE ABSENCE OF GOVERNMENT HELP AND ITS INABILITY TO PREVENT THIS DISASTER.“ —RECOVERY BEGINS IN BEIRUT, P. 40 P. BEIRUT, IN BEGINS —RECOVERY DISASTER.“ THIS PREVENT INABILITY TO ITS AND HELP GOVERNMENT ABSENCE OF THE BY DEVASTATED ABSOLUTELY ARE “PEOPLE SNARES UNWARY CHRISTIANS P. 46 FEATURES 09.12.20 VOLUME 35 NUMBER 17 40 AN EXPLOSIVE RECKONING FOR BEIRUT A record blast leaves opportunities and new fears for a devastated Christian community by Mindy Belz 46 52 58 QUESTIONS ABOUT QANON RISING GOP STAR FACES FOSTERING CHANGES The apocalyptic internet movement ACCUSATIONS Trump administration efforts QAnon is gaining followers Several women complain of aggressive sexual are starting to mend a foster care by the thousands, and churches behavior from young North Carolina system that has been in are being slow to respond congressional candidate Madison Cawthorn crisis for years by Emily Belz by Harvest Prude by J.C. Derrick AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES 09.12.20 WORLD DEPARTMENTS 09.12.20 VOLUME 35 NUMBER 17 5 MAILBAG 8 NOTES FROM THE CEO 23 Morfydd Clark and Dev Patel in a scene from The Personal History of David Copperfield. Dispatches THE UPSIDE TO Culture Notebook 13 NEWS ANALYSIS A LIGHTER, 23 MOVIES & TV 65 LIFESTYLE Jerry Falwell’s 13-year The Personal History of Every Good Gift sells tenure as president of MORE CANDY- David Copperfield, crafts while aiming to Liberty University ends (Un)well, Studio Ghibli, teach young mothers in personal scandal COLORED In His Image job skills, responsibility, and Bible lessons 15 BY THE NUMBERS COPPERFIELD IS 28 BOOKS IT’S SHORT, On Judaism and 67 BUSINESS 16 HUMAN RACE Christianity SWEET, AND PG 68 HEALTH 17 QUOTABLES 30 CHILDREN'S BOOKS ENOUGH TO Recent children’s 18 QUICK TAKES PLEASE ALL BUT biographies Voices 32 Q&A 10 Joel Belz THE YOUNGEST John MacArthur 20 Janie B. Cheaney AGES. 38 Mindy Belz 36 MUSIC 70 Andrée Seu Peterson Wise Blood as opera 72 Marvin Olasky 2 WORLD 09.12.20 DEAN ROGERS/FOX SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES VIA AP Arguably a Bible innovation as signifi cant as Gutenberg’s Scan for more information or moveable type. go to fi lamentbibles.com TYNDALE, Tyndale’s quill logo, and Filament are registered trademarks of Tyndale House Ministries. BIBLICALLY OBJECTIVE JOURNALISM THAT INFORMS, EDUCATES, AND INSPIRES “THE EARTH IS THE LORD’S AND THE FULLNESS THEREOF; THE WORLD AND THOSE WHO DWELL THEREIN.” —PSALM 24:1 CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER Nick Eicher WORLD NEWS GROUP EDITOR IN CHIEF Marvin Olasky SENIOR EDITOR Mindy Belz WHAT DID CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Kevin Martin DEPUTY EDITOR Michael Reneau FOUNDER Joel Belz DEPUTY CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER J.C. 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POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO WORLD, PO BOX 20002, ASHEVILLE, NC 28802-9998. 4 WORLD 09.12.20 MAILBAG HANDS UP—“DEFUND THE POLICE” who suggest George Floyd’s past sins AUG. 1, P. 4—JOHN MAKI ON WNG.ORG mitigate the horror of his death and Nearly four decades in law enforce- the criminality of his killers. “Gentle ment taught me that “overpolicing” giant” was perhaps too generous, but is about the only way to deal proac- “thug” is derisive and dismissive. tively with serious, violent crime in Floyd was on a journey, and so am I. high-crime areas. Enforcing the mun- dane often leads to the discovery of HENRY HARVEY/MEMPHIS, TENN. hard drugs and illegal firearms that This tragedy points out the important are the root of many serious crimes. responsibility of police chiefs, who must screen out the bad apples and BOB CREMER ON WNG.ORG give the rest proper training. Young black men are often treated with suspicion because a few young black men commit so many crimes. TELEMEDICINE’S BIG MOMENT Now the police are being painted as AUG. 1, P. 68—KRISTOFER SANDLUND/ the enemy because a few are bad. RUNNING ZANESVILLE, OHIO As a family physician, I see the advan- DEFENSE tages of “telehealth” visits, especially SUMMER SADNESS during the epidemic, but there are AUG. 1, P. 13—STEVE SHIVE ON WNG.ORG I love this nation but disadvantages. Virtually every week Legislating an ever-increasing mini- hate what politics, I see patients with problems that I mum wage is virtue signaling of the politicians, and would have misdiagnosed through worst kind. Entry level jobs that pro- video chats, such as the asymptomatic vide training and experience are lost those who want to patient who needed a pacemaker. in the lust to stay in office. destroy this country have done to it. My PAUL GOSSELIN/SAINT-AUGUSTIN, QUEBEC GREAT EXPECTATIONS, UNMET The lockdowns remind me of The Ori- sixth grade teacher AUG. 1, P. 22—JACE BOWER/STAUNTON, VA. gins of Totalitarianism by Hannah told us that America This encouraging read delivered a Arendt. She describes how in a “gov- “is too strong to powerful reminder that all of us are ernment by decree” bureaucrats rule searching for hope and security and through pure power. People don’t be destroyed from that the only true source of such hope know the reasons for the decrees, sup- the outside, but can and security is Christ. posedly accessible only to “experts,” only be destroyed and so “there remains only one thing that counts, the brutal naked event from within.” We STANDING FOR THE GOSPEL IN THE NBA itself.” It was published just after see that happening AUG. 4—NATHAN GESNER ON FACEBOOK World War II, but seems to have been right now. Not long ago the NFL told Tim Tebow written yesterday. that the field was not a place to kneel. AUG. 1, P. 40—PETER E. MASTI/ Relativism is a funny thing.