Saturday, August 29, 2026

WILD AND WASTED VIRTUES

"WILD AND WASTED VIRTUES"

Modern society and many televangelists promote the "Health and Wealth" false Gospel. Being healthy and having sufficient material things are not intrinsic evils, but when they are promoted as supreme goods, they become false gods – idols.

In his book Orthodoxy, G.K. Chesterton wrote: The modern world is not evil; in some ways the modern world is far too good. It is full of wild and wasted virtues. When a religious scheme is shattered (as Christianity was shattered at the Reformation), it is not merely the vices that are let loose. The vices are, indeed, let loose, and they wander and do damage. But the virtues are let loose also; and the virtues wander more wildly, and the virtues do more terrible damage. The modern world is full of the old Christian virtues gone mad. The virtues have gone mad because they have been isolated from each other and are wandering alone. Thus some scientists care for truth; and their truth is pitiless. Thus some humanitarians only care for pity; and their pity (I am sorry to say) is often untruthful.

Pseudo-pity and overblown compassion today are being pushed as reasons for allowing and promoting illegal and/or immoral behavior. Recently I saw a meme on eX-twitter: "Don't kill me just because I came here illegally so my children could have a better life!" This is how the full facts can be distorted or ignored in order to stir the virtue-signalling pseudo-pity that justifies a disregard for laws meant to protect society. The same tactic is used to promote unmarried and same-sex couples "living together" (fornicating). Genuine compassion keeps in mind what not only satisfies or gratifies individuals, but also and more importantly what is best for society in the long run.

When "the virtues are let loose" they become unbalanced. We know what happens when a washing machine is unbalanced: it begins making terrible noise as it bounces around the floor, banging into other objects. It's even worse when a car engine or wheels are unbalanced, and often fatal when a jet engine is unbalanced. Thus, when we push one of the virtues to an extreme, it's no longer a virtue, it distorts into a vice.

One of my favorite verses in the Psalms is – "Mercy and truth meet together. Righteousness and peace have kissed each other" (Ps.85:10). This passage aptly illustrates the harmonious balance of various virtues: mercy counterbalanced by truth, righteousness (justice) coupled with peace. Seeking peace at all costs can easily endanger the continued existence of society. In the same way, tolerance of sexual immorality in the long run leads to the extinction of a nation, as the upcoming demographic implosion indicates.

"The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul. The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple" (Ps.19:7).

You can read our whole newsletter at https://agape-restoration-society.org/ARC-News/a-n_2026-o8-29.htm, and share it!

Saturday, August 15, 2026

THE RIGHT TO BELIEVE

The motto in our newsletter's heading, "The right to believe and the right to life are inseparable: Right belief in a loving God enables us to love our neighbor!" doesn't mean that whatever we want to believe is right. That's confusing the two different meanings of the word "right." Rather, it shifts the responsibility for choosing the right beliefs from the state to the church, the family, and the individual. Freedom of religion implies responsibility!

We need to understand where the right to believe – freedom of religion – sprang from. For thousands of years, it was determined by the tribe or the king or emperor. But with the coming of the Messiah, the Christ, it shifted from being just an external commandment to worship Yahweh, the Jewish nation's God, or the gods of the Gentile nations and peoples. Christianity insisted (and still insists) on the right and duty of each family and each person to search and strive for sincere faith in the true God.

In the article "Reclaiming the Real Definition of Religious Freedom" we learn that modern political discourse often weaponizes religious freedom as a cover for partisan agendas and culture wars rather than upholding genuine constitutional rights. The article criticizes the current administration and some Christian leaders for supporting policies that prioritize religious exemptions while simultaneously undermining the rights of minorities, immigrants, and people of color.

The article notes that these political efforts often violate the constitutional separation of church and state by allowing federally funded agencies to discriminate based on religion and identity. The author calls upon Christians to reject "false framing" and instead advocate for a version of religious liberty that aligns with Christian teachings on universal human dignity. Readers are encouraged to take actionable steps, such as lobbying representatives, challenging discriminatory government policies, and working toward a return to historical Christian sexual ethics.

Freedom of conscience and the free exercise of religion means that the state must not coerce its citizens to love our neighbors – the poor, the disabled, and the elderly. But when the state takes over this role of providing financial support for those most in need of loving attention by taxing us, we no longer have the freedom to do so or not to do so: we have lost the free exercise of religion.

And in fact, when the state takes over this role, it most often insists that it must be kept separate from any particular religion or beliefs: thus, it coerces the disbelief in any religion. This is the dilemma of a secular society in which religious belief has been robbed of the right to express that belief in action! And the "loving attention" part of it turns into bureaucratic rules of entitlement: do you check all the right boxes on the form?

As the heading on our "DAILY PRAYERS" web page shows, there must be a "Why?" to our prayer life. If it's merely to perform a religious duty, it becomes an empty charade, window dressing to convince ourselves that we're on right terms with God. But we must demonstrate our love for God by loving our neighbors, and especially those most in need of loving attention – the poor, the disabled, and the elderly (often the same). That's why "Build the ARC!" comes right after the "Why?" in our "Daily Prayers" heading. Go to our "Morning Prayers" web page to see how to join our "live" Daily Prayers at 7 a.m. every day – and do the "Why!"

You can read our whole newsletter at https://agape-restoration-society.org/ARC-News/a-n_2026-08-15.htm, and share it!

Saturday, July 25, 2026

IS THERE A RIGHT WAY TO WORSHIP?

(This essay is from a blog article that I posted on July 5, 2013. I'm deleting that old blog site, so I'm preserving the article here.)

Simply put, "Yes." There is a Right Way. Jesus Christ established His Church upon the apostles and their confession of Him as the Christ, the Messiah - God's Anointed One. He is "the Way, the Truth and the Life" - click on the photo for details.

But what about all the denominations and confessions that call themselves Christian? Aren't these all acceptable variations of the Church? To answer that, we need to consider a few other questions:

First, did Christ say to Peter: "Upon this rock [Peter's confession that Jesus is the Christ, God's Anointed One] I will build a multitude of churches, each with a different set of doctrines and varying ways to worship me"? Of course not! Christ used the singular form, "Church" - one set of doctrines and one way to worship.

That's what a "church" (denomination or confession) is, or at least should be: the One Way. Only one truth can be true, the others are either a little untrue or way off-course. The alternative, that you can have your truth and I can have mine, that there are absolutely no absolutes and that's the absolute truth, is a logical absurdity. And yet, many modern denominations have fallen into this kind of relativism.

Secondly, didn't the organized church "go off the rails" when the last apostle died, or at least sometime shortly after Emperor Constantine adopted Christianity as the state religion? The notion of setting up the first-century Church as the ideal is commonly held among modern Protestants. The earlier Protestant reformers - Wycliffe, Luther, Zwingli, Calvin - however, were protesting not against the original Church of the first ten centuries, but rather against the more recent excesses and corruption of the Roman papacy such as total celibacy of the priesthood (that led to fornication and child molestation), selling forgiveness of sins ("indulgences") and selling higher clerical positions to the highest bidder ("simony").

The early reformers looked back longingly to original Christianity, the undivided Church of the first ten centuries, and its doctrines and form of worship. The Roman papacy had broken away from it in 1054 A.D. and eventually set itself up as the "Holy Roman Empire." During the Crusades, Rome attacked and plundered Constantinople, the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, leaving it weakened and susceptible to the Muslim Turks, who finally captured the city in 1453 A.D. and renamed it Istanbul.

Hagia Sophia, the Cathedral of Holy Wisdom, was converted into a mosque, and the Patriarch of Constantinople was effectively put under house arrest, limited to just a few acres of territory, and stripped of any involvement in society. The "Orthodox" Church, the place of "right worship" (that is what "ortho-doxy" means) essentially ceased to function as an independent entity. Orthodoxy in Russia was also subjugated to the Muslim Mongols at about the same time. Thus the early reformers had nowhere else to turn, no alternative but to set up their own churches.

But after the "Magisterial Reformation" - so called because it retained the form of worship, doctrines, and hierarchical structure of early Christianity - came the "Radical Reformation" led by Thomas Muentzer, Andreas Karlstadt, Menno Simons, and others. These radicals, as the name implies, strove to do away with all hierarchy, liturgical forms of worship, and ornate art in church buildings. No bishops, no clerical garb, no set prayers, no statues or pictures of the saints... nothing was to be found in their church buildings except four plain walls, pews, and a pulpit. Some even went so far as to do away with seminary-trained, ordained pastors. This was not just a reformation, but a revolution - a complete overthrow of the old order.

Gradually over the centuries, however, the ideas of the Magisterial and Radical Reformations began to merge. Today we have denominations with no bishops and with pastors who are ordained with no seminary education (perhaps a two-year Bible college course after high school, but even that isn't absolutely necessary). Multicolored banners with little or no Christian symbols replace pictures or statues of the saints.

Some denominations still use traditional hymns, a choir, and a pulpit. More popular, though, is to use a "worship team," an electronic keyboard, drums, and guitars, but no pulpit: the preacher sits on a high stool with a microphone in front of him, or walks around the stage using a wireless microphone. In warmer climes the preacher's official garb is sandals, Bermuda shorts, and a Hawaiian shirt; in cooler places, it's sports shoes, blue jeans and a pastel (light blue, yellow or pink is "in") broadcloth shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Off-the-wall songs are projected by PowerPoint slides, often mixed together with video shows.

The result is a confusing medley of secular entertainment with an admixture of a few religious-sounding nice aphorisms such as "love one another," "acceptance" and "respect diversity." Thus the churches have become worldly and the secular world has become "churchy," all with little or no resemblance to original Christianity, the Church of the first ten centuries.

But what keeps the true, right-worshiping Church from either the tyranny of the papacy or the anarchy of the radical revolutionaries who think "It's every man for himself" (or "each person for themselves" if you prefer gender-less and ungrammatical English)? Are the only alternatives dictatorship or anarchy?

The early Church of the first ten centuries was organized by "godly men who are able to teach others," as St. Paul wrote to his disciple Timothy (2 Tim. 2:2). These "godly men" were called bishops, and they would meet together in councils in order to hash out problems that arose in doctrines and practice of worship. The infant Church of the first few centuries was certainly not ideal: it suffered from heresies and immorality, much like in later eras. In fact, ignorance of those early heresies - Gnosticism, Arianism, Nestorianism, Antinomianism, Modalism, Montanism, Universalism - that the early Church Councils condemned has tragically allowed many later would-be Christians to fall into some of these same errors.

Councils of bishops can sometimes get unruly: St. Athanasius punched out Arius for his heretical teachings. The iconoclasts at one time seized the majority and for a hundred years went about destroying icons, burning churches that contained them and even killing those who venerated the saints represented by icons. This was repeated, sadly, during the Radical Reformation.

But councils of bishops represent the best of the democratic process: godly men who are motivated by Christian principles of love and truth coming together to vote on issues of the day. Winston Churchill, when asked what was the worst form of government, replied: "Democracy... unless you consider the alternatives!" The alternatives to godly men - bishops - meeting in councils is either dictatorship of the papacy, or anarchy in which each man is a pope unto himself.

Does this mean that the Orthodox Church is perfect? No, it's still a work in process: bad apples do sometimes appear, but the Church's conciliar structure provides a self-correcting mechanism that preserves unity while avoiding heresy. Individual believers pray dozens of times in their worship, "Lord, have mercy!" because we confess that we are each "the chief of sinners." We know we must "first remove the beam out of our own eye, and then we can see clearly to remove the speck out of our brother's eye."

Yet at the same time, we acknowledge that Christ is the "head over all things for the Church, which is His Body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all" (Eph. 1:22b-23). The fullness of Christ is to be found not in individual believers, but in His Body, the Church.

If you'd like to find out more about "the Way, the Truth and the Life" go to this web page: https://discover-original-christianity.info/the_way.htm - you can watch the twelve-video course now on YouTube!

You can read our whole newsletter at https://agape-restoration-society.org/ARC-News/a-n_2026-07-25.htm, and share it!

Thursday, July 9, 2026

HOW TO RELATE TO FOREIGNERS AMONG US

(This is an essay that I wrote on Jan. 30, 2017, but is especially relevant today:)

As Christians, we are commanded to care for the foreigners ("strangers") among us, because like the Old Testament Israelites living in exile, we too are foreigners in a foreign land - this world is not our home. For centuries after Jesus Christ lived, died and rose from the dead, Christians were a discriminated-against minority in the Greco-Roman world.

Alec Hill, former president of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, under whom I worked and highly respect, posted the following on Facebook:

Throughout Scripture, the Lord commands us to care for the displaced/stranger/alien/refugee. The following three passages are illustrative:

Leviticus 19:34
“When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the LORD your God.”

Isaiah 16:4
“Hide the fugitives, do not betray the refugees. Let the Moabite fugitives stay with you; be their shelter from the destroyer.”

Matthew 25:34-40
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘come, you who are blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited me in; naked, and you clothed me; I was sick, and you visited me; I was in prison, and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you, or thirsty, and give you something to drink? And when did we see you a stranger, and invite you in, or naked, and clothe you? When did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?’ The King will answer and say to them, ‘truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of mine, even the least of them, you did it to me.’"

There are many more such Scripture passages emphasizing our duty to care for the needy foreigners among us. In the discussion of this current issue, however, we need to examine contrasting Scripture passages on how to relate to foreigners in our midst. David Klinghofer has written an excellent article, "What the Scriptures Say About Immigration," posted last year on Beliefnet.org and reposted here: http://www.discovery.org/a/3475, from which I quote a few excerpts:

"The classic instance is Ruth, the Moabite. She had a Jewish mother-in-law, Naomi, whom she met when Naomi’s family fled the land of Israel and moved to neighboring Moab to escape a famine. When Ruth’s husband, Naomi’s son, died, along with Naomi’s husband and her other son, Ruth decided to return with the older woman to Israel. Said Ruth, “For where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people are my people, and your God is my God; where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may the Lord do to me, and so may He do more, if anything but death separates me from you” (Ruth 1:16-17).

"Notice that the main thrust of her speech is the passionate joining of her own fate with Naomi’s, and thus with Israel’s. To this day, that remains the primary criterion by which potential converts to Judaism are evaluated. Ruth thus became, according to Jewish tradition, history’s most beloved “proselyte” or “convert” to Judaism—a status celebrated at the Jewish festival of Shavuot... when her story is chanted in synagogues."

Notice carefully what Ruth said: "Your God is my God." She adopted the religion of Israel. This is what was expected of foreigners who came to Israel. When Abram was given the covenant of circumcision and his name was changed to Abraham, God commanded him to circumcise all of the males in his household, including his slaves:

"Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. That very day Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised. And all the men of his house, those born in the house and those bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him." (Gen. 17:24-27)

This became the standard or rule for following generations in Israel, expecting foreigners to adopt the Jewish religion and follow its laws:

"If a stranger shall sojourn with you and would keep the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised. Then he may come near and keep it; he shall be as a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person shall eat of it. There shall be one law for the native and for the stranger who sojourns among you. (Ex. 12:48-49)

"Likewise, when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from a far country for the sake of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm, when he comes and prays toward this house, hear from heaven your dwelling place and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to you, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house that I have built is called by your name." (2 Chron. 6:32-33)

In his article, Klinghofer continues along this line:

"The subject of conversion isn’t quite so simple, however. For there are actually two sub-classes grouped under the category of the “ger.” There is the ger, the convert, like Ruth–a full member of Israel. But there is another, the ger toshav, or resident alien.

"The latter occupies a middle ground between Jew and foreigner. It is this individual whom Jews are, in the verse we saw earlier, commanded to provide for: “If your brother becomes impoverished and his means falter in your proximity, you shall strengthen him—stranger or resident (ger v’toshav) – so that he can live with you” (Leviticus 25:35).

"This resident alien too must fulfill criteria to join his new society, agreeing to certain basic moral propositions, including forswearing idolatry, murder, and sexual immorality. He is called a “resident alien” because it is only having satisfied this condition that a non-Israelite who doesn’t formally convert may live in the Holy Land. While inviting us to admire and love a person who would give up his citizenship in a foreign country to join our own, the Bible also commands us to give material aid, whatever is needed, to any immigrant—if he agrees to abide by an unwavering moral law.

"Here is where the Bible may be hard for a modern reader to accept, for scriptural tradition expects that any immigrant, any ger, will meet demanding moral criteria. It is not an undiscriminating welcome. The idea that a sojourner would be allowed to live in the land without having accepted the two sets of conditions is unthinkable: 'They shall not dwell in your land lest they cause you to sin against Me, that you will worship their gods, for it will be a trap for you' (Exodus 23:33)."

Let us look at the context of this last quotation: "And I will set your border from the Red Sea to the Sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the Euphrates, for I will give the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you shall drive them out before you. You shall make no covenant with them and their gods. They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against me; for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you." (Ex. 23:31-33)

The definition of a nation is that it shares a common culture and common laws. There can't be contradictory cultural norms and laws if "this nation or any nation may long endure," as Abraham Lincoln said in his Gettysburg Address. Further along this line:

"Take care, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land to which you go, lest it become a snare in your midst. You shall tear down their altars and break their pillars and cut down their Asherim." (Ex. 34:12-13)

"And if a stranger sojourns among you and would keep the Passover to the LORD, according to the statute of the Passover and according to its rule, so shall he do. You shall have one statute, both for the sojourner and for the native." (Num. 9:14)

"And if a stranger is sojourning with you, or anyone is living permanently among you, and he wishes to offer a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the LORD, he shall do as you do. For the assembly, there shall be one statute for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you, a statute forever throughout your generations. You and the sojourner shall be alike before the LORD. One law and one rule shall be for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you." (Num. 15:14-16)

"Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you pass over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you and destroy all their figured stones and destroy all their metal images and demolish all their high places." (Num. 33:51-52)

" And you shall consume all the peoples that the LORD your God will give over to you. Your eye shall not pity them, neither shall you serve their gods, for that would be a snare to you." (Deut. 7:16)

"When the LORD your God cuts off before you the nations whom you go in to dispossess, and you dispossess them and dwell in their land, take care that you be not ensnared to follow them, after they have been destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire about their gods, saying, 'How did these nations serve their gods?—that I also may do the same.' You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way, for every abominable thing that the LORD hates they have done for their gods, for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods." (Deut. 12:29-31)

"For if you turn back and cling to the remnant of these nations remaining among you and make marriages with them, so that you associate with them and they with you, know for certain that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you, but they shall be a snare and a trap for you, a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good ground that the LORD your God has given you." (Josh. 23:12-13)

"And you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall break down their altars. But you have not obeyed my voice. What is this you have done? So now I say, I will not drive them out before you, but they shall become thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you." (Judges 2:2-3)

"They despised his statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers and the warnings that he gave them. They went after false idols and became false, and they followed the nations that were around them, concerning whom the LORD had commanded them that they should not do like them. And they abandoned all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made for themselves metal images of two calves; and they made an Asherah and worshiped all the host of heaven and served Baal." (2 Kings 17:15-16)

From all of the above Scripture passages, we can see that there must be a balance between welcoming the stranger who is in need and preserving our own faith, laws and cultural norms. Major cities in Europe such as London, Paris, Bonn and Berlin now have Muslim neighborhoods where it is dangerous for a European native to walk, especially for a woman who does not wear a veil. Dearborn and Detroit are becoming similar. Liberal democracy only works when all people – citizens and resident aliens alike – abide by the same set of values and laws. But when the majority is liberal and tolerant while the minority is rigid and insists on the rest bend to its demands, there's trouble ahead.

Robert D. Hosken, M.Min., M.Th.S., D.Min.

You can read our whole newsletter at https://agape-restoration-society.org/ARC-News/a-n_2026-07-11.htm, and share it!

Monday, June 22, 2026

YOUTUBER WHO KILLED HIS DOWN SYNDROME UNBORN BABY CALLS HIMSELF 'NORMAL'

YouTuber Jesse Ridgway and his wife faced significant backlash after announcing they terminated a pregnancy due to a Down syndrome diagnosis, citing concerns about the child's potential health outcomes. Advocates from the United Coalition for Down Syndrome argue that the couple’s public statements reflect outdated and inaccurate medical information regarding the condition. Experts, including Michelle Sagan of the National Down Syndrome Society, emphasize that many health challenges associated with Down syndrome are treatable and that most individuals lead happy, long, and fulfilling lives.

Individuals like Madison Essig serve as examples of success, demonstrating that people with Down syndrome can achieve academic degrees, maintain full-time employment, and contribute to their communities. Researcher Stephanie Meredith notes that the situation highlights a systemic issue where many medical providers fail to supply expectant parents with accurate, balanced, and up-to-date information upon receiving a diagnosis. Advocates stress that societal barriers, such as discrimination and low expectations, are often far more restrictive to people with Down syndrome than the physical health challenges themselves.

The article Rome Would Have Recognized Jesse Ridgway argues against the modern claim that Christianity has historically been divided on abortion, asserting that the early church held a unified, firm stance against the practice. The author highlights the Didache, a late-first century Christian manual rediscovered in the 19th century, which explicitly prohibits abortion as a foundational teaching for new converts.

The Christian belief in the image of God (Imago Dei) serves as the theological basis for universal human dignity, which the author contends inherently protects life in the womb. Scriptural evidence, such as Psalm 139 and Luke 1, is used to demonstrate that the Bible consistently recognizes the unborn as persons already known and loved by God. The author critiques the public justification of abortion provided by YouTuber Jesse Ridgway, suggesting that contemporary culture increasingly evaluates human worth based on convenience and utility, echoing pagan Roman practices.

The same self-centered worldview shows up in another article,Pride for Adults, Loss for Children. Author Josh Wood argues that modern children's programming increasingly promotes adult-centric agendas that normalize the intentional absence of a mother or father. The article contends that brands such as Disney, Sesame Street, Peppa Pig, and Blue’s Clues use colorful, child-friendly content to desensitize children to the loss of a biological parent.

Wood asserts that when media depicts family structures that intentionally exclude a biological parent, it fundamentally teaches children that their fundamental need for their own mother and father is secondary to adult desires. The text criticizes the inclusion of mature themes – such as drag performances or gender-related surgery scars – in content explicitly targeted at toddlers and preschoolers who are unable to process such adult concepts. This illustrates how an adult agenda of justifying one's own distorted sexuality leads to indoctrinating children into thinking that such "lifestyles" are perfectly normal.

Truth brings real freedom; "Yeshua therefore said to those Jews who had believed Him, 'If you remain in My word, then you are truly My disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.' They answered Him, "'e are Abraham's seed, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How do You say, 'You will be made free?'' Yeshua answered them, "'ost assuredly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is the bondservant of sin. A bondservant doesn't live in the house forever. A son remains forever. If therefore the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:31-36).

You can read our whole newsletter at https://agape-restoration-society.org/ARC-News/a-n_2026-06-13.htm, and share it!

Friday, June 19, 2026

THE SPIDER AND THE FLY

Mary Howitt (1799 - 1888) at age of 30 wrote the fascinating poem, long out of copyright but not out of memory, "The Spider and the Fly" –

"Will you walk into my parlour?" said the Spider to the Fly,
"'Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy;
The way into my parlour is up a winding stair,
And I have many curious things to shew when you are there."
"Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "to ask me is in vain,
For who goes up your winding stair can ne'er come down again."

"I'm sure you must be weary, dear, with soaring up so high;
Will you rest upon my little bed?" said the Spider to the Fly.
"There are pretty curtains drawn around; the sheets are fine and thin,
And if you like to rest awhile, I'll snugly tuck you in!"
"Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "for I've often heard it said,
They never, never wake again, who sleep upon your bed!"

Said the cunning Spider to the Fly, "Dear friend what can I do,
To prove the warm affection I've always felt for you?
I have within my pantry, good store of all that's nice;
I'm sure you're very welcome–will you please to take a slice?"
"Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "kind sir, that cannot be,
I've heard what's in your pantry, and I do not wish to see!"

"Sweet creature!" said the Spider, "you're witty and you're wise,
How handsome are your gauzy wings, how brilliant are your eyes!
I've a little looking-glass upon my parlour shelf,
If you'll step in one moment, dear, you shall behold yourself."
"I thank you, gentle sir," she said, "for what you're pleased to say,
And bidding you good morning now, I'll call another day."

The Spider turned him round about, and went into his den,
For well he knew the silly Fly would soon come back again:
So he wove a subtle web, in a little corner sly,
And set his table ready, to dine upon the Fly.
Then he came out to his door again, and merrily did sing,
"Come hither, hither, pretty Fly, with the pearl and silver wing;
Your robes are green and purple–there's a crest upon your head;
Your eyes are like the diamond bright, but mine are dull as lead!"

Alas, alas! how very soon this silly little Fly,
Hearing his wily, flattering words, came slowly flitting by;
With buzzing wings she hung aloft, then near and nearer drew,
Thinking only of her brilliant eyes, and green and purple hue–
Thinking only of her crested head–poor foolish thing! At last,
Up jumped the cunning Spider, and fiercely held her fast.
He dragged her up his winding stair, into his dismal den,
Within his little parlour–but she ne'er came out again!

And now dear little children, who may this story read,
To idle, silly flattering words, I pray you ne'er give heed:
Unto an evil counsellor, close heart and ear and eye,
And take a lesson from this tale, of the Spider and the Fly.

As we approach the 250th anniversary of publishing the Declaration of Independence on the Fourth of July back in 1776, I'm reminded of the phrase: "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty." Often mis-attributed to Thomas Jefferson, this phrase came from a speech made by Wendell Phillips, an American Abolitionist, to the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society in 1852: "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty; power is ever stealing from the many to the few. Only by continued oversight can the democrat in office be prevented from hardening into a despot; only by unintermitted agitation can a people be sufficiently awake to principle not to let liberty be smothered in material prosperity."

I'm a descendant of Edward Doty, a "white slave" who belonged to one of the Pilgrims on the Mayflower. Believing slavery is an evil that should not exist in the New World, they emancipated their slaves, so Doty became a Pilgrim while enroute to the New World. In 1620 the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, now in Massachusetts, which became the center of the Abolition movement: Steven Douglas fled there in 1838 and founded a community of other formerly enslaved people and abolitionists. Roger Sherman, one of Edward Doty's descendants, was the only man to sign the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. Two more of Doty's descendants were Gen. William Tecumsah Sherman and Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, the commanders of the Union Armies who fought against slavery and won. Now you know why they fought so hard against slavery: both were descendants of the same white slave!

Thus, I am deeply indebted to this principle of vigilance in order to preserve our freedom. President Abraham Lincoln quoted Matthew 12:24-26 in his famous "A House Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand!" speech. My great-great Aunt Susan B. Anthony, whose mother was a Doty, fought against slavery before the U.S. Civil War, and afterwards led the struggle for women's emancipation. I have studied Marxist theory and communist history, along with theology and church history, for over 65 years. I've gotten Christans, both Protestant and Orthodox, out of communist concentration camps and freed to the West. My wife and I then served in Russia as missionaries for 17 years. We greatly appreciate the values America has stood for, but we do not worship America: see this article by a dear friend: Patriotism Without Idolatry. From this, we know eternal vigilance – maintaining of religious and political liberty – is vitally important at this point in our history.

What are the values in our Declaration that our country was founded on, in the very words of its founders? Read How to Think About the American Revolution. In contrast, the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA ("Revcom"), led by Bob Avakian, openly advocates for the violent overthrow of the U.S. constitutional order, rejecting democratic participation in favor of revolutionary upheaval, rejecting the ideals on which America was founded. While groups like the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and Communist Party USA (CPUSA) use "incremental" legislative methods rather than force, their policies still aim to bit by bit, gradually dismantle the spiritual, economic, and political foundations of American society. Both are expressions of Marxist dogmas that "religion is the opium of the people." The essential motivation behind Marxism is not merely political, it is atheistic, more specifically, anti-Christian. Marxism denies the existence of God and an eternal Kingdom of Heaven, replacing it with a false promise of heaven on earth.

The primary difference between revolutionary and reformist Marxism is one of tempo vs. destination, revolution vs. gradualism, as both seek to replace our nation's core principles of God-given rights to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness"; for freedom of religious expression, representative government, and free and fair markets. The fact is that socialism is the real OPM of the people – "Other People's Money." Margaret Thatcher once stated – “The problem with socialism is that it eventually runs out of other people’s money.” When the spiritual and material wealth of the people is exhausted, socialism degenerates into despotism. When you kill the goose that lays golden eggs, you no longer will get any of those golden eggs.

Winston Churchill wrote – "The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries." Socialist implementation consistently leads to state-enforced deprivation, religious and political repression, and economic collapse. Wherever socialist systems have been fully implemented, they have produced serfdom and equality in deprivation – often enforced by the state. A Russian proverb says that wherever one sees the “hammer and sickle,” one finds death and famine.

Why are many Americans – sometimes even those who consider themselves "patriotic" and "conservative" – unaware of the way Marxism is creeping into our mindsets and way of life? It is because Marxism has rebranded itself: the new, "neo-Marxism" is now called by other names: universal free medical care, free food and housing for the poor, human rights, diversity, inclusion, anti-racism, anti-sexism, etc... the spider is enticing the fly into its web. Please see my article on the "Cloward-Piven Strategy (CPS)" and "Critical Theory" HERE: deliberately bankrupt the system by over-promising and over-spending so it becomes necessary for the state to take total control of everything and enslave everyone (except "the elite" – themselves). This is what's behind the city of Seattle collapsing into chaos and bankruptcy – watch this video: Who Killed Downtown Seattle?

In conclusion, in order to preserve the right to life and freedom of religious expression, our society must move past complacency, wake up, and resist the normalization of anti-Christian and anti-American narratives. We must emphasize that protecting a free society requires a clear-eyed understanding of the consequences associated with atheistic ideologies. Above all, we must turn to Christ, the living Word of God: "If you remain in My word, then you are truly My disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free" (John 8:31b-32).

You can read our whole newsletter at https://agape-restoration-society.org/ARC-News/a-n_2026-06-27.htm, and share it!

Friday, May 29, 2026

HEARING 'THE MUSIC OF THE SPHERES'

(Clic the pic!) Over the past several months I've added some physical therapy exercises for my arthritis to my morning workouts. I count them in various languages so I can also give my brain a workout. One exercise I count in Spanish, and at first I was mixing up the numbers because about all I know in Spanish are the numbers one to ten and some simple phrases like "Good morning," "Good evening," and "I don't speak Spanish" that I learned when my older brother and sisters were taking Spanish in high school. (I took German instead.)

But this morning a strange and wonderful thing happened: I could hear the music of the numbers! They were all in harmony, I didn't mix up or forget any: I heard their rhythm, harmony and melody! Numbers, you know, are what makes music "work"– musical notes are spaced at exact mathematical wave lengths relative to each other. Math, physics, and music make the world go around!

The blurb about the above book states – "The parallel histories of music and science – from celestial harmony to cosmic dissonance. For centuries, scientists and philosophers believed that the universe was a stately, ordered mechanism, mathematical and musical. The perceived distances between objects in the sky mirrored (and were mirrored by) the spaces between notes that formed chords and scales. The smooth operation of the cosmos created a divine harmony that composers sought to capture. With The Music of the Spheres, readers will see how this scientific philosophy emerged...."

God created the universe – and us – to be in harmony with each other. But the world is increasingly full of disharmony, chaos, wars, beeps, notifications, phones ringing... so many disruptions and interruptions that it's hard to regain that harmony. It takes real effort to learn math and music. Maybe you've heard algebra students say – "This stuff doesn't make any sense! It's really stupid!" But in fact, it's the student who's stupid, not the algebra. Or perhaps the student is just lazy and doesn't want to strain his/her brain.

Advanced algebra that has many variables is hard to understand and solve, but not impossible, when the variables are all relative to each other mathematically. But the key is to find the one or more fixed values, then see what is their mathematical relationship to the variables, and thus solve the problem. Then "Eureka!" – the light goes on!

So when you hear someone say – "Everything is relative, there are no absolutes!" – thus thinking: since they're free to believe whatever they want, they can behave however they wish, remind them of advanced algebra! There must be at least one fixed value in order to solve life's tough problems. That fixed value is the logic of the universe, the Logos: "In the beginning was the Logos ['Word' in the Greek original], and the Logos was with God, and the Logos was God. The same {Logos) was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him. Without Him was not anything made that has been made. In Him (the Logos) was life, and the life was the light of men."

You can read our whole newsletter at https://agape-restoration-society.org/ARC-News/a-n_2026-05-30.htm, and share it!

Saturday, May 16, 2026

TRANSPARENT PEOPLE

"Transparent people" are usually thought of as those who are open, honest, and straightforward in their thoughts and feelings, allowing others to easily perceive their true selves. They are people who create trust and meaningful connections by sharing relevant information and being consistent in their words and actions. But that's not who are the subject of this essay.

When a window is transparent, you can see right through it to focus on something or things on the other side of the window. That's what windows are for (as well as to keep bugs outside and regulate the temperature inside). Today what I'm talking about are the "transparent people" you can see right through, like a window. Another expression for them is "invisible people."

We have a strong tendency to see what we expect to see and want to see. We filter out objects and concepts that we don't expect or want to perceive. Transparent or invisible people who, when they're standing or sitting near you, you'd rather not see. They're the disabled or ugly or deformed or elderly people that, when you do look at them, make you feel uncomfortable. They remind you of sickness, disability and death – things you want to push out of your mind.

And sometimes, some people actually push these people out of their way to "get ahead in life." Others even cheat and deceive them, robbing them of their savings or homes. The first kind of "transparent people" tend to be open and trusting toward others, expecting others to be just like them. After all, that's how society ought to work: human society is built on trust. But this last sort of people take advantage of that trust for their own gain, to "get ahead in life." Some adult children even curse, blame, or take advantage of their own parents to "get their inheritance early." The first commandment with a promise is "Honor your father and mother, that it may go well with you." Woe to those who do not honor their father and mother, for it will not go well with them!

We may say to ourselves – "Thank God I'm not like that kind of person!" But are we just a little less so? We might not literally push the "invisible people" out of the way or take advantage of them, but we might simply look right through them as if they were transparent or invisible, or just look away. We see what we expect to see and want to see. We filter out the things that don't fit into our worldview. The unconscious biases of ageism and ableism automatically, without our consciously thinking about it, shape how we see the world. Ageism and ableism are in the air we breathe unawares, just like a fish is unaware of the water it swims in.

Caring for a disabled family member by yourself can be overwhelming: see "Families caring for disabled relatives face unthinkable choices as Medicaid cuts loom." While living in Russia for 17 years and ministering to disabled children and adults, we became painfully aware of the meaning of the Russian verb "nenavidet'" – "to hate" in English. It literally translates as "not look at" or "not see." When we ignore someone who has a disability, or is unattractive, or is elderly... we are passively hating that person. We're not actively doing something harmful, it's what we're not doing that causes harm. Old people put in a nursing home who aren't visited by family or friends can simply wither up and die from lack of love and companionship: neglect. The cause of death can actually be written down as "loneliness" on a death certificate.

This is why we've developed plans and drawings for Building The ARC – Agape Restoration Communities with a chapel-community room and 12 living units, where both able-bodied people and people with disabilities, families and singles, young and old can live, worship, and serve together, along with non-residents who worship in the chapel and assist some of the residents. An ARC is a refuge from the storms of life, a safe and caring environment in the flood of a world that is hell-bent on self-serving pleasure, greed, and pride. Will you DO SOMETHING, or just look the other way? We Christians are all called to be servants, ministering to those in need.

This is what the Lord Jesus meant when He first announced His ministry – “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because he has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty these who are crushed.... Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4.18 & 21)

This is what the St. Paul meant when he wrote – "He (Christ) gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers, to equip the saints to do the work of ministering to the building up of the Body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature, perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we may no longer be children, tossed back and forth and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error; but speaking the truth in love, we may grow up in all things into Him, Who is the head, Christ; from Whom all the Body, being fitted and knit together through that which every joint supplies, according to the working in measure of each individual part, makes the Body increase to the building up of itself in love. This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind." (Ephesians 4: 11-17)

You can read our whole newsletter at https://agape-restoration-society.org/ARC-News/a-n_2026-05-16.htm, and share it!

Saturday, May 2, 2026

THE BLAME GAME

Earlier this week I posted a short note on Substack – "Both sides use hateful rhetoric, then blame the other side for using hateful rhetoric. This must stop! Dehumanizing people is the first step toward annihilating a whole class, political party, or race. All humans are created in God’s image and must be treated with compassion." It referred to a video by Kaizen Asiedu about a teacher from California who attempted to assassinate the U.S. President last Saturday, April 25, at a special dinner celebrating freedom of the press.

Kaizen Asiedu is a brilliant young man (Wikipedia) who abandoned his Catholic faith as a teenager and became an atheist, graduated with a B.A. in philosophy from Harvard in two years and went on to get a master's degree in one year, then started a gaming company and became financially independent. Click his pic to read his earlier article. Recently, he posted that he's investigating Christianity, and today he posted "Did Jesus Really Rise From The Dead?" in which he writes – "Atheism is a negative claim. It says there is no God." That introduces the logical problem: you can't prove a negative hypothesis.

His earlier article discribes how society is breaking down because of social discord. The steps toward societal collapse are gradual: it begins with some sort of crisis – economic, disease, natural disaster, war, etc., which set the stage for various factions to begin contending against each other, each with its own ideas on how to correct the situation and "make the world a better place."

The first step is to begin naming "the other side" as supposedly inherently evil by nature: "filthy rich capitalists," "Nazis," "dictators," "communists," or even non-human creatures. Dehumanizing one's enemies is the step before the final step: approving their wholesale annihilation. That final step is firing squads, carpet bombing, gas chambers, or concentration camps like Auschwitz, Buchenwald, etc. or the Soviet forced labor camps in eastern European Russia and in Siberia. I've been in one after the dissolution of the USSR when I was delivering pneumoniia medicines to an ex-Soviet prison: they are terrible places, not fit for human beings.

On the flip side, the foundations of a stable, prospering society are faith, strong family values, and traditions that create virtuous people, a trust-based culture and a strong nation. By rediscovering what has worked before, we can thoughtfully apply ancient wisdom to modern challenges, translating sound principles into better institutions and policies.

Kaizen is on a philosophical journey back to Christianity. He hasn't yet returned to the faith of his childhood – he needs to approach it as an adult, using a rational methodology. In the second article, he writes: "I’m not claiming the world is getting worse, or that you can’t feel fulfilled without religion. Plenty of people do. What I’m saying is that even if you treat religion as just civilizational software – the operating system of meaning, morality, and orientation – it was doing real work. And we haven’t built anything that fills the void it left.

"You see the cracks. The meaning crisis. The purpose crisis. The collapse of trust in institutions. The rise of conspiracy thinking to fill explanatory vacuums. The loneliness epidemic. We are wealthier and more connected and more informed than any humans in history, and we are, by many measures, less okay." Rationality can lead up to the point of making a faith commitment, but reasoning alone is insufficient for that final step. It will take him a while to get there.

"We have come to believe and know that You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God" (John 6:69). Faith is like forming a hypothesis in science – a "hunch" or sense that this is how things might work. Then you experiment – you try it: you prove that it works. "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the proof of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1).

You can read our whole newsletter at https://agape-restoration-society.org/ARC-News/a-n_2026-05-02.htm, and share it!

Saturday, April 18, 2026

PANDEMIC OF LUNACY: HOW TO THINK CLEARLY WHEN EVERYONE AROUND YOU SEEMS CRAZY

This book I've just started reading promises to challenge me – and us, if you read it – to cleanse our minds from the numbingly repeated foolish and false thinking that has befuddled our minds in recent decades. Here's what the blurb at Amazon says:

"What is happening to the world? Why does it seem like everyone has gone insane? Why are so many things that seemingly everyone believed the day before yesterday suddenly held to be retrograde, hateful, or even criminal? And why are things that everyone seemed to view as lunacy the day before yesterday suddenly taught or even required?"

"In Pandemic of Lunacy: How to Think Clearly When Everyone Around You Seems Crazy, University of Texas philosopher J. Budziszewski patiently explains the delusions that beset us. Ranging over the topics of morality and happiness, politics and government, family and sexuality, the real and the unreal, and God and religion, Budziszewski makes the case for sanity in commonsense language accessible to all."

"Pandemic of Lunacy will be treasured by any who are troubled or confused, any who wonder whether the world has gone crazy or whether they have, and any who feel the need for a trustworthy guide in a topsy-turvy age."

The book is also available in Kindle eBook format and as an easy-to-listen-to-while-traveling Audible audiobook. I have hundreds of e-books, but if some book I'm considering looks like a "keeper" I like to have a print copy of it so that I can share it with others when I'm done reading it!

The author, J. Budziszewski, a professor of logic and natural law ethics at U. of Texas, renounced the Christian faith of his teenage years when he went to college and became an atheist and radical socialist, but after earning his PhD and becoming a professor, he realized the logical bankruptcy of that position. You can read a five-part series of his intellectual and spiritual journey here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, and a great review of the book "Why Are We Going Crazy? New Book Has a Diagnosis".

At the author's personal website, he gives us an excerpt from this book, so here's just a snippet of it to whet your appetite:

"The delusion that things are whatever we say they are gives such an inflated importance to the mind that one would think nothing existed but thoughts, or maybe words. Materialism swings to the opposite extreme: that nothing exists but matter and material bodies. If nothing but matter exists, it seems to follow that there is nothing but matter to care about: As one pop diva famously chanted, '[T]he boy with the cold, hard cash / Is always Mister Right / 'Cause we are living in a material world / And I am a material girl.'"

"'Matter is all there is' is so much taken for granted that the Encyclopedia Brittanica simply announces it as fact. Matter, it declares, is 'material substance which constitutes the observable universe and, together with energy, forms the basis of all objective phenomena.' The phrase 'together with energy' adds nothing because energy can be converted into matter."

"To say that 'matter is material' is circular, of course. More commonly, matter is taken to be whatever has mass and takes up space. In this sense, dirt is matter, but the meaning of the definition isn't. Assuming that this is what the Brittanica’s editors have in mind, it seems that the meaning of their sentence could be neither observable nor objective – yet somehow they expect us both to observe it and accept its objectivity." (Click the above link to read the whole excerpt!)

I've often remarked that astrophysicists have discovered there's something wierd going on in the universe: something they can't sense or detect even with their strongest telescopes and other instruments. They call it "dark matter" or "dark energy" but it's neither dark or bright – it's just there... that is, it must be there, otherwise they say the universe simply couldn't exist! And astonishingly, they calculate that it makes up at least 95% of all that exists!

Let that sink in for a minute: if all that we human beings (or AI) could ever possibly know or experience is only less than 5% of what really exists, and if people are using only about 5% of their mental ability due to laziness, lack of education, and muddled, sloppy, or illogical thinking habits, that means that we likely only comprehend about 0.25% of all that there is!

Add to all this: there's a new documentary movie coming to select theaters: The Story of Everything. Click this link for the movie's trailer and the details, but briefly here's what it's about: for over a century, we've been trained to think materialistically, that matter is all that matters. But the more we discover through the sciences, the more we find out that there's something "je ne sais quoi" – "I don't know what" – that's missing.

For example, the existence of the simplest living cell requires the instructions coded in DNA and RNA molecules in order to hold together and function. Darwin proposed some sort of "primordeal soup" with just the right ingredients and temperature for simplest living cells to form. For 150 years or so, this idea has held sway. But what Darwin didn't know about, DNA or RNA, is the kicker: this coded information must first exist somehow, somewhere in order for the simplest living cells (and all the more complex ones too!) to come into being. That's on the microscopic level: it's the same on the macroscopic level, the level of the stars and galaxies. In order for anything to exist, there must be "laws of nature" – physics and mathematics – to hold everything in the most delicate balance. These laws, like DNA and RNA information, are non-material: logic / information, and without it, the material world couldn't exist.

"In the beginning was the Word (the Logos – logic/information), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. . Without Him was not anything made that has been made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness hasn't comprehended it" (John 1:1-5).

"For by Him (the Word) were all things created, in the heavens and on the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through Him, and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things are held together" (Colossians 1:16-17).

You can read our whole newsletter at https://agape-restoration-society.org/ARC-News/a-n_2026-04-18.htm, and share it!

Saturday, March 28, 2026

THE AFTERMATH OF DESTRUCTION IN POST-SOVIET COUNTRIES

I'm too old for socialism [This is an update of an article I wrote 4 years ago, in 2022, just after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The horrible insanity of human death and suffering there is beyond words.]

I've lived 22+ years in Central Europe during the communist era and in Russia during and after the collapse of the USSR, when my wife and I experienced ONE MILLION PERCENT HYPERINFLATION in Russia, people literally dying of heart attacks while waiting in long lines to exchange their "old Rubles" for "new Rubles" before the old Rubles expired and became worthless. We've seen people break down the doors of a grocery store when milk was being delivered in order to buy it before it's gone. I keep my ration card for tobacco and vodka (although I don't smoke or drink) as a reminder of that era. It looks like that era is about to return to Russia.

These days, all sorts of mostly ignorant people are spouting all sorts of conspiracy theories and self-blaming explanations for the war in Ukraine. After spending much of the past 65 years studying about, learning their languages and living at a subsistence level along with the masses in those countries, I think that I have a fairly good understanding of what is taking place there and why: The Loss of Internalized Morality.

In a Christian-based society, parents stay married tor life, teach their children basic virtues such as "be kind," "tell the truth, don't tell lies," "respect other people's property," etc. Even though parents might not personally believe in Christ, they have absorbed this from our culture. But increasingly, this is fading away even in our western post-Christian culture.

In the Soviet Union, however, such basic virtues were abandoned in the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution, so people felt they had to be ruthless, lie, and steal simply in order to survive. Even after the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, people would show up late and leave early at their state-supplied jobs for less than a dollar per day so they could earn real money at their "real jobs," What we consider to be normal business practices such as a fair day's pay for a fair day's work, honoring one's contractual word, selling at a fair markup, paying taxes, etc. – these were thrown out the window when private business was declared to be "exploitation" – criminal activity.

The result of criminalizing business was that only criminals engaged in business: killing, stealing, practicing deceit, making enormous profit, and not paying taxes. Even since 1991's collapse Soviet Union when private business was legalized, the criminal mindset continues to dominate business and private ethics.

You can read our whole newsletter at https://agape-restoration-society.org/ARC-News/a-n_2026-03-28.htm, and share it!

Thursday, March 12, 2026

A MAN POKES OUT HIS EYES TO BOAST OF BEING BLIND

Rational Blindness (RB): "[Those] who are browbeaten must slip the blindfold over their eyes and accept their position as rational. Every decision after that is made using the blind rationale. Rational Blindness is one way that ideology affects one's ability to judge clearly. What one believes establishes what one can see and think." -James H. Ford.

The "Age of Reason" (or "Age of Enlightenment") has indoctrinated and browbeaten people to accept the belief that only what we can know "objectively" is real. This limits our scope of knowledge to the input of our five senses and instruments that help us explore the material world – the cosmos. But before the "Age of Enlightenment" people could hear the stars singing and the trees talking: "the heavens declare the glory of God and the earth shows forth His handiwork." So the modern era might better be called the "Age of Endarkenment."

What we fill our minds with is what we will come to think and believe. If you watch CNN, you'll begin to think and believe like the announcers on CNN. If you watch Fox News, you'll begin to think and believe line the announcers on Fox News. If you read critical race theory, you'll begin to believe that all white people are evil and all Black people are good. If your read critical gender theory, you'll begin to believe that all men are weak and evil, and all women are strong and good. If you read critical Biblical theory about "the historical Christ," you'll begin to disbelieve in His supernatural nature. If you scroll for hours on end watching Facebook or TikTok, you'll begin to lose your capacity to think clearly at all!

The term "smartphone" is a deliberate misnomer – they don't make you smarter, they make you dumber. The average attention span has decreased in the last 15 years to under 5 seconds: if a video clip doesn't "hook" you in the first few seconds, you go on to the next stupid clip. It's not only school children who can't read anymore, it's the average college freshman who can't read a whole textbook in a semester. Please, please read this: 30 Facts About Childhood Today that Will Terrify You by Ted Goia... and weep!

What am I driving at? This present "Age of Endarkenment" is an ideology that has made us dumber, to disbelieve in real reality. Modern physics informs us that "Dark Matter" or "Dark Energy" – some unknown "thing" or "energy" we can't perceive with our five senses or measure with our scientific instruments – makes up at least 95% of everything in the universe, and without it the universe could not exist or hold together – everything would fly apart.

What – or Who – is it? "[Christ] is the icon of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him were all things created, in the heavens and on the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through Him, and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things are held together" (Colossians 1:15-17).

"Even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled in those who perish; in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, Who is the icon of God, should not dawn on them" (2 Corinthians 4:3-4).

"His Son is the radiance of His glory, the very icon of His person, and upholding all things by the Word of His power, when He had by Himself made purification for our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high" (Hebrews 1:3).

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him. Without Him was not anything made that has been made" (John 1:1-3)..

“Behold, the Virgin shall be with child, and shall give birth to a Son. They shall call his name 'Immanuel,' which is, being interpreted, 'God with us'" (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23).

"For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be on His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).

"A voice came out of heaven, 'You are My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased'" (Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22; John 1:32-34).

"But there were some of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, 'Why does this man speak blasphemies like that? Who can forgive sins but God alone?'" (Mark 2:6-7).

"Behold, [the demons] cried out, saying, 'What do we have to do with You, Jesus, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?" (Matthew 8:29; Mark 5:7; Luke 4:41, 8:28).

"Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you such a long time, and do you not know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father. How do you say, 'Show us the Father?'" (John 14:9).

"Pilate said to them, 'What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?'” (Matthew 27:22). So, what will you do with Him? Believe in Him? Or say – "Let Him be crucified"?

You can read our whole newsletter at https://agape-restoration-society.org/ARC-News/a-n_2026-03-14.htm, and share it!

Friday, February 27, 2026

A Time For Dispassion And a Time For Compassion

dispassion and compassion Much in the media today is designed to stir up our emotions, usually the negative emotions of rage, hate, or pride. At times, the media serves up a scene that tugs at our feelings of "fairness" and "tolerance" but the underlying situation is fundamentally immoral or destructive of society. A current issue is illegal immigration which is framed by mass media as "undocumented immigrants" fleeing persecution, rampant crime and/or economic chaos in their home countries, seeking asylum in the West.

The underlying situation, however, might be that they simply want a higher standard of living and social benefits, or they may actually be bad characters who want to commit crimes, sow discord, or force their religion or ideology on us. Before yielding to a feeling of sympathy, we need to first think clearly and dispassionately about what would likely be the consequences of acting on those feelings. That is what "background screening" is all about.

When God led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt and into the Promised Land, He commanded them through Moses – "You shall surely destroy all the places in which the nations that you shall dispossess served their gods, on the high mountains, and on the hills, and under every green tree: and you shall break down their altars, and smash in pieces their pillars, and burn their Asherim with fire; and you shall cut down the engraved images of their gods; and you shall destroy their name out of that place.... You shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatever is right in his own eyes" (Deuteronomy 12:2-3 & 8).

The U.S. and the West in general has basically a Judeo-Christian worldview, which has more recently been diluted with ideas of freedom, democracy, and tolerance. But many of the U.S. founding fathers and later leading figures clearly stated that the U.S. is a "Christian nation." We must return to those fundamental values, and halt the inroads of other religions and ideologies that are trying to supplant our value system. As repeatedly stated in the Old Testament, ancient Israel insisted that foreigners living in Israel must observe Israel's laws. When that did not happen, the consequence was that Israel began adopting the pagan practices of surrounding nations.

This doesn't mean, though, that we should adopt anti-immigrant or racist attitudes. We are a nation of immigrants and we need more legal immigants. But they must obey our laws. We also shouldn't discriminate against people who are poor, distressed, or disabled, especially those who are of the family of faith – "The eye can't say to the hand, 'I have no need for you,' or again the head to the feet, 'I have no need for you.' No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. Those parts of the body which we think to be less honorable, on those we bestow more abundant honor; and our unpresentable parts have more abundant propriety; whereas our presentable parts have no such need. But God composed the body together, giving more abundant honor to the inferior part, that there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. When one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. Or when one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually" (1 Corinthians 12:21-27)..

There's a proper time for dispassion, thinking through the consequences of our actions before we yield to our emotions. This is called delayed gratification. But there's also a time within that framework for acting compassionately toward those who truly need it. And that includes just about everybody, because we all need each other. "It is not good for man (or woman) to be alone." Community and compassion is what makes us truly human!

You can read our whole newsletter at https://agape-restoration-society.org/ARC-News/a-n_2026-02-28.htm, and share it!

Friday, February 13, 2026

BE A LIGHTHOUSE, NOT AN OSTRICH!

Earlier this week, I wrote a response to Paul Kingnorth's manifesto "Writers Against AI" that he posted that same day. Click the photo to read my response and his original article. To really be a writer and at the same time to fully be against AI would put oneself back in the days of quill pen and inkwell, writing by candle light after a long day of hunting in the woods for meat and working in the fields for vegetables.

But the truth is that AI is already fully embedded in most aspects of modern society. This began decades ago: we used to call it "DP – Data Processing," then renamed it "IT – Information Technology," and now we call it "AI – Artificial Intelligence." It's everywhere: in our cars, traffic signals, shopping, banking, TVs, smartphones, social media, politics.... We get the feeling – "Resistance Is Futile! Just Give In!" Or as Kingnorth proposes, stick our heads in the sand like an ostrich and retreat into Luddism – but in reality, he can't retreat, nor can we. So, we must learn to use it wisely – "See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil" (Ephesians 5:15-16).

What does "circumspectly" mean? To be circumspect is to be wary; the word comes from a Latin word literally meaning “look around.” Be careful not to be deceived. There are plenty of grifters and loafers in the world and even in churches who want to deceive you and take advantage of you. Scripture calls them "wolves in sheep's clothing," "thieves and robbers," and "ravenous wolves." There are many in the world who misuse charitable-sounding words and phrases to draw you into one or another very uncharitable, dictatorial worldview.

One hundred years ago, in 1926, G.K. Chesterton wrote a short story entitled The Outline of Sanity (This links to an "epub" e-book version, but you can find it in many formats on the Internet.) His humorous and satirical writing style brightly illuminates the two evils of Socialism and Capitalism, and describes a middle way, the "golden mean" between the two, which he and others call Distributionism. He is not opposed to private property, but instead opposed to the concentration of property in the hands of either the super-rich capitalists or the super-rich socialist state and their bureaucrats. Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Distributists believe in the equal distribution of private property to all people, so that there will be neither rich nor poor, fat capitalists or fat bureaucrats. Distributists advocate for small businesses and small farms owned by individuals, families and small co-operatives. This is very similar to the stewardship-ownership of land in ancient Israel and our concept of Agape Restoration Communities. Small groups of people should be able to become mostly self-sufficient with a few acres of land, and take care of one another. When problems arise – which will always happen – they can be resolved face-to-face instead of taking issues to court.

Communitarians are very similar, emphasizing the human need for genuine community, not the fake "friends" on social media or even in large churches. The idea of meeting together in the town square, or in a coffee shop, or at a church picnic, or a playground, or gardening – this is almost lost in today's world. People need other people, real people, not just distant faces on a screen or voices on a smartphone.

This is what our Agape Restoration Communities are all about. so please take a few minutes to read my "Building the ARC" article... and share it!

You can read our whole newsletter at https://agape-restoration-society.org/ARC-News/a-n_2026-02-14.htm, and share it!

Friday, January 30, 2026

HOW TO BUILD CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES

(Click the pic!) Last week I wrote a short article about Saint Benedict of Nursia and his rule for Christian communities, The Rule of St. Benedict. Click on the photo, and you'll see a whole list of literature – mostly free e-books and booklets – on this topic of how to build Christian communities. In addition to St. Benedict's Rule, you'll see Rod Dreher's book, The Benedict Option. Then in the section about Leah Libresco's book Building the Benedict Option it states: "This practical resource for finding peace, meaning and God, from the pen of St. Benedict, a sixth-century monk, can help guide your own spiritual journey. Many people today are realizing that the cultural focus on competition, success, acquisition and constant busyness is ultimately not satisfying. They hunger for a way of life that has more lasting value and deeper meaning."

See the article "Building the New City – St. Basil's Social Vision", my booklet "Seek the Welfare of the City" and my article "Building the ARC", as well as several other books from my personal library. The article "Seek the Welfare of the City" cites instances of various Saints warning about not giving money, goods, or services unless you are able to ascertain that your donations are actually being used as you were told they would be. We are challenged by 1 John 3:17 – "But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and closes his heart of compassion against him, how does the love of God remain in him?" to be generous to those in need. But look carefully at the phrase "sees his brother in need" – if you can't actually see what the need is and how it will be met, then beware! It is likely that it would be misused.

Also, 2 Thes. 3:10 – "If anyone is not willing to work, neither let him eat." If those who appear to be needy refuse to work when they are able to, they should not depend on Christians or the state to feed and house them. The goal should be restoration to full physical, vocational, and spiritual health. "Community" is key: a community is a group of people who share the same value system, a group that is not so large that it's impossible to know all the members personally. Otherwise, on a city- or state- or nation-wide level it's too easy for people to "work the system."

Please read "Learning From Minnesota’s Somali Fraud Scandal." Nobel Prize-winning economist Milton Friedman stated that unlimited immigration is incompatible with a welfare state. Plato wrote – "Democracy can only survive until the people find their way to the public purse." I've worked as a job counselor in both secular and religious social service sectors: several times I've been told by people wanting help to write resumes that they just need to fill out and submit two job applications to show that "they're looking for work" so they can continue getting welfare checks. And I learned of at least two cases where jobless people were receiving unemployment benefits from two states: they would travel to a friend's place in a nearby state at whose address they'd register for benefits – "double dipping." Welfare fraud is rampant!

The Greek word for "community" is "koinonia" – it's also translated as "communion" as in the Eucharist, and as "fellowship" as in "church." So a group of like-minded genuine, honest Christians who are fully committed to serving Christ, can also build a place where they can live, worship, and serve in a community: "Commitment to Communion in a Community." That is what our Agape Restoration Communities are all about. so please take a few minutes to read my "Building the ARC" article... and share it!

You can read our whole newsletter at https://agape-restoration-society.org/ARC-News/a-n_2026-01-31.htm, and share it!

Thursday, January 15, 2026

OUR VERY OWN DR. MENGELE, RIGHT HERE

In a recent Substack article, "The Most Evil Man in Evangelicalism And Those Who Platformed Him," we read about (if you can stomach ingesting and digesting the whole thing) a gristly series of medical experiments conducted right here in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. And Evangelical leaders all over the U.S. applauded our very own "Dr. Mengele."

The article begins with a quote from C.S. Lewis: "Of all the passions, the passion for the Inner Ring is most skillful in making a man who is not yet a very bad man do very bad things." When we think of Nazi Germany's Dr. Mengele, who conducted "medical experiments" on living human subjects, we want to think "Oh, that could never happen here!" But it did. And such experiments continue to happen here, in the U.S. Unborn babies – some of them full-term and even during birth – are killed in Planned Barrenhood abortuaries, their warm organs being sold for medical experiments to the University of Pittsburgh, right here, encouraged by an Evangelical medical doctor heading the National Institute of Health. And Christian leaders praised him as "a brother in Christ."

In the early 2020s, I reported on these atrocities in our newletter, but heard not a peep from our subscribers, no comments. How many who call themselves Christians either didn't believe it – "it couldn't happen here" – or they they are complicit, ignoring or even justifying these mass murders of the unborn because of thier own fornication or adultery or even abortions? I don't know, I can only wonder why. More on this investigation here: "Judicial Watch Sues HHS for Records of Taxpayer Funding of Human Fetal Tissue Research at Univ. of Pittsburgh."

Ever since the introduction of "The Pill" in the 1960s, the Sexual Revolution really took off, disconnecting sexual relations from having children and raising healthy, stable families: there would be no consequences, nobody would ever know. But then people began to "slip up" – they forgot to take the pill, or it didn't work. They may call it a "mistake," but in reality it's the intended purpose of sex, to create a new life, a baby, a real human being, it's not "just a lump of tissue." Then the "Great Society" welfare system encouraged single motherhood by subsidizing it, thus encouraging premarital and extramarital sex, and resulting in fatherless boys roaming the streets, shooting up drugs... and other people. The dehumanization had begun.

So, what has ensued? First, a carefree attitude about "casual sex." Then a convenient solution to the "mistakes" – abortion solves that problem. (Actually, one action of birth control pills is to prevent implantation of the fertilized egg, a new human baby, so that is also a form of abortion.) Secondly, women began having fewer babies. In order to maintain our population, we need a fertility rate of 2.1 babies per woman, So thirdly, we've had to open up the borders for mass, uncontrolled immigration. Both "conservative" factory owners because they need more workers, and "liberal" politicians because they need more voters, joined forces to quietly allow it. Why is all this happening?

In the 50+ years since the U.S. Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade case, we as a nation have allowed over sixty million abortions. And now that our consciences are so numbed by this inconceivable number, it became easy to begin selling these babies' organs for medical experimentation. We must not project our guilt on the Nazi's extermination of six million Jews, or Stalin's execution of sixty million Russians and Ukrainians and minority nationalities. During our 17 years living in Russia, I came across documentation of 50,000 Udmurts buiried in mass graves behind an Orthodox church building in the Udmurt Soviet Republic, and 200,000 Maris buried in mass graves all around the Mari Soviet Republic. But that's just comparable to the mass killing of sixty million U.S. unborn babies. Let that sink in!

The U.S. Supreme Court has also ruled that if women are to have equal rights the same as men because the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution gave women the right to vote and own property, then in 2025 the Court's Obergefell case created out of thin air the right of a man to "marry" another man, and a woman to "marry" another woman. This unleashed a landslide: DEI, promoting "gender identity" and transgenderism, and anyone can use any bathrooms and locker rooms: see "Gay Marriage Didn’t Just Redefine Marriage – It Redefined Humanity." By disconnecting sexuality from biological reality, we've created a dystopia.

America needs to repent in sackcloth and ashes! The founding principle, the ideal of freedom of religion has degenerated into freedom (or license) to believe anything and behave any way you choose. We must return to the true, original Christian faith before it is too late!

Pray for Americans to repent, both individually and as a society, if we are to avoid socio-economic chaos and disaster.

You can read the rest of our newsletter at https://agape-restoration-society.org/ARC-News/a-n_2026-01-17.htm, and share it!