Catholic defiance of Democrat law pays off, sparing priests from the choice of jail or excommunication

Bob Ferguson, the Democrat governor of Washington state, signed a bill in May that would have compelled Catholic priests to break the seal of confession or face up to 364 days in jail and a $5,000 fine.

Catholic bishops in the Evergreen State fought back — and came out victorious on Friday with the reinforcement of the Trump Justice Department.

Background

Senate Bill 5375, as ratified by the self-identifying Catholic governor and scores of other Democrats in the legislature, required any person operating in an official supervisory capacity with a nonprofit or a for-profit organization who has "reasonable cause to believe that a child has suffered abuse or neglect" to notify law enforcement or the Department of Children, Youth, and Families.

'Priests should never be forced to make the impossible choice of betraying their sacred vows or going to jail.'

The law mandated, however, that no one except for members of the clergy had to report abuse when that information was obtained solely as a result of a privileged communication.

"SB 5375 modifies existing law solely to make members of the clergy mandatory reporters with respect to child abuse or neglect," U.S. District Judge David Estudillo noted in his July ruling. "However, other groups of adults who may learn about child abuse are not required to report. Parents and caregivers, for example, are not mandatory reporters."

Estudillo noted further that a parallel piece of legislation that went into effect on July 27 also exempted university attorneys from divulging child abuse information if it has something to do with their clients.

Washington State Gov. Bob Ferguson (D). Photo by JASON REDMOND/AFP via Getty Images

"A law is not neutral if the government 'proceeds in a manner intolerant of religious beliefs or restricts practices because of their religious nature,'" Estudillo noted. "Here, clergy were explicitly singled out."

Not only was the law discriminatory, it would have both invited the government into the confessional and put priests at risk of automatic excommunication.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church maintains that "every priest who hears confessions is bound under very severe penalties to keep absolute secrecy regarding the sins that his penitents have confessed to him" and "can make no use of knowledge that confession gives him about penitents' lives."

The Code of Canon Law — cited in the May 18 complaint filed by Archbishop Paul Etienne of the Archdiocese of Seattle, Bishop Joseph Tyson of the Diocese of Yakima, and Bishop Thomas Daly of the Diocese of Spokane — similarly underscores the inviolability of the sacramental seal, noting further that a "confessor who directly violates the sacramental seal incurs a latae sententiae — automatic — excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See."

A month after the bishops filed suit, the Trump DOJ intervened in the case, stressing that SB 5375 "deprives Catholic priests of their fundamental right to freely exercise their religious beliefs, as guaranteed under the First Amendment."

Victory

On Friday, the state of Washington settled the case, agreeing to make permanent a Biden judge's July injunction blocking the law.

The federal court handling the case further recognized that the Democrat law had infringed upon the Catholic bishops' free exercise of religion in violation of the First Amendment and may also have infringed upon their rights under the U.S. Constitution's Establishment Clause and the Church Autonomy Doctrine.

Mark Rienzi, president and CEO of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which served as co-counsel in the case, said in statement obtained by Blaze News, "Washington was wise to walk away from this draconian law and allow Catholic clergy to continue ministering to the faithful. This is a victory for religious freedom and for common sense."

"Priests should never be forced to make the impossible choice of betraying their sacred vows or going to jail," added Rienzi.

"Preventing abuse and upholding the sacred seal of confession are not mutually exclusive — we can and must do both," stated Jean Hill, executive director of the Washington State Catholic Conference. "That’s why the Church supported the law’s goal from the beginning and only asked for a narrow exemption to protect the sacrament."

The WSCC added that "priests have been imprisoned, tortured, and even killed for upholding the seal of confession. Penitents today need the same assurance that their participation in a holy sacrament will remain free from government interference."

Blaze News has reached out to Ferguson's office for comment.

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Charlie Kirk's death revealed the kingdoms colliding in America

The contrast couldn’t be more severe: two martyrs, two causes. One died for the religion of social justice, the other for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

America now stands at a crossroads. Which path will we choose: the broad path that leads to chaos and destruction, or the narrow path that leads to peace and life?

Out of Charlie Kirk’s death, lives are being changed forever. The gospel is advancing. The church is awakening.

On one side, you have the death of George Floyd. Within 24 hours of the video going viral, nationwide protests erupted. Students walked out of classrooms. Crowds poured into the streets. City blocks went up in flames. Businesses were ransacked. Stores looted. Police officers, in many cases, stood down and watched as precincts were burned to the ground.

And Floyd wasn’t the only flashpoint. In Ferguson, Missouri, the death of Michael Brown sparked weeks of violent rioting, leaving entire neighborhoods scorched. In Kenosha, Wisconsin, the police shooting of Jacob Blake ignited nights of arson and looting, culminating in chaos that left the city smoldering.

In each case, Americans were told to understand the destruction as “the voice of the oppressed.” Politicians bent over backward to excuse the lawlessness, even pledging to bail out masked agitators who turned cities into war zones. Lives were lost in the name of “justice.”

And when the flames weren’t enough, activists decided to go further. They declared entire neighborhoods “autonomous zones” — police-free utopias where oppression was supposed to vanish and a new society would flourish.

The same voices behind the riots called for defunding the police. And what did that bring? More chaos. More crime. More death. Neighborhoods left vulnerable. Families abandoned. Chaos parading as justice.

The death of a true martyr

Now, set that against what followed the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

He was murdered for daring to give the biggest microphone not to his friends but to those who opposed him. He welcomed debate. He confronted hostile ideas head on. He refused to be silenced by intimidation. And for that, he paid with his life.

But look at the fruit that followed his death.

No buildings burned. No businesses looted. No cities reduced to ash.

Instead, only candles burned — vigil candles, lifted high in memory of a man who gave his life for truth. People gathered in churches. Prayers rose instead of Molotov cocktails. Instead of mobs demanding blood, thousands made decisions to follow Christ. Politicians who would never publicly declare the name of Jesus suddenly spoke openly about the need for the gospel. Instead of excuses for lawlessness, there were testimonies of salvation.

BENJAMIN HANSON/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

And yet — after Charlie’s death — all of the cowards found their courage. The very people who shrank from confronting him in debate while he lived now slander him when he cannot answer. They spit on his memory because they could not withstand his arguments. They malign his character because they could not overcome his convictions. Their attacks reveal not strength but weakness. Not courage but cowardice.

It is difficult not to see the parallel with Stephen, the first Christian martyr. In Acts 6–7, Stephen stood before the religious leaders of his day — and make no mistake, progressivism is a worldly religion — and he proclaimed the truth with boldness. Scripture records that “they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking” (Acts 6:10). And when they could not defeat his arguments, they killed him.

So it is with Charlie. When the world could not overcome his courage, when they could not silence his voice in life, they silenced him in death. But like Stephen, his testimony will outlive his assassins. His words will echo longer than their slander. His life will bear fruit that their hatred cannot erase.

Two different spirits

What explains this radical difference?

On one hand, you have a spirit of rage. A spirit that justifies destruction as expression. A spirit that sees justice as vengeance. That spirit has turned too many American cities into ruins.

On the other hand, you have the Spirit of God. A Spirit that produces repentance instead of riots. Worship instead of war. Candles instead of chaos. When the world lost Charlie Kirk, a true martyr, the response revealed something deeper — something eternal.

The battle lines of our culture are not political but spiritual. The evidence could not be more clear.

The apostle Paul reminds us that “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness” (Ephesians 6:12). What we are seeing is not merely two different sets of political responses but two different kingdoms on display.

One kingdom demands chaos and calls it justice.

The other kingdom meets tragedy with truth, grace, and hope in Christ.

Which one will define the future of this nation?

History teaches us that rage consumes itself. Cities burned in Ferguson and Kenosha are still rebuilding years later. Families who lost businesses in Minneapolis never recovered. Violence devours its own.

But the fruits of the Spirit endure. Out of Charlie Kirk’s death, lives are being changed forever. The gospel is advancing. The church is awakening.

The call to Christians

The contrast forces every Christian to make a choice.

Will we be swept into the mob’s logic — that vengeance and destruction are the only way forward? Or will we align ourselves with the way of the cross — the way of sacrifice, prayer, and truth proclaimed without fear?

The stakes are high. What America witnessed in the days after George Floyd’s death and the days after Charlie Kirk’s assassination is the clash of worldviews, the collision of kingdoms.

One worldview justifies destruction in the name of oppression. The other proclaims that true freedom is found only in Christ.

One kingdom burns buildings. The other lights candles.

Riots or revival?

The Charlie Kirk Memorial last month was not just a gathering. It was a glimpse into the kind of nation we could be if truth, courage, and the gospel were once again at the center of public life. It was a reminder that even in death, the witness of one faithful man can ignite a movement more powerful than any protest.

The flames of rage consume cities. The flames of faith light the world.

The choice is clear: Riots or revival? Chaos or Christ?

PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images

And for those who haven’t seen the Charlie Kirk Memorial, hear this from someone who was there in person: No video could capture the palpable power in that room. Politician after politician rose — not to promote themselves but to proclaim Christ’s gospel.

Testimonies poured out of the life Charlie lived, giving himself to students across this country, loving his wife and children faithfully, and modeling what it means to live for something greater than yourself, what it means to truly submit and boldly follow Christ Jesus our Lord.

The video screens could show faces but not the depth of what we felt inside that hall. The sheer numbers of people. The dignitaries. The everyday Americans. All united as we sang, listened, cried, mourned, and celebrated our friend Charlie Kirk.

I cannot remember a time when I was more inspired to tell the truth, to oppose the lies, and to stand for Christ more boldly — and I am now wasting no time in doing so.

We’ve all got work to do. We’ve got a civilization to save. We have a King to proclaim, Jesus Christ.

So Charlie, rest in heaven — we’ll take it from here.

This article is adapted from an essay originally published at Liberty University's Standing for Freedom Center.

Hillary Clinton just slipped up — and exposed the left's biggest fear

Hillary Clinton just proved what leftists truly fear.

Two weeks after Charlie Kirk's assassination, Clinton went on national television to pour salt in the wound. Instead of offering a reconciliatory message to the country, Clinton used the moment to attack conservative white Christian men, painting them as the true threat to America.

Leftist elites have trained our culture to believe that white Christian conservative men are villains, oppressors, and enemies of progress.

"The idea that you could turn the clock back and try to re-create a world that never was, dominated by, you know, let's say it, white men, of a certain persuasion, a certain religion, a certain point of view, a certain ideology, is just doing such damage to what we should be aiming for," she said.

Read that again.

Clinton didn't denounce left-wing violence or condemn the twisted culture that openly celebrated the death of Christians like Charlie Kirk. Instead, she seemed to point the finger at conservative white Christian men who support President Donald Trump and believe that our country and culture should be ordered around biblical principles.

Clinton seems to believe that the real threat to America isn't godlessness, violence, and hatred, but people of faith who dare believe in biblical truth and traditional values.

What she said is shocking. But what she left unsaid is even more so.

If white Christian conservative men are damaging the country and leading us down the wrong path, then, according to Clinton's logic, she believes America would be better off without white conservative Christian men.

That's not just offensive. It's reckless — and dangerous.

Imagine for one second if Clinton had singled out any other demographic. What if Clinton had targeted black women, Jews, Muslims, or immigrants and called them the force doing "such damage" to America? The outrage would be deafening, and there would be wall-to-wall media coverage about her "bigotry" and "hate speech."

But few people noticed Clinton's remarks — and that's just as alarming.

Here's the truth: The media ignores Clinton's comments because she seemed to target white Christian, MAGA-supporting men. Nearly every other demographic is untouchable, but because this target is the vilified "oppressor," white conservative Christian men can be vilified without consequence.

The irony and double standard are nauseating.

Worst yet, rhetoric that constantly demonizes Christians sends a message: Hostility toward them is acceptable. Were you confused why so many leftists openly cheered the murder of a Christian leader like Charlie Kirk? Well, this is how we got there. Leftist elites have trained our culture to believe that white Christian conservative men are villains, oppressors, and enemies of progress.

And once you've branded them as the enemy, "fascists," and "Nazis," what the next logical step? Violence always follows dehumanization.

Perhaps most interesting is that Clinton's words reveal more than contempt — they reveal fear.

Contrary to their claims, leftists don't attack white Christian men because they are violent or oppressive. They attack white Christian men because they know strong and bold men stand in the way of their godless agenda. Christian men unapologetically uphold the values the left wants to erase: faith, family, freedom, moral clarity, and biblical truth.

The timing of Clinton's attack says it all.

Clinton wants to intimidate Christians with her attack, but it won't work.

As the nation mourns Charlie Kirk — the exact type of person Clinton seems to have targeted — Clinton appears to have singled out the group most committed to defending faith, family, freedom, moral clarity, and biblical truth. It's not a critique, but an admission of fear. She fears people like Charlie Kirk, Christian men who stand in the left's way, refuse to bow the knee, and will die defending what is good and true.

Let's be clear: Christian men are not America's problem. They are its best hope.

What truly damages America is not faith in Christ but contempt for Him, not traditional families but the collapse of the family, not biblical morality but the moral vacuum left when leftists erase God from public life.

Our country needs more conservative Christian men — not fewer. We need Christian men willing to lead with courage, humility, and conviction, who won't apologize for their faith in Jesus Christ and commitment to biblical truth. The future of America belongs to them: bold and courageous Christian men who lead strong families, build flourishing communities, and sacrifice themselves for others.

Clinton wants to intimidate Christians with her attack, but it won't work. We will not be silenced or shamed into submission.

So let the elites rage. Let them mock and condemn, for we know the truth: "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it" (John 1:5). And in the end, Christ wins.

Facing darkness: What no one tells you about haunted houses

For most people, haunted houses sound like the stuff of folklore or movies and television. Naturalists, as well as a number of Christians, doubt that houses or people can be haunted.

But for those who have experienced it firsthand, it’s a very real and frightening phenomenon — and it’s also more widespread than most people realize.

An infestation is often the result of a door that has been opened, giving the demonic permission or authority to do their work.

A 2022 YouGov poll found that one in four Americans say they've lived in a house they believe was haunted. Thousands of YouTube videos purport to show people recording paranormal activity in their homes. At the same time, there is a deluge of bad advice online and in print of what to do when you discover negative spiritual activity in your home.

I want to offer advice from a Christian perspective on how best to respond if you ever find yourself in a haunted house while also discussing what shouldn’t be done.

The demonic truth

Two important points of clarification. First, the kind of haunting I’m referring to is one in which the phenomena being produced cause fear and distress for the people in the home. Some people report mild experiences, like the occasional feeling of a presence.

But the type of haunting I’m addressing is characterized by frightening and sometimes violent activity. These include banging or scratching sounds, disembodied voices, foul odors, sudden drops in temperature, objects disappearing or moving on their own, dark figures or other apparitions, and physical attacks, to name a few.

Second, I believe this type of haunting is always the work of demons. It does seem to be the case that God allows some human spirits to linger or make appearances on earth. In my view, these may be the souls of the unsaved whose punishment in the intermediate state includes spending additional but distressing time on earth.

But the phenomena mentioned above, which are aimed at inflicting psychological distress, are always, in my view, perpetrated by the demonic. This accords with scripture and reflects the experiences of Christians who work in this area.

What not to do

First, don’t hesitate to talk to people you trust about your experiences.

Most people understandably fear being labeled "crazy" or "attention-seeking" if they reveal what they’re dealing with. But this serves the purposes of the demonic, who want to isolate an individual or family so that they suffer alone and don’t receive help. Share your circumstances as soon as possible with trusted family and friends, and especially seek out mature Christians and clergy.

On the other hand, there are people it’s best to avoid talking to. This includes nearly all paranormal investigators and books or articles by non-Christians on the paranormal.

Some paranormal investigators or ghost hunters are charlatans, while others are well-meaning. Even with the latter, there is nothing these folks can do to help. They can try to capture paranormal activity on cameras or other devices, but that does nothing to help someone under demonic attack. These teams often include people who describe themselves as mediums or psychics who can convey false information demons want them to relay.

As I’ve written about previously, when a medium was called in to help with the real-life Annabelle doll case, the demon concocted a story about being a 7-year-old girl who had died. This was a ploy to gain the sympathy of the doll’s owner, and it led to the owner giving the demon permission to inhabit the doll.

Talk to trusted pastors or other mature Christians who can actually help fight the enemy. Non-Christians will have endless mistaken theories about what’s happening and what should be done, but only those steeped in scripture who walk closely with Christ can help.

What to do

I’ve been saying that it’s important to talk to Christian clergy, but I also have to offer the warning that some will not believe you or will you tell you they can’t help.

There are a few reasons for this. Some clergy don’t believe that Satan exists but instead believe he's a symbol or just the product of a superstitious ancient culture. Others will be too fearful to help, or think they lack the necessary training or experience. Some will think it will damage the reputation of their church if word gets out that they’re in the business of dealing with demons.

As a result, it may be necessary to talk to several different pastors or priests before you find one who is willing to help.

This is an important step, because the ideal solution to a demonic infestation is for a Bible-believing, spiritually mature pastor to come and bless the home and cast the demons out. This usually involves prayers and reading scripture passages and sometimes the use of holy water or anointing oil, along with commanding the demons to leave by Christ’s authority. It may take multiple visits and blessings to fully rid the home of the infestation.

If a pastor can’t be found to help, a strong, devoted, spiritually mature Christian can also perform the blessing. This should never be taken lightly, however, because whoever does it will enter into serious spiritual warfare and likely face attacks in their own lives.

Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

Another important step is to try to determine why a particular person, family, or home is under attack.

An infestation is often the result of a door that has been opened, giving the demonic permission or authority to do their work. Probably the most common way a door is opened is through activities related to the occult.

Attempts to interact with the spiritual world in ways forbidden by scripture (see, for example, Deuteronomy 18:10-12) can easily open doors to the demonic. One pair of Christians who did work in this area said that 70% of their cases involved someone using an Ouija board.

In some cases, there doesn’t seem to be a clear reason why a particular family or home is targeted. But if the occult is involved, whoever has participated must ask God’s forgiveness and turn away from it. This includes doing away with any occult objects.

Finally, ultimate deliverance from the demonic will only come through a genuine saving relationship with Jesus Christ. This involves acknowledging that one has sinned against God and accepting Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross in which he took the punishment for our sins (1 Peter 2:24). It also requires making Jesus the Lord of one’s life (Luke 9:23-24).

One of the chief reasons Christ came was to “destroy the devil’s work” (1 John 3:8) and to rescue people from “the dominion of darkness” and bring them into his kingdom of light (Colossians 1:13). The born-again follower of Christ is given authority to “overcome all the power of the enemy” (Luke 10:19).

Christians will sometimes face dark spiritual battles, but through Christ we can emerge victorious (Ephesians 6:11-13).

Holy defiance: Why Erika Kirk terrifies the feminist elite

Let’s face it: In today’s culture, being a traditional, Christian, Proverbs 31 woman is seen as outdated at best — and oppressive at worst. Feminism, goddess worship, and self-idolatry have replaced biblical womanhood, pushing a false idea that true power comes from rebellion, not obedience.

We see it everywhere.

As we face the growing pagan threat in America, we must raise up more Erika Kirks.

In 2018, San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral hosted a “Beyoncé Mass,” calling it a “womanist worship service” that praised Beyoncé as a goddess. Social media echoed the sentiment: “God is a woman and her name is Beyoncé.” Not long after, Taylor Swift’s fans held a Taylor Swift-themed "worship" experience in a 600-year-old church. Swift’s own performances have leaned into witchcraft-inspired visuals, while other pop icons like Ariana Grande (whose song is literally titled “God Is a Woman”), Nicki Minaj, Vanessa Hudgens, and Lady Gaga flaunt occult imagery and sexual empowerment wrapped in faux liberation.

This cultural shift is not new. It’s rooted in a long-standing rejection of Christian orthodoxy. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, in her 1875 work "The Woman’s Bible," sought to rewrite scripture, even calling for the “emancipation of the woman” and the “exoneration of the snake.” Feminism's earliest architects viewed biblical womanhood as the enemy to be dismantled.

The fight wasn’t for equality — it was for dominance.

Today, that legacy lives on. Women are praised not for motherhood, humility, or holiness, but for independence, sexual expression, and self-glorification. We now live in a culture where being a godly woman is seen as laughable, something to be mocked, dismissed, or feared.

But then came Erika Kirk.

Gospel power

On Sept. 21, just 11 days after her husband, Charlie Kirk, was assassinated allegedly by one of the very people he dedicated his life to reaching, Erika stood before the world — with tears in her eyes — and said these words: “That man, that young man: I forgive him.”

There were no calls for vengeance. No bitterness. No rage. Just grace. And a power that only the gospel can provide.

More than 100 million people were watching the broadcast when she said it.

Win McNamee/Getty Images

Charlie was shot in the neck while answering student questions on a university campus — microphone in hand, actively engaging with those who disagreed with him. In one violent moment, Erika lost her husband and their two young children lost their father.

And yet, days later, she stood next to the empty chair where Charlie had hosted "The Charlie Kirk Show," and declared: “The movement my husband built will not die. It won't. I refuse to let that happen. … My husband’s mission will not end, not even for a moment.”

Sharp contrast

Since then, Erika has become one of the most talked-about women in the world. Her Instagram following has skyrocketed from a few hundred thousand to over 7 million. But she didn’t seek the spotlight — she stepped into it because her faith and the moment demanded it.

Before Charlie’s death, Erika was largely known within Christian and conservative circles. She ran a clothing brand, Proclaim Streetwear, led BIBLEin365, and hosted the "Midweek Rise Up" podcast, all while raising their children and supporting Charlie in his work at Turning Point USA.

“I was Charlie’s confidante. I was his vault, his closest and most trusted adviser, his best friend,” she said at his memorial. “I poured into him and loved him so deeply, empowered him, because his love for me drove me to be a better wife."

Compare that to the culture’s role models: women who flaunt their bodies, reject motherhood, and redefine empowerment as self-worship. At the Grammy Awards this year, Bianca Censori wore nothing but a sheer dress that fully exposed her body — a display heralded by the media as “bold,” but more accurately described as a humiliation paraded as liberation.

How far have we fallen, when being a godly wife and mother is seen as weakness, while degrading yourself publicly is considered power?

Spiritual war

This is the spiritual battle we are facing. The pagan threat is real — and Erika Kirk stands as a holy contradiction to it.

She is not just a grieving widow. She is a modern-day Deborah. A Proverbs 31 woman. A warrior in the fire.

At a Turning Point USA event earlier this year, Erika issued a challenge:

After you leave here, please go confuse the culture. Confuse the crap out of it. ... Do not conform to it. Let them stare at you. Let them write the meanest Instagram comments. Let them wonder. Let them whisper. … Because that’s just noise. Build your family. Go raise a family. Go build a life of holy defiance. Go love your husband. Go love your babies. Go teach your children how to blaze a trail of glory. Go lead in truth, and go be the light.

This is exactly what we need — holy defiance. A new generation of women who aren’t afraid to embrace their God-given roles. Women who don’t need the culture’s validation because they have God’s calling.

And Erika wasn’t done. At Charlie’s memorial, she challenged both women and men with a call to biblical courage.

“Women, I have a challenge for you too: Be virtuous. Our strength is found in God’s design for our role. We are the guardians. We are the encouragers. We are the preservers,” she said. “Guard your heart; everything you do flows from it. And if you’re a mother, please recognize that is the single most important ministry you have.

“To all the men watching around the world — accept Charlie’s challenge and embrace true manhood. Be strong and courageous for your families. Love your wives and lead them. Love your children and protect them. Be the spiritual head of your home, but please be a leader worth following,” she said. “Your wife is not your servant. Your wife is not your employee. Your wife is not your slave. She is your helper. You are not rivals; you are one flesh working together for the glory of God.”

This is the antidote to cultural decay: biblical men and women who refuse to bow to the false gods of modernity and recognize that our design is divine. That submission to God is not weakness but strength. That humility is not shameful but honorable. That motherhood is not bondage but ministry.

Holy defiance

As we face the growing pagan threat in America, we must raise up more Erika Kirks — women of fire-tested faith, uncompromising in truth, fearless in love, and grounded in scripture.

The culture is watching. And in Erika, people are seeing something they can’t explain: a woman standing in the ashes of atrocity, radiant with hope. A woman of grace. A woman of gospel power.

A woman the culture tried to erase — but couldn’t.

Bring God back to schools — before it’s too late

The abrupt assassination of a young husband and father — who joyfully invited strangers from all walks of life to debate him in public forums —was a barbaric assault on all Americans and our shared foundational values, free speech, and religious liberty.

I was deeply disturbed by the deranged sickness of morally bankrupt Americans rejoicing at Charlie Kirk’s reprehensible murder. I’ve unceasingly prayed and wept for his family and friends as though they were my own.

It's time to get the Bible back into schools to revitalize the true meaning of liberty and respect for your neighbor.

Yet as a mom and a Christian, I know I must not despair. The Bible likens despair to a refusal of hope, justice, and goodness.

At Kirk’s historic memorial, President Donald Trump mentioned a renewed urgency to including the holy Bible in public life. Erika Kirk modeled positive, convicted fortitude through motherhood — with grit, grace, and gospel — that I have never before witnessed in a publicly broadcasted forum. “Be an Erika Kirk in a Kardashian world” commentaries flood my social media feeds.

But an exasperating and lingering question remains: “How did America get here?” Guns? Social media? Absent parenting? Ignorant education? A desensitizing news cycle?

A root cause is expelling God from public schools.

Foundation shattered

Charlie Kirk was wrongly labeled as a “hateful extremist” because millions of students have been brainwashed, for decades, to dissociate America’s foundation from God.

Young people have been conditioned to be offended by truth and context and now automatically treat neighbors like garbage and claim that “words are violence” when they disagree.

Historically, educators partnered with parents to reinforce our shared American values as they were rooted in the Bible. Through the 1800s, schools and colleges often included the Bible as a textbook. Our founding fathers stressed the importance of morals and religious knowledge for a functioning republic.

In a 1798 statement, John Adams himself wrote, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious People. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

But here’s where we are now:

Most fifth-graders don’t learn that the 13 colonies required a declaration of faith to hold a public office.
Very few eighth-graders are taught that our Declaration of Independence mentions God four times — a majority of the 56 signers were Bible-believing Christians.
A majority of high-school students have zero knowledge that our Liberty Bell, as well as countless government landmarks, including our Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, and more, are inscribed with biblical verses.
Non-denominational prayer, Bible stories, the Ten Commandments, and the mere words “one nation under God” are disputed, degraded, and often prohibited from public gatherings at elementary schools through universities.
Schools used to teach biblical principles like the Golden Rule to promote good character and conduct, but now secular-driven “restorative discipline” dictates that right, wrong, good, evil, truth, and lies are relative.

Moral education begins at home, but what happens if that falls short?

Chaos reigns

Without reinforcement in schools, we evidently get a generation of morally ignorant citizens unable to function in a republic. Kirk himself once explained that the way our government was set up is no longer compatible with our current, faith-rejecting citizenry and public institutions. I agree.

Absent parents and the exclusion of 3,000-year-old wisdom from our school systems bear the blame.

Now, students are actively taught that God is not and never was part of our nation’s founding, that there is no safety alongside someone who thinks differently from you, and that words are violence. Smartphone worship, disrespect for parents and teachers without consequence, and the abandonment of rules and order have infected our nation.

Notwithstanding our rightful religious differences as Americans, it’s time to get the Bible back into schools — as a historical work that helped establish our nation and laws — to revitalize the true meaning of liberty and respect for your neighbor.

Teaching students to understand our U.S. Constitution gets much easier if students are knowledgeable about the biblical ideals that shaped it. The Bible also provides practical order, like the Golden Rule, that chaotic classrooms can certainly benefit from today.

Myth exposed

But what about Thomas Jefferson’s “separation of church and state”? It’s a stretched fabrication that I’m ashamed to admit I once believed.

Five years ago, I supported keeping biblical mentions out of public schools and forums. As a baptized, lifelong Christian — active in church as a child and now a Sunday School teacher as an adult — even I was brainwashed and miseducated.

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In 1947, the Supreme Court case of Everson v. Board of Education ruled that neither a state nor the federal government could "pass laws which aid one religion, aid all religions, or prefer one religion over another." For the first time in American history, the First Amendment was now not only about the prohibition of establishing a national religion; it was also about not giving any encouragement to any religion. The modern “strict separation” view was born.

The five justices drafted their decision not based on the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution, but on a brief letter that Thomas Jefferson wrote to the Danbury Baptist Association in 1802, citing his personal conviction that religious belief should include “building a wall of separation between Church & State.”

In 1962, the Supreme Court further ruled in Engel v. Vitale that a generic school prayer violated the Court’s new definition of the First Amendment. “Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and we beg Thy blessings upon us, our parents, our teachers and our country."

The prayer was not specific to Christianity or any religion and was reminiscent of the language of the Declaration of Independence. Yet it was still deemed unconstitutional.

Since then, the "separation of church and state" language has been used to remove God and appreciation for our foundational morality from public life and, most tragically, from our schools.

Do we have happier or better-educated student citizens because of this?

Dismal test scores, school shootings, record numbers of mentally ill teens, campus violence, increasingly anti-American curriculum, and depraved TikToks celebrating the public execution of an innocent man exercising peaceful free speech in a public forum prove otherwise.

Bring God back

Is it possible that those Supreme Court decisions were misguided and wrong for our society?

This sickness is destroying each of us — and our country — in real time. This is why we do what we do at PragerU Kids.

Parents and teachers, now is the time to bravely support and include:

the Bible in academic historical discussions.
non-denominational prayer at school events.
the Ten Commandments as they relate to America’s founding values for freedom.
saying God’s name at your child’s school … no matter who may be irrationally triggered.

Don’t let anyone trick you into thinking these things are hateful. The life, liberty, and happiness of our republic literally depend on it.

I'm grateful for the White House’s nationwide “America Prays” initiative, as well as state leaders in Oklahoma, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, and more who are taking action to get Bibles and/or the Ten Commandments included in public school classrooms again.

I’m not suggesting a mandated belief in the theology of the Bible, but rather a general and practical K-12 education and inclusion of how the Bible’s rules, order, and tenets were foundational to our nation.

Just as kids should learn that slavery is abhorrent (as the Bible teaches), it's imperative that young Americans learn how our founders’ vision of limited government, through faith-based values of blind justice and truthful morality, only works when citizens have a mutually respected moral compass. Countless historical writings, works, and landmarks prove that America’s hard-fought liberty is contingent on ethical citizens.

Get God — and the goodness, hope, virtue, and equality taught in the Bible — back into our schools and communities now, because what we’ve been doing for the last 75 years isn’t working. And time’s running out.

'Go to church': Elon Musk amplifies Erika Kirk's call for Christian revival

Over the past year, Elon Musk's public comments and X activity have subtly shifted to include more frequent references to Christianity, such as sharing biblical wisdom and promoting forgiveness, while stopping short of declaring himself a true believer.

'I think this notion of forgiveness is important; I think it's essential.'

Turning Point USA CEO Erika Kirk wrote in a post on X over the weekend, "Go to church," and Musk shared her comment. That same day, Musk slammed the Anti-Defamation League, calling it "a hate group" because it "hates Christians."

Musk has repeatedly stated that he believes "woke" is the "religion that occupies the space previously held by Christianity."

Last month, Musk quoted a Bible verse, Matthew 7:3, writing, "Why do you see the speck in your neighbor's eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye?"

He also shared from the Lord's Prayer, "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us."

Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images

During an interview with Jordan Peterson last year, Musk described himself as a "cultural Christian," explaining that while he admires "the principles that Jesus advocated," he is "not a particularly religious person."

Elon Musk. Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images

"I do believe that the teachings of Jesus are good and wise and that there's tremendous wisdom in turning the other cheek," Musk told Peterson. "And with respect to bullies at school, I think you shouldn't turn the other cheek; you should punch them on the nose and then, thereafter, make peace with them."

"I think this notion of forgiveness is important; I think it's essential," he added.

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Why turning the other cheek won't stop the godless left

The image was unforgettable.

A grieving widow, standing before thousands, chose not to curse the darkness before her. Erika Kirk spoke words of grace instead of vengeance, forgiving the man who allegedly gunned down her husband. Days earlier in California, the family of slain pastor Felipe Ascencio had done the same, turning the other cheek even as sorrow filled the air.

This is not politics guided by conscience. It's ideology married to contempt, unmoored from God, and unashamed of evil.

Two funerals. Two acts of radical mercy. In an age of rage, such restraint is astonishing.

Forgive, but resist

This deserves respect. In a culture where cruelty passes for cleverness and malice poses as morality, forgiveness stands out like a candle in the night. It is not weakness but strength, drawn from God and lived in public. It recalls Saint Stephen praying for his killers and Christ forgiving from the cross.

To forgive when the mob demands fury is its own form of defiance. It unsettles a culture addicted to vengeance. But forgiveness is not a shield. Mercy eases the wound, but it does not stop the next bullet.

That's the truth conservatives must face.

We are not dealing with decent opponents who stumble now and then. We are dealing with a godless left that sees mercy as impotence. Leftists do not mourn their enemies; they mock them. Scroll through their comments after a killing — laughter, sneers, excuses. Watch their pundits explain why the victim had it coming.

This is not politics guided by conscience. It's ideology married to contempt, unmoored from God, and unashamed of evil.

Forgiveness is holy. But when it's met with ridicule, it signals that more blood can be spilled without cost. A movement that forgives but never fortifies will not survive. A church that turns the cheek but never guards the body will be broken. This age does not admire meekness; it exploits it. And those who delight in Charlie Kirk’s death will not be moved by hymns or prayers. They will be encouraged by them if nothing else follows.

So what next?

First, vigilance. Christians can no longer assume that sharing a country means sharing values. That illusion has been broken for years. Many Americans share a land, yet dream of different nations. In media, schools, and politics, hostility to faith, family, and country is open and unapologetic. The hatred is plain, and the influence is real.

To look away is to invite defeat.

Second, unity. The left thrives on division within the right, and too often it prevails. Grudges, disputes, and rivalries weaken those who should be standing shoulder to shoulder. A fractured right is an easy target.

Win McNamee/Getty Images

Third, cultural strength. Politics follows culture, and culture is where the left has won most ground. Leftists control classrooms, newsrooms, and streaming services, the feeds in every young person’s pocket. They shape imaginations before ballots are ever cast. To counter this, those on the right cannot retreat into nostalgia. They must build schools that teach truth, create art that uplifts, and support media that speaks with honesty about faith, family, and country.

Culture shapes politics, and if culture is lost, the future is lost.

Fourth, law and governance. Forgiveness mends hearts, but law restrains hands. A society that refuses to punish evil guarantees more of it. Prayers for the dead are not enough. There must be laws that protect churches, policies that guard families, courts that resist ideological pressure. To love an enemy does not mean allowing him to wage war.

This is not a call to violence but a call to clarity.

Steadfast in mercy — and might

History shows that kindness alone cannot conquer wickedness. Rome admired the martyrs, yet still threw them to the lions. Emperors preached justice while crucifixions lined the roads. Popes spoke of humility while selling indulgences. Dictators praised virtue while locking believers in prisons. Across ages and empires, evil has never yielded to gentle words. It retreats only before courage, conviction, and steadfast resistance.

Forgive your enemy, but do not let him rule your household. Pray for his soul, but do not let his ideology shape your child’s classroom. Bless those who curse you, but do not hand them the levers of power they would use to curse your grandchildren.

Erika Kirk’s words lifted eyes to heaven and shamed a culture of retribution. But if her forgiveness is mistaken for a strategy, we will see more widows, more orphans, and more funerals. Forgiveness is a balm, not a barricade. The barricade must be built by all decent Americans — through faith, family, unity, vigilance, and cultural strength.

Two thousand years ago, Christ carried the cross and conquered death. Today, his followers are called to carry their own. Sometimes that means granting grace where none is earned. Sometimes it means resisting a culture sinking into decay.

Always, it means standing firm — steadfast in mercy, steady in might — until right overcomes wrong and heaven defeats hell.

Charlie Kirk's murder proves why atheism is a complete failure

Why is human life valuable?

Alex O’Connor, an online atheist whose popularity has skyrocketed in recent years, recently said this: “I call myself an ethical emotivist, by which I mean that I think ethical statements — statements like ‘Murder is wrong’, ‘Charity is good’, or ‘You shouldn’t steal’ — are expressions of emotional attitudes, and nothing more. They are not objective truth-claims.”

What Christianity provides, and atheism lacks, is an objective standard that can be universally held up to defend human life.

O’Connor, by all accounts, is an upstanding member of society. Not only does he not kill or steal, but he has become famous for treating his debate opponents with respect, especially in comparison to famous atheist polemicists like Christopher Hitchens. He should be applauded for that.

But in his morally relativistic view, human life is only as valuable as his emotions, or anyone else’s emotions, permit.

Tyler Robinson, the alleged assassin of Charlie Kirk, had a very different set of emotions from Alex O’Connor. Whatever respect O’Connor subjectively chooses to show for human beings, Robinson allegedly chose the opposite. Robinson allegedly believed — subjectively — that the value of human life ended where his political resentments began.

If you’re Alex O’Connor, what would you say to a political assassin? How would you convince him that he’s wrong to devalue human life?

Objectively, you couldn’t. Because O’Connor doesn’t think the statement “human life has value” is objectively true, but rather a matter of personal tastes. Even if he personally finds Robinson’s alleged views and actions repugnant, he couldn’t point to any objective standard to justify that.

The trouble with atheism isn’t that atheists personally live immoral lives. Everyone has met atheists who are good spouses, good parents, and good citizens. The problem is that atheism can't provide an objective defense to the proposition that all human life should be valued by everybody all the time.

According to atheist Richard Dawkins, “We are survival machines — robot vehicles blindly programmed to preserve the selfish molecules known as genes.”

People discard machines routinely without any thought at all — laptops, phones, iPads, cars, and many other things. Drive down to the local junkyard and look at the decaying and forgotten corpses of old Toyota Camrys. No one mourns them, no one gave them a funeral, no one had moral qualms about throwing them away.

If Dawkins’ description of human beings as “survival machines” and “robot vehicles blindly programmed” is accurate, then why would human beings be any different from those Toyota Camrys?

Atheism has no answer to that question — but Christianity does.

AlessandroPhoto/iStock/Getty Images Plus

In his landmark work "Theology of the Body," Pope John Paul II said this:

Man, whom God created male and female, bears the divine image imprinted on his body "from the beginning."

This is a restatement of Genesis 1:26, which is the foundation of Christian anthropology. In this verse, God declares: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” Man has objective dignity because man bears the divine image.

Romans 5:8 goes on to say: “But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” This shows that even serious moral failings do not eliminate the objective dignity of a human being.

"Dignitas Infinita," a Vatican document released in 2024 and approved by Pope Francis, further states that “every human person possesses an infinite dignity, inalienably grounded in his or her very being, which prevails in and beyond every circumstance, state, or situation the person may ever encounter.”

If Christianity is true, then God is the author of truth itself. And if God is the author of truth itself, and he has assigned infinite dignity to all human beings, then that dignity is a universal truth not dependent on the emotions or whims of any person.

Of course, this does not guarantee that Christians will live by that. Many so-called Christians have warped ideas of what their faith demands. Some use it as a cloak for their political ideology. Vance Boelter, who allegedly murdered former Minnesota Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, seemingly had no respect for human life.

But what Christianity provides, and atheism lacks, is an objective standard that can be universally held up to defend human life against anyone who threatens it. It provides an objective way to say “Tyler Robinson is wrong,” instead of “I personally don’t like what Tyler Robinson [allegedly] did.”

This matters deeply at the societal level, and the data bears it out.

According to Pew Research, in 1972, 90% of U.S. adults identified as Christians, while 5% identified as religiously unaffiliated. By 2022, the percentage of Christians had shrunk to 63% while the religiously unaffiliated percentage had risen to 29%. This is mirrored in other Western countries, often even more precipitously: 90% of Canadians in 1971 identified as Christian, according to census data, with only 4% identifying as non-religious. By 2021, the Christian percentage was just 52% and the non-religious percentage had risen to 34%.

Of course, “religiously unaffiliated” or “non-religious” are nebulous terms that might not refer to atheism in the strictest sense, but at best, they refer to a vague and subjective worldview that, like atheism, allows for someone to assign his own subjective morality, or lack thereof.

The effects of this shift can be seen with the explosion of abortions in the U.S. that coincided with the acceleration of secularism in the 1970s and 1980s. According to the Guttmacher Institute, abortions skyrocketed from 744,000 in 1973, the year Roe v. Wade was handed down, to a peak of 1.6 million in 1990, and to this day they remain well above the 1973 levels, though they have mercifully declined in recent years.

Euthanasia has gained immense popularity in the secular age as well. A horrifying report in the Atlantic — hardly a conservative publication — described how Canadians of all walks of life are requesting doctors to kill them in order to end some form of physical or emotional suffering they are experiencing.

In fact, under Canada’s euthanasia law, mental illness alone will be sufficient for eligibility by 2027 to terminate one’s own life with the help of doctors.

Mass shootings have dramatically increased as secularism has spread. While humans have been killing each other since the fall of man, such killing has usually had a clear motive of some kind: defeating another nation in battle or seeking some form of regime change.

Mass shootings, however, represent a nihilistic form of violence apparently driven by narcissism that has no clear precedent in human history. According to the Violence Project, there were only five mass shootings between 1965 and 1969, but that number rose to 33 between 2015 and 2019 — a shocking increase of over 600%.

Nearly everyone condemns mass shootings, though unfortunately, the same cannot be said about abortion or euthanasia.

But in an atheistic paradigm, can that condemnation be based on anything other than personal emotions, as O’Connor admits his opposition to murder is based on?

Viktor Aheiev/iStock/Getty Images Plus

As people increasingly treat the value of human life as subjective, consistent with O’Connor’s “emotivist” view, it seems that more and more people are willing to subjectively insert exceptions into their worldview — situations where life can, in fact, be discarded like an old Toyota Camry.

Does this prove Christianity? Not by itself. Just because something would be helpful if it were true doesn’t mean it’s true.

But at the very least, it should make people open to hearing the arguments for Christianity. It should make people want it to be true, and it should move them to investigate the evidence for why it might be. Many people dislike religion and plug their ears when the topic comes up. But the alternative is too dark to just casually accept without any consideration.

Why is human life valuable? In today’s chaotic age, a subjective answer to that question is simply not enough.

Charlie Kirk's legacy exposes a corrosive lie — and now it's time to choose

Charlie Kirk’s memorial service was wasn’t just a remembrance — it was a revelation.

The memorial service was Christian nationalism in nascent, immature form. Not everyone who spoke was a Christian — and Christian nationalism does not require that. Yet what stood out most was that even people who do not share Charlie’s faith in Jesus showed open respect for the gospel. Everyone at the service was operating under the Christian gaze.

As the left grows more openly hostile to Christian belief, the right is becoming more consistently Christian.

The truth is this: We cannot make America great again without making America Christian again, which in turn means making America biblical again.

MAGA needs MACA and MABA.

No neutral ground

For too long, Republicans spoke in vague religious clichés, paying lip service to an undefined faith in a nameless god. But Kirk’s memorial service was different. We saw speaker after speaker dare to define his faith in explicitly Christian terms.

This marks a seismic shift in a very short period of time. At the memorial, civil magistrates openly proclaimed the lordship of Christ as public truth. Media influencers called on us to repent of our particular sins particularly. A new widow forgave her husband’s alleged killer, in accord with Jesus’ teaching, and civil magistrates promised to use their power to terrorize evildoers, in accord with Romans 13.

As the left grows more openly hostile to Christian belief, the right is becoming more consistently Christian.

The lines are more clearly drawn than ever before. Both the service itself and the events of the last two weeks illustrate this reality.

Perhaps the most important part of the memorial was that Charlie Kirk’s legacy was accurately portrayed. Charlie consistently emphasized the cultural, political, and civilizational impact of Christian faith. Unlike many pastors, he was willing to connect the dots, linking his Christian beliefs to every sphere of life: economics, marriage and family, immigration and nationhood, limited government, and more.

For him, the Christian faith was not a private set of religious ideas but a comprehensive system of truth that works in the real world. He challenged people (especially college students) with a biblical worldview, demonstrating that Christian faith offers coherent and compelling answers to both the pressing personal and political questions of the day.

That conviction came through in the memorial service, and for that I am grateful.

Third-wayism fails

It's now becoming painfully obvious that the “third-wayism” of so many “Big Eva” leaders has been exposed as untenable.

Third-wayism treats both sides of the political spectrum as morally equivalent, with each side getting some things right and other things wrong. Third-wayism advocates attempt to remain neutral, in order to avoid controversy and causing offense.

But in reality, there is no middle ground between progressive/secular and conservative/Christian political commitments. Those who want to avoid the culture war will still be drawn into it — just on the wrong side.

Third-wayists try to stay above the fray, but in doing so they actually compromise with evil. Because they insist on balancing left and right, if the left radicalizes and moves farther left, the third-wayist must also shift leftward in order to remain in the “middle.” In the process, third-way advocates end up justifying extreme progressive positions simply to maintain their supposed neutrality.

They are constantly chasing an Overton window that keeps moving leftward.

JimLarkin/iStock/Getty Images Plus

At its core, third-wayism attempts to treat progressivism as equally compatible with the Christian faith as conservatism. It's true that there exists a kind of Christ-less conservatism that reduces faith to cultural nostalgia or civic religion. This kind of “bar-stool conservatism” should be critiqued and rejected. But in general, conservative positions overlap with biblical truth, whereas progressive positions stand as its direct antithesis.

Conservative, or traditional, Christian theology simply cannot mix with progressive politics any more than oil can mix with water.

Third-wayism is not humility or evangelistic wisdom. Rather, it's a form of the fear of man disguised as humility. It seeks to ingratiate itself with the left — never to the right. It's surrender rather than engagement, following rather than leading. It lacks substance and depth. It has no coherent political philosophy of its own. Its positions are dictated by how far to the left the progressive zeitgeist is willing to go. Third-wayists are easily manipulated precisely because of their refusal to take a firm stand. The third-wayist cannot draw a line in the sand.

The third-wayism dynamic, therefore, produces the familiar “coddle the left, punch the right” tendency, where progressive evils are gently excused while conservative shortcomings are harshly condemned. It assumes there is neutrality in the culture war when, in reality, there is none.

The third-wayist paradigm that has dominated the church in recent decades has allowed the culture to keep moving leftward without resistance. It never actually fights the battles that most need to be fought.

Christian faith, however, is not a private sentiment that can remain above political conflict.

Christ or chaos

The Christian faith is a fighting faith. It's a civilization-building, culture-transforming faith. It claims to be public truth, rooted in hard-edged historical fact. It's inherently political because it makes demands on rulers and the ruled alike. It includes an ethic that governs all of life, including political life.

America is dividing between those who embrace a consistently Christian vision of life and those who oppose it.

When King David commanded the kings of the earth to “kiss the Son,” there was no third way. When the apostles proclaimed “Jesus is Lord,” they were not splitting the difference between competing political poles. When Jesus said all authority in heaven and earth belong to him, he left no middle ground. When Christians say that life in the womb must be protected, there is no third option; the baby will either live or be murdered. When Christians say men are men and women are women, there is no place for the third-wayist to run and hide from the truth.

The gospel does not call us to neutrality. It calls us to allegiance. Third-wayism, by pretending otherwise, only serves to mask compromise as virtue. Third-wayism is a denial of Jesus’ lordship.

Charlie’s legacy is at the heart of this moment. Charlie never took the third way. He took the Christian way. He refused to compromise with the madness and folly of the left. Charlie’s ministry and martyrdom are a sign that the time for fence-sitting is over.

The lines are drawn.

America is dividing into two camps: one that bows to Christ and one that rages against him. The future belongs to those who have the courage to say what Charlie Kirk said with his life — that Christian faith is not optional if we want a civilization worth living in. America is dividing between those who embrace a consistently Christian vision of life and those who oppose it.

Which side are you on? Only two options are on the table — not three.

The memorial service revealed something profound: a clear contrast between two moral and spiritual visions of America and the need for courage in identifying with the one that aligns with biblical truth rather than cowardly compromise. Charlie embodied that courage, and his legacy continues to press the church and the nation toward a faith that is not abstract but applied — a faith that shapes culture, politics, economics, and civilization itself.

The memorial marked more than the remembrance of one man. It revealed a cultural realignment that Charlie helped bring about. His courage in connecting Christian faith to every dimension of life is the kind of legacy that points the way forward.