Former ESPN host criticizes NFL star Travis Hunter for surprise baptism before Sunday game



Sports commentator Skip Bayless said Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter is checking out from football.

Bayless, a former ESPN2 and FS1 commentator, posted a 28-minute video on Tuesday in which he claimed that Hunter should not have taken time out of his day last Sunday to get baptized.

'It's Sunday. It's God's day.'

Hunter was baptized on Sunday before a home game against the Seattle Seahawks, completing the ceremony at Celebration Church, a non-denominational congregation in Jacksonville.

In a post on X, Bayless criticized Hunter, stating, "There is no way Travis Hunter should've chosen to be baptized on the morning of a game. He is losing interest. He is mentally checking out on the Jags."

A Christian himself, the 73-year-old went on to tell his audience that the baptism was evidence that Hunter was "starting to lose interest" in his team.

"So he was actually happy to be baptized on a game-day morning because football isn't taking that much concentration, or focus, or pregame mental preparation," he said.

The analyst continued to opine, citing Hunter's college coach Deion Sanders as saying that Hunter needs to be played a lot in order to stay engaged with football. This is allegedly because the athlete likes video games and fishing.

Explaining that he did not think the baptism was any sort of protest, Bayless still claimed that Hunter's attitude in this case was, "Hey, they're not using me that much anyway; why not get baptized on a game-day morning?"'

Hunter, on the other hand, was flabbergasted when asked by reporters about his choice to get baptized.

RELATED: 26 NCAA softball players baptized together before going head-to-head in Conference USA tournament

"Did you get baptized this morning?" a female reporter asked Hunter on Sunday, after his team lost 12-10 to the Seahawks.

"Yes," Hunter plainly replied.

"Why'd you do that?" the reporter continued.

"It's a crazy question: Why did I get baptized?" Hunter said with a smile.

Still pressing, the reporter then asked, "Why did you choose to go to church this morning?"

The 22-year old-provided a simple answer: "Sunday. It's God's day. I've been planning to get baptized for a minute. I changed my life over to become a better man."

A male reporter then chimed in to ask, "What did it mean to you?"

Hunter, turning to his right, revealed, "It means a lot. Becoming a better man, leaving my old flesh and just becoming the new Travis."

RELATED: 'Thank you Jesus for this amazing moment': Minor league baseball player gets baptized by teammate on the field

Bayless had stats to back up his claim that Hunter may not be getting the amount of playing time he is used to, stating that in his last year in college at Colorado, he was used in 87% of offensive plays and 83% of defensive plays. With Jacksonville, through six games, he has been used in just 63% and 39%, respectively.

"If given the correct opportunities, Travis Hunter will revolutionize modern-day pro football as a two-way player [on] offense and defense," Bayless claimed.

The now-independent commentator revealed in his remarks that he knows Hunter's baptism was special because he himself is a Christian who recently rededicated his life to God.

"I'm a God guy," Bayless said. "I was baptized as an infant in Methodist Church."

At the same time, Bayless added that he does not like to call himself Christian any more because "that's been condemned as this term for far-right nutcases, zealots. I believe in God and the Bible with all my heart and all my soul. My life is dedicated, start to finish, to God and the Bible."

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DHS torpedoes narrative of pro-Antifa priest who 'exploited' holy sacrament to score points on ICE



The Catholic Church holds that the Eucharist is "the source and summit of the Christian life" in which Jesus Christ is substantially present. It appears, however, that for Antifa-championing retired priest Larry Dowling and a handful of other clergymen, the Eucharist might double also as a political prop.

Dowling, who appears to spend much of his retirement pushing leftist propaganda on social media, led a Eucharistic procession on Saturday from St. Eulalia Church, where pro-abortion activist Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) spouted off about immigration, toward the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility near Chicago in Broadview, Illinois.

The processing facility in Broadview has been heavily targeted in recent weeks by radicals critical of the Trump administration's faithful enforcement of federal immigration law. As as result, additional security supports have been implemented, including extra fencing.

'A procession through the public streets is to be held as a public witness of veneration toward the Most Holy Eucharist.'

In footage of the political procession, Dowling can be seen leading a gaggle of photographers and holding a monstrance, the container meant to hold the Eucharist, in the faces of state police while asking for access to the facility. It is unclear whether the monstrance contained a consecrated host at the time.

Footage also shows a supposed nun and others giving political speeches in front of an altar temporarily erected near the facility.

An expert on canon law who spoke to Blaze News on the condition of anonymity indicated that "this seems completely inappropriate."

RELATED: Outrage ensues when 13-year-old is arrested by ICE — then DHS releases devastating accusations

Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images

The 1983 Code of Canon Law provides that "when it can be done in the judgment of the diocesan bishop, a procession through the public streets is to be held as a public witness of veneration toward the Most Holy Eucharist."

The expert noted further that while canon law holds that "it is for the diocesan bishop to establish regulations [ordinationes] which provide for the participation in and the dignity of processions," "it remains completely inappropriate" to use the Eucharist as a prop.

'The Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership exploited this holy event for political purposes, thus trivializing, if not defaming, its raison d’être.'

David Inczauskis, a Jesuit priest who served as the master of ceremonies, acknowledged that the procession was organized by the Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership, a grant-reliant anti-ICE outfit that provides training on how foreign nationals can evade federal immigration and authorities and is committed to transforming "racial, economic, social and environmental structures."

Blaze News has reached out to Dowling, Inczauskis, and Cardinal Blase Cupich of the Archdiocese of Chicago for comment.

Dr. Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, said in a statement to Blaze News:

The Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership is a left-wing advocacy organization whose mission statement says nothing about Christianity or Catholicism. More revealing is what it flags on its website — a strong commitment to merging "Liberation Theology & Community Organizing." Liberation theology is a curious admixture of Marxism and Christianity, and in practice it has done more to oppress than liberate the masses in developing countries. As such it is bizarre to learn that this radical entity held a Eucharistic procession to a migrant detention center in Illinois, a facility run by ICE.

It appears that the participants in this political procession were keen on shaming federal agents and securing a photo opportunity — and judging from the event's recent coverage in publications such as the leftist blog Common Dreams, WBBM-TV, and the propaganda outfit MeidasTouch, the radicals got at least half of what they wanted.

"Eucharistic processions are a decidedly solemn event whereby the Blessed Sacrament is carried out of a church and into the streets; many Catholic parishes conduct such a procession on the feast of Corpus Christ, the body of Christ," continued Donohue. "What Catholics do not do is exploit Eucharistic processions to advance a partisan agenda."

"Quite frankly, the Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership exploited this holy event for political purposes, thus trivializing, if not defaming, its raison d’être," added Donohue.

In addition to potentially using Holy Communion as a prop, the protesters subsequently did their best to push a false narrative.

Dowling said in a statement on Facebook, "We went to pray and have a few of us clergy and religious women bring Holy Communion and the love of the Christian community to the men and women detained there under inhumane conditions."

The retired priest claimed that when the processionists allegedly asked to administer Holy Communion to the detainees inside the facility, "the answer came back very clearly: NO, YOU CANNOT BRING A HINT OF COMPASSION AND PRAYER INTO THIS PLACE! NO, YOU CANNOT OFFER ANY SOLACE TO THE MEN AND WOMEN FEARFUL AND SUFFERING INSIDE! NO, YOU CANNOT BRING JESUS, THE SON OF GOD, THE LOVE OF GOD INTO THIS PLACE!"

RELATED: Anti-ICE protest in Portland takes ugly turn when naked cyclists show up

Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images

"Yesterday, we witnessed another level of evil," claimed Inczauskis. "Not only are migrants being torn away from their families and friends. They are also being torn away from their religious communities. ICE is severing the Body of Christ."

Contrary to the narrative advanced by Dowling and Inczauskis, the Department of Homeland Security indicated to Blaze News that compassion was precisely why ICE couldn't immediately oblige the processionists' last-minute request for entry.

"Over the past month, rioters have swarmed the Broadview ICE facility and Chicago streets. They have assaulted law enforcement, attacked law enforcement with vehicles, thrown tear gas cans, slashed tires of cars, been arrested with firearms in their possession, blocked the entrance of the building, and trespassed on private property," said a DHS official. "Our ICE staff informed the Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership that the Broadview processing center was not able to accommodate visitors on such short notice, for their safety as well as that of detainees and staff, and due to the ensuing riots."

The official noted further that "as ICE law enforcement has seen a surge in assaults, disruptions, and obstructions to enforcement, including by politicians themselves, any requests to tour processing centers and field offices must be approved by the Secretary of Homeland Security."

Such requests should be filed a week in advance to "prevent interference with the President’s Article II authority to oversee executive department functions," added the official.

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Allie Beth Stuckey's debate with 'liberal Christians' is being praised for all the right reasons



Allie Beth Stuckey, BlazeTV host of “Relatable,” is receiving praise from across the internet after she debated 20 so-called "liberal Christians."

Last month, Stuckey participated in the latest installment of Jubilee's "Surrounded" series. The format is simple: Stuckey presents four "claims," and participants take turns debating her until a majority of the participants vote that opponent out. Rinse and repeat for 20 minutes for each claim.

'Allie Beth is a much better debater than I ever thought.'

These are the four "claims" that Stuckey presented:

  1. The Bible says that marriage is only between one man and one woman.
  2. Abortion is a grave moral evil.
  3. Empathy can be toxic and lead to sin.
  4. Progressivism and Christianity are at odds.

Most of the counter-arguments to Stuckey's claims were not novel. But what made this Jubilee debate different from previous installments was, for the most part, the respect that participants showed Stuckey through their disagreements.

Not only did most of the participants debate Stuckey with respect, but most of them sought to understand Stuckey's positions. And unlike previous Jubilee debates, none of Stuckey's interlocutors melted down or reduced the debate to personal attacks and mudslinging.

Of course, most of Stuckey's opponents held their ground — as did she. But Stuckey still managed to find common ground with many of them — and a few even ended up agreeing in principle with her claims.

Comments on the debate video were filled with praise, not only for the respect demonstrated between Stuckey and her interlocutors, but for Stuckey's command of scripture and Christian theology and the grace that she showed each and every person.

Here are just some of the highlights:

  • "The difference between Christian’s debating Christian’s vs Christian’s debating non Christian’s is crazy. This was the most respectful debate on jubilee I’ve ever seen."
  • "I’m not very religious and don’t know who any of this people are, but I have to confess this woman made me actually rethink my stands in abortion …"
  • "Allie just demonstrated 1 Peter 3:15 so well. This woman was prepared to give a defense and did so with gentleness and respect."
  • "Allie Beth Stuckey was clear, understood her positions well, was winsome, respectful, humble, and stood her ground. Even if you disagree with her, she provided an excellent model for civil debate and represented her positions well."
  • "Im not a religious person but... This was probably the most respectful debate episode I've seen on this channel and totally enjoyed it."
  • "Allie Beth is a much better debater than I ever thought."
  • "If you compare this to literally any other surrounded where both sides are not explicitly Christian this might be one of the best advertisements for Christianity as a baseline position of all people regardless of political belief I have ever seen."
  • "Even with any disagreements, This is what a debate should look like."
  • "This is probably the realest sermon these folks have had in a minute. Conviction has entered the chat."

Want more from Allie Beth Stuckey?

To enjoy more of Allie’s upbeat and in-depth coverage of culture, news, and theology from a Christian, conservative perspective, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

Watch Allie Beth Stuckey demolish progressive Christians



Allie Beth Stuckey, BlazeTV host of “Relatable,” recently debated 20 liberal Christians on the newest installment of Jubilee's popular "Surrounded" series.

The format is simple: Stuckey sits at a small table in the middle of 20 self-identified "progressive Christians" and makes four claims. Then, one by one, her debate opponents rush to a chair opposite Stuckey and debate her until a majority of the debate participants vote that person out. The process repeats for each of Stuckey's claims.

Here are the topics that Stuckey debated:

  1. The Bible says that marriage is only between one man and one woman.
  2. Abortion is a grave moral evil.
  3. Empathy can be toxic and lead to sin.
  4. Progressivism and Christianity are at odds.

Before the debate, Stuckey revealed that Charlie Kirk — the greatest debater of our time — offered her sage advice on how to win this Jubilee debate.

"I wanted to cancel this debate, because it was right after Charlie died and the day before his memorial. But then I remembered that this was the last real conversation CK and I had. He was such a good friend," Stuckey wrote on X. "I took your advice, Charlie. Thanks for everything."

In text messages, Kirk advised Stuckey that "it's very important every time they make a claim" to question "is that biblical?" and "by what standard [do] you believe that?"

"You have them up against a wall — they will TRY and get you on a major difference of something prescriptive vs. descriptive — MOST of the ugly stuff of the Old Testament is DESCRIBING not PRESCRIBING to us. Very important difference," Kirk wrote in one text message.

Kirk, who participated in a Jubilee debate himself, also advised Stuckey of the "best two questions to ALWAYS ask."

  1. "What do you mean by that exactly?"
  2. What biblical evidence do you have to support that?"
"Those two questions can buy you time at any point; you can use them as a way to play offense," Kirk explained.

Want more from Allie Beth Stuckey?

To enjoy more of Allie’s upbeat and in-depth coverage of culture, news, and theology from a Christian, conservative perspective, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

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.

RELATED: Christian counselors fight for freedom of speech before the Supreme Court

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.

RELATED: Charlie Kirk showed us the lie at the heart of progressive culture

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?

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

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.

RELATED: Why Charlie Kirk's death feels personal — even if you never met him

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.

RELATED: The Annabelle doll tour is a demonic death trap — but nobody's taking it seriously

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.

RELATED: How Erika Kirk answered the hardest question of all

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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.

RELATED: Why Trump's religious liberty agenda terrifies the left — but tells the truth

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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.