The Controversies at LifeSiteNews

John Henry-Westen, the CEO and Editor-in-Chief of LifeSiteNews, was recently removed from his position by the LifeSiteNews board. Then he got reinstated.

These moves caught much of the pro-life, pro-family, religious conservative world off guard. That’s saying a great deal, considering that pro-life and pro-family conservatives have seen all kinds of moral decline and degradation becoming the norm throughout the West. Pro-family fighters have witnessed same-sex “marriage,” rising defenses for pedophilia, and the increased push for assisted suicide. So little shocks us now.

What’s going on here? Should we be concerned? Why is one of the flagship pro-family (and anti-LGBT) news sites facing such leadership turmoil?

First, let’s talk about LifeSiteNews.

This Catholic-based news site has rigorously and accurately documented the downfall and decline of a De-Christianized West. For years, their commentary and confrontation on these matters commanded respect. They even republished the activist reporting from the organization I work for—MassResistance—because of our unwavering commitment against the LGBT agenda in all of its perverse forms.

LifeSiteNews did not back away from calling out moral corruption. To their credit, they were not only unafraid to call out the wrongs and evils of homosexuality and transgenderism. They were a welcome voice for social conservatives like me because they unflinchingly criticized the Republican Party, including President Trump, as they cozied up to so-called LGBT “conservatives” infiltrating the larger conservative movement. Their countercultural attack on mainstream conservatism gave me hope in spite of the growing fecklessness or cowardice of conservative leadership to oppose same-sex “marriage”, adoption, and the like.

So, what’s going on at LifeSiteNews? Is the leadership getting soft, embracing pro-“gay” messaging? Not a chance.

Rather, the news site has taken a dark turn on another set of issues.

For the last two years, I noticed the site’s publishing an increasing number of anti-Israel, anti-Zionist articles on many policy fronts. They were cataloguing the so-called war crimes of the IDF and blasting American politicians and foreign policy makers as puppets of Israel.

Here’s a sample:

Orthodox rabbi: Zionism a ‘cardinal sin’ for Jews, creation of Israel is ‘satanic’

Zionism: Rebellion against God?! | Rabbi speaks out

Why is a Catholic-oriented news site interviewing a Rabbi? And why are they going off on Israel and Zionism?

Oh, and it gets better (or rather, worse). They talk about the horrendous “Israel Lobby” that supposedly controls Washington:

GOP Congressman Thomas Massie exposes Zionist lobby’s power over Congress

Leaked audio exposes Israel lobby’s enormous power over the Trump administration

WATCH: Candace Owens exposes the Israel lobby’s stranglehold on America

For what it’s worth, Candace Owens has been exposed as an intellectual lightweight with a shaky grasp of the facts. She celebrated Andrew Tate, a serial pornographer under indictment for sex trafficking, while denouncing pornography. She also claimed that Hitler was not that bad.

Regarding the purported power of AIPAC, most of their funding goes to Democrats, and the Democratic Party has become increasingly hostile to Israel. As for Congressman  Massie, his performance theater against big spending is starting to wear thin. He never called out the big spending from his fellow US Senators, and he voted for liberal Republican Tom Emmer to be the next Speaker of the House this year. The focus and subject matter of these reports leave much to be desired.

And sadly, LifeSiteNews has thrown itself into the USS Liberty conspiracy. (I refute those talking points here.)

In 2023, Patrick Delaney, one of the editors at LifeSiteNews, wrote, “Orthodox patriarchate condemns ‘Israeli radicals’ for attacking bishop, priest at Church of Gethsemane.”

Yes, there are Jewish radicals, as there are radicals in other religions. What is conspicuously missing from this coverage, however, is the widespread denunciation from other Jews against such abuses. In contrast, Islamic militants have committed all sorts of crimes and terrorism against innocents—Christian, Jew, Muslim—and there is no condemnation from residents in Gaza or Judea and Samaria of their hostilities.

For the record, the Israeli government has cracked down on hyper-orthodox adherents harassing Christians, and local Rabbis raised funds to help repair a Catholic church attacked by Jewish radicals, too.

In 2024, Delaney wrote a particularly egregious article, claiming that Israel was conducting a “genocide” against the residents of Gaza following the October 7^th, 2023 terrorist attack from Hamas:

Israeli soldiers celebrate the ‘torturing, humiliating, and mocking’ of Palestinians on social media

I refused to remain quiet in the face of these blatant lies. I wrote an extensive response email (republished here), refuting the libelous claims about Israel and American foreign policy vis-à-vis the Jewish State. I focused on the redefinition of “genocide.” I also pointed out that his using “Al-Jazeera” as a legitimate news source is suspect.

Delaney responded, and he provided a broad mixture of half-truths and misdefinitions to justify his dishonest arguments.

LifeSiteNews eventually printed my letter, along with Delaney’s response (InfoWars republished the article, too!), but referred to me as “William” and called me a “Christian Zionist journalist,” presumably as a smear. I wear such terms as a badge of honor. The most damning aspect of Delaney’s defense of calling Israel’s attacks on Hamas “genocide” rested on his contortion of the term to include any form of fighting in a combat zone!

With all of this information in the background, let’s get to the firing and rehiring (?) of John Henry-Westen.

LifeSiteNews Co-Founder and Managing Editor Steve Jalsevac released a statement regarding Westen’s departure:

While legal constraints prevent us from delving into extensive detail, I can share that the decision was influenced by several factors, including a 72% drop in readership from 2021 to 2024 during John-Henry’s tenure as CEO, a decline in monthly and new donors, and other business challenges. Additionally, an internal survey revealed significant concerns regarding staff sentiment and safety scores, which further informed the board’s considerations.

 

Nonprofits have to keep the money flowing, but should stick to their principles. A steep drop-off of nearly three-quarters of your readership is troubling.

I can guess why LifeSiteNews is losing readers and donors:

The Pro-Hamas, Anti-Israel Propaganda!

Truth matters in the fight against moral and sexual degradation. When a Catholic-based news site insists on pushing pro-terrorist propaganda, venturing into foreign policy conspiracy theories, they are embracing lies, one can expect that their once-faithful readership will be repulsed.

And now, we receive word that John Henry-Westen has been reinstated.

Surprisingly, the site issued a very short reinstatement statement:

The LifeSiteNews Board of Directors voted today to restore John-Henry Westen to his former position.

 

“John-Henry Westen has been recognized by the board as the President and CEO of lifesitenews.com Inc. subject to administrative review and investigation.”

C.J. Doyle of the Catholic Action League of Massachusetts issued the following analysis:

"This is likely the only time in the history of corporate governance that a statement restoring a CEO showed even less cordiality than the statement which announced his firing.

The brevity, timing and language of the announcement all suggest a profound reluctance, or even resentment, on the part of those who issued it.

It was released at 5:47 EDT on a Friday afternoon, a time best suited to minimize publicity on a story that a corporation or a government agency wishes to bury.

The use of the word 'recognized', rather than the more usual 're-appointed' is curious. It might suggest that the previous vote was somehow improper or legally defective.

The inclusion of the phrase 'subject to administrative review and investigation' suggests continued hostility towards Westen by the Board of Directors.

There is also a striking omission. There is no mention of Westen being restored as Editor-in-Chief of LifeSiteNews, a position specifically referenced in his termination announcement.”

LifeSiteNews is losing readers, then they bungled the removal of the CEO. C.J. Doyle’s analysis makes sense. Potential litigation often scares organizations into a quick, unexplained course correction.

But did the board fire Westen because of the website’s increasing embrace of anti-Zionist propaganda? One of the frequent commentators on the site, Peter LaBarbera, shared with me that Westen was not removed because of the anti-Zionist turn in reporting: “It wasn’t about the Israel bashers. They’re still there!” He encouraged me to reach out to one of their main contributors, who privately shared his criticism of the anti-Zionism turn in reporting, but that writer has not gotten back to me yet.

If the LifeSiteNews board of directors can’t see how their dishonest reporting on the Arab-Israeli conflict is affecting readers, then they should be fired!

If LifeSiteNews editors want to maintain life on their site to report the news, they need to get back to reporting … news! All the anti-Zionist propaganda, I submit, is the real turn-off, turning off the donations and views.

The larger question remains: why publish such anti-Israeli (and thus anti-Semitic) garbage? One suspects that the site, based in Canada, is trying to placate an increasing Muslim population. Perhaps they are buying into the engagement harvesting that comes with anti-Semitic conspiracy theories. Whatever the reason, they need a major course-correction if they want to survive.

Jared Taylor Is Wrong (As Usual)

Jared Taylor thinks that having dark skin makes you backward, stupid, uncivilized, or worse yet uncivilizable.

Here's his "epic" takedown against a another racialist commentator on the Young Turks:

It is so beautiful to see a well prepared man say - "it’s actually an observation" with conviction and real facts to back his stance. pic.twitter.com/V3QJRi1Q8d

— iamyesyouareno (@iamyesyouareno) October 8, 2024

Don't get me wrong: The Young Turks and their race-baiting is a crime against humanity. Their anti-white bigotry should be confronted and resisted at every turn.

However, the answer to anti-white bigotry is not anti-black bigotry. The answer to racism is not more racist, but truth.

And Mr. Taylor has a hard time with the truth.

He asserts that in Sub-Saharan Africa, there were no two-story buildings, no calendars.

Let's focus on the two-story building charge first.

Guess what? Ethiopa is part of Sub-Saharan Africa.

And guess what? They had two-story buildings:

Here's a brief commentary on this building from Wikipedia:

The eleven Rock-hewn Churches of Lalibela are monolithic churches located in the western Ethiopian Highlands near the town of Lalibela, named after the late-12th and early-13th century King Gebre Meskel Lalibela of the Zagwe dynasty, who commissioned the massive building project of 11 rock-hewn churches to recreate the holy city of Jerusalem in his own kingdom. The site remains in use by the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian Church to this day, and it remains an important place of pilgrimage for Ethiopian Orthodox worshipers.^[1] It took 24 years to build all the 11 rock hewn churches.

We are talking the 13th century, not the 20th century. This building do not arise because of European investment or imperialism.

These were Sub-Saharan Africans, and they built not one, not two, but ELEVEN mutli-story buildings.

And that's not all.

Check out the Nsude pyramids of Nigeria:

Only their remains ... remain, but these were constructions of considerable height, to be sure.

The Zaccheus Onumba Dibiaezue Memorial Library reports:

Therefore, one must marvel at the Nsude pyramids in Nsude, Enugu state, on the Onitsha–Port Harcourt expressway just before 9th mile. On the left-hand side, from Onitsha to Enugu, the area where they used to be can be seen at the foot of a low hill, densely wooded and quite distinct from the surrounding grassland.

And check out these structures in the Ivory Coast:

Consider also these constructions in the Kingdom of Mutapa, in what is now Zimbabwa:

Now let's consider Taylor's second charge, that there were no calendars.

That is another lie.

Back to Wikpedia, folks:

Ethiopian Calendar

[edit]

The Ge'ez or Ethiopian Calendar is a calendar originating from the Ethiopian Empire. It is the liturgical year for Ethiopian and Eritrean Christians belonging to the Orthodox Tewahedo Churches and closely follows the Coptic Christian calendar.

A useful chart providing all the equivalents can be found in Chaîne's book on chronology in Ethiopia and Egypt,^[55] and can easily be consulted online at the Internet Archive, from page 134 to page 172.

Nigerian Calendars

[edit]

The Igbo calendar is the traditional calendar system of the Igbo people from present-day Nigeria. The calendar has 13 months in a year (afo), 7 weeks in a month (onwa), and 4 days of Igbo market days (afor, nkwo, eke, and orie) in a week (izu) plus an extra day at the end of the year, in the last month. The name of these months was reported by Onwuejeogwu (1981). The Yoruba calendar is a calendar used by the Yoruba people of southwestern and north central Nigeria and southern Benin. The calendar has a year beginning on the last moon of May or first moon of June of the Gregorian calendar. The new year coincides with the Ifá festival. The traditional Yoruba week has four days, the four days that are dedicated to the Orisa.

Ghana/West African

[edit]

The Akan Calendar is a Calendar created by the Akan people (a Kwa group of West Africa) who appear to have used a traditional system of timekeeping based on a six-day week (known as nnanson "seven-days" via inclusive counting). The Gregorian seven-day week is known as nnawɔtwe (eight-days). The combination of these two system resulted in periods of 40 days, known as adaduanan (meaning "forty days").

Xhosa Calendar

[edit]

The traditional isiXhosa names for months of the year poetically come from names of stars, plants, and flowers that grow or seasonal changes that happen at a given time of year in Southern Africa.

The Xhosa year traditionally begins in June and ends in May when the brightest star visible in the Southern Hemisphere, Canopus, signals the time for harvesting.

Now, some may charge that these developments are irrelevant, because they were spurred on by Arab or European traders and missionaries.

If that is the case, then the whole discussion is moot, because Western and Eastern European barbaric tribes were just as backward.

What caused a real explosion of revelation, knowledge, and wisdom was the Greco-Roman innovations and insights (Reason) and Judeo-Christian Revelation. Skin color is immaterial to the matter entirely.

What caused some regions to thrive, and others to take a dive, was communication vs. isolation, trade vs. intransigence, and spiritual growth vs. stagnation. Skin color is immaterial to the matter.

For more information on the role of geography and traffick for the flourish of cultures, read Thomas Sowell's Social Justice Fallacies (2021).

FREE SPEECH DEBATE: Arab-Israeli Conflict (Nick Taurus v. Arthur Schaper)

                      

Here's my full debate with Nick Taurus, a pro-Palestinian Trump supporter from Orange County, CA.

Some people consider that an oxymoron. How can someone support the Palestinian movement, since so many of them are Leftists? Of course, his side, and many of his supporters, counter that Israel and Zionism are the greatest threat 

The debate took place at the Laguna Hills Community Center on Wednesday, October 30th, 2024.

Nick reached out to me in the middle of Summer 2024. He was hoping to pair me off against another anti-Zionist speaker. He reached out to a number of left-leaning, pro-Palestinian groups, but none of them would step up.

I was glad to step in and stand for truth, stand for Israel, and expose the truth about the so-called Palestinian movement.

This was not as daunting a task, since I had debated Nick on the Arab-Israeli conflict shortly after the October 7th, 2023 Hamas massacre:

             

For the October 30th, 2024 debate, Nick provided all the questions in advance, which was great, since that gesture allowed both of us to study, research, and prepare more effectively.

He also provided ground rules, which included no interruptions. I admit that that is my weak point. CRINGE! It's true, and I can laugh at myself about that.

There were supposed to be two moderators, a pro-Zionist and an anti-Zionist, but the pro-Zionist could not make it at the last minute.

Lawrence of Europa served as the moderator, and like CBS or NBC moderators, he broke the rules and interrupted me a few times, but that conflict did not stop me from speaking out.

Some of my friends joined the event, including Rachelle Mand, a Persian Jew who fled Iran before the Ayatollah took over. Keith Hardine of South Los Angeles, John Willis of Upland (both former members of We the People Rising), and Eli Komai of the John Birch Society also attended.

It was a pleasant surprise to see Eli, who is also a friend of Nick Taurus.

GROUP PHOTOS!

The debate was fun!

It was great to stand for truth, to refute a lot of the anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist talking points.

Nick was definitely the more reserved debater, standing behind the podium the whole time. I was more active, moving around a great deal. I don't recall any rules of decorum regarding our behavior, so there is that.

I really enjoyed stepping forward and speaking to the audience directly. For the first time in a long time, I felt really confident about this subject. It was good to interact with people.

Nick referenced a great deal of books, resources, and authors. That did not bother me, since truth is truth, and if lots of information is based on a false premise, everything else is invalidated. I also referenced some books, websites, and authors. I will say this much: I want to work on memorizing more names and more sources for future debates.

Let me get the worst and the missed opportunities out of the way:

• Nick pointed out that there are Jewish people in the Biden Administration who are part of the open borders agenda. But who put them there? Joe Biden! I should have responded to that, but there were so many other things I wanted to respond to.
• He talked a great deal about "Jewish" NGOs pushing mass migration and open borders. Who funds them, though? Most of the funding comes from rich white liberal Gentiles.
• He mentioned the Appollo Affair. Yawn. I had challenged that in the last debate, in which independent American and Israeli investigations confirmed that Schlomo Solomon did not steal any uranium. A third party, Seymour Hersh, did his own investigation and wrote his findings in The Sampson Option.
• I neglected to point out that Amin al-Husseini, the grand Mufti of Jerusalem, along with other Arab interests in the Middle East and Muslims in Southeastern Europe, collaborated with the Nazis to exterminate the Jews in Europe instead of expelling them to the Middle East.

Some of the best moments (for me) in the debate:

• Pointing out that Israeli police officers arrest hyper-Orthodox Jews when they spit at Christians. That fact deflated the whole talking point from the anti-Zionists in the audience.
• Using the phrase "so-called Palestinians" and undermining the legacy and veracity of that term. It felt really good to inform the audience that Zionist founders like Golda Meir and David Ben-Gurion were also Palestinians!
• Not breaking a sweat when one of the anti-Zionist members of the audience asked me about the Haavera Transfer Agreement. At that moment, I had not heard of that phrase, although I know that Hilter initially wanted to expel the Jews to the Middle East. Instead of getting flustered, I got to the heart of the issue: "Do you think that justifies pushing 6 million Jews into ovens?" I also stated, "Whatever that is, that does not delegitimize Israel." That's what all these obscure references are really all about.
• Refuting the "Dancing Israelis" conspiracy by using the phrase "Dancing Palestinians." I wanted to underscore the reality that it's the so-called Palestinians and their Arab/Muslim allies who are harming this country. I really thank God for having that phrase on the tip of my tongue.
• Referencing Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, who served in a foreign military in order to supporting allow American citizens to serve in Congress. Nick acknowledged that point as a good counter-argument, and I respect that.
• Repeating the fact that Israel offered the so-called Palestinians a state FIVE TIMES. None on the Pro-Palestinian side can bellyache about fairness or lack of return, when so-called Palestinian leaders just want to push the Jews into the sea.

My favorite moment was turning the tables on a groyper wearing an American Flag jacket during the Question and Answer period. I think his name was Andrew, although I could be wrong. He referenced the Lavon Affair, which is a common anti-Zionist talking point. He went off about the USS Liberty, which I had mentioned before he did. He tried to interrupt me a few times, but I was relentless in pushing back on the anti-Zionist tropes. 

I really like that I held him accountable for exploiting those veterans, and I also like that I could get the truth out about Lyndon Baines Johnson, one of the most consequential--and the worst--Presidents in our country's history.

Frankly, I think that the biggest problem for many of these anti-Zionist guys is that people simply do not let them talk, and they do not respond with simple facts or evidence. People get easily offended because of the controversial nature of the subject and just shut off all discussion. That is not the way to win (back) hearts and minds.

I liked that I was able to confront other anti-Semitic conspiracy theories in the audience, and Lawrence could not stop me. The whole situation reminded me of JD Vance, when he confronted the CBS moderator for "fact-checking" him, when the corporate media moderators were just lying. Nick backed me up when the moderator got out of line, which helped a great deal.

Post-debate was great, too. A number of people came up to me and thanked me for coming, including the pro-Palestinian groyper (?) wearing an American flag on his jacket. He came up to me and shook my hand, praising me for stepping into hostile territory and taking a stand for Israel.

I let him share his views on "The Jews did 9-11," and I was able to refute his arguments. 

              

 I think it's quite telling that during the Question and Answer period, Nick did not want to spend too much time responding to his question about invading and destroying Israel. Even for anti-Zionists, the American-Flag jacket guy's arguments were way too much!

Nick was very magnanimous and praised me efforts after the debate. I am grateful that I could come and speak up, too!

True Conservative Influencer: Porn Destroyed My Life, Jesus Set Me Free

Kangmin Lee has been establishing a true, conservative, most importantly CHRISTIAN profile on social media.

He has been open about his faith, unashamed of the Gospel:

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." (Romans 1:16)

He started denouncing the spread and promotion of pornography to youth. Recently, he criticized TPUSA for allowing a "conservative" porn start to attend one of their events in Florida.

He wanted to make it very clear that he was not standing on some throne of sanctimonious self-righteousness when he condemned this porn star's appearance at an event with kids.

Check out what he shared below. This is the kind of conservative influencing we need to see in our culture today:

I am not speaking out against pornography as if I’m some righteous Pharisaical paradigm of purity.

I was addicted to pornography for 10 years. God radically delivered me from it last year.

It is destructive, dehumanizing, and degrading.

— Kangmin Lee 🇰🇷✝️🇺🇸 (@thekangminlee) July 19, 2021

It takes a great deal of courage for someone to come out about such a struggle. For someone like this young man to talk about the great pains, dangers, and losses which follow from pornography is truly inspiring. These are the young men and women whom we should cherish and support. We need to encourage more young people to realize that they are not alone in this world, but that in Christ, they have everything that they need. 

"Aqua Man", Conversion, Therapy, and the Truth

In Singapore, there is a growing movement to discredit and ultimately ban reparative therapy, falsely referred to as "conversion therapy". Part of the reason LGBT activists insist on calling this life-saving therapy "conversion therapy" is that they want to discredit this life-saving practice as a figment of religious superstition, and nothing more.

Reparative therapy has a number of professional clinicians around the world, and the therapy involves cognitive, vocal, and emotional practices. There is no physical harm used, and there is no shaming or dishonor employed. The lies of the LGBT hate groups around the world have spread nonstop lies to dissuade countries and psychological associations to reject this therapy.

In the United States, more courts are striking down reparative therapy bans, but sadly in other parts of the world, the lies remain pervasive and persist that "conversion therapy" is inherently flawed, false, and harmful.

A number of reparative therapists are providing more consistent research to combat these falsehoods, as well.

Now, in Singapore, a new five-minute documentary has come out: "Aqua Man."

"Aqua" is a play on words, meaning "weak or broken" but also "homosexual" in Chinese.

It's a movie short, five minutes, focused on the intense conflict of a young man, Junjie, who is struggling with same-sex attraction.  As he walks into his HDB flat after a long day at school, he sees his mother and a local pastor. The mother beckons her son to come to the pastor, who then gently places his hands on the son's head, and so does the mother. The pastor then leads a prayer, asking God to help the young Junjie break free of the "demon of homosexuality."

Clearly torn and writhing in pain, the boy pushes away the hands of his mother and the pastor, then retreats to the side of the room. The mother aggressively grabs his shoulders, confronts him for pushing away the pastor. The boy starts crying, he admits that he has tried to stop the same-sex feelings that he struggles with, but he still is attracted to other males.

The mother tries to bring her son back to the pastor. In the struggle to resist her, the son inadvertently pushes his mother to the ground. He tries to apologize, but overcome with frustration as well as grief, he just walks out of the HDB flat.

This is a very poignant film short, and yet its very pointed message is wrong on so many levels. There is proper criticism of the so-called "conversion therapy" that takes place, but the larger problems lie in the ... lies about what Christianity, what the Gospel is really about.

There are elements in this film short which inadvertently provide better insight into what Junjie is really struggling with, too.

First, I want to deal with some accurate criticisms portrayed in the movie.

True reparative therapy is not "pray the gay away." It's understandable that people of faith that prayer works, and it does, but people have to pray with a proper understanding of who they are in Christ, and how He wants us to receive all things from Him (Romans 8:32). Despite all of htis, the LGBT lobby relies heavily on atired, fraudulent trope regarding "pray the gay away" precisely to discredit the truth that people are not "born that way" and that proper therapeutic treatment can help people break free from unwanted same-sex temptations. There is no evidence that people are born gay, that it is a genetic trait of some kind, or that people are born in the wrong body and require some kind of corrective surgeries.

Sadly, though, there are too many religious groups that rely on prayer or the power of suggestion to deal with the emotional and mental traumas which individuals are grappling with, which undergird those same-sex temptations. When they are in the midst of their struggles with same-sex temptations, they need truth, and prayer that amounts to nothing more than "begging God" is not helpful.

Also, people of faith are not dealing with the true origins of the conflict if they label homosexual feelings "demonic". True, there are demonic forces in the world, but they transmit lies, and make people believing the wrong things, which induce bad thoughts, negative emotions, and unwanted desires. 

Jesus said to the Israelites of His day: "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free." (John 8:32)

Just setting people down, praying over them with a droning pattern of psychological suggestion does not set people free. There is real pain, real torment for people who are struggling with these feelings, and they need someone to speak to those concerns, something else besides "be changed". The answer is the Love of God, yes indeed, and prayer can open their eyes to see the grace of God more fully working in their lives. But this arbitrary "pray the gay away" is not the way that the "gay" goes away.

Now, for the criticism regarding the presentation of Christianity, or more precisely, the Gospel.

At the outset of this film short, the mother says "I think God is punishing me." That is wrong. The Lord Jesus took all our sins, all the punishment that we deserve, on the Cross. Clearly, this woman does not have a clear understanding of all that Jesus is and all that He has done at the Cross. Whether that is a deliberate slight against faith in Christ by the film maker, or an objective dramatization by the director, is another story.

When Junjie comes into the HDB flat, she tells her son: "The pastor will wash your sins away."

That is the most blasphemous remark in the whole movie. It is not any man who takes away sins from another, but the perfect, incorruptible, eternal Blood of Jesus Christ, which was shed at the Cross, and His blood cleanses (present tense) and speaks "better things than the blood of Abel" (Hebrews 12:24).

And His blood pays for the sins of the entire world! (1 John 2:2)

As the pastor prays over the boy, he says: "You have to believe that the Lord is able to forgive your sins,"

Wow! This pastor hasn't heard the full message of the Gospel! Not at all! How can he minister to this troubled boy when he does not understand the fullness and goodness of the Good News!

Paul the Apostle could not have made it clearer:

"38Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man [Jesus Christ] is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." (Acts 13:38-39)

Jesus did a perfect work! Our sins have all been paid for!

"And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;" (Colossians 2:13)

and

"3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:" (Ephesians 1:3)

Consider also this description of what Jesus did at the Cross:

"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Jesus became sin, that we could become sons of God, beloved of our loving FATHER in Heaven! That is Good News! Instead of hearing the fullness of all that Jesus has done for him, Junjie gets levelled with these demands to "stop feeling that way", and to live up to certain expectations laid out by his mother.

And the prayer that the Pastor prays! First, He calls God "Father". In fact, in the original Chinese, he clearly says "Abba", which is the more intimate way to call on God. It's like saying "Daddy!":

"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." (Romans 8:15)

Then the Pastor says "We, your humble servants call on you." 

This prayer makes no sense! God cannot be "Daddy", but then you approach Him as some kind of harsh taskmaster! That is not walking in the truth. Such prayers are double-minded, to put in mildly:

"5If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8A double minded man is unstable in all his ways." (James 1:5-7)

I have pointed out the errors regarding what reparative therapy truly is, and what it is not. I have also pointed out what wrong believing that the pastor, the mother, and even the son are in bondage to.

Now, let's speak to elements in the film which help explain why Junjie, most likely, is struggling with same-sex temptations.

At the outset of the film, the mother mentions "Ah Huang". I presume that is the mother's husband, her son's father. 

Males who struggle with same-sex temptations did not have that emotional bond with their fathers. That loss can be devastating, an emotional need which turns into a sexual longing for other men.

Throughout the film, we see a very overbearing mother, as well. She orders her son around, tell him what to do, placing demands on him. This dynamic also foments same-sex temptations in males, since they are becoming so emotionally dependent on their mothers, without developing their own identities as males.

Dr. Thio Li-Ann, while serving as a nominated member of the Singapore parliament, discussed this phenomenon when she spoke in defense of Singapore Penal Code 377a in a 2007 parliamentary hearing:

An article by an ex-gay in the New Statesmen this July identified the roots of his emotional hurts, like a distant father, overbearing mother and sexual abuse by a family friend; after working through his pain, his unwanted same-sex attractions left. While difficult, change is possible and a compassionate society would help those wanting to fulfill their heterosexual potential. There is hope.

Clearly, Junjie is dealing with a "smothering mother", which has inhibited his development as a male. This lack of growth induces a yearning for intimacy with other males.

Then she levels a set of demands. She wants him to be "normal", to get married and have children. This boy is in need, and placing more demands on him only deepens the pain.

This boy deserves help, and it is indeed very sad to see such a painful conflict break out the way that it does in the movie.

The larger problem ensues, however, from the fact that such films want to push false narratives from sound-bites and brief emotional exchanges. The etiology of homosexuality is more complicated than most people realize, but by no means are people "born that way", and thus stuck in an identity. No one should doubt what the boy says, that he has tried to stop the feelings, but he cannot help himself. This is a struggle that cannot be resolved with will-power, with "trying hard." It takes a revelation of deep, unconditional love--the Love of The Father (1 John 2:15), which cannot be taken away or shaken away, no matter how trying to difficult one's circumstances may become.

When those emotional needs get met, the same-sex temptations subside and go away.

Sadly, films like this will continue to serve as propaganda by LGBT militants to promotes their lies:

1. People are born gay.

2. They cannot change.

3. It's cruel to help them change.

4. Organized religion plays a large part in promoting the cruel practice to help people break free of same-sex temptations.

For the record, I wanted to put my thoughts out there on this short film and the complex issues which it deals with. There is some truth to the portrayals of "conversion therapy" scene, true, but the notion that true faith in Christ only leads to such contentious outcomes is not true at all.

Also, the sad outcome of this film suggests that this just a fraught tragedy, when there are clear elements even within the film itself which outline why Junjie struggles with same-sex attraction. No father figure, overbearing mother, a sense of unremitting shame without any information or understanding for what he is going through, and there one has the perfect environment for a child who struggles with homosexuality.

I can only hope that my thoughts on this film (and others like it certain to come out) will shed light on the very contentious issue of homosexuality, conversion, therapy, and the truth that sets people free.

Lessons and Takeaways from "Dedication and Leadership"

Everyone:

I have finished reading "Dedication and Leadership".

This book serves as a conservative-style activist primer for those who want to make a difference in their local communities and fight back against the regressive left and the LGBT onslaught which has become all too prevalent in our country.

"Dedication and Leadership" is an extended lecture delivered by Douglas Hyde, an Anglo-Irish freedom fighter who helped establish the Republic of Ireland. Before that, however, he was a dedicated communist, and he worked his way up the ranks of the Communist Party in Great Britain. He also witnessed the efforts and commitments of communist partisans in other parts of the world.

From all of his experience as a former communist, as well as his research into the nature and machinery of the Communist Party, he was able to explain to an audience of Catholics why Communists have been more effective in taking over governments and waging total war to push their ideology, even though there are far fewer of them in the world.

Here are the main points that I have taken away from his lecture, and how the points he brought up can be used to fight against the LGBT agenda, or any other iteration of Marxist evil:

1. Yes, we want people who are fighting this LGBT agenda to realize that they are a part of a much larger movement. They are indeed changing the world, making it a better place.

2. It is so important to give our new members a clear training in what we are trying to do. They do need to get the bigger picture.

a. We are not looking to live in a world where we coexit with evil, but rather to push LGBT out of it entirely.

b. They are not just winning one battle, but we are fighting an all-out war which will be fought in multiple fronts.

3. New members must realize that we are all about making a difference, not just informing people. We are not committed to education, but engagement and change in learning. That is what is happening. At the end of every meeting, goals have to be established: "How are you going to share or practice what you have learned?"

4. LGBT people must be seen as a small yet all-too-powerful enemy which we are standing up against. They are separating us from our fellows, neighbors, and our countrymen as a whole. They are a divisive, bigoted mob, but a small mob, nonetheless.

5. People need to feel that they are helping the hurt, the poor, the downtrodden in some fashion. We have to show the world that we are helping victims, people who have been victimized and bullied.

6. The fight against the LGBT agenda must be presented as a fight of Good vs. Evil. We need people to get this, that we are dealing with an enemy which actively hates us and wants nothing but our harm and demise.

7. People need to see that our side is already the winning side, and they in effect are coming along for the ride. They are going to be part of a much bigger movement which is already taking off. Communists are often taught that Communism is going to be the final government system of man, so they are urged to help hasten it along.

8. The Communists stress having their new members take classes. Perhaps MassResistance should discuss what kind of course or review we can put forward to get people so that they have the basic ideas and ideologies down. They need to understand that this whole LGBT agenda has been pushing a much broader set of goals, and for a much greater time than realized.

9. Douglas Hyde compares the Catholic Church with the Communist Party, and those comparisons are not the most instructive. The Catholic Church has imposed a rigid hierarchy, in which the laity can never become priests, teachers, leaders such as the priests and bishops already are. The constant theme through all the books I have read about organizing and activism is that we want, we urge people to become leaders, to inspire others. That is key, this is crucial. We are not interested in creating a narrow hierarchy at all.

10. Activists should be the best employees in their respective workplaces in order to earn the respect and the regard of their colleagues. "People will not care what you know, until they know that you care." With this line of thinking in mind, perhaps there is some merit to help Carrie Nolland and the Kenyans to set up their well ...

11. Keep being active, and keep the team of activists active doing meaningful things. This is why it's worth our while to help with causes that we may not win, but we can at least create and grow a strong sense of camaraderie and connection. Hence, it's worth our while to keep connecting with others even during this Coronavirus problem.

12. It's important to give the activists realizable goals, even if they are relatively small, while pushing harder for the larger goals.

13. Activists should not be afraid to make mistakes and to fail, but they should also be trained, be prepared to learn from their mistakes.

14. Whatever we share, write, or publish to the public, must be clearly understandable--no "in-house" jargon.

15. Educate, agitate, organize -- that's what every report that MassResistance shares should do.

16. Let's not focus on making a big impression, but spreading the ideals that we are fighting for.

17. Find points of agreement with people whom we are trying to convert to our side, rather than pointing out to them directly that they are wrong. We have to show people that we are on their side, and want to help the in whatever way we can.

18. Most people look at challenges are problems in the world, and ask "What is someone going to do about this?" Leaders ask instinctively: "What can I do about this?" We want to instill and inculcate in people that they can and must do something about stopping this LGBT perversity in their midst.

Singapore Christian Lawyer Dishonors Faith in Suit to Repeal 377A

It is very troubling to me the lengths that individuals will go to in order to justify promoting or defending worldly or ungodly tenets all while calling themselves Christians.

One of the thorniest issues in this conflict is homosexuality.

There are a cohort of Christians who think that tolerance of homosexuality is acceptable. It's not.

The proper, holy response to this matter is the Gospel. God sent His Son to die for us sinners, to put away our sins forever, and to bring us into reconciliation with His Father, and now our Father.

This reconciliation takes us from death to life, from sin to son:

"And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." (1 Corinthians 6:11)

"Such were some of you". We are not called to remain in sin once we receive the perfect work of the Son.

So, why do Christians insist on placating homosexuals and accommodating homosexuality?

This problem comes up in a considerable fashion in the legal challenges to Singapore's statute 377a, a law from Britian's colonial rule over Singapore (and other countries) which criminalizes sodomy and other acts of gross indecency.

One lawyer who is fighting for repeal of this law, Jordan Tan, makes the case that his advocacy to repeal this law is fully in concert with his Christian faith:

Christian lawyer in 377A constitutional challenge explains why hisinvolvement is consistent with his faith

Jordan Tan is one of the lawyers bringing the constitutional challenge against Section 377A in the Singapore Court right now.

Mr Tan is also a Christian. This is noteworthy now because he mentioned that there have been queries as to why a Christian lawyer would be involved in such a case, given that he is advocating to repeal a law that criminalises consensual sexual acts between adult males which goes against the teachings of the church.

Indeed, and it goes against nature itself. God made mankind male and female, and He designed marriage for one man and one woman. This is not open for debate.

On 15 November, Mr Tan took to Facebook to answer this question. He said, “Although my relationship with God is a personal private matter, Christian accountability and the exhortation not to stumble others (Romans 14:12-13) calls for an open and honest response to such queries.”

Here is his Facebook post:

 
Our Relationship, our standing before God is NOT a private matter. This idea that our relationship with God has no bearing with public awareness and conviction is just inconsistent with Biblical revelation.

"But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 10:33)

How do we come to faith in Christ?

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." (Romans 10:9)

Confession is a public act. Christians do not have a private faith with Christ Jesus.

He explains why he is acting as a counsel to advocate for the constitutional challenge against 377A and why he considers it consistent with and is an advancement of his Christian Faith. He said, “I am completely at peace with my role advocating the constitutional challenge against section 377A in the Singapore courts.”

Indeed:

"They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace." (Jeremiah 6:14)

People can say peace all do, but it does not mean that their standing is in concert with God's grace or His goodness in a fallen world.

In his post titled “A Christian Advocate’s Role in the Constitutional Challenge against Section 377A”, Mr Tan laid out five points to explain why he thinks that not only is it appropriate for him as a Christian advocate to be involved in this challenge but that it is “required” by his faith.

Quoting Romans 13:1 which says that Christians should submit to the government authorities for all authorities come from God, this means that the constitution is the highest authority in Singapore since that is where the power of all three branches of the government – executive, legislative, judicial – is derived.

We submit to governing authorities as unto the Lord, for:

"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God." (Romans 13:1)

The highest power belongs to God, and He has empowered all who believe in His son to reign in life (Romans 5:17). Paul the Apostle did not hesitate to appeal to Caesar when he was wronged in court, for example (Acts 25:1-12).

Mr Tan explained, “Given that there are legally meritorious grounds to support the conclusion that section 377A is unconstitutional, it would be wholly inappropriate to shirk away from the responsibility of scrutinising that law against the Constitution and to have it construed or read-down in a manner so that it is consistent with the Constitution.”

No, there are no grounds for repealing the law. Acts which criminalize, and thus discourage gross indecency, carry merit all of themselves.

He added, “Accordingly, advocating the constitutional challenge against section 377A advances, instead of detracts from, the highest authority of the land, namely, the Constitution. It is a submission to authority which is called for in the Word.”

The highest authority for a Christian is not a man-made Constitution, but Christ Himself. Full stop.

Mr Tan’s second reason was that he is assisting the court by presenting rigorous arguments in an intellectually honest manner, which is in line with the value of justice. He said, “in our system of law, the adversarial system works best when both sides of an issue are presented rigorously and in an intellectually honest manner. The Court is more ably assisted and the crucible of the adversarial system produces more robust and better-reasoned judgments.

Honesty requires a recognition of the truth, not just speaking one's honest feelings or thoughts on a matter. I may honestly believe that I am the prime minister of Singapore, and I may ardently profess that I am such. That does not make me the prime minister.

Mr Tan quoted Psalm 37:28 which highlight’s God’s love for justice and said that “it is appropriate to participate in a process which serves the ends of justice and to do so in a manner that promotes, at the minimum, better-reasoned judgments.”

Therefore, the just thing to do is maintain 377a. Acts of gross indecency should be criminalized.

The third reason Mr Tan outlined was his view that God prefers obedience grounded in faith instead of fear. He said “my firm view that God does not delight in compliance with the law for fear by persons of criminal sanction; God delights in obedience which comes from believing in Him and having a personal relationship with Him, not fear of going to jail.”

Yes, we should come to God in faith, not fear. His perfect love sent His Son to die for us, to rise for us, and that through Him we live. Part of walking by faith is walking in concert under His grace. The grace of God teaches us to reject sin and live godly lives (Titus 2:11-14). Homosexual conduct is sin, and anyone under grace is no longer under the dominion of sin:

"For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace." (Romans 6:14)

Next, Mr Tan highlighted Jesus’ iconoclastic way of life as he spent time “in the company of the very religious and the powerful, pursued the marginalised, the weak, and the downtrodden”. Quoting Matthew 20:16 which says the last shall be the first and the first shall be the last, Mr Tan noted how Jesus “loved and cared for the last”.

Connecting that to Singapore, Mr Tan talked about how Section 377A alienates, discriminates, and marginalises an entire community. He said, “In the course of my work, I have found that it has had seriously damaging effects on the LGBTQ+ community and demeans them. In some extreme cases, it emboldens those who would actively discriminate against them.”

This is the most outrageous, failed argument yet. Homosexuality is a behavior, not an identity. LGBT "people" is a non sequitur, and this flawed reasoning evades proper debate.

The behaviors themselves are demeaning, for God did not create man to engage in sexual perversion, male with male, or female with female.

He says this is morally wrong.

Finally, Mr Tan pointed out that 377A forms a serious barrier in the communication and forming of relationships between the Christian community and the LGBTQ+ community, and presents a block for the latter community to form relationships with God.

The Christian community is the Church, the Body of Christ. The Church is not peripheral to the world, but vice versa. The Church does not need to change and conform to allow for more people, but to speak the truth of God's grace in love.

God calls all of us to come out of the fallen world and come home to Him, to come home to His love.

He says, “It is self-evident which is more important: the roadblock or the potential of forming meaningful relationships with the entire LGBTQ+ community.”

The Church needs to invite homosexuals, transgenders, and other sexual paraphiliacs to be reconciled to God!

"20Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinthians 5:20-21)

He continued, “It also self-evident which will lead more people into a relationship with God.”

No. The purpose of the state is to restrain evil. The purpose of the Church is to bring the Goodness of God to the world.

In concluding his post, Mr Tan said he wanted to title the post “A (struggling) Christian’s Role…” for fear that he might be holding himself out as a paragon of a Christian, which he admits he is not. But he decided against it because all Christians are struggling Christians, said Mr Tan.

Mr. Tan is not a paragon of Christian virtue. Not once has he magnified Christ Jesus and His finished work. Not once has he declared that homosexuality is something to abhor and reject, but that God loves sinners, and does not reject those who come to Him.

Rather than normalizing or enabling the destructive behaviors, Mr. Tan should be advocating for the further dissemination of God's Word, Grace, and Truth to those who are in bondage to homosexuality, transgenderism, and the like.

He then recalled something his senior pastor once said, “The litmus test of whether one is a Christian is whether one struggles. The struggle reflects the continued desire to do God’s will and the human failings which call for the need to rely on God’s strength.”

NONSENSE. The Christian life is a life of rest--the only struggle is to enter into His rest!

"Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it." (Hebrews 4:1)

Yes, there is a passage about fighting:

"Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses." (1 Timothy 6:12)

The literal translation reads "Let the good fight of faith by fight."

This is a fight of trusting God, of resting in the truth of His Word. Faith, after all, is about seeing what is invisible, and recognizing that God's promises have come to pass.

Mr Tan continued, “In my years on this journey with God I have found that in addition to weighing decisions against the Word and prayer, it is peace which characterises making the correct decision which pleases God.”

No. We are always supposed to have his peace. It's not the sudden presence of peace upon making a decision which matters. We should refrain from actions when there is a lack of peace:

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful." (Colossians 3:15)

In this case, Mr Tan says “I am completely at peace with my role advocating the constitutional challenge against section 377A in the Singapore courts.”

Final Reflection

This Jordan Tan fellow is brazenly disregarding Christ and Him Crucified. There is some other perverse pretext for his advocating the repeal of 377A. He is more interested in being liked and accepted by some community of sexual deviants, perhaps.

Or, if his sentiments are genuine, he is clearly misguided about this effort. He thinks that he is helping individuals come closer to Christ by taking away the secular sanction against an abominable behavior. What church, what pastor has told him that the quiet promotion of homosexuality is acceptable and in keeping with Biblical truth?

This challenge must be met with conviction and clear understanding of God's Word. The churches of Singapore must restore the full understanding of the Gospel, which takes us from death to life, which takes from living in sin to living in the Son, and thus sets us free from dead works, sin and death.

Keep 377A.