| | 2022 sees 2 million-plus illegal immigrants, nearly 800 border deaths | | Curated for you byCP Editors | | Good afternoon! It's Friday, September 23, and today's headlines include a record 2 million illegal border crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border in the fiscal year 2022, a Massachusetts school district that is promoting a book that shows students how to use gay sex apps, and a new California law that has legalized human composting. | | Statistics from U.S. Customs and Border Protection reveal 2,150,639 encounters between law enforcement officials and migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border in the first 11 months of the fiscal year, which concludes at the end of September. Around 782 migrants have died trying to cross the southern border during the same period. The total migrants intercepted at the southwest border will likely reach 2.5 million for the fiscal year 2022. The figure marks a significant uptick compared to the fiscal year 2021, which saw just 1,542,685 encounters. In comparison, the fiscal year 2018 saw 396,579 encounters and 2017 saw just above 300,000. During a press conference, President Joe Biden was asked why the border was "overwhelmed" on his watch, to which he responded, "there are fewer immigrants coming from Central America and from Mexico," adding, "This is a totally different circumstance. What's on my watch now is Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua and the ability to send them back to those states is not rational." Critics blame the Biden administration's abolition of the Trump-era "Remain in Mexico" policy, also known as Migrant Protection Protocols, for the sharp increase in border crossings. Continue reading. | | P.S. From daily news to weekend headlines, we've got you covered. Whether you're interested in religious liberty or inspiring faith stories, there is something for everyone. Check out CP's full newsletter lineup to subscribe to our latest free offerings. See more. |
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| Mass. school district promotes book that teaches kids how to use gay sex apps | | Newburyport Public Schools in Massachusetts has made available to students a book that provides instructions on how to engage in certain types of sexual activity. The LibsofTikTok account shared an image on Twitter that revealed the book, "This Book is Gay," is being prominently displayed at an undisclosed location underneath a poster advertising "Banned Books Week," an initiative being pushed by the American Library Association in response to an increase in attempts to ban sexually explicit books from public schools. One section of the book, "How sex apps work," details how readers can upload photos of themselves to an app that shows them "who the nearest homosexuals are," enabling them to talk to and meet up with them. The book also condemns schools for only teaching people about "straight sex" and discusses how readers should not use vaseline and baby oil in conjunction with condoms during gay sex, referring to anal sex as "bum fun." Read more. | | Also of Interest... | | Library group claims 'book banning' at record high as parents oppose sexually explicit books in schoolsSchool district reinstates 'pornographic' books despite parents' concerns over pedophilia contentVirginia passes law requiring schools to report sexually explicit classroom books to parentsParents, activists pushing back against critical race theory's 'destructive message' in America's school | | 'Human composting' legalized in California | | California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 351, known as The Cemetery and Funeral Act, on Sunday. The new law allows human cadavers to potentially be used as garden soil in growing food for human consumption. The process for converting dead human bodies into soil, an approach known as natural organic reduction, involves placing bodies into a coffin-like vessel and mixing them with natural materials and air in a "reduction" chamber. The body is periodically turned, eventually resulting in its reduction to a soil material. The California Catholic Conference of Bishops (CCC) voiced opposition to AB 351, saying the NOR process "reduces the human body to simply a disposable commodity." In a statement to The Christian Post, Executive Director Kathleen Domingo warned that beyond theological considerations, there are ethical issues as well, namely the use of human remains treated as a "mass grave." Read more. |
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| Adam Levine, human nature and adultery | | In this editorial, Dr. Michael Brown addresses the recent accusations of adultery and/or inappropriate behavior against singer Adam Levine. Brown calls out Levine's previous statements about monogamy not being in the genetic makeup of humans and discusses the importance of not giving in to one's fleshly desires. "With His grace, our very nature can be changed to the point that we love what is right and hate what is evil. To the point that we can lead disciplined lives. To the point that we can be faithful to our spouses," Brown explains. Read more. | | Gaming event for cancer charity overshadowed by woke complaining | | Douglas Blair writes about video game-based charity Games Done Quick's announcement that it was pulling its live event out of Florida over the state's stance on COVID-19 restrictions and its Parent Rights in Education Act, a bill the Left has labeled anti-LGBT. Blair notes how the charity previously banned two gamers from its event for allegedly wearing MAGA hats, while others faced scrutiny over their conservative viewpoints. "[T]he radical Left has long since departed from truly caring about the causes it claims to support. What matters more than helping people is the perception that it’s doing something," Blair writes. Read more. |
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| God Doesn’t Do Focus Groups | | "I surrender all. I surrender all. All to Jesus I surrender. I surrender all." Familiar words from a powerful and moving hymn. It captures the essence of what we are called to if we want to have a relationship with Jesus that avails to us all the wonders of His Holy Spirit and the joys of His promises for us. Many, countless many, believers have started with this song’s thesis as the anthem of their spiritual beginnings. | | I know I did. | | Then something totally unexpected happened. I found, in reality, that I did not surrender all. Read more. | | |
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| Barna CEO on importance of seeing children as 'participants' and not 'consumers' | | During the Awana Child Discipleship Forum, Barna Group CEO David Kinnaman shared why he believes youth ministries in American churches need to shift their efforts away from molding children to be "consumers" and instead involve them as active "participants" in the Gospel mission. Kinnaman explained that he considers the consumer mentality a challenge for adult discipleship, saying, "[W]e really condition people to just be consumers of Christian content" like podcasts, books, radio, music and preaching. While consuming such content isn't bad, "it has to go deeper," he concluded. Read more. | | David Platt explains why people who never hear the Gospel won't see Heaven | | Pastor David Platt said God will not condemn people to Hell because they did not hear the Gospel, but rather because they are still lost in their sin. His comments came during a recent sermon where the pastor explained that "there's no innocent people in the world waiting to hear the Gospel," clarifying, "There's guilty people all over the world. That's why they need to hear the Gospel." Read more. |
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| TikTok suspends Mark Driscoll for saying 'men can't have babies' | | Mark Driscoll revealed in a tweet on Saturday that the social media platform TikTok temporarily suspended his account after he declared that "men can't have babies." His suspension was lifted on Thursday. The outspoken pastor of Trinity Church in Scottsdale, Ariz., responded to the restriction by sharing Romans 1:18, which says: "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth." Driscoll, who recently kicked off a new nine-week teaching series at his church called Real Men: Act Like a Man, said Wednesday that "the problem in our day is not toxic masculinity; it’s the complete LACK of masculinity." Read more. | | | | | | | | Thank you for spending part of your day with us. We look forward to seeing you again on Monday! -- CP Editors |
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