This piece is adapted from the latest episode of Matt Fradd All Access. You can watch the full episode <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/matt-fradd-monologue-joseph-smith?elementPosition=3&amp;row=5&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel">here</a>.
***
This is a controversial topic, so let’s dive right in: Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, was a false prophet.
A couple of disclaimers, right off the bat: entire books have been written on this subject, so we’re only going to scratch the surface. And to my Mormon friends, I understand that some of this may be difficult to hear. And I just want you to know that this isn’t meant to be some kind of attack. I love you guys, but we have to get to the truth. I encourage you to hear what I have to say, look into it for yourself, and let me know what you think.
Here we go.
<h3>Reason #1: False Prophecies That Didn’t Come True </h3>
Let’s start with one of the easiest ways to test a prophet: are their prophecies actually true? Deuteronomy 18:20-22 lays it out clearly: if what a prophet says doesn’t come true, then they’re not speaking for God.
Joseph Smith gave numerous revelations that are flat-out false.
For example, in 1842 Joseph Smith published a supposedly prophetic translation of real Egyptian documents he owned, which he called The Book of Abraham. He claimed, as a prophet, to translate specific Egyptian writings and drawings, and to know their meaning. Important to note, at the time, scholars couldn’t translate Egyptian. But now they can, and we know that his translations are simply wrong. In one drawing, Smith claimed one figure was “King Pharaoh, whose name is given in the characters above his head,” but it turns out this figure is the goddess Isis, and the characters above the head read, “Isis the great, the god’s mother.” He falsely claims the god Osiris is Abraham, and that the god Anubis is a slave. A prophet’s words have to match reality, and in Smith’s case, they just don’t.
<h3>Reason #2: Contradicting Revelations</h3>
Another red flag with Joseph Smith is his contradicting revelations. For example, the Book of Mormon says, “Is there more than one God? And he answered, No.” But in a later revelation, he says that “the Gods organized and formed the heavens and the earth,” and that righteous Mormons “shall be gods,” “from everlasting to everlasting,” with “all power.” Smith even claimed that God was once a man who became divine.
This is a huge change in foundational beliefs! If someone is truly a prophet of God, their message should be consistent, especially when it comes to who God is. Yet with Smith, we see clear contradictions that raise serious doubts about his claims to divine revelation.
<h3>Reason #3: The Book of Mormon’s Historical Problems </h3>
Next, let’s talk about the Book of Mormon itself. Joseph Smith claimed it tells the history of ancient American civilizations, including the Nephites and Lamanites, who came from Jerusalem. But here’s the problem: there’s zero archaeological evidence for these civilizations. No cities, no artifacts, nothing.
Now, some might argue, “There’s little archaeological evidence for the Exodus, and Christians believe that.” But while evidence for the Exodus may be debated, there is some support — such as Egyptian records mentioning Semitic peoples and archaeological findings in the Sinai suggesting nomadic groups. Scholars continue to explore these possibilities.
With the Book of Mormon, however, we’re talking about entire civilizations that supposedly existed for thousands of years but did not leave behind a single trace. If these civilizations were real, we’d expect something — but we find nothing. That’s a major problem.
<h3>Reason #4: Fabrication &amp; Plagiarism </h3>
There’s also strong evidence that the Book of Mormon simply mirrors Joseph Smith’s time and place. Many books at this time, and in Smith’s area, theorized that the American Indians had come from Israel. And Smith lifted entire sections from the King James Bible, even copying translation errors from the King James Version into his “ancient” text. This isn’t the behavior of a divinely inspired prophet; it’s the behavior of someone fabricating a religious document.
<h3>Reason #5: Joseph Smith’s Dubious Character </h3>
We can’t ignore the moral inconsistencies in Joseph Smith’s life. He secretly practiced polygamy and even married — and slept with — teenage girls, claiming he was divinely commanded to do so.
This is someone who violated the Christian principles of marriage and morality. A true prophet should be held to a high standard of holiness and integrity, but Smith’s life was filled with moral failures. It’s hard to reconcile that with someone who claims to be God’s chosen messenger.
But isn’t there polygamy in the Bible? Yes. But it’s important to note that polygamy in the Old Testament is descriptive, not prescriptive. And the New Testament makes it very clear that monogamy is the only expected and permitted form of marriage.
<h3>Reason #6: Contradictions in the First Vision Accounts </h3>
Smith’s famous &#8220;First Vision,&#8221; where he claims to have seen God the Father and Jesus Christ, is foundational to Mormonism. But did you know there are multiple versions of this event that contradict each other?
In the earliest version, Smith says he saw only one figure, “the Lord,” but later versions claim he saw God the Father and Jesus as separate beings. If this vision were a true, divine encounter, it wouldn’t make sense for there to be conflicting stories about such a pivotal moment. The discrepancies suggest that Smith may have fabricated or embellished his experience over time.
<h3>Reason #7: The Problem of Polytheism </h3>
Finally, Joseph Smith taught that God was once a man who became God, that humans can become gods in the same way, and that there are many gods in existence. That’s not just a different emphasis. It’s a different view of God altogether.
In the King Follett Discourse, Smith said that God “was once as we are now” and that we must learn how to become gods ourselves. In other words, God is not the eternal, uncreated Creator, but a being who progressed to divinity.
This is directly opposed to biblical monotheism. Isaiah 44:6 says, &#8220;I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God.&#8221;
The Bible is clear: there is one God. Smith’s teaching of an eternal progression to godhood is not just unbiblical, it’s a complete departure from the Christian understanding of God’s nature. Any prophet who teaches something so fundamentally opposed to Scripture can’t be a true prophet of God.
Whether it’s his failed prophecies, shifting doctrines, or contradictions in his story, the evidence is compelling: Joseph Smith was a false prophet.
***
If you’d like to learn more, see my interview with Joe Heschmeyer, <a href="https://youtu.be/5cvXRlMHMzI?si=U5IBDJNO8Q2qwFSb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Incoherence of Mormonism</a>.

The church of Jesus Christ of latter-day saints sign, Thetford, Norfolk, England, UK

7 Reasons Joseph Smith Was A False Prophet 

Bible

Christianity

Matt Fradd

Mormonism

secret lives of mormon wives

Initially, it was all very dapper: the tea, the crumpets, and the fanfare. They were all good and fine.
But then the King of England, King Charles III, decided to use his royal prerogative and lecture us on how to run our country, on how America ought to lead the world.
Shut the hell up.
It’s true that there are many lessons to be learned from Great Britain over the past century.
But the biggest one is this: Don’t do what they did.
King Charles is currently representing a civilization that no longer exists. He&#8217;s an empty crown, sitting atop a civilization that gave up the ghost a long time ago. There&#8217;s only one takeaway Americans should have from the King&#8217;s visit: If Great Britain has zigged, we ought to zag.
Britain is a cautionary tale. If we follow their path, we collapse the same way they have.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ben-shapiro-ep-2416?elementPosition=5&amp;row=5&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-974957 aligncenter" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp" alt="DailyWire+" width="1024" height="171" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-300x50.webp 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-768x128.webp 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1536x256.webp 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-2048x341.webp 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
Charles’ visit to the United States began with Revolutionary-Era soldiers welcoming the king in the Rose Garden.
Somewhat ironic; the last king who experienced Revolutionary-era soldiers would not have been welcomed in quite this way.
As a student of American history and as a devotee of British philosophers ranging from John Locke to Edmund Burke, I love the fact that the United States is rooted in Anglican and English history. I love it. It&#8217;s great.
Charles called the bond between the United States and the UK priceless and eternal. He joked about the idea that if it were not for Great Britain, we would be speaking French, a response to President Trump saying that if it were not for us, the British would be speaking German (I assume Charles was referring to the French and Indian War, which doesn&#8217;t make a whole hell of a lot of sense, because if the French had won the French and Indian War, it is very likely that many of the settlers would have returned to England).
But then the king decided it was time to lecture the United States. And this is the part to which I object.
It began with him talking about Christianity. He said, “For many here and for myself, the Christian faith is a firm anchor and daily inspiration that guides us not only personally.”
So far, so good, although I&#8217;m not sure why Democrats were clapping.
“Together as members of our community, having devoted a large part of my life to interfaith relationships and greater understanding,” he continued. “It is that faith in the triumph of light over darkness, which I have found confirmed countless times through it. I am inspired by the profound respect that develops as people of different faiths grow in their understanding of each other.”
There we go. This was all going to lead up to a bit of a lecture about America&#8217;s foreign policy.
As a person who is not Christian, I have tremendous admiration for Christianity and what it has done in the world. I encourage people to go to church all the time, but it turns out that if you want a robust Christianity, that Christianity cannot be based on vague principles. It has to be based on faith.
So when you hear the Brits lecturing the United States, a much more religious country, about Christianity and interfaith relations, let&#8217;s be real: Great Britain has taken religion and trodden it through the mud.
The statistics don&#8217;t lie. According to the UK&#8217;s 2022 census, 51% of people in the UK identify as having no religion, according to a 2024 British Social Attitudes Survey. A paltry 9% of the population attends a religious service once a week or more.
And as far as Anglican identity, it doesn&#8217;t exist anymore. 2.6% of people aged 16 to 34 identify with the Church of England.
Meanwhile, the tremendous increase in radical Islam in the kingdom has been overwhelming. 15% of London, at a minimum, is Muslim. A huge percentage of those people are radicalized. According to one survey conducted in 2016 by the polling exchange, 4% of British Muslims say that 9/11 was executed by al Qaeda, 7% say the Jews, and 31% say the American government.
Great Britain imported millions of people who believe this. Millions of people. This is where their interfaith nonsense has gotten them.
So, as far as being lectured on Christianity and interfaith attitudes by the Brits, the answer is no.
You know where interfaith is going in Britain. Interfaith is about tolerance for radical Islam, which is why today, the day after King Charles visited the United States, there was an attack in Golders Green, which is a very heavily Jewish part of London, in which a radical Muslim took out a kitchen knife and started stabbing people who were wearing Jewish garb.
According to UK government data, there were 15,859 total reported incidents of knife crime in London in 2025 alone. We know that Great Britain&#8217;s interfaith tolerance allowed for gigantic grooming gangs to basically run the place for years on end, out of fear that there might be a backlash to open immigration.
King Charles also took the opportunity to lecture us on climate change. We should mention that the UK has destroyed its own economy on the basis of this nonsense.
Listening to the Brits lecture us on energy production is ridiculous. Roughly 78% of the UK&#8217;s energy still comes from hydrocarbons. That would be things like oil and natural gas. The UK is constantly on the economic edge because of its extraordinary regulations and low domestic gas storage capacity. According to an article in The American Spectator, there&#8217;s a 78% tax rate on North Sea gas production and a nuclear program that&#8217;s not going to deliver energy for a decade.
The energy programs in the UK have driven them into the dirt, economically speaking.
All of this culminated in King Charles lecturing the United States on how to beat swords into plowshares rather than plowshares into swords.
I understand: King Charles represents the monarchy. Keir Starmer&#8217;s government is an appeasement-oriented, left-wing pacifist government.
In order to understand my ire here, I think you have to understand that having the British Crown come to the United States and tell us all about the old-style civilization that Britain basically surrendered in favor of welfare statism is highly irritating. 
In 1933, there was a resolution at Oxford University at their debate club, the so-called King and Country Resolution, in which the students voted, “that this House will under no circumstances fight for its king and country.” This was reflective of British sentiments; an attempt in the aftermath of the course of World War I to recede from global leadership.
You know what ended up happening? It was a self-fulfilling prophecy.
I was recently reading Winston Churchill&#8217;s “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Gathering-Storm-Second-World-War/dp/039541055X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0">The Gathering Storm</a>,” which is, of course, a classic. It is the first volume of his Second World War series. In the beginning pages of the book, Churchill explains his purpose in writing the book, saying he was writing to demonstrate “how the malice of the wicked was reinforced by the weakness of the virtuous, how the structure and habits of democratic states, unless they are welded into larger organisms, lacked those elements of persistence and conviction which can alone give security to a humble masses. How, even in matters of self-preservation, no policy is pursued for even 10 or 15 years at a time. We shall see how the counsels of prudence and restraint may become the prime agents of mortal danger. How the middle course, adopted from desires for safety and quiet life, may be found to lead direct to the bullseye of disaster.” 

He continued, “We shall see how absolute is the need of a broad path of international action, pursued by many states in common across the years, irrespective of the ebb and flow of national politics.”
Great Britain is currently telling the United States that we ought not do what we are doing in Iran. They are doing absolutely nothing to help us in the Strait of Hormuz. They are perfectly willing to allow China to maximize its global influence. Only in the case of Ukraine has Britain taken a leading role in any sort of way, and even there, it&#8217;s basically to beg us for money and armaments.
After World War II, Great Britain decided it would give up global leadership in favor of irrelevance and socialism.
No country has done as much damage to itself as Great Britain through pacifism, socialism, redistributionism, and open borders.
The Brits can&#8217;t even leave their kids money, because when you give up global leadership, free markets, private property, and skew in favor of socialist idiocy and global weakness, you become irrelevant.
You don&#8217;t get to come here and lecture us about any of this.

TOPSHOT-US-BRITAIN-ROYALS-POLITICS-DIPLOMACY

The Empty Crown: Why America Should Ignore King Charles

Donald Trump

England

Great Britain

King Charles III

Opinion

Radical Islam

This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/introducing-upstream-a-lifestyle-and-culture-section-of-the-daily-wire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Upstream,</a> The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
***
When news broke last month that a Minnesota district would include Islamic prayer rooms in its new high school buildings, many commenters drew the wrong conclusion. Some expressed legitimate concerns about the scale of Muslim migration, but others seemed committed to accusing the district of hypocrisy.
“Separation of Church and State for 1 religion only it appears,” one X user <a href="https://x.com/lanedrivinsmoke/status/2046246050508263593?s=46">snarked</a>.
To which another <a href="https://x.com/jacktomczak/status/2046275017302757521?s=46">replied</a>, “What do you mean? Christian and Jewish kids can use this room too.”
They both have a point. The blueprints include foot-washing stations for Islamic ritual ablutions, which makes it pretty obvious which religion these <a href="https://alphanews.org/plans-for-prayer-room-and-foot-washing-station-at-minnesota-schools-go-viral/">prayer rooms</a> are designed to serve. At the same time, there’s nothing stopping Christian students from using these rooms. They just won’t do it. And that should set off alarm bells for Christians.
A quick example should suffice to illustrate what I mean. One day last spring, when I was between jobs working as a substitute teacher at a local public middle school, a few Muslim students approached my desk and let me know they’d be leaving class to pray in a room set aside for that purpose.
A few minutes later, the conclave in Rome elected Cardinal Robert Prevost as Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope. I’d been monitoring the election closely (<a href="https://spectator.com/article/betting-on-a-papal-conclave-felt-mildly-degenerate/?edition=us">because I had money on it</a>), so I saw the news right away and decided to share it with my students, of whom a plurality, if not a majority, were Hispanic. 
And because I still had the prayer room on my mind, I mentioned that I’d be happy to let any Catholics among them leave class briefly to pray for their new pope. In response, I got nothing but blank stares.
I realize this is a bit of an apples-to-oranges comparison. The obligation to pray at five set times each day is one of the five pillars of Islam. There’s no comparable Catholic tradition of laypeople interrupting their day to pray for a newly elected pope (or for any other reason).
But maybe that’s the problem.
American Christianity has become invisible in the public square. We don’t wear headscarves, grow forelocks, carry <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirpan">special daggers</a>, or stop what we’re doing to flop down on prayer rugs. Our Sabbath-keeping is a joke compared to how the Jews do it.
We don’t even fast much anymore. In 1966, U.S. Catholic bishops “ended the obligation to abstain from meat on the Fridays outside of Lent” as long as “some other form of penance or work of charity was done,” the <a href="https://dio.org/catholic-times/hey-father-what-is-the-history-of-no-meat-on-friday/">Catholic Times explains</a>. That leaves a grand total of seven mandatory meatless days per year. Whoop-dee-doo.
Evangelical Protestants, meanwhile, tend to define their faith as a liberation from man-made rituals and religious obligations. They might endorse fasting as a valuable personal discipline, but the idea of requiring everyone to fast in the same ways on the same days sounds too much like works-based righteousness.
Why Christianity has adapted itself to secularism more fully than other religions is a tricky question. Tom Holland addresses it at length in his book &#8220;Dominion,&#8221; but the short answer is that this transformation is the product of the Christian West’s unique history and of Christianity’s own internal logic.
The reasons might be complex, but the negative consequences are obvious. 
First, Christians lose cultural influence. A religion that’s willing to make demands on secular institutions can often extract concessions. Muslims get foot-washing stations in public schools. Jews get “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shabbat_elevator">sabbath elevators</a>” that stop automatically on every floor so they don’t have to break their law by pushing an electronic button. <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/features/how-a-catholic-businessman-put-the-filet-o-fish-on-the-mcdonald-s-menu?amp">Catholics got the Filet-O-Fish</a>, but that was back in 1963. Today, with the fasting rules relaxed, McDonald’s would have little reason to introduce it.
Second, Christians internalize the idea that there’s nothing different about them. This is especially true during adolescence, the stage when <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9167890/">peers become a bigger influence than parents</a>. If faith is part of a tween&#8217;s home life but doesn&#8217;t matter at school, it will naturally become less important to him over time.
Third, non-religious people come to regard Christianity as thin and ephemeral, something anyone can simply “<a href="https://www.wishtv.com/news/national/taylor-swift-calls-gop-sen-marsha-blackburn-trump-in-a-wig-in-new-documentary/">identify as</a>” without any skin in the game. Remember, these &#8220;nones&#8221; don’t see what happens at mass or mosque. They’ve watched their Muslim friends, even those for whom religion is mostly cultural, suffer through Ramadan fasts. But what do their Christian friends do? Try to be nice to people? That’s fine as far as it goes, but it doesn’t exactly scream “<a href="https://biblehub.com/john/1-46.htm">come and see</a>.”
Fortunately, I have a solution: Catholics should use the noon <a href="https://www.usccb.org/prayers/angelus">Angelus</a> as a ministry to members of their church who attend public schools. This medieval devotion consists of ringing a bell, followed by a few scripture verses commemorating the Annunciation and a few Hail Marys. The whole thing takes about two minutes.
Implementing the Angelus in public schools would be easy. All you’d need is a bell, a parent, or a mature student to lead the prayers, and an empty room reserved from 11:55 to 12:05. If the school won’t give you a room, sue them. You’ll win.
For Protestants, a shortened version of <a href="http://bcp2019.anglicanchurch.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/07-Midday-Prayer.pdf">the midday prayer service from the Anglican Book of Common Prayer</a> would be just as workable.
It is, of course, possible that some kids would attend these services just to get out of class. But that’s a feature, not a bug. 
Carving out space for Christian worship in public schools would strengthen the faith of devout students, but it would also give nominal adherents a stronger sense of themselves as Christians while showing non-believers that Christianity is a religion worth taking seriously.
The reason Muslims have public school prayer rooms and we don’t isn’t because administrators favor Muslims over Christians (though I’m sure they often do). It’s because Muslims demand them and we don’t. It’s time for that to change.
***
Grayson Quay is the author of &#8220;The Transhumanist Temptation&#8221; and a former editor at the Daily Caller.

GettyImages-682359680

Why Public Schools Are Making Space For Faith And Christians Aren’t Part Of It

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Religion

Upstream

In a move that underscores a commitment to religious freedom and moral accountability, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced Tuesday that they have successfully replaced a statue of Jesus in the southern Lebanese village of Debel. The original religious monument had been damaged by a lone Israeli soldier, sparking immediate condemnation from Israel’s military leadership and a swift effort to make amends.
The IDF’s Northern Command spearheaded the restoration, working in &#8220;full coordination&#8221; with the local Christian community to ensure the sacred symbol was replaced.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
A short while ago, in full coordination with the local community of Debel in southern Lebanon, the damaged statue was replaced by IDF troops. The Northern Command worked to coordinate the replacement of the statue from the moment it received the report of the incident.
The IDF… <a href="https://t.co/nGh1s1iia1">pic.twitter.com/nGh1s1iia1</a>
&mdash; Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) <a href="https://twitter.com/IDF/status/2046597268904558765?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
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In a <a href="https://x.com/IDF/status/2046589834341351758">statement</a> released on X, the IDF expressed &#8220;deep regret&#8221; over the incident, characterizing the destruction as a &#8220;moral failure&#8221; that contradicts the fundamental values of the Jewish state and its military.
Beyond merely replacing the physical property, Israel took decisive disciplinary action to uphold its standards of conduct. The soldier who damaged the statue and the individual who filmed the act have both been removed from combat duty and sentenced to 30 days of military detention. Furthermore, the remaining troops present during the incident have been summoned for clarification discussions, with the Chief of the General Staff reinforcing that such behavior &#8220;far exceeds any acceptable standard.&#8221;
This swift restorative justice stands in stark contrast to the treatment of Christian institutions in many neighboring Muslim and Arab states. While Israel officially recognizes ten Christian denominations and grants them internal autonomy, other nations in the region continue to enforce systemic prohibitions. In Saudi Arabia, the construction of public Christian churches remains strictly forbidden under a rigid interpretation of Islamic law. In Somalia and Yemen, open Christian worship is virtually non-existent, often carrying the threat of execution by extremist groups like al-Shabaab or the Houthis.
The honorable conduct displayed in Debel also highlights a growing global disparity in religious safety. While Israel took immediate steps to punish its own for a single act of vandalism, Christian communities elsewhere face far more lethal threats. In Nigeria, militant groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP continue to bomb and burn churches, with over 3,400 Christians killed in 2025 alone. Similarly, in Pakistan, &#8220;mob justice&#8221; frequently leads to the destruction of dozens of churches over mere rumors of blasphemy.
By taking responsibility for the actions of a few and working with Lebanese locals to restore their religious heritage, Israel has demonstrated a Western-style tolerance that remains rare in the Middle East. The IDF has pledged to reinforce procedures regarding religious symbols for all troops, ensuring that the protection of faith remains a cornerstone of its operational ethics.

Silhouette of soldier saluting with Israel flag on background of sunrise or sunset. Armed forces of Israel concept

After Jesus Statue Is Vandalized, Israel Takes Swift Action

Global Politics

Israel

Israel Defense Forces (IDF)

Lebanon

Statues

World

After a viral photo showed an Israeli soldier severely damaging a Christian icon in Lebanon, Israel Defense Forces immediately investigated the incident, and finding the story factual, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the action in harsh terms, while reminding others that Israel always welcomes Christians and makes a home for them.
The Israel Defense Forces issued this statement:
<blockquote>
Following the completion of an initial examination regarding a photograph published earlier today of an IDF soldier harming a Christian symbol, it was determined that the photograph depicts an IDF soldier operating in southern Lebanon. The IDF views the incident with great severity and emphasizes that the soldier’s conduct is wholly inconsistent with the values expected of its troops.
The incident is being investigated by the Northern Command and is currently being addressed through the chain of command. Appropriate measures will be taken against those involved in accordance with the findings. Furthermore, the IDF is working to assist the community in restoring the statue to its place. The IDF is operating to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure established by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, and has no intention of harming civilian infrastructure, including religious buildings or religious symbols.
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Following the completion of an initial examination regarding a photograph published earlier today of an IDF soldier harming a Christian symbol, it was determined that the photograph depicts an IDF soldier operating in southern Lebanon.
The IDF views the incident with great… <a href="https://t.co/U6P3x8KWBb">https://t.co/U6P3x8KWBb</a>
&mdash; Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) <a href="https://twitter.com/IDF/status/2045973415643767091?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Netanyahu declared:
<blockquote>
As the Jewish state, Israel cherishes and upholds the Jewish values of tolerance and mutual respect between Jews and worshippers of all faiths. All religions flourish in our land and we view members of all faiths as equals in building our society and region. Yesterday, like the overwhelming majority of Israelis, I was stunned and saddened to learn that an IDF soldier damaged a Catholic religious icon in southern Lebanon. I condemn the act in the strongest terms. Military authorities are conducting a criminal probe of the matter and will take appropriately harsh disciplinary action against the offender. 
While Christians are being slaughtered in Syria and Lebanon by Muslims, the Christian population in Israel thrives unlike elsewhere in the Middle East. Israel is the only country in the region that the Christian population and standard of living is growing. Israel is the only place in the Middle East that adheres to freedom of worship for all. We express regret for the incident and for any hurt this has caused to believers in Lebanon and around the world.
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
As the Jewish state, Israel cherishes and upholds the Jewish values of tolerance and mutual respect between Jews and worshippers of all faiths. All religions flourish in our land and we view members of all faiths as equals in building our society and region.
Yesterday, like the…
&mdash; Benjamin Netanyahu &#8211; בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) <a href="https://twitter.com/netanyahu/status/2046166181258650016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa’ar added:
<blockquote>
The damaging of a Christian religious symbol by an IDF soldier in southern Lebanon is grave and disgraceful. I commend the IDF for its statement, for condemning the incident, and for conducting an investigation into the matter. I’m confident that the necessary strict measures will be taken against whoever carried out this ugly act. This shameful action is completely contrary to our values. Israel is a country that respects the different religions and their sacred symbols, and upholds tolerance and respect among faiths. We apologize for this incident and to every Christian whose feelings were hurt.
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The damaging of a Christian religious symbol by an IDF soldier in southern Lebanon is grave and disgraceful.
I commend the IDF for its statement, for condemning the incident, and for conducting an investigation into the matter. I’m confident that the necessary strict measures…
&mdash; Gideon Sa&#39;ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) <a href="https://twitter.com/gidonsaar/status/2046098060590076132?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Unlike the Arab countries that surround it, in Israel, the Christian population is <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/christian-population-in-israel-is-around-184000-and-growing/">growing</a>. In March 2025, Joseph Puder, the founder and director of the Interfaith Taskforce for America and Israel, <a href="https://www.jns.org/opinion/joseph-puder/where-are-the-christians-of-bethlehem-and-the-middle-east#:~:text=Between%20October%202000%20and%20November,a%20Christian%20city%2C%20Bethlehem%20exemplifies">noted</a>, “In 1950, two years after Israel’s independence, there were 36,000 Christians in Israel. Today, there are 187,900 Christians in Israel, making it, as of 2021, the only country in the Middle East with a growing Christian population.”
He added:
<blockquote>
While the number of Christians in the Jewish state grows, a different story is occurring in areas controlled by the Palestinian Arabs, including Gaza. The Greek Orthodox Church recently said that “Terrorist attacks against Christians, assaults on churches, cemeteries, and Christian properties in the Palestinian Authority &#8230; have become daily occurrences, and their severity clearly intensifies during Christian holidays.”
</blockquote>
In January, Open Doors International released its annual <a href="https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/world-watch-list-2026-christian-persecution-at-all-time-high-in-15-nations/#:~:text=Syria%20suffered%20the%20largest%20single,Assad%20regime%20in%20December%202024.">World Watch List</a> of the 50 most dangerous countries for Christians, with Muslim countries dominating the list. They reported:
<blockquote>
North Korea maintains its top spot on the list for the 24th year, with a persecution score of 97; followed by Somalia, second on the list with a persecution score of 94; Yemen, third at 93; Sudan, fourth at 92; Eritrea, fifth at 90; Syria, sixth at 90; Nigeria, seventh at 89; Pakistan, eighth at 87; Libya, ninth at 87, and Iran, 10th at 87.
Rankings continue respectively with Afghanistan, India, Saudi Arabia, Myanmar, Mali, Burkina Faso, China, Iraq, Maldives, Algeria, Mauritania, CAR, Morocco, Cuba, Uzbekistan, Niger, Tajikistan, Laos, DRC, Mexico, Tunisia, Nicaragua, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Turkmenistan, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Oman, Mozambique, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, Egypt, Comoros, Qatar, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Colombia, Chad, Jordan and Brunei.
</blockquote>
Israel was nowhere on the list.

Israeli Authorities Announce Rescue Of Four Hostages From Gaza

Netanyahu Doesn’t Mince Words In Response To Vandalism Of Christian Icon By IDF Soldier

Benjamin Netanyahu

On Friday, Allie Beth Stuckey’s “Relatable” podcast featured a <a href="https://youtu.be/KYPlrX8qfHE?si=DsY47h65mwqjhMyC">debate</a> between her and New York Times columnist David French. What was significant about the debate was French’s willingness to confront one of his sharpest critics head-on. What is doubly significant is why they were even debating to begin with: Over the last several years, French, who bills himself as an evangelical Christian and conservative, has staked out positions at serious odds with the constituency he purports to represent.
The pair debated a number of topics, among them “toxic empathy,” gender ideology and pronouns, why David French voted for Kamala Harris, and his praise of progressive Christian James Talarico.
While I cannot rehearse every facet of the debate in a single essay, the main takeaway was that all the topics centered on what I will call a “truth-emotion continuum.” By that, I mean Stuckey and French seemed to emphasize different priorities in how they communicate and what they communicate. On virtually every topic, French kept returning to the need to show compassion and kindness and to extend empathy to those across the political aisle. Those are all valuable, noble, and necessary. The question is whether, on their own, they are sufficient to advance Christian witness in the public square. Stuckey, in contrast, questioned French about whether the emphasis on kindness and empathy can lead persons to adopt a posture of inoffensiveness and non-judgmentalism to the point that biblical clarity is forfeited.
Stuckey came out ahead in the debate for one main reason that colored every issue: She grounds her understanding of emotion and empathy in a biblical axis, whereas French elevates emotion and empathy to a disproportionate degree, subordinating biblical clarity to assuage the offended. The consequence of this approach leads, in the long run, to untethering emotions from truth. But here’s what needs to be said: Emotions need to be regulated by truth. Emotions are not self-regulating, nor should they be embraced without questioning their veracity.
Also clear were the rhetorical differences in their respective approaches to the truth-emotion continuum. In rhetoric, speakers tend to focus on either logos (reason) or pathos (emotion) to make their case. In the debate, Stuckey focuses more on logos; French, on pathos.
Stuckey succeeded by bringing in the missing element in rhetorical theory: ethos, the idea of the speaker’s credibility. Credibility refers to the ability to speak with authority on a given subject. In my view, Stuckey offers a more credible witness because her approach is more biblical and just as compassionate, whereas French’s view is all compassion but little clarity.
In debates over “toxic empathy,” truth gets pitted against compassion. But Stuckey demonstrated ethos by refusing to play the game of pitting love against truth (1 Cor. 13:6; Eph. 4:15). She’s obviously no less interested in kindness or empathy than French, but she is properly grounded in Scripture.
French’s focus on catering to emotional equilibria (and thus hewing to progressive niceties) results in him blurring biblical categories. We saw this, for example, in his unwillingness to call James Talarico a non-Christian despite Talarico abandoning core Christian doctrines. It’s ironic that outspoken atheists who at least know what Christianity teaches (but reject it) are better at assessing whether someone is a Christian than some Christians are. The avowed atheist Friedrich Nietzsche would have no problem calling Talarico a non-Christian because of the orthodox doctrines that Talarico rejects. Why can’t David French?
In truth, biblical cultural engagement requires both logos and pathos undergirded by ethos, but our engagement must be ordered and governed with a proper foundation in Scripture. And notably, French’s outsized empathy leads him to extend that empathy more typically in one direction, toward those to his left. While French emphasizes the need for all sides to listen to one another, it struck me how much more empathy was extended to the Left. They deserve the benefit of the doubt, while “MAGA Christianity” deserves only generalization and ridicule. As I scored the debate, Stuckey focused on objectivity, reason, and right and wrong as the grounds of what constitutes love and kindness, whereas French’s instinct was to defer to emotion and the unpleasant aesthetics of culture war.
But another element of the debate requires attention, namely, French’s somewhat dismissive relegation of Stuckey’s concerns to matters of triviality. In offering his own commentary on the debate, Baylor sociologist George Yancey (who sided more with French) argued that Stuckey seems unhelpfully preoccupied with topics like homosexuality and transgender issues, whereas French focused on issues of greater global significance, such as foreign policy. He writes that “it became clear to me that these issues are deeply linked to her theological framework and this makes them priority issues.”
While I generally appreciate Yancey’s work and perspective, I think he fails to understand what motivates Stuckey and the significance of these issues. There was one key phrase she used in her discussion that demonstrates why she is so concerned about issues of life, gender, and sexuality. She named these “creation order” issues. “Creation order” is Christian parlance for “natural law.” In particular, it speaks to the foundational principles necessary to ground society’s coherence, stability, and flourishing. What Stuckey is concerned about is not only one’s eternal state and biblical fidelity, but also what is true about human nature being reflected in law and upheld by broader society. In her thinking (and mine), if civilization fails to respect human beings at all stages of life, it undermines society as a whole. Human dignity, in principle, is jeopardized. If human civilization cannot lay out definitions and expectations for what it means to be male and female, it robs society of the most basic facet of our existence. And if civilization fails to uphold the sexual arrangements and familial arrangements that optimize human flourishing, we are sawing off the branch that makes society possible.
Far from abortion, homosexuality, and transgenderism being niche culture war topics, they are building blocks that speak to the most essential foundations of human civilization.
Regardless of how one scores this debate, the fact that figures like Allie Beth Stuckey and David French had this important conversation in person rather than online underscores the importance of individuals in different silos speaking to one another. While French’s and Stuckey’s disagreements remain stark, it was also apparent that they had much in common as they sought mutual understanding and clarity over one another’s views. And in this perpetually online age, we’re all better off for seeing an intense debate modeled with civility and charity.
***
Andrew T. Walker is associate professor of Christian Ethics and Public Theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and managing editor of WORLD Opinions. He is a fellow at The Ethics and Public Policy Center.

Bible On Top Of Rainbow Flag

Allie Beth Stuckey-David French Debate Is A Study In Biblical Truth Against Toxic Empathy

Conservatism

DW Opinion

Toxic Empathy

Woke Culture

Life doesn’t come with a handbook, and neither does death.
Why do we keep it hidden away? Why do we try so desperately to cheat it? I suppose we’ve come a long way since Walt Disney froze his head (fact check: <a href="https://www.biography.com/movies-tv/walt-disney-frozen-after-death-myth">false</a>), but forever-young <a href="https://time.com/6315607/bryan-johnsons-quest-for-immortality/">Bryan Johnson</a> isn’t any closer to living forever, and, judging by his thawed-over looks and massive supplement regimen, I’m not sure most people would find that route appealing anyway. But <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/04/03/silicon-valleys-quest-to-live-forever">Silicon Valley</a> pushes ahead with its plan to play God ­— or at least outwit Him. Spoiler alert, not a good plan with <a href="https://www.bibleanalysis.org/saul-the-rise-and-fall-of-israels-first-king/">Him</a> or the <a href="https://www.caltaxadviser.com/top-10-worst-celebrity-tax-cheats-in-history/">IRS</a>.
But when someone like Ben Sasse comes along, it’s hard to look away. In fact, we must look and look with wonder and awe.
The former senator from Nebraska was diagnosed with inoperable stage 4 pancreatic cancer in December 2025. He was the guest on New York Times columnist Ross Douthat’s “<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/09/opinion/ben-sasse-death-pancreatic-cancer.html">Interesting Times</a>” podcast on April 9, where he called the diagnosis “a death sentence.”
Days later, Sasse went viral. It wasn’t because of his appearance on the podcast, per se, but because of a <a href="https://x.com/AlexGoldenNBA/status/2042407968528880070?s=20">clip</a> of a young couple sitting courtside at an Indiana Pacers game engaged in a conversation. It was later revealed to be about Sasse’s thoughts on the state of liberal arts colleges and America’s higher education system, as discussed with Douthat.
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Pacers TV had these fans on the broadcast, and she is NOT having it 😂
After he finally stops yapping, she says, “that’s you…what the f*** are you talking about?” <a href="https://t.co/XdXMC6xhE9">pic.twitter.com/XdXMC6xhE9</a>
— Alex Golden (@AlexGoldenNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexGoldenNBA/status/2042407968528880070?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Source: @AlexGoldenNBA/X.com
So here we have a made-for-meme moment starring two Pacers fans breathing fresh life into a man not just dying before our eyes but leaning into it so far that Sheryl Sandberg is taking notes. Now we can’t look away.
The good news and bad news are the same: you are going to die. We are all going to die. Fear not! There is no commitment on your end — other than the fate of your eternal soul. The trick to seeing both ways is to pause and consider what this means in life.
Americans are a dynamic, forward-thinking, happy-go-lucky crew who have too much going on at any given moment to stop and think about when things will stop forever. That mentality has had its benefits. We boldly ventured into the great Western frontier, stormed European beaches not once, but twice, to bail out our Old-World brethren from tangles of their own making. We rule the seas and explore the skies.
But all that moving and world-shaking leaves us wholly unprepared for the end. So yes, we’re all going to die. Death and taxes, as the saying goes. Except taxes can be managed, depending on who wields the political levers of power, or if you have an accountant whose address is a P.O. box and insists you pay in cash. Death has no workaround, comes with no instructions, and looks different for every person on the planet. But the good news is that being reminded of our mortality crystallizes the urgency and preciousness of life, and that life isn’t lived out on our timeline, no matter what technological advances the tech wunderkinds promise, and there are no one-size-fits-all guidelines.
In Tim Burton’s 1988 film “Beetlejuice,” married couple Barbara and Adam Maitland (played by Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin) die in a car accident and find themselves stuck in the afterlife with nothing but the “Handbook for the Recently Deceased” to guide them. It contains tips and quips: “Live people ignore the strange and unusual,” and “The living usually won&#8217;t see the dead.” But Burton’s film is a fictional tale with a fictional book, devoid of faith, and it spares us the actual dying part.
Ben Sasse doesn’t have a handbook on death or dying, yet here he is publicly facing his mortality in the most painful and gruesome way. Sasse is turning Beetlejuice’s “Handbook” on its head, doling out valuable insight and wisdom to the living, and we treat it like a spectator sport, except this Pacers fan boyfriend, who is trying to impart a piece of that wisdom to his girlfriend. “What the f*ck are you talking about?” she responds. Keep trying, buddy; a nation is cheering for you, and for Ben Sasse.
Douthat asked Sasse if he felt “ready to die.” He replied that although he didn’t feel ready, he had hope, due to his Christian faith, that he would be with God, “I know that that’s what I need,” he said.
We can plan for the afterlife: I want Elvis singing over the loudspeakers and free cigarettes at the funeral cash bar. But mostly, I want people to reflect on how they’re spending their limited time among the living — because even a one-day crash course on death could have repercussions in life. And that is exactly what Ben Sasse did and is doing: offering his death so we might reflect on our lives.
That’s not something we can find in any handbook.

Capitol Hill Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson

Ben Sasse Is Going To Die — And So Are You

Ben Sasse

Death

Faith

Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman described the moment he called for the ship&#8217;s chaplain at the end of the historic lunar mission, saying that even though he did not think of himself as terribly religious, he &#8220;broke down in tears&#8221; when he saw the cross on the officer&#8217;s collar.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/see-it-what-nasas-artemis-ii-commander-stole-before-he-left-the-capsule">Wiseman</a> and his crewmates sat for a joint interview that aired on Fox News on Thursday evening, and the mission commander tried to explain what had been going through his mind at the time as he struggled to grasp the enormity of what he and his team had just witnessed.
WATCH:
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NEW: Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman reflects on being MOVED to tears by the Christian cross after returning to Earth from the historic expedition:
&#8220;When I got back on the on the ship — I&#8217;m not really a religious person — but there was just no other avenue for me to explain… <a href="https://t.co/yk2JBIkxrN">pic.twitter.com/yk2JBIkxrN</a>
— Fox News (@FoxNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/FoxNews/status/2044852432891527539?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;When I got back on the on the ship — I&#8217;m not really a religious person — but there was just no other avenue for me to explain anything or to experience anything,&#8221; Wiseman said of the moment they were retrieved from the Orion capsule after splashdown.
&#8220;So, I asked for the chaplain on the Navy ship to just come visit us for a minute, and when that man walked in, I&#8217;d never met him before in my life. But I saw the cross on his collar, and I just broke down in tears,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;It&#8217;s very hard to fully grasp what we just went through.&#8221;
Wiseman also issued a challenge to the world, saying that it was very easy in today&#8217;s society to get used to a more passive existence – but that progress depended on embracing hard work.
&#8220;We&#8217;re starting to lose scope as a society that you do have to go do things. You have to go do really hard, really challenging things,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We have got to get our hands out there and engaged — our hands, and our minds have got to be engaged.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NOW: Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman shares an inspirational message to those who want to become astronauts and all of society as a whole:
&#8220;We&#8217;re starting to lose scope as a society that you do have to go do things. You have to go do really hard, really challenging things.&#8221;… <a href="https://t.co/yNjI4QTGaN">pic.twitter.com/yNjI4QTGaN</a>
— Fox News (@FoxNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/FoxNews/status/2044857455054655769?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Artemis II pilot Victor Glover, in contrast, took every possible opportunity throughout the mission to express his faith and to point to God. He delivered a brief Easter message from space, and then <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/artemis-ii-pilot-gets-a-front-row-seat-to-the-universe-and-then-points-straight-to-god">another one</a> just before the mission lost contact.
&#8220;Christ said in response to what was the greatest command, that it was to love God with all that you are … He said the second … that is to love your neighbor as yourself,&#8221; Glover said.
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JUST IN: Astronaut Victor Glover shares the Gospel from Artemis II before losing communication.
&#8220;Christ said in response to what was the greatest command, that it was to love God with all that you are.&#8221;
&#8220;He said the second &#8230; that is to love your neighbor as yourself.&#8221;
The… <a href="https://t.co/9xErKPxmQU">pic.twitter.com/9xErKPxmQU</a>
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) <a href="https://twitter.com/CollinRugg/status/2041296734312423857?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
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US-CANADA-SPACE-ARTEMIS II-NASA

The Christian Symbol That Brought The Artemis II Commander To Tears

Artemis II

Christian

NASA

U.S.

victor glover

A sharp uptick in religiosity among young American men is reversing decades of cultural trends, with new polling showing the largest year-over-year increase in religious engagement for any age group in more than two decades, an outcome many on the Right have been working toward for years.
According to a <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/708410/young-men-religious-young-women.aspx">new survey from Gallup</a>, 42% of men aged 18 to 29 now say religion is “very important” in their lives, up from just 28% two years prior. The 14-point jump marks the steepest increase measured across any demographic group in the poll’s recent history and returns young men to levels of religiosity not seen since the early 2000s.
The surge has also upended a longstanding gender dynamic. For decades, young women consistently reported higher levels of religious commitment than their male peers; that gap has now reversed, with young men surpassing young women in the importance they place on religion, holding a slight edge in religious affiliation, and matching them in attendance at religious services.
Gallup’s data show the increase is not merely attitudinal, as religious service attendance among young men rose seven points over the same period, reaching 40%, their highest level in more than a decade, bringing them into parity with young women and closer to older male cohorts than at any point in recent years.
The poll finds that the rise in religiosity is concentrated heavily among Republicans, with young Republican men driving much of the increase. That political alignment hints that the trend is not simply an ideological shift, but part of a broader cultural realignment among younger Americans.
For years, conservative leaders, media figures, and grassroots organizations have placed renewed emphasis on religion, tradition, and moral structure, particularly in response to what they describe as a vacuum of meaning created by secular institutions. That messaging has been especially targeted toward young men, a demographic often described as politically disengaged and culturally adrift in the social media era.
The late Charlie Kirk was among the key forces in the movement, consistently urging young men to reject modern nihilism in favor of the &#8220;ancient and the beautiful.&#8221; Shortly before his death, he <a href="https://www.christianitydaily.com/news/charlie-kirk-beautiful-to-see-young-men-reengaging-with-church.html">delivered a call</a> that resonated with the very men now appearing in Gallup&#8217;s data: &#8220;Find yourself back to church &#8230; that will reorient your life. Do what the church tells you to do: Find a woman, marry her, provide &#8230; have more kids than you can afford.&#8221;
The data now suggest that his effort bore fruit. While the broader trajectory of American religiosity remains in decline — with overall levels of belief, affiliation, and attendance near historic lows — young men have emerged as a clear exception. Their return to levels of religious importance last seen in 2000-2001 stands in stark contrast to women of all age groups, as well as older men, who remain at or near their lowest points in Gallup’s long-term tracking.
At the same time, young women have moved in the opposite direction. At just 29%, they are now the least religious demographic measured, widening a gap that now extends beyond religion into politics and culture more broadly. The result is a striking divergence: one cohort moving back toward faith, structure, and institutional religion, while another continues to drift away.
Gallup’s own analysis suggests the answer may lie in politics as much as in theology. The sustained increase in attendance among young Republican men since the late 2010s, as well as the more recent acceleration, indicates that religious engagement is increasingly intertwined with political identity. That dynamic has amplified the impact of the shift. With nearly half of young men now identifying as or leaning Republican, gains within that group are large enough to reshape the overall trend line. It marks a major victory for the conservative movement’s central argument — that cultural renewal requires a return to faith and tradition.
The data offer early signs that such a shift may already be underway among a key demographic.
Whether that trend continues or expands beyond its current base remains to be seen. For now, however, the numbers point to a clear break from the recent past: after decades of steady decline, young men are moving back toward religion in measurable and historically significant ways.

intersection of religion & politics: rear view of rows of wooden pews with religious liturgy books stored in pew racks in church

Young Men Just Surged In One Key Area And It’s Flipping A Decades-Old Gender Gap

Gender

Polls

Republican Party

On Tuesday’s episode of The View, it was Joy Behar’s turn to play biblical scholar. The longtime co-host confidently asserted: “Jesus himself did not run around saying, ‘I’m the Messiah, I’m the Messiah.’”
Co-host Sara Haines, to her credit, immediately responded with the obvious: “That’s exactly what Jesus said, ‘I am the Messiah.’”
Let that sink in. One of television&#8217;s most prominent voices just rewrote the Gospels on live television because it was politically convenient. This is what passes for insight on daytime television. And don’t forget that ABC considers The View a news show.
Let’s do what Behar clearly hasn’t: open a Bible.
In John 4, Jesus sits down with the Samaritan woman at the well. She says the Messiah is coming. Jesus replies plainly: “I who speak to you am He.” In John 8:58, He declares, “Before Abraham was, I am” — a direct claim to the divine name of God from Exodus 3:14. The religious leaders tried to stone Him on the spot for blasphemy. During His trial before the high priest Caiaphas in Matthew 26, when asked if He was the Christ, the Son of the Blessed, Jesus answered, “I am.” That confession is what led directly to His crucifixion. The entire trial and execution hinge on Jesus affirming His identity as the promised Messiah.
Is Joy Behar having a Joe Biden moment?
Jesus didn’t “run around” shouting it like a campaign slogan, but He most certainly claimed it — repeatedly and clearly and with divine authority. He spoke as one with authority over the Law itself. The very reason He was crucified was because He claimed to be the Messiah.
This isn’t just garden-variety ignorance. It’s the sneering arrogance of the secular Left, which loves a neutered, hippie version of Jesus who never makes any uncomfortable truth claims. In reality, the real Jesus is far too politically incorrect for The View set. He’s the one who called religious hypocrites a “brood of vipers” and insisted He was the exclusive path to salvation. Joy Behar and company like to memory-hole the parts of the story that don’t fit their narrative.
The View has long been a safe space for this kind of casual anti-Christian contempt. From Whoopi Goldberg’s historical illiteracy to the panel&#8217;s routine sneers at Christian nationalists, these multimillionaire celebrities treat faith as either a joke or a weapon, depending on the target. Behar isn’t just wrong here, she’s confidently, arrogantly wrong. The kind of wrong that only comes from someone who hasn’t cracked open a Bible since she <a href="https://ffrf.org/publications/day/joy-behar/#:~:text=Raised%20Catholic%2C%20she%20now%20identifies,felt%20that%20I%20was%20brainwashed.%E2%80%9D">“lost her faith”</a> to “find herself.”
The irony is thicker than her makeup. These are the same hosts who invoke Jesus when they want to shame conservatives about immigration or taxes, but the second a Republican does anything remotely culturally Christian, suddenly He’s just some vague figure who never made any bold claims about Himself. Meanwhile, actual Christianity — the kind grounded in Scripture — remains the most persecuted faith on earth, absorbing violence while progressives like Behar lecture us from their cushy ABC perch about who the real threat is.
While Behar was busy screaming to America about narcissism during Holy Week, millions of Christians were celebrating the holiest days of the year — the week the Messiah did exactly what the Gospels record: He claimed His title, carried His cross, and rose from the dead three days later to prove every word true.
Next time Joy wants to play Bible scholar, maybe she should try reading one first.

ABC’s “The View” – Season 21

ABC News Host Joy Behar Claims Jesus Christ Never Called Himself Messiah

Media Bias

The View

In a recent <a href="https://tuckercarlson.com/april-14-2026-morning-note">Morning Note</a> newsletter, Tucker Carlson Network told subscribers: “The people in charge don’t want you to know this, but Muslims love Jesus.” The post <a href="https://x.com/TCNetwork/status/2044060521901576664?s=20">highlighted</a> Islam’s reverence for “Isa” as a major prophet and miracle-worker who will one day return to defeat the Antichrist. It even linked this supposed common ground to Iran’s president Masoud Pezeshkian’s outrage over a painting depicting Donald Trump as the Son of God.
This is classic Tucker: contrarian, anti-elite framing designed to expose what “they” don’t want you to know. But it collapses under scrutiny. It peddles an interfaith platitude that flattens irreconcilable theology, whitewashes 1,400 years of conquest and subjugation, and ignores the systematic, ongoing slaughter of Christians in Muslim-majority nations — facts documented year after year by credible monitors. Carlson, who built his brand exposing cultural rot and elite lies, is here recycling the very “religion of peace” trope he once mocked. Worse, his recent comments reveal a broader pattern of downplaying radical Islam as a threat while Christians die for the faith he claims to defend. Tucker appears to sympathize with Muslims (as individuals or against “hate”) more than he spotlights their brothers and sisters in Christ being hunted.
The doctrinal chasm makes true “love” impossible. Islam does revere “Isa,” but the Quran’s version is a human prophet, not divine. He never claimed godhood, never died on the cross for sins, and never rose from the dead. Explicitly: “They did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, but it was made to appear to them so” (Surah 4:157). The Trinity is condemned as polytheism (Surah 5:73). Isa is a forerunner to Muhammad, not the eternal Son of God whose blood atones. To say Muslims “love Jesus” while stripping Him of deity, crucifixion, and resurrection is like praising Abraham Lincoln while insisting he never opposed slavery. It is not the biblical Christ. Core Islamic texts treat Christianity as corrupted and superseded. The dhimmi system (Quran 9:29) codifies Christians and Jews as second-class subjects paying jizya tax in humiliation — protected only insofar as they submit. Apostasy from Islam carries the death penalty in traditional jurisprudence. Individual Muslims can be kind neighbors — especially as minorities in the West. But when Islamic ideology holds power, the pattern is subjugation or elimination, not “love.”
The data from Open Doors’ <a href="https://www.opendoors.org/persecution/WWL-2026-International-Advocacy-Report.pdf">World Watch List</a> 2026 is unambiguous and devastating. More than <a href="https://www.opendoorsus.org/en-US/stories/5-things-you-need-to-know-about-open-doors-2026-world-watch-list/">388 million Christians</a>, one in seven globally, face high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith. In the top 50 countries alone, over 315 million endure very high or extreme levels. During the reporting period (October 2024 to September 2025), 4,849 Christians were killed specifically because of their faith. Nigeria alone accounted for 3,490 of those deaths — an increase from 3,100 the previous year. Sub-Saharan Africa saw 93 percent of all faith-related Christian killings worldwide.
After North Korea (No. 1, the only non-Islamic state at the top and it has held that spot for 24 years), the list is dominated by countries where Islamic extremism is the primary driver: Somalia (No. 2), Yemen (No. 3), Sudan (No. 4), Eritrea (No. 5), Syria (No. 6), Nigeria (No. 7), Pakistan (No. 8), Libya (No. 9), and Iran (No. 10). Open Doors identifies Islamic extremism as the main source of persecution in roughly 40 of the top 50 nations.
In Nigeria, Boko Haram, ISWAP, Fulani militants, and other jihadist groups have made the country the deadliest place on earth for Christians. Villages are burned, churches razed, and families slaughtered with near-total impunity — attackers have been recorded declaring their intent to destroy Christians. In Pakistan, blasphemy laws rooted in Islamic doctrine trigger mob lynchings and death sentences over alleged insults to Muhammad or the Quran. In Iran, Christian converts face arrest, torture, or execution. The pattern holds across the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of Asia: wherever Sharia influence grows, Christian populations shrink or vanish. This is not ancient history — it is 2024–2025 reality, and the numbers show Muslim-majority nations and Islamist groups are the world’s leading perpetrators of violence against Christians.
History confirms the incompatibility. Christianity was once the majority faith across the Middle East and North Africa. After the 7th-century Islamic conquests, jizya taxes, legal discrimination, church destruction, and periodic violence reduced it to scattered minorities. Christians comprised 13–20 percent of the region’s population a century ago. Today, they are roughly <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_the_Middle_East">5%</a>. In Iraq alone, the Christian population fell from about 1.4 million before the 2003 U.S. invasion to between 300,000 and 500,000 now. North Africa’s once-thriving churches were virtually erased. This was gradual attrition under institutionalized inferiority — exactly what dhimmi status and apostasy laws enforce. When Muslims achieve demographic or political dominance, the ideology produces the outcomes Open Doors documents annually.
Carlson’s framing is especially disappointing because it mirrors the Left’s reflexive defense of Islam while ignoring the body count. But it’s jarring from him. In a December 2025 interview with <a href="https://www.theamericanconservative.com/tucker-carlson-talks-the-west-collective-punishment-and-antisemitism/">The American Conservative</a>, he dismissed fears of radical Islam in the United States as an “Israeli government psyop” pushed by “its many defenders and informal employees in the United States.” He stated flatly: “I don’t know anyone in the United States in the last 24 years who’s been killed by radical Islam.” He added that he sees “millions of Americans being destroyed, and none of it is at the hands of radical Islam,” and has called hostility toward Muslims “disgusting.” He has defended Muslims against anti-Islam rhetoric, praised Christian-Muslim “harmony” in places like Jordan, and criticized Protestant and evangelical leaders harshly while downplaying threats from Islamist ideology. Tucker appears to prioritize anti-Israel/anti-neocon rhetoric. As an Episcopalian who calls himself Christian, ignoring that “Isa” rejects Christ’s core claims — and that real followers of the real Jesus are being slaughtered — undermines the very faith he invokes.
The Iranian president’s offense at a Trump-as-divine painting is trivial next to the daily reality: Actual followers of Jesus are hunted, beaten, and murdered across the Islamic world. Scripture demands we discern spirits and false prophets, not pretend incompatible faiths “love” the same Lord. The data, doctrine, and history are not “Islamophobic,” they are simply facts. Ignoring them helps no one, least of all the persecuted.
***
Bethany Miller is the Director of Communications at NRB, Managing Editor of The Conservateur, and a Senior Fellow at Concerned Women for America.

Pakistani activists from the “Christian Helpline Pakistan”

No Tucker, Muslims Don’t ‘Love Jesus’

Christian Persecution

Tucker Carlson

Former Nebraska Republican Senator Ben Sasse said he does not fear his death during an <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/09/opinion/ben-sasse-death-pancreatic-cancer.html">interview</a> with Ross Douthat earlier this week.
Sasse <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/former-senator-ben-sasse-reveals-stage-four-cancer-diagnosis-ive-got-less-time-than-id-prefer?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Former+Senator+Ben+Sasse+Reveals+Stage-Four+Cancer+Diagnosis%3A+%E2%80%98I%E2%80%99ve+Got+Less+Time+Than+I%E2%80%99d+Prefer%E2%80%99">said</a> in December that he had been diagnosed with metastasized, stage-four pancreatic cancer, calling it a “death sentence.”
“I was incredibly blessed to be quickly at peace,” Sasse told Douthat. “I kept hearing the Pauline phrase, ‘To live is Christ, to die is gain.’&#8221;
“Death is terrible,” Sasse added. “We should never sugarcoat it. It is not how things are meant to be. But it is great that death can be called the final enemy. It’s an enemy, but it’s a final enemy, and then there will be no more tears.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Former Sen. Ben Sasse, who is facing terminal illness, opens up about how his faith in Jesus Christ is sustaining him during this difficult time:
“I believe in the Resurrection, and I believe in a restoration of this world, and so I did not feel great fear about my death.” <a href="https://t.co/MhZrV5ULra">pic.twitter.com/MhZrV5ULra</a>
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/2042661373125984542?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Sasse is now in the fourth month since his diagnosis, having been told he had three to four months to live.
“I believe in the Resurrection, and I believe in a restoration of this world, and so I did not feel great fear about my death,” Sasse said. “I didn’t want the pain I was going through, I didn’t want to be a pansy-ass in my final moments.”
Sasse had a bloody face during his interview, a side effect of a new cancer treatment, he told Douthat. The treatment is extending the lives of cancer patients, but causes bleeding, peeling, and rashes.
“It’s a nasty drug,” Sasse said. “It causes crazy stuff, like my body can’t grow skin, and so I bleed out of a whole bunch of parts of me that shouldn’t be bleeding.”
Sasse has done several interviews since his diagnosis, and he told Douthat he has “time to redeem.”
“You gotta redeem the time, and there’s only so many bits of unsolicited advice I can give my children,” Sasse said when asked why he is choosing to talk to journalists. “You journalists want to talk, and if you don’t have anybody better, I’m your man.”
Although Sasse said he has made peace with his mortality, he added that he does have regrets about having prioritized poorly throughout his life.
“We’re all on the clock, and I wanted to have prioritized better, and whether I really only had three or four months left or if I get nine to 12 months left, I wanna prioritize better from then. But in my tradition, in Christianity, the need for daily repentance is just a truth. I am broken,” Sasse said. “And I get to repent every day of my sins — of both omission and commission. And yet, at a slightly bigger level, if you’re only gonna get three or four months, you really wanna get some of your affairs in order.”
Sasse said he has felt a heaviness about the diagnosis because he does not want to leave his children without a father.
“I knew that God was not surprised by the diagnosis,” Sasse said. “There is not a maverick molecule in the universe. But I didn’t like the idea of my 14-year-old son not having a dad around at 16. I didn’t like the idea of my daughters, who are 22 and 24, not having their dad there to walk them down the aisle.”
Despite his concerns, Sasse said, he is still at peace.
“I’ve continued to feel a peace about the fact that death is something that we should hate, we should call it a wicked thief, and yet, it’s pretty good that you pass through the veil of tears one time and then there will be no more tears,” Sasse said.

‘To Die Is Gain’: Ben Sasse Faces Terminal Cancer With Unshakable Faith

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