Rex M Rogers - Discerning What Is Best

Discerning What Is Best
With Dr Rex Rogers

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Details: Written by Rex M. Rogers; Published: 10 November 2020

So as not to bury the lead, let me state it outright—

First Amendment freedoms in the United States are under threat from the Left via Big Social Media, on university campuses, and in “news” rooms.

For the first time, I’ve had a video “age restricted” on YouTube. I got the notice this morning. What’s weird is that the video in question is 5-years-old, and also strange is it’s harmless. I took the video standing on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, panning the city while church bells rang on Palm Sunday. It’s beautiful and I was pleased at the time to be at the right place at that hour.

That’s it. No commentary. Somehow this is deemed not suitable for all viewers?

Some have said this is just bots or YouTube algorithms going awry. Maybe.

Some say this is another example of Big Social Media acting like Big Brother, censoring willy-nilly what it finds objectionable based upon a Leftist agenda, and at times with a seemingly anti-religious point of view.

But where there’s smoke there’s fire. Just ask Prager University, a conservative nonprofit organization that’s had several hundred of its videos blocked by YouTube.

“The legal battle by the organization co-founded by commentator and talk radio host Dennis Prager began in October 2017. Prager University, known as PragerU, filed a lawsuit against Google after YouTube placed more than 100 of its videos in “restricted” mode, flagging them as “dangerous” or “derogatory,” according to a press release from PragerU.

“'Restricted’ means that families that have a filter to avoid pornography and violence cannot see that video,” Prager told a Senate subcommittee in a July hearing.”

“PragerU said in the press release that it filed the suit because Google and YouTube have restricted 10% of its video content and “maintains that the organization’s videos have been restricted, not because they are explicit, vulgar or obscene in nature, or inappropriate for children in any way, but rather because they promote conservative ideas.”

“The videos categorized as restricted cover a range of topics, including the Ten Commandments, tolerance, climate change, free speech, and fake news, and tend to be three to five minutes in length.”

Religious conservatives have also been censored by YouTube and other Big Social Media.

“Social media sites continue to find new and imaginative ways to censor, ignore, or downplay opinions and facts that dissent from their failed worldview.” Public universities, sadly, are no better, and may in fact be worse.

I don’t know why my harmless little video was age restricted, but I don’t like it and don’t like the trend.

I am far more concerned about the anti-freedom trends I see in America than I am about COVID-19, Trump vs Biden, social unrest, and certainly climate change. Lose America’s First Amendment freedoms and you lose what since 1776 has been known as the United States of America.

*This blog may be reproduced in whole or in part with a full attribution statement. Contact me or read more commentary on current issues and events at www.rexmrogers.com/, or connect with me at www.linkedin.com/in/rexmrogers.

Details: Written by Rex M. Rogers; Published: 04 November 2020

SAT-7 affirms biblical doctrine and is not affiliated with any denomination.

In its broadcasts, SAT-7 emphasizes the realities and challenges Christians in the Middle East and North Africa share in common. The ministry does not denigrate or attack any other religion but presents the claims of Christ and Christianity, allowing individuals to make their own comparisons and spiritual decisions.

SAT-7 cites two documents to express the ministry’s foundational biblical understanding:

First, the Nicene Creed, one of the oldest and most widely recognized professions of Christian faith, considered perhaps the best description and definition of Christianity ever written.

The second, the Lausanne Covenant, an influential modern statement of Christian faith, including a reaffirmation of the Nicene Creed and an elaboration of fifteen biblical teachings.

SAT-7 shares the Word of God’s presentation of truth, love, hope, and history pointing to the Middle East region as the birthplace of Christianity, and witnesses to the Gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ.

Details: Written by Rex M. Rogers; Published: 29 October 2020

Things I pray for that may not be God’s will:

COVID-19 to end worldwide, now.
Social unrest, including in the US, to cease.
Polarization in culture to give way to productive consensus.
Authoritarian regimes to fall to democratic movements.
Religious liberty for everyone in the world.
No more wildfires, hurricanes, or other “bad weather.”
Abortion policy reversed; abortions reduced then eliminated.

That last one was the hardest one for me to write.

The point here is not me suggesting God does not care or that He blesses such travail, but that the Sovereign God is in charge, that accidents or surprises don’t happen in the divine economy, that He works His purposes in spite of and through adversity and evil.

So, I pray for His providential wisdom, His will, His mercy and grace.

Details: Written by Rex M. Rogers; Published: 28 October 2020

"Trust the science," is usually offered in reference to COVID-19 or climate change.

The comment is not bad as such, though science is the product of human researchers and scientific conclusions often differ, which is one of the values of science in which other studies can always be done and with them more learning take place. However, when people cherry pick scientific research to find conclusions that fit their pre-determined narrative, it doesn't reinforce scientific credibility. That's one reason, "The Science is settled," is such a bogus statement, now morphed into a political mantra.

“Trust the science,” we’re told re C-19, climate change.

--Should we then “trust the science” re abortion? Science unequivocally shows us a human life in the womb. Why is it acceptable, even laudable, to ignore this science?

--Should we “trust the science” re gender theory? Science unequivocally shows us binary male or female DNA in nearly every cell in the human body. Why is it acceptable, increasingly demanded, we ignore this science?

--Should we “trust the science” re education? Science shows us learning flourishes in free inquiry, respect for truth, and embrace of goals, standards, expectation. Why is it acceptable to ignore this science as we watch American universities turn into intolerant, relativist, racialized, guilt-ridden places where dissent is not welcome?

Apparently trusting the science depends upon one's ideological point of view.

Details: Written by Rex M. Rogers; Published: 21 October 2020

SAT-7 is non-partisan and nonpolitical.

SAT-7 is not a political organization, does not promote any political policy, party, figure, or ideology, and refrains from political associations.

The ministry focuses upon sharing the Gospel and Christian teaching with all people, including children, in the Middle East and North Africa.

Yet, SAT-7 recognizes that the Word of God speaks to social issues, so the ministry applies a Christian worldview and biblical values to issues like peace, religious freedom, and biblical human rights for women, children and all individuals. SAT-7 rejects religious conflict and promotes justice, education, social and economic development.

Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is the Light of the world that transcends all borders, tribes, religions, and ideologies.

This, not politics, is SAT-7’s message of reconciliation and hope.

Details: Written by Rex M. Rogers; Published: 21 October 2020

Jeffrey Toobin, New Yorker staff writer and CNN legal analyst, has been suspended by the New Yorker while it investigates his behavior and given time off by CNN to deal with a “personal issue.” He exposed himself—allegedly engaging in a sex act—on a Zoom call with colleagues. His excuse was he thought he’d muted the video and that no one could see him—nothing about why he thought having his pants down during a work Zoom call was necessary or appropriate, mute video or not. Toobin got his own hashtag, #MeToobin.

Since Toobin is a well-known liberal star conservatives have gloated online about his downfall. But this is nothing new. When conservative star Bill O’Reilly fell from the limelight due to sexual harassment claims, liberals and the Left gloated.

Rose McGowan, the actress who helped launch the #MeToo movement, slammed liberals who rushed to Toobin’s defense. Toobin joins media figures Roger Ailes, Charlie Rose, Matt Lauer, Mark Halperin on the list of do-badders. And if you branch out to entertainment, there’s Bill Cosby or chef Mario Bartali, then of course the new measure of lowest of the low, Harvey Weinstein.

The same happens in politics. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Dennis Hastert, Republicans, and John Edwards and Al Franken, Democrats, come to mind. Then there are the big names: Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, all accused of sexual misconduct before or during office. And by the way, the same happens in religion and the Church.

The point here is not sexual misconduct, though this is wrong, nor is it that men have done this before and will do it again, not that this excuses anyone.

The point is: whether you are on the Right or the Left, Republican or Democrat, both sides of the ideological spectrum and partisan aisle have and will again sometime soon find themselves in a scandal related to sexual misbehavior.

Neither the Right or the Left, Republican or Democrat have any room to gloat.

If your political opposite is publicly suffering now due to sexual malfeasance, just wait a bit and your team will be in the wrong limelight soon enough.

Christians are reminded:

“Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God” (Psalm 146:3-5).

Worldwide culture with all its segments, Far East or Middle East or West, is becoming ever darkened by sin.

Sexual misconduct and perversion among society’s elite will get worse (Romans 1). This is just one manifestation of Satan’s influence as “the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work” (Ephesians 2:2).

But no nation-state, no politician, no political party platform or ideological manifesto has ever been able or will ever be able to resolve the spiritual challenges facing humanity.

Only Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, the Light of the World (John 14:6; 8:12). And he has given to Christians the honor of being ambassadors:

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors” (2 Corinthians 5:17-20).

There is no place for gloating, only grace.

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