208 Epiphany 3: Apply Salt
“He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved.“ ~ Psalm 62
Apply Salt
The funny thing about Mad Christian Mondays is that, for the most part, I don't believe any of it. I realized that this week when I posted one of the many tweets that I do not retweet but rather repost to the “Dystopic Cosmic Horror” channel in the Dark Shore Universe on Discord. (Does that need explaining? The DSU is a server in on the discord app where, among many other fine and worthwhile Christian filtering sorts of things, yours truly and a rag tag crew of would be fact checkers (ahem, I mean Frisby - whom you should totally start paying now by signing up for The Mad Tank) check our facts and pray for discernment. The Dystopic Cosmic Horror channel is not so much a place to post things that one knows to be true, as it is to post things one WANTS to know if they ARE true. For me, it is my own personal playground for studying the overlap between media ecology and demonology, a specialized filter to test and resolve a select amount of crazy from the world of endless white noise. “At least in here, we’re asking these questions together.” The content I reposted was a cgi render of Japan’s reported moon landing last week. (Do you see where this is going?) What I didn’t realize was that the original twitter account was actually self-styled as “Flat Earther.” This led to an excellent moment when a fine citizen of the DSU pondered aloud whether or not a person can both believe in a flat earth and still be a reliable witness. It was then that I realized something. It certainly wasn’t that I believe in a flat earth. God knows! It’s that I don’t care to waste much time believing in a round earth either. (I do know that flying over Antarctica directly sounds like a Bilbo Baggin's “great adventure!”) I also know that the more anyone dismisses any claimant story with nothing better than “I am the science,” the more sympathetic I become to the counter narrative, if only because I like rooting for underdogs. In a world of stories from far away, I’ve come to terms with the fact that caring too much about any one thing that “everyone knows,” but which no one has seen or can see clearly, is the best way to put yourself in a position where liars are able to take control of you. The flat earth meta, whatever else it is, is an optimistic, pious and generally affable view of the creation. The alternative pale blue dot mythos, especially when witch-hunting the cute, little, flat earthers, runs in trenches openly bitter, sterile and increasingly godless. But, like I said at the start, the funny thing about it is that I don't really believe either of them. I just don't have time to care more than in passing about things I can neither prove nor disprove. Does the sun go across the sky, or do we spin past it? Do you look up at the stars, or do down at them? Do you take the news with a grain of salt, or does the beast call your shots for you? The best part about "mostly not believing" all of the news is that it allows perspective to consider believing even some of the most audacious of news, without the risk of openly believing any bit of all of it entirely too much. It's mostly lies anyway. You? You're a child of the light in search for the truth. Till angel cry and trumpet sound, The Mad Christian
The Blitz
Births, Deaths and Marriages
House Republicans have voted to support two pro-life bills, designed to reduce abortions by supporting mothers. H.R. 691 aims to stop the DHS from discriminating against pregnancy resource centers when it comes to government grant money. H.R. 6914 requires universities and colleges to “inform female students of their rights under Title IX if they become pregnant and choose to carry their child to term.” Pro-abortion advocates have been critical of crisis pregnancy centers (and you can guess why). One Democrat lawmaker accused crisis pregnancy centers of nefarious motives saying, “They only have one agenda, and that is to make sure you stay pregnant.” Is that not better than the “one agenda” of abortion mills? (Denver Gazette)
The national March for Life was held in Washington DC last weekend with many braving the weather to stand for the unborn. (LifeSite News)
A proposed bill would remove “furries” from school classrooms in Oklahoma. No doubt “students who dress and act like animals” are disruptive to learning. Rep. Justin Humphrey, who introduced the bill, said the issue he was trying to highlight was even deeper: “Any time we are catering to a mental health disease of a kid thinking they're an animal, I think we've got problems." Text in the bill further outraged progressives: “If their parents can't come pick them up ... animal control services will be contacted to remove the student.” (News on 6)
A new study reveals that instability in home life, not poverty has the biggest impact on how well children do in life. (Rob Henderson)
Presidency
Governor Ron DeSantis has announced that he is suspending his campaign to be the GOP presidential nominee and throwing his support behind Donald Trump. Trump won the Iowa caucus, securing about 50% of the vote there, with DeSantis and then Nikki Haley trailing further behind. On the stump in New Hampshire, the former president thanked Governor DeSantis for his support and congratulated him on running a good campaign. “[People] think it’s easy to run a campaign, it’s not easy,” he said. (Red State, Right Side Broadcasting)
Vivek Ramaswarmy also announced he was suspending his campaign and endorsed Donald Trump. Tim Scott (R-SC) ended his race too and endorsed Trump over his own governor, Nikki Haley. (Just the News, Just the News)
Politics
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) says the House Select Committee investigating the weaponization of government has found that treasury departments have been targeting conservatives. A letter released by Rep. Jordan claims that in the aftermath of January 6th, 2021, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network asked banks to comb through customer transactions to find purchases of bus tickets, “religious texts,” and subscriptions to “extremist” media outlets. (Not the Bee)
After insisting he would only testify in a public Congressional hearing, Hunter Biden has agreed to sit in a closed-door session at the end of next month. GOP lawmakers had moved to hold the First Son in contempt of Congress after he refused to respond to subpoenas. (Just the News)
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has been released from the hospital following complications from cancer surgery. (Just the News)
Coming to America
A Texas-based bus company is suing the city of Chicago over restrictions on migrant drop-offs. According to city rules, “Only two buses can arrive per hour, Monday through Friday, between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Bus operators must provide city officials with advance notice and receive approval before shuttling individuals into the city.” (The Blaze)
Texas is still refusing to allow Border Patrol agents to access Eagle Pass, a busy spot for illegal crossings. (Military.com)
Maxwell Frost (D-Fla), a first-term legislator said that if Republicans want to restrict immigration, they may as well sign his bill proposing the removal of the Statue of Liberty too, “our largest symbol that tells people to come here.” (The Hill)
From the Mad☧Tank
If you believe clear voices are needed in the white noise and like what we do, then support Mad☧Mondays! Get early access and join the chat by signing up through Substack or support this work with any amount here.
This week:
Recent stuff from our archive:
Do you have something you think the church is not talking about and should be? Then write about it! If you would like to submit your writing to be published in our Tank, please reply to this email. We would love to hear from you.
Crime, Law and the Courts
The Supreme Court of the United States has heard oral arguments last week for two companion cases that threaten to rein in what is known as the administrative state. Relentless Inc. v. U.S. Dept. of Commerce and Loper Bright v. Raimondo strike at a concept known as the “Chevron Deference”, named after a landmark 1984 ruling which “requires courts to defer to an agency’s reasonable interpretation of an ambiguous statute.” Critics of Chevron argue that it has allowed bureaucracy to flourish as courts defer to regulatory bodies in the case of disputes. Both cases were brought by fishermen who say meeting regulations cuts into their profits. Federal regulation requires “owners of fishing vessels in the Atlantic herring fishery to pay for monitors who collect data and oversee operations while they're at sea.”While members of the House may feel unqualified to pass law when it comes to the minutiae of fisheries, the only way to reduce the power and bloat of the administrative state is for Congress to do its job, as Margot Cleveland notes: “Chevron deference has allowed Congress for far too long to avoid making tough calls.” (CBS, The Federalist)
A report released by the Department of Justice last week has condemned the “cascading failures” by law enforcement that contributed to 2022’s Robb Elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. A grand jury has been selected to investigate the delayed response by law enforcement while the shooter was in the school. (Statesman, Texas’ Tribune)
Actor Alec Baldwin has once again been charged with involuntary manslaughter over the shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on a movie set last year. (ABC)
Health, Medicine and Food
The World Health Organization’s Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus has issued fresh calls for nations to sign on to his proposed pandemic treaty, to assist with readiness for for future outbreaks including for “disease X”. According to WHO spokeswoman, the moniker is a catch-all placeholder for a potential super-deadly pathogen yet unknown. All those known unknowns are enough to make your head spin.. (The Blaze, WHO)
Meanwhile, a new study out of China claims to have created a virus from a novel coronavirus with 100% kill rate in humanized mice. (Livemint)
On Threats, Near and Far
The Digital Age
A long write up on Meta’s plan to integrate its Threads app into the Fediverse. (Plastic Bag)
How lowercase letters save data. (End Times)
Facebook’s Messenger app will prompt teens to go to bed. (Meta)
It’s not your imagination: Google results are getting worse. (The Register)
A brief history of passwords: we’ve come a long way since pronouncing "shibboleth" correctly was an authenticator. (J Carlos Roldan)
War
Yemen-based Houthi rebels have been placed back on the US list of terrorists, allowing the Biden administration to place financial sanctions on the group. President Biden had formerly removed the terror designation for fear that penalties would impact the population of Yemen who are destitute. Two-thirds of the population have been under Houthi control since 2014, when they seized Yemen’s capital. A Saudi-lead coalition has been fighting to return the recognized government to power. (PBS)
Houthi terrorists have hit another US-owned merchant ship in the Gulf of Aden, with reports saying the projectile made little impact. Houthi leaders announced they’ll let Chinese and Russian ships pass through the Rea Sea unhindered, but will continue to attack vessels “in any way connected with Israel”. (Reuters, Times of Israel)
Pakistan has carried out retaliatory strikes on “terrorist hideouts” in Iran. (Time)
Iranian-backed militants have attacked a US military base in Iraq with rockets and ballistic missiles. Most of the missiles were intercepted, but “multiple personnel” were injured. (Just the News)
Two US Navy SEALs are feared dead after going missing during a raid on a ship which was carrying weapons bound for Houthi rebels. One soldier was swept overboard in rough seas, with another jumping in to help. (Business Insider)
Boxes of medical supplies have reportedly reached Gaza, intended for hostages held by Hamas and also for Palestinians. (AP)
Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected calls to plan for an independent Palestinian state. (BBC)
It’s safe to say there’s a lot going on in the Middle East. (X)
Economy, Markets and Jobs
House Speaker Mike Johnson says he is “done” with using Continuing Resolution bills to fund the government. The latest spending measure passed with more votes from Democrats than Republicans, and will keep government ticking over until March, but issues of funding for Ukraine and the US southern border have yet to be addressed. (Just The News)
Boeing going ? Atlas Air flight seen with engine on fire over Miami. The Boeing 747-8 landed safely with the company confirming engine malfunction. (ZeroHedge)
Lawmakers in the US and UK have urged the Securities and Exchange Commission to think again about letting the world’s largest meat packing company join the New York Stock Exchange. Eco groups argue that Brazilian-based JBS is “linked to more destruction of forests and other ecosystems than any other company in Brazil.” (AP)
The S&P 500 set a new record high last week. (Axios)
God’s Green Earth
Ford has announced that it intends to cut production of its electric F-150 Lightning in half as demand is “slower than many expected”. Electric vehicles are getting a bit of bad press in the chilly weather hitting the USA with sub-zero temperatures reducing the range of many EVs considerably. Chicago Tesla drivers found that frozen charge stations needed two hours or more to get them back on the road, although Norwegian EV drivers apparently have some tips for navigating the bitter weather. (CNBC, Red State, ABC7)
OpenAI’s Sam Altman says artificial intelligence is using too much energy. (Futurism)
Perhaps kite power will solve the world’s energy needs? (Spectrum)
Washington farmer borrows people’s cows to help his improve his soil. (Ambrook)
Science
A Japanese startup plans to use a laser system to vaporize space junk from earth. (Interesting Engineering)
Maybe something like this?
Arts, History and Sport
The gym master aboard the Titanic envisioned a day when “there would be a gym in every town.” (ESPN)
The truth about book bans. (The Free Press)
Don’t try this at home: The best movie stunts of 2023. (Vulture)
This week in history:
1991 Persian Gulf war begins. (Britannica)
1973: Roe vs Wade makes abortion legal in all fifty states. (Britannica)
Stories from Far Away
🇩🇪 Large crowds have turned out in German cities to protest the right wing Alternative for Germany (AfD)party. The party has gained a lot of attention over its immigration policies including rumors that it planned to deport foreign-born citizens. The plan had been suggested by a separate group at a meeting with AfD members, but German Chancellor Olaf Scholz “condemned the AfD and Identarian Movement in a statement on social media, comparing them to the Third Reich.” (CNN, Fox)
🇨🇳China’s population has decreased for the second year running. (NBC)
🇪🇪 Estonia has ejected the head of the Russian Orthodox Church due to ties with the Kremlin. (Politico)
Quick Hits for the Eyebuds
🔥Understanding the physics of building a fire using friction
🎾 Why tennis balls are fuzzy
🇲🇳 Mongolian YouTubers show how they make their breakfast of milk tea and meat
⛸️ Cold therapy: Man takes a stroll across Lake Michigan ice
🗣️ A tour of America’s accents and dialects
🚆 The model train industry is in danger of dying out
👽 Lexington KY is hoping to make first contact with alien tourists
😍 Guy asks people from around the world to teach him their favorite dance moves
🏎️ AI-controlled race cars are here and about to get their own F1 comp
🚃Man drives his homemade rail car on abandoned tracks
A Good Word: Links from the Show Notes
Jonathan and Meridith (YouTube, Rumble) dealt with some heavy topics on Friday night’s show, including persecution of pastors and forgiveness after sexual abuse.
And Take They Our Life: Martin Luther's Theology of the Martyrdom by Bryan Wolfmueller, or download the PDF for free here
Voices of the Martyrs from Kingstone Comics
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini
Ausburg Confession Articles 7 and 8: of the Church
Our disclaimer: These are some resources the Fisks have found edifying, but when dealing with human-authored texts, apply discernment liberally!
Sweetness You May Have Missed
This Week Preached:
Podcast Release:
Let us pray. Almighty and everlasting God, mercifully look upon our infirmities and stretch forth the hand of Your majesty to heal and defend us; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
You can also make a one-off or recurring donation here. Thank you!