Crosstalk America

Crosstalk America Crosstalk America is a daily hour-long live call-in program from VCY America, heard weekdays on over 100 radio outlets across America and worldwide on the Internet. Crosstalk covers the issues that affect our world, our nation, our families and the Christian church from a perspective centered in the Word of God. Whether we discuss the economy, the political scene, the continuing moral collapse of our nation, legislation that affects the family, or the state of evangelicalism, our authority is found in the unchanging standard of the Holy Scriptures. Jim Schneider brings over 30 years of experience and brings solid information to the body of Christ. http://vcyamerica.org Tue, 24 Feb 2015 15:51:00 +0000 Tue, 24 Feb 2015 15:51:00 +0000 hourly 1 3600 SnapPages.com Is LGBTQ Compatible with the Bible? http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/08/08/is-lgbtq-compatible-with-the-bible Wed, 08 Aug 2018 15:45:54 +0000 Jim Schneider We’re living in a time in which some people are taking the position that you can be true to identifying as a homosexual and at the same time be true to God, to Christianity, and to the teachings of Scripture. Churches which one time took positions in opposition to homosexuality and transgenderism are now removing their opposition and have become what some term, “opening and welcoming” on the subject allowing those who identify as being homosexual or transgender into their church membership and even into positions of authority in the church including that of the pastorate. Some are saying that you can even support homosexual marriage without betraying God. Churches that have not changed have been said to be unwelcoming, intolerant and even bigoted. The question is: What does the Bible have to say on the issue? Is there compatibility between identifying as LGBTQ and identifying as being a born-again Christian? Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: Wed, 08 Aug 2018 15:58:42 +0000 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/08/08/is-lgbtq-compatible-with-the-bible Date:     August 08, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest: Dr. David Brown
Listen:     MP3 | Order

We’re living in a time in which some people are taking the position that you can be true to identifying as a homosexual and at the same time be true to God, to Christianity, and to the teachings of Scripture. Churches which one time took positions in opposition to homosexuality and transgenderism are now removing their opposition and have become what some term, “opening and welcoming” on the subject allowing those who identify as being homosexual or transgender into their church membership and even into positions of authority in the church including that of the pastorate. Some are saying that you can even support homosexual marriage without betraying God. Churches that have not changed have been said to be unwelcoming, intolerant and even bigoted. The question is: What does the Bible have to say on the issue? Is there compatibility between identifying as LGBTQ and identifying as being a born-again Christian?
Joining Jim in discussion on this important topic was Dr. David Brown. Dr. Brown is the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Oak Creek, WI. He holds a Masters Degree in Theology and a PhD in History, specializing in the history of the English Bible. He's also the President of Logos Communication Consortium, a research organization that produces a large variety of materials warning Christians of present dangers in our culture.

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation has a booklet called, 'Coming Home to Evangelicalism and to Self'. It addresses those that are living openly and also fully as a homosexual while at the same time being true to God and Christianity. It notes that evangelical LGBTQ individuals have been taught through the church that such relationships may be sinful yet these people of faith know deep within them that they were born that way. Is that true?

Dr. Brown began by telling the audience that God makes this very clear in Genesis where it says '...male and female created he them.' You are either XX (female) or XY (male). He's amazed at how many people are willing to put away science for feeling.

I Corinthians 6:9-11 says, 'Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate (the one who takes the female part in a homosexual relationship) nor abusers of themselves with mankind (that's the one who takes the male part) Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.'

The next part says, 'And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of our Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.'

Dr. Brown described how in context this is not a one-time incident but rather a lifestyle involving these practices, so as far as being born that way is concerned, such individuals are deceived.

He admitted that when he was dating, he had the deep desire to have sexual relationships those girls he dated. He did not engage in that because the Bible says that activity is to be confined to the marriage relationship as I Corinthians 7 makes clear. So just because someone has the deep desire within themselves to engage in something doesn't make it biblical. The born-again believer will instead put off the old man and put on the new man.

Can a person be both faithful to God and to the understanding of themselves as being LGBTQ?

On this point Dr. Brown looked to Jude 1:3 where it encourages us to earnestly contend for the faith that is once delivered to the saints. Then in Romans 1:25-27 it says, 'Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.' (or right)

So when God defines something as wrong, you can't be faithful to Him and to your calling of what God says is the wrong kind of affection.

Dr. Brown let listeners know that Jesus never calls anyone to immorality. When he confronted the woman taken in adultery in John 8:11, Jesus told her to, '... go, and sin no more.' God blesses repentance!

This covers just a portion of this broadcast and Dr. Brown covers a lot of Scripture as he deals with each of Jim's points. Listeners were given an opportunity to have their say in the matter as well as the LGBTQ lifestyle and the Bible were contrasted on this edition of Crosstalk.

More Information:

www.logosresourcepages.org (click on 'Issues for Believers')

]]> ]]> Why Property Rights Matter http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/08/07/why-property-rights-matter Tue, 07 Aug 2018 15:45:54 +0000 Jim Schneider Regarding private property and how important it is to freedom, Locke said that if private property rights and protections don't exist, then the incentive for an industrious person (to develop and improve it) is destroyed. Marauding bands can then confiscate property and goods by force, meaning people will be forced to remain at a bare subsistence level because they'll believe that it does them no good to build something because someone will come along and take it away. So private property includes the idea that it belongs to you and is yours to protect, to develop and to use. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: August 07, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest: Tom DeWeese
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Tom DeWeese is the president of American Policy Center. He's one of the nation's leading advocates of individual liberty, free enterprise, private property rights, personal privacy, back-to-basics education, American sovereignty and independence and protecting our Constitutionally-guaranteed rights. He's the author of 'Sustainable: The War on Free Enterprise, Private Property and Individuals'.

Tom began by noting that today we have all these rules and regulations about what you can or can't do with your property, the necessary permits, etc. You have the right to pay the taxes and the mortgage, but every other decision concerning your property seems to take place in a 'back room' somewhere.

Jim had Tom talk briefly about early American economist John Locke. Regarding private property and how important it is to freedom, Locke said that if private property rights and protections don't exist, then the incentive for an industrious person (to develop and improve it) is destroyed. Marauding bands can then confiscate property and goods by force, meaning people will be forced to remain at a bare subsistence level because they'll believe that it does them no good to build something because someone will come along and take it away. So private property includes the idea that it belongs to you and is yours to protect, to develop and to use.

This is why socialism is a fallacy and doesn't work. Tom described the situation by saying we are not ants where we all live in an ant hill and we all just pitch in and do our part no matter what it is. Then on top of that, we're paid the same amount of money whether it's cleaning sewers or being a corporate executive.

In free market capitalism, each person reaps the benefits of what they do. However, that only works if your property is protected. Locke mentioned 'roving bands' and Tom noted that today we have roving bands of government. He cited the Kelo decision of 2006 as an example. In that case it was decided that if a community could better use your property for a different purpose, even if the purpose involved private ownership, it could be taken. So with the Kelo decision, private property is no longer protected. There are private/public partnerships with developers and people sitting in the back room of government meetings with maps as they divide the community via eminent domain.

The key to this broadcast is understanding that the way America grew and became wealthy so quickly was because of ownership of private property and the equity involved. Every bit of our property is registered in the U.S. Once property is registered, at that point it can be used for loans. As Tom pointed out, 60% of the businesses in America were launched by using the equity from their private property to obtain loans and that, in turn, employed a majority of the people. Unfortunately, the concept of private property is under attack, and as this moves along, we're seeing our nation become poorer.

As the broadcast continued there was discussion about those who say land needs to be confiscated for the greater good, conservation or economic development; Tom defined land patents; what we can learn from the former Soviet Union and Venezuela on this issue, and more.

More Information:

www.americanpolicy.org ]]> Islam in Politics http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/08/06/islam-in-politics Mon, 06 Aug 2018 15:45:54 +0000 jim Schneider This year we are seeing a record number of Muslims running for public office. Why is this surge taking place? Is it a coincidence or is there a purpose behind it? Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: August 06, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest: Usama Dakdok
Listen:     MP3 | Order

This year we are seeing a record number of Muslims running for public office. Why is this surge taking place? Is it a coincidence or is there a purpose behind it?

Joining Crosstalk to answer these and other related questions was Usama Dakdok, president of the Straightway of Grace Ministry and speaker on the daily radio program, 'Revealing the Truth About Islam'. He has translated the Qur'an into English giving an accurate English translation and also has authored, 'Exposing the Truth about the Qur'an'.

Usama began by referring to Mustafa Saied who laid out the basic goal of the Muslim Brotherhood in America. According to Usama, he (Saied) found out that the U.S. Brotherhood had a plan for achieving Islamic rule in America. It would convert Americans to Islam and elect like minded Muslims to political office.

Then there's Siraj Wahhaj, a man Usama described as being the 'pope' of Islam. He said, 'You don't get involved in politics because it is the American thing to do. You get involved in politics because politics are a weapon to use in the cause of Islam.'

As this Crosstalk moved along, Jim had Usama comment on the following:

--How it's Allah's word that Muslims are to lie if necessary, even when giving an
oath to the United States of America.
--Representative Keith Ellison's conversion from Catholicism to the Nation of
Islam.
--Regina Mustafa, a moderate Muslim running for mayor of Rochester, Minnesota.
--The deceptive 'Jesus' of Islam.
--Islam in Michigan and their leftist Muslim candidate for governor.
--Johnny Martin running for Arizona State Congress.
--Why Muslims consider Democrats to be infidels as well but are using them to get
their way.
--Usama's loving, truthful words to pro-Islamic callers.

...and much more.

More Information:

www.thestraightway.org ]]> Friday News Round Up and Comment http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/08/03/friday-news-round-up-and-comment Fri, 03 Aug 2018 16:33:22 +0000 jim Schneider Jim begins with a tribute concerning the Christian testimony of fallen Milwaukee (Wisconsin) police officer Michael Michalski who was laid to rest Wednesday. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: August 03, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Listen:     MP3 | Order

The following stories made the cut for this edition of the 'Round-Up':

--Jim presented a tribute concerning the Christian testimony of fallen Milwaukee
(Wisconsin) police officer Michael Michalski who was laid to rest Wednesday.
--Pastor Andrew Brunson has been released from jail and is now under house arrest
in Turkey. The Trump administration has leveled sanctions against top Turkish
officials over the detention of the pastor.
--President Trump has said he'd be willing to meet with Iran's president with no
preconditions.
--U.S. officials are fighting against an Iranian lawsuit in the International
Court of Justice that seeks to block the imposition of harsh new sanctions from
the Trump administration.
--Citizen journalist Tommy Robinson, who had been exposing what was going on in
European courts as it relates to Islam, has been released from prison on bail
pending a fresh hearing.
--The Trump administration has created a religious liberty task force.
--Pro-homosexual voices are up-in-arms over remarks by a Trump administration
official pledging to end the Obama-era practice of using aid to influence
foreign nations policies on abortion and homosexuality.
--A 3 judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court affirmed a ban on anything that might
resemble prayer at board meetings in a Southern California school district.
--An Illinois school district has reportedly advised one of the nation's most
conspicuous church/state separation groups that it has disallowed a local
Christian from distributing Bibles on a street near an elementary school and
told the man that the police would be called should he come on campus.
--28 states have joined together to file an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme
Court to protect a 93 year old cross honoring WWI veterans, with the case having
broader implications for memorials nationwide.
--In an attempt to save on car insurance, a Canadian male legally changed his
gender to female resulting in almost $1,100 dollars in savings.
--A Michigan appeals court has ruled in favor of a former Planet Fitness customer.
--An explosion of red tide algae off the coast of Southwest Florida is killing
marine animals in record numbers.
--A fire tornado caused a wave of destruction in Redding, California.
--The chief of the United Nations says they are running out of money.
--Senator Rand Paul says he has reviewed the record of Judge Kavanaugh and has
decided to support the nomination.
--A poll released by the Susan B. Antony List finds that of those with an opinion,
58% of Americans want to see abortion policy decided by the people through their
elected representatives rather than by the Supreme Court.
--The Senate narrowly confirmed Britt Grant to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of
Appeals despite attempts by abortion activists to block her.
--Planned Parenthood launched another campaign to fight pro-life politicians
and their work for unborn babies.
--The Trump administration continues to provide Planned Parenthood with Title X
grants according to a list of organizations receiving family planning funds.
--A Pennsylvania medical waste company has been hired by abortionclinics.org, a
late term abortion facility located in Bethesda, Maryland, after two other
companies canceled contracts to pick up the remains of aborted babies.

]]> The Rise of Islam in America http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/08/02/the-rise-of-islam-in-america Thu, 02 Aug 2018 15:52:27 +0000 jim Schneider Is it just coincidental that we're seeing the rise of Islam here in the U.S. or is it intentional? Sam Rohrer believes it's intentional because it's advancement is about Shariah which is the ultimate goal, leading to a caliphate of total control of the whole world under Islam. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: August 02, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest:    Sam Rohrer
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Sam Rohrer is the president of American Pastors Network and Pennsylvania Pastors Network. Sam is a former state legislator in Pennsylvania and was frequently referred to as the 'Conscience of the House' because of his stance for moral truth in public policy.

Is it just coincidental that we're seeing the rise of Islam here in the U.S. or is it intentional? Sam believes it's intentional because it's advancement is about Shariah which is the ultimate goal, leading to a caliphate of total control of the whole world under Islam.

Sam feels Islam is targeting the U.S. because we are powerful. If in the pursuit of world dominance (which is what the Qur'an teaches) if the U.S. can be brought to its knees to become supportive of Islam, then the advancement toward world domination will be greatly improved. In other words, the goal of Islam isn't necessarily to destroy us, but to convert us. If they can achieve that goal, the ability to bring the world to its knees becomes easier.

Sam noted that the phrase 'civilization jihad' is accurate but that others would refer to it as 'shirt and tie' infiltration. We tend to think that purely implemented Islam is about terrorists who blow themselves up. That is not the primary element of Islam. The part that prepares the way involves those who work behind the scenes by wearing shirts and ties while infiltrating various levels of our government, the church and other aspects of American society. These individuals lay the groundwork to prepare the culture for acceptance of Islam. That then allows them to do things to bring us forcibly to our knees.

According to Sam, promotion of Islam is very prevalent across American college campuses. They are there to help further the idea that Islam is equal in standing to any other religion protected under the First Amendment. It's happening because the church in America and our current education system hasn't been sufficiently teaching the truth about God's Word so that people can identify the deceivers and those who run counter to biblical faith.

As the conversation continues there's talk about how Christians portrayed negatively in the news seem to have their stories go nationwide while negative Muslim news stories seem to remain regional. Then there's discussion regarding Muslim refugees, why Christian churches are falling prey to Islam, the encouragement of deception within Islam, and much more.

More Information:

www.americanpastorsnetwork.net

]]> The Most Terrifying Words You Could Ever Hear http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/08/01/the-most-terrifying-words-you-could-ever-hear Wed, 01 Aug 2018 16:07:16 +0000 jim Schneider Mike Gendron is responsible for that statement. He's the founder and director of Proclaiming the Gospel Ministry. Mike was a devout Roman Catholic for 34 years and was taught to rely upon the authority of the church above all else. He searched the Scriptures and was amazed to find that what he read in Scripture contradicted the teaching and tradition of the church he had been a part of for so long. He trusted Jesus as his Savior and now the Bible has become his sole authority in all matters of faith. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: August 01, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest:    Mike Gendron
Listen:     MP3 | Order

The guest on this edition of Crosstalk said something that should serve as a wake-up call to everyone. He said that we can be wrong about a lot of things in this life and still survive, but if we're wrong about our faith, we will pay for that mistake forever and ever.
Mike Gendron is responsible for that statement. He's the founder and director of Proclaiming the Gospel Ministry. Mike was a devout Roman Catholic for 34 years and was taught to rely upon the authority of the church above all else. He searched the Scriptures and was amazed to find that what he read in Scripture contradicted the teaching and tradition of the church he had been a part of for so long. He trusted Jesus as his Savior and now the Bible has become his sole authority in all matters of faith.
What are the most terrifying words anyone could ever hear? Mike noted that those words were spoken by Jesus Christ. He said, 'I never knew you. Depart from me.' Jesus went on to say that not a few, but many will hear those words, many that call him 'Lord'.' Christ is speaking here about professing Christians who've been deceived regarding life's most critical issue and that concerns what one must do to be saved.

These words of Jesus will be communicated on the day of judgment. In response, many will say that they did do all these things in the name of Jesus but Jesus will tell them that they never departed from iniquity. So what people are trusting in is the religious works they've been doing rather than what Christ has done.

The apostle Paul gives a warning/exhortation in II Corinthians 13:5. He says, 'Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?' Paul was writing this to the church in Corinth, exhorting them to make sure they had genuine, God-given, saving faith.

Mike noted that in Matthew 7:22-23, where Christ gives his warning, he's talking to people that are boasting about everything they've done in the name of Jesus. They're even calling him 'Lord'. So salvation is not based upon what we do, but instead upon what Christ has done.

Sadly many people, when asked about salvation, will mention what they've done, haven't done or what they are doing now to please God. In James 2:10 it says that if you keep the whole Law perfectly yet stumble at just one point, you're guilty of breaking all of it. So until a person can be saved, they must first be convicted to realize that they are a sinner on death row. They need to find a substitute that can die for them and that substitute is Jesus Christ.

As this Crosstalk progressed, Mike explained the hallmarks of a false convert, how these traits can be corrected, the professors of Christ vs. the possessors, and much more.

More Information:

To obtain the DVD 'False Converts in the Church' (with a bonus message called 'Witnessing for the Glory of God') at the reduced price of $12 and/or the tract 'True Faith or False Hope?' go to www.proclaimingthegospel.org. Click on 'store', then 'video messages'. If you don't have internet access you can call 817-379-5300.

]]> The Hebrew Roots Movement http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/07/31/the-hebrew-roots-movement Tue, 31 Jul 2018 16:03:20 +0000 jim Schneider The modern Hebrew Roots Movement does more than just study the roots of our faith. It's really an idea that says that Christians who may not have Jewish ethnicity (gentiles) are required/obligated to keep the Law of Moses. So it's a return to the keeping of the Law as opposed to historic Christianity which has taught that we are not under that Law. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: July 31, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest: Tim Chaffey
Listen:     MP3 | Order

The Bereans were commended because they searched the Scriptures daily so they would know if the things they were being taught were true. In the pastoral epistles we see an urgent plea to grasp hold of sound, biblical doctrine, knowing that even today there are doctrines and teachings that are causing confusion.

One such area of confusion is the Hebrew Roots Movement. Listeners have called VCY America requesting information on this topic or to have us address it. In order to do that, Crosstalk looked to Tim Chaffey. Tim is the director of Midwest Apologetics. He has served in the positions of a pastor and also a youth pastor. He's the author of nearly two dozen books including 'Old Earth Creationism on Trial' 'God and Cancer: Finding Hope in the Midst of God’s Trials' and many others. He is also a researcher and an apologist.

Christianity obviously has its roots in the Jewish people (the Hebrews). The early church began with 3,000 Jews at Pentecost and soon after you read in the book of Acts about 5,000 people. This all took place within Jerusalem and Judea. So there's no question that Christianity has Hebrew roots.

The modern Hebrew Roots Movement does more than just study the roots of our faith. It's really an idea that says that Christians who may not have Jewish ethnicity (gentiles) are required/obligated to keep the Law of Moses. So it's a return to the keeping of the Law as opposed to historic Christianity which has taught that we are not under that Law.

Many questions need to be answered in order to understand this movement. Below are just some that Jim had Tim respond to and these were followed up by questions and comments from Crosstalk listeners:

--Is this movement new or has it been around for some time and how large is it?
--How does the Hebrew Roots Movement define 'Jew'?
--Is the church the true Israel and how is 'Israel' defined by each of the
testaments?
--Does a gentile become a Hebrew when trusting in Christ as Savior?
--How does Romans 1:16 fit into this discussion?
--What is the Mosaic Law?
--Were gentile believers ever required to keep the Mosaic Law?
--Are believers in Christ required to keep the Jewish Sabbath? After all, wasn't
the keeping of the Sabbath to be perpetual?
--Is keeping 9 of the commandments while not keeping the Sabbath commandment
hypocritical?
--Does the Gospel depend upon the works of the Law?
--Does the Hebrew Roots Movement or elements of it challenge the Trinity or the
deity of Christ?
--How does the Hebrew Roots Movement deal with Christmas?

More Information:

www.midwestapologetics.org

]]> The Legal Health of Churches http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/07/30/the-legal-health-of-churches Mon, 30 Jul 2018 16:36:51 +0000 jim Schneider So what about our churches? What is their legal health? What safeguards can they take to yield protection in the event of adversity? How do we bring about maximum ministry with minimum liability? Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: July 30, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest:   David Gibbs III
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Have you ever prepared for a trip by taking your automobile to a service garage for a check-up? Perhaps you go to the dentist or doctor on a regular basis to get an assessment regarding your dental or overall physical health. Maybe you meet with your insurance representative to review your policy and make sure everything is still in order.

So what about our churches? What is their legal health? What safeguards can they take to yield protection in the event of adversity? How do we bring about maximum ministry with minimum liability?

Joining Jim to answer these and other such questions was David Gibbs III. David is the president and general counsel of the National Center for Life and Liberty, a legal ministry that protects the rights of churches and Christian organizations nationwide. He regularly speaks at churches and conferences and also litigates cases as a trial attorney. He also manages the Gibbs Law Firm and has argued before the United States Supreme Court as well as numerous federal and district courts. He was the lead attorney in the Terri Schiavo case representing her parents as they fought to save their daughter's life. He's the author of five books including 'Fighting for Dear Life' and 'Understanding the Constitution'.

While for many years churches seemed almost immune from liability, today they are being sued like any other business. The reasons for such lawsuits can vary from hiring and firing decisions, to the issue of volunteers, safety and security, protecting children, vehicle accidents, and other categories.

Unfortunately, while many pastors have received world-class educations by attending Bible colleges and seminaries, the idea of making sure they are prepared for the business side of ministry can be lacking. This involves knowing how to handle ministry finances to protecting the church tax exemption.

As this program moved along, Jim had David detail child safety policies and procedures (including background checks for ministry volunteers, electronic communication/social media, reporting of child abuse, and protecting church personnel from false accusations), plagiarism, emergency response policies and procedures, and much more.

David pointed out that the Devil hates the church and if he can use the legal system, it becomes a 'stick' to attack the Lord's work. So if you take any steps for Jesus, you can expect adversity because the Devil won't leave you alone. Due to that threat, what he's attempting to do through the National Center for Life and Liberty is to partner with local churches and encourage them to do everything God has called them to do, do it with excellence, but at the same time do it in a way that minimizes liability.

More Information:

Mention you heard David Gibbs on VCY America's Crosstalk program and any information you request will be sent free of charge. Go to www.ncll.org or call 1-888-233-6255.

]]> News Roundup 7-27-18 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/07/27/news-roundup-7-27-18 Fri, 27 Jul 2018 16:21:22 +0000 jim Schneider The Middle East is a hotbed of activity. A top Iranian general has said that forces in Syria are just awaiting orders to destroy Israel. A Syrian fighter jet was recently shot down after infiltrating Israel's airspace. Israel is telling Russia that Iran must withdraw from Syria. Iran's President has issued a dire warning to the United States with President Trump responding to Iran to never threaten the United States again. What is the significance of all of this? What is the prophetic significance? Joining us to discuss these issues is Dr. Gary Frazier. Dr. Frazier is a respected speaker and writer on the subject of bible prophecy. He is founder and President of Discovery Missions and has authored several books - including one previously discussed on Crosstalk 'Miracle of Israel' subtitled, 'The Shocking, Untold Story of God's Love for His People.' Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: July 27, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Listen:     MP3 | Order

What a great way to start off a news 'Round up Friday' as Jim announced Pastor Andrew Brunson 'HOME!' Now, while it is under house arrest, even so, after almost two years in detention, Pastor Brunson was released at 5:30pm Wednesday from a maximum security prison in Turkey. This all followed a court order citing health reasons. Pastor Brunson must stay at the home until his next hearing scheduled for October 12th. Vice President Mike Pence had called on the nation of Turkey to release Brunson or face sanctions saying that Pastor Brunson 'deserves to be free.' Turkey has since responded advising the US to 'watch our manners.' Brunson, a Pastor from North Carolina has lived in Turkey for 23 years and has been on trial for terrorism and spying charges.

-On the 65th anniversary of the Korean War, North Korea has returned what is believed to be 55 cases of remains of US servicemen killed, during the Korean War. This is a promise kept to President Trump from Kim Jong Un after their June 2018 summit, in Singapore.

-US GDP 'skyrocketing' up to 4.1% in the 2nd quarter - far outrunning 1st quarter numbers (audio clip)

-Venezuela's inflation may hit '1 million percent'

-Facebook stock collapsing - fears regarding user privacy, discrimination and censorship; outlook decelerating

-Waiter fakes a racist receipt in Odessa, Texas - has regrets

-Trump Administration will grant up to 12 billion dollars for emergency farm aid

-New Public Enemy discovered: Plastic Straws (Santa Barbara, CA)

-First Transgender 'superhero' coming to television this Fall

-Republicans introduce 'ol' Glory Act' forbidding any other flag but that of the US at Embassies

-Musilm Iman from Fresno, CA says invocation before the US House of Representatives (July 24, 2018)

-Former USA gymnastics Doctor convicted of molesting girls now, sexually assaulted himself within hours of entering jail

-Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio will run for Speaker of the House.

-22 women in America have died from taking abortion pills (an FDA report)

-Pro Life Journalist David Daleiden sees 7 out of 11 claims dismissed by the NAF (National Abortion Federation)

-In November, voters in Alabama may amend their state constitution to protect the rights of the unborn

-Prosecution of 13 pro life protesters stopped by a federal judge

-New graphic video game called 'Doom Baby Fetus' kills the unborn

-Senate confirms new VA Leader 86-09

-US High School Leadership Summit leads President Trump to 'work on' making America's lunches 'great again'

-Republicans repeal obscenity exemptions (protects parents and kids)

-Rep Maxine Waters has God 'sent her?'

-Senator Corey Booker attacks Supreme Court nominee - with the bible.

-Millionaire business man hands out hundreds of thousands of dollars in Chicago

-Gov. Andrew Cuomo grants conditional pardons

-Connecticut Democrat takes a knee in protest of President

-Federal Judge dismisses LGBT lawsuit

-Federal Judge orders Wisconsin to pay for surgeries for those in gender dysphoria

-Pennsylvania Farmers court ordered to 'cease and desist' from bible studies

There is more - we take your phone calls!

]]> Focus on the Middle East http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/07/26/focus-on-the-middle-east Thu, 26 Jul 2018 17:32:16 +0000 jim Schneider The Middle East is a hotbed of activity. A top Iranian general has said that forces in Syria are just awaiting orders to destroy Israel. A Syrian fighter jet was recently shot down after infiltrating Israel's airspace. Israel is telling Russia that Iran must withdraw from Syria. Iran's President has issued a dire warning to the United States with President Trump responding to Iran to never threaten the United States again. What is the significance of all of this? What is the prophetic significance? Joining us to discuss these issues is Dr. Gary Frazier. Dr. Frazier is a respected speaker and writer on the subject of bible prophecy. He is founder and President of Discovery Missions and has authored several books - including one previously discussed on Crosstalk 'Miracle of Israel' subtitled, 'The Shocking, Untold Story of God's Love for His People.' Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: July 26, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest: Dr. Gary Frazier
Listen:     MP3 | Order

The Middle East is a hotbed of activity. A top Iranian general has said that forces in Syria are just awaiting orders to destroy Israel. A Syrian fighter jet was recently shot down after infiltrating Israel's airspace. Israel is telling Russia that Iran must withdraw from Syria. Iran's President has issued a dire warning to the United States with President Trump responding to Iran to never threaten the United States again. What is the significance of all of this? What is the prophetic significance? Joining us to discuss these issues is Dr. Gary Frazier. Dr. Frazier is a respected speaker and writer on the subject of bible prophecy. He is founder and President of Discovery Missions and has authored several books - including one previously discussed on Crosstalk 'Miracle of Israel' subtitled, 'The Shocking, Untold Story of God's Love for His People.'

In light of all that has already been said, Dr. Frazier immediately speaks directly to Crosstalk listeners offering the 'big picture view' of what Scripture says is going to be happening in the last days. Starting with the book of Genesis and then referring us on to Revelation, he begins to spell out the prophetic implications from our news today. The problem he sees however, is that 'most people today would rather not talk about the end of times.' He coins a term called 'prophecy burn out' which he describes as those who have heard so much that the sky is falling that they no longer care about such things; and therefore warns that in light of the many prophecies already fulfilled in Israel, this is 'a naive and dangerous position to take in our culture today.'

Dr. Frazier refers to prophecies yet fulfilled from Ezekiel chapters 38 & 39 which he teaches gives us a picture of where we are today in the Middle East conflict. A future event with a coalition of nations against Israel (Ezekiel 38:1) led by 'a leader of what we now know today as Russia...will ultimately come against the nation of Israel (the Jewish people) because they want them to be destroyed.' Dr. Frazier (speaking of Russian President, Vladimir Putin) says he is a former KGB agent who 'has his eyes set on world domination' and while it is a political game being played, this in itself has 'spiritual and biblical implications' to what is now happening. He also mentions some of the other 'end time players' who will work to try to destroy Israel - to no avail.

Also discussed is Iran's desire to acquire nuclear weapons to first destroy Israel, and then the West. While people are confused about Iran's desire for Israel's annihilation, Dr. Frazier comments that the whole thing is 'a religious situation.' While we here in America (and other nations) tend to separate politics from religion, Dr. Frazier says 'unfortunately, in the Middle East we have subscribers to a very narrow strain of Islam' these he says who believe they must bring forth a worldwide catastrophe, that their god 'Allah' can usher in their Mahdi (leader) who will initiate Islam worldwide. To note further, 'the men that flew aircraft into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and the field in Maryland, they didn't do that because they were secular atheists; they did that because they were men who were deeply religious and who were on a religious mission.' Frazier explains 'you will never be able to solve a religious problem with a political solution.' He also adds that while Iran does want to destroy us, it is not necessarily the Iranian public - but, Iran's leaders.

Ultimately, Dr. Frazier admits that while the Middle East situation is a 'grave, serious situation, all of it speaks to the fact that there is a God on the Throne in Heaven, Who knows what tomorrow holds and Who holds our tomorrows, and it is so vital that we understand where we are because these truths help us to realize that each and every day is a precious gift from our Lord and that we need to be serious about the Father's business.' He encourages all that biblical prophecy was 'never given to scare us - but, to prepare us. We as Christ followers, need be a prepared people.'

For more information:

www.garyfrazier.com

]]> The Role of the Church http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/07/25/the-role-of-the-church Wed, 25 Jul 2018 17:31:13 +0000 jim Schneider When asked 'what is the role of the Church?' Pastor Greg first answers 'ultimately, to glorify Christ' made up of 'those who have trusted in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior who have been indwelt by the Spirit of God...who are the Church, the body of Christ.' Quoting from Ephesians chapter 4 he teaches how the Church is for so much more than what is being understood or popularized today. He makes it clear that the Church is not 'in anyway shape or form for the world but, is actually for believers...and although someone who doesn't know Christ may come and hear the gospel and praise the Lord, should they fall down and trust in Christ, even still, the Church remains for believers, to be built up for the works of service and to glorify Christ, to exalt Him.' But when asked are we taking the right stands, doing the right things? He answers 'no.' Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: July 25, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest:    Pastor Greg Lundstedt
Listen:      MP3 | Order

At VCY America, we believe the local church is VITAL. That Jesus Christ has established the Church of which, He is the Head (Ephesians 4:15) and that the gates of Hell will not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18). Very sadly however, and to the dismay of so many, there is clearly less and less interest being shown toward the Church here in America. Today we ask the question - what is the role of the Church? Joining us for today's discussion is Greg Lundstedt. Greg serves as Pastor/Teacher of the Vancouver Bible Fellowship in Vancouver, Washington. He is heard weekly on the VCY America Radio Network and Equipping the Saints Radio.

When asked 'what is the role of the Church?' Pastor Greg first answers 'ultimately, to glorify Christ' made up of 'those who have trusted in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior who have been indwelt by the Spirit of God...who are the Church, the body of Christ.' Quoting from Ephesians chapter 4 he teaches how the Church is for so much more than what is being understood or popularized today. He makes it clear that the Church is not 'in anyway shape or form for the world but, is actually for believers...and although someone who doesn't know Christ may come and hear the gospel and praise the Lord, should they fall down and trust in Christ, even still, the Church remains for believers, to be built up for the works of service and to glorify Christ, to exalt Him.' But when asked are we taking the right stands, doing the right things? He answers 'no.'

Crosstalk asks several important questions including the importance of sound doctrine, why youth are leaving the Church, the rise of Islam and interfaith dialogue as well as the LGBTQ movement. Even with all of these things, Pastor Greg shares that his greatest concern is that 'it seems everyone is doing what is right in their own eyes. That people are just deciding we should do church this way or that way and you see people following just as the Scriptures warn, wanting their ears tickled' (2 Timothy 4). He is grieved that the 'seeker sensitive model' which breaks God's principles is so forth going and 'isn't good.' He reiterates that 'the Church is for the saved to be built up, and THEN to go into the world that people would hear the Gospel and be saved.' Regardless, Pastor Greg's faith is strong in God and says the Church need remain steadfast in 'leading, guiding and protecting' the flock. Crosstalk takes your phone calls!

more Information:

www.etsradio.org

]]> The EPA's Quiet Agreement with the UN http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/07/23/the-epas-quiet-agreement-with-the-un Mon, 23 Jul 2018 17:29:46 +0000 jim Schneider During the Obama administration, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) very quietly inked an agreement with the UN that our guest says is both 'anti-American and anti-biblical.' Furthermore, the story 'needs the engagement of the American people.' Our guest, Alex Newman is an international freelance journalist, author, educator and consultant. His articles appear frequently in The New American and he also writes for Freedom Project Media. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: July 23, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest: Alex Newman
Listen:     MP3 | Order

During the Obama administration, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) very quietly inked an agreement with the UN that our guest says is both 'anti-American and anti-biblical.' Furthermore, the story 'needs the engagement of the American people.' Our guest, Alex Newman is an international freelance journalist, author, educator and consultant. His articles appear frequently in The New American and he also writes for Freedom Project Media.

Immediately, Alex Newman encourages Crosstalk listeners to become familiar with Agenda 2030 saying 'go out and read the document for yourselves' it is 'not very long' and 'surprisingly short.' However, it's tentacles are long enough that even now under President Trump, Agenda 2030 has yet to be rescinded. Newman explains that Agenda 2030 contains 17 goals whereas, each goal has targets - 169 targets, total. In cutting right to the chase, Newman explains how one of the tasks at hand is to 'brainwash (America's) children.' Agenda 2030 calls children 'critical agents of change who will find within these Agenda 2030 goals, a way to channel their infinite capacities into the creation of a better world.' Outlined are many goals, including for education, which would be aligned with the practice and promotion of sustainable development. Newman contends this is 'a terrible idea, essentially, totalitarian ideology masquerading as environmentalism.' In laymen's terms, 'sustainable development' teaches that humans are a 'disease' and calls for the exact opposite of biblical procreation.

Crosstalk listeners can be encouraged because Newman explains that while the bureaucrats are championing the agenda, Agenda 2030 has 'no legitimate basis' and could be declared 'null and void' under President Trump, or even the next EPA administrator. Yet, left as signed, it will remain in effect until the year 2021. Newman explains that this agenda is a voluntary arrangement and is presently, 'not binding.' When asked what can be done toward getting Agenda 2030 tossed out? Newman comments that there are several 'good people' working to get this in front of the President yet, encourages 'grassroots' effort - raising awareness in a variety of ways including 'educating yourself and educating others.' All those concerned should call the White House, their congressmen and senators (see numbers below). When asked 'what do we say?' Newman quickly responds 'say, I understand that the EPA has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the UN environment program promising to implement Agenda 2030 - I oppose this and all other agreements that infringe on our sovereignty and that have not been properly ratified and that erode our liberties.' Newman says we must hold all our elected officials accountable and to 'keep exposing evil doers.' Crosstalk takes your phone calls.

More Information:

White House 202-456-1111 or 202-456-1414

Congress 202-225-3121

Senate 202-224-3121

www.thenewamerican.com (search for Obama Era EPA Deal)

]]> News Roundup 7-20-18 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/07/20/news-roundup-7-20-18 Fri, 20 Jul 2018 16:15:06 +0000 jim Schneider Below is just a sample of the headlines that Jim rolled out for comment by Crosstalk listeners: --4 more people confirmed dead after a duck boat capsized in a Branson, Missouri lake. --Jay Sekulow of the American Center for Law and Justice has engaged a multi- faceted, global legal advocacy campaign working with the lawyer of Pastor Andrew Brunson who is in prison in Turkey. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: July 20, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Below is just a sample of the headlines that Jim rolled out for comment by Crosstalk listeners:

--4 more people confirmed dead after a duck boat capsized in a Branson, Missouri
lake.
--Jay Sekulow of the American Center for Law and Justice has engaged a multi-
faceted, global legal advocacy campaign working with the lawyer of Pastor Andrew
Brunson who is in prison in Turkey.
--A graduate of Berkeley High School in California who reportedly told authorities
he wanted to help ISIS kill 10,000 people in the San Francisco Bay area, pleaded
guilty to federal charges on Wednesday.
--President Trump has asked the White House to extend an invitation to Russian
President Vladimir Putin to come to Washington later this year.
--President Trump clarified remarks he made during a joint press briefing with
Vladimir Putin in Helsinki on Monday. President Trump said he accepts U.S.
intelligence analysts that Russia did, in fact, interfere in the 2016
presidential election through propaganda, while also stating there was no
collusion between the Kremlin and his campaign.
--President Trump posted a clip of Hillary Clinton promoting a prosperous and
stable Russia.
--Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the U.S. will not agree to Vladimir Putin's
request for certain American citizens to be interrogated by Russian officials in
exchange for help with the 12 Russians who were indicted for election hacking.
--President Trump mourned the death of a U.S. secret service agent who died
earlier this week.
--Democratic candidates around the nation now seek the blessing of socialists.
--In an interview, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called for open rebellion against
federal immigration authorities.
--In an attempt to explain why unemployment levels have dropped to lows of 4% and
lower under the Trump administration, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez explained that
unemployment is low because everyone has 2 jobs.
--Representative Joe Crowley says that the greatest threat to the U.S. is the
president in the White House.
--The California Democratic Party is snubbing Dianne Feinstein and endorsing her
rival Kevin de Leon.
--As many as 100 Muslims filed to run for state-wide or national office in this
election cycle.
--A Muslim woman running for Congress says she has plans to expand the Civil
Rights Act of 1964.
--Keith Ellison, the deputy chair of the Democratic National Committee, believes
national borders create an injustice by keeping Mexican workers from traveling
to the U.S. to seek better paying jobs.
--The deputy commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guard has boasted that the Islamic
army in Syria was awaiting orders to eradicate the evil regime of Israel.
--Hamas plans to attack Israel with exploding drones.
--A man was arrested at Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix for
threatening to kill a female TSA agent because she is a woman.
--The Council on American/Islamic Relations is asking a judge to prohibit an
author and an investigator from mentioning the group's Hamas and Muslim
Brotherhood origins in court.

]]> A Voice for the Voiceless http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/07/19/a-voice-for-the-voiceless Thu, 19 Jul 2018 15:59:56 +0000 jim Schneider Jim noted that we have numerous anti-bullying campaigns telling us not to speak out on marriage being between a man and a woman or that someone who's in the homosexual lifestyle or has same-sex attractions can change. In doing so, Christians are labeled as intolerant and bullying. Yet if you want to stick a scissors in the back of a baby's head and suction out their brain, that's not bullying, that's choice. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: July 19, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Listen:     MP3 | Order

The Bible is very clear that abortion is an abomination to God (Proverbs 6:16-17). In spite of that, our Supreme Court has sanctioned the killing of over 60 million precious lives since the Roe v. Wade decision.

Jim noted that we have numerous anti-bullying campaigns telling us not to speak out on marriage being between a man and a woman or that someone who's in the homosexual lifestyle or has same-sex attractions can change. In doing so, Christians are labeled as intolerant and bullying. Yet if you want to stick a scissors in the back of a baby's head and suction out their brain, that's not bullying, that's choice.

This mentality highlights the division in our nation between those who strive to uphold the sanctity of life and those who believe it's a right to kill innocent human life in the womb.

Jim read headlines from numerous stories that highlight this division within our nation. Below is just a sample, the first of which are encouraging while the others are troubling:

--On Tuesday a federal judge sided with the Trump administration in a lawsuit
challenging its move to prioritize faith-based, abstinence-focused programs for
dispensing family planning dollars.

--West Virginia is one of 17 states that forces taxpayers to fund elective
abortions but that could change in November when citizens get a chance to vote
on a constitutional amendment that makes it clear that their state does not
recognize abortion as a right.

--Republican South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster has banned abortion providers
from the list of his state's Medicaid providers.

--A federal judge criticized the abortion industry's apparent attempt to retaliate
against people of faith who believe unborn babies deserve a chance at life.

--Little Ellie Schneider arrived from her mother's womb after just 21 weeks of
pregnancy. She had a slim chance of survival, but her parents had faith and
doctors at St. Luke's Hospital worked hard to save her life. In June she
celebrated her first birthday. While she still uses an oxygen machine at night
and goes to physical therapy, she can crawl and even sits up on her own.

--Amnesty International has changed its abortion policy to one of broad support
for safe and legal abortion.

--Planned Parenthood is concerned about the threat Brett Kavanaugh would bring to
the Supreme Court on the issue of abortion restrictions/Roe v. Wade.

--Nancy Pelosi believes a vote for Judge Kavanaugh is a vote to destroy Roe v.
Wade.

--Several branches of the New York YWCA put their support behind legislation that
could permanently legalize the killing of the unborn in the state.

--Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest and the Hawaiian Islands filed a
lawsuit against Idaho's Abortion Complications Reporting Act. The legislation
details 37 complications from abortion that must be reported to the Idaho
Department of Health and Welfare.

]]> Rise: In Defense of Judeo-Christian Values and Freedom http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/07/18/rise-in-defense-of-judeo-christian-values-and-freedom Wed, 18 Jul 2018 15:49:21 +0000 jim Schneider Our values and freedoms are under attack. There are forces at work to dismantle our Judeo-Christian values and freedoms, destabilize and threaten our national security, and radically redefine our very way of life. The guest on this edition of Crosstalk regularly faces death threats from terrorists while also being condemned by her critics. She grew up in Lebanon. At age 10, Islamists launched rockets into her home which destroyed it and seriously injured her. Her family was forced to seek refuge in an underground bomb shelter where they lived for the next seven years. Often surviving on mere weeds, they had to crawl through a ditch to get water from a nearby spring while avoiding Islamic snipers. She's now a citizen of the United States. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: July 18, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guests: Brigitte Gabriel
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Our values and freedoms are under attack. There are forces at work to dismantle our Judeo-Christian values and freedoms, destabilize and threaten our national security, and radically redefine our very way of life. The guest on this edition of Crosstalk regularly faces death threats from terrorists while also being condemned by her critics. She grew up in Lebanon. At age 10, Islamists launched rockets into her home which destroyed it and seriously injured her. Her family was forced to seek refuge in an underground bomb shelter where they lived for the next seven years. Often surviving on mere weeds, they had to crawl through a ditch to get water from a nearby spring while avoiding Islamic snipers. She's now a citizen of the United States.

The individual in question is Brigitte Gabriel. She's the founder and chairman of ACT for America, the nation’s largest and most influential national security grassroots advocacy organization. She has addressed the United Nations, the Australian Prime Minister, members of the British Parliament, Members of the US Congress, the FBI and many others. The top general for the Israel Defense Forces nicknamed Brigitte, 'The Iron Woman'.' She's the author of, 'Because they Hate', 'They Must Be Stopped' and the soon to be released book, 'Rise: In Defense of Judeo Christian Values and Freedom'.

According to Brigitte, 9-11 was actually the second major attack against the U.S. Radical Islamists began rising in the '80's which resulted in America being attacked under the Carter administration resulting in the Iran hostage situation. Then we were attacked again under the Reagan administration with the killing of marines in Lebanon. Then we were attacked under the Clinton administration with the World Trade Center bombing. At that point, our Islamic enemies were so confident that we were apathetic and asleep that they attacked the World Trade Center a second time in 2001, bringing it down while also attacking the Pentagon.

Why attack on 9-11? Brigitte noted that this is a very symbolic date on the Islamic calendar. It's where the Islamic State was stopped 300 years ago in Europe and began taking back land that had been conquered by Islam, pushing Islam back to the Middle East and North Africa. So in one sense it was a revenge attack, but it also occurred because the U.S. is the representation of Judeo-Christian, Western values and civilization.

The result of 9-11 was a display of patriotism and our values although now the opposite seems to be taking place. Why is that? Brigitte believes it's because we are under attack from both without and from within. Our enemies are now not merely the forces of radical Islam and jihadists, but a combination of those forces working with groups like ANTIFA and the ACLU. The result is that America is being transformed right before our eyes.

We see this transformation taking place in the form of the American flag which is now viewed by some as a symbol of hate on college campuses. Others kneel in protest during our national anthem. Patriotism is viewed as hateful and free speech is being eliminated by the tyranny of tolerance. Police are targeted by criminals while the mainstream media makes victims out of the killers.

This why Brigitte wrote her new book. It's a battle cry for the heart and soul of America; for those who love and respect America along with its veterans.

At the end of every chapter of “Rise”, Brigitte has a section of pointers so readers can rise up and act. It's this action that's so critical because as she explains, just a few can make a significant difference. Discover more when you review this critical Crosstalk broadcast.

More Information:

www.risetoact.com

www.actforamerica.org

]]> Intercession for Andrew Brunson: Imprisoned for His Faith http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/07/17/intercession-for-andrew-brunson-imprisoned-for-his-faith Tue, 17 Jul 2018 16:00:00 +0000 jim Schneider One such pastor goes on trial tomorrow (July 18th) in Turkey. His name is Andrew Brunson and his story was told by David Curry. David is the president and CEO of Open Doors USA. For over 60 years, Open Doors USA has worked in the world’s most oppressive and restrictive countries for Christians. They work to equip and encourage Christians living in dangerous circumstances with the threat of persecution and equips the Western church to advocate for the persecuted. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: July 17, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guests: David Curry
Listen:     MP3 | Order

im opened this program by reminding listeners how important it is to be mindful of the fact that believers around the world are being persecuted for their faith in Christ. Sometimes this takes the form of just possessing a Bible.

So while you enjoy your summer activities, remember those who are being jailed, starved, beaten, placed in isolation and much more due to their faith in Christ.

One such pastor goes on trial tomorrow (July 18th) in Turkey. His name is Andrew Brunson and his story was told by David Curry. David is the president and CEO of Open Doors USA. For over 60 years, Open Doors USA has worked in the world’s most oppressive and restrictive countries for Christians. They work to equip and encourage Christians living in dangerous circumstances with the threat of persecution and equips the Western church to advocate for the persecuted.

Andrew is an American pastor from North Carolina who's married and has 3 grown children. He's been pastor of a small Presbyterian church in the coastal part of Turkey for over 25 years.

When Turkey had an apparent coup in 2016, the government began a crackdown of those they considered subversive. As a result, Pastor Brunson was arrested in October of that year under charges of terrorist activity as a conspirator in connection with the main foe of the Turkish government, Fethullah Gulen. Sadly, the terrorist activity identified by the government is the pastor's Christian faith.

This broadcast explains what's being done on the governmental level for Pastor Brunson and you can help this cause by contacting your elected officials at the phone numbers listed below.

More Information:

www.opendoorsusa.org

To contact your senators and congressmen regarding pastor Andrew Brunson call 202-224-3121 (senators) and 202-225-3121 (congressmen).

]]> By Which We Are Saved http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/07/16/by-which-we-are-saved Mon, 16 Jul 2018 16:05:33 +0000 jim Schneider Does the believer's call to proclaim the gospel change just because society is changing or less accepting of Christianity? Kelly believes the Bible does not change and God's call to us doesn't change. What has changed is the fact that Christians are viewing it differently in the culture and this has some from other nations believing we need to be evangelized. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: July 16, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guests: Preston and Kelly Condra
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Preston and Kelly Condra are the founders of Sufficient Word Publishing, a ministry designed to increase, edify and equip the church using the power of the Holy Spirit through God’s sufficient, written Word. Preston is an ordained pastor who was involved as a youth and adult singles minister for nearly 10 years before joining the staff of Watchman Fellowship. He has also served as an adjunct professor and guest lecturer at Christian college and seminaries. Kelly practices counseling and private coaching after working for a decade as a teacher. She also founded Northern Light Missions, a Gospel and Christian education ministry. Together they have co-authored a couple books, one of which was discussed today, 'By Which We Are Saved'.

Preston has noted that the marginalization of the church has led to culture shift of a magnitude almost unimaginable just a few decades ago. He began by noting how this has affected things within the Southern Baptist denomination where they are seeing a sharp decline in baptisms.

Preston agrees that believers baptism as practiced by Southern Baptists has nothing to do with a person's salvation, but Southern Baptists do track the number of new believers by the number of individuals that are baptized.

In 1950, the Southern Baptist Convention baptized 376,000 people. Today they're baptizing 250,000. In 2017, they baptized 280,000. To drop 30,000 in one year is significant because at 280,000 you'd think those individuals would be sharing their faith.

He also cited George Barna who looked at evangelicals overall. Last year he indicated that 23% of Christian adults share their faith on a regular basis. When he looked at what they're sharing (the idea that people are basically good, that humans have evolved from other life forms, and that Jesus understands our struggle because he sinned while on earth), he said only 10% actually share a biblical gospel.

Kelly then explained something that complicates matters. For example, the Latter Day Saints (Mormons) used to clearly say they are not Christians whereas now they say they are. So if a group that is so far removed from orthodox beliefs is now calling themselves Christian and Christians themselves are starting to view Christianity as a lifestyle (being moral, church membership, reading the Bible, believing Jesus existed etc.), that's not right because Christians are to be 'born-again'. This involves a spiritual birth that has you communing with God.

Does the believer's call to proclaim the gospel change just because society is changing or less accepting of Christianity? Kelly believes the Bible does not change and God's call to us doesn't change. What has changed is the fact that Christians are viewing it differently in the culture and this has some from other nations believing we need to be evangelized.

In the end, Preston and Kelly believe that 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 is the essential core of the gospel. This involves who Christ is, what he did, why we need it, how we get it and where it's found.

This program is packed with information as Preston and Kelly answer questions critical to the gospel and its presentation to non-believers. For example:

--Is faith a 'work' in itself?
--Is 'spiritual birth' something that is commonly understood?
--What is a false conversion and how can we keep that from happening?
--Does a person have to see that they're lost before they can be saved?
--Should a person ask someone they are witnessing to for a decision for Christ or not?
--How do we answer the person who challenges the character of God as it relates to hell?

--Did God create evil?

--How do we answer someone who says that all religions lead to God?

--What about the person who claims they show by their conduct that they're a Christian?

More Information:

'By Which We Are Saved--Sharing the Gospel with Confidence' is available for a donation of $16 or more to Crosstalk. It's available online at vcyamerica.org or by calling 1-800-729-9829. It's also available by writing to Crosstalk, 3434 W. Kilbourn Ave., Milwaukee, WI. 53208.

]]> News Roundup 7-13-18 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/07/13/news-roundup-7-13-18 Fri, 13 Jul 2018 15:56:43 +0000 jim Schneider The following is a partial list of stories Jim highlighted on this edition of the weekly 'round-up'. --A federal grand jury has indicted 12 Russian intelligence officers for allegedly hacking e-mails from the Hillary Clinton campaign and Democratic Party during the 2016 presidential election. --Agent Peter Strzok testified publicly for the first time since being removed from Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: July 13, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Listen:     MP3 | Order

The following is a partial list of stories Jim highlighted on this edition of the weekly 'round-up'.

--A federal grand jury has indicted 12 Russian intelligence officers for allegedly
hacking e-mails from the Hillary Clinton campaign and Democratic Party during
the 2016 presidential election.
--Agent Peter Strzok testified publicly for the first time since being removed
from Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team.
--NATO secretary agrees with President Trump on spending issues as the president
calls out NATO nations for the U.S. funding the major portion of NATO.
--The executive director of the open borders organization, 'Muslim Advocates',
is asking Senate Democrats and Republicans to stop President Trump's nomination
of Brett Kavanaugh.
--Chuck Schumer believes Senate Democrats can successfully orchestrate the
rejection of Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh.
--MSNBC host suggests that Supreme Court justices should rule based upon poll
numbers.
--President Trump and his wife Melania joined Queen Elizabeth II in an official
greeting ceremony at Windsor Castle today.
--Protesters took to the streets regarding President Trump's 3 day visit to
England.
--The Trump administration announced a package of tariffs targeting Chinese
exports at roughly 200 billion dollars.
--A Chinese state run aircraft and missile manufacturer linked to military
programs and past espionage is attempting to purchase interest in major U.S.
aircraft manufacturers.
--China will not get control of the port of Long Beach.
--Israel was ranked as the 8th most powerful nation in the world.
--Random House is dropping an Islamic book from a controversial German author.
--Capitol Hill lawmakers are renewing a years-long push to designate the
international Muslim Brotherhood organization as a terrorist organization due to
its support for terror organizations that threaten U.S. security interests
across the world.
--The first Arab-American is sworn in as the mayor of Paterson, New Jersey.
--Italy has witnessed a drop in new migrant arrivals in 2018.
--Biometric ticketing coming to Major League Baseball.
--The University of Kansas removed an American flag that was desecrated to protest
President Trump and his policy on border security.
--An Indiana church was evicted because of a sign that read, 'LGBTQ is a hate
crime against God'.
--In order to gain acceptance within the LGBTQ community, pedophiles are now
rebranding themselves as M.A.P.'s (Minor Attracted Persons).

]]> Forgiven People Forgive 7-12-18 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/07/12/forgiven-people-forgive-7-12-18 Thu, 12 Jul 2018 15:41:03 +0000 jim Schneider Jeff defined forgiveness as releasing someone from a debt. Someone wrongs you or you perceive that you've been wronged and you let them know that they're no longer obligated to make restitution for the wrong that was caused. It's not an issue any longer. It's over. The debt has been canceled. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: July 12, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest:    Jeff Miller
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Some have said that forgiveness is the most difficult commandment that we're given as Christians. Why? Perhaps it strikes at the core of our pride that says we deserve better than what we're getting. It could also be a case where we feel that if we forgive someone, we're letting someone get away with something.

Joining Jim to discuss this very important issue in the Christian walk was Jeff Miller. Jeff is a pastor and author of several booklets including, 'Forgiven People Forgive: A Biblical Response to Forgiveness'.

Jeff defined forgiveness as releasing someone from a debt. Someone wrongs you or you perceive that you've been wronged and you let them know that they're no longer obligated to make restitution for the wrong that was caused. It's not an issue any longer. It's over. The debt has been canceled.

Is there a difference between the world's perspective on forgiveness compared to God's perspective? Jeff described the world's perspective as just keeping the peace or just being civil toward one another or perhaps being forgiving only in the way you say it.

However, the Bible's motivation for forgiving others isn’t' just saying, 'You don't owe me anything.' Forgiveness has to be a heart disposition for wanting to do that. It admits having been wronged, but by God's grace you want to move on from that and you don't want it to be an issue anymore.

Jim has 3 big lessons on forgiveness that he described:

(1) I forgive because relationships are important. (2) I forgive because it's expected. (3) I forgive because I am forgiven.

Other points discussed related to the issue of forgiveness included:

--Failure to forgive can turn us into bitter/resentful people. How does this
happen?
--Is forgiving others as Christ has forgiven us our prime motivator?
--What about those who say their case is different and we can't possibly
understand the level by which they've been hurt?
--What if the other person doesn't want to reconcile? Does that take us 'off the
hook'?
--What about the following excuses: 'He/she has to come to me.'/'They'll
just do it again.'/'I will forgive, but I won't forget!'

More Information:

To obtain a copy of 'Forgiven People Forgive' for a donation of $6 or more (includes postage), go to www.vcyamerica.org call 1-800-729-9829 or write to Crosstalk, 3434 W. Kilbourn Ave., Milwaukee, WI. 53208.

]]> Revoice or Rebellion? http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/07/11/revoice-or-rebellion Wed, 11 Jul 2018 16:53:12 +0000 jim Schneider Set for this coming July 26-28 in St. Louis Missouri is the conference 'Revoice' - a conference looking to affirm those who wish to identify as both homosexual and Christian. In addition to Revoice, an October conference in Cincinnati, Ohio (largely directed toward youth pastors) is set with the same agenda. Joining Jim today to discuss this is Peter LaBarbera. Peter is the Founder and President of Americans for Truth about Homosexuality. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: July 11, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest: Peter LaBarbera
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Set for this coming July 26-28 in St. Louis Missouri is the conference 'Revoice' - a conference looking to affirm those who wish to identify as both homosexual and Christian. In addition to Revoice, an October conference in Cincinnati, Ohio (largely directed toward youth pastors) is set with the same agenda. Joining Jim today to discuss this is Peter LaBarbera. Peter is the Founder and President of Americans for Truth about Homosexuality.

Crosstalk issues 'Warning' to the biblical church as these so called 'Christian conferences' are promoting the support, encouragement and empowerment of those identifying with the LGBTQ movement. The hope being that these so labeled, will 'flourish while observing the historic Christian doctrine of marriage and sexuality.' However, promoted is a 'new gospel community' reaching out to Church leadership everywhere - blurring the lines and equipping Pastors to implement the thinking (teaching) from these conferences.

While these groups have a very welcoming persona, Peter LaBarbera has been told he can not attend Revoice. LaBarbera shares this recent experience and exposes how even though Revoice Conference claims to hold to traditional, biblical values - what they are indeed standing up for is actually pushing perversion into the mainstream. LaBarbera offers much commentary and answers for how the Church need take heed to this warning and respond. Crosstalk takes your calls.

For more information:

www.americansfortruth.org

]]> SCOTUS Nominee: Judge Brett Kavanaugh http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/07/10/scotus-nominee-judge-brett-kavanaugh Tue, 10 Jul 2018 16:04:06 +0000 jim Schneider According to Mat, Brett Kavanaugh is eminently qualified to be a Supreme Court judge. He graduated from Yale as an undergrad in 1987, Yale law school in 1990, spent 2 years as a law clerk for the Federal Court of Appeals with the 3rd circuit, the 9th Circuit, had a one-year fellowship with the office of Solicitor General Kenneth Starr, and he clerked for one year with Justice Anthony Kennedy. He's been on the D.C. Court of Appeals from 2006 to the present. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: July 10, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest: Mat Staver
Listen:     MP3 | Order

At the White House last evening, President Trump announced his nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court. It's D.C. Court of Appeals Judge Brett Kavanaugh.

Protests began immediately outside the Supreme Court. Pro-abortion groups immediately denounced the nomination and even some pro-family groups have been waving the caution flag.

Returning to Crosstalk to discuss this pick was Mat Staver. Mat is the founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, a non-profit litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of human life, and the family. Mat has argued two landmark cases before the Supreme Court.

According to Mat, Brett Kavanaugh is eminently qualified to be a Supreme Court judge. He graduated from Yale as an undergrad in 1987, Yale law school in 1990, spent 2 years as a law clerk for the Federal Court of Appeals with the 3rd circuit, the 9th Circuit, had a one-year fellowship with the office of Solicitor General Kenneth Starr, and he clerked for one year with Justice Anthony Kennedy. He's been on the D.C. Court of Appeals from 2006 to the present.

After explaining why it's important for such individuals to be originalists and not simply conservative, Mat read a quote that tells us much about Kavanaugh's judicial philosophy. Kavanaugh said his philosophy is straight forward. He said, 'A judge must be independent and must interpret the law, not make it.”

Every day this week he'll be meeting with senators, he has to fill out a very lengthy questionnaire, at some point the Senate will have hearings and after that will be the full vote.

More Information:

To contact your senators regarding Brett Kavanaugh, go to www.senate.gov or call the main switchboard at 202-224-3121.

Liberty Counsel
www.lc.org
407-875-1776

]]> Battle for the Supreme Court http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/07/09/battle-for-the-supreme-court Mon, 09 Jul 2018 16:22:30 +0000 jim Schneider Joining Jim to discuss this ongoing story was Mat Staver. Mat is founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, a non-profit litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of human life, and the family. Mat has argued two landmark cases before the Supreme Court. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: July 9, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest: Mat Staver
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Things are heating up as the liberal “left” prepares for President Trump's pick for the Supreme Court to fill the vacancy being left by retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy.

Jim reported news from The Daily Caller that the group, RefuseFascism.org, is planning a nationwide protest tonight after the president reveals who his nominee will be. The protests will span 12 American cities regardless of who the president picks.

Joining Jim to discuss this ongoing story was Mat Staver. Mat is founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, a non-profit litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of human life, and the family. Mat has argued two landmark cases before the Supreme Court.
The core of this broadcast centered around Mat's comments concerning four individuals the president has tapped for the vacancy including: Brett Kavanaugh (Age 53), Raymond Kethledge (Age 51), Amy Coney Barrett (Age 46), and Thomas Hardiman (Age 53).

Discussion also involved various senators and their views on the Supreme Court opening, the Roe v. Wade factor, NARAL's reaction, court-packing and more.

More Information:

Liberty Counsel

www.lc.org

]]> News Roundup 7-6-18 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/07/06/news-roundup-7-6-18 Fri, 06 Jul 2018 15:46:54 +0000 jim Schneider Below is just a sample of stories that Jim presented for this week's round-up broadcast: --China to put forth a counter-attack in response to Trump trade tariffs. --Could President Trump's tariffs be jeopardizing the new world order? --China's military reforms have been revealed via leaked internal documents and they indicate Beijing intends to expand its military might offshore so that they will be allowed to manage a crisis, contain a conflict, win a war, and overtake the U.S. in military strength. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: July 6, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Below is just a sample of stories that Jim presented for this week's round-up broadcast:

--China to put forth a counter-attack in response to Trump trade tariffs.
--Could President Trump's tariffs be jeopardizing the new world order?
--China's military reforms have been revealed via leaked internal documents and
they indicate Beijing intends to expand its military might offshore so that they
will be allowed to manage a crisis, contain a conflict, win a war, and overtake
the U.S. in military strength.
--Scott Pruitt resigns as head of the Environmental Protection Agency.
--Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in North Korea and took along a CD of Elton
John's song 'Rocket Man' to give to the nation's leader.
--A federal judge has tossed out a lawsuit alleging that President Trump's
campaign and former advisor Roger Stone worked with Wikileaks.
--New York Mayor Bill de Blasio is calling for the abolition of the Immigration
and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
--Representative Louie Gohmert of Texas says the abolition of ICE means anarchy.
--In 2017, immigrants with criminal convictions accounted for 74% of all arrests
made by ICE.
--69% of respondents to a poll believe ICE should not be disbanded. 70% said ICE
should instead step up enforcement of immigration laws.
--The Trump administration is conducting DNA tests to reunite children separated
from their parents at the border.
--There was an 18% decrease in illegal immigrants traveling to the U.S. between
May and June due to President Trump's zero-tolerance policy.
--Leftist wins Mexican presidential race.
--The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that a professor had his free-speech rights
violated after suspending the professor over a blog post.
--Threats allegedly made against FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and Senator Rand Paul.
--A woman protesting immigration scaled the Statue of Liberty on the 4th of July.
--The Obama administration granted citizenship to 2,500 Iranians including family
members of government officials while negotiating the so-called Iran nuclear
deal.
--Iran's foreign ministry is meeting with 5 foreign counterparts in Vienna in a
bid to preserve the 2015 nuclear deal.
--A Polish official, who responded to an attempt at politically correct shaming,
unabashedly told a British TV host that,'We will not receive even one Muslim
because that is what we promised.'
--A federal court has scheduled a hearing on a case alleging Muslim activists have
hijacked curriculum in San Diego's public school system.

]]> Children at the Doctor's Office http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/07/05/children-at-the-doctors-office Thu, 05 Jul 2018 16:13:32 +0000 jim Schneider Joining Jim to present the answers was Michele Lentz. Michele is the president of the Child Protection League which is committed to promoting the welfare of children and protecting them from exploitation, indoctrination and violence. They educate on issues that threaten the safety of children. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: July 5, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest: Michele Lentz
Listen:     MP3 | Order

This Crosstalk was presented as a warning as to what's going on in some doctor's offices. As a parent, have you ever been told to leave the examining room or that you're not allowed to accompany your child there. Why is this taking place and how widespread is this practice?
Joining Jim to present the answers was Michele Lentz. Michele is the president of the Child Protection League which is committed to promoting the welfare of children and protecting them from exploitation, indoctrination and violence. They educate on issues that threaten the safety of children.

The discussion began by looking at a dangerous teen questionnaire focusing on what one health care provider is doing in Minnesota. A parent came to Michele with this questionnaire that the parent was told would be given to her pre-teen. The parent let it be known that the doctor couldn't see her child without her there and that they didn't have her authority to have one-on-one time with her child while administering the questionnaire.
The questionnaire Michele has was created by Health Partners and she believes it was updated in March of 2018 and there may even be an April update. Jim found a similar questionnaire from Kaiser Permanente geared for 13-18 year olds as well.

There are 23 questions in all on the Health Partners questionnaire. There is also an asterisk related point that was of concern as well. Michele quoted it this way:

“If you have had thoughts that you would be better off dead or of hurting yourself in some way, please discuss this with your clinician, go to a hospital emergency room, or call 9-11.”

Notice how this point says nothing about speaking with parents.

Two of the questions of concern read this way:

“Do you get along with your family?”
“Are you or do you ever wonder if you are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex or asexual?”

Obviously some children won't even know what some of these words mean. Michele noted that whether they know or not, do you want a child having that conversation with a doctor? Where's the vetting process that allows parents to know that the doctor shares their values and beliefs. After all, these are moral matters and not just medical ones.

There's much more to explore on this issue, and you can become informed when you review this edition of Crosstalk.

More Information:

www.childprotectionleague.com

]]> Faith of the Founders Rally 7-4-18 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/07/04/faith-of-the-founders-rally-7-4-18 Wed, 04 Jul 2018 15:49:12 +0000 Gordom Morris William Federer is the compiler of several books and computer programs detailing the Christian roots of our nation, and the continuing acknowledgement of our religious heritage by leaders from colonial days through the present. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: July 4, 2018
Host: Gordon Morris
Guest:   William Federer
Listen:     MP3

William Federer is the compiler of several books and computer programs detailing the Christian roots of our nation, and the continuing acknowledgement of our religious heritage by leaders from colonial days through the present.

This Crosstalk program features excerpts from a message he delivered at a VCY America Rally in April, 2001. Even though delivered before the events of 9-11-2001, the insights he presents are still relevant today.

In this message, William Federer outlines a number of areas where the founders not only allowed Christian influences in the design and development of the United States, but how they actually insisted that without that kind of foundation a republic such as ours could never be successful.

The original message was much longer that could be included during today's program. Those ordering this Crosstalk program on CD will actually receive the entire message from that rally.

In addition, the message is available in DVD video form, which also shows many of the quotations mentioned, plus pictures of many of those men quoted, created from a program developed for use on home computers.

Ths program was originally broadcast in July, 2001.

More Information:
Order the full rally message on CD

Order the full rally messasge on DVD

]]> Most Critical Issue Facing America http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/07/03/most-critical-issue-facing-america Tue, 03 Jul 2018 15:44:57 +0000 Jim Schneider After some additional history, Jim opened the phone lines to let listeners express what they believe is the most critical issue facing America today. Is it the threat of other nations? Is it the opioid epidemic? Is it the need to secure our border? Is it healthcare? Is it morality? Is it a need to reform our education system? How about racism, the national debt or the lack of spiritual discernment? Is it abortion or global warming? Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: July 3, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Jim began by noting tomorrow marks the 242nd anniversary of the independence of our nation.

56 men signed the Declaration of Independence and pledged their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor, and since that time, many individuals have defended the freedom that we cherish so much as a nation.

After some additional history, Jim opened the phone lines to let listeners express what they believe is the most critical issue facing America today. Is it the threat of other nations? Is it the opioid epidemic? Is it the need to secure our border? Is it healthcare? Is it morality? Is it a need to reform our education system? How about racism, the national debt or the lack of spiritual discernment? Is it abortion or global warming?

Find out what your fellow listeners had to say when you review this timely Crosstalk broadcast.

]]> Four Progressive Steps Into Apostasy http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/07/02/four-progressive-steps-into-apostasy Mon, 02 Jul 2018 16:15:39 +0000 Jim Schneider Mike sees apostasy as being on the increase, which shouldn't surprise us because Jesus said that growing deception would be one of the signs of his return. Included in this deception are false teachers, false prophets and false christs. The ultimate apostasy will be when the antichrist goes into the temple at the mid year of the tribulation period and declares himself to be God. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: July 2, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest: Mike Gendron
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Mike Gendron is the founder and director of Proclaiming the Gospel Ministry. Mike was a devout Roman Catholic for 34 years and was taught to rely upon the authority of the church above all else. Mike searched the Scriptures and was amazed to find that what he read in Scripture contradicted the teaching and tradition of the church he had been a part of for so long. He trusted Jesus as his Savior and now the Bible has become his sole authority in all matters of faith.
To set the tone for this program, Mike began by defining what is meant by the term, 'apostasy'. Mike noted that the Bible defines it as a departure from the apostolic faith that was once and for all delivered to the saints.

Mike also described how this is not something new. It's been happening for 2,000 years as two streams of Christianity have operated side-by-side ever since Jesus began building his church in the 1st century.

Born again Christians don't have to fear apostasy. They are sealed by the Holy Spirit who is the deposit guaranteeing their eternal inheritance. However, for those who profess Christianity but have never been born-again, they are prone to deception as they have little discernment. We saw the first occurrence of this in the life of Judas.

Mike sees apostasy as being on the increase, which shouldn't surprise us because Jesus said that growing deception would be one of the signs of his return. Included in this deception are false teachers, false prophets and false christs. The ultimate apostasy will be when the antichrist goes into the temple at the mid year of the tribulation period and declares himself to be God.

From there, Mike took listeners through the 4 steps of apostasy.

The first one involves defection from the Word of God. This takes place when churches, denominations, seminaries or individuals no longer submit to the supreme authority of God's Word for faith and practice.

Sometimes this happens through TV evangelists, through heretical books, or following traditions of men and even psychology. Sometimes it happens when pastors see they're not getting the church growth they hoped for so they throw away God's blueprint for building His church.

Those trying to defend the faith are often looked at as divisive, intolerant or unloving. This can lead to false teachers who aren't exposed for who they are. At that point, doctrinal error and sin begin to be tolerated. Pastors are called not only to feed the sheep but to protect the flock as well. They need to be exhorting their people to be aware of the wolves that surround the church and even name names so that others will not fall to deception.

Those who resist are asked to leave. This is a sign that that particular church is moving toward the next step. Review this important Crosstalk broadcast to find out what's involved in the final two steps so that you can avoid apostasy and help others do the same.

More Information:

Mike has a DVD containing 2 messages: The first is 'False Converts in the Church' and the second is 'Witnessing for the Glory of God'. He also has a gospel tract called: 'True Faith or False Hope—How can I be Sure?' Normally the DVD is $15 but is available to Crosstalk listeners for $12 (includes the tract). Go to www.proclaimingthegospel.org click on 'store', then 'video messages'. You can also call the ministry at 1-817-379-5300.

]]> News Roundup 6-29-18 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/06/29/news-roundup-6-29-18 Fri, 29 Jun 2018 16:18:53 +0000 Jim Schneider The following is a sample of the content from this edition of the weekly news round-up: --Rusty Thomas returned to present an update on the health of his son Jeremiah who has been battling a very aggressive form of cancer (See Crosstalk—June 21-- Jeremiah Thomas: The Battle for Life). Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: June 29, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Listen:     MP3 | Order

The following is a sample of the content from this edition of the weekly news round-up:

--Rusty Thomas returned to present an update on the health of his son Jeremiah who
has been battling a very aggressive form of cancer (See Crosstalk—June 21--
Jeremiah Thomas: The Battle for Life).
--Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement from the Supreme Court Wednesday.
--President Trump to pick Kennedy's replacement from a pre-existing White House
list of 25 candidates.
--Liberals are “melting down” over the announced retirement of Justice Kennedy,
especially as it relates to abortion.
--Leonard Leo, who's on leave of absence from his position as Executive Vice
President of the Federalist Society, believes Kennedy's replacement will be just
like Justice Neil Gorsuch.
--Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, called Kennedy's vacancy the most
important Supreme Court vacancy in at least a generation.
--The Supreme Court voted 5-4 that state government workers, whether they joined
the union or not, cannot be forced to pay the so-called “fair share” fees to
support collective bargaining and other union activities.
--The major media wasted no time in blaming President Trump for the shooting in
the Annapolis news room.
--California Congresswoman Maxine Waters calls for people to confront Trump
officials while they're doing everyday activities.
--Judicial Watch sent a hand-delivered letter to the chairman and co-chair of the
House Office of Congressional Ethics calling for an investigation as to whether
Representative Maxine Waters violated House ethics rules by encouraging violence
against Trump administration cabinet members.
--Arizona Representative Andy Biggs introduced a measure that would censure
Representative Maxine Waters and ask her to resign for inciting people to
publicly confront Trump administration officials.
--Maxine Waters announces that she's canceling events due to death threats and
hostile mail that she's been receiving.
--A writer for a popular, progressive news site is warning supporters of President
Trump that if they have a problem with the heckling of administration officials
in public places, they haven't seen anything yet.
--31% of likely U.S. voters believe a second civil war is coming within the next 5
years.
--The latest resistance against President Trump's 2020 election campaign includes
attempts in at least 25 states to pass a law that requires presidential
candidates to release their tax returns in order to be on the ballot.
--A sergeant at the Harris County Sheriffs Office in Houston was treated for
exposure to Fentanyl after touching a flyer left on the windshield of the car.
--In fiscal year 2017, more than 8,000 criminal, illegal aliens in police custody
were released due to sanctuary policies.
--Wisconsin Congressman Mark Pocan is introducing legislation to abolish I.C.E.
--The liberal push to abolish I.C.E., the federal agency that enforces our
nation's immigration laws, is going mainstream in the Democratic Party with
Kirsten Gillibrand and Mayor Bill de Blasio adding their support to the cause.
--Abortionist Robert Rho pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide for
causing the death of Jamie Morales during a botched, second-trimester abortion.

More Information:

For more on the Jeremiah Thomas story go to:

www.operationsaveamerica.org

]]> From Transgender to Transformed 6-28-18 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/06/28/from-transgender-to-transformed-6-28-18 Thu, 28 Jun 2018 15:50:23 +0000 Jim Schneider This Crosstalk featured the testimony of one who was gender-confused and fully engulfed, not only as a homosexual but also as a transgender prostitute. Transformed by the power of the Gospel, David Arthur now directs 'I Belong Amen Ministries', an outreach ministry designed to bring God's truth in love to a lost and dying world. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: June 28, 2018
Host:    Jim Schneider
Guest:   David Arthur
Listen:     MP3 | Order

It's proclaimed by some, especially those within and supportive of the LGBTQ community, that a person who's following the homosexual or transgender lifestyle is 'born that way'. They expect full acceptance of who they are. Sadly, there are even churches that have accepted this line of thinking rather than see the deception and bondage created by such choices.

The acceptance of such behavior also goes against the grain of Scripture which says in I Corinthians 6:11, 'And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.'

This Crosstalk featured the testimony of one who was gender-confused and fully engulfed, not only as a homosexual but also as a transgender prostitute. Transformed by the power of the Gospel, David Arthur now directs 'I Belong Amen Ministries', an outreach ministry designed to bring God's truth in love to a lost and dying world.

David began his story by mentioning his father's suicide. With that parental hole in his life, he was seeking and searching for that missing, male affirmation. He would see the attention his mother or aunt would receive from their boyfriends. He reasoned that perhaps if he acted like his mother or aunt, perhaps he could get that kind of attention too. In fact, he discovered that the more feminine he acted, the more attention he received.

Unfortunately the attention he received came in the form of molestation at the hands of certain men. He associated that negative attention with the male affirmation/confirmation/love that he was seeking. In fact, by age 8 or 9, he found himself going out and looking for boys/men to engage in sinful activity with, even if it meant being molested.

Around age 12 or 13, David had discovered drugs and alcohol. By the age of 14 he was a confused, HIV positive transgender and homeless runaway, involved in prostitution. If he wasn't selling or giving himself away on the streets of Philadelphia, he was trading his body either for drugs or simply a place to stay.

Throughout his teen years, David was in and out of juvenile detention, and as an adult he was in and out of county jails which eventually led to prison. It was during his second stay in prison that he met a correctional officer who challenged him, and kept consistently reminding him, that God did not create him to be this way. As much as that hurt his feelings, within a few weeks David was seeking that officer out because he knew there was something different about him. The officer's impact upon David was so profound, that upon leaving prison, change was in the works as he no longer felt comfortable dressing as a woman.

Sadly, David still followed after the lusts of the flesh to such a degree that by his mid-30's, osteoporosis, AIDS, boils and fevers began to take their toll. Although sent home to die by doctors, God wasn't through with him. In his desperation, he picked up the Word of God. That began further transformation that also included a medical impossibility that can only be described as a God-given miracle.

Learn the amazing end of David's story, which in one sense became a new beginning, when you review this inspiring edition of Crosstalk.

More Information:

I Belong Amen Ministries

www.ibelongamen.com

]]> Significant Decisions from Supreme Court http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/06/26/significant-decisions-from-supreme-court Tue, 26 Jun 2018 16:29:28 +0000 Jim Schneider Mat Staver is the founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, a non-profit litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of human life, and the family. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: June 26, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Guest:    Mat Staver
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Mat Staver is the founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, a non-profit litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of human life, and the family. Mat has argued two landmark cases before the Supreme Court, Madsen v. Women’s Health Center and McCreary County v. ACLU of Kentucky.  He hosts the radio programs, Faith & Freedom and Freedom’s Call.
3 years ago today, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a decision in which a majority of justices indicated that so-called, same-sex marriages were a constitutional right. It came from a decision known as Obergefeld v. Hodges.

What impact has this had? Mat sees it as a shameful decision because Chief Justice John Roberts noted that this decision is not based upon the Constitution nor on the precedent of the court. It's simply an imposition of the will of 5 individuals to overrule the marriage laws of a number of states and thus affect the rest of the nation.

The impact was seen in the Kim Davis case and the more recent Jack Phillips case where he won on a very specific issue dealing with the free exercise of religion. So overall, Mat sees Obergefeld as a very negative decision, but most of all it's not based upon the Constitution, and any decision not based on that weakens the rule of law, the judicial branch, and ultimately will be relegated to the trash bin of history.

The first case on the Crosstalk docket was NIFLA (National Institute of Family and Life Advocates) v. Becerra (the attorney general of California). The case ruled that California violated the First Amendment by requiring pregnancy centers to post a notice or disclaimer about abortion services. The good news is that in a 5-4 opinion, the court decided that this violated the First Amendment.

How will this decision impact Barronelle Stutzman, the owner of Arlene's Flower Shop, who refused to make a flower arrangement for a same-sex wedding? The Washington attorney general came after her and made denigrating comments about her religion. The Supreme Court granted the petition and sent the decision to the court below to have it reviewed in light of the Phillips decision. So if the Masterpiece Cake Shop decision was reversed due to negative religious comments, the lower court that sees this flower shop case needs to reverse this as well.

Another case discussed dealt with the Trump travel ban (Trump v. Hawaii). This 5-4 decision in favor of the president shows how Trump's ban is unique compared to that of past presidents. There's lots of information as to why it's justified. Also, the other travel bans didn't have a termination time.

So why did the media go after the President and why didn't they mention that other presidents did this with less information and for a longer period of time? This not only shows that the Constitution and the federal law are on the side of President Trump, it shows that the media and lower courts are guilty of buying into anti-Trump rhetoric.

Jim also has Mat comment on the 'Muslim ban' accusation related to the travel ban, gerrymandering/redistricting involving Wisconsin and Texas, forced unions, water rights in Florida and Georgia, and more.

More Information

Liberty Counsel
www.lc.org
407-875-1776

]]> Immigration Crisis at the Southern Border http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/06/25/immigration-crisis-at-the-southern-border Mon, 25 Jun 2018 15:55:25 +0000 Jim Schneider Mark Krikorian is a nationally recognized expert on immigration issues serving as the Executive Director of the Center for Immigration Studies. They are an independent, non-partisan research organization examining and critiquing the impact of immigration on the United States. He has testified numerous times before congress and has published articles in many outlets. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: June 25, 2018
Host:   Jim Schneider
Guest: Mark Krikorian
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Mark Krikorian is a nationally recognized expert on immigration issues serving as the Executive Director of the Center for Immigration Studies. They are an independent, non-partisan research organization examining and critiquing the impact of immigration on the United States. He has testified numerous times before congress and has published articles in many outlets.
The conversation began over a press release from Gwen Moore, a congresswoman from Southeast Wisconsin who said that President Trump created the immigration crisis.

Did he? Mark thinks it's yes and no. The immigration laws haven't changed. What President Trump did was begin to enforce the laws. Specifically, it's a criminal offense to sneak across the U.S. border. It's called 'entry without inspection'. The first time it's a misdemeanor and every subsequent time it's a felony. As time has gone on, very few people get prosecuted.

Under the Bush administration, they began an initiative at certain narrow parts of the border where they would prosecute everyone they caught. It would involve time served, perhaps 3 or 4 days, you would have a criminal conviction on your record, and if you came back, you would be convicted for a felony.

Under President Obama, they rolled that back. In 2015 Senator McCain and Senator Flake issued a scathing press release demanding that Obama reinstate the zero-tolerance policy of prosecuting everyone at certain parts of the Arizona border.

So basically what President Trump has done is to reinstate this plan but do it everywhere along the border. This is what has caused the hysteria over family separation because they weren't targeting people bringing children with them, they were prosecuting everyone. The problem is that those adults with children created this issue because obviously you can't put the children in jail. They ended up separating the parents from the children with the children ending up in shelters or delivered off to relatives who already live here.

Mark agrees we're seeing a significant increase in children at the border. The reason it's happening is because if you're an illegal immigrant, and if you have a child with you, that child acts as a sort of get-out-of-jail-free card. So until last week when they stopped doing it, if you had a child with you, you were given a summons to show up at some indeterminate future date (which very few did) and you were let go.

Does this provoke human trafficking and child smuggling? Mark believes it does as the border patrol has seen increasing numbers of children who are not related to the people bringing the into the U.S. Sometimes people will let their children go with someone else for free so the smuggler won't charge them but the payment is that they let their children be coached to lie that the other person is a parent.

Mark believes what we're seeing from the media on this issue is simply hysteria. Some of the reporting has been true, but that which has really gained traction is based upon lies. Scholars call it, 'atrocity propaganda' where you make up stories or you take stories that really did happen and you distort them.

Jim and Mark cover much more on this issue, with callers weighing in as well, on this edition of Crosstalk.

More Information:

Center for Immigration Studies

www.cis.org

]]> News Roundup 6-22-18 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/06/22/news-roundup-6-22-18 Fri, 22 Jun 2018 16:04:18 +0000 Jim Schneider Broadcast live from Trail Ridge Camp, the following are just some of the headlines Jim presented for listener consideration: --President Trump signs executive order to keep families together while they face charges or immigration proceedings. --Democrats were not impressed with Trump's signing of the executive order. They turned their focus to the indefinite imprisonment of families. --Attorney General Jeff Sessions is exploring the possibility of using DNA tests to verify the parentage of illegal alien adults who attempt to cross into the U.S. with children. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: June 22, 2018
Host:   Jim Schneider
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Broadcast live from Trail Ridge Camp, the following are just some of the headlines Jim presented for listener consideration:

--President Trump signs executive order to keep families together while they face
charges or immigration proceedings.
--Democrats were not impressed with Trump's signing of the executive order. They
turned their focus to the indefinite imprisonment of families.
--Attorney General Jeff Sessions is exploring the possibility of using DNA tests
to verify the parentage of illegal alien adults who attempt to cross into the
U.S. with children.
--Illegal immigrants are increasingly posing with children who are not their own
in order to obtain expedited entrance into the U.S.
--The Obama administrated prosecuted nearly half a million illegals at the border.
--CNN host Brooke Baldwin exposed by National Border Patrol Council Spokesman
Chris Cabrera.
--The Department of Homeland Security blasted major U.S. airlines for hastily
restricting cooperation with immigration authorities.
--A 6 year old Costa Rican boy rescued by U.S border patrol agents after he was
abandoned on a border road in Arizona on Tuesday evening.
--Melania Trump calls Secret Service after actor Peter Fonda threatened to kidnap
Barron Trump.
--An Occupy Wall Street group posted a photo on Twitter showing what to do when
you encounter an ICE agent. The instructions involve the killing of such agents
while pledging to go after their families.
--Nebraska ANTIFA tweeted out a list of the identities of more than 1,500 ICE
agents.
--A Florida man is behind bars for allegedly threatening to murder the children of
a Republican congressman amid the national debate over immigration policy.
--The U.S. is withdrawing from the U.N. Human Rights Council due to chronic bias
against Israel.
--In a low-tech form of terrorism, Hamas operatives have launched thousands of
incendiary kites and helium balloons into Israel that have caused considerable
damage.
--The U.S. Supreme Court overturned a 1992 ruling giving states the authority to
force online retailers to collect sales tax in states where they have no
physical presence.
--The Justice Department suffers a digital-age defeat at the Supreme Court which
sided with the privacy rights of cell phone users in the dispute over law
enforcement's tracking of people.
--The Supreme Court ruled narrowly against a group of democratic voters in
Wisconsin who challenged the state's redistricting maps as being
unconstitutional, partisan gerrymandering.
--A federal judge has struck down a Kansas law requiring voters to prove they are
citizens, even after she admitted that to register to vote you have to be a U.S.
citizen.
--President Trump is directing the Department of Defense to create a new space
force to be the 6th branch of the U.S. military.
--No fewer than 60 organizations branded as hate groups by the Southern Poverty
Law Center are considering legal action against them.

]]> Jeremiah Thomas: The Battle for Life http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/06/21/jeremiah-thomas-the-battle-for-life Thu, 21 Jun 2018 15:43:53 +0000 Jim Schneider This broadcast tells the story of a battle that is underway as we speak. It’s the battle for life. It involves 16 year old Jeremiah Thomas, Rusty's son, whose life is literally hanging in the balance. Just 90 days ago he was an active teen who not only was likely thinking of his upcoming football season, but was also actively engaged in another battle for life as he was engaged in ministry, standing up for the life of the pre-born. But just 90 days ago, Jeremiah learned he had a very aggressive form of cancer which, unless the Lord intervenes, will take his life, likely soon. Jeremiah has Osteoblastic Osteosarcoma, a bone cancer resistant to radiation. Rusty has put it this way, “An hour glass has been turned upside down and Jeremiah’s life is seeping out.” Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: June 21, 2018
Guest: Rusty Thomas
Host:   Jim Schneider
Listen:   MP3 | Order

The guest on this edition of Crosstalk was Rusty Thomas. Rusty is Director of Operation Save America, which unashamedly takes up the cause of pre-born children in the name of Jesus Christ. Rusty spent multiple years as a traveling evangelist, has written two published books and many articles.

This broadcast tells the story of a battle that is underway as we speak. It’s the battle for life. It involves 16 year old Jeremiah Thomas, Rusty's son, whose life is literally hanging in the balance. Just 90 days ago he was an active teen who not only was likely thinking of his upcoming football season, but was also actively engaged in another battle for life as he was engaged in ministry, standing up for the life of the pre-born. But just 90 days ago, Jeremiah learned he had a very aggressive form of cancer which, unless the Lord intervenes, will take his life, likely soon. Jeremiah has Osteoblastic Osteosarcoma, a bone cancer resistant to radiation. Rusty has put it this way, “An hour glass has been turned upside down and Jeremiah’s life is seeping out.”

Throughout this broadcast, Rusty documents the life of Jeremiah; his early days when he exhibited a toughness that translated to a love for football, his growth through ministry, the rededication of his life to Christ, the discovery of his illness, how his life within the context of illness has touched so many lives (including a state governor!) and much more.
It’s our prayer that this program will be more than just that of inspiration, but one that will drive you to prayer, one that will cause you to focus on your own mortality, and one that will cause you to focus on the eternal rather than the temporal.

]]> Warning! Violent Video Game-Fortnite 6-20-18 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/06/20/warning-violent-video-game-fortnite-6-20-18 Wed, 20 Jun 2018 15:51:16 +0000 Jim Schneider The object of Fortnite is a survival of the fittest. The game begins with 100 online players who skydive onto a large island and begin looking for supplies (they arrive with nearly nothing). Players must search the island for guns, supplies and other raw materials which they can use to build 'makeshift fortifications.' As time passes, the island boundaries begin to erode forcing players closer and closer together in proximity where then, a 'battle Royale' ensues. The last player (or team) alive wins. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: June 20, 2018
Host:   Jim Schneider
Listen:    MP3 | Order

Today's Crosstalk issues both a warning and a challenge.

Do your kids play video games? Are you aware of the kind of games that they are playing? Very sadly, the industry has gone a long, long way away from simple games on computers like baseball or football. The game Jim brings to the forefront of the conversation today is called 'Fortnite Battle Royale' an online game phenomenon that reportedly boasts 150 million players. Technology is even making it possible for crowds to gather in living rooms to watch players participate worldwide. Fortnite Battle Royale will not cost you anything initially as a free computer download. Yet with stories and statistics out (such as you will hear on today's Crosstalk) one has to wonder just what the high price to play actually is.

The object of Fortnite is a survival of the fittest. The game begins with 100 online players who skydive onto a large island and begin looking for supplies (they arrive with nearly nothing). Players must search the island for guns, supplies and other raw materials which they can use to build 'makeshift fortifications.' As time passes, the island boundaries begin to erode forcing players closer and closer together in proximity where then, a 'battle Royale' ensues. The last player (or team) alive wins.

But really, what do they win?

Crosstalk discusses the violent thinking required to actually play this game. Proponents say that Fortnite is 'bloodless and cartoonish' yet, in order to survive, players must shoot to kill other players with the guns they acquire. While hearts pound and adrenaline flows, a victor is crowned who gets bragging rights and the thrilling opportunity to encourage others to play the game that celebrates death. Many are saying that Fortnite Battle Royale has a seductive and addictive nature which has even found it's way into our nation's schools. It's been reported that several schools have had their WiFi networks so bogged down (due to so many playing online) that it could not keep up, forcing many schools to enforce a complete ban of the game. Many other threats are involved with Fortnite Battle Royale, including sexual predators who are also online playing, hoping to engage young people in online chatrooms; hence possibly using the game to lure children.

Along with taking calls from Crosstalk listeners, Jim shares testimonies and Scripture to help parents in understanding the many dangers aimed at our kids today through violent game playing.

]]> The LGBTQizing of Sports http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/06/19/the-lgbtqizing-of-sports Tue, 19 Jun 2018 16:01:59 +0000 Jim Schneider While human rights activists praise this advance in so-called LGBTQ rights, parents of high school students are beginning to stand up against this. The concern is over the rights of biological girls that are defeated in such circumstances. They've trained year after year only to be beaten by a biological male who wishes to identify as a female. Not only are records shattered, but these girls can have their college scholarship dreams shattered, once again, simply because a biological male decides he wants to declare himself a female. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: June 19, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Guest: Steve McConkey
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Steve McConkey is the president of 4 Winds Christian Athletics, a sports ministry that takes a stand for Christian athletes and encourages athletes to defend Christianity.
Steve began by noting how there's no testosterone test for numerous women's athletic events. In the case of the Olympics, he indicated that there's been victory in the last few months because the Olympic committee took up the recommendation to lower the testosterone levels which will make it harder for transgenders to compete. Unfortunately in events at the high school level or even in the Boston Marathon, an athlete can just declare that they're a woman or man and compete with no testing parameters whatsoever.
Jim then mentioned the Connecticut State Open Track and Field Championships. 2 individuals had a great day but they both identified as transgender. They are biologically male but competed as females.
While human rights activists praise this advance in so-called LGBTQ rights, parents of high school students are beginning to stand up against this. The concern is over the rights of biological girls that are defeated in such circumstances. They've trained year after year only to be beaten by a biological male who wishes to identify as a female. Not only are records shattered, but these girls can have their college scholarship dreams shattered, once again, simply because a biological male decides he wants to declare himself a female.
What about professional sports? This year we're seeing the largest number of Major League Baseball teams that are promoting homosexuality at LGBT pride nights.
Pride flags can be unfurled and homosexuals can also be seen kissing via stadium 'kiss cams'.

The New York City Pride Parade takes place this weekend. For the first time 'Outsports' is reporting that the NFL and Major League Baseball will be participating.

Also, this Thursday (June 21st) the Minnesota Vikings will become the first NFL team to host a summit on LGBTQ inclusion. It will include panels featuring gay, lesbian and transgender athletes and coaches.

Steve comments on this and much more along with taking questions and comments from Crosstalk listeners.

More Information:

Minnesota Vikings Contact Information
952-828-6500

customerservice@vikings.nfl.net

4 Winds Christian Athletics

4windsusa.com

]]> Harmful Effects of Marijuana 6-18-18 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/06/18/harmful-effects-of-marijuana-6-18-18 Mon, 18 Jun 2018 15:54:58 +0000 Jim Schneider Dr. David Stevens is the chief executive officer of the Christian Medical and Dental Association, the nation's largest faith-based organization of healthcare professionals. Dr. Stevens has also served as a missionary doctor in Kenya for some 10 years. He's also conducted numerous seminars on such issues as stem cell research, human cloning, genetics, faith and health, physician-assisted suicide, abortion and other topics. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: June 18, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Guest:   Dr. David Stevens
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Dr. David Stevens is the chief executive officer of the Christian Medical and Dental Association, the nation's largest faith-based organization of healthcare professionals. Dr. Stevens has also served as a missionary doctor in Kenya for some 10 years. He's also conducted numerous seminars on such issues as stem cell research, human cloning, genetics, faith and health, physician-assisted suicide, abortion and other topics.

On January 1st, California opened the door for the recreational use of marijuana. Newsweek has reported that at least 12 states are poised to consider the legalization of marijuana.

Dr. Stevens believes that part of the reason this is happening is because of big money. George Soros has poured 100 million dollars into the Drug Policy Alliance. That's a group that's pushing legalization across the nation. Also, in Colorado, they have 28 full-time lobbyists at the state legislature, more than on any issue.

Marijuana back in the 60's had about 1% THC content. Today, the average across the U.S. is 12%. If you go to Colorado, it's about 30%. THC is a reference to the active substance in marijuana: Tetrohydrocannabinol. That's what gives the 'high', the hallucinations, the feeling of ease, the loss of contact with time and other bodily effects.

Other effects to note include breathing problems, it increases the heart rate, gives an increased risk of heart attack, it's very bad for pregnant women, if used in high amounts it can actually be the cause, rather than the cure, for intense nausea and vomiting, it makes schizophrenia worse, causes lower satisfaction with life, relationship problems, less academic and career success, and the list goes on.

THC doesn't give any medicinal effects. That comes from cannabinol. Cannabinol doesn't give a 'high' but does have some effect on glaucoma, nausea and other things. So the mantra being promoted is that if we just legalize it, that will cut down on the use of it.

Dr. Stevens explained that an independent group estimated that out of 13-1/2 million pounds of marijuana produced in California, 80% of it was illegally shipped out of state, and of the remaining 20%, only 5% went into medicinal marijuana.

So why are numerous states looking to jump aboard the marijuana bandwagon? Again, it all goes back to money. Marijuana is getting taxed. It had been estimated that by this year, marijuana would be a 3.5 billion dollar business in California and a 5 billion dollar business by next year, with the state making a billion dollars in taxes.

So it's not the legalization of marijuana that's really the issue, it's the commercialization. Under commercialization you need to get more current users and you want them to become ever more frequent users. Obtaining that goal requires more marketing which is just what you'll see in Colorado as marijuana is promoted in TV, print, etc. This is resulting in huge profits for the state and those involved in it. Just to prove the point, Dr. Stevens noted that in one minority area of Denver, there's 1 marijuana shop for every 47 people.

Dr. Stevens has no problem with medical marijuana as long as it's handled like medicine. He gave the example of morphine which is an effective drug for pain relief. Morphine comes from heroin which in turn, comes from poppy plants. We don't allow people to grow poppy plants in their backyard and manufacture their own heroin, but that's what we're doing with marijuana. There's no manufacturer, there's no FDA approval, no standard chemical composition for potency and quality, no standard dosage, no safe delivery system, and no knowledge of interaction with other drugs you may be taking. Instead, in California, the legal system is basically saying that if you need marijuana for medicinal use, you can grow six plants in your backyard as long as people can't see them. Then you can consume that marijuana in whatever dosage you want.

There's much more to learn on this subject and Jim helps bring it to you in this very informative Crosstalk interview.

More Information:

Christian Medical and Dental Association

www.cmda.org

]]> Father's Day Tribute - 2018 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/06/15/fathers-day-tribute-2018 Fri, 15 Jun 2018 16:17:24 +0000 Jim Schneider Jim presented the history of how this special day became a national holiday, why fathers are such a critical component of the family unit, some wisdom regarding fatherhood from the late Adrian Rogers, General Douglas MacArthur, Charles Spurgeon and more. After that he opened the phone lines to let Crosstalk listeners pay special tribute and honor toward their fathers. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: June 15, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Listen:    MP3 | Order

Jim presented the history of how this special day became a national holiday, why fathers are such a critical component of the family unit, some wisdom regarding fatherhood from the late Adrian Rogers, General Douglas MacArthur, Charles Spurgeon and more. After that he opened the phone lines to let Crosstalk listeners pay special tribute and honor toward their fathers.

Many heartfelt testimonies and sentiments were expressed and you'll be blessed by all when you review this special Crosstalk broadcast.

]]> News Roundup 6-14-18 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/06/14/news-roundup-6-14-18 Thu, 14 Jun 2018 16:05:15 +0000 Jim Schneider Due to our upcoming annual Father's Day broadcast, Jim presented this Thursday edition of the Round-Up. Some of the headlines mentioned included: --President Trump believes North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will move immediately on steps toward denuclearization and that the process is moving rapidly. --Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared that unlike past agreements with Pyongyang, the one being pursued by the Trump administration will not provide economic benefits until the complete denuclearization of North Korea has taken place. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: June 14, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Listen:    MP3 | Order

Due to our upcoming annual Father's Day broadcast, Jim presented this Thursday edition of the Round-Up. Some of the headlines mentioned included:

--President Trump believes North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will move immediately
on steps toward denuclearization and that the process is moving rapidly.
--Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared that unlike past agreements with
Pyongyang, the one being pursued by the Trump administration will not provide
economic benefits until the complete denuclearization of North Korea has taken
place.
--On his way back from the summit with North Korea, President Trump met briefly
with the governor of Guam.
--FBI agent Peter Stroik texted a fellow bureau official in August 2016 saying
that they'd stop Trump from becoming president.
--Foreign actors obtained access to some of former Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton's e-mails including at least one e-mail classified as secret.
--The U.S. Supreme Court reaffirmed the constitutionality of an Ohio law that
removes people from voter rolls after 6 years if they do not vote during that
time or respond to state efforts to verify their residence in the state.
--The Supreme Court struck down Minnesota's broad ban on wearing political apparel
at the polls.
--Drag queen children's TV shows are coming to America.
--The U.S. government has awarded a pro-transgender activist one million dollars
to study transgenderism in kids in a study critics say is already fundamentally
biased.
--The U.S. House approved a ban on the importation and trafficking of anatomically
correct child sex dolls and robots that are normalizing sex between adults and
minors.
--Nathan Larson, an accountant in Virginia, believes it's OK for adults to have
sexual relations with children, yet he's running for Congress.
--For the first time in history, the NFL and Major League Baseball will be
participating in New York City's gay pride parade
--Connecticut had its state open track and field championships. One person broke
the state open records for girls in both the 100 and 200 meter runs, but the
person is a biological boy.
--Maine will issue gender-neutral driver's licenses.
--In the UK, one 9 year old girl had such an intense addiction to the killing
video game Fortnight, she would play the game for 10 hours per day. She'd
secretly get up at night and play until dawn while neglecting to go to the
bathroom because she couldn't bear to leave the scene. She even hit her father
in the face when he tried to confiscate her X-Box game console.
--For the first time since President Obama repealed the military's 'Don't ask,
don't tell' policy during the early years of his presidency, Pentagon officials
have chosen not to honor LGBT Pride Month with formal acknowledgment.
--In an amazing show of force, 30 former homosexuals and transgenders took to a
podium outside the California statehouse to oppose a proposed law banning
therapy and printed resources helping those who seek freedom from LGBTQ+
identities and lifestyles.
--Just 3 days after the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its decision in favor of a
baker who refused to bake a cake for a gay wedding, a court in Arizona is
forcing a pair of Christian small business owners to provide their products to a
homosexual couple.
--Some senators seek to block the sale of jet fighters to the nation of Turkey.
--Iranian officials admit government obfuscation took place in order to cover the
tracks of the Al-Qaeda militants who went on to carry out the 9-11 attacks.

]]> The Rise of Islam and Growing Christian Persecution http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/06/13/the-rise-of-islam-and-growing-christian-persecution Wed, 13 Jun 2018 16:10:18 +0000 Jim Schneider According to Shahram, jihad is the connection. Part of the problem is that terms aren't being defined as Islam defines them. Sharia law defines jihad as warfare against non-Muslims and to establish the religion of Islam. This means that when you see the outward, or the lesser jihad (because they believe it will end), that jihad is to wage war against non-Muslims. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: June 13, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Guest:    Shahram Hadian
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Shahram Hadian is a former Muslim from Iran who came to the states in 1978 and committed his life to Jesus Christ. Shahram has begun the TIL Project, the Truth in Love Project, which exposes the true goal of Islam and the threat of Sharia in America. He's served as a pastor, a police officer, and a former candidate for Governor in Washington State.

What's the tie between Islam and violence, Islam and killings, when we're continually told it's a religion of peace and that jihad is just a personal, internal struggle?

According to Shahram, jihad is the connection. Part of the problem is that terms aren't being defined as Islam defines them. Sharia law defines jihad as warfare against non-Muslims and to establish the religion of Islam. This means that when you see the outward, or the lesser jihad (because they believe it will end), that jihad is to wage war against non-Muslims.

What's the purpose of that war? It's to either convert non-Muslims, make them second-class citizens, or fight them to the death.

As Islam rises, it's no accident or coincidence. When you look at some of the numbers, Shahram believes we could potentially be looking at the greatest persecution of Christians since the beginning of the Christian church.

Jim then referenced the story of a Muslim man who allegedly killed his own 4 year old daughter as a sacrificial offering to Allah during Ramadan. The killing was allegedly done by cutting her throat.

In response, Shahram noted that some would say that behavior is not reflective of Islam. Shahram disagreed. He believes Islam is an evil, demonic ideology. It promotes death. The highest aspiration of Muslims is to become a martyr for the sake of Allah in order to gain paradise/heaven. He thinks the fact that the alleged killer also referenced the Devil/Satan shows that we're witnessing the true spirit that's behind Islam. This shows how they're sacrificing to their false god.

Jim then referenced Pew Research Center statistics from January that estimates there were about 3.5 million Muslims living in the U.S. in 2017 making up about 1.1% of the total population.

Shahram disagrees with those estimates. He believes in going by Muslim demographics and numbers. Even Muslim Brotherhood sources that he's seen claim that their numbers are around 7-8 million. Actually, Shahram thinks even that figure is low and believes it to be more like 9 million. He cited as proof the burgeoning enclaves in places like Minnesota and Michigan.

What's the cause? One is immigration. Hijrah is part of the Muslim ideology of migration in large numbers to areas where enclaves are then established. That's why over 1,000 no-go zones exist in France while other such zones also exist in Great Britain, Sweden and Germany.

The second cause is jihad wilada (jihad of the womb). So if someone's a devout Muslim and they can't wage jihad in battle or with their money, they can wage it by the womb. This requires a Muslim husband and wife to have a lot of children. This is why the average Muslim birth rate in Europe is about 5 children per family compared with the rest of the continent where it's about 1.45 children per family.

Join Jim and Shahram for much more as they look at worldwide Christian persecution statistics, the exaggerated narrative of Islamophobic attacks, what's taking place in Michigan's race for governor, preparing for growing opposition, and more.

More Information:

TIL Project

www.tilproject.com

]]> Southern Baptist Convention at the Crossroads http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/06/12/southern-baptist-convention-at-the-crossroads Tue, 12 Jun 2018 16:00:17 +0000 Jim Schneider Alex noted that there's been a 'back and forth' between liberal and conservative factions within the denomination going back many decades. What he's noted is that these social justice/progressive forces don't come in waving a Marxist banner or a rainbow flag. Instead, he believes there are a lot of people within the SBC that would love to move the denomination in a more progressive direction. He cited those within the SBC who have the idea that maybe God has created people LGBT and that's a fundamental part of their identity, so they feel the idea of an LGBT Christian needs to be grappled with. These individuals may feel that homosexual acts are still sinful and those who fit the LGBT profile need to be celibate, but once you begin allowing such ideas into the church, that becomes problematic. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: June 12, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Guest:    Alex Newman
Listen:    MP3 | Order

Alex Newman is an international freelance journalist, author, educator and consultant. His articles frequently appear in The New American. He also writes for Freedom Project Media.

Initial comments from Alex dealt with documents signed by President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un concerning complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. He communicated his 'gut-feeling' that this is probably a stall tactic on the part of North Korea as well as commenting on the China connection.

He finished this portion of the discussion with comments on president Trump's performance at the G7 summit.

The Southern Baptist Convention (the largest U.S. Protestant denomination) is currently meeting in Dallas, Texas. Alex has written that they are on the verge of falling to organized progressive social justice forces and anti-Trump activists.

Alex noted that there's been a 'back and forth' between liberal and conservative factions within the denomination going back many decades. What he's noted is that these social justice/progressive forces don't come in waving a Marxist banner or a rainbow flag. Instead, he believes there are a lot of people within the SBC that would love to move the denomination in a more progressive direction. He cited those within the SBC who have the idea that maybe God has created people LGBT and that's a fundamental part of their identity, so they feel the idea of an LGBT Christian needs to be grappled with. These individuals may feel that homosexual acts are still sinful and those who fit the LGBT profile need to be celibate, but once you begin allowing such ideas into the church, that becomes problematic.

Is the rank and file aware of the battle over this matter? Alex believes most of them are not and this point is what came through most clearly in his discussion with SBC pastors and members.

There is a resolution coming forth from conservatives within the denomination against the things that Alex brought up, but defining terms is very important. For example, Alex defined 'social justice' because at one time, the phrase had a positive connotation. However, it's been hijacked by those who want to fundamentally transform Christian civilization so that now the phrase represents the effort to support abortion (reproductive justice), feminism, heavy taxes, open borders and more.

Jim and Alex also talk about the Revoice Conference taking place in July in St. Louis, some individuals supporting the progressive movement in general, and much more.

More Information:

The New American

www.thenewamerican.com

]]> Countering the Globalist Agenda http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/06/11/countering-the-globalist-agenda Mon, 11 Jun 2018 15:58:18 +0000 Jim Schneider Below are just some of the headlines Jim brought to the attention of Crosstalk listeners: --The St. Paul, Minnesota, public library presenting 'drag' stories for families in June and July in celebration of 'pride'. --An 11 year old boy who wants to be treated like a girl will be the grand marshal for one of the largest gay pride parades. --A controversial Canadian video uses children to promote gay pride month. --Popular clothing retailer J. Crew is launching a line of rainbow themed clothing for June, LGBT pride month, targeting children and fundraising for a pro- homosexual lobbying group. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: June 11, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Guest: Gary Kah
Listen:    MP3 | Order

Following up on their discussion from last week, Jim had Gary Kah return with more information regarding a concept that, in light of so many issues that grab the headlines, may have been forgotten by many listeners. That concept is the globalist agenda.

Gary is the founder and director of Hope For the World. He's the former Europe and Middle East Trade Specialist for the Indiana State Government. In this capacity he traveled to more than 20 countries, working hand-in-hand with U.S. embassies and top government officials in the area of export promotion. In the mid 1980's, Gary uncovered information regarding the printing of a new U.S. currency. After some investigation, he found that many countries around the world had already begun issuing new currencies similar in design. Gary discovered that this coordinated effort was merely a stepping stone toward establishing a single, global unit of exchange, which was to be part of a coming one-world government. In 1987, Gary was invited to join the World Constitution and Parliament Association, one of the organizations involved at the forefront of promoting the world government agenda. During the next 4 years he obtained detailed documents which demonstrated that the push toward a one-world government was active and rapidly advancing. Gary is the author of 'Enroute to Global Occupation' and 'The New World Religion'.

In this second part of the series, discussion began with trade among nations, particularly the G7 talks where President Trump caused a stir due to disagreements with Canadian leader Justin Trudeau. The disagreements centered around tariff imbalances between the two nations.

Other items noted on the program included the Bilderberg Summit's artificial intelligence discussions, how Trump is throwing a 'monkey wrench' into the global agenda, nations that are standing in opposition to the new world order movement, the increased embracing of socialism in America today, and much more.

More Information:

www.garykah.org

]]> News Roundup 6-8-18 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/06/08/news-roundup-6-8-18 Fri, 08 Jun 2018 16:03:00 +0000 Jim Schneider Below are just some of the headlines Jim brought to the attention of Crosstalk listeners: --The St. Paul, Minnesota, public library presenting 'drag' stories for families in June and July in celebration of 'pride'. --An 11 year old boy who wants to be treated like a girl will be the grand marshal for one of the largest gay pride parades. --A controversial Canadian video uses children to promote gay pride month. --Popular clothing retailer J. Crew is launching a line of rainbow themed clothing for June, LGBT pride month, targeting children and fundraising for a pro- homosexual lobbying group. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: June 8, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Listen:    MP3 | Order

Below are just some of the headlines Jim brought to the attention of Crosstalk listeners:

--The St. Paul, Minnesota, public library presenting 'drag' stories for families
in June and July in celebration of 'pride'.
--An 11 year old boy who wants to be treated like a girl will be the grand marshal
for one of the largest gay pride parades.
--A controversial Canadian video uses children to promote gay pride month.
--Popular clothing retailer J. Crew is launching a line of rainbow themed clothing
for June, LGBT pride month, targeting children and fundraising for a pro-
homosexual lobbying group.
--Public schools in Illinois may be forced to single out homosexual historical
figures for special praise if legislation that has already passed one chamber
ultimately prevails.
--A 28 year old teacher is being forced to resign because he refuses to call
transgender students by their preferred names rather than the names they were
given at birth.
--California is going to ban state funded travel to Oklahoma because of a new law
that let's private agencies deny placement of adopted children with same-sex
couples.
--The Human Rights Campaign Foundation unveiled ground-breaking resources to
guide child welfare agencies in better serving the more than 430,000 children
and young people in foster care.
--A CrossFit executive fired for calling LGBT pride a sin.
--The new facility for the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team will contain some
gender neutral restrooms.
--Madison, WI., city council members are seeking to ban conversion therapy.
--Richard Madaleno, a Democratic candidate in Maryland's gubernatorial race, made
history yesterday by airing the first political TV campaign ad featuring a same-
sex kiss.
--House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said in a statement made in honor of LGBTQ
pride month, that marriage equality is part of the progress that Americans have
made in moving our nation closer to fulfilling the promise of our creed that all
are created equal.
--The Human Rights Campaign launches a nationwide summer of action anchored by
about 500 local events in all 50 states along with Puerto Rico and D.C.
--The LGBT rainbow flag was raised over a veterans park in Maine.
--Pittsburgh police show solidarity with a rainbow adorned squad car.
--More than 100 members of Congress signed a letter calling on Defense Secretary
Jim Mattis to reverse the Pentagon's ban on the most transgender people from
military service.
--The Polk County Sheriffs office announced that investigators arrested 11
suspects in a child porn sting in Central Florida, some of whom worked for
Disney World and Lego World.
--Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis and HIV AIDS are all on the rise in South Dakota
and across the nation, reaching near historic infection rates.
--'All Hands on Deck' set to take the Gospel to the second largest pride parade in
the nation in Columbus, Ohio, June 14-17.

]]> Whatever Happened to the 'New World Order?' http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/06/07/whatever-happened-to-the-new-world-order Thu, 07 Jun 2018 15:53:54 +0000 Jim Schneider According to Gary, some people tried to say that President Bush didn't really understand what 'new world order'. The problem with that idea is that at one point he was a chairman of the Trilateral Commission and was a member of a number of globalist organizations whose purpose was to move the world toward global governance. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: June 7, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Guest:    Gary Kah
Listen:    MP3 | Order

Some Crosstalk listeners may remember President George Herbert Walker Bush who called for 'a new world order'. Is that effort still in place and if so, how far along is it in 2018?

Joining Jim to present the latest information on this issue was Gary Kah. Gary is the founder and director of Hope For the World. Gary is the former Europe and Middle East Trade Specialist for the Indiana State Government. In this capacity he traveled to more than 20 countries, working hand-in-hand with U.S. embassies and top government officials in the area of export promotion. In the mid 1980's, Gary uncovered information regarding the printing of a new U.S. currency. After some investigation, he found that many countries around the world had already begun issuing new currencies similar in design. Gary discovered that this coordinated effort was merely a stepping stone toward establishing a single, global unit of exchange, which was to be part of a coming one-world government. In 1987, Gary was invited to join the World Constitution and Parliament Association, one of the organizations involved at the forefront of promoting the world government agenda. During the next 4 years he obtained detailed documents which demonstrated that the push toward a one-world government was active and rapidly advancing. Gary is the author of 'Enroute to Global Occupation' and 'The New World Religion'.

According to Gary, some people tried to say that President Bush didn't really understand what 'new world order'. The problem with that idea is that at one point he was a chairman of the Trilateral Commission and was a member of a number of globalist organizations whose purpose was to move the world toward global governance.

The Bush era was the launching point in the sense that prior to that time, everything had been behind the scenes. In the early '90's, politically involved New Agers and globalists viewed Bush's words as the signal that it was time to move forward and do it quickly. They continued to lay the groundwork throughout the '90's via new organizations founded at different levels of government and even outside of government; organizations that cooperated with the United Nations.

Late Summer to early Fall of 2000, 3 meetings took place within a 2 week period in New York City. The first one involved the top religious leaders of the world that was funded by Ted Turner. This was the start of many steps that moved the world toward interfaithism.

Less than 2 weeks later, another gathering at the United Nations involved over 160 heads of state. This meeting centered on a political unification of the world. Leaders were encouraged to ratify various international treaties that hadn't been ratified by everyone.

Around the same time that this meeting was being held, Mikhail Gorbachev's organization invited the top economists of the world, others from academia, the scientific community and the media to also talk about globalization. This is also where we began to see the environment as a reason for why we need global governance.

In the ensuing years, the movement moved forward quickly while other times it seemed to hold back. Gary believes that during last 2 years of the younger George Bush administration (2006-2008) and especially during the 8 years of the Obama administration, the pace of the movement increased rapidly.

That brings us up to the current president, Donald Trump. Were the globalists hoping for him to be a candidate? Find out the answer to that and much more when you review this timely Crosstalk broadcast.

More Information:

www.garykah.org

]]> Supreme Court: Victory for Masterpiece Cakeshop http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/06/06/supreme-court-victory-for-masterpiece-cakeshop Wed, 06 Jun 2018 16:06:07 +0000 Jim Schneider On Monday the Supreme Court released their decision in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, a historic case that stopped a law from being used to force a Christian baker to violate his conscience. Now that the case is over and the decision is being analyzed, what does this case mean and what doesn't it mean? Will there be more confrontations against Christians who wish to exercise their religious freedom, beliefs and convictions? Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: June 6, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Guest:    Mat Staver
Listen:   MP3 | Order

On Monday the Supreme Court released their decision in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, a historic case that stopped a law from being used to force a Christian baker to violate his conscience.
Now that the case is over and the decision is being analyzed, what does this case mean and what doesn't it mean? Will there be more confrontations against Christians who wish to exercise their religious freedom, beliefs and convictions?

Joining Jim to answer those and other questions was Mat Staver. Mat is the founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, a non-profit litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of human life, and the family. Mat has over 230 published legal opinions.  He's authored 8 scholarly law review publications and 10 books.  He has filed numerous briefs and argued in many federal and state courts including the U.S. Supreme Court and has argued two landmark cases before the Supreme Court: Madsen v. Women’s Health Center and McCreary County v. ACLU of Kentucky.  He's the host of the radio programs, 'Faith & Freedom' and 'Freedom’s Call'.

This case goes back to 2012 when a same-sex couple came in to Masterpiece Cakeshop. This couple wanted to get married in Massachusetts and then go to Colorado to celebrate a same-sex ceremony. They went to Jack Phillips who uses his artistic talent to create cake designs that have meaning.

In the past, Jack has refused to bake cakes for other offensive things, and in this case he was asked to bake a cake to recognize and celebrate a same-sex ceremony. In addition, he did serve homosexuals on a regular basis. In fact, he told this couple that he would bake cakes of different kinds for events such as birthdays, graduations or other parties.

Mat noted that a wedding cake is something completely different. When you go to a wedding, everyone understands there will be a wedding cake. So if you were to have a wedding cake with two men on it, that would be celebrating a union of two men that is directly contrary to, in this case, Jack's beliefs, so he refused. Jack even recommended other places where they could possibly have a same-sex wedding cake provided for them.

Eventually Jack received the complaint against him and he took his case up through the various agencies such as the Colorado Civil Rights Commission, the state's courts of appeals and eventually the U.S. Supreme Court where they ruled 7-2 in his favor.

Contrary to what some might write or say, this case is over. Jack Philips has won under the free exercise clause of the Constitution. The Colorado Civil Rights Commission will not be getting another shot at this case because the Supreme Court did not send the case back for further consideration.

More Information:

Liberty Counsel
www.lc.org
407-875-1776

]]> Vaccinations: Setting the Record Straight http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/06/05/vaccinations-setting-the-record-straight Tue, 05 Jun 2018 16:15:07 +0000 Jim Schneider Barbara Loe Fisher is president of the National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC), a non-profit charity she co-founded with parents of DPT vaccine injured children in 1982. For over three decades, she has led a national, grassroots movement and public information campaign to institute vaccine safety reforms and informed consent protections in the public health system. She has researched, analyzed and publicly articulated the major issues involving the science, policy, law, ethics and politics of vaccination to become one of the world’s leading non-medical, consumer advocacy experts on the subject. She is co-author of 'DPT: A Shot in the Dark' and author of 'The Consumer’s Guide to Childhood Vaccines', 'Vaccines, Autism and Chronic Inflammation: The New Epidemic', and 'Reforming Vaccine Policy and Law: A Guide'. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: June 5, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Guest:    Barbara Loe Fisher
Listen:   MP3 | Order

Barbara Loe Fisher is president of the National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC), a non-profit charity she co-founded with parents of DPT vaccine injured children in 1982. For over three decades, she has led a national, grassroots movement and public information campaign to institute vaccine safety reforms and informed consent protections in the public health system. She has researched, analyzed and publicly articulated the major issues involving the science, policy, law, ethics and politics of vaccination to become one of the world’s leading non-medical, consumer advocacy experts on the subject. She is co-author of 'DPT: A Shot in the Dark' and author of 'The Consumer’s Guide to Childhood Vaccines', 'Vaccines, Autism & Chronic Inflammation: The New Epidemic', and 'Reforming Vaccine Policy & Law: A Guide'.
Jim opened the discussion by noting that U.S. News and World Report reported on May 21st of this year that public confidence in vaccines is sagging. Barbara thinks this is just the tip of the iceberg. She indicated that every poll her organization has seen in the last 15 years has increasingly said people are becoming more aware that vaccines have side-effects that can include brain damage and death.

Interestingly, this greater awareness by the public doesn't seem to be due to media coverage. In fact, there's been a huge decline in coverage by the mainstream media on this issue in the past 5-6 years. The coverage that's going on is on the World Wide Web and it's given people the ability to talk to others around the world. This allows them to share their vaccination experiences and sometimes those aren't positive.

The basic problem is that people follow the directions of their doctor, they get vaccinated and are left with chronic health problems stemming from the resulting inflammation.

As this broadcast moved along, Jim had Barbara comment on/answer the following:

--Just a few decades ago we were told that a single dose of the MMR vaccine would eliminate these childhood diseases. Not long after, parents were told that a single dose was not adequate for life-long protection. Then it was discovered that Mumps was making a comeback in some areas so a third booster shot was necessary. What's the story behind that?

--Has there been any final determination regarding the alleged link between vaccines and autism? How about a link between vaccines and pediatric cancer?

--Are the ingredients in vaccines safe? What's the status of the use of cells from aborted baby tissues in certain vaccinations?

--What do you need to know about chicken pox, shingles and the shingles vaccine?

--If there's been so many after-effects from vaccines, why aren't we hearing more about lawsuits against the vaccine manufacturers?

More Information:

www.nvic.org
www.thevaccinereaction.org
www.nvicadvocacy.org

]]> Being Proactive in Protecting Life http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/06/04/being-proactive-in-protecting-life Mon, 04 Jun 2018 16:16:07 +0000 Jim Schneider Brad Mattes – President and CEO of Life Issues Institute headquartered in Cincinnati. Their mission is that of assuring through education, equal protection under the law for all living humans from the beginning of their biological life at fertilization until natural death. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: June 4, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Guest:    Brad Mattes
Listen:   MP3 | Order

Brad Mattes – President and CEO of Life Issues Institute headquartered in Cincinnati. Their mission is that of assuring through education, equal protection under the law for all living humans from the beginning of their biological life at fertilization until natural death.

Judge blocks Iowa's heartbeat abortion ban- A judge has granted the abortion lobby's request to temporarily block enforcement of Iowa's new ban on aborting babies with detectable heartbeats, pending a final verdict on the law's constitutionality.

President Trump issued the new Protect Life Rule to stop sending Title X family planning dollars to abortion organizations like planned Parenthood they will loose 60 Million of our tax dollars each year.

Brad instructed listeners to supply their comments for the comment period under way dealing with Title X funding.

More Information:

www.lifeissues.org

]]> Biblical Earthquakes 6-1-18 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/06/01/biblical-earthquakes-6-1-18 Fri, 01 Jun 2018 16:23:12 +0000 Jim Schneider Do earthquakes give any indication as to the age of the earth? Dr. Austin believes the earthquakes recorded in the Bible tell the entire story of the book. One example he mentioned was what would likely be the greatest earth shaking event ever. It took place on day 3 of creation week when 340 million cubic miles of water was collected by God into ocean basins as the continents appeared. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: June 1, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Guest:    Dr. Steve Austin
Listen:   MP3 | Order

Dr. Steve Austin is a field research geologist with a PhD in Geology. His quest to understand the sedimentary processes that formed rocks and fossils has launched explorations into six of the world's seven continents. His research adventures have taken him by helicopter into the crater of Mount St. Helens, by bush plane onto glaciers in the high mountains of Alaska, by raft onto the Great Barrier Reef, by canoe into coastal swamps of Australia and much more. He likes to climb high mountain peaks. He's experienced the hazards of mudflows, avalanches, volcanic eruptions, boiling creeks, quicksand, flash floods, and encountered crocodiles and venomous snakes. He's known for his field trips and field teaching events and has examined Dead Sea sediment showing earthquake disturbances. He has authored three books. He's a member of the Geological Society of America, the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, the Society for Sedimentary Geology, the International Association of Sedimentologists, and the Creation Geology Society.

Do earthquakes give any indication as to the age of the earth? Dr. Austin believes the earthquakes recorded in the Bible tell the entire story of the book. One example he mentioned was what would likely be the greatest earth shaking event ever. It took place on day 3 of creation week when 340 million cubic miles of water was collected by God into ocean basins as the continents appeared.

Another example he gave deals with the global flood in the days of Noah. This flood covered all the high hills under the whole heaven but it started on the floor of the ocean. In Genesis 7 it indicates that the fountains of the great deep were broken up. So he contends that it was a ripping up of the ocean floor that created the flood.

Next he mentioned earthquakes as part of the following events:

--The judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah.
--The rebellion of Korah.
--At the giving of the law of Moses.
--Jonathan and his armor bearer in the Philistine camp.
--Amos's earthquake in about 750 BC, a quake that was probably the largest in the
last 4,000 years in the Holy Land.
--Just before the birth of Christ in 31 BC.
--At the tomb of the resurrection of Christ.

The bottom line? Earthquakes figure prominently in the Bible and Dr. Austin is attempting to find the disturbed layers from earthquakes in Dead Sea sediment.

Skeptics may say, 'That's fine, but is he finding geological evidence for the above listed quakes?' Dr. Austin explained that when mud accumulates in the Dead Sea, it forms in very thin, precisely laid layers. When an earthquake occurs, it doesn't mix up all the sediment, it only mixes up the sediment within an inch or two on the floor of the lake. Right at the sediment/water interface as the sediment accumulates, that's where the earthquakes leave a record. That's what he's deciphering.

Is Dr. Austin able to determine a time frame of when biblical quakes occurred through sediment examination? Is Carbon-14 dating proof of evolution or creation? Why does he feel there was an earthquake at Sodom and Gomorrah? What is the purpose of biblical earthquakes?

These and other questions are answered on this fascinating edition of Crosstalk.

More Information:

www.creationadventures.com

To check out Dr. Austin's speaking schedule go to: www.midwestcreationfellowship.org or www.genesismatters.org

]]> Israel on High Alert 5-31-18 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/05/31/israel-on-high-alert-5-31-18 Thu, 31 May 2018 16:07:29 +0000 Jim Schneider The Middle East has long been spiraling out of control, causing global uncertainty and fear. What does this turmoil mean for Israel and why has peace been so elusive? The announcement that the United States would move its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem sent shock waves through the Middle East and the world with many nations condemning our recognizing the capital of Israel. Why is there such hatred against Israel? Why do nations want to see Israel annihilated? Why does what happens in Israel have such global impact? Will the United States continue to stand by its long time ally? Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: May 31, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Guest:    Ron Rhodes
Listen:   MP3 | Order

The Middle East has long been spiraling out of control, causing global uncertainty and fear. What does this turmoil mean for Israel and why has peace been so elusive? The announcement that the United States would move its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem sent shock waves through the Middle East and the world with many nations condemning our recognizing the capital of Israel. Why is there such hatred against Israel? Why do nations want to see Israel annihilated? Why does what happens in Israel have such global impact? Will the United States continue to stand by its long time ally?

To answer these questions, Crosstalk contacted Ron Rhodes. Ron is the president of Reasoning from the Scriptures Ministries. He's a keynote speaker at conferences across the United States. He's the author of over 70 books with over 1 million copies sold. Crosstalk has interviewed him about his numerous writings concerning Bible prophecy, apologetics and other topics. He joined Jim to discuss his latest book, 'Israel on High Alert: What Can We Expect Next in the Middle East'.

Why would Ron consider Israel to be on high alert? First of all, it's not exactly sitting on a very large chunk of real estate. As Ron pointed out, it's just 8,000 square miles which is quite small when you compare it to the more than 5 million square miles of hostile Arab real estate that surrounds them.

Ron believes it's important that everyone, especially Christians, understand that this isn't merely a political or geopolitical issue. It's also a religious issue, a conflict between the Jewish people and Islam.

He then mentioned Israel's neighbors. This includes Russia which has been working with Iran in overcoming Syria. This is important because the Bible does speak about a future invasion into Israel by Iran, Turkey, Sudan and a variety of other Muslim nations. This is to take place in conjunction with Russia, and what better route to take to get to Israel than through Syria, since they are right on the border with Israel.

According to Ron, it appears that the stage is being set for this future invasion. The Russia/Syria, Russia/Sudan and Russia/Libya alliances have been coming together and in recent days, Turkey has been swinging away from the West and its commitment to NATO and instead appears to be looking to Russia.

Why is there so much animosity toward Israel? Israel is considered to be the lesser 'Satan' while the U.S. is considered to be the 'Great Satan' because the U.S. has been the military and financial ally of Israel for so many years. When President Trump announced the relocation of the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, Ron likened that to the pouring of gasoline on an already hot fire. Since that decision was made, various leaders from Islamic lands, including Iran, have stated that Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the Palestinian state.

This all goes back to 1948 when Israel took the land. He believes that the entire Middle East conflict is rooted in what took place then. This is because Muslims believe that once land comes under Islamic domination, it can never go out of their control. This means Israel's taking of land was an insult to Allah.

As this program moved along, Jim had Ron deal with the following and more...

--Who are the Palestinians and what is their claim to the land?
--How do we interpret the biblical prophecies concerning Israel?
--Are there plans to rebuild the temple on the Temple Mount?
--Could the antichrist be alive today?
--What happens to Israel during the tribulation period?
--Should we be living in fear over end-time developments?

More Information:

To obtain a copy of 'Israel on High Alert' (available for a donation of $16 or more) go to www.vcyamerica.org or call 1-800-729-9829.

]]> Islam's European Impact http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/05/30/islams-european-impact Wed, 30 May 2018 16:09:47 +0000 Jim Schneider Joining Jim to look at that question was Soeren Kern. Soeren is a distinguished senior fellow of the Gatestone Institute. He's a political scientist by training, specializing in European politics as well as U.S. and European defense and security issues. He's a regular columnist about European politics and transatlantic relations. He is a dual citizen of the United States and Germany and currently resides in Spain. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: May 30, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Guest:    Soeren Kern
Listen:   MP3 | Order

As of this date, TheReligionofPeace.com website is reporting that since Ramadan began this year, there've been 77 terror attacks in the name of Islam with 318 killed.

As this behavior continues, how has this impacted Europe and what does the future hold for the continent overall as it pertains to Islam?

Joining Jim to look at that question was Soeren Kern. Soeren is a distinguished senior fellow of the Gatestone Institute. He's a political scientist by training, specializing in European politics as well as U.S. and European defense and security issues. He's a regular columnist about European politics and transatlantic relations. He is a dual citizen of the United States and Germany and currently resides in Spain.

In England, journalist and anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson is in prison for violating probation. According to Soeren, the political elites in the UK are angry because Robinson continually brings to light problems related to integration. A judge refused to allow UK media to report on Robinson's situation which Soeren believes is censorship in order to prevent activists from exposing problems related to mass migration of people from the Muslim world.

How has England been changing under Islam? The UK now has one of the largest Muslim populations of any nation in Europe. However, whether it's the UK or other European nations, the main issue is integration or non-integration. This is due to the fact that Islam is a political ideology in addition to being a religion. Islam's goal is to conquer the entire world and bring it under the submission of Allah. This means that Muslims can't integrate because that would be in violation of Islamic doctrine.

This has resulted in the formation of parallel justice systems where you see Sharia courts adjudicating Muslim civil cases in spite of that nation's secular laws. So while women will have certain constitutional protections under secular law, under Sharia, those same women are treated as second-class citizens.

Soeren indicated that there are a lot of conflicts about the role of religious education in the school system, not just in the UK, but in France and other European nations. There's a lot of tolerance for the teaching of Islam, a type of tolerance that is not shown toward Judaism or Christianity.

Soeren gave an example he referred to as 'the Trojan Horse Case'. Extremist/fundamentalist Muslims were influencing a large number of schools in the Birmingham area by trying to enforce Sharia codes. It's a nationwide problem and he believes the government has no idea how to deal with the issue.

As the program moves along, you'll hear more about Islam as it pertains to France Germany, Spain and much more.

More Information:

Gatestone Institute

www.gatestoneinstitute.org

]]> The Results of LGBT Indoctrination http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/05/29/the-results-of-lgbt-indoctrination Tue, 29 May 2018 16:07:51 +0000 Jim Schneider This edition of Crosstalk began with news from Jim that a recent Gallop poll indicates that the percentage of American adults identifying as LGBT has increased to 4.5%. That's up from 4.1% in 2016. It was 3.5% in 2012. The report noted that the expansion in the number is driven primarily by millennials. Those who identify as LGBT expanded from 7.3% in 2016 to 8.1% in 2017. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: May 29, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Guest:    Peter LaBarbera
Listen:   MP3 | Order

Crosstalk has been warning about indoctrination of youth by the LGBT agenda for a long time. Efforts have been made to indoctrinate the Boy Scouts, 4-H, the YMCA and schools across America.

These youth become adults and many already have been positioned to accept that which they have been immersed into and conditioned to believe for so long. Then, to the delight of many within the movement, they indicate that there's a growing acceptance to such things as same-sex marriage and gay pride.

Peter LaBarbera joined Jim to discuss this issue. Peter's the founder and president of Americans for Truth About Homosexuality.

This edition of Crosstalk began with news from Jim that a recent Gallop poll indicates that the percentage of American adults identifying as LGBT has increased to 4.5%. That's up from 4.1% in 2016. It was 3.5% in 2012. The report noted that the expansion in the number is driven primarily by millennials. Those who identify as LGBT expanded from 7.3% in 2016 to 8.1% in 2017.

Peter responded by saying that indoctrination and propaganda works. Even though he doesn't trust the 8.1% figure, he noted that morality has been redefined and now that homosexuality has become fashionable, especially in the eyes of the media, more kids are getting involved.

Some other statistics worth noting show that 2 in 3 Americans support same-sex marriage, 40 percentage points up from just 27% who supported it in 1996.

The core of this program involved Jim having Peter comment on some markers that vindicate the idea that the above information is accurate and how these markers steer youth toward LBGT views. Some examples included:

–Actor Sir Ian McKellen, who played 'Gandalf' in the 'Lord of the Rings' series, is openly homosexual. In a recent interview about his life he said that ,'Half of Hollywood is gay.'

–Greendale High School in Greendale, Wisconsin, where the high school newspaper communicated how the school's diversity council put together a theme for each day in order to celebrate the diversity in the school and around the world. Last Tuesday was LGBT Awareness Day. Comments by the principal were read by Jim showing how he was promoting the LGBT philosophy.

–A federal court ruled that a Virginia high school should have allowed a gender-confused former student to use the restrooms designated for the opposite sex. (A female who identified as male.) The school originally attempted to accommodate the request through allowing use of a private restroom but the student demanded the same restroom used by male students. The court sided with the student.

–Hawaii is banning the counseling of youth by conversion therapy.

–At a Boy Scout jamboree that's coming up in West Virginia in August, they want condoms to be available.

More Information:

Americans for Truth About Homosexuality

www.americansfortruth.com

]]> The Critical Call for Evangelism 5-28-18 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/05/28/the-critical-call-for-evangelism-5-28-18 Mon, 28 May 2018 15:50:20 +0000 Jim Schneider John Sorensen is president and CEO of Evangelism Explosion International, a ministry dedicated to equipping and training believers world wide to witness for Jesus. He's the daily speaker on Share Life Today. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: May 28, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Guest: John Sorensen
Listen:   MP3 | Order

John Sorensen is president and CEO of Evangelism Explosion International, a ministry dedicated to equipping and training believers world wide to witness for Jesus. He's the daily speaker on Share Life Today.

John began by noting that if you go back through every one of the great tragedies in recent history, those people did not know or at least didn't think about the fact that that particular day would be their last one on earth. This should light a fire under us as believers to say what Scripture tells us, and that is the fact that today is the day of salvation.

So how is the church doing at sharing the Gospel? John indicated that there are nations where the church is doing an amazing job. He cited mainland China as an example that in some ways mimics what we see in the book of Acts. Sadly, in the West, that's less so and perhaps that's because we're comfortable, complacent and feel we have things under control.

Why are we like this in the West and why do we tend to keep our faith to ourselves? John indicated that we're not sure we can make a difference so we imagine there's someone better than us that can go and share. In another instance someone might feel they're afraid that if they say something they'll goof it up. Others feel the pastor is the professional evangelist and that those of us in the laity aren't really called to do that. John also described how we've taken on a universalistic mindset where we feel things are going to work out for everyone however it's going to work out. So we end up believing there really isn't a heaven or hell the way the Bible depicts it.

John also talked about how we're really bad judges regarding where we fit into that. What he meant is that as he talks to people around the world, when he asks them if God is going to let them into heaven, almost universally people respond by claiming that God will let them in. When asked why, these individuals feel it's because they're a good person and in the end their good will outweigh their bad. He feels that sometimes those of us in the church have begun to believe that.

Does tragedy soften hearts? John presented the example of a friend who planted a church in Las Vegas. The youth group hadn't seen any fruit in about 2 years as it relates to people giving their heart to Christ. Last Wednesday evening John's friend shared the Gospel and 7 young people gave their heart to Christ.

How do we know that evangelism is a personal mandate for every believer? How did Evangelism Explosion get its start? What are the elements we need to share? What tools does Evangelism Explosion offer to help people share their faith in Christ? These are just some of the Gospel sharing questions that will be answered for you on this edition of Crosstalk.

More Information:

www.evangelismexplosion.org

www.sharelife.today

]]> News Roundup 5-25-18 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/05/25/news-roundup-5-25-18 Fri, 25 May 2018 16:15:33 +0000 Jim Schneider The number of stories was high heading into the Memorial Day holiday weekend. Here's a sample of those that Jim presented to Crosstalk listeners: --President Trump cancels summit with North Korea's Kim Jong-Un but is leaving the door open for diplomacy. --President Trump indicates the U.S. military is ready to go should foolish or reckless acts take place by North Korea. --One of the U.S. Navy's most advanced guided missile destroyers arrived in Japan on Tuesday to strengthen defenses against any potential ballistic missile strikes by North Korea. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: May 25, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Listen:     MP3 | Order

The number of stories was high heading into the Memorial Day holiday weekend. Here's a sample of those that Jim presented to Crosstalk listeners:

--President Trump cancels summit with North Korea's Kim Jong-Un but is leaving the
door open for diplomacy.
--President Trump indicates the U.S. military is ready to go should foolish or
reckless acts take place by North Korea.
--One of the U.S. Navy's most advanced guided missile destroyers arrived in Japan
on Tuesday to strengthen defenses against any potential ballistic missile
strikes by North Korea.
--The Pentagon announced that it dis-invited China to its 'Rim of the Pacific'
exercise after reports that it's secretly building up its military operation.
--The Air Force is integrating the B-61 Mod 12 nuclear weapon into the F-35 this
year. It's part of a long-range plan to deploy a nuclear armed, dual capable F-
35 able to give commanders a wider envelope of precision, nuclear attack
options.
--The Pentagon is speeding up U.S. weapons deliveries to allied militaries such as
Saudi Arabia, Romania, Japan and South Korea through new pilot authorities that
change how it can design and execute contracts.
--The Russian Navy launched 4 ballistic missiles from under the surface of the
White Sea. It's the first time that 4 missiles have been simultaneously
launched from a vessel of its kind.
--Sweden has produced a 20 page pamphlet urging citizens to get prepared for war.
--The Trump administration is in a major reversal of Obama administration policy,
seeking to shutter every Iranian nuclear enrichment site including its heavy
waters reactors which could provide Iran with a second plutonium-based pathway
to a nuclear weapon.
--Secretary of State Mike Pompeo gives Iran an ultimatum and its people an
assurance in laying out the Trump administration's agenda after pulling out of
the 2015 nuclear deal with the Islamist regime.
--The FBI warns that Iranian hackers could conduct new cyber attacks on American
businesses and government networks in response to the Trump administration's
withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal.
--A Jewish-Christian political party will be on the ballot for the very first time
in Israel's next general election.
--The U.S. embassy in China issued a health alert after a U.S. government employee
experienced an abnormal sound and suffered a mild brain injury.
--U.S. government officials denounced the declaration of victory by Venezuelan
President Nicolas Maduros as a fraud and issued new sanctions designed to
prevent him from selling off the nation's debt to U.S. entities and individuals.
--Ammunition for a grenade launcher is lost somewhere in North Dakota.
--Air Force Global Strike Command is conducting an inventory of its weapons across
the entire command.
--Soldiers may soon be carrying monitoring devices that can alert doctors
thousands of miles away to medical emergencies and the need for treatment.
--President Trump signed a bi-partisan bill to loosen key portions of the Dodd-
Frank Act of 2010, cementing the first major changes to President Obama's
landmark banking laws.
--There has been talk about the August recess being canceled in full or in part
for U.S congressmen.
--Only days after a poll found that many voters believe Senator John McCain should
leave office now so a successor can be chosen by voters, a political action
committee called for him to resign.

]]> Trump Administration: Standing for Life http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/05/24/trump-administration-standing-for-life Thu, 24 May 2018 16:13:03 +0000 Jim Schneider Jim quoted Brad as having said the following: 'In 43 years of pro-life advocacy I have never seen such momentum and advancement on behalf of innocent human life that I've witnessed since President Donald Trump has taken office. He's been a steadfast and unwavering champion for the unborn, demonstrating a deep commitment to saving babies and caring for mothers. Pro-life history was made as President Trump became the first president of the United States to address a pro-life gathering in person.' Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: May 24, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Brad Mattes, president and CEO of Life Issues Institute, was the guest on Crosstalk Monday. He noted that President Trump would be speaking Tuesday evening at the pro-life gala of the Susan B. Anthony List.

Jim quoted Brad as having said the following: 'In 43 years of pro-life advocacy I have never seen such momentum and advancement on behalf of innocent human life that I've witnessed since President Donald Trump has taken office. He's been a steadfast and unwavering champion for the unborn, demonstrating a deep commitment to saving babies and caring for mothers. Pro-life history was made as President Trump became the first president of the United States to address a pro-life gathering in person.'

This broadcast consisted of audio featuring much of what the president said at the gala, comments that included a review of what his administration has done and is doing, not just in the area of pro-life, but in other areas as well.

]]> Sudan Missions Project Pt. 2 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/05/23/sudan-missions-project-pt-2 Wed, 23 May 2018 16:08:00 +0000 Jim Schneider William Levi is the founder and overseer of Operation Nehemiah Missions, International. William is a Messianic believer. He was trained academically as a manufacturing engineer. He relinquished his engineering career to answer God’s calling in his life to establish Operation Nehemiah Missions in Sudan in 1993. This ministry focuses on rebuilding and restoring the biblical family and the church in the Republic of South Sudan. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: May 23, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest:    William Levi
Listen:     MP3 | Order

William Levi is the founder and overseer of Operation Nehemiah Missions, International. William is a Messianic believer. He was trained academically as a manufacturing engineer. He relinquished his engineering career to answer God’s calling in his life to establish Operation Nehemiah Missions in Sudan in 1993. This ministry focuses on rebuilding and restoring the biblical family and the church in the Republic of South Sudan.

South Sudan has been recovering from the ashes of war and Islamic persecution through the preaching of the Gospel. This broadcast provided an update on the Sudan Missions Project, which is enabling Operation Nehemiah to reach a people group in South Sudan and Uganda that we likely will never meet this side of eternity.

The project began years ago as a mobile unit designed to evade Islamic bombardment but eventually moved to a more permanent mountaintop location. Today the need exists for a radio station studio building. The effort to obtain one is called the Sudan Missions Project. The need is $35,000 but there's a donor who is matching, dollar-for-dollar, every gift up to $17,500. This means that if Crosstalk listeners give that amount, the donor will match the other half and the total need for the Sudan Missions Project will have been met. As of the end of today's broadcast, the amount raised was $13,532.

More Information:

To contribute to the Sudan Missions Project call 1-800-729-9829. If you want to write a check, make it payable to Crosstalk, 3434 W. Kilbourn Ave., Milwaukee, WI. 53208. In the memo line put 'Sudan Missions Project'. If you're sending a check, you're encouraged to still call the number listed above and let us know the amount of the gift to help us keep track of the funding progress.

]]> Sudan Missions Project http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/05/22/sudan-missions-project Tue, 22 May 2018 16:02:42 +0000 Jim Schneider The Bible tells us to go into all the world and preach the Gospel and to make disciples. That's the Great Commission. How can you do that? How can you become engaged in missions? This Crosstalk showed how you can do just that and have a direct impact upon a people group in South Sudan. These people need to hear God's Word and current believers need to be strengthened in the faith. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: May 22, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest: William Levi
Listen:     MP3 | Order

The Bible tells us to go into all the world and preach the Gospel and to make disciples. That's the Great Commission. How can you do that? How can you become engaged in missions?
This Crosstalk showed how you can do just that and have a direct impact upon a people group in South Sudan. These people need to hear God's Word and current believers need to be strengthened in the faith.
Joining Jim to give background on this project was William Levi. William is the founder and overseer of Operation Nehemiah Missions, International. William is a Messianic believer. He was trained academically as a manufacturing engineer. He relinquished his engineering career to answer God’s calling in his life to establish Operation Nehemiah Missions in 1993. His ministry in South Sudan is focused on rebuilding and restoring the Biblical family and the Church in the republic of the South Sudan which is recovering from the ashes of war and Islamic persecution through the preaching of the Gospel. Their theme verse comes from Nehemiah 2:18, “Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.”
William began with some history of South Sudan beginning with the 1990's. When William first met Jim Schneider and Vic Eliason, the area was predominantly Christian but under Islamic persecution. The goal of the Islamic regime in the north is to control all of South Sudan because unless they can control that, they are blocked from controlling the interior of the continent of Africa.
In 2000, the Lord laid a vision on the heart of William to bring a mobile radio station/medical clinic into existence because a stationary building would have been a target. Funds were raised via VCY America and before long, Nehemiah Trumpet Call 97.3 FM was on the air! Fix-tuned receivers were also supplied and given out to listeners.
Eventually a peace agreement was reached between the North and the South, the mobile studio was no longer usable, and William had the opportunity to put up a fixed radio tower to cover larger population centers. God answered his prayers and he was able to obtain a mountain location on the border with Uganda. Once again, VCY listeners came through and in early 2007, the project became a reality.

Due to an oppressive Islamic regime, William had to move out of what was once the Operation Nehemiah headquarters. So today the need exists for a studio building and the effort to obtain one is called, the Sudan Missions Project. The need is $35,000 but there's a donor who is matching, dollar-for-dollar, every gift up to $17,500. That will completely cover the total need with 100% of funds going to the Sudan Missions Project.

More Information:

To contribute to the Sudan Missions Project call 1-800-729-9829. If you want to write a check, make it payable to Crosstalk at 3434 W. Kilbourn Ave., Milwaukee, WI. 53208. In the memo line put 'Sudan Missions Project'. If you are sending a check, you are encouraged to still call the number listed above and let us know the amount of the gift to help us keep track of the funding progress.

]]> Protect Life Rule http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/05/21/protect-life-rule Mon, 21 May 2018 16:02:05 +0000 Jim Schneider Last Friday, President Trump took an important step to protect human life. He announced new regulations to pull millions of federal tax dollars that would have otherwise gone to businesses such as Planned Parenthood. Now the money will go to agencies that don't promote the slaughtering of children in the womb. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: May 21, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest: Brad Mattes
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Last Friday, President Trump took an important step to protect human life. He announced new regulations to pull millions of federal tax dollars that would have otherwise gone to businesses such as Planned Parenthood. Now the money will go to agencies that don't promote the slaughtering of children in the womb.

Joining Jim to bring listeners the specifics regarding this issue was Brad Mattes. Brad is the president and CEO of Life Issues Institute headquartered in Cincinnati. Their mission is that of assuring through education, equal protection under the law for all living humans from the beginning of their biological life at fertilization until natural death.

Title X funding was set by Congress to provide family planning funding for individuals who can't afford it. That's 286 million in total funding. Brad noted that it really hasn't been directed toward family planning as intended. Instead, it's resulted in a 'slush fund' for the general operations/assistance of organizations. Planned Parenthood gets between 50 and 60 million of that 286 million total.

Actually, President Ronald Reagan came out with a rule protecting life in 1988. He said that recipients of Title X funding couldn't share a location or staff with a facility that performs abortions. They also couldn't counsel or refer for abortion. All the protections for babies and mothers went to the Supreme Court. Unfortunately, President Clinton wiped out the gains that had been made. He then added another rule that recipients of Title X must be required to refer for abortion. This meant that anyone who wanted that money must tell women where to go for an abortion when they come through the door.

According to Brad, regarding the Protect Life Rule, President Trump has basically followed the guidelines of President Reagan. However, the president didn't require that they could not refer or counsel for abortion. So if you hear Planned Parenthood or others in the abortion business claim that President Trump has instituted a 'gag rule', that's a lie. The president did add that you don't have to refer for abortion. That conceivably could result in pro-life women's centers applying for and receiving Title X funding which has never happened before.

To summarize, Brad communicated that no organization can receive Title X funds if they also engage in abortion. President Trump is basically disengaging family planning from the abortion industry.

More Information:

www.lifeissues.org
www.getyourcare.org

]]> Mother's Day Tribute 2018 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/05/10/news-roundup-5-10-18 Fri, 11 May 2018 16:26:27 +0000 Jim Schneider Beginning with Scripture from the Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy, Jim segued into a powerful testimony of the impact of Christ in the life of his mother which, in turn, touched his own life and that of his siblings. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: May 11, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Beginning with Scripture from the Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy, Jim segued into a powerful testimony of the impact of Christ in the life of his mother which, in turn, touched his own life and that of his siblings.

That testimony encouraged others to call in and bless the listening audience, as memories of mothers were shared on this Mother's Day Tribute 2018.

]]> News Roundup 5-10-18 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/05/10/news-roundup-5-10-18 Thu, 10 May 2018 16:16:15 +0000 Jim Schneider Jim rolled out details dealing with these and many more news headlines during this version of the weekly 'Round-Up': --President Trump announced today that his high—stakes summit meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un will take place in Singapore on June 12th. --Kim Jong-Un and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in China for a stealth summit. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: May 10, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest:   Mat Staver
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Jim rolled out details dealing with these and many more news headlines during this version of the weekly 'Round-Up':

--President Trump announced today that his high—stakes summit meeting with North
Korean leader Kim Jong-Un will take place in Singapore on June 12th.
--Kim Jong-Un and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in China for a stealth
summit.
--The New York Times bashed Mike Pompeo for being missing in action while
President Trump was tearing up the Iran nuclear deal. It became clear that
Pompeo wasn't missing in action but was busy getting 3 Americans released from
captivity in North Korea.
--Vice President Pence recalled how one of the Americans released from prison in
North Korea asked to walk outside during a refueling stop because he hadn't seen
daylight for a long time.
--North Korea is said to hold 80,000 to 120,000 in captivity in conditions that
rival those of Nazi Germany's concentration camps.
--President Trump s signed a memorandum to reimpose sanctions on Iran to force
them back to the negotiating table.
--President Trump blasted Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for criticizing
the withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, noting that Schumer opposed the deal
when President Obama negotiated it.
--The head of Iran's parliamentary committee on national security said the nation
is preparing to continue spending on its ballistic missile program as a direct
response to President Trump's decision to pull the U.S. out of the Obama
negotiated nuclear deal.
--Iranian leaders are threatening harsh reprisals against the U.S.
--The European Union is determined to preserve the Iran nuclear deal despite the
withdrawal by the U.S.
--South Korea says it would seek U.S. exemptions to buy Iranian oil.
--The Iranian military attacked Israel just after midnight.
--Israel says it struck nearly all of the Iranian infrastructure sites in Syria in
response to a barrage of Iranian rocket fire targeting Israeli military
positions in the Golan Heights.
--Statistics show that Iran's active duty personnel significantly outnumber that
of Israel, but with a larger military budget, Israel has more than enough
weaponry to protect itself from Iran.
--The U.S. has condemned the Iranian rocket attacks from Syria against Israel.
--An Indonesian court sentenced a Protestant pastor to 4 years in prison and added
a hefty fine simply because he shared his faith with a taxi driver.
--President Trump said that 5 'most wanted' leaders of the Islamic State have been
captured.
--Abortionist Robert Rho accepted a previously offered plea bargain and admitted
his guilt to felony negligent homicide immediately after the judge announced a
jury had reached its verdict in the three week trial.
--Pro-life students protested at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities which
prompted the school to cancel its plans to hire an abortionist to teach
students.
--A band of young, courageous, former gays and transgenders from around the U.S.
converged on Washington, D.C., last weekend to proclaim in public the freedom
they have found through a relationship with Jesus Christ.

]]> Iran Deal Falls / LGBT Groups Target Liberty Counsel http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/05/09/iran-deal-falls-lgbt-groups-target-liberty-counsel Wed, 09 May 2018 16:20:09 +0000 Jim Schneider Mat Staver is the founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, a non-profit litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of human life, and the family. Mat has over 230 published legal opinions. He has authored 8 scholarly law review publications and 10 books. He has filed numerous briefs and argued in many federal and state courts including the U.S. Supreme Court and has argued two landmark cases before the Supreme Court, Madsen v. Women’s Health Center and McCreary County v. ACLU of Kentucky. He's the host of the radio programs, Faith and Freedom and Freedom’s Call. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: May 9, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest:   Mat Staver
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Mat Staver is the founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, a non-profit litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of human life, and the family. Mat has over 230 published legal opinions. He has authored 8 scholarly law review publications and 10 books. He has filed numerous briefs and argued in many federal and state courts including the U.S. Supreme Court and has argued two landmark cases before the Supreme Court, Madsen v. Women’s Health Center and McCreary County v. ACLU of Kentucky. He's the host of the radio programs, Faith & Freedom and Freedom’s Call.

The first quarter hour dealt with the Iranian nuclear deal, a deal that the U.S. has now backed out of as announced yesterday by President Trump. Mat believes this was a bad deal from the beginning as it provided what he described as a 'glide path' after it would terminate that would allow Iran to make themselves a nuclear power.

Jim also provided reaction from former President Obama, former Vice President Biden as well as former Secretary of State John Kerry.

The second quarter hour began with news regarding the now former New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. According to Mat, Schneiderman was a man who prided himself as someone who would file lawsuit after lawsuit to stop President Trump.

When he was in the state legislature, Schneiderman passed a bill concerning domestic abuse that prohibited choking. This is important because the New Yorker did a very detailed story about his private life that has as its source, 4 women. Schneiderman is allegedly abusive and demeaning, so much so that 2 of the women had to go to the hospital. He's also allegedly used government property to facilitate some of his abusive behavior.

Yesterday, Governor Cuomo assigned a special prosecutor to look into any crimes Schneiderman may have committed. Due to Schneiderman's alleged violence against women, Mat likened the situation to the biblical story of Haman and Mordecai where Haman was hung on the gallows he created originally for Mordecai. Adding to that idea is the fact that according to Fox News, Democrats had hoped that Schneiderman could bring down President Trump. Instead, this man who was not only outspoken against the president, but also against pro-lifers and Christians, is the one whose political career is in meltdown.

A radical homosexual legal organization issued a subpoena to Liberty Counsel wanting to know all the communications Liberty Counsel has had with anyone associated with President Trump, his staffers, as well as the Department of Defense. Another similar subpoena requires Liberty Counsel to go back 4 years before President Trump was elected and is asking for a continuing production of documents of anything communicated to anyone regarding LGBT individuals in the military. Interestingly, Liberty Counsel isn't even named in the lawsuit. This reaction by homosexual groups has to do with the fact that President Trump reversed the Obama decision to allow transgenders in the military.

More Information:

www.lc.org
407-875-1776

]]> Hope Beyond Despair http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/05/08/hope-beyond-despair Tue, 08 May 2018 15:59:15 +0000 Jim Schneider Julie Gossack is a wife, mother and grandmother who's been involved in teaching, discipleship and counseling ministries. She's author of 'Hope Beyond Despair', a book helping the reader find truth after a loved one’s suicide. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: May 8, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest:   Julie Gossack
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Julie Gossack is a wife, mother and grandmother who's been involved in teaching, discipleship and counseling ministries. She's author of 'Hope Beyond Despair', a book helping the reader find truth after a loved one’s suicide.

Julie's book comes out of tragic, personal experience of suicide within her own family. When she was 13 years old her mother committed suicide. Six weeks prior to that her step-father also took his own life. Later suicides included a step-brother, a biological brother and a cousin.

Julie addressed suicides listed in Scripture, the reasons that people feel led to go down this path, the defiance she felt after her mother's suicide, how she worked through it, and how she dealt with the shame.

As the program continued, Julie answered the following questions related to this topic:

--What about loved ones who blame themselves and wonder what they could have done
to stop a suicide?
--What about those who assume the Bible doesn't address their situation?
--How can we answer the question, 'Where was God when this took place?'
--Do people who commit suicide automatically go to hell?
--Does suicide permanently shatter the lives of loved ones with no possibility of
moving forward?

More Information:

Julie's book, 'Hope Beyond Despair' is available by going to www.vcyamerica.org or by calling 1-800-729-9829. 1 copy can be obtained for a donation to Crosstalk of $6 or 3 copies for a donation of $15 (both options include shipping).

]]> Ramadan: Islam Advocacy and Interfaith Promotion http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/05/07/ramadan-islam-advocacy-and-interfaith-promotion Mon, 07 May 2018 16:04:57 +0000 Jim Schneider What should you know about Ramadan, the third of seven pillars of Islam? What should we make of churches that claim to love the Lord with all their heart, mind and soul, yet also wish Muslims a blessed Ramadan? Who are some of the denominations supporting Muslims in this way? Does the Quran allow Muslims to ask for social justice? Get the answers to these and other related questions when you review this edition of Crosstalk. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: May 7, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest: Usama Dakdok
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Usama Dakdok is the president of the Straightway of Grace Ministry and speaker on the daily radio program, 'Revealing the Truth About Islam'. He has translated the Quran into English and has also authored, 'Exposing the Truth about the Quran'.

Jim began this broadcast by presenting details concerning two news stories from late last week:

A woman was charged with slashing 2 passengers and the driver of a transit authority bus. While handcuffed and being read her rights, she apologized and said she hoped that Allah would forgive her. She began praying to Allah in the police cruiser but refused to break her concentration to speak with officers.

Next was the account of a man accused of shooting, stabbing and beating his girlfriend, 9 year old daughter and 8 year old son, killing all but the boy. As deputies arrived the house was set on fire. As the man was placed in a patrol car he shouted, 'Allahu Akbar!'

In spite of incidents like these, today and tomorrow the 4th annual National Muslim Advocacy Days is taking place on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, hosted by the U.S. Council of Muslim Organizations. This group is comprised of national and local Muslim organizations. It connects such organizations and community members with their elected representatives in Congress to promote Islam. One of their targeted issues is to fight what they call a Muslim ban by President Donald Trump.

Then there's the tie-in with the various 'Council of Churches' organizations around the nation along with interfaith groups that are placing yard signs on personal property and church lawns. The signs proclaim, 'Blessed Ramadan'.

What should you know about Ramadan, the third of seven pillars of Islam? What should we make of churches that claim to love the Lord with all their heart, mind and soul, yet also wish Muslims a blessed Ramadan? Who are some of the denominations supporting Muslims in this way? Does the Quran allow Muslims to ask for social justice? Get the answers to these and other related questions when you review this edition of Crosstalk.

More Information:

www.thestraightway.org
941-223-3698

]]> News Roundup 5-4-18 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/05/04/news-roundup-5-4-18 Fri, 04 May 2018 16:03:39 +0000 Jim Schneider Jim Schneider presented details concerning these and numerous other news items: --23 month old Alfie Evans (from the UK) allegedly died within hours of receiving 4 different drugs from a nurse. --It's also been reported that at one point, Alfie was given more life support in exchange for his father's promise not to speak anymore to the press. --Now that Alfie has passed away, some people are acting as apologists for the hospital and 'coming out of the woodwork' to defend the hospital, the doctors and the courts. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: May 4, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Jim Schneider presented details concerning these and numerous other news items:

--23 month old Alfie Evans (from the UK) allegedly died within hours of receiving
4 different drugs from a nurse.
--It's also been reported that at one point, Alfie was given more life support in
exchange for his father's promise not to speak anymore to the press.
--Now that Alfie has passed away, some people are acting as apologists for
the hospital and 'coming out of the woodwork' to defend the hospital, the
doctors and the courts.
--A federal judge harshly rebuked Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team during a
hearing for former Trump Campaign Chairman Paul Manafort, suggesting they lied
about the scope of the investigation and are seeking unfettered power and are
more interested in bringing down President Trump.
--A squad of North Korean assassins are reportedly hunting a high ranking defector
believed to have fled to the United Kingdom with cash and possibly a trove of
nuclear secrets.
--President Trump sends out a 'tweet' that our southern border is under siege.
--The U.S. economy added a 164,000 jobs in April while unemployment dropped to
3.9%, the lowest level since December of 2000. Also, the national unemployment
rate for blacks was 6.6% in April, the lowest it's been since the Bureau of
Labor Statistics started compiling such data in 1972.
--Mike Pompeo was sworn in Wednesday morning as the new secretary of state.
--Although he's 15 months into his presidency, 40% of President Trump's nominees
have yet to receive Senate action.
--Former CIA Director Michael Hayden say's Trump's CIA director nominee, Gina
Haspel, is the 'absolute best choice.'
--An American judge has ruled that Iran must pay 6 billion dollars to victims
or those affected by the 9-11 terror attacks.
--A report indicates that the nation that voted zero times with the U.S. at the
U.N is Zimbabwe. At the same time they received 58 million dollars in aid for
this year.
--Illinois Democrats and some liberal Republicans are bent on ramming through the
long expired Equal Rights Amendment.
--Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein is abandoning her opposition to legalizing
recreational cannabis.
--A Milwaukee County supervisor has introduced a resolution for county citizens to
vote in an advisory referendum to legalize the recreational use of marijuana.
--Michele Obama referred to herself as the 'forever first lady'.
--A volcano erupting in Hawaii has caused some people to flee their homes.
--The U.S. has issued a formal warning to China after personnel at a Chinese
military base used lasers to interfere with American military aircraft giving 2
pilots minor injuries.
--The Boy Scouts of America is dropping 'boy' from the name of its program.
--All Disney parks will begin selling specially designed rainbow Mickey Mouse hats
for June, gay pride month.

]]> It's Time to Pray http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/05/03/its-time-to-pray Thu, 03 May 2018 15:53:19 +0000 Jim Schneider This Crosstalk encouraged self-examination on this National Day of Prayer. Where does America stand in regard to prayer? How about you? After looking at a brief history of this day and reminding listeners about Jeremiah 33:3, Jim presented the following related examples that should inspire all of us to seek a deeper and more meaningful prayer life: Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: May 3, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Listen:     MP3 | Order

This Crosstalk encouraged self-examination on this National Day of Prayer. Where does America stand in regard to prayer? How about you? After looking at a brief history of this day and reminding listeners about Jeremiah 33:3, Jim presented the following related examples that should inspire all of us to seek a deeper and more meaningful prayer life:

--The death of 'Mrs. Prayer Meeting'.
--The amount of time Americans spend grooming, eating, thinking, watching TV, etc.
compared to prayer.
--Missionary Hudson Taylor's thoughts on prayer.
--Charles Stanley's 10 ways to be praying for influential people in government.
--Excerpts from President Trump and Vice President Pence on the importance of
prayer.
--Reflections on prayer from Crosstalk callers.

More Information:

Charles Stanley praying for our leaders

Revive Our Hearts, "Pray for America"

]]> The Rawhide Story: Our 351 Sons http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/05/02/the-rawhide-story-our-351-sons Wed, 02 May 2018 15:48:11 +0000 Jim Schneider John Gillespie is with the Rawhide Boys Ranch of New London, Wisconsin. He co-founded Rawhide with his wife Jan who went home to be with the Lord in 2017. John is author of the Book, 'Our 351 Sons' that tells how the Rawhide Boys Ranch began. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: May 2, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest: John Gillespie
Listen:     MP3 | Order

John Gillespie is with the Rawhide Boys Ranch of New London, Wisconsin. He co-founded Rawhide with his wife Jan who went home to be with the Lord in 2017. John is author of the Book, 'Our 351 Sons' that tells how the Rawhide Boys Ranch began.

The Rawhide story begins with a boy named 'Jerry'. John was teaching a class of teenagers in a small Bible church when a 13 year old wandered into class. John asked him if his parents were in church and the boy explained that he just lived a couple doors away and he came on his own.

The next Sunday, he came back and he hung around while John put materials away and asked if he could come to John's house that day. John wanted to check with his parents at which point Jerry said that he didn't have a dad and his mother was working and she said it was OK.

John left a note on the door of Jerry's mother's place and Jerry went to John's for the afternoon. Eventually Jerry's mother came out with a suitcase and box of clothes. She told John that she had just remarried and has 3 children. Her husband had given her 30 days from the time of their wedding (about two weeks prior) to get rid of any two of her three children.

Through this experience, John and Jan got into trouble with county welfare agency because they didn't know you had to be licensed as foster parents in order to have a non-relative living with you for more than 78 days. They went to Madison, WI. With their local senator and spoke with the lieutenant governor, explaining how welfare officials wanted to take Jerry away from them. The lieutenant told the head of the social services department that he wanted John and Jan licensed as state foster parents by the end of that work day! By the time they got back to Appleton, 2 hours later, they were met by an official of the local county welfare department with their foster home license.

From this point, the story builds with miracle after miracle as John and Jan buy land/facilities along Wisconsin's Wolf River, meet Bart and Cherry Starr, are visited by a special housekeeper, develop the idea of donated used cars to help increase ranch income, and much more.

More Information:

www.our351sons.com

]]> World Affairs and National Security http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/05/01/world-affairs-and-national-security Tue, 01 May 2018 16:19:45 +0000 Jim Schneider Frank Gaffney is a national security expert, founder, president and CEO of Center for Security Policy and speaker on the Secure Freedom Minute. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: May 1, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest: Frank Gaffney
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Frank Gaffney is a national security expert, founder, president and CEO of Center for Security Policy and speaker on the Secure Freedom Minute.

Yesterday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel found, and secured from Iran, half a ton of highly secret documents, blueprints, photographs, videos, etc. Apologists for the Iranian regime are playing this down but as Netanyahu has pointed out, the Iranians have been lying about their nuclear weapons ambitions.

Frank believes our European allies look at this situation a bit differently because they're anxious to do business with Iran. In the end, Frank thinks President Trump will tell the Europeans that you can do business with the U.S. or you can do business with the Mullahs.

Jim mentioned the rockets that hit Syrian bases over the weekend. Frank believes these were Israeli missiles sent to take out weapons that Iran was bringing in for the purpose of threatening Israel. Frank also talked about the ambitions of all the 'bad actors' in the region who are interested in Syria, including Russia and former NATO ally Turkey.

Conversation then moved to Frank's assessment of what appears to be a new-found friendship between North Korea and South Korea. Frank believes the leaders of both nations have one mind between them. This involves seeing what can be done to perpetuate the regime of North Korea. This is due in part to the fact that South Korea's leader has been on the 'left' while his senior subordinates have been advocates for North Korea for years.

Frank also commented that there are many Muslims who love America. On the other hand, those who embrace Sharia believe they are called by God to impose that system on everyone else. He sees civilization jihad as particularly insidious because like a submarine, it runs stealthy and deep. The vanguard of this movement has been the Muslim Brotherhood. They are here and we know what their goals are based upon the explanatory memorandum, which was a strategic plan outlining the destruction of Western civilization from within. This plan was introduced into evidence during the largest terrorism financing trial in U.S. history by our federal government.

More Information:

www.centerforsecuritypolicy.org
www.securefreedom.org
www.savethepersecutedchristians.org

]]> California at a Tipping Point http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/04/30/california-at-a-tipping-point Mon, 30 Apr 2018 16:11:40 +0000 Jim Schneider Randy Thomasson is the founder and president of SaveCalifornia.com, a campaign for children and families. They advocate for parental rights, safeguarding religious freedom and teaching and activating pro-family citizens to stand for what’s right. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: April 30, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest: Randy Thomasson
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Randy Thomasson is the founder and president of SaveCalifornia.com, a campaign for children and families. They advocate for parental rights, safeguarding religious freedom and teaching and activating pro-family citizens to stand for what’s right.
This Crosstalk looked at several California bills that are lurking in the legislature. While California is known for its wildfires, if passed, these bills could set off wildfires of immorality. The list includes:

Senate Bill 320—This legislation would force colleges to give girls abortion pills. It's so radical that the Cal State University system doesn't want it. Why? Because even pro-aborts know such drugs will cause severe uterine bleeding which can cause infections and blood clots. So for some it's a liability issue. It's already passed the senate and Randy hopes it will be killed in the assembly.

Assembly Bill 282—This bill would do away with criminal prosecution for, '...aiding, advising or encouraging physician assisted suicide.'

Assembly Bill 2153—Ten sexual indoctrination laws (8 of which are mandatory for government schools) guarantee that from Kindergarten on up, children will learn that homosexuality, bisexuality, trans-sexuality, etc. are good, natural and may be for them. AB-2153 would force every public school teacher in California into pro-homosexuality, bisexuality and transgender 'in-service' training.

As one of the 10 sexual indoctrination laws, Randy noted that every May 22, children in government schools are told to celebrate Harvey Milk. Milk was a homosexual activist/sexual anarchist/teen boy predator from San Francisco. He was murdered by a political rival and homosexual activists have tried to make him out to be their gay version of Martin Luther King Jr.

Assembly Bill 2943—This bill is co-authored by 8 homosexual Democrats. They want to exterminate counselors who would help someone overcome homosexuality or trans-sexuality.

More Information:

www.savecalifornia.com

]]> News Roundup 4-27-18 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/04/27/news-roundup-4-27-18 Fri, 27 Apr 2018 16:31:03 +0000 Jim Schneider Below is a sample of stories that Jim had to offer from this week's 'Round-Up': - -U.N. Agreement blocks Alfie Evans from getting help in Italy. - -President Donald Trump Commented on the historic meeting between the leaders of North Korea and South Korea. - -Phoenix will add rainbow crosswalks to celebrate LGBT community. - -Parents have victory over LGBT children's displays at Texas Public Library. - - House Intelligence releases Russia report. - - Bush-appointed federal judge rules Trump's DACA rescission was unlawful and must be set aside. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: April 27, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
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Below is a sample of stories that Jim had to offer from this week's 'Round-Up':

- -U.N. Agreement blocks Alfie Evans from getting help in Italy.
- -President Donald Trump Commented on the historic meeting between the leaders of North Korea and South Korea.
- -Phoenix will add rainbow crosswalks to celebrate LGBT community.
- -Parents have victory over LGBT children's displays at Texas Public Library.
- - House Intelligence releases Russia report.
- - Bush-appointed federal judge rules Trump's DACA rescission was unlawful and must be set aside.
- - New US Secretary of State Pompeo Reportedly Planning to Visit Israel.
- - Senate panel approves bill to protect special counsel.
- - Comey's memo leak contact had special government employee status at FBI.
- -Democratic presidential hopeful wants to give citizens $1000 a month.
- - Planned Parenthood Sues to Stop Heath Department From Inspecting Its Abortion Clinics.

These story's and more.....

]]> UK Toddler Alfie Evans Receives Death Sentence http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/04/26/uk-toddler-alfie-evans-receives-death-sentence Thu, 26 Apr 2018 16:24:05 +0000 Jim Schneider A very tragic story is unfolding again in the UK where the government is forcing a death sentence upon a 23 month old toddler. We say 'again' because it is also in the UK where Charlie Gard was denied care in 2017. Our guest today says this boy is in a medical jail cell with police posted outside his room, parents threatened with arrest if they would attempt to remove their son and take him to another hospital which has offered to treat him. The court has ordered his death. Joining Jim to talk about this is Brad Mattes. Brad is the President and CEO of Life Issues Institute headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Their mission is that of assuring through education, equal protection under the law for all living humans from the beginning of their biological life at fertilization until natural death. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: April 26, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest: Brad Mattes
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A very tragic story is unfolding again in the UK where the government is forcing a death sentence upon a 23 month old toddler.  We say 'again' because it is also in the UK where Charlie Gard was denied care in 2017. Our guest today says this boy is in a medical jail cell with police posted outside his room, parents threatened with arrest if they would attempt to remove their son and take him to another hospital which has offered to treat him.  The court has ordered his death.  Joining Jim to talk about this is Brad Mattes. Brad is the President and CEO of Life Issues Institute headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Their mission is that of assuring through education, equal protection under the law for all living humans from the beginning of their biological life at fertilization until natural death.

Jim introduces us to 23 month old, Alfie Evans and asks Brad Mattes to give the horrifying story; a continuing story that Mattes says has been 'changing from hour to hour.' It involves one of England's largest children's hospitals (Alder Hey), who Mattes explains has been working to remove the ventilator from this 23 month old boy who suffers from an un-diagnosed neurological disorder. Mattes says the child is 'not terminal' and is 'semi aware of his surroundings.' He goes on to say that when Alfie is aware, his eyes are 'fixed on his parents - his pupils react(ing) to the environment and clearly is not in a coma.' Mattes says that last Friday (April 20th) the hospital scheduled what they intended to be his 'execution' but, when the vent was pulled from him, Mattes says 'the child Alfie Evans continued to breathe and is continuing to breathe since the ventilator has been removed, much to the consternation (dismay) of the hospital.' Mattes emphatically says 'it is beyond the pale of what they are doing to try to kill this child.' The discussion moves toward what the parents are doing to save their son and how several other entities (including other hospitals) are offering Alfie treatment.

Crosstalk takes your calls and shares information about how you can become more informed and involved.

For more information:

www.lifeissues.org

]]> Clergy Housing Allowance and the Bible both Under Attack http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/04/25/clergy-housing-allowance-and-the-bible-both-under-attack Wed, 25 Apr 2018 15:50:55 +0000 Jim Schneider Jim's guest today is attorney Mat Staver - Staver is the founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel and is also heard daily as speaker on the radio programs Faith and Freedom, as well as, Freedom's Call. Staver has also authored several books. Besides beginning the show with commentary on several legislative issues, Jim ultimately asks Staver to shed light on two very significant issues that at one time in our nation, would have been considered unthinkable. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: April 25, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest: Mat Staver
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Jim's guest today is attorney Mat Staver - Staver is the founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel and is also heard daily as speaker on the radio programs Faith & Freedom, as well as, Freedom's Call. Staver has also authored several books. Besides beginning the show with commentary on several legislative issues, Jim ultimately asks Staver to shed light on two very significant issues that at one time in our nation, would have been considered unthinkable.

First up is the current attack upon what is known as the Clergy Housing Allowance; an allowance available to Pastors (ministers) through their service to the Church. Section 107 of the Internal Revenue Code allows Pastors 'ministers of the gospel' to exclude some or all of their financial income from the Church as a housing allowance from their personal income for federal income tax purposes. The Freedom from Religion Foundation (atheist group) claims that this benefit violates the 1st Amendment establishment clause - does it? With the case very soon being heard in the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals (and decision by the end of 2018) Mat Staver offers his argument.

As if that attack upon the Church is not enough, Jim then asks Mat Staver about AB 2943. What is that you say? Right now in the state of California, legislation has passed recently (by large margin, 50-18) which could ultimately 'ban the Bible.' Staver lays it all out for Crosstalk listeners explaining how the bill is 'two fold.' First, Staver says the bill would prevent so called conversion therapy saying 'if approved, victims of sexual abuse can no longer get counseling if they develop (as often happens) unwanted urges to engage in same-sex behavior or become gender confused.' This bill would declare that any 'change efforts with an individual' would be deemed a 'fraudulent business practice.' Secondly, AB 2943 would also make it 'unlawful for any person to sell books, including the Bible, counseling services, or anything else that directs people to trust in Jesus Christ to help them overcome unwanted same-sex attraction or gender confusion.' Staver says AB 2943 would 'ban the Bible' and that the Church today is 'in the cross hairs of the issue.' Crosstalk takes your calls.

More Information:

lc.org

]]> Warning! Violent Video Game-Fortnite http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/04/24/warning-violent-video-game-fortnite Tue, 24 Apr 2018 16:13:34 +0000 Jim Schneider Do your kids play video games? Are you aware of the kind of games that they are playing? Very sadly, the industry has went a long, long way away from simple games on computers like baseball or football. The game Jim brings to the forefront of the conversation today is called 'Fortnite Battle Royale' an online game phenom that reportedly boasts 150 million players. Technology is even making it possible for crowds to gather in living rooms to watch players participate worldwide. Fortnite Battle Royale will not cost you anything initially as a free computer download yet, with stories and statistics out (such as you will hear on today's Crosstalk) one has to wonder just what the high price to play actually is. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: April 24, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
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Today's Crosstalk issues both warning and challenge.

Do your kids play video games? Are you aware of the kind of games that they are playing? Very sadly, the industry has went a long, long way away from simple games on computers like baseball or football. The game Jim brings to the forefront of the conversation today is called 'Fortnite Battle Royale' an online game phenom that reportedly boasts 150 million players. Technology is even making it possible for crowds to gather in living rooms to watch players participate worldwide. Fortnite Battle Royale will not cost you anything initially as a free computer download yet, with stories and statistics out (such as you will hear on today's Crosstalk) one has to wonder just what the high price to play actually is.

The object of Fortnite is a survival of the fittest. The game begins with 100 online players who skydive onto a large island and begin looking for supplies (they arrive with nearly nothing). Players must search the island for guns, supplies and other raw materials which they can build 'makeshift fortifications.' As time passes, the island boundaries begin to erode forcing players closer and closer together in proximity where then, a 'battle Royale' ensues. The last player (or team) alive wins.

But really, what do they win?

Crosstalk discusses the violent thinking required to actually play this game. Proponents say that Fortnite is 'bloodless and cartoonish' yet, in order to survive, players must shoot to kill other players with the guns they acquire. While hearts pound and adrenaline flows, a victor is crowned who gets bragging rights and the thrilling opportunity to encourage others to play the game that celebrates death. Many are saying that Fortnite Battle Royale has a seductive and addictive nature which has even found it's way into our nation's schools. In fact, it has been reported that several schools have had their WiFi networks so bogged down (due to so many online playing) that it could not keep up - this forcing many schools to enforce a complete ban of the game.  Many other threats are involved with Fortnite Battle Royale, including sexual predators who are also online playing, hoping to engage young people in online chatrooms; 'hence possibly using the game to lure children.

Jim shares testimonies and Scripture to help parents in understanding the many dangers aimed at our kids today through violent game playing and takes your calls.

]]> Israel Celebrates 70 Years http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/04/23/israel-celebrates-70-years Mon, 23 Apr 2018 16:02:32 +0000 Jim Schneider Dr. Jimmy DeYoung – Student of Bible prophecy and expert on the Middle East. He leads a ministry, Prophecy Today and has spent many years living in Israel as well as having led many trips there. He is a noted conference speaker. He constantly monitors news regarding Israel and the Middle East and provides a unique blend of political, biblical and prophetic insight that is absent from the media today. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: April 23, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest: Dr. Jimmy DeYoung
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Last Wednesday through Saturday (April 18-21, 2018) Israel began a celebration for 70 years in the land of Israel - as the State of Israel. Joining Jim to shed some light on the celebration is Dr. Jimmy DeYoung of Prophecy Today Ministries. Dr. DeYoung is a student of bible prophecy and is considered an expert on the Middle East.

History tells us that on May 14th, 1948 the Jewish people were reunited with their homeland. Many have asked the question 'So why are they celebrating in April?' Dr. DeYoung teaches us that Israel does not operate based on a 365 day calendar (like we do) but, on a lunar one (30 day month) 'hence the timing of it all. Dr. DeYoung explains Israel's current Memorial Day observance and the very popular new testament 'bible study' with contests for Jewish youth where even the Prime Minister gets involved. DeYoung says it's an event 'like the Super Bowl.'

Jim asks Dr. DeYoung 'What did the United States and President Truman have to do with the state of Israel?' Dr. DeYoung answers that Israel's primary national founder (and first Prime Minister) Ben Gurion, went looking for the approval of world nations - DeYoung says that President Truman 'was the 1st world leader to offer it' and that President Truman was 'a student of the Word of God, himself.' Then, reference is made to a memo dated 'May 14, 1948' (6:11p.m. when the U.S. officially recognized the state of Israel).

Dr. DeYoung then goes on to respond to the question of there actually being any 'significance to 70 years for Israel?' He says seventy 'is a jubilee year' for the Jews but, then makes the all more important reference to Jesus' well known prophecy found in Matthew chapter 24 where the generation present at that time, would see Messiah return. Is that 'generation' this one? Dr. DeYoung explains from the bible.

Other parts of the discussion includes the theme of Israel's celebration 'A Legacy of Innovation' - a look at the many ways Israel's innovation has benefited the entire world. DeYoung also comments on the ongoing and most recent threats to Israel's security and more importantly, how Israel is prepared to respond saying 'they're going to continue to protect themselves.' DeYoung also touts the United States forthcoming embassy which has sparked several other world nations to follow suit. Crosstalk takes your calls.

Dr. Jimmy DeYoung – Student of Bible prophecy and expert on the Middle East. He leads a ministry, Prophecy Today and has spent many years living in Israel as well as having led many trips there. He is a noted conference speaker. He constantly monitors news regarding Israel and the Middle East and provides a unique blend of political, biblical and prophetic insight that is absent from the media today.

]]> News Roundup 4-20-18 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/04/20/news-roundup-4-20-18 Fri, 20 Apr 2018 16:12:15 +0000 Jim Schneider Below is a sample of stories that Jim had to offer from this week's 'Round-Up': --The Justice Department Office of Inspector General sent a criminal referral yesterday to the U.S. Attorneys Office in Washington, DC. concerning former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe. The referral indicates the Justice Department believes there is enough evidence to warrant the U.S. Attorneys Office to bring charges of wrongdoing against McCabe. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: April 20, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Below is a sample of stories that Jim had to offer from this week's 'Round-Up':

--The Justice Department Office of Inspector General sent a criminal referral
yesterday to the U.S. Attorneys Office in Washington, DC. concerning former FBI
Deputy Director Andrew McCabe. The referral indicates the Justice Department
believes there is enough evidence to warrant the U.S. Attorneys Office to bring
charges of wrongdoing against McCabe.
--Nearly a dozen Republican members of Congress sent a criminal referral to the
Justice Department and FBI seeking an investigation of James Comey, his deputy
Andrew McCabe, ex-Attorney General Loretta Lynch, and Hillary Clinton in
connection with the 2016 campaign controversy.
--Last evening, President Trump tweeted that the newly released memos written by
Comey show clearly no collusion with Russia.
--The latest polling from Rasmussen shows a huge slide in support for James Comey,
the disgraced former head of the FBI.
--Memos written by Comey reveal that CNN may have helped orchestrate a possible
setup of then President-elect Donald Trump.
--Former New York City Mayor and U.S. Attorney Rudy Giuliani is vowing to bring to
an end the long running Robert Mueller Russia investigation, as he joined
President Trump's legal team.
--The DNC has filed a multi-million dollar federal lawsuit against Trump campaign
officials, the Russian government and Wikileaks for allegedly meddling in the
2016 presidential race.
--New York's Democratic Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has renewed his feud
with President Trump by moving to enact a new state law that would give him and
other local prosecutors the power to bring charges to any aides that are
pardoned by the president.
--President Trump told reporters he would not hesitate to walk out of a planned
summit meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un if he thought the meeting
would not be fruitful.
--President Trump is back to the issue that got him elected which is rejecting the
11 nation Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal.
--The rate of U.S. layoffs fell slightly in April, clinging to a 45 year low.
--The Trump administration has quietly reshaped enforcement of air pollution
standards in recent months through a series of regulatory memos.
--Management attorneys and trade groups are petitioning the Trump administration
to reverse President Obama's rule changes that drastically sped up the timeline
of union elections.
--President Trump announced that the federal government will not be paying for
California's National Guard soldiers to go to the border and do nothing.
--An overwhelming majority of Californians want to deport more illegal immigrants.
--San Diego County, California's second most populous county, joined at least 8
dozen other municipalities in supporting the Trump administration's lawsuit
against the state over its so-called sanctuary law.
--The Treasury Department slapped sanctions on a Syrian man and his criminal
syndicate, blaming them for smuggling hundreds of illegal immigrants from Syria
and Lebanon into Mexico and helping them jump the border into the U.S.
--The Trump administration released 485 million dollars worth of grants to states
and territories to combat the opioid epidemic.
--A brand new history textbook is stirring controversy as it paints President
Trump in a negative light while suggesting his supporters are angry xenophobes.
--New York Governor Andrew Cuomo will be granting all convicted felons in the
state, who are on parole, a pardon. This move will restore voting rights to
more than 35,000 people.

]]> Romans 1 Exhibited in 2018 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/04/19/romans-1-exhibited-in-2018 Thu, 19 Apr 2018 16:10:59 +0000 Jim Schneider To help listeners understand the global aspect of the LGBT movement, Jim noted a release from the Williams Institute of the UCLA School of Law. It was produced as part of a LGBT Intersex Global Development Partnership. They indicated that there's a new global acceptance index that ranks 141 nations around the world concerning LGBT issues. In 80 of those nations, 57% have experienced increases in acceptance. 33% had a decline while 11% stayed the same. So as you can see, over half of the world's nations are taking steps to be affirming of the LGBTQ+ lifestyle. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: April 19, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest:    Peter LaBarbera
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This program was greatly restrained in dealing with the issue of homosexuality, especially as it pertained to the second segment of the broadcast, as it showed how there appears to be no depth that is off limits to this perversion.

What this program proved is how openly Romans chapter 1 is being acted out in society today. It describes man being vain in his imaginations, his darkened heart, being fools, the dishonoring of bodies between themselves, worshiping the creature more than the creator, men leaving the natural use of the woman while burning in lust toward one another, and more. This portion of Scripture also describes how God gave them up to uncleanness, vile affections and a reprobate mind. This is exactly what we're seeing today.

Peter LaBarbera, the founder and president of Americans for Truth About Homosexuality and assistant director of Mass Resistance, joined Jim to lay out the evidence.

To help listeners understand the global aspect of the LGBT movement, Jim noted a release from the Williams Institute of the UCLA School of Law. It was produced as part of a LGBT Intersex Global Development Partnership. They indicated that there's a new global acceptance index that ranks 141 nations around the world concerning LGBT issues. In 80 of those nations, 57% have experienced increases in acceptance. 33% had a decline while 11% stayed the same. So as you can see, over half of the world's nations are taking steps to be affirming of the LGBTQ+ lifestyle.

From there, Jim had Peter comment on a number of stories related to this issue that just came out this week. They included:

--A prominent LGBT lawyer burned himself to death in an eco-protest.
--A federal judge has ruled that President Trump cannot yet enforce his recently
unveiled plan on transgender soldiers in the military.
--The Coast Guard remains committed to having transgender members serve until an
explicit policy comes forth that says otherwise.
--The Human Rights Campaign reported that their 'Welcoming Schools' program was in
New York City this week, training educators and staff at the New York City
Department of Education on building more inclusive schools for all students.
--Iowa 4-H is reaching out to LBGTQ children.
--The mayor of New York has offered male criminals the opportunity to move into
women's jails provided the men say they have a female gender identity.
--Almost 50 bills have been introduced in 24 states targeting conversion therapy.
--California wants to put forth an assembly bill that if passed, would treat
conversion therapy as a type of consumer fraud.
--Next week, a perversion conference will take place known as the Cleveland
Leather Annual Weekend (CLAW).
--The damaging/dangerous health issues that are disproportionately related to
homosexual-practicing men.

More Information:

www.americansfortruth.com
www.massresistance.org

]]> Summit of the Americas http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/04/18/summit-of-the-americas Wed, 18 Apr 2018 16:09:27 +0000 Jim Schneider The Summit of the Americas is a function put on by the Organization of American States, a hemispheric organization. The summit is held every 3 years and is attended by heads of state that discuss hemispheric issues along with inter-American institutions and agreements. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: April 18, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest:    Alex Newman
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Little if any media coverage was given to the 8th Summit of the Americas that was held April 13th and 14th in Lima, Peru. Alex Newman, an international freelance journalist, author, educator and consultant, joined Jim to discuss this little-known summit. His articles frequently appear in The New American. He also writes for Freedom Project Media.

The Summit of the Americas is a function put on by the Organization of American States, a hemispheric organization. The summit is held every 3 years and is attended by heads of state that discuss hemispheric issues along with inter-American institutions and agreements.

Alex described the OAS as basically a 'wanna-be' European Union. The don't have the kind of power the EU has, yet they are still an important organization. They have significant budgets and a good deal of influence as they've been meddling increasingly in domestic affairs by promoting U.N. policies they'd like to see implemented.

The OAS is now dominated by socialists and communists, perhaps not surprising, as Alex noted that most Latin American governments are controlled by communists and socialists. These individuals are members of an alliance known as the Sao Paulo Forum. In 1997 they indicated that one of their goals was to rebuild in Latin America what was lost in Eastern Europe; namely communist totalitarianism. The U.S. government knows all about this network that dominates the OAS and most inter-American institutions, yet no one, even in the Latin American media, seems to talk about it.

Believe it or not, the majority of the OAS's budget is financed via your tax dollars. Canada also contributes with Latin American nations paying the bulk of what remains.

What is the OAS seeking to accomplish? Alex explained that their surface rhetoric regarding democracy and transparency sounds nice, but if you want to know the real agenda, you need to read the outcome documents. They want to shift power away from nation-states and toward regional institutions like the OAS and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. So it's actually an attempt to undermine self-government.

Jim summed it up well when he had Alex confirm that the Lima Commitment that was put together and promoted at the Summit of the Americas is an endorsement for the U.N.'s Agenda 2030 program. According to Alex, the summit didn't even attempt to hide the connection. He reminded listeners that Agenda 2030 seeks to work for redistribution of wealth at the global level, have governments control production/consumption, provide reproductive justice/rights (abortion), turn children into agents of change to help implement sustainable development, and more.

More Information:

The New American

www.thenewamerican.com

]]> Answering the Skeptics About Noah's Ark http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/04/17/answering-the-skeptics-about-noahs-ark Tue, 17 Apr 2018 15:59:58 +0000 Jim Schneider Answering these questions and more was Tim Chaffey. Tim is the Director of Midwest Apologetics and also content manager for Ark Encounter and Answers in Genesis. He’s an apologist with a passion for training young people. He’s the author of numerous books, such as 'Old Earth Creationism on Trial', 'Noah: Man of Destiny,' 'Noah: Man of Resolve,' and 'Noah: Man of God'. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: April 17, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest:    Tim Chaffey
Listen:     MP3 | Order

There’s been a lot of skepticism regarding Noah’s Ark. You’ve heard the criticisms: Society could not have been advanced enough to build an ark of that magnitude. Where did the materials come from? Is it plausible to believe just Noah and his sons build this mammoth structure? How could all the animal species fit on board? Are we to believe that dinosaurs were on the ark? How could fresh water fish possibly survive a so-called flood? Also, it's fine to believe a local flood occurred, but a world-wide flood?

Answering these questions and more was Tim Chaffey. Tim is the Director of Midwest Apologetics and also content manager for Ark Encounter & Answers in Genesis. He’s an apologist with a passion for training young people. He’s the author of numerous books, such as 'Old Earth Creationism on Trial', 'Noah: Man of Destiny,' 'Noah: Man of Resolve,' and 'Noah: Man of God'.

What was the size of the ark? Tim said that we should be thinking along the lines of a football field/stadium. The Bible describes the ark by using a measure called the cubit (from the elbow to the tip of your finger). The Ark Encounter used a 20.4 inch cubit so their ark is 510 feet long and 85 feet wide.

Regarding the accusation that Noah was too primitive to have built the ark, Tim believes that's an assumption regarding people who have gone on before us. We typically think we're more intelligent than they were because we live in a time with greater technology. This increased technology doesn't mean we're more intelligent than people in the past. Instead, we've merely built upon what others have done in the past.
Is it plausible that Noah and his 3 sons were the only ones working to build the ark? Tim believes it's possible but unlikely. He could have hired other workers and they didn't have to be believers. If there was compensation to be had, they would have been willing to work for him. In fact, Tim described how there were unbelievers that were part of the construction of the Ark Encounter.

Where did the materials come from? Noah was told to make an ark out of gopher wood. We're not sure where that came from. Some Bibles attempt to communicate that it may have been cypress but Tim believes that's a mistake. Those Bible translators are looking at the Middle East today and trying to decide which type of wood from that region might have been used. The problem with that method of interpretation is that we don't know where the ark was built. We need to remember that the ark was built during the pre-flood world, a world that may have been comprised of only one continent. Also, since the ark would have been on the water for several months, we don't know how far it drifted from its launch point.

Wouldn't a wooden vessel have been destroyed by the flood? Tim indicated that Bill Nye (the science guy) used that argument in his debate with Ken Ham of Answers in Genesis. Nye talked about the Wyoming, a 430 foot, 6 masted schooner that was built by his ancestors. Nye believes that when you have very long wooden boats, they begin to twist, bend and start springing holes. In the case of the Wyoming, it sank and all 14 people on board were killed. Tim agreed that this is true of wooden boats. In fact, an article by Tim will be appearing soon in

Answers Magazine about the challenges that large wooden vessels face and how to overcome them. On the other hand, what Nye failed to mention is that the Wyoming was in operation for almost 15 years.

This is just the beginning of a fascinating program that respectfully informs while answering the skeptics and their problems with the Bible's account of Noah's Ark.

More Information:

www.midwestapologetics.org
www.answersingenesis.org

]]> The Opioid Epidemic http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/04/16/the-opioid-epidemic Mon, 16 Apr 2018 16:27:16 +0000 Jim Schneider Joining Jim to discuss this epidemic was Dr. David Stevens. Dr. Stevens is the chief executive officer of the Christian Medical and Dental Association, the nation’s largest faith-based organization of healthcare professionals. Dr. Stevens has also served as a missionary doctor in Kenya for some 10 years. He also has conducted numerous seminars on such issues as stem cell research, human cloning, genetics, faith and health, physician-assisted suicide, abortion and other topics. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: April 16, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest:   Dr. David Stevens
Listen:     MP3 | Order

The National Institute on Drug Abuse recently reported that every day, more than 115 people in the United Sates die after overdosing on opioids. Both the misuse and addiction to opioids including prescription pain relievers, heroin and synthetic opioids is a serious national crisis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the total 'economic burden' of prescription opioid misuse alone in the United States is $78.5 billion a year including the costs of healthcare, lost productivity, addiction treatment and criminal justice involvement. How did this come about? What safeguards need to be put in place to combat this epidemic? Who's impacted by this? Would legalizing marijuana or the medical use of marijuana alleviate the opioid epidemic?

Joining Jim to discuss this epidemic was Dr. David Stevens. Dr. Stevens is the chief executive officer of the Christian Medical and Dental Association, the nation’s largest faith-based organization of healthcare professionals. Dr. Stevens has also served as a missionary doctor in Kenya for some 10 years. He also has conducted numerous seminars on such issues as stem cell research, human cloning, genetics, faith and health, physician-assisted suicide, abortion and other topics.

So what are opioids? This refers to medicines used for pain relief and includes names such as Vicodin, Fentanyl, Percocet, Oxycontin, Hydrocodone and Codeine.

Is there a connection between opioids and heroine? Jim noted that 80 percent of heroine abusers first used prescription opioids. Dr. Stevens responded by describing how heroine use goes back to ancient times. It's made from poppies grown in the Middle and Far East. From heroine you can make morphine but heroine itself is a very strong narcotic.

Opioids present the user with a feeling of calmness by taking care of pain, helps users sleep better, they can relieve tension and for some it can help feelings and emotions. For these reasons, those who use such drugs can like the results so much they become addicted.

Dr. Stevens explained how opioids can be very good for treating the pain from cancer. Unfortunately they've been used for chronic pain that he doesn't believe warrant a narcotic such as joint or back pain. Another factor is 'doctor shopping' by individuals who seek out a continued supply for their addiction. This has resulted in Tennessee requiring the registration of every opioid prescription in a statewide database. This way a doctor can see if the patient has prescriptions in other places.

Can we point a finger of blame in any one place? Dr. Stevens sees a lot of culprits involved in this problem. The pharmaceutical companies pushed these drugs in the past, not directly to patients, but to doctors. Since pain isn't quantifiable, a doctor may try a number of different things to alleviate someone's pain but end up putting the patient on an opioid. Others who are unscrupulous can make a lot of money by giving out opioid prescriptions 'left and right'.

More Information:

Christian Medical and Dental Association

www.cmda.org

]]> News Roundup 4-13-18 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/04/13/news-roundup-4-13-18 Fri, 13 Apr 2018 15:56:55 +0000 Jim Schneider The following is a sample of news stories that Jim brought to the attention of listeners this week on Crosstalk: --President Trump puts Syria military strike on hold while considering options. --Russia has moved at least 11 navy ships deployed in Syria out to sea in the event of a U.S. military strike. --A U.S. guided missile destroyer, the U.S.S. Donald Cook, is already in position off the coast of Syria with 75 Tomahawk missiles on board. --British Prime Minister Theresa May is willing to join military action against Syria even without the consent of Parliament. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: April 13, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Listen:     MP3 | Order

The following is a sample of news stories that Jim brought to the attention of listeners this week on Crosstalk:

--President Trump puts Syria military strike on hold while considering options.
--Russia has moved at least 11 navy ships deployed in Syria out to sea in the
event of a U.S. military strike.
--A U.S. guided missile destroyer, the U.S.S. Donald Cook, is already in position
off the coast of Syria with 75 Tomahawk missiles on board.
--British Prime Minister Theresa May is willing to join military action against
Syria even without the consent of Parliament.
--A non-governmental watchdog agency protested the appointment of Syria as chair
of the U.N. Conference on Disarmament, a forum on chemical weapons that will be
held next month.
--Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg gave testimony before the Senate Judiciary and
Commerce Committees. Jim aired a portion of that which contained questions from
Senator Ted Cruz.
--Facebook threatened the Voice of Europe for criticizing migration.
--Ann Ravel, the former Democratic chair of the Federal Election Commission, who
controversially pushed to regulate the Internet during her time leading the
commission, is now suggesting that a new government enforcement agency be
established to help tech companies discover questionable communications from
social media sites in order to find alleged disinformation campaigns.
--President Trump judicial nominee Wendy Vitter's personal pro-life views were
under scrutiny from several Democratic senators at her Wednesday
confirmation hearing.
--House Speaker Paul Ryan announced that he will retire from Congress when his
present term is finished.
--President Trump pardoned Scooter Libby, the former aid to Vice President Dick
Cheney.
--Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein personally approved the FBI raid on
President Trump's attorney Michael Cohen.
--Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey lectured CIA Director Mike Pompeo who is a
Secretary of State nominee.
--The Counsel on American/Islamic Relations (CAIR) thanked Senator Booker for
confronting Pompeo for his views on Islam. However, they were silent
concerning his views on homosexuality.
--The President of China cuts import tariffs on cars and opened China's markets
wider in response to President Trump's tough trade rhetoric.
--President Trump signed an executive order aimed at welfare reform.
--President Trump is forming a task force to look at the viability and operations
of the United States Postal Service.
--Newly installed National Security Advisor John Bolton cleaned house during his
first week at the job.
--EPA Chief Scott Pruitt received several death threats during the first few
months of his tenure at the agency.
--Florida Governor Rick Scott announced that he'll challenge Senator Bill Nelson
setting up a battle that will help decide which party controls the U.S. Senate.

]]> Islamization of America: Muslims Going Hyper Political http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/04/12/islamization-of-america-muslims-going-hyper-political Thu, 12 Apr 2018 15:58:23 +0000 Jim Schneider The upper house is when Islam obtains strength and power and takes over. This was witnessed by Muhammad. He acted one way in Mecca (which was deemed to him to be the house of the unbeliever) but another way in Medina because it became the house of Islam (Dar al-Islam or the house of submission). Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: April 12, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest:    Shahram Hadian
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Shahram Hadian is a former Muslim from Iran who came to the states in 1978 and committed his life to Jesus Christ. He began the TIL Project, the Truth in Love Project which exposes the true goal of Islam and the threat of Sharia in America. He has served as a pastor, a police officer, and a former candidate for Governor in Washington State.
Shahram began by explaining how the Muslim views the 'house' of unbelievers (Nations that aren't Islamic). In the Qur'an this is referred to as 'Dar al-Harb' (The lower house or house of war). In other words, Muslims consider themselves to be in a state of war right now against unbelievers.

The upper house is when Islam obtains strength and power and takes over. This was witnessed by Muhammad. He acted one way in Mecca (which was deemed to him to be the house of the unbeliever) but another way in Medina because it became the house of Islam (Dar al-Islam or the house of submission).

According to Shahram, what we don't understand is that when Muslims enter non-Muslim nations, the goal of the Muslim community (but not every Muslim) is to work toward this transition to the upper house.

Shahram saw this take place first-hand in Iran via revolution. In Europe, the Islamic clerics have been declaring for about 7 years that the continent is Dar al-Islam. The question is: Where are we in America?

When Muhammad went to Medina, the message of Islam became increasingly political. In other words, it became about the law being imposed, not just on Muslims, but on non-Muslims as well. Here in America, Muslims had been 'hiding behind the veil' in the sense that non-Muslims have seen Islam as just another religion. However, now they have reached a certain point in their political stature. They're going hyper-political as we are seeing them run for various political and governmental offices and getting elected. They're no longer 'hiding behind the veil'. It's a sign that they are gearing up for their move to the 'upper house' and Shahram believes that most Americans, including Christians, are not recognizing this.

Find out how this would play out in the American social landscape, the social justice tie-in and much more by reviewing this Crosstalk broadcast.

More Information:

www.tilproject.com

]]> Answers for Homeschooling http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/04/11/answers-for-homeschooling Wed, 11 Apr 2018 16:04:56 +0000 Jim Schneider An important decision parents make concerns the education of their children. With that thought in mind, this Crosstalk focused on the topic of home schooling. Certainly there is much to learn about home schooling and there are significant changes that take place in a family that goes down this path. One aspect many home schooling families come to realize is that not all will be supportive of their decisions. Some believe that children will be ruined if they are home schooled. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: April 11, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest:    Israel Wayne
Listen:     MP3 | Order

An important decision parents make concerns the education of their children. With that thought in mind, this Crosstalk focused on the topic of home schooling. Certainly there is much to learn about home schooling and there are significant changes that take place in a family that goes down this path. One aspect many home schooling families come to realize is that not all will be supportive of their decisions. Some believe that children will be ruined if they are home schooled.

Israel Wayne joined Jim for an interesting look into this issue. Israel is an author and conference speaker who has a passion for defending the Christian faith and promoting a biblical worldview. He's also a home education expert who is not only a home schooled graduate, but also a home school dad. He’s been on Crosstalk before discussing his books including, 'Questions God Asks', 'Questions Jesus Asks', 'Pitchin’ a Fit: Overcoming Angry and Stressed-Out Parenting', and 'Education: Does God Have an Opinion?'. He joined Jim to discuss his latest book 'Answers for Homeschooling: Top 25 Questions Critics Ask'.

According to Israel, the modern home schooling movement began in 1983. While people seem to think home schooling is some new experimental method that is somewhat untried/untested, when you look at 6,000 years of human history, it's actually the government education model that's the 'new kid on the block'.

Early in the home school movement, groups like the Home School Legal Defense Association and about 26 state organizations began to defend the legal rights of families. Legal precedent came from court battles in the 1960's and '70's where churches had fought to be able to establish Christian schools. Curriculum developed by the Christian school movement was accessible by the home school movement as well.

Israel has a concern about home schoolers who are putting themselves under voluntary government regulation/control. It's being done because the government offers parents 'freebies' and 'perks' if they're willing to give up a certain amount of content control. So for him, the greatest risk to the home schooling movement is not so much the idea that freedom to home school will be taken away by force, but instead he's concerned about the voluntary giving over of freedom in exchange for a few handouts.

As this Crosstalk continued, Israel addressed the teaching qualification issue, the financial costs, different educational approaches within home-schooling, the alleged socialization problem, whether home schooling guarantees success, the 'sheltering' or 'helicopter parent' argument, and more.

More Information:

The book--Answers for Homeschooling: Top 25 Questions Critics Ask, is available for a donation of $14 or more. Go to vcyamerica.org or call 1-800-729-9829.

]]> The American Planning Association and Agenda 21 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/04/10/the-american-planning-association-and-agenda-21 Tue, 10 Apr 2018 16:04:46 +0000 Jim Schneider Tom began by defining the term, 'sustainable'. He explained that the word first came up in 1987 in a report called, 'Our Common Future' issued by the United Nations Commission on Environment and Development. 'Sustainable', as it pertains to development, was determined to be development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: April 10, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest:    Tom DeWeese
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Tom DeWeese is the president of American Policy Center. He's one of the nation's leading advocates of individual liberty, free enterprise, private property rights, personal privacy, back-to-basics education, American sovereignty, independence and protecting our Constitutionally guaranteed rights.
Tom began by defining the term, 'sustainable'. He explained that the word first came up in 1987 in a report called, 'Our Common Future' issued by the United Nations Commission on Environment and Development. 'Sustainable', as it pertains to development, was determined to be development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

When used in the Agenda 21 document in 1992, it was called a comprehensive blueprint for reorganizing human society. Now they're putting such plans in place, for example, to preserve our natural resources for future generations. However, we're not seeing things being used properly. Instead, we're seeing them being locked away. So what sustainable development has come to mean is actually sacrifice and learning to live on less.

So that brings up the question that Tom asked. If we're preserving our natural resources for future generations and the government is controlling everything involved in the process, what's going to happen that will allow them to tell us we can now use those natural resources? After all, there will always be future generations that we have to preserve such things for.

What is Agenda 21 and what is that connected to? The United Nations had a series of habitat meetings. Eventually they all came together into one document called Agenda 21 (Agenda for the 21st Century) introduced in 1992 at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. This was not a treaty that had to be ratified by Congress. It's what's known as a 'soft law policy'. This means it's merely a suggestion.

The American Planning Association put forth a newsletter in 1994 tying their association not only to Agenda 21 as a comprehensive blueprint for sustainable development, but also tying it to Al Gore's 'Earth in the Balance' and noted organizations that were coming together to implement these programs.

Why have they started denying this? Tom believes it's because his organization put the spotlight on it which caused people to attend planning meetings and question the implementation of Agenda 21. The response people would receive was that Agenda 21 is an innocuous 20 year old document that has no enforcement capability.

As Jim noted, things have been updated and invigorated so now it's known as 'The 2030 Agenda'. Tom believes it's all about redistribution of wealth, social engineering/equity/justice with the environment being the excuse for the implementation of it all.

More Information:

American Policy Center
www.americanpolicy.org

www.sustainabledevelopment.com

]]> Free Speech Shut Down http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/04/09/free-speech-shut-down Mon, 09 Apr 2018 16:15:47 +0000 Jim Schneider Joining Jim to present the timing and details surrounding these cancellations was Brannon Howse. Brannon is the president of Worldview Weekend. He's also an author of multiple books and a speaker on Worldview Weekend radio and TV programs. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: April 9, 2018
Host:      Jim Schneider
Guest: Brannon Howse
Listen:     MP3 | Order

In previous days, VCY America had promoted that former FBI agent and anti-terrorist/security expert John Guandolo from Understanding the Threat was going to be featured in-studio today. He was to speak at a conference this evening with Brannon's Worldview Weekend. The title for his speech was, 'America is Losing the War and Doesn't Even Know It'. This involved discussion of the global Islamic movement, what they seek to accomplish, their network within the U.S., and more.

Ironically, some of the venues that he and other speakers would have been appearing at canceled the speaking engagements.

Joining Jim to present the timing and details surrounding these cancellations was Brannon Howse. Brannon is the president of Worldview Weekend. He's also an author of multiple books and a speaker on Worldview Weekend radio & TV programs.
Brannon began by taking listeners back to April of 2017 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. A Muslim man from Saudi Arabia brought and filmed a Qur'an and panned the crowd while on Facebook. One of the off-duty police officers that was hired noticed him and warned him that filming was not allowed. The man admitted he was armed and was told to leave. The man then went to his car and brandished 5 weapons including 2 semi-automatic rifles while also claiming on Facebook that he had about 1,200 rounds of ammunition. The incident made national news, yet it took 12 days to get him charged. In the end he served 7 months at the federal level.
Brannon believes this incident emboldened others. So when it was promoted that Brannon and his speakers were coming back to the Midwest to cover their last five cities, they managed to shut these conferences down.

It was at the Holiday Inn and Convention Center in Des Moines, Iowa, where things began to unravel. Brannon received a phone call and e-mail from the Radisson Convention Center in Green Bay, WI., stating that they were canceling the conference for Saturday evening. The reason stated by the convention center representative had nothing to do security. Instead, the cancellation was based upon complaints from the community and that the convention center owners '...do not want to host a group like you.'

So the Thursday Iowa convention went on as planned. Then Friday morning at breakfast, a call was received from the hotel in Pewaukee, WI. (a suburb of Milwaukee). They indicated that they had received so many calls from people angry that Worldview Weekend was being allowed to use the facility that the owners felt they must cancel.

Also on Friday, while on the road for the engagement in Onalaska, WI., the convention center there asked for the certificate of liability. They were asking for this because they claimed they received 57 phone calls in a 90 minute to 2 hour period.
So where were the calls coming from? Brannon cited the Council on American/Islamic Relations (a front-group for the Muslim Brotherhood), the Southern Poverty Law Center, along with Antifa groups.

Why would those whose roots are steeped in Marxism/Communism join a Muslim group in an attempt to shut down conferences warning of the global Islamic movement? Brannon explains the connection on this important edition of Crosstalk.

More Information:

www.worldviewweekend.com/bookstore

]]> News Roundup 4-6-18 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/04/06/news-roundup-4-6-18 Fri, 06 Apr 2018 16:08:53 +0000 Jim Schneider The following are a handful of stories Jim brought to listener attention this week: --'Understanding the Threat of Islam' conferences shut down by pro-Antifa/pro- Islamic groups. --Another innocent child becomes a victim in a Chicago area Target store restroom. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: April 6, 2018
Host:    Jim Schneider
Listen:     MP3 | Order

The following are a handful of stories Jim brought to listener attention this week:

--'Understanding the Threat of Islam' conferences shut down by pro-Antifa/pro-
Islamic groups.
--Another innocent child becomes a victim in a Chicago area Target store restroom.
--Man wanted for taking photos inside Target changing room.
--Seattle man undresses in women's locker room to test new transgender bathroom
rule.
--Officials of charter school association commend Kindergarten teacher who
promotes transgenderism. She was named teacher of the year for her commitment
to provide a safe learning environment for all children.
--Colorado House of Representatives passes legislation to ban so-called conversion
therapy.
--Maryland State Legislature has sent a bill to the governor to ban conversion
therapy.
--Milwaukee, WI. mayor signs conversion therapy ban.
--California legislators are considering a bill that would make it illegal for
anyone to receive professional help to resolve unwanted same sex attractions or
gender confusion.
--Iowa about to force 4-H to adopt the same LGBTQ transgender bathroom and other
policies
--The U.S. Census Bureau's report to Congress on the 2020 survey includes adding
homosexuals to the question about relationships.
--8 members of Iran's women's soccer team are said to be men.
--Hamas issues order to burn about 10,000 tires along the border of Israel.
--Israeli troops kill 6 men along Gaza's border.
--Israel thwarts planned terrorist attack arresting 10 Palestinians suspected of
plotting an attack on a navy ship off the Gaza coast.
--President Trump wants to send between 2,000 and 4,000 National Guard troops to
the nation's southern border.
--The Mexican Senate passed a resolution seeking an end to bilateral cooperation
with the U.S. against drug cartels and immigration problems after President
Trump ordered the National Guard troops to the border.
--Former National Security Advisor Susan Rice has a new role on the board of
directors for Netflix.
--The California DMV announced it has provided more than one-million driver's
licenses to illegal aliens as of Wednesday.
--Over 50 artificial intelligence researchers from 30 nations have agreed to
boycott the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology over concerns
with its weapons research.
--Dentist office threatens parents over dental neglect of children.

]]> Electronic Health Records http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/04/05/electronic-health-records Thu, 05 Apr 2018 16:11:34 +0000 Jim Schneider Twila Brase is the president and co-founder of Citizens Council for Health Freedom. She’s a registered nurse and provides daily commentary on the Health Freedom Minute. Twila is also author of: Big Brother in the Exam Room-The Dangerous Truth About Electronic Health Records. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: April 5, 2018
Host:    Jim Schneider
Guest:    Twila Brase
Listen:      MP3 | Order

Twila Brase is the president and co-founder of Citizens Council for Health Freedom.  She’s a registered nurse and provides daily commentary on the Health Freedom Minute. Twila is also author of: Big Brother in the Exam Room-The Dangerous Truth About Electronic Health Records.
What is an electronic health record (EHR)? According to Twila, it isn't simply an electronic version of your health record. It not only has the data contained in the typical paper medical record, it also has billing information, data used for quality measures, it's used to report certain data for scoring physicians, tracking their care, determining if physicians are being compliant, treatment protocols, alerts and more.
Originally EHR's were touted as something that would bring us cost saving benefits. On that front Twila mentioned a Harvard study that indicating that even using EHR's it's still going to cost from $20 to $215 just to generate a bill.
Jim then noted that the Harvard Gazette reported that billing costs were estimated at $100,000 per provider each year. He mentioned that this must get passed on to insurance companies and patients. Twila responded by explaining that EHR's are costing the doctors in terms of researching what type of system to put in place, to buying it, to training people, to keep it updated, leasing costs while on the 'cloud' (if they don't want to buy their own internal system), and more. The old paper system did require storage (as does EHR's) but it didn't require all these extra costs.
In the Recovery Act, Congress gave about 30 billion dollars to get EHR's set up nationwide. Unfortunately that amount doesn't even begin to cover the costs.
Jim pointed listeners to an article on The Hill where they reported that the Obama administration set aside tens of billions of dollars in 2009 to force doctors and hospitals to implement this. The story also noted that much of the money was wasted, there was higher costs, more errors, and no care improvement.
Twila mentioned a deadline and if you didn't have the computer system operational by January 1, 2014, then you had to start reporting 'meaningful use' of it in order to obtain the full Medicare payments. So doctors and hospitals had to start looking for a system to buy. EHR's came 'out of the woodwork'. Many have been purchased only to be, as Twila noted, 'gotten rid of'. In fact, some doctors are on their third EHR system in order to find one that works for them. Twila believes they weren't designed to work for doctors. They were created to do what the government said they had to do.
Jim then cited the Harvard Business Review that is saying health professionals are now in full backlash mode against EHR's. Twila responded by reminding listeners about the huge cost to doctors as EHR's have required them to increase staffing which has increased the cost for them at yet another level. This has resulted in doctors hiring what are known as 'scribes'. This is an individual with no credentials (other than the ability to type) who comes into the exam room with the doctor and who can and get all the data and click all the buttons that need to be reported so that the doctor can get paid fully.
Twila calls this whole EHR situation a 'command and control structure' that was forced upon doctors with the idea to take over the health care system. This is causing doctors to retire early or even find new jobs because they didn't get into the medical profession to do what some clinical guidelines tell them what they have to do to get fully paid. They went into great debt to become medical professionals yet they're being treated like workers on a conveyor belt. In other words, the whole system has them spending twice as much time with the EHR system than with patients.

More Information:

www.cchfreedom.org

]]> Battling Abortion: Victories and Concerns http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/04/04/battling-abortion-victories-and-concerns Wed, 04 Apr 2018 16:09:47 +0000 Jim Schneider Brad began with news concerning the abortion drug known as RU486. To date, about one-third of all abortions that take place are done via this drug. Dr. George Delgado has gone public with some new research that indicates it's possible to reverse the effects of the first drug given during the RU486 procedure when the woman changes her mind. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: April 4, 2018
Host:    Jim Schneider
Guest: Brad Mattes
Listen:     MP3 | Order

These days it's interesting to see all the anti-bullying campaigns. Why is it that many of those same people will call abortion a 'choice' yet fail to realize that killing in this way is the ultimate form of bullying?
The tide is turning on numerous fronts. Joining Jim to discuss a number of victories as well as concerns was Brad Mattes. Brad is the president and CEO of Life Issues Institute headquartered in Cincinnati. Their mission is that of assuring through education, equal protection under the law for all living humans from the beginning of their biological life at fertilization until natural death.
Brad began with news concerning the abortion drug known as RU486. To date, about one-third of all abortions that take place are done via this drug. Dr. George Delgado has gone public with some new research that indicates it's possible to reverse the effects of the first drug given during the RU486 procedure when the woman changes her mind.
Under the Trump administration, thus far we've seen an advocating for human life. In fact, a recent proclamation from the president declaring April as Child Abuse Prevention Month includes wording describing children as '...blessings from our Creator. They are endowed from conception with value, purpose and human dignity.'

Yesterday, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker signed legislation (AB-128) that prohibits elective abortion coverage in Wisconsin's public health insurance plans so that state taxpayers will no longer be paying for state employee abortions.

A bill in the Ohio legislature would ban all abortions.

The legislature in Nebraska passed a budget that defunds Planned Parenthood.

The Kentucky Senate recently passed legislation that would ban D&E abortions after 11 weeks of gestation.

The Indiana legislature has made it a double homicide to kill a pregnant woman.

On the side of concerns, there's continued funding of groups like Planned Parenthood through federal tax dollars. This is taking place in spite of politicians who campaigned on doing away with such funding.

Federal funding continues toward research that uses tissue from aborted babies.

The U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal to have more undercover videos released that expose Planned Parenthood.

Some universities are hiring students to help promote abortion on campus under the guise of reproductive justice.

There's more information available concerning each of these points and you can hear it all when you review this edition of Crosstalk.

More Information:

Life Issues Institute
www.lifeissues.org

Abortion Reversal Hotline
877-558-0333

]]> Illegal Alien Caravan Headed to U.S. http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/04/03/illegal-alien-caravan-headed-to-u-s Tue, 03 Apr 2018 16:05:32 +0000 Jim Schneider Immigration issues have been front and center over the past few days. This past weekend President Trump indicated that the time for a deal on DACA has passed. Meanwhile we are told of an approaching caravan of more than 1,000 Central American illegal aliens heading through Mexico to the United States. Also, so-called 'sanctuary cities' are continuing to defy the federal government. Joining Jim to address these and related issues was Judge Andrew Arthur. Judge Arthur is a Resident Fellow in Law and Policy at the Center for Immigration Studies, a research institute that examines the impact of immigration on American society. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: April 3, 2018
Host:    Jim Schneider
Guest: Judge Andrew Arthur
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Immigration issues have been front and center over the past few days. This past weekend President Trump indicated that the time for a deal on DACA has passed. Meanwhile we are told of an approaching caravan of more than 1,000 Central American illegal aliens heading through Mexico to the United States. Also, so-called 'sanctuary cities' are continuing to defy the federal government.

Joining Jim to address these and related issues was Judge Andrew Arthur. Judge Arthur is a Resident Fellow in Law and Policy at the Center for Immigration Studies, a research institute that examines the impact of immigration on American society.

His legal career began as a clerk to Administrative Law Judge Joseph McGuire in the Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Office at the U.S. Department of Justice. He later worked as a trial attorney in District Counsel’s Office of the former Immigration and Naturalization Service and was promoted as associate general counsel and later acting chief of the INS National Security Law Division. He has also advised the attorney general, deputy attorney general and the INS commissioner on issues related to national security. He later became a counsel on the House Judiciary Committee and later appointed to the immigration bench serving 8 years as an immigration judge. He left the bench and went back to Capitol Hill where he served as staff director of the National Security Subcommittee at House Oversight and Government Reform before retiring from federal service in 2016.

Jim and Judge Arthur began their discussion by looking at DACA. On Sunday, the president made it clear that he's not a fan of the nonsensical catch-and-release border patrol program that was established under President Obama. The judge noted two court cases, one out of San Francisco and the other out of Brooklyn have put the rescission of the DACA program on hold. That's taken a lot of pressure off of Congress to act. He thinks the Democrats believe they have a chance to reclaim the House of Representatives in 2018 and for that reason they have no interest in certain items the president was in favor of: cutting chain migration, ending the diversity visa lottery and strengthening the border. On the other hand, the Republicans are concerned that any action they take with respect to 680,000 current DACA recipients (or a potential 1.8 million recipients) would be viewed as amnesty among those in their voter base.

Judge Arthur indicated that there is serious discussion concerning the Securing America's Future Act. That would provide some sort of status for DACA recipients but it also contains many needed improvements to the current U.S. immigration system with respect to the border, as well as immigration benefits that are being abused.

Did the Democrats really blow it on DACA. Judge Arthur believes they did and that this could cost them in the upcoming elections for their failure to do anything for DACA recipients.

What about the caravan of illegals heading from Mexico to the U.S.? According to Judge Arthur, this is not the first time this has happened. In fact, this is about the 5th consecutive year something like this has happened around Holy Week. The intentions of those involved aren't entirely clear. According to the Mexican government some of them have purportedly been deported by the Mexicans. While he doesn't have any inside information, judging from statements by the president, he believes the administration is probably preparing for a potential humanitarian response. This would include an expansion of detention space along with the assignment of additional resources including immigration judges, asylum officers and immigration attorneys to the border.

Judge Arthur sees detention taking place if they are brought to the U.S although that may be the intention of the promoters behind the caravan. They may want people to see pictures of mothers and children in detention as that's what the press will focus on while omitting the adult men who are on their way here as they talk about the heartless policies of President Trump. In the end he sees those truly deserving of asylum getting it while the vast majority of individuals will be returned.

What is the 'credible fear process'? What about illegals crossing our northern border? What about the possible use of troops along the southern border? What are we to make of legal guidance workshops being provided for the caravan members? These and other questions concerning the caravan and immigration in general are dealt with on this important Crosstalk broadcast.

More Information:

Center for Immigration Studies
www.cis.org

]]> Whatever Happened to the Great Commission? http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/04/02/whatever-happened-to-the-great-commission Mon, 02 Apr 2018 16:10:02 +0000 Jim Schneider Do you know what the Great Commission is? Do you know what section of Scripture mentions this? Jim asked these questions because late last week he received an e-mail from George Barna's organization. It noted that 51% of church goers don't know of the Great Commission, 25% said 'yes' but can't recall the exact meaning, and 6% aren't even sure they've heard the phrase. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: April 2, 2018
Host:    Jim Schneider
Listen:     MP3 | Order

There are many ways we can impact society with our lives. The problem is, many activities that cause us to impact the world around us can cause us to forget the eternal destinies of many. To put it another way, what good does it do to make the world a better place to be launched into hell from?

Those naming the name of Christ because they know they've been bought by His blood know the answer to this issue because the Bible instructs them to be salt and light (Matt. 5:13-16). It's not one or the other. Sharing the Gospel is just as critical a responsibility today as it's ever been.

Do you know what the Great Commission is? Do you know what section of Scripture mentions this? Jim asked these questions because late last week he received an e-mail from George Barna's organization. It noted that 51% of church goers don't know of the Great Commission, 25% said 'yes' but can't recall the exact meaning, and 6% aren't even sure they've heard the phrase.

Jim presented the statistics as broken down by generation and also opened the phone lines to find out how Crosstalk callers feel about this trend.

]]> News Roundup 3-28-18 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/03/28/news-roundup-3-28-18 Wed, 28 Mar 2018 16:09:21 +0000 Jim Schneider Below is a sample of stories gathered for this edition of Crosstalk: --Former Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens is calling to have the 2nd Amendment repealed. --Al Sharpton's half brother, who protested with anti-gun advocates on Saturday, has been charged with capital murder amid Alabama homicide. --Author points out how multiple celebrities would go in and out of their limousines under the heavily armed protection of private security members at anti-gun rally. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: March 28, 2018
Host:    Jim Schneider
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Below is a sample of stories gathered for this edition of Crosstalk:

--Former Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens is calling to have the 2nd
Amendment repealed.
--Al Sharpton's half brother, who protested with anti-gun advocates on Saturday,
has been charged with capital murder amid Alabama homicide.
--Author points out how multiple celebrities would go in and out of their
limousines under the heavily armed protection of private security members at
anti-gun rally.
--Saturday 'End the Violence' protests highlighted by the voices of recognizable
Democrats, most notably that of former President Obama.
--Activists set up 501(c)4 dark money group, a common way to organize politically
active non-profits to plan and fund both the march itself and future activism in
order to impose the new gun control measures that they support.
--President Trump appoints former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton to replace General
H.R. McMaster as new national security advisor.
--H.R. McMaster held to the Obama view that Islamic jihad terrorism had nothing to
do with Islam.
--Planned Parenthood tweets that Bolton is an extreme ideologue.
--John Bolton said to be a 'hawk' on North Korea.
--Increased activity noted at a North Korea nuclear facility in recent weeks.
--North Korean dictator, Kim Jong-Un, met with China's leader.
--Russia and China outpacing the U.S. in the development of hypersonic missile
technology.
--President Trump is suggesting a new branch of the military known as the U.S.
Space Force.
--The Trump administration to impose up to 60 billion dollars in trade
restrictions on China to counter a concerted program of economic aggression
against the U.S.
--On Monday President Trump ordered the expulsion of 60 Russian intelligence
officers and the closure of the Russian consulate in Seattle. This was done in
response to the nerve agent attack in the UK earlier this month.
--The U.N. Human Rights Council has approved 5 anti-Israel resolutions and called
on the nations of the world to participate in an arms embargo against Israel.
--Former President Obama envisions a world with young leaders just like him.
--The Trump administration announced that with few exceptions, transgenders will
be banned from serving in the U.S. military.
--Liberty Counsel's Mat Staver commends President Trump's decision to refocus the
military's mission to emphasize readiness and unit cohesion.
--The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is no longer hosting a web page
on lesbian and bisexual-specific health issues.
--The Human Rights Campaign applauds Washington governor to sign a ban on
conversion therapy for youth.

]]> From Transgender to Transformed http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/03/27/from-transgender-to-transformed Tue, 27 Mar 2018 16:27:22 +0000 Jim Schneider This Crosstalk featured the testimony of one who was gender-confused and fully engulfed, not only as a homosexual but also as a transgender prostitute. Transformed by the power of the Gospel, David Arthur now directs 'I Belong Amen Ministries', an outreach ministry designed to bring God's truth in love to a lost and dying world. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: March 27, 2018
Host:    Jim Schneider
Guest:   David Arthur
Listen:   MP3 | Order

It's proclaimed by some, especially those within and supportive of the LGBTQ community, that a person who's following the homosexual or transgender lifestyle is 'born that way'. They expect full acceptance of who they are. Sadly, there are even churches that have accepted this line of thinking rather than see the deception and bondage created by such choices.

The acceptance of such behavior also goes against the grain of Scripture which says in I Corinthians 6:11, 'And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.'

This Crosstalk featured the testimony of one who was gender-confused and fully engulfed, not only as a homosexual but also as a transgender prostitute. Transformed by the power of the Gospel, David Arthur now directs 'I Belong Amen Ministries', an outreach ministry designed to bring God's truth in love to a lost and dying world.

David began his story by mentioning his father's suicide. With that parental hole in his life, he was seeking and searching for that missing, male affirmation. He would see the attention his mother or aunt would receive from their boyfriends. He reasoned that perhaps if he acted like his mother or aunt, perhaps he could get that kind of attention too. In fact, he discovered that the more feminine he acted, the more attention he received.

Unfortunately the attention he received came in the form of molestation at the hands of certain men. He associated that negative attention with the male affirmation/confirmation/love that he was seeking. In fact, by age 8 or 9, he found himself going out and looking for boys/men to engage in sinful activity with, even if it meant being molested.

Around age 12 or 13, David had discovered drugs and alcohol. By the age of 14 he was a confused, HIV positive transgender and homeless runaway, involved in prostitution. If he wasn't selling or giving himself away on the streets of Philadelphia, he was trading his body either for drugs or simply a place to stay.

Throughout his teen years, David was in and out of juvenile detention, and as an adult he was in and out of county jails which eventually led to prison. It was during his second stay in prison that he met a correctional officer who challenged him, and kept consistently reminding him, that God did not create him to be this way. As much as that hurt his feelings, within a few weeks David was seeking that officer out because he knew there was something different about him. The officer's impact upon David was so profound, that upon leaving prison, change was in the works as he no longer felt comfortable dressing as a woman.

Sadly, David still followed after the lusts of the flesh to such a degree that by his mid-30's, osteoporosis, AIDS, boils and fevers began to take their toll. Although sent home to die by doctors, God wasn't through with him. In his desperation, he picked up the Word of God. That began further transformation that also included a medical impossibility that can only be described as a God-given miracle.

Learn the amazing end of David's story, which in one sense became a new beginning, when you review this inspiring edition of Crosstalk.

More Information:

I Belong Amen Ministries

www.ibelongamen.com

]]> Jesus in the Passover http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/03/26/jesus-in-the-passover Mon, 26 Mar 2018 16:05:15 +0000 Jim Schneider Jeffrey D. Miller was raised in a traditional Jewish home, but spent twenty four years of his life as an atheist. In 1983 he had a miraculous encounter with the living God and committed his life to Yeshua, the Messiah. He leads a ministry called Messianic Minutes. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: March 26, 2018
Host:    Jim Schneider
Guest:   Jeffrey D Miller
Listen:      MP3 | Order

Jeffrey D. Miller was raised in a traditional Jewish home, but spent twenty four years of his life as an atheist. In 1983 he had a miraculous encounter with the living God and committed his life to Yeshua, the Messiah. He leads a ministry called Messianic Minutes.

Jim began by noting the great fluctuation from year to year regarding when Passover occurs. How is the date determined?

Jeffrey explained that when the Lord set up the timetable for ancient Israel, he used a lunar-based calendar because each month starts at the New Moon. So rather than basing it on the earth's rotation around the sun, it's based upon the moon's rotation around the earth. The result is that the lunar-based calendar only has 256 days. This means that 7 times every 19 years there's a lunar leap year month added on to the calendar. So 7 times every 19 years there's 13 months. This fluctuates the line-up with the solar (Gregorian) calendar and the result is that the feasts are not on the same day.

Is there any significance to Passover being 8 days? There are 3 feasts that occur in the same week. The first night is actually Passover. The next 7 days are the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Technically they're two different feasts but both are called Passover.

During Passover, on the night after the Sabbath, is the Feast of Firstfruits. 2,000 years ago, on the Sunday during Passover, Jesus rose from the dead (On the Feast of Firstfruits). This is why the Jewish apostle Paul said that Jesus is the firstfruits of many from the dead.

What does the first Passover signify? Beginning with the burning bush story and moving to the meeting between Moses and Pharaoh, Jeffery then noted the plagues where Passover really begins. It includes the lamb without blemish, the killing of it and the taking of some of the blood and applying it to the doorposts of the house where it's eaten. When God would see that demonstration of faith, he would pass over that house and the plague of death would not come upon it. Jeffrey then cited Leviticus 17:11 which is the basis for all Christianity. It's the blood that makes atonement for the soul.

As this Crosstalk moved along, Jeffrey also looked at the Seder and its picture of Christ, the symbolism of the lamb, how to witness to a Jew at the Passover, and more.

More Information:

www.jeffreydmiller.com

]]> Oral Arguments Report: NIFLA vs. Becerra http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/03/21/oral-arguments-report-nifla-vs-becerra Wed, 21 Mar 2018 16:00:46 +0000 Jim Schneider California wants non-profit, pro-life pregnancy centers to post a notice containing 29 words (2 sentences long). The notice must appear in their entrances, lobbies, printed materials, and online in 48 point font and in up to 13 languages. The language is to inform expectant mothers as to where they can go in order to obtain a free or low-cost abortion provided by the state. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: March 21, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Guest: Mat Staver
Listen:      MP3 | Order

Mat Staver is the founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel.

Mat reviewed the cirucmstances revolving around the Supreme Court case of NIFLA (National Institute of Family and Life Advocates) v. Becerra.

California wants non-profit, pro-life pregnancy centers to post a notice containing 29 words (2 sentences long). The notice must appear in their entrances, lobbies, printed materials, and online in 48 point font and in up to 13 languages. The language is to inform expectant mothers as to where they can go in order to obtain a free or low-cost abortion provided by the state.

If the center doesn't comply, it's $500 for the first violation and $1,000 thereafter.

Mat believes there's a majority of justices, including Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who he thinks will ultimately vote to strike down this law.

During the broadcast Mat described the real intent of this legislation, what the turning point was during the arguments, and where the case goes from here.

More Information:

Liberty Counsel

www.lc.org

407-875-1776

]]> LGBT's Intolerance http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/03/20/lgbts-intolerance Tue, 20 Mar 2018 16:32:28 +0000 Jim Schneider Peter LaBarbera is the president of Americans for Truth about Homosexuality. Below is a sample list of stories he commented on that show the intolerance of some within the LGBT community. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: March 20, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Guest: Peter LaBarbera
Listen:      MP3 | Order

In an update to a recent story, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case of NIFLA v. Becerra. This is one of 4 cases involving crisis pregnancy centers challenging a California law requiring them to post government prescribed, pro-abortion messages in their facilities and advertising or be fined (See Crosstalk-3/16/18).

Jim also provided brief details on the latest school shooting that took place at Great Mills High School in Maryland.

Peter LaBarbera is the president of Americans for Truth about Homosexuality. Below is a sample list of stories he commented on that show the intolerance of some within the LGBT community.

--Milwaukee, WI., is seeking to pass an ordinance that would criminalize what's known as 'conversion therapy' within the city. In their testimony before the Committee of the Common Council, LGBT activists kept pointing to religion, Christianity and ministries as the problem. The hearing was held with apparently no notice to pastors or churches. The matter passed by committee and now the Common Council is set to meet next week but it's uncertain if this issue will be on the agenda.

--Vice President Mike Pence has come under fire from John Oliver, Ellen DeGeneres and others because his daughter wrote a children's book about giving a tour of the White House and the vice presidential living quarters.

--A religious studies major was barred from a Christianity class at Indiana University in Pennsylvania for communicating in class that there are only two genders.

--Mike Pompeo has been appointed by President Trump to replace the outgoing Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State. LGBT groups are livid about this change.

--LGBTQ Nation mentions a study that allegedly finds a link between being brain damaged and being a religious fundamentalist. Peter believes promotion of such attacks against faith could backfire on the LGBTQ community and may actually put President Trump back in office for another term.

--The classic Louisa May Alcott book, 'Little Women' to be rewritten to develop a lesbian relationship within the storyline.

--There will be an Ohio 4-H LGBTQ+ Summit April 27th and 28th in Columbus.

--Fort Lauderdale, Florida, just elected a new mayor who is openly 'gay'.

More Information

Americans for Truth about Homosexuality
www.americansfortruth.org

Milwaukee Common Council
414-286-2221

The White House
202-456-1111
202-456-1414

]]> Monday News Round Up http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/03/19/monday-news-round-up Mon, 19 Mar 2018 18:31:16 +0000 Jim Schneider Here's a selection of stories featured on this Monday news 'Round-Up': --An explosion took place in a suburban Austin, Texas, neighborhood Sunday evening. Some are pointing to a serial bomber as being responsible for 4 explosions in the Austin area. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: March 19, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Listen:      MP3 | Order

Here's a selection of stories featured on this Monday news 'Round-Up':

--An explosion took place in a suburban Austin, Texas, neighborhood Sunday
evening. Some are pointing to a serial bomber as being responsible for 4
explosions in the Austin area.
--President Trump calls fired FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe a 'choir boy'.
--McCabe kept personal memos, similar to those compiled by James Comey on interactions with President Trump.
--McCabe's firing was recommended by the FBI's internal career civil service
Office of Professional Responsibility.
--Former CIA Director John Brennan reacted to McCabe's firing by 'tweeting' a
strident attack against President Trump.
--Tom Fitton of Judicial Watch believes Attorney General Sessions did the right
thing in firing McCabe.
--The White House announced that it will seek the death penalty for certain drug traffickers where appropriate under the law.
--The Trump administration is putting pressure on Senate Republicans to crack down on Democratic efforts to delay its agenda.
--The federal government may soon obtain an ally in its battle with California
over its sanctuary laws.
--Baltimore (a city with the nations highest per-capita murder rate) to hire
lawyers to represent illegal aliens with deportation orders.
--President Trump stood alongside prototypes of the border wall.
--The Trump administration made a voluntary payment of $151,470 to the Department of the Treasury to keep a promise that the company would not benefit from foreign government payments while Trump is president.
--President Trump's coming tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum imports are the first step in targeting China's unfair trade practices.
--A Democratic congressman from Long Island implied that Americans should grab weapons and oppose President Trump by force if he doesn't abide by the Constitution.
--The acting FBI deputy director testified during a Senate judiciary committee
hearing that former President Barack Obama's justice department forced the FBI to delete over 500,000 fugitives that had outstanding arrest warrants from the national instant criminal background check system.
--A California high school teacher was aghast to find out that she was placed on leave over comments she made about the national school walkout day.
--Some school counselors and officials were so concerned about the mental
stability of Nicholas Cruze (accused of committing last month's Florida school
massacre) that they decided to have him forcibly committed more than a year before the shooting. However, the recommendation was never acted upon.
--Turkey's semi-official newspaper called for an urgent action to form a 57
nation army of Islam to besiege and attack Israel.
--A Hamas lawmaker calls for the massacre of Jews.
--Israeli Defense Forces destroyed 2 underground terrorist structures in the Gaza Strip. One was an old terror tunnel that was being reconstructed by Hamas.
--Nuclear non-proliferation advocates are sounding the alarm about a potential nuclear energy deal between Saudi Arabia and the U.S.

]]> Supreme Court: NIFLA v. Becerra http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/03/16/supreme-court-nifla-v-becerra Fri, 16 Mar 2018 16:01:49 +0000 Jim Schneider Joining Jim to discuss this case was Mat Staver. Mat is the founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, an international nonprofit litigation, education and policy organization, dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of human life, and the family. He has over 230 published legal opinions and has authored eight scholarly law review publications and 10 books. He's argued two landmark cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. He's the host and producer of Faith and Freedom and Freedom's Call. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: March 16, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Guest: Mat Staver
Listen:      MP3 | Order

Jim opened this broadcast with the following questions:

--Should the American Lung Association be forced to put up signs at their headquarters telling people where they can buy cigarettes?

--Should People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) be forced to put up signs telling people where they can get a delicious steak dinner?

--Should a weight loss clinic be required to put up signs or give directions to the nearest fast-food restaurant where members can buy a greasy, half-pound hamburger?

--Should Jewish synagogues be forced to put up signs telling people where the nearest mosque is?

These questions may seem ridiculous but that's what's happening to pro-life centers in California that have been ordered to put up signs to inform expectant mothers as to where they can go in order to obtain an abortion. The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing the case next Tuesday. The case is NIFLA (National Institute of Family and Life Advocates) v. Becerra.

Joining Jim to discuss this case was Mat Staver. Mat is the founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, an international nonprofit litigation, education and policy organization, dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of human life, and the family. He has over 230 published legal opinions and has authored eight scholarly law review publications and 10 books. He's argued two landmark cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. He's the host and producer of Faith and Freedom and Freedom's Call.

The law that will be argued requires any crisis pregnancy center to post the abortion related notice in the entrances, the lobby, in any printed material and online. It also has to be posted in 48 point font in up to 12 languages.

According to Mat, this is one of 4 cases pending before the Supreme Court. The one that's going to be argued Tuesday is NIFLA v. Becerra. Becerra is the California attorney general who was applauded by Planned Parenthood when he came on board as attorney general.

Actually, Liberty Counsel's case is Mountain Right to Life v. Becerra. That's pending at the Supreme Court. All four cases will be decided together with a decision to be rendered no later than the last week of June. All of them are about free speech with the question being: Does this compelled speech by the government, which is contrary to the mission of a pro-life center, violate the First Amendment right to free speech?

This situation has come through the most frequently reversed, liberal court of appeals in America. That's the Ninth Circuit Court.

Discover additional details along with what to watch for and what to pray for when you review this edition of Crosstalk.

More Information:

Liberty Council

www.lc.org

]]> Religion of Peace? http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/03/15/religion-of-peace Thu, 15 Mar 2018 16:16:00 +0000 Jim Schneider Joining Jim for a discussion on this matter was Usama Dakdok. Usama is the president of The Straightway of Grace ministry and speaker on the daily radio program, 'Revealing the Truth about Islam'. He's translated the Qur'an into English and has also authored, 'Exposing the Truth about the Qur'an'. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: March 15, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Guest: Usama Dakdok
Listen:      MP3 | Order

We continue to be told that Islam is a religion of peace. In spite of that we see that Islam is a common denominator in many acts of violence and death and its on the increase.

The website 'Creeping Sharia' reports of a top FBI counter-terror agent (Michael Mcgarrity) who said that an average of 2 suspected terrorists are arrested every week in the U.S. He went on to note that every FBI bureau in all 50 states are working on terror investigations with up to 3,000 currently underway across the country. To him, the ocean doesn't matter any more due to what he called, 'home-grown violent extremists.'

Are these people truly extremists or is it a case where they're simply following the words of the Qur'an?

Joining Jim for a discussion on this matter was Usama Dakdok. Usama is the president of The Straightway of Grace ministry and speaker on the daily radio program, 'Revealing the Truth about Islam'. He's translated the Qur'an into English and has also authored, 'Exposing the Truth about the Qur'an'.

Just yesterday (March 14th) wnd.com ran the story about a teenage Muslim who was spending the night with friends. He stabbed 3 people, killed one, and according to Florida police it was, '...because of his Muslim faith.' According to an affidavit, the suspect read the Qur'an to give him courage to carry out his intentions.

Usama responded by expressing that a simple reading of the Qur'an will show us that Islam is a savage cult. He followed this up with 3 important points:

--We are not telling the American public the full picture of what is happening in America.

--We need to understand what is coming to America. Look at what's happening in Sweden and other parts of Europe. Huge numbers of crimes are committed daily and not simply by the week.

--Muslims in America make up about 1% of the population. Wait until the 1% becomes about 5.5% like we see in Europe.

So Usama believes that unless we cut the cancer out now, what we see taking place in Europe will be taking place in America within 10 years and at that point it will be too late to fix it.

Another incident noted by Jim involved Jonathan Beese, a convert to Islam who had Islamic State literature, an AK-47, and was scouting out sniper locations. In his home they found a copy of the Qur'an, prayer beads, a Muslim robe, writings on his computer referring to ISIS, and he was searching for items related to Islamic extremism and lone-wolf terrorism.

A third example (also from the 'Creeping Sharia' website) involved criminal charges brought against a firefighter who allegedly threatened to kill colleagues he claimed had mistreated him over his Islamic faith.

During this program, Usama commented on verses from the Qur'an that may have been the motivation for the Florida knife killing, the Muslim Brotherhood connection to the Council on American/Islamic Relations (CAIR), the 4 reasons we're told Muslims are committing such acts, and much more.

More Information:

The Straightway of Grace Ministry

www.thestraightway.org

]]> Shake Up at the State Department http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/03/14/shake-up-at-the-state-department Wed, 14 Mar 2018 16:08:52 +0000 Jim Schneider President Trump and Tillerson disagreed on the Iran deal, with Tillerson trying to preserve it. Tillerson also felt diplomacy was the way to go in regard to North Korea, whereas President Trump wanted to get tough, which he did, via sanctions. This has resulted in North Korea wanting to come to the negotiating table. Tillerson also wanted to preserve the Paris Climate Accord and the Trans Pacific Partnership. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: March 14, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Listen:      MP3 | Order

This edition of Crosstalk centered around the decision by President Trump to fire Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and replace him with CIA Director Mike Pompeo.

Jim reported that White House officials were not sorry to see Tillerson go. He was viewed as an ineffective leader who was rarely on the same page as the president.

Is more change on the way? That's possible, as National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster's name has allegedly been part of circulating rumors.

Nancy Pelosi is outraged that President Trump has fired Tillerson. The problem is that less than a year and a half ago, she was upset that the president had brought him on as Secretary of State.

President Trump and Tillerson disagreed on the Iran deal, with Tillerson trying to preserve it. Tillerson also felt diplomacy was the way to go in regard to North Korea, whereas President Trump wanted to get tough, which he did, via sanctions. This has resulted in North Korea wanting to come to the negotiating table. Tillerson also wanted to preserve the Paris Climate Accord and the Trans Pacific Partnership.

Senator Rand Paul has indicated he will do everything he can to block the nomination of Mike Pompeo because Pompeo doesn't believe that enhanced interrogation techniques are torture as well as lending support to the Iraq war.

The activist LGBTQ organization known as the Human Rights Campaign claims that Mike Pompeo is anti-LGBTQ. They claim he opposes marriage equality and, as a member of Congress, co-sponsored efforts to allow states to not recognize same-sex marriage and to allow not-for-profit businesses and organizations using taxpayer dollars a license to discriminate against LGBTQ individuals.

Jim presented more information from various media sources related to this State Department shakeup along with the opinions of Crosstalk callers.

]]> Addressing Gun Control http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/03/13/addressing-gun-control Tue, 13 Mar 2018 16:05:34 +0000 Jim Schneider Since the shooting last month at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, there's been renewed debate about gun control. In fact tomorrow, in schools across the nation, there will be classroom 'walkouts' for 17 minutes in memory of the 17 person's who lost their lives in the shooting. However, others are using the protests as a means to push gun control. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: March 13, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Guest:    Dave Workman
Listen:      MP3 | Order

Since the shooting last month at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, there's been renewed debate about gun control. In fact tomorrow, in schools across the nation, there will be classroom 'walkouts' for 17 minutes in memory of the 17 person's who lost their lives in the shooting. However, others are using the protests as a means to push gun control.

Joining Jim to discuss some of these matters was Dave Workman. Dave is the communications director for the Second Amendment Foundation which exists to promote a better understanding about our constitutional heritage to privately own and possess firearms.

Dave began with the issue of the school 'walkouts'. They're getting a lot of support from a national gun control lobbying group called 'Every Town for Gun Safety'. This indicates that the 'walkouts' aren't totally student-led.

Then there's the phrase, 'Common sense gun control'. This seems to have a different meaning depending upon who you speak with. For Dave, the common denominator among such individuals is that they want to restrict firearms as much as possible, ban other classes of firearms and ultimately, '...treat the 2nd Amendment as a government regulated privilege rather than a constitutionally protected, fundamental right.'

Florida has passed legislation outlawing gun sales to people under the age of 21. Federal law, dating back to the Gun Control Act of 1968, allows young adults ages 18 to 20 to purchase rifles or shotguns. Handgun sales are restricted to people over age 21 and it's been that way for about 50 years. So what we have here is a situation where Florida has decided on its own to move that age up.

In response, the NRA has filed a lawsuit to stop that law from taking effect and Dick's Sporting Goods along with Walmart have decided not to sell guns or ammunition to anyone under age 21.

Does Dave believe that the Florida law would have prevented last month's shooting? Will hardening schools, strengthening background checks, mental health reform and reviewing funding proposals to prevent school violence make a difference? You decide after reviewing this edition of Crosstalk.

More Information:

Second Amendment Foundation

www.saf.org

]]> Mission Readiness or Transgender Activism http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/03/12/mission-readiness-or-transgender-activism Mon, 12 Mar 2018 20:27:25 +0000 Jim Schneider Joining Crosstalk to discuss this issue was Elaine Donnelly. Elaine is the president of the Center for Military Readiness, an independent, nonpartisan public policy organization that specializes in military/social issues. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: March 12, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Guest: Elaine Donnelly
Listen:      MP3 | Order

Mission readiness is critical to the safety and security of our nation. In spite of this there are those seeking to use our military as a social experiment putting political correctness and even transgender activism ahead of all else.

Joining Crosstalk to discuss this issue was Elaine Donnelly. Elaine is the president of the Center for Military Readiness, an independent, nonpartisan public policy organization that specializes in military/social issues.

Since February 23, two gender-confused recruits have signed contracts to enlist in the military. The allowance of this began under President Obama who issued an order saying that the military would have to recruit individuals who suffer from gender dysphoria. This is a psychological condition that is defined by confusion about gender identity and requires compassion and competent medical care.

Adding to the force of what President Obama issued, Elaine noted 4 district judges, one who basically stated that this has never been done before but he would issue a preliminary injunction that the military must accept individuals suffering from gender dysphoria or who claim to be transgender.

She explained that if you look at Article I and Article II, you see that Congress has a certain authority over the military. The president and the executive branch also shares such authority. However, in Article III, where it outlines what judges do, there's no word about running the military. In other words, these judges have exceeded their authority.

The Department of Justice has appealed to 2 appeals courts. One is in the District of Columbia and the other is in Baltimore, Maryland. Both of these courts rejected the requests for immediate stays. Elaine believes there should have been an immediate appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. The case would have gone to the Chief Justice who has jurisdiction over the D.C. courts.

The appeal for a stay has not been filed. Why? Elaine indicated that when the Department of Justice acts as an attorney for a branch of government, that branch must agree to have the appeal go forward. In this case, James Mattis, the Secretary of Defense, didn't authorize that appeal. Also, there apparently was a 'study' pending. That 'study' was assigned to a person who helped to implement the Obama policy. This person was put in charge of coming up with recommendations to present to Mattis and he would give them to President Trump.

We don't know exactly what was given to the president, but it's been reported that Mattis said that we should have openly recruited and retained transgenders in the military. This is at odds with what President Trump has said. Now the question is: What will the president do? He's not bound by the recommendations of Mattis and has the legal power to undue what President Obama did.

Other factors are worth considering. For example, people attempting to change genders are not deployable for long periods of time due to the need for medical care and time off for what's called, 'real life experience'. This latter point involves time off to experiment by living as a member of the opposite sex.

How does all this help maintain or improve America's military readiness? Could some individuals see this as an opportunity to scam the system in order to have expensive operations and hormonal therapy paid for at military/taxpayer expense? These and other points are probed by Jim and Elaine on this important edition of Crosstalk.

More Information:

www.cmrlink.org

To contact the White House regarding this issue, call 202-456-1111 or 202-456-1414.

]]> News Roundup 3-9-18 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/03/09/news-roundup-3-9-18 Fri, 09 Mar 2018 15:59:35 +0000 Jim Schneider The following is a brief list of headlines from a full hour of stories reviewed by Jim: --The decision to meet with North Korea's Kim Jong Un in the coming weeks was one that President Trump made himself according to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: March 9, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Listen:      MP3 | Order

The following is a brief list of headlines from a full hour of stories reviewed by Jim:

--The decision to meet with North Korea's Kim Jong Un in the coming weeks was one
that President Trump made himself according to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
--There's significant evidence that North Korea is struggling under President
Trump's maximum pressure strategy.
--President Trump ordered tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum while granting
temporary exceptions to Canada and Mexico.
--U.S. Steel Corporation announced that it has planned to reopen part of a plant
in Illinois.
--President Trump's Chief Economic Advisor, Gary Cohn, announces his resignation.
--Stocks posted gains after President Trump signed off on tariffs that exclude
Canada and Mexico.
--The president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
(NAACP) has called for gun confiscation by the government and a national gun
registry like Australia's program implemented in the 1990's.
--National School Walkout to End Gun Violence to take place on March 14th.
--A bill that requires 18-20 year olds to hand over or transfer ownership of
heretofore legally possessed so-called assault weapons is gaining sponsors in
the Illinois Senate after passing the House.
--President Trump met yesterday with representatives of the video game industry to
discuss the impact of violent games.
--Joy Behar, star of the ABC program 'The View', has reportedly apologized to Vice
President Pence for comments made concerning his Christian faith.
--The Department of Justice announced Wednesday that additional documents related
to the Operation Fast and Furious scandal during the Obama presidency will be
released to the House Oversight Committee.
--President Trump accused the Obama administration of deploying government
agencies to investigate him in order for Hillary Clinton to win the presidency.
--Milwaukee, WI. is attempting to ban conversion therapy that would encourage
people to leave the homosexual lifestyle or for those who have unwanted, same-
sex attractions. Fines range from $500-$1,000 per offense and if not paid, the
result is jail time.
--While Milwaukee, WI. is attempting to criminalize conversion therapy, a recent
Milwaukee Journal newspaper headline noted the outbreak of HIV and syphilis in
the city that allegedly includes some high school students and babies.
--Nation of Islam leader, Louis Farrakhan, under fire for controversial remarks.
--The European Union is not happy with the Trump tax cuts and wants the World
Trade Organization to punish the U.S.
--Politicians warn that Singapore-based Broadcom's takeover of Qualcomm could pose
a serous threat to national security.
--President Trump's proposed 2019 education budget drew howls from special
interest groups.
--The U.S. economy added a robust 313,000 jobs in February as tax cuts kicked in.

]]> Israel on High Alert http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/03/08/israel-on-high-alert Thu, 08 Mar 2018 15:50:42 +0000 Jim Schneider Why would Ron consider Israel to be on high alert? First of all, it's not exactly sitting on a very large chunk of real estate. As Ron pointed out, it's just 8,000 square miles which is quite small when you compare it to the more than 5 million square miles of hostile Arab real estate that surrounds them. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: March 8, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Guest:   Ron Rhodes
Listen:      MP3 | Order

The Middle East has long been spiraling out of control, causing global uncertainty and fear. What does this turmoil mean for Israel and why has peace been so elusive? The announcement that the United States would move its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem sent shock waves through the Middle East and the world with many nations condemning our recognizing the capital of Israel. Why is there such hatred against Israel? Why do nations want to see Israel annihilated? Why does what happens in Israel have such global impact? Will the United States continue to stand by its long time ally?

To answer these questions, Crosstalk contacted Ron Rhodes. Ron is the president of Reasoning from the Scriptures Ministries. He's a keynote speaker at conferences across the United States. He's the author of over 70 books with over 1 million copies sold. Crosstalk has interviewed him about his numerous writings concerning Bible prophecy, apologetics and other topics. He joined Jim to discuss his latest book, 'Israel on High Alert: What Can We Expect Next in the Middle East'.

Why would Ron consider Israel to be on high alert? First of all, it's not exactly sitting on a very large chunk of real estate. As Ron pointed out, it's just 8,000 square miles which is quite small when you compare it to the more than 5 million square miles of hostile Arab real estate that surrounds them.

Ron believes it's important that everyone, especially Christians, understand that this isn't merely a political or geopolitical issue. It's also a religious issue, a conflict between the Jewish people and Islam.

He then mentioned Israel's neighbors. This includes Russia which has been working with Iran in overcoming Syria. This is important because the Bible does speak about a future invasion into Israel by Iran, Turkey, Sudan and a variety of other Muslim nations. This is to take place in conjunction with Russia, and what better route to take to get to Israel than through Syria, since they are right on the border with Israel.

According to Ron, it appears that the stage is being set for this future invasion. The Russia/Syria, Russia/Sudan and Russia/Libya alliances have been coming together and in recent days, Turkey has been swinging away from the West and its commitment to NATO and instead appears to be looking to Russia.

Why is there so much animosity toward Israel? Israel is considered to be the lesser 'Satan' while the U.S. is considered to be the 'Great Satan' because the U.S. has been the military and financial ally of Israel for so many years. When President Trump announced the relocation of the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, Ron likened that to the pouring of gasoline on an already hot fire. Since that decision was made, various leaders from Islamic lands, including Iran, have stated that Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the Palestinian state.

This all goes back to 1948 when Israel took the land. He believes that the entire Middle East conflict is rooted in what took place then. This is because Muslims believe that once land comes under Islamic domination, it can never go out of their control. This means Israel's taking of land was an insult to Allah.

As this program moved along, Jim had Ron deal with the following and more...

--Who are the Palestinians and what is their claim to the land?
--How do we interpret the biblical prophecies concerning Israel?
--Are there plans to rebuild the temple on the Temple Mount?
--Could the antichrist be alive today?
--What happens to Israel during the tribulation period?
--Should we be living in fear over end-time developments?

More Information:

To obtain a copy of 'Israel on High Alert' (available for a donation of $16 or more) go to www.vcyamerica.org or call 1-800-729-9829.

]]> In Support of Israel at AIPAC http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/03/07/in-support-of-israel-at-aipac Wed, 07 Mar 2018 16:00:16 +0000 Jim Schneider This edition of Crosstalk featured excerpts from speeches given March 4th through the 6th at the American/Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) policy conference in Washington, DC. Speakers included Nikki Haley, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: March 7, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Listen:      MP3 | Order

This edition of Crosstalk featured excerpts from speeches given March 4th through the 6th at the American/Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) policy conference in Washington, DC. Speakers included Nikki Haley, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Ambassador Haley described her early life experiences with 'bullying'. She compared those experiences to what takes place in the U.N. against the nation of Israel on a month by month basis. Among all the problems facing the Middle East, she described how the U.N. sessions involving those nations always seem to become an Israel bashing session.

She went on to mention America's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, that Israel needs to be treated like any normal country and not a provisional entity, and that realities need to be dealt with in order to further the peace process.

Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu's speech also included America's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, the move of the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the nation of Iran and its nuclear ambitions, Mahmoud Abbas and his payments to terrorist families, and the beautiful alliance between Israel and the U.S.

]]> Broward County Sheriff Hired Muslim Terrorist Sympathizer http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/03/06/broward-county-sheriff-hired-muslim-terrorist-sympathizer Tue, 06 Mar 2018 15:58:52 +0000 Jim Schneider Chris began by defining what CAIR is. CAIR was named in the largest terrorism financing trial ever successfully prosecuted in our nation's history (U.S. v. Holy Land Foundation). The evidence overwhelmingly showed that not only was CAIR a Muslim Brotherhood organization, but they are specifically a Hamas organization. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: March 6, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Guest: Chris Gaubatz
Listen:      MP3 | Order

Chris Gaubatz is a national security consultant and vice president of Understanding the Threat. In 2007, Chris began researching the threat of jihadi organizations in the United States by posing as a Muslim convert and attending Muslim Brotherhood/Hamas conferences gaining access as an intern with the Hamas organization, the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) in Virginia. While working at CAIR he uncovered a fraud scheme. He was invited by Hamas/CAIR leaders to work at their headquarters office in Washington, DC. During his time there he obtained over 12,000 pages of documents from Hamas/CAIR and over 300 hours of covert audio/video recordings. His story is featured in the book, 'Muslim Mafia'.

Chris began by defining what CAIR is. CAIR was named in the largest terrorism financing trial ever successfully prosecuted in our nation's history (U.S. v. Holy Land Foundation). The evidence overwhelmingly showed that not only was CAIR a Muslim Brotherhood organization, but they are specifically a Hamas organization.

The Muslim Brotherhood was created in 1928 to restore the Islamic caliphate that had been dissolved. Their goal is to create an Islamic state wherever they are operating and ultimately to create a global caliphate under Sharia. CAIR, in turn, was created for the purpose of promoting the Hamas agenda (Hamas is the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood.) here in America and supporting them overseas.

Knowing this history is important because of what's been discovered within the content of information that's come out surrounding the tragic school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Broward County, Florida. The Sheriff's department there has come under considerable scrutiny due to what some are saying is improper response in a time of need.

Part of this controversy surrounds Broward County's decision to have a CAIR representative as a deputy on their staff well before the shooting occurred. Deputy Nezar Hamze is not merely someone who attends CAIR meetings or events but is currently the regional operations director for CAIR's Florida chapter and was the former executive director of CAIR/Florida.

This is astounding news when you consider that this organization, according to their own documents, states that their purpose is to destroy Western civilization from within. Chris believes that having such an individual work inside of a Sheriff's office works toward that end.

More Information:

www.understandingthethreat.com

]]> Sustainable Development: Reorganizing Human Society http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/03/05/sustainable-development-reorganizing-human-society Mon, 05 Mar 2018 16:17:33 +0000 Jim Schneider Tom DeWeese is the president of the American Policy Center. Tom is one of the nation's leading advocates of individual liberty, free enterprise, private property rights, personal privacy, back-to-basics education and American sovereignty and independence and protecting our constitutionally guaranteed rights. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: March 5, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Guest: Tom DeWeese
Listen:      MP3 |

Tom DeWeese is the president of the American Policy Center. Tom is one of the nation's leading advocates of individual liberty, free enterprise, private property rights, personal privacy, back-to-basics education and American sovereignty and independence and protecting our constitutionally guaranteed rights.

Tom began by taking listeners back to 1992. At that time, the U.N. had the Earth Summit in Rio de Janiero. One of the documents involved was called, 'Agenda 21'. Agenda 21 was described as a comprehensive blueprint for the reorganization of human society. This was to be based upon the idea that we're faced with environmental Armageddon. So it doesn't matter how many rights you think you have, if there's no planet earth, those rights mean nothing. So they felt the need to completely reorganize human society to protect the environment.

The problem with these environmental protections is that you find out they don't protect the environment at all. Instead, it's a plan to reorganize our economic system, the way we live, along with the reorganization of our governmental systems. That means top-down control that dictates to us how we're going to live.

Tom noted that if you hear about a new visioning plan for your community (perhaps described as 'Visioning 2030' or something similar) that's your first clue. Regardless of where you hear about this around the nation, take a look at the documents and you'll see that they represent the exact, same plan. What they have in common is that none of them are local.

The president's council released a report describing the goals of sustainable development. For example, it states that, '...sustainable communities encourage people to work together to create healthy communities where natural resources and historic resources are preserved, jobs are available, sprawl is contained, neighborhoods are secure, education is lifelong, transportation and health care is accessible, and all citizens have opportunities to improve the quality of their lives.'

Are the phrases that make up this goal as benign as they may seem? Jim breaks them down and Tom brings his experience to bear on the interpretation process so you'll hear what the real meaning is behind each of them and how they connect to the reorganizing of human society.

More Information:

American Policy Center

www.americanpolicy.org

]]> News Roundup 3-2-18 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/03/02/news-roundup-3-2-18 Fri, 02 Mar 2018 16:24:14 +0000 Jim Schneider Here's a sample of the stories that Jim covered on this edition of the Round-Up: --Public opinion numbers declining for those companies distancing themselves from the National Rifle Association. --Georgia lawmakers nix tax benefit for Delta Airlines following the airline's decision to cut ties with the NRA. --Florida's House of Representatives pass House Bill 839 requiring each district school board to adopt rules for display of the official state motto, 'In God We Trust.' Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: March 2, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Listen:      MP3 | Order

Here's a sample of the stories that Jim covered on this edition of the Round-Up:

--Public opinion numbers declining for those companies distancing themselves from
the National Rifle Association.
--Georgia lawmakers nix tax benefit for Delta Airlines following the airline's
decision to cut ties with the NRA.
--Florida's House of Representatives pass House Bill 839 requiring each district
school board to adopt rules for display of the official state motto, 'In God We
Trust.'
--President Trump has said he plans to institute tariffs on steel and aluminum
imports next week.
--59% of Americans feel it's important for President Trump to place tariffs on
steel and aluminum.
--According to the Supreme Court, immigrants detained for removal proceedings may
be held indefinitely and not entitled to a bail hearing.
--The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear a case involving the Trump
administration's repeal of DACA and on Monday rejected an appeal from the
Justice Department to remove a lower court decision that put an injunction on
the government's attempt to end DACA.
--The Trump administration is laying the groundwork to abandon the nuclear deal
with Iran if European allies fail to fix the agreement and close key loopholes
that have allowed the Islamic republic to continue sensitive nuclear research
and develop advanced ballistic missiles.
--The Trump administration is considering re-joining the 11 nation Trans-Pacific
Partnership.
--The White House announced Tuesday that it sent Congress a framework for
overhauling prison and criminal reentry in America.
--Is the Trump administration going to get rid of General H.R. McMaster as
National Security Advisor?
--Hope Hicks is resigning as White House Communications Director to explore new
opportunities.
--Jeff Sessions is back in President Trump's political 'cross-hairs' as the
president blasted him for tapping an Obama guy to investigate allegations of
government surveillance abuse.
--Liberty Counsel's Mat Staver stunned as President Trump has announced his re-
election.
--Mike Pence addressed those attending the National Religious Broadcasters
conference putting an emphasis on the pro-life position.
--Trump official Scott Lloyd's character continues to face attack for his life
affirming policies at the Department of Health and Human Services Office of
Refugee Resettlement.
--The Iowa Senate passed a bill Wednesday to prohibit abortions after the unborn
baby has a detectible heartbeat.
--The Florida House approved a bill to ban dismemberment abortions.
--Chancellor Angela Merkel admitted the existence of so-called no-go zones in
Germany.
--The Council on American/Islamic Relations (CAIR) is hosting their 4th annual
Oklahoma Muslim Day at the Capitol on March 5th. It's bringing together Muslims
and their interfaith partners from across the state.

]]> The Trojan Horse of Interfaith Dialogue 2-28-18 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/02/28/the-trojan-horse-of-interfaith-dialogue-2-28-18 Wed, 28 Feb 2018 16:00:14 +0000 Jim Schneider Shahram was born in Iran and raised Muslim. More importantly, Shahram was born again after hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ and receiving Jesus as His Savior and Lord. Shahram is a pastor, a former police officer, a teacher, coach, and now as the founder of the Truth in Love (TIL) Project he travels extensively contending for the faith that saves, and exposes the dangers of blending Christianity with Islam. While time didn't allow Crosstalk to air the entire presentation, we encourage everyone to obtain the DVD which covers the entire evening and features all of the PowerPoint teachings. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: February 28, 2018
Host:    Dalton Windsor
Guest:       Shahram Hadian
Listen:      MP3 | Order

Today's Crosstalk is a special broadcast of the September 2017 VCY Rally held in southeast Wisconsin. The featured speaker was Shahram Hadian. His presentation: The Trojan Horse of Interfaith Dialogue.

Shahram was born in Iran and raised Muslim. More importantly, Shahram was born again after hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ and receiving Jesus as His Savior and Lord. Shahram is a pastor, a former police officer, a teacher, coach, and now as the founder of the Truth in Love (TIL) Project he travels extensively contending for the faith that saves, and exposes the dangers of blending Christianity with Islam. While time didn't allow Crosstalk to air the entire presentation, we encourage everyone to obtain the DVD which covers the entire evening and features all of the PowerPoint teachings.

Shahram began by detailing his list of resources for the presentation, beginning with the holy Bible (also listing the Koran, and other named works). Shahram contends that the idea of 'Chrislam' (blending of Christianity and Islam) is sneaking into America's churches and many are not even batting an eye, regardless of what Scripture warns. He says that Muslims are attempting to 'convert us' (Christians). Shahram explained what he sees as the 'three false claims of the interfaith ecumenical movement'. Of these, he explained how Christians are being told there is a,...'common word between the Bible and the Koran.' He also says more and more churches in America are being deceived by evangelical leaders who have actually signed onto a so-called 'Common Word' document.

Over the course of the evening, Shahram refuted those who refute him for taking things (in their view) too far, and shares video which backs up his claims that even elders in churches are sitting down with Muslim Imams to find common ground. Shahram shared several more verses from the Bible and how implementing them will bring change. He also made a strong point that because Christians are so far away from the Scriptures today, if we will go back to teaching about our Creator God, the next generation would no longer have to be confused about their 'sexuality or orientation' saying it, '...would go away because we would understand who God is and how He created us.' He ends with testimony and proper ways to reach Muslims with the Gospel that saves, as well as an exhortation to pray for Israel and the Church; the Church that is determined to fulfill Jesus' great commission.

More Information:

To obtain a DVD or CD copy of 'The Trojan Horse of Interfaith Dialogue' (DVD-$15, CD-$6), call 1-800-729-9829 during regular business hours.

Truth in Love Project

www.tilproject.com

]]> What to Do When 'Normal' is Gone 2-27-18 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/02/27/what-to-do-when-normal-is-gone-2-27-18 Tue, 27 Feb 2018 16:17:02 +0000 Jim Schneider Dr. Les Ollila is the founder and director of Building Great Leaders. He's a former pastor, staff evangelist and former president of what was then known as Northland Baptist Bible College. He's also a member of the board of directors of VCY America. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: February 27, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Guest:       Dr. Les Ollila
Listen:      MP3 | Order

Dr. Les Ollila is the founder and director of Building Great Leaders. He's a former pastor, staff evangelist and former president of what was then known as Northland Baptist Bible College. He's also a member of the board of directors of VCY America.

There are Christians who believe that if they are faithful to the Lord, faithful in church, having a daily quiet time and faithful in service, that somehow they're going to be immune from times of severe trial or tragedy. Is there Scripture that backs this up?

Dr. Ollila noted that it's actually the opposite. From Scripture we see that anyone who abandoned themselves to the total will of God ended up in less than ideal circumstances. Satan then comes along and puts a question mark about the character of God and we forget that we were born to reflect the nature and character of God to glorify Him. So many times we glorify him through how we respond to sufferings.

How do we know when the 'rug is pulled out from under our feet' whether this is the discipline of God or if this is a test of character/commitment?

Dr. Ollila believes that someone indwelt by the Holy Spirit would know very quickly through conviction and would acknowledge chastisement. David did that in Psalm 32 and Psalm 51. This person will know if what's taking place is God's hand of conviction and correction to conform that person to the image of His Son.

On the other hand, another person cannot presuppose that a person is going through what they are because they're hiding some kind of sin. Most of the time an outside judge will miss the point of what's really going on.

He also described how God uses sickness to drive people to himself and there is no biblical basis for saying that if someone is sick, it's a consequence of some sin in their life.

When a call does come that delivers news of something earth-shattering and now 'normal' is gone, there are 4 action steps people can take:

--Acknowledge--Whatever is happening is true. You won't wake up tomorrow and
discover this was only a dream. For some this happens quickly, while for others
the effect hangs on for a long time.

--Accept--Accepting the scenario is the hardest because it means you completely trust God in the circumstances. Some never accept it and die bitter. They turn to blaming God and change their attitude regarding the church. We see this during the first use of language among Adam and Eve as they blamed God by believing he could have stopped what took place.

--Adapt--Normal is God. So create a new normal and make a ministry out of it. Admit that you would not have chosen whatever took place to happen. However, you would not go back and have it not happen because of the result of your conformity to Christ in the midst of it all.

--Accelerate--Dr. Ollila believes the key to spiritual success is a bad memory and good vision. You can't change yesterday but you can allow God to use you for the rest of your life to accelerate. Paul didn't meditate on his previous behavior and actions. He said, '...forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.' (Philippines 3:13(b)-14)

More Information:

Building Great Leaders
P.O. Box 357
Taylors, SC 29687
906-396-2263
www.bgleaders.org

]]> The Heart of Addiction 2-26-18 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/02/26/the-heart-of-addiction-2-26-18 Mon, 26 Feb 2018 16:03:32 +0000 Jim Schneider Dr. Shaw starts with Scripture and he noted that nowhere in Scripture is addiction called a disease. He described it as,'...an idolatry problem; a heart problem that people struggle with in their sin nature. And so disease is the worldly terminology that I think actually does violence to the Gospel and leads people away from Jesus Christ.' Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: February 26, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Guest: Dr. Mark Shaw
Listen:      MP3 | Order

According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the U.S. with over 53,000 lethal drug overdoses in 2015. Opioid addiction is driving this epidemic. These numbers climbed to an excess of 59,000 deaths in 2016. The medical profession has been accused of over-prescribing opiates. One doctor in Michigan from January 1st into August of 2017 had prescribed more than 500,000 opioid pills. Investigators said roughly half of these pills ended up on the street. A Rassmussen poll reported that through a national telephone and online survey, 44% of American adults say abuse of opioid drugs is a major problem in the area where they live. That's just one of many addictions; there's also alcohol, pornography, gambling, food, and the list goes on. How do we deal with this matter? How should the church be addressing it? How about the family impacted by a member who has such an addiction?

Joining Jim to discuss this issue was Dr. Mark Shaw. Dr. Shaw currently serves as the founder of Truth in Love Ministries and is the executive director of Vision of Hope. He's also accepted a position starting in September as a vice president at the NewDay Center in Indianapolis. With 26 years of supervisory experience in a variety of clinical settings, he teaches the truth and hope found in God's work about addiction of all types, eating disorders, self-harm habits, and other enslaving issues. He has a Doctor of Ministry in Biblical Counseling while also maintaining certifications with three different counseling organizations: ACBC, IABC and AADAA. He's the author of 20 publications including the book discussed on this edition of Crosstalk, 'The Heart of Addiction: A Biblical Perspective'.

The program began as Jim asked Dr. Shaw the following question: Whether the area of addiction is related to alcohol, opioids, gambling or any other addiction, is 'disease' a proper word for this?

Dr. Shaw starts with Scripture and he noted that nowhere in Scripture is addiction called a disease. He described it as,'...an idolatry problem; a heart problem that people struggle with in their sin nature. And so disease is the worldly terminology that I think actually does violence to the Gospel and leads people away from Jesus Christ.'

So how did we arrive at the common usage of the term 'disease'? Dr. Shaw went back to the 1930's as he mentioned 2 individuals he described as Bill W. (who never professed to be a Christian) and Dr. Bob. The thought was that alcoholism must be a disease so the 12-step treatment method was developed to help people suffering from it.

Dr. Shaw noted an important point related to this issue that concerns idolatry. This is putting something other than God in His rightful place. We've all been guilty of that at one time or another. Our tendency is to put ourselves ahead of God because we want to please ourselves. Idolatry sounds like a harsh term when actually it's compassionate. It leads people to realize their sin nature and that they need Christ; that He speaks to addiction when you define it as a habitual heart problem. At that point there's hope and the Gospel makes sense.

As this program moved along, Jim also had Dr. Shaw address the following:

--Dr. Shaw uses 2 Timothy 3:16-17 as a pattern for his book. What is the
correlation between these two verses of Scripture and the subject of addiction?
--Does he recommend self-help groups for people struggling with addictions?
--How does he feel about the use of the word, 'recovering' when describing
addicts?
--Does Proverbs 23:29 lay out the characteristics of those who are hurting and may
be engulfed in addiction?
--What are the spiritual consequences of addiction?
--The battle in the mind.
--Ultimately, where is hope found for overcoming addiction?
--What role does prayer have in this matter?
--In his book Dr. Shaw says, 'The end of the matter is just the beginning.' What
does he mean by that?

More Information:

Dr. Shaw's e-mail address:
markshaw@histruthinlove.org

'The Heart of Addiction' is available for a donation of $15 through VCY America at www.vcyamerica.org or by calling 1-800-729-9829.

]]> News Roundup 2-23-18 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/02/23/news-roundup-2-23-18 Fri, 23 Feb 2018 16:13:07 +0000 Jim Schneider Below is a selection of the many stories Jim presented on this week's 'Round-Up' program. --Several Palm Beach County, Florida, police officers are guarding the home of the former school resource deputy who stayed outside as last week's high school massacre took place. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: February 23, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Listen:      MP3 | Order

Below is a selection of the many stories Jim presented on this week's 'Round-Up' program.

--Several Palm Beach County, Florida, police officers are guarding the home of
the former school resource deputy who stayed outside as last week's high school
massacre took place.
--Students billed as leading the gun control charge from their parents living
rooms after the Florida high school shooting are receiving help from seasoned,
left-wing activists.
--The Florida House of Representatives passed a bill requiring public schools to
display the state's and nation's motto 'In God We Trust' in a conspicuous place.
--The nation's largest, privately owned bank holding company and a major auto
retail chain said yesterday that they will stop promotions aimed at National
Rifle Association members.
--More than 25,000 people had called the ABC television network by Monday morning
to respond to comments made by a member of 'The View' panel who described
Christianity as a mental illness.
--Several displays featuring quotations from Scripture have been removed from a
choir room at a public high school in Searcy, Arkansas, following a complaint
from an atheist activist organization.
--The Freedom From Religion Foundation submitted a complaint to the Hickman Mills
C-1 School District in Missouri after being informed that a 7th grade science
teacher at Smith-Hale Middle School had been teaching a young earth and other
beliefs adhered to by Christians.
--Reverend Billy Graham passed away on Wednesday and his body will lie in repose
in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol.
--New charges come forth against former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort.
--A pro-life Idaho lawmaker's stern comments to pro-abortion student lobbyists
resulted in negative publicity this past week.
--The United Kingdom High Court ruled on Tuesday that a hospital may remove a 21
month old child's ventilator against the wishes of his parents.
--A dispute erupted in Belgium after a person with dementia was killed by
euthanasia even though the person didn't request death by lethal injection and
wasn't capable of consenting.
--New Jersey's governor signed a new law forcing state taxpayers to fund Planned
Parenthood.
--On an 18-14 vote the Wisconsin Senate passed legislation to prohibit elective
abortion coverage in Wisconsin's public health insurance plans.
--Thomas Koch, the current mayor of Quincy, Massachusetts, announced he has left
the Democratic party due to their extreme position on abortion.
--The secretary of Iran's Expediency Council and former chief of Iran's
Revolutionary Guard said the Islamic republic will level Tel Aviv to the ground
if an attack is carried out by Israel.
--When President Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital two decades after
Congress authorized it, he drew the wrath of Arab nations and their allies. Now
Israel's recently reconstituted Sanhedrin is honoring Trump's decision by
putting his image on a privately minted, half-shekel coin.
--The new embassy for Jerusalem cleared a final bureaucratic hurdle this week when
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson signed off on the security plan for moving the
embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
--Escalating pedophilia and sex abuse scandals engulfing the U.N. and its peace-
keeping forces have become so massive, that even the pro-U.N. media have been
forced to cover it. This involves raping and exploiting children, not to
mention sexual abuse and harassment of the U.N.'s own employees.
--A former UNICEF consultant and anti-spanking activist sexually abused a 12 year
old boy during the 1960's and was just sentenced to more than 6 years for it.
--The top globalists, communists and Islamists from around the world gathered this
month on the Arabian Peninsula for the World Government Summit pushing for a new
world order.

]]> The Gun Control Debate http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/02/22/the-gun-control-debate Thu, 22 Feb 2018 16:26:48 +0000 Jim Schneider Is gun control really a security issue or is it a heart issue? What culpability is there for organizations like the FBI as they were warned in advance that this young man allegedly boasted that he wanted to be a professional school shooter. What about the many police visits that occurred at the shooter's home? What laws could have been passed to stop this tragedy? After all, this happened in a gun-free zone. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: February 22, 2018
Host:   Jim Schneider
Guest:    Michael Hammond
Listen:      MP3 | Order

On February 14th, a mass shooting occurred at the Stoneman Douglas high School in Parkland, Florida. 17 individuals were killed and others wounded. One response from this was, 'Thoughts and prayers are not enough!' Others have been calling for 'common sense gun control' although that phrase can mean different things depending upon the source.

Is gun control really a security issue or is it a heart issue? What culpability is there for organizations like the FBI as they were warned in advance that this young man allegedly boasted that he wanted to be a professional school shooter. What about the many police visits that occurred at the shooter's home? What laws could have been passed to stop this tragedy? After all, this happened in a gun-free zone.

Appearing on Crosstalk to discuss this and related matters was Michael Hammond. Michael is the legislative counsel for Gun Owners of America.

Is the U.S. the worst nation for mass shootings? According to Michael, Norway had a mass shooting and they have strict gun control. In 2015 France had more people killed in mass homicides than the entire Obama administration did in America.

Every year there are about 10,000 gun homicides in our nation. They occur in places like Chicago, Baltimore, New York City and Los Angeles. So the places where homicides occur in America, in any number, are those areas that totally ban guns.

Do stronger gun laws reduce gun violence? As part of his answer, Michael recalled a time when he was 14 years old and in the Junior ROTC program at an inner city high school in Kansas City. This means they were issuing semi-automatic M-1 rifles to 14 year olds. No one who saw these ROTC students had any idea that they were going to shoot up the school.

Then in 1996 Congress passed a law to outlaw guns in schools. About 2 years later, Columbine happened and the press used that incident to achieve gun control. The only impact of the extensive press coverage was to convince 10 more shooters that they could shoot up their schools and obtain their 15 minutes of fame. So now we have a cycle of shootings, one after another.

Jim then brought up a fact concerning CNN's 'town hall' meeting that dealt with the Florida shooting. A survivor of the shooting said that the network rejected his proposal to discuss armed guards in schools. Instead, they handed him a scripted question on gun rights to ask during the meeting.

Michael believes CNN basically assembled a 'lynch mob' to create the illusion that youth in America want to ban guns. His example of proof was an NRA woman who had to be escorted by armed guards because the kids were shouting, 'burn her, burn her!' He also noted that these represented a carefully selected and scripted group of individuals who don't represent America.

The Crime Prevention Resource Center indicates that 98% of U.S. public mass shootings occur in gun-free zones. Michael explained that when Congress passed the law banning guns in schools in 1996, it hadn't been a big problem prior to that. After that it was a huge and recurring problem. One of the reasons is because disillusioned young men knew that if they wanted their '15 minutes of fame', they could enter a school, kill many people, and they wouldn't have to worry because no one would fire back. Michael calls such zones, 'safety-free zones'.

Michael asked what other institution in America takes the position to not defend itself with the idea that hopefully no one will attack it? He then noted how the nation's capital spends over a billion dollars a year for armed guards and the White House spends a large amount for Secret Service. Hollywood parties have armed guards. He communicated that no other institution in America says they're going to turn the attendees into 'sitting ducks' in order to pursue their politicized objectives.

More Information:

Gun Owners of America

www.gunowners.org

]]> The Status of Healthcare http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/02/21/the-status-of-healthcare Wed, 21 Feb 2018 16:18:37 +0000 Jim Schneider What's happening with Obamacare since the House and Senate failed to repeal it? Did you know there are states that are legislatively seeking to implement individual mandates? Did you know at least one conservative governor is working to prop up Obamacare? Did you know there is a global corporation working with state and federal governments to facilitate the collection of biometric data from Americans? Did you know a former medical director of an insurance company admitted under oath that he never looked at patient's medical records when approving or denying care? Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: February 21, 2018
Host:   Jim Schneider
Guest:    Twila Brase
Listen:      MP3 | Order

What's happening with Obamacare since the House and Senate failed to repeal it? Did you know there are states that are legislatively seeking to implement individual mandates? Did you know at least one conservative governor is working to prop up Obamacare? Did you know there is a global corporation working with state and federal governments to facilitate the collection of biometric data from Americans? Did you know a former medical director of an insurance company admitted under oath that he never looked at patient's medical records when approving or denying care?

Joining Jim to look at these and other related matters was Twila Brase. Twila is the president and co-founder of Citizens Council for Health Freedom. She's a registered nurse and provides daily commentary on the Health Freedom Minute.

If Americans are led to believe cost is the driving issue concerning Obamacare, why should politicians feel pressed to change it? The mandate hasn't gone away and the penalty has been simply zeroed out. So all the language of the mandate and the penalty are still in the law. This means another Congress could come along and simply say that the penalty is now $1,500. No new law would have to be added.

Twila doesn't believe the law is going away, but the attempt at what's called 'stabilization' (propping up) of the law, is designed to lower premiums. This is meant to take the pressure off our legislators although in reality you'll still pay for this 'stabilization' through higher taxes.

Jim then asked Twila about the new White House budget that allows for 11.5 billion dollars in bailouts to health insurance companies that participate in the Obamacare insurance exchanges. It's known as 'Risk Corridors'.

Twila responded by noting that the Affordable Care Act had 3 specific redistribution programs. 'Risk Corridors' means that health plans that can prove that they have expensive payments can take money from health plans that can't prove they have as many. They force all of the health plans to provide risk data on all enrollees. Those who do the best job at making their people look more expensive or risky will get more money. In other words, he who has the best data, or can make their data look the best...wins.

Another move by the Trump administration is a proposed rule that would expand the availability of short term, limited duration plans to one year. This has the Trump administration simply restoring what was already in place prior to when the Affordable Care Act became law.

What about the Independent Payment Advisory Board (known by some as 'Death Panels')? Congress had voted to repeal these. It would have been comprised of 15 people who would be making decisions regarding what would and would not be paid for in Medicare, but those decision move into health plans all across the nation. If Medicare came to a point of fiscal instability, this board would be able to make decisions that the president and Congress couldn't stop. The only way to stop this would be to have a two-thirds majority vote, which is rare.

There were both Democrats and Republicans that didn't like this board idea and President Obama never staffed it. Interestingly, the Secretary of Health and Human Services would have had the same authority. So since this board wasn't staffed, the authority for determining care would have fallen on that person's shoulders. Twila noted that either way, it's good that this board is gone because she believes that nothing should be outside the authority of elected representatives.

There's much more to learn as Twila gets you caught up on the latest news concerning Obamacare on this edition of Crosstalk.

More Information:

Citizens Council for Health Freedom

www.cchfreedom.org

]]> UN Sex Education Standards http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/02/20/un-sex-education-standards Tue, 20 Feb 2018 16:24:45 +0000 Jim Schneider There's a plan being brought about for all the children of the world. It's coming out of the United Nations, The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), UNAIDS, the United Nations Population Fund, UNICEF, U.N. Women, and the World Health Organization. The 135 page plan of these organizations calls for international implementation and international technical guidance on sexuality education. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: February 20, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Guest:    Alex Newman
Listen:      MP3 | Order

There's a plan being brought about for all the children of the world. It's coming out of the United Nations, The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), UNAIDS, the United Nations Population Fund, UNICEF, U.N. Women, and the World Health Organization. The 135 page plan of these organizations calls for international implementation and international technical guidance on sexuality education.

Joining Jim to discuss this issue was Alex Newman. Alex is an international freelance journalist, educator and consultant. His articles frequently appear in The New American. He also writes for Freedom Project Media.

The 135 page document was released last month and is known as International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education. It's part of the U.N.'s sustainable development goals and that's part of what's called 'The Global Education 2030 Agenda'. It starts with children at age 5 and goes through a child's entire education experience.

The U.N.'s Sustainable Development Goals have also been called 'The Master Plan for Humanity'. Within that plan, sustainable development goal #4 talks about education and it openly reveals that every child in the world has to be made to understand things like human rights. That sounds good until you realize they mean the opposite of what the U.S. founders meant. They believe their education goals will create 'agents of change' to bring about the kind of world the U.N. wants.

This program entails what the U.N. calls 'Comprehensive Sexuality Education'. According to Alex, in the document itself this means that they want sexuality education interwoven throughout many different subjects. It won't be some small segment where children would be taught about how different body parts function.

As already noted, this would begin for children at age 5. It would include education regarding LGBT lifestyles and sexual pleasure. Along with this there would be attitudinal outcomes and learning goals. In other words, they want to see changes in attitude that can be measured and verified right up through age 18.

This is called an 'Evidence Informed Approach'. What is the U.N.'s base of evidence? Alex noted that you can see that the U.N.'s 'evidence' comes from radical extremist groups like Planned Parenthood. He also mentioned the conflict of interest as Planned Parenthood makes massive sums of money from giving abortions, yet they're part of a plan to teach our children that pre-marital sex and abortions are fine.

In the end, schools will be the indoctrination zone and teachers will be the indoctrination agents.

More details are available when you review this important Crosstalk broadcast.

More Information:

The New American

www.thenewamerican.com

]]> Keeping Faith in an Age of Reason http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/02/19/keeping-faith-in-an-age-of-reason Mon, 19 Feb 2018 16:35:19 +0000 Jim Schneider Dr. Jason Lisle is a Christian astrophysicist who writes and speaks on topics relating to science and the defense of the Christian faith. He's been working in full-time apologetics ministry specializing in the defense of Genesis. He's written numerous articles and books, including his well-known book, 'The Ultimate Proof of Creation'. Dr. Lisle wrote and directed the popular planetarium shows at the Creation Museum including, 'The Created Cosmos'. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: February 19, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Guest: Dr. Jason Lisle
Listen: MP3 | Order

Dr. Jason Lisle is a Christian astrophysicist who writes and speaks on topics relating to science and the defense of the Christian faith. He's been working in full-time apologetics ministry specializing in the defense of Genesis. He's written numerous articles and books, including his well-known book, 'The Ultimate Proof of Creation'. Dr. Lisle wrote and directed the popular planetarium shows at the Creation Museum including, 'The Created Cosmos'.

Dr. Lisle described the interesting way he determined the subject matter for his book, 'Keeping Faith in an Age of Reason'. He combed the Internet looking for accusations of contradictions from the Bible. One list in particular had compiled over 400 of these alleged contradictions. That list is the basis for the book.

After analyzing all of them, what did Dr. Lisle find? He discovered that not a single one is a legitimate contradiction when you read the biblical text carefully. For him, what the contradictions list reveals is a deficit in critical thinking skills and that's what he sought to expose. This way Christians would be encouraged by the fact that these accusations against Christianity are not well thought out and researched. So instead of being a list of over 400 Bible contradictions, the list that inspired his book is actually a list of over 400 errors that the critics make when they argue against the Christians worldview.

So what is a contradiction? Dr. Lisle began by noting that a difference is not necessarily a contradiction. Someone may witness a car accident and say the car was red. Another person may say the car was fast. This is a difference but it's not a contradiction. Each person reported different information, yet those two things are compatible. The car can be both fast and red.

A contradiction is where you have 'A' and 'Not A' at the same time and in the same sense or relationship. You can usually make a contradiction by adding 'It is not the case that...' in front of it. So if you say that it's raining outside, the contradiction would be, 'It is not the case that it is raining outside.' Those two things cannot be both true at the same time and in the same sense.

Another way to look at this is the idea of marriage. A person could be married in one sense and not married in a different sense. So Dr. Lisle might say he's not married in the sense that he doesn't have a wife but he is married to his work. That's a different sense of the term.

What this points to is that when it comes to contradictions, often times it's just a compatible difference. That accounts for many errors that critics make when they allege that the Bible has many contradictions. In fact, Dr. Lisle enjoyed researching the alleged contradictions in the gospels for that reason, because when you flesh them out you see that there's a reason why God presented that historical information from four different viewpoints. It gives readers a much richer and fuller picture than we would get if we just had one point of view.

Another problem comes into play when our minds/imaginations fill in certain details that aren't part of the text. Then we read a different account and it doesn't contradict the text, it contradicts those details that our imagination has supplied. At that point we need to go back to that first account and find out what the text really said and figure out what we may have imported into it.

This is a fascinating program that moves along to educate listeners regarding a number of factors that cause critics of the Bible to stumble. They include the bifurcation fallacy, the subset fallacy, quantitative differences, the argument from silence, the semantic anachronism fallacy, and more.

More Information:

You can obtain a copy of 'Keeping Faith in an Age of Reason' for a donation of $16 for one copy or 2 copies for $28 by calling 1-800-729-9829.

]]> News Roundup 2-16-18 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/02/16/news-roundup-2-16-18 Fri, 16 Feb 2018 16:05:00 +0000 Jim Schneider These are just some of the stories that made the cut for this edition of the 'Round-Up': --The FBI revealed that they received a tip last month that 19 year old Nikolas Cruze, accused of the Valentine's Day Florida high school shooting, had a gun, wanted to kill people, and there was the potential of him conducting a school shooting. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: February 16, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Listen:     MP3 | Order

These are just some of the stories that made the cut for this edition of the 'Round-Up':

--The FBI revealed that they received a tip last month that 19 year old Nikolas
Cruze, accused of the Valentine's Day Florida high school shooting, had a gun,
wanted to kill people, and there was the potential of him conducting a school
shooting.
--In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, the liberal media was quick to push
gun control while vigorously waving a ridiculous school shooting statistic put
out by the anti-gun lobbyist group known as 'Every Town for Gun Safety'.
According to their numbers, there've been 18 school shootings since the start
of 2018. This claim is false. Even the liberal Washington Post felt the need
to call out this group and the rest of the media.
--President Trump ordered that flags fly at half-staff at the White House, public
buildings/grounds and at military posts, naval stations and vessels until sunset
on February 19th.
--Representative Steve Scalise says that the power of prayer, even from those he
did not know, helped him through the difficult time in June of last year when a
crazy man shot and seriously injured him during a Republican baseball practice
in suburban Washington.
--Former President Barack Obama demanded unspecified common sense gun safety laws
after the Florida school shooting. He made no mention of what specific actions
he's calling for or what actions would have prevented Wednesday's tragedy from
taking place.
--A relative has indicated that Nikolas Cruze, who committed Wednesday's mass
murder, was on psychiatric medications.
--Erich Pratt from Gun Owners of America noted that it's disgusting how pundits
in the media and politicians are calling for gun control as a 'knee jerk'
reaction to Wednesday's tragedy.
--Several schools nationwide bolstered security or shuttered their doors today
following threats made in the wake of the Florida school shooting.
--One Washington grandmother, who saw alarming signs this week that her grandson
was about to conduct his own high school killing spree, acted quickly and likely
saved many innocent lives.
--The TV show, 'The View', is being blasted for an intolerant rant that criticized
Vice President Mike Pence's Christian faith.
--Media Research Center President Brent Bozell released an open letter
yesterday to ABC News President James Goldston, warning him that if the two talk
show personalities don't apologize for bashing Christians, he'll
ask his millions of grass-roots activists to contact advertisers.
--Ken Ham of Answers in Genesis had been scheduled to speak at the University of
Central Oklahoma. He was dis-invited due to pressure from campus activists, but
has now been re-invited.
--According to a spokesman for Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office, a federal
grand jury in the District of Columbia indicted 13 Russian nationals and 3
Russian entities accused of interfering in U.S. elections.
--Mitt Romney announced today that he's running for the U.S. Senate in Utah to
succeed Senator Orrin Hatch.
--In a vote of 39-60, the U.S. Senate rejected an immigration reform proposal from
Senator Chuck Grassley.
--The White House unveiled President Trump's infrastructure plan on Monday.
--President Trump donated his 4th quarter 2017 paycheck to the Department of
Transportation.
--Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in an exclusive interview yesterday that the
Department of Justice was ending the executive branch legal activism of the
previous administration while also fighting the judicial activism of liberal
judges.
--President Trump has created a new division within the Health and Human Services
Office for Civil Rights with the express purpose of banning mandatory
vaccinations across the nation and insuring citizens have a right to choose
their own healthcare.
--This January, the federal government ran a surplus while collecting record total
tax revenues for that month.

]]> School Security Border Security http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/02/15/school-security-border-security Thu, 15 Feb 2018 16:26:00 +0000 Jim Schneider Joining Jim to discuss this along with other security issues was Philip Haney. Philip is the founding member of the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection. He's a past senior fellow at the Center for Security Policy. Philip has deep experience in threat analysis and intelligence and 40 years experience in the strategy and tactics of the global Islamic movement based on Quranic Arabic with parallel strong focus on counter terrorism. He's a current member of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers and Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association. He's the lead author of 'See Something, Say Nothing' a best-selling expose of the Obama administration's submission to the goals and policies of the Muslim Brotherhood as well as other Islamic groups operating in America and around the world. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: February 15, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Guest:    Philip Haney
Listen:     MP3 | Order

As many Crosstalk listeners have seen from news accounts, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, was the scene of a tragic shooting. A gunman took weapons into a gun-free zone and killed 17 individuals. Nikolas Cruz, who reportedly made a social media comment, stated he aspired to become a professional school shooter.

Joining Jim to discuss this along with other security issues was Philip Haney. Philip is the founding member of the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection. He's a past senior fellow at the Center for Security Policy. Philip has deep experience in threat analysis and intelligence and 40 years experience in the strategy and tactics of the global Islamic movement based on Quranic Arabic with parallel strong focus on counter terrorism. He's a current member of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers and Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association. He's the lead author of 'See Something, Say Nothing' a best-selling expose of the Obama administration's submission to the goals and policies of the Muslim Brotherhood as well as other Islamic groups operating in America and around the world.

Philip began by noting what he referred to as '...the way too familiar response from federal law enforcement that somehow or another, they knew about the individual but they just couldn't seem to figure out how to track him, stop him and prevent these kinds of attacks from happening.'

For Philip, this goes all the way back to a fundamental clause or premise of the Constitution itself. It's the idea that the primary duty of the federal government is to protect the nation from invasion and outbreaks of domestic violence. What happened in Florida certainly falls into the category of the latter.

Jim pointed out how we're told that if we see something, we should say something. Then again, something was said to the FBI as they were alerted to this shooter but they claim they couldn't make a determination as to who really made certain comments. However, after the fact they seem to have no problem finding such information. So are such individuals that illusive that federal authorities don't have the tools to adequately pinpoint them? Is it a resource problem?

Philip believes it comes down to old fashioned law enforcement. If you were to receive texts on your phone or computer that threaten violence, what would you do? You would report it. If you had the authority to follow up on them, what would you do? You would find someone within the network of the person who sent those and you would talk to them. The technology we have today allows us to do this.

So what's keeping law enforcement from doing that? Are they overwhelmed? Is political correctness paralyzing them? Is it a training or motivation problem? Philip thinks it's probably some of all of these factors. When we're continuously told that if we see something to say something, and when we do nothing happens, the normal reaction of people is to stop trying.

Jim followed this up by pointing out an interesting phenomenon. When someone says something deemed to be politically correct, many are quick to jump on that individual. The media unleashes on them and investigations take place. Yet when something so blatant occurs, like the civilization jihad we see taking place where the Council on American Islamic relations has been infiltrating our political system and schools, we make every accommodation for that to continue. In the meantime, the voices of warning are ignored.

How can we be heard so as to avoid increased cynicism by the public while at the same time preventing such tragedies from occurring in the future? Philip presents his solution during this vital Crosstalk broadcast.

]]> The Mainstreaming of the LGBT Movement http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/02/13/the-mainstreaming-of-the-lgbt-movement Tue, 13 Feb 2018 16:22:10 +0000 Jim Schneider Peter believes the media has no respect for traditional viewpoints when it comes to homosexuality and now transgenderism. Instead, they are obsessed with these lifestyles. The stories listed below are just a sample that show how effective this obsession has been at mainstreaming LGBT lifestyles. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: February 13, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Guest:    Peter LaBarbera
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Peter LaBarbera is the president of American's for Truth About Homosexuality.

Peter believes the media has no respect for traditional viewpoints when it comes to homosexuality and now transgenderism. Instead, they are obsessed with these lifestyles. The stories listed below are just a sample that show how effective this obsession has been at mainstreaming LGBT lifestyles:

--President Trump sent a congratulatory letter to the Log Cabin Republicans (the homosexual Republican group) to acknowledge their 40th anniversary while using language that plays into the LGBT movement.

--The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) is the annual gathering of conservatives in Washington, D.C. This year, pro-family, grass-roots activist, Brian Camenker and his group called Mass Resistance, applied for a booth at the conference. Eventually they were told they weren't approved for the booth because there was an objection to something Brian said about the culture war in 2015. The number for the American Conservative Union that runs CPAC is 202-347-9388.

--Dennis Prager put out a video by Guy Benson, the political editor of Townhall.com and a Fox commentator. In the video, Benson identifies himself as a gay Christian while also commenting on the intolerance of the LGBT 'left'. What Peter found disturbing is that Prager University would be espousing the acceptance of homosexuality and also the idea of gay Christianity.

--On Sunday a Lutheran Church in New Jersey celebrated the female to male transition of a pastor with a renaming ceremony.

--A 38 year old Chicago man has been accused of sexually assaulting two 6 year olds and an 8 year old on repeated occasions. He told police he's really a 9 year old trapped in the body of an adult.

--A Massachusetts elementary school principal announced that he is now a woman.

--A high school teacher was suspended for sharing her views on homosexuality on a personal Facebook page.

--A school district in Fairfax County Virginia is shutting down the ability of parents to give feedback on controversial policies such as their gender identity policy.

--On February 5th in Tomah, Wisconsin, the school board held a special meeting and on the agenda was an update concerning court decisions regarding transgender student access to bathrooms and locker rooms.

--6 people were found dismembered in flower pots in a homosexual serial killer case.

--Walgreens pharmacies to allow associates and members of the public to use the restrooms that match the gender customers identify with regardless of one's biology. Walgreens can be contacted at 1-800-925-4733.

Peter provides biblically-based commentary on these stories as well as taking calls from Crosstalk listeners nationwide.

More Information:

www.americansfortruth.com

]]> The Impact of Washington and Lincoln http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/02/12/the-impact-of-washington-and-lincoln Mon, 12 Feb 2018 16:29:16 +0000 Jim Schneider William Federer is a nationally known speaker, author, and president of Amerisearch, Inc., a publishing company dedicated to researching America's noble heritage. He's authored numerous books including, 'American's God and Country Encyclopedia of Quotations', 'The Original 13: History of Religion in America's First Thirteen States', 'Who is the King in America?' and 'For God and Country: A Handbook for the Statesman-Citizen'. He's the speaker on 'The American Minute' daily broadcast. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: February 12, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Guest: William Federer
Listen:     MP3 | Order

William Federer is a nationally known speaker, author, and president of Amerisearch, Inc., a publishing company dedicated to researching America's noble heritage. He's authored numerous books including, 'American's God and Country Encyclopedia of Quotations', 'The Original 13: History of Religion in America's First Thirteen States', 'Who is the King in America?' and 'For God and Country: A Handbook for the Statesman-Citizen'. He's the speaker on 'The American Minute' daily broadcast.

William began by noting that Abraham Lincoln is best known for issuing the Emancipation Proclamation and for the freeing of millions of slaves. This came through the idea that all men are created equal as stated in the Gettysburg Address. He's also known for putting the phrase, 'In God We Trust' on America's national coins, which was his last act in office.

It was a year and a half into the Civil War that Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, changing the focus of the war from tariffs (which is how the federal government obtained taxes) and the states breaking away, to slavery.

This was Lincoln's way of gaining the moral high ground because no one wanted to be seen as a defender of slavery, so all of the European support for the Confederacy dried up. In addition, the cotton crop became decimated which forced the South to pay tariffs with less money.

Actually, Lincoln had no authority to free the slaves. When called on it, he had to back-track on this by passing the 13th Amendment.

Lincoln is also responsible for instituting an annual day of Thanksgiving and twice during the Civil War he had days of fasting.

George Washington was unanimously chosen as commander and chief of the U.S. Army, as the president of the constitutional convention, and as the first U.S. president.

During his life, the two biggest world powers were the British and French empires. In 1755, Washington was a colonel under Edward Braddock the commander of the British forces in America. Washington survived an ambush and miraculously survived.

Washington eventually became commander of the Continental Army. After the Declaration of Independence was read to his troops, he appointed chaplains for every regimen.

Washington gave out very strict orders. For example, no games of chance were allowed among the troops. Swearing/cursing was forbidden and he even ran someone out of camp accused of attempting to commit sodomy.

Washington is remembered as a man who gave us a government where the people are the king. As history proves, it's because he wasn't a man who lusted after power.

It's always a fast, fun and highly educational time when William is the guest. Join him for much more when you review this Crosstalk broadcast.

More Information:

www.americanminute.com

]]> News Roundup 2-9-18 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/02/09/news-roundup-2-9-18 Fri, 09 Feb 2018 16:05:46 +0000 Jim Schneider Jim featured these stories and more on this week's edition of the 'Round-Up': --President Trump signed a massive budget package early today that will lift spending caps while funding the government through March 23rd. It's the second largest spending increase in a decade, second only to the Obama stimulus. --Senator Rand Paul outraged that the 400 billion dollar bipartisan spending plan adds hundreds of billions of dollars to the nation's 20 trillion dollar debt. --House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi criticized politicians for not welcoming vulnerable immigrant children in spite of the fact that she supports the destruction of millions of unborn children. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: February 9, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Jim featured these stories and more on this week's edition of the 'Round-Up':

--President Trump signed a massive budget package early today that will lift
spending caps while funding the government through March 23rd. It's the second
largest spending increase in a decade, second only to the Obama stimulus.
--Senator Rand Paul outraged that the 400 billion dollar bipartisan spending plan
adds hundreds of billions of dollars to the nation's 20 trillion dollar debt.
--House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi criticized politicians for not welcoming
vulnerable immigrant children in spite of the fact that she supports the
destruction of millions of unborn children.
--The White House plans to request 3 billion dollars in funding for President
Trump's long promised southern border wall.
--People from around the world gathered in Washington, DC, yesterday morning for
the 66th annual National Prayer Breakfast.
--House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes says there is evidence of
collusion with Russia during the 2016 election but it's not with the Trump
campaign.
--Matt Staver of Liberty Counsel says that the text messages between senior FBI
official Peter Strzok and Lisa Page, who at the time were involved in an
extramarital affair, are blowing the lid off a DOJ/FBI coverup that has the
potential of being the biggest political scandal in American history.
--Of the 11 FISA court-appointed judges, 10 of them were appointed by Obama,
including Rudolph Contreras, that granted the FISA warrant after another judge
rejected it.
--Liberal billionaire Tom Steyer, a friend and donor to Obama and Clinton, is
hiring an army of more than 50 political operatives in a major campaign to help
Democrats get control of the U.S. House this year and remove Trump from power.
--A presidential tracking poll from Rasmussen has Trump's approval rating at 48%.
On February 8 of 2010 under President Obama, his approval rating was 46% and his
disapproval rating was 54%. This means Trump is tracking 2 points higher than
Obama, and that's with a media that's 80% negative regarding the current
presidency.
--Fewer Americans than expected filed for unemployment benefits last week.
--The British Oil and Gas company known as BP is increasing investment in the U.S.
after the lowering of tax rates under President Trump.
--A senior Department of Transportation official derided Senate Minority Leader
Chuck Schumer for his refusal to confirm the nation's top railroad safety
regulator and suggested the partisan obstruction is placing rail passengers at
risk.
--Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told Congress that the U.S. will deploy some
small nuclear weapons on 2 new missiles to counter growing threats posed by
Russia and China.
--China is reportedly moving missile defense batteries and troops closer to its
border with North Korea, a potential sign that Beijing anticipates either a
large refugee wave or a military disturbance triggered by Kim Jong-Un.
--Secretary of State Rex Tillerson plans to launch a new cyber-space and digital
economy bureau.
--In a historic first, the Army conducted a live fire exercise with a remote-
controlled ground combat vehicle armed with a fifty caliber machine gun.
--Iran announced Monday it's begun the mass producing of a new weaponized drone
that carries smart bombs capable of precision strikes.
--The Israeli Defense Force is preparing for the largest parachuting exercise in
recent years due to the tension near the northern border.
--Child Evangelism Fellowship won a permanent injunction against an Indiana
School District.

]]> Darwin Day http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/02/08/darwin-day Thu, 08 Feb 2018 16:15:20 +0000 Jim Schneider This weekend, February 9 through the 11, marks the 13th annual Evolution Weekend in which more than 14,000 clergy members have gone on record and denying the authority of Scripture in celebration of 'Darwin Day'. They have openly signed a letter calling the theory of evolution a foundational, scientific truth and that we cannot read the Bible literally as we would a science textbook. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: February 8, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Guest:     Ken Ham
Listen:     MP3 | Order

This weekend, February 9 through the 11, marks the 13th annual Evolution Weekend in which more than 14,000 clergy members have gone on record and denying the authority of Scripture in celebration of 'Darwin Day'. They have openly signed a letter calling the theory of evolution a foundational, scientific truth and that we cannot read the Bible literally as we would a science textbook.

Addressing this issue was Ken Ham. Ken is the president, CEO and founder of Answers in Genesis-US, the highly acclaimed Creation Museum, and the world-renowned Ark Encounter. Ken is one of the most in-demand Christian speakers in North America and is author of numerous works.

Recently, the student association at Oklahoma Central University obtained permission for Ken to speak there. Contracts were signed, but eventually the university canceled the appearance. Eventually it was discovered that a professor stirred up those involved in a campus LGBT group to put pressure on the student association. Ken believes that the student association was worried about what might happen in relation to things like safety so they felt they needed to cancel Ken's presentation.

'Evolution Sunday' began in 2006. This effort was started by atheist Michael Zimmerman through his Clergy Letter Project. It's celebrated on the Sunday closest to Darwin's birthday (February 12th) and has seen a name change to 'Evolution Weekend'.

According to Ken, the good news is that there's fewer churches signed up for 'Evolution Weekend' this year than in previous years.

The American Humanist Association has helped to lead the effort to amplify Darwin's birthday. They're part of a movement to get senators and congressmen to try and pass resolutions to honor Darwin. This would involve making each February 12th, 'Darwin Day'. The two resolutions are SR-374 and HR-699.

Ken noted that this resolution isn't simply about honoring Darwin's birthday. There are statements in the resolution against creation, others about climate change and more. So he believes there's an agenda to exalt evolution.

More Information:

Answers in Genesis

www.answersingenesis.org

]]> FISA Memo Released http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/02/06/fisa-memo-released Tue, 06 Feb 2018 16:15:38 +0000 Jim Schneider This Crosstalk looked at the 4 page Foreign Intelligence and Surveillance Act (FISA) memo that was declassified on Friday. This is the GOP intelligence memo that sheds light on what some believe are subversive, behind the scenes actions of the FBI and the Department of Justice in their alleged war on the Trump campaign. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: February 6, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Guest:     Robert Romano
Listen:     MP3 | Order

This Crosstalk looked at the 4 page Foreign Intelligence and Surveillance Act (FISA) memo that was declassified on Friday. This is the GOP intelligence memo that sheds light on what some believe are subversive, behind the scenes actions of the FBI and the Department of Justice in their alleged war on the Trump campaign.

Joining Jim to discuss this issue was Robert Romano, the vice president of public policy with Americans for Limited Government.

Is the FISA memo trumped-up partisanship or is this a matter of serious concern? Robert believes it's the latter.

The Christopher Steele dossier that was paid for by Fusion GPS (who was, in turn, paid by the DNC and the Clinton campaign) alleged that the Trump campaign was involved in Russian collusion and the DNC hack. That dossier was used by the Justice Department in October of 2016 to obtain a FISA court warrant against Carter Page, a Trump campaign advisor.

The FISA court wasn't told where this document had come from, that it was financed by the Democrats, or that it was salacious and unverified as former FBI Director James Comey testified to in 2017. The former Deputy Director of the FBI, Andrew McCabe, testified later that the only thing they could corroborate was the fact that Carter Page went to Moscow to give a commencement address. So the only reason they got the FISA warrant was because of the dossier which Page had been mentioned in, not because he had been in Moscow. That led to the idea that there was some collusion or scheme to steal e-mails from the DNC and put them on WikiLeaks and involving Russia and Trump. Now we know one year later via testimony from those that have looked into this that it was salacious and unverified.

That brings up Christopher Steele, an ex-British spy who was working for Fusion GPS. He was a paid, private intelligence operative for the Democrats responsible for obtaining raw intelligence on Donald Trump, his campaign, and their alleged dealings. Glenn Simpson, co-founder of Fusion GPS, testified to the House Intelligence Committee that he didn't verify Steele's sources. Steele never traveled to Russia. Instead, he had 'go-between's' for that purpose so Steele never even talked to his own sources.

There was a lot wrong with the dossier that was used to obtain the FISA court warrant. So Robert believes the fact that the charges against Paul Manafort, Richard Gates, Michael Flynn and George Papadopoulos haven't been dropped is rather outrageous and is clearly a violation of the Fourth Amendment because there was no probable cause. It was based upon lies. 'Facts' were being submitted that were not facts.

According to Robert, it looks like they took what they thought were travel records of Trump officials and then filled in the blanks with falsehoods. Robert gave the example of Michael Cohen who was supposed to be in Prague in August of 2016 (according to the Steele dossier) speaking with Russian agents about cleaning up the mess per the WikiLeaks disclosure. The problem with this is that Cohen has communicated that he's never been to Prague. So if he wasn't in Prague in 2016, then he couldn't have been there speaking with Russian agents cleaning up the mess dealing with WikiLeaks and the dossier. This means that whoever Steele's sources were that claimed he was there and having such conversations should be called into question.

So is there a link between the Obama administration and Hillary Clinton's campaign? Robert handles that question and more as he untangles this very detailed controversy on this edition of Crosstalk.

More Information:

www.readthememo.org

]]> Immigration Showdown http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/02/05/immigration-showdown Mon, 05 Feb 2018 16:02:33 +0000 Jim Schneider Chris Chmielenski is the director of content and activism at NumbersUSA, the nation's largest grassroots immigration reduction advocacy organization. They fight for the reforming of the current immigration system so we can end illegal immigration and have an immigration system that serves in the best interest of American workers and their wages. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: February 5, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Guest: Chris Chmielenski
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Chris Chmielenski is the director of content and activism at NumbersUSA, the nation's largest grassroots immigration reduction advocacy organization. They fight for the reforming of the current immigration system so we can end illegal immigration and have an immigration system that serves in the best interest of American workers and their wages.

When we hear about a DACA 'fix' (Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals), some refer to this as amnesty while others claim it isn't. NumbersUSA believes this is amnesty. They take the position that anything that rewards a class of illegal aliens, regardless of number, as amnesty. On the other hand, they've already endorsed legislation in the House that does include DACA amnesty because it does a lot of other things that NumbersUSA is pleased with.

March 5th is said to be the deadline when the DACA program is to begin phasing out. If nothing is done and everything stays 'as is', what will happen on the 5th? Chris said the answer is 'nothing'. A couple weeks ago, a San Francisco federal judge ruled that the Trump administration illegally halted the DACA program in the way it was done on September 5th. The judge ordered the administration to reinstate renewals for the program. Since about mid-January the Trump administration has been processing renewals and will continue to do that until that case is appealed to the Supreme Court. Chris believes it will take a couple of months for things to get straightened out through the Supreme Court.

Congressman Pete Sessions indicated there should be no pathway to citizenship. He favors what's known as 'guest worker status'. His concern is the message that would be sent to those who are legally going about becoming a citizen. Chris says NumbersUSA sees this as a matter of semantics. Since NumbersUSA is concerned about the effect of mass immigration on American workers and their wages, once you have someone in America who can stay and compete with other American workers, whether or not they have citizenship or whether or not they are here on a guest worker visa doesn't matter, they're here. So NumbersUSA doesn't differentiate between the two. The House bill they've endorsed includes a renewable work visa so it doesn't offer a path to citizenship. However, if this was turned into a path to citizenship, Chris noted that they wouldn't be too concerned with it.

The last time Congress evaluated the immigration system was in the '90's when they had a bipartisan congressional commission on immigration. They actually recommended ending chain migration. This is what spawned NumbersUSA.
The commission was chaired by Barbara Jordan who recommended limiting family-based immigration to spouses and minor children. Most developed nations around the world do that very thing. Back in 2013, when the 'Gang of Eight' immigration bill passed the Senate, the House version of that bill (HR-15), which Nancy Pelosi co-sponsored, ended chain migration, as did the '06-'07 amnesty bills. This shows that there is a history where Congress has attempted to end chain migration over the last 15-20 years.

Chain migration has a multiplying effect. As of right now the U.S. gives out about 1.1 million permanent legal residence 'Green Cards' to those who are on a path to real citizenship. So we're allowing about 1-1.1 million new immigrants to come in each year. About 60% of those 'Green Cards' that are issued come under the chain migration category. However that also includes spouses and minor children. If you took out that category, you're looking at a reduction of about 250,00-300,000. The majority of them are parents, but then all of the adult relatives that they're allowed to sponsor for 'Green Cards'. It's those cards that Chris believes begins the endless chains of family-based immigration.

This is a very deep subject that includes the visa lottery, the border wall, e-verify for checking on illegals in the employment sector, the latest on what's been called a 'fresh bipartisan immigration plan', the Secure America's Future Act, and much more. Get caught up on the latest when you review this vital Crosstalk broadcast.

More Information:

NumbersUSA

www.numbersusa.com

]]> News Roundup 2-2-18 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/02/02/news-roundup-2-2-18 Fri, 02 Feb 2018 16:18:16 +0000 Jim Schneider From the controversy surrounding President Trump, to abortion, Hillary Clinton and North Korea, Jim covered it all and more on this week's edition of the 'Round-Up'. --A controversial memo, alleging federal surveillance abuses, was declassified today and released following approval by President Trump. --According to Rick Manning of Americans for Limited Government, 'The House Intelligence Committee memo confirms our worst fears; that the basis of the entire Mueller/Russia collusion investigation was set up in part in 2016 by the Obama FBI and Justice Department using the DNC and Clinton campaign funded Fusion GPS Christopher Steele dossier to obtain secret FISA warrants against the Trump campaign.' (Go to www.readthememo.org for more information.) Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: February 2, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Listen:     MP3 | Order

From the controversy surrounding President Trump, to abortion, Hillary Clinton and North Korea, Jim covered it all and more on this week's edition of the 'Round-Up'.

--A controversial memo, alleging federal surveillance abuses, was declassified
today and released following approval by President Trump.
--According to Rick Manning of Americans for Limited Government, 'The House
Intelligence Committee memo confirms our worst fears; that the basis of the
entire Mueller/Russia collusion investigation was set up in part in 2016 by the
Obama FBI and Justice Department using the DNC and Clinton campaign funded
Fusion GPS Christopher Steele dossier to obtain secret FISA warrants against the
Trump campaign.' (Go to www.readthememo.org for more information.)
--2 senior FBI officials have reviewed the document and could not point to any
factual inaccuracies.
--Judicial Watch released 42 pages of State Department Documents Wednesday
asserting they provide evidence that the Obama administration was trying to
undermine Donald Trump's upcoming administration.
--A vote taken by the U.S. Senate on the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act
that would ban abortions after 20 weeks, failed to pass the Senate on Monday.
--President Donald Trump slammed Senate Democrats for blocking the pro-life bill.
--After the vote on the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, Democrats on the
Senate floor gave each other a 'high five'.
--The federal government is said to save an average of $7,000 for each unborn
child, 20 weeks or more into pregnancy, that allows a doctor to terminate in his
or her mother's womb, according to an estimate published by the Congressional
Budget Office.
--A Planned Parenthood affiliate tweeted and then deleted an article about a baby
who successfully underwent surgery while still in the womb.
--President Trump said to have made a substantial approval gain after his Tuesday
State of the Union speech.
--The U.S. economy added 200,000 jobs in January. The unemployment rate held at
4.1 percent for the fourth straight quarter.
--U.S. oil production hit a historic milestone pulling more than 10 million
barrels per day out of the ground last November.
--House lawmakers likely considering legislation early next week to keep the
government open through about March 23.
--One of President Trump's circuit court nominees, Minnesota Supreme Court Justice
David Stras, was confirmed by the Senate to the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of
Appeals.
--The ACLU has complained that the word 'American' was used too many times during
President Trump's State of the Union speech.
--Federal Employee Unions are on edge after President Trump called on Congress
Tuesday evening to give agencies the power to fire federal workers at will.
--Jonathan Tasini, a left-wing author and writer, celebrated the news that
Republican lawmakers were on board a train that crashed Wednesday morning.
--According to the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee,
one of the biggest driver's of the nation's opioid epidemic is Medicaid, and
Obamacare's expansion of the program has only made matters worse.
--Hillary Clinton has passed over a million dollars from her 'resistance' group to
other anti-Trump groups.
--North Korea is stepping up its execution of top political officers to prevent
the regime from deteriorating under immense pressure caused by international
sanctions.

]]> Another Mary? http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/02/01/another-mary Thu, 01 Feb 2018 16:12:27 +0000 Jim Schneider Mike Gendron is the founder and director of Proclaiming the Gospel Ministry. Mike was a devout Roman Catholic for 34 years and was taught to rely upon the authority of the church above all else. He faithfully followed the priests, the sacraments and depended on his good woks for salvation. Mike began searching the Scriptures and was amazed to find that what he read in Scripture contradicted the teaching and tradition of the church he had been a part of for so long. He trusted Jesus as his Savior and now the Bible has become his sole authority in all matters of faith. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: February 1, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Guest: Mike Gendron
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Mike Gendron is the founder and director of Proclaiming the Gospel Ministry. Mike was a devout Roman Catholic for 34 years and was taught to rely upon the authority of the church above all else. He faithfully followed the priests, the sacraments and depended on his good woks for salvation. Mike began searching the Scriptures and was amazed to find that what he read in Scripture contradicted the teaching and tradition of the church he had been a part of for so long. He trusted Jesus as his Savior and now the Bible has become his sole authority in all matters of faith.

Recently Pope Francis made a visit to Chile where he placed a golden crown on the head of a statue of Mary. Why does Mike feel this is a concern? He said that it focuses attention away from Jesus. He referenced II Corinthians 11:3 where Paul reminds readers about the serpent that beguiled Eve, and how through such subtlety, people's minds can be led astray from the simplicity that is in Christ.

Jim then reminded Mike that the Pope also placed a crown on the head of the Christ-child. How is this taking attention away from Christ? Mike noted that this was the placing of crowns on statues, and there's a commandment that tells us we are not to create an image of anything in the heavens above, the earth beneath, the waters below, nor are we to venerate or worship them. So when the Pope placed crowns on these statues, he not only crowned another Mary, but he was being rebellious toward God and His Word.

Mike also pointed to the fact that Jesus is no longer a baby. He was crucified on the cross, rose from the dead, entered heaven where he now sits at the right hand of the Father, interceding for those who will trust Him. On the other hand, the Roman Catholic church teaches that Mary is their intercessor and is currently interceding for all of her children. What this does is take the focus and pure devotion away from Christ and places it upon Mary.

When you contrast Jesus with the Mary of Catholicism, here's what you see:

--Jesus was immaculately conceived without sin. Catholicism gave Mary that same
attribute in 1854.
--Jesus lived a sinless life. Catholicism teaches that Mary lived a sinless life
as well.
--Jesus is referred to as the Son of God. Catholics refer to Mary as the mother
of God.
--Jesus is the king of heaven. Catholics believe Mary is the queen of heaven. --Jesus is the only mediator between God and men. Catholics look to Mary as the
mediator of all grace.
--Christ was bodily ascended into glory. The Catholic church declared that Mary's
body was assumed into glory.
--Jesus is the only source of grace. The Catholic church references Mary as the
channel of grace.

In essence, Mike communicated to listeners that the Mary of Roman Catholicism is actually a Mary other than the one that gave birth to the Savior. Learn more regarding this issue by reviewing this edition of Crosstalk.

More Information:

To obtain the DVD with the messages 'Where Will You Spend Eternity' and 'Why Should I Believe the Bible' along with the tract, 'Have You Ever Been Deceived?' go to www.proclaimingthegospel.org click on 'Store', then 'Video Messages'. You can also order by phone by calling 817-379-5300. The cost is $12 for Crosstalk listeners.

]]> 2018 State of the Union Reaction http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/01/31/2018-state-of-the-union-reaction Wed, 31 Jan 2018 15:59:05 +0000 Jim Schneider While this program focused primarily upon listener comments concerning the president's address, Jim led into those comments with some news items of interest They included: --President Trump praised his accomplishments and listed new initiatives in his bold plan to build a safe, strong and proud America. --A CBN news clip addressed the president's desire to cut back on government regulations and taxes, dealing with immigration reform, rebuilding America's infrastructure, Democrat Joe Manchin's respect for the office, Republicans that spoke highly of the address, the president's promise to protect religious liberty, and his commitment to God. --A train carrying members of Congress to a retreat in West Virginia slammed into a dump truck today. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: January 31, 2018
Host:     Jim Schneider
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Last evening, President Donald Trump gave his first State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress, describing how far America has come in the first year of his presidency.

While this program focused primarily upon listener comments concerning the president's address, Jim led into those comments with some news items of interest They included:

--President Trump praised his accomplishments and listed new initiatives in his
bold plan to build a safe, strong and proud America.
--A CBN news clip addressed the president's desire to cut back on government
regulations and taxes, dealing with immigration reform, rebuilding
America's infrastructure, Democrat Joe Manchin's respect for the office,
Republicans that spoke highly of the address, the president's promise to protect
religious liberty, and his commitment to God.
--A train carrying members of Congress to a retreat in West Virginia slammed into
a dump truck today.
--Republican Trey Gowdy of South Carolina, the Chairman of the House Oversight
Committee, has announced that he will not be seeking re-election.
--A CBS News poll shows that viewers approved of the president's first State of
the Union address.
--Glum Democrats ripped President Trump's call for unity with one even walking out
after a patriotic chant.
--While some Democrat House lawmakers boycotted the speech, others brought illegal
aliens, DACA recipients ('Dreamers') those facing deportation, feminist
activists, sexual assault accusers and a transgender.
--The Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) tweeted that they prefer the
five pillars of Islam and a vibrant and inclusive American democracy over what
they see as Trump's four pillars of dismantling America's immigration system.
--President Trump criticized NFL flag protests.

]]> The FISA Memo http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/01/30/the-fisa-memo Tue, 30 Jan 2018 16:06:24 +0000 Jim Schneider Jim's guest today is John Guandolo, a former FBI Agent assigned to the Counter Terrorism Division who created and implemented the FBI’s first counter terrorism training. He begins the interview saying that there are two things he wants everyone to come away with today: 'FISA is constitutional....FISA is necessary.' Since news first broke of this four page memo, Republicans (along with President Trump) are demanding it's public release. Once considered 'secret' this memo details alleged government surveillance abuses going back to the 2016 Presidential race where reports are that the Obama Administration ordered spying on the Trump campaign and his transition team. Democrats have countered calling the memo 'bias' and an attempt to undermine our Department of Justice and any ongoing Trump/Russia investigations. Regardless, some are calling news of this memo 'worse than Watergate.' Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: January 30, 2018
Host:   Jim Schneider
Guest:   John Guandolo
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Many are asking the same question: What is FISA? (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act)

Jim's guest today is John Guandolo, a former FBI Agent assigned to the Counter Terrorism Division who created and implemented the FBI’s first counter terrorism training. He begins the interview saying that there are two things he wants everyone to come away with today: 'FISA is constitutional....FISA is necessary.' Since news first broke of this four page memo, Republicans (along with President Trump) are demanding it's public release. Once considered 'secret' this memo details alleged government surveillance abuses going back to the 2016 Presidential race where reports are that the Obama Administration ordered spying on the Trump campaign and his transition team. Democrats have countered calling the memo 'bias' and an attempt to undermine our Department of Justice and any ongoing Trump/Russia investigations. Regardless, some are calling news of this memo 'worse than Watergate.'

Today, Guandolo explains how the FISA Court works and calls it an 'important tool for our national security' which he says is 'a train wreck.' Guandolo explains how this memo first came to light and warns of it's ramifications - going as far as mentioning those in our nation guilty of 'very serious crimes' (without naming any names) such as sedition and espionage. Also discussed today is the 2016 Las Vegas Massacre, former FBI Director James Comey's decision not to indict Hillary Clinton, the sudden departure of Andrew McCabe for 'terminal leave', the Mueller investigation, and if we will need a special prosecutor to investigate our own FBI?

More information:

www.understandingthethreat.com

]]> Christian Persecution: 2018 World Watch List http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/01/29/christian-persecution-2018-world-watch-list Mon, 29 Jan 2018 16:08:42 +0000 Jim Schneider David Curry is the president and CEO of Open Doors USA. For over 60 years, Open Doors USA has worked in the world's most oppressive and restrictive countries for Christians. They work to equip and encourage Christians living in dangerous circumstances with the threat of persecution and equips the Western church to advocate for the persecuted. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: January 29, 2018
Host:   Jim Schneider
Guest: David Curry
Listen:      MP3 | Order

David Curry is the president and CEO of Open Doors USA. For over 60 years, Open Doors USA has worked in the world's most oppressive and restrictive countries for Christians. They work to equip and encourage Christians living in dangerous circumstances with the threat of persecution and equips the Western church to advocate for the persecuted.

When Open Doors USA began, their main focus was to help support and stand with persecuted believers behind the 'Iron Curtain'. Many years later, persecution is still in existence at a high level in places like North Korea, the Middle East and Central Asia.

Open Doors wanted to find a way to scientifically figure out where persecution is at its worst so they could focus their efforts in regard to how they support Christians. The result was that they came up with a 'World Watch List' and all these years later it's become a tool that even governments around the world are interested in.

Persecution is measured by Open Doors USA in six different ways. This involves looking for levels of harassment and oppression all the way up to violence in the various sphere's of life. David used Saudi Arabia as an example. They have a very low level of violence against Christians, but this is due to the fact that there are no Christian churches there. On the other hand, pressure in the national sphere of life is a different story because of the government's control of religious expression of their people. They don't allow people to become followers of Jesus and you can't have a Bible.

What nations are highest on the list? What nations have been dropped or added? Is persecution decreasing or increasing worldwide? How can Western believers make a difference? These questions and others are answered on this vital edition of Crosstalk.

More Information:

Open Doors USA

www.opendoorsusa.org

]]> News Roundup 1-26-18 http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/01/26/news-roundup-1-26-18 Fri, 26 Jan 2018 16:18:38 +0000 Jim Schneider Jim's list of stories included the following on this week's edition of the 'Round-Up': --President Trump declared that American is 'open for business' in a speech today to global elites in Switzerland. --First Lady Melania Trump skipped out of a trip to Switzerland and instead chose to honor the millions of lives lost under the Nazi regime by visiting the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. yesterday. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: January 26, 2018
Host:   Jim Schneider
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Jim's list of stories included the following on this week's edition of the 'Round-Up':

--President Trump declared that American is 'open for business' in a speech today
to global elites in Switzerland.
--First Lady Melania Trump skipped out of a trip to Switzerland and instead chose
to honor the millions of lives lost under the Nazi regime by visiting the U.S.
Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. yesterday.
--A 'whistle blower' on the Alex Jones program finds that 'big media' has
downplayed or completely ignored the existence of a classified intelligence memo
concerning President Obama's Department of Justice and the FBI in using the
infamous Fusion GPS dossier to justify illegal spying on Donald Trump and
members of his campaign team.
--Court documents recently filed by the government further rocked the credibility
of Russia Special Counsel Robert Mueller because they show that as FBI director,
he worked to cover up the connection between a Florida Saudi family and the 9-11
terrorist attacks.
--A Fox News poll conducted at the end of President Trump's first year in the
White House finds more voters rating the economy positively.
--The Trump administration has worked virtually nonstop since the inauguration
to dismantle some of the environmental campaigns launched by President Obama.
--Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke traded an 11 mile stretch of federal land
Monday to the Alaskan community of King Cove. That allows residents access to
the area's only all-weather airport by land.
--After a close vote Wednesday, the Senate voted to approve the nomination of pro-
life governor Sam Brownback to be the Ambassador at Large for International
Religious Freedom.
--A former clerk for pro-life Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, Alex Azar,
will become the next Health and Human Services secretary.
--The U.S. Senate voted to confirm Jerome Powell as the next chairman of the
Federal Reserve.
--U.S. authorities issue an emergency order requiring additional screening of
cargo on flights departing for the U.S. from five Middle Eastern nations citing
a threat of terrorism.
--Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced that the administration will
officially release an immigration framework on Monday.
--Democrat Senator Joe Manchin thinks there’s a dire need for increased border
security to deal with illegal immigration.
--The Justice Department threatened to subpoena 23 jurisdictions around the
country if they don't turn over information about their sanctuary city policies
toward illegal immigrants.
--Immigrants entering the U.S. illegally through the southern border are quietly
being relocated to different parts of the country on commercial flights.
--California will take the next step in blurring the lines between citizens and
non-citizens beginning April Fools Day when the state complies with a court
order to begin automatically registering to vote all those granted a driver's
license.
--California is proposing a law that would fine wait staff at restaurants $1,000
if they give a customer a plastic drinking straw before the customer asks for
one.
--A photograph has come forth showing then Senator Obama and Louis Farrakhan taken
in 2005. It's been called a 13 year cover-up to protect Obama's political
career.
--House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi tried to preserve tax breaks for two of her
multi-million dollar homes.
--Nancy Pelosi has taped an appearance as a guest judge on a drag queen reality
show.
--At least 48 openly LGBTQ Texas candidates are running for office.

]]> Delights and Disciplines of Bible Study http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/01/25/delights-and-disciplines-of-bible-study Thu, 25 Jan 2018 16:17:37 +0000 Jim Schneider Dr. Warren Wiersbe is an internationally known Bible teacher, former pastor of Moody Church in Chicago, and former general director and speaker on the Back to the Bible broadcast. Dr. Wiersbe has written over 175 books including the popular 'Be' series of expositional Bible studies. He's the author of the new book, 'Delights and Disciplines of Bible Study'. Crosstalk Home

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Air Date: January 25, 2018
Host:   Jim Schneider
Guest:    Dr. Warren Wiersbe
Listen:     MP3 | Order

Dr. Warren Wiersbe is an internationally known Bible teacher, former pastor of Moody Church in Chicago, and former general director and speaker on the Back to the Bible broadcast. Dr. Wiersbe has written over 175 books including the popular 'Be' series of expositional Bible studies. He's the author of the new book, 'Delights and Disciplines of Bible Study'.

For some people, getting into the Bible means we only do it to check it off our list for the day. Dr. Wiersbe believes the Bible is the most delightful and dynamic book. But that's not how he always felt. He recalled how he went to confirmation class where he had to read straight through the Bible. He thought it was all rather boring. Then at about 16 years of age he went to a Youth for Christ rally where Billy Graham was preaching and trusted Christ as his Savior. He then began reading his Bible, found study guides, and he's been at it ever since.

Discipline is also a critical component in this discussion. According to Dr. Wiersbe, discipline controls us. Since he became 'born again' he's been in the habit of being up early in the morning, studying the Word of God, praying and meditating. Then when he was in the pastorate he was constantly studying and getting ready to preach and teach others. The Bible transformed his life.

Dr. Wiersbe differentiates between personal, daily devotional time, from serious Bible study. It's about getting into the Word in such a way that we can see where it relates. In other words, there's a difference between facts and truths. There are thousands of facts in the Bible and there are truths that are built out of those facts that change our lives. You have to have both.

What about those of us who feel they just don't have time to study the Bible? Dr. Wiersbe believes we need to engage the Bible first of all because it's the Word of God and since we're the children of God, would we not want our Father to speak to us? Would we not want our Savior to teach us? Would we not want the Holy Spirit of God to open our eyes so that we can behold wonderful things in the Word?

So for Dr. Wiersbe, studying the Word of God is not something painful. It's exciting. When he discovers a truth in one book that connects with a truth in another book, he described it as being handed a piece of birthday cake. If we don't get into the Word, the Word won't get into us.

His latest book also points out that we need to study the Bible because the enemy knows the Bible. The Devil quoted the Bible when he tempted Jesus. The Bible is the sword that we use to fight Satan. It has to be 'practiced' day after day. It's nutrition and it's light in this very dark world.

As this program progressed, Dr. Wiersbe also commented on the following:

--Memorizing the books of the Bible in order.
--Why is hermeneutics important within the issue of Bible study?
--The role of the Holy Spirit and prayer in Bible study.
--What are some of the questions we should ask as we read through the Bible?
--What approach has he taken in 'Delights and Disciplines of Bible Study' as it
relates to the review of the Bible's books?

More Information:

'Delights and Disciplines of Bible Study' normally retails for $16.99. Until January 31, it's available for $11.00 (plus shipping) through www.vcy.com or call from 10am-6pm Central Time at 1-888-722-4829.

]]> Vice President's Trip to Israel http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/01/24/vice-presidents-trip-to-israel Wed, 24 Jan 2018 16:10:08 +0000 Jim Schneider David Rubin is the former mayor of Shiloh, Israel, that's in the region of Samaria, known to much of the world as the West Bank. He's founder and president of Shiloh Israel Children's Fund, established to heal the trauma of terror victim children after he and his three year old son were seriously wounded in a terror attack. He's the author of five books including, 'The Islamic Tsunami', 'Peace for Peace in the New Middle East' and 'More Sparks From Zion'. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: January 24, 2018
Host:   Jim Schneider
Guest:    David Rubin
Listen:     MP3 | Order

David Rubin is the former mayor of Shiloh, Israel, that's in the region of Samaria, known to much of the world as the West Bank. He's founder and president of Shiloh Israel Children's Fund, established to heal the trauma of terror victim children after he and his three year old son were seriously wounded in a terror attack. He's the author of five books including, 'The Islamic Tsunami', 'Peace for Peace in the New Middle East' and 'More Sparks From Zion'.

Jim began by playing a portion of President Trump's statement from last month when he announced the moving of the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem. According to David, people in Israel were very excited by this news. He went on to note that when you don't recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, and do what Mahmoud Abbas did and claim that there's no Jewish history in Jerusalem, it's like saying Abraham Lincoln never lived in the White House or that Washington, D.C. isn't named after George Washington.

Vice President Mike Pence has been in Israel. David indicated that he was welcomed very warmly and his speech to the Israeli parliament was wonderful. He spoke of the commonality in regard to the biblical heritage our two nations share.

Pence has indicated the move of the embassy will happen in 2019. David recognizes that President Trump knows how to get things done quickly when necessary and there's no reason why he shouldn’t be able to do what Vice President Pence promised.

The vice president's trip has been publicly boycotted by the Palestinians. Even Palestinian President Abbas shouted, 'May his house be destroyed!' To David, this sounded like an Arab curse, but if it was a threat, what was he threatening to do? In the end, for David this comment by Abbas was a clarification, letting us know what they really believe.

Since the president's announcement concerning the moving of the embassy (which came with the blessing of Congress), the Palestinian Authority has stopped any formal communication with the Trump administration. That brings up this question: Did the president throw an opportunity for peace out the window?

David asked, 'What kind of opportunity for peace are we talking about?' He believes peace has to be based upon realism. If that's not there, there will be no peace. It's like saying that President Trump should sit down and have a chat with Kim Jong Un and there will immediately be peace. It doesn't work that way.

He believes that sometimes you have to look evil in the face and confront it. These are evil people. Abbas is an arch terrorist and successor to Yasser Arafat who was the father of modern terrorism. He's been giving thousands of dollars to every terrorist that wounds or kills an Israeli. On the other hand, if a terrorist is captured by Israel and put in jail, that funding goes to the family of that terrorist.

As Vice President Pence began his speech, there was turmoil from the Arab members in the chamber. David comments on that along with the Iran nuclear deal, the turmoil within Iran, Abbas' visit to Brussels, Benjamin Netanyahu's trip to Switzerland, and more.

More Information:

www.ShilohIsraelChildren.org
www.DavidRubinIsrael.com

]]> Is Common Core Dead? http://vcyamerica.org/blog/2018/01/23/is-common-core-dead Tue, 23 Jan 2018 16:16:08 +0000 Jim Schneider Dr. Pesta noted that if DeVoss really believed what she says, she'd be working to undue the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). He believes she should get rid of that first and then begin dismantling the Department of Education. He doesn't believe that will happen, but if it would, then she could honestly say she's trying to fix the problem in Washington. Crosstalk Home

Show Information

Air Date: January 23, 2018
Host:   Jim Schneider
Guest: Duke Pesta
Listen:      MP3 | Order

Dr. Duke Pesta is the academic director of Freedom Project Academy and a tenured professor of English at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. He's taught at major research institutions and small liberal arts colleges at both the graduate and undergraduate levels and has garnered seven teaching awards at four universities. He is one of America’s foremost authorities on the dangers of Common Core, having delivered more than 600 talks and has testified about Common Core and education reform before 20 state legislatures. He's author of the book, 'The Renaissance and the Postmodern: A Study in Comparative Critical Values'.

Secretary of Education Betsy DeVoss, agrees with President Trump that Common Core is a disaster and that at the U.S. Department of Education Common Core is dead. Is it?

In answering that question, Dr. Pesta wondered how you can spend 7 years spending billions of dollars to force this into schools, bribe states to take it, transform the textbook industry, to reduce public school education to an exercise in Common Core federal standardized tests, to retrain teachers across America to only know Common Core material, and then by fiat claim it's dead?

The push-back was so hard against Common Core that every state simply renamed it. It's been rebranded and is now part of the 'DNA' in how our children are being educated, so according to Dr. Pesta, to say that Common Core has gone away simply isn't true.

He believes that whether she likes it or not, Betsy DeVoss is 'Washington'. President Trump promised us that he would get rid of the Department of Education. He didn't and Dr. Pesta said he won't. In appointing DeVoss to her position, he appointed a woman who won't get rid of that department either. This means Washington remains the problem.

Keep in mind that before Obama gave us Common Core, George Bush gave us 'No Child Left Behind'. Before that you had 'Goals 2000' from Bill Clinton, all of which takes us back to the formation of the Department of Education in 1979. Up to that time, we'd been educating kids quite well for 170 years. Then in the late '70's we created another federal bureaucracy and put that in charge of education. At that point, all of the money that went directly from Congress to the states now was funneled through the Department of Education. The department then used that money as a bribe. Those state boards of education that complied with federal mandates received more money and those that didn't received nothing.

Overall, the Washington approach to education has failed. DeVoss acknowledges that, but then seems to think that by pretending it's gone away, she's fixed it. She has to go in and root out all of the legislation and reforms that go back 50 years that the feds have used to wrench control of the eduction of our kids away from local communities, states, teachers and parents and that solidify it at the federal level.

Dr. Pesta noted that if DeVoss really believed what she says, she'd be working to undue the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). He believes she should get rid of that first and then begin dismantling the Department of Education. He doesn't believe that will happen, but if it would, then she could honestly say she's trying to fix the problem in Washington.

As you review this edition of Crosstalk, you'll hear Dr. Pesta explain the correlation between and the logic behind the forming of the previously mentioned education programs and the more recent ESSA. These programs are not about educating our kids well or poorly. They are delivery systems to force states, textbook companies, testing companies, teachers, and teacher training colleges to completely revamp the way they view and deliver education in America, with the federal government as the highest authority.

More specifically, Dr. Pesta believes the ESSA takes all of the unconstitutional and illegal maneuvers of the Obama administration to get Common Core into the state schools, retroactively legalizes them, and for the first time in American history, centralizes control over public schools at the federal level.

More Information:

www.fpeusa.org
920-749-3793

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