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Assorted

Charlie Kirk in context

Many will condemn a man for an isolated sentence or two. Christians do it too. Instead, we should assess others just as we would like to be judged (Matt. 7:12).

*****

If you have liberal friends or family, then in the days and weeks after Charlie Kirk’s murder, you probably saw all sorts of Kirk quotes, shared by them to warn people about what a problematic figure Kirk supposedly was.

While Kirk had his flaws, the most common quotes being shared were generally not at all what they first seemed, being taken right out of context. As Proverbs 18:17 teaches us, “The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him” so we need to go beyond that first impression, and do the cross examination.

We can do so, not as people who must defend Charlie Kirk, wrong or right, but instead as God’s people, equipped by Him to discern right from wrong. Using our discernment, it’s easy to see that Kirk was attacked by the Left, not for what he might have gotten wrong, but for how often he expressed godly thoughts bravely and clearly. So, we shouldn’t accept their word for any of it. We need to check whether the quote is:

1) even accurate
2) in context

So, what follows, are a few of the more common accusations stated in bold, and then put in context right below.

“I don’t believe in empathy.”

This is likely as much a misquote as it is a quote out of context. You can find Kirk saying he didn’t like this particular term, and wasn’t at all opposed to feeling for the injured and suffering. What he has said along these lines is:

I can’t stand the word empathy. Actually, I think empathy is a made-up, new age term that does a lot of damage. But it’s very effective when it comes to politics. Sympathy, I prefer more than empathy.”

“Black women do not have the brain processing power to be taken seriously.”

This was pitched as proof of Kirk being racist. Like the previous “quote” it is both inaccurate and out of context. Kirk wasn’t insulting black women in general; he found it ridiculous that four specific black women were proudly declaring they were beneficiaries of affirmative action. Kirk was arguing, during the July 13, 2023 episode of his podcast, that affirmative action is the opposite of earning something. He thought it funny, then, that anyone would brag about being an affirmative action beneficiary.

“If we would have said three weeks ago... that Joy Reid and Michelle Obama and Sheila Jackson Lee and Ketanji Brown Jackson were affirmative-action picks, we would have been called racist. But now they're coming out and they're saying it for us! They're coming out and they're saying, ‘I'm only here because of affirmative action.’ Yeah, we know. You do not have the brain processing power to otherwise be taken really seriously. You had to go steal a white person's slot to go be taken somewhat seriously.

In other words, he wasn’t critiquing black women. He was criticizing these four black women.

“If I see a black pilot, I am now going to wonder: Boy, I hope he’s qualified.”

Charlie Kirk is no fan of affirmative action, which responds to past discrimination by flipping the script – you are still judged by the color of your skin, but the racism is directed the opposite way now. Here he was responding to a 2021 United Airlines plan to have half their pilot trainees be blacks or women, and among the points he was making was that this kind of DEI/affirmative action has the effect of undercutting blacks who are qualified, by giving people a reason to question whether they earned their position or were just given it on the basis of their skin color. Black economics professor Thomas Sowell made a similar point, on the Uncommon Knowledge podcast about how his students treated him:

“I received more automatic respect when I first began teaching in 1962 as an inexperienced young man with no PhD and few publications than I did later in the 1970s after accumulating a more substantial record. What happened in between was affirmative action hiring of minority faculty.”

"I think it's worth it. I think it's worth it to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the 2nd Amendment to protect our other God-given rights."

Longer and shorter wersions of this quote circulated again after Kirk was killed by a gun-wielding assassin. While Kirk’s enemies were sharing it gleefully, the quote was blunt enough to shock Kirk-appreciating Christians. Why would he say something like that? How can any gun deaths be “worth it”?

In this case, the quote was entirely accurate, but in need of context. As Christians we know life is to be revered as a precious gift from God. But we live in a broken world in which death is an ever-present enemy – everything we do comes with risks of injury, and even death. The example Kirk used was that: “Driving comes with a price. 50,000 people die on the road every year.” Do we think that’s “worth it”? We could cut down on those deaths entirely by banning cars. But, of course, that comes with a cost too, in all the freedoms that come with driving, like a broader range of places you can live, or work, or people you can visit, foods you can eat, and entertainment you can enjoy. All of that would be severely curtailed. And, there would come a cost in lives too, in that without ambulances, some wouldn’t get to the hospital in time.

We can agree or disagree with Kirk on whether the 2nd Amendment is worth the price being paid, but we should acknowledge his larger point. The Left will deny or ignore it, but life always involves tradeoffs, and freedoms always come with risks.

Photo of Charlie Kirk during his 2024 “You’re Being Brainwashed” university tour.
Picture is adapted from one by Gage Skidmore and used under a CC BY-SA 2.0 license.



News

Saturday Selections – Oct. 11, 2025

Ray Comfort does a stint at a Turning Point USA event

Since Charlie Kirk's murder, his organization has been filling his shoes with quite a variety of stand-ins. His podcast has featured the vice president of the United States, J.D. Vance, guest hosting, followed by the DailyWire crew of Orthodox Jew Ben Shapiro, and Roman Catholics Michael Knowles and Matt Walsh. Then, this past week, Mormon Glenn Beck took a turn too.

Kirk's organization Turning Point USA continues to do events on university campuses too, and at at least one event, God's gospel was clearly heard... and not just on campus but in Fox News coverage afterwards. Network television! It's just fun to see God making that happen!

What is K-Pop Demon Hunters? A primer for parents

It's the latest "thing" – one of those cultural happenings that all the kids are talking about. Here's a quick primer on the Netflix film. It's hardly family-time viewing, but depending on how many of your kids' classmates have already seen it, it's worth considering if you might want to watch it together so you can discuss it with your own crew.

A woman has been appointed as the Archbishop of Canterbury

In as far as the Church of England has a head, it would be the Archbishop of Canterbury, and now, for the first time in 1,400 years, that is a woman. In addition, Sarah Mullally is pro-choice, and doesn't seem willing to call homosexuality sin.

The good news? There are many conservative Bible-believing Christians still in the Anglican Church, especially in Africa, but all over the world. They have found ways to insulate themselves from their denomination's liberal trends, while still remaining a part of it. But when your denomination calls evil good, blessing same-sex unions and countenancing the murder of the unborn, should you want to still be associated with it? Of course, the reason these Christians have stayed is in the hope they could still reverse the course.  But if they were unsure before of whether they should stay or go, that their is denomination is now being led by a usurper – Mullay has long been one, taking on church leadership roles God hasn't allowed for women – might grant them now the clarity they've needed to know there is a time to go.

When the fallible, the over-confident, and the liars tell us to  "trust the science"

"Because of disillusionment with the COVID-19 vaccines, more people are refusing to have themselves and their children inoculated with other vaccines, which over a long period of time have proven to be safer and more effective than the COVID-19 vaccines.

"This has led to an increase in preventable diseases such as measles, chickenpox, and polio. Rather than criticize such people as ignorant and foolish, governments and public health authorities should perhaps take a long look in the mirror to see what role they have played in this undermining of trust in the public health system."

The sad state of Evangelical theology in 2025 

This was a survey of folks who actually say the Bible is their highest authority. Two examples:

  • 64% believe that “Everyone is born innocent in the eyes of God.”
  • 53% agree that “Everyone sins a little, but most people are good by nature.”

Conspiracy or gossip?

Candace Owens is not well known in Canada, so why bother sharing a warning against her conspiratorial videos? Well, because she isn't the only one sharing gossip. Aren't our social media pages full of it?

The video below spreads a rather harsh assessment of Owens, so isn't it gossip too? That's a good question, and raises another: how can we tell what's gossip and what isn't? Well, if we spread a bad report about someone, it's gossip unless:

  1. It's true. This isn't a matter of you sincerely believing it is true – Owens certainly seems sincere, but that doesn't lessen the damage she is doing. If you are besmirching someone's reputation, you need to have grounds. You should have the "receipts."
  2. It needs to said (Eph. 4:29). Truth isn't reason enough to share a bad report. Everyone doesn't need to know that so and so was caught up in pornography once, or that this couple had a rough spot in their marriage years ago. In Prov. 20:19 we read, "A gossip betrays a confidence so avoid anyone who talk too much." You can gossip in spreading truth that doesn't need to be spread.

Can you prove it, and does it need to be said? Two good questions to ask before sharing the latest report, even if it is about folks you just know are bad guys. That you're slandering Justin Trudeau or Mark Carney doesn't make your slander any less of a sin. What it does do, in the eyes of any non-Christians who might be watching, is discredit your Christian witness. That doesn't mean keeping quiet about the monstrous evils these two have pushed (abortion, euthanasia, transgender mutilation, and more). It does mean, stick to the facts – these important facts. God wants us to stop gossiping!


Today's Devotional

October 16 - A model of good works

“Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching, show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.” - Titus 2:7-8

Scripture reading:1 Peter 2:1-11; Titus 2:1-10

If sound doctrine should show in soundness of living, certainly that would >

Today's Manna Podcast

Manna Podcast banner: Manna Daily Scripture Meditations and open Bible with jar logo

Salvation for sinners

Serving #997 of Manna, prepared by Wes Bredenhof, is called "Salvation for sinners" and is based on Luke 19:1-10.















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In a Nutshell

Tidbits – July 2025

Roses are red… They come in red, Also yellow. For the right gal, Risk red, fellow. Deep thoughts from Cookie Monster “It weird that we cook bacon, and bake cookies.” “Cookie dough is the sushi of desserts.” “Surely if tomato is fruit, that make ketchup a jam.” “What was the best thing before sliced bread?” Caterpillars are crazy cool The wonder of how caterpillars become butterflies is so mysterious that in 2009 zoologist Donald Williamson suggested, in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, that butterflies and caterpillars were, basically, two different organisms that at some point in their evolution accidentally mated. His theory was ridiculed by others, and the same journal published a rebuttal soon afterwards, but it highlights just how wonderfully weird caterpillar/butterflies are – evolutionists are left grasping at straws to explain them. When a caterpillar undergoes metamorphosis, the caterpillar parts of its DNA are described as being “turned off” and the butterfly parts are then turned on – it undergoes a complete remodeling. In fact, if a caterpillar were to lose a leg, it would have no impact on how many legs it would then have in butterfly form. There are two complete and utterly different bodies, wrapped up in one amazing creature. Our God is amazing…and fun! Source: Ted Olsen’s “Are Butterflies a New Creation” posted to ChristianityToday.com on Feb 19, 2014 Facing insults I When Jesus told us to turn the other cheek in the face of personal attacks (Matt. 5:39) He gave us a very powerful witnessing method. One of the most effective ways to respond to ad hominum attacks (or in plain English – insults) is to simply absorb the insult. Don’t get angry, don’t strike back, just absorb it and go on. This approach can be incredibly effective. For example when Roseanne Barr, the infamous comedian, stated that pro-lifers were all a bunch of perverted old men who just wanted to force women to get pregnant so they could molest their kids, the proper response was not indignant rage (although that is an understandable response). As pro-life speaker Scott Klusendorf demonstrated, the proper response is to absorb the insult and get back to the main point: “Yes Roseanne, the pro-life movement is just a bunch of perverted old men – even all the pro-life women – and all we want to do is molest your kids…but what does that have to do with whether or not the unborn are human?” Someone might call Christians stupid. Turn the other cheek, absorb the insult, and respond: “Maybe I am stupid…but can you show me why I’m wrong?” Insulting you is simply a way for unbelievers to avoid dealing with the rather uncomfortable truth you are confronting them with. So let them denigrate you, and keep the focus on the truth. Best dad joke ever? When does a joke become a dad joke? When the punchline becomes apparent. There’s something about the beat About a dozen years ago, around 2012 or 2013, I went through the year’s top 100 songs with a group of college-age young people. Someone had excerpted clips from each hit and then strung them all together, and the challenge I pitched the group was to identify how many songs were clearly attacking God’s truth, and how many weren’t. Each clip was only something like 10 or at most 20 seconds long. Yet in just that blink of time, of the first 10 songs we heard, something like 8 were clearly wicked, I think one might have been an instrumental, and one was okay… at least for the ten seconds we heard. At least 8 out of 10 were simply evil. What is it about Pop/Rock that has it trending in this direction? And lest you think that’s a recent turn, Jamie Soles shared on his blog (jamiesoles.substack.com) that the top 10 nearly a half century ago weren’t any better. “1979 was a bad year for the Canadian and American public. The number one song, the song they loved the most, was a guy lusting after an underage girl (My Sharona – The Knack); the number two song was celebrating prostitution (Bad Girls – Donna Summer), number three was a mindless dance song (Le Freak – Chic), the number four song was Rod Stewart hitting on everybody (Do You Think I’m Sexy?), and Gloria Gainor got dumped by some guy in the number six song, and she is ANGRY about it (I Will Survive). In number seven, Donna Summer is back, declaring how she will sleep with any man who is warm (Hot Stuff), and in song number ten the girly-voiced Robert John is sending his illicit lover out the back door while his wife is coming in the front, all the while encouraging her to remember with fondness the good times they had (Sad Eyes).” Might it be better now? If you run your own experiment with this year’s hits, I’d love to hear about your results. How do you witness to a Jehovah's Witness? In one of his many YouTube videos, Ray Comfort highlights a simple, biblical way to confront the JW at your door about their belief in salvation by works. He asks them what he could do to be saved if "there's a knife in my back." Can they tell him how he could enter the Kingdom of Heaven if he had just three minutes left to live? Their answer? There is nothing to be done, because he doesn't have time left to do the good works necessary. So Comfort then asks: "What about the thief on the cross? He was dying; he got saved. He just turned to Jesus. He couldn't go anywhere. And he was saved by God's grace, and that's how you and I can be saved. It's not by works of righteousness that we do - how can we earn everlasting life? It's a free gift of God." Roses are red II Violets are blue So we are told Are they lonely Or simply cold? Adam’s rib Since Eve was created out of Adam’s rib there is a popular but erroneous misconception that men today have one less rib than women. Interestingly, even Adam might not have been short a rib: this bone, if carefully removed leaving the surrounding periosteum membrane intact, can grow back. Facing insults II Another very effective way of responding to insults is to ask for a definition. “Umm… you just called me a homophobe – I’m not quite sure what you mean by that. Could you explain?” “It means you’re scared of homosexuals!” “But I’m standing right here talking to you. Do I seem scared of you? If that’s the proper definition it doesn’t seem to apply to me, does it?” “Well, then you’re an intolerant bigot!” “I’m sorry, but I’m confused again. Could you explain what you mean by ‘intolerant’?” “It means you hate anyone different than you.” “Well, I do disagree with you but I hope I’m not coming off angry or hateful. Is disagreement the same thing as hate? Because if it is, well, then since you disagree with me, you must be hateful, and consequently an intolerant bigot as well. Is that right?” Newspaper finds Some headlines and newspaper ads from years past... Catnapper prowling community, owners fear Gambling alone won’t draw crowds ’83 Toyota hunchback - $2000 Lawyer says client is not that guilty Grocery stalker wanted Free puppies: ½ cocker spaniel – ½ sneaky neighbor dog So good someone should have said them Some of the very best quotes may never have been said. Or, at least, not by the folks they are linked to. For example, Luther, when asked to recant his writings, declined, and is said to have told the Emperor, “Here I stand. I can do no other.” While the sentiment is certainly Luther’s, whether this verbiage came from his lips is up for debate. What follows are quotes whose origins are disputed, but whose awesomeness is certain. “Comparison is the thief of Joy.” – attributed, but disputed, to Theodore Roosevelt “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.” – attributed to Dietrich Bonhoeffer, but seemingly never sourced “If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on all the battlefield besides is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point.”  – commonly attributed to Martin Luther, it is by Elizabeth Rundle Charles, in her novel The Chronicles of the Schonberg-Cotta Family “You don’t have a soul. You are a soul; you have a body.” – attributed to C.S. Lewis, but seemingly not found in his writings “When people stop believing in God, they don’t believe in nothing – they believe in anything.” – attributed to G.K. Chesterton, but likely originating as a summary of his thoughts by biographer Emile Cammaerts Roses are red III If you believe Violets are blue, What color are Oranges to you?...