Category: Culture

13-48 It’s Christmastime! Dating, Origins, History, and Biblical Accounts

13-48 It’s Christmastime! Dating, Origins, History, and Biblical Accounts

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Show 13-48 Summary: Christmastime is that time of year when you run into the Christmas downers who try to convince you “real Christians” shouldn’t celebrate Christmas because it has “pagan origins.” You doubtless see them popping up on social media and among your circle of friends. And they will arrogantly scoff at anyone who doesn’t echo their dismissive Christmas attitude. The modern-day Christmas downer is a lot like the downer Puritans before them: if they don’t approve it, then it’s just not Christian. For much of American history, the Puritans and other protestant offshoots banned Christmas celebrations — especially merrymaking. This week, find out why you shouldn’t let them steal your Christmas joy. We talk with Pastor Richard Peil about the origins and history of Christmas celebrations, its potential dating, and some exciting insights into the two Biblical accounts of the Nativity story.

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Original Air Dates: December 2nd & 3rd, 2023 | Guest: Pastor Richard Peil

This Week – It’s Christmastime!

For most people, Christmastime is a joyous time. Filled with traditions, family, joy, and memories and nostalgia about Christmases past. But not for everyone. Some are committed to being the Christmas downer. Why? Because they’ve gotten it in their head that Christmas has pagan origins. That it was originally a pagan holiday that the early Church co-opted Saturnalia. Or other pagan holidays. So they spend what should be a joyous time of year dragging others down and, Grinch-like, attempting to steal others’ joy and Christmas spirit.

Don’t let them.

And when they’re not pushing the Saturnalia angle, they’ll point out similarities between the Mithra religion. Yes, there are alleged similarities. But you know who’s the greatest imitator of God and what is holy? Satan. (Funny how they forget that.) They’ll say we don’t know when Jesus was born. And that’s largely true. And they’ll also say whenever he was born it was not on December 25th, in 1 A.D. Yes, that’s possible. After all, if your focus is to pick a day that something didn’t happen, you’ve got a 364 out 365 chance of being right.

Calendars and the Dating of Christmas Day

Over the millennia, calendars and dates have been tweaked and revised and reordered to an extent that it’s hard to say which day might have been the true Christmas Day. And it’s a moving date. At one time, most scholars thought Jesus was born in 4 B.C. based largely on Josephus. But better information came to light, including a better dating for the eclipse Josephus mentioned. And, drawing on other historical sources, it’s now reliably likely that Jesus was born in  2 B.C.

But which day of the year?

Well, here’s the thing: no one knows. But it’s not the date that’s important – it’s what happened that’s important. Regardless of the day of the year. That the war against Satan had started and his time holding power over this world was coming to an end. And, as with any life, it’s not “just” that you’re born but what you do with that life. The date it started doesn’t matter in the greater scheme of things.

Origins of Christmas

We welcome back Pastor Richard Peil who leads Victory Baptist Church in Bend, Oregon, to talk about Christmas, its early church origins and beliefs. In the early days of Christianity, which had many Jewish converts and followed Jewish heritage, most people did not celebrate birthdays at all. Instead, they celebrated the day when someone died. Which is rather odd from our modern standpoint. But tune in to hear other traditions and about two competing theories of why the early church thought Jesus was conceived on March 25th. And therefore must have been born on December 25th.

We also talk about Christmas time celebrations during America’s early days. Or not. Because in some colonies and states, not only was Christmas definitely not celebrated but was even banned from being celebrated.

And then we talk about the two Nativity stories in the Bible, from Matthew and Luke. Which tell the story of Jesus’s birth from two different viewpoints. And intended for two different audiences. Why does Matthew focus on the arrival of the Magi and Luke ignores it? Why does Luke focus on John the Baptist and the shepherds? And why does Matthew ignore those?

Watch the fascinating “Star of Bethlehem” 2007 documentary by Rick Larson
Try this link if you have Amazon Prime Video

Speaking of Magi, you’ll hear what some sources think their arrival was really like. And with some historical context, you’ll never think of the “Three Wise Men” the same ever again.

Christmastime Traditions and Today

Then we wrap up with some important discussions of Christmas in today’s day and age. Should Christians even celebrate? If so, why? What do non-believers need to see and to hear during Christmastime? And the same for Christians? What traditions does Pastor Peil’s family and church family celebrate and are important to them?

So when you run into the Christmas downer, spewing their Christmastime hate, remind them the date is not important. The Joy of Christmas is found in what happened that day, not the day on which it happened.

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Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info

Pastor Peil’s church is Victory Baptist Church. Their website is victoryforyou.church

The Problems Dating of Christmas

  • From Chuck Missler: When Was Jesus Born? (Koinonia House, Dec 1, 2020)
    • “We know that the flocks were in an open field (Luke 2:8). That means it was not after October, because it would have been too cold.”
    • 24 priestly courses
  • Jewish Calendar, 3BC and 2BC
  • Origins of April Fools Day (History.com)
    • “April Fools’ Day dates back to 1582, when France switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar, as called for by the Council of Trent in 1563. …In the Julian Calendar, as in the Hindu calendar, the new year began with the spring equinox around April 1.”
  • Roman calendar (via Fandom)
  • The Essenes Calendar (Bible Prophecy Information, via Rev210.net)
    • The Essenes (who wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls) kept the traditional Jewish solar calendar, not the Pharisees’ lunar calendar
    • See our previous show with Dr. Ken Johnson for a fascinating look at the Essenes — the ancient Jewish sect, including their calendar-based prophecies of Jesus’s arrival and completion of his mission as The Messiah.
  • The First Recorded Celebration of Christmas (Christianity Today, Oct 23, 2020)
    • “In an old list of Roman bishops, compiled in A.D. 354 these words appear for A.D. 336: ‘25 Dec.: natus Christus in Betleem Judeae.’ Or, ‘December 25th, Christ born in Bethlehem, Judea.’ This… is the first recorded celebration of Christmas.”
  • Historians beware! Interesting discussion on Julian/Gregorian Calendars (University of Nottingham)
    • The Julian Calendar was the system of dating followed from 46BC onwards. It established a 365-¼ year. Except it was 11 minutes too long.
    • In 1582, the Gregorian calendar corrected the over-correction by eliminating ten days and adjusting leap years. But took nearly 400 years to be universally adopted!

The Magi, Other Christmastime

  • History of the Magi (Chuck Missler, December 1, 2021)
  • The fascinating “Star of Bethlehem” 2007 documentary by Rick Larson
  • The Origins of our Christmas Traditions (KHouse.org, Seasonal Favorites, Dec 2004)
    • “The first recorded mention of December 25th is in the Calendar of Philocalus (A.D. 354).”
  • The History of Christmas: Is It Pagan? (Koinonia House, Dec 13, 2011)
    • “Tertullian (AD 160-220), the early Church writer, noticed that the pagan religion [of Mithra] utilized baptism as well as bread and wine consecrated by priests. He considered Mithraism to have been inspired by the devil, who wanted to mock Christians and lead others to hell.”
  • John 1:14: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.” The Greek word there for “dwelt” is  σκηνόω (pronounced, “skay-NAH-oh”) which means to tent or to encamp; which is why some translations use “tabernacled among us” instead of “dwelt among us.” See this link to Strong’s Concordance for more on σκηνόω.
  • What the Bible says about Feast of Tabernacles (BibleTools.org, No Date)
    • Required 189 animal sacrifices be made at the Feast of Tabernacles alone—more than all the other holy days combined.
  • Early Christmas (Britannica.com)
    • “During the first two centuries of Christianity there was strong opposition to recognizing birthdays of martyrs or, for that matter, of Jesus.”
  • The Christmas Story – Part 2 – Chuck Missler (Koinonia House, YouTube Channel, Dec 25, 2019)

 

 

13-47 (Best of) 13-36 Activating the Church and Christian Engagement

13-47 (Best of) 13-36 Activating the Church and Christian Engagement

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Show 13-47 Summary: This week, the I Spy Family was off for Thanksgiving. (It’s remarkably hard to get guests this week, as you might imagine.) In anticipation of next week’s show, we are re-airing our interview with Pastor Richard Peil.

All of the links mentioned during the show can be found on 13-36’s show page. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving and we’ll see you next week.

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Original Air Dates: September 9th & 10th, 2023 | Guest: Pastor Richard Peil

 

13-39 Marxism in America | Cultural Marxism in our Schools and Spending

13-39 Marxism in America | Cultural Marxism in our Schools and Spending

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Show 13-39 Summary: Thanks to Joe Biden and the party formerly known as “democrats,” Marxism in America is on the rise. In our economy and in our society. We see it in our schools, as states push woke ideology on our children. And now, Marxism is a a core part of teacher hiring practices. We see it in government regulation. And a key element of Marxism is to break a country so it can be refashioned into a socialist utopia. Except they don’t exist and have never existed. But with our out-of-control government spending, we’re about to go broke.

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Original Air Dates: September 30th & October 1st, 2023 | Guests: James Hirsen and Joe Penland, Sr.

This Week – Cultural Marxism

In the wake of World War 1 and the disaster of Russia’s Marxist revolution, which left millions of dead Russians, Marxists the world over began to realize Marx focused too much on economics and not enough on culture. So they began infusing Marxism into culture, like how it was “greedy” to be successful. Or that the family unit needed to be attacked and torn down. So people would turn to the State as their family. And on and on it went. Until we arrive at today’s situation. Where Marxism in America is everywhere, even if you don’t know it.

But cultural Marxism isn’t just in Hollywood films and classrooms. Now it’s a hiring criteria for teachers. We check in with best-selling author, James Hirsen, about yet another new Marxist attack on our country: “Cultural Marxism Being Used in Teacher Hiring.”

That’s the title of James’s terrific new article—among many others. Check out all of his brilliant and insightful commentary on his website, JamesHirsen.com.

Marxism in Our Government

Thanks to FDR, who flooded the federal government with socialists, and to Harry Truman, who flooded the federal government with National Socialists (a.k.a., “Nazis”), our federal government — wait for it — is flooded with Marxists. Socialists, communists, and full-blown Marxists.

As a result, the conversion of our one-time-American government to Marxism is nearly complete. And we’re quickly speeding down the tracks to the last stop on the line.

Marxism in America isn’t always hidden. Sometimes, it’s right in our faces. Like our spending on socialized giveaways.

Our federal government has been spending trillions outside of its budget. Whenever you spend more than you budgeted, you have a deficit. And we’ve been spending about 20-30% beyond our budget every year for decades. Our national debt, which stands at $33 trillion (and growing fast), is the accumulation of all those years of spending more than our income.

We welcome first-time guest Joe Penland Sr., a successful businessman who also has over 26 years of banking experience. For the last year, he has been trying to wake Americans up to the tipping point of debt we are fast approaching.

All that debt and for what? When a business borrows, it’s typically to buy land or equipment. Hard assets. Which they will then use to generate more money. Effectively, they are borrowing the means to pay off the money they are borrowing. Not so with government. We are giving money away and getting no assets in exchange for those giveaways. (Unless you consider votes for more giveaways to be an asset.)

We talk to Joe about the hard decisions ahead.

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Show Notes: Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info

Joe Penland’s Segments

Related Marxism in America Info

  • The Deep State Behind the Deep State (Liberty Sentinel, Sept 26, 2023)
  • Marxism hates the family structure. Check out this article: “AI girlfriends are ruining an entire generation of men” (The Hill, Sept 26, 2023)
    • It’s the statistics here that are so troubling: “America desperately needs people to have more babies, but all the signs are pointing toward fewer relationships, fewer marriages and fewer babies. There have been 600,000 fewer births in 2023 in the U.S. relative to 15 years ago. The number of children per woman has decreased by more than 50 percent in the last 60 years.”
    • “In 1940, there were 42 workers per beneficiary of Social Security. Today, there are only 2.8 workers per beneficiary, and that number is getting smaller.”

 

 

13-38 Get Educated – School Choice, Woke in Corporate Boardrooms

13-38 Get Educated – School Choice, Woke in Corporate Boardrooms

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Show 13-38 Summary: This week, it’s about getting an education – and pushing back on the woke society is pushing on us. In our school systems and pushing back on woke corporations, like Disney, that think they know better about what society needs than what we Americans think. But what happens in those board rooms? And just how much power do activist shareholders have — who want to make a company go woke or, conversely, stop a company going woke? We also catch up with the effort to get real school choice on the ballot here in Oregon. And how a terrible personal accident has reignited the effort.

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Original Air Dates: September 23rd & 24th, 2023 | Guests: Donna Kreitzberg and Scott Shepard

This Week – Get Educated on Woke

This week, we are talking about woke in the corporate boardroom. And its negative impact on a corporation’s share prices and profits. So why do they do it? And when it comes to going woke even when it hurts shareholders, there is no better example of Bob Iger’s transformation of Disney and marching to the Left’s ideology. And did he set up his hand-picked successor, Bob Chapek — only to swoop in and clean up the mess he himself left?

But first, we talk about real school choice. We catch up with Donna Kreitzberg to hear how things are going to get real school choice on the ballot for Oregon’s 2024 general election. Education Freedom for Oregon just came through their summer events. So how did they do? How far along are they in their petition drive?

Have you signed one yet? Head to this link to download a signature form — then print it, sign it, and and mail it back.

We also wanted to talk to Donna because she recently had a horrible accident, that required her to be life-flighted out of the Montana wilderness. Hear how this personal tragedy has reignited her passion to get this on the ballot and to help kids get out from schools where they feel trapped.

And did you know real school choice will not only help kids trapped in bad schools but it can help free teachers too. Tune in to find out how.

Get Educated: On Woke Corporations and their Boardrooms

The Supreme Court recently overturned affirmative action as a gate for higher education. But what impact with that ruling have on woke corporations and their DEI initiatives? DEI being “diversity, equity, and inclusion.” DEI also being Leftist codespeak for, “exclude people who don’t share our political ideology.”

Yes, Bud Light gets the attention when it comes to “go woke, go broke.” But Disney is the true leader when it comes to going woke. Think about it. Did Bud Light ever have the pro-family, pro-America reputation that Disney once had. And Disney is now actively pushing a woke, transgender ideology at kids. Bud Light isn’t exactly pushing their products at kids.

Woke for thee but not for me. Disney reports DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusiveness for its employees but not its own board members or executives
Disney’s DEI for employees—but not the board? (click image for full size). Source.

We talk with Scott Shepard, the director of the Free Enterprise Project, which is the original and premier opponent of the woke takeover of American corporate life. Disney is back in the news as its revenues continue to crater, losing money on woke, box office flops, and bleeding Disney+ subscribers. And even at its parks, its one source of profits, attendance is down.

Could it be because they’re pushing transgender at kids even at their parks? Nah! Couldn’t be that!

We also talk with Scott about a broader view of corporations and their boardrooms. If, say, an activist shareholder wanted to take a corporate woke, could they? Just how much power do they have? Or what if a shareholder wanted to protect a pro-America company from an activist board?

You never knew corporations and free enterprise could be so interesting and entertaining.

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Trapped under a heavy object? Missed the show? Don’t worry—catch the podcast version. I Spy Radio is now available on your favorite platform, or you can grab it right here. See the full list of podcast options.

Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info

Donna Kreitzberg’s Segments (1–3)

Scott Shepard Segments (4–6)

Articles from National Center and the Free Enterprise Project
Disney’s Corporate Wokeness
Bob Iger: Determined to Take Disney to Ideological Ruin
  • Disney CEO Bob Iger: Marvel Diluted Audience’s Focus and Attention by Making So Many Disney+ TV Shows (Variety, excerpt via Slashdot.ord, July 17, 2023)
  • Bob Iger Reveals His Master Plan to Restore the Magic at Disney (Bloomberg, Feb 9, 2023)
  • Bob Iger Isn’t Having Much Fun: Eight months after returning as Disney’s CEO, he is straining to put out fire after fire, including streaming losses, an activist investor and TV woes (WSJ, July 14, 2023)
  • Is Bob Iger screwed up at Disney because of woke content, the removal of Disney+ content, and the possible sale of Lucasfilm? (David Mullich, via Reddit, June 15, 2023)
  • Politicization of Disney Gives Bob Iger Path to White House (Real Clear Politics, May 14, 2022)
    • Iger is (or was) considering a run for the presidency.
  • Bob Iger Lambasted For CNBC Comments About Strike: “He Came Out Of Retirement To Make $54 Million In Two Years And Says This” (Deadline, July 13, 2023)
    • One tweet: “Hollywood writers, on average, are paid $69,510 a year. Bob Iger is paid $74,175 a DAY.”
  • Disney Is in a Death Spiral and I Don’t See Bob Iger Reversing It (The Street, July 14, 2023)
    • A marked decline in attendance for Summer 2023 at Disney World and Disneyland
    • “According to boxofficemojo.com, Disney only has three of the top 10 grossing films thus far in 2023.”
Related
13-36 Activating the Church and Christian Engagement

13-36 Activating the Church and Christian Engagement

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Show 13-36 Summary: We welcome back Pastor Richard Peil from Victory Baptist Church in Bend, Oregon. Last time we’d talked about getting Christians involved in society and especially politics. This continues that discussion, taking a look at the societal pressures for churches and Christians to conform to a woke society, not the other way around. The media reports are the Church of England and the Catholic Church — at the urging of the Pope no less — are bowing the knee to woke. Except that’s not the whole story. Plus, there are strong and fascinating evidences for a Creator from a surprising source you won’t want to miss.

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Original Air Dates: September 9th & 10th, 2023 | Guest: Pastor Richard Peil

This Week – Activating the Church and Christian Engagement

A few months ago, we interviewed Pastor Richard Peil out of Bend, Oregon, who’d come to our attention when he led a group of two dozen pastors to Salem to speak against the onerous HB2002, which was filled with far-left ideology. We wanted to talk to him about activating the Church and how to get Christians out of their pews and into the streets.

This week is largely a continuation of that discussion. We also talk about the state of the church — including attempts to secularize the Church of England and the Catholic Church. And attacks already here in the U.S. But it also includes scientific evidence that points to a Creator. Strongly so. And if there is a Creator — what then?

Don’t have a home church? You can live-stream Pastor Peil’s church, Victory Baptist Church in Bend, OR

The last couple weeks’ news has been filled with reports of how churches, protestant and catholic, and even the Pope have determined that churches are ”backwards” and out of step with modern civilization. The emphasis is, at least we’re being told, church goers want more of a woke approach to Christian teachings rather than true Biblical instruction. But while the media might want that to be true, there’s more to the story.

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Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info

Scientific Evidence for a Creator

Articles Mentioned During the Show

Additional/Related

 

 

 

America needs its Faith Warriors. Time to Activate the Church
13-21 It’s Time to Activate the Church | Christian Soldiers for the Win

13-21 It’s Time to Activate the Church | Christian Soldiers for the Win

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Show 13-21 Summary: This week, we speak with Pastor Richard Peil out of Bend, Oregon. Pastor Peil is trying to wake up Christians to what is happening in politics and to motivate churches and Christians to get involved and stop hiding from society. America not only has a moral vacuum problem, the Left is filling that vacuum with secular state morals. As in dictated by the state. Some, like Oregon’s HB2002, mandating your beliefs are not allowed if it interferes with political ideology. It’s time to activate the church. But why do some pastors keep their churches silent? Even advocating they stay out of politics. Is that really what the Bible teaches?

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Original Air Dates: May 27, 2023 | Guest: Pastor Richard Peil

This Week – Activate the Church

Throughout history, when society loses its moral compass, the Church has stepped into the fray. From early Christians displacing Rome’s debauchery to Colonial times when Christian revivals paved the way to America’s founding. Christians and the Church have led the way on morals and societal ethics. So where is the Church now when America is under siege? Why so silent? Are Christians, and pastors, really going to sit out this fight for America’s soul? As the political Left assaults our children with every kind of immorality? Really?

It’s time to activate the church. And that means more than just prayer.

Where is the Church When America Needs Her?

This week, we talk with Pastor Richard Peil who leads the Victory Baptist Church in Bend. He came to our attention when he and two dozen other pastors spoke out against Oregon’s horrid HB2002 bill on the steps of the capitol. HB2002 would codify what is already being done via administrative rules dating back to Kitzhaber’s “Health Care Transformation.”

Yes. While people are shocked that HB2002 will allow girls as young as 8 to get abortions without parental knowledge or consent, long-time listeners of I Spy Radio know that has been going on for years. Kitzhaber’s Oregon Health Authority changed insurance and required disclosure from FERPA to HIPPA. Under FERPA, parents had to be told everything that was done to their child. (Remember when you were in school and you couldn’t even get an aspirin without your parents being consulted? That’s why.) But under HIPPA, state agencies and schools treat kids like they’re adults. Parents not only don’t have to be consulted. They have no right to know.

What is new is HB2002 wants to not only codify that into actual law — not just and administrative rule — Oregon democrats in the legislature want to be able to fine anyone who doesn’t agree with their ideologies and “morals.” Do democrats really think cutting parents out from a parent-child relationship is the right thing to do? The moral thing to do?

Apparently so. Like we said. Now is the time to activate the church!

Romans 13

Pastor Piel got politically activated when Oregon’s authoritarians and wannabe dictators tipped their hand during covid. As a pastor, he saw first hand what the state wanted to do. And how they felt they had all the rights and churches had none. Despite the First Amendment. He watched as pastors at some churches willingly obeyed the government without question. And now, some of those churches have closed permanently. That’s why he’s working hard now with other pastors to activate the church and get them involved. Before it’s too late.

But that experience led him to dive deeper into the Bible. Especially on the proper roles between the church and government. Some Christians and even pastors believe the church should submit to the government. And they cite Romans 13 as the source for that argument. But what does “be subject to” really mean?

Marxism in the Church? Yes!

Pastor Peil also spent 10 years in the Navy, working for naval intelligence, back during the Cold War. His job was to intercept and monitor Soviet communications. And he got to see up close and first hand the threats communism and Marxism pose to America.  Little did he know that experience would prepare him for the ministry. Or the current fight.

Why? Because he’s seen the influence of Marxists infiltrating churches and seminaries to destroy — or at least disable — the church from within. Because if they can hamstring the church, and replace Godly morality with secular immorality, America won’t be able to stand. The Founders knew that the Church was necessary for society. The government didn’t, and shouldn’t, set the moral tones of society. They always saw that as the church’s role.

And that’s why we need to activate the church. America needs its faith warriors.

Attention Christians! America needs you to get involved in politics. Now more than ever.

Things Christians can Do — Right Now

As mentioned during the show, here are three things you can do right now:

  1. Sign the petition to stop Oregon Department of Forestry’s disastrous plan to abandon forests for 70 years. It takes 30 seconds to do. Go to OregonStrongerTogether.com and sign! Why? It will take state forests offline from timber harvests, removing 10s of millions of dollars every year from beneficiaries that depend on those timber harvests. Where will the state make up that money? More taxes, more fees. And don’ think the Leftist democrats aren’t eyeing ways to tax churches.
  2. Download and sign the petition to get the school choice initiatives on the 2024 ballot. Give parents the option to take their child out of woke, anti-Christian, anti-American schools. Woke teachers can’t indoctrinate kids who aren’t there. Head to EducationFreedomforOregon.com. Note that because these are ballot initiatives, digital signatures are not allowed, and the petition sheet must be printed and mailed back. Hundreds of thousands of signatures are needed. You can even be a signature gatherer! See website for details.
  3. Contact your state representative and senator and tell them NO on HB2002. Don’t know who they are or need their contact info? That’s easy. Just go to this Oregon map, enter your address, and there you go. Start writing, stop being silent.

BONUS “to-do”: donate to both of those organizations! They are both raising funds for an advertising campaign. $25 or $50 or more will help them buy an ad, which in turn will be seen or heard by 1,000s of people!

Don’t wait. Act right now.

The I Spy Radio Show Podcast Version

Trapped under a heavy object? Missed the show? Don’t worry—catch the podcast version. I Spy Radio is now available on your favorite platform, or you can grab it right here. See the full list of podcast options.

Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info

  • Pastor Peil’s church is Victory Baptist in Bend, Oregon. Their website is VictoryforYou.church. (Live services are streamed if you don’t have a home church.)
  • Get involved! Don’t be silent! It’s easier than ever now to let your voice be heard on bad — and the occasionally good — legislation. Head to olis.oregonlegislature.gov, type the bill number into the search bar (upper right), and you can send in your testimony.
  • No, Romans 13 is not about obeying the governing authorities (Craig Greenfield, May 11, 2018)
    • Romans 13… [has been] used to make sure we are all being obedient citizens, which historically has led Christians into all KINDS of problems
  • Should Christians Always Submit to the Government? (Crossway.org, Apr 24, 2022)
    • “Governmental tyranny is a potential evil, but so is anarchy. “Subjection” means recognition of authority and compliance with it.
13-16 Advancing Freedom | Taking Sides in the War on the American Republic

13-16 Advancing Freedom | Taking Sides in the War on the American Republic

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Show 13-16 Summary: This week, it’s all about advancing freedom. We have two guests. One is Kevin Stark from Hillsdale College, talking about his book, War on the American Republic, and how the political Left has managed to seize power while convincing the Right to give up power. Plus, an inside look at prosecutors and DAs and attorneys general with Indiana’s former AG, Curtis Hill. But what brakes are there for rogue prosecutors like the Manhattan DA who indicted President Trump? If any. And a weird case of Nazism meets adoption. Right here in Oregon.

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Original Air Dates: Date, 2023 | Guests: Dr. Kevin Stark & Curtis Hill

This Week – It’s a War on the American Republic

War on the American Republic - how liberalism became despotismIt’s not just a title for Dr. Kevin Stark’s new book, War on the American Republic: How Liberalism Became Despotism. There really is a war on the American Republic. As we say so often here on I Spy Radio, the fight for freedom is an everyday fight.

Dr. Kevin Stark from Hillsdale College joins us this week to discuss the origins of this fight. And how the Left has gone from a political movement that embraced essential freedoms like individual rights and freedom of speech to one where they will lock you up if you speak up.

Don’t miss: You can take a free online course about the American Left, based on Dr. Stark’s book, from Hillsdale College

Weaponization of the Justice System

Speaking of war, there’s a war within our justice system. It’s been weaponized. We welcome Curtis Hill, the former attorney general for the state of Indiana. While there, he prioritized fighting corruption. If only rooting out corruption within the justice system was a priority of the justice system.

We ask about the structure and controls within the justice system. How it operates. What kinds of controls there are. Who oversees whom, and so forth. And what kind of brakes are there in the system to deal with prosecutors like Alvin Bragg? Who make political enemies their highest priority rather than actual criminals on the streets.

Are republicans and democrats treated differently? And is the way to fix the system is for republicans to treat democrats the way they treat republicans?

And we ask his opinion on a strange case in Oregon of a woman being denied an adoption because she was Christian. Yes. It’s Nazism in Far Left Oregon.

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Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info

Guest 1: Kevin Stark, Segments 1–3

Guest 2: Curtis Hill, Segments 4–6

 

 

Parents Rights in Education I Spy Radio Show Interview. What can parents do? What rights DO they have?
13-03 Are Parents an Endangered Species? — Parents Rights in Education

13-03 Are Parents an Endangered Species? — Parents Rights in Education

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Show 13-03 Summary: There is a constant attack on kids these days. Especially in our public schools. But what can parents actually do? What rights do they have? And how is the system finding ways to get around and even take away those rights? This week it’s all about parents rights in education. We talk with Suzanne Gallagher, the director of Parents Rights in Education, about the attacks on kids and the very real dangers parents face when they try to exercise their rights. And what parents can do if they suspect there are problems in their child’s school.

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Original Air Dates: January 21st & 22nd, 2023 | Guest: Suzanne Gallagher

This Week – Parents Rights in Education

You can’t be on social media these days and not see attacks on our kids in public schools. We’re not talking physical attacks. Although there are plenty of those too. We’re talking about adult teachers pushing adult issues on kids. Trying to recruit and indoctrinate and normalize their own sexual beliefs by pushing them on kids. It’s everywhere. Well, everywhere except the mainstream media, which seems to want to do all they can to hide it.

Although “the media” is more than giddy to attack parents who want to stop it. As is the federal government as Merrick Garland designated parents who stood up to the woke agenda, “domestic terrorists.”

Yet one more reason not to listen to the mainstream media. And instead listen to alternative, independent media. (Like I Spy Radio, of course. And if you can’t listen live, find it on your favorite podcast platform.)

Parents Rights are Under Attack

The Supreme Court of the United States has ruled repeatedly that parents are the highest authority and ultimate arbiter when it comes to their kids. And how they should be raised and what they should be taught. But parents rights are under attack more than ever. Especially if a parent dares to stand up, speak up, or stand against the woke agenda and ideology.

Tune in this week to hear just how bad things are. We know about teachers and even school counselors pushing sexual orientation, transgender, and more at kids. We talk real cases and examples of what parents are facing as some school administrators and teachers see their woke agenda having a higher priority than a parent’s rights to raise their children as they see fit. And some are threatened with having their kids taken away if they disagree.

We talk with Suzanne Gallagher, the director of Parents Rights in Education about the battlefield for children, who the main enemies are, and how we got here. And what parents can do to stand up and fight back.

Be sure to check out the tools and resources for parents in the Links & Additional Info Section below. And catch Suzanne’s Parents Rights in Education podcast to stay up to date and challenges facing parents to protect their kids

It’s been astounding to see how quickly the woke perverts in the classroom have exposed themselves. These are kids. Kids! That means not adults. Leave them alone. Focus on education. And when they become adults, they can deal with adult issues. Until then, just leave them alone.

Tune in and find out about your parents rights in education. And the resources you need if it comes to it.

And don’t hoard the information. Share this page and its links and info with the other parents in your life.

The I Spy Radio Show Podcast Version

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Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info

  • Suzanne’s organization is Parents Rights in Education. Look for the resources at the top of the page. Federal law, state chapters, and how to deal with school boards.
  • If you suspect there are problems or already have them — be sure to contact them! They want to help and can guide you through the issues. Don’t feel overwhelmed. Feel empowered!
  • Parents Rights in Education also has a network of partners. If you need legal help, don’t wait.
  • Don’t need help now? Or maybe you’ve experienced these problems in your own life? And want to help other parents avoid them? Support the cause with a donation. Even just $12 a month would be awesome.
  • Concerned about parents rights? Especially parents rights in education? Follow along and stay up to date with the issues on Suzanne’s podcast
13-01 Shaking off Yesteryear & Hoping for Change in the New Year – 2023 Preview

13-01 Shaking off Yesteryear & Hoping for Change in the New Year – 2023 Preview

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Show 13-01 Summary: New Year’s is always a time of reflection and looking ahead. There were a lot of lowlights in 2022 but there were some really good outcomes. A few. Can they be enough to make 2023 better — at a time when many economists warn a big recession is coming in 2023? Bestselling author Scott McEwen and scientist Chuck Wiese give their 2023 preview: the new Republican congress, what can we realistically expect, and could 2023 be a year of more faith and revival?

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Original Air Dates: Date, 2023 | Guests:Scott McEwen and Chuck Wiese

This Week – 2022 Review, 2023 Preview

For our first show of our 13th year (wow!), we welcome back two of our favorite guests, Scott McEwen and Chuck Wiese. To take a look back at 2022 and to give us their 2023 preview.

And there were definitely a lot of “lowlights” in 2022. Among the biggest disappointments, if not the biggest disappointments was the midterm elections. While Republicans picked up seats, picked up voters (some 6 million more people voted Republican than in 2018), and picked up the House, there were a few key, critical races where Republicans failed. Most notably, in the Senate.

2023 – Off to a Rocky Start

We talk with Scott McEwen, the bestselling co-author of American Sniper, about the political side of 2023. The Republicans only just barely control the House and don’t even have a tie any more in the Senate. So what can they realistically get done? Will there be real investigations? Investigations that seek the truth, not invent it? Will the DOJ, FBI, CIA, and others be held responsible for interfering with the 2020 election? Or for blocking the Hunter Biden laptop scandal?

And what about all those revelations from the Twitter files? Covid, corruption, and outright censorship. We’re just getting started on those.

We also talk about the shocking collapse of Buffalo Bills’ safety Damar Hamlin on live TV on Monday Night football. Was it the vaccine? What were his teammates, who were also forced to get the vaccine thinking? And while Pfizer and the others have blanket immunity, does the NFL?

Then we talk with Chuck Wiese about the disappointing efforts to end election theft. We saw progress in a number of states but Pennsylvania and especially Arizona just blatantly cheated. Completely out in the open, not caring who noticed.

But we also speak with him about the passing of Pope Benedict XVI on New Year’s Eve. Chuck is a devout catholic  and we wanted to get his thoughts. Benedict XVI was a strong theologian who did not see a conflict between faith and reason and saw that today’s so-called “science” is attacking both. As a fierce global warming debunker, Chuck is very aware of the lack of objectivity in today’s science. And the more we learn about God’s creation, will more scientists find their way to faith?

Show Notes

Please note that at the time of our interviews, the vote for House Speaker and the Brunson case had not yet been settled. Congratulations to Kevin McCarthy but special congratulations to the Freedom Caucus on some huge concessions that may reform how business is done in the House. And we truly look forward to the Church-Committee-style investigations into the weaponization of the FBI and DOJ.

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Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info

Not Mentioned but Related

  • Elon Musk Reacts After “America First Legal” Uncovers Damning Evidence Revealing a Secret Twitter’s “Partner Support Portal” Used by Government to Censor Dissenting COVID-19 Viewpoints (Gateway Pundit, Dec 14, 2022)
  • Bombshells You Might Have Missed About the FBI’s Censorship and Election Meddling › American Greatness (American Greatness, Dec 12 2022)
  • Victor Davis Hanson: “10 Steps to Save America: Yes, there is a way. But is there the will?” (American Greatness,  Dec 18, 2022)
  • Dr. McCullough: “It Looks Like The mRNA Is Transferring From The Vaccinated To The Unvaccinated” (via Rumble, Dec 2022)
  • Doctor Censored on Twitter After COVID Lockdown Warnings Says ‘Unspecified Agents’ Behind Blacklisting (Epoch Times, Dec 16, 2022)
  • 11 Ominous Economic Predictions for 2023 (No Q Report, Jan 4, 2023)
  • How Green Investors Pay the Media to Promote ‘Climate Change’ (Front Page Magazine, Jan 5, 2023)
    • The Associated Press takes millions from groups leveraged in green investments to promote the need for green investments.

 

Republicans are the way out from the democrats dark vision for America
12-45 Closing Arguments: The Why of Voting Republican in 2022

12-45 Closing Arguments: The Why of Voting Republican in 2022

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Show Summary: The one thing we can thank covid for is that it revealed who elected democrats really are. And what they really want, what they really think of America, and what they really believe about our rights and liberty. We’ve seen their apocalyptic vision for America. But what about the Republicans? What would a Republican-led future look like? We take a look.

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Original Air Dates: November 5th & 6th, 2022 | Guests: Bruce Westerman, Alek Skarlatos, Ben Edtl, & Kim Rice

It’s Democrat Panic Time

Last week, we warned you that the Democrats—who have been trying to scare voters away from Republicans—would go full panic-mongering. And they did. A presidential historian appeared on MSNBC to warn the audience:

50 years from now, a historian — if historians are allowed to write in this country, and if there are still free publishing houses and a free press, which I’m not certain of — a historian will say, what was at stake tonight and this week was whether we will be a democracy in the future, whether our children will be arrested, and conceivably killed. We’re on the edge of a brutal authoritarian system. And it could be a week away.

Don’t believe that anyone could be that insane? Watch the clip for yourself.

Yes. There it is. The democrats’ panic mongering in all its glory: “If you vote for Republicans, your kids will be murdered and democracy will die.”

Wow.

This Week – Why Vote Republican in 2022

This week, why voting Republican in 2022 is the only sane choice. Thanks to covid and the last two years of full democrat control, we’ve had a real glimpse of the nightmare democrats envision for America. Total control of your life, your business. Even what you are allowed to say, think, or believe. And that’s not hyperbole. They wanted to take away your rights to speak up (like at school board meetings or on social media). They wanted to control what you could think or believe: if you didn’t believe their science, you should be punished and forced to take their jab or lose your job.

Covid Amnesty
Click for full size

The last two years has been like a living nightmare in America. More so for Oregonians. And let’s be clear about one thing. The destruction Democrats have wrought is not be accident. It was on purpose. Democrats cheered when Biden shut down the Keystone XL Pipeline. They cheered when they passed laws to push America to an expensive and unsustainable “green energy” future. They cheered when they seized dictator-like powers and flexed their authoritarian rule to shut down schools and businesses and churches. And they cheered when governments forced experimental vaccines on people or lose their jobs.

And now, of course, having been proven wrong at every level — from the economy to covid — now they want “amnesty.” They want us to forget they wished death on those who stood up for their rights and who refused to back down. Just forget all that and the hell you unleashed on people who wouldn’t obey you?

I don’t think so.

But what would things look like under a Republican-led future?

Sometimes, it’s hard to envision the unknown. Especially when democrats have done their best, for decades, to terrify Oregonians about Republicans.

Four Republican Candidates to Help You See a Sane Future

The last two years summed up. And now they want a covid amnesty?
The last two years summed up. (Click for full size)

We welcome four candidates to give their closing arguments. They share their experiences dealing with Democrat destruction, why they are fighting for a better future, and what a Republican-led future look like.

We start with Congress Bruce Westerman (AR-4), the only certified forester in all of Congress. Bruce was here in Oregon to visit and support fellow congressional candidate, Alek Skarlatos running in Oregon’s 4th Congressional District. We get his impressions of Oregon. Like what he thought of Oregon’s infamous homeless camps that have multiplied exponentially under democrat leadership.

Then we welcome back the man himself, Alek Skarlatos, to get insights into what he is hearing from his constituents. It turns out, even democrats are frustrated with democrats. On everything from crime to the economy to, yes, those infamous homeless camps. And he shares what he would do to improve the lives of Oregon’s 4th congressional, which is Oregon’s poorest district. Thanks, once again, to democrats.

To find out more visit Alek’s campaign website, which is AlekforOregon.com

Saving Oregon – Two Republican State Senate Candidates

Next, we welcome Ben Edtl, who is running for state senator in Oregon’s district 19. Ben was a successful entrepreneur and businessman in Portland — until he ran into democrat policies that destroyed his business.  Covid lockdowns and the summer of love as democrat activists (aka “Antifa”) combined was too much to stay open. Ben got death threats, his businesses vandalized and Portland’s democrat mayor stood by and did nothing. Other than to cheer on the destruction — and release those who did the crimes. After his businesses were destroyed, Ben formed the non-partisan Free Oregon, which sues government overreach to hold them accountable. Ben shares what he would be focused on — business and the economy — and how his experiences will shape a better business climate for Oregon.

To find out more, visit Ben’s campaign website, BenEdtl.com and his organization’s website, FreeOregon.us

Republicans: Save our Schools, Save our Kids

And then we welcome Kim Rice, a teacher who personally witnessed the havoc being unleashed on our schools. Kim is also running for state senate, in district 18. She was a teacher for 27 years until democrat policies forced her out. Tune in to hear how, unannounced but with the support of the school administration, a trans activist came into her kindergarten classroom. With no ability for her to say no or to stop this sexuality being pushed on her kindergartners. The final straw was the democrat policy to have control over her own body to say no to an experimental vaccine. She shares with us what a Republican-led legislature and governor should focus on for a brighter future for all Oregonians.

Kim also shares with us the danger of a democrat bill currently under consideration, HB 3088. As if the democrats haven’t pushed enough sex at Oregonians, now they want to legalized the sex trade.

For more information, visit Kim’s campaign site, KimRiceforOregon.com

The I Spy Radio Show Podcast Version

Trapped under a heavy object? Missed the show? Don’t worry—catch the podcast version. I Spy Radio is now available on your favorite platform, or you can grab it right here. See the full list of podcast options.

Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info

  • The democrats gerrymandered districts all over Oregon. Be sure to find your representatives using this Legislator Lookup tool from Oregon’s legislature.
  • The democrats actions never line up with their rhetoric. “Global warming. We need to reduce CO2 emissions.” Meanwhile, the forest fires in a single year wiped out 18 years of greenhouse gas emission reductions. California Wildfires Cancel-Out Two Decades Of Emissions Reductions (ZeroHedge, October 23, 2022)
  • Republicans expect gains in the Oregon Legislature (Jefferson Public Radio, Oct 31, 2022)
  • Joe Rogan Says Red Wave In Midterms Will Be Like The Elevator Scene In The Shining (American Lookout, Nov 2, 2022)