NewsWatch

The Pope, The Flood, And Global Warming

ICR.org, 3/18/21, “The Pope, the Flood, and Global Warming” Excerpts]: In a new book, Pope Francis warns that a “great flood” could result if civilization fails to stop global warming, and he draws an analogy between future sea level rise and Noah’s Flood. He writes, “The Bible says that the flood...is a figure of God’s wrath, who according to the Bible has seen too many bad things and decides to obliterate humanity.” His statement that the Flood is a figure of God’s wrath—rather than a demonstration of God’s wrath that took place in real history—suggests that he thinks the Genesis Flood is a myth. In this vein, he goes on to say, “The biblical flood, according to experts, is a mythical tale.... But myth is a form of knowledge.... The flood is a historical tale, archaeologists say, because they found traces of a flood in their excavations.”

The pope seems to be trying to have it both ways, deferring to secular experts who deny the historicity of Genesis while taking care not to explicitly deny the biblical account himself. However, such a delicate balancing act isn’t really possible, so...when push comes to shove, the pope gives more weight to so-called experts than to the Bible.

Conservative Catholics have long been exasperated with Pope Francis for statements and actions contrary to Scripture…. Even so, the statements are an excellent opportunity to inform people (including the pope!) that the Genesis Flood was a real, historical event. 

(https://bit.ly/2S6gL1n)

University Abruptly Suspends Diversity Classes

TheCollegeFox.com, 3/19/21, “University abruptly suspends diversity classes: ‘students have been humiliated and degraded’” [Excerpts]: Amid rumors of a video that shows a student being targeted during a diversity lesson at Boise State University, administrators have abruptly suspended all of the school’s general education classes called “University Foundations 200: Foundations of Ethics and Diversity.”

“We have been made aware of a series of concerns, culminating in allegations that a student or students have been humiliated and degraded in class on our campus for their beliefs and values,” states a March 16 memo from President Marlene Tromp to the campus community.

“This is never acceptable; it is not what Boise State stands for; and we will not tolerate this behavior,” Tromp stated. “…Given the weight of cumulative concerns, we have determined that, effective immediately, we must suspend UF 200.”

Tromp’s decision came around the same time as Idaho lawmakers [took] away about $409,000 from Boise State University because of its social justice curriculum, Idaho Ed News reports.

In a piece Idaho Freedom Foundation’s Anna Miller...asks: “How extensive is the social justice rot?”

“Our report on social justice ideology shows that Boise State is building a social justice university. This ideology asserts that all whites and especially males are oppressors, and that racial minorities are permanent victims,” Miller wrote.

(https://bit.ly/2RvMXv5)

To Squeeze Israel Within 1949 Armistice Lines

Jihadwatch.Org, 3/22/21, “The Biden Administration Will Push to Squeeze Israel within 1949 Armistice Lines” [Excerpts]: The Biden Administration intends to squeeze Israel back within the 1949 Armistice Lines. A report on this monumental folly [notes] “Internal Biden memo said to back 2-state solution along 1967 lines,” by Jacob Magid, Times of Israel, March 17, 2021:

The Biden administration will reportedly push for a two-state solution based on the pre-1967 lines, with mutually agreed-upon land swaps, reinstating US policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to more traditionally held positions than those of former president Donald Trump.

A memo titled “The US Palestinian Reset and the Path Forward,” which was revealed Wednesday to the Abu Dhabi-based The National, also showed that the Biden administration is planning on announcing a $15 million aid package in coronavirus-related humanitarian assistance for the Palestinians….

If the Biden Administration gives the Palestinians a $15-million aid package for coronavirus assistance—or gives the PA any aid package, for any purpose—it will be violating the Taylor Force Act, which forbids any American aid being given to the PA as long as its “Pay-For-Slay” program is in force.

(https://bit.ly/33SlhDh)