Some Christians wonder if boycotting businesses is really biblical

>> Jeff Chamblee: Some Christians wonder if boycotting businesses is really biblical, and that's a fair question. Ed Battagliano and MD Perkins address that subject in depth in the AFA Cultural Institute video Stewardship in the Power of the Boycott. They share the purpose of boycotts and show how they can impact the culture. We're giving that DVD to you free as our thanks for supporting AFA this month. Go to afa.net today for more details. Afa.net.

Today's Issues features a Christian response to the issues of the day

>> Jeff Chamblee: Welcome to today's issues. Join us for the next hour as we offer a Christian response to the issues of the day. Here's your host, Ed Battagliano.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And welcome to Today's Issues. It is Thursday, October 16th. Ed Battagliano sitting in for Tim Wildmon this week. He is scheduled to be back in the Captain's chair for Trivia Friday Friday tomorrow. So for all of our fans of Trivia Friday, do not worry. The king will be back on the throne. Maybe I should have said president, but, anyway, Fred Jackson joins me in studio. Good morning, Fred.

>> Fred Jackson: Good morning, Ed.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And Chris Woodward is in studio. Good morning to you, Chris.

>> Chris Woodward: Good morning.

>> Ed Vitagliano: by the way, folks, at 10:30, Dr. Alex McFarland will be joining us. So you want to stay tuned for that. And I do want to give thanks to a couple who has come to AFA AFR for a tour, Jimmy and Mary Anne, Flanagan. The Flanagans are here from Richmond, Virginia, and they brought, they came bearing gifts. Yes, Fred. They brought Chick Fil A for breakfast.

>> Fred Jackson: God's chicken.

>> Ed Vitagliano: God's chicken. So they were listening the other day. I'm not sure what show was, if it was Trivia Friday or one day this week or whenever. When we were talking about, Taco Bell, I think it was a Steve Jordal segment.

>> Fred Jackson: Uh-huh.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Where he said that Taco Bell had scored highest for fastest turnaround.

>> Fred Jackson: Right, Right.

>> Ed Vitagliano: But Chick Fil A scored highest for getting your order. Right.

>> Fred Jackson: They're good.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And the Flanagans were listening, and they brought us Chick Fil A. So we are appreciative to them for that.

>> Fred Jackson: Absolutely. Looking forward to it.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yep. Looking forward to it. During the break. we're not going to eat while the show is going on, but, you know, we could, we, we could just make, we could make Chris Woodward carry the load while we muted our mics and.

>> Chris Woodward: Happy to do it. Yeah, my pleasure.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Well played there. all right, Chris. Yes.

President Trump confirms CIA is conducting covert operations inside Venezuela

let's get started here with, the news of the day.

>> Chris Woodward: Well, we are in the process of getting some more Audio Bey what I have brought to the show today. So stick around because we plan on Lord willing, if the Lord. Terry's Ed.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.

>> Chris Woodward: to get into, Mamdani, I know everybody's dying to hear the, Democratic Socialist running for mayor of New York City on afr. And that's what I'm here for, is to bring in clips of what he had to say so we can analyze that and get our opinions out there to go with his. in the meantime, I'm going to begin with our top story in the AP section of afn.net, that is the website for American Family News. And the headline for this story is this. Trump confirms the CIA is conducting covert operations inside Venezuela. In the story you'll see that, Trump confirmed he has authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela. And he said he was weighing out land operations on the country. This, of course, has caused some concerns, that maybe we're going to get involved in conflicts that we didn't talk about or plan on being involved in just a few days ago. Certainly not when he was running for reelection.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, Fred, now we've talked about this. previously I've made mention of my, my nervousness about the fact that the US Military has conducted strikes on boats that are in international waters where our intelligence sources kind of guarantee that these are drug runners. I, don't think that using the military is the right tool for that, those kinds of operations. But now we have kind of an acceleration of what. I certainly applaud the President for wanting to keep Americans safe from fentanyl and other drugs that are killing, they kill thousands of Americans a year. but I am equally nervous about the possibility of overthrowing a, another government and us going to war with Venezuela. so let me just start with that. Toss it to you. I, I do recognize we probably have CIA, CIA activities in a lot of countries. Countries probably have their own intelligence operations in America. But I don't think the American people in 2024 voted for war, with Venezuela or anyone else at this point.

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah, I think if you frame this story has efforts to stop the fentanyl coming in from Venezuela, people would agree we need to stop that. I think what you're getting at is methodology. How do you do that? Now our Coast Guard is the primary force used to stop, vessels trying to get to our shores, be they hauling illegal immigrants.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.

>> Fred Jackson: Or cargo that we don't want in this country. In this case, fentanyl. The questions that are going to be asked from conservatives and of course, the left. but even some conservatives, some military people, is how far do you take this? And it appears the Trump administration is really hesitate to use the word, provoking Madura, the Venezuelan dictator. And that's what he is.

>> Ed Vitagliano: He is a dictator. He's a terrible man.

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah, he is. along with taking out those vessels in international waters, and there was another one this week, six people aboard this vessel screaming across, I guess, the Caribbean. And you see video every time this happens, Trump administration, Pentagon puts out the video.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.

>> Fred Jackson: so they hit these guys and they kill everybody on board. We also understand in the last 48 hours that the Trump administration has sent B52s from a base in Louisiana. They left around 2:30 yesterday morning. And, and they flew close to Venezuelan airspace. Yeah, that's. The Russians do that.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.

>> Fred Jackson: To our space in Alaska. So there's no question about the intent. It's a matter of intimidation. You're right. We have CIA operatives in many countries. you know, when it comes to Maduro, you remember the other day, the, the opposition leader there in Venezuela has been living in seclusion for at least the last year because she's afraid. She just won the Nobel Peace Prize.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.

>> Fred Jackson: And, she kind of handed it to President Trump the other day when that happened. Fox has been able to interview her. She's so scared for her life, which is an indication of where Maduro is with this many people say he didn't win the last election. basically he, intimidated the opposition not even to run credibly.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Like, like dictators do.

>> Fred Jackson: Like dictators do. So, Maduro, bad guy. How far should the United States go, to get rid of him remains, to be seen. And I think that's up for debate. And different people are going to fall in different areas on that. Yeah.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And listen, folks, for our listeners, I'm sure there's disagreement amongst our listeners. I haven't taken a poll inside this building. I'm sure there'd be disagreements about how far President Trump should go. And again, make no mistake, like you said, Fred, Maduro is. He is a dictator. He's antagonized Trump before. He sent, under the Biden administration, he emptied his prisons and sent criminals here, gang members here. this is a bad guy. I think it's clear President Trump wants regime change. I will even go so far as to say I think the Venezuelan people would celebrate.

>> Chris Woodward: Yeah, yeah.

>> Ed Vitagliano: The overthrow of this dictatorship. Venezuela used to be one of the richest countries in the world, and communism under Maduro has destroyed that economy, and it's now one of the poorest in Latin America. And so it is clear that it would be an awesome thing for Maduro to be gone. The question is, should the US Unilaterally decide to end the Maduro regime? And I'm not an expert. I just think you have to be very careful with overthrowing other governments and interfering in the, the cultures, and political regimes of other countries, because we don't like it when people do it with us. On the other hand, we can do it and get away with it because there aren't many countries that can mess with our military. So I guess we'll wait to see. I think the writing handwriting's on the wall for Maduro. I think he ought to be finding a place to land, because I think President Trump fully intends to, overthrow that regime and bring or allow an election, let's put it that way. That seems to be where we're headed. So.

Dr. Oz says U.S. taxpayers spent billions on illegal immigrant health care

All right. You got anything else to add to that, Chris?

>> Chris Woodward: No, but I'll get into other federal government issues. and I say that because we're still in the government shutdown, and we've heard for days now, from Republicans that Democrats are. All they want to do is make sure that an illegal immigrant gets health care. And that's why the government still shut down, because they're so dead set on getting an illegal immigrant health care, they won't agree with us on a clean cr. All that stuff. Democrats, of course, say, Republicans are terrible people and all that stuff. I'm paraphrasing a lot. I bring all that up because, this morning on fox and friends, Dr. Oz, who works for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, was on Fox and friends. And Dr. Oz said, that we have spent over a billion dollars in taxpayer funds on Medicaid for illegal immigrants. And I've got some audio here from Dr. Oz talking about this very issue.

>> Speaker F: Clip 2 and they keep claiming that there is no money going from Medicaid, an agency that I run towards, illegal immigrants. So we decided to do our homework. We sent our best investigators out to evaluate exactly what is going on. And I'm here to announce Ainsley and this is a big deal that just over the last few months, we have proven that there's been over $1 billion. That's a billion with a B. It's a lot of money. There's a lot of rounding error. $1 billion paid by US taxpayers for illegal immigrants in about half a dozen states. And we're just getting started. So it's going to be a significantly more money than that. And just to break this down for everybody, Ainsley, if you live in Texas or Florida and you're paying us tax, federal taxes, most people do, your money is being diverted to places like California who have robust, benefits for illegal immigrants. You know, dental, vision, things you only get on Medicare. And those funds we have no ability to track until today. Now we're investigating it, and we're going to continue to track this across the country.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, I think when the final accounting Fred, is over, the numbers, as Dr. Oz was saying, are going to be huge. Okay. That where billions upon billions and billions of dollars just going even beyond, medical care.

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah.

>> Ed Vitagliano: That money, U.S. tax dollars have gone to help illegal immigrants in this country, including under the Biden administration. You remember the federal government, I believe the feds were forking over money to hotels in New York City.

>> Fred Jackson: Oh, yeah.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And paying them top dollar to house illegal immigrants. All that money, huh?

>> Chris Woodward: Nice hotels.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes. Even to the point where, where veterans were getting kicked out. So because the hotels could harvest, more money than what other people were paying, it's going to be in the tens of billions. Tens and tens of billions of dollars will find out over four years under Biden. And then in these blue states which continue to divert monies to illegal immigrants.

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah, let's. Let's just track this story about illegal immigrants during the Biden years. We'll go back that far. Joe Biden deliberately opened up our borders. He, deliberately allowed the numbers 12 million, 20 million, maybe more, to come into this country. And as Tim has said on a number of occasions, the motivation being behind all of that is to bring a bunch of people in who the Democrats believe will vote. Vote for them.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.

>> Fred Jackson: All right. So that is why in California, they are now, helping. We've done this story over the last week or so. They, they just passed a, I think an executive order in California the last few days that they are now going to help families where ICE has gone in and arrested people, illegal immigrants. They're now going to tell landlords in California, you cannot eject these people. You're going to be forced landlord. You, you know, you have your bills, utility bills, but you cannot throw them out if they can't pay the rent.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.

>> Fred Jackson: All right. And we're going to help these people. So they're helping people who have illegal immigrant relatives. All right. So that's one thing. just the other day, a county judge Cook county, which encompasses Chicago. A judge there said, we're going to pass an ordinance that says ICE agents cannot arrest anybody in the vicinity of our courts. So if you have an illegal immigrant who has committed a crime in Chicago, they are saying ICE agents are not allowed to come in the vicinity of, let alone inside the courtroom. We're not going to allow this to happen. You add all of this up, whether it's in Boston, what's going on there, New York, Chicago, Los, Angeles. It is. These are all Democrat politicians making these moves. And let's be very clear. The reason our government is shut down right now is because the Democrat agenda for illegal immigrants.

>> Ed Vitagliano: That's, that's, that's the bottom line. The bottom line?

>> Fred Jackson: Yep. They want to save. The Democrats want to save Obamacare. They want to make sure Obamacare never, never goes away. And what they're really asking for is more money for subsidies for illegal immigrants to get health care. That, that's, that's where we are.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Because the subsidies are the thing that is keeping Obamacare in the realm of affordability for people. And without those subsidies, everyone finds out just how absurdly expensive Obamacare is. Of course, that's a separate issue, in terms of discussing Obamacare, but that is why the government is shut down. and here's another kind of a separate issue, but you did mention it. I don't know where these states are getting their legal advice from, because the state law does not trump federal law. When the feds are looking for federal criminals. Yeah, you can't stop ICE from arresting people. I don't care where they're located. Maybe just out of common courtesy, ICE isn't going to walk into state buildings. Okay, but it's saying they can't even arrest people in the vicinity. They're going to lose that fight. The states are, and it would be humiliating for them to do so.

The government is shut down because of something it was never required to do

But that's where we're headed. We're headed for this conflict between blue states who are, in a way that just kind of blows my mind, willing to die on this hill to continue to use money that should be going, if it goes anywhere, these federal dollars should be going to Americans. Well, taxpayers.

>> Chris Woodward: Keep in mind, too, that the government is shut down because of something the government was never required or called on to do in the first place, and that is to provide health care for people.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.

>> Chris Woodward: In the early days, no one thought, talked about, put in writing that the federal government should give people money to go to a hospital. They decided that decades ago. I know that sounds Heartless, but it's still the truth.

Federal government threatens to withhold funding from California over language requirements for truck drivers

>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, I'll also say one other thing, and, we're tossing a lot of, a lot of items into this pot of stew, folks. I understand that, but these kinds of things do kind of spider web out into all sorts of different issues. But with the Trump crackdown on illegal immigrants in this country, many, many people have been arrested and deported. Others have self deported. And what I am, reading from across the country and actually experience how to go visit someone who had gone to the emergency room in our local hospital. It was empty. There was probably six people there. Okay. When under the Biden administration, illegal immigrants were essentially using the emergency room for their primary health care. And I'm reading that across the country, in many, many states, these emergency rooms have almost gone empty. maybe it's different on weekends when a lot of people get themselves in a jam and need medical care. But I've been reading that these emergency rooms are returning to a normal kind of business model because illegal immigrants are leaving. So when I say that these, this issue kind of spiderwebs into. We're talking about hospitals maybe being able to stay in business rather than, especially in rural areas, going out of business, and the access to health care that Americans want now returning to themselves rather than illegal immigrants.

>> Chris Woodward: Yeah, sticking with, immigration here for just a moment. in California, they are not complying with federal, standards or policies that truck drivers in these United States of America, should be able to read and speak English. And so as a result of California not, following through and delivering on this federal policy, the Transportation Department, Shawn Duffy, the secretary there, has announced that, the federal government is going to withhold some funding to California based on the fact that they are not forcing drivers there, truck drivers, to be able to read and speak English. Clip 5.

>> Ed Vitagliano: To drive an 18 wheeler, a semi, a school bus, you have to speak English and you have to understand English. And you should be tested for this when you take your CDL exam. A lot of states weren't doing it. We sent out notices to all the states that they have to start to comply. All the states have complied, but one that would be California. Gavin, Newsom cares more about illegal migrants than he does about the safety of his citizens or the citizens around the country. And so we use what tools that we can, and we have $40 million of funding that goes to the state of California because they haven't complied. We'll use the tools that we have to make sure we make California pay attention. To basic safety regulations, which is English language behind the truck, behind the big wheels of these big rigs.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Fred, this is crazy. now, Gavin Newsom, I don't know what his chances are. He's clearly going to run for president in 2028. I don't know what his chances are. He has a lot of name recognition, amongst Democrats and probably the general public. He is the governor of a large state, so that helps. He probably would get a lot of money from Democratic donors, etc. Etc. I don't know what his chances are. However, it is clear from his governorship that he does not care about America. California is a huge state. It is also the linchpin of, of a lot of the American economy in a lot of respects, because a lot of products come through the docks, of California, or fruits, vegetables, et cetera, grown in California, but they get to the rest of the country via trucks. And so what California does is very important. and I'm not even sure what this clip. When we talk about $40 million worth of federal tax dollars. I don't think, I don't think Gavin Newsom cares. No, he doesn't care how many people die in wrecks caused by people who can't read English. So they don't know what the signs say. he doesn't care what happens to the people in his own state if that $40 million is withheld. He doesn't care what happens to the people in his own state who are in danger on the highways. This man does not care. And it is kind of the leftist mindset that you, like Lenin said, you want to make an omelet, you got to break a few eggs. That's the way they view human life, and that's the way they view America.

>> Fred Jackson: Well, Secretary, ah, Duffy makes a very good point. You know, if this was something that just affected California, ah, people may say, well, you know, state government, they can do what they want in California. It's not going to affect me. But what California is doing by giving drivers who apply to drive these big rigs. You don't have to speak English. You don't have to read English. well, you can't read signs as you drive along, right? California truck drivers move across the country and we all remember that tragedy in, in Florida in August when a guy by the name of Harjinder Singh, driving a big 18 wheeler from California, by the way, he entered the country illegally, right? he, he makes a U turn on an interstate highway in an 18 wheeler in an 18 wheeler and has that trailer is across the two lanes. A family of three drives into it with a van. They're all killed. Right now, he's been, been charged but how many times the potential for this kind of thing to happen if you have a guy and we don't know how much truck experience, driving experience he had, you know, if California can compromise on the, you know, you don't have to read English to drive our trucks. What other compromises are being made? These are fatal compromises.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.

>> Fred Jackson: Bottom line.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, listen, it is true the old saying, elections have consequences. I think, actually, I think Barack Obama might have been the first one I heard say it. But it is true. Elections have consequences and people have to start paying attention to what's happening. Voters in California, I'm shocked that Gavin Newsom is the governor there and Californians continue to vote in leftists to run their state. But it does affect, the rest of the country, as it does here in this case with trucking. All right, we're going to take a short, break and when we return, Dr. Alex McFarland will join us. We sure hope you will tune in to listen. You're listening to today's issues.

Ed Vitagliano: Over 38,000 babies saved through preborn

>> Ed Vitagliano: Finally, some Good news. Over 38,000 babies saved and more than 4,000 commitments to Christ through the ministry of preborn this year alone. Here's Dan Steiner, president of preborn.

>> Ed Vitagliano: But if we can get a mom.

>> Alex McFarland: Into one of our clinics and show her her baby and she has that.

>> Ed Vitagliano: close encounter of the best kind.

>> Alex McFarland: In her womb, she will choose life.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Preborn's networks of clinics provide hope, love, free ultrasounds and the gospel in action across America. This is Ed Vitagliano. Will you join PreBorn and AFR as we rescue 70,000 babies lives this year? For $28, you can sponsor an ultrasound and help save a baby's life. To donate, dial 250 and say the keyword baby. That's £250, baby or donate [email protected] afr that's preborn.com afr.

>> Jeff Chamblee: This is today's issues. Email your comments to commentsfr.net Past broadcasts of today's issues are available for listening and viewing in the [email protected] now back to more of, today's issues.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And welcome back. Ed Vitagliano sitting in for Tim Wildmon today, joined in studio by Fred Jackson and Chris Woodward. And now we welcome to the program one of our favorite guests, one of our favorite people, Dr. Alex McFarland, who's co host of Exploring The Word heard weekdays at 3pm Central Time on American Family Radio. Alex, welcome back.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, good morning, everybody.

100 Bible Questions and Answers on Prophecy and the End Times came out last week

>> Ed Vitagliano: All right, Alex, let me ask, before we get into our, issue, that we want to talk to you about, and if the conversation goes from there, that'd be awesome. But, you've got a new book out, you and Bert Harper. I mean, brand new. It's out, I think for the first time last week perhaps. Why don't you tell our listeners about it?

>> Alex McFarland: Well, thanks very much. Yeah, it's called 100 Bible Questions and Answers on Prophecy and the End Times. And it is brand new. Came out October 7th. And, it was written. It's the third book that Bert Harper and I have written together in response to the voluminous questions we get on exploring the Word. We have the great privilege of doing a radio show on the afr, network live five days a week. And, you know, we teach through the Bible and Bert and I have, in 15 years taught through the entire Bible about two and a half times, not quite three times, but we take questions and I've just kind of some of the questions are repeated over and over. But then whenever new questions come along that are kind of unique, I've always, written them down. I've kept like stacks and stacks of paper while we're doing the show that I'm writing things down and it's become, you know, now three books, of course, the most recent of which is the one on prophecy. And listen to this. I've got to tell you something. October 7, 2025 was the release date. And when we were working on this book, little did we know that would be not only the two year anniversary of the tragic Hamas attacks, October 7, 2023, but also it would be the very week that the peace deal between Israel and Gaza would be, you know, approved and ratified. And Bert and I both believe that we are living in prophetically significant times. It's time to have our house in order. Christ is coming. But I really think this book published by Broad street, it's available everywhere. although first it was available as a premium if you support the American Family Association. But, I really think it will help people of all ages understand what God's word says about the future and we say, unlock the mysteries of Bible prophecy. this book we think will help.

Are we in the last Days? I think the answer is yes

>> Fred Jackson: Alex, Fred, here, a question for you. What is the most frequently asked question?

>> Alex McFarland: Great question. Here are three very, very frequently asked questions that we get on a weekly basis. Are we in the last Days? I think the answer is yes. is the Antichrist alive right now? Only, the Lord knows. But thirdly, is America in Bible prophecy? And, I don't necessarily think it is, although, I think America has been for two centuries. you know, America has really been at the forefront of the Great Commission, but certainly America will play a role in the end times. But does the Bible specifically allude to America? I don't really think it does because, you know, of course, when the Bible was completed, that was 17 centuries before the birth of America. But we get that question a lot, Fred.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, inquiring minds want to know, and if they want to know, they will listen to Exploring the word. Alex McFarland and Bert Harper host that, every weekday at 3:00pm Central Time on AFR. I would also encourage you to go to afr.net and check out the podcast. You can listen to shows that have already aired and you will get as much Bible teaching as you need. Well, not as you need, but as you might want from afr.

We just this week had the privilege of leading a German man to Christ

All right.

>> Alex McFarland: Can I say something really cool?

>> Ed Vitagliano: Sure.

>> Alex McFarland: I didn't mean to interrupt, but, you know, we just this week had the great privilege of leading a man, a German man who lives in Romania, to Christ. he found us online, listens to exploring the Word in Romania, had some questions. He was somewhat torn between Islam or Christianity. We began a series of emails. Then he called me, I gave him my phone number, and in a series of phone conversations, this man accepted Christ. Just gloriously gave his life to Christ on the phone. Monday. Yeah, I think it was Monday afternoon of this week. and, yeah, afr sharing the gospel with people in Romania, isn't that a blessing?

>> Ed Vitagliano: That is, it's amazing. It's the power of the gospel. And it is really just another reason for us, for the people who work here, just to rejoice in the fact that we have the privilege of being used by God, to help reach people with the gospel and with the knowledge of Jesus. Folks were honored. And in the wake of our most recent share a thon, we, want to thank you for those, those who are able to support us, keep us on the air so that we can get more great testimonies like that, which Alex just shared.

Alex Kaiser says the delusion of transgenderism is imploding on itself

All right, Chris, let's, once you introduce the issue we wanted, to have Alex, kind of shed some light on.

>> Chris Woodward: Yeah, well, Alex has been a frequent guest on these kinds of topics. And I say that because in recent years, really hardly a, ah, month or Season goes by without bringing on Alex, to talk about, a new study or somebody saying that more and more young people are increasingly identifying as lgbtq. That may be changing now. And I say that based on a new study out that finds young Americans are increasingly identifying as heterosexual. Again, this is some research that was carried out by the center for Heterodox Social Science at the University of Buckingham, England, which analyzed the gender identification and sexual orientation of younger Americans. Alex, what do you think about this?

>> Alex McFarland: Well, yeah, I think that the destructive delusion of transgenderism is imploding on itself. And I know for a number of years, the sad thing about it is, like, during the Biden administration, transgender identification was just taken as an ethnicity. And I was on different shows and I had people, you know, really take me to task that, you know, transgenderism, they just assumed it to be like an ethnicity, you know, like Asian or Hispanic. Whereas it's a mindset and it's a behavior, and it is very changeable, very malleable. but, you know, I think that we've seen the, not only the three recent shootings, Tennessee, Minneapolis, and, of course, Charlie Kirk, that transgenderism and transgender ideology played a role in that. But, Ben Shapiro, about two weeks after Charlie Kirk was shot, Ben Shapiro was on the Bill Maher show, and, gave very, ah, an astute analysis that the radicalization and the violence, done by professed transgender people. Ben Shapiro said there are, like, three things. One, transgender ideologues view words as violence. if you critique the worldview, they take it as a personal affront, and they believe that violence is self defense. And like, even when we had Charlie Kirk speak for, my conference two and a half weeks before he was killed, there was a female that came to the microphone. And, time doesn't permit me to recount the entire dialogue, but, you know, she said, you're canceling me. So it's. There's been this mindset that, you know, if you. And I don't mean using the Bible, I'm talking, like, good mental health professional research and medical research. If you disagree with the transgender claims, you know, they feel like you're canceling my existence or something. Now, young people and sane minds of any age, they realize this is counter intuitive, counter reality. It is detrimental, not beneficial. it's just. I think the jig is up. And, the myth and the delusion and the lie of transgenderism, people know it, people see it, and the momentary fad has passed.

>> Fred Jackson: Alex, I Think you're exactly right. You know, when we first started to hear about this, it was kind of a fad. Social media, a lot of kids, talking about it. Wouldn't it be cool if that kind of thing? But I think what we have seen now in recent years is that we're also being made aware of the consequences, because there are kids who went and had physical operations, changed their bodies, subjected, themselves to hormone treatments, all that sort of thing. And now we're seeing evidence of the very negative consequences of that, as these kids now regret, doing that, and they're coming out and speaking out about this. So this. It's kind of the other side of the story, is finally being told that it isn't just. And we use the word fad. It isn't just something like, we're all going to buy red cars. no, this has consequences that affect these kids for life. And now we're starting to see individuals warning others, don't do this. I said the other day, Alex, that the group that I blame a lot for this is medical doctors who actually did this, knowing that there might be these kinds of consequences.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, Chloe Cole, you know, sued Kaiser Permanente. Okay. Chloe Cole, was at 14 years old, given a double mastectomy and puberty blockers and things like that. And some of the people said to her, because she was, a teenager, an adolescent confused, in development as adolescents are physically, psychologically, emotionally, spiritually. All right, think about this. Her parents were told, do you want. Because she was confused? So her parents were told, and I'm quoting, they said, do you want a living son or a dead daughter? Because if you don't do this, she's going to commit suicide. Well, that didn't happen. And now, you know, I don't know how she is now, but she's, a person whose body was horribly damaged, and she's trying to rebuild her life, and she's become really kind of an activist. You know, they call her a detransitioner. but here's the thing, guys. I've said this, that it's a spiritual problem. And transgenderism is really the ultimate form of moral relativism. Because, look, it's one thing to say, God, you can't tell me how to behave, but the transgender worldview is essentially shaking one's fist and saying, God, you can't even define who and what I am. I'm a genetic male or a genetic female. No, I will chart my own reality. I will define what I am. And that's demonic. I mean, it really is. and so I want to say this, guys. those in positions of leadership, whether they be elected officials or educators, certainly ministers in the pulpit, we are duty bound. I really think any leadership position is really something entrusted to people by God. We know a minister in a pulpit is accountable to God, but really, I think a parent, a, ah, teacher, certainly an elected official. And, you know, people in media, they have a responsibility before God to speak truth and tell people maybe not what they want to hear, but what they need to hear. And, you know, all of the. We know, the Hollywood talking heads, they don't know what truth is. They pretend for a living. Seriously, I really, I kind of groan whenever they'll say, you know, well, you know, this or that actress or that, you know, Hollywood celebrity is, you know, anti, life, pro trans, lgbt. Well, we know Hollywood, they're very much detached from reality and God's truth itself. But, those that are, you know, leaders. And that's why, you know, Gretchen Whitmer in Michigan was going to make dead naming a felony. In other words, if somebody, you know, is transitioning and you even accidentally refer to them, you know, Mr. So and so, that could be a felony punishable by a fine and jail time. This is crazy. And the one. One more thing, and I'll throw it back to you guys, but our whole government, you know, Christianity, aside, the Declaration, preamble, Constitution, bill of rights, 50 out of 50 state constitutions that reference God. and they do, by the way. our whole government rests on the assumption of moral truth. And the LGBTQ trans woke agenda assumes that there is no objective moral truth. And whenever I'm at colleges and they say, well, you don't believe a male is a female, you may not impose your Christianity on me. And I said, well, look, the idea that a male is not a female, that's not Christianity. That's just common sense reality, right? So we have to have some brave souls that will speak truth in reality, if for no other reason, for the preservation of our Constitution. Our Constitution does not work in a moral vacuum.

>> Ed Vitagliano: That's true. And in fact, no government. No government can, We're discovering, though, that you can only bend and shape nature and reality so far before it, boomerangs and, you know, blows up in your face. I'm terribly, I'm m. Mixing metaphors here, but no, the absolute. Absolutely right.

Alex Carland teaches First Peter and Second Peter in New Testament

Hey, Alex, what you got cooking? You and Bert, today and tomorrow?

>> Alex McFarland: Well, we just, Yesterday we began 2 Peter. You know, we just go chronologically through the Bible and we taught First Peter. And so, folks, if you're new to exploring the Word, you've come at a good time because we just began Second Peter. You haven't missed anything much. And, these two books. Oh, my goodness. Peter the Apostle Peter is my favorite New Testament character, next to the Lord Jesus, of course. But, first and Second Peter are powerhouse. I know Paul gets all the limelight. You know, Paul, Hebrew, of the Hebrews, probably a genius level iq. Seriously. But Peter, don't underestimate, the Apostle Peter, because his books are just really powerful theologically, practically. So that's what we're doing. We're just now embarking on Second Peter. And, you know, by the way, if I can, brazenly self promote, My website is alexmcfarland.com and we've got a great fall, tour schedule. And I'm going to be in Somerset, Pennsylvania, 24 through 26 at Living Hope Church. And then I'll be with Bert at the Fishbowl Retreat, Pickwick landing State Park, October 28 through 30. Then I'll be, in Fort, Caswell on the coast of North Carolina. A big youth retreat. We anticipate 800 teenagers November 7 through 9. But, anyway, if you look on my calendar, I am coming soon to a town near you folks.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, folks, check that out@alex alexmcfarland.com and, other resources there and scheduling for Alex. So check that out. Alex, thank you so much for, being on with us again today.

>> Alex McFarland: Hey, God bless you guys. Thanks. See you.

Vice President J.D. Vance and Kirk coming to Mississippi for campus event

>> Ed Vitagliano: All right, now folks, I, I do want to, correct myself here. The, the new book from Alex and bert, a hundred 100 Bible questions and an On Prophecy and the End Times, will be available on, on our resource at our resource center December 1st. So we kind of piqued your interest in that book. but, that will be available for purchased purchase at our resource center, resources.aca.net on December 1st. So I do apologize for that oversight. But resources.aca.net however, does have all kinds of other great materials available, including previous books from Alex and Bert on the, in the 100 Questions and Answers series, of which the most recent one is the aforementioned, 100 Bible questions and Answers on Prophecy and the End Times that is coming and will be available for purchase December 1st. All right, Chris, let's move on with more of the news.

>> Chris Woodward: Yes, speaking of campus events, Vice President J.D. vance and Erica Kirk, now leader, of TP USA. Vance and Kirk are going to be coming to Oxford, Mississippi at the end of this month for an event at the University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss. this was an event that Charlie Kirk was scheduled to appear at, but prior to his death, his assassination. And so now his wife's gonna come here along with, Vice President J.D. vance. Somebody talking about this on the television this morning is TP USA podcast host Alex Clark. Here's what Alex had to say.

>> Speaker J: Clip 7 this President and the Second lady have forged the most beautiful friendship amidst, m tragedy. And they've gotten so close. And I love that she's getting to do this event with him. And people need to know if you live in that area, first of all, it's worth it to travel. If you gotta drive a little bit, get there early. We have thousands and thousands of thousands of people trying to get into these events now. And not everybody can fit because they're indoors, they're very safe. We have crazy security at these now. I mean, so I would make sure that you make plans. This is once in a lifetime moment. Do not miss it.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, Fred, this is, this, this is near our, headquarters where our flagship station for American Family Radio is located. It's going to be in Oxford, Mississippi. And we know there's thousands of people trying to get in. We're trying to get credentials. others here have already gotten some tickets for this event. I do want to make mention of the fact that Erica Kirk must be an extraordinary woman because she has not had a lot of time to grieve the death of her husband. her children have lost their father. but she is determined to keep Charlie Kirk's memory alive and the work that he started, going. So this is, this is an extraordinary woman.

>> Fred Jackson: Absolutely. heard a bit of her speech on the. That huge memorial that was held a couple of weeks ago. And she, is grieving, but, boy, she is determined that the groundwork that the Lord allowed Charlie to, create under Turning Point, that she says it's not only going to be. She didn't use the. She said it's not going to be maintained. We're going to grow this well.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And the number of chapters is exploding. It is across the country.

>> Fred Jackson: Absolutely. And those figures were mentioned yesterday in a couple of programs. So it's exciting. it's also exciting. Member JD Vance, he used Air Force Two, to fly the body of Charlie Kirk from Utah back to Arizona, for that service. And so, you know, Erica is, she's right up there. she's going to be a take charge person. She is a take charge person. So that's going to be quite an event at Ole Miss. so as we were just saying, if you're in the vicinity of Oxford, Mississippi, and you can get a ticket, you can go online to Turning Point.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.

>> Fred Jackson: to, to get a ticket to get in there. thousands are going to attend and, Charlie Kirk's mission marches on.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yep, it's, it's, it's quite, and that's quite a story as well, the fact that, the assassination of Charlie Kirk has actually made him far more famous, if I can use that word.

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And more well known to young people, many of whom had heard of them but had not really paid a whole lot of attention to what he was saying. And the access of people, young people, accessing past speeches, past, you know, the clips from his interaction with students on college campuses, that's gone through the roof as well. So in a sense, his voice and his arguments and his, worldview is expanding in the wake of his murder.

>> Fred Jackson: So it's exciting to watch what God is doing.

>> Ed Vitagliano: What God is doing in bringing good out of a tragic situation.

>> Fred Jackson: Absolutely.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And again, folks, pray for his widow, Erica, because this can't be easy for her. Now. She is a strong woman, but I've never lost a spouse, certainly have never lost one under such tragic circumstances. I don't know how long it would take to grieve. but she is plowing through to keep the work her husband started going. So be praying for her. It still must be very, very difficult. And if you are in the area of Oxford, better get your tickets soon because I think that's going to, to be quick to sell out. All right. You are listening to Today's Issues on American Family Radio. Ed Vitagliano, Fred Jackson, Chris Woodward, you just listen to Dr. Alex McFarland. Join us. We are going to take a five minute break for news and when we come back, Steve Jordal, will be joining us. We will continue looking at the news of the day. And, and don't forget, tomorrow is Friday. That means trivia. Friday will be live and our expectation is that Tim Wildmon will be back in the captain's chair. Five minute break. We'll be right back.

>> Alex McFarland: The views and opinions expressed in this.

>> Fred Jackson: Broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family Radio.

Ed and Fred talk with Chris on top news headlines of the day. Also, Dr. Alex McFarland joins the program to discuss the transgender agenda and how it maybe fading out.