Blue Mountain Christian University offers graduate degree programs designed for working adults
>> Ed Vitagliano: Looking to take the next step in your education? Blue Mountain Christian University offers graduate degree programs designed for working adults who want to grow professionally and personally. With graduate studies in business, education and kinesiology, BMCU combines academic excellence with a Christian worldview. With flexible and hybrid formats and supportive faculty, you can pursue a graduate degree while balancing work, family, and calling. Learn more at bmc.
Tim Wildman hosts Today's Issues on the American Family Radio Network
Eduardo
>> : welcome to Today's Issues, offering a Christian response to the issues of the day. Here's your host, Tim Wildmon. M President of the American Family Association.
>> Tim Wildmon: Hey, good morning, everybody, and welcome to Today's Issues on the American Family Radio Network. Thanks for listening to AFR. Today is Tuesday, August 25, 2026, and the Middle of September is on the horizon, and that means cooler weather for most of us. Ed Vitagliano. Good morning, Ed.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Good morning, Tim. And thank you, Lord.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yes, Amen. For September. For the middle of September.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Now, I know you don't want us getting close to January.
>> Tim Wildmon: No, no, no, no. We're going to skip January next year.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yep.
>> Tim Wildmon: I've already, asked President Trump he would issue an executive order that's
>> Ed Vitagliano: he can slap something on January on El Nana.
>> Tim Wildmon: And good morning, Krish Woodward.
>> Chris Woodward: Morning. There's nothing to stop Trump from going from economic D day to meteorological D day.
>> Ed Vitagliano: That's right.
>> Chris Woodward: They said nice things to him once on the golf.
>> Ed Vitagliano: If he can pull it off right, he will be the than ever.
>> Chris Woodward: It's hard to say meteorological D day, just so you know.
>> Tim Wildmon: It is. You got to be careful.
Multiple people killed after gunman opens fire at house in Montana on Sunday
All right. a lot to talk about today on the program. Thanks for joining us here on today's Issues on the American Family Radio Network. We like to talk about good news, but unfortunately, not everything is good that happens in our world. And I was just reading, just, seeing the story, that's, breaking now. We don't know any details, but, in Montana, I guess it is. Ed, what is it?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah, it looks like it's, a house in Billings, Montana. I'm just going to read from the NewSong York Post because I was just popping open websites that I normally have on my computer when we start the show, and you said, what is that? And I had not seen it. It says multiple people were killed, including children, after a madman opened fire at a house in Montana before setting the property ablaze. Police, were called to the house and Billings just PM Sunday.
>> : okay.
>> Ed Vitagliano: This happened Sunday after reports of a shooting and a family disturbance. and so this appears to be something related to, I don't know if it's a domestic dispute, we're not getting many details, but it says a family disturbance, but there were multiple adults and multiple juveniles died at the house. Interim Yellowstone County Sheriff Kent o' Donnell told a news conferen Monday.
>> Tim Wildmon: I just find it interesting that we haven't heard about this story and yet it happened Sunday.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.
>> Chris Woodward: You know, even CBS was two days.
>> : Oh.
>> Tim Wildmon: yeah. Multiple. You know, how many, you know, police officers say the most dangerous situations for them are domestic calls.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.
>> Tim Wildmon: And it just seems like maybe it's just because the news is out there 24. 7. It just seems like we're seeing this locally and nationally, and it's everywhere.
>> Chris Woodward: Yeah. And it's been around for a while. When I was in elementary school back in. In the 90s, there was somebody in our class, that was in a family that had a, a violent domestic, disturbance.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, I, I think in terms of the psychology of that, because, Tim, I think you're exactly right. Well, I know you are right about what police say, but in terms of the domestic dispute kind of scenario is you don't. You can't love anyone more than your family. And then if that goes south and, you know, you have divorce, custody battles, accusations. Boy, I can't imagine anything more likely to set people volatile. Yes. Oh, wow.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: You know, if emotions. You think she's people living cheating on you or he's cheating on you, the. The amount of anger and hurt that unleashes. It's just.
>> Tim Wildmon: You know, I was thinking we talking about police officers and highway patrolmen, for example, and the dangerous. Sit. Have you ever. I know you guys have. We've all seen this. Especially at night. You're driving down the highway and. Or the interstate and then a police officer you see has got somebody pulled over.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: And the, the, I say police officer. Most times it could be a police officer, could be a highway patrolman. And the guy. It's usually a guy is, Is by himself.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah. Well, nowadays, police officers are almost always by themselves. You remember we grew up. Remember, the TV show Adam 12?
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, I, think back then they seem to be partnered up more.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Maybe because crime has grown so much that they are spread thin. Because I, I'm not sure I ever see two police officers in the same car.
>> Tim Wildmon: No.
>> Ed Vitagliano: You know, we rarely just drive around.
>> Tim Wildmon: And highway patrolmen, too, because they're, They're. They're just isolated out there on the, on the road and especially at night, and you're having to walk up to a car, that you don't know who's in it, what's going to happen. I mean, you don't. I know they have protocols for safety purposes. I know they do, but it's still a very. I just. I just couldn't. I can't imagine getting up every morning and doing that one time would be, I'd be emotionally wrecked.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, that's why they always tell you, you know, if you get pulled over and you get out of your car.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: The cops, they'll holler, get back in the car. Because that's how some of these lunatics will wrestle with a cop or a trooper and try to grab their weapon. And so serious business. you know, you got to listen to police officers. If something is done improperly or unconstitutionally, you sue them later. You don't get out and start something with a police officer because they've got to always be on edge.
>> Tim Wildmon: You know, most all of these altercations. Most all of these altercations, and some of them have gone national, you know, with the stories and turned into racial, Divides.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: but almost all of them. The, perpetrator, or the Would, be criminal, the suspect, I guess you could say, decides to confront the cops.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: Physically. And it goes bad, you know, it goes bad. You just go, well, listen, if you were mistreated, just, you know, you sue later.
Thank you for those who serve. Police officers and especially highway patrolmen
Yeah, yeah. But you don't get into a fist fight with or wrestling match or run.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Not only. Not only does your speeding ticket turn into a felony.
>> Tim Wildmon: Right.
>> Ed Vitagliano: You could get shot.
>> Tim Wildmon: M. Yes. Anyway, that just reminded me. We were just talking about the domestic safety issues. Police officers and especially highway patrolmen.
>> Ed Vitagliano: so anyway, thank you for those who serve.
>> Tim Wildmon: Amen.
>> Ed Vitagliano: We do try to thank people who serve the public, whether that's, you know, EMT people or nurses, doctors, whatever. But, especially, police officers, state troopers and the like.
Your air conditioner has an issue that could burn up the compressor
>> Tim Wildmon: By the way, did you get your air conditioner fixed?
>> Ed Vitagliano: no, but now we finally know what the problem is. Our air conditioning is working. Okay. It has. It has an issue that could burn up the compressor. But the, company that put in our unit and does our normal servicing, the owner's son came out yesterday.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay.
>> Ed Vitagliano: And he was able to diagnose the problem. Didn't charge for that or anything like that.
>> Tim Wildmon: So what do you diagnose?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, it's. I have a thermos.
>> Ed Vitagliano: The issue.
>> Tim Wildmon: Hold on a second. I'm taking notes.
>> Ed Vitagliano: The issue has been. I'll give the folks the quick version of It. The issue has been here in the heat of the summer, every once in a while, we live out in the county, our power flickers on and off.
>> Tim Wildmon: Right.
>> Ed Vitagliano: And when that happens, the AC unit outside starts to kick right back on when the power comes on. And it makes an awful racket. They said, talking about the H VAC people, that you can burn up your compressor.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, sure you can.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah. So they finally figured out that my thermostat, which does have a time delay. The power goes out. The thermostat waits five minutes before kicking the unit back on. Hold on a second.
>> Tim Wildmon: I'm drawing the diagram here. Go ahead.
>> Ed Vitagliano: So that all the levels. I can't explain all the levels.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, you can.
>> Ed Vitagliano: They found out that the, thermostat does not have power to it.
>> Tim Wildmon: Wow.
>> Ed Vitagliano: it runs by batteries.
>> Tim Wildmon: So it's about batteries now?
>> Ed Vitagliano: You just. To me.
>> Chris Woodward: All right.
>> Tim Wildmon: I just. This is very disappointing to hear.
>> Ed Vitagliano: So you know the thermostat does not know the power flipped off.
>> Tim Wildmon: No.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Because the batteries. Okay. You follow me?
>> Tim Wildmon: I'm tracking with you. I'm tracking.
>> Ed Vitagliano: So they're going to have to go into the attic and run a wire down to the thermostat, which you can.
>> Tim Wildmon: You're unqualified to do.
>> Ed Vitagliano: I. I'm unqualified to explain it, let alone do it.
>> Tim Wildmon: You did a great job. You know what I admire about that story you just told? Yeah. The detail in which you paid attention to. What the, Would you call him electrician or.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, technician.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. Explained it to you.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah. And now once I get past what I just said, sure. I can't go into any more detail. But I. Listen, I appreciate him. They did not charge me m. for that. Because they're trying.
>> Tim Wildmon: Like a lawyer.
>> Ed Vitagliano: This is exactly right. They're trying to, figure up the
>> Tim Wildmon: phone with a lawyer. You're charged.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, exactly right. Well, Tim, thank you for pretending to care. No, I. I.
>> Tim Wildmon: Did I not come across as sympathetic?
>> Ed Vitagliano: You did not, sir. What it sounds like is you got me wired up and wound up.
>> Tim Wildmon: I like that.
>> Ed Vitagliano: And then.
>> Tim Wildmon: That's a good pun there.
>> Ed Vitagliano: You're wired, up.
>> Chris Woodward: This conversation about AC is heating up.
>> Ed Vitagliano: good. At 2. At 2. Brutus.
>> Tim Wildmon: Good pun, too.
>> Chris Woodward: By the way, I drew the flux capacitor. That's my, That was my drawing.
>> Tim Wildmon: Is that. What.
So we have had air conditioning, but I Don't want it out
Is that what he's working on?
>> Ed Vitagliano: The flux passer. That's.
>> Chris Woodward: You're gonna go back to 1955. I hate to tell you.
>> Ed Vitagliano: So, anyway, so we have had air conditioning, but I Don't want it, like, if we're away from the house, I don't want it to burn up. And so we're on the right track here.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay.
Heat warnings remain in effect across the United States through Wednesday
>> Chris Woodward: Hey, in all seriousness, about the heat, there is that story in the news about this m. Massive heat dome, as it's called, that's been plaguing people for days. And unfortunately, depending on where you might live in these United States of America, you're going to continue to experience really high temperatures. in California, for example, heat warnings are going to remain in effect until Wednesday. In Arizona, they're looking at like, well above 100 degree weather through Saturday.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Can I just share about the fallen nature of man?
>> Tim Wildmon: Sure.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Because I want to. I'm going to confess something to our listening audience. Okay. When I read that story, you send
>> Tim Wildmon: it around the heat dome.
>> Ed Vitagliano: The heat dome. I, I looked at the headline and I said, oh, no. And then when I read the story, it's Texas westward. And I said, oh, thank you, Lord. And so the Lord cares about.
>> Tim Wildmon: Doesn't care about Texas and Oklahoma and
>> Ed Vitagliano: no, it's not the Lord. it was me.
>> Tim Wildmon: My first reaction was, not me.
>> Ed Vitagliano: It's not me. And that's. That's, that's wrong, right?
>> Tim Wildmon: It is, but I. That's not a good attitude.
>> Ed Vitagliano: I couldn't help it, Tim.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, I know. Well, that's, that's the way we are.
>> Ed Vitagliano: I couldn't help it.
>> Tim Wildmon: That's what. Carnal man. What happens to you there? That's why we need a savior.
>> Ed Vitagliano: I did not love my neighbor enough.
>> Tim Wildmon: But, you know, isn't that just another day in Arizona?
>> Chris Woodward: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: In the summertime, it's August. Arizona. But I did send that story around because it is a very serious situation. It is summertime in the American Southwest and the heartland. But still, it's extraordinary the days that these plus 100 degree temperatures are lasting over a vast swath of land. That's what I'm saying. That that's, dangerous and drying out.
>> Ed Vitagliano: And it's like the Southwest does not need any more hot, temperatures because of their water situation. Water in the dams. I will say this, though. I am learning meteorological terms. I mean, for a long time, all I knew was polar vortex. Yeah, I would throw that around. Now we got heat dome. That's, that's.
>> Tim Wildmon: Did the polar vortex have anything to do with your air conditioning problem? Did you figure that one out?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, let me explain this, Tim.
>> Tim Wildmon: No, no. Well, we can do this off the air. I think we risk boring our listeners.
>> Chris Woodward: oh, risk Heat Dome, sounds like a show on cbs.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, you're right, it does.
>> Ed Vitagliano: And not only that, if it's a popular show, you're going to get right
>> Tim Wildmon: after Chicago PD tonight. Heat Dome.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Heat Dome, Chicago Heat Dome, Los Angele.
>> Chris Woodward: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: Series of heat dome shows.
>> Chris Woodward: I did look it up. And 118 degrees in Arizona, for example, is above average. the average temperature in Arizona in August is around 102 to 110.
>> Tim Wildmon: It's 118 today in the Phoenix area.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Temperature.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yes, that's.
>> Chris Woodward: They don't have our humidity, but it's still brutal.
>> Ed Vitagliano: All right. Now, I live there. I lived in Scottsdale, Arizona, just in the Phoenix area. Metroplex kind of, for three years. And all my relatives would say the same thing to me. Yeah, but it's a dry heat. And I would tell them, so's the oven. Open it up, put it up to 450 degrees, stick your head in there, say, like that.
>> Tim Wildmon: Dry heat.
>> Ed Vitagliano: That's dry heat, too. But it's, it's, it's rough.
>> Tim Wildmon: It is the difference between humidity. The humidity which we experience here in the southeastern part of the world of the US Is, is, Can be oppressive. I mean, it's just like you walk outside to get your mail and you come back in your, so. Your, shirt so drenched. Yeah. It's a different. If you've lived in different parts of the country, if you experience it. But still, 118 is 118.
>> Ed Vitagliano: 118 is 118. And I'll say one other thing about that is they would always have warnings because you don't. Well, you. I was about to.
>> Tim Wildmon: You mean when you lived in Arizona.
In Arizona, your sweat evaporates immediately and you don't know you're dehydrated
>> Ed Vitagliano: Lived in Arizona, you do sweat, but you don't know you're sweating because it evaporates immediately.
>> Tim Wildmon: Really?
>> Ed Vitagliano: And like, people would go out, play tennis.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: They would think they weren't dehydrated because they're not sweating.
>> Tim Wildmon: I got you.
>> Ed Vitagliano: And it's. That's how that dry heat works, is that your sweat evaporates immediately and, you don't know you're dehydrated.
Chris: So firefighters have made progress against that Nevada wildfire
>> Tim Wildmon: All right. You're listening to today's issues on American Family Radio. Thanks for that weather report, Krish.
>> Chris Woodward: Yes.
>> Tim Wildmon: Back to you.
>> Chris Woodward: I do have some good news when it comes to that fire near Rienow, Nevada. Yesterday. We were.
>> Tim Wildmon: 90,000 people were displaced.
>> Chris Woodward: Yes. Yes.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay. What?
>> Chris Woodward: so firefighters have made progress against that Nevada wildfire. It has destroyed more than 30 homes. The good news is, there are no fatalities to report yet. Injuries are still low, six to seven Victims in terms of injuries and crews have managed to contain as much as 30% of this fire now. But, it has shut down portions of a major highway that runs from Rienow to the California border. So traffic continues to be a problem out there. But again, good news. Firefighters have, made some progress.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, and that's another group of folks that oftentimes don't get a pat on the back. These people fighting fires, not just in our communities, but these wildfires, these are heroic people, men and women who.
>> Tim Wildmon: Let me. Let me ask you this. This fire in Rienow, they said was man caused? Yes, but that's. There was no details given as to what happened there. Do they know yet what caught what. What started that fire?
>> Chris Woodward: At this time, I'm not sure if they have updated their line of thinking there, but I did see news reports yesterday that said they determined it was human caused by the fact that they looked back at weather records and realized there had not been a lightning strike. Lightning strike, or any kind of meteorological event, that might have started this fire.
>> Tim Wildmon: Meteorological. I thought that was like outer space, like a weather.
>> Chris Woodward: Like a weather event.
>> Tim Wildmon: Oh, like.
>> Chris Woodward: Okay, so they haven't. They have not, to my knowledge, explained why they think it's even cost.
>> Tim Wildmon: I just thought, yeah, could have been
>> Chris Woodward: a fire somebody started or could have been an arsonist.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah. And. And sometimes it's just, like you said, just negligence. I remember growing up, the Smokey the Bear, commercials. You remember that only you can prevent.
>> Tim Wildmon: You know, they brought him back.
>> Chris Woodward: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: He's back in the commercials now.
>> Ed Vitagliano: For unfortunately, he identifies as a woman. Oh, that's not.
>> Tim Wildmon: That's wrong.
>> Ed Vitagliano: It's not a, victory.
>> Chris Woodward: The good news is he can play in the wnba.
>> Tim Wildmon: Oh, man, y' all are brutal.
>> Chris Woodward: Smokey's got.
>> Tim Wildmon: They did bring smoke, but I have seen commercials with. Did, Smoking Bear. Smoking the Bear. He went away for a long time. I think he hibernate.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Hibernating.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
>> Chris Woodward: yeah, he came back, and instead of saying only you can prevent forest fires, he changed it to wildfires.
>> Tim Wildmon: Only you can prevent forest fires.
>> Chris Woodward: That was the original.
>> Tim Wildmon: Is that even true?
>> Ed Vitagliano: You know, that's what the government told us it was. It was all intended to make sure that people, when they were out camping and those kind of things, that they were conscious of doing the right thing
>> Tim Wildmon: and putting out your fire.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: Your campfire and that kind of thing.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: All right, next story. Krish.
Fox News ran a clip of Jesse Waters interviewing Mohammed Abdul last night
>> Chris Woodward: All right, Fox has run a lot of clips this morning from an interview that Jesse Waters did last night with Mohammed Abdul, the Democratic socialist running for U.S. senate in Michigan. they touched on a number of things, from ice to health care, even women's sports. Clip 1.
>> Jesse Watters: Do you want to abolish ice?
>> Tim Wildmon: Who's going to deport the criminal aliens from the country?
>> Jesse Watters: Long before we ever had ice, we had ins. We were able to enforce our immigration policies without shooting people in the face in the back of the head.
>> : You say you want socialized health care, Abdul.
>> Tim Wildmon: how much is that going to cost?
>> Jesse Watters: It's going to cost the average Michigander a whole lot less than they pay right now, but I'm just gonna tell you no.
>> Tim Wildmon: But what's the price tag of the program?
>> Jesse Watters: Voted to raise prescription drug prices 19 times.
>> Tim Wildmon: Should men play women sports?
>> : You have daughters, right?
>> Jesse Watters: At the end of the day, the decision of who gets to play what sports ought to be decided by the people who govern sports. I'm running for U.S. senate, Jesse. It's insane. I'm out here trying to take on like, the health care crisis in Big Pharma, and you're asking me about who gets to play what sports.
>> Chris Woodward: I will post the entire 25 minute, video onto our Facebook page.
>> Tim Wildmon: Do you like that type of interview? now obviously we just played a clip right there. It was just a little short clip, so it was a longer interview. And, and I like Jesse Waters, you know, on Fox News, but the style of gotcha from the left or the right just doesn't seem m. I don't know.
>> Ed Vitagliano: I, I don't like, I don't, I don't care for it. Because any politician worth his or her salt is going to have answers for that kind of stuff. Yeah, I mean, they're there and you could see this guy is a good communicator. This is what makes these kinds of people politically dangerous, is they are well spoken, they've done their homework. they have practiced their answers to the most obvious questions that are going to be asked and they deflect. You're not going to get a good, solid, meaty interview with someone like that or a person, right or left, because they've practiced their responses and they'll deflect. And just like he said, on the question of men and women's sports, he doesn't want to talk about that because he's Muslim. And if he allows himself to get dragged into that conversation, he's going to talk about what his faith says about transgenderism and homosexuality. So he's going to deflect. And he, he did it expertly. He said I don't want to talk about that. There are people out there suffering and.
>> Tim Wildmon: Right.
>> Ed Vitagliano: And, and voters are gonna.
>> Tim Wildmon: I'm trying to work on the healthcare crisis and you're asking me about, who plays who in sports, which. That's a great soundbite for him.
>> Ed Vitagliano: I'm sure Jesse Waters wanted to have the gotcha moment, but, you're not going to get it with someone as well. Practice. Now, I'm, I don't like the guy or his politics. we're talking about.
>> Tim Wildmon: El Said is the senatorial, candidate for the Democrats in Michigan and he's running against Congressman Mike Rogers. Rogers the Republican. And it's a very tight race, at least in the polls right now. But that's one that the Republicans hope they can flip from being Democrat to Republican because of the far left politics of the fellow. You just heard right there.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.
>> Tim Wildmon: You know.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, and all you've really done is make him sound senatorial.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: You know, so if. Now Jesse Waters is supposed to be, I think he generally is a, a pretty good, you know, journalist. you're supposed to simply be out to get the person's answers to questions. But it sounded like he was trying to get a gotcha moment and instead if you're trying to sink his candidacy, you may have helped it among people on the fence.
>> Tim Wildmon: You know, that's why I like to Bill O'Reilly a lot who preceded, Yeah, Jesse, Jesse Waters. In fact, Jesse Waters, I think got his start on the Bill O'Reilly show. But I, used to watch, you know, and I have, I don't, I'm, pretty selective, but I used to watch Bill O'Reilly almost every night because he, did interviews. He did about four segments, but they were a little bit lengthier. Interview segment. And he would always let the other guests talk, you know what I'm saying?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.
>> Tim Wildmon: And they would have a conversation which was productive. And Bill O'Reilly, generally conservative, you know, was very sharp and he knew the right way. He was very prepared and he knew the right questions to ask and,
>> Ed Vitagliano: and wouldn't let people get away with stuff.
>> Tim Wildmon: Right. Left or right.
>> Ed Vitagliano: But he let them say their peace. Yeah, I'll let you have the last word.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Famous for.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, exactly. What say you is. Yeah, that's what he always said. Bill O'Reilly. He's still around. I see him.
>> Chris Woodward: He is. He's got a program somewhere.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
American Family Radio takes a short break to discuss today's issues
>> Chris Woodward: All right.
>> Tim Wildmon: You're listening to Today's Issues on American Family Radio. Let's go ahead and Take our break. There's the break music right there.
>> Ed Vitagliano: I gotta love that break music. I'm gonna put it on my Spotify playlist.
>> Tim Wildmon: You do that. And we're just thankful the air conditioner's working in here.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, I'm very thankful.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Let me tell you, we can go wrong, Tim. Okay.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, we can break that down later. I'm very interested in that.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah, I know.
>> Tim Wildmon: Topic. We'll, take a short time out right here. Dr. Alex McFarland, brother, will be with us in just a few minutes on today's issues.
80% of abortion vulnerable women choose life after seeing baby on ultrasound
>> Ed Vitagliano: Friend.
>> Ed Vitagliano: We're living in a defining moment today. A woman facing an unexpected pregnancy can order the abortion pill online, often before anyone has the chance to tell her that she is loved, that she's not alone, or that there is hope. That's why you are needed right now. You are made for this moment. At PreBorn Network clinics, mothers are welcomed with compassion, practical support, and a free ultrasound. And when she sees her baby and hears that tiny heartbeat for the very first time, fear often gives way to hope. In fact, more than 80% of abortion vulnerable women choose life after seeing their baby on an ultrasound at a PreBorn Network clinic. That one moment can save a baby's life and open a mother's heart to the hope of Jesus Christ. This is our moment to stand. For those who cannot speak for themselves, just $28 provides one life saving ultrasound. $140 helps rescue five babies.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Please don't wait.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Dial pound 250 and say the key word baby.
>> Ed Vitagliano: That's pound 250, baby. Or give securely at, preborn.com afr that's preborn.com afr together we can save
>> Ed Vitagliano: lives one heartbeat at a time.
Greece and Italy, we're going there in the spring of 2027
>> Tim Wildmon: Greece and Italy, we're going there in the spring of 2027. Hello, everyone. I'm Tim Wildmon, president of American Family association and American Family Radio. My sons Walker and Wesley are going to be leading a tour of Greece which includes, many of the sites found in the Book of Acts where Paul traveled. And then we call this the Footsteps of Paul. And then we're going to Italy. By we, I mean Allison. My wife and I are leading a group tour Italy to see the sights of, that great country, including Rome. We're going to visit Rome and that'll take a couple, three days to see all that's in Rome. And so we're going to visit the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo, you may have heard of him, he was a slightly better than average artist. So we're going to be going there. If you want all the information on our tours of Italy and Greece, go to tours.afa.net that's tours.afa.net May the Lord
>> Alex McFarland: answer you in the day of trouble. May the name of the God of Jacob defend you. Psalm 20, verse 1.
>> : 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.
Alex McFarland hosts American Family Radio's Exploring the Word
>> Tim Wildmon: Hey, welcome back everybody to Today's Issues on the American Family radio network. Today's August 25th. We hope you're having a nice day so far. We've, Tim, M. Ed and Krish here. 71 degrees here in our studios. I guess it's 71 and whatever it is, it's comfortable.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, it is.
>> Tim Wildmon: I say that. And there are people who happen to work outside today. I should probably shouldn't even brought it up. but it is nice to work indoors this time of year, right?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, it is also in January and February.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yes. Amen, brother. Dr. Alex McFarland is with us, host of Exploring the Word, heard each afternoon on American family radio from 3 to 4 o' clock central time each Monday through Friday right here on AFR with Bert Harper. And they do a live, on the air Bible study. And you will be, you need to tune into that show if you don't already explore in the Word. You will be encouraged in your walk with the Lord, and your understanding of the holy Scriptures. So, Alex, good morning to you.
Tim: Give us a recap of your summer programs for youth
>> Alex McFarland: Good morning, everybody.
>> Tim Wildmon: Hey, give us a recap of your summer programs. your summer camps for youth. Teach them, American patriotism and biblical worldview. Are those all finished now?
>> Alex McFarland: We finished up last week in Pennsylvania. And Tim, thank you so much for asking. And for the first time ever at all of our camps, we did eight camps this year. We had a waiting list at every camp, thankfully, because we get to do marketing on the American Family Radio Network. I'm deeply grateful. We had over 500 kids that prayed to accept Christ this summer. And I just give God the glory.
>> Tim Wildmon: How many total kids did you have at your. Did you say ten camps? eight camps during the summer we
>> Alex McFarland: had a little over 1200 teenagers and then of course several hundred adult volunteers and chaperones and things like that. But, you know, it's really good because you get away. it was really wild in western North Carolina. In Brevard, we did a camp and a lot of the kids had never been to the mountains. Before this particular camp, we've done, like, Montana, Indiana, Florida, Pennsylvania, Georgia. But, kids, you get them away from their environment and get outdoors and hike through the woods, and they get quiet and can hear the still, small voice. You know what I mean?
>> Tim Wildmon: Are you doing these? Are you doing that? You mentioned you had a waiting list. Are you doing these next summer or do you know yet?
>> Jesse Watters: Good.
>> Alex McFarland: Lord willing. In fact, we're working on it pretty right now because youth groups. I mean, youth groups, they're planning 2027 even as we speak. But we give the gospel. We give, biblical worldview, which includes apologetics, and apologetics is a defense of the Christian faith. But, Tim, we talk about America, and we try to not only impart the gospel, but instill patriotism.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
>> Alex McFarland: Because I think we urgently need that.
>> Tim Wildmon: Amen. all right, so let us know when you release the places and the dates for your 2027 camps, and we'll get to help get the word out.
>> Alex McFarland: Bless you. Thank you so much.
>> Tim Wildmon: And maybe. Maybe we'll take. I don't know. I'm not committing to this because it would depend on how hot it is where you are. My commitment level varies. It fluctuates depending on my comfort or not. So we might do a remote broadcast of today's issues from one of your.
>> Alex McFarland: Oh, man.
>> Tim Wildmon: One of your camps.
>> Alex McFarland: We got to do it.
>> Ed Vitagliano: frankly, you've been promising this.
>> Tim Wildmon: I have been for. I know.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Trivia Friday.
>> Tim Wildmon: And then the closer we get, I go. I, don't want to go.
>> Alex McFarland: I will tell you.
>> Ed Vitagliano: That would be.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, it'd be fun.
>> Ed Vitagliano: It'd be fun to, do that at one of these camps.
>> Alex McFarland: In July, we were in both Georgia and Florida, and I remember thinking. I did not remember how actually hot it gets in Florida and Georgia.
>> Chris Woodward: the heat is the reason why the people in the south tend to be the most religious.
>> Alex McFarland: Hey, let me tell you, it'll. It'll make you want to be ready for heaven, I'll tell you.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, now, Okay, now, I don't think we need to commit to doing a remote outside. We need to do a remote.
>> Tim Wildmon: No, no. If I sit outside. I mean, outside of Tupelo.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes. All right. As long as we're on the same page.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay. You just let us know when you release your list there, and we'll. We'll look at. We'll look at our schedule.
>> Alex McFarland: Well, hey, I gotta say that. Let me say this.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
>> Alex McFarland: To everybody listening. I know lots of people pray for us. Bert and I. On exploring the Word. We are so blessed to get a lot of correspondence from AFR people, and they're so faithful, and they. They let us, you know, share what we're doing. And people have email Bert and I, and they'll say, we're praying for exploring the Word. We're praying for the summer camps and all these teenagers and Tim, hundreds of young people praying to accept Christ and kids that come multiple years. And, oh, by the way, I gotta tell you this. And I told Ed last week on Today's Issues. So we were in Pennsylvania last week, the final camp of the summer. And there are several youth groups from, like, NewSong Jersey that have come. we had a camp in, like, upstate NewSong York. And then we. There was a wonderful camp called Refreshing Mountain Christian Camp. We rented it for the first time this year, and it was in Pennsylvania. All right.
There was a young lady, and I could tell you 500 stories like this
There was a young lady, and I could tell you 500 stories like this, but a young lady, she came to Christ about six or seven years ago, began to grow. She had come to our camps for about three summers. So she said, I went to NewSong Jersey State. I did a philosophy degree. I'm now a paralegal. I'm going to go to law school. She said, Mr. McFarland, you're my worldview mentor. And she said, I'm going to get a law degree and fight Sharia law in America. And see, here's the thing. And I was talking to Ed, last week. We got to be in this for the long game of winning people to Christ, discipling people, helping people understand they have a role to play. Like this. This young, young lady who. I mean, she gets it. And these young people, we talk about the stewardship of life and that you have a role to play. Not everybody's going to be a preacher, thank the Lord. But whether you go into business or law or medicine or education or journalism like today's, this is journalism.
>> Tim Wildmon: But all of us, yeah, we're doing
>> Alex McFarland: what we're doing for the Great Commission.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yes.
>> Alex McFarland: And even more close to home for the saving of our nation.
>> Tim Wildmon: Amen.
Sharia law is coming to Europe and to the US
All right. speaking of Sharia law, I had a lady come up to me at an event I was at recently who listens to afr and she says, I wish y' all would educate people more on this Sharia law, what it is. I know it's, having a. You know, it's in other parts of the world, but it's coming to Europe and it's coming to our shores. People who want to live under Sharia law. Now I would say, why do you come to America if you want to live under Sharia law? I personally don't think, I have no way of knowing this. I personally don't think that a majority of people who come from Muslim countries to Europe and to the US are agents of Sharia.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.
>> Tim Wildmon: I think most of them just want a better life for themselves. But Sharia law, is real and it is, it is dominant in Muslim, where Muslim rule around the world. So you have to say, you know that that is the goal and objective of Muslims is to bring Sharia law to the West. Is that. Did I double talk there?
>> Ed Vitagliano: No, no.
>> Alex McFarland: Well stated.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah, I think, listen, the fact of the matter is, and then we need to pitch this to Alex, but the fact of the matter is that the vast majority of Muslims may not want to live under Sharia law when they come to the west, but it only takes a small percentage of hardliners to take control and then that majority of Muslims submit to it. Yeah, you're not going to get a whole bunch of Muslims in Egypt trying to overthrow Sharia Law. they just go along with it. And all you need is a dedicated core of radical leaders to turn Dearborn, Michigan into, for example, into a Sharia run community. And then the majority of Muslims aren't going to squawk, they're just going to live under it because they're not dedicated.
>> Tim Wildmon: They're not going to buck the spokesman's for Allah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.
Alex Martin: Sharia law is social and legal and moral principles
>> Tim Wildmon: All right, Alex, give us a, give us a thumbnail sketch at least. About what? When we say Sharia law, what are we talking about here?
>> Alex McFarland: Well, Sharia law, the word Sharia means straight path. And basically Sharia law in Arabic you mean? Yes. Okay, yes. And it's from the teachings of the Quran and the Hadith. And the Quran is the holy book of Islam. The Hadith are commentaries on that. The word Hadith means report or analysis. So the Hadith are commentaries on the Quran. And by the way, I want to categorically, in unequivocal terms, state the Koran is not scripture from God, only the Bible is.
>> Tim Wildmon: So, well, we're talking about what Muslims believe.
>> Alex McFarland: Muslims believe it. But Sharia law are social and legal and moral principles drawn from the Koran and the Hadith that Muslims believe they should live by and should be imposed on non Muslims as well. And let me just say without, taking up all of our time here, but there are Muslim clerics I'm not going to say ministers in America, in places like San Diego, Minneapolis, Dearborn, Michigan, Atlanta, one of whom I debated on Salem radio from Atlanta. And they believe Islam will ultimately be in every house. And very famously, a few months ago, one San Francisco Islamic preacher said, don't, worry about Islamophobes, their children will be Muslim. And so what we've got to understand about American law, that Islam, we think it's a religion and part of it is. But Islam is a political and social presence, every bit as much, in fact, more so. And I know of the. There are 4.5 million Muslims in America right now. And look, the vast majority are just people wanting to raise their families and put food on the table like we all do. I don't want to paint with too broad of a brush and say that these are all jihadists, though some are. But here's my point. If you come to the United States of America, you must assimilate to American constitutional law and jurisprudence. And to everybody listening, I'm going to say, as you go to vote, I plead, I beg you must never vote for any candidate that would undermine the U.S. constitution by allowing Sharia law to coexist within our constitutional America.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, Sharia law can't really coexist with the United, States Constitution because, Sharia law, ah, calls for complete mergement of church and state, as it were. It's a theocracy or mosque and state, I should say. Yes. So people want to know, well, what does that look like? Well, look at Iran, okay? Iran is a Islamic theocracy. It is, it's Sharia law imposition. I mean, imposed on its citizens, it's
>> Alex McFarland: brutal and even imposed on non Muslims.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, yeah, you have to comply. Saudi Arabia, some other places. Saudi Arabia. I've never been to Saudi Arabia. And I do know they allow for some Westernization. I say Westernization, they allow for some freedoms. But it's still run by, Sharia, Islamic law, you think? Taliban in Afghanistan. and so Indonesia, I believe, is run by Sharia. Am I right about that? Sharia law?
>> Alex McFarland: Yeah. Oh yeah, exactly. That's the country with the largest Muslim population in the world. There are like about 50, a little more than 50 Sharia led countries in the world now in places like Iran and Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Indonesia. And to all of the people that say, oh, well, let's just live and let live, look, either we have a country or we don't. And I get it, individuals can believe whatever they want. To believe. I mean, not everybody is a Christian.
>> Chris Woodward: Sadly.
>> Alex McFarland: I wish they were. I wish everybody knew Jesus. But here in America, we cannot let people, the left, or whether they be Democrat, socialists or Sharia advocates, we cannot let people use the tools of America to dismantle America. And what's so sad is with care, the Council on American Islamic Relations. I had a, more than three hour conversation with the VP of CARE about five years ago and she, just as calmly as could be, she said, America will become Islamic. She said, America will become a caliphate. And she said, the Christians, they do not know what they believe. They are not committed to this fight. And she looked me straight in the eye and she said, America will fall to Islam. And I said, well, in the name of all that is holy, may God grant that it does not. But here's the sad reality. And I love America, I love the church. Folks, we're on fire for Jesus. But there are the advocates for globalism, Marxism and Sharia, they are more committed to that which is false then American Christians are committed to that which is true.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, you know, the other thing is, you mentioned Marxism, Marx seems like to me, Marxism, which is basically based on, I say based on, it's connected to atheism. Right? That would be. Atheism and Islam are 80 degree opposites as well though. Right?
>> Alex McFarland: Well, but, but here's, here's the thing where politics makes strange bedfellows. They, they're agreed in their aversion, to Christianity and to a free market constitutional America. But I will tell you, the naive socialist will be among the first beheaded if this theocratic Sharia, and we're taught if Christ hasn't returned, we're talking about years down the road. But you're right, Marxism is inherently godless. But I've got to tell you right now, the Marxist and the Muslims are useful to each other. And I think they know this. Tim, I've had so many conversations with so many people. those that are in the, in the, the hierarchy of these kinds of, of things, they know that they're useful to each other.
>> Tim Wildmon: Sorry, is that a real phone? That's like 1970s.
>> Alex McFarland: That's my ringtone.
>> Chris Woodward: Sue, the operator from Mayberry on the other end. Sarah, Sarah. Sarah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.
>> Alex McFarland: Get me the barbershop, give me the
>> Ed Vitagliano: diner, give me one.
>> Alex McFarland: 16 years on radio, you'd think I would notice. Silence my phone. I'm, sorry guys.
>> Tim Wildmon: It happens.
>> Alex McFarland: But you know, Muslims and Marxists at this moment are useful to each other.
Alex Appreciate: Even the most ardent leftist is indebted to a Christian worldview
But I will tell you and even like the LGBTQ people that oddly enough, like aoc, who's been very pro LGBTQ trans, but also has spoken well of Islam and I think about Elisabeth Warren and the lefties, what they don't realize, if Islam became the law of the land among the first people, among the infidels first executed would be non Muslims. That would include many of the moral libertines. So I got to say this, and I'll be very brief. Here's the thing. The atheists, the pro gay trans people, you need Christianity. And I'll tell you why. Because while Christianity rightly we says homosexuality is a sin, and it is, abortion is a sin, and it is. But here's my point. It is in Christian America that respects human rights and the dignity of all human beings that you can safely walk around as a non Christian. Because Marxism in Islam are these two juggernauts and the one worldview around the world for centuries, the one worldview that has successfully held both of these juggernauts at bay has been Judeo Christian constitutional government. And so even the most ardent leftist is indebted to a Christian worldview because it's been the Christian worldview that has provided a stable, safe, even prosperous life. So not everybody's going to believe in Jesus, but don't tear down the cultural force that gives you the freedom to walk around safely. As a non believer, I'm always amused,
>> Tim Wildmon: and I don't know if that's the right word by these, especially the far left, social commentators or actors or actresses. And the, this is the, you know, worst place in the world to live is the United States of America because of this, this, this and this and our history and that, that, that, that, and. And yet they don't move. Or if they do move, like Rosie O' Donnell and Ellen DeGeneres, guess what, they stay about a year and then they're back here. So it's not that bad, I guess.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Huh?
>> Tim Wildmon: Huh? It wasn't that bad. They came back, right?
>> Alex McFarland: Alec Baldwin, Barbra Streisand, Rosie O', Donnell, Ellen DeGeneres. why don't you go live in Morocco or Iraq?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Oh, my goodness.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, a lot of them never left, but some of them did, just briefly. Anyway. yeah, go, go live in other parts of the world and see how your, liberal. Your extreme liberal views hold up there.
>> Alex McFarland: You remember Colin Alred Kaepernick? yeah, I was on the radio. Several people said I was being.
>> Tim Wildmon: He's still kneeling, by the way. He's still kneeling.
>> Alex McFarland: He is I said we need to raise money for the Colin Alred Kaepernick relocation campaign because my heart is heavy that he has to live in this, place and help him move or he can play.
>> Tim Wildmon: Millions of daughters playing ball.
>> Chris Woodward: Right. The fact that you got to do that and make an obscene amount of money shows you how great this country is.
>> Tim Wildmon: Where did he ever go? What happened to him, by the way?
>> Ed Vitagliano: I think he kicked around for a little while. Nobody.
>> Chris Woodward: He.
>> Ed Vitagliano: He was a lightning rod and he
>> Tim Wildmon: was an average quarterback.
>> Ed Vitagliano: He was an average quarterback and he was. To most owners in the NFL, he was not worth the risk.
>> Alex McFarland: The downside, he was box office poison.
>> Chris Woodward: Yeah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: If it had been a Thom Brady that you can't get rid of, you know, someone like that, that might have been a different story for him, but he was not a good enough ball player to pull that off.
>> Tim Wildmon: All right, Alex, thanks so much, my friend. And let us know when those 20, 20, seven summer, camps for youth are set and we'll get a, promote them and get them sold out.
>> Alex McFarland: And God bless, it'll be, let's go save a nation to cover it.
>> Tim Wildmon: All right, brother, let's do it. All right. Thank you, Alex. Appreciate it.
Alec McFarland: Where would you like to go in the summer
That's Dr. Alec McFarland right there, co
>> Ed Vitagliano: host of Exploring the Word. Folks, it's heard weekdays at 3pm Central Time right here on American Family Radio.
>> Tim Wildmon: Where would you like to go in the summer?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, listen, we did that. We need to find out. I personally prefer to go up north somewhere like cooler Pennsylvania. It's probably not substantially cooler in, summer anywhere, but as long as we can do the show inside, I don't want to be sweating to the oldies when I'm old.
>> Chris Woodward: Yeah. There is a place in West Virginia called Bluefield, West Virginia, that's famously known as nature's air conditioned city. We need to do a remote from there.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, it depends where his, where his, camps are.
>> Chris Woodward: Well, that's right.
>> Tim Wildmon: So I've been.
>> Ed Vitagliano: We'll find out. I think it's a good idea, actually. I think what he's doing with these young people is great.
>> Tim Wildmon: I think I've been to Bluefield. Is that, is that right over the border? I'm not Tennessee anyway, man, when I. You've traveled as much as I do, and I haven't traveled as much as Alex has or JJ has. But after you get to be 63, you start going, I've been there, Been there, been there, went through there, ate there.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, every once in a while on Facebook, someone will say how many States. Have you lived in or visited?
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. And are you up to, like, 25, 30?
>> Ed Vitagliano: No, I'm up to 40 something.
>> Chris Woodward: Wow.
>> Ed Vitagliano: I've been around.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, you have been around.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Get around. Yeah, you know, get around.
>> Tim Wildmon: I think that's Beach Boys, but I'm not sure that's the Carpenter. We'll be back in five minutes. Stay with us. The views and opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family Radio.
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>> Ed Vitagliano: Looking to take the next step in your education? Blue Mountain Christian University offers graduate degree programs designed for working adults who want to grow professionally and personally. With graduate studies in business, education and kinesiology, BMCU combines academic excellence with a Christian worldview. With flexible and hybrid formats and supportive faculty, you can pursue a graduate degree while balancing work, family, and calling. Learn more at bmc.
Tim Wildman hosts Today's Issues on the American Family Radio Network
Eduardo
>> : welcome to Today's Issues, offering a Christian response to the issues of the day. Here's your host, Tim Wildmon. M President of the American Family Association.
>> Tim Wildmon: Hey, good morning, everybody, and welcome to Today's Issues on the American Family Radio Network. Thanks for listening to AFR. Today is Tuesday, August 25, 2026, and the Middle of September is on the horizon, and that means cooler weather for most of us. Ed Vitagliano. Good morning, Ed.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Good morning, Tim. And thank you, Lord.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yes, Amen. For September. For the middle of September.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Now, I know you don't want us getting close to January.
>> Tim Wildmon: No, no, no, no. We're going to skip January next year.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yep.
>> Tim Wildmon: I've already, asked President Trump he would issue an executive order that's
>> Ed Vitagliano: he can slap something on January on El Nana.
>> Tim Wildmon: And good morning, Krish Woodward.
>> Chris Woodward: Morning. There's nothing to stop Trump from going from economic D day to meteorological D day.
>> Ed Vitagliano: That's right.
>> Chris Woodward: They said nice things to him once on the golf.
>> Ed Vitagliano: If he can pull it off right, he will be the than ever.
>> Chris Woodward: It's hard to say meteorological D day, just so you know.
>> Tim Wildmon: It is. You got to be careful.
Multiple people killed after gunman opens fire at house in Montana on Sunday
All right. a lot to talk about today on the program. Thanks for joining us here on today's Issues on the American Family Radio Network. We like to talk about good news, but unfortunately, not everything is good that happens in our world. And I was just reading, just, seeing the story, that's, breaking now. We don't know any details, but, in Montana, I guess it is. Ed, what is it?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah, it looks like it's, a house in Billings, Montana. I'm just going to read from the NewSong York Post because I was just popping open websites that I normally have on my computer when we start the show, and you said, what is that? And I had not seen it. It says multiple people were killed, including children, after a madman opened fire at a house in Montana before setting the property ablaze. Police, were called to the house and Billings just PM Sunday.
>> : okay.
>> Ed Vitagliano: This happened Sunday after reports of a shooting and a family disturbance. and so this appears to be something related to, I don't know if it's a domestic dispute, we're not getting many details, but it says a family disturbance, but there were multiple adults and multiple juveniles died at the house. Interim Yellowstone County Sheriff Kent o' Donnell told a news conferen Monday.
>> Tim Wildmon: I just find it interesting that we haven't heard about this story and yet it happened Sunday.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.
>> Chris Woodward: You know, even CBS was two days.
>> : Oh.
>> Tim Wildmon: yeah. Multiple. You know, how many, you know, police officers say the most dangerous situations for them are domestic calls.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.
>> Tim Wildmon: And it just seems like maybe it's just because the news is out there 24. 7. It just seems like we're seeing this locally and nationally, and it's everywhere.
>> Chris Woodward: Yeah. And it's been around for a while. When I was in elementary school back in. In the 90s, there was somebody in our class, that was in a family that had a, a violent domestic, disturbance.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, I, I think in terms of the psychology of that, because, Tim, I think you're exactly right. Well, I know you are right about what police say, but in terms of the domestic dispute kind of scenario is you don't. You can't love anyone more than your family. And then if that goes south and, you know, you have divorce, custody battles, accusations. Boy, I can't imagine anything more likely to set people volatile. Yes. Oh, wow.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: You know, if emotions. You think she's people living cheating on you or he's cheating on you, the. The amount of anger and hurt that unleashes. It's just.
>> Tim Wildmon: You know, I was thinking we talking about police officers and highway patrolmen, for example, and the dangerous. Sit. Have you ever. I know you guys have. We've all seen this. Especially at night. You're driving down the highway and. Or the interstate and then a police officer you see has got somebody pulled over.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: And the, the, I say police officer. Most times it could be a police officer, could be a highway patrolman. And the guy. It's usually a guy is, Is by himself.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah. Well, nowadays, police officers are almost always by themselves. You remember we grew up. Remember, the TV show Adam 12?
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, I, think back then they seem to be partnered up more.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Maybe because crime has grown so much that they are spread thin. Because I, I'm not sure I ever see two police officers in the same car.
>> Tim Wildmon: No.
>> Ed Vitagliano: You know, we rarely just drive around.
>> Tim Wildmon: And highway patrolmen, too, because they're, They're. They're just isolated out there on the, on the road and especially at night, and you're having to walk up to a car, that you don't know who's in it, what's going to happen. I mean, you don't. I know they have protocols for safety purposes. I know they do, but it's still a very. I just. I just couldn't. I can't imagine getting up every morning and doing that one time would be, I'd be emotionally wrecked.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, that's why they always tell you, you know, if you get pulled over and you get out of your car.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: The cops, they'll holler, get back in the car. Because that's how some of these lunatics will wrestle with a cop or a trooper and try to grab their weapon. And so serious business. you know, you got to listen to police officers. If something is done improperly or unconstitutionally, you sue them later. You don't get out and start something with a police officer because they've got to always be on edge.
>> Tim Wildmon: You know, most all of these altercations. Most all of these altercations, and some of them have gone national, you know, with the stories and turned into racial, Divides.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: but almost all of them. The, perpetrator, or the Would, be criminal, the suspect, I guess you could say, decides to confront the cops.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: Physically. And it goes bad, you know, it goes bad. You just go, well, listen, if you were mistreated, just, you know, you sue later.
Thank you for those who serve. Police officers and especially highway patrolmen
Yeah, yeah. But you don't get into a fist fight with or wrestling match or run.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Not only. Not only does your speeding ticket turn into a felony.
>> Tim Wildmon: Right.
>> Ed Vitagliano: You could get shot.
>> Tim Wildmon: M. Yes. Anyway, that just reminded me. We were just talking about the domestic safety issues. Police officers and especially highway patrolmen.
>> Ed Vitagliano: so anyway, thank you for those who serve.
>> Tim Wildmon: Amen.
>> Ed Vitagliano: We do try to thank people who serve the public, whether that's, you know, EMT people or nurses, doctors, whatever. But, especially, police officers, state troopers and the like.
Your air conditioner has an issue that could burn up the compressor
>> Tim Wildmon: By the way, did you get your air conditioner fixed?
>> Ed Vitagliano: no, but now we finally know what the problem is. Our air conditioning is working. Okay. It has. It has an issue that could burn up the compressor. But the, company that put in our unit and does our normal servicing, the owner's son came out yesterday.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay.
>> Ed Vitagliano: And he was able to diagnose the problem. Didn't charge for that or anything like that.
>> Tim Wildmon: So what do you diagnose?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, it's. I have a thermos.
>> Ed Vitagliano: The issue.
>> Tim Wildmon: Hold on a second. I'm taking notes.
>> Ed Vitagliano: The issue has been. I'll give the folks the quick version of It. The issue has been here in the heat of the summer, every once in a while, we live out in the county, our power flickers on and off.
>> Tim Wildmon: Right.
>> Ed Vitagliano: And when that happens, the AC unit outside starts to kick right back on when the power comes on. And it makes an awful racket. They said, talking about the H VAC people, that you can burn up your compressor.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, sure you can.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah. So they finally figured out that my thermostat, which does have a time delay. The power goes out. The thermostat waits five minutes before kicking the unit back on. Hold on a second.
>> Tim Wildmon: I'm drawing the diagram here. Go ahead.
>> Ed Vitagliano: So that all the levels. I can't explain all the levels.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, you can.
>> Ed Vitagliano: They found out that the, thermostat does not have power to it.
>> Tim Wildmon: Wow.
>> Ed Vitagliano: it runs by batteries.
>> Tim Wildmon: So it's about batteries now?
>> Ed Vitagliano: You just. To me.
>> Chris Woodward: All right.
>> Tim Wildmon: I just. This is very disappointing to hear.
>> Ed Vitagliano: So you know the thermostat does not know the power flipped off.
>> Tim Wildmon: No.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Because the batteries. Okay. You follow me?
>> Tim Wildmon: I'm tracking with you. I'm tracking.
>> Ed Vitagliano: So they're going to have to go into the attic and run a wire down to the thermostat, which you can.
>> Tim Wildmon: You're unqualified to do.
>> Ed Vitagliano: I. I'm unqualified to explain it, let alone do it.
>> Tim Wildmon: You did a great job. You know what I admire about that story you just told? Yeah. The detail in which you paid attention to. What the, Would you call him electrician or.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, technician.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. Explained it to you.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah. And now once I get past what I just said, sure. I can't go into any more detail. But I. Listen, I appreciate him. They did not charge me m. for that. Because they're trying.
>> Tim Wildmon: Like a lawyer.
>> Ed Vitagliano: This is exactly right. They're trying to, figure up the
>> Tim Wildmon: phone with a lawyer. You're charged.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, exactly right. Well, Tim, thank you for pretending to care. No, I. I.
>> Tim Wildmon: Did I not come across as sympathetic?
>> Ed Vitagliano: You did not, sir. What it sounds like is you got me wired up and wound up.
>> Tim Wildmon: I like that.
>> Ed Vitagliano: And then.
>> Tim Wildmon: That's a good pun there.
>> Ed Vitagliano: You're wired, up.
>> Chris Woodward: This conversation about AC is heating up.
>> Ed Vitagliano: good. At 2. At 2. Brutus.
>> Tim Wildmon: Good pun, too.
>> Chris Woodward: By the way, I drew the flux capacitor. That's my, That was my drawing.
>> Tim Wildmon: Is that. What.
So we have had air conditioning, but I Don't want it out
Is that what he's working on?
>> Ed Vitagliano: The flux passer. That's.
>> Chris Woodward: You're gonna go back to 1955. I hate to tell you.
>> Ed Vitagliano: So, anyway, so we have had air conditioning, but I Don't want it, like, if we're away from the house, I don't want it to burn up. And so we're on the right track here.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay.
Heat warnings remain in effect across the United States through Wednesday
>> Chris Woodward: Hey, in all seriousness, about the heat, there is that story in the news about this m. Massive heat dome, as it's called, that's been plaguing people for days. And unfortunately, depending on where you might live in these United States of America, you're going to continue to experience really high temperatures. in California, for example, heat warnings are going to remain in effect until Wednesday. In Arizona, they're looking at like, well above 100 degree weather through Saturday.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Can I just share about the fallen nature of man?
>> Tim Wildmon: Sure.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Because I want to. I'm going to confess something to our listening audience. Okay. When I read that story, you send
>> Tim Wildmon: it around the heat dome.
>> Ed Vitagliano: The heat dome. I, I looked at the headline and I said, oh, no. And then when I read the story, it's Texas westward. And I said, oh, thank you, Lord. And so the Lord cares about.
>> Tim Wildmon: Doesn't care about Texas and Oklahoma and
>> Ed Vitagliano: no, it's not the Lord. it was me.
>> Tim Wildmon: My first reaction was, not me.
>> Ed Vitagliano: It's not me. And that's. That's, that's wrong, right?
>> Tim Wildmon: It is, but I. That's not a good attitude.
>> Ed Vitagliano: I couldn't help it, Tim.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, I know. Well, that's, that's the way we are.
>> Ed Vitagliano: I couldn't help it.
>> Tim Wildmon: That's what. Carnal man. What happens to you there? That's why we need a savior.
>> Ed Vitagliano: I did not love my neighbor enough.
>> Tim Wildmon: But, you know, isn't that just another day in Arizona?
>> Chris Woodward: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: In the summertime, it's August. Arizona. But I did send that story around because it is a very serious situation. It is summertime in the American Southwest and the heartland. But still, it's extraordinary the days that these plus 100 degree temperatures are lasting over a vast swath of land. That's what I'm saying. That that's, dangerous and drying out.
>> Ed Vitagliano: And it's like the Southwest does not need any more hot, temperatures because of their water situation. Water in the dams. I will say this, though. I am learning meteorological terms. I mean, for a long time, all I knew was polar vortex. Yeah, I would throw that around. Now we got heat dome. That's, that's.
>> Tim Wildmon: Did the polar vortex have anything to do with your air conditioning problem? Did you figure that one out?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, let me explain this, Tim.
>> Tim Wildmon: No, no. Well, we can do this off the air. I think we risk boring our listeners.
>> Chris Woodward: oh, risk Heat Dome, sounds like a show on cbs.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, you're right, it does.
>> Ed Vitagliano: And not only that, if it's a popular show, you're going to get right
>> Tim Wildmon: after Chicago PD tonight. Heat Dome.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Heat Dome, Chicago Heat Dome, Los Angele.
>> Chris Woodward: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: Series of heat dome shows.
>> Chris Woodward: I did look it up. And 118 degrees in Arizona, for example, is above average. the average temperature in Arizona in August is around 102 to 110.
>> Tim Wildmon: It's 118 today in the Phoenix area.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Temperature.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yes, that's.
>> Chris Woodward: They don't have our humidity, but it's still brutal.
>> Ed Vitagliano: All right. Now, I live there. I lived in Scottsdale, Arizona, just in the Phoenix area. Metroplex kind of, for three years. And all my relatives would say the same thing to me. Yeah, but it's a dry heat. And I would tell them, so's the oven. Open it up, put it up to 450 degrees, stick your head in there, say, like that.
>> Tim Wildmon: Dry heat.
>> Ed Vitagliano: That's dry heat, too. But it's, it's, it's rough.
>> Tim Wildmon: It is the difference between humidity. The humidity which we experience here in the southeastern part of the world of the US Is, is, Can be oppressive. I mean, it's just like you walk outside to get your mail and you come back in your, so. Your, shirt so drenched. Yeah. It's a different. If you've lived in different parts of the country, if you experience it. But still, 118 is 118.
>> Ed Vitagliano: 118 is 118. And I'll say one other thing about that is they would always have warnings because you don't. Well, you. I was about to.
>> Tim Wildmon: You mean when you lived in Arizona.
In Arizona, your sweat evaporates immediately and you don't know you're dehydrated
>> Ed Vitagliano: Lived in Arizona, you do sweat, but you don't know you're sweating because it evaporates immediately.
>> Tim Wildmon: Really?
>> Ed Vitagliano: And like, people would go out, play tennis.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: They would think they weren't dehydrated because they're not sweating.
>> Tim Wildmon: I got you.
>> Ed Vitagliano: And it's. That's how that dry heat works, is that your sweat evaporates immediately and, you don't know you're dehydrated.
Chris: So firefighters have made progress against that Nevada wildfire
>> Tim Wildmon: All right. You're listening to today's issues on American Family Radio. Thanks for that weather report, Krish.
>> Chris Woodward: Yes.
>> Tim Wildmon: Back to you.
>> Chris Woodward: I do have some good news when it comes to that fire near Rienow, Nevada. Yesterday. We were.
>> Tim Wildmon: 90,000 people were displaced.
>> Chris Woodward: Yes. Yes.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay. What?
>> Chris Woodward: so firefighters have made progress against that Nevada wildfire. It has destroyed more than 30 homes. The good news is, there are no fatalities to report yet. Injuries are still low, six to seven Victims in terms of injuries and crews have managed to contain as much as 30% of this fire now. But, it has shut down portions of a major highway that runs from Rienow to the California border. So traffic continues to be a problem out there. But again, good news. Firefighters have, made some progress.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, and that's another group of folks that oftentimes don't get a pat on the back. These people fighting fires, not just in our communities, but these wildfires, these are heroic people, men and women who.
>> Tim Wildmon: Let me. Let me ask you this. This fire in Rienow, they said was man caused? Yes, but that's. There was no details given as to what happened there. Do they know yet what caught what. What started that fire?
>> Chris Woodward: At this time, I'm not sure if they have updated their line of thinking there, but I did see news reports yesterday that said they determined it was human caused by the fact that they looked back at weather records and realized there had not been a lightning strike. Lightning strike, or any kind of meteorological event, that might have started this fire.
>> Tim Wildmon: Meteorological. I thought that was like outer space, like a weather.
>> Chris Woodward: Like a weather event.
>> Tim Wildmon: Oh, like.
>> Chris Woodward: Okay, so they haven't. They have not, to my knowledge, explained why they think it's even cost.
>> Tim Wildmon: I just thought, yeah, could have been
>> Chris Woodward: a fire somebody started or could have been an arsonist.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah. And. And sometimes it's just, like you said, just negligence. I remember growing up, the Smokey the Bear, commercials. You remember that only you can prevent.
>> Tim Wildmon: You know, they brought him back.
>> Chris Woodward: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: He's back in the commercials now.
>> Ed Vitagliano: For unfortunately, he identifies as a woman. Oh, that's not.
>> Tim Wildmon: That's wrong.
>> Ed Vitagliano: It's not a, victory.
>> Chris Woodward: The good news is he can play in the wnba.
>> Tim Wildmon: Oh, man, y' all are brutal.
>> Chris Woodward: Smokey's got.
>> Tim Wildmon: They did bring smoke, but I have seen commercials with. Did, Smoking Bear. Smoking the Bear. He went away for a long time. I think he hibernate.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Hibernating.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
>> Chris Woodward: yeah, he came back, and instead of saying only you can prevent forest fires, he changed it to wildfires.
>> Tim Wildmon: Only you can prevent forest fires.
>> Chris Woodward: That was the original.
>> Tim Wildmon: Is that even true?
>> Ed Vitagliano: You know, that's what the government told us it was. It was all intended to make sure that people, when they were out camping and those kind of things, that they were conscious of doing the right thing
>> Tim Wildmon: and putting out your fire.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: Your campfire and that kind of thing.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: All right, next story. Krish.
Fox News ran a clip of Jesse Waters interviewing Mohammed Abdul last night
>> Chris Woodward: All right, Fox has run a lot of clips this morning from an interview that Jesse Waters did last night with Mohammed Abdul, the Democratic socialist running for U.S. senate in Michigan. they touched on a number of things, from ice to health care, even women's sports. Clip 1.
>> Jesse Watters: Do you want to abolish ice?
>> Tim Wildmon: Who's going to deport the criminal aliens from the country?
>> Jesse Watters: Long before we ever had ice, we had ins. We were able to enforce our immigration policies without shooting people in the face in the back of the head.
>> : You say you want socialized health care, Abdul.
>> Tim Wildmon: how much is that going to cost?
>> Jesse Watters: It's going to cost the average Michigander a whole lot less than they pay right now, but I'm just gonna tell you no.
>> Tim Wildmon: But what's the price tag of the program?
>> Jesse Watters: Voted to raise prescription drug prices 19 times.
>> Tim Wildmon: Should men play women sports?
>> : You have daughters, right?
>> Jesse Watters: At the end of the day, the decision of who gets to play what sports ought to be decided by the people who govern sports. I'm running for U.S. senate, Jesse. It's insane. I'm out here trying to take on like, the health care crisis in Big Pharma, and you're asking me about who gets to play what sports.
>> Chris Woodward: I will post the entire 25 minute, video onto our Facebook page.
>> Tim Wildmon: Do you like that type of interview? now obviously we just played a clip right there. It was just a little short clip, so it was a longer interview. And, and I like Jesse Waters, you know, on Fox News, but the style of gotcha from the left or the right just doesn't seem m. I don't know.
>> Ed Vitagliano: I, I don't like, I don't, I don't care for it. Because any politician worth his or her salt is going to have answers for that kind of stuff. Yeah, I mean, they're there and you could see this guy is a good communicator. This is what makes these kinds of people politically dangerous, is they are well spoken, they've done their homework. they have practiced their answers to the most obvious questions that are going to be asked and they deflect. You're not going to get a good, solid, meaty interview with someone like that or a person, right or left, because they've practiced their responses and they'll deflect. And just like he said, on the question of men and women's sports, he doesn't want to talk about that because he's Muslim. And if he allows himself to get dragged into that conversation, he's going to talk about what his faith says about transgenderism and homosexuality. So he's going to deflect. And he, he did it expertly. He said I don't want to talk about that. There are people out there suffering and.
>> Tim Wildmon: Right.
>> Ed Vitagliano: And, and voters are gonna.
>> Tim Wildmon: I'm trying to work on the healthcare crisis and you're asking me about, who plays who in sports, which. That's a great soundbite for him.
>> Ed Vitagliano: I'm sure Jesse Waters wanted to have the gotcha moment, but, you're not going to get it with someone as well. Practice. Now, I'm, I don't like the guy or his politics. we're talking about.
>> Tim Wildmon: El Said is the senatorial, candidate for the Democrats in Michigan and he's running against Congressman Mike Rogers. Rogers the Republican. And it's a very tight race, at least in the polls right now. But that's one that the Republicans hope they can flip from being Democrat to Republican because of the far left politics of the fellow. You just heard right there.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.
>> Tim Wildmon: You know.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, and all you've really done is make him sound senatorial.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: You know, so if. Now Jesse Waters is supposed to be, I think he generally is a, a pretty good, you know, journalist. you're supposed to simply be out to get the person's answers to questions. But it sounded like he was trying to get a gotcha moment and instead if you're trying to sink his candidacy, you may have helped it among people on the fence.
>> Tim Wildmon: You know, that's why I like to Bill O'Reilly a lot who preceded, Yeah, Jesse, Jesse Waters. In fact, Jesse Waters, I think got his start on the Bill O'Reilly show. But I, used to watch, you know, and I have, I don't, I'm, pretty selective, but I used to watch Bill O'Reilly almost every night because he, did interviews. He did about four segments, but they were a little bit lengthier. Interview segment. And he would always let the other guests talk, you know what I'm saying?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.
>> Tim Wildmon: And they would have a conversation which was productive. And Bill O'Reilly, generally conservative, you know, was very sharp and he knew the right way. He was very prepared and he knew the right questions to ask and,
>> Ed Vitagliano: and wouldn't let people get away with stuff.
>> Tim Wildmon: Right. Left or right.
>> Ed Vitagliano: But he let them say their peace. Yeah, I'll let you have the last word.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Famous for.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, exactly. What say you is. Yeah, that's what he always said. Bill O'Reilly. He's still around. I see him.
>> Chris Woodward: He is. He's got a program somewhere.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
American Family Radio takes a short break to discuss today's issues
>> Chris Woodward: All right.
>> Tim Wildmon: You're listening to Today's Issues on American Family Radio. Let's go ahead and Take our break. There's the break music right there.
>> Ed Vitagliano: I gotta love that break music. I'm gonna put it on my Spotify playlist.
>> Tim Wildmon: You do that. And we're just thankful the air conditioner's working in here.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, I'm very thankful.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Let me tell you, we can go wrong, Tim. Okay.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, we can break that down later. I'm very interested in that.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah, I know.
>> Tim Wildmon: Topic. We'll, take a short time out right here. Dr. Alex McFarland, brother, will be with us in just a few minutes on today's issues.
80% of abortion vulnerable women choose life after seeing baby on ultrasound
>> Ed Vitagliano: Friend.
>> Ed Vitagliano: We're living in a defining moment today. A woman facing an unexpected pregnancy can order the abortion pill online, often before anyone has the chance to tell her that she is loved, that she's not alone, or that there is hope. That's why you are needed right now. You are made for this moment. At PreBorn Network clinics, mothers are welcomed with compassion, practical support, and a free ultrasound. And when she sees her baby and hears that tiny heartbeat for the very first time, fear often gives way to hope. In fact, more than 80% of abortion vulnerable women choose life after seeing their baby on an ultrasound at a PreBorn Network clinic. That one moment can save a baby's life and open a mother's heart to the hope of Jesus Christ. This is our moment to stand. For those who cannot speak for themselves, just $28 provides one life saving ultrasound. $140 helps rescue five babies.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Please don't wait.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Dial pound 250 and say the key word baby.
>> Ed Vitagliano: That's pound 250, baby. Or give securely at, preborn.com afr that's preborn.com afr together we can save
>> Ed Vitagliano: lives one heartbeat at a time.
Greece and Italy, we're going there in the spring of 2027
>> Tim Wildmon: Greece and Italy, we're going there in the spring of 2027. Hello, everyone. I'm Tim Wildmon, president of American Family association and American Family Radio. My sons Walker and Wesley are going to be leading a tour of Greece which includes, many of the sites found in the Book of Acts where Paul traveled. And then we call this the Footsteps of Paul. And then we're going to Italy. By we, I mean Allison. My wife and I are leading a group tour Italy to see the sights of, that great country, including Rome. We're going to visit Rome and that'll take a couple, three days to see all that's in Rome. And so we're going to visit the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo, you may have heard of him, he was a slightly better than average artist. So we're going to be going there. If you want all the information on our tours of Italy and Greece, go to tours.afa.net that's tours.afa.net May the Lord
>> Alex McFarland: answer you in the day of trouble. May the name of the God of Jacob defend you. Psalm 20, verse 1.
>> : 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.
Alex McFarland hosts American Family Radio's Exploring the Word
>> Tim Wildmon: Hey, welcome back everybody to Today's Issues on the American Family radio network. Today's August 25th. We hope you're having a nice day so far. We've, Tim, M. Ed and Krish here. 71 degrees here in our studios. I guess it's 71 and whatever it is, it's comfortable.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, it is.
>> Tim Wildmon: I say that. And there are people who happen to work outside today. I should probably shouldn't even brought it up. but it is nice to work indoors this time of year, right?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, it is also in January and February.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yes. Amen, brother. Dr. Alex McFarland is with us, host of Exploring the Word, heard each afternoon on American family radio from 3 to 4 o' clock central time each Monday through Friday right here on AFR with Bert Harper. And they do a live, on the air Bible study. And you will be, you need to tune into that show if you don't already explore in the Word. You will be encouraged in your walk with the Lord, and your understanding of the holy Scriptures. So, Alex, good morning to you.
Tim: Give us a recap of your summer programs for youth
>> Alex McFarland: Good morning, everybody.
>> Tim Wildmon: Hey, give us a recap of your summer programs. your summer camps for youth. Teach them, American patriotism and biblical worldview. Are those all finished now?
>> Alex McFarland: We finished up last week in Pennsylvania. And Tim, thank you so much for asking. And for the first time ever at all of our camps, we did eight camps this year. We had a waiting list at every camp, thankfully, because we get to do marketing on the American Family Radio Network. I'm deeply grateful. We had over 500 kids that prayed to accept Christ this summer. And I just give God the glory.
>> Tim Wildmon: How many total kids did you have at your. Did you say ten camps? eight camps during the summer we
>> Alex McFarland: had a little over 1200 teenagers and then of course several hundred adult volunteers and chaperones and things like that. But, you know, it's really good because you get away. it was really wild in western North Carolina. In Brevard, we did a camp and a lot of the kids had never been to the mountains. Before this particular camp, we've done, like, Montana, Indiana, Florida, Pennsylvania, Georgia. But, kids, you get them away from their environment and get outdoors and hike through the woods, and they get quiet and can hear the still, small voice. You know what I mean?
>> Tim Wildmon: Are you doing these? Are you doing that? You mentioned you had a waiting list. Are you doing these next summer or do you know yet?
>> Jesse Watters: Good.
>> Alex McFarland: Lord willing. In fact, we're working on it pretty right now because youth groups. I mean, youth groups, they're planning 2027 even as we speak. But we give the gospel. We give, biblical worldview, which includes apologetics, and apologetics is a defense of the Christian faith. But, Tim, we talk about America, and we try to not only impart the gospel, but instill patriotism.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
>> Alex McFarland: Because I think we urgently need that.
>> Tim Wildmon: Amen. all right, so let us know when you release the places and the dates for your 2027 camps, and we'll get to help get the word out.
>> Alex McFarland: Bless you. Thank you so much.
>> Tim Wildmon: And maybe. Maybe we'll take. I don't know. I'm not committing to this because it would depend on how hot it is where you are. My commitment level varies. It fluctuates depending on my comfort or not. So we might do a remote broadcast of today's issues from one of your.
>> Alex McFarland: Oh, man.
>> Tim Wildmon: One of your camps.
>> Alex McFarland: We got to do it.
>> Ed Vitagliano: frankly, you've been promising this.
>> Tim Wildmon: I have been for. I know.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Trivia Friday.
>> Tim Wildmon: And then the closer we get, I go. I, don't want to go.
>> Alex McFarland: I will tell you.
>> Ed Vitagliano: That would be.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, it'd be fun.
>> Ed Vitagliano: It'd be fun to, do that at one of these camps.
>> Alex McFarland: In July, we were in both Georgia and Florida, and I remember thinking. I did not remember how actually hot it gets in Florida and Georgia.
>> Chris Woodward: the heat is the reason why the people in the south tend to be the most religious.
>> Alex McFarland: Hey, let me tell you, it'll. It'll make you want to be ready for heaven, I'll tell you.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, now, Okay, now, I don't think we need to commit to doing a remote outside. We need to do a remote.
>> Tim Wildmon: No, no. If I sit outside. I mean, outside of Tupelo.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes. All right. As long as we're on the same page.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay. You just let us know when you release your list there, and we'll. We'll look at. We'll look at our schedule.
>> Alex McFarland: Well, hey, I gotta say that. Let me say this.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
>> Alex McFarland: To everybody listening. I know lots of people pray for us. Bert and I. On exploring the Word. We are so blessed to get a lot of correspondence from AFR people, and they're so faithful, and they. They let us, you know, share what we're doing. And people have email Bert and I, and they'll say, we're praying for exploring the Word. We're praying for the summer camps and all these teenagers and Tim, hundreds of young people praying to accept Christ and kids that come multiple years. And, oh, by the way, I gotta tell you this. And I told Ed last week on Today's Issues. So we were in Pennsylvania last week, the final camp of the summer. And there are several youth groups from, like, NewSong Jersey that have come. we had a camp in, like, upstate NewSong York. And then we. There was a wonderful camp called Refreshing Mountain Christian Camp. We rented it for the first time this year, and it was in Pennsylvania. All right.
There was a young lady, and I could tell you 500 stories like this
There was a young lady, and I could tell you 500 stories like this, but a young lady, she came to Christ about six or seven years ago, began to grow. She had come to our camps for about three summers. So she said, I went to NewSong Jersey State. I did a philosophy degree. I'm now a paralegal. I'm going to go to law school. She said, Mr. McFarland, you're my worldview mentor. And she said, I'm going to get a law degree and fight Sharia law in America. And see, here's the thing. And I was talking to Ed, last week. We got to be in this for the long game of winning people to Christ, discipling people, helping people understand they have a role to play. Like this. This young, young lady who. I mean, she gets it. And these young people, we talk about the stewardship of life and that you have a role to play. Not everybody's going to be a preacher, thank the Lord. But whether you go into business or law or medicine or education or journalism like today's, this is journalism.
>> Tim Wildmon: But all of us, yeah, we're doing
>> Alex McFarland: what we're doing for the Great Commission.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yes.
>> Alex McFarland: And even more close to home for the saving of our nation.
>> Tim Wildmon: Amen.
Sharia law is coming to Europe and to the US
All right. speaking of Sharia law, I had a lady come up to me at an event I was at recently who listens to afr and she says, I wish y' all would educate people more on this Sharia law, what it is. I know it's, having a. You know, it's in other parts of the world, but it's coming to Europe and it's coming to our shores. People who want to live under Sharia law. Now I would say, why do you come to America if you want to live under Sharia law? I personally don't think, I have no way of knowing this. I personally don't think that a majority of people who come from Muslim countries to Europe and to the US are agents of Sharia.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.
>> Tim Wildmon: I think most of them just want a better life for themselves. But Sharia law, is real and it is, it is dominant in Muslim, where Muslim rule around the world. So you have to say, you know that that is the goal and objective of Muslims is to bring Sharia law to the West. Is that. Did I double talk there?
>> Ed Vitagliano: No, no.
>> Alex McFarland: Well stated.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah, I think, listen, the fact of the matter is, and then we need to pitch this to Alex, but the fact of the matter is that the vast majority of Muslims may not want to live under Sharia law when they come to the west, but it only takes a small percentage of hardliners to take control and then that majority of Muslims submit to it. Yeah, you're not going to get a whole bunch of Muslims in Egypt trying to overthrow Sharia Law. they just go along with it. And all you need is a dedicated core of radical leaders to turn Dearborn, Michigan into, for example, into a Sharia run community. And then the majority of Muslims aren't going to squawk, they're just going to live under it because they're not dedicated.
>> Tim Wildmon: They're not going to buck the spokesman's for Allah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.
Alex Martin: Sharia law is social and legal and moral principles
>> Tim Wildmon: All right, Alex, give us a, give us a thumbnail sketch at least. About what? When we say Sharia law, what are we talking about here?
>> Alex McFarland: Well, Sharia law, the word Sharia means straight path. And basically Sharia law in Arabic you mean? Yes. Okay, yes. And it's from the teachings of the Quran and the Hadith. And the Quran is the holy book of Islam. The Hadith are commentaries on that. The word Hadith means report or analysis. So the Hadith are commentaries on the Quran. And by the way, I want to categorically, in unequivocal terms, state the Koran is not scripture from God, only the Bible is.
>> Tim Wildmon: So, well, we're talking about what Muslims believe.
>> Alex McFarland: Muslims believe it. But Sharia law are social and legal and moral principles drawn from the Koran and the Hadith that Muslims believe they should live by and should be imposed on non Muslims as well. And let me just say without, taking up all of our time here, but there are Muslim clerics I'm not going to say ministers in America, in places like San Diego, Minneapolis, Dearborn, Michigan, Atlanta, one of whom I debated on Salem radio from Atlanta. And they believe Islam will ultimately be in every house. And very famously, a few months ago, one San Francisco Islamic preacher said, don't, worry about Islamophobes, their children will be Muslim. And so what we've got to understand about American law, that Islam, we think it's a religion and part of it is. But Islam is a political and social presence, every bit as much, in fact, more so. And I know of the. There are 4.5 million Muslims in America right now. And look, the vast majority are just people wanting to raise their families and put food on the table like we all do. I don't want to paint with too broad of a brush and say that these are all jihadists, though some are. But here's my point. If you come to the United States of America, you must assimilate to American constitutional law and jurisprudence. And to everybody listening, I'm going to say, as you go to vote, I plead, I beg you must never vote for any candidate that would undermine the U.S. constitution by allowing Sharia law to coexist within our constitutional America.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, Sharia law can't really coexist with the United, States Constitution because, Sharia law, ah, calls for complete mergement of church and state, as it were. It's a theocracy or mosque and state, I should say. Yes. So people want to know, well, what does that look like? Well, look at Iran, okay? Iran is a Islamic theocracy. It is, it's Sharia law imposition. I mean, imposed on its citizens, it's
>> Alex McFarland: brutal and even imposed on non Muslims.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, yeah, you have to comply. Saudi Arabia, some other places. Saudi Arabia. I've never been to Saudi Arabia. And I do know they allow for some Westernization. I say Westernization, they allow for some freedoms. But it's still run by, Sharia, Islamic law, you think? Taliban in Afghanistan. and so Indonesia, I believe, is run by Sharia. Am I right about that? Sharia law?
>> Alex McFarland: Yeah. Oh yeah, exactly. That's the country with the largest Muslim population in the world. There are like about 50, a little more than 50 Sharia led countries in the world now in places like Iran and Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Indonesia. And to all of the people that say, oh, well, let's just live and let live, look, either we have a country or we don't. And I get it, individuals can believe whatever they want. To believe. I mean, not everybody is a Christian.
>> Chris Woodward: Sadly.
>> Alex McFarland: I wish they were. I wish everybody knew Jesus. But here in America, we cannot let people, the left, or whether they be Democrat, socialists or Sharia advocates, we cannot let people use the tools of America to dismantle America. And what's so sad is with care, the Council on American Islamic Relations. I had a, more than three hour conversation with the VP of CARE about five years ago and she, just as calmly as could be, she said, America will become Islamic. She said, America will become a caliphate. And she said, the Christians, they do not know what they believe. They are not committed to this fight. And she looked me straight in the eye and she said, America will fall to Islam. And I said, well, in the name of all that is holy, may God grant that it does not. But here's the sad reality. And I love America, I love the church. Folks, we're on fire for Jesus. But there are the advocates for globalism, Marxism and Sharia, they are more committed to that which is false then American Christians are committed to that which is true.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, you know, the other thing is, you mentioned Marxism, Marx seems like to me, Marxism, which is basically based on, I say based on, it's connected to atheism. Right? That would be. Atheism and Islam are 80 degree opposites as well though. Right?
>> Alex McFarland: Well, but, but here's, here's the thing where politics makes strange bedfellows. They, they're agreed in their aversion, to Christianity and to a free market constitutional America. But I will tell you, the naive socialist will be among the first beheaded if this theocratic Sharia, and we're taught if Christ hasn't returned, we're talking about years down the road. But you're right, Marxism is inherently godless. But I've got to tell you right now, the Marxist and the Muslims are useful to each other. And I think they know this. Tim, I've had so many conversations with so many people. those that are in the, in the, the hierarchy of these kinds of, of things, they know that they're useful to each other.
>> Tim Wildmon: Sorry, is that a real phone? That's like 1970s.
>> Alex McFarland: That's my ringtone.
>> Chris Woodward: Sue, the operator from Mayberry on the other end. Sarah, Sarah. Sarah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.
>> Alex McFarland: Get me the barbershop, give me the
>> Ed Vitagliano: diner, give me one.
>> Alex McFarland: 16 years on radio, you'd think I would notice. Silence my phone. I'm, sorry guys.
>> Tim Wildmon: It happens.
>> Alex McFarland: But you know, Muslims and Marxists at this moment are useful to each other.
Alex Appreciate: Even the most ardent leftist is indebted to a Christian worldview
But I will tell you and even like the LGBTQ people that oddly enough, like aoc, who's been very pro LGBTQ trans, but also has spoken well of Islam and I think about Elisabeth Warren and the lefties, what they don't realize, if Islam became the law of the land among the first people, among the infidels first executed would be non Muslims. That would include many of the moral libertines. So I got to say this, and I'll be very brief. Here's the thing. The atheists, the pro gay trans people, you need Christianity. And I'll tell you why. Because while Christianity rightly we says homosexuality is a sin, and it is, abortion is a sin, and it is. But here's my point. It is in Christian America that respects human rights and the dignity of all human beings that you can safely walk around as a non Christian. Because Marxism in Islam are these two juggernauts and the one worldview around the world for centuries, the one worldview that has successfully held both of these juggernauts at bay has been Judeo Christian constitutional government. And so even the most ardent leftist is indebted to a Christian worldview because it's been the Christian worldview that has provided a stable, safe, even prosperous life. So not everybody's going to believe in Jesus, but don't tear down the cultural force that gives you the freedom to walk around safely. As a non believer, I'm always amused,
>> Tim Wildmon: and I don't know if that's the right word by these, especially the far left, social commentators or actors or actresses. And the, this is the, you know, worst place in the world to live is the United States of America because of this, this, this and this and our history and that, that, that, that, and. And yet they don't move. Or if they do move, like Rosie O' Donnell and Ellen DeGeneres, guess what, they stay about a year and then they're back here. So it's not that bad, I guess.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Huh?
>> Tim Wildmon: Huh? It wasn't that bad. They came back, right?
>> Alex McFarland: Alec Baldwin, Barbra Streisand, Rosie O', Donnell, Ellen DeGeneres. why don't you go live in Morocco or Iraq?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Oh, my goodness.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, a lot of them never left, but some of them did, just briefly. Anyway. yeah, go, go live in other parts of the world and see how your, liberal. Your extreme liberal views hold up there.
>> Alex McFarland: You remember Colin Alred Kaepernick? yeah, I was on the radio. Several people said I was being.
>> Tim Wildmon: He's still kneeling, by the way. He's still kneeling.
>> Alex McFarland: He is I said we need to raise money for the Colin Alred Kaepernick relocation campaign because my heart is heavy that he has to live in this, place and help him move or he can play.
>> Tim Wildmon: Millions of daughters playing ball.
>> Chris Woodward: Right. The fact that you got to do that and make an obscene amount of money shows you how great this country is.
>> Tim Wildmon: Where did he ever go? What happened to him, by the way?
>> Ed Vitagliano: I think he kicked around for a little while. Nobody.
>> Chris Woodward: He.
>> Ed Vitagliano: He was a lightning rod and he
>> Tim Wildmon: was an average quarterback.
>> Ed Vitagliano: He was an average quarterback and he was. To most owners in the NFL, he was not worth the risk.
>> Alex McFarland: The downside, he was box office poison.
>> Chris Woodward: Yeah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: If it had been a Thom Brady that you can't get rid of, you know, someone like that, that might have been a different story for him, but he was not a good enough ball player to pull that off.
>> Tim Wildmon: All right, Alex, thanks so much, my friend. And let us know when those 20, 20, seven summer, camps for youth are set and we'll get a, promote them and get them sold out.
>> Alex McFarland: And God bless, it'll be, let's go save a nation to cover it.
>> Tim Wildmon: All right, brother, let's do it. All right. Thank you, Alex. Appreciate it.
Alec McFarland: Where would you like to go in the summer
That's Dr. Alec McFarland right there, co
>> Ed Vitagliano: host of Exploring the Word. Folks, it's heard weekdays at 3pm Central Time right here on American Family Radio.
>> Tim Wildmon: Where would you like to go in the summer?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, listen, we did that. We need to find out. I personally prefer to go up north somewhere like cooler Pennsylvania. It's probably not substantially cooler in, summer anywhere, but as long as we can do the show inside, I don't want to be sweating to the oldies when I'm old.
>> Chris Woodward: Yeah. There is a place in West Virginia called Bluefield, West Virginia, that's famously known as nature's air conditioned city. We need to do a remote from there.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, it depends where his, where his, camps are.
>> Chris Woodward: Well, that's right.
>> Tim Wildmon: So I've been.
>> Ed Vitagliano: We'll find out. I think it's a good idea, actually. I think what he's doing with these young people is great.
>> Tim Wildmon: I think I've been to Bluefield. Is that, is that right over the border? I'm not Tennessee anyway, man, when I. You've traveled as much as I do, and I haven't traveled as much as Alex has or JJ has. But after you get to be 63, you start going, I've been there, Been there, been there, went through there, ate there.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, every once in a while on Facebook, someone will say how many States. Have you lived in or visited?
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. And are you up to, like, 25, 30?
>> Ed Vitagliano: No, I'm up to 40 something.
>> Chris Woodward: Wow.
>> Ed Vitagliano: I've been around.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, you have been around.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Get around. Yeah, you know, get around.
>> Tim Wildmon: I think that's Beach Boys, but I'm not sure that's the Carpenter. We'll be back in five minutes. Stay with us. The views and opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family Radio.
Dr. Alex McFarland joins Tim Wildmon, Ed Vitagliano, and Chris Wood to report that over 500 teenagers prayed to accept Christ during summer camps held across eight states. He explains what Sharia law is and warns that it cannot coexist with the U.S. Constitution, arguing that Marxism and Islam share a common aversion to Christianity and constitutional government. The hosts discuss breaking news of a deadly domestic shooting in Billings, Montana, and examine the dangers police officers face during solo traffic stops and domestic disturbance calls. They also analyze Jesse Watters' interview with Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, noting his deflection on questions about abolishing ICE, healthcare costs, and men in women's sports. The program covers the human-caused Reno wildfire that displaced 90,000 residents and destroyed more than 30 homes, along with extreme temperatures reaching 118 degrees in the Southwest.
Chapters
[00:01:51] Billings, Montana House Shooting
[00:03:12] Officer Safety During Solo Traffic Stops
[00:10:58] Extreme Heat in the Southwest
[00:15:19] Reno Wildfire Progress Report
[00:18:03] Analysis of Jesse Watters' Abdul El-Sayed Interview
[00:31:21] Alex McFarland on Summer Youth Camps
[00:37:47] Alex McFarland Explains Sharia Law
[00:54:56] American Family News Headlines
Dr. Alex McFarland joins Tim Wildmon, Ed Vitagliano, and Chris Wood to report that over 500 teenagers prayed to accept Christ during summer camps held across eight states. He explains what Sharia law is and warns that it cannot coexist with the U.S. Constitution, arguing that Marxism and Islam share a common aversion to Christianity and constitutional government. The hosts discuss breaking news of a deadly domestic shooting in Billings, Montana, and examine the dangers police officers face during solo traffic stops and domestic disturbance calls. They also analyze Jesse Watters' interview with Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, noting his deflection on questions about abolishing ICE, healthcare costs, and men in women's sports. The program covers the human-caused Reno wildfire that displaced 90,000 residents and destroyed more than 30 homes, along with extreme temperatures reaching 118 degrees in the Southwest.
Chapters
[00:01:51] Billings, Montana House Shooting
[00:03:12] Officer Safety During Solo Traffic Stops
[00:10:58] Extreme Heat in the Southwest
[00:15:19] Reno Wildfire Progress Report
[00:18:03] Analysis of Jesse Watters' Abdul El-Sayed Interview
[00:31:21] Alex McFarland on Summer Youth Camps
[00:37:47] Alex McFarland Explains Sharia Law
[00:54:56] American Family News Headlines
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