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

Ed Vitagliano: Welcome to Today's Issues, offering a Christian response to the issues of the day. Here's your host, Tim Wildmon, 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 August 10, 2026. It's Monday. Good, morning. Ed Vitagliano.

Ed Vitagliano: Good morning, Tim.

Tim Wildmon: Good morning. Krish Woodward.

Ed Vitagliano: Hello.

Tim Wildmon: people have come to spec that of Krish. Just enthusiasm. We like that enthusiasm.

Ed Vitagliano: High octane.

Tim Wildmon: Yeah, maybe.

Chris Woodward: I have been told by three fans, all three of them, that, I'm at my best after I've had my fourth pot of coffee. So let's get. Let's do this.

Today is American Family Radio producer Jonathan Coker's birthday

Ed Vitagliano: All right. You know, there's something special about August 10th that I would like to bring to the awareness of our millions, maybe billions of listeners. Okay. You know what today is?

Tim Wildmon: I have no idea.

Ed Vitagliano: It is, Jonathan Coker's birthday.

Chris Woodward: Aha.

Tim Wildmon: all right.

Ed Vitagliano: Yes.

Tim Wildmon: Give it up for Jonathan Coker.

Ed Vitagliano: Jonathan Coker's birthday today. He is sitting in. In, not replacing. Sitting in for Brent Creeley, our producer, Jonathan Coker.

Chris Woodward: Brent took your birthday off.

Ed Vitagliano: So anyway, happy birthday, Jonathan. why don't you put the mic on there?

Jonathan Coker: Thank you.

Ed Vitagliano: director of American Family Radio.

Jonathan Coker: That's right.

Ed Vitagliano: Big shot. You're a big shot.

Tim Wildmon: That's his day job.

Ed Vitagliano: It's a state job.

You look younger than I Do. 90% of the country looks younger than you do

How old are you? It's all. I'm just gonna ask. 40.

Jonathan Coker: 7.

Ed Vitagliano: 47. I don't look at. Do, I look really. No, you don't. You really don't.

Chris Woodward: You look younger than I Do. I look like I'm old enough to be your dad?

Tim Wildmon: You are making me uncomfortable.

Ed Vitagliano: 90. 90% of the country looks younger than you do.

Chris Woodward: They sure do. That's being kind.

Tim Wildmon: Guys shouldn't be talking about each other's looks.

Ed Vitagliano: We should.

Tim Wildmon: Well, I just. I'm just saying that makes me uneasy.

Ed Vitagliano: I. I think Jonathan's a very handsome man. I mean, what. You know, what can I say? Okay, this is getting. This is devolving.

Tim Wildmon: I was warned. Yeah, I warned you right there. All right.

Ed Vitagliano: Anyway, happy birthday. He's a wonderful Christian man. He worked here for a long time and just wanted to give a shout out.

Tim Wildmon: Survived how many hours in the car with your, wife and son?

Jonathan Coker: A lot.

Tim Wildmon: Yeah.

Ed Vitagliano: When you went on his vacation,

Speaker E: didn't you?

Jonathan Coker: no, we didn't make it to Maine. We went to Boston. Drove all the way to Boston and back. You all the way up to Boston. Just couldn't make the last Three hours or whatever. Just get the main. We, we talked about it, but no, that was just. Boston was far enough.

Tim Wildmon: Tupelo, Mississippi to Boston and back with

Ed Vitagliano: a lot of stops on the way.

Tim Wildmon: Yeah. Hey, when y' all came back, did you come, back the same way you went? You come a different way?

Jonathan Coker: We came a different way.

Tim Wildmon: Okay.

Jonathan Coker: Yeah, because we wanted to go. My wife wanted to go through the Shenandoah National Paak, I think it is.

Tim Wildmon: Yeah. On the way home or on the way home.

Jonathan Coker: Okay, sir. So we drove that for like two hours on the way back.

Tim Wildmon: Yes. But, well, that was, that was a wonderful, you know, life memory you guys made.

Jonathan Coker: Absolutely.

You traveled across America to see Revolutionary and Civil War history

Tim Wildmon: How many days?

Ed Vitagliano: It was 14 days that we traveled and saw all kind of revolutionary.

Tim Wildmon: Revolutionary American history, civil history. I mean, Civil War history and everything like that. what was your favorite stop? Do you have one?

Jonathan Coker: probably Philadelphia at Independence Hall.

Tim Wildmon: Okay.

Jonathan Coker: I think I said this the last time I was on, but it's, like, just being in the same room where the Declaration of Independence was signed was like. It was 90 something degrees outside, but I literally had chills down my arm just thinking, it's not as big as you think. No, it's not. I've been there. We did actually got permission and did some filming. M in that.

Tim Wildmon: What kind of line did you get weighed in for that day? Do you remember?

Jonathan Coker: actually, it wasn't bad. They did tours, like, every 20 minutes.

Tim Wildmon: You see the Liberty Bell, on the display? That's all that. Isn't that outside or it's.

Ed Vitagliano: It's. No, it's.

Tim Wildmon: They got it inside.

Ed Vitagliano: They got it inside. The line is outside, but yeah. Yeah, you go through that.

Tim Wildmon: Yeah. Well, it's good in the summertime not to have a wait too long, and

Ed Vitagliano: that probably cuts down on.

Tim Wildmon: Well, you lose your patriotism, you know what I'm saying?

Chris Woodward: Air conditioning, great. Again.

Tim Wildmon: I ain't standing in no line for an hour and a half.

Ed Vitagliano: Right.

Tim Wildmon: I don't care who we're going.

Ed Vitagliano: I don't care what Jesus.

Tim Wildmon: Even Paul's not going to get me standing. I meet St. Paul. Hour and a half.

Tim Wildmon: Nope.

Tim Wildmon: Not going to do it.

Ed Vitagliano: Yep. So Jesus only.

Tim Wildmon: Jesus only.

Chris Woodward: I'll meet him in glory. I'm good.

Ed Vitagliano: Red. Red letter Christian, Right? Only the words in red.

We have some Good news to report on Truth for Youth Bible campaign

Tim Wildmon: All right. okay, so, a lot to talk about today. Lots going on in the world. We will get an update at the bottom of the hour from, brother Tim Todd in West Monroe, Louisiana.

Ed Vitagliano: That's about our Truth for Youth Bible campaign.

Tim Wildmon: We have some Good news to report.

Ed Vitagliano: Yes.

Tim Wildmon: And we will be very exciting. He'll be sharing with us at the bottom of, the hour. And, before we jump into the news, tell folks how they can watch this show on the Internet if they so choose.

You have several options if you want to watch the live video stream

Ed Vitagliano: Well, you have several options if you want to watch the live video stream. Of course, there's all kinds of ways to listen to the audio, but some people, for some crazy reason, like to watch us on the air. Live video stream. Well, there are at least three ways to do that. You can go to Face to Face, you can go to Face Tube, you go to Facebook or YouTube and search for today's issues or today's issues Live. the. Just those two different names on those two different platforms. Or you can go to our own streaming platform, which is stream.afa.net stream and you can watch the live video stream on those three platforms.

Tim Wildmon: That's our own. So we won't cancel ourselves.

Ed Vitagliano: No, we won't. And that's why we. That's part of the reason why we set that up.

Tim Wildmon: Yeah.

Ed Vitagliano: was because we, you know, during Cove when, you know, certain people got us bounced, you know, From Facebook and YouTube because of mentioning certain words of certain medications that you could take. And we said, you know what? We need to prevent ourselves from this happening if we need to. We have our own streaming platform.

Tim Wildmon: So stream.

Ed Vitagliano: Stream.AFA.net okay, Krish, what's your first story over there?

Reports say dozens of buildings collapsed in western Colombia after powerful earthquake

Chris Woodward: Well, this is, breaking news that happened. It is.

Tim Wildmon: Okay.

Chris Woodward: just. This broke just before the show began. We need to be in prayer for the people of Columbia because just this, this morning, just before the show started, there were reports that Columbia had experienced a 7.4 magnitude earthquake in the western part of the country. At least two people are dead, but judging by the pictures, it could be much, much worse. after we get some, more information. Throughout the day on this, at least two people are dead. Dozens of buildings collapsed, in cities across western Colombia after the powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake. One of the reasons why this is, particularly interesting is because Colombia borders Venezuela, which is still rebuilding and dealing with those powerful quakes from a month ago or so. Samaritan's purse has been in Venezuela to help those people. I'm assuming they will deploy some folks over to Colombia when it's deemed safe. But, we do need to pray for Colombia because they've experienced this horrible thing, and there's a lot of missionaries over there, as well. So odds are your church probably support someone or knows somebody that's sharing the gospel there in Colombia.

Ed Vitagliano: Wow.

Chris Woodward: 7.4.

Tim Wildmon: Isn't that. That. That's. That's a major.

Ed Vitagliano: Oh, yeah, that's a stout earthquake. Where are you. Where are you seeing this?

Chris Woodward: it's from the Associated Press.

Ed Vitagliano: Okay.

Chris Woodward: We're in the process of getting it on AFN Net. When we get that, I will put it on the, Today's Issues Facebook page.

Ed Vitagliano: Okay.

Tim Wildmon: Well, you're right. Venezuela experienced a similar, type earthquake. What was it, six, weeks ago or something?

Chris Woodward: It was this summer for sure.

Tim Wildmon: Yeah. So that part of the world is getting rocked by earthquakes because Columbia is not. Do they border Venezuela?

Chris Woodward: They do.

Tim Wildmon: Okay. So anyway, I wouldn't want to be living there right now.

Chris Woodward: No, I think when the. I'm sorry, go ahead. I think when Venezuela had their quakes, theirs were so powerful that some people in Colombia reported feeling the Venezuela quake. So it's possible, people might have felt this in other countries.

Tim Wildmon: Yeah, yeah. I'm still not seeing it. Well, that. So this is just happening.

Chris Woodward: It did. It just happened in cnn. broke in with, some information on it a moment ago.

Tim Wildmon: Okay, what's your next story?

A wildfire in British Columbia has displaced 20,000 people

Chris Woodward: All right, well, you know, from earthquakes, to fires, we've got this new, We've got more wildfires in Canada, that we're still dealing with problems earlier this summer. so there's a lot of smoke, in northern US States, these. These poor people. In, Canada, the weather has been so hot and dry that it's fueling the fires or at least creating these environments. And the firefighters up there are having to constantly deal with, flames popping up.

Tim Wildmon: Well, this was a big deal, of course, early in the summer, and last couple of years, we've had situations where the fires on the eastern side of Canada have been. The smoke has been coming down, infiltrating, if that's the right word. the northeastern part of the United States.

Chris Woodward: Correct.

Tim Wildmon: Now, this situation is maybe even worse because out west, the western Canada, because it's threatening, it's displaced 20,000 people. I saw.

Chris Woodward: Yes.

Tim Wildmon: Canadians. And it's getting. It's spreading fast. So I know that, you know, wildfires, you know, happen all the time, every year, every summer. But when they start threatening big metropolitan areas, and by Canadian standards, when you have to kick 20,000 people out of their homes, that's a pretty big deal.

Ed Vitagliano: Oh, yeah.

Tim Wildmon: You know, so that's happening. Do they mention the town of the province where that's,

Chris Woodward: it's in British Columbia. So Western.

Tim Wildmon: That's Fred's ostomy.

Chris Woodward: Yeah. Fred moved to Tupelo from B.C.

Tim Wildmon: yeah. So that's. That's, you know, that's a big deal. And, you know, I don't know. Firefighters, how many can you, you know, bring in from around the country? And are they experienced in fighting fires in the. In the mountains and so forth and so on? That's a. I know that they use chemicals now to, you know, to airlift, Am. Right, right. Chemicals.

Chris Woodward: Oh, yeah.

Ed Vitagliano: That they need to put out fires.

Tim Wildmon: The fires. Yeah. It's not water, right? Is that right?

Ed Vitagliano: I think they do both.

Tim Wildmon: Okay.

Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.

Tim Wildmon: Okay, Go ahead, Krish, what were you going to say?

Chris Woodward: Well, there is a line in here from M. The Daily Mail story that you sent. somebody is quoted as saying the blaze, acted like a bomb going off and it tore through 2,000 acres in roughly an hour.

Ed Vitagliano: And this. I'm looking. there are wildfires not only in British Columbia, but Ontario, which is why some of that smoke has gone into the eastern part of the United States.

Tim Wildmon: So 20. How many acres in an hour?

Chris Woodward: 2,000 acres in roughly an hour.

Tim Wildmon: That's, That's unbelievable. Huh?

Ed Vitagliano: That's insane.

Tim Wildmon: Yeah. And I said 20,000 people. That was, as of late yesterday afternoon, 20,000 people. which is told to get out.

Ed Vitagliano: Yeah. You know, and they got it. You know, they got to go somewhere. You're not going to have 20,000 hotel rooms.

Tim Wildmon: You know, you'll be the worst. What would be the worst part of that experience? And I've never had anything like that happen in my life where you threatened by wildfires, but would be you're packing up and having to leave. A lot of people are packing up at the last minute.

Ed Vitagliano: Right.

Tim Wildmon: And you're sitting here thinking, I may be saying goodbye to my home.

Ed Vitagliano: You're talking about pictures, all kinds of memories.

Tim Wildmon: Yeah, but I'm just saying, what are you. You're having to leave because it's imminent. Right. And you're going and you are throwing things in your car, like family photographs. Things are invaluable to you. But you're thinking in your mind, I'm leaving because when I get back, this may be in ashes. I'm just saying that's the trauma of that would be, incredible.

Ed Vitagliano: You know, I have thought about those kind of things, you know, in terms of, you know, having a bug out bag and all those kind of things.

Tim Wildmon: Where is that?

Ed Vitagliano: Well, that's. If you have to leave, you know, you've got to have, you know, Weapons, Some ammunitions. Ammunition. You know, those kind of some, cases.

Tim Wildmon: Zombies attack.

Ed Vitagliano: Yeah. Zombie apocalypse. Any, any of those kind of things.

Tim Wildmon: Right, sure.

Ed Vitagliano: But what I also think about is the fact that we have two dogs. They're big dogs. They're not going in a car. And my wife has like six birds. So in a case like a wildfire, you just, just, you're just gonna leave them there to die? You can't take six birdcages.

Tim Wildmon: Boy. I'll let you take the emails from our listeners. Well, right, there. Because I'm not. I think you leave that, I think you leave that in the realm of theory. And, you don't say, I'm leaving the birds and the dogs to make it on their own. Although the birds would find. They'd fly out. The dogs would probably find a way out too. If you had a fire.

Ed Vitagliano: Well, I just, I, I, you Right. I probably shouldn't have brought this up.

Tim Wildmon: I wouldn't have.

Ed Vitagliano: I'm just saying this is why sometimes if I wake up in the middle of the night, I can't get back to sleep.

Tim Wildmon: I understand.

Ed Vitagliano: What do we do?

Tim Wildmon: But, that was a new term on me and maybe I should know that. What was it? What was the name of the bag?

Ed Vitagliano: You say it's a bug out bag,

Tim Wildmon: but that means you got it ready and in case you have to leave in a moment's notice, you just pick

Ed Vitagliano: up that bag and you head out the door. He knows what it.

Tim Wildmon: You know what that is? Do you have one of those? Jonathan Halt.

Ed Vitagliano: I know what that is, but I do.

Tim Wildmon: You don't have one either, Krish, you got one of these bags?

Chris Woodward: I do not.

Tim Wildmon: I don't have. I need to think about this thing. So.

Ed Vitagliano: Yeah, I mean,

Tim Wildmon: things that you put some cash in there too.

Ed Vitagliano: They say it's. You're supposed to have at least 24 hours of stuff to be able to survive.

Chris Woodward: I packed it back, but what about

Tim Wildmon: just getting a hotel room though? And, and you know, have you

Ed Vitagliano: m. Know, I'm sorry I brought this up. I got us way off track, but.

Tim Wildmon: Well, it's okay. I'm just thinking, do I need one of these beetle bug bags or whatever?

Ed Vitagliano: Beetle bug.

Chris Woodward: I packed one one time when the meteorologists here were telling us that we were going to have, you know, severe weather. I did have a bag. Yeah. I put it down into the, storm shelter, because, you know, on the, on the possible situation where you

Tim Wildmon: go to your storm shelter.

Chris Woodward: Oh, yeah, we did.

Tim Wildmon: It was, that's where the Bag was,

Chris Woodward: I had put my bag down there in my wallet. My car keys.

Tim Wildmon: I got you in case you had to get out.

Two men have declared for the Women's National Basketball Association draft

All right. You're listening to today's issues on the American Family Radio Network. Thanks for listening to AFR next story. Krish.

Chris Woodward: All right, let's. Let's spend a minute to. This is one part sarcastic, but one part serious in the sense that it's going to force people to come around. And there's actually a segment on this right now on Fox News. they knew we were about to talk about this, so they beat us to the punch. there are a couple of guys that, have played professional basketball, men, ah, that have declared for the WNBA draft, forcing the WNBA to take them serious, because the wnba, many of the league officials there, the team owners, coaches, have been, critical of Sophie Cunningham for saying men don't belong in women's sports. so females have criticized their own for saying, how dare you? This is hurtful. The WNBA doesn't stand for this stuff. And, and so now a couple of guys, Ennis Cantor and another one named Royce White, have declared for the WNBA draft. I've got audio. I cut it down to about a minute. This is going to begin with Ennis Cantor and it's going to end with Royce White. where am I on this sheet? Here? Jonathan it is. Thank you.

Speaker E: My team and I have carefully examined the WMB eligibility criteria and governing framework surrounding self identification and inclusion. Based on the current guidelines, I can and am officially declaring my eligibility for the upcoming WNBA draft in May 2027. I am definitely not here to mock, make fun of, or disrespect any community or personal choices. I am simply asking that the current rules be applied equally to everyone. The rules that represent the very values many WNBA players and coaches have publicly advocated for. My team and I are prepared to ensure these guidelines are applied equally consistently and without exception. And I look forward to the WNBA honoring its stated principles.

Tim Wildmon: I identify as, sometimes identifying as a woman for purposes of basketball, professional basketball. So I'll be declaring for the WNBA

Chris Woodward: draft in 2027 as well.

Tim Wildmon: I'm a team first guy. I'm a pass first kind of player. I'll do whatever the girls need me to do. Okay. Okay. All right. Hold on.

Ed Vitagliano: This is wonderful.

Tim Wildmon: Beautiful thing, isn't it?

Ed Vitagliano: It is.

Tim Wildmon: They're going to be forced to deal with the reality, not the theory.

Chris Woodward: Yes, yes.

Tim Wildmon: So. So the first gentleman we heard there was Rick Cantor.

Ed Vitagliano: Enoch Enos.

Tim Wildmon: Okay, yeah, I'm familiar with him. He played, A few years in the NBA.

Ed Vitagliano: Played 11 years or so, did he.

Tim Wildmon: He is from Turkey. The thing about it is he was one of the most outspoken critics of the NBA and their business dealings with communist China.

Ed Vitagliano: Correct.

Tim Wildmon: And how he may, in fact he got into it with, LeBron James some. Because what he was pointing out at the time just gives you a little background, this fella. What he was pointing out at the time, the hypocrisy of these NBA players pushing a lot of woke stuff right in the US While not while doing dealings, financial dealings with a communist country that doesn't allow for woke stuff at all. You see what I'm saying?

Tim Todd: Yeah.

Ed Vitagliano: Right.

Tim Wildmon: And he was pointing out. It was really good because he was. He pointed out the hypocrisy of the, NBA players who were advocating for, you know, all kind of woke stuff. But let me ask you this. The other gentleman that we heard from, the second voice, which, by the way, if he ever wants a show on afr, he could get it just by his voice alone.

Ed Vitagliano: He does have a great voice.

Tim Wildmon: Let's listen to. This is a. This guy. He could do a top 40 countdown.

Chris Woodward: If we play it again, we have to sit through Ennis first because they're merged into one.

Tim Wildmon: They're merged. So Ennis, he's the first person. Ah, he's a. He's seven foot tall.

Chris Woodward: He's a. He would be a big lady in the wnba.

Tim Wildmon: You're right. Crispy.

Ed Vitagliano: The big man.

Tim Wildmon: He's a big boy. So he's a man. Yeah. And then you got the, second guy. Second guy's name is what now?

Chris Woodward: Royce White.

Tim Wildmon: Okay, Royce White. He put on a wig over the weekend and took a picture.

Ed Vitagliano: He's got a big beard. He's all into it.

Tim Wildmon: Okay, now, while this is, So I just want to hear his voice again, but listen to this, because these guys are. This is. If they follow through with this, this is going to be so fun to watch.

Ed Vitagliano: He's six, eight. He's not small.

Tim Wildmon: No. Yeah.

Enos Cantor says he will declare eligibility for WNBA draft in 2027

So let's hear these guys again as they declare a, drastic career change, that they got coming up. Go ahead.

Speaker E: My team and I have carefully examined the WMB eligibility criteria and governing framework surrounding self identification and inclusion. Based on the current guidelines, I can and am officially declaring my eligibility for the upcoming WNBA draft in May 2027. I am definitely not here to mock, make fun of, or disrespect any community or personal choices. I am simply asking that the current rules be applied equally to Everyone. The rules that represent the very values many WNBA players and coaches have publicly advocated for. My team and I are prepared to ensure these guidelines are applied equally consistently and without exception. And I look forward to the WNBA honoring its stated principles.

Tim Wildmon: I identify as sometimes identifying as a woman for purposes of. Of basketball. Professional basketball. So I'll be declaring for the WNBA draft in 2027 as well. I'm a team first guy. I'm a pass first kind of player. I'll do whatever the girls need me to do. Why did you laugh at that last statement?

Ed Vitagliano: He said, well, it's okay. So, it's, it's clear that what these two men are doing is to highlight the hypocrisy of the wnba. Yes. And Royce White, he, he was a little more tongue in cheek. I identify as, sometimes identifying as a woman for the purposes, for the purposes of basketball. And then when he said, I'll pass the ball, I'll do whatever, what he should have said, the girls win. I'll do whatever the other girls want me to do. Because he is. But now, who knows?

Tim Wildmon: Yeah, that would have been good if he'd have said, the other girls want me to do this.

Ed Vitagliano: On, Enos Cantor's, by the way, he legally changed his last name to Freedom. So sometimes he'll be referred to as Enos, Cantor Freedom. But that's when he became an American citizen. But on his post on X, he says, if simply declaring who you are is all that's required, that I meet every requirement necessary.

Tim Wildmon: Yes.

Ed Vitagliano: To compete in the wnba. And this is a I, I found this X tweet, or this X post from Kanter, from a,

Ed Vitagliano: Fox News story where they are saying the WNBA has their hands full with what these two guys are doing.

Tim Wildmon: Absolutely. Because if they say it's funny and it's humorous and it's mocking, but it's also legal in a legal sense, they're gonna, they're gonna win. They have to win.

Ed Vitagliano: Because if the WNBA does what it has to do, which is forbid them from playing.

Tim Wildmon: Yes. Discriminate.

Ed Vitagliano: They'll have to discriminate.

Tim Wildmon: And why would they discriminate?

Ed Vitagliano: Because those guys will tear up the league.

Tim Wildmon: Well, I know that, but they're going to discriminate. This is a great plan.

Ed Vitagliano: It is.

Tim Wildmon: Because they're going to discriminate on the basis of sex.

Ed Vitagliano: Yep.

Tim Wildmon: They're going to say, you can't because

Ed Vitagliano: there's a difference between men and women.

Tim Wildmon: Well, so the very people who say there's not A difference between men and women. As long as a man says he's a woman are going to have to admit that there is a difference and

Ed Vitagliano: see, they're going to have to discriminate against these two guys. otherwise the league is going to come, it's going to unravel because you're going to see, you're going to have high school boys.

Tim Wildmon: Yes.

Ed Vitagliano: Who are not good enough to play, ah, college basketball.

Tim Wildmon: Right.

Ed Vitagliano: Saying, well, guess what? I can get a payday by playing for the wnba.

Tim Wildmon: Bingo.

Ed Vitagliano: And women. Then it'll ruin women's sports.

Tim Wildmon: Right.

Ed Vitagliano: And if they don't let these two guys play, they'll probably sue.

Tim Wildmon: So these people who are grandstanding and saying, you know, let's be inclusive of, transgendered and welcome them into, girl sports, those people are about to be shut up.

Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.

Tim Wildmon: This follows through. And so, we'll talk more about this because this is part of the broader, push and promotion of an ideology, quite frankly, that is anti God.

Ed Vitagliano: Right?

Tim Wildmon: It's anti God. It's funny what's going on right here, but this is really a promotion of something that is anti nature and anti God. We'll be back momentarily.

Ed Vitagliano: Hello, I'm Ed Vitagliano. Did you know that this show is listener supported? Without people like you, this show would not exist. That's why we need you. A generous monthly gift of any amount will help sustain American Family Radio, specifically this show as we reach thousands of people each week with biblical truth. Please consider becoming a monthly financial partner today by visiting afr.netgive that's afr.net give friend.

80% of abortion vulnerable women choose life after seeing baby on ultrasound

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Tim Wildmon announces two separate tours scheduled for 2027

Tim Wildmon: Hello, Tim Wildmon here, president of American Family association and American Family Radio. Hey, maybe you've heard some of my other announcements about our tours. In March 2027, we are going to Greece and we're going to Italy. Two separate tours, but you can do both if you want to. The first tour is called the Footsteps of Paul, which will be going to, many of the places covered in the book of acts that happened in Greece. The other tour is Italy. And one of the places we're going to be going is Venice. And we're going to ride the gondola or the gondola that Paul took on his trip to Venice. You can read about that in the Bible, too. I'm, just kidding. But you can call it a gondola or gondola, I don't care. But if you want to go on one of our tours in 2027, go to tours.afa.net that's tours.afa.net taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him.

Chris Woodward: Psalm 34.

Ed Vitagliano: 8.

Tim Wildmon: This is today's issues.

Ed Vitagliano: Email your comments to commentsfr.net Past broadcasts

Chris Woodward: of today's Issues are available for listening

Ed Vitagliano: and viewing in the [email protected] now back to more of today's issues.

Tim Wildmon: Hey, welcome back, everybody, to Today's Issues on the American Family Radio Network. Tim, Ed and Krish, thank you for listening to AFR on this Monday. And we're going to get back to, what's in the news.

Truth for Youth Bible campaign aims to reach as many teens as possible

But before we do, you know, last week you heard all day, every day about our Truth for Youth Bible, campaign that we've been doing for 26 years, I think with brother Tim Todd of Revival Fires International, based in West Monroe, Louisiana. And they, we co partner with them to get as many Bibles out to teenagers in America as we can. And the only commitment we ask, they're free. The only commitment that we ask is that the, if you order them, that you get them in the hands of teenagers who don't know the Lord. And so that's the project. And we do it every year about the same time school starts back for many places around the country. And joining us to give us an update on whether we achieved our goal or not is brother Tim Todd. Let's give Tim a Hand.

Tim Todd: Last night we reached 65,250 Bibles

Ed Vitagliano: Hey.

Tim Wildmon: Introducing Tim Todd.

Ed Vitagliano: Kudos.

Tim Wildmon: Good morning brother Tim.

Tim Todd: Good to hear from you Tim. And got some exciting news.

Tim Wildmon: Alright, go for it. Tell us what our goal was and tell us how we ended up.

Tim Todd: Yes. You know when we started this 26 years ago now, we had no idea what kind of response that we would receive. And so right off the bat we realized this was something that was just going to be a huge situation as far as getting the Bibles into the hands of young people across America. And, and each year we have just had a snowball effect with the results. And I'm happy to report of course our goal Tim, was 65,000 which we had never done that before. And closest we got to it I think was like 62:5 somewhere around there. But I'm happy to report that as of 8pm on Sunday night we went through until we reached our goal 8pm on Sunday night. Last night we reached 65,250 bibles.

Tim Wildmon: Amen. Praise God.

Ed Vitagliano: Are going to be given away into the hands of high schoolers who don't know the Lord.

Tim Wildmon: Yeah. Or junior high in some cases. Let me ask you this Tim. I've always wondered, I've always. Because we need to get down to your, your place there in West Monroe and see your operation. But.

Tim Todd: Amen.

Tim Wildmon: But I want to ask you this. Maybe we do that next year. Maybe do a show from West Monroe at the headquarters there. But I want to. How do you guys. How does your team physically handle getting all these Bibles in the mail? How does this work?

Tim Todd: We, yes, we work with two or three here in this area. Teen Challenges that have got seasoned staff that helps us do this.

Ed Vitagliano: Okay.

Tim Todd: Of course we, our, our home church which is the Assembly West Monroe. We've got people that come from there and some of the churches in this area that volunteer their time to help us stuff the Bibles, get them ready. And then of course we have to get postage on them and get them out in the mail. And so that we got a great great group of people around us that help us with this project. And, and of course everybody is every year is excited about being a part of what God is doing with this. And so we're just so thankful for everybody including American Family Radio that partners with us to help us accomplish what God is doing through this project.

Tim Wildmon: So the post office there in West Monroe, they know who you are?

Tim Todd: Yes, absolutely.

Ed Vitagliano: Yes sir.

Tim Todd: Yes sir.

Tim Wildmon: They know what time of year it is.

Tim Todd: Yes, sir. They do.

Tim Wildmon: All right.

Ed Vitagliano: No vacations the first week of August.

Tim Todd: That's it. They have to. Yes, sir. They have to bring extra vehicles to, the office to. To be able to handle the,

Tim Wildmon: Oh, they come pick it up. They come pick it up for you.

Tim Todd: Okay, well, they come pick it up and we take it up there and say, you know, in whoever's available on their end and on that. On our end.

Tim Wildmon: Got you.

Tim Todd: so that, of course, you know, they have to be. We have to be careful about how much we put on each vehicle too, you know, with the, the, the axles and, everything. And we actually have had a couple of vehicles that have broken down because we put too much on them. And, But, you know, we've learned through the years of what we can and cannot get away with with regard to that.

Tim Wildmon: I hope so. That's pretty expensive mess up right there.

Ed Vitagliano: I personally. I personally have felt the same thing, Tim. Having too much put on me. Oh, and breaking down a broken axle is the least of my problems at that point.

Tim Todd: That's it.

Tim Wildmon: Oh, man. Yeah. Loading all those. But you're talking about putting all those books in the back of a van.

Chris Woodward: Oh, yeah, yeah.

Ed Vitagliano: I was kidding about.

Tim Wildmon: Yeah.

Ed Vitagliano: Myself.

Tim Wildmon: You're not breaking down, are you?

Ed Vitagliano: I'm not breaking down.

Tim Wildmon: Okay. I refuse mentally or physically or anything. Okay, well, maybe that's. Ask, somebody else.

Ed Vitagliano: all kidding aside, this. We thank the Lord. We thank the Lord for your ministry. By the way, Teen Challenge is a wonderful ministry as well, that was started, I think, by David Wilkerson, years and years, decades ago. But that's. That is a wonderful, powerful ministry. And so I'm thrilled to hear that they will send folks out to help you guys, get these Bibles out.

Tim Wildmon: Yeah.

Tim Todd: Yes, yes. And that, you know, when we, when they come out, we're able to, you know, speak into them with regard to all of the, you know, what the comics deal with, the ones that had not been there the year before, about what the comics deal with. And of course, you know, many of them dealt with the same things before the Lord saved, them out of, drugs and alcohol and, you know, and all the different things that we deal with with the comics. And so it really is fulfilling for them to. To. To realize that they are being a part of something to help young people to avoid many of the pitfalls that they fell into.

Ed Vitagliano: Amen.

Tim Wildmon: Amen. All right, Brother Tim, than with us and tell your team that, we Just so much appreciate them and. And partner with you guys. And, this is a, wonderful record to break. We went over 65,000. That was the goal. And, and we will. And the Lord God will use these Bibles all over America to reach, people for the Lord, young people for the Lord. It'll change their lives, and then you'll have a ripple effect going forward.

Tim Todd: Amen. 65,000 Christian young people taking 65,000 school and giving them to 65,000 unsaved, young people.

Tim Wildmon: Amen.

Tim Todd: We're going to see a massive harvest as a result of it. We're thankful for American Family Radio and all that you guys have done to help make this happen.

Ed Vitagliano: Amen.

Tim Wildmon: Thank you, Tim. Take care.

Tim Todd: You all have a great, great day.

Tim Wildmon: All right, you too. See you. What were you going to say?

Ed Vitagliano: Well, I. I was going to say that the 65,000, that. That challenged your faith a little bit, didn't it? You're sharing with the devotion. Yeah, that's a lot like he said. We've never gotten that high.

Tim Wildmon: No.

Ed Vitagliano: And. And God. God came through.

Tim Wildmon: Yeah. Yeah. I didn't know, I didn't want to be Tim the doubter.

Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.

Tim Wildmon: Was that Thomas or Tim?

Ed Vitagliano: It was not. It was Thomas.

Chris Woodward: You didn't want to be a Doubting Timothy?

Tim Wildmon: Yeah, I didn't want to be a Doubting Timothy. I knew who it was, folks. Don't write me and say you don't even know your Bible. I did know. Okay. Doubting, I didn't want to be a doubter, but, you know, just going like, can we really.

Ed Vitagliano: Can we pull that off? Yeah.

Tim Wildmon: Yeah.

Ed Vitagliano: And now if we do a live show from down there next year during Truth, for Youth Bible Week, I want Tim Todd to promise, and he won't lie. He's an evangelist. He's a preacher. We got up. We got to have some Cajun food.

Tim Wildmon: Oh, yeah.

Ed Vitagliano: Trucked in.

Tim Wildmon: Yeah. Yeah.

Ed Vitagliano: Folks there at his church.

Chris Woodward: I will happily go down there.

Tim Wildmon: Exactly. Cajun country. do you know this?

Ed Vitagliano: Right. no, no, it's not.

Tim Wildmon: It's in north Louisiana.

Ed Vitagliano: Oh.

Tim Wildmon: It's more redneck.

Ed Vitagliano: Oh, all right, well, I'll still go

Chris Woodward: down there and cover.

Tim Wildmon: My Cajuns are a kind of a redneck, but they have their own culture.

Ed Vitagliano: Right. They're their own version of.

Tim Wildmon: Yeah, but north Louisiana. But it'll be a mix. They'll have some Cajun stuff down there. Yeah, absolutely.

Ed Vitagliano: All right, well, I'm just kind of. Kind of.

Tim Wildmon: You can do that.

Ed Vitagliano: Disappointed now?

Tim Wildmon: No Popeyes.

Ed Vitagliano: For example, hey, there's nothing wrong with Popeyes. That's.

Chris Woodward: Yeah.

Tim Wildmon: You know, that's where Duck Dynasties too. Yeah, they're based. Robertson show it.

Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.

Tim Wildmon: Dynasty. what'd you say, Chris?

Chris Woodward: the Robertsons.

Tim Wildmon: Have you been there, Chris?

Chris Woodward: I have been to that part of Louisiana. Yes.

Tim Wildmon: I'm talking about. Have you ever been to the Doug Dynasty, shop store?

Ed Vitagliano: No, I use all their stuff when I go duck hunting.

Tim Wildmon: Do you?

Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.

Chris Robertson says eating quail is biblical but it's greasy

What's the matter? You don't think I duck hunt?

Tim Wildmon: Are you gonna declare for the duck hunting draft now?

Ed Vitagliano: I identify as a duck hunter for

Chris Woodward: the purposes of duck hunting.

Tim Wildmon: All right, so, anyway, I just know West Monroe also. That's the home of the duck of the, Robertson clan.

Ed Vitagliano: My wife would kill me if I killed a duck.

Tim Wildmon: Oh, really?

Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.

Tim Wildmon: What do you eat? I don't want to get into that.

Ed Vitagliano: I've only had dark one time.

Chris Woodward: It's good.

Ed Vitagliano: I did not like good. It was very greasy.

Chris Woodward: It's dark meat.

Ed Vitagliano: It was.

Chris Woodward: If people have never had it.

Ed Vitagliano: Yeah, well, that has nothing to do with it. I don't, I don't see color, but I'm just saying it was a greasy.

Chris Woodward: There is a difference.

Ed Vitagliano: It was greasy.

Chris Woodward: When it comes.

Speaker E: It is.

Tim Wildmon: have you ever had dove?

Ed Vitagliano: I've never had dove.

Chris Woodward: Quail is good.

Ed Vitagliano: Unless you're talking about the chocolate.

Tim Wildmon: Dove is pretty good.

Ed Vitagliano: Hey, I'm sorry, I have, I've been a mess today. I've gotten us off track.

Tim Wildmon: We're talking about eating animals.

Chris Woodward: I will recommend if you get a, if you get a quail, keep us going. Krish, if you get some quail and you wrap it in bacon and you like, smoke it, that's some good eating right there.

Ed Vitagliano: Anything you wrap in bacon.

Chris Woodward: Yes.

Tim Wildmon: But you know, basically, sometimes you do think if you have to wrap something in bacon and then you're trying to cover up whatever it is that's inside the bacon. Am m I right?

Ed Vitagliano: That's.

Chris Woodward: Eating quail is biblical. That's what God provided the Israelites when they were complaining we ain't got no meat, he was like, I'm gonna give you so much, it's coming out of your nostrils. Yeah, I was gonna. He gave him quail.

Ed Vitagliano: I'm not sure that's what you mean when you say the word biblical.

Chris Woodward: Oh, just. It's a biblical.

Ed Vitagliano: It's basically judgment. and that's why I don't eat quail.

Tim Wildmon: Oh, but you don't want to be judged.

Ed Vitagliano: It's a judgment.

Tim Wildmon: Oh, it's a judgment at this point.

Ed Vitagliano: I don't even know what I'm saying.

Tim Wildmon: No, we're gonna move on. Okay, let's move on right here before we crash and burn. All right, go ahead.

Outkick founder Clay Travis challenges NBA to play high school basketball

Next story.

Chris Woodward: To continue our discussion about the wnba, the two guys that want to be a part of the wnba, we, we can perhaps revisit the issue of Outkick founder Clay Travis putting up $10 million to have the WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces play a state championship winning boys high school basketball team of his choice. the game would be on pay per view with all pros, proceeds or profits donated to the tunnel to Towers.

Tim Wildmon: Yeah, Clay Travis, for people who don't know, he's on Fox News a lot, but he is. He's got an a company named Outkick and they basically cover sports and pop culture.

Chris Woodward: Part of the Fox family now, are they?

Tim Wildmon: Okay, Cover sports, pop culture, those kinds of things. And he's issued a challenge to the wnba, that he will select a high school boys basketball team and they will play the NBA's world champion. WNBA's world champion. And if the girls beat the boys in this situation, he will donate $10 million.

Ed Vitagliano: And the Las Vegas Aces are the defending the WNBA champion.

Tim Wildmon: The point in all this, and I'm glad it's happening, is because these these people who I mentioned before the break, this is on a more serious note. What's being promoted and pushed on America is an agenda which is anti God. And I'm talking about the God of the Bible. And related to that, it's attacking nature and it's part of this sexual revolution. Right. They're trying to tell us that you can be in promoting sexual anarchy, that you can be a boy can say he's a girl and a girl or a girl can say he's a boy just because they identify as such. And we, and everybody goes, not everybody, but anybody rational and reasonable, including liberals or conservatives go that's crazy. You can't do that and you can't operate like that. And so what Craig Travis is doing and these two, former NBA players are calling out the and pointing out the idiocy of this and going to make these people who say there is no difference between a male and female if they identify as such, it's going to make them admit that, that that's not true. Does that make sense?

Tim Todd: Yeah.

Tim Wildmon: So I'm glad to see it happening because as I mentioned before, what's going to happen? This is high Profile. But what's going to happen too is, in the near future, some tennis player, some male tennis player on the professional circuit who's like number 50 in the world, which is higher than I reached during my. What? It was higher than I reached. But anyway, if you're number 50 in the world and you're in your languishing and you're going like, you know, I'm not going to be, I'm not going to be top 10, I can't, I'm not going to win Wimbledon. What can I do? And I'm not saying if you don't have a conscience and you don't care about your, you know, you then say, well, I'm going to say I'm a girl so that I can compete in the women's professional turn to tennis circuit. And let me tell you this. There is a lot of money in women's professional tennis, right? A lot of money. It's one of the most high profile girl sports in the world. Right? Everybody know who the, Williams sisters are, Right? Right. but if you, so if you, if you have some male who says, you know what, I'm gonna switch over and go on the women's circuit, and then they could be the number one player in the world.

Ed Vitagliano: And it's not just your tennis winnings, it's all the endorsements that you would have to be given if you're the number one player in the.

Tim Wildmon: Right. And, you know, these woke companies would just jump all over that.

Ed Vitagliano: Right.

Tim Wildmon: here's a chance to support a transgendered person in their goal to become the number one women professional player in the world in tennis who could be. What company would return. Turn that down.

Ed Vitagliano: Right. You know, Bud Light, at least with,

Tim Wildmon: you know, Bud Light, would jump all over that. Right? So we'll see what happens there. But I do, in all seriousness, I do think that's gonna happen. and that'll force the people who want to sit on the fence on this one to have to make a decision on this. All right, next story. Krish.

E.W. Jackson, descendant of slaves, criticizes Smithsonian museum

Chris Woodward: All right, FOX was running hard and heavy this morning with a story that features one of the many personalities we have here at American Family Radio, bishop and author E.W. jackson. I'm reading from the, the Fog story here. Bishop and author E.W. jackson, a descendant of slaves, is criticizing the Smithsonian National Museum of American History for what he said amounts to anti American indoctrination against the greatest nation on earth. although his great grandparents were enslaved, Jackson believes that if you were born an American, you hit the proverbial lottery because you have more opportunity and hope than any people living anywhere else on the planet. I'll share the story on our Facebook page. We had to cut down the audio because it's about six minutes worth of sound here, but here is, a minute of E.W. jackson talking in a video that Fox has on its website. Clip 11.

Tim Todd: You were quoting someone saying that loving America is complicated. I think it's just the opposite. I think loving America is easy because you're right, I'm the great grandson of slaves. I am a product of a broken home and foster care. and yet, my life has just been wonderfully blessed. First, of course, by the grace of God, but also because I live in a country where anything is possible, where you're free, where you can dream, you can strive to fulfill your God given gifts and talents and abilities. and I don't love my country any less because there are things that are happening in the country I don't agree with. I still love my country, but it makes me even more enthusiastically committed to fighting for the things I know are right for the future of America and for our posterity.

Ed Vitagliano: Well, we love, Bishop Jackson.

Tim Wildmon: He's going to be on with us tomorrow, hopefully to talk about trying to work.

Ed Vitagliano: Yeah. Trying to get his schedule.

Tim Wildmon: You know, if he doesn't get the big head and things. You know, I've been on Fox News. I'm too good for, for today's issue. I don't think he'll do that. I'm just saying.

Ed Vitagliano: Yeah, go ahead. No, he. Listen, this is a wonderful godly man. I've just. We've been blessed to have a relationship with him. I've watched him preach at church. And, listen, he is a powerful spokesperson for the kingdom of God and for the, the blessing of living in the United States. And this was a, frankly, a coup for Fox getting, getting him on. And we need more voices like his, speaking out in defense of our country while admitting the fact that we, we like every other nation, have, you know, things, in our past that were regrettable, even probably evil in the eyes of God. and I mean by that, like slavery and Jim Crow laws, I don't mean they were probably evil. Those were evil things. But our country, by God's grace, was able to conquer those evils and come out better on the other side of it. And he is a champion of the fact that no matter what the color of your skin or your socioeconomic status, or your ethnicity. America provides the greatest opportunity for advancement, on the face of the planet.

Tim Wildmon: Actually, America ended slavery in the western world.

Ed Vitagliano: Well after Great, Britain, second to Great Britain. Wilberforce.

Tim Wildmon: Wilberforce. Okay, well, then, okay, you're right, but America ended slavery.

Ed Vitagliano: But, both of those movements in Great Britain, United Kingdomnomics and the US Were because of Bible believing Christians. So folks, when someone tells you Christians should not be involved in politics, you ask them if William Wilberforce and the abolitionists in this country should they not have been involved in politics to get rid of slavery? What an absurd argument.

Tim Wildmon: And it's always interesting to me when these, some of these people who just want to stir up race division all the time, it seems like that they get up in the morning and go, listen, how can I, how can I,

Ed Vitagliano: how can I divide people?

Tim Wildmon: How can I divide people in America? Let me see. Let's go back to slavery in the US Okay. Slavery was a reality in southern states for the most part. For agricultural reasons. Plantation owners, the vast majority of southerners,

Ed Vitagliano: did not own slaves.

Tim Wildmon: Did not own slaves. but it was legal. And that's the reason we had the Civil War. Yeah, but you know who fought for the abolition of slavery and to keep the Union together? White people. You know who. And there were blacks too, that fought in the Civil War, both on both sides. But I'm just saying that, a majority of Americans realized the evil of slavery and fought to end it. Shouldn't we celebrate that?

Ed Vitagliano: Absolutely.

Tim Wildmon: Shouldn't we celebrate the end of slavery? And then the civil rights movement was embraced by, by the vast majority of Americans who were white.

Ed Vitagliano: You know, who doesn't want to celebrate those things is people who want to end the country. If you celebrate the fact that our Constitution and the Christian drive, the engine driving a lot of the conquest of these evils that we have committed, if you celebrate that, then you must say, America is still a force for good. If you want to overthrow America and change it into something else, then you cannot celebrate it because you have to undermine everything America stands for so you can replace it. That's what's been going on.

Tim Wildmon: But I would argue America stands for equal opportunity today. And we've been this way for a long time now, many, many decades. So I don't know why you don't celebrate that instead of, we want to go back to the 1700s to criticize something that was a problem but was overcome. And by the way, with respect to the civil rights movement in America, as I mentioned, like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. For example, probably the most well known civil rights leader of that era. He appealed to white Christian America to change their ways. Right, right.

Ed Vitagliano: On the basis of the Bible.

Tim Wildmon: On the basis of the Bible. and you know what? You know what? He was right. And the appeal worked.

Ed Vitagliano: And you know what's fascinating about this is Dr. Martin Luther King was no angel. Okay? I'm talking about he. He had his own personal flaws.

Tim Wildmon: Yeah.

Ed Vitagliano: Okay. And so I don't want to get into those things. The point I'm trying to make is you don't have to be a perfect man to be used by God. And you don't have to be a perfect nation to be used by God either. God uses imperfect people because guess what? He's got no other choice.

Tim Wildmon: Amen.

People on the far left who just want to focus on slavery divide people

Ed Vitagliano: Everyone's imperfect.

Tim Wildmon: But the people who just want to focus on slavery, that's all they want to talk about. And the Founding fathers and the Southern states and this, that's all they don't want to continue with the evolving story of American history.

Speaker E: Okay?

Ed Vitagliano: Right.

Tim Wildmon: yes, you should acknowledge the reality of how it was. But what we became, too, is very important, based on the founding documents and the efforts of our founding fathers and those who won the war of independence against Great Britain. So, but the people on the far left who just want to divide people on race, they don't want to talk about any of that. They just want to talk about six people, 16, 19, or whatever.

Ed Vitagliano: They want to end the country. They want to change it.

Tim Wildmon: They have an agenda.

Ed Vitagliano: They have an agenda.

Tim Wildmon: Divide people. Right. Yep, that's part of it. Divide people. All right. we will be back with more of today's issues on the American Family Radio Network. Thanks for listening to afr. Tim, Eddie, Krish, Steve Paisley. Jordan will be with us in just a few minutes. The views and opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family Radio.