There is an art to eating popcorn while hosting a national radio program
>> Chris Woodward: Today's Issues continues on AFR with your host, Tim Wildmon, president of the American Family Association.
>> Tim Wildmon: Hey, welcome back everybody to Today's Issues on the American Family radio network. Got 24 and a half more minutes of this show. Thanks for listening to AFR. We're here every Monday through Friday. Fridays we have trivia. Yes sir.
>> Tim Wildmon: To our friends out there in AFR land. I have been doing this program for, I don't know, years, but remotely. Right.
>> Tim Wildmon: either in Kansas City, Dallas or Florida.
>> Tim Wildmon: right. And I've been watching over these years. Tim goes and gets that popcorn, talks about it, right?
>> Fred Jackson: That's right.
>> Tim Wildmon: Today, first time ever I've had the popcorn. I want everybody to know it. It's the real deal. This is some of the best popcorn I've ever had.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. well you see there, I was telling the truth the whole time.
>> Tim Wildmon: That's right.
>> Tim Wildmon: Go over all these years, this popcorn, they make it out here, I don't know who makes. Phantom. Phantom, of the popcorn machine makes it every morning. And it's about 10 o'. Clock. It's fresh out there.
>> Tim Wildmon: 10 o' clock central time. And I just can't help myself. as we talk about the world burning, I have to get my popcorn out.
>> Tim Wildmon: That's right.
>> Fred Jackson: That's right.
>> Tim Wildmon: To
>> Tim Wildmon: Plus, it's good for you.
>> Tim Wildmon: It is. I think it's good fiber, isn't it?
>> Tim Wildmon: It is. That's what I'm saying.
>> Chris Woodward: It's a good.
>> Tim Wildmon: Learn. Ray. There is also an art to eating popcorn while hosting a national radio program. You have to count on Fred talking for at least 45 seconds.
>> Tim Wildmon: Right.
>> Tim Wildmon: And not pitching the subject matter back to me because I got that right. Tim got my cough box on my chewing now and I get to. I could eat and enjoy my popcorn. Some would say, why can't you just wait till the show's over to enjoy your popcorn? And I would say to those people, mind your own business.
>> Fred Jackson: That's right.
>> Tim Wildmon: Get your own radio show. And then you can not eat popcorn. Go ahead, Chris.
>> Chris Woodward: I just want to say that, Dr. Google says popcorn is a whole grain and it's considered a healthy snack. Fiber and other nutrients from the entire kernel. It's classified as a whole grain source by dietary guidelines, similar to oatmeal or brown rice. And it is a cost effective source of whole grains according to the usda, which is the federal government.
>> Tim Wildmon: Take your voice up just another notch or two, Chris. You'd be right in there to Pinocchio, range.
>> Tim Wildmon: But I'M with you. I'm with you. It's good for you.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, but that's a good point.
>> Chris Woodward: Don't worry about that. Salt. It's a whole grain. Salt and a fiber.
>> Tim Wildmon: you need salt. Salt.
>> Tim Wildmon: That's right.
>> Chris Woodward: You gotta be salt. That light.
>> Tim Wildmon: You know what?
>> Chris Woodward: Leave the lights on when we leave today.
>> Tim Wildmon: That's right. So anyway, I don't know what kind of popcorn this is, what brand.
>> Tim Wildmon: But it's good, folks.
>> Tim Wildmon: It's good. Absolutely.
>> Chris Woodward: It stays good, too. I eat it oftentimes at like 2 o' clock when my lunch wears off.
>> Tim Wildmon: Popcorn sort of a comfort for me.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, it is.
In Australia, they have banned social media for 16 years and under
>> Tim Wildmon: All right. You're listening to today's issues. I wanted to ask you guys. Brent, put them, Put the microphone. Brent Creeley, our producer, Chris Woodward. These guys, are you guys, what are you in your 40s? Right?
>> Chris Woodward: Yes.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yes, sir.
>> Tim Wildmon: Brent, how many kids you got?
>> Fred Jackson: I got two.
>> Tim Wildmon: And what age? daughters, right? Yes, sir. 16 and 11. Come on, have that memory kick in. I know, right? Okay. You're a good case study for what I'm about to talk about. 16 and 11. Your daughters. What about you?
>> Chris Woodward: 16 and 12.
>> Tim Wildmon: And you're so same age. Daughters or daughters? Okay, you guys got daughters? Both of you? I was just watching this. there's a story on now about. In Australia, they have banned social media for 16 years and under. 16 year olds and under. Now, I don't know what that means exactly, except that they're gonna. You're gonna have to verify your age.
>> Fred Jackson: Yeah, the companies, the companies are going to be responsible for whom they give accounts to.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay, that hasn't been done in America so far. Whether, and I doubt it will be. However, we do have restrictions on minors right now for everything from driving to buying alcohol or tobacco or. I mean, they're all kind of. There are all kinds of things. Boating, there are all kinds of things that underage people can't do. Okay, so that's. Precedent, has already been said.
Brent Wall: Australian law requires social media companies to verify ages
Now, I want to ask you two guys, as Christian fathers, what, Brent, what do you do to. With regard to social media and your. And your daughters? Well, Apple has a, feature, if you will, that allows, the kids or, the parents to have a little control over that. And what I mean is, my kids can't download an app without our permission. How do you know about it? So, yes, on their phones. Right. And we go around every now and then and do, like, surprise inspections on phones and that kind of thing. Okay. Isn't that a violation of their privacy? Well, they're living in my house.
>> Fred Jackson: I'm paying the bill, so.
>> Tim Wildmon: I knew the answer. I knew the answer to that. That's the answer my parents would have given. And I agree with that 100%. I just want that's how some people do.
>> Chris Woodward: Well, we have Android, devices, phones and tablets. but similar to, what Brent just mentioned, there, there are limits as to when they can use it, how much they can use it. They do have to come to us. mom often is the one that they have to go to for permission or access to things. And, we have pulled the, phone. My wife has done more of this than I have. But, we have looked at text messages, and it's very concerning things that I didn't want my parents, to know I was doing. I've now had to realize, hey, my parents were right all along. You think when you're 16, 17 years old, and you're the smartest person in the world, that your parents are just a bunch of fuddy duddies. But then when you actually have kids, you realize, mom and dad did something.
>> Tim Wildmon: Oh, yeah. Every parent has said this and every kid's heard this down through the history of mankind. Just wait till you're a parent one day and you'll understand. Go ahead.
>> Fred Jackson: In Australia, the law just took effect today, where it is December 10th. social media companies are required to verify users ages using technologies like government IDs, facilities, facial recognition, or behavioral analysis. And those companies, they're serious about this? Yes.
>> Tim Wildmon: Australia is.
>> Fred Jackson: Yes. And those companies face fines of up to $49.5 million for non compliance.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. So it's going to work. Yep, it's going to work. Now kids will figure out some way around it somehow, probably. But you can't, you can't not enforce good, laws because somebody might break them. Okay, so this is a, I commend Australia for this. I think it's appropriate. Yeah.
>> Chris Woodward: It could be the first time that you've ever, that Rahm Emanuel has agreed with you about something now.
>> Tim Wildmon: Oh, really?
>> Chris Woodward: He's, he's in the news this moment saying the US should follow Australia.
>> Tim Wildmon: Now let me ask you this. So, so. Now I haven't thought this thing through 100%. I'm just reacting on what you're telling me. I do think it's a good idea if, for the country just to say 16 and under, you're ineligible for using social media. Doesn't mean they can't use the Internet at all. That's right. This means they can't use certain social media interaction sites that require that, that would put them at risk is what they're saying. Right. All right, well we'll see, you know, see how that works. So Rob Emanuel, the Democrat. Yeah.
>> Chris Woodward: And he may, he's, he's seemingly looking for things to get himself in the headlines, talking about why he wants.
>> Tim Wildmon: To run for president.
>> Chris Woodward: That's, that is the scuttlebutt, which is another word some people may not understand. that's, that's the word on the street, that Rahm Emanuel might be looking to run for president. I say that he's looking for things to get in the news about because in recent weeks, he wrote an op ed that the Wall Street Journal picked up on in which he praised Mississippi for its education reforms and said Democrats need to come around to the idea of education reform because we're losing it in the classroom. So it's second time in a couple of months that he's made kind of a center. Right. statement.
Erica Kirk talks about how honoring the Sabbath can transform your life
>> Tim Wildmon: All right, next story.
>> Chris Woodward: Alright, let's, let's mention this real quick. Erica Kirk, she's been doing some media appearances and she's talked about her life after Charlie Kirk was shot and killed. Of course, one of the things that Charlie was known for is that come Sundays he would turn his phone off and just focus on the family, so to speak. he wouldn't do any kind of work. And she also does that with her life here and she's talking in the news in this particular clip here about how honoring the Sabbath will help transform your life and really kind of get you to focus on things that matter.
>> Tim Wildmon: Clip 9 He saw the fruit of what it was like to actually detach from the world. Stop the noise, stop the scrolling and just put pause on everything and focus on your family. And he was, at first, you know, it started with an hour, two hours. But then once he fully incorporated into his life, he totally elevated. He became a next level husband, which I didn't even think was possible because he was already so incredible to me and the babies.
>> Chris Woodward: That is something I think we as a society, like you might be in a church service and somebody says something about it. It used to be the Lord's day, but then we all go out to eat and do all kinds of things and we don't really give the Lord his time. Is there something, Ray, that we are missing by not doing more on Sundays or the Sabbath?
>> Tim Wildmon: Well, there's two parts to this, Chris. One, kudos to Erica for talking about Charlie that way. Kudos to him for what he did. It's the other day. down in Florida, some of our, one branch of the family came down to spend a few days with us, and I was struck walking into our living room because we've been having fun parties, hanging out, riding the golf cart, the whole thing. You know, I go into the living room, and there's six members of my family, flesh and blood, who I love, and what were they doing when I walked? Every single one had their head down, right? IPad, iPhone, whatever. So I did the only thing a wise man could do. I grabbed my phone and looked at it, too. Because that's what. Because that's the world in which we're living. Which means, I think Erica's point. Your point is exactly right. There needs to be a time during the week when we cut off the outside distractions.
>> Tim Wildmon: You know, back.
>> Tim Wildmon: I can remember when Christians wouldn't go to parties on Sunday afternoon. Sometimes we wouldn't go out to eat on Sunday afternoon. it's hard to believe there were Christians, evangelical Christians, who would not watch an NFL game on Sunday afternoon. You can criticize if you want to some of those rules, but they were at least onto something, weren't they? That there needs to be a time when we pull back from the incredible distractions of this frenetic age and focus on what matters.
>> Chris Woodward: I am guilty of all those things this week.
>> Fred Jackson: Well, and there was a time, not too long ago where high schools didn't allow sports games on Sundays, that sort of thing.
>> Tim Wildmon: that's still true here.
>> Fred Jackson: Yeah, I heard the Erica, Kirk interview this morning, and she said, they decided on Sundays that basically he put his cell phone away. If there was an emergency, somebody could get in touch with him. You know, I've often said I grew up at a time when there weren't cell phones. We survived. You know, when you went for a drive in the car, you went for a drive in the car. If somebody needed to get you, they had to wait until you got to destination somewhere.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, I think a lot. Cell phone usage, for example, is talking about, quote, staring at your screen. I think a lot of that is not necessarily people disengaged from each other. It's that they're keeping up with the news. For example, I'm not. I'm not. I'm not saying it's not a good idea to do what Charlie Kirk did. Don't misunderstand me and put your phone down. Put it away. In fact, I've started trying to just keep it in the car when I go into a restaurant or something like that. That way I'm not tempted to use it.
>> Tim Wildmon: Go ahead, Tim. How hard would it be for you? Because I've got my own answer here. How hard would it be for you to set aside your cell phone and, let's say, Internet usage for a whole day? It would be really hard for me.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. If you're used to using it a.
>> Tim Wildmon: Lot, it'd be really hard for me to do that.
>> Tim Wildmon: No, it would be. It would be something you'd have to consciously think. Okay. Oh, now, here you go.
>> Fred Jackson: Right.
>> Tim Wildmon: Can't do that. You know, disengage from that. so I think, like right now, I got the screen up here. Of course, you know, I'm looking at the news, right? We're talking about the news of the day, so that's part of it. But, yeah. Now, I tell you what, going outdoors is a good idea. Whether you go for a walk, a bike ride. go. I'm not a big guy to go camping, but some people go camping. also, fishing, you know, going out, just playing basketball with your kids or something like that. Or I'm just talking about going out. If you go outside, you're less likely to be tempted with that phone or the Internet, you know, having your neck bent over looking at a screen. So, golf. I enjoy golfing. Well, I don't rarely look at my phone at all during, you know, when you're out.
>> Tim Wildmon: Sure.
>> Fred Jackson: Yep.
>> Tim Wildmon: golfing. You're. You're outside, you're in nature, and you're enjoying that. So I say getting outside and doing things like when you can. When the weather. To get you away from looking at a screen all the time.
>> Fred Jackson: Yes, absolutely.
>> Tim Wildmon: But I tell you, these news sites especially, I'm a news junkie. And so the NewSong York Post, app and the Fox News app, they're changing all the time. So you want to know what's going on in the world, so you're always.
To disengage from electronic media, you do need to make time
You know what I'm saying? I'm guilty. Guilty as charged. But anyway. But the. To. To. To the whole discussion here about disengaging from the. What do you call, electronic media, you do need to make time to do that.
>> Chris Woodward: Yeah, that's right. Something I've done here recently, and it. It's worked for me is I don't take my phone with me in church. because, number, one, it's going to go off. even if I somehow mute it or whatever.
>> Tim Wildmon: Embarrassing.
>> Chris Woodward: You're still going to hear Sting and whatever breaking.
>> Tim Wildmon: You got to turn them, turn it down.
>> Chris Woodward: But also too scroll there in church.
>> Tim Wildmon: I don't do it.
>> Chris Woodward: If you're like me and you sometimes are without your actual paper Bible and you're having to use your phone for, the verse that is true, then you get, inundated. That's when the devil hits you up with, text messages and news alerts and whatnot. So I have used that.
>> Tim Wildmon: I agree. So just leave in the car. Yeah, leave in the car.
>> Chris Woodward: You'll be less likely to be interrupted there.
>> Tim Wildmon: That's the best thing to do. The Bible talks about doing away with things, that cause you to sin. Right. So get away, get away from them.
>> Fred Jackson: Yeah. When I go to the gym, I leave the phone in the car.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
>> Fred Jackson: Just, just get a break.
>> Tim Wildmon: I mean, just leaving the car. That way you're not tempted with it.
>> Fred Jackson: That's right. That's right. I'm amazed there are people at the gym. They go in to exercise.
>> Tim Wildmon: Now you don't scroll while you're riding your bike, do you, Ray?
>> Chris Woodward: Come on.
>> Tim Wildmon: No, please tell me you don't. How do you,
>> Tim Wildmon: A few times I've done that. It's not the safest way to ride a bike though, right?
>> Tim Wildmon: It's not.
>> Tim Wildmon: It's not really safe to do that. You pull over.
>> Tim Wildmon: You got to pull over.
>> Tim Wildmon: You got to pull over to do that. That's right.
>> Tim Wildmon: If you got to text somebody.
>> Chris Woodward: That's right.
>> Fred Jackson: Especially driving a bike on ice.
>> Tim Wildmon: On ice. Right. Please don't text and ride your bike on ice, please.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, that's very good.
>> Tim Wildmon: I tried that. It doesn't work.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
One more thing that scares me. Just one more thing. Out driving in the car and somebody's approaching me
All right. you're listening to Today's issues on American Family Radio. Today's issue is the name of the show on American Family Radio.
>> Fred Jackson: Just one more thing.
>> Tim Wildmon: Fred and Ray and Chr. Yes, go ahead.
>> Fred Jackson: One more thing that scares me. Out driving in the car and somebody's approaching me.
>> Fred Jackson: They're in the car alone and they're screaming. They're talking on their phone.
>> Tim Wildmon: Oh, I see what you're saying to someone.
>> Fred Jackson: That scares me because I know they're not focused and I will kind of ease over to the right to make sure because I've seen it. They're having a distraction, a very aggressive conversation with somebody. And you know, that's just another thing.
>> Tim Wildmon: Another thing. Have you noticed out that people will be having an earpiece in and, ah, they're talking like they're insane. yes.
>> Tim Wildmon: That's weird looking, right?
>> Chris Woodward: That is 40, 35, 40 years ago. That person wasn't saying it. Today. It's, oh, he's just on a call.
>> Tim Wildmon: They're absolutely talking like this. Yeah, right. Not. Not enough. I know, but just talking right out loud to nobody walking down the street.
>> Chris Woodward: Sometimes, I do see people with, like an apparatus on their head. And instead of the Bluetooth earphones or whatever, some people have like an honest to God pair of headphones, almost like what we are wearing. And they're walking around like they're gonna call in a football play, and they're talking to somebody at the meat section of the grocery store.
>> Tim Wildmon: That.
>> Chris Woodward: That seems odd to me, but yep.
Charlie Brown Christmas premiered on American television in 1965 and instantly became classic
>> Tim Wildmon: All right, next story. Chris.
>> Chris Woodward: Well, this was a big, event in American history. And what was, on this day in history, in 1965, the animated Special A, Charlie Brown Christmas, premiered on American television and instantly became a Christmas, classic. Is there something else, that you. We always watch this around Christmas. It's. It's a tradition in our house. is there something else that you guys watch, or do you remember watching this as a kid growing up?
>> Tim Wildmon: Well, we all do in this room. Yeah. I mean, it started in what year?
>> Chris Woodward: 1965.
>> Tim Wildmon: Oh, yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay. I would imagine.
>> Tim Wildmon: And they have in that Charlie Brown's Christmas, one point reading from Luke, chapter two. Right.
>> Chris Woodward: It is the holiest moment on television when it airs on network television. Because Linus gives the Christmas story. The thing that always stood out to me with this is we hear a lot of people say, you know, Christmas is too commercialized. And that was the heart of the story back then. And that was in the 60s, like.
>> Tim Wildmon: Right.
>> Chris Woodward: you would think that, like, we ruined Christmas in the 2000somethings. but it apparently was a problem 60 years ago.
>> Tim Wildmon: Well, 1965, it debuted. I think it's still showing today.
>> Tim Wildmon: Right, right.
>> Chris Woodward: They do. It's mostly on apple, but I mean.
>> Tim Wildmon: You can watch it probably on YouTube or something like that. But I'm talking about on network tv. It used to come on on Thanksgiving night.
>> Tim Wildmon: Oh, that's right. That's, ah, right. I saw it then. Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: She used to come on on Thanksgiving night. TV broadcast. I'm scrolling out information here.
>> Tim Wildmon: I can hear the music. I can hear the background music to that.
>> Chris Woodward: The Peanuts theme.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: Anyway, the main point of the discussion is that it did include the gospel reading, from Luke. I don't know that you get away with that today on network tv.
>> Tim Wildmon: Which the network even back then. Wanted to delete it. And Charles Shultz, Charles Schultz said no. He said no. He said it's got to be in there.
>> Chris Woodward: Well, actually, now that I think about it, this is two big moments in the 60s on national television where scripture was read. Because there was that moment in 68, I think it was, where it was one of the moon missions where they read from the book of Genesis from space.
>> Tim Wildmon: Oh, you believe in that moon mission statement?
>> Chris Woodward: I sure do. I sure do. People, people that don't heard of Arizona.
>> Tim Wildmon: Area 51, we know the truth.
>> Tim Wildmon: Or Nevada or Arizona, wherever it is, that's where it happened.
>> Tim Wildmon: But that's true. They read Genesis 1.
>> Chris Woodward: If you did that today, somebody, there would be an X campaign and somebody being canceled and boycotted by the.
>> Tim Wildmon: You did what?
>> Chris Woodward: If you quoted scripture on national television? Oh, yeah, actually Freedom, from Religion foundation is throwing a hissy fit right now because the, Secretary of Labor is going to have a non denominational prayer service, tomorrow.
>> Tim Wildmon: You're killing it with your is it colloquialisms that you're using today. Ah, you said a hissy fit.
>> Tim Wildmon: Hissy fit. Jack squat. And he say scuttlebutt.
>> Tim Wildmon: He did say scuttlebutt. Chris, you're on it, man.
>> Chris Woodward: you know, tomorrow, cattywampus, tune in. I'll use it randomly.
For Christians to keep emphasis on Christ reveals the real meaning of Christmas
>> Tim Wildmon: So anyway, we, listen, Christmas season in America, we don't ever need. I know that it's that Christmas is celebrated by a lot of non Christians. But. For us Christians to keep the emphasis on Christ reveals to the world the real meaning of Christmas which leads people to think about eternal things and to think about who Jesus Christ was. So we need to. You don't ever need to accept the idea of secularizing Christmas and making it just a holiday. Christmas, is special because it's the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. And we need to, you know, there's all kind of trappings surrounding that. Gift giving is fine and you know, that kind of thing, visiting with family and friends and having parties. But the main thing is the main thing and that is the that, that, that Jesus came to the earth and we celebrate his birth. Amen.
>> Chris Woodward: Amen.
>> Tim Wildmon: Get an amen.
>> Tim Wildmon: Amen.
>> Chris Woodward: Amen.
Sam: Gift cards are always appropriate for last minute Christmas shopping
>> Tim Wildmon: All right. All, right, we got one minute left. Chris, you got a maybe a. I do. You got.
>> Chris Woodward: I googled top, ordered last minute Christmas items. If you're like me and you've not Finished everything yet and you're scrambling as to what you're gonna buy? things.
>> Tim Wildmon: Scrambling.
>> Chris Woodward: The top ordered last minute Christmas items right now are headphones, robes, candles, scarves, cookies, wine, coffee, and gift cards for the person that you don't know what to buy for.
>> Tim Wildmon: Gift cards, always appropriate.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. Gift cards work for everybody, right? And everybody likes them. Pretty much.
>> Chris Woodward: You can spend it on what you want.
>> Tim Wildmon: That's right.
>> Chris Woodward: They even make, holders now for like cards. For a gift card?
>> Tim Wildmon: Yes. Yeah, yeah, gift card, absolutely. Just don't buy gift card for a company that is a hundred miles from your recipient. You know what I'm saying?
>> Chris Woodward: We have some restaurant gift cards here in the Tupelo area for restaurants that we don't have in the Tupelo.
>> Tim Wildmon: That's what I'm saying. You do that. That makes the person m wonder what kind of message are they sending me here. Right, right.
>> Chris Woodward: I'm not going to cheesecake.
>> Tim Wildmon: They got me a gift that I really can't use.
>> Chris Woodward: Right.
>> Tim Wildmon: Merry Christmas.
>> Tim Wildmon: Merry Christmas. All right. Thank you, Chris.
>> Chris Woodward: Thank you.
>> Tim Wildmon: Thanks to Fred and Ray, Frank Creely, our producer who was also a guest on the show today. let's see. Frank Turek was with us. Is that it? I think that's it. We thank, you for listening. We hope you keep listening, to American Family Radio throughout the day and we'll see you back here tomorrow.
>> Tim Wildmon: Sam.
