Vladimir Nabokov: An Embarrassing Problem for Darwinians

“When a butterfly has to look like a leaf, not only are all the details of a leaf beautifully rendered but markings mimicking grub-bored holes are generously thrown in. ‘Natural Selection,’ in the Darwinian sense, could not explain the miraculous coincidence of imitative aspect and imitative behavior, nor could one appeal to the theory of ‘the struggle for life’ when a protective device was carried to a point of mimetic subtlety, exuberance, and luxury far in excess of a predator's power of appreciation. I discovered in nature the non-utilitarian delights that I sought in art. Both were a form of magic, both were a game of intricate enchantment and deception.”

The above paragraph was written, not by William Jennings Bryan or Billy Sunday, but by the decidedly irreligious author of Lolita and Pale Fire (and, more importantly for my money, the translator of Pushkin), Vladimir Nabokov.

It turns out that Nabokov served as the curator of lepidoptera (butterflies) at Harvard University’s Museum of Comparative Zoology in the 1940s. In fact, according to his biographer, Nabokov “became the authority on the little-studied blue butterflies (polyommatini) of North and South America” and was “a pioneer in the study of butterflies’ microscopic anatomy, distinguishing otherwise almost identical blues by differences in their genital parts.” And besides his novels and short stories, he published articles in such scientific journals as The Entomologist, The Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, The Lepidopterist News, and Psyche: A Journal of Entomology.

Of course, this creates a problem of embarrassment in the secular academic circles where Nabokov’s literary work has been so highly regarded. I mean, what’s with a renowned liberal humanist vigorously disputing evolution -- and doing so from the most intricate and informed scientific reasoning?

Richard Dawkins, call your office.

“Your Salvation Is Sealed”

“In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation —having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, Who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.”  (Ephesians 1:13-14)

Believing the gospel of salvation results in many supernatural and ongoing effects in a person’s life.  And one of the most glorious and comforting is the truth the apostle Paul describes in the verse quoted above; namely, that the Christian is sealed with the Holy Spirit to guarantee the ultimate redemption he will receive in heaven.  You see, the New Testament explains that when a person places his trust in Jesus Who died on the cross to pay the penalty of mankind’s sins, that sinner is forgiven – completely and forever. 

And that salvation comes with three effects.  1) The person, at the very instant of his belief in Christ’s atoning death in his behalf, is saved from the penalty of sin.  That’s right; the judgment of God against sin no long rests on the sinner because it was poured out instead upon Jesus. This is the “substitutionary atonement” – Christ died in our place to pay the price of our sin. It is the aspect of salvation that is called justification.

2) The Christian can also be saved from the power of sin in his life for he has been “born again” and is a new creature, indwelled by the Holy Spirit Who gives the believer the ability to resist temptations and live in holiness. This is the aspect of salvation that is called sanctification.  And 3) The Christian will one day experience a salvation from the very presence of sin. The Christian who receives Christ as his Savior immediately experiences the first two effects of salvation. But the third effect will be realized when Christ receives His adopted child into His presence and ushers him into the heavenly home He has prepared for him. This is the aspect of salvation that is called glorification.

3) It is the third aspect of salvation that Paul highlights in the Ephesians 1:13-14 passage.  And he repeats the point later in verse 30 of Chapter 4: “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God by Whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”  But these aren’t the only times Paul underscores how the destiny of the Christian has been sealed by the power of God.  For instance, he comforts the church members of Corinth (2 Corinthians 1:22) by reminding them that they are sealed, representing God’s pledge (literally, a down payment) on their heavenly inheritance.  Also, in 2 Timothy 2:19, Paul’s young protégé is exhorted to remember that God’s seal is not only related to a believer’s eternal standing but also to his present experience.  In that verse Timothy is told that the seal of God is a “firm foundation” reflecting not only God’s ownership and protection of His children but also the motive and empowerment for their holy living.

The basic Greek word translated “seal” in these instances is sphragis.  It is a word connected with ownership, security, authority, and permanency.  Therefore, its use by the apostle Paul is a dramatic illustration of how wonderfully secure is the believer’s position in Christ – fully forgiven, redeemed, empowered for holiness and service, and yes, guaranteed an entrance into God’s heaven. For, of course, the seal of God is unlike any earthly counterpart we can imagine. We’re not talking about Saran Wrap, Tupperware, or latex caulking here! Oh no; the gifts which God seals in us will never evaporate, never leak out, never be contaminated or weakened by a foreign substance, never lose power.  Our relationship with God including, of course, all three aspects of salvation (justification, sanctification, and glorification) can be thoroughly and joyfully depended upon. The deal is truly sealed.

“Five Annihilating Words: One Night He Heard Screams”

“The daughter of a former German diplomat in Moscow was trying to explain to me why her father, who, as an enlightened modern man, had been extremely pro-Communist, had since become an implacable anti-Communist. It was hard for her because, as an enlightened modern girl, she shared the Communist vision without being a Communist. But she loved her father and the irrationality of his defection embarrassed her. ‘He was immensely pro-Soviet,’ she said, ‘and then -- you’ll laugh at me, but you must not laugh at my father -- and then one night in Moscow, he heard screams. That’s all. Simply one night he heard screams.’

A child of Reason and the 20th Century, she knew that there is a logic of the mind. She did not know that the soul has a logic that may be more compelling than the mind’s. She did not know at all that she had swept away the logic of the mind, the logic of history, the logic of politics, the myth of the 20th Century, with five annihilating words: one night he heard screams.

What Communist has not heard those screams? They come from husbands torn forever from their wives in midnight arrests. They come, muffled, from the execution cellars of the secret police, from the torture chambers of the Lubianka, from all the citadels of terror now stretching from Berlin to Canton. They come from those freight cars loaded with men, women and children, the enemies of the Communist State, locked in, packed in, left on remote sidings to freeze to death at night in the Russian winter. They come from minds driven mad by the horrors of mass starvation ordered and enforced as a policy for the Communist State. They come from the starved skeletons, worked to death, flogged to death (as an example to others) in the freezing filth of sub-arctic labor camps. They come from children whose parents are suddenly, inexplicably, taken away from them – parents they will never see again.

What Communist has not heard those screams?”

(Whittaker Chambers, Witness, pages 13, 14)

The Top 5 Plus (July 26)

1) “Missouri AG Files Hard-hitting Lawsuit Against Planned Parenthood For Corruptly Claiming Abortion Pill Is ‘Safe’” (Dan Hart, Harbinger's Daily)

From the article -- David Bereit, who serves as executive director of the Life Leadership Conference, concurred, noting that since state reporting requirements for the aftereffects of the abortion pill are so spotty, data from insurance claims has to be used to accurately gauge its health effects.

“That’s where they found all these complications — 10.9% of those who take the abortion pill using the FDA’s own adverse events reports are seeing these complications,” he explained during “Washington Watch.” “… That’s why we need to champion this to Health and Human Services, to the Food and Drug Administration to make sure that they not only look and say, ‘How do we restore the regulations [repealed by the Biden administration] that were there at the beginning, but ultimately look at why was this drug approved in the first place? And now that we have more data, can it be removed from the market?”

Citing the skyrocketing number of abortions that are occurring via mifepristone, which now accounts for upwards of 63% of all abortions in the U.S. according to the most recent data from the pro-abortion Guttmacher Institute, Beret further pointed out that state pro-life laws are being thwarted by pills being sent through the mail in violation of the Comstock Act.

Related article: “As Missouri Sues Planned Parenthood over Abortion Pill, Experts Urge Trump to Protect Women” (Dan Hart, Washington Stand)

2) “The West Won’t Survive Its Own Cowardice” (Lauren Smith, The European Conservative)

From the article -- cross Europe, things feel increasingly fragile. As governments lose control of basic order and the state becomes rapidly incapable of maintaining law and order, this isn’t so much a ‘clash of civilisations’ as the West quietly rolling over and letting itself die.

Today, it was announced that Germany will be working alongside the Taliban. Yes, those same extremist Islamists that NATO forces—including Germany’s—spent years fighting in Afghanistan. The aim here is to facilitate the deportations of Afghan criminals living in Germany. Despite not officially recognising the Taliban regime, Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government will allow two Taliban officials to work at Afghan diplomatic missions in Germany. Apparently, the only way Merz can conceive of deporting undesirable migrants and failed asylum seekers from the country is by enlisting the help of a murderous, terrorist regime.

It is a depressing indictment of the situation Europe has got itself into, where a nation must grant de-facto diplomatic representation to a brutal Islamist government in order to deport asylum seekers driven to Germany by the Taliban themselves. 

3) “HHS Overhauls Organ Donation System after Review Finds ‘Systemic Disregard for Sanctity of Life’” (Joshua Arnold, Washington Stand)

From the article -- The New York Times identified that victim as Anthony Thomas Hoover II, then 33 years old, who was hospitalized with a drug overdose in 2021. Hours after a doctor had declared him brain-dead, Hoover awakened to find medical staff preparing to remove his organs. “Even though the man cried, pulled his legs to his chest and shook his head, officials still tried to move forward.” Hospital staff ultimately became “uncomfortable with the amount of reflexes” Hoover showed, and a doctor ultimately refused to remove him from life-support. The man ultimately survived.

Related article: “Scandalous Organ Harvesting -- There are terrifying indications that, in some cases, patients’ organs are being taken when they aren’t dead or wouldn’t have died. Medicine without morals is a recipe for disaster.” (Nate Jackson, The Patriot Post)

4) “Digital Landmines: Beijing’s Quiet Invasion” (Kevin Cohen, American Spectator)

From the article -- The real problem? We’re numb to breach. What once triggered national panic now barely scratches the news cycle. But intent has changed. Today’s attacks aren’t about stolen trade secrets — they’re about planting latent explosives in our infrastructure, dormant yet deadly, waiting for political ignition. Volt Typhoon didn’t hack Massachusetts to observe. It nested, silently, ready to flip switches. TechRadar cited government sources warning this is not the endgame. It’s the staging ground.

5) “Christianity and Islam -- two into one won’t go, Your Majesty” (Gavin Ashenden, TCW)

From the article -- With eminent academics such as Professor David Betz of King’s College London warning that the United Kingdom is close to civil war, questions have to be asked about how and why that might be the case. There are three parties involved in this struggle: the liberal elite, the ordinary indigenous British population and Islam (through unlimited immigration).

The liberal elite have, for reasons that are still a little opaque, underwritten and organised high levels of Islamic immigration, not just in Great Britain, but throughout Europe. Such mass migration has reached the point of destabilising civil society and is changing its religious as well as its political character. It could be argued that this is the experiment of multiculturalism which has got out of control, or that it was intended to solve the pensions and demographic crises afflicting the West.

The difficulty is that the experiment has been undertaken without democratic permission, against the will of the people, and this brings us closer to civil conflagration.

Related articles: “The Islamophilia of King Charles: He has long seen Islam as a reactionary corrective to Western modernity.” (Tim Black, spiked!) and “The quiet judgement on the UK” (David Robertson, Christian Today)

Other Recommended Reads:

* “Revenge Or Justice?” (Victor Davis Hanson, Daily Caller)

* “How The False Teaching Of Replacement Theology Sunk Its Claws Into The Church” (David Bowen, Harbinger's Daily)

* “Army Issues Apology for Training Video Portraying Pro-Life Orgs as Terrorist Groups” (Joshua Arnold, Washington Stand)

* “90% of Dem States Sue to Fund Welfare for Illegal Aliens” (Daniel Greenfield, Front Page Mag)

* “The Anniversary They Want You to Forget: TWA Flight 800 and the Deep State’s Deadliest Lie” (David Manney, PJ Media)

Heads Up!

We cordially invite you to a couple of important Vital Signs Ministries events that are coming up soon. The first is the next Vital Signs letter-writing party. Well, actually there are two of them, each taking about 90 minutes. One is a morning brunch party on Tuesday, August 5th beginning at 10 o'clock with the evening event beginning at 7 on that same date. The location is at Denny & Claire’s home.

 As usual, we will provide recipient options, address sheets, stationery, and stamps as we write letters and cards to government officials, businesses, and Christian ministry leaders about such topics as the sanctity of life, religious freedom, family and moral values, and other biblically-centered concerns. And, of course, along with the opportunity to shine your light through letters, there will be stimulating fellowship with like-minded Christians and plenty of delicious treats to keep up your energy levels!

By the way, your RSVPs are very helpful.

And then the second event is something we did very successfully back in 2017 and that is a home showing on Saturday, August 23 of the outstanding, award-winning, one-man play, An Evening with C.S. Lewis starring David Payne. That DVD showing (informative, entertaining, inspirational) will take the place of Vital Signs Ministries’ quarterly Book Brunch and, though it too will take place at the Hartford home, will be at 7 in the evening with coffee, soft drinks, and desserts served during the intermission of the play. Again, RSVPs are quite important.

So, are you interested? We hope so. Give us a call, text, or email soon.

The Top 5 (Plus) -- July 19

1) “What If the Obama Plan to 'Fundamentally Transform' America is Already Underway?” (Shari Goodman, American Thinker)

From the article -- Many of us can recall when Barack Obama eagerly proclaimed on the eve of his election "we are five days away from transforming the United States of America" to thundering cheers of adoration back in 2008. Very few failed to ask why America, a constitutional republic, with self-governance as its cornerstone, would need a transformation; and what would America be transformed into?  

What if Barack Obama was a fraud, a communist Muslim plant ensconced into the highest echelons of our government by the U.N. and the World Economic Forum to advance a totalitarian Marxist/Islamic New World Order under the auspices of today's new ruling class of billionaires (oligarchy) akin to the old feudal system of yesterday? America, a superpower, would need to be destroyed from within for their mission to succeed. 

What steps would need to occur for their mission to become reality?

2) “Tulsi Gabbard Releases Evidence Of ‘Years-Long Coup’ On Trump” (Derek VanBuskirk, Daily Caller)

From the article -- “This was politicized intelligence that was used as the basis for countless smears seeking to delegitimize President Trump’s victory, the years-long Mueller investigation, two Congressional impeachments, high level officials being investigated, arrested, and thrown in jail, heightened US-Russia tensions, and more,” the statement continued.

“Their goal was to subvert the will of the American people and enact what was essentially a years-long coup with the objective of trying to usurp the President from fulfilling the mandate bestowed upon him by the American people,” Gabbard said. “Their egregious abuse of power and blatant rejection of our Constitution threatens the very foundation and integrity of our democratic republic.”

“No matter how powerful, every person involved in this conspiracy must be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, to ensure nothing like this ever happens again,” Gabbard continued. “The American people’s faith and trust in our democratic republic and therefore the future of our nation depends on it. As such, I am providing all documents to the Department of Justice to deliver the accountability that President Trump, his family, and the American people deserve.”

Related articles: “Declassified: Obama Admin Manufactured Intelligence to Push Fake Trump-Russia Collusion Narrative” (Olivia Rondeau, Breitbart); “Here’s How the Obama Admin ‘Manufactured’ Bogus Russia Hoax Intelligence” (Matt Margolis, PJ Media), and “The Bombshell Tulsi Gabbard Just Dropped on the Russian Collusion Hoax Should Terrify Every American” (Jeff Charles, Town Hall)

3) “Why was a schoolgirl punished over a Union Jack dress?” (Hugo Timms, spiked!)

From the article -- British schoolkids have long been encouraged to be ashamed of their nationality and history. They’re taught ‘anti-racism’ lessons and to constantly check their privilege as Brits. They study ‘decolonised’ curricula, shorn of ‘triggering’ British authors. Now, it seems, even dressing up as a Spice Girl and praising Shakespeare are being treated as beyond the pale.

This was what 12-year-old Courtney Wright was shocked to discover last week. She was hauled out of her lessons at Bilton School in Rugby in the West Midlands during so-called Culture Day. According to a Facebook post from her father, she was told that her dress – featuring a sequinned Union Jack – was ‘unacceptable’. She was placed in ‘isolation’ and given a choice: she could wait for her parents to collect her and take her home, or she could put on a school uniform and return to school. She was effectively treated as if she’d arrived in an SS uniform.

Courtney, like all Bilton School students, had been encouraged to wear ‘traditional’ outfits for Culture Day, and to ‘proudly represent their heritage’, including their ‘nationality or family heritage’. You might say Courtney’s outfit was not exactly ‘traditional’, inspired by Geri Halliwel’s famous Union Jack dress from the 1997 Brit Awards. But that was clearly not the issue. What the school’s instructions really meant was that she should dress as any nationality or heritage, so long as it’s not British. According to Courtney’s father, Stuart Field, the school also turned several other pupils away at the gates on Culture Day, including a boy with a St George’s flag, a boy with a Welsh flag and a boy dressed as a farmer with a checked shirt and a traditional flat cap.

4) “The World Woke Up: In half a year, the impossible became obvious: borders closed, recruits returned, Iran retreated, and elites were exposed—all because people finally said, ‘Enough.’” (Victor Davis Hanson, American Greatness) 

From the article -- How about the “end of the NATO crisis,” supposedly brought on by a bullying U.S.? Now the vast majority of NATO members have met their pledges to spend two percent of GDP on defense, which will soon increase to five percent. Iconic neutrals like Sweden and Finland have become frontline NATO nations, arming to the teeth. The smiling NATO Secretary-General even called Trump the “daddy” of the alliance.

What about indomitable, all-powerful, theocratic Iran, the scourge of the Middle East for nearly fifty years? Although it had never won a war in the last half-century, its terrorist surrogates—Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis—were supposedly too dangerous to provoke. Now? Most of their expeditionary terrorists are neutered, and their leaders are in hiding or dead. Iran has no air force, no real navy, no air defenses, and no active nuclear weapons program. Its safety apparently depends only on the mood of the U.S. or Israel on any given day, not to fly into its airspace and take out its missiles, nuclear sites, generals, or theocrats at will.

5) “Tucker Carlson’s Jeffrey Epstein obsession is an antisemitic conspiracy theory: The bizarre case and suicide of a sex trafficker seemed designed to foment over-the-top speculation. And that has inevitably led to it becoming a focus of Jew-hatred.” (Jonathan S. Tobin, JNS)

From the article -- Not only was he willing to hurl such an accusation at an administration made up of his presumable political allies. He went further by claiming to an audience cheering his supposed courage in making such charges that Epstein was an agent of the government of Israel, whose vile actions were somehow part of an effort to blackmail politicians and celebrities. Unsatisfied with such slander, he also invoked the notion that the entire financial industry is some sort of scam...

Nor was Carlson alone in trying to make this about Israel and the Jews. Podcaster and former Fox News and NBC journalist Megyn Kelly, who is generally far more responsible than Carlson when it comes to flinging around conspiracy theories, echoed the allegation, also voicing the belief that Epstein was probably a Mossad agent.

Why are they -- and their legions of imitators and followers -- latching onto the idea that the Israeli government is at the heart of one of the most notorious sex crimes in recent history? The answer is obvious. For podcasters and social-media “influencers” who thrive only to the extent that they can feed their audiences’ hunger not just for simple answers to complex problems but the kind of conspiratorial thinking that confirms their desire to view every bad thing as a diabolical plot, the Epstein case is a gift that never stops giving. To attach Israel to this sort of topic is a guarantee not only of millions of clicks on videos and podcasts, but also gives those saying such things an instant mass audience that is always willing to believe anything awful that can be said about the Jewish state or the Jews.

Other recommended reads from this week:

* “France and Europe: Increasingly Submitting to Islam” (Guy Millière, Gatestone Institute)

* “There Is No Doubt About What the Libraries Are: The Left has made a near-total capture of libraries across the country.” (Scott McKay, American Spectator)

* “Beware ‘Ragebait Engagement Farming’” (Clarice Feldman, American Thinker)

* “A Generation So Lonely, It Fell in Love With Furniture: From soulmates to simulated love with a smoothie maker.” (John Mac Ghlionn, American Spectator)

* “Hatred Of Jews: The Devastating Aftermath Of Martin Luther’s ‘Wrong Turn’” (Tom Gilbreath, Harbinger's Daily)

An Open Letter Regarding Pro-lIfe Measures & Leftist Propaganda

Versions of the following letter are being sent to Senators Fischer and Ricketts, Congressman Bacon, President Trump, and Vice-President Vance. I encourage you to consider writing similar advocacy correspondence.

Dear Senator Fischer,

I wrote last week on behalf of Vital Signs Ministries here in Omaha, asking for your energetic support of the pro-life priorities which remain after the passage of the “Big Beautiful Bill” -- the complete and permanent de-funding of the mega-abortion profiteer that is Planned Parenthood, repeal of the F.A.C. E. Act, a serious scaling back of the poisonous abortion drugs that are killing millions of preborn children as well as severely injuring so many of those children’s mothers, and increased conscience protection for those who refuse to perjure their souls by supporting in any way such blasphemous actions as abortion or sexual perversion.

Thank you, Senator Fischer, for your prayerful attention to those concerns.

However, I also wanted to send along my concerns about a few other important issues, issues that are of grave concern to conservatives across the nation. 1) Would you please co-sponsor and work for the passage of S.669, Disengaging Entirely From the United Nations Debacle Act of 2025 or the DEFUND Act of 2025.

And 2) Would you please join in the move to reverse the historical revisionism, leftist ideologies, and anti-religious trends which have marked the progressives’ control of the Smithsonian, the National Art Gallery, and the National Park Service?

Again, thank you.

Change for the Better: A “When Swing Was King” Update

Adlai Stevenson once observed that “change is inevitable and yet change for the better is a full-time job.” That’s certainly a sage observation, one that emphasizes the need for wise and intentional planning to make the very best of our time, talents, and opportunities. And though change isn’t exactly a full-time job for our “When Swing Was King” ministry, it is always a very important part.

How so? Well, each of our “When Swing Was King” programs consist of 12 original songs and 220-240 photographs. But oh, no; they are not the same songs or photographs at all. They are ever changing in order to keep our audiences of seniors as esteemed, engaged, and entertained as possible. (By the way, our current schedule takes us to 11 facilities every month.) 

Here’s how it works. In creating these shows over the last 15 years, we have developed 24 “base” programs which revolve on a 2-year calendar. And when each “base” program comes round, I go in and change anywhere from 2 to 5 of the songs and up to a third of all of the photos. No kidding. We are thus able to honestly explain to our audiences (and the staff at the senior facilities) that we offer a new “When Swing Was King” show every time. And they all appreciate the efforts we invest to do so as “When Swing Was King” is as beloved a program as ever before.

There is one more aspect regarding change that I might mention regarding “When Swing Was King.” Remember, we have been doing this for 15 years now and, since we remain committed to providing our current audiences with the music of their youth, that means changes need to be applied in our song selections. For today’s residents of the senior facilities (now in their late 80s and 90s) remember and cherish the music that was popular, not just in the 1930s and 1940s which were our focus in the first years of “When Swing Was King,” but also in the 1950s and even 1960s. You can see then an extra motivation for Claire and I to take seriously Stevenson’s exhortation as we conscientiously, creatively pursue “change for the better” in our “When Swing Was King” outreach.

Want an example an example of just what I’m talking about? Below I give you a briefly annotated songlist of the July “When Swing Was King” show. You’ll see how we’re striving to keep the best mix of musical genres possible for our friends. Also, please keep in mind that each month’s “When Swing Was King” is on the Vital Signs Ministries website in case you would ever like to join us! 

“When Swing Was King (Volume 15: Series 7, July 2025) 

1) Glenn Miller Orchestra -- “American Patrol” (1942)

(With military-themed photos accompanying this classic hit, we use this song as a tribute and thank-you to veterans of the U.S. military.)

2) Tommy Dorsey Orchestra (with Frank Sinatra and the Pied Pipers) -- “Dolores” (1941) (One of the several number 1 hits coming from that great combination of Tommy Dorsey -- “The Sentimental Gentleman of Swing” -- and the youthful voice of Frank Sinatra.)

3) Artie Shaw Orchestra – “Frenesi” (1940)

(Also, a number one hit, this was one of Shaw’s “signature” songs.)

4) The Platters – “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” (1959)

(Yes, here’s one of the songs illustrating our entry into early pop music. This #1 song, featuring lead tenor, Tony Williams, was one of their most popular.)

5) Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass – “A Taste of Honey” (1965)

(After an injury, Herb Alpert, an outstanding high school gymnast had to fall back on his musical interests and business savvy. He ended up becoming one of the most popular and successful musicians, promoters, and music executives of his time.) 

6) Pat Boone – “Love Letters in the Sand” (1957)

(The only serious rival to the popularity of Elvis Presley back in the 1950s, Pat Boone scored a #1 hit with this song. The photo theme accompanying it is the year 1957.)

7) Doris Day -- “You Oughta’ Be in Pictures” (1951)

(Photo theme -- Several of the leading men from Hollywood’s Golden Age.)

8) Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians – “Embraceable You” (1950)

(Always a favorite with our “When Swing Was King” audiences, the Lombardo band was promoted as playing “the sweetest music this side of heaven.”)

9) McGuire Sisters -- “Something’s Gotta’ Give” (1955)

(This Johhny Mercer song reached #5 on the pop charts that year and is an excellent example of why Christine, Dorothy, and Phyllis were such a terrific act.)

10) Julie London -- “Misty” (1960)

(One of the all-time best torch singers, the lovely Julie London performs one of the classiest versions ever of this Erroll Garner standard.)

11) Mills Brothers -- “Standing on the Corner” (1956)

(Selling over 50 million records in their long career, this fun song is one of their most popular of all. And our audiences absolutely love singing along.)

12) Lawrence Welk Orchestra -- “Adios, Au Revoir, Auf Weidersehn” (1971)

(This George Cates, Jack Elliott song was the one that the Welk cast always sang at the closing of the television show. And members of that beloved cast are featured in the photos used here.)

The Top 5 (July 12)

1) "Without Decisive Action Against The ‘Kill Pill,’ The Hard-Won Victory Of Dobbs Will Be Rendered Meaningless" (Tony Perkins, Harbinger's Daily)

From the article --  According to the Guttmacher Institute, formerly the research arm of Planned Parenthood, abortions have increased by 12% since 2020, climbing from 930,000 to over one million in each of the past two years. What’s driving this surge? The kill pill.

Today, chemical abortions make up more than 63% of all abortions in the United States. That number continues to rise thanks to a Biden-era policy that remains in effect, which is basically nullifying pro-life laws of many states.

Related article: "Hands That Shed Innocent Blood: The Abortion Pill Inventor’s Deadly And Corrupt Legacy" Ken Ham, Harbinger's Daily)

2) "The Roots of Leftist Rage" (Victor Davis Hanson, American Greatness)

From the article -- As in the months-long rioting of 2020, leftist politicos assume their street bandits will cause so much mayhem, violence, and chaos that Trump will either be forced to call out the troops (and thus “prove” he’s Hitler) or be too scared to—only to be blamed for the unrest, which could cost him the midterms. But who or what drives the insane rages of these various armies of the left?

One is an obvious bleeding Democrat Party. Despite gushing about its new DEI, illegal alien, trans, and Middle Eastern constituents, it has no political power. Its issues are mostly 30-70 losers. It has little power in the House or Senate beyond fake-filibusters, performative outrage, or profanity-laced rants. It lost the White House. The Supreme Court eventually nullified the illegality of left-wing district judges. It does not trust the people, so plebiscites and ballot measures are mostly out.

Two, unlike his first term, Donald Trump is addressing the causes, not just the symptoms, of the progressive project, whether on the border, crime, cultural issues, or foreign policy. This time around, there are no John Boltons, no Rex Tillersons, no Alexander Vindmans, and no Anonymouses from the inside to thwart the Trump agenda. The administration is loyalist and committed to addressing the root causes of the left-wing influence, not just its manifestations. So, Trump has focused on leftist sacred cows like NPR, PBS, the elite campuses, USAID, and the administrative state—all the inculcators and laboratories of leftist ideology.

Finally, the left is outraged that so far, the Trump counterrevolution is working.

3) "Did SCOTUS Just Transform America’s Schools?" (Stanley Kurtz, National Review)

From the article -- Last month, on the final dramatic day of its term, the Supreme Court in the case of Mahmoud v. Taylor affirmed the right of parents in Montgomery County, Md., to opt their children out of public school classes reading “LGBTQ+-inclusive” texts, on grounds that preventing such opt-outs unconstitutionally burdens parents’ religious freedom. Although religious liberty has been around since the Founding, its exercise in schools via opt-outs has become newly urgent with the spread of woke curricula.

Potentially, however, the implications of Mahmoud go well beyond opt outs for “LGBTQ+-inclusive” texts. That’s because the right to opt out on religious grounds necessarily includes the right to receive advance notice of classroom learning materials and activities. This means Mahmoud just might break the political logjam that has been holding up a critically important reform — the creation of a thorough and efficient web-based approach to letting parents know exactly what their children are learning in school.

The fact that parents don’t already know what their children are being taught is a scandal. While most school districts do have some mechanism for letting parents know the curriculum, that mechanism is usually poorly updated, extremely limited, and/or accessible only in hard copy during working hours. That is more than most parents can manage to access.

4) "Largest teachers’ union labels Trump ‘fascist,’ urges resisting ICE in shocking revelations" (John Ransom, Heartlander) 

From the article -- A well-regarded education watchdog has published a raft of alarming resolutions adopted by the National Education Association at its latest national assembly. They include a measure that encourages resistance of federal immigration enforcement and another that mandates labeling President Donald Trump a fascist in all union materials.

Senior Fellow at the American Culture Project Corey DeAngelis obtained a copy of the NEA’s recently passed resolutions and posted them to X. “I just received a copy of the National Education Association’s resolutions that they passed at their annual convention,” said DeAngelis. “They kept them private this year.” It’s not the first time in recent years a teachers’ union has attempted to hide controversial resolutions passed by members.

Other key articles regarding the NEA: "The National Education Association just voted to cut all ties to the Anti-Defamation League" ( Emmaia Gelman, Mondoweiss) ----- "Unions Double Down on Inserting Critical Race Theory Into Education" (Lindsey M. Burke, Heritage Foundation) ----- "Teachers union reveals true colors behind closed doors at annual convention" (Corey DeAngelis, Fox News)

5) "The Judge-Emperor: The Global Coup of the Courts" (Drieu Godefridi, Gatestone Institute)

From the article -- From Israel to the United States, via Europe, the judicial coup d'état has become permanent. In the West, it is not the executive that threatens the separation of powers. It is faceless judges lacking democratic legitimacy who legislate on the pretext of judging. Here are four salient examples of this judicial imperialism -- which have become a judicial tyranny -- and a proposed American solution.

This weekend's bonus picks? 

* "IRS: Pastors and Politicians Don’t Lose First Amendment Rights in Pulpit" (Paul Batura, Daily Citizen)

* "Exposing The Lies Tucker Carlson Failed To Address With Iran’s President" (Daniel Cohen, Harbinger's Daily)

* "To tame Washington, we need a DOGE 2.0...but done right this time" (Daniel Huff, New York Post)

* "When Sleeper Cells Meet the Resistance" (Ben Johnson, Washington Stand)

* "Democrats Collude With Judges To Keep Allowing Noncitizens To Vote In U.S. Elections" (Garland Favorito, Federalist)

The Latest Word...On Letters

No, we don’t wait for P.A.L. Nights (Vital Signs Ministries quarterly series of letter-writing parties) to express through letters and cards our education and advocacy, our gratitude and encouragement, and our protest. Indeed, our letters represent an important -- and continual -- opportunity to shine our lights for Jesus Christ, to be a preservative seasoning in our culture, and to “do justice” in practical ways. So, they are too valuable a witness to lay idle in between those letter-writing parties. Of course, we look forward to our P.A.L. Nights (we have actually have added morning editions nowadays) and we sure hope you plan on joining us for our next scheduled letter-writing parties on August 5.

As I said, however, we make it a regular part of our week to engage in a bit of “correspondence outreach” and, from time to time, I share examples here on Vital Signs Blog. Here are 3 of the latest. (And note -- When most relevant, I provide links to articles that give you fuller picture of the situation that prompted my letters.)

1) Dear Nebraska University,

Just a quick note to add my disappointment and protest of the contemptible bigotry demonstrated by the drag performance mocking the Catholic mass for which the university rewarded a doctoral degree from the Glenn Korff School of Music. Though not a Catholic, I find it deeply troubling for such an intentionally blasphemous program to be sponsored by the university.

Catholic group demands U. Nebraska ‘held accountable’ for drag show mocking Mass (Gabrielle Temaat, Catholic Fix)

2) Dear National Park Service,

 Please stop the programs of ideological fix the foolish historical revisionism you’ve begun with the Mellon Foundation and others regarding as in the changes in the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. These plans, as currently expressed, show a terrible lack of concern for historical accuracy as well as for the good of the Republic.

A Woke Jefferson Memorial?: The National Park Service should halt current efforts to make the memorial’s once-excellent basement museum into a condemnation of the author of the Declaration of Independence. (Jeffrey H. Anderson, City Journal)

3) Versions of the following letter were sent to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, House Speaker Mike Johnson, members of the Nebraska delegation, and President Trump.

Dear ------------------

Well, the "Big Beautiful Bill' has passed. Thank you for your efforts. However, that bill failed to address many of the yet-critical disasters created by previous administrations. And I'm appealing to you to finally make these things true priorities in the next phase of legislative action.

1) The complete and permanent de-funding of the mega-abortion profiteer that is Planned Parenthood. 

2) Repeal of the F.A.C. E. act.

3) A serious scaling back of the poisonous abortion drugs that are killing millions of preborn children as well as severely injuring so many of those children's mothers.

4) Increased conscience protection for those who refuse to perjure their souls by supporting in any way such blasphemous actions as abortion or sexual perversion.

3 Key Responses to Good Preaching

The typical sermon in today’s evangelical church makes everybody feel safe, comfortable, and happy. Like the music that opens and closes the Sunday morning service, the sermon is designed to entertain, calm, and lift one’s self-esteem. The audience need not worry about too much theology, too many moral demands, or too many counter-culture exhortations. Learning? Don't worry about it, you got AI Chat program. Sacrifice? Just enough to make me feel good about yourself.  Stretching?  That’s for the ladies’ yoga class that meets in the multi-purpose room on Tuesday mornings.

But what if you are among the few that have the blessing of listening to solid, biblically-centered teaching on a Sunday morning?  Then may I suggest you make sure you are observing three things.

1) Good preaching should be appreciated.  Thank God for the Word and for a preacher who honors God’s revelation enough to study it, submit to it, and faithfully share it with his congregation.  Show your gratitude also by follow the example of the Bereans of Acts 17:11; namely, to study the Bible yourself and consistently extend its applications to your life.

2) Good preaching should be applauded.  An expository preacher, one well equipped in hermeneutics and holy living, should be hearing from those that benefit from his teaching.  He should be supported, encouraged, defended, helped, and honored – to his face, as well as among other church members and to outsiders.  So many preachers who bravely stand against the culture (including the soft-headed, me-oriented themes predominant in modern evangelical circles) end up standing alone.  Come alongside and give them a hand.

3) Good preaching should be applied.  It’s not enough to hear good sermons or even to pat the preacher on the back.  The whole purpose of God gifting you with a good Bible preacher is for your ongoing sanctification.  His sermons are to give you solutions to moral and intellectual problems, to equip you to do the work of ministry in your various spheres of influence, and to change you more into the image of Christ.

So, if you have a preacher who is studying to know, live, and effectively preach the Word of God?  That’s terrific.  Appreciate those sermons.  Applaud that preacher.  And apply the lessons he teaches you from the holy text.

And if you don’t have that kind of preacher?

Go find one.

The Top 5...Plus (July 5)

1) “Making Foreign Aid Great Again” (State Marco Rubio, U.S. State Department)

From the article -- This era of government-sanctioned inefficiency has officially come to an end. Under the Trump Administration, we will finally have a foreign funding mission in America that prioritizes our national interests. As of July 1st, USAID will officially cease to implement foreign assistance. Foreign assistance programs that align with administration policies—and which advance American interests—will be administered by the State Department, where they will be delivered with more accountability, strategy, and efficiency.

We will not apologize for recognizing America’s longstanding commitment to life-saving humanitarian aid and promotion of economic development abroad must be in furtherance of an America First foreign policy.

USAID viewed its constituency as the United Nations, multinational NGOs, and the broader global community—not the U.S. taxpayers who funded its budget or the President they elected to represent their interests on the world stage. USAID marketed its programs as a charity, rather than instruments of American foreign policy intended to advance our national interests. Too often, these programs promoted anti-American ideals and groups, from global “DEI,” censorship and regime change operations, to NGOs and international organizations in league with Communist China and other geopolitical adversaries.

That ends today, and where there was once a rainbow of unidentifiable logos on life-saving aid, there will now be one recognizable symbol: the American flag. Recipients deserve to know the assistance provided to them is not a handout from an unknown NGO, but an investment from the American people.

2) “We’re Told That Chemical Abortions Don’t Count” (Denny Hartford, Vital Signs Blog)

From the article -- But the second and most important truth relevant to the reportedly decreasing number of abortions is that the numbers of preborn children killed by poisonous drugs is soaring to unimaginable highs. Indeed, the most conservative estimates suggest that 60-70% of all abortions in America are via chemicals like RU-486 and the “morning after” pill. And that’s not even adding to the horrific total those preborn kids whose lives are ended by the abortifacient properties of the tragically misnamed birth-control pill. No, none of the children destroyed by these lethal poisons are being counted by health officials.

America’s downward trend in the surgical abortion rate over the last two decades involves several factors -- the effects of pro-life laws, the spread of pro-life education, the increased awareness of fetal development through ultrasound and fetal surgery, the compassionate work of pro-life pregnancy aid centers, and a greater spirit of compassion towards the innocent among today’s youth.

But, let’s face the truth, the primary reason the abortion statistics are down is because those numbers are cooked. The abortion industry (and its friends in the old guard media) are manipulating the math by ignoring altogether the means by which the majority of abortions now are committed. This not only provides cover for the chemical abortion industry, I’m afraid that it also provides false comfort to pro-life advocates. The sad, alarming fact is that our culture (as a whole) is no more interested in genuinely defending the sanctity of life than before the Dobbs decision.

3) “House Passes BBB as Conservatives Win ‘Significant Commitments’ on Life, Transgenderism” (Ben Johnson, Washington Stand)

From the article -- While many pro-life advocates — including SBA Pro-Life America and Americans United for Life — called the bill’s one-year defunding of Planned Parenthood a step forward, some former insiders say the deep-pocketed abortion industry has the resources to wait it out. “While any taxpayer money diverted away from Planned Parenthood is a good thing, defunding our nation's largest abortion provider for just one year is not the win many of us who believe abortion is abhorrent wanted it to be,” said former Planned Parenthood director and founder of And Then There Were None, Abby Johnson, in a statement emailed to The Washington Stand. “A year is enough time for many Planned Parenthood facilities to hold out to be re-funded. Some will close, but Planned Parenthood as an organization has millions of dollars, wealthy donors, and could support those clinics if they choose.”

Planned Parenthood, which received $792.2 million in taxpayer funding in 2024, reported total net assets of $2.52 billion. “Bottom line: it’s not enough and Republicans should permanently defund the abortion giant, not just for a paltry 12 months,” said Johnson. “A one-year defunding of Planned Parenthood is no victory; it’s a disheartening concession,” Katie Brown Xavios, national director of American Life League, told TWS. “To receive only a token punishment for those who harm women and kill the innocent is unacceptable.”

Family Research Council backed the House version of the bill and reserved the right to score against the Senate version. Ultimately, it reconsidered after House conservatives wrung several promises out of the Trump administration and Hill leadership. “Last night, we facilitated negotiations and conservations on key policy issues that had been removed or modified from the House version,” announced FRC President Tony Perkins on Thursday morning. “[W]e believe we will see policy outcomes that offset the changes made by the Senate.”

Leaders of the House Freedom Caucus quickly confirmed they had obtained promises for future executive action and legislation to defund abortion and transgender procedures, as well as other policy priorities. “We got significant commitments on spending reductions outside the framework of the bill,” Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.) told “This Week on Capitol Hill.” “We said, ‘Let’s talk about some offsets elsewhere. Let’s talk about some things the executive can do to mitigate some of the concerns about what the Senate did with our House bill,’” Harris told Perkins.

“We got a major commitment, a serious commitment on spending reduction,” as well as “a large commitment on social issues. We got an agreement that the administration will add adults to their transgender funding limitation. And we’re going to have a discussion with the administration on the egregious, cross-state trafficking in mifepristone."

4) “The Decline and Fall of Our So-Called Degreed Experts” (Victor Davis Hanson, American Greatness)

From the article -- Almost daily during the tariff hysterias of March, we were told by university economists and most of the PhDs employed in investment and finance that the U.S. was headed toward a downward, if not recessionary, spiral. Most economists lectured that trade deficits did not really matter. Or they insisted that the cures to reduce them were worse than the $1.1 trillion deficit itself. They reminded us that free, rather than fair, trade alone ensured prosperity.

So, the result of Trump’s foolhardy tariff talk would be an impending recession. America would soon suffer rising joblessness, inflation—or rather a return to stagflation—and likely little, if any, increase in tariff revenue as trade volume declined.

Instead, recent data show increases in tariff revenue. Personal real income and savings were up. Job creation exceeded prognoses. There was no surge in inflation. The supposedly “crashed” stock market reached historic highs.

5) “Celebrating Independence From Anti-American History Propaganda: The end of the 1619 Project?” (Mary Grabar, American Spectator)

From the article -- Hannah-Jones might have presented herself as original but in 1980 the commie professor was sarcastically pointing out that American exceptionalism included “income inequality,” “inequities” in “public health and education,” “endemic racial fears and hatreds,” and an “electoral system” that was built on “economic might.” Jefferson, Zinn also noted, owned “hundreds” of slaves, and his “great manifesto of freedom” did not apply to them.

Zinn threw into question the very legitimacy of the country, from the “discovery” by the capitalist Christopher Columbus to the protection of “property” in the Constitution instead of the “life, liberty, and happiness” of the Declaration of Independence. The country was founded to protect the rights of the wealthy, who then held all political power, the middle class being a “buffer” between the owning classes and the enslaved blacks and poor whites.

Cutting through the nonsense in 2020 was President Trump making his speech at Mount Rushmore, on the eve of Independence Day (called a “diatribe” by the newspaper that had much at stake in The 1619 Project). Addressing the “campaign to wipe out our history, defame our heroes, erase our values, and indoctrinate our children,” Trump vowed that, unlike other monuments, the one with George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt, would never be “desecrated.”

He called July 4th, 1776, “the most important day in the history of nations.” With a rebuke of the 1619 rioters, he said, “Every American patriot should be filled with joy, because each of you lives in the most magnificent country in the history of the world.”

* “God’s Faithfulness: Why Do Many Pastors Ignore Paul’s Declaration Of Love For The Jewish People?” (Tom Simcox, Harbinger's Daily)

* “Trump 2.0 is a Wrecking Ball -- and he's wrecking the right stuff.” (Glenn Harlan Reynolds)

* “Ketanji Fatigue: Last week, the Supreme Court’s Republican-appointed majority reprimanded Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson for her feeble legal reasoning." (S.A. McCarthy, American Spectator)

* “The EU’s Internet Law, a Blueprint for Global Censorship -- Including on American Platforms?” (Adina Portaru, Daily Signal)

* “The Feather Merchants: Senior Leaders Subverted the Marine Corps” (Gary Anderson, American Spectator)

A Few Thoughts Relevant to Independence Day

“While we are zealously performing the duties of good citizens and soldiers, we certainly ought not to be inattentive to the higher duties of religion. To the distinguished character of a Patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of  Christian.” (George Washington)

“Hold fast to the Bible as the sheet-anchor of your liberties; write its precepts in your hearts, and practice them in your lives.” (Ulysses S. Grant)

“If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God,  then we will be a nation gone under.” (Ronald Reagan)

“The Bible is the best gift God has given to man. All the good the Savior gave to the world was communicated through this Book. But for it we could not know right from wrong. All things most desirable for man’s welfare, here and hereafter, are found portrayed in it.” (Abraham Lincoln)

“The foundations of our society and our government rest so much on the teachings of the Bible that it would be difficult to support them if faith in these teachings would cease to be practically universal in our country.” (Calvin Coolidge)

“I have carefully examined the evidences of the Christian religion, and if I was sitting as a juror upon its authenticity, I would unhesitatingly give my verdict in its favor. I can prove its truth as clearly as any proposition ever submitted to the mind of man.” (Alexander Hamilton)

“No nation is ever taller than when on its knees. I submit that we can best honor America by rededicating ourselves to God and the American dream.” (Billy Graham)

We're Told That Chemical Abortions Don’t Count

The establishment press like to report that abortions have fallen to historic lows -- and to the press that seems to be a bad thing. However, even when reported statistics do suggest fewer abortions are being committed than previously, the most relevant abortion fact is completely ignored. The statistical reviews only count surgical abortions and, this is important to note, that aggregate number comes from the abortion businesses themselves. And those businesses have repeatedly shown to severely under-report the numbers. Why? Well, in the case of America’s largest abortion company, Planned Parenthood, they under-report the numbers for public relations purposes. Wanting to present itself as a responsible charitable organization, Planned Parenthood takes great pains to hide their true intentions; namely, to sell abortions. And they sell a lot...way, way more than they desire the public to realize.

But the second and most important truth relevant to the reportedly decreasing number of abortions is that the numbers of preborn children killed by poisonous drugs is soaring to unimaginable highs. Indeed, the most conservative estimates suggest that 60-70% of all abortions in America are via chemicals like RU-486 and the “morning after” pill. And that’s not even adding to the horrific total those preborn kids whose lives are ended by the abortifacient properties of the tragically misnamed birth-control pill. No, none of the children destroyed by these lethal poisons are being counted by health officials.

America’s downward trend in the surgical abortion rate over the last two decades involves several factors -- the effects of pro-life laws, the spread of pro-life education, the increased awareness of fetal development through ultrasound and fetal surgery, the compassionate work of pro-life pregnancy aid centers, and a greater spirit of compassion towards the innocent among today’s youth.

But, let’s face the truth, the primary reason the abortion statistics are down is because those numbers are cooked. The abortion industry (and its friends in the old guard media) are manipulating the math by ignoring altogether the means by which the majority of abortions now are committed. This not only provides cover for the chemical abortion industry, I’m afraid that it also provides false comfort to pro-life advocates. The sad, alarming fact is that our culture (as a whole) is no more interested in genuinely defending the sanctity of life than before the Dobbs decision.

What do we then do? Pray harder, light more lamps of truth to penetrate the ignorance and indifference of modern society, and keep working to provide compassion and justice so that abortions are understood by more and more citizens to be immoral, selfish, and cruel acts of violence against innocent preborn babies – whether the murder weapon be curette, suction machine, or poison pills. 

For more information on this critical matter, I encourage you to check out:

* “The Real Emmanuel Moment” (This exposition of Scripture reveals one of the clearest, most compelling reasons why people should revere, appreciate, and protect human life from its very conception onwards. You’ll find it in the Articles Section of the Vital Signs Ministries website.

* “The New Abortionists: Chemical Abortion in Contemporary Culture” (Also to be found at the Vital Signs Ministries website, this is an illuminating interview with a highly acclaimed medical researcher and OB-GYN physician Dr. Tom Hilgers and a Vice-President of Pharmacists for Life.)

* “Views on Abortion From Church History” (Throughout its history, the Christian Church has vehemently opposed abortion as a heinous, pagan act of violence. These quotations forcefully illustrate this fact. But, important to note, most of the quotations demonstrate opposition to chemical abortion.)

* “Without Decisive Action Against The ‘Kill Pill,’ The Hard-Won Victory Of Dobbs Will Be Rendered Meaningless” (Tony Perkins, Harbinger’s Daily) This just published article is very enlightening and instructive.

The Awesome Power of Music!

You want an idea of why we are more excited than ever about “When Swing Was King,” Vital Signs Ministries’ outstanding outreach into nursing homes and senior centers? Then, by all means, check out the clip and the article below. 

And then check out this explanatory article on the Vital Signs Ministries website to find out more about “When Swing Was King.”

The Top 5 Plus (June 28)

1) “Is Isolation a Policy Option? You won’t find it in our history, or in any serious consideration of our foreign policy debates.” (Roger Kaplan, American Spectator)

From the article -- Hanson points out that Donald Trump is not a 1930s “isolationist.” Rather, he is in the Jacksonian tradition, reluctant to go to war but, once aroused, fierce. This attitude, Walter Russell Mead explained some years ago, represents the normal American posture in foreign affairs, but it was replaced by containment in the post World War II years when nuclear weapons brought about a risk of mutual assured destruction, a way of saying victory in warfare was impossible, or meaningless.

The strategic doctrines that grew out of this conventional wisdom produced an almost textbook case of diminishing returns for U.S. engagement in global affairs. Observe in passing that such engagement was by no means novel, nor was it in contradiction with the Founders’ prudence. No entangling alliances, said they, no searching for dragons to destroy. Yet the early presidents kept their eyes on international affairs, alert to dangers and opportunities.

2) “Is J.D. Vance Right about Europe?” (Christopher Caldwell, Imprimus)

From the article -- Vice President J.D. Vance’s first major assignment from Donald Trump was to join a bunch of European leaders who thought of themselves as our close allies—and to read them the riot act. This happened at the Munich Security Conference on February 14. Instead of discussing armaments and armies, Vance said: “The threat that I worry the most about vis-à-vis Europe is not Russia. It’s not China. It’s the retreat of Europe from some of its most fundamental values.” Europe, according to Vance, had become hostile to free speech. It was hostile to free speech because it was hostile to democracy. And you could measure its hostility to democracy by the fact that for 50 years European voters had kept asking for less immigration and had kept getting more of it. Vance admitted that it reminded him a bit of the United States.

Is Vance right about Europe and the West more generally?

3) “The arc of history does not simply bend toward justice” (Adrian Wooldridge, Jewish World Review) 

From the article -- The illusion of history begetting justice is terrifying for two reasons. The first is it encourages a false sense of confidence that is often counterproductive. The Democrats' confidence that history was on their side led them to underestimate Trump so badly that they stuck with Joe Biden even though it was obvious that his powers were fading. This confidence also led the party to endorse a collection of unpopular causes, which might be conveniently lumped together as "wokery," on the grounds that they were the contemporary equivalent of the civil rights movement. To hell with the people who question these causes even if they happen to be the numerical majority.

Before that, the same confidence persuaded the U.S. establishment, Republican as much as Democrat, to embrace China with open arms, subcontracting much of America's manufacturing to the People's Republic, even though the Leninists who ran the regime were determined to replace the U.S. as the world's leading military and industrial power.

The second reason it's terrifying is it encourages people to subcontract their moral judgments to history. Most progressives did not treat the problem of transgender people's rights as a nuanced moral issue that involved the careful balancing of the rights of biological women against trans women or an even more careful consideration of the potential harms of powerful drugs or invasive surgery. They simply rushed to be on "the right side of history." The notion of the moral arc encourages groupthink and all the blindness and bullying that comes with it.

It is far healthier to treat history as an open-ended process that is made by individuals who have to wrestle with their own moral judgments rather than go with the supposedly progressive flow.

4) “A Failed Worldly ‘Strategy’: Shallow Entertainment And Compromise Isn’t Keeping Young People In Churches” (Ken Ham, Harbinger's Daily)

From the article – “I’ve often shared the statistic that two-thirds of young people will leave the church by the time they reach college age—and very few return. I was reminded of this recently when I saw a post someone shared on social media that said:

“Fact: 70–88% of youth born in evangelical homes leave the faith after one year in a secular college. Maybe. Just maybe. We start to focus on more doctrine, more ability to explain what and why they believe, and less performance, less trend, less show, less entertainment.”

Now, I’ve basically been saying the same thing for years—decades! There’s been such a focus in American churches on entertaining young people so they’ll want to come to church and very little emphasis on doctrine, theology, apologetics, and the gospel.

So many young people grow up with a shallow faith, no answers to the skeptical questions of our day, and a worldview foundation that says man determines truth (the same foundation our culture has). But what’s ironic is that when I speak to young people, I find they are so hungry for answers! They love the rich and authoritative teaching from God’s Word. They’re tired of the shallow entertainment they’ve been fed—they want “meat”!

5) “Zionism Has Been Vindicated” (John Podhoretz, Commentary Magazine)

From the article -- The Zionist “experiment” is no longer an experiment. Israel is now a reality. It will endure, as the Jewish people have endured. The meaning of the attack on Iran is unmistakable. Israel will not allow itself to be wiped off the earth, and it will not allow the Jewish people to cower in terror at their future. And it will thrive, as successful nations that defend themselves from evil and prevail in the wake of it always thrive.

Consider: Israel has gone from being one of the poorest countries on this earth to one of the richest over the course of its nearly 80 years of existence. It is all but alone among the advanced societies to be replenishing and reproducing itself with a birthrate more than double that of Western Europe. Israel sees a future and is building that future, and one of the ways it is ensuring that future is by eliminating the threats to its future.

From the article -- Students who miss at least 10% of the school year, or roughly 18 days, are considered chronically absent. Malkus goes on to explain that in 2018 and 2019, about 15% of K–12 public school students in the U.S. were chronically absent—a number so high that numerous observers and the U.S. Department of Education are labeling it a “crisis.” In total, nearly one in twelve public schools in the United States has experienced a “substantial” enrollment decline over the last five years.

The problem is especially egregious in our big cities. In Los Angeles, more than 32% of students were chronically absent in the 2023-2024 school year. In Chicago, dwindling enrollment has left about 150 schools half-empty, while 47 operate at less than one-third capacity. Additionally, schools identified by their states as chronically low-performing were more than twice as likely to experience sizable enrollment declines as other public schools.

In February 2025, FutureEd disclosed that data from 22 states and the District of Columbia for the 2023-24 school year show significant differences across grade levels, with absenteeism particularly severe in high school.

Other important reads:

* “The SAT’s Trust Fall: Legacy standardized-testing firms are cutting rigor to please students.” (Michael Torres, James G. Martin Center)

* “The Persistent Presence of Absence: The public school exodus continues unabated.” (Larry Sand, American Greatness)

* “Battle for Free Speech: EU -- Europe Deploys Its Artillery: Mainstream media and European elites collude to silence dissent.” (Thomas Kolbe

* “Britain has fallen to the technocratic death cult. In backing ‘assisted dying’, MPs have given the state a licence to kill.” (Brendan O'Neill, spiked!)

* “Green Energy: Terrible For the Environment” (John Hinderaker, Power Line)

On Fortune Tellers

I once had an interesting discussion after being asked by a non-Christian friend about fortune telling. I told him that I could get a higher percentage of predictions picking weekly winners in the NFL than any psychic he could name. He agreed that would probably be true if I were matched against people who only claim to be psychic. But then he asked, “Denny; what about the real deal? What do you think about someone who really can read the future, someone like Jeane Dixon?”

I was glad he asked because I had done a bit of research into the matter, including details on the lady who has (to date) been America’s most famous seer. “Well,” I began, “the late Jeane Dixon was certainly the most celebrated fortune teller of my time, mainly because of her syndicated newspaper column. But there were her books too, astrological guides that included charts for dogs, cats, your daily meals and so on. But I’m afraid I’ve got to disappoint you. Mrs. Dixon couldn't tell the future better than anyone else. Just check her record. In reality, she wasn’t a fortune-teller; she was only a fortune-guesser. And not a particularly good one at that.”

My friend seemed skeptical. “How then did she become so famous?”

I replied, “How did Tiny Tim become famous? Because he was talented? Of course not. Johnny Carson, the National Enquirer, and the rest of the media make people celebrities for all kinds of goofy reasons. But in Jeane Dixon’s case, I can assure you, her star status wasn’t something she earned. She simply gave away a huge amount of predictions and then conveniently remembered only the 10 or 15% that could be liberally interpreted as coming true."

“No kidding?”

I gave him a few examples. “When Mrs. Dixon just started to cash in on the popularity of horoscopes and fortune-telling in the early 50’s, she made a pretty famous prediction. She said that World War III was going to begin in 1958. That error cooled her jets until the tabloids of the 60’s were looking for wild attractions. They hauled Mrs. Dixon out again. She promptly assured Americans that the Vietnam conflict would be over by 1966. She was only nine years off, poor thing. Must have been a short in her crystal ball.”

“She also predicted there would be a cure for cancer in 1967. She predicted Fidel Castro would be overthrown and tossed out of Cuba in disgrace before the year 1970 was out. Of course, Cubans were waiting for that fulfillment 50 years later. She predicted there would be universal peace by the year 2000. And how about her confident assertion that Russia would be the first nation to put men on the moon?”

“But hey; I can't forget my favorite,” I finally added. “On October 19th, 1968, Mrs. Dixon predicted that the last thing on Jackie Kennedy’s mind was any possibility of remarriage. And then, bingo, the very next day, headlines announced to the world the wedding of Jackie and Aristotle Onassis.”

No, I assured my friend, I would feel no pressure from a prediction contest with even a “pro psychic” like Jeane Dixon. “We would all be in the guessing game together. The fact is that there is only one source of accurate, dependable information about the future.”

“I know, I know,” my friend said laughingly. “Forget the psychic hotlines and read the Bible instead.”

I couldn’t have put it better myself.

Where Did It All Come From?

There are really only two options in the end. Either there is a personal God Who made everything (carefully, purposefully and in keeping with His moral character) or everything is mere meaninglessness, an absurd collision of matter and chance to which the only authentic response is despair.

How incomparably sweet then that the revelation of Holy Scripture corresponds to the overwhelming evidence of the world, the moral conscience, and the universal longing of the human heart in acknowledging that God is there…and He is not silent.

The Top 5 (Plus) June 21

1) “Abortion Supporters Unleash Torrent of Hatred Against 1-Pound Baby Chance: We’re living in a nightmare.” (Ellie Gardey Holmes, American Spectator)

From the article -- One would have thought that once baby Chance was born and was lying in an (actual) incubator in a NICU, such disgustingly evil talk would cease. Usually, once a baby has a birth certificate and a Social Security number, pro-abortionists are content to admit that a child has a right to life.

Well, no. Since news of Chance’s birth broke earlier this week, many abortion supporters have responded by wishing for the little baby’s death. The amount of traction this opinion has gotten online is truly sickening.

2) “Israel, Iran, and the Trump Doctrine: President Trump is already engaged in an old war -- and he wants to make sure the U.S. wins it.” (Brian T. Kennedy, American Mind)

From the article -- There is a disagreement now over what America’s role should be, if any, in supporting Israel after its preemptive strike on Iran. President Trump has authorized the use of American air defenses to stop Iranian attacks on American assets and citizens: our military bases in the region, our consulate in Tel Aviv, and the Americans living in the surrounding area. This is not an endorsement of the Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities and personnel. It is designed to protect the lives of Americans; the U.S. is well within its right to do so. It should be noted that we do not have an embassy in Iran, and for good reason.

Responses by the American Left to condemn Israel were not unexpected, as the Left has long sympathized with the anti-Western, anti-American hatred propagated by the Islamic world. More surprising is the reaction of some in the America First/MAGA movement, who seem to perceive President Trump’s policy as a betrayal of his promise to keep us out of new wars...President Trump, therefore, has not endorsed the start of a new war. He is engaged in an old war—one that may well be seen, in retrospect, as World War III. He wants to make sure it is won by the United States.

FYI -- Two other excellent articles related to this critical matter is “The Return of the Neocon Canard: Israel’s war with Iran has given an ancient blood libel a new lease of life” (Melanie Phillips, Jewish News Service) and “Trump’s Careful, America First Approach to Iran’s Nuclear Weapons Program: Trump’s MAGA base trusts his judgment—even if stopping Iran’s nuclear threat means a one-time strike, not a new war.” (Fred Fleitz, American Greatness)

3) “Politics of the Cradle” (John O. McGinnis, Law & Liberty)

From the article -- Few debates matter more to the West’s future than the widening divide between left and right over the simple act of having children. Inside an April pronatalism conference in Austin, the roster stretched from the more traditionalist Catherine Pakaluk to libertarian Bryan Caplan. Outside, left-wing protesters branded the gathering “neo-Nazi.” The answer to the question of whether children are worth having will shape everything from fiscal policy to cultural identity. The roots of the quarrel are worth tracing.

That even childbirth now falls under the old slogan “the personal is the political” may shock. Yet it follows naturally from each camp’s bundle of larger ideological commitments. For conservatives, increasing fertility in the West is part of the defense of its civilization. Europeans and other groups that were at its heart are no longer reproducing themselves. Across the OECD, the total-fertility rate has slid to 1.5 children per woman; in Italy and Spain, it hovers near 1.2, and even in the United States, the latest CDC release puts the rate at just 1.63—far below the 2.1 replacement benchmark. For many conservatives, every newborn is a vote that the West remains worth inheriting.

4) “Can the Left Ever Stop Its Craziness? The more the left rages, the more Trump rises -- while Democrats trade policy for tantrums and canonize chaos in place of compromise.” (Victor Davis Hanson, American Greatness)

From the article -- Instead, why do Democrats throw two-year-old temper tantrums to howl nihilistically at everything Trump says and does? One, exasperated Democrats lack all levers of political power—the Congress, the White House, and the Supreme Court. So, they take to the media and the streets.

Two, Democrats are permanently frustrated that the more they scream and stomp, the more polls show radical declines in public support for their party.

Three, their nemesis, 79-year-old Donald Trump, seems impervious to Democratic lawfare, threats, and smears. Despite the hysterical attacks, he is still polling now about where prior presidents like George Bush and Barack Obama were at similar junctures in their second terms. The more Trump is smeared as a fascist or dictator, the more polls—like the latest liberal Economist/YouGov survey—show him gaining public support for securing the border and deportation.

And the more the left damns Trump as a racist, the more he wins unprecedented Black and Hispanic support. In recent Rasmussen tracking polls, Trump garnered 54 percent approval from Black voters and 53 percent from Hispanics.

Four, Trump proves a hard-to-hit, moving target for the frustrated left. He cannot quite be pigeonholed as a predictable right-wing bogeyman.

5) In the fifth spot this week are a trio of very illuminating (and troubling) pro-life articles. 

* “We Found Out How Easy It Is To Order An Abortion Pill. The Results Are Shocking.” (Katelynn Richardson, Daily Caller)

* “UK Vote for Abortions Up to Birth is Sparking Massive Pro-Life Backlash” (Elise DeGeeter, LifeNews.com)

* “Planned Parenthood Kills the Babies of 97% of Pregnant Women Who Go There” (Brad Mattes, LifeNews.com)

* “Did Planned Parenthood Commit Yet Another Felony?” (Ben Johnson, Washington Stand)