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An image from video footage featured in "Unmasking the Christian Left" about progressive Christianity. (EpochTV) Commentary The ideology of progressive Christianity has gained popularity in recent years. Lucas Miles, an ordained minister and host of the EpochTV series “Church and State,” discusses how progressive Christianity is everything but Christianity, in his episode titled “Unmasking the Christian Left.” An image from video footage featured in “Unmasking the Christian Left” about progressive Christianity. (EpochTV) What Does Progressive Christianity Believe? Miles explains that with its emphasis on inclusivity and tolerance, progressive Christianity has embraced the LGBT and BLM agenda and taken a pro-choice stance on abortion. He says it has exchanged God’s truth as found in the Bible, for whatever a person decides is “their truth.” Miles then examines the Bethel Congregation United Church of Christ’s website, where they admittedly don’t believe the Bible is God’s inherent, infallible word. He notes that this is a heretical viewpoint and that Orthodox Christianity holds that scripture is God’s unchanging and never erring word. Progressive Christianity Is a Doctrine of the Leftist State According to Miles, progressive Christianity does not go along with any orthodox Christian doctrine, but it goes along perfectly with the ideology of Marxism. Miles says this is interesting because progressive “Christians” often claim the importance of separation of church and state. Yet, their beliefs fall perfectly in line with the doctrines of Marxism and the political left. For example, Miles discusses their acceptance and promotion of leftist gender ideology. They preach love and acceptance, redefining what biblical love is. According to Miles, the Bible teaches Christians to love people by serving, speaking the truth, treating people the way we would want to be treated, etc. But the Christian left says that love must affirm and condone everything anybody chooses to do. Miles says they claim to want a strict separation of church and state, but they really want a church that serves the state. They Don’t Believe God’s Way Is the Only Way Miles explains that progressive Christians believe their view of Christianity may be one truth, but it’s not the only truth. According to Miles, they say those who claim their beliefs are the only truth are simply afraid of other religions. Miles says progressive Christianity revises the word of God to paint a picture of a faith that is an open way to heaven regardless of the path a person chooses. In the EpochTV episode, Miles also discusses how the Christian left preaches that the path of Jesus is any place where love reigns. Miles believes this is a wide interpretation used to support whatever they choose to do or think. An image from video footage featured in “Unmasking the Christian Left” about progressive Christianity. (EpochTV) Orthodox Christianity Makes America Great Miles calls Christians to be aware and always on alert, saying to keep their eyes on the word of God. He says to make sure their Churches are teaching sound biblical truth and to refuse to be part of any movement that puts political ideology over God’s word. The EpochTV episode reminds viewers that the Christian faith brought the pilgrims to the colonies, inspired the Declaration of Independence, and ended slavery. Miles notes that Christianity fights for the life of the unborn and that orthodox Christianity is the basis for all the qualities that make America one of the greatest places for freedom and human rights on earth. Because of this, Miles says we cannot lose the spiritual battle for the heart of this nation from authentic Christianity to progressive Christianity. Watch “Unmasking the Christian Left” on Church and State here. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Watch the trailer: Watch the full video: https://www.theepochtimes.com/premiering-at-8-pm-et-unmasking-the-christian-left-church-state_4837010.html

Commentary Sometimes, it takes going through immense pain and suffering to make one truly appreciate every moment of the life they’ve been blessed with. Other times, these same people who have experienced tremendous hardships, yet still smile at life, can profoundly touch the lives of others. In multiple award-winning documentary, “Big Sonia” (available on Epoch Cinema), these two facets can occur at the same time within the same person—a rare and beautiful thing indeed. Filmmaking team (and husband and wife) Todd Soliday and Leah Warshawski bring us an entrancing, in-depth character study of Leah’s grandmother, Sonia Warshawski, a 91-year-old Holocaust survivor and proprietor of her late husband’s tailoring store, “John’s Tailor Shop,” located in a dilapidated mall in Overland Park, Kansas. The store is a very important part of Sonia’s life. Indeed, six days out of the week, the spunky pint-sized diva gets all gussied up—wearing bright red lipstick and carefully stylized hair—and makes her regular drive to the store, all the while barely being able to see over her plush, leopard skin-patterned steering wheel. Sonia Warshawski in “Big Sonia” (Inflatable Film) Almost immediately, you’ll feel Sonia’s fierce-yet-loving personality beaming through the screen at you and wonder why she’s such an unusual spirit. The reasons are both haunting and wonderful and ultimately make for a documentary that will draw you in, and stay with you long after its ending credits roll. Sonia grew up in a Jewish family in Poland. When she was just 13 years old, her family was sniffed out by German soldiers with German Shepherds and carted off. She was beaten numerous times as she was rotated through three different death camps—never to see her father or brother again. She did, however, witness her mother being led into a gas chamber to have her life snuffed out. Sonia considers it a miracle she ever made it out of that hellish experience alive. Over the years, Sonia has learned to own her life story. She finds the prospect of retiring a terrifying one and likes to stay busy to keep her more painful memories from overwhelming her, including the death of John many years prior due to Alzheimer’s complications. Sonia Warshawski giving one of her highly inspirational speeches in “Big Sonia” (Inflatable Film) As I wrote in a similar documentary, “Finding Manny,” about another Holocaust survivor, you wouldn’t expect someone who experienced such extreme horrors in their past to have such an unwaveringly positive and compassionate outlook on life—let alone have the capacity and fortitude to help others. Indeed, when Sonia’s not working at the store she’s been operating for over 30 years, she’s out visiting various places such as schools, churches, and prisons as an inspirational speaker. Her reputation reaches far and wide and her speaking presentations are phenomenal to behold—not only because of the heartfelt passion she radiates but the profound effect her words have on others. Her powerful messages impact the lives of disparate populations; everyone from prison inmates (whom the rest of society has turned its back on), to young students. As one prison inmate astutely points out, “It takes people who been through something, to reach people who are going through something.” Like a master tailor, the film weaves together multiple threads—we see not only the transformative effect she has on others, but the constituent parts that make up her life, such as how she maintains her store (by herself); an eviction notice from the mall’s owners that threatens to close down her store; how her adult children perceive her, and even intimate moments such as Sonia carefully holding the remains of her mother’s scarf. These parts form a larger gestaltic tapestry—an intriguing pattern that is larger than the sum of its threads. Sonia Warshawski has touched the lives of people from many different backgrounds. “Big Sonia” (Inflatable Film) This is a very well-made film and flows with a gradual pace and builds each scene upon the strength of previous scenes. By the end of its one hour, 33-minute running time, I sat in my chair, stunned yet inspired. It has instantly become one of my favorite documentaries and consider it to be a panacea to all of the hatred, cynicism, and egocentrism that permeates our modern society. Be prepared to chuckle, shed a tear or five, and think more deeply about your life. In the end, I’d practically consider “Big Sonia” to be mandatory watching in the tumultuous and challenging times that we all currently find ourselves in. After all, anyone who can transform self-absorbed teenagers into self-reflective, selfless individuals who want to help others, has got to be doing something right. It’s available to watch on Epoch Cinema. Watch “Big Sonia” on Epoch Cinema here. ‘Big Sonia’ Directors: Todd Soliday, Leah Warshawski Running Time: 1 hour, 33 minutes MPAA Rating: Not Rated Release Date: Nov. 9, 2016 Rated: 5 stars out of 5 Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Watch the trailer: Watch the full video: https://www.theepochtimes.com/big-sonia-documentary_4833339.html

Commentary The EpochTV documentary “Medical Genocide: Hidden Mass Murder in China’s Organ Transplant Industry” exposes China’s booming organ transplant industry. Chinese regime officials state that their organs come from death row prisoners or donations, however, reports have emerged in recent years that the organs are harvested from innocent prisoners of conscience who are murdered on demand. According to the documentary, in June 2016, independent investigators jointly published a 680-page report of irrefutable evidence. An image from video footage featured in “Medical Genocide: Hidden Mass Murder in China’s Organ Transplant Industry” about China’s corrupt organ harvesting industry. (EpochTV) State-Sponsored Genocide China’s national five-year strategy includes organ transplantation. Much of the transplant industry is funded by national funds. According to the film, the transplant industry in China generates about 9 or 10 billion dollars a year. David Kilgour is the former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific and co-author of “The Bloody Harvest” and “The Slaughter: An Update.” He states that, to his knowledge, China is the only country in the world where a government-run industrial complex kills people to sell their organs. His co-author, David Matas, is a human rights lawyer. China’s organ harvesting came to light in 2006. David Kilgour and Matas were first to investigate, along with Ethan Gutmann, an investigative journalist based in London. Gutmann spent seven years doing his own research before writing “The Slaughter: An Update.” They joined forces and were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Extensive cross-checking confirmed that several Chinese hospitals perform 4,000 or 5,000 transplants yearly. This far surpasses China’s claim of 10,000 total transplants a year. The research shows actual numbers closer to 100,000 per year. The number of transplants in China increased ten times between 1999 and 2000 and tripled by 2005. That’s a 30-fold increase in 6 years. Since 2000, the United States has performed an average of 6,353 liver transplants per year. Just a few hospitals could match this in China. According to Matas, China had an endless supply of organs on demand. The only thing slowing them down was capacity. This led to a building boom of hospitals meant for transplants. The report shows that the 169 hospitals approved by the Ministry of Health for transplants could have performed over 1 million transplants since the year 2000. This is more than the entire population of San Francisco and doesn’t factor in hospitals without certifications that also do transplants. Killed on Demand An image from video footage featured in “Medical Genocide: Hidden Mass Murder in China’s Organ Transplant Industry” about China’s corrupt organ harvesting industry. (EpochTV) Researchers were struck by one major difference between China and other places in the world that perform transplants. China performs organ transplants on demand, whereas patients in the United States and UK wait for years until a donor is available. To have a heart transplant, for example, a person has to die on the table the same day as the transplant surgery. Yet, China schedules these surgeries in advance. According to Kilgour, patients who traveled to China for a kidney transplant have cited being presented with up to eight kidneys until they found one that matched. “Eight human beings had been killed,” said Kilgour. The International Transplantation Network Assistance Center in northeastern China stated on its website, “China carries out kidney transplants from living sources. It’s completely different than cadaveric kidney transplants in Japan.” Kilgour compares it to a restaurant where you choose the lobster to be killed, saying China has a bank of live donors waiting to get a match on the computer. “It’s a crime against humanity.” The number of death row prisoners in China is estimated to be around 1,000 yearly since 2000 and decreasing. Donations are also small due to the Chinese tradition that the body remains whole after death. Punishment for Prisoners of Conscience According to the EpochTV film, China began harvesting organs from executed prisoners in the 70s. It then started using the organs of prisoners of conscience. Gutmann cites the persecution of Falun Gong beginning in 1999 when the order to eradicate Falun Gong practitioners came from the regime. By 2000 and 2001, there was an explosion in transplants. The documentary also notes that Falun Gong prisoners undergo physical examinations and blood testing, which Matas says has no explanation other than determining suitability for organ transplants. Gutmann says the Falun Gong are forced to either convert or die. “It’s state-sponsored genocide,” he says. “We did not expect to see, after the Holocaust, this kind of medical corruption come around again.” An image from video footage featured in “Medical Genocide: Hidden Mass Murder in China’s Organ Transplant Industry” about China’s corrupt organ harvesting industry. (EpochTV) nver Tohti, a former Uyghur surgeon, living in London, recalls how he was told to extract the organs from a living prisoner. He said the communist regime prevents you from being able to think for yourself. Tohti explains that anyone who labels themselves as something other than a Chinese Communist Party member is treated as an enemy of the state. “Therefore, they are not even qualified as human beings,” he says, noting that they are subject to whatever punishment is available. Tohti recalls genuinely believing what he was doing was good, but later, he realized the truth: “I killed him.” Reports show the same treatment of Uighurs and Tibetans, other persecuted religious groups in China. According to the EpochTV documentary, some countries have banned reimbursing transplants done in China for their citizens receiving organs from China. Matas says the Holocaust and China’s organ harvesting industry reveal “the endless, bottomless depravity of human nature. There’s no limit to the form of evil that people can sink.” Gutmann says it is a new form of genocide, and “this is one of the central tests of our time. We can’t avoid this any longer.” Watch “Medical Genocide: Hidden Mass Murder in China’s Organ Transplant Industry” on EpochTV here. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Watch the trailer: Watch the full video: https://www.theepochtimes.com/medical-genocide-hidden-mass-murder-in-chinas-organ-transplant-industry-documentary_4817370.html

Commentary May 10th, 1940, might be a date that doesn’t exactly resonate with many Americans, but it’s quite a memorable date among many Europeans, particularly those who hail from France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. On that day, Germany invaded those countries. France fell to the German army in less than six weeks. They wouldn’t even begin to be liberated until the famous Normandy landings (also known as D-Day) that commenced on June 6, 1944, as popularized in Hollywood films such as 1998’s “Saving Private Ryan.” But there were some heroic people who helped to pave the way for this ultimate liberation of the Western Front—people who were part of lesser-known operations. One of these operations is the focus of a 53-minute historical documentary film titled “Operation Sussex,” directed by Bonnie Friedman (available on EpochTV). The Germans occupy France in 1940. “Operation Sussex” (Alliance Productions.) Although it is rather short in length, this film covers a lot of historical ground. It tells the tale of three Allied counties—the United States, Great Britain, and France—that worked together via a daring intelligence operation. The documentary is told through Friedman’s narration, as well as surviving members of the operation. Since most of the people interviewed in this film are French, it contains lots of handy English subtitles. During Operation Sussex, 120 brave French men and women (118 men and 2 women to be exact) volunteered to train as parachutists in England by American and British military and intelligence forces. All of the volunteers were very young and as one interviewee explains, out of the 120 individuals, only 10 were over the age of 25 (the youngest was 16 ½). The training of the volunteers was rigorous and thorough. They had to be prepared to not only jump out of Allied planes over German-occupied France but do so while being shot at by the numerous German anti-air gun emplacements positioned there (especially the 8.8 cm Flak guns). French volunteers lift off from England in “Operation Sussex” (Alliance Productions.) But that wasn’t all—even if they successfully land, they’d be expected to elude German forces and link up with members of the French Resistance, usually under the cover of night. Understandably, telling friend from foe was often difficult for the young French paratroopers and they constantly risked being captured by German soldiers. Captives that weren’t killed outright were sometimes delivered into the nefarious hands of the Gestapo to be tortured for information, before inevitably being killed. The French volunteers were always grouped into teams of two. If these teams managed to safely meet up with members of the French Resistance, they were to observe German army movements (and anything else useful, such as the location of supply depots and V1 and V2 rocket launch pads). Any intelligence gleaned was to be reported back to Allied forces stationed in England via radio. Once D-Day kicked off, they were expected to continue reporting on enemy troop and vehicle movements. President Ronald Reagan meets with Clarence Thomas in “Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words.” “Operation Sussex” (Alliance Productions.) These brave volunteers faced immense danger, and many of the details of what transpired in their particular cases are recounted through fascinating interviews by the volunteers themselves, as well as their various American and British trailers. One of the things that I thought director Friedman did extremely well was combining lots of World War II combat and news footage, with interviews in a seamless manner. Sometimes, an interviewee would talk about some harrowing event they’d experienced and they’d narrate over the old footage, which gives parts of the excellent documentary a real feeling of immediacy. After watching this incredible account of these intrepid French volunteers, I felt that this would be a great opportunity for anyone to learn about a relatively lesser-known aspect of World War II—not just military aficionados. It has a distinctly humanistic undertone that helps people to understand how three allied nations stood together in unity in order to stand up against the evils of Nazism. Overall, “Operation Sussex” is a highly informative documentary I can see watching again and again. It’s available on EpochTV. Watch“Operation Sussex,” on Epoch Cinema here. ‘Operation Sussex’ Directors: Bonnie Friedman Running Time: 53 minutes MPAA Rating: Not Rated Release Date: Jan. 28, 2012 Rated: 4 stars out of 5 Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Watch the trailer: Watch the full video: https://www.theepochtimes.com/operation-sussex-documentary_4828749.html

Commentary World War I used to be a conflict that didn’t get too much attention. Part of the reason was that it has often been overshadowed by World War II, a conflict that has almost been fetishized in numerous Hollywood films—everything from golden oldies such as 1946’s “The Best Years of Our Lives,” to more recent entries such as 2016’s “Hacksaw Ridge.” Additionally, many folks consider the trench warfare of World War I to be rather boring, as opposed to some of the faster-paced, dramatic World War II battles, such as the storming of France’s Normandy coastline by Allied forces on D-Day (cinematically immortalized in 1998’s “Saving Private Ryan”). Since World War II well seems to have been visited a little too often in recent years and may be going dry, both historians and filmmakers have adroitly turned their attention to the Great War (also known as the “War to End All Wars”). The Battle of the Somme was extremely costly. “Heroes of the Somme” (360 Production) This pivot has resulted in plenty of documentary films being produced that detail the massive conflicts between the main players of World War I. This includes many European countries, the United States, the Russian Empire, and more far-flung theaters such as the Middle-eastern and even parts of Asia. The bloody conflict lasted from 1914 to 1918 and the toll on human life was huge—an estimated 9 million combatants died, many of them while fighting on the Western Front. Director Edward Hart’s 2016 historical documentary “Heroes of the Somme” (available on EpochTV) focuses on the Western Front. Hart combines rare archival World War I footage and reenactments, and interviews with military historians, as well as relatives of the men who fought in the Great War. The result is a thought-provoking look at the sometimes heroic, sometimes futile aspects of the conflict through the stories of seven soldiers who served in the British Expeditionary Force, during the Somme offensive of 1916 against German forces. These seven men exhibited acts of “conspicuous valour” that earned them Britain’s rarest medal, the Victoria Cross. The Somme offensive took place across six miles of empty farmland near the Somme, a river in Northern France. It spanned from July 1 to Nov. 18, 1916 (141 days in total). In all, 13 different Allied countries participated in over 14 pitched battles. A rather dubious distinction of the first day of the conflict (July 1), is that the British military experienced its most crushing loss in its military history—over 57,000 casualties (of which over 19,000 were fatalities). It’s also estimated that the total cost of casualties on both sides was one million. The documentary features military historian Gavin Hughes (of Trinity College Dublin, Ireland), who, using a copy of an old historical World War I battle map, travels to the Somme to piece together the actions of British forces in the hours leading up to the Battle of Somme. By June 30, 1916, the British had built up a thirteen-mile-long offensive line, comprised of 120,000 soldiers, along the German army’s frontline. Their objective was to break through the German frontline and within a week, make its final victory march to the German capital of Berlin. Private Billy McFadzean in “Heroes of the Somme” (360 Production) Hughes explains how one recipient earned a Victoria Cross before the first shot was even fired. An Irishman by the name of Private Billy McFadzean of the 36th Ulster Division was helping a bombardier unit prime their grenades before an assault on the German frontlines. The men were crammed into a trench they’d built earlier, working away, when a box of grenades fell into the trench and two of the grenade’s primer pins fell out. Being a bombardier, McFadzean instantly knew what would happen if the munitions went off—mass carnage. In an act of final service to his cohorts, he dove onto the box and took the brunt of the blast, dying instantly. That selfless act of courage spared all of their lives. McFadzean has since become an Irish folk hero and the first Victoria Cross recipient of the Somme campaign. British soldiers run across No Man’s Land and into German frontlines in “Heroes of the Somme” (360 Production) The film also details how General Sir Douglas Haig, Commander-in-Chief of the British Expeditionary Force, wanted to unleash a massive artillery barrage upon the German frontlines ahead of rushing in with infantry. His objective was to completely obliterate every German soldier facing them so that the Brits could move across No Man’s Land (the area between the opposing entrenched frontlines) unscathed and onto certain victory. However, once the smoke cleared and the British soldiers began to advance, they found out that Gen. Haig’s plan hadn’t quite panned out the way he’d wanted it to. Despite the incredible display of artillery bombardment, the British ran into the withering torrents of German bullets and explosive ordinance. Some of the Brits displayed unusual acts of bravery during their advance, which earned them Victoria Crosses. One of the things that I found fascinating about this near-one-hour documentary, is how leading historians have come to consider the Somme offensive—was it worth the extreme loss of human lives? Or, was it a futile conflict that didn’t result in any substantial gains? One thing is for certain—no one can question the heroism of each of the seven men who risks everything in the service of their country. The Victoria Medals awarded to them were well deserved and it is their personal sacrifices that make them. Watch“Heroes of the Somme” on Epoch cinema here. ‘Heroes of the Somme’ Director: Edward Hart Running Time: 59 minutes MPAA Rating: PG-13 Release Date: Jul. 6, 2016 Rated: 4.5 stars out of 5 Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Watch the trailer: Watch the full video: https://www.theepochtimes.com/heroes-of-the-somme-documentary_4826886.html

The Christian Left, says Church and State host Lucas Miles, has abandoned the Holy Trinity for the trinity of diversity, acceptance, and social justice. (ErwinMeier/CC BY-SA 4.0) Commentary Today’s culture is often considered secular, implying that America is primarily divided between the religious and the non-religious. However, in addition to the many religions that enjoy freedom in the United States, the ideology of the political left seems to be a religion of its own. The left prides itself on its detachment from God and country. Yet its adherents embrace the tenets of the state and the doctrines of their own political ideology with religious fervor, labeling any who oppose them as a heretic. Liberals increasingly label conservatives “Christian nationalists,” or more commonly, Nazis and fascists. Ordained minister and best-selling author Lucas Miles, host of the EpochTV series “Church and State,” shows that the political left is a religion of its own. It is a religion, moreover, that resembles the statism of Nazi Germany much more than it resembles Christianity. In an episode entitled “The Holy Trinity of the Left,” Miles defines Christian nationalism, explores how Christians should respond to this label, and takes a look at the German Church under Nazism. An image from video footage featured in “The Holy Trinity of the Left” about the origins of Christian nationalism. (EpochTV) What is Christian Nationalism? Headlines referring to the Jan. 6 capitol protest labeled attendees as militant Christian nationalists. Miles calls the term a “dog whistle” to label the Christian right as one thing: Nazis. The media and the left conspire to paint Christianity as hateful and oppressive. Miles uses the example of the book “Taking America Back for God,” by Andrew L. Whitehead and Samuel L. Perry. The authors speak with disdain and fear about Christian nationalism. They describe Christian nationalists as people who believe America was or is a Christian nation, encourage Christian prayer before sporting events, voted for Donald Trump, participate in evangelism, support Israel, and await the second coming of Christ. By these criteria, anyone who believes and lives out basic aspects of their Christian faith is labeled a Christian nationalist. According to the book, if you’re a Christian, you’re a Christian nationalist. “The term ‘Christian nationalist’ is intended to make you think of one thing in particular,” Miles says: Nazism. “You’re a Nazi if you follow Jesus. That’s essentially what’s being stated.” The left tries to paint devout Christians as Nazis and bigots who should be viewed as the number one danger to society. However, “when you understand what happened in Nazi Germany, I believe the last thing that you would ever call a Christ-follower is a Christian nationalist,” says Miles. If people understood what happened to many churches under the Third Reich, they would never identify Christian nationalism with Nazism. The ‘Nazified’ German Church Although some Christians have embraced the term “Christian nationalist,” it is essential to understand what it means historically. Hitler took power in Germany in 1933. The ruling Nazi party understood that it needed to draw other groups in Germany to its side to promote its agenda to the rest of the nation. Because of this, the Third Reich worked to align the German church with its political ideology. The Nazi ideology successfully took root in liberal churches that were already aligned with völkish (folkish) religion with pantheistic, mystical viewpoints. In many ways, these churches had already stepped outside the Christian faith. Therefore, incorporating Nazi beliefs into their worldview wasn’t that much of a stretch. Miles explains that although the liberal German church had already embraced viewpoints that were outside the Christian faith, it continued using the vehicle of Christianity to promote its message. The Third Reich recognized this and used it for its own purposes. The Nazified German church continued to call itself Christian in order to promote the Nazi agenda. It taught that Jesus was not the Messiah but called him “Jesus the Jew destroyer.” It even adopted ideas from what was known as the “quest for the historical Jesus” and suggested that Jesus hadn’t really died, but had someone else die in his place. Nazism stripped Christianity of the Jewish foundation it was built upon, giving up the tenets of the faith to bow down to the statist agenda of the Third Reich. True Nationalism: Deifying the State Miles explains that true nationalists are willing to bow down to the state at all costs. Today’s evangelical Christians certainly do not fit this category. Many Christians resisted state mandates for masks and vaccinations. Many have stood against the sexualization of children in public schools. Authentic Christians should refuse to make anything else their deity besides the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In his book “The Christian Left,” Miles describes Christian nationalists as people willing to set aside the basic tenets of Christianity to embrace the state’s view of these issues instead. They reject the Church’s role in society as a source of mercy and compassion for people and put that role on the state, because they have made the state their God. Miles argues this is the same thing the Nazified German church did when it broke from Christian orthodoxy to bow to the state instead. An image from video footage featured in “The Holy Trinity of the Left” about the origins of Christian nationalism. (EpochTV) The Religion of the Left Who are actual nationalists? According to Miles, anyone who puts the state in the place of God is a nationalist. Today’s leftist nationalists, Christian or otherwise, wholeheartedly embrace any rhetoric or agenda promoted by the state. If a person goes against any narrative of the state, that person is called a heretic. Unless people bow to the state, they are cancelled, censored, and demonized. No one is allowed to go against the left’s LGBTQ agenda, the alleged right to murder the unborn, or anti-white woke ideologies. Churches flying rainbow or Black Lives Matter flags reveal a progressive Christianity willing to forego the tenets of the Christian faith and bow down to the state’s orthodoxy instead. Miles calls many leftist churches Christian “in name only” because they adhere to the doctrines of the left instead of Biblical teaching. They have exchanged the Holy Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for the trinity of diversity, acceptance, and social justice. The political left promotes the anti-God and anti-Christ mentality that Marxists have been promoting for years. Where does this ideology lead? For society, the result is oppression and loss of human rights. For Christians, the result is a vilification campaign that labels Christians as dangerous to society. If allowed to continue, it will mean increased persecution and the ultimate loss of religious freedom. An image from video footage featured in “The Holy Trinity of the Left” about the origins of Christian nationalism. (EpochTV) Be Ready for Persecution Miles notes that Christians should anticipate some form of persecution in their lifetimes. They must learn to navigate a time when their beliefs aren’t just mocked and ridiculed in Hollywood, but are instead treated as evil and dangerous. The more the left demonizes Christians, the more persecution will arise. Miles says Christians must prepare themselves and be ready so their faith doesn’t fail. This EpochTV episode admonishes Christians not to stand idly by and watch as evil continues to embed itself into our culture without the truth to counter it. Christians may be able to slide by in silence for a bit longer, but by doing so, they are allowing the left to perpetuate its evil agenda. Miles calls believers to be bold and stand up for the truth, their faith, and the Church. Watch “The Holy Trinity of the Left” on Church and State here. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Watch the trailer: Watch the full video: https://www.theepochtimes.com/premiering-at-8pm-et-the-holy-trinity-of-the-left-church-state_4821899.html

Commentary Like many people, I’ve always been a big fan of underdog stories: those tales in which someone has been counted out or virtually destroyed, yet manages to muster the inner strength to forge ahead, overcoming whatever obstacles stand in the way. So, it will come as no surprise that one of my favorite underdog heroes has always been Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. He is a man who faced tremendous odds and through sheer force of will (and a brilliant intellect), overcame the roadblocks set in his path. Now others can learn more about this fascinating man in director Michael Pack’s highly informative 2020 biographical documentary, “‘Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words,” available on EpochTV. A former altarboy, Clarence Thomas says his faith has been a guiding beacon through difficult times. (Manifold Productions Inc.) The film consists of a wide range of video clips and photographs—both old and recent, as well as a number of fascinating interviews. It goes back to Thomas’s hardscrabble origins in Pin Point, Georgia, as well as his relationship with his grandfather—a strict disciplinarian who instilled a ferocious work ethic and moral backbone in his grandson. The film examines how Thomas drifted from Catholicism, did a stint as a radical Marxist, and finally came into his own as a highly conservative man with righteous principles. However, it also shows how his meteoric rise could have been derailed at numerous critical junctures. One of the challenges that he faced wasn’t from without, but from within. During a turbulent period in Thomas’s life, he reflected on his life—wondering why he was living and what he was willing to die for. In that quantum of self-reflection and inner stillness, he made the decision to become a champion of freedom, liberty, and justice in America (he’s a staunch advocate of both the Constitution and the Bill of Rights). That fateful decision eventually took Thomas all the way to the Supreme Court. President Ronald Reagan meets with Clarence Thomas in “Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words.” (Manifold Productions Inc.) However, it was a hard road to take, with many pitfalls. Of course, the left used some of the tactics from their playbook in order to try and derail Thomas. He was accused of sexual harassment by lawyer Anita Hill in 1991 and his name was dragged through the mud by the mockingbird press for an inordinately long period of time. The ordeal not only greatly diminished his reputation at the time, but also hurt his family. Then Senator Joe Biden, long-known for his questionable racial antics, also grilled Thomas and tried to tarnish his character, among other things. Thomas later recounted how he’d fallen victim to what he called a “high-tech lynching.” Indeed, he stated at the time: “And from my standpoint as a black American, as far as I’m concerned, it is a high-tech lynching for uppity blacks who in any way deign to think for themselves, to do for themselves, to have different ideas, and it is a message that unless you kowtow to an old order, this is what will happen to you. You will be lynched, destroyed, caricatured by a committee of the U.S. Senate, rather than hung from a tree.” Clarence Thomas has served on the United States Supreme Court since 1991. (Manifold Productions Inc.) It’s no wonder that by the time Thomas reached his now historic swearing-in to the Supreme Court, he looked completely spent. But despite being exhausted by the many attacks leveled against him, like the champion he was, he overcame the final hurdles and defeated his foes once and for all. As with many powerful conservative men, the left has used this tactic numerous times before—more recently with Brett Kavanaugh, now an associate justice of the Supreme Court. Both men faced dubious sexual misconduct charges (oddly, right before being confirmed) and overcame them. Speaking of dubious, I admit that I was a little skeptical as to whether this nearly two-hour biographical documentary would be able to do Clarence Thomas justice (no pun intended), let alone keep me engaged. Fortunately, once director Pack puts his foot on the gas at the beginning of the film, he doesn’t let up until its climactic ending sequence. This is a rousing, engrossing, well-paced film that shows to what depths leftists will stoop in order to try and destroy many of the strong, smart, and patriotic men of the United States. It also makes one realize how little has changed with regard to these smear tactics. If anything, the left is even more extreme, as we’ve seen in recent times. Thankfully, the film also includes a wealth of feel-good moments and personal triumphs in Thomas’s life story, which virtually extinguish the darkness that once surrounded him. The underdog story of Clarence Thomas is a distinctly American one, and one that most people can relate to. In the end, this is a great film about a great man. Watch “‘Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words,” on Epoch Cinema here. Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words’ Director: Michael Pack Running Time: 1 hour, 56 minutes MPAA Rating: PG-13 Release Date: Oct. 6, 2020 Rated: 4.5 stars out of 5 Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Watch the trailer: Watch the full video: https://www.theepochtimes.com/created-equal-clarence-thomas-in-his-own-words-documentary_4821310.html

Commentary The conservative movement in America has often used the “go woke, go broke” mantra to fight back against woke ideology in business. The concept of voting with one’s dollars and financially supporting businesses that respect the freedoms and values of their customers has allowed the political right to wield a certain level of power within a free market system. But, unfortunately, that system may be about to change. An EpochTV episode titled “Christians and ESG: What You Need to Know” features ordained minister and best-selling author Lucas Miles in his series “Church and State.” In the episode, Miles examines how the woke left circumvents voters and weaponizes corporations to control people and limit freedoms. What Is ESG? ESG, “Environmental Social Governance,” is a business scoring system that ranks businesses based on their response to woke ideologies. Miles compares ESG to the social credit system of communist China, where those who do not acquire an acceptable score are punished in the marketplace. Publicly traded companies are evaluated based on ESG and given a score that ultimately affects how investable they are. This is a direct way of circumventing American voters and undermining religious liberty. Miles says that at one time, the job of CEOs and company boards was to produce profits. Today, companies are putting ESG scores over profits. This means companies will continue going in a certain direction even if it affects profitability, solely because they don’t want their ESG scores to be negatively impacted. A missing tabernacle and damaged angel statue in St. Augustine's Roman Catholic Church in Brooklyn’s Park Slope neighborhood, which was vandalized and burglarized between May 26, 2022 and May 28, 2022. Operating outside of a political framework, ESG threatens to desecrate our freedoms and the institutions we hold dear. (NYPD via AP) Environment, Social, Governance The environment portion of the ESG score rates companies on energy use, land use, and reliance on fossil fuels versus wind and solar, among other criteria. This will immediately hurt certain companies, given the nature of their services. The social component evaluates how companies treat employees and looks at their HR policies, such as forming company culture to be “less white,” policies of inclusion, etc. This gives more power to woke views on equity and inclusion versus faith-based worldviews on God-given equality and human rights. Governance applies to all aspects of the company. Scores are then put together to determine how investable a company is, prioritizing ESG criteria over profits and profitability. ESG Resembles Social Credit Scores ESG is a soft introduction to social credit scores in America. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) utilizes social credit scores to monitor what people do, say, and think. Scores are used to evaluate individuals based on how each person lines up with behaviors that the CCP wants to reward or punish. Being discredited makes getting a job, loan, or even a hotel room more difficult. In this EpochTV episode, viewers learn that 4 million people in China have been blocked from being able to buy a high-speed train ticket due to low social credit. More than 11 million have been prevented from buying a plane ticket. The result of social credit is that those who comply with the political ideology of the government experience a bit more leeway, while those who step out of line are denied fundamental human rights and kept under a much tighter leash. In America, it’s easy to see how cancel culture and censorship by Big Tech could aid in implementing this social credit system. This will result in more liberties being taken away based on a person’s compliance with woke ideology. Miles comments that he would think this possibility far-fetched if it weren’t already happening around the world. For example, the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka recently went through a major upheaval due to a lack of food, energy, and basic services. Sri Lanka boasted an ESG score of 98 out of 100 ESG. By that standard, Sri Lanka should be one of the greatest places in the world to live, yet it proved to be one of the worst. ESG Cripples American Businesses and Profits the CCP America already has the cleanest manufacturing facilities and the highest level of standards in the world. Mandating ESG spending on top of current expenditures puts an extreme financial burden on American companies. Meanwhile, China adheres to very different standards in its labor camps and factories. This creates a disadvantage for American companies while allowing China to continue to profit from slave labor and lack of human rights regulations. This is already why many companies send their business overseas to China. James Lindsay, author of “Cynical Theories,” says ESG is a sword to divide, conquer and box out competition. ESG will drive business to the largest corporations that can afford to abide by its standards. Local and small businesses cannot afford to compete. Lindsay also notes that ESG acts as a shield for major corporations. It allows them to look morally virtuous, while in reality, they are sending business overseas to oppressive regimes like communist China and profiting from slave labor, organ harvesting, and other human rights and environmental violations that are not allowed on American soil. While doing this, major corporations can still look like the good guys simply for having a high ESG score. According to the Heritage Foundation, ESG forces companies to take positions on political issues that have nothing to do with the actual business they provide. This is why we see more and more companies pushing woke policies instead of emphasizing the products or services they provide. ESG Hurts Employees Employees are losing their jobs, not based on a person’s quality of work, but on ESG requirements such as skin color. For example, if a company needs more minorities, it can fire someone for being white. According to Lindsay, ESG is a scam to weaponize social justice and use it as a tool for control. Conservative commentator Glen Beck has said, “social justice has now been monetized.” The idea of “go woke, go broke” won’t hold any weight anymore. People are investing in ESG because people know this is the future of the marketplace. According to Beck, ESG investments rose from $10 billion in 2015 to over $246 billion in March 2021. ESG Removes the Voice of American Voters Lindsay tweeted recently that with ESG, leftists would no longer need the votes of Americans to enact the Green New Deal. Instead, they will have the power to tell your company what to do, how to do it, and who to hire and fire. This is the left’s way around the Constitution, the branches of government, and the voice of the American people. Woke extremists will no longer have to go through Congress to dictate the laws of the land. Miles calls this corporate fascism. “It is using American corporations and global corporations to push Marxist ideology on the people of the United States and around the world without ever having to take it to a vote,” said Miles. If woke policies had to go to the polls, American voters would have the power to make their voices heard and have their beliefs and rights represented. However, ESG is taking control of corporations and deriving its power from outside the government without the consent of the governed. ESG Results in Religious Persecution The EpochTV episode explores what ESG means for Christians or any people of faith. In short, ESG forces them to decide whether they will stand for their faith or participate in the woke system in order to feed their families. Miles hopes enough believers will refuse to do lip service to woke ideology and stand against it, regardless of the consequences. ESG chases a score that will allegedly save the environment, while hurting people. The Bible tells Christians to take care of both the earth and the people in it. In contrast, the left treats people like parasites: they can be hired and fired based on skin color and oppressed based on compliance with the left’s arbitrary political rule. In a free society, no one should be forced to support woke ideology in order to feed their family or keep their jobs. Likewise, people of faith should not have to worry about how to comply with a political ideology while living out their beliefs. Miles believes there is still time to reverse the course of the Great Reset. He calls for Americans to stay current on ESG policies and use every legal means available to fight back. Today, ESG may apply to corporations, but if allowed to continue, ESG will increase its scope, impacting nonprofits and people of faith. Watch “Christians and ESG: What You Need to Know” on Epoch Cinema here. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Watch the trailer: Watch the full video: https://www.theepochtimes.com/premiering-at-8-pm-et-christians-and-esg-what-you-need-to-know-church-state_4807062.html

Commentary When I first heard about director Robert Orlando’s 2019 documentary, “The Divine Plan,” (available to watch on Epoch Cinema), I thought its premise was intriguing. Part of the film’s description states “It remains the least-known story of the twentieth century—A president and a pope; an unlikely pair who combine deep faith with political acumen and high-octane star power.” That couldn’t be truer, as many people (especially younger folks) are unaware of the pairing of these two power players—let alone the factors involved that precipitated the fall of the Soviet Union. Ably narrated by actor Peter Reznikoff, the documentary features a veritable plethora of fascinating interviews, as well as cartoon-like visuals that recreate many of the events that former President Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II faced in their individual lives, as well as after they had joined forces. From the beginning of its first act, Reznikoff does a great job of piquing the interest of viewers and drawing them into the historic trajectories of these men, as well as defining the evil that they faced together—head-on. “The Divine Plan” (The Nexus Project) This film is especially relevant these days as the Cold War was a period of profound geopolitical between East and West—particularly between the Soviet Union and the United States. Although the Soviet Union (also known as the “Evil Empire” as Reagan coined it in a famous 1983 speech) imploded in on itself back in 1991, the reemergence of Russia as a major world power has caused old tensions to be rekindled between it and the West. Early on, it is pointed out that both President Reagan and Pope Paul II had similar traits. Both men came from an acting background, experiences that they used to parlay into becoming performers on much grander stages. And both also had an uncanny knack for taking complex information and disseminating it in layman’s terms—thus, making it understandable to the public at large. Another unusual (and unfortunate) similarity between the world leaders is that both men were also the targets of assassination attempts within six weeks of one another, back in 1981. The first attempt, on March 30, 1981, happened as President Reagan was leaving the Washington Hilton Hotel, having just completed a speaking engagement. Would-be assassin John Hinckley Jr. produced a gun and shot at Reagan and his entourage. Reagan was seriously injured by a ricocheting bullet. Moments before President Ronald Reagan was attacked in “The Divine Plan” (The Nexus Project) The second attempt, which was perpetrated on St. John Paul on May 13, 1981, happened as the holy man greeted pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City. A Turkish mercenary named Mehmet Ali Ağca shot St. Paul twice, severely wounding him. Incredibly, the Pope later forgave Ağca, who then converted to Roman Catholicism. Both Reagan and St. John cited God’s grace as being the element that enabled them to pull them through those difficult times. Through Divine Providence, they were able to go on the offensive against communism and eventually, destroy the Soviet Union. Ultimately, both men realized that although each of them could play a role in charting out a new destiny for humanity, together, they could magnify their powers within their respective areas of influence. God provided them with the most expansive stage possible and they both seized the opportunity with humility, bravery, and good intentions. The documentary shows the first meeting between Reagan and the Pope, which was on June 2, 1982. Although before that historic meeting, various American presidents had sent envoys to the Vatican to improve consular relations with the Papal States (between 1797 and 1867), Reagan became appointed as the first U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, which was a historic first. Joining forces – President Ronald Reagan (L) and Pops John Paul II shake hands in “The Divine Plan” (The Nexus Project) The timing couldn’t have been better—the Polish Solidarity Movement (1980–1989), led by shipyard electrician Lech Walesa, was just picking up steam. The movement exposed the many lies espoused by the communists, including the false premise that it was a “free workers’ state.” This paved the way for the eventual dismantlement of the Soviet regime and all of its assorted cronies. The documentary goes on to detail some of the other forces at work that led to the demise of the Soviet Union, with a wide range of interviews, archival footage, and artistic graphics to fill in the gaps where photographs were unavailable. “The Divine Plan” is a well-produced documentary that sheds light on one of the most interesting pairings in recent history—that of the 40th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan, and Pope John Paul II. It’s not only historically significant and illuminating but covers a time when various forces converged to transform the entire world, and it could have gone either way—either for better or worse. Fortunately, good prevailed over evil, as it always does in the end. Watch “The Divine Plan” on Epoch Cinema here. ‘The Divine Plan’ Director: Robert Orlando Running Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes MPAA Rating: Not Rated Release Date: Jun. 15, 2019 Rated: 4 stars out of 5 Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Watch the trailer: Watch the full video: https://www.theepochtimes.com/the-divine-plan-documentary_4796429.html

Commentary While many states remained locked down during the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Ron DeSantis took a drastically different approach in Florida. The exclusive documentary “DeSantis: Florida vs. Lockdowns” follows the journey of one governor standing against the mainstream COVID narrative. Presented by EpochTV’s American Thought Leaders host Jan Jekielek, who traveled to Florida during the height of the pandemic to get the full story. Fla. Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) in an undated photo. (Courtesy of Ron DeSantis for Governor) Florida Residents Love Freedom DeSantis graduated from Yale before he attended Harvard law school. He served his country as a Seal Team legal adviser in Iraq and became the youngest governor of Florida in more than a century. Jekielek traveled across the diverse state to get a taste of the people and the current political sentiment. From the cities to the countryside, the film features Americans telling their immigration stories and sharing their love for America and freedom. DeSantis describes himself as “knee-jerk anti-communist.” Jekielek, whose parents escaped communist Poland in the ’70s, is also deeply moved by people’s stories of escape from communism. DeSantis explained that to people in Florida, tyranny does not seem distant like it might to those in other states. He also spoke about how the founders of the American Constitution held a vision for state autonomy to counter overreach from the federal government. DeSantis Vows to Never Do Lockdowns Again DeSantis has been the target of a barrage of media attacks revolving around Florida’s COVID policies. Despite this, the governor has widespread support from diverse groups within his state. The lockdowns of Wuhan, China, in 2020 led governments worldwide to follow suit. While many states were still shut down, Florida was taking steps toward reopening, with DeSantis saying in a press conference, “we will never do any of these lockdowns again.” This came only one month after instituting the initial lockdown. DeSantis noted that the lockdowns were a panic-driven approach and a departure from what the scientific recommendations had traditionally been for pandemics. Dr. Scott Atlas, a Public Health Policy Expert and Senior Fellow at Standford University’s Hoover Institute, served as a key COVID adviser to DeSantis. According to Atlas, it was appropriate to shut down initially, given the information they had at that time. He believes most people bought into the extreme measures out of fear and because it was supposed to be temporary. The initial understanding was to lock the state down for 15 days to get their bearings and prevent hospitals from becoming overcrowded while they determined how to proceed. But Atlas notes that there was a dramatic shift in the goal: from preventing overcrowding to stopping cases. He says health policy experts shouldn’t just look at the disease but must also look at the impact of what they do to mitigate the effects of the disease. Protecting the Most Vulnerable Without Causing Harm to Others Dr. Jay Bhattacharya is a professor of medicine at Stanford University and public health policy adviser. He is the co-author of the “Great Barrington Declaration,” which recommended a focused protection approach. This strategy is based on the fact that COVID-19 poses significantly more harm to the older population than the younger population and that the effects of lockdowns are devastating to public health. For older populations, COVID poses more risk than lockdowns. For younger age groups, the lockdowns proved more harmful than the disease itself. Because of this, Bhattacharya considers it immoral to subject the younger population to lockdowns. Atlas said, “There’s a big reason why lockdowns were never recommended in prior pandemics. It is not true that people have the same risk for hospitalization.” He gives examples of the tens of thousands of cases on college campuses early on in the COVID-19 pandemic. These cases induced excessive panic in the media but no perspective. Atlas cites that of the first 50,000 cases on college campuses, there were zero hospitalizations. Nevertheless, as the news kept tallying the case numbers, college campuses began shutting down. He said they were highlighting exceptions and throwing reason out the window. Lockdowns Failed to Save the High-Risk One of the main reasons these experts opposed the lockdowns was because the data showed the policy failed to save the elderly. Atlas said the elderly “were destroyed and killed by the lack of enough prioritization and enough resources.” He explained how public health resources were misallocated during the pandemic and how the lockdowns failed to stop the spread among the most vulnerable populations. For example, nursing home deaths comprised forty to fifty percent of all deaths. According to Atlas, the data showed all the cases in nursing homes came in from the staff in nursing homes, yet the recommendation was to test once per week. He said they should have been testing three or five times per week to prioritize the protection of the most high-risk. Fifteen days to slow the spread did not work, and DeSantis claimed it caused significant damage to people. What Did DeSantis Do Differently? In place of extreme lockdown measures, what did DeSantis do in Florida? The answer is simple: he made educated decisions based on accurate data that aimed to protect the vulnerable without harming the rest of the population. This EpochTV documentary shows recorded meetings of the governor going over current COVID-19 data in great detail. Examining the statistics and data with his policy experts, they worked to make decisions that would effectively protect the population. “You don’t have to be a medical scientist to understand the data,” said Atlas. “You just have to be a critical thinker.” DeSantis was concerned about the harms of the virus and the lockdowns alike. Dr. Bhattacharya said when he spoke with DeSantis, he didn’t recall citing an article that the governor had not already seen. Bhattacharya felt that the governor was more educated on the facts than his Stanford colleagues. Protecting the most at-risk demographic was the primary concern for DeSantis. His policies focused on preventing the discharging of COVID positive patients back into nursing homes. DeSantis listened to the personal insights of family members and nursing home residents, guiding state policies accordingly. Lockdowns Caused Excess Deaths Atlas argued that the lockdowns did not just fail to stop the spread of COVID, but they also killed people. According to a CDC report, almost half of the patients in the United States who received chemotherapy skipped treatment during the lockdowns. Forty percent of people with an acute stroke were too afraid to call an ambulance. Thirty to 50 percent of heart attack patients did not come into the hospital. Eighty-five percent of live organ transplants did not get done during the two months of lockdowns. One in four young adults reported serious thoughts of suicide. Atlas cited that 50 percent of people ages 18 to 24 said they were fearful of any social interaction. Over 300,000 child abuse cases during the pandemic lockdowns went undetected. Atlas called it “an enormous tragedy,” citing emails from people pleading with him to keep speaking out against the harms of the lockdowns. Many had family members who had died of suicide or attempted suicide. With all this data readily available, why did Florida’s policies differ so drastically from other states? Atlas points out that the burden of proof for the lockdowns should be on the states that implemented them. According to the data, Florida did the best regarding age-adjusted deaths for ages 65 and older. In addition, Florida performed better than over half the states on the total number of deaths from COVID. The economy also did better, with the unemployment rate two to three times higher in California than in Florida at the time of the documentary. Censorship of Scientific Debate Nevertheless, DeSantis bore the brunt of much hostility and criticism from the media. He has called out Big Tech for censoring round table discussions, pulling his videos off their platforms, and censoring scientists and doctors who deviated from the mainstream COVID narrative. Atlas spoke to the serious threat facing any who dared to speak the truth about the data. “It’s off the rails. This is not the way civilization should be.” Bhattacharya said one side simply pretended to be correct and called the other side dangerous. In reality, the scientific community had many different opinions on what measures were appropriate and effective. Sadly, people weren’t allowed to hear the different views. Bhattacharya said, “if you are going to censor scientific debate, you might as well not do science at all,” calling the one-sided narrative “absolutely shocking.” DeSantis said censorship is a telltale sign that the narrative is about enforcing orthodoxy, not about the facts. Interestingly, Florida’s approach never centered around herd immunity but advocated for protecting those at risk without harming those not at risk. Florida’s Pandemic Legacy: Common Sense, Traditional Values, and Freedom How did Western governments go from an alleged commitment to fundamental liberties to draconian measures such as lockdowns, censorship, and medical mandates? DeSantis said many leaders made mistakes but will never admit they were wrong. In Florida, they combatted COVID to the degree they could without causing further damage. DeSantis says he doesn’t mind taking criticism for his policies because that’s what the role of a leader is. He said he would rather people swing at him than have the residents of his state suffer. The governor’s philosophy is that a leader’s job is not to impose mandates and lockdowns but to listen, collaborate, and protect. As a result, Jekielek found the state of Florida to be a breath of fresh air during the COVID-19 pandemic. DeSantis’s deep respect for the American Constitution and those who have fought to preserve freedom made him willing to fight and protect it. While much of the world was afraid and shut down, the EpochTV documentary shows Florida’s businesses were open. Contrary to what the mainstream media predicted, Florida’s legacy in the aftermath of the pandemic appears to be common sense, traditional values, and the desire to live the American dream. Watch “DeSantis: Florida vs. Lockdowns” on Epoch Cinema here. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Watch the trailer: Watch the full video: https://www.theepochtimes.com/exclusive-documentary-desantis-florida-vs-lockdowns_3834081.html

Commentary One of the most notable attacks from the political left is on American history, with the 1619 Project, the criticism of America’s historical figures, and the defamation and accusations against historical people and events. Thankfully, knowledge is power, and with the proper knowledge of true American history, Americans can stand in the way of leftist lies meant to deceive the next generation and tear down the United States. I highly recommend watching one of the latest episodes on EpochTV, “A Brave New World & Christopher Columbus,” the first of a three-part series entitled “The American Story,” to arm yourself with knowledge about true American history. In this EpochTV episode, host Timothy Barton, president of WallBuilders, and Jonathan Richie, assistant director of the American Journey Experience, sit among 160,000 items and artifacts from American history and tell the true story of Columbus, which runs very differently from what the political left would have Americans believe. Together, they address a rewriting of American history that ignores the existence of documents and artifacts to tell a story that Barton says may be more “politically motivated than historically honest.” What most people know about Columbus is that in 1492, he “sailed the ocean blue.” However, there is much more to his story. Today, many people are critical of Columbus. What many don’t know is that he sailed four voyages to America, and each one was very different. So if indeed he was evil, which voyage was he evil on? “If you don’t know the story of the voyages, how do you even know he was bad in the first place?” Barton asks. Why Did Columbus Sail to America? Columbus lived in Spain, while the country was struggling to reestablish itself after the various wars and conflicts of those days. Because of the conflicts, the trade routes to get to India had been shut off, causing people in the West to look for other options to get to India over land. While many pursued new routes, Columbus took to the history and science books dating back to the ancient Greeks and Romans, developing an idea that they could sail across the Atlantic and eventually reach India. Given the knowledge of the earth and the world at that time, this was an impressive plan he formulated. Technically, he did not discover America—there had been Vikings who had landed there, among others—however, in the Western world, no one had accomplished what Columbus did or documented it so well. Posthumous portrait of Christopher Columbus by Sebastiano del Piombo, 1519. (Metropolitan Museum of Art/Public Domain) The First Voyage: Columbus Makes Friends With the Natives Columbus’s first voyage he believed was to India, but he instead landed in northcentral and south America. He moved from island to island, encountered some of the natives there, and tried to communicate with them. Richie says this is one of the most significant moments in world history because it begins the process of the Old World and the New World coming together. They discovered a world untouched by outside societies for hundreds if not thousands of years. Columbus was an Italian but was funded by Spain, therefore sailing for Spain. The hosts show the document with the signatures from the queen and king of Spain paying Columbus to go on his voyage. He journals and documents the culture and customs of the tribes he had met and become friends with, and wrote very highly of them, saying “a better race there cannot be on earth.” This does not go along with the narrative that he was a racist genocidal figure. Things did go awry, however. Columbus was sent with three ships, but one ship was lost. The tribes helped save the crew, but not all the crew fit on the two ships, which led them to leave some of the crew behind. The native tribe tells Columbus that they aren’t the only tribe on the island. They warned of another very warlike tribe, which would raid their villages, steal their men and women, and also were cannibals, eating the people they captured and enslaving the rest. Columbus was skeptical of this, thinking the world to be more civilized than that. So he left, returned to Spain, and began preparing for a second voyage. This was more of a colonizing voyage, meant to establish a trading post and find the mainland, as well as rescue the men they had left behind. The 2nd Voyage: Columbus’s Men Get Eaten Upon Columbus’s return, they found the men they left behind, but they did not find them alive. Instead, they discovered bodies that had been cannibalized. Outraged, Columbus and his men were ready to go to war to defend the honor of the men who had been eaten. Their native friends asked to create a coalition force and go with them because one of the king’s wives had been stolen and another killed by the cannibal tribe. They sailed out, found the tribe, and defeated them in battle. Columbus enslaved some of the captives and sent them back to Spain. This instance is where Columbus is often painted as a slave trader, but Richie says you have to contextualize it. In the 1400s, after a war where you conquered a people group, there were two main options: you could kill all the people you defeated, or enslave them. The cannibal tribe would have a third option where you would eat some of the people. The only natives Columbus ever approved of enslaving were natives he had conquered in a justified war, where his men had been attacked and eaten, and that he had fought with his allies who were other native Americans. The EpochTV episode notes that Columbus did not turn on the natives but that he and other natives conquered this particular tribe. Interestingly, the tribe Columbus conquered (the Carib) is also a well-documented historical tribe, known for their horrific practices towards conquered people, such as castrating infants and fattening them like animals, then eating them. The Carib would keep women to be slaves or rape them, and any children born from the captives would be eaten. This was shocking and evil to Columbus and his men. The 3rd Voyage: Trouble in the Ranks On the third voyage, Columbus found that the Spanish he had left on the second voyage were in full revolt against him and did not want to be told what to do anymore. These men were not missionaries trying to cultivate or convert the native tribes, they were Spaniards who wanted to take the wealth and resources of the native lands. Columbus had put policies in place saying they could not take from the natives without giving something of value in return, and many did not like this. Columbus also found the Spaniards doing other bad things, such as enslaving and killing some of the natives. When he put a stop to it, the Spanish got upset and sent word to the king and queen accusing Columbus of being a tyrant and of doing the very things they were doing. So, the king and queen sent someone to investigate and get to the bottom of what was happening. Upon arrival, this person found Spaniards who had been hung for their crimes against the natives. This person put Columbus in chains and sent them back to Spain to stand trial before the king and queen. Interestingly, the only people the investigator had interviewed were the Spaniards who were revolting against Columbus. In Columbus’s trial, he was able to tell the other side of the story, and upon hearing all the information, was exonerated of every charge against him. Reinstituted of his titles, Columbus was sent on another voyage. The 4th Voyage: Shipwrecked On the fourth voyage, Columbus was shipwrecked for over a year. The Spanish ignored his request for aid due to the previous tensions, but eventually, Columbus got back to the colonies and returns to Spain. Barton notes that all this information is laid out in detail and footnoted in the book “The American Story,” which is available on the Wallbuilders website. “So here’s the reality: There’s a lot more to the story than we hear most of the time,” says Barton. He encourages people to refer to the original historical documents, which can be done by following along with this three-part series on EpochTV. “We as a people need to stop trusting what somebody else tells us and we have to do the research for ourselves,” says Barton. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Watch the trailer: Watch the full video: https://www.theepochtimes.com/a-brave-new-world-christopher-columbus-the-american-story-episode-1_4605504.html

Commentary Since the dramatic uprising of the Canadian truck drivers who protested against their government’s draconian COVID-19 mandates and lockdown measures, the mainstream media has acted as if it never happened. Co-directors Andrew Peloso and Jeremy Regoto hope to change that with their new multi-part TV series titled “Trucking for Freedom.” The first episode, “Chapter One: How We Got Here,” starts off by detailing the tyrannical response to the trucker’s protests. On Feb. 14, 2022, the Canadian government, headed up by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, enacted the “Emergencies Act” for the first time in the country’s history. This extreme act allows the government to supersede such things as personal liberties to “restore order” in times of crisis. Additionally, the Emergencies Act allows the Canadian government to do such things as conduct forced dispersals of COVID-19 protests and freeze the bank accounts of both the truckers and those who supported their cause. It also enabled the government (through various mainstream media channels, both foreign and domestic) to frame the protestors as domestic terrorists, and later, racist white supremacists, homophobes, and misogynists—a veritable grab-bag of leftist labels. But how did things become so dire… in other words, as the narrator states, “How did we get here?” The film then goes back to when the virus was first recognized. As with many countries, when the virus first broke out in China, people were driven to states of augmented fear by the media. Quarantines, lockdowns, and masks were measures that the officials ordered to be enacted. Doctor Eric Payne talks about the growing distrust of the Canadian medical establishment in “Trucking for Freedom–Chapter One: How We Got Here.” (Chronicle Bros Inc.) From the get-go, if people even questioned the validity of these extreme measures and were “anti-science” and “lacking compassion” for their fellow human beings, they would be mocked and/or become victims of cancel culture. But as time went on and small businesses took the brunt of the economic decline created by the lockdowns (not the virus itself, mind you) and were shuttered, schools closed, and socializing with friends and family was minimized (and sometimes altogether forbidden), people began to question the government’s public health measures, which seemed to make less and less sense. Vaccines were conveniently rolled out and universally praised as “safe and effective” by the government, the medical establishment, mass media, and various politicians. People were told that if 70 percent of Canada’s population got “fully vaccinated,” the lockdowns would end and life would magically go back to normal. But as time went on, that percentage rose incrementally. The film shows successive media reports where officials increase that number to 75 percent, then 85 percent, then 90 percent. But as the supposed effectiveness of the so-called vaccines began to come into question on a global scale, the medical establishment (World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control, etc.) had to drop “immunity” from their definitions. Despite this awakening, in Canada, Trudeau’s government doubled down on their vaccine rhetoric and “tightened the screws” on those who refused its vaccine mandates. This included new “vaccine passports,” a form of overt favoritism for folks who gave in to the government and got “the jab.” However, the more the media pushed their coercion and shaming of people who were pro-choice, the more people began to realize that some dark forces were behind the increasingly desperate vaccine push. The normally amicable Canadian citizens finally pushed back in the form of massive pro-choice protests. Protests begin to break out in Canada, in “Trucking for Freedom–Chapter One: How We Got Here.” (Chronicle Bros Inc.) Soon, the vaccine passport requirements metastasized over to cross-border truckers. In response to this, some of the long-haul truckers took it upon themselves to band together in the name of personal choice, informed consent, and freedom, by forming convoys. The truckers were greeted by many supporters who not only stood in solidarity with them but also provided pragmatic support in the form of food, fuel, etc. But critics wondered how long this enthusiasm would last. One of the things I really appreciated about this first episode is how it thoroughly introduces both the social and political climate leading up to the Canadian citizen’s protests and eventual trucker’s convoys. The directors deftly lay things out through highly informative interviews with Canadian citizens, news footage, and clips of governmental officials. “Trucking for Freedom–Chapter One: How We Got Here” is an incisive analysis of both the average citizen’s rights and freedoms and their governments’ constant push to usurp them. Interestingly, this is done through the lens of Covid-19 lockdowns and mandates. The episode has a cliffhanger ending that elicits interest and anticipation to see the next episode, which I personally hope to watch soon. Trucking for Freedom–Chapter One: How We Got Here' Directors: Andrew Peloso, Jeremy Regoto Stars: John Carpay, Tasha Fishman, Doctor Eric Payne Running Time: 40 minutes MPAA Rating: Not rated Release Date: May 26, 2022 (Canada) Rated: 4.5 stars out of 5 Watch the trailer: Watch the full video: https://www.theepochtimes.com/trucking-for-freedom-chapter-one-how-we-got-here_4538399.html