Election Momentum With Trump, Andy Stanley Whiffs It On Miracles, Silent Prayer Illegal
Election Latest
A - Kamala Says ‘Jesus Is Lord’ Chants Are At The Wrong Rally
Vice President Kamala Harris aggressively promoted abortion rights at a campaign stop in Wisconsin, also dismissing pro-life protesters who interrupted her speech.
"We will move forward because ours is a fight for the future, and it is a fight for freedom — for freedom. Like the fundamental freedom of a woman to make decisions about her own body and not have her government tell her what to do," Harris said to the crowd.
Harris framed abortion access as a "fundamental freedom" for women and took aim at Donald Trump for appointing Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade.
When protesters, including one who shouted "Jesus is Lord," voiced their opposition, Harris mockingly responded, "Oh, you guys are at the wrong rally," before saying they should attend the smaller event down the street. Her remarks were met with cheers from the crowd.
Unbelievable!!
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) October 18, 2024
As Kamala is on stage fear mongering about abortion, someone shouts “Jesus is Lord!” To which she replies:
“Oh, I think you guys are at the wrong rally.”
Christians are not welcome in Kamala’s Democrat Party. Vote accordingly. pic.twitter.com/aoJiRqnERK
B - Trump Picks Up Steam In All Betting Markets
Betting markets place Donald Trump firmly in the lead of the Presidential race. Generally considered to be more reliable than polling, which is often marred by partisanship and therefore used to lead voters rather than reflect them, betting markets are driven by a need for accuracy to avoid financial disaster for betting companies.
All prediction markets and betting platform odds aggregated currently predict a Trump victory at 58.1%, while Harris trails at 40.4%. Donald Trump now leads in every swing state on political betting platform Polymarket.
Most polls place the margin closer than this, though Trump still seems to have a small lead, with him taking the lead among independents in the latest CBS poll, which went from Harris+3 to Trump+4.
In October 2020, Biden was generally leading by margins that ranged from about 6% to 9% in some of the polls conducted around this time. For instance, an IBD/TIPP Tracking Poll showed Biden at 52% and Trump at 44%, giving Biden an 8% lead. Another poll by Reuters/Ipsos had Biden leading by 9% (51% to 42%), per Grok.
BREAKING: Donald Trump now leads Kamala Harris in all swing states in the betting markets. pic.twitter.com/WN5wUtm0hd
— DogeDesigner (@cb_doge) October 18, 2024
C - Kamala’s First And Only Challenging Interview Goes Badly Wrong
In her recent Fox News interview with Bret Baier, Vice President Kamala Harris delivered an unconvincing performance, marked by deflection and evasion. Arriving late and cutting the interview short, Harris struggled to directly address the administration's 3.5-year record.
When asked why Americans should trust their leadership when 79% of Americans think the country is going in the wrong direction while the Democrats have been in power, she deflected, saying, "Donald Trump has been running for president this entire time," completely sidestepping Baier’s question about the administration's handling of inflation, crime, and other key issues.
Throughout the interview, Harris repeatedly attempted to filibuster, offering lengthy, vague answers that avoided Baier's pointed inquiries. Despite being pressed on specific concerns like the economy and border security, her responses lacked substance. Instead of addressing the failures of the Biden-Harris administration, she focused on blaming Trump.
Her tardiness, brief appearance, and unwillingness to engage with serious questions left viewers with the impression of a leader more interested in deflecting responsibility than offering real solutions.
BAIER: More than 70% of people say the country is on the wrong track...If you're turning the page, you've been in office for 3.5 years
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) October 16, 2024
KAMALA: "And Donald Trump has been running for office, since"
Baier: "But you've been the person holding the office."
🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/9RMuDl6fIV
D - FBI Revises ‘Fact-Check- Crime Statistic, Confirming Trump Claim
A fact-check during last month’s ABC News debate between former President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris has aged poorly after the FBI quietly revised its violent crime statistics. During the debate, Trump criticized the Biden-Harris administration for the rise in violent crime, saying, “Crime in this country is through the roof.” ABC moderator David Muir attempted to fact-check Trump, claiming that the FBI reported a decline in violent crime. Trump immediately pushed back, accusing the FBI of leaving out key cities and calling their report a "fraud."
Now, the FBI has quietly revised its data, revealing that violent crime actually increased by 4.5% in 2022, contradicting Muir’s claim of a 2.1% decrease. The revision supports Trump’s assertion that crime rates were inaccurately reported. Critics have slammed ABC for repeatedly fact-checking Trump while allowing Harris' statements to go unchallenged, with NBC's "Saturday Night Live" even mocking the network for its apparent bias. Despite the significant revision, Muir has yet to acknowledge the updated statistics on "World News Tonight.”
BREAKING: The FBI just quietly updated their crime data for 2022. Turns out it was missing thousands of crimes!
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) October 16, 2024
The updated data shows there were 80,029 more violent crimes than in 2021. There were an additional 1,699 m*rders, 7,780 r*pes, 33,459 robberies, and 37,091 aggravated… pic.twitter.com/oEAgDsf1Lc
The Church World
A - Andy Stanley Says You Only Need To Believe In Two Miracles To Be A Christian
In a recent sermon at North Point Community Church, Pastor Andy Stanley addressed the topic of miracles, stating that Christians only need to believe in two: the creation of the universe and the resurrection of Jesus. While he defined a miracle as a "temporary suspension or reversal of the laws of nature," Stanley simplified the requirement for Christian faith, saying, “You only have to believe in two miracles to be a Christian.” He described the creation of the universe as a "supernatural event that occurred outside the laws of nature" and argued that accepting it makes other miracles more credible. However, this reductionist approach has sparked criticism from conservative Christians who view belief in all biblical miracles as foundational to the Christian faith.
Stanley's remarks continue a troubling trend for many traditional believers, following his 2018 call to “unhitch” from the Old Testament and his recent claim that gay churchgoers possess “more faith” than many of his members. By narrowing the focus to just two miracles, critics argue Stanley risks undermining the broader authority of Scripture, where miracles play a vital role in demonstrating God’s power and presence. His approach seems to accommodate modern skepticism at the cost of minimizing the supernatural foundation of Christianity. As Stanley emphasized the resurrection of Jesus, he stated, “If someone predicts their own death and resurrection and pulls it off, you should pay attention,” but many conservatives remain concerned that his broader theological drift weakens essential Christian doctrines and accommodates progressive cultural views.
Andy Stanley says believing all the miracles of the bible like the Virgin Birth or Jesus feeding the 5000 is optional for Christians, who only have to believe in two. pic.twitter.com/3hmTnGJKTf
— Protestia (@Protestia) October 16, 2024
B - Silent Prayer Outlawed in UK
Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole Council—battling bankruptcy, forced to cut all ‘non-essential spending’— spent more than £90,000 on legal fees to prosecute an offence which carries a maximum penalty of £1000, to prosecute a man who was praying silently near an abortion clinic.
Adam Smith-Connor, who 22 years ago paid for an abortion, and now feels repentant remorse over it, was praying behind a tree with his back turned to the clinic, before he was confronted by police.
Smith-Connor was asked “what is the nature of your prayer?”, on a public green within a large “buffer zone” – an area covering several streets in the town – in which authorities have banned various expressions of pro-life or Christian belief, including through offering help to women in crisis pregnancies, or praying.
The Court sentenced Smith-Connor to a conditional discharge and ordered him to pay prosecution costs of £9,000. A conditional discharge is a type of conviction that means Smith-Connor will only be sentenced if he is convicted of any future offences in the next two years.
In its decision, the court reasoned that his prayer amounted to “disapproval of abortion” because at one point his head was seen slightly bowed and his hands were clasped.
“Today, the court has decided that certain thoughts – silent thoughts – can be illegal in the United Kingdom. That cannot be right. All I did was pray to God, in the privacy of my own mind – and yet I stand convicted as a criminal?” said Smith Connor.
“I served for 20 years in the army reserves, including a tour in Afghanistan, to protect the fundamental freedoms that this country is built upon. I continue that spirit of service as a health care professional and church volunteer. It troubles me greatly to see our freedoms eroded to the extent that thoughtcrimes are now being prosecuted in the UK.”
This is so wrong. Silent prayers are now a crime that can cost you £9k!
— Steve (@StevieJenkin) October 17, 2024
Thought crime? Where will this end? pic.twitter.com/lbwy0h3V4Y