Crosstalk America

Some states in our nation are "coming apart at the seams" as they've capitulated to an agenda that's contrary to biblical authority and morality. Texas, however, is fighting this trend. Providing details was Jonathan Saenz. He's president and attorney for Texas Values, a nonprofit group dedicated to preserving and advancing a culture of family values in the state of Texas. Prior to leading Texas Values, Jonathan headed the First Liberty Institute offices in Austin where he served as Director of Legislative Affairs as well as Attorney for First Liberty Institute. He's been involved in numerous court cases including those before the Texas Supreme Court as well as the United States Supreme Court. Jim had Jonathan comment on numerous issues including: The Texas heartbeat law, Men invading women's sports (The Save Women's Sports Act and the Texas Women's Privacy Act), chemical abortion drugs, prayer in public schools, and more. Find out how Texas is handling these issues, learn about the Texas Faith Fest, and how you can make a difference in your state, on this edition of Crosstalk.

William F. Jasper is an investigative reporter and senior editor at The New American Magazine. He's an author, journalist and commentator. For more than three decades he served as an accredited correspondent at the United Nations in New York and UN summits around the world. The World Economic Forum (WEF) has been operating since 1971. They indicate that they're bringing together government, business and civil society to improve the state of the world. However, when you realize the number of initiatives they're involved in, it's actually not about improving the state of the world, but rather taking control of the world. The tentacles of this organization reach far and wide throughout all segments of society via numerous "centers" that include: The Center for AI Excellence, the Center for Cybersecurity, the Center for Energy and Materials, the Center for Financial and Monetary Systems, the Center for Frontier Technologies and Innovation, the Center for Health and Healthcare, the Center for Nature and Climate, the Center for Regions, Trade & Geopolitics, the Center for New Economy and Society, and finally the Center for Urban Transformation. This program covers other facets including Klaus Schwab, the Council on Foreign Relations, how the funding of non-governmental organizations (NGO's) is actually funding our own destruction, what's meant by "digital dictatorship," and much more. Don't miss this opportunity to become educated on this very powerful institution that's basically a private, strategic partnership between globalists and communists in concert with the United Nations, world governments and the World Bank International Monetary Fund.

Many people today are being spoon-fed on what to think but are seldom taught how to think. It's far easier and less taxing to be told what to think rather than actually going through the analysis that is necessary for critical thinking. How should we go about presenting the hope that's within us in meekness and fear without simply parroting something from our parents or church? Are you capable of seeing the narrative of today for what it is and see if it holds up to the teachings of Scripture? Juan Valdes has written a book that takes the reader through this thinking process. Juan is a speaker with Reasons for Hope. Juan taught high school for over 20 years and has been engaged in apologetics for over 30 years. He's a frequent keynote speaker at pastor, youth and educators conferences. He is author of How to Think: A Crash Course in Critical Thinking. What is critical thinking? What is meant by Post-truth? Juan described critical thinking as the use of all of your mental faculties to help us determine whether something is true or false. Post-truth is relying on your emotions and personal preferences more than objective truth when making decisions. As Juan explains, this post-truth mentality leads to moral relativism. This means that if someone's standard for what's acceptable/unacceptable is based on how that person feels and their personal preferences, then you (and everyone else) must establish your own moral code. Again, this is because life isn't viewed by some through the lens of a moral code where objective facts and rules are the standard. Instead, some people rely on their subjective beliefs, feelings and preferences to take charge.

This week's news was highlighted by the shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis where 2 children were killed. Jim provided additional related stories as well as the following: --On Wednesday, the FBI said they're investigating the Minneapolis church shooting as domestic terrorism and a hate crime and that the person said to be responsible (Robert (Robin) Westman) was a transgender person born a male but who self identified as a female. --The issue of transgender mental illness and violence has quickly moved front and center in the media and online. In fact, the term trending on X is "trans terror." --Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has announced that there will be new studies launched into the effects of some anti-depressant drugs and their use by those who turn out to be killers. --Robert (Robin) Westman's mother is allegedly not cooperating with law enforcement. --Comments from the father of one of the two victims who died in the Minneapolis shooting. --Former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki offered comments criticizing prayer in regard to the shooting in Minneapolis. --The University of Michigan hospital system is suspending its gender transition practices on minors. --On August 30th, Children's National Hospital, in the nation's capital, will become the latest institution of its kind to cease offering all remaining gender transition drugs to minors thanks to the Trump administration's rules for federal health dollars. --Parents are outraged after a Massachusetts school district allegedly forced students to take a survey that their parents had recused them from.

Fred Pry is Vice President of Administration for Child Evangelism Fellowship, an international, nonprofit, Christian ministry that is dedicated to see every child reached with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, discipled and established in a local church. Sadly, every 47 seconds, a child is abused or neglected. Also, every 3 hours and 33 minutes a child or teen ends their own life as suicide is the 8th leading cause of death among children ages 5-11. What is bringing such desperation to the lives of some children? Fred pointed to the loss of hope and the influences of the world that provide hollow answers that don't last. There's also the issue of social media. Fred indicated that 40% of children ages 8-12 use social media. This means that these children are impacted by peer pressure, the messages claiming they deserve certain things or that they should look or act in a certain way. Worse yet is the fact that social media can become an addiction and in the end, when the world doesn't deliver, anxiety and depression can set in. As a response, in partnership with local churches, Child Evangelism Fellowship offers its Good News Clubs. Fred described these as one day a week, high powered Sunday schools that meet throughout the school year. While there are over 4,000 such clubs in the U.S. operating in public schools, there are over 70,000 public elementary schools in the U.S. This means your help is needed so that many more children will hear the Gospel. As Jim noted, if we don't reach children, the world's system will.

Andrew Arthur is Resident Fellow in Law and Policy for the Center for Immigration Studies. He began his legal career as a clerk to an Administrative Law Judge at the United States Department of Justice, Executive Office for Immigration Review. Crosstalk receives daily updates from the Department of Homeland Security listing the arrests of what they call: The worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens. Jim listed a number of recent offenders originating from South Korea, Colombia, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and Laos. Supporting such individuals are governors and mayors who are "digging in their heels" and who apparently would rather sacrifice the safety and security of their residents than remove those individuals who are here illegally. In addressing this issue, Jim had Andrew comment on a wide variety of concerns. For example: The legitimacy of asylum claims and whether this is overwhelming the judicial system. What we can learn from the news story of the illegal alien who made a U-turn that took the lives of 3 people while driving an 18 wheeler in Florida. How the Biden administration's border policies had border patrol agents so overwhelmed, personnel were very limited in terms of what they could do to stop illegal drugs from crossing the border. The latest on Kilmar Abrego Garcia, obstruction attempts such as those to shut down "Alligator Alcatraz," unaccompanied alien children and much more.

So many of us have not only one copy of the Bible, but several, with some of those often doing little more than collecting dust. We go to church and most everyone has a copy or one is available. Bookstores regularly have them as well. We take this for granted yet in other parts of the world, many people long to have their own copy of the Scriptures. In such places, sometimes their pastor doesn't even have a copy! Jason Woolford is out to change that. He returned to Crosstalk to reacquaint listeners with information about Mission Cry where he's president. It all began about 70 years ago when a junk dealer found a Bible in the garbage and didn't want to throw it out. He kept collecting used Bibles and before long he had a box full which he sent to India. All these years later, Mission Cry has sent nearly 500 million dollars worth of donated Bibles and Christian books to over 180 nations around the world. You may be wondering what good could possibly come from sending used English Bibles to a foreign nation? What things can you do in order to obtain used Bibles to send to Mission Cry? Can you hold a Bible drive at your church? Are there testimonies that show the effectiveness of this ministry? These and other questions are answered on this exciting program, showing how you can be a world missionary without even leaving your area!

In today's internet and media focused world, the news cycle can come at us like a flood. This is why it's important that we sift through it all from a Christian perspective. Jim does that each week on these News Round-Up broadcasts. Here are several examples featured from the first quarter hour: --Jim began with a number of audio clips. The first dealt with an individual openly admitting that Muslims must destroy empires such as the U.S. Next, an Islamic scholar spoke on why he believes that no sane person can love the U.S. A third came from a Muslim civil rights attorney and former director for the Florida chapter of the Council on American/Islamic Relations who discussed the role of Muslims in America on the issue of dawah. This involves converting people to Islam. --Top Trump administrative officials are drafting plans to restrict both temporary visit and legal immigration by Muslims affiliated with the revolutionary Muslim Brotherhood and other extremist groups. --President Trump said that Ukraine would have to continue attacking targets inside Russia if it hoped to win the war, even as Moscow unleashed a massive, new bombardment on Ukrainian cities. --Russia disavows every advance anyone thought was made in Alaska and the D.C. meetings. Russia has vetoed the idea that European troops could be used as peacekeepers. Beyond that, Russia demands that they be given a role in guaranteeing Ukraine's security and deciding how violations are dealt with. --North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un today appeared to acknowledge for the first time that the troops he sent to fight Ukraine for Russian President Putin have suffered losses en masse.

Karen England is the Executive Director of the Capitol Resource Institute. They educate and strengthen families and engage in public policy. There have been numerous attempts to usurp parental authority here in the U.S. through the years and Crosstalk has kept listeners informed regarding such efforts. This Crosstalk looked at another such threat that's coming from the state of California. The concern deals with an act proposed by the California Assembly. It's AB495, the so-called Family Preparedness Plan Act. Karen describes it as the "Pedophile Protection Act," something that redefines the family by, for example, expanding the definition of what a relative is. This legislation is being sold as a way to help immigrant children. However, Karen described how it would allow anyone to print off a caregiver's authorization (including the child's name), sign it, check a box indicating you weren't able to get a hold of the child's parents and that you assert all medical, mental and schooling authority over that child. According to the legislation, no parental signature is needed. Although this is California legislation, this would also affect children traveling to California as well. This legislation is thought to be dangerous by some individuals and organizations. For example, the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) says this puts parental rights at risk. California Families says this will bypass and sidestep parents. Save California indicates that this strips parents of their parental rights and allows for kids to be stolen from their parents. The Center for Arizona Policy warns that this would produce legalized child trafficking.

Frank Gaffney is president of the Institute for the American Future, President & CEO of Save the Persecuted Christians and Vice Chairman for Committee on the Present Danger: China. He's the speaker on the Secure Freedom Minute. Frank acted as an Assistant Secretary of Defense in the Reagan Pentagon. He is author of The Indictment: Prosecuting the Chinese Communist Party & Friends for Crimes Against America, China, and the World, Sharia: The Threat to America Abridged, Guilty Knowledge: What the US Government Knows about the Vulnerability of the Electric Grid, But Refuses to Fix and additional other titles. In just a few days we'll be at the three and one-half year mark since Russia invaded Ukraine. Last Friday, President Trump met with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska to discuss ending this war. Then on Monday, Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, along with a delegation of leaders from Europe, in an attempt to bring about bilateral meetings between Putin and Zelenskyy in order to restore peace. Have you noticed who was absent in these meetings? It's a key individual that Frank believes green-lit this conflict: Chinese leader, Xi Jinping. As Frank noted, due to this war, the Chinese have received large quantities of cut-rate fuel, arms sales, and they've also created chaos that has distracted America while at the same time depleting our financial and military arsenal. All of this has allowed them to act aggressively in their own area of the globe as they seek to pursue their own dominance on the world's stage. Can we assuredly say that China is the source that's keeping this war going? What would a world reordered by China look like?