Demystifying the Date of Easter & Pascha

A Method for Calculating Easter, 1456 AD

This year, churches in the West observed Easter 35 days before the Eastern Orthodox Church celebrated Easter (usually referred to as Pascha).  The date of Easter/Pascha has generated a great deal of confusion over the years.  To help clear the fog, I have attempted a non-technical explanation of how these dates are calculated and why they vary so much.

Ecclesiastical vs. Astronomical Dates

According to the Council of Nicaea (325 AD), Easter/Pascha is celebrated on the Sunday which follows the first full moon after the Vernal Equinox.*  Setting the date of this holy day would seem to be simple and straightforward.  Nevertheless, the Eastern and Western churches don't base their calculations on actual astronomical events, which were difficult to calculate with precision in the fourth century.  As an article on the website, Time and Date, points out:  

►March 21 is the church's date of the vernal equinox, regardless of the time zone, while the actual date of the equinox varies between March 19 and March 22, and the date depends on the time zone.

►The date of the Paschal Full Moon, used to determine the date of Easter/Pascha, is based on mathematical approximations of the monthly lunar cycle, which follows a longer 19-year cycle called the Metonic cycle.

Approximating the Vernal Equinox

The ecclesiastical dates for the vernal equinox and the first full moon may coincide with the dates of their associated astronomical events, but in some years they don't.  For example, based on astronomical dates alone, Easter/Pascha would fall on March 24 in 2019.  But based on the ecclesiastical dates it was celebrated on April 21 by the Western churches and April 28 by the Orthodox Church.  

Calendar Wars

Adding to the confusion, the Eastern and Western churches use different calendars to mark the date of the vernal equinox, which both churches designate as March 21.  

►On our modern, Gregorian calendar, used by the Western churches, this date falls within 2 days of the astronomical event.  

►But on the more ancient Julian calendar, March 21 occurs 12-15 days after the astronomical event.  The Julian calendar, owing to its lack of precision, is currently 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar.  So March 21 on the Julian calendar occurs on April 3.  The earliest possible date for Pascha in the Orthodox Church is thus April 4.  

►The continued use of the Julian calendar by the Orthodox Church is a source of constant friction between groups within the church, and largely accounts for the frequent discrepancy between the dates of Western and Eastern Easter/Pascha.

The Paschal Full Moon 

The calculation of the Paschal Full Moon also hinges on the calendar, since the full moon and the date of Easter/Pascha must be after the Vernal Equinox.  In the West, the Paschal Full Moon is within 1-2 days of the astronomical full moon.  But under the Julian calendar, the Paschal Full Moon is 3-5 days after the astronomical event.  

►This creates a complex interplay between the calendars, such that the difference between the Western and Eastern celebrations may vary from 0 days to 35 days!

►According to the Time and Date website (see graph, below), the dates coincide about 30% of the time.  They are only 1 week apart 44% of the time.  On the other end of the spectrum, they are four or five weeks off 26% of the time.  This large discrepancy happens when the Gregorian Paschal Moon occurs before March 21 (the vernal equinox) on the Julian calendar, "causing the Orthodox date to jump ahead to the next Full Moon."

Who's Right?

The Nicene Council linked the date of Easter/Pascha to astronomical events rather than to a particular date on a calendar.  Hampered by the mathematical and observational limitations of ancient astronomy, the church adopted a convenient and practical method for approximating the date.  This method ensured that Easter/Pascha was celebrated by churches on the same day (though this was not always the case in the beginning due to different calculation methods).  

Given the advances in astronomy since that time, this workaround is no longer necessary.  Exact calculations based on the movement of celestial bodies can now be projected many decades into the future.  

If the Eastern and Western churches are not ready to make this adjustment, the next best solution is the universal adoption of the Gregorian calendar.  This calendar aligns much more closely with actual astronomical events than the Julian calendar.  As that calendar continues to drift from the actual vernal equinox and full moon, the date of Orthodox Pascha will occur later in the year.   

_________________________________________________________________________

* Appendix: The Date of Passover.  According to the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Council's method for calculating the date of Pascha also entailed that the Resurrection cannot be celebrated before the Jewish Passover, since the crucifixion took place in conjunction with the Passover.  On the other hand, it was also clear that the Council's intent was to completely separate the church from the lunar calendar used by the Jews. Thus in Western churches the date of Easter sometimes occurs before Passover.  But this is never the case in the Eastern Church.  As a result, there will still be occasional discrepancies in the date of Easter/Pascha even if the calendars are properly aligned and both churches continue their practice of approximating the date of the vernal equinox and the Paschal Full Moon.  See the Orthodox Wiki discussion on the Zonaras Proviso.  I avoided this issue in the article because it would have added another complex layer to the presentation.  

Special thanks to Mike Luc for his suggestions on improving this piece.

Sources:

https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/determining-easter-date.html 

https://www.timeanddate.com/news/calendar/two-easter-dates-why-so-late 

https://orthodoxwiki.org/Paschalion 

https://www.goarch.org/-/fordham-pascha  

Chemtrails, Contrails, & Geoengineering

These three concepts are often conflated by the public, which has led to a raft of conspiracy theories.  Many chemtrail advocates maintain that the persistent condensation trails (CONTRAILS) which appear behind commercial jets are a form of geoengineering intended to cool the climate.  The overspreading trails are said to be composed of chemicals, concocted by the government, whose composition may be harmful to humans and the environment.  

Though the facts tell a much different story, there are good reasons to be concerned about the unpredictable and potentially dangerous effects of large-scale climate engineering.  Those concerns are shared by many scientists, environmentalists, and politicians.  You don’t have to wear a tin foil hat to conclude that reengineering the atmosphere could have disastrous consequences.

Now the science.  Geoengineering proposals to seed the atmosphere with particles that reflect sunlight in order to cool the earth, have little in common with aircraft CONTRAILS.  The particles, usually Sulfur dioxide, have to be dispersed in the stratosphere at an altitude of 20 km or higher (the higher the better).  This is about twice the height of commercial aircraft flights and well beyond the service ceiling of such aircraft.  Dispersing the particles below 19 km - 20 km (i.e., in the troposphere) would be far less effective, resulting in a much shorter residence time for particles due to turbulence, mixing, and descending air currents which would carry them to earth.  

With a heavy payload of chemicals, there are very few, if any, high-altitude aircraft that can loft that much weight to such heights.  Consequently, the task would require specially modified vehicles, custom designed vehicles, or other technologies such as rockets and balloons (above).  A number of journal articles have been written evaluating different aerial platforms for performing “stratospheric aerosol injection” (SAI).  The preferred solution appears to be an entirely new aircraft, the Stratospheric Aerosol Injection Lofter (SAIL).  To date, this aircraft is only a concept (right).  

So what about aircraft CONTRAILS?  They form when the water vapor, generated by combustion inside the jet engine, turns to ice crystals (water vapor is a natural by-product of burning fossil fuels).  Their persistence is a function of temperature and humidity, which can be forecasted with a reasonable degree of accuracy from daily, upper air observations.  

But more to the point, CONTRAILS have exactly the opposite effect sought by geoengineering:  They tend to warm the climate instead of cooling it, even though they block a slight amount of sunlight (left).  The thin ice crystal clouds (cirrus) allow most shortwave solar radiation to strike the earth. This warms the surface.  Heat from the surface radiates skyward in the form of longwave radiation, which is reflected back (reradiated) by the CONTRAILS.  The net effect is a slight increase in atmospheric temperature.  Consequently, scientists have sought to limit CONTRAIL effects by proposing different technologies, fuels, and flight paths that would mitigate their formation.

The upshot is that there is no connection between persistent aircraft CONTRAILS (so-called “chemtrails”) and attempts to cool the atmosphere through geoengineering.  If some climate activists had their way, contrails would disappear tomorrow.  In the meantime, large scale attempts to inject particles into the stratosphere should be prohibited, and the science behind those efforts should be met with deep skepticism.  Our knowledge of the atmosphere is still rudimentary in many ways.  If we damage it, there is no backup system.

Right:  An infrared satellite image showing dozens of contrails over the southeastern United States during a single morning in January 2004. Yale Environment 360.   NASA

Sources:

Effects of Different Stratospheric SO2 Injection Altitudes on Stratospheric Chemistry and Dynamics

Stratospheric aerosol injection tactics and costs in the first 15 years of deployment

Review of possible very high-altitude platforms for stratospheric aerosol injection

Optimizing Injection Locations Relaxes Altitude-Lifetime Trade-Off for Stratospheric Aerosol Injection

How Airplane Contrails Are Helping Make the Planet Warmer

We Could Refreeze Earth’s Melting Poles With Aerosol-Spraying Planes

Solar Geoengineering: Should we artificially cool the planet?

Education's "Big Lie"

In 1978, the ACLU defended the right of Neo-Nazis to hold a peaceful rally in Chicago, complete with Nazi uniforms and swastikas. The right of the Nazis to assemble without impediment was upheld under the First Amendment by the US Supreme Court.

 
It should be evident that the ACLU was no friend of the Nazis. They abhorred everything the Nazis stood for.  In fact, the lawyer who argued the case was Jewish!  Nevertheless, the ACLU chose to act on principle, because First Amendment protections do not discriminate based on the content of one’s speech (with a few notable exceptions).  If the rights of Nazis to speak can be denied, then so could the rights of any group that is despised or happens to fall out of favor with society.

It is possible, then, to treat others with whom we disagree or even dislike, with respect and tolerance. This is the essence of civil discourse and it is one of the principles that makes America great.

 
Fast forward to our present situation. Much of our education system has exchanged this principle of free speech for what can only be called, the ‘Big Lie.’  In the battle over sexuality and gender, children are being taught that they must accept and endorse lifestyles that they may find morally objectionable. It is not enough to tolerate LGBTQ values, children are encouraged to become “allies” and display symbols of LGBTQ pride, etc.

 
Even principled criticism of LGBTQ beliefs, regardless of how respectful it is expressed, is liable to hurt the feelings of LGBTQ children. This is construed as a form of hate and bullying. Progressive educators have thus devised a perfect ploy for forcing the desired political behavior from students, namely LGBTQ advocacy.

This Big Lie has undermined the noble principle exhibited by the ACLU in their defense of the Nazis, namely, that tolerance and respect do not entail agreement, much less advocacy.  Like all people, LGBTQ students are entitled to respect. However, their chosen lifestyle and values are not automatically entitled to approval or admiration. But, alas, this distinction is too nuanced for activist educators who only see the world in black and white.  

See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Socialist_Party_of_America_v._Village_of_Skokie  https://www.pbs.org/video/wttw-specials-skokie-invaded-not-conquered/ 

A Laboratory Test of Noah's Flood

Geologists have long held that Noah's Flood was a regional event rather than a global deluge.  The traditional view was abandoned in the 19th century due to multiple lines of evidence that were incompatible with or contradicted the idea of a universal flood. 

One such line of evidence pertains to the formation of shale, which accounts for about 70% of the sedimentary rock found in the earth's crust.  Together with limestone and sandstone, shale deposits contain nearly all of the fossils found on earth.  Some shale deposits are thousands of meters thick.  

Shale is made in watery environments as silt and clay settle out to form thin, delicate layers, called laminae (plural of lamination), which can be less than 1mm thick.  These layers build up over time and form rock as they are compacted and dried out.  

Until recently, it was thought that laminae can only form in nearly still waters, since microscopic clay particles would be swept up by moving water, preventing them from settling.  Geologists have maintained that the entire process is very gradual, requiring tens of millions of years to lay down thick shale deposits.

But recent laboratory research, using a large simulation tank called a flume (top), has shown that laminae do, indeed, form in moving water under optimal conditions, and at a faster rate than was once thought possible.  This groundbreaking research is being conducted by Juergen Schieber at Indiana University. 

Dr. Schieber's discovery has been promoted by young earth, creation scientists in videos and articles as breakthrough evidence for the flood theory.  They believe that the massive shale deposits which were once thought to require millions of years to form in still waters, were laid down by fast moving waters in the last few months of Noah's flood, as the waters receded.

On the surface this may sound plausible, but the devil is in the details, which creation scientists typically gloss over.  After reviewing some of the literature surrounding Dr. Schieber's research, I reached out to him by email with some additional questions, which he was kind enough to answer.  

The flume experiments show that sediment accumulation is based on the speed of the current.  At high speeds (>25 cm/sec), most clay particles remain suspended instead of falling to the bottom to form laminae.  The optimal speed of deposition is 20-25 cm/second, which is about 1/2 mph.  This is 1/100th to 1/80th of the velocity calculated by creation scientists for Noah's flood, except, perhaps, at the very end of the process, after nearly all of the water has receded.   

At optimal speed, sediment accumulates at the rate of only 1-2 cm per week.  That amounts to about 0.5 to 1 meter per year.  The water content of the freshly deposited sediment is around 85%.  In order to form shale, the water needs to be squeezed out by compaction.  That will reduce our 1 meter layer of sediment to 15 cm of rock.  Under optimal conditions, then, the rate of shale formation will not exceed 15 cm per year.  Needless to say, this is infinitely slower than the flood scenario imagined by creation scientists.

We can gain an appreciation for scale by considering the Belt Basin formation of Montana and Idaho, which is approximately 20 km thick.  Though not all of it is shale (some is sandstone and limestone), it still illustrates the point.  At 15 cm per year, it would take over 133,000 yrs to form 20 km of rock.  This assumes that ideal conditions of speed and sediment load are maintained over the entire stretch of time—a virtual impossibility in the real world.  Taking into consideration the intermittent nature of flow and deposition, a more realistic number might be 5x to 10x longer.   

Given these limitations, it is clear that recent research in sedimentology provides no on-ramp for flood geology.  Unfortunately, creation scientists have a reputation for selectively citing research in support of their cause, while ignoring the inconvenient facts that contradict their beliefs.  The universal flood theory fails for many other reasons, both scientific and Biblical, some of which I present in my video, Science & Christianity:  2.  Geology vs. The Genesis Flood.  

Yet, the Biblical Flood has not been entirely dismissed by geologists.  Many regard it as a regional event.  David R. Montgomery discusses this view in his book, The Rocks Don't Lie: A Geologist Investigates Noah's Flood.   A group of 11 Christian scientists, writing from a similar perspective, published a fully illustrated volume on the Flood, The Grand Canyon: Monument to an Ancient Earth.  Noah’s Flood is even mentioned as a regional flood in the 2004, US Geological Survey publication, The World’s Largest Floods, Past and Present.

Hamas in Their Own Words: The Hamas Founding Covenant of 1988

Here in the West, those who support the Palestinians distinguish between opposing Israel and hating Jews. I have no doubt that some are sincere. But this distinction is lost almost entirely in the Middle East where Jew hatred is a way of life among most Muslims. Islamic antisemitism runs deep.

Consequently, Westerners who throw their support behind Hamas—even as they attempt to distance themselves from its murderous tactics—are upholding its antisemitic values, its Jewish conspiracies, the utter extinction of Israel, and the slaughter of Jews. Framing Hamas as freedom fighters or a resistance movement is an abortive attempt to conceal the true character of an organization which thrives on hate, terror, and sadism.

Excerpts from the Hamas founding charter are arranged topically, below. In this document, Hamas refers to itself as the “Islamic Resistance Movement.” Numbers in brackets indicate the article number.

Source:  https://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/hamas.asp

 

⦿ The Jews and Zionists are behind virtually all of the wars and evils in the world.

Our struggle against the Jews is very great and very serious.  [1]

They [Zionists/Jews] aim at undermining societies, destroying values, corrupting consciences, deteriorating character and annihilating Islam. It is behind the drug trade and alcoholism in all its kinds so as to facilitate its control and expansion.  [28]

Zionist organizations under various names and shapes, such as Freemasons, Rotary Clubs, espionage groups and others, which are all nothing more than cells of subversion and saboteurs.  [17]

They [Zionists/Jews] were behind the French Revolution, the Communist revolution and most of the revolutions we heard and hear about, here and there. With their money they formed secret societies, such as Freemasons, Rotary Clubs, the Lions and others in different parts of the world for the purpose of sabotaging societies and achieving Zionist interests.  With their money they were able to control imperialistic countries and instigate them to colonize many countries in order to enable them to exploit their resources and spread corruption there.  [22]

They were behind World War I, when they were able to destroy the Islamic Caliphate, making financial gains and controlling resources. They obtained the Balfour Declaration, formed the League of Nations through which they could rule the world.  [22]

They were behind World War II, through which they made huge financial gains by trading in armaments, and paved the way for the establishment of their state. It was they who instigated the replacement of the League of Nations with the United Nations and the Security Council to enable them to rule the world through them. There is no war going on anywhere, without having their finger in it.  [22]

⦿ Israel indiscriminately kills and persecutes Muslims.

The Islamic spirit is what should prevail in every Moslem society. The society that confronts a vicious enemy [Israel/Jews] which acts in a way similar to Nazism, making no differentiation between man and woman, between children and old people - such a society is entitled to this Islamic spirit… In their Nazi treatment, the Jews made no exception for women or children. They deal with people as if they were the worst war criminals. Deportation from the homeland is a kind of murder.  [20]

We should not forget to remind every Moslem that when the Jews conquered the Holy City in 1967, they stood on the threshold of the Aqsa Mosque and proclaimed that "Mohammed is dead, and his descendants are all women."  [27, this claim cannot be confirmed]

 

⦿ The land belongs to Muslims and Israel is an illegitimate state.

The Islamic Resistance Movement believes that the land of Palestine is an Islamic Waqf consecrated for future Moslem generations until Judgement Day.  [11]

Nothing in nationalism is more significant or deeper than in the case when an enemy should tread Moslem land. [12]

Palestine is an Islamic land which has the first of the two kiblahs (direction to which Moslems turn in praying), the third of the holy (Islamic) sanctuaries, and the point of departure for Mohamed's midnight journey to the seven heavens (i.e. Jerusalem).  [14]

 

⦿ Hamas will not negotiate for a two-state solution.  Israel must be destroyed.

Initiatives, and so-called peaceful solutions and international conferences, are in contradiction to the principles of the Islamic Resistance Movement…There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad. [13]

“Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it" (The Martyr, Imam Hassan al-Banna, of blessed memory). [Intro]

 

⦿ Muslims everywhere are obligated to engage in holy war, jihad, in order to return Palestine to Muslim rule.

It is necessary to instill in the minds of the Moslem generations that the Palestinian problem is a religious problem, and should be dealt with on this basis.  [15]

It [Hamas] strives to raise the banner of Allah over every inch of Palestine, for under the wing of Islam followers of all religions can coexist in security and safety where their lives, possessions and rights are concerned. [6, Muslim countries in the Middle East restrict and even persecute other religions]

Allah is its target, the Prophet is its model, the Koran its constitution: Jihad is its path and death for the sake of Allah is the loftiest of its wishes. [8]

"I swear by the holder of Mohammed's soul that I would like to invade and be killed for the sake of Allah, then invade and be killed, and then invade again and be killed." (As related by al-Bukhari and Moslem).  [15]

 

⦿ The slaughter of the Jews, foretold by Muhammad, is part of the great apocalyptic battle.

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him salvation, has said:  "The Day of Judgement will not come about until Moslems fight the Jews (killing the Jews), when the Jew will hide behind stones and trees. The stones and trees will say O Moslems, O Abdulla, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him. Only the Gharkad tree, (evidently a certain kind of tree) would not do that because it is one of the trees of the Jews." (related by al-Bukhari and Moslem).  [7]

Feeling Good About Yourself Has Become the Supreme Virtue

The sudden contagion of gender fluidity is not about physiological changes or deformed genitalia. It’s about  feelings, which are often transient, that are stirred up and promoted by educational activists. As Theresa Thorn says in her book, “You might feel like your gender changes from day to day or from year to year.”

The highest good, according to modern education, is self-fulfillment. Striving to be yourself, or to be “authentic,” has displaced the ancient struggle to achieve virtues like courage, honor, humility, respect, responsibility, and self-control.

The Western classical and Christian notion of virtue begins with the assumption that there are universal ideals which are woven into the fabric of the universe. Living out these virtues is not instinctual for humans. In fact, our broken and sinful disposition vehemently resists them. Sexual purity, patience, kindness, and loving one’s enemies, do not come naturally. Even Christians must struggle spiritually in order to attain them.

Modern education has turned virtue upside-down. The virtuous life is not a struggle against our fallen human nature, but submission to our natural impulses, especially when those impulses relate to sex and gender.  

Progressive culture largely denies the fallenness of human nature. Sin is bound up primarily in unjust social structures, rather than the human heart. The enemy is without, not within.  So, desires which Christians regard as sinful (e.g., sex outside of marriage, pornography, homoeroticism, gender fluidity, etc.) are now deemed “natural” and “healthy.”

The ultimate sin, in modern culture, is to struggle against your natural inclinations. Battling your instincts produces psychological distress, and distress is the antithesis of well-being. “Being yourself,” on the other hand, feels good. This feeling of well-being is said to be the culmination of mental health and self-esteem.

But, the human mind has an almost infinite capacity for self-deception. Feeling good about yourself, “being yourself,” often involves surrendering to urges which will, over time, prove self-destructive to both body and soul. Feeling good has become the opium of modern education to inoculate society against the consequences of morally destructive behaviors. We are creating a society full of narcissistic people who seek, above all else, to validate their unhindered inclinations.

In traditional Christianity, the distress produced by struggling against our fallen human nature is not the antithesis of well-being, but the path toward personal and societal virtue. The struggle may be long and slow, but it produces a fulfillment that is deeper and more enduring than self-satisfaction and good feelings. No athlete ever attained excellence without rigorous and even painful effort. The purpose of education is to guide students in this epic struggle, leading them from darkness to light.

What Does it Mean to be a Christian?

For the Orthodox Christian, the meaning of the Christian life, as I understand it, is embodied by three terms:  Theosis, Mission, and Worship. The first looks inward, the second looks outward, the third looks forward.

THEOSIS is the Eastern Orthodox belief that Christians are called to become more like God through His grace. The word is sometimes translated, “deification.” But this conveys the erroneous belief that humans can be like God in His nature. Rather, Theosis is the process of salvation and sanctification. As Peter says in his second epistle, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness … so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature” (2 Pet. 1:3-4).

Theosis restores, the image of God which was marred when Adam sinned. Christ, who assumed our human nature, renewed that fallen image so that those who are joined to Him through faith, enter into a process of re-creation, becoming “partakers of the divine nature.”

The path to renewal is found by ‘following hard after God’ (Ps. 63:8) through observing the spiritual disciplines. These include prayer, reading and meditating on Scripture, fasting, charity, helping others, church attendance, and watchfulness (1 Peter 5:8). In Theosis we seek to manifest virtue and the fruits of the Holy Spirit in our lives, while crucifying “the flesh with the affections and lusts” (Gal. 5:19-24). In the Orthodox tradition, humility is called the “mother of all virtues,” and pride is regarded as “the cause of all sin.”

Theosis is an upward ladder, as St. John Climacus observed, which represents the striving of the soul to fulfill its heavenly calling (see Paul in Phil. 3:14 and 1 Cor. 9:24-27). It is a process in which the soul becomes more interpenetrated with the ‘energies’ (grace) of God by being joined to Christ in both body and soul.

MISSION is the work of the church in the world to which each Christian is called to participate. Christ sent us into the world to spread the good news of His salvation (Mt. 28:19-20) and, following his example, to relieve suffering as we are able.

Our mission is one of compassion, not condemnation. “[H]ave mercy on those who doubt,” says Jude, “save others by snatching them from the fire; and to still others show mercy tempered with fear” (22-23). Yet, as followers of Christ, we must acknowledge the work of evil in the world and call it by name, “hating even the clothing stained by the flesh” (23). Shining a light in dark places invites persecution—it always has. Christ was not crucified for being merciful, but for opposing and exposing evil.

WORSHIP is the eschatological destiny of the church. The book of Revelation gives us a glimpse into the worship of heaven, where angelic beings worship God day and night, without ceasing, as they chant the Trisagion before the heavenly throne (Rev. 4). To borrow the words of the Westminster Catechism, this is “the chief end of man…to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.”

But the work of worship, the liturgy (from the Greek, leitourgia, “work of the people”), does not belong only to the future. Heavenly worship, like the eschaton itself, impinges upon the present. As the writer of Hebrews says, “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven…” (12:22-23). The future is realized in the present, and the powers of the world to come are now manifested on earth. In other words, our worship is intended to be the ‘earthly heaven,’ a foretaste of our eternal destiny.

Theosis (godliness), Mission (evangelism), and Worship (heaven), are the three pillars of the Christian life.  

Why are Activist Educators Corrupting Our Children?

This story, by Fox News, is being repeated in schools across the country, as recent news reports attest.   From elementary to high school, activist teachers and administrators are hell-bent on sexualizing children and forcing transgender ideology in the classroom. 

What motivates these educators to commit such acts and why are they doing it?  The answer is more complicated than you might think, involving three concentric spheres of action.   

1—Inner Sphere.  At the personal level, activist teachers actually believe they are helping children 'discover' and ‘live out’ their sexual and gender ‘preferences.’ Being comfortable with who they ‘really are' supposedly contributes to their psychological and emotional well-being.  This is especially true for LGBTQ children who are ‘forced’ to live a society dominated by ‘hostile’ cisgenders and heterosexuals.  Respectfully tolerating differences in sex and gender is not enough.  In order to protect LGBTQ children and to create a caring community, LGBTQ children must be affirmed and admired for the choices they make.   

2—Middle Sphere.  Activist educators believe that this sexual revolution is part of a larger moral cause, namely, social justice.  Heteronormativity and cisgenderism are simply extensions of the oppressive, social structures which have denigrated people of color and women, keeping them in chains for thousands of years.  These teachers believe that freeing children from white, traditional (i.e., Judeo-Christian), beliefs about sexuality is another step forward in the liberation of humanity.  Fighting for the cause of social justice imparts to educators and administrators a sense of moral righteousness, often spilling over into fanaticism and rage, as they wage war against the cosmic evil of social oppression and those who practice it, especially conservative Christians.

3—Outer Sphere.  Underlying these convictions is a broader philosophical and political agenda called Neo-Marxism, from which social justice originates.  Some activist educators may not be fully cognizant of this sphere or its history, which stretches back several decades.  Whereas Marxism focused entirely on economic, class distinctions, Neo-Marxists expanded class warfare to include race, sex, sexual orientation, gender, etc. But the template is the same in both cases: Divide society, destroy capitalism, overtake government, install a socialist or quasi-socialist system. 

But, what does this have to do with sex and gender in the classroom?  Historically, as Karl Marx observed, the nuclear family has served to reinforce conservative social structures and sexual values (‘heteronormativity’ and ‘cisgenderism’), maintain social stability, and perpetuate economic prosperity through ownership of private property (capitalism).  Disrupting and dismantling the nuclear family by introducing radical beliefs about sexuality and gender, dissolves the glue which holds society together and shatters the last remaining stronghold of the ‘traditional hierarchy.’  The way is now open to create a new social order based on ‘diversity, equity and inclusion’ (DEI).

These aspirations may sound noble, but, in reality, the Neo-Marxist society is based on an authoritarian state which can only achieve its goals by forced conformity and persecution.  That’s why school cultures, in which Neo-Marxism has taken hold, have become strongholds of cancel culture, anti-religious sentiment, groupthink, intimidation, and censorship.  Dissent is not tolerated.  Conform...or else!

Activist educators, along with their administrative allies, then, are not corrupting our children simply to satisfy some personal or educational agenda.  They see themselves as shock troops who are shattering traditional society in order to create a new social order.  And they will succeed if we allow them to continue.  As the schools go, so goes civilization.

 

America’s Culture Wars: A Guide for the Perplexed

17th edition (November, 2022)

The primary purpose of this 77 page guide is to throw a lifeline to parents and students who are trying to stay afloat in a hostile society and education system that is determined to undermine America’s historical values and morals.  The guide answers over 40 FAQs on topics relating to: Racism, Critical Race Theory, BLM, DEI, American History, Civil Rights, Religion, LGBTQ Issues, Free Speech, and Tolerance.  Links are provided throughout.  

Specifically, America’s Culture Wars accomplishes three things:  (1) To explain the inner workings of the often confusing philosophies that continue to inundate us and our children.  (2) To refute these insidious beliefs through evidence and reasoned arguments.  (3) To offer an apologetic for traditional, moral and democratic principles. 

Chapter V, "Teaching Tolerance," is a must read in order to understand how Tolerance and Civil Discourse have been usurped by categories like "justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion." Our schools are producing self-centered children and adults who are ruled by emotion and whose beliefs cannot be challenged—the very definition of intolerance.  

This guide is a work in progress with frequent updates, enhancements, and corrections.  Click on the link below to see the latest revision.

CLICK IMAGE TO DOWNLOAD PDF (FREE)

A Smithsonian Roadmap to Social Revolution

In the summer of 2020, the Smithsonian's, National Museum of African American History and Culture, posted a large graphic criticizing, "Aspects and Assumptions of Whiteness and White Culture in the United States."  The poster was hotly contested and sparked so much opposition that it was taken down.  After all, what's wrong with the nuclear family, science, hard work, respect for authority, and politeness?  

On the face of it, some of the criticisms seem ridiculous.  What does delayed gratification have to do with 'whiteness'?  But peel back the layers and it becomes evident that virtually all the characteristics of 'whiteness'* in this poster have a political significance—real or imagined—that purports to expose the difference in power between white and black people.  

In the analysis below, I 'decode' the opposition to 'white culture' and explain the revolutionary aspirations of Critical Race Theory and Critical Social Justice to uproot every vestige of 'whiteness' from society.  Finally, I dismantle numerous false and questionable claims, while recognizing that some of the criticisms do have merit.

*"Whiteness refers to the specific dimensions of racism that elevate White people over people of Color. Basic rights, resources, and experiences that are assumed to be shared by all, are actually only available to Whites. Although many Whites feel that being White has no meaning, this feeling is unique to White people and is a key part of what it means to be White; to see one’s race as having no meaning is a privilege only Whites are afforded. To claim to be “just human” and thus outside of race is one of the most powerful and pervasive manifestations of Whiteness."  (Is Everyone Really Equal?: An Introduction to Key Concepts in Social Justice Education, by Ozlem Sensoy and Robin DiAngelo, 2012, p. 119). 

CLICK IMAGE TO DOWNLOAD PDF

A Tool in the Battle Against Critical Race Theory

This Manifesto is for parents, teachers, and employees who are on the front lines in the struggle against Critical Race Theory (CRT).  They need to be armed with accurate and concise information.  This one page guide carefully identifies the teachings and outcomes of CRT, and highlights the stark contrast between CRT and historical, American principles.  

The format is ideally suited to public settings, such as school board meetings, in order to unambiguously identify and call out the objectionable teachings of CRT.  

There are two important qualifications on the use of this Manifesto (based on feedback from CRT advocates):

1.  Nothing in the Manifesto precludes discussing these divisive concepts in an academic setting, so long as it is done in an objective manner, without endorsement or manipulation, and strives to provide equal time and effort to contending perspectives.

2.  Opposing CRT does not mean we are in favor of racism or discrimination.  We oppose CRT because of its destructive philosophy and methods, not because it stands against racism.  In fact, there are many black leaders who oppose CRT because it undermines the traditional civil rights movement (Peter Kirsanow, Robert Woodson, Thomas Sowell, Alveda King, Carol Swain, Leo Turell, Richard Johnson III, etc.).  

Additional Resources for Understanding CRT:  8 Unproven Assumptions of CRT  |  Aspects and Assumptions of Whiteness (Smithsonian)  |  16 Reasons Why America is Not a Racist Country

Also see my related eBook (it's free), "The War On America’s Founding Principles," under the 'Recent Books' tab, above.

CLICK IMAGE TO DOWNLOAD PDF

 Revised Edition (6-6-21) 

Betraying the Foundations

From the second edition of my eBbook, The War On America’s Founding Principles (posted today). Every principle in this table characterizes the working philosophy of the Biden administration, the Democratic majority in Congress, and a small group of Republican representatives. America's foundations have been betrayed.

To download the book (free), click on the Recent Books tab, above.

The War on America's Founding Principles 

This table, based on my recent eBook, puts the issues in stark relief. Progressivism is dismantling and delegitimizing America's historical foundations. To download the book for free, click on the "Recent Books" tab.

16 Reasons Why America is 
Not a Racist Country

If you listen to the diatribes of many on the Left, you would conclude that this country is still hopelessly bound by the cords of bigotry and institutional racism.  “Brown skinned” people, we are told, are oppressed to ensure the continuation of white supremacy.   

Incidents of racism still occur in the United States and there is still work to be done, but we are far and away from being a nation of white oppressors.  Our progress has been both measurable and substantial.  Anyone comparing America today to America in 1960 would see a different nation. 

1.   America ended slavery in 1865 at a cost of 360,000 Union soldiers who paid with their blood.
2.   African-American men were given the right to vote in 1869 (women in 1920).
3.   Jim Crow laws were struck down in the 1950’s and 1960’s. 
4.   We have nearly 60 years of federal, civil rights legislation, beginning with the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
5.  There are thousands of civil rights laws and regulations at the federal, state, county, and local level.
6.  Businesses, organizations, and schools throughout the country have strict, anti-discrimination policies.  
7.   There are affirmative action programs at nearly every level of society.
8.   Desegregation school busing was mandated across the country in the 1970's.
9.   The KKK, once numbering millions, now numbers less than 8,000.
10.   A black president was elected to two terms in office in 2008 and 2012.
11.   There are 64 black representatives in the U.S. Congress.  In 1869 there were only 3.
12.   Millions of non-white immigrants from across the globe still seek entry into the U.S.
13.   Indians and Asians are the top performers in many of our schools and professions.
14.   Black athletes are heavily represented in many professional sports.
15.   94% of Americans approve of interracial marriage (compared to only 4% in 1958).
16.   87% of Americans believe that DACA immigrants should be allowed to remain in the U.S.

DOWNLOAD THE POSTER VERSION OF THIS ARTICLE (Graphic)

See also:

Larry Elder on ”Is America Racist?” (Prager U. | 5 min video)

Civil Rights Activist, Robert Woodson on "Race Relations and Policing in the U.S." (C-SPAN @ 23:51)

Original: 1/28/18

Revised 9/4/20

 The War On America’s Founding Principles

How Progressives are Dismantling America One Plank at a Time

Though Progressivism has become the dominant philosophy of liberal politics, few Americans understand its principles and goals. They see individual issues, but are unable to discern how these pieces connect together. The same might be said of America’s founding principles, which are fast fading from our collective consciousness.

By carefully comparing Progressivism with the founding principles, a larger picture begins to emerge. The political battles of the day are a colossal struggle between two opposing, if not contradictory, philosophies—a struggle between two visions of America. In the end, only one will likely prevail.

This free eBook documents Progressivism’s relentless attempt to dismantle and delegitimize the historical foundations of America, one piece at a time, pushing us toward conflict and dystopia.

With over 100 illustrations and more than 200 linked citations, The War On America’s Founding Principles provides a compass for finding our way through the cultural and political chaos.

This free eBook links to a high resolution 

poster which can be downloaded (PDF)

  Download the eBook (FREE)