A quick update and more links.
moar linkies
As promised, I have the link to my piece on the connection between The Rapture, evangelicals, and QAnon. The long and short of it is this: I think there is a fundamental issue with evangelical teaching in America. Some people in the church find it easy to point to preachers like Joel Osteen and say, “Well the Bible does not teach that kind of prosperity gospel,” but in reality a prosperity-lite gospel has taken over large sections of the church. It may not teach explicitly that God is going to make you wealthy, but it does teach that God is going to destroy your enemies, that He will make your life comfortable and enjoyable, and that else who attacks your set of beliefs is a “hater.” And it also makes America an idol.
Any evangelical who believes that there will be an absence of suffering for Christians believes a false gospel. This is the core teaching of The Rapture: If you get right with God now, you will not have to suffer through the Tribulation. It is so obviously unbiblical that it is insane to me that it is accepted as an uncontroversial teaching within evangelicalism. Enjoy the piece and please share it if you think it’s good, but if you think it’s bad do not share it and instead print it out and throw it in the dumpster.
Super super quick, unrelated issue: A pretty big story I intentionally left out yesterday was one that broke on Sunday night. U.S. Attorney Michael Sherwin gave a 60 Minutes interview in which he went over the plans to charge several of the Capitol insurrectionists with sedition. It was absolutely insane to me that he gave this interview and that 60 Minutes aired it.
He discussed an ongoing investigation through a loophole (he is technically no longer the prosecutor in the case, as he was re-located to Florida) and has potentially compromised evidence. I am discussing it now because we are learning that the Department of Justice did not give him the OK to give the interview and the judge assigned to the insurrection case is pissed. It is an overlooked story that I think highlights poor journalistic ethics and the terrible act of a public official who clearly just wants to be famous. He has made life that much more difficult for the prosecutors still assigned to the insurrection case.
Last one. This will infuriate you:
Sidney Powell is the nutcase behind most of the false statements about Dominion and Smartmatic voting machines changing Trump votes to Biden. And now that she has to actually tell the truth in Court, she is saying what everyone knew from the beginning: “I was obviously lying, and if you believed me you are crazy.” I am sure more than one of my subscribers have seen relatives share her material on Facebook or elsewhere. Beyond frustrating that she willfully deceived people for months and was elevated by some voices on the Right, including the President. Hopefully justice is served. Do not settle, Dominion!
Next Jackal will be out on Monday, but then I am taking a break for the week of Easter. Will be back on April 12th, if I don’t get raptured.