Monthly Archives: July 2024

News Roundup & Comment

Date: July 12, 2024 Host: Jim Schneider MP3 | Order

Crosstalk is your trusted source for news from around the globe each Friday.  Here’s a sample of what Jim presented to listeners:

–Last Friday, in an interview with George Stephanopoulos, President Biden said that he’ll only get out of the presidential race if the Lord almighty comes down and tells him.

–In comments during an appearance on MSNBC’s Morning Joe program, Nancy Pelosi left the decision regarding Biden continuing to run for president up to the president himself. 

–Lawmakers in the House Financial Services Committee got into a tense exchange Tuesday after Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen was questioned about President Biden’s cognitive issues.  

–President Biden’s cabinet meetings…are they scripted?

–Yesterday, President Biden introduced Ukrainian President Zelinski as being President Putin.

–Last evening, during a solo press conference, President Biden mistakenly referred to VP Kamala Harris as Vice President Trump.

–MSNBC interviewed Dr. Tom Pitts on the issue of Parkinson’s disease and President Biden.  Jim provided audio of the doctor’s opinion. 

–The White House released a letter on Monday saying that visits by a Parkinson’s expert had nothing to do with President Biden.

–The House Oversight Committee has subpoenaed 3 top Biden administration officials to testify before Congress concerning President Biden’s mental fitness.

–Despite the spin from Team Biden, the presser last evening failed to impress big ticket donors supporting the Biden reelection effort. 

–VP Kamala Harris has expressed her support for President Biden following his debate performance but is increasing her role in the campaign ahead of the November election.

–Under siege from fellow Democrats, President Biden’s campaign is quietly testing the strength of Vice President Kamala Harris against former President Trump in a head-to-head survey of voters.

Standing with Israel

Date: July 11, 2024 Host: Jim Schneider ​Guest: Pastor Jim Scudder Jr. MP3 | Order

This past Sunday was the 9 month mark since Israel was attacked by Hamas.  This is obviously much longer than the 6 day war of 1967 and even more tragic than America’s 9-11 attack.  Nonetheless, Israel continues in its efforts to defeat Hamas while attempts to establish a cease-fire have failed.  

With more on this issue as well as his call to stand with Israel, Crosstalk welcomed Pastor Jim Scudder, Jr.  Pastor Scudder is pastor of Quentin Road Baptist Church in Lake Zurich, Illinois.  He’s an author and is speaker on the program In Grace which airs on WVCY Television, VCY.tv, on the VCY America Radio Network and other facilities across the country.  Pastor Scudder has a passion for souls and a desire to teach others about our Savior’s love.

Discussion began with Pastor Scudder talking about the length of the battle with Hamas, the 120 individuals who remain as hostages and the world’s reaction at this point in time.  While it’s true that immediately after the Hamas attack there was great sympathy toward Israel, now it’s turned in the other direction as antisemitism, both in America and abroad, continues to increase.  

While we should fight the evil of antisemitism, is God using it to call Jews back to their homeland for the wrap-up of history?  This program answers that question while pointing out what all of us need to remember: Salvation is available to everyone and the Gospel is the answer.  Let’s share that Gospel, while standing as individuals and churches, with the people through whom our scriptures were written and our Savior was born.

More Information

ingraceradio.com

1-800-78-GRACE

Home Schooling Attacked

Date: July 10, 2024 Host: Jim Schneider ​Guest: Will Estrada MP3 | Order

Will Estrada is Senior Counsel with Home School Legal Defense Association.  Will began working for HSLDA as a legal assistant in 2004.  In 2006 he graduated from the Oak Brook College of Law and Government Policy and then directed HSLDA’s Federal Relations Department.  He then gained experience at the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services from 2018-2021 and resigned to become the first full-time President of Parental Rights.org and the Parental Rights Foundation.  In June 2023 he returned to HSLDA serving as a senior counsel and contact attorney serving homeschool clients in multiple states.  He’s a member of the U.S. Supreme Court Bar First Circuit Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, California and District of Columbia.  Will himself is a homeschool graduate.

Homeschooling is seeing great success throughout the U.S. as parents serve as the primary educators for their children.  There’s been a mass exodus from public education, not only since the Covid pandemic, but as more and more indoctrination has been implanted via diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.  In addition, more school districts are keeping parents from knowing what’s going on when passing policies about how their children are identifying in the schools, what restrooms they use, the curriculum being taught or certain programs their children might be attending.  

While this environment in public schools plays out, some parents choose to opt out, therefore homeschooling is under attack.  This attack simply isn’t working.  As Will noted early in the broadcast, pre-Covid (just before 2020), the U.S. Department of Education indicated there were about 2.1 to 3 million homeschooling students in the U.S.  Now it’s said to be between 6 and 8 million with some studies showing the number of homeschool students at the same level as the number of students in private schools. 

Overall, Will described homeschooling this way: “…homeschooling is mainstream now…it’s not just a weird thing.  It has come into its own as a respected and established and successful way for loving parents to educate their children.”

Should parents have to pass a background check to determine their suitability for homeschooling?  Should they be required to submit documents proving that their children are, in fact, learning?  Yes, there are rare exceptions to the success stories but Will agrees that while you punish those who do wrong, you don’t make every parent that wants to homeschool their children get permission from the government.  He even cites a Supreme Court case from 1979 to solidify his point.

There’s more to hear, including the thoughts and concerns of Crosstalk listeners.

More Information

hslda.org

Marijuana’s Devastating Impact

Date: July 9, 2024 Host: Jim Schneider ​Guest: Dr. Eric Hussar MP3 | Order

Marijuana use has been surging across America as more states have ushered in legalization.  The result?  There are now more than 12,000 dispensaries across the nation with only 11 states showing none.

On May 22nd of this year, U.S. News and World Report carried a story indicating that more Americans today use marijuana each day than alcohol.  In spite of this, the Biden administration’s Department of Justice has submitted their Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to the office of the Federal Register to reclassify marijuana as a less serious drug.

Appearing on Crosstalk to address this issue was Dr. Eric Hussar.  Dr. Hussar is a board-certified family medicine physician practicing in Marietta, Pennsylvania.  He graduated from Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine in 2002 and completed a residency at Lancaster General Hospital.  He has enjoyed caring for patients ranging from pre-birth to 100 years for more than two decades.  He is the Pennsylvania State Director of the American Academy of Medical Ethics.

This program is literally packed with important information.  Beginning with explaining the differences between marijuana, hemp, cannabis, etc., Dr. Hussar also looks at marijuana’s addictive nature, its effect on depression, the marijuana/pain argument, gummies and kids, the use by expectant mothers, CBD oils, the social costs and more.  Pro/con input from listeners wrapped up the broadcast.   

You deserve to know the truth on this issue and you’ll find it on this edition of Crosstalk.

More Information

cmda.org

The End of the World According to Jesus

Date: July 8, 2024 Host: Jim Schneider ​Guest: Jeff Kinley MP3 | Order

Jeff Kinley is a former pastor and best-selling author of over 40 books.  He’s a recognized expert in the field of Bible prophecy with over a dozen books on the subject.  He has a passion for sharing biblical truth and speaks across the country equipping churches and Christians to discern the times and to live with confidence.  Some of his books include, Wake the Bride, Aftershocks, As It Was in the Days of Noah, God’s Grand Finale: Wrath, Grace, and Glory in Earth’s Last Days, and his latest release, The End of the World According to Jesus of Nazareth.

It was on January 24th of 2023, when due to what they saw as ominous trends, the hands of the doomsday clock were advanced by the Science and Security Board of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists to 90 seconds before midnight.  In contrast, about 2,000 years ago, Jesus presented a clear understanding of what would take place in the end.  He addressed the signs and how God desires for us to be prepared.

This Crosstalk looked at those signs as Jeff answered the following questions: 

Why is knowing Jesus a foundational issue when attempting to understand the end of the World?

Will global climate change destroy the earth or does God have another plan?

What do we know about the deluge of deception that Christ talked about?

What did Jesus have to say about war?  

Will people come to faith during the period of tribulation?

This is just some of what was covered during the first quarter-hour of the broadcast.  Hear the rest, including what listeners had to say, when you review this vital Crosstalk broadcast.

More InformationThe book, The End of the World According to Jesus of Nazareth is being featured as a book of the month at our VCY Bookstore.  This is newly released and packs more than 260 pages with information.  This book retails from the publisher at $17.99.  However, through July 31, 2024, the VCY Bookstore is offering this book at 50% off, just $8.99 plus any applicable tax and/or shipping.  It’s available online at vcy.com or by calling the bookstore at 1-888-722-4829.  They’re open weekdays from 10am-6pm Central and Saturdays from 10-4.