Woman Saved from Occult, but Pastor Warns of Spiritual Warfare; Trump-Russia-Ukraine 3-Way Call Disaster; Bisexual, Queer Actress to Play Jesus
Plus: Update on Pope Francis' medical condition and odd find in medieval church excavation
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Magnetic North: Faith
The dangers of new-age spirituality are on the rise in modern America and many Christians are seemingly unaware of what lurks in the spiritual realm.
Jac Marino recently shared her experience in the Golden Dawn occult movement – and how she escaped and found deliverance from demons through Jesus Christ. Her interview on the “No Longer Nomads” podcast reveals the sinister powers at play.
"I was spiritually attacked and it felt like my soul was being sucked out of my body into complete darkness and I had no control over it," Marino said.
Marino said she considered herself a Christian while practicing the occult and she was seeking truth and control over the chaos in her life. After a night of terror where she experienced a ruthless spiritual attack, she fell to her knees and asked Jesus to save her.
Pastor Jonathan Pokulda recently joined Billy Hallowell to discuss the dangerous error Christians are making when it comes to Satan, demons and the spiritual realm.
To the East: Culture
Robert F. Kenney Jr., the new Secretary of Health and Human Services, announced that President Donald Trump has ordered a study on the safety of the abortion pill mifepristone.
The debate over the pill has been ongoing. During COVID, the Biden administration eased restrictions, allowing women to receive abortion medication by mail without seeing a doctor. Critics argue this poses risks, particularly after 6 weeks of pregnancy, including excessive bleeding and the need for emergency care. A study last September revealed that 75% of women needed emergency treatment after using the two-drug abortion protocol.
In related news, President Trump signed an executive order to expand access to in vitro fertilization (IVF). While this may seem like a win for conservatives, it raises concerns about genetic selection and the disposal of unused embryos.
To the South: World
President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin had a nice little phone catch-up last week but left Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the rest of Europe on hold. A lot has happened in a week and shots have been fired from all parties.
Trump and Putin said they were willing to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine, with Trump later promising that Ukraine would have a seat at the table. Trump reportedly (by unnamed sources) blamed Zelenskyy for the Ukraine-Russia conflict and suggested that Ukraine would have to give up NATO ambitions and concede land to Russia.
While the leaders played phone tag, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told NATO, in no uncertain terms, that Europe must take responsibility for its own defense. Hegseth repeated this directly to Zelenskyy who in turn took to the media to say Trump was spreading Russian disinformation.
Trump’s comments and decisions to negotiate with Russia directly have been met with condemnation from both Republicans and Democrats alike.
In other world news, Pope Francis is hospitalized with pneumonia in both lungs. The 88-year-old Pontiff had half a lung removed when he was 21 and has been susceptible to respiratory infections ever since.
To the West: Entertainment
To no one’s surprise, Hollywood is doing what Hollywood does best: A controversial actor has been cast to play a controversial role in a controversial play.
Cynthia Erivo of “Wicked,” who identifies as bisexual and queer, will play Jesus in the Tim Rice and Anthony Lloyd-Webber “Jesus Christ Superstar” this coming August at the Hollywood Bowl.
The show debuted in 1971 and has not disappointed in its ability to churn up debate. The musical depicts Jesus as imperfect, romanticizes His relationship with Mary Magdalene (whom Ervio played in an all-female 2020 revival of the show), and paints Judas in a sympathetic light. If the controversy wasn’t enough to keep you away from the show, ticket prices range from $442 to $2,913 for the Friday, August 1 show.
Compass Rose
Time to channel your inner Indiana Jones.
Bizarre artifacts were unearthed from a medieval German church in 2022 and 2023. The findings were just released in January from the State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology in Saxony-Anhalt from an excavation of Marienkirche in Gardelegen, Germany. The name translates to “St. Mary’s Church” and was built around 1200 AD. The archaeologists found 1,000 artifacts but the oddest discovery was an 8-centimeter-high monkey statue made of leaded bronze.
"Monkey depictions are not uncommon in churches," a press release said. "The animals are often shown playing board games, making music, mimicking humans, or entangled in vines and tendrils. They were considered demonic creatures and increasingly seen as a reflection and caricature of sinful, lascivious humans during the late Middle Ages."
Read more about the discovery and significance of monkeys in the medieval church.
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