In a previous epoch‚ Tim Alberta was a reporter for National Review‚ one of too many NR cubs who later joined the liberal-media zoo. Alberta is now at The Atlantic‚ one of America’s most intense producers of frothing leftist drivel. It seems like every leftist network has welcomed Alberta to trash conservative Christians through his latest book‚ “The Kingdom‚ the Power‚ and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism.” It’s touted as Alberta’s “deeply personal examination of the divisions that threaten to destroy the American evangelical movement. Evangelical Christians are perhaps the most polarizing—and least understood— people living in America today.” Wait. No one in these interviews asks about the polarizing cultural extreme on the libertine Left. That extreme is the leftist media’s address‚ at the corner of GLAAD Street and Planned Parenthood Avenue. Interviewers loved Alberta’s funeral story. On the “PBS NewsHour‚” anchor Geoff Bennett began: “I asked Tim about a searing moment he describes‚ when‚ at his own father’s funeral‚ a church elder admonished him for not fully embracing Donald Trump as God’s chosen leader.” Is this an exact quote? Alberta answered: “Once I was able to process it‚ because it was a surreal moment‚ having just buried my father—you’re in this state of mourning and of shock‚ and not sure‚ is this even real? … If I could be treated this way‚ if I could be regarded as a member of the deep state‚ as an enemy of the church‚ as an apostate—if I could be treated that way‚ then how are we treating those outside the church?” On NPR’s “Fresh Air‚” host Terry Gross also loved the funeral tale: “Let me back up and say that Rush Limbaugh started quoting you and assailing you on his radio show. What was he saying about you?” Alberta said‚ “Rush Limbaugh was on his show describing some of my unflattering characterizations of Donald Trump and of the evangelical movement. Trump himself was tweeting about my book. I was getting a lot of threats‚ a lot of nasty email‚ a lot of criticism from right-wing media.” So “people were asking me if I was really still a Christian‚ if I was on the right side of good versus evil … and all the while‚ of course‚ my dad is in a box 100 feet away.” Gross then asked‚ “If they saw that in you‚ the son of their pastor‚ you‚ who many of them had known your entire life‚ that—what about people who they don’t know? How easy is it to dehumanize them and just make them into the enemy?” Funerals shouldn’t be a setting for political combat‚ which is why they love this funhouse portrait of conservative Christians. But Alberta wrote this book to argue that Trump-supporting Christians are apostates and enemies of democracy. PBS and NPR and the rest “dehumanize” conservatives routinely. Alberta was bitterly angry at his pastor father for voting for Trump in 2016. So what kind of Christian is a Hillary Clinton backer? Why is his pro-abortion “division” of evangelicalism not “threatening to destroy” it? Alberta and his media helpers can’t seem to find the cultural context of our times. The arrival of “same-sex marriage‚” naturally followed by twerking drag queen performances for children‚ and graphically sexual books in school libraries‚ and “gender-affirming care” for minors aren’t reasons for Christians to feel something is slipping away? Is nothing “extremist” about that? Do Alberta’s model Christians offer any remedy or resistance to these trends? No one asked. COPYRIGHT 2023 CREATORS.COM The Daily Signal publishes a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Heritage Foundation. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post Tagging Evangelical Christians as a ‘Polarizing Extreme’ appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Busy mom April Elizabeth Licata shared a Christmas miracle her family experienced after their all-black Pug puppy‚ Piper‚ went missing for two weeks. The story is incredible‚ but it’s her son’s reaction to seeing Piper again that has everyone reaching for the tissues! Little Piper was a special birthday gift for April’s 12-year-old son‚ Carter. After knowing a special all-black Pug puppy when he was little‚ Carter had always wanted a Pug of his own. So‚ when Carter got Piper for his birthday‚ the two had an instant bond. RELATED: Christmas Miracle Spares Woman's Life In House Explosion "It was love at first sight for the two of them‚" April recalled. So‚ you can imagine how upset Carter was when the unthinkable happened. Beloved All-Black Pug Puppy Goes Missing One day in November‚ Piper went outside to use the bathroom. But when it came time for her to come back inside‚ she was nowhere to be found. Piper’s heartbroken family looked everywhere for her. They searched for her‚ prayed for her‚ alerted everyone they knew‚ and posted the all-black Pug puppy’s picture all over social media. "We were all sick‚" April said. "The older kids wanted nothing to do with decorating the Christmas tree and it was a very somber Thanksgiving for them." As the days‚ and then weeks‚ ticked by‚ the family’s hopes for a Christmas miracle began dwindling. RELATED: Brain-Dead Baby Kaleb Crook with 0% Chance Makes Miraculous Recovery in Time for Christmas “We had all resigned ourselves to the reality that she [probably] wouldn't come back‚” April wrote on Facebook. But then‚ something amazing happened! A Christmas Miracle Just as it seemed like all hope was lost‚ April Elizabeth Licata received a message on Facebook from the Genesee County Animal Shelter. They’d come across April’s posts about Piper and someone had dropped off an all-black Pug puppy they thought might be her. It was a Christmas miracle! Piper was back home with the family that loved her so much. But one thing was still missing — Carter. Carter wasn’t home when the incredible news came in. He was staying with some of April’s family. And the mom decided let Carter experience a Christmas miracle himself by surprising him with a special reunion with his beloved all-black Pug puppy! When April Licata picked Carter up from school‚ she had Piper with her‚ all decked out in bows like a Christmas gift. The adorable Pug puppy couldn’t wait to cover her big brother in kisses. And her little tail couldn’t stop wagging the moment she laid eyes on him! YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Doctors Gave Up‚ But Her Parents Kept Praying For A Christmas Miracle But the most emotional part of the video is when Carter sees Piper. The sweet boy is overcome with emotion and almost doesn’t know what to do. Once he gets in the car with Piper‚ his sobs of joy are almost too much to bear! WATCH: A Christmas Miracle Reunites Boy With Missing Pug Puppy  This beautiful reunion truly is a Christmas miracle! LISTEN: The Legend of The Christmas Spider and Story Behind Tree Tinsel h/t: Love What Matters Featured Image Credit: Facebook/April Elizabeth Licata The post A Christmas Miracle Brought Missing Pug Home And Boy’s Reaction Is Almost Too Much To Handle appeared first on GodUpdates.

Brazilian gospel singer Pedro Henrique‚ 30‚ collapsed on stage and passed away during a performance Wednesday. Henrique‚ who leaves behind a wife and one-month-old daughter‚ reportedly suffered a heart attack while performing his song ‘Vai Ser Tão Lindo’ at a religious event. The event‚ which took place in the city of Feira de Santana‚ was being streamed online. “Video footage of the incident showed Henrique engaging the crowd as he stood on the edge of the stage before he lost his balance and fell on his back‚” Daily Mail reports. Here’s the footage: NEW – Brazilian gospel singer Pedro Henrique‚ 30‚ collapses and dies during a live performance — Daily Mailpic.twitter.com/evUXAz34nB — Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) December 14‚ 2023 BREAKING: Brazilian singer Pedro Henrique‚ 30‚ collapses and dies suddenly during a live performance. pic.twitter.com/Um9KAiI4iB — DiedSuddenly (@DiedSuddenly_) December 14‚ 2023 More from Daily Mail: Henrique was taken to a nearby clinic‚ where he was confirmed dead. Henrique’s record label‚ Todah Music‚ told Radio 93 that the singer had suffered a massive heart attack. ‘These are very difficult situations in life for which we have no explanation‚’ Todah Music said in an Instagram post. ‘We just need to understand that the will of God prevails.’ The record label described Henrique ‘as a cheerful young man‚ a friend to all. Only child. A present husband and a super dedicated father.’ Henrique leaves behind a wife‚ Suilan Barreto‚ and a daughter‚ Zoe‚ who was born October 19. Barreto‚ a gospel influencer‚ had not made any public comments as of Thursday. Henrique joked about being exhausted several hours before he took the stage at the private church service. ‘I’m tired‚ I’m tired‚’ he told one of his friends. ‘That why I want fame. I’m tired.’

Cal-Maine Foods‚ America’s top egg producer and distributor‚ temporarily halted production at one of its facilities in Kansas due to an outbreak of avian influenza. The outbreak affected “approximately 684‚000 laying hens‚ or approximately 1.6% of the Company’s total flock‚” a press release from the company stated. “Production at the facility has temporarily ceased as the Company follows the protocols prescribed by the USDA. Cal-Maine Foods is working to secure production from other facilities to minimize disruption to its customers‚” the press release continued. Cal-Maine Foods temporarily shuts Kansas facility hit by bird flu https://t.co/VAgkifCxDi pic.twitter.com/C8YHzr7TM9 — Reuters (@Reuters) December 13‚ 2023 Cal-Maine halts egg production at plant as bird flu breaks out https://t.co/f13qGOERY4 — BirdieBittern (@BirdieBittern) December 14‚ 2023 From Cal-Maine Foods: According to the USDA‚ these detections do not present an immediate public health concern and are not a threat to the food supply. Also‚ according to the USDA‚ HPAI cannot be transmitted through safely handled and properly cooked eggs or poultry. There is no known risk related to HPAI associated with eggs that are currently in the market and no eggs have been recalled. There have been no positive tests for HPAI at any other Cal-Maine Foods locations to date. Cal-Maine Foods believes it has implemented and continues to maintain robust biosecurity programs across all its locations. Additional strict protocols are in place designed to prevent exposure from the Kansas facility to other locations‚ including the Company’s nearby layer complex which houses approximately one million hens. The Company continues to work closely with federal‚ state and local government officials and focused industry groups to mitigate the risk of future outbreaks and effectively manage the response. The APHIS division of the USDA and individual states track and publicly report individual incidents of HPAI by location. The Company will provide updated information in its next quarterly report to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in January 2024 and does not expect to provide interim updates unless material. Cal-Maine Foods‚ Inc. is primarily engaged in the production‚ grading‚ packing‚ marketing and sale of fresh shell eggs‚ including conventional‚ cage-free‚ organic‚ pasture-raised‚ free-range and nutritionally enhanced eggs. The Company‚ which is headquartered in Ridgeland‚ Mississippi‚ is the largest producer and distributor of fresh shell eggs in the United States and sells the majority of its shell eggs in states across the southwestern‚ southeastern‚ mid-western and mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. Cal-Maine Foods Inc. has halted production at one of its facilities in Kansas due to the detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (#HPAI).https://t.co/K2jtMaiXiO — MeatPoultry.com (@MeatPoultry) December 14‚ 2023 Zero Hedge reports: However‚ the re-emergence of bird flu should have consumers worried that ‘eggflation’ has returned. Now‚ new data from Urner Barry‚ a market research firm that tracks wholesale food prices‚ shows its Urner Barry Egg Index has jumped from a low of 48 cents a dozen in May to as high as $1.75 in November. Prices were $4.65 in December 2022. Urner Barry’s wholesale prices tend to lead as the USDA’s Grade A Egg Retail Per Dozen index appears to have bottomed around $2. PPI: prices for chicken eggs jumped 58.8 percent — zerohedge (@zerohedge) December 13‚ 2023 Reuters noted: It also said that no known HPAI risk associated with eggs were currently in the market and no eggs have been recalled‚ adding that there were no positive tests for HPAI at any other company locations to date. Shares of the company were down marginally at $48.80 in extended trading following the news. More than 72.5 million chickens‚ turkeys and other birds have been wiped out since the U.S. avian flu outbreak began in February 2022‚ according to the USDA. U.S. cases in commercial poultry flocks have increased since October 2023‚ with experts blaming wild birds for spreading the disease. Kansas had not reported an outbreak in a commercial flock since February 2023‚ U.S. data shows. Other large egg-laying operations have also been hit. Ohio confirmed last week that a commercial layer farm with 2.6 million birds was infected and said the birds were being culled.