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“Christmas Fear”

~ Bruce Ray ~ Leave a comment

“We love Chicago. Chicago-ho-ho! It’s going to be a merry Christmas in Chicago.” –Gregory “The Grinch” Bovino *

They’re baaaack! Two hundred Customs and Border Patrol officers, led by Greg Bovino, returned to the Little Village neighborhood in Chicago on Tuesday, December 16, intimidating businesses, arresting people, dropping more tear gas, and interrupting a church food drive in the predominantly Latine community. At one point, according to Block Club Chicago, Bovino and his gang approached the front doors of Enlace Chicago, an immigrant rights center, and waved at workers inside. “They waved to our staff, a clear intimidation tactic,” Enlace’s co-director, Marcela Rodriguez, said. Today, there were reports of Border Patrol activity in Wicker Park and Logan Square.

Bovino and his crew had left Chicago in November following several months of detaining hundreds of “illegal” migrants using military-style tactics–including the use of tear gas and pepper balls, raiding an apartment building in the middle of the night, zip-tying children, and using lethal weapons (two people were shot by CBP officers, one fatally). Upon their departure, there was a collective sigh of relief. Life began to feel a little more normal. But today, everyone returned to a state of high alert. Christmas cheer has been replaced with Christmas fear.

We are living in threatening times. DHS claims that no US citizens have been detained. It’s a lie. DHS claims that no veterans have been deported. It’s a big fat lie. DHS claims that only criminals have been arrested. It’s a bigger, fatter lie. The truth is that DHS lies, and their lies cover up the fact that everyone is at risk of being targeted for detention. Who will be next? Anyone who delivers food to a migrant family? Anyone who protests ICE or CBP tactics? Anyone who contributes money to a mutual aid fund? Anyone who provides migrant children transportation to and from school?

Jesus and his followers in the early church knew a lot about living under the threats and intimidation of ruling authorities. The apostles were threatened with flogging and prison sentences for healing people in the name of Jesus. Paul was beaten and imprisoned for disrupting the economy of Ephesus. Persecution was an ongoing reality, but they resisted through prayer and persisted through bold proclamation–an act of holy disobedience (see Acts 4:24-31).

During this season of Advent, I’ve been repeating the phrase from the Lord’s Prayer, “Deliver us from evil.” I’ve also been praying, “Come, Jesus, come!” My prayer echos that of the early church recorded in Revelation 22:20: “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” The early church also used an Aramaic word, “Maranatha” to express their desire and hope for Christ’s appearance. Translated either “Our Lord, come.” or “Our Lord has come.” it was both a prayer for deliverance and a declaration of defiant resistance.

Bovino and his thugs may try to rob me of my Christmas cheer and attempt to drive me into isolated Christmas fear, but I will resist, proclaiming the mystery of faith: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again bring salvation to those who are waiting for him and deliverance for those who seek justice. Mr. Bovino doesn’t have the power to stop our Christmas cheer because, “Maranatha!”

Let’s get our whistles and dance in the streets, drink egg nog with neighbors and sing defiantly, “Joy to the World, the Lord has come!” Amen.

* For more information about Tuesday’s Border Patrol activity in Little Village, see the Block Club Chicago article.

The Question God is Asking

~ Bruce Ray ~ Leave a comment

“Can a corrupt throne be allied with You—a throne that brings on misery by its decrees? The wicked band together against the righteous and condemn the innocent to death. Psalm 94:20-21 (New International Version)

Whoever says that the Bible isn’t political hasn’t read the Bible. Read the prophets. It is impossible to avoid their words of condemnation for the unjust policies, abuses of power and evil practices of the “princes” and their powerful allies. Their corruption, their schemes, and their lies and their cover-ups are named and exposed. Here are a few examples:

Isaiah 10:1 “Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees.

Jeremiah 22:13 “Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness, his upper rooms by injustice, making his own people work for nothing, not paying them for their labor.”

Ezekiel 34:2 “Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves!”

Micah 2:1 “Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it.”

Habakkuk 2:12 “Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed and establishes a town by injustice!”

Zephaniah 3:1 “Woe to the city of oppressors, rebellious and defiled!”

Zechariah 11:17 “Woe to the worthless shepherd, who deserts the flock!”

The unknown writer of Psalm 94 is also aware of the corruption around him. But instead of exposing the corruption (“Woe to those who…”), he calls out to God, “Rise up, Judge of the earth!” and lists all the atrocities committed by the powerful. He knows that God sees what is happening and has faith that God will turn it all around. But still, there is the question: “How long will God wait?”

I can relate. I know the corruption of our leaders. I see the direct impact of their policies–hunger, fear, detainment, death. I know God must see it too, and I’m confident that God will turn it around…but when? “How long?” I want God to intervene to correct the injustices and hold the perpetrators accountable sooner than later because we may not survive their abuse.

But then, God asks a question of the Psalmist: “Who will rise up for me against the wicked? Who will take a stand for me against evildoers?” (Psalm 94:16) God is looking for those on the ground who are willing to step up to participate in the resistance. God is asking for someone to say “Woe to those who…” and announce, “We see you. We are holding you accountable. And God, Judge of the earth, sees you too and will restore justice for those you have harmed.”

Who will answer God’s question? Who will stand up and speak up? Who will demand accountability? This is THE question for God’s people now. It is God’s call to prophetic action in the face of corrupt leaders and their death-dealing, oppressive policies that target the most vulnerable. The role is not easy. Even the Psalmist felt anxious, but he found courage in God’s unfailing love and promise of protection. We can too. So answer God’s question. “I will rise for righteousness. I will take a stand for God’s justice.”

“Oblivious”

~ Bruce Ray ~ Leave a comment

You lie on beds adorned with ivory and lounge on your couches.
You dine on choice lambs and fattened calves.
You strum away on your harps like David and improvise on musical instruments.
You drink wine by the bowlful and use the finest lotions,
but you do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph. –Amos 6:4-6

According to Forbes magazine, there were 813 billionaires living in the US in 2024 with a total net worth of $5.7 trillion. Elon Musk, now the richest man on the planet, has a net worth of almost $195 billion. He just got richer this week, when shareholders of Tesla approved a compensation package for the CEO valued at up to $1 TRILLION over the next 10 years.

I’ve often asked the question, “How much is enough?” John D. Rockefeller, who was the world’s first billionaire, famously answered that question, saying: “Just a little more.” Rockefeller was worth an estimated $1.4 billion at the time of his death in 1937. That represented almost 1.4% of the total Gross National Product (GNP) of the US economy at the time.

Some will say that excessive wealth is not a sin–and some will point to Rockefeller’s philanthropic gifts as evidence that wealth can be a tool for good–but excessive wealth comes at a cost. Jesus warned against accumulation and greed multiple times. “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?” Luke 9:25. Pursuit of wealth deadens people to the plight of others. Wealth inequality blinds them to the “ruin” around them. One can live as if poverty does not exist, hungry children are “fake news” and the unhoused are to blame for their condition. .

Nowhere was that obliviousness more obvious than at Mar-a-Lago on October 31, 2025, when the president of the United States threw a “Great Gatsby” party for well-heeled donors, members of the administration, and friends. The wine flowed by the bowlful, the finest cuts of meat were on the menu, and guests danced to the tunes of the ‘Roaring Twenties’ while scantily-clad women lounged in oversized martini glasses. Just hours later–on November 1–42.5 million Americans lost their Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. No one at the party, which went by the theme, “A Little Party Never Killed Nobody”, seemed to notice the state-sponsored ruin for those families without the means to put meals on their tables or the irony of the theme with the reality that this little party probably did result in someone’s death by starvation.

God’s word through Amos was clear: obliviousness to the “ruin” will lead to “ruin” for those who have turned a blind eye to those in need and have failed to grieve. God help us see, feel and weep.

Priorities

~ Bruce Ray ~ Leave a comment

The government shutdown has shut me down. Though I wanted to post something online every day, there was always something new to deal with–not the least, the constant notifications of ICE presence in our community wrestling people to the ground and dropping tear gas canisters to disperse crowds that are protesting their use of excessive force. Obviously, a government shutdown has not impacted ICE agents paychecks or activities, but it has impacted everything else. Today, 42.5 million low-income seniors, children, unhoused, and veterans who depend on SNAP woke up to the reality that feeding themselves this month will be a challenge.

And what is our President doing? Posting on social media, of course. But he’s not posting about ending the shutdown or opening the SNAP contingency fund so that children will not go to bed hungry in the richest nation on the planet. No. He’s posting about how he has remodeled the Lincoln Bathroom at the White House in exquisite black and white marble with resplendent gold fixtures..

I was reminded of God’s displeasure (expressed through the prophet Haggai) about the peoples’ priorities. God asks, “Is it time for you to dwell in your own paneled houses while this house (God’s temple) lies in ruins?” (Haggai 1:4 – Common English Bible)

After returning to Jerusalem from exile in Babylon and rebuilding the walls of the city, the people prioritized renovating their homes. Meanwhile, the temple was a pile of rubble and there was no sense of urgency about restoring it.

I sense the same misplaced priorities today–not just from the president, but from so many others in leadership. The temple of God, made up of the living stones of God’s holy people, is neglected and in ruins. And there is seemingly no interest in addressing the distress. No concern. No urgency. No regard.

Building a ballroom, renovating the Kennedy Center and paneling the Lincoln bathroom in marble while people suffer exposes the heart of this administration. Leaders may talk about restoring faith and promoting morals, but their actions (and inaction) reveal the truth: Their thoughts are not God’s thoughts; their priorities are not God’s priorities; their agenda is not God’s agenda.

God’s word to the people through Haggai was, ““Give careful thought to your ways.” (Haggai 1:7) It’s time to rebuild the living temple of God–not maintain the façades of success and glory because, in the end, the marble will crumble.

“Invasion”

~ Bruce Ray ~ 2 Comments

October 3 was my birthday, but my celebration was overshadowed by terrible events in Chicago neighborhoods–including incidents just blocks from our church property.. Some of you have reached out to see if we are OK, and I appreciate your concern. Honestly, I would prefer that you reach out to your representatives and senators and demand an end to the lawless and provocative tactics of ICE in Chicago, Chicago suburbs and beyond.

We have experienced nothing less than an invasion of militarized ICE agents. For the past 3 weeks, ICE has been detaining dozens of people–most of them who have no criminal record. But on my birthday, ICE agents deployed teargas in our streets, ransacked an apartment building in the middle of the night, separated children from their parents and placed them in zip-ties, and shot rubber bullets at peaceful protesters. Happy birthday to me! I would have preferred a spray of flowers over pepper spray.

Even US citizens have been caught in their indiscriminate dragnets. Agents handcuffed Alderperson Jessie Fuentes in a hospital emergency room simply for asking agents if they had a judicial warrant for a man who was being treated. Of course, they did not. Jessie is a friend. It broke my heart watching her be mistreated for exercising her constitutional rights and protecting her constituents from unlawful detention.

Since the beginning of “Operation Midway Blitz”, Latin@ parents are afraid to walk their children to school, Latin@ workers are afraid to go to their jobs. Latin@ citizens are carrying passports and REAL IDs out of fear that they will be stopped simply because they are brown.

All of these unlawful and immoral acts have been verified as factual, The stories are not “fake news.” Let me be clear: these acts do not increase safety and security in my neighborhood. Instead, they increase fear, sow mistrust, create chaos and escalate violence. The Administration would convince you that Chicago (and other cities with Democratic mayors of color) are riddled with criminal activity, and that only solution for restoring “law and order” to the streets is use of military power. It is deception used to justify taking control of the city. Our streets were just fine until ICE showed up.

Today, the Federal government further escalated the tension in our city. Four hundred National Guard arrived from the state of Texas to “protect ICE agents and federal buildings” in Chicago and the state of Illinois. Governor J.B. Pritzker–who has never requested federal help or deployment of the National Guard–called it “Trump’s Invasion.”

Do not listen to Karoline Leavitt. She quotes statistics to reinforce racist tropes and urban criminality. Listen to the people on the ground. Right now, the only lawless criminals I see are the ones who wear street clothing and cover their faces, openly carry weapons, and terrorize our neighborhoods looking for anyone who doesn’t look like Chip.*

But Chip better watch out too. ICE doesn’t like journalists or people who protect their neighbors (aka “the enemy within”)..

Please pray for Chicago–and every other city threatened by ICE–cities like Portland, Memphis, New Orleans, Baltimore, Philadelphia and more to be named. And please do more than pray. Stand up for basic human rights and human dignity. Our faith demands it.

*This is a reference to an interview of US Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino by NPR reporter Chip Mitchell, who asked, “How can you tell [if someone is an ‘illegal alien’] by appearance?” Bovino then asked the reporter his name and responded, “How do they appear in relation to what you or other people look like?” Governor Pritzker accused Bovino’s agents of “harassing people for not being white.” You can read the entire transcript of Chip Mitchell’s interview HERE. BTW, Chip is white.

“Mixed Message”

~ Bruce Ray ~ Leave a comment

“Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?” James 3:10-11 (NIV)

I have been trying to wrap my head around what I witnessed while watching the funeral service for Charlie Kirk. It’s taken me all week to process; and, honestly, it has distressed me. The more than 6-hour service included Scripture, prayer, songs of faith, fond memories of the deceased, eulogies, pronouncements of God’s love for the world and even an invitation to receive Christ. I’ve conducted funerals that include all those things, but this one also included a lot of vitriol, anger and a bitter flavor of retribution–spoken not by the spiritual leaders, not by the grieving widow, but by politicians–including a 41-minute rant delivered by Donald Trump.

I first started feeling unsettled though when conservative political commentator Benny Johnson stood at the podium and referred to the Apostle Paul’s definition of the purpose of government in Romans 13:1-5.. He then pointed to the members of the current administration who were present, declaring, “God has given them power over our nation and our land” to “wield the sword for the protection of good men and the terror of evil men.” He then charged the audience, “May we pray that our rulers here–rightfully instituted by God and given power by our God–wield the sword for the terror of evil men in our day in Charlie’s memory.” He finished by thanking the administration for “carrying out that godly mission of wielding the sword against evil.” The audience roared its approval.

It was the emphasis on “wielding the sword” on God’s behalf to punish those who do evil that deeply disturbed me. The initial message of God’s love, grace and Christ’s sacrifice suddenly turned into a message of God’s wrath and hate of evil-doers. While Johnson never identified the “evil-doers” by name or their behaviors, his implication was clear: those who oppose this administration which has the blessing of God are the evil-doers. This was confirmed by the parade of former and current cabinet members, media influencers, White House staff, and Vice-President JD Vance, who condemned the Marxist-leftists, labor unions, public educators, democrats, Hollywood elites, Antifa and even progressive pastors–those Deputy WH Chief of Staff Stephen Miller defined as “our enemies” and the “forces of wickedness and evil” who are “against us.” Interspersed with the drum-beat against evil were hymns, Scripture quotes, prayers and crowd-led chants of “USA! USA!” that turned the funeral into a White Christian Nationalist political rally–complete with fireworks. Talk about mixed messages!

What bothered me the most, however, were the audience responses to Erika Kirk’s statement of forgiveness for her husband’s killer-and to Donald Trump’s acknowledgement that Charlie Kirk didn’t hate his opponents but wanted the best for them, but adding “that’s where I disagreed with Charlie. I hate my opponent and I don’t want what is best for them.” The audience gave Erika a 45-second ovation. The audience also gave Mr. Trump applause and laughter. OK, it wasn’t a 45-second ovation, but it was approval. Trump went on to hope that the DOJ (Department of Justice) would find the “very bad people” who supported “paid agitators” at Charlie Kirk’s rallies. Again, the audience gave him loud applause..

I was dumbfounded. I would have expected this majority Christian audience to honor and affirm forgiveness, but wince at hate and retribution. I would have hoped that Trump would have heard silence or even a few BOOs. But both forgiveness and retribution were embraced–two opposite and incompatible sentiments. Out of the same mouths came praise and curses. In the same event, we heard calls for love for our opponents and hate for our opponents and both were affirmed. There were calls to forgive and calls for war against the radical left and both were applauded. The Bible has a word for that–double-mindedness.

It saddens me that what the world saw and heard last Sunday was a Christianity that says it worships the God of love and life, but also embraces the ethos of hatred and death. The service ended with Erika Kirk embracing and being held by the president–a metaphor for what I see within much of the American Christian church–an embrace of power at the expense of spiritual integrity.

The service promised fresh water–living water–but it delivered mostly bitter. Sadly, people drank it up.

Political Violence Is Not Blue or Red

~ Bruce Ray ~ Leave a comment

Fear begets mistrust. Mistrust begets divisiveness. Divisiveness begets tribalism. Tribalism begets hatred. Hatred begets violence. Violence begets more violence until we are completely destroyed. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, spoke frequently about the cycles of violence, but the quote that most resonated with me today in the wake of Wednesday’s assassination of Charlie Kirk was this:

Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction.” – MLK, Jr.

Wednesday’s horrific event is not the first act of political violence this year; it is a continuation of the ongoing “descending spiral” of violent self-destruction that can be traced back centuries. South Carolina Senator David Ramsay was killed by an assassin on May 6, 1815. Every decade since, Presidents, members of congress, governors, state legislators, judges, and political leaders have been killed. The years leading up to and the decade after the Civil War were particularly violent. The 1960s were also extremely violent including the assassinations of President Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, Medgar Evers and Martin Luther King. The past 15 years, we have seen a similar uptick in violence. Over the years, victims of violence have been Republicans AND Democrats and the perpetrators of violence have also represented the full spectrum of political parties and ideologies. Analysis of the data suggests that political polarization increases political violence. We are living in polarizing and dangerous times. And political violence will plunge us into what Martin Luther King called “the dark abyss of annihilation” unless…

  • . …unless, we move the needle the opposite direction through honest self-reflection, deep contrition and real repentance.
  • …unless we set our feet on the path of mutual confession and mutual healing.
  • …unless we shift toward humility and away from arrogant certainty, finger-pointing, and speculation that leads to escalation.
  • …unless we recognize our shared humanity and choose mercy and love over pursuit of power.
  • …unless we who claim to “love God” and “love our neighbor” (including our perceived and real ‘enemies’) actually model it through acts of justice, solidarity, compassion and service.

The climb up from the descending spiral begins today with unified outrage that a 31-year-old husband and father was killed while exercising his right to free speech. This should be a time for all of us to grieve with those who grieve–especially with his widow and children–and express our rejection of violent acts and vitriolic speech and our commitment to civil discourse and common decency.

We stand at a precipice. We must turn away from violence or we will destroy one another. Choose love today.

War and Peace

~ Bruce Ray ~ Leave a comment

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God.” – Jesus (Matthew 5:9)

“Cursed are the warmongers, for they will be called the children of Apollyon.” – (the implied antithesis of Jesus’s statement)

On Friday, #47 signed an Executive Order (his 200th such order to date), renaming the “Department of Defense” the “Department of War” because it sounds tougher. He then turned over the microphone to his re-named Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth. 

After making an odd (and questionable) historical observation that under the name “Department of War” the military had never lost a war, and that under the name “Department of Defense” the military had never decisively won a war, Hegseth said,  “This name change is not just about ‘renaming;’ it’s about ‘restoring’. Words matter. It’s…restoring the ‘warrior ethos’; restoring victory and clarity as an end state; restoring intentionality to the use of force, so…the War Department is gonna fight decisively, not endless conflicts. It’s gonna fight to win, not not to lose. We are gonna go on offense, not just on defense. Maximum lethality, not tepid legality. Violent effect, not politically correct. We’re gonna raise up warriors, not just defenders. So, this War Department, Mr. President, just like America, is back.” He finished by adding, “America First.”

Within hours, the Department of Defense website was rebranded, “war.gov.”

Let’s go back 80 years to September 2, 1945.  World War II officially ended, but the world was in shambles. Upwards of 85 million people—3% of the global population–had been killed directly during the war or had died of disease and starvation, cities had been completely destroyed, six million Jews, gay people, people with disabilities, Jehovah’s Witnesses and Romani people had been gassed and incinerated in Nazi concentration camps, two nuclear bombs had been dropped (by the U.S.). It was the deadliest military conflict in human history. 

Coming out of the devastation there was a global cry for peace.  On October 25, 1945, the United Nations was officially established with a mission “to maintain international peace and security, promote friendly relations among nations, and foster cooperation on economic, social, and humanitarian issues.”  

President Harry Truman, stood before Congress on September 6,1945–just days after the war had ended–and proposed the creation of a unified department of national defense to address concerns about military preparedness that arose following the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 1, 1941. Congress passed the National Security Act two years later which created the National Military Establishment—which combined the Department of the Army and Department of the Navy, the Marine Corps and the newly formed Air Force. President Harry Truman signed the act into law on July 26, 1947.  In 1949, the NME was renamed the “Department of Defense.” Its stated mission was to “provide the military forces needed to deter war and ensure our nation’s security.”

Eighty years ago, our war-weary nation focused on preventing future wars, promoting international peace and cooperation, and pursuing diplomacy.  But it didn’t take long for us to return to war again and again.  And now we seem focused solely on American military supremacy through “maximum lethality.” without concern for “tepid legality.”

Earlier this week, the newly named War Department authorized the attack of a Venezuelan boat in international waters that was allegedly filled with drugs and manned by the Tren de Aragua cartel.. No one bothered to inform members of the Armed Service Committee of Congress of to the attack as is required by the War Powers Act,, and there was no evidence that the boat was delivering drugs to the US.  We’ll never know. The boat—and the eleven men aboard—were obliterated. “Maximum lethality, not tepid legality.”

Maybe we’ve always been a nation of warmongers who ignore accepted boundaries and bend the rules of engagement, but this open embrace of thuggery and this promotion of the “warrior ethos” feels different. Maybe it’s because the people promoting it—like Pete Hegseth—claim to be followers of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Maybe it’s because anyone that questions the administration’s pre-occupation with war and domination is considered “weak” and “woke” and is deemed “the enemy.”  Jesus wouldn’t survive this administration. 

God isn’t going to bless warmongers. The blessing is reserved for the peacemakers—those who “seek peace and pursue it.”   Right now, it feels like we are being led by the children of Apollyon—the Destroyer.  And we know what their end will ultimately be.

So, I’m going to go the mountain of the Lord to learn the ways of peace—where swords will be turned into plowshares, spears into pruning hooks and where nations will no longer pursue war. Let’s go there together. 

The (Not So) Mysterious Man of Lawlessness

~ Bruce Ray ~ 2 Comments

“Let no one in any way deceive you, for it (the Day of the Lord) will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship…displaying himself as being God.” 2 Thessalonians 2:3 – 4 (NASB)

While these verses were written almost 2000 years ago during Roman empirical domination, they came to mind last week as I listened to the ongoing threats of deployment of the National Guard by the Department of Defense to the city of Chicago to “make the city safe” despite the statistics and despite the fact that neither the Illinois Governor nor the Chicago Mayor have requested federal assistance–the lawful process for Guard activation.

Though the president and his administration have portrayed themselves as the defenders of law and order, we have watched them circumvent rulings by the courts–and slander and call for the impeachment of judges that rule against their illegal policies and practices. Again and again, this administration has thumbed its nose at attempts to place guardrails on executive power.

Is #47 the mysterious “Man of Lawlessness” of 2 Thessalonians that sets himself up as the Almighty and is the “son of destruction?” Though the identity of the man is shrouded in speculation, lawlessness is definitely #47’s ‘modus operandi.’ He has demonstrated an obsession for self-aggrandizement, and he has acted with absolute authority and demanded total fealty–ie worship. Though he maintains a facade of ‘religion’, his conduct denies its validity. Though he acts to punish his political enemies while he pardons his convicted friends. Though he claims to be a champion of the poor, he greedily amasses wealth at their expense. Though he scapegoats immigrants for spikes in violent crime, he claims victimization for his own felony convictions. Though he promises a return to American greatness, he destroys the foundational democracy upon which the nation is built. It is all deception.

But the writer of 2 Thessalonians says the rise of the man of lawlessness does not happen in a vacuum. He is revealed in the context of a spiritual crisis identified as “the apostasy.” The man of lawlessness is made possible because people of faith have abandoned the truth and renounced the message of kingdom of heaven–the message of Christ. Sadly, Jesus predicted the same shift of allegiance in the “last days.” He said, “Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. Because lawlessness will multiply, the love of many will grow cold.” (Matthew 24:11-12 – NIV) This rejection of truth and justice feels very contemporary as we watch people of Christian faith not only encourage and embrace the president’s cruel and dehumanizing policies and executive orders, but also defend his lawlessness–all the way back to the infamous “Access Hollywood” interview where he proudly celebrated his lawlessness. Billy Bush was fired. Donald Trump was elected President by evangelical Christians.

Are these the “Last Days?” I’ll let you decide.

Whatever you think, remember: there is hope in the Scripture. The apostasy occurs, the man of lawlessness is revealed, but it ultimately leads to re-creation–not destruction. “The Day of the Lord” will come. The reign of lawlessness will come to an end and justice will flow. Peter encourages his readers to “live into” that promised day even in the middle of the turmoil of lawlessness. He writes, “in keeping with [God’s] promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness [ie justice] dwells. Therefore, loved ones, while you are looking for these things, make every effort to be found in shalom, spotless and blameless before [God]. (2 Peter 3:13-14 – TLV) He also warns them to “Be on your guard so that you are not led astray by the error of the lawless and lose your sure footing.” (2 Peter 3:17 – TLV)

Be faithful and watchful. God’s new day WILL come.

I Call “Waste, Fraud and Abuse.”

~ Bruce Ray ~ 1 Comment

By design, we have been inundated with executive orders, tweets, Truth Social posts, and off-the-rails rants to the point of exhaustion. It is too much for my limited bandwidth. Though my tongue is on fire and I want to write a response, I don’t know where to begin. I now realize that I have fallen for the strategy: Overwhelm everyone with daily manufactured crises and overload the newsfeed until everyone just gives up and shuts down.

I was close to shutting down myself…until Friday (yesterday.). In an Oval Office news conference, the President announced that he was going to send National Guard troops to other cities to make them very, very safe–like he had done in Washington, DC. The city to be targeted next got my full attention. “Chicago is a mess” with an “incompetent mayor–grossly incompetent,” . And then he turned to JD Vance and said, “And the people in Chicago, Mr. Vice-President, are screaming for us to come.”

Trump is correct. WE ARE SCREAMING, but it’s not for the deployment of the National Guard. We’re screaming because the President’s ongoing narrative about Chicago is a fabrication, a distortion, a lie–just like his racist narrative about other cities with African-American mayors (like LA, NYC, DC). AARGH!!! Chicago’s crime rate is at a 10-year low. Homicides have been falling since 2021 and are down 30% from 2024. Shootings are down 40% and robberies are down 35%. Through August 22, 2025, there have been 275 homicides–compared to 553 in August 2021. If the trend continues, Chicago may see its lowest homicide rate in over 35 years!

What really gets my tongue on fire though is the duplicity of Trump’s narratives. He is constantly talking about eliminating the massive amounts of “waste, fraud, and abuse” in government programs and initiatives. To that end, the Department of Justice announced in April that it was cancelling $820 million in grants for “community violence prevention strategies” which address root causes of violence–strategies that have proven to be effective and financially efficient. (Source: Brennan Center for Justice)

At the same time, the president sends the National Guard to “make our cities safe.” Deployment isn’t free. The government paid $134 million–using our tax dollars–for the deployment of 4,700 National Guardsmen, Marines, and other military personnel in Los Angeles for 60 days. The cost for deployment of 800 National Guardsmen in Washington D.C. is approximately $300,000 per day. This does not include costs for equipment, transport, or command overhead. If the deployment lasts 30 days, the total cost is estimated to be over $2.5 million! (Source: The Pricer)

So I ask the question: Which taxpayer funding is more wasteful, fraudulent and abusive? #1. The cost of programs and strategies that work to prevent violence and address root causes of crime? Or #2. The cost of unnecessary (wasteful) deployment of the National Guard and the military founded upon the fabricated (fraudulent) narrative of rampant crime and violence in cities led by Democratic men and women of color (abusive)?

If you still selected #1, all I can say is, “AARGH!”