Legalism and Generation Joshua: An Exercise in Confusion

https://www.christianpost.com/voices/how-the-fundamentals-of-christian-fundamentalism-led-me-out.html

I read this piece twice, attempting to take it all in and let it wash over me. I could appreciate some of what Elizabeth Doll has to say and yet at the same time was repulsed by it. There are definitely problems in some quarters of the Church and often it seems like the parts that affect people the most are not questions of substance but style, an ethos, and a kind of culture within the Church.

The BBC and ISIS: Dispelling Propaganda with Propaganda

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0j4x4hy

Within moments of turning on this BBC podcast I knew it was going to be a case of spin. There was from the onset a dishonest narrative about the origins of ISIS and the panel failed to probe or explain how the group grew out of al Qaeda and how its vision is different - the more extreme nature of the group is found in its apocalyptic understanding of the world.

Boeing and its Place in the US Empire

https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2024/5/2/whistleblower-joshua-dean-ex-worker-at-boeing-supplier-dies

Boeing is too big to fail. As a member of the S&P100, the company constitutes a large and essential component within the stock market as well as the US security apparatus. Boeing builds commercial jets and does billions of dollars in military contracts. In fact it's the second biggest military contractor in the United States (and third in the world).

Presbyterianism's Rejection of the Sufficiency of Scripture

https://reformedforum.org/podcasts/ctc848/

I literally laughed out loud when I reached the 47:00 minute mark of this podcast - an exercise in the torture that is Presbyterian polity. We have committees to exercise oversight of committees.

Orthodox Intrigues in Moldova

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/romanian-orthodox-church-welcomes-moldovan-priests-wanting-join-2024-04-25/

https://www.euractiv.com/section/enlargement/news/romanian-orthodox-church-welcomes-moldovan-priests-wanting-to-join/

As I have often reported, political programmes of subversion and transformation often contain a religious component. Moldova and its place in the West's Anti-Russia campaign has been overshadowed by the war in neighbouring Ukraine as well as other global conflicts, but in fact the campaign is intensifying as Brussels seeks to fast-track both Chișinău and Kyiv into the EU. Whether that actually happens or not is yet to be seen.

The Wooing of Armenia

https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-launch-new-e270-million-plan-bring-armenia-fold-russia/

Since the article's publication in April, there have been numerous reports regarding Armenia. The situation remains dynamic with Yerevan reaching out to Ukraine and thus angering Russia in the process. There are real fears in Moscow of Armenia rescinding its membership with the Russian-led CSTO security agreement and flipping over to the NATO column - not in full membership but as one of its allies. This also generates concerns over the brewing instability of its neighbour Georgia. For Putin, the invasion of Ukraine was meant to arrest Atlanticist expansion, but with the accession of Sweden and Finland into NATO, and now the growing risk of all of Transcaucasia falling under the aegis of the American-led bloc, there's no small degree of consternation. And the EU is also looking to expand.

The BBC, Russia, and Unreality

BBC coverage within Russia has taken a rather snarky tone for some time. They're not really reports as much as they are snide editorials. Secular Humanism is the religion of modern culture and the BBC advocates for this - even if they would deny it. Classical Liberalism is the default political theory, even though there's no real basis for assuming this within a secular worldview. They can't appeal to any authority and in a contest of empirical evidence the system is far from unassailable even though they seem to think so. One would think that an international news outlet would be a little more cynical regarding the history of democracy and liberalism in the West, but after all we are talking about a kind of faith - even if it's a vain and empty one.

Flag and Cross

Does no one understand that you can't stand for the flag and kneel for the cross at the same time?

If we assume (for the sake of argument this dumb pairing that adorns hats, t-shirts, car bumpers etc.) - then I suggest we put it to them and turn their boast into a dilemma. You cannot have it both ways. The two kingdoms are antithetical with different goals and values.

Right-wing Circularity and Cross Pollination

https://www.politico.eu/article/viktor-orban-hungary-culture-war-woke-brussels/

There is a circularity of inspiration for these Right-wing movements. US politicians, movements, and media outlets have inspired the likes of Viktor Orban in Hungary. Given the political climate of his country and its much smaller population, Orban has been successful in actually implementing some of these policies. As such he's become a hero to American Right and now political actors in the US are looking to Orban for inspiration when it comes to their strategies and style.

A Dragon Pretending to be a Lamb

https://www.christianpost.com/news/ted-cruz-blasts-spiritual-component-of-modern-left.html

Without a doubt the Church is filled with compromisers and led by men that have capitulated and even bowed to the world. We were warned of this in the New Testament.

But this condemnation does not belong exclusively to theological liberals and/or those that have embraced Left-wing politics. The same is true when it comes to those that have embraced Right-wing thinking, Enlightenment categories of economics and politics, those that promote mammonism, nationalism, and champion war and empire - even while denying they do so.

Another New Calvinist Apostate

https://julieroys.com/how-shannon-harris-kissed-biblical-womanhood-goodbye/

This article is about the wife of Josh Harris and with her story the sad circle of apostasy is now complete. Both of them have abandoned Christianity in what is another mark against New Calvinism testifying to its often superficial and shallow nature.

The Taliban, Poppy Cultivation, and Opium Markets

https://www.usip.org/publications/2023/06/talibans-successful-opium-ban-bad-afghans-and-world

https://www.rferl.org/a/afghan-farmers-livelihood-taliban-bans-opium/31803532.html

The United States Institute for Peace or USIP is a mouthpiece for the US government. The fact that this federal agency is required to have both the Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense on its board reveals it to be a sham. It does not promote or stand for peace. It cannot with these kinds of imperialist and militarist connections.

Dictators and Drug Dealers: America's Dissonant Practice of Celebrating the Fall of its Allies and Activist Deaths that Don't Matter

https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2024/3/17/the-criminal-hypocrisy-of-hernandezs-drug-conviction-in-a-us-court

https://responsiblestatecraft.org/honduras-president-arrested/

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2024/apr/01/years-after-berta-caceres-is-there-new-hope-for-justice

The death of Alexei Navalny received around-the-clock coverage and it was simply assumed that Putin ordered it and yet when someone like Berta Caceres of Honduras is killed, virtually no one in Western (and certainly American) media seems to care and suggestions of American involvement are met with scoffs.

French Evangelical Folly

https://evangelicalfocus.com/europe/26664/french-evangelicals-welcome-new-law-to-combat-cults

There are plenty of occasions and opportunities in society for abuse and it could be argued this has been made worse by modern society and the various technological venues and vehicles available to abusers. But we should pause when considering granting the state power to make such determinations.

A Follow up to the Evangelical Gospel of Hiroshima

https://pilgrimunderground.blogspot.com/2024/05/the-evangelical-gospel-of-hiroshima.html

Someone suggested to me that in The Evangelical Gospel of Hiroshima I failed to properly take into account the question of the congressman's office and his duties and the obligations it entails. Tim Walberg would be remiss if he didn't take those interests into account - including hard questions of foreign and military policy. As an office holder he has responsibilities and tasks that are laid upon his shoulders and sometimes this would necessarily entail an appeal to a moral hierarchy.

Anabaptists and Veteran Discounts

I recently witnessed a further slide of Anabaptism into cognitive and ethical dissonance. As the Amish have moved more and more into the mainstream economy (our local paper's 'Service' section is now dominated by them), they are falling into the traps and enticements of mammon. And as a result, they are getting involved in politics - no doubt fostered by the Christian Right's outreach and attempts to woo them.

An Excellent Summary of Christian Nationalism

https://religionnews.com/2024/04/04/the-peril-radicalizing-some-evangelicals-goes-beyond-christian-nationalism/

This is probably one of the best summaries of Christian Nationalism I've read yet. Taylor successfully and succinctly explains the difference between the older forms of Evangelical Right-wing Christianity and its ethos of preferential pluralism and that of Christian Nationalism or as he rightly puts it - Christian Supremacy.

Politics and Persecution in Armenia

https://evangelicalfocus.com/europe/25560/armenian-court-rejects-baptist-conscientious-objector-appeal-against-jail-sentence

I have mentioned this in previous articles but there's been a shift in how the American Right deals with the Armenian question. For many years the US stuck close to its NATO ally in Ankara and the Turkish refusal to acknowledge the genocide. Türkiye has long been linked with Azerbaijan, especially in the post-Cold War setting. This opened door for Washington and gave the United States access to oil and both America and Israel found an ally (for its own reasons) antagonistic to Tehran and right on its border. For the US, the geopolitical placement of Azerbaijan vis-à-vis Russia was also an important consideration.

The Evangelical Gospel of Hiroshima

In March 2024, the Biden Administration hypocritically proposed a temporary dock off the Gaza coast which would be used to bring in humanitarian aid. It was an empty gesture given Biden's unswerving support for Israel's war of extermination and attempt to make Gaza uninhabitable.

When Torture is Right and Moral

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/25/russian-officials-lauding-torture-was-unthinkable-now-it-is-proud-to-do-so

This article appeared in The Guardian in response to the Russian treatment of ISIS-K terrorists who attacked a Moscow concert hall in March of 2024, an act of murder that led to over 100 deaths.

The 2024 EU Parliamentary Elections

https://www.politico.eu/article/brussels-braces-for-far-right-wave-as-eu-election-looms/

It's too difficult to tell if there will be a Right-wing wave in the June 2024 EU Parliamentary Elections. For years the Right has been predicted to win in France and yet always seems to fail in the second round. In other words, when it comes down to it, people are willing to vote strategically rather than stick to one party come what may. It's a definite difference when compared to the US winner-take-all system - one that makes a two-party duopoly all but inevitable.

Fico and the Slovak Media Controversy

https://www.politico.eu/article/slovak-robert-fico-government-shuns-independent-press-wants-turn-public-broadcaster-into-state-run-tv/

*This article was written on 13 May, two days before the assassination attempt which is briefly addressed at the conclusion of this piece.

Brussels has another dissident nation on its hands. On the one hand Slovakia is part of the Visegrad Four (V4), a bloc which has long resisted the EU bureaucracy. But this bloc has been fragmented if not shattered by the war in Ukraine. Poland and the Czech Republic are 'all in' with the EU and NATO, while Hungary and now Slovakia dissent. As such the foreign policy of the bloc is at odds with itself.

Costa Rica, Semi-conductor Devices, and the American Empire

https://english.elpais.com/international/2024-04-22/from-san-jose-to-silicon-valley-costa-rica-is-emerging-as-a-hotbed-for-us-chips.html

The microchip industry has become strategic for the United States, meaning it is guaranteed federal subsidies and is becoming integrated with the security state. New facilities are being developed in Arizona, Texas, Idaho, Ohio, and New York but the industry is always going to be looking for cheaper options. A decade ago that was in China and other Asian locales. The US might be comfortable with South Korea, Japan, or even the Philippines but after the supply chain snags associated with Covid, the US is looking for something closer, a location that wouldn't be affected by such shipping scenarios. As such, Costa Rica has suddenly become an attractive option.

Congress and Big Tech: Hypocrisy and Blindness all on Sides

https://breakpoint.org/big-tech-families-and-the-role-of-government/

As we've come to expect, Stonestreet is less than helpful in addressing the salient issues. This time it's about families, technology, and the state. It continues to astonish me that parents have so little oversight or influence over their children that they are unable to curtail the problems associated with Smartphones and social media.

The Persecution-Industrial Complex Panders to the Right

I must say, this sort of thing just makes me sick. I will explain why. This email appeared in my inbox last fall.

Why do we Pray for Kings and All in Authority?

https://mitchchase.substack.com/p/to-lead-quiet-and-peaceful-lives

It was refreshing to find this author focusing on the Neronic context of Paul's letter to Timothy. It's a critical point and one the seriously undercuts many of the common assumptions that reign in the Evangelical and Dominionist sphere.

More Worldly Wisdom from Ramsey

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/considered-good-income-america-dave-113400372.html

Worldliness dominates Ramsey's thinking. 'A good income' is defined not by the New Testament and the ethics of the Kingdom but by the world, as indeed all of Ramsey's thought is dominated by the world's categories and economic theories. The fact that churches use this man's materials for Sunday Schools and the like is not only disgraceful, it's a sign of growing apostasy and the abandonment of Scripture. It's a sign of judgment. This is even while they continue to throw the word 'Biblical' in front of everything they do.

Sacralist Sacrilege and the Constantinian Shift

https://breakpoint.org/thank-god-for-constantine/

It is Stonestreet that misunderstands the impact of Constantine and the result of his legalization. The fact that he put the cross on soldier's shields already marked a turning point - the identification of the Kingdom of Heaven with the legions of Rome. It is literally difficult to conceive of something more satanic than this.

A Few Lessons From Norway

https://www.jw.org/en/news/region/norway/Jehovahs-Witnesses-to-Appeal-Unconstitutional-Ruling-in-Norway/

This unfortunate if instructive article from the Watchtower Society's website reveals that even the Jehovah's Witnesses still struggle with the nature of antithesis. Obviously the group cannot be reckoned Christian due to their glaring unorthodoxy regarding the Person of Christ. That said, they are in many respects more obedient to simple New Testament imperatives than the bulk of the Confessional and Evangelical world. In many respects the Witnesses put them to shame. For this reason, I will from time to time 'check up' on them and read of not just their struggles but how they deal with them.

The Tragedy and Travesty of the Trumpite Youth

https://www.npr.org/2024/03/19/1239344999/young-voters-conservative-donald-trump-republican-party

My oldest memories of Trump are from the 1980's, The Art of the Deal, and the many scandals surrounding him concerning his marriage and business activities. Trump was off my radar when he re-emerged in the early 2000's as a reality television celebrity - I was no longer watching television by then and high speed internet and streaming were not yet on the scene.

Trueman's Desecration of Christian Sensibility

https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2024/02/desecration-at-st-patricks-cathedral

Is Trueman still a Protestant? One is baffled by his line of argument. Historically Protestants would have viewed the Roman Catholic temple as a blasphemy and its rites as a desecration of the New Testament. What Trueman is arguing about is sacral categories in terms of society - and who controls the symbols and sacred spaces.

Bannon Abroad

https://www.politico.eu/article/steve-bannon-rome-right-wing-gladiator-school-populist-nationalists/

In some respects this is a 'nothing' story. In the grand scheme of things it's minor and yet it provides a glimpse, a quick snapshot of the kinds of things that are happening - everywhere and in unexpected places. It also reveals some more information about the larger Trumpite movement and the activities of operatives like Steve Bannon.

Niger Turns Against Washington and Yellow Cake 2.0

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-68590531

Niger it seems has grown weary of Washington's presence in West Africa. Having ousted the French in 2023, the situation with both Paris and Washington remains tenuous. Tchiani remains in control and yet he faces hard questions concerning the economy of his country. From Niger's ties to the franc to its close uranium-related trade ties with France, it's hard to imagine that Paris will simply let Niger go. The junta leaders will be looking over the shoulder to say the least.

Christo-Trumpism is not just Fascism - it's Antichrist

I keep seeing hats, shirts, signs, and stickers proclaiming Jesus is my Savior and Trump is my President. It's becoming a basis for fellowship, a call sign for people to strike up conversation in restaurants and in lines.

The Rights Granted by America's Enlightenment Creator

A few weeks ago the Christian and Right-wing media-spheres blew up over comments made by Politico's Heidi Przybyla in which she seemed to suggest that Christian Nationalists are those who believe rights are derived from God as opposed to the state.

Kirk Cameron Rejects the Teachings of Christ

https://www.christianpost.com/news/kirk-cameron-says-christians-shouldnt-tolerate-tyranny.html

It's somewhat astounding when these Dominionist types openly flout and defy the Scriptures as is seen here. It's yet another case of the 'Yeah, but...' response to the Scriptures that seems to typify these circles.

Baptising Feminism and Twisting History

https://breakpoint.org/motherhood-myth-busting/

Stonestreet wants to 'bust' myths about motherhood. How does he do it? With Scripture? No – with the myths of historical revisionism.

Christian Nationalism, Gaza, and the Ghosts of Beziers

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/2/21/us-congressman-andy-ogles-stirs-outrage-with-gaza-comment-kill-them-all

After this story broke in February, I waited weeks to see if there would be any real fallout. In terms of the Church, would he be called out, disciplined, even excommunicated? Nothing happened.

John MacArthur's Latest Episode of Hypocrisy and Schizophrenia

https://www.christianpost.com/voices/john-macarthur-vs-christian-nationalism.html

The California megachurch pastor has long attacked Christian political activism and the idea that Christians are to labour for justice in this world. These endeavours distract the Church from its God-appointed task. Such expressions on the part of MacArthur would be in keeping with his Dispensational Premillennial eschatology that sees no hope for this present age and calls the Church to await the pre-tribulational rapture. According to this scheme, great calamity will follow in the form Anti-Christ and the so-called Great Tribulation.

The Theology of the Zealots is Alive and Well on Planet Earth

https://www.christianpost.com/news/evangelical-leaders-back-israel-call-on-us-govt-support.html

One need not turn to a vile rag like the misnamed Christian Post to learn of this story. The number of articles concerning Evangelical support for Israel can be counted by the dozen. This one caught my eye back in November and at the time I made a few notes. More than five months into this war, nothing has changed. In fact the situation has only grown worse.

Constantinian Ethics at their Worst

https://www.beautifulchristianlife.com/blog/how-do-christians-in-the-military-love-their-enemies-and-do-good-to-them

A follow up to:

https://pilgrimunderground.blogspot.com/2023/07/an-ugly-christian-life.html

The commenter to the previous Rowlands piece innocently asked about Matthew 5 and the command to love enemies. And rightly so as this effectively destroys Rowlands' argument. And this passage is far from alone. Rowlands is advocating for a Christianity that is opposed to New Testament ethics - and yet it's a value system that tickles ears and effectively reigns within the contemporary Evangelical Church.

The ISIS-K Attack on Moscow

 It's fairly obvious that Western media wants to find a way to put an anti-Putin spin on the Moscow theatre attack. There are hints that since American intelligence warned him and he didn't act therefore... it's never said, but we're left to conclude that something nefarious took place. He wanted it to happen or let it happen or he's incompetent. Why won't the Russian people realize this? Such allegations and suggestions when put into an American context are ridiculed but are perfectly acceptable when it comes to other countries, particularly America's enemies.

Manila Throws in with AUKUS Against Beijing

https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/leaders/historic-speech-from-philippines-president-makes-veiled-swipe-at-china/news-story/3b5593d7b992f340701d23510d061883

At the end of February 2024, Ferdinand 'BongBong' Marcos spoke before the Australian Parliament. It was an important speech, especially for the East Asian theatre and though described as 'historic' it was hardly covered in the West.

Paris,Yerevan, and Baku

https://eurasianet.org/armenia-azerbaijan-macron-stirring-things-up-in-the-caucasus

Baku is in a fairly cozy relationship with Washington and thus if the Americans don't want to see Macron make this move, you can be sure the Azeri government will speak out and condemn French overtures.

Tooley Keeps Spinning the GMC

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/mainline-methodist-left/

Mark Tooley continues to mislead regarding the 'conservative' Global Methodist Church (GMC). Conservative by what standard? In terms of historic Protestant orthodoxy, the new denomination is not conservative but theologically liberal. When compared to the New Testament, the GMC represents a serious departure with its attitudes regarding everything from feminism to the embrace of higher criticism and much more.

New Information Regarding the 2004 Coup in Haiti

https://thegrayzone.com/2024/03/01/secret-cable-cia-haiti-coup/

See also: https://proto-protestantism.blogspot.com/2021/11/a-dominionist-evangelical-distortion-of.html

This piece from The Grayzone is timely as we see the US is poised to insert itself once again into the politics of Haiti. This time the US is attempting to utilize a proxy and has put a great deal of pressure on Kenya to take the lead in peacekeeping. Why? Because the US public does not want to see American soldiers on the ground in Haiti - at least not in significant numbers.

Evangelical Misunderstandings of Modi's Relationship with the US

https://www.christianpost.com/voices/indias-pm-modi-wages-war-against-christians-with-impunity.html

Pardon my cynicism but if Trump were president I don't think this criticism would be levied with quite as much zeal and earnest as we see in this piece from the so-called Christian Post. In some respects the article was refreshing but in others ridiculous.

Shame on the UMC and on these Congregations Trying to Leave It

https://www.christianpost.com/news/court-rules-against-42-churches-trying-to-leave-the-umc.html

Ostensibly these congregations wish to leave the apostate United Methodist Church. But then in the process of making their moral stand they violate Scripture and drag the Church into the secular courts.

Sacralism versus Satanism in Iowa

https://www.christianpost.com/news/man-who-toppled-iowa-satanic-display-responds-to-critics.html

Reading the Christian Post is wearisome but often revealing. This story keeps gaining traction and yet no one seems to understand just what is happening here.

The Truth Americans Don't Want to Hear About the 2024 US Presidential Election

https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2023/12/31/i-dont-care-who-wins-the-us-presidential-election

Mitrovica's editorials often catch my eye and he's usually interesting though I often disagree with him. I found this piece to be germane and its cynicism morally justified – even refreshing.

Appropriating Tolkien by Means of Anachronism

https://www.politico.eu/article/inside-giorgia-meloni-hobbit-fantasy-world-lord-of-the-rings-fratelli-italia-brothers-italy-politics/

As one who has been reading Tolkien since elementary school, and even now enjoys discussing his works with my adult children, I am beset by many emotions when I read something like this. I feel as if someone has hijacked something from my childhood or like a memory has been violated.

A Ridiculous Essay About Anti-Trump Evangelicals

https://www.aaronrenn.com/p/the-resistance-will-be-organized

I think I've just about had my fill of Aaron Renn and for that matter the on-line rag known as The American Reformer. After reading several of his pieces, I think I've more or less grasped where he's coming from and I don't see that he has a lot to offer.

This piece was pretty characteristic of what I keep encountering – more Right-wing boilerplate material.

There's a great sinister plot at work – all kinds of dark money funding the anti-Trump Evangelical movement.

Mike Johnson, the Evangelical Speaker of the House

https://www.npr.org/2023/11/15/1211536399/speaker-johnson-christian-nationalism-evangelical

With so much happening in the news, stories like this have almost slipped under the radar. Four months into his tenure as Speaker, some refer to Johnson as a moderate and when compared with some of the Trumpites in Congress he seems rather tame, and yet this misleading.

The Age of Lithium, India, and Argentina

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/eye-on-china-india-inks-first-overseas-lithium-mining-deal-for-five-blocks-in-argentina/articleshow/106874549.cms?from=mdr

Milei is eager to please the Western and international banking establishment and he needs to generate revenue for the coffers of the Argentinean state.

Evangelical Narratives about Trump and Haley

A couple of weeks ago while listening to the BBC, an American Evangelical leader attempted to explain his faction's overwhelming allegiance to Trump. He suggested that all things considered, Trump is the best prospect. All the emphasis was on beating Biden.

South Africa and the American Empire

https://www.news24.com/citypress/news/us-politicians-call-for-review-of-relations-with-sa-for-supposedly-undermining-national-security-20240210

South Africa is the weakest of the BRICS nations and has over the past several years angered Washington. Not only has it joined BRICS, it has tacitly supported Russia, and now has generated a great deal of anger by leading the charge against Israel in the ICJ. It was only a matter of time before the US acted – the goal is to punish South Africa and generate upheaval within its society and political system. The campaign is under way.

Some Perspective on Navalny's Death

Listening to the near breathless and morally outraged coverage of Alexei Navalny's death, several things come to mind.

Theologians of the Beast and Ivory Tower Takes on Empire

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/empires-foreign-and-domestic/id1677193347?i=100063749953

Since the American Reformer keeps popping up on Reformed websites like The Aquila Report, I have (out of curiosity) been listening to some of the podcasts. They have proven as disappointing as the writings.

Spawn of the CIA and a Son of Suharto

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tx35KRYbf1g

Prabowo is actually the former son-in-law of Suharto, the Indonesian dictator who came to power in the 1960's by means of a genocide – one encouraged and backed by the United States. Not a few in Washington wished Vietnam could have gone the way of Indonesia. The US lost Vietnam though millions would also die in Indochina.

The Lingering Strength of the American Empire

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/nov/30/americas-undying-empire-why-the-decline-of-us-power-has-been-greatly-exaggerated

This piece raised several significant points concerning the resilience and remaining fortitude of the American Empire. Everyone would agree US prestige has dropped in recent years – though no one can agree as to when this process began or even exactly why. It all makes for an interesting discussion and the entire question is (to a degree) in flux due to the pending 2024 electoral contest. Its result will move the needle – more than some will acknowledge and yet less than others fear.