On CBS Mornings, contributor Lisa Ling (a former cast member of The View) self-identifies as a "die-hard feminist," which CBS thinks is a great reason to assign her stories on "The State of Spirituality." In September, Ling championed the notion of female priests in the Catholic Church, and on Thursday, Ling promoted a "transgender man" who's a pastor in Hollywood for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Co-host Tony Dokoupil set the tone in a tease: "Coming up, Lisa Ling talks spirituality with a pastor trying to expand inclusivity in the Christian church." Dokoupil later introduced the segment: "Many traditional religions are trying to make progress toward being more inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community. But for some groups, it`s been a very slow journey on that front. Today, Lisa introduces us to a pastor in California who wouldn`t be welcome to preach in many American churches." 'CBS Mornings' continues it's 'State of Spirituality' series by celebrating transgender pastors and pro-trans churches, lamenting how many churches aren't like the Evangelical Lutheran Church by allowing trans clergy and implying those opposed do so by sending threats. pic.twitter.com/VVzhjYVzDZ — Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) October 3, 2024 LISA LING: Stever is a transgender man and he's also an ordained minister in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. DREW STEVER: Do we stand on the side of fear and hate or do we stand on the side of curiosity and awe? - LING: Some Christian denominations have evolved to be more inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community, but the acceptance of trans clergy has been much slower. According to Pew Research, the majority of Christians still feel whether a person is a man or a woman is determined by their sex assigned at birth. Do you believe that the Lutheran Church is a safe place for queer people? STEVER: It is trying so hard. LING: In 2015, the Lutheran Church ordained its first trans priest. Trans clergy also serve in other denominations, but most still forbid LGBTQ+ clergy. Those troglodytes who "still" hold to what the Bible teaches were not interviewed for this story. But they are brought up as hateful people who believe the Bible isn't outdated.  LING: Because there are a lot of people who say that according to the Bible, God made man and woman and that couldn't be more clearly defined. How do you respond to them? DREW STEVER: It's hard to relate it to modern day times because it wasn't written for 2024, it was written for then. When we read in the scripture that God created man and woman, yes, and God created everyone else as well. The God of the Bible wasn't "compassionate" or "inclusive." But God has apparently become wiser and more compassionate for our modern times, because Stever claims God encouraged his "transition." LING: Stever credits a homeroom teacher for first introducing him to a more compassionate Christian theology, accepting of everyone. This eventually helped him realize he was being called to become a pastor. You went into seminary as a woman. How did you come out of seminary? STEVER: Not a woman. LING: It was summer 2016 and leading up to the election, anti-trans rhetoric was ramping up. But Stever says he could no longer deny who he's always been. STEVER: There was a moment where I woke up in the morning, and the words that came to my mind was, you don`t have to be angry anymore. And I almost felt like God just took a snowball and just threw it at my face. LING: So you think that voice was God? STEVER: I think so, yeah. LING: But after Stever transitioned, he began receiving hate, mostly online. The opponent isn't conservative views, it's just "hate," whether it's online messages or in-person vandalism. Ling concluded: "Pastor Drew has had a pride flag hanging outside of Hope Lutheran. And shortly after we filmed there, someone ripped down the flag and damaged it. The flag, though, is back up. And he told us he is, quote, "not deterred by one person's small worldview." Or, as Ling confessed, "still the majority of Christians."

When you pick up a pair of good leather shoes, or a bag, or a jacket, the first thing you notice is that beautiful, unmistakable smell. There's nothing like it.It's a smell you rarely encounter when you get into a new car, even if the interior vaguely looks like leather. Instead, your nose fills with the aroma of off-gassing plastic. Plastic breaks a lot quicker than leather — it crumbles with flakes, and, when that happens, it's not repairable.And that's because "vegan leather" or "faux leather" or "leatherette" or "pleather" or whatever a car company wants to call it has never even come near to an actual animal hide. Let's call it what it is: 100% petroleum-based plastic. How's that for "sustainable"? Last month, I went to Italy at the invitation of Is It Leather?, a global campaign to educate consumers about leather, one of the oldest materials used by humans. Contrary to what environmental and animal-rights activists say, it's renewable, practical, and humane.My destination was Lineapelle, the massive international leather trade show held in Milan. There, I met with some of the finest leather crafters and companies in the world. It was an eye-opening experience and a reminder that no matter how some brands try to trick you, nothing beats the real thing. Our journey started in Pompeii, in the ruins of a tannery dating back to the first century. The ancient Romans used urine to tan their hides; in modern times, we've switched to chemicals such as chromium. Now, that process does produce a fair amount of pollutants, but in recent years leather-makers have pioneered the use of organic compounds like olive leaf extract. While in Milan, I had a chance to talk with leather crafter and influencer Tanner Leatherstein about something consumers encounter when buying a car. You open the door and look at the interior and seats, and they tell you, "That's Napa leather."Does that mean anything — or is it just a sales pitch?Napa leather (so called because it comes from a process pioneered in Napa, California), Leatherstein tells me, is a type of finish "they apply on top of the leather. In automotive, you need a really thick layer of finish for ... resistance and durability."But Napa leather starts with high-quality, full-grain leather, which means it doesn't need as much finish as lesser-quality hides. "You can almost think it in terms of makeup," says Leatherstein. "If the hide is too full of imperfections because it's an animal scratching itself everywhere, you need a lot of makeup to make it standardized looking, which means a lot of plastics to cover it.""But if you have naturally clean hides, which is maybe 10 or 5% of the entire hide population, it doesn't require a lot of makeup because it's naturally beautiful. So now you can accomplish this nice look with a minimal layer of plastic finish on top, [meeting] the requirements, yet you still enjoy that natural chaotic look of the grain, the leather grain."So if you hear a car interior has Napa leather, that's a good sign. "There's a lot of trickery going on in car interiors," says Leatherstein. "As a consumer, when I'm buying a luxury car I expect real leather, but unfortunately car brands using these plastic materials with leather in the name, and a lot of people think it's leather."Real leather isn't just nicer, its better for the environment, Leatherstein tells me. "Plastic breaks a lot quicker than leather — it crumbles with flakes, and, when that happens, it's not repairable. You just have to trash it, and plastic doesn't go anywhere — it turns into microplastics, which go into the water and the soil; it goes into your plants and vegetables."I also met up with saddlemaker and leatherworker Ben Geisler, who walked me through all the various animal hide used to make leather, from cow and sheep, to pig and shark and even alligator. For more on my time learning about leather in Italy, watch the video here: - YouTube www.youtube.com

Why does the media support satanic abortions? The Economist is the latest outlet to celebrate Satanism and its nomination of abortion as a sacred rite. Like so many others, the article profiles the Satanic Temple's founder with a tone of reverence. The Washington Post indulges in similar coverage, exploring everything from its "revolutionary roots" to a live-blogged abortion, as though this were just another milestone in progressive politics. Perhaps the most absurd claim from the Temple is that adherents don't 'really' believe in Satan. But how does an avowed satanist engage in satanic rituals without acknowledging Satan? PolitiFact, part of Poynter's "fact-checking" empire, once again joins in with a fluff piece disguised as objective reporting. Over and over, media outlets portray the Satanic Temple as a champion of religious freedom and abortion rights. Its telehealth service offers medication and "abortion care," which the press portrays as some bold exercise of liberty. Meanwhile, more honest sources see it for what it is: open antagonism toward Christian values, dressed up as mischievous rebellion. The Economist claims the Satanic Temple is battling "Christian encroachment" in public life, while the Atlantic frames the movement as a "satanic rebellion," comparing it to Satan’s original fall from grace. This is the language of warfare. The Guardian applauds the Temple's "fight against the religious right.” Vice literally frames the issue as “Satanists v. Republicans.” In doing so, the outlets establish the actual dichotomy at play: In their fight against Republicans and Christianity, Democrats ally with Satan. Devil in a blue dress LGBTQ+ rights and the Satanic Temple go hand in hand, with the anti-religion placing Black Lives Matter and “social justice” at the forefront of its activism. Adherents are pro-vaccine in the name of "science," one of their sacred idols. They protest Christian monuments like the Ten Commandments, often leaving satanic sculptures in their place, as if to mock traditional values. They’ve even used loopholes to infiltrate public schools, supposedly to expose the overlap of church and state. But what exactly does that mean in the context of their anti-religious ideology? The Satanic Temple’s stated mission includes a tenet about adhering to "scientific understanding." It sounds reasonable, until you see its “scientific” understanding at work. Adherents are too selective in their data, too fantastical in their logic, too elusive in their methods, too uneven in their irony, too bitter in their discourse. Under these conditions, politics is merely a tool of the deceiver.Ironic worship? Perhaps the most absurd claim from the Temple is that adherents don't “really” believe in Satan. The Atlantic smugly informs readers of this point. But how does an avowed satanist engage in satanic rituals without acknowledging Satan? They claim to be atheists or “non-theistic,” but their devotion to Satan — a mythological character, they say — is unmistakable. They hold religious services and rituals, and they pray, or a version of prayer. They also enjoy “satanic picnics, and the occasional orgy.” If they were truly godless, they wouldn’t fixate so obsessively on Christianity. The Satanic Temple’s ultimate goal is to undermine Christ’s kingdom. Adherents' true aim is secularism — a complete dismantling of Christianity, with abortion as their sacrament. They twist the literary and biblical Satan into a rebellious hero, ignoring the fact that this figure has always represented rebellion against God, the very source of life. Because the Satanic Temple's assault is more than just political theater: It’s yet another reminder that Satan’s domain thrives on lies and deception. Followers of Satan have no problem with falsehoods. You won’t find any mention of “truth” in their screeds about “scientific understanding.” As Paul writes in Ephesians, Christians must “put away falsehood" and speak truthfully. While Satan sows division and death, Christians must stand firm in the belief that truth, rooted in God, will ultimately set us free. Exceptions for radicals Satanism serves as a leftist parody of religion, thriving on mockery and inversion. Saul Alinsky's "Rules for Radicals" is their playbook. Alinsky dedicated his work to Satan, the "original rebel." Rule 5: “Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon.” This schtick is distinctly, well, satanic. Make it seem like “trolling,” a kind of political mockery. NPR even declared: “When they write the bible on the great trolls of history, the Satanic Temple should be on the cover.” The media typically admire that satanists take ridicule to unprecedented heights, even gaining tax-exempt status and providing an official app available in Apple and Google app stores. Or how the Satanic Temple is headquartered in Salem, Massachusetts, site of the Salem witch trials. The building includes an eight-foot statue of Baphomet, an early representation of Satan — the horned, goat-hoofed, angel-winged idol worshiped by pagans. Ha ha ha … good one. Ritual sacrifice Their ridicule lacks all dignity and humor. Satanists twist everything upside down. Their rituals mock Christianity; their philosophy contradicts the sacred. They hate not just Christians but Christ Himself. In place of faith, they celebrate pornography, euthanasia, and debauchery. Their liturgical life is a parody of Catholicism. They “unbaptize,” they pray in reverse, they perform black masses. It’s all a perverse reflection of Christian worship, ending not with communion but with the sacrifice of the unborn, a deliberate inversion of birth. It’s a strategy similar to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, who mocked the Christian faith with impunity and were celebrated by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Satanism’s only true “creed” is opposition. Its rituals are empty negations of Christian practices, its activism a hollow rejection of God’s law. Defend us in battle The Satanic Temple and other movements that promote abortion rights in the name of autonomy are in fact beholden to an anti-freedom. Christians know that Satan cannot create life — he only destroys. He may offer seductive ideas cloaked in equality or liberty, but his goal is always to eradicate the value of human life, which stands at the core of God’s creation. Scripture tells us that Satan "was a murderer from the beginning" (John 8:44), and his mission has never changed. His followers don’t realize that their master is a horrible accomplice; just ask Judas. Paul’s warning in 2 Corinthians is especially relevant here: Satan has “blinded the minds of the unbelievers,” keeping them from seeing the light of Christ. But despite the satanists' chaos and noise, the Christian message is simple but profound: Love and life, rooted in God’s truth, will always triumph over the forces of chaos and death. Satan offers nothing but division and death. Christ offers redemption and love.

Warhammer 40k games are hot right now, with the Space Marine 2 launch and continued updates for Darktide ensuring there are plenty of ways to live out your grimdark fantasy future existence in the digital realm. If you’re looking for your next hit, strategy game Warhammer 40k: Battlesector might be just the answer. A robust offering that lets you live out those Space Marine power fantasies, the 2021 release boasts an impressive 89% Steam user rating, and you can snag it cheap right now ahead of a brand-new DLC launching in December. Continue reading Warhammer 40k Battlesector gets a big discount ahead of strategy game’s new DLC MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best 4X games on PC, Best strategy games, Best space games on PC

I’m constantly floored by the creativity on display in Halo Infinite Forge. Reach’s avalanche mode is still a hallmark of my misspent youth, but even I can see how 343 has refined the creation tool into a well-oiled machine. Players are making entirely new games within Infinite, never mind multiplayer modes, and it’s incredible. That’s why I’m overjoyed the tell you that a free, ODST spin on Helldivers 2 is coming to Halo Infinite, and it’ll be here incredibly soon. Continue reading Free Halo Infinite mode blends Helldivers 2 with ODST, and it’s coming soon MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Halo Infinite system requirements, Halo Infinite Bosses, Halo Infinite ranks

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RedState Weekly Briefing: Walz Implodes, Joy Erodes

Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 55, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you’re new here, welcome, get ready to ruin your phone’s storage, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.) This week, I’ve been reading about AI girlfriends and Bobbi Althoff and baseball pitchers, watching Nobody Wants This (my favorite new show in forever) and the new noodle-focused Chef’s Table (a long-standing fave), falling in love with Coldplay all over again, listening to John Oliver talk journalism, playing a lot of Alphaguess, and painstakingly moving all my junk to my new blue iPhone 16. It’s so pretty. I also have for you a handy new way to track your stuff, a great app for posting to social... Continue reading…