Lee Ardis

The Coming Cyrus Accords?

Zionism is the legacy of Cyrus the Great and the national inheritance of the Iranians. The Islamic Republic’s anti-Zionism is not a historical norm, but a radical break from history by a radical regime. The Iranian revolution seeks to return to its historical origins, and Zionists must rejoice if it succeeds.

The former crown prince of Iran and the most prominent opposition figure, Reza Pahlavi, became the most prominent Iranian to have ever visited Israel this week. He made history by taking the first step to restore it. Pahlavi’s cautious approach to leadership, out of the fear of alienating Iranians from different camps, has been a point of criticism over the decades. His trip doesn’t suggest that he has overnight become more risk-taking, but that he understands that anti-Zionism is no longer a political force among his audience inside his country. This is an early sign that a free Iran will cease hostilities with Israel and end the region’s most destabilizing conflict, caused by one of the most destabilizing regimes in the world. Only a few years after Abraham Accords, we can now envision the potential for the future Cyrus Accords.

Pahlavi’s trip was as much about symbolic gestures as it was political business, evident by his decision to visit during Holocaust Remembrance Day and participate in the ceremonies. He posted a picture of himself wearing a kippah and his wife praying at the Western Wall. His post’s caption cited the Book of Ezra and Cyrus the Great’s edict to rebuild the Second Temple. On Farsi social media, Cyrus Accords immediately began to trend, with more than 100,000 tweets in 24 hours.

The Iranian opposition leader also met with Israeli government officials, likely to seek their assistance for the protest movement that has been roiling Iran for the last seven months. Minister of Intelligence Gila Gamliel hosted the crown prince, and the itinerary included meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog. Given Israel’s covert assets in Iran, Pahlavi’s following there, and the two parties’ mutual interest in regime change, it is a reasonable guess that they discussed avenues of cooperation to effect change. He had also mentioned that, given Iran’s water crisis and Israel’s expertise in desalination, he intended to meet with Israeli water experts, so Gamliel gave him a tour of the water desalination facility in Shurk.

As seen by their reactions to Pahlavi’s visit, for many Iranians, Israel has transformed from an enemy to an ally against the Islamic Republic. Masih Alinejad, another opposition leader, tweeted that “the nation of Iran has no enmity with Israel. It is the Islamic Republic that has conquered the borders of hostility against Jews, not just in Iran, but also in the region and the world.” Hichkas, the first professional Iranian rapper, humorously tweeted his wish that the trip would result in countless Qassem Soleimani-like assassinations. Former national soccer team captain Ali Karimi, the opposition leader most in tune with the Iranian street, posted a picture of the Pahlavis and Gamliel with Iranian-flag-colored hearts.

The regime’s response, on the other hand, has been official silence. The spokesperson for the ministry of foreign affairs dismissed a question on the topic for it concerned “an irrelevant individual to an irrelevant destination country.” Unofficial and semi-official media tried to downplay it by mentioning Israel’s domestic political turmoil and the Pahlavi dynasty’s historically warm views of Israel. The combination of the regime’s dismissiveness and the opposition’s embrace is a hint that both sides are aware that Israel has ceased being a bogeyman in Iran.

Russian hackers promise takedown of European banking system

Russian hackers have unleashed on social media a threat to the European banking system, promising, ‘Within 48 hours … nothing will save you.”

The Russian activist groups are known by the names KillNet, Anonymous Sudan and REvil.

“This is not a DDoS attack, the games are over,” the video statement said. “No money, no weapons, no Kiev regime – this is the formula for the death of Nazism and it will work.”

It continued, “Within 48 hours we are launching this global company, nothing will save you and this is not a warning. I am just informing. You have never seen such problems before.”

A report by the Gateway Pundit noted that the three “notorious hacktivist groups, KillNet, Anonymous Sudan and REvil,” are generally not united.

“The three hacker groups declared their intention to unleash a massive cyber onslaught on the European banking system, threatening to bring it to its knees within ’48 hours’ (the information was relevant as of yesterday),” the report said.

The report continued, “Killnet’s leader, who goes by the alias Killmilk, has confirmed to Lente.ru [in Russia] that plans for the attack are already underway. The attack, as he revealed, is set to commence within the ‘next 48 hours.'”

Six Flags hosting drag queen shows for ‘all ages’ at amusement parks across the country, one theme park showcasing history of Pride presentation

Six Flags – the national amusement park company – is presenting drag queen shows at several of its theme parks in honor of Pride month. One Six Flags amusement park is also showcasing a presentation about the history of Pride month.

The Six Flags Over Texas location is offering a “schedule of live entertainment and fun activities to celebrate Pride month,” including eight drag shows for “all ages.”

From the amusement park’s website: “The 45-minute live show will make you laugh and clap as our PRIDE entertainers offer a first-of-its-kind show at Six Flags Over Texas. Local Drag Queen legend Salem Moon will emcee our Drag Show.”

The site adds, “All content is rated PG and is considered to be family-friendly and inclusive for all ages. Anyone under 17 should consult with a parent or guardian if there is concern.”

“If you are interested in learning more about how the national PRIDE celebration began, then visit Crazy Horse Saloon to see a digital presentation on the TV screens,” the site states.

Christians To Host Prayer Vigil While California Senate Honors Sisters Of Perpetual Indulgence Member

Three Christian organizations will host a prayer vigil on the west steps of the California state Capitol in Sacramento on Monday as a member of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence is honored inside by elected officials.

The California Family Council (CFC), the American Council, and the California Catholic Conference are hosting the vigil in response to Sen. Scott Wiener’s (D-San Francisco) decision to recognize “Sister Roma,” a member of the drag performers accused of mocking Christianity and Catholicism, on the Senate floor.

“It’s disheartening to see the California Legislature honor a group characterized by its mockery of Christianity in general and Catholicism in particular,” CFC President Jonathan Keller remarked in a press release. “By promoting the profane ‘Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence,’ these elected leaders are endorsing mockery, hatred, and blasphemy. This ceremony is deeply offensive towards millions of Californians across the Golden State.”

“The vigil is not a political protest but a time of solemn prayer and worship,” it continues.

Wiener’s invitation was met with condemnation by California Senate Republicans, who drafted a letter in opposition.

The letter said the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence “is well known for their public denigration of the Catholic faith,” adding, “We respectfully request the withdrawal of this invitation, as it sends a troubling message to Californians of all faiths.”

“While the California State Senate serves as a symbol for many values, it should not be associated with disrespect or hatred towards those with differing religious ideologies.”

Read more at: www.dailywire.com

Planned Parenthood Sues to Force Women to Complete Abortions, Kill Their Unborn Babies

Planned Parenthood filed a lawsuit Tuesday in Kansas to hide life-saving information from pregnant women and basically force them to kill their unborn babies even if they have a change of heart.

The lawsuit challenges a new state law that requires abortion providers to inform women about the abortion pill reversal treatment, a safe and effective method of reversing the abortion drug mifepristone that can save an unborn baby’s life.

Responding to the case, Danielle Underwood, director of communications at Kansans for Life, said the abortion industry is “aggressively working to speed up the decision-making process, seemingly forcing women into abortion without discussion of alternatives.”

Underwood said women have the right to be informed about abortion risks and alternatives before going through with ending their unborn baby’s life.

For many years, Kansas has required abortion facilities to provide informed consent to women at least 24 hours prior to their abortion. This year, the Kansas Legislature amended the Woman’s Right to Know Act to include information about the abortion pill reversal treatment, which has saved more than 4,500 unborn babies to-date.

The law ensures that women:

– receive information about the medical risks of abortion

– have the chance to see the ultrasound and hear the heartbeat of her unborn baby

– learn the gestational age of her unborn baby

– be informed of any disciplinary actions against the abortionist

– receive information about the abortion pill reversal treatment

In its lawsuit, the Planned Parenthood abortion chain argued that the law “undermines the principles of bodily integrity and decisional autonomy that underlie the doctrine of informed consent” and violates doctors’ freedom of speech, according to Reuters.

Examining ‘Pride Month’: The Days Of Lot Before Our Eyes

Our Sodom-like society continues to rage toward the Judgment-producing moment in which Jesus said He will be “revealed” (Luke 17: 28). There will be at that future time, the Lord foretold, things going on which will look exactly like things that were happening as the vexed Lot observed his surroundings in the doomed city of Sodom.

We won’t look again in-depth at all the other prophetic signs Jesus and the prophets foretold. Suffice it to say, as we always do, that all signs given in God’s prophetic Word are in a state of convergence. All are coming at this generation with increased frequency and intensity.

In consideration of the one signal Jesus gave, likening His future moment of Intervention into the perverted affairs of mankind to the time when Lot and his family were removed to Zoar, the similarity is, of course, striking.

I’m not certain that the people of Sodom had reached the point of parading in the streets in celebration of the homosexual lifestyle. I’m not sure they had a perennial LGBTQ-plus Pride Month. But if I were a gambling man, I would be placing my bet that these things were taking place not occasionally but in never-ending fashion. I have no doubt that it was gay pride on steroids, as is said.

I don’t know about you, but it seems to me that we, as a society and culture, have been moving ever more swiftly into Sodom and Gomorrah-like configuration. Thus, despite the fact that we are told the percentage of those among our population who are part of the LGBTQ-plus lifestyle is almost infinitesimal.

Some will say that it is the wickedness of the godless, mainstream media that makes the perversion seem ubiquitous and even dominant – that it is the heads of the corporate world hungry for profits who are embracing those of the small percentage among us. It is these who employ debauched merchandising strategies, thereby pouring massive advertising dollars into media in order to lure LGBTQ-plus shoppers that make the perversion appear more rampant than it actually is.

No matter what the strategy they claim or the proposition they put forth that they are simply just going about business as usual, and considering it all merely marketing, the Luke 17:28-30 prophecy seems to be taking shape before our sorely vexed eyes and ears. These days are a match, it seems to me, for the days of Lot which Jesus forewarned those 2 millennia ago while speaking to the disciples atop the Mount of Olives.

The Lord, in fact, likened those former times in Sodom to business being conducted as usual. But we know from history that the fate which followed that business as usual was complete annihilation of the twin cities. Jesus said the same fate awaits the people of that future time when the business as usual reaches the point that God’s Cup of Wrath is full to the brim.

The first thing on God’s list of the things He hates is seen in the following scripture we’ve looked at before.

“These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him. A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, Feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, And he that soweth discord among brethren” (Proverbs 6:16-19).

A proud look heads the list of things God hates. So it is altogether appropriate to look at this thing they have forced us to endure called Pride Month. Even if they take the first word from the title as they are using it –the word Gay— the modern-day champions of Sodom and Gomorrah-like lifestyle is the heart of the designation.

But it isn’t just the matter of pride that is wrapped up in the present Sodom-Gomorrah activity.

The second thing on God’s list: a lying tongue speaks satanic words against the God of Heaven, accusing Christians and those who oppose the corruption of culture as being phobic and evil.

Other evil that God says He hates fester within the black heart of the Sodom-like comportment.

Hands that shed innocent blood are an almost inseparable wickedness of the radical mindset harbored within the militant homosexual movement, i.e., abortion – the shedding of the blood of the most helpless among us – is championed by the LGBTQ-plus community, almost without exception.

An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations is a matter that is in our faces in increasingly despicable and demonstrable ways.

Transvestites are allowed to interact with the very youngest of children in a most sexually aggressive manner. Children in grade school are encouraged to learn the most salacious perversions imaginable by schools and teachers, many who are themselves deeply active as part of the LGBTQ-plus movement. Parents who object have been considered the criminals and have been persecuted/prosecuted by courts steeped in support of a Sodom-like lifestyle.

Governments and even some physicians now, as part of the gay pride industry, alter the bodies and minds of those below legal age, hiding such activity in many cases from the parents of the kids.

Despite growing opposition to the assault being perpetrated by those who champion June as Pride Month, such as the refusal by much of the buying public to purchase goods from Woke franchises such as Target, Kohls and others, the franchise giants aren’t giving in to any great extent.

They are putting on display at point of purchase for even the youngest of children –including infants– their apparel that is of a transsexual nature. The garments are especially designed by those pushing the LGBTQ-plus agenda at every level of society and culture.

The pride that brought complete destruction to Sodom and Gomorrah is on full display for all to witness this month of June.

More than 100 churches in South Carolina are leaving the United Methodist Church as denominational split continues

The schism between LGBTQ-inclusive congregations and traditionalist churches continues ahead of the global denomination’s upcoming 2024 conference in Charlotte.

113 local churches in South Carolina will soon separate from the United Methodist Church (UMC), including seven in the Rock Hill area.

In a news release Tuesday, the South Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church (UMCSC) confirmed the 2023 South Carolina Annual Conference voted overwhelmingly to approve the closure of the churches who voted to leave in a process described as “somber and respectful” by state church leaders. The closure doesn’t mean the churches are shuttered; rather, the local congregations are simply no longer within the United Methodist denomination.

“For those who are leaving us, we bless you and send you on your way. For those who are remaining, we pray that God gives us a new will to do what God has called us to do. May it become clear, may it become important, may it move from our heads to our hearts.,” said Bishop L. Jonathan Holston.

Tuesday’s vote is among the latest developments in an ongoing schism within the UMC. At the core of the split is disagreement over LGBTQ inclusion and ordination. While the denomination’s Book of Discipline has long held that same-sex marriages and ordaining openly gay clergy are not in line with UMC beliefs, a growing number of churches in recent years have defied that declaration and pushed for a shift to more LGBTQ-inclusive practices.

The churches leaving the UMC have expressed frustration with the more LGBTQ-inclusive congregations’ push. Some of those leaving have opted to join the more theologically-conservative Global Methodist Church that was formally launched in May 2022. Other churches have opted to become non-denominational or explore other options.

Tennessee Isn’t Backing Down From Trans Surgery Ban Even If Judge Imposes An Injunction

“VUMC would be absolutely crazy to proceed with these treatments on the basis of an injunction,” lawyer says.

The State of Tennessee is vowing to defend its law against child sex changes from a Biden administration challenge, floating an aggressive legal theory that could hold medical providers to account even if a federal judge imposes the injunction sought by the White House.

The law, S.B. 1, was triggered in part by The Daily Wire’s September 2022 exposes on Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s (VUMC) genital mutilation of children, which top doctors acknowledged were “big money makers” and were done “with little evidence, but a lot of love.” The state law is scheduled to take effect July 1, but the Biden administration joined the ACLU and several teenage plaintiffs suing to stop it and is now seeking the injunction in order to block its enforcement until a judge rules on the case.

Adam Mortara, an outside attorney hired to argue the case for Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, a Republican, said in a May 19 brief that even if a judge imposes an injunction, VUMC should resume treatments at its own peril because if the injunction is later overturned, the state may retroactively prosecute it.

“A preliminary injunction is, by definition, preliminary,” Mortara said. “It will disappear if this Court rules for Defendants at trial, and it could be stayed or reversed on interlocutory appeal. If either occurs, VUMC can be held liable for its violations of the Act while the preliminary injunction was in place,” he wrote.

The gist of the theory, which cites a 1982 case called Edgar v. Mite Corp, is that an injunction doesn’t actually strike down the law, it merely prohibits the defendant — the Attorney General — from initiating enforcement action while it’s in place. If the injunction is eventually lifted — whether through a ruling by District Court Judge Eli Richardson, the Sixth Circuit, or ultimately the U.S. Supreme Court, then Tennessee can resume enforcement, including retroactive prosecution for the period in which the law was in place but the injunction was in effect.

The result is that an injunction could have little effect, because VUMC and others who might perform gender surgeries likely believe conservative appeals courts will ultimately side with Tennessee, and may be afraid of costly litigation and punishment after the fact.

The maneuver, which could provide a blueprint for other states that ban gender surgery but then face an injunction, takes a cue from the Texas Heartbeat Act, which largely succeeded in banning abortion in Texas even before the Supreme Court struck down Roe vs. Wade. The Texas bill was written by Jonathan Mitchell, an unorthodox conservative attorney who is close friends with Mortara. Mitchell wrote an academic paper laying out the case that injunctions are not as powerful as they have traditionally been regarded.

Read more at: www.dailywire.com

Christian Korean Women-Only Spa Ordered To Admit Naked Trans Clients

A federal judge ordered a Korean-American women’s spa with compulsory nudity to admit men who identify as women, even if they have intact penises, in a decision on Monday.

Olympus Spa attempted to sue the Washington State Human Rights Commission (WSHRC) after being ordered to remove any mention of “biological women” from their website and to admit transgender men without question. Senior District Judge Barbara Rothstein dismissed the lawsuit, upholding the WSHRC’s orders as legal and requiring the spa to comply.

Haven Wilvich, a man who identifies as a woman, complained to the WSHRC in 2020 and claimed the spa declined his membership request. Wilvich alleged that the spa said, “transgender women without surgery are not welcome.” The spa disputed this claim, stating they had no record of an application.

The family-owned spa is modeled on jjimjilbang — traditional sex-segregated bathhouses in Korea. The spa only admitted trans-identified men if they had “gone through post-operative sex confirmation surgery.”

In March 2021, the WSHRC served spa owner Myoon Woon Lee with a Notice of Complaint of Discrimination. The spa’s president, Sun Lee, explained to the commission that Olympus was a family-owned “women’s Korean traditional health spa” that required nudity for certain treatments.

“We firmly believe it is essential for the safety, legal protection, and well-being of our customers and employees that we maintain adherence to this adaptation of a females-only rule,” Lee wrote.

The president also educated the board on the traditions of Jjimjilbang, arguing that the spa had “worked so hard over many years to build and preserve, simply for the sake of promoting gender neutrality.”

Both the owner and the president said they were Christian and cited their faith — the Christian belief in modesty between the sexes — as a reason why they did not wish to accept biological males into the women’s nude spa. Employees also involved in the suit — all of whom were women — refused to perform body scrubs on naked men, citing Christian principles as well. The District Court rejected their religious liberty claim.

The court upheld the WSHRC’s requirement that the spa removes all references to biological women from their site and subject their staff to “inclusivity” training. The spa challenged this as “compelled speech” in violation of the First Amendment, which Rothstein also rejected. The court rejected the spa’s third argument, which claimed that the WSHRC’s requirement of admitting men violated the right of association.

After the WSHRC ruling in 2021, Wilvich celebrated on social media, saying the order allowed “all self-identified women access regardless of surgery and genitals.”

Read more at: www.dailywire.com

Ben Shapiro Challenges Biden Admin To Read From Sexually Explicit Book Found In School Libraries

Daily Wire Editor Emeritus Ben Shapiro challenged a member of the Biden administration to publicly read from a sexually graphic book found in school libraries across the country as the administration appoints a coordinator to challenge so-called “book bans.”

Shapiro said that someone from Biden’s team should publicly read the book “Gender Queer,” by Maia Kobabe if they think that it is appropriate for young children. The book contains graphic descriptions of masturbation and oral sex alongside explicit illustrations.

“I challenge somebody from the Biden administration to get up and read out loud on camera while showing the pictures ‘Gender Queer,’ and explain why that should be available to 9-year-olds or 15-year-olds, for that matter, at public expense,” Shapiro, co-founder of The Daily Wire, said on his Friday podcast.

Shapiro’s challenge comes as the Biden administration announced that it would be creating a position in the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights to fight against local and state laws intended to shield children from graphic books like “Gender Queer” in schools.

One scene in “Gender Queer,” found in school libraries across the country, involves a teenager having a sexual fantasy about an adult male.

“What [Biden] really wants is for your local second grader to be able to walk into a school library and see graphic cartoon depictions of anal sex. That’s really what Joe Biden wants. I notice that everybody on the Left who constantly talks about these book bannings is unwilling to actually read out loud the books that they think should not be prevented from being disseminated,” Shapiro said.

Read more at: www.dailywire.com