“To clasp the hands in prayer is the beginning of an uprising against the disorder of the world.”

^{Karl Barth}

Table of Contents

1. SCOTUS and Social Media

2. NFL Star Brawls at Youth Sports Event

3. Man Dies after Demonstration Outside Embassy

4. Other news you should know

5. Remnant Resources

6. Share this newsletter

SCOTUS and Social Media

In a pivotal moment shaping the future of internet content moderation, the Supreme Court began to grapple with cases on Monday, dubbed by legal experts as the most significant First Amendment cases in a generation.

The cases question whether states like Florida and Texas can compel major social media platforms to carry content the social media companies find “objectionable.” The Republican-led laws in Florida and Texas aim to restrict platforms from banning users based on political views and demand explanations for content edits or removals. These laws have come under intense fire from major social media outlets as the “freedom of speech” debate continues to rage on.

As we have noted before, as our world changes with the introduction of new technologies, we are going to be presented with new challenges to old sensibilities. While there may be “nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9) when it comes to truth and sin, there is plenty new when it comes to man’s creativity in suppressing the former and advancing the latter (Ecclesiastes 3:16). All who value freedom should agree that government should not limit speech, the question at hand is how much should it compel it and what should we do when private companies control the “public square” of our day. Just as the FCC governs what can and cannot be shared or limited on public “airwaves,” Texas and Florida are arguing that the new (social) media companies of our day should be given similar guidance on what can and cannot be shared via fiber optics and ‘wi-fi’ (abbreviation for wireless fidelity). To say it another way- what is being debated before SCOTUS is the question: what is “fidelity” when it comes to how “wireless” communication companies limit free speech? Are social media companies utilities or private businesses? Do they control what they want to “broadcast,” or is there a compelling government interest to limit their rights or define their obligations to share “air time”? Everyone would agree it would be the end of our democracy to limit political advertising to either of our two major political parties (Proverbs 18:17). The question to be answered is: are they phone companies that should allow anyone to speak without filtering, or like newspapers that can run whatever op-ed they want? Whatever SCOTUS decides, The Lord has already told us that “every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words, you will be condemned” (Matthew 12:36-37). The remnant should be reminded that today, we have freedom in the public square to speak the Truth about Jesus, and the more we do, the more others will have a chance to learn His ways and join us in filling the “timeline” of today with words of life and not societal destruction (Ephesians 4:29).

We can debate who has the right to control what people hear, say, and read online, but there is no debating what people will hear on the day of judgment if they don’t respond to the Truth ‘posted’ in the gospel today (John 5:24).

_{By: Todd Wagner}

NFL Star Brawls at Youth Sports Event

Former NFL quarterback Cam Newton was embroiled in a brawl at a 7-on-7 youth football camp in Atlanta. The event, organized by We Ball Sports, involved Newton's youth sports organization, C1N. Video footage showed Newton scuffling with multiple individuals before security intervened. Newton, who last played in the NFL in 2021, has been associated with the TopShelf Performance (TSP) program, whose coaches were involved in the altercation. TSP condemned the violence, emphasizing the inappropriateness of aggression in their community. Newton's career highlights include winning the Heisman Trophy and MVP honors in the NFL. Authorities have not commented on the incident.

We're called to embrace a "childlike" faith, not a "childish" demeanor (Matthew 18:3). Maturity requires putting childish ways behind us (1 Corinthians 13:11). Cam Newton's recent altercation serves as a poignant reminder that misguided adults can quickly ruin what was intended to be great event/home/childhood/etc. for kids. 

Whether we find ourselves on the field, at the gym, coaching, or cheering from the sidelines, may we be able to say to all, "Imitate me as I imitate Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1). “Topshelf” Christian maturity isn't about being the loudest in the stands or toughest on the field, but aligning ourselves with God's design for our lives (Ephesians 4:17-21).

_{By: Jamie Wilder}

Man Dies after Demonstration Outside Embassy

A US airman named Aaron Bushnell died after setting himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in Washington DC, shouting "free Palestine" as an extreme act of protest against the Palestinian genocide. Secret Service officers extinguished the flames and took Bushnell to the hospital in critical condition, no one else was injured.

Believing passionately about something does not implicitly mean that that thing is true, good, or worth dying for (Proverbs 19:2). Passion and sincerity of belief do not make something true (1 Timothy 4:1). Being vocal is not (always) a virtue (Proverbs 17:28), silence in the midst of sin is sin (Ezekiel 33:2-7), but where there are many words, transgression is not lacking (Proverbs 10:19). While there is no greater love than sacrificing your life for others (John 15:13), the act taken by Aaron to harm himself is misinformed and evidence of a spiritual war inside of him (John 10:10a) that is as tragic as the war between Israel and Hamas. While it is appropriate to draw attention to events that we believe are unjust, how we do it matters (Micah 6:8, Colossians 3:23, Pslam 37:3).

_{By: The Remnant News Team}

Other news you should know

🔌 Here we go again?

🕊 The U.S. and this ally apparently have different timetables on this.

🆓 Free med school? It's happening here.

🤝🏻 NATO welcomes Nordic country to the club.

🎖 99-year-old American WWII veteran awarded France’s highest honor.

🤠 Texas-sized wildfires in the state's panhandle, more than 240,000 acres burned.

🍎 Who could have seen this happening?

Remnant Resources

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