November 11, 2024

Amsterdam Demonstration Ban, FEMA Anti-Trump Scandal, Gateway Investigation Update

November 11, 2024

“Humility is the bloom and the beauty of holiness.”

Andrew Murray

Demonstration Ban in Amsterdam
FEMA’s Anti-Trump Scandal
Gateway Church Investigation Update
Other news you should know
Remnant Resources

Demonstration Ban in Amsterdam

In response to a recent surge of violence, Amsterdam has imposed a temporary ban on demonstrations following attacks targeting Israeli soccer fans in the city. Mayor Femke Halsema described how Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters were harassed and assaulted, prompting police to protect fans and escort them to safety. The Israeli government has sent planes to bring fans back home, and Israeli and Dutch leaders have condemned the attacks, with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof assuring that those responsible will face prosecution. Amidst rising tensions tied to the Gaza-Israel conflict, Amsterdam’s police have been granted additional powers, and security has been heightened, especially as the city prepares to commemorate the anniversary of Kristallnacht, a night of historic anti-Semitic violence in 1938.

There are numerous examples throughout history of unchecked crowds creating trouble (Numbers 14:1-10, Acts 17:5-7, 19:28-40) and making tragically poor decisions (Mark 15:8-14). Mobs and the collective behavior they encourage do not typically give birth to wisdom. If it is true that the companion of fools will suffer harm (Proverbs 13:20), then surely it follows that the companions of crowds of fools will suffer much more (Numbers 16:32).

Racism and other forms of sin come easily to men and grow easier when the allusion of anonymity and the support of "peers" are added to the mix. But God does not judge us in crowds (2 Corinthians 5:10), and there is no such thing as a hidden action (Ecclesiastes 12:14). What does exist is a human tendency toward collective "herd" behavior, and herd animals have to be careful what voice they recognize as they are shepherded (John 10:27-28).

_{By: Todd Wagner}

FEMA’s Anti-Trump Scandal

In the wake of Hurricane Milton's devastation, a FEMA supervisor, Marn'i Washington, allegedly directed relief workers in Lake Placid, Florida, to bypass homes with pro-Trump signs. This alleged directive reportedly led workers to skip roughly 20 homes, meaning they were not given the opportunity to qualify for FEMA assistance. FEMA swiftly removed Washington from her position, with Administrator Deanne Criswell condemning the reported actions as a breach of FEMA's mission to provide non-partisan aid. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis decried the incident as a "weaponization" of government under the Biden-Harris administration, ordering a state investigation into potential discrimination. FEMA pledged to take corrective actions to prevent similar occurrences.

The Bible doesn't command us to love only those who share our political views—it calls us to love everyone (Luke 10:27). C.S. Lewis offers a convicting reminder: "It is easier to be enthusiastic about Humanity with a capital 'H' than it is to love individual men and women, especially those who are uninteresting, exasperating, depraved, or otherwise unattractive. Loving everybody in general may be an excuse for loving nobody in particular."

If your politics hinder you from loving your neighbor, it's a clear sign that your loves need to be re-ordered (Matthew 6:24). Despite what some would have you believe, political idolatry is a sin that both the progressive and the conservative are vulnerable to (Colossians 3:5).

Our ability to love others is only possible because Christ loved us first (1 John 4:19). He made it clear that the two greatest commandments are inseparable: love God and love others (Matthew 22:37-39). What makes Christianity radically different from every other worldview is that we are called to love not just our neighbors but our enemies as well (Matthew 5:44).

There was no better example of this than Jesus' last words on the cross. He prayed for those who nailed Him to that cross: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing" (Luke 23:34).

_{By: Jamie Wilder}

Gateway Church Investigation Update

Gateway Church recently removed several elders after an independent investigation into past child sexual abuse allegations against former senior pastor Robert Morris. The investigation, prompted by Cindy Clemishire's allegations that Morris sexually abused her as a minor in the 1980s, revealed that some church leaders were aware of the specific details of the infidelity/abuse but failed to act; others "who had enough information that they should have led them to ask more questions, but they did not." Gateway elder Tra Willbanks commended Clemishire's bravery, denounced abuse, and noted that all elders and employees with prior knowledge of Morris' actions have been removed. The church is cooperating with a criminal investigation and reflecting on governance failures that led to centralized power around Morris, prompting changes to prevent future issues.

The Gateway Church investigation has revealed a profoundly tragic and sobering chapter in this story of leadership, failure, responsibility, and trust. Those who are aware of wrongdoing yet remain indifferent are, by definition, complicit (Ephesians 5:11-13). Ignoring clear signs of sin or disregarding troubling information is not a mark of love but rather a willful negligence that prioritizes false comfort over the honest, difficult accountability that Scripture calls us to embrace (Proverbs 27:5-6). Although we may not fully understand why certain individuals chose to stay silent, we do know their inaction kept darkness concealed, allowing its impact and devastation to grow (James 5:19-20). While Robert Morris may have "lived in the light" with a select few who knew the full details, he entrusted himself to those who, by their inaction, betrayed justice and righteousness (Isaiah 5:20). Instead of acting with the conviction and transparency Scripture demands, these men chose silence, failing to protect the vulnerable (Matthew 18:5-6) and fulfill their spiritual and moral duty (James 4:17). They have been rightly removed from their offices as leaders and overseers, and we pray that justice continues to be handed out as appropriate.