“Be careful not to measure your holiness by other people’s sins.”

Martin Luther

Table of Contents

1. Bill Passes to Deport Illegal Sex Offenders

2. Right to IVF Bill Blocked

3. Federal Rate Cut

4. Other news you should know

5. Remnant Resources

Bill Passes to Deport Illegal Sex Offenders

The House passed the "Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act," requiring the deportation of illegal immigrants with criminal histories involving domestic violence and sex offenses, with a vote of 266 to 158. Introduced by Rep. Nancy Mace, the bill aims to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to classify such offenders as "inadmissible and deportable." Proponents argue that it addresses a critical need to protect victims, while opponents label it as fearmongering and redundant, arguing it may have unintended consequences for survivors of domestic violence. The bill is part of a broader Republican effort to tackle immigration issues and enhance their electoral positioning ahead of the 2024 elections.

John Adams, our nation’s second President, once said, “America is a nation of laws, not men.” Today, we appear to be a nation that has less and less regard for both. Nations without borders will not be nations for long, and nations without laws won’t survive even if they have borders. Nations without men will not enforce their laws, and nations without men will not be able to protect their borders even if they have them. 

The fact that people who have committed one crime need to commit another crime in order to experience consequences for their first crime screams that America is continuing its race to ruin (Ecclesiastes 8:11). While opponents of the bill (158 democratic members of Congress) claim that the bill is duplicative of other laws and therefore unnecessary, it is problematic that many of them are supportive of and represent states with “sanctuary cities” that refuse to enforce laws “already on the books” (James 1:22, Titus 1:16).

Mark Twain once said, “The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read,” and today, we may add a nation that does not enforce its laws is destined for as much chaos as a nation without them. 

Twain is also well known for saying, “Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress, but I repeat myself.” one wonders how much more acerbic his tongue would be today. As for the remnant, we would do well to be reminded that the man who has the Bible and does not read (and apply) it is headed to the same destruction as the man who has none and with stricter judgment (Matthew 7:24-27, 11:20-24).

_{By: Todd Wagner}

Right to IVF Bill Blocked

The U.S. Senate recently failed to pass a Democrat-sponsored bill that aimed to affirm the "Right to IVF Act" across all 50 states. The bill, which required 60 votes to pass, fell short with a vote of 51-44, as five senators were absent. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer admitted it was a political maneuver designed to force Republicans into appearing anti-IVF ahead of upcoming elections. Interestingly, Donald Trump has been a vocal supporter of this bill.

The name, a bit of a misnomer, was not exclusively aiming to "protect IVF rights" but included additional provisions, such as funding mechanisms and federal expansions of power, that Republicans opposed, despite some being supportive of IVF. Senator Patty Murray criticized Republicans for championing fetal personhood, arguing that this stance threatens access to IVF. The failed vote reflects ongoing cultural battles around "reproductive rights," with Democrats seeing an opportunity to sway voters by framing the issue as a threat to reproductive freedoms.

As noted above, the bill was problematic regardless of one's stance on IVF due to its construction. Politicians understand that if you control the language of the culture, you're well on your way to controlling the culture itself (Proverbs 18:21, 2 Corinthians 11:13-15). 

If we are all image-bearers, then we ought to reflect how God cares for His children in our laws (Genesis 1:27, Luke 12:27-28) and be intentional in our efforts to raise our children (physically and spiritually), in godliness and the ways of the Lord (Proverbs 22:6; Luke 2:52).

"What is possible" does not always equate to "what is moral" (Proverbs 14:12; 1 Corinthians 10:23). While not every measure taken in every IVF process is the same, every human being created from IVF is made in the image of God from the moment of conception (not implantation)—just as you and I are – and not just once they are born (Galatians 1:15).

Whether an individual is discarded as medical waste, tragically lost during the IVF process, or brought to term and reading this right now, every single embryo has unique DNA separate from its mother and father from the moment of fertilization. It is the job of those of us with voices to speak up for those who do not have them (James 1:5, Proverbs 31:8-10).

Martin Luther King Jr. once accurately said, "And we must never forget this as a nation: there are no gradations in the image of God. Every man, from a treble white to a bass black, is significant on God's keyboard precisely because every man is made in the image of God. One day, we will learn that. We will know one day that God made us to live together as brothers and to respect the dignity and worth of every man." 

This truth applies to every stage of human development just as much as it does to every color of skin. There is no point—whether in race or in development or size—where we can justifiably deny human rights and Christian love. Let us love our neighbors, born and unborn, and seek to honor the Lord in all we do (Proverbs 3:27, Mark 12:31, Colossians 3:23-24).

_{By: Jamie Wilder}

Federal Rate Cut

In a significant move on September 18, 2024, the Federal Reserve Board (aka, the "Fed"), led by Chair Jerome Powell, announced a 50 basis point cut (a reduction of .5%) in the federal funds rate, bringing it to a range of 4.75-5.0%. This is only the fourth time the Fed has started monetary easing with a 50bps rate cut, with two prior instances (2001, 2007) preceding catastrophic economic downturns. The Fed's decision marks the beginning of a monetary easing cycle, signaling a shift in the Fed's approach to monetary policy amidst a changing economic landscape rife with concerns of recession, stagflation, inflation, and rising unemployment. Stated more colloquially, the unelected Fed members have turned the "money printers" back on, ultimately sparking a shift in the flow of capital to hard assets such as gold, silver, Bitcoin, and real estate. The immediate reaction in financial markets was mixed but largely positive. Stock futures surged, reflecting investor optimism about cheaper borrowing costs potentially stimulating economic growth. The financial markets now anticipate rate cuts through 2024 and continuing through 2025. The Fed's forever-mission is to achieve maximum employment and stable prices (i.e., combat inflation), which translates to controlling inflation around a 2% target. In yesterday's commentary announcing the Fed's decision, Jerome Powell noted that the influx of workers from illegal immigration affects unemployment rates by either filling gaps in the labor market or, in some views, potentially adding pressure on wages and employment rates. 

Although an in-depth discussion on the macroeconomic implications of the Fed's decision is beyond the scope and purpose of the Remnant News, the Bible should always inform and guide every aspect of our life (2 Timothy 3:16). As it relates to money, the Bible in no uncertain terms reminds us that wisdom is far more valuable than any monetary policy (Proverbs 3:13-15). God calls us to seek understanding (Proverbs 4:5-7) and to be good stewards of our resources, material and spiritual alike (Matthew 25:14-30; 1 Peter 4:10; Luke 16:10-12). However, we would be well served to discern that the Fed rate cuts result in a debasement of the US dollar, which, according to the most rudimentary economic principles, means our dollars are now worth less today than they were prior to the Fed's decision. This is a widely accepted result of what "modern" economists call "Modern Monetary Theory"—a theory that espouses that we can always print (i.e., invent) more dollars with just this pesky little side-effect called inflation. But inflation is not just a pesky ancillary issue; it's better described as a hidden tax that often acts as a parasite on working-class people and the purchasing power of their dollar. The Remnant is wise to call a "spade a spade" (1 Corinthians 13:6), and this move by unelected elites needs to be closely watched as "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely."

Corrupting power existed in Jesus' time, too. History tells us that Roman rulers would often "debase" the Denarius, the amount paid for an honest day's labor (Matthew 20:1-2), by diluting its silver content and adding cheaper metals when casting the coins. Wisdom would, therefore, lead us to consider Jesus' solution to such shenanigans, which can be found in his recommendation that we store up our treasures in heaven where [inflation], rust, and moth cannot destroy, and thieves cannot steal (Matthew 6:19-21). In the end, God will deal with all injustice, theft, and deception (Ecclesiastes 12:14). The Remnant need only be faithful to the end (Revelation 2:26-27) and, in response to all atrocities, pray, "Come, Lord Jesus, Come" and come soon (Revelation 22:20).

_{By: Matthew Lopez}

Other news you should know

⚾️ Shohei Ohtani makes history with 50 homeruns and 50 steals.

🗳 Oprah and Kamala are teaming up to see if they can motivate voters.

🚫 This union won’t endorse a presidential candidate for the first time in 30 years (poll shows most members support Trump).

🚢 This testimony sheds light on a malfunction days before the Titanic submarine’s explosion.

🧑🏻‍⚖️ MrBeast and Amazon sued over unsafe environment and sexual harassment.

💸 Tupperware files for bankruptcy.

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