Politics, Culture, and Faith

Watchdog Alert: Israeli-Hamas Conflict

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Here is Jesus, in Matthew 24:6-7, teaching his disciples about the end times. But also encouraging them to ‘see that ye be not troubled’.

“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.” (KJV)

Recent news from the Middle East:

“Israel kills 62 today as Gaza aid seekers, ‘safe zones’ attacked” – Al Jazeera

  • Summary: Israeli forces targeted a residential building in Gaza City—housing dozens of displaced Palestinian families—after issuing forced evacuation orders. At least 37 of the 62 fatalities occurred in Gaza City as the assault continued into the early hours.
    Al Jazeera

“Israel expands operations in Gaza City; tells famine-stricken residents to move to safe zone” – CBS News / AP

  • Summary: As operations intensify in Gaza City, Israel urged starving residents to relocate to a designated humanitarian zone in southern Gaza—Muwasi—equipped with field hospitals, water, food, and tents. Aid groups warned that mass evacuation would only deepen the humanitarian crisis.
    CBS News

“Escalating Israeli offensive in Gaza City will have catastrophic and irreversible consequences for Palestinians” – Amnesty International

  • Summary: Amnesty condemned Israel’s full-scale assault on Gaza City, warning it will devastate civilian life and exacerbate a famine largely caused by Israel’s blockade. Displacing hundreds of thousands, Amnesty called the campaign a likely war crime under international law.
    Amnesty International

“More than 7,000 under-fives in Gaza put in malnutrition recovery in two-week period” – The Guardian / UNICEF data

  • Summary: Over 7,000 children under five were admitted to UNICEF malnutrition recovery programs in just two weeks in August; projected numbers for the month may exceed 15,000—more than seven times higher than February figures. A famine has been declared in Gaza City and is spreading south. Families survive on minimal food, and overcrowded designated zones lack basic services.
    The Guardian

Watchdog Alert: News About Islam

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Bible Rebel keeps a watchdog’s eye on news and events from the world of faith and religion and brings that content to our readers.

Mob Burns Nigerian Woman to Death Over Blasphemy Claim

In central Nigeria, a mob burned a food vendor named Amaye to death after accusing her of making comments deemed blasphemous toward the Prophet Muhammad. The incident occurred over the weekend and was confirmed by police in Niger State.
From Arab News

Palestinian Journalist Islam Abed Killed by Israeli Forces

Islam Abed, a reporter working for Al-Quds Today TV, was killed by Israeli forces in Gaza on Sunday. His death adds to the growing number of media workers who have lost their lives covering the conflict.
From The New Arab

LGBTIQ+ Muslims Find Safe Spaces in Indonesia

In Yogyakarta, Indonesia, the Pondok Pesantren Waria Al-Fatah, an Islamic boarding school serving LGBTIQ+ Muslims, opened a new location. It provides a rare, affirming religious environment that embraces both Islamic faith and diverse gender identities.
From ABC

Moroccan Feminist on Trial Denied Release Amid Health Crisis

Moroccan feminist and LGBTQ+ activist Ibtissam Lachgar, facing blasphemy charges for wearing a T-shirt with messages seen as insulting to Islam and the monarchy, was denied provisional release despite her serious health condition—she has cancer and needs urgent surgery. Her detention is drawing criticism from human rights advocates.
From AP News

The Bible Rebel Creed And Mission

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Anyone who knows even a little bit about the Bible and the history of Christianity knows that it was the religious leaders of the time, along with their secular allies, that were responsible for the killing of the prophets, the reformers, and even the Son of God himself, Yeshua our Messiah.

The religious leaders. The wolves in sheep’s clothing. The whited sepulchers. The vipers. The religious leaders.

There is no new thing under the sun. Fallen human nature and the rot of man-made religion hasn’t changed since they murdered the prophets, burned the ‘heretics’, and tortured and crucified our Lord.

That is part of the reason why I do not subscribe to a modern denominational creed of set of doctrines. I don’t think that modern day Evangelicals, or Baptists, or Lutherans, or Catholics are going to burn anyone in the town square – it’s just that I don’t trust organized religion.

I’m non-denominational. I’m a ‘Non’. And there are a lot of others just like me, in fact more and more folks are fleeing traditional ‘churchianity’ every day. Why? More on that in future posts.

Here’s my one and only creed, which I’m happy share with my brothers and sisters in The Fellowship of the Nons:

Creed of the Fellowship of the Nons

Our living God is a loving God and the Bible is His revealed word and will.
Our hope and eternal salvation relies entirely on the work of God’s only begotten son, Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life.

A huge part of the purpose and reason for the Bible Rebel blog is stated in our mission:

“To examine and question the assumptions of religious tradition and provide a resource for information and inspiration for people of faith who have become dissatisfied with an increasingly lifeless and empty ‘churchianity’.”

Watchdog Alert: The Catholic Church

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Bible Rebel keeps a watchdog’s eye on news and events from the world of faith and religion and brings that content to our readers.

Catholic Diocese of Syracuse Bankruptcy Exit Plan Accepted

A bankruptcy court has approved the Diocese of Syracuse’s exit plan, which includes a comprehensive settlement sending $176 million to survivors of clergy sexual abuse.
From WSTM

Pope Leo XIV Condemns Forced Evacuation in Gaza

Pope Leo XIV strongly criticized Israeli plans for forcibly evacuating Gaza City, calling it a violation of international law. He urged for a ceasefire, humanitarian access, and emphasized the duty of clergy to remain with the vulnerable, condemning the evacuation as a form of “collective punishment.”
From The Times

Catholic Men Answer Call to Protect Parishes

An apostolate inspired by traditional Church practices is now training Catholic men to enhance parish security. This initiative is a modern response to growing safety concerns, aiming to prepare volunteers to act as guardians of their local communities.
From National Catholic Register

Tragic Mass Shooting at Minneapolis Catholic School

A horrific shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church and School in Minneapolis left two children dead and around 17 injured during a school Mass. Authorities are investigating the event as a potential hate crime and act of domestic terrorism. The community mourns, with leaders calling for stronger protections for places of worship.
From AP News

They Said It: Four Famous Quotes On Spiritual Warfare

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When a horrific, inexplicable act of intentional evil is carried out by someone, should we always blame it on ‘mental illness’? I think we need to examine the reality more closely in many cases and acknowledge that we are engaged in a battle with spiritual wickedness in high places.

1 Peter 5:8 – “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” (KJV)

Here are four famous quotes on the subject.

C.S. Lewis (The Screwtape Letters, 1942):
“There is no neutral ground in the universe: every square inch, every split second, is claimed by God and counterclaimed by Satan.”

    John Piper (Desiring God):
    “Life is war. That’s not all it is. But it is always that. Our weakness in prayer is owing largely to our neglect of this truth.”

      Charles Spurgeon (sermon on The Christian Soldier):
      “Satan always hates Christian fellowship; it is his policy to keep Christians apart. Anything which can divide saints from one another he delights in. Since union is strength, he does his best to promote separation.”

        A.W. Tozer (This World: Playground or Battleground?):
        “People think of the world not as a battleground, but as a playground. We are not here to fight; we are here to frolic. We are not in a foreign land; we are at home. We are not getting ready to live; we are already living. And the idea that this world is a battleground has now been rejected by the great majority of Christians.”

          They Said It: Four Famous Quotes On The Founding Of Modern Israel

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          Photo via cottonbro studio at pexels.com

          Regardless of what one my think about the purity of the Jewish bloodline today, the founding of the modern state of Israel in 1948 was a remarkable historic event.

          Here are some quotes from some of the leaders of the time who witnessed and were part of that history.

          David Ben-Gurion, May 14, 1948 (Declaration of Independence):
          “The State of Israel will be open for Jewish immigration and for the Ingathering of the Exiles; it will foster the development of the country for the benefit of all its inhabitants; it will be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel.”

            Chaim Weizmann, 1948 (first President of Israel):
            “Miraculously, the Jewish people have survived through the centuries, and now, with the establishment of the State of Israel, we have returned to our rightful home.”

              Harry S. Truman, May 14, 1948 (U.S. recognition of Israel):
              “I had faith in Israel before it was established; I have faith in it now. I believe it has a glorious future before it—not just another sovereign nation, but as an embodiment of the great ideals of our civilization.”

                Golda Meir (reflecting on 1948):
                “When peace comes, we will perhaps in time be able to forgive the Arabs for killing our sons, but it will be harder for us to forgive them for having forced us to kill their sons.”

                Watchdog Alert: What Are Those Methodists Up To?

                Rick TryonLeave a comment

                I keep seeing various memes and comments about the state of American (and European) churchianity that focus one an interesting theme: if the Apostle Paul were alive today we’d all be getting a letter. I love it.

                Bible Rebel keeps a watchdog’s eye on news and events from the world of faith and religion and brings that content to our readers.

                United Methodist Church Aims to Close Churches That Have Disaffiliated

                Date: June 12, 2025
                Summary: The UMC is planning to close church properties that have formally disaffiliated from the denomination. This move comes amid broader shifts and divisions following doctrinal disagreements.
                From https://www.wtvm.com

                Legal Victory for UMC in Dispute with Southern Methodist University

                Date: Last month (June/July 2025)
                Summary: The Texas Supreme Court ruled that the United Methodist Church’s South Central Jurisdictional Conference is a third-party beneficiary in its case against Southern Methodist University, allowing the breach-of-contract suit to proceed over control of governance.
                From Chron

                Growth in Global Methodist Church Three Years After Split

                Date: 3 days ago (around early August 2025)
                Summary: Following the 2022 schism, the Global Methodist Church (GMC) has seen significant growth. At First Church in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, worship attendance rose by 15% in the first year, another 13% the next, and over 10% this year. Meanwhile, UMC adopted a new inclusive mission statement and launched a “queer theology” course.
                From CBN

                Global Methodist Church Launches the Jethro Project Ministry

                Date: August 4, 2025
                Summary: The GMC introduced the “Jethro Project,” a ministry mobilizing retired—or “senior”—clergy in the Upper Midwest to pray for congregations, facilitate retreats like “Let’s be Methodist Together,” and support recruiting and cross-cultural coaching.
                From Global Methodist Church

                Watchdog Alert: Latest From The Middle East

                Rick TryonLeave a comment
                Picture via Lara Jameson pexels.com

                Bible Rebel continues to keep a watchdog’s eye on events in the Middle East. That is not to say that we are watching for any fulfillment of biblical prophecy there, we keep our eyes and ears open to news that affects people of faith from every region around the world.

                The Holy Land is of particular interest for three reasons:

                • It is a geographical crossroads, referred to by some the “Center of the Earth”.
                • It is also the historical birthplace of the two largest religions of the world; Christianity and Islam, as well as the ‘Father’ of both those religions – Judaism.
                • It is of major military and strategic importance because of oil production and logistics.

                Are the biblical prophecies focusing on geographical locations in the Middle East, especially in and around current-day Israel, relevant to the Church in our times today?

                Or will those prophecies only come to pass and be revealed in some future time after the destiny of the Church has been realized? This is a subject Bible Rebel will be exploring in some depth going forward. Stay tuned.

                For now, here’s the latest from the Middle East.

                Provocation at Al‑Aqsa & Deepening Gaza Crisis

                Date: August 3, 2025
                Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben‑Gvir visited and prayed at the al‑Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, flouting long‑standing religious protocols. His actions were condemned by Palestinian authorities, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia as a serious provocation. Meanwhile, Gaza’s humanitarian crisis is intensifying: 119 Palestinians were reported killed in the past 24 hours, raising the overall death toll in the Israel‑Gaza war to over 60,800—including 175 hunger-related deaths (93 were children). Israeli forces reportedly killed 27 Palestinians at food‑aid sites, and a Palestine Red Crescent staff member was among those killed.
                From The Guardian

                U.S. Envoy Inspects Aid Sites Amid Accusations of ‘Bloodbaths’

                Date: August 1–2, 2025
                U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff—on his first visit to Gaza since the war began—inspected aid operations run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) in Rafah. The United Nations had rejected collaborating with GHF, warning that distribution sites had become unsafe and were linked to over 1,000 deaths—many due to Israeli military action. Witkoff aimed to develop a new aid strategy, calling the situation a severe humanitarian crisis.
                From Reuters

                Hamas Denies Readiness to Disarm Amid Diplomatic Tensions

                Date: August 2, 2025
                Hamas has rejected U.S. envoy Witkoff’s statements suggesting they were willing to disarm. The group criticized his visit as a “staged show,” aimed at misleading the international community. Since May, over 1,300 Palestinians have died near GHF-run aid sites due to violence, prompting concerns about the organization’s operations. Parallel to these developments, France and the UK have indicated possible recognition of a Palestinian state in September if Israel does not meet conditions including a ceasefire, as supported by EU and Arab League resolutions.
                From Al Jazeera

                Hostage Footage Sparks Outcry and Urgency for Ceasefire

                Date: August 3, 2025
                Hamas released new footage showing Israeli hostages in visibly emaciated condition, triggering widespread outrage and renewed calls for urgent action. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff traveled to Tel Aviv and publicly expressed support for hostage families, advocating for a ceasefire.
                From Deutsche Welle

                Watchdog Alert: What Are The Mormons Up To?

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                Bible Rebel keeps a watchdog’s eye on news and events concerning denominational religion, and brings that content to our readers.

                LDS Church suffers major setback in China

                Chinese authorities have recently shut down several congregations of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—including branches in Beijing and other cities—citing their failure to register with the government. The unexpected closures have left members “heartbroken,” and church leaders are seeking ways to adapt to shifting political environments.
                From The Salt Lake City Tribune

                Record global growth reported in 2025

                The Church announced that between June 1, 2024, and May 31, 2025, convert baptisms during that 12‑month period reached the highest in Church history. Every global region saw at least a 20% increase in baptisms in Q1 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.
                From newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org

                Devotional broadcast from Europe focuses on unity

                On July 13, 2025, First Presidency member President Dallin H. Oaks delivered a devotional message from Brussels to Latter-day Saints across Central and Eastern Europe. The broadcast—translated into 23 languages—called members to seek unity in Christ.
                From churchofjesuschrist.org

                Tabernacle Choir marks 5,000th episode of “Music & the Spoken Word”

                On July 13, 2025, the world-famous Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square aired the 5,000th weekly episode of “Music & the Spoken Word,” with audiences tuning in via radio, television, and online across 50 countries. The milestone reflects almost a century of continuous broadcast history, dating back to July 15, 1929.
                From Church News

                Watchdog Alert: What’s Happening With The Catholics

                Rick TryonLeave a comment
                Photo via Julius Silvers, pexels.com

                Bible Rebel keeps a watchdog’s eye on news and events from the world of faith and religion and brings that content to our readers.

                Vatican green-lights closure of historic Wisconsin parish

                The Vatican has authorized the Diocese of Green Bay to close St. Boniface, a parish founded in the 1850s, despite parishioners’ efforts—including raising $2 million and launching a GoFundMe—to save it. The building dates to 1886. From National Catholic Register

                First Jubilee for Catholic “influencers” announced

                Rome will host a “Jubilee” pilgrimage on July 28–29 specifically for digital missionaries and Catholic influencers, aiming to foster prayer, formation, and community among online faith leaders. From Vatican News

                Solidarity visit by Christian patriarchs in the West Bank

                On July 14, the Council of Patriarchs and Heads of Churches visited Taybeh, West Bank, to support Christian farmers whose lands and holy sites are being attacked by extremist settlers, urging Israeli authorities to act. From Detroit Catholic

                Chicago-area parishes get closure reprieve—murky future

                Several Chicago‑area parishes slated for closing or merging on July 1—including Oakbrook Terrace and Wilton Center—have been unexpectedly kept open. Reasons and timelines remain unclear. From Chicago Sun Times