Taking A Stand For Principle: Vibes or Virtue?

Here are some of the week’s headlines and what they may mean to us as believers.

Hezbollah and Israel are still trading blows; Iran is still threatening to attack Israel — and the world waits. We’re also wondering if President Biden is still on the job and waiting to see what happens when he emerges from another vacation. Since the DNC, he’s been away and out of sight — in some ways, it’s almost like he’s already gone. And so it seem that some things are suspended in limbo, waiting for the next shoe to drop. While we’re waiting, let’s follow up on some things we discussed in the previous episode, particularly the attempt by powerful people to silence others through threats and intimidation, in order to frame and define a particular narrative.

For example, the CEO of Meta, the parent company of Facebook, admitted in a letter on Monday that his company was pressured by the Biden-Harris administration to censor Americans, particularly regarding COVID-19 content, the Hunter Biden laptop story and “a potential Russian disinformation operation” regarding the Biden family leading up to the 2020 election. Meanwhile in Europe, there are growing calls for Elon Musk to be arrested. The U.K. and Europe have been watching him very closely to see if he encroaches on their standards of approved and unapproved speech.

As we shared last week, the EU sent a letter to Musk warning him against spreading what they called “disinformation” before an interview with Donald Trump earlier this month. This comes on the heels of the arrest in Paris of Pavel Durov, the founder and owner of the Telegram messaging platform. Reportedly, Durov was arrested for refusing to bow to France’s censorship demands. In response, several notable people spoke out on the matter including Musk who posted this: 

“UK mass arrests citizens for memes; France arrests founder of Telegram; Ireland tries to ban ‘mean memes’; Brazil forces X to flee the country. Australia tries to censor X posts. EU tries to blackmail Elon Musk. DOJ jails someone for a meme. Maduro blocks all access to X. Free speech is under attack all across the globe. Now is the time to fight. If they win, there’s no going back.”

Another interesting and opposing view said: “China just arrested the billionaire founder of a free speech messaging app for not moderating and censoring the content to their liking. Iran is arresting their own citizens for posting things they don’t approve of. Just kidding…that was France and England.”

It does seem that the extreme left has adopted the methods of despots and authoritarian regimes by declaring war on free speech. At the very least, they seem bent on “canceling” those who have differing opinions on select issues. They are openly choosing to weaponize censorship and “law fare” in order to advance their agenda. Under the guise of combatting “right-wing” extremism and the spread of “misinformation,” they are out to squelch speech they do not like. In spite of the claims these efforts are attempting silence lies, history bears out that those with a totalitarian bent have never stifled misinformation. To the contrary, misinformation is what despots disseminate; people like Josef Goebbels, the Nazi Propaganda Minister who once said: 

“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”

In other words, Goebbels knew that people are quick to believe a lie, and by the time the people discover they were lied to, it’s often too late. History reveals, time and again, that whenever people in power have tried to dictate what is approved speech and what is not, they’ve never striven to silence misinformation; it is truth they wanted to crush under their heel. I’m sure that we haven’t heard the last of this war on words.

In a somewhat related development, this week a federal judge issued an injunction that prevents NY Attorney General Letitia James from taking action against pregnancy clinics, on the grounds it would restrict their free speech. The NY Attorney General had sued eleven different pregnancy centers that promoted the abortion pill reversal procedure, accusing the organizations of engaging in fraud, deceptive business practices and “spreading dangerous misinformation … without any medical and scientific proof.” The countersuit accused James of wrongfully targeting the groups because of their viewpoints, specifically in relation to the pill.

Perhaps you can discern a common thread in many of these stories; powerful people are working very hard to intimidate others into compliance with the prevailing mindset of the day. We’re being coerced to think in a way our “leaders” want us to think. In that vein, I can’t help but consider the scarlet clothed woman of Revelation 17. She has an epithet on her forehead that says: “Mystery, Babylon the Great; the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth.”  That this is written on her forehead hints at the mindset that will be prevalent in the last days — a Babylonian mindset which, in turn, stands in stark opposition to the Word of God, His standards and His Truth. It’s a mindset that seems to be permeating every facet of our society.

That this harlot is bedecked with purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, is important to consider in this light. In other words, the kings of the earth, with whom she commits fornication, are no doubt seduced by her appearance — but she is testament to the fact that all that glitters is not gold. Besides being bejeweled as she is, she carries in her hand a “golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication.” Moreover, the inhabitants of the earth are “made drunk with the wine of her fornication,” suggesting to me that the people of the world are intoxicated with the same mindset as she — one that is Babylonian. One that focuses on appearances, while neglecting to consider the substance.

At the risk of offending some, I want to springboard from that thought to this one: many are hailing this election season as one of vibe over substance. Ever since Joe Biden was ousted as the Democratic nominee, the Democratic party has been riding an emotional high. Some say it’s like a honeymoon; others say, it’s like rekindling of an old flame. The vibe that many felt during the DNC was reminiscent of the Obama days. As one writer put it: “The DNC is on its own nostalgia tour: it’s attempting to Make America 2008 Again.” In fact, there are updated posters by the artist who designed the famous Obama “Hope” portrait; now instead of Obama, there is an image of Harris with the word “Forward.”

North Carolina governor Roy Cooper told a crowd at a recent Harris even, “I have that 2008 feeling.” Illinois governor J. B. Pritzker said, “I haven’t seen anything like this since Obama was our nominee.” Mainstream media pundits are not only admitting that the Harris’ campaign is about style over substance, but are actively celebrating it. Commentators from CNN and other news outlets are promoting the idea that Harris’ refusal to do a formal interview for over a month or lay out any detailed policy is actually a good thing for her campaign. One CNN anchor put it this way: “It’s a vibes election.”

So one hand, powerful people on the left don’t want others to disseminate “misinformation” so as to avoid the unpleasantness that might arise if people hear an opposing view, or God forbid, the truth. On the other hand, the Harris campaign doesn’t want anyone to hear anything from her — and one has to wonder why? Is it that she doesn’t want the majority of Americans to know the truth about her? 

I realize that some will take the opposing position and say, “What about Trump?” First of all, this is not a Pro-Trump commentary — this is about God’s people being aware of what’s going on in the world. That being said, it seems to me that Trump is one of the most investigated, most talked about, most scrutinized people on the planet. In my opinion, there’s more than enough information — good and bad — out there on Trump to know the substance of the man. That’s not a political endorsement: it’s a statement of fact.

But by their own admission, the far left wants this election to be about form and not function; vibes and not substance. As another example, consider the speech given by Human Rights Campaign President, Kelley Robinson. When she spoke at the DNC, she urged people to “reimagine” freedom and democracy beyond the Founders’ “little piece of paper.” The self-described “Black queer woman” also said that Harris and running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, were “fighting for joy.”

As a footnote: two days before she spoke on the DNC stage, Robinson was on a panel at the DNC’s LGBTQ+ Kickoff where she was asked how to “dramatically shift and build more power” for the LGBTQ community and other such minorities. Her response: “We can’t just worry about protecting democracy. In this moment, we’ve got to reimagine it with people that look and love like us at the center.” In other words, her vision for America seems to be far removed from traditional values; one has to wonder how close this comes to Harris’ vision.

From this topic, I want to transition to another big story that developed last week; the suspension of RFK Jr.’s presidential campaign and the subsequent endorsement of Donald Trump. To say the least, this really took the wind out of what was supposed to be a pro-Harris news cycle just coming off the convention. As one pundit said: “Kennedy just wiped-out Kamala’s DNC speech from the news cycle.” As for Kennedy, his speech on Friday lambasted the Democratic party for departing “so dramatically from the core values that I grew up with. It had become the party of war, censorship, corruption, big pharma, big tech, big ag and big money.”

He continued: “When it abandoned democracy by canceling the primary to conceal the cognitive decline of the sitting president, I left the party to run as an independent. In the name of saving democracy, the Democratic Party set itself to dismantling it. … The Democratic National Committee ran a sham primary that was rigged to prevent any serious challenge to President Biden. Then when a predictably horrible debate performance precipitated a palace coup against President Biden, the same shadowy DNC operatives appointed his successor, also without an election.” 

In short, according to Kennedy, the Democratic National Committee shut him down and tried to silence him through censorship and lawfare. Furthermore, making the decision to support Trump has apparently cost Mr. Kennedy a great deal. Many in his own family — a family that has always closed ranks when one of their own was in embroiled in scandal (think Chappaquiddick) — have turned on him quite viciously. Some of his siblings responded to his announcement with this message: “We want an America filled with hope and bound together by a shared vision of a brighter future. A future defined by individual freedom, economic promise and national pride. We believe in Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. Our brother Bobby’s decision to endorse Trump today is a betrayal of the values that our father and our family hold most dear.”

I certainly don’t agree with many of RFK’s political positions; he is most definitely liberal in his views — He’s a Kennedy. I do, however, have respect for someone who, knowing the costs, made a decision based on principle and not politics or popularity. For the reasons given for his stand — some of which I could agree with (e.g. securing the border, ending Government heavy handedness) — I commend him. To put conscience ahead of all other considerations is something to be lauded.  His is an example that speaks to this issue: vibes and feelings are nothing to base one’s character on. Charisma is one thing but character is another. The Bible says this in regard to partaking of Godly character: 

“With all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah” (2 Peter 1:5-8).

In other words, there should be much more to us than just a vibe; more than just a likable personality. There should be substance and that substance should always reflect the attributes and characteristics we see in Messiah. If we are His, we are to be a reflection of Him and should behave in a manner that supports that reflection; as His people, we are being conformed to His image. So how does this connect to what we’ve been discussing, and especially seeing we are faced with electing a new leader for the country? 

I’ll be the first to admit that there are no ideal choices in the situation and that’s because there are no perfect men or women. But I do believe that, as God’s people, there are things we should consider if we are going to participate in the electoral process. Vibes — good or bad — shouldn’t be the determining factor. It should never be about the person but should always focus on the purpose. Throughout the Scripture, we can clearly see that God chose imperfect people to serve His purpose. 

Sometimes that meant He chose a Nebuchadnezzar to be His rod of correction for His people. Sometimes that meant He chose an imperfect person to serve His people. In fact, Israel itself is an example of God choosing the least likely candidate — and an imperfect one at that — to fulfill His purpose. When it came to giving them the land of Canaan, He made it clear that He kept His promise to them, but not because of their righteousness.

“It is not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart that you go in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord your God drives them out from before you, and that He may fulfill the word which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Therefore understand that the Lord your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stiff-necked people” (Deuteronomy 9:5-6).

In other words, God’s purpose was not entirely dependent upon the people or their character at the time. That is not to say character doesn’t matter because it certainly does. When Israel’s character became depraved, there were dire consequences. But at the same time, it is obvious that God’s purpose has everything to do with keeping His Word, whether or not the people He uses are wholly upright and virtuous. That said, those He calls to do His Will, He challenges to do what is right in the eyes of God. Of course there’s this: the Israel’s imperfection paled in comparison to the wickedness of the Canaanites. Their perverseness was such that God said, “That’s enough of that.”

And so my point is this: in any matter, purpose should always outweigh the person, whether they are likable or not. Purpose will long outlive a person which can be for good or for bad. For instance, we still live with the affects of Adam’s decision to eat the forbidden fruit. On the other hand, we still benefit from Noah’s decision to obey God and build an ark. So as we encounter all the chaos, uncertainty and distress that comes with living in a fallen world, remember that virtue is more important than vibe; God’s purpose is more important than any person. As His people, we need to be deliberate in our actions and make certain those actions reflect the character of our Father in Heaven.

Lastly, in consideration of the fact there are many in this world who desire to move Forward — which in my view insinuates moving away from what has been — our actions should always be motivated by a desire to return to God and to righteousness. “What has been,” in a Biblical context, is what was ordained by the Almighty, that is, the ancient path. Consequently, when I hear those who promote the notion of “What can be, unburdened by what has been,” I can’t help but think this mindset is more Babylonian than Biblical. In contrast, the Creator says, “Return.”

Let’s not be swayed with the glitz and glitter of the world; but let us always choose to promote and advance the purposes of God. Let us decide with conviction and stand with what is true no matter the costs — even if those costs include treasure, position, family and friends. If political personalities can take a stand for conscience and principle, should not the people of God do that and even more so for a righteous purpose? Vibes don’t count for much — feelings come and go —  but righteous principles and Godly purposes will stand long after the goose bumps are gone. 

Bill Cloud was raised in a traditional Christian home in South Georgia. Yet it was a trip to Israel to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles, in 1990, that truly provoked him to become more interested in his faith. It was during this aEoeappointed timeaE that God gave him a deep love for the land, the people and the language.

Soon thereafter, Bill began learning Hebrew under the tutelage of a local rabbi and has since spent many hours studying, not only the Hebrew text, but the Hebraic roots of Christianity as well. This interest in the language is tied to BillaE™s desire to unlock the hidden treasures within the Word of God and to teach them, along with our Hebraic roots, to believers in Messiah. Furthermore, this insight has allowed Bill to better understand the prophetic element of Scripture. As a result of this study, Bill has developed a variety of media resources dealing with prophetic themes as well as teachings related to our lost Hebraic heritage.

Bill is a featured speaker in venues throughout the country and has appeared with notable teachers such as Perry Stone, Jonathan Cahn, Joel Richardson and Hal Lindsay. He has also made several appearances on a variety of television broadcasts seen on different Christian networks throughout the world. Recently Bill, along with his wife, Beth, and their children started a fellowship in the Cleveland TN area.

Through Shoreshim Ministries, Bill and his family strive to re-introduce Christians to the Jewish Yeshua and to educate believers in the Hebraic roots of their faith. As a result of this information, disciples of the Messiah can more accurately interpret end-time events and better discern our role in these last days.
Bill and his family reside in Cleveland, Tennessee.