Why Christian Films Are Beating Secular Hollywood at the Box Office

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You have probably never heard of this year’s most unexpected hit film. In its opening weekend, it grossed more than 10 times as much as Tár, the classical music drama and unending discourse generator. And it easily beat out both Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale and the most recent Magic Mike sequel: not bad for a decidedly mid-budget production made for $15m, now sitting pretty on a $40m box office haul. It is the highest-grossing film released by the studio Lionsgate since 2019 – beating even Ryan Reynolds’s big-budget action comedy The Hitman’s Bodyguard.

This film also has a nigh-unreachable audience score of 99 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes, making it more popular than Casablanca or Citizen Kane. It’s called Jesus Revolution. . .

Faith-based films are, unfortunately, almost uniformly bad – not because they’re too religious, but often because they’re not religious enough. They don’t want to grapple with the themes of sin and doubt and powerlessness and the infinite silence of God. What’s powerful in Christianity – even for unbelievers – is the sense of a God who doesn’t provide an easy answer for human suffering, but simply suffers alongside us. But these movies traffic in simple answers; they needs to tell you, at the end of every film, that everything is fine.

Many faith-based films are deeply integrated into the mainstream. The Shack was produced by Lionsgate under its Summit Entertainment brand – the same outfit that gave us the Twilight films. Heaven is for Real was produced in-house by Sony Pictures. And Jesus Revolution is made by the Kingdom Story Company, a film studio which has exclusively partnered with Lionsgate to make faith-based content. The film’s co-writer and director Jon Erwin has form in this area: his previous works include October Baby, about young mums finding God in an abortion clinic, and Woodland, which features young mums finding God on an equalities march.

“We’re entertainers first. I want to make you laugh; I want to make you cry,” Erwin told Christianity Today. “But underneath all of that, there’s this universal message about hope. That’s what’s so interesting about it. It’s set in the church; it’s called Jesus Revolution; it’s about a spiritual awakening in America. And yet people who have no affiliation to Christianity love this story.” (Read more from “Why Christian Films Are Beating Secular Hollywood at the Box Office” HERE)

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Journalist Suggests Trump’s Potential Indictment Is Being Timed to Distract From House’s Biden Probe: Do You Think It’s a ‘Coincidence?’

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Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo suggested former President Donald Trump’s potential indictment might be part of a scheme to shield President Joe Biden and his family from scrutiny.

On Sunday Morning Futures, Bartiromo — speaking with House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) — discussed the news that Trump might be facing indictment over the Stormy Daniels hush money scandal. Asked by the Fox News anchor to weigh-in, Comer drew a connection between this development and the latest information he released from the House probe into the Biden family’s dealings with foreign businesses.

It’s very odd that this would come out just the very next day after I revealed bank records which showed that the Biden family, the president in particular, hasn’t been truthful with respect to his family receiving parents directly from the Chinese Communist Party. So it almost looks like it’s an effort to detract, But at very least, it’s another example of a two-tiered system of justice.

The Biden family probe has recently come under scrutiny by some at Fox News who are wondering when, or if, it will ever reveal actual proof of corruption or criminality. The information released by Comer did sway some skeptics — with CNN’s Erin Burnett among those who notably said it “doesn’t look good” that the Biden family received over a million dollars from accounts tied to Hunter Biden’s business dealings. (Read more from “Journalist Suggests Trump’s Potential Indictment Is Being Timed to Distract From House’s Biden Probe: Do You Think It’s a ‘Coincidence?’” HERE)

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Why Putin Will Probably Have to Cancel Most Travel Outside of Russia for Now; Arrest Warrant Issued

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By Townhall. Vladimir Putin will probably have to cancel all travel plans, at least to nations that are signatories of the International Criminal Court. Today, that body issued an arrest warrant on allegations that Russia has committed heinous war crimes in Ukraine. The announcement was met with strong denials from the Kremlin, which was predictable, claiming that these moves at placing pressure on Moscow are done only to discredit Russian Federation (via NBC News):

The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant Friday for Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of being responsible for war crimes in Ukraine.

Putin committed the “war crime” of overseeing the unlawful abduction and deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia, the court said in a news release.

. . .Now, let’s be honest: this is a mostly symbolic gesture. The ICC has no police force, and even if they did, they wouldn’t barge into the Grand Kremlin Palace, slap cuffs on Putin, and airlift him to The Hauge. They rely on signatory states’ police forces to execute the warrants, which is most of Europe. The United States doesn’t recognize ICC jurisdiction. Still, it could cause a headache for Joe Biden or whoever is the next president should Putin defy international norms, as he’s done often, and travel here—because the pressure to do something could be mind-splitting—or any nation that recognizes the ICC for something like a significant international summit. (Read more from “Why Putin Will Probably Have to Cancel Most Travel Outside of Russia for Now” HERE)

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How an International Arrest Warrant for Putin Puts a New Spin on Xi Visit to Russia

By PBS News Hour. Chinese President Xi Jinping’s plans to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow next week highlighted China’s aspirations for a greater role on the world stage. But they also revealed the perils of global diplomacy: Hours after Friday’s announcement of the trip, an international arrest warrant was issued for Putin on war crimes charges, taking at least some wind out of the sails of China’s big reveal.

The flurry of developments — which followed China’s brokering of an agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran to resume diplomatic relations and its release of what it calls a “peace plan” for Ukraine — came as the Biden administration watches warily Beijing’s moves to assert itself more forcefully in international affairs.

U.S. officials had no immediate public comment on the arrest warrant issued for Putin by the International Criminal Court in The Hague, but privately they expressed satisfaction that an international body had agreed with Washington’s assessment that Russia has committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine.

The Biden administration believes China’s desire to be seen as a broker for peace between Russia and Ukraine may be viewed more critically now that Putin is officially a war crime suspect, according to two U.S. officials. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the matter publicly, said the administration hopes the warrants will help mobilize heretofore neutral countries to weigh in on the conflict. (Read more from “How an International Arrest Warrant for Putin Puts a New Spin on Xi Visit to Russia” HERE)

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Ukrainian Commander Reveals True Scale of Losses – And Pays the Price

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Ukraine has demoted a top battlefield commander after he admitted his unit had been decimated in fighting around the city of Bakhmut.

The battalion commander, known by his call sign Kupol, gave an unusually frank assessment of Ukrainian losses in an interview from the front lines earlier this week.

He revealed that all of the original 500 soldiers in his unit had either been killed or injured, a rare acknowledgement from inside the Ukrainian ranks, where losses are kept strictly confidential. . .

Kupol told the Washington Post this week that the Ukrainian army training was often poor and that some of the rookie replacements didn’t know how to throw a hand grenade or fire a rifle. . .

Kupol said that he had been motivated to speak out to try to improve training levels but furious Ukrainian generals instead demoted him. The Washington Post said he had consented to have his picture taken but admitted he could face “personal blowback” for his honest assessment. (Read more from “Ukrainian Commander Reveals True Scale of Losses – And Pays the Price” HERE)

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White House Rejects China-Brokered Ceasefire in Ukraine

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The Biden administration came out against China’s push for a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine, saying Thursday that a pause in fighting would work to Russia’s advantage.

Chinese President Xi Jinping intends to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in an effort to broker a peace deal between the two nations, which have been at war for over a year after Russia’s invasion. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters the administration believes a ceasefire would work against Ukraine.

“While that sounds perfectly reasonable and it sounds like a good thing, a ceasefire right now would basically ratify Russia’s conquest. Russia would basically be free to use that ceasefire to further entrench its positions in Ukraine, to rebuild their forces, refit them, re-man them, retrain them so that they can then restart attacks at a time of their choosing.”

Kirby said the White House supports talks between Xi and Zelensky, but warned Beijing against adopting a stance that favors Russia.

Xi is scheduled to visit Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Chinese leader has also reportedly reached out to Zelensky, although details on that were also unclear. Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba in a Thursday phone call. (Read more from “White House Rejects China-Brokered Ceasefire in Ukraine” HERE)

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Hunter Biden’s ‘Laptop From Hell’ Countersuit Could Drag Joe’s Reelection Bid

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As President Biden weighs a re-election bid at age 80, his long-troubled son Hunter has all but guaranteed the commander-in-chief will be bringing plenty of baggage on the campaign trail.

Hunter Biden on Friday escalated his legal war with the former computer repair shop owner who came into possession of his now-infamous laptop, with a countersuit that claims his privacy was invaded — and which threatens to put all his sordid drug binging, sexcapades and shady foreign business deals right back into the spotlight.

In the countersuit, filed in US District Court in Delaware first thing Friday, the first son alleged John Paul Mac Isaac had no legal right to copy and disseminate the contents of the laptop that was abandoned at his Delaware store in 2019.

The 42-page filing, which was lodged in response to a long-running defamation suit filed by Mac Isaac against Hunter and others, also accuses the repair shop owner of helping to distribute the laptop’s contents for political gain just weeks before the 2020 election.

Hunter’s aggressive move comes as House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) forges ahead with a probe into the first son and his family’s foreign business dealings. (Read more from “Hunter Biden’s ‘Laptop From Hell’ Countersuit Could Drag Joe’s Reelection Bid” HERE)

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Kamala Harris Get Booed at Basketball Game, Give Stupid Speech Afterwards

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Vice President Kamala Harris was showered with boos while attending an NCAA Tournament game Thursday. Her alma mater Howard University was blown out in a first-round game of March Madness.

When the veep was shown on the video board during the men’s basketball game, the boos were louder than the applause inside Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa, the Associated Press reported. . .

Harris, who watched the game in a suite with her husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, visited Howard’s locker room after the loss to commend the players on their effort and impressive season.

(Read more from “Kamala Harris Get Booed at Basketball Game, Give Stupid Speech Afterwards” HERE)

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Extremist Groups With Dark Funding Push Left-Wing Propaganda on U.S. Military Posts (VIDEO)

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The U.S. military veterans group VoteVets says its latest ad was rejected by Fox News, but that it has found a way around Fox’s censorship to reach military personnel serving on military bases.

“Fox News Channel wouldn’t run this ad,” the group says, “but tonight @votevets is running it on Tucker Carlson Tonight, Ingraham Angle, & HANNITY.”

VoteVets writes: “VoteVets is running this ad calling for Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham to be removed from military installation TVs. The ad will run during those shows, on cable systems serving those very TVs.”

(Read more from “Extremist Groups With Dark Funding Push Left-Wing Propaganda on U.S. Military Posts (VIDEO)” HERE)

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Eyedrops Kill 1, Force Others to Have Eyes Removed Due to Drug-Resistant Bacteria: CDC Alert

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. . .The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say 68 patients in 16 US states have been diagnosed with a rare bacterial infection likely caused by preservative-free eyedrops.

The public health agency says a rare strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is resistant to antibiotics, has resulted in the death of one American, as well as vision loss in eight other patients across the country.

Four people infected have been forced to have their eyes surgically removed, including Florida grandmother Clara Oliva, who is now suing the makers of EzriCare Artificial Tears.

“My client is horribly injured and now legally blind. I am currently investigating others similarly injured by this recalled product,” Oliva’s attorney Natasha Cortes wrote in an email to Law&Crime. . .

Back in January, the CDC warned people to stop using that product, as well as Delsam Pharma’s Artificial Tears and Ointment, after opened bottles taken from patients were found to contain the potentially deadly bacteria. (Read more from “Eyedrops Kill 1, Force Others to Have Eyes Removed Due to Drug-Resistant Bacteria: CDC Alert” HERE)

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DOJ Probing TikTok Over Allegations of Spying on U.S. Tech Journalists

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The Justice Department is investigating claims that the Chinese company that owns TikTok has been spying on US tech journalists, according to a report Friday.

The probe into ByteDance stems from the company’s acknowledgment in December that employees had obtained data of US TikTok users, some of whom were reporters, the New York Times said.

Sources told The Times that the Justice Department, along with the FBI and the US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, are looking into how ByteDance employees were able to access that data.

The Justice Department did not respond to an inquiry from the Times or The Post, and the specific scope of the investigation is unclear.

The report comes as the Biden Administration has pressured ByteDance to sell its stake in TikTok or possibly face a nationwide ban amid increased scrutiny over its national security threat. (Read more from “DOJ Probing TikTok Over Allegations of Spying on U.S. Tech Journalists” HERE)

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