Religion, Nations, and Geopolitical Review: SATURDAY, APRIL 4

by A. Joseph Lynch

I. POPE FRANCIS AND THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

"MASS" REOPENING: Texas Governor Greg Abbott has declared that churches, synagogues, and mosques are considered essential during the coronavirus threat. Churches are still asked to follow social distancing and encouraged to hold online services or drive in parking lot services.

CLOSING CHURCHES: Cardinal Tobin of Newark has effectively placed his archdiocese under interdict, effectively ending the celebration of all sacraments for the foreseeable future. In New York, Mayor Bill de Blasio claimed that, "BOY am I a fan of Pope Francis!” yet threatened the permanent closure of any church that holds services at this time.

END OF LAST RIGHTS? Bishop Mitchell Rozanski of Springfield, Massachusetts has suspended last rights in his diocese - including to those dying of coronavirus. As the sick meet their end the most the bishop is willing to give them is a chaplain in the hall and nurse applying a dab of oil on a cotton swab. More from Life Site News.

BLAMING EVANGELICALS: Although the coronavirus became a pandemic due to the lies and incompetence of communist Chinese officials, the New York Times didn't hesitate to blame Evangelical Christians for the virus.

AMERICA AT PRAYER: Despite the closure of churches, a new poll from the Pew Research Center reports that in addition to the vast majority of Christians praying daily, 15% those who never pray and 24% of non-believers are now praying as well.

II. PRESIDENT TRUMP AND AMERICA

AMERICA'S CHEMOTHERAPY: While individual Americans are suffering from a virus, the coronavirus is acting more like a national metastasizing cancer and the stay-at-home orders are akin to a national chemotherapy. Yet as chemo kills cancerous cells, many good cells die along with them. Unfortunately this is what is happening to America's economy. This is why the president has said he can't allow the cure to be worse than the disease. Too much chemo can be deadly to the patient. America is ill, but we cannot risk a cure that will prove more deadly than the disease.

BIDEN'S END? With the president hitting new approval highs, Pat Buchanan suspects the coronavirus could be the end of Biden's presidential ambitions.

MORE INVESTIGATIONS: With Biden tanking and GOP congressional approval on the rise after congressional Democrats nearly torpedoed the virus relief bill last week, Democrats are looking for ways to edge ahead in the polls. They're doing it the only way the know: not through leadership or policy ideas but but by claiming Trump is corrupt. Pelosi and Schiff have already begun "fact finding" in their new investigation into Trump over his handling of coronavirus. As the president has noted, although it's only going to help his poll numbers and fundraising, now is not the time to announce another witch hunt.

HISTORY OF HOSPITAL SHIPS: A short video on the history of hospital ships - including the USNS Mercy and Comfort. These two ships are almost 900 feet long, only 200 feet shy of the American super (aircraft) carriers, and have room to hold 1,000 patients. Stationed in New York and California, they are not being used to treat coronavirus patients but rather to care for non-coronavirus patients so that hospitals can focus on the infected without infecting patients with other sickness or injuries.

III. THE NATIONS

WHAT'S IN A NAME? The difference between a pandemic and an epidemic.

INTERNATIONAL LEADERS: Coronavirus media coverage of China and Russia is making the media's spin painfully obvious. Rather than call out China's leadership for its apparent lies and incompetence, the praises China as a global leader for its coronavirus efforts. Meanwhile the 60 tons of medical supplies sent to the US by Russia is being deemed as propaganda. The hypocrisy is palpable.

STEALING SUPPLIES: While smearing Russia, the media is also happy to attack America. While claiming that America's demand that American medical supplies go to Americans is an act of modern piracy, the media has been quite mum about France steeling medical supplies that belong to other nations. In one case, the Swedish company Mölnlycke provided the EU with 1/5 of masks for all regional surgeries. The six million masks stored in their French warehouse (which provides masks to hospitals in southern Europe, Belgium, and Netherlands) were stolen by the French government. We see this as yet another nail in the EU's coffin.

DEALING WITH CHINA: It remains to be seen what impact the coronavirus will have on China's relationship to the world. There are already calls within China to remove Xi Jinping from office. Meanwhile a leaked report from US government officials question official Chinese coronavirus numbers. Reports from China indicate that upwards of 50,000+ Chinese have died from the virus, far higher than the official 3,300 deaths reported. Although China is attempting to play the role of international savior, defective Chinese test kits and masks have been sent to Europe. With Trump likely to use the virus threat to return even more production from China to America, it is not hard to imagine one day seeing "Not Made in China" labels on store product".

"SHOOT THEM DEAD": Duterte of the Philippines minced no words as he spoke to the military, police, and his citizens in following slowing the coronavirus contagion. Duterte ordered the military and local police to shoot dead citizens who cause trouble, fight, and endanger lives. "Instead of causing trouble, I will bury you."

EMERGENCY POWERS: Viktor Orban of Hungary is being criticized for receiving new emergency powers during the coronavirus outbreak. Dr. Steve Turley explains what these powers really mean.

SWEDEN CHANGING COURSE? Sweden has attempted to keep the nation open for business, quarantining their limited number of coronavirus cases. The strategy is failing and the nation is now facing the same exponential growth others have faced.

IV. CULTURE OF LIFE, CULTURE OF PROTECTION

WORSE THAN CORONAVIRUS: On March 8, radical feminists in Spain defied coronavirus warnings to march against men with signs that proclaimed "Masculinity kills more than coronavirus." Fifteen days later Spain was seeing over 3,200 daily cases and 400 daily deaths. Since then these numbers have more than doubled. It appears Spain will overtake Italy this weekend in total coronavirus cases and may soon take the lead in deaths. The feminists should have stayed home.

9-1-1 EMERGENCY: Seattle is preparing to release hundreds of inmates over coronavirus fears and overwhelmed Seattle police lack the resources to stop robbery and physical assaults. This, however, didn't stop Seattle's female police chief from asking Seattle residents from dialing 9-1-1 if they hear anyone use hate speech. It's high time she reconsiders her priorities.

ARRESTED FOR SELF-DEFENSE: A Virginia store clerk was arrested after shooting in self-defense at robbers in his store. No charges have been made on the robbers. Read more here.

DEFENDING FATHERHOOD: Watch this surprisingly good Ted Talk from a female divorce lawyer on the importance of fatherhood.

VIRAL THREAT TO MARRIAGE: Divorce rates in Wuhan spike as the area slowing reopens. Divorce rates in America are expected to climb. The King of Thailand has reportedly locked himself away with his harem. His wife does not appear to be with him.