This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

From the early church hymns, sung a cappella or perhaps accompanied by cymbals and flutes, past Gregorian chant, through the thundering pipe organ chords of J.S. Bach, to the 1960s guitars and electric pianos and then the current orchestrations backing up Christian church worship leaders, there have been a lot of changes musically.

Not so much in the lyrics, as the message from "How Great Thou Art," through "Were you there when they crucified my Lord?" to "Bless the Lord, O my soul, O my soul, Worship His holy name" all have revolved around worship.

Until now:

Now, one church has unleashed a new "inspirational" chorus with the words: "God bless the Christian, God bless the atheist, God bless the Muslim, God bless the rest of us. We've got no idea What we're doing."

The report at End Times Headlines explains it reveals "a dangerous drift into progressive praise."

The tune apparently comes out of The Well Church in Gilbert, Arizona, the report said.

"The song's catch phrase is 'We've Got No Idea What We're Doing,' and while the theme itself may be unintentionally honest, what follows is a troubling snapshot of what happens when worship untethers itself from biblical truth," the report said.

Lyrics:

God bless the Christian
God bless the atheist
God bless the Muslim
God bless the rest of us
We've got no idea
What we're doing
Let all our friends in
And all our enemies
All of our children
All of our families
We've got no idea
What we're doing
We've tried to find you
Throughout the centuries
Different religions in
Different countries
We've got no idea
What we're doing

The report commented, "Let's be clear. The Christian faith is not a foggy attempt to guess at God's nature. It is the glorious revelation of God in Christ, who said, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me' (John 14:6)."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

Jeffrey Epstein's Caribbean island residence library has been invaded and recorded on video, and O'Keefe Media Group is releasing those images.

The newest shows a library "full of bizarre statues, unusual objects and even cryptic messages left by Epstein," according to the Gateway Pundit.

Evidence suggests crimes committed by the convicted sex offender, who died in a New York jail while awaiting further court hearings on new charges, happened at the structures on the private Little St. James island in the Caribbean.

OMG's James O'Keefe pointed out on a chalkboard were the words "Power," "Deception," "Mirror in Face" and "Dank Brain," and he explained, ""Handwriting analysis reveals strong similarities between these markings and the note recovered from Epstein's prison cell, prior to his death."

An earlier video release disclosed images from Epstein's kitchen, including a disturbing image in a photograph of a nude infant sitting in a sink.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

A school district and a foundation launched by a late Hollywood director have been ordered to pay millions of dollars to students and their families for forcing their pagan religious beliefs on students.

It is the Chicago Board of Education and the David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace that must pay $2.6 million after students, including a Christian and a Muslim, were forced to take part in a "ceremony" that participants charge invoked Hindu deities.

A report in the Washington Stand said the ruling came from a federal judge who confirmed 773 former Chicago students will be affected by the ruling.

Chicago school officials had agreed to pay $170,000 to the leftist foundation to "provide Quiet Time Program services."

It happened at the Daniel Hale Williams Prep School of Medicine and Gage Park High School during 2018.

"The contract states the program would consist of 'two restful 15-minute periods providing a counterbalance to the hyper-stimulating tension of urban culture. The key component of Quiet Time is an evidenced-based stress reduction and cognitive development technique known as Transcendental Meditation."

One plaintiff, Kaya Hudgins, confirmed she was forced into what school officials claimed was "quiet time," but in reality was a worship of a "Hindu 'Puja.'"

It included religious paraphernalia and chanting of mantras citing Hindu gods.

She told the Washington Stand, "I was just a teenager when I was pressured into a program I didn't understand and wasn't allowed to question. No student should ever be forced into a religious practice against their will — especially not in a public school. This settlement is a step toward accountability and a reminder that our constitutional rights don't stop at the classroom door."

The terms of the agreement required students who chose not to "meditate" to be allowed to read or rest.

But Hudgins, a Muslim at the time, explained school officials refused.

"Her case became a class action lawsuit open to every single student in the troubled Chicago Public Schools system herded into the 'Quiet Time' program from Fall 2015 through Spring 2019, and who turned 18 on or after January 13, 2021," the report said.

Lawyer John Mauck fought the case and told the Washington Stand, "We hope this settlement will deter those who exploit young people and that it will encourage the Chicago Board of Education to be wary of harming students by allowing wolves to prey on the sheep they are obligated to protect."

A ruling in a previous court case awarded $150,000 in legal fees to Mariyah Green, a Christian who made the same claims.

The report noted, "The Biden-Harris administration encouraged public schools to carry out non-Christian religious practices such as Transcendental Meditation as a way to promote equity. A report promulgated by the Biden-Harris administration in December 2023 titled 'Promoting Mental Health and Well-Being in Schools' states, 'Classroom-based mindfulness education' should include '[e]xperiential practice of mindful breathing, meditation, and mindful movement, such as yoga,' as well as holding class 'discussion[s] about how to practice mindfulness in everyday situations.'"

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

Twice already officials in the state of Colorado have gone to the Supreme Court in their misplaced campaign to control the thoughts, beliefs, and religious expression of individuals in the state.

Twice they've lost, getting scolded for exhibiting "hostility" to Christianity.

And a third case yet is pending before the high court.

Colorado taxpayers already have been stung for millions of dollars in the failed ideology imposed on them by leftist leaders – a Democrat governor, Democrat majorities in the state House and Senate and an all-Democrat state Supreme Court that at one point wildly tried, and failed, to grab control of the entire 2024 presidential election by barring President Donald Trump from the ballot.

But that's not enough damage, those state officials have decided.

It is the Colorado Department of Early Childhood that now has changed policies so that a longtime Christian youth camp is being ordered to promote the anti-Christ mindset of transgenderism.

In direct violation to its religious beliefs and constitutionally protected religious rights.

"The government has no place telling religious summer camps that it's 'lights out' for upholding their religious beliefs about human sexuality," said ADF lawyer Andrea Dill. "Camp IdRaHaJe exists to present the truth of the Gospel to children who are building character and lifelong memories. But the Colorado government is putting its dangerous agenda—that is losing popularity across the globe—ahead of its kids. We are urging the court to allow IdRaHaJe to operate as it has for over 75 years: as a Christian summer camp that accepts all campers without fear of being punished for its beliefs."

The ADF announcement confirmed it has filed a lawsuit in federal court in Colorado on behalf of IdRaHaJe, which takes its name from the hymn, "I'd Rather Have Jesus."

The state policy change would, in fact, force all licensed resident camps in the state to believe and teach the fiction that boys can be girls and girls can be boys.

Such transgender ideologies exploded under the promotions adopted by Joe Biden when he was in the White House.

President Donald Trump simply decided that the position of the U.S. government is that there are two sexes, male and female, and they don't change back and forth.

For those who follow the science, such ideology in fact is a myth, as being male or female is embedded in the human body down to the DNA level.

The camp has operated in the Bailey, Colorado, area, southwest of Denver, since 1948.

It has maintained a resident camp license since 1995.

But leftists inside the power structure in the state recently amended their rules, "requiring children's camps to allow campers to access bathing, dressing, and sleeping facilities designated to the opposite sex."

Camp officials asked for an exemption and were refused.

They serve children ages six to 17 and offer off-site backpacking and camping trips, as well as activities at the camp itself. Each year some 2,500 to 3,000 students attend the camp, whose mission is to "win souls to Jesus Christ through the spreading of the Gospel."

The camp is open to all, and parents are asked to agree to camp policies when they register their children.

The state's most recent catastrophe at the U.S. Supreme Court involved web designer Lorie Smith of 303 Creative.

She designs wedding websites, and had been ordered by the state to promote same-sex duos in her work, in violation of her deeply held Christian faith.

The Supreme Court scolded the state for its agenda to violate the First Amendment in the case.

And a statement from ADF explained in that case, "The government can't force Americans to say things they don't believe, and Colorado officials have paid and will continue to pay a high price when they violate this foundational freedom.

"For the past 12 years, Colorado has targeted people of faith and forced them to express messages that violate their conscience and that advance the government's preferred ideology. First Amendment protections are non-negotiable. Billions of people around the world believe that marriage is the union of one man and one woman and that men and women are biologically distinct. No government has the right to silence individuals for expressing these ideas or to punish those who decline to express different views."

The state earlier was handed a Supreme Court scolding over its "hostility" to Christians when the justices decided the fight in favor of baker Jack Phillips, who also had been ordered by the state to promote same-sex weddings and such.

He, too, had declined to participate in the state's leftist beliefs and ideology because doing so would violate his Christian faith.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

President Donald Trump unleashed his disdain on a top network reporter Monday who asked him about Qatar gifting America with a $400 million 747 aircraft that may be used as the new Air Force One until shortly before he leaves office.

"What do you say to people who view that luxury jet as a personal gift to you?" ABC News senior political correspondent Rachel Scott asked Trump during a signing ceremony for an executive order designed to slash prices for prescription drugs. "Why not leave it behind?"

Trump instantly responded with an attack on Scott and her network, saying: "You're ABC Fake News right? Because only ABC – well, a few of you would. Let me tell you. You should be embarrassed asking that question.

"They're giving us a free jet. I could say no, no, no, don't give us … I want to pay you $1 billion or $400 million or whatever it is or I could say thank you very much."

He then discussed an anecdote concerning pro golfer Sam Snead.

"He had a motto, when they give you a putt, you say, thank you very much. You pick up your ball and you walk to the next hole," Trump recounted.

"A lot of people are stupid. They say, no, no, I insist on putting it. And then they put it, they miss it, and their partner gets angry at them. You know what? Remember that Sam Snead, when they give you a putt, you pick it up and you walk to the next hole and you say, thank you very much."

Scott continued to press the matter, but was cut off by Trump as she asked: "Respectfully, sir, as a businessman, some people may look at this and say, have you ever been given a gift worth millions of dollars and then not …"

"It's not a gift to me," Trump replied. "It's a gift to the Department of Defense and you should know better because you've been embarrassed enough and so has your network. Your network is a disaster. ABC is a disaster."

Regarding the offer of the aircraft, Trump said: "I think it's a great gesture from Qatar. Appreciate it very much. I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer."

"I mean, I could be a stupid person and say, No, we don't want a free, very expensive airplane. But it was, I thought it was a great gesture."

"I think it was a gesture because of the fact that we help, have helped, and continue to, we will continue to all of those countries, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and others," he continued.

 

House Speaker Mike Johnson was asked by ABC about the gift, to which he responded: "I'm not going to comment on it."

"I haven't seen all the details about it."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

The leader of political opposition to Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro says Americans now have "a business opportunity of $1.7 trillion" in her country if the dictator is ousted from power, and she predicts communist regimes in Cuba and Nicaragua will soon fall once he's gone.

"We will turn Venezuela from the criminal hub of the Americas into energy hub of the Americas," Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said on "Sunday Morning Futures" with Maria Bartiromo on the Fox News Channel.

"I'm talking about a business opportunity of $1.7 trillion. This is unique. … This is a win-win partnership when we are all free."

"I want to be very clear," continued Machado, who has been in hiding for nine months. "Maduro is weaker than ever, totally rejected by 90% of the people, internationally isolated and now with fractures within the regime."

Machado praised the leadership of U.S. President Donald Trump, and said: "Venezuela will be free. Venezuela will be a reliable partner of the U.S."

"We will kick out Iranian forces and agents, the Hezbollah that have turned Venezuela into a base, an operational base of the Iranian regime. And we will build a partnership to create a security shield for the Americas for the stability of the region and also for the national security of the U.S."

Regarding economic matters, Machado said: "Under Maduro, Venezeulans' oil and energy has collapsed. These companies operating in Venezuela are forced to partner with a criminal structure, with a drug cartel. They are giving to Maduro and that means giving money for the drug cartels for the operations and enforcing the criminal gangs like Tren de Aragua that are operating all across the continent."

"President Trump's position is the right one. We need to move forward cut these sources going to the criminals. … Remember Maduro is the head of the Tren de Aragua."

She predicted that once "Maduro's out, believe me, the Cuban and Nicaraguan regime will follow, and for the first time in history, we will have a continent free of communism and dictatorship. This is historic."

Machado described the harsh conditions living under Maduro's dictatorship, noting, "Minimum wages in Venezuela are $1.5 dollars a month. Our children go to school only twice a week.

"No journalist is able to speak. Young people have been put in prison just for putting a post on X or Instagram or of they have my picture in their phones. So that is why people leave. They're forced to leave to save their lives."

"Once we have free Venezuela, we will not only dismantle all those criminal gangs … we will turn Venezuela into open markets and greatest opportunities for all."

When asked if she and her cohorts were afraid, Machado replied, "Of course we are."

"We have more than 900 political prisoners right now that have been tortured, women that have been sexually assaulted. It's brutal but the fact is that we're moving forward. And the fact that we have this unwavering support from President Trump makes things move ahead."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

'Federal law is clear. Religious liberty is not optional – it's protected'

A teenager employed by a major corporation under a special high school training program has been fired for observing the Sabbath and attending church.

And the legal team at the American Center for Law and Justice is coming to his defense.

The organization reported this fight is over "Eli," who as a teen was "unjustly fired by General Electric for going to church to observe a Sabbath day."

Eli was described as a devout Christian who has faithfully observed a weekly Sabbath for as long as he can remember.

"He informed his employer of his sincerely held religious practice and repeatedly requested a reasonable accommodation: to have his Sabbath day off from work. Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, employers are legally required to reasonably accommodate an employee's religious beliefs unless doing so would pose an undue hardship," the ACLJ report said.

GE claimed the case involved "an undue hardship" but was unable to identify what that hardship would be.

"GE told Eli, in no uncertain terms, that if he did not show up to work on Saturdays, the day of his Sabbath, he would be fired. Eli remained true to his faith – and GE followed through on its threat and fired Eli on the day of his high school graduation. He was fired for what they labeled as 'attendance issues' – a pretext for punishing him for practicing his religion," the report said.

The report said Eli's case now is in mediation with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and because of ongoing delays the ACLJ has joined the case.

"We are fighting to hold GE accountable for its discriminatory actions and to ensure that Eli receives justice," the report said. "No one should be forced to choose between their job and their faith – especially a teenager.

"Employers must provide reasonable accommodations for religious practices unless doing so would cause undue hardship, which is a high bar under the law. In Eli's case, there was no indication that honoring his Sabbath accommodation would have caused an undue hardship."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

It's like "a winning lottery ticket."

That's the circumstance for a man who owns a Chicago home, a fixer-upper that he had on the market for $200,000.

But it's no longer on the market, and certainly not at that price, after he found the small brick structure was the childhood home of Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV.

The New York Post explained the details.

"[The real-estate agent] called me and said, 'Hey, the pope used to live in your house.' I'm like, 'Stop joking,'" explained Pawel Radzik, who flips properties and was ready to unload the home for $200,000.

"I'm going to keep it for now. I'm excited. … I'm lucky to have it," he said.

Realtor Steve Budzik told The Post, "It's like a winning lottery ticket."

The home actually is in Dolton, Illinois, and reports say it was home to some drug dealers a few years ago, after the Prevost family sold it.

Radzik then bought it last year and fixed up and listed it for sale more than three months ago.

Now, he confirmed to the Post, he's raising the price before it goes back on the market.

Curiously, on Thursday alone, he got four offers on the structure.

The Post described the home as a "modest-looking 1,200-square-foot abode — which the pope's family bought in 1949, paying a $42 monthly mortgage."

Real estate listings prominently displayed an "off market" notation about the property.

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

White smoke has been seen above the Sistine Chapel, indicating that the 133 voting cardinals of the Catholic Church, meeting at the Vatican have chosen a new pope.

He is Robert Francis Prevost, 69, the first American to serve as leader of the Catholic Church, who is taking the name Pope Leo XIV. Originally from Chicago, until now Prevost was the head of the church's Dicastery for Bishops.

According to CBS News, Prevost is seen overall as a centrist, though on some key social issues he's viewed as progressive. He holds dual citizenship with Peru, where he spent many years of his career.

The church officials spent two days selecting a new church chief, meaning that the new pope took little time to impress his peers in the secretive process.

Francis and Benedict XVI were both revealed in the evening of the conclave's second day, while John Paul II, the longest-reigning pope of modern times, was selected on the third day in 1978.

Francis' tenure was celebrated during a funeral only two weeks ago, an event that drew 250,000 people including President Donald Trump.

He was buried in the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome.

Cardinal Re lauded the "mercy and the joys of the gospel" that were Francis' priorities, "in contrast to the culture of waste."

"He often reminded us… that we all belong to the same human family and that no one is saved alone," Re said.

Prevost is the first-ever American pope and the College of Cardinals made the announcement with the statement, "Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus papam!" — in English, "I announce to you a great joy: We have a pope!"

Prevost was born in Chicago, graduated from Villanova, and spent years as a missionary and then archbishop in Peru.

He opened his conversation with Catholics, and the rest of the world, with, "Peace be with you."

The Washington Examiner reported early favorites had included Luis Tagle from the Philippines and Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, and the final choice likely was an accommodation among the lobbying groups.

President Donald Trump said, "Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!"

Francis had been pope for some 12 years.

Eric Scheidler, executive director of the Pro-Life Action League, said, "As a Catholic, as a pro-life advocate, and as a Chicagoan, I joyfully celebrate the election of Pope Leo XIV. Prior to his elevation to the papacy, Cardinal Prevost spent much of his life and ministry in my hometown and the Pro-Life Action League's headquarter city of Chicago, so I feel a special closeness to him in that regard. As a pro-life activist, I am also deeply heartened to know that our new pope holds strong pro-life convictions as evidenced by his words in a recent homily: 'God's mercy calls us to protect every life, especially those society overlooks—the child yet to be born and the elderly nearing their journey's end—because each bears Christ's face.' I look forward to serving the Church under Pope Leo's leadership for many years to come."

Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life, said, "The pro-life movement would not have the strong presence it has today if it were not for the Catholic faithful. We have been blessed over the years with popes who have been fundamental in creating a Culture of Life.

"St. John Paul II issued the Evangelium Vitae, an encyclical which reaffirmed the universal right to life for all people. Pope Benedict XVI was an advocate of the right to life and followed the footsteps of his predecessor in keeping the right to life at the forefront of Catholic teaching. Pope Francis, like his predecessors, was a strong advocate for the value and dignity of every human life, from conception to natural death. We look forward to Pope Leo XIV continuing the work of his predecessors in his dedication to the right to life and championing the most vulnerable among us."

This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat and no fan of Donald Trump, was captured on video in the Oval Office Monday during an event with the president, expressing obvious discomfort as he hammered Joe Biden over his lax immigration policies.

The setting was the announcement that the NFL Draft in 2027 would be held in Washington, D.C. Also present were NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and other officials.

In an X post featuring the video, country musician John Rich noted, "This is hysterical. Look at the Mayor of DC's body language, she's about to spontaneously combust."

Bowser's participation started positively, as RedState reported.

"We are delighted to be here with the Washington Commanders, the NFL, and the president to talk about this very exciting announcement for Washington, D.C.," she said. "We believe in investing in sports because they have helped us transform neighborhoods."

But once Trump began criticizing his predecessor, the mayor's face betrayed her discomfort.

The mayor's awkward looks follow an Oval Office appearance last month by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in which she held a blue binder in front of her face, apparently embarrassed by her presence in MAGA Central: Donald Trump's Oval Office.

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