>> If we lose this cultural war, we're going to have a hedonistic, humanistic society. Discover the story of the culture warrior, Don Wildmon and how he went head to head with Hollywood playboy, the homosexual agenda and the Disney empire. The movement Don started paved the way for Christians to boldly stand for truth and righteousness in a hostile culture. Watch Culture Warrior today for free. Visit culturewarrior movie.
Welcome to Today's Issues on the American Family Radio Network
>> Jeff Chamblee: Welcome to Today's Issues, offering a Christian response to the issues of the day. Here's your host, Tim Wildmon, president of the American Family Association.
>> Tim Wildmon: Hey, good morning, everybody, and welcome to Today's Issues on the American Family Radio Network. Thanks for listening to AFR. It's Tuesday, November 11, 2025, and, we thank you again for listening to American Family Radio. Joining me in studio is Wesley Wildmon. Good morning, Wesley.
>> Wesley Wildmon: And good morning.
>> Tim Wildmon: And good morning, Chris Woodward.
>> Chris Woodward: Good morning.
About half the country is being hit with this arctic blast
>> Tim Wildmon: And I was going to say in Kansas City, Kansas, but no race raised Ray's flu. Ray flew south to Florida.
>> Tim Wildmon: I flew away with the snowbirds. And here we are in Hudson, Florida. And Tim, for some reason the cold weather followed us all the way down here to central Florida this morning.
>> Tim Wildmon: I wonder, Ray, you must not be living right, brother.
>> Tim Wildmon: Confess my sins or something.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Is that a blanket you're wrapped in?
>> Tim Wildmon: That's exactly what it looks like. It was 35 degrees here in Hudson, Florida, which is like minus six back in Kansas City, you know.
>> Tim Wildmon: Right, right. Well, it won't stay that long, that cold, but for a couple days, a day or two. Right. Tomorrow, Tomorrow it warms back up. But yeah, about half the country's being hit with this, arctic blast, what I call it, some people call it some kind of vortex or something. But, from, you know, so with in some cases, record lows. Oh, yeah, for this day. Right.
>> Chris Woodward: We do have a story about this on, afn.net matter of fact, our headline is Arctic air sinks deep into Florida. And it says National Weather Service forecaster said the weather could bring record low temperatures in the US Southeast, including all of Florida, where parts of the state were near 80 degrees just a few days ago. It goes on to say the cold air brought gusty wind and red flag warnings in the Great Plains on Monday. And forecaster said, the Great Lakes and Appalachian mountain regions could see 4 inches to 8 inches of snow.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Yeah, I almost took off to go hunting.
>> Tim Wildmon: Oh, really? The wind. Okay. You mean because of the cold?
>> Wesley Wildmon: With the cold front coming in, they.
>> Tim Wildmon: Get the deer, get the deer moving around.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Yeah. What happens is when There's a drop.
>> Tim Wildmon: Deers.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Deers. You started to. You caught yourself.
>> Tim Wildmon: Deer. Right.
>> Wesley Wildmon: That's right.
>> Tim Wildmon: That's plural.
>> Wesley Wildmon: You got it. You got it. Correct. but yeah, when the temperature drops drastically, 15 to 20 degrees on either end, usually, deer move really well. Hey, also, Well, I don't want to change subjects too quick. We do got an announcement before we.
>> Tim Wildmon: We do have an announcement. Yeah. Okay. Well, anyway, Ray, you'll be back to sunshine and warmth tomorrow, right?
>> Tim Wildmon: That's exactly right. But I got to say this, Tim.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: They actually put out an official warning watch for falling iguanas. Those are like those big lizards that when it's Florida, when it gets below 50 degrees, iguanas, they kind of freeze up. They go numb and they fall out of the trees. So we had an official watch out for falling iguanas.
>> Tim Wildmon: I wonder, is that. Does that kill them or do they, they just sort of knock some.
>> Tim Wildmon: Unconscious and then when it warms back up, they warm up. Can you imagine walking. Walking out of sidewalk and you get hit? Iguana.
>> Tim Wildmon: Those things aren't small. No, I mean, you know, they're not like a little cricket or anything.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Yeah, you'd like to think that they're smart enough. As the temperature drops, it go to lower ground. Because that's. I mean, if you're all the way at the top of a 20 foot tree and you're in the ground.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, but they're going to a lower ground involuntarily. Oh, I know that they're dropping through branches. you know, but anyway, so falling a guy. That sounds like a country song right there. Watch out for the falling Iguanas.
>> Wesley Wildmon: it's more of a hip hop.
>> Tim Wildmon: Song, but yeah, or it might be a name for a good name again for a band. That's right now, the Falling Iguanas.
>> Wesley Wildmon: more so than a country song.
Operation Christmas Child needs help collecting shoe boxes for needy children
>> Tim Wildmon: You said you had an announcement. Oh, yeah, we got like bulletins at church. Bullet. Time to read the bulletin at church.
>> Wesley Wildmon: That's what it feels like because we do this so well.
>> Tim Wildmon: You are about to read it.
>> Wesley Wildmon: I am going to read it.
>> Tim Wildmon: Go ahead.
>> Wesley Wildmon: We have oper. We have national collection week for Operation Christmas Child. This year. Operation Christmas Child is hoping to reach 12.6 million children with the Gospel through the shoebox gift. we all know what this is. If anybody's been listening to AFR for any amount of time or you've been to any of your local churches. So many different. So many churches across the country, across the denominations. come Together for this time each year. The National Collection Week during this is the pre week and then of course it leads. It goes all the way up and through November 24th. So November 17th through November 24th are the dates that we're asking you to partner with Operation Christmas Child Samaritan's Purse, that is to collect, shoe boxes, what you'll do there, all the information. Because I don't. They have become a little bit more specific over the years of what they're needing and what we want, what they're asking you and what we're asking you to put in the shoebox. So you can go to samaritan's purse.org occ that samaritans with an s purse.org occ just a couple of the obvious things as we've put our boxes together at my house for Operation Christmas Child over the years. Toothbrush, toothpaste, obviously crayons, things like that that they But there is a good list that you can read off and then there's, there's, there are a few things, a few things that they say don't put in there. And so you'll want to go check.
>> Tim Wildmon: They don't want any iguanas.
>> Wesley Wildmon: No iguanas. Unless, unless it has been frozen and fallen asleep and it will wind up.
>> Tim Wildmon: When they get there and be a pet for the children.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Then that's acceptable.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. Okay. we're just kidding, people. Don't put iguanas in your Operation Children.
>> Wesley Wildmon: shoeboxes.
>> Tim Wildmon: Ok. so again, if people want more information about this, we've told Samaritan's Purse that we will help them get the word out.
>> Wesley Wildmon: That's right.
>> Tim Wildmon: Not that they need much help because everybody knows what this is, but this is Operation Christmas Child shoebox campaign and they need to get it done By When?
>> Wesley Wildmon: By November 24th. And you can turn in your shoebox. Shoeboxes at almost any local church. I mean most likely you're. We're almost serving as a reminder because most, almost all churches are participating this. And now if your local church is not, there's gonna be a local church close by.
>> Chris Woodward: Yeah.
>> Wesley Wildmon: And on their website they have a net, they have a drop place.
>> Chris Woodward: I posted on our Today's Issues Facebook page the link to Samaritan's Purse in terms of the Christmas Child. It's all the stuff you need. If you'll click that link, look for pack a shoebox and then look down for drop off locations. You'll basically enter your zip Code, and they'll tell you all the places that you could drop something.
>> Wesley Wildmon: We're encouraging you to do this.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. Ah. But it does have a list of items that. That, they recommend you put in the shoe box.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Right, right.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yep. Okay. That makes sense. A toothbrush, toothpaste. You know, they probably. They probably won't put some kind of toy in there.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
>> Tim Wildmon: Something fun.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Something fun.
>> Chris Woodward: Yeah.
>> Wesley Wildmon: And then, you know, obviously, yo yo.
>> Tim Wildmon: One of the. They accept yo yos.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Oh, yeah. You know, bring the yo yo brag.
>> Chris Woodward: I know in years past, Franklin Graham has told us, that, you know, you could even put maybe, like, a deflated soccer ball and, like, something to inflate it and things like that.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Yeah, we're going to.
>> Tim Wildmon: You can put an inflated soccer ball in a shoebox.
>> Chris Woodward: Yeah, you can.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Now, we've gotten. With a pump. Gotten large over time. Yeah. With the. With the bump or with directions on how to blow it up by mouth.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay. Wow, that's a lot of stuff to put in a little shoebox right there.
>> Wesley Wildmon: That's why duct tape comes involved.
>> Chris Woodward: People with bigger feet than me have a bigger shoebox, so you could send, you know, a bigger bucks.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
President Trump and Vice President attending ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery on Veterans Day
>> Wesley Wildmon: All right.
>> Tim Wildmon: You're listening to today's issues on the American Family Radio Network. Ray, Tim, Wesley, and Chris. Today is Veterans Day, right?
>> Chris Woodward: It sure is. It sure is. And, as we speak right now, President Trump, is at a Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. looks like VA Secretary Doug Collins is there, as well as veteran, and Vice, President J.D. vance, also there for the, wreathling ceremony at the Arlington National Cemetery. I've posted a link to our C span, friends over there that, people can click on that and watch it live for themselves if they want to. but a traditional thing here that President Trump is participating in, something. Many predecessors.
>> Tim Wildmon: Well, today, a lot of times this is not a big deal, but for me, I think about the veterans. There's a difference between Memorial Day.
>> Chris Woodward: Yes.
>> Tim Wildmon: And Veterans Day.
>> Chris Woodward: Correct.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay. now, they do go. They, meaning the President, the Vice President, go to Arlington National Cemetery today, and they'll also go on Memorial Day because it's the most symbolic venue in the country to commemorate the service, of our servicemen and women, both living and dead. but in this case, we're honoring veterans. So thank a veteran today. Thank a veteran today. Almost all of us know a veteran or two or multiple veterans and thank a veteran today. Take, them to lunch, give them a gift card, Send them a text, whatever the case may be. But, thank a veteran today because it is Veterans Day again. The President and the Vice President we're watching on TV right now. They're in Washington D.C. at the Arlington National Cemetery at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and, having a ceremony there on Veterans Day. Anything you wanted to add about that, fellas?
>> Chris Woodward: Well, I mean, everything that we're doing right now is made possible because of a veteran. So we need to, that's something we kind of take for granted. all of our freedoms, were fought for, and sometimes paid for, by veterans.
>> Tim Wildmon: so definitely in an all voluntary army.
>> Chris Woodward: Yeah. Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: An army Navy by army. I'm m. Using that generically. But now during the Vietnam, war and other times, we did have the draft, but, our, people sign up to serve in our military, the vast majority of them on a voluntary basis.
>> Chris Woodward: Yeah, there's, there's a number of veteran cemeteries throughout the area. My, My father was a Vietnam veteran. He went home to be with Jesus back in 2017, but he's buried at a, veteran cemetery here in the Corinth area. my stepdad, was in the, Navy, post Korea, but he served, my father in law was in the army. he served, in my. My father in law got the best deployment ever. He served in Hawaii. so, yeah, you know, everybody's, you know, made our lives possible through their, service and our armed services.
>> Wesley Wildmon: M. Amen.
>> Tim Wildmon: All right. My dad passed, away a couple years ago, but he served in the, Army. U.S. army, 1962-64, I think. All right, you're listening to today's issues. Is Ray back or not? No, he's not. We've lost Ray. We've lost power. Ray's lost power there in,
>> Wesley Wildmon: It's all the cold weather.
>> Tim Wildmon: Central Florida in Iguana.
>> Chris Woodward: Fell on his, you know, power box.
>> Wesley Wildmon: That's more accurate. I want to fall on the power box.
>> Tim Wildmon: Probably. What happened? We laugh. Either that or an alligator, you know, froze up, chomped down on the. On the cord. They're going to raise house. Yeah.
>> Chris Woodward: When it warms up, I say we get a van and we drive over there. I looked at it raised, about ten and a half hours away from us in a car.
>> Tim Wildmon: Are you going to drive that?
>> Chris Woodward: I will do it. We could do. We could do Trivia Friday live from race.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Yeah. By the time we get down there, it'd be warm, though.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Warmer.
>> Chris Woodward: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: All right. You're gonna. You're listening to Today's Issues. Today is Veterans Day. What's your next story, Chris?
Today's Issues will provide an update on the federal government shutdown
>> Chris Woodward: Well, let's, ment the update with the, government shutdown.
>> Tim Wildmon: Oh, let's do that.
>> Chris Woodward: Yes. I'm sorry to do this, but it is a show called Today's Issues, and this is an update, riveting, riveting story.
>> Tim Wildmon: Wesley, are you ready for this? Chris is going to bring it.
>> Chris Woodward: What I'm here for.
>> Tim Wildmon: Federal government shutdown. What's the latest, Chris?
The Senate approved a shutdown bill late yesterday; it now goes to the House
>> Chris Woodward: All right, late yesterday, the Senate approved a shutdown bill, to reopen the government that now goes to the House. And according to Speaker Mike Johnson, it looks like tomorrow is going to be the earliest they can vote on this. Today is a federal holiday, so even in a shutdown, Congress, is not working, on a federal holiday. nonetheless, it looks like Democrats, are still going to, try to fight, this bill and prevent, the government from reopening. And I say that based on a comment that Hakeem, Jeffries has made. Now, Hakeem Jeffries is the highest ranking Democrat in the US House of Representatives, and he says, they're still going to fight this bill and other issues, even though members of his own party want to just stop it and reopen the government.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Clip 1 Leader Schumer and Senate Democrats over the last seven weeks have waged a valiant fight on behalf of the American people. And I'm not going to explain what a handful of Senate Democrats have decided to do. That's their explanation to offer to the American people. What we're going to continue to do as House Democrats partner with our allies throughout America, is to wage the fight to stay in the Coliseum.
>> Chris Woodward: All right, so even though the government's.
>> Tim Wildmon: Gonna reopen tomorrow, that's pretty dramatic language there. I'm thinking I'm seeing Russell Crowe.
>> Chris Woodward: Are you not entertained?
>> Tim Wildmon: He's gonna stay in the Coliseum there fighting. Keep, fighting. So, it's easy to say that.
>> Chris Woodward: When you continue to get paid.
>> Tim Wildmon: In this case, he's gonna lose, the Democrats because there's, enough. There's a handful of Democrats, but that's all it takes in the US Senate to break the, filibuster, what they say, so that the, federal government will be reopened probably by tomorrow sometime. Probably, yeah.
>> Chris Woodward: And, you know, meanwhile, there are still issues with flying. So if you're taking a flight today or you're planning on flying out tomorrow, maybe even Thursday, you still may experience some disruptions even though the government appears to be nearing an end to this shutdown.
>> Wesley Wildmon: And Schumer's leading the way, correct?
>> Chris Woodward: Yes.
>> Tim Wildmon: Well, you mean Schumer's leading the way.
>> Wesley Wildmon: What, in the way of.
>> Chris Woodward: For the Democrats, in terms of fighting it? Yes.
>> Tim Wildmon: Well, yes. Schumer still opposed to Chuck Schumer, the Senate majority leader still. no, not majority leader, minority, leader. The Democrats he's opposed to opening up. But in. But he has some Democrat senators.
>> Wesley Wildmon: That's right.
>> Tim Wildmon: In his, that. That are bucking his leadership and going to vote with the Republicans.
>> Chris Woodward: I have that list.
>> Tim Wildmon: Well, what's the list of the.
>> Chris Woodward: All right, so these are the Democratic caucus members, that voted to bring it into all this stuff. Senator Christine Cortez Masto m of Nevada, Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois, Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, Tim Kaine of Virginia, Angus King of Maine. He's an independent, but he hangs out with the Democrats. Jackie Rosen of Nevada and Gene Shaheen of New Hampshire.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, I do think that the, those Democrats were, they wanted to reopen the government because they were getting a lot of pressure from their constituents.
>> Wesley Wildmon: You know, that's usually how this goes at this point. It's hard to believe it's been seven weeks. It almost seems like it was never.
>> Tim Wildmon: It's the longest federal government shutdown in history. And I guess what gets me is these folks that have been working without a paycheck. now the congressmen and senators, they've taken some blame for this, some flack for this, but, even though the government's shut down, they still get paid.
>> Chris Woodward: Oh yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: While other federal government employees don't. So that, seems to me the fair thing to do would be for them to share in the, you know, pain so that they would be, motivated even more to get a resolution to a problem before it becomes a serious, problem for families who are living paycheck to paycheck, who work for the federal government. I'm talking about. And these SNAP benefits and so forth like that. Now, is that. So that's going to. All that. That should be ending tomorrow. where I'm reading it.
>> Chris Woodward: Yeah. I'd be shocked if the government's not back open for business and spending willy nilly by Thursday.
>> Wesley Wildmon: And, reading here that the post office is going to improve as a result.
>> Tim Wildmon: Are you really now?
>> Wesley Wildmon: Okay, I'm kidding.
>> Tim Wildmon: We got a lot of postal workers who work for us. You want to take their calls?
>> Wesley Wildmon: I will take the ones that.
>> Chris Woodward: That could be two of them right now.
>> Wesley Wildmon: No, we all know what I'm talking about there. Obviously there's good Christian, godly, hard work, hard working in the post office, but yeah, the system's messed up.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. In a lot of ways. Yep, you're right. All right, you're listening to today's issues. Enough on the, federal.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Happy to move on.
International Olympic Committee reportedly said to ban transgender women from all female categories
>> Tim Wildmon: Let's move on to another topic.
>> Chris Woodward: Yes, this is something that we ended the 10 o' clock hour with yesterday. And I bring it back up because I have a sound bite from somebody, that we all know, being in somebody. Well spoken on this issue, yesterday, as we reported on the show, the International Olympic Committee is reportedly said to ban transgender women from competing in all female categories. Translation, The International Olympic Committee says no more males in female sports. somebody that Fox went to for comment on this is Wriley Gaines, who had this to say about the big announcement.
>> Sandy Rios: Clip 8 Look, I think this is long overdue. Of course. I was looking at some of the articles that came out yesterday and it said that the IOC came to this decision after findings of these scientific reviews, which is amazing to me. I don't really believe that we needed scientific reviews to determine that men and women are different. I think if you used common, sense and reasoning and really just your eyeballs, you would get there. But nonetheless, kudos to the IOC for telling us, I think, what kindergarteners already knew.
>> Tim Wildmon: I would high five her if she were here. That was a great comment she closed with. And she's absolutely right. So the International Olympic Committee, I guess they were doing their, quote, due diligence so that they could explain to the world, and to those who are, you know, promoting the trans movement, the reasoning behind their decision.
>> Wesley Wildmon: They needed someone to cite.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, exactly. So we did our studies and we found that males and females are competitively different. So we're going to keep the sexes separate for, the Olympic Games. I mean, that's what they said.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Which if you think about it, makes sense.
>> Chris Woodward: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: We need to make common sense. But this is good to know that we won't have this controversy coming up because we do have the Olympic Games, the, the Winter Games coming up.
>> Chris Woodward: What I believe they're in February, February, Italy. This, this go round. I'm going to look up the exact dates for you.
>> Tim Wildmon: Don't hear about this m so much in the, Winter Games as you heard about it in the Summer Games. I'm talking about men saying their women in morning to box against the girls. for example, or weightlift against the girls.
>> Wesley Wildmon: That's the image on the New York Post.
>> Tim Wildmon: They have the shot put against the girls. somebody claims, or some dude claims he's a girl. so this is going to be forbidden. Banned. And, so this is good news. It is good news for those who are. And then I'm one of them. I enjoy watching the Olympic Games, every two years. Every two years now you get the Olympic Winter Games. They used to have them the same year. They used to have the Olympics, the winter and the Summer Games the same year.
>> Chris Woodward: It seems like they stopped doing that somewhere around maybe 92. And then they started doing the every other year thing.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, I like it that way because you have something to look forward to every two years as far as the Olympic Games. But. So do we have the, winner is winter coming up?
>> Chris Woodward: Yes. winter is February 6th to February 22nd of 20.
>> Tim Wildmon: Where will that be?
>> Chris Woodward: It's going to be in Milan, Italy. And interestingly enough, the super bowl right now is scheduled to be February 8th. So February is a big sports month. next year.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. And then the. So the Summer Games will be, I think. Well, I think it's a year from this next summer.
>> Chris Woodward: So 28.
>> Tim Wildmon: I think so. I think so. In Los Angeles.
>> Chris Woodward: Yes. I would have no doubt that President Donald Trump will be there and proudly proclaim it a big, beautiful game.
>> Wesley Wildmon: And this decision made by, Go ahead.
>> Tim Wildmon: That was Chris.
>> Chris Woodward: They actually have a countdown to the 2028 Olympics. 110, eight days, where we got to.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Say when the IOC, ruling. It's not a ruling. It's a decision to ban, men and women's sports. It was voted unanimously.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. So.
Ray is out on his Internet service in Florida because the power has gone out
All right. You're listening to today's issues on the American Family Radio Network. Tim, Wesley and Chris, if you're wondering what happened to Ray, well, Ray's had a. He's had an attitude problem going on three weeks now, sitting back in Kansas City. no, I'm just kidding. Ray is, has been disconnected by no fault of his own, we hope. but the power has. Is out on his Internet service right. In Florida. So it may have been a fallen iguana that hit his power line outside his house or something like that. We don't know. Hopefully we'll get Ray hooked up back. Let's take our break a little early here. Hopefully we'll get brother Ray back on. Sandy Rios, also a Floridian, is going to join us momentarily.
>> Chris Woodward: We.
>> Tim Wildmon: We hope, hope power in, out, all over Florida.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Where's she located, do you know?
>> Tim Wildmon: She's located in central Florida.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Okay.
>> Tim Wildmon: With Ray. All, right. We'll be back. Stay with us, Sam.
Preborn Network helps women choose life through a free ultrasound
>> Ed Vitagliano: We're living in a time when truth is under attack. Lies are easy to tell, easy to spread, and easy to believe. But truth, truth is costly. And nowhere is the cost greater than for mothers in crisis. When a woman is told abortion is her only option, silence and lies surround her. But when she walks into a PreBorn Network clinic, she's met with compassion, support, and the truth about the life growing inside her. That moment of truth happens through a free ultrasound, and it's a game changer. When a mother sees her baby and hears that heartbeat, it literally doubles the chance she'll choose life. PreBorn Network clinics are on the front lines, meeting women in their darkest hour, loving them and helping them choose life and sharing truth. Friend, this is not a time to be silent. It's a time for courage, for truth, for life. Just $28 provides one ultrasound and the opportunity for a mother to see her baby, to help her choose truth and life. Donate today. Call £250 and say, Baby. That's £250, baby. Or give online@preborn.com afr that's preborn.com afr.
>> Bobby Roza: Have no fear of them, nor be troubled. But in your hearts, honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason, for the hope that is in you. Yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience so that when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame first. Peter 3, 14, 16.
>> Jeff Chamblee: American Family Radio this is Today's Issues. Email your comments to commentsfr.net Past broadcasts of today's Issues are available for listening and viewing in the archive@afr.net now back to more of today's issues.
We've been observing Veterans Day since 1954 according to Wikipedia
>> Tim Wildmon: Foreign welcome back everybody to Today's Issues on the American Family Radio Network. Tim, Wesley and Chris and we thank you for listening to afr. today again is Veterans Day and it's been an observe. we've been observing Veterans Day since 1954. Okay, so 71 years in the United States according to this information. I have Wikipedia, which is always right. yeah.
>> Wesley Wildmon: that's right.
>> Tim Wildmon: But I think that is correct the let's see here.
>> Wesley Wildmon: So they're usually right on that. When we joke about them being wrong, they usually wrong on more of these social issues.
>> Tim Wildmon: But I, remember Reading a story a couple weeks ago by the co founder of Wikipedia. Now he's no longer with the company so to speak, or with the website, but he said they have developed a liberal bias. Yeah, and I think most people know that.
>> Wesley Wildmon: but as far as dates, he.
>> Tim Wildmon: Was one of the co founders. But as far as a lot of just simple factual information that's non political so to speak, they're pretty good go there for just your basic information. But this is saying that according to Wikipedia that the 1954 was the first Veterans Day commemoration. M. There was probably something before that that went by a different name. I don't know. Now we've had Memorial Day even longer than that.
>> Chris Woodward: Well, Veterans Day has a connection to the end of World War I, so it may have been a celebration to commemorate the ending of that war.
>> Tim Wildmon: That would have been longer than 70 something years ago. May have been called something else.
>> Chris Woodward: Right. the end of World War I is the 11th day of the 11th month. And that stuff.
>> Tim Wildmon: So what's all that stuff?
>> Chris Woodward: well that's like Armistice Day, I think.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yes, you're right, you're right. That's what it was.
>> Chris Woodward: That may have been what Veterans Day.
>> Tim Wildmon: Was thought of or it's pretty impressive there.
>> Chris Woodward: shout out to Coach Millender at Amory High School and ah, his
>> Tim Wildmon: Knowledge for your history knowledge.
>> Chris Woodward: I loved history. It's like story time during school. All the other stuff is the reason I have a BA in communication.
Wesley: I was listening to a podcast on American Family Radio today
>> Wesley Wildmon: I like to mention something since we are talking about history. This morning I was listening to a podcast on American Family Radio called the the name of the title of it of the subject was the Pilgrim Story in the Words of William Bradford Part one. And that's a podcast series called Americans Providential History on American Family Radio. It's only, it's exclusive to podcasting. There's not enough room on our current radio network to host it, so we host it@afr.net afr.net, you can get America's Providential History Podcast by Stephen McDowell and he's beginning a what will end up being a three or four part series. Well, two, three, four part series that is discussing what lead, what led up to Thanksgiving and why we have Thanksgiving the way we have it.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, this is becoming more and more popular this podcast and we do recommend it. it is just a, it's a college or university level class that Stephen McDowell is giving away for free so to speak. he does a weekly podcast he is a historian. His name is Stephen McDowell. Many of you know him because he goes on our tours with US to Washington, D.C. and to Williamsburg and to Boston. Well, he does a weekly podcast on all kind of history, American history, that, you will love if you enjoy history that Wesley's talking about.
>> Wesley Wildmon: It will vary from 20 minutes to 40 minutes. And today he began one that's going to lead us all the way up until Thanksgiving.
>> Tim Wildmon: I got you. So go to the website, afr.net, that's our website. Click on podcast, and then you'll see the banner for the, America's Providential History weekly podcast. And it is outstanding. And, so check that out. America's Providential History. You're listening to the radio program Today's Issues on American Family Radio. We're joined now by, speaking of podcasts, Sandy Rios, host of Sandy Rios 24 7, a podcast here.
Tim Ferriss: Sandy, you sound sick this morning
we offer another podcast we offer here on American Family Radio. Good morning, Sandy.
>> Sandy Rios: Good morning, Tim. You sound sick this morning.
>> Tim Wildmon: I got, Well, I got a little sniffles going on here, but, it's not going to stop me.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Not going to get you out of the arena.
>> Tim Wildmon: I don't have. Don't scare these guys in studio with me because I do not have a fever and I, do not have the flu. I just got. I got this weather whiplash going on. Which is happening to you guys in Florida, too, right?
>> Sandy Rios: It is. We had freeze this morning. We had frost on our hot tub.
>> Tim Wildmon: We did.
>> Sandy Rios: Really?
>> Tim Wildmon: On the COVID Frost on the hot tub in Florida? Yeah, pretty much.
>> Sandy Rios: We're suffering.
>> Tim Wildmon: Those are. Yeah, no, those are working.
>> Sandy Rios: 1-800- suffering. Send your money.
>> Chris Woodward: For just 10 cents a day, you can help Sandy have a hot tub.
>> Tim Wildmon: That's funny. Unfreeze Sandy's from a hot tub by calling this number. Well, I know. I was going to talk to Ray about this, too, and we've joked about this many times on this program. Of course, you grew up in, Illinois, but spent many. How long did you spend living in the Chicago area, Sandy?
>> Sandy Rios: Yeah, I'm thinking, 25 years, probably.
>> Tim Wildmon: 25 years. So you, you could write a book on brutal winners, right?
>> Sandy Rios: yes, I could. I moved there in 1978 from California. It was the. One of the worst winters they ever had. And the, the snow was so high, it was higher than your car. You had to, like, drive, like, through a tunnel. That was my first winter.
>> Tim Wildmon: I remember that. In the 70s. And from like, 74 to 79, it was just one brutal winter. After another for the whole country, really. But you guys living in that area, just the great Lake effect and all that, and the wind that comes through Chicago. Anyway you put it was a. But, now you grew up in central, right? Central, south, southern, southern Illinois.
>> Sandy Rios: 15 miles, 14 miles from Kentucky.
>> Tim Wildmon: I got.
>> Sandy Rios: 14 miles from Indiana.
>> Tim Wildmon: I got you.
Tim Ferriss: Tucker Carlson's ignorance of Israel has many scratching their heads
All right, well, let's talk about Tucker Carlsen for a minute here. we've discussed the controversies that Tucker's been involved with, on this program and as we've expressed here before, and Sandy would be included in this. We all, enjoyed Tucker's commentaries and his program back during the Fox News days and even before that he was on Crossfire with his bow tie, back in the day. Tucker's always been a good, sound voice of reason for conservative principles. But, what in the world has happened to Tucker on the subject of Israel? has us scratching our heads, so to speak. A lot of us who have supported and appreciated Tucker Carlsen over the decades, Sandy speak on this issue, if you would, here.
>> Sandy Rios: Well, of course, I go back with Tucker to those days at Crossfire and George Washington University. That's how long I've known him. I was, I did Crossfire dozens of times and hosted, co hosted Crossfire with Paul Bagala three different times and had a famous blow up with the, James Carville on that show that made Rush Limbaugh shows. So that, yeah, that's, that's my name. That's how I know Tucker. it's, Okay, I did a really in depth show last week. It's complicated. But honestly, to try to respond quickly, I think the problem is this, Tim. I think we have such confusion among various stripes of Christian on biblical teaching on Israel. We are either an evangelical church just getting no teaching. And that's maybe that's not true for everybody. But pretty much the seminaries have, been teaching replacement theology, which means the church has replaced. Is God replaced, has replaced Israel with the church for his promises. which is just apostasy. I would just say that God is not changing it. What is he? The Bible says what is he? A man that would change his mind. What is he? A human. That he would change his mind. He doesn't do that. His promises, if they don't, if they're not lasting for Israel, they're not lasting for us either. So, and then I think, you know, Tucker's part of that, Episcopalian strain, which I'm sure they're either into replacement or they don't teach anything about Israel. So I think Tucker is, in his particular case, I'm speculating, I haven't talked to him about this, but his confusion is based, I would like to say it's not intentional. Some people think it is, and I could get into that. but it's certainly based on his ignorance of Israel. His. His biblical ignorance of Israel and the connection, the fact that we are people of the book, we are joined at the hip, that Israel is central to the whole story of scripture. It will culminate their history, will culminate in the future. and, we cannot write them out of the script. So.
Pope Francis falsely claimed that Israel bombed Christian churches in Gaza
But here's the other thing in regard to Roman Catholics, which I have to give my caveats. I've worked with Roman Catholics as an activist for years. I love so many of my Catholic friends. I am not blind about the differences in terms of our, our theology. But, this new Pope, I think, has been a tremendous disappointment. The Catholic life. Catholics had gone through a desert, you know, of disgrace with a polite priest's, abuse of children. Then, the last Pope was an out and route apostate. And I think they had high hopes for this guy. But here's what he's done. He came out and said in July that the Israelis had bombed this Holy Family Church in Gaza, that they were killing Christians. he also said that they were, committing genocide in Gaza. And I'm here to tell you guys and anyone listening, that was an abject lie that he never withdrew. I can make my case for that if you want me to, but I just. That's a lie. And Peter and Tucker is repeating it over and over again. Now, Tucker, do you want me to.
>> Tim Wildmon: Just to be clear here, you're saying the Pope did this. He called it genocide. M. And you're saying Tucker Carlsen also.
>> Sandy Rios: Called that, and the fact, and he just repeated in this so called apology, and he's actually embellished it, that the Israelis, have attacked Christian churches and they've killed. What did he say? Dozens, a bunch. They've killed a bunch of Christians. That's not true. That's not true. Tim. That Holy Family Church, that was, a piece of equipment that came off of a tank or something. And it wasn't an attack on the church. And these people that were killed, it was kind of like, it wasn't even in the building. It didn't do that much damage. This is a complete embellishment lie. And Tucker keeps repeating it. And the Pope has never taken it Back. So all of our Catholic friends, like Kevan Roberts who runs Heritage, and all the people at Heritage who are Roman Catholic faithful Catholics, love the Holy Father. They believe this stuff. That's why they want to remove, support from Israel. That's why Tucker wants to. And this apology that he just, delivered so called apology with comedian Dave Smith. I was so optimistic and so hopefully. But all he did was double down on repeating that story and saying that's why I was upset with my Christian Zionist friends, because I mentioned it to them and they just shrug and say, no, we have to support Israel no matter what. And he said, you mean we have to support killing Christians? That's what he said in this interview, yeah. That's ridiculous.
>> Tim Wildmon: That's ridiculous.
>> Sandy Rios: Damaging. Terribly damaging.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
Tim Ferriss: Let's separate Israel theologically from the discussion politically
Okay, so, you said a lot right there.
>> Sandy Rios: I did.
>> Tim Wildmon: And you said a lot of good stuff. And I agree with everything you said. I, Okay, let's separate for a minute Israel theologically from the discussion politically. even though, the theological connection is very important.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Very important.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. But just in terms of Israel, if you, if. Let's, let's remember back how this started. Okay. Now I know that people who are pro, Palestinian, their cause, they're going to say, no, this all started in 1948 when the Jews took over our land and forcibly took over our land. Okay. I'm not going to, I'm not going to go back to that. I'm going to start with. First of all, that's a long story that would take us hours to go through. Okay. And we could go. And you would have to go back to the Bible and the British Mandate and the post Holocaust, Nazi Germany and the reasons why the land of Israel was a little tiny part of it was given to the Jews to have their own homeland. But just in terms of, the modern. What happened here, the Hamas, the leaders, which is the political leadership of the Palestinians in Gaza, they, butchered, murdered, in the most horrific ways imaginable that you can't even talk about, 1100-1200 Jews and probably some Christians too in, that fateful day. Was that October 6th? Is that what that was?
>> Sandy Rios: October 7th.
>> Tim Wildmon: October 7th. what was the year they all start running together?
>> Sandy Rios: 2022.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay, 2022.
>> Sandy Rios: I'm not sure. You guys better check me on that.
>> Chris Woodward: 23.
>> Tim Wildmon: 2023. But we all remember that day and the scenes that were coming out of there. So that's what started the war in Gaza. Before that, the Gazans were the People living in Gaza were not at war in the sense of, they would fire rockets at Israel, but Israel would knock them down and maybe fire a rocket here or there of their own in retaliation. But it wasn't a full scale war. But when the Hamas decided it was a good idea to go butcher and kill, murder women, children and men, women and children, and at this music festival and everything, and then take, what, 150 hostages or something like that, when they thought that was a good idea to do, then it was an excuse, the expression, but then it was game on. And by that I mean Israel then was going to do what they had to do to defend themselves and to try to get their people back. And so here's where I draw the line. You don't have the right to dictate the terms of a war when you're the one who started it.
>> Wesley Wildmon: That's the bottom line. Yep.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay. when the United States was bombed at Pearl Harbor, Japan didn't have the right to say, whoa, whoa, whoa, you can't bomb us. You're killing. That nuclear, weapon you're going to set off, that's going to kill innocent and women. That's genocide. You can't do that. now, nobody likes war. If you are, you're a sick person. But at the same time, when war is started by one side, they don't get to tell the other side when to stop. That's the way I see it. And what further complicates the matter is that Hamas doesn't wear uniforms and they don't go out there and fight straight up like men. They hide behind, they put their, operations under hospitals and mosques and women and children. And so when Israel has to, fight against Hamas, they unfortunately have to fire into civilian areas sometimes, and people who are non combatants and so innocent people in that sense do get killed. But there's no other way to do it. If you're Israel, if you're going to say, okay, Hamas is, they're building up weapons, cache to fire against us from all kinds of places. We've got to. Where are they? Well, they're here. Well, we're going to have to fire there. Well, that's going to kill a bunch of Palestinians, and the world's going to condemn us. And Israel was faced with that every single day, those kinds of decisions.
>> Sandy Rios: So well said, Tim.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, go ahead.
>> Sandy Rios: Very well said. I just would add, because people need to understand. They burned babies alive. They tore women's wombs. Yes, they Slaughtered and burned and slashed and abused and tortured. It was horrific. Okay, so if we want to talk about non biblical reasons, I'm all in. And I would add, on this burning, attack on these so called, so called attacks on these Christian churches killing.
>> Tim Wildmon: What you mean the accusation that Israel is doing this?
>> Sandy Rios: That's what I'm saying. The so called.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Yes, Sid Tucker was repeating and he had a lady on a lady. He had someone on his podcast about two months ago that was talking about that.
>> Sandy Rios: He's talked about this several times. He said horrible things. And I just want to make a case. I've been going to Israel. The first time I went, probably. Tim, you've been there, I know you've been there more than I. But the first time I went was probably the mid-90s. My radio show in Chicago was going to have a tour and I went on a pre tour and I would say that at that time, there's always problems in Israel. But what I observed is that it had a real strong atheist bent. Very proud, very arrogant, not friendly to Christians. I mean in so much as tourism was important, but certainly not respectful and not, you know, my tour guide was. I'm not talking about individual people, I'm talking about the government of Israel. There was no love for Christians, not really. And you tolerated them and you took their money. That I have seen that transform miraculously in the times I've been back. And also because I have lots of Jewish friends now, so I keep in touch even if I don't go.
Tim Ferriss: Tucker Carlson has sparked controversy over Israel and Christian Zionism
the regard for Christians is they know that we, in whatever stripe we're in, we are their best friends. We are the thing that stands against them in the world. Look at the un we are the ones that stand in favor, that defend them. Is there any way in the world they would target Christian churches in Gaza and kill Christians given that circumstance? Well, that's the point I just had to make. and Israel of course is our best ally. It's the only democracy in the Middle east and we're making all these deals with Israel.
>> Tim Wildmon: Listen, the same people that want to destroy and kill Israel and drive them kill all the Jews from the river to the sea. Those chants by that they mean to drive the Jews away from the land altogether, which is in the charter of Hamas, I believe. But the same people that want to kill all the Jews are the same people that want to kill all the Christians. And you know, it's the ideology of the Iranians. You know, the big Satan is us. The Little Satan is Israel. So.
>> Sandy Rios: And now I just have to bring this back to election day one week ago today.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.
>> Sandy Rios: As soon as the Islamist communist Zohan Mamdani, won, they called in all these Islamists with their prayer rugs to take over Times Square. What do you. They want to destroy and dominate us. It's not just over in Israel. Israel. We are joined at the hip and the heart trying to fight this. And Israel is fighting, and we're talking about it not doing very much. We cannot let the church fracture on this, as though we could stop it. But I do think we have to. We have to spend time teaching people, those that are Christians. Yes, there's plenty of biblical information, but there's plenty of practical reasons why we cannot turn our back on Israel.
>> Tim Wildmon: You're listening to today's Issues on American Family Radio. Tim, with, Wesley and Chris, and also Sandy Rio. Sandy's joining us. we're talking about the. The controversy over, the direction that, Tucker Carlsen has taken respecting, having to do with Israel and the Jewish people, really. And I know that, Mark Levin is just on the warpath now against what Tucker is saying.
>> Sandy Rios: You know what Tucker said about him? Tucker said, Mark Levin is a repulsive ghoul who gets off sexually on people being killed. He said that. I've played that clip over and over again. and also, Tucker said he didn't really think Hamas was a terrorist group. It's more like a political group.
>> Tim Wildmon: You heard that, Wesley?
>> Wesley Wildmon: Yeah, I heard that, too.
>> Tim Wildmon: Well, you listened to the podcast where he said that. He said that. But he.
>> Wesley Wildmon: I've seen the clips of what, Sandy is saying. Yeah, that he said.
>> Chris Woodward: I found the link to it.
>> Tim Wildmon: I don't know what to say. I'm just flabbergasted.
>> Sandy Rios: I did, I want to commend to people a show that I did just last week. I spent a long time on it, preparing. I mean, by that, I mean preparing to make sure I was accurate. I do my best to speak the truth, and you all know that, but I just have to tell people. And it's, called Christian Zionism. Christian Zionism, in a quote, is a brain virus, a heresy. That's what Tucker says as a firestorm erupts. And I tackle all of this, you know, heritage is about to come apart at the seams. The most important thing to take for conservatives in the country, and they are. Even if, Kevan Roberts has apologized for making a mistake and what he said by saying Tucker is going to remain Their good friend. He has not addressed the whole lies about Israel.
Wesley: What would you say to Americans who criticize Israel
>> Tim Wildmon: Wesley, you were going to say, I've.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Got a question for Sandy. With the time we've got left, so what I have seen in, in my generation, those would be between 34, 35. Well, between 22, 23 and 34, 35 years old. They allot. Almost all of them, a lot of them, have been taught replacement theology, which is what you were referring to earlier.
>> Sandy Rios: Yep.
>> Wesley Wildmon: And, what would you say to that group of Americans that, heard you. Now I know what you meant, but they would have heard you say, okay, well, then Israel can do no wrong. So, how would we respond?
>> Tim Wildmon: She didn't say that.
>> Wesley Wildmon: I know she didn't say that.
>> Tim Wildmon: Right.
>> Wesley Wildmon: I'm saying that my generation would hear her because she had. She. She didn't criticize. They would say, well, you didn't criticize Israel there.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay. Yeah.
>> Sandy Rios: Good challenge. No, it's a great challenge. it's like, think of it as a family relationship. we love our family, we love our kids, but we don't defend everything they do or support everything they do. That's a really stupid standard. and when Israel was controlled by some leftist, prime ministers, I, It was hard. They did, they made. That doesn't mean. Oh, whatever they do, they're right. No, it just means that we, support them, we want the best for them, we want to pull them. Like we, you know, iron sharpens iron. If there needs to be some correction, we try to bring it as political friends and allies.
>> Wesley Wildmon: the reason I ask the question is because as dad pointed out, that's not exactly. That's not at all what you said. That's not at all what we believe. But that's. If you have any support toward Israel or you think they're an ally of any kind, they've been taught that that means that we don't also criticize them. Like you said, the analogy used with your family.
>> Sandy Rios: Yep.
>> Tim Wildmon: They also say, and this. Maybe get Ray back on by phone, the next half hour if possible, because I'd like to hear his thoughts on this. They also say, Sandy. Can you stay on Sandy?
>> Sandy Rios: Sure I can. It's important.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay. Because we also hear that, you know, from. From even Tucker Carlsen and others, you know, we. There's nothing special about Israel.
>> Wesley Wildmon: Yes. Yeah. It's also another issue.
>> Tim Wildmon: And I would say, yeah, there is.
>> Wesley Wildmon: M. Yeah.
>> Tim Wildmon: Okay.
>> Chris Woodward: It's biblical.
>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. Listen, Sandy mentioned seeing the Holy Land. I want the holy sites of Christianity and Judaism protected by people. And if you let. If you let just Muslims take over that area, they will be. They will destroy all the Christian sites.
>> Wesley Wildmon: I'm just telling you, they'll destroy. And what they don't destroy because for their own gain, they wouldn't let us visit.
>> Tim Wildmon: Right. I mean, it's just, there's all kind of reasons why America needs to stand. Stand with Israel. It doesn't mean we can't criticize them from time to time, but we need to stand with Israel. we'll be back.
>> Sandy Rios: The views and opinions expressed in this.
>> Sandy Rios: Broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of.
>> Sandy Rios: The American Family association or American Family Radio.
