Western Journal – Discern Report

‘Dark Indeed’: Horribly Anti-Christian Song Performed at Jimmy Carter’s Funeral

Western Journal — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 10:28:39 +0000

The funeral for one of the United States’ worst presidents was serenaded with John Lennon’s worst song.

Jimmy Carter, the 39th president, was honored Thursday with a service at the Washington National Cathedral that would have been fitting for a former commander in chief who was also well known for espousing Christian beliefs and teaching Sunday School at his Baptist church in Plains, Georgia.

But the inclusion of the explicitly anti-Christian song “Imagine” cast a shadow on the proceedings that not even a performance by country music stars Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood could brighten.

[…]

From the very first line, the song’s dismal nihilism proclaims itself opposing the fundamental Christian belief of an afterlife.

“Imagine there’s no heaven,” Lennon wrote in the title track of his 1971 album. “It’s easy if you try. No hell below us. Above us only sky. […]

The Ratings Are In: Disney Has Officially Killed One of Its Most Beloved IPs

Western Journal — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 05:52:00 +0000

Many of us who grew up on the original “Star Wars” trilogy have long since stopped paying attention.

Judging by viewers’ initial response to Disney’s latest iteration of that once-beloved franchise, we have plenty of company.

According to the newest ratings from the longtime audience-data company Nielsen, Disney’s premiere of “Skeleton Crew” failed to make the top 10 for streaming content during the week of Dec. 2-8, 2024.

Moreover, the show’s dreadful debut made history.

Cosmic Book News, a website focused on entertainment news related to comic books and other genres in popular culture, noted that “Skeleton Crew” became the first “Star Wars” show to debut outside the Nielsen top ten. […]

Democrat Mayor Arrested On Drug-Trafficking and Prostitution Charges

Western Journal — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 06:38:13 +0000

A Democrat official in Louisiana could be facing jail time for alleged involvement in a drug trafficking operation.

The Washington Times reported Tuesday that 25-year-old Democrat Mayor Tyrin Truong of Bogalusa, Louisiana, was arrested for his connections to drug trafficking and soliciting prostitutes.

Seven suspects were arrested in total, accused of distributing drugs like THC, opioids, marijuana, and ecstasy via social media, according to police.

The money from the sales allegedly went toward buying firearms used in other crimes.

Truong himself was not charged with distributing drugs, but was charged with solicitation of prostitutes and unauthorized use of another person’s vehicle. […]

Biden Discusses Attack Against Iran in Final Days of His Presidency

Western Journal — Sat, 04 Jan 2025 06:52:10 +0000

Is President Joe Biden planning something catastrophic in the final days of his presidency? Let’s seriously hope not.

Axios reported on Thursday, the president had a meeting several weeks ago with national security advisor Jake Sullivan — where the former was presented with options for a strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities before Jan. 20, President-elect Donald Trump‘s inauguration day.

Axios stated, their sources said Biden did not confirm a plan for a strike and has not done so since his meeting with Sullivan.

Apparently, the meeting was not intended to get a “yes” or “no” from the president, rather, it took place to orchestrate a response if Iran were to continue to take steps towards creating nuclear weapons, something Biden said he would not allow to happen.

According to Axios’ sources, the progress of Iran’s nuclear capabilities — the country has denied plans to create nuclear weapons and says its program is only for civilian use — and its weakened state from a war with Israel make this timing ideal for a strike. […]

Popular Restaurant Unable to Survive Even One Day of New $20.76 Minimum Wage Law

Western Journal — Fri, 03 Jan 2025 09:47:14 +0000

As the city of Seattle, Washington, hiked minimum wages to $20.76 per hour on New Year’s Day, some businesses had to close their doors, including one restaurant whose owner somehow still supports the new law.

The increased minimum wage took effect on the first day of 2025, scrapping the previous rule saying businesses could pay workers $17.25 per hour as long as they also made at least $2.72 per hour in tips or medical benefits, according to a report from KCPQ-TV.

The outlet interviewed Corina Luckenbach, who ran the Bebop Waffle Shop but was forced to shutter the business permanently because of the new measure.

“This is financially just not going to make sense anymore,” she described to the outlet. “Because, just for me, the increase would cost me $32,000 more dollars a year.”

A lengthy post on the Bebop Waffle Shop Instagram page offered similar reflections, but also the strange admission that Luckenbach still supports the very law which put her out of business. […]

The Cope Is Real: Election Denier Stacey Abrams Refuses to Admit Trump Win Was a ‘Seismic Shift’

Western Journal — Thu, 02 Jan 2025 19:46:32 +0000

Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams couldn’t bring herself to admit she lost a governor’s race in 2018 — now she can’t admit the sweep of President-elect Donald Trump’s win in 2024.

The twice-losing standard-bearer for the Democrats in the Peach State appeared on MSNBC’s “All in with Chris Hayes” on Monday, ostensibly to reflect on the legacy of former President Jimmy Carter.

Instead, she exposed just how blind her party actually is.

Abrams’s comments about November came toward the end of a nine-minute interview, when she declared that Trump’s victory was being misunderstood.

To hear Abrams tell it, an election that saw Trump win every swing state on the table on the way to an Electoral College romp of 312 to 226, in addition to winning more popular votes than his Democratic opponent (a first for Republicans since George W. Bush did it in 2004), was more like a squeaker than a landslide. […]

Aviation Consultant Says Official Explanation of South Korean Plane Crash Doesn’t Add Up

Western Journal — Thu, 02 Jan 2025 11:24:03 +0000

An aviation expert said that a bird strike alone would not sufficiently explain why a South Korean airline jet skidded off a runway and crashed, killing nearly every passenger on board.

On Sunday, Jeju Air Flight 2216 was landing at Muan International Airport about 180 miles south of Seoul when the incident occurred, according to the Wall Street Journal. The crash killed 179 of the 181 passengers and crew members onboard.

WARNING: The following post contains video of the crash, which may be disturbing for some readers.

“There are a million backups on this airplane. It’s extremely safe, and that’s what a lot of people are saying. They can’t understand why this airplane was landed on that runway at that speed with no flaps, with no gear. There might have been something else involved,” aviation consultant Mike Boyd told Fox News on Sunday.

“A bird strike on an engine might shut an engine down, but there’s so many redundant systems there, it just doesn’t make sense. We’re not in the dark, but we know the runway is 9,200 feet. It’s a very long runway. [The plane] did come in hot and high, hot and fast. We don’t know why that was the real issue,” he added. […]

Biden’s Legacy: Nuclear Bunker Sales Go Through the Roof, Despite Expert Warnings

Western Journal — Mon, 30 Dec 2024 18:19:04 +0000

The world has gotten much less safe over the last four years, particularly under the purview of President Joe Biden. And that’s not just rhetoric.

There are some cold, hard sales numbers to back that up.

An ominous report from the Associated Press revealed that nuclear bunker shelter sales are going through the roof. And yes, the goings-on of the world are a big part of that.

“The world’s not becoming a safer place,” Californian Bernard Jones Jr. told the AP. “We wanted to be prepared.”

Jones and his wife “built their dream home” not too long ago, that included a number of amenities the couple always wanted. […]

Modern Bond Girl Rips the Idea of Woke 007 Recast: ‘You Just Have to Respect the Tradition’

Western Journal — Wed, 25 Dec 2024 21:59:25 +0000

Some things are just fine the way they are, according to actress Gemma Arterton.

And that includes the iconic role of a film franchise she briefly dabbled with: James Bond.

Speaking to The Times, Arterton covered a wide range of topics, including some of the controversy surrounding the forthcoming re-cast of Bond.

Arterton, who appeared in 2008’s “Quantum of Solace” with Daniel Craig (the last actor to portray the British secret agent), was blunt when she addressed the idea of radically redoing Bond in the name of inclusivity.

“Isn’t a female James Bond like Mary Poppins being played by a man?” she quipped. “They talk about it, but I think people would find it too outrageous. […]

Amazon Kids’ Toys Recalled After Hallucinatory Contaminant Found

Western Journal — Wed, 25 Dec 2024 21:57:46 +0000

Canadian health authorities issued a warning earlier this month about certain balloon blowing kits available on Amazon that “pose a chemical hazard” to users.

The consumer product advisory from Health Canada, published on Dec. 13, said the balloon blowing kits allow children to “form balloons or bubbles by slowly squeezing out a ball of the mixture from the tube and sticking it on the end of the straw.”

They can then blow through the straw and create a bubble.

But a safety concern arises since “blowing the balloons exposes a child to inhaling the vapours” of any solvent mixture present, according to the advisory.

That can lead to some worrisome effects. […]