Dakota Beacon

In a few days we will celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. But for Christians, the week leading up to Easter Sunday—Holy Week—holds tremendous significance. In this article that first appeared at The American Spectator, Dr. Paul Kengor reflects on Holy Week and the hope that it ends upon. He writes, “And alas, though the week is filled with sorrow, we must above all remember how it ends. Even as we share in Christ’s agony, including that cold Saturday when he was in the tomb, the week ends with hope.”

A wayward and rebellious people could be restored to a right relationship with their Creator if only the kingdom of Self would be replaced by the kingdom of God in the hearts of people. Sin and the sin nature of rebellion against God, of “doing one’s own thing,” could be expunged and replaced by Christ’s nature. All sense of placing one’s self first above God would be displaced.

And Jesus said, “…The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:21-22) Paul’s definition: “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” (Romans 14:17) If permitted, Christ rules in that kingdom. In this way God the Father may be glorified by each believer through His indwelling Son made manifest day by day. The resurrection of Jesus Christ signifies more than just going to Heaven in the sky in the sweet bye-and-bye. It starts now!

This should not be offensive to anyone. It’s what Easter is all about. May the reality of the indwelling Christ be genuine this Easter in the life of all believers.

Things and people are not always what they seem or what they wish to present to us.  Ben Shapiro has been trading on a conservative persona, preaching about the Constitution, his devotion to John Adams and the other Founding Fathers, the principles of freedom, blah, blah, blah.  But scratch the surface and you find . . . a surprising echo of Nazi Germany.  Don't pass this off, don't feign outrage that he should be called out for this strange resemblance to a despised regime.  What was it the Nazis did, again?  Oh - they performed ghastly medical experiments on human beings, captive human beings who had no self-agency and with no "informed consent".  It's why following their defeat in WWII, the whole world agreed to a code of ethics that this would never happen again.  The Nuremberg Code.  Check it out.  Fast forward to young Ben Shapiro, known to us as the world's youngest syndicated columnist.  Well, he's been at it now for quite some time.  He's written numerous books about American values and freedom and all that stuff.  Yet here he is.  Pushing with all his might for UNIVERSAL FORCED VACCINATION.  Go figure.

BRANSON BOCHENSKI; A LOST DECADE FOR GRAND FORKS; GF NOT ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT FEDERAL RECLASSIFICATION; IS THIS GOING TO BE A PROBLEM?; TAPPING THE ND LEGASY FUND; PERFECT ACT SCORES; A HIPPO AND 99 MORE; RED RIVER FISH STORY; DID SD WIN IT BET?; WHY SOMALI IN MINNESOTA?; DAKTOIDS

Earlier this month, Rev. Dr. John C. Polkinghorne—theoretical physicist, theologian, and Anglican priest—died at the age of 90. In this tribute to Polkinghorne’s life, Dr. Glenn Marsch recalls his time studying with Polkinghorne at Calvin College.

A few random quotes illustrate a society cascading downward to a new cultural low ground. Should we laugh – or should we cry? Take a look.

Last week, the Supreme Court ruled 8-1 in favor of two students who sued their public college over restrictive free speech policies on campus. Many national groups who work for free speech and religious liberty celebrated the ruling. In this article, Constitutional scholar Dr. John Sparks looks at the case and the wide range of support it garnered. Sparks’ writes, “Just how widespread the support is for allowing nominal damages cases can be seen by examining the political diversity of the organizations filing amicus curiae (friend of the court) briefs in this case in support of the petitioning students. Seldom does one find organizations like the ACLU, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, the Americans for Prosperity Foundation, and the Institute for Justice joining together in a single brief supporting the position of the Alliance Defending Freedom.”

Just like clockwork, another mass shooting crops up as an underscore for the demented gun laws proposed - no, threatened - by the illegitimate Joe Biden administration and the Democrat-controlled Congress.  This isn't even news.  It's old news.  We see this every time.  And it's never the fault of the killer or the fault of people who, like accessories during the fact, stand by and let the shooter have free rein.  It's always the law-abiding citizen who wasn't even there, or worse, the gun used, that is at fault, never the person who pulled the trigger.  In the case of the instant Boulder, Colorado, incident, blame should go to Al Issa, the shooter.  A large portion of blame should be reserved for George W. Bush, under whose failed administration this perpetrator was admitted to our country, and a few crumbs of blame should be sprinkled liberally over those who might have stopped this jerk with a bullet but instead stood by or cowered behind the canned goods.  Shame on them all.  

Worse by far than COVID have been all of the things our governents and society have done in response to it.  We have spun a mere virus which causes illness with near 100% recovery rate into the dissolution of most of our freedoms.  Now there is evidence that the PCR tests are a cancer risk.

A reprobate woman worth $30 million must be protected from criticism, apparently. Twitter really had to reach for a violation rationale, though, as it sent me the following message:

You may not promote violence against or directly attack or threaten other people on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, caste, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, religious affiliation, age, disability, or serious disease.

For the record, I didn’t actually call the esteemed singer a “slut,” but wrote that she was acting like one. But I’m befuddled: Into which of the above categories does “slut” fall?

NDSU V. UND; NUND HOCKEY; BETTER-THAN-EXPECTED; KEYSTONE XL; FOUNDING FARMERS; FARMING TURN PROFITABLE; THE MINIMUM WAGE; A CHRISTMAS TREE?; PERMANENT DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME; PERCEPTION OF HURT; GRANDMOTHERS OPPOSED TO LINE 3; DAKTOIDS

Today we honor one of western civilizations most prolific artists, a man who profoundly influenced all who came after him in the tradition of western music.  Johann Sebastian Bach was born 336 years ago today, on March 21, 1685.  Here is his story and links to some of my favorite Bach music, from introspective and contemplative pieces to the magnificent and awe-inspiring.  Let's celebrate!  

The globalist “nothing-special-about-America” ruling class is back in charge. Obama’s vice president assembled his administration principally from Obama-era retreads. Actors are identified as (O) from Obama’s administration and (C) from Clinton’s. Surreptitiously, Obama is back in charge.

YOU BE THE JUDGE; INSULT OR BENEFIT?; HOW HAPPY CAN YOU BE?; EMPIRE BUILDER CUT; THE DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE; CORN AND SOYBEAN PRICES; MANCUR OLSON; BISMARCK DOWNGRADED; MINNESOTA HAS BEST LONG-TERM CORONAVIRUS RATES; CONFUSION ABOUT DEADLY FORCE; DAKTOIDS

Last week Minnesota took up some issues surrounding Governor Walz and his unconstitutional exercise of "emergency powers".  A diversion took place, a tactical retreat on the part of the governor, who is looking at the possibility of joining Governors Cuomo, Whitmer and Newsom.  He doesn't want to be impeached.   So he backtracked on some "emergency measures" - i.e. shutdowns and excessive regulation strangling our economy - but not masks.  Those, he maintains in the face of mounting evidence to the contrary, make us "safe".  It won't last.  The numbers will fluctuate and he will reinstate his takeover.  Well, in truth, it never went away.  He just decided to open the door a crack.  He'll slam it shut again at will.  The article to follow is directed in part to our legislators in North Dakota as well as Minnesota, but it's also for everyone.  We must all try to arm ourselves with the best information we can find.  We won't find it on CNN, the NY Times, Fox News, the local newspapers and newsstand publications, because they are all being censored.  We need to look instead at facts.  Research them.  Verify them.  You will begin to notice that the mainstream media celebrities are not really giving us facts.  Listen critically to them.  You will suddenly realize that they are just giving us pablum, all mixed up with jargon.  They don't give us the facts because the facts don't support their agenda or their narrative.

An administration now holds power formulating policies consistent with those who hate America. Marxists and Marxist-trained political appointees lead the federal bureaucracy. These words are not too tough in defining the Biden administration.

America as we have known it is very much on the brink of disappearing. Progressives in particular and Democrats in general along with assorted other leftists maintain that America never was a force for good. They blame America for the ills of the world and believe the United States is a focus of evil. They advocate reshaping America and America’s thinking from the way it was originally founded.

There are creepy reasons for leftist beliefs. Count them.

FIRST EXPULSION IN STATE HISTORY; IS ND FOOTBALL UPSIDE DOWN?; ROLE REVERSAL?; MODEST HOME FOR SALE; LUTHERAN SOCIAL SERVICES; THE BIG THEMES; SANFORD EXTENDS ITS REACH; WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION; THE PRESENTATION SISTERS IN FAGO; CLANCY LONE FLIGHT; TAX THE RICH; A HEAD IS HARD TO IGNORE; DAKTOIDS

Today is Sunday . . . so why not a stroll down "memory lane" and some vintage jazz!

Once in a while there is such a lot of important news there just isn't time to really write about all of it.  This weekend we have an accumulation of interesting stories to look at and nowhere near enough time to write about each of them.  No doubt the headlines alone will spark some interesting conversations.  Here are a few, with some commentary on the side.