"Peaceful Protests"

Seattle police revealed Wednesday that they seized a van loaded with explosives at the protest last weekend.

Investigators discovered pyrotechnic explosives, smoke bombs bundled together, which when ignited produce massive amounts of toxic smoke, bear spray---using it on anything other than a bear is a federal offense---pepper spray, stun guns and improvised spike strips.

About the "peaceful protests."

Be informed, not misled.

"Peaceful" protests?

Chief Best reminded reporters that 59 officers were injured as a result of the "violent riots" and added that the evidence demonstrates that "not everyone that comes to these protests is peaceful."

She said there are bad people embedding themselves in these demonstrations, saying "peaceful protesters do not show up with a van full of bear spray, stun guns, spike strips, and explosives."

I would say so. The protesters with the van moved over to the Youth Service Center tossing incendiary devices, Molotov cocktails, and destroying trailers on a construction site.

They then moved to the East Precinct, where they removed items from the van and distributed them to waiting accomplices. The items included baseball bats, pyrotechnic explosives, APR respirators, improvised shields, and face masks according to the police report.

Moments later an explosion blew an 8-inch hole into the wall of the East Precinct. The police even feared that the van was loaded with bombs set to explode because of the way it had been abandoned.

Mayor Jenny Durkan has been trying to lead from behind since these "peaceful" demonstrations began months ago. She has finally dropped her "summer of love" description of the "peaceful" events and is proclaiming:

"Acts of destruction, violence and hateful speech, none of that gets us where we need to be, its not just a distraction, it undermines the central message and the actions we want to take as a city."

What is the "central message?"

The message.

Durkan's message only changed from "summer of love" to "this has got to be stopped right now" after the mob targeted her personal home.

Joe Biden has been calling the violent anarchists attacking police and federal property in Portland, "peaceful protests."

The real reason for all these riots is...well these are his words posted on Twitter:

We have a president who is determined to sow chaos and division. To make matters worse instead of better. We all remember the appalling scenes in front of the White House, when peaceful protesters were gassed to make way for a Trump photo op. Now Homeland Security agents — without a clearly defined mandate or authority — are ranging far from federal property, stripped of badges and insignia and identifying markings, to detain people. They are brutally attacking peaceful protesters, including a U.S. Navy veteran. Of course the U.S. government has the right and duty to protect federal property. The Obama-Biden administration protected federal property across the country without resorting to these egregious tactics — and without trying to stoke the fires of division in this country. We need a president who will bring us together instead of tear us apart, calm instead of inflame, and enforce the law faithfully rather than put his political interests first.

NEW: @JoeBiden issues stmt on the Homeland Security presence in Portland, OR

Says officers "without a clearly defined mandate or authority" are "brutally attacking peaceful protestors, including a U.S. Navy veteran"

Says America needs a POTUS that will "bring us together" pic.twitter.com/699GZawmmP

— Johnny Verhovek (@JTHVerhovek) July 21, 2020

Actually, the Obama-Biden administration had a long record of endorsing violent protest movements, including both Occupy Wall Street and the Black Lives Matter.

The "Occupy" movement had many of the elements these riots have---such as deliberately placing vulnerable or sympathetic people in the front lines to absorb the brunt of any use of force by police.

Yesterday, Biden, like Durkan began walking back a bit of what he has been saying about the "peaceful protests."

Unlike Durkan, Biden's house hasn't been targeted, but everyone in America has figured out that these episodes every night are not peaceful and they're not protests---they're riots bent on destruction.

In Biden's case it was his political aspirations that could be destroyed, so in his mind, to preserve his political goals, the demonstrations must no longer be "peaceful"---and they must be seen as Trump's fault.

Circumstances, not principles always direct the thinking of progressives. This is why Paul instructs us not be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our mind.

A secular progressive worldview is polar opposite to a biblical worldview.

Takeaway

These ongoing riots are about rebellion--- primarily rebellion against authority. Rebellion is always, ultimately directed at authority.

Rebellion can be violent and public or quietly unexpressed, either way, it's destructive. Rebellion always begins in the heart.

Rebellion against God's authority was humanity's first sin (Gen. 3). It continues to be our downfall. Rebellion is what is driving what we see on our city streets nightly.

Romans 3:23 says rebellion in the human is the root of all sin.

Rebellion is not merely a reaction of anger or outrage.

I Samuel 15 is a clear demonstration of rebellion against God. King Saul, chosen by God to lead Israel, became full of himself, believed he knew better than God, and directly disobeyed Him. Instead of following God's directives and destroying all the plunder from the enemy's camp, Saul brought the best of it home. He also, in an act of rebellion, didn't kill the wicked king but brought him home as a prisoner.

The prophet Samuel (I Sam. 15:22,23) confronted Saul and said:

“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
As in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams.
For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,
And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
He also has rejected you from being king.”

Rebellion is linked to pride in this passage and both sins are equated with witchcraft and paganism.

Because of Saul's persistent rebellion against God, he lost his throne and his royal dynasty was cut short, and God gave the kingdom to a shepherd boy named David.

Be Informed. Be Vigilant. Be Faithful. Be Discerning. Be Prayerful.