Advocates Start Petition for Pornhub to be Shut Down for Giving Free Premium Service to Italians on Lockdown Over Coronavirus

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Advocates Start Petition for Pornhub to be Shut Down for Giving Free Premium Service to Italians on Lockdown Over Coronavirus

Amid an ongoing coronavirus pandemic, a pornography video hosting site that many are presently urging be shut down entirely is offering free premium service to Italian users.

In Europe, Italy has borne the brunt of the global COVID-19 outbreak and the southern European nation has been on lockdown for several days. As a result of the largely incapacitated nation, smut giant Pornhub announced it is opening its vault of videos for the whole country and is donating March proceeds to ModelHub, reports say.

The video site has faced a wave of scrutiny in recent weeks as a Change.org petition, launched by the prostitution abolitionist group Exodus Cry’s Laila Mickelwait, has garnered over half a million signatures and continues to grow. Mickelwait and others have blasted the site for allowing videos to be uploaded that are incidents of human trafficking and the rape of minors, thus facilitating and profiting off of the abuse.

“It is no surprise that Pornhub admitted to verifying the trafficked 15-year-old girl who was sexually abused in 58 videos on its site. The official Twitter account for Pornhub wrote in response to the breaking story that the 15-year-old girl had been a verified member. After quickly realizing it had just admitted to assisting in her being trafficked, the account deleted the tweets, but the evidence of the admission was cached and still exists,” Mikelwait notes in her petition.

The site is now reportedly publishing coronavirus-themed pornography, including a video that features a healthcare worker wearing a hazmat suit.

Critics point out that Pornhub is owned by tech company Mindgeek, a Canadian outfit officially registered in Luxembourg, and is using the pandemic to gather and monetize data, that there is nothing charitable about their offering of “free” premium access, and that it is yet another way of exploiting people’s misery and weakness in a hard time for their own financial gain.

SOURCE: Christian Post, Brandon Showalter

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CBN News Asks Dr. Perlmutter Your Questions About the Coronavirus Outbreak

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CBN News Asks Dr. Perlmutter Your Questions About the Coronavirus Outbreak

CBN News Medical Reporter Lorie Johnson spoke with Dr. David Perlmutter, a neurologist, immune system expert and best-selling author to ask him your latest questions about the coronavirus pandemic. 

Here are the questions being addressed in this Q&A:

Cheryl: Is this similar to the Asian flu and if so does that mean people who had it are immune to the current virus? 

Steven: Do Vitamins C and D help?

Diana: What are the symptoms and what is a high fever in people over 65 compared to younger people?

Karen: Is wearing a mask helpful if you need to go out?

Don: Does already having a pneumonia shot help?

Marcie: My husband flew back from Switzerland. He is self-isolating with me. We need some groceries. How soon is it safe for me to go?

You can submit new questions to us for our next Q&A at [email protected]. We are answering them in the order in which we receive them.

Source CBN

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Cash is being shunned for fear of spreading virus: A Shepherd you can trust today

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Cash is being shunned for fear of spreading virus: A Shepherd you can trust today

Can paper money spread coronavirus?

A growing number of businesses and people worldwide are afraid so.

They have stopped using banknotes out of fear that paper currency, handled by tens of thousands of people, could be a vector for spreading the virus. Businesses are refusing to accept currency; some countries are urging their citizens to stop using banknotes altogether.

However, public officials and health experts say that the risk of transferring the virus in this way is small.

Other ways we pay for items are just as likely to be vectors for disease transfer, if not more so. Credit and debit cards are made of plastic and metal. ATMs are touched by hundreds of human hands every day.

And the Federal Reserve has taken efforts to ensure the money supply is not contaminated. Banknotes that circulated in Asia and Europe are being quarantined for seven to ten days as a “precautionary measure,” according to a Federal Reserve spokesperson.

The fear of cash reveals something important about human
nature.

A Shepherd you can trust today

In these days when so much seems out of control, it’s
natural to control what we can. I cannot keep people from sneezing, but I can
stay six feet away from them. I cannot protect our country, but I can protect
myself and my family.

Of course, the best way to handle what we cannot control is
to trust it to someone who can.

We go to doctors in the belief that they can treat illnesses
we cannot. We seek the help of attorneys with legal challenges because they
have training and experience we do not. Unless you’re a home builder, you
probably trusted a home builder to build your home. Unless you’re an automobile
mechanic, you probably trust automobile mechanics to repair your car.

The best way to deal with what we cannot control about
coronavirus is to trust it to the One who can.

The psalmist prayed, “Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead Joseph like a flock. You who are…

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United Methodist Church Postpones General Conference amid COVID-19 Pandemic

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United Methodist Church Postpones General Conference amid COVID-19 Pandemic


United Methodist Church Postpones General Conference amid COVID-19 Pandemic

The United Methodist Church, anticipating action on a proposal that could split the denomination, has postponed its quadrennial General Conference, which was scheduled for May 5-15 in Minneapolis.

The Minneapolis Convention Center notified the Executive Committee of UMC’s Commission on the General Conference that the venue was not holding large events through May 10, a news release from the church’s press center said.

The convention center’s restrictions, the release said, are based on Minnesota Department of Health recommendations to mitigate the spread of coronavirus, which has caused a global pandemic of respiratory illness and death. The virus is also known as COVID-19.

The release quoted Kim Simpson, chair of the General Conference Commission, who said the convention center’s restrictions are “not unexpected based on the current guidance from health officials, and we expect to move forward with new plans as quickly as possible.”

The release said the commission “has been monitoring the situation for some time” and had scheduled a teleconference of the full commission for March 21 to discuss plans for the event. Only the full commission has the authority to change the date of the General Conference, the release said.

As of Wednesday, that teleconference was still scheduled, the release said, but added that it’s uncertain when the commission would be able to…

… Read More

Click here to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Christian Headlines.

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Trump Touts Possible 'Game-Changer' Treatment for Coronavirus, Congress Aid Could Put $1,200 in Your Pocket

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New hope may be emerging in the fight against the coronavirus – it’s a possible treatment that President Trump is calling a potential “game-changer”. That spark of optimism comes as the nationwide shutdown just escalated as 40 million Californians have been told to stay home, and New York’s mayor is warning of a hospital shortage.

California’s governor has now ordered his state’s 40 million residents to stay home indefinitely and go outside only for essential jobs, errands or some exercise. He’s concerned the coronavirus could be too much for the state’s medical system to handle.

Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) says, “There’s a recognition of our interdependence that requires of this moment that we direct a statewide order for people to stay at home.” 

And California’s economy, which is the world’s fifth-biggest, has also taken a hit. Only essential critical infrastructure workers are permitted to continue working.

On the East Coast in New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio says the city has only two to three weeks before area hospitals run out of supplies.

Economic Aid from Washington

As the number of US cases climbs over 13,000, and with the economy taking a severe hit from all the business closings and an expected rise in unemployment, Senate Republicans and the White House introduced their trillion-dollar plan on Thursday to boost the economy. It includes sending Americans checks for $1,200.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said, “It is critical that we move swiftly and boldly to begin to stabilize our economy, preserve Americans’ jobs, get money to workers and families and keep up our fight on the health front.”

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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said, “We are ready and eager to look at what Republicans have put together and to work with them. But, we believe that whatever proposal emerges, and it will be bipartisan, that it must be a workers’ first proposal.”

Schumer went on to say that his goal is to make sure “no one loses a paycheck or goes into financial ruin as a result of the coronavirus.”

On Wall Street, investors are hoping for a sustainable rally after the recent collapse in prices.

Possible Treatments for Coronavirus

On the medical front, Vice President Mike Pence says a company that makes the important n-95 masks is accelerating production to 35-million per month. Pence also says the government has found tens of thousands of ventilators as well. 

And President Trump is talking about possible treatments for the coronavirus, including a drug normally prescribed to treat malaria – known as “chloroquine” or “hydroxy-chloroquine” – which is showing some promise. Doctors say it had promising outcomes in China.

President Trump said, “I think it’s going to be very exciting. I think it could be a game-changer. And maybe not and maybe not, but I think it could be based on what I see, it could be a game-changer. Very powerful; they’re very powerful. So I want every American to know that we’re doing everything we can, and these actions are important next steps.”

Reuters reports the malaria drug is already in short supply as demand is surging.
           
Chloroquine, and another drug, Remdesivir, are among several possibilities now being tested as potential therapies for the disease.

Source CBN

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After Canceling Public Services, This Megachurch Is Feeding Hungry Families

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After Canceling Public Services, This Megachurch Is Feeding Hungry Families


After Canceling Public Services, This Megachurch Is Feeding Hungry Families

LOS ANGELES (RNS) — It’s been a week since the Pentecostal megachurch Angelus Temple in Los Angeles chose to cancel its public church services and decided to instead focus on feeding families in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic that has caused job layoffs and shut down schools and restaurants.

The Dream Center, the church’s nonprofit in Echo Park, has been open from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. to provide free hot and boxed meals all week — not just to families with children from the Los Angeles Unified School District, but to anyone who stops by for its drive-thru or pick-up service.

The center will also be distributing meals this weekend.

Angelus Temple pastor Matthew Barnett said food distributions have gone smoothly.

The church is averaging 5,000 meals a day as well as 150 daily visits to the elderly to provide them with food. Chick-fil-A and Pink’s Hot Dogs have donated food, he said.

The center is also asking for monetary contributions to be able to continue serving residents. Los Angeles Dodgers teammates Justin Turner and Clayton Kershaw are among those who have donated money and have even called businesses to supply food.

Barnett said the church plans to provide meals as long as necessary.

The center has also distributed free diapers to those in need and has taken in some 16 people without a home. On Thursday (March 19) Barnett said the center ordered $20,000 of mass…

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Putting up Christmas lights in March: A collection of good news stories in the coronavirus war

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Putting up Christmas lights in March: A collection of good news stories in the coronavirus war

My purpose today is to encourage you with some remarkable good news in the war against coronavirus.

We’ll look at good news from medical, financial, historical, cultural, and spiritual perspectives. This Daily Article will be unlike any other I’ve written in that it is designed to be a resource that I hope will be helpful for hours and days to come. It includes multiple links as well as videos you can read or watch as you wish. 

Medical good news 

Let’s begin on the medical front. As you’ve probably heard, China is reporting no new domestic infections for the first time since the outbreak began. And a small town in Italy, where the disease has been especially disastrous, cut its cases to zero in just a few weeks by testing and then isolating all positive cases as soon as possible. 

Key biotech companies are making progress as hopes of a coronavirus vaccine grow. China claims to have discovered an antiviral drug that is “clearly effective” in treating COVID-19 patients. And doctors in Japan report that a drug used to treat influenza appears to be effective in treating the virus. 

In more good news, a team of infectious disease experts calculates that the fatality rate for coronavirus in Wuhan was about 1.4 percent, which is lower than earlier estimates. Automakers have agreed to make ventilators for hospitals that are running short, which would utilize shut-down factory space for the public good. 

The Pentagon will provide five million respirator masks and two thousand specialized ventilators as well. And a Navy hospital ship is being sent to New York Harbor to help with trauma causes, which would open up civilian rooms for infectious diseases. 

Financial good news 

While the stock market was up 188 points yesterday, the economy is obviously being affected by the pandemic. However, some companies that provide goods and services especially relevant to the crisis are doing exceptionally well.  

One…

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Preparing Your Family for a Ministry Transition

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Podcast Episode #625

SUBSCRIBE:
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You are thinking about making a ministry transition. Maybe you will be visiting the church soon or perhaps the church has already called you to this new opportunity. Hopefully, you have already begun to think about your family. Thom and Sam discuss best practices and things to consider when preparing your family for a ministry transition.

Highlights:

  • Your spouse has the trump card
  • Shield your younger children as much as possible
  • Include your older children as much as possible
  • Keep ties to family friends
  • Build excitement for the new ministry and location

Resources mentioned in today’s podcast:

Episode Sponsors

Vanderbloemen has been serving churches for nine years, but did you know that Vanderbloemen also serves Christian schools, nonprofits, and Christian businesses? So if you’re listening, and you know a Christian school, nonprofit, or values-based business that is hiring, contact our friends at Vanderbloemen for your staffing needs.

For more information, visit Vanderbloemen.com.

The mission at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by equipping students to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission. The school offers more than 40 different degree programs, including the new Master of Arts in Church Revitalization in partnership with Church Answers and the Revitalization Network. This 37-hour degree is designed to help…

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Click here to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Thom Rainer.

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North American Mission Board Implementing Spending Changes to Keep Missionaries on the Field

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North American Mission Board Implementing Spending Changes to Keep Missionaries on the Field

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP) — The North American Mission Board (NAMB) is implementing a series of budgetary freezes and cutbacks designed to keep missionaries on the field during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

NAMB president Kevin Ezell shared information Thursday (March 19) with staff and missionaries on a video conference call and in emails to state convention leaders and other mission partners.

“We hope these proactive steps will allow our missionaries to continue ministering throughout the crisis, however long it lasts,” Ezell said. “At this point we just don’t know how severe the financial impact will be on our churches, but we want to do everything we can to keep serving them and keep supporting our missionaries.”

The freeze covers all discretionary spending at NAMB’s Alpharetta building and for NAMB missionaries and staff serving throughout North America. NAMB resources will be focused exclusively on mission-critical ministry needs and supporting church planters and ministry personnel. In addition, NAMB events have been postponed until May 31.

Source: Baptist Press

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Ideas for Home Discipleship During School Closures

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Ideas for Home Discipleship During School Closures

With schools closing around the country, Krista Peterson, the Baptist Convention of New Mexico’s associate director of children’s leadership development, has created a list of ideas for home discipleship.

Below are Peterson’s 15 ideas for taking advantage of this opportunity and time to disciple kids while they’re home.

— Challenge kids to read the book of Luke, together or individually. Here is a challenge from last year with age-appropriate segments of Luke divided out. www.bcnm.com/nm-kids-reading-gods-word

— Have your kids choose a Bible story and put together a dramatic re-enactment of it. Record it and post on social media for others to see.

— Write and decorate cards to thank those who are part of your child’s development.

— Play board games together or provide kids with a file folder and encourage them to make up their own board game.

— Challenge your kids to memorize Bible verses or passages (like Psalm 23). Award prizes for accomplishments.

— Start a Bible verse challenge. Have your kids create motions for a verse. Record your kids saying the verse and making the motions, send it to another family, and ask them to do the same and keep passing it on.

— Do random acts of kindness like super-secret spies like baking cookies and leaving them on doorsteps without anyone seeing you.

— Make a “blessings” board and write down everything you’re thankful for that God has provided for us.

Source: Baptist Press

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