A baptism without repentance? OnlyFans star Lily Phillips and Christian Conversion

 American Thinker   

"As the apostle Paul warned believers in Ephesians 4:22–24: “Put off your old self … and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”

"What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?” — James 2:14 (ESV).

"Last week, OnlyFans creator Lily Phillips, the British adult-content personality who went viral for saying she had sex with more than 1,100 men in 12 hours, shared video of herself being rebaptized, calling it a moment of spiritual renewal bringing her “closer to God.” Phillips said the baptism was a way to “reinstate my relationship with God,” telling Us Weekly that a personal hardship drove her to reconnect with faith after drifting away from regular practice. She said she still prays, but rarely attends church, and wants to “make religion more of a priority.”

"That said, Phillips has not committed to ending her career in the adult industry. In fact, she says she hopes to connect with other Christian creators in that industry and believes her faith can coexist with her lifestyle.

"Reactions on social media were mixed:

“As far as I’m aware, her OF site is still up, so I’m leaning toward this being a publicity stunt. With that said, I hope she does have a true change of heart and seeks to follow the Lord faithfully,” posted one Reddit user.

"Others paraphrased a foundational Christian caution: Do not judge heart motives — but do judge fruit. (Matthew 7:16–20)

"A central tenet in Christian theology is that baptism traditionally follows genuine repentance — a turning away from sin and toward Christ." . . .  More...

Mean Girl Media Strikes Again

Intellectual Takeout

"Perhaps we must just accept that conservative women will never get a fair shake in the media. But overt displays of bias like that in Vanity Fair make it more obvious to the public that their journalistic endeavors are anything but that. It seems they are merely the jealous screechings of woke harridans who peaked in high school."

Flickr-DonkeyHotey

"The media spinning narratives against a Republican presidential administration, particularly one led by Donald Trump, is nothing new.

"But the recent controversial article in Vanity Fair did more than just operate the typical ploy to paint a picture of chaos and rancor among the Trump cabinet. The article’s photographer, Christopher Anderson, visually attacked the physical appearance of most of Trump’s cabinet, particularly that of press secretary Karoline Leavitt. It was a subtle attack that only the most highly trained high school “mean girls” could really master.

"Leavitt, who is undeniably beautiful and, like most women in positions of power in D.C., has had cosmetic work done on her face, is photographed in an extremely close-up position, displaying every wrinkle, makeup smudge, and most notoriously, signs of her lip injections. Those who are laughing about it would never wish to have a similar photograph taken of them and then posted all over social media.

"Anderson is a man and admittedly photographed other members of the Trump administration in a similar fashion. But it is difficult to deny that the publication knew exactly what it was doing with Leavitt’s photo in particular, which is plastered all over X at the time of this writing. The media – liberal media included – still feeds on the idea that women should maintain a perfect appearance at every angle and stage of life, while the standards for men are more forgiving in that regard. Anderson undoubtedly knew what he would ignite with that particular photo, and the comments from disgusted liberals have not disappointed the aims of Vanity Fair’s journalism." . . .More...

This article was made possible by The Fred & Rheta Skelton Center for Cultural Renewal. 

Maduro in Chains — and Probably the Blood of Children on His Hands UPDATED

But still, Rosie O'Donnell, The View, MSNOW, and most late-night TV hosts will hate President Trump more than the likes of Maduro, Hamas, and anyone who might push you into the path of an oncoming train. TD

 The American Spectator

Maduro’s indictment could expand beyond drugs and guns to the systematic torture of minors.

"In the wake of the capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, the United States is now forced to reckon with a record of depravity that is nothing short of a great human scandal. Indeed, the crimes of which Mr. Maduro has been credibly accused boggle the mind.

"Maduro’s presence on American soil is the result of years of legal preparation and, according to Saturday’s press conference, months of operational planning. He arrives facing a lengthy federal indictment in the Southern District of New York. The charges are staggering: narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and the possession of machine guns and destructive devices. The U.S. government alleges that Maduro functioned as the leader of the “Cartel de los Soles,” effectively converting the Venezuelan state into a criminal enterprise designed to flood American streets with poison while enriching a corrupt elite. He is also accused of stealing American oil and using the proceeds to fund his criminal endeavors and entrench his power.

"But as grave as these narco-terrorism charges are, they only scratch the surface of Maduro’s evil. The current U.S. legal framework focuses on drugs and guns because they provide the clearest, most traditional path to a domestic conviction. However, the American people, the Venezuelan people, and indeed the whole world deserve more than a trial about smuggling routes, vessels, and the usual talking points of foreign policy hawks.

"Moreover, an inconvenient truth arises for his apologists, both foreign adversaries and domestic stooges: if the Department of Justice is truly committed to the so-called “full wrath of American justice,” it must pursue explicit charges for the crimes against humanity that define Maduro’s tenure. One crime especially demands the sword: the detention and physical and sexual torture of children.

"The International Criminal Court has, since 2021, been pursuing a formal investigation into credible reports of systematic torture, sexual violence, and political persecution. Children are among those most affected by these heinous abuses. Following the South American nation’s rigged 2024 election, at least 220 children were forcibly detained. Many were held in adult prisons and subjected to what Amnesty International has dubbed “endless cruelty.” . . .

"The United States must speak and act with crystalline clarity: the DOJ must immediately expand its charges against Maduro to include these crimes against children. Further, if convicted, Mr. Maduro has quite possibly forfeited his right to life."   More...

UPDATE: The Three Hour War in Venezuela 

Nobel Peace Prize winner Machado dedicated her award to Trump. She knew.  While Machado is popular and world-renowned, Venezuelans elected Edmundo González president in 2024 after Maduro kicked Machado off the ballot. She 100% backs having González assume the presidency. He exiled himself to Spain but plans to return next Saturday to take the oath as president. 

Where's the pope now that Cuba's top Lady in White has been arrested on her way to Mass?

Monica Showalter   

Illegal aliens in the U.S. get many  complaints from the Vatican, the pope, and bishops about interference with Mass, but this Cuban lady gets no comment.

"After making a big stink about illegal aliens afraid to go to Mass based on ICE enforcement, as well as ostentatiously issuing dispensations from Sunday obligations over it, the real terrorizers have come out of the woodwork in persecuting Catholics going to Mass.

"No surprise, they're not American lawmen, they're communist Cuban goons:

"Here's what they did yesterday: . . . Statement in Spanish here.

. . . "The lady in the center being hauled off by the female goons in expensive sportswear, is Berta Soler, the founder of the Ladies in White, a group of wives of Cuban political prisoners who hold silent witness to their husbands' persecution by the communist military dictatorship. The Ladies in White don't argue with the brutal state organs; all they do is wear white, hold silent walks with white gladiolas in hand, and mostly just go to Mass and pray.

"For that, she got hauled off to prison -- and probable torture -- by Cuba's communist state henchmen.

"And there's not been a word about it from either the Vatican or the U.S. bishops.

"This lady had every reason to be afraid to go to Mass, but she still went -- and what happened is about what one would expect would happen for an evil regime on its last legs, desperate to cling to power.

"But according to the pope and the bishops he has asked to speak out for him, illegals are the ones who get all the tocsin cries of publicity about terror and goons and fears of going to Mass, even though there have been no interrupted Masses from U.S. lawmen and pretty much no enforcement around churches, either." . . .

"In any case, if they're so concerned about people being in fear of going to Mass, and equally concerned about people living in fear, they need to speak out about this Cuban goonery, stopping an innocent woman who committed no crime from going to Mass. Thus far, it's just crickets. Those things happen in Cuba, not the U.S."

After Trump's Venezuela Operation, a Former Fox News Host Had the Perfect Tweet...and It Wrecked Biden

When saying "Don't" is ignored, this is what must be done.

Townhall

"Trump was able to pull off the removal of a dictator and the destruction of a nuclear weapons program. Trump does things to protect us. Biden just napped." 

"He didn’t name him, but former Fox News host Brit Hume shredded Joe Biden and his failed foreign policy that set the world ablaze and offered a brutal lesson to other world leaders: America was NOT back, and Biden had no idea what he was doing. The Delaware liberal has long lived off the reputation that he was some international relations wizard. His decades of experience in Washington, plus helming the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, provided this mythical cover, but he's been wrong on every matter for the past 40 years.  

"It's remarkably unimpressive, much like his career in public life. And being around a long time doesn’t make you a sage. With President Trump’s daring raid in Venezuela, which toppled the Maduro government, there is a different flair to American power right now, and it’s for the better. On January 3, airstrikes rocked Caracas as Delta Force captured Nicolas Maduro and his wife." 

Brit Hume: The Maduro capture, coupled with the air attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities, suggest an extraordinary level of skill, technology and daring. Precisely the opposite signal from that sent by the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan. 

 

. . .  "Trump was able to pull off the removal of a dictator and the destruction of a nuclear weapons program. Trump does things to protect us. Biden just napped."

 This X Post From 'Tough Guy' Joe Biden Didn't Age Well

"Trump talks tough on Venezuela, but admires thugs and dictators like Nicolas Maduro.  As President, I will stand with the Venezuelan people and for democracy.". . . 

. . . "But what did Joe Biden do when he was president for four years? I know you're thinking "sleep," but I meant regarding Maduro.  He — or whoever was in charge —basically held Maduro's hand and gave him everything he wanted. I wrote a lot about this a couple of weeks ago, but I feel like I can't say it enough, especially in the wake of this X post going viral on Saturday. I will never shy away from the opportunity to point out what a disaster the Biden administration was." 

Kamala Harris Humiliates Herself Condemning Capture of Maduro   . . . "But what makes her statement even more absurd and hypocritical than those of other Democrats is that the Biden-Harris administration approved a $25 million bounty for information leading to Maduro's arrest just days before Joe Biden and Kamala Harris left office.

"Will Chamberlain, senior counsel of the Article III Project, called Kamala out and asked, “Now you're saying capturing him was unlawful? Did you just entirely forget your administration's policy?' ”  . . .

Mamdani Claims It’s Wrong & Illegal to Arrest Maduro, Says It’s Only Legal to Arrest Jews Like Netanyahu   . . . "Despite the new mayor’s repeated statements on arresting Netanyahu, the International Criminal Court does not have jurisdiction in the United States, and US federal law makes it illegal for local government to cooperate with the court. A separate federal law prohibits imprisonment and obstruction of foreign officials, including heads of state." . . .

What Nick Shirley’s Minnesota Fraud Story Says About Legacy Media

Issues & Insights 

 You completely left out that Steve Grove, the current CEO and Publisher of the Star Tribune, previously worked for Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as the Commissioner of Employment and Economic Development from 2019 until February 2023.

Tom

Bevan Not a peep about fraud, but a big story on Tim Walz building his influencer army.

 "Nick Shirley’s 42-minute YouTube video on daycare fraud in Minnesota is shocking not just because of the scale of abuse he uncovered in a day. It’s shocking because it took a young kid to expose this years-long scheme. Where was the mainstream media all this time?

"In the must-see video, Shirley teams up with a citizen investigator and goes door-to-door visiting various “daycare” facilities in Minneapolis that pocketed millions in taxpayer money through a Child Care Assistance Program.

"The first two “daycare centers” are both located at the same address in an industrial park, which combined got some $5 million in taxpayer support over the past five years. Another, located a block away, got $3 million. None were open.

Another was the “Quality Learing Center” – which misspelled “learning” in its sign. Like the others, it was closed, but outside of it was a woman who kept shouting “don’t open up!” and “go away!” and “shame on you!” and “ICE!”

"None of the places the pair visited showed any signs of having any children under its care. They went to an autism center with the same result, and two buildings that supposedly housed dozens of health care companies, all of which looked like obvious fronts.

"Yet somehow, these blatantly fraudulent businesses were able to collect more than $100 million in a few short years.

The video, released on the Friday after Christmas, already has more than 90 million views on X.

"The question isn’t just how this escaped the notice of government officials, it’s how it could it have escaped the attention of the mainstream press?

"It’s not as though there weren’t warning signs that merited investigation. Evidence of fraud in the state’s Child Care Assistance Program goes back years. In August 2018, an investigator reported that “providers using a similar scheme to successfully steal large sums of taxpayer money from this program” and attacked “the lack of internal controls … that dictate how this program operates.”

"So, why did it take a 23-year-old kid to expose just how blatant this fraud continues to be, despite promises by the state to clear it up?

"News reporters used to pride themselves on exposing fraud, particularly when government officials are involved in covering it up. That sort of investigative work used to be a ticket to awards and promotions." . . .

Scott Adams, facing death, shows us how to live…

Mike Cernovich 

"We’ll close this out with prayers for Scott, for peace, comfort, and strength in whatever comes next. And we want to thank him for the life he’s lived, the work he’s done, and the example he continues to set, right up to the very end."

Some news cuts through everything else and forces you to take a minute, slow down, and really sit with the truth. This is one of those moments.

"Scott Adams, the legendary comic writer and illustrator behind Dilbert, has shared that his experimental treatment [aggressive form of prostate cancer]

"Here’s Scott Adams speaking in his own words… just a man laying out the reality of where he is, what he’s facing, and why he’s choosing to keep showing up for as long as he can.

"God Bless him.

"Yes, this is sad and difficult to watch, but it’s important to hear him directly." . . .

"There’s something incredibly powerful about listening to someone confront the end with clarity, honesty, and a quiet determination to keep doing what he loves while he can.

"But that’s because Scott Adams isn’t just a cartoonist. He’s been a thinker, a teacher, and a quiet force for the political right for years. He helped people understand systems, power, persuasion, and human behavior in a way that nobody else has. For so many of us, he wasn’t just entertainment; he was comfort and guidance.

"As you likely know, President Trump helped Scott pursue that experimental treatment that ended up not working.  But right now, we’re left with a strong, determined man that isn’t in denial but is overflowing with dignity.

Scott Adams, facing death, shows us how to live. Someone recommended “How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big” by Scott Adams. I had burned out on mainstream books, but picked it up, and was hooked. He had put into words a way of living, similar to one I had found,… pic.twitter.com/DaWGcGQucw

— Cernovich (@Cernovich) January 1, 2026

Cernovich adds, "Then we found out he was going to take the ride of assisted suicide."  

Maduro Arrest Is 'America First' - Until We Start Painting George Floyd Murals

Ann Coulter; Substack  

Send all the Venezuelans who’ve fled to our country home. Every single bad thing that happens in the rest of the world has GOT to stop ending with us having to take in millions of third worlders — the very third worlders who caused the problem in the first place.

Thoughts on the military seizing Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife.

1. It’s about time. Maduro and his fellow cartel members top government officials have been indicted over and over and over again in the U.S. for drug trafficking. As I wrote recently, it’s pretty clear by now, we’re not going to indict our way out of this.

From Innocent Venezuelan Fishermen: ‘Hands Up! Don’t Shoot!’

"The entire government of Venezuela is a drug cartel. Their No. 1 export is cocaine. Their No. 2 export is cocaine boats. The national coat of arms is a coke spoon and two straws.

"Under President Barack Obama, U.S. attorneys in Miami and New York indicted some of that country’s top military and law enforcement officials, accusing them of working with Colombian drug kingpins to move drugs through Venezuela to the United States.

"Nothing changed. Venezuela continued working with the Colombian cartels, and virtually the same indictments were handed up during the first Trump administration, charging government officials with enriching themselves by flooding “the United States with cocaine and inflict[ing] the drug’s harmful and addictive effects on users in this country.”

2. Unlike, say, for example, off the top of my head, Iran, which poses exactly zero threat to any American, the drug cartel known as “the Maduro regime” is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of young Americans and will continue to kill them, unless we crush it.

3. Drop the horseshit about making Venezuela great again Other than Uruguay (88% White European), no Latin American country has ever achieved long-lasting peace. The rest are cauldrons of revolution, civil war, coups, military dictatorships etc. They did this to themselves. It’s what they like.. . . More...

Venezuelans celebrate -- and Trump-hating Democrats make fools of themselves  "As Venezuelans in their millions dance in the streets worldwide, Democrats have been left holding the bag on quite a few stupid statements, seemingly siding with dictator Nicolas Maduro amidst calls to let him continue as dictator of Venezuela.

"Kilmar Abrego champion Sen. Chris van Hollen was one of the first to step into the trap full of his own goo:Trump and his cronies can try to dress this up, but it is an illegal act of war to replace Maduro and grab Venezuela's oil for his billionaire buddies.

Shockwaves as US captures Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro

Venezuelans Rejoice! Celebrations Around the World After US Captures Maduro

 “The United States of America has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country,” President Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Swalwell to ICE agents: If you're going to wear a mask and not identify yourself, I'll take your driver's license away (Updated)

How is California so rich in nincompoopery?

 Real Clear Politics

Toon added by TD

UPDATED: Swalwell Pledges to Arrest ICE Agents and Take Away Their Driver’s Licenses – JONATHAN TURLEY  . . . "Democrats appear to be morphing into predecessors like Gov. George Wallace (D., Ala.), pledging to defy federal authority and bar federal agents from their states. Wallace also reportedly threatened to arrest federal officers (and then later backed down when he was threatened with court action).

"In an “age of rage,” the most irate and irrational reigns supreme.

"From demanding that any Democratic nominee pledge to demolish the new Trump ballroom to opposing parental rights in schools, Swalwell has struggled to find traction with far-left California voters.accused Donald Trump of doing: disregarding the Constitution when it suits his political agenda.  

"In case it matters to anyone left in California, he cannot do this. Seizing federal agents sort of went out of constitutional style after the Civil War. The “immense powers as governor of California” do not include dictating what federal officers can wear on their faces or bodies.

"The first tiny barrier to Swalwell’s antebellum policies is the Supremacy Clause, which prevents states from “interfering with or controlling the operations of the Federal Government.” United States v. Washington (2022). Since McCulloch v. Maryland in 1819, the Supreme Court has consistently struck down state laws that impede federal enforcement." . . .

From comments to the above Turley post: I live in California and once considered myself a progressive. The so called progressive Democrats in my state remind me of the Stalinists I used to read about in my history books. It’s depressing that California politics is not longer worth bothering about. This a a party state and no different than the PRI that ran Mexico for 70 years. 

 Democrats don’t remotely believe in Democracy. THey are about power. Period.  I live in California and once considered myself a progressive. The so called progressive Democrats in my state remind me of the Stalinists I used to read about in my history books. It’s depressing that California politics is not longer worth bothering about. This a a party state and no different than the PRI that ran Mexico for 70 years. Democrats don’t remotely believe in Democracy. THey are about power. Period.

California Lawmaker Scott Wiener Claims New Anti-Masking Law Targeting Federal Agents Has Gone ‘Into Effect’     "California State Senator Scott Wiener (D) celebrated his new anti-masking law on New Year’s Day, crowing on social media that as of January 1, 2026, federal law enforcement officers “can no longer hide behind face coverings” in the Golden State.

"Starting today, my new anti-masking law goes into effect,” Weiner claimed, although the state has agreed to postpone enforcement pending a court hearing on the matter." . . .

"Bill Essayli, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, disputed Weiner’s post on X, saying it was inaccurate because the law has been put on hold. Essayli said the state’s anti-masking law violates the federal Supremacy Clause and “we have asked a federal judge to strike it down.”

"A hearing to determine the law’s fate has been scheduled for January 12 in California’s central U.S. District Court.

" 'In the meantime, California has agreed to put the law on hold and not enforce its unconstitutional mask ban, which is designed to allow radical leftists to dox federal agents enforcing immigration laws,” Essayli said.

" 'I’ve stood up to Trump and his reign of terror as your State Senator, and I will continue to do so as your future Congressman,” the far-left Democrat wrote on X."

Eric Swalwell supports new law banning masked federal agents   "Swalwell’s comments come as a new California law banning mask-wearing by ICE agents officially took effect. 

"Governor Gavin Newsom, who signed the bill in September, emphasized that the goal was to ensure federal officers would no longer be 'hidden from accountabiity.' 

However, the Department of Homeland Security has refused to comply, and the Trump administration has challenged the ban in court, claiming it violates the US Constitution. 

The U.S. Captures Maduro. What Comes Next?

If the regime falls, Trump is the liberator of the Americas.

"And this, hauled off by the DEA lawmen as the two-bit drug kingpin he is, along with his bank-robber wife."  Monica Showalter

Trump Announces Venezuelan Leader Nicolas Maduro and His Wife Captured Following ‘Large Scale’ US Strike 

Lee, in a follow-up post, suggested that Rubio indicated the capture of Maduro and his wife marks an end to further action in Venezuela.

Rubio has yet to issue an official statement as of the time of this posting. However, he did share a social media post from July in which he declared Maduro was "NOT the President of Venezuela."

"Maduro is the head of the Cartel de Los Soles, a narco-terror organization which has taken possession of a country," he had written, "and he is under indictment for pushing drugs into the United States."

 "President Trump announced early Saturday that the United States had successfully captured Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, following what he called a "large-scale strike."

"The news comes following numerous reports overnight of several explosions rocking Caracas and the surrounding areas. It also comes within 48 hours of Maduro saying he was "ready" to make a drug-trafficking deal with the President in the hopes that the United States would end its military pressure campaign.

"The wise option would appear to have been to try to make a deal long before kicking off 2026.

"The United States of America has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolás Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country," Trump said on his Truth Social media platform. "This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement."

Trump also announced there will be a press conference from Mar-a-Lago later today to provide more details on the operation." . . . 

Maduro and His Wife Have Been Indicted in SDNY, Bondi Says: Here Are the Charges

The U.S. Captures Maduro. What Comes Next?   . . . "Then, in a press conference at Mar-a-Lago, Trump said the U.S. would “run” Venezuela “until such time that we can do a safe, proper, and judicious transition.”

"Why did Trump decide to act in Venezuela? Are the administration’s actions legal? What will happen to Maduro when he reaches American soil? And what will come next—both for Venezuela and for U.S. foreign policy?" . . .

Trump could use his own body to shield AOC from a bullet and the Democrats would still hate him. TD

It is tempting to think that the regime will implode without him, but the Venezuelan leaders who are left could make life even nastier.

Well, our record of regime change has not been overly successful. The Democrat / Rosie O'Donnell; Party is loving the thought of Trump failing. If you are a Trump-hater, stay tuned to MSNOW and CNN. TD

Seriously? Kathy Hochul Orders One World Trade Center Lit in Honor of Muslim American Heritage Month

I can visualize Trump doing this just to tweak Mamdani and his voters. TD

 RedState

"Governor Kathy Hochul directed One World Trade Center and other New York landmarks to be illuminated green to honor and celebrate Muslim American Heritage Month for the first time in January 2026." 

"Just hours after New York City’s first Muslim-American Mayor, Zohran Mamdani, was sworn in, Empire State Gov. Kathy Hochul declared January to be “Muslim American Heritage Month” and ordered One World Trade Center and 15 other state landmarks to be bathed in green light to celebrate “the heritage and culture of Muslim Americans."

Many on social media were quick to point out that we can’t illuminate the Twin Towers because they are no longer on the skyline after the horrific 9/11 al-Qaeda terrorist attacks, which took down the buildings and killed almost 3,000 innocents. September 11, as all Americans know, was carried out by 19 hijackers affiliated with the Islamist extremist group led by the late Osama bin Laden.

But 9/11 was evidently not on Hochul’s mind Friday evening:

             The resilience, compassion, and contributions of Muslim communities help make our state stronger.Tonight landmarks across the state are lit green as New York celebrates Muslim American Heritage Month. pic.twitter.com/5AFw9dsgof

— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) January 2, 2026

 More...