Rick Warren faced a raft of backlash on X in response to a post in which he referred to the two thieves who were crucified on either side of Jesus, and declared, "If you’re looking for the #realJesus, not a caricature disfigured by partisan motivations, you’ll find him in the middle, not on either side."

Warren, the author of the popular book "The Purpose Driven Life," founded Saddleback Church with his wife Kay in 1980, according to pastorrick.com.

His Feb. 11 post has earned thousands of replies and more than 3 million views.

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Seth Dillon, the CEO of the satire site the Babylon Bee, sarcastically quipped, "Yeah, because if there's one thing Jesus was known for, it was his desire to meet in the middle and compromise on the issues that matter most." 

"This is possibly the worst Biblical interpretation I’ve ever seen, and that’s really saying something," conservative commentator Allie Beth Stuckey declared. "Jesus is not ‘in the middle’ on the murder of children, gender deception, the definition of marriage, or anything else, for that matter. In fact, I seem to remember Him having a particular disdain for the lukewarm."

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"What happens when the authorial intent of a biblical text is discarded? The text becomes a wax nose, bent according to our own intent. Case in point," Brad Klassen, a professor at The Master's Seminary, wrote regarding Warren's post.

David Limbaugh, the brother of the late conservative radio icon Rush Limbaugh, tweeted, "Meaningless mush," adding, "with all due respect."

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In his most recent tweet prior to the one that came under so much scrutiny, Warren had written, "Jesus: "Whoever #serves me must #FOLLOW me." Jn 12:26," adding, "Seems obvious, right? But while serving Jesus in ministry, we can stop #following Him! Instead, we start following politicians, podcasters, or peers-and our vision, values & priorities come from social media, not Jesus. #bad"

Former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is calling out the national security risk of having a generation dependent on China as U.S. students fall behind in the classroom. 

"75% of eighth graders are not math proficient according to international standards," Ramaswamy told "The Ingraham Angle" on Thursday. "We're number 26 out of 38 developed countries. There are kids in other countries where English is not even their first language, out-beating our own students on English proficiency and I just think, speaking as an American and as a parent myself, that's unacceptable." 

According to recent studies, reading comprehension scores are hitting all-time lows in the U.S., with only 31% of fourth graders reading at grade level, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Now, President Donald Trump is attempting to turn around these statistics by supporting school choice and getting rid of CRT and gender ideology in the classroom. 

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY CHANGES ‘ILLEGAL’ PROGRAM THAT EXCLUDED WHITE MEN   

The former presidential candidate told Fox News that states must lead the way in improving education by allowing merit-based pay for teachers, giving families school choice and by encouraging students in American virtue. 

"Lighting a fire under the feet of our educational culture, not teaching our kids to be victims, but to be victors, rewarding excellence instead of victimhood. I think it's a cultural change we need in our educational system, too, and if we don't fix it, China is going to be eating our lunch if they already aren't," he said.

Ramaswamy explained the importance of returning to a "true American system" of education, with fewer participation trophies and competition in various academic fields. 

"This is a national security risk to the future of the United States if we have an entire generation that is dependent on China," he said. "It's unacceptable and yes, the woke left is responsible for a lot of this ...but it goes beyond that to where we got to just light that fire under the feet of a generation and teach them that achievement is actually worth working for."

"Hard work is an American virtue, and that doesn't start in college," he continued. "It doesn't even start in high school. It starts young and so, President Trump is leading the way with that culture, but it's going to take the states to really lift us up."

Tiffany Williams Brewer, who resigned from the New Jersey State Commission of Investigation shortly after the watchdog agency announced her appointment to the role of CEO, made the abrupt move after the Asbury Park Press reported that she had claimed a Maryland property as her principal residence last year, but voted in the Garden State in the November election.

The outlet, which published an owner occupancy affidavit dated March 13, 2024, reported that the document indicated Williams Brewer would occupy the Maryland residence for at least seven of the next 12 months. 

Williams Brewer voted in Tinton Falls during last year's presidential contest, the Asbury Park Press reported, citing the Monmouth County Board of Elections. 

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"The Monmouth County election officials take the integrity of the election process very seriously," Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon said in a statement. "Upon referral by the County Clerk, the Superintendent/Registrar of Elections investigated the matter and has made the determination to make a referral to the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office for review and will proceed to remove this individual from the voter rolls in Monmouth."

Monmouth County Superintendent of Elections Christopher P. Siciliano told Fox News Digital that he had removed Williams Brewer from the voter rolls, but noted that she could be reinstated if she furnishes evidence that she meets the requirements to register in New Jersey.

The New Jersey State Commission of Investigation's objective is to probe "waste, fraud and abuse of government tax dollars," according to the state's website. Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, appointed Williams Brewer to the commission in 2022.

"Ms. Brewer previously served as the Chair of the four-member Commission from 2022 through 2024. She also has been serving on an interim basis in the day-to-day leadership role of the SCI following the death of former Executive Director Chadd W. Lackey in a July traffic accident," the agency noted in a Jan. 6 press release announcing her appointment as CEO.

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Williams Brewer is an assistant professor of law at Howard University's School of Law, the school's website indicates.

An individual at the school indicated that they shared Fox News Digital's comment request with Williams Brewer. But Williams Brewer did not respond in time for publication.

In a statement posted on LinkedIn regarding her resignation from the state agency, Williams Brewer addressed her residency status and work in academia.

"My dual residency in Maryland and New Jersey has always been transparent and in full compliance with all relevant regulations. It has never interfered with my duties at the SCI or constituted an ethical lapse. Let me be clear — my residency status has never run afoul of the NJ First Act," she asserted.

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"While I remain dedicated to public service, the recent events, including the revelation of employee-driven mischaracterizations of my actions to the media, have created a toxic climate that dissuades me from continuing in this role. I am disappointed that this environment, which undermines the integrity of the SCI, has necessitated my resignation," she noted in another part of her lengthy statement.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, New Jersey State Commission of Investigation chair John P. Lacey noted that the agency is seeking a new executive director. 

"For nearly 60 years, the State Commission of Investigation has stood as the sole independent fact-finding agency in New Jersey with the legal responsibility to investigate and issue reports concerning organized crime, as well as waste, fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars. SCI has a proud history of impactful work and a relentless dedication to serving the public interest. Following the recent resignation of the now-former Executive Director, we remain steadfast in serving as vigilant guardians of accountability and good governance in New Jersey," Lacey said in the statement.

 "The Commission is actively working to find a new Executive Director and has posted the job on the SCI’s website and on several other public websites. Additionally, with the new appointments recently issued by Governor Murphy, the Commission is now at its full complement with four Commissioners and newly-named Chair John P. Lacey. We remain committed to our core values and are confident that with renewed leadership, we will continue to serve the residents of New Jersey with the highest level of integrity."

There has been a growing trend at legacy media organizations where progressive staffers ignite a war with their employers over an editorial position that does not align with their own. 

Among the most memorable clashes in recent years include the social media revolt by New York Times staffers over the infamous Tom Cotton op-ed in 2020 and the open attacks by CNN employees over the network's Trump town hall in 2023.

In 2024, that trend exploded across multiple news outlets. These were the biggest newsroom revolts of the year:

NBC News was engulfed in a firestorm fueled by its own staffers after the network announced in March it had hired former Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel as a contributor.

The practice of major news organizations hiring ex-lawmakers, government officials and political insiders has existed for decades and has largely been non-controversial. But a chorus of NBC talent, particularly from its liberal cable arm MSNBC, publicly disavowed McDaniel's hiring, citing her alleged actions in trying to block the certification of Michigan's election results in 2020.

"We weren’t asked our opinion of the hiring, but if we were, we would have strongly objected to it for several reasons including, but not limited to, as lawyers might say, Ms. McDaniel’s role in Donald Trump’s fake elector scheme and her pressuring election officials to not certify election results while Donald Trump was on the phone," MSNBC's Joe Scarborough said on "Morning Joe." 

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Rachel Maddow, MSNBC's biggest star, blasted NBC's "inexplicable" decision to hire McDaniel and expressed hope that the network would reverse its decision.

Several among the network's liberal talent, including Chuck Todd, Nicolle Wallace, Joy Reid and Jen Psaki, also spoke out against the move. Todd memorably fumed on "Meet the Press" after colleague Kristen Welker interviewed McDaniel, in what turned out to be her only appearance as a contributor.

"I think our bosses owe you an apology for putting you in this situation, because I don't know what to believe," he said.

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Just four days after NBC News announced McDaniel's hiring, she was terminated. 

"There is no doubt that the last several days have been difficult for the News Group," NBCUniversal News Group Chairman Cesar Conde told staff in a memo. "After listening to the legitimate concerns of many of you, I have decided that Ronna McDaniel will not be an NBC News contributor."

Conde acknowledged McDaniel's hiring had undermined the goal of a "cohesive and aligned" newsroom and offered an apology to his staff. 

"I want to personally apologize to our team members who felt we let them down," Conde wrote. "While this was a collective recommendation by some members of our leadership team, I approved it and take full responsibility for it."

In October, the left-wing staff at CBS News lashed out at their colleague, "CBS Mornings" co-host Tony Dokoupil, over his tough but civil interview exchange with progressive author Ta-Nehisi Coates. 

Dokoupil, who is Jewish and has children living in Israel, grilled Coates, whose new book "The Message" is harshly critical of Israel and has been rebuked by the Jewish state's defenders for its shallow analysis of a complicated conflict.

"The content of that section would not be out of place in the backpack of an extremist," Dokoupil told Coates about one portion about his trip to Israel and the Palestinian territories, asking him "Why leave out so much" and "What is it that so particularly offends you about the existence of a Jewish state that is a Jewish safe place?" 

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CBS leadership reassured offended staff members that following a review, they concluded that the interview did not meet the company’s "editorial standards," the Free Press reported, which obtained audio of the staff meeting. 

While a source familiar with the matter told Fox News Digital that Dokoupil would not be punished over the interview, he was forced to meet with the network’s in-house Race and Culture Unit following complaints. According to The New York Times, the conversation "focused on Mr. Dokoupil’s tone of voice, phrasing and body language" during the interview.

The New York Post also reported that Dokoupil expressed regret to staffers at a meeting, with one network insider describing it, "There were tears. [People were] very upset."

Some have rallied in his defense, like CBS News legal correspondent Jan Crawford, who went to bat for him during a network conference call, and Shari Redstone, chair of CBS News' parent company Paramount Global, who called the network's handling of Dokoupil a "mistake." CBS CEO George Cheeks issued a memo standing by the news network's leadership. 

Some of the country's most prominent newspapers made their own headlines by ending their decades-long practice of endorsing presidential candidates. 

The Los Angeles Times kicked off the movement with a decision made by its owner, Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong for the paper to not make any endorsement in the 2024 race. Upset that they couldn't formally put their support behind Vice President Kamala Harris, that led to a slew of resignations, including by Times editorials editor Mariel Garza and editorial board members Robert Greene and Karin Klein.

Times columnist Harry Litman offered his resignation in December, citing the paper's "shameful capitulation" to Trump after Soon-Shiong made overtures to moderate the paper, like bringing aboard conservative commentator Scott Jennings to its revamped editorial board. 

Days after the Times, The Washington Post announced it would no longer make endorsements in presidential races. The paper's billionaire owner Jeff Bezos halted the editorial board's planned endorsement of Harris as well – the Post had endorsed the Democrat in every presidential election since 1976 except for when it omitted any endorsement at all in 1988.

That move sparked an avalanche of outrage from the Post's union to its prominent columnists, 20 of whom signed an open letter denouncing the paper's decision. Multiple editorial board members stepped down, and the Post's editor-at-large Robert Kagan resigned. 

Not only did the Post suffer internal bleeding, it sparked a boycott movement among its liberal readers. The paper reportedly lost 250,000 paid subscribers as a result, and it was already on track to lose $77 million this year. 

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Bezos penned an op-ed defending the decision, citing growing distrust in the media. 

"We must be accurate, and we must be believed to be accurate. It’s a bitter pill to swallow, but we are failing on the second requirement," Bezos wrote. "Most people believe the media is biased. Anyone who doesn’t see this is paying scant attention to reality, and those who fight reality lose. Reality is an undefeated champion. It would be easy to blame others for our long and continuing fall in credibility (and, therefore, decline in impact), but a victim mentality will not help. Complaining is not a strategy. We must work harder to control what we can control to increase our credibility."

"By itself, declining to endorse presidential candidates is not enough to move us very far up the trust scale, but it’s a meaningful step in the right direction. I wish we had made the change earlier than we did, in a moment further from the election and the emotions around it. That was inadequate planning, and not some intentional strategy," Bezos later conceded.