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Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Norway's parliament puts block on extended Sunday trading





File photo: Marianne Løvland / NTB scanpix


31 January 2018
09:00 CET+01:00

The Norwegian parliament will vote for a proposal continuing restrictions against stores trading on Sundays.


Opposition parties including the agrarian Centre Party, the Socialist Left and Labour, along with the Christian Democrats, propose keeping Sunday trade limits in place.

The proposal will be voted through by the parties on Wednesday, reports NRK.

"This will stop the government from wasting time on working on ideas for more Sunday trading. That's good," Centre Party leader Trygve Slagsvold Vedum told the broadcaster.

"The Conservatives, Progress and Liberal parties [government coalition parties, ed.] again and again try to force people to work on Sundays. People want to take Sundays off," Vedum continued.

The opposition plus the Christian Democrats will vote to continue Norway's public holiday protection law (helligdagsfredsloven), thereby limiting the number of people needed to work on Sundays.

"We want people to work as little as possible on Sundays," Vedum said to NRK, adding that while he respected those working in the emergency services on Sundays, he was against more people working in shops on the traditional day of rest.

"Let Sunday be the exception, so people can go to the football, be with their families, go to church, or do nothing and just relax," he said.

Norway's public holiday law currently means many retailers are required to remain closed on Sundays, as well as public holidays like the Christmas and Easter holidays.


Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Blue laws making comeback? Poland limits Sunday shopping






By staff and wire reports
Posted at 9:28 AM

WARSAW, Poland — Polish President Andrzej Duda has signed into law a bill that largely limits trade on Sundays, saying it will benefit family life.

The legislation, worked out by the conservative government and the Solidarity trade union, is expected to draw protests from large Western supermarket chains that are the main target of the law. A large part of their profit is earned on weekends.

As of March 1, shops and markets will be closed on two Sundays per month; in 2019 only one Sunday a month will be open for shopping; and starting in 2020, there will be no Sunday shopping, with a few exceptions.

Duda praised the law on Tuesday as giving children a chance to be with parents and giving shop workers some needed time off.

Laws preventing shopping on Sundays – known in the United States as “blue laws” – were once a standard feature of Christian-majority countries through the mid-20th century. By limiting secular activities, the laws were designed to promote Sundays as a day of rest and church attendance. But by the late 20th century, most countries, as well as most U.S. states, had removed blue laws from their books.

Even today, however, many states still have restrictions on Sunday alcohol sales.


Source


Tick tock of terror: New details in Hawaii missile timeline



By the associated press HONOLULU — Jan 30, 2018, 9:01 PM ET





The Associated Press
Hawaii Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Joe Logan speaks during a news conference about the state's mistaken missile alert, Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018, in Honolulu. Hawaii's emergency management leader has resigned and a state employee who sent an alert falsely warning of an incoming ballistic missile has been fired, officials said Tuesday, weeks after the mistake caused widespread panic. Hawaii Emergency Management Agency Administrator Vern Miyagi stepped down Tuesday, Logan said. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones)



The missile alert mistakenly sent on Jan. 13 by Hawaii officials came just a few minutes after a shift change at state Emergency Operations Center in Diamond Head Crater.

Here's a timeline of what happened:

8:05 a.m. — The midnight shift supervisor started a no-notice ballistic missile defense drill at shift change. In a phone call, the supervisor pretended to be U.S. Pacific Command to initiate the drill. The supervisor said ahead of and after the drill, "Exercise, exercise, exercise." However, it also contained the language, "This is not a drill." The day shift warning officers received the message on a speaker phone. The FCC says while the other officers understood this to be a drill, the person at the alert origination terminal "claimed to believe, in a written statement" that this was a real emergency and not a drill. The officer responds, as trained, by sending a live incoming missile alert.

8:07 a.m. — The state emergency agency employee selects the template for a live alert from a drop-down menu, and clicks 'yes' in response to a prompt that reads, 'Are you sure that you want to send this Alert?'

8:08 a.m. — The head of the Emergency Management Agency, state adjutant general Maj. Gen. Joe Logan, speaks to the warning center and is notified of false alert.

8:09 a.m. — Logan calls and informs Gov. David Ige. Agency notifies counties there's no missile threat.

8:10 a.m. — Logan confirms with U.S. Pacific Command that there was no missile launch. Honolulu police are notified of the false alarm.

8:12 a.m. — The state issues a cancellation that prevents the message from being sent to phones that hadn't previously received it, such as those out of cellphone coverage range or had been turned off.

8:13 a.m. — Officials begin outreach, but phone lines become congested.

8:19 a.m. — If there had been a real missile, this is about when it would have hit the islands. It is estimated that a missile would take about 20 minutes to reach Hawaii from North Korea. Officials say it would take about five minutes for the military to analyze the launch trajectory and notify the state, leaving only 12 to 15 minutes of warning time before impact.

8:20 a.m. — Officials post to Facebook, Twitter accounts that there is no missile threat.

8:24 a.m. — Gov. David Ige retweets the cancellation notice.

8:27 a.m. — Officials determine that a Civil Emergency Message is the best way to correct this message, which the Federal Emergency Management Agency confirms three minutes later.

8:30 a.m. — Federal Emergency Management Agency officials say they received a call from Hawaii seeking guidance on sending correction of alert. State officials say the call was about a minute long. Ige posts cancellation notice on his Facebook page.

8:31 a.m. — An emergency management supervisor logs into alert system to start crafting false alert correction.

8:45 a.m. — Cancellation of warning sent to cellphones: "There is no missile threat or danger to the State of Hawaii. Repeat. False Alarm." The state said it issued the cancellation after getting authorization from FEMA. However, FEMA said its approval was not required.

Source: Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, FCC.



Monday, January 29, 2018

Pope Francis Appeases Chinese Regime, Depriving Persecuted Underground Catholics of Their Bishops



China Human Rights


Bishops of underground Catholic churches removed in favor of the regime’s officials

January 26, 2018 14:20, Last Updated: January 29, 2018 10:14



Pilgrims from China attend Pope Francis' weekly audience in St. Peter's Square on Nov. 26, 2014 in Vatican City, Vatican. (Franco Origlia/Getty Images)

By Paul Huang


In a move that breaks with centuries of Catholic tradition, the Vatican under Pope Francis has reportedly forced two duly appointed Chinese bishops to make way for those unilaterally imposed by the Chinese regime. The move is the latest in a series of concessions Pope Francis has made in recent years to seek resumption of diplomatic relations between the Vatican and the Chinese regime, which has always rejected the Pope’s authority to appoint Catholic bishops in mainland China.

According to Asia News, a Vatican delegation to China was sent in December of last year to force Bishop Peter Zhuang of Shantou to “retire” or be demoted so that the Chinese regime could install its own bishops who come from regime-sanctioned churches.

The Vatican and the People’s Republic of China have had no diplomatic relations since 1951, as the Chinese Communist Party has insisted from the very beginning of its rule that all bishops of the Roman Catholic Church in mainland China should be appointed by itself so that the regime may maintain control of the church. A regime-controlled Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association (CPCA) was created to supposedly represent Catholics in China.

The Vatican under all previous Popes has rejected such an arrangement and refused to recognize bishops unilaterally “appointed” by the CPCA. The power to appoint bishops, known as “Investiture”, has been considered to be at the core of the Catholic Church’s teachings.

FAITH AND VALUES: The Lord's day



By FRED ANDREA Columnist




Fred Andrea


Prior to Sunday before last, I had been looking forward with great anticipation to today’s worship emphasis. If there is anything a preacher can get worked up about, it is the way Sunday is used and abused.

As a pastor, I was really looking forward to preaching about the Lord’s Day until Sunday before last. That afternoon, I tried to combine study with pleasure. I took my Bible and some notes to begin initial study for today’s message. At the same time, I flicked on the television, I began reading a resource which deals with today’s topic. It began like this: “The first day of the week is the Lord’s Day. It is a Christian institution for regular observance.” “Amen” I said to myself, “Preach on.”

The statement continued: “The Lord’s Day commemorates the resurrection of Christ from the dead and should be employed in exercises of worship and spiritual devotion.” “Amen,” I said again, “Preach on.”

Then the statement said: “The Lord’s Day is to be observed by resting from secular employment and by refraining from worldly amusements.” I glanced up at that football game on television. I knew right then I was in trouble. You see, that statement had quit preaching and had gone to meddling!

What does Sunday mean to you? How should it be observed? How are your Sundays employed? Today, I invite you to examine with me your opinion in light of the Scriptures. Such illumination, I believe, can inform and perhaps reform our attitudes towards the Lord’s Day.


At the United Nations, Adventists Emphasize Compassion for Refugees




January 26, 2018



New York event brings together faith-based organizations and other advocates.



By: Bettina Krause, International Religious Liberty Association

Migrants and refugees are not “problems to be solved,” but vulnerable individuals who must be treated with respect and compassion, said participants this week at a United Nations symposium co-sponsored by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The event, held Jan. 22 at the United Nations Secretariat in New York, United States, was the Fourth Annual Symposium on the Role of Religion and Faith-based Organizations in International Affairs, and it brought together some 250 representatives from the UN community, religious groups, and non-governmental organizations.

“They are part of the history and present of the global family story.”

“Refugees and migrants are not ‘others,’ they are us,” said UN Deputy Secretary-General Ms. Amina J. Mohammed in her opening address to the group. “They are part of the history and present of the global family story.” She urged religious leaders and faith-based organizations to bring their moral voice and experience to bear in caring for these vulnerable people, and she said that faith groups are in a unique position to focus on people, rather than politics. “You tirelessly assert the human rights and dignity of migrants and refugees, independent of national interests and agendas,” said Mohammed.

The statistics on migrants and refugees are staggering. According to UN, the world is currently experiencing a movement of people, driven from their countries by conflict, poverty, and many other challenges, that is unprecedented in human history. Last year saw an estimated 65.6 million people displaced from their homes. A vast number of these—almost 50 percent—were children and young people.

Public Affairs and Religious Liberty director for the Adventist Church Ganoune Diop was one of the main organizers of the symposium, and he told attendees that the event was intended to be more than “just talk.”

“We not only want to make a difference on the ground, at the grassroots level, but we want to help change the narrative about migrants and refugees,” said Diop.


He said that the Adventist Church remains committed to helping alleviate the suffering of displaced people, and he also spoke about the Adventist Church’s “portfolio of services”—including its focus on health care, its worldwide education network, and the global humanitarian work of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA).


Blessings Upon the Watchful Ones




January 28

Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.
Luke 12:37



God has always given men warning of coming judgments. Those who had faith in His message for their time, and who acted out their faith, in obedience to His commandments, escaped the judgments that fell upon the disobedient and unbelieving. The word came to Noah, “Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me.” Noah obeyed and was saved. The message came to Lot, “Up, get you out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city.” Genesis 7:1; 19:14. Lot placed himself under the guardianship of the heavenly messengers, and was saved. So Christ's disciples were given warning of the destruction of Jerusalem. Those who watched for the sign of the coming ruin, and fled from the city, escaped the destruction. So now we are given warning of Christ's second coming and of the destruction to fall upon the world. Those who heed the warning will be saved. 

Because we know not the exact time of His coming, we are commanded to watch. “Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching.” Luke 12:37. Those who watch for the Lord's coming are not waiting in idle expectancy. The expectation of Christ's coming is to make men fear the Lord, and fear His judgments upon transgression. It is to awaken them to the great sin of rejecting His offers of mercy. Those who are watching for the Lord are purifying their souls by obedience to the truth. With vigilant watching they combine earnest working. Because they know that the Lord is at the door, their zeal is quickened to co-operate with the divine intelligences in working for the salvation of souls. These are the faithful and wise servants who give to the Lord's household “their portion of meat in due season.” Luke 12:42. They are declaring the truth that is now specially applicable. As Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Moses each declared the truth for his time, so will Christ's servants now give the special warning for their generation.

Maranatha, p. 36.



Global: Year-end letter from JRS International Director



27 December 2017





Fr Smolich SJ (right) with Fr Arturo Sosa SJ, the Superior General of the Society of Jesuits, in Rome this past December. (Isabelle Shively/Jesuit Refugee Service)


Dear Friends,

The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members.

Mahatma Gandhi would not give our society high marks for its treatment of forcibly displaced people this year. But in the midst of xenophobia and closing borders, there is hope.

In a February audience, Pope Francis emphasised four verbs – to welcome, to protect, to promote, and to integrate migrants and refugees. His focus on these action verbs in the first person--I and we--is a call for everyone to see themselves and others, despite differences, as part of ‘we’. We must welcome, protect, promote, and integrate migrants and refugees. JRS did just that this year.

From Brussels to Bangkok, from Addis Ababa to Amman, our message has been one of welcome to those looking for safety and a new life. Through their I Get You campaign, JRS Europe explored how to build a culture of encounter and welcome our migrant brothers and sisters throughout the region.

JRS continued to focus on education in 2017, seeing it as the best way to protect young children and give them hope for a future. We increased the quality schooling and number of education courses offered in Chad, Afghanistan and in other JRS project locations, and we expanded our teacher training programs in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

To promote forcibly displaced people means giving them the chance to develop skills that offer economic security. The Arrupe Training Centers in Johannesburg and Pretoria, South Africa do this for refugee women from all over Africa. The skills they teach include beauty and nails, computer training, and even baking French pastries – I tasted all six varieties on my visit this year, and they were great!

As the chance of repatriation for forced migrants around the world decreases, the need to integrate refugees into new communities grows more urgent. With 60% of refugees now living in cities, JRS’s psychosocial accompaniment plays a key role in helping refugees and asylum seekers living in urban contexts make new lives.

With your support, JRS will continue to put these four verbs into practice. Together, we can offer dignity and hope to our displaced sisters and brothers in 2018 and beyond.


Fr Thomas H Smolich SJ


Source



Saturday, January 27, 2018

Will Free Markets Make a Comeback?







World Economic Forum

Published on Jan 26, 2018



Is the liberalization of trade and investment an unstoppable force or something more cyclical and prone to reverses? Learn about how the world will do business in 2018.

· Katherine Garrett-Cox, Chief Executive Officer, Gulf International Bank (UK), United Kingdom; Young Global Leader

· John McDonnell, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer of the United Kingdom

· Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, Cardinal; Prefect, Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, Vatican City State

Moderated by · Oliver Cann, Head of Media Content, World Economic Forum

http://www.weforum.org/



The Trouble With immigration





On November 22, 2015 By ctwilcox


http://www.Lulu.com/spotlight/ctwilcox

Over 1.2 million legal and illegal immigrants settle on American soil each year. Since 1990, the number of aliens living in the United States has mushroomed 43 percent; the Latino population alone doubled between 1980 and 2000, constituting 40 percent of all U.S. growth. Today, 1 in 10 people in America is a foreigner.

The immigration explosion is not exclusive to the U.S. Fully 40 percent of today’s Canadians were either born abroad or are the children of Canadians born elsewhere. By 2011, immigrants are projected to account for all net population growth in Canada.

Over the next 25 years, 84 percent of the United Kingdom’s population growth is expected to come from immigration.

As for illegal immigration, national borders are more porous than ever. In Canada, “gaps in Canada’s border security are so severe that an airport accepts international passengers without on-site immigration checks, a marine border unit has no boat, a computer glitch systematically hides information about terrorists, and officers at 62 border crossings are unable to link to a computer to screen incoming travelers” (National Post, April 11, 2005).

In the crowded UK, where the population is roughly 60 million, an estimated 500,000 workers are thought to be illegal. If spouses, dependents and those not working are added, the “illegal” population is close to 1 million and climbing.

Governments are polarized over the issue. In America, some yearn to liberalize immigration laws. Others assert that uncontrolled immigration has burgeoned into a huge disaster that is rapidly getting worse.

The debate in England over immigration and multiculturalism has taken on extra meaning since London’s terrorist bombings in July. In a few states in the U.S., illegal immigration has become so prevalent and its negative effects so dire that the state government has declared certain counties to be in a “state of emergency”—a protocol generally used in the wake of hurricanes, floods, mass riots or other catastrophes.

In this globalized world, immigration has become a global quandary.

This issue is a two-edged sword. What was once seen as a blessing to many nations has become a terrible curse with seemingly unsolvable repercussions. Too few understand the crux of this complex problem.

Two areas affected by immigration cause particular concern: the economy and crime.


Economic Impact


The hard work and perseverance of America’s early immigrants did much to help the U.S. become the richest and most powerful nation in the world. By 1869, in no small part thanks to the industrious nature of its immigrant population, America had attained the highest per-capita income in the world. That phenomenal wealth, together with a burgeoning population, created the world’s first consumer-driven economy.

"The law will be invoked against commandment keepers"



The Sabbath will be the great test of loyalty, for it is the point of truth especially controverted. When the final test shall be brought to bear upon men, then the line of distinction will be drawn between those who serve God and those who serve Him not. While the observance of the false sabbath in compliance with the law of the state, contrary to the fourth commandment, will be an avowal of allegiance to a power that is in opposition to God, the keeping of the true Sabbath, in obedience to God's law, is an evidence of loyalty to the Creator. While one class, by accepting the sign of submission to earthly powers, receive the mark of the beast, the other choosing the token of allegiance to divine authority, receive the seal of God.

Heretofore those who presented the truths of the third angel's message have often been regarded as mere alarmists. Their predictions that religious intolerance would gain control in the United States, that church and state would unite to persecute those who keep the commandments of God, have been pronounced groundless and absurd. It has been confidently declared that this land could never become other than what it has been--the defender of religious freedom. But as the question of enforcing Sunday observance is widely agitated, the event so long doubted and disbelieved is seen to be approaching, and the third message will produce an effect which it could not have had before.

In every generation God has sent His servants to rebuke sin, both in the world and in the church. But the people desire smooth things spoken to them, and the pure, unvarnished truth is not acceptable. Many reformers, in entering upon their work, determined to exercise great prudence in attacking the sins of the church and the nation. They hoped, by the example of a pure Christian life, to lead the people back to the doctrines of the Bible. But the Spirit of God came upon them as it came upon Elijah, moving him to rebuke the sins of a wicked king and an apostate people; they could not refrain from preaching the plain utterances of the Bible-- doctrines which they had been reluctant to present. They were impelled to zealously declare the truth and the danger which threatened souls. The words which the Lord gave them they uttered, fearless of consequences, and the people were compelled to hear the warning.

Thus the message of the third angel will be proclaimed. As the time comes for it to be given with greatest power, the Lord will work through humble instruments, leading the minds of those who consecrate themselves to His service. The laborers will be qualified rather by the unction of His Spirit than by the training of literary institutions. Men of faith and prayer will be constrained to go forth with holy zeal, declaring the words which God gives them. The sins of Babylon will be laid open. The fearful results of enforcing the observances of the church by civil authority, the inroads of spiritualism, the stealthy but rapid progress of the papal power--all will be unmasked. By these solemn warnings the people will be stirred. Thousands upon thousands will listen who have never heard words like these. In amazement they hear the testimony that Babylon is the church, fallen because of her errors and sins, because of her rejection of the truth sent to her from heaven. As the people go to their former teachers with the eager inquiry, Are these things so? the ministers present fables, prophesy smooth things, to soothe their fears and quiet the awakened conscience. But since many refuse to be satisfied with the mere authority of men and demand a plain "Thus saith the Lord," the popular ministry, like the Pharisees of old, filled with anger as their authority is questioned, will denounce the message as of Satan and stir up the sin-loving multitudes to revile and persecute those who proclaim it.

Exposing The Sins Of Babylon





Published on Dec 25, 2016


“Thus the message of the third angel will be proclaimed. As the time comes for it to be given with greatest power, the Lord will work through humble instruments, leading the minds of those who consecrate themselves to His service. The laborers will be qualified rather by the unction of His Spirit than by the training of literary institutions. Men of faith and prayer will be constrained to go forth with holy zeal, declaring the words which God gives them. The sins of Babylon will be laid open. The fearful results of enforcing the observances of the church by civil authority, the inroads of spiritualism, the stealthy but rapid progress of the papal power—all will be unmasked.”

The Great Controversy pg. 606. 




Cinema stars in islanders’ clash over day of rest



Mike Wade


January 27 2018, 12:01am, The Times



The Rev James Maciver says the film show is “a clash of a Christian view or a secularist view”
TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER JAMES GLOSSOP


Luke Skywalker, lightsaber and all, never did battle like this. A Sunday screening of Star Wars: The Last Jedi in the Outer Hebrides has unleashed forces that could yet bring down the one remaining stronghold of Sabbatarianism in Britain.

This is the Isle of Lewis, where for most of the past two centuries the Presbyterian church militant has made the rules on Sunday. In Stornoway, the capital, the shopping streets and harbourside are quiet, the supermarkets closed; islanders, even non-believers, do not hang washing on the line, out of respect for their devout neighbours.





Friday, January 26, 2018

People Outraged as Google Home Identifies Buddha, Muhammad and Satan but Not Jesus Christ




(Photo: REUTERS/BECK DIEFENBACH)Google Home is displayed during the presentation of new Google hardware in San Francisco, California, U.S. October 4, 2016.


Smart Audio technology, such as Google Home and Amazon's Alexa, has quickly become the dominant go-to source of information for this generation but some consumers are now speaking out about the fact that Google Home devices refuse to share information on Jesus Christ.
Google Home is a new self-proclaimed "powerful" speaker and voice assistant. The device can play your music, call your friends, and answer almost any question that can be found on the web. However, when asked who is Jesus, Jesus Christ or God the smart speaker says it does not know the answer.

"Sorry, I'm not sure how to help" or "My apologies I don't understand," Google Home responds.
What has some people up in arms is that if you ask the device who other religious figures are such as Muhammad, Buddha and even Satan the device gives a full breakdown on what it has found on the web.

Television producer, author, and speaker David Sams took it upon himself to compare the answers of his Google Home and Amazon's Alexa during a Facebook Live video. He showcased that the Amazon device pulled up the online information on Jesus while Google Home still claimed it did not have anything to say about Jesus.

"I even asked Google who is David Sams? Google knew who I was, but Google did not know who Jesus was, Google did not know who Jesus Christ was, and Google did not know who God was," Sams told the local Nashville Fox 17 News. "It's kinda scary, it's almost like Google has taken Jesus and God out of smart audio."

"I don't know if there's some kind of wizard making these decisions or if it's some kind of oversight," Sams added. "But whatever it is, they need to address it immediately."

According to NPR and Edison Research, one in six adults in America (or around 39 million people) now own a voice-activated smart speaker.

Although other Google devices pull up a description of Jesus and God there has been no response from the company on why Google Home does not. The speaker does reference Jesus, though, when asked about the Last Supper or Saint Peter.

Nashville resident Martin Collins told the news outlet that he thinks this feeds into a bigger problem of political correctness.

"They took prayer out of schools, they think just taking Jesus out of everything is politically correct these days and I think that's the stem of a lot of our problems," Collins maintained.
As reported on The Christian Post last year, Amazon's Echo assistant named Alexa was also under fire for reportedly responding to the question "who is Jesus Christ" by replying that He "is a fictional character."

Conservative media personality Steven Crowder posted a video online showing Amazon's Alexa calling Jesus a "fictional character." But many others argued that their Alexa just pulled up the web description of Jesus.

"We have plenty of tweets and videos from people who asked it the question and they got the exact same answer," Crowder said on his program.

As seen in Sams' video, the Alexa issue might have been resolved but people are now demanding Google Home give Jesus fair treatment.




‘Waco’ Actor Talks New Show, Playing FBI Negotiator




Duration: 03:53s - Published: 2 days ago< > Embed






Tonight on the Paramount Network, the first of a six part mini-series called "WACO." The series is based on what happened almost 25 years ago near Waco, Texas.

Joining us is actor Michael Hyland, who plays an FBI negotiator. (3:53) WCCO Mid-Morning – Jan. 24, 2018.





Kentucky governor says shootings are a "cultural problem"



By ROBERT RAY and BRUCE SCHREINER | Associated Press





BENTON, Ky. – This was supposed to be Spirit Week at Marshall County High School.

Instead, homecoming events were canceled, the governor was in town lamenting the nation's moral decay, and preparations were being made for the funerals of two 15-year-old children.

Tuesday's attack by a fellow classmate at the high school left more than a dozen survivors with gunshot wounds or other injuries, and three of them remain hospitalized. Hundreds more were scarred by what they saw.

Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin called on Americans Friday to "wake up" and recognize that school shootings are a "cultural problem."

"We have become desensitized to death, we have become desensitized to killing, we have become desensitized to empathy for our fellow man and it's coming at an extraordinary price and we have got to look at the root causes of this," Bevin told The Associated Press.

"We can't celebrate death in video games, celebrate death in TV shows, celebrate death in movies, celebrate death in musical lyrics and remove any sense of morality and sense of higher authority and then expect that things like this are not going to happen," he added.

The Republican governor spoke at a community event in Benton, where he was followed by the father of one of the slain students. Sobbing, Jasen Holt asked for prayers for all the "sweet kids" who were killed, injured or traumatized.

"It's not only ours, it's about all of them," said Holt, whose daughter Bailey Nicole Holt was the first to die. "Just pray and take care of each and every one of them."

The governor declared a statewide day of prayer Sunday for the grief-stricken county. It was reminiscent of his response to a wave of urban gun violence last year. Bevin called then on the power of prayer to help combat Louisville's rising murder rate, and urged people to form prayer groups to walk high-crime neighborhoods. Skeptics wondered aloud whether that would deter gun-wielding thugs.

Bevin, a social conservative who has made it clear that he won't sign laws that restrict guns, said he's prepared for more skepticism as he once again asks Kentuckians to pray. But he said he believes God intervenes on behalf "of his people" when they call out to him in prayer.

"There are people who do not understand and do not believe in the things we're talking about right now," he said. "And there will be all the social media trolls and people that will scorn and mock and will ridicule the fact that we would call out to our creator at a time like this."

At the same time, Bevin said prayer won't help explain the inexplicable.

"There really are no answers to the questions that are in our minds," he said. "And even when we have all the facts, we still don't have the answers. That's just a harsh reality of this. Because this side of eternity, there are no answers to the very things that have torn this community apart. But this I know: We can sustain one another, we can support one another."

Authorities, meanwhile, are hoping to discover why 15-year-old boy would have opened fire on his classmates, all 14 to 18, as they waited for the morning bell Tuesday. Bailey Holt died at the scene, while Preston Ryan Cope was declared dead at a hospital in Nashville.

Brian Cope told the Louisville Courier Journal that he knew his son was among the victims when he peered into an ambulance and saw the Nike socks he had laid out the night before.

"We want to thank each and every person, from the East Coast to the West Coast, because we feel the prayers, we feel so much love," Cope said.

The high school reopened Friday with an assembly in the gymnasium. Funerals for the two teens will be held Sunday. The families requested privacy, but said they will make a public statement on Saturday.

___

Schreiner reported from Frankfort, Kentucky. Associated Press Writer Adam Beam in Frankfort contributed to this report.



Happy Sabbath


And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.


Isaiah 66:23

Religious leaders call for end to Trudeau's rights-based job funding rules


The government has said organizations seeking summer job funding will have to affirm their 'core mandate' doesn't oppose human rights, including those related to abortion




Prime Minister Justin Trudeau answers questions from the public during his town hall meeting in Hamilton, Ont., on Wednesday, January 10, 2018.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette



The Canadian Press



January 25, 2018
2:15 PM EST

Last Updated
January 25, 2018
2:59 PM EST



Religious leaders are calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to reverse a policy that requires organizations to pledge their respect for abortion rights and the rights of LGBTQ Canadians before receiving federal funding to create summer jobs for youth.

Nearly 90 representatives of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, the Canadian Council of Imams, and the Jewish Shaarei Shomayim Congregation and other faith groups have issued a letter to Trudeau, urging him to accommodate the “diversity of values and beliefs in Canadian society.”

Trudeau’s government has said organizations seeking summer job funding will have to affirm that neither their “core mandate” nor the job itself oppose human rights, including those related to abortion, sexual orientation and gender identity.

Officials have clarified that the core mandate refers to groups’ “primary activities,” not their religious views.

The government says it received complaints last year that summer job funding had been given to summer camps that refused to hire LGBTQ staff and groups that distribute graphic anti-abortion pamphlets.

Archbishop of Toronto Cardinal Thomas Collins said at a news conference presenting the letter that it was unfair for the government to address specific concerns about the types of jobs being given to youth by using a “broad-brush” ideological test.




Prosperity Preacher Kenneth Copeland Acquires Private Jet Bought With Followers’ Money, Has Goal of Raising $17 Million



By Heather Clark on January 21, 2018



FORT WORTH, Texas — Prosperity preacher Kenneth Copeland recently acquired a Gulfstream V private jet, which his staff says is “debt free” because of the donations of his followers. The announcement has drawn both applause and outrage.

Copeland’s organization announced on Jan. 12 that the 81-year-old took possession of the jet, which he purchased from actor, comedian and gospel songwriter Tyler Perry.

“[T]he Holy Spirit confirmed to Brother Copeland that the Gulfstream V was the plane the Lord had set aside for KCM,” claimed Charlie Bollinger, who identified as a volunteer Elite CX Team Leader. “Right away discussions began, and Brother Copeland developed a wonderful personal relationship with the seller, Christian businessman and moviemaker Tyler Perry.”

“Soon a contract was signed, a cash deposit was paid, and the aircraft was brought to Dallas for a very thorough pre-buy inspection process, which [was] wrapped up in November,” he continued. “And praise God, it was actually during Thanksgiving week that the purchase was completed, the title was signed, and thanks to the CX Team, the cash was in the bank to mark it paid in full!”

The Elite CX Team is a group of Copeland supporters who purpose to assist the prosperity preacher financially with his stated projects. Copeland points to a 2002 “prophecy” given by friend Keith Moore of Faith Life Church in Branson, who stated that the Lord was going to raise up wealthy supporters to back Copeland.

“Thus saith the Lord: I am rallying and raising up support to you. It will far surpass all you have previously seen or known,” Moore said. “I’m joining to you new partners who are very strong financially, and they will obey Me. I’m prospering your longtime partners with supernatural increase and they will obey Me.”

Copeland opined in a video posted to YouTube that he believed that the prophecy was coming to pass with the purchase of the Gulfstream V.

While it is unclear as to how much was paid for the jet, Bollinger notes that another $2.5 million is desired to upgrade the avionics in light of soon-coming FAA standards, and that the ultimate goal is to raise $17 million, which will include constructing a hanger for the plane.

“[E]arlier this year when the CX leadership team met to pray and hear from the Lord, the word we heard was harvest. Yes, harvest, harvest, harvest!” he wrote. “The Lord reminded us that, through our CX Team giving, together we have sown into KCM a Citation X, a state-of-the-art HD TV truck, and now we’ve sown a Gulfstream V—all of which are producing a bountiful harvest for every single team member.”


Pope Francis Honors Dutch Abortion Activist with Pontifical Medal of Knighthood



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by Thomas D. Williams, Ph.D.17 Jan 2018


Pope Francis has conferred the title of “Commander of the Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great” on Lilianne Ploumen, a Dutch politician and vocal agitator for abortion rights.

Last year, Ploumen founded a pro-abortion organization called She Decides, which offers funding and support for international NGOs that provide, facilitate or campaign for abortion.

In an email to the Catholic Herald, Ms. Ploumen said that she was “very honoured” by the pontifical medal, which was sent via the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs last month.

In an interview with Dutch radio, Ploumen said she views the honor as a sign of the pope’s progressivism, as well as acknowledgement for her work in supporting abortion rights.

Ms. Ploumen said that the award came after much personal investment in contacts with the Vatican, which she defined as “lobbying.”

“Yes, because you know, the Vatican, especially under prior popes, had a rather rigid attitude when it came to the rights of girls and women,” she said.

The Order of St Gregory the Great was founded by Pope Gregory XVI in 1831, under the patronage of Pope St Gregory I. It is bestowed on those who have distinguished themselves in public service or given support to the Church.

During the investiture ceremony, the prelate sponsoring the candidate recites a formula noting that membership in the Pontifical Order of St Gregory the Great “is conferred as a reward for services to the Holy See and the Church on gentlemen/ladies of proved loyalty who must maintain unswerving fidelity to God, the Supreme Pontiff, the Holy See and the Church.”

Becoming a Knight/Dame does not merely mean receiving a title of honour—even though it is well deserved—but fighting evil, promoting good and defending the weak and oppressed against injustice,” the rite continues.

The approval of candidates for this high honor must be given by the pope himself.

The Vatican press office has confirmed that the honor was indeed awarded to Lilianne Ploumen, but insists that it was not meant to signal approval of her pro-abortion activities.

On Monday, Paloma García Ovejero, deputy spokesperson of the Holy See Press Office, said the medal was part of an exchange of honors between delegations after she took part in an official state visit to the Vatican last year of Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima.

“The honor of the Pontifical Order of St. Gregory the Great received by Mrs. Lilianne Ploumen, former Minister of Development, in June 2017 during the visit of the Dutch Royals to the Holy Father, responds to the diplomatic practice of the exchange of honors between delegations on the occasion of official visits by Heads of State or Government in the Vatican,” García said.

“Therefore, it is not in the slightest a placet [a mark of approval] to the politics in favor of abortion and of birth control that Mrs. Ploumen promotes,” she added.

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Dave LaRock column: An outdated blue law could affect churchgoers' safety


SECURITY LEGISLATION


By Dave LaRock
Jan 22, 2018





Investigators work at the scene of a deadly shooting at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, Nov. 5, 2017. FILE, THE SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS VIA The ASSOCIATED PRESS




The recent tragic shooting of more than two dozen people at First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, Texas, has caused church leaders across the country to re-evaluate their security plans. In Virginia, a law dating back 140 years casts uncertainty on whether or not weapons are allowed in a place of worship during services.

Trespass laws allows private property owners the final say on who is and who is not allowed to bring a weapon onto their private property, with one exception: places of worship, during a service. A person violating trespass law can be charged with a Class 1 misdemeanor.

In addition to trespass law, which is clear and precise, Virginia has a general prohibition which is vague and subjective; it states, “If any person carries any gun, pistol, bowie knife, dagger or other dangerous weapons, without good and sufficient reason, to a place of worship while a meeting for religious purposes is being held at such place he shall be guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor.” Notice the trespass law has a more severe penalty.

This general prohibition leaves wide open the question of whether having weapons as part of a church’s emergency plan would qualify as “a good and sufficient reason.” In 2011, then-Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli issued a formal opinion that said self-defense is considered “good and sufficient reason” for the lawful carry of handguns into a church during a service. That opinion does not have the force of law and could be reversed by a future AG or disregarded by a court of law.


Pence casts tie-breaking vote to confirm Brownback as ambassador






By Chad Pergram, Alex Pappas | Fox News



Vice President Mike Pence was summoned to the Senate on Wednesday to break a tie -- twice -- on an ambassadorship nomination for Kansas Republican Gov. Sam Brownback.

It’s rare for a vice president to be needed to break a tie, especially for a former senator like Brownback.

Pence had to vote twice: first on a procedural vote to break a filibuster, and then again on the final vote to confirm Brownback.





Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback was nominated by President Donald Trump to become ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom. (Associated Press)



The vote was tied 49-49. Then Pence voted "in the affirmative," making it 50-49.

Brownback was nominated by President Donald Trump as ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom.

The last vice president to twice break ties on the same day was Vice President Alben Barkley on October 4, 1949.

The Senate is operating with two Republicans absent. Arizona Sen. John McCain, who is battling cancer, remains out. Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker is at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Under the Constitution, the vice president also serves as president of the Senate and votes in the event of ties.

This is the seventh tie Pence has broken in a little more than a year in office. Former Vice President Joe Biden never had to break a tie during his entire eight years.

Pence cast the tie-breaking ballot to confirm Betsy DeVos as education secretary last year -- the first time a vice president had ever broken a tie to confirm a nominee.


Alex Pappas is a politics reporter at FoxNews.com. Follow him on Twitter at @AlexPappas.





Pope Francis and World Council of Churches head address Davos participants



Peter Kenny |Tuesday, January 23 2018



(Photo: World Economic Forum)India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi opens the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland on Jan. 23, 2018.



Pope Francis has urged participants at the World Economic Forum meeting to take bold steps to build a sustainable, human-centered future while World Council of Churches leader Olav Fykse Tveit has called on the world to say no to nuclear weapons.



Related


The Pope echoed the theme of the meeting, Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World, calling on participants to build "inclusive, just and supportive societies."

The 48th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting is taking place Jan. 23-26 in snow-besieged Davos-Klosters, Switzerland and U.S. President Donald Trump who is expected to deliver the closing speech is drawing most attention due to his isolationist rhetoric.

Davos was opended on Jan. 23 by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the world is facing many new and serious challenges from the rise of anti-globalization to technological changes and the environment.



Former DNC Chair On Why Democrats Put The Interests Of Illegal Aliens Over Citizens in Shutdown Fight



Matt Vespa | January 23, 2018





If you want to see bad spin about this whole shutdown mess the Democrats created for themselves, take a look at this interview Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz did with CNN’s Brooke Baldwin. She prevaricates or outright evades questions from Baldwin about whether Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) caved, or if this shutdown creating a “potential for momentum” on an immigration deal was the right thing to do. Schultz just decided to attack Trump and the GOP. First, did someone not tell her they lost this fight? Second, that’s her spin. That this was done to create a "potential for momentum" on a fix for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. So, if things don’t go your way, shut down the government. It could add an extra kick in the legislative step. This is insanity (via Free Beacon):

When host Brooke Baldwin asked whether Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) "caved" on the deal he made with Republicans in the Senate to end the shutdown, Schultz preferred to rail against President Donald Trump and the GOP.

[…]

"What one thing can you point out that the Democrats, that Leader Schumer, what one thing did he get from Republicans to justify shutting down the government in the first place?" Baldwin asked.

"The one thing I would say that he did get is the potential for momentum," Schultz said. "I am certainly hopeful that's what occurs."

Baldwin focused on the phrase "potential for momentum" and asked Schultz if Americans should believe that is a valid reason for shutting down the government. Again, Schutz avoided the question in favor of targeting Republicans.

"I will tell you that Republicans should be asking themselves that question because they shut the government down," Schultz said. "This is a Trump shutdown."


Biden: McConnell Refused To Sign Bipartisan Statement On Russian Interference



January 24, 20183:24 AM ET


SCOTT NEUMANTwitter




Former Vice President Joe Biden speaks about U.S. relations with the Kremlin at the Council on Foreign Relations, on Tuesday.Alex Brandon/AP


Former Vice President Joe Biden says he and President Obama decided not to speak out publicly on Russian interference during the 2016 campaign after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell refused to sign a bipartisan statement condemning the Kremlin's role.

Speaking on Tuesday at the Council on Foreign Relations, Biden said the Obama administration sought a united front to dispel concerns that going public with such accusations would be seen as an effort to undermine the legitimacy of the election.

However, McConnell "wanted no part of having a bipartisan commitment saying, essentially, 'Russia's doing this. Stop,'" he said.

At that point, Biden added, he felt that "the die had been cast" and that "this was all about the political play."

Indian PM Modi defends globalization at Davos summit





TUE JAN 23, 2018 / 12:48 PM EST


Paritosh Bansal



India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi gestures as he speaks at the Opening Plenary during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, January 23, 2018.
REUTERS/DENIS BALIBOUS



(Reuters) - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi mounted a defense of globalization at the World Economic Forum on Tuesday, urging joint action on climate change and economic cooperation, in a speech some delegates took as a swipe at U.S. President Donald Trump's America First agenda.

Modi, making the forum's first speech by an Indian head of state in more than two decades, did not mention Trump by name but he criticized the rise of protectionism in remarks delivered three days before the U.S. President will address the summit.

"Instead of globalization, the power of protectionism is putting its head up," Modi said, speaking in Hindi and causing an initial flurry in the audience of business and political leaders as people reached for their translation headsets.

"Their wish is not only to save themselves from globalization, but to change the natural flow of globalization."

Modi is leading a big government and business delegation to the summit in the Swiss ski resort of Davos, aiming to showcase India as a fast-growing economic power and a potential driver of global growth.

His opening address was a moment of personal triumph for the nationalist leader once shunned by the West for failing to prevent communal rioting in his home state. The occasion also recognized India's growth as an economic and geopolitical power.

Anindya Bakrie, chief executive of media company PT Bakrie Global Ventura, part of Indonesia's Bakrie conglomerate, said Modi's remarks were a welcome contrast to U.S. isolationism.

"For developing countries, when we hear the U.S. talking about isolationism it's a bit concerning. So to have more and more leaders talk about the benefits of globalization is really good," Bakrie said.

Sundance Film Review: ‘Come Sunday’



JANUARY 22, 2018 11:09AM PT


Chiwetel Ejiofor excels as a preacher forced to rethink his faith in this clear-eyed look at power struggles in the Evangelical community.

By Peter Debruge @AskDebruge



CREDIT: COURTESY OF SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL/TINA ROWDEN
Director: Joshua MarstonWith: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Condola Rashad, Jason Segel, Martin Sheen, Lakeith Stanfield, Danny Glover.

1 hour 45 minutes

“Come Sunday” may be the perfect movie for Netflix. Too fair-and-balanced to have come from the faith-based community and far too churchy to have gotten the blessing of any studio, director Joshua Marston’s exceptional, serious-minded adaptation of a 2005 episode of NPR’s “This American Life” recognizes the dramatic and ultimately uplifting potential in the true story of a Pentecostal bishop who lost both his flock and the backing of church leaders after he began to question one of the core beliefs of his religion — namely, the notion that souls must be “saved” in order to avoid eternal damnation.

Had it been destined for a conventional theatrical release, “Come Sunday” likely would have bombed in the big-city markets where such indies begin their journey, never reaching the Heartland audiences who might appreciate it most. Rolling out on Netflix in April, however, “Come Sunday” will be available to millions of households in virtually every market as part of the standard $10 subscription, which means it could get seen by audiences who never would have spent $10 on a movie ticket (it’s been nearly two decades since Robert Duvall succeeded in reaching Evangelicals and art-house crowds alike with “The Apostle”).

For those who choose to sample “Come Sunday,” they’ll be rewarded not only by the compelling story of a devout Christian wrestling with his faith but also by one of the great screen performances of recent years, as “12 Years a Slave” star Chiwetel Ejiofor captures both the charismatic passion and softer-voiced introspective side of bishop Carlton Pearson, whose preaching style was unique enough to bring black and white worshipers together under the same roof. As bishop of Higher Dimensions Family Church in Tulsa, Okla., Pearson preached to a packed congregation (and nationwide television audience) about the perils of hell and what they must do to enter heaven.


Monday, January 22, 2018

Michael Abrahams | Pope Francis’ hypocrisy



Published:Monday | January 22, 2018 | 12:52 AM

Michael Abrahams



Abrahams


Father Fernando Karadima appeared to be a really cool guy. A very popular figure in Chile, he was a spiritual leader and father figure for many young men in Santiago, the nation’s capital. Based in the parish Parroquia El Bosque, he mingled with the rich and famous, including some of the city’s most influential families. According to The New York Times, “Impeccably dressed and with perfectly groomed nails and slicked-back hair, Father Karadima cut an aristocratic figure, appealing to both young and old in Chile's elite.”

But there was a dark and sinister side to Karadima. In 1984, a group of parishioners filed a report about his improper conduct to Archbishop Juan Francisco Fresno, but, according to a court statement by one of the parishioners, the letter was “torn up and thrown away”.

In 2003, Cardinal Francisco Javier Errázuriz Ossa was informed by parishioner José Murillo about Karadima’s alleged abuses. However, the cardinal’s response was to tell Murillo that he was praying for him. No investigation was opened. It was not until 2004, twenty years after the first reports were made, that the first investigation into Karadima’s perverted activities was opened by the Catholic Church. Two years later, the investigator stated that he found "the accusers to be credible” and suggested that action be taken. Unfortunately, the cardinal stopped the investigation for more than three years, claiming to be waiting for more evidence and because he thought the allegations were beyond the statute of limitations.

In April 2010, a civil criminal complaint was filed by four men who claimed to have been abused by Karadima. But after seven months of conducting the probe, the claims were dismissed by the court, ruling that there was not enough evidence to charge him. The accusers’ lawyer, Juan Pablo Hermosilla, claimed that the state prosecutor had gathered testimony from dozens of witnesses that “established a pattern of decades of abusive behaviour”, but that the judge, Leonardo Valdivieso, never gave the parties access to the investigation report until the day he closed the case, and withheld testimony and other evidence that could have advanced it.

The judge also dismissed the case without having Father Karadima face his accusers, as they had requested, after defence lawyers presented the court with medical certificates asserting that the priest could have a heart attack if forced to do so.

Finally, in 2011, after several years of a Catholic canonical investigation, the Vatican found Karadima guilty of sexually and psychologically abusing minors and sent him to retire to a "life of prayer and penitence" and to "lifelong prohibition from the public exercise of any ministerial act, particularly confession and the spiritual guidance of any category of persons”.

Karadima had trained 50 priests and four bishops. One of those bishops, Juan Barros Madrid, who moved in his inner circle, figured prominently in the scandal, as victims of abuse claimed that he knew about Karadima’s abusive behaviour, but did nothing about it. One victim claimed that Bishop Barros even witnessed him being abused.

Pope Francis had vowed to take abuse of children by clergy seriously, even setting up a Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors in 2014. Last week, while visiting Chile, Francis expressed “pain and shame” over the abuse scandal and begged for victims’ forgiveness, meeting and weeping with survivors of abuse.

However, he revealed his true colours when he made statements in support of Barros. In an about-turn, Francis strongly defended him, saying, “The day someone brings me proof against Bishop Barros, then I will talk. But there is not one single piece of evidence. It is all calumny! Is that clear?”


World Day of Peace: Migration as an opportunity to build peace

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Content:


Webnews, 01/01/2018


In his Message for the World Day of Peace, Pope Francis encouraged to offer «refugees, migrants and victims of human trafficking an opportunity to find the peace they seek».





The Holy Father also underlined that political leaders should «by practising the virtue of prudence, […] take practical measures to welcome, promote, protect and integrate» men and women, children, young and elderly people searching for peace.

According to Pope Francis, this spirit should guide the process leading to the adoption of the two UN Global Compacts for Migration and Refugees in the coming year. The twenty action points recently published by the Migrants & Refugees Section of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development provide some concrete recommendations in this regard.

While deploring the spread of rhetoric undermining the human dignity of migrants and refugees, Pope Francis highlighted their enriching contributions to host societies by bringing «their courage, skills, energy and aspirations, as well as the treasures of their own cultures».

COMECE supports the protection of persons in mobility, either migrants or refugees, at all stages of their journey, the fight against trafficking in human beings and tackling the root causes of forced migration.

Recently, COMECE, together with other Christian organisations, contributed to the European Commission’s public consultation on legal migration of non-EU citizens.



The Devil's Trio - Part 1 · May 01, 2002

The Devil's Trio - Part 1 · May 01, 2002

By Elder Lawrence Nelson

In our last two sermons we have discussed two members of the devil’s trio. The first is the ten-horned beast of Revelation 13, which the Bible clearly identifies to be the papacy. The second is the lamb-like, two-horned beast found in the same chapter which is the United States of America, established as a Protestant nation and described as becoming so apostate as to join hands with the papal power of Catholicism.

In this message I will discuss the third member which comprises the devil’s end-time trio which the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy reveal to be spiritualism. The following quotation from Testimonies for the Church, Volume 5, p. 451 reveals what we are to expect from this evil, last-day union of the Papacy, apostate Protestantism and spiritualism. “When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of Roman power, when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with spiritualism, when, under the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government, and shall make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan and that the end is near. As the approach of the Roman armies was a sign to the disciples of the impending destruction of Jerusalem, so may this apostasy be a sign to us that the limit of God’s forbearance is reached, that the measure of our nation’s iniquity is full, and that the angel of mercy is about to take her flight, never to return.”

With this sad, heartbreaking introduction, let us pray. Our loving Father, in the name of Jesus we plead for divine guidance as we discuss this third power of spiritualism, which is an intricate member of the devil’s end-time trio. We realize that we are attacking the very dragon himself, which in Thy Word describes Satan as being able to produce wonder-working miracles of deception for the purpose to honor his papal mark of authority – Sunday worship. We plead that Thou wilt awaken Thy sleeping church to this danger. Help each member to become such students of Thy Word, through divine guidance, that we shall be able to resist this deceiving power of Satan and gain victory over his delusions, for we must discern truth from error. This we ask in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Let us now turn to the scriptures where we find this third part of the trio – spiritualism – which comprises the devil’s trio. Let us read Revelation 13:13, 14 and Revelation 16: 14, 15. “And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.” “And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.”

We begin with a question: “What major belief is held in common by the religions of this world (except God’s remnant) which makes it absolutely impossible to resist the power of spiritualism?” – We will find the answer in The Great Controversy p. 551. “The doctrine of natural immortality, first borrowed from the pagan philosophy, and in the darkness of the great apostasy incorporated into the Christian faith, has supplanted the truth, so plainly taught in Scripture that, ‘the dead know not anything.’”


Sunday, January 21, 2018

Descendants of 272 Slaves Sold By Georgetown Say They Want Reparation$$$ Now!





Angela HelmToday 1:00pm
Filed to:GEORGETOWN




A Jesuit statue is seen in front of Freedom Hall, formerly named Mulledy Hall, on the Georgetown University campus, Sept. 1, 2016, in Washington, D.C. After renaming the Mulledy and McSherry buildings at Georgetown University temporarily to Freedom Hall and Remembrance Hall, Georgetown University will give preference in admissions to the descendants of slaves owned by the Maryland Jesuits as part of its effort to atone for profiting from the sale of enslaved people. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)



As reported by The Root when the story first broke, the storied academic institution of Georgetown owes its entire existence to the sale of enslaved black men women and children. The sale of these humans by Jesuit priests saved the school from bankruptcy; to this day it remains a thriving academic institution, thick with a rich endowment.




What Does Georgetown University Owe the 272…

Read more

And although Georgetown has apologized, and even offered an admissions advantage to the descendants of the 272 slaves it sold (talk about a “legacy” edge), some of those descendants are saying it’s not nearly commensurate for what their ancestors gave to the school.

Georgia Goslee, lead counsel for the GU272 Isaac Hawkins Legacy group, which includes 200 people, says her clients “do not believe Georgetown has fully atoned for the wealth it unjustly accumulated off the back of unpaid slave labor,” according to the Washington Post.

The GU272 Isaac Hawkins Legacy group has asked for a direct benefit for descendants. The Post reports that Thomas Craemer, an associate professor at the University of Connecticut, helped the group calculate their request for restitution, based on the idea that forced labor created wealth for others than the enslaved people. He also said descendants would otherwise have inherited money earned through their foreparents’ wages and interest.

In other words, gimme the loot.



Georgetown University’s ‘Reparations’ Plan…

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Georgetown spokesman, Meghan Dubyak, recently said that the school has “taken initial steps” to right the wrong including a formal apology remaining two buildings for the descendants, and the admissions advantage. It has also offered professional-level genealogy for the offspring.

And Georgetown’s president, John DeGioia, doesn’t seem to want to really discuss the “r” word (i.e., “reparations”) and has already proposed amends that are linked to more education, even partnering with HBCUs.