Vatican denies Pompeo audience with pope, accuses him of playing politics

VATICAN

Published September 30, 2020
Last Update 8 hrs ago

Pompeo: ‘The Vatican legitimized Chinese priests and bishops whose loyalties remain unclear'

By Caitlin McFall | Fox News

The Vatican announced Wednesday that they had denied U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s request to meet with Pope Francis during his visit to Rome this week.

Though Vatican officials said it is customary for a pope to avoid meeting with politicians ahead of elections, they also voiced concerns with Pompeo’s alleged attempts to drag the Catholic Church into American politics by requesting they denounce relations with China.

“Yes, he asked. But the pope had already said clearly that political figures are not received in election periods. That is the reason,” Vatican diplomat Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said, according to Reuters Wednesday.

BARR SAYS 'NOTION' OF SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE MISUNDERSTOOD BECAUSE OF 'MILITANT SECULARISTS'

The Vatican’s decision followed remarks made by Pompeo at a conference at the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See, where he urged Vatican officials in attendance to join the U.S. in condemning China’s human rights violations and attacks against religious freedom.

Pompeo’s comments coincide with the church’s efforts to renew a two-year-old agreement between the Vatican and China that would allow the pope greater authority over the appointment of bishops in China.

The Vatican believes this agreement will ensure greater security and religious freedoms for Catholics in China, who have increasingly become targets by the Chinese Communist Party, according to the State Department’s 2019 annual report on religious freedom.

But in an essay earlier this month, Pompeo argued the Catholic Church has a responsibility to act as a “moral witness” and reject relations with China, alleging the loyalty of Chinese priests cannot be trusted.

“The Vatican legitimized Chinese priests and bishops whose loyalties remain unclear, confusing Chinese Catholics who had always trusted the Church,” Pompeo said. “Many refuse to worship in state-sanctioned places of worship, for fear that by revealing themselves as faithful Catholics they will suffer the same abuses that they witness other believers suffer.”

Holy See officials have recognized that the agreement is not perfect, but have also argued it is a step in the right direction.

POPE: GOSSIPING IS "PLAGUE WORSE THAN COVID"

“The question of protecting religious freedom so as to allow the local Catholic Church to exercise its mission remains an indispensable part of the scope and activity of the Holy See,” Vatican diplomat Foreign Minister Archbishop Paul Gallagher said.

Parolin said he was “surprised” by Pompeo’s remarks Wednesday, and noted their meeting later in the week would have been a more appropriate time to voice his concerns regarding the church’s relations with China.

“Normally when you’re preparing these visits between high-level officials, you negotiate the agenda for what you are going to talk about privately, confidentially," Gallagher told Reuters. "It’s one of the rules of diplomacy."

Pompeo has been highly critical of China over the last several months on issues ranging from the coronavirus, the race to 5G, their involvement in revoking Hong Kong autonomy and reported human rights abuses against the Uighurs, an ethnic minority group located in Northwestern China.

“Nowhere is religious freedom under assault more than in China,” Pompeo said during Wednesday’s conference, accusing China of working “day and night to snuff out the lamp of freedom, especially religious freedom, on a horrifying scale.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source

Cremation Is It Christian Or Pagan?

In recent months, a number of people have asked me if cremation is Scriptural and acceptable to God. It is a subject that most people would rather avoid, but in recent years it has become quite an issue. More and more people are electing to have themselves or their loved ones cremated due to the reduced cost compared to customary burial. The purpose of this tract is to take a brief and concise, but in-depth, look at this subject. We will see what the Bible has to say about it, and then, as a Christian, you can decide what to do regarding this sensitive matter.

The first point I would like to make is that cremation does not affect salvation as many people are cremated without the knowledge of it happening to their remains. I do emphatically state, however, that no properly informed Christian would choose cremation. We do know that some people are accidentally burned to death in fires of various types and causes. We also know that the Church of Rome burned many Christian martyrs at the stake. Certainly, being a victim of an earthly fire does not necessarily determine where you will spend eternity.

We must ask the question, why would a Christian choose to have his or her body burned to ashes after death? In I Corinthians 6:19-20, we read as follows: “What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” Why would a Christian want to burn to ashes the temple that God lived in?

We also understand that God refers to the body at the time of death as a seed to be planted. In I Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-44, we read, “But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come? Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die. And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain. But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body…So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: it is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: it is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.” Thus, the body is to be sown, or planted, in the ground and not burned to ashes.

We also know that our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, was buried, and He is our great example in all things. When Jesus blessed the woman who had anointed Him shortly before He was crucified, He said the following words, which are found in Mark 14:8-9: “She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. Verily I say unto you, wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.” Thus, the burial of Jesus was a part of the Gospel itself. The Gospel, or good news, is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Gospel cannot be represented by choosing to have your body burned!

Quebec, Ontario in second COVID-19 wave; restrictions return

Face masks are on display in a store in Montreal, Monday, Sept. 28, 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP)


ROB GILLIES
Mon, September 28, 2020, 6:23 PM EDT


TORONTO (AP) — Quebec is returning to a stepped-up lockdown in two of its biggest cities and the premier of Canada’s most populous province said he’s looking at all options after Ontario reported a record number of new cases on Monday.

Quebec Premier Francois Legault said the two biggest cities in the Canadian province are returning to the highest COVID-19 alert level. Montreal and Quebec City are included in the “red zone” lockdown. Legault said there should be no guests in homes with a few exceptions for help. He also said restaurants and bars will close except for delivery.

He also said outdoor gatherings require two meters of spacing. He said the objective is to protect schools from closing again. Quebec reported 896 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, the province’s highest single-day tally in months.

“This situation has become critical,” Legault said. “We must act strongly right now.”

The measures will last from Oct. 1 to Oct. 28. Legault said there is a lot of community spread right now.

Both Legault and Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the provinces are in a second wave. Ford called the 700 new daily cases in his province extremely troubling. Of Monday’s cases, 344 were reported in Toronto,

Dr. David Williams, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health, said Ontario must work to flatten the curve of the virus again to allow hospitals to respond without being overwhelmed.

Williams said people became too casual as virus numbers improved and restrictions were relaxed in late August, and he urged them to now be more vigilant. The latest figures prompted Ontario’s hospitals to call on the government to reinstate restrictions.

The Ontario Hospital Association said the Greater Toronto Area and Ottawa should move back to Stage Two of the province’s pandemic response, which saw restrictions on non-essential businesses like restaurants, gyms, and movie theaters.
Our goal is to create a safe and engaging place for users to connect over interests and passions. In order to improve our community experience, we are temporarily suspending article commenting.

Ontario in grip of second Covid-19 wave that will be 'worse than first', officials say


Leyland Cecco in Toronto
September 28, 2020, 3:46 PM

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Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020-The Return- National and Global Day of Prayer and Repentance

Duration: 11 Hours 55 Minutes.

The Return is a global day of prayer and repentance that's taking place on the National Mall in Washington D.C. on Saturday, September 26! We're inviting you to watch and participate with us as we pray for America to return to God. (CBN)

Friday, Sept. 25, 2020-The Return- National and Global Day of Repentance and Prayer

Duration: 3 Hours 11 Minutes.

The Return is a global day of prayer and repentance that's taking place on the National Mall in Washington D.C. on Saturday, September 26! We're inviting you to watch and participate with us as we pray for America to return to God. (CBN)

The Beast of the Bottomless Pit Prophecy Revelation 11 (Militant Atheism)

Live: Trump nominates Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court

Amy Coney Barrett member of secretive Catholic group "People of Praise"

The Observer

Amy Coney Barrett: spotlight falls on secretive Catholic group People of Praise


Trump’s expected pick is a member of a ‘covenant community’ that faces claims of a ‘highly authoritarian’ structure
How the Senate has failed the American people


Stephanie Kirchgaessner in Washington
@skirchy

Sat 26 Sep 2020 08.29 EDT

Last modified on Sat 26 Sep 2020 10.24 EDT



Donald Trump’s expected nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the supreme court, to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg, is drawing attention to a secretive Catholic “covenant community” called People of Praise that counts Barrett as a member and faces claims of adhering to a “highly authoritarian” structure.

Donald Trump set to nominate Amy Coney Barrett to supreme court – live

The 48-year-old appellate court judge has said she is a “faithful Catholic” but that her religious beliefs would not “bear in the discharge of my duties as a judge”.

At the same time, the Louisiana native and Notre Dame Law graduate, a favorite among Trump’s evangelical Christian base, has said legal careers ought not to be seen as means of gaining satisfaction, prestige or money, but rather “as a means to the end of serving God”.

Interviews with experts who have studied charismatic Christian groups such as People of Praise, and with former members of the group, plus a review of the group’s own literature, reveal an organization that appears to dominate some members’ everyday lives, in which so-called “heads” – or spiritual advisers – make big life decisions, and in which members are expected to financially support one another.

Married women – such as Barrett – count their husbands as their “heads” and all members are expected to donate 5% of their income to the organization.

Some conservative and progressive activists have said any discussion of Barrett’s faith is inappropriate in the context of a Senate confirmation to assess her judicial qualifications, and potentially reflects anti-Catholic bigotry.

Other Catholic writers have said it is fair to scrutinize People of Praise because the group falls far outside mainstream Catholicism.

Barrett has not publicly discussed her affiliation but her connection was reported in multiple media accounts at the time of her confirmation to an appellate court in 2017.

Her picture appears in a May 2006 edition of People of Praise’s magazine, which documents her participation in a Leaders’ Conference for Women. Her father and her husband, Jesse Barrett, are also known members.

The group emerged out of the Catholic charismatic movement of the late 1960s, which blended Catholicism and Protestant Pentecostalism – Catholics and Protestants are both members – and adopted practices like speaking in tongues. The group’s literature shows communal living is also encouraged, at least among unmarried members, as is the sharing of finances between households.

A July 2007 “our money our selves” edition of People of Praise’s Vine & Branch magazine included an article about a 17-member group of women described as “single for the Lord” and living together in South Bend, Indiana. The women shared a “sisterhood budget”, which involved them pooling their paychecks while a “head of the sisterhood” determined, with the sisters’ input, how the money was spent.

“If one of us has a need, we’ll pay for it,” one woman named Debbie was quoted as saying. “But we also work hard to distinguish between our needs and our wants.”

The “sisterhood” is described as living “simply, frugally, and generously”, with about $36 put aside per week per person for food and dry goods and $10 for pocket money to buy “Slurpees and movie tickets”. They buy clothes at thrift stores and garage sales and 10% of their income is directed to People of Praise.

The article quotes a head sister named Nano as saying: “If each of us had her own money, it would change everything. Just as we would have our own shelf in the refrigerator, so we would probably partition off other parts of our lives and be more guarded in certain areas. Having money in common moves you to put everything in common.”

Whether People of Praise rises to the level of cult, I am not in a position to make that judgmentHeidi Schlumpf

Adrian Reimers, a former member turned critic of the group, described in a book available online called Not Reliable Guides his “grave concern” about how the life of People of Praise members were “not his or her own” and how “all one’s decisions and dealings become the concern of one’s head, and in turn potentially become known to the leadership”.

Reached by the Guardian, Reimers said he did not want to discuss the matter further.

Writing for Politico, Massimo Faggioli, a historian and theologian at Villanova University, said there were “tensions” between serving as a supreme court justice, one of the final interpreters of the US constitution, and swearing an oath to an organization he said “lacks transparency and visible structures of authority that are accountable to their members, to the Roman Catholic church, and to the wider public”.

“A lot of what goes on in People of Praise is not that different than what goes on in a lot of rightwing or conservative Catholic circles,” said Heidi Schlumpf, a national correspondent for National Catholic Reporter, which reports on the church.

“Whether People of Praise rises to the level of cult, I am not in a position to make that judgment. But there is a level of secrecy that was concerning, and there was a level of reports by people who left the organization of authoritarianism that [is] concerning as well.”

The pandemic and the long haul Why governments get covid-19 wrong

Therapies and vaccines will come, but not for many months. Until then, politicians will have to work on the basics

Leaders

Sep 26th 2020 edition

Sep 26th 2020


Within the next few days the global recorded deaths from covid-19 will surpass 1m. Perhaps another 1m have gone unrecorded. Since the start of the pandemic, nine months ago, the weekly cases logged by the World Health Organisation have been trending very slowly upwards and, in the seven days to September 20th, breached 2m for the first time. The virus is burning through parts of the emerging world. India has been registering over 90,000 cases a day. Some European countries that thought they had suppressed the disease are in the throes of a second wave. In America the official death toll this week exceeded 200,000; the seven-day case total is rising in 26 states.

Those figures represent a lot of suffering. Roughly 1% of survivors have long-term viral damage such as crippling fatigue and scarred lungs. In developing countries, especially, bereavement is compounded by poverty and hunger (see article). The northern winter will force people indoors, where the disease spreads much more easily than in the open air. Seasonal flu could add to the burden on health systems.

Amid the gloom, keep three things in mind. The statistics contain good news as well as bad. Treatments and medicines are making covid-19 less deadly: new vaccines and drugs will soon add to their effects. And societies have the tools to control the disease today. Yet it is here, in the basics of public health, where too many governments are still failing their people. Covid-19 will remain a threat for months, possibly years. They must do better.

Start with the numbers. The increase in Europe’s diagnosed cases reflects reality, but the global effect is an artefact of extra testing, which picks up cases that would have been missed. As the Briefing in this issue explains, our modelling suggests that the total number of actual infections has fallen substantially from its peak of over 5m a day in May. Extra testing is one reason why the fatality rate of the disease appears to be falling. In addition, countries like India, with an average age of 28, suffer fewer deaths because the virus is easier on the young than the elderly.

The fall in fatalities also reflects medical progress. Doctors now understand that organs other than the lungs, such as the heart and kidneys, are at risk and treat symptoms early. In British intensive-care wards, 90% of patients were on ventilators at the start of the pandemic; in June just 30% were. Drugs, including dexamethasone, a cheap steroid, reduce deaths in seriously ill patients by 20-30%. Fatalities in Europe are 90% lower than in the spring, though this gap will narrow as the disease spreads back into vulnerable groups.

More progress is in store. Monoclonal antibodies, which disable the virus, could be available by the end of the year. Although they are expensive, they promise to be useful after someone is infected or, for the high-risk, prophylactically. Vaccines will almost certainly follow, possibly very soon. As different medicines use different lines of attack, the benefits can be cumulative.

Yet, in the best of all possible worlds, the pandemic will remain a part of daily life well into 2021. Even if a vaccine emerges, nobody expects it to be 100% effective. Protection may be temporary or weak in the elderly, whose immune systems are less responsive. Making and administering billions of doses will take much of next year. Early vaccines may well need two shots, and complex “cold chains” to keep fresh. Medical glass could run short. There may be fights over who gets supplies first, leaving pools of infection among those who cannot elbow their way to the front of the queue. Multi-country polls suggest that a quarter of adults (including half of Russians) would refuse vaccination—another reason why the disease may persist.

Hence for the foreseeable future the first line of defence against covid-19 will remain testing and tracing, social distancing and clear government communication. There is no mystery about what this involves. And yet countries like America, Britain, Israel and Spain persist in getting it disastrously wrong.

One problem is the desire to escape a trade-off between shutting down to keep people alive and staying open so that life goes on. The right lauds Sweden for supposedly letting the virus rip while it makes a priority of the economy and liberty. But Sweden has a fatality rate of 58.1 per 100,000 and saw gdp fall by 8.3% in the second quarter alone, worse on both counts than Denmark, Finland and Norway. The left lauds New Zealand, which has shut down to save lives. It has suffered only 0.5 deaths per 100,000, but in the second quarter its economy shrank by 12.2%. By contrast, Taiwan remained more open but has seen 0.03 deaths per 100,000 and a 1.4% fall in gdp.

Blanket lockdowns like the new one in Israel are a sign that policy has failed. They are costly and unsustainable. Countries like Germany, South Korea and Taiwan have used fine-grained testing and tracing to spot individual super-spreading venues and slow the spread using quarantines. Germany identified abattoirs; South Korea contained outbreaks in a bar and churches. If testing is slow, as in France, it will fail. If contact-tracing is not trusted, as in Israel, where the job fell to the intelligence services, people will evade detection.

Pandemic is ‘a time to separate what is necessary from what is not’: Pope Francis

UN Photo/Evan Schneider
Pope Francis (on screen) of the Holy See addresses the general debate of the General Assembly’s seventy-fifth session.
25 September 2020
UN Affairs


The COVID-19 pandemic is a trial, but also “a time to choose what matters and what passes away, a time to separate what is necessary from what is not”, Pope Francis told world leaders on Friday, in his virtual address to the UN General Assembly.

The Head of the Catholic Church, representing The Holy See, which is a UN Permanent Observer State, suggested that this crisis is also an opportunity to rethink our way of life, and systems that are widening global inequality. However, he warned that it could equally lead to a “’defensive retreat’ into greater individualism and elitism”.

The first path, continued Pope Francis, s one that leads to stronger multilateralism, global co-responsibility, solidarity, and peace, whilst the second emphasizes self-sufficiency, nationalism, protectionism, individualism and isolation, which would be “detrimental to the whole community, causing self-inflicted wounds on everyone”.
Solidarity must not be an empty word

Pope Francis, in remarks to the Assembly’s annual general debate, which is meeting virtually this year due to the pandemic, said that solidarity must not be an empty word or promise, echoing the UN’s call for an eventual COVID-19 vaccine to be available to as many people as possible. He asked that, if preference must be given to anyone, it should be the poorest and most vulnerable.

The virus, whose spread has been partly blamed by the UN on mankind’s encroachment on nature, showed the importance of avoiding every temptation to exceed our natural limits, according to the Pope

Another example of this excess is mankind’s use of technology, and both the pandemic and technology are, he declared, impacting employment, leading to : “an urgent need to find new forms of work truly capable of fulfilling our human potential and affirming our dignity”. 

A change of direction

The world is confronted, continued Pope Francis, by a growing “throwaway culture”, which has, at its origin, a lack of respect for human dignity; a denial of human rights; and a craving for absolute power. Ultimately, he concluded, it is “an attack against humanity itself”, and requires a change of direction.

The pontiff described the continuing violations of human rights as painful, and a frightening picture of abused humanity. Religious followers, including Christians, endure persecution, including genocide, because of their beliefs, he said.

The growing scale of humanitarian crises, added Pope Francis, means that they now represent the status quo: today’s weapons are “wreaking havoc on cities, schools, hospitals, religious sites, infrastructures and basic services needed by the population.”

Conflict is one reason for many people being forced to leave their homes, and many displaced people end up in desperate situations, deprived of the chance to improve their lives, noted the Pope. Whilst he praised the UN’s Global Compacts on Refugees and on Migration as promising responses to this crisis, he warned that more political support is needed to ensure their success.

Now is also the time, according to the Pope, to ‘renew the architecture of international finance’, in order to reduce the growing gap between the rich and poor. This would involve investing in education and infrastructure, providing debt relief and development assistance to the poorest nations, as well as closing tax shelters, and tackling tax evasion and money laundering.

Turning to the climate, Pope Francis described the international community as having proved itself largely incapable of honouring promises made in 2015, as part of the Paris Climate Agreement. The burden of fighting climate change, he said, must not fall on the next generation.
Child protection

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating effect on children, who are, said the Pope, suffering a dramatic increase in violence. School closures are, he added, leading to an increase in child exploitation in some parts of the world.

The Roman Catholic leader denounced the promotion of abortion as a humanitarian response to the pandemic: “it is troubling to see how simple and convenient it has become for some to deny the existence of a human life as a solution’.

He went on to urge civil authorities to ensure that children are not denied their human rights, and warned of the breakdown of the family which, he said, is reflected in “social fragmentation”. 

Ceasefire ‘a noble step’

Pope Francis ended his speech by turning to the spectre of global conflict, and nuclear annihilation. He called for increased ambition on nuclear disarmament, and for the UN to be a more effective forum for world peace. The UN Secretary-General’s lobbying for a global ceasefire was praised by the Pope, as a “noble step” in this regard.

International sanctions, on the other hand, must be relaxed, he said, where they make it difficult for States to provide adequate support for their citizens.

The world has a duty, declared the Pope, to rethink the future of the world, with strengthened multilateralism, and cooperation between States:

“The United Nations was established to bring nations together, to be a bridge between peoples. Let us make good use of this institution in order to transform the challenge that lies before us into an opportunity to build together, once more, the future we all desire”.

Find the full statement here.

Source

Pope Addresses U.N.General Assembly, 75th Session

Franklin Graham ahead of national prayer march: US is 'crumbling,' God is only hope

Franklin Graham ahead of national prayer march: US is 'crumbling,' God is only hope

By Brandon Showalter, CP Reporter 

Saturday, September 19, 2020

The Rev. Franklin Graham speaks during Franklin Graham's "Decision America" California tour at the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds on May 29, 2018, in Turlock, California. | Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

As he prepares to lead a prayer march in Washington, D.C., next week, evangelist Franklin Graham said the dire problems besetting the country are ones only God can solve, and time is short.

In a phone interview with The Christian Post on Thursday about Prayer March 2020 that he will oversee next Saturday on the National Mall, Graham explained that his heart behind calling the country to prayer is in part because of the deep divisions over many issues. These divides have been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic and widespread loss of jobs due to state lockdowns and enforced closure of businesses.

"I think there's kind of a boiling point here with many people. We have seen injustice on our streets and some of our communities. The frustration that people aren't heard, that people are marginalized. It seems that all of this is boiling at the same time," he said, noting that these tensions are accentuated in an election year where politics often exploit the issues.

Yet no one can solve the spiritual darkness besetting America, he emphasized.

"Republicans cannot fix it; Democrats cannot fix it. Only God can," Graham asserted.

God and His ways have been removed from government, schools, and in society more broadly when the country needs more, not less of Him, he said, adding that the United States is "crumbling."

"I don't see our nation able to go much further unless we repent and call upon the name of Almighty God," he said.

Asked if he believes that a remnant of praying people exists in the nation and if he has hope for a Great Awakening, the evangelist replied that it's hard to say.

"For many in the church today, they're comfortable and a lot of our pastors don't want to rock the boat," Graham said. Many will not speak out on hot-button social issues, insisting such topics are "political" when they are moral matters where churches must be bold.

Yet because they have ignored such great sin and the responsibility to speak against it, he doesn't know if there will be revival.

Thousands are expected to attend the march, with participants traveling from every state to gather together in the nation's capital.

The upcoming march is solely about prayer and calling upon God, Graham stressed.

"I don't have entertainment; I don't have music. We are coming to pray, to pray for our country, our leaders. And by starting at one end of the Mall and going to the other it's an opportunity for us to walk together and to show unity," he said.

Just as the freedom marches in the civil rights era during the 1960s were a demonstration of unity, this is an opportunity for the Church to come together, he added.

"By coming [to the march] we are participating in something that is bigger than us, and we are going directly to the throne of grace, calling upon the name of God, asking for His favor, His help, and I hope that these Christian voices, these prayers will shake the city. And not just shake the city but shake the country. And it can happen."

The evangelist went on to explain that though he does not have any hard proof of this, he believes that many Americans are quietly reevaluating what they believe and prioritize, spiritually speaking, in light of the chaotic events of 2020.

"I just sense there is something moving in our country. I don't believe that our country is going to be spared from God's judgment. We are not a Christian nation. We are a secular nation and the secularists are wanting to strip God out of everything," he said.

"Maybe this election could possibly slow that down," he added, "but we know there's going to be a one-world system one day. We know that people aren't going to be able to buy, sell, or trade unless they have the mark of the Antichrist. We know that there will be a great war."

He added: "We see God's judgment coming against this earth for the rejection of His Son and we see the Lord Jesus Christ coming back triumphant to establish a new Heaven and a new Earth. We know how the last chapters of history are written."

"I think we're kind of in that period of time on God's clock where some of these things might just be beginning to unfold. To say that we're not going to be able to reset God's clock, in the sense where He's going to change His mind, no it's written. But He might delay just a little bit."

"I've got 12 grandchildren and four children. And I know that the America that I grew up in they'll not have an opportunity or chance to see unless God intervenes," he concluded.

Source

The Crowning Act of Deception

September 25

Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Revelation 3:10. 

 

As the second appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ draws near, satanic agencies are moved from beneath. Satan will not only appear as a human being, but he will personate Jesus Christ; and the world who has rejected the truth will receive him as the Lord of lords and King of kings.75SDA Bible Commentary 5:1105, 1106. 

The wrath of Satan increases as his time grows short, and his work of deceit and destruction will reach its culmination in the time of trouble.... 

As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, Satan himself will personate Christ. The church has long professed to look to the Saviour's advent as the consummation of her hopes. Now the great deceiver will make it appear that Christ has come. In different parts of the earth, Satan will manifest himself among men as a majestic being of dazzling brightness, resembling the description of the Son of God given by John in the Revelation. Revelation 1:13-15. The glory that surrounds him is unsurpassed by anything that mortal eyes have yet beheld. The shout of triumph rings out upon the air: “Christ has come! Christ has come!” The people prostrate themselves in adoration before him, while he lifts up his hands and pronounces a blessing upon them, as Christ blessed His disciples when He was upon the earth. His voice is soft and subdued, yet full of melody. In gentle, compassionate tones he presents some of the same gracious, heavenly truths which the Saviour uttered; he heals the diseases of the people, and then, in his assumed character of Christ, he claims to have changed the Sabbath to Sunday, and commands all to hallow the day which he has blessed. He declares that those who persist in keeping holy the seventh day are blaspheming his name by refusing to listen to his angels sent to them with light and truth. This is the strong, almost overmastering delusion. Like the Samaritans who were deceived by Simon Magus, the multitudes, from the least to the greatest, give heed to these sorceries, saying: This is “the great power of God.” Acts 8:10. 

But the people of God will not be misled. The teachings of this false Christ are not in accordance with the Scriptures.76The Great Controversy, 623-625. 

Maranatha, p.276.

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Remembering recent entertainment from Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner

Jake McGowan

Sep 2, 2020, 12:00 AM

Photo by Ameena Qobrtay

The annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Dinner is an annual dinner that will be hosted on Oct. 1. This year is set to be just as entertaining as that of years past. 

We’ve all, as Rutgers students, been given ample time this fall with classes moved primarily online. Between classes, internships and work, you’re probably looking for new shows or movies to kill your excess time. I posit, though, that the best entertainment this fall will not be seen through Netflix.

The most entertaining spectacle will be the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner.

Founded in 1945, the dinner, colloquially referred to as the Al Smith Dinner, is an annual event that brings together New York’s richest Catholics to raise money for charity. During election years, it is typical for the two major party presidential candidates to crack jokes. It’s all very postmodern, in my opinion — you have two very rich sociopaths, many of whom have committed war crimes, pretending to be human for a night. It makes for great entertainment.

This year, assuming the dinner isn’t pandemic’d off the schedule, President Donald J. Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden will take the stage on October 1 and attempt to act charming for the night. It’ll surely be a pathetic display and will probably be best enjoyed with a beer by your side.

Let's take a look at highlights from previous dinners.

2016: Trump roasts Clinton over email scandal

In 2016, if you can remember that far back, Trump and former Secretary of State Clinton were vying for the presidency. Clinton was deep in political crossfire regarding her usage of a private email server — a scandal that, in retrospect, seems minuscule. Trump cracked a joke about the subject.

"And even tonight, with all of the heated back and forth between my opponent and me at the debate last night, we have proven that we can actually be civil with each other. In fact, just before taking the dais, Hillary accidentally bumped into me, and she very civilly said, 'Pardon me,’” Trump said, referring to a presidential pardon of her alleged email crimes, completely ignoring the fact that his own campaign would have several associates face indictments. Clinton’s would have none.

2012: Obama jabs Romney over his wealth

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) faced off against former President Barack Obama in the 2012 election. A huge issue during the campaign was Romney’s extravagant wealth, which many thought made him out of touch with average Americans. Romney's worth approximately $250 million — so he’s certainly wealthy. Still, in comparison with our current president, Trump, Romney’s a beggar, so the hysteria regarding his bank account seems overblown now.

Still, that didn’t stop Obama from quipping about it at the 2012 Al Smith Dinner.

"Earlier today I went shopping at some stores in Midtown. I understand Gov. Romney went shopping for some stores in Midtown,” Obama said.

2000: Bush gets self-deprecating

The 2000 presidential election between former President George W. Bush and former Vice President Al Gore went down to the wire, with the United States Supreme Court eventually deciding to stop a recount and ultimately hand Bush the victory.

Before that, though, the candidates took to the Al Smith Dinner where Bush made a joke about his conservative, wealthy base.

“This is an impressive crowd. The haves and the have mores. Some people call you the elite. I call you my base,” Bush said, prior to committing war crimes in the Middle East a couple years later.

This year’s dinner will probably be the saddest on memory with neither candidate boasting an impressive record, neither of them possessing a bone of charm in their body, the nation in disarray and an overarching irony of watching these two rich, out-of-touch men dining and joking in a crowd of just as rich people. 

But it’ll surely be entertaining — not to laugh at their jokes, but to laugh at them. If nothing more, it’ll be a reminder to vote and to create a system in which two men like these are never given such a platform again.

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Esper and Milley appear to adopt different strategies to deal with Trump as election approaches

By Barbara Starr, CNN Pentagon Correspondent

Updated 6:06 PM ET, Mon September 21, 2020



Retired general reacts to Trump's military comments 06:33


Washington (CNN)The Pentagon's two most senior figures were so angry about President Donald Trump's unprecedented attack on senior military leadership earlier this month that they got on the phone with the White House chief of staff to express their dismay, according to several defense officials.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley spoke to Mark Meadows after Trump accused Pentagon leadership of waging wars to boost the profits of weapons manufacturers.

Trump launches unprecedented attack on military leadership he appointed

"I'm not saying the military's in love with me -- the soldiers are, the top people in the Pentagon probably aren't because they want to do nothing but fight wars so that all of those wonderful companies that make the bombs and make the planes and make everything else stay happy," Trump told reporters at a White House news conference on Labor Day.

The officials said Milley, who served for years in combat zones around the globe, was particularly distressed. Another defense official summed up reaction at the Pentagon, stating "the President went too far."

Meadows attempted to walk back what Trump said on Fox News the next day, claiming the comments were "more directed about the military industrial complex."

Concerns about Trump's volatility
But the damage was already done, adding to concerns among many in Pentagon leadership about the President's volatility and his potential to make unpredictable decisions during the campaign and beyond, whether he wins or loses in November. CNN has spoken to multiple defense officials about the stresses felt at the Pentagon in the runup to the election in particular.
While it's always a priority for the military to keep out of politics, the President's attempts to politicize the forces means this election is seen as particularly sensitive.

Top US general tells Congress the military won't play a role in the 2020 election

"This is no normal election season. This is electioneering on steroids, given the way President Trump politicizes everything," said retired Rear Adm. and CNN analyst John Kirby who served as media adviser and spokesman to former Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Michael Mullen during the 2008 transition from George W. Bush to Barack Obama in 2008. "So, I'm not surprised at all to see leaders like Esper and Milley tread carefully around the public square. If I was advising them, I'd tell them to stay on the sidewalks as much as possible."
In the past, some chairmen have also sought to stay out of the public eye in advance of the election so they don't get drawn into the partisanship the campaign. Both men remain available to talk to the President on a moment's notice and continue to meet with him.

Esper and Milley appear to have adopted different strategies to deal with the situation in the run up to Election Day.

Esper is widely reported to be on thin ice with the President and he has decided to continue to travel outside Washington to visit troops and senior figures in the defense industry in the US and overseas. His travels serve to keep him away from Trump but also convey an aura that it's "business as usual" and he is not worried about being fired, according to a defense official directly familiar with his thinking.

Chief Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman told CNN that Esper's extensive travel is essential to him carrying out his job.
"With personnel in every state and more than 100 countries, and American national security interests across the globe, this travel is a requirement for a Secretary of Defense. While travel has become more difficult in the Covid environment, the Secretary has seen great value in his recent trips. This includes travel to the Indo-Pacific where he witnessed joint exercises and engaged directly with partner nations, and to the west coast to hear from innovate defense industry vendors and see our capital assets in action. We do not foresee a change in our travel schedule," Hoffman said.

Milley, on the other hand, is staying in Washington as much as possible. Aides say the pandemic has limited his typical overseas travel. But he is said to be on good terms with the President and staying in town means he's physically near the White House and ready to talk to the President face to face at any time, on issues ranging from wildfires on the West Coast to the prospect of Iranian or Russian provocations, officials say. A significant concern for Milley is how to advise Trump if he decides to invoke the Insurrection Act in the wake of civil unrest -- a move that could put military force on the streets against civilians.

Esper and Milley oppose using Insurrection Act

Both Milley and Esper were deeply opposed to that the first time Trump suggested it back in June following protests against police brutality and racial injustice in the wake of George Floyd's death. The President has made several public references to using the act in recent weeks as he pushes his law and order messaging on the campaign trail, even as he claims he doesn't want to do it. Milley continues to get briefed on protests and unrest, in part so he can continue to make the case that civilian law enforcement must remain a first priority to be used rather than the military barring a catastrophe that overwhelms civilian authorities.

Both Milley and Esper are staying out of the public eye to avoid being dragged into partisan politics, their aides say. But they both hope to avoid any missteps that would anger the White House. Neither has held a Pentagon press conference in months in order to avoid being questioned on issues that could highlight their differences with the President, according to several defense officials.

Former Trump national security adviser says withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and Germany is a mistake

And while Esper is widely acknowledged to be on the outs with the President, Milley remains in his good graces even after he publicly apologized for his part in walking with Trump and other political leaders outside the White House in Lafayette Square wearing a combat uniform during the June unrest.

The highly principled Milley is said to remain deeply bruised by that event. His aides will not comment on it, but they are emphasizing that the four star general who serves as Trump's chief military adviser is sharply focused on ensuring any orders from the President are within the parameters of the Constitution and are therefore legal, moral and ethical.
However, the Pentagon's public effort to keep things low key heading into the election may not last with several crises brewing. The Pentagon's Cyber Command is operating around the clock looking for any evidence of election interference. And despite the President's optimism that the coronavirus will disappear, military planners now calculate the they must plan for a Covid-driven environment affecting military operations through the summer of 2021, one defense official told CNN. In addition, shortly after the election Congress will take up the issue of stripping the names of Confederate generals from military bases. Trump is adamantly opposed to the move but top Pentagon leaders privately support it.

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The Time of Jacob's Trouble

September 21

Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. Jeremiah 30:7. 

I saw that the four angels would hold the four winds until Jesus’ work was done in the sanctuary, and then will come the seven last plagues. These plagues enraged the wicked against the righteous; they thought that we had brought the judgments of God upon them, and that if they could rid the earth of us, the plagues would then be stayed. A decree went forth to slay the saints, which caused them to cry day and night for deliverance. This was the time of Jacob's trouble.68Early Writings, 36, 37. 

As Satan influenced Esau to march against Jacob, so he will stir up the wicked to destroy God's people in the time of trouble. And as he accused Jacob, he will urge his accusations against the people of God. He numbers the world as his subjects; but the little company who keep the commandments of God are resisting his supremacy. If he could blot them from the earth, his triumph would be complete. He sees that holy angels are guarding them, and he infers that their sins have been pardoned; but he does not know that their cases have been decided in the sanctuary above. He has an accurate knowledge of the sins which he has tempted them to commit, and he presents these before God in the most exaggerated light, representing this people to be just as deserving as himself of exclusion from the favor of God. He declares that the Lord cannot in justice forgive their sins and yet destroy him and his angels. He claims them as his prey and demands that they be given into his hands to destroy. 

As Satan accuses the people of God on account of their sins, the Lord permits him to try them to the uttermost. Their confidence in God, their faith and firmness, will be severely tested. As they review the past, their hopes sink; for in their whole lives they can see little good. They are fully conscious of their weakness and unworthiness. Satan endeavors to terrify them with the thought that their cases are hopeless, that the stain of their defilement will never be washed away. He hopes so to destroy their faith that they will yield to his temptations and turn from their allegiance to God.69The Great Controversy, 618, 619. 

Maranatha, p.272.

The True Authors of Communism & Socialism: The Jesuits

June 19, 2020 James Arendt




This is without a doubt the clearest explanation I have ever come across about the historical origin of Communism and Socialism, and who formulated its ideology.

To understand the Hegalian character of Jesuitical deception, (Hegalian dialectic, a very old Jesuit principle explained in the picture below) we must consider that the doctrines of Communism were designed by the Jesuits through what were known as their Reductions in Paraguay in the 17th and 18th centuries, which were a series of communes in which Jesuit priest exercised authority over the natives there. In that environment, the Jesuit Order maintained control over a group of South American Guarani Indians, who they educated and trained to work on their behalf, generating goods that were later sold in the markets of Europe. From a 1933 book titled, “The Revolutionary Movement” by J. Findlater, we read the following:

“…the Jesuits had established twenty strong Mission centres, called Reductions, with many thousands of the Guaranis enrolled as their members….The Jesuits aimed to set up there a completely communistic system, in the sense that no individual rights were recognized and there was no private property. Everything belonged to the State, and was supposed to be shared in common. But in reality much the greater part of the proceeds of goods sold was always remitted to the Camarilla (Jesuit superiors) in Europe; and the Guaranis got only the bare necessities of life in return for their toil and sweat.”

The Jesuit leaders provided the necessary food, clothing, and health care the Indians needed, while using them as “worker bees” to generate income for the order. Just as the Soviet Union would do in the 20th century, the Jesuits maintained strict control over the activities of their subjects:

“…neither would they allow any Guarani to learn Spanish, nor would they tolerate and intercourse between the Guaranis and the peoples of the surrounding Spanish Colonies–a prohibition maintained at the sword’s point.”

They perfected their system of totalitarian control, all the while telling the world that their oppression over other people was, in fact, “Utopia,” a deluded fantasy maintained by some Catholic historians to this day. Perhaps worst of all is that the Jesuit did not present any form of the Gospel or what might be called the Christian faith to these poor Indians.

“There is no evidence that any effort was ever made by the Jesuits to impart the truths, properly so called, of the Christian religion….When the Jesuits were expelled, the Guaranis, having had no moral or religious training to fit them to continue in the Christian Faith, in a few years….became as if no religious teachers had ever lived and worked among them….”

The ideas the Jesuits developed in Paraguay over a period of 158 years, were then communicated to Karl Marx in the nineteenth century:

“For five years Karl Marx went to the Jesuit school in Trier, which during the Prussian period was known as the Friederich-Wilhem Gymnasium.”

Along with Karl Marx, other leading Communists like Joseph Stalin and Fidel Castro were also trained by the Jesuits. In fact, the former Jesuit General, Pedro Arrupe (1965-1983) once boasted:

“And what makes you think we are not proud of Fidel Castro?”

While it is true that the Popes are known for condemning Communism, this on their part seems to be more political manipulation than anything else, since Rome has repeatedly supported the principles of Communist thought. “The Communist Manifesto” was first published in 1848, and within less than fifty years we find the Vatican publishing declarations in agreement with it. In his book, “Ecclesiastical Megalomania,” author John W. Robbins notes the following:

“One of the Roman Church-State’s most influential statements on economic matters is the 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum, On the the Condition of the working Classes. In this encyclical the Roman Church-State allied herself with the proletariat, which in Marxism is the great and final enemy of the capitalist order. The encyclical’s Marxism is so blatant that one Roman Catholic writer declared that ‘much of encyclical (Rerum Novarum) appeared only to repeat in more orthodox language what Marx had said ten years before’….Indeed, there are paragraphs, if not pages, in The Communist Manifesto that might have been written by the pope…”

Then, incredibly, after about a hundred years of various Papal diatribes against Communism in all its forms, the Sunday Times of London reported that:

“Karl Marx, who famously described religion as ‘the opium of the people’, has joined Galileo, Charles Darwin and Oscar Wilde on growing list of historical figures to have undergone an unlikely reappraisal by the Roman Catholic Church.”

The article goes on to quote Georg Sans, a professor at the Vatican’s Gregorian University, who, with the utmost subtlety, speaks about Marxism in a way that seems carefully designed to undermine capitalism and promote the communist principles that Rome has always aligned herself with. Any study of the Papal influence in world governments–will prove that Capitalism, which is the promotion of free enterprise, is the very antithesis of official Roman Catholic dogma.

Because of these things, we cannot help but consider the possibility that the real purpose of the McCarthy era was to manipulated the American mentality with Hegelian tactics, intended in take the anti-Communist fury to such an extreme that it would become offensive to the American people. McCarthy’s methods were so unreasonable that the idea of condemning someone for being a Communist was collectively shunned. If we consider the growing influence of Communism today, we can only wonder if McCarthyism had been part of the Jesuits greater plan all along: condition the people to despise anti-Communist “witch-hunting,” then use their desire for toleration as an open door to usher in a more moderate version of it (i.e. Socialism) later on. Such tactics would be impossible to believe, except for the fact that we find Rome on both sides of the issue.

(End of article)
This article is an excerpt from my friend Walt Stickel’s website: The Root of Communism “The Jesuits” Please read the rest of it.

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Marked for Death

September 18

The letters were sent by posts into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day.

Esther 3:13. 

The decree that will finally go forth against the remnant people of God will be very similar to that issued by Ahasuerus against the Jews.54Prophets and Kings, 605.  

When the protection of human laws shall be withdrawn from those who honor the law of God, there will be, in different lands, a simultaneous movement for their destruction. As the time appointed in the decree draws near, the people will conspire to root out the hated sect. It will be determined to strike in one night a decisive blow, which shall utterly silence the voice of dissent and reproof.55The Great Controversy, 635. 

The decree will go forth that they must disregard the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, and honor the first day, or lose their lives; but they will not yield, and trample under their feet the Sabbath of the Lord, and honor an institution of papacy. Satan's host and wicked men will surround them, and exult over them, because there will seem to be no way of escape for them.56Testimonies for the Church 1:353, 354. 

When this time of trouble comes, every case is decided; there is no longer probation, no longer mercy for the impenitent. The seal of the living God is upon His people. This small remnant, unable to defend themselves in the deadly conflict with the powers of earth that are marshaled by the dragon host, make God their defense. The decree has been passed by the highest earthly authority that they shall worship the beast and receive his mark under pain of persecution and death.57Testimonies for the Church 5:213. 

I saw the saints suffering great mental anguish. They seemed to be surrounded by the wicked inhabitants of the earth. Every appearance was against them. Some began to fear that God had at last left them to perish by the hand of the wicked.... 

It was an hour of fearful, terrible agony to the saints. Day and night they cried unto God for deliverance. To outward appearance, there was no possibility of their escape. The wicked had already begun to triumph, crying out, “Why doesn't your God deliver you out of our hands? Why don't you go up and save your lives?” But the saints heeded them not.58Early Writings, 283. 

Maranatha, p. 269.

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Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg dies at 87

SEPT. 18, 2020 / 7:51 PM

By

Nicholas Sakelaris & Danielle Haynes



Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died two months after announcing her liver cancer had returned. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo




Sept. 18 (UPI) -- Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died Friday of cancer, the Supreme Court announced. She was 87.

The liberal justice's death comes two months after she announced her liver cancer had returned after receiving treatment for the disease in 2019.

"Our nation has lost a jurist of historic stature," Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. said. "We at the Supreme Court have lost a cherished colleague. Today we mourn, but with confidence that future generations will remember Ruth Bader Ginsburg as we knew her -- a tireless and resolute champion of justice."

Ginsburg constantly broke through glass ceilings, challenging social norms and using her intellect to win consensus among her peers--even when her peers were fellow Supreme Court justices.

She was the first tenured female professor at Columbia University, the first woman to join the Harvard Law Review and the second woman appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1993 by President Bill Clinton.

Her passion for advocacy continued in her 25-plus years on the U.S. Supreme Court.

From gay marriage to Obamacare, Ginsburg tackled some of the biggest social issues of the 21st Century.

She was born Ruth Joan Bader on March 15, 1933 in Brooklyn, New York to Nathan and Cecelia Bader. She went to James Madison High School in Brooklyn where she excelled in her studies. Her mother battled cancer for several years and died the day before Ginsburg graduated from high school.

Ginsburg attended Cornell University where she finished first in her class in 1954. She married Martin Ginsburg that same year.

They had a daughter, Jane, who was born shortly before Martin Ginsburg was drafted into the military in 1954, leaving Ruth Bader Ginsburg to raise their daughter alone. Martin Ginsburg served two years before he was discharged.

Then, the couple enrolled in Harvard University's law school, a male-dominated enviroment where there were eight women out of 500 students.

In 1956, her husband got testicular cancer, which required treatment and rehabilitation that forced him to miss class. Ruth Bader Ginsburg attended classes for both of them, taking notes and typing papers. When Martin recovered, he graduated from law school, in large part because of his wife's help. The story is depicted in the new film On the Basis of Sex.

After law school, she clerked for U.S. District Judge Edmund L. Palmieri and taught at the Rutgers University Law School and at Columbia.

The discrimination that Ruth Bader Ginsburg experienced in her early years drove her to push boundaries and take on gender discrimination. In the 1970s, she was the director of the Women's Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union. There, she argued six cases before the U.S. Supreme Court decades before she would sit on that bench.

President Jimmy Carter appointed Ginsburg to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in 1980. She served there until 1993 when President Bill Clinton appointed her to the U.S. Supreme Court to replace the seat vacated by Justice Byron White.

She was confirmed by the Senate 96-3.

On the Supreme Court, Ginsburg continued to advocate for gender equality, the rights of workers and separation of church and state. She wrote the Supreme Court's landmark decision in United States v. Virginia that said the Virginia Military Institute couldn't refuse women.

In 1999, she won the American Bar Association's Thurgood Marshall Award for her contributions to gender equality and civil rights.

She also famously objected to the majority opinion in Bush v. Gore case that decided the 2000 presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore. She said "I dissent," noticeably leaving out the word "respectfully."

In 2015, Ginsburg sided with the majority in the King v. Burwell case that allowed the federal government to offer subsidies for the Affordable Care Act. The next day, she cast the deciding vote in the Obergefell v. Hodges case that legalized same-sex marriage in all 50 states.

Her granddaughter Clara Spera was inspired by her "Bubbie's" determination and was taught from a young age that she could get any job she wanted. She celebrated her 3rd birthday at the Supreme Court in 1993, shortly after Ginsburg had been confirmed. In May 2018, Spera became a lawyer in New York.

In her mid-80s, Ginsburg said she intended to remain on the Supreme Court for at least another five years even as fellow liberal Justice Anthony Kennedy retired. In a show of defiance in 2018, she hired law clerks through 2020.

"I'm now 85," Ginsburg told CNN in August 2018. "My senior colleague, Justice Paul Stevens, he stepped down when he was 90, so I think I have about at least five more years."

She's a three-time cancer survivor and dealt with a number of other health problems over the years--but never let that slow her down.

She had surgery for colon cancer in 1999 and underwent chemotherapy treatment. In 2009, she had treatment for pancreatic cancer and went through chemotherapy treatments again. In 2014, she had a stent placed in her right coronary artery.

In November 2018, Ginsburg fractured three ribs when she fell in her office. She left the hospital the next day. A few weeks later, Ginsburg greeted 31 new U.S. citizens at the National Archives. She gave a stirring speech about her own father who moved to the United States from Russia at age 13.

She was hospitalized again in December to remove cancerous lung nodules that were found while doctors were treating her for the fall the previous month. She continued to work from her hospital bed just days after the treatment. The cancer was contained and didn't spread, doctors said.

Ginsburg is the second Supreme Court justice to die in office since 2016 -- the other being Antonin Scalia. The death leaves a vacancy on the Supreme Court, the third since President Donald Trump took office.

Trump will likely nominate a conservative replacement for Ginsburg.

Her husband Martin Ginsburg died of cancer in 2010. Ruth Bader Ginsburg described her husband of 56 years as her biggest booster and "the only young man I dated who cared that I had a brain."

She is survived by children: attorney Jane Carol, 63, and music producer James Steven, 53.

She ranked in the top 10 Most Admired Women of 2018 on a Gallup Survey.

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Barr says calls for coronavirus lockdown are the 'greatest intrusion on civil liberties' other than slavery in US history


By Katelyn Polantz and Christina Carrega, CNN


Updated 11:35 PM ET, Wed September 16, 2020





(CNN)  Attorney General William Barr suggested on Wednesday that the calls for a nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus were the "greatest intrusion on civil liberties" in history "other than slavery."

The comments came minutes after he slammed the hundreds of Justice Department prosecutors working beneath him, equating them to preschoolers, in a defense of his own politically tuned decision making in the Trump administration.

Addressing a Constitution Day celebration hosted by Hillsdale College, the event's host asked Barr to explain the "constitutional hurdles for forbidding a church from meeting during Covid-19."

Attorney General William Barr suggests charging violent protesters with sedition

The question lead Barr into a four-minute response where he said state governors were using their executive powers to stifle citizens and businesses from going back to work.

"You know, putting a national lockdown, stay at home orders, is like house arrest. Other than slavery, which was a different kind of restraint, this is the greatest intrusion on civil liberties in American history," Barr said as a round of applause came from the crowd.

Covid-19 has taken a measurable toll on minorities, including Black people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In recent weeks, Barr has taken a much more aggressive stance defending Trump administration policies, including suggesting voting by mail is not safe, attacking the Mueller investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and criticizing governors for their coronavirus response.

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Stripe is paying employees $20,000 if they leave big cities ...

Stripe is paying employees $20,000 if they leave big cities — but they'll also get a pay cut

By Alexis Benveniste, CNN Business

Updated 8:17 AM ET, Thu September 17, 2020




New York (CNN)Stripe is paying employees $20,000 if they relocate from expensive cities such as San Francisco, Seattle and New York, where the company has offices. But workers who make the move will have to take a 10% pay cut.

"We want our employees to be able to make whatever life choices they feel are best for them without barriers," a spokesperson for the financial services and software company told CNN Business.

Leaving big cities has become increasingly popular since the pandemic hit. Signed contracts for sales of condos and co-ops in Manhattan, for example, plunged nearly 60% in July, while contracts for single-family homes in areas outside of New York City have skyrocketed, according to a recent report from real estate brokerage Douglas Elliman and Miller Samuel, a real estate appraisal and consulting firm.

Some commuting Americans are already saving money during the pandemic. Americans traveled nearly 37 billion fewer miles on the road in June, compared to the same month last year, according to the Federal Highway Administration.

Fewer miles translates into money saved. Employees who once commuted by car but now work from home are saving a total of $758 million per day, according to research from freelancing platform Upwork. Over the months since the pandemic hit the US, that figure amounts to more than $90 billion.

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Christian worship leader brings controversial prayer rallies to cities roiled by protests

A crowd gathers to hear conservative Christian musician Sean Feucht perform with his band on Sept. 7 near Seattle’s Gas Works Park. (Julia Duin/Religion News Service)

By Marisa Iati and Sarah Pulliam Bailey
September 16, 2020 at 5:55 PM EDT


A conservative Christian musician who has been staging worship concerts across the country is performing in Kenosha, Wis., and Chicago on Wednesday as part of a controversial movement he says is intended to bring healing to cities upended by racial unrest.

Sean Feucht, a California-based worship leader, opened a promotional video from Kenosha by pointing to a parking lot of burned cars that he claimed were destroyed in recent protests of the shooting of Jacob Blake by a city police officer.

“We are believing in this place of devastation, God is releasing a sound of hope and healing and peace and unity,” Feucht said in the video. “And that’s what we’re coming to bring today.”

The concerts have drawn criticism for bringing together hundreds or thousands of people, most without masks, during the coronavirus pandemic. Some fellow Christians have also expressed frustration at what they see as Feucht trying to overshadow people protesting systemic racism and the use of force by police.

Feucht began hosting open-air concerts after government leaders implemented restrictions on religious gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic, he told Religion News Service. The concerts started as a way of pushing back on those guidelines, Feucht said, but expanded to focus on cities experiencing protests and riots in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

“We just feel this call to really target cities that are under extreme turmoil and despair and brokenness,” Feucht said this month on a podcast with health-supplement entrepreneur David James Harris Jr. “That’s why we’ve gone into places like Portland, downtown Portland a block from the riots; we’ve gone into Seattle, into the former CHOP zone. … God’s really writing a different story there.”

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Socialism Was Once America's Political Taboo. Now, Democratic Socialism Is a Viable Platform. Here's What to Know

The Socialist Feminists of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) protesting Trump's health care plan on Jul. 5, 2017, in front of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan. Erik McGregor/Pacific Press/LightRocket—Getty Images

BY OLIVIA B. WAXMAN

OCTOBER 24, 2018 6:00 PM EDT

As the 2018 midterm elections approach, the campaign season has come with its fair share of surprises. Among them is the phenomenon of primary-election success for members of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) — a situation that would have been extremely unlikely relatively recently, as socialism has long been considered a “dirty word” in American politics. In the post-World War II era, for example, only 15% of Americans wanted to see the country “go more in the direction of socialism,” according to a 1949 Gallup poll.

But that phenomenon is a lot less surprising now than it was just a few months ago, thanks to political newcomers with DSA ties. The DSA has endorsed 62 candidates for local, state and federal office, most famously Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a 29-year-old who defeated a 10-term incumbent in the Democratic primary to represent the Bronx and Queens, and Julia Salazar, 27, who won a New York State Senate Democratic primary. And even though Sex and the City actor and activist Cynthia Nixon lost the Democratic primary for Governor of New York to Andrew Cuomo, she too succeeded in raising awareness for democratic socialism. If candidates like Ocasio-Cortez and Salazar prove victorious in November, that trend is likely to continue.

But what exactly is democratic socialism?

Here’s what to know about the DSA and how it got that way, as explained by two experts on its history: Maurice Isserman is a professor of History at Hamilton College and author of The Other American: The Life Of Michael Harrington, a biography of the founder of the Democratic Socialists of America; Michael Kazin is a professor of History at Georgetown University and editor of Dissent magazine as well as a former member of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), a group associated with democratic socialism during the 1960s.

What does it mean to be a democratic socialist in America?

While the idea of equalizing the distribution of wealth is an old one, the way of doing so dubbed “socialism” dates to the 19th century. The term generally refers to collectively-owned businesses and forms of government, in which workers and government entities have more control over the means of production and distribution of goods, versus the private ownership and free market that drives capitalism.

American politicians today who are associated with democratic socialism generally favor New Deal-style programs, believing that government is a force for good in people’s lives and that a large European-style welfare state can exist in a capitalist society. They generally support ideas such as labor reform and pro-union policies, tuition-free public universities and trade schools, universal healthcare, federal jobs programs, fair taxation that closes loopholes that the wealthiest citizens have found, and using taxes on the rich and corporations to pay for social welfare programs. (Of course the Democratic Socialists of America website has a whole page on this very question, as do the campaign websites for Ocasio-Cortez and Salazar, as well as that of Senator Bernie Sanders, another prominent democratic socialist.)