Saturday, April 06, 2013

A Trip Into The Supernatural - Roger Morneau



Roger Morneau A Trip Into The Supernatural (full testimony)


AM5743


Uploaded on Sep 24, 2011


There sits today in rulership of this fallen world order one who has grown ancient in evil, cunning in subtlety, and cruel in deceit. He waged the first war of the universe in the distant planet called heaven, and subsequently brought conflict to this little world we call earth as it spins on the outer edges of the milky-way galaxy. He filled all heaven with discord and the earth with death, and both with great sorrow. He deceptively challenged every transparent purpose of the Creator, and even coveted the throne of the Eternal, planning to either assume rule of the universe or if not, then to plunge it into chaos and ruin.

This menacing figure who has hijacked our planet well explains the presence of every conflict that disturbs our world today, every pestilence that afflicts humanity, every sorrow and pain and death that tortures the children of earth. Lucifer, the former covering cherub and one-time honorable prime minister of the angelic intelligences in Heaven, has become Satan, the great adversary of our smitten world. This powerful angel heads a vast army of unseen intelligences, the hosts of darkness who oppose in this world, every beneficent purpose of our Creator the Almighty God of the universe. He especially hates the Holy One who in great condescension assumed our human nature that He might by divine power destroy the works of Satan, conquer evil and lift the terrible sentence of eternal death from our fallen race.

To speak of a throne of evil controlling this world system is no mere figure of speech, it is a grim reality. And the occupant of that throne is no figment of anyone's imagination. Jesus Christ ascribes to him the title of "prince of this world." John 14: 30. The famed Christian apostle Paul describes him as "the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience." Eph. 2: 2. Paul also warns us that "we do not wrestle against flesh and blood , but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness..." Eph 6:12 John the Revelator describes this foe as "the great dragon," "that old serpent, called the devil, and Satan who deceives the whole world." Rev. 12:9.

When the leader of revolt against the Eternal Creator was expelled from heaven, expelled along with him were many other angel intelligences who had yielded to his cunning sophistries and had joined in his unworthy rebellion. This world is today their singular abode. This is because that tremendous event, which rid heaven of the fallen hosts, was followed by the tragic fall of our first parents under Satan's lies. This historic fall let loose legions of fallen angels to bend all of their efforts and genius over many thousands of years in the work of spoiling, corrupting and ruining the once noble human family, originally created to be the crown of God's handiwork. A key element of the strategy to ruin humanity has been to lead man to blight and degrade the fair earth that was intended to be our perfect and eternal home.
The apostle Peter warns us "Be sober, be vigilant: because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." 1 Peter 5:8 Finally, the inspired revelator says " Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea! For the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has but a short time." Rev. 12:12.

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Rome - A History of the Eternal City



Rome - A History of the Eternal City - Ep1



7589g8e4444he4


Published on Dec 15, 2012


Simon Sebag Montefiore looks at how every event in ancient Rome revolved around religion. From the foundation myth through to the deification of Emperors; nothing could happen without calling upon the Pantheon of Roman gods. Simon investigates how the Romans worshipped and sacrificed to the gods. He discovers that sacredness defined what was Roman and it was the responsibility of every Roman to play their part in the cult. Even the ancient Roman sewer was holy ground!


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Rome - A History of the Eternal City - Ep2. Divine Gamble



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Rome - A History of the Eternal City - Ep3. The Rebirth of Gods City
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“Where the corpse is, there will be the eagles"



22 And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.

23 And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them.

24 For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.

25 But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.

26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.

27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.

28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;

29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.

30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

31 In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.

32 Remember Lot's wife.

33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.

34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.

35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.


37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, .Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.




Friday, April 05, 2013

Victory for Those Who Seek Deliverance



I was shown the people of God, and saw them mightily shaken. Some, with strong faith and agonizing cries, were pleading with God.
Some, I saw, did not participate in this work of agonizing and pleading. They seemed indifferent and careless. They were not resisting the darkness around them, and it shut them in like a thick cloud. The angels of God left these, and I saw them hastening to the assistance of those who were struggling with all their energies to resist the evil angels, and trying to help themselves by calling upon God with perseverance. But the angels left those who made no effort to help themselves, and I lost sight of them. As the praying ones continued their earnest cries, a ray of light from Jesus would at times come to them, to encourage their hearts, and light up their countenances.

I asked the meaning of the shaking I had seen, and was shown that it would be caused by the straight testimony called forth by the counsel of the True Witness to the Laodiceans. This will have its effect upon the heart of the receiver, and will lead him to exalt the standard and pour forth the straight truth. Some will not bear this straight testimony. They will rise up against it, and this will cause a shaking among God’s people. The testimony of the True Witness has not been half heeded. The solemn testimony upon which the destiny of the church hangs has been lightly esteemed, if not entirely disregarded. This testimony must work deep repentance, and all that truly receive it will obey it and be purified. 

Said the angel: “List ye!” [Listen!] Soon I heard a voice that sounded like many musical instruments, all in perfect strains, sweet and harmonious. It surpassed any music I had ever heard. It seemed to be so full of mercy, compassion, and elevating, holy joy. It thrilled through my whole being. Said the angel: “Look ye!” My attention was then turned to the company I had seen, who were mightily shaken. I was shown those whom I had before seen weeping and praying with agony of spirit. The company of guardian angels around them had been doubled, and they were clothed with an armor from their head to their feet. They moved in exact order, firmly, like a company of soldiers. Their countenances expressed the severe conflict which they had endured, the agonizing struggle they had passed through. Yet their features, marked with severe internal anguish, now shone with the light and glory of heaven. They had obtained the victory, and it called forth from them the deepest gratitude, and holy, sacred joy.
The numbers of this company had lessened. Some had been shaken out, and left by the way. [See Revelation 3:15-17.] The careless and indifferent, who did not join with those who prized victory and salvation enough to perseveringly plead and agonize for it, did not obtain it, and they were left behind in darkness, but their numbers were immediately made up by others taking hold of the truth and coming into the ranks. Still the evil angels pressed around them, but they could have no power over them. [See Ephesians 6:12-18.]
I heard those clothed with the armor speak forth the truth in great power. It had effect. I saw those who had been bound; some wives had been bound by their husbands, and some children had been bound by their parents. The honest who had been held or prevented from hearing the truth, now eagerly laid hold of it. All fear of their relatives was gone. The truth alone was exalted to them. It was dearer and more precious than life. They had been hungering and thirsting for truth. I asked what had made this great change. An angel answered: “It is the latter rain, the refreshing from the presence of the Lord, the loud cry of the third angel.”

Great power was with these chosen ones. Said the angel: “Look ye!” My attention was turned to the wicked, or unbelievers. They were all astir. The zeal and power with the people of God had aroused and enraged them. Confusion, confusion was on every side. I saw measures taken against this company, who had the power and light of God.

Darkness thickened around them, yet there they stood, approved of God, and trusting in Him. I saw them perplexed. Next I heard them crying unto God earnestly. Through the day and night their cry ceased not. [SeeLuke 18:7, 8; Revelation 14:14, 15.]
I heard these words: “Thy will, O God, be done! If it can glorify Thy name, make a way of escape for Thy people! Deliver us from the heathen round about us! They have appointed us unto death; but Thine arm can bring salvation.” These are all the words that I can bring to mind. All seemed to have a deep sense of their unworthiness, and manifested entire submission to the will of God. Yet like Jacob, every one, without an exception, was earnestly pleading and wrestling for deliverance.
Soon after they had commenced their earnest cry, the angels, in sympathy, would have gone to their deliverance. But a tall, commanding angel suffered them not. Said he: “The will of God is not yet fulfilled. They must drink of the cup. They must be baptized with the baptism.”

Soon I heard the voice of God which shook the heavens and the earth. [See Joel 3:16; Hebrews 12:26; and Revelation 16:17.] There was a mighty earthquake. Buildings were shaken down, and fell on every side. I then heard a triumphant shout of victory, loud, musical, and clear. I looked upon this company, who, a short time before, were in such distress and bondage. Their captivity was turned. A glorious light shone upon them. How beautiful they then looked! All weariness and marks of care were gone; health and beauty were seen in every countenance. Their enemies, the heathen around them, fell like dead men. They could not endure the light that shone upon the delivered, holy ones. This light and glory remained upon them until Jesus was seen in the clouds of heaven, and the faithful, tried company were changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, from glory to glory. The graves were opened and the saints came forth, clothed with immortality, crying: “Victory over death and the grave!” and together with the living saints they were caught up to meet their Lord in the air, while rich, musical shouts of glory and victory proceeded from every immortal tongue. 

Counsels for the Church, pp.338-340.
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Happy Sabbath!

True Wisdom


13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

James 3:13-18.
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Stephen Budd traded 'Budd Bucks' for sex acts with girls, police say


Former teacher at Rosarian Academy arrested in West Palm Beach
Published 5:40 PM EDT Apr 04, 2013




Stephen Budd is accused of offering "Budd Bucks," or candy, to two of his fourth-grade students in exchange for sexual acts.



WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. —A West Palm Beach teacher faces sexual battery charges after a girl told police he gave her candy in exchange for sexual acts.

Stephen Budd, 51, was arrested Wednesday as he attempted to leave his apartment.

West Palm Beach police said the alleged acts occurred while Budd was a fourth-grade homeroom teacher at Rosarian Academy during the 2006-07 school year.

According to the police report, Budd rewarded the girl and another student with "Budd Bucks," or candy, in exchange for sexual acts. The girls were both 9 years old at the time.

Police said this occurred during the second week of the school year and "quickly became a daily routine."

Detectives engaged in a series of controlled calls, Facebook messages and text messages with Budd and the girls. Although Budd apologized, he did not specify for what.

During the final call, police heard "the sounds of rummaging and zippers" before Budd said he had to go to bed and abruptly ended the call.

That's when officers went to his apartment and arrested him before he could leave.

Police said they believe there could be other victims.

Michelle O calls herself a 'busy single mother'...





Michelle Obama flubs, calls herself a "busy single mother"

During an interview with Burlington, Vt. CBS affiliate WCAX, first lady Michelle Obama described herself as a "busy single mother" before quickly correcting herself, explaining, "Sometimes when you've got the husband who's president, it can feel a little single, but he's there."


http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50144220n


Strong 6.2 quake rocks Russia near N. Korea border



From: AFP
April 06, 2013 1:09AM





A 6.2-magnitude earthquake has struck Russia, near the border with China and North Korea, the US Geological Survey says.



A POWERFUL 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck early in eastern Russia near the border with China and North Korea, the US Geological Survey said.

The epicentre of the quake, which struck at 1300 GMT Friday, was southwest of Vladivostok, around nine kilometers from the Russian border town of Zarubino, at a depth of 561 kilometres, the USGS said.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage from the quake, which struck seconds after 12am Saturday local time.

A 6.1-magnitude quake struck Russia's far east last month, and a 6.9 quake rocked the region in February. Neither caused significant damage.

An underground formation in the area known as the Kuril-Kamchatka arc is considered one of the most seismically active regions in the world.

Since 1900, seven powerful earthquakes of magnitude 8.3 or greater have occurred along the arc, according to the USGS.


Source
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Cohabitation first is new norm for unmarrieds with kids


Sharon Jayson, USA TODAY10:38a.m. EDT April 4, 2013

New report gives a fuller picture of cohabitation in the USA.



(Photo: Stockbyte)


STORY HIGHLIGHTS
For first unions, cohabitation has increased
22 months is median duration of first cohabitation
Within three years of cohabiting, 40% of women had transitioned to marriage



Unmarried couples who live together are staying together longer than in the past — and more of them are having children, according to the first federal data out Thursday that details just how cohabitation is transforming families across the USA.

For almost half of women ages 15-44, their "first union" was cohabitation rather than marriage, says the report from the National Center for Health Statistics. For less than one-quarter, the first union was marriage. The report was based on in-person interviews conducted between 2006 and 2010 with 12,279 women ages 15-44.

"Instead of marriage, people are moving into cohabitation as a first union," says demographer Casey Copen, the report's lead author. "It's kind of a ubiquitous phenomenon now."

Although cohabitation and fertility have been reviewed previously, Copen says this report is the first analyzing the relationship between the two, and the first from the federal government to give detailed data on how long cohabiting relationships last. Among the findings:

-- As a first union, 48% of women cohabited with their male partner, up from 43% in 2002 and 34% in 1995.

-- 23% of first unions were marriages, down from 30% in 2002 and 39% in 1995. The percentage of women who cohabited as a first union increased for all races and ethnic groups, except Asian women. Among Hispanics, the percentage increased 57%; for whites, 43%; for blacks, 39%.

-- 22 months is the median duration of first cohabitation, up from 20 months in 2002 and 13 months in 1995.

-- 19% of women became pregnant and gave birth in the first year of a first premarital cohabitation.

-- Within three years of cohabiting, 40% of women had transitioned to marriage; 32% remained living together; 27% had broken up.

"The United States has long had the shortest cohabiting relationships of any wealthy nation and now these relationships are lengthening," says sociologist Andrew Cherlin of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

Demographers say education plays a huge role in how these romantic relationships play out.

The new data show 70% of women without a high school diploma cohabited as a first union, compared with 47% of those with a bachelor's degree or higher. Among women ages 22-44 with higher education, their cohabitations were more likely to transition to marriage within years (53%), compared with 30% for those who didn't graduate high school.

"What we're seeing here is the emergence of children within cohabiting unions among the working class and the poor," Cherlin says. "They have high standards for marriage and they don't think they can meet them for now, but increasingly, it's not stopping them from having a child. Having children within cohabiting unions is much more common among everybody but the college educated."

"Cohabitation is a common part of family formation in the United States, and serves both as a step toward marriage and as an alternative to marriage," the report says.

Mark Mather, a demographer at the Population Reference Bureau, a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit research organization, says education is the "main determining factor of whether this is a transition to marriage or maybe a short-term union."

"Those with less education are much more likely to break up," he says. "They may enter a second or third cohabiting union. There tends to be a lot more instability."

Sociologist Sarah Hayford of Arizona State University in Tempe, who studies cohabiting relationships, says they are complicated.

"It seems like cohabiting unions are playing different roles for different people," she says.





























Source
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Security Breach At John F. Kennedy Airport

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Jail Guard 'Gives Birth To Cop Killer's Baby'


Nancy Gonzalez faces up to 15 years in prison as US law says inmates cannot consent to having sexual relationships.

9:52pm UK, Friday 22 March 2013



Nancy Gonzalez is charged with having an unlawful sexual relationship




Ronell Wilson's death sentence was overturned



By Sky News US Team

A female prison guard accused of having a sexual relationship with an inmate who killed two New York City police officers has given birth to a son.

An attorney for Nancy Gonzalez told the New York Daily News that his client gave birth to Justus Liam Gonzalez on Thursday night in New York and is doing well.

Ms Gonzalez was charged in February with having an unlawful sexual relationship with inmate Ronell Wilson while working at a federal detention centre in Brooklyn.

Inmates cannot legally consent to sex. The 29-year-old faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

Ms Gonzalez's attorney says his client has had a tragic life and made poor decisions.

"She's had a very tragic life and as this case proceeds, you'll learn more about it and how these affected her judgement," Anthony Ricco said outside court last month.

According to court files, other prisoners told of Wilson's affair with Ms Gonzalez.

They reported seeing the couple hugging and kissing, and Ms Gonzalez in Wilson's cell standing in front of him while his pants were pulled down.

CCTV cameras allegedly also captured some of their illicit liaisons.

Wilson's execution-style murder of the two undercover officers led to the first federal death sentence passed in the city in more than half a century.

But the punishment was overturned by a federal court in 2010, and Wilson is awaiting his sentence before a new jury.


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Sodom and Gomorrah History Repeats Itself in America





wakeus777


Published on Jun 4, 2012

History is repeated by those who do not study it. The truth of what is coming to our country with the homosexual agenda. God does punish those who do not keep his Commandments and those who partake in abomiNATIONS or obamanations. This video is NOT meant to insult or attack any homosexual in any manner. As fellow brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ we only hope that Jesus Christ touches their hearts and leads them back to His grace. For we ALL are sinners and in need of salvation. We pray that God blesses those who seek His truth and celebrate in His resurrection which conquered death for our admittance into His kingdom. AMEN

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Ban lifted on pro-paedophilia group in The Netherlands



CHARLOTTE MCDONALD-GIBSON



WEDNESDAY 03 APRIL 2013




A Dutch appeals court has lifted a ban on an organisation which lobbies for the legalisation of sex between adults and children, after finding that the group was not breaking any laws in The Netherlands.


A civil court in the north-eastern town of Assen last year ordered the Martijn foundation to disband, saying its stance was “a grave infraction of the values of our society”.

But an appeals court in Leeuwarden has ruled that the group, which claims it does not promote sexual abuse and insists it is “a platform for discussion of paedophilia”, could not be outlawed because its existence did not threaten society, the Dutch News website reported.

The court accepted arguments a group lobbying for paedophilia did go against “certain principles in the Dutch criminal system” but argued society was strong enough to withstand such “undesirable statements and abhorrent behaviour” without banning it.

And while a number of its members have been jailed on child pornography charges, the court found that the words and photographs on the organisation’s website did not break any laws.

The head of the organisation, Martijn Uittenbogaard, said the group’s 60 members would meet to decide what to do next.

Christian groups said they would continue to try to change the law and get the group, which is widely reviled in the country, banned.


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Texas School Will Allow Student To Wear Dress To Prom


By Zack Ford on Apr 4, 2013 at 3:24 pm




In February, Spring High School in Texas told student George “Tony” Zamazal that she would not be allowed to wear a dress to prom, even though she feels more comfortable dressing as a woman and identifying with female pronouns. The ACLU intervened on her behalf, and now the school has relented, explaining that Tony could wear a dress so long as she complied with the prom’s dress code as it’s enforced for all female students.

The senior is ecstatic:


TONY: All I wanted was to get to wear a dress to prom, because I wouldn’t have felt comfortable at all showing up in a tux. I’m so grateful that my school has agreed to let me be myself on such an important night.

Respecting people’s identities does not have any major consequence except allowing them to feel safe and authentic.


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No noon meal for kids in debt at middle school


By Ben Brumfield, CNN

updated 2:55 AM EDT, Fri April 5, 2013


One of the parents said denying students lunch because of a debt was "bullying" and "child abuse."

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Kids with a negative payment balance were asked to throw away their food
The principal blames the food vendor
The vendor blames employees it says made the decision themselves
Students with negative balances are to normally receive a cheese sandwich


(CNN) -- Sorry, kid. No money, no lunch.

Students at an Attleboro, Massachusetts, middle school went hungry this week, if they had a negative balance on their pre-paid lunch cards.

Five cents of debt was enough for cafeteria employees at the Coehlo Middle School to instruct kids at least one day this week to dump out the food they would have normally eaten, CNN affiliate WJAR in Rhode Island reported.

About 25 children left the lunchroom with empty stomachs, said Whitson's Culinary Group in a statement. The company runs the school's cafeteria.

Parents were appalled. So was the principal. So was Whitson's.

"I told them this is bullying; that's neglect, child abuse," said parent Jo-An Blanchard.

Principal Andrew Boles apologized and blamed the culinary company. "My expectation is that every child, every adult, every parent, every student, every teacher is respected in this building, and that didn't happen yesterday because of Whitson's," he told WJAR.

Whitson's apologized in a statement and said it was not company policy to deny meals to children. It added that the school district had no official policy on what to do in such situations.

"Employees had taken it upon themselves to institute this change; it was not condoned or approved," said Whitson spokeswoman Holly Von Seggern. "We had absolutely no idea."

Workers in the school's cafeteria work on a contract basis, Boles said. He thinks the decision came from Whitson's.

Whitson's supplies 80 schools in New England with lunch meals, Von Seggern said. CNN could find no previous reports on similar incidents involving the company.

Kids with a negative balance usually receive "a cheese sandwich, a fruit and vegetable, and milk." Then the company contacts the parents about payment.


Source
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Thursday, April 04, 2013

Archdiocese Of Milwaukee To Release Dolan Testimony, Other Documents In Child Sex Abuse Scandal


Updated 04/03/2013 11:47 PM


By: Mahsa Saeidi

The Archdiocese of Milwaukee will soon release thousands of pages of documents on the child sex abuse scandal that rocked the Catholic Church, including the deposition given by Cardinal Timothy Dolan in February. NY1's Mahsa Saeidi filed the following report.



Cardinal Timothy Dolan's handling of the child sex abuse scandal that rocked the Catholic Church will soon be public.

The cardinal's deposition is among 3,000 documents being released on July 1.

All of the documents relate to the alleged sexual abuse of children by clergy in Milwaukee.

"I think the Catholic Church has learned a very painful lesson on what not to do in terms of dealing with sexual abuse," said Joseph Zwilling, spokesperson for the Archdiocese of New York.

Prior to coming to the city, Dolan was Archbishop in Milwaukee from 2002 to 2009.

In February, the cardinal was deposed in connection with the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case involving the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

"The cardinal was very open with the lawyers, answered all of their questions, and said at that time that he wanted people to know what happened," Zwilling said.

The archdiocese filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection two years after Dolan left, as it dealt with about 500 sex abuse claims.

The allegation is that large sums of money were kept hidden from victims seeking claims.

Victims' advocates have been seeking the release of the documents for several years.

The advocacy group Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) released a statement that said, "We are grateful this deposition is being made public. It's a shame it takes civil litigation and brave victims to force Dolan to answer for his wrongdoing," the group said in a statement.

Zwilling said that Dolan's record as the Archbishop of Milwaukee is exemplary.

The sexual abuse of minors, Zwilling said, is a societal problem not just confined to the church.

The hope now is that the church can use the lessons its learned to be a model for other institutions.

"How to be compassionate towards the victims. How to handle those people who do these terrible crimes," Zwilling said.

Zwilling said that despite what may have been the case in the past, victim's who come forward now will be received warmly and lovingly.


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EVANGELICAL PASTOR FIRED FOR SUPPORTING MARRIAGE EQUALITY AND LGBT INCLUSION



Wednesday, April 3, 2013 - 4:49pm by Todd Clayton, Religion, Faith and Values Media Intern at GLAAD




For eight years, Ryan Bell was the senior pastor of Hollywood Adventist Church, an evangelical, Seventh-day Adventist congregation affectionately known as the "purple church" because of a clear glaze on the building's exterior that years of sun have turned lavender. Half a mile up Hollywood Boulevard from the Pantages Theater, Bell's church was situated in the heart of the city, and reflected Los Angeles' diversity: "young and older…and now children!, multi-ethnic, poor and middle-class, gay and straight, artists, business people, teachers and civic servants," he remarked in his open letter of resignation.


Bell was asked to leave the congregation a week ago, not by its members, but by the governing body—the administration of the Southern California Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church—after his theological and ideological convictions were deemed inconsistent with the trajectory of the Adventists.

When asked if he saw the termination coming, Bell—an LGBT ally and marriage equality advocate—said, "Yeah, I would say I did. My views on gay marriage pushed some tensions over the line. There were growing tensions between me and the [governing body of the church], and not just on LGBT issues." The congregation was devastated by the news, and statements of shock and deep grief have been surfacing since the news was announced.

Bell is an adjunct professor at nearby Azusa Pacific University, but says he's not entirely sure where he's headed next. "Well," he laughed, "it's been a whole week since I found out, so I'm not quite sure yet."

Bell's hope for the future of the church is encouraging. He expressed a desire to see LGBTQ people welcomed like any other group into all congregations. "The gift that LGBT people bring to the church is an examined sexuality; straight people are not forced to do that same work," he said. For Bell, inclusion is not enough: "We need to go beyond inclusion, and we need to learn from [the LGBTQ community]."


A life-long Adventist, Bell represents a growing and encouraging trend in American evangelicalism: people who previously were silent on issues of LGBT equality courageously speaking out in support of full inclusion, even when it comes at great cost. Most recently, a different evangelical Bell (Rob, author; pastor) made clear his support of marriage equality. Earlier this year, Samantha Curley and Chelsea McInturff hosted the first LGBTQ film forum on an evangelical seminary campus.

GLAAD recognizes the bravery of Ryan Bell's commitment to establishing equality and justice, and offers its condolences to the understandably distraught members of Hollywood Adventist Church, who—undoubtedly, will feel the absence of their beloved leader in the coming months.


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Another Jesus, Another gospel



A Touchy Feely Christianity


For a while now I have noticed a new phenomenon in the religious world. It was hard to describe at first, though I began to notice the changes in liturgy, and the attitudes towards traditional Christian beliefs. First, I heard of the Celebration style of worship, and how it would eventually spread to 'all' churches. I was shocked when I first saw drums and dance... along with applause in a religious service on the Sabbath; The two young 'worship leaders' on stage encouraged everyone to get into the spirit of emotional manifestations. I was surprised because this was not a Pentecostal church; Had it been one I would not have been amazed. Then, a few months later I went to a Messianic SDA church, and was again shocked by the new charismatic worship style; This time I was offered a choice between a tambourine or Maracas, to join in the 'spirited' singing.

I see a pattern of outward display in this newfangled worship style; mostly style (appearance) and little substance since none of this enthusiasm is based on The Bible. I was once told that feelings are temporary; So, if our worship is based on feelings it can easily change.

Don't you suppose that another gospel is also being taught to go along with this new worship 'fashion'?
I think so!
There is undoutedly another gospel associated with this new finger snapping - praise and worship fad. And it isn't anything new. If I am not mistaken it has been at least one hundred years since the AZUSA STREET Revival? The birth of the modern Pentecostal movement. It has since then spread throughout Christian churches, even to the Catholic church. Foot stomping old time religion is back, this time with electric guitars, drums sets, also smoke and lights;  However, there is a notable difference, you are told you can't stop sinning. That isn't new either, the Holy Flesh Movement also claimed similar beliefs; that is beyond the scope of the focus here.

Another Jesus is also being preached, a jesus dude who is cool and loves you, man. Rock music, dancing to a Lighthouse Everything 'skit';  Besides these innovations, Drama is prominent in this new gospel, so is Pantomime, with ultraviolet lights and white gloves for effect. Lastly, for the children there are Puppets and Clown Ministry. This is definitely another Jesus and another gospel for whom all this hoopla is being done. And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. (Matthew 24:4,5).
The Lord is not a God of confusion; The way the truth and the life is not Touchy Feely.

Yes, folks this is another Jesus and a new gospel, not the Biblical one; Beware of counterfeits!



For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
- 2 Corinthians 11:4


I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

- Galatians 1:6-9


Amen!
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Night of Worship




4/1/13

CHATTANOOGA, TN—With standing room only, 540 people packed into the Hamilton Community Church in Chattanooga, Tenn., and came together for one purpose: worship. It was the vision of Rick Anderson and Brooks Pruehs to bring the community together through worship in music. “No One Higher” was the theme for their second Night of Worship, strategically planned to generate interest in the community to look only to ONE, to lift voice and heart to ONE who alone can change lives.

Members of the Hamilton Community Church invited their neighbors, co-workers, family, and friends to come experience one hour of powerful praise. Many Southern Adventist University students attended and brought friends as well. About half of those who came were non-members.

Dave Ketelsen, Hamilton Community Church pastor, gave a 10-minute stirring message reminding us all how we need to move from a behavior-centered religion to a Savior-centered relationship, where doing good by not doing bad is not good, and being right by not being wrong is not right—because it’s not about performance or behavior, it’s about connection and relationship with our Friend, Jesus Christ.

On Sunday, Ketelsen received a call from a young man who had come because his girlfriend invited him. He’s not a member of any church and knows very little about Adventists, but he asked if he could join the church; he’s now preparing for baptism and going through studies.

A Sunday pastor, who has been attending the Hamilton Community Church, also went to the Night of Worship.

“This was one of the most inspirational worship services I’ve ever been to,” he said. “Next time, I’ll invite more friends to come."

Written by Dave Ketelsen, Hamilton Community Church pastor
Photos by Grady Sapp



More News

Georgia-Cumberland Conference Mission for Spiritual Life
Intimacy with God is nourished by prayer, study and application of the Word, public and private worship, and faithful stewardship that strengthen a personal commitment to serving Jesus as Savior and Lord.


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Who is Thomas Edward Perez?


Thomas Perez
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Thomas Edward Perez (born October 7, 1961) is an American politician, consumer advocate and civil rights lawyer, who serves as the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice. Perez was appointed by Maryland Governor Martin O'Malleyto serve as Secretary of the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (DLLR) in January 2007, until his October 2009 confirmation by the United States Senate as Assistant Attorney General. On March 18, 2013, Perez was nominated by President Barack Obama to be the United States Secretary of Labor, replacing outgoing Secretary Hilda Solis.[1][2]

Thomas Perez


Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights

Incumbent
Assumed office
October 8, 2009
President Barack Obama
Preceded by Wan Kim
Personal details
Born Thomas Edward Perez
October 7, 1961 (age 51)
Buffalo, New York, U.S.
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Ann Marie Staudenmaier
Children Amalia
Susana
Rafael
Alma mater Brown University (B.A.)
Harvard Law School (J.D.)
Religion Roman Catholic


Early life and education

Thomas Edward Perez was born and raised in Buffalo, New York, to parents Rafael and Grace (née Brache) Perez, who were both first generationDominican immigrants.[3] His father Rafael, who earned U.S. citizenship after enlisting in the U.S. Army after World War II, worked as a doctor in Atlanta, Georgia before moving to Buffalo where he worked as a physician at a VA hospital.[4] His mother, who came to the United States in 1930 after her father Rafael Brache, was appointed as the Dominican Republic's Ambassador to the United States, remained in the U.S. after Ambassador Brache was declared persona non grata by his own government, for speaking out against Dominican President Rafael Trujillo's regime.[5] Perez, who was the youngest of four brother and sisters (who all followed their father in becoming doctors), suffered the loss of their father when he died of a heart attack, when Perez was 12 years old.[6] He graduated from Canisius High School, an all men's Roman Catholic Jesuit private school, in 1979.[7]


(Enough said!)


Read more

..
Related:


Perez has the track record to lead Labor Department

By William G. Robertson and Ronald R. Peterson - 04/02/13 11:35 AM ET

Robertson is the former chairman and Peterson is the former vice chairman of the Governor’s Workforce Investment Board (Maryland).

Note: Robertson is the president and CEO of Adventist HealthCare in Rockville, Maryland. Peterson is president of Johns Hopkins Hospital and Health System and executive vice president of Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland. Their opinions do not represent official positions of either institution
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Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/labor/291393-perez-has-the-track-record-to-lead-labor-department#ixzz2PWMktm00
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Anti-drone demo held in New York



Members of Grandmothers Against the War, Granny Peace Brigade, the Raging Grannies and other groups hoist a model of a drone in the air in a protest rally on April 3, 2013, in New York.

Thu Apr 4, 2013 2:27AM GMT


Several groups of peace activists have demonstrated in New York to generate a public uprising across the United States against the government’s use of assassination drones.

The protesters rallied in New York on Wednesday to call for an immediate halt to US assassination drone attacks in other countries and to voice their opposition to any use of drones inside the US.

Wednesday's protest is part of a series of public protests, dubbed April Days of Action, which the organizers say will spread nationwide and target the infrastructure -- the military bases, universities and companies -- that supports the US government's overseas drone program.

The activists want President Barack Obama to abandon his assassination drone program.

US officials refuse to publicly discuss any details of the covert program and the death toll from drone strikes remains a mystery.

According to the London-based Bureau of Investigative Journalism, in Pakistan alone 366 strikes have killed up to 3,581 people, with 884 being innocent civilians.

Washington uses assassination drones in several countries, claiming that they target “terrorists.” According to witnesses, however, the attacks have mostly led to massive civilian casualties.

MN/MHB


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Obama to return 5 percent of salary to Treasury


Updated: Wed, Apr 3, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sharing a bit of budget pain, President Barack Obama will return 5 percent of his salary to the Treasury in a show of solidarity with federal workers smarting from government-wide spending cuts....
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ALERT: All Of The Money In Your Bank Account Could Disappear In A Single Moment



Posted on April 3, 2013 by Michael Snyder



What would you do if you logged in to your bank account someday and it showed that you had a zero balance and your bank had no record that you ever had any money in your account? What would you do if all of the money in your bank account suddenly disappeared in a single moment? If you had not kept any paper records, which most Americans do not, it would be exceedingly difficult to prove to the bank that you actually had any money in the bank. If you don't think that something like this could ever happen in the United States, you might want to think again. Cyber attacks against major banks in the United States are becoming more powerful and more sophisticated with each passing month. In fact, major U.S. bank websites have been offline for a total of 249 hours over the past six weeks. And just last month, thousands upon thousands of Chase customers logged into their bank accounts only to discover that their balances had all been reset to zero. Anyone that would want to cause complete and total economic chaos in the United States could accomplish it very easily by wiping out all of our bank account records. So please do not keep all of your money in a single bank, and from now on please keep a paper copy of all of your bank account statements. At some point it is likely that one of these cyber attacks will cause permanent damage to our banking system, and you want to be protected.

The mainstream media has generally been very quiet about the massive cyber attacks against our major banks, but behind the scenes authorities are truly alarmed. They don't know how to stop these attacks, and they just keep getting more intense and more sophisticated.

Could you imagine how you would feel if you logged in to your bank account and all of your money was gone? That is exactly what happened to some Chase customers last month. The following is from a recent CNET article...

JP Morgan Chase denied this evening that it had suffered a hack that many customers claimed had suddenly reduced their checking account balances to zero.

After discovering the apparently empty accounts via the Internet or mobile devices, many Chase banking customers turned to Twitter to express their frustration and show screen shots of zero balances. Other users were greeted with messages that their bank account balances were unavailable.

But this was most definitely not an isolated incident. That same article noted that Chase and many of our other large banks have had their websites taken down for extended periods of time lately...


Customers' suspicions about a possible security breach are natural, with the zero balances appearing less than a week after a massive distributed-denial-of-service attack rendered Chase's Web sites useless for many hours. Customers trying to use the site's tools were instead greeted with a note that the site was "temporarily down."

Hackers have ratcheted up their assaults on financial institutions in recent months, using DDoS attacks to take down Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Chase, Citigroup, HSBC, and others.

In fact, as I mentioned above, major U.S. bank websites have been offline for an astounding 249 hours over the last six weeks alone. The attacks just keep getting larger and bank officials are becoming very alarmed about the power of these cyber attacks. The following is from an article that was posted on CNBC this week...


Major U.S. bank websites have been offline a total of 249 hours in the past six weeks, perhaps the clearest indication yet that American companies are prime targets in an unrelenting, global cyber conflict.

The heavier-than-usual outages are the result of a remarkable, sustained attack that began seven months ago and repeatedly knocks banks offline for hours at a time, frustrating consumers and bank security professionals alike.

"Literally, these banks are just in war rooms, sitting at controls trying to stop (the attacks)," said Avivah Litan, a bank security analyst with Gartner Group, a consulting firm. "The frightening thing is (the attackers) are not using as much resources as they have on call. The attacks could be bigger."

So who is behind these attacks?

Some are blaming Chinese hackers, others believe that Iran is behind the attacks, and yet others are convinced that it is the work of Islamic terrorists.

It is kind of frightening that they cannot positively identify who is behind these attacks. Whoever it is, they sure do seem to have a tremendous amount of resources and they are very sophisticated.

And in the future, it may not be hackers on the other side of the globe that are attacking our banks. In fact, if someone wanted to "recapitalize the banks", all they would have to do is wipe out all of our bank account records (including all backup records). Suddenly trillions of dollars of "unsecured liabilities" (that is what our bank accounts are) would be wiped out and the banks would suddenly be solvent again. Anyone that could not produce evidence that they actually had money in the banks would be in a lot of trouble. It would be the largest single wealth transfer in the history of the world, and it would throw the U.S. economy into utter chaos. This is a scenario that I am exploring in my new novel which will be coming out later this month.

And of course another way that your bank account could be wiped out in a single moment is if the government decides to "legally" steal it. We just witnessed this happen in Cyprus. In February, the Central Bank of Cyprus swore that such a thing could never possibly happen, but then one month later it did happen. The politicians will lie to your face until the very day comes when they steal your money.

Sadly, a very similar thing could easily happen in the United States someday. As I wrote about yesterday, the big banks are making incredibly reckless bets with our money. When those bets go bad, our money could very well be used to cover those bets.

One way this could be accomplished is by using a practice known as "rehypothecation". It sounds complicated, but it really isn't. Basically, the banks use money that clients have entrusted to them to cover their own gambling debts. This is how rehypothecaton is defined by Investopedia...


"The practice by banks and brokers of using, for their own purposes, assets that have been posted as collateral by their clients."

An excellent article by Jeff Nielson detailed how this could result in the big banks grabbing our money when their trillions of dollars of reckless bets go bad...


1) Our banking regulators knowingly allow financial institutions to engage in recklessly misleading (if not outright fraudulent) contracts with their clients, through the use of complex “small print” in their account contracts with clients.

2) The three largest U.S. “banks” by deposit (JP Morgan, Bank of America, Citigroup) have made bets in their own rigged casino, which total well in excess of $100 trillion, an amount which completely dwarfs their total, combined deposits (and assets).

3) A large portion of those bets occur in the $60+ trillion credit default swap market. Pay-outs in these markets can (and do) exceed 300 times the amount of the original bet. It is bets in this market which “blew up” AIG, requiring more than $150 billion in immediate government aid.

4) Following the Crash of ’08; these same banks mooched a package of hand-outs, tax-breaks and “guarantees” (i.e. future hand-outs) from the Bush regime in excess of $15 trillion, the last time their gambling debts went bad on them – and all of these banks have been allowed to dramatically increase the total amount of their gambling since then.

5) It would take only a minor change in the gambling contracts in which these bankers engage to allow their creditors to seize funds out of ordinary bank accounts.

6) The existing language for the bank accounts of these U.S. banks is possibly already so vague (and prejudicial to clients) that it would allow these banks to reinterpret the terms of these bank accounts – and allow rehypothecation to be used to rob the holders of ordinary bank accounts, people who themselves make no “bets” in markets whatsoever. Alternately, customers could be blitzed with an offer for “new and improved” bank accounts, where terms allowing rehypothecation are slipped into the contract, with the banks knowing that the “regulators” will do nothing to warn account-holders of the gigantic risk they are taking.

But we are all covered by deposit insurance, right?

That is what the people of Cyprus thought too.

As we just saw in Cyprus, when there is a "banking crisis" sometimes government steps in and suddenly changes all of the rules overnight even though the vast majority of the population is against it.

Hopefully you can see that no bank account will ever truly be "safe" ever again.

Your money may be safe today, and your money may be there next week, but someday it could disappear in a single moment.

And the general public is definitely starting to lose faith in the banking system. Google searches for the term "bank run" have been absolutely spiking recently. Just check out this chart which shows that searches for "bank run" are now the highest that they have ever been.

So what should we all do to protect ourselves?

As I mentioned earlier, it is important to not have all of your money in one bank, and from now on you will want to permanently keep paper copies of all of your bank account statements.

Someday you may need those statements in order to prove that you actually had money in the bank.

Our world is becoming increasingly unstable, and at some point financial disaster is going to strike.

By taking prudent precautions now, hopefully you will be able to minimize the damage to your family.



About Michael Snyder

Michael Snyder is the editor of The Economic Collapse Blog


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Could the U.S. Do Like Cyprus and Seize Bank Deposits?



by John Grgurich, Apr 3rd 2013 4:30PM




Getty Images


Just when we all thought it was safe to stop worrying about the eurozone, another country's banking system blew up and stopped the Continent in its economic tracks.

This time, the victim was Cyprus: a tiny Mediterranean island not far from Greece, whose two biggest banks were facing insolvency if Europe didn't come to the rescue. And yes, a last-minute rescue plan was arranged. But rather than simply bailing out the banks with EU taxpayer money, as had been done previously, the European Union initially decided to "bail in" the creditors -- that is, make people with money deposited in the banks take some of the hit for the rescue.

Initially, part of this hit was going to be against insured depositors -- ordinary savers whose accounts were insured by the European Union up to €100,000. Had the plan gone through as proposed, they would have faced a one-time 6.75 percent tax on their accounts.

However, there was such local and international uproar against the notion that ordinary citizens could have their bank accounts raided by the government that a new bailout plan was devised. This one protected insured depositors but still left those with various levels of "unsecured debt" -- i.e., very large deposits -- in the country's two biggest banks on the hook.

The mere fact that Cyprus attempted to raid insured accounts has left a bad taste in people's mouths around the world. And it has led some people to ask: Could that ever happen here in America?

Let's play pretend with the U.S. banking system

Imagine if the U.S. found itself in Cyprus' situation, with a failing banking system and no way to save it except by accepting the terms of whatever rescue plan was handed down by foreign governments or multinational organizations.

Finding that hard to imagine? It's no wonder.

That's because, unlike EU members, Washington isn't subject to any superseding government. No outside force can dictate terms to it. And if the U.S. banking systemdoes get itself into trouble (as it did in when the housing bubble burst and tanked the markets), we're still not in danger of running out of money to pay off our IOUs.

Unlike eurozone nations, we have our own currency. We can just "print" more of it until our debts are covered. So you can rest assured -- if the government needed money to prop up endangered banks, it surely wouldn't need to reach into your savings account to find it.

True, there are dangers associated with flooding the market with dollars, inflation being one of them. But the fact remains that the U.S. literally can't run out of money. For Cyprus, and other countries that have had to take European Union bailout money because there was no other place to turn, this is one of the major downsides of not having a separate currency.

Our ability to print money isn't the only stop-gap against a Cyprus situation. We also have a long-standing deposit-insuring agency: the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

We've Got You Covered

The FDIC was established as part of The Banking Act of 1933, in part as a response to the thousands of bank failures that occurred in the U.S. in the late 1920s and 1930s. (At FDIC-approved financial institutions, single depositors are covered up to $250,000 per owner, joint depositors are covered up to $250,000 per co-owner, and even IRAs are covered up to $250,000 per owner.)

No depositor has ever lost a dollar on insured deposits under the limits since the depositor guarantee was written into law in 1933. Without first changing the law, no American president or other member of the federal government could unilaterally tax the accounts of insured bank depositors to "bail in" failing banks. (Interestingly, the FDIC and the Bank of England have floated the idea of a policy that could, in theory, legalize such bank account haircuts, turning the Cyprus experiment into a U.S. precedent. But at this point, it's only a White Paper, an ivory tower exercise.)

And if you think there was an uproar over Cyprus trying a move like this, imagine the uproar the American press or Rep. Nancy Pelosi would create in response to a similar move.

We've Got a Well-Established Blueprint

The European Union and corresponding eurozone haven't been around for that long. There isn't much history in the eurozone as an entity, and the economic rule of law is still shaky in some of these smaller countries, like Cyprus.

Since the financial crisis, they've been putting out fires left and right on a case-by-case basis with varying levels of consistency and success. And that's what the Cyprus rescue was: a poorly thought out, ad hoc response that panicked markets and citizens everywhere.

Luckily for us in the U.S., we have history and established laws on our side. These two things, along with the flexibility having a separate currency provides, is why what happened in Cyprus can't happen here.

John Grgurich is a regular contributor to The Motley Fool. Follow his dispatches from the bleeding heart of capitalism on Twitter @TMFGrgurich.


Wednesday, April 03, 2013

Shooting reported at Fort Knox military post






FORT KNOX, Ky. (WKYT) - A spokesman for the Fort Knox Army post in central Kentucky says a shooting has occurred there, but he had no immediate word on whether anyone was injured.

Kyle Hodges says the shooting Wednesday afternoon was near the post's human resources center. He was on his way back to the post after receiving word of the shooting.

Louisville television stations are reporting that the post was on a heightened security alert.


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