A Modern Woman's Perspective On The Kingdom of God on Earth


Showing posts with label National Security. Show all posts
Showing posts with label National Security. Show all posts

January 6, 2021

Kingdoms In Collision: Putting Our National Crisis In Perspective

 

I would hope that all Americans understand the gravity of our national state of affairs. And I'm not strictly talking from a political or social position. Yes, the values of America seem to be separating along opposing philosophies and tenets, and are in stark contrast with each other. But we must look beyond political ideology, race and social issues, and even our disputes over different economic systems. 

The tearing apart of our country is a pre-planned, well-designed plot that is several millenia old. We are focused on today, January 6th, 2021 and also January 20th, to define the future of the United States of America. And most certainly, as far as it pertains to our individual lives, and our chances of retaining the original blueprint of the thirteen colonies and the republic, these dates are crucial. 

But Americans of faith must recognize that this is a clash of kingdoms... the kingdom of God on earth versus the kingdom of Satan. Please understand that the Kingdom of God in Heaven is everlasting! There is nothing that God's enemy, Lucifer, can do to overthrow the eternal dominion of God, the Creator of the Universe. But ever since man began establishing human kingdoms in the world, there have been battles for world dominion, and kingdoms have risen and fallen. Earthly kings and emperors vie for world control and are only too willing to partner with earth's god of darkness/evil to receive his power. 

Lucifer, whose arrogance cost him his place in Heaven, now operates as Satan in the earth, and promises world power to those who will vow their allegiance to him in exchange for their own portion of wealth and domination. Throughout history, those kingdoms and kings have traded their souls to get a piece of this promised power. Those kingdoms and kings have come and gone... the Pharaohs of Egypt, Kings Shalmaneser V and Sargon II of Assyria; King Nebuchadnezzer of Babylon; King Cyrus of Persia; Alexander the Great of Greece; Julius Caesar of Rome; Genghis Khan of Mongolia; Josef Stalin of Russia; Adolph Hitler of Germany; Mao Zedeng and Deng Xiaoping of China; and many more in between. Satan has been building a willing coalition throughout history to help him wrest final control over the earth. And the Bible tells us that one day soon he will unleash a religious-political dictator upon the earth in opposition to all that God has planned for the return of His Son, Jesus Christ.

This leader will become the earth's superpower and will demand allegiance from the earth's peoples and nations. This superpower will seek to change God's moral and sovereign laws and set up his own counterfeit system of commandments and statutes. But it is God's faithful people who refuse to give him allegiance and are willing to suffer persecution unto death rather than submit or surrender to Evil. They will not abandon God's Truth for human traditions and values. They will not abandon the authority of God's Word for the idea that human experience and rational thinking provide the only source of knowledge and a moral code to live by. They will not abandon the freedom that God offers for the bondage that Satan demands. They fundamentally know in their soul and spirit that all power on earth and in Heaven belongs to God, the Creator.

So, as in many other times throughout history, we find ourselves on a collision course between God's kingdom and the kingdoms of the earth, controlled by Satan. But this time there is a difference. As citizens of both the Kingdom of God on earth and the United States of America, we have the unique experience of living in true freedom .... our nation is historically exceptional in having secured the rights of individuals as primary over the collective rights of its citizens; and our freedom in Christ has freed us from the bondage and penalty of sin, as well as the freedom to become all we've been created to be and do for our Savior and His Kingdom.

And now we find ourselves at a crucial crossroads. Do we have the faith and the fortitude to serve our God, the rightful ruler of all the earth's kingdoms? Is there strength and power in our prayers to stand with Him against those who would seek to place an illegal counterfeit in the seat of power in our nation? Are we willing to approach God in His Divine Sanctuary and surrender everything to Him to see His purpose for this nation survive? 

There is a drumbeat that every American of faith answers to. It is the drumbeat of freedom that echoes the heartbeat of God and inspires us to reach for our calling and destiny. We freely repent of the grievous and rebellious sins of this nation, believing in the grace of our God to redeem us and transform us once again into a nation that reflects Him and His original concept of man partnering with God to reflect His dominion over the earth. These next days and weeks will reveal if we are to receive His mercy or His final judgment upon our beloved country. 

Please join me in praying, Father, we give thanks to You for allowing us to live in this great land! We praise You for giving us the opportunity to enjoy the freedoms that the rest of the world longs for. And, Father, we ask Your forgiveness for squandering those freedoms and for not protecting Your ways and Your commandments. And now, in our day of trouble, we seek you, Lord! The pillars You established in our land are cracking and our nation totters. We pray, O Lord, keep our pillars steady and secure!

We declare Your Greatness and Your Sovereignty in the matters of our nation! Your ways are holy, O God! Forget not, Your remnant, who cry out for Your Might and Your Compassion to be stirred up for us. Break down the walls of our enemies and restore us to be "one nation under God" once again! Look down from Heaven and see the millions who call upon Your Name in repentance and in hope. Let the nations exclaim, "America is their God and look how He avenges the faithful!"

Revive us and show us Your favor; withdraw Your righteous wrath which we deserve. Speak peace and Your steadfast love into our land. Watch us glorify Your Name in the midst of our struggles. Turn back to us, Father, and give us Your strength to stand for the covenant established with You long ago. We are called by Your Name, and we commit our lives, our faith, and our future to You. Search our hearts and see our dedication to You and Your kingdom. See that we hold fast to You and know Your Name -- answer us, Lord; be with us; rescue and save us. We ask all this in the Mighty and Precious Name of our Deliverer, Yeshua ha Mashiach! AMEN!

Psalm 97:10    O you who love the LORD; hate evil! He preserves the lives of His saints; He delivers them from the hand of the wicked. 

February 3, 2016

I Warned You!

     There are times that things I see seem so clear and transparent, yet I have doubts that anyone ever reads what I write, or if they do, it is too difficult to take seriously.  Yet I know that I am not the only one who has been sounding the alarm.  Others have written of the covert efforts of the Muslim Brotherhood to infiltrate our country -- from the highest echelons of government, to our corporate board rooms, and our children's classrooms.
     In June, 2013 I wrote a detailed blog post about the clandestine endeavors surrounding the Brotherhood's endeavors to wage "a kind of grand jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within."  The idea of a Global Caliphate was new and, frankly, most people in the West sneered at the notion.
     Now, nearly two-and-a-half years later, we are focused on the beheadings and exterminations of Christians in the Middle East; the exponential growth in rapes of European women by Muslim immigrants; and the growing threat of terrorist plots on our own soil.  But while we are zeroing in on these atrocities, there has been a more subtle jihad being committed in the heartland.
     In 2013, I warned you about the Cosmos Foundation, a charter school operator founded a decade ago by a group of professors and businessmen from Turkey. The group, currently using the name Harmony Schools, has become the biggest charter operation in the state of Texas, promising American parents that they could increase their children's comprehension in math and the sciences.  What concerned me was the fact that the Cosmos Foundation had also forged ongoing relationships with a close-knit network of businesses and organizations run by Turkish immigrants. Some of those founders, as well as school operators, and many of their business suppliers, were followers of a man named Fethullah Gülen.
     Since I wrote that article, it has become apparent that Turkey has regressed from a secular democracy into an Islamic state, and Imam Fethullah Gülen and his Gülen Movement (GM) had an enormous influence in setting the increasingly Islamist agenda in Turkey.  In fact, in Turkey, 75 % of the nation’s two million preparatory school students are enrolled in Gülen institutions. In America, GM runs the largest charter school network in the nation.  In 2013, I asked the following question:  When you connect the dots, don't you think all this information is worthy of our scrutiny and our concern?  And in light of the connections between GM and the political campaign of a certain candidate for the President of the United States, I still stand by that astute question.


     And apparently, so does Ariel Cohen, a writer for The Blaze.  Mr. Cohen has written an excellent article, in which he points out that the myriad of organizations affiliated with the Gülen movement include banks, newspapers, universities, charities, research institutes, and the largest network of private Muslim schools in the world. The school curriculum is not "overtly" Islamist, and claims to focus on science, technology, engineering and math (also known as STEM).  Cohen alleges that the Gülen-affiliated net business worth exceeds $25 billion, and together, they receive approximately $150 million a year in U.S. tax breaks and subsidies -- all leading to an unhealthy mix of politics, education, and religion that is infecting our nation.
     Mr. Cohen is so bold as to suggest that the Gülen organization "appears to be busy buying, using and abusing political power.... The web reaches up to the corridors of the U.S. Congress and down to local schools from Texas to Tahoe. According to a USA TODAY investigation, over 200 trips for congressmen and congressional staff have been sponsored by Gülenist entities".
     And here is something that should concern us all ... According to the Clinton Foundation website, Recep Ozkan, former president of the Gülen-connected Turkish Cultural Center, contributed between $500,000 and $1 million. Unsurprisingly, former President Bill Clinton has appeared at Gülen movement events and praised the founder’s contributions to world peace and inter-religious understanding.
     But these "Turkish operatives" are not tied to just one party.  Both Democratic Representative Henry Cuellar of Texas, and Republican Senator Kelly Ayotte have been reported to be recipients of Gülen organizational donations (although Senator Ayotte returned funds, once she discovered their origin).  Currently, the FBI is engaged in a massive probe of Gülenist activities in this country. However, the investigation is limited to the Gülen-linked schools.
     But there is some hope ... It is the task of law enforcement to protect our politics, our country, and most importantly our children, from illicit external influences. Therefore, as the FBI investigates the network, it can also look into the political donations by the members of the movement.  I hope they do so.
     It is apparent in his home country of Turkey that Imam Gülen has an agenda ... to infiltrate all the business centers, re-educate the children, and obtain State power, and a warrant for his arrest has been issued.  Does it not seem plausible that he and his followers are trying to institute the same paradigm here in the U.S.?  We need to pray that the FBI will be allowed to conduct a thorough investigate; that Congress will weed out this invasive and subversive enemy of American sovereignty; and that God will shine His light upon the organization's false motives.  I know we have ignored this enemy for far too long, but I have faith that God can destroy their plans.

Job 5:12-13     "He frustrates the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise or anything of [lasting] worth.  He catches the [so-called] wise in their own trickiness, and the counsel of the schemers is brought to a quick end."

January 15, 2016

It's A Great Time To Pray!

     I feel like we are sitting on a big bubble that's about to pop.  And I'm not talking about any financial bubble -- even though the world economy is hanging on by a thread, and there seems to be no end in sight of the crippling debt; both for individuals and nations.
     No, I'm talking about the escalating situations swirling around Iran.  It is not enough that they capture two Navy ships, detain our sailors, and broadcast a propaganda apology that highlights the failure of our government to maintain control of the situation (let alone save face).  In addition, the alleged cooperation between Iran and North Korea in constructing a nuclear warhead cannot be ignored.
     The Washington Free Beacon reports that it believes that Iran is housing some of its key nuclear weapons-related technology in North Korea in order to avoid detection by international inspectors.  In fact, just a week ago North Korea claimed to have successfully tested a miniaturized hydrogen bomb, giving credence to lawmakers and regional experts who are warning that Pyongyang and Tehran are continuing an illicit clandestine partnership enabling the rogue nations to master nuclear technology.
     North Korea's boldness in executing the test has only served to encourage the recalcitrant Iranians.    One expert on the inner workings of the Iranian regime stated, "The entire world may well consider North Korea a failed state, but from the view point of the [Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps], North Korea is a success story and a role model: A state which remains true to its revolutionary beliefs and defies the Global Arrogance."  Our sailors on their knees with their hands behind their heads is a pretty darn arrogant illustration of them thumbing their noses at us, don't you think?
     So now you have Iran, fresh from humiliating the United States, being sneaky with their nuclear bomb activity, and the U.S. just days and hours from lifting the sanctions off the rebellious nation.  And then we hear the reasonable voice of retired Lt. General William "Jerry" Boykin, who tells us, "Whether you believe in prayer or not, could I suggest that this is a great time to pray for America and ‪Israel‬? Frankly, it is the only real hope that we have."  Is it really all that bad?  I'm afraid it is.
     Because the sanctions have cost Iran more than $160 billion in oil revenue since 2012 alone, they are expected to resume selling oil on international markets and using the global financial system for trade.  Iran has the fourth largest oil reserves in the world and the energy industry is braced for lower prices, which will directly impact our economy, and not in a good way.  In addition, Iran will also be able to access more than $100 billion in frozen overseas assets.
     But here's why General Boykin says that this Iran deal is so dangerous:  First of all, the U.S. and Iran cannot even agree what is in the deal.  The U.S. claims that Iran is in violation of the deal after recently firing two ballistic missiles.  Iran says the testing is not specifically mentioned in the deal, and therefore, they've violated nothing.  Secondly, Iran has never signed the deal.  So, seems to me that if a contract has not been signed, then neither party owes any accountability to the other.  And although Congress will vote in a week or so on imposing new sanctions, that's most likely a dead-end street, too, with a President who is quick to remind everyone that he has the power of the pen.
     As if this is not enough, we need to recognize that Iran is a dangerous detriment to world peace.  Iran has rejected any international inspection of military sites that are thought to be developing nuclear technology (threatening war if any attempt is made), giving them free reign to proceed with their nuclear projects.  Add to that, their consistent shouts of "Death to America" and "Death to Israel" does not speak to a desire for peaceful relations; nor does their reception of Russian S-300 missiles.  And if anyone in the world is naive enough to think that the money they will receive from the U.S. will go to economic relief, rather than to support Iran's ongoing affiliations with terror groups throughout the Middle East, then General Boykin is right --- we don't stand a chance without prayer.
     So, at this late date, it certainly appears that Iran will proceed with its nuclear program with no regard for any "deal" with the United States.  And they have made their hatred for us and Israel quite well known over the  last few years.  They have vast influence over the sectarian strife throughout the Middle East, and in just a few days, we will be handing over $150 billion of our money to help them further all their causes.  Does that sum it up for you?
     Where this all leads, I simply do not know.  But it sure seems to me that Iran is running headlong towards their apocalyptic goal, unabated and uninhibited.  But for now, I suggest that we all follow General Boykin's advice and PRAY!  After all, he is one of the original members of the US Army’s Delta Force; the former Commander of the Army’s Green Berets, as well as the Special Warfare Center and School; and the former Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence -- all prestigious military titles that speak to his understanding and comprehension of these times in which we live.
     But he is also an ordained minister, and it is his command and grasp of that job position that qualifies him to tell us that prayer is the only real hope we have.... I suggest that we follow his orders, and hit our knees!

Psalm 145:18-19   "The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth. He fulfills the desire of those who fear Him; He also hears their cry and saves them."
   
   

November 20, 2015

The Veil Is Pulled Back -- But For How Long?

     Based on news reports in the U.K.'s Daily Mail, and our own national media sources such as Breitbart, The Blaze, and The New York Post, the threats of terrorism on our home soil are greater than ever before.  In fact, all these sources report that terrorist suspects have not only been arrested over the past 18 months, but officials are openly admitting that terrorists are crossing our borders, and are, as a matter of truth, already in this country.
     Why all the transparency and truth-telling, after so many months, and even years, of denying that the threat is real?  Has God pulled the veil of deception back for just a moment -- for one last opportunity for us to get this right?  It certainly feels like that as The Daily Mail reports that over the last 18 months, nearly 70 people have been arrested for ISIS-related terror plots, including a handful of so-called "refugees".
     The frightening aspect of these arrests is that they include such unlikely suspects as a young nurse, a pizza parlor boss and schoolgirls tricked into becoming shrouded ISIS brides. They also include a husband and wife team, both of St Louis, MO,  who face trial over allegations they gathered cash to buy military equipment for ISIS fighters in Syria; six Bosnian immigrants -- three from Missouri, two from Illinois and one from New York -- who conspired to support ISIS with money and equipment.  According to the US Attorney's office, three have become naturalized citizens of the United States, and the remaining three have either refugee or legal resident status.
     There are refugees from Kenya, Somalia and Syria.  There are homegrown Muslim converts, and even an Air Force veteran who is accused of joining the ranks of ISIS to wage war on the country he once served.  The bottom line is this... what we have all sensed for so long is now being revealed -- in spite of the continuous denials of those who are charged with keeping us safe.
     We are also now seeing representatives of the Middle Eastern communities in our nation revealing what they know.  The New York Post ran an article in which Aarafat “Ralph” Succar of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn (and a member of the Bay Ridge Community Council) said that ISIS terrorists have “absolutely” sneaked into America by posing as civil-war refugees — and joined sleeper cells just waiting to be activated.  “I believe the terrorists from Syria have been coming into the United States, not only in the past few years, but way before that,” he said.  “I think they’re already at work.”  Who, of us who are awake, haven't instinctively known that?
     Then there is Breitbart.com, who is reporting that Border Patrol agents are now coming forward to report that groups of illegal Middle Eastern immigrants are crossing our southern borders.  Such is the case of the five Pakistani men and one man from Afghanistan, who were captured by U.S. Border Patrol agents after having illegally crossed the porous U.S.-Mexico border in the Tucson Sector of Arizona.  We also have the two federal agents operating under the umbrella of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), who are claiming that eight Syrian illegal aliens attempted to enter Texas from Mexico in the Laredo Sector.  The question is why such crossings in the past were not prosecuted by the Department of Justice, and were dismissed "due to circumstances?"
     I truly want to grasp on to the hope of yesterday's vote in the House of Representatives, which overrode the President's veto, in regards to strengthening the vetting process of Syrian and Iraqi refugees admitted into the U.S.   According to The Blaze, the measure, which in effect would suspend admissions of Syrian and Iraqi refugees, would require the FBI to conduct background checks on people coming to the U.S. from those countries. It would oblige the heads of the FBI and Homeland Security Department and the Director of National Intelligence to certify to Congress that each refugee “is not a threat to the security of the United States".
     But can we trust that show of defense on behalf of the American people?  Does this action on the part of Congress, in reality, speak of hollow promises -- especially in the light of testimony from foreign officials and intelligence officers that say there is no way to compile adequate information on any of these "refugees" from their home country?  Haven't we heard such words and rhetoric in the past that have given us a false sense of security?  Remember, the legislation still must pass through the Senate, and these bills have a habit of changing radically by the time they get to the vote.  And I think the aspect that bothers me the most is that those of us who are concerned about the possibility of a Paris-style attack (which has been promised by ISIS), are accused of somehow abandoning "age-old American values."  Is it against our values to want to protect the lives of our families and innocent victims?  Is it against our values to take a stand against man's inhumanity to man?  Is it against our values to be bold in the face of Evil?
     I am not exactly sure why it seems as if, for once, many of our leaders are refusing to play the politically correct game, and actually seem sincere in their warnings and desire to speak the truth.  How long will it last?  Will God have mercy on us; and will we, as a nation, turn to Him in repentance and hope?  I know that He can protect us, if it is His will -- even as the odds are stacking up against us.  He is Sovereign and Mighty in His power.  May He honor our obedience as we pray in the name of His Son!

Psalm 147:11     "The Lord favors those who fear and worship Him [with awe-inspired reverence and obedience], Those who wait for His mercy and lovingkindness."
   






March 3, 2015

The History of American Education: From Classical Learning to Moral Relevancy

     I am often dumbfounded when I stop to consider the difference in my own middle and high school education as compared to what's taught these 35-40 years later.  I can remember studying and memorizing Lincoln's Gettysburg address.  I loved the long and exhaustive studies of Alfred, Lord Tennyson's Idylls of the King -- the epic twelve poems that retold the tales of the legendary King Arthur, his knights, his love for Guinevere and her tragic betrayal of him, and the rise and fall of Arthur's kingdom.
     But the terms of my education were nothing compared to the studies during the generation of our Founding Fathers.   As the website, Memoria Press, recounts ... Thomas Jefferson received early training in Latin, Greek, and French from Reverend William Douglas, a Scottish clergyman.  At the age of fourteen, Jefferson’s father died, and, at the express wish of his father, he continued his education with the Reverend James Maury, who ran a classical academy. After leaving Douglas’ academy, Jefferson attended the College of William and Mary, where his classical education continued along with his study of law.
     When Alexander Hamilton entered King’s College (now Columbia University) in 1773, he was expected to have a mastery of Greek and Latin grammar, be able to read three orations from Cicero and Virgil’s Aeneid in the original Latin, and be able to translate the first ten chapters of the Gospel of John from Greek into Latin.
      When James Madison applied at the College of New Jersey (now Princeton), he was expected to be able to “write Latin prose, translate Virgil, Cicero, and the Greek gospels and [to have] a commensurate knowledge of Latin and Greek grammar.” Even before he entered, however, he had already read Virgil, Horace, Justinian, Nepos, Caesar, Tacitus, Lucretius, Eutropius, Phaedrus, Herodotus, Thucydides, and Plato.
     So, what exactly is a "classical education"?  Historically, it was a course of study that was to develop exemplary citizens equipped with analytical thinking skills, virtuous character, and a passion for learning, all built upon a solid foundation of knowledge.  Sadly, these characteristics are disappearing from our modern educational system; especially as our kids are being threatened with the Common Core curriculum.
     Consider this op-ed in The New York Times by philosopher Justin McBrayer.  He states that he already knew that many of his college-age students did not believe in moral facts.  He says, "Philosophy professors with whom I have spoken suggest that the overwhelming majority of college freshman in their classrooms view moral claims as mere opinions that are not true or are true only relative to a culture"; the culture of Christianity, for instance.  Subsequently, this has led to an abiding belief in moral relativism, which is a philosophy that asserts there is no global, absolute moral law that applies to all people, for all time, and in all places. 
     You should know that Mr. McBrayer is an associate professor of philosophy at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado, where he works in ethics and philosophy of religion.  So this is naturally an ideology that interests him and which he has seen often among his students.  But he wasn't prepared to see its tenets being conveyed in his son's second-grade classroom!  During the schools open house he "found a troubling pair of signs hanging over the bulletin board. They read:

Fact: Something that is true about a subject and can be tested or proven.

Opinion: What someone thinks, feels, or believes.

     So, what's the big deal, you might ask?  To cut to the chase, students are taught that claims are either facts or opinions.  And Professor McBrayer says that's a dangerous road that leads to moral relativism.  There are instances in which a person's opinion (or belief) is also a fact for him; his ideology can't be divided into fact OR opinion; it's both.  He prove's his point in this conversation with his young son:

Father: “I believe that George Washington was the first president. Is that a fact or an opinion?”

Son: “It’s a fact.”

Father: “But I believe it, and you said that what someone believes is an opinion.”

Son: “Yeah, but it’s true.”

Father: “So it’s both a fact and an opinion?”  The blank look on his son's face told the story.

     Do you see where he is going with this?  Can you see how the effort to separate a belief from a fact, could affect morality?  Every thought (or belief) that has some kind of value attached to it, could only be an opinion, never a fact.
     Now consider this Common Core worksheet, in which students were asked to label the following claims as either FACT or OPINION:
                                                •  Copying homework assignments is wrong.
                                                •  Cursing in school is inappropriate behavior.
                                                •  All men are created equal.
                                                •  It is wrong for people under 21 to drink alcohol.
                                                •  Drug dealers belong in prison.
     
     The answers?  Each one of these was labeled an opinion.  Since none of these could be tested or proven, then they must be subject to opinion only, and there is no truth in any of them.  Do you see the danger in this?  Ultimately, this is teaching our kids that anything that can be labeled good, bad, wrong, or right is not a fact.  Think how this mode of thinking affects our society.  When there is no consistency between what people decide is good or moral -- that it is all subject to one person's opinion versus another -- how do we ever raise children into moral citizens with critical analyzing skills and virtuous character?  If there is no moral standard that can be declared a fact for all, then anything goes, and there is no acceptable code of honor or behavior among a community.  Not only does the quality of living in that community subside, but chaos and confusion are the natural result.
     Just take a moment and consider that our Founding Fathers were fluent in Latin and Greek, could translate Books of the Bible, and were capable of defending themselves in a spirited debate.  Now realize that our public school systems are on the brink of failing our children.  They can hardly spell; their reading skills are poor; they can't divide or subtract without a computer; and they are lacking important critical thinking skills.  You might think that this is a different time, and the education that our Founding Fathers undertook does not relate to these times.  But it was the education they received that reinforced the knowledge, the skills, and the courage they would need to create this great nation. Are we giving our kids the education to carry on their moral values and traditions, and preserve the country?

1 Timothy 4:12   "Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity."

December 12, 2014

Congressional Spending Bill: The Wins & Losses For The American People

     I've had a day or so to mull over the spending bill before Congress.  While being touted as a "Bipartisan Compromise", initial reports of the $1.01 Trillion boondoggle reveals where the focus of our elected officials lie.  Remember, these are the representatives that we send to Washington to rule the nation on our behalf -- not to vote for their own ideologies.  Based on an article in The Washington Post,  here is a brief summary of some of the dollars proposed; and it should give us a clear picture of how we will be governed.  Pay close attention to what agencies will be receiving more money, and ask yourselves, "Why"?

Increases In Spending: (You decide if it truly benefits the American people).
•  Campaign Finance:  Through some manipulations and "funny politics", donors can now give $324,000 in campaign donations -- that's a 10% increase over current limits.
•  Centers For Disease Control:  receives an additional $42.7 million, making their budget $6.98 Billion.
•  National Institute of Health:  plus $150 Million in funding.
•  FDA & Food Safety:  an additional $37 million, from last year's budget of $2.68 Billion.
•  Immigration:  There's lots of land mines in this section of the funding bill.  The Department of Homeland Security will only be funded until next February.  (But don't worry, this is probably to throw us off their trail).  Then there's the $80 Million increase for the Department of Health & Human Services for the "unaccompanied children's program" that sees to their health issues.  Add in the $14 Million to help schools absorb new immigrant students, and you can clearly see the priorities.  What about helping the inner city schools, which has been peddled as a contributing factor to the racial unrest in this country?
•  Overseas Military Operations: $1.3 Billion to combat ISIS, and $1.6 Billion to train Iraqi and Kurdish forces; plus an additional $500 Million to train and equip vetted Syrian forces, (who are complaining that they have stopped receiving arms and aid from the U.S.)

Decreases in Spending:
•  The Affordable Care Act (ACA) or ObamaCare:  Congress will try to pull the wool over our eyes by saying that they have decreased the budget by $10 Million for the Independent Advisory Board (so-called Death panels) within the Affordable Care Act; and that there is no new money allocated for ObamaCare.  But I guess they think of us the same way the ACA Architect, Jonathan Gruber, does ... stupid.  But it doesn't take a genius to see that we have been fooled once again.  ObamaCare is still funded, and still exists.  It remains to be seen what the new sworn-in Congress can do to fulfill their campaign promises of defunding it
•  Ebola:  Congress only funded $5.4 Billion, instead of the $6 Billion the President wanted to fight this modern-day plague.
•  Environmental Protection Agency:  Their budget is down to $8.1 Billion, $60 Million less than last year, plus 21% down since 2010.  This budget cut likely means staff reductions.
•  IRS:  Their budget is slashed by $345 Million, and they can't target organizations (such as the Tea Party), based on ideological beliefs.

Wins: (At least from my perspective):  We can take some satisfaction from the following cuts in the budget:
•  Abortion:  There will not be any Federal Funding for most abortions.  I see a Supreme Court case in our future, don't you?
•  Clean Water Act:  Congress has blocked the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from applying restrictions to certain farm ponds and irrigation ditches; a definite win for farmers.
•  Palestinian Authority:  There will be no assistance to the PA if it becomes a member of the United Nations, or UN agencies, without an agreement with Israel.  The bill also prohibits funding for Hamas.
•  Common Core:  There is no funding for this Progressive agenda-driven Educational curriculum.
•  Department of Veterans Affairs:  This department will receive more money and more oversight; long overdue.  $209 Million added to address new costs related to additional medical staff and expanding dozens of facilities.  In addition, the VA's inspector general is getting a $5 million budget increase to continue investigating lapses in patient care.
•  Whistleblowers:  Whistleblowers will now be protected from prosecution should they report allegations of waste, fraud or abuse, even if they sign a confidentiality agreement

Losses For The American People:
•  Egypt:  We are still funding this Muslim Brotherhood-influenced nation with $1.3 Billion in military aid, and $150 Million in Economic aid.  How does this benefit us, again?
•  Guantanamo Bay:  Detainees will still allowed to transfer to other countries -- perhaps to fight again another day?
•  Military personnel vs Federal Employees:  Members of the military will see their pay increase cut from 1.8% to 1% (Generals and flag officers receive a pay freeze), while Federal Employees will see a 1% increase in their pay.  And after the embarrassing scandals regarding elaborate conferences and travel perks, Congress has agreed to ban, or at least "put limits on certain conferences, official travel and some employee awards."  Military personnel, on the other hand, are losing their 5% discount on tobacco-related products at military exchanges.

     I don't know if any of you even waded through all the facts and figures of this post -- or, if you even care.  And I can't say that I don't blame you.  Our government is so out of control with spending and their mismanagement of our trust.  There will be further manipulating of the bill, and there's a good possibility that we may never know all that is hidden in it, or even if it will be enacted as it is pronounced.  But one thing we know for sure ... as a nation, we are far from being fiscally sound or good stewards of all the largesse that God has bestowed on us.  It is readily apparent -- to me, at least -- that if we had to defend our management of all that He has given us, there would be a huge payment coming due.  It's time to reconcile the books and balance the budget.

Malachi 3:8-9   "Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you."



December 11, 2014

We're Failing Our Military: The NDAA & Military Morale

     I'm just going to say it ... the failure of the lame duck Congress to give sufficient and appropriate attention to the state of our Military is appalling!  And, apparently, they aren't paying any attention to the mandate they have been given by voters in the latest election.  We can only hope that the new citizen servants coming to Washington after the first of the year will deliver on their promises to our men and women in uniform.
     In case you didn't know it, this Congress is attempting to rush through the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which is an ill-disguised effort to downsize our military forces, and to "fundamentally change" their objective.  Instead of making sure we maintain the finest fighting force in the world, the military is being hamstrung in an attempt to weaken it.  (I admit it is sometimes difficult to choose between supporting our Military and encouraging the Military-Industrial Complex).
     Besides affecting the national security of the country, Front Page Mag reports these items in the Bill:  "A scheduled pay raise of 1.8 percent will be reduced to one percent; there will be reduced growth in the troops’ Basic Housing Allowance (BHA) for those who cannot be accommodated on military bases; and a $3 copay will be added to the cost of prescription medication."  All these cuts will drastically affect the standard of living for our already strapped soldiers. 
     But never fear ... while the troops suffer forced reductions, there is always room to advance the social agenda of those in the White House and Pentagon.  The NDAA would establish Committees to address feminist-oriented issues, such as "Investigation, Prosecution, and Defense of Sexual Assault in the Armed Forces"; as well as to investigate "gender diversity metrics", which would allow the  more qualified personnel to be replaced by those meeting minimum standards -- laughably referred to as “lower but equal.”
     I just don't understand it.  Why is there this push to make the Military "politically correct" like the American culture?  It is easy to see that this will make our fighting forces less effective and substandard to those in the rest of the world.  Do you think it's time to put on my tin foil hat?
     And just what do you think all this is doing to the morale in the Military?  There is an in-depth article on the Military Times website, titled:  America's Military:  A Force Adrift.  I suggest you read it in its entirety, but for brevity's sake, I will highlight a few of the points that this well-written article makes.  
     I believe, that for the most part, the civilian population misunderstands the mindset of our Military.  Sure, there are those who enlist for the education opportunities and for the job security.  But you might be surprised to find out that the vast majority sign up because they see that going to war and fighting for their nation is a noble cause.  There is a true "warrior spirit" that resides in many of these men, and when their mission is unclear or contradictory, it leads to major morale shifts.
     According to a Military Times survey of 2,300 active-duty troops, morale indicators are on the decline in nearly every aspect of military life. Troops report significantly lower overall job satisfaction, diminished respect for their superiors, and a declining interest in re-enlistment now compared to just five years ago.  Service members say they feel underpaid, under-equipped and under-appreciated.  After 13 years of war, the all-volunteer military is entering an era fraught with uncertainty and a growing sense that the force has been left adrift.
     When speaking about their "Mission", troops seemed to indicate that there is a growing disconnect between the civilian population, who has been groomed to psychologically move on from the wars; to cut their losses, so to speak.  But to the troops, themselves, the mission still matters and is unfinished; and those losses have names and faces attached to them.  
     The Military Times Survey also revealed that morale is down due to the stress related to fiscal insecurity.  There is no longer the promise of long-term job stability, and the budget cuts due to Sequestration have affected more than just salaries.  A Navy aviation machinist's mate first class based in El Centro, California, said operational budget cuts left him and fellow sailors cannibalizing working parts from other aircraft entering phased maintenance so they could repair higher-priority broken jets.  How have we let the preeminence of the U.S. military fall so far?  And how could we expect morale to be anything but in the dumps?
    Furthermore, the potential for more Congressional budget cuts is always hanging over their heads.  A Navy fire controlman chief with 10 deployments said budget fears are contributing to a feeling of distrust and abandonment. "If sailors are worried about not getting paid, how am I supposed to do my job?" he said. And then came the bottom line, as far as I'm concerned ... he went on to say, "I'm not an effective warfighter if I don't have the backing of my government at home."
     And there you have it; that's the real heart of this matter.  In order to have confidence that our nation is secure from outside forces that wish to destroy us, we need to have confidence that our military are "effective war fighters"; and they need to have the confidence that their government is supporting and championing them.  Unfortunately, one of the most effective ways to secure peace at home, is to develop and maintain a strong, forceful and powerful Military.  From where I sit, that is no longer the objective of our elected officials, and it is cause for great alarm.  

For more information on the details and objectives of the NDAA, click here.  If you would like to read about the results of the Military Times Survey, then click here.  Both articles will provide you with a broad overview of the declining state of our Military.  

Psalm 108:12-13    "Oh grant us help against the foe, for vain is the salvation of man! With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes."

October 21, 2014

Ebola: It Affects More Than The Victim

    We all feel compassion for those who have been stricken with Ebola around the world.  And now that it has touched our homeland, it is apparent -- at least, to me -- that the effects are widespread.  Besides the personal toll, this frightening contagion impacts our lives across so many areas.

     First, let's consider the Economy.  Here are the facts: The stock market took a tumble last week, due in part to the news that the 132 passengers on a Frontier Airlines flight from Dulles International Airport to Dallas, TX may have been infected by Amber Vinson, the second nurse to contract Ebola from Patient Zero, Thomas Duncan.
     Members of Congress are openly considering travel bans; not only from Western African countries, but from within the United States, itself.  Just think how that will affect the airline industry!
     Then, there's this: according to The Hollywood Reporter, "When treating multiple Ebola patients at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, the staff couldn’t get pizza delivered, couriers refused to handle vials of blood from those patients, and the county threatened to shut off the hospital’s access to sewer lines over concerns about waste from patients."
     And according to my doctor friend, his fellow physicians in Dallas, who have offices adjacent to Texas Presbyterian Hospital, have empty waiting rooms -- patients are refusing to come anywhere near the facility.  And as he reminded me, "The expenses of running those offices aren't suspended; there is a direct impact on their bottom line."
     That piece of information is supported by a recent article in The Washington Post that reported that the playground at an infant and child day-care center near the Dallas Hospital was vacant -- parents are keeping their children home.  But, wouldn't you?
     All this to say, that despite health officials attempting to calm the rising anxiety of Americans by reminding us that "more people will die from the flu than from Ebola," there are some very real side effects from the few reported cases (so far).  First and foremost, there is the economic cost generated by the fear and anxiety associated with this disease.  We are seeing the initial repercussions in the stories related above.  I'm sure the airline industry hasn't forgotten the economic toll that the SARS epidemic took on Asian airlines in 2003 -- the cost was $6 billion!
     But, even if Ebola is stopped in its tracks today, we are already seeing the reverberation throughout different sectors of our economy.  How many of you have re-thought your travel plans?  What about sending your kids to school?  Two schools closed in Ohio last week, after the disclosure that a Middle School staff member may have traveled on the same plane -- though not the same Frontier Airlines flight -- as Amber Vinson.  A student and another teacher, both at different schools in Ohio, have been ordered to stay at home, due to possible exposure to the virus.
    Three schools have closed in Belton, TX, at the news that two students did travel on that same plane with Vinson.  In Fort Worth, TX, an elementary student is also reported to have flown on that same flight, and his family is being quarantined for 21 days.  I would be willing to bet that this presents a financial and economic hardship on all those concerned.  Parents will have to take off work to care for these children; and in the case of entire schools being closed, or whole families being quarantined, one has to ask how many salaries does that effect?  Does sick leave cover this event? And what if you don't have three weeks accrued?
    Then there is the Hospitality sector of the economy.  Do you feel safe going to restaurants?  What about the movies or the book store?  I want to make myself clear on this subject ... it is not time to panic, and I do not want to spread fear.  But I am appalled at the lack of command and authority exhibited by both our government officials and our top federal medical experts.  It goes without saying, that a unified plan to identify and control this disease would go a long ways towards instilling confidence in the American people.  It doesn't help to promote that trust when the top medical experts at the National Institute of Health and the CDC admit that their initial protocol for handling the disease was "inadequate."  I'm pretty sure that's little consolation to the two nurses that were infected.
     And, speaking of nurses, there is the psychological effect among our health care workers, who must be feeling their top government health agencies have failed them.  I have a very good friend who has been a nurse for the last 30-35 years.  I wanted her personal opinion of how she sees this disease playing out in our health care system.  Her first words were chilling... both from a professional and personal standpoint.  She was amazed at "how little she knows about it."  By that she means, forthcoming information from on high has been very limited.  She went on to explain that nurses, as health care providers are at the mercy of not only the CDC for issuing information, protocol and guidelines, but also their county health departments and their hospital administrators.  Every organization has their own agenda; and nurses, who are on the front lines, often get conflicting direction.
     She remembers past outbreaks of Tuberculosis and Legionnaire's Disease; and how quickly guidelines were administered, because the CDC had treatments in place for that.  She candidly admitted that this time, in Dallas, "The CDC dropped the ball.  With Ebola, there is a huge potential for contamination, and the CDC knows that.  They issued a statement saying 'When there is a known case, we [the CDC] are sending in a team.'  That was a bald-faced lie --- they didn't do it in Dallas!"
     I admit, that I think all these nurses have a servant's heart, and are incredibly brave and giving under these circumstances.  But they also have a very real dilemma.  I asked my friend what she will do if/when Ebola becomes an epidemic in this country.  She admitted that she has given this some serious thought.  In the nursing culture, there is tremendous pressure to show up to work, no matter what, because: 1) your patients need you, and 2) it causes a hardship on your fellow workers if you leave them short.  "At some point, you have to isolate the people who are sick.  There definitely needs to be a balance between protecting your patients and co-workers, and performing your duties as a nurse."  But she admitted that if this disease gets out of control, she will stay home.  Like other health care professionals that I know, if Ebola becomes "a mass killer", they feel a responsibility to try to help take care of their families, friends and neighbors, before the general public.
     But the effects of Ebola don't stop there.  Perhaps the most disturbing consequence is the politicization of this disease, which I find repugnant.  As an American citizen, I don't want to hear whining that the Republicans cut funding to the CDC, or patent blaming of the Obama Administration for their policies regarding this disease -- there's been enough mistakes by everybody who is responsible for safeguarding the public.  Somebody needs to take charge and figure out how this disease is transmitted (why can't they definitively tell us if it is airborne or not?); come up with a conclusive nationwide plan for treating it (leaving it to each state seems mutually incompatible); and develop consistent and binding policy to keep it from being imported into this country (remember the wide-open Southern border?).
     And the politics aren't limited to just this country's statesmen.  I, personally, don't care what the IMF or World Banks think ... and I'm not impressed with their "Isolate Ebola, not countries" slogan.  I'm convinced that the Elite have a very personal agenda.  The facts that 4,000 have died in West Africa and as many as 10,000 new cases a week are expected, tells me that we "little people" better look out for ourselves.
     As you can see, this Ebola outbreak has the potential to dominate many aspects of our existence.  Every American should be prepared to institute their own safety precautions and be cognizant of ways they can help prevent its spread.  The good news is that we seem to have some encouragement this week, as it appears that suspected victims are either Ebola-free, or are beginning to recover.  But I am not so confident that I am ready to let down my guard.  Until we get a consistent plan in place -- for ALL states, health care officials, and private citizens -- this disease is not defeated.  Stay alert!

Psalm 41:3-4    "The Lord sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness you restore him to full health. As for me, I said, “O Lord, be gracious to me; heal me, for I have sinned against you!"
   

September 29, 2014

Jihad From the Inside

   
     The recent beheading of an innocent woman in Oklahoma has us all unnerved.  The threat is no longer that someone waving the black flag of ISIS will travel to America and overtly commit this barbaric act.  It is becoming more apparent that the influence of this radical terrorism is being stealthily encouraged and incited right under our noses.
     News reports are now surfacing that the killer in Oklahoma attended a mosque which was led by an Imam with ties to known Al Qaeda mastermind Anwar al-Awlaki.  This same Imam has ties to the mosque attended by the Boston Marathon Bombers, the Tsarnaev brothers, and to Nidal Hassan, the murderer at Fort Hood in Texas.
     In case you're thinking that my thoughts are just an over-reaction to random relationships, I'd like to introduce you to Dr. Mark Christian, an Egyptian Muslim by birth, and now a practicing obstetrician/gynocologist, who has stepped forward to sound the alarm about the Muslim Brotherhood's plan to infiltrate America through immigration and cultural reform.  Dr. Christian is the founder of the Global Faith Institute, which according to their website, is "a Christian platform dedicated to the proclamation and pursuit of truth as it relates Middle Eastern history and current happenings to the rapidly unfolding events in the US and around the world."  As the banner on the website proclaims, "Islam Isn't an "Over There" Problem... It's a Right Here, Right Now Problem."
     Dr. Christian is well-qualified to speak about "this problem".  His bio speaks for itself:  Groomed from boyhood to become an influential leader of the Muslim faith, Mark was afforded unparalleled exposure to the ideology and objectives of radical Islam, and the stringent creed of Sharia law.  This exposure was gained through his remarkable experiences as the constant companion and confidante of his father, a wealthy doctor, devout Imam, and persuasive advisor for the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt – and through his uncle, who, during the massive imprisonment of the Muslim Brotherhood members in Egypt in 1965, shared a cell with Sayyid Qutb, the revered and infamous ideologue for the Brotherhood’s movement.  
      However, in 2003, Dr. Christian broke with his Islamic faith, converted to Christianity, moved to America and changed his name.  Now, in a very pointed article on FrontPageMag, Dr. Christian is warning his new country that "stealth jihad" is a very real and present danger.  He explains that “The Muslim Brotherhood is so big right now and so influential and so wealthy that they can do things on their own.  The only thing that is missing is the power of the U.S. military to be on their side.”  That is a very frightening scenario!
     Their plan is aligned with that of ISIS; to start a new Islamic empire, from which they can control the world.  As it relates to America, they are working through immigration and reforming our culture.   Dr. Christian shares statistics from the Pew Research Center, which state that prior to 1990, less than 5% of our nation's immigrants came from Muslim countries.  But the latest numbers show that "more than 1.7 million Muslim immigrants have come to the United States between 1992 and 2010."
     Temporary student visas and a return to their home countries used to be the procedure; but now permanent status can be gained "through an array of programs, including the U.N. refugee program, the annual diversity visa lottery and special programs for foreign religious leaders."  And here is where the threat to America becomes obvious:  according to Dr. Christian, these refugees and immigrants don't assimilate well to American culture, and often don't respect our values.  They can't identify with the American mindset that embraces individual liberty and personal responsibility.  They become easily disillusioned, suffer low-paying jobs, and "supplement their paychecks with food stamps, Medicaid and government-subsidized housing."  They are ripe for exploitation.
      Dr. Christian further warns that Europe's experience with their immigrant Muslim populations could soon become America's nightmare.  One just needs to look at the riots and problems that countries like Britain, France and Germany are experiencing, to see how quickly a nation's culture and laws can be impacted by a push for Sharia Law.
     And Dr. Christian points out that Islam is not just another religion.  It has a very deliberate political component.  And organizations like the Muslim Brotherhood are not afraid to take advantage of America's never-ending pursuit of Political Correctness, tolerance and diversity.  Because of his own family experience with the Muslim Brotherhood, Dr. Christian is trying to sound the alarm, pronouncing what he calls stealth or cultural jihad:  "The Brotherhood’s strategy is three-pronged. It uses its front group CAIR (Council on American Islamic Relations) to influence the government and military life, while ISNA (Islamic Society of North America) works to foster “interfaith” dialogue with major Christian denominations and Jewish organizations. A third front group, the Muslim Student Association, or MSA, focuses on influencing K-12 and university education."
    What he says makes sense:  "They want to influence the whole United States,” Christian said. “They see the U.S. as three things – it’s a government, it’s a religious institution and it is colleges and education; so we have three organizations and all are designated to each one of those things."
     And what makes me sad, as well as disturbs me, is his accurate portrayal of this furtive influence in the churches of America.  “They say, ‘Oh we all worship the same God and we need to find common ground,’” Christian said. “It’s all about ‘respecting women, Islam is great,’ and it’s all a bunch of lies. Whenever you find those kinds of movements within the church, you always find a watered down, very liberal theology that is anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist. But there is money involved and influence involved.”  I experienced this at a mega-church I used to attend.  When an imam was invited to speak, red flags went off in my soul, and I began to see a steady decline in true Biblical principles.
     Ultimately, Dr. Christian's warnings seem frighteningly accurate.  If you are paying attention, you can see the influence within our government, our educational institutions, and our churches.  While the radical "overt" jihad is readily apparent through attacks like we witnessed at Fort Hood, and more recently, in Oklahoma, it is the "covert" jihad through political influence and money that we need to control.  We all know that such influence and money equals power.  This particular power is merging and inserting itself into the very foundations of our nation and culture.  If you are sufficiently alarmed, then perhaps these final words of Dr. Christian will wake you up:  "It is coming together even better, I think, than they planned."

1 Thessalonians 5:6     "So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober."

July 16, 2014

The Border Crisis & The Reconquista

     The #1 story in the U.S. news cycle is the crisis on our southern border.  It is not only a story of thousands of illegal immigrants being allowed to enter the country, but it is also a narrative concerning the spread of disease, the imminent danger to our homeland from terrorists, and the will of the people being ignored.  The Border Patrol agents are reporting (and contracting) communicable diseases that threaten all of America, as busloads of people are delivered throughout the country.  And author Dave Hodges describes the biggest threat, when he says, "Some of the people crossing our border are violent gangsters posing as children. And some of the people are terrorists posing as immigrants."
     But could it also be a not-so-subtle plot to encourage "The Reconquista?"  In case you are unfamiliar with this term, in Spanish it means "the reconquest", and was popularized by contemporary Mexican writers Carlos Fuentes and Elena Poniatowska to describe the increased demographic and cultural presence of Mexicans in the Southwestern United States.  And it has taken on even more significance since becoming the battle cry for La Raza and its student/university arm MEChA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán).
     In legal terms, La Raza is "the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization (community organizers?) in the United States, and works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans."  In its more radical, cultural application, it has repeatedly called for the seizure of several states (Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah and Colorado) and make them into an independent country called Atzlan (which is the legendary ancestral home of the Aztec, one of the main cultural groups who later adopted the identity of Mexica, and who are closely associated with modern Mexico).
     This seizure of a portion of the Southwest United States, and the establishment of Aztlan is at the heart of "The Reconquista".  (It also served as the storyline for the second book in Matthew Bracken's popular trilogy, Domestic Enemies: The Reconquista.)  But it is the mission statement of MEChA that gives us the clearest picture of this ideology as outlined in their Spiritual Plan for Atzlan:  “In the spirit of a new people that is conscious not only of its proud historical heritage but also of the brutal gringo invasion of our territories, we, the Chicano inhabitants and civilizers of the northern land of Aztlan from whence came our forefathers, reclaiming the land of their birth and consecrating the determination of our people of the sun, declare that the call of our blood is our power, our responsibility, and our inevitable destiny. … Aztlan belongs to those who plant the seeds, water the fields, and gather the crops and not to the foreign Europeans. … We are a bronze people with a bronze culture. Before the world, before all of North America, before all our brothers in the bronze continent, we are a nation, we are a union of free pueblos, we are Aztlan. For La Raza todo. Fuera de La Raza nada. Chicano is our identity; it defines who we are as people. It rejects the notion that we…should assimilate into the Anglo-American melting pot…Aztlan was the legendary homeland of the Aztecas … It became synonymous with the vast territories of the Southwest, brutally stolen from a Mexican people marginalized and betrayed by the hostile custodians of the Manifest Destiny.” (Statement on University of Oregon MEChA Website, Jan. 3, 2006).  
     Eight years later, they must be seeing the glimmer of hope that their plan is coming to fruition.  And it is time to sit up and take notice when you hear statements, such as this, from Miguel Perez of Cal State-Northridge's MEChA "The ultimate ideology is the liberation of Aztlan. Communism would be closest [to it]. Once Aztlan is established, ethnic cleansing would commence: Non-Chicanos would have to be expelled -- opposition groups would be quashed because you have to keep power."
     And just how would this power be perpetuated?  First of all, you need to know that La Raza is extremely well-funded through American tax dollars.  In one year (2005), La Raza received $15.2 million in federal grants. Of this $15.2 million, $8 million came from the U.S. Department of Education.  It has even been rumored that some of this money goes to get-out-the-vote efforts (There's the community organizer aspect, again).  Combine this information with the fact that our President openly supported La Raza during his 2008 Presidential campaign, and reports that the recently stalled Senate Bill 744 supplied a secret $300 million dollar slush fund which was earmarked for La Raza, and you begin to wonder if there isn't some under-handed collusion going on.
     And before anyone accuses me of being racist or anti-immigration, I acknowledge how much the Hispanic population contributes to this nation, and I welcome any person of any nationality or color into this country who is willing to abide by our laws and desires to become part of our American family.  But the erasure of national borders and the "reconquering" of our nation is not something that I can recognize or concede.  And when I see groups become radicalized for the purpose of furthering distance and discontent between American citizens, then I become concerned about their motives.  It is becoming more and more obvious that this border crisis is being manufactured for increasingly suspect purposes.   Keep an eye on this situation and keep looking behind the curtain.

Proverbs 19:21    "Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand."


June 12, 2014

Are We That Far Behind?

     If, as Americans, we were honest with ourselves, I think we would find that as we have attempted to become more "tolerant", the overall repercussions have been a disintegration and deterioration of the fabric of our society.  Does that mean that a bigoted, exclusive and insensitive people is preferred?  Absolutely not!  But there needs to be a balance between respecting our differences and allowing the destruction of our culture in the name of "acceptance".
     I am saying all this because of a disturbing trend that is taking place in Britain, and which has the possibility of becoming a problem for us, too.  I found it very interesting when CBN News reported that "the British government has announced that schools will be required to teach British values."  Why make that distinction and what brought this on?  Apparently, this new policy came about in the wake of news that Islamists took over several schools in the United Kingdom. This alleged plot to turn British faith-based schools into Muslim training academies has been dubbed "Operation Trojan Horse."
     British Islamic expert George Igler is quoted as saying, "Individuals with a religious motivation have taken public money and basically created madrases; basically created religiously motivated schools that promote intolerance, and this in some cases is a criminal enterprise."  The school policy  decision comes at a time when Britain was already in an uproar over the explosion of Muslim halal food in the nation's food supply, and after revelations that several predominantly Muslim sex gangs around Britain were using English girls as sex slaves.
     Another aspect of this development is that Britain is the only Western country with a functioning network of Sharia tribunals and councils.  There are over 100 Sharia courts in Britain, and they are dealing with marriages, divorce, even with criminal matters. They're also marrying children!
     In Birmingham, England, with its large Muslim population, authorities say Islamists were turning schools into centers of extremism.  And in one school the Muslim call to prayer was broadcast across the school playground, and non-Muslim teachers were forced out.
     I bring this to your attention because if you think it can't happen here, think again!  Todd Starnes, at Fox News, reported that parents at a Wichita, Kansas elementary school were shocked to discover a giant wall display inside the building promoting the five pillars of Islam.  The exhibit was part of a religion component being taught at Minneha Core Knowledge Magnet School.  School officials said the study of Islam is part of their “Core Knowledge” magnet curriculum, and if you've been reading my blog for awhile, I don't have to point out that anytime you see the word "Core" in a school curriculum, you better be looking for Common Core, the federally funded education curriculum -- which includes many studies on the religion of Islam, by the way.  Supposedly, the "Core Knowledge" purpose is not to explore the matters of theology, but to understand the place of religion and religious ideas in history.  But that begs the obvious question ... If the purpose was not to teach theology, why was the school teaching the five pillars of Islam?
     Then there's the issue of the Sharia courts.  According to an article in The Washington Times, Islam’s sharia law is insinuating itself into our courtrooms, schools, prisons and every other aspect of society. The lever often used is one of discrimination against the precepts of shariah, while Christian and Jewish customs and laws remain.  In a 2011 report, the Center for Security Policy found 50 “significant” published appellate court cases where sharia law entered a U.S. court’s decision making.  Among those cases are the following:
•  The Muslim Students’ Association and the Muslim Accommodations Task Force has convinced at least 17 universities to have foot baths built or under construction, including Boston University, George Washington University and Temple University, and at least nine universities have prayer rooms for “Muslim students only,” including Stanford, Emory and the University of Virginia, according to USA Today.
•  Illinois’ Skokie School Districts replaced Veteran’s Day with Eid ul Adha, a major Muslim holiday, in 2013.
•  In Ohio, a Muslim death row inmate, Abdul Awkal, has filed a federal lawsuit arguing the prison system’s failure to provide halal meals is a restraint on his religious freedoms. His on-going case already succeeded in having pork removed from the prison system’s menu.
     In each of these cases, intimidation and threats of lawsuits forced U.S. laws and customs to give way to sharia law.  In the face of this pressure, we must admit the facts as the British have now figured out, and as Omar Ahmad, co-founder/Board Chairman of Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), in 1998 said publicly, “Islam isn’t in America to be equal to any other faith, but to become dominant. The Koran should be the highest authority in America, and Islam the only accepted religion on Earth.”
     Is it too late for Britain?  Michael Gove, British secretary of state for education, told parliament that British schools must be put under new leadership, and taken in a fresh, new direction.  "And we will put the promotion of British values at the heart of what every school has to deliver for children."
     Will America learn from Britain's failing "tolerance" policy?  Will we listen to the wise words of our Founding Fathers, who themselves confronted the differences between the two religions?  John Adams wrote a 4-page letter after he and Thomas Jefferson met with the emissary of the Islamic potentates of Tripoli to Britain, regarding the Barbary Pirates’ demands for tribute.  In the letter he made this observation:  "We took the liberty to make some inquiries concerning the grounds of their pretentions to make war upon nations who had done them no injury, and observed that we considered all mankind as our friends who had done us no wrong, nor had given us any provocation.  The Ambassador answered us that it was founded on the laws of their prophet, that it was written in their Qur’an, that all nations who should not have acknowledged their authority were sinners, that it was their right and duty to make war upon them wherever they could be found, and to make slaves of all they could take as prisoners, and that every Muslim who should be slain in battle was sure to go to Paradise."
     Just as the foundational principles of our Christian faith have not changed in a couple of thousand years, neither have those of the Islamic faith.  The threat to Great Britain is real and it has progressed to the point that they must push back or risk losing their culture.  So, I ask the question presented by this post ... Are we that far behind?  I have listed only a couple of examples of where we have "bowed down" to the tenets of Islam and forsaken our own laws, traditions and faith.  Do we really think if we show a good faith gesture of tolerance that we will still be allowed to honor and glorify our God?  It is time we pull our heads out of both the clouds and the sand, and stare the truth in the face.  If we don't want to follow in Britain's footsteps, then we better decide to know what Islam really is and how we are going to protect our own values.  Our schools and our courts are already under attack.  We better pay close attention!

1 Corinthians 8:5-6    "For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist."









   








February 17, 2014

The Grid Attack You Never Knew Happened

     I've been waiting for more reports to come out on this incident, but everything is quiet on the news front.  Did you know that on April 16, 2013 six men launched an attack on a critical power station in California?  Apparently, someone accessed an underground vault housing fiber optic telephone cables and cut off communications to a large Pacific Gas & Electric Company substation outside San Jose, California.  Then, for 19 minutes, someone opened fire from long-range, with the attack consisting of hundreds of AK-47 rounds being unleashed on 17 large transformers.
      None of the transformers exploded, but the damage was significant enough for PG&E to force their electricity feeds to reroute through another station in an effort to prevent a widespread blackout.
As you might expect, it was first written off as "vandalism".  Now, whether that was a blatant attempt at subterfuge, or law enforcement officials were fooled that easily, has not been established.  But according to SHTFPlan and Newsmax, the shell casings found at the scene had been wiped clean of fingerprints.
     Flash forward ten months, and we now have a Wall Street Journal article, in which Jon Wellinghoff, then-chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), termed the almost hour-long attack on the facility, "the most significant incident of domestic terrorism involving the grid that has ever occurred."  He goes on to say that he believes the episode might be a dress rehearsal for a bigger attack.
      Now don't you think that the American public should be made aware of this, whether it was "vandalism" or a full-blown terror attack?  Don't you think we should know just how vulnerable our grid system is?  Oh, that's not necessary, THEY will tell you; the FBI is "sifting through evidence" and they aren't concerned about a terror attack.  So, Mr. and Mrs. John Q Public, just go back to your normalcy bias.  We'll take care of everything.
     But wait a minute, didn't the WSJ report that it looked more like the handiwork of professionals who had done advance preparation and reconnaissance?  And didn't it take 27 days to repair the damage and bring the substation back on line?  Considering the fact that there are about 2,000 massive, custom-built transformers around the country; and that they are pricy and hard to replace --- couldn't a highly coordinated attack on even a small number of these transformers result in prolonged outages, and a major disruption in our economy and lives?  A couple of days are manageable, but if the right equipment were to be targeted then it’s possible that repairs would take up to 18 months because many transformer components are sourced from foreign nations and have long build times.
     As if cyber-attacks are not enough to bring down the grid(s), we now know that our energy facilities are easily penetrable!  And it should not be surprising when you hear the response from one of the local PG&E spokesmen:  “[Vandalism] is how we typically categorize incidents where other people damage our facilities."  So they let it go at that!  Confident that we're protected, now, aren't you?
     Fortunately, although considerably late in following up, then-FERC Chairman Wellinghoff heard about the attack on the substation and he flew to Silicon Valley to assess the situation, not just with energy grid experts, but with criminal experts, namely personnel from the U.S. Navy’s Dahlgren Surface Warfare Center in Virginia, which trains Navy SEALs.  After walking the site with PG&E officials and FBI agents, Mr. Wellinghoff said, the military experts told him it looked like a professional job. “They said it was a targeting package just like they would put together for an attack,” Mr. Wellinghoff said.
     So what's happened since then?  Well, just a couple months ago, in December, The Blaze reported that Dr. Peter Vincent Pry, who served on the Congressional Electromagnetic Pulse Commission which was charged with studying all EMP threats that could threaten the American way of life, said calling the California event a “dry run” is accurate.  “In military and terrorist operational planning, an exercise or dry run deliberately stops short of destroying the target or achieving the maximum outcome because you do not want to alert the adversary,” Pry said. “You want the victim to remain vulnerable to a surprise all-out attack, most likely a much larger and more ambitious attack.”
     The response from PG&E was anemic, at best.  They will improve their security by deploying advanced camera systems, enhanced lighting and additional alarms at the substation in San Jose that was attacked, as well as others.  Of course, the utility is considering a rate increase to pay for the security enhancements.
      Yet, with all this circumspection, are we likely to see any shoring up of our national electric grid system?  Don't hold your breath!  The fact is that our infrastructure is outdated and exposed. It will not be repaired any time soon because the costs run into the hundreds of billions of dollars.  (And we have wars to run, farms to subsidize, welfare recipients to fund, and health insurance to underwrite).
     But we cannot ignore such warnings as those coming from Jim Woolsey, Former CIA Director, who said that though experts on the threat have been warning of potential terror attacks on the electric grid for years, many people – reporters and users included – just choose to ignore it.  “Without electricity we aren’t a civilization, and this is a major societal vulnerability” Woolsey said.  To show the absolute absurdity of the government's ostrich-like refusal to act on this vulnerability, Woolsey related this opinion:  “So many people lecture me … about how this is not an officially sanctioned threat … (laugh) as if what matters is whether a government bureaucracy has made a finding or not, when somebody steps out next to a transformer farm and blasts away with an AK-47.”  
     So, it comes down to what we've known all along ... the only real option for Americans is to expect that such an event is coming, and to prepare for it.  In light of the event in California, it's time to take this situation seriously.  Frank Gaffney, of the Center for Security Policy, claims that 9 out of 10 Americans would die within a year of the electricity going out.  If nothing else grabs your attention, then this statistic should.  Food supplies, water, medical supplies, and a well-researched preparedness plan are essential NOW.  The enemy has had 10 months to perfect their plan.  They've already shown they can accomplish their goal; can you accomplish yours?

John 12:35    "So Jesus said to them, "The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The One who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going."