August Reporter 2009

Page 1

Shalom in Spite of the “Signs” P. 4

Faith Under Fire P. 4

A False Balance .. A Just Weight P.11

issue 8 ·August 2009

REPORTER FREE

SERVING THE MID-WILLAMETTE VALLEY EQUIP - ENCOURAGE - UNITE in truth

Signs of the End Times

By David J. Meyer In the past thirty days, there have been 330 significant earthquakes with a magnitude of 4 or higher worldwide. Is anyone paying attention to this great sign of the end times? The earth has been quivering and shaking almost continually in various places around the world. From Saudi Arabia to Los Angeles, from metropolitan Dallas-Ft. Worth to New York’s Hudson Valley, the earth has been slowly rumbling. On May 29th, 2009, a powerful 7.1 quake struck Honduras, causing death, injuries, and considerable

damage. During the first week of June 2009, a strong jolt also hit southern Macedonia. The earth rumbled and shook in central Mexico, Alaska, the Philippines, and numerous other places. We remember the words of our Saviour when he warned us of conditions at the time of his coming. “And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences, and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven,” (Luke 21:11). During the first week of June, the fertile plains of Iraq became infested with countless numbers of serpents, driving out people and

cattle. It is astounding to me that so many signs from the Lord are happening, and so few people know about it. Most of what the Almighty is doing is being covered up by the mass communications media. Those things that cannot be ignored are quickly forgotten by an apathetic people who quickly return to their sin, fornication, and idolatry. Even the horrific bush fires of Australia, which happened only months ago and began on what is called “Black Saturday,” are quickly forgotten. The massive areas of land burned, the animals injured, the people

bursting into flames, and the other untold horrors are quickly forgotten by the world. Experts in Australia have now revealed that those Australian fires had such a force and devastation to have equaled 1,500 atomic bombs of the size that destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki! The signs in the heavens also continue. In February 2009, a strange and unique comet began to reach its closest point to earth. One report stated that it seemed to Continued on Page 5


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A MINISTRY OF CAPITAL PARK WESLEYAN CHURCH

The Death of Free Speech: How Our Broken National Dialogue Has Killed The Truth And Divided America By John Ziegler

Summer day camps continuing through 7-31-09! This year we have minimal Field Trips but more time at the center. We are open 8:30 am to 5:30 pm, Monday through Friday. This year, since we open before noon, we walk to Bush Elementary to participate in the free lunches through the Summer Food Service Program. We spend a little more than an hour playing at the park and then walk back to the Center. We then have various activities, circle time and a snack to finish out the day. The summer day camp program is going well and includes games and puzzles, active play in the gym, and arts and crafts projects by Mary Grim and Helen and John King are available on Mondays and Thursdays. We fill in with our own arts & crafts projects on the other days. Some projects have included painting, working with clay, drawing with pastels, and sand and chalk art. We may even attempt a tie-dye t-shirt! We have drawing class on Monday, cooking at least twice each week and a sewing class on Thursdays. Since we have been open, a group of children have worked on projects with Coach Dave repairing a picnic table and planting flowers around the center. We have Reading Club 3 days a week and also Math games. Each afternoon we have circle time where we hear a Bible Story and work on a memory verse, and later on a nutritious snack. As you can see it’s been a busy summer! Basketball Camp August 3 - 6! Don’t forget our Over the Top Basketball

Camp which is coming up August 3-6, 10am - 12 noon. Cost is $30 per camper with registration limited to the first 50. Special guest coach is Dann Dunn, Head Coach at Moody Bible Institute. Each camper will receive a t-shirt, expert instruction from college and high school levels, individual attention, individual and team awards and free snacks every day. Questions? Please call Coach Dave at 503-362-6626. Camp Lane The culmination to our summer activities is our week-long Camp Lane at Walton, OR., August 10-14. The camp is for youth entering 3rd grade through high school. Several of our children would like to go to camp, but cost is an issue. That’s where you can help! The cost of camp this year is $125. Whether you are able to scholarship one or more children or help with a partial scholarship – all is very much appreciated! Whatever you can give towards this camping experience for a child will make a difference! Happy Trails Theatre Capital Park Wesleyan Church would also like to announce their Happy Trails Theatre presentation on August 23 at 10am. The theatre presents their Ambassadors, Ron & Opal Erikson from Branson, Missouri, sharing how God has worked in their lives. There will be classic country style gospel music, followed by a BBQ. A Love offering will be received. The Center is located at 410 19th Street SE in Salem.

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In “The Death of Free Speech,” radio talkshow host and TV commentator John Ziegler examines how the news media have created arbitrary, biased, and illogical rules for determining what can and cannot be said in the public arena. He details how in almost every major case of “speech and punishment” in modern America, the guilty verdict was wrong and unjust. From incidents involving Jimmy “the Greek,” Trent Lott, and Fuzzy Zoeller to Rush Limbaugh, John Rocker, and Jocelyn Elders, he blows apart the conventional wisdom that led to these public figures being unfairly penalized for expressing their constitutionally protected opinions and explains why others have been spared despite making similar statements. Through his own experiences of being fired for things he has said on-air, as well as neverbefore-revealed interactions with others who found themselves the target of the self-appointed “thought police” in the news media, Ziegler takes an in-depth look at the issues that surround these controversies. Ziegler also looks at the increasing corporate conflicts and legal restrictions being imposed on free speech, particularly when it comes to political speech, which came

to the forefront of the 2004 election campaign in the battle over the candidates’ Vietnam War records. Read how Zeigler scathingly obliterates the news media’s pathetic handling of that issue and describes how it affected the election itself. Additionally, he exposes how restrictions on free speech have created a media matrix that makes it impossible for the truth ever to be known by most Americans. “The Death of Free Speech” is an objective, credible, provocative, and entertaining look at one of the most important and underreported realities in American society. No one is in a better position to tell this story than John Ziegler as he warns that this most cherished constitutional right is in grave jeopardy. John Ziegler is a veteran of the radio and television industries who has been on the air in several major markets including Raleigh, Nashville, Philadelphia, Louisville, and Los Angeles, where he currently is the host of the evening show on the most listened-to talkradio station in the country. He has frequently served as a commentator on local and national television shows and as a columnist for numerous newspapers and prominent political Web sites. He lives in Burbank, California. Hardcover, 288 pages.

Capitol Corner

By Judy Servis

Finishing well in the Oregon State Legislature is hopeful as the legislative session ended June 30th. Over 4,000 bills are introduced during each legislative session so there is a hefty work load. House Bill 2598 has been introduced and is of particular concern as it relates to "stem cell" research. It is called the "Clone and Kill Bill". Those of you who have followed human life issues will find this very troubling. Go to leg. state.or.us and check out the status of this bill. In the Oregon State Legislature I believe you would be excited at the way many of the legislators have formed teams and created a "Back to the Basics" budget bill. This particular group is encouraging keeping expenses the same and not raising new taxes to create new programs or increase spending. It would be well worth your time to take a stroll down to the Oregon Capitol and sit in on some of the hearings. One can find at least 4 or 5 sessions every afternoon. In the morning one will find readings of the various bills and after a third reading there will be vote. On the capitol scene around tthe country we now have six states which have approved "same sex marriage". The states are Maine, Iowa, California, New Hampshire, Oregon

and Massachusetts. On another note you might want to check out the Pepsi Company's stand on homosexuality. It is recommended you boycott various products and contact the main office to leave a message for the President. Pepsi has a wide range of products they produce outside of Pepsi Cola. Also in Washington DC a new bill has been introduced "Uniting American Families Act" otherwise known as SB424. This bill would allow homosexuals to immigrate to the United States with their partners under the same resident status as married persons. Go to frc.org to keep tabs on this. Let's not forget the illegal immigration crisis as well in our country. It continues in spite of efforts to secure our borders. You can find information about this by going to numbersusa.com Keep up the good fight! We know the battle "belongs to the Lord", but let us not be among those who are unaware of the "times" 1. resistnet.com/group/oregon - post a bill that needs blitzing 2. freedomworks.org = check for Oregon coordinator 3. CampaignForLiberty.com = check for Oregon coordinator

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FAITH UNDER FIRE

Shalom in Spite of the “Signs”

Christian student fights professor - wins big

By Diana Kunkle I hear bits and pieces of prophecies, revelations, warnings—you know—the “scary” stuff that some of us would like to deny could be true, or at least “don’t want to think about right now.” I say “bits and pieces” because my ear—stealthily controlled by the fear center of my mind—alerts me to turn off the radio, change the TV channel, or tune out an overheard conversation if the topic is one that concerns the more devastating or unpleasant aspects of our potential future. My eyes work the same way—Seeing this very issue of “The JC Town Reporter” sitting on a table, I may be inclined to not merely ignore it, but to turn it over, or even throw it away, for fear of accidentally reading about how a frightening reality could be looming closer than I would like to admit, based on “Signs in the Sky” or “Signs of the Times.” I make excuses, like “I’m female…leave it the men to worry about that stuff,” “YHWH will take care of us when the time comes, I don’t need to concern myself anticipating the future,” or “I’ve got enough to deal with in the here and now—When I get my current situation under control I’ll look ahead at things to come.” Although I can attach an element of truth to any excuse, if I’m being honest with myself, the root of my aversion is always fear. This fear, I’ve found over the last few months, is beginning to fade—and I’ve allowed my eyes to glimpse, and my ears to start hearing bigger and bigger “bits and pieces” about a future that can seem unreal and frightening, but that YHWH not only has under control, but has had planned since before the beginning of time, and has given specific instructions in his Word concerning how to be prepared for. It is the revelation of these instructions that is lifting the burden of fear from my heart and showing me what we as believers need to be doing in order to be ready for whatever comes our way—whether it be in 2012, 2013, or even next week if that’s what YHWH has ordained. I’m learning, and beginning to really understand that the “Tribulation” prophesied in Scripture—a time of great persecution, destruction and judgment signifying end times—is actually to be considered a gate or door of hope to those who have the testimony of salvation through the Messiah, and who keep his commandments—his law, or “Torah,” as prescribed in the books of Moses. We don’t have to be afraid of what is to come, because we follow our Savior, the one who perfectly kept this Law, and the one who, through the Holy Spirit, enables us to keep it as well—not as an unbearable burden, but as a light easy yoke—and not as a means of atonement, but as an act of obedience and devotion. In studying and observing the Law, we better understand our Savior, our faith, and even our future in a greater way.

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I’ve had the first paragraphs of this article written for over a month, and have been very happy with the introduction I’d come up with. From there, I’ve spent hours thinking, writing, erasing, writing again and erasing again. I’ve just about worn out the backspace button on my keyboard trying to get this right. Thinking about this struggle, the classic picture of a room filled with wadded up pieces of paper surrounding a person at a typewriter comes to mind. I know why I am no longer afraid to consider an unpleasant future—but how do I convey all of the aspects of what led me to this peace and freedom to a reading audience? To expound on all aspects would require much more room than I have here. In brief, honestly, I believe Torah Observance should be for everyone—realistically, I know many would not agree, so I don’t want to alienate anyone reading this with a hard-core “keep Torah” message…although it sure would be fun to preach that sometime! For me, concerning observing the Law of Moses, doing things that aren’t easy in a Western society, and may make me look foolish to some, is like practice—If I’m willing to do this now, I’ll already be in “submission mode,” and will be in the habit of not following the crowd when end times prophesies start manifesting. The Torah is a blueprint—mapping out for us set apart living—taking the guesswork out of how to be “not of this world.” Even apart from Torah-keeping, making a conscious decision to not think as the world thinks, and to not look as the world looks— really, truly doing this—can be preparation for future persecution, and is something every believer can and should do with deliberate effort. If we take a stand and don’t “play along” now, when times are relatively easy, we are practicing for the time that is coming where it will be so important to know what we truly stand for. I’m not to the point where I hunt down prophesy teachings to listen to, or Google “conspiracy theories,” but I can now testify that my heart doesn’t quicken in fear at the sound of people discussing cosmic events that could lead to the destruction of a third of the earth, or if I hear a news story that makes me think the “anti-Messiah’s” rise is just around the corner. In setting myself apart from worldly thinking and submitting to how YHWH wants me to live my life, I can be prepared for a future that will be devastating to those who do not have the Salvation granted through faith in the Savior, and who do not have his Word as a guide. I can have a firm foundation built on his instruction, and can see signs of trouble to come and watch them without fear.

Judge rules college can’t censor religious speech for being “offensive”

By Drew Zahn A California court has ruled in favor of a student who was insulted for defending traditional marriage and has ordered the college to strike from its website a sexual harassment policy that censors speech deemed "offensive" to homosexual people. As World Net Daily reported, Jonathan Lopez, a student at Los Angeles City College, was delivering a speech on his Christian faith in speech class when professor John Matteson interrupted him, called him a "fascist b----rd" for mentioning a moral conviction against homosexual marriage and later told him to "ask God what your grade is." The professor also warned on his evaluation of Lopez's speech, "Proselytizing is inappropriate in public school," and later threatened to have Lopez expelled. Represented by attorneys from the Alliance Defense Fund, Lopez sued the Los Angeles City College District, the largest community college system in the U.S., with over 135,000 students. The lawsuit not only targeted the school over the professor's comments, however, but also sought removal of a campus sexual harassment and speech policy that court documents allege "systematically prohibits and punishes political and religious speech by students that is outside the campus political mainstream." ADF claims the district's policy, which labels speech as sexual harassment whenever it might be "perceived as offensive or unwelcome" – such as Lopez's opinions on sexual morality – opens the door for Christians and defenders of traditional

marriage to suffer abuses similar to the type Lopez endured. "Professor Matteson clearly violated Mr. Lopez's free speech rights by engaging in viewpoint discrimination and retaliation because he disagreed with the student's religious beliefs," said ADF Senior Counsel. David French in a statement. "Moreover, the district has a speech code that has created a culture of censorship on campus. America's public universities and colleges are supposed to be a 'marketplace of ideas,' not a hotbed of intolerance." In a ruling handed down last week, U.S. District Judge George H. King apparently agreed, calling the campus policy "unconstitutionally overbroad" and ordering it to be stricken from the college's website. The judge then granted ADF's request for a preliminary injunction, suggesting Lopez was likely to win his case and that the posted policy was likely to cause irreparable harm should it be left in place. He ordered the college district to remove the policy within two weeks. "Christian students shouldn't be penalized for expressing their beliefs at a public college," commented French on the judge's decision. "We are pleased that the court has taken this step to ensure that the First Amendment rights of students are not violated. We will continue to litigate this case to make sure the constitutional rights of our client and other students at the college are protected." © 2009 WorldNetDaily, by permission www.wnd.com

Los Angeles City College professor's evaluation of student's speech, marked with the words, "Ask God what your grade is."

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Faithless Watchmen

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By Craig Meyers

According to the Gospels, Jesus spoke at length about his return and the importance of believers being ready. The Lord tells us in Mark 13:32-37, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the son, but only the father. Be on guard! Be alert, you do not know when that time will come. It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back - whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: “Watch!” What is the importance of being ready beyond simply pleasing the master with our attentiveness? Imagine the watchman admitting to the master that he allowed thieves to freely enter and steal because he did not want his family, church, or community to be awakened, and then congratulating himself for being awake at the master’s return! Will his master reply, “Well done good and faithful servant.”? Matt 25:21 Jesus said in Matthew 24:43, “But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.” This Matthew passage is followed by the parables of the ten virgins, the talents, and the sheep and the goats, all illustrating that watching is not star gazing, but an activity vital to our earthly security and the eternal salvation of the servant! Jesus’ admonitions are directed to all who claim to be believers. Yet while he makes it clear that our salvation and heavenly rewards depend on our obedience, many Christians fail to apply these abundant mandates to their own lives. Almost every day, I hear a Christian say, “Surely the Lord is coming soon, so I am now free to refocus my attention away from earthly concerns such as my civic duties.” They argue, the political situation is beyond repair, so they abandon their duty to their country and community and timidly wait for the return of Christ, which they are expecting any moment. Does the Bible suggest the Lord is returning for our gratification or perhaps to rescue us from trouble like the cavalry riding in at a critical moment? The words of Jesus show that the watchmen, virgins, and other servants had been given a clear responsibility that does not expire at some point prior to their master’s return. In addition,

we’re plainly told that we will not know beforehand when the master will return. How then, can we use his anticipated return as an excuse for disobeying his orders to continue guarding? Doesn't the earth belong to him? Doesn't America belong to him? Don't our inalienable rights come from him, along with our system of government? Isn’t America His “city on a hill”, and doubly worthy of our loyal protection? Should we no longer act as salt, preserving our sacred Constitutional freedoms? Are we no longer light, providing hope in a darkening and dying society? Has our Lord abandoned his domain to the enemy and relieved his church of the obligations we have clearly had since Pentecost? If so, where are those orders to retreat found in Scripture? Throughout history, many generations of Christians have believed that they were watching the end of the age, and many have died of old age “disappointed” at Christ’s tardiness. Certainly these are trying times, but they are not unusual. At many times, believers have been, “…handed over to be persecuted and put to death … and hated by all nations because of me." Matt 24:9. Matt 24:12 states, “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” The trials of the end times will reveal that, like the self-deceived virgins, many who assumed they were saved are not. Are we on guard, standing firm for the truth, or allowing God's domain of justice and righteousness to be broken down and stolen in our culture, laws, government, schools, media, and business world? Is our love for our neighbor so cold that we will no longer work to address the evil shaping his and his family’s world? The full armor of God in Ephesians 6:1018 is not just for the lone Christian, but for his family and the community of believers. It is provided that we may stand together, “… against the rulers…authorities…and powers of this dark world…” that we see abusing their God-given position in our government and culture, as well as against the unseen “spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” As our founding fathers almost unanimously affirmed, it is Christ, not man, who is supreme over government. “For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him” Colossians 1:16. Let us therefore stand firm in the name of our master, defending our spiritual heritage as Americans, and not become faithless watchmen.

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Signs of the end times: continued from front page hang over Jerusalem briefly as it traveled by. The comet was unique because it was pale green in color from the gases being given off by it. In ancient times and in the occult world, comets were believed to be a sign of either a major world event or the death of a world leader. On the eve of the death of Julius Caesar, he was warned with the words, “When peasants die there are no comets seen: the heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.” This was said while a comet passed over Rome at that time of the Ides of March. The pale green color of the comet Lulin that appeared this past February is of great interest when we consider the words of Revelation 6:8, which reads as follows: “And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the

earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.” The word pale in this verse is taken from the Greek word cloros, which is a pale sickly green, the very color of the comet. From that word cloros, we derive the word chlorine, the halogen in group 17 that gives off that color as a gas. On February 24th, 2009, another amazing event took place in the night skies over El Cajon, California. According to CBS News, it was witnessed and photographed by many people, and I have a copy of the photo. Three large Arabic numerals appeared in blood red color and in a triangular shape in the sky. NASA has no certain explanation for it. These eerie numerals were the Arabic sitta, which is the number six. Thus, a clear and distinct 666 in blood red appeared over California. These are the last of the last days!

Sotomayor's Activist Past

By Dr. Gary L. Cass The Founding Fathers knew that checks and balances had to be placed on political power. An essential check on the abuse of power is an unbiased judiciary. Impartial judges are supposed to protect our rights and rule according to the original intention of the constitution. But Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, Sonia Sotomayor, said it is in the courts where policy is made. But it’s Congress where policy is supposed to be fashioned. Activist judges are among the biggest threats to our constitutional liberties, including our freedom of religion. As Sonia Sotomayor appears in hearings this week before the Senate Judiciary Committee, it seems that her confirmation will also take place soon. According to recent polls this might not be what the public desires. But just in case, liberals are wasting no time in finding an even more radical replacement for retiring Supreme Court Justice Soter. In a national telephone survey conducted by Rasmussen, 37 percent believed that Sotomayor should be confirmed, compared to a larger 39 percent that said she should not. The rest of those surveyed were undecided. These results come as Americans learn more about Sotomayor's controversial comments and rulings. Sotomayor once said that her background as a Latino woman would

enable her to make wiser decisions than white men. But Judges are supposed to provide equal justice under the law, not by class or race. The Supreme Court just overturned her lower court decision to nullify the results from a promotions test for firefighters in New Haven, CT because no black firefighters scored high enough to qualify for elevation. Her poll numbers have shifted considerably compared with two weeks ago in which 42% favored confirmation, and 34% were opposed. Within party lines, Democrats support her confirmation at a four-to-one margin, and Republicans oppose it at a three-toone margin. Those who are not part of either major party oppose her confirmation 49% to 23%. The numbers in favor of Sotomayor are wearing thin. Yet, even without the majority support, 84% of the voters still expect that Sotomayor will be confirmed. What should we expect from Justice Sotomayor? To better understand Sotomayor, the Washington Post reviewed nearly 900 pages of opinions of all 46 of her cases in which she issued a divided ruling as a member of the 2nd Circuit. By using a database that tracks all the federal appellate decisions nationwide, Sotomayor's votes in these Continued on Page 6

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Hard Times Hard Times Hard Times

By Richard Benson Specialty Finance Group LLC

Our measure of how bad it is in this economy for a broad swath of Americans can be analyzed by asking three basic questions: Are people working, are they making any money, and do they have any money in reserves? To answer these questions and more, below are some shocking facts! First, are people actually employed? The glum employment situation continues to unravel and on the summer jobs front, 16-19 year olds are facing the worst environment since 1954, before their parents were even born. In 2007, 51 percent of graduating college students had jobs lined up before graduation. This year, less than 20 percent had jobs. Because they can't find work, the youth of America are staying at home with their parents (maybe forever) and parents can be categorized as "payrents." The number of unemployed workers reported in the "headline" unemployment rate of 9.5 % is now 15 million, but only seven million are eligible and collecting unemployment insurance benefits. Each week, when initial unemployment claims of over 600,000 are announced, it's a virtual certainty that a million people have actually lost their jobs, considering 400,000 workers are out of the work force and not eligible to file. When a million jobs a week are lost, there is no way our current economy can replace them! In America, only about 60 percent of workers are eligible to file for unemploy-

ment benefits. The rest are part-time, contract workers, and those that worked only a short time and don't qualify to receive benefits. An alternative measure of unemployment reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics ("BLS") shows a 16.5 percent unemployment rate. This measure, called the U-6, includes workers who would like a job but have stopped looking, and part-timers who want full-time work (there are approximately nine million part-timers seeking full-time employment). Unemployment and underemployment are massive. Second, is anyone making any money? With 28 million people working part-time and 10 million self-employed (this includes dog walkers, yoga instructors and independent contractors, such as real estate sales agents), 38 million Americans in the work force are working but not making that much. Many firms and state and local governments have also begun to cut payroll hours and eliminate overtime altogether. The weekly hours worked were at their lowest level ever recorded in the BLS survey - if you don't work, you don't get paid! But the survey is very likely still overestimating personal income (hourly wages are multiplied by hours worked to give a good indication of income), so another way to measure income is to examine tax collections. If you are working part-time or are self-employed you're counted as working in the survey, but if you're not paying taxes, it's because you didn't make any money! State income tax

receipts from January 2008 - April 2009 were down 26 percent from the year before, and money wired back to homes in Mexico from America is down 20 percent. Small businesses are also failing at a catastrophic rate. These businesses used to be a major source of job growth and income, but not anymore! Mom and Pop businesses have been gutted and many used personal credit cards to fund their operations, resulting in a default rate that has grown to 12 percent on small business credit cards. Third, does anyone have any financial resources? The government recently reported the savings rate had increased to 7 percent, but with personal income so grossly overestimated, it's likely the numbers are way off. There's a big difference between paying down your credit card debt (as your credit limit is cut), and stashing real cash in the bank. Cash in the bank is real savings, paying down credit card debt is not. But since the Fed cut interest rates to zero, many older Americans, who relied on the interest to help pay the bills, are scrambling and uncertain about the future. In addition, 51 million Americans are collecting Social Security benefits. Nobody would consider this demographic rich or well to do. Indeed, given the high cost of living, you don't live on Social Security, you simply subsist. Another 12 million people are collecting Social Security Disability ("SSI"). (If

you're 55 and used to work at an auto plant and have exhausted your unemployment benefits, SSI is likely where you will find your friends until you turn 62 and start collecting Social Security.) And still another 34 million people are collecting food stamps, and the total is rising at the rate of 4 million a year. (To be eligible for food stamps you need to have less than $2,000 in resources such as a bank deposit). RECAP: Seven million people are collecting unemployment benefits, and another eight million are unemployed and collecting nothing! There are 38 million part-time or self employed workers, and 2.4 million people in jail (1 in 100 adults). 51 million are collecting Social Security benefits, 12 million are on Social Security Disability, and 34 million are on food stamps. What financial resources can this huge segment of the population have? Not much! I bet no one under the age of 70 can remember an economy this bad. Tens of millions of Americans subsisting on government handouts are one paycheck away from homelessness and hunger. The hard times we are experiencing today, due to the misalignment of over-consumption financed by debt, are severe. It will take at least a few more years to work down the debt, build real savings and put the economy on a sound footing. You have to wonder what the government will do to try and jumpstart the dying economy. ...Whoever said that Hard Times weren't interesting?

Her record on homosexual rights is very thin. With the exception of a question asked her during her 1997 confirmation hearings, there is little light shed on this issue from her perspective. Even the question asked during her hearings was very specific and does not reveal a lot about her broad jurisprudential view. Another Ginsburg? Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg came out over the weekend with comments that revealed a more in-depth look into her approval of removing the abortion ban in Roe v. Wade. She said in the interview with the New York Times, “Frankly, I had thought that at the time Roe was decided, there was concern about population growth, and particularly growth in populations that we don’t want to have too many of.”

This is absolutely frightening! Population control of certain groups? What groups? This is exactly what we do not want in America. Planned Parenthood, and much of the pro-abortion movement, was founded by those who believed in social Darwinism and eugenics which included race purification. TAKE ACTION: We can’t risk having another person on the court who is not willing to be bound by the original intention of the Constitution. Contact your Senators and tell them to oppose Sonia Sotomayor and any other justice that is not committed to strictly applying the Constitution. Email the Oregon Senators through their websites: Ron Wyden http://wyden.senate. gov/ Jeff Merkley http://merkley.senate. gov/contact/

Sotomayor’s Activist Past : Continued from page 5 split cases were compared to others through a random sampling of 5,400 cases. Through definitions created by the University of South Carolina political scientist Donald Songer said they were able to distinguish a pattern in her decisions. Sotomayor's votes came out liberal 59 percent of the time, while other judges appointed by Democratic presidents compared at 52 percent. Also, according to the database, Republican appointees were 13 percent less liberal than Democratic appointees. This gives a good indication that she would be a very liberal Supreme Court Justice. Liberal? How So? Well, first off, she is very pro-abortion. From 1980-1992 Sotomayor presided on the board of the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund. During this time PRLDEF sent briefings to the Supreme Court arguing

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for unlimited legal abortions for any reason throughout pregnancy and for taxpayer funding of abortions. Some of these positions would be more extreme than Justice Souter, who would vote to uphold certain restrictions that PRLDEF wanted removed. Senator Jim DeMint recently met with Sotomayor and came away sharing a telling moment. "When I asked if an unborn child has any rights whatsoever, I was surprised that she said she had never thought about it," he said. "This is not just a question about abortion, but about respect due to human life at all stages -- and I hope this is cleared up in her hearings." But what of her views on homosexual rights?

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Every Drop Counts

Water consumption spikes up more than 40 percent in the summertime to peaks of 55 million gallons per day (MGD). Help us reach our goal of never exceeding 50 million gallons of water per day. To achieve this goal, water your lawn no more than one inch per week, the amount of water a healthy lawn needs

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A False Balance ... A Just Weight

By Brad Scott There have been innumerable sermons and countless books written on the subject of doctrine. Christians, whether they are scholars, clergy, or laity, are enamored with the subject. The correct doctrine of the Messiah, according to 2 Yochanan 10, is the litmus test for allowing their entrance into your house. The correct Christian doctrine has been the focus of the western church ever since the early church fathers brought it to the forefront. The focus of a myriad of church councils and summits over the centuries has been the right creed. After all, it is saying and believing the right "stuff" that separates the righteous from the heathen, or at best, the informed from the deceived. No believer would deny the importance of correct doctrine. How we behave as believers is supposed to be, according to Yahshua (Luke 6:45), based upon what we think and believe. It is not the importance of correct doctrine that should be the issue. The focus should be on how one arrives at good sound doctrine. The answer is found in Mishlei 11:1. "A false balance is an abomination unto YHVH, but a just weight is His delight." So, what is a just weight, and what did YHVH mean by a false balance? In the period of time this proverb was written, and up to the time of Yahshua's ministry, products were bought and sold in a bartering process. Products were exchanged for coins or other products or services. Coin exchanges and product booths were set up in the streets and even in the temple. In order to ensure an eye for an eye, scales were employed to keep everyone honest, or so everyone believed. Here is an example of how the process worked. A fig farmer would bring his basket of figs into town. He would search for someone to exchange their coins for his figs. After finding someone who needed figs, the fig purchaser would bring out the weighing scales. This is the determiner of the just weight referred to in Mishlei 11:1. The purchaser would then open up his bag of weights. Each one was marked according to its weight. The fig farmer would place his figs on one side of the scale. The purchaser would begin to place each weight on the other side of the scale until the trays were balanced. He would then count up the weights and pay the fig farmer so many coins for each increment of weight. Pretty simple, right? A fair and balanced transaction? Not always. Many times it was balanced but not a just weight. How can this be? The answer comes

from what we today would call a stacked deck. Much too often the purchaser, the one with the weights, would mark his weight as being lighter than it actually was. Say for instance, a certain weight actually weighed 1 Roman pound, about 12 ounces, but the weight was marked as weighing ten ounces. This meant that the purchaser could place less weights on the scale to achieve a balance. But as you can see, it was a false balance, because the purchaser has not used a just weight. He has loaded his side to make it appear to be balanced. This transaction becomes very deceptive when both sides overstate or understate their product. Both sides give the appearance of balance. Neither side presents a just weight. It is with this background in mind that Solomon writes, "a false balance is an abomination unto YHVH, but a just weight is His delight." How does one arrive at a just weight? How do I keep from presenting a false balance? The western church can begin by learning from her eastern roots! How did the Jewish prophets, apostles, and disciples interpret Scripture? The western church mindset generally has two views of any one particular doctrinal subject. The right view and the wrong view. We have been trained by our culture to see issues two ways. In our society it is conservative or liberal, Republican verses Democrat, black against white. In the civil war it was North verses South, Yankee against rebel, blue or gray. You're either a feminist or a male chauvinist, pro-life or pro-abortion, a member of the Gay and Lesbian Task Force or a homophobe! In Christian circles, we follow the same pattern. You are either pre-tribulational or post- tribulational, pre-millennial or amillenial, charismatic or non-charismatic, Protestant or Catholic, evangelical or non-evangelical. The spiritual gifts are either for today or they are straight from hell. Water baptism is either the requirement for salvation or it is simply a symbolic ritual. And, of course, in the south you are either Southern Baptist or you are not! In the same way there are only two kinds of music in the south: country or western! So we choose a subject and in our Pavlov's dog way assume there are two views. We convince ourselves of one view and proceed to write scathing rebuttals to the other view. We spend countless hours of study time building and researching our view. We meticulously develop a case against the other side. We find Scriptures and anecdotes that overtly or covertly support our side, and look for

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anything that would seem to blow the other view out of the water. This is how we study. The ancient sages, however, looked at Scripture much differently. Yes, they fought, fussed, and grappled with each other, but it was with the intent of wanting life-changing results. They reverenced YHVH's word because from their view, the word was YHVH Himself. It was the very building blocks of life. Their 'Elohiym was all-knowing. He knew the end from the beginning. Every word would then have timeless application and purpose. Each word would also reveal and teach much more than our finite minds could discover. Therefore, from their perspective, any one teaching was not limited to our view verses the other view. Because these sages could see YHVH's multiple ways of revealing Himself to us, they employed a 4-fold interpretive method. When these sages would sit down to study a particular section of Scripture, they would begin by seeking the p'shat of the text. The p'shat was the literal meaning of the verses. This kind of view seems to have stuck to the Pharisees to give them their reputation of being interested in only the letter of the law. These early Rabbi's, however, took YHVH always at face value as they began their search, and so the p'shat was always the initial interpretation. If the text, for instance, was the opening chapters of B'reshith (Genesis), the Jewish student of Scripture would look for the literal view of the narrative first. In other words, he would see that 'Elohiym created the world just exactly the way He said He did. He knew that literalness had to be established before symbolism could have any meaning. Next, he would look for the remez of the text. A remez is an insight into something far more profound, usually prophetic, than the literal view. The student searching for the remez might see prophetic teaching on the entropy laws, biology, astronomy, and even hints at the nature of Yahshua haMachiach. As you can see, this view would always be an on-going learning process. Now, the ancient sage would begin his search for the drash of the text. This method

would lean toward a more homiletical approach, i.e., what is this teaching me about me? How does this apply to my life right now? Much can be learned about the Sabbath, sin, the new birth, and the nature of the human being right in the text of the first 3 chapters of B'reshith. "God cares about me right now"", he would say. "How does this change my life?" And finally, the curious treasure seeking mystical side of all of us is ready to be satisfied. The last search would look for the sod of the text, that is, the things that are hidden in the text. This interpretative system has many variations. Since the Hebrew alef-bet had numbers applied to each letter, he would search out various ways of adding and multiplying the letters to see hidden messages in the words of the text. These messages, they believed, were designed by YHVH for the more serious student of Scripture, and are quite fascinating. These ancient sages, however, would leave sod for last, as it can be abused. Countless hours upon hours of this kind of research was devoted to each word of Scripture. Seeking all they could out of each verse was imperative for proper balance. Understanding that all of these views, when properly applied, was necessary for a just weight. All four views were correct. It was not simply one view against another. Typical western thinking, however, would have us to choose one view and oppose the others. Perhaps we would have written a revealing book about the other views. YHVH hates a false balance. Arriving at a just weight is His delight. Balance is not compromise. It is not acquiescing on an issue just to get along. It begins with a profound understanding that 'Elohiym is not limited to our two-dimensional view of things. The church can begin by learning the mindset of the people who wrote the Scriptures. The western church, by nature, forces its culture into the word. The writers of Scripture took the word into their culture. Shalom Alecheim!

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roots of ourof faith our faith roots FIRST FRUITS OF ZION

zion FIRST FRUITS OF

Who Is the Boss? Thought for the Month

America: land of the law?

Truth about freedom and the law

By Daniel Rendelman

Patriotic anthems declare America to be the “land of the free and home of the brave.” Indeed, the United States is the sweet land of liberty which guarantees religious and political freedom. These freedoms are protected from abuse through various legislation. Congress passes and revises thousands of laws each year. Each state, county, and city has their own rules which govern everything from taxes to parking. Violation of such laws results in fines, jail time and even capital punishment. Some have speculated that America has more laws in place than any other country in the world. Isn’t it strange that the land of the free is in reality the land of the law? The law could be viewed as a binding list of do’s and don’ts. The law could also be accepted as a fence that regulates behavior. That same stop light that irritates the morning drive to work actually stops wrecks from occurring throughout the day. Truth be told, the law is not for the criminal but for the free person. The law protects from abuse or anarchy by ensuring an orderly society. In these ways, the laws of the United States are much like the Laws of the Bible. The Mosaic Law teaches the believer how to serve and worship the Creator (Psalm 19:7-9, Acts 13:13-15.) The Law, or “torah” in Hebrew, also gives instructions on how to treat one another (Leviticus 19:18, Galatians 6:2.) The Torah of Moses is a school master that defines sin and leads a person to the Messiah (Romans 7:7, Galatians 3:21-2.) The Law is the viable standard of the Almighty’s will. “So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good,” Romans 7:12. Consider the Bible to be a type of consti-

tution for the saints. It is a law of liberty that leads to freedom and blessing. The founding father’s Bill of Rights and the Torah are still in affect today. There are over 613 commandments in the first five books of Moses and over 1,100 commands in the four Gospels. Many verses are specifically given to only certain groups of people or individuals for that very moment. For example, Leviticus 15 reads that women are to separate themselves during their menstrual cycle. Some of the controversial commandments, like stoning a person or sacrificing animals, are regulated in the Scripture to only occur “in the Land” of Israel or only when the Temple is functioning. For each command of the Law there are spiritual insights and practical applications. It isn’t legalism when a person obeys the law, it’s righteousness! The Law should be followed through heart-felt devotion. The Savior said, “If you love me then keep my commandments,” John 14:15. Here, the Messiah is referencing the commandments found in the Old Testament. Not a single word in the US Constitution or the Bible has become outdated or unimportant. “It is sometimes taught that no one can keep the Law of Moses because it is too difficult. The Bible says otherwise (Deuteronomy 30:11–14). To say that we cannot keep Torah diminishes both the truth and the potential of the new life planted within us. Christians have been given a job to do! Christians are to display His majesty, holiness, righteousness, mercy, and goodness. We are commanded to be holy, to be set apart for God. This means being faithful to His instructions on how to be holy. We can do it through faith in His Son, our Savior, and the life that He now lives in us,” wrote Bible teacher Boaz Michael.

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Though Dathan and Abiram accused Moses of arrogance, he was actually the most humble man on earth. At the burning bush, he had argued with God against his appointment, and he only reluctantly stepped into the role of prophet and redeemer. He regarded himself as nobody special. It was not that Moses had poor self-esteem; he simply had an accurate assessment of his own worth before God. Commentary “And they rose up before Moses, together with some of the sons of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, chosen in the assembly, men of renown.” (Numbers 16:2) "You're not the boss of me." That's what we used to say when we were kids. And it was probably true. Your older brother or the bully on the playground wasn't the boss of you, even if he thought he was. Korah and his followers rose up against Moses and said, "You're not the boss of us." In Numbers 16:3, we read that Korah and his followers "assembled together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, 'You have gone far enough, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is in their midst; so why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?'" They accused Moses and Aaron of taking the first-boss positions. They questioned whether Moses had really heard from the LORD, and they refused his authority over their lives. In reality, Moses never said, "I'm first boss. I should be the leader of all Israel. I am fit to be a leader." Moses never said, "I am really something. I am a big somebody."Neither He nor Aaron volunteered for their positions, submitted an application for their jobs or campaigned for their offices. They were simply serving God in the positions to which He had appointed them.

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When Moses summoned the Reubenites Dathan and Abiram, they replied with a stunning display of impertinence. They reversed the promises of Canaan by speaking of Egypt, the land of their servitude, as a "land flowing with milk and honey" (Numbers 16:13). In other words, they were saying they had been happier being unredeemed in Egypt. They rejected Moses' authority and asked, "You would also lord it over us?" (Numbers 16:13). They denied his prophetic inspiration when they asked, "Would you put out the eyes of these men?" (Numbers 16:14); that is to say, "Are you trying to pull the wool over our eyes?" Ironically, Korah, Dathan, Abiram and their followers were the ones exalting themselves and claiming to be big somebodies. Theirs was a posture of self-exaltation. "And they rose up before Moses" (Numbers 16:2). Regarding Moses, the Torah says, "He fell on his face" (Numbers 16:4). The Master says, "Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted" (Matthew 23:12). Moses was not putting on a fake or obsequious humility. He had a genuine sense of insignificance in the face of the Almighty. That is why he was exalted by God. When a man regards himself as a big somebody, he becomes angry with others who do not acknowledge his big “somebodiness.” He wants to be the boss. God says to the big somebody, "There is not room in the universe for both you and Me." God is the only true Somebody and the only real Boss. Only when a man utterly subjects his own will to God and says, "Not as I will, but as You will" (Matthew 26:39), is God able to inhabit him, work through him and ultimately exalt him. Such a person was Moses, the most humble man of his generation.

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and politics faith andfaith politics

Good For Nothing Christians By Chuck Baldwin "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men." (Matt. 5:13 KJV) Jesus said that salt without savor is "good for nothing." Savor is the ingredient, the character that gives salt its quality--and its value. When salt is as it should be, it is a most precious commodity. Not only is it used as a seasoning; it is, more importantly, a preservative. As most everyone knows, salt was the primary source of food preservation before the days of refrigeration. Salt has been deemed to be so valuable at times that wars have actually been waged over it. During times of unusual deprivation, salt can be even more valuable than precious metals. But when salt loses its saltiness, it is absolutely worthless; it is "good for nothing." Jesus plainly proclaimed that He viewed His disciples as being the salt of society. In other words, when believers have the character they should have, they provide the preservation of the land. They hold back and retard the putrefying properties of spoilage and decay. But when Christians lose their character, when they lose the internal resistance to decay, they become "good for nothing" and the result is, the land is "trodden under foot of men." It grieves me to say that, for the most part, the modern Christian, the modern pastor, and the modern church have lost their savor. Taken as a whole, we have lost our inner character: the ability to resist decay and preserve the land has long departed, and America is fast being

"trodden under foot of men." Our churches are no longer places of respite from the world: they are mirrors of it: the same dress; the same attitudes; the same carnality; the same spirit; the same stubbornness; the same pride. Churches are no longer bastions of truth: they are glorified social clubs or mere corporations, where Christianity is never allowed to interfere with business. Instead of being watchmen on the wall, our pastors are CEOs or, even worse, politicians. Popularity and personal ambition far outweigh commitment to truth and an independent mind. And as for Christian homes, forget it. The modern American home is straight out of Isaiah chapter three: "babes shall rule over them." In the average "Christian" home, children rule the mothers, and mothers, in turn, rule the fathers. Discipline and instruction are out; leniency and ignorance are in. We have a pandemic all right, but it's not the swine flu: it is a pandemic of spineless Christianity. Parents who cannot stand up to their own children; pastors who cannot stand up to their own congregations; religious leaders who cannot stand up to politicians; and churches that cannot stand up to unconstitutional government. Our so-called "conservative Christian" special interest groups are far more concerned about not losing financial contributions than they are about confronting the real evils of society. And as far as the Religious Right is concerned, it lost its soul somewhere early on in the first administration of George W. Bush. If one is looking for someone to blame America's demise on, don't look

to the prostitutes, drug dealers, or crooked politicians: look no further than the doorsteps of America's churches. While the ominous clouds of oppression and tyranny boil overhead, our churches are content to play kid games and wallow in their own materialism and laziness. I realize there are exceptions to the rule, of course, but they are few and far between. Sadder still is the lack of anything on the horizon that points to any kind of spiritual awakening. Look at the churches that are growing: for the most part, they are of the Joel Osteen and Rick Warren variety, where conviction has been replaced with compromise, and popularity has replaced principle. Genuine Bible prophets usually occupy the pulpits where hardly anyone attends. Truth has been replaced with entertainment, and calls for repentance are drowned out by the clamor for prosperity theology. I can tell you from personal experience that, in more than 34 years of Gospel ministry, it has never been harder to continue to carry the torch of truth than it is today. It takes a toll on one's physical health and emotional being, and even on one's family. Any pastor desiring to carry the torch of truth today need not expect to have many friends. And any evangelist desiring to carry the torch of truth today need not expect to get many meetings. Truth is about as popular as a bad case of the measles, and yes, I mean among today's professing "Christians." Should it surprise us, then, that we see the encroachment of our liberties and the erosion of constitutional government coming hard and fast? Should it surprise us that America

is losing its conscience--not to mention our heritage? Should it surprise us when we see hundreds of large, empty internment camps popping up everywhere? Should it surprise us when we read of would-be tyrants in Washington, D.C., trying to pass egregious legislation that would strip us of our Bill of Rights? Should it surprise us when we see multinational corporations working with foreign governments to erode the sovereignty of these United States? Should it surprise us when we see both Republican and Democratic Presidential administrations look the other way while our borders are being invaded and even erased? When the salt loses its savor, it is "cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men." And that is exactly what is happening to us today. Does all this make me fatalistic? Not at all. I am absolutely convinced that God will always reserve to Himself a faithful remnant and a land of liberty for those who desire it. But before we talk about the land, we must be sure that our hearts are willing to pay the price to obtain it. We'll leave that discussion for another time. In the meantime, the clarion call to "come out" of this apostate, compromising, and carnal "church" is a good place to begin. We created our Black Regiment directory to help people find churches that were willing to stand up for Christ and liberty, as did colonial preachers of old. To locate Black Regiment churches and pastors in your area, or to volunteer to be a Black Regiment pastor, go to http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/ blackregiment.php

A Teaching by Torah to the Tribes In the last article we looked at Constantine’s agenda of religious Monarchy, and briefly saw how he stole the authority from the Jewish people and redirected it to the Catholic Church in 324 AD with the assistance of the Council of Nicea through lies and deceit with everything from Sunday worship to the mixing of feasts and holy days. Then the Christian Church began their uphill climb for control with the reformation under Martin Luther in 1517 AD. The problem with the re-form-ation is that it was just that, the reforming of the Catholic Church and its lies and mixed up paganisms. The Council of Nicea was set up to re-

solve disagreements in the churches of the Roman Empire in order to keep peace. Truth of the scripture was set to a vote, rather than letting scripture interpret scripture. When men decide truth by a vote or popularity contest, we will end up with lies, half truths and mixtures which brings confusion. “O YHWH, My strength and my fortress, my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come to you from the ends of the earth and say, ‘Surely our fathers have inherited lies, worthless and unprofitable things.’” Jeremiah 16:19 It is easy to see the Christian church has

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made that uphill climb quite successful, with nearly 2,000 different denominations world wide today. But we have inherited lies, and worthless and unprofitable things. The church is a mixture, a field sown with two seeds. The seed of truth (we are the children of Abraham and we need the blood of the lamb for salvation), but also the seed of lies (we are a new gentile church that replaced the Jews, or Messiah removed the Law of Moses). “You shall not sow your vineyard with different kinds of seed, lest the yield of the seed which you have sown and the fruit of

your vineyard be defiled.” Deuteronomy 22:9. The church needs a true reformation! One that would put them on a road to the unmixed truth -- a re-birth if you will. We should first understand where and when the church was born from a scriptural basis, rather than a seminary/theology basis, because it comes with a blessing! In the next article we will be looking at the true birth of the church and the blessings YHWH gave to us through it. Torah to the Tribes meets at 4:00 every Sabbath or Saturday afternoon. Send Questions or comments to: torahtothetribes@comcast.net

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faith and politics faith and politics

America’s Collapse From Within! By David Meyer On June 9th, 2009, the Bloomberg News Service featured the following headline: “Obama Tells American Businesses to Drop Dead!” The well-written story goes on to explain that Obama has been busy using dictatorial powers to supposedly rescue failing businesses with the intent of wielding his power over every business. Many people are finally beginning to find out that Obama is a Marxist socialist of the first magnitude. It is also becoming increasingly obvious that by implementing his policies he is displacing and dismantling the Constitution of the United States. The rest of the world seems to know this while the deluded people of the United States remain in a dense fog. Even the Russian newspaper Pravda on May 30th, 2009, presented a news release story entitled “American Capitalism Gone With a Whimper.” The story is a shocking revelation stating that America’s descent into Marxism is happening with breathtaking speed, and that its backdrop is a passive, hapless sheeple (people). It is most obvious that the dire predictions of Marx, Lenin, Stalin, and Khrushchev are coming to pass! How could this happen in our beloved country? The signs are everywhere. The industrial

giant General Motors collapsed into the waiting arms of the Federal Government on June 2nd, 2009. The May 2009 unemployment figures reveal that another 345,000 jobs were lost in that month alone, and the Federal Government was bragging about it because they thought it would be worse. Leave it to the U.S. Government to take credit for a catastrophe; they are that far out of touch! How bad is it? The newspaper USA Today revealed on June 1st, 2009, that when all Federal obligations are factored in every household has an obligation of $546,668.00. Many people are beginning to realize they have been sold out and shot down. Recent research by the Association of Government Accountants revealed that “only 5% of Americans believe government is honest and open or that government provides accurate information.” The truth is that Red China, to a great extent, is controlling our American economy. On May 27th, 2009, Red China warned the Federal Reserve about monetizing the actions of Congress. In essence, they were telling the United States to stop printing or making more money from thin air. It was the subject of every recent meeting between the two countries and was

brought up continuously. It is no wonder that the prestigious Financial Times Newspaper gave the following warning: “If China loses faith, the dollar will collapse.” Remember that Obama’s campaign promise for change was an ambiguous one. We are rapidly changing, and those who assumed it would be a change for the good are finding out the hard way that it is truly a descent into communism. Is it any wonder that Obama picked the communist Sonia Sotomayor to become the next U.S. Supreme Court Justice? The 13th day of July is when her confirmation hearings began. Only Almighty God can stop this further disgrace from happening! This is the woman, Sonia Sotomayor, who stated that her favorite thing to do is to “watch the program Law and Order, and to eat pig intestines, pig ears, tongues, and feet.” She volunteered this information. We know from Mark 5:11-12 that if demons cannot live inside people, their second choice is pigs. These verses read as follows: “Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. And all the devils besought him, saying; Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.” Why would this woman make a point of

mentioning her love for eating these parts of swine? There are strange spirits working in Sonia Sotomayor, and Obama has a great admiration for her. In her speeches, she continually refers to herself as a “wise woman.” Here let it be noted that the words “witch” and “Wicca” mean wise one! Sotomayor is also a member of the radical, communistic, racist organization known as La Raza. In fact, she is listed as a member of the National Council of La Raza. La Raza means “the race,” and the organization advocates driver’s licenses for illegal aliens and no immigration law enforcement. They also advocate the separation of several southwestern states from the rest of America to be controlled by Hispanics. Can we expect this woman to be impartial in her decisions? We also know that Sotomayor admitted that she is a member of the secret society for women known as the Belizian Grove, which is the women’s counter-part to the Bohemian Grove. The group is based in New York and has 125 members who describe themselves as a “constellation of influential women.” The “Grove” holds secret meetings and rituals as a clandestine high-level society.

news worldworld news

Palestinians: 'Peace' just a means to a darker end

Submitted By Howard Rubinow, Israel Today Those who believe the land-for-peace process will bring an end to the bloodshed between Arabs and Israelis are deluding themselves explained a leading member of the ruling Palestinian faction in a televised interview last week. It seems some Palestinians were becoming worried that increasingly active American involvement would bring the war against Israel to an end before they had a chance to destroy the Jewish state. Speaking on Palestinian Authority TV, Kifah Radaydeh, deputy head of the Jerusalem chapter of Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas'

14 THE JC TOWN REPORTER

Fatah faction, sought to reassure them: "It has been said that we are negotiating for peace, but our goal has never been peace. Peace is a means; the goal is Palestine." Radaydeh made clear that by "Palestine" she meant all of the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. In stating this, she admitted that when the time is right, Fatah will fully rejoin the campaign of violence against Israel. Radaydeh's is by no means an isolated sentiment. In March, Mohammed Dahlan, a top advisor to Abbas and the former Fatah

strongman in charge of Gaza, stated on Palestinian Authority TV: "I want to say for the thousandth time, in my own name and in the name of all of my fellow members of the Fatah movement: We do not demand that the Hamas movement recognize Israel. On the contrary, we demand of the Hamas movement not to recognize Israel, because the Fatah movement does not recognize Israel, even today." Dahlan went on to explain that the Fatah-ruled Palestinian Authority only

pays lip service to recognizing Israel in order to obtain assistance from the international community, both in the form of financial aid and political pressure on Israel. Despite these very public acknowledgements that Fatah, like Hamas, still seeks Israel's ultimate destruction, the international community continues to insist on painting Abbas and his party as "moderates" and the antithesis of the Islamic radicals that fill Hamas' ranks.

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