04/28/20

The Season of Renewal

By: T.F. Stern | Self-Educated American

An old friend of mine wrote an interesting short opinion piece this morning, posting it on Facebook, an acknowledgment that many folks are looking for the re-establishment of Jesus Christ’s true church. He began by using Spring-time as an introduction, explaining how different trees alert us to the end of freezing weather while giving us hope for the next planting season. He quickly changed tack…

“Anyone who’s studied the great revivals/renewals of the Christian Church can see there are certain signs that a season of renewal is coming soon and may have already begun. Prior to every great renewal, there were conditions that laid the groundwork.”

Truer words were never spoken. What conditions might we be looking for, what groundwork laid prior to such a great renewal?

There would, of necessity, be people prepared to risk everything looking for the true church of Jesus Christ (freedom of religious expression). They would recognize there were important issues with current formal religious sects or denominations, teaching doctrine that ran contrary to that of Jesus Christ. They would have rejected, vehemently, mandates, and compulsory membership which violated the Agency of man, their ability to choose for themselves.

This gift from God is at the heart of being a mortal being and has been since the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve were instructed that everything was theirs to tend to; but that they must not eat the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. They were also told that the decision was theirs to make; but if they did eat of it, “in that day they would surely die”.

…And so it has been for each of us ever since; we are to make choices about everything with the understanding that choices come with consequences. The nature of man is to seek liberty, the level of agency afforded under the living conditions available, which brings up the topic of government and the limiting of that agency by mandates and coercion.

“When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.”

In the history of the world, there is no stronger evidence of a ‘starting point’ indicating the time had arrived when people recognized the need to make a statement and a stand for one’s convictions. These individuals fled nations that oppressed their religious beliefs or simply the ability to live their lives in accordance with their own idea of personal liberty and reached the Promised Land we now call America.

This was a required step in the preparation for the restoration of the true church of Jesus Christ. A nation had to be established, one that would accept the eternal principles as found in the scriptures. In case you were wondering, our founding documents didn’t come about by accident.

The men who gathered and recorded our Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights were divinely inspired, including language which has stood the test of time, documents that would be sufficient; but, as John Adams so succinctly warned:

“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

I’ll repeat the wonderful observation my friend made, “Anyone who’s studied the great revivals/renewals of the Christian Church can see there are certain signs that a season of renewal is coming soon and may have already begun.”

The people of Jerusalem at the time of Christ’s ministry in mortality had signs and yet many didn’t recognize the time had arrived. They too had been given the words of the prophets regarding the coming of the Messiah. Did they all recognize Jesus Christ as the Messiah, the Chosen One, the Only Begotten Son of God?

In short, no; they not only didn’t recognize Jesus Christ as the Messiah, they rejected him and crucified him, and all while claiming to be living the Law of Moses. How’s that for a contradiction of belief and actions?

Why are there so many Christian denominations and sects in our day? All of them can’t be the true church of Jesus Christ and how are we to know which of them, if any, is the true church?

As Joseph Smith, a young boy recorded, “For, notwithstanding the great love which the converts to these different faiths expressed at the time of their conversion, and the great zeal manifested by the respective clergy, who were active in getting up and promoting this extraordinary scene of religious feeling, in order to have everybody converted, as they were pleased to call it, let them join what sect they pleased; yet when the converts began to file off, some to one party and some to another, it was seen that the seemingly good feelings of both the priests and the converts were more pretended than real; for a scene of great confusion and bad feeling ensued—priest contending against priest, and convert against convert; so that all their good feelings one for another, if they ever had any, were entirely lost in a strife of words and a contest about opinions.

The great revivals spurred many to consider the need to be closer to the teachings of Jesus Christ; but which of the denominations was the right one, the one with the most correct doctrine?

If a young boy who truly loved the Lord wanted to know which denomination was right, then how much different are we from his not knowing or being sure?

“While I was laboring under the extreme difficulties caused by the contests of these parties of religionists, I was one day reading the Epistle of James, first chapter and fifth verse, which reads: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”

Joseph Smith prayed to God and was told to join none of them. How’s that for simple and to the point? The restoration of the true church was to begin at that point…and yet there are so many still looking for the true church. Is this any different than those in Jerusalem who were looking for the Messiah and they rejected him as well?

In closing, I would strongly suggest assessing the information shared, pray with a sincere heart to God about what is true, and what you should be doing. God will give you an answer by the power of the Holy Ghost.

04/28/20

Economic Shutdown is Bringing Americans Together Against Tyranny

By: Jason Brown | Gulag Bound

For those that are not students of history and not knowledgeable about the U.S. Constitution and our country’s founding, the general public view on most political issues tends to be dependent on one’s personal experiences or world view. Many people have a hard time relating to political issues that do not have a direct effect on them or their immediate family.

A disconnect seems to be present when there is no pain to reinforce the reality of the issue at hand. Let’s use the surveillance state that has been established in America piece by piece since 9/11. How many times have you heard someone say that they didn’t care if the government is spying on citizens because they haven’t done anything wrong? To those of us that pay attention, this is an obvious one-way ticket to serfdom. What would it take for this person to change their tune?

Remember that right and wrong in this era of big government is relative. White is black, and black is white. What is good is evil and vice versa. The ideological force that is behind a local/state/federal government determines the extreme nature of the law and enforcement of that law. An example would be California, as they have criminal charges that coincide with a person using the wrong gender pronoun and offending someone. This was a result of legislation signed by former Governor Jerry Brown, and yes, it is real.

Let’s go back to the person that thinks that they are a model citizen and that government surveillance doesn’t affect them. Let’s say that this individual lives in a state that uses this surveillance technology and the state government decided that this individual was doing something that they do not condone in the confines of their own home and they responded with a 4 AM no-knock raid, that results in this person’s arrest and the death of his dog. For the sake of this discussion, let’s say that this raid was a direct result of the state’s surveillance program as a drone was frequently left hovering outside this individual’s window documenting the said, “violation.” How do you think this will change this citizen’s opinion on the surveillance issue?

People seem to be OK with government snooping until the consequences of that snooping affect them directly. It is sad that an otherwise reasonable person, with the ability to observe and think, cannot see the societal consequences of this government overreach. Have we become so collectively narcissistic, that we will sit and watch our neighbor suffer because we are doing fine and not suffering with them?

The reason why we are not sitting by and allowing this abuse that is on the table now, is because everyone seems to be directly affected by what is going on. Millions of people are losing their jobs every week and not many people can say that they are not feeling the pinch. That is one of the main reasons why we have such unity at this time. Almost everyone is feeling this one.

A great example of this is a post-war confession written by German Lutheran pastor Martin Niemöller. This powerful piece demonstrates just how apt we are to stand by and allow terrible things to happen around us, as long as it doesn’t affect our world.

First they came for the Communists,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me,
and by that time there was no one
left to speak up for me.

– Martin Niemöller

What makes this COVID-19 pandemic a significant event? It is not the virus itself and I don’t think it is the response, even though a global shutdown is unprecedented. In this particular case, it has been the American people coming together to stand against a common threat to our constitutional republic.

Seeing all of the protests in states that have revoked constitutional rights in the name of safety is reassuring and it has brought people together. We came together on 9/11 for a short time, but I feel this breeds a deeper connection between average people. A connection that is free of political posturing and shows just how we are different from the rest of the world.

Most people in the world would love the opportunity to stay home from work and get a government check to accommodate their needs. Here in America, we take pride in a hard day’s work and we appreciate the fact that we have an opportunity to contribute part of ourselves to society. Not with our money, but with our blood sweat and tears. This is American exceptionalism at its best.

04/28/20

NIH Director in the Middle of China Virus Scandal

By: Cliff Kincaid

Most of the media were too busy covering the phony Russia-gate story to notice how China has been directly involved in controversial coronavirus research funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Since the media ignored the threat, they are now charging President Trump with ignoring the threat and peddling “conspiracy theories” about it. This is how the fake news media deceive the American people on a matter of life and death.

Evidence shows that the Trump Administration for at least two years has been urging the FBI and the NIH to crack down on Chinese exploitation and theft of sensitive U.S. Government research.

A Harvard biochemist who claimed backing from the NIH has already been charged in a scheme to benefit China.

True to form, our media have treated news of a suspension of NIH funds to the EcoHealth Alliance, an American group working with the Wuhan Institute of Virology, as a “conspiracy theory” led by President Trump. Since news about the suspension of funds was leaked to Matthew Boyle of Breitbart News, a series of stories alleging this is all a “conspiracy theory” involving Trump have appeared in the following left-wing publications: Politico, New York Magazine, Business Insider, Talking Points Memo, and Raw Story.

This is how reporters justify (to themselves) ignoring the scandal that was developing right under their noses. They would rather run interference for the Chinese regime than inform the American people about controversial research that may have spawned the Chinese release of the coronavirus.

In the middle of this scandal is NIH director Dr. Francis Collins, an Obama holdover who publicly affirms his Christian faith but has a long history of collaborating with the communist Chinese regime.

This is what the media really fear – disclosure of evidence that the Chinese conducted dangerous virus experiments with the help of the Obama Administration.

Here’s the background: Collins had served as an advisor on healthcare to Barack Hussein Obama during his 2008 campaign and on his transition team. After he was appointed by Obama as NIH Director in 2009, he began the process of deep cooperation with China, This led to the U.S.-China Program for Biomedical Research, which provided financial awards for U.S. and Chinese “collaborating investigators” and sent millions of dollars through the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), whose director is Dr. Anthony S. Fauci.

Collins appears in a 2010 report that includes a photograph with Professor Chen Yiyu, President of the National Science Foundation of China, signing a memorandum of understanding for joint medical research involving diseases “severely threatening mankind’s lives.” Another story and photo showed Collins exchanging gifts with Chinese Minister of Health Chen Zhu during a visit to Beijing, saying they worked “to strengthen the already robust research collaborations between the two countries” and “promote innovation and strategic medical research.”

On October 14, 2010, Collins and a delegation paid a visit to Peking University (PKU) Health Science Center, as a story indicates that the participants expressed hope for “a more extensive partnership on scientific research, academic exchange, and personnel training in future…”

Collins had been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the National Medal of Science for leading the Human Genome Project, whose purpose was to understand DNA in order to fight disease. That veered out of control when the Chinese component spawned genetically-engineered babies.

His continued directorship of the NIH came into doubt after Donald J. Trump was elected president. Pro-life groups such as the Charlotte Lozier Institute attacked Collins for his “support of human embryonic stem cell research, human cloning, and the creation of ethically-questionable human-animal chimeras.” More than 40 conservative Republicans wrote to the president in May 2017 urging him to fire Collins because of his support for human embryonic stem cell research.

Nevertheless, Collins was retained as NIH Director at the urging of Senator Roy Blunt and other “moderate” GOP members of the Senate and House. That was a big mistake. Collins’ ongoing relationship with the Chinese medical and scientific establishment finally got him into trouble in 2019 when Blunt arranged an April 11 Senate hearing on oversight of the NIH budget.

At the hearing, Blunt described a Chinese government program to recruit National Institutes of Health-funded researchers, in order to “steal intellectual property” and “establish shadow laboratories in China,” and to “help the Chinese government obtain confidential information about NIH research grants.” He referred to how China’s Thousand Talents Plan (TTP), a program controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, was threatening “the integrity of the NIH system.”

Meanwhile, a subcommittee of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee held a hearing on November 19, 2019. Senator Rob Portman revealed the problem was so serious that “…we learned that Thousand Talents Plan members worked at National Labs on sensitive research and maintained security clearances.”

In fact, the Senate subcommittee released a report, Threats to the U.S. Research Enterprise: China’s Talent Recruitment Plans, which said, “NIH has attempted to address the threats presented by foreign talent recruitment plans like the TTP, but significant gaps in grant integrity efforts remain unaddressed. These gaps have made it difficult for NIH to engage in proactive efforts to prevent foreign exploitation of U.S.-funded research.”

On January 20, 2020, as the coronavirus was spreading inside the United States, the Department of Justice announced that a Harvard University professor and two Chinese nationals had been charged with crimes in several “China-related cases.” Dr. Charles Lieber, Chair of the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Harvard University, was described as a contractual participant in China’s Thousand Talents Plan between 2012 and 2017. But the complaint says Lieber lied to federal investigators about his involvement with the Thousand Talents Plan.

Lieber’s “sponsors,” as identified on his web site, include the National Institutes of Health, the Office of Naval Research, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, the Defense Advanced Projects Research Agency, and MITRE, a think tank.

As the Trump administration was trying to get Collins to pay more attention to the problem, he acknowledged under questioning by Senator Blunt at the April 2019 Senate hearing that there were “egregious instances where our funding of grants in this country is being taken advantage of by individuals who are not following the appropriate rules.” He said the FBI was investigating “vigorously” and that some of the information about the problem was classified.

Collins told Blunt that investigations of NIH-funded foreign scientists were ongoing at more than 55 U.S. institutions. (see the video of the hearing and the Collins testimony at the 40 minute and 59 seconds mark). In a letter, he said, “This kind of inappropriate influence is not limited to biomedical research; it has been a significant issue for defense and energy research for some time.”

It looks like a classic case of Americans supplying the rope the communists needed to hang us. Whether it was released accidentally or intentionally, the rope, in this case, was a virus that destroyed millions of lives and our economy.

Cliff Kincaid is president of America’s Survival, Inc. www.usasurvival.org.