RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech…” – First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

Public schools across America are warming up again, and the smells of pencil shavings, new backpacks and cafeteria lunches will soon fill the halls. With the sorrow of leaving summer behind and the excitement of new things ahead there comes a perennial question of how the US Supreme Court will allow God to fit into it all. After the landmark 1962 Supreme Court decision Engle vs Vitale, which ended school-sponsored prayer in American public schools, there has been confusion over whether students or teachers are allowed to pray, read their Bibles or engage in other religious activity on school grounds.

In August of 1995, the Secretary of Education issued guidelines on Religious Expression in Public Schools to clarify which activities were and were not constitutional and to prevent religious discrimination against public school students.

On February 7, 2003, then-Education Secretary Rod Paige issued a similar set of guidelines, updated under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 to make adherence to the guidelines a requirement for receiving federal funding. Under the guidelines, schools must annually submit in writing to their state education agency that they are following the guidelines in good faith. Those who fail to attest to their compliance in writing, and those who have been faulted for failing to obey the guidelines, risk losing their federal funding. The guidelines clarify the religious rights of public school students during school hours. They note:

“As the Court has explained in several cases [ie Santa Fe Indep. Sch. Dist. v. Doe (2000) and Board of Educ. v. Mergens (1990)], ‘there is a crucial difference between government speech endorsing religion, which the Establishment Clause forbids, and private speech endorsing religion, which the Free Speech and Free Exercise Clauses protect.’”

Schools must neither encourage nor discourage religious expression, and they may not discriminate against activity simply because it is religious in nature. As long as students initiate the religious activity themselves, and as long as the religious expression falls within the schools’ rules of order, it cannot be discriminated against.

According to the Supreme Court in Everson v. Board of Education (1947), the First Amendment “requires the state to be a neutral in its relations with groups of religious believers and non-believers; it does not require the state to be their adversary. State power is no more to be used so as to handicap religions than it is to favor them.”

So, how does that fit into everyday life at school?

Free Time:
If students have free time during which they may engage in non-religious activities – recess, lunch-time, and so forth – then they may also use that time for religious activities such as prayer or Bible reading.

Class Assignments:
Students may express their religious beliefs in class assignments – written, oral, or art work – without discrimination because the work is religiously oriented. Teachers are to grade assignments based on their academic quality without penalty or reward for religious themes or content.

Clubs:
Students may form prayer groups or religious clubs “to the same extent that students are permitted to organize other non-curricular student activities groups.” According to the Supreme Court in Good News Club v. Milford Central School (2001), that includes access to school facilities. If a school’s policy only permits clubs directly related to the curriculum, like history or math groups but not jazz or sailing groups, then it could also prohibit a religious club that is not connected to school curriculum.

Advertising:
If schools allow non-religious school groups to promote their activities through posters or school newspapers, then religious groups, like Bible or prayer clubs, must also be allowed to promote their activities.

Teachers:
According to the Supreme Court in Engel v. Vitale (1962) and School Dist. of Abington Twp. v. Schempp,(1963), public school teachers represent the state and may not lead classes in prayer or Bible reading. Teachers also may not compel children to engage in religious activities. Yet, teachers do retain their First Amendment rights in the public schools. While teachers must remain neutral and neither encourage or discourage their students’ religious expression, teachers may pray or study the Bible by themselves or with other teachers.

Student Speeches:
There has been a lot of controversy over how to handle student speeches that contain religious themes. The guidelines offer a position that might surprise a few people. They say:

“Student speakers at student assemblies and extracurricular activities such as sporting events may not be selected on a basis that either favors or disfavors religious speech. Where student speakers are selected on the basis of genuinely neutral, evenhanded criteria and retain primary control over the content of their expression, that expression is not attributable to the school and therefore may not be restricted because of its religious (or anti-religious) content.”

In Lee v. Weisman (1992), the Supreme Court prohibited schools from specifically choosing somebody to pray at assemblies, and schools cannot pick students to speak because of religious or anti-religious motivation. However, as the Supreme Court explained in Board of Educ. v. Mergens (1990), “The proposition that schools do not endorse everything they fail to censor is not complicated.” That applies even to public settings with public audiences. If it dares, a school can offer a neutral disclaimer saying that the content of student speeches is solely their own and not the school’s, freeing students to speak about religious or non-religious or anti-religious themes as they choose.

Kevin Hasson, president of the Washington-based Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, commented, “What the guideline says is that if is truly student-initiated — if it’s not rigged by the school district somehow — then the First Amendment protects it.”

And if a school chooses strict pre-approval of all graduation speeches? Families and students may pray and talk about God freely at baccalaureate services.

Schools and teachers, parents and students should discuss these guidelines and become familiar with the religious freedoms students have in the public schools. Americans need to know they do not “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.” – (Print)

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech…” – First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

Public schools across America are warming up again, and the smells of pencil shavings, new backpacks and cafeteria lunches will soon fill the halls. With the sorrow of leaving summer behind and the excitement of new things ahead there comes a perennial question of how the US Supreme Court will allow God to fit into it all. After the landmark 1962 Supreme Court decision Engle vs Vitale, which ended school-sponsored prayer in American public schools, there has been confusion over whether students or teachers are allowed to pray, read their Bibles or engage in other religious activity on school grounds.

In August of 1995, the Secretary of Education issued guidelines on Religious Expression in Public Schools to clarify which activities were and were not constitutional and to prevent religious discrimination against public school students.

On February 7, 2003, then-Education Secretary Rod Paige issued a similar set of guidelines, updated under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 to make adherence to the guidelines a requirement for receiving federal funding. Under the guidelines, schools must annually submit in writing to their state education agency that they are following the guidelines in good faith. Those who fail to attest to their compliance in writing, and those who have been faulted for failing to obey the guidelines, risk losing their federal funding. The guidelines clarify the religious rights of public school students during school hours. They note:

“As the Court has explained in several cases [ie Santa Fe Indep. Sch. Dist. v. Doe (2000) and Board of Educ. v. Mergens (1990)], ‘there is a crucial difference between government speech endorsing religion, which the Establishment Clause forbids, and private speech endorsing religion, which the Free Speech and Free Exercise Clauses protect.’”

Schools must neither encourage nor discourage religious expression, and they may not discriminate against activity simply because it is religious in nature. As long as students initiate the religious activity themselves, and as long as the religious expression falls within the schools’ rules of order, it cannot be discriminated against.

According to the Supreme Court in Everson v. Board of Education (1947), the First Amendment “requires the state to be a neutral in its relations with groups of religious believers and non-believers; it does not require the state to be their adversary. State power is no more to be used so as to handicap religions than it is to favor them.”

So, how does that fit into everyday life at school?

Free Time:
If students have free time during which they may engage in non-religious activities – recess, lunch-time, and so forth – then they may also use that time for religious activities such as prayer or Bible reading.

Class Assignments:
Students may express their religious beliefs in class assignments – written, oral, or art work – without discrimination because the work is religiously oriented. Teachers are to grade assignments based on their academic quality without penalty or reward for religious themes or content.

Clubs:
Students may form prayer groups or religious clubs “to the same extent that students are permitted to organize other non-curricular student activities groups.” According to the Supreme Court in Good News Club v. Milford Central School (2001), that includes access to school facilities. If a school’s policy only permits clubs directly related to the curriculum, like history or math groups but not jazz or sailing groups, then it could also prohibit a religious club that is not connected to school curriculum.

Advertising:
If schools allow non-religious school groups to promote their activities through posters or school newspapers, then religious groups, like Bible or prayer clubs, must also be allowed to promote their activities.

Teachers:
According to the Supreme Court in Engel v. Vitale (1962) and School Dist. of Abington Twp. v. Schempp,(1963), public school teachers represent the state and may not lead classes in prayer or Bible reading. Teachers also may not compel children to engage in religious activities. Yet, teachers do retain their First Amendment rights in the public schools. While teachers must remain neutral and neither encourage or discourage their students’ religious expression, teachers may pray or study the Bible by themselves or with other teachers.

Student Speeches:
There has been a lot of controversy over how to handle student speeches that contain religious themes. The guidelines offer a position that might surprise a few people. They say:

“Student speakers at student assemblies and extracurricular activities such as sporting events may not be selected on a basis that either favors or disfavors religious speech. Where student speakers are selected on the basis of genuinely neutral, evenhanded criteria and retain primary control over the content of their expression, that expression is not attributable to the school and therefore may not be restricted because of its religious (or anti-religious) content.”

In Lee v. Weisman (1992), the Supreme Court prohibited schools from specifically choosing somebody to pray at assemblies, and schools cannot pick students to speak because of religious or anti-religious motivation. However, as the Supreme Court explained in Board of Educ. v. Mergens (1990), “The proposition that schools do not endorse everything they fail to censor is not complicated.” That applies even to public settings with public audiences. If it dares, a school can offer a neutral disclaimer saying that the content of student speeches is solely their own and not the school’s, freeing students to speak about religious or non-religious or anti-religious themes as they choose.

Kevin Hasson, president of the Washington-based Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, commented, “What the guideline says is that if is truly student-initiated — if it’s not rigged by the school district somehow — then the First Amendment protects it.”

And if a school chooses strict pre-approval of all graduation speeches? Families and students may pray and talk about God freely at baccalaureate services.

Schools and teachers, parents and students should discuss these guidelines and become familiar with the religious freedoms students have in the public schools. Americans need to know they do not “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.”

PEARL HARBOR for THE CHURCH – A Vision

PEARL HARBOR for THE CHURCH – A Vision
-by James Kehrli.

In December of 1984, about a week after I purchased an old 1940
Cadillac sedan, I was driving around thinking about times gone by,
particularly the time before and during World War II. Suddenly I
heard the Lord say to me, very softly, “It’s 1940 and Pearl Harbor
is coming up for the Church.” I thought about betrayal, warfare,
death and awakening! I prayed to the Lord about it and He began
to reveal to me more about Pearl Harbor. He reminded me of a
scene from the film Tora Tora Tora in which one of the Japanese
military leaders remarked, after their attack on Pearl Harbor, “I
fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him
with a terrible resolve.” I thought about the Church finally waking
up to her true condition. I thought about the terrible price our
country paid, in the 1940’s to wake up to the realities of the world
political situation. The price was human life, suffering, and
destruction. But we did wake up. I thought about December 8,
1941 when we declared war against the Axis powers. Before that
time we were sending arms, supplies and money to our allies, but
we were not sending men to help fight. We watched China, the
Pacific Islands, France and much of Europe fall to Germany, Italy,
and Japan, but we were not personally affected so we did not enter
the warfare. It took a catastrophic event to wake us up.

I prayed about and meditated on what I had heard until May of 1985,
when I again heard from God during a baptismal service in our
Church. The person to be baptized was an older lady who was
quite concerned, even a little frightened, about being fully immersed.
But she, after fifty years of disobedience and rebellion against God,
desired to be baptized for the first time. Right before I was going
to enter the water with her, a message in tongues came forth from
my wife. The Lord gave me the interpretation by means of the
following vision.

This vision describes a future time of great hardship and great
blessing for the Body of Christ.

He showed me a deep harbor with blue-green water that was clear
and calm. There was a Person in the water. This Person was not
swimming or standing, but just floating in an upright position. He
was motionless, like a sailing ship listing in a windless sea. Many
Japanese Zero aircraft came in from the east and proceeded to
dive-bomb and strafe the body in the water and the body began to
slowly sink. Eventually the body was entirely under the water. As
he went down, I could see that there were many little people on
this Body. As this Body sank deeper into the water, many of these
small people jumped off just before they were about to enter the
water. There were thousands of people jumping off and swimming
away from this slow but steadily sinking Body. Some of these
people jumped onto beds, which the Lord made clear to me were
beds of adultery,and floated away off to the left. Others jumped
onto whiskey bottles and paddled away; still others jumped on
books, while others swam off on their own strength. All of the
people were floating, swimming or paddling in the same direction.
I looked over in that direction, which was to my left, and I saw an
extremely beautiful, gigantic woman, with skin and clothing of a
deep reddish purple hue standing solidly on the harbor floor. She
stretched out her arms toward the sinking Body and got the
attention of many as she very sweetly, seductively, and sincerely
called out, “Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden,
and I will give you WHAT YOU WANT!”

The people who were jumping off were in a panic, like rats leaving
a sinking ship. Some scurried to higher ground on the Body, going
from the shoulders to the ears and finally jumping off the top of the
head right before it went under.It was clear that THEY DID NOT
WANT TO LEAVE THIS BODY, but it was equally clear that they
were not going down under the water with it either. The Body now
was completely under the water, sinking steadily toward the
bottom. Some of the little people hung on as it sank, but after a
few seconds of holding their breath, they gave up, swam for the top,
gulped a mouth full of air, and swam off toward the woman.

The apparently lifeless Body sank deeper and deeper into the
clear blue-green water. As it sank I could see at the bottom of the
harbor a beautiful, large, perfect pearl – obviously of great value. It
was supernaturally large and beautiful, lustrous, pure and round. As
I watched, I could see the Body change shape from that of a single
being, with little people desperately hanging on it, to many little
individual people swimming deep enough to get to this beautiful
Pearl. As they went deeper, many chose to quit and swim to the
surface for air and life and then go over to the beautiful woman. All
who quit diving eventually swam over to the beautiful woman.

Finally, I saw a number of these small people swim to the Pearl
and touch it, and embrace it. But to do this, everyone who dove
down reached a point when they realized that their own natural
ability to hold their breath and dive deeper would not be enough.
Those who dove down and touched this Pearl all came to
understand that they would have to expend all of their natural
strength before they touched and embraced the Pearl of Great
Price. This did not keep them from diving down though, because
the closer they got to the Pearl, the more of His beauty they saw.
I saw many touch and embrace the Pearl and then immediately
shoot straight up. As each of these little people shot up from the
floor of the Harbor, each had the Pearl. As this group of individuals
rose higher and higher, they all became one Body again. By the
time these Pearl-laden people reached the surface they burst forth
from the waters as one Body, the Body of Christ. These people
were manifestly His own possession and they in turn possessed
the Pearl of Great Price, Jesus Christ Himself.

As the Lord was showing me this beautiful picture, He spoke to
me and said, “Even as Jesus came out of the waters of baptism,
so My Body will come out of Pearl Harbor with a new and powerful
anointing of My Holy Spirit, and a new and deadly power to fight the
enemy.” He said that there indeed would come upon the Church
of Jesus Christ a Pearl Harbor experience like the United States
experienced on December 7, 1941. He said that when the Body
of Christ begins to sink under the water, because of a soon-coming,
devastating attack of the enemy, MANY will choose to desert our
Lord Jesus Christ because they do not esteem the Pearl of Great
Price (Jesus Himself) worth the price – death to their own selfish
desires. They will not make the selfless effort of love to dive
deeply enough to embrace Him because they do not love Him
more than their own lives. Many will choose not to identify with
what they assume is a defeated individual or group. They look
upon themselves as winners and will not identify with a Jesus that
is apparently being defeated. They will choose to identify with the
beautiful woman of the harbor who gives them what they want. As
the vision revealed, many who leapt off the sinking Body because
the woman of the harbor promised them success. Because of this
they went to her. Many others did not feel that it was necessary
to pay such a high price to apprehend Jesus, and they felt that
the beautiful woman would give them Jesus on their own terms.

As the Body of Christ came out of the waters of death, the Lord
said that His Body was now fully alive and would now fight the
enemy with purpose and real anointing. Also His Body would now
use only supernatural weaponry. He spoke so clearly to me about
the weapons. He said, “Even as the United States entered the
Second World War using conventional weapons to fight the enemy,
and ended the war with the atomic bomb, a weapon beyond their
comprehension; so My people will begin this spiritual war with
conventional weapons in the Spirit, but by the end of this war to
end all wars, they will be using atomic bombs of the Spirit”. The
Lord made it clear that we will come out of the water equipped with
God-given anointing to REALLY heal the sick, work miracles, and
deliver those in demonic bondage. He also made it clear that
before the warfare ends, we will be moving in a dimension of
spiritual warfare that is unimaginable to us now. We will do greater
works than Jesus did and we will see the demon hordes routed like
never before.

After this message in tongues and interpretation was given, my
attention turned back to the woman who was to be baptized. Then
the Lord said that the Pearl Harbor experience for His Church
would be similar to this woman’s baptism. I closely watched this
baptism to see what the Lord meant. The woman was very nervous
and quite afraid of going under the water. I assured her that she
would be all right. After several moments of prayer and a short
teaching on what baptism represented, she was plunged underneath
the water. She came out of the water with her hands lifted up,
praising God. I had not told anyone what the Lord told me about
this woman’s baptism, because I did not know exactly what was
going to happen. When she recovered her composure, she began
to testify about what had just happened to her. She said that she
was extremely fearful at first, but that when she got under the
water a Beautiful Peace swept through her, and all her fear was
gone. This beautiful peace became joy as she came out of the
water and she praised God for His great comfort, love and mercy.

I believe that God was showing us that we need not fear what He
will put us through. His purpose is to bring us peace, joy,
cleansing and power. He was also showing us that His Church
will go through a baptism. It is a baptism of the Body of Christ.
It is a death and a resurrection. We must trust Him to bring us out
of this watery tomb of death and into the glorious resurrection
power of His Son. We must understand that a harbor is a place
of SAFETY and REFUGE. God’s people who are involved in these
events will need to be safe and protected. The Harbor of the Pearl
of Great Price is the only harbor that will provide refuge and safety,
and ALL who believe will be more than willing to pay the price of
dying to their own desires.

Pearl Harbor is the death and resurrection of the Body of Christ,
being prepared to do His work in His way, with His heart. It is the
final separation of David from Saul – the David Church being
purified and separated from the Saul Church.

It is the final AWAKENING blast of the trumpet of God to rouse His
people for battle. It is the judgment that begins with the house of
the Lord. It is the refining fire that separates the gold from the
dross. It will be preceded by the Lord dealing with His true people
to both survive and desire this final preparation for battle. It is the
promise of unmatched power and purity: power over sin, power over
the enemy, power to live a much more virtuous life, and power to
glorify our Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ by the power of
the Holy Spirit. Even now, God is dealing with those in the
David Church even as God dealt with David. Whenever David
would start to fall asleep to God’s purity and purpose, the Lord
would abruptly DEAL with David to AWAKEN him. God did not
waste this kind of effort on Saul because Saul CHOSE to be
asleep to God and His desires.

Pearl Harbor is a warning of betrayal and disaster. The Church in
the past has gone through many Pearl Harbors of betrayal and
disaster. Jesus was betrayed and killed and rose again. English
Puritans experienced Pearl Harbor in the early 17th century and
survived because they could not obey the law that the Church of
England tried to force them to obey. They fled England and
eventually sailed to the New World, where they laid the spiritual
foundation for what eventually became one of the greatest revivals
in the history of the world. John Bunyan, wrote Pilgrim’s Progress
at the bottom of the harbor as he was betrayed by his own
country and thrown in jail for not attending the services of the
Church of England and for preaching in a way that did not conform
to this church’s liturgy. Had he given in and done that which they
asked he could have been a free man. But for conscience’ sake he
chose not to do so. Because of this uncompromising obedience to
the Scriptures and to God Himself, he was able to rise to the
highest place in the history of Christian literature. Today he still
blesses us with the fruit of that resurrection power.

To those who are not awake and prepared, Pearl Harbor will come
suddenly and tragically, as a thief in the night, and they will be swept
away to Great Deception. To those who are more open to the will
of God than they are to pleasing religious men, it will be an expected
ordeal, a call to arms, and a prelude to great victory. The initial
stages will be the harbinger of the greatest move of God in history:
the greatest Revival and the greatest manifestation of Christian
Unity that the world has ever known.

-SOURCE – http://cryfromthewall.com/

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Principal, Coach Face Criminal Charges for Prayer at Luncheon

Principal, Coach Face Criminal Charges for Prayer at Luncheon

Christian News Wire reports that a high school principal and athletic director now face criminal contempt charges for a prayer offered at a field house luncheon. Pace High School Principal Frank Lay and Athletic Director Robert Freeman offered a prayer to bless the meal served to consenting adults at the appreciation luncheon, the ACLU alleges. Based on the ACLU’s allegations, U.S. District Judge Casey Rodgers has now initiated criminal contempt proceedings and has referred Lay and Freeman to the United States Attorney’s office for prosecution. The men allegedly violated a broader injunction the ACLU forced into place at the school that essentially prohibits bans all employees from engaging in prayer or religious activities, whether before, during, or after school hours.

We must put a stop to this kind of thing.

AN URGENT EMAIL ON HEALTH CARE (SCARE)

Health Care Bill/Special Bulletin Rick Joyner
From Rick Joyner
Jul 28, 2009
SPECIAL BULLETIN

NATIONAL HEALTH SCARE

By Rick Joyner
When I read the brief on what was contained in the National Health Care bill that is now being presented before Congress, I could not believe I was reading something that was actually being considered in the United States of America. This is not about money or government mismanagement—this is about something far more diabolical than that. As incomprehensible as it may seem, this is about euthanasia, the power to determine who lives or dies in America. Hitler and Stalin would have loved to have had a means such as this for dispatching the millions they killed—it would have made their job much easier, and probably given them the ability to kill many more than they did. THIS BILL IS THAT SINISTER. This is not a joke—this is actually the nature of what is being proposed in the National Health Care legislation, and it is the obvious reason why the Obama Administration wants to ram it through Congress before anyone gets a chance to rea d it.
I have resolved to always be as generous as I can toward people with opposing views of my own. I do this because I believe it is the mandate of I Corinthians 13 to always believe the best about people, rather than the worst. I know this opens me up to be misled by some, but I consider that a small price to pay to not become cynical. I also do it because I think it is wise to always try and understand the position of my opponents—to be open to consider their positions and not be too rigid or inflexible to change because we all “see in part,” and “know in part.” Because of this, I have been chided for being too generous by giving those I do challenge grace by believing that they had not thought through the consequences of their proposals, or had other good intentioned reasons for doing what they were doing. However, after reading the brief on this health care bill, I don’t see how anyone could not see that there is profound evil and evil intent at work here. I just do not see any way to be any more generous with those who proposed this bill than that. It is that bad.

This bill is obviously designed to put the authority to determine who lives and dies in America into the hands of government bureaucrats. As outrageous as that seems, it is true—you can read it yourse lf. It even gives the government access to all of your accounts, and the authority to make withdrawals. I know this is hard to believe, but you can read it yourself.

Do you want a government bureaucrat to determine if your mother or father can receive treatment, even in life and death cases? Would you want a government bureaucrat to determine if your child, or you, could receive treatment, even when it means life or death? Think of the best experience that you ever had working with a government bureaucrat, and then think about them having the power to make a potentially life or death choice for your child, your parents, or for you. This is actually what is being proposed.

Add to that chilling thought the fact that this bureaucrat does not have to know one thing about medicine to be in that position. In fact, this bill proposes letting the government define what quality health care is and impose that definition on health care workers. Nowhere does it even specify what training, expertise, or qualifications this all-powerful government bureaucrat has to have to be placed in the position to make such ultimate decisions for the health, well-being, and even the lives of Americans.

Am I being too hard on bureaucrats, or the Obama Administration’s intentions? Certainly there are many bureaucrats who are sincere and true public servants. I agree that such are deserving of our apprec iation and respect. The modern world could not exist without them. Think of the most noble and conscientious there are. What kind of position would we be putting them in to have to go to work every day and decide who is going to get treatment, who is going to have to go on a waiting list and for how long, and who are they going to have to just let die?

Who could live with such a job? There are many who could, who would just see it as paperwork, and those are the ones who would be in that position because the truly noble ones could not endure it. Hitler found many who could dispatch thousands each day, and then go home and enjoy their own families at night. There are people with that kind of moral disconnect. These jobs will be filled and by the very ones we would never want in such positions.

It is beyond anything I thought I would ever see in my lifetime that such a bill could ever be seriously considered in the U.S. Congress. This bill has the potential for totalitarian control to be imposed on America to a degree that Hitler and Stalin could not have even imagined. With the technology available now, totalitarian control can very quickly be imposed to a degree far beyond what was attained by either the Nazis or the Communists, and this bill has provisions in it for just that. It mandates the sharing of all of your personal information, from just about every conceivable source, with the=2 0new health care bureaucracy being set up to implement this national health care system. The penalties for trying to escape this web are serious. This would actually make America into a national concentration camp, and we can be sure that ultimately it will be a national death camp. You do not have to take my word for it—read it for yourself. Below I will include a brief on this bill so that you can look it up, chapter and verse.

I am a pastor and a watchman, and I therefore have a mandate to watch out for the people, and to sound the alarm when I see a threat. I have never seen one like this before. Even so, I have prayed for restraint and calm as I address this, and do not want to exaggerate anything. In spite of this terrible evil that is manifesting itself through the Obama Administration, I am resolved to pray for our government leaders, and I try to pray for the President every day. My sincere hope is for a spiritual awakening for him and for those in every government position, and for the Lord to give them wisdom and help for the most difficult task they have. However, with all due respect (and I mean this), what is coming out of the Obama Administration is evil, more evil than anything I thought I would ever see in America. It is time to call it what it is.

In the early 1990s, myself and a few other prophetic friends were all shown separately, but at the same general=2 0time, that the same evil that gained access to Germany in the 1930s was going to seek access to America. I have shared this often since then, and have made many trips to Germany to seek to understand what happened there. Col. Eugene Bird became one of my dearest friends, and I spent many days with him listening to what he had learned about this, which was considerable. Col. Bird was the U.S. Commandant of the Spandau Prison that held the Nazi war criminals, and ultimately became the one many considered to be the foremost authority on Nazi Germany. Bird’s insight into how evil can gain entry into the human soul and into governments was remarkable, but I always had trouble seeing a connection that would allow what happened there to actually happen in America. Bird often chastised me for this, warning that it could easily happen in America (Col. Bird lived most of his life in Germany, where he became loved and esteemed by that nation, but he remained a patriotic American to the end). Bird often explained how the evil spirit of death that took over Germany gained entry through its health care system. Now it is easy to see what he was talking about in what is being proposed by the Obama Administration.

In Germany, the National Socialists (Nazis) gradually desensitized the nation to death beginning with abortion. Then they quietly, seemingly with the most noble intentions, rounded up the retarded and insane, claiming that the state could take much better car e of them, but no one ever saw or heard from them again. Then they did the same with the elderly. As word slipped out that they were being euthanized, it was explained that war made it necessary to eliminate all of the “useless eaters” so that the troops could be fed, as well as those who worked for the war machine. By that time, the grip of control was too strong for anyone to protest or they would also be sent to the camps. Life became cheaper and cheaper, people became more and more depraved, and millions were slaughtered in the death camps.

America is following a parallel course. If Hitler had a tool such as the health care bill that is being proposed by Congress, along with the technology of control now available, it would have made his task much easier and more effective, and probably resulted in many millions more having been easily murdered.

I have had Presidents, candidates, senators, and congressmen and congresswomen from both parties tell me they have read and appreciated my writings. I have maintained for many years that an eagle needs both a left wing and a right wing to fly, and believe that there are excellent men and women of true conviction in both parties. I realize that by writing with this tenor, I risk being considered an extremist, and maybe risk many relationships, but I cannot be concerned about that. With such an extreme evil threatening our country, I would have a difficult time standing before the Lord on that great judgment day if I did not speak up as boldly, as clearly, and as loudly as I can. Call me an alarmist and I will agree with you—I am going to do my best to sound the alarm against evil in every way that I can, and I don’t think I have ever seen anything with the potential for evil like this national health care bill.

I pray that senators and congressmen from both parties who have courage and conviction will stand up against this terrible impending holocaust and stop this bill. I expect that it will be hard for many who read and understand what this Democratic Administration has proposed not to refer to the Democratic Party as the Death Party from now on, but let’s wait and see how the Democrats in Congress respond to this before condemning them, too. This bill is criminal—it opens the door for a crime against humanity on a level that could easily surpass what happened in the last century. We must hold accountable all who have written, proposed, and sided with this bill—and determine that with all the resources we are given, they will never be elected again for anything.

I pray that every Christian will wake up and rise up to take their stand against what is happening in our country now. If we do, we can stop this. If we don’t, we will have to stand before the Judge having let this happen on our watch.20We can expect persecution and even death for standing against such a bold and obvious attack of the spirit of death, but no Christian should fear death, and no Christian will want to live in the world that is now taking shape if we do not become the salt and light we are called to be.

We are in need of the courage and resolve of Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings, who stood before the huge and terrible Balrog demon and declared—“YOU SHALL NOT PASS!” The demon was stopped, and even though it was able to grab and drag Gandalf down with it, Gandalf returned with a new level of authority. It does not matter what the consequences are for standing for truth, as Christians we must stand because it is our basic duty. As the first apostles demonstrated, to be persecuted and to suffer shame for our God and His truth is one of the greatest honors. However, we must do it for more than honor—we must also do it for our children and their children.

Last night on Fox News, a former Clinton Administration council to the President stated courageously that this bill was not just about money, it was about euthanasia. The money part does not make any sense at all, but now that the real evil that is driving this can be clearly seen, we can understand that the Administration really does not care about saving money or providing health care for everyone; rath er it is about control. There is already talk about this being about saving money by being able to euthanize the baby boomers so they will not have to be paid social security, or weigh down the health care system with their needs. I’m not ready to go that far, but that is obviously why the Florida congressman declared that this bill was a death sentence for the elderly. That is true.

The only commandment with a promise that it will go well with us, and that we may live long, is the commandment to honor our fathers and mothers. This commandment is found in both the Old and New Testaments (see Ephesians 6:2-3). Killing them when they can no longer be productive, as Hitler and Stalin resolved to do, is the most dishonorable thing we could ever do, and we can be sure will bring the opposite to the blessing promised. As you read the bill, and see how excessively long they stay on the point of being able to determine what and if any care is given to the elderly, you will see it really is chilling. It is obvious this is a primary purpose of those who wrote this bill. I know this sounds far-fetched, and I would not have believed it myself a few days ago, but just read it for yourself.

The following is a brief outline of this bill put together by Mat Staver of the Freedom Foundation and Liberty Counsel (contact info i s at the end). The comments by the brief are Mat’s, except where I have noted my own by putting them in italics. The bold is also mine.

After reading, please do not wait to contact your representatives to protest this. If you don’t get through, keep calling, send emails, but do not stop until you know your voice has been heard.

Obama Health Care Plan Details

HR 3200 currently under consideration in the House of Representatives
Pg 22 of the HC Bill MANDATES the Govt will audit the books of ALL EMPLOYERS that self insure!!

Pg 30 Sec 123 of HC bill – THERE WILL BE A GOVT COMMITTEE that decides what treatments/benefits you get

Pg 29 lines 4-16 in the HC bill – YOUR HEALTHCARE IS RATIONED!!!

Pg 42 of HC Bill – The Health Choices Commissioner will choose your benefits for you. You have no choice!

Pg 50 Section 152 in HC bill – HC will be provided to ALL non US citizens, illegal or otherwise

Pg 58HC Bill – Gov’t will have real-time access to individual’s finances & a National ID Health care card will be issued!

Pg 59 HC Bill lines 21-24 Govt will have direct access to your banks accts for electronic funds tran sfer.

Pg 65 Sec 164 is a payoff subsidized plan for retirees and their families in Unions & community orgs (ACORN).

Pg 72 Lines 8-14 Govt is creating an HC Exchange to bring priv HC plans under Govt control.

Pg 84 Sec 203 HC bill – Govt mandates ALL benefit packages for private Health Care plans in the Exchange

Pg 85 Line 7 HC Bill – Specs for of Benefit Levels for Plans = The Govt will ration your Healthcare!

Pg 91 Lines 4-7 HC Bill – Govt mandates linguistic appropriate services.

Example – Translation for illegal aliens.

Pg 95 HC Bill Lines 8-18 The Govt will use groups i.e., ACORN & Americorps to sign up individuals for Govt HC plan

Pg 85 Line 7 HC Bill – Specs of Ben Levels 4 Plans. #AARP members – Your Health Care WILL be rationed

Pg 102 Lines 12-18 HC Bill – Medicaid Eligible Individual will be automat.enrolled in Medicaid. No choice.

Pg 124 lines 24-25 HC No company can sue Govt on price fixing. No “judicial review” against Govt Monopoly.

Pg 127 Lines 1-16 HC Bill – Doctors/ #AMA – The Govt will tell YOU what you can make.

Pg 145 Line 15-17 An Employer MUST auto enroll employees into public opt plan. NO CHOICE

Pg 126 Lines 22-25 Employers MUST pay for HC for part time employees AND their families.

Pg 149 Lines 16-24 ANY Employer w/ payroll 400k & above who does not prov. pub opt. pays 8% tax on all payr oll

Pg 150 Lines 9-13 Biz w payroll btw 251k & 400k who doesnt provide public opt pays 2-6% tax on all payroll Pg 167 Lines 18-23 ANY individual who doesnt have acceptable HC according to Govt will be taxed 2.5% of income.

Pg 170 Lines 1-3 Any NONRESIDENT Alien is exempt from individual taxes. (Americans will pay).

Pg 195 Officers & employees of HC Admin (GOVT) will have access to ALL Americans financial and personal records.

Pg 203 Line 14-15 HC – “The tax imposed under this section shall not be treated as tax” Yes, it says that. Pg 239 Line 14-24 HC Bill Govt will reduce physician services for Medicaid. Seniors, low income, poor affected.

Pg 241 Line 6-8 HC Bill – Doctors, it does not matter what specialty you have, you’ll all be paid the same.

Pg 253 Line 10-18 Govt sets value of Dr’s time, prof judg, etc. Literally value of humans.

Pg 265 Sec 1131Govt mandates & controls productivity for private HC industries.

Pg 268 Sec 1141 Fed Govt regulates rental & purchase of power driven wheelchairs.

Pg 272 SEC. 1145. Treatment of certain cancer hospitals – Cancer patients – welcome to rationing!

Page 280 Sec 1151 The Govt will penalize hospitals for what Govt deems preventable readmissions. (Incentives for hospital to not treat and release.)

Pg 298 Lines 9-11 Drs, treat a patient during initial admission that results in a readmission-Govt will penalize you.

Pg 317 L 13-20 PROHIBITION on ownership/investment. Govt tells Drs. what/how much they can own.

Pg 317-318 lines 21-25,1-3 PROHIBITION on expansion- Govt is mandating hospitals cannot expand.

pg 321 2-13 Hospitals have opportunity to apply for exception BUT community input required. Can you say ACORN?!!

Pg335 L 16-25 Pg 336-339 – Govt mandates established of outcome based measures. HC the way they want. Rationing.

Pg 341 Lines 3-9 Govt has authority to disqualify Medicare Advantage Plans (Part B), HMOs, etc. Forcing people into Govt plan.

Pg 354 Sec 1177 – Govt will RESTRICT enrollment of Special needs people!

Pg 379 Sec 1191 Govt creates more bureaucracy – Telehealth Advisory Committee. HC by phone/Internet?

Pg 425 Lines 4-12 Govt mandates Advance [Death] Care Planning Consult. Think Senior Citizens end of life.

Pg 425 Lines 17-19 Govt will instruct & consult regarding living wills, durable powers of atty. Mandatory!

Pg 425 Lines 22-25, 426 Lines 1-3 Gov’t provides approved list of end of life resources, guiding you in death.

Pg 427 Lines 15-24 Govt mandates program for orders for end of life. The Gov’t has a say in how your life ends.

Pg 429 Lines 1-9 An “adv. care planning consult” will be used frequently as patients health deteriorates.

Pg 429 Lines 10-12 “adv. care consultation” may incl an ORDER for end of life plan s. AN ORDER from GOV

Pg 429 Lines 13-25 – The govt will specify which Doctors can write an end of life order.

PG 430 Lines 11-15 The Govt will decide what level of treatment you will have at end of life

(NOTE FROM RJ: The above really does give the government the authority to determine who lives and dies, and when. A government bureaucrat really will be making this decision for you and your loved ones.)

Pg 469 – Community Based Home Medical Services=Non profit orgs. Hello, ACORN Medical Svcs here!!?

Pg 472 Lines 14-17 PAYMENT TO COMMUNITY-BASED ORG. 1 monthly payment to a community-based org. Like ACORN?

Pg 489 Sec 1308 The Govt will cover Marriage & Family therapy. They will insert Government into your marriage. Pg 494-498 Govt will cover Mental Health Svcs including defining, creating, rationing those svcs

PG 502 Sec 1181 Center for Comparative Effectiveness Research Established. – Hello Big Brother – Literally.

Pg 503 Lines 13-19 Gov’t will build registries and data networks from YOUR electronic med records.

Pg 503 lines 21-25 Gov’t may secure data directly from any depart or agency of the US including your data.

Pg 504 Lines 6-10 The “Center” will collect data both published & unpublished (that means public & your private info)

PG 50620Lines 19-21 The Center will recommend policies that would allow for public access of data.

PG 518 Lines 21-25 The Commission will have input from HC consumer reps – Can you say unions & ACORN?

PG 524 18-22 Comparative Effectiveness Research Trust Fund set up. More taxes for ALL.

PG 621 Lines 20-25 Gov’t will define what Quality means in HC. Since when does Gov’t know about quality?

Pg 622 Lines 2-9 To pay for the Quality Standards, Govt will transfer $$ from to other Govt Trust Funds. More Taxes.

PG 624 “Quality” measures shall be designed to assess outcomes & functional status of patients.

PG 624 “Quality” measures shall be designed to profile you including race, age, gender, place of residence, etc

Pg 628 Sec 1443 Gov’t will give “Multi-Stake Holders” Pre-Rule Making input into Selection of “Quality” Measures.

Pg 630 9-24/631 1-9 Those Multi-stake holder groups incl. Unions & groups like ACORN deciding HC quality.

Pg 632 Lines 14-25 The Gov’t may implement any “Quality measure” of HC Services as they see fit.

PG 633 14-25/ 634 1-9 The Secretary may issue non-endorsed “Quality Measures” for Physician Services & Dialysis Services.

Pg 635 to 653 Physicians Payments Sunshine Provision – Gov’t wants to shine sunlight on Docs but not Govt.

Pg 654-659 Public Reporting on Health C are-Associated Infections – Looks okay.

PG 660-671 Doctors in Residency – Gov’t will tell you where your residency will be, thus where you’ll live.

Pg 676-686 Gov’t will regulate hospitals in EVERY aspect of residency programs, incl. teaching hospitals.

Pg 686-700 Increased Funding to Fight Waste, Fraud, and Abuse. You mean like the Gov’t with an $18 million website?

PGs 701-704 Sec 1619 If your part of HC plan isn’t in Gov’t HC Exchange but you qualify for Fed aid, no payment.

PG 705-709 SEC. 1128 If Secr gets complaints (ACORN) on HC provider or supplier, Gov’t can do background check.

PG 711 Lines 8-14 The Secretary has broad powers to deny HC providers/ suppliers admittance into HC Exchange. Your doctor could be thrown out of business.

Pg 719-720 Sec 1637 ANY Doctor who orders durable med equip or home med services MUST be enrolled in Medicare.

PG 722 Sec 1639 Gov’t MANDATES Doctors must have face to face with patient to certify patient for Home Health Svcs.

PG 724 23-25 PG 725 1-5 The same Gov’t certifications will apply to Medicaid & CHIP (your kids)

PG 724 Lines 16-22 Gov’t reserves rt to apply face to face certification for patient to ANY other HC service.

Pg 735 lines 16-25 For law enforce. proposes the Secretary-HHS will give Atty General access to ALL data.

PG 740-757 Gov’t sets guidelines for subsidizing the uninsured (Thats your tax dollars people)

Pg 757-762 Fed gov’t will shift burden of payments to Disproportionate Share Hospitals (DSH) to States. (Taxes)

Pg 763 1-8 No DS/EA hospitals will be paid unless they provide services without regard to national origin

Pg 765 Sec 1711 Gov’t will require Preventative Services including vaccines. (Choice?)

Pg 768 Sec 1713 Gov’t – Nurse Home Visitation Svcs (Hello union paybacks)

Pg 769 11-14 Nurse Home Visit Svcs include-economic self-sufficiency, employ adv, school-readiness.

Pg 769 3-5 Nurse Home Visit Services – “increasing birth intervals between pregnancies.” Govt ABORTIONS anyone

Pg 770 SEC 1714 Fed Gov’t mandates eligibility for State Family Planning Services. Abortion & State Sovereign.

Pg 789-797 Gov’t will set, mandate drug prices, controlling which drugs brought to market. Bye innovation.

Pgs 797-800 SEC. 1744 PAYMENTS for graduate medical education. The government will now control Drs’ education.

PG 801 Sec 1751 The Govt will decide which Health care conditions will be paid. Say RATION!

Pg 810 SEC. 1759. Billing Agents, clearinghouses, etc req. to register. Gov’t takes over private payment sys.

Pg 820-824 Sec 1801 Govt will identify individ. ineligible for subsidies. Will access all personal financial information.

Pg 824-829 SEC. 1802. Govt Sets up Comparative Effectiveness Research Trust Fund. Another tax20black hole.
PG 829-833 Gov’t will impose a fee on ALL private health ins. plans incl. self insured to pay for Trust Fund!

PG 835 11-13 fees imposed by Gov’t for Trust Fund shall be treated as if they were taxes.

Pg 838-840 Gov’t will design & implement Home Visitation Program for families with young kids & families expect kids.

PG 844-845 This Home Visitation Prog. includes Gov’t coming into your house & telling you how to parent!!!

Pg 859 Gov’t will establish a Public Health Fund at a cost of $88,800,000,000. Yes that’s Billion.

Pg 865 The Gov’t will MANDATE the establishment of a National Health Service Corps.

PG 865 to 876 The NHS Corps is a program where Drs. perform mandatory HC for 2yrs for part loan repayment.

PG 876-892 The govt takes over the education of our Med students and Drs.

PG 898 The Govt will establish a Public Health Workforce Corps to ensure supply of public health prof.

PG 898 The Public health workforce corps shall consist of civilian employees of the U.S. as Secretary deems.

PG 898 The Public health workforce corps shall consist of officers of Regular & Reserve Corps of Service.

PG 900 The Public Health Workforce Corps includes veterinarians.

PG 901 The Public Health Workforce Corps WILL include commissioned Regular & Reserve Officers. HC Draft?

PG 910 The Govt will develop, build & run Pu blic Health Training Centers.

PG 913-914 Govt starts a HC affirmative action program thru guise of diversity scholarships.

PG 915 SEC. 2251. Govt MANDDATES Cultural & linguistic competency training for HC professionals.

Pg 932 The Govt will estab Preventative & Wellness Trust fund- initial cost of $30,800,000,000-Billion.

PG 935 21-22 Govt will identify specific goals & objectives for prevention & wellness activities. Control YOU!!

PG 936 Govt will develop “Healthy People & National Public Health Perform. Standards” Tell me what to eat?

PG 942 Lines 22-25 More Gov’t? Offices of Surgeon General -Public Health Svc, Minority Health, Women’s Health

PG 950- 980 BIG GOV’T core pub health infrastructure including workforce capacity, lab systems; health info sys, etc

PG 993 Gov’t will establish school based health clinics. Your kids won’t have a chance.

PG 994 School Based Health Clinic will be integrated into the school environment. Say GOVT Brainwash!

PG 1001 The Govt will establish a National Medical Device Registry. Will you be tracked?

Mathew D. Staver*
Founder and Chairman Dean and Professor of Law
Liberty Counsel Liberty University School of Law
Offices in Florida, Virginia and the District of Columbia, Lynchburg, Virginia
(800) 671-1776 – Telephone (434) 592-5300 – Telephone
www.LC.org
www.law.liberty.edu

*Licensed in Florida and the District of Columbia

Now do you understand why we have to stand up today against this bill and declare with all of the courageous souls who are sounding the alarm and let us say to the bill—

“YOU SHALL NOT PASS.”

ROMANS 8: 1-6

ROMANS 8: 1-6

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7 Lessons I Have Learned

7 Lessons That I have Learned

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Accelerated Promotion Part 1

ACCELERATED PROMOTION Part 1

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Accelerated Promotion part 2

ACCELERATED PROMOTION Part 2

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Gays Storm Church

FREEDOM IS NOT FREE

We Americans have been taught from childhood about our rights, and we enjoy a glorious freedom and self-rule that we can easily take for granted. We don’t have to hold our Bible studies in secret for fear of the government. We don’t have to worry about being imprisoned for months or years without facing charges. We accept our freedoms as a normal way of life, easily forgetting that millions of people in other parts of the world do not enjoy the independence that we do.

As we approach and celebrate Independence Day in America, it is appropriate that we spend some time reflecting on our freedoms.

Throughout world history, the power-hungry have constantly fought to overpower and dominate others, whether overtly or through sneaky politicking. Freedom – whether political, religious, or spiritual – is wonderful to enjoy, but at the cost of great sacrifice and vigilant protection. In America, we are the heirs of great sacrifices made to give us a heritage of freedom. Let us guard and protect this inheritance, and not squander it like ungrateful children. To keep our freedoms, we need to appreciate the cost. We need to be willing to understand the sacrifice ourselves, so that we have the same legacy to hand our children:

On Freedom:

“Those who profess to favor freedom and yet depreciate agitation, are people who want crops without ploughing the ground; they want rain without thunder and lightning; they want the ocean without the roar of its many waters. The struggle may be a moral one, or it may be a physical one, or it may be both. But it must be a struggle. Power concedes nothing without a demand; it never has and it never will.” – Frederick Douglass

“Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.” – Thomas Paine

“A right is not what someone gives you; it’s what no one can take from you.” – Ramsey Clark

“You can only protect your liberties in this world by protecting the other man’s freedom. You can only be free if I am free.” – Clarence Darrow [That is, even if you don't like what your neighbor believes in, it's still vital to protect his freedom.]

“So long as the people do not care to exercise their freedom, those who wish to tyrannize will do so; for tyrants are active and ardent, and will devote themselves in the name of any number of gods, religious and otherwise, to put shackles upon sleeping men.” – Voltaire

“Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.” – Wendell Phillips

“Freedom is never an achieved state; like electricity, we’ve got to keep generating it or the lights go out.” – Wayne LaPierre

“If a nation values anything more than freedom, it will lose its freedom; and the irony of it is that if it is comfort or money that it values more, it will lose that too.” – Somerset Maugham

“The land of the free will cease to be when it’s no longer the home of the brave.”- Rick Gaber

“A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor and bread it has earned — this is the sum of good government.” – Thomas Jefferson

“If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel, nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you; and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.” – Samuel Adams

“Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value.” – Thomas Paine

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” – Galatians 5:1

“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” – John 8:36

When something is rare, it has more value, which is why gold and diamonds are valued more than sand. Freedom is growing rarer again – but it must be sought after, dug up, and cherished like the treasure it is. We have readers from around the world – many of which value freedom way beyond those of us who have an abundance of it.

Remember – “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required” – Luke 12:48