The Time for Choosing is at Hand

Posted on by charliej373

ICELAND

By Charlie Johnston

I spent a good chunk of last Sunday meandering in the mountains, with an hour in contemplation and prayer at the foot of Mt. Meeker. I actually wrote a lot last week – but I’ll deal with that another time.

People frequently call to ask me if this is it. Well, it certainly is becoming more and more of a global civil war fought on cultural lines. I think this is a sort of warning, a foreshadowing of the fullness of the storm, and an opportunity for all of us to take stock of where we are and of who we have become. I think it is clear that most of us are not ready for serious trials right now, though I hope it is the unreadiness of the Pacific Fleet right after Pearl Harbor. It went to sea to carry out punitive exercises in response and discovered that, though it had good equipment, it was pathetically unable to carry out any serious mission, so it came back to base and started relentlessly drilling. It became one of the finest fleet forces in world history once it took things, including rigorous training, seriously and with sober resolve.

The devil almost always attacks you at your weakest point. It is a classic of basic tactics. Only a fool would attack the castle at its strongest point – unless he were setting up a diversion to draw attention away from the weakest point in order to mount a subtle attack or ambush there. So, if you actually ARE attacked at your strong point, guard your weak point all the more. Sometimes silly men boast because their faults are not the same as others. The gambler says, “At least I am not a womanizer,” and the womanizer says, “At least I am not a gambler,” and both say, “At least I am not a drunk.” What fools! When you have such profound failings yourself for which you have required so much mercy, how can you dare be miserly to others with the mercy you have received in such abundance? Do you think God will be impressed? Do not view, through the beam in your own eye, the mote in your neighbor’s eye with satisfaction. Instead, bear each other’s burdens, live solidarity, cover your father’s nakedness as Shem and Japheth did for Noah (Genesis, Chapter 9). Always keep in mind that the devil seeks to inflame our greatest passions into disorder and then to sin. Thus fear, anger, envy, lust, greed, and wrath are all things he seeks to infect and inflame. Yet these ugly passions are often merely the disordered side of qualities the Lord bequeathed us that we need for our work. Seek to use your passion for the purposes for which the Lord has given them to you – and armor them against the satan’s attempts to inflame them into disorder and chaos. Frankly, these past couple of weeks I have been struggling with deep anger and disbelief.

The majority of what matters has already been revealed; the lines of battle are hardening; and so, inevitably, comes the moment when a decisive choice must be made by each person. Such is the time of visitation that will form the course of the rest of each person’s life. It is amazing to me. I have been present at the moment of visitation of many individuals – that moment when they must make the fundamental decision that sets the course of the rest of their lives. I have never seen a moment of visitation come to all at almost the same moment. The whole world has entered into a moment of visitation. I have found that most people do not recognize their moment of visitation until after it has long passed. Many of those who choose well never recognize it, for they just continue in their way of steady honor. Those that choose poorly almost always come to recognize it – and are either embittered or haunted by the loss entailed by their choosing poorly. It makes me wonder how many, even now, recognize the crossroads we have come to.

We are coming through the third worst general pandemic of my lifetime. While the media recently trumpeted that the Covid virus death toll recently reached 100,000, even Dr. Deborah Birk, head of the White House task force, said that these deaths have been overstated by “at least” 25 percent. With all the cancer, heart attack – and even traffic accident, shooting and stabbing fatalities wrongly attributed to Covid, I suspect her estimate is substantially low. But let’s take her at her word. That means that Covid deaths are actually no more than 75,000 – at the upper range of a normal flu season (30,000-80,000). I expect it will top off at about 90,000 in real deaths. The Asian Flu of 1958-59 claimed about 100,000 lives in America, while the Hong Kong Flu of 1968-69 claimed about 115,000. Still, though Covid is in the range of normal notably rough years, it has had a more devastating effect than the worst in American history – because we decided to quarantine the healthy and shut down the American economy. As bad as all that is, I am more shaken by what the hideous over-reaction has revealed about all of us than I am by the over-reaction itself.

I already knew that a great diabolic disorientation had overwhelmed the modern left: they use compassionate buzzwords to leverage absolute power to themselves, which is all they care about anymore. So I was not surprised when petty officials throughout the land used the Covid scare to impose arbitrary rules unrelated to any rational analysis on what they consider to be their subjects. I had suspected that “experts” had succumbed to the same feverish politicization of everything, so I was not terribly surprised that they made what Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) called “wrong prediction after wrong prediction after wrong prediction.” I was a bit taken aback that their serial public beclowning of themselves did not lead to any humility or prudent restraint – but just led them to ever more bitterly demand obedience to their dictates. This is ever the behavior of frauds as their power and prestige starts falling away. We have reached the “pay no attention to that man behind the curtain” stage of leftist bureaucratic rule. The wizard, when caught, had the grace to own up to his deception. The modern left more frantically fires up the thunder and lightning engines.

Though I was not surprised at the attempted usurpation of unconstitutional and unjust power, I was startled by how quickly and easily we submitted and by how eagerly some policemen were to become the instruments enforcing that immoral power grab. I expected all of this to end by the fourth week, certainly no later than the fifth, when ordinary Americans made it clear we would not submit and police officials determinedly refused en masse to enforce unlawful orders. Boy, was I ever wrong! What really shocked me, though, and has still left me a bit shaken, is how many very good people let fear get hold of them and drive their decisions. By the third week of closures, simple objective research showed that this virus was manageable with prudent, cool heads. Even had it been the modern equivalent of the black plague, shutting down the world and quarantining the healthy was a notably dumb approach. It is a signal embarrassment to have done all this in response to a mouse that roared.

I watched in astonishment as people I know to be smart posted things that are biological commonplaces as if they were something frightening and new. Many reacted to the perfectly ordinary and predictable with the horrified wonder of a child discovering there is no Santa Clause or how babies are actually made. At first, I kept searching restlessly for what I was missing, for surely if such solid people could be so thoroughly frightened, it was probably me who was out of step. But the more I saw of solid people spouting mundane information as if it was something terrifyingly unique, the more I saw that a mass hysteria had genuinely taken hold – and taken hold of some of the best, who were now more than willing to allow “authorities” to impose rules that have no rational relationship to the threat at hand and dictate how free people must live.

I know how panic can paralyze the rational faculties. When I was 26 years old, I was visiting some relatives. As is my wont, I was up very late reading, long after everyone else had gone to bed. There were four young children in the house, sleeping in downstairs bedrooms. I heard a loud clatter downstairs. It panicked me and sent me cowering near the fireplace. I was horrified at my reaction. I had always run to danger. By that time of my life, I had thwarted an attempted bank robbery, faced down two mobs trying to beat up other kids, and had smoothly taken control of a crisis in Elizabethtown, Kentucky as I was passing through when everyone else had panicked. It was a point of pride with me that I was the calm center of any storm around me, encouraging and soothing others to useful action. But not that night. I willed myself to get up and go check on the kids. No matter how much I willed myself, my body would not respond and I kept trembling all over. I was both terrified and astonished that I could not get past the terror. I don’t know how long I was frozen in raw panic; it felt like an hour before I got a grip on myself and checked on the children. It was one of the most deeply mortifying episodes of my life – but one for which I am deeply grateful. It made Jesus’ words that the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41) resonate in a deeply visceral way for me. I realized that even a brave man can be paralyzed by panic when caught off guard. It emphasized the critical need to be ever vigilant and deliberate. It instilled in me the humility of knowing that, whatever my own self-image, I could be routed in a moment of panic.

I was gratified to see that, like my cowering in front of the fireplace incident, the general public finally got a grip and has largely started to ignore and ridicule improper official commands. I am gladdened that some who initially panicked have taken a cooler look at the data. I am saddened that some who initially panicked have not yet calmed down, but keep restlessly trying to justify that panic. Certainly, it became clear pretty early on (despite the media efforts to keep panic whipped up) that, though this virus was particularly dangerous to people who had substantial co-morbidities, were elderly, or were substantially overweight, it was largely innocuous to anyone under 60 (and please spare me the anecdotal accounts; those can be found for every infectious disease ever out there, including the most feeble).  People can responsibly assess their own vulnerability and take appropriate action. All people should stay home when sick. It is not heroic to go into work and infect everyone else there. The CDC and the WHO have changed their minds over whether masks are a help or a hindrance a good four or five times, but they have become a visible placebo. (It makes me chuckle over those social media sites which have said they will remove any opinion that disagrees with the WHO. Which formal opinion? This week or last week’s?) If you choose to wear a mask, that does not bother me a whit. But if you insist that government has the right to force everyone to wear masks (at least under current circumstances), I will not submit. The danger is that if we conclude that government was right to trash the Constitution, individual liberty and, particularly, religious liberty because of this virus given the facts in evidence about it (and I am NOT speaking of hysterical media reports), then the government has the right to shut down everyone every virus season, make whatever rules they want, the Bill of Rights be dammed, and our liberty is at an end. If you have any doubt that this is driven by politics rather than sound policy, note that a coterie of public health “experts” has publicly stood with the rioters, noting incoherently that “white supremacy… contributes to Covid-19.” I often put the word, “experts,” in quotation marks because I define an expert as someone who has demonstrated actual expertise rather than someone who merely makes loud political statements. We need more experts and need to stop paying so much attention to “experts.”

In past pandemics, the disease was spread fairly evenly across political lines. If 57 percent of the population was governed by Democrats, about 57 percent of casualties would come from Democrat states. This one was most peculiar: as of May 20, 80 percent of the casualties came from states governed by Democratic governors, which were the states which took the most draconian arbitrary measures. The states with the lightest touch were the least affected. Of course, much of this is because so many of the draconian Democrat governors forced nursing homes to take in those who were affected with Covid. The Democratic approach was NOT to protect public safety, but to lockdown the healthy and shoot the wounded.

As the panic over Covid started to subside, then came the mass rioting across the country. In this, almost all incidents which trigger such things come in Democrat-controlled enclaves. What is undeniable is that almost ALL the violence comes in Democrat-controlled cities. For a brief moment, the media and some Democrat leaders were trying to convince people that white supremacists were fomenting the violence. It is so clear that Antifa is driving the violence that that that narrative never really got off the ground. Ironically, I think it is true. Antifa has replaced the Ku Klux Klan as the paramilitary arm of the Democratic Party. Since the mid-1800’s, the Democrats have ALWAYS used race to divide the nation and amass power: they just switch up which races they are going to oppress and which to privilege from time to time. The left uses minorities as disposable fodder to get their way, and Antifa uses them for cover of their own nefarious acts.

Now, the left’s response to mass violence is to “defund the police.” This is a useful narrative for three reasons: 1) It may persuade some of those cops who so eagerly enforced the illegal orders of leftist officials that they are NOT making new friends, 2) It may persuade rational authorities among police officials to crack down hard on those police officers who enjoy being leftist toadies so they don’t forfeit public confidence altogether and, 3) It should make it crystal clear to all but the most hopelessly obtuse normal people that the left does NOT care about them and will not protect them. Many leftist officials have decided their policy is to bully the normal and enable the violent. Just a couple of days ago, while looters were running wild in New York City and Mayor Bill DeBlasio was refusing help from the National Guard, he DID send out a contingent of police to threaten to arrest Hasidic Jews who participated in evening prayer services. Some New York Jews slyly decided to describe their prayer services as “George Floyd Memorial Services” – and weren’t molested. Police cannot succumb to this formula or the credibility they need to do their jobs will circle the drain. I heard of one ordinary young fellow who comfortably leans left for the social panache it brings complain that he doesn’t know who to believe anymore. Well, if you still won’t believe the mountain of evidence in front of your own eyes, your children may not grow up in chains, but it won’t be because of anything you did.

The left has no regard for truth, justice or honor. All it cares about is power. It now demonstrates that it will use any means – foul or fouler – to impose its will on everyone. It would make war rather than leave people to decide what is best. Normal people, ultimately, will accept war rather than forfeit their freedom. And so, war will come and will fully degenerate into a global civil war fought on cultural lines. There is no place of neutrality left.

Some people, both friends and opponents, have noted that I don’t pay serious attention to either the conspiratorial scheming of the left or the strategy and tactics of those normal people who are fighting it. They are right. In the end, God is the victor. All we can do is, by our actions and choices, choose to participate with Him or against Him. None of the conspiratorial schemers are with Him so however much fire and fury they summon, they are destined to come to nought. To the extent that normal people seek to sublimate their anger to steadfastly work in submission to Him, I support their efforts. But the best conceived strategies and tactics will come to nought if they do not acknowledge the Lord’s mastery of the situation.

We are not getting out of this without a fight. One side must win and the other must lose. I hate to act or speak when I am under the sway of some powerful emotion – and I don’t unless there is a time deadline that forces my hand. Fortunately, the discipline of not acting or speaking publicly when I am in such sway helps calm the decisions I am forced by such deadlines to make when I am under such sway. The last couple of weeks I have been struggling with a furious anger – and have been adjusting to the new circumstances, some of which I did not anticipate. I will speak next of the challenge facing the Church and of all religious leaders. What is clear is that the battle lines are hardening. Those people who wait much longer to choose the side of God will find it brutally hard to switch horses once the battle is fully engaged. God will protect your immortal soul if you act humbly in His name, testing yourself at each step. We must not fail to act out of fear and call it “charity” or “forbearance.” Nor must we act out of anger or malice and call it “righteousness.” But we must prepare ourselves to act.

The time is at hand when each of us must choose or perish.

508 thoughts on “The Time for Choosing is at Hand”

                    2. Thanks Timothy for heads up…but it’s ok I haven’t argued with anyone but michael (poor michael) in many many years… lol…but if it’s too crude I will just not 👀 look! Thanks for heads up dearest one!🤗❤️🙏🌹

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                  2. Linda
                    You may bypass the ugly message board and see Q posts only where they are aggregated at qmap.pub or qanon.pub. Or for android: bit.ly/Q-map or bit.ly/Q-alerts

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                    1. Thank you LukeMichael!!! God bless you soooo much for helping me to be protected from yucky stuff!!! We are surely a real and beautiful holy family here!!!!🤗🙏❤️🌹😇

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          2. Linda, you’ll find three articles that fairly succinctly describe “Q” if you g**gle the key words:

            American Thinker Deborah Franklin

            Deborah Franklin is the pen name of someone who (in my view) writes like a professional journalist who has done thorough and accurate research but who “fears professional retribution” because her articles rather positively describe Q. Start with her Introduction article, posted on January 14, 2020, then read the other two in sequence.

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              1. 😀 I use “g**gle” somewhat generically, like Kleenex. Actually, I switched to DuckDuckGo several months ago. It claims to “protect searchers’ privacy” and to not profile its users. I’m not techie enough to evaluate those claims.

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    2. Yes, Beckita, I read this right before reading this piece by Charlie. Just yesterday I read the piece by Church Militant on the infiltration of antifa by the FBI. Oh, I would love to hide under the bed…but more importantly, I would love to go back to daily mass! Praying the Memorare daily for our our country.
      Thank-you, Charlie for this stirring piece.
      God bless us all as we make our choice.
      Katey in OR
      🙏🏼💙📿✝️

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    3. God Bless, Archbishop Vigano and the President of the United States.
      I pray every night that God protect us all from the evil left and to help all the good people in their efforts to defeat them.

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    5. Wow, just Wow. That is so wonderful! Thank you, Beckita for posting this. I hadn’t seen it before. I will find the link and send it to those who I know who need to read this! Thank you.

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    6. Wow. Telling it like it is. Time for the Children of Light to wakey, wakey.

      “THESE are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. 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. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated”

      ― Thomas Paine, The Crisis

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        1. Me too, Littlelight! When I read StEd’s “wakey wakey,” I couldn’t stop laughing! Also, I was cracking up when you talked about being “dumber than a bag of rocks.” I was laughing my head off because around here, we say “dumber than a box of rocks.” Maybe it’s a Michigan expression; or maybe we’re just bigger rockheads than y’all out East. 🙂

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          1. We in Montana say, dumber than a box of rocks too! As long as they are in the shape of rocks I am ok with that. Reminds me of my sons and I going to the river to hunt for agates. It wasn’t look until they were having trouble keeping their pants up because they were so loaded with all of the pretty rocks. 🙂

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            1. Awww, so cute, LOL ! I can picture it, HTTP! They are storing up treasures for the lean times, LOL!

              I found a rock my LiamXOXO gave me when he was 3. I’m so grateful I had the instinct to save it. I wrote on it with a sharpie the date he gave it to me, his age and what he said. It was a small flat rock. He said: “Here you go Mommy, you can have this! I have so many special rocks!” It was 5/26/2003. Aww, my little guy! 🙂

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          2. AAAaargh, LOL, Mick! Sadly, I am famous here for messin’ up all kinds of expressions and for verbal dsylexia. My husband and kids tease me mercilessly about it, LOL.

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  4. “What really shocked me, though, and has still left me a bit shaken, is how many very good people let fear get hold of them and drive their decisions.”

    Exactly. I told Jess 80% of the rational, conservative, faithful people we know bought into the fear and succumbed. That shocked me but it also has hardened my resolve.

    We got a lot of wood to chop, brother.

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  5. There currently is an active coup against the President and the left is actively trying to usher in atheistic communism into the US. The plandemic and the riots have been used to further their cause as well as the Russia gate lies that were perpetuated by the dumbicrats. There seems to be no limit to their brazen advance of their communist agenda. What comes next will assuredly be more of the same crap to strip our liberties and advance their Godless agenda.

    This is not conspiratorial jibberish and not just my opinion. This has been validated by some very connected individuals. (One of these individuals told me to buy toilet paper etc in early December 2019). Whats coming will be much worse and calculated to sway both the elections and crash the economy once and for all. Buckle your seat belts and prepare, prepare prepare.

    Communism is alive and well in America. Russia has spread her errors as foretold in Fatima. Hell is descending upon the world. There is good news however (spoiler alert). In the end “Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart” will Triumph.

    The End…

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    2. BD, I totally agree but would like to add one thing. Everything the bad and evil people are doing is weakening their base and awakening more people. God works in interesting ways sometimes. This is one way He is working.

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        1. BD, how kind of you to ask about my mother. I so appreciate that thoughtfulness.

          However, it does put me a bit on the spot. One can never know when another person will go Home, but in the past two days some things have happened that make me think my mother is considering that question at many different levels. I continue to do all I can to support her spiritually and physically, but when it is time, events take their course.

          BD, I would appreciate It if you would pray for my mother, something I do regularly for her. She has some big decisions to make, I believe. I hope and pray that she is surrounded by angels and the souls of those who love her and want to help her now, and that she will open herself to their loving assistance. Even if I am wrong and it turns out she has much more of life to live, it will still be wonderful for her to have all that help. 🙂

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          1. SteveBC. I will pray for your sweet mother, and for you. Please tell her that I will remember her when I pray my rosaries.

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          3. Awwww!!! Praying for Anne and you Stevebc!!! I feel closer to my mom now (post 2 years gone to be with God) than I did when she was alive…and yet I cry often for missing her physical presence and often find myself whispering, “momma!” Just like poor George Floyd did! Oh how we love our earthly mothers!😢😢😢

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            2. Linda, I have already told my mother that when she goes Home, whenever that occurs, she will leave a huge hole in my life. I have every intention of living my life to the full after she departs, but that hole will remain.

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              1. Yes we must press forward…in a bit here I’m going to write down this poem my mom wrote down for me to read after she passed…she actually showed it to me years before she passed and wanted me to remember it after she died. It’s quite beautiful 🤗

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                1. Stevebc still looking for that prayer she wrote 😫 it may be in a special box in basement!!! Pandemic organization not so organized 😂😂😂

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            1. Katey! Thank you. My mother is having a tough time at the moment, but I am able to help her stay more calm than otherwise as she works things through.

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              1. Sort of cool Stevebc.,,when my mom passed, (I had been praying chapter of mercy for her for like 8 hours straight) I closed my eyes and it may have been my imagination and probably so…but when I closed my eyes as she passed on, I saw my mom and a whole slew of people behind her all in different colored robes, yellow, white pastel colors…then to my right cafe the blessed mother, arms outstretched and a big smile on Blessed Mother’s face! My mom has a great devotion to Our Lady of grace which I now have! Most assuredly my imagination but it was really beautiful 🤗❤️🙏🌹

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          7. Steve, asking St. Anne to intercede for her name sake’s spiritual and corporal needs. Your mother is truly blessed to have such a devoted son 🙂

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            1. Oh, that’s good, Maggie. My mother has always had on her desks over the years a small ceramic statue of St Anne, something that has always been precious to her. I’m sure between you and St Anne that my mother will be greatly helped.

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          8. Continuing to pray for your dear mother and you, Steve. How blessed is she to be on the journey with you as you honor her process and are blessed with your spiritual awareness, insights and love.

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          11. I confirm — have also had thoughts about your Mother ( a prayer-call for situation); and prayed and shall pray.
            I must supportively tell you my main thoughts geared to how blessed she is to have you — for you to have had each other.
            My sons and I have mainly similar sentiments and cate for each other ( though one is being severely tested about me over this social/ political situation). Godspeed!

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            1. Laslyek, I will pray that all your sons remain solidly with you from now on. My mother and I have had some rocky times over the decades, and we are both glad that we stuck it all out together so we have the relationship we have now. I will be glad to have my own life after she goes Home, but nothing can fill that hole where she was in my life.

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            1. Oh, that’s a fine thought, Joanne1950. So many here know the pain of such a loss, and I will add my prayers to yours.

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            1. HttP, you are correct, this is a sacred time for my mother and me. We have had some very good conversations on what is happening, what may come, and how many loving people and spirits are around her to help her. It’s very tough for her to go through this, but it does turn out well in the end, does it not? 🙂

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          20. Prayers for you and your mother, SteveBC, that the Holy Spirit will guide her through the decisions she needs to make, and that He give you the strength enough to support whatever her decisions are. God bless you!

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              1. You’ll be in my prayers a lot. Just keep looking for the hidden blessings that God shares through this and you’ll make it through, one small step at a time. ~juls

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      2. I agree BD and Stevebc. ! Everyone is talking about what the anti/god left will do next!!! Everyone it seems has already chosen which side he/she is on! Just sut

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        1. This is a mystery, Linda, for the purpose of the Storm is to call us all to God. While time is short and hearts have been hardening, I’m not giving up praying and ministering for conversion til the fat lady sings and I’ve got plenty of fat to sustain me til the time when prayer for conversion is lost to the ones who have permanently chosen to reject God.

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          1. Hahahahaha Beckita!!!! FIRST BURST OF LAUGHTER OF THE DAY😂😂😂 That was REALLY FUNNY!! “I’m not giving up praying and ministering for conversion til the fat lady sings and I’ve got plenty of fat to sustain me til the time when prayer for conversion is lost to the ones who have permanently chosen to reject God.” I am considered by today’s standards quite obese!!! Maybe morbidly??? I’ll add my fat to that prayer too!!! 😂😂😂

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          2. Btw Beckita that video on Donald’s bible made me ball😭😭😭 So beautifully heartening!!! I shared it with all my sibs n kids!!! Wow!!!

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            1. Right, Linda?! I had shivers when I first watched and I was also deeply moved by Dr. Sexton’s tears of hope knowing that all good comes from God, including the ultimate good that people will reach for the Lord. The video reminds us that God IS/has been/will always be working… may we keep up with Him, not lagging behind and not running ahead. His Plan. His Ways. With Holy Spirit infusing grace, power, strategies, keys, connections, etc. into our contemplation because our own imagination, thinking and stepping are the co-creating pieces He invites us to and then looks for us to exert.

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              1. Sort of interesting Beckita…I shared this with my little bro Hank (hes 55😂😂😂) a bit of a Catholic basher and he tried to get a dog in with this response

                . “Sounds like Elvis is narrating this. That was interesting I wondered why The Donald did that. Curious why many evangelicals were made at him for that? “

                Of which I There are no junior partners these days 🤗 most times evangelicals put Catholics to shame…I love evangelicals!! On 🔥 fire!!! ”

                Thanks to Charlie…🤗

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            1. Any prayer, penance, sacrifice, fasting – full day or partial – which is offered from the heart is worth spiritual gold, Littleone. I do believe there is a YT video of the story of Gloria Polo Ortiz, a dentist from Bogota Columbia. She was taking shelter from a storm with her nephew when both of them were struck by lightning. What happened to her afterwards was a miracle which led to her conversion and a life of abandonment to the will of God. She died from that lightening strike and it was the prayer of a simple, poor farmer who had walked the many miles to Sunday Mass which changed Gloria’s death story. When he was munching on fish and chips after Mass, he began reading the newspaper in which the food was wrapped. As he read about Gloria’s plight, his face was streaming tears and he prayed that God would spare her life. And God did. But before Gloria came back to life, Jesus took her to purgatory so she could give testimony to its existence and purpose. A simple, poor farmer praying from the heart moved mountains. We can do this too.

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                1. Hahahahaha!!!! Had to really think on this one Beckita!!! I’ve had this horrible migraine all day and I swear the Satan tried to lock me out of mass today so thank you for this FIRST BURST OF LAUGHTER!!!😂😂😂 silly goose!!! I meant my son Frankie!!! I’m seeing signs of rekindling of faith long ago lost!!! 🤗❤️🙏😢😘😘

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                    1. It’s easing up!!!😆 church doors won’t open and a migraine are sure signs of a day from hell!!!😂😂😂 thanks for your prayers Beckita!!! Back atcha 😘😘😘

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      3. I think that they are exposing themselves. However, that does not mean that there are enough people who have eyes to see and hear The Truth. There are still a lot who are blinded by the sins of the modern day. I know Catholics who always vote D, even though they know abortion is a grave sin. Their excuse is: There is more than one issue here. I do not believe this will change until we have an Illumination of Conscience.

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    3. BD, reading this comment from you, kept me up last night. I was trying to figure out how the left will further crash the economy. Do you suppose they would take out the power grid? I feel that the left is getting more evil by the year, so I wouldn’t put anything past them. Thank you for your comments. God Bless You.

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      1. Diane,

        I was contemplating this too.

        Wondering if forced vaccinations, the releasing of another virus, the use of 5G waves?

        Will it be out and out war with guns city vs. Burbs or areas thereof?

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      2. dianebelvs. Sorry my post kept you up last night. To answer your question, there are too many ways they can finish off the economy so it’s impossible to know what’s coming. In fact we’re not out of the woods yet. 40-million unemployed, supply chains wrecked, and small business brought to it’s knees just to name a few. Covid19 may be a real virus but the worldwide response was ridiculous at best and criminal in reality. The economy was brought to a standstill by un-elected bureaucrats and their progressive accomplices, the media, and the deep state. The healthy were quarantined for the first time that I can remember, death certificates fraudulently reflecting covid while other underlying issues more than likely were the cause of death. Businesses forced to close across the country and the world. Now we face riots as thousands/millions are encouraged to march but they don’t need to social distance, hhmmm. Yes the death of Floyd was murder and the coward policemen are going to pay for that crime. But the resulting protests have been hijacked and are now being used to serve the progressives and the deep state agenda. Can you say (Antifa)? Let me be very clear, “THEY” are not going to stop. It will be one event after another as they try to plunge the world into chaos so they can build their new world order with satan as their deity.

        So, we have now reached that great inflection point in history where good vs evil takes center stage. We’re all going to have to choose one or the other folks. I made my decision long ago. I’m all in with “Our Lady” as I believe her “Immaculate Heart” was destined to lead/aid us in times such as we’re in today.

        God Bless you dianebelvs and sleep well tonight…

        Liked by 9 people

        1. Isn’t interesting that the riots started right around the time the info was coming out about some of the deep state diabolical activities? If it wasn’t George Floyd it would have been anything/anybody else to get the fire going. Problem with forest fires is they destroy everything. And, produce smoke the rest of us have to breathe until they are out.
          Boy, anytime I peek out from under Her mantle I am filled with fear. I am responding the same way people are drawn to a disaster. A few years back there was a wildfire near our home. It was incredible how onlookers lined the road to watch the fire, even to the point of blocking the road & our driveway.

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        3. BD…

          ….. there are too many ways they can finish off the economy so it’s impossible to know what’s coming …

          I think we will see a fairly rapid abatement of the violence. Why? Time in tactic. From Saul Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals:

          6. “A good tactic is one your people enjoy.“ They’ll keep doing it without urging and come back to do more. They’re doing their thing, and will even suggest better ones.

          7. “A tactic that drags on too long becomes a drag.“ Don’t become old news.

          8. “Keep the pressure on. Never let up.“ Keep trying new things to keep the opposition off balance. As the opposition masters one approach, hit them from the flank with something new.

          9. “The threat is usually more terrifying than the thing itself.“ Imagination and ego can dream up many more consequences than any activist.

          10.“The major premise for tactics is the development of operations that will maintain a constant pressure upon the opposition.” It is this unceasing pressure that results in the reactions from the opposition that are essential for the success of the campaign.

          11. “If you push a negative hard enough, it will push through and become a positive.“ Violence from the other side can win the public to your side because the public sympathizes with the underdog.

          12. “The price of a successful attack is a constructive alternative.“ Never let the enemy score points because you’re caught without a solution to the problem.

          The violence is becoming a drag for too many people including the Marxist base. I expect that there will be a shift in tactics. Trouble for the Left is that it has blown the opportunity to seize the high moral ground of social justice via the murders of police and the burning and looting of whole communities. Ain’t no moral superiority in that. Just an appalled and amazed audience of swing voters who are simply gobsmacked by what they are seeing.

          The Children of Darkness as Vigano labels them have unleashed forces that even they will have trouble controlling. So the MONEY that has an agenda which is paying for the violence will follow Alinsky’s advice and switch up tactics. Impossible to know what is coming, as you say.

          The problem from the organized Left’s perspective are Nos. 11 and 12 above.

          No. 11 When you unleash Hell that you can’t control on the streets you are pushing the negative pretty hard. In this case the negatives associated with the images and the pain it has brought HAS already pushed through to become a positive for the Children of Light in general and Trump in particular. The fools have made Trump the underdog. They are turning him into the little boy with his thumb in the dike to prevent collapse of the whole thing. Dumb. Amazingly it is a decision of the pollster fools in particular.

          I see this as an apt metaphor for where we are right now.

          No. 12 Never be caught without a solution to the problem you have created. Bad form for a revolutionary movement. The Left in America has been without new ideas since the New Deal. Socialist nostrums and flowery ear tickling rhetoric have produced nothing but misery for 70 years.

          This last problem is why Donald Trump was elected in the first place. The Left has not solved this existential problem they have.

          But they are going to try in this next election. MMT. Modern Monetary Theory. Free Stuff. Print the money (literally) to pay for Free Stuff. The Magic Money Tree.

          I see the political battle of the Fall fought on this basis : Free Stuff vs Freedom

          The focus of the Free Stuff campaign will be the inequality of income and the skewed distribution of wealth. Particularly in light of the smoking ruins of our urban areas left behind by the current campaign of murder, mayhem, looting and burning and pounding the fist on the table. The usual Socialist dream land utopia of Free Stuff in a world where the embers have not yet died out. A lifeline. A lifering for people shattered by violence. It will be a very tempting siren song of SOLUTION to the problems of so many unemployed (thank you Covid 19) and burned out victims of the Satan and his Legions of Children of Darkness. Very tempting. Radical Dependence on Government Free Stuff at the cost of “politically correct behavior” as dictated by the Marxists.

          The achilles heel of the Free Stuff MMT crowd of Marxists led by Bernie and AOC and Ilhan Omar and the George Soros one worlders is of all things TAXES! They will insist on KEEPING THE SYSTEM OF TAXES to maintain control over and punish their political enemies particularly in the Bourgeouise RICH 1%er class and in the Middle Classes. They need the coercion of Taxes to ensure “correct behavior” from their subjects. Trust me. I am not making this up.

          The Focus of the Freedom campaign will be God given rights. The Constitution. And, I believe the center of Trump’s argument will be a drastic, permanent reduction in TAXES if not a complete elimination of TAXES to stand up and maintain the Federal Government component of GDP. It can be done using the MMTers own argument in a limited way. Limitation of the Government footprint on the overall economy is the key. $4 Trillion per year in a $19 Trillion economy is the key. The MMTers will reject a limit on Magic Money to run just the Government and pay off the national debt.

          Think of a society with not Federal Taxes at all. None. That operates the way it does today on printed money. In a destroyed economy it makes a lot of sense. See the movie clip above. The Marxist will unleash a torpedo of MMT that will destroy them. Their own argument is going to be hijacked and improved and triple raised by Donald Trump.

          You get to keep what you earn for yourself. All of it save for what you let your Local and State politicians steal from you. All while maintaining the level of Free Stuff provisions being provided by the State today. No lessening of the welfare or other Federal spending. Just a releasing of Free People to keep what they earn. What an incentive. Very tempting. You start a business and you keep what you earn. Go for it. What have you got to lose?

          A time for choosing in America on so many levels. Free Stuff and Radical Dependence on the State or Freedom and Radical Dependence on God and what you can do for yourself.

          Liked by 5 people

          1. Yes Storm Tracker Ed, that seems to be their play book alright. There have been no indictments so “they” act with impunity. What comes next? We shall see. I believe a more virulent virus will hit this fall. This is just one of many possible scenarios we might face. The monetary/financial system is on it’s way out too. We live in interesting times for sure…

            PS: Thank you STE

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            1. BD

              Have you noticed the recent attention to the price of Rice?

              https://tradingeconomics.com/commodity/rice

              The price of Rice is up 75% this year. In fact it is beginning to be hard to find in the grocery stores. Over 50% of the world’s population subsists on Rice.

              Somebody is buying up the world’s Rice supply driving up prices.

              I am beginning to wonder if Hunger rioting is to become the successor to Race rioting.

              I have a vague memory of riots in Mexico a couple of decades ago when the price of tortillas rocketed and meant hunger for the man in the street who subsisted on tortillas.
              Brought down the government of Mexico as I recall.

              Deliberately engineered Hunger on a global scale through manipulation of commodity prices could lead to a scale of violence which would make BLM/Antifa rioting in American cities look mild in comparison.

              Perhaps Beckita can check with her sources in China to find out what the price of Rice is doing there and if there are supply problems due to Covid lockdowns in the Rice producing provinces.

              This is how Stalin liquidated the Ukrainian wheat farmers (Kulaks) who were independent and self sustaining people. They didn’t need anybody or any State to provide for their needs. Independent and Free people. Thus they constituted a threat to State power and the Marxist regime. They had to go. Millions of them. Liquidated by starvation and incredible repression. “Show me the man and I’ll find you the crime.”

              Hunger is an effective tactic the Left knows how to deploy against its enemies.

              Liked by 3 people

              1. Very interesting, Ed. We usually have a Skype night with the family in Father’s land of birth each week. Currently, Paul is in the tiger’s den, right under the noses of the hard line communists, evangelizing certain sectors of a major city. Please pray for his safety and his team too as they distribute Father’s evangelizing books. When Paul’s home again, I’ll ask about rice costs there… although, the northern regions of the country grow wheat while the south is rice territory.

                Liked by 3 people

              2. Unfortunately, STEd, I wouldn’t put it past them. A cornered animal is so dangerous. Lord have mercy and protect us. The satan is pulling out all of the stops to control us.

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                1. Pretty clear that Satan is throwing everything and the kitchen sink into the battle now. Seeking to seduce and destroy every last soul who he can get to swallow the bait.

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              3. Yes, Ed. Hunger and the very high price of food is a harbinger. The locusts have destroyed entire crops and livelihoods in Africa. and, I believe, parts of the M.E. This will produce enormous suffering. U.S. farmers have been hurt badly because they could not get milk, meat, and crops to market due to the fear and lockdowns and break in supply chains produced by Covid19 scare. I do not think we will be able to serve as the world’s breadbasket in the near future. I believe that the seals of Revelation are breaking open. The only thing not planned by the NWO is DJT, our President, who has held the NWO off for a time. Alas. I think that time is soon to come to an end. ……It is amazing that these rioters and looters do not see that they are making life harder for themselves. Anyone with a racist inclination will find their thinking justified after all this prolonged violence is over. That is a sad thing….. though I fear it may not end for a while. The NWO smells some type of victory, and its pawns are encouraging more action by the looters. I am increasing prayer these days, as I am sure most of you are.

                Liked by 4 people

                1. Just after I made this post, I immediately saw the number 666. I feel this is confirmation that the satan is revealing himself everywhere and that the seals of Revelation are now opening. It is just a feeling, but that is what I thought when I saw the number.

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                  1. SJWTB, When I was praying the rosary last night, the number 666 flashed for an instant – don’t know if I saw the # or just thought of it. I was taken aback since that’s certainly not something I’d expect while praying a joyful mystery. For the rest of the decade, I became uneasy with the thought that perhaps I somehow brought this to mind instead of entering more deeply into the meditation. I tried to not let it disturb my time with Mama Mary, but found refocusing a challenge with such an ominous thought occurring during a prayer that brings me much peace.

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              4. Storm Tracker Ed. I have noticed both the lack of supply and price rise in rice. I’ve been buying alot of rice for my own storage supplies (not enough to drive the market price up however). The former was a joke, but food has always been used as a weapon. Something is going on for sure.

                On another subject, I keep staring at the book I purchased at the behest of a contact that suggested I buy “The Stand” way back in December. The book is huge and I’ve simply put it off for now. I remember somewhat, the mini-series on tv many years ago but I should peruse the book sooner rather than later. Food was a big factor or should I say the lack of food, from what I can remember.

                Anyways, very astute observations my friend. Even for a “weatherman”. 😂🤣🤔

                Liked by 1 person

                1. For what it’s worth, while Stephen King is a bit of a jughead in his actual life, I think he is one of the most gifted authors of the last century. He has been consistently underrated because he uses horror as his palette (and I am not a horror fan), but his work actually deeply explores questions of identity, good vs evil, what is good, and what it means to be fully human. Some 40 years ago, my grandmother encouraged me to read a book of his (Carrie was my first). I was not a fan of horror, but I visited with my grandma once or twice a week and figured reading it would enhance our chats and please her. I was stunned. My thought, after reading it, was that this was not just horror; it was art – and it was genius. I have read all his fiction since then.

                  My favorite of all his many books is The Stand. I have read it four times.

                  Liked by 2 people

                  1. Wow CJ, I’m impressed. It looks huge sitting on my night stand and quite frankly has intimidated me. After hearing that you read it 4-times, I realize I’m just being a wimp. You shamed me into to starting it. 😜

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          2. Brilliant, STE! I am feeling #7 big time. It is non-productive now IMHO. We should remember that Obama was “raised” on Alinsky, etc. and the seeds of all this were planted long ago, even before him.
            God bless us abundantly, Mother Mary, cover us with your mantle!

            BD, if you’re correct about the financial system (and many agree with you), what do we do to protect ourselves? Our goal has only been about being able to help our children and grandchildren with what we have scrimped and saved, when they need it.

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            1. From one of the apparitions (I think Medjugorie), Beckita will probably remember, the Blessed Mother said the stock market would soar and drop soar and drop and then just flatten out. we would return to being a simple lifestyle.
              Great leaps of faith, scary.

              Liked by 1 person

              1. Actually, I recall many a prophetic message which speaks to the crash of the stock market, HttP. A lot of people without knowledge of such messages but with expertise in economics have seen this coming for a while as well.

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          3. I really enjoyed reading that ST Ed, thank you. I meant to tell you your explanation of MMT a few articles back was also a great education for me.

            Liked by 1 person

          5. Great comment STEd.

            In no particular order, some thoughts…

            “The Marxist will unleash a torpedo of MMT that will destroy them. Their own argument is going to be hijacked and improved and triple raised by Donald Trump.”

            Trump is a master rhetorictician, he will “Agree and Amplify” ,, abd whatever the nane of the rhetorical flourish “Very Stable Genius” was. Furthermore Trump attacks…Trump enjoys picking a fight; This is YUGE! God loves His Alpha Males from Phineas, to Samson, to Joshua…to Paul…

            When The Hunt for Red October” came out, I bought a ticket, watched it, came out, bought another ticket, came out, bought another ticket and watched a third time, then went on a Clancy reading binge..”Red Storm Rising ” would be great if Mel Gibson did it, and it feels like today..

            Scott Glenn going all even toned and quiet during “chicken” is a role model for leaders. Perhaps Crew Dog can speak to this, but in aviation radio comms there is a very important essay out there about “hold the mayonaise”, a lesson on how NOT to communicate that demonstrates how to communicate. Glenn nails it.

            God bless

            Liked by 1 person

        4. God’s Blessings to you also, BD. Thank you for your reply. I agree with you on all that you say and I pray heartily for our country and our president. I have put my worries into God’s hands and I know that one way or another, He will see us through whatever is coming. I also have a great devotion to the Blessed Mother and I know she is here to aid us in our deepest, darkest times. I have made my choice….may I do the very best I can to be an asset to our Lord and His Mother.

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  6. I also realized very early on, in spite of the amazing propaganda that they slid in. About day 3 both my husband and I looked at each other and said “I can’t believe we all fell for this!” Both companies he works for continued to trod on, and not give an inch to such foolery. We were careful and quiet. My son and his wife went off the ddddeeeep end. She freaked. My 4 teenage grandkids were exiled to the house for 4 weeks. We would drive our truck over, back it up across the street, and eat our DQ Blizzards and talk to them across the road, as they sat on their balcony. That must have been tuff with 4 teenagers in the same house 24/7. I had to laugh. No, I am not bragging. In fact, I was was so embarrassed to think we let this take hold and terrify so many people. But, I began to realize that we were told to Trust in the Lord and so we took that big step. That leapt of faith. Very invigorating. We will soon as Charlie has said, very soon, decide. Mark Mallett and Daniel O’Connor did a great video on Queen of Peace Meaid (Youtube). Called Fear Not! I highly recommend it, as it probably says just about all that people are feeling. We have become very comfortable and are just not wanting this horrendous change. And not too sure, the outcome will be what we expect. “16 This is what the Lord says:

    “Stand at the crossroads and look;
    ask for the ancient paths,
    ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
    and you will find rest for your souls.
    But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’Jer 6:16
    Woe to those to say, “We will not walk in it.”

    Liked by 10 people

  7. Well thought out as always. However, I think most of us missed something spectacular.

    The other day when President Trump walked over to St John’s, which had been set on fire by the insurrectionists amid there nationwide rioting the night before. What occurred to me after watching the President live the day before was that the rioting had stopped…or, at least 90% of it pretty much from the time the President held that family heirloom bible up definently. I believe God performed a miracle. It lifts me up, we will be ok in the long run. Oh, and then Thursdays job report! Estimated to lose 7.5 million jobs we gained 2.5 million jobs! Gods hands are in this!

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    1. Oh, I have more than a little to say about that incident. I think it may be the single most important thing Trump has done so far. It was fabulous – and provided me with one of the most profound signs of hope I have seen in all this mess. You are right, John, it was truly spectacular!

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      1. My wife and I asked ourselves if we had ever seen a president hold up a bible like Trump did.
        We couldn’t think of anyone.
        Yes-extremely refreshing!

        Liked by 14 people

        1. It has been reported and shown that President Clinton held up a bible at the same church. Notice the messaging on the marquees and that Bil’ls bible appears to be upside down. We are living in some amazing times, indeed. God bless and protect POTUS, FLOTUS and the first family, and save us all. ❤

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              1. Yes, especially that by holding up the bible, Trump “inspired political bible studies”.

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      2. Trump on his knees next to Melania at the JPII shrine was the restoration of legitimate authority; legitimate because it is subject to almighty God.

        That the billionaire former playboy was kneeling , well that is a wonderful vignette in the history of God’s grace, mercy….something right out of the Old Testament.

        Very much looking forward to your upcoming piece, Charlie.

        Fwiw, I am very comforted that you too get very angry at times.

        Liked by 15 people

      3. I, too, have something to say about Donald Trump’s wondrous walk across the street to St. John’s Cathedral. Most of us have seen the video about the Hermit of Loretto which came out shortly after Trump was inaugurated. My initial beef with Tom Zimmer saying Donald Trump would lead us back to God is that I was seeing DT as the mighty force chosen by God to keep the Church doors open for all people of faith, whatever that faith may be, so that Church pastors could do the leading they have been called by God to do. On further reflection, though, in light of pastors shirking their duties – including perverted shirking with headlines like: Christian pastor blesses abortion clinic and homosexual “marriage’ celebrated in Christian church – and with Donald Trump becoming the 1st President to actually show up at the March for Life, sign executive orders protecting life and constantly invoke God’s Name to bless us and our country, he IS leading us back to God. Remember this one?

        Recently, I found another video about Donald Trump with more remarkable storytelling about his background, revealing God’s Plan for our President’s destiny. My eyes welled with tears as I considered these two videos together because they are a harbinger of Christian Unity. This brought to mind the international itinerant preacher, Randy Clark, who proclaimed at the Encounter Conference on January 1st this year that Revival is coming to the U.S. and, said this world renown Evangelical, it’s coming through the Catholic Church. Take a look at this, John, Charlie and All, with the back story of that heirloom Bible:

        I pray now for our community, seeking the intercession of the two Scottish elderly ladies, with this little old Nana from Missoula:
        My God! What a Plan You have. This dimension of Your Plan for Donald Trump to become our President amidst the mess of these days was deeply marked by two old Christian women in northern Scotland… one 84 and one 82, one nearly blind and the other humped over with spinal stenosis, but they had such LOVE for You, God, and un-waveringly acknowledged You, wanted You to intervene for Revival on the Isle of Lewis – a tiny obscure place off the coast of Scotland – but they were housebound. Never mind. They continued to acknowledge You and took the next right step of making their home a church where people gathered and joined in heartfelt prayer for Revival. Oh and when Your Fire struck, more next right steps were taken by those who acknowledged You… with all manner of next right steps and, no doubt, plenty of missteps – which You corrected as You’re known to do – continuing through several generations so that here we are, each one of us in this country, touched by what You began with the two elderly ladies in northern Scotland. We’re on the precipice of incredible sorrows to come but we will not waver. We belong to You and wish to be on Your Side and by Your Side as You reshape Your creatures and Your creation, calling us to return to You, making You again our first Love. I wonder what wonders You will do in each of the wee ones who comprise this community? We’re dumber than a box of rocks compared to You, Lord. Look how we’ve messed up the lockdown fiasco May our passion, just like the elderly ladies in Scotland, never falter. Rather, may our hearts burn brightly with Our Lady’s Flame of Love. We want what You want. We want to do what You want us to do. Strengthen us; fill us with wisdom and good discernment. And step by step we’ll follow You all of our days.

        Liked by 13 people

        4. Peggy Noonan in Saturday’s Wall Street Journal article should see the article above as well as
          Vigano’s letter.
          In the last paragraph of her article “On Some Things, Americans Can Agree”, Noonan states:
          “He should give an Oval office address announcing he’s leaving:’America,you don’t deserve me’.”
          I think Peggy is the one who should be leaving.

          Liked by 5 people

        7. Oh, BEckie— I joyously wept through these. As another English, older (73)lady with a somewhat crooked spine and ministry of Intercession, I put forth to discern about sending these to Donald Trump. ( I could perhaps add them to my survey answers at least).

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      4. It served as quite a contrast. There was a time when things were hidden in shades of gray. But now Light is beginning to shine into the darkness. There are clear lines between the Culture of Life and that of death. We can pray that the Church will soon get off the sidelines and rise like the Sun in the East.

        Liked by 13 people

      5. Good post, Charlie. Thank you so much. I have written on other blogs my take on President Trump holding up the Bible. Just looking at the photo posted below gives me such hope. Very simply (because I am not really a deep intellectual thinker like a lot on this website), my take is this…
        President Trump holding a Bible is a sign to the world that the people of God are in solidarity with him. And he’s in solidarity with the Judeo-Christian people of the world. He’s holding up the Word of God like he has been given a mandate. That he has our backs. He will not give in or give up. I see this determination on his face. He walked to stand in front of the House of God that had been destroyed by evil to give us this image of solidarity. It is powerful.
        That’s my take for what it is worth.

        Liked by 15 people

        2. Morality sees further and clearer than intellect. For those of bad will, intellect will only lead them deeper into confusion and chaos. Elizabeth Mitchell wrote a beautiful piece at The Catholic Thing today illustrating that truth. Let me quote the first few paragraphs of that piece here:

          “An angry lynch mob emerges from the evening shadows at the Maycomb County Jail, in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, demanding the inmate Tom Robinson. Armed with a floor lamp, a book, and his integrity, lawyer Atticus Finch defends Tom against the mob’s seething anger. Tempers are fraying into violence when a small voice steps out of the shadows and identifies a neighbor through the faceless mob.

          “Hey, Mr. Cunningham,” pipes up Scout Finch, six-year-old daughter of Atticus.

          “I said, ‘Hey,’ Mr. Cunningham. . .I go to school with your boy. . . .Tell him ‘hey’ for me, won’t you?”

          Scout’s words remove Mr. Cunningham from the anonymity of the mob and replace him squarely back in Maycomb County, a poor farmer with a life-story, children, and connections of his own. Chastened back to personhood by the clear-eyed sight of a child, Mr. Cunningham returns Scout’s greeting, and signals the end of the mob’s intent. “I’ll tell my boy you said, ‘hey’,” he promises, as the mob drifts slowly away into the darkness.”

          Lord, give me the grace to always have my intellect in service to You and your righteousness, and let my heart be pure enough that even when my intellect fails, it points me to you like a compass. I am glad to have people of profound wisdom and intellect here, but this is home to all of good faith – and we are full partners together in the work before us.

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          3. Thank you Charlie. Yes, if the police officers had had a moral compass, they wouldn’t have killed George Floyd.
            I fear those and pray for those who do not have a moral compass – it is complete insanity that only God would be able to reign in.
            People of good will, people of good faith need to come together and proclaim this truth actively on social media, in their homes, in their communities. I have been trying to do this, and I can gratefully note that comments have been supportive.
            Godspeed.

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        3. Excellent observation! I think anything this man does is calculated, concise and directed by a spiritual hand. His direction and determination is well guided, and behind each step, you can tell he is miles ahead of most who believe they know him so well. He does not think like them – he never admits defeat, and he tirelessly continues forward. So we know he is being propelled by God’s Hand. Whether he completes his course; or something stops him in his tracks, I for one will Thank our Lord for time we were given; for the efforts put forth by the gracious moral people of this land under his leadership; and that our Lord revealed and wrenched back the veil far enough to convince the masses. Whether they saw it, or even care, that will be their “come to Jesus” moment. We will all have one. He has been a brilliant dedicated leader. No fear, lots of forgiveness; and statesmanship. We thank him, and most -We give Honor and Thanks to our Lord, Jesus Christ!

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          1. “He does not think like them – he never admits defeat, and he tirelessly continues forward. So we know he is being propelled by God’s Hand. ”

            Amen! Who could withstand the stuff he has to?! Poor President! I <B him, many in my own house don't. This storm stuff is tough.

            Whose the cutie patootie your photo? Is the cutie p. a Border Collie? We have a Border Collie, he gives so much love 🙂

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            1. Littlelight; that is our LucyGirl. We have had so many pets; and she is the one. We lost our choco lab, Fudge, and I thought this family would never stop morning. Then one afternoon (a year later , unbeknownst to me, a Sunday, my husband said, I’ve been researching and I found the dog. 5 hours from our home, we jumped in the car; drove to far east Texas, and met LucyGirl. A ball of fur. She was sound asleep in our bed with us at Six in the morning that morning, and 4 grand kids ran in jumped on and in middle, and LucyGirl has been at our side ever since. She wont leave their side. 4 years old this July 1st. God’s gift to heal our hearts. I think animals give us insight to a world we leave all so often behind. Full of love, compassion, forgiveness, and loyalty. And I thank our Lord for this amazing love every day! And I know, that our friends in the “outside” human being world are dwindling and being eradicated. My heart breaks at this tragic abuse, almost as much as our babies being eradicated. God forgive us, have great Mercy upon us. Ave Maria!

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              1. Awww! Thank you for sharing that! Awww, right to my heart! LucyGirl—what a beautiful name for a beautiful friend! Yes, I know, so very sad, so much sadness, ugh. But I know somehow God is with them, too. I believe this! How could Jesus who is so tender and Love itself, not care here? Impossible!
                Our B.C. is my late son’s doggo. My husband and LiamXOXO went to Michigan to get him from a breeder who lives in London Ontario, or something like that. LiamXOXO raised him from a wee puppy and taught him so many tricks. I tell our buddy every day “You belong to me and I belong to you! You belong to us and we belong to you! LIam XOXO loves you, too, and is sorry! Do you remember LiamXOXO? Yes, you remember LiamXOXO!” Our beloved pets are truly a gift from God.

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    2. The whole thing really struck me too John. It was astounding to see pastors and Christians (in addition to the Archbishop) attack him for it. Many quoting Scripture in their condemnation. It made me shudder in fear for them. I pray that was not the moment if their choosing.

      Liked by 11 people

    3. Yes, the speech and then the walk “to a special place,” holding up the Bible, all of it was astounding to me. I think there are many ways to interpret what Trump was doing in going to St. John’s and holding up that bible. What sprang first to my mind was that Trump was returning us to our roots and declaring us a Christian nation with all that entails from the best of the Judeo-Christian and Western Traditions that were the foundation for our country. It still moves me greatly. Given the conversation here with Charlie’s post, I also think it marked a true moment of visitation for us all (to use Charlie’s phrase), since those who condemn and those who are moved by it are now looking at a choice connecting each of us to our country and to its roots in God Himself – or not. This is it in a nutshell, what we are all about in this struggle.

      Liked by 17 people

    4. I was thrilled when the President made the speech, walked across the street to the Church and held up the Bible in a very clear and forthright manner. The imagery of his actions immediately following his words of intention, and then his straightforward way of showing primacy to God was powerful.

      I had no idea that he had secured a direct hit on the Enemy though, until I heard the hissing, the wails, the shrieks and the rending of garments from Hollywood, academia, the chattering class in DC and the media. When I started seeing that, I laughed out loud with joy. Everyday or at least 6 days a week I’ve been offering a rosary for this President. Thy will be done.

      Liked by 17 people

    5. John, I just now re-watched the entire scene and the President is standing in front of the Church holding the Bible and he is asked, “Is that YOUR Bible?” and he replies, “It is A Bible.” I don’t think that was his personal Bible. Not that it truly matters for what his purposes were, which was to show the primacy of God.

      Liked by 7 people

        1. Sean, I read that Ivanka simply carried the bible in her purse before handing it to her father. There was no mention of the Bible belonging to her. That said, when comparing his mother’s bible which she gave to him with the bible held at St. John’s, I see his mother’s was blue and somewhat worn at the edges, especially the corners, while the other bible looks black.

          Liked by 2 people

          1. Correcting my observations. I just viewed a YT video from my FB News Feed. It showed close-up footage of the Bible Trump was holding in front of St. John’s and it looks to be the dark blue of his mother’s Bible and it shows the wear and tear of an aged volume. You can see it too, here.

            Liked by 4 people

    6. It was interesting to listen to some of the media complain about him not saying anything as he stood there holding up the Bible. To me it spoke volumes-God spoke-Trump kept quiet, and Trump follows God & has placed this nation under God.

      Liked by 5 people

  8. Hey Charlie-

    Good post…been looking forward to your take on things…few thoughts

    1). I’ve had my own brushes with lack of courage….very humbling… I know if I’m ever called on to do something even mildly heroic for The Lord, I’ll only be able to do it thru supernatural grace

    2). Saw a recent poll showing increasing black support for Trump (40%)…Suspect that’s why lefty politicians are so desperately toadying up to rioters and BLM…Trying to retain what had been a reliable base…that and the fact that they actually agree with much of the claptrap promoted by these thugs
    But couldn’t this backfire? aren’t they going to lose even more black voters who need and appreciate legitimate policing in their neighborhoods?

    3). It seems apologists for troubled members of the black community are forever looking for someone/something else to blame. But aren’t these problems the inevitable result of choices they have made over many, many years, along with aligning themselves almost exclusively with a corrupt political party?

    4). I too have had recent problems with anger, living in PA/NJ, We’ve known for sometime now this virus is not what we feared it might be. It seems these governors are intentionally slow walking the return to normalcy. It’s SO destructive! Also found that praying for them helps…at least a little

    Lastly, Beckita, loved Achbp. Vigano’s letter….DJT is more Catholic than the bishop in his own backyard!

    Liked by 12 people

    2. Ha, Paul! Liberals used too say of illegal aliens that they were here because they did the work Americans refused to do. As I watched this I thought that in defending religious liberty, Trump is doing the work our Bishops refuse to do.

      Liked by 15 people

      1. In my area of Washington state, when I checked a few years ago, most of the home construction crews were Latino. So much for only taking jobs Americans refuse to do. Back in the summers of 1946 and 1947, our family of parents and then 12 children went to the sugar beet farms of South Dakota (We were living in a small town on the Sioux Indian reservation of North Dakota) where all able hands worked in the sugar beets weeding and then harvesting later along with the migrant workers. Both my parents and older siblings all worked. We lived in the cabins like all the other workers. I remember an older Mexican who shared some onions with us, declaring in his heavy accent that they were as sweet as apples. My 7 year old opinion did not agree. Our family earned enough money in those two summers to buy an old rail flat bed truck and a 1941 4-door Chevy and 100 acres of forest land in Washington state. In the early summer of 1948, we loaded up the truck which had a sleeping space reserved in the front. It had a ladder up the side of the rail that enabled some of us (including myself, to climb aboard.) The Chevy 4-door was tightly loaded as well. Thus began the adventure of the cross country trek along challenging pre-freeway roads and highways toward the West. We stopped to camp and do some fishing to supplement our food. In the dead of night in the Rocky Mountain area, with my father driving the truck, my older brother of 17 was driving the car, the truck was sideswiped by a huge semi. Our truck was somewhat scraped but no injuries or real damage. We stopped for some days in Yakima where my mother’s sister and some of her grown children lived. While there, the whole family worked with the migrants picking peaches and after that we picked hops. I’ll never forget the dirty green stains in our hands which was very difficult to wash off. Yes, even I picked peaches and hops (I don’t think they had child labor laws then or at least they did not apply to us.) We all did what we could to add to the family. Our forest land was in central Western Washington and we started out crowding into a small cabin with a creek nearby for water and the necessary outhouse. My dad had to sell back 50 acres until he got meaningful work at a turkey ranch near Chehalis that provided him a three bedroom house, a parent’s bedroom on the ground floor with two large open rooms on the second floor that served for sleeping space for boys on one side and girls on the other. I was comfortable sharing a full mattress on the floor with some of my brothers. Don’t tell me that migrants only take jobs Americans won’t do, I know better.
        May God continue to bless and guide all here. jas

        Liked by 11 people

        2. I love this, Sojourner. When I was a kid, I got to know a lot of older folks in the neighborhood – and would make my rounds visiting them about twice a week. They would tell me amazing stories of the old days – coming across in covered wagons, the first cars, stuff like that. It was fascinating to me – and most would have a little candy or cookie jar just for my visits. They all seemed to look forward to my visits as much as I did. This reminded me of some of those cool stories sitting in some old folk’s parlor…happy days.

          Liked by 10 people

        6. This is a wonderful account, JAS. I know the apple country of Central Washington, extending south to Yakima. The work you describe was customary for children of orchardists and their classmates, in addition to migrants who were free to travel from and to Mexico. We have fond memories of one large, beautiful migrant family who settled in the area and became citizens. They learned English at my parents’ dining room table when Mom and Da taught Adult Basic Education for the local community college.

          Liked by 4 people

        7. Thank you for the wonderful history. Generally speaking, life may be much easier today, but it is not necessarily better. God bless you and your family.

          Liked by 1 person

    3. I’ve been contemplating that too Paul! Rasmussen is conservative, but even if it was only 30 that would still be huge. It’s interesting bc that poll was in the midst of the riots and attempt to blame DJT. It has been alarming to see white moderates embracing the Trump is racist narrative. The Rasmussen poll suggests a seismic demographic shift. I’m almost positive Charlie predicted this. Wow.

      Liked by 8 people

  9. I am a cradle Episcopalian. I have observed its tolerance of every single minority and adapt to society’s view of what is normal. I was happy and proud of their love and charity toward all. Until President Trump held a bible up at St. John’s. That drove them over the edge. I am embarrassed by their outrage and it informs me that their tolerance may have been born of expediency rather than following the example of Christ. I pray I am wrong.

    Liked by 11 people

    1. God bless you, Janie. In these terrible times, none of us have much to boast about in our faith leaders, do we? So let us boast, instead, of our infirmity and our love for the Christ who carries us.

      Liked by 15 people

  10. From Desmond:

    The proverbial gambler and woman listed above may be able to say they aren’t drunks, but I can’t. Forty-one years plus of sobriety doesn’t mean I’m no longer addicted to alcohol. It simply means that, by the grace of God, a guy who once closed the bars many nights a week is now precariously sober. As they remind people in AA, you’re one drink away from falling off the wagon. By God’s grace only, I’m still sober.

    One of the advantages a dried out drunk has is that his previous state is held in such low regard that it is, indeed, extremely difficult to convince himself that he is better than anyone else – and that qualifies as an understatement.

    As I’ve discussed with more than one person in this group, I was once offered a chance to sell out to the immediate ancestors of our current crowd of power seekers. By the grace of God, I said no. But I knew men whom the brokers sucked into that vortex – which acts like an immoral whirl pool upon its victims. [Need convincing? Review poor Joe Biden’s moral retreat from one moral teaching of the Church after another – chasing the golden fleece of power. My guess is he was once a serious Catholic.]

    What is my point? Many people alive today – who are current power brokers of the Left – entered that fray relatively innocently. Example: I was told in the late 1960’s that the side I was on couldn’t ever win. So why not just sign onto the winning side – and they’d make me the next Sec. of State of the state where I then lived. I turned them down cold. If they had promised to make me president, might I have thought it over in my mind and decided to take them up on their offer – rise to the top and then use my presidential power to topple the throttle hold on my adopted country, the USA? I LIKE TO THINK I WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN SO STUPID.

    What came to my mind at the time I was made the offer [by people who could deliver on their promises I might add] was a saying I’d heard a number of times before, ‘Morality sees further than intellect.’ The moral thing to do was tell them, ‘No’. Better yet, ‘Hell No’.

    Where am I going with this? It is here, many, many people have already chosen their side years ago. The odds they will change now are slim and none. Some of them will and we are obligated to pray hard for those on the side of the power brokers to make the right one now. So, for those who previously chose correctly, what is the course of action now at this time of decision/choosing for so many? That course is to be good examples in love and prayer. Many of them I know have been taking the next right step for many decades. Continuing that pattern is their correct course of action.

    All my love in Christ

    Desmond

    Liked by 14 people

    1. Amen, Desmond. I know good people who are still stuck in an odd, upside down world. Some are people in my family. It took me a long time and much disappointment at lack of action by Trump before I realized how much love Trump has for everyone, and especially for fellow citizens. He has been so patient and worked so hard to wake everyone up. It is an act of love so profound, so patient, so cunning in using bad people and their bad actions to awaken us all, I can scarcely conceive it. And he is not done. The harshest wake-up calls are still needed and will be provided. I just hope that between God and Trump, my family members and friends currently still lost in NeverLand will, by the grace of God and the actions of Trump, choose finally to leave NeverLand and be freed.

      Liked by 13 people

      1. Hey Steve

        I think you speak for all of us here regarding our intentions for loved ones who still don’t get it….my most fervent daily prayer…”that He’ll do for them what He’s done for me!“

        Don’t want to spend eternity without them!

        Liked by 12 people

      2. And Amen to you also. I know many people who have chosen long ago to follow the Lord – at any cost. They are almost always heroically charitable in giving their money and time to the weak and the poor. Many of them live rather hidden lives. I know some of them in my parish. They often remind me of the scriptural adage that in heaven, ‘the first [in this world, or parish, or community] shall be last. My mother and father taught me to view them as ‘the salt of the earth’ kind of people.

        Liked by 8 people

  11. What you’ve written is verification of what we are living. It has given me much hope and courage, Charlie, and deeply resonates with me. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

    The deep sleep here, in CT, seems incredibly pervasive and irresistible. I truly thought I was going insane witnessing it all. But after quieting myself down—no easy task–and looking closer, I see more signs of questioning and life. Yes, there is much wood to chop but there is hope!

    After 9 weeks!?! We had some incredible gifts today— Mass and The Eucharist! Confession! Benediction/blessing! The National Shrine of Divine Mercy is truly an anointed place full of the spirit of God, +Thank you, Jesus!+ I feel I can breathe again. Now I better understand what your words mean. The words regarding every person’s choice between Fear/evil and Trust in the Lord. At least as this is related to religious practice. It is becoming clearer to me what my family needs to abide by and what we must resist.

    Charlie wrote:
    The majority of what matters has already been revealed; the lines of battle are hardening; and so, inevitably, comes the moment when a decisive choice must be made by each person. Such is the time of visitation that will form the course of the rest of each person’s life.
    ————————————–

    This gave me chills. Because I heard in my heart that if I didn’t seize this opportunity to go to the Shrine today, my family would risk becoming further consumed by apathy and anger at our leaders, to no good end. Daily prayers are not enough. We NEED the sacraments, for our very breathe. I could see us permanently losing our very faith if we did not get back to confession/mass in some way. It would be so easy to let this happen. I started begging God for A way, some Way, any Way for us. Then the thought—go to The Shrine of My Mercy!

    I am weeping at the horror of the sacraments being discouraged with terrible draconian restrictions like needing reservations to go to a weekday mass! How that is hurting us all individually and collectively! This is not of God! No. I am also weeping at how God is awesome love and provision and mercy! When we got to the Shrine today, it just started pouring. There were 2 strong lines of thunder storms heading right over the shrine. They might have to cancel all sacraments! I thought, wow, someone really really hates us. This must be more important than I can understand. But the storms broke into nothingness–they dissolved over the Shrine! The forecast was dire. The priest even commented on it after mass. He said God changed the forecast, and He will change the world! You can’t make these things up! Wow, so much to ponder, so much. Thank you God! Thank you Charlie. Thank you, Marians of the Immaculate! Bless us, everyone!

    Liked by 13 people

  12. JESUS = GOOD NEWS!

    Yep …. Time to Choose …. & Fix Bayonets???? ….. We ALL may have to defend our own “Little Round Top” soon ………..??? …. Let’s Pray we are with the Good-Guys!

    https://www.breitbart.com/health/2020/06/06/ohio-teenager-cooks-serves-hundreds-of-meals-to-officers-working-protests/

    https://thefederalist.com/2020/06/05/abolish-the-police-is-a-slogan-for-the-destruction-of-america/

    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/06/peaceful-ny-protest-leader-threatens-go-jewish-diamond-district-tonight-gasoline-video/

    https://nypost.com/2020/06/06/da-declines-to-prosecute-man-arrested-in-st-patricks-cathedral-vandalism/

    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/06/must-see-look-democrats-media-violent-left-three-great-american-cities-just-one-week/

    https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/tyler-o-neil/2020/06/05/new-video-exposes-antifa-fight-club-training-in-new-york-city-n497797

    https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/06/06/get-the-fk-outta-here-minneapolis-mayor-jacob-frey-forced-to-leave-protest-for-refusing-to-defund-police/

    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/06/second-major-covid-study-retracted/

    https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2020/06/covid_and_climate_models_will_not_save_us.html

    https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/2020/06/new-york-and-california-freed-thousands-criminals-daniel-greenfield/

    https://galganov.com/2020/06/05/when-apologizing-becomes-groveling/

    GOD SAVE THE REPUBLIC & ALL HERE!

    Liked by 9 people

      1. There is a lot of information contained within that article. I suggest reading the comments. I’ll add mine here. Late 1980’s in nyc Rabbi Meir Kahana was assassinated and shortly thereafter Yeshiva students were killed on the Brooklyn Bridge ramp.

        The FBI had all the files taken from the nypd. 1993 WTC bombing occurs, fbi still has files and only years later when their anti terrorism duties get too much, (after 2001) they returned the files.

        Contained within were the identities of the terrorist responsible for flying planes into the trade centers. The person responsible for shooting the yeshiva students planned the 1993 bombing.

        Please forgive me if my memory lapses…

        Rabbi Meir Kahana wrote a good book “they must go”. Highly recommend.

        Liked by 6 people

    2. I keep reading about dissolving the PD. I would say it would be better to dissolve it in areas who DON’T want it, and anyone who goes into protected areas with evil intent is smudged by the rule of law of that area. Those who don’t wanobe protected won’t be, and anarchy can reign!

      Like

      1. Repectfully, I disagree but this has happened. I know of two towns which chose to disband their Police Department to save money. The responsibility was passed onto the neighboring town police or to the County/State Police. Case in point: West Nyack, NY PD went to the town of Orangetown & the town of Queensbury NY PD went to Warren County Sheriff & NYS Troopers.

        The money saved by a local community is not worth the loss of knowledge and experience by a local town cop. The resources also diminish as they shall be placed elsewhere, in a higher crime area. So when crime does come to your area, the police resource will have a greater response time, if they showup at all. Also, the investigation will be quick as this police unit will be onto to the next job.

        As to letting anarchy reign, this is a policing strategy. Many areas had ‘red light’ districts etc where the police would not venture into after a certain time. Only to go in the next day to retrieve the bodies. Sounds good, until your son/ daughter goes in there and gets harmed. Or an innocent gets lost, takes the wrong left and succumbs to anarchy.

        I am watching a video 1:09:23 hr long. “The Rubin Report” Ex-Police Officer exposes the reality of Race & Policing |BrandonTatum | POLITICS | Rubin Report

        The speaker is well spoken, has an easy demeanor and tells it like it is. I would work with him, any day. This vido was posted back in December 2019.

        Liked by 2 people

        1. Sorry SeanS17, I should have appended my post with [tongue in cheek]. I wasn’t serious, really. I agree with all you said. It was just a gut reaction to those in large cities who want to eliminate the police departments. The problem with policing only those areas who request it, is that eventually the un-policed will spill over.

          Liked by 4 people

  13. What a beautiful video of the history of Donald Trump’s bible!
    The visceral hatred of Donald Trump is revealing a hatred of more than the President. It seems demonic. If it be God’s will and Trump wins in the fall, it will only be by God’s intervention.

    Does anyone else feel a chill of idolatry at the “taking a knee for George”? Several High Schools in the Boston area and some hospitals organized a knee-in this week. I genuflect for Jesus Christ alone.

    I have taken so much for granted – the Eucharist, the sacraments, and the simple joy of a shared dinner with friends. I was able to go to Mass last Sunday for the first time since Feb. It was wonderful. Yet we could not linger outside and chat and be in Communion with each other. Life is diminished. So looking forward to the Triumph of Mary’s Immaculate Heart!!!!

    Liked by 15 people

    1. Marianne:

      I saw a video on the internet the other day where a young man was walking up to strangers with a mic and a video recorder claiming he was from one of the political action groups and asking them to kneel and to apologize for their “white privilege”. I was amazed at the number of people who complied without hesitating. My first visceral thought was “I don’t kneel for anyone.”

      My second thought was, “Oh yes I do. I kneel for God, Jesus and his Mother. Not for anyone else.”

      It seemed very sacrilegious to me. You could argue that it is no big deal, but in reality it is no different from the first Christians be told ‘Just throw a little incense on this fire burning before the image of the emperor and everything will be o.k.’ The other side is no longer seeking equality. In fact what they are seeking has very little to do with race or equality. They want our unconditioned approval and our eventual subservience. We will be forced to choose. Each choice will have profound costs.

      JT

      Liked by 7 people

  14. Great piece Charlie!!

    Loved This:

    What is clear is that the battle lines are hardening. Those people who wait much longer to choose the side of God will find it brutally hard to switch horses once the battle is fully engaged. God will protect your immortal soul if you act humbly in His name, testing yourself at each step. We must not fail to act out of fear and call it “charity” or “forbearance.” Nor must we act out of anger or malice and call it “righteousness.” But we must prepare ourselves to act.

    The time is at hand when each of us must choose or perish.

    Liked by 7 people

  15. I watched the President’s press briefings with Fauci and Birx nearly everyday. I remember that the original goal of this pandemic was to “flatten the curve.” They said we were fighting an invisible enemy. I saw how President Trump effectively kicked into gear every resource he had available to conquer the horrible obstacles he had to defeat. Short list: lack of PPE’s, lack of ventilators, lack of ICU beds, lack of testing, lack of emergency funds for people, etc.

    And with Trump’s leadership, all these obstacles were conquered and more inspite of having to deal with a lying, hostile, evil media that has been attacking and harrassing him for 4 years now. Amazing.

    Then I read somewhere (maybe here) that most people basically have an inherent trust in the people who run their government. That people do not believe for the most part that their government would knowingly, intentionally cause harm to them. That their government would not actually kill them for political and economic gain. But, alas, the holocost is an historical example of a people’s blind or misguided trust in their government.

    Then I started to see that there was a sinister plot to this pandemic. There was something underlyingly evil at work. It occured when I kept reading doctors experiences and successes to treating this coronavirus with a safe, cheap medication of hydroxychloroquine. “Yay!” I thought, now we can get back to living our normal lives because there is an effective treatment.

    Then I would hear Dr. Fauci discount all of these successful cases and even say that these cases had no merit because they were not apart of a clinical trial?!!! And then came the big story on every major news outlet that a study in the prestigious medical journal, The Lancet, found that hydroxychloroquine was not effective for treating Covid 19, and it was dangerous to give to patients?!!! This made no logical sense. All the doctors and patients (in the thousands) that had used this medication were praising its cure. Not once did I read that somebody had died from taking it.

    I knew then that something was stinking to high heaven.

    And so thanks be to God! There are ethical scientists and doctors out there who investigated this study to expose its fraud. Then I realized that people most likely died of this virus because doctors were reluctant or were unable to prescribe hydroxychloroquine due to sinister forces out there that falsified scientific data on this safe, effective, cheap, rapid treatment that could have cured them. They falsified scientific data all for a political, economic gain and power.

    For a link to the story of The Lancet’s false study…
    https://www.medicineuncensored.com/a-study-out-of-thin-air

    What I can’t understand is why a prestigious medical journal like The Lancet would risk its long-standing credibility (which is now in the toilet) by publishing this bogus, outrageous lie? Were they so pompous and arrogant to think people that would not find out the truth?

    Liked by 9 people

    1. Trump Derangement Syndrome is leading many formerly respected outlets to destroy themselves. It truly is a diabolical disorientation.

      The hideous thing is that these lies caused some to have hydroxychloroquine withheld from them and died because of it. And the truly hideous thing is that many in the media and the left are not at all ashamed that their lies killed people, but that their lies were exposed. What a withered, impoverished thing the souls of these sorts must be!

      Liked by 15 people

      1. I think it will be disclosed most of these leaders are Freemason’s. Bishop Vigano alludes to such in his open letter to Trump.

        Liked by 9 people

        1. Things I read long ago, Sean, lead me to believe you are correct. We have no idea how many are in high places. A mentor of mine stated that, at one point in history, the Supreme Court was packed with Freemasons. They are in all walks of life.

          Wonderful analysis, as always, Charlie. So glad to read your comment about Trump and the Bible being an important moment. Dear God, we need your power now so badly in our country! Please come, Holy Spirit!

          Liked by 7 people

      2. The Left does not consider people’s lives as important, just their narrative. Why else does communist countries purposefully kill/restrict humans? The evidence of this desire comes straight out of hell where the enemy can only steal, kill and destroy. This is their very essence and but for God’s intervention, they would burn it all down.
        The impoverishment of their souls has been overshadowed by a glutted pride. Their future of glory has been traded for a wisp of vanity.
        This diabolical delusion is mentioned more than once in the Bible and also the Trump derangement syndrome. Both are symbols of demonic influence and the chaos they bring is the evidence of their source. Your mentioning of how all this will out those who are trying to destroy us is removing the scales from the eyes of even some resolute liberals. The hope is they won’t knuckle down with this foolishness because change can be so hard and as we have seen for those who have changed, fatal to their former way of life in liberal circles.
        Your suggestion that we are going through a warning period is what I have been contemplating now for a long time. If the Warning is when we see ourselves as God sees us, these times of testing are a short-form of us seeing ourselves through our own eyes first- a kind of forced examination of conscience as it were. Judging righteous judgment takes a properly formed concience to use for that judgment and trials and tests of one’s righousness help prepare and form us in this respect. Seems as if the whole world is being tested/formed at the same time right now. Woe to those who harden their hearts to this period of visitation. But for those of us who truly acknowledge this, we are living in a most wonderful and amazing time!

        Liked by 8 people

    3. I typically go to the lowest common denominator -if it is ok to kill a baby in the womb or even out of the womb now, there will be no qualms about killing anyone else.

      Liked by 6 people

      1. Yes, Hand, I thought this same thing about Gov. Cuomo recently. People were surprised to learn that the govenor ordered Covid 19 patients to be placed into nursing homes thereby exposing the most vulnerable people of this virus to this virus. But the thought occurred to me, “Why should anyone be surprised at his callous move?” Just last year he celebrated the signing of the most liberal abortion bill and the killing of babies up to the moment of birth. Obviously, to him, and all the left, anti-God Democrats, including the faux Catholics, do not value life at any stage of life.

        And this lack of valuing life at any stage of life also contadicts the “black lives matter” mantra. If the leftist media and politicians really believe that slogan, then why are innocent, unborn black lives being disproportionately killed? This is not even mentioned. This exposes their disingenuous, diabolical plot. They don’t care about lives. They only care about power.

        Liked by 5 people

        1. When I attempt to explain to people that abortion is one of the more racist activities their eyes kind of glaze over. The fact that Margaret Sanger started Planned Butcherhood to expressively get rid of black people, catholics and the poor doesn’t matter to them. I just don’t understand how they can not get that. It seems pretty obvious to me.

          Liked by 4 people

        2. I have been pondering that connection between abortion and the BLM/Antifa acts of violence and mayhem including injuring and murdering innocent people especially law enforcement.

          This is becoming a decisive decision point for many Catholics. We have been warned that voting to support politicians who favor abortion on demand and even the murder of those who escape abortion is aiding and abetting and condoning an intrinsic evil.

          Thou shalt not kill.

          It’s not a request or a suggestion or a matter of political loyalty. It’s a Commandment.

          Seems to me supporting politicians who favor looting and murder and beating up people falls under the same heading. Intrinsic evil.

          How can a Catholic put his or her imprimatur on such intrinsic evil by punching the ballot for the Democrats?

          Raising the question: Can you be a Democrat and a Catholic?

          Yeah. A time to choose alright.

          Liked by 2 people

          1. Sadly, your question is not even talked about in homilies across our nation. I pray for those Shepherds who are misleading there flocks.

            Liked by 3 people

          2. I was talking with a top, shrewd operator who I have worked with for over 30 years last week. We talked about how insane the Democrats have become – and started reminiscing fondly about Democrats that we would collaborate with on critical projects 30, 20, even 15 years ago – and how hard it would be for serious young people to believe that Democrats could be collaborated with at all, given today’s climate. I asked her if there are any Democrats she collaborates with now – and she said, Oh no! They have all gone crazy and you couldn’t trust them anyway: if they acted reasonable you could have no confidence that they would not try to twist your words into something ugly. There just is no honor there any more.

            Liked by 5 people

            1. Charlie it used to be all you would hear out of Washington was: “Politics is the art of compromise.”

              Compromise used to be a hallmark of a shrewd and successful politician. Couldn’t get anything done without a give and take compromise somewhere along the line.

              Those days are now long gone. Compromise is a dirty word now unfortunately. Those who try to Compromise are regarded as traitors to the base. It’s why we haven’t arrived at a reasonable compromise solution to immigration and a whole lot of other pressing issues. No Tip O’Neil/Ronald Reagan oppose each other from 9 to 5 and then meet for cocktails in the White House and hash out a deal. Long gone to the country’s detriment.

              So nothing gets done. Perhaps nothing ever will be done again in Washington short of absolute control of the White House, House of Representatives and a 66 seat majority in the Senate.

              I know a very well placed guy on Capitol Hill who has been involved up to his eyeballs on a lot of significant legislation over the years. Once got into it with him on political corruption … pay to play …
              setasides in appropriation language … special language favoring the campaign donors … etc. etc. etc.

              His response: “It’s the way the sausage is made in this town like it or not. It’s not a bad thing. It’s the way things get done. Without it nothing gets done. Good things get done only amidst the unpleasant things. The kids only get the playgrounds and the swing sets and the basketball courts if the adults get their sweet deal. A price we have to pay for the good stuff.”

              Some things are simply uncompromisable. Intrinsic Evil is right at the top of that list. No “good stuff only comes amid the unpleasant stuff” argument can rationalize a personal compromise with real deal intrinsic evil. You got to choose. It is shocking to me that so many “Good Catholics” can turn a blind eye to real evil because “we have to compromise to get this good stuff over here.”

              God is watching.

              Liked by 1 person

  16. I looked online to purchase the Knights of Columbus Posters: Defend Life. I suggest one and all to get a stack, hand out and pray the Rosary, in public. No greater message for today. I recommend laminating the poster as it deteriates in the rain.

    Defend Life.

    https://www.knightsgear.com/our-lady-help-of-persecuted-christians-icons

    In this time of choosing, let us encourage our fellow Brother and Sisters giving them the support they need to say yes to God.

    Defend Life

    https://duckduckgo.com/?q=knights+of+columbus+defend+life+poster&va=z&t=hr&iax=images&ia=images

    Liked by 6 people

  17. Just wondering…”I think it is clear that most of us are not ready for serious trials right now, “…It seems to me we can never truly be ready??? Maybe it’s only something we can pray to endure??? Or is there something I’m missing and there IS a way to prepare???🤔

    Liked by 6 people

    1. Pondering with you, Linda. Not worrying. Just taking time to be with this question, particularly before the Blessed Sacrament. This is a sobering thought to ponder.

      Liked by 3 people

      1. It’s a scary scary thought for I completely feel I failed the covid thing…or at least I think I did?!?!?! 🤔 not really too sure…prayed a lot…cried a lot.,,did very odd work a lot… and got sick with hives on steroids and did a whole lot of itching a lot for a long long time!!! Hahahahaha! Just sort of took it as it came and accomplished not a lot!😂😂😂 but I figure that’s where God wanted me! Ok. Cool🤗

        Liked by 2 people

        1. Linda, same here. I ask the same questions, truly feel like an abject failure in soo many areas, ugh. Then I smack myself and think of how tiny I am. I tell myself it’s good to have big goals as long as I release the outcome of anything to God, and not get stuck there. What you said about being “right where He wants me to be” I believe that. Because I’m always talkin to Him. Always. Remember the Surrender novena—it says something about trusting God especially when situations we are praying about worsen. I’m seeing a lot of that in the people I’m praying hard for especially during these times. So I love that! It is encouraging. +Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, I trust in You!+

          Liked by 5 people

          1. Littlelight that what you wrote was so spot on!!! I’ve totally given up on trying to figure ANYTHING out and just try to put that one foot in front of the other😂😂😂 I too did the surrender novena almost daily during the worst of the isolation of pandemic and I’m keeping it real close to my little spot for the fall “real thing!” God bless you littlelight..you really hearten me!❤️❤️❤️

            Liked by 1 person

  18. Btw…Globetrotting Tommy n Liz on way to new job in DC for 16 weeks??? Please keep them in your prayers🙏😫 How does a mother’s heart prepare for such things😂 Trust in the Lord I suppose🙏

    Liked by 8 people

    1. Praying, Linda. These two have been on so many adventures and God has seen them through it all. Keeping Tommy and Liz in prayer… their mama too. 🙂

      Liked by 4 people

          2. Oh, HTTP, that must be true. Now that I’ve had both cataract surgeries I can see! Just found a few grey hairs I didn’t know about before! 😁

            Liked by 1 person

    2. Linda, I don’t think a mother’s heart is ever truly prepared for the possibility of our kids’ being in harm’s way. Praying for Globetrotting Tommy and Liz.

      Liked by 3 people

  19. Community input would be appreciated:
    I’m in Michigan. Mass has been relegated to reservations and severe restrictions, including masks (which as an aside I find ridiculous). My first Mass back the thought came to mind that shutting down our church is what ‘The abomination of Desolation’ looks like. I’ve often wondered about that, and while I’m not making a theological or eschatological statement, my observation is none the less relevant. Desolation: a state of complete emptiness or destruction; anguished misery or loneliness.
    It is past blatantly obvious for anyone paying any attention that Covid 19 is a run of the mill nasty flu for most people who get it. Walmart, Costco, Home Depot etc… are allowed to accommodate elbow to elbow customers (many of whom have decided masks are not for them), yet we as a Catholic Church continue to capitulate to our Governors restrictions. These thoughts both anger and distract me during mass. I’ve resolved to write our Bishop, yet hold back knowing his considerations are far broader than mine. My thoughts are the Catholic Church opens mass as it was with minimal restrictions (no hand holding, no hand shaking) and bag all government restrictions. Hold one mass a weekend for those who feel vulnerable and allow for distancing and masks. I’m with Charlie. Governmental pressure isn’t going to go away by itself. Ronald Reagan said it best when speaking about appeasing Russia.

    Ronald Reagan:
    “If we continue to accommodate, continue to back and retreat,  eventually we have to face the final demand — the ultimatum.  And what then???”

    Any thoughts?

    Liked by 8 people

    1. I’m so blessed to be in a state where the democratic governor did not go into crazy power overreach mode. My pastor, from the get go, saw the insanity of how the authorities wanted to press us into submission… but then my pastor is a personal friend of Cardinal Sarah. They became friends after my pastor walked 500 miles to escape persecution in the days when he lived in West Africa. The set up is reasonable in our parish. Masks are optional while the church is marked for social distancing. No Sign of Peace. People may receive on the tongue or in the hand. No hurrying people to get out and refrain from visiting after Mass.

      I suggest making an appointment to speak with your Bishop and present what’s in your mind and on your heart. Perhaps there is another who might accompany you? Take the accurate and current statistics concerning covid’s impact as your foundation from which you speak as well as the observations you have noted here. Praying for you, Mark, as you take this next right step. Quite sure others here will make suggestions.

      Liked by 6 people

    2. I agree, Mark. Don’t accommodate. I wrote the mayor, governor and priests. I found a priest who allowed us to come to Mass from the beginning. Fortunately I’m in a conservative state. I would keep voicing objections and maybe somehow search for a good priest who isn’t nutty about all this.

      Liked by 6 people

    3. I finally went to “live” mass this past Friday. How rejuvenating. It occurred to me the Catholic Church is being forced into a poustinia of sorts. And, I thanked God for it. Then last night I got to go to confession and had to confess my anger towards the church and the pastors not pastoring(not specifically my church but that of the world church). One comment the priest said was that there are a whole lot of people feeling this way.
      Stay the course, focus on Jesus don’t give any of your precious energy to distractions.
      These are some of my opinions cuz I know I go down enough rabbit holes and waste valuable energy.

      Liked by 7 people

    6. Greetings Mark, Charlies and everyone. Lilibeth from Down Under here.
      Following Mark’s comments, I thought it was time to share our experience in Australia and vent my spleen.
      Australia is coming out of its lock down, and thanks be to God, the number of cases and deaths to COVID-19 were relatively low. My husbands tracks these things and he says we are ranked #64 in terms of cases and fatalities. Yet despite the low numbers, we have been in lock down for 11 weeks and told that it was to “flatten the curve”. That narrative moved, of course to “we need to prevent a second wave”. What rubbish!
      As a scientist, I know the virus is not in my state. We have had no cases in our communities for weeks, indicative of no community transmission or spread. Yet our government and Church officials still impose draconian limits and behaviors. Supermarkets and malls have been released of their restrictions, yet Churches, restaurants and bars were limited to 100 people last week. This week will see the restrictions lifted to 300, but I am not confident that the Churches will come of this unscathed.

      Charlie, you expressed that you were struggling with anger. God help me, but I have been dealing with anger, fear to die as a martyr and spiritual darkness. My family has been participating in our Archdiocesan Masses that have been live-streamed since mid-March. Not only were the numbers of views extremely low, but the homilies were hardly inspiring. Why is it, when we need St Joans of Arc and St Pauls (my fave Saints for their spunk and heroism), we have namby pamby academics who gives us theology and philosophy, but without the real spiritual food we need to stay in this fight? So my anger is toward the Church’s hierarchy that they are willing to comply with these unconstitutional requirements to save their money and skin, yet do nothing for their parishioner’s souls. The restrictions on attending Mass this weekend were so bad, that my husband and I decided that we would not participate. We may lose our personal ministries that we perform for our Church, but in the end, we did not feel comfortable going to Mass while others would either be shut out in the rain or worse, shut out of the Mass altogether. Are we so far gone as Christians, that we would even contemplate sending people away from Mass, particularly those who may have returned from a prolonged absence? My heart cries out against this!

      I know the fight is here and now, and we were warned that the Chastisement would come, albeit not as long/bad as we deserve. While I have faith, it is humbling to know that I can be a Peter that could deny my Lord to save myself or my family. I pray to Our heavenly Mother, the Holy Spirit and to My Lord for courage and wisdom if/when the time comes.

      Finally, the spiritual darkness. I know that it is an expected part of the Christian/Catholic life. But, my goodness, some of the greatest saints had the comfort of the Holy Eucharist to sustain them. After 12 weeks without it, I am dying inside. All I have is my obedience to attend “Mass”, accept Spiritual Communion, and family prayer. I finally understand how easy it is to fall away and go into despair. I ask for your prayers to sustain all Christians during this dark time. I humbly beg of your prayers.

      Thinking of you always. I hope to return to the US and rejoin the San Diego crew soon.

      Lilibeth.

      Liked by 4 people

      1. Thank you, Lilibeth, for this impassioned report on life in Australia during lock down. Many are they in this country who are experiencing and feeling the very things and emotions which you have expressed. I think we’re all looking forward to Charlie’s next piece in which he’ll address the very issues you have addressed.

        Liked by 3 people

      3. Lilibeth, Amen, Amen, Amen!! Crying with you, praying with you +Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, I trust in You!+

        Can you quietly look around for a mass where the priest is a bit less restrictive? I am praying you will find one! We traveled 5 hrs round trip to such a place—it was such a blessing. I am so sad we can’t do this weekly. But even if it is once a month, I will DO it. I have heard there is another place, a wee bit closer. I am scccard we may innundate the place (big white van and all, Haha) but I’m told “No, come!” So I am tenitively makin’ plans. Fear is a huge thing, for sure. Well, the thought came to me about Fear and what you wrote, about seeing how one could easily fall into depair. Yes, yes, This. It occured to me that maybe, just maybe, that’s why you, and me, and others are exactly where we are. For our families’ sake. I so wish I could be one of those who does more for more people, but my reality and circumstances are such that my own husband and babies are in such dire need. I have ever given every beat of my heart for their salvation, from their very moment of conception—as i know ALL us Mothers do—And I daresay ALL you Fathers do, too—-whether we are AWARE of this or not. Any of us parents who love The Lord cannot but help to do so. It is how HE made us, it is in our cells. How Wonderful! So I say our babies never were truly OURS anyway, but rather HIS. I have long told HIM that HE Better make certain they are ALL okay—because He knows I’m as dumb as a bag of rocks (as Charlie wrote–true dat) TY Jesus! +My God I will praise YOU Always and forever!+

        All that to say, Rock on Mama! He will not dissappoint! Never. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

        2. Thanks Littlelight, Mick and Bekita for your kind thoughts, prayers and well wishes.

          Yes, we are looking for alternatives in our area, but I am hoping that it will not come to that.
          Watching and praying for you all. Your fight may be ours soon enough.

          God be with you all.

          Liked by 1 person

      6. Lilibeth I SO agree with you, especially on 2 things: 1) the live streamed homilies are worse than dreck considering what we are all going through. 2) I was feeling very dark and hostile as the days marched on from my last reception of Holy Communion, each day feeling darker and ever more hostile.

        Once you are able to receive the Eucharist again, you will be restored. Our diocese decided back in the beginning of May to allow us to come to the Church, after having watched the Mass online, to receive Communion. That’s all it took for me. As soon as I was able to receive Communion daily again, the darkness and hostility lifted. Hang in there!

        Liked by 1 person

    7. Mr Ziegler; Ronald Reagan:
      “If we continue to accommodate, continue to back and retreat, eventually we have to face the final demand — the ultimatum. And what then???”
      Excellent quote. And right on. We live in an area where we have a ? Archbishop. I’m not sure I understand his agenda. But he has allowed Mass, with distance, no touching, and body count. (We have a strong Catholic Red Governor). Since we go to the Mission; and our Mass (for now) is on the hillside at the Tepeyac Shrine to our Lady of Guadalupe, in our lawn chairs, so far we have no problem(s). Space is not an issue; Holy Communion on the tongue is not an issue; touching is not an issue; just heat. And our Mass count this past Sunday was almost 300. We are small, blessed with an amazing priest and community pressed into the Texas Hill Country. Our Blessed Mother has been by many times to give direction and so we continue forth. I know there are people who come to this Mass who drive 3 hours to get here. I pray for the other priest out there who take brave steps forward. They have it hard. And their resilience is critical to our Church here and in the future. The rest have already folded, or are confused. But prayer for them is so important, also. We must get everyone we can to work to be with our Lord in Heaven. We are all in this together, and it’s looking like it will be a long (difficult) trek. Arch Bishop Vigano’s letter to the President yesterday was powerful, and perhaps giving many others the courage to keep going forward. There maybe only a few good leaders, however; who is who said; “you only need one!”

      Liked by 3 people

      1. Wonderful! Amen.

        I’ve been thinking that I must gather my courage (cue in death-march music, Lol) to “book” (blech) a weekday mass where I know there is forced distancing, forced masking, communion will be “distributed after mass” probably be “highly encouraged” to recieve in the hand and then “leave”.

        I must go myself to truly understand the nuances of the situation. Because that matters. Maybe I got it wrong? Possibly?

        If Fear is the primary motivator, I may need to again muster the courage to speak to that. Expecting to be shot-down. I think if this is so, then our only option will be to go elsewhere, at any cost, to support those who are not Fear-driven. But it’s becoming clearer to me that in order to help those stuck in Fear, I need to say something, hoping a seed of change will be planted.

        So, those stuck either in Fear or who have not yet wakey-wakey-ed, will only start questioning if they lose their venues because we refuse to participate. The venues that flourish will be obvious, like you described. In this way, the torch of truth will further reveal and refine.

        That’s all I got…I could be waaay off base here…

        Liked by 1 person

  20. Mr. Johnston I just want to thank you. We too are from Colorado (Burlington) but my husband and I and our 5 children now live in Atchison Kansas. I have been reading your posts for some time and I’m not one to comment much but I wanted to tell you how much I appreciated this post in particular. I love the church and am a faithful catholic and pray I do not waver in my faith but I too have become very confused and angry. I so appreciate your transparency and honesty. It gives me peace as well. I pray a rosary almost daily and promise to lift you up in prayer when I do. (I don’t even really know why I responded to you today just felt it in my heart that I needed to). Thank you again for being a blessing. I can read your posts and instead of fear they bring me peace. I pray That God will protect you through the immaculate heart of Mary, mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually.

    Sincerely,

    Yvette Korbelik

    Liked by 9 people

    2. Thank you, Yvette. I’m glad to have you here – and I have spent some time in Atchison…did a full tour of Benedictine University a few years ago. A friend of mine and of this site was Benedictine’s basketball coach for a number of years and still teaches a few classes there in semi-retirement.

      I am so glad this site brings you some peace. I used to feel bad that I have so many flaws…but I see that God really knows what He is doing. When most people have some sorrow or some failing they struggle with, I have had something similar – and it seems to help folks deal with their own by hearing of mine. So I thank God for my flaws as well as for my virtues. I thank you profoundly for your prayers.

      Liked by 8 people

    3. Yvette, thanks for posting your comment. Charlie’s posts also give me peace amongst the chaos. I look forward to each one. I’ve been following Charlie since 2015. Each post is filled with wisdom and insight into these unprecedented stormy times we live in. I also appreciate the wisdom and insights from all the commenters on each post. This community of faith-filled people gives me much comfort. So I thank Charlie, Beckita, StevePC, and other administrators of this site for their continued dedication in keeping this beautiful community flourishing and connected in The Sign of Hope. Keep up the good work. My continued prayers for all here.

      Liked by 3 people

      1. God bless you, Texas. Thanks for your kind words of affirmation and support. We are blessed by one another in this community which Charlie has founded with a focus that steadies us all as we make our way through the territory of these times.

        Liked by 3 people

  21. Charlie– I have also noted that many people of whom I had always thought were wise and logical, have drunk the koolaid of terror regarding the covid.

    Liked by 6 people

  22. Writing this down!!!! Ha!!!! Good one Charlie!!! Puts it all into perspective!!! We are all sinners and we all killed Christ!!! Gonna put THAT in my pipe and smoke it!!! 💨 No…I don’t smoke pipes!!! 😂😂😂

    “The gambler says, “At least I am not a womanizer,” and the womanizer says, “At least I am not a gambler,” and both say, “At least I am not a drunk.” What fools! When you have such profound failings yourself for which you have required so much mercy, how can you dare be miserly to others with the mercy you have received in such abundance? Do you think God will be impressed?”

    Liked by 2 people

  23. Once again, God shows through! AB Vigano just released to the President of the United States. Plz begin
    this video at the 5:20 minute mark. Thank you, Your Eminence! This means so much to this Church!

    Liked by 4 people

  24. If I may share a little story that happened a few days ago…this was the day after Stella Davis did her “tour” of the Beltway. My kids and I were sitting at the table eating lunch and my little pre-school-age son put down his sandwich and announced out of nowhere that “Nothing is impossible with God. You can always reset your life.” I asked him where he learned that and he claimed that he just knew it. It was hilarious and so cute, to me at least. So that’s where we are as a society. A four-year-old is more insightful and circumspect than our “expert” leaders!

    Liked by 12 people

    3. GOLDENSUN, your comment reminds me of Matthew 18…
      “He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,* you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

      Liked by 4 people

  25. Dear Mark, this is what we are looking at, and your words mirror my feelings. I struggle with patience, and I saw this coming in March. It is based on my experience of living here all my life rather than any innate wisdom/skill on my part.

    I’ve already attempted, in the earlier weeks, emailing both my bishop and our pastor, asking for them to defend our liberites. I did so with my best attempt at honesty and respect. I doubt I hit even close to the mark. In my last attempt, I forwarded them Archbishop Vigano’s letter, asking them to join with him. Unfortunately, I sent it when it first came out, before Cardinal Sarah bowed out. I asked them to join with Cardinal Sarah. This couldn’t of helped my plea, oh well.

    I never got a response, only a kind inquiry if we needed anything? And would I like free masks for the family? Then I understood I did all I could personally do. I understood that no matter what I did or said, the matter is already settled. So I waited. I took to heart Charlies’ advice in his last piece. I sadly waited.

    The rules coming out the last two weeks confirmed my worst fears. They are not only fufilling our Gov’s requests, they are padding/adding to the onerousness of them. Waiting longer to open, for instance. Ironically the same Friday our bishops released their rules, our Gov. eased-up on the gathering sizes.

    While I am very grateful my bishop is allowing Communion either in the hand or on the tongue, practically I think those who choose the latter will be a source of divisiveness and censure. I don’t know for certain, I could be wrong here. I won’t know unless I actually made “reservations” for a weekday mass (our only option—no Sunday masses anywhere, yet) and went for myself to see.

    But I’m so terrified of doing that. I don’t think I would survive it if I saw what you saw. My gut is telling me to quietly walk away. To find other outlets.

    My husband is angry. I begged him to take us all to on a roadtrip yesterday so we could get all the sacraments at once. He only did it because he loves me so much. We drove 4-5 hours yesterday roundtrip to Nat. Shrine of Divine Mercy. This strengthened us all. My husband was heartened at the response we received. I could cry. I can’t tell you how scared I am and how much this means. I wish we could do this weekly, but it just isn’t doable for many reasons.

    If I was confident in my ability of logical persuasion, I would attempt a personal meeting with our leadeership. This is not my charism at all. In fact, just the opposite. I have a tough time with anger/injustice/patience and conflict. I have a tough time with confidence. It seems the whole parish is on-board with the suggestions. Those of us with reservations are quietly finding other avenues. I wonder if they will just let us go? I mean, if so many are on-board and affirming these choices, the handful of us who object are even more marginalized. So, I’m afraid to find out the answer to that.

    God bless you, and all.

    Liked by 7 people

  26. More evidence Cobid 19 is changing back to its original form.
    “The scientists at ASU said that they had detected a gene deletion in one sample from several hundred Arizona patients that potentially reduced the fitness of the disease. Notably, they claimed it was similar to a deleted sequence observed in the 2003 SARS virus that was observed near the end of that disease’s epidemic—possibly signaling that COVID-19 may be bound for a similar fate. ”
    https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/coronavirus/doctors-around-world-say-covid-19-losing-its-potency-becoming-less

    Liked by 8 people

  27. Dear Charlie,

    My husband and I are wondering whether you saw the email from the Justice Foundation? There are two videos in it, one from Jonathan Cahn called The Return and it fits so well with what you are saying and this idea of our people, especially men, turning back to our Lord is so vital. Thought you might want to know about it. I sent it to our Archbishop Listecki as our US bishops should be involved in this as well.

    Here is the site (I hope)!

    Laura Lee Wierzbinski Greendale WI

    Liked by 4 people

    1. Thanks, Laura Lee. I am familiar with some of Jonathan Cahn’s work, but I very rarely watch videos. People send me at least 20 a day – and I just don’t have time. I read freakishly fast and can absorb the info from watching a video 10 times faster reading about it. Appreciate you recommending it. Glad to hear from Greendale – I have a couple of grandkids just a little south of you in Racine.

      Liked by 3 people

    2. Welcome to commenting, Laura. The link takes us to Google Mail but people can search with Jonathan Chan’s name and the video title and readily find it. God bless you.

      Liked by 2 people

    3. I second Laura Lee’s recommendation of Jonathan Cahn, especially the Paradigm clips 15-19. He compares the old testemant Jaho and Jezzebel with Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton. They fit quite nicely. The videos are one year old. Each segment is 5-10 minutes in duration. An eye opening Biblical experience.

      Liked by 3 people

      1. Barb and Laura, Archbishop Listecki was my bishop too, for many years, until we moved way up into the northern forests of Wisconsin 3 years ago. Great to see you here! God Bless You Both.

        Like

  28. Boy, Charlie, this is one of your best but, I seem to say that about every one of them. As I read it I kept thinking of the scene in the Patriot where the two younger sons have to help rescue their older brother. boy, do I feel like the youngest son here. Thank God His ways are some much higher than mine. Aim small shoot small. (With quivering fingers on the rosary beads.) https://youtu.be/qYl58yK4znE

    Liked by 5 people

  30. I have to say I am terrified of what is happening.

    I live in a small town (is pop. 100,000 small?) in California’s Central Valley. We are and have always been a conservative Christian area. A warning was sent to me yesterday that we should stay away from an area on the outskirts of town because “they” are going after the farmers, bankers, and “old money” where they live instead of the main areas of town. I am in my 70’s, living with my daughter. We have no defenses if this comes to our area. Hopefully it won’t because we live in a middle, middle class area.

    That is, no defenses except 17 Rosaries (I know, but they are ALL so beautiful!) which I rotate (a different one each week) for my daily prayers.

    Jesus I do trust in you, but this is still scary. The ‘storm’ that is coming is scary.

    Liked by 8 people

  31. JESUS = GOOD NEWS!

    https://stream.org/jesus-no-matter-what/

    https://www.faithandculture.com/home/2020/6/4/an-interview-with-fr-daniel-p-moloney

    Vatican arrest man over luxury property deal
    https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-52949421

    https://freebeacon.com/national-security/foreign-propagandists-exploit-u-s-unrest/

    https://townhall.com/columnists/wayneallynroot/2020/06/07/untitled-n2570155

    https://stream.org/ill-never-take-a-knee-but-i-will-reach-out-my-hand/

    https://nypost.com/2020/06/06/da-declines-to-prosecute-man-arrested-in-st-patricks-cathedral-vandalism/

    https://dailycaller.com/2020/06/06/states-prosecute-rioters-looters/

    https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2020/06/just_like_that_gun_control_support_and_covid19_died_this_week.html

    https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/06/07/nolte-dr-fauci-either-liar-fraud/

    Time to rename Maryland …. Marxland ;-(
    https://www.getreligion.org/getreligion/2020/5/29/howard-county-maryland-officials-tried-to-ban-mass-was-that-an-important-news-story

    https://newsbusters.org/

    GOD SAVE THE REPUBLIC & ALL HERE!

    Liked by 5 people

  32. A sign of hope family I am in a quandary . This writing truly was meant for me to read this weekend. I have an issue with our Church here in CA reopening this coming weekend with all the Covid restrictions. We have to wear masks, can only have 100 people in attendance at each mass, must keep the 6 ft. “safety” distance, will have to call in during the week to let it be known how many people would be attending from each family, will have our temperatures read, be ushered in by the church ushers and shown where to sit and whatever else is mandated by whoever is mandating this whole thing. (yes, said with sarcasm). My husband and I are eucharistic ministers and are both 55 years of age. There are not that many lectors or eucharistic ministers in our church that are under the 65 age limit. The age group 65 and older has been asked to consider carefully if they should attend do to their age.
    So on to the quandary. I feel the need to go to an actual mass and not watch it being live-streamed. I miss receiving the eucharist. We both take any service we do for the church seriously and know it is important for lay people to help. We may be needed to serve. But I am having the hardest time with all the restrictions. It will not seem like a true mass. I feel like we’re a bunch of lemmings following what we are told to do especially when I don’t agree with what has been put upon us these past few months. I feel like our church is being run by the state. I am soooo over it all.
    I can’t believe I am contemplating going to mass or not. “The time is at hand when each of us must choose or perish”.

    Liked by 7 people

    1. It’s a difficult time for too many, Linda. I can only say that if this was my scenario, I would go receive Jesus and offer the unpleasantries for souls to return to the Lord.

      Liked by 8 people

        1. God bless you, Linda. I also realize we need to rise up, to speak and take action for the sake of preserving our God-given freedoms. These are waters which most of us have never before had to navigate so I, too, welcome Charlie’s guidance in these things and continue to ask Holy Spirit to inspire us with the strategies, the ways to go about being agents of truth and change.

          Liked by 4 people

    3. Linda, I hear you. We have restrictions here in Michigan, too, although not as many as you have in California. But if I were in your shoes, I would go to Mass and receive our Blessed Lord in the Holy Eucharist. Praying for you and for all the Catholics in California (and in NJ, where last I knew they are still forbidden from having Mass).

      Liked by 4 people

  33. I haven’t read through all the comments so maybe somebody has hit this already but…it’s official. Minneapolis city council will disband the M.P.D.

    I definitely need a bigger bag of popcorn.

    Liked by 4 people

    1. Edit: Maybe not official quite yet but they have ‘officially’ announced their intent and it sure sounds to me like they’re serious.
      Cue the Somali rape gangs, Antifa, and MS-13 to be the new enforcers and I still need moar popcorn.

      Liked by 4 people

  34. If anybody is in contact with Dr. Taylor Marshall would you please ask him his recommendations for learning Latin?

    I was browsed (yes, its a new verb I just made up) to his video on ArchBishop Vigano’s letter and ‘latin, latin,’ is one of his areas of intetest too.
    –
    Direct emails to him do not appear possible from what I have seen. Thx in advance

    Liked by 2 people

      1. Thank you Becks.

        I am thinking about building my own duolingo app for the Church.

        Don’t you think it would be fun to have a church themed language app with priests and nuns etc providing the phrases to listen to?

        as the vocabulary builds, we could train, in Latin, the creeds and stories of the Bible and give certuficates of real church worth and merut ti people.

        Thank you again

        Liked by 2 people

        2. Timothy, I tremble to reply here, as not any expert at all. For what it’s worth, I used The Latin Road to English Grammar as a homeschool curriculum and really, really liked it. I used it with 4 of my kiddos, at the time. Since then, 3 of those kiddos went on to use Henley’s Latin. They told me they found error in TLR. That being said, no way, no how could I have jumped into Henley’s with them–too confusing and difficult. TLR explains the Latin in a very basic way that anyone can follow. It gave my kiddos the tools they needed to jump into Henley and fly.

          I was told by a latin scholar that each volume in TLR roughly corresponds to one year of high school latin. With the exception being the 3rd Volume needs supplemental latin reading. Hope this is helpful.

          Liked by 3 people

  35. The evolutionist predators are out and about devouring anyone with weak faith, it’s better to avoid them than confront them, as they committed everything for ruin like the left.

    Liked by 2 people

  36. Good article Charlie. Thank you. It sure seems it’s the time to chose between good and evil, God and the world.
    The Didache says “ there are only two ways. The way of God and the way of the world. And in Matthew 6 “You cannot serve God and mammon.“ I hope and pray that my eyes see and my ears hear when God calls.
    The last few years the Storm has swirled at home for my family. In 2018 I was hospitalized with sepsis and again 10 months later when the problem recurred. It was resolved with surgery at that time. Last year my wife’s Dad passed away and this past week she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Nevertheless there is a calm at the center and we both feel that God is there with us. She converted to Catholicism in 1989 and is very positive and strong. Our children and extended families are incredibly supportive. But I need to ask for the prayers of the ASOH family because I know how powerful they are.

    Liked by 12 people

    8. Praying for your wife, LukeMichael, that all will be well and she can fight this cancer and vanquish this cancer with God’s help and grace.

      Like

  37. I just watched Levin on Fox.
    He just had on Bob Woodson of the Woodson Center and Shelby Steele, author of White Guilt.
    Powerful stuff.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Hi Beckita,

      I saw this on my Bishop’s Facebook feed. Someone said it was not true that the DC ArchBishop said that. Have no idea if that is or isn’t correct. Just thought I’d let you know that there are some writing against this articles validity. So much out there. My head is spinning trying to determine what is or isn’t real/true.

      God Bless!

      Liked by 2 people

        1. As a follow-up to the article from Church Militant, Spirit Daily has a link to an article clarifying that Archbishop Gregory did not set up the protest event nor did he insist that all clergy need to be there. Here‘s the link.

          Like

          1. That’s interesting, Beckita. Wonder where the info came from saying he was demanding that his priests show up in their clericals to march? It’s so hard to know what news to believe!

            Liked by 2 people

  40. I just wanted to thank everyone for prayers offered for us and tell SteveBC that I am praying for his mom. For some reason I always think of her when reading your comments Steve since I first heard you talk about her years ago. She did a great job raising you for sure.

    I have been walking on air this morning since our state (Peoples Republic of Connecticut) has finally allowed us to return to the sacraments. 6 am Mass and confession. Truly a joyful experience.

    Our priest is wonderful. He was so excited to have us there. He used to a run a construction company with his brothers and has only been a priest for 6 years but he is gifted and a real servant to us all.

    We were limited to 100 in the church and wore masks. Looking back from the front row I thought we looked goofy but these are the times we live in and I remembered Charlie’s words about wearing masks and social distancing being charitable behavior especially if (as my 96 year old mother would say) “you offer it up”. Reception of Holy Communion was allowed in the hand and on the tongue, lingual recipients waiting until palmar communicants had finished.

    I can’t wait til things open up. I want to hug people. Especially my 7 grandchildren. Number 8 coming in two weeks.

    Liked by 8 people

    2. LM, we be in The Peep’s Repub. too! However our masses are not starting until late next week. We couldn’t wait 2 more weeks and busted-out to Stockbridge MA on Sat. Oooh, go there if you can! God Bless you! Congrats on new grandbaby!

      Liked by 1 person

  43. JESUS = GOOD NEWS!

    Another week of LeftWing Madness ahead ;-(

    https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2020/06/the_building_cold_anger_throughout_america.html

    https://www.crisismagazine.com/2020/radical-chic-redux

    https://www.churchmilitant.com/video/episode/vortex-a-terrorist-organization?mc_cid=53bad3b4e3&mc_eid=2a0b6c7ef6

    https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2020/06/desperate_fakenews_media_in_overdrive.html

    https://www.crisismagazine.com/2020/in-canada-gay-pride-is-mandatory

    https://www.breitbart.com/africa/2020/06/08/christian-pastor-and-his-pregnant-wife-gunned-down-in-nigeria/

    https://townhall.com/columnists/kurtschlichter/2020/06/08/more-than-ever-its-time-to-unleash-the-power-of-no-n2570188

    https://amgreatness.com/2020/06/07/night-of-the-generals/

    https://www.nationalreview.com/2020/06/not-so-retiring-retired-military-leaders/

    https://spectator.org/on-being-pounded-with-lies-damned-lies-and-more-damned-lies-about-systemic-racism-in-america/

    GOD SAVE THE REPUBLIC & ALL HERE!

    Liked by 3 people

  44. These people are absolute geniuses!!! If you have a problem with police brutality, just abolish the police department. Then BINGO, no more police brutality. These people in charge are soooo smart, and they wonder why Trump is so popular.

    “A Police-Free Future” – Minneapolis City Council Votes To Abolish Police Department. Minneapolis City Council describing their “veto-proof majority” plans to create a utopian “police-free future”..
    https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/minneapolis-city-council-disband-citys-police-department

    John

    Liked by 3 people

  45. Wow! Here’s one of the rare times when I post the whole article. It’s too good, too perfect for what we need. It’s Kurt Schlichter’e piece, published just today: More Than Ever, It’s Time to Unleash the Power of ‘No’ (I’ll add that after praying and contemplating for several days about where we are and what we need to do, I have kept hearing: “Awake O Sleeper!” This prompted the further pondering of what this means. With the following marching orders, I get it. Time to rise up and act as well as pray!)

    More Than Ever, It’s Time to Unleash the Power of ‘No’

    For way too long, too many conservatives and other normal people have failed to deploy our most potent weapon in the defense of free thought and expression – the utter refusal to go along with the demands of the carnivorous left. As has been said before by me and others, we need to introduce these spoiled brats to the concept of “no.”

    This is a critical moment, and how we react now will determine if our future is citizenship or serfdom. The Democrats’ kinetic operation that was the rioting has failed, the violent thuggery egged-on and enabled by half-wit MSNBCNN talk-holes, feckless lefty pols, and the blue check jerk-stapo ended up appalling the voters, and not just Republicans. The grave strategic error of sending the masked marauders of Marxism marching into limo lib enclaves like Beverly Hills convinced a lot of people who hate Trump that maybe law and order isn’t such a bad thing after all. Defund the police? Yeah, that’s a tough sell outside a sociology department. Mansions and BMWs burn just like churches and police cars do.

    The rioting was really an information operation, and a failed one. There were two big problems for the furious rioters. One was that normal people saw no connection between protesting the treatment of George Floyd and looting big screens from the local Target, except that both disgusted them. The second issue was the inability to identify a specific enemy. Who exactly was the person supporting the killing of George Floyd? What was the name of the person who said, “Yeah, that was a good thing”? Across the spectrum, liberal to conservative, people were appalled at what they saw on the video. Even Judge Mom, a former deputy district attorney, said she would have considered charging it as first-degree murder under California law. Talk about unity – America was united in the conclusion that his treatment was a crime. So, the left had a real problem because there was no individual to apply Alinsky Rule 13 to: “Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.”

    But a larger, more comprehensive information operation is still ongoing, one in which a bunch of pampered SJW stormtroopers, aided and abetted by the weak and frightened elder caste of liberals occupying the heights of the establishment, are attempting to define the tolerable range of ideas and expression within our culture. In a shocking turn that would surprise only stupid people, the tolerable range of ideas and expression they wish to establish corresponds exactly to the ideas and expressions they agree with. The Venn diagram of what they think and what they allow to be thought is a single circle.

    The rest of us are expected to shut up, and thereby concede and recognize their mastery over us.

    We could do that, sure.

    Or we could tell them “no.”

    I’ll go with “no.”

    Look at what’s happening. You had a U.S. senator articulating a position that polls say 58 percent of Americans agree with, that riots should be suppressed with military force if necessary – and the New York Times’s nursery erupted with silly infants babbling that this idea makes them “unsafe.” And worse, the editorial board – which at least used to pretend to harken to the idea of free expression – folded like one of Eric Swalwell’s cheap, stinky suits.

    Think of what would happen if the editors at the NYT said “no” to these glorified interns…

    “Tom Cotton’s mean ideas have me literally shaking! You must withdraw and repudiate this hate crime op-ed!”

    “No. Grow up.”

    “I’ll, uh, resign.”

    “Fine. I hear there’s a big market out there for whiny adolescent journalists who can’t handle opposing views.”

    “So, you’re saying I should apply to CNN?”

    Instead of standing up to these tiresome teenyboppers, the NYT pulled a journalistic Sir Robin and bravely ran away. Pathetic. Now it’s established that the paper of record needs to run whatever it wishes to print past a coterie of militant pipsqueaks who will scan it for wokeness.

    This nonsense is expanding to all of society. You must meet their exacting standards in all things or, well, here comes the mob. But the punchline is that you can’t satisfy them, not ever. There’s no way to appease them because what they say they want – adherence to some amorphous idiot dogma – is not the point. The point is the bullying. The point is the tyranny. The point is their ability to exercise delicious arbitrary power over you.

    But for this scheme to work, you have to be complicit in your own oppression. You have to not say, “no.”

    It’s time to adopt some basic rules for dealing with these sissy savages. These rules recognize the underlying premise that absolutely nothing the left does or says in an attempt to control or bar speech is in good faith and therefore you are not required to obey the Marquis of Queensbury rules in responding. It’s not an argument. In an argument, there is the possibility that a person will change his mind in the face of facts and evidence. There is no such chance here because facts and evidence are irrelevant. Everything these leftist schmucks say and do is designed with one purpose in mind, to increase his, her or xis power. Your goal is not to prove anything, because you can’t. It is to resist being bent to the will of the SJW lynch mob.

    1. Never apologize. You have nothing to be ashamed of and even if you did, apologizing to these creeps only chums the water for the feeding frenzy. Drew Brees apologized and he looks craven, while the giddy horde is walking around with his head on a stick. If he had said, “Hey, a lot of people were upset about what I think about kneeling. Well, that’s what I think and you are free to say what you think, but no, I’m not apologizing,” they would have moved to a softer target.

    2. Reject their demands. Tell them “no.” They will be baffled, since their mommies and daddies – most likely acting through the immigrant nanny who actually raised them – probably never told them “no.” LEGO is allegedly taking sets featuring cops and the White House off the market at the demand of these lunatics. It could have said, “Some people feel they can tell us what toys we can sell and what toys your kids can buy. We say that you get to make that decision. No, we’re going to keep doing what we please.” LEGO blocks would have become the most popular toy in America instead of a symbol of craven submission.

    3. Speak truths they want suppressed. Say what they have agreed cannot be said. For example, we are not supposed to say that the Pennsylvania health official who was responsible for the state’s nursing home disaster is obviously a man pretending to be a woman. That’s why it is vital to say, “No, he is not a woman.” One of the most powerful tools to compelling obedience is the shame and humiliation inflicted upon someone they force to utter a manifest lie. Stand up to them.

    4. Laugh at them. No, scary Tom Cotton is not putting you SJWs in the most perilous of perils by suggesting we use the Army against domestic rioters. Words are not making you unsafe. You clowns. You babies. You’re a joke.

    5. Buy guns and ammunition. No, we will not surrender. An armed citizenry deters tyranny, and the idea of you packing heat make these simps wet themselves.

    It’s time to push back on these punks. They leverage our natural politeness and tendency to try to avoid conflict to take advantage and seize the high ground. Understand that tactic and refuse to play along. They leave you spinning your wheels by drawing you into trying to reason with them when reasoning is beside the point. You do not owe them a debate. Mock them instead, and stubbornly defy their commands.

    A strategic information operation like the one designed to control the acceptable (Read “Leftist-friendly”) scope of thought and speech in society can only work with your complicity. It fails completely when you refuse to play along.

    More than ever today, unleash the power of “No.”

    Liked by 7 people

    2. TY for posting the whole article, Beckita. Seems like we are dealing with millions of grown 2 year olds throwing tantrums and really bad parents(D mayors and governors) giving into them.

      Liked by 5 people

    3. I saw this article this morning, too, Beckita. I thought about posting a link, but never pulled the trigger. Glad you did.

      Liked by 4 people

    4. “5. Buy guns and ammunition. No, we will not surrender. An armed citizenry deters tyranny, and the idea of you packing heat make these simps wet themselves.”

      Bingo! If open carry was legal in every state (and people exercised that right) this would become the most polite society on the planet overnight. “But, but…muh Wild West!”, say the anti gun dupes. I would submit that the so-called Wild West was more civilized than what we’ve been for a long time. Said a different way, the ‘Knockout Game’ wasn’t a thing in the Wild West.

      Liked by 3 people

    5. Inspirational Beckita. In these times of temporal and spiritual chaos and division, it helps to focus on what the good actions can be done vs allowing the deep state institutions and people to distract us from common sense actions.l

      Liked by 2 people

  46. Yes, Amen.

    Beckita I just spoke with a dearly beloved sib, faithful catholic, who truly believes do what you’re told and shut up. Obey the authorities. Do not question. They have the best intentions and are doing the best they can. I don’t even know where to begin in the face of this except pray harder. The truth will not be heard from me.

    Among some of our young adults, there is a defiance and anger about believing things won’t just go back to what we’ve always lived. My husband wisely said it’s fear. They are terrified. The light bulb went off. I got it. Ironically I’ve always thought of myself as weak, very weak. But I’m truly shocked to see maybe there are weaker ones than myself.

    Thinking about my sib, I’m certain the reaction is also rooted in fear. I’m sure of it. Waking up and acknowledging we are living in a communist revolution, with much darker hidden filth soon to be exposed, means enduring system shock and so much pain. Denial is a protective mechanism to protect mental sanity. To protect one from a nervous breakdown.

    We were able to read the Amer. Thinker Q articles yesterday and we watched the movie. I’m no stranger to this kinda reporting, but had pulled back from it for years. Still it is so hard to stomach and there was some initial shock. I felt waves of nausea and moments of despair. After a bit of prayerful reflection, I asked myself how can I be surprised? After David D.’s heroic work exposing PP, anyone capable of this depravity is certainly capable of any depravity. It’s just logic. Thinking of many ancient cultures that did hideous human sacrifices, torture, etc, how could we think we’re any different? The problem in our culture is a lot is hidden like a giant iceberg. There is more deception. Perhaps in ancient times there was less hidden, more just hanging out there for all to see. So perhaps that is why we don’t want to believe it.

    I worry about kind, gentle souls. This is a good thing. This awareness will help me temper my anger. I am glad for this realization.

    Liked by 6 people

  47. Hi All – media malpractice is a big problem as we all know. But there are still excellent journalists working to tell the story as factually as possible and let the advocates duke it out on their own. Unfortunately, most of these “old school” reporters don’t work for the national media – they are duking it out at the local news, which is dying from lack of support while everyone is distracted by the luny-tunes on the national media. With the warning that some of the language is salty/profane this is the best description of what happened to the press and what can be done about it. My favorite line – “We are living in the golden age of nonsense”.

    Liked by 1 person

  48. Charlie, It is chilling to hear you talk about your struggles regarding the trial to come. Your anguish is palpable and I can feel it come thru your words, which I am sure is far from what you have been chosen to bear. I try to focus myself on staying close to God and know I have to purge the addictions of this world to better seek Him. I struggle in making progress but know what I need to do first, for myself and with God’s grace waiting for me to grasp.

    I am afraid for my wife and kids since they do not understand what is to come. They all seem to be focused on the earthly illegal restrictions and not on how to focus themselves on the freeing power of God which is their only choice of protection to the evil abound.

    It is terrifying to see what is happening in America from one of the few solid, and truthful, as they know it, news sources. I must now accept that America is out of control and every level of government federal and local are falling, citizens have changed into mobs that force others to agree with them or be banished or harassed, or worse. The good people are falling and those still standing are under tremendous pressure.

    I am scared Jesus, but I know you will protect me. Read my feeble heart and see that I do love you and to have mercy on me. Help keep to keep trying to seek you above all and to put into your hands those I love. It starts with me, I know that is what God is tasking me with. I must continue on my journey and cling to you above all to set the example.

    O Holy Trinity have mercy on me.
    Blessed Mother pray for me.

    Liked by 5 people

    1. Very little has surprised me – and is still not nearly as bad as I expect. The thing that weighs on me is that I am surprised at how very much provocation so many of us are willing to accept without saying enough. Remember, I see my job as giving people heart to press on with fortitude in God’s service. Of late, I have been thinking with Chief Brody from the movie Jaws, that we’re going to need a bigger boat.

      Liked by 4 people

      1. “how very much provocation so many of us are willing to accept without saying enough.” That amazes me too, Charlie. Now I see all over that the WHO says it’s pretty much impossible for someone infected with covid, who is asymptomatic, to spread the infection. Will this info facilitate the end of the ridiculous mask wearing, social distancing, etc, etc B.S. rules which have been inflicted upon us?

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Charlie,

        Now I understand why you tried to get us into groups regionally, locally. In numbers our voices Are heard more.

        What can we do! We need action points. Collaborative action. I have contacted my bishop and local clergy and let them know we are here to support them while also asking for the Sacraments.

        Perhaps my next step is local government? What will be effective?

        Liked by 3 people

  49. Well, we’ve gotten a better idea of what the self-imposed limits are for the opposition. Apparently, there are not limits… or so they think. Most of these revelations have left me deep down angry and speechless lately too. This sunset I snapped just earlier tonight left me speechless as well.

    Aslan is on the move. Do you see him?

    If you can spare a prayer to St. Joseph for a special intention, much appreciated. Planning on coming out of semi-retirement to throw in with a key organization on the front lines. Thx.

    Liked by 8 people

    1. Ooh… I do see him, MP. He looks impressive, and rather intimidating.

      Also, you bet I’ll be keeping you and your new endeavor in my prayers.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. I text my Ma sunset and/or celestial shots most days and thought one of the three I sent her tonight looked like an elephant. “Don’t see it,” says she, “but there’s a lion in the third picture!” And so there was.

        Liked by 3 people

      1. It certainly was magnificent scenery, painted by Him. When I was a lad, MP stood for “mischievously playful.” Oh, who am I kidding… still applies!

        Liked by 1 person

    8. Love this. +St. Joseph, Terror of demons, Savior of Our Savior, build a doorway for MP+

      Like

  50. JESUS = GOOD NEWS!

    https://www.today.com/parents/toddlers-hugging-viral-video-has-new-meaning-after-george-floyd-t183571

    https://dailycaller.com/2020/06/07/oneal-saddler-georgia-state-trooper-kneel-black-lives-matter-protest/

    https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/archaeologists-might-have-identified-jezreel-winery-featured-in-bible-630642

    https://www.lifenews.com/2020/06/05/black-pro-lifers-arrested-for-praying-at-planned-parenthood-while-hundreds-of-rioters-go-free/

    https://thefederalist.com/2020/06/08/cbs-deceptively-edits-barr-interview-leaving-out-key-details-on-violent-riots-police-oversight/

    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/06/85-shot-24-dead-chicagos-violent-weekend-following-leftist-riots-democrats-continue-call-defund-police/

    https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2020/06/06/hayward-democrats-embrace-the-four-stages-of-ideological-subversion/

    https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/06/07/support-rally-held-military-veteran-who-was-assaulted-while-holding-trump-sign.html

    https://justthenews.com/government/diplomacy/historic-opportunity-awaiting-trump-stabilize-iraq-eventually-withdraw-troops

    https://newsbusters.org/

    GOD SAVE THE REPUBLIC & ALL HERE!

    Liked by 4 people

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Published by charliej373

Charlie Johnston is a former newspaper editor, radio talk show host and political consultant. From Feb. 11, 2011 to Aug. 21, 2012, he walked 3,200 miles across the country, sleeping in the woods, meeting people and praying as he went. He writes on cultural, global and political issues from an orthodox Catholic perspective. He emphasizes that we find God most surely through the ordinary, doing the little things we should with faith and fidelity. His constant refrain is that, to live real joy, we must acknowledge God, take the next right step, and be a sign of hope to those around us. He lives in the Archdiocese of Denver in the United States.