Archive for the ‘American History’ Category

Death Culture: Who Was Margaret Sanger, Why Should We Care?

Posted: February 21, 2019 by David Fiorazo in Abortion, American History, Christianity, David's Blog, planned parenthood, pro-life
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It was Margaret Sanger who laid the foundation for today’s liberal social agenda that has left a legacy of anguish, confusion, pain, and death during Planned Parenthood’s century in business. Their legacy of “birth control” is one of radical feminism, rebellion against God, racism, and eugenics that in recent years has expanded to include abortion on demand and sexual experimentation leading to brokenness, depression, regret, and worse.

What Adolf Hitler did to millions of Jews through eugenics and sterilization, Planned Parenthood founder, Margaret Sanger has dwarfed by pioneering a movement leading to the abortion of over one hundred million babies in the United States since the 1920s. Sadly, most people are ignorant of this horrible history leading to ideas such as population control and euthanasia. Proud promoter of eugenics and racism, Margaret Sanger is celebrated today by most feminists and liberals. So what’s the truth behind this dark history?

Ninety-four. Remember this number. A baby is aborted at a Planned Parenthood facility somewhere in America every 94 seconds. In that same amount of time, Planned Parenthood receives over $1,100 in federal funding. That equals more than twelve taxpayer dollars a second and allows them to abort over 912 lives every day. How did it get to the point in America where we kill our own and call it a choice? It didn’t happen overnight, but an abortion is committed – Every 94 seconds…

…In her book The Pivot of Civilization, Margaret Sanger mentioned “constructive eugenics,” saying:

“…we are paying for and even submitting to the dictates of an ever increasing, unceasingly spawning class of human beings who never should have been born at all…”

Reports indicate the Nazi’s were inspired by the population control movement in America in the 1920s and 30s. Planned Parenthood founder, Margaret Sanger promoted a eugenic ideology that eventually led to the gas chambers in Germany. A truth seeking, fair-minded person cannot read Sanger’s many writings without seeing her ungodly influence.

Sanger’s publication, The Birth Control Review, was founded in 1917 and through the years, she often published articles from socialists and eugenicists such as Ernst Rudin. Rudin (1874-1952) was a psychiatrist who worked as Adolf Hitler’s director of genetic sterilization and founded the Nazi Society for Racial Hygiene, which was Germany’s racial purity program.

…According to her own autobiography, Margaret Sanger spoke to the women’s auxiliary of the Ku Klux Klan in Silver Lake, New Jersey in 1926. Just three years later, Sanger’s “American Birth Control League” laid the groundwork for her first abortion clinics in Brooklyn and Harlem.

Margaret Sanger taught that the campaign for abortion is “practically identical with the final aim of eugenics.” In 1934, she suggested that only parents approved by government or eugenics leaders be allowed to have children, and that a strict code be enforced to stop the overproduction of children.

Sanger argued for compulsory sterilization and segregation for people with disabilities.

Until 1942, birth control and eugenics were nearly impossible to separate. Prior to World War II, Sanger was outspoken about her views on race, and used the influence of prominent New York blacks to further her cause. Margaret Sanger reiterated the need for black ministers to head up the [Negro] project…

“We do not want word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population and the minister is the man who can straighten out that idea if it ever occurs to any of their more rebellious members.”

Is it a coincidence nearly 80% of Planned Parenthood clinics are in minority communities today?

Sanger also reasoned that by requiring a license for mothers to give birth, it would protect society from those who are unfit. Part of her “American Baby Code”…

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL POST & FOR RESOURCES

 

*Previously published by Freedom Project Media

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Good News, Bad News This Thanksgiving

Posted: November 21, 2018 by David Fiorazo in American History, Christianity in America, David's Blog, Faith and Life, moral decline, religious freedom, the gospel
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This Thanksgiving season, there’s good news and there’s bad news and it may depend on your perspective. As you know, most of our founders came to this bountiful land to live in freedom from religious persecution, and their standards were based on the principles in the Holy Bible. And yet, here we are in 2018 – hanging on by a thread to the religious freedoms this nation has enjoyed – and has taken for granted. 

Though we’re seeing a toxic increase of hatred, we can be still thankful for our history – and especially for hope.

The very first Thanksgiving took place almost 400 years ago—long before the nation was even born. But prior to arriving on these shores, William Bradford, the founder of Plymouth colony settlement wrote:

“…Having undertaken, for the Glory of God and advancement of the Christian Faith and Honor of our King and Country, a Voyage to plant the First Colony.”

God is a big part of our history and always has been. The United States Congress once issued an official Proclamation of Thanksgiving and Prayer on October 18, 1780, calling on Americans “to cause the knowledge of Christianity to spread all over the Earth.”

Sadly, true American history has been edited or even deleted from public school text books. We have forgotten that the good news of Jesus Christ was once foundational to our liberties as well as our lives and as a result of our forgetting, the nation has gone from spiritual to secular. Proverbs 14:34 states:

“We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God.

We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own.

Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us!

Lincoln was right. He implored the people to confess their sins, and to pray for forgiveness and God’s mercy on America.

Today, we are plagued by political correctness and moral relativism, lawlessness, people calling good evil and evil good, a loss of values, and the breakdown of social order. Moreover, Hollywood and the culture have a far greater influence on the church than the church has in and on our culture.

Signs of the times indicate this nation is in rapid decline, but how long do we really have? This is up for debate and speculation. But let’s consider some of the cultural, social, and spiritual symptoms common to nations that have fallen or have been destroyed:

  • Increasing rebellion against God
  • A loss of economic discipline
  • Greed; increased materialism
  • Rising government bureaucracy and taxes
  • Declining education in quality, morality, and in measurable results
  • Lack of respect for authority
  • Policies based on feelings over facts
  • The acceptance of foreign gods and empty religious practices
  • The promotion of sin and perversion
  • A decline in value of human life leading to abortion and euthanasia

Perhaps instead of asking God to bless America we should be asking Him to save us! Repentance must come first, and Christians must lead by example. If your heart is heavy reading some of this, know there is a God who loves you and wants you to turn back to Him.

If you tend to be on social media or look at the news a little too much, at government, public schools, the corporate world, the entertainment industry or culture in general, it can be quite discouraging. But if we look at all the things we each have personally and at this country in which we’re blessed to live, we can be thankful and we can take heart.

First, there’s always hope in the promises of God which the Bible describes as an anchor to our souls during storms in life. Second, if Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of your faith, your foundation won’t be shaken as it is built upon the Rock and you know all this is temporary.

Third, as imperfect as it is, we still live in one of the most amazing countries on earth. We have countless blessings, conveniences, and advantages as citizens of this beacon of freedom. Why do you think millions of less fortunate people dream about living in America? Many still risk their lives to come here.

And fourth, if you woke up today, opened your eyes and got out of bed; if you generally have your health, family in Christ, food on the table or in a refrigerator; if you have clean, running water, electricity, a house to live in, a car to drive, a job to go to and even some bills that are paid, you are abundantly blessed more than 75% of people in countries around the world.

I am particularly grateful for each day because by the grace of God, I had a successful heart operation in April of this year.

Every day we have so much to be thankful for, so let’s –

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, and His mercy endures forever.Psalm 136:1

O God, restore us and cause Your face to shine upon us, and we will be saved. Psalm 80:3

Radical Take Down of America: Has The Left Won?

Posted: March 4, 2017 by David Fiorazo in American History, Church, David's Blog, Government Corruption, President Obama, Saul Alinsky
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chipped-flag-on-brick-wall-300x200The United States of America has been under attack – from within. Two things make this fact even worse: many people are oblivious, and the larger problem is others just don’t seem to care.

It is important we understand how we got to this point of corruption and crisis as a nation, determine who is responsible, and decide what we can do about it. You may know much of this information, but many of your friends do not; please share it.

In order to examine the spiritual, financial, and political condition of the United States of America, the epic prize globalists wish to conquer, it’s vital we acknowledge some brief history.

Pilgrims and patriots came to these shores to escape religious persecution, government intrusion, and to establish a God-fearing settlement that would flourish on faith and freedom. This great Republic was originally founded upon biblical teachings, Moral Law, and the Declaration of Independence. We know, however, this is not the same country it was one or two hundred years ago.

We now know – and many of these are interchangeable – atheists, communists, liberals, humanists, Marxists, progressives, and socialists have infiltrated our government and undermined the order and very foundation of our nation. They have infected our courts, the education system, our corporations, the entertainment industry, and unfortunately, many of our churches. (Read about the Emergent Church.)

Most of us would like to see this nation return to one in which people once again honor the Lord first, respect the Constitution, the Flag, and allow others to live their lives based on Judeo-Christian principles. But this may be wishful thinking because political correctness will no longer coexist with religious freedom.

For concerned Christians, there is a stark reality looking us square in the eyes: God’s Word (Bible prophecy) reveals some sobering truths about the future of our nation and this world. Things will become even darker, more chaotic, and people’s hearts will grow cold. The Bible tells us evil will appear to prevail in the days leading up to the Lord’s return, and nations will not only come against Israel, they will stand in defiance of God our Creator and King.

The question is how much time do we have in the United States of America? Obviously, no one can answer this specifically. Could we have a great spiritual revival and awakening in our nation? It is possible, but not probable. Have we become such stiff-necked, lukewarm, self-serving people we have already sealed our own fate? Perhaps.

The other day, our guest on Stand Up for the Truth, Julaine Appling said, 

“Law is always downstream of culture.”

It is true our culture drives politics and legislation in America. Just look at the powerful LGBT lobby teaming up with Hollywood and the liberal media! But what happened to the influence of the church? Christianity used to drive culture, but today, more and more churches, leaders, and denominations have become silent or have conformed to the world.

Anti-Christian, anti-American agendas are being carried out across the country with little concern or resistance.

Two evil, influential political philosophies have shaped the direction of our nation over the past 50-plus years, and we see devastating effects on Americans who are (for the most part) unknowingly embracing them.

  • Saul Alinsky’s “Rules for Radicals”
  • The Cloward-Piven Strategy

These two progressive, Marxist philosophies and their implemented agendas have been used together to bring our nation to the precipice of economic and moral destruction. First, a quote from: Rules for Radicals: A Pragmatic Primer for Realistic Radicals

“In the beginning the organizer’s first job is to create the issues or problems.” Saul D. Alinsky,

The Obama administration sure took that principle to heart.

…Chicago-born Saul David Alinsky (1909 – 1972) was an American community organizer who dropped out of graduate school at the University of Chicago to work as a criminologist. He was drawn to the world of gangsters and was a confidant of the Al Capone mob. Alinsky became a “student” of enforcer Frank Nitti, who took over the mob when Capone was sent to prison. An Alinski radical has one main goal – power.

His motto was, “The most effective means are whatever will achieve the desired results.” In 1971, the hard Left, progressive community organizer wrote a playbook of subversive tactics to empower an upcoming generation of change agents. A few notable adherents to the Alinsky method are: Bill Ayers, Bernardine Dohrn, Van Jones, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Jim Wallis, and former President Barack Obama.

Expert organizer, President Obama, didn’t miss a beat when he left office and according to reports is scheming to sabotage Donald Trump’s presidency. His army of agitators numbering in the tens of thousands will take orders from Obama’s command post in his new Washington home less than two miles from the White House. Not content to move on like other ex-presidents, Obama is actively working to fight against Republicans.

Having raised over $40 million in the last few years of his presidency with the help of former Obama aides and campaign workers, his network of leftist nonprofits led by Organizing For Action (OFA) with 250 offices across the country, added staff, and fresh recruitment of liberal activists. Not only that, but Obama’s close confidante Valerie Jarrett has moved into his new DC home, the nerve center for their plan to mastermind the insurgency against the Trump administration.

The Alinsky Game Plan:

  • Exploit the weaknesses inherent in the system, made weaker by pitting opposing forces against one another.
  • Oppose independent, morally strong, educated people because those individuals, especially in groups, can’t be manipulated easily.
  • They attempt to end-run constitutional rights with social contract and dialectic consensus methods. Engage in large scale social engineering, attempting to unfreeze a society using chaos, and to then refreeze it in a new predefined shape.
  • The dividing lines they polarize people on are most often racial, economic, religious and political.
  • Cause social instability through subversive and divisive rhetoric. One method is to control the outcome of the education system by lowering the standards of education so that it creates a dependent class.
  • Use their political platforms to overload a society with social spending programs and class warfare to the point that hatred and division cause social panic.
  • Once they’ve created a problem, they propose themselves as the answer and use wealth transfers and the trumping of rights as the method to bring about “equality.”

…

THE EFFECTS:

  • An overpowering Federal government bureaucracy that has violated the U.S. Constitution’s principles of limited Federal government power and control.
  • $20 trillion in national debt. Not even counting Social Security and Pension obligations:  Most estimates are the nation is almost $100 trillion in debt:  A system waiting to collapse.
  • An American public that has become addicted to government handouts.  More than half the population is on direct assistance from the government.
  • A laziness and narcissism with Americans where they look to government to provide instead of providing for themselves.
  • Massive Student Loan debt that will never be repaid because of a corrupt educational system that lured young people with lies and false illusions.
  • The only way to get out of this fiscal mess is a complete overhaul of the debt situation in the nation:  BANKRUPTCY, which leads to a Marxist State.

THE ALINSKY DOCTRINE:

8 Steps to Topple a Nation and Create a Socialist State.

Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals and The Cloward-Piven Strategy have been woven together by Progressive Marxist-Humanists to create a crisis so bad that the only “solution” is what they have wanted:  Communism.  Let’s look at the eight points where the two doctrines intersect.

*Read the entire post including resource links and a conclusion, “What Christians can do about it” at DavidFiorazo.com

 

Image credit: Tomohalloran.com

Returning to God with a Thankful Heart

Posted: November 23, 2016 by David Fiorazo in American History, David's Blog, religious freedom
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thanksgiving-image“[It is] announced in Holy Scripture and proven by all history, that those nations are blessed whose God is the Lord… It has seemed to me fit and proper that God should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people.” Abraham Lincoln

It was President Abraham Lincoln who signed an act in 1863 passed by Congress for Thanksgiving Day to be recognized on the last Thursday of November. We’ve come so far and yet there is so much we continue to take for granted.

Battling the elements and the challenges of living in a new land, the Pilgrims made many more graves than huts, and yet these brave pioneers thanked Almighty God by setting aside a day of Thanksgiving! This is the American spirit; the same spirit that led brave men and women to leave England in pursuit of a land where they could worship the Lord Jesus Christ without restriction.

It is in this spirit of faith that the first Governor of Plymouth Plantation, William Bradford wrote:

“Being thus arrived in a good harbor and brought safe to land, they fell upon their knees and blessed the God of heaven, who had brought them over the vast and furious ocean, and delivered them from all the perils and miseries thereof, againe to set their feete on the firme and stable earth … Having undertaken, for the Glory of God and advancement of the Christian Faith and Honor of our King and Country, a Voyage to plant the First Colony.”

The Bible teaches us to give thanks in every circumstance and when times are tough, we know the testing of our faith produces endurance. Most of us can’t fathom what the early pioneers had to go through to gain the independence we take for granted today. Thanksgiving was originally a celebration of the harvest among the British colonists who came to America.

Then on January 1, 1795, President George Washington signed a “National Thanksgiving Proclamation,” stating:

“Our duty as a people, with devout reverence and affectionate gratitude, to acknowledge our many and great obligations to Almighty God, and implore Him to continue and confirm the blessings we experienced.”

Sixty years later, in addition to the desire to see all Americans acknowledge God and give thanks, Abraham Lincoln also recognized what he believed was God’s hand of judgment on America “for our national perverseness and disobedience.” People were falling away from God, the Civil War was taking American lives and dividing the people, and Lincoln declared the first national day of fasting and repentance. In the April, 1863 proclamation, he stated:

“We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and pros­perity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. …We have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeem­ing and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us! It behooves us then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.”

Great men seek the help of a much greater God in times of need. I wonder what Lincoln would say today.

In 2016, Americans seem angrier and less loving, more demanding and less patient, more entitled and less willing to work, more greedy and less grateful, more selfish and less Christian.

But God never changes and He is not surprised that we’ve fallen away from Him by choosing culture over Christ, and the creature over the Creator (Romans 1:25). We love this life a bit too much and have conformed to the world instead of being changed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2). We have become so busy, distracted, and stressed about things having little lasting value that we have lost our eternal perspective.

What’s the best way to regain a healthy perspective, a calm sense of hope, and a fresh thought process? Get in God’s Word.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:5-7

We have steadily abandoned the morals and principles that once made us great. Those who oppose God have assaulted the American family, threatened religious freedom, attacked Christians, rewritten our history, and have eroded the foundations of our liberty. Because of our own silence and apathy combined with these anti-Christian agendas, we are reaping the consequences as a church and nation.

What’s it going to take for America to be humbled and repent? Christians must be brought to our knees.

How do we cultivate hearts of gratitude toward God and understand how good He has been to us? Remember the Gospel. In His goodness, He sent His only Son, Jesus, to sacrifice Himself so that whoever believes Him and receives this precious gift can be forgiven of their sins. These sins once separated us from a holy, loving God, but now we’ve been brought near to Him by the blood of Christ (Ephesians 2:13)!

We have so much to be thankful for in America. Look around the world and it won’t take long to recognize despite our flaws and apathy, we do live in an exceptional country thanks to the faith of our founders and their vision for this nation.

America has done more for the world’s stability and for people in need than any nation on earth. Overall, we are a generous, compassionate people. Through the years, American churches and charities have provided practical help to countless souls world-wide and in our short history, the gospel of Jesus Christ has reached millions. The spiritual needs of humanity is far greater than any other.

So, knowing he has you and I here for His purposes at this very time in history, let’s remember the God we have taken for granted.

Thanksgiving isn’t a time to be busy and overly distracted with planning, eating, shopping, or feeling obligated; it’s a time to lift our hands in humility to the One who holds our every breath and heartbeat. God is faithful and He promises to provide all our needs (Phil. 4:13).

It is also a time to analyze and evaluate our priorities and get right with God if we have personally strayed from Him. It is a time to encourage others to cry out to the Lord for mercy and to save America from self-destruction.

“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Let’s get back to the basics of faith, family, and freedom; back to loving King [Jesus] and Country. Ours is a beautiful land and we have much to be thankful for including those who have sacrificed for the freedoms we now enjoy.

“O beautiful for heroes proved in liberating strife. Who more than self their country loved and mercy more than life! America! America! God shed his grace on Thee …”

May His amazing grace lead us to repentance. If Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior, then our perspective can be one of gratitude no matter what is happening around us. Have a blessed and happy Thanksgiving!

“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever; …But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  Psalm 106:1, 1 Cor. 15:57

Click here to read the Cost of Our Silence or see the 5-star reviews on Amazon!

 

When God’s Sovereignty Trumps Insanity

Posted: November 10, 2016 by David Fiorazo in American History, David's Blog, Media Bias
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god-sovereign-trump-election

I believe it’s safe to say God intervened in this presidential election. How else can you explain what happened? We cannot however, claim to understand what God has in mind.

The bitter, divisive election is over and the American media put up a good fight over the last several months. In fact, 91 percent of the media coverage on Donald Trump was negative. Fortunately, the people decided the outcome and chose not to believe the liberal media which intentionally gave the impression Trump was down for the count and Clinton would coast through election night to her acceptance speech while the crowds cheered.

Not exactly how it played out. It would seem insane to nominate two of the worst potential candidates with the highest negatives in election history to run for president, but we did just that!

The 2016 election cycle was bizarre, historic, and often hard to watch, but Washington outsider, Donald Trump was chosen by the American people to be the 45th president of the United States.

That number 45 is interesting. According to Bible prophecy in Isaiah 45, God anointed and raised up a pagan king, Cyrus, to stand for Israel and work on behalf of His people. I am not necessarily saying Trump is a modern day Cyrus, but God will use whomever He will to accomplish His purposes.

In the book of Daniel, the Scripture reads:

“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; He removes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals hidden things…” Daniel 2:20-22

If we really do believe God and know He is sovereign over all events and circumstances, we should ask for wisdom for the days ahead. And please don’t relax and think the work is done and we’ll be fine for four years. My main concern after this election is that Christians and conservatives will get comfortable or complacent.

The truth is God has given us a bit more time to repent, revive, and return to being about the Lord’s business.

Even though the election is over, there are many uncertainties still ahead for America, the Christian church, and our freedoms. We know however, that we can trust a known and faithful God with an unknown future.

We also know enemies of God will not relent on their evil agendas and true Christians must not rest. The Left has made tremendous progress in the last eight years under the leadership of President Obama, and much damage has been done to the character, moral fiber, and foundation of America.

The nation has been fundamentally transformed into a nation tolerant of sin and accepting of radical changes including the advancement of the LGBT agenda, the weakening of the American family, economy, and military.

The Obama administration has not been a strong supporter of Israel and even tried impacting their election last year. The media there did not give Netanyahu a chance to win reelection and had him down six points in the polls, but we all know how that turned out. Scripture teaches that God will either bless or judge nations for their treatment of His people.

The concerns Mr. Trump and his administration will be facing are daunting and numerous:

The national debt which Obama has more than doubled since taking office, the threat of ISIS and Islamic terrorism, the lack of respect world leaders now have for America including Russia and China, and the awful Iran nuclear deal practically insuring an attack on Israel.

A record number of Americans are on welfare and an unprecedented 94 million are not even in the workforce. The current president has done his best to divide the country along racial, religious, and political lines, healthcare costs have skyrocketed, and religious freedoms have been under attack as never before.

God will either have mercy on us by delaying His judgment or He will allow us to continue following the path of the lukewarm Laodicean Church of Revelation 3. For now, let’s not take for granted the short time and freedom we have in Christ and country. This is not a reprieve we’ve been given by this election; we need to wake up and speak up, taking a stand for godliness and righteousness.

Though we can’t be certain if God has been working in Donald Trump’s heart, we do know Vice President Elect, Mike Pence is a godly man. There are pastors and other people of faith in his circle of influence so we’ll see what happens. Let’s pray and expect the best.

Will Trump make good on his promises? Will the Republican majority do what the people elected them to do? No one knows for sure.

But no matter what happened on election night or no matter what will happen in the weeks and months ahead, we know God either causes or allows leaders to be put in place.

At the Constitutional Convention in 1787, Benjamin Franklin wrote to George Washington:

I have lived, Sir, a long time and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth — that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings that “except the Lord build they labor in vain that build it…”

Donald Trump had to plenty to overcome such as his own flaws and habits, years of baggage, strong, viable candidates such as Carson, Cruz, Rubio, Walker, Paul, Bush, Fiorina, Santorum, and others. He bested the Clinton machine and a complicit media that campaigned against him, George Soros’ money, manufactured protests, and skewed polls, the “Never Trump” camp, as well as biased and dishonest debate moderators. The odds seemed insurmountable.

It had to be God.

Elections however, do not change our calling and purpose in Christ. So, since these are the last days, it’s up to us to have a renewed sense of urgency and watch, work, hope and pray as never before.

What’s Happening To Our Heritage?

Posted: May 12, 2016 by David Fiorazo in American History, David's Blog, religious freedom
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geneva bible“Being thus arrived in a good harbor and brought safe to land, they fell upon their knees and blessed the God of heaven, who had brought them over the vast and furious ocean, and delivered them from all the perils and miseries thereof, againe to set their feete on the firme and stable earth … Having undertaken, for the Glory of God and advancement of the Christian Faith and Honor of our King and Country, a Voyage to plant the First Colony.” —William Bradford, Of Plymouth Plantation

In the earliest days in this land, when Christians experienced hard times, their desperation caused them to rely on God. Conversely, when things are going well, we often choose to rely on ourselves. Throughout history, the Lord often allowed persecution in order to turn people back to Him. Men came to these shores hoping to establish a God-fearing settlement that would flourish on faith and freedom.

Devout Christian, Mayflower Pilgrim, and Plymouth Colony Governor of thirty-one years, William Bradford died in 1656. Near the end of his life, an entry in Bradford’s chronicle of the colony reveals evidence of how difficult it can be to avoid subtle moral erosion in a society. He saw similarities in the material success achieved at the Plymouth Plantation and the wealth enjoyed by England, both of which came at the price of spiritual decline.

Historians disagree about the reasons for Bradford’s disdain over prosperity and sin, but here is one of the final entries in his journal lamenting the dispersal of the original church community:

O sacred bond, whilst inviolably preserved! How sweet and precious were the fruits that flowed from the same! But when this fidelity decayed, then their ruin approached. O that these ancient members had not died or been dissipated (if it had been the will of God) or else that this holy care and constant faithfulness had still lived, and remained with those that survived … But (alas) that subtle serpent hath slyly wound himself under fair pretenses of necessity and the like, to untwist these sacred bonds and ties . . . I have been happy, in my first times, to see, and with much comfort to enjoy, the blessed fruits of this sweet communion, but it is now a part of my misery in old age, to find and feel the decay and want thereof (in a great measure) and with grief and sorrow of heart to lament and bewail the same. And for others’ warning and admonition, and my own humiliation, do I here note the same.

Bradford was grieved about their apparent failure to meet or live by the high biblical standards expected of them because in the early days, Christians took their faith seriously and were committed in their pursuit of holiness as individuals and as a community. Do we experience that kind of grief, sorrow, and heartache over our own sins and the spiritual condition of our culture?

On April 8, 1630, nearly ten years after the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, a fleet of eleven ships left England from the Isle of Wight. Carrying more than 700 Puritans, plus livestock and provisions, they hoped to begin a new colony in Massachusetts Bay, free from religious persecution by the Church of England. Understanding the dangers of such a journey and aware that half of the Pilgrims who settled in Plymouth had died, many Puritan leaders were so concerned England was declining spiritually they believed the chance for religious freedom in the New World outweighed potential hardships, including death!

Sailing west on the ship Arbella, an English Puritan lawyer by the name of John Winthrop was part of the first large wave of immigrants and a leading founder of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the first major settlement in New England. Winthrop would serve as governor for the first twelve years, settling in the Shawmut Peninsula and founding what is now Boston. An estimated 200 people died from disease and a variety of other causes in the first several months, including Winthrop’s son Henry. Encouraging other colonists to trust in God and work hard, Winthrop is said to have joined workers and servants in manual labor to set an example so that “there was not an idle person to be found in the whole plantation.”

It’s interesting to note years earlier in England, Winthrop was first tutored at home and was regularly exposed to religious discussions between his father and clergymen, resulting in his knowledge of spiritual things at a very young age. This led to his admission to Trinity College when he was just fifteen years old. His strong religious upbringing and education would help set the tone for America for many generations.

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house (Matthew 5:14-15).

During the journey to America, Winthrop wrote and delivered a lay sermon to the people based on the above Scriptures. Entitled “A Model of Christian Charity,” he envisioned a unified new colony ordained to build “a City upon a Hill” dedicated to God. This famous work originally inspired the idea of American exceptionalism. With an emphasis on individual responsibility, integrity, and group discipline, his writing described how to keep the colony strong in faith and committed to God in the endeavor of creating a holy community…

Though Winthrop’s godly influence can be seen in the first couple hundred years in America, we now know it is much easier to slide down to the world’s ways than to stay close to God and pursue holiness.

Millions of religious people today have not had in-depth teachings on the Bible and spiritual things. How many can name all Ten Commandments or perhaps books and authors of the Bible? How many can share the whole gospel including the need for redemption through the blood of Christ? What we have is increasing ignorance of the Word of God and American history, as well as a disinterest in Christianity and spiritual things.

For many decades, the truth about our Christian heritage has been downplayed or worse, forgotten. Moreover, how can we avoid repeating the most disappointing parts of our history if cautions from our founders and warnings from Christian leaders are no longer taught and remembered?

Resolution One: I will live for God. Resolution Two: If no one else does, I still will.  Jonathan Edwards

One of America’s greatest theologians was Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758), a Congregational preacher and missionary in New England and grandfather of Aaron Burr, the third Vice President of the United States. Edwards was a man of hard preaching with a heart for God’s glory above all things, which is what drove him. This led him to compose a set of resolutions to guide his conduct in all areas, from his battle against sin to the use of his time.

Edward’s famous sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” is credited for starting the First Great Awakening in America. He wrote about the previous decade, saying it represented a far more “degenerate time” than ever before. Preaching in Northampton, Massachusetts, and Enfield, Connecticut, in 1741, Edwards delivered strong words to the Puritans at that time by saying:

Yea, God is a great deal more angry with great numbers that are now on earth: yea, doubtless, with many that are now in this congregation, who it may be are at ease, than he is with many of those who are now in the flames of hell … The wrath of God burns against them, their damnation does not slumber; the pit is prepared, the fire is made ready, the furnace is now hot, ready to receive them; the flames do now rage and glow … and the pit hath opened its mouth under them.

…It is indisputable men of God established this nation on biblical truth as they pursued freedom from religious persecution and “the advancement of the Christian Faith,” as William Bradford stated. But since our foundations are eroding, perhaps persecution is exactly what needs to happen in order to shake us up and bring us back to God.

Click here to read full chapter.

 

(This is a portion of chapter 1 from the book, The Cost of Our Silence.)

Americans Overruled: Judges Gone Wild!

Posted: April 18, 2016 by David Fiorazo in American History, David's Blog, Government Corruption
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“You seem to consider the judges as the ultimate arbiters of all constitutional questions; a very dangerous doctrine indeed, and one which would place us under the despotism of an oligarchy … Their power is the more dangerous as they are in office for life and not responsible, as the other functionaries are, to the elective control.”  —Thomas Jefferson, 1820 letter to William Jarvis

(This is a book excerpt from The Cost of Our Silence.)

Since our founders established a system in which all three government branches were accountable to the people, they would most likely be astonished today that the people for which the Constitution was written have done little about the massive growth, recklessness, and unchecked power of the United States government.

The three branches of government are no longer equal and tragically, a handful of justices now dictate public policy, overpowering the citizens they were appointed to serve. Though our founders realized man craves power and they had the insight to place checks and balances on government, they might not recognize the country today.

Not only have men taken authority not granted them by the Constitution, judicial tyranny has reached new levels in America and the abuse of power by judges seems almost commonplace. There have been many cases in recent history that should have raised concerns, but let’s touch on a few of them.

The first few years in the 1960s would prove both pivotal and detrimental to the church, culture, and family values in American society. Christians had already been dealt a blow in the previous decade as the Johnson Amendment affected churches and nonprofits, but Christianity would now be targeted in the public school system.

In the 1962 landmark ruling, the Supreme Court again misused the Constitution and without citing a single precedent, banned voluntary prayer from public schools. In Engel v. Vitale, the Court claimed that a simple nondenominational prayer in New York schools established “an official state religion.”

Justice Potter Stewart, a voice of common sense and reason, was one who disagreed with the decision, saying:

With all respect, I think the court has misapplied a great constitutional principle. I cannot see how an “official religion” is established by letting those who want to say a prayer say it. On the contrary, I think that to deny the wish of these school children to join in reciting this prayer is to deny them the opportunity of sharing in the spiritual heritage of our Nation.”

Our founders were rightly concerned the federal judiciary might seize powers from the states. Thomas Jefferson was one of several who warned the courts could gain power little by little, advancing like a thief “until all shall be usurped from the states.” We truly do not give these men enough credit for their wisdom and foresight.

The Engel ruling would be the basis for many future decisions involving the blotting out of God and the Bible, banning the Ten Commandments, prayer, and the quoting of Scripture in public schools. Remember, when something good, moral, and biblical is eliminated or removed, something bad, immoral, and unbiblical will replace it.

One year later, Pennsylvania took the next hit in the 1963 case Abington School District v. Schempp in which voluntary Bible reading and prayer at the beginning of each school day was abolished…

The Bible is the chief moral cause of all that is good and the best corrector of all that is evil in human society; the best book for regulating the temporal [secular] concerns of men. Noah Webster (1758 – 1843)

The path the Supreme Court sent this nation down has been disastrous for the family and future of America. This Court has ruled a life is not life, marriage is not marriage, and family is not family.

When our government ignores American citizens and refuses to allow the people to decide by voting on state issues, we end up with laws having consequences that extend far beyond the case for which the ruling was handed down.

Case in point? In 1973 one of the most horrific rulings was decided when abortion was legalized and made the law of the land in the case of Roe v. Wade. God’s Word and His law trumps man’s word and man’s law – every time, in every possible situation. Having acknowledged this, looking at the issue from a constitutional perspective, we must set aside moral arguments for a moment because that case should have been a matter of state’s rights. Murder is against God’s law; abortion is man’s law. Scripture holds abortion to be sin and in America, it used to be illegal.

…The Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution reads:

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.

Just four states had legalized abortion in 1973, while forty-six states restricted abortion, but the Supreme Court decided to enforce an unwanted law on the entire country. The ruling continues to divide American families and political parties today.

Using the court’s reasoning, since prostitution is legal in Las Vegas and illegal in every other state, should the Court legalize prostitution in all fifty states based on one case?

Activists and radicals have achieved preferred rulings by feeding their cases to power-hungry courts; a runaway judicial branch has set the stage for an executive branch dictatorship in a country where this was never supposed to be possible. Some conservatives have tried fighting the corruption, but since many of their voices are not loud enough and the media typically opposes their cause, they receive little attention.

Here are a few case examples many of us have long forgotten:

  • 1980 – The Supreme Court ruled that posting the Ten Commandments in public schools was unconstitutional in the case Stone v. Graham.
  • 1984/85 – The Court ruled Alabama schools could no longer allow teachers to hold a voluntary minute of silence at the start of each school day.
  • 1992 – The Supreme Court prohibited clergy-led prayer at graduation ceremonies. In Lee v. Weisman, Daniel Weisman sued a middle school in Providence, Rhode Island.
  • 2000 – The Court banned a policy allowing student-initiated, student-led prayer at high school football games.
  • 2002 – Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore, concerned the moral foundation of our laws in America were being eroded, placed a Ten Commandments monument in the Alabama judicial building.

Let’s look more closely at this 2002 case. Justice Moore was brought before a federal court because he believed state officials have the right to acknowledge Almighty God. In Glassroth v. Moore, the trial opened with words acknowledging the God whose laws were in question: “God save the United States and this Honorable Court.”

Attorney for Justice Roy Moore, Herb Titus, declared in his opening statement the case was about religious freedom as well as censorship:

The public acknowledgement of God as the source of our liberties is essential if we are to preserve those liberties. As the Declaration of Independence attests, if the source of individual rights is not God, then our rights are not inalienable, and if you take God out of the equation, then the all-powerful state is unchecked by any higher law.

Polls from CNN, USA Today, and Gallup showed 77% of Americans were against the federal court order to remove the Ten Commandments monument.

What happened to the voice and power of the people? In every one of these past major cases affecting millions of Americans, none were decided by a majority vote or the people’s will; they were decided by a small group of unelected justices. Contrary to the beliefs of Obama-appointee, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, judges and courts do not make laws.

Marriage laws were struck down nation-wide despite the fact majorities from states across the country went to the polls over the years and voted their deeply held beliefs in favor of defining marriage between one man and one woman.

Moreover, at least thirty-one states had passed bans on partial birth abortion but were suspended by federal judges. …At the national level, after years of incremental efforts on a bill to ban partial birth abortion, it was finally passed by both houses of Congress and signed by President George W. Bush on November 5, 2003. Federal Judge Richard Kopf suspended the law one hour later.

In the wake of the Alabama Supreme Court decision to remove the Ten Commandments, Ambassador Alan Keyes passionately explained:

Generations have acknowledged Scripture as a foundation to our lives and freedoms. Our founders believed people in their individual states have the right to live according to their faith, under institutions they put in place to govern themselves. If the people believe the Constitution was violated by a judge, they do not have to sit back and take it. The Declaration of Independence also supports the idea that “when there is a long train of abuses that are destroying our rights, the founders said that it is not only our right, it is our duty to oppose them.”

The Ten Commandments must not simply be a symbol of morality; they must be revered again in our hearts. When the Word of God is written on our hearts, morality in our communities will be affected the way our founders envisioned. A friend once said that we love our monuments – we just don’t like to obey the commandments.

So we have plenty to deal with including judges imposing their will on the people as we had in last year’s ruling legalizing same-sex “marriage.”

Jim Campbell of the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) declared:

Americans in the marketplace should not be subject to predatory legal attacks simply for abiding by their beliefs. This kind of bullying may be practiced in a dictatorship, but violations of conscience have no place in the United States.

Activists are taking full advantage of the court’s rulings because the Left does have an agenda. In a statement that would make Hitler proud, Raymond Sexton of the Human Rights Commission said it’s time for Christians in the marketplace to “leave their religion at home.”

Enemies of the Lord Jesus Christ have been gaining ground, and more citizens are being forced to choose God or government.

Has the conflict for the soul of America reached a turning point? Souls, truth, godliness, and righteousness are on the line, and our children are watching. Our freedoms will not last if the majority of Christians remain casual observers and spectators. Let’s encourage each other in Christ to be active, effective citizens and servants of our God and King because regardless of what elites think, all authority and power comes from Him.

For the Lord is our judge, The Lord is our lawgiver, The Lord is our king; He will save us— (Isaiah 33:22) To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare with Him? He it is who reduces rulers to nothing, Who makes the judges of the earth meaningless (Isaiah 40:18, 23).

 

*This is an excerpt from the chapter, “Judicial Tyranny” in the 2015 book, The Cost of Our Silence from Aneko Press.

The Last 50 Years in America (Excerpts from chapter 14 in ERADICATE)

Posted: April 17, 2013 by David Fiorazo in American History, Christianity in America, David's Blog, Eradicate - Blotting Out God In America
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The following events over the last five decades prove how God has been gradually blotted out of this great country causing some to ask, ‘where were the Christians?’ Because of our past ineffectiveness as the salt and light of Christ in our culture, morals and values have eroded. If more believers are conforming to the world than nonbelievers converting to Christianity, the enemy is winning.

America was a much more conservative, family-friendly, safe place to live in 1962 and before. Unlike the fast-paced, impersonal, high-tech, Internet age today, there was a sense of community. Churches, libraries, and playgrounds were always packed, young people had a notable work ethic, and families spent plenty of quality time together.

Generally, most Americans had no problem with the notion that we were one nation under God, but enemies of freedom via anti-Christian movements were working steadily to fundamentally transform the country we love.

HIGHLIGHTS from this shocking chronological timeline, in ERADICATE: Blotting Out God in America:

1962: Engle v. Vitale. Suddenly, after about 184 years of American history and progress, the court became concerned with reinterpreting the First Amendment. Why? Some parents of public school students complained that the vol­untary prayer to “Almighty God” contradicted their religious beliefs. This was the [offending] school prayer:

“Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and we beg Thy blessings upon us, our parents, our teachers and our country. Amen.”

The court decided prayer in public schools breached the constitu­tion’s wall of separation between church and state.

1963: The Bible is kicked out of public schools. In this case, (Abing­ton v. Schempp) the court ruled that no state law or school board could require the reading of Bible passages at the beginning of each school day…

Madalyn Murray O’Hair creates the group American Atheists. O’Hair took the school board of Baltimore to court for allowing prayer in school. Attorneys representing the school districts stated “the purpose of Bible reading and prayer was to keep order in schools and provide a proper moral climate for students.” Christian organizations were silent so the case went virtually uncontested… The Supreme Court ruled 8 to 1 in favor of abolishing school prayer and Bible reading in the public schools.

1964-1968: President Lyndon Johnson launches his Great Society, establishing Medicare, Medicaid, The Housing Act, and dozens of other programs intended to lift Americans out of poverty… Congress also gave Johnson the green light to begin fund­ing education and environmental programs. The era of big government spending was underway! The “War on Poverty” failed to help those who needed it the most and has piled massive debt on future generations.

*In 2011, the number of people receiving food stamps has soared to an average of 44.7 million, up 33% from fiscal year 2009 when President Obama’s stimulus act made it easier for childless, jobless adults to qualify for the program and increased the monthly benefit by about 15 %.

1966: Time Magazine celebrates Easter with cover story “Is God Dead?” William Hamilton, the leading radical theologian who helped influence the controversial 1960’s Death of God movement said, “We need to redefine Chris­tianity as a possibility without the presence of God.”

1967: It’s the Summer of Love in San Francisco as the hippie move­ment becomes increasingly prominent. One hundred thousand hippies celebrate the sexual revolution which is known for “free love” (sex with no thought of consequence). During the Vietnam War, “make love, not war” is the motto.

1969: In a Gallup poll, 68% of respondents said premarital sex was wrong and 21% said it was not. (By 2009, forty years later, in response to the same question only 32% said premarital sex was wrong and 60% said it was not wrong.)

1973: In the Saturday Review of Education, radical feminist leader Gloria Steinem declares, “By the year 2000 we will, I hope, raise our children to believe in human potential, not God.”

AMERICA, YOU MAY NOW KILL YOUR BABIES

1973: Roe v. Wade –court makes final decision to legalize abor­tion in all states. This single, detrimental decision by seven unelected justices defines life and death via federal abortion policy in America. Invalidating 200 years of state law, the ruling is made on the naive basis claiming that “no one knows when life begins.”

1976: The Hyde Amendment is enacted. Congress adopts the first version of the legislation proposed by pro-life Congressman Henry Hyde (R-IL), barring the use of federal funds to pay for abortions.

1977: The ACLU opposes the Hyde Amendment claiming it unfairly targets low-income women and the amendment is revised.

1980: Take the Ten Commandments down! In a five to four deci­sion, the Supreme Court rules a Kentucky law, requiring the Ten Com­mandments to be posted, is unconstitutional. In the case Stone v. Graham, it was ruled: “If the posted copies of the Ten Commandments are to have any effect at all, it will be to induce school children to read, meditate upon, perhaps to venerate and obey the Commandments … this … is not a permissible state objective.”

1981: MTV launches an entirely unique new product that would be one of the biggest influences on American youth for twenty-five years. “Music Television.”

*In 2010,a study by the GLADD found that of the 207.5 hours of MTV programming, 42% included content reflecting the lives of gay, bisexual and transgendered people– the highest gay-friendly percentage ever.

1986: No more abortion restrictions whatsoever! In a five to four court decision in Thornburg v. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, all restrictions on abortion were struck down. No more requirements to inform women about alternatives to abortion. No more requirement to: educate women about prenatal development, to inform women about the potential risks of abortion, to keep medical records of abortions, and no requirement that third trimester abortions be per­formed in such a way as to spare the life of the viable child.

1987: The Gay and Lesbian Caucus of the National Education Asso­ciation is established.

1993: With NYPD Blue, Steven Bochco launches network TV’s first R-rated prime time series.

1997: Ellen De Generes becomes the first lesbian character to star in a lead role in a prime time series. During the fourth season of Ellen, De Generes “comes out” publicly as a lesbian in an appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show.

1998: America’s First Playboy President – Bill “I screwed up with that girl” Clinton and Monica Lewinsky dominate headlines. When the truth about the scandal comes out, the media basically rationalizes his behavior.

SEPTEMBER 11 – THE DAY THAT CHANGED AMERICA

2001: Forever known as 9-11, TERRORISTS (already living in America) ATTACK AMERICA when nineteen Islamic fundamental­ists, identified as al Qaeda terrorists, attack the United States killing 2,977 Americans by hijacking four fully fueled jetliners… America was hurt, but not humbled by the attacks, and sadly, our ‘unity’ lasted about nine months.

2008: Barack H. Obama is elected the first black President of the United States. First president in our history to be elected without having to provide his college records, transcripts, financial, or medical records. Entire periods of his life are missing from his biography.

2009: Newsweek proclaimed “The Decline and Fall of Christian America” on its cover. Editor Jon Meacham argues the falling numbers of self-identified Christians in America is a “good thing.”

2010: Over 46 million American people live below the poverty line in 2010. Remember Lyndon Johnson’s “Great Society” and the billions of dollars that have since been spent to stop poverty?

2011: A record 44.7 million people – or one in seven Americans – are on food stamps. In fiscal year 2011, the federal government spent more than $75 billion on food stamps, which provided an average monthly benefit of $133.85 a month. That’s up from $34.6 billion at the end of fiscal year 2008… The Heritage Foundation says that “spending on income-based programs, such as food stamps, has increased by one-third to $900 bil­lion under Obama.”

2011: Eighty percent of evangelical Christians from the age of twenty to twenty-nine have had premarital sex according to a study called National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. In the same poll, about 88% of all single young people in that age range have had sex. The difference between Christians and non-Christians is about eight percent. Even more startling, the findings also revealed that just 76% of evangelicals believe premarital sex is immoral!

2012: Vice President Joe Biden endorses same-sex marriage. Next, Barack Obama becomes the first president in United States history to openly support all forms of homosexuality, gay rights, gay adoptions, and civil unions.

2012: Democrats move to eradicate God from their Party platform and decide to remove all references of God during the 2012 Democratic National Convention. They take a vote to reconsider and the majority of Democrats boo!

Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the LORD, since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them. (Proverbs 1:29-32)

Has America chosen to hate knowledge and to not fear the Lord? Is our complacency beyond cure? Are we at the point where God will not answer our cries? The Lord is a patient and compassionate God, but His anger won’t be held back forever. We must choose this day whether we will serve our culture or Christ.

The signs of the times indicate we should have an extreme sense of urgency. …This may require some extra effort and perhaps a lifestyle change, but it will be worth it in the end, because our labor in the Lord is never in vain (1 Cor. 15:58).

“If by excessive labor we die before reaching the average age of man, worn out in the Master’s service, then glory be to God. We shall have so much less of earth and so much more of heaven. It is our duty and our privilege to exhaust our lives for Jesus. We are not to be living specimens of men in fine preservation, but living sacrifices [Rom.12:1], whose lot is to be consumed.” – Charles Spurgeon

Christ is our future and our hope, and He gives us purpose to live every day. We don’t know when our journey will end, but until the Lord returns, there will always be an agenda to blot out the God of Christianity. Will the church continue conforming to culture? It will depend on the choices individual believers make. It is my hope that I have encouraged you to live a more undaunted life in passionate pursuit of Truth. It is my prayer that we work to impact America together. You and I are here for such a time as this. 

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. (Matthew 5:14)

 

*This excerpt from “The Last 50 Years in America” includes about 10% of the chapter’s content.  For more information or to purchase ERADICATE: Blotting out God in America, please go to www.BlottingoutGod.com

Church and State