One of the most popular stories ever told is about the first Thanksgiving. School children are taught time and time again of how in the Autumn of 1621, the pilgrims ate alongside the Indians in celebration of a successful harvest. Although they did have a three-day feast in celebration of such bounty, this "first Thanksgiving" was not a holiday but simply a gathering. There is little evidence that this feast of thanks led directly to our modern Thanksgiving Day holiday. Thanksgiving can, however, be traced back to 1863 when President Lincoln became the first president to proclaim Thanksgiving Day. The holiday has been a fixture of late November ever since.
Let us take a closer look at just what took place leading up to that event and then what happened in the centuries afterward that finally gave us our modern Thanksgiving.
The Pilgrims who sailed to this country aboard the Mayflower were originally members of the English Separatist Church. They were NOT the Puritans that we read so much about. Puritans did not believe in separating themselves from society, as the Pilgrims did. They had earlier fled their home in England and sailed to Holland (The Netherlands) to escape religious persecution. There, they enjoyed more religious tolerance, but they eventually became disenchanted with the Dutch way of life, thinking it ungodly. Seeking a better life, the Separatists negotiated with a London stock company to finance a pilgrimage to America. Most of those making the trip aboard the Mayflower were non-Separatists but were hired to protect the company's interests. Only about one-third of the original colonists were Separatists.
30 Million Americans Descended from the Mayflower Pilgrims from only 51 people?
They Wanted to Obey the Bible, not man's laws.
Our Declaration & Constitution: came from the Mayflower Compact.
Pilgrims Didn't Mistreat theNative Indians and actually bought the land they settled on from the Indians at the price the Indians came up with?
'Obedience to God Means Resistance to Tyrants'
The Pilgrims didn't just give America Thanksgiving celebrations. They believed religious freedom and liberty were worth dying for. They made the Bible America's most-read guide to life. And the Pilgrims' covenant with God and man in 1620 and the form of self-rule they pioneered would eventually shape America's Constitution and the entire government.
"2022 is the 402th anniversary of the founding of Plymouth. I think that's a huge milestone. It's a great milestone in human history," said Christian historian Jerry Newcombe, producer of the documentary, "The Pilgrims."
"The Pilgrims" looks at how those 51 surviving Pilgrims not only lived through their first brutal Massachusetts winter but went on to influence their future nation. "This small, small group casts a very large shadow," Newcombe told CBN News. 30 Million Americans Descended from the Mayflower Pilgrims
In Newcombe's documentary, Pilgrim reenactor Leo Martin, founder of Plymouth's Jenney Museum, asks, "Did you know today that 10 percent of the population of the United States are Mayflower descendants? 30 million people from 51." "The Pilgrims founded America for all intents and purposes," argues Prager U founder Dennis Prager in the documentary. In those days, England demanded all its citizens belong to the Church of England and conform to its beliefs…or face harsh punishment. They Wanted to Obey the Bible, Not the Church of England
"You will worship as they say you worship," Plymouth Rock Foundation founder Paul Jehle told Newcombe. "And so to do this illegally meant you could be arrested. If you continued, you could be put to death. In fact, some of the friends of the Pilgrims were killed in the Tower of London."
So the Pilgrims fled. "They just wanted to worship Jesus and the purity of the Gospel, and the king wouldn't let them do that. He was ruling over their conscience. That's why they fled," Newcombe explained to CBN News. They'd come to believe in radical ideas they found in the Bible: like they had rights given by God, and that He wanted them to be free, to govern themselves from within. The Most Precious Cargo was the Ideas
"The Mayflower was a cargo ship. But the most precious cargo that was carried across the Atlantic were the ideas in the hearts of the Pilgrims that were drawn from the Bible," Jehle says in "The Pilgrims."
He continues, "You see the seeds of liberty – both religious liberty and civil liberty – and the idea of self-government and rule from within, all these are within that body of Pilgrims."
A proud farmer worth listening to...what abundance we have been given by God and what an enormous responsibility does the farmer have on his shoulders. Here is Joel Salatin who understands just that and who calls himself a Christian libertarian environmentalist capitalist lunatic farmer. He spoke at Hillsdale last week and it was a riveting and engaging speech.
When we look through our plate at dinner, what do we see? Imagine the farms on the other side, the foodscape on the other side, the nutritional commitment on the other side. Dear folks, we need to make our menus agree with what we know and believe in our minds.
What I propose here is a long-term solution, an abundant solution, a people-affirming solution. God help us to love it, do it, embrace it. ~ JS
This spring when Russia invaded Ukraine, fertilizer prices increased in some cases 400 percent and global grain shipments sputtered, our farm didn’t feel anything because we don’t buy fertilizer and we don’t buy foreign grain. Suddenly our years of being marginalized by the agri-industrial complex inverted and interest in our methods and madness exploded. Both farmers and non-farmers began asking “how do we disentangle from the system?”
“Just in time,” the darling inventory phrase of recent decades, changed to “just in case” as supply lines fractured. Culturally, a society detached from menial life tasks like farm chores and kitchen duties, suddenly found itself vulnerable to unforeseen fragilities. The food and farming sector goal switched from efficiency to resiliency. In the spring of 2020, as covid’s black swan permeated the world, store shelves went bare. Farmers euthanized (that means killed and threw away) millions of chickens, turkeys, and hogs because mega-processing plants couldn’t maintain operations.
At our house, we neither worried nor feared because we had freezers full of meat and a basement full of canned garden produce. I don’t say all this proudly; I say it gratefully, and as a challenge to everyone: freedom comes from participation. We’ve spent a couple of generations exiting historically normal tasks and behavior, from integrating livestock and crops, growing gardens, buying locally and cultivating domestic culinary arts. We even abandoned breast feeding our babies for a couple of decades.
We thought squeezable cheese and subcontracting kitchen duties to mega-corporate entities, replacing decomposition with chemical fertilizer, honey with refined sugar, and butter with hydrogenated vegetable oil would launch us into a new freedom nirvana. But instead, it shackled us, enslaved us to nefarious scientists bringing us fertilizer and menus from laboratories instead of from God’s ecological womb. Those of us who continued to participate in historically-normal farm chores, garden production, local or biologically grown sustenance, and domestic culinary arts are today enjoying more independence and freedom. You cannot have freedom without participation.
Here are two questions to ponder. First, would America’s food system have convulsed as violently if instead of 300 mega-processing facilities employing 5,000 people apiece we funneled our food through 300,000 community-scaled 20-50-employee facilities? The second question is when rocky disruptions affect our ship of state, would you rather navigate dangerous shoals in a maneuverable speedboat or an aircraft carrier that takes 10 miles to turn around?
Let’s examine what a food and farming parallel universe would look like by juxtaposing current objectives with the lunatic fringe alternative.
1. CHEAP FOOD VERSUS PRECIOUS FOOD. If one thing defines American agriculture, it is dedication to cheap food. American per capita expenditure on food is the lowest in the world; our per capita expenditure on health care is the highest. Cheap food promised to give us spendable cash to attend football games and casinos, cruises and movies.
It created a love affair with Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOS) that became incubators for disease. Floating on a sea of cheap energy, these facilities promised mechanized farming and pharmaceutical health. Subtherapeutic antibiotic use created a world of superbugs like mRSA and cDiff. A brand-new lexicon burst on the American vocabulary: campylobacter, lysteria, E. coli, salmonella, food allergies, Type 2 diabetes: these are nature, beaten and abused, on its knees, pleading and begging “Enough!”
Instead of God’s designed decomposition driving fertility, petroleum-based chemical fertilizers substituted, like an intravenous feeding tube replacing edible food. In short order, our agriculture system created a dead zone the size of Rhode Island in the Gulf of Mexico, infertile frogs, and three-legged salamanders. And now our life expectancy is dropping; we’re addicted to pharmaceuticals; physical and emotional maladies plague our nation.
According to the 2022 Personal Capital Wealth and Wellness Index, only 53% of Americans are in a position to handle an unforeseen $500 expense without worry.
I'm a firm believer that breakthroughs often come through brainpower and perseverance. But I've learned another lesson the hard way and by helping others: Breakthrough can also come through brokenness—our times of trouble, trial and even tragedy. And there's no better proof for that than at Thanksgiving time and in particular reflection of what the Pilgrims originally endured.
A few years ago, USA Today reported on a multiple-university study on the power of gratitude. The researchers discovered that gratefulness really is medicine for the soul. It can make you both healthier and happier.
The researchers found that those who practiced a thankful attitude lifted their moods, felt less stress and depression, felt less hostile, had lower blood pressure and had lower risks of several disorders, including phobias, bulimia and addictions to alcohol, nicotine and even food.
Gratefulness even can help us stop binging and mood eating over the holidays. And with studies showing that the average American gains seven pounds between Thanksgiving and Christmas, that's great news about which we all can be thankful!
The unresolved conspiracy theories surrounding the late US president John F. Kennedy's death remain to this day
Kennedy was part of a motorcade along with his wife, Jacqueline, on the streets of Dallas when he was shot at by Oswald from atop a nearby building. (Shutterstock)
Ask any American who they think killed President John F. Kennedy, and you’re sure to receive a wide range of answers.
There’s the official government conclusion from the Warren Commission that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone when he killed the president on November 22, 1963, in Dallas.
And then there’s the wide swath of conspiracy theories that Oswald had help from other people, according to Gallup.
Right after Kennedy’s death, Gallup found that 52 percent of Americans thought Oswald was part of a larger conspiracy, with just 29 percent saying he did it all by himself. The belief that others worked alongside Oswald has never dipped below 50 percent in Gallup polling and peaked at 81 percent in 1976.
Gallup is not alone in its findings. FiveThirtyEight .
Overall, FiveThirtyEight had the same findings as Gallup did in its latest poll in 2013: 61 percent of Americans believe Kennedy “wasn’t killed by Oswald alone.” Only 33 percent say it was just Oswald.
Of all the demographic groups polled, only one had a minority of conspiracy believers — white college graduates, with 46 percent holding that belief.
Here are a few of the popular theories that fuel the disconnect between the official government findings and public opinion.
A Second Shooter
Separate from the Warren Commission, President Lyndon B. Johnson tasked the House of Representatives Select Committee on Assassinations with official fact-finding on who killed JFK. The House report found a “high probability” that two gunmen fired at Kennedy.
This led to the popularization of the term “grassy knoll,” alluding to a hill near Dealey Plaza from where some believe Kennedy‘s true killer fired.
CIA Involvement
The Oliver Stone Film “JFK” posits the idea that the CIA or people associated with the CIA were involved in some way in the Kennedy assassination. Theories range from mild complicity on the CIA‘s part to suggestions that a CIA operative actually fired the deadly shot.
Seven percent of Americans who think Oswald had help say the CIA was involved, according to Gallup’s 2013 survey.
The House Select Committee report said the CIA “was deficient in its collection and sharing of information both prior to and subsequent to the assassination.”
Fidel Castro and Cuba
Earlier in his presidency, Kennedy had signed off on an operation known as the Bay of Pigs Invasion, which ended with a failed attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro‘s communist government.
Following that botched attempt and the Cuban Missile Crisis, one theory goes that Castro had a hand in the assassination, perhaps through some loose association with Lee Harvey Oswald.
Many have speculated that the documents scheduled to be released on Oct. 26 would contain information on, where he may have met with either Cuban or Soviet officials.
This is a belief that 5 percent of Americans who believe in the conspiracy hold, Gallup found.
The Mafia
Most of these theories center around the Cold War tensions of the time in 1963, but many believe it was as simple as a mafia hit.
Kennedy’s brother Robert was attorney general at the time of his big brother’s assassination, and had made it a point to go after organized crime. The House Select Committee’s report concluded that the mafia was not involved, but it did not rule out specific members of the mafia.
In 2013, Gallup found that 13 percent of Americans who believe Kennedy was killed in a conspiracy plot blame the Mafia.
A phone call by a campaign worker for Arizona governor candidate Kari Lake to the Maricopa County attorney turned into an obscenity-filled explosion on the part of the government official, a new video reveals.
The campaign volunteer called Tom Liddy, the county attorney, on Friday seeking simple election-related data, including the number of voters who had their ballots canceled on Election Day. Liddy, a Republican former congressional candidate, is the son of Watergate figure G. Gordon Liddy.
The volunteer said he wanted to say that "Maricopa County was being cooperative," as the final vote count in the governor's race is still not complete, with Lake trailing Democrat Katie Hobbs by less than 18,000 votes with more than 95% tallied.
"One thing that would be really helpful is for us to be able to say that Tom Liddy is giving guys good information," the campaigner said. "And that is one thing that is in your control and we would really appreciate it."
Liddy responded: "Guess what. Let me educate you. I cannot control what you say, OK. You can say whatever you want to say. I can't control it. Now, if you're not happy working with me and you don't want to continue working with me and you don't want the answer to your questions, then we'll just stop. I don't give a sh**."
"No, Tom, that's the opposite of what I am saying," the volunteer answered. "I want to work with you.I want to get the right information. I don't want disinformation out there. That is what I'm looking for."
By Samantha Strayer of The Federalist (A great republish from 2015)
Just as the status of a check-engine light speaks to the soundness of a vehicle, there are indicators throughout society that speak to the soundness of a nation. In a land as vast and populated as ours, with technological advancements once the sole province of science-fiction, it is nearly impossible to count such indicators.
But there is one — simple, short, and easy to read — that clearly reflects the spiritual health of the country: the annual Thanksgiving Day Proclamation.
First, a few clarifications are in order. Giving “thanks” is of course not unique to any particular group of people or geographic location, and expressions of gratitude can take many forms. What has become the American Thanksgiving holiday — aside from packed airports, creepy balloon parades, and political arguments — is really the amalgamation of several traditions: feasting in celebration of a bountiful harvest or military victory and submitting to God through supplication and praise.
Proclaiming a Day of Thanksgiving
George Washington issued the first presidential proclamation on October 3, 1789, recommending all Americans to set aside November 26 as a “Day of National Thanksgiving.” He and his successors through James Madison issued similar proclamations, but only sparingly and at various times of the year. From 1815 through 1860 there were no thanksgiving proclamations whatsoever.
Not until October 3, 1863, the very same day Washington had done 74 years earlier, did the annual tradition begin.
Abraham Lincoln, who venerated Washington and often followed his example, began issuing proclamations his first year in office. But not until October 3, 1863, the very same day Washington had done 74 years earlier, did the annual tradition begin.
Every president since has issued a Thanksgiving Day proclamation specifically set for the end of November. However, only the title, time of year, and — on a very superficial level — the theme of thankfulness has remained the same.
Indeed, no nation can withstand multiple large-scale wars, advancements in science and technology, and challenges to our understanding of human nature and remain unchanged. Whether mere hints or explicit proofs, you can trace national shifts in these proclamations. Most notable and notorious is the Progressive movement and its emphasis on human-generated moral and spiritual “uplift.”
Since Washington’s proclamation was the first of its kind (and President Obama references it in each of his), it is the legitimate standard by which we can and should assess the 2015 proclamation. Here are three notable differences.
1. In Service of God Versus Service to Others
Throughout his proclamation, Washington focuses on God and our relationship to him. Our duties are clear: “acknowledge His providence,” “obey His will,” “be grateful for His benefits,” “humbly implore His protection and favor,” and seek his “pardon for national and other transgressions.” In short, Thanksgiving should be “devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be.”
Washington explains that greater freedom for the individual and entire nation will naturally flow from this godly inclination. Of the 432 words comprising his proclamation, he refers to God 15 times.
It's one of the most famous events in the Bible, even among the first ones taught to little children: The story of Jonah, the man who ran away from God, only to be swallowed by a large fish in the sea.
And once he was yanked out of the body of the beast, this ancient prophet was able to convince the entire population of a large city to repent of its wickedness and be saved.
But when the dots of the story are connected with the rest of Scripture, the account is broadcasting beautiful messages and inspiring prophecies for the future that go far beyond the actual historical event, according to the author of a best-selling new book.
Regarding Jonah, "He's a man running away from God when God told him specifically to do something," Kovacs began. "So right away, we know he represents all of us 'cause we're, at some point in our lives, running away from God when He wants us to do the other thing."
"But he also ... most famously, is dwelling in the body of a beast – a big beast as a matter of fact. A big fish. Why is that? It's because, as we said before, mankind is dwelling in the body of a beast. We are all in the image of God, but currently we're like the animals [made of mortal flesh]. And we read many Scriptures before that mankind 'is like the beasts that perish.' (Psalm 49:12, 20 NKJV). We are all a person with a mind, dwelling in the body of a beast."
The Old Testament itself states: "Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights" (Jonah 1:17 KJV).
(ISRAEL 365 NEWS) – The region, once known as the Fertile Crescent, is on the verge of a food crisis as the main sources of water disappear. Officials struggle to cope as a prophetic scenario appears.
Iraqi officials are reporting that for three consecutive years, the rainy season has begun later and ended sooner than the historic norm. This has been coupled with less water flowing through its two main rivers, the Tigris and the Euphrates. The region has also been plagued by ongoing conflict. “Desertification now threatens almost 40% of the area of our country – a country that was once one of the most fertile and productive in the region,” Iraq’s President Abdul Latif Rashid told the climate summit in Egypt last week.
Nadhir Al-Ansari, professor at Sweden’s Lulea University of Technology, told Reuters that rainfall in Iraq had declined by 30% over the past three decades, with the lowest precipitation coming in the last two years.
“What was once known as the Fertile Crescent started to die about 35 years ago,” he said.
Officials accuse Turkey of cutting the river’s flow upstream over the last two years to half the level it committed to in a 1987 accord, a claim the Turkish government denies. In the year to September, rainfall in southeast Turkey where the rivers originate was 29% below the average of the previous three decades, according to Turkey’s meteorological agency. Dams and drought have reduced the waters of the two rivers to about 20% of previous levels.
King Hezekiah’s seal impression gives his name and the name of his father Ahaz in the top row of letters, with his title “King of Judah” on the bottom row.
In biblical times carved stone seals, typically about the size of a fingernail, were used to stamp small lumps of clay or wax to denote authorship, authenticity or ownership of documents and other objects. The resulting clay impression is called a bulla (plural bullae). Such seals are mentioned often in the Bible. A number have been found bearing the names of biblical figures, demonstrating the accuracy of Scripture.
A remarkable archaeological find in Jerusalem of a bulla was made public in February in the combined March-April-May-June 2018 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review under the stunning title “Is This the Prophet Isaiah’s Signature?” The author, archaeologist Eilat Mazar, directed the excavation where the bulla was found south of the Temple Mount. Read More
My backyard’s small sugarbush. Every year we put out 15 or so taps.
It took a few decades, but five years ago I finally got around to setting up my own maple operation. “Modest” would be a generous way of describing it. “Tiny” is more accurate. I pored over Backyard Sugarin’, the go-to guide on how to build a shoestring maple-making operation. I came at this with big dreams: Maybe I can sell a few gallons, I thought. Maybe one day I’ll even build my own sugarhouse. You know, give it all up and become a full-time maple syrup maker. Oh, dreams.
The thing is, sugaring has a quick and powerful way of humbling novices. I overboiled an early batch, producing something more akin to candy than syrup. After one long day, I spilled another batch as I attempted to bottle it, and nearly half of what I’d slaved over oozed across my counter. I wanted to curl up in the corner of the kitchen and rock myself to sleep.
But there were some successes, too. I actually did make syrup that first year. I awed my family with the small crop I’d produced and felt sharp pains of agony whenever we, you know, we actually ate it. Can’t we just look at it? I thought. I mean: All. That. Work. No luck. That first year, a few short weeks after I’d made my maple syrup not a trace of it was to be found. So it went the following year. And the year after that.
Over the years my operation has evolved, with a maturing level of methods. My very first batch I tried to cook down on the stove. When that took too long, I turned to the grill and quickly went through a tank only to barely bring my pot of sap to boil. I finally settled on a crude little rig that was made with cinder blocks, disposable cooking pans, and a lot of firewood.
Trying to list all of the best places to vacation across the U.S. is a bit of a fool’s errand — there are just too many! What we can do, though, is compile the ultimate travel bucket list. Read on and mark down some of the top sites and cities across the country that you want to see at least once.
Whether you’re looking to hike in the Teton Mountains, swim at a black-sand beach in Hawaii, or sip a sparkling wine at a Napa Valley vineyard, we have a list of the 50 best places for you to visit in the USA.
Sedona — Arizona
Best for Desert Scenery
You'll never get over marveling at the beauty of the Red Rocks of Sedona — they're that awe-inspiring. Get up-close and personal with these rust-hued mesas and buttes via Jeep tour, then head to one of Sedona's vortexes to soak up some positive vibes. (Using healing crystals and getting an aura photo is optional.)
Natchez - Mississippi
Best for Touring Antebellum Homes
The city of Natchez, a former trading post on the Mississippi River, is known for its many antebellum mansions, including Brandon Hall Plantation, now functioning as a charming inn with canopied beds, antique furnishings, and landscaped grounds. Other historic homes worth a visit include Longwood, Dunleith, and Auburn.
Hawaii
Best for Exotic Beaches
You can't mention the best places to visit in the USA and not show the Aloha State some love, especially its beaches. From the black sand of Punaluu, to the green (yes, green!) sand of Papakolea Beach (both on the Big Island), to the great snorkeling at Maui's Makua Beach, Hawaii lives up to its billing.
Did you know that cranberries contain one of the highest concentrations of antioxidants of any fruit?
By Dr. Josh Axe
Did you know that cranberries contain one of the highest concentrations of antioxidants of any fruit? That’s right — these incredible berries are loaded with health-promoting antioxidants, which help protect cells against free radical damage and aid in the prevention of chronic disease. (1) Cranberries should be a staple on every shopping list for many reasons, including their ability to reduce body-wide inflammation, boost immunity and more.
Ready to learn more about this powerful superfruit and how it can impact your health? Here’s what you need to know the cranberry.
Top 6 Benefits of Cranberries
Prevent and Treat Urinary Tract Infections
Decrease Inflammation
May Help Prevent Certain Cancers
Improve Immune Function
Benefit the Digestive Tract
Reduce Risk of Heart Disease
1. Prevent and Treat Urinary Tract Infections
One of the most well-known cranberry benefits is its ability to act as a home remedy for urinary tract infections (UTIs). UTIs are significantly more common in women than men due to the location of the urethra. They can affect any part of the urinary tract but occur most often in the bladder. (2)
Each year, it’s estimated that urinary tract infections account for about 7 million office visits in the U.S. alone. (3) The infection produces symptoms of frequent, urgent or painful urination, which is sometimes accompanied by abdominal pain or blood in the urine. Most UTIs are caused by a harmful bacteria called Escherichia coli (or E. coli).
Cranberry fruit is thought to contain specific compounds that prevent bacteria from attaching to the inner surface of the urinary tract or bladder. (4) For this reason, many health professionals recommend drinking one to two glasses of 100 percent pure, unsweetened or lightly sweetened cranberry juice a day to aid in the prevention of urinary tract infections. Studies offer evidence that women who drink cranberry juice frequently may suffer fewer symptomatic urinary tract infections. (5, 6)
Cranberry juice, capsules and tablets are good alternatives to antibiotics, which come with a slew of adverse side effects like yeast infections, digestive issues and antibiotic resistance. When reviewers compared cranberry juice, capsules or tablets with a placebo or water for the prevention of UTIs in a variety of populations, results showed that over a 12-month period, cranberry products reduced the overall incidence of UTIs by 35 percent. They also cut the annual rate of new infections by 39 percent in women with recurring UTIs. (7)
2. Decrease Inflammation
Inflammation is at the root of many chronic conditions, including heart disease, autoimmune disease, cancer, diabetes and more. Fortunately, anti-inflammatory foods like cranberries can help naturally combat inflammation thanks to their rich content of antioxidants.
Antioxidants are compounds found in foods with vibrant colors, such as the dark red color of cranberries or the rich blue/purple color of blueberries. All berries help fight free radicals thanks to their antioxidant content, but cranberries are one of the top sources.
Inflammation can occur when the body’s immune system goes into overdrive, working to rid the body of toxins that may come from an unhealthy diet, pollution or other factors. A diet low in antioxidant, anti-inflammatory foods results in an abundance of free radicals within the body. Free radicals are a type of compound that can build up over time, causing inflammation and oxidative damage to cells. Plus, they up the risk of chronic disease. Loading up on antioxidant-rich foods like cranberries is an easy way to fight the effects of free radicals and relieve inflammation.
3. May Help Prevent Certain Cancers
Research shows that cranberries contain cancer-fighting substances that may be helpful in preventing the growth of breast, colon, lung and prostate cancer cells. In fact, both human and animal studies show that cranberries may help slow tumor progression and block the growth of cancer cells. (8, 9) Coupled with their potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, cranberries may help lower the risk of some of the most common types of cancers. That’s why they are considered cancer-fighting foods.
President Biden is one of the more religiously active presidents in modern times. Being only the second Roman Catholic president – 60 years after President Kennedy – the issue of abortion has slipped off the back burner for Biden. There has long been a simmering debate over what the Catholic Church should do about public officials who support abortion. It is, after all, one of the serious of mortal sins according to Catholic dogma. In fact, for generations, support for abortion was an automatic excommunication from the Church.
Abortion kills more black Americans than the seven leading causes of death combined, according to data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Abortion killed at least 203,991 blacks... staggering
See what Planned Parenthood's founder had planned for black people ... MORE
The myth of white privilege says blacks are arrested and incarcerated at a higher rate due to systemic racism that exists in the law enforcement and court systems. However white privilege isn’t real, and we’re going to prove that institutional racism isn’t the cause, but the breakdown in the family unit and uneducated people who make bad life choices are the real causes of the problem. We will answer these questions:
Do Blacks Commit More Violent Crimes Than Whites? And Why Are Blacks More Likely to Become Criminals
Suppose you owned a very valuable automobile, and someone comes in and steals it. Then your next-door neighbor catches that person and calls the police. The policeman shows up and asks the person who robbed and crashed your beautiful car, “are you sorry?"
The thief responds to the officer, “yes, I am". The officer arrests the man and goes to court and testifying on behalf of the man says he has personally forgiven the man for the crime and asks the judge to do the same. Since the judge being a fine Christian, sees the sincerity in the criminal, also forgives the person and lets the person go.
Now you are out of a car that was destroyed, and you have now had a situation where someone who's done you harm gets off Scot free because he has been forgiven in the name of the goodness in God.
A person comes in and robs your house, rapes and kills your wife and children and then gets apprehended by the police leaving your home covered in your family's blood. Now, your focus is on being a very good Christian, and you decide to forgive the animal that did all this. You then go to court, and you ask the judge and God to forgive the person for the crime he has done against your wife and your children. The press reports the situation as if you are some sort of saint! In this example, yes, by societies standards, you have practiced real Christianity to have forgiven the person who has harmed your family!
You feel great about yourself, and others marvel at your faith and courage – but how will that go down with your wife and family in the next life? Do you think they will think you had the right to forgive what happened TO THEM?
You may think that the above cases that I just used our little absurd, and granted I agree they are. However, those cases are exactly what mainstream Christianity tries to force feed its population of what to adhere to. We are told we are to forgive others their sins. Believe it or not, nowhere in the Bible – nor from the word of God or Jesus Christ, are we told to forgive people that sin against other people. There are examples that Jesus gave us to forgive those who sin against us. We have the right to ask God to forgive for someone who harms us, but we do not have the right to forgive people that harm others. It is simply not our right to do so.
The simple plain truth on the topic of forgiveness is this: Only God can forgive sins. We cannot forgive sins. We have the right, and maybe the obligation to ask God to forgive those who sin against us; however, we have no right to ask God to forgive the sins of those who have harmed others – loved ones or not. Yet this is exactly what we are told we are to do.
Brace yourself for this truth...The Bible says that to forgive people of their sins yourself is blasphemy! You don't have the right to forgive sins, a Catholic priest does not have the right to forgive sins, nor the Pope! Only God can forgive sins... All you can do is ask God to forgive those who sin against you, not others. Here are some quotes, and brief explanations from the Bible:
Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralytic
Matt. 9:9 So He got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own city. 2 Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.”
3 And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, “This Man blasphemes!”
4 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5 For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’? 6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” 7 And he arose and departed to his house.
The simple fact is that the scribes knew the law. They knew what blasphemy was, what they didn't know is that Jesus was God and only God can forgive sins.
Here is Jesus' famous little primer on proper prayer. It's found in Matthew Chapter 6:
Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. (Notice the Kingdom of God will be on earth!) Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, As we forgive those who sin against us. (Notice not for sins against others!) And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
How did the Apostles forgive sins after Jesus was gone, did they forgive peoples sins and heal them? In Acts Chapter 3, we read:
3 Peter and John were going to the Temple courtyard for the three o’clock prayer. 2 At the same time, a man who had been lame from birth was being carried by some men. Every day these men would put the lame man at a gate in the temple courtyard. The gate was called Beautiful Gate. There he would beg for handouts from people going into the courtyard. 3 When the man saw that Peter and John were about to go into the courtyard, he asked them for a handout.
4 Peter and John stared at him. “Look at us!” Peter said. 5 So the man watched them closely. He expected to receive something from them. 6 However, Peter said to him, “I don’t have any money, but I’ll give you what I do have. Through the power of Jesus Christ from Nazareth, walk!” 7 Peter took hold of the man’s right hand and began to help him up. Immediately, the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8 Springing to his feet, he stood up and started to walk. He went with Peter and John into the temple courtyard. The man was walking, jumping, and praising God.
Did you notice the apostles forgiving the man, as Jesus did? The simple answer is no, they did not because they understood the truth is that God alone forgives sins. We have the right, and yes, the duty to forgive those who sin against us, but not those who sin against others. The best one can say would be, “May God forgive you for the crimes you have done against others,” but you do not have the right to do so. In fact, doing so is blasphemy.
One last point. God does allow us to collectively or singularly ask for the forgiveness of others who have WRONGED GOD, but not other people other than ourselves. We see examples of Moses praying for the sin of the people against God to be blotted away. God can, and often do this – we are not to try and do the same. Moses never forgave the people himself but asked to do so.
Exodus 32:30
Moses Begs the Lord to Spare the People
30 The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a serious sin. Now I will go up the mountain to the Lord. Maybe I will be able to make a payment for your sin and make peace with the Lord for your sin.”
Don't be fooled by others to conform to a Christianity that is really paganism and satanism in the disguise of Christ and God! Read the Bible from cover to cover and learn what it says to do. Follow those words that you read, they are from God and not from men, and you will be shocked to learn The Plain Truth that will set you free from the shackles of so-called “Christianity!"
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I received a letter from a reader named Ed who wanted to know if God chooses to be involved with world events or does He have more of a 'hands off' approach. It is a great question and one that we have written numerous articles about on The Plain Truth. One being, "Where is God When Tragedy Strikes?". Our answer may confuse some, including Ed. The Godhead, for the most part does not interfere in human events. Why? This simply is not God’s world! That’s right, you read that right, this world today is not God’s world. The governments and the economies of the globe are not God's, and neither is anything relating to the societies in which we operate our daily lives in culturally or religiously. All of this belongs exclusively to us and what a great number of people are unaware of is that it all is secretly ruled by Satan, the devil!
In the Bible, Satan is called the “god of this world.” “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not…” (2 Corinthians 4:4). He is the “prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2), and rules the peoples of this world, even though most do not know this. He is the great fallen archangel of scripture whom we are told deceives the whole world! (Revelation 12:9). He currently possesses rulership, the control and the sway over governments of the world and over the nations.
When I said that "for the most part God does not interfere in human events", in some ways I expressed to Ed that He does. God is involved with our certain leaders and some governments...especially His called-out ones. Scripture is very clear that throughout history The Godhead has intervened in world affairs that further God's plan of the Kingdom to come.
(FAITHWIRE) – A pastor and chaplain is on a mission to help struggling veterans find peace. Greg Wark, co-author of the new book, “The War Fighter’s Soul, Engaging in the Battle for the Warrior’s Soul,” revealed the dire circumstances many men and women in uniform face when they come home from battle.
And while the mental health crisis among veterans is continuing to get attention, he said it’s nothing new.
“We’ve had maybe 27 years of peace in our entire existence in America,” Wark told CBN’s Faithwire. “The rest of it’s been time when our veterans are fighting and dying – and for our freedoms.”
The suicide crisis among veterans is well-documented. According to the Centers for Disease Control, “Tragically, out of the 130 suicides per day in 2019, 17 of those lives lost were veterans.”
Wark said he’s been working with those returning from battle for nearly three decades, helping them navigate marriage, life, alcoholism, and other struggles. Despite his successes, mental health struggles persist for many.
Actor Jon Voight has made an impassioned plea for former President Donald Trump to be voted back into the White House in 2024 claiming he is the 'only' person who is able 'to rebuild our soil and our land.'
Voight, 83, who has been a devoted supporter of the former president, released the poor-quality video on Sunday which appeared to have been shot on an old cellphone as he made the preacher-like speech, speaking of 'lies' and 'deceit' in the recent midterm elections.
This March 14, 2022, handout photo shows an ancient Christian monastery uncovered on Siniyah Island in Umm al-Quwain, United Arab Emirates. (Nasser Muhsen Bin Tooq/Department of Archaeology and Tourism of Umm al-Quwain)
(AP) -- An ancient Christian monastery, possibly dating as far back as the years before Islam spread across the Arabian Peninsula, has been discovered on an island off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, officials announced this month.
The monastery on Siniyah Island, part of the sand-dune sheikhdom of Umm al-Quwain, sheds new light on the history of early Christianity along the shores of the Persian Gulf. It marks the second such monastery found in the Emirates, dating back as many as 1,400 years — long before its desert expanses gave birth to a thriving oil industry that led to a unified nation home to the high-rise towers of Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
The two monasteries became lost to history in the sands of time as scholars believe Christians slowly converted to Islam as that faith grew more prevalent in the region.
Eighty-eight abortion businesses have closed or halted abortions following the Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs to overturn the faulty Roe v. Wade decision that created a federal "right" to abortion.
That's according to a new survey of the industry done by the pro-life organization Operation Rescue.
Its report said, "According to a new survey of each abortion facility in America conducted by Operation Rescue in October and November 2022, there are currently 683 abortion facilities/businesses operating in 36 states and the District of Columbia. Eighty-eight abortion facilities closed or halted abortions."
That, Operation Rescue said, was the "lowest number of abortion facilities in the U.S. in nearly five decades. In 1991, there were 2,176 abortion facilities in the U.S. Since that time, the number of abortion facilities have decreased a remarkable 68 percent."
There now are 14 states that are abortion-free, and another seven states are fighting in court to join that list.
I remember many pro Trump supporters in 2019 who told me God gave us Trump to save this country. Now many of these same people don't want Trump to run again. Did God change? Either God gave us Trump or he didn't. I believe God did and still is offering the American people a way out of our coming disaster.
I know this will offend many, especially those who have given up on Donald Trump because of his weird antics. I also respect the job that Ron DeSantis has done in Florida, thanks to the fact that he is governor because of Donald Trump. If it were not for Donald Trump becoming president in 2017, the so called MAGA, or America First movement would have never begun. We would not have the Republican so-called “stars” even in office today. I fear many have forgotten that because they are literally embarrassed by Trump’s cutthroat ways.
Yes, Donald Trump is a fighter. A nasty fighter. A no holds barred nasty fighter. A terrible enemy if you choose to be his enemy. And most people do not like that about Trump. Why? The answer is obvious. We watch too much TV news. We have fallen victim to all the Trump derangement syndrome and the propaganda against Trump because the Deep State (government, media, big corporations, and the military) fear that he could win again. That’s the Plain Truth.
The Deep State isn’t worried about a DeSantis candidacy. They’re not worried about Glenn Younkin or any other politician. They know that politicians – all of them- can be stopped by their dark satanic ways.
