Category: Current Events & Politics

Forecasting Disaster Part 2, by ShepherdFarmerGeek

The Unfolding Disaster There is another category of crisis that can be forecast in a sense, and that is the “unfolding disaster”. Some crises don’t just strike out of the blue one day; they begin and gather steam. Keeping an eye on national and global news, we can spot events that are clearly going to worsen and spread. We won’t be able to predict the exact day of the turning point or the milestones as they unfold, but it becomes obvious that something bad is dead ahead and there’s no getting out of it. Others may be in denial and …


Forecasting Disaster Part 1, by ShepherdFarmerGeek

Have you heard? There’s a lot of speculation lately that we might see downright apocalyptic events in mid-to-late September. I have to admit; it’s an impressive list of events, prophecies, and trends, and I’ve been encouraging my family and friends to top off their preparations in anticipation of what might happen. My “threat level” assessment is high. However, this is also an opportunity to revisit this whole idea of “projecting” trends and “forecasting” events, so that we are not tripped up or misled by the limitations of that process. Rather, we should focus on what truly is important, especially if …


Letter Re: Can the States Seize Control of Federal Lands

James and Hugh, I’m referencing the 22 August article “Can the States Seize Federal Lands?“. First, they are NOT Federal Lands; they are State Lands being occupied by the Fed, mostly illegally. The U.S. Constitution is quite clear on how the Fed MAY purchase State Lands (Article I, Section 8, Clause 17) in a specifically limited quantity, for only necessary functions of the Fed, and MUST have the agreement from the State Legislature in question. Second, as decided by the Supreme Court of the U.S., “A State is created in Statehood, instantly and whole”, (paraphrased). To wit: not created in …


Jade Helm Reporting From Leakey, Texas, by S.

[Editor’s Note: This letter is run in its entirety; however, it is important to note that there are several assumptions made in the letter. A basic tenet of research is the understanding that “correlation does not necessarily mean causation.” Just because two things happen at the same time does not mean one has caused the other. Internet and telephone communications go out all of the time and providers are often reluctant to accept responsibility, especially if it is only a temporary disruption. There are also many reasons that Internet can go out, from work crews replacing amplifier modules to overheating …


Letter Re: Jade Helm 15

HJL, What do you think of Jade Helm 15? I’ve heard lots of things about this from mild to wild… What say you? – B.D. HJL Responds: While our minds always have a tendency to fall to the conspiratorial side, I am a firm believer in Occam’s Razor. The more complex an issue is, the more people have to be involved and people are the greatest weakness of any “plan”. JWR and I are in complete agreement on the implications of Jade Helm 15 and its impact on the people in the United States. It is nothing more than a …


Letter Re: Chattanooga Terrorist Attack

Hugh, Is this worth exploring further? I could not find any more information on this yesterday, but it is definitely interesting as it relates to the Muslim terrorist attack in Chattanooga. Also today, Trevor Loudon has information that expands on it. I expect more will come out from this in the days ahead. Also very glad to hear that governors of several states are taking the security of our military recruitment centers in their own hands. Hugh Responds: This shooting in Chattanooga is truly a tragedy, especially for the families of those four marines who were gunned down. Nothing can …


Married Under God or Licensed Marriage, by G.P.

Three women and two men who wear robes to work` have decided that they know more than God on what marriage is. They have chosen to throw out all that we have known as Godly marriage. I fully and firmly disagree. Married Under God What does it mean to be “married under God”? Let’s start at the beginning, at creation. The Man: These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, and every plant of the field before it was in …


Letter Re: Don’t Tread On Us

HJL, In his “Don’t Tread On Us” contribution, BJ says SCOTUS erred in not treating gay marriage as a states’ rights matter. The states agreed, in 1868, via the 14th Amendment, that they would provide equal privilege, immunity, and protection of the laws to all citizens. The 14th Amendment reads, in part: “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal …


Don’t Tread On Us, by B.J.

This past July 4th was a somber day for us. We spent the day reflecting on the state of our country, not the least of which was the recent Supreme Court actions and the world and sacrifices our founding Fathers endured. Later in the day my wife and I decided to get off the farm and go to town for a burger. We passed a large city park that was packed full of people making merry. I wondered, “What independence are they celebrating?” Did I miss something? Have we solved the pesky little problem of unreasonable searches and seizures in …


Letter: 501c3

HJL, The IRS is not evil in itself, in my view. They are a tax collection agency for the government. They are pretty good at what they do, albeit with many errors and some corruption along the way. The law makers who write the laws implementing policies that the IRS must enforce are another matter. Most of those folks we elect, and it’s not a pretty picture. I don’t believe the IRS is where the real fight for the soul of our country is or will be. We, as Christians, can either change the law (policy) through lobbying and/or elections, …


Letter Re: Pound Sand, Your Honor

James or Hugh, Regarding Odds & Sods, Monday, 6 July 2015 in reference to New American Article; “Pound Sand, Your Honor. More Americans Want States To Ignore Federal Courts”, apparently there is some ignorance afoot about the federal courts, and the federal government. The citizens need to learn that the federal government was created by the original states and allotted certain specific duties for each branch to carry out, and given ONLY those duties. Thomas Jefferson, in 1798, and James Madison, in 1799, together established the legal action of NULLIFICATION; as a legal means for the citizens and states to …


Letter: End of America

To The Editor: In a recent WND.com article titled “End of Christian America is here; It’s no accident we are witnessing the beginnings of persecution.”, Jonathan Cahn, well-known Messianic Jewish Rabbi (one who has come to faith in Jesus/Yeshua) has warned that the June 26th Supreme Court ruling that legalized homosexual marriage in all 50 states marks the formal end to Christian America. In other words, we as a nation have flipped God the finger, spit in His eye, and said: “We don’t need you anymore—we’re going to do it our way.” Cahn has declared that, barring a miracle, the …


Letter Re: Churches and 501(c)3 Status

Dear Editor, I appreciated DF’s letter on IRS 501(c)3 status and forwarded an edited version of it to my church leaders and friends. This morning, I was doing further research and discovered IRS publication 4220 titled “Applying for 501(c)3 Tax-Exempt Status.” On page 6 of that publication is the following paragraph: RELIGIOUS, The term church includes synagogues, temples, mosques, and similar types of organizations. Although the IRC excludes these organizations from the requirement to file an application for exemption, many churches voluntarily file applications for exemption. Such recognition by the IRS assures church leaders, members, and contributors that the church …


Independence Day

Dear Editor, I noticed something creepy this year about Independence Day coverage, besides the constant fear mongering. The term “Independence Day” was hardly used. It was replaced with “July 4th” or “4th of July”. Fox News had a running theme of veterans, where they were thanking veterans for our freedom, et cetera. NBC used a theme of veterans and immigrants, as in being proud to be American. This has nothing to do with Independence Day. Shouldn’t we be celebrating the breaking away from a monarchy? Really, it’s about a bunch of guys fed up with taxes. I can’t tell if …


Letter: The $100 Bet on Greece

HJL, As I write this, Greece and its financial woes are in the news again. There is nothing especially surprising about that, as Greece has been there before. Greece has been in a state of “soft default” since at least 2009. For the last five years Greece and the EU have engaged in on again – off again negotiations trying to tap dance around what has become known as “The Greek Debt Crisis”. The can, as they say, has been kicked down the road several times. At the end of this month (June 2015), Greece is due to cough up …