WHAT IS FALSE AND WHAT IS TRUE ABOUT 2022

Presented for your consideration - Paul:

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WHAT IS FALSE AND WHAT IS TRUE ABOUT 2022
by Mario Murillo | Jan 3, 2022

2022 is going to fool a lot of people. The same way that 2020 and 2021 fooled them. Do not let yourself be one of those who is fooled again. 2022 will be a year of extremes. It will either be your greatest year of opportunity or a massive missed opportunity.

Here are the big questions that confront us in the New Year:

-Who will lead the charge to restore American Freedom? Will it be Trump or DeSantis? Our present “leaders” have humiliated us before our enemies, stolen our freedoms, and wrecked our economy. It is clear that not only do we need a leader, we need that leader now. We cannot wait for 2024.
-What is the most dangerous distraction that is coming in 2022 for us as believers? It is the vast blanket of deception that evil will drop on us in an attempt to derail our progress and wipe out our gains. Some of that evil will look very Christian, yet it will be anything but Christian.
-How do we avoid being fooled again and chart a course to meaningful victory?

So, we begin. To clear away the cobwebs we need to go back to December of 2019. Remember when almost every preacher predicted smooth sailing in 2020? They said a great victory lay ahead. We were going to prosper, be blessed, and highly favored. But what happened? Within weeks we were locked down and the ‘two weeks to flatten the curve’ we were promised has turned into years that flattened everything but the virus.

How did so many get it so wrong? I remember the firestorm that came against me when I warned everyone that megachurches could suddenly become empty and that Trump needed to act to keep the election from being stolen. As late as October of 2020 I was issuing these warnings. I was ridiculed and condemned for my statements. They were, "See no evil. Speak no evil. Hear no evil."

Now I am issuing new warnings about 2022 and I am going against the grain again.

But my goal is not gloom and doom; it is discernment and preparation in order for you to be able to seize 2022 for the glory of God.

The deception that I see hitting American pastors is their yearning for the good old days. What these preachers do not want to face is that there is no going back. Once again, they are dusting off the therapeutic sermons and the smiley face talking points that fooled them at the end of 2019.

Once again prophets of ease are predicting a wonderful, carefree year—the very same things they said in 2019.

You look around and you see all of the same messages, the same conferences, and the same souvenirs from that moment which fooled them before. To understand the danger, we must look at Samson.

And (Delilah) said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” So, he awoke from his sleep, and said, “I will go out as at other times, and shake myself free!” But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him (Judges 16:20).

Those who prophesy good times in 2022 are getting it wrong for the same reason that Samson was destroyed. You see, Samson did not lose out with God at that instant. He had lost out even before he met Delilah. God’s approval had lifted off of him, even though power still operated in him. His attitude was, “I will go out as before, at other times.” He believed he could just do what he had always done, and that brought destruction on him.

That is no different from preachers who revert to their old ways—ways that failed to discern the calamity that was at the door. If they do the same things again in this New Year, I foresee a complete removal of their ministry.

It is not about politics. It is about evil.

Once again, we are hearing the tired argument that politics should not be in the pulpit. All around us are distractions from the real war which is to unite; to organize; to expose the last election; and to enforce election integrity in the coming elections.

Now let me say this: You do not need predictions as much as you need direction. False prophecies can be titillating, but they are destructive.

If you want to be ready for 2022, then heed my warning. We do not need to sit around and listen to all the soothing words coming from the pulpit describing how good things are going to be. We need to make something happen. God wants us to rise up in faith against evil. The last thing we need to do is to go back to a lukewarm fantasy world.

So, who led the political charge in 2022? My answer must include a mention of General George S. Patton. You must see Victor David Hanson’s lecture on Patton. In that lecture, he said this explained why Patton was constantly kept from commanding an army: because his superiors did not understand war.

“There is a pattern here of undeniable experience, preparation, and natural genius, who understands the horrific nature of war, and who bothers the people who command him, and yet, time and time again, when he is not given an appointment or a promotion befitting what he has earned on the battlefield, people die. And yet the way that the…therapeutic system justifies that, is that he slapped a soldier.”

The Nazis, who had executed over 25,000 men for cowardice, could not fathom why the Americans would take their most effective general off the frontlines “just for slapping a soldier”.

Eisenhower and Bradley felt pressured by the outraged “therapeutic community” at home. Patton was not only a brilliant general who won battles, he was an unequaled tactician who understood how to win wars. Time and again Patton suggested tactics that were rejected, but were later were confirmed to be right, and because of those rejections, thousands died for no reason.

So, who do I think should lead us now? The answer is Donald Trump.

So, who do I think should lead us now? The answer is Donald Trump. I wholeheartedly trust in his ability to drain swamps. He is our Patton. Once again, the Christian therapeutic system does not like him. He is not sweet. He has given out mean tweets. But we do not need Mr. Rogers right now. We need a political general who understands the evil and will not quit.

How did Trump come to these skills of exposing corruption and forcing deals in America’s favor? He did it in New York City. He faced towering corruption, mind-bending regulations, and criminal enterprises. He built his empire against insane resistance that none of us can understand. That is the skill we need now.

DeSantis is a stunning gift for the future who needs to build his legacy in Florida and win that state for Trump and the Republicans. But that future will not be there, then, unless we have a Patton now, leading the way both in the midterms and in the presidential election.

Our job is clear in 2022. Victor Davis Hanson said it best about the Democrats, “So this is a revolutionary Jacobin movement. I think everybody saw that in 2021 and I think they fear rightly that it’s going to continue in 2022 – even if it explodes and takes us with it. But they’re not going to change on their own.”

The revolution the Democrats are trying to bring is not going to stop— even if it explodes and takes us down with it.

Let that settle in your heart—"the revolution the Democrats are trying to bring is not going to stop— even if it explodes and takes us down with it." And they are not going to change. We have no choice but to stop this threat.

Our job is clear in 2022. We must not back down from our free speech as Christians. We must brace ourselves for a long battle against further lockdowns and tyranny from all directions.

Do not let anyone shame you for believing in American freedom. Do not let the head-in-the-cloud Christians who are binging on emotional experiences distract you from speaking out. We must pray, evangelize, organize, and keep our foot on the gas. Freedom is in sight!

Coincidence? Or Open Admission of a Plan?

In 2007, Robert Redford directed the film "Lions for Lambs", starring a cast of lefties like him.

A Republican congressman played by Tom Cruise made a stunning prediction which was supposed to sound subversive back then, but which came true in 2021:

Timeless Wisdom: The Tocquevillian Descent Into Tyranny

 BY JOSHUA CHARLES - 

April 9, 2021 Updated: April 12, 2021

biggersmaller

At the end of his seminal work, “Democracy in America,” Frenchman Alexis de Tocqueville offered a stunningly prescient “prophecy” of how democratic institutions could easily fall into a tyranny unlike anything the world had ever seen before. Nearly two centuries later, his “prophecy” seems to draw closer and closer to fulfillment every day, if it hasn’t been fulfilled already.

He opens his “prophecy” with this bracing assertion:

“I had noted in my state in the United States that a democratic state of society similar to the American model could lay itself open to the establishment of despotism with unusual ease … If despotism were to be established in present-day democracies, it would probably assume a different character. It would be more widespread and kinder. It would debase men without tormenting them.”

Freedom is such a normal concept in American thought and rhetoric that the idea that our system could become tyrannical “with unusual ease” makes us incredulous. How could that be? Tocqueville explains how.

He describes a society awash in prosperity and luxury unseen since the beginning of the world. But at the same time, a mass of citizens “turned in upon themselves in a restless search for those petty, vulgar pleasures with which they fill their souls.” Each is almost totally atomized from the rest. “He exists only in himself and for himself,” Tocqueville predicts.

Social atomization: check.

Above this mass of the atomized stands “an immense and protective power which alone is responsible for looking after their enjoyments and watching over the destiny.” Tocqueville describes this power (the government) as a sort of reverse-patriarchy. Fathers, after all, seek to “prepare men for manhood.” But this government “seeks only to keep them [the citizens] in perpetual childhood.”

Lack of maturity and increased childishness: check.

You see, this is a society of amusement. Its spiritual core is gone. “It prefers its citizens to enjoy themselves provided they have only enjoyment in mind,” Tocqueville declares. But there’s a catch: “It works readily for their happiness, but wishes to be the only provider and judge of it.” This government provides and even anticipates their needs, secures their pleasures, and directs their industry. In spine-tingling words, Tocqueville said it ultimately aims to “remove from them entirely the bother of thinking and the troubles of life.”

Intellectually debased and superficial: check.

The end result is that freedom in day-to-day choices is restricted more and more, day after day, as the state “gradually removes autonomy itself from each citizen.”

Society is inundated with laws, rules, and regulations managing every detail of life. Even the ambitious and entrepreneurial struggle to break through them, Tocqueville foresaw. This web of regulations “does not break men’s wills but it does soften, bend, and control them…It does not tyrannize but it inhibits, represses, drains, snuffs out, dulls out so much effort that finally it reduces each nation to nothing more than a flock of timid and hardworking animals with the government as shepherd.”

Stifling economic regulations: check.

Such a system seems to be the opposite of democratic. But ironically, it is the democratic principle itself that leads to it. “They derived consolation,” Tocqueville observes of these future citizens, “from being supervised by thinking that they have chosen their supervisors.” In other words, because they ostensibly chose their government through their vote, they do not fear its encroachments on liberty. It’s a creature of their own making after all.

But Tocqueville believed the opposite. Rather than being a creature of the people, such a government gradually makes the people into its creature. Its regulation of every aspect of life “gradually blots out their mind and enfeebles their spirit.” As a result, the people delegate more and more of their ability to choose how they live their lives to the state, whose decision and provision they begin to rely upon even more than they rely upon themselves.

Yes, they retain the right to vote. But, in arguably the most penetrating statement of his entire career, Tocqueville observed:

“It is, indeed, difficult to imagine how men who have completely given up the habit of self-government could successfully choose those who should do it for them, and no one will be convinced that a liberal, energetic, and prudent government can ever emerge from the voting of a nation of servants.”

In other words, a nation of individuals who no longer govern themselves can’t be expected to wisely choose those who will govern them. They no longer know what free, virtuous, and wise decision-making is. Therefore, retaining the vote doesn’t achieve them much, since slowly but surely the government they mold begins to mold them.

Unprecedented dependence on government for day-to-day life: check.

Eerily enough, Tocqueville predicted the rise of demagogues who would claim “the defects they see had far more to do with the country’s Constitution than with … the electorate.” Is this not precisely what we have seen in our own day? The people are endlessly flattered, and the Constitution is constantly trashed.

The terminus point described by Tocqueville is chilling:

“The vices of those who govern, and the ineptitude of those governed, would soon bring it to ruin, and the people, tired of its representatives and of itself, would create free institutions or would soon revert to its abasement to one single master.”

This is the unavoidable end for any people who have lost their virtue, their vigilant watch over their institutions, and accepted the erroneous idea that they control a government they’ve become dependent upon. When such a point is reached, there are only two options left: revert to freedom, or the further consolidation of power into fewer and fewer hands—even, perhaps, a single person’s hands.

I pray we are not there yet. But I fear we are much closer than we ever dared to think.

Joshua Charles is a former White House speechwriter for Vice President Mike Pence, No. 1 New York Times bestselling author, and historian.

The Future of Medicine

 Remember this?

What do you know? Blogger still allows captions. :)

Remember how "Bones" McCoy could instantly scan for all sorts of issues and injuries? Now look at this:

Slowly but surely, we're catching up with Star Trek. That's a good thing!

The Future is ... Painful

What's Going to Happen Next?

I get asked that question more frequently than you might think. Watching the news reports - assuming you can find one you trust to be reasonably accurate - can leave an intelligent person curled in a fetal position, wondering when it will all be over.

Jesus' followers asked Him the same question, although for slightly different reasons. Let me set the scene for you:

a) Israel was occupied by Roman troops, which were everywhere;

b) The Romans allowed the Jews the illusion of self-rule, but only the religious council - and they only had authority in spiritual matters; political guidance came from Rome; and

c) Many Jews were agitated by the Roman occupation, and wanted to mount a revolt for Israel's freedom - especially the Zealot movement, which could be loosely compared to the III% movement of today.

From the book of Matthew, chapter 24 –

Jesus then left the Temple. As he walked away, his disciples pointed out how very impressive the Temple architecture was. Jesus said, "You're not impressed by all this sheer size, are you? The truth of the matter is that there's not a stone in that building that is not going to end up in a pile of rubble." 

Later as he was sitting on Mount Olives, his disciples approached and asked him, "Tell us, when are these things going to happen? What will be the sign of your coming, that the time's up?" 

Jesus said, "Watch out for doomsday deceivers. Many leaders are going to show up with forged identities, claiming, 'I am The Anointed One, the Messiah.' They will deceive a lot of people. When reports come in of wars and rumored wars, keep your head and don't panic. This is routine history; this is no sign of the end. Nation will fight nation and ruler fight ruler, over and over. Famines and earthquakes will occur in various places. This is nothing compared to what is coming.

(Leaders with forged identities, called "The One"? Nah, couldn't be.)

"They are going to throw you to the wolves and kill you, everyone hating you because you carry my name. And then, going from bad to worse, it will be dog-eat-dog, everyone at each other's throat, everyone hating each other. In the confusion, lying preachers will come forward and deceive a lot of people. For many others, the overwhelming spread of evil will do them in—nothing left of their love but a mound of ashes.

Christians being put to death, around the world? Check. Overwhelming spread of evil? Check. People hating Christians and Christianity? Check. Lying preachers, deceivers? Check. People at each other's throats? Check. People hating anyone and everyone? Check.

"Staying with it—that's what God requires. Stay with it to the end. You won't be sorry, and you'll be saved. All during this time, the good news—the Message of the kingdom—will be preached all over the world, a witness staked out in every country. And then the end will come. 

~ snip ~

"If anyone tries to flag you down, calling out, 'Here's the Messiah!' or points, 'There he is!' don't fall for it. Fake Messiahs and lying preachers are going to pop up everywhere. Their impressive credentials and dazzling performances will pull the wool over the eyes of even those who ought to know better. But I've given you fair warning. 

"So if they say, 'Run to the country and see him arrive!' or, 'Quick, get downtown, see him come!' don't give them the time of day. The arrival of the Son of Man* isn't something you go to see. He comes like swift lightning to you! Whenever you see crowds gathering, think of carrion vultures circling, moving in, hovering over a rotting carcass. You can be quite sure that it's not the living Son of Man pulling in those crowds.

~ snip ~

"Then, the arrival of the Son of Man! It will fill the skies—no one will miss it.

Cable/satellite TV broadcasts? Probably.

"Unready people all over the world, outsiders to the splendor and power, will raise a huge lament as they watch the Son of Man blazing out of heaven. At that same moment, he'll dispatch his angels with a trumpet-blast summons, pulling in God's chosen from the four winds, from pole to pole.

Again, he's promising a world-wide audience, presumably watching a "live" broadcast. But for all I know, he may be talking about the event being visible everywhere at once. How? How should I know? A god so small that I could figure out his methods wouldn't be worth serving.

"Take a lesson from the fig tree. From the moment you notice its buds form, the merest hint of green, you know summer's just around the corner. So it is with you: When you see all these things, you'll know he's at the door. Don't take this lightly. I'm not just saying this for some future generation, but for all of you. This age continues until all these things take place. Sky and earth will wear out; my words won't wear out.

"But the exact day and hour? No one knows that, not even heaven's angels, not even the Son. Only the Father knows. The arrival of the Son of Man will take place in times like Noah's. Before the great flood everyone was carrying on as usual, having a good time right up to the day Noah boarded the ark. They knew nothing—until the flood hit and swept everything away.

"The Son of Man's arrival will be like that..."

* * * * *

So are we in the end times? Yes, I believe we are entering the times Jesus described as "the beginning of sorrows" in the King James translation (the version most folks are familiar with). But, he added, "the end is not yet."

It's not over yet, folks, not by a long shot. Don't give up; I believe there's still time to pull America back from the brink of whatever it's doing now. America can be great and good again.

"But Paul, what if you're wrong?"

Then we get to go to Heaven even sooner, along with all of God's faithful followers. Ain't nothing bad about that!

* Jesus most often referred to himself as "the Son of Man" - this is a reference to the Messiah as described in the Old Testament book of Daniel, chapter 7, verses 13-14:  "I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." 

   By this, He was reasserting his identity as the Son of God and the Savior of mankind.

"Border War Could Plunge America Into Anarchy"

I present this for your consideration; make of it what you will.

Prophetic Warning: Border War Could Plunge America Into Anarchy

10:00AM EDT 10/14/2014 Rick Joyner

Will a threat from our porous Southern border destroy American society? (Flickr/Dominic Alves)

The recent breaches in White House security are not only shocking; they are prophetic. It was revealed that the man who jumped the White House fence did not just make it to the unlocked front door, but actually got inside the White House, and deep inside of it. He was tackled by an off-duty agent who "just happened to be passing by."

This breach into what is considered the most important house in America is a reflection of the breakdown of security for the whole nation. Those whose most basic responsibility is the defense of our country have not done their job. They have left us vulnerable, and our enemies are now pouring through our porous borders.

In the prosecution of a crime, you look for a motive, means and opportunity. Those with the motive to kill Americans and destroy America now have the means and opportunity because of the failure of our government to secure our borders. It does not take a genius or a prophet to know our enemies are not going to let such an opportunity pass by, when our government is leaving the front door open to them, just as the front door of the White House was left open.

We are more vulnerable to terrorist attacks now than we have ever been. We will soon pay a terrible price if this is not addressed with the greatest resolve. The most basic responsibility of the federal government is defense, and the most basic defense of a nation begins with securing its borders. Our government leaders are presently guilty of the most basic dereliction of duty or treason. It must be one or the other.

There's more ... much more. Read the rest to see the author's vision (which he believes to have been divinely inspired) of the coming chaos.

It sounds entirely plausible to me. Make of it what you will. 

Future Posts

I'll only say this about that.

I will continue posting, talking about the Alaskan weather, local news, and national issues when I feel so moved. My daughters & I will continue visiting the range, and life goes on.

Note that I didn't say "goes on as before." With the apparent collapse of the Republican Party, those who voted for free stuff outnumbered those of us who wanted to be left alone.

Things will go on, but not as before. The country has been altered, perhaps irrevocably, although many of the changes have yet to be implemented. But it will not be the America in which I grew up; that place is gone. I accept that, and move on.

I refuse to be cowed, depressed, or defeated, and I remember what "Chesty" Puller said: "We're surrounded - that simplifies our problem!"

Carry on ... and remember: "If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31)

But What About the Flying Car?

This is some cool stuff - Robotic Trends for 2012. 

Excerpt:

According to the NRI, co-robots must be safe, relatively cheap, easy to use, available everywhere, and interact with humans to “leverage their relative strengths in the planning and performance of a task.” “A lot of us are turning our attention in that direction,” said a researcher from our panel of experts. (No wonder so many U.S. roboticists spent the latter portion of 2011 drafting proposals!) The program’s scope is broad, but the key aspect of co-robots is clear: Co-robots must interact with humans.

 Click the link to read the whole article. All I can say is, we may get our Star Trek future yet.


p.s. Hey, Popular Science - I'm still waiting for my flying car. You promised!


h/t Teresa