TEENAGE SUICIDE

George Offerman

8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

   Neither are your ways my ways,”

            Declares the LORD.

9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,

   So are my ways higher than your ways

   and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Isaiah 55:8-9

Last week, a good acquaintance of my teenage son committed suicide.  This boy was 17, and it appears, like many suicides of young people, there was not a lot of warning and it caught everyone off guard.  Needless to say, there are many questions and even more anger, frustration and sadness over how this boy did not reach out for anyone’s help, nor did it appear that many people reached out to him during this time.  My son is very distressed over this and has been, and still is, trying to make sense of this.  It is one of his main concerns that will be the subject of this posting, as he has alluded to how the Catholic Church, at least in some of the comments he has heard, states people who suicide commit mortal sin, and thus are condemned to hell.

This is what the Church teaches about mortal sin:

1)      Its subject must be a grave (or serious) matter.

2)      It must be committed with full knowledge, both of the sin and of the gravity of the offense (no one is considered ignorant of the principles of the moral law, which are inborn as part of human knowledge, but these principles can be misunderstood in a particular context).

3)      It must be committed with deliberate and complete consent, enough for it to have been a personal decision to commit the sin.

Suicide is one of those matters in which the Church has debated over the centuries, and it has culminated with the most recent teachings by Blessed John Paul II that those committing suicide most likely have not committed a mortal sin, due to the person not necessarily being of the right mind, and thus, incapable of giving full consent to the action.  We know through millennia of observation, that preservation of life is the strongest force known to mankind.  To go against this innate knowledge in and of itself, is an act of insanity.  Insanity precludes clarity of thought and full consent as these are quite absent with people in this condition.

This I can also verify personally.  I’ve been in the mental health field for 26 years, and unfortunately, have had too many people I have known or personally worked with that have committed suicide.  When a person becomes suicidal, he is absolutely convinced he has no other options and because the internal pain appears so intense and never ending, killing oneself seems like the ‘saner’ option between the two positions.  It is not seeing other options that is at the crux of the problem for those who are feeling suicidal, and as long as they keep this to themselves, it is highly unlikely they will pull themselves out of this, as they are already biased towards no hope and cannot get to a place of hope on their own.  They need to reach out, but by virtue of the nature of their condition, they do not, and thus, it becomes more of a ‘catch 22’ for these people.

Interestingly enough, those who failed at killing themselves most often report they are glad they did not succeed.  They also report (those who have worked with me) that it was in the act of trying to take their own life that they found meaning in their life.  Nearing death, it really dawned on them how much they were harming those they loved, and many report it was the first time they really thought about other people and their pain, and it gave them another perspective on life.  Either way, they report how ‘insane’ their actions were and how distorted their thought processes were to convince themselves that they had no value to anyone.

I informed my son that no one knows where this boy is, and that the Church does in fact, teach we are not to judge where one may go, because frankly, we don’t know.  Now there is no doubt that suicide is a grave matter, but one also must recognize that only God can see into matters of the heart, and knows what state this boy was in when he took his life.  Unlike what many may think about God, it is most likely that God grieves for this boy even more than we do, as only God knows what mission this boy was to accomplish, and most likely, this mission will now be incomplete.   This is why it is so important to fight these urges, and to talk to someone when feeling this way.

This is also why we need to withhold any judgments on people who commit suicide.  I or really anyone cannot say with any certainty that this boy went to hell any more than I can say that my father, who lived an exemplary life, is now in heaven.  Because God’s thoughts and actions are so superior to ours, it is a relief to me that I don’t need to concern myself with such matters, and as such, should no one else who claims to be a believer in God.  We can only pray for the dead, and hope that God, in his perfect love, balances his divine mercy with divine justice and resolve such situations in a way that we are reunited with our loved ones at the end of time.    

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY

George Offerman

For those expecting a movie review, I will not be giving one now, or ever.  I will not see this movie under any circumstances and I will take it a step further and state no Christian should go to see a movie like this.  I have read reviews and watched a couple of the trailers on you tube, and that was more than likely even too much.  The little I did see is what I suspected when hearing of this movie: that it is filled with occult material and advanced spiritualism.  While I am sure it’s intended to be ‘pure fiction’ one ought to consider the overall purpose of a movie like this.  Does it bring about a fuller understanding of our humanity in a way that inspires us, or does it distract us with images that impede our walk with the Lord?

I have heard and read on the various blogs and comment sites about how many adults want to get ‘psyched up’ for the ‘holiday’ and this movie does the trick.  I have also seen many comments about how people in their 50’s still look under the bed before going to sleep, shutting the closet door, and having night lights.  And these same people state these movies are ‘harmless entertainment’.  Then why go through the rituals as if there are monsters, spirits or demons in one’s room if none of it is real?

The problem is that most people (and I’m referring to Christians here) are very unaware of how the spiritual realm works and what happens when it is accessed.  I covered this in one of my hermeneutics postings, forbidden knowledge and the mystery religions, and will briefly go over this again.  The spiritual realm is superior to our realm, and as such if one accesses this realm, they are subject to its rules.  God has revealed enough information pertaining to this realm, and has warned us in the strongest of terms to stay out of it.  Doorways to this realm come from the most menial, and what appears to be harmless activities, and then infects the person and begins to make changes in them that are fear based.

Sure, many may argue that they have nothing more than occasional nightmares, but what justification is that when considering one uses their free will in allowing this garbage into their minds to begin with?  The problem in watching these types of movies, and the justification for doing so demonstrates the lack of knowledge concerning spiritual matters and the need to be vigilant concerning them.  Most Christians lack a good understanding of the spiritual realm due to the Churches not teaching about them, or actually debunking them.  But ignoring or denying the spiritual realm does not negate the reality of it.

So, when people deliberately expose themselves to material that opens up this realm, they are not equipped and they will then be subject to disturbing dreams, fears pertaining to this realm that go beyond reasonable, and may begin to develop phobic reactions and some compulsive behaviors, such as sleeping with the lights on, checking underneath the bed before going to sleep and many other practices that give credence to these things.  If most people understood the nature of these movies, that they truly are gateways into the demonic realm, they would never see them in the first place.  But since they do, they discount the demonic, and by proxy the power of God as well...  These folks do not think about putting on the Armor of God, but insist on doing these things themselves.  They then have to deal with these realms on their own, and they do not acknowledge it is beyond their individual ability to do so.

This is how Satan has so much power today.  Most people don’t believe in a literal Satan, and the churches minimize its discussions on evil, demonic activity and hell.  There are fewer than 100 exorcists in the U.S. and most of the other Christian churches pay little attention to evil.  So not only are people not prepared in ways of combating evil, they are actually lead to believe it does not exist.  So evil flourishes, while holiness and sanctity are downplayed.  And our society continues to dabble in occultism and demonic materials in the name of ‘entertainment’ while continually going down on a negative trajectory.

I know many will have problems with this, and want to jump in on how this is being exaggerated and hyped.  I also believe many people, who would make this claim also believe all Christians, and most people will go to heaven no matter what they do, and evil and sin is an ancient and outdated concept.  While they may have all the right in the world to believe this and continue to go to movies like this, I want them to think of this as they may trash me and others who think like me: I sleep well with the lights off, I close all of my closets, and never check under the bed before the lights go out.  I love looking at the full moon and can sit outside alone for hours looking at the stars and listening to the wild life without experiencing bizarre thoughts and images.  If those folks who watch these movies can say the same, then keep doing what you’re doing.  Otherwise stay away from this demonic trash, as you ought to.

A BRUTAL MURDER

George Offerman

Regardless of what one may think of Gaddafi, the man had every right to be taken into custody once surrendering and deserved a trial for the entire world to see.  To all those out there who cheered and jeered at the brutality of what happened: pray you are not subject to the same behavior yourself.  I only watched the video after reading various disputes whether he was taken alive or not, and many of the video’s online clearly showing Gaddafi alive and apparently pleading for his life.  I could not stomach watching after that as they unmercifully brutalized this man, and my understanding is there are many Gaddafi supporters bodies being found that were executed with hands tied behind their backs.

Now, we are getting word that the ‘new Libya” will be ‘Sharia friendly” and by the likes of what the world has seen so far, this new Libya may well be more brutal and bloody than the previous 42 years had been under Gaddafi.  Why people are so happy to see this ‘terrorist’ executed, to only see a possibly more brutal regime take over is beyond me.  It would seem we are going to get a much worse deal out of this situation, and ultimately may find we are in a much worse position.

We, as a supposed Christian nation, seem to have a blood thirst that makes the Muslim world look moderate.  We are currently involved militarily with at least 5 countries now, all in the name of ‘terrorism’ that seems to never raise its murderous head.  If we really consider our Christian heritage, and live by the golden rule, would we like to see ourselves, or loved ones, be pulled out of our homes or other situations, and executed on the spot by human beings acting more like animals?  Now, I am not saying Gaddafi was an innocent man, and that he did not commit crimes against humanity, but as a man who should have rights, he was treated worse than most people would treat a mangy dog.   

Many have used the law of sewing and reaping in the case of Gaddafi, in saying that Gaddafi got what he deserved, and reaped the fruits of his labors.  Maybe so, but what about us, who may have sat back and ‘cheered’ this action?   Could we at some point be subjected to the same behaviors by those, who for instance, may hate Christianity, or don’t particularly care for our ’brand’ of it?  What, if in the very near future, we are seen as ‘terrorists’ due to what we hold dear, and are hunted down like dogs.  What about those, who may watch this on television and cheer our demise as many did with Gaddafi?  It sure is possible, and may be very likely in our future.

There ought to be no joy in what happened last week.  Despite the fact this man did despicable things to a population for over 40 years, he should have had his day in court, and those who want to take the moral position that they are superior to him, should not have acted like he did, and take away basic human rights and wantonly murder without due process.  The new Libya may very well be a brutal and bloody place, with little justice being done, and in the name of Allah.  We need to be bigger than the sociopaths and thugs and show them the rights they may deny us, or we might as well join them and take on the same label.

THE VATICAN SOLD OUT TO THE MONEY POWERS

George Offerman

I was going to cover another topic today, but upon seeing the headlines on Drudge that spelled out the Vatican calling for a ‘central world bank’ there was no way I couldn’t comment on this.  After picking my jaw up off of the floor, I let this headline sink in and realized the controlling factions of the Vatican, as predicted by many locutionists and contemporary Saints, which in fact, the Vatican has sold out to the money powers.  This would be one of the final pieces to be put in place for the monstrous one world government, known as Babylon, to emerge, and would only need some ‘crisis event’ to make it happen.

The following is part of the ‘reasoning’ behind the Vatican’s getting involved in matters, which frankly, they should be staying out of.

The Vatican called on Monday for the establishment of a “global public authority” and a “central world bank” to rule over financial institutions that have become outdated and often ineffective in dealing fairly with crises. The document from the Vatican’s Justice and Peace department should please the “Occupy Wall Street” demonstrators and similar movements around the world who have protested against the economic downturn.

“Towards Reforming the International Financial and Monetary Systems in the Context of a Global Public Authority,” was at times very specific, calling, for example, for taxation measures on financial transactions. “The economic and financial crisis which the world is going through calls everyone, individuals and peoples, to examine in depth the principles and the cultural and moral values at the basis of social coexistence,” it said.

So the Vatican is now taking upon itself, the right to tell individuals, regions, states and nations that they are ‘mandated’ to participate in the redistribution of wealth.  Forget the idea of ‘thou shalt not steal’ or ‘thou shall not covet my neighbor’s goods’.  There seems to be a presumption that those who have wealth, or work hard for what they have somehow ‘cheated’ to get ahead.  There is no question the ‘banksters’ have done this, but this underlies the exact issue the Vatican wants to paper over: they want the ‘banksters’ to be in charge of the ‘redistribution’ of money, and if they actually paid any attention whatsoever, the banksters are the CAUSE of the current problems, not the solution.

Much of the Vatican’s statements reek of Marxist thinking.  As a brief overview, Marx was funded for the most part by a fellow named Cecil Rhodes, who established the Rhodes scholarship prior to his death, with the expressed reasons for spreading socialism through higher education and influencing the way society in the west viewed economics and ‘social justice’.  However, Cecil Rhodes was ultimately funded by none other than the Rothschild’s and that completes the ‘circle of evil’.

Who do you think will be the ultimate beneficiary of this letter, and who do you think will be the ultimate recipient of this ‘gift’ to ultimately set up the epitome of central banking?  This is what the Vatican has to say about the matter:

 "In economic and financial matters, the most significant difficulties come from the lack of an effective set of structures that can guarantee, in addition to a system of governance, a system of government for the economy and international finance," it said.

The Vatican said the International Monetary Fund (IMF) no longer had the power or ability to stabilize world finance by regulating overall money supply and it was no longer able to watch "over the amount of credit risk taken on by the system".

The world needed a "minimum shared body of rules to manage the global financial market" and "some form of global monetary management".

"In fact, one can see an emerging requirement for a body that will carry out the functions of a kind of 'central world bank' that regulates the flow and system of monetary exchanges similar to the national central banks," it said.

 It called for the establishment of “a supranational authority” with worldwide scope and “universal jurisdiction” to guide economic policies and decisions.

So, the Vatican, which is supposed to pass along the faith of Jesus Christ, wants to give the responsibility of ‘redistributing’ wealth to the same group that essentially caused the problems they are now alluding to solving?  When did the Vicar of Christ decide to allow humans of very suspect means and reputation, to take over the world’s finances?  We are now supposed to trust men, versus God, and in fact, trust the exact men and groups that embody the most evil in the world?  According to the Vatican we are.

This is beyond belief and is unacceptable.  A group of us that went to the Vatican over 2 years ago pleading for the lives of the babies heard as much from those true to the church: that the Vatican has been taken over by evil.  We were told this in plain language, and saw several examples of this first hand.  What came out of the Vatican today is nothing short of evil, and it is the embodiment of selling out to the worldly powers.   I hate to say it but this statement clearly reflects the Vatican’s getting into bed with the House of Rothschild, and its willingness to hand the keys of the kingdom to the moneychangers.  This is the epitome of evil, and is coming closest to fulfilling a major criterion for the beast Babylon.

AND THESE PEOPLE REALLY CARE ABOUT THE EARTH AND YOU?

George Offerman

One of the greatest scams ever to be pulled over on any population in the history of the world would have to be the ‘green’ movement in which this small band of people with a major political agenda convince a majority that they are the cause of great destruction and environmental change on a planet that is damn near indestructible, at least from our efforts.  Now, I want to be clear that as Christians, we are to be good stewards of what is given to us, but it must be tempered with common sense and an ability to objectively measure what is actually occurring and not peddle or fall for some scam conjured up by those who hate God and people, and believe we are the ‘scourge’ of the earth.

This ongoing scam about how we are killing the earth by running automobiles pales in comparison to what many of these green weenies really push.  Many of these people who claim to be ‘mother earth’ lovers, actually despise and hate their fellow man, and are willing to do anything to see the numbers of humans reduced on earth, and see their demonic agenda promoted over the life and liberty of humans, who have a God given right to be here.  These people are doing nothing but following the orders of their master, who is none other than the devil or otherwise known as Satan.

The following e-mail was sent last Monday to Bob Keefe, Spokesman for the Natural Resource Defense Council, an environmental group that pushed for the mandated use of fluorescent (mercury laden light bulbs) over the conventional incandescent light bulbs.  Mr. Keefe testified in front of congress in 2007, and was very instrumental in having the laws changed to eventually eliminate incandescent light bulbs in favor of the mercury laden fluorescent light bulbs.  In his arguments, Mr. Keefe claims the savings in energy would be nearly 75%, with very little risk involved.  Mr. Keefe then goes on in official testimony and claims the amount of mercury in a florescent light bulb is ‘no more than in a watch battery.’

Last week, my wife and I decided to go with another waste removal company, and came across this ‘tidbit’ of information pertaining to the proper disposal of fluorescent light bulbs.  Very unlike what Mr. Keefe claimed in TESTIMONEY TO CONGRESS, this company, which must conform to EPA standards, paints a much different picture concerning these new’ environmentally friendly’ light bulbs.  Upon seeing this, I decided to e-mail Mr. Keefe and convey this information to him, and get his ‘expert’ advice on whether it was him, or the waste disposal company that was more accurate on the disposal of these mercury laden light bulbs.  My email follows:

Dear Mr. Keefe,

I have read testimony you gave a few years back stating that the new fluorescent light bulbs had less mercury in them than watch batteries.  However, we just switched trash companies, and found this very interesting rules and procedures on how to 'properly' dispose of these lights.

I would like you to comment on this.  As someone pushing an agenda, it is very different from those that actually have to 'get rid of this' toxic matter.

http://www.americandisposal.com/acceptedrecycling.php

LIGHT BULBS

Never place in your recycling or trash bin. Please find a light bulb recycling center to dispose of bulbs properly.

FACTS ABOUT LIGHT BULBS

The Mercury from one fluorescent bulb can pollute 6,000 gallons of water beyond safe levels for drinking.

100 four-foot long fluorescent lamps contain about 4 grams of mercury. It only takes 1 teaspoon of mercury to contaminate a 20-acre lake forever.

Each year, an estimated 600 million fluorescent lamps are disposed of in U.S. landfills amounting to 30,000 pounds of mercury waste

In the states of California, Minnesota, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin, it is unlawful for anyone to dispose of fluorescent bulbs as universal waste.

 They are saying things very differently than you are, and one of you is 'dead' wrong on this matter.  Should I believe you, or the disposal company, which is obligated to follow the letter of the law?

I look forward to hearing your response on this Matter.

 George Offerman

(of note, we found NOTHING on the site that discussed the 'disposal' of the 'mercury laiden' watch batteries that Mr. Keefe claims has more toxins than the flourescent light bulbs... go figure)

It’s been four days since I sent this e-mail, and Mr. Keefe has not responded to my very simple and straight forward request for simple clarification of who is in error.  Surely, someone of Mr. Keefe’s stature and expertise should be able to respond to such a straight forward request to clarify the ‘safety’ of these light bulbs.  I surely expected this man to respond and tell me the waste disposal company was over reacting, and pushing a ‘republican’ or ‘conservative’ agenda.  But I have not heard back.  It makes me think that Mr. Keefe, like nearly all of the green weenies are nothing other than a bunch of lying sacks of sh-t.

These people want to do nothing but to push their satanic agenda, and ultimately, do more harm to our environment than most people who want to live their lives and do what they need to do.  These people, at their core hate their fellow man, and want to do nothing more than see the majority of us die, so they can have the earth’s resources for themselves.  If they had any integrity at all, they at least would recognize this in themselves, and at that point, could at least ask the Living God for forgiveness and repent of their sins.  But due to their arrogance, they will never do this, and will continue on with their unholy and godless gospel of scarcity.

GOD'S MAJESTY

George Offerman


Psalm 2
 1 Why do the nations conspire[a]
   and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth rise up
   and the rulers band together
   against the LORD and against his anointed, saying,
3 “Let us break their chains
   and throw off their shackles.”
 4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
   the Lord scoffs at them.
5 He rebukes them in his anger
   and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
6 “I have installed my king
   on Zion, my holy mountain.”
 7 I will proclaim the LORD’s decree:
   He said to me, “You are my son;
   today I have become your father.
8 Ask me,
   and I will make the nations your inheritance,
   the ends of the earth your possession.
9 You will break them with a rod of iron[b];
   you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”
 10 Therefore, you kings, be wise;
   be warned, you rulers of the earth.
11 Serve the LORD with fear
   and celebrate his rule with trembling.
12 Kiss his son, or he will be angry
   and your way will lead to your destruction,
for his wrath can flare up in a moment.
   Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Psalm 2 is one of my all time favorites, and captures the essence of God’s majesty.    If one takes the time to meditate on the words of this psalm, one would come away with the sense of how much god is in control of the situation here on earth, as well as his day to day interactions in the affairs of men.  This is very different from the picture the modern Church paints of God, and that is one of distance and permissiveness. 

Many would argue against this position and claim “But the church does teach of a personal relationship with Jesus”.  I will agree that many of the churches mouth these words, but their actions spell out another reality.  Too many churches are filled with busybodies, gossips, slanderers and malcontents, and many that go to church every Sunday, live like a devil the other 6 days of the week.  Some churches do not support the pro life position, and some churches openly embrace homosexuality as a real option.  The harshest words that come from these churches are reserved for those who actually stand up for Biblical truth, and are labeled extremists, heretics, troublemakers and haters.

IF the Church and the average Christian truly understood the true nature of God, and God’s intimate involvement in the day to day activities of our lives, we would live each day very differently than what we are able to observe.  We would be fighting for the right to life like it actually matters.  There wouldn’t be people sleeping in on the weekends and making up every excuse in the book to stay away from the killing fields, and allowing pro deathers to continue to be re elected cycle after cycle.

We would be actively fighting against homosexual marriages and be out there actively evangelizing this group.  We would lovingly, but firmly resolve to follow Gospel principles in spite of the consequences, and we would be able to relate modern problems with the sin listed in Scripture as God has laid it out.  Instead by our collective silence, and attempts to be ‘tolerant’, we sell these people and the babies out, and act like god is not paying attention, and take on  an ‘it doesn’t matter’ attitude about things.

WE would fear God way more than the human institutions that currently want to rule over our day to day lives.  These institutions try to take on this role, by watching and regulating nearly everything we do.  Too many Christians go along with this, without questioning how vile and evil this is, while trashing those who attempt to live by the gospel.  So, one may claim they see and want a personal relationship with God and Jesus, but most of these same people acquiesce to the state and human institutions that attempt to rewrite God’s laws into their own image, and hear nothing more than an occasional peep from the believer.

God’s Majesty ‘laughs’ at the foolishness of man’s conspiring against his will.  Man’s efforts will come to nothing in the end, and those who remain faithful will be justly rewarded for their efforts.  God is in total control, and always has been, and always will be.  Those who put their faith in man's efforts and structures will be on the wrong side of history.  Soon, we will see just how majestic God really is, and He will come across as the very supreme being He is, and there will be no mistaking the authority and power He really has, and the worship He deserves.  We need to make sure we are on the right side of history, and not fall into the complacency trap that most of our fellow believers are now in.  We are on the winning side, and ought to act like it.  This evil has its season, but this season is coming to a quick conclusion. May we not get caught up in the hype and lose our way when we are so close to victory.

THINGS ARE THAT BAD

George Offerman


“Bulls make money, bears make money, pigs get slaughtered” 

Jim Cramer “Mad Money”

“… and so do herds”

George Offerman


My wife and I were listening to an exert from the Howard Stern show, in which Howard and his side kicks interviewed several ‘occupy wall street’ protesters.  Regardless of what one thinks about Howard Stern, this particular bit ought to be listened to by everyone and shows how disjointed many of these people are.  Many on the interview could not answer basic questions as to why they were there, what the purpose of the occupy movement is, what solutions may change the situations or any reasonable conjecture that would leave on with the impression these people might have two functioning brain cells firing synonymously. 


http://www.breitbart.tv/howard-stern-takes-on-occupywallstreet/#.TpyvV8cGPhA.facebook    


After listening to these painful remarks, and realizing many of these young people just completed a four year degree, and have huge student loan debts, I realized how much trouble we are in and how bad things really are.  These people could not put together two coherent sentences, and yet, they are demanding changes in the system and are not smart enough to realize those they want to be the agents of change (government) are the source of the problem.  These kids were indoctrinated in government schools, and have a basis of thought that if they don’t make it in life, that it is someone else’s fault, and they have a right to demand their’ fair share’ of another’s labor.   They want a redistribution of wealth, and believe those who went out and worked for it, are the selfish ones, and need to be punished.

Now, I am not referring to the bankster dynasties in which wealth has been grafted (the government protects them) but those who make this country work.  Every one in the Stern interview was not working, but made it clear they ‘deserved’ to have things others have worked hard for and earned the right to have.  There didn’t seem to be any sense that these people had to work for their daily bread, or referenced any morality in how one goes about earning their keep.  It’s unfortunate the government has instilled most of these ‘values’ into these children, and the rights of parents to raise their children as they see fit has been usurped.  Churches, as well, have been mainly silent on this front and do not wield influence as they did 30-40 years ago.

As Cramer states, those investors who are too greedy are like pigs and pigs get slaughtered.  People who want to do nothing, and live off of the productive are pigs as well.  When all comes to fruition, it won’t simply be the banksters and Wall Street that gets a haircut, it will be those that have grown up with the entitled attitudes and snot nosed brattiness that believes they can order anyone to give them what they want without having to do anything in return.  The world is about to get really tough for these people, and there won’t be a lot of sympathy for these people once productivity and real knowledge are needed to navigate this new frontier.

We have not prepared ourselves for the events soon to be upon us, and we certainly have not prepared the youth of this country for these times.   It is so unfortunate that we continue on with the idea things will get better, and that we can continue to push a philosophy that really penalizes the majority of people who have earned their money in a respectable and honest way and give to those who do little and expect much.

I am adding this clip and am highly recommending people take the time to view this.  I don't agree with everything stated, but I love this man's passion and how he has urgency in his message concerning the trouble we are in and what we need to expect next.

http://www.silverbearcafe.com/private/10.11/truth.html

THE COUNTDOWN IS ON

George Offerman

For those who still ‘don’t get it’, we had major headlines over the weekend that the EU had exactly 8 days to straighten out the financial problems that took decades to make.  We are seeing the balking of Germany and France, the two major countries that have the closest thing to a surplus, that are expected to bail out the deadbeat PIIGS nations, and in essence, reward bad behavior.  This is not looking good for the PIIGS, and by extension, not looking good for any of the nations that are spending more than they take in, which is most of them, or for any nations that are using paper currency for money, which is every one of them on the planet.

It will be interesting to see what happens in the next week, and see if the EU is able to kick the can further down Debt Avenue, or if they get sidetracked and end up in Default Alley where the money powers, err, muggers await them.  Without any changes in the business model used, and no real plan on stopping the excesses, there is no way this charade can continue much longer, and it is a certainty that the problems will leapfrog the pond and make their way here in very short order.  It seems very few over in Euro land have much hope in this turning out even remotely well, and it seems many are beginning to bunker down and finally take these warnings seriously.

It’s too bad we aren’t getting the message and showing the same urgency as many are over there.  I guess the distractions are too many, and with the recent monsoons ending, many are taking advantage of the nice fall weather and living what used to be normal activities and acting like things will simply plod along, and Europe’s problems will continue to be Europe’s problems and stay over there.  No, I am not getting the urgency over here that ought to be occurring, but I have come to expect nothing different and it will most likely not hit until many have had an empty belly for a few days, and the realization has set upon them, that there are no more supplies coming to those magical places called the supermarkets, and the shelves will not be replenished.

Of course, many would balk at the last couple of statements I made, and cannot fathom anything remotely coming close to that scenario, but it’s already started in certain parts of the world.  The easy credit and “I’ll pay for it later” mentality will give into the reality of credit meltdown, and it will be a painful lesson learned the hard way, and with little to no warning proceeding it.  All of the fiat currencies are in a race to the bottom.  They all will ultimately fall to their intrinsic value: $0.  It is a matter of which goes first, and how the particular peoples and government react to that event is what will determine the future course.  But we are definitely getting near the end of this fiasco, and it will play itself out.

I’m hoping it does not happen on or by this Friday, as we have one more ‘end of the world’ scenario thrown out by Mr. Camping.  But if you have not made any preparations as of yet, it might be a real good idea to get an extra flashlight or two, and about two weeks worth of water and food.  When credit dries up, so will all commodities we come to depend on, and we will find out in short order how big of a mistake it is to not be ready for any contingency.  There are those who believe 'this too shall pass' without major repercussions, but they think this way at their own risk.  One day soon, our 'good luck' will run out and we too shall know want.  Better to be prepared a year early than try to do so a day late.

PROPHETIC TIMES

George Offerman

It is amazing that despite the very difficult times we live in, how many people know so little about prophecy.  It seems there are many reasons for that, but ultimately, it seems to boil down to one issue: believability.  When the USCCB can come out and take an official position that the ‘creation-flood story’ did not actually happen as written, it naturally undermines what is written about the future(Revelation) and sews doubts about what will actually occur.  (Don’t worry, Revelation also covers that theme as well).

When one doesn’t believe, they don’t prepare.  Preparation has many steps, but for the sake of brevity here, we will consider the main steps which are: 1) learning, information gathering and knowledge, and 2) planning and action.  At the base for any preparation is believability.  If one doesn’t believe in whatever is being presented, there is absolutely no incentive to investigate further and there will be no action taken on any of the material being presented.  For instance, MOST of the people I talk to about the coming economic collapse think I’m a lunatic.  Hence, they will not read any of my writings, the web sites I recommend, and are surely not buying silver, or preparing for any trouble by at least getting some extra food and water.

When people don’t take the time to gather information or to learn about a subject, they are left to their own devices, or dependent upon other people to do the work for them.  In the arena of prophecy, there are many who are charlatans and spreading errors in order to make big $$$$ off of the fear they generate.  Others mean well, but grossly misinterpret prophecy in scripture to fit the headlines found in the godless MSM.  Still, others take many facets of Revelation out of their revealed order and attempt to ‘predict’ what these happenings are, such as the mark of the beast.  Then, when these events do not come to pass, many are turned off to Revelation, and begin to wander away from the faith and fall into the trap that these matters will never happen, and there is then no need to work on personal sanctification.

I have repeatedly told people that do want to know these matters that ANYONE who willfully wants to see Revelation occur in their lifetime has got to be out of their ever loving mind.  I tell them I cannot stomach the times we live in and want to see positive change in this country, and see once again, communities that are safe for all people, a love for fellow man, respect for property, honest dealings in business, and the Church representing God as He really is.  This can happen without the end of the world occurring, but it will take very extraordinary events to wake up the common man to make it happen.  That is what I’m hoping to see.  However, I do believe (very unfortunately) we very well may be on the doorstep of Revelation’s fulfillment.

I tell many of these people, who mistakenly believe we are in Revelation now, that the opening salvo will leave no doubt about it.  If we really were in Revelation now, it would validate everything our society and weak Church is presenting about God, and that is as an incompetent, disinterested and weak ‘supreme’ being.  If those reading now are familiar with my previous postings on the first four trumpets, this next bit will be a repeat for you.  Revelation opens with a massive earthquake with a duration and intensity never experienced by mankind EVER.  Then within the next several days to a few weeks, there will be a massive meteor shower that will burn up all grass and one third of green plants.  This will then be followed by two massive asteroid strikes, one in the ocean and one land strike.  This will then lead to darkness that will take out a third of the daylight. Literally, all activity on earth will stop dead in its tracks, and ALL of the survivors will be asking WHY God is so angry and WHAT do we need to do to get Him to stop these judgments.

The first four trumpets will take out 25% of the population in a matter of days.  There will be no doubt about these actions, and there will be no mistaking (anymore) that Revelation has commenced, and the emergence of the 144,000 with Elijah like powers will be here to explain/warn everyone what is happening, why it happened, and what is about to happen. (And, by the way, they won’t be taking any of anyone’s useless money)  Survival will be the number one task on everyone’s mind, and the dark powers will respond rapidly and with great authority.  The Church, due to its lack of faith in God and who He really is, will fail miserably in preparing people for this event, and unfortunately, will join with the beast, which is Babylon, and will become its ‘whore’.  It will join forces and create the one world religiously lead government that will be the most ferocious man made creation ever seen on this rock.

This government, lead by the now ‘whore’ church, will set and enforce laws contrary to the Living God, and require all inhabitants to worship it (obedience).  The 144,000 will be preaching against following this beast, and with their supernatural abilities, will be able to combat this human power. Battle lines will be drawn, and the believers will be put to the test by the Living God to validate their choice.  This test most likely will be a short time jail/prison sentence with a possibility of a death sentence. (The major death sentences come much later).  Many will fall prey to the whore, because they continue to give allegiance to an organization, that prior to the start of Revelation required allegiance to its false teachings and watered down theology.  So it will be a continuation of the same lack of faith and preparation by those who follow an organization that was caught off guard by Revelation, and now wants to speak with great authority, as if they understand the Will of God.

Unfortunately, we are seeing this exact behavior with the USCCB in watering down the Word of God.  I wouldn’t trust this band for anything, and sure don’t want to know what they will think about these matters.  This band will not stand up for the babies now, they will not stand up against homosexual marriage, and they continue to give the body of our Lord to those who are public scandals.  If they cannot keep teachings straight on matters that are very visible, how can they teach and preach on matters that are invisible?  This is a precursor of what the ‘whore’ of Babylon will look like.  There is no urgency by the USCCB in any of their actions, and they are as guilty as many of the pagan/secular groups and governments that believe things will continue on as they have in the past few centuries.

It is very unfortunate that they cannot be more gravely mistaken in their lack of faith.  We are at a threshold of at least an economic event that will literally change the nature of our existence.  The lack of preparation is criminal and those who have taken it upon themselves to be ‘in charge’ of these matters will have much accounting to do before the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Their lack of faith, and by extension, lack of preparation will be the cause of much suffering and death that is so avoidable.  And because of this, there is a need for ‘lunatics’ like me to get the word out.  It is what it is, and it’s time to bring it on.

ARE WE IN A PERIOD OF JUDGMENT?

George Offerman

There are ominous signs everywhere and it is becoming so apparent that our society is coming apart at the seams.  People are rightfully worried and have concerns about the future and what it portends for us.  There are increases in every arena of life that is nothing short of demonic, and it seems there are fewer willing to stand up and vocalize warnings or even attempting to fight against this onslaught of evil.  It is very easy to understand anyone feeling overwhelmed by what is going on, and it is the way the enemy wants it.  For if we feel overwhelmed, we will ultimately end up doing nothing, and this is when evil really advances.

I have been asked this a lot lately, and I begin my answer with a qualification: I don’t want to be a stumbling block for any believer and I give my answer as I understand Scripture and the nature of God.  God definitely sends judgments, and without exception, sends at least one prophet to spell out what is going to happen and why it is going to happen.  Judgments are also sent directly from God and may or may not be related to the nature of the sin.  For example, Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by fire and brimstone, not by STD’s (which would be more of a consequence).

The four methods of judgments ‘reserved’ for God are: sword, famine, pestilence and wild beasts, and are found happening throughout the Bible as proof.  In Revelation, as well as other instances, God also uses nature, such as floods, fires, earthquakes (and soon to be asteroids).  We even use words such as “act of God’ in describing situations in which we had little to no control over.   But we don’t want to confuse judgments with consequences, and ultimately pin certain events and happenings to God, when it is in fact, events occur that are not the will of God.

Our economic condition, at least as it seems now, is more of a product of consequences.  God has spelled out clearly what money is, and how it is to be used.  God also allows free will in His creation, and if man decides to use dishonest weights and measures in commerce, the consequence of this action then must take place.  God warns us of the consequences of becoming enslaved to the money changers, but since we go against these warnings, we also must suffer the consequences of our bad decisions.  Because we decided to turn out backs on God and do it ‘our way’, God allows us to deal with the consequences of our behavior without His intervention, thus remaining true to His granting us perfect free will.

We blatantly allowed for the wholesale slaughter of the most innocent for nearly 39 years now, we stayed quiet during the ‘debate’ on homosexual marriages, we have minimally stayed quiet (and in some cases, cheered on) the blatant attack of other sovereign nations in pro active war (which is against our church doctrine of just war).  We have piled sin after sin to the heights of heaven itself and in God’s economy, there needs to be atonement for these actions.  This will not, and cannot go unpunished indefinitely, and punishment will target the guilty in the most severe fashion.  But punishment is distinct from consequence, and unfortunately consequences affect all indiscriminately.

So, in considering our times and what seems to be happening currently, I would tell most folks that we are now dealing with consequences instead of judgments.  And this is another matter in which I am hoping I am way, way wrong on, because if the consequences of our actions are bringing about so much discord, I cannot even begin to imagine what the penalty phase, or judgment phase will bring.  Neither option is pleasant to think about, but the reality presenting itself is demonstrating that God’s laws are not only supreme, but continue on very much intact in our day and age, in which we believe we can defy all things considered old and out dated.  We are going to get a very painful lesson on History as written by God, and as the perfect teacher, God will make sure we get the lesson.

A SLOW DEATH OF FREEDOM

George Offerman

It ought to be more apparent as time goes by, that more and more of our rights are being taken away from us.  For many, it appears it is not a big deal, and many are under the allusion that we are still the freest people on the planet.  Simply because we are under the impression we can still 'move around' without alot of hassles that life is good and we can continue on in our own ways with no serious effects.  Too many people have not noticed the gradual numbers of rights taken away and write it off as 'national security' or other 'reasonable' excuses the government throws our way.  Unfortunately, the population has learned very well to walk lock step with what the government now requires of us.  It is the exact opposite of what is now needed in these times.

There are useless debates trying to hash out the various positions and those who want to split hairs over the 'freedoms' we have versus the 'safety' issues that now seem to dominate the discussions of people who have no clue as to the nature of this country and its founding.  Unfortunately, many who want to sound intelligent, but have never investigated the nature of what this country is about have not taken the time to learn about our rich history, and how these men pledged their lives, liberty and fortunes to see this nation free, not only for themselves, but for future generations.  These men had a vision, but also enough integrity and morals that they considered others before themselves, something very lost in most contemporary Americans.

It is sad that too many have been taught a revisionist history of our country, and as such, have no clear idea of what we ought to be fighting for, and how little tolerance we should have for people like Obama, and for parties like the current Democrats.  These people will not be satisfied until they control virtually every aspect of your lives and convince you that you are too stupid to make the most fundamental decisions for your own life.  And because of the lack of knowledge by the average American, they do not see or understand this loss of freedom, and hence, have little incentive to fight this encroachment of these violations.

we re on the verge of seeing more freedoms taken away as the economy goes south, and the unemployment remains the same, or increases, and more people become more despondent, and need more government assistance to just make it through daily life.  We are likely to see more government intrusion into our lives, and those fortunate enough to make a decent living will be 'required' to  participate in bailing out those 'less fortunate' and will end up themselves living on the margin.  It seems there is such a movement in this country to penalize those doing well, and to blame them for the problem the Banksters created by their greed.  We are seeing such messages being promoted by these 'occupy' movements that are also supporting Obama and encouraging Obama to do something about redistributing the wealth.

It has never been the job of government to redistribute wealth and/or pick winners and losers in society.  But that is what is being done today, and few are really angry over this government intrusion into places they have no business being in.  Obama and his minions will continue taking more freedoms away until the average American 'gets it' and begins to resist these encroachments.  we will continue to see rights taken away until we finally understand the issues, and decide that comfort and convenience are not worth the price asked to pay.  The day of reckoning is soon approaching, and we will need to decide what we are going to do about it.

WHO IS REALLY MORE LIKE THE NAZIS?

George Offerman

It seems ESPN and ABC decided they did not like Hank Williams, Jr. depiction of Obama as Hitler, and decided to do the ‘politically correct’ thing and fire him from his gig on Monday Night Football. (Funny how many of the Nazi like socialists and others constantly used this term to describe George W. Bush, but did not suffer the same fate).  Given the majority of those who have no tolerance for speech such as this come from the ranks of the Democratic party (And you wonder why their party symbol is a donkey) it is no surprise the party that supposedly represents ‘open mindedness’ is the most intolerant of anyone making any criticism of anything they hold near and dear.  (No one ever accused Democrats of thinking).

Since this point is now open for debate, it is fair time to take a look at what exactly a Nazi is, and what a Nazi believes as embodied by Hitler.  The Nazi party embraced collectivism, and used language that spelled out in most people’s minds an ‘us versus them’ theme.  This collectivism necessitates taking over and controlling media, education, and even the regulation of religion.  The core of collectivism is the need for the total control over youth, and it is through indoctrination of the collectivist philosophy and vision for total control over society.  To accomplish this, there needs to be an identified enemy, and a relentless war is waged against this enemy.  Upon the enemy’s final defeat, there are then very strict measures put in place to ‘safeguard’ against the rise of any of these enemies, hence, a never ending system of monitoring and punishment for the least of infractions to be decided by the elite.

At the core of the Nazis, is the disrespect for life.  Hitler’s Germany first rid themselves of the elderly, infirmed, mentally challenged and overall ‘dregs of society’ such as the gypsies.  Hitler then made war on the mainline Christian churches especially Catholicism, and eventually ‘demonized’ the Jewish people.  Hitler authorized a massive eugenics and human experimentation program, funded by none other than the Rockefeller Foundation, and out of this, created massive amounts of biological and chemical warfare agents.  Hitler also authorized the destruction of any new born that showed any signs of imperfections, and attempted to breed the ‘master race’.  The Nazis embraced atheism and any and all scientific/philosophical methodologies that denied any reality of God or of absolute truth.

Through this brainwashing, Hitler was able to coerce the German population to accept the castigation of a whole race of beings, to the point of turning them in and having his minions systematically destroy millions of them.  Hitler was able to do this through dehumanizing language and terms that were emotionally loaded and got the majority to see these people as sub human, and deserving of imprisonment first, then finally execution on a massive scale.  This was done through a process of desensitizing the population and convincing they had no use or value in the new world (third Reich) being built.

Now, we need to consider what Obama and the Democratic Party has stood for over the past several decades.  Despite representing themselves as the party of the little guy, the Democratic Party in general and Obama in particular, are extremist in advocating legalized child killing, and push the abhorrent and grisly partial birth abortion procedure.  Some, even in their ranks, believe parent and society should have a right to allow murder of children up to two years old if they don’t meet the criteria of the parents and/or society.  Obama, in particular, was clear in his first campaign when pressed, advocated for his own daughters to murder their children if it interfered with their careers or other ‘social’ aspects of their lives (convenience).  Obama care will also introduce rationing of care, which will ultimately condemn some to death (who happen to be elderly, infirmed, mentally challenged, and soon to be defined dregs of society).

Obama has advocated a ‘brown shirt’ program for most of the youth, as a way of ‘paying back’ and ‘giving service’ to the country.  we are seeing more and more emphasis on taking over more responsibility from parents, and requiring children submit to the state in matters such as ‘mandatory vaccines’ questionable education, the deliberate undermining of parental authority for state control, and state education, which is already in place. 

Obama has been a huge advocate of stem cell research and is for all of the ‘scientific’ programs that explore all aspects of genetic modifications, as well as all scientific procedures that explore the realm that up until a few decades ago existed in the realm of the divine.  There is a systematic dismantling of anything resembling religion and the sacred in this society, and a march onto the new religion of the state and secularism.

Obama, more than any administration before him, has done more to alienate Christianity and the true American and has declared war on them.  Everything that represents what is true and good about this country is demeaned by this man, and unfortunately, a sizeable minority of the population, who remain rooted in ignorance and stupidity, believe in the garbage Obama and his evil administration pedal about the origins and underlying philosophy behind this country.

If there is anyone who embodies what Hitler stood for, it is Obama and his minions that simply have no clue about history, and are now condemned to repeat its gory repeat in our lifetimes.  Obama has already alienated and castigated the tea party, Christians, pro-lifers, second amendment advocates, and those who love what this country used to stand for and would love to see again.  In looking at what Hitler wanted to do, and what Obama is trying to do, I would have to agree with Hank Williams, Jr. and state this guy is too much like some lunatic who took over the reins of Germany over 60 years ago.

WHY ARE PEOPLE SURPRISED?

George Offerman

More is continually coming out about Obama’s “hit list” in which he has targeted certain Americans and without charges or a trial and has them knocked off.  The justification for this is ‘suspected or ’known’ terrorists that threaten the well-being of the United States”.  On top of that, the Obama administration is refusing to release the DOJ ‘legal opinion’ used to justify the killing of the ‘suspected’ Al Qaeda operative Awlaki.  It is also coming to light, that it is a ‘secretive panel of senior government officials’ which is creating this list and passing it onto the president ‘notifying’ him of their decision.

If one has been paying the least amount of attention, Obama has been very careful in not calling his Muslim brothers ‘terrorists’, but has reserved the word ‘terrorist’ for strict use in describing Americans in many of the domestic issues.  Obama has made allegations that the tea party and other ‘extremists’ in this country are ‘problems’.  Obama is now justifying a ‘hit’ on an American that has bypassed any reasonable due process, in which even the Muslim Brothers are getting at ‘club Gitmo’.  Obama’s only justification in being placed on this list is being a terrorist and a ‘threat’ to the United States.

Well, if we follow this logic to its conclusion, we can see that since the use of the word ‘terrorist’ has been reserved for only domestic persons (Legitimate U.S. citizens) and one only need be labeled ‘terrorist’ to be placed on the hit list, we may soon be seeing round ups of people, or perhaps people may suddenly ‘disappear’ or maybe have a sudden surge of ‘accidental deaths’ among those who are perceived as a ‘threat’ to the United States.  According to a memo leaked by the DOJ sent to law enforcement agencies around the country, anyone who is a ‘one issue advocate’ such as pro-life, pro second amendment, or even having a Ron Paul bumper sticker was subject to suspicion and encouraged to be watched or monitored.

Now that we know a hit on an American citizen can be ordered by an unaccountable bureaucracy, and carried out by whichever ‘agency’ has the ‘authority’ to do this puts all Americans that take their constitutional rights are seriously at great jeopardy.   And why the average American is not ‘up in arms’ over this is beyond me.  This is truly an extension of the culture of death our Church has taught would follow if we allowed the wanton killing of the most vulnerable.  But since very few want to stand up for the babies, we are now faced with the greatest proponent of legalized child killing now extending his ‘killer’ philosophy onto Americans he deems ‘terrorists’ without any due process or ability to defend themselves.

We know that Obama ran on a ‘choice’ platform, and that a majority of ‘Christians’ voted for this guy, and justified it by looking at other issues, that supposedly have the same moral weight as legalized child killing.  How people can justify this is as mysterious as the current 41% that is willing to reelect him.  Given how morally bankrupt many of our fellow citizens are, it probably makes little to no difference that this guy can order hits on people that he disagrees with.  I have already seen some of this same philosophy in many of the anti-lifers who believe the majority of us should be shipped off to concentration camps or be executed on the spot.  Hey, why not give the fact those for this guy thinks in very similar terms as Obama.  Either way, we are seeing the culture of death taking stronger root in our society, and few willing to stand up and use the strong language necessary to stop this ungodly tide.

PRESS ON

George Offerman

I am still dealing with some concerning the precious metals markets and the volatility issue.  I’m not sure whether I am writing unclearly, or if it is that some are not reading what I write, but claiming they are, or if it is simply pure raw emotions, and an inability or unwillingness to do any research on this subject.  Any way that it is, people ought to be making informed decisions concerning their money and need to be actively involved in these matters.  I am not asking anyone to take my word blindly, I am presenting well researched and documented positions on the silver market and informing the readers of the well documented and 100% failure rate of paper currency throughout history.  I am encouraging readers to do some research themselves, but I also think we have a time crunch we are dealing with, and I’m going to throw out my conclusions because there is not time to waste.  But still do some research, as it does not take as much time as one may think.

People cannot allow themselves to get bent out of shape over some rough times in the market.  We are in a marathon, and the goal of all investing is to have more money, or net worth at the end of the timeframe in which one chooses to exit the workforce or pass on wealth, or whatever goal one has set for themselves.  Virtually every book on wealth will tell you that those who did well went against the ‘herd”.  What is the ‘herd’ doing now?  Going into cash and US treasuries.  They are also running headlong into the slaughter house, but are being told it is the safe house to hide in against the oncoming storm that is nearly here.  Who is telling us to get into cash and treasuries?  The puppet MSM, with CNBSC leading the pack.  Who owns the MSM?  The money powers.  What else does the money powers own?  The Federal Reserve, and all central banks.  What are the Federal Reserve and central banks buying now?  Mainly gold, but starting to purchase silver through the ETF’s.  Do you think the money powers want to share wealth with you or me?  HELL NO!!!

What is at stake here folks is plain old fashioned survival.  People that are seeing the light and grasping what is about to happen are preparing, and part of this is in getting out of paper assets and into tangibles.  When this wave hits, and it will be huge, it will wash away very quickly those who are not anchored down and it will be relentless and devastating.  I am seeing reports daily about things like this government buying large amounts of MRE’s, along with other necessary survival gear.  There are wealthy people expatriating at an alarming rate.  There are even what one may consider to be ‘mainstream’ folks who have decided to purchase farm land and leave the cities without any real experience of country living.  People all over are starting to sense big trouble, but unfortunately, most are still not acting on this, and doing their imitation of a deer in the headlights.   Some are still in denial, and believe ‘things will turn around soon’.

As I have said in the recent past, this is not a pleasurable task, nor am I excited about what silver will do if it means the devastation of everything I know and those I love.  But it also does no good to invest in some make believe future that has no chance in hell of ever happening and lead others into this delusion.  There simply is too much evidence, and too many people (even some from the ranks of the money powers are now saying an economic collapse is on its way) to write this off as ‘conspiracy theory’.  It seems, unfortunately that it will be those that embraced a scenario of a very quick and devastating crash that will be correct when all is said and done.  If that is the case, it will be more nightmarish than what I can imagine or write about.  It seems unlikely that the crash will be methodical and slower, which would give us time to adjust and transition into the simpler lifestyles that will be required to survive and thrive in the new times.  It seems many will be left behind, but not in the good sense of the word.

I can hope that I am way off on this matter and be as wrong as a person can be.  This would be one topic I wish I could write about and have to retract due to errors I’ve made.  I wish I could fall into the magical thinking trap, and see a bright and prosperous future ahead of us, and I wish I could believe those in power are lead by love and have a strong faith in God that would lead them into making the right decisions.  But unfortunately, I am not delusional, and none of the wishes stated above are happening.  I cannot give strong enough warnings for what is coming.  It is unfortunate the Church and those who should be warning the public (if they actaully gave a damn) are not doing their jobs and due to their lack of vigilance, will not see this coming, and will mock those who are trying to get the warnings out before hand.  Get ready, because it is coming, and it is now on the doorstep.

EITHER HE'S SUSPENDED OR HE'S NOT

George Offerman

I normally like to stay out of these ‘frays’ over individual priests and their particular issues and conflicts.  In at least two of the most recent cases, there are a lot of innuendos and matters that should have remained more in the realm of the private forum; however the issues at hand for Fr. Frank Pavone and Priests for Life seem to be of a different sort.  Put aside, for a minute, the debate about obedience to the Bishop (In which Fr. Pavone is obeying the orders from his bishop) and simply look at the series of events, and how they unfolded, and what repercussions it will have for Fr. Pavone, Priests for Life, and the pro life movement in general.

Now, I have had my disagreements with Fr. Pavone (as with all of the 501 c 3 organizations that will not name names of the advocates for child killing nor endorse the true pro life candidates, such as Missy Smith).  But the idea of innuendos of misappropriation of funds without any proof, and disseminating a letter to every American Bishop encouraging them to dissuade the faithful from donating to Priests for Life smells of a charge and presumption of guilt without proof of the guilt or wrongdoing.  Without proof, this matter should have been kept private until there was a real need to go public.  For a lack of a better word, this letter was Unjust and is doing harm to Fr. Pavone, Priests for Life, the Pro life movement, as well as Bishop Zurek’s own reputation.

Then there is the matter of “suspension”.  The Bishop, in the first letter released to all of the American Bishops clearly states in the first sentence “I have decided to SUSPEND Father Frank A. Pavone from PUBLIC MINISTRY OUTSIDE of the diocese of Amarillo to take effect on September 13, 2011.” (NO ABILITY TO PERFORM SACRAMENTS EVEN AT HIS OFFICES IN NEW YORK OR ANYWHERE HE MAY HAVE BEEN AT THE TIME). The letter then goes on to spell out questions concerning the use of money, the supposed lack of accountability of the millions raised, the lack of accountability and seemingly deliberate snubs by Fr. Pavone in disobeying the Bishop, as well as potential ‘ego’ problems due to Fr. Pavone’s  ‘fame’.

It then fell upon the shoulders of Msgr. Harold Waldow, Vicar for Clergy in the Diocese of Amarillo to speak for the Bishop and the Msgr. publicly declared Fr Pavone IS NOT SUSPENDED, which this is in direct conflict with the Bishop’s letter dated September 13th. (Which states CLEARLY Fr. Pavone is SUSPENDED from ALL PUBLIC MINISTRY OUTSIDE OF THE DIOCESE OF AMARILLO).  Msgr. Waldow then goes on to say Fr. Pavone is a priest in good standing and there is no ecclesial penalty nor are there any penalties or threats of penalties forthcoming.  (But it was the Bishop who used the word ‘suspension’).

This is the press release forwarded by the Diocese of Amarillo a few days later:

Diocese of Amarillo Issues Clarification Affirming Fr. Frank Pavone’s Good Standing and Character

Amarillo, TX – The diocese of Amarillo yesterday stepped forward to state publicly that Fr. Frank Pavone is a priest of good standing in the Catholic Church, and that there are no claims at all being made that he did anything wrong.

Reports in the last couple of days may have led some to the opposite conclusion because the bishop wants more information regarding the finances of the ministries Fr. Pavone heads, but there is a difference between wanting more information and claiming that someone did something wrong, and the diocese wanted to stress that distinction. There is no suspicion of wrongdoing.

However, let’s consider Bishop Zurek’s own words on the matter:

"My decision is the result of deep concerns regarding his stewardship of the finances of the Priest For Life (PFL) organization. The PFL has become a business that is quite lucrative which provides Father Pavone with financial independence from all legitimate ecclesiastical oversight. There have been PERSISTENT QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS BY CLERGY AND LAITY regarding the transactions of millions of dollars of donations to the PFL from whom the donors have a rightful expectation that the monies are being used prudently. These financial questions and concerns have persisted with no clear and adequate answers since the time when Father Pavone was under two previous bishop ordinaries."


Call me crazy, but the official press release seems to ‘paper over’ the initial letter sent out by Bishop Zurek.  It seems in the letter that Bishop Zurek sent to all of the American Bishops (and one, by the way, he signed) states that both Clergy and laity had persistent questions and concerns about the financial transactions, which seems to indicate ‘someone thought something” and this was part of the basis for the decision to recall Fr. Pavone.  However, if Fr. Pavone had done nothing wrong, the Bishop could simply have called Fr. Pavone back and would not need to use the word “suspension” indicating the need to discipline and/or punish.

Now, let’s fast forward to the ‘clarification’ letter from Bishop Zurek, dated September 30, 2011:

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

            Fr. Frank A. Pavone remains suspended.  At my discretion and solicitude, he has faculties for ministry in the Diocese of Amarillo.  He does not have permission for ministry outside the Diocese.  He is to remain in the Diocese for an indefinite period of time for prayer and reflection.

                                                                                     Sincerely yours in Christ,
                                                                                    Most Rev. Patrick J. Zurek, STL, DD



Here we have the word ‘suspended’ again.  There is no reason to sow confusion.  Either suspend Fr. Frank, and show cause, or renounce this public argument, and clarify the fact that Fr. Frank is to work as a parish priest in the diocese of Amarillo, and does not have any blemishes on his record, or character.  But stop this nonsensical doublespeak and bureaucratic BS that is normally reserved for those who cannot think for themselves and are lifetime government employee wonks.  Maybe the government thinks such use of doublespeak is cute, but it is despicable behavior for those who are supposed to be the ‘light of the world’ and ought not to hide behind language that can ‘indict’ someone without actually spelling out the charges.  It is ridiculous to make an official statement ‘clarifying’ “we did not accuse Fr. Pavone of any wrongdoing”, but then claim in a letter that “both Clergy and laity have persistent questions regarding the transactions of millions of dollars”. 

The innuendos definitely place Fr. Pavone and his character into question, and this need not be the case. But now it is, and it seems the Bishop and his office want to play Obama word games.  Let the proverbial SHTF, but be far enough away to not get sprayed by any.  It’s really a sad day when the Church’s behavior mirrors that of a bureaucratic and ineffective government, but here we are.  We deserve better from our church leaders.