A Duty to Disobey?

[Prodigal Son]

obedience and the yielding of our will to our Creator and to those He puts in authority above us are important points scripture makes in many places. perhaps the majority believers are not ignorant that we are called to be servants and to behave as such. is there a time that is is appropriate in His eyes to be a rebel though? without question it is not justified that we ever rebel against Him or what He asks of us. children are not to be rebels against their parents and youths are not to rebel against their elders, but what do we do when it comes to a national leader and a government that practices evil?

at a time not so long ago i read an article by a pastor who addressed the recent passing of the socialized healthcare. he questioned to those reading- should believers refuse to pay for mandatory health care or taxes which provide for it if those funds would be used to pay for abortions? his answer to his own question gave me a sick feeling. he answered that it was a believer's duty to pay their taxes and submit to mandatory healthcare anyway and it was not their obligation to refuse because it was a government mandate. believers are to be in submission to their government he said.

perhaps the prophet Daniel would disagree with him. Daniel was ordered to bow before an idol by the king but he preferred to be thrown into an oven rather than submit to the evil command of the ruler of the land. if today's believers really see abortion as something they can support because government mandated it, i wonder if these same might bow before any idol which they are commanded to as well.

can we say it is better to submit to government no matter what rather than stand for what is right no matter what? if a government agent should come to a believer's door with a young, pregnant woman and demand that believer pay for her abortion or be in violation of federal law, would that make this situation different?

all know what a risk it is to take to decide to defy the federal income tax or to defy anything which the government holds as being mandatory, even if it is an illegal mandate. perhaps it is likely that fear has quite a bit to do with why many have trouble thinking about these things in the way that the Creator might view them. He does not want us to be in fear of anyone but Him and perhaps we do not have to guess what He feels about abortion in general.

the healthcare issue has not been the only and will not be the last law or mandate by government that will try to force His people to choose between doing what is right and doing what government wishes. perhaps people should even ask themselves what it means when they give in to what they consider small invasions like cameras in bathrooms and scanners which take pictures of naked bodies. it is not always about what inconvenience it seems to you, it is about how every person willing to comply with such things only makes it easier for these measures to become worse and enforced more brutally upon their countrymen.

it seems to me, when there are so many who will not take the small steps of refusing to obey what evil commands them to do, that there must surely be a multitude who would not be willing to refuse Antichrist when it means their life. i am surely not someone in favor of an armed rebellion or violence which is not immediately related to defending ones own life or someone else's, but don't people, at times, have a duty to disobey?

maybe i have no good answers for those out there who feel that they are not able to get themselves away from a system on which they depend and their families depend, but perhaps this is the time to think about these things and seek His answer. we all must leave Babylon in some time and in some way, yes? either by small steps or by a great leap of faith. i do know this though, that He is sufficient for all things in all situations.

[Prodigal Son]

Romans 13 was the chapter the pastor who mentioned these things was using. this was a pastor who had written an article for the site Bible Prophecy Today, though i did not take note of his name. i wonder if perhaps quite a few believers take this chapter to be speaking about secular government leaders when possibly it has nothing to do with those sorts of powers. His people are told not to seek out the judgment of secular rulers in matters of conflict between themselves, but to seek out other children of His. Certainly Paul was not confused to believe that the Roman government was a terror to only evil works, he himself was abused by them.

[Kathy]

Tennessee Conducts Door to Door Preparedness Checks

December 8th, 2011

 The Metro Public Health and the Tennessee Department of Health will be using a tool designed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to go door to door and check to see how disaster ready you are. The door to door assessment will take place from 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Thursday and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday. It will be in 30 neighborhoods in Davidson County that have been randomly selected to be the target of a door to door assessment.

 News Channel 5 By Janet Kim

 NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Whether it’s flooding or another severe weather event, emergency officials want to make sure Tennesseans are prepared. A community assessment will get underway Thursday across Davidson County. Tennessee has been hit hard with natural disasters –from a devastating flood in May 2010 to several strings of severe storms and tornadoes that ripped through the state in just the last year and a half. The Metro Public Health and the Tennessee Department of Health will be using a tool designed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to go door to door and check to see how disaster ready you are. The door to door assessment will take place from 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Thursday and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday. It will be in 30 neighborhoods in Davidson County that have been randomly selected to be the target of a door to door assessment. Saturday will be used as a backup day if the assessments are not completed by Friday. Participants will be asked a list of 22 questions. They may include: What is your primary way of getting information during a disaster or emergency? What special assistance might you need from emergency responders during an emergency? The people conducting the survey will be wearing a t-Shirt with the words CASPER written on the front, which stands for Community Assessment on Public Health Emergency Response.

 NOTE: We spoke with a friendly, patriotic state emergency management officer who stated that it is a state initiated program only, without federal involvement, and it is motivated by the recent natural disasters in Tennessee and the intentions are only to make sure the community is prepared for future natural disasters. However, in light of the confirmed fact that federal agents demanded the customer lists of a Tennessee Mormon cannery (which was obviously not motivated by a desire to make sure people are well prepared) we are still concerned with how information gathered state conducted during door-to-door preparedness checks may be used in the future by the federal government, as we stated in this article we just posted.

 http://oathkeepers.org/oath/2011/12/08/door-to-door-assessment-for-...

 I wouldn't let this "friendly ghost-CASPER" Know of a crumb or an ounce.

[Sinclair]

I don't think I'd answer the door.

[Betty]

for you boyo the answer is clear!

[Prodigal Son]

"Are evangelicals a national security threat?

A new poll suggests that American Christians (unlike Muslims) are likely to put their faith before their country..."

http://www.salon.com/2011/11/29/are_evangelicals_a_national_securit...

 

Yes, We Will.

[Cyprium]

Ever rented a car that someone else would be driving? Ever had your hair cut before visiting a drug store you frequent? Use cash to make large purchases? Use software that makes your internet browsing private? Talk about religion or politics while in a shopping mall?

 

Well the FBI thinks that's all very suspicious. According to its "Communities Against Terrorism" databse these and many other harmless activities done every day by every day people could indicate that you're a terrorist and their recruits to watch out for you are your neighbors and local businesses. It's getting disgusting people... i sincerely hope that the target audience (the general public) still has enough sense to not be their neighbor's enemy on behalf of the Big Nasty Beast Brother.

 

http://publicintelligence.net/fbi-suspicious-activity-reporting-fly...

[Betty]

funny I had a list too:

According to the new DHS report, the following are some of the beliefs and ideologies of American terrorists....

-"fiercely nationalistic (as opposed to universal and international in orientation)"

-"anti-global"

-"suspicious of centralized federal authority"

-"reverent of individual liberty"

-"believe in conspiracy theories"

-"a belief that one’s personal and/or national “way of life” is under attack"

-"a belief in the need to be prepared for an attack either by participating in paramilitary preparations and training or survivalism"

-"impose strict religious tenets or laws on society (fundamentalists)"

-"insert religion into the political sphere"

-"those who seek to politicize religion"

-"supported political movements for autonomy"

-"anti-abortion"

"anti-Catholic"

-"anti-nuclear"

All of the above are direct quotes from the report.

Do any of those beliefs apply to you?

http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/according-to-a-new-dhs-re...

[Prodigal Son]

As we all know, Obamacare is being mandated across the country and this means that any taxpayer who is employed by a company who offers this plan is required to partake. The monetary penalties for non compliance is enough to cause great hardship on an individual and many will find themselves feeling forced, even if it goes against their own moral standard.

There are moral objections though, and we should not dismiss them, even if the inconvenience of examining our resulting actions seem to bring insurmountable obstacles. Here are some options that may apply to some people:

IRS allowable exemptions

The proposed regulations also catalog the statute’s nine categories of individuals who are exempt from the shared responsibility payment:

* Individuals who cannot afford coverage;

* Taxpayers with income below the federal filing threshold;

* Members of Indian tribes;

* Hardship;

* Individuals who experience short coverage gaps;

* Religious conscience;

* Members of a health-care sharing ministry;

* Incarcerated individuals; and

* Individuals who are not lawfully present.



http://www.calwatchdog.com/2013/02/05/obamacare-grants-exemptions-f...

----------------

There is a religious conscience clause, however you must be able to show that you are a member of a recognized religion or sect which has moral objections to nationalized insurance. Perhaps an interesting choice of religious objections to allow for here, since most religions do not directly address the issuse. Among those who do are Muslims and the Amish. Some have declared themselves Amish for the sole reason of avoiding the mandate.

"As an ordained independent minister by a nationally recognized ordaining body, I am starting a new church called the New Reformed Amish Church. I will be seeking official recognition of this church and, as an Amish member, exemption from Obamacare. The exemption, ironically, does not include moral objections to funding abortion through tax money.

Joseph McCoy" - http://www.wnd.com/2012/07/a-way-around-obamacare/

I can not personally say that i object to anything that a person can do to get around this mandate so long as it does not contradict the laws of YHWH. I do not, either, personally consider ignoring immoral national laws to be against His law. My prayers and admiration go to anyone who departs this system entirely. Only taxpayers are penalized. Any further ideas for those who choose to resist the mandate are welcome.

[Sinclair]

Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?  - Mat 6:26.27

All we have to do is what is right, He'll take care of the rest.

The fallen ones can't help but fulfill His plans. They try hard not to but, in the end, they can't defeat His will.

[Prodigal Son]

Obamacare Enrollment: Will Enough People Sign Up?

* Democrats worry as fall enrollment period draws near

* Potential repercussions for Congress, Obama presidency

* Frustration over lack of details on public outreach

By David Morgan

"WASHINGTON, May 5 (Reuters) - Healthcare reform should be the signature Democratic achievement of President Barack Obama's presidency.

But with "Obamacare" five months from show time, Democrats are worried about whether enough Americans will sign up to make the sweeping healthcare overhaul a success - and what failure might mean for Congress heading into the 2016 presidential race.

Some of the law's main advocates fear that not enough of America's 49 million uninsured will know about health coverage offered in their own states. Even if they do, new insurance plans may not be attractive to young, healthy consumers needed to offset an expected influx of older and sicker patients.

Only a handful of states are beginning campaigns to promote the online health insurance marketplaces created by the law. Known as exchanges, the markets will offer private coverage at federally subsidized rates to individuals and families with low-to-moderate incomes, with enrollment set to begin Oct. 1.

The federal government has kept quiet about its promotion plans, which are expected to begin in earnest over the summer.

While Obama and his administration say they are working nonstop on reform, analysts believe a poor performance could make the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act a big enough campaign issue in 2014 to jeopardize Democratic control of the Senate - particularly if insurance costs rise sharply.

"There is reason to be very concerned about what's going to happen with young people. If their (insurance) premiums shoot up, I can tell you, that is going to wash into the United States Senate in a hurry," said Senator Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat.

Some Democrats are frustrated about the lack of details surrounding administration plans to promote the exchanges.

Senator Max Baucus, a chief architect of the reform law, said federal outreach efforts deserve a failing grade so far and could be heading for a "huge train wreck." He criticized Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius for the scant information her department has provided.


FUNDING EMBARGO

"Why in late April can't they show us any of what they've got planned? The rollout plan should already be in existence," an exasperated Democratic Senate aide said separately.

The law is expected to cover 15 million Americans next year through the exchanges and an expansion of Medicaid. The overall number is forecast to jump to 38 million by 2022.

Reform is facing challenges on several fronts. Big insurers appear wary of participating, raising questions about how competitive the exchanges will be. Businesses are mounting a new legal effort to stop the use of federal subsidies in exchanges run by Washington. And most states have balked at the exchanges and the Medicaid expansion.

Meanwhile, the enrollment effort is under threat from months of delay, a congressional Republican embargo on new funding and worries about how affordable the new plans will be, according to analysts, lawmakers, congressional aides and former officials.

"I don't see how what they're planning to do is going to be adequate. The resources are too limited, the (law's) penalties are too weak and elite opposition in much of the country will undermine" enrollment, said Paul Starr, a Princeton professor and former health adviser to President Bill Clinton.

Add to that the challenge of reaching a public that is highly skeptical and often misinformed about the most complex social legislation since Medicare and Medicaid in the mid-1960s.

A Kaiser Family Foundation poll found that 77 percent of Americans know little or nothing about exchanges, while 40 percent erroneously think reforms create a government panel to make end-of-life decisions for people on Medicare..."

Full Article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/05/obamacare-enrollment_n_321...

Note: the conclusion of the 40% mentioned above is not erroneous. I might not condone mainstream medical practices, but the death panels do exist and hopefully more doctors will respond like the one in this video -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSre3tbeegc

[Prodigal Son]

WHITE HOUSE WANTS PASTORS AND MINISTERS TO PROMOTE GUN CONTROL

"A group of influential pastors and ministers recently met with Vice President Joe Biden at the White House where the Vice President called on them to use their influence to help pass President Barack Obama’s new gun control measures. Of course, these measures include the outlawing of all semi-automatic rifles, outlawing high-capacity magazines, and establishing a government-mandated national gun registration policy, which is subtly identified as “Universal Background Checks.” These measures were recently defeated in the US Senate, so now the White House is calling on the clergy to help sell this gun grab to America’s churches.

Here is how Breitbart.com covers the story: “Vice President Joe Biden wants pastors, rabbis and nuns to tell their flocks that enacting gun control is the moral thing to do. But another vote may have to wait until Congress wraps up work on an immigration overhaul.

“Biden met for two-and-a-half hours Monday with more than a dozen leaders from various faith communities --Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh, to name a few. Both Biden and the faith leaders encouraged each other not to give up on what has been an arduous and thus far fruitless effort by Biden and President Barack Obama to pass new gun laws in the wake of December's schoolhouse shooting in Connecticut.

“Around a large, circular table in a conference room on the White House grounds, Biden waxed optimistic about prospects for passing a bill, according to four participants who spoke to The Associated Press after the meeting. Biden's chief of staff, Bruce Reed, joined the group, as did a handful of Obama aides who work on faith-based outreach. The meeting closed with a meditation and a prayer for action.”

The report continued saying, “Monday's session reflects an attempt to broaden the coalition calling for new gun laws to include a wide array of religious groups--including evangelicals and conservative faith communities.”

The report concluded by saying, “A spokeswoman for Biden declined to comment on the meeting. But Rabbi Julie Schonfeld, executive vice president of the Rabbinical Assembly, said a diverse spectrum of denominations and religious orders were represented. She said they included evangelical leaders Richard Cizik and Franklin Graham, the son of evangelist Billy Graham, as well as Sister Marge Clark of Network, a Catholic group.”

See the report: Biden Asks Clergy To Make Moral Argument On Guns

There is nothing new about the White House attempting to use America’s pastors to promote gun control. Both the G.W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations have had the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) conduct pastor training programs whereby pastors are instructed to use their influence to convince citizens to completely surrender any and all rights and liberties to the federal government in the event of a national emergency or crisis. Submission to tyrannical actions such as forced relocation and gun confiscation is taught in these training programs..."

Full Article: http://www.newswithviews.com/baldwin/baldwin753.htm

[Cyprium]

Justice Kennedy to Christians: Resign or Uphold the Law...Cites Hitler as his defense?

"...Speaking to an audience of Harvard law school students Wednesday, Justice Kennedy was asked if public officials who disagree with same-sex marriage or abortion should comply with the law if they hold public office, to which he replied "no" and declared that those officials should quit their jobs instead...

"... Strangely though, Justice Kennedy actually cited Christians resigning under Hitler's regime in order to drive home his point that if one has a moral conviction against an immoral law, then that person needs to pack his or her bags and leave.  

“How many judges, do you think, resigned in the Third Reich?" Justice Kennedy asked his audience. "Three."

You said it, Justice Kennedy, not us."

http://www.truthrevolt.org/news/justice-kennedy-christians-resign-o...