lifesitenews--2020-10-03--Some spiritual wisdom and encouragement amid the chaos of COVID and US election

URGENT PETITION : Tell the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade !
Sign the petition here .
October 2 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – If you ’ re looking for cutting-edge , political analysis , this is not the article for you .
If you ’ re looking for the latest insights on the presidential elections , you ’ re in the wrong place .
But if you ’ re looking for spiritual wisdom and encouragement , if you want to be uplifted and inspired , then keep reading .
This article is for you .
The fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year .
We were already worn out as a country before COVID-19 .
The constant political tension , culminating in the impeachment hearings , was wearying .
The continual flood of sensational news , coming from all sides , was wearying .
The deepening divisions in our society , revealing massive fissures ready to split , were wearying .
Then we got hit by the virus .
( In case you missed it , it ’ s still here . )
Then we had the lockdown .
Then the protests .
And the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the vandalism .
And the shootings .
One day Minneapolis was in flames .
Then Kenosha .
Then Louisville .
One day it ’ s masked rioters , marching into our suburbs .
The next day , we can ’ t leave our houses without a mask .
( If your computer or phone has facial recognition , you have to take down your mask just to identify yourself to your own gadgets . )
As for our normal distractions , like going out to eat or watching sports , most of them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And the end is not yet in sight .
What if there is a vaccine ?
Should we take it ?
Will it be safe ?
Or is it part of some government ploy to monitor our lives ?
Or is this just Big Pharma ’ s way of making more money ?
Is there anyone we can trust ?
The medical profession ?
The FBI ?
The media ?
Spiritual leaders ?
Yes , this is America in 2020 , and frankly , it is exhausting .
Added to all this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ November 3 elections .
The first Trump-Biden debate underscored the chaotic nature of the hour , and there is no guarantee that on November 4 anything will be settled .
Even when the votes are finally counted , will either side concede with grace ?
Will multiplied tens of millions of Americans ( again , on either side ) accept the results and move on ?
You might say to me , “ I thought you were going to encourage and uplift me !
I ’ m feeling much worse now than when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nothing !
” Well , here comes the encouragement in just four short words : lift up your eyes .
Lift up your eyes and look to the one who never changes and is never shaken or moved .
Lift up your eyes and look to the one who is perfect light , without any darkness at all .
Lift up your eyes and look to the one who sits enthroned in heaven , ruling and reigning over all creation .
Lift up your eyes and look to the one who cares so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one and only Son into the world to die so that you and I could live forever .
Look away from the chaos and pain of the moment .
Look away from the confusion and despair of the hour .
Look away from the division and dissension of this age .
And look up .
Look up and worship the King .
Look up and worship the one who is love personified .
Look up to the Savior and Redeemer .
Then , rather than complaining or gossiping or spouting off , begin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ words to say , try these , saying them out loud if you can : “ Bless the LORD , O my soul , and all that is within me , bless his holy name !
Bless the LORD , O my soul , and forget not all his benefits , who forgives all your iniquity , who heals all your diseases , who redeems your life from the pit , who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy , who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) Or maybe these : “ Worthy is the Lamb , who was slain , to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise !
” ( Revelation 5:12 ; try repeating this a few more times ! )
You see , the Bible recognizes that many times , we will feel overwhelmed by the pressures of life , be they financial or emotional or physical or spiritual or relational .
That ’ s why there are so many prayers of desperation found in books like the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ From the ends of the earth I call to you , I call as my heart grows faint ; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
” ( Psalm 61:2 ) That “ rock ” is the Lord Himself , and when we stand firm on His foundation , we will not be moved .
Our perspective will dramatically change .
I lift up my eyes to the mountains — where does my help come from ?
My help comes from the Lord , the Maker of heaven and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber ; indeed , he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep .
The Lord watches over you — the Lord is your shade at your right hand ; the sun will not harm you by day , nor the moon by night .
The Lord will keep you from all harm — he will watch over your life ; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
” ( Psalm 121:1-8 ) So , look away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up your eyes , and begin to worship .
Your heart will be lightened .
Your resolve will be strengthened .
Your spirit will be encouraged .
Your courage will be renewed , and rather than looking for a way to escape , you ’ ll be looking for a way to serve and love others .

‘If you want to be uplifted and inspired, then keep reading. This article is for you.’
URGENT PETITION: Tell the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade! Sign the petition here.
October 2, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – If you’re looking for cutting-edge, political analysis, this is not the article for you. If you’re looking for the latest insights on the presidential elections, you’re in the wrong place. But if you’re looking for spiritual wisdom and encouragement, if you want to be uplifted and inspired, then keep reading. This article is for you.
The fact is that 2020 has been an exhausting year.
We were already worn out as a country before COVID-19.
The constant political tension, culminating in the impeachment hearings, was wearying.
The continual flood of sensational news, coming from all sides, was wearying.
The deepening divisions in our society, revealing massive fissures ready to split, were wearying.
Then we got hit by the virus. (In case you missed it, it’s still here.)
Then we had the lockdown.
Then George Floyd was killed.
Then the protests. And the riots. And the looting. And the vandalism. And the shootings.
One day Minneapolis was in flames. Then Kenosha. Then Louisville.
One day it’s masked rioters, marching into our suburbs. The next day, we can’t leave our houses without a mask. (If your computer or phone has facial recognition, you have to take down your mask just to identify yourself to your own gadgets.)
As for our normal distractions, like going out to eat or watching sports, most of them disappeared for months on end as well. And the end is not yet in sight.
What if there is a vaccine? Should we take it? Will it be safe? Or is it part of some government ploy to monitor our lives? Or is this just Big Pharma’s way of making more money?
Is there anyone we can trust? The medical profession? The FBI? The media? Spiritual leaders?
Yes, this is America in 2020, and frankly, it is exhausting.
Added to all this is the ticking time bomb of the November 3 elections. The first Trump-Biden debate underscored the chaotic nature of the hour, and there is no guarantee that on November 4 anything will be settled.
Even when the votes are finally counted, will either side concede with grace? Will multiplied tens of millions of Americans (again, on either side) accept the results and move on?
You might say to me, “I thought you were going to encourage and uplift me! I’m feeling much worse now than when I started this column. Thanks for nothing!”
Well, here comes the encouragement in just four short words: lift up your eyes.
Lift up your eyes and look to the one who never changes and is never shaken or moved.
Lift up your eyes and look to the one who is perfect light, without any darkness at all.
Lift up your eyes and look to the one who sits enthroned in heaven, ruling and reigning over all creation.
Lift up your eyes and look to the one who cares so deeply for you that He sent His one and only Son into the world to die so that you and I could live forever.
Look away from the chaos and pain of the moment. Look away from the confusion and despair of the hour. Look away from the division and dissension of this age. And look up.
Look up and worship the King.
Look up and worship the one who is love personified.
Look up to the Savior and Redeemer.
Then, rather than complaining or gossiping or spouting off, begin to worship.
If you need some words to say, try these, saying them out loud if you can:
“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” (Psalm 103:1–5)
Or maybe these: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” (Revelation 5:12; try repeating this a few more times!)
You see, the Bible recognizes that many times, we will feel overwhelmed by the pressures of life, be they financial or emotional or physical or spiritual or relational. That’s why there are so many prayers of desperation found in books like the Psalms, with words like these: “From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” (Psalm 61:2)
That “rock” is the Lord Himself, and when we stand firm on His foundation, we will not be moved. Our perspective will dramatically change.
I lift up my eyes to the mountains — where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you — the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm — he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” (Psalm 121:1-8)
So, look away from the craziness of 2020, lift up your eyes, and begin to worship.
Your heart will be lightened. Your resolve will be strengthened. Your spirit will be encouraged. Your courage will be renewed, and rather than looking for a way to escape, you’ll be looking for a way to serve and love others.
Lift up your eyes!
Follow Michael Dr. Brown is the author of more than 35 books, including Our Hands Are Stained with Blood: The Tragic Story of the “Church” and the Jewish People, which has been translated into more than twelve languages, the highly acclaimed five-volume series, Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus, a commentary on Jeremiah (part of the revised edition of the Expositor’s Bible Commentary), and several books on revival and the Jesus revolution. His most recent book is Evangelicals at the Crossroads: Will We Pass the Trump Test?
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lifesitenews--2020-10-03--Trump should receive this effective COVID treatment immediately. Why isn’t he?

October 2 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — I am following the little information we have so far about how President Trump and his wife Melania are being treated for their Wuhan virus infection .
I find it alarming that Trump is not being treated with the protocols that numerous physicians have been successfully using for their COVID-infected patients .
What on Earth is going on ?
Trump 's physician is quoted in Breitbart News saying , “ The president received a single 8 gram does of Regeneron ’ s polyclonal antibody cocktail as well as zinc , Vitamin D @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daily aspirin.
” That ’ s all ?
Breitbart states the Regeneron polyclonal antibody cocktail “ is being studied in four late-stage clinical trials and its safety and efficacy have not been fully evaluated by any regulatory authority.
” That is not at all encouraging .
He should have immediately been put on the hydroxychloroquine protocol that the Frontline Doctors , epidemic and anthrax specialist Dr. Meryl Nass , renowned Yale professor of epidemiology Dr. Harvey Risch , U.S. doctor Stephen Smith and numerous doctors in other nations , doctors in India , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and many more — who all insist that the evidence is overwhelming that this protocol is amazingly effective in early use treatment of COVID-infected patients .
It is reckless that this is not being done because there is no risk to giving it to Trump even if the medical bureaucrats still foolishly refuse to believe that it is effective .
Hydroxychloroquine ( HCQ ) has a 65-year record of exceptional safety and is considered to be less dangerous than aspirin or Tylenol .
The African continent has an unusually low COVID death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is telling you is that the cause of this low rate is because HCQ is commonly used and available over the counter , without a doctor ’ s prescription , in Africa for malaria prevention .
There was yet another study that came out yesterday claiming that HCQ is not effective for COVID treatment .
That study can ’ t possibly be accurate , or else the large number of doctors regularly saving patients with HCQ are all liars and their very alive , previously infected patients don ’ t really exist .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ claimed that the HCQ protocol is either ineffective or dangerous has proven to be a fake study .
And that makes sense , because all the doctors correctly using the protocol have had spectacular success using it with real patients every day .
The fact that it has been suppressed in the US , Canada and many European nations since near the beginning of the pandemic is criminal .
That suppression has has cost many lives , and I don ’ t want to see its suppression also cost the life of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wonderful wife .
Every hour and day that giving this treatment to Trump is delayed makes it more likely that HCQ will not be able to help him .
It has to be given early in the infection .
Some doctors have also been having great success using another inexpensive treatment being promoted by U.S. doctor Richard Bartlett .
He has been using a 20-year-old , reliable medication treatment for over 1,000 of his COVID-infected patients with 100 % effectiveness .
It involves an economical , Nebulizer-delivered , inhaled Budesonide steroid normally used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been using both the HCQ protocol along with the Budesonide steroid where both might be warranted .
In both cases , the intent has been to quickly treat the virus before the infection worsens and the patient has to go to a hospital .
Trump should never have had to go to Walter Reed Hospital .
It is criminal that neither of these well-proven-in-practice medications are being heavily promoted and that all restrictions or bureaucratic discouragements have not been removed .
Dr. Simone Gold , the founder of the Frontline Doctors group , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , deep corruption and deception that has resulted in desperately needed , life-saving COVID infection treatments being suppressed since the pandemic began.
” She , along with other doctors , has called this a “ criminal ” “ massive disinformation campaign ” against the life-saving ability of hydroxychloroquine to cure the Chinese coronavirus .
Contact the White House to ask why the president and Melania are not immediately being given this well-proven-in-practice medication protocol for COVID infection .
How a false hydroxychloroquine narrative was created , and more Report : Other countries faring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not lockdowns Canadian doctor : Smear against Hydroxychloroquine drug in stopping COVID ‘ needs to stop ’ The “ strange ” fight by world-leading infectious disease doctor to continue “ spectacular ” results saving covid-infected patients Doctors insist this cheap , safe drug is “ key to preventing huge loss of life ” from Wuhan virus This Indian slum contained a possible COVID-19 disaster with hydroxychloroquine US ‘ frontline ’ doctors ’ website exposes ‘ criminal ’ campaign by tech giants , govt agencies to block COVID med

Trump is sick with COVID. Why are they not immediately giving him the medication that has been saving thousands of lives?
October 2, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — I am following the little information we have so far about how President Trump and his wife Melania are being treated for their Wuhan virus infection. I find it alarming that Trump is not being treated with the protocols that numerous physicians have been successfully using for their COVID-infected patients. What on Earth is going on?
Trump's physician is quoted in Breitbart News saying, “The president received a single 8 gram does of Regeneron’s polyclonal antibody cocktail as well as zinc, Vitamin D, famotidine, melatonin, and a daily aspirin.” That’s all?
Breitbart states the Regeneron polyclonal antibody cocktail “is being studied in four late-stage clinical trials and its safety and efficacy have not been fully evaluated by any regulatory authority.” That is not at all encouraging.
Why are they using a drug for “late-stage trials” when Trump is frequently tested, was only just found to be positive and is in an “early stage” of the disease that logically calls for Hydroxychloroquine plus zinc and an antibiotic that produces excellent results in early stages?
He should have immediately been put on the hydroxychloroquine protocol that the Frontline Doctors, epidemic and anthrax specialist Dr. Meryl Nass, renowned Yale professor of epidemiology Dr. Harvey Risch, U.S. doctor Stephen Smith and numerous doctors in other nations, doctors in India, the renowned French professor Dr. Didier Raoult, professor Dolores Cahill, and many more — all insist the evidence is “overwhelming” that this protocol is amazingly effective in correct, early use treatment of COVID-infected patients.
It is reckless that this is not being done because there is no risk to giving it to Trump even if the medical bureaucrats still ridiculously refuse to believe that Hydroxychloroquine is effective. I mean, how many thousands more lives have to be saved and how many thousands more people have to personally testify that they would not still be alive but for the courageous, caring doctors who went out on a limb and gave then this drug, before these stubborn bureaucrats finally get out of the way of real medicine?
Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has a 65-year record of exceptional safety and is considered to be less dangerous than aspirin or Tylenol. The African continent has an unusually low COVID death rate. What none of the media is telling you is that the cause of this low rate is that HCQ is very commonly used and available over the counter, without a doctor’s prescription, in Africa for malaria prevention.
There was yet another study that came out yesterday claiming that HCQ is not effective for COVID treatment. That study can’t possibly be accurate, or else the large number of doctors regularly saving patients with HCQ are all liars and their very alive, previously infected patients don’t really exist.
Every single study so far that has claimed that the HCQ protocol is either ineffective or dangerous has proven to be a fake study. Three of the most prestigious medical journals in the world have published such trash. Two retracted their “peer-reviewed” studies (which was unprecedented) and the third still hasn’t yet retracted a bad study against HCQ even though a criminal investigation is underway against its authors.
Such retractions of any such “studies” or articles should always be expected because the numerous physicians correctly using the protocol have had spectacular success treating real patients every day. The fact that HCQ was suddenly suppressed in the US, Canada and many European nations since near the beginning of the pandemic, after several decades of no suppression, is criminal.
Some people should be charged and jailed for what they have done on this and a number of physicians have called for just that action. There are already some ongoing criminal actions and lawsuits related to this unjust, very harmful suppression.
That suppression has has cost possibly hundreds of thousands of lives, and I don’t want to see its suppression also cost the life of the president of the United States or his wonderful wife.
Every hour and day that giving this treatment for Trump is delayed makes it more likely that HCQ will not be able to help him. It has to be given early in the infection.
Some doctors have also been having great success using another inexpensive treatment being promoted by U.S. Dr. Richard Bartlett. He has been using a 20-year-old, reliable medication treatment for over 1,000 of his COVID-infected patients with 100% effectiveness. It involves an economical, Nebulizer-delivered, inhaled Budesonide steroid normally used to treat asthma. Some doctors have been using both the HCQ protocol along with the Budesonide steroid where both might be warranted.
In both cases, the intent has been to quickly treat the virus before the infection worsens and the patient has to go to a hospital. That’s called outpatient treatment.
Trump should never have had to go to Walter Reed Hospital. He should also have continued to take the prophylactic dose of HCQ that he was on for about a month some time ago and for which he was severely criticized by Democrats, the media and others who simply despise everything that he does. He is an obvious candidate for the daily prophylactic dose given his age, heavy weight and the many large events he attends and many people he is always meeting.
It appears that someone got to the president and convinced him to discontinue taking the Hydroxychloroquine. That really worried me. It is highly likely he would not have received a positive test if he had continued the low, very safe preventative dose along with a daily capsule of zinc, vitamin D and a few capsules during every day of vitamin C.
It is criminal that neither of these well-proven-in-practice medications are being heavily promoted and that all restrictions or bureaucratic discouragements against them have not been removed.
Dr. Simone Gold, the founder of the Frontline Doctors group, has said there has been “shocking, deep corruption and deception that has resulted in desperately needed, life-saving COVID infection treatments being suppressed since the pandemic began.” She, along with other doctors, has called this a “criminal” “massive disinformation campaign” against the life-saving ability of hydroxychloroquine to cure the Chinese coronavirus.
Contact the White House to ask why the president and Melania are not immediately being given this well-proven-in-practice medication protocol for COVID infection.
Related:
Yale prof: ‘Evidence overwhelming’ for fighting COVID with hydroxychloroquine
How a false hydroxychloroquine narrative was created, and more
Fauci’s push to delay hydroxychloroquine treatment made COVID worse
Report: Other countries faring better against COVID due to hydroxychloroquine, not lockdowns
Canadian doctor: Smear against Hydroxychloroquine drug in stopping COVID ‘needs to stop’
The “strange” fight by world-leading infectious disease doctor to continue “spectacular” results saving covid-infected patients
Doctors insist this cheap, safe drug is “key to preventing huge loss of life” from Wuhan virus
This Indian slum contained a possible COVID-19 disaster with hydroxychloroquine
GOP senators demand answers about FDA’s war on hydroxychloroquine
US ‘frontline’ doctors’ website exposes ‘criminal’ campaign by tech giants, govt agencies to block COVID med
Lancet forced to retract influential study discrediting malaria drug’s success in treating COVID-19
Follow Steve Steve is the co-founder and managing director of LifeSiteNews.com.
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lifesitenews--2020-10-03--Canadian doctor: Parents must stop watching media’s COVID ‘fear-mongering’

ONTARIO , Canada , October 2 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — A Canadian doctor critical of the COVID-19 lockdowns in her province says she is now making “ a conscious effort ” not to click on the “ media ’ s dangerous ” headlines and “ highly recommends ” that , like her , people cancel their cable subscription .
“ I ’ ve cancelled my cable subscription & am now making a conscious effort to no longer click on media ’ s dangerous fear-mongering headlines or share such coverage .
Highly recommended .
One of the best things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your & your family ’ s mental/physical health , ” wrote Ontario doctor Kulvinder Gill a September 29 tweet .
In a follow-up message , Gill went on to say the “ next phase ” of freedom from the media ’ s “ dangerous fear-mongering ” is to rid oneself of social media apps on mobile devices .
“ Next phase of freeing yourself from media ’ s dangerous fear-mongering : remove news apps from mobile devices , turn off push notifications on mobile devices & unfollow/unlike media on social media platforms .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ free to actively seek trusted content on your terms , ” Gill wrote on Twitter .
Gill is president and co-founder of Concerned Ontario Doctors .
She has been a critical opponent of the COVID-19-imposed lockdown measures and the need for a vaccine .
She recently said that “ smears against Hydroxychloroquine ” as an effective treatment for COVID-19 need to stop .
Gill has also been attacked for saying on social media that a COVID-19 vaccine is not necessary and that extended lockdowns do not accomplish anything .
Reaction to Gill ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TV was mostly positive , with many praising her decision to do so .
“ Turn off CNN , MSNBC , ABC , CBS and even FOX , etc !
You will soon start to feel better !
” wrote Twitter user @ whatsrootcause in reply to Gill ’ s tweet .
“ Husbands a doc as well , we have cancelled ours .
Rather get accurate news from a knowledgeable source .
Thank you for being a voice of reason , ” wrote Twitter user @ o_z7777 .
Gill has been critical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s lockdown measures , calling them “ catastrophic ” and “ unethical , ” and has praised Sweden ’ s non-extreme lockdown approach to dealing with the coronavirus instead .
“ Media & politicians driving wrong debate .
It ’ s not whether govts should impose more lockdowns/restrictions .
Actual debate : current govt lockdowns & draconian restrictions are catastrophic , unethical , unscientific , unconstitutional .
It ’ s time to follow ( Sweden ) & return to our old normal , ” wrote Gill on Twitter yesterday .
In an opinion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Sullivan explains his opinion that Sweden did the right thing by not imposing strict coronavirus lockdown procedures .
On September 26 , Gill praised Sweden ’ s approach to dealing with the coronavirus , saying it is the “ western world ” that has “ abandoned ” evidence-based “ scientific policies.
” “ In case it ’ s confusing , it is not Sweden that is an ‘ experiment ’ .
It is the rest of the western world that has abandoned long-established , evidence-based scientific policies & has been experimenting w/catastrophic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ & mass suffering , ” wrote Gill on Twitter .
In mid-September , Ford imposed “ severe fines , ” which he said were the “ highest in Canada , ” for those who break physical distancing health rules put in place due to the coronavirus .
Ford instituted a province-wide reduction in gathering limit size , allowing for only 10 people indoors and 25 outdoors , down from 50 inside and 100 outside .
The change was made after an apparent rise in coronavirus cases , despite the fact , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canada ’ s death rate from the coronavirus has been extremely low .
Recently , Canada reported zero deaths attributed to the coronavirus in a 24-hour period for the first time in six months .
Gill has also re-tweeted several messages from Independent Ontario MPP Randy Hillier , who has called out Ford ’ s coronavirus lockdown measures .
Hillier recently blasted Ford in an email he sent out to his constituents , saying continued restrictions bring about increased suicides , increased government overreach , loss of freedom , loss of the rule @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sense of security.
” Gill has also called upon the legal community to stand up and fight “ unscientific & unconstitutional laws causing harm.
” “ When will we see leadership from the legal community ?
When will we start seeing small businesses and citizens initiate class action lawsuits against mayors and city councils abusing their power & imposing unethical , catastrophic , unscientific & unconstitutional laws causing harm ?
” wrote Gill on Twitter .
The mainstream media ’ s integrity of providing balanced news was recently called into question by U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them “ of being “ basically a collection of liars ” concerning their coverage of the violent protests after the death of George Floyd .

It's 'one of the best things you can do right now to protect your & your family's mental/physical health,' Dr. Kulvinder Gill wrote on Twitter.
ONTARIO, Canada, October 2, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — A Canadian doctor critical of the COVID-19 lockdowns in her province says she is now making “a conscious effort” not to click on the “media’s dangerous” headlines and “highly recommends” that, like her, people cancel their cable subscription.
“I’ve cancelled my cable subscription & am now making a conscious effort to no longer click on media’s dangerous fear-mongering headlines or share such coverage. Highly recommended. One of the best things you can do right now to protect your & your family’s mental/physical health,” wrote Ontario doctor Kulvinder Gill a September 29 tweet.
In a follow-up message, Gill went on to say the “next phase” of freedom from the media’s “dangerous fear-mongering” is to rid oneself of social media apps on mobile devices.
“Next phase of freeing yourself from media’s dangerous fear-mongering: remove news apps from mobile devices, turn off push notifications on mobile devices & unfollow/unlike media on social media platforms. Now you’re in control & free to actively seek trusted content on your terms,” Gill wrote on Twitter.
Gill is president and co-founder of Concerned Ontario Doctors. She has been a critical opponent of the COVID-19-imposed lockdown measures and the need for a vaccine.
She recently said that “smears against Hydroxychloroquine” as an effective treatment for COVID-19 need to stop. Gill has also been attacked for saying on social media that a COVID-19 vaccine is not necessary and that extended lockdowns do not accomplish anything.
Reaction to Gill’s message about getting rid of cable TV was mostly positive, with many praising her decision to do so.
“Turn off CNN, MSNBC,ABC, CBS and even FOX, etc! You will soon start to feel better!” wrote Twitter user @whatsrootcause in reply to Gill’s tweet.
“Husbands a doc as well, we have cancelled ours. Rather get accurate news from a knowledgeable source. Thank you for being a voice of reason,” wrote Twitter user @o_z7777.
Gill has been critical of premier of Ontario Doug Ford’s lockdown measures, calling them “catastrophic” and “unethical,” and has praised Sweden’s non-extreme lockdown approach to dealing with the coronavirus instead.
“Media & politicians driving wrong debate. It’s not whether govts should impose more lockdowns/restrictions. Actual debate: current govt lockdowns & draconian restrictions are catastrophic, unethical, unscientific, unconstitutional. It’s time to follow (Sweden) & return to our old normal,” wrote Gill on Twitter yesterday.
In an opinion piece by William Sullivan posted on LifeSiteNews, Sullivan explains his opinion that Sweden did the right thing by not imposing strict coronavirus lockdown procedures.
On September 26, Gill praised Sweden’s approach to dealing with the coronavirus, saying it is the “western world” that has “abandoned” evidence-based “scientific policies.”
“In case it’s confusing, it is not Sweden that is an ‘experiment’. It is the rest of the western world that has abandoned long-established, evidence-based scientific policies & has been experimenting w/catastrophic lockdowns/restrictions at the cost of human lives & mass suffering,” wrote Gill on Twitter.
In mid-September, Ford imposed “severe fines,” which he said were the “highest in Canada,” for those who break physical distancing health rules put in place due to the coronavirus.
Ford instituted a province-wide reduction in gathering limit size, allowing for only 10 people indoors and 25 outdoors, down from 50 inside and 100 outside.
The change was made after an apparent rise in coronavirus cases, despite the fact, according to federal public health agency data, that Canada’s death rate from the coronavirus has been extremely low.
Recently, Canada reported zero deaths attributed to the coronavirus in a 24-hour period for the first time in six months.
Gill has also re-tweeted several messages from Independent Ontario MPP Randy Hillier, who has called out Ford’s coronavirus lockdown measures.
Hillier recently blasted Ford in an email he sent out to his constituents, saying continued restrictions bring about increased suicides, increased government overreach, loss of freedom, loss of the rule of law, and a “false sense of security.”
Gill has also called upon the legal community to stand up and fight “unscientific & unconstitutional laws causing harm.”
“When will we see leadership from the legal community? When will we start seeing small businesses and citizens initiate class action lawsuits against mayors and city councils abusing their power & imposing unethical, catastrophic, unscientific & unconstitutional laws causing harm?” wrote Gill on Twitter.
The mainstream media’s integrity of providing balanced news was recently called into question by U.S. attorney general Bill Barr, who accused them “of being “basically a collection of liars” concerning their coverage of the violent protests after the death of George Floyd.
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lifesitenews--2020-10-02--Big data expert: Facebook, Twitter, Google have become Orwellian ‘Ministry of Truth’

October 2 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Big data expert Kalev Leetaru accused social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter of being “ Orwellian walled gardens ” in which “ ever-changing rules of ‘ acceptable speech ’ dictate what Americans are permitted to say and see.
” For Leetaru , Big Tech in Silicon Valley has “ become the de facto Ministry of Truth.
” In an opinion piece for RealClearPolitics , the senior fellow at Auburn University ’ s Center for Cyber and Homeland Security explained that social media companies , “ in the absence of governmental regulations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ … are able to shield their growing power from public scrutiny.
” “ In response to questions , the companies answer with either silence or carefully worded statements that avoid transparency , ” Leetaru wrote September 30 , adding , “ These companies increasingly operate today as black boxes.
” As a remedy to the social media platforms ’ actions , he suggested Congress could “ convene annual external review panels chosen by bodies such as the National Academies of Science , Engineering and Medicine — without input from the companies — to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media platform ’ s moderation and fact-checking actions , including for unconscious racial and cultural bias.
” He also mentioned the option of establishing “ a centralized ethical review board under the National Academies or similar body that would be required to review and approve each major research initiative like Twitter ’ s ‘ Healthy Conversation ’ effort or Facebook ’ s new elections study , ensuring genuine external review without exemptions for ‘ pre-existing datasets.
’ ” The big data expert emphasized that the public doesn ’ t even know about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let alone any critical information .
“ When these companies do release actual statistics , they are carefully worded in carefully ways that can cause confusion , ” he continued , stressing the lack of transparency in communication coming from Facebook and Twitter .
The implementation of fact-checking programs , while widely regarded as an improvement in weeding out false content going viral , was similarly criticized for its lack of transparency .
Leetaru pointed out that a spokesperson for Facebook said last May that third-party “ fact-checking partners operate independently from Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fact-Checking Network .
Publishers appeal to individual fact-checkers directly to dispute ratings.
” However , “ last month , Fast Company magazine reported that ‘ Facebook may intervene if it thinks that a piece of content was mistakenly rated , by asking fact-checkers to adjust their ratings , a spokesperson acknowledged to Fast Company.
’ ” Asked about the apparent discrepancy between the two statements , “ a spokesperson clarified that the company doesn ’ t actually change the ratings itself and that publishers can appeal directly to fact-checkers to dispute ratings .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ missing from the company ’ s previous responses : that Facebook may also ask fact-checkers to change their ratings when the company believes they are not in keeping with its definitions.
” For Leetaru , this shows that Facebook was hiding key information while not technically lying .
“ Both times ( Facebook ) was asked whether it had ever intervened in a rating , it didn ’ t deny doing so ; it merely issued statements that disputes are at fact-checkers ’ ‘ discretion ’ and that publishers must appeal directly to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote .
“ It simply left out the fact that there was a third route : the company requiring a fact-checker to change its rating .
Facebook ’ s notable omission offers a textbook example of how the company ’ s silence and carefully worded statements allow it to hide its actions from public scrutiny.
” Another instance of lacking transparency , the big data expert wrote , is social media companies ’ conduct in relation to studies .
“ Take Facebook ’ s 2014 study in which it partnered with Cornell University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 689,000 users , ” Leetaru explained .
“ When the researchers submitted it for publication , the journal — Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences — was initially ‘ concerned ’ about the ‘ ethical issu ( e ) ’ of manipulating users ’ emotions without their consent , until it ‘ queried the authors and they said their local institutional review board had approved it ’ and thus the journal would not ‘ second-guess ’ the university.
” “ Only after public outrage erupted , ” he continued , “ did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ review board had determined that since only Facebook employees had access to raw user data , with Cornell University ’ s researchers having access only to the final results of the analysis , that ‘ no review by the Cornell Human Research Protection Program was required.
’ ” He also mentioned another study currently being conducted , with Facebook actively manipulating volunteers ’ accounts in the lead-up to Election Day .
Leetaru argued that “ what appears at first glance to be an open , ‘ transparent ’ academic research initiative turns out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other Facebook effort .
Indeed , by choosing a private university as the ethics review board for its pre-election effort , Facebook is even able to shield the project from Freedom of Information Act requests.
” Going beyond mere suggestions to improve the situation , the U.S. Department of Justice recently proposed legislation aimed at reining in social media platforms ’ censorship of lawful speech .
A draft legislative text to reform Section 230 of the federal Communications Decency Act was sent to Congress in September .
Section 230 , as it currently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ liable for the third-party content they host , such as posts or tweets by social media users .
This provision has been credited with helping the internet thrive , and in recent years , it has been seen as a potential means of addressing the increasing control that internet platforms exert over conservative speech .
“ The current interpretations of Section 230 have enabled online platforms to hide behind the immunity to censor lawful speech in bad faith and is inconsistent with their own terms of service , ” the DOJ explained in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this , the department ’ s legislative proposal revises and clarifies the existing language of Section 230 and replaces vague terms that may be used to shield arbitrary content moderation decisions with more concrete language that gives greater guidance to platforms , users , and courts.
” “ The legislative proposal also adds language to the definition of ‘ information content provider ’ to clarify when platforms should be responsible for speech that they affirmatively and substantively contribute to or modify , ” the statement continued .

Silicon Valley social media platforms are 'Orwellian walled gardens' in which ever-changing rules of ‘acceptable speech’ dictate what Americans are permitted to say and see.'
October 2, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Big data expert Kalev Leetaru accused social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter of being “Orwellian walled gardens” in which “ever-changing rules of ‘acceptable speech’ dictate what Americans are permitted to say and see.”
For Leetaru, Big Tech in Silicon Valley has “become the de facto Ministry of Truth.”
In an opinion piece for RealClearPolitics, the senior fellow at Auburn University’s Center for Cyber and Homeland Security explained that social media companies, “in the absence of governmental regulations requiring greater transparency about their operations, … are able to shield their growing power from public scrutiny.”
“In response to questions, the companies answer with either silence or carefully worded statements that avoid transparency,” Leetaru wrote September 30, adding, “These companies increasingly operate today as black boxes.”
As a remedy to the social media platforms’ actions, he suggested Congress could “convene annual external review panels chosen by bodies such as the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine — without input from the companies — to review a randomized sample of the social media platform’s moderation and fact-checking actions, including for unconscious racial and cultural bias.”
He also mentioned the option of establishing “a centralized ethical review board under the National Academies or similar body that would be required to review and approve each major research initiative like Twitter’s ‘Healthy Conversation’ effort or Facebook’s new elections study, ensuring genuine external review without exemptions for ‘pre-existing datasets.’”
The big data expert emphasized that the public doesn’t even know about the exact size of Facebook and Twitter, let alone any critical information.
“When these companies do release actual statistics, they are carefully worded in carefully ways that can cause confusion,” he continued, stressing the lack of transparency in communication coming from Facebook and Twitter.
Watch our new series on Big Tech Censorship:
The implementation of fact-checking programs, while widely regarded as an improvement in weeding out false content going viral, was similarly criticized for its lack of transparency.
Leetaru pointed out that a spokesperson for Facebook said last May that third-party “fact-checking partners operate independently from Facebook and are certified through the non-partisan International Fact-Checking Network. Publishers appeal to individual fact-checkers directly to dispute ratings.”
However, “last month, Fast Company magazine reported that ‘Facebook may intervene if it thinks that a piece of content was mistakenly rated, by asking fact-checkers to adjust their ratings, a spokesperson acknowledged to Fast Company.’”
Asked about the apparent discrepancy between the two statements, “a spokesperson clarified that the company doesn’t actually change the ratings itself and that publishers can appeal directly to fact-checkers to dispute ratings. Yet the spokesperson added a third acknowledgement missing from the company’s previous responses: that Facebook may also ask fact-checkers to change their ratings when the company believes they are not in keeping with its definitions.”
For Leetaru, this shows that Facebook was hiding key information while not technically lying.
“Both times (Facebook) was asked whether it had ever intervened in a rating, it didn’t deny doing so; it merely issued statements that disputes are at fact-checkers’ ‘discretion’ and that publishers must appeal directly to the fact-checkers in disputes,” he wrote. “It simply left out the fact that there was a third route: the company requiring a fact-checker to change its rating. Facebook’s notable omission offers a textbook example of how the company’s silence and carefully worded statements allow it to hide its actions from public scrutiny.”
Another instance of lacking transparency, the big data expert wrote, is social media companies’ conduct in relation to studies.
“Take Facebook’s 2014 study in which it partnered with Cornell University to manipulate the emotions of more than 689,000 users,” Leetaru explained. “When the researchers submitted it for publication, the journal — Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences — was initially ‘concerned’ about the ‘ethical issu(e)’ of manipulating users’ emotions without their consent, until it ‘queried the authors and they said their local institutional review board had approved it’ and thus the journal would not ‘second-guess’ the university.”
“Only after public outrage erupted,” he continued, “did it emerge that the university’s review board had determined that since only Facebook employees had access to raw user data, with Cornell University’s researchers having access only to the final results of the analysis, that ‘no review by the Cornell Human Research Protection Program was required.’”
He also mentioned another study currently being conducted, with Facebook actively manipulating volunteers’ accounts in the lead-up to Election Day.
Leetaru argued that “what appears at first glance to be an open, ‘transparent’ academic research initiative turns out to be just as opaque as every other Facebook effort. Indeed, by choosing a private university as the ethics review board for its pre-election effort, Facebook is even able to shield the project from Freedom of Information Act requests.”
Going beyond mere suggestions to improve the situation, the U.S. Department of Justice recently proposed legislation aimed at reining in social media platforms’ censorship of lawful speech. A draft legislative text to reform Section 230 of the federal Communications Decency Act was sent to Congress in September.
Section 230, as it currently stands, immunizes websites from being held liable for the third-party content they host, such as posts or tweets by social media users. This provision has been credited with helping the internet thrive, and in recent years, it has been seen as a potential means of addressing the increasing control that internet platforms exert over conservative speech.
“The current interpretations of Section 230 have enabled online platforms to hide behind the immunity to censor lawful speech in bad faith and is inconsistent with their own terms of service,” the DOJ explained in a press release.
“To remedy this, the department’s legislative proposal revises and clarifies the existing language of Section 230 and replaces vague terms that may be used to shield arbitrary content moderation decisions with more concrete language that gives greater guidance to platforms, users, and courts.”
“The legislative proposal also adds language to the definition of ‘information content provider’ to clarify when platforms should be responsible for speech that they affirmatively and substantively contribute to or modify,” the statement continued.
Share


lifesitenews--2020-10-02--Catholic publication sanitizes former Canadian Prime Minister Turner’s involvement in legalizing abo

Catholic publication sanitizes former Canadian Prime Minister Turner’s involvement in legalizing abortion

TORONTO , Ontario , October 2 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – A report in Canada ’ s oldest Catholic newspaper regarding the death of former Canadian Prime Minister ( PM ) John Turner states a 1969 law he helped pass “ did not , in fact , legalize abortion ” in Canada despite the fact that the law removed legal protection for the unborn child and allowed abortions to be performed in hospitals under permissive circumstances .
The infamous “ Omnibus Bill ” passed under Turner ’ s watch ultimately promoted abortion and put the country on a path @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of abortion throughout all nine months of pregnancy for practically any reason .
In the first year after the bill ’ s passage ( 1970 ) , there were 11,152 abortions committed in Canada .
There are now an estimated 100,000 abortions committed annually .
Turner , a Catholic , served as Justice Minister under then Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau from 1968 to 1972 .
He died on September 19 at the age of 91 .
“ The abortion issue challenged Turner to reconcile his private religious beliefs with his public duty as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25 excerpt from a Catholic Register report by CCCB apologist Michael Swan on the passing of Turner .
The Register is owned by the Archdiocese of Toronto , but the main influence on what it publishes is from the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops who have tended to be quite liberal and whose executive at that time gave Turner quiet approval to push the bill through .
Its report on Turner ’ s death quotes Dr. Richard Alway , Pontifical Institute of Medieval Studies president , as telling them the issue of abortion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took this issue very strongly.
” “ The law Mr. Turner passed did not , in fact , legalize abortion .
It codified the practice that had developed in the wake of a number of court decisions .
Turner consulted widely with Catholic lawyers and theologians and found himself comfortably on the side of clear and consistent law , ” reads the Register report .
However , Lifesite ’ s Steve Jalsevac , who was with with the national pro-life organization Campaign Life Coalition for many years , recalls other pro-life leaders noting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ selective on who he consulted in order to get the answers he wanted .
Turner spent his life in politics with the Liberal Party of Canada and briefly served as the Canadian PM in 1984 for 11 weeks after winning the Liberal Party leadership when Pierre Trudeau retired as party leader .
Turner was not a Member of Parliament ( MP ) at the time .
The Liberal Party was defeated by Progressive Conservative Party leader Brian Mulroney , and Turner resigned shortly after .
Despite saying that he took the issue of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while campaigning to become PM , Turner said , “ I am one of the architects of the abortion amendment.
” During a 1989 House of Commons debate , Turner said , “ I believe our duty is not to impose our own beliefs rigidly on the view of others who may strongly disagree.
” Jim Hughes , the former President of Campaign Life Coalition ( CLC ) told LifeSiteNews that Turner played a role in the legalization of abortion in Canada .
“ There ’ s been five million children killed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a role that he played in that whole thing , ” Hughes told LifeSiteNews .
“ You can ’ t judge the state of anybody 's soul , but publicly , you have expected a guy that had some yearnings to become a priest , might have had the guts to stand up and say no to this killing….It was so disappointing for everybody that he did n't have the stones to stand up and say no , we 're not going to do this.
” Abortion was legalized in Canada in 1969 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ current PM Justin Trudeau ’ s father ) passed a heavily criticized Omnibus Bill which amended the criminal code to allow abortions to be done in hospitals under permissive circumstances , with the approval of the hospital therapeutic abortion committee ( TAC ) .
The Omnibus Bill was drafted by Trudeau when he was justice minister in 1967 and also effectively legalized homosexuality and enacted more strict rules on guns and drunk driving .
A 2020 report regarding Turner ’ s death in the pro-life newsletter The Interim spells out the reality Turner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came to abortions , saying that TAC ’ s effectively “ rubber-stamped ” abortion applications .
“ The therapeutic abortion committees effectively rubber-stamped abortion applications , and the number of abortions skyrocketed to the tens of thousands within a few years of being permitted .
Even if abortion still remained in the Criminal Code , the actions of the hospital abortion committees effectively created abortion-on-demand , ” says an Intermin report dated September 25 .
Paul Litt ’ s 2012 biography of Turner “ Elusive Destiny : The Political Vocation of John Napier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1969 between him and the executive of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops ( CCCB ) to obtain advice on the Omnibus Bill .
In the biography , Litt wrote that Turner informed the bishops that the law was the best his Liberal party could do on the matter .
Litt also wrote that then CCCB president Bishop Alexander Carter responded , “ Gentlemen , I think John has convinced us .
Let ’ s have a drink.
” Jalsevac recalls that pro-life leaders learned some years later about this secret complicity of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they treated the mass killing of babies that it would inevitably lead to so casually , and were dismayed that the bishops did nothing to try to stop it .
The Omnibus Bill was then passed into law on May 14 , 1969 , and remained in effect until the Supreme Court of Canada struck down the 1969 law as unconstitutional in the 1988 Morgentaler decision .
The law was removed on a technicality .
The court ruled that it violated a woman ’ s Charter right to security of the person since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the country .
The court encouraged the Canadian Parliament to come up with replacement abortion legislation .
This effort failed when then PM Mulroney ’ s draft law was dismissed in a Senate tie vote .
The result of this is that Canada has no abortion law at all , and thus abortion is permitted up through all nine months of pregnancy .
Litt wrote that the issue of abortion “ challenged Turner to reconcile his private religious beliefs with his public duty as a politician , ” raising “ two basic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the other of conscience.
” Litt also wrote that Turner ultimately warranted the passing of the 1969 Omnibus Bill because it “ downloaded the issue to doctors ” whom he claimed Turner believed should be the ones making medical decisions .
In his biography of Turner , Litt also alleges that Turner wanted to split up the Omnibus bill to allow for free votes on moral issues , but that Pierre Trudeau would not allow it .
In 2001 , Turner chaired an Archdiocese of Toronto Cardinal ’ s dinner , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who died in April of 2020 , did not approve of .
“ People who know their ( abortion proponents ’ ) views are unacceptable , should not invite pro-abortionists to events or honour them , because ‘ their behaviour is a counter-witness to the truth the Church upholds , ’ ” de Valk said in a 2001 report in The Interim .
Through most of the 1980s until 1993 , de Valk worked as a writer and editor for The Interim before starting Catholic Insight in 1993 .
The 2001 Interim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , wherein he claimed to the Interim that he did not liberalize Canada ’ s abortion laws .
“ I merely put into statutory form what the courts were doing for 50 years – not prosecuting woman who have abortions for health reasons , ” Turner was quoted as saying in the Interim report .
Fr .
de Valk however thought that Turner was being “ disingenuous ” with this line of argument , saying that “ The effects speak for themselves , ” noting that in 1970 , the year after abortion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 542 in 1969 .
In a 2003 interview , de Valk told LifeSiteNews about both Trudeau and Turner that “ The greatest decisive feature of the man ’ s life ( Trudeau ) , and that of John Turner , is the legalization of abortion and the resulting death of three million Canadian children to date.
” A 2012 Interim report titled , “ John Turner , ambition , and the legalization of abortion ” gives an insightful overview in terms of Turner ’ s role in abortion becoming legal in Canada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hughes told LifeSiteNews that “ The Church has been supporters of the Liberal Party ever since I can remember.
” Despite Canada not having any official abortion laws , few politicians today from any party have come out demanding that Canada enact laws to protect the lives of pre-born children .
One politician who has spoken out about this issue is Conservative Party of Canada ( CPC ) MP Derek Sloan , who identifies as pro-life .
Sloan , who unsuccessfully ran for the CPC party leadership , said his fellow candidates would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s not right ” that Canada has no laws that protect the lives of unborn children , in remarks he made during the CPC English leadership in June .
Turner will be given a state funeral on October 6 , 2020 , which is planned to be held at St. Michael 's Cathedral Basilica .

The recently deceased John Turner played a significant role in 100,000 babies being killed by abortion every year in Canada due to a law he helped pass in 1969
TORONTO, Ontario, October 2, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – A report in Canada’s oldest Catholic newspaper regarding the death of former Canadian Prime Minister (PM) John Turner states a 1969 law he helped pass “did not, in fact, legalize abortion” in Canada despite the fact that the law removed legal protection for the unborn child and allowed abortions to be performed in hospitals under permissive circumstances.
The infamous “Omnibus Bill” passed under Turner’s watch ultimately promoted abortion and put the country on a path that would eventually lead to taxpayer funding of abortion throughout all nine months of pregnancy for practically any reason. In the first year after the bill’s passage (1970), there were 11,152 abortions committed in Canada. There are now an estimated 100,000 abortions committed annually.
Turner, a Catholic, served as Justice Minister under then Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau from 1968 to 1972. He died on September 19 at the age of 91.
“The abortion issue challenged Turner to reconcile his private religious beliefs with his public duty as a politician,” says a September 25 excerpt from a Catholic Register report by CCCB apologist Michael Swan on the passing of Turner.
The Register is owned by the Archdiocese of Toronto, but the main influence on what it publishes is from the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops whose executive at that time gave Turner quiet approval to push the bill through. Its report on Turner’s death quotes Dr. Richard Alway, Pontifical Institute of Medieval Studies president, as telling them the issue of abortion “hurt” Turner “because he took this issue very strongly.”
“The law Mr. Turner passed did not, in fact, legalize abortion. It codified the practice that had developed in the wake of a number of court decisions. Turner consulted widely with Catholic lawyers and theologians and found himself comfortably on the side of clear and consistent law,” reads the Register report.
However, Lifesite’s Steve Jalsevac, who was with with the national pro-life organization Campaign Life Coalition for many years, recalls other pro-life leaders noting that Turner was understood to have been selective on who he consulted in order to get the answers he wanted.
Turner spent his life in politics with the Liberal Party of Canada and briefly served as the Canadian PM in 1984 for 11 weeks after winning the Liberal Party leadership when Pierre Trudeau retired as party leader. Turner was not a Member of Parliament (MP) at the time.
The Liberal Party was defeated by Progressive Conservative Party leader Brian Mulroney, and Turner resigned shortly after.
Despite saying that he took the issue of abortion “strongly,” in 1984 while campaigning to become PM, Turner said, “I am one of the architects of the abortion amendment.”
During a 1989 House of Commons debate, Turner said, “I believe our duty is not to impose our own beliefs rigidly on the view of others who may strongly disagree.”
Jim Hughes, the former President of Campaign Life Coalition (CLC) told LifeSiteNews that Turner played a role in the legalization of abortion in Canada.
“There’s been five million children killed by abortions since then, and he has a role that he played in that whole thing,” Hughes told LifeSiteNews.
“You can’t judge the state of anybody's soul, but publicly, you have expected a guy that had some yearnings to become a priest, might have had the guts to stand up and say no to this killing….It was so disappointing for everybody that he didn't have the stones to stand up and say no, we're not going to do this.”
Abortion was legalized in Canada in 1969 when then Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau (current PM Justin Trudeau’s father) passed a heavily criticized Omnibus Bill which amended the criminal code to allow abortions to be done in hospitals under permissive circumstances, with the approval of the hospital therapeutic abortion committee (TAC).
The Omnibus Bill was drafted by Trudeau when he was justice minister in 1967 and also effectively legalized homosexuality and enacted more strict rules on guns and drunk driving.
A 2020 report regarding Turner’s death in the pro-life newsletter The Interim spells out the reality Turner’s Omnibus Bill had when it came to abortions, saying that TAC’s effectively “rubber-stamped” abortion applications.
“The therapeutic abortion committees effectively rubber-stamped abortion applications, and the number of abortions skyrocketed to the tens of thousands within a few years of being permitted. Even if abortion still remained in the Criminal Code, the actions of the hospital abortion committees effectively created abortion-on-demand,” says an Intermin report dated September 25.
Paul Litt’s 2012 biography of Turner “Elusive Destiny: The Political Vocation of John Napier Turner,” describes a meeting in 1969 between him and the executive of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) to obtain advice on the Omnibus Bill.
In the biography, Litt wrote that Turner informed the bishops that the law was the best his Liberal party could do on the matter.
Litt also wrote that then CCCB president Bishop Alexander Carter responded, “Gentlemen, I think John has convinced us. Let’s have a drink.” Jalsevac recalls that pro-life leaders learned years later about this secret complicity of the bishops with the passage of the law change and that they treated the mass killing of babies it would inevitably lead to so incredibly casually. The pro-life leaders were dismayed by the betrayal.
The Omnibus Bill was then passed into law on May 14, 1969, and remained in effect until the Supreme Court of Canada struck down the 1969 law as unconstitutional in the 1988 Morgentaler decision. The law was removed on a technicality. The court ruled that it violated a woman’s Charter right to security of the person since the law could not be applied equally across the country.
The court encouraged the Canadian Parliament to come up with replacement abortion legislation. This effort failed when then PM Mulroney’s draft law was dismissed in a Senate tie vote. The result of this is that Canada has no abortion law at all, and thus abortion is permitted up through all nine months of pregnancy.
Litt wrote that the issue of abortion “challenged Turner to reconcile his private religious beliefs with his public duty as a politician,” raising “two basic questions – one a matter of politics, the other of conscience.”
Litt also wrote that Turner ultimately warranted the passing of the 1969 Omnibus Bill because it “downloaded the issue to doctors” whom he claimed Turner believed should be the ones making medical decisions.
In his biography of Turner, Litt also alleges that Turner wanted to split up the Omnibus bill to allow for free votes on moral issues, but that Pierre Trudeau would not allow it.
In 2001, Turner chaired an Archdiocese of Toronto Cardinal’s dinner, which Canadian pro-life priest Fr Alphonse de Valk, who died in April of 2020, did not approve of.
“People who know their (abortion proponents’) views are unacceptable, should not invite pro-abortionists to events or honour them, because ‘their behaviour is a counter-witness to the truth the Church upholds,’” de Valk said in a 2001 report in The Interim.
Through most of the 1980s until 1993, de Valk worked as a writer and editor for The Interim before starting Catholic Insight in 1993.
The 2001 Interim report citing de Valk quotes Turner himself, wherein he claimed to the Interim that he did not liberalize Canada’s abortion laws.
“I merely put into statutory form what the courts were doing for 50 years – not prosecuting woman who have abortions for health reasons,” Turner was quoted as saying in the Interim report.
Fr. de Valk however thought that Turner was being “disingenuous” with this line of argument, saying that “The effects speak for themselves,” noting that in 1970, the year after abortion was legalized, 11,152 were committed compared to 542 in 1969.
In a 2003 interview, de Valk told LifeSiteNews about both Trudeau and Turner that “The greatest decisive feature of the man’s life (Trudeau), and that of John Turner, is the legalization of abortion and the resulting death of three million Canadian children to date.”
A 2012 Interim report titled, “John Turner, ambition, and the legalization of abortion” gives an insightful overview in terms of Turner’s role in abortion becoming legal in Canada.
In a 2015 LifeSiteNews report, Hughes told LifeSiteNews that “The Church has been supporters of the Liberal Party ever since I can remember.”
Despite Canada not having any official abortion laws, few politicians today from any party have come out demanding that Canada enact laws to protect the lives of pre-born children.
One politician who has spoken out about this issue is Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) MP Derek Sloan, who identifies as pro-life.
Sloan, who unsuccessfully ran for the CPC party leadership, said his fellow candidates would “agree with him” that “it’s not right” that Canada has no laws that protect the lives of unborn children, in remarks he made during the CPC English leadership in June.
Turner will be given a state funeral on October 6, 2020, which is planned to be held at St. Michael's Cathedral Basilica.
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lifesitenews--2020-10-02--Second presidential debate moderator’s pro-Biden, anti-Trump bias revealed

PETITION : Urge Catholic bishops to refuse Holy Communion to pro-abortion Biden !
Sign the petition here .
October 2 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – As much as they disliked Fox News host Chris Wallace ’ s performance as debate moderator for perceived left-wing bias , conservatives are bracing for the next debate to be even more hostile to President Donald Trump , based on the background of the next moderator , C-SPAN political editor Steve Scully .
Critics have raised doubts that Scully will be objective in light of his background and social media history , starting with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opponent , former Vice President Joe Biden .
“ I came to school in Washington , D.C. , went to American University and had a couple of internships , ” Scully said in a 2011 interview .
“ I worked for Joe Biden , Senator from Delaware at the time , as an intern , so I had my first chance to really see politics up close in Washington , D.C .
I worked for Senator [ Ted ] Kennedy .
I was involved in his ill-fated campaign in 1980 , which was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school student in the [ President Jimmy ] Carter campaign in 1976 , I saw from two different perspectives.
” In recent years , Scully has also hinted at an affinity toward Biden and antipathy toward Trump on social media , from selfies with the former vice president to sharing a New York Times op-ed calling Trump “ an affront to basic standards of honesty , virtue and citizenship ” who “ is a threat to the long and glorious experiment of American self-government ” and does “ not ever ” deserve Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ various conservatives and Republican groups have complained about the impropriety of employing a debate moderator with connections of any kind to one of the competitors : Sen. Ted Cruz ( R-TX ) echoed those complaints while laying out a potential solution .
“ General election debates should be moderated by an equal number of GOP and Dems , ” he wrote .
“ We should stop pretending obvious bias doesn ’ t exist .
Instead , equalize & counter-balance it.
” “ A debate moderated by , say Mark Levin & Chris Hayes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Cruz suggested .
“ Or Rush Limbaugh & Rachel Maddow .
Or Ben Shapiro & Chris Cuomo .
Both sides would take incoming & the debates would be real and substantive .
”

Critics have raised doubts that Scully will be objective in light of his background and social media history, starting with his past association with Trump’s opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden
PETITION: Urge Catholic bishops to refuse Holy Communion to pro-abortion Biden! Sign the petition here. October 2, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – As much as they disliked Fox News host Chris Wallace’s performance as debate moderator for perceived left-wing bias, conservatives are bracing for the next debate to be even more hostile to President Donald Trump, based on the background of the next moderator, C-SPAN political editor Steve Scully. Critics have raised doubts that Scully will be objective in light of his background and social media history, starting with his past association with Trump’s opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden.
“I came to school in Washington, D.C., went to American University and had a couple of internships,” Scully said in a 2011 interview. “ I worked for Joe Biden, Senator from Delaware at the time, as an intern, so I had my first chance to really see politics up close in Washington, D.C. I worked for Senator [Ted] Kennedy. I was involved in his ill-fated campaign in 1980, which was interesting; having worked as a high school student in the [President Jimmy] Carter campaign in 1976, I saw from two different perspectives.”
In recent years, Scully has also hinted at an affinity toward Biden and antipathy toward Trump on social media, from selfies with the former vice president to sharing a New York Times op-ed calling Trump “an affront to basic standards of honesty, virtue and citizenship” who “is a threat to the long and glorious experiment of American self-government” and does “not ever” deserve Americans’ respect:
Gotta love the @VP at the Biden Beach Bash '16 pic.twitter.com/Z9gdC6Cmi1 — Steve Scully (@SteveScully) June 4, 2016
Biden Beach Bash '16 pic.twitter.com/t1B5Lv0zbk — Steve Scully (@SteveScully) June 4, 2016
No, Not Trump, Not Ever https://t.co/PFvHTeQSZu — Steve Scully (@SteveScully) March 18, 2016
The Trump campaign and various conservatives and Republican groups have complained about the impropriety of employing a debate moderator with connections of any kind to one of the competitors:
This is the guy @debates wants in control of @realDonaldTrump's mic at the next debate. https://t.co/qlUQ9fp44g — Team Trump (Text VOTE to 88022) (@TeamTrump) October 1, 2020
You can't make this up Steve Scully, the moderator for the second presidential debate, was an intern for Joe Biden in 1978 Nothing to see here folks! https://t.co/yrQTdaJRmP — College Republicans (@CRNC) October 1, 2020
Second Presidential Debate Moderator Steve Scully Interned for Joe Biden Absolutely no conflict of interest here, right y’all? Right…?https://t.co/0pCnVjYIT9 — Students For Trump (@TrumpStudents) October 1, 2020
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) echoed those complaints while laying out a potential solution. “General election debates should be moderated by an equal number of GOP and Dems,” he wrote. “We should stop pretending obvious bias doesn’t exist. Instead, equalize & counter-balance it.”
“A debate moderated by, say Mark Levin & Chris Hayes would be better than fake impartiality,” Cruz suggested. “Or Rush Limbaugh & Rachel Maddow. Or Ben Shapiro & Chris Cuomo. Both sides would take incoming & the debates would be real and substantive.”
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lifesitenews--2020-10-02--Leftists panic over Amy Coney Barrett having signed 2006 ad calling for ‘right to life from fertiliz

Leftists panic over Amy Coney Barrett having signed 2006 ad calling for ‘right to life from fertilization’ onward

URGENT PETITION : Tell the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade !
Sign the petition here .
October 2 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – President Donald Trump ’ s choice to replace the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the U.S. Supreme Court signed her name to a declaration to “ oppose abortion on demand and support the right to life from fertilization to natural death ” in 2006 .
This week , various liberal media outlets began circulating a two-page newspaper ad from Indiana ’ s South Bend Tribune , taken out 14 years ago by St. Joseph @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Life Michiana ) .
The left-hand page is a list of names of people who signed onto the statement , “ We , the following citizens of Michiana , oppose abortion on demand and support the right to life from fertilization to natural death.
” Among the signatories was Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Amy Coney Barrett , who was a University of Notre Dame law professor at the time .
The right-hand page features copy declaring , “ It ’ s time to put an end to the barbaric legacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that protect the lives of unborn children ” : Various left-wing activists and pundits have taken the ad as proof Barrett will vote to overturn Roe if confirmed to the nation ’ s highest court ( a possibility her supporters hope for ) , and claim her signature should have been formally disclosed during her confirmation hearings for the Seventh Circuit in 2017 .
To the first point , Right to Life Michiana told National Review that signatories to the annual ad are generally given just the left-hand statement to sign , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right-hand page before publication , so while Barrett is undoubtedly pro-life , she was not specifically endorsing the anti-Roe declaration .
To the second point , Ethics & Public Policy Center president Ed Whelan argued that none of the language on Barrett ’ s 2017 questionnaire required disclosure of the ad .
Further , Barrett has never made a secret of her pro-life views .
She was a member of Notre Dame ’ s Faculty for Life group , signed a 2015 letter expressing “ solidarity with our sisters in the developing world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ forms of ideological colonization which are out to destroy the family , ’ ” and is reported to have signed another letter published by Becket Law criticizing the Obama administration ’ s contraception mandate .
Perhaps most encouragingly , Barrett has also written multiple articles critical of the stare decisis doctrine , which grants weight to past rulings ’ status as precedent , regardless of whether they were rightly decided .

URGENT PETITION: Tell the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade! Sign the petition here.
October 2, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – President Donald Trump’s choice to replace the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the U.S. Supreme Court signed her name to a declaration to “oppose abortion on demand and support the right to life from fertilization to natural death” in 2006.
This week, various liberal media outlets began circulating a two-page newspaper ad from Indiana’s South Bend Tribune, taken out 14 years ago by St. Joseph County Right to Life (now Right to Life Michiana).
The left-hand page is a list of names of people who signed onto the statement, “We, the following citizens of Michiana, oppose abortion on demand and support the right to life from fertilization to natural death.” Among the signatories was Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Amy Coney Barrett, who was a University of Notre Dame law professor at the time.
The right-hand page features copy declaring, “It’s time to put an end to the barbaric legacy of Roe v. Wade and restore laws that protect the lives of unborn children”:
The ad that Barrett signed her name to was actually a two-page spread in the South Bend Tribune, and the full ad specifically calls for “an end to the barbaric legacy of Roe v. Wade”. This is as clear a position as you'll ever see from a judicial nominee. Here is the full ad: pic.twitter.com/PcZCcu89MS — Brian Fallon (@brianefallon) October 1, 2020
Various left-wing activists and pundits have taken the ad as proof Barrett will vote to overturn Roe if confirmed to the nation’s highest court (a possibility her supporters hope for), and claim her signature should have been formally disclosed during her confirmation hearings for the Seventh Circuit in 2017.
To the first point, Right to Life Michiana told National Review that signatories to the annual ad are generally given just the left-hand statement to sign, and do not see a copy of the right-hand page before publication, so while Barrett is undoubtedly pro-life, she was not specifically endorsing the anti-Roe declaration. To the second point, Ethics & Public Policy Center president Ed Whelan argued that none of the language on Barrett’s 2017 questionnaire required disclosure of the ad.
Further, Barrett has never made a secret of her pro-life views. She was a member of Notre Dame’s Faculty for Life group, signed a 2015 letter expressing “solidarity with our sisters in the developing world against what Pope Francis has described as ‘forms of ideological colonization which are out to destroy the family,’” and is reported to have signed another letter published by Becket Law criticizing the Obama administration’s contraception mandate. Perhaps most encouragingly, Barrett has also written multiple articles critical of the stare decisis doctrine, which grants weight to past rulings’ status as precedent, regardless of whether they were rightly decided.
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lifesitenews--2020-10-02--WATCH: Trump vows to ‘protect the Catholic Church’ at prestigious Catholic fundraising dinner

PETITION : Urge Catholic bishops to refuse Holy Communion to pro-abortion Biden !
Sign the petition here .
NEW YORK , October 2 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – President Donald Trump stated his commitment to defend religious rights and even to “ protect ” the Catholic Church in a speech streamed as part of yesterday ’ s 75th annual Al Smith Dinner virtual event .
“ I will protect the Catholic Church and I will defend the rights of religious believers of every race , religion , color , and creed , ” he said at the event .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Archbishop of New York at New York City ’ s Waldorf-Astoria hotel , raises money for children of the archdiocese .
Due to COVID-19 , the event this year was hosted virtually from the Archbishop ’ s residence .
The Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation founded the event in honor of Al Smith , four-time governor of New York and the first Catholic presidential candidate nominated for a major party .
Trump praised Catholics for their faith and works .
“ Now , more than ever , our nation needs a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promotes and that the Catholic faithful live out each and every day in peace , ” Trump said in reference to the Foundation ’ s work .
“ We love the Catholic people .
We love the Catholic religion .
And , above all , we respect it greatly .
As President , I will always support you in your effort to serve our fellow citizens and to lift up all humanity , ” he continued .
In his speech , President Trump also reaffirmed his defense of the “ sacred right to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , born and unborn , is made in the holy image of God.
” Trump has been repeatedly lauded for his pro-life policies and appointments by Catholic clergy , including Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann , chairman of the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities .
Referring to Trump ’ s revised Mexico City policy , Naumann said , “ The Trump Administration deserves our praise for ensuring that U.S. global health assistance funding actually promotes health and human rights , and doesn ’ t undermine them by promoting abortion .
Killing innocent and defenseless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care.
” Naumann reminded Catholics last week that abortion is the “ preeminent ” social justice issue when it comes to voting .
By the same token , outspoken pro-life clergy have declared that faithful Catholics can not vote for pro-abortion Biden and the Democratic Party and consider themselves truly Catholic .
“ You can not be Catholic and be a Democrat .
Period , ” said Fr .
James Altman in a video that went viral in August .
In a similar vein , Archbishop Samuel Aquila of Denver said earlier this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be a Catholic in good standing and support abortion .
”

Trump praised Catholics for their faith and works at the virtual Al Smith Dinner
PETITION: Urge Catholic bishops to refuse Holy Communion to pro-abortion Biden! Sign the petition here. NEW YORK, October 2, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – President Donald Trump stated his commitment to defend religious rights and even to “protect” the Catholic Church in a speech streamed as part of yesterday’s 75th annual Al Smith Dinner virtual event. “I will protect the Catholic Church and I will defend the rights of religious believers of every race, religion, color, and creed,” he said at the event.
This long-standing white-tie dinner, ordinarily hosted by the Archbishop of New York at New York City’s Waldorf-Astoria hotel, raises money for children of the archdiocese. Due to COVID-19, the event this year was hosted virtually from the Archbishop’s residence. The Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation founded the event in honor of Al Smith, four-time governor of New York and the first Catholic presidential candidate nominated for a major party.
Trump praised Catholics for their faith and works.
“Now, more than ever, our nation needs a renewal of the values that this organization promotes and that the Catholic faithful live out each and every day in peace,” Trump said in reference to the Foundation’s work.
“We love the Catholic people. We love the Catholic religion. And, above all, we respect it greatly. As President, I will always support you in your effort to serve our fellow citizens and to lift up all humanity,” he continued.
In his speech, President Trump also reaffirmed his defense of the “sacred right to life,” saying “Every child, born and unborn, is made in the holy image of God.”
Trump has been repeatedly lauded for his pro-life policies and appointments by Catholic clergy, including Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities.
Referring to Trump’s revised Mexico City policy, Naumann said, “The Trump Administration deserves our praise for ensuring that U.S. global health assistance funding actually promotes health and human rights, and doesn’t undermine them by promoting abortion. Killing innocent and defenseless unborn children through abortion is not health care.”
Naumann reminded Catholics last week that abortion is the “preeminent” social justice issue when it comes to voting.
By the same token, outspoken pro-life clergy have declared that faithful Catholics cannot vote for pro-abortion Biden and the Democratic Party and consider themselves truly Catholic.
“You can not be Catholic and be a Democrat. Period,” said Fr. James Altman in a video that went viral in August.
In a similar vein, Archbishop Samuel Aquila of Denver said earlier this week that “It is not possible to be a Catholic in good standing and support abortion.”
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