lifesitenews--2020-07-24--As at-home abortions rise, will women see the humanity of the babies they’ve killed?

July 23 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — A new study by Dr. Katherine A. Rafferty of Iowa State University and Tessa Longbons from the Charlotte Lozier Institute titled “ # AbortionChangesYou : A Case Study to Understand the Communicative Tensions in Women ’ s Medication Abortion Narratives ” was published in the journal Health Communications on June 1 , 2020 .
With medication abortions on the rise , women are increasingly using RU-486 to abort at home , leading to more complications and an increase in emergency room visits .
According to one summary of the study , at-home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emotional health and well-being of those utilizing this abortion method .
In an analysis of 98 blog posts from women who aborted their babies using medication between October 2007 and February 2018 , the study ’ s authors found that 83 % of women reported that their medication abortion had changed them .
According to the article : One factor contributing to the trauma of women who aborted on their own was the fact that they were pressured to have abortions .
Ffity-three percent of women reported that either the father of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on them , exposing once again the farcical nature of the “ choice ” that many women face .
Several stated that they were unaware that they had choices other than abortion until it was too late .
In their own words : “ I remember my husband telling me , ‘ well don ’ t expect me to be too happy with the idea of having it if you decide to keep it .
I won ’ t be too loving.
’ That was a knife through my heart and I made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the abortion.
” “ They all tell you ‘ it ’ s your choice ’ in the moment , but you don ’ t feel that it is .
Being unable to afford it , unable to tell you loved ones , not having the help or feeling unable to support a child .
When your partner doesn ’ t want it like you do .
All these things push you , blind you to a decision that you don ’ t realize will destroy you.
” “ I was kind of excited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my family .
I told my mom and her first response was I hope you ’ re getting an abortion .
You ’ re going to be a terrible mom.
” According to Pregnancy Help News , the study concluded that “ [ u ] ltimately , these centripetal discourses ( coming from society , the pro-choice movement , other people in their lives , or their own fears ) negated the centrifugal discourse that other alternatives ( adoption or keeping their baby ) were justifiable options available to them.
” As the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — especially during the COVID-19 pandemic — many pro-life activists have expressed concern that it will be more difficult to reach women and that the seeming simplicity of the process will make abortion seem easier , less horrific , and more common than surgical abortions .
While that is certainly a concern , the first-hand testimonies of women who have aborted their babies in this fashion have led me to believe that the trauma that frequently accompanies these procedures could produce a different result .
At an abortion facility , those carrying out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see the baby they have aborted as a matter of policy .
Shielding women from what they have just done is essential to maintaining the fiction that abortion is a simple health care procedure , and it is for this reason that people — especially those who have had abortions — often react with shock when they come face to face with imagery of aborted babies .
The most common response pro-life activists here when displaying abortion victim photography is I never knew .
With at-home abortions , however , many — if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the baby they have aborted .
This is an experience that would not have occurred in an abortion facility , and the impact of seeing the aborted child is often traumatic .
The study contains the reactions of some women to their at-home abortions : “ I was in so much pain on the bathroom floor.
” “ The pills made me vomit , lose control of my bowels , sweat , faint , pass out , and go into full labor.
” “ They told me it wouldn ’ t hurt and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
THAT WAS SUCH A LIE .
I felt everything , I heard everything , I seen everything .
I ended up blacking out from the pain and puking all over myself.
” “ I knew to expect blood clotting , but nothing could ’ ve prepared me for seeing her body .
It was the color of my own skin , and was actually starting to look like a person.
” “ We were told we would go back to normal and it won ’ t affect us but they were wrong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emptiness and hatred .
I used to be the happiest most positive girl .
All I want is to take it back.
” It is possible that medication abortions will continue to rise , and that most will see it as even more convenient than going into an abortion facility .
But it is also possible that when abortion becomes a more intimate experience and increasing numbers of women come face to face with the children who have been expelled from their wombs , that many will see what the facilities have long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of what abortion actually is .
Only time — and more death — will tell .

At an abortion facility, those carrying out the procedure never permit women to actually see the baby they have aborted. But women aborting by themselves at home will see.
July 23, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — A new study by Dr. Katherine A. Rafferty of Iowa State University and Tessa Longbons from the Charlotte Lozier Institute titled “#AbortionChangesYou: A Case Study to Understand the Communicative Tensions in Women’s Medication Abortion Narratives” was published in the journal Health Communications on June 1, 2020. With medication abortions on the rise, women are increasingly using RU-486 to abort at home, leading to more complications and an increase in emergency room visits.
According to one summary of the study, at-home abortions are having an impact on the emotional health and well-being of those utilizing this abortion method. In an analysis of 98 blog posts from women who aborted their babies using medication between October 2007 and February 2018, the study’s authors found that 83% of women reported that their medication abortion had changed them. According to the article:
Each site of struggle characterized a different noteworthy moment within a woman’s medication abortion experience: the decision, the medication abortion process, identity after the abortion, and managing the stigmatizing silence before and after the abortion.
One factor contributing to the trauma of women who aborted on their own was the fact that they were pressured to have abortions. Ffity-three percent of women reported that either the father of the baby or a family member pushed abortion on them, exposing once again the farcical nature of the “choice” that many women face. Several stated that they were unaware that they had choices other than abortion until it was too late. In their own words:
“I remember my husband telling me, ‘well don’t expect me to be too happy with the idea of having it if you decide to keep it. I won’t be too loving.’ That was a knife through my heart and I made the tough decision to go through with the abortion.”
“They all tell you ‘it’s your choice’ in the moment, but you don’t feel that it is. Being unable to afford it, unable to tell you loved ones, not having the help or feeling unable to support a child. When your partner doesn’t want it like you do. All these things push you, blind you to a decision that you don’t realize will destroy you.”
“I was kind of excited but I was so scared to tell my family. I told my mom and her first response was I hope you’re getting an abortion. You’re going to be a terrible mom.”
Follow Jonathon van Maren on Facebook
According to Pregnancy Help News, the study concluded that “[u]ltimately, these centripetal discourses (coming from society, the pro-choice movement, other people in their lives, or their own fears) negated the centrifugal discourse that other alternatives (adoption or keeping their baby) were justifiable options available to them.”
As the practice of at-home abortions using medication increases — especially during the COVID-19 pandemic — many pro-life activists have expressed concern that it will be more difficult to reach women and that the seeming simplicity of the process will make abortion seem easier, less horrific, and more common than surgical abortions. While that is certainly a concern, the first-hand testimonies of women who have aborted their babies in this fashion have led me to believe that the trauma that frequently accompanies these procedures could produce a different result.
At an abortion facility, those carrying out the procedure never permit women to actually see the baby they have aborted as a matter of policy. Shielding women from what they have just done is essential to maintaining the fiction that abortion is a simple health care procedure, and it is for this reason that people — especially those who have had abortions — often react with shock when they come face to face with imagery of aborted babies. The most common response pro-life activists here when displaying abortion victim photography is I never knew. With at-home abortions, however, many — if not most — women will actually see the baby they have aborted. This is an experience that would not have occurred in an abortion facility, and the impact of seeing the aborted child is often traumatic. The study contains the reactions of some women to their at-home abortions:
“I felt her come out[.]”
“I was in so much pain on the bathroom floor.”
“The pills made me vomit, lose control of my bowels, sweat, faint, pass out, and go into full labor.”
“They told me it wouldn’t hurt and I wouldn’t feel a thing. THAT WAS SUCH A LIE. I felt everything, I heard everything, I seen everything. I ended up blacking out from the pain and puking all over myself.”
“I knew to expect blood clotting, but nothing could’ve prepared me for seeing her body. It was the color of my own skin, and was actually starting to look like a person.”
“We were told we would go back to normal and it won’t affect us but they were wrong!!! All I feel is emptiness and hatred. I used to be the happiest most positive girl. All I want is to take it back.”
It is possible that medication abortions will continue to rise, and that most will see it as even more convenient than going into an abortion facility. But it is also possible that when abortion becomes a more intimate experience and increasing numbers of women come face to face with the children who have been expelled from their wombs, that many will see what the facilities have long kept hidden from them: the reality of what abortion actually is. Only time — and more death — will tell.
Jonathon’s new podcast, The Van Maren Show, is dedicated to telling the stories of the pro-life and pro-family movement. In his latest episode, Mark David Hall speaks about America’s Founding Fathers, the ideals upon which our society was established, and what this means for Americans today. You can subscribe here and listen to the episode below:
Follow Jonathon Jonathon Van Maren is a public speaker, writer, and pro-life activist. His commentary has been translated into more than eight languages and published widely online as well as print newspapers such as the Jewish Independent, the National Post, the Hamilton Spectator and others. He has received an award for combating anti-Semitism in print from the Jewish organization B’nai Brith. His commentary has been featured on CTV Primetime, Global News, EWTN, and the CBC as well as dozens of radio stations and news outlets in Canada and the United States. He speaks on a wide variety of cultural topics across North America at universities, high schools, churches, and other functions. Some of these topics include abortion, pornography, the Sexual Revolution, and euthanasia. Jonathon holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in history from Simon Fraser University, and is the communications director for the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform. Jonathon’s first book, The Culture War, was released in 2016.
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lifesitenews--2020-07-25--‘Assault’: Asian cardinal denounces Muslim resumed takeover of Catholic cathedral Hagia Sophia

YANGON , Myanmar , July 24 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — A Catholic cardinal who is the leader of the Asian bishops has strongly condemned the move of the Turkish government to allow the former Catholic cathedral Hagia Sophia , once the most important church in Eastern Christianity , to be turned back into a mosque .
Cardinal Charles Bo said that not only does the move “ grieve ” him , but he sees it as an “ assault on freedom of religion or belief.
” “ How does turning what was once the world ’ s largest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sow tensions , divide people and inflict pain ?
” asked Cardinal Bo , president of the Federation of Asian Bishops ’ Conferences and archbishop of Yangon in the nation of Myanmar , nestled between India and China .
Bo was created a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2015 .
Bo ’ s statement was released on Friday , July 24 — the day Hagia Sophia was used for the first time as a Muslim place of worship in almost a century ( read full statement below ) .
Just a few weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to turn the building back into a mosque .
Originally built in the 6th century , Hagia Sophia was the largest church of the Byzantine Empire .
In 1453 , when Muslim invaders attacked and took over the city of Constantinople , it was converted into a mosque .
Kemal Atatürk , as the first president of the Republic of Turkey , turned the mosque into a museum in 1934 .
“ How does placing Hagia Sophia into the hands of people who have no sense of its history and heritage and who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people together ?
” continued Cardinal Bo .
“ How does seizing Hagia Sophia uphold Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights ?
It doesn ’ t .
It merely reopens wounds and exacerbates divides at a time when we should be healing humanity.
” Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights , which was signed by Turkey , states , “ Everyone has the right to freedom of thought , conscience and religion ; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief , and freedom , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and in public or private , to manifest his religion or belief in teaching , practice , worship and observance.
” Cardinal Bo recounted several instances of religious freedom being violated in Asia .
He said “ mosques have been razed to the ground and I have spoken out — frequently and at some risk .
In China , the Uyghur Muslims are facing what amounts to some of the contemporary world ’ s worst mass atrocities and I urge the international community to investigate .
In India and Sri Lanka Muslims have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such inhumanity.
” “ In Indonesia , Ahmadiyya Muslim mosques have been destroyed by other Muslims , and churches have been forcibly closed , ” he added .
“ In Iran the Baha ’ is face an intense assault on their freedoms , and in Syria and Iraq sacred places have been wantonly destroyed while , sadly , closer to home , we have seen the same phenomenon in China with shrines destroyed , the Cross removed from places of worship , and even churches , like Xiangbaishu Church in Yixing , demolished.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Conference to defend Catholic heritage and statues !
Sign the petition here .
In his statement , Bo repeatedly stressed the importance of religious freedom .
“ I work with my brothers and sisters from every major faith tradition every day of my life , ” he explained .
“ And I will go to the ends of the earth to defend their rights .
I will defend every mosque , every synagogue , every temple possible .
And I know my fellow religious leaders working for peace would do the same for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spirit we need — to respect and defend each other ’ s freedoms to worship as we wish , to express our faith in accordance with our traditions , to convert freely according to our conscience , but never to be coerced , never to impose and never to seize or grab.
” Bo warned against repeating the mistakes of the past , stating , “ In previous epochs of history we know that the seizure of one another ’ s sacred and holy buildings and sites has caused untold distress and bitterness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be so foolish as to repeat the mistakes of history.
” He said “ the decision in Turkey to turn what was for 1000 years the world ’ s largest Cathedral — Hagia Sophia — into a mosque grieves me .
And as President of the Federation of Asian Bishops ’ Conferences , it is incumbent on me to say so.
” Turkey is indeed mostly located in Asia , with a small part that can be counted as belonging to the European continent .
Bo added he did not want to “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of worship .
On the contrary , I defend their right to do so as much as I defend everyone ’ s .
Nothing I say here should be taken by those who persecute Muslims — in Myanmar or beyond — as justification for their actions : it never can be.
” “ Persecution of any kind should be countered by people of faith , hope and love and by humanity , ” he said .
“ But nor can the decision to turn Hagia Sophia into a mosque be seen as anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of religion or belief.
” The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America , supported by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops , had designated Friday , July 24 as a “ day of mourning and of manifest grief.
” “ We ask that every Church toll its bells in lamentation on this day .
We call for every flag of every kind that is raised on the Church property be lowered to half-mast on this day .
And we enjoin every Church in our Holy Archdiocese to chant the Akathist Hymn in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we chant it on the Fifth Friday of the Great and Holy Fast , ” wrote the Greek Orthodox bishops in the United States .
Turkish presidential spokesman İbrahim Kalın had told CNN that Christian mosaics and imagery within Hagia Sophia would be preserved .
“ They ’ re part of our cultural heritage , these beautiful mosaics describing Jesus Christ , Virgin Mary , and other Christian personalities , ” he emphasized .
“ They will be preserved untouched .
We ’ re making some arrangements that during Muslim prayer times , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ touched , so that they will not be eroded or affected by light or by anything else , ” Kalın said , pointing out that Hagia Sophia will remain accessible to tourists and visitors .
Freedom of religion or belief is a foundational human right for everyone , of every faith and none .
The right to choose , practice , express and change one ’ s faith – or have no faith at all – is the most basic freedom for any soul .
And it is a freedom I have consistently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Hindus , Jews and Christians of all traditions , in my own country of Myanmar and throughout Asia .
Indeed often I have spoken in defence of the persecuted Muslim peoples in Myanmar , and I will go on doing so without hesitation and unequivocally .
For true freedom of religion requires respect for others ’ freedom to practice , as well as the exercise and defence of one ’ s own liberty .
For that reason , the decision in Turkey to turn what was for 1000 years the world ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into a mosque grieves me .
And as President of the Federation of Asian Bishops ’ Conferences , it is incumbent on me to say so .
It grieves me not because I want to deny my Muslim brothers and sisters places of worship .
On the contrary , I defend their right to do so as much as I defend everyone ’ s .
Nothing I say here should be taken by those who persecute Muslims – in Myanmar or beyond – as justification for their actions : it never can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countered by people of faith , hope and love and by humanity .
But nor can the decision to turn Hagia Sophia into a mosque be seen as anything other than an unnecessary assault on freedom of religion or belief .
Faith is an affair of the soul , heart , mind and spirit .
The temples of faith are within people , not buildings .
Nevertheless , sacred buildings represent and embody history , heritage , art , iconography and the life-story of faiths throughout the millenia .
When subverted , however @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of power and subjugation .
In my country , Myanmar , mosques have been razed to the ground and I have spoken out – frequently and at some risk .
In China , the Uyghur Muslims are facing what amounts to some of the contemporary world ’ s worst mass atrocities and I urge the international community to investigate .
In India and Sri Lanka Muslims have faced appalling violence and I have condemned such inhumanity .
Similarly , In Indonesia , Ahmadiyya Muslim mosques have been destroyed by other Muslims , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iran the Baha ’ is face an intense assault on their freedoms , and in Syria and Iraq sacred places have been wantonly destroyed while , sadly , closer to home , we have seen the same phenomenon in China with shrines destroyed , the Cross removed from places of worship , and even churches , like Xiangbaishu Church in Yixing , demolished.
” Turning Hagia Sophia into a mosque represents a similar undermining of freedom of religion or belief , love for each other , respect for the dignity of difference .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ intense strains due to the global pandemic , we need to come together , not drive communities apart .
We need to put aside identity politics , abandon power plays , prevent ethnic and religious conflicts and value the dignity of difference among every human being .
And we must cherish diversity and the unity we find within it .
How does turning what was once the world ’ s largest cathedral into a mosque do anything except sow tensions , divide people and inflict pain ?
How does placing Hagia Sophia into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sense of its history and heritage and who will destroy its Christian identity help bring people together ?
How does seizing Hagia Sophia uphold Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights ?
It doesn ’ t .
It merely reopens wounds and exacerbates divides at a time when we should be healing humanity .
I work with my brothers and sisters from every major faith tradition every day of my life .
And I will go to the ends of the earth to defend their rights .
I will defend every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible .
And I know my fellow religious leaders working for peace would do the same for me .
That ’ s the spirit we need – to respect and defend each other ’ s freedoms to worship as we wish , to express our faith in accordance with our traditions , to convert freely according to our conscience , but never to be coerced , never to impose and never to seize or grab .
In previous epochs of history we know that the seizure of one another ’ s sacred and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distress and bitterness and in our generation we should not be so foolish as to repeat the mistakes of history .

Cardinal Charles Bo said that ‘turning what was once the world’s largest cathedral into a mosque’ will ‘sow tensions, divide people and inflict pain.’
YANGON, Myanmar, July 24, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — A Catholic cardinal who is the leader of the Asian bishops has strongly condemned the move of the Turkish government to allow the former Catholic cathedral Hagia Sophia, once the most important church in Eastern Christianity, to be turned back into a mosque.
Cardinal Charles Bo said that not only does the move “grieve” him, but he sees it as an “assault on freedom of religion or belief.”
“How does turning what was once the world’s largest cathedral into a mosque do anything except sow tensions, divide people and inflict pain?” asked Cardinal Bo, president of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences and archbishop of Yangon in the nation of Myanmar, nestled between India and China. Bo was created a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2015.
Bo’s statement was released on Friday, July 24 — the day Hagia Sophia was used for the first time as a Muslim place of worship in almost a century (read full statement below). Just a few weeks earlier, the Turkish government had decided to turn the building back into a mosque.
Originally built in the 6th century, Hagia Sophia was the largest church of the Byzantine Empire. In 1453, when Muslim invaders attacked and took over the city of Constantinople, it was converted into a mosque. Kemal Atatürk, as the first president of the Republic of Turkey, turned the mosque into a museum in 1934.
“How does placing Hagia Sophia into the hands of people who have no sense of its history and heritage and who will destroy its Christian identity help bring people together?” continued Cardinal Bo. “How does seizing Hagia Sophia uphold Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights? It doesn’t. It merely reopens wounds and exacerbates divides at a time when we should be healing humanity.”
Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was signed by Turkey, states, “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.”
Cardinal Bo recounted several instances of religious freedom being violated in Asia. He said “mosques have been razed to the ground and I have spoken out — frequently and at some risk. In China, the Uyghur Muslims are facing what amounts to some of the contemporary world’s worst mass atrocities and I urge the international community to investigate. In India and Sri Lanka Muslims have faced appalling violence and I have condemned such inhumanity.”
“In Indonesia, Ahmadiyya Muslim mosques have been destroyed by other Muslims, and churches have been forcibly closed,” he added.
“In Iran the Baha’is face an intense assault on their freedoms, and in Syria and Iraq sacred places have been wantonly destroyed while, sadly, closer to home, we have seen the same phenomenon in China with shrines destroyed, the Cross removed from places of worship, and even churches, like Xiangbaishu Church in Yixing, demolished.”
PETITION: Urge U.S. Catholic Bishops Conference to defend Catholic heritage and statues! Sign the petition here.
In his statement, Bo repeatedly stressed the importance of religious freedom.
“I work with my brothers and sisters from every major faith tradition every day of my life,” he explained. “And I will go to the ends of the earth to defend their rights. I will defend every mosque, every synagogue, every temple possible. And I know my fellow religious leaders working for peace would do the same for me.”
“That’s the spirit we need — to respect and defend each other’s freedoms to worship as we wish, to express our faith in accordance with our traditions, to convert freely according to our conscience, but never to be coerced, never to impose and never to seize or grab.”
Bo warned against repeating the mistakes of the past, stating, “In previous epochs of history we know that the seizure of one another’s sacred and holy buildings and sites has caused untold distress and bitterness and in our generation we should not be so foolish as to repeat the mistakes of history.”
He said “the decision in Turkey to turn what was for 1000 years the world’s largest Cathedral — Hagia Sophia — into a mosque grieves me. And as President of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences, it is incumbent on me to say so.”
Turkey is indeed mostly located in Asia, with a small part that can be counted as belonging to the European continent.
Bo added he did not want to “deny my Muslim brothers and sisters places of worship. On the contrary, I defend their right to do so as much as I defend everyone’s. Nothing I say here should be taken by those who persecute Muslims — in Myanmar or beyond — as justification for their actions: it never can be.”
“Persecution of any kind should be countered by people of faith, hope and love and by humanity,” he said. “But nor can the decision to turn Hagia Sophia into a mosque be seen as anything other than an unnecessary assault on freedom of religion or belief.”
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, supported by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, had designated Friday, July 24 as a “day of mourning and of manifest grief.”
“We ask that every Church toll its bells in lamentation on this day. We call for every flag of every kind that is raised on the Church property be lowered to half-mast on this day. And we enjoin every Church in our Holy Archdiocese to chant the Akathist Hymn in the evening of this day, just as we chant it on the Fifth Friday of the Great and Holy Fast,” wrote the Greek Orthodox bishops in the United States.
Turkish presidential spokesman İbrahim Kalın had told CNN that Christian mosaics and imagery within Hagia Sophia would be preserved. “They’re part of our cultural heritage, these beautiful mosaics describing Jesus Christ, Virgin Mary, and other Christian personalities,” he emphasized.
“They will be preserved untouched. We’re making some arrangements that during Muslim prayer times, they will be covered, but not touched, so that they will not be eroded or affected by light or by anything else,” Kalın said, pointing out that Hagia Sophia will remain accessible to tourists and visitors.
* * *
STATEMENT BY HIS EMINENCE CHARLES CARDINAL BO
Hagia/Sofia
Freedom of religion or belief is a foundational human right for everyone, of every faith and none. The right to choose, practice, express and change one’s faith – or have no faith at all – is the most basic freedom for any soul. And it is a freedom I have consistently and passionately defended for Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Jews and Christians of all traditions, in my own country of Myanmar and throughout Asia.
Indeed often I have spoken in defence of the persecuted Muslim peoples in Myanmar, and I will go on doing so without hesitation and unequivocally. For true freedom of religion requires respect for others’ freedom to practice, as well as the exercise and defence of one’s own liberty.
For that reason, the decision in Turkey to turn what was for 1000 years the world’s largest Cathedral – Hagia Sophia – into a mosque grieves me. And as President of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences, it is incumbent on me to say so.
It grieves me not because I want to deny my Muslim brothers and sisters places of worship. On the contrary, I defend their right to do so as much as I defend everyone’s. Nothing I say here should be taken by those who persecute Muslims – in Myanmar or beyond – as justification for their actions: it never can be. Persecution of any kind should be countered by people of faith, hope and love and by humanity. But nor can the decision to turn Hagia Sophia into a mosque be seen as anything other than an unnecessary assault on freedom of religion or belief.
Faith is an affair of the soul, heart, mind and spirit. The temples of faith are within people, not buildings. Nevertheless, sacred buildings represent and embody history, heritage, art, iconography and the life-story of faiths throughout the millenia. When subverted, however, they can be used as symbols of power and subjugation.
In my country, Myanmar, mosques have been razed to the ground and I have spoken out – frequently and at some risk. In China, the Uyghur Muslims are facing what amounts to some of the contemporary world’s worst mass atrocities and I urge the international community to investigate. In India and Sri Lanka Muslims have faced appalling violence and I have condemned such inhumanity.
Similarly, In Indonesia, Ahmadiyya Muslim mosques have been destroyed by other Muslims, and churches have been forcibly closed. In Iran the Baha’is face an intense assault on their freedoms, and in Syria and Iraq sacred places have been wantonly destroyed while, sadly, closer to home, we have seen the same phenomenon in China with shrines destroyed, the Cross removed from places of worship, and even churches, like Xiangbaishu Church in Yixing, demolished.”
Turning Hagia Sophia into a mosque represents a similar undermining of freedom of religion or belief, love for each other, respect for the dignity of difference.
At a time when humanity is enduring intense strains due to the global pandemic, we need to come together, not drive communities apart. We need to put aside identity politics, abandon power plays, prevent ethnic and religious conflicts and value the dignity of difference among every human being. And we must cherish diversity and the unity we find within it.
How does turning what was once the world’s largest cathedral into a mosque do anything except sow tensions, divide people and inflict pain? How does placing Hagia Sophia into the hands of people who have no sense of its history and heritage and who will destroy its Christian identity help bring people together? How does seizing Hagia Sophia uphold Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights? It doesn’t. It merely reopens wounds and exacerbates divides at a time when we should be healing humanity.
I work with my brothers and sisters from every major faith tradition every day of my life. And I will go to the ends of the earth to defend their rights. I will defend every mosque, every synagogue, every temple possible. And I know my fellow religious leaders working for peace would do the same for me. That’s the spirit we need – to respect and defend each other’s freedoms to worship as we wish, to express our faith in accordance with our traditions, to convert freely according to our conscience, but never to be coerced, never to impose and never to seize or grab.
In previous epochs of history we know that the seizure of one another’s sacred and holy buildings and sites has caused untold distress and bitterness and in our generation we should not be so foolish as to repeat the mistakes of history.
Reciprocity is a human and natural virtue.
Let Hagia Sophia be.
Charles Bo
President of Federation of Asia Bishops’ Conferences
Archbishop of Yangon, Myanmar
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lifesitenews--2020-07-24--Canadian health dept OKs strangers having sex if they wear masks, don’t look at each other

WARNING : The following article contains graphic descriptions of lascivious sexual practices .
Reader discretion is advised .
BRITISH COLUMBIA , July 24 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — The British Columbia Centre for Disease Control ( BC-CDC ) has published a list of suggestions on how to increase the “ safety ” of sexual intimacy during the COVID-19 pandemic , although many of the items tacitly endorse casual sex with strangers .
The BC-CDC ’ s “ COVID-19 and Sex ” page sets the tone for the advice to come with a declaration that “ messages that discourage or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harmful and may discourage people from seeking essential sexual health services.
” The page then explains that while it ’ s unclear whether semen can transmit the coronavirus , any sexual contact can spread it via touching and transfer of saliva through kissing .
After stating the obvious , that the virus can not spread through self-masturbation or via the internet , the agency acknowledges that the risk of catching COVID-19 increases alongside a person ’ s number of sex partners , yet it does not declare any firm boundaries on the subject @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of measures one can take to “ protect ” oneself during sexual activity , including washing before and after , asking partners about their health , keeping their contact information on hand to notify them of any change in diagnosis , and the use of condoms .
Most controversially , the page lists a variety of measures to reduce or eliminate every aspect of sex other than genital contact — wearing masks ; avoiding kissing ; choosing positions in which partners don ’ t face one another ; and the use of “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ glory holes ) , that allow for sexual contact but prevent close face-to-face contact.
” Notably , most of the potential dangers identified by the BC-CDC are non-issues for married couples , who tend to contract the same ailments with or without sex because they live together , and spouses tend to be regularly appraised of each other ’ s health status .
The double-standard between uncompromising restrictions on religious assembly and economic activity on the one hand and the high prioritization of sexual gratification on the other has been a recurring element @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States , National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director Dr. Anthony Fauci — who had previously declared , “ I don ’ t think we should ever shake hands again ” — said it was “ tough ” to say people should stop sexual hookups via dating apps , because “ everybody has their own tolerance for risks ” and it ’ s “ your choice.
” Also in the U.S. , the New York City Health Department released a list of sex guidelines similar to the BC-CDC ’ s , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ along with the suggestion to “ make it a little kinky .
”

The British Columbia Centre for Disease Control insists that the only advisable restriction on sexual behavior during the COVID pandemic is that people shouldn't face each other.
WARNING: The following article contains graphic descriptions of lascivious sexual practices. Reader discretion is advised.
BRITISH COLUMBIA, July 24, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — The British Columbia Centre for Disease Control (BC-CDC) has published a list of suggestions on how to increase the “safety” of sexual intimacy during the COVID-19 pandemic, although many of the items tacitly endorse casual sex with strangers.
The BC-CDC’s “COVID-19 and Sex” page sets the tone for the advice to come with a declaration that “messages that discourage or shame people from sexual contact can be harmful and may discourage people from seeking essential sexual health services.” The page then explains that while it’s unclear whether semen can transmit the coronavirus, any sexual contact can spread it via touching and transfer of saliva through kissing.
After stating the obvious, that the virus cannot spread through self-masturbation or via the internet, the agency acknowledges that the risk of catching COVID-19 increases alongside a person’s number of sex partners, yet it does not declare any firm boundaries on the subject.
The BC-CDC then offers a list of measures one can take to “protect” oneself during sexual activity, including washing before and after, asking partners about their health, keeping their contact information on hand to notify them of any change in diagnosis, and the use of condoms.
Most controversially, the page lists a variety of measures to reduce or eliminate every aspect of sex other than genital contact — wearing masks; avoiding kissing; choosing positions in which partners don’t face one another; and the use of “barriers, like walls (e.g., glory holes), that allow for sexual contact but prevent close face-to-face contact.”
Notably, most of the potential dangers identified by the BC-CDC are non-issues for married couples, who tend to contract the same ailments with or without sex because they live together, and spouses tend to be regularly appraised of each other’s health status.
The double-standard between uncompromising restrictions on religious assembly and economic activity on the one hand and the high prioritization of sexual gratification on the other has been a recurring element of the COVID-19 response.
In the United States, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director Dr. Anthony Fauci — who had previously declared, “I don’t think we should ever shake hands again” — said it was “tough” to say people should stop sexual hookups via dating apps, because “everybody has their own tolerance for risks” and it’s “your choice.”
Also in the U.S., the New York City Health Department released a list of sex guidelines similar to the BC-CDC’s, which contained several of the same recommendations along with the suggestion to “make it a little kinky.”
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lifesitenews--2020-07-24--Top US pro-life priests: ‘No Catholic can vote for Joe Biden’

PETITION : Urge Catholic bishops to refuse Holy Communion to pro-abortion Biden !
Sign the petition here .
July 24 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – As the November presidential election swiftly approaches , Democrat Joe Biden is looking for ways to exploit his association with Catholicism to , in the words of an Associated Press report , “ claim the moral high ground ” in order to “ chip away at Trump ’ s base by appealing to pockets of conservative faithful.
” “ Joe Biden is a different kind of foe than Trump has faced before : one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his persona — often literally wearing it on his sleeve , ” asserted an Associated Press ( AP ) report published by mainstream media outlets across the country .
Yet Biden ’ s faith — which allows him to declare that abortion is an ‘ essential healthcare service ; ” to assert that if elected he will resurrect Obama-era policies that would force the Little Sisters of the Poor to violate their religious beliefs and provide contraceptives and abortifacients to their employees ; to personally conduct gay weddings ; and to support the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) movement that seeks to disrupt the nuclear family — is completely foreign to vast swaths of Catholics .
As the election draws nearer , Biden is racing further and further leftward , creating an evermore distinct contrast with President Trump 's strong pro-life , pro-family record .
‘ Biden should not even try to receive Communion ’ Fr .
Frank Pavone , national director of Priests for Life , said Biden ’ s “ failure to protect the unborn puts him not only in conflict with the Catholic faith but with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America , the very meaning of public service , and basic human decency .
You can ’ t kill babies , and you can ’ t authorize anyone else to do so.
” “ This leads to the conclusion that a person like this should not even try to receive Communion , ” Fr .
Pavone told LifeSiteNews .
“ In fact , he doesn ’ t want to , because to exclude the unborn is to exclude Christ ; so you may want ‘ Communion , ’ but you don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moreover , if one claims to believe the Church in saying the host is the Body of Christ , how can one not believe that same Church when she says the unborn is a person worthy of protection ?
The latter is easier to understand than the former , ” Pavone declared .
“ Joe Biden has already , rightfully so , been refused communion , ” said Father Stephen Imbarrato , an activist pro-life Catholic priest , a regular on EWTN , and a member of Red Rose Rescues .
Fr .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s scandalous positions on issues that defy his Catholic faith : • Joe Biden supports murdering babies up till the day of birth .
• He supports the murder of the elderly , disabled , and medically vulnerable through euthanasia and assisted suicide .
• He supports any number of sexual disorders and immoral experimentations that attack Catholic marriage and family .
He himself has even presided over a same-sex marriage in direct opposition to Church mandate .
• His environmental policies are built on the population control principles of abortion and contraception @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pope Francis on the environment .
• His crime bills in the 1990s , which he still brags about today , included the death penalty and were by many accounts racist .
• He even made racist statements during the Senate hearing .
Again , he still brags about these even today .
• He even admitted that as President he would force ( bully ) Catholic nuns to pay for contraception and abortion in spite of the fact that the U.S. Supreme Court sided with the conscience and religious freedom of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outright attack on our Catholic faith .
“ He is a walking and talking scandal to his Catholic faith and has rightly been refused the Eucharist because he persists in ongoing mortal sin thus separating himself from communion with the Church .
He scandalizes the Catholic faith in so many ways that objectively he actually seems “ anti Catholic ” in his beliefs.
” “ Biden is not living as a Catholic , ” Fr .
Pavone said in a recent video .
“ Joe Biden has stubbornly and contumaciously ignored Church teaching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ observed Fr .
Michael Orsi , a priest of the Diocese of Camden , New Jersey , who currently serves as parochial vicar for St. Agnes Parish in Naples , Florida , and a former chaplain of Ave Maria School of Law in Naples .
“ Accordingly , a 2004 Memorandum from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , signed by Cardinal Ratzinger , states , ‘ a politician consistently campaigning and voting for permissive abortion laws ’ the politician ’ s pastor is to inform him that he should not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Orsi .
“ The failure on the part of most bishops to enforce the sanction is , in fact , more scandalous than Biden ’ s positions , ” Fr .
Orsi told LifeSiteNews .
Fr .
Imbarrato agrees .
“ A more concerning potential scandal may be that the U.S. bishops have not forthrightly proclaimed ( Biden ’ s defiance of his Catholic faith ) – what every Catholic knows yet half choose to ignore because the bishops have ignored it and remain silent about it .
“ The silence of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even a greater scandal than Biden ’ s idolatry ( by which he places his intrinsically evil political agenda before his Catholicism ) because a case can be made that he indulges in such scandal and idolatry because of the tacit approval from our shepherds , ” Imbarrato told LifeSiteNews .
Fr .
Orsi offered three possible reasons for the bishops ’ silence .
“ First , perhaps the bishops are still reeling from the priest abuse scandals , and are fearful of stirring the anger of politicians who could inflict more damage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Secondly , and perhaps even more pernicious than the first , is that many bishops no longer see abortion as the ‘ preeminent ’ social justice issue , ” Orsi said .
“ They prefer ‘ a seamless garment ’ approach which places e.g .
‘ climate change , ’ racism , and capital punishment to be equally important.
” “ Lastly , about 40 percent of Catholic Charities ’ funding comes from federal and state coffers , ” Orsi explained .
“ The fear of losing this would not only put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but limit the influence of liberal Democrats that inhabit many Church offices.
” Catholics can not in good conscience vote for Biden “ As for voting , not only can Catholics not vote for Biden in good conscience , but they can ’ t vote for Democrats , period .
And neither can anyone else , ” Fr .
Pavone told LifeSiteNews .
“ The devil has made his home among the leadership of the Democratic Party for some time now , and found it a most hospitable environment , ” Fr .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier this year .
“ It ’ s time to stop pretending we can be neutral .
The Democrat Party has set itself up against the Church , against the unborn , and against America , ” said Pavone .
“ They do not deserve one ounce of power in this country , and anyone who gives it to them shares the guilt of all the evil they do .
And that starts with our religious leaders.
” Do not risk grave sin by voting for Biden “ I encourage every Catholic to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Catechism of the Catholic Church and to contact their bishops , ” Fr .
Imbarrato said .
“ Denounce Biden ’ s scandalizing of our Catholic faith and demand the bishops ’ end their current scandal of silence , ” he urged .
“ I am also begging Catholics to not risk the grave sin of scandal by supporting this man with their vote .
Thus we would be heaping more scandal upon more scandal upon scandal.
” “ Many people respond to my comments with , ‘ what about Trump ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump is n't even Catholic .
This is a Catholic issue .
A Catholic ca n't vote for Biden whether they feel in good conscience they can or ca n't vote for Trump , ” he added .
“ Between 45 percent and 48 percent of Catholics voted for Hillary Clinton , ” Fr .
Imbarrato said .
“ Four years later , the situation with Biden as a Catholic is much worse and the choice is much clearer insofar as not who any Catholic can vote for , but who every Catholic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can vote for Joe Biden.
” Catholics are not the only ones scandalized by Biden At a recent “ Evangelicals for Trump ” event in Atlanta , high profile attendees such as Dr. Alveda King , Bishop Harry Jackson , and Ralph Reed “ condemned Democrat politicians like Joe Biden who have abandoned religious Americans to satisfy the woke mob.
” “ President Trump has been a staunch defender of people of faith , and the Evangelical community is fired up and ready to rally behind him in November , ” said Pastor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump .
“ While Joe Biden radically shifts further away from the American values that Christians hold dear , President Trump continues to fight for our religious freedoms and the principles of faith that make our country great.
” The Biden campaign is “ using a watered-down , progressive version of Christianity that politely declines to share the Gospel and uses broad , generally spiritual terminology , ” explained Elizabeth Johnston , better known as “ Activist Mommy , ” in a blog posting .
“ Biden may be able to woo some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but he certainly has no intention of governing according to the Word of the Lord , ” she added .
LifeSiteNews has sought comment from Bishop W. Francis Malooly of the Diocese of Wilmington , Delaware , where Biden resides , but received no response .

Fr. Frank Pavone, Fr. Michael Orsi, and Fr. Stephen Imbarrato agree that even though Biden claims to be Catholic, his abortion and LGBT activism make him unsupportable.
PETITION: Urge Catholic bishops to refuse Holy Communion to pro-abortion Biden! Sign the petition here.
July 24, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – As the November presidential election swiftly approaches, Democrat Joe Biden is looking for ways to exploit his association with Catholicism to, in the words of an Associated Press report, “claim the moral high ground” in order to “chip away at Trump’s base by appealing to pockets of conservative faithful.”
“Joe Biden is a different kind of foe than Trump has faced before: one who makes faith a central part of his persona — often literally wearing it on his sleeve,” asserted an Associated Press (AP) report published by mainstream media outlets across the country.
Yet Biden’s faith — which allows him to declare that abortion is an ‘essential healthcare service;” to assert that if elected he will resurrect Obama-era policies that would force the Little Sisters of the Poor to violate their religious beliefs and provide contraceptives and abortifacients to their employees; to personally conduct gay weddings; and to support the overtly marxist Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement that seeks to disrupt the nuclear family — is completely foreign to vast swaths of Catholics.
As the election draws nearer, Biden is racing further and further leftward, creating an evermore distinct contrast with President Trump's strong pro-life, pro-family record.
‘Biden should not even try to receive Communion’
Fr. Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life, said Biden’s “failure to protect the unborn puts him not only in conflict with the Catholic faith but with the Christian Gospel, the Founding principles of America, the very meaning of public service, and basic human decency. You can’t kill babies, and you can’t authorize anyone else to do so.”
“This leads to the conclusion that a person like this should not even try to receive Communion,” Fr. Pavone told LifeSiteNews. “In fact, he doesn’t want to, because to exclude the unborn is to exclude Christ; so you may want ‘Communion,’ but you don’t want actual union with Jesus.”
“Moreover, if one claims to believe the Church in saying the host is the Body of Christ, how can one not believe that same Church when she says the unborn is a person worthy of protection? The latter is easier to understand than the former,” Pavone declared.
Biden: ‘Anti-Catholic’
“Joe Biden has already, rightfully so, been refused communion,” said Father Stephen Imbarrato, an activist pro-life Catholic priest, a regular on EWTN, and a member of Red Rose Rescues.
Fr. Imbarrato recounted a litany of Biden’s scandalous positions on issues that defy his Catholic faith:
Joe Biden supports murdering babies up till the day of birth.
He supports the murder of the elderly, disabled, and medically vulnerable through euthanasia and assisted suicide.
He supports any number of sexual disorders and immoral experimentations that attack Catholic marriage and family. He himself has even presided over a same-sex marriage in direct opposition to Church mandate.
His environmental policies are built on the population control principles of abortion and contraception in direct oposition to the teaching of Pope Francis on the environment.
His crime bills in the 1990s, which he still brags about today, included the death penalty and were by many accounts racist.
He even made racist statements during the Senate hearing. Again, he still brags about these even today.
He even admitted that as President he would force (bully) Catholic nuns to pay for contraception and abortion in spite of the fact that the U.S. Supreme Court sided with the conscience and religious freedom of the nuns, 7-2. This is an outright attack on our Catholic faith.
“He is a walking and talking scandal to his Catholic faith and has rightly been refused the Eucharist because he persists in ongoing mortal sin thus separating himself from communion with the Church. He scandalizes the Catholic faith in so many ways that objectively he actually seems “anti Catholic” in his beliefs.”
“Biden is not living as a Catholic,” Fr. Pavone said in a recent video.
U.S. bishops’ scandalous failure to sanction Biden
“Joe Biden has stubbornly and contumaciously ignored Church teaching on abortion and Religious Freedom,” observed Fr. Michael Orsi, a priest of the Diocese of Camden, New Jersey, who currently serves as parochial vicar for St. Agnes Parish in Naples, Florida, and a former chaplain of Ave Maria School of Law in Naples.
“Accordingly, a 2004 Memorandum from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, signed by Cardinal Ratzinger, states, ‘a politician consistently campaigning and voting for permissive abortion laws’ the politician’s pastor is to inform him that he should not receive Communion,’” noted Fr. Orsi.
“The failure on the part of most bishops to enforce the sanction is, in fact, more scandalous than Biden’s positions,” Fr. Orsi told LifeSiteNews.
Fr. Imbarrato agrees. “A more concerning potential scandal may be that the U.S. bishops have not forthrightly proclaimed (Biden’s defiance of his Catholic faith) – what every Catholic knows yet half choose to ignore because the bishops have ignored it and remain silent about it.
“The silence of the U.S. bishops about Joe Biden may even a greater scandal than Biden’s idolatry (by which he places his intrinsically evil political agenda before his Catholicism) because a case can be made that he indulges in such scandal and idolatry because of the tacit approval from our shepherds,” Imbarrato told LifeSiteNews.
Fr. Orsi offered three possible reasons for the bishops’ silence.
“First, perhaps the bishops are still reeling from the priest abuse scandals, and are fearful of stirring the anger of politicians who could inflict more damage if elected,” Orsi suggested.
“Secondly, and perhaps even more pernicious than the first, is that many bishops no longer see abortion as the ‘preeminent’ social justice issue,” Orsi said. “They prefer ‘a seamless garment’ approach which places e.g. ‘climate change,’ racism, and capital punishment to be equally important.”
“Lastly, about 40 percent of Catholic Charities’ funding comes from federal and state coffers,” Orsi explained. “The fear of losing this would not only put a further dent into diocesean social outreach but limit the influence of liberal Democrats that inhabit many Church offices.”
Catholics cannot in good conscience vote for Biden
“As for voting, not only can Catholics not vote for Biden in good conscience, but they can’t vote for Democrats, period. And neither can anyone else,” Fr. Pavone told LifeSiteNews.
“The devil has made his home among the leadership of the Democratic Party for some time now, and found it a most hospitable environment,” Fr. Orsi wrote in a widely read analysis earlier this year.
“It’s time to stop pretending we can be neutral. The Democrat Party has set itself up against the Church, against the unborn, and against America,” said Pavone. “They do not deserve one ounce of power in this country, and anyone who gives it to them shares the guilt of all the evil they do. And that starts with our religious leaders.”
Fr. Imbarrato declared simply, unequivocally, “No Catholic can vote for Joe Biden.”
Do not risk grave sin by voting for Biden
“I encourage every Catholic to read Nos. 2284-2287 on scandal in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and to contact their bishops,” Fr. Imbarrato said.
“Denounce Biden’s scandalizing of our Catholic faith and demand the bishops’ end their current scandal of silence,” he urged. “I am also begging Catholics to not risk the grave sin of scandal by supporting this man with their vote. Thus we would be heaping more scandal upon more scandal upon scandal.”
“Many people respond to my comments with, ‘what about Trump?’ This is not about Trump. Trump isn't even Catholic. This is a Catholic issue. A Catholic can't vote for Biden whether they feel in good conscience they can or can't vote for Trump,” he added.
“Between 45 percent and 48 percent of Catholics voted for Hillary Clinton,” Fr. Imbarrato said. “Four years later, the situation with Biden as a Catholic is much worse and the choice is much clearer insofar as not who any Catholic can vote for, but who every Catholic can't vote for. No Catholic can vote for Joe Biden.”
Catholics are not the only ones scandalized by Biden
At a recent “Evangelicals for Trump” event in Atlanta, high profile attendees such as Dr. Alveda King, Bishop Harry Jackson, and Ralph Reed “condemned Democrat politicians like Joe Biden who have abandoned religious Americans to satisfy the woke mob.”
“President Trump has been a staunch defender of people of faith, and the Evangelical community is fired up and ready to rally behind him in November,” said Pastor Paula White, spiritual adviser to President Trump. “While Joe Biden radically shifts further away from the American values that Christians hold dear, President Trump continues to fight for our religious freedoms and the principles of faith that make our country great.”
The Biden campaign is “using a watered-down, progressive version of Christianity that politely declines to share the Gospel and uses broad, generally spiritual terminology,” explained Elizabeth Johnston, better known as “Activist Mommy,” in a blog posting.
“Biden may be able to woo some nominally Christian voters over to his side, but he certainly has no intention of governing according to the Word of the Lord,” she added.
LifeSiteNews has sought comment from Bishop W. Francis Malooly of the Diocese of Wilmington, Delaware, where Biden resides, but received no response.
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lifesitenews--2020-07-24--Liturgical scholar urges post-Vatican II Catholics to reclaim their ‘Roman Catholic birthright’ in n

Liturgical scholar urges post-Vatican II Catholics to reclaim their ‘Roman Catholic birthright’ in new book

PETITION : Urge Catholic bishops to refuse Holy Communion to pro-abortion Biden !
Sign the petition here .
July 24 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) ― Peter Kwasniewski ’ s Reclaiming Our Roman Catholic Birthright : The Genius and Timeliness of the Traditional Latin Mass is like a delicious holiday feast .
First , there are the classic , familiar foods , which include Kwasniewski ’ s descriptions of and arguments for the Traditional Latin Mass .
These are the turkey , roast beef , mashed potatoes and gravy of his thought , if you will , developed and improved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Then there are the spicy condiments of his battles with opponents of the TLM or proponents of the modern liturgy .
In this volume , he takes on Paul VI , Fr .
Dwight Longenecker ( twice ) , and Dr. Mary Healy .
Call those the cranberry , salsa , and horseradish sauces .
Next there are the interesting new side dishes , like his essays on children at the TLM and how being pro-tradition is an integral part of being pro-life .
If it doesn ’ t strain my metaphor overmuch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with ginger or baked beets with salsa verde .
Finally , there is dessert , which is Kwasniewski ’ s extensive scholarly apparatus , including a glossary , a select ( yet extensive ) bibliography , a detailed index , and a list of scriptural citations .
Is it a complex English trifle or a multi-layer cake ?
Either way , I am pleased because the last time I reviewed a Kwasniewski book , I suggested an index was in order .
I wasn ’ t expecting tempting book suggestions , too .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ discussing Kwasniewski ’ s work , for one of his goals is to convince Catholics that their Mass is the re-presentation of the Sacrifice of Calvary upon the altar , not a communal meal around a table .
However , when I had a chance to get really stuck into the book ― not just read a chapter a day before going to work ― reading it felt as absorbing and satisfying as a dinner party with friends .
I go to the Traditional Latin Mass almost every Sunday , and I enjoy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arguably the most prominent scholarly advocate of the TLM writing in English , and he is also a gifted writer .
In writing about the “ most beautiful thing under heaven , ” Kwasniewski delivers beautifully structured arguments with elegant metaphors .
This makes learning a pleasure .
For example , the author praises websites that post photos of traditional liturgies for providing “ a bit of springtime in the post-conciliar winter.
” He cites “ an ocean of silence ” during the Roman Canon .
“ The Catholic universe was carpet-bombed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At certain points in the book , I summoned the attention of my husband and read him whole passages out loud .
One of Kwasniewski ’ s strengths is his willingness to engage in the most difficult debates .
In this book ’ s “ Part II : Objections and Replies , ” he takes on such tricky issues as the relative ( if greatly misunderstood ) simplicity of the earliest liturgies , the problem of judging a liturgy solely by its “ validity , ” and the attachment most Catholics who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Roman rite .
The author allows his opponents to make the strongest case for tolerance of the novelties , and then he fights his corner as hard as he can .
This time he draws more upon his personal journey toward his stance than I recall him doing in either Noble Beauty , Transcendent Holiness ( 2017 ) or Tradition & Sanity ( 2018 ) .
It certainly came as a surprise to me to discover that the author had once written a liturgical guitar song .
This turn to retrospection adds a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ word “ pastoral ” ) dimension to his sometimes astringent arguments .
When arguing about a religious matter , the words “ I used to share your views ” indicates a willingness to hear both sides .
Another development is his interest in bringing up children in the TLM .
Here Kwasniewski draws upon his experience as a parent , and not only does he explain how the TLM forms ( and how the new rites threaten ) the faith of children , he gives practical advice for preparing children for the TLM @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about this topic in future .
Having enjoyed the book so much , it seems churlish to mention mere quibbles .
However , just so you know I did read it with a critical eye , I will mention that the author ’ s description of the modernized Church as an elderly lady who has put on a miniskirt is similar to that first used in 1977 by the British novelist and essayist Alice Thomas Ellis .
As Ellis ’ great critique of the post-conciliar Church , The Serpent on the Rock ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this book ’ s bibliography nor that of Noble Beauty , I suspect Kwaniewski has not yet read her books .
I encourage him to do so .
Finally , I was sorry that the fictional monks of Tradition & Sanity didn ’ t make an appearance in this work .
Kwasniewski has a turn for comic dialogue about the liturgy ( no common talent ) , so I hope he indulges in it again soon .

Peter Kwasniewski serves a sumptuous feast in his new book for anyone wanting to know what it truly means to be Catholic.
PETITION: Urge Catholic bishops to refuse Holy Communion to pro-abortion Biden! Sign the petition here.
July 24, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) ― Peter Kwasniewski’s Reclaiming Our Roman Catholic Birthright: The Genius and Timeliness of the Traditional Latin Mass (Angelico Press, 2020) is like a delicious holiday feast.
First, there are the classic, familiar foods, which include Kwasniewski’s descriptions of and arguments for the Traditional Latin Mass. These are the turkey, roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy of his thought, if you will, developed and improved upon since he last served them.
Then there are the spicy condiments of his battles with opponents of the TLM or proponents of the modern liturgy. In this volume, he takes on Paul VI, Fr. Dwight Longenecker (twice), and Dr. Mary Healy. Call those the cranberry, salsa, and horseradish sauces.
Next there are the interesting new side dishes, like his essays on children at the TLM and how being pro-tradition is an integral part of being pro-life. If it doesn’t strain my metaphor overmuch, they’re the honey-roasted carrots with ginger or baked beets with salsa verde.
Finally, there is dessert, which is Kwasniewski’s extensive scholarly apparatus, including a glossary, a select (yet extensive) bibliography, a detailed index, and a list of scriptural citations. Is it a complex English trifle or a multi-layer cake? Either way, I am pleased because the last time I reviewed a Kwasniewski book, I suggested an index was in order. I wasn’t expecting tempting book suggestions, too.
I feel guilty employing gustatory metaphors when discussing Kwasniewski’s work, for one of his goals is to convince Catholics that their Mass is the re-presentation of the Sacrifice of Calvary upon the altar, not a communal meal around a table. However, when I had a chance to get really stuck into the book ― not just read a chapter a day before going to work ― reading it felt as absorbing and satisfying as a dinner party with friends.
I go to the Traditional Latin Mass almost every Sunday, and I enjoy learning more about it. Kwasniewski is arguably the most prominent scholarly advocate of the TLM writing in English, and he is also a gifted writer. In writing about the “most beautiful thing under heaven,” Kwasniewski delivers beautifully structured arguments with elegant metaphors. This makes learning a pleasure. For example, the author praises websites that post photos of traditional liturgies for providing “a bit of springtime in the post-conciliar winter.” He cites “an ocean of silence” during the Roman Canon. “The Catholic universe was carpet-bombed in the 1960s,” he inarguably observes. At certain points in the book, I summoned the attention of my husband and read him whole passages out loud.
One of Kwasniewski’s strengths is his willingness to engage in the most difficult debates. In this book’s “Part II: Objections and Replies,” he takes on such tricky issues as the relative (if greatly misunderstood) simplicity of the earliest liturgies, the problem of judging a liturgy solely by its “validity,” and the attachment most Catholics who still frequent Mass have for the new Roman rite. The author allows his opponents to make the strongest case for tolerance of the novelties, and then he fights his corner as hard as he can.
This time he draws more upon his personal journey toward his stance than I recall him doing in either Noble Beauty, Transcendent Holiness (2017) or Tradition & Sanity (2018). It certainly came as a surprise to me to discover that the author had once written a liturgical guitar song. This turn to retrospection adds a kindly (to get away from the word “pastoral”) dimension to his sometimes astringent arguments. When arguing about a religious matter, the words “I used to share your views” indicates a willingness to hear both sides.
Another development is his interest in bringing up children in the TLM. Here Kwasniewski draws upon his experience as a parent, and not only does he explain how the TLM forms (and how the new rites threaten) the faith of children, he gives practical advice for preparing children for the TLM. I look forward to reading more about this topic in future.
Having enjoyed the book so much, it seems churlish to mention mere quibbles. However, just so you know I did read it with a critical eye, I will mention that the author’s description of the modernized Church as an elderly lady who has put on a miniskirt is similar to that first used in 1977 by the British novelist and essayist Alice Thomas Ellis. As Ellis’ great critique of the post-conciliar Church, The Serpent on the Rock (1994), is listed in neither this book’s bibliography nor that of Noble Beauty, I suspect Kwasniewski has not yet read her books. I encourage him to do so.
Finally, I was sorry that the fictional monks of Tradition & Sanity didn’t make an appearance in this work. Kwasniewski has a turn for comic dialogue about the liturgy (no common talent), so I hope he indulges in it again soon.
Follow Dorothy Dorothy Cummings McLean is a Canadian journalist, essayist, and novelist. She earned an M.A. in English Literature from the University of Toronto and an M.Div./S.T.B. from Toronto’s Regis College. She was a columnist for the Toronto Catholic Register for nine years and has contributed to Catholic World Report. Her first book, Seraphic Singles, was published by Novalis (2010) in Canada, Liguori in the USA, and Homo Dei in Poland. Her second, Ceremony of Innocence, was published by Ignatius Press (2013). Dorothy lives near Edinburgh, Scotland with her husband.
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lifesitenews--2020-07-24--Everyone but far-left feels intimidated into silence, new survey finds

July 24 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Conservatives , centrists , and moderate liberals all feel afraid of speaking their minds for fear of reprisals , according to a disturbing new survey released this week by YouGov and the Cato Institute .
Sixty-two percent of respondents find that the current “ political climate these days prevents them from saying things they believe because others might find them offensive , ” with almost a third fearful that expressing disfavored opinions could get them fired , according to the survey .
Conservatives and Republicans felt self-censorship most intensely at 77 percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , centrist liberals , and moderates also answered that they felt the same way .
“ Strong liberals ” were the only category in which a majority ( 58 percent ) said they felt safe openly expressing themselves .
Every group feels less safe in speaking out than they did when the question was asked in 2017 , with the most pronounced shifts occurring left-of-center .
Only “ strong conservatives ” remained relatively constant , shifting just one percentage point .
The survey also found differences in how the two ends of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politics .
Half of “ strong liberals ” endorsed the prospect of firing business executives for personally contributing to President Donald Trump ’ s re-election , whereas 36 percent of “ strong conservatives ” would do the same to executives who donated to former Vice President Joe Biden .
The results follow another survey finding the vast majority of Americans think social media has too much power and influence over U.S. politics , and come as little surprise given the country ’ s ongoing debate over “ cancel culture ” and left-wing activists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – from the alleged firing of a Michigan high-school coach for supporting Trump , to the rise of “ safe spaces ” on college campuses , to America ’ s leading corporations in a variety of fields buckling under pressure to endorse and donate money to Black Lives Matter ( BLM ) .
Perhaps the most telling example is that of Harry Potter author JK Rowling , who is a doctrinaire liberal on most issues yet has been deemed a bigot by pro-LGBT activists for refusing to go along with the notion that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be changed by merely declaring one ’ s self to be a woman .
“ But this needed reckoning ( from BLM ) has also intensified a new set of moral attitudes and political commitments that tend to weaken our norms of open debate and toleration of differences in favor of ideological conformity .
As we applaud the first development , we also raise our voices against the second , ” reads an open letter signed by Rowling and 149 other left-of-center figures , published this month in Harper ’ s Bazaar .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ culture that leaves us room for experimentation , risk taking , and even mistakes , ” the letter continued .
“ We need to preserve the possibility of good-faith disagreement without dire professional consequences .
If we won ’ t defend the very thing on which our work depends , we shouldn ’ t expect the public or the state to defend it for us.
” On the Fourth of July , President Trump called cancel culture “ the very definition of totalitarianism , and it is completely alien to our culture and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no place in the United States of America.
” Speaking at Mount Rushmore , he vowed that his administration would “ expose this dangerous movement , protect our nation ’ s children , end this radical assault , and preserve our beloved American way of life .
”

Even moderate liberals and Democrats are wary of expressing their opinions, according to respondents.
PETITION: Investigate George Soros' role in funding domestic terrorism! Sign the petition here.
July 24, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Conservatives, centrists, and moderate liberals all feel afraid of speaking their minds for fear of reprisals, according to a disturbing new survey released this week by YouGov and the Cato Institute.
Sixty-two percent of respondents find that the current “political climate these days prevents them from saying things they believe because others might find them offensive,” with almost a third fearful that expressing disfavored opinions could get them fired, according to the survey.
Conservatives and Republicans felt self-censorship most intensely at 77 percent, though majorities of Democrats, Independents, centrist liberals, and moderates also answered that they felt the same way. “Strong liberals” were the only category in which a majority (58 percent) said they felt safe openly expressing themselves.
Every group feels less safe in speaking out than they did when the question was asked in 2017, with the most pronounced shifts occurring left-of-center. Only “strong conservatives” remained relatively constant, shifting just one percentage point.
The survey also found differences in how the two ends of the ideological spectrum would pressure others for contrary politics. Half of “strong liberals” endorsed the prospect of firing business executives for personally contributing to President Donald Trump’s re-election, whereas 36 percent of “strong conservatives” would do the same to executives who donated to former Vice President Joe Biden.
The results follow another survey finding the vast majority of Americans think social media has too much power and influence over U.S. politics, and come as little surprise given the country’s ongoing debate over “cancel culture” and left-wing activists’ aggressive efforts to stigmatize dissenting viewpoints – from the alleged firing of a Michigan high-school coach for supporting Trump, to the rise of “safe spaces” on college campuses, to America’s leading corporations in a variety of fields buckling under pressure to endorse and donate money to Black Lives Matter (BLM).
Perhaps the most telling example is that of Harry Potter author JK Rowling, who is a doctrinaire liberal on most issues yet has been deemed a bigot by pro-LGBT activists for refusing to go along with the notion that gender is a social construct which may be changed by merely declaring one’s self to be a woman.
“But this needed reckoning (from BLM) has also intensified a new set of moral attitudes and political commitments that tend to weaken our norms of open debate and toleration of differences in favor of ideological conformity. As we applaud the first development, we also raise our voices against the second,” reads an open letter signed by Rowling and 149 other left-of-center figures, published this month in Harper’s Bazaar.
“As writers, we need a culture that leaves us room for experimentation, risk taking, and even mistakes,” the letter continued. “We need to preserve the possibility of good-faith disagreement without dire professional consequences. If we won’t defend the very thing on which our work depends, we shouldn’t expect the public or the state to defend it for us.”
On the Fourth of July, President Trump called cancel culture “the very definition of totalitarianism, and it is completely alien to our culture and our values, and it has absolutely no place in the United States of America.” Speaking at Mount Rushmore, he vowed that his administration would “expose this dangerous movement, protect our nation’s children, end this radical assault, and preserve our beloved American way of life.”
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lifesitenews--2020-07-24--Rand Paul: ‘Cuomo should be impeached’ for ‘disastrous’ COVID-19 response

July 24 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – New York ’ s Democrat Gov .
Andrew Cuomo should be impeached from office for his decision to force nursing homes in the state to take in coronavirus patients regardless of the danger to their elderly residents , Sen. Rand Paul ( R-KY ) said Wednesday .
“ New York had a lockdown and had 30,000 people die .
New York had the worst death rate of any place in the world amidst a lockdown , ” Paul told Fox News , the Daily Caller reports .
“ I think Governor Cuomo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what he did , for the disastrous decision he made to send patients with coronavirus patients back to nursing homes.
” “ Terrible public health policy decisions were made and , I think , in the end , none of these polices have probably been good for our economy or actually good in containing the virus , ” the senator , who is a doctor and had the coronavirus in late March , lamented .
As of July 24 , the United States is estimated to have seen more than 4.2 million COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( 0.35 % ) and 1.9 million recoveries .
An estimated 40 % of those deaths have come from nursing homes .
New York has been the hardest-hit state , with more than 32,000 deaths , thanks in large part to the virus spreading within the state ’ s nursing homes .
For months , the pro-abortion Cuomo has been under fire for ordering that nursing homes can not turn away patients diagnosed with COVID-19 , despite the fact the virus is most dangerous to the elderly .
Cuomo initially blamed nursing home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claiming that a federal Centers for Disease Control ( CDC ) guidance forced him to put the infected back in nursing homes .
But Rep. Elise Stefanik ( R-NY ) explained that the CDC actually called for elderly housing decisions to be made on a case-by-case basis , factoring in the “ ability of the accepting facility to meet the recommended infection control practices , ” such as the “ ability to place residents in a designated COVID-19 care unit that is equipped with the resources and [ personal protective equipment ] to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cuomo ’ s placement of individuals known to be infectious among the state ’ s most vulnerable contrasts sharply with the extreme measures New York leaders have taken to prevent spreading the virus in less risky situations , such as restricting in-person religious services .
On Thursday , Cuomo announced that police officers would be stationed at New York airports to quarantine any travelers from states with high infection rates , and that bars will be forbidden from serving alcohol unless they serve “ substantial ” food along with it .

'New York had the worst death rate of any place in the world amidst a lockdown,' Sen. Paul said.
Correction, July 27, 2020: This piece has been updated to include the correct percentage of COVID-19 deaths nationwide.
July 24, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – New York’s Democrat Gov. Andrew Cuomo should be impeached from office for his decision to force nursing homes in the state to take in coronavirus patients regardless of the danger to their elderly residents, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) said Wednesday.
“New York had a lockdown and had 30,000 people die. New York had the worst death rate of any place in the world amidst a lockdown,” Paul told Fox News, the Daily Caller reports. “I think Governor Cuomo should be impeached, you know for what he did, for the disastrous decision he made to send patients with coronavirus patients back to nursing homes.”
“Terrible public health policy decisions were made and, I think, in the end, none of these polices have probably been good for our economy or actually good in containing the virus,” the senator, who is a doctor and had the coronavirus in late March, lamented.
As of July 24, the United States is estimated to have seen more than 4.2 million COVID-19 cases, with more than 147,000 deaths (3.5%) and 1.9 million recoveries. An estimated 40% of those deaths have come from nursing homes. New York has been the hardest-hit state, with more than 32,000 deaths, thanks in large part to the virus spreading within the state’s nursing homes.
For months, the pro-abortion Cuomo has been under fire for ordering that nursing homes cannot turn away patients diagnosed with COVID-19, despite the fact the virus is most dangerous to the elderly. Cuomo initially blamed nursing home deaths on the Trump administration, by claiming that a federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidance forced him to put the infected back in nursing homes.
But Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) explained that the CDC actually called for elderly housing decisions to be made on a case-by-case basis, factoring in the “ability of the accepting facility to meet the recommended infection control practices,” such as the “ability to place residents in a designated COVID-19 care unit that is equipped with the resources and [personal protective equipment] to safely prevent the spread of infections.”
Cuomo’s placement of individuals known to be infectious among the state’s most vulnerable contrasts sharply with the extreme measures New York leaders have taken to prevent spreading the virus in less risky situations, such as restricting in-person religious services.
On Thursday, Cuomo announced that police officers would be stationed at New York airports to quarantine any travelers from states with high infection rates, and that bars will be forbidden from serving alcohol unless they serve “substantial” food along with it.
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lifesitenews--2020-07-24--Kennedy Jr. warns parents about danger of using largely untested COVID vaccines on kids

July 24 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Environmental lawyer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. warned Americans on Thursday to be cautious about any new coronavirus vaccine , pointing out that key parts of testing are being skipped .
“ The Moderna vaccine , which is the lead candidate , skipped the animal testing altogether , ” Kennedy said during an online debate on mandatory vaccinations with renowned Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz .
The debate was aired by Valuetainment and moderated by Patrick Bet-David .
Kennedy is part of a political family , being the son of Senator Robert F. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ F. Kennedy .
Both were murdered in the 1960s .
Another aspect of testing was equally unsatisfying , Kennedy said .
The Moderna vaccine was tested “ on 45 people .
They had a high-dose group of 15 people , a medium-dose group of 15 people , and a low growth group of 15 people.
” “ In the low-dose group , one of the people was so sick from the vaccine they had to be hospitalized , ” he explained .
“ That ’ s six percent .
In the high-dose group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had to be hospitalized .
That ’ s twenty percent.
” In spite of these significant problems , “ they ’ re going ahead , and making two billion doses of that vaccine.
” Another problem with the testing of the coronavirus vaccine is that it ’ s tested not on “ typical Americans , ” but a carefully selected group of people who don ’ t suffer from certain conditions .
“ They use what they call exclusionary criteria , ” Kennedy said .
“ They are only giving these vaccines in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the healthiest people.
” “ If you look at their exclusionary idea criteria : You can not be pregnant , you can not be overweight , you must have never smoked a cigarette , you must have never vaped , you must have no respiratory problems in your family , you can ’ t suffer asthma , you can ’ t have diabetes , you can ’ t have rheumatoid arthritis or any autoimmune disease .
There has to be no history of seizure in the family .
These are the people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” He asked , “ What happens when they give them to the typical American ?
You know , Sally Six-Pack and Joe Bag of Donuts who ’ s 50 pounds overweight and has diabetes.
” Kennedy stressed several times that “ any other medicine … that had that kind of profile in its original phase-one study would be [ dead on arrival ] .
” “ No medical product in the world would be able to go forward with the profile that Moderna has , ” he reiterated .
During the course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the regular vaccines most people take , from Hepatitis B to the flu shot , emphasizing that no proper testing had ever been done , which is mandatory for any other medication .
Vaccines “ are the only medical product that does not have to be safety-tested against a placebo , ” he explained .
In a study involving placebos , one group of people would be injected with the actual vaccine , while another group would be injected with saline solution , which would not have any effect in preventing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of the study would then be observed to see if there are any differences between the two groups , both regarding the disease vaccinated against , and side effects .
As these tests are never done on vaccines , “ nobody knows the risk profile of any vaccine that is currently on the schedule .
And that means nobody can say with any scientific certainty that that vaccine is averting more injuries and deaths than it ’ s causing .
In fact , it should be the opposite , Kennedy said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than any other medication .
“ It ’ s a medical intervention that is being given to perfectly healthy people to prevent somebody else from getting sick , ” he pointed out .
“ And it ’ s the only medicine that ’ s given to healthy people … and particularly to children who have a whole lifetime in front of them .
So you would expect that we would want that particular intervention to have particularly rigorous guarantees that it ’ s safe.
” Kennedy said “ it ’ s not hypothetical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ injuries are not rare .
The vaccine courts have paid out four billion dollars ” over the past three decades , “ and the threshold for getting back into a vaccine court and getting a judgment – [ the Department of Health and Human Services ] admits that fewer than one percent of people who are injured ever even get to court.
” He mentioned another reason not to trust blindly any company currently producing vaccines in the United States .
Each one of the four vaccine producers “ is a convicted serial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Merck.
” “ In the past 10 years , just in the last decade , those companies have paid 35 billion dollars in criminal penalties , damages , fines , for lying to doctors , for defrauding science , for falsifying science , for killing hundreds of thousands of Americans knowingly.
” “ It requires a cognitive dissonance , ” Kennedy commented , “ for people who understand the criminal corporate cultures of these four companies to believe that they ’ re doing this in every other product that they have , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with vaccines.
” While Kennedy is often described as being against vaccines altogether , he stressed that he does not oppose vaccines , as such .
He accused his critics of “ marginalizing me and silencing me ” by misrepresenting his actual position .
In May , Kennedy signed an appeal created by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò aimed at raising public awareness among people , governments , scientists , and the media about the serious dangers to individual freedom caused during the spread of Covid-19 .
The appeal raised concern at one point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ human freedom .
“ We also ask government leaders to ensure that forms of control over people , whether through tracking systems or any other form of location-finding , are rigorously avoided .
The fight against Covid-19 , however serious , must not be the pretext for supporting the hidden intentions of supranational bodies that have very strong commercial and political interests in this plan .
In particular , citizens must be given the opportunity to refuse these restrictions on personal freedom , without any penalty whatsoever being imposed on those who do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tracking or any other similar tool.
” The appeal made it clear that for Catholics it is “ morally unacceptable to develop or use vaccines derived from material from aborted fetuses.
” Comments on the YouTube video of the debate between Kennedy and Dershowitz indicated , almost unanimously , that Kennedy had won the debate .
Dershowitz conceded many points , arguing , however , that from the point of view of constitutional law , the coronavirus vaccine could be made mandatory .
Dershowitz , who has provided legal counsel to and defended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Julian Assange , cited a 1905 Supreme Court ruling as precedent .
Jacobson v. Massachusetts upheld the authority of states to enforce compulsory vaccination laws .
Kennedy clarified that the state government at the time had offered people to either be vaccinated or pay a five dollar fine .
Dershowitz ’ s argument , however , was that based on constitutional law , including this precedent , “ the state has the power to literally take you to a doctor ’ s office and plunge a needle into your arm.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a big constitutional chasm between , you know , that remedy , which is paying a fine , and actually going in and holding somebody down and forcibly injecting them.
” President Trump has already said that the new coronavirus vaccine would not be mandatory , but available for those “ who want to get it .
Not everyone is going to want to get it.
” A LifeSiteNews petition saying no to mandatory vaccinations has garnered more than 650,000 signatures and can still be signed here .
The ethical issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lines of aborted babies was not discussed during the debate .

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. warned against mandatory COVID-19 vaccination in a debate with Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz, pointing out that ‘key parts of testing’ were ‘being skipped’
PETITION: No to mandatory vaccination for the coronavirus! Sign the petition here.
July 24, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Environmental lawyer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. warned Americans on Thursday to be cautious about any new coronavirus vaccine, pointing out that key parts of testing are being skipped.
“The Moderna vaccine, which is the lead candidate, skipped the animal testing altogether,” Kennedy said during an online debate on mandatory vaccinations with renowned Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz. The debate was aired by Valuetainment and moderated by Patrick Bet-David.
Kennedy is part of a political family, being the son of Senator Robert F. Kennedy and the nephew of President John F. Kennedy. Both were murdered in the 1960s.
Another aspect of testing was equally unsatisfying, Kennedy said. The Moderna vaccine was tested “on 45 people. They had a high-dose group of 15 people, a medium-dose group of 15 people, and a low growth group of 15 people.”
“In the low-dose group, one of the people was so sick from the vaccine they had to be hospitalized,” he explained. “That’s six percent. In the high-dose group, three people got so sick they had to be hospitalized. That’s twenty percent.”
In spite of these significant problems, “they’re going ahead, and making two billion doses of that vaccine.”
Another problem with the testing of the coronavirus vaccine is that it’s tested not on “typical Americans,” but a carefully selected group of people who don’t suffer from certain conditions.
“They use what they call exclusionary criteria,” Kennedy said. “They are only giving these vaccines in these tests that they’re doing to the healthiest people.”
“If you look at their exclusionary idea criteria: You cannot be pregnant, you cannot be overweight, you must have never smoked a cigarette, you must have never vaped, you must have no respiratory problems in your family, you can’t suffer asthma, you can’t have diabetes, you can’t have rheumatoid arthritis or any autoimmune disease. There has to be no history of seizure in the family. These are the people they’re testing the vaccine on.”
He asked, “What happens when they give them to the typical American? You know, Sally Six-Pack and Joe Bag of Donuts who’s 50 pounds overweight and has diabetes.”
Kennedy stressed several times that “any other medicine … that had that kind of profile in its original phase-one study would be [dead on arrival].”
“No medical product in the world would be able to go forward with the profile that Moderna has,” he reiterated.
During the course of the debate, Kennedy also talked about the regular vaccines most people take, from Hepatitis B to the flu shot, emphasizing that no proper testing had ever been done, which is mandatory for any other medication. Vaccines “are the only medical product that does not have to be safety-tested against a placebo,” he explained.
In a study involving placebos, one group of people would be injected with the actual vaccine, while another group would be injected with saline solution, which would not have any effect in preventing a particular disease. The people who are part of the study would then be observed to see if there are any differences between the two groups, both regarding the disease vaccinated against, and side effects.
As these tests are never done on vaccines, “nobody knows the risk profile of any vaccine that is currently on the schedule. And that means nobody can say with any scientific certainty that that vaccine is averting more injuries and deaths than it’s causing.
In fact, it should be the opposite, Kennedy said, with vaccines being tested even more thoroughly than any other medication.
“It’s a medical intervention that is being given to perfectly healthy people to prevent somebody else from getting sick,” he pointed out. “And it’s the only medicine that’s given to healthy people … and particularly to children who have a whole lifetime in front of them. So you would expect that we would want that particular intervention to have particularly rigorous guarantees that it’s safe.”
Kennedy said “it’s not hypothetical that vaccines cause injury, and that injuries are not rare. The vaccine courts have paid out four billion dollars” over the past three decades, “and the threshold for getting back into a vaccine court and getting a judgment – [the Department of Health and Human Services] admits that fewer than one percent of people who are injured ever even get to court.”
He mentioned another reason not to trust blindly any company currently producing vaccines in the United States. Each one of the four vaccine producers “is a convicted serial felon: Glaxo, Sanofi, Pfizer, Merck.”
“In the past 10 years, just in the last decade, those companies have paid 35 billion dollars in criminal penalties, damages, fines, for lying to doctors, for defrauding science, for falsifying science, for killing hundreds of thousands of Americans knowingly.”
“It requires a cognitive dissonance,” Kennedy commented, “for people who understand the criminal corporate cultures of these four companies to believe that they’re doing this in every other product that they have, but they’re not doing it with vaccines.”
While Kennedy is often described as being against vaccines altogether, he stressed that he does not oppose vaccines, as such. He accused his critics of “marginalizing me and silencing me” by misrepresenting his actual position.
In May, Kennedy signed an appeal created by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò aimed at raising public awareness among people, governments, scientists, and the media about the serious dangers to individual freedom caused during the spread of Covid-19.
The appeal raised concern at one point about a COVID-19 vaccination in relation to human freedom.
“We also ask government leaders to ensure that forms of control over people, whether through tracking systems or any other form of location-finding, are rigorously avoided. The fight against Covid-19, however serious, must not be the pretext for supporting the hidden intentions of supranational bodies that have very strong commercial and political interests in this plan. In particular, citizens must be given the opportunity to refuse these restrictions on personal freedom, without any penalty whatsoever being imposed on those who do not wish to use vaccines, contact tracking or any other similar tool.”
The appeal made it clear that for Catholics it is “morally unacceptable to develop or use vaccines derived from material from aborted fetuses.”
Comments on the YouTube video of the debate between Kennedy and Dershowitz indicated, almost unanimously, that Kennedy had won the debate. Dershowitz conceded many points, arguing, however, that from the point of view of constitutional law, the coronavirus vaccine could be made mandatory.
Dershowitz, who has provided legal counsel to and defended people like Donald Trump, Jeffrey Epstein, and Julian Assange, cited a 1905 Supreme Court ruling as precedent. Jacobson v. Massachusetts upheld the authority of states to enforce compulsory vaccination laws.
Kennedy clarified that the state government at the time had offered people to either be vaccinated or pay a five dollar fine. Dershowitz’s argument, however, was that based on constitutional law, including this precedent, “the state has the power to literally take you to a doctor’s office and plunge a needle into your arm.”
Kennedy said, “I think there’s a big constitutional chasm between, you know, that remedy, which is paying a fine, and actually going in and holding somebody down and forcibly injecting them.”
President Trump has already said that the new coronavirus vaccine would not be mandatory, but available for those “who want to get it. Not everyone is going to want to get it.” A LifeSiteNews petition saying no to mandatory vaccinations has garnered more than 650,000 signatures and can still be signed here.
The ethical issue of many vaccines being derived from cell lines of aborted babies was not discussed during the debate.
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