lifesitenews--2020-02-20--Francis-approved communist parallel Chinese ‘church’ approves abortion, contraception

BEIJING , China , February 20 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) ― The confusion around the Vatican ’ s concordat with China and its state-founded version of the Catholic Church has been compounded by the failure of the so-called Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association ( CPCA ) to transmit the Gospel of Life .
According to expert Steven Mosher , the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association is in lockstep with the pro-abortion , pro-contraception Chinese Communist government when it comes to life issues .
“ The CPCA can not deviate from the Party 's position , since it is controlled by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Moreover , the CPCA has affirmed that national laws supercede Church , or canon , law , ” he added .
“ And the Party 's position is that contraception , abortion and euthanasia are moral.
” An American consultant to the Vatican on China , Msgr .
Anthony Figueiredo , now 55 , admitted to the National Catholic Register early in 2018 that the government-appointed bishops of the CPCA support China ’ s totalitarian two-child policy .
“ I spoke with some of these bishops and some of the officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as abortion , the two-child family policy ; and certainly in those areas , and I won ’ t hide this , they do back the government on those areas , because I think they feel they need to , ” Figueiredo said .
“ They need to because they ’ re part of [ the Patriotic Association ] , there ’ s a loyalty to the government , ” he continued .
“ I think that conversion , that opening , can only take place if there is a first step @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opened .
Again , it ’ s very much I think within Pope Francis ’ thinking : ‘ We ’ re not going to wait until everything is absolutely perfect in order to say , well , we ’ re now going to approve these bishops.
’ ” READ : EXCLUSIVE : Cardinal Zen criticizes Vatican for ‘ despis [ ing ] the heroes of faith ’ in China According to the National Catholic Register , Figueiredo is a “ full-time consultant to the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development ” who has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the Vatican ’ s behalf .
A Kenya-born priest of the diocese of Newark , New Jersey , in October 2018 Figueiredo was arrested in England for drunk driving .
He was formerly disgraced ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick ’ s personal secretary for nine months in 1994 - 1995 and continued to assist the former prelate from Rome for 19 years .
McCarrick , too , had an interest in China , where he travelled frequently , ostensibly on Church business .
In his interview , Figueiredo ’ s sympathies lay with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ old CPCA who , he said , deeply desire full communion with Rome .
“ I ’ ve always perceived in these bishops , whether it was Pope Benedict or Pope Francis now , a real desire to be in communion with the See of Rome , ” he told the National Catholic Register .
“ I think the bottom line is that they do feel themselves ex-communicated , out of communion .
That ’ s the bottom line , ” he continued .
“ And I know — having spoken with them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ met with them — there ’ s a real suffering , and it ’ s a real pain to them .
And so , I think that ’ s the deepest reason why they want communion with Rome.
” However , it was not at all clear from Figueiredo ’ s interview that the CPCA bishops were prepared to achieve this communion by accepting Church teaching on contraception , abortion , and euthanasia .
Catholics , whether they adhere to the authentic “ underground ” Church or attend services held by the CPCA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Figueiredo suggested that Chinese Catholics who are “ underground ” and whose activities are approved by the government mix and mingle .
“ ...
When we go to these meetings , whether it ’ s at the bishops ’ conference or at the national seminary in Beijing , which is the main seminary , or we go to other places , for example , to churches in Beijing , to speak or to celebrate or whatever , it ’ s almost impossible to distinguish who are these Patriotic bishops and priests and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think there ’ s a lot more collaboration , or significantly more collaboration , than we know about or perceive , ” Figueiredo said .
“ I ’ ve been in meetings , I ’ ve given formation at the national seminary , such as ongoing formation to priests and religious sisters , where there ’ s just a mix of the Patriotic and underground there together .
So I think there ’ s a lot more going on than we realize.
” David Mulroney , a former Canadian Ambassador to China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some priests of the CPCA do try to follow Catholic teaching .
“ It is very hard to determine the extent to which the Patriotic church remains faithful to Catholic teaching on issues like abortion , because it is allowed no voice in China and is in fact under growing pressure to transform itself into an anodyne and docile affiliate of the Party , “ he said .
“ That said , my understanding is that , despite their separate and isolated status , many of the clergy are guided by documents like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and follow as faithfully as they can.
” According to the Cardinal Kung Foundation , which is dedicated to the authentic Catholic Church in China , the establishment of the CPCA in 1957 led to the confiscation of all the Catholic Church ’ s property .
Later some of the confiscated churches and other buildings were given to the CPCA .
Not only have Catholics and other religious people themselves been persecuted and harrassed by the communist regime , married women who have found themselves pregnant with their second , or since China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a second , third child have been forced to have abortions .
Single women are expected , or forced , to abort any child they conceive .
Steve Mosher told LifeSiteNews , “ When the one-child policy was in place ― it ended in 2016 ― enforcement depended upon fines , abortions , and sterilizations , not contraception.
” “ It is still illegal for young women to get pregnant if they are not married , however , so they are basically the only remaining target of the family planning workers.
” Faithful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highlights Vatican/China deal disaster

The government-established 'church' cannot deviate from the Communist Party's position, which includes support for forced abortion.
BEIJING, China, February 20, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) ― The confusion around the Vatican’s concordat with China and its state-founded version of the Catholic Church has been compounded by the failure of the so-called Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association (CPCA) to transmit the Gospel of Life.
According to expert Steven Mosher, the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association is in lockstep with the pro-abortion, pro-contraception Chinese Communist government when it comes to life issues.
“The CPCA cannot deviate from the Party's position, since it is controlled by the Party,” Mosher told LifeSiteNews yesterday.
“Moreover, the CPCA has affirmed that national laws supercede Church, or canon, law,” he added.
“And the Party's position is that contraception, abortion and euthanasia are moral.”
An American consultant to the Vatican on China, Msgr. Anthony Figueiredo, now 55, admitted to the National Catholic Register early in 2018 that the government-appointed bishops of the CPCA support China’s totalitarian two-child policy.
“I spoke with some of these bishops and some of the officials at the bishops’ conference on issues such as abortion, the two-child family policy; and certainly in those areas, and I won’t hide this, they do back the government on those areas, because I think they feel they need to,” Figueiredo said.
“They need to because they’re part of [the Patriotic Association], there’s a loyalty to the government,” he continued.
“I think that conversion, that opening, can only take place if there is a first step and there is dialogue that’s opened. Again, it’s very much I think within Pope Francis’ thinking: ‘We’re not going to wait until everything is absolutely perfect in order to say, well, we’re now going to approve these bishops.’”
READ: EXCLUSIVE: Cardinal Zen criticizes Vatican for ‘despis[ing] the heroes of faith’ in China
According to the National Catholic Register, Figueiredo is a “full-time consultant to the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development” who has traveled to China every year since 2008 on the Vatican’s behalf. A Kenya-born priest of the diocese of Newark, New Jersey, in October 2018 Figueiredo was arrested in England for drunk driving. He was formerly disgraced ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick’s personal secretary for nine months in 1994 – 1995 and continued to assist the former prelate from Rome for 19 years. McCarrick, too, had an interest in China, where he travelled frequently, ostensibly on Church business.
In his interview, Figueiredo’s sympathies lay with the state-appointed bishops of the now 63 year old CPCA who, he said, deeply desire full communion with Rome.
“I’ve always perceived in these bishops, whether it was Pope Benedict or Pope Francis now, a real desire to be in communion with the See of Rome,” he told the National Catholic Register.
“I think the bottom line is that they do feel themselves ex-communicated, out of communion. That’s the bottom line,” he continued.
“And I know — having spoken with them, having shared with them, having met with them — there’s a real suffering, and it’s a real pain to them. And so, I think that’s the deepest reason why they want communion with Rome.”
However, it was not at all clear from Figueiredo’s interview that the CPCA bishops were prepared to achieve this communion by accepting Church teaching on contraception, abortion, and euthanasia.
Catholics, whether they adhere to the authentic “underground” Church or attend services held by the CPCA, are a small minority in China. Figueiredo suggested that Chinese Catholics who are “underground” and whose activities are approved by the government mix and mingle.
“… When we go to these meetings, whether it’s at the bishops’ conference or at the national seminary in Beijing, which is the main seminary, or we go to other places, for example, to churches in Beijing, to speak or to celebrate or whatever, it’s almost impossible to distinguish who are these Patriotic bishops and priests and faithful and who are the underground because I think there’s a lot more collaboration, or significantly more collaboration, than we know about or perceive,” Figueiredo said.
“I’ve been in meetings, I’ve given formation at the national seminary, such as ongoing formation to priests and religious sisters, where there’s just a mix of the Patriotic and underground there together. So I think there’s a lot more going on than we realize.”
David Mulroney, a former Canadian Ambassador to China, told LifeSiteNews yesterday that he believes some priests of the CPCA do try to follow Catholic teaching.
“It is very hard to determine the extent to which the Patriotic church remains faithful to Catholic teaching on issues like abortion, because it is allowed no voice in China and is in fact under growing pressure to transform itself into an anodyne and docile affiliate of the Party, “ he said.
“That said, my understanding is that, despite their separate and isolated status, many of the clergy are guided by documents like the Catechism, which they have translated and follow as faithfully as they can.”
According to the Cardinal Kung Foundation, which is dedicated to the authentic Catholic Church in China, the establishment of the CPCA in 1957 led to the confiscation of all the Catholic Church’s property. Later some of the confiscated churches and other buildings were given to the CPCA.
Not only have Catholics and other religious people themselves been persecuted and harrassed by the communist regime, married women who have found themselves pregnant with their second, or since China relaxed its one-child policy to allow for a second, third child have been forced to have abortions. Single women are expected, or forced, to abort any child they conceive.
Steve Mosher told LifeSiteNews, “When the one-child policy was in place ― it ended in 2016 ― enforcement depended upon fines, abortions, and sterilizations, not contraception.”
“It is still illegal for young women to get pregnant if they are not married, however, so they are basically the only remaining target of the family planning workers.”
RELATED:
Faithful Chinese bishop on the run from communists highlights Vatican/China deal disaster
Share


lifesitenews--2020-02-21--Italy is dying: Country’s birth rate drops to its lowest level in history

ROME , Italy , February 20 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) ― Italy welcomed its smallest number of newborns in 2019 , leading its president to foretell the country ’ s doom .
“ This is a problem that concerns the very existence of our country , ” said Sergio Mattarella , 78 .
“ The fabric of our country is weakening , and everything must be done to counter this phenomenon.
” According to Italy ’ s national statistics agency , ISTAT , there were only 435,000 births in Italy last year , the lowest number ever recorded in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The number of births was down 5,000 from 2018 , and the number of deaths increased by 14,000 .
Reuters reported that Italy ’ s overall population fell by 116,000 to 60.3 million despite the growing number of births to migrants to the country .
The news agency also noted that “ Italy ’ s population had risen virtually every year since World War I , hitting a peak in 2015 at 60.8 million , but has since started to decline.
” Life expectancy has increased to 85.3 years for Italian women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The decrease in births and increase in life expectancy has resulted in an average age of 45.7 .
When the low number of Italian births for 2018 was reported , then-interior minister Matteo Salvini said , “ We are in a terrible state.
” “ This is the real crisis ( in Italy ) , not the bond yield spreads or the economic crisis.
” Italian-American Beverly Stevens , editor of Regina magazine , told LifeSiteNews that the sexual revolution is to blame for the low Italian birth rate .
“ It 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the heart of the Great Italian Bulwark , la famiglia ( the family ) , ” she said via social media .
“ It started when the sexual revolution legitimized male philandering .
Suddenly , wives found themselves outclassed by girlfriends and divorced , ” she continued .
“ This destabilized the next generation , depriving boys of role models and hardening girls ' hearts.
” Stevens said that contemporary Italian women believe “ fervently ” in a feminism that has doomed them to unstable marriages or living alone .
“ And their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alone on Christmas in Rome 's piazzas because the ex wo n't allow them access to their kids , ” she added .
“ Nobody wins .
Families fail to form .
Italians strive endlessly to show a 'bella figura ' ( beautiful face , i.e .
keep up appearances ) as they age relentlessly , alone .
”

The shrinking population affects the 'very existence of our country,' President Sergio Mattarella warns.
ROME, Italy, February 20, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) ― Italy welcomed its smallest number of newborns in 2019, leading its president to foretell the country’s doom.
“This is a problem that concerns the very existence of our country,” said Sergio Mattarella, 78.
“The fabric of our country is weakening, and everything must be done to counter this phenomenon.”
According to Italy’s national statistics agency, ISTAT, there were only 435,000 births in Italy last year, the lowest number ever recorded in the country, compared with 647,000 deaths.
The number of births was down 5,000 from 2018, and the number of deaths increased by 14,000.
Reuters reported that Italy’s overall population fell by 116,000 to 60.3 million despite the growing number of births to migrants to the country. The news agency also noted that “Italy’s population had risen virtually every year since World War I, hitting a peak in 2015 at 60.8 million, but has since started to decline.”
Life expectancy has increased to 85.3 years for Italian women and 81 years for Italian men. The decrease in births and increase in life expectancy has resulted in an average age of 45.7.
When the low number of Italian births for 2018 was reported, then-interior minister Matteo Salvini said, “We are in a terrible state.”
“This is the real crisis (in Italy), not the bond yield spreads or the economic crisis.”
Italian-American Beverly Stevens, editor of Regina magazine, told LifeSiteNews that the sexual revolution is to blame for the low Italian birth rate.
“It's a perfect storm, aimed straight at the heart of the Great Italian Bulwark, la famiglia (the family),” she said via social media.
“It started when the sexual revolution legitimized male philandering. Suddenly, wives found themselves outclassed by girlfriends and divorced,” she continued.
“This destabilized the next generation, depriving boys of role models and hardening girls' hearts.”
Stevens said that contemporary Italian women believe “fervently” in a feminism that has doomed them to unstable marriages or living alone.
“And their men protest the fact that they are alone on Christmas in Rome's piazzas because the ex won't allow them access to their kids,” she added.
“Nobody wins. Families fail to form. Italians strive endlessly to show a 'bella figura' (beautiful face, i.e. keep up appearances) as they age relentlessly, alone.”
“It’s cultural-level suicide.”
Share


lifesitenews--2020-02-21--Tucker Carlson: US leaders have sold out America to China

WASHINGTON , D.C. , February 20 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — Many of America ’ s most influential leaders have betrayed their country for pay , Tucker Carlson said in a scathing segment earlier this week .
The Fox host said communist China is becoming a “ dangerous enemy ” and the reason for many of the chief problems developing the U.S. today .
“ China is no longer simply an economic rival of the United States ; it ’ s becoming a dangerous enemy , ” Carlson said .
“ But instead of protecting us from this threat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ class collaborates with the other side , ” he continued .
“ Why do they do that ?
Simple .
They 're getting rich from it.
” Carlson named leaders from sports , politics , academia , and business to illustrate examples of influential Americans willing to throw American values and freedoms under the bus for Chinese cash .
His first examples were Daryl Morey , the general manager of the National Basketball Association , and star basketball player LeBron James .
“ NBA general manager Daryl Morey , you 'll remember , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hong Kong , and in the resulting backlash , the NBA and Morey both apologized for daring to criticize China 's fascist regime , ” Carlson said .
“ And then LeBron James weighed in and explained to us that , actually , freedom of speech in America is vastly overrated.
” The host played a clip of James telling people to be “ careful ” in what they tweet , say , and do because a “ a lot of negative ” comes with freedom of speech .
According to CNN , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 % of the NBA ’ s current profits “ and could reach 20 % by 2030.
” Carlson was even harsher to retired elected representatives , who have “ literally joined China ’ s payroll.
” These include former senator Mark Kirk ( “ a registered foreign agent ” ) , former senator Joe Lieberman , and former congressman Rick Boucher .
Kirk lobbies for an America-China friendship foundation with ties to the governing Chinese communist party ; Lieberman and Boucher lobby for Chinese companies .
The Fox host also shined a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Meng , the chief investment officer at the state of California ’ s pension fund , CalPERS .
“ Meng , who was born in China and moved here at the age of 25 , previously ran China 's $ 3 trillion portfolio of foreign investments , ” Carlson said .
Now CalPERS invests in companies that supply the Chinese military and has invested in Hikvision , which makes the surveillance equipment China uses .
‘ The goal is to obtain Western technology and research for China 's own use ’ Carlson also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ program that seeks to empower China at the West ’ s expense .
“ When Meng worked for a Chinese investment fund , he was recruited by the Thousand Talents Initiative — that 's a Chinese program designed to encourage foreign businessmen , scientists and other experts to work on China 's behalf , often secretly , ” Carlson said .
“ The explicit goal is to obtain Western technology and research for China 's own use so they can surpass us , which they are.
” Part of the reason for this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ universities are accepting Chinese money .
Carlson recalled that last month , the head of Harvard ’ s chemistry department was arrested for lying about the work he was doing for China .
Carlson believes that this isn ’ t a special case , for the academic world is “ addicted to Chinese money.
” “ Harvard and Yale both stand accused of hiding hundreds of millions in donations from payments from foreign countries , ” the Fox host said .
“ Needless to say , China is one of the top contributors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Texas A & M University system tried to gauge how many of its faculty were getting Chinese money .
More than a hundred of them had been recruited , it turns out , but only five had reported their work for a hostile foreign government .
How many were indicted ?
Your guess ?
Oh , yeah ― zero.
” China is able to steal research and technological innovation from the United States through such professors and their Chinese graduate students , Carlson suggested .
The host then took aim at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that bow to China ’ s imperialist attitudes toward Tibet and Taiwan , and at businessman and presidential hopeful Michael Bloomberg , who has denied that Chinese strongman Xi Jinping is a dictator .
Bloomberg also has “ enormous ” business interests in China , Carlson reported , and his Bloomberg News heavily self-censors when it comes to corruption there .
However , the scariest relationship between Americans and China , Carlson said , is the growing dependence of the former on the latter .
“ The scariest part is that as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has grown more dependent on it , ” he said and listed medical supplies as an example .
Apparently , 80 % of antibiotics used in the U.S. come from China .
“ The saddest and most infuriating part is that none of this needed to happen in the first place , ” Carlson said .
“ China did n't just one day magically overtake us .
Our leaders made that possible .
They abetted it .
They profited from it .
They betrayed us.
” Steven W. Mosher , author of Bully @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dream is the New Threat to World Order , praised Carlson for his insight .
“ Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham are both serious journalists who ‘ get ’ the China threat , ” he told LifeSiteNews today .
“ China is a threat across all domains , ” he continued .
“ It is a military threat ; an economic threat ; and now , with the coronavirus , a threat to the health of people everywhere.
” Mosher said it sounds as if Carlson has read his Bully of Asia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hill .
Steve Bannon , a former adviser to President Trump , told Mosher he has read his book twice .
Peter Navarro , the director of trade and manufacturing policy for President Trump , is an old friend , Mosher says .
“ It is a kind of personal vindication for me to have the arguments that I have been making about the growing China Threat for the past twenty years finally become official administration policy and mainstream journalism , ” Mosher told LifeSiteNews .
“ And just in the nick of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was the year that the pundits said China would overtake the United States as the dominant global economic power .
Now it appears that day is still a long way off and — now that America has woken up to the China Threat — may never happen at all , ” he continued .
“ When President Reagan was asked what his policy towards the USSR was , he famously said , ‘ We win , they lose.
’ This is essentially Trump 's policy towards China .
And as we all know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
”

Many of America’s most influential leaders have betrayed their country for pay, Tucker Carlson said in a scathing segment.
WASHINGTON, D.C., February 20, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — Many of America’s most influential leaders have betrayed their country for pay, Tucker Carlson said in a scathing segment earlier this week.
The Fox host said communist China is becoming a “dangerous enemy” and the reason for many of the chief problems developing the U.S. today.
“China is no longer simply an economic rival of the United States; it’s becoming a dangerous enemy,” Carlson said.
“But instead of protecting us from this threat, an existential one, our leadership class collaborates with the other side,” he continued.
“Why do they do that? Simple. They're getting rich from it.”
Carlson named leaders from sports, politics, academia, and business to illustrate examples of influential Americans willing to throw American values and freedoms under the bus for Chinese cash. His first examples were Daryl Morey, the general manager of the National Basketball Association, and star basketball player LeBron James.
“NBA general manager Daryl Morey, you'll remember, wrote a tweet supporting pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong, and in the resulting backlash, the NBA and Morey both apologized for daring to criticize China's fascist regime,” Carlson said.
“And then LeBron James weighed in and explained to us that, actually, freedom of speech in America is vastly overrated.”
The host played a clip of James telling people to be “careful” in what they tweet, say, and do because a “a lot of negative” comes with freedom of speech.
According to CNN, the Chinese market makes up at least 10% of the NBA’s current profits “and could reach 20% by 2030.”
Carlson was even harsher to retired elected representatives, who have “literally joined China’s payroll.” These include former senator Mark Kirk (“a registered foreign agent”), former senator Joe Lieberman, and former congressman Rick Boucher. Kirk lobbies for an America-China friendship foundation with ties to the governing Chinese communist party; Lieberman and Boucher lobby for Chinese companies.
The Fox host also shined a spotlight on the activities of China-born Yu Meng, the chief investment officer at the state of California’s pension fund, CalPERS.
“Meng, who was born in China and moved here at the age of 25, previously ran China's $3 trillion portfolio of foreign investments,” Carlson said.
Now CalPERS invests in companies that supply the Chinese military and has invested in Hikvision, which makes the surveillance equipment China uses.
“So they’re actively abetting fascism,” Carlson concluded.
‘The goal is to obtain Western technology and research for China's own use’
Carlson also revealed that Meng had worked for a program that seeks to empower China at the West’s expense.
“When Meng worked for a Chinese investment fund, he was recruited by the Thousand Talents Initiative — that's a Chinese program designed to encourage foreign businessmen, scientists and other experts to work on China's behalf, often secretly,” Carlson said.
“The explicit goal is to obtain Western technology and research for China's own use so they can surpass us, which they are.”
Part of the reason for this is that even America’s leading universities are accepting Chinese money. Carlson recalled that last month, the head of Harvard’s chemistry department was arrested for lying about the work he was doing for China. Carlson believes that this isn’t a special case, for the academic world is “addicted to Chinese money.”
“Harvard and Yale both stand accused of hiding hundreds of millions in donations from payments from foreign countries,” the Fox host said.
“Needless to say, China is one of the top contributors,” he continued.
“Recently, the Texas A&M University system tried to gauge how many of its faculty were getting Chinese money. More than a hundred of them had been recruited, it turns out, but only five had reported their work for a hostile foreign government. How many were indicted? Your guess? Oh, yeah ― zero.”
China is able to steal research and technological innovation from the United States through such professors and their Chinese graduate students, Carlson suggested.
The host then took aim at businesses, like Disney and the Gap, that bow to China’s imperialist attitudes toward Tibet and Taiwan, and at businessman and presidential hopeful Michael Bloomberg, who has denied that Chinese strongman Xi Jinping is a dictator. Bloomberg also has “enormous” business interests in China, Carlson reported, and his Bloomberg News heavily self-censors when it comes to corruption there.
However, the scariest relationship between Americans and China, Carlson said, is the growing dependence of the former on the latter.
“The scariest part is that as China has grown more powerful, America has grown more dependent on it,” he said and listed medical supplies as an example. Apparently, 80% of antibiotics used in the U.S. come from China.
“The saddest and most infuriating part is that none of this needed to happen in the first place,” Carlson said.
“China didn't just one day magically overtake us. Our leaders made that possible. They abetted it. They profited from it. They betrayed us.”
Trump’s China policy: ‘We win, they lose.’
Steven W. Mosher, author of Bully of Asia: Why China’s Dream is the New Threat to World Order, praised Carlson for his insight.
“Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham are both serious journalists who ‘get’ the China threat,” he told LifeSiteNews today.
“China is a threat across all domains,” he continued. “It is a military threat; an economic threat; and now, with the coronavirus, a threat to the health of people everywhere.”
Mosher said it sounds as if Carlson has read his Bully of Asia, which has made an impact on Capitol Hill. Steve Bannon, a former adviser to President Trump, told Mosher he has read his book twice. Peter Navarro, the director of trade and manufacturing policy for President Trump, is an old friend, Mosher says.
“It is a kind of personal vindication for me to have the arguments that I have been making about the growing China Threat for the past twenty years finally become official administration policy and mainstream journalism,” Mosher told LifeSiteNews.
“And just in the nick of time. This year, 2020, was the year that the pundits said China would overtake the United States as the dominant global economic power. Now it appears that day is still a long way off and — now that America has woken up to the China Threat — may never happen at all,” he continued.
“When President Reagan was asked what his policy towards the USSR was, he famously said, ‘We win, they lose.’ This is essentially Trump's policy towards China. And as we all know, he never gets tired of winning.”
Share


lifesitenews--2020-02-20--Trump appoints openly gay LGBT activist to director of intelligence agencies

WASHINGTON , D.C. , February 20 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — President Donald Trump has tapped Richard Grenell , currently the United States ambassador to Germany , as acting director of National Intelligence , making him the first openly gay member of the White House Cabinet in history .
As intelligence head , Grenell will oversee the nation ’ s seventeen spy agencies , including the Federal Bureau of Investigation ( FBI ) , the Central Intelligence Agency ( CIA ) , the Department of Homeland Security , and the intelligence arms of each branch of the U.S. military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an out gay man loved by most conservative pundits and politicos , who at the same time is often the target of scorn by liberals , especially LGBT media and political organizations .
“ He ’ s not necessarily popular with LGBTQ people — or women or Germans , ” declared a commentary in The Advocate , soon after Grenell ’ s appointment was announced .
“ He denounced gay Democratic presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg for calling out Vice President Mike Pence ’ s anti-LGBTQ record ” and said “ the idea that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ” The Advocate also noted that Grenell is “ known for insulting powerful women , such as Hillary Clinton and Rachel Maddow , based on their appearance.
” The New York Times called Grenell “ an acerbic combatant who throws regular punches at ‘ fake news ’ reporters and Mr. Trump ’ s opponents online.
” Despite having earned the ire of liberals and having amassed immense credibility in conservative circles — he is seen as being in the image and likeness of Donald J. Trump — some conservative Washington observers wonder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to advancing an LGBT agenda .
Grenell has worked for pro-life causes at the U.N. , holds traditional conservative views on many issues , and says he wants Christian conscience rights protected , but he is also a self-described “ gay Christian ” who advocates for same-sex “ marriage ” and has decried the influence of “ loud religious right activists ” in the conservative coalition .
After leaving his position in the Bush administration as the United States ’ United Nations spokesperson , he publicly condemned the Bush White House for opposing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homosexuality .
Evangelical leader Gary Bauer , now a member of the U.S. Commission on Religious Freedom , said at the time that Grenell “ is not weak on defense [ . ]
... Conservative pro-family leaders are disappointed because Grenell has been an outspoken advocate of redefining normal marriage.
” “ Grenell has made a particular crusade of the marriage issue , with a kind of unhinged devotion that suggests a man with questionable judgment , ” wrote the Witherspoon Institute ’ s Matthew J. Franck in a National Review piece .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Mitt Romney for an influential State Department posting , he might “ pursue his passion for that same agenda.
” In 2019 , Grenell was asked by President Trump to spearhead a global effort to get countries to end their criminalization of homosexuality .
While the effort was said to be narrowly focused on criminalization instead of pressuring countries to adopt policies such as same-sex “ marriage , ” that may be a misrepresentation .
In a video interview with a fellow gay , Dave Rubin of the Rubin Report , published @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he might be seeking more than just the decriminalization of homosexuality : Grenell did not stop there .
He added : Grenell did not explain what steps 2–20 might be , leaving plenty of room for interpretation by pro-marriage and pro-family conservatives .
“ Right now I have to face at the State Department resistance from people who don ’ t want Americans or Westerners to go into other countries and take a stand for the decriminalization [ of homosexuality ] campaign , because literally there are countries that believe that the West @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into their country ‘ being gay , ’ ” he said .
Grenell said the suggestion that Americans introduced “ being gay ” to other countries is “ the stupidest idea , ” and so “ I ’ m not actually going to be silent on that and participate in letting them silence me because they ’ ve got some crazy conspiracy theory.
” “ I ’ m going to bust the conspiracy theory wide open and say , ‘ You ’ re wrong , ’ ” he added .
Conspiracies notwithstanding , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to see Grenell ’ s effort ’ s limited to ending violence , not advancing an agenda .
“ I have interacted with Ambassador Richard Grenell and appreciate his service to our country , but I ’ m concerned about his record of promoting same-sex marriage and values that have proven to endanger religious freedom , ” Family Research Council pesident Tony Perkins told LifeSiteNews in an emailed statement .
There is concern among our pro-family allies around the world that Ambassador Grenell will engage in LGBT activism as Acting Director of National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effort to impose the same redefinition of marriage upon other nations that was imposed upon Americans by an activist Supreme Court would be reminiscent of the cultural imperialism of the Obama administration .
Eight countries permit the death penalty for homosexuality — most of them also known as abusers of religious freedom and other rights , and supporters of terrorism .
An end to those laws , and other physical punishments such as flogging , is a legitimate goal .
But that does not mean we should engage in ‘ cultural imperialism ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us by our own Supreme Court on other countries with different cultures , traditions , and values .
Let ’ s find common ground in calling for an end to all forms of physical violence against homosexuals — but let ’ s refrain from imposing the values of the sexual revolution on the rest of the world .
“ Rick Grenell has proven in his work for the Trump administration that he is a gay activist first and a loyal Republican second , ” Peter LaBarbera , founder and president of Americans for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ He has made it his primary mission to work for the normalization of homosexuality worldwide , which would seem to be more of an Obama foreign policy goal than a Trump goal.
” “ Through all this , as an open and proud homosexual , ” said the AFTAH head , although “ [ h ] e bills himself as an evangelical Christian .
This only confuses the Gospel and undermines true , biblical Christianity.
” The New York Times noted that Grenell ’ s “ bare-knuckled approach ” to diplomacy “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ circle.
” He is seen as an uncommonly aggressive , outspoken diplomat .
Grenell “ has championed the ‘ Trump Doctrine , ’ defined as the approach of economically pressuring countries — including North Korea , Iran , and China — but leaving them a path to ‘ change their behavior , ’ ” noted a Fox News report .
“ I absolutely want to empower other conservatives throughout Europe , other leaders , ” Mr. Grenell told Breitbart in 2018 .
“ I think there is a groundswell of conservative policies that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policies of the left.
” Before being dispatched to Germany , Grenell was famous for trolling liberals on Twitter , described as “ an ultra right-wing sniper on social media , ” a moniker that could also be applied to the president .

Richard Grenell has built up impressive credentials among conservatives, but one pro-family group calls him 'a gay activist first and a loyal Republican second.'
WASHINGTON, D.C., February 20, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — President Donald Trump has tapped Richard Grenell, currently the United States ambassador to Germany, as acting director of National Intelligence, making him the first openly gay member of the White House Cabinet in history.
As intelligence head, Grenell will oversee the nation’s seventeen spy agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the Department of Homeland Security, and the intelligence arms of each branch of the U.S. military.
Grenell is an interesting hybrid: an out gay man loved by most conservative pundits and politicos, who at the same time is often the target of scorn by liberals, especially LGBT media and political organizations.
“He’s not necessarily popular with LGBTQ people — or women or Germans,” declared a commentary in The Advocate, soon after Grenell’s appointment was announced. “He denounced gay Democratic presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg for calling out Vice President Mike Pence’s anti-LGBTQ record” and said “the idea that Pence is homophobic is a ‘hoax.’”
The Advocate also noted that Grenell is “known for insulting powerful women, such as Hillary Clinton and Rachel Maddow, based on their appearance.”
The New York Times called Grenell “an acerbic combatant who throws regular punches at ‘fake news’ reporters and Mr. Trump’s opponents online.”
Despite having earned the ire of liberals and having amassed immense credibility in conservative circles — he is seen as being in the image and likeness of Donald J. Trump — some conservative Washington observers wonder whether Grenell might harbor a hidden allegiance to advancing an LGBT agenda.
Grenell has worked for pro-life causes at the U.N., holds traditional conservative views on many issues, and says he wants Christian conscience rights protected, but he is also a self-described “gay Christian” who advocates for same-sex “marriage” and has decried the influence of “loud religious right activists” in the conservative coalition.
After leaving his position in the Bush administration as the United States’ United Nations spokesperson, he publicly condemned the Bush White House for opposing U.N. resolution urging the full acceptance of homosexuality.
Evangelical leader Gary Bauer, now a member of the U.S. Commission on Religious Freedom, said at the time that Grenell “is not weak on defense[.] … Conservative pro-family leaders are disappointed because Grenell has been an outspoken advocate of redefining normal marriage.”
“Grenell has made a particular crusade of the marriage issue, with a kind of unhinged devotion that suggests a man with questionable judgment,” wrote the Witherspoon Institute’s Matthew J. Franck in a National Review piece.
Franck worried that if Grenell were selected by Mitt Romney for an influential State Department posting, he might “pursue his passion for that same agenda.”
In 2019, Grenell was asked by President Trump to spearhead a global effort to get countries to end their criminalization of homosexuality.
While the effort was said to be narrowly focused on criminalization instead of pressuring countries to adopt policies such as same-sex “marriage,” that may be a misrepresentation.
In a video interview with a fellow gay, Dave Rubin of the Rubin Report, published this week, Grenell perhaps admitted that he might be seeking more than just the decriminalization of homosexuality:
We’re making so much progress [with the decriminalization campaign]. Granted, this is going to be a long fight, trying to convince sixy-nine countries to do a change in domestic laws, to not criminalize homosexuality.
Grenell did not stop there. He added:
And that’s all this is is ‘step one,’ is just to work on criminalization. Others are working on steps two to twenty.
Grenell did not explain what steps 2–20 might be, leaving plenty of room for interpretation by pro-marriage and pro-family conservatives.
“Right now I have to face at the State Department resistance from people who don’t want Americans or Westerners to go into other countries and take a stand for the decriminalization [of homosexuality] campaign, because literally there are countries that believe that the West — and specifically America — have imported into their country ‘being gay,’” he said.
Grenell said the suggestion that Americans introduced “being gay” to other countries is “the stupidest idea,” and so “I’m not actually going to be silent on that and participate in letting them silence me because they’ve got some crazy conspiracy theory.”
“I’m going to bust the conspiracy theory wide open and say, ‘You’re wrong,’” he added.
Conspiracies notwithstanding, some conservative leaders remain concerned and want to see Grenell’s effort’s limited to ending violence, not advancing an agenda.
“I have interacted with Ambassador Richard Grenell and appreciate his service to our country, but I’m concerned about his record of promoting same-sex marriage and values that have proven to endanger religious freedom,” Family Research Council pesident Tony Perkins told LifeSiteNews in an emailed statement.
He continued:
There is concern among our pro-family allies around the world that Ambassador Grenell will engage in LGBT activism as Acting Director of National Intelligence, a cabinet-level position. An effort to impose the same redefinition of marriage upon other nations that was imposed upon Americans by an activist Supreme Court would be reminiscent of the cultural imperialism of the Obama administration. Eight countries permit the death penalty for homosexuality — most of them also known as abusers of religious freedom and other rights, and supporters of terrorism. An end to those laws, and other physical punishments such as flogging, is a legitimate goal. But that does not mean we should engage in ‘cultural imperialism’ by imposing policies that were imposed upon us by our own Supreme Court on other countries with different cultures, traditions, and values. Let’s find common ground in calling for an end to all forms of physical violence against homosexuals — but let’s refrain from imposing the values of the sexual revolution on the rest of the world.
“Rick Grenell has proven in his work for the Trump administration that he is a gay activist first and a loyal Republican second,” Peter LaBarbera, founder and president of Americans for Truth about Homosexuality, told LifeSiteNews. “He has made it his primary mission to work for the normalization of homosexuality worldwide, which would seem to be more of an Obama foreign policy goal than a Trump goal.”
“Through all this, as an open and proud homosexual,” said the AFTAH head, although “[h]e bills himself as an evangelical Christian. This only confuses the Gospel and undermines true, biblical Christianity.”
Conservative credentials
The New York Times noted that Grenell’s “bare-knuckled approach” to diplomacy “resonates with the president and his inner circle.” He is seen as an uncommonly aggressive, outspoken diplomat.
Grenell “has championed the ‘Trump Doctrine,’ defined as the approach of economically pressuring countries — including North Korea, Iran, and China — but leaving them a path to ‘change their behavior,’” noted a Fox News report.
“I absolutely want to empower other conservatives throughout Europe, other leaders,” Mr. Grenell told Breitbart in 2018. “I think there is a groundswell of conservative policies that are taking hold because of the failed policies of the left.”
Before being dispatched to Germany, Grenell was famous for trolling liberals on Twitter, described as “an ultra right-wing sniper on social media,” a moniker that could also be applied to the president.
Share


lifesitenews--2020-02-20--Buttigieg’s brother-in-law assails Dem for ‘dishonesty,’ acting ‘clearly against Scripture’

February 20 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – The brother-in-law of Democrat presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg isn ’ t pulling any punches in response to the former South Bend , Indiana mayor ’ s recent comments questioning the religiosity of Americans who support President Donald Trump , calling Buttigieg ’ s remarks the “ height of intellectual dishonesty.
” Earlier this week , Buttigieg said at a presidential town hall event that he “ can not find any compatibility between the way this president conducts himself and anything I find in Scripture.
” The candidate has made his allegedly-superior religiosity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ despite his well-known deviations from Christian teaching , including his “ marriage ” to another man and his support for effectively-unlimited legal abortion .
Michigan pastor Rhyan Glezman , the brother of Buttigieg ’ s “ husband ” Chasten , appeared on Tucker Carlson ’ s Fox News show Wednesday evening to respond .
`` Yeah , in the height of intellectual dishonesty for Pete to make claims that there 's no compatibility with being a Christian and voting for Trump , ( when ) Pete , in fact , is the one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is against , clearly against Scripture , '' Glezman said .
“ Just everything that Pete is pushing is , it 's anti-God .
I 'm just gon na be honest with you .
Nothing lines up with Scripture for him to make cases like to say that you can not be a Christian and vote for Trump .
He 's the one that is openly contradicting God 's word over and over . ''
Buttigieg pledges to appoint pro-abortion judges to the Supreme Court and make the abortion drug RU-486 available over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vetoed Women ’ s Care Center ’ s rezoning application to build a pro-life pregnancy center near the site of a proposed abortion center , and he has largely dodged questions about the discovery of thousands of babies ’ corpses on the property of a deceased area abortionist .
Buttigieg has even tried to justify abortion on religious grounds , claiming in September “ there ’ s a lot of parts of the Bible that talk about how life begins with breath.
” Pro-lifers responded at the time that Buttigieg was twisting Genesis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Adam – “ Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life , and the man became a living being ” – while ignoring long-settled biological criteria that establishes a living human being is created upon fertilization .
Glezman also addressed his brother-in-law ’ s recent refusal to disavow partial-birth abortion , telling Carlson he was “ just in a state of lament when you hear that we have someone running for commander in chief who ca n't make a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ child after it 's already been born or to have it killed.
” “ What kind of moral suggestions is he going to be giving if he ca n't come to an understanding of that ?
” he asked .
“ It 's just , it 's alarming . ''
This is far from the first time Glezman has spoken out against his relative .
Last May , he accused the Buttigieg campaign of lying about his family kicking Chasten out of the house and into poverty for coming out as homosexual .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was struggling for a time , ” Glezman said last year .
“ But there was nothing on the family end that said he had to leave ( ... ) the story makes it look as if he came from nothing , a poor family , ” when in reality “ Chasten had everything , from cell phones paid for , car insurance paid for.
” Buttigieg currently holds a one-delegate lead over Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders for the Democrat presidential nomination .

The gay presidential candidate has no business faulting President Trump supporters when everything Pete's pushing is 'anti-God,' pastor Rhyan Glezman says.
February 20, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – The brother-in-law of Democrat presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg isn’t pulling any punches in response to the former South Bend, Indiana mayor’s recent comments questioning the religiosity of Americans who support President Donald Trump, calling Buttigieg’s remarks the “height of intellectual dishonesty.”
Earlier this week, Buttigieg said at a presidential town hall event that he “cannot find any compatibility between the way this president conducts himself and anything I find in Scripture.” The candidate has made his allegedly-superior religiosity a recurring theme in his campaign, despite his well-known deviations from Christian teaching, including his “marriage” to another man and his support for effectively-unlimited legal abortion.
Michigan pastor Rhyan Glezman, the brother of Buttigieg’s “husband” Chasten, appeared on Tucker Carlson’s Fox News show Wednesday evening to respond.
“Yeah, in the height of intellectual dishonesty for Pete to make claims that there's no compatibility with being a Christian and voting for Trump, (when) Pete, in fact, is the one who is pushing agendas and rhetoric that is against, clearly against Scripture,” Glezman said. “Just everything that Pete is pushing is, it's anti-God. I'm just gonna be honest with you. Nothing lines up with Scripture for him to make cases like to say that you cannot be a Christian and vote for Trump. He's the one that is openly contradicting God's word over and over.”
Buttigieg pledges to appoint pro-abortion judges to the Supreme Court and make the abortion drug RU-486 available over the counter. As mayor, he vetoed Women’s Care Center’s rezoning application to build a pro-life pregnancy center near the site of a proposed abortion center, and he has largely dodged questions about the discovery of thousands of babies’ corpses on the property of a deceased area abortionist.
Buttigieg has even tried to justify abortion on religious grounds, claiming in September “there’s a lot of parts of the Bible that talk about how life begins with breath.” Pro-lifers responded at the time that Buttigieg was twisting Genesis 2:7’s account of God creating Adam – “Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being” – while ignoring long-settled biological criteria that establishes a living human being is created upon fertilization.
Glezman also addressed his brother-in-law’s recent refusal to disavow partial-birth abortion, telling Carlson he was “just in a state of lament when you hear that we have someone running for commander in chief who can't make a moral decision on whether to keep a child after it's already been born or to have it killed.”
“What kind of moral suggestions is he going to be giving if he can't come to an understanding of that?” he asked. “It's just, it's alarming.”
This is far from the first time Glezman has spoken out against his relative. Last May, he accused the Buttigieg campaign of lying about his family kicking Chasten out of the house and into poverty for coming out as homosexual.
Chasten “went away” because “he was struggling for a time,” Glezman said last year. “But there was nothing on the family end that said he had to leave (…) the story makes it look as if he came from nothing, a poor family,” when in reality “Chasten had everything, from cell phones paid for, car insurance paid for.”
Buttigieg currently holds a one-delegate lead over Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders for the Democrat presidential nomination.
Share


lifesitenews--2020-02-21--Facebook ‘fact-checker’ wrongly labels LifeSite report ‘false’

February 21 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — A website designated by Facebook as an official “ fact-checker ” has inaccurately labeled as “ false ” a LifeSiteNews report about the Swiss government ’ s plans to offer assisted suicide to criminals .
As a consequence of the labeling , Facebook has warned that it will “ reduce the distribution ” of this story and potentially other LifeSite stories in the future .
Further reports receiving such labels could result in our pages being removed from Facebook altogether .
Lead Stories , an organization that works with Facebook as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ story republished on LifeSite .
The report , titled “ Switzerland bans death penalty but will now help prisoners kill themselves , ” was labeled as “ false ” after LifeSite posted the story to Facebook .
The story explains that “ [ p ] rison officials have now confirmed that assisted suicide should be available to prisoners although the operational procedures have still to be confirmed.
” The report links to a Swiss news source containing quotes from the director of the Conference of Cantonal Departments of Justice and Police , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sentences .
The director explains that the department has agreed “ on the principle that assisted suicide should be possible inside prisons . ''
The Swiss news source states that “ a group of experts would issue recommendations by November.
” Lead Stories has posted its own article about the coverage of this story by LifeNews.com ( not to be confused with LifeSiteNews.com ) , which covered the same story with the headline “ Switzerland Will Allow Child Rapists to Kill Themselves in Assisted Suicides Instead of Serving Prison Term.
” LifeSite is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lead Stories explaining why it considers the LifeNews story to be misleading .
While the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Departments of Justice and Police did not make any reference to assisted suicide being available specifically for child rapists , the statement does follow a request for assisted suicide from child rapist , Peter Vogt , who is currently spending life behind bars and claims to be suffering from heart and kidney problems .
The LifeSiteNews report contains reactions from pro-life campaigners expressing the view that a child rapist should not have the option @ @ @ @ @ @ @ via assisted suicide .
In Switzerland , assisted suicide is only banned if it ’ s being done for “ selfish reasons ” and as a result of Vogt ’ s request , authorities asked for input from the Swiss Centre of Expertise in Prison and Probation , which said in October that prisoners should be able to take advantage of assisted suicide .
LifeSite contacted Lead Stories explaining that we are a different organization from LifeNews and that our headlines for this story are different and requesting that the “ false ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In one of their responses , Lead Stories replied : “ The articles are very similar making the same claim .
There has been NO decision in Switzerland to allow child rapists to kill themselves to escape a long sentence.
” But neither LifeSite ’ s article nor its headline states that there has been a “ decision in Switzerland to allow child rapists to kill themselves to escape a long sentence.
” The LifeSite article simply notes the statement from the relevant government authority in Switzerland who has said assisted suicide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that recommendations will be issued later this year .
At another stage in the correspondence , Lead Stories informed us that the Swiss authorities are “ ‘ grappling ’ with it and no decision or process has been reached .
Also , it would only be for ILL inmates .
Not inmates who just want to end their sentences.
” The relevant government authority has announced that it has agreed in principle that assisted suicide , which is legal in the rest of the country , should occur in prisons — where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
LifeSite is unaware of why Lead Stories is so confident that it will be for only sick prisoners , but in any case , it is self-evident that any prisoner might become sick , and the child-rapist whose request prompted this announcement is himself claiming to be sick .
In our most recent correspondence with Lead Stories they have since written : “ Bottom line : Your headline is false [ . ]
… The Swiss government is not now helping prisoners kill themselves .
Please let me know when you have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ review.
” Lead Stories appears to be attempting to justify labeling our story as false on the grounds that our headline explaining that Switzerland “ will now help prisoners kill themselves ” implies that this is currently happening , rather than being something that will happen in the future .
But the word “ will ” is a verb expressing the future tense , even when immediately followed by the word “ now.
” If LifeSite had wished to state that this was currently happening , the headline would read : “ Switzerland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prisoners kill themselves ” — just as Lead Stories has used the word “ is ” when telling us , “ The Swiss government is not now helping prisoners kill themselves.
” To illustrate the point , if someone were to say “ James will now go to the park , ” we would understand that James is not currently in the process of going to the park , but that he will be soon .
Contrarily , if someone were to say “ James is now going to the park , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this very moment on his way to the park .
Unfortunately , Lead Stories has refused to withdraw its “ false ” label despite LifeSite ’ s numerous attempts to rectify the situation .

The issue seems to be one of basic grammar, plus a possible case of mistaken identity.
February 21, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — A website designated by Facebook as an official “fact-checker” has inaccurately labeled as “false” a LifeSiteNews report about the Swiss government’s plans to offer assisted suicide to criminals.
As a consequence of the labeling, Facebook has warned that it will “reduce the distribution” of this story and potentially other LifeSite stories in the future. Further reports receiving such labels could result in our pages being removed from Facebook altogether.
Lead Stories, an organization that works with Facebook as a third-party fact-checking service, had flagged a story republished on LifeSite. The report, titled “Switzerland bans death penalty but will now help prisoners kill themselves,” was labeled as “false” after LifeSite posted the story to Facebook.
The story explains that “[p]rison officials have now confirmed that assisted suicide should be available to prisoners although the operational procedures have still to be confirmed.”
The report links to a Swiss news source containing quotes from the director of the Conference of Cantonal Departments of Justice and Police, the Swiss government department responsible for implementing prison sentences. The director explains that the department has agreed “on the principle that assisted suicide should be possible inside prisons.” The Swiss news source states that “a group of experts would issue recommendations by November.”
Lead Stories has posted its own article about the coverage of this story by LifeNews.com (not to be confused with LifeSiteNews.com), which covered the same story with the headline “Switzerland Will Allow Child Rapists to Kill Themselves in Assisted Suicides Instead of Serving Prison Term.” LifeSite is not mentioned anywhere in the article by Lead Stories explaining why it considers the LifeNews story to be misleading.
While the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Departments of Justice and Police did not make any reference to assisted suicide being available specifically for child rapists, the statement does follow a request for assisted suicide from child rapist, Peter Vogt, who is currently spending life behind bars and claims to be suffering from heart and kidney problems. The LifeSiteNews report contains reactions from pro-life campaigners expressing the view that a child rapist should not have the option to opt out of his prison sentence via assisted suicide.
In Switzerland, assisted suicide is only banned if it’s being done for “selfish reasons” and as a result of Vogt’s request, authorities asked for input from the Swiss Centre of Expertise in Prison and Probation, which said in October that prisoners should be able to take advantage of assisted suicide.
LifeSite contacted Lead Stories explaining that we are a different organization from LifeNews and that our headlines for this story are different and requesting that the “false” label be removed from our Facebook post.
In one of their responses, Lead Stories replied: “The articles are very similar making the same claim. There has been NO decision in Switzerland to allow child rapists to kill themselves to escape a long sentence.”
But neither LifeSite’s article nor its headline states that there has been a “decision in Switzerland to allow child rapists to kill themselves to escape a long sentence.”
The LifeSite article simply notes the statement from the relevant government authority in Switzerland who has said assisted suicide inside prisons has been agreed in principle and that recommendations will be issued later this year.
At another stage in the correspondence, Lead Stories informed us that the Swiss authorities are “‘grappling’ with it and no decision or process has been reached. Also, it would only be for ILL inmates. Not inmates who just want to end their sentences.”
The relevant government authority has announced that it has agreed in principle that assisted suicide, which is legal in the rest of the country, should occur in prisons — where it has not previously taken place before. LifeSite is unaware of why Lead Stories is so confident that it will be for only sick prisoners, but in any case, it is self-evident that any prisoner might become sick, and the child-rapist whose request prompted this announcement is himself claiming to be sick.
In our most recent correspondence with Lead Stories they have since written: “Bottom line: Your headline is false[.] … The Swiss government is not now helping prisoners kill themselves. Please let me know when you have revised your story and we will again review.”
Lead Stories appears to be attempting to justify labeling our story as false on the grounds that our headline explaining that Switzerland “will now help prisoners kill themselves” implies that this is currently happening, rather than being something that will happen in the future.
But the word “will” is a verb expressing the future tense, even when immediately followed by the word “now.”
If LifeSite had wished to state that this was currently happening, the headline would read: “Switzerland bans death penalty but is now helping prisoners kill themselves” — just as Lead Stories has used the word “is” when telling us, “The Swiss government is not now helping prisoners kill themselves.”
To illustrate the point, if someone were to say “James will now go to the park,” we would understand that James is not currently in the process of going to the park, but that he will be soon. Contrarily, if someone were to say “James is now going to the park,” we would understand that James is at this very moment on his way to the park.
Unfortunately, Lead Stories has refused to withdraw its “false” label despite LifeSite’s numerous attempts to rectify the situation.
Share


lifesitenews--2020-02-21--Australian pro-lifer gets $5K fine, criminal record for discussing abortion

MELBOURNE , Australia , February 21 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — Abortion-mill “ bubble zones ” were first introduced in Tasmania in 2013 , with other states and territories following suit since then .
This article explains my part in the legal challenge to those zones , which ended this week in Melbourne .
In 2015 , bubble zones , also known as exclusion zones were passed by the Victorian Parliament and came into effect in mid-2016 , under the title of “ Safe-Access Zones.
” These zones are designated areas inside which pro-lifers are forbidden to “ communicate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dissuade women from procuring abortions ” on the basis that this causes already vulnerable women undue stress .
Strangely , there is not much discussion around why women would feel anxious when fronting for an abortion — except by pro-lifers .
The unnatural nature of killing one ’ s offspring is never brought up in the courtroom and neither are the consequences of such an act .
After much strategizing , it was decided that an attempt should be made to deliberately breach the zone in order to test the law , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As a symbolic gesture , it was decided that the action should take place at the Fertility Control Clinic , on Wellington Parade in Melbourne .
This is the site of dozens of abortions weekly and is estimated to have killed 350,000 babies since 1972 .
Since 1993 , there has been a permanent presence by the Helpers of God ’ s Precious Infants outside this facility .
The Helpers have seen around 300 turnarounds during that time , with some of those saved babies now adults in their twenties .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I entered the exclusion zone .
It was my role to approach an abortion-minded woman , and my colleague prayed silently to test the law in that way .
We carried no signs or banners .
I had a couple of pamphlets , and my friend , Des , carried only his rosary beads .
Paul Hanrahan from FLI and representatives of the Melbourne Helpers had been in discussion with senior Victoria Police officers for several weeks prior to this regarding the best course of action to test these totalitarian laws .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the street , gathering evidence for what we all knew was likely to be a protracted case that could take several years to progress through the legal system .
After some time , I approached a couple who were about to enter the abortion mill and offered to help them .
The encounter took no more than five seconds and ended with them declining my help .
This five-second encounter was to earn me a $ 5,000 fine , a good behavior bond , and a criminal record .
As has been noted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not visibly distressed by my actions , and there was no shouting or abuse .
But the Safe-Access law is designed to capture activities deemed “ potentially ” distressing — that is to say , activities that cause abortion-minded women to acknowledge the irreversible and immoral act they are about to commit .
After this encounter , two police officers arrived in a squad car : the young man read from a sheet the law that I had apparently broken .
His voice and hand were shaking ; this was the first arrest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and he knew that it would be going through the courts as a test case .
I was asked to move along but refused , all the time remembering St. Thomas Aquinas ’ s words : “ An unjust law is no law at all.
” I was read the riot act and taken away in the squad car to Richmond Police Station .
We later learned that twenty police officers had been briefed about a “ demonstration ” that could take place that morning .
I had noticed a lot of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my arrest and only later was told that this was the dozen or so police who had swarmed the area .
Would that they were able to go into that abortion facility , where the real crimes were taking place .
The Magistrate ’ s Court hearing took place over a period of months in 2017 .
The prosecution ’ s star witness was a counselor for the abortion mill , who took delight in describing the alleged traumas inflicted on women by sidewalk counsellors and peaceful prayers .
I did not agree @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but believe me : this woman deserved an acting award .
Finally , I was found guilty , but not before the magistrate subjected me to highly offensive questioning at the sentencing .
“ How many fathers do your children have ?
” and “ Why are you homeschooling ?
” were among the many irrelevant questions asked by this magistrate .
Even as she admitted that I was normally a law-abiding person , she called me unrepentant and my actions premeditated .
It is so strange to think of trying to save @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killing babies is the legal one .
I was placed on a good behavior bond and given a stern admonition that had I not had a family , I would have been sent to prison .
We submitted applications to both the Supreme Court and the High Court for appeals — the High Court was our main goal , since this is where we would lodge a constitutional challenge to the law itself .
Surprisingly , the High Court took up the case first , joining it to that of Graham Preston , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an exclusion zone in Tasmania .
The cases were heard together , since the Tasmanian and Victorian laws are very similar .
In applying to the High Court , we were hopeful that these zones could be found unconstitutional , in part because similar zones created around logging sites and intended to stop environmentalists from harassing workers were deemed unconstitutional in 2017 .
Our case rested on Graham ’ s and my actions being a kind of “ political communication ” since the Australian Constitution does not recognize freedom of speech .
Our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attorneys general of New South Wales , Tasmania , Victoria , South Australia , Western Australia , and Queensland as well as the commonwealth attorney general .
To call this a David and Goliath battle is no exaggeration .
The High Court hearing was in October of 2018 ; our case was heard by the full bench of seven judges .
As the hearing progressed , it became obvious that we were not in a good position ; it was most likely that we would lose .
But I held on to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dissent from the majority and give us something legally to cling to in the future .
The decision was handed down in April 2019 , and I flew to Brisbane for the occasion .
Unfortunately , all seven judges were unanimous in their decision : they ruled that “ Safe-Access zones ” are constitutional and that while they place a slight burden on our freedom of political communication , this is not an undue burden .
Graham Preston ’ s actions were deemed clearly political — he was holding a sign that said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Mine were deemed not to be political , with one judge saying that “ a decision to abort a pregnancy is a personal — not political — choice.
” But as one commentator rightly said , “ it is a personal choice about a political issue.
” With this decision , the rights of aborting mothers to kill their babies were deemed more important than the rights of pro-lifers to offer them an alternative .
Similarly , the rights of trees to be protected from being felled by legitimate loggers have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rights of those children about to be sacrificed at the hands of abortionists .
In fact , the human rights of the tiny Australian citizens did not figure in this case at all .
This was a very discouraging part of the process : knowing that there was nothing at all we could do to change the legality of abortion .
The High Court decision marked a dark day for Australia , but the news was almost entirely neglected by the mainstream media , who revelled instead in the case of Israel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ post and the ensuing scandal hit the news the day after our judgment , and our story was ignored just as totally as society ignores the deaths of those thousands of tiny babies .
My legal team felt that we had one more chance for success in the Supreme Court .
I was to appeal my conviction on the basis that the magistrate had erred by finding me guilty of communicating about abortion , beyond a reasonable doubt , when there was no evidence that I had done so .
However , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if the magistrate had made a mistake , it would have no bearing on my guilt .
She found that although I may not have mentioned abortion , my reason for being there and my well known views on abortion were enough to convict me .
This decision came down this week , Wednesday , February 19 , 2020 .
One week before Ash Wednesday .
Making penitential sacrifices , giving alms , and much prayer are needed to turn around “ the culture of death , ” which has taken over a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our “ enlightened ” Australian culture , killing babies is a protected activity , offering help is against the law , and thoughtcrime has become a legal reality .

Kathy Clubb talked to a couple for four seconds within 'an exclusion zone' outside an abortion mill. The judges ruled unanimously to punish her.
MELBOURNE, Australia, February 21, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — Abortion-mill “bubble zones” were first introduced in Tasmania in 2013, with other states and territories following suit since then. This article explains my part in the legal challenge to those zones, which ended this week in Melbourne.
In 2015, bubble zones, also known as exclusion zones were passed by the Victorian Parliament and came into effect in mid-2016, under the title of “Safe-Access Zones.” These zones are designated areas inside which pro-lifers are forbidden to “communicate about abortion” or try to “dissuade women from procuring abortions” on the basis that this causes already vulnerable women undue stress. Strangely, there is not much discussion around why women would feel anxious when fronting for an abortion — except by pro-lifers. The unnatural nature of killing one’s offspring is never brought up in the courtroom and neither are the consequences of such an act.
After much strategizing, it was decided that an attempt should be made to deliberately breach the zone in order to test the law, and I made the decision to be involved.
As a symbolic gesture, it was decided that the action should take place at the Fertility Control Clinic, on Wellington Parade in Melbourne. This is the site of dozens of abortions weekly and is estimated to have killed 350,000 babies since 1972. Since 1993, there has been a permanent presence by the Helpers of God’s Precious Infants outside this facility. The Helpers have seen around 300 turnarounds during that time, with some of those saved babies now adults in their twenties.
On October 4, 2016, a friend and I entered the exclusion zone. It was my role to approach an abortion-minded woman, and my colleague prayed silently to test the law in that way. We carried no signs or banners. I had a couple of pamphlets, and my friend, Des, carried only his rosary beads. Paul Hanrahan from FLI and representatives of the Melbourne Helpers had been in discussion with senior Victoria Police officers for several weeks prior to this regarding the best course of action to test these totalitarian laws.
Police detectives were watching from farther down the street, gathering evidence for what we all knew was likely to be a protracted case that could take several years to progress through the legal system.
After some time, I approached a couple who were about to enter the abortion mill and offered to help them. The encounter took no more than five seconds and ended with them declining my help. This five-second encounter was to earn me a $5,000 fine, a good behavior bond, and a criminal record. As has been noted by several courts, the couple were not visibly distressed by my actions, and there was no shouting or abuse. But the Safe-Access law is designed to capture activities deemed “potentially” distressing — that is to say, activities that cause abortion-minded women to acknowledge the irreversible and immoral act they are about to commit.
(I sometimes wonder what happened to this young man and woman. Dd they go through with an abortion? Is there any possibility that they changed their minds? How do they feel about it all now?)
After this encounter, two police officers arrived in a squad car: the young man read from a sheet the law that I had apparently broken. His voice and hand were shaking; this was the first arrest in the state under the new law, and he knew that it would be going through the courts as a test case. I was asked to move along but refused, all the time remembering St. Thomas Aquinas’s words: “An unjust law is no law at all.”
I was read the riot act and taken away in the squad car to Richmond Police Station. We later learned that twenty police officers had been briefed about a “demonstration” that could take place that morning. I had noticed a lot of movement in my peripheral vision soon after my arrest and only later was told that this was the dozen or so police who had swarmed the area.
Would that they were able to go into that abortion facility, where the real crimes were taking place.
The Magistrate’s Court hearing took place over a period of months in 2017. The prosecution’s star witness was a counselor for the abortion mill, who took delight in describing the alleged traumas inflicted on women by sidewalk counsellors and peaceful prayers. I did not agree with a single word she said, but believe me: this woman deserved an acting award.
Finally, I was found guilty, but not before the magistrate subjected me to highly offensive questioning at the sentencing. “How many fathers do your children have?” and “Why are you homeschooling?” were among the many irrelevant questions asked by this magistrate. Even as she admitted that I was normally a law-abiding person, she called me unrepentant and my actions premeditated. It is so strange to think of trying to save lives as being a criminal activity while killing babies is the legal one. I was placed on a good behavior bond and given a stern admonition that had I not had a family, I would have been sent to prison.
We submitted applications to both the Supreme Court and the High Court for appeals — the High Court was our main goal, since this is where we would lodge a constitutional challenge to the law itself. Surprisingly, the High Court took up the case first, joining it to that of Graham Preston, a veteran pro-life activist who had breached an exclusion zone in Tasmania. The cases were heard together, since the Tasmanian and Victorian laws are very similar.
In applying to the High Court, we were hopeful that these zones could be found unconstitutional, in part because similar zones created around logging sites and intended to stop environmentalists from harassing workers were deemed unconstitutional in 2017. Our case rested on Graham’s and my actions being a kind of “political communication” since the Australian Constitution does not recognize freedom of speech.
Our opponents at the High Court comprised the attorneys general of New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, and Queensland as well as the commonwealth attorney general. To call this a David and Goliath battle is no exaggeration.
The High Court hearing was in October of 2018; our case was heard by the full bench of seven judges. As the hearing progressed, it became obvious that we were not in a good position; it was most likely that we would lose. But I held on to the hope that at least one judge would dissent from the majority and give us something legally to cling to in the future.
The decision was handed down in April 2019, and I flew to Brisbane for the occasion. Unfortunately, all seven judges were unanimous in their decision: they ruled that “Safe-Access zones” are constitutional and that while they place a slight burden on our freedom of political communication, this is not an undue burden. Graham Preston’s actions were deemed clearly political — he was holding a sign that said “everyone has the right to life.” Mine were deemed not to be political, with one judge saying that “a decision to abort a pregnancy is a personal — not political — choice.”
But as one commentator rightly said, “it is a personal choice about a political issue.”
With this decision, the rights of aborting mothers to kill their babies were deemed more important than the rights of pro-lifers to offer them an alternative. Similarly, the rights of trees to be protected from being felled by legitimate loggers have been found to be of more import than the rights of those children about to be sacrificed at the hands of abortionists.
In fact, the human rights of the tiny Australian citizens did not figure in this case at all. This was a very discouraging part of the process: knowing that there was nothing at all we could do to change the legality of abortion.
The High Court decision marked a dark day for Australia, but the news was almost entirely neglected by the mainstream media, who revelled instead in the case of Israel Folau. His now infamous social media post and the ensuing scandal hit the news the day after our judgment, and our story was ignored just as totally as society ignores the deaths of those thousands of tiny babies.
My legal team felt that we had one more chance for success in the Supreme Court. I was to appeal my conviction on the basis that the magistrate had erred by finding me guilty of communicating about abortion, beyond a reasonable doubt, when there was no evidence that I had done so.
However, the Supreme Court judge ultimately found that even if the magistrate had made a mistake, it would have no bearing on my guilt. She found that although I may not have mentioned abortion, my reason for being there and my well known views on abortion were enough to convict me. This decision came down this week, Wednesday, February 19, 2020. One week before Ash Wednesday.
Making penitential sacrifices, giving alms, and much prayer are needed to turn around “the culture of death,” which has taken over a society built on Christian principles. In our “enlightened” Australian culture, killing babies is a protected activity, offering help is against the law, and thoughtcrime has become a legal reality.
Share