lifesitenews--2020-07-22--Join our daily worldwide rosary HERE

Join our daily worldwide rosary HERE

July 22 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – In response to the crisis unfolding in our world and in the Church , LifeSite is offering Catholics throughout the world a chance to be united daily in prayer , in the Our Lady of Fatima Rosary Crusade .
Catholics from all over the world—from Israel , Uganda , Italy , France , Germany , Ireland , Pakistan , Singapore , the Philippines , India , Indonesia , Australia , New Zealand , Thailand , the United Kingdom , the U.S. , Canada , Brazil , and other countries—are gathering daily to pray @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pillari , J.C.L.
, an American priest currently studying in Italy .
Our goal is , by means of this daily rosary and by embracing and living out the message given by the Virgin Mary at Fatima , the triumph of Our Lady ’ s Immaculate Heart .
To help obtain that goal , Bishop Athanasius Schneider graciously composed the following prayer for this worldwide rosary crusade : O Immaculate Heart of Mary , you are the holy Mother of God and our tender Mother .
Look upon the distress in which the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ living because of the spread of materialism and the persecution of the Church .
In Fatima you warned against these errors , as you spoke about the errors of Russia .
You are the Mediatrix of all graces .
Implore your Divine Son to grant this special grace for the Pope : that he might consecrate Russia to your Immaculate Heart , so that Russia will be converted , a period of peace will be granted to the world , and your Immaculate Heart will triumph , through an authentic renewal of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Catholic Faith , of the sacredness of Divine worship and of the holiness of the Christian life .
O Queen of the holy Rosary and our sweet Mother , turn your merciful eyes to us and graciously hear this our trusting prayer .
Amen .
+ Athanasius Schneider , Auxiliary Bishop of the archdiocese of Saint Mary in Astana To learn more about the urgency of responding to Our Lady ’ s message at Fatima , and about what you can do , please read Cardinal Burke ’ s 2017 address @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : //voiceofthefamily.com/full-text-cardinal-burkes-historic-call-for-consecration-of-russia/ ) .
As St. Padre Pio once said , “ The rosary is the weapon for these times.
” Through prayer , God can shape history , change the world , and bring about a great time of renewal and peace for the Church and for the world , through the triumph of Our Lady ’ s Immaculate Heart .
Join us today !
If you would like to follow along with the prayers said during this rosary , you can access them via this PDF .
This document also includes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daily rosary on LifeSite led by Fr .
Pillari .
Send photos or videos of you and your family praying the rosary with Father Pillari to [ email protected ]

(LifeSiteNews) — In response to the crisis unfolding in our world and in the Church, LifeSite is happy to promote Regina Angelorum Press’s Daily Rosary, which is offering Catholics throughout the world the chance to be united daily in prayer, in the Our Lady of Fatima Rosary Crusade.
Catholics from all over the world — from Israel, Uganda, Italy, France, Germany, Ireland, Pakistan, Singapore, the Philippines, India, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the U.S., Canada, Brazil, and other countries — are gathering daily to pray the Rosary, led by Father Pillari, JCL, MCL, STL, an American priest currently studying in Italy.
The Daily Rosary is being offered each day at 12noon EST through Regina Angelorum Press’ YouTube Channel to which you can subscribe HERE.
The goal is, by means of this Daily Rosary and by embracing and living out the message given by the Virgin Mary at Fatima, the triumph of Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart.
To help obtain that goal, Bishop Athanasius Schneider graciously composed the following prayer for this worldwide Rosary crusade:
O Immaculate Heart of Mary, you are the holy Mother of God and our tender Mother. Look upon the distress in which the Church and the whole of humanity are living because of the spread of materialism and the persecution of the Church. In Fatima you warned against these errors, as you spoke about the errors of Russia. You are the Mediatrix of all graces. Implore your Divine Son to grant this special grace for the Pope: that he might consecrate Russia to your Immaculate Heart, so that Russia will be converted, a period of peace will be granted to the world, and your Immaculate Heart will triumph, through an authentic renewal of the Church in the splendor of the purity of the Catholic Faith, of the sacredness of Divine worship and of the holiness of the Christian life. O Queen of the holy Rosary and our sweet Mother, turn your merciful eyes to us and graciously hear this our trusting prayer. Amen. + Athanasius Schneider, Auxiliary Bishop of the archdiocese of Saint Mary in Astana
To learn more about the urgency of responding to Our Lady’s message at Fatima, and about what you can do, please read Cardinal Burke’s 2017 address at the Rome Life Forum.
As St. Padre Pio once said, “The Rosary is the weapon for these times.” Through prayer, God can shape history, change the world, and bring about a great time of renewal and peace for the Church and for the world, through the triumph of Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart. Join us today!
If you would like to follow along with the prayers said during this Rosary, you can access them HERE. The document also includes a brief F.A.Q. pertaining to the daily Rosary.
You can send your prayer requests to https://reginangelorumpress.com/prayer-intentions/
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lifesitenews--2020-07-22--Muslim and leftist terrorists will try to intimidate us into abolishing America

July 22 , 2020 ( Turning Point Project ) — You ’ ve probably seen Ami Horowitz doing one of his “ man-on-the-street ” interviews on television .
In a recent one , he asked passersby to sign a petition to take down a statue of Washington because “ he was a slave owner.
” All were happy to sign .
He then asked them to sign a petition to take down a statue of Muhammad because he also was a slave owner .
But all declined to sign .
Take down Muhammad ?
Not a good idea .
Why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Muhammad not only owned slaves but also engaged in slave trading on a large scale .
Why go easy on him ?
Do people give Muhammad a pass out of respect for religion ?
Probably not .
“ Woke ” vandals have torn down statues of Christian figures , including the Virgin Mary , and only a few seem to mind .
Muhammad is given special treatment not out of reverence for religion , but out of fear .
You don ’ t have to be a scholar of Islam to know that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The truth is , intimidation works .
Much of the spread of Islam in the West is due to the fear factor .
People are afraid to resist Islamization because they fear being thought Islamophobic ( and possibly losing their jobs ) , but also out of fear plain and simple .
The fearful impulse that prompts passersby to give Muhammad a wide berth , is the same impulse that guarantees that Islam ’ s influence over our society will only increase .
The fear factor seems to have been built into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just fear of Allah , but fear of Muslim warriors .
As Muhammad advised his followers , “ I shall cast terror into the hearts of the infidels .
Strike off their heads , strike off the very tips of their fingers ” ( Koran 8 : 12 ) .
Some recent scholars and politicians have interpreted this to mean that Islam is a religion of peace .
Others say that it ’ s just a typical example of Arab exaggeration .
Over the centuries , however , more prudent people , took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When they were given the choice to “ convert or die , ” they didn ’ t have to think twice about the meaning of those words .
Many people who have entered Islam have entered it out of fear .
Likewise , many fear to leave it .
Yusuf al-Qaradawi , one of Sunni Islam ’ s most respected leaders , has said : “ If they [ Muslims ] had gotten rid of the punishment for apostasy , Islam would not exist today.
” In case you didn ’ t know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death , and in most cases that ’ s enough incentive to stay the course .
Having not yet evolved beyond the fear of dying , people can still be scared into submission by the prospect of sudden death .
That ’ s what terrorism is all about .
Take the commuter train bombings in Madrid , Spain in March , 2004 .
The coordinated bombings which resulted in 191 deaths and 1,800 injuries were timed to take place just before the general election .
Up until that point , the ruling Popular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iraq was leading by a substantial margin in the polls .
On election day , however , appeasement-minded voters turned the government over to the Socialist Workers Party , which had pledged to take Spanish troops out of Iraq .
Lesson learned ?
Terrorism works .
At least it works in a society that is already half-subdued by demographic decline , welfare dependence , and the imperial demands of the European Union .
We tend to think that America is not that kind of society .
We are , after all , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me ” nation : attack America , and expect speedy retaliation .
But in recent months , American cities have been subject to a pummeling which has left them black and blue and tread all-over .
The marauders were not Islamic terrorists , but left-wing true believers inspired by a violent Marxist gospel .
They attacked police , looted stores , burned down buildings , destroyed statues , vandalized churches and synagogues , and demanded the virtual abolishment of the American Republic .
They were met with very little resistance from the American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with signs of sympathy and solidarity ( and not a little cash ) by state governors , big-city mayors , city councils , members of Congress , corporate executives , educators , and editors .
Even broad-shouldered football stars kneeled in obedience to the new order of things .
Like the passersby interviewed by Ami Horowitz , the elite showed little concern for the tearing down of statues .
Columbus ?
Jefferson ?
Washington ?
As House Speaker Nancy Pelosi remarked , “ I don ’ t care that much about statues.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ along with the rest , would have shuddered at the thought of tearing down a statue of Muhammad .
Of course , there ’ s no need to worry about that , since Islamic law prohibits depictions of Muhammad .
It ’ s only a hypothetical question .
But if there were such a thing as a Muhammad statue , it seems safe to hypothesize that both the leftist mobs and the left-leaning elites would treat it with deference .
Why ?
Once again , the answer is fear .
Leftism and Islam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , both incorporate terror into their modus operandi .
Each understands that the other means business .
Consequently , leftists and Islamists show each other a certain respect , and they often work together toward the same goals .
Although many churches and synagogues were vandalized during the riots , mosques were left alone .
Leftists and Islamists aren ’ t immune from fear , but they are better at keeping their fear in check because both have a cause to believe in .
It ’ s a different story with many in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believe in anything beyond status and personal comfort .
The idea of risking one ’ s life in a cause is quite alien to them .
They don ’ t see any point in fighting for intangibles such as freedom of religion and freedom of speech .
As long as the mob leaves them in peace , they are willing to appease it .
In short , they are cowards .
But no one wants to admit to being one .
As Albert Camus observed , “ Those who lack the courage will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” What has happened in America is that fear of the mob has been transformed into a virtue .
“ Whoever said anything about fear , ” says the television anchor , the CEO , the archbishop , and the football player , “ We just want to sig…er , show our commitment to diversity , our concern for black lives , and our dedication to social justice.
” Nevertheless , at the bottom of all the virtue signaling is the fear of being on the wrong side of the mob — not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but the media mob , the academic mob , and the corporate mob .
It ’ s not the insurrection itself , but the cowardice in the face of it that may spell the end of America .
Our situation is , in some respects , reminiscent of the one that Spaniards faced in 2004 .
A national election was coming up , the popular party led in the polls , then , suddenly , terrorists cast fear into the hearts of the people and to appease the terrorists , the people voted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Substitute “ left-wing mob ” for “ terrorists ” and “ Democratic Party ” for “ Socialist Workers Party ” and you have an eerily similar set up .
Just as the train bombings in Madrid were intended to affect the outcome of an election , so too are today ’ s violent protests in America .
What happened in Spain in 2004 wouldn ’ t have happened in America in that year .
But after 16 more years of hate-your-nation education , safe-space universities and Big Nanny government , America has become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As Mark Steyn has observed , the downside of the soft cushioned safety-net culture is that , “ by relieving the individual of the need to have ‘ private virtues , ’ you ’ ll ensure that they wither away to the edges of society.
” One of those withering virtues is , of course , courage .
And when it comes to cultural survival , there is no government program or technical solution that can substitute for it .
One can talk about one ’ s virtuous commitment to this , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But as C.S .
Lewis pointed out , “ Courage is not simply one of the virtues , but the form of every virtue at the testing point.
” When courage fails , all the other virtues fail .
Published with permission from the Turning Point Project .

July 22, 2020 (Turning Point Project) — You’ve probably seen Ami Horowitz doing one of his “man-on-the-street” interviews on television. In a recent one, he asked passersby to sign a petition to take down a statue of Washington because “he was a slave owner.” All were happy to sign. He then asked them to sign a petition to take down a statue of Muhammad because he also was a slave owner. But all declined to sign. Take down Muhammad? Not a good idea.
Why the double standard? Unlike Washington, Muhammad not only owned slaves but also engaged in slave trading on a large scale. Why go easy on him? Do people give Muhammad a pass out of respect for religion?
Probably not. “Woke” vandals have torn down statues of Christian figures, including the Virgin Mary, and only a few seem to mind. Muhammad is given special treatment not out of reverence for religion, but out of fear. You don’t have to be a scholar of Islam to know that criticism of Muhammad can have serious consequences.
The truth is, intimidation works. Much of the spread of Islam in the West is due to the fear factor. People are afraid to resist Islamization because they fear being thought Islamophobic (and possibly losing their jobs), but also out of fear plain and simple. The fearful impulse that prompts passersby to give Muhammad a wide berth, is the same impulse that guarantees that Islam’s influence over our society will only increase.
The fear factor seems to have been built into Islam right from the start — not just fear of Allah, but fear of Muslim warriors. As Muhammad advised his followers, “I shall cast terror into the hearts of the infidels. Strike off their heads, strike off the very tips of their fingers” (Koran 8: 12).
Some recent scholars and politicians have interpreted this to mean that Islam is a religion of peace. Others say that it’s just a typical example of Arab exaggeration. Over the centuries, however, more prudent people, took Islamic injunctions in the literal sense. When they were given the choice to “convert or die,” they didn’t have to think twice about the meaning of those words.
Many people who have entered Islam have entered it out of fear. Likewise, many fear to leave it. Yusuf al-Qaradawi, one of Sunni Islam’s most respected leaders, has said: “If they [Muslims] had gotten rid of the punishment for apostasy, Islam would not exist today.” In case you didn’t know, the usual punishment for apostasy is death, and in most cases that’s enough incentive to stay the course.
Having not yet evolved beyond the fear of dying, people can still be scared into submission by the prospect of sudden death. That’s what terrorism is all about. Take the commuter train bombings in Madrid, Spain in March, 2004. The coordinated bombings which resulted in 191 deaths and 1,800 injuries were timed to take place just before the general election. Up until that point, the ruling Popular Party which was allied with America in Iraq was leading by a substantial margin in the polls. On election day, however, appeasement-minded voters turned the government over to the Socialist Workers Party, which had pledged to take Spanish troops out of Iraq.
Lesson learned? Terrorism works. At least it works in a society that is already half-subdued by demographic decline, welfare dependence, and the imperial demands of the European Union.
We tend to think that America is not that kind of society. We are, after all, the original “don’t tread on me” nation: attack America, and expect speedy retaliation. But in recent months, American cities have been subject to a pummeling which has left them black and blue and tread all-over.
The marauders were not Islamic terrorists, but left-wing true believers inspired by a violent Marxist gospel. They attacked police, looted stores, burned down buildings, destroyed statues, vandalized churches and synagogues, and demanded the virtual abolishment of the American Republic.
They were met with very little resistance from the American establishment. Instead, they were showered with signs of sympathy and solidarity (and not a little cash) by state governors, big-city mayors, city councils, members of Congress, corporate executives, educators, and editors. Even broad-shouldered football stars kneeled in obedience to the new order of things.
Like the passersby interviewed by Ami Horowitz, the elite showed little concern for the tearing down of statues. Columbus? Jefferson? Washington? As House Speaker Nancy Pelosi remarked, “I don’t care that much about statues.”
But, one suspects, she, along with the rest, would have shuddered at the thought of tearing down a statue of Muhammad. Of course, there’s no need to worry about that, since Islamic law prohibits depictions of Muhammad. It’s only a hypothetical question. But if there were such a thing as a Muhammad statue, it seems safe to hypothesize that both the leftist mobs and the left-leaning elites would treat it with deference.
Why? Once again, the answer is fear. Leftism and Islam share many ideological similarities. For example, both incorporate terror into their modus operandi. Each understands that the other means business. Consequently, leftists and Islamists show each other a certain respect, and they often work together toward the same goals. Although many churches and synagogues were vandalized during the riots, mosques were left alone.
Leftists and Islamists aren’t immune from fear, but they are better at keeping their fear in check because both have a cause to believe in. It’s a different story with many in the establishment. They don’t believe in anything beyond status and personal comfort. The idea of risking one’s life in a cause is quite alien to them. They don’t see any point in fighting for intangibles such as freedom of religion and freedom of speech. As long as the mob leaves them in peace, they are willing to appease it.
In short, they are cowards. But no one wants to admit to being one. As Albert Camus observed, “Those who lack the courage will always find a philosophy to justify it.”
What has happened in America is that fear of the mob has been transformed into a virtue. “Whoever said anything about fear,” says the television anchor, the CEO, the archbishop, and the football player, “We just want to sig…er, show our commitment to diversity, our concern for black lives, and our dedication to social justice.”
Nevertheless, at the bottom of all the virtue signaling is the fear of being on the wrong side of the mob — not just the mob in the streets, but the media mob, the academic mob, and the corporate mob.
It’s not the insurrection itself, but the cowardice in the face of it that may spell the end of America. Our situation is, in some respects, reminiscent of the one that Spaniards faced in 2004. A national election was coming up, the popular party led in the polls, then, suddenly, terrorists cast fear into the hearts of the people and to appease the terrorists, the people voted in the left-leaning Socialist Workers Party.
Substitute “left-wing mob” for “terrorists” and “Democratic Party” for “Socialist Workers Party” and you have an eerily similar set up. Just as the train bombings in Madrid were intended to affect the outcome of an election, so too are today’s violent protests in America.
What happened in Spain in 2004 wouldn’t have happened in America in that year. But after 16 more years of hate-your-nation education, safe-space universities and Big Nanny government, America has become a much softer and less resilient culture. As Mark Steyn has observed, the downside of the soft cushioned safety-net culture is that, “by relieving the individual of the need to have ‘private virtues,’ you’ll ensure that they wither away to the edges of society.” One of those withering virtues is, of course, courage. And when it comes to cultural survival, there is no government program or technical solution that can substitute for it.
One can talk about one’s virtuous commitment to this, that, and the other thing. But as C.S. Lewis pointed out, “Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point.” When courage fails, all the other virtues fail.
Published with permission from the Turning Point Project.
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lifesitenews--2020-07-22--24 AGs sue Trump admin for protecting doctors from being forced to do abortions, ‘trans’ surgeries

PETITION : Tell Trump Christians can ’ t accept SCOTUS ruling imposing LGBT ideology !
Sign the petition here .
UNITED STATES , July 22 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — 24 Democratic state attorneys general have launched a lawsuit against the Trump ’ s administration ’ s recent move to reverse a 2016 “ anti-discrimination ” rule which would have forced healthcare workers to commit abortions and perform “ gender transition ” operations .
The suit is being led by New York Attorney General Letitia James , who in recent months has led legal challenges against state restrictions on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Massachusetts , Washington , Michigan , and Pennsylvania are among the other states joining the suit , which has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York , the Wall Street Journal reported .
“ It is never acceptable to deny health care to Americans who need it , but it is especially egregious to do so in the middle of a pandemic , ” James said .
In May 2016 the Obama administration redefined “ sex discrimination ” in section 1557 of the Affordable Care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individual ’ s “ internal sense of gender , which may be male , female , neither , or a combination of male and female.
” The 2016 rule also included “ termination of pregnancy ” in its definition of sex discrimination .
The Obama-era regulations implied that medical providers would have to commit abortions and treat patients based on their asserted “ gender identity ” or risk losing federal funding , along with facing a possible referral to the Department of Justice for legal action .
In December 2016 a federal court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enforcement of the Obama regulations on the grounds that they were likely to be contrary to civil rights laws and laws protecting religious freedom .
This ruling was subsequently upheld by a second federal court in 2019 , which found the regulations to be unlawful .
But last month the Department of Health and Human Services ( HHS ) announced that they will “ enforce Section 1557 by returning to the government ’ s interpretation of sex discrimination according to the plain meaning of the word ‘ sex ’ as male or female @ @ @ @ @ @ @ HHS said that the move “ maintains vigorous enforcement of federal civil rights laws on the basis of race , color , national origin , disability , age , and sex , and restores the rule of law by revising certain provisions that go beyond the plain meaning of the law as enacted by Congress.
” The ruling was introduced by the HHS just days before the U.S. Supreme Court dealt social conservatives a significant blow by ruling that Title VII ’ s prohibition of sex discrimination in employment also outlaws discrimination based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gender identity.
” The HHS ruling was praised by both the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops ’ ( USCCB ) and pro-life and pro-family groups across the United States .
“ These regulations will help restore the rights of health care providers – as well as insurers and employers – who decline to perform or cover abortions or ‘ gender transition ’ procedures due to ethical or professional objections .
Catholic health care providers serve everyone who comes to them , regardless of characteristics or background .
However , there are ethical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We greatly appreciate [ this ] important action , ” the USCCB said in a statement .
Mary Beth Waddell , who serves as the Senior Legislative Assistant for the Family Research Council , said that the new rule will “ protect health care providers from being forced to participate in and perform services that substantially violate their consciences and help protect their patients .
”

The Trump administration reversed an Obama administration rule that would have forced doctors to participate in abortions and 'gender transition' surgeries.
PETITION: Tell Trump Christians can’t accept SCOTUS ruling imposing LGBT ideology! Sign the petition here.
UNITED STATES, July 22, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — 24 Democratic state attorneys general have launched a lawsuit against the Trump’s administration’s recent move to reverse a 2016 “anti-discrimination” rule which would have forced healthcare workers to commit abortions and perform “gender transition” operations.
The suit is being led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, who in recent months has led legal challenges against state restrictions on abortion during the coronavirus crisis. California, Massachusetts, Washington, Michigan, and Pennsylvania are among the other states joining the suit, which has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, the Wall Street Journal reported.
“It is never acceptable to deny health care to Americans who need it, but it is especially egregious to do so in the middle of a pandemic,” James said.
In May 2016 the Obama administration redefined “sex discrimination” in section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to include an individual’s “internal sense of gender, which may be male, female, neither, or a combination of male and female.” The 2016 rule also included “termination of pregnancy” in its definition of sex discrimination.
The Obama-era regulations implied that medical providers would have to commit abortions and treat patients based on their asserted “gender identity” or risk losing federal funding, along with facing a possible referral to the Department of Justice for legal action.
In December 2016 a federal court issued a nationwide injunction which blocked the enforcement of the Obama regulations on the grounds that they were likely to be contrary to civil rights laws and laws protecting religious freedom. This ruling was subsequently upheld by a second federal court in 2019, which found the regulations to be unlawful.
But last month the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that they will “enforce Section 1557 by returning to the government’s interpretation of sex discrimination according to the plain meaning of the word ‘sex’ as male or female and as determined by biology.”
The HHS said that the move “maintains vigorous enforcement of federal civil rights laws on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, and sex, and restores the rule of law by revising certain provisions that go beyond the plain meaning of the law as enacted by Congress.”
The ruling was introduced by the HHS just days before the U.S. Supreme Court dealt social conservatives a significant blow by ruling that Title VII’s prohibition of sex discrimination in employment also outlaws discrimination based on “sexual orientation” and “gender identity.”
The HHS ruling was praised by both the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) and pro-life and pro-family groups across the United States.
“These regulations will help restore the rights of health care providers – as well as insurers and employers – who decline to perform or cover abortions or ‘gender transition’ procedures due to ethical or professional objections. Catholic health care providers serve everyone who comes to them, regardless of characteristics or background. However, there are ethical considerations when it comes to procedures. We greatly appreciate [this] important action,” the USCCB said in a statement.
Mary Beth Waddell, who serves as the Senior Legislative Assistant for the Family Research Council, said that the new rule will “protect health care providers from being forced to participate in and perform services that substantially violate their consciences and help protect their patients.”
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lifesitenews--2020-07-22--Was America really founded on Christian principles?

As the far left ramps up their calls for the removal of statues of America 's founders over claims of @ @ @ @ @ that all citizens truly understand the principles upon which the United States was founded .
@ @ @ @ @ of The Van Maren Show , Mark David Hall speaks about America ’ s Founding @ @ @ @ @ which our society was established , and what this means for American ’ s today @ @ @ @ @ Professor of Politics at George Fox University and author of the book Did America Have @ @ @ @

As the far left ramps up their calls for the removal of statues of America's founders over claims of racism, it is important that all citizens truly understand the principles upon which the United States was founded.
In today’s episode of The Van Maren Show, Mark David Hall speaks about America’s Founding Fathers, the ideals upon which our society was established, and what this means for American’s today.
Hall is a Distinguished Professor of Politics at George Fox University and author of the book Did America Have A Christian Founding?


lifesitenews--2020-07-24--Little Sisters case proves leftists want to force all Americans to be pro-abortion

July 23 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — The war on goodness has been declared .
Goodness , what civilizes our humanity , which otherwise tends to barbarity , is under siege and is in real danger of being overwhelmed by economic and ideological interests that aspire to eliminate any barriers in their path to total license .
The latest and most shocking example of the dangerous times in which we are living has been the all-out effort to force the Little Sisters of the Poor to kowtow to the fanatical interpretation of Barack Obama ’ s Affordable Care Act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contraceptives and abortifacients , which contravene their convictions , their beliefs , and their statutes .
The ACA specifically exempted churches ( that was a former battle ) , but not “ faith-based ministries.
” Consequently , religious nonprofit organizations , such as the Little Sisters of the Poor , were to be fined if they did not comply with the law .
On October 6 , 2017 , the Department of Health and Human Services under Republican leadership updated the religious exemption to protect religious nonprofit organizations .
The State of Pennsylvania @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Planned Parenthood and at the behest of Big Pharma , asked a federal judge , Wendy Beetlestone , to issue an injunction to neutralize the exemption , ultimately ordering the Little Sisters to pay a penalty of tens of millions of dollars .
At the same time , Pennsylvania proceeded to sue the federal government , alleging that the exemption violated the Constitution , federal anti-discrimination law , and the Administrative Procedure Act ( APA ) .
The absurdity of this attack upon the Little Sisters , an order of nuns who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elderly poor in 31 countries , including in 23 houses in the United States , can only be explained by a hatred of this kind of noble and selfless service .
PETITION : Urge Catholic bishops to refuse Holy Communion to pro-abortion Biden !
Sign the petition here .
This past July 8 , 2020 , the United States Supreme Court ruled on the side of reason , deciding that HHS has the authority to allow exemptions .
Thus , the Little Sisters are for now safe from a fine that would have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its wonderful work since 1839 entirely by gifts and donations .
What is grave is that the decision simply allows HHS to make the exception .
It does not in fact free religious institutions from the encroachment of the dictatorship of anti-life regulations .
With a change of government , Democrats will waive the exceptions , and all religious institutions will be liable once again for fines of millions of dollars if they adhere to their pro-life convictions .
The left has the goal of eliminating all of these “ annoying ” pro-life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to rage .
The Little Sisters of the Poor was founded in France in 1839 by a saintly nun by the name of Jeanne Jugan , convinced by her Catholic faith that the love of Jesus for the poor must be imitated by His followers .
She raised up homes for the elderly by begging in the style of St. Francis of Assisi , and quantities of young women followed her loving and dynamic lead .
Based on her sanctity and the miracles attributed to her , Pope Benedict XVI declared Jeanne a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be aware that the anti-life left is not content to be in favor of abortion , euthanasia for the elderly or incurable , and transgender operations for leftists themselves .
They are bent on imposing these with taxpayer money upon the entire country , and on the world through the United Nations .
Life in the European Union has lost the battle , as we can see by the laws being imposed in Europe .
Heroic lawyers , judges , congressmen , and funders , supported by our pro-life President Trump , are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States of America .
The future of the nation depends upon their success .

All Christians must be aware that the anti-life left is not content to be in favor of abortion, euthanasia, and transgender operations only for leftists themselves.
July 23, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — The war on goodness has been declared. Goodness, what civilizes our humanity, which otherwise tends to barbarity, is under siege and is in real danger of being overwhelmed by economic and ideological interests that aspire to eliminate any barriers in their path to total license.
The latest and most shocking example of the dangerous times in which we are living has been the all-out effort to force the Little Sisters of the Poor to kowtow to the fanatical interpretation of Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act (ACA) and submit to dispensing contraceptives and abortifacients, which contravene their convictions, their beliefs, and their statutes.
The ACA specifically exempted churches (that was a former battle), but not “faith-based ministries.” Consequently, religious nonprofit organizations, such as the Little Sisters of the Poor, were to be fined if they did not comply with the law.
On October 6, 2017, the Department of Health and Human Services under Republican leadership updated the religious exemption to protect religious nonprofit organizations. The State of Pennsylvania, in the grip of the ideology of Planned Parenthood and at the behest of Big Pharma, asked a federal judge, Wendy Beetlestone, to issue an injunction to neutralize the exemption, ultimately ordering the Little Sisters to pay a penalty of tens of millions of dollars. At the same time, Pennsylvania proceeded to sue the federal government, alleging that the exemption violated the Constitution, federal anti-discrimination law, and the Administrative Procedure Act (APA).
The absurdity of this attack upon the Little Sisters, an order of nuns who give gratuitous care to 13,000 of the elderly poor in 31 countries, including in 23 houses in the United States, can only be explained by a hatred of this kind of noble and selfless service.
PETITION: Urge Catholic bishops to refuse Holy Communion to pro-abortion Biden! Sign the petition here.
This past July 8, 2020, the United States Supreme Court ruled on the side of reason, deciding that HHS has the authority to allow exemptions. Thus, the Little Sisters are for now safe from a fine that would have wiped out an organization that has done its wonderful work since 1839 entirely by gifts and donations.
What is grave is that the decision simply allows HHS to make the exception. It does not in fact free religious institutions from the encroachment of the dictatorship of anti-life regulations. With a change of government, Democrats will waive the exceptions, and all religious institutions will be liable once again for fines of millions of dollars if they adhere to their pro-life convictions. The left has the goal of eliminating all of these “annoying” pro-life organizations, and the battle will continue to rage.
The Little Sisters of the Poor was founded in France in 1839 by a saintly nun by the name of Jeanne Jugan, convinced by her Catholic faith that the love of Jesus for the poor must be imitated by His followers. She raised up homes for the elderly by begging in the style of St. Francis of Assisi, and quantities of young women followed her loving and dynamic lead. Based on her sanctity and the miracles attributed to her, Pope Benedict XVI declared Jeanne a saint in 2009.
All Christians must be aware that the anti-life left is not content to be in favor of abortion, euthanasia for the elderly or incurable, and transgender operations for leftists themselves. They are bent on imposing these with taxpayer money upon the entire country, and on the world through the United Nations. Life in the European Union has lost the battle, as we can see by the laws being imposed in Europe. Heroic lawyers, judges, congressmen, and funders, supported by our pro-life President Trump, are resisting these decivilizing forces in the United States of America. The future of the nation depends upon their success.
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lifesitenews--2020-07-24--Vatican archbishop defends posting image of naked adults with naked children. Twitter censors image

PETITION : Urge U.S. Catholic Bishops Conference to defend Catholic heritage and statues !
Sign the petition here .
July 23 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – A prominent Vatican archbishop doubled down in defense of his posting to social media an image of a naked man and woman lying on the ground surrounded by naked children , despite the fact that Twitter has now placed the problematic image behind a warning label reading : “ The following media includes potentially sensitive content.
” Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia , chancellor of the new John Paul II Pontifical Theological Institute for Marriage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president of the Pontifical Academy for Life , hit back at those who criticized him for posting the image , accusing them of “ a deeply morbid gaze.
” “ The photograph , as it has been amply highlighted by the articles that came out on the subject , portrays a Catholic family model and contains nothing erotic , ambiguous or inappropriate .
Therefore , it can only disturb a deeply morbid gaze , as it was written : ‘ omnia munda munids ’ , ” a statement published on Paglia ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ posted a link to a tweet from the John Paul II Institute promoting a broadcast featuring film director Alessandro D'Alatri .
The film director was behind the 2002 film Casomai , which according to the John Paul II Institute ’ s web page promoting the broadcast , is “ used today in all premarital courses.
” Both the original tweet and Paglia post included an image showing two actors of the film Casomai , Fabio Volo , and Stefania Rocca , lying down naked with one arm holding up their heads .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who appear to be male and of a similar age .
The actors are posed in such a way to mostly cover intimate parts of the body , although a significant part of one of Rocca ’ s breasts is visible .
Twitter has now placed the image behind a warning label reading : “ The following media includes potentially sensitive content , ” but it can still be viewed if users choose to click through to display the image .
On Paglia ’ s post , the warning label placed on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ This Tweet is unavailable ” to appear .
However , the link posted in Paglia ’ s tweet still brings you through to the original post where the image can be viewed .
This is not the first time Paglia has been involved in a controversy involving images of naked people .
The archbishop was featured in a homoerotic painting he commissioned in his Cathedral .
The massive mural covers the opposite side of the facade of the cathedral church of the Diocese of Terni-Narni-Amelia .
It depicts Jesus carrying nets to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , transsexuals , prostitutes , and drug dealers , jumbled together in erotic interactions .
As reported by LifeSite ’ s Matthew Hoffman in 2017 , “ included in one of the nets is Paglia , the then diocesan bishop .
The image of the Savior is painted with the face of a local male hairdresser , and his private parts can be seen through his translucent garb.
” In his recent article , Paglia also defends the controversial mural , likening it to well-known works of Catholic art and claiming that there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” depicted and that “ it is a traditional representation of the Last Judgment.
” “ Regarding this other absurd controversy it should be noted first of all that the Cathedral of Terni is certainly not the only church in the world in which naked bodies are portrayed : just think of the Sistine Chapel and Michelangelo 's paintings ( also subject to censorship , yes , but 500 years ago ) , ” the article says .
While Catholic critics have blasted the mural as `` disgusting ” and “ blasphemous , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that considering the mural to homoerotic is “ morbid ” and “ groundless.
” He has previously claimed that it serves as an “ evangelizing ” tool .
Paglia also oversaw the release of a controversial sex-ed program during the 2016 World Youth Day in Poland that includes sexually explicit images .
The course was criticized as being “ thoroughly immoral.
” The archbishop has defended giving Holy Communion to adulterers , has been instrumental in gutting and remaking the John Paul II Institute according to the pulse of the Francis pontificate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the bedside of someone undergoing assisted suicide in order to “ hold their hand ” and “ accompany ” them , and has claimed that anyone who says Judas Iscariot is in hell is a heretic .

Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia said the image ‘portrays a Catholic family model’ and has nothing ‘inappropriate.’ Twitter then censored the image.
PETITION: Urge U.S. Catholic Bishops Conference to defend Catholic heritage and statues! Sign the petition here.
July 23, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – A prominent Vatican archbishop doubled down in defense of his posting to social media an image of a naked man and woman lying on the ground surrounded by naked children, despite the fact that Twitter has now placed the problematic image behind a warning label reading: “The following media includes potentially sensitive content.”
Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, chancellor of the new John Paul II Pontifical Theological Institute for Marriage and Family Sciences in Rome and the president of the Pontifical Academy for Life, hit back at those who criticized him for posting the image, accusing them of “a deeply morbid gaze.”
“The photograph, as it has been amply highlighted by the articles that came out on the subject, portrays a Catholic family model and contains nothing erotic, ambiguous or inappropriate. Therefore, it can only disturb a deeply morbid gaze, as it was written: ‘omnia munda munids [sic]’,” a statement published on Paglia’s website reads.
Last week, Paglia posted a link to a tweet from the John Paul II Institute promoting a broadcast featuring film director Alessandro D'Alatri. The film director was behind the 2002 film Casomai, which according to the John Paul II Institute’s web page promoting the broadcast, is “used today in all premarital courses.”
Both the original tweet and Paglia post included an image showing two actors of the film Casomai, Fabio Volo, and Stefania Rocca, lying down naked with one arm holding up their heads. They are surrounded by four naked children, who appear to be male and of a similar age. The actors are posed in such a way to mostly cover intimate parts of the body, although a significant part of one of Rocca’s breasts is visible.
Twitter has now placed the image behind a warning label reading: “The following media includes potentially sensitive content,” but it can still be viewed if users choose to click through to display the image.
On Paglia’s post, the warning label placed on the original post by Twitter causes the message “This Tweet is unavailable” to appear. However, the link posted in Paglia’s tweet still brings you through to the original post where the image can be viewed.
This is not the first time Paglia has been involved in a controversy involving images of naked people.
The archbishop was featured in a homoerotic painting he commissioned in his Cathedral.
The massive mural covers the opposite side of the facade of the cathedral church of the Diocese of Terni-Narni-Amelia. It depicts Jesus carrying nets to heaven filled with naked and semi-nude homosexuals, transsexuals, prostitutes, and drug dealers, jumbled together in erotic interactions.
As reported by LifeSite’s Matthew Hoffman in 2017, “included in one of the nets is Paglia, the then diocesan bishop. The image of the Savior is painted with the face of a local male hairdresser, and his private parts can be seen through his translucent garb.”
In his recent article, Paglia also defends the controversial mural, likening it to well-known works of Catholic art and claiming that there is “absolutely nothing ‘homoerotic’” depicted and that “it is a traditional representation of the Last Judgment.”
“Regarding this other absurd controversy it should be noted first of all that the Cathedral of Terni is certainly not the only church in the world in which naked bodies are portrayed: just think of the Sistine Chapel and Michelangelo's paintings (also subject to censorship, yes, but 500 years ago),” the article says.
While Catholic critics have blasted the mural as “disgusting” and “blasphemous,” Paglia’s recent article says that considering the mural to homoerotic is “morbid” and “groundless.” He has previously claimed that it serves as an “evangelizing” tool.
Paglia also oversaw the release of a controversial sex-ed program during the 2016 World Youth Day in Poland that includes sexually explicit images. The course was criticized as being “thoroughly immoral.”
The archbishop has defended giving Holy Communion to adulterers, has been instrumental in gutting and remaking the John Paul II Institute according to the pulse of the Francis pontificate, has asserted that priests may legitimately remain at the bedside of someone undergoing assisted suicide in order to “hold their hand” and “accompany” them, and has claimed that anyone who says Judas Iscariot is in hell is a heretic.
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lifesitenews--2020-07-24--Vatican legal clarification allows bishops to ‘entrust…care of a parish’ to women

VATICAN CITY , July 23 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — The Vatican ’ s Congregation for Clergy published an instruction Monday on parish reform and diocesan restructuring that sets out the role of the laity in the Church ’ s mission of evangelization .
Pope Francis signed the 24-page document , titled “ The pastoral conversion of the parish community in the service of the evangelizing mission of the Church , ” on June 29 , the Solemnity of Ss .
Peter and Paul .
The Vatican published it on July 20 , along with a written introduction by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Congregation for the Clergy , who described the instruction as an “ instrument with which to support and accompany the various projects of parish reform and diocesan restructuring.
” The document does not introduce new legislation , but stipulates provisions of the current law to safeguard “ the faithful from certain possible extremes , such as the clericalization of the laity and the secularization of the clergy , or from regarding permanent deacons as ‘ half-priests ’ or ‘ super laymen , ’ ” the under-secretary wrote .
“ One could say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is to recall that in the Church ‘ there is a place for all and all can find their place , ’ with respect to each one ’ s vocation , ” Msgr .
Ripa said .
The document specifies ways of assigning pastoral ministries within the parish and clarifies the role of the deacons , consecrated men and women , and laity in dioceses facing a shortage or lack of priests , as reported by Catholic News Service .
In such “ pastorally problematic circumstances , ” which are to be regarded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allows under Canon 517 that a bishop “ may entrust the pastoral care of a parish to a deacon , to a consecrated religious or layperson , or even to a group of persons , ” the document stated .
Such a “ consecrated religious ” or “ layperson ” could be female .
Those so entrusted “ will be directed by a priest with legitimate faculties , who will act as a ‘ moderator of pastoral care , ’ with the powers and functions of a parish priest , albeit without an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” it said .
“ Furthermore , it would be preferable to appoint one or more deacons over consecrated men and women or laypersons for directing this kind of pastoral care.
” A bishop may also “ officially entrust to deacons , consecrated men and women and lay faithful , under the direction and responsibility of the Parish Priest ” other duties beyond the canonically defined roles of lector and acolyte , the document says .
These include celebrating a Liturgy of the Word on Sundays and Holy Days of obligation in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( giving pre-eminence to deacons in this situation ) ; the provision of baptism ; celebrating funeral rites ; and assisting at marriages .
However , a bishop must not identify those with roles of responsibility in parishes without a priest as “ pastor , co-pastor , chaplain , moderator , coordinator , parish manager , ” as these titles have “ a direct correlation to the ministerial profile of priests , ” stated the document .
Rather , deacons and consecrated and lay men and women with roles of pastoral responsibility should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coordinator , pastoral cooperator or pastoral associate or assistant.
” Laypeople are called “ to make a generous commitment to the service of the mission of evangelization , ” first and foremost through the `` general witness of their daily lives , ” the document stated .
The laity should also be consulted by bishops who are considering merging or suppressing parishes , Msgr .
Ripa wrote .
“ Dropping plans upon the People of God from above , without their involvement , should be avoided , ” he said .
The document @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clergy , the general financial situation of a diocese , ” and other situations that are temporary or reversible are not sufficient reasons to suppress a parish .
Nor are “ the lack of clergy , demographic decline or the grave financial state of the diocese ” legitimate reasons to deconsecrate and sell churches and chapels .
The document emphasized the need for parish communities to cooperate with each other to more effectively evangelize in an ever-changing world .
“ The historical parish institution ( must ) not remain a prisoner of immobility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but rather , it should put into action that ‘ outgoing dynamism ’ that , through collaboration among different parish communities and a reinforced communion among clergy and laity , will orient it effectively toward an evangelizing mission , the task of the entire People of God , ” it stated .
“ Given that the church is mandated by Christ to be missionary , evangelizing and outward-looking , a reform of her structures is continuously required in order to respond to the challenges of the day , ” the under-secretary wrote .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ reorganization in the way the pastoral care of the faithful is exercised , so as to foster a greater co-responsibility and collaboration among all the baptized .
”

Bishops ‘may entrust the pastoral care of a parish to a deacon, to a consecrated religious or layperson, or even to a group of persons.’
VATICAN CITY, July 23, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — The Vatican’s Congregation for Clergy published an instruction Monday on parish reform and diocesan restructuring that sets out the role of the laity in the Church’s mission of evangelization.
Pope Francis signed the 24-page document, titled “The pastoral conversion of the parish community in the service of the evangelizing mission of the Church,” on June 29, the Solemnity of Ss. Peter and Paul.
The Vatican published it on July 20, along with a written introduction by Monsignor Andrea Ripa, the under-secretary of the Congregation for the Clergy, who described the instruction as an “instrument with which to support and accompany the various projects of parish reform and diocesan restructuring.”
The document does not introduce new legislation, but stipulates provisions of the current law to safeguard “the faithful from certain possible extremes, such as the clericalization of the laity and the secularization of the clergy, or from regarding permanent deacons as ‘half-priests’ or ‘super laymen,’” the under-secretary wrote.
“One could say that the essence of the present Instruction is to recall that in the Church ‘there is a place for all and all can find their place,’ with respect to each one’s vocation,” Msgr. Ripa said.
The document specifies ways of assigning pastoral ministries within the parish and clarifies the role of the deacons, consecrated men and women, and laity in dioceses facing a shortage or lack of priests, as reported by Catholic News Service.
In such “pastorally problematic circumstances,” which are to be regarded as extraordinary and temporary, the Church allows under Canon 517 that a bishop “may entrust the pastoral care of a parish to a deacon, to a consecrated religious or layperson, or even to a group of persons,” the document stated. Such a “consecrated religious” or “layperson” could be female.
Those so entrusted “will be directed by a priest with legitimate faculties, who will act as a ‘moderator of pastoral care,’ with the powers and functions of a parish priest, albeit without an office with its duties and rights,” it said.
“Furthermore, it would be preferable to appoint one or more deacons over consecrated men and women or laypersons for directing this kind of pastoral care.”
A bishop may also “officially entrust to deacons, consecrated men and women and lay faithful, under the direction and responsibility of the Parish Priest” other duties beyond the canonically defined roles of lector and acolyte, the document says.
These include celebrating a Liturgy of the Word on Sundays and Holy Days of obligation in the extraordinary circumstance that no priest is available (giving pre-eminence to deacons in this situation); the provision of baptism; celebrating funeral rites; and assisting at marriages.
However, a bishop must not identify those with roles of responsibility in parishes without a priest as “pastor, co-pastor, chaplain, moderator, coordinator, parish manager,” as these titles have “a direct correlation to the ministerial profile of priests,” stated the document.
Rather, deacons and consecrated and lay men and women with roles of pastoral responsibility should be designated as “deacon cooperator, coordinator, pastoral cooperator or pastoral associate or assistant.”
Laypeople are called “to make a generous commitment to the service of the mission of evangelization,” first and foremost through the “general witness of their daily lives,” the document stated.
The laity should also be consulted by bishops who are considering merging or suppressing parishes, Msgr. Ripa wrote.
“Dropping plans upon the People of God from above, without their involvement, should be avoided,” he said.
The document noted that the “scarcity of diocesan clergy, the general financial situation of a diocese,” and other situations that are temporary or reversible are not sufficient reasons to suppress a parish.
Nor are “the lack of clergy, demographic decline or the grave financial state of the diocese” legitimate reasons to deconsecrate and sell churches and chapels.
The document emphasized the need for parish communities to cooperate with each other to more effectively evangelize in an ever-changing world.
“The historical parish institution (must) not remain a prisoner of immobility or of a worrisome pastoral repetition, but rather, it should put into action that ‘outgoing dynamism’ that, through collaboration among different parish communities and a reinforced communion among clergy and laity, will orient it effectively toward an evangelizing mission, the task of the entire People of God,” it stated.
Msgr. Ripa also stressed this.
“Given that the church is mandated by Christ to be missionary, evangelizing and outward-looking, a reform of her structures is continuously required in order to respond to the challenges of the day,” the under-secretary wrote.
“Naturally, this involves a certain reorganization in the way the pastoral care of the faithful is exercised, so as to foster a greater co-responsibility and collaboration among all the baptized.”
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lifesitenews--2020-07-23--Renowned scholar debunks myths around Communion in the hand

Peter Kwasniewski , Thomistic theologian , liturgical scholar and choral composer explains the real history of proper reception of the @ @ @ @ @ in the hand as it 's practiced today is in no way similar to how @ @ @ @ @ Communion to be administered .

Peter Kwasniewski, Thomistic theologian, liturgical scholar and choral composer explains the real history of proper reception of the Holy Eucharist and how Communion in the hand as it’s practiced today is in no way similar to how the Church used to allow Communion to be administered.
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lifesitenews--2020-07-23--Pro-life senator holds minute of silence on senate floor for dismemberment abortion victims

URGENT PETITION : Tell the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade !
Sign the petition here .
LINCOLN , Nebraska , July 23 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – During floor remarks Tuesday evening concerning legislation to ban a second-trimester abortion procedure infamous for dismembering babies in the womb , a pro-life Nebraska senator devoted the last minute of his speaking time to a minute of silence to recognize the lives lost to abortion .
LB814 would prohibit abortionists from using the dilation and evacuation ( D & E ) abortion procedure in the state .
D & Es @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abortions ” because they function by tearing a preborn baby apart limb by limb .
Women seeking the abortion would not be punished , but abortionists who violate it would face up to two years in prison and a $ 10,000 fine , as well as be liable for civil penalties .
The Nebraska Senate voted 30-8 Tuesday to advance the bill from committee to floor debate in the current legislative session , the Omaha World-Herald reported .
“ I believe that discussion of human dignity belongs at the top of that list @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state Sen. Suzanne Geist , who introduced LB814 .
“ It ’ s more important to me than tax credits.
” During the session , Republican state Sen. John Lowe referred listeners to a video by reformed ex-abortionist Dr. Anthony Levatino explaining dismemberment abortions in stark detail .
“ It ’ ll make your heart wrench , ” he challenged his colleagues .
“ If you don ’ t have a tear in your eye from watching that , you are cold-hearted.
” Lowe concluded his remarks by devoting the final minute of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to recognize abortion ’ s victims : Pro-abortion activists have objected to the “ dismemberment ” label as inflammatory and misleading , but the abortion industry itself has effectively admitted its accuracy .
The National Abortion Federation ’ s own instructional materials describe “ grasping a fetal part , ” then “ withdraw ( ing ) the forceps while gently rotating it ” to achieve “ separation.
” Notorious late-term abortionist Warren Hern has written that “ there is no possibility of denial of an act of destruction by the operator ( of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is before one ’ s eyes .
The sensations of dismemberment flow through the forceps like an electric current.
” Defenders also claim dismemberment abortions are the safest second-trimester procedure available ( for the mother ) , but pro-lifers suspect abortionists actually prefer D & E abortions because they can fit more into their schedule , and therefore make more money .
“ Dismemberment abortion facilitates fetal harvesting , ” Kansans for Life executive director Kay Culp told LifeSiteNews last year .
“ Clinicians experimenting on aborted baby parts don ’ t want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they want fresh organs – packed for shipping within minutes of death.
” Opponents of LB814 objected that the bill was a waste of time because it ’ s sure to get struck down in the courts anyway .
While a federal appeals court did block Kentucky from enforcing its dismemberment abortion ban last month , pro-lifers note that in 2000 ’ s Stenberg v. Carhart , even pro-abortion Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens admitted that partial-birth abortion and dismemberment abortion were “ equally gruesome , ” and that it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one was “ more akin to infanticide than the other.
” Stenberg struck down the federal partial-birth abortion ban , but Gonzales v. Carhart ultimately upheld it in 2007 .

After a video describing the gruesome procedure, Sen. John Lowe said, 'If you don’t have a tear in your eye from watching that, you are cold-hearted.'
URGENT PETITION: Tell the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade! Sign the petition here.
LINCOLN, Nebraska, July 23, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – During floor remarks Tuesday evening concerning legislation to ban a second-trimester abortion procedure infamous for dismembering babies in the womb, a pro-life Nebraska senator devoted the last minute of his speaking time to a minute of silence to recognize the lives lost to abortion.
LB814 would prohibit abortionists from using the dilation and evacuation (D&E) abortion procedure in the state. D&Es are more commonly known as “dismemberment abortions” because they function by tearing a preborn baby apart limb by limb. Women seeking the abortion would not be punished, but abortionists who violate it would face up to two years in prison and a $10,000 fine, as well as be liable for civil penalties.
The Nebraska Senate voted 30-8 Tuesday to advance the bill from committee to floor debate in the current legislative session, the Omaha World-Herald reported. “I believe that discussion of human dignity belongs at the top of that list” of legislative priorities, said Republican state Sen. Suzanne Geist, who introduced LB814. “It’s more important to me than tax credits.”
During the session, Republican state Sen. John Lowe referred listeners to a video by reformed ex-abortionist Dr. Anthony Levatino explaining dismemberment abortions in stark detail. “It’ll make your heart wrench,” he challenged his colleagues. “If you don’t have a tear in your eye from watching that, you are cold-hearted.”
Lowe concluded his remarks by devoting the final minute of his time to a period of silence to recognize abortion’s victims:
Pro-abortion activists have objected to the “dismemberment” label as inflammatory and misleading, but the abortion industry itself has effectively admitted its accuracy. The National Abortion Federation’s own instructional materials describe “grasping a fetal part,” then “withdraw(ing) the forceps while gently rotating it” to achieve “separation.” Notorious late-term abortionist Warren Hern has written that “there is no possibility of denial of an act of destruction by the operator (of D&E procedures). It is before one’s eyes. The sensations of dismemberment flow through the forceps like an electric current.”
Defenders also claim dismemberment abortions are the safest second-trimester procedure available (for the mother), but pro-lifers suspect abortionists actually prefer D&E abortions because they can fit more into their schedule, and therefore make more money. “Dismemberment abortion facilitates fetal harvesting,” Kansans for Life executive director Kay Culp told LifeSiteNews last year. “Clinicians experimenting on aborted baby parts don’t want their research tainted by drugs, and, they want fresh organs – packed for shipping within minutes of death.”
Opponents of LB814 objected that the bill was a waste of time because it’s sure to get struck down in the courts anyway. While a federal appeals court did block Kentucky from enforcing its dismemberment abortion ban last month, pro-lifers note that in 2000’s Stenberg v. Carhart, even pro-abortion Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens admitted that partial-birth abortion and dismemberment abortion were “equally gruesome,” and that it was “simply irrational” to conclude that one was “more akin to infanticide than the other.” Stenberg struck down the federal partial-birth abortion ban, but Gonzales v. Carhart ultimately upheld it in 2007.
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lifesitenews--2020-07-23--Top medical org demands FDA make COVID treatment hydroxychloroquine more widely available

PETITION : No to mandatory vaccination for the coronavirus !
Sign the petition here .
July 23 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – The Association of American Physicians & Surgeons ( AAPS ) has submitted additional evidence to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services ( HHS ) and Food & Drug Administration ( FDA ) in hopes of compelling the agency to relax its restrictions on the use of hydroxychloroquine ( HCQ ) to treat COVID-19 among the general public .
Last month , AAPS filed a motion for a preliminary injunction to compel HHS and CDC to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of doses in the government ’ s possession to the public .
The FDA has not officially cleared the drug for COVID-19 treatment ( it has long been approved for malaria , autoimmune conditions , and arthritis ) , but has allowed it “ to be distributed and prescribed by doctors to hospitalized teen and adult patients with COVID-19 , as appropriate , when a clinical trial is not available or feasible.
” ( At the same time , the FDA warns not to use it outside of trials or hospitals . )
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ submitting to the court additional evidence of the drug ’ s safety and effectiveness .
“ As confirmed by another recent study of thousands of patients at the Henry Ford Health System in Michigan , HCQ is both very safe and highly effective in treating COVID-19 , reducing mortality by 50 percent , ” the group argued .
“ Countries with underdeveloped healthcare systems are using HCQ early and attaining far lower mortality than in the United States , where ( HHS and the FDA ) impede access to HCQ.
” “ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allow access to HCQ is only one-tenth the mortality rate in countries where there is interference with this medication , such as the United States , ” AAPS general counsel Andrew Schlafly said , citing easier access to the drug in Philippines , Poland , Israel , Turkey , and even Venezuela .
Yet the group laments that a “ perfect storm of politics in this presidential election year , along with conflicts of interest at the defendant federal agencies , has resulted in unjustified obstacles to access to HCQ , an inexpensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 75 years of safety.
” In the early days of the COVID-19 outbreak , scientists began researching HCQ ’ s potential applications in treating the new virus – a development that was quickly promoted by President Donald Trump , after which partisans in media and government began a push to discredit the drug , from outlandish stories about a man who died after drinking fish tank cleaner to a junk study falsely claiming HCQ killed Veterans Administration patients .
Several early studies showed promise as a COVID-19 treatment , but a May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not only find “ no benefit ” to using HCQ , but instead finding “ decreased in-hospital survival and an increased frequency of ventricular arrhythmias , ” leading several countries to ban it .
However , that study was retracted upon the discovery that the company that provided its data was very likely fraudulent .
“ The interference with public access to hydroxychloroquine is disrupting our political processes , ” Schlafly said .
“ Perhaps that is what some want , in order to deter Americans from attending political conventions and even voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FDA to infringe on these constitutional rights by blocking access to this safe medication .
”

Recent evidence shows the drug to be effective and to drastically reduce the mortality rate in countries where the medication is used.
PETITION: No to mandatory vaccination for the coronavirus! Sign the petition here.
July 23, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – The Association of American Physicians & Surgeons (AAPS) has submitted additional evidence to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) and Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in hopes of compelling the agency to relax its restrictions on the use of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) to treat COVID-19 among the general public.
Last month, AAPS filed a motion for a preliminary injunction to compel HHS and CDC to release more of the tens of millions of doses in the government’s possession to the public. The FDA has not officially cleared the drug for COVID-19 treatment (it has long been approved for malaria, autoimmune conditions, and arthritis), but has allowed it “to be distributed and prescribed by doctors to hospitalized teen and adult patients with COVID-19, as appropriate, when a clinical trial is not available or feasible.” (At the same time, the FDA warns not to use it outside of trials or hospitals.)
This week, AAPS followed up by submitting to the court additional evidence of the drug’s safety and effectiveness.
“As confirmed by another recent study of thousands of patients at the Henry Ford Health System in Michigan, HCQ is both very safe and highly effective in treating COVID-19, reducing mortality by 50 percent,” the group argued. “Countries with underdeveloped healthcare systems are using HCQ early and attaining far lower mortality than in the United States, where (HHS and the FDA) impede access to HCQ.”
“The mortality rate from COVID-19 in countries that allow access to HCQ is only one-tenth the mortality rate in countries where there is interference with this medication, such as the United States,” AAPS general counsel Andrew Schlafly said, citing easier access to the drug in Philippines, Poland, Israel, Turkey, and even Venezuela.
Yet the group laments that a “perfect storm of politics in this presidential election year, along with conflicts of interest at the defendant federal agencies, has resulted in unjustified obstacles to access to HCQ, an inexpensive medication having a track record of more than 75 years of safety.”
In the early days of the COVID-19 outbreak, scientists began researching HCQ’s potential applications in treating the new virus – a development that was quickly promoted by President Donald Trump, after which partisans in media and government began a push to discredit the drug, from outlandish stories about a man who died after drinking fish tank cleaner to a junk study falsely claiming HCQ killed Veterans Administration patients.
Several early studies showed promise as a COVID-19 treatment, but a May study published in The Lancet purported to not only find “no benefit” to using HCQ, but instead finding “decreased in-hospital survival and an increased frequency of ventricular arrhythmias,” leading several countries to ban it. However, that study was retracted upon the discovery that the company that provided its data was very likely fraudulent.
“The interference with public access to hydroxychloroquine is disrupting our political processes,” Schlafly said. “Perhaps that is what some want, in order to deter Americans from attending political conventions and even voting, but it is unconstitutional for the FDA to infringe on these constitutional rights by blocking access to this safe medication.”
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lifesitenews--2020-07-23--New lawsuit: McCarrick, Catholic priests ran ‘sex ring’ from Jersey Shore beach house

NEWARK , New Jersey , July 23 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) ― A lawyer for a man who has accused Theodore McCarrick and other priests of child sex assault has declared that the now-infamous former cardinal ran a “ sex ring ” from his beach house .
On Tuesday night the man , known only as Doe 14 , filed a suit against Theodore McCarrick and others at New Jersey Superior Court in Middlesex County .
McCarrick ’ s former dioceses of Metuchen and Newark , as well as Catholic churches and schools that employed priests Doe 14 says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The civil action claims that a Father Anthony DiNardo had “ unpermitted sexual contact ” with Doe 14 in “ approximately 1978 ” when the boy was an 11-year-old parishioner and altar server at St. Francis Xavier Church in Newark , NJ .
Doe 14 was then allegedly groomed and assaulted by his East Orange school principal , Brother Andrew Thomas Hewitt , C.F.C.
, when the boy was approximately between the ages of 14 and 16 , approximately between 1981 and 1983 .
According to his lawyer Jeff Anderson , when Doe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Boys ’ School became unsure in 1982 , thanks to problems paying tuition , Hewitt allegedly told the boy that he would have to speak to “ the Boss , ” i.e .
the recently appointed Bishop of Metuchen , Theodore McCarrick .
Hewitt allegedly brought Doe 14 to meet McCarrick under the understanding that the bishop might pay his tuition , and afterwards Doe 14 was taken on overnight and weekend trips to McCarrick ’ s Sea Girt , NJ beach house .
There , according to his lawyer Jeff Anderson , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seminarians and other priests ” subservient to the bishop .
The lawsuit states that McCarrick directed the sleeping arrangements , pairing minor boys with adult clerics .
McCarrick also allegedly chose his own bed partners from the boys , seminarians , and priests .
One of his victims was Doe 14 .
“ In the night , with the assistance of others , McCarrick would creep into this kid ’ s bed and engage in criminal assault of him , whispering ‘ it ’ s okay , ’ ” stated Anderson during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anderson also named Father Gerald Ruane , Father Michael Walters , and Father John Laferrera as priests who had “ unpermitted sexual contact ” with the then-teenage boy between 1982 and 1983 .
The lawyer called the assemblies at the beach house a “ sex ring.
” The lawsuit alleges that from approximately 1970 to 1990 , McCarrick sexually assaulted at least seven minor boys .
Not named in the lawsuit , but stressed in yesterday ’ s press conference , was the supposed role of the Vatican in the outrages at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ open and obvious criminal sexual conduct in a culture that was effectively cloaked in papal power.
” Anderson blamed Pope John Paul II for making McCarrick a bishop in the first place and stated that all the popes who followed him had allowed McMarrick to “ ascend ” to Archbishop of Newark , Archbishop of Washington , D.C. , and the head of the Papal Foundation .
But in actual fact , McCarrick was promoted through the episcopal ranks only during the pontificate of John Paul II and his resignation as Archbishop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pope Benedict XVI soon after McCarrick ’ s 75th birthday .
Benedict XVI also quietly sanctioned McCarrick in 2008 following reports that McCarrick had been guilty of sexual misconduct with seminarians and priests .
As for the Papal Foundation , McCarrick was a co-founder of the influential American charity .
These facts are made clearer in the actual lawsuit , which includes a timeline of events , including the revelations by Father Boniface Ramsey and Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganó that Vatican officials had been informed about McCarrick ’ s misconduct with seminarians by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Pope Francis was “ complicit ” in a cover-up around McCarrick , stating that he “ did not take action as to McCarrick or accept McCarrick ’ s resignation from the College of Cardinals until July 2018 after several accusations that McCarrick had sexually abused minors became public.
” According to former Papal Nuncio to the U.S. Archbishop Viganó , Pope Francis was aware in 2013 that the American then-cardinal had a reputation for sexual misconduct with seminarians and priests .
Nevertheless , the pontiff permitted McCarrick to continue in his influential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sanctions laid on him by Benedict XVI .
During the press conference , Anderson would not reveal why Doe 14 had chosen not to file the suit under his own name and sidestepped the issue of criminal charges .
There is no indication that criminal charges have been laid in Doe 14 ’ s case .
Theodore McCarrick , 90 , resigned from the College of Cardinals in 2018 and was dismissed from the clerical state in 2019 after it was revealed to the public that he had credibly been accused of sexually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the subject of complaints by seminarians and priests , an open secret known even in the highest echelons of the hierarchy by 2008 .
He has always publicly professed that he is innocent of sexual misconduct .
Brother Andrew Thomas Hewitt , C.F.C .
died in 2002 .
In 2017 , the Irish Christian Brothers revealed that allegations of sexual abuse at Essex Catholic had been made against Hewitt and others .
Father Gerald Ruane , who died in 2015 , was dismissed from ministry in 2002 after allegations that he had abused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deemed credible .
Father Michael Walters was dismissed from ministry in 2019 after allegations that he had abused a boy and a girl in the 1980s were found credible .
Father John Laferrera was dismissed from ministry in 2012 after six men filed a lawsuit against him for sexual abuse in 2011 .

The lawsuit alleges that from approximately 1970 to 1990, McCarrick sexually assaulted at least seven minor boys.
NEWARK, New Jersey, July 23, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) ― A lawyer for a man who has accused Theodore McCarrick and other priests of child sex assault has declared that the now-infamous former cardinal ran a “sex ring” from his beach house.
On Tuesday night the man, known only as Doe 14, filed a suit against Theodore McCarrick and others at New Jersey Superior Court in Middlesex County. McCarrick’s former dioceses of Metuchen and Newark, as well as Catholic churches and schools that employed priests Doe 14 says also abused him were also named.
The civil action claims that a Father Anthony DiNardo had “unpermitted sexual contact” with Doe 14 in “approximately 1978” when the boy was an 11-year-old parishioner and altar server at St. Francis Xavier Church in Newark, NJ.
Doe 14 was then allegedly groomed and assaulted by his East Orange school principal, Brother Andrew Thomas Hewitt, C.F.C., when the boy was approximately between the ages of 14 and 16, approximately between 1981 and 1983.
According to his lawyer Jeff Anderson, when Doe 14’s future at Essex Catholic Boys’ School became unsure in 1982, thanks to problems paying tuition, Hewitt allegedly told the boy that he would have to speak to “the Boss,” i.e. the recently appointed Bishop of Metuchen, Theodore McCarrick.
Hewitt allegedly brought Doe 14 to meet McCarrick under the understanding that the bishop might pay his tuition, and afterwards Doe 14 was taken on overnight and weekend trips to McCarrick’s Sea Girt, NJ beach house.
There, according to his lawyer Jeff Anderson, Doe 14 found an “assembly of seminarians and other priests” subservient to the bishop. The lawsuit states that McCarrick directed the sleeping arrangements, pairing minor boys with adult clerics. McCarrick also allegedly chose his own bed partners from the boys, seminarians, and priests. One of his victims was Doe 14.
“In the night, with the assistance of others, McCarrick would creep into this kid’s bed and engage in criminal assault of him, whispering ‘it’s okay,’” stated Anderson during the Zoom press conference he held yesterday.
Anderson also named Father Gerald Ruane, Father Michael Walters, and Father John Laferrera as priests who had “unpermitted sexual contact” with the then-teenage boy between 1982 and 1983. The lawyer called the assemblies at the beach house a “sex ring.” A deed to the property where the alleged acts took place shows, however, that the Diocese of Metuchen bought the house in Sea Girt in 1985, two years later than the time the lawsuit claims.
The lawsuit alleges that from approximately 1970 to 1990, McCarrick sexually assaulted at least seven minor boys.
Not named in the lawsuit, but stressed in yesterday’s press conference, was the supposed role of the Vatican in the outrages at the Sea Girt beach house. Anderson deplored the “open and obvious criminal sexual conduct in a culture that was effectively cloaked in papal power.”
Anderson blamed Pope John Paul II for making McCarrick a bishop in the first place and stated that all the popes who followed him had allowed McCarrick to “ascend” to Archbishop of Newark, Archbishop of Washington, D.C., and the head of the Papal Foundation.
But in actual fact, McCarrick was promoted through the episcopal ranks only during the pontificate of John Paul II and his resignation as Archbishop of Washington. D.C. was accepted by Pope Benedict XVI soon after McCarrick’s 75th birthday.
Benedict XVI also quietly sanctioned McCarrick in 2008 following reports that McCarrick had been guilty of sexual misconduct with seminarians and priests. As for the Papal Foundation, McCarrick was a co-founder of the influential American charity.
These facts are made clearer in the actual lawsuit, which includes a timeline of events, including the revelations by Father Boniface Ramsey and Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganó that Vatican officials had been informed about McCarrick’s misconduct with seminarians by 2000.
However the lawsuit also holds that Pope Francis was “complicit” in a cover-up around McCarrick, stating that he “did not take action as to McCarrick or accept McCarrick’s resignation from the College of Cardinals until July 2018 after several accusations that McCarrick had sexually abused minors became public.”
According to former Papal Nuncio to the U.S. Archbishop Viganó, Pope Francis was aware in 2013 that the American then-cardinal had a reputation for sexual misconduct with seminarians and priests. Nevertheless, the pontiff permitted McCarrick to continue in his influential role as a cardinal, flouting the sanctions laid on him by Benedict XVI.
During the press conference, Anderson would not reveal why Doe 14 had chosen not to file the suit under his own name and sidestepped the issue of criminal charges. There is no indication that criminal charges have been laid in Doe 14’s case.
Theodore McCarrick, 90, resigned from the College of Cardinals in 2018 and was dismissed from the clerical state in 2019 after it was revealed to the public that he had credibly been accused of sexually abusing boys. McCarrick had also been the subject of complaints by seminarians and priests, an open secret known even in the highest echelons of the hierarchy by 2008. He has always publicly professed that he is innocent of sexual misconduct.
Brother Andrew Thomas Hewitt, C.F.C. died in 2002. In 2017, the Irish Christian Brothers revealed that allegations of sexual abuse at Essex Catholic had been made against Hewitt and others.
Father Gerald Ruane, who died in 2015, was dismissed from ministry in 2002 after allegations that he had abused a teenage boy in the 1970s were deemed credible.
Father Michael Walters was dismissed from ministry in 2019 after allegations that he had abused a boy and a girl in the 1980s were found credible.
Father John Laferrera was dismissed from ministry in 2012 after six men filed a lawsuit against him for sexual abuse in 2011.
July 29, 2020 update: This report now includes information that the Diocese of Metuchen bought the house in Sea Girt in 1985, two years later than the time the lawsuit claims.
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lifesitenews--2020-07-23--Expert explains how China uses smartphones to spy on Christians in their homes

WASHINGTON , D.C. , July 16 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – The Chinese government is using digital technology – partly made by American companies – to target and repress religious groups more than ever before , a foreign policy expert told the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom on Wednesday .
While religious persecution has always been a part of communist China , new technologies have made “ that repression far more effective , ” Chris Meserole , who works with the Brookings Institution and teaches at Georgetown University , testified .
During a hearing of the U.S. Commission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Meserole explained that formerly , the government was generally only able to “ to repress public forms of religious organizations , practices , identities , and beliefs , particularly in urban areas.
” Religion practiced privately at home , on the other hand , was relatively safe .
“ Digital technologies have changed that , ” argued Meserole .
“ As processors , sensors , and cameras have proliferated , the extent of religious life that the CCP [ Chinese Communist Party ] can surveil has expanded dramatically.
” “ Video and audio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and temples has exploded , ” he pointed out .
“ Rather than simply shut down a religious school or house of worship , authorities can monitor all activity and individuals within those facilities and sanction undesired behavior or individuals with greater specificity.
” In fact , Meserole said , the government recently shut down a church in Beijing for refusing to install video surveillance equipment in the building .
Digital technologies also help the government to target underground religious organizations and networks , he continued .
“ From video feeds to GPS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ detect religious groups that meet and operate covertly.
” “ In Xinjiang , for instance , smartphone location data , vehicle location data , checkpoint logs , facial recognition technology , and video feeds from buses , streets , and drones , can be used to identify when individuals in the same religious network meet together covertly , potentially even in real-time.
” Meserole said that video surveillance can identify religious symbols .
That data is then used “ for real-time classification by police and security services around China , with authorities being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Uighur Muslim or Tibetan Buddhist appears on a CCTV feed.
” The foreign policy expert explained that “ networked video feeds have made it possible to observe religious practices in a far wider range of contexts , ” as opposed to personally sending government officials to church services , which used to be the case .
“ For instance , the Sharp Eyes project enables authorized individuals within a community to view feeds not only from public security cameras , but also from smartphones and smart TVs , including those within private @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Since China ’ s recent counterterrorism law and Xinjiang ’ s ‘ de-extremification regulations ’ refer only vaguely to religious behaviors that may lead to terrorism and extremism , such systems would make it possible for authorities to detain individuals for privately observing customary religious practices.
” In his final point during his testimony before the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom ( USCIRF ) , Meserole observed that “ digital technologies have also made it easier to monitor the religious beliefs an individual expresses and engages with.
” “ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of religious belief , ” he said .
“ Not only are Chinese authorities able to monitor messages on WeChat and other applications , but they can also require individuals to install logging software that tracks all video , audio , and text stored on the phone or accessed online.
” He added that the Chinese government does not stop at surveillance of its population , but instead combines these measures “ with longstanding forms of mass repression.
” Tony Perkins , head of the pro-family lobby organization Family Research Council and one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ key technological components driving China ’ s surveillance state come from American businesses and researchers , while some companies have actively cooperated with Chinese authorities to make such surveillance possible.
” Perkins even mentioned some American businesses by name .
“ We know China ’ s surveillance industry depends on imports of advanced processors and sensors from American companies , including Intel and Nvidia.
” He also referred to “ Google ’ s planned development of Project Dragonfly ” – canceled only after the tech giant ’ s employees protested the initiative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ search engine to conform to China ’ s Great Firewall censorship standards.
” Perkins said “ we also have a responsibility to ensure that the fruits of American innovation are not distorted into a dystopia.
” USCIRF was created in 1998 as an independent , bipartisan U.S. federal government commission , monitoring “ the universal right to freedom of religion or belief abroad.
” The organization releases an annual report on the state of religious freedom worldwide .

The communist government is now able to monitor private religious practices within people’s homes – thanks in part to American technology.
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 16, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – The Chinese government is using digital technology – partly made by American companies – to target and repress religious groups more than ever before, a foreign policy expert told the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom on Wednesday.
While religious persecution has always been a part of communist China, new technologies have made “that repression far more effective,” Chris Meserole, who works with the Brookings Institution and teaches at Georgetown University, testified.
During a hearing of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom on Wednesday, Meserole explained that formerly, the government was generally only able to “to repress public forms of religious organizations, practices, identities, and beliefs, particularly in urban areas.” Religion practiced privately at home, on the other hand, was relatively safe.
“Digital technologies have changed that,” argued Meserole. “As processors, sensors, and cameras have proliferated, the extent of religious life that the CCP [Chinese Communist Party] can surveil has expanded dramatically.”
“Video and audio surveillance of public mosques, churches, and temples has exploded,” he pointed out. “Rather than simply shut down a religious school or house of worship, authorities can monitor all activity and individuals within those facilities and sanction undesired behavior or individuals with greater specificity.”
In fact, Meserole said, the government recently shut down a church in Beijing for refusing to install video surveillance equipment in the building.
Digital technologies also help the government to target underground religious organizations and networks, he continued. “From video feeds to GPS tracking, authorities have greater ability to detect religious groups that meet and operate covertly.”
“In Xinjiang, for instance, smartphone location data, vehicle location data, checkpoint logs, facial recognition technology, and video feeds from buses, streets, and drones, can be used to identify when individuals in the same religious network meet together covertly, potentially even in real-time.”
Meserole said that video surveillance can identify religious symbols. That data is then used “for real-time classification by police and security services around China, with authorities being notified when someone who is classified as a Uighur Muslim or Tibetan Buddhist appears on a CCTV feed.”
The foreign policy expert explained that “networked video feeds have made it possible to observe religious practices in a far wider range of contexts,” as opposed to personally sending government officials to church services, which used to be the case.
“For instance, the Sharp Eyes project enables authorized individuals within a community to view feeds not only from public security cameras, but also from smartphones and smart TVs, including those within private residences and homes,” said Meserole.
“Since China’s recent counterterrorism law and Xinjiang’s ‘de-extremification regulations’ refer only vaguely to religious behaviors that may lead to terrorism and extremism, such systems would make it possible for authorities to detain individuals for privately observing customary religious practices.”
In his final point during his testimony before the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), Meserole observed that “digital technologies have also made it easier to monitor the religious beliefs an individual expresses and engages with.”
“The smartphone in particular has revolutionized state surveillance of religious belief,” he said. “Not only are Chinese authorities able to monitor messages on WeChat and other applications, but they can also require individuals to install logging software that tracks all video, audio, and text stored on the phone or accessed online.”
He added that the Chinese government does not stop at surveillance of its population, but instead combines these measures “with longstanding forms of mass repression.”
Tony Perkins, head of the pro-family lobby organization Family Research Council and one of nine USCIRF commissioners, emphasized that “key technological components driving China’s surveillance state come from American businesses and researchers, while some companies have actively cooperated with Chinese authorities to make such surveillance possible.”
Perkins even mentioned some American businesses by name. “We know China’s surveillance industry depends on imports of advanced processors and sensors from American companies, including Intel and Nvidia.”
He also referred to “Google’s planned development of Project Dragonfly” – canceled only after the tech giant’s employees protested the initiative – which “would have enabled its search engine to conform to China’s Great Firewall censorship standards.”
Perkins said “we also have a responsibility to ensure that the fruits of American innovation are not distorted into a dystopia.”
USCIRF was created in 1998 as an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government commission, monitoring “the universal right to freedom of religion or belief abroad.” The organization releases an annual report on the state of religious freedom worldwide.
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