lifesitenews--2020-10-05--‘Not an epidemiologist’: Fox News’s Chris Wallace dismisses Trump’s new COVID adviser

October 5 , 2020 ( American Thinker ) — On Tuesday night , during the first presidential debate , Chris Wallace was weak and ineffectual .
He was also a partisan without the decency to admit it .
On Wednesday , Wallace blamed Trump for his own failings , a coward 's way out .
And Friday , he announced that Scott Atlas , M.D .
is not qualified to talk about Wuhan virus policy because he is not an epidemiologist .
This almost random collateral attack has nothing to do with the important skill sets Atlas brings to Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The real reason why Scott Atlas is in the left 's crosshairs is that he 's a new voice on the White House Coronavirus Task Force , and he 's saying things the left dislikes .
His usefulness lies in the fact that he 's a brilliant man who is a counterweight to Fauci , who is all in for locking America down indefinitely .
Although Fauci is primarily responsible for Trump 's initial approach to the virus — an approach the left now claims leaves Trump with blood on his hands — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Trump has added an opposing voice to the Task Force .
The left 's hostility to Atlas reflects a general problem with socialists : they value only their opinions ( think `` cancel culture '' ) and invariably embrace groupthink .
Groupthink creates conditions for Lysenkoism in scientific endeavors .
This can be incredibly dangerous because there 's no one to point out their factual errors or fallacious reasoning and conclusions .
Atlas 's ideas are especially repugnant for a party invested in the shutdown .
Atlas , having looked at Sweden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concluded that , now that we have a better handle on the Wuhan virus , there 's a lot to be said for re-opening the country , protecting the vulnerable , and letting the virus run its course .
Atlas is also dangerous because he 's opposed to Obamacare and might be a loud voice for continued changes to allow the free market to bring down medical prices in America .
Certainly , Atlas has respectable credentials .
He has a B.S .
in biology and an M.D .
from the renowned Pritzker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specializes in neuroradiology and worked and taught at Stanford University Medical Center , one of the most prestigious medical institutions in the world .
He is also a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and has been a health care policy adviser for over a decade .
His record shows that he 's brilliant , that he 's fully versed in core medical issues of the kind all doctors must know , and that he has a full understanding of biological processes .
I have a particular fondness for Atlas because he wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ written .
Called `` The Worst Study Ever , '' he explained in clear , data-rich terms why the study known as the `` World Health Report 2000 , '' in which the World Health Organization gave America a very low rating , was a sham : Sadly , the article is no longer available online .
Chris Wallace , once again showing his leftist orientation , has offered a peculiar complaint about Atlas 's new role working with the White House .
Despite Atlas 's vast areas of study and experience , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a credentialed epidemiologist : Wallace 's criticism is particularly strange given that Fauci , whom Wallace seems to appreciate , is not an epidemiologist , either .
Instead , he 's an immunologist .
The reality is that the best task force will always pull in highly intelligent , informed people who have a reasonably wide range of expertise and a willingness to examine different issues and approaches .
Wallace , though , does n't want someone who will challenge Fauci , even though Fauci was the man responsible for Trump 's initial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approach that leftists now claim was a disaster .
Published with permission from the American Thinker .

Wallace, who moderated the presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, complained that Dr. Scott Atlas 'has no training in this area at all.'
October 5, 2020 (American Thinker) — On Tuesday night, during the first presidential debate, Chris Wallace was weak and ineffectual. He was also a partisan without the decency to admit it. On Wednesday, Wallace blamed Trump for his own failings, a coward's way out. And Friday, he announced that Scott Atlas, M.D. is not qualified to talk about Wuhan virus policy because he is not an epidemiologist. This almost random collateral attack has nothing to do with the important skill sets Atlas brings to Trump's White House Coronavirus Task Force.
The real reason why Scott Atlas is in the left's crosshairs is that he's a new voice on the White House Coronavirus Task Force, and he's saying things the left dislikes. His usefulness lies in the fact that he's a brilliant man who is a counterweight to Fauci, who is all in for locking America down indefinitely.
Although Fauci is primarily responsible for Trump's initial approach to the virus — an approach the left now claims leaves Trump with blood on his hands — the left loves Fauci. Leftists resent that Trump has added an opposing voice to the Task Force.
The left's hostility to Atlas reflects a general problem with socialists: they value only their opinions (think “cancel culture”) and invariably embrace groupthink. Groupthink creates conditions for Lysenkoism in scientific endeavors. This can be incredibly dangerous because there's no one to point out their factual errors or fallacious reasoning and conclusions.
Atlas's ideas are especially repugnant for a party invested in the shutdown. Atlas, having looked at Sweden versus the rest of the world, concluded that, now that we have a better handle on the Wuhan virus, there's a lot to be said for re-opening the country, protecting the vulnerable, and letting the virus run its course. Atlas is also dangerous because he's opposed to Obamacare and might be a loud voice for continued changes to allow the free market to bring down medical prices in America.
Certainly, Atlas has respectable credentials. He has a B.S. in biology and an M.D. from the renowned Pritzker School of Medicine in Chicago. He specializes in neuroradiology and worked and taught at Stanford University Medical Center, one of the most prestigious medical institutions in the world. He is also a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and has been a health care policy adviser for over a decade. His record shows that he's brilliant, that he's fully versed in core medical issues of the kind all doctors must know, and that he has a full understanding of biological processes.
I have a particular fondness for Atlas because he wrote one of the best medical articles ever written. Called “The Worst Study Ever,” he explained in clear, data-rich terms why the study known as the “World Health Report 2000,” in which the World Health Organization gave America a very low rating, was a sham:
In fact, World Health Report 2000 was an intellectual fraud of historic consequence — a profoundly deceptive document that is only marginally a measure of health-care performance at all. The report's true achievement was to rank countries according to their alignment with a specific political and economic ideal — socialized medicine — and then claim it was an objective measure of “quality.”
Sadly, the article is no longer available online.
Chris Wallace, once again showing his leftist orientation, has offered a peculiar complaint about Atlas's new role working with the White House. Despite Atlas's vast areas of study and experience, Wallace is troubled that Atlas is not a credentialed epidemiologist:
Chris Wallace, on FOX: “I'm going to say something, and folks, I'm just trying to give you the truth. Scott Atlas is not an epidemiologist… he has no training in this area at all. There are a number of top people on the WH task force who have grave concerns about Atlas” — Josh Kraushaar (@HotlineJosh) October 2, 2020
Wallace's criticism is particularly strange given that Fauci, whom Wallace seems to appreciate, is not an epidemiologist, either. Instead, he's an immunologist.
The reality is that the best task force will always pull in highly intelligent, informed people who have a reasonably wide range of expertise and a willingness to examine different issues and approaches. Wallace, though, doesn't want someone who will challenge Fauci, even though Fauci was the man responsible for Trump's initial approach to the Wuhan virus — an approach that leftists now claim was a disaster.
Published with permission from the American Thinker.
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lifesitenews--2020-10-05--Leftist riots, looting have all the markings of an insurgency

October 5 , 2020 ( American Thinker ) — The violence and rioting in the US result from far more than just dissatisfaction with the police .
Extreme ideological social justice movements today are more likely to carry firearms than items for a food pantry .
We currently face nothing less than the early stages of a socialist insurgency .
Insurgency is an organized rebellion to overthrow a constituted government by undermining its legitimacy through protest and disinformation , and ultimately through armed conflict .
This may sound dramatic , but consider the steps already completed by BLM/ANTIFA in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Special Forces community to characterize an insurrection ( Figure 1 ) .
Initially , when the insurgents are still weak , they organize around a group that is actively dissatisfied with political and social conditions and desires ideological or other changes .
In America , who better to target than the poorest and least educated black Americans , for they already believe they have a legitimate grievance ?
Insurgents use propaganda and political efforts to exploit this atmosphere , creating more significant discontent that discredits the government .
BLM and ANTIFA have made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ existing government and socio-economic system are unjust and exclude them .
It ’ s well known that leftists intimidate people , so they refrain from presenting counter-factual arguments .
Then , by spinning the narrative for high-profile events , they build credibility and feed the general sense of public dissatisfaction .
Leftists are adept at vilifying anyone who defends the current system , even if they acknowledge its flaws and signal a willingness to improve it .
After all , who wouldn ’ t support racial justice ?
Nonetheless , if you are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , leftists will accuse you of being absolutely against it .
Hence , saying “ All Lives Matter ” is synonymous with “ I ’ m a racist.
” The insurgents foment distrust for public institutions , which leads to more favorable public opinion for the insurgency .
We ’ ve seen that BLM ’ s and Antifa ’ s preferred targets are the police and the judicial system , which are the very foundations of law and order .
At the same time that they garner popular support for the movement and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work to infiltrate public institutions and spread their narrative into all sectors of society .
Celebrities , government officials , universities , corporations , and others have bought into the BLM narrative , either through intellectual laziness or for personal gain .
This results in broad popular support through funding , quasi-intellectual backing , active protest and rioting , and even sympathetic inaction .
Hawk Newsome , the chairman of BLM ’ s New York chapter , claims BLM is following in the Black Panther Party ’ s footsteps and adds that former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movement to protect itself — presumably from the police .
Armed members have attempted to replace police officers in abandoned areas of Seattle and Atlanta .
Justifying and introducing armed insurgent personnel is a key step toward more militant acts .
One example , from June 26 , is the pre-planned ambush against two police officers in Tampa who were called to a phony shooting , only to have glass-bottle throwing rioters attack them .
Having foreign countries legitimize and support the insurgency is also critical .
BLM protests erupted worldwide after George @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fraternal organizations across Europe .
It ’ s still unclear what America ’ s die-hard international enemies are doing to support BLM and Antifa .
Still , if they aren ’ t acting yet , they are most certainly looking for their opportunities .
Insurgency Pyramid .
Actions already completed or begun by BLM/ANTIFA are in color .
These actions do not have to take place in the order they are listed .
Graphic by Matt Rowe .
The three co-founders of BLM — Patrisse Khan Cullors , Alicia Garza , and Opal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the core of their ideologies .
According to the Capital Research Center , the three women worked for the Freedom Road Socialist Organization ’ s front groups .
The FRSO is one of the country ’ s largest radical-left organizations .
Tometi actively promotes Socialism and anti-western socio-economics , while Cullors has publicly stated that the leaders of BLM are “ trained Marxists.
” Antifa nominally believes that the country is heading toward Fascism and touts President Trump ’ s election and “ America First ” platform as proof .
The organization has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ radical anti-globalism and anti-capitalist rhetoric was inconsequential .
By taking on BLM ’ s “ anti-racist ” cause , Antifa significantly increased its opportunities to act .
Antifa has not hidden its Marxist Socialist objectives , but it has modified the traditional conflict from “ workers versus the owners of capital ” to “ identity conflicts ” based upon race , gender , sexual orientation , etc .
The vast majority of BLM members and supporters make up what Vladimir Lenin called “ the useful idiots.
” That is , the people actively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cause ’ s objectives .
They are cynically being used to achieve an end they may have never intended .
The core organizers ’ goal is to keep the useful idiots blind to the truth for as long as possible while indoctrinating them into the cause .
To defeat this insurgency , we must eliminate the dissatisfaction that drives the largest groups of actors .
We can not change the political beliefs of hardcore Marxists .
Still , we can help lift the millions of the poorest and least educated black ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ current conditions and deteriorating culture .
First , we must counter the propaganda that their plight is the result of current systemic racism .
Instead , they must be led to understand that their current problems are the result of old behaviors .
They require new solutions that will reintegrate them into society to give them a genuine stake and the ability to exercise legitimate influence .
Doing so will deprive the insurgency of millions of activists .
It will also harness the sympathetic energies of the millions of people who understand that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into believing the insurgency can fix it .
This means acknowledging that the pain our most impoverished communities experience , regardless of race , comes from long-standing cultural behaviors .
We must redirect cultures that have a history of welfare dependency ; single motherhood , depriving children of fathers ; skyrocketing numbers of high school dropouts who are unprepared to meet the needs of an increasingly technological society ; higher risks of drug use and dependence ; the extraordinarily higher crime rates with community members as both predators and victims ; and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being trapped there .
Good families , good educations , real opportunities , and the hope that every person can achieve the American dream are not racial or police issues .
What we ’ re currently seeing is a halfway completed insurgency .
If we are to end this unrest , we must face these truths and develop longer-term solutions immediately .
Otherwise , judging by socialist “ successes ” worldwide , the suffering could increase exponentially for all of us .
Matt Rowe is a US Army Special Forces veteran and an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his MBA from the University of Notre Dame after graduating magna cum laude from Campbell University with a BS in government .
He has written feature articles for several publications , and his first novel , White Passage : Red Sun , is loosely based upon his experience in the “ drug war ” in Latin America .
Published with permission from the American Thinker .

The violence and rioting in the U.S. result from far more than just dissatisfaction with the police.
October 5, 2020 (American Thinker) — The violence and rioting in the US result from far more than just dissatisfaction with the police. Extreme ideological social justice movements today are more likely to carry firearms than items for a food pantry. We currently face nothing less than the early stages of a socialist insurgency.
Insurgency is an organized rebellion to overthrow a constituted government by undermining its legitimacy through protest and disinformation, and ultimately through armed conflict. This may sound dramatic, but consider the steps already completed by BLM/ANTIFA in the Insurgency Pyramid used by the US Army Special Forces community to characterize an insurrection (Figure 1).
Initially, when the insurgents are still weak, they organize around a group that is actively dissatisfied with political and social conditions and desires ideological or other changes. In America, who better to target than the poorest and least educated black Americans, for they already believe they have a legitimate grievance?
Insurgents use propaganda and political efforts to exploit this atmosphere, creating more significant discontent that discredits the government. BLM and ANTIFA have made it abundantly clear that they believe the existing government and socio-economic system are unjust and exclude them.
It’s well known that leftists intimidate people, so they refrain from presenting counter-factual arguments. Then, by spinning the narrative for high-profile events, they build credibility and feed the general sense of public dissatisfaction.
Leftists are adept at vilifying anyone who defends the current system, even if they acknowledge its flaws and signal a willingness to improve it. After all, who wouldn’t support racial justice? Nonetheless, if you are not absolutely for the cause as presented, leftists will accuse you of being absolutely against it. Hence, saying “All Lives Matter” is synonymous with “I’m a racist.”
The insurgents foment distrust for public institutions, which leads to more favorable public opinion for the insurgency. We’ve seen that BLM’s and Antifa’s preferred targets are the police and the judicial system, which are the very foundations of law and order.
At the same time that they garner popular support for the movement and vilify its opponents, the insurgents also work to infiltrate public institutions and spread their narrative into all sectors of society. Celebrities, government officials, universities, corporations, and others have bought into the BLM narrative, either through intellectual laziness or for personal gain. This results in broad popular support through funding, quasi-intellectual backing, active protest and rioting, and even sympathetic inaction.
Hawk Newsome, the chairman of BLM’s New York chapter, claims BLM is following in the Black Panther Party’s footsteps and adds that former “Special Forces officers” train the movement to protect itself — presumably from the police. Armed members have attempted to replace police officers in abandoned areas of Seattle and Atlanta. Justifying and introducing armed insurgent personnel is a key step toward more militant acts. One example, from June 26, is the pre-planned ambush against two police officers in Tampa who were called to a phony shooting, only to have glass-bottle throwing rioters attack them.
Having foreign countries legitimize and support the insurgency is also critical. BLM protests erupted worldwide after George Floyd was killed, and Antifa has fraternal organizations across Europe. It’s still unclear what America’s die-hard international enemies are doing to support BLM and Antifa. Still, if they aren’t acting yet, they are most certainly looking for their opportunities.
Insurgency Pyramid. Actions already completed or begun by BLM/ANTIFA are in color. These actions do not have to take place in the order they are listed. Graphic by Matt Rowe.
The three co-founders of BLM — Patrisse Khan Cullors, Alicia Garza, and Opal Tometi — all have Marxist Socialism at the core of their ideologies. According to the Capital Research Center, the three women worked for the Freedom Road Socialist Organization’s front groups. The FRSO is one of the country’s largest radical-left organizations. Tometi actively promotes Socialism and anti-western socio-economics, while Cullors has publicly stated that the leaders of BLM are “trained Marxists.”
Antifa nominally believes that the country is heading toward Fascism and touts President Trump’s election and “America First” platform as proof. The organization has existed since the 1980s, but its radical anti-globalism and anti-capitalist rhetoric was inconsequential. By taking on BLM’s “anti-racist” cause, Antifa significantly increased its opportunities to act. Antifa has not hidden its Marxist Socialist objectives, but it has modified the traditional conflict from “workers versus the owners of capital” to “identity conflicts” based upon race, gender, sexual orientation, etc.
The vast majority of BLM members and supporters make up what Vladimir Lenin called “the useful idiots.” That is, the people actively working for a cause without really understanding the cause’s objectives. They are cynically being used to achieve an end they may have never intended. The core organizers’ goal is to keep the useful idiots blind to the truth for as long as possible while indoctrinating them into the cause.
To defeat this insurgency, we must eliminate the dissatisfaction that drives the largest groups of actors. We cannot change the political beliefs of hardcore Marxists. Still, we can help lift the millions of the poorest and least educated black (and other) Americans out of their current conditions and deteriorating culture. First, we must counter the propaganda that their plight is the result of current systemic racism. Instead, they must be led to understand that their current problems are the result of old behaviors. They require new solutions that will reintegrate them into society to give them a genuine stake and the ability to exercise legitimate influence.
Doing so will deprive the insurgency of millions of activists. It will also harness the sympathetic energies of the millions of people who understand that there is a problem but are misled into believing the insurgency can fix it. This means acknowledging that the pain our most impoverished communities experience, regardless of race, comes from long-standing cultural behaviors.
We must redirect cultures that have a history of welfare dependency; single motherhood, depriving children of fathers; skyrocketing numbers of high school dropouts who are unprepared to meet the needs of an increasingly technological society; higher risks of drug use and dependence; the extraordinarily higher crime rates with community members as both predators and victims; and the isolation and utter hopelessness that comes from being trapped there.
Good families, good educations, real opportunities, and the hope that every person can achieve the American dream are not racial or police issues. What we’re currently seeing is a halfway completed insurgency. If we are to end this unrest, we must face these truths and develop longer-term solutions immediately. Otherwise, judging by socialist “successes” worldwide, the suffering could increase exponentially for all of us.
Matt Rowe is a US Army Special Forces veteran and an independent business management consultant. He earned his MBA from the University of Notre Dame after graduating magna cum laude from Campbell University with a BS in government. He has written feature articles for several publications, and his first novel, White Passage: Red Sun, is loosely based upon his experience in the “drug war” in Latin America.
Published with permission from the American Thinker.
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lifesitenews--2020-10-05--Join our daily worldwide rosary HERE

Join our daily worldwide rosary HERE

October 5 , 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anthony 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ https : //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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the daily rosary on LifeSite led by Fr .
Pillari .

(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--2020-10-05--European Union furious as US restates basic human rights, omits LGBT, abortion

WASHINGTON , D.C. October 5 , 2020 ( C-Fam ) — The United States just issued a statement at the UN reaffirming fundamental human rights long agreed to by UN Member States going back to the founding of the world body .
Only 57 countries agreed to the statement ; 136 did not join it .
“ ... recommit ourselves today to the Declaration and its foundational ideal that certain principles are so fundamental as to apply to all human beings , everywhere , at all times .
We recognize the many differences in our cultural , political , legal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yet reaffirm fundamental freedoms and rights for all , and reassert our commitment to honoring the dignity of all persons that is the basis for our commitments under the UDHR.
” The European Union was having none of it .
The EU urged its members states not to participate , according to the Washington Post .
A European diplomat said the U.S. was “ cherry picking ” human rights even though the statement was broad , about principles and not specifics .
It appears opposition to the statement came primarily from abortion and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as dangerous to the progress they have worked to achieve through UN human rights bodies .
There exists some tension within the European Union nations on social issues .
In the annual State of the Union address to the European Parliament , President Ursula von der Leyen directly challenged Poland , where some towns had declared themselves “ LGBT ideology-free zones.
” “ LGBTQI-free zones are humanity free zones , ” she said .
She also insisted that family relationships — including same-sex marriages or parenthood by same-sex couples — should be mutually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you are parent in one country , you are parent in every country.
” She announced a forthcoming “ strategy to strengthen LGBTQI rights ” within the EU .
The statement was seen in the context of the U.S. Commission on Unalienable Rights , that Pompeo founded last year to reassert a basic understanding of human rights .
Pompeo said , “ the international human rights project is in crisis , ” due in part to the neglect of basic human rights in favor of “ partisan policy preferences ” and claims of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conflict.
” From the beginning , the commission was criticized by pro-abortion and LGBT activist groups , some of whom even filed a lawsuit long before any of its findings were drafted .
Despite their fears , the commission ’ s final report remained neutral on the abortion issue .
Some human rights advocates characterized the statement as “ a cryptic way to ignore decades ’ worth of treaties since 1948 , ” specifically citing abortion and LGBT issues as areas of concern .
Ultimately , some EU countries , including Hungary and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but overwhelmingly they did not .
The EU mission at the UN tweeted its own statement insisting there is no hierarchy among rights , including economic , social , and cultural rights , which the U.S. has never formally affirmed as equal to civil and political rights .
Much of the work that has been done to insert abortion and “ sexual rights ” into international human rights discourse can not be found in treaties or any binding instruments .
It emerges in the recommendations of UN special experts and unelected expert bodies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comments are then cited and quoted by bureaucrats within other multilateral agencies .
Much of this has been driven ( and funded ) by the EU , where countries that defend more conservative social principles , like Hungary and Poland , face mounting pressure to conform .
In the U.S. , Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden tweeted his agreement with von der Leyen : “ Let me be clear : LGBTQ+ rights are human rights — and ‘ LGBT-free zones ’ have no place in the European Union or anywhere in the world @ @

WASHINGTON, D.C. October 5, 2020 (C-Fam) — The United States just issued a statement at the UN reaffirming fundamental human rights long agreed to by UN Member States going back to the founding of the world body. Only 57 countries agreed to the statement; 136 did not join it.
The statement was fairly anodyne.
“…recommit ourselves today to the Declaration and its foundational ideal that certain principles are so fundamental as to apply to all human beings, everywhere, at all times. We recognize the many differences in our cultural, political, legal, religious, and other traditions, yet reaffirm fundamental freedoms and rights for all, and reassert our commitment to honoring the dignity of all persons that is the basis for our commitments under the UDHR.”
The European Union was having none of it. The EU urged its members states not to participate, according to the Washington Post. A European diplomat said the U.S. was “cherry picking” human rights even though the statement was broad, about principles and not specifics.
It appears opposition to the statement came primarily from abortion and LGBT activists who referred to the statement as dangerous to the progress they have worked to achieve through UN human rights bodies.
There exists some tension within the European Union nations on social issues. In the annual State of the Union address to the European Parliament, President Ursula von der Leyen directly challenged Poland, where some towns had declared themselves “LGBT ideology-free zones.” “LGBTQI-free zones are humanity free zones,” she said. She also insisted that family relationships — including same-sex marriages or parenthood by same-sex couples — should be mutually recognized within the EU: “If you are parent in one country, you are parent in every country.” She announced a forthcoming “strategy to strengthen LGBTQI rights” within the EU.
The statement was seen in the context of the U.S. Commission on Unalienable Rights, that Pompeo founded last year to reassert a basic understanding of human rights. Pompeo said, “the international human rights project is in crisis,” due in part to the neglect of basic human rights in favor of “partisan policy preferences” and claims of “new and novel rights that often conflict.”
From the beginning, the commission was criticized by pro-abortion and LGBT activist groups, some of whom even filed a lawsuit long before any of its findings were drafted. Despite their fears, the commission’s final report remained neutral on the abortion issue.
Some human rights advocates characterized the statement as “a cryptic way to ignore decades’ worth of treaties since 1948,” specifically citing abortion and LGBT issues as areas of concern. Ultimately, some EU countries, including Hungary and Poland, did join the statement, but overwhelmingly they did not. The EU mission at the UN tweeted its own statement insisting there is no hierarchy among rights, including economic, social, and cultural rights, which the U.S. has never formally affirmed as equal to civil and political rights.
Much of the work that has been done to insert abortion and “sexual rights” into international human rights discourse cannot be found in treaties or any binding instruments. It emerges in the recommendations of UN special experts and unelected expert bodies that monitor compliance with treaties, whose comments are then cited and quoted by bureaucrats within other multilateral agencies. Much of this has been driven (and funded) by the EU, where countries that defend more conservative social principles, like Hungary and Poland, face mounting pressure to conform.
In the U.S., Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden tweeted his agreement with von der Leyen:
“Let me be clear: LGBTQ+ rights are human rights — and ‘LGBT-free zones’ have no place in the European Union or anywhere in the world.”
Published with permission from C-Fam.
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lifesitenews--2020-10-05--Why are abortion activists Kamala Harris, Hillary Clinton ‘deeply sorry’ over Chrissy Teigen’s misca

Why are abortion activists Kamala Harris, Hillary Clinton ‘deeply sorry’ over Chrissy Teigen’s miscarriage?

October 5 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – On October 1 , celebrity model Chrissy Teigen posted a heartbreaking photograph to Instagram .
In the photo , she is sitting on the edge of a hospital bed , wrapped in a blanket , her face seized with grief .
Her caption explained that she and her husband John Legend had lost their pre-born son , whom they named Jack .
“ We are shocked and in the kind of deep pain you only hear about , the kind of pain we ’ ve never felt before .
We were never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our baby the fluids he needed , despite bags and bags of blood transfusions .
It just wasn ’ t enough.
” She and her husband , she wrote , were mourning their son : “ Jack worked so hard to be a part of our little family , and he will be , forever .
To our Jack — I ’ m so sorry that the first few moments of your life were met with so many complications , that we couldn ’ t give you the home you needed to survive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Another heartbreaking photo shows Teigen and Legend cradling their deceased son .
The internet response was , for once , free of the ugliness that generally characterizes social media .
But for many pro-lifers , it was impossible not to notice that the very same people currently campaigning for the right to end the lives of pre-born children the same age as little Jack suddenly forgot that according to their ideology , Jack was not a person .
Jack ’ s life ended at twenty weeks gestation at a time when Democrats from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abortion rights to allow people to abort children the same age as Jack was when he passed .
Hillary Clinton offered her condolences , stating that she was “ so deeply sorry to hear of this loss.
” Abortion activist and vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris also chimed in , stating that she and her husband “ are deeply sorry for your loss.
” And in a moment of supreme chutzpah , Planned Parenthood tweeted : “ We ’ re so sorry to hear that Chrissy Teigen and John Legend lost their son @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their story.
” Planned Parenthood would have just as much admiration if Teigen and Legend had aborted Jack at twenty weeks at one of Planned Parenthood ’ s facilities and shared that story .
Whether you ’ re mourning a loss or shouting your abortion , Planned Parenthood is here for you .
It ’ s part of the P.R .
that allows the company to continue making a killing .
This is not an attempt to make a personal tragedy political .
It is simply to point out that our culture , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the abortion industry — everyone knows that Jack was a baby boy , not a clump of cells .
That is why condolences from abortion extremists like Clinton and Harris came so easily : because those condolences were sincere , because Clinton and Harris know that the baby in the womb is a baby .
Despite that knowledge , they defend the right to have children like Jack killed in the womb .
In Planned Parenthood facilities , baby boys and girls just like Jack don ’ t get blood transfusions .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the abortionist “ deflates ” their heads to ensure that they are born dead .
Hillary Clinton knows this .
Kamala Harris knows this .
The abortionists at Planned Parenthood know this .
Everybody knows this , and everybody supports it anyway .
Everyone has seen a sonogram , or an ultrasound .
When people say they are expecting , nobody asks them what they are expecting .
That ’ s because everybody knows .
And if they say they don ’ t , ask them one question : What do you think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saw would look like once the abortionist is done with him ?
The public and universal affirmation of Jack ’ s value and humanity has been a beautiful thing .
This affirmation reveals something ugly and sinister about our culture ’ s support for abortion .
It means that Planned Parenthood , Hillary Clinton , Kamala Harris , and the rest of the abortion activists offering their condolences for the loss of this little boy know that when they advocate for abortion to be legal for children like Jack , they know what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And they do not care .
We should not forget that .
Jonathon ’ s new podcast , The Van Maren Show , is dedicated to telling the stories of the pro-life and pro-family movement .
In his latest episode , Marjorie Dannenfelser from the Susan B. Anthony List tells Van Maren that this election is crucial for the pro-life movement .
Dannenfelser warns listeners that if the Democrats win , it will have a generational impact , as the left will fight to take away the core principles of our nation 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ listen to the episode below :

October 5, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – On October 1, celebrity model Chrissy Teigen posted a heartbreaking photograph to Instagram. In the photo, she is sitting on the edge of a hospital bed, wrapped in a blanket, her face seized with grief. Her caption explained that she and her husband John Legend had lost their pre-born son, whom they named Jack. “We are shocked and in the kind of deep pain you only hear about, the kind of pain we’ve never felt before. We were never able to stop the bleeding and give our baby the fluids he needed, despite bags and bags of blood transfusions. It just wasn’t enough.”
She and her husband, she wrote, were mourning their son: “Jack worked so hard to be a part of our little family, and he will be, forever. To our Jack — I’m so sorry that the first few moments of your life were met with so many complications, that we couldn’t give you the home you needed to survive. We will always love you.” Another heartbreaking photo shows Teigen and Legend cradling their deceased son.
The internet response was, for once, free of the ugliness that generally characterizes social media. But for many pro-lifers, it was impossible not to notice that the very same people currently campaigning for the right to end the lives of pre-born children the same age as little Jack suddenly forgot that according to their ideology, Jack was not a person. Jack’s life ended at twenty weeks gestation at a time when Democrats from New York to New Jersey are expanding abortion rights to allow people to abort children the same age as Jack was when he passed.
Hillary Clinton offered her condolences, stating that she was “so deeply sorry to hear of this loss.” Abortion activist and vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris also chimed in, stating that she and her husband “are deeply sorry for your loss.” And in a moment of supreme chutzpah, Planned Parenthood tweeted: “We’re so sorry to hear that Chrissy Teigen and John Legend lost their son, and we admire them for sharing their story.”
Planned Parenthood would have just as much admiration if Teigen and Legend had aborted Jack at twenty weeks at one of Planned Parenthood’s facilities and shared that story. Whether you’re mourning a loss or shouting your abortion, Planned Parenthood is here for you. It’s part of the P.R. that allows the company to continue making a killing.
This is not an attempt to make a personal tragedy political. It is simply to point out that our culture, our elites, pro-abortion politicians, even the abortion industry — everyone knows that Jack was a baby boy, not a clump of cells. That is why condolences from abortion extremists like Clinton and Harris came so easily: because those condolences were sincere, because Clinton and Harris know that the baby in the womb is a baby. Despite that knowledge, they defend the right to have children like Jack killed in the womb.
In Planned Parenthood facilities, baby boys and girls just like Jack don’t get blood transfusions. They get pulled apart with forceps, and the abortionist “deflates” their heads to ensure that they are born dead. Hillary Clinton knows this. Kamala Harris knows this. The abortionists at Planned Parenthood know this. Everybody knows this, and everybody supports it anyway. Everyone has seen a sonogram, or an ultrasound. When people say they are expecting, nobody asks them what they are expecting. That’s because everybody knows. And if they say they don’t, ask them one question: What do you think the baby on the last ultrasound you saw would look like once the abortionist is done with him?
Follow Jonathon van Maren on Facebook
The public and universal affirmation of Jack’s value and humanity has been a beautiful thing. This affirmation reveals something ugly and sinister about our culture’s support for abortion. It means that Planned Parenthood, Hillary Clinton, Kamala Harris, and the rest of the abortion activists offering their condolences for the loss of this little boy know that when they advocate for abortion to be legal for children like Jack, they know what they are doing. They know. And they do not care.
We should not forget that.
Jonathon’s new podcast, The Van Maren Show, is dedicated to telling the stories of the pro-life and pro-family movement. In his latest episode, Marjorie Dannenfelser from the Susan B. Anthony List tells Van Maren that this election is crucial for the pro-life movement. Dannenfelser warns listeners that if the Democrats win, it will have a generational impact, as the left will fight to take away the core principles of our nation's founding. You can subscribe here and listen to the episode below:
Follow Jonathon Jonathon Van Maren is a public speaker, writer, and pro-life activist. His commentary has been translated into more than eight languages and published widely online as well as print newspapers such as the Jewish Independent, the National Post, the Hamilton Spectator and others. He has received an award for combating anti-Semitism in print from the Jewish organization B’nai Brith. His commentary has been featured on CTV Primetime, Global News, EWTN, and the CBC as well as dozens of radio stations and news outlets in Canada and the United States. He speaks on a wide variety of cultural topics across North America at universities, high schools, churches, and other functions. Some of these topics include abortion, pornography, the Sexual Revolution, and euthanasia. Jonathon holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in history from Simon Fraser University, and is the communications director for the Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform. Jonathon’s first book, The Culture War, was released in 2016.
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lifesitenews--2020-10-07--Abortion-tainted mandatory COVID vaccine would be the beginning “of the Apocalypse” : Bishop Schneid

Abortion-tainted mandatory COVID vaccine would be the beginning “of the Apocalypse” : Bishop Schneider

Last week Bishop Athanasius Schneider laid out an ‘ apocalypse ’ scenario regarding forced global vaccines derived from aborted babies @ @ @ @ @ should there be a mandatory global vaccine for coronavirus derived from cell lines from aborted @ @ @ @ @ will enter into the time of the Apocalypse.
” Join me as I unpack Bishop @ @ @ @ @ how we could be called to martyrdom if a COVID vaccine is made mandatory .

Last week Bishop Athanasius Schneider laid out an ‘apocalypse’ scenario regarding forced global vaccines derived from aborted babies. Bishop Schneider told LifeSite should there be a mandatory global vaccine for coronavirus derived from cell lines from aborted babies, “then we will enter into the time of the Apocalypse.”
Join me as I unpack Bishop Schneider’s statement and how we could be called to martyrdom if a COVID vaccine is made mandatory.


lifesitenews--2020-10-07--White House press sec Kayleigh McEnany says she’s having ‘no symptoms’ despite COVID-19 diagnosis

PETITION : No to mandatory vaccination for the coronavirus !
Sign the petition here .
October 6 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews.com ) – In her first interview since being quarantined for COVID-19 , White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany told Fox News ’ Sean Hannity that she was feeling well .
“ I ’ m having no symptoms , ” she said .
“ You know , I am very blessed to have a mild case or just an asymptomatic case .
My heart goes out to all those who have been affected by this and all those who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of many in a growing list of White House officials and Republicans who have recently tested positive for the coronavirus .
Besides President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump , the list includes former Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway , current Trump advisors Hope Hicks and Stephen Miller , RNC Chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel , and former New Jersey governor Chris Christie .
McEnany turned her conversation with Hannity back to Trump ’ s accomplishments .
“ I am pleased to see that our commander-in-chief is doing well .
Watching him on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will overcome .
America will overcome , just as he is overcoming this illness .
I think was a really nice moment for our country to see .
”

**Photo credit: Shutterstock.com
Mainstream media sources are promoting offensive suggestions by some doctors that people who refuse a vaccine for COVID-19 should be "punished" by the government and by business - effectively coercing them into taking the vaccine.
One group of doctors writing in 'USA Today' suggested that the government impose special taxes (i.e., fines) on people who refuse the vaccination and that business simply refuse to serve them. [see story below]
Another doctor writing in an online publication called 'The Conversation' shamelessly suggested that people who refuse a vaccine should be given a psychoactive drug to induce compliance. [see story below]
But, these suggestions are plain political posturing, and have nothing to do with science or with the recent trends of the disease.
And, in case they haven't noticed, we live in a democracy not a medical dictatorship!
Please SIGN this urgent petition which asks policy-makers and business people, at all levels, to pledge to respect the rights of those who, in good conscience, decide not to vaccinate themselves or their children.
People should not have to live in fear of governmental or corporate retribution for refusing a vaccine which is being rushed to market by Big Pharma and their fellow-travelers in NGOs, like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
It would be intolerable and immoral for the government or business to coerce someone, and their family, to take a COVID vaccine against their will to avoid a fine, or just so they can do their weekly grocery shopping.
Medical freedom must be respected in principle and also in practice.
So, it is now time that our policy-makers listen to all voices involved in this vital conversation, and start to represent those who will not tolerate being punished for refusing a vaccine.
Simply put, legislatures must begin to act as legislatures again.
Questions must be asked. Hearings and investigations must be held. And, the legislatures of each state and country must return to the business of representing the people who voted for them, assuming their rightful place as the originator of legislation.
We can no longer accept the dictates of executive branches without question, especially now that, statistically speaking, the initial brunt of the COVID crisis has passed.
Neither can we accept the dictates of doctors who seem detached from reality and from science, and who only seem to be attached to the idea of promoting ideas which contribute to the agrandizement of power and control of political interests, and wealth of those who stand to make a lot of money from the sale of a COVID vaccine.
Please SIGN this urgent petition which asks government and business leaders to pledge to respect the rights of those who refuse a COVID vaccine, and not seek to punish them for doing so.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
'Doctors lay out plan to ‘punish’ people who refuse coronavirus vaccine: ‘There is no alternative’' - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/doctors-lay-out-plan-to-punish-people-who-refuse-coronavirus-vaccine-there-is-no-alternative
'US professor: ‘Psychoactive pill’ should be covertly administered to ensure lockdown compliance' - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/us-professor-ensure-lockdown-compliance-by-drugging-dissenters-with-psychoactive-pill


lifesitenews--2020-10-07--White House physician: Trump ‘reports no symptoms’ of coronavirus

WASHINGTON , D.C. , October 6 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – After President Donald Trump ’ s discharge from Walter Reed Medical Center yesterday , his doctor said today that Trump has no symptoms of the coronavirus .
Sean P. Conley , Physician to the President , said in a memo released today : This morning the President ’ s team of physicians met with him in the Residence .
He had a restful first night at home , and today he reports no symptoms .
Vital signs and physical exam remain stable , with an ambulatory oxygen saturation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continues to do extremely well , I will provide updates as we know more .
On Thursday evening , Trump and First Lady Melania Trump tested positive for the coronavirus .
On Friday , Trump was given “ a single 8 gram dose of Regeneron ’ s polyclonal antibody cocktail , ” with the addition of “ zinc , vitamin D , famotidine , melatonin and a daily aspirin , ” according to the White House .
Melania Trump had “ only a headache and a mild cough.
” The other members of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day , Conley recommended that Trump be admitted to Walter Reed Medical Center for monitoring and Remdesivir therapy .
On Saturday evening , Conley reported that Trump “ completed his second dose of Remdesivir without complication ” and “ remains fever-free and off supplemental oxygen.
” Trump ’ s medical team remained “ cautiously optimistic ” until his release on Monday .
According to a White House press release today , the Residence “ adopted hospital-grade disinfection policies ” beginning in March , and had “ installed additional sanitation and filtration systems.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immediately .
Why isn ’ t he ?
President Trump leaving the hospital : ‘ I feel better than I did 20 years ago !
’

'Overall he continues to do extremely well'
WASHINGTON, D.C., October 6, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – After President Donald Trump’s discharge from Walter Reed Medical Center yesterday, his doctor said today that Trump has no symptoms of the coronavirus.
Sean P. Conley, Physician to the President, said in a memo released today:
This morning the President’s team of physicians met with him in the Residence. He had a restful first night at home, and today he reports no symptoms. Vital signs and physical exam remain stable, with an ambulatory oxygen saturation level of 95-97%. Overall he continues to do extremely well, I will provide updates as we know more.
On Thursday evening, Trump and First Lady Melania Trump tested positive for the coronavirus.
On Friday, Trump was given “a single 8 gram dose of Regeneron’s polyclonal antibody cocktail,” with the addition of “zinc, vitamin D, famotidine, melatonin and a daily aspirin,” according to the White House. Melania Trump had “only a headache and a mild cough.” The other members of their family tested negative. Later that day, Conley recommended that Trump be admitted to Walter Reed Medical Center for monitoring and Remdesivir therapy.
On Saturday evening, Conley reported that Trump “completed his second dose of Remdesivir without complication” and “remains fever-free and off supplemental oxygen.” Trump’s medical team remained “cautiously optimistic” until his release on Monday.
According to a White House press release today, the Residence “adopted hospital-grade disinfection policies” beginning in March, and had “installed additional sanitation and filtration systems.”
RELATED:
Trump should receive this effective COVID treatment immediately. Why isn’t he?
President Trump leaving the hospital: ‘I feel better than I did 20 years ago!’
Hillary Clinton’s former spokeswoman: I hope Trump ‘dies’ from COVID
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lifesitenews--2020-10-06--Delightful new children’s book retells forgotten tale of the spider who saved Christmas

October 6 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) — Raymond Arroyo of EWTN wrote a children 's book for Christmas that will warm the hearts of children and parents alike .
Illustrated with beautiful depictions of the Holy Family , this new book is a perfect Christmas gift for children this year .
As Arroyo stated on October 5 , when speaking about A Spider that Saved Christmas ( published by Sophia Institute Press ) , “ this is actually an old Eastern European legend , and it has fallen a little bit out of favor — people had forgotten about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to bring it back into our Christian memory and devotion .
This legend , Arroyo continued , “ explains why we put tinsel in Christmas trees at this time of year.
” So everybody who reads this book will forever after see tinsel in a very different way — a way much more centered on Christmas the holy day .
As this legend goes , it was a spider that helped protect the Holy Family in an awkward and dangerous moment that could have endangered the life of Baby Jesus .
We wo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here , but suffice to say that it is exciting and full of wonder .
As a mother who , together with my husband , was always out to find books for our children that not only contained good stories , but also were presented with lovely , beautiful , realistic drawings and pictures , I am pleased with the work of the artist , Randy Gallegos , here .
The paintings of the scenes are realistic yet wondrous .
The atmosphere of mystery is captured , and the artist successfully presents the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three of them — in an appealing way .
I must admit that too many modern painters fail in this regard .
Even the spider Nephila comes to us now in the form of a kind spider — certainly a challenge !
My favorite picture in this book is the one of Baby Jesus , who , with gratitude for having been protected by Nephila , reaches into her web and smiles at her .
It is also the picture on the cover of the book .
This species of spider , by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called the Golden Silk Orb Weaver , and she does produce golden silk , just the worthy thing for Our King .
Raymond Arroyo 's own words of warmth and heart can be seen already in the book ’ s dedication : “ For Rebecca and all the mothers who spin webs of love and sacrifice that hold our families together.
” What a beautiful testimony , honoring his own wife and all the world ’ s good mothers !
The story of the spider shows how she , in spite of her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of eggs , hurries to help a family in need of a shelter .
She reaches out to the suffering others while taking care of her own little ones .
This is , indeed , a beautiful image for the many housewives and mothers trying to imitate Our Lady in her motherly ways .
And , as a matter of fact , it is Mary herself who protects the mother spider when St. Joseph , upon arrival in the cave , wants to attack Nephila .
“ Leave it , Joseph , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ All are here for a reason .
Let it be.
” Nephila was to pay back that kindness a hundredfold .
This story of an animal , part of God 's creation , playing a part in Jesus ’ s life is not an isolated case .
As parents , we joyfully remember the Christmas song “ The Friendly Beasts ” — we actually built our own theater and stage similar to this one here in order to sing and re-enact that scene — where different animals in the stable contribute to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Saint Maria Agreda , in her visions , also saw how the ox and the donkey helped warm Baby Jesus in the stable with their breath .
Even Our Lord Himself uses images from the animal world to explain to us His teachings .
He calls us His sheep , and He talks about a chicken who protects her little chick under her wings .
Here , it is fitting to mention the artist Tomie dePaola , who found a beautiful children 's story in the writings of Caryll Houselander : Petook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too , found an incarnational way of telling the story of Easter with the involvement of animals , by quoting exactly those stories that Jesus Christ told us Himself .
So we thank Raymond Arroyo and Randy Gallegos for enriching our Christmas celebrations with our children , so that the experience of Christmas becomes more and more intimate and ingrained in their hearts .

October 6, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — Raymond Arroyo of EWTN wrote a children's book for Christmas that will warm the hearts of children and parents alike. Illustrated with beautiful depictions of the Holy Family, this new book is a perfect Christmas gift for children this year.
As Arroyo stated on October 5, when speaking about The Spider Who Saved Christmas (published by Sophia Institute Press), “this is actually an old Eastern European legend, and it has fallen a little bit out of favor — people had forgotten about it.” It is Arroyo's merit to bring it back into our Christian memory and devotion.
This legend, Arroyo continued, “explains why we put tinsel in Christmas trees at this time of year.” So everybody who reads this book will forever after see tinsel in a very different way — a way much more centered on Christmas the holy day.
As this legend goes, it was a spider that helped protect the Holy Family in an awkward and dangerous moment that could have endangered the life of Baby Jesus. We won't divulge the details of the story here, but suffice to say that it is exciting and full of wonder.
As a mother who, together with my husband, was always out to find books for our children that not only contained good stories, but also were presented with lovely, beautiful, realistic drawings and pictures, I am pleased with the work of the artist, Randy Gallegos, here. The paintings of the scenes are realistic yet wondrous. The atmosphere of mystery is captured, and the artist successfully presents the faces of the Holy Family — all three of them — in an appealing way. I must admit that too many modern painters fail in this regard. Even the spider Nephila comes to us now in the form of a kind spider — certainly a challenge!
My favorite picture in this book is the one of Baby Jesus, who, with gratitude for having been protected by Nephila, reaches into her web and smiles at her. It is also the picture on the cover of the book.
This species of spider, by the way really exists. She is called the Golden Silk Orb Weaver, and she does produce golden silk, just the worthy thing for Our King.
Raymond Arroyo's own words of warmth and heart can be seen already in the book’s dedication: “For Rebecca and all the mothers who spin webs of love and sacrifice that hold our families together.” What a beautiful testimony, honoring his own wife and all the world’s good mothers!
The story of the spider shows how she, in spite of her having her own babies in a sac of eggs, hurries to help a family in need of a shelter. She reaches out to the suffering others while taking care of her own little ones. This is, indeed, a beautiful image for the many housewives and mothers trying to imitate Our Lady in her motherly ways.
And, as a matter of fact, it is Mary herself who protects the mother spider when St. Joseph, upon arrival in the cave, wants to attack Nephila. “Leave it, Joseph,” she says, and she adds: “All are here for a reason. Let it be.” Nephila was to pay back that kindness a hundredfold.
This story of an animal, part of God's creation, playing a part in Jesus’s life is not an isolated case. As parents, we joyfully remember the Christmas song “The Friendly Beasts” — we actually built our own theater and stage similar to this one here in order to sing and re-enact that scene — where different animals in the stable contribute to Jesus’s well-being at His birth. Saint Maria Agreda, in her visions, also saw how the ox and the donkey helped warm Baby Jesus in the stable with their breath.
Even Our Lord Himself uses images from the animal world to explain to us His teachings. He calls us His sheep, and He talks about a chicken who protects her little chick under her wings.
Here, it is fitting to mention the artist Tomie dePaola, who found a beautiful children's story in the writings of Caryll Houselander: Petook. An Easter Story. She, too, found an incarnational way of telling the story of Easter with the involvement of animals, by quoting exactly those stories that Jesus Christ told us Himself.
So we thank Raymond Arroyo and Randy Gallegos for enriching our Christmas celebrations with our children, so that the experience of Christmas becomes more and more intimate and ingrained in their hearts.
Follow Maike Dr. Maike Hickson was born and raised in Germany. She holds a PhD from the University of Hannover, Germany, after having written in Switzerland her doctoral dissertation on the history of Swiss intellectuals before and during World War II. She now lives in the U.S. and is married to Dr. Robert Hickson, and they have been blessed with two beautiful children. She is a happy housewife who likes to write articles when time permits. Dr. Hickson published in 2014 a Festschrift, a collection of some thirty essays written by thoughtful authors in honor of her husband upon his 70th birthday, which is entitled A Catholic Witness in Our Time. Hickson has closely followed the papacy of Pope Francis and the developments in the Catholic Church in Germany, and she has been writing articles on religion and politics for U.S. and European publications and websites such as LifeSiteNews, OnePeterFive, The Wanderer, Rorate Caeli, Catholicism.org, Catholic Family News, Christian Order, Notizie Pro-Vita, Corrispondenza Romana, Katholisches.info, Der Dreizehnte, Zeit-Fragen, and Westfalen-Blatt.
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lifesitenews--2020-10-06--U.S. professors say COVID-19 lockdowns ‘had little effect on the spread of the coronavirus’

PETITION : No to mandatory vaccination for the coronavirus !
Sign the petition here .
October 6 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Three U.S. professors argue that government- “ mandated lockdowns ” in the name of stopping COVID-19 had “ little effect on the spread of the coronavirus.
” “ If lockdowns really altered the course of this pandemic , then coronavirus case counts should have clearly dropped whenever and wherever lockdowns took place .
The effect should have been obvious , though with a time lag , ” wrote professors Jay W. Richards , William M. Briggs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report published in the National Review .
“ It takes time for new coronavirus infections to be officially counted , so we would expect the numbers to plummet as soon as the waiting time was over … To judge from the evidence , the answer is clear : Mandated lockdowns had little effect on the spread of the coronavirus.
” In the National Review report , the professors asked , “ Did the lockdowns make a difference ?
” They provided evidence through charts for 13 U.S. states with and without lockdowns .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ case curves for the United States as a whole and for 13 U.S. states .
As in almost every country , we consistently see a steep climb as the virus spreads , followed by a transition to a flatter curve .
At some point , the curves always slope downward , though this wasn ’ t obvious for all states until the summer , ” the professors wrote .
“ The lockdowns can ’ t be the cause of these transitions .
In the first place , the transition happened even in places @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arkansas ) .
And where there were lockdowns , the transitions tended to occur well before the lockdowns could have had any serious effect.
” The professors explained the only exception could be California and Connecticut , which were the first states to lock down .
“ Even in these places ( California and Connecticut ) , though , the downward transitions probably started before the lockdowns could have altered the curves .
The reason is that a one-day turnaround for COVID-19 test results probably wasn ’ t met in either state , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also pointed out that there is no “ decisive drop on the dates ” whereby the lockdowns would have affected the course of the curve .
They also claim that if one is shown the curves in the charts without markings , they would not be able to tell when lockdowns took effect .
“ Instead , the curves gradually bend downward for reasons that predate the lockdowns , with no clear changes 10 days later , ” they wrote .
“ Lockdown partisans might say that the curves would have been higher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
While we can ’ t redo history to prove them wrong , the point is that the sudden and dramatic changes we should see if they were right aren ’ t there .
If we showed people these curves without any markings , they would not be able to discern when or even if lockdowns went into effect.
” The professors ’ charts are cited from a book they recently published titled The Price of Panic : How the Tyranny of Experts Turned a Pandemic into a Catastrophe .
Their National Review @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the viruses ’ decline is “ likely attributable ” to changing seasons or herd immunity .
“ Something caused this overall decline .
It couldn ’ t have been lockdowns , which weren ’ t maintained ( or heeded ) in full force through June .
At the moment , we can only speculate , ” the professors wrote .
“ But if this virus is like others , its decline is likely attributable to some mix of changing seasons and the gradual onset of herd immunity .
Another factor , of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of masks as the year progressed.
” The professors ' book , The Price of Panic , goes over the COVID-19 crisis , asking questions such as “ How did politicians , who know nothing of the science , decide whom to trust ?
” The book also asks , “ What role have national and global health organizations such as WHO played in this ?
To whom are they accountable ?
” along with “ How did science bureaucrats , relying on murky data and speculative computer models , gain the power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” In summary , The Price of Panic asked , “ We need to know what and how it happened , to keep it from ever happening again.
” Richards is an assistant research professor in the School of Business and Economics at The Catholic University of America , a senior fellow at the Discovery Institute , executive editor of The Stream and a senior fellow at the Discovery Institute .
Axe is the Maxwell Professor of Molecular Biology at Biola University and the founding director of Biologic Institute .
Briggs ' website @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Cornell Medical School and former statistician at DoubleClick .
His website also says he is a “ wholly independent vagabond writer , statistician , scientist and consultant .
”

A recently published book explains in detail that there is no 'decisive drop' in cases due to stay-at-home mandates.
PETITION: No to mandatory vaccination for the coronavirus! Sign the petition here.
October 6, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Three U.S. professors argue that government-“mandated lockdowns” in the name of stopping COVID-19 had “little effect on the spread of the coronavirus.”
“If lockdowns really altered the course of this pandemic, then coronavirus case counts should have clearly dropped whenever and wherever lockdowns took place. The effect should have been obvious, though with a time lag,” wrote professors Jay W. Richards, William M. Briggs, and Douglas Axe in an October 4 report published in the National Review.
“It takes time for new coronavirus infections to be officially counted, so we would expect the numbers to plummet as soon as the waiting time was over … To judge from the evidence, the answer is clear: Mandated lockdowns had little effect on the spread of the coronavirus.”
In the National Review report, the professors asked, “Did the lockdowns make a difference?”
They provided evidence through charts for 13 U.S. states with and without lockdowns.
“The charts … show the daily case curves for the United States as a whole and for 13 U.S. states. As in almost every country, we consistently see a steep climb as the virus spreads, followed by a transition to a flatter curve. At some point, the curves always slope downward, though this wasn’t obvious for all states until the summer,” the professors wrote.
“The lockdowns can’t be the cause of these transitions. In the first place, the transition happened even in places without lockdown orders (see Iowa and Arkansas). And where there were lockdowns, the transitions tended to occur well before the lockdowns could have had any serious effect.”
The professors explained the only exception could be California and Connecticut, which were the first states to lock down.
“Even in these places (California and Connecticut), though, the downward transitions probably started before the lockdowns could have altered the curves. The reason is that a one-day turnaround for COVID-19 test results probably wasn’t met in either state,” the professors wrote.
The professors also pointed out that there is no “decisive drop on the dates” whereby the lockdowns would have affected the course of the curve. They also claim that if one is shown the curves in the charts without markings, they would not be able to tell when lockdowns took effect.
“Instead, the curves gradually bend downward for reasons that predate the lockdowns, with no clear changes 10 days later,” they wrote.
“Lockdown partisans might say that the curves would have been higher after the 10-day mark without the lockdown. While we can’t redo history to prove them wrong, the point is that the sudden and dramatic changes we should see if they were right aren’t there. If we showed people these curves without any markings, they would not be able to discern when or even if lockdowns went into effect.”
The professors’ charts are cited from a book they recently published titled The Price of Panic: How the Tyranny of Experts Turned a Pandemic into a Catastrophe.
Their National Review report concluded with them saying the scenario in the viruses’ decline is “likely attributable” to changing seasons or herd immunity.
“Something caused this overall decline. It couldn’t have been lockdowns, which weren’t maintained (or heeded) in full force through June. At the moment, we can only speculate,” the professors wrote.
“But if this virus is like others, its decline is likely attributable to some mix of changing seasons and the gradual onset of herd immunity. Another factor, of course, could be the widespread use of masks as the year progressed.”
The professors' book, The Price of Panic, goes over the COVID-19 crisis, asking questions such as “How did politicians, who know nothing of the science, decide whom to trust?”
The book also asks, “What role have national and global health organizations such as WHO played in this? To whom are they accountable?” along with “How did science bureaucrats, relying on murky data and speculative computer models, gain the power to shut down the global economy?”
In summary, The Price of Panic asked, “We need to know what and how it happened, to keep it from ever happening again.”
Richards is an assistant research professor in the School of Business and Economics at The Catholic University of America, a senior fellow at the Discovery Institute, executive editor of The Stream and a senior fellow at the Discovery Institute.
Axe is the Maxwell Professor of Molecular Biology at Biola University and the founding director of Biologic Institute.
Briggs' website lists him as a previous professor at the Cornell Medical School and former statistician at DoubleClick. His website also says he is a “wholly independent vagabond writer, statistician, scientist and consultant.”
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lifesitenews--2020-10-06--Pope Francis appoints cardinal with McCarrick, Fr. Martin connections to monitor Vatican finances

PETITION : Stand with priest who faces Church penalties for saying `` You ca n't be a Catholic and a Democrat. ''
!
Sign the petition here .
October 6 , 2020 ( LifeSiteNews ) – Pope Francis has appointed Cardinal Kevin Farrell as president of a committee charged with monitoring financial transactions that are not subject to the Pope ’ s new anti-corruption guidelines .
Cardinal Farrell currently serves as prefect of the Dicastery for Laity , Family , and Life .
The five-member “ Commission for Reserved Matters ” will oversee four categories of exempted contracts , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brockhaus .
“ Contracts related to matters covered by the pontifical secret ; contracts funded by an international organization ; contracts necessary to fulfill international obligations ; and contracts pertaining to the office and security of the pope , the Holy See , and the Universal Church or ‘ necessary or functional to ensure the mission of the Church in the world and guarantee the sovereignty and independence of the Holy See or the Vatican City State , ’ ” she reported .
“ The June 1 law , ‘ Norms on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contracts of the Holy See and of the Vatican City State , ’ gave new procedures for awarding public contracts which aimed to increase oversight and accountability , and ensure the Vatican and Holy See work only with vetted financial partners , ” explained Brockhaus , while also bringing “ the Vatican into line with international anti-corruption laws.
” Cardinal Farrell ’ s appointment as a financial overseer comes notwithstanding a less-than-stellar reputation for eagle-eyed powers of observation and moral judgment .
In 2018 , Farrell claimed he was “ shocked ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of sexual predation by defrocked Theodore McCarrick , despite having lived with and worked under the then-Washington , D.C. cardinal for several years and rising through the ranks thanks to his patronage .
In a short video interview with Catholic News Service ( CNS ) at the time , Cardinal Farrell was emphatic in his denial of any knowledge of his longtime mentor ’ s behavior , yet seemingly unable to put together full sentences .
Uttering just 101 words , punctuated with long pauses and “ ums , ” normal syntax eluded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : I was a priest of Washington , D.C .
I worked in the chancery , in Washington .
And never .
No indication .
None whatsoever .
Nobody ever talked to me about that .
And I was involved – heavily involved – in Washington , in the whole from 2000 on .
And sex abuse .
So I really don ’ t have any knowledge or anything to add about more than that .
Farrell also seemed to put distance between himself and his former boss , the man under whom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Almost nobody bought what Farrell attempted to sell : “ Cardinal Farrell says that he worked in the chancery but does not mention that he shared an apartment with Cardinal McCarrick .
He needs to address it , ” said Matthew Schmitz , senior editor for respected First Things magazine in a tweet .
The more I think about it , the more I disbelieve all of this staged presentation .
The cardinal seems sincere , but then again , so did McCarrick in his televised appearances .
And again , Farrell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conference , or from non-church media , but is answering a question in a controlled and edited environment .
At this late date , he does not deserve the benefit of the doubt .
When Farrell took over as head of the newly formed Dicastery for Laity , Family , and Life in 2016 , he revealed his plan to gather people from around the world to develop a marriage program based on the controversial Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia .
Amoris Laetitia has caused confusion among Church leaders and laity alike for what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indissolubility of marriage , the existence of absolute moral norms , and the role of conscience in making moral decisions .
Four cardinals went public with questions — Dubia — to Pope Francis asking him if his exhortation was consistent with Catholic moral teaching after the pope failed to respond to their questions privately .
Four years later , the pontiff remains silent .
When Fr .
James Martin published his pro-homosexual book , Building a Bridge , Cardinal Farrell joined Newark Cardinal Joseph Tobin , San Diego Bishop Robert McElroy and dissident @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in offering words of praise on the book ’ s dust jacket : Farrell ’ s description of Fr .
Martin ’ s thin volume as a helpful contribution to Catholic pastoral practices vividly contrasted with clergy who denounced the book ’ s flawed premise “ that the Church has misunderstood God ’ s plan for human sexuality for her entire history.
” Fr .
Gerald Murray explained in the National Catholic Register that “ The real purpose of this book is to advocate for a relaxation of the Church ’ s teaching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any attraction to commit acts of sodomy is an objective disorder in one ’ s personality.
” “ The thesis of this book is that lesbians , gays , bisexual persons and transsexual/transgendered persons have been made to be such by God , and thus they should gladly live and express their God-given , differently ordered sexuality in a differently ordered way , ” Murray said .
The other four commission members appointed by Pope Francis are Archbishop Filippo Iannone , president of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts , who will serve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bishop Nunzio Galantino , president of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Holy See ( APSA ) ; Jesuit Fr .
Juan A. Guerrero , prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy ; and Bishop Fernando Vergez Alzaga , secretary general of the Governorate of Vatican City State .

PETITION: Stand with priest who faces Church penalties for saying “You can't be a Catholic and a Democrat.”! Sign the petition here.
October 6, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – Pope Francis has appointed Cardinal Kevin Farrell as president of a committee charged with monitoring financial transactions that are not subject to the Pope’s new anti-corruption guidelines.
Cardinal Farrell currently serves as prefect of the Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life.
The five-member “Commission for Reserved Matters” will oversee four categories of exempted contracts, according to Catholic News Agency’s Hannah Brockhaus. “Contracts related to matters covered by the pontifical secret; contracts funded by an international organization; contracts necessary to fulfill international obligations; and contracts pertaining to the office and security of the pope, the Holy See, and the Universal Church or ‘necessary or functional to ensure the mission of the Church in the world and guarantee the sovereignty and independence of the Holy See or the Vatican City State,’” she reported.
“The June 1 law, ‘Norms on the transparency, control and competition of public contracts of the Holy See and of the Vatican City State,’ gave new procedures for awarding public contracts which aimed to increase oversight and accountability, and ensure the Vatican and Holy See work only with vetted financial partners,” explained Brockhaus, while also bringing “the Vatican into line with international anti-corruption laws.”
Cardinal Farrell’s appointment as a financial overseer comes notwithstanding a less-than-stellar reputation for eagle-eyed powers of observation and moral judgment.
In 2018, Farrell claimed he was “shocked” and “overwhelmed” at the bombshell revelations of sexual predation by defrocked Theodore McCarrick, despite having lived with and worked under the then-Washington, D.C. cardinal for several years and rising through the ranks thanks to his patronage.
In a short video interview with Catholic News Service (CNS) at the time, Cardinal Farrell was emphatic in his denial of any knowledge of his longtime mentor’s behavior, yet seemingly unable to put together full sentences.
Uttering just 101 words, punctuated with long pauses and “ums,” normal syntax eluded him as he stumbled through the interview:
I was a priest of Washington, D.C. I worked in the chancery, in Washington. And never. No indication. None whatsoever. Nobody ever talked to me about that. And I was involved – heavily involved – in Washington, in the whole from 2000 on. And sex abuse. So I really don’t have any knowledge or anything to add about more than that.
Farrell also seemed to put distance between himself and his former boss, the man under whom he became a bishop while in D.C.:
When the six years I was there with him, I didn’t know Cardinal McCarrick prior to his coming to Washington, D.C.
Almost nobody bought what Farrell attempted to sell:
“Cardinal Farrell says that he worked in the chancery but does not mention that he shared an apartment with Cardinal McCarrick. He needs to address it,” said Matthew Schmitz, senior editor for respected First Things magazine in a tweet.
American Conservative commentator Rod Dreher said of Farrell’s video performance:
The more I think about it, the more I disbelieve all of this staged presentation. The cardinal seems sincere, but then again, so did McCarrick in his televised appearances. And again, Farrell is not answering questions in a press conference, or from non-church media, but is answering a question in a controlled and edited environment. At this late date, he does not deserve the benefit of the doubt.
When Farrell took over as head of the newly formed Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life in 2016, he revealed his plan to gather people from around the world to develop a marriage program based on the controversial Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia.
Amoris Laetitia has caused confusion among Church leaders and laity alike for what critics say is ambiguous teaching on the indissolubility of marriage, the existence of absolute moral norms, and the role of conscience in making moral decisions. Four cardinals went public with questions — Dubia — to Pope Francis asking him if his exhortation was consistent with Catholic moral teaching after the pope failed to respond to their questions privately.
Four years later, the pontiff remains silent.
When Fr. James Martin published his pro-homosexual book, Building a Bridge, Cardinal Farrell joined Newark Cardinal Joseph Tobin, San Diego Bishop Robert McElroy and dissident nun Sister Jeannine Gramick, SL, in offering words of praise on the book’s dust jacket:
A welcome and much-needed book that will help bishops, priests, pastoral associates, and all church leaders more compassionately minister to the LGBT community. It will also help LGBT Catholics feel more at home in what is, after all, their church.
Farrell’s description of Fr. Martin’s thin volume as a helpful contribution to Catholic pastoral practices vividly contrasted with clergy who denounced the book’s flawed premise “that the Church has misunderstood God’s plan for human sexuality for her entire history.”
Fr. Gerald Murray explained in the National Catholic Register that “The real purpose of this book is to advocate for a relaxation of the Church’s teaching that sodomy is gravely immoral and that any attraction to commit acts of sodomy is an objective disorder in one’s personality.”
“The thesis of this book is that lesbians, gays, bisexual persons and transsexual/transgendered persons have been made to be such by God, and thus they should gladly live and express their God-given, differently ordered sexuality in a differently ordered way,” Murray said.
The other four commission members appointed by Pope Francis are Archbishop Filippo Iannone, president of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, who will serve as the commission’s secretary; Bishop Nunzio Galantino, president of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Holy See (APSA); Jesuit Fr. Juan A. Guerrero, prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy; and Bishop Fernando Vergez Alzaga, secretary general of the Governorate of Vatican City State.
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lifesitenews--2020-10-06--Churches, photographer launch lawsuit against Virginia pro-LGBT ‘nondiscrimination’ bill

October 6 , 2020 — A group of Christian ministries and a photographer are challenging a new Virginia law , S.B .
868 , for infringement of their religious freedom and belief .
Known as the Virginia Values Act , the bill was signed into law by Gov .
Ralph Northam on April 11 , 2020 and became effective on July 1 .
The act specifically abolishes “ any type of discrimination aimed at LGBT persons in housing , public and private employment , public accommodations , and access to credit , ” as stated on Gov .
Northam ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a strong , clear message — Virginia is a place where all people are welcome to live , work , visit , and raise a family , ” asserts Northam .
“ We are building an inclusive Commonwealth where there is opportunity for everyone , and everyone is treated fairly .
No longer will LGBTQ Virginians have to fear being fired , evicted , or denied service in public places because of who they are.
” Churches and religious individuals fear that their religious rights and freedom are not included in the new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ v. Herring , a lawsuit filed September 28 , 2020 , by the Alliance Defending Freedom , a faith-based group founded in 1994 , plaintiffs Calvary Road Baptist Church , Community Fellowship Church , Community Christian Academy , and Care Net ( a pregnancy resource and counseling center ) allege that S.B .
868 forces them to “ adopt a particular government ideology under threat of punishment ” while purporting to “ forbid discrimination based on sexual identity and gender discrimination.
” The complaint specifically refers to H.B .
1429 , a bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signed S.B .
868 , which “ [ p ] rohibits a health carrier from denying or limiting coverage or imposing additional cost sharing or other limitations or restrictions on coverage , under a health benefit plan for health care services that are ordinarily or exclusively available to covered individuals of one sex , to a transgender individual on the basis of the fact that the individual ’ s sex assigned at birth , gender identity , or gender otherwise recorded is different from the one to which such health services are ordinarily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawsuit , H.B .
1429 and S.B .
868 will force Christian ministries and outreach services , including churches , schools , and businesses , as well as individuals , to hire persons who “ do not share and follow their beliefs on biblical marriage , sexuality and gender ” and would also ban the ministries from “ directly or indirectly communicating biblical beliefs on marriage , sexuality , and gender , ” forcing them to choose between their religious beliefs and insurmountable fines for violating the new law .
In Updegrove v. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Photography , a service that specializes in photographing weddings , also chose to fight the new legislation and filed suit against Virginia ’ s attorney general .
Updegrove is also represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom .
Speaking on behalf of their clients , Denise Harle , senior counsel for the Alliance Defending Freedom , stated on Monday , October 5 : Our clients offer spiritual guidance , education , pregnancy support , and athletic opportunities to their communities because of the faith that inspires them , ” states Denise Harle , Senior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Virginia ’ s new law forces these ministries to abandon their convictions or pay up to $ 100,000 for each violation , in direct contradiction to the Virginia Constitution and the Virginia Religious Freedom Restoration Act .
The government can not force a religious organization to violate its own beliefs .
We hope that the court will recognize that our clients have the freedom to choose who will further their mission to provide religious services .

October 6, 2020 — A group of Christian ministries and a photographer are challenging a new Virginia law, S.B. 868, for infringement of their religious freedom and belief. Known as the Virginia Values Act, the bill was signed into law by Gov. Ralph Northam on April 11, 2020 and became effective on July 1. The act specifically abolishes “any type of discrimination aimed at LGBT persons in housing, public and private employment, public accommodations, and access to credit,” as stated on Gov. Northam’s website.
“This legislation sends a strong, clear message — Virginia is a place where all people are welcome to live, work, visit, and raise a family,” asserts Northam. “We are building an inclusive Commonwealth where there is opportunity for everyone, and everyone is treated fairly. No longer will LGBTQ Virginians have to fear being fired, evicted, or denied service in public places because of who they are.”
Churches and religious individuals fear that their religious rights and freedom are not included in the new bill. In Calvary Road Baptist Church v. Herring, a lawsuit filed September 28, 2020, by the Alliance Defending Freedom, a faith-based group founded in 1994, plaintiffs Calvary Road Baptist Church, Community Fellowship Church, Community Christian Academy, and Care Net (a pregnancy resource and counseling center) allege that S.B. 868 forces them to “adopt a particular government ideology under threat of punishment” while purporting to “forbid discrimination based on sexual identity and gender discrimination.” The complaint specifically refers to H.B. 1429, a bill signed by Northam the day before he signed S.B. 868, which “[p]rohibits a health carrier from denying or limiting coverage or imposing additional cost sharing or other limitations or restrictions on coverage, under a health benefit plan for health care services that are ordinarily or exclusively available to covered individuals of one sex, to a transgender individual on the basis of the fact that the individual’s sex assigned at birth, gender identity, or gender otherwise recorded is different from the one to which such health services are ordinarily or exclusively available.”
According to the lawsuit, H.B. 1429 and S.B. 868 will force Christian ministries and outreach services, including churches, schools, and businesses, as well as individuals, to hire persons who “do not share and follow their beliefs on biblical marriage, sexuality and gender” and would also ban the ministries from “directly or indirectly communicating biblical beliefs on marriage, sexuality, and gender,” forcing them to choose between their religious beliefs and insurmountable fines for violating the new law.
In Updegrove v. Herring, Bob Updegrove of Bob Updegrove Photography, a service that specializes in photographing weddings, also chose to fight the new legislation and filed suit against Virginia’s attorney general. Updegrove is also represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom. Speaking on behalf of their clients, Denise Harle, senior counsel for the Alliance Defending Freedom, stated on Monday, October 5:
Our clients offer spiritual guidance, education, pregnancy support, and athletic opportunities to their communities because of the faith that inspires them,” states Denise Harle, Senior Counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom. “Virginia’s new law forces these ministries to abandon their convictions or pay up to $100,000 for each violation, in direct contradiction to the Virginia Constitution and the Virginia Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The government cannot force a religious organization to violate its own beliefs. We hope that the court will recognize that our clients have the freedom to choose who will further their mission to provide religious services.
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