POLITICS :: I found the writing on Ten Principles of Mao Zedong

Awhile back I shared something about a writing I had found on the Communist agenda to take over the world.  I couldn't find it at the time so I just shared what I could remember.  This week I have been sorting through more of my "piles" of papers and discovered it again.  I have to just list it as text here as I don't have anything else to post yet.

====================

THE  TEN  PRINCIPLES  OF  WAR

by  Mao  Zedong

Attack isolated enemy forces first.

Take towns and rural areas first, take big cities later.

Wiping out the enemy's strength is the main objective, not seizing territory.

Only attack enemy forces that can be completely overcome.

Fight no battle you are not sure of winning.

Have courage in battle and no fear of sacrifice or fatigue.

Attack the enemy when he is on the move.

In cities, seize all weakly defended battlements.  Wait before attacking strong enemy lines.

Use captured arms and personnel to reinforce.

Rest, train and consolidate in short intervals.  The enemy should be permitted scant breathing.

====================

I had never seen anything like this.  I think it was when the Communists were first starting out, becoming a power... but I am not sure.  I just remembered the concept of isolating and then overcoming.  I think that is what I shared before.

If we apply this to the Internet, there are very scary possibilities in our current life and in the our futures.  Remember, I have searched for info that could apply to the Antichrist for most of my life.  And we know that evil will rise in all kinds of ways as we get nearer to those times we read about in the Bible.

This lockdown year has been like a "trial run" to me... someone flexing their muscles to learn how to do it better next time.  I would say that "isolation" has been the foundation of our lives this year.

As individual citizens, we have seen people arrested for not wearing a mask in public.  What does that tell you?  And why would anything like that be an arresting offence?  We are forbidden to gather at church or other spaces... killing all kinds of businesses and community fellowship.  It's scary.  We can't see the reasoning and don't have the power to object.

The Internet is a battlefield that can kill and maim and destroy... with no way to know it has been orchestrated.  Two past actions that I noted, and a possible third, speak to this danger.

• The factory in an opposing country was affected by hackers from somewhere... I think it was Iran or a country like it.  
• And I remember teenagers being caught for tampering with heart implants remotely.  

The third possibility...

• I also suspect that Obama had to ground the military jets after two were crashed because they had been compromised through digital systems.  I would never be able to prove it, and I didn't follow the story at the time.

Other "disasters" we have seen could easily be computer connected.

The other day I was thinking about the increasing surveillance we are experiencing and I remembered a LONG time ago finding out that California was building tracking systems into the freeways and cars are able to be tracked by that system because a unique "chip" is installed in every vehicle.  That was years ago.  I have no idea where that plan is now.  I assume it is for "safety" purposes, like police chases.  In the future it will be a tool to know every movement of every vehicle.

There a "chips" in the body now, as a "safety" measure for those who have never read the Bible and don't know about the Antichrist.  Commercial payment methods are heading toward this.

It seems unrelated to the Communist writing above, but the way of war has changed.  We have so many people that are hailed as examples of what to believe in, and they are focused on the ideology of Communism and Socialism...  John Lennon's song, Imagine, is an example of what the theme of Communism is, but not how it exists in real life.

I was impacted by the "isolating" theme.  

The entire process is more covert than a battle you see and can fight.

This is a war we don't have a way to fight... yet.

I don't know what we can do... as ordinary people.  If we are isolated, there is less we can do.  Gathering into groups that care for one another is what the BODY of CHRIST is all about.  We may need to start getting into those groups now.

Yes, Working Together was meant to do that because of the reality of the Antichrist... before I even discovered this writing about Communism and War.  Now, with mega-churches in our cities, I suppose we need to think of each church taking care of its own, or joining the bigger churches near them.

I hope you read the list of tactics over and over and then think about how it would be implemented in your life, or your community.

In Christ,

Deborah Martin

http://work2gather.us

and more...

POLITICS :: Just checking in... some thoughts on tax reform while I am here.

 

It's about 10pm where I live... as I start my post.  Sometimes it can take awhile to get to the end of my sharing.  :-)  Not much for me to say tonight... I browsed a few posts and articles but the whole thing seems to be in limbo still.

I will say I looked at an election map, but it seems to be published by a Democrat source as they are calling everything for Biden.

I vaguely remember the Florida dispute with Gore, and something about Hilary Clinton's run, so the energy around this same issue is obvious... several election cycles now.  

I had no idea, until recently, that 15 states have tried to ratify some kind of amendment to make the popular vote the final word for the future.  I tried to share my own discovery that the popular vote doesn't reflect the actual attitudes of the nation... mostly, it reflect the urban areas, the big cities.  That is really fraud territory... lots of votes in one small space.

I think the old history of vote manipulation, in places like Chicago and New York because of the gangs that existed then, is taking on a new process because of technology.  I'm just saying that it exists, somewhere, because criminals don't just give up their territories without being killed or arrested... and I hear getting arrested doesn't stop the criminal process.

This is the world... now.

I am just one person.

Ordinary people don't have the ability to affect these kinds of things.

We are the victims of those who "want to rule the world."

America has a lot of problems to figure out if we want to continue being a strong global power.  Raising taxes is not the answer.  Getting our national debt down is part of the solution... it would give us some breathing room for the disasters that will come in the future, whether we have the funds for them or not.

I just don't know WHY God doesn't give me the money I need to get these things changed!  :-)  

It is a multi-year process to do anything related to government change.  I would love to see an amendment that would permanently LIMIT the government's ability to tax its citizens.  I have written about this before, but no one reads my stuff anyway, so I will say it again...

ONE TAX.

A permanently limited SALES TAX that would be set at 10% and distributed like this ::

• 3% for FEDERAL needs
• 3% for STATE needs
• 3% for COUNTY needs, and then 
• the final 1% dedicated to INTERNATIONAL expenses we have to contribute to, like the UN.

This would eliminate ALL other taxes... including INCOME tax, ESTATE taxes, PROPERTY taxes, CAPITAL GAINS taxes, etc.  

It would make taxing a fair responsibility because rich and poor would pay their share based on what they purchase.  I haven't figured out how to deal with wholesale and retail taxes. This might get troublesome in rental properties and things like that, but I know the legislators will have their own ideas about that!

There wouldn't be "loop holes" and tax reductions or tax credits, etc., we would all just pay that 10% when we purchased things over the course of time.

This would also eliminate a lot of government jobs associated with taxation, which means less labor costs and other expenses.  Naturally, we know the government would ease any change into place, probably over twenty years so they can keep it going a bit longer and try to find ways around it.  BUT, if we think about the PRINCIPLE of taxation, it isn't meant to be an ever-increasing part of the citizen's income.  I tried to think of what a fair tax amount would be for citizens, and 10% seemed fair to me - plus, it divided perfectly.

If we don't do something, the government will continue to "NEED" more and more of every citizen's money until the government is the owner of it all, and citizens begin working for the government.

After I realized the SALES TAX was the only tax that can be applied evenly to everyone, everywhere, I just began seeing all kinds of benefits to that being the ONLY TAX we pay.

In our technology, this would also allow the government to collect taxes immediately, and they can be adjusted as needed as well... like for refunds, etc.

All of this would force the government to focus on what is really needed, not creating more and more programs that cause new taxes and budget problems.

Really, taxes are meant to pay for the operations of government as it PROTECTS its citizens... military, mandated offices, and whatever else there is that can't be eliminated.

This would divide the responsibilities of the various levels of government, create the need for partnerships with BIG projects, and make a lot more decisions into local choices.

This is also a global option in our age, if someone decides to make it one.  

For me, that is another step toward the Antichrist, but there really is no way to stop him from happening.  We may as well see it as something that benefits us now by organizing and reducing the impact and authority of the government in our individual lives.

I have been on Welfare.  I learned that any time the government is involved in providing money to you, it requires complete access to your life.  By changing to a SALES TAX ONLY form of taxation, we change from an individual focus to a business focus.

The government will gain access to business records and oversight for sales activities...if it decides there is a problem.  That would mean an audit of a business but no audits of personal spending.

It sounds like people will be able to become better criminals in some ways, but remember, if they sell drugs or anything illegal, and don't report the taxes, it is still a crime.

For those of us who sell online, the websites will become responsible for collecting and remitting the taxes per sale, or refund.

I haven't found a really bad part of this concept yet... for us, individual people.  Businesses MIGHT not like it, but I doubt it.  They will save all that other tax income, too.

Imagine your life without all the different taxes the government spreads out and collects under different umbrellas.  That would be an economic stimulus in its own right.

More important to me is the PRINCIPLE involved.  How much tax is enough !?!  To permanently limit taxes at this point in history would be a huge change in direction and I think it would require something like a national amendment.

I would like to share one more story about our government.

When I became an official senior, my food benefits turned into a cash benefit.  I also became aware that the government would be keeping a "tab" of expenses to collect after I die.  I am trying to make an annual check on this "tab" but have only requested one so far.  They don't send you an itemized billing, with an explanation of what the charges are and why they are considered debts to be collected.  My view is that the person in charge of the estate will have no way to argue any amount that is requested.  I can't even dispute a charge because they weren't defined.  This is one reason I wonder if all my food benefits are now going to be debts on my estate.

I should also add that I once suggested the government provide "loans" to poor people, like me, who are trying to change their income futures, that can be paid back later on.  My reason was that Welfare was never enough to live on  --  it destroyed our lives every time I tried to make it better.  

The loan would have to be large enough to make a real change.  

It could also become an investment for the government if it, instead, took a small percentage of ownership if it is available.  Again, the special number is 10% because I discovered the SEC allows investors with a ten percent ownership stake to have a seat on the Board of Directors to protect their investment.  

This investment focus would also bring future income into the government if it was successful.  I'm sure the government would be protecting its money with the SBA and other involvements.  :-)

I'm out of steam now... I'll let you think on those suggestions and you can share your comments with me.  I probably forgot some details of my plan because I haven't thought of it for awhile.

I was hoping to work on these issues with my own income, but that hasn't happened.

My hope for Trump being the President was that he would find new ways for the government to create income that are not a tax.

I have a ton of my own ideas based on my life and experiences with the government.

I guess that's all,

Until next time,

In Christ,

Deborah Martin

http://work2gather.us

and more...

POLITICS :: It is hard to see the demise of all that made America great...

I still pray that GOD will uncover any crimes in the election process and Trump will win.

I keep wondering what GOD is trying to tell us... and if anyone is listening.

On the WT homepage I made a running text section and shared that we don't really know how many Christians will exist when the Antichrist gets here.  

My thoughts are that persecutions will eliminate many from the lists of people we think are truly saved... they will "fall away" when the hard times get here.

My purpose for starting WT was to make places for those who need the BODY of CHRIST to help them as persecutions increase.

I'm not sure what GOD is saying by not providing for WT.

This next Presidency, if Trump does not regain it, is going to be like the drastic problems the lockdowns brought to the USA and other countries.  We will need to pray continually and seek GOD for what to do to protect ourselves and those we love.

I am already praying.  I want to know what happens at the end of this challenge to a very messed up election.  I hope GOD provides help for us soon.

In Christ,

Deborah Martin

http://work2gather.us

and more....

POLITICS :: Saturday - mourning, wondering what happened, thinking about the future of America

 What a day... I didn't spend much time looking at the internet news today... was doing other things, but saw the headlines at Yahoo.  I don't know all the details of how this ballot count went, but I am sure everyone needs to fight suspicious circumstances.  Only GOD knows the final numbers.  We need to do some evaluating until we are sure the final numbers are correct.  That's important.

I have been thinking about a Biden & Harris world.  I nearly cried a few times today.  It won't be a good world... but it will become our world.

The issues are getting so serious I don't know how to protect myself from them.  It is almost a constant thought.  

I realized a long time ago, in the way of faith, that GOD can restrict us as well as expand our lives... always there is a purpose... we just don't always know what that purpose is.  What is GOD saying to us with this election?  I'm trying to decide the answer to that question.

I am trying to see what GOD sees...  it frightens me.

Have you seen the film by AFA.net (American Family Association)?  -- IN HIS IMAGE --  It opens with these small children in drag making a serious statement about legal rights in families.  I was listening to a commentary about the current status of the election and why it happened, and one of the comments about the Biden ticket was their everything goes stance on children getting sex-change surgery if they want it, as well as a reminder they want everything goes abortion.  Add tax issues to that list.  What will America look like in four years?  I can't even imagine.

I have to remember what it means to live with people who have no moral boundaries... who don't live with Truth, the equal rights of others, or even a real knowledge of what the Bible says.  I think about the difference between crimes where addicts are desperate for enough money to get their necessary drug and those who sit at a computer and violate the rights of others without anyone knowing it.  They are both criminals, but one is hidden so well we have a hard time finding them.  In reality, when the laws get changed to allow these hidden crimes, no one will be able to protect themselves from this kind of invasion.

This is what technology is doing to our lives.  We create things to help us, but there is always someone using it to commit crimes, hurt others, and gain things they have no moral right to have.

I don't know what good people will do to survive these changes... especially Christians, who have boundaries that open them up to be victims.

It's something I have been working through for most of my life... searching for ways to change the suffering for all those who want to keep their faith and survive to the end of our lives... in times of growing persecution.  I ask myself, what can we do, in the current world, to help and protect each other?  Working Together was my best effort.

Trusting GOD is hard when the details don't turn out the way you hope they will.  I think of Bible passages when I get really thoughtful.  Each story has meanings that don't always shout to you.  When we only know the sermon version, the children's version, the movie version, we don't really understand it for ourselves.  Studying what the Bible says -- comparing a zillion versions these days -- lets GOD show us things those other sources might not share.

One thing I will share as an example is Jesus appearing to others.  In the beginning, He said, "Don't touch me yet..."  When he went to the upper room where the Disciples were, he still had all his wounds...and could be touched.  Why did He have all those wounds in his body if He had been changed after death?  When He went up to heaven in the clouds, was that when He received a new body?  Did all those wounds go away?  ---  What does this mean in our afterlives?  I don't know if anyone has had a sermon about this.

The martyrs under the sea of glass crying out to GOD for vengeance against those who killed them are given white robes.  They exist as people, as souls, but are they glorified yet?  The Bible says they have to wait for their final rest, so they can't have the "new" bodies we will have in heaven after judgment...  

And why are the dead in the sea different from the rest of the dead?  They are a totally separate group of souls when it comes time to "reap" the Earth.

My thoughts, so far.

I guess we will find out next year, what the government will become.

In Christ,

Deborah Martin

http://work2gather.us

and more...

POLITICS :: Friday's end...Election still going...Where are we heading?

Well, not much seems to have changed since my morning post...

The headlines are getting uglier and uglier... this is because the media is liberal and it's important to them to make sure they get their revenge.

This has been a hard year for everyone, including the country's government.  Budgets are falling apart with the fires, lockdowns, less tax revenue, more unemployment, the yearly disasters we have to face, schools closed, churches closed, but I heard the casinos were allowed to stay open ( I don't really know, it was just a topic in Christian info circles. ), and lots of other hard times.

I think we need to limit spending and get our national debt down -- because it is our safety net for any emergency.  The Democrats and the Republicans seem to think spending money we don't really have on stimulus payments is the way to go.  If I remember correctly, Trump didn't want a stimulus in the beginning... but government becomes a "unified" front over things the media harasses about.

We have to find a better way to handle our government issues.

It would be nice if the media just reported the news without an agenda of their own.

I have been thinking about all the things I heard the Democrats talking about in the few campaign moments I heard about... it's a hard place to see your nation falling into an abyss of choices that will hurt us in the long term.  I'm not sure what to think yet.  I don't have the funds to make a difference.

Just before coming here to post, I was browsing the Yahoo headlines to see what they think is important.  Lots of low-level items with nude or nearly nude women... I have a theory that men are in charge so that is why women look like porn stars in online spaces.  But that is not why I am mentioning my path here.  I saw a headline about the METS being purchased and a total purge being made of the staff.  I followed the link to find out what was going on.  I was so amazed that someone spend two and a half BILLION dollars on a sports team.

When I see these things, I know it is people with money trying to invest their profits in ways that they will be able to grow more money... for bigger projects.  We all have passions and dreams that come from our youth or somewhere on our path to here.  I don't know what the new owner's passion is, but he grew big enough in the past to be able to make this purchase.

I have wanted lots of money for many years, too.  I haven't been able to find a way to gather it. To the best of my ability, I tried.  I know some of the reasons I failed, but not all of them.  The point I am trying to make is that my purpose for wanting money is different.  I'm not sure if I should have been more focused on making money and leaving all the rest of my values, or just done something else.  We'll never know.  We can't go back, only forward.

Money.  It's a hard thing to figure out.

The Republican view is not very kind to the poor.  I think it's called "blame the victim."

The Democratic view is not very kind to the poor, or the nation, or all the other citizens that aren't poor.

I think the answer is somewhere in the middle.  It would take way too long to share it here, so we will save that for another post... or maybe the book I'm trying to write.

If you had 2.5 BILLION to spend, what would you do with it?

I once took the time to answer a challenge question about a million dollars, tax free... the whole thing was yours to spend.  It was interesting to me to think about what I would do with that much money at one time.  I was a lot younger then.  Now I just think about retirement and safety and making it through without too much struggle.  I hear it would be gone real fast with senior medical issues.  :-( 

My life is about tithing ten percent, saving ten percent, and then living on the rest, trying to make more, working on my BUCKET LIST.  I think I might dedicate 10% to that goal... and see how many things I might check off that list.  A million dollars would do a lot in my life.

Why does all this matter?  

Because the Democrats want control healthcare and that means some serious things in the lives of seniors, now and in the future.  

All those budget problems mean less money for all the social service programs they are thrilled to create but not adequately fund.

Nothing is FREE, someone pays for it.

The government doesn't have the money to pay for all the promises that have been made already.  It's easy to promise, it's hard to deliver.

We have to find other sources of income for our government... you can find my ideas in other blog posts, some on my social media accounts, and who knows where else.  I have been trying to advocate for better solutions since I first entered the Welfare system in 1975. 

I know there are other people with good ideas for changing the government's status quo, too.  There's nowhere to put them.  So we continue to exist in this Party war.  America is bleeding itself into serious devastation, maybe death... I don't think there is going to be a way to stop this ongoing cycle.

TRUMP may not be the same kind of man we usually see as our President, but he has very important differences that could benefit our country... if the media would get past his personal differences and focus just on the needs of our nation, especially our financial needs.  I think he could help find those non-tax ways to fund our most essential needs.

I guess that's enough for now.

PRAY for us, we need GOD's help.

In Christ,

Deborah Martin

http://work2gather.us

and more...

POLITICS :: Here early for today's comments - interesting graphic from Eagle Forum!

 I was checking Twitter and this interesting graphic came up in an EAGLE FORUM post.

I made a bunch of reposts at Republican places, and also asked to know if it was true... It is so hard to believe that the election offices wouldn't be aware of the number counts.

Hope to find out.

Other than that...

I was disappointed to see news items saying that Biden was climbing in the voter counts... thinking what will happen to America if Biden wins... wondering how life will change, and how fast.

I have prayed the GOD would speak to His People with this election, by who won.

Seeing Biden as the possible next president set my mind to search for that meaning.

This is my consuming thought now... until the final decisions are made by people beyond my reach. I will try to let you know what happens in that process, but thinking is like a fog - you can't always grab it and hold it and make it real.

So... until next post... PRAY for our nation.

Deborah Martin

http://work2gather.us

POLITICS :: Looks like a long wait for the final winner

 I finally was able to watch come of the internet spaces about the election... pretty much all liberal and blatantly for Biden.  It looks like we have to wait for the final count, and probably all the legal efforts.

It always shows me that even liberals can't count on their news because they only hear the liberal view.  I don't know what will happen to our nation, we are so divided I wonder if there is anything that will help us to become worthy of GOD's protection and blessings... and what does that mean for Christians.

Morals are the hidden element of this problem.  We rely on the morality of our people.  If they don't believe in the boundaries that GOD brings to our lives, it means they will justify anything they do to reach their desired end.  Biblical values are the foundation of a true Christians life.  They require certain behaviors, attitudes, and actions.  If someone doesn't have those values, it changes the outcome of every challenge.

When I listen to liberal news reports, I try to understand what is not said.  In todays reports, all the information and comments were negative toward Trump and Republicans... all information and comments about Biden and Democrats were positive and encouraging and presented with the idea that there is no real way he can lose.  So, what does this mean for the content that is given to its listeners?  Is it TRUE?  HONEST?  Real?

When you take this thought to other news, how do any of know what to consider when we make our decisions about things that matter?

The bigger issue is that it affects all of America.

When I was thinking about TRUMP possibly losing, I wondered what our nation will look like by the time our next election gets here.  The things that matter to Biden and Harriss, and in the Democratic Party platform, will seriously hurt our nation because they are not about making us a better people or country, they are about going against the Republicans.

Abortion murders an innocent child.  Rampant murder will be promoted by our government.  The Democrats have even consider killing a child after it is born! This will take sex selection and Downs Syndrome to a whole new level.

It has always been a question to me WHY they feel this way... what is the goal for this kind of view?  The idea that there is an "elite" group of wealthy people creating the New World Order has been around for a long time.  They seem to believe their dream is the only one.  It is also assuming that everything in our world will remain the same, benefitting them and justifying whatever they do.  I think the Hitler search for a "perfect race" is part of their quest.  Hitler's search was blonde hair and blue eyes I think.  Will this view rise again?  Or is it already behind a lot of decisions.

I think also about trusting people who earnestly believe in the hype they are told.  They don't know the hidden purposes of their guiding group, they think they are supporting a worthy goal.  This is kind of like managers in a business who only say what they have to in motivating their workers to perform in a desired way.  What happens when we discover it wasn't true?  It's a hard place to be.

I do admit I will be seriously saddened if TRUMP does not win.  It will be like watching the last straw fall and "break the camel's back."  I will be watching the fall and trying to find ways to survive.  There won't be anyone to help when there is no one else to tax.

Until next time,  PRAY for our nation, PRAY for the media we depend on for our own lives and decisions and future.

In Christ,

Deborah  Martin

http://work2gather.us

and more...

POLITICS :: The Day After...

Interesting day...

I didn't get into too many of the articles and news videos, just looked to see what was happening.  The media likes to make the headlines and articles look like their man is the winner.  I hope he is not.  I'm waiting for the final tally, and the legal moves, and the system overload to pass.  

We really need to find a better way to do this.

I don't remember these problems from my younger voting days... maybe I just wasn't aware of them.  We also didn't have these huge issues dividing us like they are now.

Our enemies benefit from all this.  Remember the big statement ::  Divide and conquer...

The Bible version is ::  A house divided cannot stand.

How can we save our nation?  Keep ourselves free?  Respect the boundaries of the Constitution?  Preserve human life because it's the right thing to do?  Get the real truth so we can make up our own minds about issues?

We are seriously in trouble.

I keep asking GOD how we can change this mess and become His protected people again.  Given the warnings of PROPHECY, there may not be a way.

I thought about David and the judgment of GOD that was placed on him because of his sins with Bathsheba.  It was a forever judgment... against his family.  I think it was something like "violence would never leave his household."  After some time I thought about all the troubles that happened... rape, more murder in vengeance, betrayals... and how he cried over Absalom.  

One day it occurred to me he might have been crying because his sins took GOD's protections away from his children and future generations.  When GOD judges our sins, it is equal to them... he committed adultery and murder for his own selfish reasons, and these things were part of the future for everyone in his house. 

At that time in history, I think sins and their judgments lasted up to three generations... something like that.  I remember reading somewhere in the Bible about ten generations, but I am not sure what that was for.  You can look it up to find out.

Later on, GOD removed that "curse" from the people and made every person responsible for their own sins.

Good for us.  Fathers that committed sins could cause the death of their entire family.

We learn bad ways of behaving in our families and with our peers.  We also can choose to change.  It is hard work, but GOD helps those who really want to change.

Prophecy says we are heading toward the Antichrist... and that evil will grow... and that Christians / Jews will be persecuted and killed for their faith.  I see this future in our world today.  How to live in the middle of all this is a question I haven't been able to answer yet.

Who wins this election is going to be more important than anyone understands.  We are at a point of going toward evil completely.  The foundations of the Democratic Party have become everything GOD hates.  There won't be any way to salvage our nation from GOD's judgment.  It is a hard thing to watch happening.  If Joe Biden dies, we will end up with Kamala Harris as president, and Nancy Pelosi as the replacement VP... think about what that means to our country.

Trump is not without problems, too.  No person is "perfect."  What he does represent is a man who loves America, Freedom, and eyes that are different than other presidents in the past.  If the economy falls, he will have different solutions than the ordinary politicians. I am hoping he will find new ways to increase the income of the government without increasing taxes.  

Raising taxes is the only solution the Democrats ever have.

So, I will watch the internet versions of the "news" tomorrow and try to share more thoughts here tomorrow... GOD willing I am still here and able to do that.  :-)

PRAY for our nation, for its government, for its future, for better leaders to be found.  We are in terrible danger from so many directions, not just party politics.  I have shared some of those dangers in the past. I won't repeat them here.

In Christ,

Deborah Martin

http://work2gather.us

and more...

POLITICS :: It's ELECTION DAY !!!

I have been searching for information about the election from about 5 or more sites, including afa.net, You Tube pages, epoch times reporting, google election into, and I don't remember where else... that may be it.  It is funny to me, always, to listen to the conversations. 

• I noticed that some places made it look like Biden won by not entering Trump details.  
• I discovered Google's map and details about the different races.
• I see that Christian reporting needs some organizing and more visual aids.  :-)
• I found a new source in the Epoch Times coverage, which was the one I most enjoyed for this year, but had its moments of bias.

It seems like everyone expects more trouble and no definite victor tonight.

From what I can tell so far, the Republicans seem to be winning the Senate and the House. Of course, that's just based on what I have seen in different spaces.  Each site shares information in different ways.

The thought of Nancy Pelosi taking over the VP position made me extremely aware of how important winning the House is.  

The Supreme Court dramas made me extremely aware of how important winning the Senate is.  

I vaguely recall the Republicans having control of things recently... and I waited to see them accomplish anything substantial.  I didn't see anything I would call momentous.  And I wondered why.

If they get control this time, I hope they do SOMETHING valuable for our nation.

I guess I will be heading off to bed after checking my coverage sites one more time.  I hope I wake to find TRUMP the winner, or likely winner, of the Presidency.

In Christ,

Deborah Martin

http://work2gather.us

and more...

May GOD preserve our nation for His glory and our faith...

POLITICS :: What I discovered yesterday...

I opened up the email from EPOCH TIMES yesterday and looked to see what it had to share.  I think it may have been the title reference :: HOW THE SPECTER OF COMMUNISM IS RULING OUR WORLD.  What really struck me was the summary they offered :: 

"The devil chose Marx as its envoy among men. His Communist Manifesto of 1848 advocated the violent destruction of private enterprise, social classes, nations, religions, and the family."

That was a frightening statement to me.  I never studied Marx but knew he had something to do with coercive governments... and that some people in our age lift him up as their hero.  The idea that government needs to overcome all these very good entities in any society (except maybe social class distinctions) by any means necessary is quite hard to comprehend in my perspective in 2020.

How do people survive that kind of leadership?  I have no idea, and I don't want to find out in America!!

Our "elite" culture leaders use the John Lennon song "Imagine" as their Communist Manifesto.  I have said this before, but will say it again here, the idea sounds good but the reality is not.

As a Christian, one of the biggest issues attached to the Christian Community is that "we" don't live what we preach.  In reality, the application of GOD's Word by human beings is the reason this issue exists.  In Truth, the Body of Christ, the Christian Community, is filled with individual people who are at different levels of Faith.  Some have just been saved, some are learning what it means to be a Christian, some have lived for years as a devoted Christian always learning and changing, and some have been the same baby Christian their entire life.

The Bible teaches its believers to care for one another, to love the poor and the lost. It teaches that believers are to give ten percent of their profits to the church for its needs.  This giving is blessed by GOD.  The key to godly giving is that it is done voluntarily.  GOD blesses giving that is shared with a trusting Faith.  Other kinds of giving are not blessed.

The same is true with Communism, or the idea that the government will share the resources of the many to serve the needs of all.  The concept is similar to the BIBLE teachings about caring for one another, but in Communism the choice is forced, not voluntary.

In Communism, people look to the government as their provider.  

In Christianity, people look to GOD as their provider, protector, 

Healthcare is one example of how this plays out in our world.  The idea of some is to have the government the sole provider of care.  Mandates are now the rule of the land.  Once the government is the only provider, it will have the power to decide what gets provided, who gets care, and when your life is not worthy of sustaining.  

When healthcare is private, it may not be accessible by all citizens, but the choices are meant to be between the patient and the doctor, not the government.  

Healthcare is expensive. You cannot receive a million dollars of care in exchange for $6000 of premiums.  No matter who provides the payments, government or insurance providers or private income resources, the same principle applies.  There are limits on what can be provided if someone else is paying the bills.

It doesn't matter what candidates promise, the reality is still in effect.

It is hard for me to see the loss of Freedoms we are now encountering... one by one, in all aspects of our lives.

I hope this will not continue, and pray that GOD will allow me to fight the battle against this subtle, covert, relentless effort to destroy what made America a great nation in our world.

I hope you will fight this battle, too.

In Christ,

Deborah Martin

work2gather.us

and more...

POLITICS :: It's getting to be a lot like an election...

This is a year like no other in the history of the world.

We are seeing the effects of privately-owned sites on our ability to share conversations and information on the Internet. The ideology wars are showing us what the future will become.  

Where is the meaning of "Freedom" now?

How do we apply our FREEDOM to a global Internet?

I'm not sure any of us know.

What laws will govern the Internet?  Crimes seem to force us to make new laws.  The Internet will force us to make new laws governing what is acceptable and what is not.  Until that happens, we are left with all this confusion and chaos.

Personally, I really don't know what is happening in the rest of the world.  My only information source is usually the Yahoo feed after I check my email. I try to find internet options sometimes, but they are becoming hard to find for current access.  YouTube seems to offer options with the major news channels, but they are replays and not always something I remember to look for.

This is how we live.  Everyone is so busy with their own survival, all those "other" details get lost.  We suffer for it in the long run, but I haven't figured out how one person can keep up with EVERYTHING happening in the world, in our country, in our states, in my neighborhood.

The Bible tells us that the love of many will grow cold in the End Times... I think information overload is going to cause it.  It is the human brain's safety valve... it goes into a numb state and feelings get put into a kind of dormant state.

What can we do?

I am not sure.

I am sometimes happier and more productive not knowing what is happening to all the stars that seem to be the Yahoo feed when I access it by an automatic link after checking my emails.  Once in awhile I remember the list at the top of the page and try another category.  It isn't much different.

I keep realizing there won't be a choice soon.  The information ordinary people depend on is already filtered for "appropriate" content by the owners of the major media sources.  This is really the basis of "propaganda" in any war... we only are allowed to think the "approved" thoughts of the powers that be.  Freedom is quickly disappearing.

Today is the day to watch the American Family documentary, IN HIS IMAGE, for free.  ( https://inhisimage.movie/ ) 

I did that already, and posted my responses at Twitter and Facebook (Main page and my WT page).  It is a very hard topic to watch.  There are things in this documentary I had no idea were happening -- because of my lack of news access most of the time.  It is so difficult to see.

One thing that is obvious is the promotion of faith deceptions.  These are concepts that the opposition to all things GOD want you to believe.  The Enemy of our souls uses these ideas to try to discount GOD, to say they are included in all the Bible claims, and if they say it often enough, loud enough, clearly and as if it is true, then it will be true.

These are statements about being a "gay Christian," that there were gay lovers in the Bible - in the disciples, and close to Christ (maybe even Christ - I remember statements long ago about "the disciple that Jesus loved"), that GOD loves us just the way we are - including our sins - so there is no need to change, that we are born with a "gay gene" so it's out of our power to choose, and more.  I can't remember them all.  Well, one that is really strange is a person (male or female?) declaring that the story about Sodom is a good gay story.  Oh, yes, there was mention that the gay community has created their own version of the Bible. I think it was called the "Queen James Bible."  

I don't recall Christians doing these things to gay populations.  Is this their version of respect?

One thing they have against us is the church that use to protest the gay community with signs saying GOD HATES FAGS... this isn't true, but that is what they did.  Really, GOD hates sin... any kind of sin... gay relationships, adulterous relationships, fornication (sex outside of marriage), bestiality, sexual abuse, rape, pornography, and whatever other kind of sexual relationship you can think of that is outside the lifetime bond of marriage between one real man and one real woman.

Why you can't be a "gay Christian" -- because when you are truly saved, when you really believe that Jesus Christ sacrificed His Life for your sin offering, then you turn away from your sins... and the obvious ones go first.

This is the issue of our times because it is part of the End Time prophecies. It means we are nearing the end of our existence as a world.  It is often the LAST step before GOD destroys those who will not turn away from it... like Sodom.  I think it is a great sorrow to GOD to finally have to judge our sins... and that is why He takes so long to do it.

For us, this is a political battle.  I don't know what it means to live through a time like this.  I grew up in the area around Hollywood.  It has taken almost 70 years to reach this point.

Knowing what the Bible says about the end of our world, finding a way to get through it is every Christian's quest.  Like Noah and his family, I think we need to separate ourselves and try to build our own communities where we can care for each other. That is a hard goal in our day, too.  We are increasingly watched by so many sources... in our daily lives and as we do business via the Internet.  How separate can we become anymore?  That's a big question.

I guess that is enough sharing of my thoughts for today.  I hope your lives are good, that you are able to be free, and you are not suffering.

In Christ,

Deborah Martin

work2gather.us

and more...

POLITICS :: Our country sure needs help !! See if these election tips will help!

It's hard not to want to post here in this election year.

I was going through some of my "piles" of papers and rediscovered an old PETA envelope I have had for years... it is titled, "How to Write a Lifesaving Letter to the Editor."  It doesn't have a clear date when it was created, but there is an 09 in the coding, so that might be the year.  It offers six steps for writing to your favorite media.  I will try to share the main steps and a few of their notes that would apply to this or any year.

1 - KEEP  IT  SHORT.

Sometimes, one short, pithy paragraph is enough.  Try to stay under 300 words (about one typed page).  Focus on a specific topic.

2 - TYPE YOUR LETTER IF POSSIBLE.

Otherwise, print legibly.  Be sure to use correct grammar and spelling.

3 - GIVE AN "EXPERT" OPINION.

Mention anything that makes you especially qualified to write on the topic.

4 - BE POLITE.

Avoid name-calling and personal attacks.  Stick to the facts.

5 - ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVE.

Don't give lip service to....  Instead, focus on sharing important information and facts.

6 - BE INCLUSIVE.

Help your audience identify with your message by assuming that they agree with you....

I was so impressed with it that I kept it and shared it back then... somewhere.  I don't remember where, but I thought it was a great reminder and guide to writing letters to an editor.  I wrote a letter to an editor once, in a small Midwest town, very long ago, but it was meant to be a letter to the editor as a person, not for publication.  They published it anyway.  So, make sure that doesn't happen to you.

I don't like the mistreatment of animals, but I am not fond of PETA's tactics.  I don't follow them much anymore.  You can decide for yourself.   People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

The AFA Journal had some political helps back in May 2017 that I also found in that batch of papers.  I assume most of this is still current, but you may have to check... especially the phone numbers and links I will share from that resource.

FYI for your personal use ::

The White House

Washington  DC  20500

Comment line :: 202-456-1111

whitehouse.gov/contact/submit-questions-and-comments

U.S. Senate

The Honorable ___________________ (enter your Senator's name)

Washington  DC  20510

U.S. House of Representatives

The Honorable ___________________ (enter your Representative's name)

Washington  DC  20515

Washington Switchboard  ::  1-877-762-8762

I have tried to contact legislators outside of my area about topics that were important to me  (through online paths), but they don't go through.  Letters would be the only way to send your thoughts to someone involved in making decisions beyond your voting district.  This also included committees and other groupings.  

I would like to see online options for comments, maybe limited in number of characters or words, with some kind of designation about whether they are registered, and maybe what state, or other check-off details that would say whether they were directly voting on that topic or just want to make a comment.

In my state, and probably every state, a printed book is made for each election.  To enter your comments in that statewide delivery system, you had to pay $500 a page when I last checked on it - a very long time ago.  It probably costs a lot more now.  To make the online version more worthwhile to the government, it could charge $5 a comment.  

With the printed version you have to submit your comments so far ahead that no ordinary person has the time or money or inclination to get involved... so, that means all those opinions are really from PAC's and other political activists.  Ordinary people don't have a say in the issues that matter to them.  An online version can be available to everyone all the way up to a cut-off date near the actual election.  

When I was younger, there was a media boundary line for reporting on the results of elections because of our time zones.  People might still be voting somewhere else even if your time zone has stopped.  This limitation doesn't exist anymore.  Why it mattered is some people didn't get to the polls until late in the day.  

Media influences votes when they "declare the winner" before the polls have closed.  People who haven't decided who they want to vote for, those without enough information to make their decision, and those who just want to be part of the "winning team" will vote for whoever the media says is winning.

I'm not sure what the rules are now, but these were the rules when I was younger, and going to the polls to vote made it a really great part of being an American.

With mail-in ballots instead of going-to-the-polls voting, the tallying window is really long.  It is one reason the process is tainted when big topics are at stake.  There is always a place for corruption in anything, including voting.  If we remember our history right, it's been going on for a lot of years already.  I assume it is just getting more sophisticated with technology.

Now we have the whole world watching the voting process.

I don't know if there will ever be a good solution to our problems with the voting process, but I also know that being able to vote is important.  It is really our only moment to share our view of a problem, or who we want in leadership.  

Life is so hard these days, we are all so busy, and no one can keep up with all the problems we have or the people who want to be our leaders.  I think my online access would be better for all those empty spots in the printed election guides.  A lot more information can be provided for each issue and each candidate.

I tend to use those printed guides, and others, as a way to decide who and what I will vote for.  The information they provide is important... and I love to read other opinions as part of my decision-making process...even when I know they are biased.  Everyone points out their own issues and arguments, and somewhere in all those words are the key points that need to be noticed.

Ihope you will find your way to share your opinion with others, through the Letters to the Editor or through contacting legislators.

In Christ,

Deborah Martin

work2gather.us

and more...