Saturday, October 25, 2008

Sign the petition against revisionist history!

I received the following note in an email from Heather Osborne, the leader of the Marion County [Florida] Teenage Republicans. This is an easy (and great!) issue to take action on, so please do so!

Dear friend,

A group of young Americans here in Marion County are concerned about the opening of the new Visitor Center in Washington D.C. scheduled to open in December and have begun to collect signatures for a petition to Congress. Designers of this $621 million "Shrine to Political Correctness" have deliberately omitted historical and/or religious aspects and facts about America's heritage. By this bold yet somewhat subtle action, certain Congress members are attacking not only historical truth and accuracy but also are attempting to stifle public religious influence.

Fortunately, we live in a country where "We the People" have a voice. If you are 18 years or older, please click here to find out more information concerning this issue and to sign the Visitor Center Petition; and, regardless of your age, please ask your family and friends to sign the petition also. This issue does affect our future. Thank you in advance for your support!

Best Regards,
Heather Osborne

Bob Conley on the Federal Bailout

www.bobconleyforsenate.com

My fellow patriot,

Everywhere I go on the campaign trail, people continue to ask me about my position on the Wall Street bailouts. This indicates a high level of frustration with our elected representatives in Washington, including my opponent Lindsey Graham (R), who voted to transfer over $700 Billion hard-earned tax dollars from the Middle Class to the nation’s top-tier financial power brokers.

I have said repeatedly that I would not have voted for any of the bailouts. Such plans amount to corporate welfare and go far beyond what is permitted by the U.S. Constitution and the intent of the Framers.

For every bailout, the wallets of American workers are picked three times: their tax dollars, higher inflation, and a devalued dollar. Meanwhile, they struggle with higher energy, food and healthcare costs while trying to cope with stagnant wages, job losses, and mounting personal debt.

I do not believe these bailouts were necessary to rescue the national economy or rebuild confidence in our financial system, as Lindsey Graham claims. Wall Street firms and banks were already taking corrective measures of their own by selling off their assets, scaling down operations, moving out of risky lines of business, and merging with each other — doing what troubled companies have always done when faced with a crisis.

Federal government interference with these self-correction mechanisms amounts to the socialization of Wall Street losses, while profits remain in private hands. This accelerates the dangerous trend whereby the rich get richer and too big to fail, while the rest of us get poorer and are forced to fail.

Far from restoring confidence in our institutions, every bailout diminishes confidence and makes recovery take much longer. American workers live by the rules, and they expect Wall Street and Washington to do the same. When they see their own government transfer their tax dollars to reward those who have broken the rules, not only is confidence shattered, but trust for their elected representatives is irretrievably lost.

South Carolinians and voters across the nation will have the opportunity to take corrective measures of their own on November 4. Changing the corrupt environment in Washington requires new leadership that understands the proper role of government, respects the Constitution, and allows the free market to determine true value.


Sincerely,

Bob Conley

p.s. -- My campaign is making progress with only a handful of volunteers. But taking down one of the nation’s leading liberty-robbing neocons, who has a warchest of $3.8 Million to spend against me, is a formidable undertaking. This is not a lost cause. I am just 9 points behind in the polls. Please consider making a donation to our effort. Together, we can have the voice of Ron Paul in the U.S. Senate!

Feel free to contact my campaign office: call toll free at 877-479-1466 or send an email to office@bobconleyforsenate.com. We need need your support.

Thursday, October 09, 2008

Jerome Corsi Arrested Investigating Obama

(from World Net Daily)
The government of Kenya is holding WND senior staff reporter Jerome Corsi in custody after police picked him up at his hotel just prior to a scheduled news conference in which he planned to announce the findings of his investigation into Barack Obama.

Read Full Story: http://www.freedomsphoenix.com/Find-Freedom.htm?At=039306

YCLA Update

Pressing needs right now:

1. We need at least four more Answers Magazine subscriptions (so we can finish the current list of 10). Please subscribe today! Email me at rjmpilgrim@aol.com for more info.

2. We need a good subtitle for our YCLA site heading. The two best I could come up with are: "Serving and Inspiring Activist Youth for Principle" and "Creating and Mobilizing a Team of Biblicist Young People." Please let me know what ideas you have.

3. I have thought about it and have decided it would probably be best to have the advancement system in the Handbook be a part of a new program under the YCLA which could be called "BEAMS." It tenatively stands for "Becoming Energetic And Mobilized Servants." I'd like to have something in there which connotes principle, though (so comments are welcome)! It would also be great to have money to purchase new cards and literature, etc. for the purpose of the new operation.

Good opportunities coming up:

1. My siblings and I are going to be able to attend Kingsway Christian School here in Ohio. There is a good attitude of focus and excellence there and there should be some receptiveness to the YCLA idea. :-)

As well as a lot more! Please keep praying for us. Thanks!


-R. Josiah Magnuson
http://www.youngchristianleaders.org/

Monday, September 29, 2008

Ron Paul Endorses Chuck Baldwin (Finally)

Mostly due to increasing pressure for an endorsement from the Libertarian campaign of Bob Barr, Ron Paul has now officially endorsed Constitution Party candidate Chuck Baldwin for President! Please read more on his Campaign For Liberty site blog article.

Thanks!

From Josiah

Two Congressional Victories!

Wow! We recently had a couple of wonderful events in Congress.

First, Americans will now be allowed to get oil from the oceans off our own country. Nancy Pelosi's efforts to supposedly "save the planet" have evidently been defeated. :-p The ban on offshore drilling was not renewed, and will expire October 1st (this coming Wednesday). Sen. Jim DeMint described it as an "energy freedom day for America."

Also, perhaps even better, the socialistic plan to "bail out" the American economy for $700 billion dollars was unexpectedly defeated today in the House!!!! In reality, the goal of this bill had been to buy out the banks and mortgage institutions, giving control over all commerce to the Federal government. The vote was 205 for, 228 against. The plan had been supported by President Bush and both major party presidential candidates.

However, the vote immediately caused the stock market to plunge toward a large crisis, so we might be seeing interesting days ahead for the economy. If I had any advice it would be for everyone to get their assets into precious metals and/or other tangible investments they can trade or use to provide things for themselves they can trade with. In other words, cash and other "funds" are not going to be dependable much longer. There have been people saying similar things for a long time, but it is different when it is actually occuring right before our very eyes!

The best thing about the economic problems is that people will begin needing to look to Something Greater than their pocketbooks to provide for them. And in America, it would truly be a great benefit for us to do so.


-R. Josiah Magnuson

Baldwin not being represented in "voter guides"

The following is an abridged email from the official Chuck Baldwin campaign.

Across the country there are voter's guides being published by various organizations. Far too often these guides are incomplete and inaccurate. One example is the American Family Association's 'Voter's Guide' . Another example of bias is OpenSecrets.org where a variety of candidates are listed, but not Chuck! We need your help to reach these groups to show them that everyday people are interested in all of the candidates, and in true information about them, not merely canned campaign rhetoric.

Please take a few moments to contact them letting them know they have 1) misrepresented John McCain's voting record on the issues and 2) ignored the only truly pro-life, pro-secure borders, pro-second amendment candidate: Constitution Party presidential candidate Chuck Baldwin!

You may want to add an email like the one below and send it to their contact form.


Dear Mr. Wildmon and the AFA,

I'm wondering how you concluded that John McCain is a pro-life, pro-2nd amendment , immigration- reform candidate?

Does it matter to the AFA that McCain supports federal funding of embryonic stem-cell research?(http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/95212.php) (http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/c2008/cbarchive_20080822.html)

Regarding illegal immigration, McCain worked with Sen. Ted Kennedy to craft a pro-amnesty bill. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comprehensive_Immigration_Reform_Act_of_2007) (http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/c2008/cbarchive_20080805.html)

McCain has been rated "abysmal" on the illegal immigration issue by pro-secure borders group NumbersUSA. (http://www.numbersusa.com/)

McCain worked hard at the state and federal levels to clamp down on private ownership of firearms. In fact, he received a rating of F- from Gun Owners of America ( http://gunowners.org/mccaintb.htm).

Are you doing any research on these issues or is it simply a matter of knighting him the Christian, conservative's choice because he's a "Republican"? I see no mention of the FEC-registered candidate for president who is 100% pro-life, pro-2nd amendment and anti- amnesty : Constitution Party presidential candidate Chuck Baldwin. (http://www.baldwin08.com/)

Christians are being deceived by your blackout on a viable candidate for president. To make matters worse, you're asking them to send you money to help you deceive them. Please explain this issue.

That is a sample email that you could send to the AFA. Please also contact OpenSecrets at info@crp.org. We know that there are many more online guides, and promotional websites that have incomplete lists of the candidates this year. Let us know where these are as you see them! Email the campaign anytime at contact@baldwin2008.com .

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

New Handbook Complete!

The new YCLA handbook is now officially complete. Please check it out. Also, take a look at the abridged version (19 pages), which is of course much more practical for printing out from online than the unabridged one (71 pages)! :-)

-From Josiah

Mike Peroutka has new radio show

Just a short note, please, to let you know that we are doing a daily, live, call-in radio show on station WTHU in Thurmont, Md., a Christian station. The time every day is 11 a.m. to Noon (EST). The call-in phone number is 301-271-2188. The Web site address is: http://wthu.org/. To hear our program, just go to the site and click on the words "Listen Now" in the upper-right-hand part of the Web site page.

John Lofton, Editor of TheAmericanView.com Web site, is my co-host. And we will frequently be joined by Pastor David Whitney of the Cornerstone Evangelical Evangelical Free Church in Pasadena,=2 0Maryland. David is also the Senior Instructor at "Institute On The Constitution" at IOTConline.com.

So, please, do call-in. We'd like to hear from you. And send this notice to your email friends. Also, please: Pray that this program will honor God's Word and the Lord Jesus Christ. Thanks. And may God bless us all -- as He does when we obey Him.


For God, Family and the Republic,
Michael A. Peroutka
Publisher, TheAmericanView.com

We're Moving

My family is moving to Ohio as of this next week. I might not be able to post very much here in the next few months, but I'll try to. Please keep praying for us! :-)

-Jos

Sarah Palin and "Feminists for Life"

The following article was published in August, but it is excellent and very much still-applicable. And, I had to post it since it is by Doug Phillips (most of us, if we posted something like it, would be in hot water!). -From Josiah :-)


By Doug Phillips / The Vision Forum
www.visionforum.com/hottopics/blogs/dwp/2008/08/4273.aspx
[highlighting emphasis added]


He is elderly ; she is young. He has a poor record on abortion; she is pro-life. He is a man; she is a woman. And by picking 44-year old mother and pro-life feminist Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his vice presidential running mate, John McCain has made a politically strategic choice aimed at softening conservatives and evangelicals.

Mrs. Palin, a long-time member of “Feminists for Life,” is the mother of five children ages 7, 13, 17, and 19, and a four-month old Down’s syndrome baby born on April 17 of this year. She returned to the office of governor three days after giving birth to her child.

Despite the misleading statements on the right-to-life issue made at the Saddleback Church by candidate McCain, the Senator has a longstanding pro-abortion track record on matters of judicial appointments, stem cell research, funding for Planned Parenthood, and more. By selecting Palin, McCain hopes to soften his bad record on life and appeal to conservatives. By selecting a woman, he hopes to present Republicans as the party of inclusion and change. What does the Bible say about this issue? Bill Einwechter offers some important thoughts.

The selection of a feminist, pro-life mother of five with four children, seventeen and under, including a newborn Down’s syndrome baby, to fulfill the post of vice president is with out precedent in American history. What Democratic vice presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro was unable to accomplish for the feminist cause in 1984 may now be handed as a fait accompli to America through the hands of evangelicals and conservatives. After decades of Christian leaders fighting against the feminstic vision of the working supermom, Republicans are now showcasing the vision in the most high profile election in the world.

At this point, Americans must consider the real possibility that the United States may have a mother of young children serving ultimately as commander-in-chief of the military and chief executive over one of the most influential nations in the world. Today, our friend Janice Crouse of Concerned Women for America offered a press release in which she declared: “Here is a woman of accomplishment who brings a fresh face to traditional values and models the type of woman most girls want to become.”

I respectfully disagree with part of that statement. I am confident that Mrs. Palin is a delightful, sincere, thoughtful, and capable woman with many commendable virtues. But in fairness, there is nothing “traditional” about mothers of young children becoming career moms, chief magistrates, and leading nations of three hundred million, nor is this pattern the biblical ideal to which young women should aspire. At a time when motherhood and marriage is so under attack, the mess age Republicans are sending is this: Winning political elections is more important than the following proposition given by the Lord: “That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, [To be] discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed” (Titus 2:4-5).

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Happy Constitution Day!

Hi! Today is the 221st anniversary of the signing of the great United States Constitution. Hurray! :-) I was blessed to be able to get on WORD (the local talk show station) this morning to mention the Liberty In Law message and quote Thomas Jefferson for the occasion.

I updated the www.LibertyInLaw.com site a good bit here this evening, as well as the YoungChristianLeaders.org site. The LIL site I think is now ready to be fully promoted. Praise the LORD!

I got several good emails today, including one from Ohio and one from Texas, of people who are interested in helping with possible new YCLA chapters in those states. Those are good states to do it in, too, because we already have other contacts in them who would probably want to join. Please pray for these opportunities to work out.

Also, I finished up the first complete draft of the Handbook the other day. It is 71 pages long, and would probably have to be published as a book rather than being printed out from online by those using it (which was our intention), so I created a simpler abridged version of only 19 pages, with just the basics. It should work for this purpose well.

That's all for now, folks!


-R. Josiah Magnuson

Monday, September 08, 2008

New YCLA Handbook (Beta)

The new YCLA handbook is now online for feedback. Please check it out and let me know what you think! Email ycla@youngchristianleaders.org. Thanks! -Jos

Baldwin-Castle Campaign Revs Up

Chuck Baldwin's site has just been re-done - I think it's pretty good (but still needs some work of course), with great new pictures too! Check it out at http://www.baldwin08.com/.

The JBS Presidential poll currently shows Baldwin leading. There are also other signs that freedom-oriented people are beginning to lean away from Bob Barr and towards Chuck Baldwin. I hope that it this trend continues, because it represents the success of the message of Liberty In Law.

The following is an excerpt from a recent email from the Baldwin campaign:

The campaign is starting to focus on people who are sympathetic to our message. These groups include but are not limited to truckers, homeschoolers, gun owners, students, and veterans. We are currently setting up teams for each type of group. So if you are interested in volunteering your time to one of these groups, please contact us specifically by emailing contact@baldwin2008.com , providing your name, a main phone number, state, and group you want to work with! It would also be useful if you have a skill or resource you can let us know about! We'll get back to your emails with details! If you can't email, please call our campaign number at 1-866-99-BALDWIN, and leave a message on box 6, the special information section.


From Josiah :-)

P.S. Please take time if you can to read Chuck Baldwin's take on McCain's VP choice Sarah Palin at this site. I thought about doing my own post on this subject, but Baldwin says it much better than I could!

Ron Paul's report on the Rally For the Republic

Dear friends,

What a thrilling week we've just had - three days of wonderful events, culminating in the great Rally for the Republic on September 2, which C-SPAN2 covered in its entirety. Americans got to hear more truth in our one day in Minneapolis than in decades' worth of standard political conventions.

I hope you were as impressed with the speakers and the performances as I was. The day reaffirmed for me that the movement on behalf of our philosophy is blessed with brains, talent, and nerve.

If you missed it, we'll be making the whole thing available soon. In the meantime, you can watch whatever speakers you'd like to see right here.

Now it's time to turn to the hard work of the Campaign for Liberty. We have our work cut out for us. Our economic woes are being foolishly blamed on the free market. The federal government is taking over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, as those of us with any sense feared it would. We face the looming prospect of still more wars: with Iran, Russia, and now Pakistan.We need to inject some sanity into these debates.

Right now, though, I wish simply to thank you for all your sacrifices and hard work. Just when I think I cannot be any more amazed by your commitment to our ideas, you go and surprise me again. I deeply appreciate your devotion to our cause.

Remember one of the most important things our presidential campaign proved: there are millions of us out there. If 1.2 million Americans voted for our ideas in a Republican primary, think of how many more there must be.

We are not alone. We know that now. And when it comes to energy, creativity, and enthusiasm, our side wins hands down. I know these will be our secret weapons as we keep up the fight in these dark times to restore our republic, and to see peace and prosperity transformed from a campaign slogan into a way of life.

Please, recruit one more person to the Campaign for Liberty today.


With my deepest gratitude,

Thursday, September 04, 2008

Trip Pics






These pictures are obviously out of order; however, I will update them as soon as I can, hopefully with captions! -Jos :-)



















YCLA Creation Trip Report

Hello friends!

Our group had an awesome time on the Creation Museum adventure this past weekend. There were 21 people who came along, plus one boy who we met at the campground where we stayed.

The ride up took about seven hours, including stops (approx. 9:45 AM to 4:45 PM). The final hour was tense as we drew closer to our destination, and at the same time, to a huge gray cloud system! As we neared the campground, rain was increasingly falling and everyone was dismayed to realize we would have to set up our tents in a watery deluge. However, we prayed and miraculously, as we began to unload, the rain completely stopped.

For supper, we had a luscious meal of hamburgers and hot dogs grilled over the campfire by our pastor, John Griffith. Pastor Griffith is also a former Scoutmaster and a creation geologist, and we are happy to say his cooking "rocks!" (NOT as in "tastes like rocks") :-D

We had a fairly uneventful but relaxing evening. Several of us went for walks around the campground and on the couple of verdant trails. We also had a lot of fun at the small park and playground. At the playground, we met Bobby (an unsaved public school kid), the boy who we were able to bring along to the Museum the next day.

Saturday, I woke up early due to a watch alarm from another tent, which went off at 5:30 in the morning! Pastor Griffith and several others headed off to Wal-Mart at about 6:30, and I whistled Reveille for everyone who was not up yet at 7:00. Breakfast was excellent, with bacon, eggs, grits, and fruit. We got ready to go around 9:15, and left just past 9:30.

We were greeted at the Creation Museum by the helpful and friendly Answers in Genesis staff. While I worked on the admission fees and group paperwork, they handed out schedules for the day and explained information about the museum.

Our trek through the exhibits went well, although we were divided up somewhat when we came out, which was expected. Most people said their favorite part of the museum was the "Men in White" special effects program. This show features two "angels" who depict for the viewer the absurdity of Evolution, as well as providing an overview of the Creationist view of science. Many of our group also said they liked the petting zoo, the Noah's Ark exhibits, and the Planetarium. My favorite part was probably the lecture by Dr. Terry Mortenson on the relevance of Genesis to Christian doctrine and morality.

I was able to give out at least a dozen YCLA business cards to respectable-looking young people at the museum. I even talked to two kids who were volunteering their work there that day (Joshua, a boy of maybe 12 and his sister Kaitlyn?, a girl of maybe 10). They seemed awed by the YCLA concept of bringing together and mobilizing like-minded young people for causes such as that of Creationism. I tried to really thank these kids for what they were doing, and let them know I was very encouraged to see them there!

Back at the campground, we enjoyed the swimming pool with Bobby and several other children from the campground. The water was not bad at all. :-)

We ate burritos for supper. Afterwards, a few of us got together and prayed for Bobby and his family. However, this particular evening was slightly more energetic than the last one; there was a lot of running around and confusion, and even in the middle of the night, a large shout was suddenly heard from inside a tent right next to mine. I got up and investigated, but to this moment, I am not quite sure what caused it.... Oh well. :-D

We left the next morning at 8:30 AM, and arrived back at the church in good time to get freshened up for the Sunday evening service.

We praise God for the wonderful time we had on this trip. Please pray with us for continuing results and impact from it in the lives of those who went, as well as for the salvation of Bobby and those like him. Also, pray that God will direct us as we look towards a similar (2nd annual!) trip to the Museum next year.


-R. Josiah Magnuson
www.YoungChristianLeaders.org



Note: If you would like to still donate to cover some of the expenses of the trip, please send checks to:

Young Christian Leader's Alliance
c/o Faith Independent Baptist Church
4905 Geer Hwy.
Cleveland, SC 29635

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Constitution Party Presidential Choice in Greenville

I'm heading out right now to go to the Chuck Baldwin Rally at Greenville Tech, in the J. Verne Smith Auditorium. It begins at 7 PM! -Jos

YCLA Update

Sunday afternoon we finalized the plans for the Creation Museum trip. We decided to provide most of the meals as a group, but to ask for a donation of $5-10 per person to help defer the cost. We also reviewed the membership application questionnaire I drafted, and the proposed membership certificate.

The YCLA, in addition to the food cost, will be paying for the van rental, the fuel, and the lodging at the campground. As of right now, we only need about $60 more in donations to cover these items. Praise God!

Please keep praying for the trip to be a success, both in organization and effect!

In other news, I decided to start sending out brief weekly emails for the YCLA. The emails will include a quote from a Founding Father or other important historical figure, as well as a short paragraphed KJV Scripture passage. Email ycla@youngchristianleaders.org if you want to sign up.

Finally, the new Handbook is almost ready! It includes a rank system based on the wavelengths of the Electromagnetic Spectrum, starting at "Microwave" and finishing at "Cosmic Ray."


From Josiah :-)

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Update!! on YCLA Museum Trip

The Creation Museum trip is now postponed to the weekend of August 29-31. There were a bunch of conflicts in people's schedules for this week and the next, which made it necessary to change the time. That weekend is now the FINAL date. We will not be postponing it again.

All other details are still in place, except that the cost of food is going to be lower than we anticipated (which is good!). We are now thinking meals will be around an average of $4 per meal per person.

Those actually planning to come number at least 20, and adding a bunch more who may come brings it to around 30 as of right now. We will probably end up needing one more van, so if you are in the area (Upstate SC and Western NC) and would like to lend us one, we would definitely appreciate it. Let me know at rjmpilgrim@aol.com or (864) 420-7933.

Note that you can go to www.YoungChristianLeaders.org/creationmuseum.aspx for the latest info on the trip.

Please also make sure and tell us whether or not you will be coming, if you have expressed interest. You must contact us by Monday, August 25, 2008 if you are planning to participate, but of course the sooner you do, the better. Thanks!


:-) From Josiah

P.S. A great new opportunity we look to have this school year is starting "Answers Clubs" to oppose Evolution in public schools. Please pray for this new outreach!

Is World War III Beginning?

The Russian invasion of Georgia is not just an isolated incident. Russia declared it was acting to "protect" a particular pipeline, which ships oil to Israel. Without the oil from the pipeline, Iran will be the only major oil producer in Central Asia, and Israel will no longer have an overland source of oil.

The United States, the European Union, and Israel are preparing for war against Russia and Iran. One of the largest naval fleets in history, containing both U.S. and E.U. ships, is right now heading towards the Persian Gulf, and Israel has just completed a massive defense operation for a simulated Iranian invasion.

It would be unlikely for full-scale fighting to begin during the Olympics. But if the rhetoric and war planning continue to escalate over the next few weeks, and especially if there is some big disaster, I would not be surprised if our government decides to go ahead and attack Iran. In that case, China will not be on our side either - in fact, they could themselves invade Taiwan, which they have been wanting to do for some time. A Taiwan invasion would quite possibly create a second (or third) theater of war, spreading the U.S. military thinner than ever.

I hope the "free" governments of the world will think twice about trying to defeat Iran in battle, because it would be a fight they could not win. On the other hand, it would mean Christ's return is very near. (Think: Zechariah 12)


-R. Josiah Magnuson

Friday, August 08, 2008

Olympics 2008 Begin... in China

Well, the Olympics have started. And persecution is at a high in China, due to the threat of "terrorism." We need to pray for the Chinese believers especially right now, and for everyone who will be trying to get out the Good News at this time, even
though the government certainly does not want them to.

If you'd like, please also go here to get a "Pray for China" wristband from VOM.




:-) From Josiah

Gold and silver and gas down for once

It's interesting, silver is at $15.36 per ounce right now (and going down), and gold is at $854.30. Gas correlates with them, down to around about $3.49 per gallon or so for an average in our area. Meaning, that inflation must be down slightly. But I doubt it will be for long. Now is a good time to invest. :-)

-Josiah

Museum Trip Details

The much-anticipated “August Answers Adventure” to the Creation Museum is almost here! For those of you who wanted more info on the trip, here are the current details:
  1. Date: August 15-17, 2008
  2. Schedule:
    a. Friday, Aug. 15 – Leave from northern Greenville (location TBA) around 8 or 9 AM, travel until 5 or 6 PM, set up tents and have supper
    b. Saturday, Aug. 16 – Begin Creation Museum tour at 10:30 AM, lunch at Noah’s Ark Café or picnic outside, special events in afternoon
    c. Sunday, Aug. 17 – Travel back
  3. Lodging: Oak Creek Campground / bring tents and sleeping bags, cost will be provided; or, cabins are available (payment required).
  4. Transportation will be provided.
  5. Food: Families in charge; bring bag lunch for Friday noon, minimal snacks if desired for trip. Around $6 per person per meal is a good average.
  6. Admission: Individual payment is encouraged, but will be provided if necessary; we recommend bringing $30-40 to get full benefit of museum plus souvenirs, books, etc. Cost at departure (the YCLA must pay it at the Museum in one transaction for the group rate) is $18.00 per adult, $13.50 per senior and $9.00 per child (five to 12 years old). Children five and under are free.
  7. Rules: By coming along with us, you agree to follow directions of the adults, be kind and respectful to those around you, and not be rowdy when you are supposed to be quiet. Otherwise, just be alert to the learning experiences, and have fun!!!

Any more details will be posted when I have them, or you can contact me at rjmpilgrim@aol.com or (864) 420-7933. Important: You must RSVP if you plan to come, if you have not yet. Look forward to seeing you along!


Your friend,

R. Josiah Magnuson
www.YoungChristianLeaders.org

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Baldwin Says, Save the Republic

Yesterday, the Politico quoted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as saying, "I'm trying to save the planet; I'm trying to save the planet." She was responding, of course, to pressure that she and her fellow Democrats are experiencing to suspend a congressional ban on offshore oil drilling in the face of skyrocketing energy prices. It would be really wonderful, however, if the liberal congresswoman could get as energized about saving our once great republic.

Read more here (from Constitution Party Presidential nominee Chuck Baldwin)

Obama lauds EU and globalism to Germans

(Text abridged; from http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/07/24/raw-data-transcript-of-obamas-speech-in-berlin/ )

“I come to Berlin as so many of my countrymen have come before, although tonight, I speak to you not as a candidate for president, but as a citizen, ­ a proud citizen of the United States, and a fellow citizen of the world....”

"People of the world, look at Berlin, where a wall came down, a continent came together, and history proved that there is no challenge too great for a world that stands as one.

"...We know,­ we know that these walls have fallen before. After centuries of strife, the people of Europe have formed a union of promise and prosperity. Here, at the base of a column built to mark victory in war, we meet in the center of a Europe at peace.

"If we could create NATO to face down the Soviet Union, we can join in a new and global partnership to dismantle the networks that have struck in Madrid and Amman, in London and Bali, in Washington and New York. If we could win a battle of ideas against the communists, we can stand with the vast majority of Muslims who reject the extremism that leads to hate instead of hope."

"This is the moment when we must renew our resolve to rout the terrorists who threaten our security in Afghanistan and the traffickers who sell drugs on your streets.

"No one welcomes war. I recognize the enormous difficulties in Afghanistan. But my country and yours have a stake in seeing that NATO’s first mission beyond Europe’s borders is a success. For the people of Afghanistan, and for our shared security, the work must be done.

"America can’t do this alone. The Afghan people need our troops and your troops, our support and your support to defeat the Taliban and Al Qaida, to develop their economy, and to help them rebuild their nation. We have too much at stake to turn back now.

"This is the moment when we must come together to save this planet. Let us resolve that we will not leave our children to a world where the oceans rise, and famine spreads, and terrible storms devastate our lands.

"People of Berlin, people of the world, this is our moment. This is our time."

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Wow: YCLA Rally a Big Success

Thank you so much for your prayers, everyone! Praise the Lord!

Our Creation rally last night was a smashing success. We had close to fifty people attend, at least two-thirds of whom were young people. We re-organized the schedule for the evening at the last minute, so that we sang first, then Mr. Orcutt spoke, then we had pizza, then games, and finally, the door prizes and dinosaur giveaway. This lineup made for a much more suspenseful and dramatic evening I believe. :-)

Special thanks to Pastor John Griffith and Faith Independent Baptist Church for the use of their folding chairs, to my brother John for his great work in helping clean the building, and to Rahab Hackett for the piano and harp music. Also, thanks to my dad, Roy Magnuson, for his brilliance of ideas and hard work helping me organize everything, and to all those who provided food, drinks, donations, etc., including my sister Stephanie for baking her famous giant chocolate-chip cookies!

Thanks most of all to our amazing speaker, Mr. Jon Orcutt. Mr. Orcutt spoke on the need for leadership in America from a Creationist perspective. He emphasized that a new reformation is within our reach. He said if all the two million Christian homeschooled kids in the United States would mobilize and take initiative, it would be a complete juggernaut for the forces of evil in our country. However, he said that nothing will happen until we are willing to face real persecution and perhaps death. We must, in truth, give everything we have back to our Creator.

My dad gave a brief invitation after this stirring message. He asked whether anyone wanted to change from being a "consumer" Christian to a "producer" Christian. Did we want to seriously follow Christ in our lives? Many people raised their hands.

Afterwards, the pizza was great and the games were a blast. We played "Upset the Fruit Basket," in which players must switch seats when their team name (a kind of fruit) is called. We also played the secret magazine game (shhh!) where players take turns trying to figure out how the second of two people is being communicated to regarding which magazine of nine the first of the two people has chosen. There was also a treasure hunt for the younger children, for four lizards hidden around the building. :-)

The life-size dinosaur turned out to be (for those who didn't know what it was) a model of a baby T-Rex. It was only about two feet high. An often-asked question is, "How could Noah have gotten all those dinosaurs on the Ark?" The answer is that the dinosaurs on the Ark, like the baby T-Rex, would not have had to have been fully grown; and, very few dinosaurs grew to a large size to begin with. The average size of a dinosaur is currently estimated to have been somewhere around the size of a sheep.

We concluded in a word of prayer, asking God to continue to bless our efforts and help us finish raising the money for our Creation Museum trip in mid-August, and praising him for the wonderful success which our meeting was!

Hopefully, we will be able to have another meeting like that in the not-too-distant future. Also, we are hoping we can have a fund-raising car wash sometime in the first week of August, perhaps Wednesday afternoon the 6th.

Thanks again to everyone for your ongoing prayers and efforts! God Bless!


Your friend,

R. Josiah Magnuson
http://www.youngchristianleaders.org/

Dobson to Endorse McCain?

Dear concerned citizen,

We just discovered in a recent news article on Yahoo! News that Dr. James Dobson is considering endorsing John McCain for President.

"I never thought I would hear myself saying this," Dobson said in a radio broadcast to air Monday. "... While I am not endorsing Senator John McCain, the possibility is there that I might."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080720/ap_on_el_pr/dobson_mccain

Please show your support of Chuck Baldwin by calling Focus on the Family and encouraging Dr. Dobson to support Chuck Baldwin for President.

You can call this number: 719-531-3427

Please remind them that Chuck Baldwin gives you hope for the future of our country. For example:

"Hi,
I recently heard that Dr. Dobson was considering endorsing John McCain for president, and I just wanted to encourage Dr. Dobson that McCain is not his only choice in this election.There is a candidate in the race who is unashamedly Christian, 100% Pro-Life, and who is committed to defending our families at any cost.His name is Chuck Baldwin, and he gives me hope for the future of our country.Thank you for your time, and please let Dr. Dobson know that we hope he chooses to endorse Chuck Baldwin for President."

Thank your for your help in this urgent matter,


With radical optimism,

~Jonathan Kayser
Deputy Director, Web Campaign
616-534-5861
www.baldwin2008.com

Ron Paul Announces Minneapolis Rally

If they expected us to retire quietly from the scene, the political elite are in for a surprise. Today I am making some very big announcements.

First, from August 31 to September 2 in Minneapolis, we will host a handful of events that will shake the political establishment. Everything will culminate on Tuesday with the official launch of the Campaign for Liberty at the Rally for the Republic.

The Campaign for Liberty will be the largest organization for peace, freedom, the Constitution, and sound money in American history. It will launch in grand fashion with lots of special guests and - if the early television and print inquiries we've received are any indication - plenty of media attention.

I would like to personally invite you and your family to join me and thousands of others in Minneapolis for these events and send a message to the Republican Party.

Tickets will go on sale for the Rally for the Republic this Friday, July 25 @ 10AM CST. We want this to be an unforgettable day, so we are holding a ticket bomb all day Friday in the tradition of our famous money bombs. How many seats can we sell on the first day?

In patriotic fashion all tickets will cost $17.76, so you can afford to bring the whole family.
This leads me to the second big announcement. After measuring the excitement and enthusiasm, we decided that the Williams Arena at the University of Minnesota was just too small to hold you. Therefore, we are making a significant upgrade. The Rally for the Republic will now take place at the Target Center,
the largest arena in Minneapolis!

This promises to be the most spirited and provocative political event of the year! We held some very large rallies during the presidential campaign, but I have never attempted anything of this scale before. Its success rests entirely in your hands.

Later this week I will announce two internationally renowned musicians as headliners for the Rally for the Republic. We'll also be joined by rock star Aimee Allen, NBC's Tucker Carlson, Barry Goldwater Jr., Gov. Gary Johnson, conservative stalwart Grover Norquist, former Reagan deputy Attorney General Bruce Fein, presidential historian Doug Wead, MTV's Adam Curry, musician Mark Scibilia, and Frank Sinatra impersonator Rick Ellis. Other special guests will be announced soon.

My staff has been working overtime to provide you with three full days of entertainment. Please visit the schedule page of the website and read all about upcoming events. We also have a lodging page to help you find accommodations in Minneapolis.

Together we are taking back our government and restoring the republic. Please join me in Minneapolis to kickoff the Campaign for Liberty and support our Revolution. Can I count on you to be there?


In Liberty,

RON PAUL

P.S. I know that you have done so much already, but with both major party nominees threatening to lead us into bankruptcy at home and more wars abroad, the success of the Rally for the Republic and the launch of the Campaign for Liberty is crucial. Please do what you can to be in Minneapolis August 31 - September 2 and send a loud and clear message of freedom, peace, and prosperity.

Saturday, July 19, 2008

August Answers Adventure


My Dad wrote this a few days ago regarding the August Answers Adventure trip and its preparatory meeting on Monday. Please read, and come if you can! -Josiah

Greetings friends. Please forward this "invite" as you feel led. . . .

Would you like to meet and hear Noah and his hard-working kids, life-size, and Adam and Eve eating and working in the Garden, life size, and dinosaurs (of every variety!) eating vegetation and many more rooms of wonderful simple displays and large screen videos that help to understand the complexity and wisdom of our great animal Designer, the Bible and especially the Book of Genesis???

HEH! Josiah Magnuson is at "media camp" this week, so i get to do the honors of sending you an "invite" to our Creationist Rally at the Scriptorium here in Taylors this next Monday night at 6:30 p.m.! (Please RSVP asap)... We will be discussing the Museum adventure in August, and having FREE pizza with special Steffi cookies. We are asking you all to bring drinks and any other "eats" as you feel led. We will be giving away "dino" door prizes and even have a life size dinosaur (model) to give away. Also we will be discussing our SuperSummerSpectacular pilgrimage. All ages and denominations are welcome!

The speaker of the evening is our very own Greenville County Creationist leader Mr. John Orcutt. He is an inspiring speaker, and we trust that the "traditional" Christian sing-along with keyboard and guitars (and maybe a harp!) will equally inspire your souls.

To know and discuss further details for the August Creation Museum pilgrimage but is a key reason for the Rally, Monday! That museum mentioned above is just a couple miles from the Ohio airport, in Kentucky and has to be the world's most amazing museum for numerous reasons! Our Magnuson family visited back when it was under construction, wow! then we visited again last year for its grand opening, double-wow!!

This year we plan to attend again and already have a number of families going along. Some folks from Faith Independent Baptist Church in Cleveland SC, and a few other homeschooling families are very excited. We want to find a few public school children to bring along also! Do you know anyone that you would like to invite?. . . If you know of any honorable, well behaved public school children, (they do not necessarily have to be born again) that go to your church or that you are ministering to and you would like to send along we have about a half a dozen free entrance passes for them and are praying so as to make the trip free for them. To learn more details about the "faith" trip please come Monday! We are also looking for a church that would be willing to consider loaning us their bus and driver for the weekend.

Times Examiner will be having a writeup on Josiah, the YCLA and this new "annual" event of the YCLA, so please check out this weeks Times Examiner for an article and picture, and/or go to the website, youngchristianleaders.org.

Thanks for reading about this rally event, only days away and the subsequent pilgrimage to the Creation Museum. Please, if interested at all, come Monday evening! We will be so excited to see you and show you some video clips and pics of the museum which we took so you can be even more excited and amazed at our wonderful Lord's creation back in the beginning and also here in recent years - the museum that Ken Ham and AIG (Answers In Genesis) has brought about!

By the way, the Scriptorium is on the same road as Channel 16 TV. The address is 3501 Rutherford Rd. Ext. Don't forget the "Extension" as it is just off of Rutherford Rd. Travel north on Wade Hampton past the Kmart and Walmart. Cross over the railroad bridge and turn left at the Hardees onto Rutherford Rd. Immediately turn left again onto Rutherford Rd. Ext. Drive about a quarter mile and around the bend is 3501 Rutherford Rd. Ext, a gray building with beige highlights. It is this years Constitution Party headquarters (since Josiah is a key worker for our party) and the Home of The Scriptorium where God's words are beautifully lettered, researched and displayed.

Please pray for this initial pilgrimage, and pass on this news and email to whomever may have an interest in these types of things, even if the Museum pilgrimage may not be feasible for them next month. AIG, their magazine and the museum have been a tremendous ministry to all of us!


Yours, for our wonderful Creator and Redeemer, (and Soon coming Saviour!), the Lord Jesus,

Roy Magnuson

113 page views last week on YCLA site

We have been steadily increasing in site traffic on the YCLA site over the past month, reaching what I believe is a record for this year of 113 page views this past week. That is good, of course, and means that the efforts of David Merck and others to give our group some publicity are working. (Thanks, Mr. Merck!) It also probably means that a bunch of the people I've been meeting at camps have been checking us out.

Keep praying for us, please! If you want, you can donate too. Send checks to:

Young Christian Leaders Alliance
C/o Faith Independent Baptist Church
4905 Geer Hwy.
Cleveland, SC 29635


Thanks! -Jos

Friday, July 11, 2008

Constitution Party VP candidate to speak in SC

(From Pastor Tony Romo; I will not be able to be there as I will be at camp again, but everyone who can should try to be there!)

Hey Everyone,

Ready for this ?! It's a GO !!!

The Constitution Party Vice-Presidential Candidate, Darrell Castle http://www.baldwin2008.com/ , will be in the Upcountry on Monday, July 14th, 2008. More details later as they develop. But so far, we know that he'll be speaking at the Logos theatre in the Academy of Arts building just behind the new Presbyterian Seminary on Main st. in Taylors, SC http://www.theacademyofarts.org/main.html at 7:00 pm. The official address is : 80 School Street, Taylors, SC 29687.

The ph # for the Academy of Arts is : 864.268.9342.

Please invite your entire family, friends, neighbors and co-workers. This is a free, public, political event. It's open to all who wish to attend and there is plenty of free parking.

Mr. Darrell Castle is blazing a trail and making the case for the restoration of our Constitution, restoration of our America Republic and the accomplishing of it throught the election of the Baldwin/Castle ticket.

We need all of you to contribute your talents, skills, and finances as we co-labor together to win our country back for "we the People" !!

Please make your plans to be there on Monday for the Upcountry's first event in bringing sound constitutional candidates to the public's attention.

Please forward this e-mail to all you know in the State. Mr. Castle's itinerary will include other events throughout the rest of the State.

If any questions, please call me at 864-905 6052.

See you on Monday Evening !!!

Pastor Tony Romo

You Can Win a Life-size Dinosaur!

Hello, my fellow South Carolinians!

The YCLA will be having an exciting rally on Monday, July 21, 2008 at 6:30 PM. Its theme is Creationism. We will briefly discuss our planned trip to the most amazing museum in the world, the Creation Museum in Kentucky. (Maybe you can go along!) :-) Free pizza will be served, with giant homemade cookies.

We will even be giving away a free life-size dinosaur model! You won't want to miss it.

Our speaker will be Mr. John Orckutt, Director of the Creation Study Group, which is the largest creationist group in our area. He is an inspirational speaker who will be presenting how to use Christian principles of leadership. We'd love to see you there!

The rally will be held at The Scriptorium, 3501 Rutherford Rd. Ext., in Taylors near Channel 16 TV. Please RSVP as soon as possible. You can email us at info@youngchristianleaders.org, or call me at (864) 420-7933 and leave a message.

Have a great day, and please tell your friends about our event, too!


For Liberty in Christ,

R. Josiah Magnuson
www.YoungChristianLeaders.org

McDonald's Joins Anti-Family Movement

(The following is from an email from the American Family Association. While many people who read this website probably don't care for McDonald's anyway :-), here is just one more reason not to go there.)

Throwing out any pretense of being neutral in the culture war, McDonald's has taken up the rhetoric of gay activists, suggesting those who oppose same-sex marriage (SSM) are motivated by hate.

AFA has asked for a boycott of McDonald's restaurants because of the company’s promotion of the gay agenda. AFA asked McDonald’s to remain neutral in the culture war. McDonald’s refused.

In response to the boycott, McDonald's spokesman Bill Whitman suggested to the Washington Post that those who oppose SSM are motivated by hate, saying "...hatred has no place in our culture." McDonald's has decided to adopt the "hate" theme used by gay activist groups for years.

Whitman went on to say, "We stand by and support our people to live and work in a society free of discrimination and harassment." Mr. Whitman has intentionally avoided addressing the reason for the boycott. This boycott is not about hiring gays or how gay employees are treated. It is about McDonald's choosing to put the full weight of their corporation behind promoting their agenda.

McDonald's donated $20,000 to the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce in exchange for membership and a seat on the group’s board of directors. The NGLCC lobbies Congress in support of same-sex marriage.

McDonald's CEO Jim Skinner said the company will promote issues they approve. "Being a socially responsible organization is a fundamental part of who we are. We have an obligation to use our size and resources to make a difference in the world...and we do."

Take Action!
Sign the online Boycott McDonald's petition.
• Forward this to family and friends and ask them to sign the petition.
Print and distribute the Boycott McDonald's petition.
• Call your local McDonald's. Speak with the manager. Tell him or her (in a polite manner) that you will be boycotting McDonald's until they stop promoting the pro-homosexual agenda. To find the phone number of your nearest McDonald's, click here.

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Watch the DBS conference

If you want to watch the 30th annual conference of the Dean Burgon Society, "In Defense of Traditional Bible Texts," you can click on the link here. It will be in progress all the rest of today and tomorrow. I'm getting ready to watch it right now with my Dad. :-)

Saturday, July 05, 2008

The YCLA Is Turning A Corner (yes!!!)

One year after we started, I believe we are definitely beginning to get moving with the YCLA, both with new support and membership potential. While the number of those interested in our work is now quite large, and we have contacts in fifteen States, it has been hard up to now to really get people motivated to do something. :-p

The ACG (Americans for Constitituional Government) banquet last Saturday was a Providential happening in relation to me in more ways than one - I might not have even known about it at all, for starters. :-) But especially it was great what came out of it: tons of contacts, a bunch of new enthusiasm and encouragement for what we are doing, two new Council members (Mr. Roan Garcia-Quintana and Rev. David Merck) and best of all, a permanent link from Rev. Merck's "Red Clay Man" emails to the YCLA website (http://www.youngchristianleaders.org/)!

Things are falling into place for the Creation Museum trip as well. We need more money, but planning-wise we are having a lot of success. Hopefully we will be having a big meeting sometime the week of July 20 (probably Monday the 21st) with actual speakers and some fundraising activities! The trip itself will be the weekend of August 15-17.

The LORD has really been good to us. We need to jump on the opportunities now. I'm hoping I can send out kind of an introductory email to all the folks I met at camp and so on recently, in the near future.


-Jos

Three Camps in Three Weeks

Wow! I just got back yesterday from three camps in direct sequence. I was pretty tired. :-p

The first one was Camp Raven Knob, a Boy Scout camp near Hickory, NC. I took the Photography/Cinematography, Wilderness Survival, Swimming, and First Aid Merit Badge classes. I was able to witness to at least three people, as well as planting a lot of seeds I believe for the concept of God as the Creator, etc. One boy named Jacob was really interested in dinosaurs, and seemed fascinated to learn that the Bible was not only compatible with science, but actually does a far better job of explaining life, fossils, and so on, than what he had been taught in school about the "millions of years." The LORD also gave me some great friends who loved the YCLA ideas. :-)

The second camp was Drama Camp at Bob Jones University. I learned a huge amount on speech and presentational skills, as well as having an enormous amount of fun and great spiritual input. We did a play at the end of the week. Ron Pyle, who played Yuri in The Printing, was the Director, which was really cool! There were a lot of possible YCLA contacts there as well.

The third camp, ending yesterday, was Harvest Time Bible Camp. I went at the last minute as a Junior Counselor. It was an amazing experience helping younger kids and being such an inspiration to some of them. In the whole week there were probably a dozen to two dozen people who gave their lives to Christ, including three from my cabin. One boy, who found out about the YCLA and was amazed to see me so excited about something like that, was saved in the service the last night I think. One of his friends also stood up at the campfire that evening and said that he "would use his life to go around telling people about Jesus." :-D

Please pray for all these kids and young people I have met over the last few weeks to grow in the LORD however they need to and not lose sight of God's purpose for their lives. Also, keep praying for me too!


-Josiah

Happy Independence Day!

I hope everyone had a great time yesterday remembering our Founders' work and sacrifice, and praising the LORD for bringing about our great country. It couldn't have happened without Him! :-)

-Jos

Monday, June 09, 2008

Daniel 3:1-28

Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

Then an herald cried aloud, "To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace." Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews. They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, "O king, live for ever. Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image: And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up."

Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, "Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?"

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up."

Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, "Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?"

They answered and said unto the king, "True, O king."

He answered and said, "Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God." Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither."

Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.

Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God."

Election Tomorrow!

For South Carolina readers of this blog, the primary election is tomorrow, June 10th. In most cases my recommendation would be to simply vote against the incumbents in the Republican primary; but one might find in fact find it more appropriate to vote in the Democratic primary for two candidates with ideas more like those of Ron Paul Republicans. These candidates are Bob Conley for Senate, and Ted Christian for 4th District Congress. However, if one votes in the Democratic primary for these candidates, he will not be able to vote for Republicans running for State House and Senate who would be a benefit to Gov. Sanford, such as Patrick Haddon or Wendy Nanney. You Decide.

The bottom line is, party affiliation was not something intended by the Founders to begin with. We really must get out of such "loyalties" if we are to accomplish anything principled. Once again, please do not vote for the candidate who has "contributed" the most to the Party, or who "can win." Vote with your principles. Tomorrow, make sure to think when you press buttons!

From Josiah


P.S. Here are the great results of a FOX News poll asking, "Would you ever vote for a third-party presidential candidate?"

YCLA Update

I stocked up on Chick tracts from church on Sunday night. :-) I got about 75. We missed going on a tract-passing expedition for May; I hope we will have time here in June! However, our family is probably going to be fairly busy this summer.

Also, I put the post on Edward VI as the YCLA Feature Column for this month, after editing it slightly. The one on our vision, etc. had actually been there for two months (both April and May).... I hope to soon be getting other people to write the Feature Columns, if possible.

Our prisoner to write to and pray for this month is from China: Alimujiang Yimiti.

And, if you haven't yet, please subscribe to Answers Magazine! That is the best way you can physically help us right now. You can go to www.YoungChristianLeaders.org/answersmag.aspx for more info, and to get involved in this project to "rebuild the Biblical worldview" as the motto of the magazine is. But spiritual help is especially good, so remember to pray for our group as you do so!


Thanks from Josiah

Thursday, June 05, 2008

Edward VI: A Hero of the Reformation

Recently, I bought a book on king Edward VI of Britain by N. A. Woychuck, entitled "The British Josiah: Edward VI, the Most Godly King of England." While one reason I got it may be obvious ;-), the main reason is that I didn't know of anywhere else I could get a complete biography of this fabulous character of 450 years ago.

Edward VI has been more or less one of my heros since I learned of him. He became king in 1547 when he was nine years old, but unfortunately, died just before he turned sixteen (supposedly of tuberculosis; but perhaps by poisoning). He was one of the main movers involved in circulating the Bible to the common people. He is also known as one of the most just and compassionate kings in history!

His father, Henry VIII, had appointed a Privy Council to help Edward govern. Most of the book is in relation to this body, addressing the almost-continuous power struggles between its members. Dealing with the power struggles was perhaps Edward's greatest challenge.

Much of the book also describes Edward's education and family relations. He had two sisters, Mary and Elizabeth, both of whom would become queens. One was very bad, the other very good, respectively.

Edward loved to write, and what is even more worth the while than the main book is a short booklet written by Edward himself, included as an appendix. This article is absolutely outstanding! It is entitled Against the Primacy of the Pope, and was intended to be distributed through England. Apparently, the public was rather adverse to the idea of the Reformation, even though Edward was extremely popular as a personality. Thus, Edward realized the only way to bring them to fully reject the Catholic persausion was to produce a thought-out, understandable booklet with his name physically attached. He completed this work when he was twelve. However, it was not published until shortly before his death, after which the infamous Bloody Mary came to the monarchy and restored Catholicism.

Edward's booklet is full of common sense and truth. It sounds to me like Ron Paul with a regal twist. In it, he addresses such subjects as, "Is Rome the Mother of All Churches?," "Contrast Between Jesus and Pope," and "Can a Lawful Council be Called by a Pope Seeking Election?," which shows the logical fallacy of stating that the Pope is superior to other bishops by the decree of a Council. Here is a passage from it:

"But to the matter in hand. I will ask, whether a lawful council can be called but by the pope? To which, I am sure, the papists will answer negatively. Then I ask, if the pope can call a Council before his election? To which I know they will reply, he cannot. If then no council is lawful without a pope, and that none who is laboring to be elected pope can assemble a council, then the council which confirms the pope as superior over the church, is not lawful, because it was not convocated by a pope, there being none elected."

Edward's escatological position is predictably Historicist. For example, he states near the end of the work he believes that the two eyes of the "little horn" of Daniel represent "the pope and Mahomet." His interpretation is unique in that he recognized that the Papal and Islamic systems, even though they often disagree, are of the same essential substance and origination.

Edward's greatest acheivements in England were to create schools and hospitals for the poor, to end officially-sanctioned idol worship, Mass, and other Catholic rituals, to reform the monetary system and end silver debasement (inflation), and to work to end the practice of executing religious "heretics," whether Protestant or Catholic. This last effort was almost unheard of in Europe at the time. Edward was a true champion of Biblical supremacy.

I am definitely grateful that God has raised up such people as king Edward VI in history to inspire us. Let us pray that we will be more like them, and continue to fulfill their vision and legacy! Let us also, like Edward, remember to consistently cry to God: "O Lord, save Thy people!"


-R. Josiah Magnuson

Paul and Baldwin to speak at JBS

Ron Paul and Chuck Baldwin will be the main speakers at the 50th Anniversary celebration of the John Birch Society, according to the JBS website (http://www.jbs.org/50th). I found out about this event at the Daily Paul (http://www.dailypaul.com/node/51453#comments). It will take place October 2-5, 2008 in Appleton, Wisconsin.

There is really no reason for Ron Paul supporters to reject supporting Chuck Baldwin. Dr. Baldwin is the only candidate who will be on the ballot in November with the exact principles of Ron Paul. Bob Barr (the Libertarian) takes a position on immigration which sounds deceptively similar to "open borders." And, Chuck Baldwin at least has a chance of winning the support of the Huckabee and Romney people due to his Christian emphasis. Bob Barr seems a completely secular candidate, which is my problem with the Libertarian Party to begin with.

Ron Paul I believe sees things the same way regarding the Libertarians, since he boldly noted on the Mike Gallagher show last summer that he is "a constititutionalist, not a Libertarian." Also, Mike Peroutka, the previous CP nominee for President, stated to me at his conference last July that Ron Paul was the only sitting Congressman to contribute to his campaign (on which Baldwin was the VP nominee) in 2004. So not only did Chuck Baldwin work very hard for Ron Paul, Dr. Paul gave funds to Chuck Baldwin's previous campaign!

Hopefully, Ron Paul will actually endorse Chuck Baldwin in the near future and then there will be very little debate on this subject. :-)


-Josiah

P.S. I found a map of current Constitution Party ballot access throughout the states. View it here!

A video from Buddy Witherspoon

Senator Lindsey Graham receives award from La Raza for promoting the "pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens" and defending the best interests of the Hispanic community. La Raza in English means "The Race", and they are widely viewed as a racist organization. Senator Graham crossed the line on March 6th 2007 when he accepted an award from this organization and in his keynote address at La Raza's Awards Dinner called you a "Bigot" and said that you need to "shut up" if you were against his Comprehensive Immigration (Amnesty) Reform Bill. To view the 4 minute video go to this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sEfrFoAIn4

Buddy Witherspoon's campaign site is http://www.buddywitherspoon.com/

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Huckabee: "New Libertarianism" a Threat to GOP

"The greatest threat to classic Republicanism is not liberalism; it's this new brand of libertarianism, which is social liberalism and economic conservatism, but it's a heartless, callous, soulless type of economic conservatism because it says 'look, we want to cut taxes and eliminate government. If it means that elderly people don't get their Medicare drugs, so be it. If it means little kids go without education and healthcare, so be it.' Well, that might be a quote pure economic conservative message, but it's not an American message. It doesn't fly. People aren't going to buy that, because that's not the way we are as a people. That's not historic Republicanism. Historic Republicanism does not hate government; it's just there to be as little of it as there can be. But they also recognize that government has to be paid for.

"If you have a breakdown in the social structure of a community, it's going to result in a more costly government ... police on the streets, prison beds, court costs, alcohol abuse centers, domestic violence shelters, all are very expensive. What's the answer to that? Cut them out? Well, the libertarians say 'yes, we shouldn't be funding that stuff.' But what you've done then is exacerbate a serious problem in your community. You can take the cops off the streets and just quit funding prison beds. Are your neighborhoods safer? Is it a better place to live? The net result is you have now a bigger problem than you had before." (Thanks to LewRockwell.com)

So Mike Huckabee not only states that the constitutional movement goes against traditional Republican principles, he does so by essentially equating it with anarchism. Amazing and sad, but that's the modern political realm. If Huckabee really believed in the principles of Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan, wouldn't he realize that the Constitution is the best defense for traditional values, and a strong but compassionate economic system, existing today?


From Josiah