Whose bigotry is accepted in America?

The airbrushing of Charlie Kirk’s legacy has got me thinking about double standards and pondering how differently many Americans would react if someone like Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, or Louis Farrakhan, were shot to death.

By Rummana Hussain Sept 20, 2025, 4:00am PST

Two of the same pictures on a Jumbotron show a man in a suit. To the left of his picture, it reads, "in remembrance Charlie Kirk 1993-2025."

A tribute to Charlie Kirk is shown on the Jumbotron before a NASCAR Cup Series auto race Sept. 13 in Bristol, Tennessee.Wade Payne/AP

I usually don’t have morbid hypothetical scenarios running through my head.

But the airbrushing of Charlie Kirk’s legacy by millions of mostly white Americans has left me wondering how differently they might react if someone like Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, or Louis Farrakhan, were shot to death.

I doubt this crowd — both the Kirk enthusiasts and the men and women who say they “didn’t always agree” with the Arlington Heights native’s extreme, right-wing worldview — would fall into the same amnesiac trance if asked to articulate the offending traits of either Black personality.

While many people have tiptoed around Kirk’s anti-Black, anti-Muslim, anti-Jewish, anti-immigrant, transphobic, homophobic and misogynist sound bites, they likely wouldn’t hesitate in identifying antisemitism as the central source of the musician’s and Nation of Islam leader’s notoriety.

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Ye and Farrakhan’s bigoted statements, which they have been rightfully criticized for, would quickly bubble to the surface of every ensuing posthumous profile and roundtable discussion — the consensus being the men’s hate ultimately tainted their talent and whatever goodwill they had to offer.

Maybe in the case of Ye, his obituary would include a perfunctory mention of his odious “slavery was a choice” quote and the principled “George Bush doesn’t care about Black people” declaration he cried out during a Hurricane Katrina concert fundraiser two decades ago.

Ye and Farrakhan’s fatherhood won’t placate their sins when they no longer walk the earth.

There will be no breathless write-ups in the mainstream press.

There will be no sports stadium tributes.

And if Ye and Farrakhan’s lives were ever taken by another African American, many elected leaders wouldn’t be devastated that the alleged perpetrator turned out to be “one of us” and not the foreigner they had prayed for. Then, the conversation would quickly pivot to the challenges of “Black-on-Black crime.”

To be clear, I am not making light of or condoning Kirk’s killing. I also don’t want any harm to come to Ye, Farrakhan or anyone else.

Gun violence doesn’t discriminate and continues to chip away at our sense of security, destroying countless families in its wake. This harsh reality continually stares in our faces, in spite of the lawmakers who pretend they don’t see or are OK with the bloodshed.

For those of us who belong to marginalized groups, the aftermath of Kirk’s fatal shooting also serves as a reminder that many fellow Americans share his disturbing stances or are willing to normalize what came out of his mouth.

Bigotry can be window dressed as “political” speech if you’re the right color and a member of an accepted faith, particularly Christianity.

So I’m not surprised some liberals who wanted the racially and religiously diverse pro-Palestinian protests to disappear on college campuses agree with Ezra Klein’s assertion that Kirk “was practicing politics the right way” when he turned up at universities.

As a Brown Muslim woman, I’m uncomfortably familiar with these double standards.

For a long time after 9/11, Muslims in America faced scrutiny for what they didn’t say. If a Muslim halfway around world was accused of detonating a bomb, killing civilians, demands to apologize and condemn the slaughter flooded in.

Many mosque elders obediently complied to prove we were good, peace-loving citizens. Years later, younger generations, who came of age at the height of the “War on Terror,” pointed out the dangers of condemning atrocities we had nothing to do with.

Such condemnations only exacerbate Islamophobia, as they “involve the tacit acceptance of a racist narrative in which Muslims are collectively presumed guilty of harboring violent tendencies and terrorist sympathies unless proven otherwise,” a 2023 research paper concluded.

The condemnations, the author stated, also “keep the focus on Muslims and violence so that white and white Christian Americans and Europeans need not come to terms with their own violent past and their ongoing complicity in a violent world order.”

The author, Todd Green, by the way, is white and a former Presbyterian minister, for those readers who want me to condemn his scholarly work.

I thought Muslims were done being forced to play this ridiculous game of condemnation.

But over the summer, Zohran Mamdani was repeatedly asked to denounce the phrase “globalize the intifada” — a term New York City’s Democratic mayoral candidate never uttered. Ultimately, Mamdani said he would discourage its use but refused to condemn the slogan, which many say conveys solidarity with Palestinians and others translate as violence against Israel.

Many Americans are frightened this Muslim immigrant, who has expressed “a belief in universal human rights,” may soon be at the helm of the country’s largest city.

Kirk didn’t hold public office. But it is the far reach of his ideologies that scares me.

Rummana Hussain is a columnist and leads the opinion coverage at the Sun-Times.

https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2025/09/20/charlie-kirk-gun-violence-farrakhan-kanye-muslims-mamdani-rummana-hussain

Early Female Transgender Identity after Prenatal Exposure to Diethylstilbestrol: Report from a French National Diethylstilbestrol (DES) Cohort

by Laura Gaspari 1,2,3,†,Marie-Odile Soyer-Gobillard 4,5,†ORCID,Scott Kerlin 6,Françoise Paris 1,2,3 andCharles Sultan 1,*

Unité d’Endocrinologie-Gynécologie Pédiatrique, CHU Montpellier, University Montpellier, 34090 Montpellier, France

INSERM 1203, Développement Embryonnaire Fertilité Environnement, University of Montpellier, 34295 Montpellier, France

CHU Montpellier, University Montpellier, Centre de Référence Maladies Rares du Développement Génital, Constitutif Sud, Hôpital Lapeyronie, 34295 Montpellier, France

Laboratoire Arago, Observatoire Océanologique, Sorbonne University, CNRS, 75016 Paris, France

Association HHORAGES-France, 66100 Perpignan, France

DES International Information and Research Network, Livermore, CA 94551, USA

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

†

These authors contributed equally to this work.

J. Xenobiot. 2024, 14(1), 166-175; https://doi.org/10.3390/jox14010010

Submission received: 28 November 2023 / Revised: 8 January 2024 / Accepted: 10 January 2024 / Published: 12 January 2024

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals in the Human Health)

Downloadkeyboard_arrow_down Browse Figure Review Reports Versions Notes

Abstract

Diagnostic of transsexualism and gender incongruence are terms to describe individuals whose self-identity does not match their sex assignment at birth. A transgender woman is an individual assigned male at birth (AMAB) on the basis of the external or internal genitalia who identifies and lives as a woman. In recent decades, a significant increase in the number of transgender people has been reported. Although, its etiology is unknown, biological, anatomical, genetic, environmental and cultural factors have been suggested to contribute to gender variation. In XY animals, it has been shown that environmental endocrine disruptors, through their anti-androgenic activity, induce a female identity. In this work, we described four XY individuals who were exposed in utero to the xenoestrogen diethylstilbesterol (DES) and were part of the French HHORAGES cohort. They all reported a female transgender identity starting from childhood and adolescence. This high prevalence of male to female transgenderism (1.58%) in our cohort of 253 DES sons suggests that exposure to chemicals with xenoestrogen activity during fetal life may affect the male sex identity and behavior.

Keywords: sexual identity; diethylstilbestrol (DES); prenatal exposure

1. Introduction

Gender identity defines each individual’s deeply held personal sense of their own gender as male or female or something else [1]. Moreover, gender diversity and variance are umbrella terms used to describe the wide range of gender identifications outside the conventional gender categories [2]. Gender dysphoria [3] relates to the distress and unease experienced by individuals who are discontent with their assigned gender and identify with a gender other than the one associated with their birth sex [4]. A transgender man or woman is a person born phenotypically female or male, assigned female or male at birth on the basis of their external or internal genitalia, who identifies and lives as a male or a female. Actually, for many experts [5] this definition should be enlarged to Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming (TGNC) individuals, people with disorders of sex development (DSDs) and people assigned male (AMAB) or female at birth (AFAB) [6].

All studies on secular trends have reported a dramatic increase in the number of transgender people in recent decades [7]. A temporal change in the age of presentation is another notable phenomenon [8]. Quoting Hassler et al. [8] in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5), signs of transgender in children include: “A repeated desire to be the other sex or an assertion that they are the other sex; a belief that their assigned sex will change on its own (e.g., thinking they will grow a penis or that their penis will come off when they get older); wanting to change their name to a name typically associated with another gender, or a gender-neutral name; a preference for presenting as another gender (e.g., a child assigned male at birth who prefers long hair and wearing dresses, or a child assigned female at birth who prefers short hair and wearing gender-neutral clothing); resistance or distress when made to present as a gender they do not identify with (such as a ‘girl’ throwing a tantrum over having to wear a dress or a ‘boy’ crying after having to get a haircut); assuming the role of another gender in fantasy games or make-believe; an intense desire to participate in the games and activities typical of the other gender (such as an assigned-male child playing with Barbie and an assigned-female child playing contact sports); a preference for playmates of another gender”.

Hassler et al. also wrote [8]: “In adolescence, signs of transgender includes: feelings of panic or severe discomfort concerning puberty and body changes (e.g., refusing to acknowledge or admit that changes are occurring, refusing to look at their body, or becoming distressed or uncomfortable with body development, menstruation, or ejaculation); discomfort or distress with certain forms of gender presentation, such as disliking long hair or certain types of clothing; increased bullying at school due to differences in acting out one’s perceived gender or lack of self-confidence; isolation from peers due to lack of connection or fear of bullying; depression and/or anxiety as a result of confusion over gender identity or not fitting in with peers; be aware that some adolescents may try to repress their true gender due to outside pressure, such as from family and peers, even if they previously expressed their true gender as a child”.

The literature on the prevalence of transgender people is heterogeneous, depending on the geographic area, inclusion criteria and age at presentation [9]. Specialized centers that manage transgender people estimate a prevalence between 17 and 33/100,000 individuals [10]. Actually, people who identify as transgender represent a sizable proportion of the general population, from 0.1% to 2% [11,12].

Although the biological basis of transgenderism/incongruence is unknown, biological, anatomical, genetic and environmental factors have been suggested to contribute to gender identity [13,14]. The role of sex hormones and genetics in sexual development was described by studies published between 1948 and 2019, and the implication of endogenous steroids in brain sexual differentiation has been widely studied [14,15,16,17,18]. According to the accepted dogma, high levels of fetal testosterone organize the brain towards a male phenotype [19]. Any exogenous chemical that can reduce testosterone action during fetal life can affect the differentiation of genitalia and sex behavior.

Diethylstilbestrol (DES) is a molecule that has strengthened the concepts of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and the fetal basis of adult diseases [20]. It is well known that in utero exposure to DES, a compound with estrogenic and anti-androgenic activity, induces a wide range of reproductive tract/function abnormalities in the so-called ‘DES daughters’, e.g., alterations to Müllerian duct development, fertility problems, ectopic pregnancies, miscarriages, premature births and cancers, especially clear cell adenocarcinoma (CCA) of the vagina and cervix in girls and young women [21]. In ‘DES sons’, epididymal cysts, hypospadias, cryptorchidism, hypoplastic testes and micropenises have been observed [22,23,24,25,26]. In addition, although less studied, in utero exposure to synthetic sex hormones, particularly DES, can cause psychological disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, eating disorders and suicidal behavior [27]. Interestingly, some studies in patients exposed in utero to DES with psychotic disorders identified methylome changes that affect the expression of ZFP57 and ADAMTS9, two genes implicated in neurodevelopment regulation [28], with potential multigenerational and transgenerational effects [29,30].

In this work, we first describe four transgender women identified among the 253 sons exposed in utero to DES included in the HHORAGES-France cohort (a French National patient association). This high prevalence of male-to-female transgender individuals among DES sons (1.58%) strongly suggests that exposure of male fetuses to this xenoestrogen during fetal life may affect future male sex identity and behavior.

2. Patients and Methods

This study was based on a French national retrospective cohort of DES-treated women (HHORAGES-France Association) (n = 1200) and their families. Detailed standard questionnaires were obtained from all DES mothers when they joined the HHORAGES-France Association and all DES children were already adults at this time. The answers to this online questionnaire were used to select women who met the following inclusion criteria: (1) at least two pregnancies with two viable male babies (same father) among whom the first child was not exposed in utero to DES (pre-DES), followed by one or more children with fetal exposure to DES (DES); (2) confirmed data on the total DES dose (health record or physician’s observation). The cumulative dose D administered to the French pregnant mothers was 4050 mg < D < 7300 mg. This is considered a medium-low-dose cohort, in accordance with the observations by Tournaire et al. [31] and compared with the higher doses administered in the United States (7550 mg < D < 12,742 mg). The answers to the questionnaires were also used to identify women with a DES son who presented female gender variance. We then contacted all DES sons with female gender variance and we carried out an individual interview with them.

The local university hospital ethics committee approved this study (ID IRB No. 202301531), and all patients gave their informed consent through the HHORAGES-France Association (CNIL: J B/EM/DC042793, N° 1006460).

All DES sons who identified as transgender women underwent karyotyping at their local hospital at the moment of transition.

https://www.mdpi.com/2039-4713/14/1/10

Thomas Trace Beatie (born 1974[1]) is an American public speaker, author, and advocate of transgender rights and sexuality issues, with a focus on transgender fertility and reproductive rights.[2]

Beatie came out as a trans man in early 1997. Beatie had gender-affirming surgery in March 2002 and became known as "the pregnant man" after he became pregnant through artificial insemination in 2007.[3] Beatie chose to be pregnant, with donated sperm,[4][5] because his wife Nancy was sterile.

The couple filed for divorce in 2012. The Beatie case is the first of its kind on record, where a documented legal male gave birth within a marriage to a woman, and for the first time, a court challenged a marriage where the husband gave birth.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Beatie

Tracing boards are painted or printed illustrations depicting the various emblems and symbols of Freemasonry. They can be used as teaching aids during the lectures that follow each of the Masonic Degrees, when an experienced member explains the various concepts of Freemasonry to new members. They can also be used by experienced members as reminders of the concepts they learned as they went through the ceremonies of the different masonic degrees.[1]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tracing_board

Exoteric Masonry, which is only the husks of the Mystic Order formed by the Sons of Cain has in modern times attracted the masculine element with its positively polarized physical vehicles, and educated them in industry and statecraft, thus controlling the material development of the world. The sons of Seth, constituting themselves the Priestcraft have worked their spell over the positive vital bodies of the feminine element to dominate the spiritual development. And whereas, the sons of Cain working through Freemasonry and kindred movements, have openly fought for the temporal power, the Priestcraft has fought as strenuously and perhaps more effectively, by stealth, to retain their monopoly upon the spiritual development of the feminine element. To the casual onlooker it would seem as if there were no decided antagonism between these two movements at the present time, but though Freemasonry of today is but a shell of its true ancient mystic self, and though Catholicism has been terribly tarnished by the touch of time, in that one thing there is no difference, the war is as keen as ever, the efforts of the Church are not concentrated upon the masses however as much as upon those who are seeking to live the higher life, so that they may gain admission to the Mystery Temple and learn how to make the Philosophers’ Stone. As mankind advances in evolution, the vital body becomes more permanently positively polarized giving to both sexes a greater desire for spirituality, and though we change from the masculine to feminine in alternate embodiment, positive polarity of the vital body is becoming more pronounced regardless of sex, and this accounts for the growing tendency towards Altruism which is even being brought out by the suffering entailed by the great war we are now fighting, for all agree that they are seeking to obtain a lasting peace where the swords may be made into plowshares, and the spears into pruning hooks. In the past humanity has been claiming universal brotherhood as a great ideal, but we must come closer than that to be in full accord with the Christ. He said to his Disciples “ye are my friends.” Among brothers and sisters hate and enmity may exist, but friendship is the expression of love and cannot exist apart from that. This is therefore the magic word which will eventually level all distinctions, bring peace upon earth and goodwill among men. This is the great Ideal proclaimed by the Rosicrucian Fellowship, an Ideal which points the shortest way to the New Heaven and the New Earth, where the sons of Cain and the sons of Seth will eventually be united.

FREEMASONRY AND CATHOLICISM

by MAX HEINDEL

https://dn720206.ca.archive.org/0/items/freemasonryandca017137mbp/freemasonryandca017137mbp.pdf

Rosa Jesuitica, oder Jesuitische Rottgesellen, das ist, Eine Frag ob die Zween Orden, der ganandten Ritter von der Neerscharen Jesu, und der Rosen-Creuzer ein einiger Ordensen: per J. P. D. a S. Jesuitarum Protectorum. Prague, 1620.” (4to).

This is a truly curious tract upon the “relations of the Jesuits and the Rosicrucians."

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dT28PyPUPfqDfC0iVg7nGFsle8vYBXLf/view?usp=sharing

James John Gandolfini (Italian: [ɡandolˈfiːni]; September 18, 1961 – June 19, 2013) was an American actor. He was best known for his portrayal of Tony Soprano, the Italian-American Mafia crime boss in HBO's television series The Sopranos (1999–2007). For this role, he won three Emmy Awards, five Screen Actors Guild Awards, and one Golden Globe Award. His role as Tony Soprano has been described as one of the greatest and most influential performances in television history.

Gandolfini was featured in numerous films including True Romance (1993), Crimson Tide (1995), Get Shorty (1995), A Civil Action (1998), The Last Castle (2001), Romance & Cigarettes (2005), All the King's Men (2006), In the Loop (2009), Where the Wild Things Are (2009), The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009), Not Fade Away (2012), and Zero Dark Thirty (2012). He received acclaim for playing against type starring in the romantic comedy Enough Said (2013). For the role, he earned numerous critics awards including a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination.

Gandolfini is also known for his roles on Broadway in A Streetcar Named Desire (1992), On the Waterfront (1995), and God of Carnage (2009), the latter earning him a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play nomination. He also produced the war documentaries Alive Day Memories: Home from Iraq (2007) and Wartorn: 1861–2010 (2011) as well as the HBO film Hemingway & Gellhorn (2012), which earned him a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Miniseries or Movie nomination.

In 2013, Gandolfini died of a heart attack in Rome at the age of 51.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Gandolfini

Jessica Marie Alba (/ˈælbə/ AL-bə; born April 28, 1981) is an American actress and businesswoman. She rose to prominence at age 19 for portraying Max Guevara, the lead character in the television series Dark Angel (2000–2002), for which she received a Golden Globe nomination. Her cinematic breakthrough came shortly after with the lead role in Honey (2003).

Alba began her acting career at age 13 in Camp Nowhere, followed up by The Secret World of Alex Mack (both 1994). She soon established herself as a Hollywood actress, and has starred in numerous box office hits throughout her career, including Fantastic Four (2005), Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007), Good Luck Chuck (2007), The Eye (2008), Valentine's Day (2010), Little Fockers (2010), and Mechanic: Resurrection (2016).[2] She is a frequent collaborator with director Robert Rodriguez, having starred in Sin City (2005), Machete (2010), Spy Kids: All the Time in the World (2011), Machete Kills (2013), and Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014). From 2019 to 2020, Alba starred in the Spectrum action crime series L.A.'s Finest.

In 2011, Alba co-founded the Honest Company, a consumer goods company that sells baby, personal and household products. Based in Los Angeles, the company was valued at roughly $550 million as of February 2022. A number of magazines, including Men's Health, Vanity Fair and FHM, have included Alba on their lists of the world's most beautiful women.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jessica_Alba

Early Female Transgender Identity after Prenatal Exposure to Diethylstilbestrol: Report from a French National Diethylstilbestrol (DES) Cohort

by Laura Gaspari 1,2,3,†,Marie-Odile Soyer-Gobillard 4,5,†ORCID,Scott Kerlin 6,Françoise Paris 1,2,3 andCharles Sultan 1,*

Unité d’Endocrinologie-Gynécologie Pédiatrique, CHU Montpellier, University Montpellier, 34090 Montpellier, France

INSERM 1203, Développement Embryonnaire Fertilité Environnement, University of Montpellier, 34295 Montpellier, France

CHU Montpellier, University Montpellier, Centre de Référence Maladies Rares du Développement Génital, Constitutif Sud, Hôpital Lapeyronie, 34295 Montpellier, France

Laboratoire Arago, Observatoire Océanologique, Sorbonne University, CNRS, 75016 Paris, France

Association HHORAGES-France, 66100 Perpignan, France

DES International Information and Research Network, Livermore, CA 94551, USA

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

†

These authors contributed equally to this work.

J. Xenobiot. 2024, 14(1), 166-175; https://doi.org/10.3390/jox14010010

Submission received: 28 November 2023 / Revised: 8 January 2024 / Accepted: 10 January 2024 / Published: 12 January 2024

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals in the Human Health)

Downloadkeyboard_arrow_down Browse Figure Review Reports Versions Notes

Abstract

Keywords: sexual identity; diethylstilbestrol (DES); prenatal exposure

1. Introduction

2. Patients and Methods

All DES sons who identified as transgender women underwent karyotyping at their local hospital at the moment of transition.

https://www.mdpi.com/2039-4713/14/1/10

Thomas Trace Beatie (born 1974[1]) is an American public speaker, author, and advocate of transgender rights and sexuality issues, with a focus on transgender fertility and reproductive rights.[2]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Beatie

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tracing_board

FREEMASONRY AND CATHOLICISM

by MAX HEINDEL

https://dn720206.ca.archive.org/0/items/freemasonryandca017137mbp/freemasonryandca017137mbp.pdf

Louis Farrakhan (/ˈfɑːrəkɑːn/; born Louis Eugene Walcott; May 11, 1933) is an American religious leader who heads the Nation of Islam (NOI), a black nationalist organization.[2][3] Farrakhan is notable for his leadership of the 1995 Million Man March in Washington, D.C., and for his rhetoric that has been widely denounced as antisemitic and racist.

Prior to joining the NOI, Farrakhan was a calypso singer who used the stage name Calypso Gene. Early in his career, he served as the minister of mosques in Boston and Harlem and was appointed to the post of National Representative of the Nation of Islam by then-NOI leader Elijah Muhammad. He adopted the name Louis X before being named Louis Farrakhan.

After Warith Deen Mohammed reorganized the original NOI into the orthodox Sunni Islamic group American Society of Muslims, Farrakhan began to rebuild the NOI as "Final Call". In 1981, he officially adopted the name "Nation of Islam", reviving the group and establishing its headquarters at Mosque Maryam. In October 1995, Farrakhan organized and led the Million Man March in Washington, D.C.. Due to health issues, he reduced his responsibilities with the NOI in 2007.[4] However, Farrakhan has continued to deliver sermons[5] and speak at NOI events.[6] In 2015, he led the 20th Anniversary of the Million Man March: Justice or Else.

Farrakhan is known for antisemitic statements and racist remarks directed at white people. His antisemitic statements and views have been condemned by the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL),[7][6] and other organizations.[8] Farrakhan's views and remarks have also been called homophobic.[9] He has denied assertions that he is antisemitic, racist, or anti-gay.[10][11][12] Farrakhan was banned from Facebook in 2019 along with other public figures considered to be extremists.[13][14]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Farrakhan

416 Finally, those means that are proposed by our holy father Saint Ignatius in Part X of the Constitutions for the preservation and development not only of the body or exterior of the Society but also of its spirit, and for the attainment of the objective it seeks, which is to aid souls to reach their ultimate and supernatural end, [10] are to be observed eagerly and diligently by all, with a truly personal sense of responsibility for its increase and development, for the praise and service of our God and Lord Jesus Christ, and the help of souls.[11]

L. D. S. "

The Constitutions of The Society of Jesus and Their Complimentary Norms

A Complete English Translation of the Official Latin Texts

THE INSTITUTE OF JESUIT SOURCES

SAINT LOUIS, 1996

https://web.archive.org/web/20200211182223/https://jesuitas.lat/uploads/the-constitutions-of-the-society-of-jesus-and-their-complementary-norms/Constitutions%20and%20Norms%20SJ%20ingls.pdf

Clovis is the modern conventional French (and thence English) form of the Old Frankish name ᚺᛚᛟᛞᛟᚹᛁᚷ (in runic alphabet) or *"Hlōdowik" or "Hlōdowig" (in Latin alphabet), equivalent to the modern forms Louis (French), Lodewijk (Dutch), Lewis (English), and Ludwig (German).

Etymology

The name *Hlōdowik or *Hlōdowig is traditionally considered to be composed of two elements, deriving from both Proto-Germanic *hlūdaz ("loud, famous") and *wiganą ("to battle, to fight") respectively, resulting in the traditional practice of translating Clovis' name as meaning "famous warrior".

However, scholars have pointed out that Gregory of Tours consequently transcribes the names of various Merovingian royal names containing the first element as chlodo-. The use of a close-mid back protruded vowel (o), rather than the expected close back rounded vowel (u) which Gregory does use in various other Germanic names (i.e. Fredegundis, Arnulfus, Gundobadus, etc.) opens up the possibility that the first element instead derives from Proto-Germanic *hlutą ("lot, share, portion"), giving the meaning of the name as "loot bringer" or "plunder (bringing) warrior". This hypothesis is supported by the fact that if the first element is taken to mean "famous", then the name of Chlodomer (one of Clovis' sons) would contain two elements (*hlūdaz and *mērijaz) both meaning "famous", which would be highly uncommon within the typical Germanic name structure.[1][2]

Frankish royalty

Clovis I (c. 466 – 511), the first king of the Franks to unite all the Frankish tribes under one ruler

Clovis II (637 – c. 658), king of Neustria and Burgundy

Clovis III (reigned 675–676), the king of Austrasia

Clovis IV (682–695), the sole king of the Franks from 691 until 695

Clovis (died 580), son of Chilperic I and Audovera, assassinated by his father and stepmother

Louis the Pious, son of Charlemagne, King of Aquitaine from 781 and sole ruler of the Franks 814–840, but counted as "Louis I of France" even though West Francia (the nucleus of the later kingdom of France) was formed only after his death.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clovis_(given_name

The Carolingian dynasty (/ˌkærəˈlɪndʒiən/ KARR-ə-LIN-jee-ən;[1] known variously as the Carlovingians, Carolingus, Carolings, Karolinger or Karlings) was a Frankish noble family named after Charles Martel and his grandson Charlemagne, descendants of the Arnulfing and Pippinid clans of the 7th century AD.[2] The dynasty consolidated its power in the 8th century, eventually making the offices of mayor of the palace and dux et princeps Francorum hereditary, and becoming the de facto rulers of the Franks as the real powers behind the Merovingian throne. In 751 the Merovingian dynasty which had ruled the Franks was overthrown with the consent of the Papacy and the aristocracy, and Pepin the Short, son of Martel, was crowned King of the Franks. The Carolingian dynasty reached its peak in 800 with the crowning of Charlemagne as the first Emperor of the Romans in the West in over three centuries. Nearly every monarch of France from Charlemagne's son Louis the Pious till the penultimate monarch of France Louis Philippe have been his descendants. His death in 814 began an extended period of fragmentation of the Carolingian Empire and decline that would eventually lead to the evolution of the Kingdom of France and the Holy Roman Empire.

Name

The Carolingian dynasty takes its name from Carolus, the Latinised name of multiple Frankish kings including Charlemagne and Charles Martel.[3] The name originates from a common Germanic word, rendered in Old High German as Karl or Kerl,[4] meaning 'man', 'husband', or 'freeman'.[5]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carolingian_dynasty

THE CONFLICT: PRIORY OF SION VERSUS KNIGHTS TEMPLAR

Secret societies by virtue of their very secrecy have often kept historians at bay, and the historians, reluctant to confess their ignorance, prefer to diminish the consequence of their subject. Freemasonry.. is of vital importance to any social, psychological, cultural or political history of eighteenth-century Europe, and even to the founding of the United States; but most history books don't even mention it. It is almost as if an implicit policy obtained: If something cannot be exhaustively documented, it must be irrelevant and thereby not worth discussing I at all. Investigators of the Holy Grail' Freemasonry, French and English, as we know it today, finds its loots in two organizations of the Middle Ages - the Priory of Sion and the Order of the Knights Templar. What follows is the fascinating, if sometimes complicated and obscure history, of how these two modern, anti-Christian secular secret societies - English and French Freemasonry - developed from two groups that themselves had roots in the occult. We will see how the Priory of Sion desired to rule the world from the throne of David in Jerusalem through its counterfeit Jewish Merovingian bloodline, and how its own creation, the Knights Templar, moved beyond its role as police and protector of Sion to financial masters of medieval Europe. We will trace the alliance of Sion and the Templars, their dispute over the discovery of Solomon's treasures, and the terrible intrigues which followed that led to the undoing of the Templars in their struggle over wealth, power, and politics. We will reveal the beliefs of these two groups: that Jesus fathered children by Mary Magdalene; that a spiritual god of good (Satan) battles a material god of evil; that Lucifer, not Jesus, deserves worship; that a "Spear of Destiny" (later sought and possessed by Hitler) allows the holder to rule the world. We will also present data about the whereabouts of King Solomon's wealth, the plan to one day return it to Jerusalem, and reveal that the ultimate goal of these two groups is world government, and that their descendants, English and French Freemasonry, desire the same. The Historical Trail: The Priory of Sion and the Holy Grail In 1982 and 1986 three secular revisionist authors, Michael Baigent~ Richard Leigh, and Henry Lincoln published Holy Blood, Holy Grail followed by The Messianic Legacy. These two books dramatically reveal a secret order structured in the manner of Freemasonry, and founded in Europe twelve centuries before the Grand Lodge was officially formed in 1717. This order protects both the Holy Grail and the Merovingian bloodline, which bloodline carried Mystery Babylon into the Catholic Church in 496 A.D. 56 The Holy Grail, of course, is the so-called cup from which Jesus drank at the Last Supper. The Merovingians, owners of the Holy Grail, teach that Jesus fathered children by Mary Magdalene. The Merovingians claim to be the offspring of that "holy" union, and as such, assert they are Jews of the Davidic line.

In Revelation 17:3-5 the apostle John describes a vision, which Rev. J. R. Church in Guardians of the Grail believes is fulfilled in the Grail legend. The Whore of Babylon is holding in her hand a golden cup full of blasphemy. Church believes the cup is the blasphemous Holy Grail Another element of the Grail legend is the spear supposed to have pierced the side of Jesus, also known as the Spear of Longinus or the Spear of Destiny. Whoever possesses this spear, so the legend goes, will rule the world. The Merovingians, whose descendants are the Habsburg pretenders to the Austrian throne today, are in possession of the spear. It is on display in the Habsburg museum in Vienna, Austria~ No one, however, knows the location of the Holy Grail. At least no one is telling. Although heretical, this secret society should not be discounted, for it is alive and well today. In fact, in 1956, an Order calling itself the Prieure de Sion, or Priory of Sion, registered itself publicly for the first time with the French government. (Sion is French for Zion.) It is from this Order that the legend of the Holy Grail originated five centuries after Christ's death. Rev. Church remarks of this organization: This mysterious group is presently made up of over 9,000 men, including Protestants, Roman Catholics, Jews, and Moslems. The members of this secret sect should be considered unfaithful to their respective beliefs, for in reality they are neither Christian nor Catholic, they are neither Jew nor Moslem. Their doctrine sidesteps the basic tenets of those beliefs and replaces them with the teachings of their greatest prophet - whom they believe to be Buddha.2 From this secret order J. R. Church believes will come the Anti-Christ, for he writes, "Their ultimate goal is world government!'"

Scarlet and the Beast

by John Daniel

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zCd0nFuvnM4OYWuVW5QUBCpsTfBv5bYx/view?usp=sharing

Parker Lewis Can't Lose (rebranded simply as Parker Lewis for the third and final season) is an American teen sitcom that originally aired on Fox from September 1990 to June 1993. It was produced by Clyde Phillips Productions, in association with Columbia Pictures Television. The series depicts the tribulations of the title character Parker Lewis (played by Corin Nemec), a Santo Domingo High School student, for whom nothing is impossible. It was strongly influenced by the feature film Ferris Bueller's Day Off.[citation needed]

Premise

Parker Lewis Can't Lose features the title character as frequent narrator of episodes. Alongside Parker, Jerry Steiner and Mikey Randall are main characters whose primary focus through the show is fitting in. The show revolves around the experiences of these characters as they navigate the challenges of adolescence and strive for social acceptance within their high school. Their efforts are often thwarted by Parker's little sister, Shelly, and school principal Grace Musso.

The series focuses on the teenage lives of its characters and has a cartoon-like quality,[1][2][3] though it is live action. Many episodes contain references to pop culture, politics and celebrities. The surrealism was toned down in the series' final season, going as far as having Parker acknowledge this by breaking the fourth wall and 'canceling' one of the show's transitions.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parker_Lewis_Can%27t_Lose

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Sufism and Buddhism, while differing in their fundamental beliefs, share some common ground in their emphasis on personal spiritual growth and the path to enlightenment. Sufism, a mystical branch of Islam, centers on attaining a closer relationship with God through contemplation, self-discipline, and devotion. Buddhism, a non-theistic tradition, focuses on achieving enlightenment through the elimination of suffering and the practice of meditation.

Key Differences:

Theism vs. Non-Theism:

Sufism is a theistic tradition that believes in a supreme God, while Buddhism is a non-theistic tradition that does not worship a god.

Focus of Practice:

Sufism emphasizes the love and union with God through various practices like dhikr (remembrance) and whirling dervishes, while Buddhism focuses on the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, and the cultivation of virtues like compassion and wisdom.

Concept of Reality:

Sufism views the material world as a reflection of the divine, while Buddhism sees it as an illusion (maya).

Goal of Spiritual Practice:

Sufism seeks to attain union with God (tawhid), while Buddhism aims to achieve enlightenment and nirvana, the state of liberation from suffering.

Similarities:

Meditation and Contemplation:

Both traditions emphasize meditation and introspection as a means of spiritual growth.

Self-Discipline and Asceticism:

Both traditions value self-discipline, asceticism, and detachment from worldly desires as essential for spiritual progress.

Emphasis on Inner Transformation:

Both Sufism and Buddhism prioritize inner transformation and the cultivation of virtues as a path to enlightenment or union with the divine.

Importance of Spiritual Guides:

Both traditions value the guidance of spiritual teachers or leaders who can help practitioners on their path.

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The Seal of Solomon or Ring of Solomon (Hebrew: חותם שלמה, Ḥotam Shlomo; Arabic: خاتم سليمان, Khātam Sulaymān) is the legendary signet ring attributed to king Solomon in medieval mystical traditions, from which it developed in parallel within Jewish mysticism, Islamic mysticism and Western occultism.

It is often depicted in the shape of either a pentagram or a hexagram. In mystic Islamic and Jewish lore, the ring is variously described as having given Solomon the power to command the supernatural, including shedim and jinn, and also the ability to speak with animals. Due to the proverbial wisdom of Solomon, it came to be seen as an amulet or talisman, or a symbol or character in medieval magic and Renaissance magic, occultism, and alchemy.

The seal is the predecessor to the Star of David, a Jewish symbol, and in modern vexillology, it features on the Flag of Israel. The pentagram on the Flag of Morocco also represents the seal.[1] The Seal of Solomon was also depicted on the flag of Nigeria during British colonial rule.[2]

History

The earliest references to Solomon's seal or signet stem from within Jewish traditions. It is first mentioned by the first-century Jewish historian Josephus,[4](8.41-49) and is similarly referenced by the third-century Jewish magical text Sefer HaRazim,[5] and an aggadic section of the Tractate Gittin within the Babylonian Talmud as well.[6] In parallel, a first century Greek manual of Judeo-Christian magic known as Testament of Solomon also makes reference to the Seal of Solomon.

Jewish scholars claim that the tradition of Solomon's Seal later made its way into Islamic Arab sources, as Gershom Scholem (the founder of the modern, academic study of Kabbalah) attests "It is difficult to say for how long certain definite names have been used for several of the most common seals. The Arabs made many such terms especially popular, but just the names Seal of Solomon and Shield of David, which are often used interchangeably for the two emblems, go back to pre-Islamic Jewish magic. it did not originate among the Arabs who, incidentally, know only the designation Seal of Solomon."[7] However, other scholars have demonstrated a wide variety of other origins for its use, including late Babylonian, cuneiform from ancient Mesopotamia, Egyptian hieroglyphs, early Ancient South Arabian script, Tifinagh, Ancient Greek alphabet, Indian Hinduism and Byzantine Greeks.[8][9] The widespread use of the symbol within Arab culture, and within many cultures in contact with Arabs, makes such claims spurious.

The legend of the Seal of Solomon was developed further by medieval Middle Eastern writers, who related that the ring was engraved by God and was given to the king directly from heaven. The ring was made from brass and iron, and the two parts were used to seal written commands to good and evil spirits, respectively. In one tale, a demon — either Asmodeus or Sakhr — obtained possession of the ring and ruled in Solomon's stead for forty days. In a variant of the tale of the ring of Polycrates from Herodotus, the demon eventually threw the ring into the sea, where it was swallowed by a fish, caught by a charitable fisherman, who unknowingly fed it to the displaced Solomon, restoring him to power.[10][a]

The date of origin legends surrounding the Seal of Solomon is difficult to establish. A legend of a magic ring with which the possessor could command demons was already current in the 1st century (Josephus[4](8.2) telling of one Eleazar who used such a ring in the presence of Vespasian), but the association of the name of Solomon with such a ring is likely medieval notwithstanding the 2nd century apocryphal text the Testament of Solomon. The Tractate Gittin (fol. 68) of the Talmud has a story involving Solomon, Asmodeus, and a ring with the divine name engraved: Solomon gives the ring and a chain to one Benaiahu son of Jehoiada to catch the demon Ashmedai, to obtain the demon's help to build the temple; Ashmedai later tricks Solomon into giving him the ring and swallows it.[b]

The specification of the design of the seal as a hexagram seems to arise from a medieval Arab tradition, and most scholars assume that the symbol entered the Kabbalistic tradition of medieval Spain from Arabic literature.[13] The representation as a pentagram, by contrast, seems to arise in the Western tradition of Renaissance magic (which was in turn strongly influenced by medieval Arab and Jewish occultism); W. Kennett (1660–1728) makes reference to a "pentangle of Solomon" with the power of exorcising demons.[14]

Hexagrams feature prominently in Jewish esoteric literature from the early medieval period, and it has been hypothesized that the tradition of Solomon's Seal may possibly predate Islam and date to early Rabbinical esoteric tradition, or to early alchemy in Hellenistic Judaism in 3rd century Egypt.[15]

The seal appears profusely in the decoration of the 17th-century Catholic Sacromonte Abbey, in Granada, Spain, as a symbol of wisdom.[16] The Seal of Solomon was also discovered in Palestine during the Ottoman period, when it was etched in stone above windows and doors and on Muslim tombs. A few examples were found in houses in Saris and on graves in Jaffa.[17]

An "Order of Solomon's Seal" was established in 1874 in Ethiopia, where the ruling house claimed descent from Solomon.[18]

Other traditions

In Islamic eschatology, some believe that the Beast of the Earth, which should appear near the Last Judgment day, will come bearing "the Seal of Solomon", and will use the latter to stamp the noses of the unbelievers.[19]

In 1354, King of Bohemia Charles IV prescribed for the Jews of Prague a red flag with both David's shield and Solomon's seal, while the red flag with which the Jews met King Matthias of Hungary in the 15th century showed two pentagrams with two golden stars.[20]

The pentagram on the current flag of Morocco is meant to represent the Seal,[1] as well as the five pillars of Islam.[21]

The hexagram or Star of David, which became a symbol of Judaism in the modern period and was placed on the flag of Israel in 1948, has its origins in 14th-century depictions of the Seal of Solomon.

The flag of Hayreddin Barbarossa had a Seal of Solomon between the blades of a zulfiqar.

In popular culture

Lippmann Moses Büschenthal (d. 1818) wrote a tragedy with the title Der Siegelring Salomonis ("the signet-ring of Solomon").

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seal_of_Solomon

"As above, so below" is a popular modern paraphrase of the second verse of the Emerald Tablet, a short Hermetic text which first appeared in an Arabic source from the late eighth or early ninth century.[1] The paraphrase is based on one of several existing Latin translations of the Emerald Tablet, in which the second verse appears as follows:[2]

Quod est superius est sicut quod inferius, et quod inferius est sicut quod est superius.

That which is above is like to that which is below, and that which is below is like to that which is above.

The paraphrase is peculiar to this Latin version, and differs from the original Arabic, which reads "from" rather than "like to".

Following its use by prominent modern occultists such as Helena P. Blavatsky (1831–1891, co-founder of the Theosophical Society) and the anonymous author of the Kybalion (often taken to be William W. Atkinson, 1862–1932, a pioneer of the New Thought movement), the paraphrase started to take on a life of its own, becoming an often cited motto in New Age circles.[3]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/As_above,_so_below

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When someone says "2000 years of age," it means a period of time spanning 2,000 years, often used in historical or astrological contexts to refer to a specific era or "age" like the "Age of Pisces" which is considered to have lasted for 2,000 years in some interpretations.

Key points about "2000 years of age":

Astrological usage:

In astrology, different "ages" are associated with different zodiac signs, and each age is often calculated as lasting around 2,000 years based on the Earth's axial precession.

Example:

Currently, many astrologers consider the "Age of Aquarius" to be starting around the year 2000, signifying a new era.

Not perfectly accurate:

While 2,000 years is often used for simplicity, the actual length of an astrological age based on precession is closer to 2,160 years.

Generative AI is experimental.

"God is dead" (German: Gott ist tot [ɡɔt ɪst toːt] ⓘ; also known as the death of God) is a statement made by the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. The first instance of this statement in Nietzsche's writings is in his 1882 The Gay Science, where it appears three times.[note 1] The phrase also appears at the beginning of Nietzsche's Thus Spoke Zarathustra.

The meaning of this statement is that since, as Nietzsche says, "the belief in the Christian God has become unbelievable", everything that was "built upon this faith, propped up by it, grown into it", including "the whole [...] European morality", is bound to "collapse".[1] The time of the Enlightenment had transformed collective human knowledge to the point where many would question their beliefs. The framing of the construct suggests that God could exist, from an atheistic perspective, in the minds of men rather than in reality, and so widespread disbelief would equate to God's death.

Other philosophers had previously discussed the concept, including Philipp Mainländer and Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel. The phrase is also discussed in the Death of God theology.

Early usage

Discourses of a "death of God" in German culture appear as early as the 17th century and originally referred to Lutheran theories of atonement. The phrase "God is dead" appears in the hymn "Ein Trauriger Grabgesang" ("A mournful dirge") by Johann von Rist.[2]

Before Nietzsche, the phrase 'Dieu est mort!' ('God is dead') was written in Gérard de Nerval's 1854 poem "Le Christ aux oliviers" ("Christ at the olive trees").[3] The poem is an adaptation into a verse of a dream-vision that appears in Jean Paul's 1797 novel Siebenkäs under the chapter title of 'The Dead Christ Proclaims That There Is No God'.[4] In an address he gave in 1987 to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the literary scholar George Steiner claims that Nietzsche's formulation 'God is dead' is indebted to the aforementioned 'Dead Christ' dream-vision of Jean Paul, but he offers no concrete evidence that Nietzsche ever read Jean Paul.[5]

The phrase is also found in a passage expressed by a narrator in Victor Hugo's 1862 novel Les Misérables:[6][7]

"God is dead, perhaps," said Gerard de Nerval one day to the writer of these lines, confounding progress with God, and taking the interruption of movement for the death of Being.

Buddhist philosopher K. Satchidananda Murty wrote in 1973 that, coming across in a hymn of Martin Luther what Hegel described as "the cruel words", "the harsh utterance", namely, "God is dead", developed the theme of God's death according to whom, to one form of experience, God is dead. Murty continued that commenting on Kant's first Critique, Heinrich Heine who had purportedly influenced Nietzsche spoke of a dying God. Since Heine and Nietzsche the phrase Death of God became popular.[8]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_is_dead

CHAPTER SEVEN – SHABTAI, SHIMON AND SHARON – DESTROYING THE JEWS

ALM 1 - THE DEUTSCH DEVILS

Rabbi Marvin Antelman was right all along. Way back in 1974, he identified the source of all the evil against Jews and humanity but his message and style were too unaccessible to get through to anyone but the most advanced students of antisemitism. What he lacked most was simplicity, a common enough failure of thinkers decades in advance of their contemporaries. What he needed was someone to put out a Cliff's Notes simplified explanation of his thesis...and someone, without intention, just did. The name of the book is, 50 Jewish Messiahs by Jerry Rabow (Gefen Publishing, Jerusalem). It is an informative but shallow overview of just what the title says, but in its shallowness lies vital depth. We begin with Chapter 17, about the "most damaging messiah to the Jewish people," Shabbatai Zvi. First we'll read Rabow and then add commentary opening Rabbi Antelman's work to the wide world. Recall that there are various accepted English spellings for Shabtai Tzvi, and the Sabbataians. The spelling presented depends on the writer:

pp 91 - Shabbatai Zvi was born in Smyrna, Turkey on the ninth of Av, 1626. The ninth day of Av is the day of a triple tragedy for the Jewish nation. According to tradition, the First Temple, the Second Temple and Bar Kokhba's Betar fortress all fell on this day.

pp 93 - He changed the holiday celebrations and violated the dietary prohibitions. All of this followed from his declaration that the usual rules were inapplicable to messianic times.

pp 95 - He declared that the coming of the messianic era meant that the biblical commandments were no longer binding. He proclaimed that God now permitted everything. ** This is Rabbi Antelman's central assertion; that Shabbataism was the polar opposite of Judaism. That Shabbatai Zvi's program was to destroy all the tenets of the Torah and replace them with their opposites. Incredibly, more than half the Jews of the world at the time, believed he would be revealed as their promised messiah: **

pp 101 - Then he finally made the announcement for which the Jewish community had been waiting for 1600 years - he would begin the Redemption on the 15th day of the month of Sivan, June 18, 1666. ** There are many who will recognize the significance of the date. June is the sixth month, 18 divided by three is 6+6+6 and 1666 is clear enough. Either he knew what he was doing or the prophesies of the emergence of an evil false messiah or anti-Christ are right, and Shabbatai Zvi was him. **

pp 110 - Through all of this, Shabbatai continued to issue proclamations of the theological changes wrought by the coming of the messianic age. Shabbatai's new prayer was, "Praised be He who permits the forbidden." Since all things would be permitted in the age of the messiah, Shabbatai declared many of the old restrictions of the Torah no longer applicable. He abolished the laws concerning sexual relationships. He eventually declared that all of the thirty six major biblical sins were now permitted and instructed some of his followers that it was their duty to perform such sins in order to hasten the Redemption.

Shabtai Tzvi, Labor Zionism and the Holocaust

by Barry Chamish

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B66Pc9x2hkIrV2Y3QWxPbkpKYWc/view?usp=sharing&resourcekey=0-5ak831cRNQohyyjZYfFKvw

Nova music festival massacre

On 7 October 2023, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian nationalist organization Hamas, initiated a sudden attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip. As part of the attack, 364 individuals, mostly civilians, were killed and many more wounded at the Supernova Sukkot Gathering, an open-air music festival during the Jewish holiday of Shemini Atzeret near kibbutz Re'im. Hamas also took 40 people hostage, and men and women were reportedly subject to sexual and gender-based violence.[4][5][6][7][8][9][10]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nova_music_festival_massacre

A nova (pl. novae or novas) is a transient astronomical event that causes the sudden appearance of a bright, apparently "new" star (hence the name "nova", Latin for "new") that slowly fades over weeks or months. All observed novae involve white dwarfs in close binary systems, but causes of the dramatic appearance of a nova vary, depending on the circumstances of the two progenitor stars. The main sub-classes of novae are classical novae, recurrent novae (RNe), and dwarf novae. They are all considered to be cataclysmic variable stars.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nova

Revelation 16:8

1599 Geneva Bible

8 [a]And the fourth Angel poured out his vial on the sun, and it was given to him to torment men with heat of fire,

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%2016%3A8-10&version=GNV

SpaceX Roadster is not a natural celestial object, but rather a man-made object launched by SpaceX in February 2018 as part of the Falcon Heavy test flight. It is a red sports car owned by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, and was launched as a demonstration of the Falcon Heavy's capabilities. The Roadster is not in a stable orbit around the Sun, but is instead on a heliocentric orbit that will take it to the asteroid belt and then back to the inner Solar System in the future. The Roadster also carries a mannequin named Starman, dressed in a spacesuit, in the driver's seat. The name "Roadster" refers to the type of car that is used as the payload for the Falcon Heavy, while "SpaceX" is the name of the private space exploration company founded by Elon Musk in 2002.

https://theskylive.com/roadster-info

L. D. S. "

The Constitutions of The Society of Jesus and Their Complimentary Norms

https://jesuitas.lat/uploads/the-constitutions-of-the-society-of-jesus-and-their-complementary-norms/Constitutions%20and%20Norms%20SJ%20ingls.pdf

A red giant is a luminous giant star of low or intermediate mass (roughly 0.3–8 solar masses (M☉)) in a late phase of stellar evolution. The outer atmosphere is inflated and tenuous, making the radius large and the surface temperature around 5,000 K [K] (4,700 °C; 8,500 °F) or lower. The appearance of the red giant is from yellow-white to reddish-orange, including the spectral types K and M, sometimes G, but also class S stars and most carbon stars.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_giant

Revelation 16:8

1599 Geneva Bible

8 [a]And the fourth Angel poured out his vial on the sun, and it was given to him to torment men with heat of fire,

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%2016%3A8-10&version=GNV

9. Interprovincial Works and Houses in Rome

304 §1. In the spirit of our fourth vow, the Society confirms its commitment to the interprovincial Roman works entrusted to it by the Holy See: the Pontifical Gregorian University and its associated institutes, the Pontifical Biblical Institute and the Pontifical Oriental Institute, as well as the Pontifical Russicum College, the Vatican Radio, and the Vatican Observatory, all of which are common works of the whole Society, placed directly under the superior general. Recognizing the very valuable service that these institutions have offered and continue to offer today, it calls upon major superiors who share Father General s responsibility for them to continue their help through subsidies and especially by training and offering professors and other personnel to them.

§2. Also recommended to the care of all the provinces are those other works or houses in Rome that render a service to the entire Society, such as the Historical Institute of the Society of Jesus and the international colleges of the Society in Rome.[142]

The Constitutions of The Society of Jesus and Their Complimentary Norms

A Complete English Translation of the Official Latin Texts

THE INSTITUTE OF JESUIT SOURCES

SAINT LOUIS, 1996

https://web.archive.org/web/20200211182223/https://jesuitas.lat/uploads/the-constitutions-of-the-society-of-jesus-and-their-complementary-norms/Constitutions%20and%20Norms%20SJ%20ingls.pdf

Louis Raphaël I Sako (Arabic: لويس روفائيل ساكو;[1] born 4 July 1948) is a Chaldean Catholic prelate who has served as Patriarch of Baghdad since 1 February 2013. Pope Francis made him a cardinal on 28 June 2018.

Biography

Early life

Sako was born in the city of Zakho, Iraq, on 4 July 1948.[2] He comes from an ethnic Assyrian family of the Chaldean Catholic Church that has roots in a religious community that has had a presence in the city of his birth since the 5th century AD.[3]

He completed his early studies in Mosul and then attended the Dominican-run Saint Jean’s Seminary there. He was ordained a priest on 1 June 1974 and filled his first pastoral assignment at the Cathedral of Mosul until 1979. He then earned a doctorate in Eastern patrology at the Pontifical Oriental Institute. When denied a license to teach because he was only qualified for religious instruction, he earned a second doctorate in history from the Sorbonne in Paris.[4] With this he secured his teaching license and was able to provide religious instruction. From 1997 to 2002 he was rector of the Patriarchal Seminary in Baghdad. He then returned to Mosul and guided the parish of Perpetual Help for a year.[5][6]

Sako speaks Neo-Aramaic, German, French, English, Italian, Kurdish and Arabic.[2]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Rapha%C3%ABl_I_Sako

Can. 666 In the use of means of social communication, necessary discretion is to be observed and those things are to be avoided which are harmful to one’s vocation and dangerous to the chastity of a consecrated person."

TITLE II. RELIGIOUS INSTITUTES (Cann. 607 - 709)

CODE OF CANON LAW

https://www.vatican.va/archive/cod-iuris-canonici/eng/documents/cic_lib2-cann607-709_en.html

Head:

1. See Illness, mental

2. The superior general, head of the Society [666]"

page 463

The Constitutions of The Society of Jesus and Their Complimentary Norms

A Complete English Translation of the Official Latin Texts

THE INSTITUTE OF JESUIT SOURCES

SAINT LOUIS, 1996

https://web.archive.org/web/20200211182223/https://jesuitas.lat/uploads/the-constitutions-of-the-society-of-jesus-and-their-complementary-norms/Constitutions%20and%20Norms%20SJ%20ingls.pdf

Revelation 13:18

New International Version

18 This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man.[a] That number is 666.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

Revelation 13:18 Or is humanity’s number

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%2013%3A18&version=NIV

Civil Twilight:

Begins in the morning, or ends in the evening, when the geometric center of the sun is 6 degrees below the horizon. Therefore morning civil twilight begins when the geometric center of the sun is 6 degrees below the horizon, and ends at sunrise. Evening civil twilight begins at sunset, and ends when the geometric center of the sun is 6 degrees below the horizon. Under these conditions absent fog or other restrictions, the brightest stars and planets can be seen, the horizon and terrestrial objects can be discerned, and in many cases, artificial lighting is not needed. Civil Twilight is also known as Civil Dawn and Civil Dusk.

Nautical Twilight:

Begins in the morning, or ends in the evening, when the geometric center of the sun is 12 degrees below the horizon. In general, the term nautical twilight refers to sailors being able to take reliable readings via well known stars because the horizon is still visible, even under moonless conditions. Absent fog or other restrictions, outlines of terrestrial objects may still be discernible, but detailed outdoor activities are likely curtailed without artificial illumination. Nautical Twilight is also known as Nautical Dawn and Nautical Dusk.

Astronomical Twilight:

Begins in the morning, or ends in the evening, when the geometric center of the sun is 18 degrees below the horizon. In astronomical twilight, sky illumination is so faint that most casual observers would regard the sky as fully dark, especially under urban or suburban light pollution. Under astronomical twilight, the horizon is not discernible and moderately faint stars or planets can be observed with the naked eye under a non light polluted sky. But to test the limits of naked eye observations, the sun needs to be more than 18 degrees below the horizon. Point light sources such as stars and planets can be readily studied by astronomers under astronomical twilight. But diffuse light sources such as galaxies, nebula, and globular clusters need to be observed under a totally dark sky, again when the sun is more than 18 degrees below the horizon.

https://www.weather.gov/fsd/twilight

Alumbrado, (Spanish: “Enlightened”, ) Italian Illuminato, plural Illuminati, a follower of a mystical movement in Spain during the 16th and 17th centuries. Its adherents claimed that the human soul, having attained a certain degree of perfection, was permitted a vision of the divine and entered into direct communication with the Holy Spirit. From this state the soul could neither advance nor retrogress. Consequently, participation in the liturgy, good works, and observance of the exterior forms of religious life were unnecessary for those who had received the “light.” The Alumbrados came primarily from among the reformed Franciscans and the Jesuits, but their doctrines seem to have influenced all classes of people. The extravagant claims made for their visions and revelations caused them to be relentlessly persecuted. The Inquisition issued edicts against them on three occasions (1568, 1574, and 1623)."

https://www.britannica.com/event/Alumbrado

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Pali Buddha (“the Awakened One, the Enlightened One”), from buddha (“awakened, enlightened”), from Sanskrit बुद्ध (buddha, “awakened, enlightened”), past participle of बोधति (bodhati, “to wake, to awaken”). Distantly related to English bid and bede. Also cognate with Russian будить (buditʹ, “to wake up”)."

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Buddha

Gautama

surname of the Buddha, from Sanskrit Gotamah, properly a patronymic, literally "descendant of the greatest ox," from superlative of gauh "ox, bull, cow."

https://www.etymonline.com/word/buddha

BULL of Pope Boniface VIII promulgated November 18, 1302

For, according to the Blessed Dionysius, it is a law of the divinity that the lowest things reach the highest place by intermediaries. Then, according to the order of the universe, all things are not led back to order equally and immediately, but the lowest by the intermediary, and the inferior by the superior. Hence we must recognize the more clearly that spiritual power surpasses in dignity and in nobility any temporal power whatever, as spiritual things surpass the temporal. This we see very clearly also by the payment, benediction, and consecration of the tithes, but the acceptance of power itself and by the government even of things. For with truth as our witness, it belongs to spiritual power to establish the terrestrial power and to pass judgement if it has not been good. Thus is accomplished the prophecy of Jeremias concerning the Church and the ecclesiastical power: ‘Behold to-day I have placed you over nations, and over kingdoms‘ and the rest. Therefore, if the terrestrial power err, it will be judged by the spiritual power; but if a minor spiritual power err, it will be judged by a superior spiritual power; but if the highest power of all err, it can be judged only by God, and not by man, according to the testimony of the Apostle: ‘The spiritual man judgeth of all things and he himself is judged by no man‘ [1 Cor 2:15]. This authority, however, (though it has been given to man and is exercised by man), is not human but rather divine, granted to Peter by a divine word and reaffirmed to him (Peter) and his successors by the One Whom Peter confessed, the Lord saying to Peter himself, ‘Whatsoever you shall bind on earth, shall be bound also in Heaven‘ etc., [Mt 16:19]. Therefore whoever resists this power thus ordained by God, resists the ordinance of God [Rom 13:2], unless he invent like Manicheus two beginnings, which is false and judged by us heretical, since according to the testimony of Moses, it is not in the beginnings but in the beginning that God created heaven and earth [Gen 1:1]. Furthermore, we declare, we proclaim, we define that it is absolutely necessary for salvation that every human creature be subject to the Roman Pontiff."

https://www.papalencyclicals.net/bon08/b8unam.htm

AI Overview

Astronomers estimate that there are about 200 billion trillion stars in the observable universe. That's 200 sextillion stars, or 200,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.

Explanation

To estimate the number of stars in the universe, astronomers:

Measure the color and brightness of starlight from our galaxy, the Milky Way

Use that information to estimate how many stars are in the Milky Way

Multiply the number of stars in the Milky Way by the number of galaxies in the universe

However, this is only a rough estimate because not all galaxies are the same. For example, spiral galaxies can have over a trillion stars, while giant elliptical galaxies can have 100 trillion stars.

Other ways to put it

The number of stars in the universe is so large that it's hard to imagine. It's about 10 times the number of cups of water in all the oceans of Earth.

Missions to learn more

The European Space Agency's Gaia mission is mapping about 1 billion stars in the Milky Way. The mission's data will help astronomers better understand the structure and evolution of our galaxy.

Generative AI is experimental.

In physics, string theory is a theoretical framework in which the point-like particles of particle physics are replaced by one-dimensional objects called strings. String theory describes how these strings propagate through space and interact with each other. On distance scales larger than the string scale, a string acts like a particle, with its mass, charge, and other properties determined by the vibrational state of the string. In string theory, one of the many vibrational states of the string corresponds to the graviton, a quantum mechanical particle that carries the gravitational force. Thus, string theory is a theory of quantum gravity.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/String_theory

A chain reaction is a sequence of reactions where a reactive product or by-product causes additional reactions to take place. In a chain reaction, positive feedback leads to a self-amplifying chain of events.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chain_reaction

2 Peter 3:10

1599 Geneva Bible

10 [a]But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens shall pass away with a [b]noise, and the elements shall melt with heat, and the earth with the works that are therein shall be burnt up.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Peter%203%3A10&version=GNV

https://www.facebook.com/billy.dunn.50767/posts/pfbid02pZjzLsA4PRW9ph5GMWFVhCWisN73Av74Qon3r7z6mYUAjeYq1Vr4ks74eHJvraxMl

2030-2031 APPARITION CHARACTERISTICS

Another general rule for predicting oppositions of Mars is from the following: the planet has an approximate 15.8-year periodic opposition cycle, which consists of three or four Aphelic oppositions and three consecutive Perihelic oppositions. Perihelic oppositions are also called "favorable" because the Earth and Mars come closest to each other on those occasions. We sometimes refer to this as the seven Martian synodic periods. This cycle is repeated every 79 years (± 4 to 5 days) and, if one were to live long enough, one would see this cycle nearly replicated in approximately 284 years. The 2031 Mars apparition is considered Transitional (between Aphelic and Perihelic) because the orbital longitude at opposition will be 68.4° from the aphelion longitude of 70° Ls and 111.6° Ls from perihelion (250° Ls).

NOTE: Ls is the planetocentric longitude of the Sun along the ecliptic of Mars’ sky. 0° Ls is defined as that point where the Sun crosses the Martian celestial equator from south to north, that is the planet’s northern hemisphere vernal equinox. The other Ls values that define the beginnings of Martian northern hemisphere seasons are: summer, 90° Ls; autumn, 180° Ls; and winter, 270° Ls. For Mars’ southern hemisphere these values represent the opposite seasons. Distance (A.U.) - Distance from Earth to Mars in astronomical units, where one (1) A.U. equals 92,955,807.267 miles or 149,597,870.691 km.

Opposition occurs 11 months after conjunction when Mars is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun. At that time, the two planets will lie nearly in a straight line with respect to the Sun, or five weeks after retrogression begins. Opposition will occur at 1157 UT on May 04, 2031 (138.4° Ls) with an apparent planetary disk diameter of 16.7 arcsec. Mars will remain visible for more than twelve months after opposition and then become lost in the glare of the Sun around May 31, 2032 as it approaches the next conjunction (July 11, 2032). The cycle is complete in 780 Earth days.

Closest approach occurs at 0350 UT on May 12, 2031 (142.1° Ls) with an apparent planetary disk diameter of 16.9 at a distance of 0.5533578 astronomical units (AU) or 51,437,823 miles (82,781,152 km). During closest approach in 2031 the apparent diameter of Mars will be 2.4 arcsec larger than it was at the same period in 2029; however, it will be 17.1 degrees lower in the sky - not quite as good for observing the Red Planet for observers in the northern hemisphere. It should also be noted that closest approach between Earth and Mars is not necessarily coincident with the time of opposition but varies by as much as two weeks.

https://www.alpo-astronomy.org/jbeish/2031_MARS.htm

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations members in 2015, created 17 world Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They were created with the aim of "peace and prosperity for people and the planet..."[1][2][3] – while tackling climate change and working to preserve oceans and forests. The SDGs highlight the connections between the environmental, social and economic aspects of sustainable development. Sustainability is at the center of the SDGs.[4][5]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainable_Development_Goals

The Arab Spring (Arabic: الربيع العربي, romanized: ar-rabīʻ al-ʻarabī) or the First Arab Spring (to distinguish from the Second Arab Spring) was a series of anti-government protests, uprisings and armed rebellions that spread across much of the Arab world in the early 2010s. It began in Tunisia in response to corruption and economic stagnation.[1][2] From Tunisia, the protests then spread to five other countries: Libya, Egypt, Yemen, Syria and Bahrain. Rulers were deposed (Zine El Abidine Ben Ali of Tunisia in 2011, Muammar Gaddafi of Libya in 2011, Hosni Mubarak of Egypt in 2011, and Ali Abdullah Saleh of Yemen in 2012) or major uprisings and social violence occurred including riots, civil wars, or insurgencies. Sustained street demonstrations took place in Morocco, Iraq, Algeria, Lebanon, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman and Sudan. Minor protests took place in Djibouti, Mauritania, Palestine, Saudi Arabia and the Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara.[3] A major slogan of the demonstrators in the Arab world is ash-shaʻb yurīd isqāṭ an-niẓām! (Arabic: الشعب يريد إسقاط النظام, lit. 'the people want to bring down the regime').[4]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Spring

Easter in 2030

Date: April 21, 2030

Day: Sunday

Pope Francis[b] (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio;[c] 17 December 1936 – 21 April 2025) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 13 March 2013 until his death in 2025. He was the first Jesuit pope, the first Latin American, and the first born or raised outside Europe since the 8th-century Syrian pope Gregory III.

Throughout his papacy, Francis was noted for his humility, emphasis on God's mercy, international visibility, commitment to interreligious dialogue, and concern for the poor, migrants, and refugees. Francis believed the Catholic Church should demonstrate more inclusivity to LGBTQ people, and stated that although blessings of same-sex unions are not permitted, individuals in same-sex relationships can be blessed as long as the blessing is not given in a liturgical context.[2] Francis made women full members of dicasteries in the Roman Curia.[3][4] Francis convened the Synod on Synodality, which was described as the culmination of his papacy and the most important event in the Catholic Church since the Second Vatican Council.[4][5][6] Francis was known for having a less formal approach to the papacy than his predecessors by, for instance, choosing to reside in the Domus Sanctae Marthae guesthouse rather than in the papal apartments of the Apostolic Palace used by previous popes. In addition, due to both his Jesuit and Ignatian aesthetic, he was known for favoring simpler vestments devoid of ornamentation, including refusing the traditional papal mozzetta cape upon his election, choosing silver instead of gold for his piscatory ring, and keeping the same pectoral cross he had as cardinal.

Concerning global governance, Francis was a critic of trickle-down economics, consumerism, and overdevelopment;[7] he made action on climate change a leading focus of his papacy.[8] He viewed capital punishment as inadmissible in all cases,[9] and committed the Catholic Church to its worldwide abolition.[10] Francis criticized the rise of right-wing populism and anti-immigration politics, calling the protection of migrants a "duty of civilization".[11] Francis supported the decriminalization of homosexuality.[12] In international diplomacy, Francis helped to restore full diplomatic relations between Cuba and the United States, negotiated a deal with the People's Republic of China to define Communist Party influence in appointing Chinese bishops, and encouraged peace between Israel and Palestinians, signing the Vatican's first treaty with the State of Palestine. In 2022 he apologized for the Church's role in the cultural genocide of Canadian Indigenous peoples in residential schools. From 2023 he condemned Israel's military operations in Gaza, calling for investigations of war crimes. Francis made his last public appearance on Easter Sunday before dying on 21 April 2025, Easter Monday.[13][14] The 2025 papal conclave elected Leo XIV as Francis's successor on 8 May. Leo XIV became the second pope from the Americas, after Francis.[15]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Francis

Avril Ramona Lavigne CM (/ˈævrɪl ləˈviːn/ AV-ril lə-VEEN; French: [avʁil ʁamɔna laviɲ]; born September 27, 1984) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. She is a key musician in popularizing pop-punk music, as she paved the way for female-driven, punk-influenced pop music in the early 2000s. Her accolades include ten Juno Awards and eight Grammy Awards nominations.

At age 16, Lavigne signed a two-album recording contract with Arista Records. Her debut album, Let Go (2002), is the best-selling album of the 21st century by a Canadian artist. It yielded the successful singles "Complicated" and "Sk8er Boi", which emphasized a skate punk persona and earned her the title "Pop-Punk Queen", "Pop Punk Princess" and "Teen-Pop Slayer" from music publications.[1] Her second album, Under My Skin (2004), became Lavigne's first to reach the top of the Billboard 200 chart in the United States, going on to sell 10 million copies worldwide.

Lavigne's third album, The Best Damn Thing (2007), reached number one in seven countries worldwide and saw the international success of its lead single "Girlfriend", which became her first single to reach the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. Her next two albums, Goodbye Lullaby (2011) and Avril Lavigne (2013), saw continued commercial success and were both certified gold in Canada, the United States, and other territories. After releasing her sixth album, Head Above Water (2019), she returned to her pop punk roots with her seventh album, Love Sux (2022).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avril_Lavigne

Regimini militantis Ecclesiae (Latin for To the Government of the Church Militant) was the papal bull promulgated by Pope Paul III on September 27, 1540, which gave a first approval to the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits, but limited the number of its members to sixty.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regimini_militantis_Ecclesiae

"The Day Called 'X' is a dramatized CBS documentary film set in Portland, Oregon, in which the entire city is evacuated in anticipation of a nuclear air raid, after Soviet bombers had been detected by radar stations to the north; it details the activation of the city's civil defense protocols and leads up to the moment before the attack (the ending is left intentionally unknown). The operations were run from the Kelly Butte Bunker, which was the emergency operations center at that time. It was filmed in September 1957[1] and aired December 8 of that year.[2][3] Apart from presenter/narrator Glenn Ford, none of the people shown are actors. They are locals of Portland shown in their real jobs, including Mayor Terry Schrunk.

Its local re-broadcast in 2004[4] and appearance in the on-line Prelinger Archives attracted interest among local history buffs due to its extensive outside shots of the city, and the use of non-actor participants (local officials and broadcasters). Whenever one of these individuals is heard uttering warnings or statements regarding attack, the words "AN ATTACK IS NOT TAKING PLACE" are superimposed over the picture.[2]

On September 27, 1955, Portland actually conducted an exercise evacuation of downtown called "Operation Greenlight",[5][6] and the film is often misattributed to that year. Ford's narration, however, does make direct reference to the 1955 exercise.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Day_Called_%27X%27

PART X THE PRESERVATION AND INCREASE OF THE SOCIETY

410 §1. As a sign of gratitude and devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, let that feast be solemnly celebrated; and on that day is to be renewed the consecration by which the Society on January 1, 1872, dedicated and consecrated itself totally and perpetually.

§2. The consecration to the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary is to be renewed each year on the feast of the Immaculate Heart.[1]

411 The sense of belonging and responsibility that each individual one of Ours has toward the whole Society should be manifested in a knowledge of our spirituality, our history, our saints, our apostolic labors, and our men, especially of those who are suffering difficulties for the sake of Christ; it is to be manifested as well by maintaining Ignatian mobility and flexibility with a view to helping any region of the Society whatsoever.[2]

412 §1. All our members should have at heart a shared concern for attracting new members to the Society, especially by prayer and the example of their lives as individuals and in community.[3]

§2. Therefore, we must do everything possible actively to present the Society in such a way that those whom God calls will know and appreciate who and what we are and what is our distinctive way of proceeding in the following of Christ.[4]

§3. We must also promote vocations as widely as possible, in order to reflect the culture and experience of those we seek to serve, including minority cultures, immigrants, and indigenous people.[5]

413 The Society should always show itself bound to its benefactors in charity and gratitude. Superiors should ensure that prayers are offered for them and other appropriate signs of our gratitude are shown them.[6]

414 In the perfect observance of all the Constitutions and in the particular fulfillment of our Institute, our formed members should excel, setting a good example and spreading the good odor of Christ, keeping before their eyes the serious obligation they have of giving edification especially to our younger members.[ 7]

415 All by earnest reading and meditation (in particular, at the time of the annual Spiritual Exercises, renewal of vows, monthly recollection, beginning of the year, and so forth) should strive ever to know, esteem, and love better our Constitutions and the special nature of our Institute,[ 8] which are to be faithfully observed, and which for each and all of us are the one, true, and safe way that surely leads to the perfection to which our Lord calls and invites all sons of the Society.[9] §2. Major superiors, especially at the time of the annual visitation, should see that this is faithfully observed.

L. D. S.

The Constitutions of The Society of Jesus and Their Complimentary Norms

A Complete English Translation of the Official Latin Texts

THE INSTITUTE OF JESUIT SOURCES

SAINT LOUIS, 1996

https://web.archive.org/web/20200211182223/https://jesuitas.lat/uploads/the-constitutions-of-the-society-of-jesus-and-their-complementary-norms/Constitutions%20and%20Norms%20SJ%20ingls.pdf

The beast of Revelation 13:11-18 symbolizes America.

3. Which nation was predicted to arise around the time the papacy was receiving its deadly wound?

“I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon” (Revelation 13:11).

Prophecy predicted that America would arise from a sparsely settled area.

Answer: The papal captivity mentioned in verse 10 took place in 1798, and the new power (verse 11) was seen emerging at that time. The United States declared its independence in 1776, voted the Constitution in 1787, adopted the Bill of Rights in 1791, and was clearly recognized as a world power by 1798. The timing obviously fits America. No other power could possibly qualify.

4. What is the significance of the beast “coming up out of the earth”?

Answer

Answer: This nation arises "out of the earth" instead of out of the water as did the other nations mentioned in Daniel and Revelation. We know from Revelation that water symbolizes areas of the world that have a large population. "The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues." Revelation 17:15. Therefore, the earth represents the opposite. It means that this new nation would arise in an area of the world that had been virtually unpopulated before the late 1700s. It could not arise among the crowded and struggling nations of the Old World. It had to come up in a sparsely populated continent.

5. What is symbolized by its two lamb-like horns and absence of crowns?

Answer

Answer: Horns represent kings and kingdoms or governments (Daniel 7:24; 8:21). In this case, they represent the United States’ two governing principles: civil and religious liberty. These two principles have also been labeled “republicanism” (a government without a king) and “Protestantism” (a church without a pope). Other nations since ancient times had taxed people to support a state religion. Most had also oppressed religious dissidents. But the United States established something entirely new: freedom to worship without government interference. Absence of crowns signifies a republican form of government, rather than a monarchy. Lamb-like horns denote an innocent, young, non-oppressive, peace-loving, and spiritual nation. (Jesus is referred to as a lamb 28 times in Revelation.)

Special Note: How we wish we could stop right here in Jesus’ description of the United States—but we can’t, because He didn’t stop. What comes next might be jolting. The United States is a great country, with its freedom of conscience, press, speech, and enterprise; its opportunities; its sense of fair play; its sympathy for the underdog; and its Christian orientation. It is not perfect, but even still, a host of people from around the world seek to become its citizens every year. Sadly, this richly blessed country will change drastically.

6. What does Revelation 13:11 mean when it says the United States will speak “like a dragon”?

Answer: As you learned in Study Guide 20, the dragon is Satan, who works through various earthly powers to establish his own kingdom and to crush God’s church by persecuting and destroying God’s people. Satan’s aim always has been to usurp God’s throne and to force people to worship and obey him. (See Study Guide 2 for details.) So, speaking as a dragon means the United States (under the influence of Satan) will, in the end time, force people to worship contrary to conscience or be punished.

7. What specifically will the United States do that will cause it to speak as a dragon?

Answer: Notice these four crucial points:

A. “Exercises all the authority of the first beast” (Revelation 13:12) The United States will become a persecuting power that will force people to go against their conscience, as did papal Rome—which is portrayed in the first half of Revelation chapter 13.

B. “Causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed” (Revelation 13:12). The United States will lead the nations of the world in forcing allegiance to the papal antichrist. The issue is always worship. Who will you worship and obey? Will it be Christ, your Creator and Redeemer, or antichrist? Every soul on earth will finally worship one or the other. Satan’s approach will appear to be deeply spiritual, and incredible miracles will be seen (Revelation 13:13, 14)—which will deceive billions (Revelation 13:3). Those who refuse to join this movement will be considered divisive, stubborn, radical, and unpatriotic. Jesus labeled Protestant America of the end time a “false prophet” (Revelation 19:20; 20:10), because it will appear spiritual and trustworthy but instead will be satanic in its conduct. All this may seem impossible, but Jesus’ words are always reliable and true (Titus 1:2). He foretold the rise and fall of the four world empires and the antichrist (Daniel chapters 2 and 7) at a time when such predictions seemed outlandish and incredible. But all came to pass precisely as predicted. His warning to us today regarding prophecy is, “I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe” (John 14:29).

C. “Telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived” (Revelation 13:14). The United States will make an image to the beast by legislating religious practice. It will pass laws requiring worship and force people to either obey them or face death. This action is a copy—or “image”—of the church-state form of government the papacy ruled with at the height of her power during the Middle Ages, when millions were slain for their faith. The United States will combine civil government and apostate Protestantism in a “marriage” that will support the papacy. It will then influence all the nations of the world to follow her example. Thus, the papacy will gain worldwide support.

D. “And cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed” (Revelation 13:15). The United States, as head of this international movement, will next influence the nations of the world to impose a death sentence upon all who refuse to worship the beast or his image. Another name for this worldwide coalition is “Babylon the Great.” (See Study Guide 22 for more information.) This worldwide alliance will, in the name of Christ, substitute the policeman’s power for the Holy Spirit’s gentle persuasion—and it will force worship.

8. Over what specific issues will force be utilized and the death sentence passed?

“He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name” (Revelation 13:15–17).

Answer: The final points of contention will be worshiping and obeying the beast and receiving his mark—honoring Sunday as a false holy day versus worshiping and obeying Christ and receiving His mark by honoring the holy seventh-day Sabbath. (For details, see Study Guide 20.) When the issues become clear and people are forced to break the Sabbath or be killed, those who then choose Sunday will be, in essence, worshiping the beast. They will have chosen to obey the word of a creature, a man, instead of the word of their Creator, Jesus Christ. Here is the papacy’s own statement: “The church changed Sabbath to Sunday and all the world bows down and worships upon that day in silent obedience to the mandates of the Catholic Church” (Hartford Weekly Call, February 22, 1884).

9. Could a government really control buying and selling?

Answer: : During World War II, buying was controlled by requiring ration stamps for such items as sugar, tires, and fuel. Without these stamps, money was worthless. In this computerized age, a similar system would be easy to set up. For instance, unless you agreed to cooperate with the worldwide coalition, your Social Security Number could be entered into a database, showing that you are disqualified to make a purchase. No one knows precisely how all this will come about, but you can

be positive it will happen—because in Revelation 13:16, 17, God says it will.

Two Emerging Powers

Revelation chapter 13 is clear. Two superpowers will emerge in the end time: the United States of America and the papacy. The United States will support the papacy by leading a drive to force the people of the world to worship the beast power (papacy) and receive his mark or else face death.

The next two questions will evaluate the strength of these two superpowers.

The papacy is the strongest religio-political power on earth.

10. How strong and influential is the papacy today?

Answer

Answer: It is arguably the strongest religio-political power in the world. Virtually every leading country has an official ambassador or state representative at the Vatican. Notice the following facts:

A. Pope Francis’ visit to the United States in 2015 carried both pastoral and political implications. Cardinal Timothy Dolan said, “The more he tries to de-emphasize the prestige and the power of the papacy, the more people pay attention to him.” —CBS This Morning, September 22, 2015

B. The aim of the pope is to unify the Christian world. In January 2014, Francis presided over an ecumenical worship service at the Basilica of St. Paul with Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist, and other Christian representatives and emphasized the need for Christian unity. Francis said, “It is unacceptable to consider ‘divisions in the Church as something natural, inevitable,’ because ‘divisions wound Christ’s body [and] impair the witness that we are called to give to him before the world.’ ” —Catholic Herald, January 27, 2014

C. The worldwide response has been overwhelming as leaders turn to him for peace. Francis hosted a prayer summit at the Vatican with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. Then, the pope, who as a Latin American had a lot of credibility in Havana, helped pave the way to the U.S.-Cuba thaw. —Sylvia Poggioli, National Public Radio, April 14, 2016

D. Francis’ 2015 visit to America elicited an unprecedented response from American officials: President Obama personally greeted Pope Francis as he arrived at a U.S. airbase, a decision the White House said was a symbol of the high level of respect Americans have for the Pontiff. Francis’ visit also included the first address by any pope to a joint session of the Congress in American history. —Irish Daily Mail, September 23, 2015

11. How strong and influential is the United States today?

Answer: The United States is regarded as the world’s most powerful military force and the world’s center of influence. Note the following:

A. “In the key categories of power, the U.S. will remain dominant for the foreseeable future.” —Ian Bremmer, Time magazine, May 28, 2015

B. “What ultimately makes the difference between war and peace ... is not good intentions, or strong words, or a grand coalition. It is the capability, credibility, and global reach of American hard power.” —Senator John McCain, November 15, 2014

C. “The United States is and remains the one indispensable nation. That has been true for the century passed and it will be true for the century to come.” —President Barack Obama, May 28, 2014

D. France’s then-foreign minister, Hubert Vérdine, told a Paris audience that he defined

“the United States as a ‘hyperpower’ ... a country that is dominant or predominant in

all categories.” —The New York Times, February 5, 1999

Though certainly facing challenges to its power from nations such as China and Russia, America’s overwhelming ability to stand down aggressors and rapidly deploy when needed continue to dominate the world. A future president of the United States might not hesitate to use the country’s influence to enforce new global standards, especially if promoted in the guise of world peace and stability after a difficult global event.

12. What other factors could help set the stage for a worldwide law to execute those who refuse to violate conscience?

Answer: We cannot name them with certainty, but a few looming possibilities include:

A. The activity of terrorists

B. Riots and escalating crime and evil

C. Drug wars

D. A major economic crash

E. Epidemics

F. Nuclear threats from radical nations

G. Political corruption

H. Gross miscarriage of justice by the courts

I. Social and political issues

J. Increasing taxes

K. Pornography and other immorality

L. Global disasters

M. Radical “special interest” groups

A backlash against terrorism, lawlessness, immorality, permissiveness, injustice, poverty, ineffective political leaders, and many similar woes could easily precipitate a demand for strong, specific laws to be rigidly enforced.

13. As world conditions worsen, what will Satan do to deceive the masses?

“He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived” (Revelation 13:13, 14).

Answer: The United States will experience a counterfeit revival and will insist that religious

laws be passed to force every person to participate (represented by “an image to the beast” in Revelation 13:14). People will be forced to disregard God’s holy seventh-day Sabbath and worship instead on the beast’s “holy” day—Sunday. Some will comply merely for social or economic reasons. World conditions will become so intolerable that a worldwide “back to God” movement, with all joining in worship and prayer on Sunday, will be presented as the only solution. Satan will deceive the world into believing that they must compromise Bible truth and keep Sunday holy. But in reality, obedience to and worship of the beast will indicate the refusal of most people to enter God’s kingdom. No wonder Jesus makes such an issue in Revelation over worshiping the beast and receiving his mark!

14. While interest in the counterfeit revival heightens, what will be happening to the genuine worldwide revival sponsored by God’s end-time people?

Answer: The Bible says the entire world will be “illuminated” with glory (Revelation 18:1). Every person on earth will be reached (Mark 16:15) with God’s end-time, three-point message of Revelation 14:6–14. God’s last-day church will grow with amazing speed as millions join God’s people and accept His offer of salvation by grace and faith in Jesus, which transforms them into His obedient servants. Many people and leaders from all countries of the world will refuse to worship the beast nor embrace his false teachings. Instead, they will worship and obey Jesus. They will then receive His holy Sabbath sign, or mark, in their foreheads (Revelation 7:2, 3), thus sealing them for eternity. (See Study Guide 20 for additional information on God’s seal.)

Spiraling Growth Infuriates the Counterfeit Movement

This spiraling growth among God’s people will infuriate the counterfeit movement. Its leaders will become fully convinced that those who refuse to cooperate with the worldwide counterfeit revival are the cause of all the world’s woes (Daniel 11:44). They will disqualify them from buying and selling (Revelation 13:16, 17), but the Bible promises that food, water, and protection for God’s people will be sure (Isaiah 33:16; Psalm 34:7).

As his crowning miracle, Satan will impersonate Jesus.

15. In desperation, the U.S.-led coalition will decide to impose the death sentence on its enemies (Revelation 13:15). What does Revelation 13:13, 14, say its leaders will do to convince people that God is with them?

Answer: They will work miracles—so convincing that everyone except God’s faithful end-time people will be persuaded (Matthew 24:24). Utilizing the spirits (fallen angels) of Satan (Revelation 16:13, 14), they will impersonate dead loved ones (Revelation 18:23) and probably

even pose as Bible prophets and apostles. These lying (John 8:44) demonic spirits will doubtless

claim that God has sent them to urge all to cooperate.

Satan Appears as Christ; His Angels Pose as Christian Ministers

Satan’s angels will also appear as godly clergymen, and Satan will appear as an angel of light

(2 Corinthians 11:13–15). As his crowning miracle, Satan will claim to be Jesus (Matthew 24:23, 24). While impersonating Christ, he could easily claim that he changed Sabbath to Sunday and urge his followers to proceed with their worldwide revival and uphold his “holy” day—Sunday.

Billions Are Deceived

Billions, believing that Satan is Jesus, will bow at his feet and join the counterfeit movement. “All the world marveled and followed the beast” (Revelation 13:3). The deception will be overwhelmingly effective. But God’s people will not be deceived, because they test everything by the Bible (Isaiah 8:19, 20; 2 Timothy 2:15). The Bible says God’s law cannot be changed (Matthew 5:18). It also says that when Jesus returns, every eye will see Him (Revelation1:7) and that He will not touch the earth but will remain in the clouds and call His people to meet Him in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17).

16. How can we be safe from powerful end-time deceptions?

Answer: A. Test every teaching by the Bible (2 Timothy 2:15; Acts 17:11; Isaiah 8:20).

B. Follow truth as Jesus reveals it. Jesus promised that those who genuinely want to obey Him will never end up in error (John 7:17).

C. Stay close to Jesus daily (John 15:5).

Reminder: This is the sixth Study Guide in our series of nine on the three angels’ messages. The next Study Guide will reveal how Christian churches and other religions worldwide will relate to the events of the end time.

17. Are you willing to worship and obey Jesus even if it means ridicule, persecution, and finally the death sentence?

Answer:

Request your free downloadable copy of America in Bible Prophecy

Thought Questions

1. It doesn’t seem fair that, in the final crisis, people who have never heard God’s truth will innocently choose a counterfeit and thus be lost.

No one will face the final crisis without first having heard (Mark 16:15) and understood (John 1:9) God’s vital three-point message for today (Revelation 14:6–12). People will choose to receive the mark of the beast only because they do not wish to pay the price for following Christ.

2. What is the battle of Armageddon spoken of in Revelation 16:12–16? When and where will it be fought?

The battle of Armageddon is the final battle between Christ and Satan. It will be fought on the earth and will begin just before the end of time. The battle will be interrupted by Jesus’ second coming. It will begin again after the 1,000 years, when the wicked surround the holy city with hopes of capturing it. The battle will close when fire rains down from heaven upon the wicked and destroys them (Revelation 20:9). (Study Guide 12 explains the 1,000 years in detail.)

What Does the Word “Armageddon” Mean?

Armageddon is a name for the “battle of that great day of God Almighty” between Christ and Satan in which all the nations of the world will be involved (Revelation 16:12–16, 19). The “kings from the east” are God the Father and God the Son. “East” in the Bible symbolizes God’s heavenly kingdom (Revelation 7:2; Ezekiel 43:2; Matthew 24:27). In this final battle, virtually the entire world will unite (Revelation 16:14) to fight against Jesus, the Lamb, and His people (Revelation 17:14; 19:19). Their aim will be to wipe out all who refuse to worship the beast (Revelation 13:15–17).

Delusion Follows Rejection

People who refuse to accept God’s message even though they know it is true will become strongly deluded so as to believe a lie (2 Thessalonians 2:10–12). They will begin to believe they are upholding God’s kingdom when they endeavor to destroy His people. They will perceive the saints to be hopelessly deceived fanatics who are dooming the entire world by their refusal to cooperate in the counterfeit revival.

Jesus’ Second Coming Halts the Battle

The battle itself will be worldwide. Governments will try to destroy God’s people, but God will intervene. The symbolic river Euphrates will be dried up (Revelation 16:12). Water represents people (Revelation 17:15). The drying up of the river Euphrates means that the people who have been supporting the beast (Satan’s kingdom) will suddenly withdraw their support. The beast’s support will thus dry up. Its coalition of allies (Revelation 16:13, 14) will fall apart (Revelation 16:19). Jesus’ second coming will halt this battle and save His people (Revelation 6:14–17; 16:18–21; 19:11–20).

The Battle Resumes After 1,000 Years

After the 1,000 years, Satan will come right out in the open as the leader of the forces against God and His people. He will resume the battle and try to capture the holy city. Then he and his followers will be destroyed by fire from heaven (see Study Guides 11 and 12). However, every follower of Jesus will be safe in His eternal kingdom.

3. The Bible says, “The time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service” (John 16:2). Is it possible that this will be literally fulfilled in our time?

Yes. The end-time coalition of world governments and religions will finally lose all sympathy for God’s people, those who refuse to join the counterfeit revival or adopt Sunday worship. They will feel that the miracles accompanying their revival prove its validity—miracles such as the sick being healed or notorious God-haters, immoral celebrities, and well-known criminals being converted. The coalition will insist that no one be permitted to ruin this worldwide revival. Everyone will be urged to lay aside personal feelings and “fanatical teachings” (the Sabbath, for example) and join with the rest of the world in its revival for peace and brotherhood. Those who do not agree to cooperate will be considered disloyal, unpatriotic, anarchists and, finally, dangerous fanatics who must not be tolerated. In that day, those who kill God’s people will feel they are doing God a favor.

4. As we study the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation, it seems apparent that the real enemy is always the devil. Is this true?

Absolutely! Satan is always the real enemy. Satan works through earth’s leaders and nations

to hurt God’s people and thus bring heartache to Jesus and the Father. Satan is the one responsible for all evil. Let’s blame him and be careful how we judge people or organizations who hurt God’s people and church. They are sometimes totally unaware that they are harming anyone. But that is never true of Satan. He is always fully aware. He hurts God and His people intentionally.

5. How would the death of the pope or the election of a new president affect the prophecy of the United States in Revelation 13:11–18?

The prophecy will be fulfilled no matter who is pope or president. A new president or pope may temporarily speed up or slow down fulfillment, but the final outcome is assured by Bible prophecy.

6. Are the lamb-horned beast of Revelation 13:11–18 and the false prophet of Revelation 16:13 the same power?

Yes. In Revelation 19:20, where God mentions the destruction of the antichrist beast, He

also refers to the destruction of the false prophet. In this passage, God identifies the false prophet as the power that “worked signs” before the beast and “deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image.” This is a clear reference to the activities of the lamb-horned beast, which are described in Revelation 13:11–18. In this Study Guide we have identified the lamb-horned beast as the United States of America. So the lamb-horned beast and the false prophet are indeed the same power.

Quiz Questions

1. The United States is symbolized in Bible prophecy by (1)

_____ A man with red, white, and blue clothing.

_____ An eagle with a computer on its back.

_____ A beast with two lamb-like horns.

2. What do the two horns represent? (1)

_____ Wealth and military might.

_____ Benjamin Franklin and George Washington.

_____ Civil and religious freedom.

3. What does "coming up out of the earth" signify? (1)

_____ That Americans would love country living.

_____ That this new country would arise in an area with a small population.

_____ That some early Americans would be cave dwellers.

4. In this prophecy, lamb-like horns mean that America would (1)

_____ Be shy and inhibited.

_____ Be a sheep-raising country.

_____ Arise as a peace-loving, spiritual nation.

5. At about what time does the prophecy of Revelation chapter 13 indicate America would arise? (1)

_____ 1492.

_____ 1798.

_____ 1620.

6. Revelation chapter 13 indicates that America would eventually speak "as a dragon." What does this mean? (1)

_____ Her people would be angry and hard to understand.

_____ She would use fire-shooting weapons of destruction.

_____ She will force people to worship contrary to conscience or face death.

7. God's mark, sign, or symbol of power is (1)

_____ A lamb.

_____ A two-horned beast.

_____ The Sabbath, God's holy day.

8. How will America make an "image to the beast"? (1)

_____ By making and selling many pictures of the beast.

_____ By making a statue of the beast to display in Washington, D.C.

_____ By creating a church-state combination (patterned after the papacy at the height of her power) that will legislate religious practice.

9. What punishments does Revelation 13:15-17 say will be inflicted upon those who refuse the mark of the beast? (2)

_____ Not allowed to buy or sell.

_____ Banished to outer space.

_____ Put to death.

_____ Forced to make a personal apology to the beast.

10. Which two earthly powers will have the most influence in the end time? (2)

_____ Revitalized Europe.

_____ Japan.

_____ China.

_____ United States.

_____ The papacy.

11. Which items tell the truth about the battle of Armageddon? (6)

_____ It is earth's last battle.

_____ The 'kings of the east' are Japan and China.

_____ The beast's aim in the battle is to destroy God's people.

_____ It will be worldwide.

_____ It begins before Jesus' second coming and ends after the wicked surround the holy city at the close of the 1,000 years.

_____ Armageddon is the symbolic name for the final battle between Christ and antichrist/Satan.

_____ Drying up the Euphrates means the beast, or Antichrist, will finally lose the support of most of its followers.

_____ It will be fought in Palestine only.

12. How successful will God's true, end-time revival be? (2)

_____ The whole world will be converted.

_____ Every person on earth will hear the message.

_____ Millions will accept it.

_____ It will not succeed. The devil will stop it.

13. How successful will the end-time counterfeit movement be? (1)

_____ Many countries will not support it.

_____ It will be successful in America and Europe only.

_____ Every person on earth—except God’s end-time people—will join and support it.

14. Are you willing to follow where Jesus leads, even though it may be painful? (1)

_____ Yes.

_____ No.

https://www.amazingfacts.org/media-library/study-guide/e/4998/t/the-usa-in-bible-prophecy

14We ought to act on the principle that everyone who lives under obedience should let himself be carried and directed by Divine Providence through the agency of the superior 15as if he were a lifeless body, which allows itself to be carried to any place and treated in any way; or an old man s staff, which serves at any place and for any purpose in which the one holding it in his hand wishes to employ it. 16For in this way the obedient man ought joyfully to employ himself in any task in which the superior desires to employ him in aid of the whole body of the religious order; 17and he ought to hold it certain that by so doing he conforms himself with the divine will more than by anything else he could do while following his own will and different judgment.[3]"

page 221

The Constitutions of The Society of Jesus and Their Complimentary Norms

A Complete English Translation of the Official Latin Texts

https://jesuitas.lat/uploads/the-constitutions-of-the-society-of-jesus-and-their-complementary-norms/Constitutions%20and%20Norms%20SJ%20ingls.pdf

America and the Image to the Beast

Aug 13, 2024

•

13 min read

What can history tell us about the future of America? Will America have a part to play in the acceptance of the mark of the beast?

Revelation 13 tells the story of a blasphemous beast power that rose from the sea. Protestant Christians have historically identified this beast as the Papacy. Though the dragon (Satan) gave him his power, seat, and great authority (vs. 2), this kingdom, the Papacy, receives a wound that appears to be deadly (vs. 3). Then a new player is introduced upon the scene.

And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. Rev 13:11

The rise of a powerful new nation comes near the time of the wounding of the first beast. The Pope was taken captive in 1798 by France’s General Berthier. At that time, the papal states were also confiscated, stripping the Vatican of its head and territory. This deadly wound also marked the end of the forty-two months of the reign of this persecuting power.

The second beast was to come up out of the earth, unlike the first beast which came up out of the sea of “peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues” (Rev 17:15) of populated Europe. Its coming up out of the earth identifies a kingdom that develops in a sparsely populated land. In 1754, Charles Wesley, referring to the second beast, wrote, "He is not yet come, though he cannot be far off; for he is to appear at the end of the forty-two months of the first beast."1

The United States of America was a young nation in 1798. It was founded upon the Christ-like principles of Republicanism which upholds the right of self-government, and Protestantism which champions the freedom of religious faith. These principles were the strong horns of this new nation, depicted as a two-horned beast.

But the prophecy reveals that a drastic change would come and this nation would speak as a dragon. A nation “speaks” through its laws. The dragon symbol ultimately represents Satan (Rev 12:9) whose goal is to persecute Christ’s followers. To speak like a dragon is to institute laws that legalize the persecution of God’s people, as Imperial Rome did when it outlawed Christianity until the Edict of Milan (313 AD) which granted Christians toleration. Papal Rome spoke like a dragon through its policy of persecuting heretics. Likewise, America will speak with the voice of the dragon when it institutes laws that are intolerant of personal freedoms but are favorable to its state religion.

The prophecy also says that the lamb-like beast (America) will exercise “all the power of the first beast,” even forcing the earth and the people who live on it to worship the first beast, papal Rome. What does “all the power of the first beast” mean? And how will the earth and its inhabitants be forced to worship?

Papal Rome used the power of the state to coerce and control the population through its 1260 years of domination. The second beast (America) will do the same, bringing the whole world into subjection to papal Rome.

How will this happen? A look at history can give us some insight.

During the Dark Ages, the nations of Europe were subject to the Roman Catholic Church. The Papacy taught that rulers were to yield to the Pope because he was their spiritual father and Christ’s vicar. As a consequence, apart from the approval of the Pope, kings and emperors were not free to rule their estates as they determined was best for their subjects. In addition, the church’s teachings were enforced by the armies and magistrates of the nations. To exercise all the power of the first beast is to govern by these principles. The prophecy tells us that the government of the United States will submit to the dictates of the church and will use force against dissenters.

The history of the Dark Ages, a period of church domination in Europe, is marred by the sordid details of church-led, state-enforced persecution. True followers of Christ who would not bend their conscience to practice the form of paganized Christianity of the state church lost their goods and their lives. Torture machines were invented to coerce and punish those labeled as “heretics.” Some, like the Waldenses, fled to remote locations, fulfilling the prophecy of the church in the wilderness (Rev 12).

Kings who would not submit to the demands of the church were punished with excommunication and whole nations were put under interdict, which was banishment from participation in the ceremonies of the church. This dreaded sentence was considered to be a curse from God Himself because it was believed that salvation could only come through the church.

The prophecy states that those who will not submit to the authority of the beast and worship him, will not be able to buy or sell and will have the death sentence passed on them.

Before implementing the death sentence, miracles will be performed to deceive people into thinking that the beast is speaking for God. Many will be deceived by these miracles because they don’t know what the Bible says about false prophets and miracle-working demons (Mt 7:15, Jer 14:14, Rev 16:14). The time will come when we will not be able to trust our senses. It is essential to diligently study the Scriptures (2 Tim 2:15) now and learn to walk by faith, not by sight (2 Cor 5:7).

By deceptive miracles, the land beast (US) will convince people to make an image to the sea beast (Rev 13:14). In other words, people will be manipulated into calling for a form of civil government that is under religious control. The “image to the beast” is the union of church and state, the merging of church-craft with state-craft.

Evidence of the formation of the image to the beast

When America was still a young nation, few would have believed that the union of church and state could ever be possible. Nevertheless, it was in the 1800s that public movements arose which began working toward this union. The National Reform Association, the International Reform Bureau, the Lord’s Day Alliance of the United States, and the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America were formed by professed Protestants with this goal in mind—to break down the wall separating church and state.

While the forms of the organizations working to unite church and state have changed over the years, what hasn’t changed is the fact that there are people who believe America was founded as a Christian nation and that the constitution must be changed to officially make America a Christian nation, governed by Christian principles. What is overlooked by those who hold these beliefs is the fact that there is nothing Christian about forcing people to believe in Christ or to practice Christianity.

And while ecumenism has successfully blurred the distinctions between Christian denominations and even between Christianity and non-Christian religions, the type of Christianity that is adopted by the nation will matter to some. It is impossible that any form of state religion will be acceptable to all.

But what form of Christianity is America likely to adopt for its norm? The prophecy tells us that America will set up an “image of the beast” (Rev 13:14-15), that is a likeness to papal Rome. The death of Protestantism and the catholicization of America show us that is exactly what is happening right now. And tellingly, Paul Weyrich, the founder of the Heritage Foundation and the one credited with influencing Jerry Falwell to launch the Moral Majority, is a Roman Catholic traditionalist. Catholicism is the founding force of Christian nationalism in America, though many believe Protestant evangelicalism is.

Project 2025 is a policy playbook that was put together for the 2024 presidential election. It is a manual of religiously-based policies prepared for a conservative president to implement immediately upon coming into office. And Roman Catholic social teaching—not Biblical Christianity, not Protestantism—is behind it.

Pope Leo XIII said it was the duty of all Catholics to work toward bringing all civil society under the jurisdiction of the church. This is the aim of the Papacy because it is believed to be its right. According to the Papacy, the Pope is the vicar of Christ, and therefore, the rightful ruler of the world.

The Catholic Catechism states:

The Pope enjoys, by divine institution, "supreme, full, immediate, and universal power in the care of souls."2

The prophecy tells us the whole world will worship the beast and wonder, saying “Who is like unto the beast?” (Rev 13:3-4). All the world will soon be united in worship of this power. Since Vatican 2 (1962-1965), the Catholic church has worked through the ecumenical movement and behind the scenes to unite all the churches again under the Papacy. Much progress has been made since Vatican 2, but visible unity remains out of reach, at least for now. Nevertheless, ecumenical bodies continue to push toward this goal.

In an address to the Fourth World Gathering of the Global Christian Forum in 2024, Pope Francis said, “To all of you, I invoke the blessings of Almighty God, and pray that the gathering will advance the visible unity among all Christians.”3 It’s hard to imagine how visible unity could exist without forced conformity, though. In fact, the Bible says it’s impossible. (See Amos 3:3 and Mt 10:32-38.)

Nonetheless, gatherings such as these have steadily advanced toward visible unity. The World Council of Churches (WCC) has played an important role in promoting unity. The WCC planned a World Conference on Faith and Order in 2025 “to reaffirm the goal of visible unity for churches.”4 It’s interesting that the conference was planned to commemorate the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea in 325.

The Council of Nicaea was the first ecumenical council and was convened by Emperor Constantine I. Important outcomes of the council were that the emperor exiled Arius because the council ruled that he was teaching heresy; and he ordered the persecution of the Quartodecimans because the council had ruled that Christ’s resurrection should be commemorated always on a Sunday, aligned with the spring equinox, rather than on Nisan 14, the Passover.

The date of the Passover, a symbolic festival that pointed toward the sacrifice of Christ, was Nisan 14. John the Baptist likened Christ to the Passover lamb when he referred to Him as the Lamb of God (John 1:29) and Paul called Christ “our passover” (1 Cor 5:7). Christ’s disciples commemorated Christ as our Passover on Nisan 14, the date of Passover, not on Easter, a pagan holiday.

History tells us that the apostle John’s disciple Polycarp traveled to Rome to try to persuade Anicetus, the bishop of Rome, of the rightness of commemorating Christ’s resurrection on Nisan 14, instead of on Sunday, but Anicetus clung to Sunday. By the time of the Council of Nicaea, commemorating Christ’s resurrection on a Sunday in conjunction with the pagan Easter had become common and the council majority ruled in favor of Sunday over Nisan 14. The emperor required all Christian’s to fall in line.

Commemorating the Council of Nicaea memorializes the meddling of the emperor in church questions, the exaltation of Sunday, and the persecution of conscientious Christians. Celebrating this event is an indication that today’s ecumenical Christians share common ground with those who joined the emperor at Nicaea in 325. Persecution cannot be far off.

Mark of the beast vs. seal of God

The prophecy tells us that the second beast (America) will make an image to the first beast (the Papacy) and then the mark of the beast will be forced upon the whole world. In other words, when America repudiates the principles of its constitution that make it a Protestant republic, it will soon afterward require all nations to come in line and show their allegiance to the first beast by forcing all nations into Sunday worship.

In the 19th century, the movement that called for Sunday laws focused on the keeping of Sunday for religious reasons. Today, though for some Sunday “sacredness” is still an issue, other reasons are being given for needing Sunday rest laws. Pope Francis’ Laudato Si calls for Sunday legislation to save the environment. The European Sunday Alliance and other similar groups claim legislation is needed to require rest on Sundays for the good of the family. Regardless of the rationale, the result will be the same, a universal Sunday law and the persecution of dissenters.

While many Christians feel that which day they worship on is irrelevant, this is a mistake. The Roman Catholic Church has set itself up as the world’s spiritual authority in direct opposition to God and refers to its success in the change of worship days from Sabbath to Sunday as the sign of this authority.

God, in His Word, commands, “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” When He marked the Sabbath commandment with His royal seal, He declared Himself to be the authority behind the seventh-day Sabbath.

The Roman Catholic Church, on the other hand, says, “No! By my divine power, I abolish the Sabbath day, and command you to keep holy the first day of the week.”5

To obey one, is to oppose the other. If you choose to obey God, you will keep the seventh-day Sabbath. If you choose to keep Sunday, you choose the Catholic Church as your authority. The Sabbath is clearly to be the battleground for the end-time power struggle between Christ and Satan. The day is coming, according to the prophecy, that all will be forced to choose one or the other. And America, the second beast, will be the power that will force people to choose between the two authorities by introducing a law that will force Sunday worship first on a national level, then internationally.

Christian nationalism

Major changes will need to take place in America, however, for the prophecy to be fulfilled because the Constitution prohibits the making of religious laws. The Constitution will need to be changed. And that is just what American Christian nationalism is aiming at.

A particularly amazing detail given in the prophecy is that the second beast, America, will do “great wonders” and even make “fire come down from heaven” to deceive people into believing that the reforms have God’s support (verses 13-14). The second beast will claim that the miracles are signs of God’s approval, when really, they are manifestations of satanic power meant to deceive.

The prophecy is clear that when America “speaks like a dragon” by making harsh religious laws, it will then act like the dragon by unleashing satanic persecution on those who choose to honor God by keeping His commandments. This persecution will include economic restrictions and eventually a law will be passed making capital punishment the penalty for those who refuse to submit.

But there is good news. God will give His people “victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name” (15:2). Those who refuse to participate in false worship, though they are persecuted (2 Tim 3:12) will stand upon the sea of glass because they followed the Lamb wherever He led them (14:4) and kept the commandments of God (12:17). God will own them as His own and they will have His name written in their foreheads (14:1).

https://amazingdiscoveries.org/read/articles/america-and-the-image-to-the-beast

The Sugarhill Gang is an American hip-hop group formed in Englewood, New Jersey, in 1979. Their hit "Rapper's Delight", released the same year they were formed, was the first rap single to become a top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100,[1] reaching a peak position of number 36 on January 12, 1980.[2] This was the trio's only U.S. hit, though they would have further success in Europe until the mid-1980s. The trio reformed in 1994 and embarked on a world tour in 2016.

History

Formation and early years

The members, all from Englewood, New Jersey, consisted of Henry "Big Bank Hank" Jackson, Michael "Wonder Mike" Wright and Guy "Master Gee" O'Brien. The three were assembled into a group by producer Sylvia Robinson, who founded Sugar Hill Records with her husband, record producer Joe Robinson.[3] The group and the record company were named after the Sugar Hill, Harlem neighborhood.[4]

Their 1979 hit "Rapper's Delight" was the first rap single to become a top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. "Rapper's Delight" is now considered one of the most important rap songs of all time. The group never had another top 40 U.S. hit, though it had multiple European hits, such as "Apache", "8th Wonder" (which was performed on the American music show Soul Train in 1981), "Rapper's Reprise (Jam Jam)", and "Showdown" (with the Furious Five). The trio wound down over the next five years and disbanded in 1985.[5]

Later years

The Sugarhill Gang on Tour, 2016

In 1990, the group briefly reunited to perform during the "RapMania: The Roots of Rap" concert at the Apollo Theater in New York City.[6][7]

Joey Robinson, Sylvia Robinson's son, reformed the Sugarhill Gang in 1994.[8][9] The group recorded Jump On It!, a hip hop children's album, in 1999.[10] O'Brien had not rejoined the group, and at some point, Robinson started performing under O'Brien's stage name "Master Gee". This frustrated O'Brien and Wright, the latter of whom—as Robinson's bandmate—had tried to convince Robinson not to use the name.[8] Later, Robinson trademarked both the names "Master Gee" and "Wonder Mike". O'Brien and Wright went to court to retrieve the rights to their names.[8][11][12]

Wright left Sugar Hill Records in 2005, along with his colleague, producer Henry "Hen Dogg" Williams.[8] The two reunited with O'Brien and started performing as "Rapper's Delight Featuring Wonder Mike and Master Gee".[12] This was due to Joey Robinson's performing with Jackson under the name "Sugarhill Gang" simultaneously, and Sugar Hill Records claiming copyright to that name.[8]

Having reacquired the rights to the name "Sugarhill Gang", the group released "Lala Song" with French record producer and DJ Bob Sinclar in 2009.

On November 11, 2014, Jackson died at the age of 58 after a long battle with cancer.[13]

In 2016, Wright, O'Brien and Williams embarked on their first world tour in over a decade under the name the Sugarhill Gang. During this time they performed as the Sugarhill Gang for the Art of Rap festival tour and at V Festival in Hylands Park and Weston Park in the UK. Other places included the Clockenflap Festival in Hong Kong on November 27, 2016, and they headlined at the Depot in the Park Festival in Cardiff, United Kingdom on August 5, 2017. In July 2019, they played the North Nibley Festival in England.[14][15][16][17]

In 2019, the Sugarhill Gang celebrated the 40th anniversary of the release of "Rapper's Delight" and the group's formation. They went on a worldwide tour called Rapper's Delight 40th Anniversary World Tour. The gang made new music in early 2019. The tour lasted from May 24 to July 26, 2019.[18][19][20] On October 25, 2019, the group performed "Rapper's Delight" on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.[21]

As of 2024, the group consists of Wright, O'Brien, Williams, DJ T-Dynasty and Bar Shon "Ethiopian King".[22][23][24] Since 2025, Wright has been unable to travel and therefore no longer tours with the group.[25]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sugarhill_Gang

Finally, the Constitutions train us all for perfection, instructing us in the weapons to be used in combatting our three fierce and raging adversaries. They teach us how to counter the lust of the flesh with chastity, the lust of the eyes with poverty, and the pride of life with obedience. I shall say nothing of our observance of chastity (in which we should imitate the purity of the angels so far as our frailty allows), or of our OBSERVANCE of poverty (which is so STRICT that neither churches nor professed houses may acquire any rents, lands, or even perpetual endowments). As for obedience, however, by which we consecrate the chief and noblest part of ourselves to God, our Constitutions require of us that it be so prompt, eager, perfect, and integral that we do not swerve even a hairsbreadth from our superiors commands. In matters falling under obedience, not only must our action be guided by the superior s command and our will by his will, but even something much more difficult our understanding by his understanding.

To sum up: men crucified to the world, and to whom the world itself is crucified[7] such would our Constitutions have us to be; new men, I say, who have put off their affections to put on Christ;[8] dead to themselves to live to justice; who, with St. Paul in labors, in watchings, in fastings, in chastity, in knowledge, in long suffering, in sweetness, in the Holy Spirit, in charity unfeigned, in the word of truth, show themselves ministers of God[9] and by the armor of Justice on the right hand and, on the left, by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report, by good success finally and ill success, press forward with great strides to their heavenly country. This is the sum and aim of our institute.

And so I beseech you, brothers in the Lord, that we may walk in a manner worthy of our vocation,[10] and, in order to know that vocation, may read and reread these Constitutions that have been bestowed upon us by the gift of God. Let us study them day and night. Let us vie with each other in learning them, pondering them, and keeping them. If we do so, our name will be matched by our lives and our profession made manifest in deed.

Farewell in Christ.

Rome, the house of the Society of Jesus, 1559 [7]

The Constitutions of The Society of Jesus and Their Complimentary Norms

A Complete English Translation of the Official Latin Texts

THE INSTITUTE OF JESUIT SOURCES

SAINT LOUIS, 1996

https://web.archive.org/web/20200211182223/https://jesuitas.lat/uploads/the-constitutions-of-the-society-of-jesus-and-their-complementary-norms/Constitutions%20and%20Norms%20SJ%20ingls.pdf

https://www.facebook.com/4williamdunn/posts/pfbid0hjDqBNg1T6xJr8mtGrDQkD1ZkTpvTR5CsGnCJbRY5bnA5AXBZ1QP13rbq7DEBLnvl

The New Age

MAGAZINE

Volume XXVI JUNE, 1918 Number

THE HIGHER DEGREES IN GERMANY

THEIR POLITY AND ORGANIZATION

By Cyrus Field Willard, 32°

THERE has been general feeling

among Freemasons that in some

way the order would at some

time have more or less influence

in bringing about peace. It was this

feeling that prompted the writer to

begin an investigation along this line as

to what organizations among the

Masons in Germany would possibly be

able to have influence in this direction.

But it was not until the editor of The

New Age had mentioned the lack of

general knowledge which existed in the

United States as to the polity and form

of organization of the higher degrees as

they exist today in Germany, and sug

gested that an article along this line

would be very acceptable to the readers

of the magazine, that serious effort

was made to obtain the desired infor

mation.

Let me say that the research work in

volved has been of the greatest value

to the one performing it, the more so as

it has been necessary to go into the

whole question of the organization and

modification of the order, not only in

Germany, but also in England and

Sweden. The foundations on which it

rests have also been examined.

It was the Scotch Presbyterian minis

ter, Rev. Dr. James Anderson, one who

helped to organize the first Grand Lodge

in London in 1717, whose report on the

Ancient Constitutions of the previously

existing lodges was adopted as the

famous "Book of the Constitutions" in

1723, and this has formed the constitu

tion and basic organic law of real Ma

sonry ever since. In the "Charges of

Freemason" in that document which

now lies before me under the first of

"The General Heads," viz "Of God and

Religion," it says:

1. Concerning God and Religion. Mason

is obliged by his Tenure to obey the Moral

Law; and if he rightly understands the Art,

he will never be stupid Atheist nor an irre

ligious Libertine. But though in ancient

times Masons were charg'd in every country

to be of the religion of that country or

nation, whatever it was, yet 'tis now thought

more expedient only to oblige them to that

Religion in which all men agree, leaving their

particular opinions to themselves that is to

be good men and true, or Men of Honour and

Honesty by whatever Denomination or Per

suasion they may be distinguished whereby

Masonry becomes the Center of Union and

the means of conciliating true Friendship

among Persons that must have remained at

perpetual distance.

This was considered, by Robert Freke

Gould, as involving the most important

change made by the Constitution, as it

took away the Christian and sectarian

character which had been given it in

accordance with the opportunism of the

second sentence and made it frankly

and openly tolerant of every religion.

As Brother Th. G. Valette, editor of

the Union Fraternelle of the Orient of

the Hague, truly says, "It was thus in

243

244 THE NEW AGE

the eighteenth century that Freema

sonry began the practice of tolerance,

the most difficult of all the arts. The

first Grand Lodge had an immense suc

cess because it started out with the prin

ciple that 'no man and no corporation

has the right to declare his personal

interpretation of the truth to be com

pulsory for others.'

This toleration admitted men of every

religion the Mohammedan, the Chris

tian, Jew, Brahman, Buddhist, and

Parsee, as so well told by Rudyard Kip

ling in his poem, "My Lodge," which

every Mason should read, and which

came to my mind recently when attend

ing one of those isolated consistories

which compel man to take the Chris-

tion degrees of Knight Templarism be

fore he can join the Scottish Rite which

alone is like the Blue Lodge in that it

admits men of every religion. It is this

universality of Masonry and its toler

ance that stands out in the original

Grand Lodge of 1717 and makes such

contrast with the Freemasonry of Ger

many as it exists today, narrow, aris

tocratic and Christian. This is why the

"Ancient Charges" are quoted in extenso

to show the exact wording, and how far

Masonry in Germany has departed from

the original. This is said with no feel

ing of bitterness, as the writer had ap

proached the subject with certain

degree of predisposition in favor of

German Masonry which has been en

tirely wiped out by the facts, for it can

be said again and again, "There is no

Religion higher than Truth."

In getting at the facts it has been

necessary to go through number of

German histories of which there are

many- and it is curious to see in all of

them how little Ger ^ans are disposed

to forgive England for being the birth

place of modern Freemasonry. Carp

ing criticism, innuendoes, belittling

statements, rank disbelief of historical

documents in England all characterize

the German historians, together with

disposition to exalt the German Stein-

metzen, or Masons, of Strassburg be

cause they were German. Begemann,

Kloss, Krause. Findcl, Nicolai, Schott-

muller, Cramer, Katsch, Keller all

seem to be imbued with the idea that

because it did not happen in Germany,

it therefore did not amount to so very

much, and at any rate it did not go

back to the Constitutions of York, even

although the Masons of that day said

that it did.

The most impartial source of infor

mation as to the constitution of Ma

sonry in Germany today is to be found

in the publications of the International

Bureau for Masonic Affairs, located at

Neuchatel, Switzerland, and of which

Ed. Quartier la Tente, formerly Grand

Master of the Swiss Grand Lodge

"Alpina," is the originator, head and

moving spirit. It is too bad that this

bureau is not better known and sup

ported in the United States, as every

Grand Lodge should be member of it.

In its bulletin for March, 1917, it says,

"German Masonry has broken obstrep

erously with Italian, French and Swiss

Masonries, and has suspended all rela

tions with English Masonry."

German Masonic newspaper con

tains the following: "In imitation of

the three Prussian Grand Lodges which

have broken their relations with the

Swiss Grand Lodge, the Grand Lodge

of Hungary, the Grand Lodge 'Zur

Sonne' of Bayreuth, and the Indepen

dent Grand Lodges of Leipsig have

done the same."

The bulletin asks, "What has the

Swiss Grand Lodge done that such

movement should have been set on foot

against it? It has continued to live in

peace. It has taken no one's part. It

has shown perfect neutrality, declin

ing every request compliance with which

might injure its relations; and yet, for

all that, it has incurred the excommu

nication of German Masonry.

If one admitted all that the German

Masonic newspapers have published

against the Masonries of other coun

tries, it would be necessary to believe

that there are no longer any groups

worthy of the name of Masons except

the Group of Germany."

It is necessary to quote at length fron

the pages of this recent bulletin from

the neutral country of Switzerland in

order to understand the arrogance and

THE HIGHER DEGREES IN GERMANY 245

self-conceit of German Masonry which

would almost pass belief were it not that

these same ideas of "Dcutschland ueber

Allcs" have lain behind all their destruc

tive criticism of years, and because it

explains the form of government and

polity of the higher degrees in Germany.

Therefore we quote from the bulletin

as follows:

The Masonry of Germany alone, writes

German newspaper, deserves esteem and re

spect English Masonry is perhaps grand

charity institution, that of Latin countries

is an instrument of politics and atheism; in

Germany, Sweden, and Norway, Masonry is

entirely free from politics, and concerns it

self with social and moral problems.

Ideas, however, vary somewhat as to the

international character of the association, the

fundamental principle of which is that of

fraternity.

The war, says German writer, has taught

us that the Masonry of our country must

become exclusively national. It must wear

German dress, and have German character.

It must renounce every connection with the

World's Masonry. The war, says another

German journalist, has destroyed all idea of

Masonic Internationalism. International Ma

sonry has become bankrupt. This opinion is

general in all German lodges. Masonic Cos

mopolitanism is, therefore, fiction. German

Freemasonry, has no need of the "Interna

tional," which has nothing to offer it. It

cannot entertain relations with Grand Lodges

that are only political instruments and which

make use of Freemasonry for political plots.

Others have been still more violent: The

so-called English Masonry, which made such

boisterous entrance into the world in 1717,

notwithstanding its unimportance, was very

different from what we German Masons rep

resent to ourselves as models of virtue. It

was very narrow and very English or

ganization which had absolutely no thought

of union of humanity, but which troubled

itself only about England and sought only to

favor the relations between Catholics and

Protestants, between Scotch and English.

The great extension of the idea to the

whole of mankind is the work of Interna

tional "Deutschtum ;" it is only the German

brain and the German heart that can carry

the enterprise to successful end, together

with the current of the World's Union. Let

us be frank for us Germans, our ideal dream

of internationalism has come to nought. In

stead of being figurants we have become

actors. In future we shall also continue to

practice the model of Masonic virtues, but

we shall not carry them out into the vast

world.

Latin Masonry does not possess single

spark of the Masonic spirit. Our Masonic

idea is truly German, or, in wider sense,

Germanic. English Masonry is nothing but

vanity and sport; in it there is no trace of

our spiritual comprehension. In France Ma

sonry works in politics to which it sacrifices

the greater part of its activity. International

Masonry is dead, and, notwithstanding all

efforts to the contrary, will remain dead. Let

us, therefore, be German Freemasons and

work in our own way.

And lastly here is the conclusion arrived

at by brother We German Freemasons

will have nothing more to do with interna

tional relations, and, above all, we will have

no official relations. Long live German Free

masonry Down with international fanati

cism It has deceived the world long enough

and now deserves to be struck down

We could multiply such declarations, for

they abound in the German Masonic news

papers.

This magazine concludes: "These

affirmations, coming from the Masonry

that calls itself the only one worthy to

live, are manifestation of pride which

must not disturb us, any more than the

insults which German Masonry pours

forth on everything that is not Ger

manic."

It is necessary to reprint these quota

tions in order that American Masons

may get some viewpoints concerning

the condition of the German mind,

drunk with egotism and arrogance, and

clear idea of the difficulties to be faced

before peace, which will endure, can be

attained. It must be admitted that the

writer has reached this standpoint re

luctantly after careful study of the

origin and feeling of German Freema

sonry. Just few more quotations.

"Were the whole world to be in ruins,

Germany must remain. It is of its will

to conquer that is born the call which

resounds today in the Masonic Temples

of our country. International Freema

sonry is dead Long live German Free

masonry!" Another adds, "Interna

tional Freemasonry has failed com

pletely. This is the opinion of German

Masonry, and it is fortunate that the

war has separated German Masonry,

the guardian of moral and religious cul

ture, and Latin Masonry, which is athe

istic and political." Its repetition of the

old jesuitical lie against Latin Masonry

we now recognize as being just as foun-

dationless as its assertion that "Ger

many is the guardian of moral and re

ligious culture." When we call to mind

246 THE NEW AGE

the ravishers of Belgium, well may we

exclaim, Heaven save the mark

The Freimciurer Zeitung, of Leipsig,

writes as follows "We, the German

Apostles of the Royal Art, are definitely

face to face with the obligation to be

henceforth what we already were as

matter of fact the true heirs and rep

resentatives of Freemasonry. More

over, it was only cum grano salis that

we have been able hitherto to consider

the Latins as Freemasons. Now for

pottage of lentils consisting of mo

mentary money market and promise of

the world's trade, the English have

thrown away their venerable rights to

Masonic primogeniture. Just as the na

tive country of Jesus is no longer Pales

tine (?), so the Royal Art is no longer

English. Both have taken up their

abodes in German hearts and German

consciences." Pretty small quarters

Let us see how big these high-crowing

lodges are.

The first German lodge was estab

lished at Hamburg on December 6, 1737.

On August 14, 1738, this lodge initiated

him who was afterwards Frederick the

Great. Frederick organized in his cas

tle private lodge which became the

starting point of Freemasonry in Prus

sia, as it was removed to Berlin in 1740,

and from thence the first German Grand

Lodge sprung.

There was lodge which, according

to Light, was known to meet at King's

Chapel in Boston, Mass., U. S. A., in

1720; and there was an account in news

papers there of Masonic activities on

May 25, 1727, ten years before there

was lodge in Germany, and the first

warrant from England to Prov. G. M.

Henry Price was dated July 30. 1733.

The National Mother Grand Lodge,

"The Three Globes," at Berlin, now has

1^1 lodges and 17,400 members. The

National Grand Lodge of German Ma

sons at Berlin now has 147 lodges and

16,303 members. The Grand Lodge of

Prussia, "Royal York of Friendship,"

at Berlin, has 81 lodges and 8,376 mem

bers. The Grand Lodge of Hamburg

has 63 lodges and 5,560 members.

The National Grand Lodge of Saxony

at Dresden has 38 lodges and 5,926

members. The Grand Lodge, "The

Sun," at Bayreuth, has 38 lodges and

3,914 members. The Eclectic Grand

Lodge at Frankfort on Main has 25

lodges and 3,786 members. The Grand

Lodge, "Concordia," at Darmstadt, has

lodges and 725 members.

The five independent lodges of Ger

many are not under the obedience of

any of the above Grand Lodges. They

are: "Minerva of the Three Palms" of

Leipsic, "Baldwin of the Linden" at

Leipsic, "Archimedes of the Three

Tracing Tables" at Altenburg, "Archi

medes of the Eternal Union" at Gera,

and "Charles of the Crown Rue;" and

these five lodges have total member

ship of 1,433, making grand total of

all Masons in Germany of 556 lodges

and 63,423 members.

In Chicago alone there are 70,000

Masons, or 7,000 more than there are

in the whole of Germany; while the

State of Missouri has 62,000 members

in 528 lodges and there are over 2,000,-

000 Masons in the United States. While

the same cannot be said of the Higher

Degrees in Germany that was said of

the snakes in Ireland ("There are no

snakes in Ireland"), yet the facts are

pretty much the same. In Frankfort

one is obliged, when he takes his Blue

Lodge Degrees, to take an obligation

not to take any of the Higher Degrees.

Five out of the eight Grand Lodges of

Germany permit only the three symbolic

degrees; these are: Hamburg, Saxony,

Bayreuth, Frankfort, and Darmstadt.

This leaves only the three Grand Lodges

of Prussia who have concurrent juris

diction in Berlin, to give the higher de

grees, which are thus centered in Berlin,

the capital of Prussia and militarism.

There is no Supreme Council of the

Scottish Rite in all Germany.

The National Grand Lodge of Ger

man Freemasons has 10 degTees; the

Grand Lodge of the Three Globes has

degrees, and the Grand Lodge of the

Royal York has degrees. In the Na

tional Grand Lodge the first three de

grees constitute the Lodge of St. John

the 4th and 5th, the Lodge of St. An

drew the next four, 6th to 9th, inclu

sive, compose the Chapter. The 10th

THE HIGHER DEGREES IN GERMANY 247

degree is conferred only at Berlin. It

is kind of honorary degree which

bears the name, "Apprentice of Per

fection." Its distinctive badge is red

cross hung saltier-wise around the neck

and the titulars of the degree are called

Knights of the Red Cross. special

interest is taken by the National Grand

Lodge in the first five degrees, and it

has at its head Grand Master assisted

by Grand Officers. The Chapter set

tles all questions concerning the degrees

from the 6th to the 10th and all matters

that affect the system or the Rite are

under its executive control. There are

four kinds of Chapters those that work

the 6th and 7th degrees those that work

the 6th, 7th and 8th; those that work

the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th and, lastly,

the Grand Chapter Indissolubilis at Ber

lin. At the he;ul of the whole system

stands Master of the Order. This

was founded by Zinnendorf, partisan

of the "Strict Observance," and for

merly Grand Master of the Three

Globes, which station he left to found

these lodges which are modeled after

the Swedish Rite and are intensely

Christian, not permitting any Jews or

other religionists to take the degrees.

It was in lodge under this Grand

Lodge that Emperor William then

Prince William of Prussia—and his son,

Emperor Frederick III, were interested.

The system of the National Grand

Lodge. "The Three Globes," the first

grand lodge, comprises seven degrees.

The first three constitute the Lodge of

St. John, the fourth is the Scottish

General Lodge, and the next three form

the Chapter or the Intimate Orient.

The Grand Lodge of the Three Globes

cannot have more than 63 members, all

of whom must be chosen from among

the members residing in Berlin or in its

immediate neighborhood. Once year,

usually in May, all the Worshipful Mas

ters of the dependent lodges are con

vened at Berlin for the sitting of the

Grand Lodge. This is governed by

managing committee chosen from

among the brethren who are invested

with the 7th degree. It is to this man

aging committee that all questions of

ritualistic character are especially re

ferred, and it is officially designated

"Keeper, Reformer and Dispenser of

'The Masonic Science.' All decisions

taken on subjects connected therewith

are subject to its veto.

The Grand Lodge, "Royal York," has

three degrees, together with fourth

which exists in the Scottish Master

(Privy Orient). This degree is prac

ticed as kind of Royal Arch, and it is

the members invested with this degree

who compose the Privy Orient of the

Grand Lodge, which is entrusted with

the examination of all questions con

cerning rites and dogmas. It took this

name when organized in 1798 in conse

quence of the initiation of Edward Duke

of York, brother of King George III.

It is worthy of note that the German

high degrees form an integral part of

the Prussian Grand Lodge only, and

Christians alone may aspire to these

degrees.

Such is the polity and form of organi

zation of the higher degrees in Ger

many. It is to be emphasized that only

in Berlin are there any degrees higher

than the first three, and these are under

the influence and control of those Grand

Lodges which are essentially royal, aris

tocratic, autocratic and military; whose

whole history is bound up with the Prus

sian ruling and military classes. What

chance can there be for peace under

such circumstances? Is it any wonder

that the utterances of German Freerna-

onry are arrogant, conceited and bom

bastic, lacking the true spirit of frater

nity and universal brotherhood which

characterizes Masonry in other lands?

Not until Germany has received

crushing defeat on the field of battle,

such as Napoleon, himself Mason,

gave her in the beginning of the last

century, and the consequent humbling

of this arrogant, dictatorial spirit, can

it be possible to have true Masonry

in Germany and in bringing together

again of the Masons of the world in

world-wide, universal federation which

will bring about universal and lasting

peace. All the other Masonic bodies

of the world must unite against Ger

many—or rather without her in order

to bring about this great event.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/14x1JcHpdUQM2_R68_7eNR3o66lMRk8Fa/view?usp=sharing

It was while investigating the Little Rock integration incident in 1957 that I first learned of Pike’s rapid advance in Freemasonry, and knowing that Weishaupt, using Thomas Jefferson and Moses Holbrook, had infiltrated Illuminists into the Masonic Lodges of America, I decided I would find out if the fact that Pike’s mansion in Little Rock had thirteen rooms had any significance. “Thirteen’ figures prominently in Satanic, Luciferian and Cabalistic rituals, codes, and writings, etc. My investigations produced documentary evidence to show that, because of Pike’s exceptional mental ability, he came under the notice of professors in Harvard who were members of the Illuminati, who developed in his mind the ‘idea that a One World Government, a One World Religion and a One World financial and economic system was the ONLY solution to the world’s many and varied problems. I next discovered that his departure from Harvard was not due to lack of finances, or because of a misunderstanding with the faculty over tuition fees, but because of his ‘radical’ ideas and teachings. When he returned home determined that he would ‘fight’ his way to the top despite all opposition, he was in a suitable frame of mind to be recruited as a ‘Minerval’ or ‘apprentice’ into the lower degrees of the Illuminati."

Satan Prince of This World

by William Guy Carr

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Hw94yTrcRzvZjNQOo8T5_w-jqL8v5IMu/view

Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport, also known as Adams Field, is a joint civil-military airport on the east side of Little Rock, Arkansas. It is operated by the Little Rock Municipal Airport Commission.

The largest commercial airport in Arkansas, it served more than 2.1 million passengers in the year spanning from March 2009 through to February 2010.[6] While Clinton National Airport does not have direct international passenger flights, more than 50 flights arrive or depart at Little Rock each day, with nonstop service to 14 cities.[7] The airport is included in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2019–2023, in which it is categorized as a small-hub primary commercial service facility.[8]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinton_National_Airport

The President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site is located in HOPE, Arkansas.[2] Built in 1917 by Dr. H. S. Garrett, in this house the 42nd president of the United States, Bill Clinton, spent the first four years of his life, having been born on August 19, 1946, at Julia Chester Hospital in HOPE, Arkansas.[3][4] The house was owned by Clinton's maternal grandparents, Edith Grisham and James Eldridge Cassidy, and they cared for him when his mother, Virginia, was away working as an anesthetist in New Orleans.[5]"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_William_Jefferson_Clinton_Birthplace_Home_National_Historic_Site

Tragedy and HOPE: A History of the World in Our Time is a work of history written by former Georgetown University professor and historian Carroll Quigley. The book covers the period of roughly 1880 to 1963 and is multidisciplinary in nature though perhaps focusing on the economic problems brought about by the First World War and the impact these had on subsequent events. While global in scope, the book focuses on Western civilization."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tragedy_and_Hope

In his first year (1965) in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown, Bill Clinton took Quigley's course, receiving a 'B' as his final grade in both semesters (an excellent grade in a course where nearly half the students received D or lower).[1]: 94, 96 In 1991, Clinton named Quigley as an important influence on his aspirations and political philosophy, when Clinton launched his presidential campaign in a speech at Georgetown.[1]: 96 He said he learned from Quigley that “The future can be better than the past, and that each of us has a personal, moral responsibility to make it so.” Bill Clinton told his audiences, “that is what the new choice is all about....We are not here to save the Democratic party. We are here to save the United States of America.” It was Clinton's most effective speech, and he repeated variations time and time again as the blueprint for his campaign message in winning the Democratic nomination and the general election for President of the United States in 1992.[21][22]"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carroll_Quigley

Theorists also cite the inclusion of Bill Clinton at the meetings in 1991 before he was president and Tony Blair’s presence in 1993 before he became the British prime minister as examples of the group’s power. Past attendees have included former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger (who will also be attending this year), former Chase Manhattan chief executive David Rockefeller, and British Prime Minister David Cameron."

Bilderberg Group: What To Know About the Secretive Meetings

https://time.com/4362872/bilderberg-group-meetings-2016-conspiracy-theories/

Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner October 20, 2016 Donald Trump Hillary Clinton Henry Kissinger Gayle King Cardinal Dolan Katie Couric Chuck Schumer Mayor Bill de Blasio"

https://www.facebook.com/MariaBartiromo/posts/alfred-e-smith-memorial-foundation-dinner-october-20-2016-donald-trump-hillary-c/1353937201283479/

HOPE: all hope is to be placed in God, and with what degree of perfection [67]; eternal life alone is to be hoped for as a reward [82]; the extent to which this hope should be of assistance [288]; how hope should be shown by the dying | 595]; hope in the preservation and growth of the Society [812]. See also Faithfulness" The Constitutions of the Society of Jesus and Their Complimentary Norms pg. 464

https://jesuitas.lat/uploads/the-constitutions-of-the-society-of-jesus-and-their-complementary-norms/Constitutions%20and%20Norms%20SJ%20ingls.pdf

Bill Clinton ‘Encouraged’ Trump to Run

SLICK WILLY

Updated Apr. 14, 2017 10:12AM EDT /

Published Aug. 05, 2015 3:33PM EDT

https://www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/2015/08/05/bill-clinton-encouraged-trump

I began by attending Fordham University in the Bronx, mostly because I wanted to be close to home. I got along very well with the Jesuits who ran the school, but after two years, I decided that as long as I had to be in college, I might as well test myself against the best. I applied to the Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania and I got in. At the time, if you were going to make a career in business, Wharton was the place to go. Harvard Business School may produce a lot of CEOs—guys who manage public companies— but the real entrepreneurs all seemed to go to Wharton: Saul Steinberg, Leonard Lauder, Ron Perelman—the list goes on and on."

Donald Trump The Art of the Deal

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DLcbnLrl6moQT7nGj1JitG6AiQ6qgK0y/view?usp=sharing

University of Scranton welcomes President Biden

The university has illuminated its Class of 2020 Gateway in red and blue lights.

Author: WNEP Web Staff

Published: 10:52 PM EDT October 19, 2021

Updated: 10:52 PM EDT October 19, 2021

SCRANTON, Pa. — In preparation for President Joe Biden's visit, a university lit up their lights in his honor.

The University of Scranton has illuminated its Class of 2020 Gateway in blue and red with the number 46 prominently displayed to welcome the 46th president."

University of Scranton welcomes President Biden | wnep.com

https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/lackawanna-county/university-of-scranton-welcomes-president-biden-gateway-lights/523-cdba68b1-822b-4747-94be-4cd7e4de9d67

"His son, Hunter Biden, 38, is a longtime federal lobbyist for the Jesuit university located in his father's hometown, Scranton PA. According to federal disclosures, Hunter Biden has been earning about $80,000 a year since 2006 to lobby for this university. Senator Biden himself has lectured at the Jesuit University of Scranton, and received an honorary degree from the same university, in 1976."

Codeword Barbelon

by P.D. Stuart

Trump and Harris neck-and-neck as she prepares to announce VP pick after meeting candidates Sunday: Live

Harris met with top running mate contenders Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro at her Washington DC residence

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/kamala-harris-vp-pick-trump-polls-news-b2591106.html

San Francisco's 555 California St., co-owned by Trump, on lender watchlist

The beautiful, very great, big league skyscraper, still allegedly 30% owned by Donald Trump, is on a lender watchlist, according to Bloomberg

By Alex Shultz,

Politics editor, SFGATE

Updated Feb 23, 2023 3:40 p.m.

https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/san-francisco-building-trump-stake-on-watchlist-17801816.php

Early life and education

Harris's childhood home at 1227 Bancroft Way in Berkeley, August 2020

Kamala Devi Harris[a] was born in Oakland, California,[3] on October 20, 1964.[4] Her mother, Shyamala Gopalan (1938–2009), was a biologist who arrived in the United States from India in 1958 to enroll in graduate school in endocrinology at the University of California, Berkeley. A research career of over 40 years followed, during which her work on the progesterone receptor gene led to advances in breast cancer research.[5] Kamala's father, Donald J. Harris (1938–),[6] is an Afro-Jamaican who immigrated to the United States in 1961 and also enrolled in UC Berkeley, specializing in development economics. The first Black scholar to be granted tenure at Stanford University's economics department, he has emeritus status there.[7] Kamala's parents met in 1962 and married in 1963.[8]

The Harris family lived in Berkeley until they moved in 1966, around Kamala's second birthday. The Harrises lived for a few years in college towns in the MIDWEST where her parents held teaching or research positions:[9] Urbana, Illinois (where her sister Maya was born in 1966); Evanston, Illinois; and Madison, Wisconsin.[b][10][9][11] By 1970, the marriage had faltered, and Shyamala moved back to Berkeley with her two daughters;[12][13][9] the couple divorced when Kamala was seven.[8] In 1972, Donald Harris accepted a position at Stanford University; Kamala and Maya spent weekends at their father's house in Palo Alto and lived at their mother's house in Berkeley during the week.[14] Shyamala was friends with African-American intellectuals and activists in Oakland and Berkeley.[11] In 1976, she accepted a research position at the McGill University School of Medicine, and moved with her daughters to Montreal, Quebec.[15][16] Kamala graduated from Westmount High School on Montreal Island in 1981.[17]

Early career

In 1990, Harris was hired as a deputy district attorney in Alameda County, California, where she was described as "an able prosecutor on the way up".[27] In 1994, Speaker of the California Assembly Willie BROWN, who was then dating Harris, appointed her to the state Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board and later to the California Medical Assistance Commission.[27] In February 1998, San Francisco district attorney Terence Hallinan recruited Harris as an assistant district attorney.[28] There, she became the chief of the Career Criminal Division, supervising five other attorneys, where she prosecuted homicide, burglary, robbery, and sexual assault cases—particularly three-strikes cases. In August 2000, Harris took a job at San Francisco City Hall, working for city attorney Louise Renne.[29] Harris ran the Family and Children's Services Division, representing child abuse and neglect cases. Renne endorsed Harris during her D.A. campaign.[30]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamala_Harris

Donald Jasper Harris, OM (born August 23, 1938) is a Jamaican-American economist and professor emeritus at Stanford University, known for applying post-Keynesian ideas to development economics.[1]

He is the father of US Vice President and current Democrat presidential nominee Kamala Harris and lawyer Maya Harris.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_J._Harris

Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump

Danney Lee Williams Jr. (born December 7, 1985) is a man from Little Rock, Arkansas who claims to be the biological son of Bill Clinton, the former President of the United States.[1] Blood tests ruled out Clinton as the father.[1][2]

Background

Williams was born in 1985 to Danney Williams Sr. and Bobbie Ann Williams.

The story came to notice in the late 1990s when reporting by Newsmax led by celebrity tabloid magazine Star to commission a paternity test prove whether Williams is actually Clinton's biological son.[3] Time magazine cited Star on July 18, 1999 to say that there was no match.[4]

The story was revived in 2016 before the 2016 presidential election and pushed by a number of media outlets including Newsmax, the Drudge Report,[3] as well as WorldNetDaily,[1] and the New York Daily News.[1]

Due to some uncertainties with the original test by Star, Snopes concluded that the claim was unproven.[3] The Washington Post stated that, while the test could not prove Clinton was the father, it did conclusively rule him out as the father.[1]

On October 19, 2016, Williams' lawyers announced their intentions to file a paternity suit to prove that Clinton's DNA matched Williams'.[5] Williams wrote to Monica Lewinsky asking for her dress in order to obtain a sample of Clinton's DNA. However, Lewinsky never replied to Williams.[6] A partial analysis of Clinton's blood, and thus his DNA, was already part of the public record because of the Lewinsky affair investigation.[1]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danney_Williams

Early Female Transgender Identity after Prenatal Exposure to Diethylstilbestrol: Report from a French National Diethylstilbestrol (DES) Cohort

by Laura Gaspari 1,2,3,†,Marie-Odile Soyer-Gobillard 4,5,†ORCID,Scott Kerlin 6,Françoise Paris 1,2,3 andCharles Sultan 1,*

All DES sons who identified as transgender women underwent karyotyping at their local hospital at the moment of transition.

https://www.mdpi.com/2039-4713/14/1/10

Thomas Trace Beatie (born 1974[1]) is an American public speaker, author, and advocate of transgender rights and sexuality issues, with a focus on transgender fertility and reproductive rights.[2]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Beatie

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tracing_board

FREEMASONRY AND CATHOLICISM

by MAX HEINDEL

https://dn720206.ca.archive.org/0/items/freemasonryandca017137mbp/freemasonryandca017137mbp.pdf

Biography

Early life

Sako speaks Neo-Aramaic, German, French, English, Italian, Kurdish and Arabic.[2]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Rapha%C3%ABl_I_Sako

Raphael Gamaliel Warnock[1] (/ˈrɑːfiɛl ˈwɔːrnɒk/ RAH-fee-el WOR-nok; born July 23, 1969) is an American politician and Baptist pastor serving as the junior United States senator from Georgia, a seat he has held since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, Warnock has been the senior pastor of Atlanta's Ebenezer Baptist Church since 2005.[2][3]

Warnock was the senior pastor of Douglas Memorial Community Church from 2001 to 2005.[4] He came to prominence in Georgia politics as a leading activist in the campaign to expand Medicaid in the state under the Affordable Care Act. He was the Democratic nominee in the 2020 United States Senate special election in Georgia, defeating incumbent Republican Kelly Loeffler in a runoff election.[5]

Warnock and Jon Ossoff are the first Democrats elected to the U.S. Senate from Georgia since Zell Miller in 2000.[6][7] Their elections were critical in securing a 50–50 Senate majority for Democrats, with Vice President Kamala Harris serving as the tie-breaking vote.[8] Warnock was a reliable supporter of Joe Biden's legislative efforts during his presidency.[9][10] He was reelected to a full term in 2022, defeating Republican nominee Herschel Walker.

Warnock is the first African American to represent Georgia in the Senate, the first Black Democrat elected to the Senate from a Southern state, and the second black U.S. Senator directly elected from a Southern state, after Tim Scott.[11][12][13]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raphael_Warnock

Presidential elections are scheduled to be held in the United States on November 7, 2028, to elect the president and vice president of the United States for a term of four years.

In the 2024 elections, the Republican Party gained a majority of seats in the House of Representatives and Senate. Incumbent president Donald Trump won a non-consecutive second term; per the limits set by the 22nd Amendment, he is constitutionally barred from being elected president again.[1]

Background

See also: 2024 United States elections

The Republican Party returned to power in the United States with a government trifecta in January 2025 following the 2024 election. Trump, who was elected president in 2016 but lost a re-election bid in 2020 to Joe Biden, and JD Vance, a then-senator from Ohio defeated vice president Kamala Harris, who began her campaign following Biden's exit from the 2024 election, and Minnesota governor Tim Walz. Trump's victory was credited to a post-pandemic surge in inflation,[a] a migrant crisis at the U.S.–Mexico border,[b] and a global anti-incumbent backlash.[8][9][10] In addition, Republicans secured control of the Senate, flipping four seats and earning a three seat majority, while also retaining a House majority, though the party's majority narrowed to three seats after losing two seats.[11]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2028_United_States_presidential_election

Kamala Devi Harris (English: /ˈkɑːmələ ˈdeɪvi/ ⓘ,[1] born October 20, 1964) is an American politician and attorney who has been the 49th and current vice president of the United States since 2021, serving under President Joe Biden. Harris is the Democratic presidential nominee in the 2024 United States presidential election. She is the first female vice president of the United States, making her the highest-ranking female official in U.S. history. She is also the first African American and first Asian American vice president. From 2017 to 2021, she represented California in the United States Senate. Before that, she was Attorney General of California from 2011 to 2017.

Born in Oakland, California, Harris graduated from Howard University and the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. She began her law career in the office of the district attorney of Alameda County. She was recruited to the San Francisco District Attorney's Office and later to the office of the city attorney of San Francisco. She was elected district attorney of San Francisco in 2003 and attorney general of California in 2010, and reelected as attorney general in 2014. As the San Francisco district attorney and the attorney general of California, Harris was the first woman, the first African American, and the first Asian American to hold each office.

Harris was the junior U.S. senator from California from 2017 to 2021. She won the 2016 Senate election, becoming the second Black woman and first South Asian American U.S. senator. As a senator, Harris advocated for stricter gun control laws, the DREAM Act, federal legalization of cannabis, and reforms to healthcare and taxation. She gained a national profile for her pointed questioning of Trump administration officials during Senate hearings, including Trump's second Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh.

Harris sought the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination in 2019, but withdrew from the race before the primaries. Biden selected her as his running mate, and their ticket defeated the incumbent president and vice president, Donald Trump and Mike Pence, in the 2020 election. Presiding over an evenly split Senate upon entering office, Harris played a crucial role as president of the Senate. She cast more tie-breaking votes than any other vice president, which helped pass bills such as the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 stimulus package and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. After Biden withdrew from the 2024 presidential election, Harris launched her campaign with Biden's endorsement and soon became the presumptive nominee. On August 6, 2024, she chose Tim Walz, the governor of Minnesota, as her running mate.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamala_Harris

The University of California College of the Law, San Francisco (abbreviated as UC Law SF or UC Law) is a public law school in San Francisco, California, United States. It was known as the University of California, Hastings College of the Law (abbreviated as UC Hastings) from 1878 to 2023.

Founded in 1878 by Serranus Clinton Hastings, UC Law SF was the first law school of the University of California as well as one of the first law schools established in California. Although part of the University of California, UC Law SF is not directly governed by the Regents of the University of California. UC Law SF is also one of the few prominent university-affiliated law schools in the United States that does not share a campus with the university's undergraduates or other postgraduate programs.

The Battle of Hastings (1066) as depicted on a stained glass window over the main entrance of 100 McAllister Street.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_California_College_of_the_Law,_San_Francisco

The Battle of Hastings[a] was fought on 14 October 1066 between the Norman-French army of William, Duke of Normandy, and an English army under the Anglo-Saxon King Harold Godwinson, beginning the Norman Conquest of England. It took place approximately 7 mi (11 km) northwest of Hastings, close to the present-day town of Battle, East Sussex, and was a decisive Norman victory.

The background to the battle was the death of the childless King Edward the Confessor in January 1066, which set up a succession struggle between several claimants to his throne. Harold was crowned king shortly after Edward's death but faced invasions by William, his own brother Tostig, and the Norwegian king Harald Hardrada (Harold III of Norway). Hardrada and Tostig defeated a hastily gathered army of Englishmen at the Battle of Fulford on 20 September 1066. They were in turn defeated by Harold at the Battle of Stamford Bridge on 25 September. The deaths of Tostig and Hardrada at Stamford Bridge left William as Harold's only serious opponent. While Harold and his forces were recovering, William landed his invasion forces in the south of England at Pevensey on 28 September and established a beachhead for his conquest of the kingdom. Harold was forced to march south swiftly, gathering forces as he went.

The numbers present at the battle are unknown as even modern estimates vary considerably. The composition of the forces is clearer: the English army was composed almost entirely of infantry and had few archers, whereas only about half of the invading force was infantry, the rest split equally between cavalry and archers. Harold appears to have tried to surprise William, but scouts found his army and reported its arrival to William, who marched from Hastings to the battlefield to confront Harold. The battle lasted from about 9 am to dusk. Early efforts of the invaders to break the English battle lines had little effect. Therefore, the Normans adopted the tactic of pretending to flee in panic and then turning on their pursuers. Harold's death, probably near the end of the battle, led to the retreat and defeat of most of his army. After further marching and some skirmishes, William was crowned as king on Christmas Day 1066.

There continued to be rebellions and resistance to William's rule, but Hastings effectively marked the culmination of William's conquest of England. Casualty figures are difficult to assess, but some historians estimate that 2,000 invaders died along with about twice that number of Englishmen. William founded a monastery at the site of the battle, the high altar of the abbey church supposedly placed at the spot where Harold died.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Hastings

Spitfire is the third album by American rock band Jefferson Starship. Released in 1976, a year after the chart-topping Red Octopus, it quickly scaled the charts, peaking for six consecutive weeks at No. 3 in Billboard and attaining an RIAA platinum certification. Stereo and quadraphonic mixes of the album were released.

Background

By early 1976, Jefferson Starship had become one of America's biggest rock bands thanks to the multiplatinum success of 1975's Red Octopus and its smash hit "Miracles". They were playing arenas and stadiums as well as headlining big festivals, and money was pouring in.[1] All seemed well within the group, although the beginnings of dissent began to appear when singer Grace Slick broke up her seven-year relationship with guitarist Paul Kantner, choosing to hook up instead with the group's lighting director Skip Johnson (Johnson was quickly fired from that position, although he would be re-hired in 1978).[1] There were also lingering problems with Marty Balin, who had refused to sign a long-term contract with RCA/Grunt and was working on an album-by-album basis, which gave him much leverage now that he was writing the hit singles.[2] Although he was enjoying his return to prominence within the group, the pressure was now on Balin to come up with another hit that would equal or surpass "Miracles".

In the meantime, there were also increasing charges that the group had betrayed their earlier underground credentials as Jefferson Airplane and "sold out" to corporate rock interests. Slick complained that Grunt kept sending her out to silly publicity stunts like cake-judging contests, later reasoning "I was smiling and going along with it because we had to keep the publicity machine oiled while we were waiting for Marty to decide whether or not he was going to go on the road".[2]

Songs and recording

Before going into the studio, the band assembled at their rehearsal space to exchange ideas. As guitarist Craig Chaquico noted, "We would sort of go through all our own song ideas at rehearsals until we found just what we wanted to hear and play together...often Grace would be jotting down new spontaneous incoming lyric inspirations in a yellow legal notebook. We all played what we wanted while riffing off each other live without a real arrangement in mind to follow or anything like a master conductor at first."[3]

Sessions for Spitfire took place from March 4–17, 1976 at Wally Heider Studios with Larry Cox producing, as had been the case for the prior two Jefferson Starship albums.[1] The band's lineup was the same, save for the absence of Papa John Creach who had recently quit the band to concentrate on his solo career. The pressure to produce another blockbuster release led to the group essentially repeating much the same formula as Red Octopus, starting with another "Miracles"-style soft rock ballad from Balin titled "With Your Love" which was co-written with former Airplane drummer Joey Covington and guitarist Vic Smith, who had worked with Marty in Bodacious DF.[1] Balin also sang lead on the opening track "Cruisin'", a funk-rock number by Charles Hickox (another Marty bandmate from Bodacious DF) about cruising down the road which fades out to a Chaquico guitar solo. The album closed with Marty also taking lead vocals on a number by his new writing partner Jesse Barish, the early rock-disco hybrid "Love Lovely Love".

The hard rocker "Dance With The Dragon" originated with a Chaquico guitar riff and initial set of lyrics by him that was later fleshed out by the other band members, in teamwork fashion.[3] Paul Kantner's psych-prog opus "Song For The Sun" was divided into two sections: the opening ambient instrumental "Ozymandias" (credited to all band members except Balin) and the longer "Don't Let It Rain", with lyrics co-credited to Paul and his daughter China. This would be one of the last numbers by the band, both musically and lyrically, to reference '60s countercultural themes. Another centerpiece of the album, "St. Charles", began as the first line of a poem by Thunderhawk, an acquaintance of Balin, with the rest of the lyric completed by Barish, Balin, and Kantner. A power ballad that moves into psychedelic and hard rock territory, it closes on another lengthy Chaquico solo meant to impersonate the heavy storm referenced in the lyrics; it purportedly took six weeks to perfect the vocals on this track. Slick contributed the funky "Hot Water" (co-written with Pete Sears) and soaring, Moog-layered piano ballad "Switchblade", while drummer John Barbata offered the retro-50s rocker "Big City", co-written with ex-Flying Burrito Brother Chris Ethridge. One outtake from the sessions, Freiberg's "Nighthawks" (with lyrics by Robert Hunter), was performed at least once on the supporting tour.

Overall, the album continued the vein of eclectic stylistic variety, with contributions from all band members, that had characterized Red Octopus, along with a polished, highly commercial sound. Chaquico remembers the album's recording as a period when group unity was at an all-time high,[3] although Slick later recalled that Sears wasn't allowed to contribute his longer, more progressive songs to the album.[2]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spitfire_(Jefferson_Starship_album)

AI Overview

As of September 2025, there has been no 37th General Congregation of the Society of Jesus. The most recent assembly was the 36th General Congregation (GC 36), which met in Rome in October 2016.

What is a General Congregation?

A General Congregation (GC) is the highest governing body of the Society of Jesus, a Catholic religious order. A GC can be called for two main reasons:

To elect a new Superior General: This happens when the previous Superior General resigns or dies. In 2016, GC 36 was called after Father Adolfo Nicolás announced his resignation.

To address important matters: A GC can be called by the Superior General to discuss and act on significant issues concerning the order, the Church, and the world.

Key outcomes of the 36th General Congregation (GC 36)

The last General Congregation made two major decisions for the Society of Jesus:

Election of a new Superior General: The delegates elected Father Arturo Sosa Abascal of Venezuela as the 31st Superior General.

Declaration on reconciliation and justice: The assembly released a decree titled "Companions in a Mission of Reconciliation and Justice," which recommitted the order to the service of faith and the promotion of justice, continuing a priority first established at the 32nd General Congregation.

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1987 Slammy Awards

The Slammy Awards returned a year later, now honoring the events and individuals involved within the professional wrestling aspect of the World Wrestling Federation. The second edition of the ceremony (referred to in commercials and on-air as the 37th annual Slammy Awards) took place on December 16, 1987, from Caesars Atlantic City in Atlantic City, New Jersey. It aired in syndication on December 19, 1987.[11][14][13] The ceremony was hosted by Jesse Ventura and Gene Okerlund.[15] Musical numbers were performed by Vince McMahon (singing the song "Stand Back")[16] and Jimmy Hart (singing "Girls in Cars"), with the entire WWF roster performing "If You Only Knew" as the show's closing number.[16][15]

Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface.[11][14][13]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slammy_Award

Jeffrey S. Burwell, SJ, Named Next Provincial of the Jesuits of Canada

March 15, 2024 — The Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) announced the appointment of Fr. Jeffrey S. Burwell, SJ, as the next provincial of the Jesuits of Canada. This appointment is the culmination of a thoughtful, prayerful process of consultation and discernment, marking a significant milestone for the Canadian Province.

Fr. Jeffrey Burwell, SJ

Fr. Burwell will succeed Fr. Erik Oland, SJ, assuming his new responsibilities on July 31, 2024, with an inaugural Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Toronto. A special celebration will also take place at the Jesuit infirmary in Richelieu, Quebec, on the Feast of the Assumption, August 15, 2024.

Fr. Burwell, 48, is an educational specialist whose doctoral research took him to the Holy Land, where he focused on Catholic schools in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. A lecturer in Catholic studies, first St. Paul’s College at the University of Manitoba and now Campion College at the University of Regina, he balances university work with pastoral service as a chaplain to police (RCMP) and to prisoners. He dedicates his university holidays to ministering in the Dene and Cree Indigenous communities of Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Holding positions as a local superior since 2017 and a province consultor since 2021, Fr. Burwell brings a profound understanding of the Jesuit mission and a significant appreciation for Canada and Haiti’s diverse cultures.

This leadership change comes at a time when the Society of Jesus seeks to deepen its engagement with contemporary challenges, oriented by their Universal Apostolic Preferences: showing the way to God through the Spiritual Exercises and discernment; walking with the excluded; journeying with youth; and caring for our common home.

A Jesuit provincial leads a specific geographic region. This role is deeply spiritual, with responsibilities that extend beyond administrative tasks to include guiding the province’s mission and providing spiritual and pastoral care for its members. Provincials generally serve a six-year term.

There are five provinces within the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. The Canadian Province of the Society of Jesus encompasses a wide range of works, including colleges/universities, secondary and pre-secondary schools, parishes, retreat houses, formation in spirituality, Indigenous ministries, social justice center and ecological endeavors.

The Jesuits of Canada, together with their partners, look forward to supporting Fr. Burwell in his new role as they continue to serve the mission of the Church and society in Canada and beyond.

https://www.jesuits.org/stories/jeffrey-s-burwell-sj-named-next-provincial-of-the-jesuits-of-canada/

Templar Military Lodges

The Templars also stealthily entered America through military lodges. Of particular significance are those chartered by the Irish Grand Lodge, which offered the higher degrees of Jacobite Masonry. Later these lodges incorporated the French Templar Scottish Rite degrees, further dividing colonial America between two rival forms of Freemasonry. While British politics in the colonies was dominated by English Masons in the Northeast, her military was under the influence of French Templar Field Lodges throughout the colonies - not a stable union for governing "13" rebellious colonies.25

European Templars Settle America

Another identifying characteristic of the Beast's revived Roman empire, according to our analysis of Daniel 7:7-8 in chapter 26, is that it must be populated by immigrants from the territory governed by the old Roman empire. Of course colonial America was populated by peoples from a Europe shaped by ancient Rome and later by the Holy Roman Empire. Templar influence in America began after Prince Charles Edward, the Young Stuart Pretender, failed to regain his British throne. As you recall, in 1746 he was soundly defeated, forever dashing the hopes of Scottish Templars recapturing England. As a result, many Irish and Scottish Templar Jacobites who had fought with Charles Stuart fled to America. Those who returned to France with the Prince founded the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry. Between 1745 and 1753, the British and European Templar population in the New World had increased dramatically. In 1754 Benjamin Franklin attempted to relieve population pressure by proposing a plan for the union of all 13 colonies. The British government rejected Franklin's proposal, fearing a united America would be difficult to control. Subsequently, the exploding population was forced to move west into French territory, which precipitated the French and Indian War in America, a phase of the Seven Years War on the continent of Europe. During this war the French military brought to the New World the Templar Scottish Rite, first setting up base at Boston, then Charleston, S.C.26 Michael Baigent, in The Temple and The Lodge, explains: 565 Prior to the Seven Years War, most of the Freemasonry in North America was orthodox pro- Hanoverian, warranted by Grand Lodge [London]. During the Seven Years War, however, "higher degree" [Templar] Freemasonry, by means of regimental field lodges, was transplanted on a large scale to the American colonies and quickly took root. Boston - the soil from which the American Revolution was to spring - exemplifies the process of transplantation and the friction that sometimes arose from it.27

Scarlet and the Beast

by John Daniel

https://ia803001.us.archive.org/28/items/ScarletAndTheBeastJohnDaniel1995/Scarlet%20and%20the%20Beast,%20John%20Daniel%20(1995).pdf

Ebenezer Baptist Church is a Baptist megachurch located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, affiliated with the Progressive National Baptist Convention and American Baptist Churches USA. It was the church where Dr. Martin Luther King Sr. was pastor from the 1930s and co-pastor together with his sons Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. from 1960 until his assassination in 1968 and A. D. King from 1968 until his death in 1969. It hosted the funerals of both Dr. King and, in its later expanded sanctuary, congressman John Lewis, and it is the church for which United States Senator Raphael Warnock has been pastor since 2005. Its historic church building and expanded sanctuary building are located in the historic area designated as the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebenezer_Baptist_Church

Ebenezer Scrooge (/ˌɛbɪˈniːzər ˈskruːdʒ/) is a fictional character and the protagonist of Charles Dickens's 1843 novel, A Christmas Carol. Initially a cold-hearted miser who despises Christmas, his redemption by visits from the ghost of Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come has become a defining tale of the Christmas holiday in the English-speaking world.

Dickens describes Scrooge thus early in the story: "The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shrivelled his cheek, stiffened his gait; made his eyes red, his thin lips blue; and spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice." Throughout the novella, visits from the four ghosts show Scrooge the errors of his ways, and he transforms into a better, more generous man. Scrooge's last name has entered the English language as a byword for greed and misanthropy, while his catchphrase, "Bah! Humbug!" is often used to express disgust with many modern Christmas traditions.

Description

Charles Dickens describes Scrooge as "a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner! Hard and sharp as flint... secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster." He does business from a Cornhill warehouse and is known among the merchants of the Royal Exchange as a man of good credit. Despite having considerable personal wealth, he underpays his clerk Bob Cratchit and hounds his debtors relentlessly while living cheaply and joylessly in the chambers of his deceased business partner, Jacob Marley. Most of all, he detests Christmas, which he associates with reckless spending. When two men approach him on Christmas Eve for a donation to charity, he sneers that the poor should avail themselves of the treadmill or the workhouses, or else die to reduce the surplus population. He also refuses his nephew Fred's invitation to Christmas dinner and denounces him as a fool for celebrating Christmas. He even frightens a young carol singer by gripping a ruler with a fit of energy. Scrooge resents giving Cratchit Christmas Day off, as there will be no business for Scrooge during the day.

That night, Scrooge is visited by Marley's ghost, who is condemned to walk the world forever bound in chains as punishment for his greed and inhumanity in life. Marley tells Scrooge that he will be visited by three spirits, in the hope that he will mend his ways; if he does not, Marley warns, Scrooge will wear even heavier chains than his in the afterlife.

The first spirit, the Ghost of Christmas Past, shows Scrooge visions of his early life. These visions establish Scrooge's unloving childhood in a boarding school, where at Christmas he remained alone while his schoolmates returned home to their families. One of Scrooge's happy memories was when his sister Fan—later Fred's mother—came to take him home one Christmas, saying that their hard-hearted father had changed. Scrooge then apprenticed at the warehouse of a jovial and generous master, Mr. Fezziwig. He was engaged to a young woman named Belle, but gradually his love for Belle was overwhelmed by his love for money. Belle realised that he would resent her poverty and left him, eventually marrying another man. The present-day Scrooge reacts to his memories with nostalgia and deep regret.

The Ghost of Christmas Present arrives and shows Scrooge that his greed and selfishness have hurt others as well, particularly Cratchit, who cannot afford to provide his desperately ill son Tiny Tim with medical treatment because of Scrooge's miserliness. The Spirit tells an ashamed Scrooge that Tiny Tim will die unless something changes, and throws back at Scrooge his own heartless words about the poor and destitute. Scrooge and the ghost also visit Fred's Christmas party, where Fred defends his uncle from his guests' snide remarks.

Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas Past[b]

Finally, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come shows Scrooge where his greed and selfishness will lead: a lonely death and a neglected grave, unpaid servants stealing his belongings, debtors relieved at his death, and the Cratchit family devastated by the loss of Tiny Tim. Scrooge asks the Spirit if this future can still be changed, and begs for another chance, promising to change his ways – and finds himself in his bed on Christmas Day.

An overjoyed Scrooge commits to being more generous and compassionate; he accepts his nephew's invitation to Christmas dinner, provides for Cratchit and his family, and donates to the charity fund. From then, he is said to have become the embodiment of the Christmas spirit and became a "second father" to Tiny Tim.

Origins

Several theories have been put forward as to where Dickens got the inspiration for the character:

Ebenezer Lennox Scroggie was supposedly a merchant from Edinburgh who won a catering contract for King George IV's visit to Scotland. He was buried in Canongate Kirkyard, with a gravestone that is now lost. The theory is that Dickens noticed the gravestone that described Scroggie as being a "meal man" (grain merchant) but misread it as "mean man."[1][2] This theory has been described as "a probable Dickens hoax" for which "[n]o one could find any corroborating evidence".[3] There is no record of anyone named Scroggie in the Edinburgh census returns of the period.[4] Jemmy Wood, owner of the Gloucester Old Bank and possibly Britain's first millionaire, was nationally renowned for his stinginess, and may have been another model for Scrooge.[5] The man whom Dickens eventually mentions in his letters[6] and who strongly resembles the character portrayed by Dickens' illustrator, John Leech, was a noted British eccentric and miser named John Elwes (1714–1789).[citation needed] Another suggested inspiration for the character of Scrooge is Daniel Dancer, who Dickens mentions, along with Elwes, in Our Mutual Friend.

It has been suggested that he chose the name Ebenezer ("stone (of) help") to reflect the help given to Scrooge to change his life.[7][8] Commentators have suggested that the surname was partly inspired by the word "scrouge", meaning "crowd" or "squeeze", which was in use in the early 1800s.[8][9][10][11]

Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas Present[c]

Kelly writes that Scrooge may have been influenced by Dickens' conflicting feelings for his father, whom he loved and demonised. This psychological conflict may be responsible for the two radically different Scrooges in the tale—one a cold, stingy recluse, the other a benevolent, loving man.[12] Robert Douglas-Fairhurst, a professor of English literature, considers that in the opening part of the book portraying young Scrooge's lonely and unhappy childhood, and his aspiration to rise from poverty to riches "is something of a self-parody of Dickens's fears about himself"; the post-transformation parts of the book are how Dickens optimistically sees himself.[13]

One school of thought is that Dickens based Scrooge's views of the poor on those of political economist and demographer Thomas Malthus, as evidenced by his callous attitude towards the "surplus population".[14][15] "And the Union workhouses? ... The treadmill and the Poor Law are in full vigour, then?" are a reflection of a sarcastic question raised by the reactionary philosopher Thomas Carlyle: "Are there not treadmills, gibbets; even hospitals, poor-rates, New Poor-Law?"[16][d]

There are literary precursors for Scrooge in Dickens's own works. Peter Ackroyd, Dickens's biographer, sees similarities between Scrooge and the title character of Martin Chuzzlewit, although the latter is "a more fantastic image" than the former; Ackroyd observes that Chuzzlewit's transformation to a charitable man is parallel to that of Scrooge.[18] Douglas-Fairhurst sees that the minor character Gabriel Grub from The Pickwick Papers was also an influence when creating Scrooge.[19][e]

Analysis

Scrooge's character, particularly how it changes throughout A Christmas Carol, has been the subject of several analyses.[21][22][23]

The psychological phenomenon of increased generosity and altruism following encounters with mortality or existential dread is called the Scrooge effect.[24]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebenezer_Scrooge

The Black Dinner of 1440: Scotland’s Real Game of Thrones

Author Image

by hans - March 23, 2024

The Black Dinner of 1440 – we’re actually going back in time a little bit to the 14th century and we’re going to Scotland. We’re going to Edinburgh and we’re going to talk about the Black Dinner. No, it was not a dinner that was overcooked. It was the black dinner because there was murder, most foul that happened.

Let’s go back to Edinburgh Castle. On a moonless night, this imposing fortress stands silent witness to one of Scotland’s most chilling tales – the Black Dinner of 1440. So we have a land, Scotland, that was rife with noble rivalries and a young king who was ensnared in the web of his guardian’s ambitions.

The Black Dinner is not just a feast gone foul, but a harrowing symbol of the deadly games played for the Scottish crown. The Scottish throne fell upon the shoulders of a young boy, James II. He was barely six years old at the time, following a brutal assassination of his father, James I.

The young king’s realm was a kingdom of shadows where the glow of the royal crown did little to illuminate the dark corners of intrigue and ambition that filled the halls of power. The early reign of James II was marked not by the wisdom of a seasoned monarch, but by the turbulent tides of a regency.

The kingdom, in the absence of a strong hand, became a chessboard for the nobility, each seeking to advance their pawns closer to the young king, their ultimate prize. Among these nobles, we have the Douglas clan. We would hear more about them during the Tudor period with Margaret Douglas. They are a towering oak in the forest of Scottish aristocracy.

Archibald Douglas dies the 5th Earl of Douglas and his young son, William assumes the earldom. The balance of power seemed to tip ever so slightly, yet significantly. The Douglases with their vast lands and fierce warriors were not merely players in the game of thrones. They were a force that could tilt the board entirely.

But such power was viewed with wary eyes. The rise of the Douglas Earls, especially the young William, now the 6th Earl of Douglas, was a clarion call to those who feared the shadow of their greatness cast over Scotland. The stage was set, not for a battle of swords, but for a more insidious conflict, one that would unfold under the guise of a royal feast within the stone embrace of Edinburgh Castle.

So it’s the end of November 1440, a seemingly benign invitation was extended to the young Earl of Douglas, William and his brother David. They were invited to Edinburgh Castle, not as foes, but as guests to break bread with the ten-year-old King James II. To the unsuspecting eye, this was a gesture of goodwill by the regents, symbolizing a rare moment of unity and camaraderie amidst the prevailing turbulence of Scottish nobility.

The brothers enter the Great Hall. The warmth of the hearth and the clinking of the goblets might have momentarily dulled the edges of political rivalry. Yet amidst the laughter and the toasts, a shadow loomed, a harbinger of the doom that was to unfold.

Someone put a black bull’s head, which was an ancient Scottish emblem of death, on the table. This turned into sinister silence. The ominous symbol heralded a grim fate awaiting the Douglas brothers. The Douglas brothers were seized and there was suddenly a mock trial just outside the dining room where they were eating.

The charges were treason and the jury was made up of their executioners. Outside, under the cold gaze of the moon, William and David Douglas were led to the scaffold. Beside them, the young king, his royal mantle weighing heavily on his small shoulders, pleaded for the lives of his guests. But the axes fell, breaking not just bodies, but also the fragile thread of royal authority.

The Black Dinner was not merely the end of two young lives, but also stark pivot in the tenuous dance of power within the Scottish court. The immediate aftermath saw a shift in balance as those behind the dark banquet solidified their grip over the young James II, and by extension, the kingdom.

The Douglas clan, though momentarily weakened, remained a towering figure in the Scottish political landscape. Their resolve hardened by the blood of their fallen. The young James II was left to navigate a realm where the crown on his head did not equate to power in his hands.

The echoes of the Black Dinner reverberated through the corridors of Scottish history, serving as a grim reminder of the lengths to which men would go to clutch at the reins of power. The macabre theatrics of the Black Dinner have transcended centuries, inspiring narratives that resonate with audiences even today, most notably in the infamous Red Wedding from George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones, a scene that left a global audience in shock.

So this was 45 years before the Princes in the Tower, and they were another set of young brothers who were too close to power, and people were afraid of them and wanted them to get away. Only situation here was the king actually didn’t want to kill them, but it was his regency who did.

Heather Teysko is the creator, writer, and producer of The Renaissance English History Podcast, the original Tudor history podcast, started in 2009. She's been writing about history online for over 25 years, since her first site on Colonial American history became number one in history on Yahoo in 1998. In 2019 she created Tudorcon, which is now a yearly event, in addition to writing books, and running TudorFair.com - a whimsical Tudor Merch shop.

She has been passionate about Tudor England since she first read Alison Weir's The Six Wives of Henry VIII 30 years ago, and subsequently moved to London after college to spend her time immersed in Tudor history (how exciting when she got to interview Alison for the first time!). In addition to history, she is passionate about travel, and has lived in 3 countries and 4 states (not counting her perpetual state of confusion), and her family (who help her host her YouTube channel occasionally).

https://www.englandcast.com/2024/03/black-dinner-1440/

The 51st State (also known as Formula 51) is a 2001[2] action comedy film directed by Ronny Yu, written by Stel Pavlou, and starring Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Carlyle, Emily Mortimer, Ricky Tomlinson, Sean Pertwee, Rhys Ifans, Stephen Walters and Meat Loaf. The film follows the story of an American master chemist (Jackson) who heads to Britain to sell his formula for a powerful new drug. All does not go as planned and the chemist soon becomes entangled in a web of deceit.

The film premiered in the United Kingdom on 7 December 2001. It was released internationally under the title Formula 51 in October 2002, where it grossed $14.4 million, against a budget of $27 million.

Plot

In 1971, a policeman pulls over Elmo McElroy, a recent college graduate with a degree, for driving under the influence of marijuana. Due to his arrest and conviction, McElroy cannot find work as a pharmacologist. In the present day, drug lord "the Lizard" calls a meeting of his colleagues, hoping to sell a new substance invented by Elmo. During the meeting, in a bid to escape from the Lizard's manipulation, Elmo blows up the building, killing everyone but the Lizard. Enraged, the Lizard contacts contract killer Dakota, who previously killed the only witness in a case against the Lizard. Dakota reluctantly accepts when the Lizard offers to clear her gambling debts and give her a $250,000 bonus.

Felix DeSouza, a local "fixer" in Liverpool, has been sent by Leopold Durant, head of a local criminal organization, to collect Elmo from Manchester airport, in exchange for two tickets to a sold-out football match between Liverpool and Manchester United. En route to the airport, Felix enters a pub full of Manchester United supporters and antagonizes them before letting off a rocket flare inside; the United fans give chase but his friends rescue him in their car.

Elmo lands in Manchester, is greeted by Felix and is taken to the meeting with Durant. At the meeting, Elmo pitches POS 51, a synthetic drug that can be produced with minimal facilities and is 51 times as potent as other drugs. A second opinion from Pudsey, Durant's chemist, confirms Elmo's claims, and Durant gives him over a million dollars in bonds. Since it is $18 million short of the agreed payment, Elmo refuses to sell.

On a roof across the street, Dakota is about to shoot Elmo in the head when the Lizard calls cancelling the hit; not wanting to kill Elmo until he has the formula. Instead of killing Elmo, she is to kill anyone who meets with him. She ends up killing everyone but Durant, Elmo, and Felix, who is shot in the buttocks. As Elmo and Felix leave the hotel, skinheads who want the drug attack them. Elmo protects them with a golf club. Detective Virgil Kane and his partner Arthur arrive on the scene and give chase. They are soon lured into a game of chicken by Elmo, who escapes. Kane and Arthur return to the crime scene and Kane demands 50% of Durant's deal with McElroy. A miscommunication leads to Durant's death.

Felix contacts a gun dealing club owner and drug distributor named Iki, promising him the formula for £20 million. As Elmo and Felix acquire the ingredients necessary for the drug's manufacture, all of which are over-the-counter products, the now-armed skinheads take them hostage. The skinheads claim they have a lab, though it turns out to be a broken-in animal testing facility. Elmo makes two batches of the drug; one blue and one red. Elmo claims that the red pill is the stronger version, and after he takes one, the skinheads try it. While they are partying, waiting for the effect of the drug, Elmo secretly spits out his red pill. He tells Felix it is a powerful laxative; Elmo and Felix leave after throwing rolls of toilet paper at the incapacitated skinheads.

At Iki's rave club, Elmo initiates his deal and delivers the drug to the waiting crowd. Kane and the police interrupt the deal and arrest Felix. After appearing, Dakota reveals that her real name is Dawn and that she and Felix were domestic partners. She abducts Elmo, leaving with him via the roof. Elmo overpowers her, suspending her over the edge of the roof. Having no choice, she strikes a deal with him and they escape Kane. Meanwhile, Kane blackmails Felix during an interrogation and forces himself into the deal with Iki, which Felix sets up for him.

Felix, Elmo and Dawn meet Iki in a private viewing box at the football match at Anfield. This time, the deal is interrupted by the Lizard, who kills Iki and demands the formula to POS 51. The Lizard celebrates with a drink, as Elmo reveals that the drug is a placebo and POS stands for Power of Suggestion. Kane interrupts them as Elmo's cocktail, an explosive ingested by the Lizard, takes effect, killing the Lizard. Kane is knocked unconscious and arrested by Arthur, while the main three exit unscathed. Dawn and Felix settle down together, and Elmo purchases the Scottish Highland castle of the Chief of Clan McElroy, while explains that he has spent the movie wearing a kilt with "the tartan of my slave master", but that Elmo now claims both the Castle and the Tartan as his own.

Cast

Samuel L. Jackson as Elmo McElroy

Robert Carlyle as Felix DeSouza (based on local tattooist)

Emily Mortimer as Dawn "Dakota" Parker

Meat Loaf as "The Lizard"

Sean Pertwee as Detective Virgil Kane (based on local ex police and door supervisor)

Ricky Tomlinson as Leopold "Leo" Durant

Rhys Ifans as "Iki"

Paul Barber as Frederick

Michael Starke as Detective Arthur

Stephen Walters as "Blowfish" (based on another local tattooist)

Ade as Omar

Angus MacInnes as "Pudsey" Smith, The Chemist

Production

Development

Screenwriter Stel Pavlou came up with the idea for The 51st State in 1994 while studying at university in Liverpool and working in the kitchens of The Brook Cafe at the Quiggins centre, loosely basing some of the characters on his friends. Pavlou described the idea of the film being based on Liverpool's history in the slave trade and transferring it to modern day in the form of the drug trade. Pavlou and his business partner Mark Aldridge showcased their idea at the Cannes Film Festival in France which led to film development company Focus Films offering funding for development. Soon the film caught the eye of Samuel L. Jackson, who eventually came on board as both a producer and star of the film.[5] The DVD commentary reveals that the script was originally written with Laurence Fishburne in mind, sometime before Jackson became a star.[6]

Originally, Pavlou budgeted at around £1 million and intended to direct it himself. Due to difficulty getting funding Pavlou stepped aside and took a co-producer credit while the matter was being resolved. After five years The 51st State was finally budgeted at $28 million, with financing coming from Canada and the UK via Alliance Atlantis and the Film Consortium.[7]

Pre-production

Actor and film producer Samuel L. Jackson recommended Hong Kong director Ronny Yu to direct the film, with the belief that the film's overall style was suited to that of Yu's previous credits, such as his 1998 film Bride of Chucky. With the roles of Elmo McElroy (Samuel L. Jackson) and Felix DeSouza (Robert Carlyle) both secured, producer Andras Hamori suggested Meat Loaf to play the antagonist. This was approved by director Yu, who called the idea a "truly inspired piece of casting".[7]

Filming

Almost all of the film was shot on location in Liverpool[8] apart from the opening scene which was shot in Los Angeles, a driving scene which was filmed in Manchester and another scene which was filmed at Cholmondeley Castle in Cheshire. Major locations used in Liverpool included the River Mersey and docks, Pier Head, the India Building,[9] Water Street as well as Liverpool's's stadium Anfield. Other famous Liverpool landmarks can be seen throughout the film in the background such as St George's Hall and the Liver Building.

Production designer Alan Macdonald used the film's production base in Boundary Street to build various sets for interior scenes, as well as a vast disused warehouse space in Blackstock Street.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_51st_State

ST. PATRICK'S DAY IN CHICAGO

CELEBRATE WITH US

Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago invites you to celebrate St. Patrick's Day on March 11, 2023. There will be no better place to watch throughout the city as guests of Trump Chicago will have a front-row view to see the Chicago River dyed Green.

https://www.trumphotels.com/properties/chicago/propertycontent/chicago-vacation-packages/st-patricks-day-offers

The first magnetic agent which is used to prepare the solvent designated, by some, Alkahest-is called the green Lion, not so

much because it is green in colour as because it has not yet acquired those mineral characteristics, which in chemistry distinguish the adult state from the nascent one. It is a green and sour fruit, compared with the red, ripe fruit. It is metallic youth on which Evolution has not yet worked, but which contains the latent germ of real energy, which will be called upon to develop later. It is arsenic and lead in respect of silver and gold. It is present imperfection from which the great future perfection will emerge; the rudiment of our embryo, the embryo of our stone, the stone of our Elixir. Certain Adepts, Basil Valentine among them, have called it green vitriol, in order to reveal its hot, burning and salty nature. Others have called it the Philosophers' Emerald, the Dew of May, the Herb of Saturn, the Vegetable Stone, etc. 'Our water takes the name of the leaves of all the trees, of the trees themselves, and of everything green in colour, in order to MISLEAD THE FOOLISH,' says Master Arnold of Villanova.

Fulcanelli Mystery of the Cathedrals

http://www.mtanthony13.org/library/Fulcanelli%20-%20The%20Mystery%20of%20the%20Cathedrals.pdf

A Dirty Bomb In Chicago? Mitt Romney’s Dangerous Take on Iran

Last night, Mother Jones magazine posted a series of videos of Mitt Romney speaking candidly to wealthy donors at a private fundraiser in May. In the videos, Romney weighed in on a number of topics, including Iran. In just over 30 seconds, Romney revealed not only a fundamental misunderstanding of dirty bombs, but also a disturbingly simplistic perspective on America’s challenges in the Middle East.

https://armscontrolcenter.org/a-dirty-bomb-in-chicago-mitt-romneys-dangerous-take-on-iran/

Robert Swan Mueller III (/ˈmʌlər/; born August 7, 1944) is an American lawyer who served as the sixth director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from 2001 to 2013.

A graduate of Princeton University and New York University, Mueller served as a Marine Corps officer during the Vietnam War, receiving a Bronze Star for heroism and a Purple Heart. He subsequently attended the University of Virginia School of Law. Mueller is a registered Republican in Washington, D.C.,[1] and was appointed and reappointed to Senate-confirmed positions by presidents George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama.[2][3]

Mueller has served both in government and private practice. He was an assistant United States attorney, a United States attorney, United States assistant attorney general for the Criminal Division, a homicide prosecutor in Washington, D.C., acting United States deputy attorney general, partner at D.C. law firm WilmerHale and director of the FBI. He is the only FBI Director that Congress has allowed to serve more than the statutory limit of 10 years since the death of J. Edgar Hoover in 1972 by giving him a special two-year extension.

On May 17, 2017, Mueller was appointed by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein as special counsel overseeing an investigation into allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and related matters.[4] He submitted his report to Attorney General William Barr on March 22, 2019.[5] On April 18, the Department of Justice released it.[6][7] On May 29, he resigned his post and the Office of the Special Counsel was closed.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Mueller

Pope Leo XIV[a] (born Robert Francis Prevost,[b][c] September 14, 1955) is head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State. He is the first pope to have been born in the United States and North America, the first to hold American and Peruvian citizenship, the first from the Order of Saint Augustine, and the second from the Americas (after his predecessor Francis).

Prevost was born in Chicago and raised in the nearby suburb of Dolton, Illinois. He became a friar of the Order of Saint Augustine in 1977 and was ordained as a priest in 1982. His service includes extensive missionary work in Peru in the 1980s and 1990s, where he worked as a parish pastor, diocesan official, seminary teacher, and administrator. Elected prior general of the Order of Saint Augustine, he was based in Rome from 2001 to 2013, and extensively traveled to the order's provinces around the world. He then returned to Peru as Bishop of Chiclayo from 2015 to 2023. In 2023, Pope Francis appointed him prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops in Rome, and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.

Made a cardinal by Pope Francis, Prevost emphasized synodality, missionary dialogue, and engagement with social and technological challenges. He also engaged with issues such as climate change, global migration, church governance, and human rights, and expressed alignment with the reforms of the Second Vatican Council.

Prevost's election in the 2025 papal conclave was unexpected by observers; he was a dark horse candidate, with Vatican insiders believing that a pope would never emerge from the United States.[8][9] He took his papal name in honor of Pope Leo XIII, who developed modern Catholic social teaching amid the Second Industrial Revolution.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Leo_XIV

Fourteenth Rule. Although there is much truth in the assertion that no one can save himself without being predestined and without having faith and grace; we must be very cautious in the manner of speaking and communicating with others about all these things.

The Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YC_luOfFWl0Bm0BWkbANKZGC1kkmdHQf/view?usp=sharing

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regimini_militantis_Ecclesiae

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Day_Called_%27X%27

Eyewitness Account of Hiroshima

By Father John A. Siemes, professor of modern philosophy at Tokyo's Catholic University

Hiroshima- August 6th, 1945

https://www.atomicarchive.com/resources/documents/hiroshima-nagasaki/hiroshima-siemes.html

CHILD WELFARE SUMMIT

April 23, 2024

Shayla Holmes | Director, Lyon County

Social Services

Shayla Holmes is the Director of Human Services and Public Guardian for Lyon County. It

is the mission of Lyon County Human Services to enhance the well-being of individuals

and families across the lifespan within Lyon County. As the Director she is blessed to lead

a team of professionals that are innovative and passionate about addressing the needs of

the communities they serve in a variety of topics such as aging and preventing institutional

long-term care, preventing adverse childhood events, reducing parental stress, housing

and homelessness, increasing financial stability, and enhancing behavioral health

response across the lifespan. She earned her Bachelors of Science from University of

Nevada, Reno in Human Development and Family Studies, her Masters of Arts in Grant

Management and Program Evaluation from Concordia University of Chicago, as well have

her Doctorate in Public Administration through West Chester University, Pennsylvania

conferred in May. Her focus is on social equity and creating flourishing communities.

https://webfiles.clarkcountynv.gov/Shayla%20Holmes.pdf

Culling is the process of segregating organisms from a group according to desired or undesired characteristics. In animal breeding, it is removing or segregating animals from a breeding stock based on a specific trait. This is done to exaggerate desirable characteristics, or to remove undesirable characteristics by altering the genetic makeup of the population. For livestock and wildlife, culling often refers to killing removed animals based on their characteristics, such as their sex or species membership, or as a means of preventing infectious disease transmission.

In fruits and vegetables, culling is the sorting or segregation of fresh harvested produce into marketable lots, with the non-marketable lots being discarded or diverted into food processing or non-food processing activities. This usually happens at collection centres located at, or close to farms.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culling

Saturn (Latin: Sāturnus [saːˈtʊrnʊs]) was a god in ancient Roman religion, and a character in Roman mythology. He was described as a god of time, generation, dissolution, abundance, wealth, agriculture, periodic renewal and liberation. Saturn's mythological reign was depicted as a Golden Age of abundance and peace. After the Roman conquest of Greece, he was conflated with the Greek Titan Cronus. Saturn's consort was his sister Ops, with whom he fathered Jupiter, Neptune, Pluto, Juno, Ceres and Vesta.

Saturn was especially celebrated during the festival of Saturnalia each December, perhaps the most famous of the Roman festivals, a time of feasting, role reversals, free speech, gift-giving and revelry. The Temple of Saturn in the Roman Forum housed the state treasury and archives (aerarium) of the Roman Republic and the early Roman Empire. The planet Saturn and the day of the week Saturday are both named after and were associated with him.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturn_(mythology)

The Emblem of Iraq since the rule of Baathism features a golden black eagle looking towards the viewer's left dexter. The eagle is the Eagle of Saladin associated with 20th-century pan-Arabism, bearing a shield of the Iraqi flag, and holding a scroll below with the Arabic words جمهورية العراق (Jumhūriyyat al-ʿIrāq – "Republic of Iraq").

The emblem has been modified three times: in 1991, in 2004, and in 2008.

Emblems of Iraq

1921–1958

Coat of arms of the Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq (until 1958)

Following the Mandate for Mesopotamia and the establishment of Kingdom of Iraq, the coat of arms of the Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq represented the Kingdom's ancient history during pre-Islamic times, as well as during post-Islamic times.

Symbolizing the monarchy of the Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq, the golden crown is composed of five arches with beaded design, fanning out from beneath its pinnacle and attached to the base with a relief design recalling rubies and emeralds. The crown is adorned at the top by the tip of a spear that represents the Hashemite banner.

The crown rests on a royal mantle, which signifies sacrifice and purity. The mantle is trimmed in a fringe of golden threads and gathered on either side with golden tasselled cords to reveal a white silk lining.

Two stars are above the central shield on either sides. Each star represents Ishtar and Shamash.

The shield's dexter supporter is the Lion of Babylon, the sinister supporter is an Arabian horse, both traditional symbols of the power of the king.

The shield in the centre shows a depiction of the land Mesopotamia. They depict the two rivers Euphrates and Tigris flowing through the desert, and their confluence at the Shatt al-Arab. At the confluence is a tree at the rivers banks, which symbolises the largest date palm forest in the world that used to be there. Underneath the tree over the rivers are a scimitar and a spear, to depict defense of the land. Around the shield at the top are in Kufic script "Justice is the basis of ruling" and underneath the year of independence 1339 in Hijri year.

Underneath the shield are gold ears of wheat and a palm frond.

1959–1965

The first post-monarchical state emblem of Iraq adopted under the republican government of Abd al-Karim Qasim was based on the ancient sun-disk symbol of Shamash and Ishtar, and avoided pan-Arab symbolism by incorporating elements of socialist heraldry.[1][2][3]

At the time of the Iraqi Revolution of 1958, Qassim had demonstrated strong pan-Arab and Arab nationalist views, however, these cooled somewhat during his premiership.

Law No.57 of 1959 titled "Emblem of the Iraq Republic" and Article 1, "Description of the Emblem" state:[1]

The Emblem of the Iraqi Republic shall consist of a circle from which eight beams diffuse. Each beam consists of three stretchings, the colour of golden yellow. Between every two beams a deep red projection of a star emerges. Amidst th[a]t circle a blue area exists. In the centre of which there is a golden spike surrounded by a black wheel with eight rectangular projections at the inner side, encircled by a white ring that extends till the black circumference. In the middle of this white ring there is an Arabic sword that embraces the wheel at the left hand-side, and a Kurdish dagger that embraces it at the right hand-side. Between their two tops the phrase ‘THE REPUBLIC OF IRAQ’ shall be written in Kufi writing, and between their hilts there is written the phrase ‘JULY 14’ and ‘1958’ underneath, in Kufi writing, too. The colour of the sword, the dagger and the Kufi writing is black.

Emblem of Iraq from 1959 to 1965, based on the ancient symbol of Shamash and the star of Ishtar and avoided pan-Arab symbolism.

Flag of Iraq from 1959 to 1963 with the star of Ishtar in the middle.

1965–present

The overthrow of Qasim's government by the Ba'ath Party in 1963 marked an increase in pan-Arab sympathies, a change which was demonstrated in the new national flag based on that of the United Arab Republic (UAR). The new Iraqi coat of arms was similarly based on that of the UAR, namely the Eagle of Saladin, which had become a symbol of Arab nationalism following the Egyptian Revolution of 1952. Indeed, the only difference between the two coat of arms was the presence of three green stars in the vertical white band on the eagle's shield, as opposed to the two stars of the UAR, and the specific Arabic script in the scroll under the eagle's feet bearing the name of the official name state.

This version of the coat of arms remained in use until it was modified in January 1991, concurrently with the addition of the Takbir between the green stars on the flag of Iraq. To permit the Takbir to appear on the same line on the shield on the coat of arms, it was decided to make the bands on the shield horizontal instead of vertical. Of the six Arab states that are, or who have previously used the Eagle of Saladin in their coat of arms, post 1991-Iraq is the only state whose coat of arms has its national flag appearing horizontally rather than vertically on the shield. In 2004, following the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq, the U.S. appointed Iraqi interim administration modified the Takbir on both the flag and the coat of arms, rendering it in Kufic script. The original 1963 coat of arms without the Takbir remained valid until 2008.

In 2008, concurrent with the removal of the three green stars from the Iraqi flag, the stars were removed from the coat of arms, leaving only the Takbir in the central white band.[4][5]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_arms_of_Iraq

Trump, Vance meet with Pope Leo's Florida brother, 'a major MAGA fan', at White House

Kim Luciani

USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida

May 22, 2025, 12:58 p.m. ET

Key Points AI-assisted summary

President Donald Trump met with Pope Leo XIV's brother, Louis Prevost, at the White House.

Trump publicly praised Prevost, a Florida resident, for being a "major MAGA fan."

Louis Prevost acknowledged his political views and stated his intention to "tone it down" to avoid causing issues for the pope.

President Donald Trump met with Pope Leo XIV's Florida brother Louis Prevost at the White House on May 20, after praising Prevost to reporters at the Capitol earlier in the day, calling him a "major MAGA fan."

Trump told reporters he likes the pope and both of his brothers, but spotlighted the eldest brother, Navy veteran and Port Charlotte resident Louis Prevost.

"I like the new pope and I like the pope's brother. You know, one of the pope's brothers – actually both of them – but one in particular is a major MAGA fan. Did you know that? He lives in Florida," Trump said.

"And I look forward to getting him to the White House. I want to shake his hand, I want to give him a big hug."

Later that day, the White House visit happened. Louis Prevost and his wife Deborah met with Trump and Vice President JD Vance in the Oval Office.

"Great meeting between President Trump, Vice President Vance, and @Pontifex’s brother, Louis Prevost and his wife Deborah," Special Assistant to the President and Communications Advisor Margo Martin posted on X, along with a photo of the meeting.

Louis Prevost excited and happy about brother Pope Leo XVI's papacy

The Prevost brothers — Louis, John and Robert (Pope Leo XIV) — grew up in Chicago in a traditional Catholic family.

Louis Prevost said his youngest brother Robert wanted to "play priest" when he was 6 and set his sights on the priesthood as a freshman in high school. Their parents, neighbors and even strangers told Robert, "You're going to be pope someday," he said.

Robert Prevost's election as Pope Leo XIV left Louis Prevost excited, happy, mind blown and a little worried about how the papacy would impact their relationship.

“I just freaked out and said ‘It’s Rob, OMG.’ I was up, dressed, out, just going nuts,” he told WBBH.

“We can only hope that we can maintain that closeness, and we don't do anything to embarrass him,” he said.

Louis Prevost attended Pope Leo's inaugural mass at the Vatican on May 18. The brothers shared a hug after the service.

Pope Leo's Florida brother Louis Prevost is a MAGA, Trump supporter

Trump told reporters Louis Prevost is a "major MAGA fan."

In an interview with Piers Morgan, Louis Prevost said, "I don’t want to create waves that don’t need to be there because I’m a MAGA type and I have my beliefs,” he said. “I don’t need to create heat for him. He’s going to have enough to handle as it is without the press going ‘the pope’s brother says this.’ He doesn’t need that.”

Asked about his reposts of controversial social media memes, including one calling Nancy Pelosi a drunk (expletive), and how they might affect the pope, Louis Prevost said he will "tone it down."

"He knows I am who I am," he said of the pope. "He's well aware of my position. He knows I'm probably not going to change and I don't think I will, other than to, just like you say, tone it down."

Contributing: Melissa Pérez-Carrillo, Herald-Tribune, Ashley Ferrer, USA TODAY Network-Florida

https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/2025/05/22/trump-pope-leo-florida-maga-brother-louis-prevost-white-house-visit/83773944007/

Biography

Early life

Sako speaks Neo-Aramaic, German, French, English, Italian, Kurdish and Arabic.[2]

Archeparch

A synod of the bishops of the Chaldean Catholic Church meeting in Baghdad elected Sako Archeparch of Kirkuk on 24 October 2002. Pope John Paul II gave his assent on 27 September 2003.[7] He received his episcopal consecration on 14 November 2003 from his predecessor in Kirkuk, André Sana.[8]

In August 2009, and at the beginning of Ramadan, Sako organized an appeal for national peace, reconciliation and end to violence on the part of more than fifty religious leaders in Kirkuk. He called it "a gesture of closeness to our Muslim brothers. We are all brothers, sons of the same God we must respect and cooperate for the good of the people and our country." The participants included representatives of Ali Sistani and Muqtada al Sadr.[9]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Rapha%C3%ABl_I_Sako

https://www.facebook.com/4williamdunn/posts/pfbid028p7jj945zVutu3T3UQcfLbsNcCPxJGKRXAuerR635LndKpwYo2VaZKntAw7AVFPil

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (/ˈmɛɡən/; born Rachel Meghan Markle, August 4, 1981), is an American member of the British royal family, media personality, entrepreneur, and former actress. She is married to Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, the younger son of King Charles III.

Meghan was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. Her acting career began at Northwestern University. She played the part of Rachel Zane for seven seasons (2011–2018) in the legal drama series Suits. She also developed a social media presence, which included The Tig (2014–2017), a lifestyle blog. During The Tig period, Meghan became involved in charity work focused primarily on women's issues and social justice. She was married to the film producer Trevor Engelson from 2011 until their divorce in 2014.

Meghan retired from acting upon her marriage to Prince Harry in 2018 and became known as the Duchess of Sussex. They have two children: Archie and Lilibet. The couple stepped down as working royals in January 2020, moved to Meghan's native Southern California and launched Archewell Inc., a Beverly Hills-based mix of for-profit and not-for-profit (charitable) business organizations. In March 2021, she and her husband participated in Oprah with Meghan and Harry, a much-publicized American television interview by Oprah Winfrey. She has written the children's book The Bench, hosted a podcast Archetypes (2022), and has starred in the Netflix series Harry & Meghan (2022) and With Love, Meghan (2025). Her lifestyle and cooking brand, As Ever, was officially launched in April 2025.

Early life and education

Further information: Family of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex

Rachel Meghan Markle was born on August 4, 1981, at West Park Hospital in Canoga Park, Los Angeles, California. She identifies as mixed race; "My dad is Caucasian and my mom is African American. I'm half black and half white."[1] Her parents – the former makeup artist Doria Ragland (born 1956) and Thomas Markle Sr. (born 1944), a television lighting director and director of photography[2] – separated when she was two years old and divorced four years later.[3][4][5]

Markle reportedly has a close relationship with her mother.[6][7] Until the age of nine, both parents contributed to raising her; then, her father was left in charge of caring for her (while her mother pursued a career) so Meghan lived with him full-time before commencing university at age eighteen.[8][9] Markle Sr. worked as a director of photography and lighting for General Hospital and Married... with Children, and Meghan occasionally visited the set of Married... with Children as a child.[10][11] In later life, she became estranged from her father and paternal half-siblings, Samantha Markle and Thomas Markle Jr.[12][13]

Growing up in View Park–Windsor Hills, Los Angeles,[14] Markle attended Hollywood Little Red Schoolhouse.[15][16] At age eleven, she and her classmates wrote to Procter & Gamble to gender-neutralize a dishwashing soap commercial on national television.[17] She was raised as a Christian, though conflicting reports indicate she was raised either Catholic or Protestant.[18][19][20] She graduated from Immaculate Heart High School (Los Angeles), a fee-charging all-girls Catholic school.[21] Markle took part in plays and musicals at the school, where her father helped with lighting.[22] During her teenage years, she worked at a local frozen yogurt shop and a donut shop and later as a nanny and waitress.[23][24][25] She also volunteered at a soup kitchen in Skid Row, Los Angeles.[26][27]

In 1999, she was admitted to Northwestern University (NU) in Evanston, Illinois, where she joined Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority.[28][29][30] With other members of Kappa Kappa Gamma, Markle did volunteer work with the Glass Slipper Project. After her junior year, her uncle Michael Markle helped secure her an internship as a junior press officer at the American embassy in Buenos Aires,[31] and she considered a political career.[32][33] However, she did not score high enough in the Foreign Service Officer test to proceed further with the US State Department[34] and returned to NU. She also attended a study abroad program in Madrid.[29] In 2003, Markle earned her bachelor's degree with a double major in theater and international studies from Northwestern's School of Communication.[32][34]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meghan,_Duchess_of_Sussex

California

name of an imaginary realm in "Las sergas de Esplandián" ("Exploits of Espladán"), a romance by Spanish writer Garci Ordóñez de Montalvo, published in 1510. It was a sequel to his "Amadis de Gaula," and was said to have been influential among Spanish explorers of the New World. It could have led them to misidentify Baja California as this mythical land and to mistake it for an island. The Amadis tales are the Iberian equivalent of the Arthurian romances; they are older than 1510 (traces of them have been found mid-14c.) and were wildly popular. That conquistadors and sailors would have known the story in all its imaginative detail is hardly surprising.

Amadis de Gaula ... set a fashion: all later Spanish writers of books of chivalry adopted the machinery of Amadis de Gaula. Later knights were not less brave (they could not be braver than) Amadis; heroines were not less lovely (they could not be lovelier) than Oriana; there was nothing for it but to make the dragons more appalling, the giants larger, the wizards craftier, the magic castles more inaccessible, the enchanted lakes deeper. Subsequent books of chivalry are simple variants of the types in Amadis de Gaula: Cervantes made his barber describe it as 'the best of all books of this kind.' This verdict is essentially just. Amadis de Gaula was read everywhere, especially in the French version of Herberay des Essarts. It was done into Hebrew during the sixteenth century, and attracted readers as different as St Ignatius of Loyola and Henry of Navarre. Its vogue perhaps somewhat exceeded its merit, but its merits are not inconsiderable. [James Fitzmaurice-Kelly, "Spanish Literature," 1922 edition]

Where Montalvo got the name and what it means, if anything, is a mystery. In reference to the native inhabitants, Californian is attested from 1785 as an adjective, 1789 as a noun. The element Californium (1950) was named in reference to University of California, where it was discovered.

also from 1510

https://www.etymonline.com/word/California

Ignatius Loyola, a Catholic Priest, theologian and founder of the Jesuit Order of the Catholic Church in the 16th Century, said, among his many inspiring sayings, “Go forth and set the world on fire."

Inferno (Italian: [iɱˈfɛrno]; Italian for "Hell") is the first part of Italian writer Dante Alighieri's 14th-century epic poem Divine Comedy. It is followed by Purgatorio and Paradiso. The Inferno describes Dante's journey through Hell, guided by the ancient Roman poet Virgil. In the poem, Hell is depicted as nine concentric circles of torment located within the Earth; it is the "realm ... of those who have rejected spiritual values by yielding to bestial appetites or violence, or by perverting their human intellect to fraud or malice against their fellowmen".[1] As an allegory, the Divine Comedy represents the journey of the soul toward God, with the Inferno describing the recognition and rejection of sin.[2]"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inferno_(Dante)

Fire as the agent of Truth

Asha Vahishta is closely associated with fire. Fire is "grandly conceived as a force informing all the other Amesha Spentas, giving them warmth and the spark of life."[27] In Yasht 17.20, Angra Mainyu clamours that Zoroaster burns him with Asha Vahishta. In Vendidad 4.54-55, speaking against the truth and violating the sanctity of promise is detected by the consumption of "water, blazing, of golden color, having the power to detect guilt."

This analogy of truth that burns and detecting truth through fire is already attested in the very earliest texts, that is, in the Gathas and in the Yasna Haptanghaiti. In Yasna 43–44, Ahura Mazda dispenses justice through radiance of His fire and the strength of aṣ̌a. Fire "detects" sinners "by hand-grasping" (Yasna 34.4). An individual who has passed the fiery test (garmo-varah, ordeal by heat), has attained physical and spiritual strength, wisdom, truth and love with serenity (Yasna 30.7). Altogether, "there are said to have been some 30 kinds of fiery tests in all."[28] According to the post-Sassanid Dadestan i denig (I.31.10), at the final judgement a river of molten metal will cover the earth. The righteous, as they wade through this river, will perceive the molten metal as a bath of warm milk. The wicked will be scorched. For details on aṣ̌a's role in personal and final judgement, see aṣ̌a in eschatology, below.

Fire is moreover the "auxiliary of the truth," "and not only, as in the ordeal, of justice and of truth at the same time."[11] In Yasna 31.19, "the man who thinks of aṣ̌a, [...] who uses his tongue in order to speak correctly, [does so] with the aid of brilliant fire". In Yasna 34-44 devotees "ardently desire [Mazda's] mighty fire, through aṣ̌a." In Yasna 43–44, Ahura Mazda "shall come to [Zoroaster] through the splendour of [Mazda's] fire, possessing the strength of (through) aṣ̌a and good mind (=Vohu Manah)." That fire "possesses strength through aṣ̌a" is repeated again in Yasna 43.4. In Yasna 43.9, Zoroaster, wishing to serve fire, gives his attention to aṣ̌a. In Yasna 37.1, in a list of what are otherwise all physical creations, aṣ̌a takes the place of fire.

Asha Vahishta's association with atar is carried forward in the post-Gathic texts, and they are often mentioned together. In Zoroastrian cosmogony, each of the Amesha Spentas represents one aspect of creation and one of seven primordial elements that in Zoroastrian tradition are the basis of that creation. In this matrix, aṣ̌a/arta is the origin of fire, Avestan atar, which permeates through all Creation. The correspondence then is that aṣ̌a/arta "penetrates all ethical life, as fire penetrates all physical being."[12]

In the liturgy Asha Vahishta is frequently invoked together with fire. (Yasna l.4, 2.4, 3.6, 4.9, 6.3, 7.6, 17.3, 22.6, 59.3, 62.3 etc.). In one passage, fire is a protector of aṣ̌a: "when the Evil Spirit assailed the creation of Good Truth, Good Thought and Fire intervened" (Yasht 13.77)

In later Zoroastrian tradition, Asha Vahishta is still at times identified with the fire of the household hearth.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asha

Kali (/ˈkɑːliː/; Sanskrit: काली, IAST: Kālī), also called Kalika, is a major goddess in Hinduism, primarily associated with time, death and destruction. The origins of Kali can be traced to the pre-Vedic and Vedic era Goddess worship traditions in Ancient India.[1] Kali is the first of the ten Mahavidyas in the Hindu tantric tradition and is the supreme deity in the Kalikula worship tradition.[2]

The first major appearance of Kali in the Sanskrit literature was in the sixth-century CE text Devi Mahatmya.[1] Kali appears in numerous stories, with her most famous being when she sprang from the goddess Durga's fury to defeat the demon Raktabija. She is stated to destroy evil and defend the innocent. Kali is worshipped as the Divine Mother, Mother of the Universe, and Divine feminine energy.[3][4][5]

Shakta and Tantric sects additionally worship Kali as the ultimate reality or Brahman.[5] She is also seen as the divine protector and bestower of moksha (liberation).[3] Worshipped throughout South Asia but particularly in Nepal, Southern India, Bengal, and Assam, Kali is a central figure in the goddess-centric traditions of Hinduism as well as in Shaivism.[1][6]

Etymology

The term Kali is derived from Kala, which is mentioned quite differently in Sanskrit.[7] The homonym kālá (time) is distinct from kāla (black), but these became associated through popular etymology.[8] Kali is then understood as "she who is the ruler of time", or "she who is black".[7] Kālī is the goddess of time or death and the consort of Shiva.[9] She is called Kali Mata ("the dark mother") and also kālī, which can be read here either as a proper name or as a description: "the dark (or black) one".[8]

Origins

Although the word Kālī appears as early as the Atharva Veda, the first use of it as a proper name is in the Kathaka Grhya Sutra (19.7).[10] Kali originated as a tantric and non-Vedic goddess. Her roots are most probably connected to the Pre-Aryan period.[11] According to Indologist Wendy Doniger, Kali's origins can be traced to the deities of the Pre-Vedic village, tribal, and mountain cultures of South Asia who were gradually appropriated and transformed by the Sanskritic traditions.[1]

Legends

Her most well-known appearance is on the battlefield in the sixth century text Devi Mahatmyam. The deity of the first chapter of Devi Mahatmyam is Mahakali, who appears from the body of sleeping Vishnu as goddess Yoga Nidra to wake him up in order to protect Brahma and the world from two asuras (demons), Madhu-Kaitabha. When Vishnu woke up he started a war against the two asuras. After a long battle with Vishnu, the two demons were undefeated and Mahakali took the form of Mahamaya to enchant the two asuras. When Madhu and Kaitabha were enchanted by Mahakali, Vishnu killed them.[12]

In later chapters, the story of two asuras who were destroyed by Kali can be found. Chanda and Munda attack the goddess Kaushiki. Kaushiki responds with such anger that it causes her face to turn dark, resulting in Kali appearing out of her forehead. Kali's appearance is dark blue, gaunt with sunken eyes, wearing a tiger skin sari and a garland of human heads. She immediately defeats the two asuras. Later in the same battle, the asura Raktabija is undefeated because of his ability to reproduce himself from every drop of his blood that reaches the ground. Countless Raktabija clones appear on the battlefield. Kali eventually defeats him by sucking his blood before it can reach the ground, and eating the numerous clones. Kinsley writes that Kali represents "Durga's personified wrath, her embodied fury".[12]

Other origin stories involve Parvati and Shiva. Parvati is typically portrayed as a benign and friendly goddess. The Linga Purana describes Shiva asking Parvati to defeat the asura Daruka, who received a boon that would only allow a female to kill him. Parvati merges with Shiva's body, reappearing as Kali to defeat Daruka and his armies. Her bloodlust gets out of control, only calming when Shiva intervenes. The Vamana Purana has a different version of Kali's relationship with Parvati. When Shiva addresses Parvati as Kali, "the dark blue one", she is greatly offended. Parvati performs austerities to lose her dark complexion and becomes Gauri, the golden one. Her dark sheath becomes Kaushiki, who while enraged, creates Kali.[12]

In the Devi Bhagavata Purana, Kali turns black out of rage, while battling the demons Shumbha and Nishumbha.[7]: 221

Slayer of Raktabīja

In Kāli's most famous legend, Durga and her assistants, the Matrikas, wound the demon Raktabīja, in various ways and with a variety of weapons in an attempt to destroy him. They soon find that they have worsened the situation for with every drop of blood that drips from Raktabīja, he reproduces a duplicate of himself. The battlefield becomes increasingly filled with his duplicates.[12] Durga summons Kāli to combat the demons. This episode is described in the Devi Mahatmyam, Kali is depicted as being fierce, clad in a tiger's skin and armed with a sword and noose. She has deep, red eyes with tongue lolling out as she catches drops of Raktabīja's blood before they fall to the ground and create duplicates.[13]

Kali consumes Raktabīja and his duplicates, and dances on the corpses of the slain.[12] In the Devi Mahatmya version of this story, Kali is also described as a Matrika and as a Shakti or power of Devi. She is given the epithet Cāṃuṇḍā (Chamunda), i.e. the slayer of the demons Chanda and Munda.[13]: 72 Chamunda is very often identified with Kali and is very much like her in appearance and habit.[12]: 241 Footnotes

Iconography and forms

The goddess has two depictions: the popular four-armed form and the ten-armed Mahakali avatar. In both, she is described as being black in colour, though she is often seen as blue in popular Indian art. Her eyes are described as red with intoxication and rage. Her hair is disheveled, small fangs sometimes protrude out of her mouth, and her tongue is lolling. Sometimes she dons a skirt made of human arms and a garland of human heads. Other times, she is seen wearing a tiger skin. She is also accompanied by serpents and a jackal while standing on the calm and prostrate Shiva, usually right foot forward to symbolize the more popular dakṣiṇācāra ("right-hand path"), as opposed to the more infamous and transgressive vamachara ("left-hand path").[14] These serpents and jackals are shown to drink Raktabīja's blood as it drips out of his head while the goddess carries the head in her hand, preventing it from falling on the ground.

In the ten-armed form of Mahakali, she is depicted as shining like a blue stone. She has ten faces, ten feet, and three eyes for each head. She has ornaments decked on all her limbs. There is no association with Shiva.[15]

The Kalika Purana describes Kali as "possessing a soothing dark complexion, as perfectly beautiful, riding a lion, four-armed, holding a sword and blue lotus, her hair unrestrained, body firm and youthful".[16]

Popular form

Classic depictions of Kali share several features, as follows:

Kali's most common four armed iconographic image shows each hand carrying variously a Khadga (crescent-shaped sword or a giant sickle), a trishul (trident), a severed head, and a bowl or skull-cup (kapāla) collecting the blood of the severed head.

Two of these hands (usually the left) are holding a sword and a severed head. The sword signifies divine knowledge and the human head signifies human ego which must be slain by divine knowledge in order to attain moksha. The other two hands (usually the right) are in the abhaya (fearlessness) and varada (blessing) mudras, which means her initiated devotees (or anyone worshipping her with a true heart) will be saved as she will guide them here and in the hereafter.[16]: 477

She wears a garland of human heads, variously enumerated at 108 (an auspicious number in Hinduism and the number of countable beads on a japa mala or rosary for repetition of mantras) or 51, which represents Varnamala or the Garland of letters of the Sanskrit alphabet, Devanagari. Hindus believe Sanskrit is a language of dynamism, and each of these letters represents a form of energy, or a form of Kali. Therefore, she is generally seen as the mother of language, and all mantras.[16]: 475

She is often depicted naked which symbolizes her being beyond the covering of Maya since she is pure (nirguna) being-consciousness-bliss and far above Prakriti. She is shown as very dark as she is Brahman in its supreme unmanifest state. She has no permanent qualities—she will continue to exist even when the universe ends. It is therefore believed that the concepts of color, light, good, and bad do not apply to her.[16]: 463–488

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kali

Dalip Singh Rana (born 27 August 1972), better known by his ring name The Great Khali, is an Indian-born American former professional wrestler, promoter, and actor. He is best known for his tenure with WWE, where he became the first Indian-born world champion. Standing over 7 feet tall due to acromegaly, Khali gained attention for his imposing stature and was prominently featured in WWE storylines throughout the mid-2000s to early 2010s.

Rana began his professional wrestling career in 2000, competing in the United States for All Pro Wrestling (APW), followed by appearances in World Championship Wrestling (WCW), New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), and other international promotions. He signed with WWE in 2006, where he was involved in high-profile feuds with The Undertaker, John Cena, Batista, and Triple H, and participated in major events such as WrestleMania and SummerSlam. Outside the ring, Khali appeared in films including The Longest Yard (2005) and Get Smart (2008), and finished as runner-up on the reality television show Bigg Boss 4 in 2011.

In 2015, Rana founded Continental Wrestling Entertainment (CWE) based in Jalandhar, Punjab. Khali was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2021 and continues to make occasional appearances for the company.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Khali

Immortals and Suplexes: 5 Hidden Highlander and Wrestling Connections

Author:

Tim Buckler

Oct 6, 2023

Highlander follows a group of sword-fighting immortals in a fantasy setting. Although it may seem unlikely, there are five unexpected ties that binds Highlander with professional wrestling! From Hulk Hogan to a particular tag team from Scotland, wrestling has shared some surprising history with the Highlander film and television franchise.

From Hulk Hogan to a particular tag team from Scotland, learn about the unexpected tie that binds Highlander with professional wrestling!

The Highlander-Pro Wrestling Connection

Like pro wrestling, Highlander films lean towards spectacle. Characters battle each other to the death via spectacular sword fights; blades spark and flash whenever they clash for no particular reason.

The only way to kill an immortal is by cutting off their head; they then absorb their fallen opponent’s power with an event called The Quickening, which is a lot of pyro and lightning. It’s like when a wrestler points to the WrestleMania sign at the end of the Royal Rumble.

The immortals live by a prophecy that there can be only one in the end! Again, a lot like the Royal Rumble.

Highlander vintage movie poster from 1986.

Photo Credit: 20th Century Fox.

1. Wrestling Connection in the Very First Scene of Highlander (1986)

The original Highlander movie, starring Christopher Lambert and Sean Connery, was released in 1986, and in the very first scene, we have our initial wrestling connection.

The famous opening shot pans around Madison Square Garden, where a match occurs, before settling on Connor Macleod (Lambert), the movie’s main protagonist and titular “Highlander.”

Photo Credit: 20th Century Fox.

Interestingly, Connor was supposed to be at another sporting event.

"The initial scene was originally an ice hockey game, and the ice hockey sticks being raised in the fight reminded Macloud of the battle of King Gussie in the 1540s," remembers co-scriptwriter Peter Bellwood in the Making Of Highlander DVD Documentary.

"We wanted to shoot a hockey game, and the producers went to the national hockey league, and they refused to let us do it!"

Highlander at a Wrestling Match

Instead, Australian director Russell Mulcahy settled for pro wrestling and a six-man tag match between Greg Gagne, Jim Brunzell, and The Tonga Kid taking on The Fabulous Freebirds, who at the time consisted of the original line-up of Michael P.S Hayes, Terry "Bam Bam” Gordy, and Buddy Roberts.

Michael 'PS' Hayes and The Tonga Kid face off in a wrestling match in the 1986 film, "Highlander."

Michael ‘PS’ Hayes and The Tonga Kid face off in a wrestling match in the 1986 film, “Highlander.” Photo Credit: 20th Century Fox.

Highlander was filmed in the mid-’80s, and seeing as this match took place at Madison Square Garden and how most of the wrestlers involved had done some business for McMahon during this era, you could be forgiven for thinking it was a WWE (then WWF) event.

However, the footage was actually taken from an AWA show shot in New Jersey at the Brendan Byrne/Meadowlands Arena, filling in as the world’s most famous arena.

2. Hulk Hogan as Highlander Lead?

Of course, someone you WOULD see in Madison Square Garden at the time was one Hulk Hogan, who, as a guest on the Howard Stern Show in 2011, made a bold claim that he was approached to play the lead in Highlander—a claim he reiterated on Twitter when he said, “Yes, turned down lead part in Highlander.”

An important fact of life is to take everything the Hulkster says with a pinch of salt.

Was Hulk Hogan supposed to be the lead in the 1986 film, "Highlander"?

Photo Credit: WWE.

In the same Stern interview, Hogan said he was up for the lead in Oscar-nominated film The Wrestler, a claim shut down by film director Darren Aronofsky, and that I’m sure an Associate Producer on the film, Pro Wrestling Stories’ own Evan Ginzburg, can comment on.

Around the time, Darren publicly tweeted, “For the record, the role of the wrestler was always @mickeyrourke. It was never Hulk Hogan’s, as he claims on @howardstern.

Evan added, “I can attest that I never heard Hogan’s name come up in our seven years of working on The Wrestler.”

With hundreds of amazing Pro Wrestling Stories to dive into, where do you start? Get the inside scoop – join our exclusive community of wrestling fans! Receive 10 hand-picked stories curated just for YOU, exclusive weekly content, and an instant welcome gift when you sign up today!

3. Enter Roddy Piper

That said, there is one H. Hogan that got a mention in the franchise. The character is Harry Hogan, the trainer of the villainous Anthony Gallen. Harry’s name is almost certainly a nod to Hulk, as Gallen himself was portrayed by one of his greatest foes, Rowdy Roddy Piper!

Roddy Piper as Anthony Gallen in a 1993 Highlander: The Series TV episode entitled "Epitaph for Tommy."

Roddy Piper as Anthony Gallen in a 1993 Highlander: The Series TV episode entitled “Epitaph for Tommy.” Photo Credit: StudioCanal.

Highlander: The Series follows the adventures of Connor’s cousin, Duncan, and it’s here where Roddy Piper guest starred as the villain for the episode “Epitaph For Tommy."

"I love Roddy,” remembers the show’s star, Adrian Paul, fondly on his YouTube Channel.

"Roddy was a character. He had a great voice and was larger than life, and when he was doing a fight, he was doing a fight."

Roddy’s Part Was Dangerous to Film

Most early episodes of Highlander: The Series have the same setup. We are introduced to the baddie of the week, a few historical flashbacks to establish the relationship between Duncan and said heel, then a big old sword fight at the end.

The episode featuring Roddy Piper is no exception, but the end battle may have been a little more dangerous to film than most! At least, according to Adrian Paul.

Roddy Piper as Anthony Gallen in a 1993 Highlander: The Series TV episode entitled "Epitaph for Tommy."

Roddy Piper as Anthony Gallen in a 1993 Highlander: The Series TV episode entitled “Epitaph for Tommy.” Photo Credit: StudioCanal.

"I remember him (Roddy) saying to Bob Anderson (fencer and the shows fight choreographer), ‘If I fight Adrian and it kind of feels like it’s a real fight, then that’s what you do. You take it to the edge, as far as you can without injuring the actual opponent.’"

Worrying Sword of Choice for Roddy

Roddy Piper’s sword of choice in the episode as Anthony Gallen was a "Garcia de Paredes," a two-handed blade that made the show’s lead actor, Adrian Paul, somewhat nervous when held in the mits of the Rowdy one.

"I told Bobby, ‘I kinda feel weird about this particular blade because he’s really swinging and his blade is bigger and heavier,’ and Bob said, ‘Ah, don’t worry Adrian, you’ll be fine,’ and as I went to parry it, it just snapped my sword in half!”

"I’m sad [Roddy]’s not here anymore. I really liked the man; he was a pleasure working with."

Roddy Piper in a 1993 Highlander TV episode entitled "Epitaph for Tommy."

Roddy Piper in a 1993 Highlander TV episode entitled “Epitaph for Tommy.” Photo Credit: StudioCanal.

4. The Highlanders Tag Team

The Highlander film and TV franchise clearly influenced Scotland’s own Rory and Roby McAllister.

Appearing in WWE on RAW from 2006-2008, the Tartan-clad duo looked and dressed the part of WWE’s The Highlanders. While not climbing to the top of the tag team heap, they had a solid run, and at one point, they were number one contenders to champs, The Spirit Squad.

They ultimately returned to the indies before wrapping up their careers.

The Highlanders: Rory and Roby McAllister.

The Highlanders: Rory and Roby McAllister. Photo Credit: WWE.

5. Edge Looks The Part

Roddy Piper isn’t the only wrestling great to appear in the franchise. Adam Copeland, Edge himself, is briefly showcased in Highlander: Endgame as a no-good highwayman who stops a carriage in 1712 in Kildare, Ireland.

It isn’t long until the heroic MacLeod cousins arrive to save the day!

Swordplay ensues (of course), and it ends with Copeland grabbing a massive boulder (no steel chairs in those days) with the intent on bludgeoning Connor, but Duncan makes the hot tag and whips his sword towards Adam’s crotch area, catching him between a rock and a sharp place.

Edge (Adam Copeland) in the 2000 film, "Highlander: Endgame."

Edge (Adam Copeland) in the 2000 film, “Highlander: Endgame.” Photo Credit: Dimension Films.

The scene ends with the capper line, "Looks like you lost your edge, lad!”

Highlander Stars on WWE SmackDown

Despite being in the film for under five minutes, WWE hyped Edge’s appearance by booking Adrian Paul, Christopher Lambert, and co-star Lisa Barbuscia for the August 10th edition of SmackDown in 2000.

Edge and Christian backstage on WWE SmackDown with stars from the film "Highlander: Endgame" in 2000.

Edge and Christian backstage on WWE SmackDown with stars from the film “Highlander: Endgame” in 2000. Photo Credit: WWE.

Edge and Christian are backstage, with Christian freaking out about their match with the Dudleys for their tag-team titles later that evening. Edge seems pretty cool, wearing big sunglasses and happy that he will be joined by his Highlander co-stars this evening.

On cue, the trio arrives, but they seem more intent on meeting The Rock than listening about Edge and Christian’s ladder match victory at WrestleMania 16 for the 5000th time.

Gangrel Shows Up

Later, Christian still wears down the actors with his dull tales when Gangrel turns up!

Edge tries to shoo his former faction leader away, but Paul, Lambert, and Barbuscia are huge fans, sharing mutual interests like Frisbee. So they walk off with the vampire, leaving Edge and Christian perplexed.

Edge and Gangrel backstage on WWE SmackDown with stars from the film "Highlander: Endgame" in 2000.

Edge and Gangrel backstage on WWE SmackDown with stars from the film “Highlander: Endgame” in 2000. Photo Credit: WWE.

Highlander Cast at WWE Ringside

Finally, it’s match time. Before the Dudleys enter, Edge and Christian treat the fans to a five-second posedown, previewing what it will be like when Edge wins the Oscar for the actor who “reeks of the awesomeness” thanks to his scene-stealing performance in the movie.

The Endgame cast cheers from ringside, but those cheers soon become boos.

Cast from the film "Highlander: Endgame" cheer from ringside on WWE SmackDown in 2000.

Cast from the film “Highlander: Endgame” cheer from ringside on WWE SmackDown in 2000. Photo Credit: WWE.

After walloping Bubba with a chair, Edge gets himself and Christian disqualified. The Hardys run in for the save, and both teams beat down the tag team champs using tables and ladders, setting the stage for the first TLC match at SummerSlam later in the month.

The segments were brief, as was Edge’s role in the movie, but noteworthy enough for Entertainment Tonight to run a small feature.

YouTube video

Legacy of Highlander and Wrestling

Highlander and professional wrestling have had quite a storied history together. Sadly, though, there have been no new entries in the franchise for almost two decades.

But when the inevitable reboot, re-launch, or legacy sequel does occur, we know just the man for the job. And there can be only one!

Drew McIntyre would be just the wrestler to use for a future pro wrestling-Highlander mashup!

Drew McIntyre would be just the wrestler to use for a future pro wrestling-Highlander mashup! Photo Credit: WWE.

Yes, Drew McIntyre would more than fit in the Highlander universe.

May the Highlander-pro wrestling mash-up continue!

https://prowrestlingstories.com/pro-wrestling-stories/highlander-pro-wrestling/

A. Philip Randolph Leading Black Civil Rights Leaders, 1964

Here sit the greatest traitors to American Black People who ever disgraced the

sad, tragic history of this generally servile and downtrodden race. With no true

Black men loyal to their race allowed to advocate a “Back to Africa” movement

or the establishment of a new Black nation in North America—to the exclusion of

all White people—, these Jesuit-ruled, Masonic “Uncle Toms” of the Black Pope

championed an integrationist agitation that has only antagonized the relationship

between American Whites and Blacks for the last sixty years—while further

centralizing executive power in Washington! Massive unconstitutional socialism,

such as President Johnson’s “War on [Black] Poverty” igniting a sky-rocketing

national debt, has given rise to huge, easily-agitated, welfare-dependent, savage,

inner-city, Black populations whose bent to illegitimacy, vice and Black-on-

White crime has been continually stoked by the Company’s CIA/Mafia gunrunners,

illicit drug trade, Jesuit/Knight of Malta-controlled Hollywood theater

movies and now “gangster rap.” From the Order’s NAACP headquarters in

New York City we see (L-R): Bayard Rustin, co-founder of the Rockefellerfunded

University of Chicago’s Congress of Racial Equality (CORE); Jewish

Jack Greenberg, NAACP New York lawyer; Masonic Whitney M. Young, Jr.,

National Urban League executive director; James Farmer, cofounder and

national CORE director; Roy Wilkins, executive secretary of the NAACP later

awarded St. Louis University’s “Sword of Ignatius Loyola” in 1976; Martin

Luther King, Jr. (groomed for the movement while a student at the all-Blackmale

Morehouse College by its Masonic president, Benjamin Elijah Mays)

president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference; John Lewis, radical

chairman of the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee; Masonic A.

Philip Randolph, “the Chief;” and Courtney Young of Lewis’ student group.

Socialist Martin King with his White Master, Pope Paul VI, 1964 #612

Archbishop Paul Marcinkus gazes at King after an “audience” with the Pope.

SMOM Henry R. Luce’s Time magazine named King “Man of the Year” in 1964

on orders from Cardinal Spellman, furthering Rome’s Civil Rights agitation.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4737372.stm

Vatican Assassins:

“Wounded In The House Of My Friends”

Third Edition

by Eric Jon Phelps

https://ia802505.us.archive.org/28/items/EricJonPhelpsVaticanAssassins3rdEdition/Eric%20Jon%20Phelps%20-%20Vatican%20Assassins%203rd%20Edition.pdf

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regimini_militantis_Ecclesiae

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Day_Called_%27X%27

PART X THE PRESERVATION AND INCREASE OF THE SOCIETY

§2. The consecration to the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary is to be renewed each year on the feast of the Immaculate Heart.[1]

412 §1. All our members should have at heart a shared concern for attracting new members to the Society, especially by prayer and the example of their lives as individuals and in community.[3]

§3. We must also promote vocations as widely as possible, in order to reflect the culture and experience of those we seek to serve, including minority cultures, immigrants, and indigenous people.[5]

L. D. S.

The Constitutions of The Society of Jesus and Their Complimentary Norms

A Complete English Translation of the Official Latin Texts

THE INSTITUTE OF JESUIT SOURCES

SAINT LOUIS, 1996

https://web.archive.org/web/20200211182223/https://jesuitas.lat/uploads/the-constitutions-of-the-society-of-jesus-and-their-complementary-norms/Constitutions%20and%20Norms%20SJ%20ingls.pdf

Paula Michelle White-Cain (née Furr; born April 20, 1966) is an American pastor, author, spiritual advisor, and televangelist. She has written several books and is a leader in the charismatic movement. White is also known for her roles in Donald Trump's two presidential administrations.

White served as a pastor of Without Walls International Church in Tampa, Florida, a church she co-founded with her then-husband, Randy White, in 1991. From 2011 until May 2019, White was senior pastor of New Destiny Christian Center in Apopka, Florida.

White is a spiritual advisor to Donald Trump. She served as chair of the evangelical advisory board to Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. White delivered the invocation at Trump's first inauguration on January 20, 2017, becoming the first female clergy member to deliver an inaugural invocation. In November 2019, Trump appointed White as a special advisor to the Faith and Opportunity Initiative at the Office of Public Liaison. On February 7, 2025, Trump announced the creation of the White House Faith Office, to be led by White.

Early life

White was born Paula Michelle Furr in Tupelo, Mississippi, the daughter of Myra Joanelle and Donald Paul Furr III. Her parents owned a toy and craft store.[2]

Donald and Myra Furr's marriage began to fail when White was five years old. White's mother left Tupelo and took her to Memphis; her separation from her husband and his subsequent suicide drove White, her brother, and her mother into poverty.[3] White's mother became an alcoholic. While she worked, caregivers looked after her daughter. White has said that she was sexually and physically abused between the ages of six and thirteen by different people on different occasions. White has said that during that time, she suffered from bulimia.[4][5][6]

White's mother married a two-star admiral in the United States Navy when White was nine years old. Her family moved to the Washington, D.C. area when her stepfather, Charles Ray Loar, was stationed at the National Naval Medical Center.[citation needed] White graduated from Seneca Valley High School in Germantown, Maryland.[6][7]

While living in Maryland in 1984, White converted to Christianity at the Damascus Church of God. White later stated that she had received a vision from God shortly after her conversion.[2]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paula_White-Cain

Clone troopers are fictional characters from the Star Wars franchise created by George Lucas. First introduced in the live-action film Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002), they have since appeared in various other Star Wars media, including Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005) and the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008–2014; 2020), Star Wars Rebels (2014–2018), Star Wars: The Bad Batch (2021–2024), and Tales of the Jedi (2022–present) as well as comics, novels, and video games set in both the Star Wars Legends expanded universe and the current canon.

The clone troopers were soldiers who fought for the Galactic Republic during the Clone Wars and during the early rise of the Empire. All clone troopers are artificially produced soldiers, created at special cloning facilities on the planet Kamino from the DNA of bounty hunter Jango Fett to serve as the military of the Galactic Republic during the Clone Wars, which takes its name from the troopers. They are genetically engineered to age at twice the rate of a normal human in order to be ready for deployment much quicker, and be unquestionably loyal to the higher chain of command. During the Clone Wars, the clone troopers served under the command of the Jedi Order as they fought against the droid armies of the Confederacy of Independent Systems (CIS), a movement organized by numerous planets that sought to secede from the Republic. At the end of the war, Sheev Palpatine, the Republic's leader and secretly a Sith Lord who orchestrated the conflict to gain political power, issues Order 66, which brands the Jedi as traitors and forcibly compels the clone troopers, under the control of inhibitor chips implanted in their brains, to execute them. Following the formation of the Galactic Empire and the destruction of the cloning facilities on Kamino, clone troopers are slowly replaced by Imperial stormtroopers, non-clone human recruits.

During the development of The Empire Strikes Back, Lucas initially conceived a planet of clones, which is why the Clone Wars was mentioned for the first time in the original Star Wars (1977) film. The clone trooper armor was designed to suggest an evolution into the stormtroopers of the original trilogy, and it incorporated features from both the armor of stormtroopers and Boba Fett, revealed in Attack of the Clones to be an unaltered clone of Jango Fett. The armored troopers in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith are computer-generated images voiced by Temuera Morrison, who played Jango Fett. Younger clones were played by Bodie Taylor and Daniel Logan, who played the younger Boba. Clones not wearing helmets were played by both Morrison and Taylor, who wore chroma key body suits to isolate their heads, and some clone troopers featured a blend of the actors' features. Beginning with The Clone Wars film that launched the animated series of the same name, adult clone troopers are voiced by Dee Bradley Baker and young clone troopers are voiced by Logan. In Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003-2005), all clones were voiced by André Sogiluzzo.

Upon their debut in the Star Wars prequel trilogy, clone troopers received a mixed response from critics and audiences, due to their limited screen time and the films never explicitly stating that they were distinct from the original trilogy's stormtroopers; some felt that the implication of stormtroopers being soldiers created solely for war took away from the impact of the conflict. Reception of the clone troopers improved significantly with their portrayal in The Clone Wars, which introduced numerous clones with distinctive traits and personalities and made an effort to humanize them, exploring their relationships with the Jedi and fellow clones and their thoughts and feelings about the Clone Wars and their own existence. Since then, numerous Star Wars works set during the Clone Wars era have featured clone troopers as main characters, with many going on to become fan favorites. Clone troopers have become cultural icons, and a widely recognized element of the Star Wars franchise.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clone_trooper

Himmler used the Jesuits as the model for the SS, since he found they had the core elements of absolute obedience and the cult of the organisation.[59][60] Hitler is said to have called Himmler "my Ignatius of Loyola".[59] As an order, the SS needed a coherent doctrine that would set it apart.[61] Himmler attempted to construct such an ideology, and deduced a "pseudo-Germanic tradition" from history.[61] Himmler dismissed the image of Christ as a Jew and rejected Christianity's basic doctrine and its institutions.[62] Starting in 1934, the SS hosted "solstice ceremonies" (Sonnenwendfeiern) to increase team spirit within their ranks.[63] In a 1936 memorandum, Himmler set forth a list of approved holidays based on pagan and political precedents meant to wean SS members from their reliance on Christian festivities.[64] In an attempt to replace Christianity and suffuse the SS with a new doctrine, SS-men were able to choose special Lebenslauffeste, substituting common Christian ceremonies such as baptisms, weddings and burials. Since the ceremonies were held in small private circles, it is unknown how many SS-members opted for these kind of celebrations.[65]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ideology_of_the_SS

From modest beginnings the SS (Schutzstaffel; Protection Squadrons), became a virtual state within a state in Nazi Germany, staffed by men who perceived themselves as the “racial elite” of Nazi future.

In the Nazi state, the SS assumed leading responsibility for security, identification of ethnicity, settlement and population policy, and intelligence collection and analysis. The SS controlled the German police forces and the concentration camp system. The SS conceived and implemented plans designed to restructure the ethnic composition of eastern Europe and the occupied Soviet Union.

From 1939, the SS assumed responsibility for “solving” the so-called Jewish Question; after 1941, its leadership planned, coordinated and directed the so-called Final Solution of the Jewish Question. This “solution” was the annihilation of the European Jews, which we now refer to as the Holocaust

https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/ss

2 §1. The character and charism of the Society of Jesus arise from the Spiritual Exercises which our holy father Ignatius and his companions went through. Led by this experience, they formed an apostolic group rooted in charity, in which, after they had taken the vows of chastity and poverty and had been raised to the priesthood, they offered themselves as a HOLOCAUST to God,[2] so that serving as soldiers of God beneath the banner of the cross and serving the Lord alone and the Church his spouse under the Roman Pontiff, the vicar of Christ on earth,[3] they would be sent into the entire world[4] for the defense and propagation of the faith and for the progress of souls in Christian life and doctrine. [5]

The Constitutions of The Society of Jesus and Their Complimentary Norms

A Complete English Translation of the Official Latin Texts

THE INSTITUTE OF JESUIT SOURCES SAINT LOUIS, 1996

https://web.archive.org/web/20200211182223/https://jesuitas.lat/uploads/the-constitutions-of-the-society-of-jesus-and-their-complementary-norms/Constitutions%20and%20Norms%20SJ%20ingls.pdf

The ratlines (German: Rattenlinien) were systems of escape routes for German Nazis and other fascists fleeing Europe from 1945 onwards in the aftermath of World War II. These escape routes mainly led toward havens in the Americas, particularly in Argentina, though also in Paraguay, Colombia,[1] Brazil, Uruguay, Mexico, Peru, Guatemala, Ecuador, and Bolivia, as well as the United States, Canada, Australia, Spain, and Switzerland.

Two primary routes developed independently but their operators eventually collaborated.[2] The first went from Germany to Spain, then Argentina; the second led to Rome, then Genoa, and finally South America. The ratlines were supported by some clergy of the Catholic Church, such as Austrian bishop Alois Hudal and Croatian priest Krunoslav Draganović. Starting in 1947, U.S. Intelligence used existing ratlines to move certain Nazi strategists and scientists.[3]

While consensus among Western scholars is that Nazi leader Adolf Hitler died by suicide in 1945, in the late 1940s and 1950s the U.S. investigated claims that he survived and fled to South America.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratlines_(World_War_II)

The Operation Paperclip was a secret United States intelligence program in which more than 1,600 German scientists, engineers, and technicians were taken from former Nazi Germany to the US for government employment after the end of World War II in Europe, between 1945 and 1959; several were confirmed to be former members of the Nazi Party, including the SS or the SA.

The effort began in earnest in 1945, as the Allies advanced into Germany and discovered a wealth of scientific talent and advanced research that had contributed to Germany's wartime technological advancements. The US Joint Chiefs of Staff officially established Operation Overcast (operations "Overcast" and "Paperclip" were related, and the terms are often used interchangeably) on July 20, 1945, with the dual aims of leveraging German expertise for the ongoing war effort against Japan and to bolster US postwar military research. The operation, conducted by the Joint Intelligence Objectives Agency (JIOA), was largely actioned by special agents of the US Army's Counterintelligence Corps (CIC). Many selected scientists were involved in the Nazi rocket program, aviation, or chemical/biological warfare. The Soviet Union in the following year conducted a similar program, called Operation Osoaviakhim, that emphasized many of the same fields of research.

The operation, characterized by the recruitment of German specialists and their families, relocated more than 1600 experts to the US. It has been valued at US$10 billion in patents and industrial processes. Recruits included such notable figures as Wernher von Braun, a leading rocket-technology scientist. Those recruited were instrumental in the development of the US space program and military technology during the Cold War. Despite its contributions to American scientific advances, Operation Paperclip has been controversial because of the Nazi affiliations of many recruits, and the ethics of assimilating individuals associated with war crimes into American society.

The operation was not solely focused on rocketry; efforts were directed toward synthetic fuels, medicine, and other fields of research. Notable advances in aeronautics fostered rocket and space-flight technologies pivotal in the Space Race. The operation played a crucial role in the establishment of NASA and the success of the Apollo missions to the Moon.

Operation Paperclip was part of a broader strategy by the US to harness German scientific talent in the face of emerging Cold War tensions, and ensuring this expertise did not fall into the hands of the Soviet Union or other nations. The operation's legacy has remained controversial in subsequent decades.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Paperclip

9. Interprovincial Works and Houses in Rome

The Constitutions of The Society of Jesus and Their Complimentary Norms

A Complete English Translation of the Official Latin Texts

THE INSTITUTE OF JESUIT SOURCES SAINT LOUIS, 1996

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Israel,[a] officially the State of Israel,[b] is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. It borders Lebanon to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan to the east and Egypt to the southwest. Israel occupies the Palestinian territories of the West Bank in the east and the Gaza Strip in the southwest, as well as the Syrian Golan Heights in the northeast. Israel's western coast lies on the Mediterranean Sea, the southernmost point reaches the Red Sea, and the east includes part of the Dead Sea. Jerusalem is the government seat and proclaimed capital,[22] while Tel Aviv is the country's largest urban area and economic centre.

The Land of Israel is synonymous with Palestine, Judea, or the Holy Land. In antiquity, it was home to the Canaanites and later the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Its location at a continental crossroads brought demographic shifts under various empires. 19th-century European antisemitism fuelled the Zionist movement for a Jewish homeland. Britain endorsed this goal in the 1917 Balfour Declaration and ruled Mandatory Palestine from 1920. Jewish immigration and British policies intensified Arab-Jewish tensions,[23][24] and the 1947 United Nations partition plan led to a civil war.

Israel declared independence at the end of the British Mandate on 14 May 1948, and neighbouring Arab states invaded the next day. A 1949 armistice left Israel with territory beyond the UN plan;[25] no Arab state was created, as the Gaza Strip and the West Bank came under Egyptian and Jordanian control.[25][26][27] Most Palestinian Arabs fled or were expelled by Zionist militias in an ethnic cleansing known as the Nakba, with those who stayed becoming Israel's main minority.[28][29][30] The Jewish exodus from the Muslim world increased the country's population in subsequent decades.[31][32] After the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel occupied the West Bank, Gaza Strip, the Egyptian Sinai, and the Syrian Golan Heights, later annexing East Jerusalem and the Golan—actions that, along with settlement expansion, are considered violations of international law. Peace was signed with Egypt in 1979 (Sinai returned in 1982) and with Jordan in 1994. The 1993 Oslo Accords with the Palestinians established mutual recognition and limited self-rule, and the 2020 Abraham Accords normalised ties with more Arab states. The Israeli–Palestinian conflict remains unresolved, with wars and clashes with Palestinian militant groups. Israel is committing a genocide in Gaza, and its occupation of the Palestinian territories has drawn sustained international criticism, with experts, human rights organisations, and UN officials describing them as war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The Basic Laws of Israel establish the Knesset, a parliament elected by proportional representation. It shapes the government, led by the prime minister, and elects the largely ceremonial president.[33] Israel has one of the Middle East's largest economies,[34] one of Asia's highest living standards, and globally ranks 26th in nominal GDP and 16th in nominal GDP per capita.[19][35] Technologically advanced, Israel allocates a larger share of its economy to research and development than any other state[36][37] and is believed to possess nuclear weapons. The culture of Israel combines Jewish traditions, including those of the diaspora, with Arab influences.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel

In 306, the Roman Emperor Constantius Chlorus died while campaigning against the Picts beyond Hadrian's Wall. He was succeeded by his son, Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus, known more commonly as Constantine I or Constantine the Great. He was declared emperor in Eboracum, capital of the province of Britannia Secunda, known today as York. Most of the Empire's provinces accepted his rule.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/statue-of-constantine-the-great

British Israelism (also called Anglo-Israelism) is a pseudo-historical[1][2] belief that the people of Great Britain are "genetically, racially, and linguistically the direct descendants" of the Ten Lost Tribes of ancient Israel.[3] With roots in the 16th century, British Israelism was inspired by several 19th century English writings such as John Wilson's 1840 Our Israelitish Origin.[4] From the 1870s onward, numerous independent British Israelite organizations were set up throughout the British Empire as well as in the United States; as of the early 21st century, a number of these organizations are still active. In the United States, the idea gave rise to the Christian Identity movement.

The central tenets of British Israelism have been refuted by archaeological,[5] ethnological,[6] genetic,[7]: 181 and linguistic research.[8][9]: 33–34

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Israelism

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Farrakhan

L. D. S. "

The Constitutions of The Society of Jesus and Their Complimentary Norms

A Complete English Translation of the Official Latin Texts

THE INSTITUTE OF JESUIT SOURCES

SAINT LOUIS, 1996

https://web.archive.org/web/20200211182223/https://jesuitas.lat/uploads/the-constitutions-of-the-society-of-jesus-and-their-complementary-norms/Constitutions%20and%20Norms%20SJ%20ingls.pdf

Etymology

Frankish royalty

Clovis I (c. 466 – 511), the first king of the Franks to unite all the Frankish tribes under one ruler

Clovis II (637 – c. 658), king of Neustria and Burgundy

Clovis III (reigned 675–676), the king of Austrasia

Clovis IV (682–695), the sole king of the Franks from 691 until 695

Clovis (died 580), son of Chilperic I and Audovera, assassinated by his father and stepmother

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clovis_(given_name

Name

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carolingian_dynasty

THE CONFLICT: PRIORY OF SION VERSUS KNIGHTS TEMPLAR

Scarlet and the Beast

by John Daniel

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zCd0nFuvnM4OYWuVW5QUBCpsTfBv5bYx/view?usp=sharing

The Society of the Cincinnati is a fraternal, hereditary society founded in 1783 to commemorate the American Revolutionary War that saw the creation of the United States. Membership is largely restricted to descendants of military officers who served in the Continental Army.

The Society has thirteen constituent societies in the United States and one in France. It was founded to perpetuate "the remembrance of this vast event" (the achievement of American Independence), "to preserve inviolate those exalted rights and liberties of human nature," and "to render permanent the cordial affection subsisting among the officers" of the Continental Army who served in the Revolutionary War.

Now in its third century, the Society promotes public interest in the Revolution through its library and museum collections, publications, and other activities. It is the oldest patriotic, hereditary society in the United States.

History

Cincinnatus Abandons the Plow to Dictate Laws to Rome, by Juan Antonio Ribera (Museo del Prado).

See also: List of original members of the Society of the Cincinnati

The Society is named after Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus (c. 519 – c. 430 BC), who left his farm to accept a term as Roman Consul and served as Dictator. He was given lawful dictatorial control of Rome to meet a war emergency. When the battle was won, he relinquished his powers and went back to plowing his fields. The Society's motto reflects that ethic of selfless service: Omnia reliquit servare rempublicam ("He relinquished everything to serve the Republic").[1] The Society has had three goals: "To preserve the rights so dearly won; to promote the continuing union of the states; and to assist members in need, their widows, and their orphans."[2]

The concept of the Society of the Cincinnati was that of Major General Henry Knox.[3] The first meeting of the Society was held in May 1783 at a dinner at the Verplanck House (present-day Mount Gulian), Fishkill, New York, before the British evacuation from New York City. The meeting was presided over by Major General Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben, with Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton serving as the orator.[4] The participants agreed to stay in contact with each other after the war.[5] Mount Gulian, von Steuben's headquarters, is considered the birthplace of the Society of the Cincinnati, where the Institution was formally adopted on May 13, 1783.[6][7]

Membership was generally limited to officers who had served at least three years in the Continental Army or Navy, or had served until the end of the War; it included officers of the French Army and Navy above certain ranks. Officers in the Continental Line who died during the War were also entitled to be recorded as members, and membership would devolve to their eldest male heir.[8] Members of the considerably larger fighting forces comprising the Colonial Militias and Minutemen were not entitled to join the Society. Within 12 months of the founding, a constituent Society had been organized in each of the 13 states and in France. Of about 5,500 men originally eligible for membership, 2,150 had joined within a year. King Louis XVI ordained the French Society of the Cincinnati, which was organized on July 4, 1784 (Independence Day). Up to that time, the King of France had not allowed his officers to wear any foreign decorations, but he made an exception in favor of the badge of the Cincinnati.[9]

The Verplanck House (present-day Mount Gulian), Fishkill, New York, Steuben's headquarters, where the Society was instituted May 13, 1783.

The Society's rules adopted a system of primogeniture, wherein membership was passed down to the eldest son after the death of the original member. Present-day hereditary members generally must be descended from an original member, an officer who died in service, or an officer who qualified for membership at the Society's founding but did not join. Each officer may be represented by only one descendant at any given time, following the rules of primogeniture. (The rules of eligibility and admission are controlled by each of the 14 Constituent Societies to which members are admitted. They differ slightly in each society, and some allow more than one descendant of an eligible officer.)[10] The requirement for primogeniture made the society controversial in its early years, as the new states quickly did away with laws supporting primogeniture as remnants of the English feudal system.[11]

George Washington was elected the first President General of the Society, serving from December 1783 until he died in 1799. The second President General was Alexander Hamilton, and after he died from wounds suffered in a duel in 1804, he was succeeded by Charles Cotesworth Pinckney.[12]

The society's members have included notable military and political leaders, including 23 of the 39 signers of the United States Constitution.[13]

Insignia

Insignia of the Society, c. 1783.

On June 19, 1783, the General Society of the Cincinnati adopted the bald eagle, one of America's first post-revolution symbols and an important piece of American iconography, as its insignia. (The insignia was initially called an "order" in the Society's records.) It is the second official American emblem to use the bald eagle, following the Great Seal of the United States. The insignia may have been derived from the same discourse that produced the seal.[citation needed]

The suggestion of the bald eagle as the Cincinnati insignia was made by Major Pierre L'Enfant, a French officer who joined the American Army in 1777, served in the Corps of Engineers, and became one of the first members of the Society. He observed that "[t]he Bald Eagle, which is unique to this continent, and is distinguished from those of other climates by its white head and tail, appears to me to deserve attention."[14] In 1783, L'Enfant was commissioned to travel to France to have the first eagle badges made, based on his design).

The medallions at the center of the Cincinnati Eagle depict, on the obverse, Cincinnatus receiving his sword from Roman senators and, on the reverse, Cincinnatus at his plow being crowned by the figure of Pheme (a personification of fame). The Society's light blue and white colors symbolize the fraternal bond between the United States and France. While all Cincinnati Eagles conform to this general design, no single specific design is official. Over 50 variations of the eagle have been produced over the years.

A unique diamond-encrusted "eagle", referred to as the "Diamond Eagle", was given to George Washington by Admiral Comte d'Estaing on behalf of the officers of the French Navy. Washington received it on May 11, 1784, at the meeting of the General Society in Philadelphia. Upon Washington's death in 1799, it was given by his heirs to Alexander Hamilton, who succeeded Washington as President of the Society. Upon Hamilton's death, it was given to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, who succeeded Hamilton as the Society's president. It has since served as the official insignia of the Society's president and is transferred when a new president takes office. In the late 20th century, a copy of the Diamond Eagle was made and worn by the president on occasions other than the Triennial Meeting.[15]

A specially commissioned "eagle" worn by President General George Washington was presented to Marquis de Lafayette in 1824 during his grand tour of the United States. This badge remained in possession of the Lafayette family[16] until sold at auction on December 11, 2007, for 5.3 million USD by Lafayette's great-great-granddaughter. Together with what is believed to be the original ribbon and red leather box, the badge was purchased by the Josée and René de Chambrun Foundation for display in Lafayette's bedroom at Chateau La Grange, his former home, thirty miles east of Paris; it may also be displayed at Mount Vernon, Washington's former home in Virginia.[17] This was one of three eagles known to have been owned by Washington, who most often wore the "diamond eagle", a diamond-encrusted badge given him by the French matelots (sailors). That diamond eagle continues to be passed down to each President General of the Society of the Cincinnati as part of his induction into office.

The Cincinnati Eagle is displayed in various places of public importance, including Sawyer Point in Cincinnati (named for the Society), Ohio. A popular public square was built here to house a 15' bronze statue of Cincinnatus flanked by four masts flying the American, state, city, and Society flags. The flag of the Society displays blue and white stripes and a dark blue canton (containing a circle of 14 stars around the Cincinnati Eagle, representing the fourteen subsidiary societies) in the upper corner next to the hoist. Refer to the section below for the city's historical connection to the Society.

By Federal law, Society members may wear their eagles on their American military uniforms on ceremonial occasions.[18] In practice, however, this has been rarely done since the early 20th century.

Criticism

Portrait of Henry Dearborn by Gilbert Stuart, 1812. Dearborn is depicted wearing the Insignia of the Society.

When news of the foundation of the society spread, judge Aedanus Burke published several pamphlets under the pseudonym Cassius where he criticized the society as an attempt at reestablishing a hereditary nobility in the new republic.[19] The pamphlets, entitled An Address to the Freemen of South Carolina (January 1783) and Considerations on the Society or Order of Cincinnati (October 1783), sparked a general outcry that included prominent names, including Thomas Jefferson[20] and John Adams.[21] The criticism voiced concern about the apparent creation of a hereditary elite; membership eligibility is inherited through primogeniture and generally excluded enlisted men and militia officers unless they were placed under "State Line" or "Continental Line" forces for a substantial period, and their descendants.

Benjamin Franklin was among the Society's earliest critics. He was concerned about the creation of a quasi-noble order and of the Society's use of the eagle in its emblem, as evoking the traditions of heraldry and the English aristocracy. In a letter to his daughter Sarah Bache written on January 26, 1784, Franklin commented on the ramifications of the Cincinnati:

I only wonder that, when the united Wisdom of our Nation had, in the Articles of Confederation, manifested their Dislike of establishing Ranks of Nobility, by Authority either of the Congress or of any particular State, a Number of private persons should think proper to distinguish themselves and their Posterity, from their fellow Citizens, and form an Order of hereditary Knights, in direct Opposition to the solemnly declared Sense of their Country.[22]

The influence of the Cincinnati members, former officers, was another concern. When delegates to the Constitutional Convention were debating the method of choosing a president, James Madison (the secretary of the convention) reported the following speech of Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts:

A popular election in this case is radically vicious. The ignorance of the people would put it in the power of some one set of men dispersed through the Union & acting in Concert to delude them into any appointment. He observed that such a Society of men existed in the Order of the Cincinnati. They are respectable, United, and influential. They will in fact elect the chief Magistrate in every instance, if the election be referred to the people. [Gerry's] respect for the characters composing this Society could not blind him to the danger & impropriety of throwing such a power into their hands.[23]

The debate spread to France because of the eligibility of French veterans from the Revolutionary War. In 1785 Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau was approached by Franklin, who was at the time stationed in Paris, and suggested to him to write something about the society directed at the French public.[24] Mirabeau was provided with Burke's pamphlets and Franklin's letter to his daughter, and from this, with the help of Nicolas Chamfort, created an enlarged version entitled Considérations sur l'Ordre de Cincinnatus which was published in London in November that year. An English translation by Samuel Romilly followed, of which an American edition was published in 1786.[25]

Following this public debate and criticism, George Washington, who had been unaware of the particulars of the charter when he agreed to become president of the society, began to doubt the benefit of the society. At its first general meeting on May 4, 1784, he had considered abolishing the society.[26] However, in the meantime, Major L'Enfant had arrived, bringing his designs of the diplomas and medals, as well as news of the success of the society in France, which made abolition of the society impossible. Washington instead delivered at the meeting an ultimatum that if the clauses about heredity were not abandoned, he would resign from his post as president of the society. This was accepted, and an informal agreement was made not to wear the eagles in public so as not to resemble European chivalrous orders. A new charter, the so-called Institution, was printed, which omitted, among others, the disputed clauses about heredity. This was sent to the local chapters for approval, which was approved in all of them except for the chapters in New York, New Hampshire, and Delaware. However, when the public furor about the society had died down, the new Institution was rescinded, and the original was reintroduced, including the clauses about heredity.[27] The French chapter, which had obtained official permission to form from the king Louis XVI, also abolished heredity but never reintroduced it. Thus the last members were approved on February 3, 1792, shortly before the French monarchy was disbanded.[28]

Later activities

City development by early members

The members of Cincinnati were among those developing many of America's first and most prominent cities to the west of the Appalachians, most notably Cincinnati, Ohio,[29] and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The first governor of the Northwest Territory, Arthur St. Clair, was a member of the Society.[30] He renamed a small settlement "Cincinnati" to honor the Society and to encourage settlement by Society members. Among them was Captain Jacob Piatt,[31] who settled across the river from Cincinnati in northern Kentucky on land granted to him for service during the War. Captain David Ziegler was the first Mayor of Cincinnati.

Lt. Ebenezer Denny (1761–1822), an original Pennsylvanian Cincinnatus,[32] was elected the first mayor of the incorporated city of Pittsburgh in 1816. Pittsburgh developed from Fort Pitt, which had been commanded from 1777 to 1783 by four men who were founding members of the Society.

Richard Varick[33] was a Mayor of New York City.

Public awareness

Today's Society supports efforts to increase public awareness and memory of the ideals and actions of the men who created the American Revolution and an understanding of American history, emphasizing the period from the outset of the Revolution to the War of 1812. At its headquarters at Anderson House in Washington, DC, the Society holds manuscript, portrait, and model collections about events of and military science during this period.[34] Members of the Society have contributed to endow professorships, lecture series, awards, and educational materials concerning the United States representative democracy.[35]

Membership rules

Over the years, membership rules have continued as they were first established. The definition and acceptance of membership have remained with the constituent societies rather than the General Society in Washington.[36] An eligible officer of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War can be represented in the Society of the Cincinnati by only one male descendant at a time, successor members excepted. Collateral male heirs are accepted in some constituent societies if the direct male line dies out.[37][38] Timothy Page, writing for The Washington Post in 2001, noted that the Society of the Cincinnati remains dedicated to the rules for membership established in 1783, with the Society of the Cincinnati not having yet been able to "identify descendants of a black officer who might qualify for membership".[39]

Each of the fourteen constituent societies admits honorary male members, but these men cannot designate an heir (a successor member).[40] The only U.S. President who was a true hereditary member was Franklin Pierce. Andrew Jackson and Zachary Taylor were honorary members before becoming president. Other presidents became honorary members while in office and after leaving office.[41]

Prize

The Society of the Cincinnati Prize recognizes the author of an outstanding work that advances understanding of the American Revolution and its legacy. Established in 1989 as a triennial award, the prize is now presented annually.[42]

Since 1989, the authors awarded this prize are:

1989: Bernard Bailyn, Voyagers to the West: A Passage in the Peopling of America on the Eve of the Revolution

1992: P. D. G. Thomas, Tea Party to Independence: The Third Phase of the American Revolution

1995: Stanley M. Elkins and Eric L. McKitrick, The Age of Federalism

1998: Jack N. Rakove, Original Meanings: Politics and Ideas in the Making of the Constitution

2001: Saul Cornell, The Other Founders: Anti-Federalism and the Dissenting Tradition in America

2004: Elizabeth Fenn, Pox Americana: The Great Smallpox Epidemic of 1775–1782

2007: Alan Taylor, The Divided Ground: Indians, Settlers, and the Northern Borderland of the American Revolution

2010: Matthew H. Spring, With Zeal and With Bayonets Only: The British Army on Campaign in North America, 1775–1783

2013: Benjamin L. Carp, Defiance of the Patriots: The Boston Tea Party and the Making of America

2018: Eric Hinderaker, Boston's Massacre

2020: John Buchanan, The Road to Charleston: Nathanael Greene and the American Revolution

2021: T. Cole Jones, Captives of Liberty: Prisoners of War and the Politics of Vengeance in the American Revolution

2022: Kevin J. Weddle, The Compleat Victory: Saratoga and the American Revolution

2023: Friederike Baer, Hessians: German Soldiers in the American Revolutionary War[43]

Headquarters

Main article: Larz Anderson House

The General Society in Washington, D.C. makes Anderson House and its ballroom available for private events.

The General Society is headquartered at Anderson House, also known as the Larz Anderson House, at 2118 Massachusetts Avenue, NW in the Dupont Circle neighborhood of Washington, D.C. The Anderson House also serves as a Society museum and research library. It is located on Embassy Row, near various international embassies.

Anderson House was built between 1902 and 1905 as the winter residence of Larz Anderson, an American diplomat, and his wife, Isabel Weld Perkins, an author and American Red Cross volunteer. The architects Arthur Little and Herbert Browne of Boston designed Anderson House in the Beaux-Arts style. Anderson House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and was further designated a National Historic Landmark in 1996.[44][45]

The General Society's museum collections include portraits, armaments, and personal artifacts of Revolutionary War soldiers; commemorative objects; objects associated with the history of the Society and its members, including Cincinnati china and insignia; portraits and personal artifacts of members of the Anderson family; and artifacts related to the history of the house, including the U.S. Navy's occupation of it during World War II.[46]

Library

The library of the General Society of the Cincinnati collects, preserves, and makes available for research printed and manuscript materials relating to the military and naval history of the eighteenth century and early nineteenth century, with a particular concentration on the people and events of the American Revolution and the War of 1812. The collection includes various modern and rare materials, including official military documents, contemporary accounts and discourses, manuscripts, maps, graphic arts, literature, and many naval art and science works. In addition, the library is the home to the archives of the Society of the Cincinnati as well as a collection of material relating to Larz and Isabel Anderson.[47] The library is open to researchers by appointment.

American Revolution Institute

The Society of the Cincinnati created the American Revolution Institute (ARI) in 2012 to renew appreciation of the history and ideals of our revolutionary generation. ARI is an advocacy organization that promotes understanding and appreciation of the American Revolution and its legacy.[48][49]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Society_of_the_Cincinnati

WKRP in Cincinnati is an American sitcom television series about the misadventures of the staff of a struggling fictional AM[1] radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio. The show was created by Hugh Wilson. It was based upon his experiences observing at Top 40 radio station WQXI in Atlanta. Many of the characters were based on people at that station.[2] Wilson once told The Cincinnati Enquirer that he selected WKRP as the call sign to stand for C-R-A-P.[3]

The ensemble cast consists of Gary Sandy (as Andy Travis), Howard Hesseman (Dr. Johnny Fever), Gordon Jump (Arthur Carlson), Loni Anderson (Jennifer Marlowe), Tim Reid (Venus Flytrap), Jan Smithers (Bailey Quarters), Richard Sanders (Les Nessman) and Frank Bonner (Herb Tarlek).[4]

The series won a Humanitas Prize[5] and received 10 Emmy Award nominations, including three for Outstanding Comedy Series. Andy Ackerman won an Emmy Award for Videotape Editing in Season 3.[6]

WKRP premiered on September 18, 1978, on the CBS television network and aired for four seasons and 90 episodes, ending on April 21, 1982. Starting in the middle of the second season, CBS repeatedly moved the show around its schedule, contributing to lower ratings and its eventual cancellation. When WKRP went into syndication, it became an unexpected success. For the next decade, it was one of the most popular sitcoms in syndication, outperforming many programs that had been more successful in prime time, including all the other MTM Enterprises sitcoms.[7]

Jump, Sanders, and Bonner reprised their roles as regular characters in a sequel series, The New WKRP in Cincinnati, which ran from 1991 to 1993 in syndication. Hesseman, Reid, and Anderson also reprised their roles as guest stars.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WKRP_in_Cincinnati

Zoroastrian doctrine holds that, within this cosmic dichotomy, human beings have the choice between Asha (truth, cosmic order), the principle of righteousness or "rightness" that is promoted and embodied by Ahura Mazda, and Druj (falsehood, deceit), the essential nature of Angra Mainyu that expresses itself as greed, wrath, and envy.[10] Thus, the central moral precepts of the religion are good thoughts (hwnata), good words (hakhta), and good deeds (hvarshta), which are recited in many prayers and ceremonies.[5][11][12] Many of the practices and beliefs of ancient Iranian religion can still be seen in Zoroastrianism, such as reverence for nature and its elements, such as water (aban). Fire (atar) is held by Zoroastrians to be particularly sacred as a symbol of Ahura Mazda himself, serving as a focal point of many ceremonies and rituals, and serving as the basis for Zoroastrian places of worship, which are known as fire temples.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoroastrianism

A Dirty Bomb In Chicago? Mitt Romney’s Dangerous Take on Iran

Here’s an excerpt of what Romney had to say on Iran:

“If I were Iran, if I were Iran—a crazed fanatic, I’d say let’s get a little fissile material to Hezbollah, have them carry it to Chicago or some other place, and then if anything goes wrong, or America starts acting up, we’ll just say, “Guess what? Unless you stand down, why, we’re going to let off a dirty bomb.” I mean this is where we have—where America could be held up and blackmailed by Iran, by the mullahs, by crazy people. So we really don’t have any option but to keep Iran from having a nuclear weapon.”

Romney appears to believe that a dirty bomb is a nuclear weapon. It isn’t.

Crucially, a dirty bomb does not require fissile material (enriched uranium or plutonium whose atoms are split to produce a high-energy nuclear explosion). In fact, the uranium that Iran is enriching doesn’t work particularly well in dirty bombs. Rather, dirty bombs use radioactive waste. There’s virtually no connection between Iran acquiring nuclear weapons and the blackmail scenario that Romney outlines in the video.

In reality, the best way to reduce the threat posed by dirty bombs is to secure and eliminate excess stocks of this material, especially at medical facilities. If Romney is concerned about this threat, he should have a chat with his running mate. In 2011, Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan proposed to slash $647.5 million from the Department of Energy account that includes vital programs tasked with securing radioactive materials stored and in use in the United States and abroad.

(The Obama administration hasn’t been exactly stellar on this front either. Earlier this year the Senate Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee expressed concern about the Department of Energy’s FY 2013 budget request for radiological security programs, which included a proposed 60% reduction in activities to remove and dispose of excess or abandoned radiological materials in other countries.)

But the video illustrates a problem much bigger than dirty bombs: Romney is peddling a distorted view of the threat posed by Iran. The threat from Iran has little to do with dirty bombs and much more to do with how Iran’s potential acquisition of nuclear weapons (an outcome which is neither imminent nor inevitable) could affect regional stability and security in the Middle East. Romney lumps all of these issues together by outlining a highly dubious link between a nuclear Iran and a Hezbollah dirty bomb attack on American soil, suggesting that he understands little about the complex situation in the Middle East that would be his responsibility come January if he is elected.

And Romney’s language matters here as well. Describing Iran’s leaders as “crazed fanatic[s]” might make the base feel good, but it tells us nothing about Iran’s motivations. As the National Security Network reminds us, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dempsey has stated: “We are of the opinion that Iran is a rational actor.” He later added: “The key is to understand how they act, and not trivialize their actions by attributing to them some irrationality… I think that’s a very dangerous thing for us to do.”

This video is just one more indication that a Romney White House would conduct a “mad-libs foreign policy” driven not by facts, but by fear.

https://armscontrolcenter.org/a-dirty-bomb-in-chicago-mitt-romneys-dangerous-take-on-iran/

Robert Swan Mueller III (/ˈmʌlər/; born August 7, 1944) is an American lawyer who served as the sixth director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from 2001 to 2013.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Mueller

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Leo_XIV

The Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YC_luOfFWl0Bm0BWkbANKZGC1kkmdHQf/view?usp=sharing

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regimini_militantis_Ecclesiae

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Day_Called_%27X%27

PART X THE PRESERVATION AND INCREASE OF THE SOCIETY

§2. The consecration to the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary is to be renewed each year on the feast of the Immaculate Heart.[1]

412 §1. All our members should have at heart a shared concern for attracting new members to the Society, especially by prayer and the example of their lives as individuals and in community.[3]

§3. We must also promote vocations as widely as possible, in order to reflect the culture and experience of those we seek to serve, including minority cultures, immigrants, and indigenous people.[5]

L. D. S.

The Constitutions of The Society of Jesus and Their Complimentary Norms

A Complete English Translation of the Official Latin Texts

THE INSTITUTE OF JESUIT SOURCES

SAINT LOUIS, 1996

https://web.archive.org/web/20200211182223/https://jesuitas.lat/uploads/the-constitutions-of-the-society-of-jesus-and-their-complementary-norms/Constitutions%20and%20Norms%20SJ%20ingls.pdf

Biography

Early life

Sako speaks Neo-Aramaic, German, French, English, Italian, Kurdish and Arabic.[2]

Archeparch

Patriarch

The Synod of Bishops of the Chaldean Catholic Church, convoked in Rome on 28 January 2013, elected Sako to succeed Emmanuel III Delly as Patriarch of Babylon. He chose Louis Raphael I as his regnal name. Pope Benedict XVI gave his assent to the election on 1 February[2] and granted him ecclesiastica communio (ecclesiastical communion) as required by the canon law for Eastern-rite Catholic churches in recognition of their unity with the wider Catholic church.[10]

That same year, Iraq's President Jalal Talabani issued a decree recognizing Sako as Patriarch of the Chaldean Church.[11]

In July 2014 Sako led a wave of condemnation for the Sunni Islamists who demanded Christians either convert, submit to their radical rule and pay a religious levy or face death by the sword.[12] In September 2014 Sako said “The U.S. is indirectly responsible for what is going on in Iraq as it said it would ensure democracy and the well-being of the people, but 10 years have passed and on the contrary we have gone backward." He was responding to a question following remarks attributed to him in the local daily Ad-Diyar in which he accused the U.S. of supporting ISIS. Sako had also criticized Muslim countries for lack of support: "Our Muslim neighbours did not help us." He urged Muslim preachers to issue a religious ruling against the killing of all innocent people and said that "Issuing a fatwa preventing Muslims from killing fellow Muslims is not enough."[13]

In 2014, Sako ordered ten priests who had fled Iraq to return there by 22 October; he suspended them when they failed to comply. The priests, all living in the United States, some for as long as twenty years, appealed to Pope Francis for relief from the order.[14] In January 2015, Pope Francis granted them permission to remain in the United States.[15] Sako later renewed his order despite the pope's decision.[16]

In 2015, Sako proposed a "merger" or reunion of his own Chaldean Catholic Church with the Ancient Church of the East and the Assyrian Church of the East to create one united "Church of the East" with a single patriarch in union with the pope. His proposal would have required both his own resignation and that of Mar Addai II, followed by a joint synod of the bishops of all three churches to elect a new patriarch for the reunited Church of the East. (The patriarchate of the Assyrian Church of the East was vacant at the time, following the death of Mar Dinkha IV.)[17] He wrote that "Unity does not mean uniformity, nor the melting of our own church identity into one style, but it maintains unity in diversity and we remain one apostolic universal church, the Oriental Church, that maintains its independence of administration, laws and liturgies, traditions and support."[18] The Assyrian Church of the East respectfully declined this proposal citing "ecclesiological divergences still remaining" and proceeded with its election of a new patriarch.[19]

On 14 November 2015, the Synod of Bishops announced that Pope Francis had named Sako as one of his three appointments to that body's council.[20]

Cardinal

Pope Francis made Sako a cardinal in a consistory on 28 June 2018.[21] Later that year, Pope Francis named him one of the four cardinals to preside over sessions of the Synod of Bishops on Youth in October.[22]

On 6 October 2018 Sako was named a member of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches,[23] on 22 February 2019 a member of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue,[24] and on 29 September 2021 a member of the Congregation for Catholic Education.[25] On 4 January 2022, Pope Francis made him a member of the Council for the Economy.[26]

Sako was a cardinal elector in the 2025 papal conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV.[27] Patriarch Sako was also the first Chaldean Catholic Patriarch ever to participate in a papal conclave.[28][a] Sako opted not to wear the shash, the traditional headgear of East Syriac Christian bishops, and wore only his scarlet zucchetto.[32]

Government recognition dispute

On 15 July 2023, Iraq's President Abdul Latif Rashid announced the revocation of the government's 2013 decree recognizing Sako as Patriarch. In response that same day Sako announced he was leaving Baghdad to take up residence in Iraqi Kurdistan. He called the revocation "unprecedented in the history of Iraq".[11] Rashid said his action "does not affect the religious or legal status of patriarch Sako" and said it was based on the fact that Sako's office is not recognized by the Iraqi Constitution; Sako viewed as an extension of the government's ongoing "deliberate and humiliating campaign" against him and its wider failure to protect Iraqi Christians.[33] Rashid had recently rejected requests for comparable decrees from the Patriarchs of the Assyrian Church and the Old Assyrian Church. Others cited complex political manoeuvering.[34]

On 15 July 2023, Sako announced his intention to "retire from the Patriarchal See in Baghdad and move to a church, a mission, in one of the monasteries of Iraqi Kurdistan". His announcement followed a decision by the President of Iraq, Abdul Latif Rashid, to revoke a decree established in 2013 by the former Iraq's President, Jalal Talabani, recognising Sako as Patriarch of the Chaldean Church. The revocation "is unprecedented in Iraq's history," Sako said, highlighting "the government's silence" about the incident and the suffering of the Christian community.[35] For months, Sako had been embroiled in a war of words with a Shia lawmaker and militia leader, Rayan al-Kildani. Both accused each other of exploiting their influence to illegally seize Christian-owned properties. Al-Kildani is the leader of the Babylon Movement, whose militia fought ISIS within the state-linked Popular Mobilisation Forces, a network of largely pro-Iran paramilitaries. Since then, al-Kildani forged strong alliances with powerful Tehran-allied Shiite militias. Sako criticized the Babylon Movement as falsely Christian, noting most of its members and supporters are Shia Muslims using the label for political gain.[36][37] Furthermore, the Babylon Movement, led by al-Kildani, is accused of pillaging homes, unlawful confiscation of land, coercion, extortion, abuse of women, persecution of religious minorities, and torture of detainees. As a result, in 2019, the US imposed sanctions on al-Kildani and another Shiite militia leader, calling them "perpetrators of serious human rights abuse and corruption", and penalizing entities that interact with them.[38]

Cardinal Sako has accused Archbishop Bashar Warda of collaborating and conspiring with Rayan al-Kildani in an effort to subvert his authority and push for his resignation as head of the Chaldean Church. Warda is criticized for supporting al-Kildani despite his horrendous actions, and for not supporting Sako's efforts to counter the Babylon Movement's seizure of Christian assets. This has led to accusations that Warda prioritizes benefits from al-Kildani's support over protecting church interests. Sako has referred to Warda as the "Godfather" of the Babylon Movement.[39][40][41]

On 7 August 2023, Sako told an interviewer that "Withdrawing the decree is very bad. For 15 centuries, there were decrees recognising the Patriarch as head of the Church and administrator of the properties of the Church. Revoking it is a humiliation for the Church. Those behind this move want to put their hands on the properties of the Church and administer them separately from the ecclesiastical authorities. We cannot accept that."[42]

In April 2024, after nine months of exile, Sako returned to Baghdad with the assistance of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani.[43][44]

On 28 August 2024, Sako demanded a public apology from five bishops based on perceived disunity in the Chaldean Catholic Church, including absence from a mandatory July episcopal synod, setting a deadline of September 5. The five bishops, led by Bashar Warda, the Archbishop of Erbil, also withdrew from an August spiritual retreat and pulled their students from the Chaldean Seminary. The bishops refused to apologize, citing dissatisfaction with Sako's leadership style and unilateral decision-making. As a result, he would suspend them and ask Pope Francis to impose canonical penalties, including excommunication.[45][46] The actions of Bashar Warda and the other bishops have been described by the Chaldean Patriarchate as a "dangerous precedent" that goes against their episcopal vows to support the patriarch. The 17 bishops who attended the July 2024 synod issued a communiqué, calling for "appropriate legal measures" against the "clear violations" committed by the boycotting group of Warda.[47]

The rivalry between Louis Sako and Bashar Warda is driven by a fierce personal conflict, with Sako perceiving Warda as ruthlessly ambitious to seize the patriarchate. This perception has led Sako to backtrack on his initial plans to retire at 75, driven by a determination to thwart Warda's power grab. Warda's actions are seen as a betrayal of Sako's leadership.[48]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Rapha%C3%ABl_I_Sako

Eyewitness Account of Hiroshima

By Father John A. Siemes, professor of modern philosophy at Tokyo's Catholic University

Hiroshima- August 6th, 1945

Up to August 6th, occasional bombs, which did no great damage, had fallen on Hiroshima. Many cities roundabout, one after the other, were destroyed, but Hiroshima itself remained protected. There were almost daily observation planes over the city but none of them dropped a bomb. The citizens wondered why they alone had remained undisturbed for so long a time. There were fantastic rumors that the enemy had something special in mind for this city, but no one dreamed that the end would come in such a fashion as on the morning of August 6th.

August 6th began in a bright, clear, summer morning. About seven o'clock, there was an air raid alarm which we had heard almost every day and a few planes appeared over the city. No one paid any attention and at about eight o'clock, the all-clear was sounded. I am sitting in my room at the Novitiate of the Society of Jesus in Nagatsuke; during the past half year, the philosophical and theological section of our Mission had been evacuated to this place from Tokyo. The Novitiate is situated approximately two kilometers from Hiroshima, half-way up the sides of a broad valley which stretches from the town at sea level into this mountainous hinterland, and through which courses a river. From my window, I have a wonderful view down the valley to the edge of the city.

Suddenly--the time is approximately 8:14--the whole valley is filled by a garish light which resembles the magnesium light used in photography, and I am conscious of a wave of heat. I jump to the window to find out the cause of this remarkable phenomenon, but I see nothing more than that brilliant yellow light. As I make for the door, it doesn't occur to me that the light might have something to do with enemy planes. On the way from the window, I hear a moderately loud explosion which seems to come from a distance and, at the same time, the windows are broken in with a loud crash. There has been an interval of perhaps ten seconds since the flash of light. I am sprayed by fragments of glass. The entire window frame has been forced into the room. I realize now that a bomb has burst and I am under the impression that it exploded directly over our house or in the immediate vicinity.

I am bleeding from cuts about the hands and head. I attempt to get out of the door. It has been forced outwards by the air pressure and has become jammed. I force an opening in the door by means of repeated blows with my hands and feet and come to a broad hallway from which open the various rooms. Everything is in a state of confusion. All windows are broken and all the doors are forced inwards. The bookshelves in the hallway have tumbled down. I do not note a second explosion and the fliers seem to have gone on. Most of my colleagues have been injured by fragments of glass. A few are bleeding but none has been seriously injured. All of us have been fortunate since it is now apparent that the wall of my room opposite the window has been lacerated by long fragments of glass.

We proceed to the front of the house to see where the bomb has landed. There is no evidence, however, of a bomb crater; but the southeast section of the house is very severely damaged. Not a door nor a window remains. The blast of air had penetrated the entire house from the southeast, but the house still stands. It is constructed in a Japanese style with a wooden framework, but has been greatly strengthened by the labor of our Brother Gropper as is frequently done in Japanese homes. Only along the front of the chapel which adjoins the house, three supports have given way (it has been made in the manner of Japanese temple, entirely out of wood.)

Down in the valley, perhaps one kilometer toward the city from us, several peasant homes are on fire and the woods on the opposite side of the valley are aflame. A few of us go over to help control the flames. While we are attempting to put things in order, a storm comes up and it begins to rain. Over the city, clouds of smoke are rising and I hear a few slight explosions. I come to the conclusion that an incendiary bomb with an especially strong explosive action has gone off down in the valley. A few of us saw three planes at great altitude over the city at the time of the explosion. I, myself, saw no aircraft whatsoever.

Perhaps a half-hour after the explosion, a procession of people begins to stream up the valley from the city. The crowd thickens continuously. A few come up the road to our house. We give them first aid and bring them into the chapel, which we have in the meantime cleaned and cleared of wreckage, and put them to rest on the straw mats which constitute the floor of Japanese houses. A few display horrible wounds of the extremities and back. The small quantity of fat which we possessed during this time of war was soon used up in the care of the burns. Father Rektor who, before taking holy orders, had studied medicine, ministers to the injured, but our bandages and drugs are soon gone. We must be content with cleansing the wounds.

More and more of the injured come to us. The least injured drag the more seriously wounded. There are wounded soldiers, and mothers carrying burned children in their arms. From the houses of the farmers in the valley comes word: "Our houses are full of wounded and dying. Can you help, at least by taking the worst cases?" The wounded come from the sections at the edge of the city. They saw the bright light, their houses collapsed and buried the inmates in their rooms. Those that were in the open suffered instantaneous burns, particularly on the lightly clothed or unclothed parts of the body. Numerous fires sprang up which soon consumed the entire district. We now conclude that the epicenter of the explosion was at the edge of the city near the Jokogawa Station, three kilometers away from us. We are concerned about Father Kopp who that same morning, went to hold Mass at the Sisters of the Poor, who have a home for children at the edge of the city. He had not returned as yet.

Toward noon, our large chapel and library are filled with the seriously injured. The procession of refugees from the city continues. Finally, about one o'clock, Father Kopp returns, together with the Sisters. Their house and the entire district where they live has burned to the ground. Father Kopp is bleeding about the head and neck, and he has a large burn on the right palm. He was standing in front of the nunnery ready to go home. All of a sudden, he became aware of the light, felt the wave of heat and a large blister formed on his hand. The windows were torn out by the blast. He thought that the bomb had fallen in his immediate vicinity. The nunnery, also a wooden structure made by our Brother Gropper, still remained but soon it is noted that the house is as good as lost because the fire, which had begun at many points in the neighborhood, sweeps closer and closer, and water is not available. There is still time to rescue certain things from the house and to bury them in an open spot. Then the house is swept by flame, and they fight their way back to us along the shore of the river and through the burning streets.

Soon comes news that the entire city has been destroyed by the explosion and that it is on fire. What became of Father Superior and the three other Fathers who were at the center of the city at the Central Mission and Parish House? We had up to this time not given them a thought because we did not believe that the effects of the bomb encompassed the entire city. Also, we did not want to go into town except under pressure of dire necessity, because we thought that the population was greatly perturbed and that it might take revenge on any foreigners which they might consider spiteful onlookers of their misfortune, or even spies.

https://www.atomicarchive.com/resources/documents/hiroshima-nagasaki/hiroshima-siemes.html

When Attalus, the Pontiff and King of Pergamos, died in 133BC, he bequested the Headship of the "Babylonian Priesthood" to Rome. William B. Barker in his book "Lares and Penates cracks open the codeword Pergamos as used by St. John in Revelation 2:13. He writes: "The Chaldean Magi enjoyed a long period of prosperity at Babylon. A pontiff appointed by the sovereign ruled over a college of seventy-two hierophants.... [just as the popes have 70 Cardinals] the defeated Chaldeans fled to Asia Minor, and fixed their central college at Pergamos, and too the Palladium of Babylon, the CUBIC stone [believed to represent Cybele or Kybele, the mother goddess] with them. Here, independent of state control, they carried on the rites of their religion, and plotted against the peace of the Persian Empire, caballing with the Greeks for that purpose."

Thus we see that the Chaldeans continued to wield political and religious influence, injecting thier presence into the next world empire. When the city was later given to Rome (Rome acquired the city of Pergamos by decree of Attalus III, bequething his kingdom to the Roman Caesar), the priesthood of Pergamos moved to the new power center on the Italian peninsula."

page 504-505

"Kingdom of God or Masterpiece of Satan?-The Secret Doctrine"

Codeword Barbelon book One

by P.D. Stuart

Note 281.—"CUBE. The cube is a symbol of truth, of wisdom, of moral perfection The New Jerusalem promised by the Apocalypse is equal in length, breadth, and height,"—Mackey's Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Freemasonry, Article Cube."

Twenty-Fourth Degree; or Prince of the Tabernacle.

INITIATION.

Scotch Rite Masonry Illustrated Volume 2 -The complete Ritual of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite profusely illustrated 1905.pdf - Google Drive

CAABA or KAABA

Arabic word Ka'abah for CUBIC building. The square building or temple in Mecca. More especially the small cubical oratory. within, held in adoration by the Mohammedans, as containing the black stone said to have been given by an angel to Abraham. The inner as well as the outer structure receives its name from Ka'ab, meaning cube (see Allah)."

Mackey's Encyclopedia of Freemasonry (phoenixmasonry.org)

$500 million Perelman Arts Center opens at World Trade Center site

BY DAVE CARLIN

UPDATED ON: SEPTEMBER 13, 2023 / 6:43 PM / CBS NEW YORK

NEW YORK -- There's a new beacon of light for Lower Manhattan. Added to the World Trade Center site is a $500 million center for performance and creative expression.

CBS New York's Dave Carlin was at the grand opening of Perelman Arts Center (PAC NYC).

The giant cube is dazzling and drawing crowds to a shapeshifting arts space.

The grand opening had VIPs, song and dance. Tony Award winner Gavin Creel was joined by ballet students from the Joffrey School.

The chairman of the board for Perelman Arts Center is former mayor Michael Bloomberg.

"Today, we inaugurate the last major piece of the rebuilding of the World Trade Center site," he said.

The center at 251 Fulton St. is the work of REX architecture firm.

"In the core of the building, the heart of the building, are these really dynamic theaters. There's three, and they are extremely reconfigurable," REX founding principal Joshua Ramos said.

The interior space is by the Rockwell Group.

"The combination of elements -- the memorial, the museum. In the performing arts center, you have to come up the stairs, and you're entering a place that's about creativity and art and possibilities," David Rockwell said.

"We need places like this to give us that sense of hope again," Gov. Kathy Hochul said.

"It renews our spirit," Mayor Eric Adams said.

There is a dazzling difference between day and night -- the thin marble panels and a glowing from within this place full of life.

"Being part of the World Trade Center site is so important to our mission," PAC NYC Executive Director Khady Kamara said. "You can walk in anytime we're open."

"We're going to have Marcus Samuelsson's restaurant for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We're going to have free performances on the lobby stage. So I do think just a place to come and hang out," PAC NYC Artistic Director Bill Rausch said.

The theaters are buzzing with activity, setting the stages for the start of performances Sept. 19."

https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/perelman-arts-center-world-trade-center/

"Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core." Jude 1:11

Simon Magus (Greek Σίμων ὁ μάγος, Latin: Simon Magus), also known as Simon the Sorcerer or Simon the Magician, was a religious figure whose confrontation with Peter is recorded in the Acts of the Apostles.[1] The act of simony, or paying for position, is named after Simon, who tried to buy his way into the power of the Apostles.

According to Acts, Simon was a Samaritan magus or religious figure of the 1st century AD and a convert to Christianity, baptised by Philip the Evangelist. Simon later clashed with Peter. Accounts of Simon by writers of the second century exist, but are not considered verifiable.[2][3] Surviving traditions about Simon appear in orthodox texts, such as those of Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, Hippolytus, and Epiphanius, where he is often described as the founder of Gnosticism,[4][5][6][7] which has been accepted by some modern scholars,[8][9] while others reject claims that he was a Gnostic, maintaining that he was merely considered to be one by the Church Fathers.[10][11]

Justin, who was himself a 2nd-century native of Samaria, wrote that nearly all the Samaritans in his time were adherents of a certain Simon of Gitta, a village not far from Flavia Neapolis. Irenaeus believed him to have been the founder of the sect of the Simonians.[12][13][14][15] Hippolytus quotes from a work he attributes to Simon or his followers the Simonians, Apophasis Megale, or Great Declaration. According to the early church heresiologists, Simon is also supposed to have written several lost treatises, two of which bear the titles The Four Quarters of the World and The Sermons of the Refuter.

In apocryphal works including the Acts of Peter, Pseudo-Clementines, and the Epistle of the Apostles, Simon also appears as a formidable sorcerer with the ability to levitate and fly at will. He is sometimes referred to as "the Bad Samaritan" due to his malevolent character.[16] The Apostolic Constitutions also accuses him of "lawlessness" (antinomianism).[17]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Magus

As far as Simon Magus goes, even those now considered to be early supporters of the Roman Catholic Church condemned him. Yet, those who claim Christ really should look into whether or not they have adopted the non-biblical heresies that Simon Magus and his later followers adopted. Those wanting to learn more should also consider studying the articles at the The History of Early Christianity page.

We do not know how or when Simon Magus died (there are various legends). Some early reports indicate he was buried in Samaria or in Rome. Some suspect that burial was in Vatican hill.

Notice the following:

Elevating his personal teachings above the Bible, and preaching a "no-works" doctrine of salvation, Simon Magus soon had a universal, popular following. Deified by the Romans, he was buried on Vatican Hill. ...

The records regarding Simon's death vary widely. Many of the stories try to incorporate some fiction from the Greek and Egyptian myths to enhance the reader's interest in this fascinating character. But the earliest records say that he was buried in Rome after a long period of great honour and deification.

It is not clearly known where Simon Magus alias Simon Pater or Simon Jupiter was buried. But this much is known. The place of burial for ALL prophets and holy men of the Romans was in the sacred cemetery on Vatican Hill. This much is certain.

Notice what Werner Keller in his The Bible as History says about the so-called burial of the Catholics' Peter. (Before reading Keller's statement, let us remember that he is a thorough-going Catholic and firmly, himself, believed that the Apostle Peter was buried in Rome.

However, the Bible shows nothing of the kind. Now, let's read Keller's comment — the official comment of the Roman Catholic Church):

"On the night of his death on the cross Peter's followers BURIED his body. As in the case of Jesus on the hill of Calvary it was wrapped in linen and secretly taken to a PAGAN BURIAL GROUND on the Via Cornelia, behind the stone structure of the arena. This PAGAN CEMETERY lay on a knoll called VATICANUS: the Latin word 'vatis' means a 'prophet' or 'SOOTHSAYER'. In days gone by there had been an Etruscan oracle on this spot" (p. 368).

What an admission!

Keller ought to have better sense to know that this Peter buried in this cemetery, of all places, could NOT be the Apostle Peter. In the first place, Peter was a Jew, and they had to be buried in their own cemeteries. And even if by a happen-chance a Jew could be buried in a Roman cemetery, it is most unlikely that a Jew — especially one who attacked the Roman religion as the Apostle Peter did — would ever have been allowed into the most holy of pagan cemeteries! This cemetery was reserved for prophets, soothsayers and the great ones of pagan Rome. (Martin E. SIMON MAGUS SERIES - Simonites Establish UNIVERSAL Church. Good News, August 1964)

When Vatican hill has been excavated, they have found pagan graves and one or more in costly apparel. Perhaps, one in costly apparel was Simon Magus."

Simon Magus, What Did He Teach? (cogwriter.com)

https://www.cogwriter.com/simonmagus.htm

The zucchetto (/(t)suːˈkɛtoʊ, zuːˈ-/,[1] also UK: /tsʊˈ-/,[2] US: /zʊˈ-/,[3] Italian: [dzukˈketto]; meaning 'small gourd', from zucca 'pumpkin' or more generally 'gourd'; plural in English: zucchettos)[a][4] or solideo,[5] officially a pileolus,[6] is a small, hemispherical, form-fitting ecclesiastical skullcap worn by clerics of various Catholic Churches, the Syriac Orthodox Church, by senior clergy in certain denominations of Lutheranism, as well as Anglicanism, and in certain cases by senior clergy in Methodism.[1][2][3][7][8]

It is also called a pilus, pilos, pileus, pileolo, subbiretum, submitrale, soli deo, berrettino, calotte or calotta.[9]

History

The zucchetto originated as the Paleo-Balkanic pileus and is related to the beret (which itself was originally a large zucchetto). The official name of the zucchetto —pileolus— means "small pileus" in latin.[10] Clerics adopted the style circa the Early Middle Ages or earlier,[11] to keep their heads warm and to insulate the tonsure.[12] The name "zucchetto" derives from its resemblance to half a pumpkin.[13] It is similar to the Jewish kippah or yarmulke, but typically differs in construction, with the zucchetto made of separate joined sections and color-coordinated to clerical status. It is normally used only by clergy and not by ordinary people, which also differs from the kippah. The resemblance between the two types of headgear is often seen as being deliberate but the zucchetto is distinct from[14] and predates the skullcap style of kippah and yarmulke by hundreds of years.[15]

Construction and design

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White zucchetto worn by popes and popes emeriti

Two bishops wearing amaranth zucchetti

Priest's black zucchetto

Gunnar Rosendal, a Lutheran priest of the Church of Sweden, wearing a zucchetto

In Catholicism, the modern zucchetto is most commonly made of silk. The design utilises eight gores or triangular panels that are joined at the tips to form a hemispherical skullcap. Jutting from the central tip of the zucchetto is the "stem", known as stirpis or stirpes. It is made of a twisted loop of silk cord and is meant to make handling the zucchetto easier.[12] The stirpes is the primary visual distinction between the zucchetto and the Jewish kippah.[16]

The zucchetto traditionally has a lining of thin white chamois as an insulator; this is also to help keep the shape of the zucchetto.[12] Inside the trim, there is a strip of velvet to ensure a secure and comfortable fit. Most modern zucchetto designs include a cloth lining, and the contemporary trend is using ordinary synthetic cloth with a simple, natural cloth lining.[17]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zucchetto

Zucca has a very important stock in Sardinia, but there is also one in Turin and in Milan and Pavia, Zuccatosta, absolutely rare, would seem typical of Ancona, Zucchetti is typical of the triangle Milan, Bergamo, Cremona, Zucchi is typical of Lombardy and Emilia, Zucchini is very widespread in the Centronord, especially in Emilia and in Perugia, Zucchino, extremely rare, it would appear from the high Piedmont and Savona area, Zucco could have a stock in Turin and Cuneo, one in the Udine area and one in the Reggio area, Zuccon is typically Venetian, from Vicenza, Treviso and Venice, Zuccone has a stock in Novara and Vercelli and one in Neapolitan, Zucconi is typical of the belt that includes southern Lombardy, Emilia, Tuscany, Marche, Umbria and Lazio, Zuccotti is typical of the south of Milan and cremasco, Zuccotto, very rare, is typical of Isola della Scala (VR) and Verona, all derive directly or through hypocoristic nicknames related to the word pumpkin, almost always understood as For this purpose, we have an example in a deed dated 1376 to Gromo (BG): "... Petercinus dictus. Zuchotus de Coduris de Ripis de Gandellino ... ", in some cases it is also possible to derive from names of localities such as Zuccone in Bergamo or similar. Supplements provided by Giuseppe Concas ZUCCA: tsùcca, tzùcca, zùcca = pumpkin. From Italian. In Latin we have the voices cucutia (late Latin) and cucurbita. In this respect linguists make confusion.The vocabulary of the Italian language TRECCANI under the heading gourd follows: from the late Latin cucutia, see cocuzza. Latin by Ferruccio Calonghi (among the best in Italy), we find the word cucutia, fruit unknown to us (sic). While the word cucurbit corresponds to pumpkin, which we in Campidano call crocorìga, which is the true Sardinian word for pumpkin (from cucurbita ) In the Sardinian language instead cucutia è sa cugutzua = the fruit of the wild thistle, which has nothing to do with pumpkin> crocorìga. In short on the word pumpkin, in the various vocabularies there is a lot of confusion! the surname Zucca was found in the ancient documents of the language and history of Sardinia, at least in those we consulted. It is likely that the pumpkin surname is not of Sardinian origin, but of Lombard or Piedmontese origin, in whose regions it is widespread. We do not know exactly when he arrived in Sardinia, in whose language, as already mentioned, the word pumpkin does not exist, but crocorìga or corcorìga from the Latin cucurbita. Currently the surname Zucca is present in 627 Italian Municipalities, of which 138 in Sardinia: Cagliari 276, Serramanna 118, Oristano 101, Quartu 100, Villaurbana 82, Sinnai 76, etc. in the peninsula it is Milan with 300, to have the highest number; follow: Rome 151, Turin 123, Trieste 114, etc. The last name Zucca is also present in 25 American States (USA), with greater diffusion in the States of New York, California, Florida"

Heraldic Search Last name: ZUCCOTTI (heraldrysinstitute.com)

https://www.heraldrysinstitute.com/lang/en/ricerca/?search=ZUCCOTTI

Zuccotti Park (formerly Liberty Plaza Park) is a 33,000-square-foot (3,100 m2) publicly accessible park in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan, New York City. It is located in a privately owned public space (POPS) controlled by Brookfield Properties[1][2] and Goldman Sachs. Zuccotti Park is bounded by Broadway to the east, Liberty Street to the north, Trinity Place to the west, and Cedar Street to the south.

The park was created in 1968 by Pittsburgh-based United States Steel, after the property owners negotiated its creation with city officials. It was named Liberty Plaza Park because it was situated one block south of One Liberty Plaza. The park's northwest corner is across the street from Four World Trade Center. It has been popular with local tourists and financial workers.

The park was heavily damaged in the September 11 attacks and subsequent recovery efforts of 2001. The plaza was later used as the site of several events commemorating the anniversary of the attacks. After renovations in 2006, the park was renamed by its current owners, Brookfield Properties, after company chairman John Zuccotti. In 2011, the plaza became the site of the Occupy Wall Street protest camp, during which activists occupied the plaza and used it as a staging ground for their protests throughout the Financial District."

Zuccotti Park - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zuccotti_Park

The MITRE Corp. is a major defense contracting organization headed by the former Director of Central Intelligence (DCI), Dr. James Rodney Schlesinger. Schlesinger, who was reportedly made DCI at the request of Henry Kissinger in 1973, later served as Secretary of Defense.

Schlesinger, a former director of strategic studies at the RAND Corp., was described in a 1973 biography as a "devout Lutheran," although he was born in New York in 1929 to immigrant Jewish parents from Austria and Russia. Schlesinger earned three degrees from Harvard University. Schlesinger's father, an accountant, founded the accounting firm Schlesinger & Haas, and was a trustee and chairman of the budget of the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue. His father was also a member of the New York State Grand Lodge of Masons.

The MITRE Corp., of which Schlesinger is chairman of the board of trustees, is connected to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), MIT's Lincoln Laboratory, and Mitretek Systems of Falls Church, Va.

Schlesinger is a senior advisor for the Lehman Brothers investment firm and a member of the Defense Policy Board and advisory council for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The MITRE Corp. has provided computer and information technology to the FAA and the U.S. Air Force since the late 1950's. MITRE is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) for the Dept. of Defense, the FAA, and the Internal Revenue Service.

The chairman of the board of trustees of Mitretek Systems, a spin-off of MITRE Corp., is Martin R. Hoffmann, who served as Secretary of the Army when the "perfect terrorist plan" was reportedly prepared in 1976.

MITRE's Command, Control, Communications, and Intelligence (C3I) FFRDC for the Dept. of Defense was established in 1958. The C3I "supports a broad and diverse set of sponsors within the Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community. These include the military departments, defense and intelligence agencies, the combatant commands, and elements of both the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff," according to MITRE's website.

"Information systems technology," it says, "coupled with domain knowledge, underpin the work of the C3I FFRDC."

The U.S. Air Force maintains its Electronic Systems Center (ESC) at the Hanscom AFB in Bedford, Mass. The ESC manages the development and acquisition of electronic command and control (C2) systems used by the Air Force."

MITRE's Bedford headquarters are located near Boston's Logan airport where the two planes that struck the World Trade Center supposedly originated. Bedford lies directly under the flight path of westbound flights leaving Logan.

MITRE developed the technology "to aid controllers in solving problems while keeping aircraft close to their route, altitude, and speed preferences." Shearman was unable to say why the MITRE technology apparently failed on 9/11.

Indira Singh, an "IT consultant" who previously worked on a Defense Advanced Research Project, and who was employed by J.P. Morgan on 9/11, in risk management, pointed to MITRE's role at the FAA during the 9/11 Citizens' Commission hearings in New York last September.

"Ptech was with MITRE Corporation in the basement of the FAA for two years prior to 9/11," Singh said. "Their specific job is to look at interoperability issues the FAA had with NORAD and the Air Force in the case of an emergency. If anyone was in a position to know that the FAA - that there was a window of opportunity or to insert software or to change anything - it would have been Ptech along with MITRE."

A representative of Ptech could not be reached. [Ptech appears to have been a Mossad front company created to provide insecure Trojan Horse software to the U.S. military and intelligence agencies. Ptech has the typical Arab owners and financiers - and Mossad operators.]"

Is MITRE Corp. The Trojan Horse of 9/11?

By Christopher Bollyn, American Free Press

1 April 2005

Is MITRE Corp. The Trojan Horse of 9/11? (facts-are-facts.com)

https://www.facts-are-facts.com/news/is-mitre-corp-the-trojan-horse-of-9-11-

The mitre (Commonwealth English) (/ˈmaɪtər/; Greek: μίτρα 'headband' or 'turban') or miter (American English; see spelling differences) is a type of headgear now known as the traditional, ceremonial headdress of bishops and certain abbots in traditional Christianity. Mitres are worn in the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Churches, the Anglican Communion, some Lutheran churches, for important ceremonies, by the Metropolitan of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, and also, in the Catholic Church, all cardinals, whether or not bishops, and some Eastern Orthodox archpriests."

Mitre - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitre

Here is the schedule for Pope Francis' September 2015 Apostolic Journey to the United States of America as released by the Vatican on June 30, 2015. All times listed are Eastern Daylight Time.

Tuesday, September 22 (Washington, DC)

4:00 p.m. Arrival from Cuba at Joint Base Andrews

Wednesday, September 23 (Washington, DC)

9:15 a.m. Welcome ceremony and meeting with President Obama at the White House

11:00 a.m. Papal Parade along the Ellipse and the National Mall (time approximate)

11:30 a.m. Midday Prayer with the bishops of the United States, St. Matthew's Cathedral

4:15 p.m. Mass of Canonization of Junipero Serra, Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

Thursday, September 24 (Washington, DC, New York City)

9:20 a.m. Address to Joint Meeting of the United States Congress

11:15 a.m. Visit to St. Patrick in the City and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington

4:00 p.m. Depart from Joint Base Andrews

5:00 p.m. Arrival at John F. Kennedy International Airport

6:45 p.m. Evening Prayer (Vespers) at St. Patrick's Cathedral

Friday, September 25 (New York City)

8:30 a.m. Visit to the United Nations and Address to the United Nations General Assembly

11:30 a.m. Multi-religious service at 9/11 Memorial and Museum, World Trade Center

4:00 p.m. Visit to Our Lady Queen of Angels School, East Harlem

5:00 p.m. Procession through Central Park (time approximate)

6:00 p.m. Mass at Madison Square Garden

Saturday, September 26 (New York City, Philadelphia)

8:40 a.m. Departure from John F. Kennedy International Airport

9:30 a.m. Arrival at Atlantic Aviation, Philadelphia

10:30 a.m. Mass at Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul, Philadelphia

4:45 p.m. Visit to Independence Mall

7:30 p.m. Visit to the Festival of Families Benjamin Franklin Parkway

Sunday, September 27 (Philadelphia)

9:15 a.m. Meeting with bishops at St. Martin's Chapel, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary

11:00 a.m. Visit to Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility

4:00 p.m. Mass for the conclusion of the World Meeting of Families, Benjamin Franklin Parkway

7:00 p.m. Visit with organizers, volunteers and benefactors of the World Meeting of Families, Atlantic Aviation

8:00 p.m. Departure for Rome "

Schedule: 2015 Apostolic Journey of Pope Francis to the United States of America | USCCB

https://www.usccb.org/offices/general-secretariat/schedule-2015-apostolic-journey-pope-francis-united-states-america

Ultramontanism was a school of thought of the Catholic Church which promoted supreme papal authority in matters of spirituality and governance. Ultramontanism rejected modern ideals in favour of the supremacy of Catholicism and the Catholic Church in public life. This school of thought was particularly influent in the French-Canadian society during the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century.

Origins

In Canada and in Europe — mainly in France, where ultramontanism appeared during the Middle Ages and grew rapidly during the French Revolution —, its supporters criticized the separation of Church and state, as well as what they considered manifestations of modern liberalism. They pushed for the supremacy of the Catholic Church in both civil and religious matters. This school of thought was mainly characterized by its attachment to the Holy See’s authority and, as of 1870, by its faith in the Pope’s infallibility. The term “ultramontane” meant, literally, “beyond the mountains,” because the French Ultramontanes believed in the supremacy of the Vatican — which is located beyond the mountains of the Alps — over the local clergy.

Ultramontanism was adopted in Canada in the 1820s, first in the Saint-Hyacinthe seminary under the strong influence of French priest Félicité de Lamennais, then in Montreal under that of its first Catholic bishop, Jean-Jacques Lartigue. The latter opposed the Gallican ideas and fought for the freedom of the Church and for religious supremacy in matters of education. His successor, Monseigneur Ignace Bourget, led the triumph of ultramontane ideas in all fields (theology, education, relations between Church and state, etc.) in Montreal and made them a major, albeit contested, part of the Catholic world in Canada.

Ideological Split

Ultramontanism grew strong in Canada, but faced a split at the end of the 1860s, following the Guibord Affair. Monseigneur Bourget, followed by Monseigneur Louis-François Laflèche, represented a group of extreme Ultramontanes who were more active within political institutions. This group fought for the immediate application of ultramontane principles, namely the Church’s supreme power over education matters, the reform of laws under canon law and the introduction of episcopate monitoring of civil legislation. Moderate Ultramontanes, like Joseph-Sabin Raymond, to whom the extremists referred as liberals, wished for a more prudent application of the Ultramontane principles and for compromise where necessary.

The extremists engaged conservative journalists and politicians, who advocated for a Catholic election platform as early as 1871 with the goal of guaranteeing the supremacy of the Church over politics. Over the following years, the extremists and supporters of the election platform led an anti-liberal crusade, which resulted in the creation of the Castors (“Beavers”) in 1882.

Influence

Ultramontanism dominated philosophy and theology teachings in small and large seminaries, the social doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church in Canada and several bishop directives from the second half of the 19th century until the 1950s.

Ultramontanist thought guided the ideals of important French Canadian nationalists who desired a self-sufficient society governed by the Church. The movement had a significant influence over the French-Canadian society and Maurice Duplessis’ reign as premier of Quebec. Ultramontanism fed traditional and conservative tendencies within the French-Canadian society, until the Quiet Revolution and the Second Vatican Council put an end to this influence.

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/ultramontanism

Brownies are the section in the Girl Guides (or in the United States, Girl Scouts) organisation for girls aged seven years old to ten years old.[1] Exact age limits are slightly different in each organisation.

History

Brownies, originally called Rosebuds,[2] were first organised by Lord Baden-Powell in 1914 to complete the range of age groups for girls in Scouting. They were first run as the youngest group in the Guide Association by Agnes Baden-Powell, Lord Baden-Powell's younger sister. In 1918, his wife, Lady Olave Baden-Powell, took over the responsibility for the Girl Guides and thus for Brownies.

Originally, the girls were called Rosebuds, but were renamed by Lord Baden-Powell after they complained that they did not like their name. Their name comes from the story "The Brownies" by Juliana Horatia Ewing, written in 1870. In the story, two children, Tommy and Betty, learn that children can be helpful brownies instead of being lazy boggarts.

In November 2022, the Girl Guides in Canada announced by January 2023 that they would rename this section of Guides, as it was deemed "a barrier to racialised girls and women" and to be more inclusive.[3] In January 2023, the name Brownies was changed to Embers.[4]

Italy

In some scouting associations in Italy, the term was maintained and extended to boys, coexisting with Wolf Cubs.

United Kingdom

A Brownies field trip at Ellesmere in 1954

In the United Kingdom, Brownies were originally called Rosebuds.[2] Rosebuds was started in 1914 and was originally for girls aged 8–11. Rosebuds was renamed to Brownies in 1915.[2] In 1937 Princess Margaret became the first royal Brownie.[5]

Brownies is the second youngest section of Girlguiding in the UK, catering for girls aged 7–10. A group of Brownies who meet together is called a unit.[6] Brownies work in small groups called sixes: each six is named after either fairies or woodland creatures. A six is led by a Sixer and has a Second who acts as deputy. The Brownie programme is called the Brownie Adventure. It is split into 3 parts:[7] you, community, world.

Girlguiding UK launched a renewed programme in the summer of 2018, which consists of six themes that all sections work on at different levels. Brownies gain theme awards by working on specific skills, completing activities in unit meetings and interest badges. The themes encompass adventures, social awareness, history, creativity and developing skills such as first aid and life skills.

Before the major programme update there were 57 interest badges for Brownies. These could be done in meetings with the unit or at home or in clubs such as swimming. Brownies could also work towards Adventure badges which were gained over a period of time and required girls to complete many different activities.

There are a few Brownie songs that some packs sing at the beginning of the meeting:

Come let us make a Brownie ring, a Brownie Ring a Brownie Ring

Come let us make a Brownie Ring, we hear our Brown Owl Calling.

Under the Brownie bridge we go, bridge we go, bridge we go

Under the Brownie bridge we go, because we are the..... (name of six is entered)

This is usually sung as each six skips under the brownie bridge and into the circle. It is often followed by the next song:

We're Brownie Guides, we're Brownie Guides

We're here to lend a hand

To love our God and serve our king

And to help our homes and land

We're Brownie friends, we're Brownie friends

In North, South, East and West

We're joined together in our wish

To try to do our best

There are slight variations of the songs.

Some packs also sing one of the traditional songs to end a meeting, to the tune of the Cambridge Chimes:

O Lord, our God

Thy children call

Grant us Thy peace

And bless us all

Good-night

The UK headquarters of Guides and Brownies is on Buckingham Palace Road in London.[8]

Motto, Promise and Law

Australia

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In Australia (where girls of all ages are now called Girl Guides) the Guiding Promise is:

I promise that I will do my best,

To be true to myself and develop my beliefs,

To serve my community and Australia,

and live by the Guide law.

Prior to 2012, the Promise was:

I promise that I will do my best;

To do my duty to God,

To serve the Queen and my country

To help other people

and keep the Guide law.

The Brownie Guide Law, prior to 1996, was:

A Brownie Guide thinks of others before herself and should do a good turn every day.

The Brownie Promise 1990:

I promise to do my best, to do my duty to God, to serve my Queen & my country, to help other people and to do a good deed every day.

Motto 1990: "Be prepared."

The Brownie Guide Motto, prior to 1996, was:

Lend a hand

The Guide Law, Promise and Motto, which are followed by all ages of the guiding movement after 1996, are the Laws, Promise and Motto relating to the guide age group.

Canada

Brownie uniforms from Canada from the 2000s

In Girl Guides of Canada, the Brownie Promise is:[9]

I promise to do my best,

To be true to myself, my beliefs and Canada,

I will take action for a better world,

And respect the Brownie Law.

The Canadian Brownie Law is:

As a Brownie I am honest and kind. I help take care of the world around me.

The Canadian Brownie Motto is:

Lend a Hand

Old Promise:

The old Brownie Promise is from the 1950s

I promise to do my best,

To do my duty to God and the Queen [or "to God, the Queen, and my country"]

To help other people every day, especially those at home.

The English Brownie Law is:

A brownie guide thinks of others before herself and does a good turn every day.

The English Brownie Motto is:

"Lend A Hand" (LAH)

On 2023, the term Brownies was changed to Embers over concerns the name was racist.[4]

Hong Kong

In Hong Kong, the Brownie Promise is:

I will promise to do my best,

To be true to myself,

To my God, and my country, and the country in which I live,

To help others and to keep the Brownie Guide Law.

The Law is:

As a Brownie Guide,

I will care for my home, my community and myself.

I will do a good turn every day.

Ireland

In Ireland, the Brownie Promise is:

I promise to do my best,

To do my duty to my God and my country,

To help those at home everyday,

And to obey the Brownie Guide Law.

The word 'God' can be replaced by the word 'faith' according to one's spiritual beliefs.[10]

The Irish Brownie Motto is:

Lend a Hand

Singapore

The Singaporean Brownie Promise is:

I promise to do my best, to do my duty to God, to serve my country, and help other people, and to keep the Brownie Law.

The Singaporean Brownie Law is:

A brownie obeys and respect her elders.

A brownie thinks of others before herself.

A brownie tells the truth.

A brownie is neat and tidy.

A brownie is thrifty.

A brownie plays and works cheerfully.

The Singaporean Brownie Motto is: Lend a hand

United Kingdom

An idealistic scene from the 1930s illustrating historic costumes: Bekonscot model village

In the United Kingdom, the Brownie Promise is:

I promise that I will do my best:

To be true to myself and develop my beliefs,

To serve the King and my community,

To help other people

and

To keep the Brownie Guide Law.

After a wide public consultation in spring 2013, the promise wording was changed for all sections.

The Brownie promise before September 2013 was:

I promise that I will do my best:

To love my God,

To serve The Queen and my country

To help other people,

And to keep the Brownie Guide Law.

The Brownie Guide Law is:

A Brownie Guide thinks of others before herself and does a good turn every day.

The Brownie Guide Motto used to be "Lend a hand" (LAH). With the introduction of the new programme in the United Kingdom, the motto was dropped for Brownies.

United States

In the United States, Brownies use the same Promise and Law as the other age groups of the Girl Scouts of the USA.[11]

Girl Scout Promise:

On my honor, I will try:

To serve God and my country,

To help people at all times,

And to live by the Girl Scout Law.[11]

Girl Scout Law:

I will do my best to be

honest and fair,

friendly and helpful,

considerate and caring,

courageous and strong, and

responsible for what I say and do,

and to

respect myself and others,

respect authority,

use resources wisely,

make the world a better place, and

be a sister to every Girl Scout.[11]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brownies_(Scouting)

Kim Jong Un[d] (born 8 January 1982, 1983 or 1984)[b] is a North Korean politician and dictator who has been the third supreme leader of North Korea since 2011 and general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) since 2012.[e] He is the third son of Kim Jong Il, who was the second supreme leader of North Korea, and a grandson of Kim Il Sung, the founder and first supreme leader of the country.

From late 2010, Kim was viewed as the successor to the North Korean leadership. Following his father's death in December 2011, state television announced Kim as the "great successor to the revolutionary cause". Kim holds the titles of General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and President of the State Affairs. He is also a member of the Presidium of the WPK Politburo, the highest decision-making body in the country. In July 2012, Kim was promoted to the highest rank of marshal in the Korean People's Army, consolidating his positions as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces and Chairman of the Central Military Commission. North Korean state media often refer to him as "Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un" or "Marshal Kim Jong Un". He has promoted the policy of byungjin, similar to Kim Il Sung's policy from the 1960s, referring to the simultaneous development of both the economy and the country's nuclear weapons program. He has also revived the structures of the WPK, expanding the party's power at the expense of the military leadership.

Kim Jong Un rules North Korea as a totalitarian dictatorship, and his leadership has followed the same cult of personality as his father and grandfather. In 2014, a United Nations Human Rights Council report suggested that Kim could be put on trial for crimes against humanity. According to reports, he has ordered the purge and execution of several North Korean officials including his uncle, Jang Song-thaek, in 2013. He is also widely believed to have ordered the assassination of his half-brother, Kim Jong-nam, in Malaysia in 2017. He has presided over an expansion of the consumer economy, construction projects and tourist attractions in North Korea.

Kim expanded the country's nuclear weapons program, which led to heightened tensions with the United States and South Korea, as well as China. In 2018 and 2019, Kim took part in summits with South Korean president Moon Jae-in and U.S. president Donald Trump, leading to a brief thaw between North Korea and the two countries, though the negotiations ultimately broke down without progress on reunification of Korea or nuclear disarmament. He has claimed success in combating the COVID-19 pandemic in North Korea, as the country did not report any confirmed cases until May 2022, although several independent observers have questioned this claim. Under his rule, North Korean soldiers have been deployed under Russian command in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Early life

North Korean authorities and state-run media have stated that Kim Jong Un was born on 8 January 1982,[4] but South Korean intelligence officials believe that the actual date is a year later, in 1983.[5] The US government lists his birth year as 1984, based on the passport he used while studying in Switzerland.[6] Ko Yong Suk, Kim's aunt who defected to the United States in 1997 also confirmed the 1984 birthdate, claiming that Kim was the same age as her own son who was a playmate from a young age.[7] It is thought that Kim's official birth year was changed for symbolic reasons; 1982 marked the seventieth birthday of his grandfather Kim Il Sung, and forty years after the official birth of his father Kim Jong Il.[8]

Kim Jong Un is the second of three children of Ko Yong Hui and Kim Jong Il; his elder brother, Kim Jong Chul, was born in 1981, while his younger sister, Kim Yo Jong, is believed to have been born in 1987.[9][10] He is a grandson of Kim Il Sung, who was the founder of and led North Korea from its establishment in 1948 until his death in 1994.[11] Kim is the first leader of North Korea to have been born a North Korean citizen, his father having been born in the Soviet Union and his grandfather having been born during the Japanese colonial period.

All of Kim Jong Il's children are said to have lived in Switzerland, as well as the mother of the two youngest sons, who lived in Geneva for some time.[12] First reports said that Kim Jong Un attended the private International School of Berne in Gümligen in Switzerland under the name "Chol-pak" or "Pak-chol" from 1993 to 1998.[13][14] He was described as shy, a good student who got along well with his classmates, and was a basketball fan.[15] He was chaperoned by an older student, thought to be his bodyguard.[16] His elder brother Kim Jong Chul also attended the school with him.[17]

The Liebefeld-Steinhölzli public school in Köniz, Switzerland, reportedly attended by Kim Jong Un

Later, it was reported that Kim Jong Un attended the Liebefeld Steinhölzli state school in Köniz, near Bern, under the name "Pak-un" or "Un-pak" from 1998 until 2000 as the son of an employee of the North Korean embassy in Bern. Authorities confirmed that a North Korean student attended the school during that period. Kim first attended a special class for foreign-language children and later attended the regular classes of the 6th, 7th, 8th and part of the final 9th year, leaving the school abruptly in the autumn of 2000. He was described as a well-integrated and ambitious student who liked to play basketball.[18] However, his grades and attendance rating are reported to have been poor.[19][20] The ambassador of North Korea in Switzerland, Ri Chol, had a close relationship with him and acted as a mentor.[12] One of Kim's classmates told reporters that he had told him that he was the son of the leader of North Korea.[21][22] According to some reports, Kim was described by classmates as a shy child who was awkward with girls and indifferent to political issues, but who distinguished himself in sports and had a fascination with the American National Basketball Association and Michael Jordan. One friend claimed that he had been shown pictures of Kim with Kobe Bryant and Toni Kukoč.[23]

In April 2012, new documents came to light indicating that Kim Jong Un had lived in Switzerland since 1991 or 1992, earlier than previously thought.[24]

The Laboratory of Anatomic Anthropology at the University of Lyon, France, compared the picture of Kim taken at the Liebefeld Steinhölzli school in 1999 with a picture of Kim Jong Un from 2012 and concluded that the faces show a conformity of 95%, suggesting that it is most likely that they are the same person.[25]

The Washington Post reported in 2009 that Kim Jong Un's school friends recalled he "spent hours doing meticulous pencil drawings of Chicago Bulls superstar Michael Jordan".[26] He was obsessed with basketball and computer games,[23][27][28] and was a fan of Jackie Chan action movies.[29]

Most analysts agree that Kim Jong Un attended Kim Il Sung University, a leading officer-training school in Pyongyang, from 2002 to 2007.[30] Kim obtained two degrees, one in physics at Kim Il Sung University and another as an Army officer at the Kim Il Sung Military University.[31][32]

In late February 2018, Reuters reported that Kim and his father had used forged passports—supposedly issued by Brazil and dated 26 February 1996—to apply for visas in various countries. Both 10-year passports carry a stamp saying "Embassy of Brazil in Prague". Kim Jong Un's passport records the name "Josef Pwag" and a date of birth of 1 February 1983.[33]

For many years, only one confirmed photograph of him was known to exist outside North Korea, apparently taken in the mid-1990s, when he was eleven.[34] Occasionally, other supposed images of him surfaced but were often disputed.[35][36] It was only in June 2010, shortly before he was given official posts and publicly introduced to the North Korean people, that more pictures were released of Kim, taken when he was attending school in Switzerland.[37][38] The first official image of him as an adult was a group photograph released on 30 September 2010, at the end of the party conference that effectively anointed him, in which he is seated in the front row, two places from his father. This was followed by newsreel footage of him attending the conference.[39]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Jong_Un

Switzerland - The Oligarchy Strongbox

During the course of nine months, from September 1814 to June 1815, the crowned heads and their renowned diplomats had redrawn the map of Europe. They were not, however, secure in what they had accomplished. Although they scorned the theories of democratic government and opposed the doctrines of national self-determination, they feared the principles of the French Revolution. Not only had the Revolution endangered their sovereignty, it had compromised their wealth as well. The final agenda at the Congress was to remedy that problem.

The House of Rothschild had in the past played a significant role in the transport and protection of royalty's wealth, but in 1815 their banks were not in neutral nations. A nonpartisan location was needed to satisfy all parties. Austria was not acceptable. Moreover, the Merovingians were insecure in their remote headquarters in Vienna. Should the Templar Republicans revive, territory closer to the French border was more desirable for intelligence gathering. Switzerland had proven its strategic worth earlier. When the Big Four were closing in on Napoleon, Metternich had shifted Austrian imperial headquarters from Vienna to Freiburg, Switzerland, to better organize at close range his defense against the Corsican.66 Hence, the decision was made at the Congress of Vienna to create Switzerland as a bank with an army attached.67 Should the revolutions ever again regain momentum, and royalty be exiled from their respective lands, neutral Switzerland would protect them, as well as supply them with ample funds to live several lifetimes in luxury.

England, not hampered by the fears of the Venetian oligarchy and determined to safeguard her commercial and colonial interests, was fully agreed to ratify the neutrality of Switzerland. Before any financial moves were made, however, London required Swiss Grand Orients closed and replaced with Swiss Grand Lodges with English obedience. Only then would England cooperate.

In Paris on November 20, 1815, Switzerland's neutrality was guaranteed by France, Austria, Great Britain, Portugal, Prussia, Sweden, and Russia. A century later, in 1919, at the Treaty of Versailles, neutrality was again confirmed. In 1920 the League of Nations acknowledged Switzerland as "conditioned by a centuries-old tradition explicitly incorporated in international law."68 The tradition of Swiss neutrality was again upheld from 1935 to 1945 - even while war raged around its borders.

The Congress of Vienna adjourned on June 18, 1815. Two days earlier Napoleon had been defeated at Waterloo. Over the next few decades the oligarchy's Grail bloodline moved their financial headquarters from Vienna to Zurich, Switzerland. Immediately they went to work absorbing the French Grand Orient Lodges, placing them under English Masonic obedience. Thirty-second degree Mason A.E. Waite, in A New Encyclopaedia of Freemasonry, gives us a century of history concerning the Masonic maneuvers in Switzerland. He reports that Swiss Freemasonry was founded by the British as early as 1736. In 1775 the Swiss lodges transferred their allegiance from English Masonry to the German Strict Observance. Under Napoleon the French Grand Orient invaded Switzerland, and a certain number of existing lodges came under its obedience. Geneva was ceded to France during the wars of Napoleon, and Swiss Masonry then became an appendage of the French Grand Orient. In 1818, as demanded by London, English Masonic obedience began to replace the Grand Orients, except in Geneva where the aristocracy permitted one Grand Orient Lodge to function.69

By 1844 fourteen lodges in Switzerland had united under English obedience, agreed to a Grand Lodge Constitution, and organized the Grand Lodge Alpina in Zurich.70 Within a few decades Alpina headquarters moved to Geneva, next to its Grand Orient rival. From these two lodges, both within a neutral nation, both headquartered in the same city, Scarlet and the Beast would continue to plot their separate intrigues to dominate the world. From Geneva both the right wing and the left wing revolutions would spread over the face of the earth. In Geneva both would unite a century later.

Scarlet and the Beast

by John Daniel

https://ia803001.us.archive.org/28/items/ScarletAndTheBeastJohnDaniel1995/Scarlet%20and%20the%20Beast,%20John%20Daniel%20(1995).pdf

The Pontifical Swiss Guard,[note 1] also known as the Papal Swiss Guard or simply Swiss Guard,[3] is an armed forces, guard of honour, and protective security unit, maintained by the Holy See to protect the Pope and the Apostolic Palace within the territory of the Vatican City State. Established in 1506 under Pope Julius II, it is among the oldest military units in continuous operation[4] and is sometimes called "the world's smallest army".[3]

The Swiss Guard is recognised by its Renaissance-era dress uniform, consisting of a tunic striped in red, dark blue, and yellow; high plumed helmet; and traditional weapons such as the halberd. Guardsmen perform their protective duties in functional attire and with modern firearms. Since the assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II in 1981, the Guard has placed greater emphasis on its nonceremonial roles and has sought more training in anti-irregular military counterintelligence, commando-style raids, counter-sniper tactics, counterterrorism, close-quarters battle, defusing and disposal of bombs, executive protection, hostage rescue, human intelligence, medical evacuation, reconnaissance, tactical driving, tactical medical services, and tactical fast shooting by small arms.

The Swiss Guard is considered an elite military unit. It is highly selective in its recruitment: candidates must be unmarried Swiss Catholic males between 19 and 30 years of age and at least 5 feet 8.5 inches (1.74 meters), who have completed basic training with the Swiss Armed Forces and hold a professional diploma or high school degree.[5][6] As of 2024, there were 135 members.[7]

The Swiss Guard's security mission extends to the Pope's apostolic travels, the pontifical palace of Castel Gandolfo, and the College of Cardinals when the papal throne is vacant. Though the Guard serve as watchmen of Vatican City, the overall security and law enforcement of the city-state is conducted by the Corps of Gendarmerie of Vatican City, which is a separate body.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_Guard

Operation Warp Speed (OWS) was a public–private partnership initiated by the United States government to facilitate and accelerate the development, manufacturing, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics.[1][2] The first news report of Operation Warp Speed was on April 29, 2020,[3][4][5] and the program was officially announced on May 15, 2020.[1] It was headed by Moncef Slaoui from May 2020 to January 2021 and by David A. Kessler from January to February 2021.[6] At the end of February 2021, Operation Warp Speed was transferred into the responsibilities of the White House COVID-19 Response Team.[7]

The program promoted mass production of multiple vaccines, and different types of vaccine technologies, based on preliminary evidence, allowing for faster distribution if clinical trials confirm one of the vaccines is safe and effective.[citation needed] The plan anticipated that some of these vaccines will not prove safe or effective, making the program more costly than typical vaccine development, but potentially leading to the availability of a viable vaccine several months earlier than typical timelines.[8]

Operation Warp Speed, initially funded with about $10 billion from the CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) passed by the United States Congress on March 27, 2020,[1] was an interagency program that includes components of the Department of Health and Human Services, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health, and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA); the Department of Defense; private firms; and other federal agencies, including the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.[1]

History

President Donald Trump formally announced Operation Warp Speed on May 15, 2020, in the White House Rose Garden.

On May 15, 2020, President Donald Trump officially announced the public-private partnership.[4][1][9] The purpose of Operation Warp Speed was to coordinate Health and Human Services-wide efforts, including the NIH ACTIV partnership for vaccine and therapeutic development, the NIH RADx initiative for diagnostic development, and work by BARDA.[1]

Operation Warp Speed was formed to encourage private and public partnerships to enable faster approval and production of vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic.[2] The name was inspired by terminology for faster-than-light travel used in the Star Trek fictional universe, evoking a sense of rapid progress.[10][11]

The Food and Drug Administration announced on June 30, 2020, that a vaccine would need to be at least 50% effective for diminishing the severity of COVID-19 symptoms to obtain regulatory and marketing approval.[12]

In January 2021, White House press secretary Jen Psaki announced that the program was expected to undergo a restructure and renaming under the Biden administration.[13][14] Also in January 2021, Dr. Moncef Slaoui, former Operation Warp Speed lead, was told not to use the name Operation Warp Speed anymore.[15] At the end of February 2021, responsibilities of Operation Warp Speed were transferred into the White House COVID-19 Response Team.[7][16]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Warp_Speed

Lieutenant Harry S.L. Kim was a Human Starfleet officer who served as the operations officer aboard the starship USS Voyager during the seven years it was lost in the Delta Quadrant and, in the 2380s, he served as a tactical officer aboard the USS Dauntless. (VOY: "Caretaker", "Non Sequitur", "The Disease", "Warhead", "Nightingale": PRO: "Supernova, Part 1")

https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Harry_Kim

The Final Coup

Can anyone doubt that Freemasonry, specifically English Freemasonry, is behind the recent

break-up of the Soviet Union? From the moment Kerensky's democratic government was ousted

by the Bolsheviks, London backed the White Russian counterrevolution. When the atrocities of

the Red Terror were exposed, London was strengthened in her resolve to topple the Soviet

Union.

The seriousness of the situation in the Soviet Union was brought to light by Admiral "Blinker"

Hall, head of British naval intelligence. Hall informed his colleagues at the end of World War I

427

that the "most durable monster Western intelligence has ever faced had surfaced in Moscow....

Therefore, it was not only necessary to discover the other side's secrets but to protect our own

from disciples of communism, one of whom could well be the colleague beside you."135

In the early 1920s, the British Special Intelligence Service (SIS) made its first attempt to break

up the Soviet Union. They nearly succeeded. The plot called for an uprising of the bodyguards of

the communist leaders, who would seize Lenin and Trotsky. (The plot also included the

assassination of Lenin if the occasion arose, which it did, but failed.)

British agents would then establish a provisional anti-communist government. However, agents

loyal to the communists penetrated the operation, and the whole plot fell apart. Phillip Knightley,

author of The Master Spy (1989), said that the CHEKA, realizing a formidable foe in the SIS,

from that moment planned "the long-term.. .Soviet penetration of Western intelligence... "136

When Hitler rose to power, London made a second attempt to destroy the Soviet Union by

pushing Nazi Germany east to war with Russia (see chapter 22). Having failed to topple the

Soviet Union with Hitler, London continued her objective. "The Final Coup" was well thought

out and took 59 years to perfect.

The most brilliant intelligence operation to topple a nation involved English Freemasonry, the

KGB and a man named Kim Philby, one of England's senior intelligence officers in MI-6

(Mission Impossible, department 6). As a young man, Philby was groomed for the task by his

father, Freemason St.-John Philby. The senior Philby was the British intelligence specialist in the

Arabian peninsula for forty years following the Bolshevik Revolution. He assisted in setting up

Masonic Lodges throughout Arabic speaking nations.137 Although there is no record that young

Philby joined Freemasonry (and he stated he had not), his father taught him free-thinking.

Moreover, he was educated at Cam-bridge, a college rife with secret societies, including

Freemasonry. There he learned the politics of the intellectual Left and became a communist

during the Third International, but never joined the Party. When he graduated in June 1933, he

went to Vienna under orders from the French Communist Party, which was headquartered in the

Grand Orient at Paris.138

When Philby knew all there was to know about the enemy, he was hired by British intelligence

as a correspondent and in 1939 sent to Spain to observe the communist revolution in progress

there. No one knows for sure when, or if, he was "recruited" by the KGB, but he did give away

secrets. The secrets he gave to his controller, however, were miniscule compared to those he

never revealed, such as operation "Ultra" during World War II. (Ultra was the code name given

to information gathered through deciphering German signal traffic produced by the radio

enciphering machine known as "Enigma.")139

After the War, Philby was given permission by British intelligence to try the "full double." He

was so instructed: "If an opportunity arises to convince the Russian intelligence service that you

are willing to betray your own service and work for the other side, then you have permission to

428

seize it."140

In 1949 Philby was sent to Washington as Great Britain's SIS representative in the United States,

working in liaison with the CIA and the FBI. By the time he left Washington to return to

London, no other British intelligence officer was as well equipped to perform "The Final Coup"

on Soviet Russia.

When he returned to London, Philby began to develop his cover that would make the KGB

believe he was a Soviet double agent. In 1952 two British SIS agents, Donald Maclean and Guy

Burgess, defected to Russia. Philby was suspected of helping them. In 1955, 33rd degree

Freemason J. Edgar Hoover cleared Philby ofinvolvement.141 After this reprieve, Philby was sent

to the Middle East as a correspondent for the London Observer and The Economist. The real

reason for this transfer was to debrief his father. The senior Philby introduced his son to the

entire range of his Middle East contacts. Together, Philby and Philby traveled the Middle East

from 1955 until September 1960, when SL John Philby died.142 The time had come for Kim

Philby's defection.

In January 1963, Philby disappeared while on his way to a diplomatic party in Beirut. In April he

surfaced in Moscow. Shortly thereafter, Khrushchev fell from power. After 1963 the West heard

nothing of Philby, until 1979. That year Western intelligence discovered that Philby had just

been promoted to the rank of General of the KGB. Then in 1980, shocking news came from

London that Kim Philby had never had a KGB controller, that Sir Anthony Blunt had all along

been Philby's intelligence controller for Britain's Royal Court. Translated, this meant that Philby

was a triple-agent, a British intelligence operative disguised as a Soviet double-agent. 143

In the next few years Brezhnev died and each of the next two Soviet leaders, Yuri Andropov and

Konstantin Chernenko, died suddenly and under mysterious circumstances.

When Mikhail Gorbachev came to power, Kim Philby granted an unprecedented interview to

Phillip Knightley, author of The Master Spy. Knightley's conclusion was that "the British had let

him [Philby] go."144 In "The Final Coup," the last chapter of his book, Knightley records Philby's

statement: "In Gorbachev I have a leader who has justified my years of faith."145

What did Philby mean? The policies implemented by Gorbachev dismantled the Soviet Union.

Was Philby involved in this process? Was this his assignment? Did he have something to do with

bringing Gorbachev to power?

In 1984, one year before Gorbachev took office, he travelled to the two Masonic headquarters in

London and Paris, to make a "report." Subsequent events suggest that while on that trip he was

initiated into French Freemasonry. The next year, in 1985, Gorbachev was at the helm of the

Soviet Union. A major Paris daily newspaper, Le Figaro, reported on Gorbachev's intense

interest in Freemasonry. By 1989 reports were coming out of France that Gorbachev was

planning to reopen Masonic lodges inside the Soviet Union and its satellite states. According to

429

Floshpoint (September 1990), a monthly newsletter published by Texe Marrs exposing the most

current developments in the conspiracy, "Both of the top masonic [sic] organizations in France,

the Grand Orient.. .and the Grand Lodge.. .are now working on this high priority project."146

When Freemasonry is permitted to operate within a nation, there will be revolution. The peaceful

demise of the Soviet Union in December 1991 can only be attributed to the activity of these new

lodges established inside Russian borders since 1989. We may never know what intrigue took

place to topple communism, but on December 26, 1991, when Gorbachev voluntarily stepped

down from power, he said in true Masonic terminology, "I hereby discontinue my activities at

the post of president of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. We're now living in a New

World!" 147

In Conclusion

The Russian Revolution occurred in cooperation with English Masonic Socialists, funded by the

House of Rothschild, and in conflict with Grand Orient Communists, funded by the House of

Warburg. English Masonry wanted the Zionists out of Russia in order to establish a Jewish

homeland in Palestine, while French Grand Orient Masonry desired to keep the Zionists within

Russia. Russian Jews, although covertly manipulated by both Gentile Freemasonries, played a

significant role in the two Russian Revolutions of 1917. Even the wealthy Rothschilds and

Warburgs were pawns in the hands of the Priory of Sion and the Gentile Templars. Jews were

used, then abused as scapegoats. Freemasonry went unscathed.

Indeed, the Russian Revolution, the secret conflict it provoked between English and French

Freemasonry, and the financial competition it generated between the Rothschilds and the

Warburgs, was, and still is, only a manifestation of the thousand-year-old struggle between the

Priory of Sion and the Knights Templar.

Scarlet and the Beast

by John Daniel

https://ia803001.us.archive.org/28/items/ScarletAndTheBeastJohnDaniel1995/Scarlet%20and%20the%20Beast,%20John%20Daniel%20(1995).pdf

Protocol 17: The King of the Jews will be the real Pope of the Universe, the patriarch of an international Church.

But, in the meantime, while we are re-educating youth in new traditional religions and afterwards in ours, we shall not overtly lay a finger on existing churches, but we shall fight them by criticism calculated to produce schism....

Notice that "The King of the Jews" will replace the Pope. Jews would not be concerned with replacing the Pope. They do not even recognize the Church. On the other hand, the Priory of Sion used the Catholic Church to build its empire. It was subject to the Roman Church for centuries, but withdrew during the Reformation, and through Free-masonry became adversarial to the Church. Naturally, the Priory would want to call their king "the real Pope of the Universe."

Also, notice the reference to New Age religion. Before the New Age can be perfected, the Protocol states that "criticism" must first divide the Church. This "criticism" is likely the new "Biblical criticism," the sources of which Orthodox Rabbi Marvin Antelman has revealed to us. In his book, To Eliminate The Opiate, he devotes a whole chapter entitled "The Birth of Biblical Criticism" to the subject. He lays Biblical Criticism at the feet of the Frankist-Reform Jews who were protected by illuminated Masonic lodges in Germany. Rabbi Antelman confirms that Biblical criticism did not originate with Orthodox Jews, but rather; was orchestrated by apostate Jews bent on the destruction of Jude~ Christian religion.

Scarlet and the Beast

by John Daniel

https://ia803001.us.archive.org/28/items/ScarletAndTheBeastJohnDaniel1995/Scarlet%20and%20the%20Beast,%20John%20Daniel%20(1995).pdf

Lucky 17, Q and the 'tippy top' White House: How conspiracy theories are being turbo-charged in Donald Trump's America

Donald Trump

World

Thursday 22 November 2018 at 12:01am

Robert Moore

ITV News Correspondent

There are some riddles about America that I never imagined I would have to unravel.

In fact, there are many conspiracy theories that exist in the dark recesses here that I never knew about, even after reporting from the US for more than a decade.

Until recently, I was blissfully unaware of the significance of the number 17 to many Americans.

I had never pondered the letter Q as a political force.

I would have struggled to tell you why thousands of people were exhilarated when Donald Trump used the phrase “tippy top” from the White House balcony.

Today, having spent a month researching and filming American conspiracy theories for a documentary for ITV’s Tonight programme, I feel more informed and more confused at the same time.

I have a better grasp, certainly, of why Americans are drawn to the idea of conspiracies and secret plots.

But as these theories are turbo-charged by the internet, talk radio and social media, I don’t know where it ends.

Does America become increasingly paranoid and suspicious, seeing shadows and threats everywhere, or does it eventually rediscover its equilibrium and return to a belief in reason and science?

Let me explain those riddles.

Q is the name that many Trump-supporting Americans give to the secretive figure they believe exists inside the government, who is helping the president defeat his enemies.

They believe that Q will not only ensure Trump’s survival but that he - or she - will turn the tables and destroy the Democrats and the Deep State.

And since Q is the 17th letter of the alphabet, his followers attach special significance to that number.

In the eyes of Q believers, his credibility was enhanced when a follower asked Q to get President Trump to say “tip top”.

Sure enough, Trump did use those words, although he had used the phrase before and there is no evidence of a link between the president and the Q conspiracy theory.

America has always been awash with such ideas.

From the hysteria of the 17th century Salem witch trials, through to the paranoid McCarthy era, to the JFK assassination and 9/11, there is a direct connection.

All have fuelled Americans’ obsession with conspiracies and raised doubts about whether official explanations are accurate.

But today something much more remarkable has occurred.

Suddenly, the conspiracy theorist-in-chief is on the inside.

He works from the White House. He is the President of the United States of America.

Donald Trump has weaponised conspiracy theories for his own political benefit.

Indeed, he came to political prominence by riding on the back of the Birther Movement, the pernicious lie that claims that Barack Obama was born in Africa and therefore was an illegitimate president.

Whether it is believing votes have been deliberately miscounted in the mid-term elections, or that there is a Deep State conspiracy against him, Trump is playing to the anxiety of millions of Americans who already have a profound distrust of the government and mainstream sources of news.

Many recent acts of violence have been triggered by those who believe in wild conspiracy theories, including most recently the gunman who murdered 11 Jews in a Pittsburgh synagogue.

So there is grave danger ahead if the battle for truth is lost.

In our film, we speak to those who believe passionately in the existence of Q; we hear from those who have been traumatised by conspiracy theorists; and we speak to scientists and intellectuals who are fighting back.

Besieged by talk of Fake News, with a president who portrays much of the media as the Enemy of the People, America is at a crossroads.

https://www.itv.com/news/2018-11-22/lucky-17-q-and-the-tippy-top-president-how-conspiracy-theories-are-being-turbo-charged-into-donald-trumps-america

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Farrakhan

L. D. S. "

The Constitutions of The Society of Jesus and Their Complimentary Norms

A Complete English Translation of the Official Latin Texts

THE INSTITUTE OF JESUIT SOURCES

SAINT LOUIS, 1996

https://web.archive.org/web/20200211182223/https://jesuitas.lat/uploads/the-constitutions-of-the-society-of-jesus-and-their-complementary-norms/Constitutions%20and%20Norms%20SJ%20ingls.pdf

Etymology

Frankish royalty

Clovis I (c. 466 – 511), the first king of the Franks to unite all the Frankish tribes under one ruler

Clovis II (637 – c. 658), king of Neustria and Burgundy

Clovis III (reigned 675–676), the king of Austrasia

Clovis IV (682–695), the sole king of the Franks from 691 until 695

Clovis (died 580), son of Chilperic I and Audovera, assassinated by his father and stepmother

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clovis_(given_name

Name

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carolingian_dynasty

THE CONFLICT: PRIORY OF SION VERSUS KNIGHTS TEMPLAR

Scarlet and the Beast

by John Daniel

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zCd0nFuvnM4OYWuVW5QUBCpsTfBv5bYx/view?usp=sharing

MEANING OF WORD FREEMASONRY

At this point, we must attempt to unravel a mystery, that in proportion, it tends to twist and confuse the mind. The mystery referred to is the origin of the word Freemasonry itself. The first step to understanding, once you get past all the misinformation that abounds, is to keep in mind that the word Masonry, with its initial letter capitalized, is strictly an "allegory" and symbolic figure to masonry, where the initial letter is not capitalized, which simply means, men who are 'builders' in stone; the key thought being builders. In other words, originally, those aristocratic 'free' born men, because of the situation they found themselves, became Free Masons, allegorically speaking, because now they were "builders" of a more noble cause; not in stone, but the Temple of their own Order. There is no other connection between the two words or groups of men. But let's lay this thing out somewhat, so that you may see clearly and logically how this imagery came about. And to see how the same "cover" of Masonry that benefited the Roman Catholic

Templars in England, who were forced into a Protestant situation 'opposing' Catholicism, also became a "cover" for the Roman Catholic Stuarts as French Jacobite Masonry to 'promote' Catholicism.

When the Knights Templar were suppressed, the only way the hunted Templars could continue to stay in contact with each other and help each other was in the darkest secrecy. And the immediate secret society needed to save their lives was already uniquely equipped, since their own Order had functioned for years in secrecy with codes, passwords, and its own spy system. As time evolved, symbolic ritual drama became the means and objective through which future generations could keep the secret society alive and growing, rescuing the Order of the Temple from the cessation ordered for it by king and pope. Claims have been made in passed years, to confuse the scent and trail to Rome, that the Masonic secret society originated with the builders of the first temple of Solomon or medieval guilds of stonemasons in Britain, along with other suggestions even more fanciful, which is sheer nonsense.

We know that the real Temple of Solomon was fully completed and in use for several centuries. Nor is there a shred of factual evidence of any kind of an alliance between stone masons and the Templars after their suppression. The ancient guilds being almost militantly religious, devoutly dedicated to the building business of the Roman Catholic Church, but made up of the common class people, certainly were not inclined to risk being associated and protectors of declared heretics, no matter how much history is twisted to make it appear so. By the decree of the papal Council of Toulouse in 1229, any man who harbored a heretic was to lose his property, his house to be demolished, land to be confiscated by the Church, and both heretics and protectors to be sentenced to death. A pretty mean deterrent, indeed.19

The Templars though, were in fact vigorous and extensive builders, constructing awesome fortresses and castles wherever they went in the world, not to mention the elaborate cathedrals and churches in Europe and Britian. Between 1170 and 1270, approximately 80 cathedrals were constructed in France alone. But the Templars were aristocrats and warriors, making them administrators who 'administered' the Craft of working or

operative mason trade guilds; doing menial labor was unthinkable. But construction being very much the regiment of Templar life, it was only normal to use it in an allegorical sense, to represent it as the unfinished building of their 'own' Order of the Temple of Solomon, the site where they took their name. Then in their rituals to symbolically play out, to always remind them of the treacherous betrayal of their enemies, the king, pope, and Knights Hospitallers, in their unforgivable acts of destroying the Templar Order and murdering their Master.

The Templars, as we have already seen, had taken their name from the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem. The Bible account records that King Solomon hired King Hiram and his men of Tyre to assist him in building the Lord's Temple. Upon that truth, the story and legend the Templars built, which is played out in Freemasonry, is purely allegorical. The Hiramic legend was 'adopted' by the Templars as symbolic of the destruction of their Order. In the drama, the catastrophe they lamented was the catastrophe that destroyed their Order; their impotence to function as an Order and fulfill their Order's purpose. The 'fate' of Hiram Abiff also in the drama of Freemasonry has no Bible support, but instead, the mourning of the murder of Hiram Abiff as the master builder, portrayed the Templars feelings of emotion because their own Master Builder, Jacques de Molay, had barbarously been put to death. Is the picture beginning to come clear? And what was the ultimate goal of the Knights Templar before they were suppressed? The same as Rome's universal name, "Catholic", has always implied a global socialist totalitarian rulership.

OLD BABYLON-LABORATORY FOR GLOBALISM

Let's reflect on that a moment...The concept of a 'world' empire certainly did not originate with the Knights Templar - or even the "Catholic" Church for that matter, or even Rome herself. To the most casual student of Scripture, it must be recognized that the empires that God described in vision given to the prophet Daniel were world empires, encompassing the people in the then known world. The city of Babel, founded by Nimrod, incredible as it seems, became the 'laboratory' which contagiously affected certain minds in all generations with the disease and obsession to dominate over others.

The city of Babel, later to become old Babylon, was the origin and fountainhead of all organized 'higher' learning. They studied the heavens and invented astrology, numerology, and the zodiac; their initiates became "Illumined". It was here that the Babylonian elite developed their Illuminated Mystery Schools into a system of high priest god-kings (Pontifex Maximus) to rule over the masses and what they experimented with in the Babylonian testing ground, was later perfected and refined through practical demonstrations on an ever expanding world. The god-king, Pontifex Maximus, has come down in succession in each world empire since leaving old Babylon, beginning first with Egypt, where the religion was 'internally' perfected in a church-state structure. Then next, the Assyrians perfected the 'external' structure by developing their armed forces into a military machine, the likes the world had never seen before to conquer and militarily 'enforce' that religion. The prophet Daniel was shown, in sequence, the last four world empires coming after Assyria, right to and beyond our own day as: new Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome.

Old Babylon became the 'prototype' that affected and influenced every civilization, of every culture, in every nation, on every continent of this earth- and that includes the civilizations of the so called New World before the Europeans arrived. And the Babylonian Mystery Schools have persisted ever since they were first instituted in old Babylon. They declare themselves the elite of humanity, and have always been found at the apex of power of the priest-king system-hidden, but virtually controlling all. The initiates, when fully "Illumined", always came away with a Plan-a Plan to dominate the world. Global ambitions surely did not begin with Rome, or the Catholic Church, or the Brotherhood of the Snake, or the Roshaniya, or the Assassins, or Knights Templar, or Freemasonry-but they were all certainly a part of that PLAN. And you can believe this: the world today is in the "harvest" time of that PLAN, and will be recognized when very soon now, you will see the Pontifex Maximus ruling from the city the Crusaders were sent to conquer and where the Templars took their name Jerusalem.

RAMSAY'S ORATION-ENERGIZES FRENCH

CATHOLIC FREEMASONRY

The speech of Ramsay became a major historical landmark for Freemasonry. Its motivational purpose and message became quite clear from the results it accomplished. It must be realized that Ramsay's Oration wasn't just a speech given verbally to be later forgotten, but it was published - so that it could be fully assimilated by future readers all over Europe. His speech set forth in a framework, a picture of a 'grand work' that once began, would become global in scope. Ramsay, a well placed Scot, and a Freemason renown for his movements and influence among the Catholic asistocratic elite, captivated and energized his audience with some very astonishing remarks.

Ramsay first got their attention by skillfully flattering their ego and vanity, telling them that the Freemasonic Order descended not from the repulsive common stone masons as English Freemasonry had taught, but great warrior princes and noblemen who, like themselves, aspired to a worthy and noble Catholic Christian cause. "Our ancestors, the Crusaders, gathered together from all parts of Christendom in the Holy land, desired thus to reunite into one sole Fraternity the individuals of all nations", said Ramsay. He also claimed, that the ancient mystery schools of Ceres, Isis, Minerva, and Diana became connected with the Order, but though they may have derived from the mystery schools of antiquity, they were, Ramsay asserted, fervently Christian. Being fervently Christian is a crucial image Rome must convey until she has properly educated and conditioned the world to receive her true Occultic Babylonian nature. But once the grand work of the Babylon Mystery Religion is completed, the curtain of deception will be drawn aside, revealing Catholic Rome for what she really is.

Like anyone trying to promote a falsehood, Rome poses with many masquerades and diversionary tactics to confuse and deceive the world. Her most effective pageantry, we will name "Double Face", unfolds something like this: A personage of great influence within the Catholic Church or Jesuit Order emerges on the public scene, vigorously giving support to some liberal and off-shoot radical teaching. Wide and tremendous public exposure is generated as the controversial issues are declared on one side - while the Church and pope condemning and

excommunicating adherents on the other side. Interestingly though, the advocate, who after many years of work, often a life-time, spreading and planting his controversial seeds, who has been publicly denounced and excommunicated as one who opposes the pure doctrines of the Church-is, just before death, reconciled, forgiven, and warmly received back into the Church of Rome. Years later, the 'radical' teachings now become incorporated as the "pure" doctrines of Rome. Bishop of Ypres, Cornelis Jansen, and his "Jansenists", Andrew Ramsay, Jesuit Adam Weishaupt's Illuminati, Cagliostro, Jesuit George Tyrrell, the Modernist model, and French Jesuit mystic, Teilhard de Chardian, whose brilliant and fascinating theories and speculations while living, launched, after his death, the controversial Liberation Theology-are men whose rumblings are prime examples of Rome's "Other" Face as she moves ever steadily toward 'change' into her true Babylonian Religious role.

The Templars, in their policy of strictest secrecy in order to survive, used Freemasonry as a cover. But Ramsay alludes publicly that the Templars and Freemasonry were one and the same, blowing the Templar cover. He further condemns the English Grand Lodge, as well as other non-Jacobite forms of Freemasonry, as 'heretical, apostate, and republican'. And goes on to say his speech translated by English historian, R.F. Gould, in his 6 volumes, "The History of Freemasonry"...

"The word Freemason must therefore not be taken in a literal, gross, and material sense, as if our founders had been simple workers in stone, or merely curious geniuses who wished to perfect the arts. They were not only skillful architects, desirous of consecrating their talents and goods to the construction of material temples; but also religious and warrior princes who designed to enlighten, edify, and protect the living Temples of the Most High".

The work of the man Ramsay regarded as his mentor, the French liberal mystical Catholic philosopher, Archbishop Francois Fénelon, (whose mystical views were condemned by Rome midst great turmoil, and was forced to submit-another Double Face example) began now to shine forth through his admiring student. In a statement taken almost verbatim from

Fénelon, Ramsay declared: "The world is nothing but a huge republic of which every nation is a family and every individual a child". Ramsay went on: "The interests of the Fraternity shall become those of the whole human race". These statements galvanized and proved enormously influential among later political thinkers, not only in France, but elsewhere in Europe, and the American colonies as well. Ramsay elaborated:

"At the time of the Crusades in Palestine many princes, lords, and citizens associated themselves, and vowed to restore the Temple of the Christians in the Holy Land, and to employ themselves in bringing back their architecture to its first institution. They agreed upon several ancient signs and symbolic words drawn from the well of religion in order to recognize themselves amongst the heathen and Saracens. These signs and words were only communicated to those who promised solemnly and even sometimes at the foot of the altar, never to reveal them. This sacred promise was therefore not an execrable oath, as it has been called, but a respectable bond to unite Christians of all nationalities" 20

CATHOLIC CITY OF GOD - A WORLD CITIZENSHIP

The idea of the Roman Empire 'corpse' being revived and united by the Roman Catholic "Church" was one that was already prevalent over a thousand years before Archbishop Fénelon and Andrew Ramsay came on the scene. Visions of a "Holy" Roman Empire was fully expressed by Saint Augustine, a citizen of Hippo in North Africa, who wrote between A.D. 354 and 430 in his monumental work and famous book, "The City of God". "The City of God" leads the mind very directly towards the possibility of making the world into a theological and organized Kingdom of Heaven. The City, as Augustine puts it, is "a spiritual society of the predestined Faithful", but the step from that to a political application was not a very wide

one.

The Church was to be the ruler of the world over all nations; the divinely-led ruling power over a great league of the terrestrial states. In later years these ideas developed into a definite political theory and policy. As the barbarian races settled and became Catholic Christian, the Pope began to claim an overlordship of their kings. In a few centuries the Pope had become in theory, and to a great extent in practice, the "Pontifex Maximus" high priest-king, censor, judge, and divine monarch of Roman Catholic Christendom; his influence extending in the west far beyond the utmost range of the 'old' empire. For more than a thousand years this idea of the unity of Christendom, was an idea of a common brotherhood and a common loyalty to the Church, which dominated Europe. The history of Europe, from the fifth century on-ward, is very largely the history of the 'failure' of this great idea of a divine world government to fully realize itself in practice. But today, Rome's "Grand Design" is prevailing; soon to usher in her centuries long 'Cosmopolitan' dream (a united global citizenship) to fruition.

FRENCH TAKE UP THE CAUSE

Ramsay appealed urgently to France to take up the cause and "become the center of the Order". With great vigor and enthusiasm France responded. As a result, one of the most predominate French Catholic systems that later evolved, was the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry. Not having its origin in Scotland, but the French, and certainly not Protestant, but Catholic, whose Jesuit's guiding hands added thirty new degrees to the English's already existing first three; being based on "Templarism". These thirty-three degrees, with some modifications, became the standard, and are now exercised today the world over. Eventually, in 1773, out of the great proliferation and affiliated French lodges competing for supremacy, emerged the 'Grand Orient' - that infamous lodge that was so active in the French Revolution- and also directly associated with the zealous members of the German Lodge Theodore, of whom the most conspicuous member was the modern Illuminist, Jesuit Adam Weishaupt, Professor of Canon Law at the Jesuit University of Ingolstadt.

pages 106-124

The Grand Design Exposed

by John Daniel

http://granddesignexposed.com/contents.html

Latium is a 1669 work by the Jesuit scholar Athanasius Kircher. It was dedicated to Pope Clement X and a 1671 edition was published in Amsterdam by Johannes van Waesbergen.[1] The work was the first to discuss the topography, archeology and history of the Lazio region.[2] It was based partly on Kircher's extensive walks in the countryside around Rome, although it included sites that he had probably not visited in person.[3] The work included many illustrations of the contemporary countryside, as well as reconstructions of ancient buildings.[4]: 92 It also included an account of his discovery of the ruined sanctuary at Mentorella, which he had already recounted in his 1665 work Historia Eustachio Mariana.[4]: 94

Contents

Kircher’s stated purpose in Latium was to use the physical remains of ancient Latium as illustrations of human mutability and transience.[5] It was divided into five books. The first covered the origins and ancient history of the Latins. The second contained chapters describing (I) the region of Monte Cavo, Lake Albano and the ancient town of Alba Longa; (II) Tusculum; (III) the ancient Praeneste and the modern town of Palestrina, and (IV) the region of Labici and the ancient Hernici tribe. The third book examined the ancient history of Tivoli and the fourth, the countryside and ancient remains around it. The fifth book was devoted to the Pontine marshes.[1][6] The Pontine Marshes to the southeast of Rome had been discussed by Kircher in his 1658 work Scrutinium Physico-Medicum because they were a source of malaria that prevented the agricultural development of the neighbouring region and imposed a heavy burden of disease on its population. Kircher was probably one of the first people to recommend the taking of quinine in Rome to counter malaria. Pope Urban VIII had brought in the Dutch engineer De Wit to begin draining the marshes and in Latium Kircher noted these efforts approvingly, illustrating the devices used to pump out the water.[7]

Ancient history of Latium

In Book I, Kircher advanced the theory that Latium had been populated after the time of the Tower of Babel, or possibly before. Indeed he held that it had originally been settled by Noah, and that this was supported by local legends about Saturn and Janus, who he believed were in fact Noah himself.[5] Thus, he held, the mythological account of the castration of Saturn was a variant of the Biblical story of the discovery of Noah's nakedness by Ham. Such speculative theories were to be developed in his later works Turris Babel and Arca Noë.[8]: 44

During his countryside walks, Kircher was searching for evidence that would allow him to reconstruct the history of the region from its earliest times right up to the pontificate of Pope Alexander VII. Although the timeline he constructed was highly inaccurate, the evidence he gathered was the first attempt at a complete chronological reconstruction of the region’s history.[9]

The Nile mosaic

Around 1600 a Roman mosaic was discovered at the Temple of Fortuna Primigenia at Praeneste. It is known to modern scholarship as "the Nile mosaic" because it is understood to represent the course of the River Nile from the mountains of Ethiopia through Sudan and Egypt to the sea. However in Book III of Latium Kircher offered a completely different interpretation of the piece, based on the idea that it depicted ceremonies in honour of the goddess of fortune. The upper part, he said, depicted wild animals, representing fortune's dangers. He noted that the people of ancient Praeneste were devotees of Hercules, who was famous for having destroyed monsters and overcome ill fortune. Beneath this, he said, was depicted the veneration of the goddess and consultation of her oracle. He correctly identified the temple of Serapis but this did not serve as a clue of the mosaic's real subject. At the bottom there are festivals and processions in honour of the goddess.[4]: 87–88

Illustrations

Latium was published in folio with 27 engraved plates. These included illustrations, maps, and plans, including 15 double-page foldouts.[10] The illustrations included views of the countryside, sculptures, mosaics, coins and mechanical devices such as watermills.[6]

The frontispiece was by Romeyn de Hooghe. It depicted a seated figure of the genius loci Latia. On one side of her stands a mountain on which Atlas hold up the world, and on the other figures a volcano. These emblems represent, perhaps, the temporal and spiritual power of Rome respectively. Above her hang both ancient and contemporary arms. Romulus and Remus and their she-wolf adopted mother play behind her back while a putto presents her with the papal tiara and the keys of Saint Peter. She is wearing regalia that show that her presence and her power are intimately connected with the Catholic Church.[3] Her crown identifies her as the protector of a city, and the star above it is the symbols of the Chigi family to which Pope Alexander VII belonged. She holds a long sceptre topped with the hand of justice and her eyes fall on a mitre, a cardinal's hat, and other Catholic religious objects. Her robe covers the imperial eagle and her foot rests on the orb of temporal power, indicating her primacy over the Holy Roman Emperor. Beneath Latia is inscribed the Latin motto 'Latium cui par nihil est, nihil Secundu' ('Latium, to which none is equal, and second to none'). At the bottom of the illustration the male figures are the gods of the river Tiber and its Tivoli tributary the Aniene. The female figure with butterfly wings is the goddess of the Aniene, otherwise Ino, resting on symbols of her mythological shipwreck.[4]: 39

The imagery of the frontispiece was intended to emphasise the purpose of Kircher’s claim that his contemporary Rome was connected not just to the ancient city that preceded it, but to a both the ancient classical and biblical worlds. The figure of Latia was Etruscan, the sceptre she hold resembled the regalia of ancient Egypt, while Greece was represented by the winged figure of Ino.[9]

The illustration depicting the apotheosis of Homer was signed by Giovanni Battista Galestruzzi. The aerial view of Palestrina and the plate of the Nile mosaic were signed by Agapito de Bernardini.[6]: 178 [4]: 51 The maps in the book were the work of Innocenzo Mattei.[11] The book also reused a number of earlier illustrations from previously published works, by Étienne Dupérac, Daniele Stoopendahl and Matteo Greuter. The image of the reconstruction of Hadrian’s villa was a replica of the illustration by Francesco Contini and the image of the temple of Fortune was a replica of a piece by Domenico Castelli.[6]: 182

Critical reception

The work was criticised by many scholars of Kircher’s time for its inaccuracies and speculations about ancient history. Raffaello Fabretti pointed out that Kircher’s text was full of mistakes,[5] his images of aqueducts were inaccurate and his map wrongly located the source of the Aqua Virgo near Colonna.[12] Kircher intended to write a similar work on Etruria, entitled Iter Etruscum, but this was never published, because the Jesuit censors would not approve it.[3][13]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latium_(1669)

Saturn at opposition

This event is visible to the naked eye from Ottawa.

Wed, 27 Nov 2030 at 10:47 EST (15:47 UTC)

1,963 days away

Dominic Ford, Editor

From the Outer Planets feed

Tags: Opposition Objects: Saturn

Ottawa

The sky at 00:00 EST on 27 Nov 2030

Saturn »

Saturn finder chart »

Saturn orbit diagram »

Saturn ephemeris »

Saturn will reach opposition, when it lies opposite to the Sun in the sky. Lying in the constellation Taurus, it will be visible for much of the night, reaching its highest point in the sky around midnight local time.

From Ottawa, it will be visible between 17:22 and 06:13. It will become accessible at around 17:22, when it rises to an altitude of 9° above your eastern horizon. It will reach its highest point in the sky at 23:48, 63° above your southern horizon. It will become inaccessible at around 06:13 when it sinks below 9° above your western horizon.

2030–2031 apparition of Saturn

20 Sep 2030 – Saturn enters retrograde motion

27 Nov 2030 – Saturn at opposition

01 Feb 2031 – Saturn ends retrograde motion

A close approach to the Earth

At around the same time that Saturn passes opposition, it also makes its closest approach to the Earth – termed its perigee – making it appear at its brightest and largest.

This happens because when Saturn lies opposite to the Sun in the sky, the Earth passes between Saturn and the Sun. The solar system is lined up with Saturn and the Earth on the same side of the Sun, as shown by the configuration labelled perigee in the diagram below:

When a planet is at opposition, the solar system is aligned such that the planet lies on the same side of the Sun as the Earth. At this time, the planet makes its perigee, or closest approach to the Earth. Not drawn to scale.

The panels below show a comparison of the apparent size of Saturn when seen at opposition in 2030, and when it is most distant from the Earth at solar conjunction.

Saturn

Saturn at 2030 opposition

Saturn

Saturn at solar conjunction

A comparison of the size of Saturn as seen at 2030 opposition and at solar conjunction.

In practice, however, Saturn orbits much further out in the solar system than the Earth – at an average distance from the Sun of 9.54 times that of the Earth, and so its angular size does not vary much as it cycles between opposition and solar conjunction.

The rings of Saturn

Saturn will be angled to show its southern hemisphere at this opposition, and the rings will be inclined at an angle of 25° to our line of sight, which is almost the maximum inclination they can have. This means they will be very well presented.

The graph below shows the changing inclination of Saturn's rings over time. The black line indicates their inclination to our line of sight from the Earth. A negative angle indicates that the north pole is tipped towards us, while a positive angle indicates that we see the south pole. An angle close to zero means that Saturn's rings appear close to edge on.

The red line indicates the inclination of the rings to the Sun's line of sight to the planet. Interesting phenomena can occur when the rings are very close to edge-on, if the Sun illuminates one side of the rings, while we see the other. At such times, we see the unilluminated side of the rings.

The inclination of Saturn's rings around the time of its opposition in November 2030. The inclination of Saturn's rings around the time of its opposition in November 2030.

The data used to generate these plots can be downloaded here.

The Seeliger Effect

For a few hours around the exact moment of opposition, it may be possible to discern a marked brightening of Saturn's rings in comparison to the planet's disk, known as the Seeliger Effect.

This occurs because Saturn's rings are made of a fine sea of ice particles which are normally illuminated by the Sun at a slightly different angle from our viewing angle, so that we see some illuminated particles and some which are in the shadow of others.

At around the time of opposition, however, the ice particles are illuminated from almost exactly the same direction from which we view them, meaning that we see very few which are in shadow.

Observing Saturn

At opposition, Saturn is visible for much of the night. When it lies opposite to the Sun in the sky, this means that it rises at around the time the Sun sets, and it sets at around the time the Sun rises. It reaches its highest point in the sky at around midnight local time.

But even when it is at its closest point to the Earth, it is not possible to distinguish it as more than a star-like point of light without the aid of a telescope.

A chart of the path of Saturn across the sky in 2030 can be found here, and a chart of its rising and setting times here.

At the moment of opposition, Saturn will lie at a distance of 8.08 AU, and its disk will measure 20.6 arcsec in diameter, shining at magnitude -0.4. Its celestial coordinates at the moment it passes opposition will be:

Object Right Ascension Declination Constellation Magnitude Angular Size

Saturn 04h13m50s 19°04'N Taurus -0.4 20.6"

The coordinates above are given in J2000.0.

Over the weeks following its opposition, Saturn will reach its highest point in the sky four minutes earlier each night, gradually receding from the pre-dawn morning sky while remaining visible in the evening sky for a few months.

The sky on 27 Nov 2030

The sky on 27 November 2030

Sunrise

07:14

Sunset

16:22

Twilight ends

18:07

Twilight begins

05:29

2-day old moon

Waxing Crescent

11%

2 days old

Planets

Rise Culm. Set

Mercury 09:14 13:21 17:28

Venus 08:06 12:29 16:51

Moon 09:45 14:20 19:01

Mars 01:47 07:51 13:55

Jupiter 07:26 11:58 16:31

Saturn 16:22 23:48 07:13

All times shown in EST.

Source

The circumstances of this event were computed using the DE430 planetary ephemeris published by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

This event was automatically generated by searching the ephemeris for planetary alignments which are of interest to amateur astronomers, and the text above was generated based on an estimate of your location.

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The king of the shutdown

Hillary Clinton has pledged amnesty in her first 100 days, and her plan will provide Obamacare, Social Security and Medicare for illegal immigrants – breaking the federal budget. On top of that, she promises uncontrolled low-skilled immigration that continues to reduce jobs and wages for American workers, especially African-American and Hispanic workers. This includes her plan to bring in 620,000 new refugees in a four-year term.

Now that you’ve heard about Hillary Clinton’s plan – about which she has not answered a single substantive question – let me tell you about my plan.

While Hillary Clinton meets only with donors and lobbyists, my plan was crafted with the input from federal immigration officers, along with top immigration experts who represent workers, not corporations. I also worked with lawmakers who’ve led on this issue on behalf of American citizens for many years, and most importantly, I’ve met with the people directly impacted by these policies.

Number One: We will build a wall along the Southern Border.

On day one, we will begin working on an impenetrable physical wall on the southern border. We will use the best technology, including above-and below-ground sensors, towers, aerial surveillance and manpower to supplement the wall, find and dislocate tunnels, and keep out the criminal cartels, and Mexico will pay for the wall.

Number Two: End Catch-And-Release

Under my Administration, anyone who illegally crosses the border will be detained until they are removed out of our country.

Number Three: Zero tolerance for criminal aliens.

According to federal data, there are at least 2 million criminal aliens now inside the country. We will begin moving them out day one, in joint operations with local, state and federal law enforcement.

Beyond the 2 million, there are a vast number of additional criminal illegal immigrants who have fled or evaded justice. But their days on the run will soon be over. They go out, and they go out fast.

Moving forward, we will issue detainers for all illegal immigrants who are arrested for any crime whatsoever, and they will be placed into immediate removal proceedings. We will terminate the Obama Administration’s deadly non-enforcement policies that allow thousands of criminal aliens to freely roam our streets.

Since 2013 alone, the Obama Administration has allowed 300,000 criminal aliens to return back into U.S. communities – these are individuals encountered or identified by ICE but who not detained or processed for deportation.

My plan also includes cooperating closely with local jurisdictions to remove criminal aliens.

We will restore the highly successful Secure Communities program. We will expand and revitalize the popular 287(g) partnerships, which will help to identify hundreds of thousands of deportable aliens in local jails. Both of these programs have been recklessly gutted by this Administration. This is yet one more area where we are headed in a totally opposite direction.

On my first day in office, I am also going to ask Congress to pass “Kate’s Law” – named for Kate Steinle – to ensure that criminal aliens convicted of illegal reentry face receive strong mandatory minimum sentences.

Another reform I am proposing is the passage of legislation named for Detective Michael Davis and Deputy Sheriff Danny Oliver, two law enforcement officers recently killed by a previously-deported illegal immigrant. The Davis-Oliver bill will enhance cooperation with state and local authorities to ensure that criminal immigrants and terrorists are swiftly identified and removed.

We are going to triple the number of ICE deportation officers. Within ICE, I am going to create a new special Deportation Task Force, focused on identifying and removing quickly the most dangerous criminal illegal immigrants in America who have evaded justice.

The local police know who every one of these criminals are. There’s no great mystery to it, they’ve put up with it for years. And now, finally, we will turn the tables and law enforcement will be allowed to clear up this dangerous and threatening mess.

We’re also going to hire 5,000 more Border Patrol agents, and put more of them on the border, instead of behind desks. We will expand the number of Border Patrol Stations.

I’ve had a chance to spend time with these incredible law enforcement officers, and I want to take a moment to thank them. The endorsement I’ve received from the Border Patrol officers means more to me than I can say.

Number Four: Block Funding For Sanctuary Cities

We will end the Sanctuary Cities that have resulted in so many needless deaths. Cities that refuse to cooperate with federal authorities will not receive taxpayer dollars, and we will work with Congress to pass legislation to protect those jurisdictions that do assist federal authorities.

Number Five: Cancel Unconstitutional Executive Orders & Enforce All Immigration Laws

We will immediately terminate President Obama’s two illegal executive amnesties, in which he defied federal law and the constitution to give amnesty to approximately 5 million illegal immigrants.

Hillary Clinton has pledged to keep both of these illegal amnesty programs – including the 2014 amnesty which has been blocked by the Supreme Court. Clinton has also pledged to add a third executive amnesty.

Clinton’s plan would trigger a Constitutional Crisis unlike almost anything we have ever seen before. In effect, she would be abolishing the lawmaking powers of Congress in order to write her own laws from the Oval Office.

In a Trump Administration, all immigration laws will be enforced. As with any law enforcement activity, we will set priorities. But, unlike this Administration, no one will be immune or exempt from enforcement – and ICE and Border Patrol officers will be allowed to do their jobs. Anyone who has entered the United States illegally is subject to deportation – that is what it means to have laws and to have a country.

Our enforcement priorities will include removing criminals, gang members, security threats, visa overstays, public charges – that is, those relying on public welfare or straining the safety net, along with millions of recent illegal arrivals and overstays who’ve come here under the current Administration.

Number Six: We Are Going To Suspend The Issuance Of Visas To Any Place Where Adequate Screening Cannot Occur

According to data provided to the Senate Subcommittee on Immigration and the National Interest, between 9/11 and the end of 2014, at least 380 foreign-born individuals were convicted in terror cases inside the United States. The number is likely higher, but the Administration refuses to provide this information to Congress.

As soon as I enter office, I am going to ask the Department of State, Homeland Security and the Department of Justice to begin a comprehensive review of these cases in order to develop a list of regions and countries from which immigration must be suspended until proven and effective vetting mechanisms can be put into place.

Countries from which immigration will be suspended would include places like Syria and Libya.

For the price of resettling 1 refugee in the United States, 12 could be resettled in a safe zone in their home region.

Another reform involves new screening tests for all applicants that include an ideological certification to make sure that those we are admitting to our country share our values and love our people.

For instance, in the last five years, we’ve admitted nearly 100,000 immigrants from Iraq and Afghanistan – in these two countries, according to Pew research, a majority of residents say that the barbaric practice of honor killings against women are often or sometimes justified.

Applicants will be asked for their views about honor killings, about respect for women and gays and minorities, attitudes on Radical Islam, and many other topics as part of the vetting procedure.

Number Seven: We will ensure that other countries take their people back when we order them deported

There are at least 23 countries that refuse to take their people back after they have been ordered to leave the United States, including large numbers of violent criminals. Due to a Supreme Court decision, if these violent offenders cannot be sent home, our law enforcement officers have to release them into U.S. communities. There are often terrible consequences, such as Casey Chadwick’s tragic death in Connecticut just last year. Yet, despite the existence of a law that commands the Secretary of State to stop issuing visas to these countries, Secretary Hillary Clinton ignored this law and refused to use this powerful tool to bring nations into compliance.

The result of her misconduct was the release of thousands of dangerous criminal aliens who should have been sent home.

According to a report from the Boston Globe, from the year 2008 through 2014, nearly 13,000 criminal aliens were released back into U.S. communities because their home countries would not take them back. Many of these 13,000 releases occurred on Hillary Clinton’s watch – she had the power and the duty to stop it cold and she didn’t do it.

Those released include individuals convicted of killings, sexual assault and some of the most heinous crimes imaginable, who went on to reoffend at a very high rate.

Number Eight: We will finally complete the biometric entry-exit visa tracking system.

For years, Congress has required a biometric entry-exit visa tracking system, but it has never been completed.

In my Administration, we will ensure that this system is in place at all land, air, and sea ports. Approximately half of new illegal immigrants came on temporary visas and then never left. Beyond violating our laws, visa overstays pose a substantial threat to national security. The 9/11 Commission said that this tracking system should be a high priority and “would have assisted law enforcement and intelligence officials in August and September 2001 in conducting a search for two of the 9/11 hijackers that were in the U.S. on expired visas.”

Last year alone, nearly a half a million individuals overstayed their temporary visas. Removing visa overstays will be a top priority of my Administration. If people around the world believe they can just come on a temporary visa and never leave – the Obama-Clinton policy – then we have a completely open border. We must send the message that visa expiration dates will be strongly enforced.

Number Nine: We will turn off the jobs and benefits magnet.

We will ensure that E-Verify is used to the fullest extent possible under existing law, and will work with Congress to strengthen and expand its use across the country.

Immigration law doesn’t exist just for the purpose of keeping out criminals. It exists to protect all aspects of American life – the worksite, the welfare office, the education system and much else. That is why immigration limits are established in the first place. If we only enforce the laws against crime, then we have an open border to the entire world.

I will enforce all of our immigration laws.

The same goes for government benefits. The Center for Immigration Studies estimates that 62 percent of households headed by illegal immigrants used some form of cash or non-cash welfare programs, like food stamps or housing assistance. This directly violates the federal public charge law designed to protect the U.S. treasury.

Those who abuse our welfare system will be priorities for removal.

Number 10: We will reform legal immigration to serve the best interests of America and its workers

We’ve admitted 59 million immigrants to the United States between 1965 and 2015.

Many of these arrivals have greatly enriched our country. But we now have an obligation to them, and to their children, to control future immigration – as we have following previous immigration waves – to ensure assimilation, integration and upward mobility.

Within just a few years immigration as a share of national population is set to break all historical records.

The time has come for a new immigration commission to develop a new set of reforms to our legal immigration system in order to achieve the following goals:

· To keep immigration levels, measured by population share, within historical norms

· To select immigrants based on their likelihood of success in U.S. society, and their ability to be financially self-sufficient. We need a system that serves our needs – remember, it’s America First.

· To choose immigrants based on merit, skill and proficiency

· And to establish new immigration controls to boost wages and to ensure that open jobs are offered to American workers first.

We want people to come into our country, but they have to come in legally and properly-vetted, and in a manner that serves the national interest.

We’ve been living under outdated immigration rules from decades ago. To avoid this happening in the future, I believe we should sunset our visa laws so that Congress is forced to periodically revise and revisit them. We wouldn’t put our entire federal budget on autopilot for decades, so why should we do the same for immigration?

Let’s talk about the big picture

These ten steps, if rigorously followed and enforced, will accomplish more in a matter of months than our politicians have accomplished on this issue in the last fifty years.

Because I am not a politician, because I am not beholden to any special interest, I will get this done for you and your family.

We will accomplish all of the steps outlined above, and when we do, peace and law and justice and prosperity will prevail. Crime will go down, border crossings will plummet, gangs will disappear, and welfare use will decrease. We will have a peace dividend to spend on rebuilding America, beginning with our inner cities.

For those here today illegally who are seeking legal status, they will have one route and only one route: to return home and apply for re-entry under the rules of the new legal immigration system that I have outlined above. Those who have left to seek entry under this new system will not be awarded surplus visas, but will have to enter under the immigration caps or limits that will be established.

We will break the cycle of amnesty and illegal immigration. There will be no amnesty.

Our message to the world will be this: you cannot obtain legal status, or become a citizen of the United States, by illegally entering our country.

This declaration alone will help stop the crisis of illegal crossings and illegal overstays.

People will know that you can’t just smuggle in, hunker down, and wait to be legalized. Those days are over.

In several years, when we have accomplished all of our enforcement goals – and truly ended illegal immigration for good, including the construction of a great wall, and the establishment of our new lawful immigration system – then and only then will we be in a position to consider the appropriate disposition of those who remain. That discussion can only take place in an atmosphere in which illegal immigration is a memory of the past, allowing us to weigh the different options available based on the new circumstances at the time.

Right now, however, we are in the middle of a jobs crisis, a border crisis, and a terrorism crisis. All energies of the federal government and the legislative process must now be focused on immigration security. That is the only conversation we should be having at this time.

Whether it’s dangerous materials being smuggled across the border, terrorists entering on visas, or Americans losing their jobs to foreign workers, these are the problems we must now focus on fixing – and the media needs to begin demanding to hear Hillary Clinton’s answer on how her policies will affect Americans and their security.

These are matters of life-and-death for our country and its people, and we deserve answers from Hillary Clinton.

What we do know, despite the total lack of media curiosity, is that Hillary Clinton promises a radical amnesty combined with a radical reduction in immigration enforcement. The result will be millions more illegal immigrants, thousands more violent crimes, and total chaos and lawlessness.

This election is our last chance to secure the border, stop illegal immigration, and reform our laws to make your life better.

This is it. We won’t get another opportunity – it will be too late.

So I want to remind everyone what we are fighting for – and who we are fighting for.

So I am going to ask all the Angel Moms to come join me on the stage right now.

[[PAUSE FOR ANGEL MOMS – EACH SAYS THE NAME OF THEIR CHILD INTO THE MICROPHONE]]

Now is the time for these voices to be heard.

Now is the time for the media to begin asking questions on their behalf.

Now is the time for all of us, as one country, Democrat and Republican, liberal and conservative, to band together to deliver justice and safety and security for all Americans.

Let’s fix this problem.

Let’s secure our border.

Let’s stop the drugs and the crime.

Let’s protect our Social Security and Medicare.

And let’s get unemployed Americans off of welfare and back to work in their own country.

Together, we can save American lives, American jobs, and American futures.

Together, we can save America itself.

Join me in this mission to Make America Great Again.

Thank you, and God Bless you all!

https://www.politico.com/story/2016/08/donald-trump-immigration-address-transcript-227614