MOTHER’S NATURE!

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MOTHER TERESA
starring Olivia Hussey
2003
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Tagline: 
“HER HEART FOUND THE FORGOTTEN, 
HER FAITH FOUND A WAY.”
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On September 5, 1997, when Mother Teresa died, I did something that I rarely do when a person dies: I cried. I didn’t cry out of mourning for Mother Teresa; I knew that she was now getting a well-deserved rest and reward. When a person leaves their physical instrument, they are flying closer to God, so I had no reason to be sad for Mother Teresa. I cried for the world because this sorry, old, dilapidated and Spiritually poor globe had just lost one of its most prayerful and positively influential examples of Christ’s Love for His brothers and sisters!
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I have never been Catholic, and I never will be, but Mother Teresa remains one of my favorite personal heroes. She would probably top my list of “Greatest Figures Of The Twentieth Century”. I can think of no one from my lifetime who more exemplified the manner of life that I believe Jesus Christ calls us to live. I am nothing less than astonished and severely humbled when I think of her and the women who volunteered to work as she did. As I recently wrote in an E-mail to a new friend, “There was probably no stronger woman (or man) from her generation.” The thought of her and her Missionaries of Charity really stirs my heart.
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I gave a DVD copy of 'MOTHER TERESA', starring Olivia Hussey, to Good Friend Melanie for Christmas this year. (I gave her a couple of other good things, too, because that’s just the kind of guy I am.) But she enjoyed the movie so much that I borrowed it from her one day and watched it that very night. And I enjoyed it just as much.
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It begins with Teresa’s “calling within a calling” when she observes how the abandoned sick are dying like dogs in the streets of Calcutta, and she receives a sign from Jesus that she is to serve “the poorest of the poor”. She subsequently embarks on an awe-inspiring journey to see the Face of her Lord in the poor, and to show them the Face of His Love in exchange. The film ends just two years before her death, when, in a revelatory moment, she realizes the folly of her Association, and in essence, rediscovers her roots; “returns to the streets” in her “disorganized” Way - in a manner of speaking.
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Throughout this lifelong journey, Mother Teresa must overcome myriad obstacles, some in the form of human beings who, from their materialistic world-view, can’t possibly understand her mission or have faith in her intentions; and some in the form of natural hardships and the opposing work of God’s unseen antagonist. The movie gives us a glimpse of some of the “miraculous” coincidences, where somehow Mother Teresa always seemed to get bailed out of an impossible situation by an equally invisible Friend. (In actuality, there were many more miracles related to Mother Teresa’s life than are depicted here!)
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Olivia Hussey, a real beauty in her youth but always a very serious actress, gives a very nice, understated performance. It’s a bit uncanny how much she looks like the older Mother Teresa, and it’s nearly preternatural how she mastered the aged nun’s stooped but determined walk! There are good, suitably subtle performances across-the-board, but Emily Hamilton, in the small role of Anna, deserves special mention. She played every note EXACTLY RIGHT in the poignant scene where she learns of her unfortunate fate and how she will be required to support Mother Teresa’s work in the future. And the brief scene in which she later learns that Teresa was not offering her mere platitudes was one of my favorites in the picture! (It darn near made me “moisty.” OK, it did... but just a little.)
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My only negative observations have to do with the cinematography and musical score. I feel that the film should have imitated Mother Teresa’s life in its approach, by adhering strictly to the most simplistic or austere style. Instead, on a few occasions, we get some creative flourishes: dissolving images, artificial angles and “artistic” lighting. And in a couple of places, the music becomes a shade too dramatic or intrusive. These aspects of the film should have all been kept to the most basic level possible in accordance with the unadorned life that Mother Teresa espoused. But this is only a minor complaint on my part, and these things will not significantly undermine your viewing experience.
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Let’s face it, it’s really impossible to cover the scope and influence of the life of Mother Teresa in a single two-hour movie, but I feel that 'MOTHER TERESA' does about as fine a job as one could reasonably expect. If you want a good overview of her life and you want a lesson in what a beneficial difference one faithful and hard-working person filled with the Love of Christ can make in this world, then by all means, make it a point to see this film. And be prepared to be put to shame, like I was.
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“We are called upon not to be successful, but to be faithful.” 
~ Mother Teresa
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~ Stephen T. McCarthy
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IT'S STILL "MYSTERIOUS" TO ME!

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THE MYSTERIOUS BIBLE CODES
by Grant Jeffrey
copyright: 1998
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The Equidistant Letter Sequence (ELS) Codes are a fascinating subject and possibly one of Man's greatest "archaeological" finds. There appears to be much to learn yet, but this discovery cannot be dismissed.
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Grant Jeffrey's 'THE MYSTERIOUS BIBLE CODES' is an interesting although flawed look at the ELS Codes, which he has touched upon in some of his earlier books. The cornerstone of this publication is chapters 6 & 7 which address the discovery of the Aramaic name for Jesus (Yeshua) encoded in Old Testament passages concerning the coming Messiah and Redeemer of Mankind. For example, amazingly, "JESUS IS MY NAME" is encoded in the "Suffering Servant" prophecy of Isaiah 53. It appears here and only here.
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Twice in the year 2000, I wrote to Mr. Jeffrey. I related how I was a volunteer for a Prison Outreach Program and sometimes utilized his book - making it available to inmates - but I needed clarification on a couple of flaws or typographical errors concerning ELS Codes that he claimed could also be found in some of the Greek New Testament passages.
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On page 171 (hardcover) he states that the Greek name for Jesus is located at a 5-letter skip interval in 1st John 5:13, but I was unable to find it in the Greek passage illustrated there. Also, on page 173 he states that the second smallest skip interval for "Jesus" is encoded every 8th letter in Matthew 24:30, which contradicts his later claim on page 176 that the second smallest skip interval for "Jesus" is encoded every 7th letter in John 21:17. These are mutually exclusive statements. I did include a self-addressed, stamped envelope with my queries, but I have yet to receive a reply. I know we call it "snail mail" for a reason, but this is ridiculous!
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Jeffrey delights in pointing out how the names of all the apostles and other personages close to Jesus can be found encoded in Isaiah's "Suffering Servant" passage. While it IS intriguing that "Judas" does NOT appear in this passage, Jeffrey neglects to inform his readers that these same names consist of such few letters that they also appear well over 1,000 times throughout the book of Isaiah!
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Some of Jeffrey's books do contain valuable information and are worth reading. But because he tends to sensationalize and because most of his facts can be found in the books of other writers, it may be advantageous to search other sources first. In his book 'THE MILLENNIUM MELTDOWN' (1998), Jeffrey stated that the Y2K computer problem WOULD precipitate "a global crisis, the scope of which we have not experienced since World War II... this appointment with destiny cannot be postponed or avoided." THAT BOOK (which thankfully I bought for only an inflated 25 cents in 2002) damaged his credibility forever in MY BOOK!
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While I wholeheartedly recommend that you explore the ELS Bible Code topic, I suggest that you acquire [link> 'BIBLE CODE BOMBSHELL' by R. Edwin Sherman instead. Sherman's book is easily the best on the subject as of this date.
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Grant Jeffrey opportunistically cranks out nearly a book a year that is second-rate because it never includes an index. ('The Mysterious Bible Codes' is no exception.) Also, each book closes with a proselytizing chapter which - while he may feel it is his obligation to "The Great Commission" - I find grating. I feel that if the facts are persuasive, they will bring the open-minded to Christ without excessive cajoling.
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I read the Bible from Genesis through Revelation every year and still I find much of Jeffrey's contemporary Christian dogma unsupported by Scripture. I don't think he would appreciate that. But then I didn't appreciate my polite inquiries being ignored either. I guess Grant and I have now balanced our BOOKS (Galatians 6:7).
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~ Stephen T. McCarthy
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GIVE ME THAT OLD TIME RELIG-- er... BLASPHEMY

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LIVES OF THE MASTER: The Rest Of The Jesus Story
by Glenn Sanderfur
published: 1988
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Let's be clear about two things right from the start:
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1) By REINCARNATION we mean the concept that a soul might activate more than one human body at different times. This is commonly confused with SOUL TRANSMIGRATION which theorizes that souls can inhabit the bodies of dogs, cats, and other animals, and even ostensibly inanimate objects such as rocks and raindrops. There is much evidence to support the former belief and not a shred of evidence to support the latter.
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2) Despite the vehement denouncing of it by contemporary Christian theologians, REINCARNATION is a Biblically-sound belief that is prevalent throughout both Old and New Testaments of the Holy Bible. There are a great many Bible verses that allude to reincarnation, and some Bible passages even remain unintelligible until the moment reincarnation is applied to them.
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The idea that Jesus Himself may have incarnated multiple times will seem a greater blasphemy to most Christians than reincarnation in general. And although I don't personally take a hard and fast position on this, I do lean heavily toward it. The idea seems to be implied in several Biblical passages. For instance: "Though He (Jesus) was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered." (Hebrews 5:8) This seems to hint at earlier lifetimes in which The Son suffered as a result of disobedience and from those sufferings He learned obedience. Based on what we learn of Jesus from The Bible, one could accurately say that Jesus suffered as a result of His obedience to God, but it would NOT be correct to say that He learned obedience by suffering, because from His earliest Childhood we see Him being obedient to God's Will. ("Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?" --Luke 2:49) At no point was He disobedient. And so Hebrews 5:8 seems to imply AT LEAST one earlier lifetime for Jesus.
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It's hard not to appreciate the humility and simplicity of Glenn Sanderfur's writing in 'LIVES OF THE MASTER' and the research that he shares. The book makes compelling arguments and the sheer amount of evidence that Sanderfur presents will surprise a great many readers. There is more than ample food for thought in these pages. But there is also a downside:
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For many people the reincarnation concept becomes a stumbling block. Reincarnation is the patience of God in action (as I like to refer to it) and like all Divine Laws, the system works whether one is aware of its existence or not. Reincarnation is sometimes turned into a false idol by students who make too much of it and lose sight of the fact that what one does with their present circumstances is far more important than learning how they arrived at their present circumstances. Reincarnation can be very helpful, but it can also be misunderstood and misapplied, becoming detrimental to spiritually immature individuals.
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Much of the information in 'LIVES OF THE MASTER' is derived from pseudepigraphic writings. My limited study of the pseudepigrapha leads me to believe that those texts were justifiably not canonized. Another source of information is the Edgar Cayce readings which have proven to be both accurate and (often) inaccurate.
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I was once so dedicated to the Cayce readings that I even visited Edgar Cayce's hometown and gravesite in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. But decades of study led me to the conclusion that the readings sometimes originated from highly "questionable" sources. One reading actually admits this! (*See my review for 'The Edgar Cayce Companion' by Ernest Frejer, titled, 'Danger! You Are Skating On Thin Ice', posted at Amazon.com on 2004, July 25th.)
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In a few chapters, Sanderfur quotes Manly Hall as an authority. Manly Hall was a prolific Masonic writer and, like other "adepts" in the Masonic Order, was a luciferian.
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"When the Mason learns that the key to the warrior on the block is the proper application of the dynamo of living power, he has learned the mystery of his craft. The seething energies of Lucifer are in his hands", Manly wrote in 'Lost Keys Of Freemasonry'.
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In his book 'Twelve World Teachers', which is quoted from several times in 'Lives Of The Master', Hall doubts the crucifixion of Jesus and states that, "in a sense the Last Supper concluded the ministry". This exhibits such a woefully inadequate understanding of (if not a deliberate deception about) the Messianic mission of Jesus, that quoting ANY passages from Hall's book casts Sanderfur's book in a very bad light! And whereas contemporary Christianity suffers from nearsightedness and a rigid, confining theology, the New Age movement is dangerously occultic at best, and downright luciferian at worst. For this reason, I recommend Glenn Sanderfur's 'LIVES OF THE MASTER', but I do so very, very cautiously.
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This book may be helpful to you "if you are willing to receive it" and have "ears to hear". But it could also be a hindrance to your Spiritual development and lead you down a very dark path. Honestly, I strongly suggest that you pray about it. Too often I have used my "reasoning" ability to make decisions and later regretted them. But whenever I have gone to The Father or His Son, Yeshua, with a question, and then waited patiently for the answer, I have NEVER been led astray. Should you read 'LIVES OF THE MASTER'? Don't ask me. Ask the ONE who knows!
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~ Stephen T. McCarthy
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“ROPE” THAT “CAMEL” AND LET’S GET IT STRAIGHT FROM THE DROMEDARY’S MOUTH

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NEW TESTAMENT ORIGIN
by George M. Lamsa
published: 1976
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The first real Bible I ever owned was the New King James Version, given to me as a gift, and it served me well for several years. But as my understanding improved and my thirst for water drawn from the deeper parts of the Spiritual well drove me into more scholarly directions, I eventually came to realize that the English version of [link> THE HOLY BIBLE FROM THE ANCIENT EASTERN TEXT translated from the Aramaic language by George M. Lamsa represented the most accurate and trustworthy rendering of God’s Holy Spirit-inspired Word.
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Lamsa’s native tongue was Aramaic and having grown up in the Near East with the ancient customs, and using some idiomatic phrases known since the time of Jesus, he was eminently qualified for his chosen life work of giving the world an English version of The Bible from the original Aramaic (the same language that Christ spoke).
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NEW TESTAMENT ORIGIN by George M. Lamsa is a small exposition that presents the author’s basic argument that “no portion of [the New Testament] was originally written in Greek”, but rather in Aramaic, the language of the common man in The Holy Land during the first century. If true, this means of course that the many Christian “scholars” who slave over the subtle shades of meaning of Greek words in order to gain greater insight into Biblical passages are sweating over foreign language copies of the original scrolls.
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My copy of this book is the 1976 edition with the bright green cover. While the NEW TESTAMENT ORIGIN is written in a very plain, straightforward and persuasive manner, my only complaint is that it could have been expanded with additional material. I know that this material exists as some of it appears in the Introduction to Lamsa’s Holy Bible translation, as well as in his 'IDIOMS OF THE BIBLE EXPLAINED AND A KEY TO THE ORIGINAL GOSPELS', which I also own.
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Lamsa explains his position with the use of sound logic and reasonable assumptions and the accumulated force in his thesis is bound to surprise many who are willing to put aside their dogmatic assertion that the New Testament was originally written in Greek long enough to weigh the evidence with an open mind. Lamsa writes that “Aramaic and Hebrew are the two closely related Semitic languages in which all sacred Jewish literature is written” and that the Gospel, written to sway and enlighten the Jews first, would have been written in the language commonly spoken by them at that time, makes perfect sense.
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Lamsa points out that “The Greek version contains many Aramaic phrases and passages directly transliterated from Aramaic documents, such as Talita Komi, Eli Eli lmana skabachtani, Raca, Rabuni, Abba and Maraeta.”
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In Chapter XXII he utilizes several examples of where the Greek translator’s limited understanding of the Aramaic originals he was working from created errors that become apparent only when compared with the words used in the Aramaic texts from the Eastern churches. Although I found some of the examples used to illustrate this same point in the Introductin to his translation of The Holy Bible to be more compelling, Lamsa does make one especially potent cultural point in NEW TESTAMENT ORIGIN: Acts 18:3, in the Bibles that are based upon the Greek scrolls, tells us that Saint Paul earned his livelihood as a “tentmaker”. According to Lamsa, that was improperly translated from the Aramaic word “lawlarey” which means “saddlemaker”, and furthermore that “there is no such occupation as tentmaker in the Near East. The tents are made by women in their own homes. There are, however, many expert saddlemakers who travel from town to town making saddles and leather goods.” Well, Lamsa was certainly the one Bible translator who would know!
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In 'The Holy Bible: From the Ancient Eastern Text', there are some startling differences between some verses based on the Greek manuscripts and those based on the Aramaic. I highlight a few of them in my review of that publication on this website. But if there is a real “smoking gun”, I would say that it comes in the form of the confusion over the Aramaic word “gamla” which can mean either “camel” or “rope” depending upon the context. Bibles based upon the Greek tell us in Matthew 19:24 that Jesus said, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” A camel to a needle is a “non sequitur” to say the least, but a rope to a needle is in keeping with the imagery and displays a very obvious and organic relationship. Is it mere coincidence that “gamla” means both “camel” AND “rope” in the Aramaic, yet Greek-based Bibles conjoin a camel and a needle, creating a wildly nonsensical match? Is it not pretty evident that the Greek manuscripts were first copied from Aramaic originals by a translator not sufficiently knowledgeable with the latter language to avoid making such a contextual mistake? (Surprisingly, Lamsa did not include this example in his NEW TESTAMENT ORIGIN, though perhaps it does appear in the later version of it.)
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The following may not be of interest to everyone, but I feel it worth mentioning that in the book [link> 'Bible Code Bombshell' -- the most current of the academic publications I have found on the Equidistant Letter Sequence (ELS) code believed to be contained in The Bible -- the question appears: “Do Bible Codes Show Up Only In The Old Testament?” and author R. Edwin Sherman answers, “Highly improbable ELS groupings have been discovered in preliminary research of the Aramaic New Testament. Since Aramaic uses Hebrew letters, available code search software can be used to research the ... Aramaic New Testament. More work needs to be done ... before conclusive results can be presented.” How odd that an ELS code has never been found within the Greek version of the New Testament, but that it may be present in the Aramaic Bible.
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I enthusiastically recommend NEW TESTAMENT ORIGIN by George M. Lamsa to anyone seeking to expand their knowledge about the language of Scripture. I own The Holy Bible in the King James Version, the New King James Version, the New American Standard version (largely considered to be the most “literal” translation from the Greek), and the George M. Lamsa translation, and while I do occasionally compare verses from these four texts, I long ago came to accept that when it comes to The Holy Bible, the version derived from the ancient Aramaic represents “the final word” in God’s Word.
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~ Stephen T. McCarthy
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ORIGINAL INTENT: IT'LL KEEP YOU FROM STEPPING IN IT!

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ORIGINAL INTENT: The Courts, The Constitution, & Religion
by David Barton
published: 1996
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ORIGINAL INTENT by David Barton played a major role in my self-education, which is the only REAL education. (Trust professional educators to direct you to knowledge and you'll get all of the information that seemingly supports their bias, and no more!) ORIGINAL INTENT is a genuine masterpiece of research; it will certainly blow the lid off of what you've been conditioned to believe about "SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE" (it exists neither in word nor concept in ANY Founding Document) and the religious nature of early America and Her Founders.
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As the back cover states:
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"A DIRECT VICTIM OF... JUDICIAL MICROMANAGEMENT HAS BEEN THE RELIGIOUS ASPECT OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT...
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"ADDITIONAL CASUALTIES OF JUDICIAL ACTIVISM HAVE INCLUDED PROTECTIONS FOR STATE'S RIGHTS, LOCAL CONTROLS, SEPARATION OF POWERS, LEGISLATIVE SUPREMACY, AND NUMEROUS OTHER CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS.
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"WHY DID EARLIER COURTS PROTECT THESE POWERS FOR GENERATIONS, AND WHAT HAS CAUSED THEIR EROSION BY CONTEMPORARY COURTS? 'ORIGINAL INTENT' ANSWERS THESE QUESTIONS.
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"BY RELYING ON THOUSANDS OF PRIMARY SOURCES, 'ORIGINAL INTENT' DOCUMENTS (IN THE FOUNDING FATHERS' OWN WORDS) NOT ONLY THE PLAN FOR LIMITED GOVERNMENT ORIGINALLY SET FORTH IN THE CONSTITUTION AND BILL OF RIGHTS, BUT HOW THAT VISION CAN ONCE AGAIN BECOME REALITY."
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The thesis of this book is supported by an astonishingly extensive array of quotations and judicial citations -- over 1,400 references to explore for substantiation. The appendix includes THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE and THE U.S. CONSTITUTION in full.
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Sure, you'll encounter the occasional mendacious "Historian" and indoctrinated "SJW" who broadly claim that Barton is a liar, but don't expect them to get more specific; they can't! To be sure, there are liars in the house, however, Barton is not amongst them.
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{Incidentally, regarding "Historian's" comment at Amazon.scum about Donald Lutz: Yes, his 'The Origins Of American Constitutionalism' is cited in ORIGINAL INTENT, along with (by my count) 451 other publications. Barton borrows from his book in only one chapter (#11, which accounts for 14 of ORIGINAL INTENT's 346 pages of non-appendix text) in the form of 2 charts isolating our Founding Fathers' most frequently quoted sources. To say that Barton's statistics are distortion is falsehood unless the findings of Lutz et al., were distorted to begin with.}
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Barton relies strictly on the clear meaning of the Founding Fathers as revealed by their own words and official documents. But what he reveals in his masterpiece so unnerves the Liberals and/or Atheists (read: Communists and/or Secular Humanists) that these flapjacks will say ANYTHING to dissuade you from reading it!
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For a cookie-cutter, milquetoast-looking "Christian", ol' David Barton knows how to linguistically put up his dukes. He's got a strong jab and a knockout "RIGHT" "CROSS". I like that -- I like a punishing counter-puncher! To see how Barton counterpunches "Historians", "SJWs" and other flapjacks, go to his website www.wallbuilders.com and click on "Issues & Articles" (under the category of "Resources") and read the article "Taking On The Critics".
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If I were your Benevolent Dictator, nobody would receive a high school diploma until they demonstrated that they had a comprehensive understanding of the content of the books, 'NONE DARE CALL IT TREASON: 25 YEARS LATER' by John Stormer, 'THE CREATURE FROM JEKYLL ISLAND' by G. Edward Griffin, and 'ORIGINAL INTENT' by David Barton. Read these three and you'll never again slip on the political dog poop that is continually strewn about by your judges, your media, your professors, your politicians, and some of your fellow Amazon.scum reviewers. The TRUTH will not only make you free, but it will keep that smelly stuff off of your shoes and out of your mind!
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~ Stephen T. McCarthy
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NON-FICTION FROM A NON-CHRISTIAN

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AMERICA'S GODLY HERITAGE
by David Barton
published: 1993
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In 1993, a friend and coworker loaned me his videocassette of David Barton's 'AMERICA'S GODLY HERITAGE'. Knowing that I was not what the "orthodox" Christian Church would call a "Christian", he said almost half-apologetically, "I think you might find this interesting... but I don't know. Maybe not." Instead, he should have handed me the tape with immense boldness!
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It is a great understatement to say that I was totally unprepared for the information contained in 'AMERICA'S GODLY HERITAGE'. Like most Americans, I had been brainwashed into believing that "SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE" was some foundational principle in our form of government. I had been conditioned by our social engineers (academia; the judiciary; the media; and the scoundrels that we continually send to Washington D.C. to represent us) to accept the seeds of secular Socialism. And being too "busy" (read: lazy) to read "THE SUPREME LAW OF THE LAND" for myself (Pssst. It's called, 'THE CONSTITUTION'), I didn't know any better. Shame on me! 'AMERICA'S GODLY HERITAGE' convicted me of my ignorance, and viewing it was the first step I took on my way to becoming a bona fide "American patriot".
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I am appalled by how often I find deceivers misrepresenting the truth in their Amazon.com reviews; taking information out of context in order to distort it and deliberately mislead others. Often their own words expose the fact that they are not even familiar with the material they are pretending to review.
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On the Amazon.com product page for 'America's Godly Heritage' we have a self-proclaimed "Christian HISTORIAN" who, ignoring the fact that the vast majority of America's Founding Fathers were members of orthodox Christian churches, seizes upon statements from a few of the less religious Founders to paint an inaccurate picture. And quoting the Treaty of Tripoly out of context hardly reveals the whole story behind it!
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Our "Christian HISTORIAN" neglects to tell us that . . .
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John Adams said, "The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were... the general principles of Christianity."
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John Jay declared, "Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty -- as well as the privilege and interest -- of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers." But what did John Jay know? He was only the original Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court and one of the 3 men most responsible for the Constitution!
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Our "Christian HISTORIAN" would have us believe that the "Father Of His Country", George Washington, was not a Christian. This is the same Washington who told his troops at Valley Forge:
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"To the distinguished character of Patriot, it should be our highest glory to laud the more distinguished character of Christian." The same Washington whose June 14, 1783, prayer for the U.S.A. included this plea: "Almighty God, we make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy Holy protection... Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." You'll find that on a plaque in St. Paul's Chapel in New York City, and at Pohick Church, Fairfax County, Virginia, where this supposed "non-Christian", Washington, was a vestryman from 1762 to 1784.
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Yeah, our reviewer is a "Christian HISTORIAN" like I'm a six-year-old Hindu girl from Dogbreath Falls, Minnesota!
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As of this date, "Christian HISTORIAN"'s total Amazon.com content consists of only 3 reviews: 2 of them bashing David Barton, and the third one praising some Rock album with "driving distorted guitars with a tinge of punk and attitude". Just what one would expect from a "Christian HISTORIAN", right? The title for his review of 'America's Godly Heritage' is "THIS IS FICTION". I agree with his title, but only if it is referring to the review he posted below it!
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'AMERICA'S GODLY HERITAGE' holds a wealth of surprising information, and David Barton has so much to tell us that he must deliver it in double-time fashion. This tape probably won't "entertain" you, although it will quite possibly shock you! But this is just the tip of the iceberg. His masterpiece of research is the scholarly tome 'ORIGINAL INTENT: The Courts, The Constitution, & Religion'. David Barton is the owner of many original documents from the Founding era, and he maintains a great website: www.wallbuilders.com
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The "Christian HISTORIAN" says that America was not founded on Judeo-Christian principles, but was intended as a secular nation. This "non-orthodox Christian" says he's wrong! Believe who you will.
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The 39 men who signed the U.S. Constitution concluded it with, "Done in convention by the unanimous consent of the States present, the seventeenth day of September, in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty seven."
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Now which "Lord" do you suppose America's Founders had in mind? Fauntleroy?
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~ Stephen T. McCarthy
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H-ARK! THE HERALD ANGELS' WINGS!

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IN SEARCH OF THE LOST ARK OF THE COVENANT
by Robert Cornuke and David Halbrook
published: 2002
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I was just poking around in a little Christian bookshop at Lake Arrowhead Village in August of 2001, when I happened upon Robert Cornuke's IN SEARCH OF THE MOUNTAIN OF GOD. I was intrigued by the photos right away and bought it. I've now read 4 of Cornuke's books in 4 years. Not too bad for a dude who turns his nose up at the Indiana Jones movie series!
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Ol' Cornuke really accumulates those "frequent flyer" credits. He's traipsed all over the world in search of archeological evidence supporting the historicity of The Holy Bible: Egypt and Saudi Arabia in search of the real Mount Sinai; Turkey in search of Noah's ark; Malta, seeking signs of the lost shipwreck of Saint Paul; and Africa, looking for the mysteriously missing Holy Ark Of The Jewish Covenant. Man, by now Ol' Cornuke's dogs must be really barking! OK, so what if he has to soak his feet in Epsom salts from time to time -- what a cool ride he's taken us on, eh?
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I'll confess that I wasn't overly impressed with the first half of IN SEARCH OF THE LOST ARK OF THE COVENANT, as it chronicled the legend of the Ark's removal to Ethiopia from ancient Jerusalem (which I was already somewhat familiar with) and Cornuke's first excursion into Africa in search of answers. It was in the second half of the book, as the archeology of Bible passages turned up clues, that I really got sucked into the story.
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This is not surprising, as I am really fascinated by Bible study. I consider the Holy Book to be the cosmic crossword puzzle -- an exciting source of mystery which, for the person willing to deeply study and contemplate it, slowly unveils far-reaching answers to Man's most urgent questions.
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One thought that leads me to believe that the Ark still exists somewhere is that there is no written record of an invading army capturing it from the Jews and removing it from their Temple. The Ark would have been a prestigious prize for an enemy to boast of possessing -- certainly the world's most noteworthy booty at least until KC And The Sunshine Band came into prominence in 1975 and '76. To my knowledge, no ownership claim was ever made by another nation. And if the Ark does still exist, Ethiopia must certainly be considered the most likely location, for reasons outlined in Cornuke's book.
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An Ethiopian man named Haile, serving as an official government museum curator, gives Cornuke a firsthand account of the Ark's appearance after he and two companions stole a peek at it. According to Haile, all three of them were immediately knocked to the ground by an unseen force. The other two died shortly thereafter, and Haile was quickly losing his eyesight. I found this interesting in that it seems to closely parallel the experience of the soldiers who, in trying to impose their will on Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, were unexplainably knocked to the ground. (See John 18:3-9) And yet, at the same time, I find this curious because, considering that the Life, Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus supplanted any other representation of God in the physical world, I would expect the Ark, if it still exists, to now be devoid of any mysterious power, and serving merely as a symbol. I don't know what to make of Haile's account... if it is truthful.
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The most original idea put forth in Cornuke's book is that the "Mercy Seat" -- the gold covering with its cherubim (angels) and their downward sloping, outstretched wings that sit atop the Ark -- will actually serve as the Throne for Jesus when it is brought back to Jerusalem at His return. That's a pretty wild concept, to be sure, but read the book, and you'll see that it actually does have some merit. A very intriguing theory worth considering!
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If, like me, you really enjoy exploring the intricacies of The Bible in search of its greatest nuance, you will undoubtedly find IN SEARCH OF THE LOST ARK OF THE COVENANT well worth reading. If deep Bible study does not particularly interest you, you probably won't make it to the end of the book. Either way, I recommend starting with Cornuke's best book, IN SEARCH OF THE MOUNTAIN OF GOD, then read THE LOST SHIPWRECK OF PAUL, and finally, this one. I suggest skipping IN SEARCH OF THE LOST MOUNTAINS OF NOAH altogether.
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So, do I really believe that the ancient Holy Ark of The Covenant resides in the Chapel Of St. Mary Of Zion in Axum? I'd say that there's a very strong possibilty of that. I don't know that I'd go so far as to bet my life on it, but I'm fairly certain that I'd be willing to bet YOURS!
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~ Stephen T. McCarthy
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MOVE OVER, DAN BROWN; THE BIG DOG'S IN TOWN!

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BIBLE CODE BOMBSHELL
by R. Edwin Sherman
published: 2005
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As of this date, I have posted on Amazon.com 74 Reviews, 24 "So You'd Like To..." Guides, and 18 Listmania Lists. Now let's imagine, just for the sake of argument, that in reading through my Amazon "stuff" you happened to notice that the word "dog" appeared in one form or another in virtually everything I'd posted -- all 74 Reviews, all 24 Guides, and all 18 Lists. Would you accept that this might have occurred by SIMPLE CHANCE? Or would you be convinced that it was indicative of a deliberate design?
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If you answered "possibly SIMPLE CHANCE", then there is a strong "CHANCE" that you, my dear friend, are rather "SIMPLE" in mind... not that there's anything wrong with that. But I have some marvelous business opportunities I'd like to discuss with you!
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Well, the hidden Equidistant Letter Sequence (E.L.S.) codes that are illuminated in 'BIBLE CODE BOMBSHELL' are astronomically more indicative of intelligent design than even the ubiquitous "dog" hypothesis that I fabricated above.
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For example: Isaiah, chapter 53, from the Bible's Old Testament (documented to have existed at least 100 years before the birth of Christ, and more likely about 700 years prior) is a prophecy concerned with the coming of a Suffering Servant who would atone for the sins of mankind. Cloaked within that chapter at equidistant letter sequences are over 1,600 encoded references to Jesus, etc. Included are phrases such as "HE OFFENDED. THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS. HE IS RISEN INDEED" / "AND IN HIS NAME, AS HE COMMANDED, JESUS IS THE WAY" / "AND WHERE ARE THEY? THE SANHEDRIN IS FINISHED" / "FATHER, THE ASCENSION OF JESUS IS HEAVENLY" / "GOD WILL HAVE HIS OWN DAY" / "JESUS THE GIFT IS MASTER AND MY LORD" / "WONDER! JESUS IS THE TRUTH" / "JESUS IS SALVATION" / "MARY IS THE MOTHER OF GOD" / "DREADFUL DAY FOR MARY" / "SON OF ELOHIM" / "TRUE MESSIAH" / "WHO IS JESUS? MASTER"
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R. Edwin Sherman, an acknowledged expert in statistical analysis, has determined that the odds of these references, and the many others, appearing by chance beneath the plain text of Isaiah 53, are less than 1 in 2,189 followed by 192 zeroes. Meaning: There's effectively NO CHANCE!
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On page 78, the author concludes, "What has been mathematically proven is this: it is an established fact that the author of Isaiah 53 knew at least a century in advance the key details of the life and death of Jesus. In other words, the occurrence of this miracle has been scientifically established." And that does not even begin to factor in all of the encoded phrases found in Ezekiel 37, and other Biblical passages. (And you thought Dan Brown's silly 'DA VINCI CODE' was good stuff?)
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There's still much to learn, but in the "dog-eat-dog" Bible Code debate, R. Edwin Sherman has "unleashed" the "pit bull" of Bible Code publications to date. He answers the skeptics' arguments and shows conclusively that at least some portions of The Bible were encoded by a prescient Superintelligence. Yes, the code exists -- that's not the question now. The question has become: Will it affect how you live your life in any appreciable way?
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2005, DECEMBER 10th ADDENDUM:
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I find that one reviewer has panned this book by casting aspersions on the author's facility with the Hebrew language. He writes, "It should be mandatory for an author of Bible codes to be able to at least read Hebrew but unfortunately it is not."
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Since R. Edwin Sherman is not a Hebrew expert, he collaborates with one. As 'BIBLE CODE BOMBSHELL' clearly states, all of Sherman's research is closely examined by Holocaust survivor Nathan Jacobi, Ph.D. Jacobi (an agnostic) received a Ph.D. in physics from Weizman Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel. He received an M.Sc. in physics and a B.Sc. in mathematics from Bar-Illan University in Ramat-Gan, Israel. He is a retired college professor with more than 30 years of research, development and scientific computing in applied physics, aerospace and geophysics. He has taught atomic and molecular physics, quantum mechanics, college algebra, trigonometry and analysis, analytic geometry, and calculus -- in Israel and the U.S. Jacobi received a thorough education in both Biblical and contemporary Hebrew. He reads the news daily in Hebrew, converses with his wife in Hebrew, and has taught Hebrew for several years.
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There are people who hate the Truth, and that's their prerogative as free individuals. But it should be mandatory for a reviewer of a book to have at least read the book he reviews. And YOU can quote ME on that!
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~ Stephen T. McCarthy
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THE "CLIFFS NOTES" TO BARTON'S MASTERPIECE

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AMERICA'S GODLY HERITAGE
by David Barton
copyright: 1993
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'AMERICA'S GODLY HERITAGE' is a 30-page booklet, the text of which is simply the lightly edited, transcribed soundtrack from David Barton's videotape presentation of the same name. Being fairly brief and inexpensive, this booklet would make a fine gift to give away to individuals (and interested groups) who seek to know a little bit about this aspect of America's history that has been swept under the rug of secular textbooks for close to half a century now. 
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Although slight in size, 'AMERICA'S GODLY HERITAGE' packs a wallop, and will make the head (that still believes "separation of church and state" is some principal plank of American government) spin!
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If you've spent any time browsing the Amazon website, you don't need me to tell you that there are MANY reviewers who exhibit much greater devotion to promoting and defending their chosen beliefs than to seeking the truth -- whatever that truth may turn out to be. A reviewer here (I'll call him "Mr. Smith") denounces 'AMERICA'S GODLY HERITAGE' as a misrepresentation of fact. In this case, however, I do not doubt the sincerity of "Mr. Smith" -- I think he genuinely believes what he expresses. But I also believe that he has been misguided and led astray.
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Yes, there are many publications out there that attempt to paint an untraditional and often unflattering portrait of America's Founders. Considering the age we live in, it's not the least bit surprising that the market has been flooded with revisionist history books that tell not just little fibs, but Tsunami Lies! In fact, this has become so prevalent in the last several decades that, as I understand it, the Olympic Committee is seriously considering making both Dog-Sledding and Founding Father-Spinning officially sanctioned events in the next Olympiad!
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I just don't think there are too many different ways a person can interpret this statement by JOHN ADAMS:
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"The general principles on which the Fathers achieved independence were... the general principles of Christianity... I will avow that I then believed, and now believe, that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God."
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I think BENJAMIN RUSH (a signer of The Declaration Of Independence) meant exactly what he wrote in his autobiography:
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"My only hope of salvation is in the infinite transcendent love of God manifested to the world by the death of His Son upon the Cross. Nothing but His blood will wash away my sins. I rely exclusively upon it."
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And when JOHN JAY -- the original Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court and one of the three men most responsible for the Constitution -- declares, "Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty -- as well as the privilege and interest -- of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers", I have a hard time thinking he meant that in some "rhetorical" way. I don't know, call me a moron if you will, but I think I'm fairly bright as morons go. (When the Founding Fathers wrote that they were declaring their independence from England, I wonder if they meant that in a merely "rhetorical" way too, but King George III mistakenly took them seriously.)
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Make no mistake about it: nearly all of the 55 Founding Fathers who worked on the U.S. Constitution were members of ORTHODOX Christian churches, and many of them were evangelical Christians.
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As impressive as 'AMERICA'S GODLY HERITAGE' is, it can't be considered as anything more than the "Cliffs Notes" for Barton's REAL masterpiece, 'ORIGINAL INTENT: The Courts, The Constitution, & Religion'. 'ORIGINAL INTENT' is an exhaustive tome of stellar and scholarly research that covers the same ground, but buries six feet deep the efforts of secular revisionists.
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And while 'ORIGINAL INTENT' is the direction I would ultimately point you in, 'AMERICA'S GODLY HERITAGE' might be the best place for those people unprepared for the startling truth to begin an inquiry. Certainly it would be better to let this little booklet prep your mind and whet YOUR INTEREST, than to dive right into 'ORIGINAL INTENT' and perhaps short-circuit your mind and wet YOURSELF!
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~ Stephen T. McCarthy
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NO POLITICAL TURTLES HERE (They All Stuck Their Necks Out!)

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2Oth CENTURY HEROES
by American Opinion Publishing, Inc.
copyright: 2000
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My family participates in a "Mystery Santa / Gift Theft" game every Christmas Eve. A few years back, I anonymously brought a copy of 20TH CENTURY HEROES for the game, hoping to swipe it for myself -- which I did. "Santa" knows what I like.
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20TH CENTURY HEROES is a fine book, featuring well-researched and nicely written profiles of "25 extraordinary individuals [who] helped steer the course of history away from the tyranny of the Total State." These people were GREAT GIRAFFES, not POLITICAL TURTLES! The book is loaded with photographs and 5 to 10 pages are dedicated to each hero.
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In his Introduction, Gary Benoit writes: "On the surface at least, the tragic history of the last century does not appear to offer much hope for the survival of our Christian-style civilization ... the 20th-century prologue to the new millenium could be described as the rise of the Total State -- the totalitarian "isms" (Communism, Nazism, Facism), under which the ruling elite exercise absolute power without any religious, moral, or legal constraints. ... Of course, none of the heroes honored in this book was perfect; all of them were sinners. Yet, by the grace of God, they were able to perform heroic deeds in spite of man's fallen nature and, in many cases, to rally their countrymen in defense of freedom."
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The 25 individuals are profiled under the following categories...
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MARTIAL VALOR:
Douglas MacArthur / George Patton / Draza Mihailovich / Henri Guisan
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STATESMANSHIP:
Chiang Kai-shek / Francisco Franco / Antonio de Oliveira Salazar / Syngman Rhee / Moise Tshombe / Augusto Pinochet / Robert Taft
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FAITH, COURAGE, CHARACTER:
Jozsef Cardinal Mindszenty / John Birch / Charles Lindberg / Ezra Taft Benson / Booker T. Washington
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SCHOLARSHIP, PHILOSOPHY, IMAGINATION:
Ludwig von Mises / G.K. Chesterton / C.S. Lewis / Taylor Caldwell / Yoey O'Dogherty
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FREEDOM ACTIVISM:
John T. Flynn / Martin Dies / Joseph McCarthy / Dan Smoot / Robert Welch
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I have an affinity for any book that sets the record straight concerning the calumny STILL being upchucked by the mass media about Senator Joseph McCarthy -- (TV Guide's Dec. 5-11, 2004 issue featured 'The 100 Most Memorable TV Moments!' Coming in at #39, "HAVE YOU NO SHAME?" [6/9/54]: "At the Army-McCarthy hearings, the lawyer's question for the senator finally shows who the real enemy is." *Anybody who believes that is in dire need of deprogramming!)
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Although the man died before I was born, I feel an intense pain in my heart for McCarthy, and embarrassment for how this country turned its back on that truly heroic patriot. America was not worthy of him. Even less so now.
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'The New American' magazine (an organ of the John Birch Society) is quite possibly the finest current events periodical in the country (see [link> www.thenewamerican.com). Since these essays first appeared in its pages, it is no surprise that John Birch and Robert Welch are included.
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20TH CENTURY HEROES will be a valuable research tool in the bookshelf of any real American patriot concerned with the struggle between liberty and despotism, between the free enterprise system and State-controlled abject collectivism. However, my mind being devoid of Panglossian delusions, I am convinced that this book and the great truths it explores will remain largely ignored by this and future generations and to the detriment of global societies!
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~ Stephen T. McCarthy
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