A Devotion for 15 August 2019 Anno Domini (Ides of August), the Anglican Orthodox
Communion Worlwide
15 But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. Deuteronomy 25:15 (KJV)
1 A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight. Proverbs 11:1 (KJV)
For those who may have been deceived by cunning politicians, the U.S. Constitution mentions NOTHING about any separation of Church and State. One of the most critical decisions an American, or any other, citizen can make is to determine to the best of his ability the character and reputation of those we send to public office. If the candidate is a Christian, he cannot shed his Christian mantle and responsibility at the door of the office he takes and disregard his righteous calling in Christ. This principle holds true not only for politicians, but for artisans, brick layers, contractors, corporate executives, attorneys, school teachers, etc. The U.S. Constitution will not allow a citizen to be constrained to actions contrary to the dictates of his personal faith.
Without printing it out here, trust me when I tell you that the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights actually protects the religious from government – not government from principles of Christian ethics and conscience.
From the first date of the publication of the Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx, there has been an insidious subversion of Constitutional principles afoot in the dark chambers of government and society in general. The tenets of Communism have pervaded every arena of public life and discourse. In addition to an all-out assault on biblical marriage which the Manifesto proposes, there are ten declared points which they advance as the means of subverting nations:
1. Abolition of property in land and application of all rents of land to public purposes.
2. A heavy progressive or graduated income tax.
3. Abolition of all rights of inheritance.
4. Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels.
5. Centralization of credit in the banks of the state, by means of a national bank with state capital and an exclusive monopoly.
6. Centralization of the means of communication and transport in the hands of the state.
7. Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the state; the bringing into cultivation of waste lands, and the improvement of the soil generally in accordance with a common plan.
8. Equal obligation of all to work. Establishment of industrial armies, especially for agriculture.
9. Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries; gradual abolition of all the distinction between town and country by a more equable distribution of the populace over the country.
10. Free education for all children in public schools. Abolition of children’s factory labor in its present form. Combination of education with industrial production, etc. (all taken from the Communist Manifesto)
The issues of Communist influence in our land are of the utmost importance to the Christian since no religion can exist in a totalitarian state without that state dictating the terms. In Communist states, NO religion is acceptable, i.e., North Korea and Communist China. Let’s examine the ten steps in the Communist plan for takeover of a nation from the top.
1. Abolition of property in land and application of all rents of land to public purposes. (in progress) This process, of necessity, must be gradual in its approach in order to avoid waking the sleeping public to the impending danger. Have you recognized the increasing grasp of government into private property rights as well as the acquisition of larger tracts of land to the national authority? Under the socialist-inclined party of America, we have witnessed an acceleration of public lands coming under the authority of the Federal government.
2. A heavy progressive or graduated income tax. (Accomplished) An amendment to the U.S. Constitution was required to enact this travesty of law in 1913, and it was not legally done since the required number of states did approve an amendment to allow for the Income Tax law, but they did not all approve the same Amendment as proposed. There was no reconciliation of those differences. Such a graduated income tax creates a false balance in the citizens responsibility to government. It results, as well, in the ability of the Federal government to destroy all investment incentive by taxing income producers at such a rate that they cease to perform.
3. Abolition of all rights of inheritance. (partial achievement) With enactment of inheritance tax laws, and especially those proposed by the late administration, it becomes very difficult for a citizen to invest and save for his future generations. The government wishes to make that last tax even after death.
4. Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels. (little progress) The social engineers in America have yet to get to this measure since it does not serve their immediate interest. But keep in mind that the ‘deplorables’ could imaginatively become those considered as ‘rebels’ in future.
5. Centralization of credit in the banks of the state, by means of a national bank with state capital and an exclusive monopoly. (Accomplished) The Federal Reserve Act (1913) accomplished this goal by placing the power of currency manipulation and banking in the hands of a semi-governmental agency not subject to the influence of our elected representatives to hamper or resist. All Federal currency is printed under the purview of the Federal Reserve, and the dollar is backed by no measure of worth. It has only a floating value.
6. Centralization of the means of communication and transport in the hands of the state. (Accomplished) Federal agencies have been established to control all means of transportation and communication in the United States. (FCC, FAA, etc.) So far these have been fairly free and open in their operation; however, the potential for future abuse remains a possibility.
7. Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the state; the bringing into cultivation of waste lands, and the improvement of the soil generally in accordance with a common plan. (limited success) The EPA has grown more and more pervasive in their attempts to charge and penalize American landowners for violating agency policies relating to wetlands and irrigation projects. These policies were not approved by elected officials. Many farmers in California have lost all due to the protected status of the snail darter.
8. Equal obligation of all to work. Establishment of industrial armies, especially for agriculture. (little success in this area) There are some indications of the agricultural labor force being forced into a semi-volunteer element by the take-over of family farms and the corporatization of dairies, ranches, and mechanized farms. The corporations have become a de facto party to the goals of totalitarian government. We essentially already have corporate socialized medicine and pharma.
9. Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries; gradual abolition of all the distinction between town and country by a more equable distribution of the populace over the country. (very limited success here) Though these goals of the Communist in the US remain fundamentally untouched, there are signs of large food packing corporations buying up large tracts of farm land through manipulation of banking and credit laws. There are many small towns in the Midwest that became ghost towns overnight when banks foreclosed their loans at planting season when no revenues were available to repay. The corporations then scarfed up these farms and the small farmers were left out in the cold.
10. Free education for all children in public schools. Abolition of children’s factory labor in its present form. Combination of education with industrial production, etc. The notion of free public education has become commonplace in America; however, in years past, public education remained receptive to the demands of the taxpayers since education was a local program and not centralized in Federal and state funding. Now, our education system is in shambles and has become the forums of indoctrination of little children to the vilest of perversions. Now the mounting push is for free college and university education. Only the Lord can know the depth of depravity to which such a policy would lead.
You can see from these ten points that not all of the Communist totalitarian goals have been achieved in preparation for our country to become a full-blown Communist dictatorship; but certainly, the foundation has been laid. Public discourse and debate in the contemporary political world reveals this fact to any thinking American. And not only our country, but our faith, is at risk at the prospect. We must stand now, or forever hold our peace.