Christmas Greetings 2020

Dear Friends


It is Christmas time again and I want to wish  you and your families the greatest Christmas ever!


There is no doubt that the Christmas season has been renamed the Holiday Season and Christ, for whom the season was named has been all but removed  from the equation, replaced by secularism and its God-less worldview. Christmas tree lots are now selling holiday trees and cities now celebrate with holiday lights and festivities. The word, Christmas, is disappearing from public view.


I was asked this morning in an email if we Christians should even participate in Christmas, since it has become so non-Christian and I shout an absolutely loud YES!


It is such a great time to witness. In stores and shops where they are forbidden to wish us a Merry Christmas and mutter a watered down, Happy Holiday, we can smile and respond with “God Bless you ! Have a wonderful Christmas and remember that Jesus is the reason for the season.” Or, at least respond with, “Merry Christmas.”

O Sing, choirs of angels,

Sing in exultation,

Sing all that hear in heaven God's holy word.

Give to our Father glory in the Highest;

O come, let us adore Him,

O come, let us adore Him,

Christ the Lord.

My wife Carol and I, along with our family, thank you to those of you who have  continued in your  faithful commitment to the ministry of Saints Alive. This is often a tough ministry, reaching out to lost people, most of whom want to stay lost and in fact, think we are the lost ones. Because of your support and prayers, we have been able to stay in the battle for souls for 33 years this coming January. So many tens of thousands of people have found the real Jesus in those years.


At the end of each year, the last few weeks of December, I try to set time aside to pray and reflect on the ministry, its goals and direction. During this time, I pull out my box of prayer requests and go through them again, making your prayer needs my priority. Please, if you want answered prayers, send me an email [edecker@nwlink.com] and be assured that your prayers will be lifted up to the One who answers prayers.

Liars, Liars, Pants on Fire

Yes, I have to admit that those ads for Chicken fingers at Carl’s Jr had my mouth watering and after a few weeks of looking at those succulent, huge chunks of Chicken fingers I gave in and hurried down to Carl’s Jr. and ordered up a batch of them for myself. Actually, my wife was with me and as ready as I was for this fantastic treat.



We eagerly sat down to feast on the golden delight and when we opened the containers, our eyes beheld the truth behind the advertising, The largest of all the strips was about the size of my thumb.


The Advertising folks at Carl’s Jr. should be locked away for a month and forced to eat nothing but the same chicken fingers they so cleverly lied about in their ads…


My advice.. Stay away from Carl’s Jr. Chicken strips.. They sure ain’t what the ad claims they are.. I doubt that the strips in the ads were even made by Carl’s Jr. Probably bought them at Popeye’s.


Some of the TV ads today are downright insults to our intelligence and yet companies pay big money for those deceitful claims, because they work. And we. Like fools, believe what isn’t so and hurry down and buy their chicken strips.


Oh, and if I see one more HP ad with the little baby in the walker speeding in and out of dangerous traffic I am going to end running in and out of traffic, screaming. That is, if I could actually run without tripping over my cane. Then, too, I don’t get much traffic on my street. Someone would have to drive me down to the freeway.

Halloween

When I was a kid, Halloween was a lot different than it is today.


In the little up-state New York farm country where I grew up, the houses weren’t close together and most had long driveways and that made going door to door more than most could handle. Anyway. If you did make it to a house, you mostly got an apple for your trouble. This modern kind of Halloween with little candies of every type and a zillion costumes for sale at the mall hadn’t been invented yet. In fact, neither had malls or WalMart or Target.


We had barn parties where we dunked for apples and dug through a pile of hay for nickels and a possible quarter or two. I remember pitching pennies into milk bottles. Lots of pumpkin pies and homemade ice cream. For costumes, we wore our school clothes, the same clothes we wore working in the barn. Lot’s of square dancing for the older folks while we kids just ran around and threw apples at each other.


After we moved to the city, things were never the same. Because I was a poor kid, I went door to door, “Trick or Treating” on Thanksgiving, too. That was great because a lot of them gave me turkey legs and pie.


As the years went on and I married, we loved Halloween and the enjoyed the little kids coming to the front door. I certainly scared a lot of little kids until someone suggested that I wear a Halloween mask or something to mellow things down. Of course, those were the days when I wore an afro.


Now as we live in a retirement development, things have really changed. The “trick or treaters” that come to my door now couldn’t do a trick if they practiced. Last year, we had problems with some of them getting their walkers tangled up at the door and driving their golf carts into the fountain.


We put together a neat bowl of treats. I like to do up the ever popular little baggies of Metamucil and a lot of them go right for the strips of scotch taped Tums. I love to take two lifesavers and hook them together in my own neat way to a rubber band and it is such fun watching them trying to figure that one out.


We have to help a few who forget why they are at our door. We get a lot who knock on the door because they need to use the bathroom and one lady came in and went to bed. We didn’t find her until we were getting ready that night.


I never know what to say about their costumes. It’s just that you just can’t tell. Sure, a lot of them who dress up in their pajamas. But then, I just saw a lady wearing her pajamas at Costco today.


Then there was the lady who would come to the door, get her treat , go out onto the street and forget she had just been here and come back again. We finally brought her in and sat her in front of the TV with a dish of ice cream.. Her son finally came and found her.


The nice part of Halloween in my neighborhood is first, it is a hoot and second, we are all done before darkness even thinks about coming our way.

Has Ed Decker gotten soft in his old age?

I gave a very rare hour and a half interview last week to the folks at www.mormonexpression.com and was hosted by John Larsen. It was all about my life and Ministry.

There were lot's of “Mormon” questions/ rumors asked/answered. Especially rare since it was with the group, Mormon Expressions. They are a group of dedicated Mormons, liberal Mormons and former Mormons. Actually a pretty good group of people and a healthy mix, as far as I can see. John Larsen was most gracious.

You can listen to it or download it at:

http://mormonexpression.com/2010/10/episode-90-ed-decker/

I sent word out to some of my ministry friends about the interview and this was the response from Dr. Ron Carlson.

Ed,


I spoke on Mormonism tonight in Oklahoma City and came back to the Hampton Inn and found your email. It's after midnight here and I just finished listening to all 1 hour and 27 minutes of your interview. It was not only spellbinding but GREAT!!!!!! You were so loving and gracious. And wow, what a powerful Gospel message you shared throughout as well as dispelling all the false rumors about you. It was Powerful. God really spoke through you. I pray that it will have a wide hearing because it is going to have a profound effect on people who listen. Praise God for you years of faithfulness. I'm for you! Warmly, Ron





This is an interview that every Mormon and every Christian dealing with Mormonism needs to hear.



Ed answers questions such as:



• His History in the LDS Church

• What Really caused him to leave the church

• How is his faith now different from his Mormon faith

• What is the Goal and mission of Saints Alive

• The God Makers. A success? Why such a bad rap from Mormons

• Looking back, would Ed do anything different

• Do you think Mormons are Christians

• Those many Mormon rumors about Ed Decker



On the Question: Are Mormons Christian

Rather, Don’t you think Mormons are Muslims? They both say that Jesus was not the end of the law, but pointed the way.. That there would be a ‘final’ prophet who would rise up and complete God’s work here on earth, each with new scripture and revelations..

Both are clearly non-Trinitarian. While Mormonism does teach three gods, they are non-biblical creatures, separate beings, twice born through acts of sex…except the Holy Ghost.. he was only born as a spirit being..

They both have to earn their ‘salvation.’ And both teach that when the leader has spoken, the think has been done. Just obey. Yes, they are certainly more Muslim than Christian.



Please!

Will you do two things for the ministry today…


First
Help us out financially

You can give a gift by clicking
Donation
on the front page of our website

http://www.saintsalive.com/  

you can give directly through PayPal by sending your gift to

gifts@saintsalive.com

your gifts are still tax-deductible


Second

Share this newsletter with your own network of friends, on Facebook, Twitter or?

And invite them to sign up for our informative   e-Mail News/Update Reports

Visit the website regularly 

 we are adding new articles every day!

Write me at ed@saintsalive.com

Blind Man's Bluff

Blind Man’s Bluff

The last day of last month was my dreaded “Renew your driver’s license or else” deadline. I was pretty nervous about it because my 75 year old body happens to be a very high mileage one with bald tires and the wires sticking out the sides and a worn out, faulty exhaust system. I figure it’s got over 175,000 miles of rough road on it.

After 70, if the clerk has any reason to suspect you might be a danger to others on the road, you can be forced to take the written and possibly the driving tests over again, so you can imagine that I was a bit edgy. I have a permanent disability card and I was concerned that it might automatically trigger a driving testing.


I couldn’t even chance driving to the DMV, let alone take the driving test. My wife drove me there and I left my walker in the car and used a cane. We went in and I took a number, sat down and began to nurse a latte’ my wife had brought in for me.


They called my number exactly at the same time I had one of my fun spasms and the coffee went straight up in the air and landed in front of me, splattering the floor. Thirty seconds of dead silence echoed throughout the place. I think it had something to do with the big sign on the door. “No Food or Drinks Allowed.”


One of the clerks working the two lines came around with a mop and began cleaning up. I apologized and asked if it was going to cost me any points on my license. She looked up and without a smile warned me not to get in her line.


Well, the short of it was that in spite of my obvious difficulties, I walked out of there with a new license and another 5 year reprieve, knowing that unless things change, I probably will not be using it any time soon.


The actual reason I chose that particular, remote office was that my father got his last driver’s license there when he was in his late 80s. It was kind of special. Dad was blind at the time. I told him it was crazy to think he, being blind, could get a driver’s license. Nevertheless, he was determined that he wanted one last license, even if he didn’t have a car or could see the dash board of one, if he had it.


He finally badgered me into driving his even older friend, Red and him there one day. He left his white cane home and used a regular cane. Red went first and with his deep voice, shouted out all the letters on line 6 perfectly and did an equally great job with the colors and the red dot.


As Red came back with a broad beam of a smile, holding his new license, I walked up to the clerk with dad, so he would actually get to the counter. When it came to signing his name on the card, he did a perfect job and when she had him stick his face in the machine, he repeated Red’s answers perfectly. She said, “oops you read line 6 instead of 4, but that’s ok.” She gave him the license anyway.

I pointed dad to the wall where he stood for his photo, with a wide happy grin. He may have been blind, but he was still in charge.

Christian Apologetics

CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICS

Ed Decker

 

I want to share about Christian "Apologetics"  and embold you in your witness of the truth of the real gospel to those lost in spiritual darkness and even those mired in some of those spiritual gray areas.



As I launch forth, it is probably a good idea to let you know that this work of apologetics isn't always popular. Obviously, the cultist isn't going to be thrilled that you now know things he wishes you never did, and surprisingly, many fellow Christians will be frowning upon your new-found zeal to defend the faith once given.



In fact, you would be amazed at the number of well meaning Christians who find the defense of the faith just too embarrassing and negative for them to try out.



They say, "It's too unloving. God sees their hearts. Who are we to judge?" And they stand by and let a lie become the norm because they will not speak out with an apology or defense for the doctrines and purity of our faith. Let's take the time right up front and define the world of Christian apologetics and Polemics.



APOLOGETICS: from the Greek 'Apo' (for) and 'Logeo' (to speak): To speak for or To speak on behalf of. Webster: "Systematic argumentative discourse in defense (as of a doctrine). Defense of the faith."



POLEMICS: "An agressive attack on or refutation of the opinions or principles of another (as in denouncing heresy)."



The Bible tells us in Jude 3:



" Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. "



Paul tells us in Phil. 1:7:



"...It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me."



In 2 Tim. 2:15, Paul says:



" Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth."



Further, he says:



"Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage --with great patience and careful instruction." (2 Tim. 4:2)



With these Biblical exhortations in mind, we see that it is our Christian duty to fulfill our commission from the Lord. We become defenders of the faith. as we witness to those lost in darkness and especially to those who bring those false teachings to the world we seek for Christ.



The Bible brings us a great cloud of witnesses in all ages who have been



Defending The Faith in Isreal



In the Biblical account of Elijah's encounter with the prophets of Baal, we find that Baal worship had been introduced into Israel and Elijah stood before the people and cried out:



"How long halt you between two opinions? If the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him."



He then challenged the prophets of Baal to call down fire from Baal upon the sacrifice that they had prepared. Although they called on Baal from morning to evening, leaping upon the altar and slashing themselves, nothing happened.



Elijah derided them, saying,



"Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awakened."



Then Elijah called down fire from God which consumed not only the sacrifice, but the altar stones and the water in the ditch around the altar.(1 Kings 18)



What Did Jesus Say?



Jesus, in Matthew 12:34, 39, spoke of the religious leaders of His day:



"O generation of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things?...an evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign,"



In Matt. 13:15, He said:



"For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them."



In Matt. 15:7 he called the scribes and Pharisees "hypocrites" and in verse 9,



"...in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."



In chapter 21, He related the parable of wicked husbandmen against the religious leaders of Israel. In Matt. 23:23-25, 27-28, 33; He says:



"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices --mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law --justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.



You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.



"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.



..."Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean.



In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.



.."You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?



So many are willing to hear the words of the Jesus of peace and faith, but are reticent to hear the Jesus who upbraided those teachers who would lead their followers into darkness.(blind leaders of the blind, Matt.15:14)



The Apostles Speak Out



Next we find the defenders of the faith, the " Apostles and Disciples of Jesus who boldly rebukes the false teachers of their day. The first of these apologists," Peter in Acts 2:14-41, 3:12-26, 4:8-12; and Stephen in Acts 6:8, 10; 7:1-60 spoke forcefully against the Jews.



In Acts 13:8-12, Paul condemned sorcery and spoke against the Jewish leaders in Acts 13:16-46; 14:1-4; 17:1-4 and reasoned with them out of the scriptures in their synagogues. Also in Acts 17:16-34, Paul contended with the Jews and then against paganism with the Greeks. Then to the Galatians he defended his Apostleship and the teaching of grace against the Judaizers.



The Early Church Fathers



The strong words of correction did not end with Christ and the Apostles. After they were gone from the scene, great men of God rose up to defend the church when it was considered illegal.



First they had to defend the faith against the Jews and afterwards against paganism and later heresies. The first of these were Quadratus (Bishop of Athens) and Aristedes (Philosopher of Athens) who wrote a defense of Christianity addressed to Emperor Hadrian c. 117 A.D.



Between 117 and 138 A.D., Hegesippus wrote about the heresies of Simeon, Cleobus, Gorthoeus, Masbotheus, Menander, Marcion, Carpocrates, Valentinus, Basilides and Saturnilius and also the Jewish heresies of the Essenes, Galileans, Hemereobaptists, Samaritans, Saducees and Pharisees.



Later Justin Martyr wrote his first apology to Emperor Antonius Pius c. 138 A.D. Tatian wrote against the Greeks c.163 A.D. Justin wrote his second apology to the Emperors, his dialog with Trypho (to the Jews) and his Hortatory address to the Greeks. At about this time, Athenagoras and Tatian wrote their apologies.



Melito of Sardis wrote a discourse to Emperor Antonius around 166 A.D. During the same period, Dionysius of Corinth and Philip of Gortyna wrote against Marcion, and Theophilus of Antioch wrote against Marcion and others. Apollinaris, Bishop of Hierapolis wrote five books against the Greeks, two books against the Jews and another against the Phrygian heresy and Montanus. Musanus Modestus (disciple of Justin) wrote an elegant work to some of the brethren who had swerved from the truth to the heresy of the Encratites and Tatianus.



Irenaeus, Tertillian and Origen



Between 170 and 220, Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons wrote 'On Knowledge' against the Greeks and 'Against Heresies' or 'Overthrow of False Doctrine' in which he outlines and refutes the doctines of the Gnostics, including Simon Magus, Cerinthus, Valentinus, Marcion and others.



Approximately 180, Rhoto, a disciple of Tatian, wrote against Marcion and other false teachers. Miltiades the Historian wrote against Montanus and the Paraphrygian heresy of Montanism. Apollonius of Rome wrote against the Phrygian heresy and Montanus. Serapion, Bishop of Antioch, wrote against the Phrygians.



Around 194, Tertullian wrote his apology and in 205, Clement of Alexandria refuted the Greek Heresiarchs. Between 205-250 Origen had discourse with Beryllus, winning him back from heresy to the truth. He wrote a reply against Celsus the Epicurian, called 'The True Doctrine,' and is also credited with debating the Arabians and later the Helcisaites, leading many of these back to orthodoxy. Between 250-256, Cyprian of Carthage wrote against Novatus and Cornelius of Rome wrote against Novatus and the heresies of the Cathari.



Apologetics In The Councils



During this same period, Dionysius, Bishop of Alexandria, wrote against the Novatians, the Sabellians and later against the schism of Nepos. At the Council of Antioch, a former Sophist refuted Paul of Samosata. In 314 the Council of Arles was held against the Donatists, and in 325, the Council of Nicea was held to deal with the Arian heresy.



These are just some of the Church Fathers up to Nicea that defended the Faith against the Jews, paganism, and heresies. Had it not been for their polemic and apologetic works, we would know little indeed of these great men from the first four centuries of Christianity, as this sort of defense of the faith makes up the greater part of their extant writings.



God Calls The Reformers



In addition to these, a host of great men from every age like Augustine, Martin Luther and others have spoken out against heresies, excesses and misuse of power inside and outside the church.



Not a few of them died martyr's deaths to defend the faith we take for granted!



Among the tenets they so vigorously defended were

the Deity of Christ,

the Trinity,

the sovereignty of God,

the inerrancy of scripture,

the depravity of man,

the certainty of final retribution,



and against Gnosticism, a terrible heresy which is again creeping into Christian doctrine.



Apologists In Our Time



In our own age, men like Charles Finney, and Dwight L. Moody who spoke out against Freemasonry in the church and immorality, have taken a strong stand for the faith.



Today, we stand therefore with those who have gone before us and say: " Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men."--2 Cor.5:11; ....to Flee the Wrath to come!



"Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you." "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." (2 Cor.6:17-18)



The Simplicity Of The Gospel



As we study the mighty manipulations of men in the things of God, we can only shake our heads and wonder what a mess some have made of the gospel. The Apostle Paul commented, "



"I hope you will put up with a little of my foolishness; but you are already doing that.



I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.



But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.



For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough." (2Cor. 11: 1- 4)



The key here is The Simplicity of the Gospel. The Bible is not obtuse. It gives the reader a clear, simple picture of the truth.



The aberrant religious groups cloud the clarity of the Word and bring chaos to the soul. Let's look at the simplicity of the gospel for a moment.



Believe God's Word when He says:



1. There is only one true God. (Deut. 6:4, Isaiah 43:10-11; 1 Cor. 8:4)



2. God is a Spirit Who fills the heavens and the earth.(Jer. 23:24, John 4:24)



3. God is not a man.(Num. 23:19, Job 9:32, Hosea 11:9)



4. Jesus is Almighty God manifest in the flesh. (John 1:1-3, 14, 18; Col.1:15-17; 1 Tim. 3:16)



5. Jesus pre-existed in heaven. Man didn't. (John 8:23, 1 Cor.15:46-49, Gen.2:7, Zech.12:1)



6. We become children of God by adoption. (Rom. 8:14-16, Gal. 4:5-6, Eph. 1:5)



7. The gospel (good news) by which we are saved is that Jesus provided forgiveness of sins, resurrection and eternal life through His finished work.(1 Cor.15:1-4, Heb.1:3, John 19:30, Col.1:20-22)



8. We're saved by grace through faith unto good works as God's workmanship. (Eph.2:8-10)



9. He makes us new creatures as the Author and Finisher of our faith. (2 Cor.5:17-21, Heb.12:2)



So, what must one do to be saved?



1. Confess your sins to God and turn from them.(Rom.3:23, 1 John 1:8-9)

2. Confess with your mouth the the Lord Jesus and believe with your heart that God raised Him from the dead. (Rom.10:9)

3. Ask Jesus to come into your life and make you what He wants you to be. (Phil.2:13, 3:9; Rom.12:1-3)

This Is Old Ned and I Approve This Message!

This is Old Ned and I approve This Message




OK! I admit that I scream more than a few times every night as I watch the TV political commercials. I admit it. I hate them all. What garbage!



I have reached the limits of my endurance and this old man will mark his ballots based on voting against every politician who is the most obnoxious, odious and negative ad campaigner in each elective position that effects me. Where are the poll results on TV ad anger?



I tell you it is time to dump them all out of office. It doesn’t seem to matter what party, what office, what district, what community is involved. There isn’t a single ad I have come across where a candidate looks you in the eye and in an adult fashion, states his/her actual qualifications for office or the positive platform they will bring to that office. It is always about that devious, thieving ‘other guy.’



We have one local mayor running away from his own failed campaign promises, leaving behind a disaster of a mess and an almost vacant business community who is now running for an even higher office, with a campaign program of blanketing us with ads denouncing the uncountable failures of his opponent.



Can you stand this barrage of tripe through the 2012 elections? I will probably go mad by then.



We need to clean our house before it ends up a pig-sty. Our State is turning into a third world country and we have politicians who think that instead of doing what we elected them to do.. run a fiscally sound State government, they can solve the problems they have created by taxing us even more.



We have political dynasties that go on for decades, building empires within empires and it just gets worse. They don’t just wallow in their power, they sneer at us with impunity.



It is time to tell political candidates for any office, including Congress and the Senate, that they can stay for 2 terms only. That their medical/dental/retirement plans must be the same ones they force upon us. That they can take commercial planes home for the weekends and vacation trips to Spain instead of Government jets. That they have to operate their office and staff at within a budget the people set, not their illusions of grandeur.



They need to be stopped from adding in special interest riders to bills that have absolutely no relationship to their private goodies grab. Billions of dollars are wasted in these special deals. The President must have a line veto power.



And speaking of presidents, no president should have the authority to by-pass the people by establishing an army of special Czars who control whole areas of our nation’s assets. That is a very small step from living in a dictatorship without a vote in the matter.



Their politics have turned our educational system into one of the worst in the world. We have to import doctors, nurses, dentists, Educators, scientists because we don’t have the ability to produce our own. Our own college graduates are working as clerks in Macy’s.



Not a problem for the politicians. Their kids are in exclusive private schools and have high paying pork fat jobs waiting for them when they ‘graduate.’ I would imagine that few Politician’s have kids on unemployment.



Don’t even get me started on Federal Judges, who, instead of making decisions based on laws that we citizens set in place, defy these laws and make decisions based on their own political agenda.. and we do nothing.. just suck it up.. We gotta dump these fools!



Somewhere, back in my youth, I had the idea that the American people controlled its government. Today the government controls its people.



We better wake up before it is too late.. and folks, November may already be too late.



OK.. Just had to get that off my chest..

Triumphant Islam and the gods of the 7th century come to NYC's Ground Zero

There seems to be a national movement to accept the god, Allah, as the same God the Christian and Jew worship, the God of the Bible. It is clear that to say otherwise has become politically incorrect.

Let me share just a little bit about the god of Islam

The gods of the Seventh Century

 

The culture of Mohammed’s world was very animistic. Every Arab tribe had its sacred magic stone(s)
that they believed protected the tribe, resident in the Kaaba. Mohammed’s particular tribe had adopted a
black stone and had set it in the Kaaba. This magical black stone was kissed when people came on their
pilgrimages and worshipped at the Kaaba. It was probably an asteroid or a meteorite, a moonstone, which
they viewed as being divine. All the nomadic tribes had their own tribal deities.

The dominant religion just prior to Mohammed was Sabianism, a religion in which heavenly bodies were
 worshipped. The moon was viewed as a male deity, and they used a lunar calendar. Their pagan rite of fasting  began with the appearance of the crescent moon. Fasting  was later adopted as one of the five pillars of faith of  Islam. Fasting, based on the lunar calendar, in the ninth  month of Ramadan already pre-existed in the Arab culture before Mohammed was even born.

What about the name “Allah?” Muslims claim that  Allah is the same God as Christians worship, just under
another name. Yet, if you look at the history of it, it is  very different. The term “Allah” is a purely Arabic term  used in reference to an Arabian deity. The tribe into which Mohammed was born was particularly devoted  to their Allah, which was the moon god. It was  represented by the black stone they believed had come down from heaven.

In Arabia, the sun god was viewed as female and  the moon was viewed as the male god. In pre-Islamic

 times, Allah, the moon god, was married to the sun god,  and together they produced three goddesses called TheDaughters of Allah.

 They were viewed as being at the top of the pantheon of  Arabian deities, those three hundred and sixty idols in the Kaaba, at Mecca.

Do not ever accept Allah as just another name of the true and  living God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This Arabian deity was the god of the Ishmaelites. Ishmael  was not the son of the covenant. Isaac was the son of  the covenant.

 The symbol of the worship of the moon god, Allah,  in pre-Islamic Arab culture, throughout the Middle East,
 was the crescent moon.

  

Today, the crescent moon is on every flag of an Islamic nation. Go to any mosque. What
 is on top of it? A crescent moon, the symbol of Allah,  the moon god. Every Muslim nation that has a flag has  a crescent moon on the flag.

  

Do not be deceived. Today there is a great movement by the Islamites to erect a Mosque at Ground Zero, where Muslim terrorists killed so many people and brought America to its knees, froze air travel and has since put us in a defensive mode never before seen on this soil.

The permits have been granted while we still argue over an American memorial tribute to the dead.

Make no mistake about this. Throughout history, the Muslims have built their victory mosques in the dead center of ever y population they have conquered. This is a memorial site for the great Muslim heroes and martyrs who destroyed this place and killed so many innocents.

A recent, huge protest march of thousands of people who decried this outrage never made the evening news.. Yet, a handful of 4 or 5 Muslims with peace signs were the real news of the day. We have lost the Press and we are losing America.

Is it any wonder that the American Flag is gone from behind the president during most of his White House briefings and replaced by Muslim drapes? Wake up you who sleep.

 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. 1 Thess 5:5-6

To Heck With Dell

 To Heck with Dell

I had to call tech support this week regarding my Dell laptop that has been acting strange. Some lady came on the line and told me I had to press One to speak to someone in English. I quickly checked my phone number to be sure I was calling from America, but finally pressed One because my Spanish and Pakistani skills are less than adequate. I had to fight the urge to press 8.


After 25 minutes of going through a series of recorded directions and options, I finally reached a live person, a lady who obviously did not press One for English. After 10 more minutes of a catastrophic language barrier disaster, she finally put someone else on the line whose minimum level of English could almost be understood through her heavy accent.


Before I explained my problem, she advised me that my call was being recorded for quality assurance purposes.


I advised her that I had been recording the call from the moment I first spoke to the lady who spoke no English and would continue to record the call with her for my own quality assurance purposes.


She told me that I was not authorized to record the call. I asked her who authorized her to record my call, since I certainly did not authorize it. She raised her voice to a new level of authority and demanded that I stop recording the call.


I asked to speak to her supervisor, She responded that she WAS the supervisor and the call would be immediately terminated unless I stopped recording it.


I paused for a moment, trying to decide if I wanted to fight to the death with this woman or get the problem resolved. I figured getting the thing fixed was a higher priority than driving this lady nuts. “OK,” I sighed, “I stopped recording the call. Now Can we get to the problem?”


After taking all my basic information, she then asked for my Password.


“What password,” I asked?


“Your Technical support Password,” she said.


“I don’t have one, never had one, don’t want one,” I snarled. “I just want to you to help me with a simple technical problem, now, today, here, while I am on the phone, not recording you.”


She was now in full control. “Sir, I cannot help you unless you have a technical support password.”


“Will you please give me one,” I begged, feeling a sob working its way up my throat.


“I am not authorized, sir. You have to go on-line to our website and get it there. Thank you for choosing Dell Computer for all your friendly computer needs”   Dial Tone!


I took a short break, banged my head on the Dell laptop several times and then logged on to the Dell website. Well, I tried to log on. It seems I needed a Password to log in, [that I did not have] so that I could get a technical support password for use with that group and another password to pay my bill on line and another to register a complaint.


I turned off the computer and went in to watch Bill O’Reilly. Surely, that would calm me down.


Tomorrow I will drive to Costco and buy a non-Dell laptop.


What I really find frustrating, is that I have to dial One to talk in fractured English to someone in Pakistan about a product I bought in Palm Desert, California, USA that was manufactured in China.

The Rule of Law is Dead in America

It is a tragedy when a State is legally attacked by the Federal government when it tries to deal with Federal laws the Feds refuse to enforce. It is also an attack on the foundation of our legal system, the Rule of Law.


I found the best definition of Rule of Law at Wikipedia.com. Let me share that insight:

Around 350 BCE. Plato wrote:

Where the law is subject to some other authority and has none of its own, the collapse of the state, in my view, is not far off; but if law is the master of the government and the government is its slave, then the situation is full of promise and men enjoy all the blessings that the gods shower on a state.

Likewise, Aristotle endorsed the rule of law, writing that "law should govern", and those in power should be "servants of the laws." The ancient concept of rule of law is to be distinguished from rule by law, according to political science professor Li Shuguang:

"The difference....is that under the rule of law the law is preeminent and can serve as a check against the abuse of power. Under rule by law, the law can serve as a mere tool for a government that suppresses in a legalistic fashion."

Now, let me simply state why the Rule of Law is dead in America.

When the Federal Government sued the State of Arizona to stop them from enacting a law, citing Federal immigration laws, that made it illegal [forbidden by law or statute] to be an illegal alien in that state, and filed that lawsuit in a federally funded and controlled court, in front of a federally appointed judge, the rule of law died.

The Pandora’s box of Government suppression by legal manipulation has spilled forth and now opens up an era of rampant abuse of power by the power brokers of this and any like minded administration.

The State of Arizona and every state that borders Mexico will live with this as will the legal, taxpaying citizens of America as the borders continue to overflow and the health, education, welfare and penal systems of this country go even deeper into bankruptcy.

I guess I should apologize for my racial profiling of people illegally entering the country from Mexico, but I see few Chinese or Canadians illegally crossing into Arizona from the south.

And yes, before I get a hundred angry emails, we do need worker Visas and a better, working immigration policy, but the folks in Washington won’t do the job. What on earth are the States that are being over-run to do?

July 2010 Update Report Saints Alive/Glenn Beck Update

Update Report July 2010

Dear Friends,

It has been a while since my last Update but I have been quite busy in both my ministry and personal life. We recently sold our home and moved to a much smaller Condo. Just unloading years of accumulated ‘things’ took forever. Then came the packing up of everything that was left.


We are actually renting right now while we find the Condo we want to spend the next hundred years in. Then another move. Thank goodness most of it is in boxes in the garage. Just moving all my ministry files was a major undertaking.


We are still dealing with some issues with our new website. Still working on getting pdf files and WORD files moved to it more easily and our video files keep disappearing, but we will get there. Email me personally if you are having any difficulty with the site.


Also, we had agreed to use Google Ads to bring in some desperately needed revenue, using the tags from the site as triggers for the ads. However, even daily policing and zapping of the ‘offensive’ ads did not prevent LDS and Masonic ads from appearing. I finally threw in the towel and we no longer run Google ads.


I pray that you will pray about sending in a special, much needed gift today, to help us out. You can give online on our website or through PayPal or you can mail a gift in to

us. See the end of the Update for that information.

Please pray for my pastor friend, Chris, who has a cancerous brain tumor. also for Jaime, who has had both feet amputated, is on dialysis and diabetic.. He needs a miracle right now.


Well, I have a few other  things to share with you today. Please read on

Your brother in Christ,

Ed Decker

News Flashes

You can now get special, timely Saints Alive info bits if you follow me on Twitter. Yes. I am using Twitter to Tweet. Heaven help me! Sign up @ https://twitter.com/jedecker

I just posted this on twitter a few minutes ago: Unbelievable! This is the story of the Utah State Supreme Court kicking sexual deviant/pervert, Mormon fundamentalist, Warren Jeffs loose.

www.aolnews.com/nation/article/utah-supreme-court-reverses-convictions-of-polygamist-leader-warren-jeffs/19570330

Another Major Announcement : Follow Saints Alive on our new and very active, interactive Facebook Page. Check it out and get involved in the dialogue at:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=123449167665773&ref=ts#!/pages/Issaquah-WA/Saints-Alive/101384683248858?ref=ts&__a=13&ajaxpipe=1

or if you are on Facebook, simply type Saints Alive in the search box and there you are. Please sign up.. We want you to be involved.


Finally for those of you who like to interact with other apologists and Mormons, visit [and sign up at] my Facebook group, called Christian Apologetics, at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?profile=1&id=101384683248858#!/group.php?gid=9516804162 4

What is the problem with Glenn Beck??

I have almost [not quite] reached the point of pulling out what remaining hair I have left over this issue. Glenn Beck made what would seem to be a solid Christian confession of faith/ salvation on his TV program and many emails came my way praising his stand for Christ.

Apparently, his confession was openly received by some key Christian leaders, like Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and more recently by James Robison who, while on Beck’s program, stated that while they had a few minor ‘issues’, they were on the same team.

I wanted to shout, “What team are you on, James?”


However wonderful were the words that Glenn Beck spoke, there is a major problem. If Beck were truly “saved” he would have to renounce the false doctrines of demons that rule the LDS church and its people.

One of the problems we face in understanding what Glenn said and what his words meant is that in Mormonspeak the words mean entirely different things to the Mormon and the biblical Christian. Let me list just 3 here for you.

To the Mormon, God is an exalted man from another planet who is now the god of this world only and has a god above him who has a god above him who has…but understand that to the Christian, God is the creator of all, the heavens and the universes. He said there were no gods before Him, beside Him or after Him. I think He should know.

Same word, totally different meanings.

To the Christian, Jesus is the Word made Flesh, the savior from before time began, conceived by the Holy Ghost.

To the Mormon, Jesus was born as a spirit being on a planet near the great star, Kolob, in an act of sex between their god and one of his many, polygamous goddesses. He was selected at a council of gods to be the ‘savior’ of this world. He was chosen over his brother, Lucifer. The LDS god came down and had sex with his spirit daughter, Mary and begat him in the flesh.

Same word, totally different meanings.

To the Christian, Salvation is a result of Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross on Calvary, where He paid the penalty for our sins ‘once and for all.’ All we must do to receive it and eternal life is to accept it.

To the Mormon, Salvation is two-fold, the first is only the General salvation, and it is the gift of physical resurrection for ALL mankind, given through Christ’s death at Calvary.

The second is Personal salvation that comes in part, through Christ’s suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane, were LDS prophets say he sweat great drops of blood for our

Sins, conditional on our obedience to all the laws and ordinances of the [LDS] gospel.

Same word, totally different meanings.

Beck’s Church claims that they have the only authority to act in the name of God on earth, all other churches are abominations in God’s eyes, all those who profess the doctrines of orthodox Christianity are corrupt, all their pastors are hirelings of Satan.

I learned that personally, as a Mormon, in the most scared place of all Mormondom, the LDS Temple ritual. Is this the same team you are on, James Robison?

Glenn Beck can tear up and rub his eyes all he wants, but if he is really ‘saved’ he needs to drop the double-talk and leave the LDS church. If he won’t declare himself, he is a cultist, playing mind-games that foolish people take for truth. At least take off the magic Mormon underwear, Beck!

I personally think it is all a plan to Christianize Mormonism for the masses so that Mitt Romney will have a shot at getting the evangelical vote he lost last election. Fools like James Robison and Richard Land are playing the devil’s fiddle.

Well, I guess I can cool down a bit. This was an email conversation I had a few weeks ago after I did a Facebook post on the subject: Glenn Beck: Christian or not?


I received this email: The writer copied me on a response he sent to a friend regarding the Beck is Christian program.


You asked what I thought about Glenn Beck's July 13, 2010 Gospel presentation on his Fox News program. Below is a paragraph I lifted from Beck's presentation. Beck is correct. I do not consider Mormon's to be a Christian denomination. The Mormon Church has been trying to be recognized as a Christian denomination for years and Glenn Beck is exactly what the Mormon Church has been looking for to validate their claim. The Jesus of the Mormon Church is not the same Jesus that you and I worship. Only after Beck announces that he is leaving the Mormon Church will I believe he is a Christian in a Biblical sense. The Devil comes in many disguise. I have a copy of the Book of Mormon if you would like to read it.

________________________________________

"Now, I know people will say, Oh, Glenn Beck is a Mormon! He's not even a real Christian.

Beck: OK, fine. You can believe what you want. I am a man that needed atonement more than most people. But I know the game, so I called Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. I wanted to make sure that mainline Christianity has the same definition of individual salvation that I have. He agreed that salvation is an individual relationship between a person and God through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth and the light." I can't be saved for someone else and they can't be saved by me. When Jesus died on the cross he died for everyone that ever lived, but individually. It was one act for the entire collection — it was for each person individually."

Ed:  My Response...

You are so right.. I have been getting emails of Beck being a real Christian all morning… His use of the word, “Atonement” is a small clue that Beck is a real Mormon, albeit, not a theological giant. Salvation in Mormonism is totally different than that of biblical Christianity.

Problem here is this: to take Beck at his word here,


Beck = Christian,

Beck = Mormon,

Mormon = Christian

Romney - Christian


The non-aware Christian, those who love Beck’s strong conservative viewpoints, will make that connection and the Mormons win a victory


Beck also said that “Another perversion is the concept of collective salvation”

Yet, Core LDS doctrine of salvation teaches that there are two salvations, the first is the result of Christ’s death on the cross, one that provides the “general Salvation.” This is resurrection from the dead for all mankind.

Their “personal salvation” comes from their works that will be judged at the judgment table where their works and their ‘transgressions’ are weighed and the result is the determination of to which of the three kingdoms they go.

I pray that his statements will cause enough conflict with his Mormon leaders that he will be ‘corrected’ enough that his brain will get in low gear and he will leave the church for the real Jesus. The real salvation.

Ed Decker

Read

“The Mormon Plan for America

and the Rise of Mitt Romney”

The entire Chapter

from my book, “My Kingdom Come”

www.associatedcontent.com/article/5608020/the_mormon_plan_for_america_and_the.html  

Vampires and Mormons ..Part of the Family?.. One Might Think so.

 

Check out this excellent article on the Twilight Movies sweeping the nation.

http://www.gainesville.com/article/20100626/ARTICLES/100629624 

From The e-mail bag

I have read your comments about Mormon baptisms for the dead. It seems as though you are suggesting that certain people should be deemed unworthy of any future salvation. Is this the case? And if so, who are you to judge?

Ed: I base my comments on what the bible says are the conditions of salvation.. and I see no scripture that implies there is some second chance salvation after death.. nor are my comments on this strange subject some form of ‘judging’ anyone..

Okay, I understand. It just seemed like you were taking issue with certain people more than the practice itself. For all we know, those people repented before they died, and accepted the Lord. We just do not know.

Ed: You are correct in that

If there is no second chance for salvation after death, what happens to those "heathens" that were born never having heard of Jesus? You know, like the Chinese?

Ed: A bit beyond my pay scale.. I figure that a God who created the worlds can figure that out himself. His son told us to go to the ends of the earth to proclaim His salvation.. I am still working on that one. I’ll wait til I am done there before I get too concerned about the ones I missed..

I understand.

Remember

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support Saints Alive, our newsletters, websites and outreaches

You can do that by sending in a gift on line at our website

or by sending a PayPal gift to gifts@saintsalive.com

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Things In The Mirror

I was reminded this morning of the little notice etched into the side view mirror of my car. It states “Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear.”

I was standing in front of the mirror in my bathroom after I had showered. Try not to dwell on the imagery. It will hurt you. I thought, “Objects in the mirror are much larger than they appear.” …This object appeared quite large to begin with, even before the shower. …I stared down at the floor and my eyes settled on the scale thereon.

Did I want this object to step on that scale and find out just how much larger it was this morning, or did I want to go on with life as usual, with a kind of ignorance may not be bliss, but it does work kind of a day.

I looked back in the mirror. I sucked in my gut, flexed my remaining muscles, lifted my chin high to remove the three that had grown under the original chin and held my breath. Still much larger and now in pain. I exhaled, threw my towel over the scale and began my day.

One needs to understand that this body has been fighting gravity and the effects of an obsession with comfort foods for over 27,000 whole days… Not an easy task for anyone… and lately I don’t need anyone to tell me that I have been losing the fight for some time. There are some things you just have to live with when you get to be over 27,000 days old.

That’ why I love living in a seniors-only development. I am around guys just like me. We don’t compare abs anymore. If we compare anything, its who has more hair growing out of his ears.

Most of the fellows my size who have been working out at the fitness center for the past 5 years still look the same. I just walk through the area rapidly and save a whole lot of energy that I can put to use elsewhere, like in the hot-tub, pool or the chaise lounge chairs.

I feel good by comparison in many ways. My walker has bigger wheels than a lot of guys’. I have yet to fall out of my golf cart. I am still quite young by some standards.. My neighbor John fell asleep on his way to the mailbox a few days ago. That hasn’t happened to me yet.

My other neighbor, Len, came over the other day and told me he was so thrilled with his new hearing aid. I asked him what kind was it. He said, “It’s a quarter to three. I’d better get going or I’ll miss the early bird special at Mario’s.”

I’m not quite that bad yet, but I did run in and tell my wife that there was an early bird special at Mario’s and we’d better get moving.”

Violation 21230****

I had a bit of a driving problem on a recent trip to Laguna Beach, California,  that resulted in a $100 traffic ticket. This is the letter I wrote to them explaining the situation. I thought you might enjoy it.


Dear Sirs:


I am an elderly, disabled visitor to your area. I was on your toll road, my first toll road experience in many years.


I had just paid the full toll a few miles before this and I and was driving to Laguna Beach. The GPS my kids gave me for the trip told me to exit and even though the map said I should stay on the toll road, I did exit, for fear that I was wrong. As soon as I left the Toll road, the GPS told me to go back on the toll road in the opposite direction and I knew that was wrong


I entered the ramp to get back on the toll road going south to Laguna and when I got to the booth, no one was there and it asked for a Dollar in coins. I was digging all over trying to find some and a car pulled right up against my bumper and began laying on the horn, constantly beeping it and yelling at me.


I became scared and threw a dollar bill in the hopper and drove through. The other car came through and sat along side me and waved his arms and cursed at me and I hit the brake so he would get ahead of me. We were very frightened. My wife was crying and we made it finally to Laguna where our children were waiting for us.


My wife doesn’t allow me to drive on the freeway any more for fear that we may get shot.


Please don’t fine me.. I did put a dollar bill in the thing and would have found the coins if the car behind us wasn’t scaring us so bad.

Thank you. I promise never to drive on a toll road again.. Well, my wife won’t let me anyway.


By the way, they forgave the fine..

Thanks, Felipe, for setting us straight!

Thanks, Felipe, for setting us straight!

Mexico’s President, Felipe Calderon, used his speech in front of a joint session of Congress to slam Arizona’s immigration law. On the floor of our national legislature, a foreign dignitary criticized our laws. Democrats gave him a standing ovation and President Obama stood idly by. What a disgrace!

One must wonder what the immigration laws of Me3xico are, that he would be so outraged that Arizona Law enforcement officers would ask someone for ID when stopping them during in the act of breaking a law.

Let’s see. If I am stopped for speeding in Arizona, the officer will ask me for my driver’s license, registration and proof of insurance, which by law, I must show him. He tickets me and we both drive away.

Now, the same officer pulls over a Latino speeder and if he asks for the same ID, that is racial profiling and a violation of the speeder’s human rights..

What a country! God Bless America.

Oh, by the way, these are a few of the immigration laws in Felipe’s country.

MEXICAN IMMIGRATION LAWS: WISH WE COULD DO THAT!

1. There will be no special bilingual programs in the schools.

* * * * * * * *

2. All ballots will be in this nation’s language..

* * * * * * * *

3.. All government business will be conducted in our language.

* * * * * * * *

4. Non-residents will NOT have the right to vote no matter how long they are here.

* * * * * * * *

5. Non-citizens will NEVER be able to hold political office

* * * * * * * *

6 Foreigners will not be a burden to the taxpayers. No welfare, no food stamps, no health care, or other government assistance programs. Any burden will be deported.

* * * * * * * *

7. Foreigners can invest in this country, but it must be an amount at least equal to 40,000 times the daily minimum wage.

* * * * * * * *

8. If foreigners come here and buy land… options will be restricted. Certain parcels including waterfront property are reserved for citizens naturally born into this country.

* * * * * * * *

9. Foreigners may have no protests; no demonstrations, no waving of a foreign flag, no political organizing, no bad-mouthing our president or his policies. These will lead to deportation.

* * * * * * * *

10. If you do come to this country illegally, you will be actively hunted &, when caught, sent to jail until your deportation can be arranged. All assets will be taken from you.

* * * * * * * * *

Cult Think

Cult Think

I sponsor a group on Facebook called Christian Apologetics. A lot of things are discussed there, but Mormonism takes a front row seat.



Recently several Mormons have been responding to articles I post and literally all but bury the site in laborious, cookie cutter LDS responses.. I am sure they mean well, but it gets to be a frustration dealing with them.



I write an article; they respond with an often lengthy, Mormon exhortation. Usually they say that I don’t understand Mormonism, I lie, I misrepresent their doctrines or actions and go on to give a candy coated look at the only true church, knowing that many people are reading what they say.


I respond to their post, giving them answers and facts to support my original premise and they respond back, ignoring my evidence, brushing me off as an angry ex-Mormon who couldn’t live the gospel and other responders as naive Christians who never understood Mormonism and then the Mormons go off on another tangent.


On one topic recently, I finally just deleted the entire topic, just to cut off their supple line for prattle. It was going nowhere.


I have been thinking about this phenomenon for the last day or so and recalled a teaching I did over 20 years ago. I wish I still had the notes. If I do, they are buried in the many notes I kept over the years, a significant sum that I hope to someday sort through. Sort of like the closet full of boxes filled with photos we will probably never sort through, either.


The frustration comes from trying to deal with what I call Cult Think.

Cult Think is the way cult members process data.

Data from the cult itself, in the form of sermons, teachings, books, manuals, rules, regulations, tests of worthiness go straight in.. direct access.

It is not weighed and measured. For example, Mormons have been taught that when the leaders speak, the thinking is done. To question or study a thing out with outside resources is to invite apostasy and the loss of one’s testimony.


Often a Biblical scripture taken outside of context is to accepted as evidence of some truth the cult’s leader may be expounding on, even though the Biblical context is opposite its use. Many of my website articles are filled with such examples.


The Mormon leaders say that God is an exalted man and that worthy Mormons can attain their own godhood. The faithful Mormon accepts that as eternal truth, even though the Bible refutes that in a several dozen clear scriptures. There is no study or searching out the scriptures. You have to wonder that the Mormon accepts this premise blindly; even the Book of Mormon denies that doctrine.


Now, on the other hand , any data from a former member or a concerned Christian; a caring family member or neighbor is received as an attack on the faith and is filtered through a thick wall of defense.


The Mormon or other cult member believes in their heart that the giver of the data left the cult/church to live a life in sin, couldn’t live up to the laws and ordinances of the cult gospel; is making money saying these evil things, hates the cult/ Mormons, is lying about it, manipulating scripture to cause them to lose their testimony.


The result is that just a fraction of the data penetrates the wall. When enough is said or read to actually break through the wall, the Mormon or other cult member immediately goes to bearing one’s testimony of the truthfulness of the cult or its leader or prophet or doctrine.


When this hypnotic/trance like testimony is over, the wall is back up and in place, the data giver is back to square one.


Once I was asked by a pastor to be at his side when he met with a Mormon couple and their bishop, to discuss why he allowed their LDS daughter to go forward at an altar call in his church. They were furious. When the bishop saw that I was sitting with the pastor, they put the meeting on hold until two men with higher ranking than bishop could attend.


When one of the new arrivals was stunned that he did not have answer to a question that I had asked, he immediately went into testimony mode.


As he got to the “… and I believe the Book of Mormon is the Word of God…”, I noticed from across the small desk that his eyes had fully dilated. He was in a hypnotic state!


I loudly smacked my hands together right in front of his face and loudly proclaimed, “The Book of Mormon cannot be true..”


He sat there in a silent daze and did not open his mouth again for the rest of the meeting.. He was literally bewildered.


My point is: Realize that you are dealing with Cult Think when you witness. Watch for it, work around it and keep poking those holes. Those walls do come down through prayer, love and persistence.


If you have a response to this post, I will be happy to post it.


Ed Decker

Newsletter April 1020

April 2010 Newsletter



A Note From Ed



Well, I am back up and running again. A trip to the Mayo Clinic in Arizona was the solution. After three Doctors and nine tests/lab workups, it was just more heavy meds that masked my symptoms and turned my mind to jelly.



Carol let that go on just so long and then she was on the phone with Mayo. They had resolved similar issues several years ago and she knew they would get the job done again. The Doctors at the Mayo Clinic, working as a team, had me on the road to recovery within 24 hours and while I am slowly getting back to the old me, I was able to drop all the meds that had me looking like a stoner on holiday.



It amazes me that people go to all kinds of lengths to get those drugs, even stealing and robbery.



We are still working out a number of problems with the new website, but I believe that we are through the major issues and will have it running in inter-active mode in the near future.

For those of you who have emailed me the last few months and received no reply, hang in there. I am so backlogged and I can still only handle the computer for a few hours at a time. I will get to all messages over the next few weeks.

I would like to thank all of you who responded to my son, Josh’s call for special giving last month. Your responses were more than special.


We still need a few heroes. If you can send in a special gift, it would be a great help right now.

Remember, you can give on our secure donation section on the website, or send a PayPal gift to us @ gifts@saintsalive.com or call it in @ 1-800-861-9888 or mail it in to us at our mailing address: P.O. Box 1347, Issaquah WA 98027


Your brother in Christ. Ed Decker





The World seems to be spinning out of control. Some of the news lately is so off center that I have to think we are victims of global insanity. Let me show you what I mean.





Trinity College


Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Article by By Casey Curlin:

Texas {Muslim} students see religious bias with 'year of Our Lord'

Students [ Muslim] at a Texas college are demanding that their diplomas not be dated "in the year of Our Lord," prompting school officials to consider removing that phrase while leaving what others consider another obvious reference to Christendom — the school's name, Trinity University… A Presbyterian, Christian College

Senior Sidra Qureshi, a Muslim student and president of Trinity Diversity Connection, started a petition that requested that students have the option of having the words removed from their diplomas.


Isaac Medina, a senior who graduated in December, told the San Antonio Express-News in March that he felt like "a victim of bait and switch" because he had applied to the university under the impression that it maintained only a historical bond to the Presbyterian Church.



Brendan McNamara, president of College Republicans at Trinity, said that the wording should remain on thediploma for traditional and multicultural reasons. "The fact that we have a chapel on campus, a Bible on our seal, a reverend, and a Christian reference in our name makes the argument that students were a victim of 'bait and switch' rather silly

See

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/apr/21/texas-students-see-religious-bias-year-of-our-lord/





Western Wall Not in Israel

Says UK Advertising Standards Authority



The UK's Advertising Standards Authority said implying that the Western Wall is in Israel is misleading. HonestReporting goes on-site to investigate...

Not only have some tourists been stranded by a volcanic ash cloud in recent days but their trauma has been multiplied by the revelation that they weren't even holidaying in Israel, their destination of choice. According to the UK's Advertising Standards Authority, an Israeli tourism ad breached rules on truthfulness due to the misleading implication that sites such as the Western Wall could actually be in Israel.

the ASA, which has, so far, refused to reconsider its ruling. Despite the obvious inversion of reality, the ASA has stated:

Our ruling does not prevent the Israeli Government Tourist Office from depicting the Western Wall or other parts of Jerusalem in future advertisements. The ruling solely seeks to ensure that future ads do not imply that places in the occupied territories are part of the State of Israel.

How can Israel advertise the Western Wall without the implication that the site is in Israel?

http://www.honestreporting.com/articles/45884734/critiques/new/Video_Is_the_Western_Wall_in_Israel_-_HR_Interviews_Confused_Tourists.asp





LDS [illegal] immigrants

Public Forum Letter

Salt Lake Tribune

Updated: 04/21/2010 03:09:33 PM MDT


I was appalled after recently reading this 2008 statement by Elder Marlin K. Jensen, a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: "The church's view of someone in undocumented status is akin, in a way, to a civil trespass." Jensen related it "to coming onto someone's property uninvited" and said, "There is nothing inherent or wrong about that status."

Really? If I had an outstanding warrant for a trespassing ticket that I hadn't paid, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't qualify for an LDS temple recommend until it was taken care of. I also see a giant difference between crossing a fence posted "No trespassing" and sneaking into a country, buying stolen Social Security numbers and not paying taxes.

In a meeting of LDS Church stake presidents in May 2006, church authorities instructed local leaders that the church was no longer going to acknowledge the country borders that man has set, and that no church leader should deny an undocumented individual church privileges based solely on that illegal activity. I'm sad and confused by the LDS Church's quiet stance on this serious issue. I pray our church leaders will support our U.S. government.





Army Disinvites Graham to Pentagon Prayer Day

Thursday, 22 Apr 2010 07:06 PM

Evangelist Franklin Graham's invitation to speak at a Pentagon prayer service has been rescinded because his comments about Islam were inappropriate, the Army said Thursday.

Graham, the son of famed evangelist Billy Graham, in 2001 described Islam as evil. More recently, he has said he finds Islam offensive and wants Muslims to know that Jesus Christ died for their sins.

Army spokesman Col. Tom Collins said Graham's remarks were "not appropriate."

"We're an all-inclusive military," Collins said. "We honor all faiths. ... Our message to our service and civilian work force is about the need for diversity and appreciation of all faiths."

The Military Religious Freedom Foundation had raised the objection to Graham's appearance, citing his past remarks about Islam.

Collins said earlier this week that the invitation to attend the National Day of Prayer event at the Pentagon wasn't from the military but from the Colorado-based National Day of Prayer Task Force, which works with the Pentagon chaplain's office on the prayer event.

As co-honorary chair of the task force, Graham was expected to be the lead speaker at the May 6 Pentagon service. Country singer Ricky Skaggs was expected to perform.

Since Graham's invitation was rescinded, the task force has decided not to participate in the military prayer service, Collins said.

http://newsmax.com/InsideCover/US-Day-of-Prayer/2010/04/22/id/356609?s=al&promo_code=9CC6-1

*********************

Pentagon Widens Christian Ban;

Graham Says It’s Anti-Religion

Monday, 26 Apr 2010 11:39 PM

By: David A. Patten

The entire National Day of Prayer task force, including the Rev. Franklin Graham, has been "disinvited" to the National Day of Prayer observance to be held at the Pentagon, sources tell Newsmax.

And evangelist Franklin Graham believes the military’s effort to ban him and other Christian leaders is nothing short of an effort to stamp out Christianity from the military.

The Pentagon's decision to disinvite not only Graham, but also the National Day of Prayer task force led by author Shirley Dobson, the wife of influential Focus on the Family founder Dr. James C. Dobson, suggests the Pentagon's rejection of Christian leaders is much broader than previously recognized.

http://newsmax.com/InsideCover/graham-islam-pentagon-prayer/2010/04/26/id/356950



****************



Comedy Central Allows Mockery of Christianity on South Park but Bleeps the Name 'Prophet Muhammad' from a Recent Episode

WASHINGTON, April 23 /Christian Newswire/ -- Network "censors" South Park after radical Islamic group makes threats about the portrayal of the Prophet Muhammad.


It is bigotry and discrimination at its worst to protect one faith tradition, Islam, and allow others to be mocked and ridiculed.


South Park has a long history of mocking Christianity and its values which Comedy Central has repeatedly aired.


By bowing to the pressure of radical Islamic extremists, Comedy Central shows their utter contempt for free speech, their cowardice and their distain for religious tolerance and equality.


Sadly, this double standard by Comedy Central toward Christianity reflects the prevailing attitude in pop culture toward the Christian faith and their values. http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/9449413700.html





FOX NEWS NOW CONDEMNS ALL CRITICS OF ISLAM

NETWORK FORSAKES FAIRNESS AND BALANCE

thelastcrusade.org

http://thelastcrusade.org/2010/03/10/fox-news-now-condemns-all-critics-of-islam/



On Fox News last night as Glenn Beck, Charles Krauthammer, A.B. Stoddard, and Bill Kristol condemned Dutch activist Geert Wilders as a “demagogue” and a “fascist.”

Mr. Wilders, the leader of the Party for Freedom in The Netherlands, produced a controversial documentary on Islam in Holland called “Fitna.” In the short film, Mr. Wilders argued that “there is no such thing as ‘moderate Islam’” and that the Prophet Muhammad would “. . .in these days be hunted down as a terrorist.”

In the past, the former member of the Dutch National Parliament was a frequent guest on Fox News. Last February, Bill O’Reilly welcomed Mr. Wilders to America, while condemning a scared Britain for banning him entrance to the country.

While Mr. Beck labeled Mr. Wilders as a “fascist,” Mr. Krauthammer said that the popular Dutch politician, who is a leading candidate for Prime Minister, doesn’t know the difference between Islam and Islamism.

Ms. Stoddard expressed her agreement with Krauthammer and added that “if people like this (Mr. Wilders)) are elected to lead Holland it will suffer the consequences.

The well-orchestrated attacks on Mr. Wilders came in the wake of news that Rupert Murdoch, the CEO and principal stockholder of News Corps, the parent company of Fox News, will make Abu Dhabi, the headquarters of his global media operations in the Middle East.

Mr. Murdock has established strong links with the Arab Muslims, last month agreeing to invest 70 million dollars in the Rotana Group, an enterprise is controlled by Saudi tycoon Prince Alwaleed bin Talal.

Prince Talal, in turn, now owns 7% of News Corps. He is #22 on the Forbes list of the world’s wealthiest people.

The change in Fox News and its stance on Islam has been noted by Walid Shoebat, a former member of the Palestine Liberation Organization, who converted to Christianity.

Mr. Shoebat says that Fox New now prohibits critics of Islam and Islamic terror from appearing on its broadcasts.

He contends that the prohibition stems from the fact that Prince Talal is now the second-largest shareholder in News Corporation, the parent company of the Fox News Channel.

*********



Saints Alive Ministries

P.O. Box 1347

Issaquah, WA 98027

www.saintsalive.com



Let me hear back on your thoughts about this issue!



ed@saintsalive.com

I do answer my emails

The Mormon Art of Child Stealing

The Mormon Art of Child Stealing

Ed Decker

April 13, 2010

A number of years ago. I was asked by a local pastor to met with him and a troubled family. The daughter was in high school and dating a good looking Mormon boy. Her baptism in the church was the following Saturday.

I met with him, the girl and her parents for over two hours. The girl was a bit over-weight and not very attractive. It was easy to see why she was drawn to both the boy and the Church he was bringing her into.

She had been raised in the family’s church and had been an active part of the youth program until the Mormon Conversion by dating plan had struck her down.

In the end, no matter her parents’ and pastor’s pleading and my logical reasons for why a young Christian girl should not become a Mormon, she said that she was going to be baptized no matter what any of us said.

Her next words have stayed with me for almost 25 years. She said, “Look at me. No one has ever paid me attention in school. No one else has ever dated me, shown me love and caring like he has. He is beautiful in every way. I don’t care if I follow him to hell when I die, I am going with him.”

I recently received an email from a family that brought this all back to mind. Attached was a series of emails dealing with the blatant theft of their daughter by a young man about to eave for his mission.

Not only did their daughter join the church and be baptized without their knowledge, she hid away the truth about his Mormonism and when he left for his mission, he and his parents convinced her to move out of her parents’ home and live with them, basically holding her spiritually hostage awaiting the son’s return and a supposed temple wedding.


I grieve over this. It’s a story I have heard a thousand times over. I told her dad this:

Regarding your note and the attachment, I have read through the many emails and the battle you have fought over Amanda and have to say, my heart is broken with yours. I have been dealing with this child stealing for over 30 years and the stories are almost the same in every case. Sometimes it is also a young man, infatuated with some LDS girl and the attention and love bombing..


The Mormons call it conversion by dating and actually encourage their young people to seek out non-members to date. Even young kids in Primary are used by eager parents to invite neighborhood and school friends to events and parties, to lure their families into a mood for missionary visits.


In many cases, within months of conversion, especially in high school, the Mormon moves on to the next ‘dating’ conversion and the new LDS teenager is on her own.


The vilest part of this child stealing is when they secretly baptize the child, and if the parents complain, offer their home as sanctuary away from such ‘unloving’ parents.


The arrogance of their position is the clearest evidence of their ungodliness. ….


Again, I grieve with you.


I have noted that in many cases like this, the stolen child usually leaves the LDS church within a year’s time and the parents need to be alert to that possibility. The odds are much less if she is tied to “missionary’ love and lives with his family..

The average Mormon kid, trained up to be confident and outgoing is usually any parent’s dream. Those who have followed the church teachings and are true believers are like wolves in sheep’s clothing. They are usually well-mannered, clean cut, charming and very respectful to the date’s family.

The canine teeth are tucked way back and before you can shout, “Wait!” Your kid is stolen right out from under your watchful eyes.

Christian parents and youth pastors need to build a wall of protection from these ravening wolves that prey upon your children. Most good Christian kids are not street smart and easy prey. They have to be immunized against attack. To fail to do so is asking for trouble, especially in high school.

Communicate and prepare them for these kinds of dangers. We do it regarding pedophiles who lurk around the vulnerable. Your children are equally vulnerable when it comes to the cults who prey on them with as much aggression as the pedophiles in the bushes.

Blog Responses

Ed, I was in one of those "Missionary Relationships" for 18 years. I was raised in the Christian faith and had a close relationship with the lord. But, my parents never warned me about Mormons. And I didn't find out that he was mormon until after the honeymoon. He took out his 'Book of Mormon,' 'Doc and Covenants,' and his version of the 'King James Version' of the bible. He tried to convince me that his church was the only church and that my church was apostate. But, my gut instinct helped me argue the points he wanted to make. First, I took him to the end of the Bible where it says not to add or take away parts from the bible. Then, I told him, he couldn't take verses out of context and make the mean what he said they meant. I stuck to my faith the whole time I was in the relationship. And on Mother's Day in 1992, the lord blessed me with the 'Holy Spirit.' I have been able to stay strong ever since. I was able to argue that my sons had the right to choose since he lied to me. And both of them are Christians and attend my church. God is good when you have faith in him, no matter what happens!" Becky


Ed,I have seen it with my own eyes, witnessed the heartache, seen the confusion. Families are forever? Families are for pillaging and wrecking more like it. Mike


Ed, I was one of those, "stolen" from my family. I was converted to mormonism via a young man I was dating. I wish, oh I wish my parents would have done to warn me... but 19 yrs later I did come out, but without a few battle scars. This is very well written, and very true. Gloria

Another Day at The DMV

Just another day at the DMV.


Posted 3/11/2010 11:58 AM PST on MyDesert.com

Been in Seattle for a few weeks of medical tests and vigorous prodding, trying to figure out why my body is starting to act like one with its own mind about how, why or where it is or is not going. A good friend said it wasn’t age that gets you, it’s the mileage. Guess that’s true. Even my walker won’t go where I aim it.



Because of a return of dyslexia, I have been banned from the computer for a while, but had to share a few funny things this morning anyway.



Got a call from a broken hearted, angry with the system, granddaughter the other day. Seems she was taking her driver’s test and the instructor/tester guy told her half way through the driving test to turn around and return to the DMV. She had already far exceeded the number of errors to pass the test.



I had to laugh. Her older uncle, who, today, is a certified race car driver, flunked his first test when he ran a stop sign. He told the instructor that he had already stopped at a stop sign a block away and didn’t think it made sense that they would make him do it twice. Glad he doesn’t drive Toyotas.



His older brother was told to pull off the road five minutes into his test and told to breathe normally for 5 minutes before resuming the test. He passed thanks to a caring instructor.



One lady I know not only failed but was given a ticket for freezing up and blocking a Fire Engine from getting out of its garage onto the street. Her excuse was that the all the sirens scared her.



My wife was driving her car through an intersection, on a green light when she was broadsided by a car, whipping through against the red light. Turned out it was a young girl taking her driver’s test. Through her tears, she cried out to the instructor, “Does this mean I don’t pass the test?”



My Neighbor and I were walking out of a DMV office after getting bus driver OKs for our licenses. A car a was pulling into the parking slot by the door, as a happy mom was waving victory signs at her son, who continued to drive straight through the plate glass window and into the waiting room.



You gotta wonder what goes through the minds of these dear souls who get into cars with these new drivers. I think there is a lot of fear.



I was moving from one state to another and it required that I take the driving test to get the new license. I was like number 4 on the list and the car with number three came in, jumping the curb crossing the sidewalk and landing against a chain link fence.



The officer slowly got out, filled out some paperwork, quietly told the young lady to take it in to the clerk and turned to me, standing at the door of my own vehicle.



“Get in,” he said sharply, which I quickly did.



He put his head back against the head rest. “Drive.”



“Where?”



“Anywhere. Just drive and don’t talk.”



Fifteen minutes later, he let out deep sigh and said, “OK, Let’s go back now. Just don’t talk.”



Fifteen minutes later, I pulled into a free spot at the DMV and he stepped out, smiled, said thanks and handed me a sheet that said PASSED.



Just one last story: I was renewing my license and slowly working my way out of a very crowded parking lot when a young girl backed out right smack into the side of my old beater 1976 Ford pick-up.



The Kid was beyond destroyed. The look of immediate death was written all over her face.



Her mother, first time passenger with daughter was moaning like a cow birthing its first calf.



I looked at the dents she made among the many other dents to the truck over the years, smiled wistfully and said.. “Having lived through this with 7 of my own kids, I understand your pain. Mom, drive your daughter home and be happy my BMW is in the shop.”



With that, I hopped back into my truck, did not look back and finally worked my way out to the real world, away from the world of the DMV.



At least down here in the desert, we don’t have as much of an issue since a third of the drivers have never visited a DMV office to take the tests.Comments (0)
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