by Al Benson Jr.
Awhile back, I received an email from a conservative activist who was busily urging people to try to get the Republican Party "back to its conservative roots." My initial thought was--what conservative roots? Anyone who had done any research as to the origins of the Republican Party and is not wearing blinders has got to realize that the Republican Party in this country had radical, leftist beginnings, hardly to be considered conservative by any stretch of the imagination.
Back in early 2008, author, columnist and researcher Alan Stang (since deceased) did a review of Donnie Kennedy's and my book Lincoln's Marxists. The title of his article was The Republican Party--Red From the Start. I thought his title was quite appropriate. My Stang understood what many conservatives do not seem to grasp, that the Republican Party was really leftist in its origins. While I sincerely appreciate the sincerity and intent of many conservatives, I feel they have got to begin to do the homework and wake up and realize what the Republican Party really is.
For years I've been getting mail urging me to vote Republican so as to fight against the "liberal Democrats." The people that promote and send this stuff out must think we are all stupid enough to actually think that all Republicans are conservative and all Democrats are liberal. What about fighting against liberal Republicans that are really no different than liberal Democrats? Ahh, we aren't even supposed to know enough to ask that question, are we?
So let's take a brief look at the "conservative" roots of the Republican Party. When the Republican Party ran its first presidential candidate, John C. Fremont, back in 1856, Fremont had the backing of several men who were socialist refugees from the failed socialist/communist revolts in Europe in 1848; (they were known as "Forty-Eighters). One of the most well known of these was Friedrich Hassaurek, an Austrian socialist, who stumped the Midwest in Fremont's behalf. It did little good at that point, as Fremont was beaten. However, it is worth noting that when the War (of Northern Aggression) broke out in 1861, General Fremont ended up with a goodly number of these Forty-Eighter socialists and communists on his military staff while the war was in progress. The Forty-Eighter socialists seem to have flocked to Fremont. What did they know about the august General that our "history" books have not bothered to reveal to us?
Although Fremont was beaten in 1856, the socialists and communists were nothing if not patient. In 1860 they found another candidate worthy of their leftist support--Abraham Lincoln. So, in the presidential campaign of 1860, the Forty-Eighters all came out for Lincoln. Carl Wittke, author of Refugees of Revolution noted that: "Lincoln was fully aware of the political influence of the Forty-Eighters in the campaign of 1860, in persuading many of their countrymen to desert the Democratic allegiance for the Republicans..." It appears that the Forty-Eighters had quite a bit of influence in the Republican Convention in 1860--even helping to write parts of the party's platform. So much for "conservatism" at the Republican roots!
Establishment historian, James McPherson, told us in his book Abraham Lincoln and the Second American Revolution that Mr. Lincoln had championed the cause of the socialists and communists in Europe in 1848. You can find the quote about that on pages 24 and 25 of McPherson's book. So why, then, would Lincoln not embrace their unstinting support for his presidential aspirations in 1860? One can, quite accurately, label this whole scenario The Red Roots of the Republican Party.
If socialists and communists supported Fremont in 1856 and Lincoln in 1860 and 1864, we can hardly label the beginnings of the Republican Party as "conservative" now, can we? The roots of the Republican Party were anything but conservative. At best, they might be considered deep pink. Our decent, patriotic folks in this country need to start becoming aware of this so they will not be guilty of trying to take us back to Republican "conservative" roots that do not, and never did, exist.
It is true that the Republican Party did take a more conservative tack in the late 1940s and 50s, and even through the early 60s, but only out of political necessity; it hardly reflects the foundation and origins of the GOP.
It is worth noting that, in 1860, the Democrats were the real conservatives, while the Republicans were the left-leaning radicals. People today should know the difference--and the real history. The fact that most don't, reveals the lack of depth in what most of us received in government schools that passed for education. Sadly, what most of us received was little more than leftist propaganda.
Sunday, December 21, 2014
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Political Liars Abound. So Do Their Omissions.
by Al Benson Jr.
Years ago I can remember hearing a rather sickening radio commercial that informed the public that "inflation is really all their fault." After laying his little guilt trip on an unsuspecting public the speaker proceeded to tell them how they could redeem themselves and thus be purged of the gross sin of "inflationary living." What they needed to do, immediately if not sooner, is to sit down at the kitchen table, write to some address in Pueblo, Colorado and send for this booklet that would tell them how to stop contributing to the nation's inflation rate. If the whole thing had not been such total hogwash it might almost have been laughable. As it was, the commercial stood as a classic piece of misinformation!
For years various government "economists" (who were mostly socialists) and other "experts" have sought to fill our heads with the rubbish that inflation is our fault because "we are all too greedy." In other words, if a man works overtime on Saturdays or evenings to help feed his family, then he's greedy. The fact that he may need the extra income to help put food on the table or pay his utility bills is not worth mentioning. Just remind him that he's contributing to inflation by working all those extra hours. So all of you all out there that have worked extra hours over the years to help provide your families with more than just the bare necessities had better quit that extra job. Learn to be satisfied with the bare minimum and just watch that inflation rate plummet! So said the government "experts" years ago. Now, we have an economy that our Exalted Ruler tells us is really booming, and he tells us how much he loves the middle class (just a slight prevarication there). Lots of folks can't get work, or if they do get it, it's part time and not full time, and the inflation rate, thanks to his reckless borrowing for his "stimulus packages" has gone through the roof. I haven't seen too many commercials of late telling the public that they are the main problem when it comes to inflation, probably because after six years of the "Great One" being in the White House, anyone who dared to put out such a commercial would be stoned. But they find other ways to lie to us. They continue to spit in our faces and tell us that it's dew.
What the monetary "experts" have been expert at NOT telling us is that, in reality, it is not those of us who work for a living that cause inflation. Rather it is our unsound and ungodly money system, operated not for the public good, but rather operated for the tax free profit of the bankers that control the FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM, that is the real culprit.
Indeed, the highly questionable odor of Federal Reserve practices became so obnoxious several years ago that the Committee on Banking and Currency in the House of Representatives even held hearings on the situation. Dr. Russell Lee Norburn, testifying before the Subcommittee on Domestic Finance, stated the following: "The result of 50 years shows that our present monetary system is merely a finesse for perpetuating financiers dedicated to maintaining the status quo instead of the public good." In plain language that meant that the Fed bankers couldn't have cared less about what happened to you or the country as long as they got their financial pound of flesh! Dr. Norburn told people that Federal Reserve manipulation of gold, bank credit, and Federal Reserve notes had resulted in gigantic exploitation of both government and people. In other word, folks, we've been had.
With no fast standard of gold or silver to stand in back of the debt-notes we've been conditioned to call money, the bankers can have a field day and you know by now who pays for it all--you do, you lucky stiff! This is the kind of information that Ron Paul tried for decades to get out to people and it's why he so strongly sought to have the Fed audited. Whether many agree or disagree with some of what he did, he understood the bankers and what they were doing to us and the country, and when he ran for president, the ruling elite in both parties who play footsie with the bankers had to make sure he never got close to the White House even though he did have a legitimate chance, had not his own party leadership played the part of the Judas Goat.
Gold and silver are real money. Paper is not. A return to currency redeemable in gold or silver is the very least we should do--but don't hold your breath. Supposedly now that the Republicans have taken back Congress, conservatism will rule. This ruse will fool lots of people and they will go back to sleep, but don't let it fool you. Nothing has changed except the name of the party supposedly running things, and seeing that the Council on Foreign Relations has its tentacles strongly into both parties, nothing will change unless they, for some reason, want it to.
In regard to all this, it would be interesting to see what some of your kids have for economics books in public schools. I'd be willing to be they parrot the "party line" rather than giving the kids any real truth.
Years ago I can remember hearing a rather sickening radio commercial that informed the public that "inflation is really all their fault." After laying his little guilt trip on an unsuspecting public the speaker proceeded to tell them how they could redeem themselves and thus be purged of the gross sin of "inflationary living." What they needed to do, immediately if not sooner, is to sit down at the kitchen table, write to some address in Pueblo, Colorado and send for this booklet that would tell them how to stop contributing to the nation's inflation rate. If the whole thing had not been such total hogwash it might almost have been laughable. As it was, the commercial stood as a classic piece of misinformation!
For years various government "economists" (who were mostly socialists) and other "experts" have sought to fill our heads with the rubbish that inflation is our fault because "we are all too greedy." In other words, if a man works overtime on Saturdays or evenings to help feed his family, then he's greedy. The fact that he may need the extra income to help put food on the table or pay his utility bills is not worth mentioning. Just remind him that he's contributing to inflation by working all those extra hours. So all of you all out there that have worked extra hours over the years to help provide your families with more than just the bare necessities had better quit that extra job. Learn to be satisfied with the bare minimum and just watch that inflation rate plummet! So said the government "experts" years ago. Now, we have an economy that our Exalted Ruler tells us is really booming, and he tells us how much he loves the middle class (just a slight prevarication there). Lots of folks can't get work, or if they do get it, it's part time and not full time, and the inflation rate, thanks to his reckless borrowing for his "stimulus packages" has gone through the roof. I haven't seen too many commercials of late telling the public that they are the main problem when it comes to inflation, probably because after six years of the "Great One" being in the White House, anyone who dared to put out such a commercial would be stoned. But they find other ways to lie to us. They continue to spit in our faces and tell us that it's dew.
What the monetary "experts" have been expert at NOT telling us is that, in reality, it is not those of us who work for a living that cause inflation. Rather it is our unsound and ungodly money system, operated not for the public good, but rather operated for the tax free profit of the bankers that control the FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM, that is the real culprit.
Indeed, the highly questionable odor of Federal Reserve practices became so obnoxious several years ago that the Committee on Banking and Currency in the House of Representatives even held hearings on the situation. Dr. Russell Lee Norburn, testifying before the Subcommittee on Domestic Finance, stated the following: "The result of 50 years shows that our present monetary system is merely a finesse for perpetuating financiers dedicated to maintaining the status quo instead of the public good." In plain language that meant that the Fed bankers couldn't have cared less about what happened to you or the country as long as they got their financial pound of flesh! Dr. Norburn told people that Federal Reserve manipulation of gold, bank credit, and Federal Reserve notes had resulted in gigantic exploitation of both government and people. In other word, folks, we've been had.
With no fast standard of gold or silver to stand in back of the debt-notes we've been conditioned to call money, the bankers can have a field day and you know by now who pays for it all--you do, you lucky stiff! This is the kind of information that Ron Paul tried for decades to get out to people and it's why he so strongly sought to have the Fed audited. Whether many agree or disagree with some of what he did, he understood the bankers and what they were doing to us and the country, and when he ran for president, the ruling elite in both parties who play footsie with the bankers had to make sure he never got close to the White House even though he did have a legitimate chance, had not his own party leadership played the part of the Judas Goat.
Gold and silver are real money. Paper is not. A return to currency redeemable in gold or silver is the very least we should do--but don't hold your breath. Supposedly now that the Republicans have taken back Congress, conservatism will rule. This ruse will fool lots of people and they will go back to sleep, but don't let it fool you. Nothing has changed except the name of the party supposedly running things, and seeing that the Council on Foreign Relations has its tentacles strongly into both parties, nothing will change unless they, for some reason, want it to.
In regard to all this, it would be interesting to see what some of your kids have for economics books in public schools. I'd be willing to be they parrot the "party line" rather than giving the kids any real truth.
Thursday, December 11, 2014
Christians--Some Forgotten Truth
by Al Benson Jr.
In the 6th chapter of the Epistle to the Galatians, verses 15 and 16, Paul states: "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God."
Many in our day have struggled over what this passage means. Many think this can only refer to national Israel, who, we have been informed for many generations, are the "chosen people." Those who have read the old Scofield Bible and searched for Scofield's comments on this passage in his running commentary will be disappointed as I was. They will find no commentary from Mr. Scofield. He chose not to comment on these words.
While I am far from being an avid fan of Bible commentaries, especially those published in the 20th century, I do have a set of Matthew Henry's commentaries that was given to me as a gift. Henry, writing in a saner day than ours, theologically speaking, had no trouble with this passage. In fact, his comments, in light of much of what we read today, are quite enlightening.
In speaking of the peace and mercy mentioned in verse 16, Henry stated: "These, he declares, shall be the portion of all the Israel of God, by whom he means all sincere Christians, whether Jews or Gentiles, all who are Israelites indeed, who, although they may not be the natural, yet are become the spiritual seed of Abraham; these being heirs of his faith, are also heirs together with him of the same promise, and consequently entitled to the peace and mercy here spoken of."
If Matthew Henry could see the plan truth of this passage of Scripture, why can so many Christians today not see it? It was no secret in Matthew Henry's day that all who trust in Christ Jesus for their salvation constitute the Israel of God. How, then, in our supposedly advanced age, can so many have forgotten such an essential truth?
Abraham's true descendants have always been only those who were of faith. The name "Israel" unfortunately has many meanings for many people today. Sadly, most of those to whom the name really belongs have unconsciously passed along their birthright to others who are not currently believers and have become willing to settle for being nothing more than a parenthesis in history. They have forgotten, or been led to forget, that all history revolves around God's true Israel, those who are in Christ.
The world will ultimately not be judged by how it responds to natural Israel in the Middle East, but by how it responds to the true Israel--Christ's Church. God has never had two "chosen people", one earthly and the other heavenly. From the start, God's chosen people have been those who have responded to Him in faith (Galatians 3:29).
Think about this, and ask the Holy Spirit to give you insight and discernment that you may know the truth. It is in knowing the truth that you will be set free.
In the 6th chapter of the Epistle to the Galatians, verses 15 and 16, Paul states: "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God."
Many in our day have struggled over what this passage means. Many think this can only refer to national Israel, who, we have been informed for many generations, are the "chosen people." Those who have read the old Scofield Bible and searched for Scofield's comments on this passage in his running commentary will be disappointed as I was. They will find no commentary from Mr. Scofield. He chose not to comment on these words.
While I am far from being an avid fan of Bible commentaries, especially those published in the 20th century, I do have a set of Matthew Henry's commentaries that was given to me as a gift. Henry, writing in a saner day than ours, theologically speaking, had no trouble with this passage. In fact, his comments, in light of much of what we read today, are quite enlightening.
In speaking of the peace and mercy mentioned in verse 16, Henry stated: "These, he declares, shall be the portion of all the Israel of God, by whom he means all sincere Christians, whether Jews or Gentiles, all who are Israelites indeed, who, although they may not be the natural, yet are become the spiritual seed of Abraham; these being heirs of his faith, are also heirs together with him of the same promise, and consequently entitled to the peace and mercy here spoken of."
If Matthew Henry could see the plan truth of this passage of Scripture, why can so many Christians today not see it? It was no secret in Matthew Henry's day that all who trust in Christ Jesus for their salvation constitute the Israel of God. How, then, in our supposedly advanced age, can so many have forgotten such an essential truth?
Abraham's true descendants have always been only those who were of faith. The name "Israel" unfortunately has many meanings for many people today. Sadly, most of those to whom the name really belongs have unconsciously passed along their birthright to others who are not currently believers and have become willing to settle for being nothing more than a parenthesis in history. They have forgotten, or been led to forget, that all history revolves around God's true Israel, those who are in Christ.
The world will ultimately not be judged by how it responds to natural Israel in the Middle East, but by how it responds to the true Israel--Christ's Church. God has never had two "chosen people", one earthly and the other heavenly. From the start, God's chosen people have been those who have responded to Him in faith (Galatians 3:29).
Think about this, and ask the Holy Spirit to give you insight and discernment that you may know the truth. It is in knowing the truth that you will be set free.
Monday, December 08, 2014
The Gift of Christian Resistance
by Al Benson Jr.
As we enter the Advent Season of the Christian year we look forward to the Christmas Season which commemorates the birth of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. We look upon this historic event as God's precious gift to His elect people, His new Israel. It is this gift that Christmas is really all about. Jesus Christ came to die and to rise again to procure salvation for all His people, Jews and Gentiles alike.
As this Christmas Season approaches we observe the world situation, and to those without Christ it is a hopeless one indeed. And even in the Church, we observe the retreatist attitudes of many. Rather than do battle with the world, the flesh, and the devil, many Christians seek to retreat within the four walls of their church building and to shut the world out, to have no dealings "out there" and therefore, to effect no cultural changes out there. I have wondered, over several Christmas Seasons if the best gift the Church might give the world at the Christmas Season is the gift of Christian resistance.
Should not we, as Christians, seek to resist the present (One) World System with all its evil machinations? Are we to fear the world and its anti-Christ conspiracies? NO! But we should resist and expose them (Ephesians 5:11).
If we will only take our heads out of the spiritual sand we cannot help but take note of the blatantly anti-Christian trends in government, education, economics, the media, and in a score of other areas we could name. Why not the gift of Christian resistance to anti-Christian forces in all areas of life? Are we supposed to contend for the culture around us or just to surrender to it? Many Christians would claim that all we will ever be is a "counter-culture" and that we better be satisfied with that. We have inherited a lot of retreatist attitudes from the early promoters of the Darby-Scofield school of retreatism, so much so that we need to overcome that and find anew that strong strain of godly Christian resistance so prevalent in the Protestant Reformation.
Let Christian again stand up and RESIST anti-Christian governments, anti-Christian educational systems, ungodly money systems, etc.
So, as Christ brought to us the free gift of salvation, let us also bring the Good News of that event to others as He leads us to do so. And let us also seek to give to the world the precious gift of Christian resistance to what is ungodly. Let us, as the Lord leads, learn to "fight the good fight of faith" and let us learn to "resist the devil" in ALL areas of life. Our Lord did not tell us to retreat until He came; He told us to OCCUPY until He returned. If Jesus made a whip of cords and drove the money changers from the temple, can we do less today? Unfortunately, for many Christians today the answer to that question is "yes--lots less."
It is high time for Christians to stop retreating and to start resisting. Think about that as this Christmas Season approaches.
As we enter the Advent Season of the Christian year we look forward to the Christmas Season which commemorates the birth of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. We look upon this historic event as God's precious gift to His elect people, His new Israel. It is this gift that Christmas is really all about. Jesus Christ came to die and to rise again to procure salvation for all His people, Jews and Gentiles alike.
As this Christmas Season approaches we observe the world situation, and to those without Christ it is a hopeless one indeed. And even in the Church, we observe the retreatist attitudes of many. Rather than do battle with the world, the flesh, and the devil, many Christians seek to retreat within the four walls of their church building and to shut the world out, to have no dealings "out there" and therefore, to effect no cultural changes out there. I have wondered, over several Christmas Seasons if the best gift the Church might give the world at the Christmas Season is the gift of Christian resistance.
Should not we, as Christians, seek to resist the present (One) World System with all its evil machinations? Are we to fear the world and its anti-Christ conspiracies? NO! But we should resist and expose them (Ephesians 5:11).
If we will only take our heads out of the spiritual sand we cannot help but take note of the blatantly anti-Christian trends in government, education, economics, the media, and in a score of other areas we could name. Why not the gift of Christian resistance to anti-Christian forces in all areas of life? Are we supposed to contend for the culture around us or just to surrender to it? Many Christians would claim that all we will ever be is a "counter-culture" and that we better be satisfied with that. We have inherited a lot of retreatist attitudes from the early promoters of the Darby-Scofield school of retreatism, so much so that we need to overcome that and find anew that strong strain of godly Christian resistance so prevalent in the Protestant Reformation.
Let Christian again stand up and RESIST anti-Christian governments, anti-Christian educational systems, ungodly money systems, etc.
So, as Christ brought to us the free gift of salvation, let us also bring the Good News of that event to others as He leads us to do so. And let us also seek to give to the world the precious gift of Christian resistance to what is ungodly. Let us, as the Lord leads, learn to "fight the good fight of faith" and let us learn to "resist the devil" in ALL areas of life. Our Lord did not tell us to retreat until He came; He told us to OCCUPY until He returned. If Jesus made a whip of cords and drove the money changers from the temple, can we do less today? Unfortunately, for many Christians today the answer to that question is "yes--lots less."
It is high time for Christians to stop retreating and to start resisting. Think about that as this Christmas Season approaches.
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