Our American Gladiator

You know, it's tempting to "buy in" to all the hoopla that one "strong man" in government (like Donald J. Trump) can really "fix" what ails U.S. Very few in history (George Washington being one of those exceptions) have merited the people's trust with near-absolute power. Any system which elevates a mere mortal to "rule" as "savior" is destined to disappoint and corrupt. Whatever short-term gains Trump proposes (or even delivers!) will be WIPED OUT by a despot to follow. (That's how we got into this mess: giving too much power to too few!)

The system now is rigged (by the few) and IS corrupt. The hooligans and con-artists entrenched in power -- in both political parties, the media, Hollywood, and business - DETEST Trump...because he represents a real THREAT to them, their livelihoods, power and prestige.

Trump is a REAL "game changer".

He doesn't give a damn who you are! If you're on the "wrong" side of history, on ANY issue, he will call you on it! He doesn't mince words. He isn't mealy-mouthed or two-faced. He tells it like it is. (Gotta love that!) Even if what he says is harsh, shocking, vulgar or "inappropriate". (He's not an angel, after all, but a real human, with plenty of weaknesses.)

If you've ever prayed for a "champion" to fix our problems, the things Americans are too stupid, self-absorbed, ill-equipped or disinterested to address, then THIS GUY is your ONLY choice this election cycle. (You want someone better or more virtuous than Trump? Then RUN FOR OFFICE YOURSELF next election cycle!)

This guy has put it ALL on the line for U.S.: his fortune, his reputation, his family, his career. There's no "upside" for him being president. Living in the White House -- I'm sure it's both fun and glamorous (for a while) -- is, in fact, an oft-acknowledged "prison". Donald Trump is (like George Washington was) ALREADY rich and famous. He ALREADY has enormous power. He DOESN'T NEED the office and (unlike his opponent) probably doesn't want it.

THAT'S why he's a good candidate! He won't say or do ANYTHING (like she will) to get elected. He isn't susceptible to being corrupted by fame, fortune or prestige. In fact, he's willing to LOSE IT ALL to save his country!

I respect that. I appreciate that. And I want to reward that with my vote.

For all his flaws (failures, foibles and faux pas), the alternative to Trump is not just the status quo. It's much, much worse.

Is our country prepared -- and can it afford -- to be "ruled" much longer by an evil elite?

We'll see.

No king but Jesus

Barring some great religious reformation (heretofore unforeseen), if Donald J. Trump wins the U.S. presidency, he will (at best) only forestall the capsize of America’s ship of state into a sea of greater tyranny, insolvency and martial chaos. (For a “full end of all nations” has been decreed. See Doctrine and Covenants 87:6.) 

“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people,” second U.S. president and founding father John Adams wrote in 1798. “It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." Thus lacking morality and religiosity, either in her people or in her leadership — and who will deny that such traits are now in short supply in U.S.? — America has no hope of enduring (as originally intended) in any material, demographic, political, or philosophical sense. 

For those who cannot be ruled by law will be ruled by men.

When Mrs. Powell asked Benjamin Franklin, at the close of the Constitutional Convention in 1787, “Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?” Franklin replied without hesitation, “A republic, if you can keep it.”

We are well past the point of keeping that republic. All anyone speaks of nowadays is “democracy” — a word nowhere found in the Declaration of Independence (1776), the U.S. Constitution (1787) or the Bill of Rights (1791). Indeed, “democracy” is not referenced in any of our original 50 state constitutions. “Democracy” is a throwback to a failed order of the past -- a playground for despots, tyrants and villains -- “resurrected” for our time…and our undoing. 

In 1814 Adams opined to John Taylor: “Democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts and murders itself. There was never a democracy that did not commit suicide.”

Our founders were men and women of great character, acumen and wisdom. Can we say the same of ourselves?

The Book of Mormon states that this land [which I conclude to be America] was reserved for those who worship Jesus Christ:

Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ, who hath been manifested by the things which we have written. (Ether 2:12.)

We are, however, no longer “one nation under God”, but many nations worming under government.

But not for long. 

We have proven that we are almost entirely unfit to govern ourselves. Our leaders reflect U.S. and our general desire and propensity to circumvent the laws — both natural, economic and divine — for short-sighted, material and personal gains. 

It’s no longer “ask not what your country can do for you” but “what’s in it for me?” Lies, distortions, illusions, disinterest, ignorance and self-interest now rule the day. For the most part, we seem unwilling or unable to discern and discriminate the truth. Or, if we do, we refuse to embrace it. The road to hell is thus paved and populated by those who love and make a lie. (Revelation 22:14-15.)

We are blissfully laughing our way toward our own ignorance, captivity and, ultimately, destruction.  

This, too, was prophesied by Lehi, the first prophet of record in the Book of Mormon:

 7 Wherefore, this land is consecrated unto him whom he [the Lord] shall bring. And if it so be that they shall serve him according to the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of liberty unto them; wherefore, they shall never be brought down into captivity; if so, it shall be because of iniquity; for if iniquity shall abound cursed shall be the land for their sakes, but unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever. 

 8 And behold, it is wisdom that this land should be kept as yet from the knowledge of other nations; for behold, many nations would overrun the land, that there would be no place for an inheritance. 

 9 Wherefore, I, Lehi, have obtained a promise, that inasmuch as those whom the Lord God shall bring out of the land of Jerusalem shall keep his commandments, they shall prosper upon the face of this land; and they shall be kept from all other nations, that they may possess this land unto themselves. And if it so be that they shall keep his commandments they shall be blessed upon the face of this land, and there shall be none to molest them, nor to take away the land of their inheritance; and they shall dwell safely forever. 

 10 But behold, when the time cometh that they shall dwindle in unbelief, after they have received so great blessings from the hand of the Lord—having a knowledge of the creation of the earth, and all men, knowing the great and marvelous works of the Lord from the creation of the world; having power given them to do all things by faith; having all the commandments from the beginning, and having been brought by his infinite goodness into this precious land of promise—behold, I say, if the day shall come that they will reject the Holy One of Israel, the true Messiah, their Redeemer and their God, behold, the judgments of him that is just shall rest upon them. 

 11 Yea, he will bring other nations unto them, and he will give unto them power, and he will take away from them the lands of their possessions, and he will cause them to be scattered and smitten. (2 Nephi 1:7-11.) 

A divine judgment befell those whom we now call the "native" inhabitants of this land. They were conquered and (for the most part) swept away by newly arriving “Gentiles”, who came by their millions and their tens of millions (see any similarities to the present day?) motivated, as they were, by God, glory and greed. (Not necessarily in that order!) The way for them was prepared by a divinely inspired sailor (see 1 Nephi 13:12), followed by conquistadors who slaughtered and subjugated whole races of pagans (who themselves were cannibals, slaughtering, skinning and wearing the pelts of their subjects). By this means new-comers from the Old World established themselves here and were delivered from economic, political and religious captivity inasmuch as they called upon Jesus Christ for their salvation and deliverance. (See 1 Nephi 13:13-19.)

Thus our forebears bequeathed to us a “Christian” nation “conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” (Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address, 1863.) Ironically, that man who liberated slaves — and who, only in his later years, turned to Christ — ushered in a great loss of “government of the people, by the people, for the people," establishing in its place a tyranny of federal government that now rules with aristocratic authority, wealth and power, often in familial dynasties. Like a monarchy.

(If Hillary R. Clinton is elected U.S. president and serves eight full years, a member of just two families will have presided over this nation for 28 years!)

Our “Gentile” nation has reached a tipping point: will we “turn a blind eye” and conscientiously elect leaders we KNOW to be morally and ethically corrupt, unfit to serve? Or will we turn from our wicked ways and demand that our leaders do likewise?

The last prophet to write in the Book of Mormon (Moroni, Mormon’s son) saw our day. He wrote:

 11 And this cometh unto you, O ye Gentiles, that ye may know the decrees of God—that ye may repent, and not continue in your iniquities until the fulness come, that ye may not bring down the fulness of the wrath of God upon you as the inhabitants of the land have hitherto done. 

 12 Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ, who hath been manifested by the things which we have written. (Ether 2:11-12.)

Our forefathers proclaimed: “We have no king but Jesus!” 

Will we?

Choose Ye This Day

I don't often link to other bloggers, but Vox Day's latest post deserves full scrutiny. He wrote:

"Donald Trump has cut himself loose from the Republican establishment and opened fire on Hillary as well as the globalist establishment she serves." He quotes Trump:

'Wikileaks has given us a window into the secret corridors of government power,' he said, 'where we see a former secretary of state announcing her desire to end forever the American independence that our founders gave to us and wanted us to have. American soldiers have fought and died to win and keep America's freedom, and now Hillary Clinton wants to surrender that freedom to these open borders, open trade, and a world government.' 

'These Wikileaks emails confirm what those of us here today have known all along: Hillary Clinton is the vessel of a corrupt globalist establishment that's raiding our country and surrendering the sovereignty of our nation,' he said. 'This criminal government cartel doesn't recognize borders but believes in global governance, unlimited immigration and rule by corporations.'

Vox continues: "That is the public statement of a truly courageous leader of a nation. If Americans genuinely prefer to vote for a servant of the corrupt global establishment, they will fully merit their subsequent servitude and the loss of the remnants of their nation."

I concur.

Edit: Trump has this to say during a recent speech. (You really must read ALL of it.)

"Our great civilization, here in America and across the civilized world has come upon a moment of reckoning. We’ve seen it in the United Kingdom, where they voted to liberate themselves from global government and global trade deal, and global immigration deals that have destroyed their sovereignty and have destroyed many of those nations. But, the central base of world political power is right here in America, and it is our corrupt political establishment that is the greatest power behind the efforts at radical globalization and the disenfranchisement of working people. Their financial resources are virtually unlimited, their political resources are unlimited, their media resources are unmatched, and most importantly, the depths of their immorality is absolutely unlimited."

I recall no major candidate for POTUS saying this as clearly during my lifetime. (Not even Ron Paul!) Trump is no chump, but a CHAMP for freedom. And fearless. Two qualities I greatly admire.

American Moses

The "slaves" in bondage prayed for a miracle: that the scoundrels and hypocrites of Washington, D.C. -- who say one thing (to get elected), then do another (to retain power and enrich themselves) -- would be swept from office and their criminal enterprises ended.

God heard their prayers and sent one from among them like unto themselves: a lewd and callow fellow, vulgar and avaricious. Like many (including the hypocrites), he was given to pride and excess, vanity and boasting. But he was, in many ways, also industrious, decent, generous and kind. He amassed great wealth: mostly by his industry, but also because he strategically (and legally) defaulted on promises made, sometimes defrauding the unwary of recompense owed and the humble worker of a just remuneration.

His heart and hands were not clean, neither were his lips.

But this improbable "Moses" -- raised as he was in "Egypt's" courts -- came to himself. He recognized who he was and that all would be lost if things continued as they were. Being intimately involved with all the machinations of "pharaoh" and pharaoh's court, he spoke up and told the truth. Many believed him.

But the "magicians", threatened as they were by his message, mocked him. They put words in his mouth. They called him fool! Clown! Buffoon! They distracted and deceived the people. Thus protected by the court, pharaoh could do no wrong. And the people's hearts were hardened.

Plagues ensued. 

But those who loved and served God were ultimately delivered.

Tinder Nation

Language Alert! 

I used to wonder how any "decent" society could become as it was (purportedly) in the days of Lot. Good Lot welcomed strangers into his home: primarily to protect them from marauding sexual predators! 

I wonder no longer.

This is how.

A people given to sexual license and promiscuity, once everyone is “doing it” — and, I imagine, nearly everyone now is “doing it” — has nothing to hide or “be ashamed” of. Eventually, even the innocent and the virtuous succumb to peer pressure, the appeal of promised “pleasure”, and the sanction of those “in authority”. 

Where can be found deep and abiding friendship, companionship, life-long joy, even love amidst all this moral sewage and sexual wreckage?

Nowhere.

I fear for the rising generation — seeking “love” in all the wrong places — hopelessly adrift in filthy waters, where everyone they meet has been (or will be) “caught” in society's sexual “riptide”. 

I’m worried for my children — especially for those who have become (or may soon become) unmoored from the moral restraints that (still, once) dominated our culture.

That culture has been dismantled. (Even among the Mormons.) ALL sexual restraint and propriety -- between consenting adults…and even between consenting adolescents -- has been removed. That which was (once) done in secret (if at all) is (now) shouted (and celebrated!) from the rooftops.

But for the love of God, nothing now supports one striving to abstain from the blood and sins of this adulterous generation.

Orwellian world

Have you noticed the almost complete "news blackout" of Hillary Clinton? Her "election strategy" appears to be to "stay under the radar" as much as possible. She didn't hold a news conference for over nine months (until just recently...and that was "staged" and only for a few minutes). She spends most of her time raising money (from large donors) and hardly any time campaigning (only to tiny audiences the media refuse to report). She is referenced usually only in response to something (trivial, petty, controversial) Donald Trump (or one of his supporters) has said or done. 

EVERYTHING about Trump is mocked. EVERYTHING about Trump's supporters ("basket of deplorables") is mocked. EVERYTHING about Clinton is apologized for / explained away / excused. (She is almost NEVER mocked by the mainstream media.) Trump is attacked about EVERYTHING. Clinton is held accountable for NOTHING.

No major candidate running for president in American history has been more frequently associated with foreign interests, scandals, criminal mischief and lies than Hillary Rodham Clinton. No American politician has profited more handsomely purely from the trappings of political office than have the "poor" Clintons, who are now worth hundreds of millions of dollars. How did they amass this wealth? What do they "offer" or "produce" to amass such wealth?

I'll let someone else tell you.

Barack Hussein Obama Jr. -- the Muslim-raised, communist-Marxist trained scion of a 25-year-old polygamist and African Marxist academic who "knocked up" a 17-year-old Russian-studying, communist American named Stanley Ann Dunham while he studied abroad -- says that Hillary Rodham Clinton, the champion of rapists and abortionists, is "the most qualified" person to be president in U.S. history! More qualified than Washington? Jefferson? Adams? 

(What does that tell you about BHO's understanding of America and American history?)

It's amazing to witness the complete "dumbing down" of the American electorate, the overthrow of our nation's heritage and values, and the imposition of Orwellian surveillance and thought-control, right before our very eyes, in real time. The manufactured "issues", mayhem and "entertainment" -- to distract, dissemble and divide -- is truly astounding. We are a people "ripening" in iniquity and readying for destruction: killing our own offspring, euthanizing our elderly, promoting sexual license and gratification (homosexual and otherwise) over restraint and responsibility, authorizing institutionalized graft and theft through government-sponsored inflation, profligate monetary creation (not real wealth creation), interest rate manipulation and "loophole" legislation and regulation (benefiting primarily the lawmakers "on the take" and not the governed). 

Our society is being hollowed out from within and imploded from without. We are losing it, folks. 

Reason, morality, truth, right...are being thrown out the window. In their place are left emotions, perceptions, impressions, illusions, rationalizations, lies, and mischief. 

We will reap the whirlwind.