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Sunday, November 27, 2011
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Selling 1980's Toys including Transformers, Gi Joe, MASK
I am selling some old toys that I have. They are REAL originals from the 80's not the newly made ones. Some are TMNT, GI Joe, Transformers. My Ebay id is shientienchi. I will be putting them up for auction in the next few days.
Friday, November 25, 2011
State of Affairs
During the French Revolution masons controlled to duped masses of people to murders thousands of thousands of people. Those masons were anti Church, anti-Christs, and anti-God.
In the early 1900's mason socialists took over Mexico in a "revolution" they murdered thousands if not milllions of Catholics both those from the laity and priesthood. Look up Blessed Padre Pro, aka Father Pro, aka Miguel Pro. He was murdered by firing squad because he was a Catholic Priest, a real catholic priest.
Communists(a little more to it than that, look up the real name of Stalin and Lenin) in Russia mass murdered thousands if not millions of Christians throughout Russia during the Bolshevik revolution.
The enemies of the Church, and Christ and hence God have (since specifically the French Revolution) realized they cannot attack the Church and God directly. These enemies have since perhaps 1860 sought out to infiltrate the Church. These enemies include masons, communists, fascists, socialists, talmudists. They sought to infiltrate the Church to destroy it from within and destroy the faith. Think of the from that is dropped into the boiling water, the from will immediately try to jump out. However if you put the frog in room temperature water then slowly increase the heat; the from will be dead before it realizes.
Vatican 2 Council was their victory party so to speak. They infiltrated the Church like vipers. These vipers have murdered the faith of billions of Catholics and most likely doomed them to eternal hell. However there were and are still truly faithful Catholics. Luckily some priests and bishops saw what was happening and fought against the luciferian influence that brought about the newchurch created. Thus the One, Holy, Apostolic, Universal Church founded by Jesus upon the rock of Peter still exists as it will always.
In the early 1900's mason socialists took over Mexico in a "revolution" they murdered thousands if not milllions of Catholics both those from the laity and priesthood. Look up Blessed Padre Pro, aka Father Pro, aka Miguel Pro. He was murdered by firing squad because he was a Catholic Priest, a real catholic priest.
Communists(a little more to it than that, look up the real name of Stalin and Lenin) in Russia mass murdered thousands if not millions of Christians throughout Russia during the Bolshevik revolution.
The enemies of the Church, and Christ and hence God have (since specifically the French Revolution) realized they cannot attack the Church and God directly. These enemies have since perhaps 1860 sought out to infiltrate the Church. These enemies include masons, communists, fascists, socialists, talmudists. They sought to infiltrate the Church to destroy it from within and destroy the faith. Think of the from that is dropped into the boiling water, the from will immediately try to jump out. However if you put the frog in room temperature water then slowly increase the heat; the from will be dead before it realizes.
Vatican 2 Council was their victory party so to speak. They infiltrated the Church like vipers. These vipers have murdered the faith of billions of Catholics and most likely doomed them to eternal hell. However there were and are still truly faithful Catholics. Luckily some priests and bishops saw what was happening and fought against the luciferian influence that brought about the newchurch created. Thus the One, Holy, Apostolic, Universal Church founded by Jesus upon the rock of Peter still exists as it will always.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
I am thankful for
Jesus the Christ, Holy Mass, Holy Catholic Church, Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, the Apostles, Pope St. Pius V and X. I am also grateful for Archangels Michael and Gabriel.
I am thankful for my little fuzzball Sasha, and my friends and family.
I am thankful for my little fuzzball Sasha, and my friends and family.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Now I just need my key to Chapel
I at this point I need an operating key for the chapel for Adoration of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. I passed my test, so now I just need a key that works
Sunday, November 20, 2011
I am a miserable sinner
God please help me to overcome my vices, I am not seeking to be a hippocrit, I am trying to make up in a weird way for having offended you.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Spring break and Lent
No sure what I intend to do. Maybe same as last year and see some folks all over again
Friday, November 18, 2011
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Monday, November 14, 2011
A comprehensive examination of conscience based on twelve virtues
http://www.catholicapologetics.info/thechurch/sacraments/adults.htm
The text is quite long so just posting link and this part.
Introduction
Self-examination has always been considered a necessary means of progress in virtue. All Religious Orders and congregations have provision in their rules for at least one daily examination of conscience. While the practice is also necessary for lay people, there have been few booklets offered to them whereby a systematic examination of conscience might be made at definite times. Lists of sins may be found in prayer books and pamphlets, but frequently they lack completeness, or they make no clear-cut distinctions between mortal and venial sin, or they make no reference to the helps and counsels that might build up virtue and prevent sin.
The object of this booklet is to initiate lay people into the practice of concentrating their efforts at self-perfection on one virtue a month. It provides a fairly complete list of mortal sins to be avoided, of venial sins to be corrected, and of helps and counsels that may be practiced. For each month a short explanation of the virtue to be practiced is given, an aspiration is suggested for frequent use, and a prayer is added containing sorrow for the past and resolve for the future.
The division of the obligations of the Christian life into twelve virtues is not one that can be made without some degree of arbitrary arrangement of material. There will be overlapping, some repetition, and not always a strictly logical inclusion of questions under a given head. The practical purpose has been kept in mind, rather than the theoretical; an effort has been made to bring into each month reminders of some of the fundamental obligations every Christian has, as these can be related to given virtues.
A warning should be given to souls who are inclined to scrupulosity. Such souls are frequently disturbed by reading lists of sins, because they erroneously think themselves guilty where they are not guilty at all. They should have permission of their confessor before they undertake to make a minute examination of conscience, and in every doubt must obey their confessor blindly. Aside from the scrupulous, some persons may find doubts arising from certain questions because circumstances not mentioned may confuse particular issues. It is to be remembered at all times that a mortal sin is not committed unless three conditions are present, viz:
1) sufficient reflection,
2) full consent of the will, and
3) a violation of God’s law in a serious matter.
The mortal sins listed represent only objectively serious matter; if one or both of the other conditions necessary for the commission of a mortal sin be lacking in a particular case, the guilt would not be incurred. In prudent doubt, a confessor should be asked for a solution.
It is recommended that once a week during each month, the examen for that month be read carefully and thoughtfully. On some occasions this would be best done before confession. The ejaculatory prayer of the month should be said frequently every day.
The text is quite long so just posting link and this part.
Introduction
Self-examination has always been considered a necessary means of progress in virtue. All Religious Orders and congregations have provision in their rules for at least one daily examination of conscience. While the practice is also necessary for lay people, there have been few booklets offered to them whereby a systematic examination of conscience might be made at definite times. Lists of sins may be found in prayer books and pamphlets, but frequently they lack completeness, or they make no clear-cut distinctions between mortal and venial sin, or they make no reference to the helps and counsels that might build up virtue and prevent sin.
The object of this booklet is to initiate lay people into the practice of concentrating their efforts at self-perfection on one virtue a month. It provides a fairly complete list of mortal sins to be avoided, of venial sins to be corrected, and of helps and counsels that may be practiced. For each month a short explanation of the virtue to be practiced is given, an aspiration is suggested for frequent use, and a prayer is added containing sorrow for the past and resolve for the future.
The division of the obligations of the Christian life into twelve virtues is not one that can be made without some degree of arbitrary arrangement of material. There will be overlapping, some repetition, and not always a strictly logical inclusion of questions under a given head. The practical purpose has been kept in mind, rather than the theoretical; an effort has been made to bring into each month reminders of some of the fundamental obligations every Christian has, as these can be related to given virtues.
A warning should be given to souls who are inclined to scrupulosity. Such souls are frequently disturbed by reading lists of sins, because they erroneously think themselves guilty where they are not guilty at all. They should have permission of their confessor before they undertake to make a minute examination of conscience, and in every doubt must obey their confessor blindly. Aside from the scrupulous, some persons may find doubts arising from certain questions because circumstances not mentioned may confuse particular issues. It is to be remembered at all times that a mortal sin is not committed unless three conditions are present, viz:
1) sufficient reflection,
2) full consent of the will, and
3) a violation of God’s law in a serious matter.
The mortal sins listed represent only objectively serious matter; if one or both of the other conditions necessary for the commission of a mortal sin be lacking in a particular case, the guilt would not be incurred. In prudent doubt, a confessor should be asked for a solution.
It is recommended that once a week during each month, the examen for that month be read carefully and thoughtfully. On some occasions this would be best done before confession. The ejaculatory prayer of the month should be said frequently every day.
Friday, November 11, 2011
From Traditio concerning SSPX and the conciliar church.
The highlights of the Bouchacourt report, issued on October 12, 2011, in Spanish, include the following revelations:
The Neo-SSPX's senior bishop, Richard Williamson, did not attend the Albano meeting. Fellay first placed two conditions upon Williamson's attendance: he had to cease disseminating his weekly bulletins and to keep secret the contents of Benedict-Ratzinger's "Doctrine Preamble" to Fellay's sellout to Newrome. Williamson courageously refused Fellay's imperious attempts to silence him.
Fellay refused to provide copies of the Doctrinal Preamble to the District Superiors, but gave them only his own biased oral summary.
The Doctrine Preamble completely ignored the traditional Catholic principles that had been discussed with Newrome during the preceding two years, but merely stated that the Modernist doctrines of the Second Vatican Council -- the Novus Ordo Mess, religious liberty, collegiality, and false oecumenism ("all religions are equal, we all worship the same god ") -- are in fact traditional!
The Doctrinal Preamble is based on the 1988 memorandum of understanding that was proposed to Archbishop Lefebvre, but Ratzinger's 2011 Doctrinal Preamble is more restrictive against traditional belief and practice.
Ratzinger demands that the Neo-SSPX accept the corrupt doctrines of Vatican II, the corrupt 1992 Novus Ordo catechism, and the corrupt 1983 Novus Ordo "canon law."
Ratzinger demands that the Neo-SSPX recognize the legitimacy of the Protestant-Masonic-Pagan Novus Ordo "liturgy."
Once the Neo-SSPX is sold out to Ratzinger and his Newchurch, the Neo-SSPXers would be required to swear a Profession of Faith and Oath of Allegiance to the New Order.
The Neo-SSPX's senior bishop, Richard Williamson, did not attend the Albano meeting. Fellay first placed two conditions upon Williamson's attendance: he had to cease disseminating his weekly bulletins and to keep secret the contents of Benedict-Ratzinger's "Doctrine Preamble" to Fellay's sellout to Newrome. Williamson courageously refused Fellay's imperious attempts to silence him.
Fellay refused to provide copies of the Doctrinal Preamble to the District Superiors, but gave them only his own biased oral summary.
The Doctrine Preamble completely ignored the traditional Catholic principles that had been discussed with Newrome during the preceding two years, but merely stated that the Modernist doctrines of the Second Vatican Council -- the Novus Ordo Mess, religious liberty, collegiality, and false oecumenism ("all religions are equal, we all worship the same god ") -- are in fact traditional!
The Doctrinal Preamble is based on the 1988 memorandum of understanding that was proposed to Archbishop Lefebvre, but Ratzinger's 2011 Doctrinal Preamble is more restrictive against traditional belief and practice.
Ratzinger demands that the Neo-SSPX accept the corrupt doctrines of Vatican II, the corrupt 1992 Novus Ordo catechism, and the corrupt 1983 Novus Ordo "canon law."
Ratzinger demands that the Neo-SSPX recognize the legitimacy of the Protestant-Masonic-Pagan Novus Ordo "liturgy."
Once the Neo-SSPX is sold out to Ratzinger and his Newchurch, the Neo-SSPXers would be required to swear a Profession of Faith and Oath of Allegiance to the New Order.
Military appreciation at Applebees and Golden Corral
Applebees has the free meals for vets today and on monday the 14th Golden Corral runs their military appreciation.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
You should read this, but note the concilliar church is not THE catholic church
In light of the current confusion and moral scandal in the Church, it would be well to consider a neglected bit of recent Church history: the public testimony of Bella Dodd, who served as legal counsel to the Communist Party in the United States until her conversion to Catholicism, after which she spent the rest of her life atoning for her role in the communist infiltration of the Catholic Church.
An article in Christian Order magazine (November 2000) recounts how Dodd and her associate, Douglas Hyde, revealed the plan for communist subversion of the Church:
Ex-Communist and celebrated convert Douglas Hyde revealed long ago that in the 1930s the Communist leadership issued a worldwide directive about infiltrating the Catholic Church. While in the early 1950s, Mrs. Bella Dodd was also providing detailed explanations of the Communist subversion of the Church. Speaking as a former high ranking official of the American Communist Party, Mrs. Dodd said: "In the 1930s we put eleven hundred men into the priesthood in order to destroy the Church from within." The idea was for these men to be ordained and progress to positions of influence and authority as Monsignors and Bishops. A dozen years before Vatican II she stated that: "Right now they are in the highest places in the Church" — where they were working to bring about change in order to weaken the Church's effectiveness against Communism. She also said that these changes would be so drastic that "you will not recognise the Catholic Church."
Dodd gave voluminous testimony on communist infiltration of Church and state before the House UnAmerican Activities Committee in the 1950s. In a lecture at Fordham University during that time, Dodd unveiled what would seem to be an uncanny prophecy of future chaos in the Church. The lecture was attended by a monk whose account of the talk is presented in Christian Order:
I listened to that woman for four hours and she had my hair standing on end. Everything she said has been fulfilled to the letter. You would think she was the world's greatest prophet, but she was no prophet. She was merely exposing the step-by-step battle plan of Communist subversion of the Catholic Church. She explained that of all the world's religions, the Catholic Church was the only one feared by the Communists, for it was its only effective opponent. The whole idea was to destroy, not the institution of the Church, but rather the Faith of the people, and even use the institution of the Church, if possible, to destroy the Faith through the promotion of a pseudo-religion: something that resembled Catholicism but was not the real thing. Once the Faith was destroyed, she explained that there would be a guilt complex introduced into the Church…. to label the ‘Church of the past’ as being oppressive, authoritarian, full of prejudices, arrogant in claiming to be the sole possessor of truth, and responsible for the divisions of religious bodies throughout the centuries. This would be necessary in order to shame Church leaders into an ‘openness to the world,’ and to a more flexible attitude toward all religions and philosophies. The Communists would then exploit this openness in order to undermine the Church.
Does any of this sound familiar? Unless you have been comatose since Vatican II, you would be aware that Bella Dodd was describing the state of the Catholic Church today. Today, post-conciliar churchmen wallow in guilt over the Church’s "intolerant" past, make public apologies for the sins of dead Catholics (but not their own sins against the living faithful, including the victims of the homo-priest cover-up), and extol the virtues of other religions, thereby de facto abandoning the defined dogma that there is no salvation outside the Church.
Bella Dodd was no prophet. She merely told us what the infiltrators of the Church were planning to do. And lo, they have done it.
,_._,___
An article in Christian Order magazine (November 2000) recounts how Dodd and her associate, Douglas Hyde, revealed the plan for communist subversion of the Church:
Ex-Communist and celebrated convert Douglas Hyde revealed long ago that in the 1930s the Communist leadership issued a worldwide directive about infiltrating the Catholic Church. While in the early 1950s, Mrs. Bella Dodd was also providing detailed explanations of the Communist subversion of the Church. Speaking as a former high ranking official of the American Communist Party, Mrs. Dodd said: "In the 1930s we put eleven hundred men into the priesthood in order to destroy the Church from within." The idea was for these men to be ordained and progress to positions of influence and authority as Monsignors and Bishops. A dozen years before Vatican II she stated that: "Right now they are in the highest places in the Church" — where they were working to bring about change in order to weaken the Church's effectiveness against Communism. She also said that these changes would be so drastic that "you will not recognise the Catholic Church."
Dodd gave voluminous testimony on communist infiltration of Church and state before the House UnAmerican Activities Committee in the 1950s. In a lecture at Fordham University during that time, Dodd unveiled what would seem to be an uncanny prophecy of future chaos in the Church. The lecture was attended by a monk whose account of the talk is presented in Christian Order:
I listened to that woman for four hours and she had my hair standing on end. Everything she said has been fulfilled to the letter. You would think she was the world's greatest prophet, but she was no prophet. She was merely exposing the step-by-step battle plan of Communist subversion of the Catholic Church. She explained that of all the world's religions, the Catholic Church was the only one feared by the Communists, for it was its only effective opponent. The whole idea was to destroy, not the institution of the Church, but rather the Faith of the people, and even use the institution of the Church, if possible, to destroy the Faith through the promotion of a pseudo-religion: something that resembled Catholicism but was not the real thing. Once the Faith was destroyed, she explained that there would be a guilt complex introduced into the Church…. to label the ‘Church of the past’ as being oppressive, authoritarian, full of prejudices, arrogant in claiming to be the sole possessor of truth, and responsible for the divisions of religious bodies throughout the centuries. This would be necessary in order to shame Church leaders into an ‘openness to the world,’ and to a more flexible attitude toward all religions and philosophies. The Communists would then exploit this openness in order to undermine the Church.
Does any of this sound familiar? Unless you have been comatose since Vatican II, you would be aware that Bella Dodd was describing the state of the Catholic Church today. Today, post-conciliar churchmen wallow in guilt over the Church’s "intolerant" past, make public apologies for the sins of dead Catholics (but not their own sins against the living faithful, including the victims of the homo-priest cover-up), and extol the virtues of other religions, thereby de facto abandoning the defined dogma that there is no salvation outside the Church.
Bella Dodd was no prophet. She merely told us what the infiltrators of the Church were planning to do. And lo, they have done it.
,_._,___
One, Holy, Apostolic, Universal
If you want to learn about it
is a great book to learn about the catholic faith.
is a great book to learn about the catholic faith.
We will see
One part of my Economic Development test is done. Now is the take home portion. Also the semester paper in that class and urban development. A humanities test Tuesday, and homework due Thursday. Semester ends get frustrating. St Gabriel please pray for me.
I find it intruiging
People will refuse to apply beliefs in the criminal justice system and the wall street protests that should be applied to religion. We often say you did the crime do the time right. Well that is exactly the case of Purgatory. We have receive absolution for sins and eventually go to Heaven but there is justice due to God for sins we commit. Whether now or later in Purgatory justice is due. When justice is due we are released. It's odd.
Protestants act like the freebie groups on the occupy protests they want everything for free without the work. Heaven is not free, we must work to get there. Yes, Jesus did die on the Cross so we could go to Heaven it is not automatic. It's often said nothing is free and that is right. Jesus Christ was the Lamb of God, and gave his life on earth, so why is it we seem so unwilling to perform acts contrition, and mortification in thanks to God and to help the souls of Purgatory to be released sooner.
Lets start trying to apply these hypocritical actions to religion, you know the One, Holy, apostolic, universal.
Protestants act like the freebie groups on the occupy protests they want everything for free without the work. Heaven is not free, we must work to get there. Yes, Jesus did die on the Cross so we could go to Heaven it is not automatic. It's often said nothing is free and that is right. Jesus Christ was the Lamb of God, and gave his life on earth, so why is it we seem so unwilling to perform acts contrition, and mortification in thanks to God and to help the souls of Purgatory to be released sooner.
Lets start trying to apply these hypocritical actions to religion, you know the One, Holy, apostolic, universal.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Dangers of Obama
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2011/11/09/ron_paul_obama_presidency_on_the_verge_of_being_a_dictatorship.html
Really and http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/11/obama-administration-to-delay-new-15-cent-christmas-tree-fee/
Granted the tax was a small amount but still. Coming from a liar that claims to be a christian, he's not catholic so we know he's not. He is communist to the bone and communism is anti-Christ, anti-church, anti-God. Why didn't he propose a mosque tax, or a menorah tax?
Really and http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/11/obama-administration-to-delay-new-15-cent-christmas-tree-fee/
Granted the tax was a small amount but still. Coming from a liar that claims to be a christian, he's not catholic so we know he's not. He is communist to the bone and communism is anti-Christ, anti-church, anti-God. Why didn't he propose a mosque tax, or a menorah tax?
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Assisi III damage continues
http://www.traditio.com/comment/com1111.htm
"Take the case of the Assisi III conference, which burns with condemned syncretism"
"Take the case of the Assisi III conference, which burns with condemned syncretism"
Kosher taxes
The ADL and the Rabbinical Kosher Excise Tax: Fact and Fiction
For many Gentile consumers, it comes as a shock to realize that they pay a Jewish tax on each and every pre-packaged food item with a "U" or "K" stamp on the package, with some of these fees possibly going to support Zionists in Israel. The Union of Orthodox Jews (symbolized by the "U" within a circle) and the Circle-K (for Kashruth or, Kosher) are the two main organizations within the United States that issue Kosher-certification and its accompanying tax, though there are 273 other Kosher-certification organizations that have other symbols within the U.S. alone.(1)
The ADL (or Anti-Defamation League), an offshoot of B'nai B'rith that got its start after the Atlanta chapter head of B'nai B'rith was arrested and convicted by a jury of murdering a 12-year-old girl, Mary Phagan, in a cruel manner,(2) has long since countered Gentile resentment towards this Rabbinical Kosher Excise Tax. Typically, the ADL says that such resentment towards the extra fees paid on food for the rabbis' certification is the hallmark of anti-Semites. While it stands to reason that in some isolated cases this may in fact be true, there is a growing concern among many others over these extra fees that Gentile consumers are forced to pay, particularly with the downward trend of the economy.
In an article called "The Kosher Tax Hoax," the ADL sought to allay many Gentiles' fears and concerns over the Rabbinical Kosher Excise Tax. However, upon reviewing the "facts" presented by B'nai B'rith's ADL, one quickly sees that it is filled with outright lies or, at best, half-truths.
From the beginning of the ADL's article, it suggests that it is false that "only a small segment of the American population desires such markings, and that even the meanings of the labels are guarded secrets deliberately kept from non-Jews to trick them into paying the 'kosher tax.'"
If you are a typical non-Jewish reader, it is easy to see that both these statements are true, not false as the ADL claims. Have you personally desired such markings? And, if it is not a "secret" of sorts, why do they not display a symbol that makes it clear that a fee is indeed paid to a Jewish organization for Kosher certification?
Lubomyr Prytulak, a retired Canadian psychology professor, has long argued that a Star of David (or, Magen David, as it is often called) should also accompany the Kosher certification to make its meaning well known.(3) This makes sense, and it would be more fair to Gentile consumers, most of whom are unaware of the Rabbinical Kosher Excise Tax. If the ADL and Jewish organizations were genuinely concerned with honesty, they would have done this long ago.
Jewish organizations do not necessarily seem to be concerned with honesty in this matter, however. In some advertisements of products bearing "K" or "U" symbols in magazines, these symbols will often actually be "hidden" or "masked off." However, when these same items are advertised in Jewish publications, these symbols might actually be larger and have an arrow pointing to them.(4) This is, of course, deceptive advertising and goes to show that there are concerns among Jews or the companies that sell these Kosher products of the meaning behind these symbols becoming known.
While the ADL suggests that the claim "only a small segment of the American population desires such markings" is an anti-Semitic lie, the truth speaks otherwise. In fact, according to the Kosher-certification agency Star-K, "Integrated Marketing Communications reports that approximately 2.5 million Jews consume kosher food products."(5) So what about the other 297.5 million people in the United States? Why are we then forced to pay for their Jewish religious dietary habits; why are we forced to pay for the Rabbinical Kosher Excise Tax?
The ADL argues that "the cost to the consumer for this service is a miniscule fraction of the total production overhead; it is so negligible in practical terms as to be virtually non-existent." Is this true? I certainly would have no problems if Jews wanted to certify products as being Kosher or not at entirely their own costs.
As you might suspect, such talk by the ADL is either an outright lie on its part or, at best, deceptive. For example, the ADL report cites a "representative of the Heinz Company." This "representative" reportedly said that the cost is "so small we can't even calculate it." This Heinz "representative" also said that the extra business it received more than made up for the costs associated with the Rabbinical Kosher Excise Tax. Who was this "representative"? If what he stated was true, why is his name not even given in the ADL's article for verification? Did this person even exist?
Quite to the contrary of the ADL's article, the Canadian Jewish News of March 20, 2003, has an article with an interesting headline: "Heinz Canada trims kosher product line." Many of the Canadian Heinz's products were no longer to be certified Kosher (thereby avoiding the Rabbinical Kosher Excise Tax, symbolized by Canada's "COR" - Council of Orthodox Rabbis' marking), although a few products would still be kept Kosher for Jews. Apparently, according to (named) Heinz spokeswoman Anna Relyea, this was done to "keep costs down while continuing to provide [some] kosher products to our customers." The reasons--given by Heinz for the decision to cut back its on its Rabbinical Kosher Excise Taxes--were due to "how complex the manufacturing is, what the savings were and so on."(6) In any event, these costs--that were initially reported by the ADL as being "so small, we can't even calculate it"--could, in fact, be calculated and must have been significant.
Another item that seems to be deliberately distorted in the favor of the ADL is a reported "fact" given by the Birds Eye company. According to the ADL's article, General Food's Birds Eye unit paid only "6.5 millionths (.0000065) of a cent per item." It would be more interesting to know how much General Foods itself paid in real dollars altogether for the Rabbinical Kosher Excise Tax, but the ADL avoids such talk for obvious reasons. But is the paltry sum of .0000065 cents per item true?
Again, this seems like a deliberately deceptive move on the ADL's part (or that of one of its members who was employed at Birds Eye). Does anyone really believe that a rabbi would fly to Birds Eye foods if he only received 6.5 cents for each $1 million of business Birds Eye did? If Birds Eye did, say, $100 million in business, that would be a paltry $6.50 in fees by the certification agency. This wouldn't even pay for the time involved, let alone travel and paperwork. So is the ADL lying? Probably not. If you'll notice, it says ".0000065 of a cent per item." I believe that Birds Eye sells corn, peas, pieces of broccoli, et cetera. In effect, the ADL's "informer" was probably meaning that every single piece of corn, every single pea, and every single bean--that is, every "item"--incur the cost of .0000065 cents. Added up, this then makes sense.
Of course, if the Jewish agency that charges the Rabbinical Kosher Excise Tax would care to make available how much it charged this company in real dollars for the previous year, that would be a start to being honest. But, if you carefully examine the web, you will not find one company that has reported this fee paid to the rabbis. Why is this? From a logical standpoint, it stands to reason that the rabbis must have some type of confidentiality agreement in which if the company reveals its cost it is then penalized to a certain extent. What other reasoning could there be that not one single company discloses its costs associated with the Rabbinical Kosher Excise Tax?
The ADL then goes on to cite a company that reportedly had its business increase as a result of Kosher certification. Is this true? Possibly. One must keep in mind, however, what Dr. Prytulak refers to as the "Pyramid Scheme" at his website. In effect, this is how it works: A large company is courted by Jews, who fill the company's heads with promises of a greater market appeal--but only, of course, if they pay this initially "small fee" (in comparison with the company's total business) for certification. The company agrees. However, now the company must buy all its supplies from other "Kosher companies." Aside from the obvious need to purchase food products from Kosher suppliers, a company might even have to purchase the steel for its manufacturing process and the cleaning supplies from Kosher companies, to name just a couple other items now considered Kosher. In any event, if the suppliers do not give the main company a Kosher product, the company cannot do business with them. (After all, products prepared by lowly Gentile companies do not meet the Jewish religious dietary standards as set forth by rabbis without due compensation.) In effect, if your company happens to be one of the suppliers to another company, you risk much business by failing to abide by the Jewish standards (and, of course, paying them your accompanying fees).
Is the extra business really there for companies that decide to go Kosher? Not according to some businesses. The Albuquerque Tribune reported one bagel company as wanting to be certified Kosher, but "the expense was more than the ... bagel company could muster." The owner stated, "We occasionally get asked for it but not that often." Another company decided to drop its "Star-K certification after one year." The owner of that company reported, "Kosher wasn't opening up any markets for me. I thought it was too much for my little operation."(7)
As you might expect, later in the ADL's article, it spends a significant amount of space questioning the "motives" of those who question the motives of the Rabbinical Kosher Excise Tax. Since the ADL cannot obviously refute the content of the argument, it has to resort to attacking the organizations and people who bring forth legitimate arguments against an illegitimate tax that Gentile consumers are forced to pay, which is unknown to the vast majority of them. Of course, the ADL itself has a few skeletons in its closet, so to speak. Books such as "Conspiracy Against Freedom" or "The Ugly Truth about the ADL" (available from www.addall.com/used ) tell much of the stories kept behind the headlines.
In an attempt to make the ADL's concerns seem legitimate, it cites Dr. Ed Fields, who states:
"All of this is superstitious nonsense and has absolutely nothing to do with improving the quality of any food product. Still, this clever scheme of requiring kosher labeling has become a multi-million dollar business today!"
Obviously, since Dr. Fields says this--and since the ADL makes him out to be a "bad" person through the use of its personal attacks (for failing to cooperate with the false-logic that Kosher is somehow wholesome)--we are to believe what he says is false. But in fact, it is true. What the ADL fails to mention, here, is that many Jews have corroborated what Dr. Ed Fields has stated, and these Jews are even cited by Dr. Fields. For example, the Washington Post of 2 November 1987 is cited, quoting orthodox Rabbi Schulem Rubin:
"Kosher doesn't taste any better; Kosher isn't healthier; Kosher doesn't have less salmonella. You can eat a Holly Farm chicken which sells for 39 cents a pound on sale and next taste a Kosher chicken selling for $1.69 a pound and not tell the difference. There's a lot of money to be made. Religion is not based on logic."
Of course, facts have always been a problem for the ADL, which is why it has attacked Dr. Fields's character so much. If you cannot refute the argument, the ADL seemingly reasons, attack the person's character who makes the argument.
The ADL's article then goes on to suggest that Jews are not the only ones who prefer Kosher. It argues, "Some kosher marketing officials estimate there may be as many as six million Americans who seek out Kosher foods in the supermarket. Of these only 1.5 million are Jewish. Moslems and Seventh Day Adventists also adhere to certain aspects of the Jewish dietary laws." Is this true? Yes, it certainly is. You see, the article says, "Some Kosher marketing officials estimate...." Who are these "Kosher marketing officials" that make this claim? If you said the ADL, you might have just won the prize.
While I have not taken the time to see what the Seventh Day Adventists believe, I looked into if the Muslims found the Kosher certification acceptable as meeting their religious dietary habits as well. What does the Islamic Food Council of America have to say about Kosher meeting the religious dietary requirements of orthodox Muslims, or "Halal," as it is commonly known. According to the Halal Digest of July 2000, it states,
"Many Kosher producers believe that Muslims accept Kosher as being Halal. In fact, Muslims do not accept Kosher certification as being a substitute for Halal certification. Some Muslims may have believed that Kosher slaughter was similar to Halal, but they are learning that this is not true and are demanding Halal certified products. Internationally, only proper Halal certification is acceptable and monitoring agencies are being established to ensure compliance."
There is one major difference (that even I know of) between the Halal method of slaughter and that of the Kosher method. The Halal method is actually done in a more humane manner, as it allows the animal to be stunned first. However, this is not the case with Kosher slaughter, which requires the animal to experience the full amount of pain and be fully conscious.
Continuing, the ADL then goes on to say that "the bulk of Kosher shoppers appear to be consumers who believe the Kosher certification ... means higher quality food." Is this true? Well, the ADL gives no proof that there are a significant number of consumers who are non-Jewish and who buy Kosher products because they "believe" (with the word "believe" being the key-word here) Kosher "means higher quality food." However, as to the false claim that Kosher is a "higher quality food," the response to this is best summed up by Rabbi Irving Silverman. Rabbi Silverman is cited in the 20 March 1987 edition of The Sun-Sentinel:
"There's one misconception that I'd like to clear up. There's a perception that Jewish dietary laws are steeped in health considerations. That's not so at all. It is a commitment to a strict adherence to a tradition. I'm not Kosher because it's healthier; I'm Kosher because my parents were Kosher, and my grandparents were Kosher. It's a commitment!"
In conclusion, the ADL admits, rather hesitatingly it appears, that consumers do, in fact, "pay a higher price" at "Kosher butcher shops." While this is nice of the ADL to actually concede this relatively minor detail, it does not answer the greater question: How much are we Gentiles paying for the Rabbinical Kosher Excise Tax overall? What are the real costs to us as consumers?
This figure of costs associated with the Rabbinical Kosher Excise Tax is largely unknown due to Jews not disclosing how much they charge to the various companies that receive Kosher certification. In perhaps what can only be viewed as a mistake by the rabbis who oversee the Rabbinical Kosher Excise Tax, in 1987 they disclosed that they expected Kosher steel to bring them in $700,000.00 of fees per year.(8)
How much is the total cost today? While the figure is unknown, there are other things we can tell. For instance, according to both Star-K Kosher certification and EBizAsiaLink, $165 billion worth of food received Kosher certification in 2002.(9) But does this $165 billion figure also include non-food products such as steel and aluminum foil, which are not actually Kosher "food" items despite the fees that are paid and certification received?(10) Probably not, so the figure may be much greater. Another figure that we can look at to determine cost is taken from an article appearing in the Detroit News. It stated that one Kosher certification company brought in an estimated $20 million.(11) (It is not known whether this figure of $20 million is actual net profits, or gross business.) You begin to understand how much money we are talking about when you realize, as stated at the beginning of this article, that there are 275 such Kosher-certification organizations in the United States, and a total of 400 worldwide.(12)
It must be recognized that in addition to the fees paid to rabbis for the Rabbinical Kosher Excise Tax, there are other fees that a company might incur simply in an effort to ensure that its product is indeed Kosher. For example, they could not process pork or non-Kosher beef on the same equipment as Kosher beef, lest it be "contaminated." Equipment might then have to be added or changed. Suppliers might need to be changed. Special training would need to be administered. Perhaps, even a full-time rabbi might need to be hired to oversee the production.
The total costs associated with the Rabbinical Kosher Excise Tax from all this is certainly in the billions, if not the trillions, of dollars.
For many Gentile consumers, it comes as a shock to realize that they pay a Jewish tax on each and every pre-packaged food item with a "U" or "K" stamp on the package, with some of these fees possibly going to support Zionists in Israel. The Union of Orthodox Jews (symbolized by the "U" within a circle) and the Circle-K (for Kashruth or, Kosher) are the two main organizations within the United States that issue Kosher-certification and its accompanying tax, though there are 273 other Kosher-certification organizations that have other symbols within the U.S. alone.(1)
The ADL (or Anti-Defamation League), an offshoot of B'nai B'rith that got its start after the Atlanta chapter head of B'nai B'rith was arrested and convicted by a jury of murdering a 12-year-old girl, Mary Phagan, in a cruel manner,(2) has long since countered Gentile resentment towards this Rabbinical Kosher Excise Tax. Typically, the ADL says that such resentment towards the extra fees paid on food for the rabbis' certification is the hallmark of anti-Semites. While it stands to reason that in some isolated cases this may in fact be true, there is a growing concern among many others over these extra fees that Gentile consumers are forced to pay, particularly with the downward trend of the economy.
In an article called "The Kosher Tax Hoax," the ADL sought to allay many Gentiles' fears and concerns over the Rabbinical Kosher Excise Tax. However, upon reviewing the "facts" presented by B'nai B'rith's ADL, one quickly sees that it is filled with outright lies or, at best, half-truths.
From the beginning of the ADL's article, it suggests that it is false that "only a small segment of the American population desires such markings, and that even the meanings of the labels are guarded secrets deliberately kept from non-Jews to trick them into paying the 'kosher tax.'"
If you are a typical non-Jewish reader, it is easy to see that both these statements are true, not false as the ADL claims. Have you personally desired such markings? And, if it is not a "secret" of sorts, why do they not display a symbol that makes it clear that a fee is indeed paid to a Jewish organization for Kosher certification?
Lubomyr Prytulak, a retired Canadian psychology professor, has long argued that a Star of David (or, Magen David, as it is often called) should also accompany the Kosher certification to make its meaning well known.(3) This makes sense, and it would be more fair to Gentile consumers, most of whom are unaware of the Rabbinical Kosher Excise Tax. If the ADL and Jewish organizations were genuinely concerned with honesty, they would have done this long ago.
Jewish organizations do not necessarily seem to be concerned with honesty in this matter, however. In some advertisements of products bearing "K" or "U" symbols in magazines, these symbols will often actually be "hidden" or "masked off." However, when these same items are advertised in Jewish publications, these symbols might actually be larger and have an arrow pointing to them.(4) This is, of course, deceptive advertising and goes to show that there are concerns among Jews or the companies that sell these Kosher products of the meaning behind these symbols becoming known.
While the ADL suggests that the claim "only a small segment of the American population desires such markings" is an anti-Semitic lie, the truth speaks otherwise. In fact, according to the Kosher-certification agency Star-K, "Integrated Marketing Communications reports that approximately 2.5 million Jews consume kosher food products."(5) So what about the other 297.5 million people in the United States? Why are we then forced to pay for their Jewish religious dietary habits; why are we forced to pay for the Rabbinical Kosher Excise Tax?
The ADL argues that "the cost to the consumer for this service is a miniscule fraction of the total production overhead; it is so negligible in practical terms as to be virtually non-existent." Is this true? I certainly would have no problems if Jews wanted to certify products as being Kosher or not at entirely their own costs.
As you might suspect, such talk by the ADL is either an outright lie on its part or, at best, deceptive. For example, the ADL report cites a "representative of the Heinz Company." This "representative" reportedly said that the cost is "so small we can't even calculate it." This Heinz "representative" also said that the extra business it received more than made up for the costs associated with the Rabbinical Kosher Excise Tax. Who was this "representative"? If what he stated was true, why is his name not even given in the ADL's article for verification? Did this person even exist?
Quite to the contrary of the ADL's article, the Canadian Jewish News of March 20, 2003, has an article with an interesting headline: "Heinz Canada trims kosher product line." Many of the Canadian Heinz's products were no longer to be certified Kosher (thereby avoiding the Rabbinical Kosher Excise Tax, symbolized by Canada's "COR" - Council of Orthodox Rabbis' marking), although a few products would still be kept Kosher for Jews. Apparently, according to (named) Heinz spokeswoman Anna Relyea, this was done to "keep costs down while continuing to provide [some] kosher products to our customers." The reasons--given by Heinz for the decision to cut back its on its Rabbinical Kosher Excise Taxes--were due to "how complex the manufacturing is, what the savings were and so on."(6) In any event, these costs--that were initially reported by the ADL as being "so small, we can't even calculate it"--could, in fact, be calculated and must have been significant.
Another item that seems to be deliberately distorted in the favor of the ADL is a reported "fact" given by the Birds Eye company. According to the ADL's article, General Food's Birds Eye unit paid only "6.5 millionths (.0000065) of a cent per item." It would be more interesting to know how much General Foods itself paid in real dollars altogether for the Rabbinical Kosher Excise Tax, but the ADL avoids such talk for obvious reasons. But is the paltry sum of .0000065 cents per item true?
Again, this seems like a deliberately deceptive move on the ADL's part (or that of one of its members who was employed at Birds Eye). Does anyone really believe that a rabbi would fly to Birds Eye foods if he only received 6.5 cents for each $1 million of business Birds Eye did? If Birds Eye did, say, $100 million in business, that would be a paltry $6.50 in fees by the certification agency. This wouldn't even pay for the time involved, let alone travel and paperwork. So is the ADL lying? Probably not. If you'll notice, it says ".0000065 of a cent per item." I believe that Birds Eye sells corn, peas, pieces of broccoli, et cetera. In effect, the ADL's "informer" was probably meaning that every single piece of corn, every single pea, and every single bean--that is, every "item"--incur the cost of .0000065 cents. Added up, this then makes sense.
Of course, if the Jewish agency that charges the Rabbinical Kosher Excise Tax would care to make available how much it charged this company in real dollars for the previous year, that would be a start to being honest. But, if you carefully examine the web, you will not find one company that has reported this fee paid to the rabbis. Why is this? From a logical standpoint, it stands to reason that the rabbis must have some type of confidentiality agreement in which if the company reveals its cost it is then penalized to a certain extent. What other reasoning could there be that not one single company discloses its costs associated with the Rabbinical Kosher Excise Tax?
The ADL then goes on to cite a company that reportedly had its business increase as a result of Kosher certification. Is this true? Possibly. One must keep in mind, however, what Dr. Prytulak refers to as the "Pyramid Scheme" at his website. In effect, this is how it works: A large company is courted by Jews, who fill the company's heads with promises of a greater market appeal--but only, of course, if they pay this initially "small fee" (in comparison with the company's total business) for certification. The company agrees. However, now the company must buy all its supplies from other "Kosher companies." Aside from the obvious need to purchase food products from Kosher suppliers, a company might even have to purchase the steel for its manufacturing process and the cleaning supplies from Kosher companies, to name just a couple other items now considered Kosher. In any event, if the suppliers do not give the main company a Kosher product, the company cannot do business with them. (After all, products prepared by lowly Gentile companies do not meet the Jewish religious dietary standards as set forth by rabbis without due compensation.) In effect, if your company happens to be one of the suppliers to another company, you risk much business by failing to abide by the Jewish standards (and, of course, paying them your accompanying fees).
Is the extra business really there for companies that decide to go Kosher? Not according to some businesses. The Albuquerque Tribune reported one bagel company as wanting to be certified Kosher, but "the expense was more than the ... bagel company could muster." The owner stated, "We occasionally get asked for it but not that often." Another company decided to drop its "Star-K certification after one year." The owner of that company reported, "Kosher wasn't opening up any markets for me. I thought it was too much for my little operation."(7)
As you might expect, later in the ADL's article, it spends a significant amount of space questioning the "motives" of those who question the motives of the Rabbinical Kosher Excise Tax. Since the ADL cannot obviously refute the content of the argument, it has to resort to attacking the organizations and people who bring forth legitimate arguments against an illegitimate tax that Gentile consumers are forced to pay, which is unknown to the vast majority of them. Of course, the ADL itself has a few skeletons in its closet, so to speak. Books such as "Conspiracy Against Freedom" or "The Ugly Truth about the ADL" (available from www.addall.com/used ) tell much of the stories kept behind the headlines.
In an attempt to make the ADL's concerns seem legitimate, it cites Dr. Ed Fields, who states:
"All of this is superstitious nonsense and has absolutely nothing to do with improving the quality of any food product. Still, this clever scheme of requiring kosher labeling has become a multi-million dollar business today!"
Obviously, since Dr. Fields says this--and since the ADL makes him out to be a "bad" person through the use of its personal attacks (for failing to cooperate with the false-logic that Kosher is somehow wholesome)--we are to believe what he says is false. But in fact, it is true. What the ADL fails to mention, here, is that many Jews have corroborated what Dr. Ed Fields has stated, and these Jews are even cited by Dr. Fields. For example, the Washington Post of 2 November 1987 is cited, quoting orthodox Rabbi Schulem Rubin:
"Kosher doesn't taste any better; Kosher isn't healthier; Kosher doesn't have less salmonella. You can eat a Holly Farm chicken which sells for 39 cents a pound on sale and next taste a Kosher chicken selling for $1.69 a pound and not tell the difference. There's a lot of money to be made. Religion is not based on logic."
Of course, facts have always been a problem for the ADL, which is why it has attacked Dr. Fields's character so much. If you cannot refute the argument, the ADL seemingly reasons, attack the person's character who makes the argument.
The ADL's article then goes on to suggest that Jews are not the only ones who prefer Kosher. It argues, "Some kosher marketing officials estimate there may be as many as six million Americans who seek out Kosher foods in the supermarket. Of these only 1.5 million are Jewish. Moslems and Seventh Day Adventists also adhere to certain aspects of the Jewish dietary laws." Is this true? Yes, it certainly is. You see, the article says, "Some Kosher marketing officials estimate...." Who are these "Kosher marketing officials" that make this claim? If you said the ADL, you might have just won the prize.
While I have not taken the time to see what the Seventh Day Adventists believe, I looked into if the Muslims found the Kosher certification acceptable as meeting their religious dietary habits as well. What does the Islamic Food Council of America have to say about Kosher meeting the religious dietary requirements of orthodox Muslims, or "Halal," as it is commonly known. According to the Halal Digest of July 2000, it states,
"Many Kosher producers believe that Muslims accept Kosher as being Halal. In fact, Muslims do not accept Kosher certification as being a substitute for Halal certification. Some Muslims may have believed that Kosher slaughter was similar to Halal, but they are learning that this is not true and are demanding Halal certified products. Internationally, only proper Halal certification is acceptable and monitoring agencies are being established to ensure compliance."
There is one major difference (that even I know of) between the Halal method of slaughter and that of the Kosher method. The Halal method is actually done in a more humane manner, as it allows the animal to be stunned first. However, this is not the case with Kosher slaughter, which requires the animal to experience the full amount of pain and be fully conscious.
Continuing, the ADL then goes on to say that "the bulk of Kosher shoppers appear to be consumers who believe the Kosher certification ... means higher quality food." Is this true? Well, the ADL gives no proof that there are a significant number of consumers who are non-Jewish and who buy Kosher products because they "believe" (with the word "believe" being the key-word here) Kosher "means higher quality food." However, as to the false claim that Kosher is a "higher quality food," the response to this is best summed up by Rabbi Irving Silverman. Rabbi Silverman is cited in the 20 March 1987 edition of The Sun-Sentinel:
"There's one misconception that I'd like to clear up. There's a perception that Jewish dietary laws are steeped in health considerations. That's not so at all. It is a commitment to a strict adherence to a tradition. I'm not Kosher because it's healthier; I'm Kosher because my parents were Kosher, and my grandparents were Kosher. It's a commitment!"
In conclusion, the ADL admits, rather hesitatingly it appears, that consumers do, in fact, "pay a higher price" at "Kosher butcher shops." While this is nice of the ADL to actually concede this relatively minor detail, it does not answer the greater question: How much are we Gentiles paying for the Rabbinical Kosher Excise Tax overall? What are the real costs to us as consumers?
This figure of costs associated with the Rabbinical Kosher Excise Tax is largely unknown due to Jews not disclosing how much they charge to the various companies that receive Kosher certification. In perhaps what can only be viewed as a mistake by the rabbis who oversee the Rabbinical Kosher Excise Tax, in 1987 they disclosed that they expected Kosher steel to bring them in $700,000.00 of fees per year.(8)
How much is the total cost today? While the figure is unknown, there are other things we can tell. For instance, according to both Star-K Kosher certification and EBizAsiaLink, $165 billion worth of food received Kosher certification in 2002.(9) But does this $165 billion figure also include non-food products such as steel and aluminum foil, which are not actually Kosher "food" items despite the fees that are paid and certification received?(10) Probably not, so the figure may be much greater. Another figure that we can look at to determine cost is taken from an article appearing in the Detroit News. It stated that one Kosher certification company brought in an estimated $20 million.(11) (It is not known whether this figure of $20 million is actual net profits, or gross business.) You begin to understand how much money we are talking about when you realize, as stated at the beginning of this article, that there are 275 such Kosher-certification organizations in the United States, and a total of 400 worldwide.(12)
It must be recognized that in addition to the fees paid to rabbis for the Rabbinical Kosher Excise Tax, there are other fees that a company might incur simply in an effort to ensure that its product is indeed Kosher. For example, they could not process pork or non-Kosher beef on the same equipment as Kosher beef, lest it be "contaminated." Equipment might then have to be added or changed. Suppliers might need to be changed. Special training would need to be administered. Perhaps, even a full-time rabbi might need to be hired to oversee the production.
The total costs associated with the Rabbinical Kosher Excise Tax from all this is certainly in the billions, if not the trillions, of dollars.
Monday, November 7, 2011
No matter where I move
Wherever I move in the future has to have a real Fall season. Fall mornings smell awesome.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Darrel Winstead
A good man who's time was cut short. He died after a rock slide caved in on he another another person. I knew Darrel from my time in the Army Reserves. He was one of those people that got along with everyone and could talk about anything. May the Blessed Virgin intercede for you.
Michelangelo's pieta
St Albert's in Cincinnati has a copy of the Pieta. I never knew what it was called until my humanities art class at school. Michelangelo is the best artist ever. I need to get a copy of the statue.
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