7 Incredible But True Things About The Birth Of Baby Jesus And Christmas That You Probably Didn't Already Know — Now The End Begins
Question, what's a nativity scene without the 3 Wise Men? Answer, the truth. In the Bible, the wise men from the east never went to the manger, by the time they got there Jesus was a "young child" and living in a house with his mother.
There are so many things about the birth of Jesus and the holiday of Christmas that Christians all know to be true, except for the fact that they are not true. Christmas in 2018, the satanic counterfeit of Santa Clausnotwithstanding, bears little resemblance to events surrounding the birth of Jesus in the Bible, which occurred roughly around the year 4 BC. This article will endeavour to set the record straight.
"And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child." Luke 2:15-17 (KJV)
I believe that the truth about the birth of Jesus in the manger is much more interesting than the fables and half-truths being promoted by most Christian and Catholic churches today. So without any further ado, let's get right into it.
Here Are 7 Things You Probably Didn't Know About The Birth Of Jesus
JESUS AND JOHN THE BAPTIST WERE COUSINS:Mary and Elisabeth were cousins to each other, and they became pregnant about 6 months apart from each other. Mary from the Holy Ghost, and Elisabeth from her husband Zacharias. Mary would give birth to Jesus, and Elisabeth would give birth to John the Baptist. This would make Jesus and John first cousins once removed. "And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible." Luke 1:34-37 (KJV)
JESUS WAS ONLY ONE OF MANY CHILDREN MARY WOULD HAVE: It is a fact that Mary, the young Jewish girl, was impregnated by God himself, and gave birth to baby Jesus while still being a virgin. The Bible declares this to be true in both Testaments. But what a lot of people, especially Catholics, gloss right over is that the Bible does notrefer to Jesus as Mary's "only child", but rather as her "firstborn" child. The call someone a "firstborn" child is proof positive that other children from the same mother followed. "Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS." Matthew 1:24,25 (KJV). The gospel of Mark records that Mary would go on to give birth to at least 6 other children with Joseph, 4 of which are named in Mark 6. "Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him." Mark 6:3 (KJV). And Old Testament prophecy in Psalm 69 also records that Jesus had brothers and sisters. "I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children. For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me."Psalm 69:8,9 (KJV). Mary did not remain a virgin while she lived on Earth, and she most certainly is not the "perpetual virgin" found in Roman Catholic mythology. The Bible clearly calls Jesus and John cousins and it clearly shows us that Jesus also had brothers and sisters. It uses a different word for cousin as it does for siblings.
THE WISE MEN FROM THE EAST DIDN'T USE ASTROLOGY: Ask any Christian about how the wise men from the East knew how to find Jesus, and they will quickly tell you they were following Old Testament prophecy. Then ask them to show you exactly which prophecy that was, and you will likely not get an answer quickly, if at all. But the Star that guided the wise men is found in the book of Numbers. "He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open: I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth." Numbers 24:16,17 (KJV). They knew within a two year period when the child would be born because Daniel tells you when that would happen. "Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times." Daniel 9:25 (KJV). The type of "star" that guided them is found in Revelation 1. "The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches." Revelation 1:20 (KJV). The star led them right over to the house where the young child Jesus was living. "When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy." Matthew 2:10 (KJV). The wise men didn't need to use any astrology charts of any kind, as they were led personally there by the angels of God Himself.
THE WISE MEN NEVER MADE IT TO THE MANGER: Question, what's a nativity scene without the 3 Wise Men? Answer, the truth. In the Bible, the wise men from the east never went to the manger, by the time they got there Jesus was a "young child" and living in a house with his mother. "When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young childwas. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh." Matthew 2:9,11 (KJV). In order for Jesus to meet the wise men as a "young child" he would probably have been at least two to three years old. Also, the wise men come to a house, not to a barn, stable or manger. You will further note that the wise men, who were sent to Jesus by God, never once paid the least bit of homage to Jesus' mother, Mary. I find it interesting that the Catholic Church puts Mary into such a high and lofty position, yet we never see Mary treated this way in the Bible.
THE GIFTS GIVEN TO JESUS REPRESENT HIS THREE OFFICES: Jesus was born to live as a prophet and die on the cross as a sacrifice. He returned to Heaven where He has been administering the office of High Priest intercessor for the Church Age, and He is coming again at the Second Coming as King of Kings. The wise men gave Jesus three gifts of myrrh, frankincense and gold. The 'bitter perfume' of myrrh represented the death He would suffer as a prophet. It is given to Him at His birth, given to Him on the cross, and His body is wrapped in linen clothes containing "myrrh and aloes". The frankincense was a crucial part of Temple worship dating back to the Law of Moses, and is connected to the functions of the High Priest. The Song of Solomon, prophesying about Jesus, shows us again how myrrh and frankincense are connected to His ministry. "Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?" Song of Solomon 3:6 (KJV). The third gift, gold, is connected to the kingship of Jesus. "I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see." Revelation 3:18 (KJV).
THERE WAS A GLOBAL TAX AT HIS BIRTH AND WILL BE AGAIN AT HIS RETURN: The not inspired version NIV calls it a census, the deadly RSV and the ASV call it an enrollment, and the sneaky and deceptive NKJV calls it a registration. But the Holy Spirit-inspired King James Bible calls it exactly for what it was,a tax. "And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxingwas first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child."Luke 1:1-5 (KJV). Why is this important? Because a tax is not the same as a census or any of the others, it is a specific action where the government forces its citizens to give them money. When you remove this reference, you also wash away the very important prophetic links that are attached to it. Rome is a type of the government of Antichrist, anything coming out of Rome in the Bible is always evil, and this type picture of Antichrist's government is exacting a global tax just prior to the birth of baby Jesus. The book of Daniel tells us that one of the things that precedes the Second Coming is a world ruler who institutes a global tax. "Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom: but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle. And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries."Daniel 11:20,21 (KJV). And how will that global tax be enforced? By forcing people to take the Mark of the Beast, that's how. "And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name." Revelation 13:16,17 (KJV). So when Luke tells us about a global tax, he is giving us prophecy from both Testaments about Jesus' first and second comings. It's also an excellent example of rightly dividing.
JESUS WASN'T BORN ON THE 25TH OR IN DECEMBER: There is nothing in the Bible to lead us to believe that Jesus was born on any day in December, so why do we celebrate it on that day? Because the celebration of Christmas, or Christ's Mass, is a Roman Catholic invention. The Catholic Church chose December 25th because it was the pagan celebration of Saturnalia. They simple added magic "christian" pixie dust to it and WHAMMO! you have Christmas. Now we can debate if you like over whether or not Christmas is a pagan holiday or not, but there is no debate that Christmas, Christ's Mass, is a Roman Catholic holiday. In the waning days of the evil Roman empire, a type of the government of Antichrist, they realized that Roman rule had an expiration date attached to it. So in order to preserve their legacy, pagan Rome took over biblical Christianity and became papal Rome. This rule by papacy would last from approximately 350 AD to 1500 AD, a period of time we rightly refer to as the Dark Ages. So when was Jesus born? The Bible doesn't say outright, but by comparing scripture with scripture, I would place my bet on the birth of Jesus taking place on the Feast of Tabernacleswhich happens on or around the 23rd of September.
As you can see, the real meaning of "christmas" has nothing to do with being nice to each other, giving each other gifts, or any other such nonsense. The only people observing holidays like this in the first century were the pagans, none of the people who knew Jesus personally ever celebrated the day of His birth. There was simply no reason to do so. Sadly, in our day, Christmas is not about the birth of Jesus, but rather about a "spirit of Christmas" which is a humanistic, man-centered event that leaves the actual Jesus outside the door and knocking to be let in.
This entry was posted in Uncategorized on December 23, 2018 by Truth2Freedom.
From CNN to Fox News, annoyed witches are taking on Trump over his 'witch hunt' mantra — RT USA News
It may be the season to be jolly but that's not going to stop witches wanting to get a piece of the press pie to tell President Trump to stop using his beloved 'witch hunt' mantra.
The community of wiccans are utilizing the festive season to share what means the most to them – and that's criticising Trump for using the offensive term 'witch hunt'. Of course, the politically correct mainstream media has felt obliged to listen to their plight.
— Read on www.rt.com/usa/447261-witch-hunt-donald-trump/
Syrians celebrate Christmas & hope for lasting peace as US troops pullout (VIDEOS) — RT World News
Syria, which saw large parts of its territory liberated from Islamists this year, is celebrating Christmas with pre-war fervor, hoping that the war is nearing its end as militant control dwindles and foreign actors leave.
— Read on www.rt.com/news/447262-syria-christmas-celebration-hope/
DECEMBER 23 LEVITY IN ADDRESSING GOD
Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
Those who heard Luther's prayers have told us of the tremendous effect they often had upon the listeners. He would begin in moving humility, his spirit facedown in utter self-abnegation, and sometimes rise to a boldness of petition that would startle the hearers.
There is among us today a pseudo-mysticism which affects a tender intimacy with God but lacks that breathless awe which the true worshiper must always feel in the presence of the Holy God. This simpering spirit sometimes expresses itself in religious baby talk wholly unworthy of those who are addressing the Most High.
To hear a so-called Christian … addressing words of saccharine sweetness to one whom he or she calls "Jesus dear," is a shocking experience for anyone who has once seen heaven opened and stood speechless before the Holy Presence. No one who has ever bowed before the Burning Bush can thereafter speak lightly of God, much less be guilty of levity in addressing Him.
When Horace Bushnell prayed in the field under the night sky, his friend who knelt by his side drew in his arms close to his body. "I was afraid to stretch out my hands," he said, "lest I touch God." TET069-070
God, I come to You in intimacy, but also with the awe and reverence of a subject before a majestic King. Amen. [1]
[1] Tozer, A. W., & Eggert, R. (2015). Tozer on the almighty god: a 365-day devotional. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers.
This entry was posted in A. W. Tozer, Daily Devotional Guide on December 23, 2018 by Truth2Freedom.
The Jesus Christ That Nobody Wanted
Why was the Gospel of John written? We have a statement from the author himself saying,
These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:31)
John wrote this Gospel to tell his readers (and us!) who "the Christ" is. Notice that he said Jesus is "the Christ," and not simply "Jesus Christ," as if this were his first and last name. "Christ" is not our Lord's last name in the same way my last name is Davis. Jesus Christ is actually his name and then his title.
This was the way of saying to a Jewish audience that Jesus was "the Messiah"—he had come to fulfill many prophecies that they long expected and awaited. Jesus is the "Anointed One," and this term is loaded with Old Testament meaning.
The New Testament is rooted in the Old Testament scriptures. Understanding what happened in the pages of the Old Testament helps us to make better sense of references and themes that we find throughout the New Testament. In many ways, reading front to back—and back to front—is how we are supposed to read the Bible. We see each part as a piece of a greater whole.
The Christ That Nobody Wanted
Of course, John's real purpose is not just to tell us that Jesus is the Messiah or Christ but to persuade us to actually believe in Jesus. We need to be convinced of this because a lot of our messianic expectations are way off. The Jews expected that the Messiah would come to overthrow the Roman Empire and give them supreme rule over the ancient world, but that's not the kind of Messiah they got.
Instead, they got a crucified Lord and a dead King.
So Pilate said to him, "You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?" Jesus answered him, "You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above." (John 19:10–11a)
Jesus was the kind of Christ figure that nobody wanted. The whole Gospel of John is written in such a way as to show us that God's plan from the beginning was to go straight to the cross. It tells us why Jesus came.
Jesus as Messiah came not to fulfill Jewish expectations for earthly conquest but to meet his heavenly Father's expectations for eternal salvation.
In other words, he "came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45). The reason Jesus came was to be "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29). Jesus came to die so that we might live.
Now to some people this probably sounds like nonsense. A suffering king? Who wants that? A dying leader? Why would we want that?
Jesus is the antithesis of the kind of president or world leader we all long for. We want a powerful, wealthy, strong leader, but Jesus comes to us powerless, poor, and weak. We want a God who glories in the great and mighty in the highest of places; we don't expect him to choose the small and scrawny in the lowliest of places.
We're ready to elect Saul as our mighty king, but God selects the ruddy shepherd boy named David.
Don't you see? It's actually through weakness and suffering that God is bringing about redemption! He came to save us not in the way that we wanted but in the way that we needed.
The Gospel of John forces us to reckon with the event of the cross. Jesus died, was raised, is exalted, and is now offered to us as our only means of salvation.
The Christ Everybody Needed
This is what Christianity is all about. It is about God's descent from heaven—his acting on our behalf to do what we could not do. Christianity is not like other religions of the world where we are told to climb up into heaven by doing or being good.
Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Islam, Mormonism, and all of the other world religions boil down to being about us—our ascent to God, our goodness, our good deeds to earn our rightful place at God's table. We are told to keep trying, and hopefully, we'll make it in the afterlife. Or maybe we try to claim entitlement—for whatever reason, we try to muster up, we deserve to be there.
Yet, Christianity tells us something different. Not only is it the only religion in the world that is honest with us about the fact that we can't get everything right and we aren't who we should be, but it tells us something far better.
In the person and work of Jesus the Christ, God has come down to us.
In the person and work of Jesus the Christ, God has gotten everything right for us that we got wrong. In Christ, God became the human we all longed to be and hoped for. He came down in order to raise us up.
The Christian message—the gospel or "good news"—is not that we can clean ourselves up, that we just need an extra push to get everything right, or that we can pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps.
None of our good deeds or efforts will ever be good enough because God demands perfection from us. None of our claims based upon birth into a privileged family or promises to be a better person will be enough. The news of God's holiness and his righteous standard comes to us as bad news, because we are unrighteous and undeserving. We know that we haven't kept God's law.
But Christianity, as set forth in John's Gospel, is not about climbing up a ladder to God. It's about God's descent to us from the manger to the cross. God has descended to us in the words and works of Jesus, the Incarnate Word.
All who believe in the Jesus whom this Gospel of John offers us, these are the children of God.
Source: The Jesus Christ That Nobody Wanted
It Gets Better–> CNN's "Reporter of the Year" Claas Relotius Embezzled Donations Away from Syrian Street Children — The Gateway Pundit
Top German reporter at the liberal mag Der Spiegel was fired last week.
Claas Relotius at Germany's far left Der Spiegel magazine fabricated his stories.
He got caught after he trashed Trump supporters in a recent piece. It was a completely made up story.
Claas Relotius won CNN's journalist of the year award in 2014.
Claas admitted to fabricating interviews and sources in at least 14 articles.
The left loved him.
CNN gave him their top journalist award to this Fake News reporter in 2014.
But it gets even better…
Claas Relotius is being sued by Der Speigel for embezzling donations away from Syrian street children.
France 24 reported:
Influential German news weekly Der Spiegel said Sunday it would file a criminal complaint against a disgraced reporter after it emerged he may have embezzled donations intended for Syrian street children.
Claas Relotius, 33, resigned this month after admitting to making up stories and inventing protagonists in more than a dozen articles in the magazine's print and online editions.
Spiegel said it now had information that Relotius allegedly launched a campaign for readers to give money to help subjects of an article he wrote but that the bank details he gave directed the funds to his own account.
"Der Spiegel will give all the information it collects to public prosecutors as part of a criminal complaint," it said on its website.
Spiegel said concerned readers had in recent days reported Relotius's call for donations purportedly for orphaned Syrian children living on the streets of Turkey.
It said it had been unaware of the campaign and that it was not immediately clear how much money was raised from the appeal, apparently made by email to readers who contacted him about the story.
Spiegel published the article by Relotius in July 2016 but a Turkish photographer who worked with him on the piece has since noted significant inaccuracies.
via It Gets Better–> CNN's "Reporter of the Year" Claas Relotius Embezzled Donations Away from Syrian Street Children — The Gateway Pundit
Schumer Just Got Destroyed By His Own Words And It is Fantastic
New York Sen. Charles Schumer's holiday was just destroyed by none other than himself. With some help from former President Obama. Trending on Twitter on Sunday was "Walls Don't Divide Us" which highlighted a video showing the hypocrisy of them two men. The entire title of the video is "Walls Don't Divide Us, Hypocrisy Does."…
Source: Schumer Just Got Destroyed By His Own Words And It is Fantastic
Watch the YouTube Channel Getting the Unsaved to View Gospel Presentations
Sharing the gospel with others can be difficult. Here at Answers in Genesis, we work hard to provide you with answers to the skeptical questions of our day, so you can boldly share the gospel with others. And we're thankful for our friends—Ray Comfort, "EZ," and their colleagues—over at the Living Waters ministry, located in California. They are dedicated to equipping believers with resources and practical knowledge so they can reach the lost. One way they do this is through their YouTube channel, which has just exploded recently.
The general manager of Living Waters shared that their YouTube channel has jumped to over 65,000,000 views and 290,000 subscribers. They now post two fresh videos every day, most of which are clips of pure gospel presentations. Many of these clips are being watched by the unsaved!
On their channel you'll find:
Apologetics videos
On-the-street gospel presentations
Ministry updates and announcements
I encourage you to check out Living Waters' YouTube channel at YouTube.com/LivingWaters.
Source: Watch the YouTube Channel Getting the Unsaved to View Gospel Presentations
Thoughts on Watching the Sunday News Shows
If congressmen are so upset about leaving Syria, maybe they should have declared war.
If show panelists are so horrified by the market selling off on rising interest rates, maybe they should have said something while the Fed forced rates down.
If Washington is so upset about the government "shutdown," wait until that see what happens when nobody wants to fund US debt.
Geez! I think it may be time to take a news vacation!
Source: Thoughts on Watching the Sunday News Shows
December 23 No Room for Jesus
And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
I'm convinced that most people miss Christmas. They observe the season because culture says it's the thing to do, but the masses are utterly oblivious to the reality of what they are celebrating. So much fantasy and myth have been imposed on the holiday that people are numb to the real miracle of Christ's birth. The legitimate emotion of the holiday has given way to a maudlin and insincere self–indulgence. A newspaper I saw recently had a two-page spread featuring some man-on-the–street interviews where people offered their opinions of the real meaning of Christmas…. Some were sentimental, saying Christmas is a family time, a time for children, and so on. Others were humanistic, seeing Christmas as a time to celebrate love for one's fellow man, the spirit of giving, and that sort of thing. Others were crassly hedonistic, viewing Christmas as just another excuse to party. Not one person made mention of the incomprehensible miracle of God's birth as a human baby.[1]
[1] MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : a daily touch of God's grace (p. 384). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.
This entry was posted in Daily Devotional Guide, John MacArthur on December 23, 2018 by Truth2Freedom.
Watch: Lindsey Graham Hammers Dems for Acting 'Like Children,' Calls On Trump To 'Break Them Now'
I've said it before, but it bears repeating: Lindsey Graham 2.0 is the greatest software upgrade in history. For those of you old enough to remember, it puts the leap from Windows 3.1 to Windows 95 to absolute shame. Gone is the milquetoast functionary so convinced of his own importance that he thought he was… The post Watch: Lindsey Graham Hammers Dems for Acting 'Like Children,' Calls On Trump To 'Break Them Now' appeared first on Conservative Tribune .
Source: Watch: Lindsey Graham Hammers Dems for Acting 'Like Children,' Calls On Trump To 'Break Them Now'
Parents Warned Not to Buy 'Smart Toys' this Christmas Because They Could be Used to Spy on Children
The Furby Connect was found to track the user's location and the app can connect to your phone's camera
Parents have been warned to avoid to buying 'smart toys' for Christmas over fears they could be used by hackers to spy on children and share data.
Gifts and toys that connect to the internet or sync to a smartphone are part of a £4.8million market.
But toys including robots, drones, dolls, games consoles and watches have been found to spy on children, the Times revealed.
My Friend Cayla doll (left), which is micro-phone enabled, was found to linked to an unsecured blue tooth connection in 2016, allowing strangers to talk to children. Sphero BB-8 Robot (right) tracks location and shares data
Out of 25 toys, it was found that 28 per cent of cases the makers were not clear about whether the toys were encrypted, an investigation by The Times revealed.
It was also found that 60 per cent shared data with third parties and information about safety was not readily available for 48 per cent.
Two of the toys studied were found to have been hacked by security researchers and had been used to spy on children.
One company's 3,683 word privacy policy stated that three-year-old children were required to read the document and ask their parents permission before sharing data, The Times revealed.
DJI Spark Selfie drone (left) allows hackers to access data stored in the cloud's servers, including photos and videos from flights. The Parker teddy bear (right) requires users to download an app the requests user's camera
Concerns about he toys have been mounting ever since a My Friend Cayla doll, which is micro-phone enabled, was found to be linked to an unsecured blue tooth connection, allowing strangers to talk to children.
And a Furby Connect was found to track the user's location and the app can connect to your phone's camera.
A Parker teddy bear also required users to download an app that requests permission to access a camera. The manufacturer, Seedlings, collects data via Facebook.
Manufacturers say that when data is shared with third parties, such as advertising companies, it is anonymised.
However experts reveal that data can be de-anonymised and difficult to trace after it has been shared.
Anne Longfield, the children's commissioner for England told The Times: 'Children and parent should be able to make informed choices about how children's data is used by toy companies, and they cannot do that if manufacturers are not being transparent.'
V-tech InnoTab Max tablet, aimed at children aged three to nine, shares users data with a number of thirds parties
SOURCE: Daily Mail, by Sophie Law
Source: Parents Warned Not to Buy 'Smart Toys' this Christmas Because They Could be Used to Spy on Children
Happy Festivus! Rand Paul Releases 'Waste Report' on Government Spending
Senator Rand Paul released his annual "Festivus Edition" of his Waste Report on Government Spending this past week and, as usual, the senator highlighted some of the dumbest, craziest, and most maddening examples of wasteful spending.
IJR:
"Happy Festivus! Is 2018 over already? It was just yesterday the national debt was pushing $20 trillion, and now it's blown $21 trillion away!" the senator cracked a joke in the opening of his report. "What a year!"
Indeed 2018 was one for the record books. Paul outlined $114,514,631 in wasteful expenditures, including:
Providing stipends to soldiers in the Somali National Army (State): $76,321,379
Promoting the already overcrowded farmers market industry (USDA): $13,400,000
Teaching Rwandan special interest groups and citizens how to lobby (State): $250,000
Using theater to combat homelessness and poverty (NEA): $15,000
Studying the sexual habits of quails on cocaine (NIH): $874,503
Funding a fictionalized opera about Prince Harry (NEA): $15,000
Making videos marketing U.S. colleges to Indian students (State): $75,000
Blowing leaf blowers at lizards (NSF): $75,691
Supporting "legislative priorities" in Libya (State): $1,000,000
Putting on plays in Afghanistan (State): $200,000
Studying horse and donkey hunting on the ancient Anatolian Peninsula (NSF): $361,891
Supporting Egyptian tourism (State): $18,000,000
Paying to bring British student social activists to the U.S. (State): $200,000
Encouraging people in the Republic of the Congo to use local resources (State): $35,000
Studying daydreaming (NIH): $2,488,153
Conceptualizing games in India (State): $50,000
Paying for museum trips in Bosnia & Herzegovina for Bosnians & Herzegovinians (State): $50,000
Developing a Pashto-language TV drama series for Afghanistan (State): $653,014
Teaching female entrepreneurs in India how to "vlog" (State): $50,000
Supporting asset seizure programs in Paraguay (State): $400,000
I suppose that somewhere, somebody thought this spending was a brilliant idea. Most of us don't. The point being, there are thousands upon thousands of these line items in the budget from every government department, every government agency, every government board, every government panel — temporary, permanent, semi-permanent, ad-hoc, or otherwise.
Part of the solution is to give the president line item veto power. But really, when it comes down to it, it is voters who hold the power in their hands. We don't hold our representatives accountable for this waste so, they keep wasting money. Year after year no one bothers to ask the very simple, direct question; "Is this spending necessary?" Failing that, perhaps an even better question would be "Is this something the national government should be spending money on?"
I know those are silly, naive questions and it's a pipe dream to think that congressmen even care. But would we really have a $900 billion deficit and a national debt over $21 trillion if those questions were asked?
https://pjmedia.com/trending/happy-festivus-rand-paul-releases-waste-report-on-government-spending/
Source: Happy Festivus! Rand Paul Releases 'Waste Report' on Government Spending
Nutritionists Give Their Top Tips on How You Can Still Eat Well at Holiday Parties
Two nutritionists revealed to DailyMail.com their top six tips for eating out and drinking at holiday parties this season (file image)
There is no better way to celebrate during the holiday season than by packing your calendar with holiday parties, family get-togethers and restaurant reservations – but as your schedule gets fuller, your figure often does, too.
All the merry-making at never-ending buffets and open bars is sure to feature plenty of finger food and booze, often fare that offers fewer nutrients and more calories. That can lead to weight gain, fatigue and even poor sleep.
So how can you eat, drink and be merry without feeling bloated – or hungover – the day after your holiday gathering?
Two nutritionists spoke to DailyMail.com about why you should eat before heading to a party, how a DIY wine spritzer can help you cut back your liquid calories and why marinara sauce is your best option to save you from packing on the pounds.
1. EAT SOMETHING BEFORE YOU GO OUT
Andrea Chernus of Chernus Nutrition in New York City told DailyMail.com that it's always best to not arrive at a party feeling famished.
'If you wait five to six hours from when you last ate until the party, you'll tend to overdo it,' she said.
Chernus explained that waiting too long to eat can lead to low energy, low blood sugar levels, irritability and overeating.
Overeating comes with its own problems – including bloating, excess gas, heartburn and feeling sluggish.
'I recommend drinking some water and not having a full meal [beforehand] – just something small, like a cup of soup, an apple or a salad so you're held over until you go out,' Chernus said.
2. MAKE PISTACHIOS YOUR HOLIDAY NUT
Before you make a bee-line for the endless decadent dishes in the buffet, opt for a handful of nuts first as a snack.
Tammy Lakatos Shames of the Nutrition Twins in New York told DailyMail.com that pistachios are her nutrient-packed snacking secret during the holiday season.
'They're the skinny nut, with only 100 calories in 30 nuts,' she said. 'You can only have about 10 to 12 nuts for the same 100 calories for most other nuts.'
A 100-calorie serving also contains about six grams of protein and about three grams of fiber, leaving you feeling satisfied.
That's about one-seventh of your daily protein intake and one-twelfth of your daily fiber intake.
Rich in nutrients and antioxidants, pistachios have also been shown to stabilize blood sugar levels, promote eye health and lower blood pressure.
You can even class them up to serve your guests some nutrition.
'They're great on a cheese board, on on their own, with chocolate, with fruit, in a pesto – possibilities are endless,' Lakatos Shames said.
'You could also bring a mason jar full of pistachios tied with a ribbon and personalized with a chalkboard sticker to your hostess as a gift.'
Having a handful of pistachios before your entree will you leave you feel satiated. A 100-calorie serving contains six grams of protein and about three grams of fiber
3. USE A SMALL PLATE AND FILL UP ON GRILLED VEGGIES
Our nutritionists agree that one of the easiest way to keep your calorie count to a minimum while feasting this season is to fill up on grilled vegetables before touching any main dishes.
Load up on classic holiday side dishes like butternut squash, green beans and Brussels sprouts.
'Always go for the grilled items over fried, marinated, sautéed,' Lakatos Shames said. 'You'll save hundreds of calories.'
Grilling vegetables allows fat to drip away, so vegetables retain more vitamins and minerals. Frying vegetables in oil, however, adds unnecessary saturated fat and trans fat, which can raise levels of 'bad' LDL cholesterol in your blood, increasing your risk of heart disease and stroke.
So stay sway from those maple-glazed carrots, candied-bacon dates and cheesy broccoli dishes.
Lakatos Shames also advises sticking to a small plate as you collect snacks so you are less likely to overfill it with food.
4. CHOOSE DISHES WITH MARINARA SAUCE OVER A CREAM-BASED SAUCE
Maybe you're at a holiday party with a number of buffet pasta options or having calamari as part of customary Italian Christmas Eve meal the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Whichever it is, our nutritionists say to (modestly) slather on the marinara sauce instead of indulging in white or cream-based sauces.
'Marinara sauce has fiber, vitamin C, vitamin A and four times the lycopene of fresh tomatoes,' Lakatos Shames said.
Lycopene is the pigment that gives fruits like tomatoes and watermelon their color, and it has several antioxidant properties.
Studies have shown that lycopene can lower your risk of heart disease by decreasing levels of LDL cholesterol and increasing levels of 'good' HDL cholesterol.
Additionally, studies conducted in test tubes have found lycopene to slow the progression of breast and prostate cancers by curbing tumor growth.
A half-cup serving of marinara sauce contains 80 calories, four grams of fat, two grams of protein and 420 milligrams of sodium.
Meanwhile, cream-based sauces like Alfredo are rich and high in fatty ingredients.
A half-cup serving of Alfredo contains about 140 calories, 12 grams of fat, two grams of protein and 860 milligrams of sodium.
5. ALTERNATE BETWEEN AN ALCOHOLIC DRINK AND AT LEAST ONE GLASS OF GOOD, OLD-FASHIONED WATER
No holiday gathering is complete without a stocked bar – but our nutritionists suggest pacing yourself.
'Try to have water or a seltzer in between each alcoholic drink so you don't overdo it on alcohol, because alcohol can dehydrate you,' Chernus said.
Alcohol is a diuretic, which causes water to be flushed out of your system, and your later thirst can then be confused with hunger.
Eating grilled vegetables over fried, choosing marinara sauce over cream-based sauces and alternating water with alcoholic drinks will give you a healthier holiday, experts say
Additionally, a 2017 study conducted on mice by The Francis Crick Institute in London found that the neurons that encourage us to eat can be activated by alcohol, meaning that many drinks could lead to binge-eating.
'Alcohol makes you hungrier, thirstier and care less about what you eat, so giving yourself some time to make some good choice and stave off hunger before indulging in alcohol is key,' said Lakatos Shames.
6. MAKE YOUR OWN WINE SPRITZER TO CUT BACK ON CALORIES
Instead of choosing mulled wine, eggnog, or hot buttered rum as your drink of choice, how about a do-it-yourself wine spritzer?
A traditional spritzer contains about three ounces of wine at 75 to 80 calories – and three ounces of club soda which has zero calories.
By comparison, a cup of eggnog has 223 calories and one hot buttered rum comes in at a whopping 316 calories.
'The bubbles add to the festive event and you can cut the calories of the wine in half, which is ideal to help off-set the holiday party foods … typically heavy, calorie-loaded foods,' Lakatos Shames said.
SOURCE: Daily Mail, Mary Kekatos
Source: Nutritionists Give Their Top Tips on How You Can Still Eat Well at Holiday Parties
Bombshell, Obama Gave Farrakhan Hundreds Of Thousands To Teach Islam To Prisoners
This is absolutely insane.
Former President Obama did a lot of things that had people scratching their heads but this could be the most unconscionable.
Obama handed hundreds of thousands of dollars to The Nation of Islam, led by Rev. Louis Farrakhan.
And what was that cash used for?
It was specifically earmarked to be used by the group to head into prisons and teach Islam to inmates.
Think about that.
The former president gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to a noted anti-Semite to have his antisemitic group go into prisons and teach their anti-Semitism to inmates, The Washington Examiner reported.
Source: Bombshell, Obama Gave Farrakhan Hundreds Of Thousands To Teach Islam To Prisoners
Yellow Vest Protesters Across France Exceed 38,000 – Reports
MOSCOW/PARIS (Sputnik) – The number of demonstrators who are taking part in "yellow vest" rallies across France on Saturday has exceeded 38,000, local media reported, citing the Interior Ministry.
Source: Yellow Vest Protesters Across France Exceed 38,000 – Reports
IDF chief: Let's not make too much of Trump's Syria withdrawal
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot is sounding the all clear days after U.S. President Donald Trump's surprise announcement that he plans to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria, saying that while the move is "significant, let's not make too much of it."
On Wednesday, Trump announced that the Islamic State terrorist group had been defeated in Syria and that he planned to pull all U.S. forces from there, triggering panic among U.S. allies and eliciting criticism and resignations from his own staff as well as fellow Republicans.
Speaking at an event honoring the late IDF chief Lt. Gen. Amnon Lipkin Shahak in Herzliya Sunday, Eizenkot said that the IDF's ability to operate deep within Syrian territory has not been compromised by the withdrawal of American forces.
"The IDF has been operating independently the entire time," Eizenkot said. "The Americans are making this decision at a time when the cooperation between our respective militaries is at an all-time high."
"The Russian presence in Syria has created a new reality, and it has profoundly influenced the way we operated our forces there," Eizenkot continued. "Our planning allowed us to effectively defend Israel's security interests. The Israeli contribution to the defeat of Islamic State is far greater than the public knows. They were on the border and they were hurt far more than the media reported. They were hurt by the Zionist arm far more than was made public."
Touching on another enemy, Iran, Eizenkot noted that "the IDF's main effort over the last four years has been to combat Iran's aspirations to export its capabilities from Iran to Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. This was a threat that remained hidden from the public eye in Israel, but as a military, we invested enormous intelligence, aerial and covert resources into this endeavor. We succeeded in preventing Iran from realizing its vision as planned, but the desire and aspirations remain."
Turning to another burning topic, the recently discovered Hezbollah attack tunnels jutting from Lebanon into Israel, Eizenkot remarked that "it isn't difficult to imagine what would have happened had the incident with Hezbollah begun with hundreds of Hezbollah fighters infiltrating Israel in an underground tunnel. We identified this threat in advance and secretly prepared to neutralize it. In the coming future, we will complete this mission. We were successful in preventing the organization from acquiring the precision capabilities it had tried to gain as well as against its effort to establish a presence on the Golan front."
He also spoke about the tensions on Israel's southern border, saying that "there was a bitter debate on whether or not Israel should launch a large-scale operation in Gaza. Whether to prepare the military for a broad campaign and simultaneously prepare a separate operation to prevent Hamas achievements. Their aim has been to infiltrate [Israeli] communities and to abduct soldiers, and that has failed. We chose a reality of balance between cost and benefit. This reality came with victories, but it also came with a cost – particularly the way it affected Israel's image, in the way that it was reflected in Israeli deterrence."
"I ask myself what the right thing to do would have been, for Israel's sake. Over the last decade, we have engaged in three wars. I keep hearing that Israel's deterrence has collapsed, but the reality is far more complex. Deterrence isn't built in a day and doesn't collapse in a day. It's a tricky term," he said.
"The situation in Gaza is very difficult, in terms of infrastructure and the humanitarian reality," he continued. "Electricity, water, employment, sewage – part of it is the basic reality in Gaza and part of it they do to themselves because they don't want to agree to prisoner exchanges or to return soldiers' bodies. I view bringing the Israeli soldiers to burial in Israel and returning our two [captive] civilians home as a top priority."
"I'm not trying to tell you that the reality in the Israeli communities adjacent to the Gaza border is excellent. Far from it. But with that, when I ask myself what happened there, I can say that over the last four years, not a single Israeli civilian has been killed. Three Israeli civilians were moderately wounded, and 20 mainly suffered from shock. Two soldiers were killed in combat and 16 were wounded, five of them seriously or moderately."
"Meanwhile, they paid a very steep price. Instead of getting money from the Palestinian Authority, they are getting it from Qatar. That's not protection."
Source: IDF chief: Let's not make too much of Trump's Syria withdrawal
Another Road to Hell by J.C. Ryle
Satan has no objection to your being a respectable member of the Christian Church. He will allow you to sit comfortably in church every Sunday you live. He knows full well, that so long as you do not "strive" — that you must come at last to the worm that never dies, and the fire that is never quenched! Take heed that you do not come to this end. I repeat it, you have only to do nothing — and you will be eternally lost!
Think, think above all things, what a state this is to die in!…
Another Road to Hell by J.C.
Source: Another Road to Hell by J.C. Ryle
Trump To End Unconstitutional Syria War. Washington Heads Are Exploding
12-21-2018 • https://www.youtube.com
The same warmongers of liberal and neoconservative stripes who had no problem with President Obama taking us INTO war in Syria without Congressional approval are now screaming bloody murder because President Trump has decided to take us OUT. Are they acting on principles? Or pure politics?
Source: Trump To End Unconstitutional Syria War. Washington Heads Are Exploding
32 most egregious fake-news stories of 2018
As 2018 comes to a close, it's time to review the year's worst cases of media misquotes, misleading narratives, major corrections and straight-up fake news.
While last year's fake reporting largely occurred during the media's relentless pursuit to prove Russian collusion, this year's list is much more varied. However, some themes emerged: stories about then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and the U.S. border were routinely flagged for misinformation.
Without further ado, here is the list of 2018's worst examples of fake news:
Source: 32 most egregious fake-news stories of 2018
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