Edging Closer to the Sunday Law

"This plan is a superbly detailed blueprint of the [Catholic] bishops’ strategy for infiltrating and manipulating the American democratic process at the national, state, and local levels. It creates a political machine controlled by the bishops."—Life and Death of NSSM 200, p. 137.

"The ‘Pastoral Plan’ specifically directed the creation of ‘grassroots’ organizations for the purposes of advancing the papal agenda."—Ibid., p. 166.

"Vital to the success of the Bishops’ Plan has been the creation of, first, the Moral Majority."—Ibid., p. 176.

" ‘Following the sweeping re-election of President Bush and a new generation of conservative lawmakers nationwide, a new organization, The Faith and Values Coalition (TFVC) has been launched,’ said Falwell . . Essentially, TFVC is a 21st Century resurrection of the Moral Majority! . . Dr. Tim LaHaye [author of the Left Behind Series] will serve as the Coalition’s board chairman . . ‘One of our primary commitments is to help make President Bush’s second term the most successful in American history,’ Dr. Falwell said.

"Falwell noted that during Moral Majority’s heyday, ‘we registered millions . . [who] joined heads and hands to reclaim America for God. Many historians believe the result was the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980 and the genesis of what the media calls the ‘Religious Right’ . . ‘At that time, God burdened my heart to mobilize religious conservatives around a pro-life, pro-family, strong national defense, and pro-Israel platform, designed to return America to her Judeo-Christian heritage. And I distinctively feel that burden again . .

" ‘On election night, I actually shed tears of joy as I saw fruits of a quarter century of hard work’ . . TFVC will be organizing in all 50 states and enlisting and training millions of Americans to become partners in this exciting task of bringing this nation back to the moral values of faith and family on which it was founded."

"Building the greatest coalition of Catholic leaders in American history and recruiting these leaders from every part of the country and from every walk of life. Our mission is to activate Catholic citizens and increase the Catholic electorate’s influence in formulating public policy."—"Because It Is Time."

"The President, in case of any national emergency, shall decree any moral actions needed to assure American citizens of their national heritage under God. Does not our pledge of allegiance say, ‘One nation under God with liberty and justice for all?’ "—Patriot Act Update, October 2, 2004.

"If the believers in the truth are not sustained by their faith in these comparatively peaceful days, what will uphold them when the grand test comes and the decree goes forth."—4 Testimonies, 251.

"The time is coming when we cannot sell at any price. The decree will soon go forth prohibiting men to buy or sell of any man save him that hath the mark of the beast."—5 Testimonies, 152.

"Sundaykeeping is not yet the mark of the beast, and will not be until the decree goes forth causing men to worship this idol sabbath."—Faith I Live By, 286 (Manuscript 118, 1899; see GC 449).

"When the leading churches of the United States, uniting upon such points of doctrine as are held by them in common, shall influence the state to enforce their decrees and to sustain their institutions, then Protestant America will have formed an image of the Roman hierarchy, and the infliction of civil penalties upon dissenters will inevitably result."—Great Controversy, 445.

"Before conservative Christians get too comfortable with this church-state alliance . . this anointment of the GOP as ‘God’s Only Party’—they would do well to remember a bit of familiar wisdom: Those who seek power by riding the back of a tiger soon end up inside."—Charles C. Haynes, Charleston Gazette-Mail.

"The Sunday movement is now making its way in darkness. The leaders are concealing the true issue, and many who unite in the movement do not themselves see whither the undercurrent is tending. Its professions are mild and apparently Christian, but when it shall speak it will reveal the spirit of the dragon."—5 Testimonies, 452.

Jerry Falwell received a standing ovation: "We also know the solution and it isn’t the Democrats or the Republicans, but it’s Christ Jesus . . The Republican party doesn’t have the head count to elect officials without the religious right; so we must stand with them, because they stand more on the side of God and right than our other choice . . I’m optimistic about America. It’s been going downhill for the last 30 years . . There’s been a quiet, but sure, religious awakening; and I believe we’re about to see a spiritual awakening and revival like never before. There are 80 million Evangelicals ready to make a difference!"

Catholic priest Frank Pavronne, of Priests for Life: "Because Jesus Christ is Lord, we have a mission to accomplish and that’s to elect members to Congress who believe in the right to life . . We must mobilize those who agree. Christians must storm the gates of hell . . The election question is what kind of a government will we have."

"Legislation Sets Stage for Uniform Driver’s Licenses, Washington—The anti-terrorism bill to be signed by Pres. Bush on Friday opens the door for people across the nation to have similar driver’s licenses, a plan that is fueling a debate over whether security concerns will lead to what amounts to a national identification card . .

"Civil liberties groups and other critics say the move by Congress to . . force states to adopt tough anti-fraud measures is the first step toward a system that could encroach on privacy rights.

"The American Civil Liberties Union says that such licenses could give the government a way to have citizens carry cards that eventually could be used to reveal a range of private information, including where people go and what they do . .

" ‘It’s just a matter of time and the government’s own discretion about what kind of data could be contained on that card,’ says Larry Pratt, Executive Director of Gun Owners of America.

"ACLU attorney, Marv Johnson, worries that advances in technology would allow the U.S. government to install radio frequency chips in driver’s licenses that would allow information on the licenses to be accessed by readers several feet away.

" ‘It’s a fairly frightening scenario,’ said ACLU attorney, Marv Johnson. ‘We’ve never been a country in which you’ve had to show your papers.’ "—USA Today, December 16, 2004.

"Those who seek to compel men to observe an institution of the papacy, and trample upon God’s authority, are doing a work similar to that of the Jewish leaders in the days of the apostles. When the laws of earthly rulers are brought into opposition to the laws of the Supreme Ruler of the universe, then those who are God’s loyal subjects will be true to Him.

"We as a people have not accomplished the work which God has committed to us. We are not ready for the issue to which the enforcement of the Sunday law will bring us. It is our duty, as we see the signs of approaching peril, to arouse to action.

"Let none sit in calm expectation of the evil, comforting themselves with the belief that this work must go on because prophecy has foretold it, and that the Lord will shelter His people. We are not doing the will of God if we sit in quietude, doing nothing to preserve liberty of conscience.

"Fervent, effectual prayer should be ascending to heaven that this calamity may be deferred until we can accomplish the work which has so long been neglected. Let there be most earnest prayer, and then let us work in harmony with our prayers."—5 Testimonies, 713-714.

"This very class [religious leaders] put forth the claim that the fast-spreading corruption is largely attributable to the desecration of the so-called ‘Christian sabbath,’ and that the enforcement of Sunday observance would greatly improve the morals of society."—Great Controversy, 587.

"Those who honor the Bible Sabbath will be denounced as enemies of law and order, as breaking down the moral restraints of society, causing anarchy and corruption, and calling down the judgments of God upon the earth.

"Their conscientious scruples will be pronounced obstinacy, stubbornness, and contempt of authority. They will be accused of disaffection toward the government. Ministers who deny the obligation of the divine law will present from the pulpit the duty of yielding obedience to the civil authorities as ordained of God. In legislative halls and courts of justice, commandment keepers will be misrepresented and condemned. A false coloring will be given to their words; the worst construction will be put upon their motives."—Great Controversy, 592.

"As the Protestant churches reject the clear, Scriptural arguments in defense of God’s law, they will long to silence those whose faith they cannot overthrow by the Bible. Though they blind their own eyes to the fact, they are now adopting a course which will lead to the persecution of those who conscientiously refuse to do what the rest of the Christian world are doing, and acknowledge the claims of the papal sabbath.

"The dignitaries of church and state will unite to bribe, persuade, or compel all classes to honor the Sunday. The lack of divine authority will be supplied by oppressive enactments. Political corruption is destroying love of justice and regard for truth; and even in free America, rulers and legislators, in order to secure public favor, will yield to the popular demand for a law enforcing Sunday observance. Liberty of conscience, which has cost so great a sacrifice, will no longer be respected. In the soon-coming conflict we shall see exemplified the prophet’s words: ‘The dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.’ Revelation 12:17."—Great Controversy, 592.