still looking . . . .

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1John 1:9 Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master, where dwellest thou? He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone. The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. I say this as a concession, not as a command. I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from GOD; one has this gift, another has that. Now to the unmarried and widows I say this: It is good for them to remain unmarried, as I am. But if they cannot control themselves, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion. To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife. To the rest I say this (I, not the LORD): If a brother has an unbelieving wife and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And if a woman has an unbelieving husband and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his believing wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to GOD, which giveth us the victory through our LORD JESUS Christ. I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people — for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases GOD our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one GOD and one mediator between GOD and mankind, the man Christ JESUS, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time. And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles. Love rejoices in the truth. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs. Love takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices in the truth.… But he who unites himself with the LORD is one with HIM in spirit. Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a man can commit is outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from GOD? You are not your own;… Those who belong to Christ JESUS have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us walk in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying one another.… If we confess our sins, HE is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. HE chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we would be a kind of first fruits of HIS creation. My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires.… Psalm 16:11 “You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.” Hate evil, love good, And establish justice in the gate! Perhaps the LORD God of hosts May be gracious to the remnant of Joseph. We have different gifts according to the grace given us. If one’s gift is prophecy, let him use it in proportion to his faith; if it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is giving, let him give generously; if it is leading, let him lead with diligence; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. Love must be sincere. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Out do yourselves in honoring one another.… teaching us, that denying the impiety and the worldly desires, soberly and righteously and piously we may live in the present age, You know that when you were pagans, you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. Therefore I inform you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “JESUS be cursed,” and no one can say, “JESUS is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. There are different gifts, but the same Spirit.… Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town. Look, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. But beware of men; for they will hand you over to their councils and flog you in their synagogues.… We are not commending ourselves to you again. Instead, we are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you can answer those who take pride in appearances rather than in the heart. If we are out of our mind, it is for GOD; if we are of sound mind, it is for you. For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that One died for all, therefore all died.… Large crowds were traveling with JESUS, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. for bodily exercise is profitable for a little; but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life which now is, and of that which is to come. Are we trying to provoke the LORD to jealousy? Are we stronger than HE? “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is edifying. No one should seek his own good, but the good of others.… For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for HE is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Give thanks to the LORD, for HE is good; For HIS lovingkindness is everlasting. Enter HIS gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. For the LORD is good; HIS lovingkindness is everlasting And HIS faithfulness continues to all generations. And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. But Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed Me judge or executor between you?” And He said to them, “Watch out! Guard yourselves against every form of greed, for a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Then HE told them a parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced an abundance.… you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body. in these last days God has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. Then GOD said, "Let US make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." GOD created man in HIS own image, in the image of GOD HE created him; male and female HE created them. GOD blessed them; and GOD said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth." When the believers heard this, they lifted up their voices to GOD with one accord. "Sovereign LORD," they said, "You made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, and to be generous and ready to share,… Dear sisters and brothers in Messiah Y'Shua, Greetings in the wonderful name of Jesus - the name above all names! I hope that you and the loved ones are in good health and are getting along! Good health is such a wonderful blessing from the good LORD, our Creator LORD! How is your spirit on this glorious day that the LORD has made? I am writing to you to ask for your help. I am living in Sussex County and am looking for a place to worship the LORD at. I have come to be known by the Lord for about 28 years now, and am about 67 old (divorced multiple times, more than five children and more than three wives gone until eternity? - only the good LORD knows at this point! and now living alone without any of the little loved ones). I am of Jewish heritage and consider myself to be a Jewish Christian, or a Jew. I don't know of any Messianic congregations around here, and I don't think it would be wise to travel great distances for worship. I have in the recent past have had problems with one foot (the left one), and have recently had problems with the right shoulder, but have been feeling well praise the Lord. Also, I was on a very tight budget (and thanks to our Creator Lord for all HIS blessings!!!). I don't have much in way of assets compared to rich people (or middle class people also), but compared to those living on less than $2 a day I probably have a lot! I have been greatly blessed by the good Lord, our Creator Lord, over my entire life (one time I was labeled autistic and couldn't speak [the good Lord, the Great Physician, healed me], one time I was living out on the streets, and one time I was deeply in debt [not that I believe in the "prosperity Gospel"] - to mention only three times that I was blessed by the LORD. Please let me know if I could join you in the worship of our loving, gracious, merciful Father, and our Lord and Savior - for I worship the Holy One of Israel daily! I appreciate your prayers, and any and all Godly advice. Thank you and may the Holy One of Israel bless you and the loved ones with love, joy, peace, and patience! In hope, peace, and love, Ken Miller kmillerbloggerablogbyken@gmail.com JESUS is the Holy One of Israel! Jesus is Lord! Love one another. Love is the fulfilling of the Law. We love, because He first loved us. 1John4:19 JESUS is the Bread of Life!!!! Please help end child pornography in much less than 6 years!!! We love, because HE first loved us.

We are to be content with just food and water.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1John 1:9 Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master, where dwellest thou? He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone. The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. I say this as a concession, not as a command. I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from GOD; one has this gift, another has that. Now to the unmarried and widows I say this: It is good for them to remain unmarried, as I am. But if they cannot control themselves, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion. To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife. To the rest I say this (I, not the LORD): If a brother has an unbelieving wife and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And if a woman has an unbelieving husband and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his believing wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to GOD, which giveth us the victory through our LORD JESUS Christ. I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people — for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases GOD our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one GOD and one mediator between GOD and mankind, the man Christ JESUS, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time. And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles. Love rejoices in the truth. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs. Love takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices in the truth.… But he who unites himself with the LORD is one with HIM in spirit. Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a man can commit is outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from GOD? You are not your own;… Those who belong to Christ JESUS have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us walk in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying one another.… If we confess our sins, HE is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. HE chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we would be a kind of first fruits of HIS creation. My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires.… Psalm 16:11 “You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.” Hate evil, love good, And establish justice in the gate! Perhaps the LORD God of hosts May be gracious to the remnant of Joseph. We have different gifts according to the grace given us. If one’s gift is prophecy, let him use it in proportion to his faith; if it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is giving, let him give generously; if it is leading, let him lead with diligence; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. Love must be sincere. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Out do yourselves in honoring one another.… teaching us, that denying the impiety and the worldly desires, soberly and righteously and piously we may live in the present age, You know that when you were pagans, you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. Therefore I inform you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “JESUS be cursed,” and no one can say, “JESUS is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. There are different gifts, but the same Spirit.… Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town. Look, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. But beware of men; for they will hand you over to their councils and flog you in their synagogues.… We are not commending ourselves to you again. Instead, we are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you can answer those who take pride in appearances rather than in the heart. If we are out of our mind, it is for GOD; if we are of sound mind, it is for you. For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that One died for all, therefore all died.… Large crowds were traveling with JESUS, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. for bodily exercise is profitable for a little; but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life which now is, and of that which is to come. Are we trying to provoke the LORD to jealousy? Are we stronger than HE? “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is edifying. No one should seek his own good, but the good of others.… For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for HE is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Give thanks to the LORD, for HE is good; For HIS lovingkindness is everlasting. Enter HIS gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. For the LORD is good; HIS lovingkindness is everlasting And HIS faithfulness continues to all generations. And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. But Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed Me judge or executor between you?” And He said to them, “Watch out! Guard yourselves against every form of greed, for a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Then HE told them a parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced an abundance.… you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body. in these last days God has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. Then GOD said, "Let US make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." GOD created man in HIS own image, in the image of GOD HE created him; male and female HE created them. GOD blessed them; and GOD said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth." When the believers heard this, they lifted up their voices to GOD with one accord. "Sovereign LORD," they said, "You made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, and to be generous and ready to share,… Dear sisters and brothers in Messiah Y'Shua, Greetings in the wonderful name of Jesus - the name above all names! I hope that you and the loved ones are in good health and are getting along! Good health is such a wonderful blessing from the good LORD, our Creator LORD! How is your spirit on this glorious day that the LORD has made? I am writing to you to ask for your help. I am living in Sussex County and am looking for a place to worship the LORD at. I have come to be known by the Lord for about 28 years now, and am about 67 old (divorced multiple times, more than five children and more than three wives gone until eternity? - only the good LORD knows at this point! and now living alone without any of the little loved ones). I am of Jewish heritage and consider myself to be a Jewish Christian, or a Jew. I don't know of any Messianic congregations around here, and I don't think it would be wise to travel great distances for worship. I have in the recent past have had problems with one foot (the left one), and have recently had problems with the right shoulder, but have been feeling well praise the Lord. Also, I was on a very tight budget (and thanks to our Creator Lord for all HIS blessings!!!). I don't have much in way of assets compared to rich people (or middle class people also), but compared to those living on less than $2 a day I probably have a lot! I have been greatly blessed by the good Lord, our Creator Lord, over my entire life (one time I was labeled autistic and couldn't speak [the good Lord, the Great Physician, healed me], one time I was living out on the streets, and one time I was deeply in debt [not that I believe in the "prosperity Gospel"] - to mention only three times that I was blessed by the LORD. Please let me know if I could join you in the worship of our loving, gracious, merciful Father, and our Lord and Savior - for I worship the Holy One of Israel daily! I appreciate your prayers, and any and all Godly advice. Thank you and may the Holy One of Israel bless you and the loved ones with love, joy, peace, and patience! In hope, peace, and love, Ken Miller kmillerbloggerablogbyken@gmail.com JESUS is the Holy One of Israel! Jesus is Lord! Love one another. Love is the fulfilling of the Law. We love, because He first loved us. 1John4:19 JESUS is the Bread of Life!!!! Please help end child pornography in much less than 6 years!!! We love, because HE first loved us.

Social Impact of Over-the-Counter "Opill" - an outstanding article by Father Shenan J. Boquet at Human Life International - please, please see www.hli.org.

Human Life International: empowering you to build a pro-life world Mission Resources Free Ebooks Blog DONATE Free Ebook: Which Cosmetics Use Fetal Cells? Social Impact of Over-the-Counter “Opill” Fr. Shenan J. Boquet|July 31, 2023|No Comments|Spirit & Life Blog Print Print “Most abortions are the result of unwanted pregnancies, most unwanted pregnancies are the result of sexual relationships outside of marriage, and most sexual relationships outside of marriage are facilitated by the availability of contraception. To turn this ‘progression’ around: contraception leads to more extra-marital sexual intercourse, more extra-marital sexual intercourse leads to more unwanted pregnancies; more unwanted pregnancies lead to more abortions.” ― Janet E. Smith, PhD, Why Humanae Vitae Was Right For the first time ever, a contraceptive pill will be made available over-the-counter in the United States. The U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA) announced on July 13 that they had approved Opill for over-the-counter access. The decision was touted by the FDA and liberal politicians and media as a significant step forward for “women’s rights.” The manufacturer of the drug, Perrigo, called the FDA’s decision a “milestone” and a “giant leap for women’s empowerment.” As is typical, the many side effects of taking large doses of artificial hormones to suppress a woman’s natural fertility are scarcely discussed in the reporting on the decision. When they are discussed, they are callously dismissed as simply an “acceptable” trade off. As the manufacturer of Opill notes, taking the drug can result in a variety of side effects, including an increased risk of ectopic pregnancy and liver disease. Other typical side effects include headache, nausea, abdominal pian, fatigue and a whole host of other things, many of which (as a statement from the U.S. bishops notes) “include indicators of organ failure.” spilling bottle of pills However, while some of the FDA advisors did have some concerns about the health impacts of the drug, they expressed their belief that these risks are worth taking. As Karen Murry, deputy director of the FDA’s office of nonprescription drugs, stated: “Overall, the total public health impact of the potential harm . . . is likely outweighed by the probable larger public health impact of prevention of a large number of unintended pregnancies with all their attendant harms.” Translation: Yes, some women will suffer physical and psychological harms from taking this drug. But enabling consequence-free sex by thwarting the natural outcome of a sexual union is worth it. Murry’s statement exposes one of the most perverse, and little-remarked-upon aspects of the sexual revolution, and the whole business of contraception. Note that when Murry refers to the “potential harm” of making Opill available over-the-counter, this is a harm that is borne entirely by women. Men will not be taking Opill. Instead, they will expect their sexual partners to take Opill, so that they can enjoy their partners’ bodies without having to worry about any of the pesky side effects—i.e., pregnancy—that result when a healthy woman’s body functions precisely as it is designed to do. This is, of course, the dirty secret of the sexual revolution: that it is almost always women who suffer the consequences of the attempt to inaugurate a new era of “consequence-free” sex (as if anything so powerful as sex could ever be “consequence-free”!). It is women who must take the powerful drugs that sterilize their bodies; women who must bear the burden of undergoing the degrading, evil abortions that men expect them to undergo if they do become pregnant “unexpectedly;” and it is women who so often are left raising the children alone, should they reject abortion.     Side Effect #1: More Abortions  However, the physical and psychological burdens borne by women are not likely to be the only side effects of making contraception available over-the-counter. There are at least two other catastrophic side effects of the increased use of contraception. The first of these is a likely increase in abortion. To many people, this statement seems counter-intuitive. After all, isn’t the purpose of artificial contraception to reduce unplanned pregnancies, and thus the abortion rate? Well, yes, that is what the manufacturers of these drugs promise their users. However, historically there has been a clear correlation between the introduction of contraception and an increase in abortion rates. The underlying problem, of course, is that no form of artificial contraception is 100% effective. This means that even with perfect use a certain percentage of users will nevertheless become pregnant. Even more troubling is that Opill is a progestin-only form of contraception (the so-called “mini-pill”), which is reported to have even higher failure rates than the ordinary progestin-estrogen pill. This is in part due to the fact that Opill must be taken at the same time every day. Forget to take a dose, and the drug’s effectiveness can drop. Making Opill available over-the-counter means that even teen girls will be able to purchase this form of contraception, without having to let their doctor or parents know. They are then more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior, in the false belief that they are “protected.” However, should they—as normal teens are likely to do—forget a dose, there is a high likelihood that they will become pregnant. At that point, there is a tragically high likelihood that they will end up in the abortion mill—one more statistic in our country’s sordid history of treating preborn children as a dispensable side effect of a contraception failure. This is the logic of contraception identified by Janet E. Smith, PhD, in the quotation at the beginning of this article. The danger of actually increasing unplanned pregnancies, and thus abortions, by making Opill available over-the-counter is something that was highlighted in a joint statement from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Catholic Medical Association, the National Catholic Bioethics Center, and the National Association of Catholic Nurses. In the statement, issued last November, these various Catholic organizations noted: “The failure rate of the minipill is higher than that of other hormonal contraceptive methods and will result in many unintended pregnancies, leading to potentially more abortions.” The bishops also pointed out that drugs like Opill do not protect against sexually transmitted infections. Thus, while providing a false sense of “security” from pregnancy, the easy access to the drug may also encourage girls and women to engage in casual sexual activities that carry other potentially severe physical side effects.   Side Effect #2: A Childless World  The other side effect of making contraception more easily available is likely to be the further exacerbation of our nation’s already catastrophically-low birth rate. While it is true that contraceptive availability is roughly correlated with increased rates of unplanned pregnancies, it almost always goes hand in hand with a willingness to use abortion as a “last resort,” should contraception fail. Or as one study author put it, when contracepting couples experience unplanned pregnancy, there is an “increased propensity to terminate such pregnancies.” This is because of what has sometimes been called the “contraceptive mentality”—i.e., the belief that sexual intercourse is primarily about pleasure, and that as such there is a “right” to control its reproductive function. The ultimate effect of the contraceptive mentality is to create the widespread view that children are primarily an annoying and generally avoidable side effect of sex, rather than being the natural outcome of the union of a man and a woman. This fantastical belief that a couple has a “right” to control fertility, has not only led to untold billions of abortions when contraception fails, but has also produced what demographers have described as a “demographic winter.” This is because childlessness is now the default position for many couples, while those who do have children are under heavy pressure to accept that it is abnormal to have more than one or two children. Not only is it abnormal, says our society, but it is also profoundly undesirable. Children, after all, are a responsibility, and introduce a sense of unpredictability into life. What is desirable is not responsibility, but rather freedom, power, control, planning, clarity, and security. Contraception. Abortion. Childlessness.   Our Society’s Self-destruction Ultimately, we are dealing with a plague. Fueled by the contraceptive mentality, whole peoples, cultures, and societies are disappearing. Most countries, because of the anti-life and anti-family agendas, are faced with rapidly aging populations. Secular culture, with its insatiable appetite for power and wealth, has rendered humanity impotent. Humanity, by rejecting God and the truth about human persons, by idolizing our own petty desires rather than remaining open to the life-giving and soul-enlarging surprises of God, is culpable for this crime, an act of self-destruction. The founder of Human Life International, Father Paul Marx, OSB, spoke often about the contraceptive mentality that drives this train. As he once wrote, “Having traveled and worked in 91 countries, I find no country where contraception has not led to abortion, to increasing fornication among the young, to divorce, and to all those other evils we see today that make up the international sex mess.” Depending on one’s perspective, high fertility rates or a demographic winter are undesirable. One either believes a stable population is salutary or rejects it. Those who hold the latter view are actively working to reduce the world’s population, especially among countries that are treading the “wrong” path. However, what we are seeing is that while the de-population of a country takes many generations, it can be decimated surprisingly quickly. The reduction in fertility rates may seem “reasonable” at first…until suddenly the stone is rolling rapidly down the hill. Suddenly, one day countries like Japan, China, and Italy wake up to realize that they are facing an apocalyptic scenario of a rapidly aging population, without any children to help support that aging population. At that point, as we are seeing assisted suicide and euthanasia enter the picture: the next stage in the “logic” of the contraceptive mentality. The short-sighted, naïve “experts” can’t seem to see an inch beyond their nose. All they can see is that the drug they have approved does, in certain circumstances, prevent pregnancy. However, they are incapable of seeing the world from the long view in which the Church operates, in which effects are measured not in hours or days, or at the level of discrete events, but rather in terms of decades and centuries, and at the level of the human person and the society to which he belongs. Over-the-counter contraception may prevent pregnancies in some cases. But it will further advance our society’s tragic march towards sterility and further erode our society’s response for the dignity of the human person, while further entrenching the systematic exploitation of the bodies of women in the name of the cult of hedonic pleasure and radical, isolating autonomy. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share on Email Share on SMS Cosmetics-e-book-ad-300-x-250 Did you find this useful? Then you'll also enjoy our physician-reviewed guide explaining in detail why we don't need abortion, even in the "hard cases." Claim your ebook to gain this critical knowledge! First Name Last Name Email Address Fr. Shenan J. Boquet Father Shenan J. Boquet was ordained in 1993 and is a priest of the Houma-Thibodaux Roman Catholic Diocese in Louisiana, his home state, where he served before joining HLI as its President in August 2011. Father Boquet earned a BA from Saint Joseph Seminary College, a Master of Divinity (MDiv) from Notre Dame Seminary Graduate School of Theology, a Certification Program in Health Care Ethics from the National Catholic Bioethics Center, and a Master of Science in Bioethics (MSBe) from the University of Mary in Bismarck. In 2018, Father Boquet was awarded an honorary visiting professorship by the Benedict XVI Catholic University in Trujillo, Peru. He is available for interviews and bookings on behalf of HLI by emailing hli@hli.org. Leave a Comment Comment Name (required) Email (will not be published) (required) human-life-international-white-logo Human Life International is a Catholic, pro-life non-profit. Through us, pro-lifers like you sponsor life-saving missions in over 100 countries. We also work hard to make sure you have the truth about life and family issues at your fingertips. Quick Links Leadership Offices Patroness Store Ways to Give Annual Report Mission Reports Media Privacy Policy Whistleblower Policy Ebooks How Contraception Built the Abortion Culture Why We Don't Need Abortion (Even for the 'Hard Cases') Contact Contact Form hli@hli.org 1-800-549-5433 4 Family Life Lane, Front Royal, VA 22630 © 2023 Human Life International

Outstanding article by Father Shenan J. boquet at Human Life International - please, please see www.hli.org.

Human Life International: empowering you to build a pro-life world Mission Resources Free Ebooks Blog DONATE Free Ebook: Which Cosmetics Use Fetal Cells? Social Impact of Over-the-Counter “Opill” Fr. Shenan J. Boquet|July 31, 2023|No Comments|Spirit & Life Blog Print Print “Most abortions are the result of unwanted pregnancies, most unwanted pregnancies are the result of sexual relationships outside of marriage, and most sexual relationships outside of marriage are facilitated by the availability of contraception. To turn this ‘progression’ around: contraception leads to more extra-marital sexual intercourse, more extra-marital sexual intercourse leads to more unwanted pregnancies; more unwanted pregnancies lead to more abortions.” ― Janet E. Smith, PhD, Why Humanae Vitae Was Right For the first time ever, a contraceptive pill will be made available over-the-counter in the United States. The U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA) announced on July 13 that they had approved Opill for over-the-counter access. The decision was touted by the FDA and liberal politicians and media as a significant step forward for “women’s rights.” The manufacturer of the drug, Perrigo, called the FDA’s decision a “milestone” and a “giant leap for women’s empowerment.” As is typical, the many side effects of taking large doses of artificial hormones to suppress a woman’s natural fertility are scarcely discussed in the reporting on the decision. When they are discussed, they are callously dismissed as simply an “acceptable” trade off. As the manufacturer of Opill notes, taking the drug can result in a variety of side effects, including an increased risk of ectopic pregnancy and liver disease. Other typical side effects include headache, nausea, abdominal pian, fatigue and a whole host of other things, many of which (as a statement from the U.S. bishops notes) “include indicators of organ failure.” spilling bottle of pills However, while some of the FDA advisors did have some concerns about the health impacts of the drug, they expressed their belief that these risks are worth taking. As Karen Murry, deputy director of the FDA’s office of nonprescription drugs, stated: “Overall, the total public health impact of the potential harm . . . is likely outweighed by the probable larger public health impact of prevention of a large number of unintended pregnancies with all their attendant harms.” Translation: Yes, some women will suffer physical and psychological harms from taking this drug. But enabling consequence-free sex by thwarting the natural outcome of a sexual union is worth it. Murry’s statement exposes one of the most perverse, and little-remarked-upon aspects of the sexual revolution, and the whole business of contraception. Note that when Murry refers to the “potential harm” of making Opill available over-the-counter, this is a harm that is borne entirely by women. Men will not be taking Opill. Instead, they will expect their sexual partners to take Opill, so that they can enjoy their partners’ bodies without having to worry about any of the pesky side effects—i.e., pregnancy—that result when a healthy woman’s body functions precisely as it is designed to do. This is, of course, the dirty secret of the sexual revolution: that it is almost always women who suffer the consequences of the attempt to inaugurate a new era of “consequence-free” sex (as if anything so powerful as sex could ever be “consequence-free”!). It is women who must take the powerful drugs that sterilize their bodies; women who must bear the burden of undergoing the degrading, evil abortions that men expect them to undergo if they do become pregnant “unexpectedly;” and it is women who so often are left raising the children alone, should they reject abortion.     Side Effect #1: More Abortions  However, the physical and psychological burdens borne by women are not likely to be the only side effects of making contraception available over-the-counter. There are at least two other catastrophic side effects of the increased use of contraception. The first of these is a likely increase in abortion. To many people, this statement seems counter-intuitive. After all, isn’t the purpose of artificial contraception to reduce unplanned pregnancies, and thus the abortion rate? Well, yes, that is what the manufacturers of these drugs promise their users. However, historically there has been a clear correlation between the introduction of contraception and an increase in abortion rates. The underlying problem, of course, is that no form of artificial contraception is 100% effective. This means that even with perfect use a certain percentage of users will nevertheless become pregnant. Even more troubling is that Opill is a progestin-only form of contraception (the so-called “mini-pill”), which is reported to have even higher failure rates than the ordinary progestin-estrogen pill. This is in part due to the fact that Opill must be taken at the same time every day. Forget to take a dose, and the drug’s effectiveness can drop. Making Opill available over-the-counter means that even teen girls will be able to purchase this form of contraception, without having to let their doctor or parents know. They are then more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior, in the false belief that they are “protected.” However, should they—as normal teens are likely to do—forget a dose, there is a high likelihood that they will become pregnant. At that point, there is a tragically high likelihood that they will end up in the abortion mill—one more statistic in our country’s sordid history of treating preborn children as a dispensable side effect of a contraception failure. This is the logic of contraception identified by Janet E. Smith, PhD, in the quotation at the beginning of this article. The danger of actually increasing unplanned pregnancies, and thus abortions, by making Opill available over-the-counter is something that was highlighted in a joint statement from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Catholic Medical Association, the National Catholic Bioethics Center, and the National Association of Catholic Nurses. In the statement, issued last November, these various Catholic organizations noted: “The failure rate of the minipill is higher than that of other hormonal contraceptive methods and will result in many unintended pregnancies, leading to potentially more abortions.” The bishops also pointed out that drugs like Opill do not protect against sexually transmitted infections. Thus, while providing a false sense of “security” from pregnancy, the easy access to the drug may also encourage girls and women to engage in casual sexual activities that carry other potentially severe physical side effects.   Side Effect #2: A Childless World  The other side effect of making contraception more easily available is likely to be the further exacerbation of our nation’s already catastrophically-low birth rate. While it is true that contraceptive availability is roughly correlated with increased rates of unplanned pregnancies, it almost always goes hand in hand with a willingness to use abortion as a “last resort,” should contraception fail. Or as one study author put it, when contracepting couples experience unplanned pregnancy, there is an “increased propensity to terminate such pregnancies.” This is because of what has sometimes been called the “contraceptive mentality”—i.e., the belief that sexual intercourse is primarily about pleasure, and that as such there is a “right” to control its reproductive function. The ultimate effect of the contraceptive mentality is to create the widespread view that children are primarily an annoying and generally avoidable side effect of sex, rather than being the natural outcome of the union of a man and a woman. This fantastical belief that a couple has a “right” to control fertility, has not only led to untold billions of abortions when contraception fails, but has also produced what demographers have described as a “demographic winter.” This is because childlessness is now the default position for many couples, while those who do have children are under heavy pressure to accept that it is abnormal to have more than one or two children. Not only is it abnormal, says our society, but it is also profoundly undesirable. Children, after all, are a responsibility, and introduce a sense of unpredictability into life. What is desirable is not responsibility, but rather freedom, power, control, planning, clarity, and security. Contraception. Abortion. Childlessness.   Our Society’s Self-destruction Ultimately, we are dealing with a plague. Fueled by the contraceptive mentality, whole peoples, cultures, and societies are disappearing. Most countries, because of the anti-life and anti-family agendas, are faced with rapidly aging populations. Secular culture, with its insatiable appetite for power and wealth, has rendered humanity impotent. Humanity, by rejecting God and the truth about human persons, by idolizing our own petty desires rather than remaining open to the life-giving and soul-enlarging surprises of God, is culpable for this crime, an act of self-destruction. The founder of Human Life International, Father Paul Marx, OSB, spoke often about the contraceptive mentality that drives this train. As he once wrote, “Having traveled and worked in 91 countries, I find no country where contraception has not led to abortion, to increasing fornication among the young, to divorce, and to all those other evils we see today that make up the international sex mess.” Depending on one’s perspective, high fertility rates or a demographic winter are undesirable. One either believes a stable population is salutary or rejects it. Those who hold the latter view are actively working to reduce the world’s population, especially among countries that are treading the “wrong” path. However, what we are seeing is that while the de-population of a country takes many generations, it can be decimated surprisingly quickly. The reduction in fertility rates may seem “reasonable” at first…until suddenly the stone is rolling rapidly down the hill. Suddenly, one day countries like Japan, China, and Italy wake up to realize that they are facing an apocalyptic scenario of a rapidly aging population, without any children to help support that aging population. At that point, as we are seeing assisted suicide and euthanasia enter the picture: the next stage in the “logic” of the contraceptive mentality. The short-sighted, naïve “experts” can’t seem to see an inch beyond their nose. All they can see is that the drug they have approved does, in certain circumstances, prevent pregnancy. However, they are incapable of seeing the world from the long view in which the Church operates, in which effects are measured not in hours or days, or at the level of discrete events, but rather in terms of decades and centuries, and at the level of the human person and the society to which he belongs. Over-the-counter contraception may prevent pregnancies in some cases. But it will further advance our society’s tragic march towards sterility and further erode our society’s response for the dignity of the human person, while further entrenching the systematic exploitation of the bodies of women in the name of the cult of hedonic pleasure and radical, isolating autonomy. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share on Email Share on SMS Cosmetics-e-book-ad-300-x-250 Did you find this useful? Then you'll also enjoy our physician-reviewed guide explaining in detail why we don't need abortion, even in the "hard cases." Claim your ebook to gain this critical knowledge! First Name Last Name Email Address Fr. Shenan J. Boquet Father Shenan J. Boquet was ordained in 1993 and is a priest of the Houma-Thibodaux Roman Catholic Diocese in Louisiana, his home state, where he served before joining HLI as its President in August 2011. Father Boquet earned a BA from Saint Joseph Seminary College, a Master of Divinity (MDiv) from Notre Dame Seminary Graduate School of Theology, a Certification Program in Health Care Ethics from the National Catholic Bioethics Center, and a Master of Science in Bioethics (MSBe) from the University of Mary in Bismarck. In 2018, Father Boquet was awarded an honorary visiting professorship by the Benedict XVI Catholic University in Trujillo, Peru. He is available for interviews and bookings on behalf of HLI by emailing hli@hli.org. Leave a Comment Comment Name (required) Email (will not be published) (required) human-life-international-white-logo Human Life International is a Catholic, pro-life non-profit. Through us, pro-lifers like you sponsor life-saving missions in over 100 countries. We also work hard to make sure you have the truth about life and family issues at your fingertips. Quick Links Leadership Offices Patroness Store Ways to Give Annual Report Mission Reports Media Privacy Policy Whistleblower Policy Ebooks How Contraception Built the Abortion Culture Why We Don't Need Abortion (Even for the 'Hard Cases') Contact Contact Form hli@hli.org 1-800-549-5433 4 Family Life Lane, Front Royal, VA 22630 © 2023 Human Life International

A beautiful article by Father Shenan J. Boquet at human Life International - please, please see www.hli.org.

Human Life International: empowering you to build a pro-life world Mission Resources Free Ebooks Blog DONATE Free Ebook: Which Cosmetics Use Fetal Cells? Social Impact of Over-the-Counter “Opill” Fr. Shenan J. Boquet|July 31, 2023|No Comments|Spirit & Life Blog Print Print “Most abortions are the result of unwanted pregnancies, most unwanted pregnancies are the result of sexual relationships outside of marriage, and most sexual relationships outside of marriage are facilitated by the availability of contraception. To turn this ‘progression’ around: contraception leads to more extra-marital sexual intercourse, more extra-marital sexual intercourse leads to more unwanted pregnancies; more unwanted pregnancies lead to more abortions.” ― Janet E. Smith, PhD, Why Humanae Vitae Was Right For the first time ever, a contraceptive pill will be made available over-the-counter in the United States. The U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA) announced on July 13 that they had approved Opill for over-the-counter access. The decision was touted by the FDA and liberal politicians and media as a significant step forward for “women’s rights.” The manufacturer of the drug, Perrigo, called the FDA’s decision a “milestone” and a “giant leap for women’s empowerment.” As is typical, the many side effects of taking large doses of artificial hormones to suppress a woman’s natural fertility are scarcely discussed in the reporting on the decision. When they are discussed, they are callously dismissed as simply an “acceptable” trade off. As the manufacturer of Opill notes, taking the drug can result in a variety of side effects, including an increased risk of ectopic pregnancy and liver disease. Other typical side effects include headache, nausea, abdominal pian, fatigue and a whole host of other things, many of which (as a statement from the U.S. bishops notes) “include indicators of organ failure.” spilling bottle of pills However, while some of the FDA advisors did have some concerns about the health impacts of the drug, they expressed their belief that these risks are worth taking. As Karen Murry, deputy director of the FDA’s office of nonprescription drugs, stated: “Overall, the total public health impact of the potential harm . . . is likely outweighed by the probable larger public health impact of prevention of a large number of unintended pregnancies with all their attendant harms.” Translation: Yes, some women will suffer physical and psychological harms from taking this drug. But enabling consequence-free sex by thwarting the natural outcome of a sexual union is worth it. Murry’s statement exposes one of the most perverse, and little-remarked-upon aspects of the sexual revolution, and the whole business of contraception. Note that when Murry refers to the “potential harm” of making Opill available over-the-counter, this is a harm that is borne entirely by women. Men will not be taking Opill. Instead, they will expect their sexual partners to take Opill, so that they can enjoy their partners’ bodies without having to worry about any of the pesky side effects—i.e., pregnancy—that result when a healthy woman’s body functions precisely as it is designed to do. This is, of course, the dirty secret of the sexual revolution: that it is almost always women who suffer the consequences of the attempt to inaugurate a new era of “consequence-free” sex (as if anything so powerful as sex could ever be “consequence-free”!). It is women who must take the powerful drugs that sterilize their bodies; women who must bear the burden of undergoing the degrading, evil abortions that men expect them to undergo if they do become pregnant “unexpectedly;” and it is women who so often are left raising the children alone, should they reject abortion.     Side Effect #1: More Abortions  However, the physical and psychological burdens borne by women are not likely to be the only side effects of making contraception available over-the-counter. There are at least two other catastrophic side effects of the increased use of contraception. The first of these is a likely increase in abortion. To many people, this statement seems counter-intuitive. After all, isn’t the purpose of artificial contraception to reduce unplanned pregnancies, and thus the abortion rate? Well, yes, that is what the manufacturers of these drugs promise their users. However, historically there has been a clear correlation between the introduction of contraception and an increase in abortion rates. The underlying problem, of course, is that no form of artificial contraception is 100% effective. This means that even with perfect use a certain percentage of users will nevertheless become pregnant. Even more troubling is that Opill is a progestin-only form of contraception (the so-called “mini-pill”), which is reported to have even higher failure rates than the ordinary progestin-estrogen pill. This is in part due to the fact that Opill must be taken at the same time every day. Forget to take a dose, and the drug’s effectiveness can drop. Making Opill available over-the-counter means that even teen girls will be able to purchase this form of contraception, without having to let their doctor or parents know. They are then more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior, in the false belief that they are “protected.” However, should they—as normal teens are likely to do—forget a dose, there is a high likelihood that they will become pregnant. At that point, there is a tragically high likelihood that they will end up in the abortion mill—one more statistic in our country’s sordid history of treating preborn children as a dispensable side effect of a contraception failure. This is the logic of contraception identified by Janet E. Smith, PhD, in the quotation at the beginning of this article. The danger of actually increasing unplanned pregnancies, and thus abortions, by making Opill available over-the-counter is something that was highlighted in a joint statement from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Catholic Medical Association, the National Catholic Bioethics Center, and the National Association of Catholic Nurses. In the statement, issued last November, these various Catholic organizations noted: “The failure rate of the minipill is higher than that of other hormonal contraceptive methods and will result in many unintended pregnancies, leading to potentially more abortions.” The bishops also pointed out that drugs like Opill do not protect against sexually transmitted infections. Thus, while providing a false sense of “security” from pregnancy, the easy access to the drug may also encourage girls and women to engage in casual sexual activities that carry other potentially severe physical side effects.   Side Effect #2: A Childless World  The other side effect of making contraception more easily available is likely to be the further exacerbation of our nation’s already catastrophically-low birth rate. While it is true that contraceptive availability is roughly correlated with increased rates of unplanned pregnancies, it almost always goes hand in hand with a willingness to use abortion as a “last resort,” should contraception fail. Or as one study author put it, when contracepting couples experience unplanned pregnancy, there is an “increased propensity to terminate such pregnancies.” This is because of what has sometimes been called the “contraceptive mentality”—i.e., the belief that sexual intercourse is primarily about pleasure, and that as such there is a “right” to control its reproductive function. The ultimate effect of the contraceptive mentality is to create the widespread view that children are primarily an annoying and generally avoidable side effect of sex, rather than being the natural outcome of the union of a man and a woman. This fantastical belief that a couple has a “right” to control fertility, has not only led to untold billions of abortions when contraception fails, but has also produced what demographers have described as a “demographic winter.” This is because childlessness is now the default position for many couples, while those who do have children are under heavy pressure to accept that it is abnormal to have more than one or two children. Not only is it abnormal, says our society, but it is also profoundly undesirable. Children, after all, are a responsibility, and introduce a sense of unpredictability into life. What is desirable is not responsibility, but rather freedom, power, control, planning, clarity, and security. Contraception. Abortion. Childlessness.   Our Society’s Self-destruction Ultimately, we are dealing with a plague. Fueled by the contraceptive mentality, whole peoples, cultures, and societies are disappearing. Most countries, because of the anti-life and anti-family agendas, are faced with rapidly aging populations. Secular culture, with its insatiable appetite for power and wealth, has rendered humanity impotent. Humanity, by rejecting God and the truth about human persons, by idolizing our own petty desires rather than remaining open to the life-giving and soul-enlarging surprises of God, is culpable for this crime, an act of self-destruction. The founder of Human Life International, Father Paul Marx, OSB, spoke often about the contraceptive mentality that drives this train. As he once wrote, “Having traveled and worked in 91 countries, I find no country where contraception has not led to abortion, to increasing fornication among the young, to divorce, and to all those other evils we see today that make up the international sex mess.” Depending on one’s perspective, high fertility rates or a demographic winter are undesirable. One either believes a stable population is salutary or rejects it. Those who hold the latter view are actively working to reduce the world’s population, especially among countries that are treading the “wrong” path. However, what we are seeing is that while the de-population of a country takes many generations, it can be decimated surprisingly quickly. The reduction in fertility rates may seem “reasonable” at first…until suddenly the stone is rolling rapidly down the hill. Suddenly, one day countries like Japan, China, and Italy wake up to realize that they are facing an apocalyptic scenario of a rapidly aging population, without any children to help support that aging population. At that point, as we are seeing assisted suicide and euthanasia enter the picture: the next stage in the “logic” of the contraceptive mentality. The short-sighted, naïve “experts” can’t seem to see an inch beyond their nose. All they can see is that the drug they have approved does, in certain circumstances, prevent pregnancy. However, they are incapable of seeing the world from the long view in which the Church operates, in which effects are measured not in hours or days, or at the level of discrete events, but rather in terms of decades and centuries, and at the level of the human person and the society to which he belongs. Over-the-counter contraception may prevent pregnancies in some cases. But it will further advance our society’s tragic march towards sterility and further erode our society’s response for the dignity of the human person, while further entrenching the systematic exploitation of the bodies of women in the name of the cult of hedonic pleasure and radical, isolating autonomy. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share on Email Share on SMS Cosmetics-e-book-ad-300-x-250 Did you find this useful? Then you'll also enjoy our physician-reviewed guide explaining in detail why we don't need abortion, even in the "hard cases." Claim your ebook to gain this critical knowledge! First Name Last Name Email Address Fr. Shenan J. Boquet Father Shenan J. Boquet was ordained in 1993 and is a priest of the Houma-Thibodaux Roman Catholic Diocese in Louisiana, his home state, where he served before joining HLI as its President in August 2011. Father Boquet earned a BA from Saint Joseph Seminary College, a Master of Divinity (MDiv) from Notre Dame Seminary Graduate School of Theology, a Certification Program in Health Care Ethics from the National Catholic Bioethics Center, and a Master of Science in Bioethics (MSBe) from the University of Mary in Bismarck. In 2018, Father Boquet was awarded an honorary visiting professorship by the Benedict XVI Catholic University in Trujillo, Peru. He is available for interviews and bookings on behalf of HLI by emailing hli@hli.org. Leave a Comment Comment Name (required) Email (will not be published) (required) human-life-international-white-logo Human Life International is a Catholic, pro-life non-profit. Through us, pro-lifers like you sponsor life-saving missions in over 100 countries. We also work hard to make sure you have the truth about life and family issues at your fingertips. Quick Links Leadership Offices Patroness Store Ways to Give Annual Report Mission Reports Media Privacy Policy Whistleblower Policy Ebooks How Contraception Built the Abortion Culture Why We Don't Need Abortion (Even for the 'Hard Cases') Contact Contact Form hli@hli.org 1-800-549-5433 4 Family Life Lane, Front Royal, VA 22630 © 2023 Human Life International

An excellent article by Father Shenan J. Boquet at Human Life International - please see www.hli.org.

Human Life International: empowering you to build a pro-life world Mission Resources Free Ebooks Blog DONATE Free Ebook: Which Cosmetics Use Fetal Cells? Social Impact of Over-the-Counter “Opill” Fr. Shenan J. Boquet|July 31, 2023|No Comments|Spirit & Life Blog Print Print “Most abortions are the result of unwanted pregnancies, most unwanted pregnancies are the result of sexual relationships outside of marriage, and most sexual relationships outside of marriage are facilitated by the availability of contraception. To turn this ‘progression’ around: contraception leads to more extra-marital sexual intercourse, more extra-marital sexual intercourse leads to more unwanted pregnancies; more unwanted pregnancies lead to more abortions.” ― Janet E. Smith, PhD, Why Humanae Vitae Was Right For the first time ever, a contraceptive pill will be made available over-the-counter in the United States. The U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA) announced on July 13 that they had approved Opill for over-the-counter access. The decision was touted by the FDA and liberal politicians and media as a significant step forward for “women’s rights.” The manufacturer of the drug, Perrigo, called the FDA’s decision a “milestone” and a “giant leap for women’s empowerment.” As is typical, the many side effects of taking large doses of artificial hormones to suppress a woman’s natural fertility are scarcely discussed in the reporting on the decision. When they are discussed, they are callously dismissed as simply an “acceptable” trade off. As the manufacturer of Opill notes, taking the drug can result in a variety of side effects, including an increased risk of ectopic pregnancy and liver disease. Other typical side effects include headache, nausea, abdominal pian, fatigue and a whole host of other things, many of which (as a statement from the U.S. bishops notes) “include indicators of organ failure.” spilling bottle of pills However, while some of the FDA advisors did have some concerns about the health impacts of the drug, they expressed their belief that these risks are worth taking. As Karen Murry, deputy director of the FDA’s office of nonprescription drugs, stated: “Overall, the total public health impact of the potential harm . . . is likely outweighed by the probable larger public health impact of prevention of a large number of unintended pregnancies with all their attendant harms.” Translation: Yes, some women will suffer physical and psychological harms from taking this drug. But enabling consequence-free sex by thwarting the natural outcome of a sexual union is worth it. Murry’s statement exposes one of the most perverse, and little-remarked-upon aspects of the sexual revolution, and the whole business of contraception. Note that when Murry refers to the “potential harm” of making Opill available over-the-counter, this is a harm that is borne entirely by women. Men will not be taking Opill. Instead, they will expect their sexual partners to take Opill, so that they can enjoy their partners’ bodies without having to worry about any of the pesky side effects—i.e., pregnancy—that result when a healthy woman’s body functions precisely as it is designed to do. This is, of course, the dirty secret of the sexual revolution: that it is almost always women who suffer the consequences of the attempt to inaugurate a new era of “consequence-free” sex (as if anything so powerful as sex could ever be “consequence-free”!). It is women who must take the powerful drugs that sterilize their bodies; women who must bear the burden of undergoing the degrading, evil abortions that men expect them to undergo if they do become pregnant “unexpectedly;” and it is women who so often are left raising the children alone, should they reject abortion.     Side Effect #1: More Abortions  However, the physical and psychological burdens borne by women are not likely to be the only side effects of making contraception available over-the-counter. There are at least two other catastrophic side effects of the increased use of contraception. The first of these is a likely increase in abortion. To many people, this statement seems counter-intuitive. After all, isn’t the purpose of artificial contraception to reduce unplanned pregnancies, and thus the abortion rate? Well, yes, that is what the manufacturers of these drugs promise their users. However, historically there has been a clear correlation between the introduction of contraception and an increase in abortion rates. The underlying problem, of course, is that no form of artificial contraception is 100% effective. This means that even with perfect use a certain percentage of users will nevertheless become pregnant. Even more troubling is that Opill is a progestin-only form of contraception (the so-called “mini-pill”), which is reported to have even higher failure rates than the ordinary progestin-estrogen pill. This is in part due to the fact that Opill must be taken at the same time every day. Forget to take a dose, and the drug’s effectiveness can drop. Making Opill available over-the-counter means that even teen girls will be able to purchase this form of contraception, without having to let their doctor or parents know. They are then more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior, in the false belief that they are “protected.” However, should they—as normal teens are likely to do—forget a dose, there is a high likelihood that they will become pregnant. At that point, there is a tragically high likelihood that they will end up in the abortion mill—one more statistic in our country’s sordid history of treating preborn children as a dispensable side effect of a contraception failure. This is the logic of contraception identified by Janet E. Smith, PhD, in the quotation at the beginning of this article. The danger of actually increasing unplanned pregnancies, and thus abortions, by making Opill available over-the-counter is something that was highlighted in a joint statement from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Catholic Medical Association, the National Catholic Bioethics Center, and the National Association of Catholic Nurses. In the statement, issued last November, these various Catholic organizations noted: “The failure rate of the minipill is higher than that of other hormonal contraceptive methods and will result in many unintended pregnancies, leading to potentially more abortions.” The bishops also pointed out that drugs like Opill do not protect against sexually transmitted infections. Thus, while providing a false sense of “security” from pregnancy, the easy access to the drug may also encourage girls and women to engage in casual sexual activities that carry other potentially severe physical side effects.   Side Effect #2: A Childless World  The other side effect of making contraception more easily available is likely to be the further exacerbation of our nation’s already catastrophically-low birth rate. While it is true that contraceptive availability is roughly correlated with increased rates of unplanned pregnancies, it almost always goes hand in hand with a willingness to use abortion as a “last resort,” should contraception fail. Or as one study author put it, when contracepting couples experience unplanned pregnancy, there is an “increased propensity to terminate such pregnancies.” This is because of what has sometimes been called the “contraceptive mentality”—i.e., the belief that sexual intercourse is primarily about pleasure, and that as such there is a “right” to control its reproductive function. The ultimate effect of the contraceptive mentality is to create the widespread view that children are primarily an annoying and generally avoidable side effect of sex, rather than being the natural outcome of the union of a man and a woman. This fantastical belief that a couple has a “right” to control fertility, has not only led to untold billions of abortions when contraception fails, but has also produced what demographers have described as a “demographic winter.” This is because childlessness is now the default position for many couples, while those who do have children are under heavy pressure to accept that it is abnormal to have more than one or two children. Not only is it abnormal, says our society, but it is also profoundly undesirable. Children, after all, are a responsibility, and introduce a sense of unpredictability into life. What is desirable is not responsibility, but rather freedom, power, control, planning, clarity, and security. Contraception. Abortion. Childlessness.   Our Society’s Self-destruction Ultimately, we are dealing with a plague. Fueled by the contraceptive mentality, whole peoples, cultures, and societies are disappearing. Most countries, because of the anti-life and anti-family agendas, are faced with rapidly aging populations. Secular culture, with its insatiable appetite for power and wealth, has rendered humanity impotent. Humanity, by rejecting God and the truth about human persons, by idolizing our own petty desires rather than remaining open to the life-giving and soul-enlarging surprises of God, is culpable for this crime, an act of self-destruction. The founder of Human Life International, Father Paul Marx, OSB, spoke often about the contraceptive mentality that drives this train. As he once wrote, “Having traveled and worked in 91 countries, I find no country where contraception has not led to abortion, to increasing fornication among the young, to divorce, and to all those other evils we see today that make up the international sex mess.” Depending on one’s perspective, high fertility rates or a demographic winter are undesirable. One either believes a stable population is salutary or rejects it. Those who hold the latter view are actively working to reduce the world’s population, especially among countries that are treading the “wrong” path. However, what we are seeing is that while the de-population of a country takes many generations, it can be decimated surprisingly quickly. The reduction in fertility rates may seem “reasonable” at first…until suddenly the stone is rolling rapidly down the hill. Suddenly, one day countries like Japan, China, and Italy wake up to realize that they are facing an apocalyptic scenario of a rapidly aging population, without any children to help support that aging population. At that point, as we are seeing assisted suicide and euthanasia enter the picture: the next stage in the “logic” of the contraceptive mentality. The short-sighted, naïve “experts” can’t seem to see an inch beyond their nose. All they can see is that the drug they have approved does, in certain circumstances, prevent pregnancy. However, they are incapable of seeing the world from the long view in which the Church operates, in which effects are measured not in hours or days, or at the level of discrete events, but rather in terms of decades and centuries, and at the level of the human person and the society to which he belongs. Over-the-counter contraception may prevent pregnancies in some cases. But it will further advance our society’s tragic march towards sterility and further erode our society’s response for the dignity of the human person, while further entrenching the systematic exploitation of the bodies of women in the name of the cult of hedonic pleasure and radical, isolating autonomy. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share on Email Share on SMS Cosmetics-e-book-ad-300-x-250 Did you find this useful? Then you'll also enjoy our physician-reviewed guide explaining in detail why we don't need abortion, even in the "hard cases." Claim your ebook to gain this critical knowledge! First Name Last Name Email Address Fr. Shenan J. Boquet Father Shenan J. Boquet was ordained in 1993 and is a priest of the Houma-Thibodaux Roman Catholic Diocese in Louisiana, his home state, where he served before joining HLI as its President in August 2011. Father Boquet earned a BA from Saint Joseph Seminary College, a Master of Divinity (MDiv) from Notre Dame Seminary Graduate School of Theology, a Certification Program in Health Care Ethics from the National Catholic Bioethics Center, and a Master of Science in Bioethics (MSBe) from the University of Mary in Bismarck. In 2018, Father Boquet was awarded an honorary visiting professorship by the Benedict XVI Catholic University in Trujillo, Peru. He is available for interviews and bookings on behalf of HLI by emailing hli@hli.org. Leave a Comment Comment Name (required) Email (will not be published) (required) human-life-international-white-logo Human Life International is a Catholic, pro-life non-profit. Through us, pro-lifers like you sponsor life-saving missions in over 100 countries. We also work hard to make sure you have the truth about life and family issues at your fingertips. Quick Links Leadership Offices Patroness Store Ways to Give Annual Report Mission Reports Media Privacy Policy Whistleblower Policy Ebooks How Contraception Built the Abortion Culture Why We Don't Need Abortion (Even for the 'Hard Cases') Contact Contact Form hli@hli.org 1-800-549-5433 4 Family Life Lane, Front Royal, VA 22630 © 2023 Human Life International

Flee sexual immorlity.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1John 1:9 Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master, where dwellest thou? He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone. The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. I say this as a concession, not as a command. I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from GOD; one has this gift, another has that. Now to the unmarried and widows I say this: It is good for them to remain unmarried, as I am. But if they cannot control themselves, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion. To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife. To the rest I say this (I, not the LORD): If a brother has an unbelieving wife and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And if a woman has an unbelieving husband and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his believing wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to GOD, which giveth us the victory through our LORD JESUS Christ. I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people — for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases GOD our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one GOD and one mediator between GOD and mankind, the man Christ JESUS, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time. And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles. Love rejoices in the truth. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs. Love takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices in the truth.… But he who unites himself with the LORD is one with HIM in spirit. Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a man can commit is outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from GOD? You are not your own;… Those who belong to Christ JESUS have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us walk in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying one another.… If we confess our sins, HE is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. HE chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we would be a kind of first fruits of HIS creation. My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires.… Psalm 16:11 “You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.” Hate evil, love good, And establish justice in the gate! Perhaps the LORD God of hosts May be gracious to the remnant of Joseph. We have different gifts according to the grace given us. If one’s gift is prophecy, let him use it in proportion to his faith; if it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is giving, let him give generously; if it is leading, let him lead with diligence; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. Love must be sincere. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Out do yourselves in honoring one another.… teaching us, that denying the impiety and the worldly desires, soberly and righteously and piously we may live in the present age, You know that when you were pagans, you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. Therefore I inform you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “JESUS be cursed,” and no one can say, “JESUS is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. There are different gifts, but the same Spirit.… Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town. Look, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. But beware of men; for they will hand you over to their councils and flog you in their synagogues.… We are not commending ourselves to you again. Instead, we are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you can answer those who take pride in appearances rather than in the heart. If we are out of our mind, it is for GOD; if we are of sound mind, it is for you. For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that One died for all, therefore all died.… Large crowds were traveling with JESUS, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. for bodily exercise is profitable for a little; but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life which now is, and of that which is to come. Are we trying to provoke the LORD to jealousy? Are we stronger than HE? “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is edifying. No one should seek his own good, but the good of others.… For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for HE is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Give thanks to the LORD, for HE is good; For HIS lovingkindness is everlasting. Enter HIS gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. For the LORD is good; HIS lovingkindness is everlasting And HIS faithfulness continues to all generations. And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. But Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed Me judge or executor between you?” And He said to them, “Watch out! Guard yourselves against every form of greed, for a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Then HE told them a parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced an abundance.… you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body. in these last days God has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. Then GOD said, "Let US make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." GOD created man in HIS own image, in the image of GOD HE created him; male and female HE created them. GOD blessed them; and GOD said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth." When the believers heard this, they lifted up their voices to GOD with one accord. "Sovereign LORD," they said, "You made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, and to be generous and ready to share,… Dear sisters and brothers in Messiah Y'Shua, Greetings in the wonderful name of Jesus - the name above all names! I hope that you and the loved ones are in good health and are getting along! Good health is such a wonderful blessing from the good LORD, our Creator LORD! How is your spirit on this glorious day that the LORD has made? I am writing to you to ask for your help. I am living in Sussex County and am looking for a place to worship the LORD at. I have come to be known by the Lord for about 28 years now, and am about 67 old (divorced multiple times, more than five children and more than three wives gone until eternity? - only the good LORD knows at this point! and now living alone without any of the little loved ones). I am of Jewish heritage and consider myself to be a Jewish Christian, or a Jew. I don't know of any Messianic congregations around here, and I don't think it would be wise to travel great distances for worship. I have in the recent past have had problems with one foot (the left one), and have recently had problems with the right shoulder, but have been feeling well praise the Lord. Also, I was on a very tight budget (and thanks to our Creator Lord for all HIS blessings!!!). I don't have much in way of assets compared to rich people (or middle class people also), but compared to those living on less than $2 a day I probably have a lot! I have been greatly blessed by the good Lord, our Creator Lord, over my entire life (one time I was labeled autistic and couldn't speak [the good Lord, the Great Physician, healed me], one time I was living out on the streets, and one time I was deeply in debt [not that I believe in the "prosperity Gospel"] - to mention only three times that I was blessed by the LORD. Please let me know if I could join you in the worship of our loving, gracious, merciful Father, and our Lord and Savior - for I worship the Holy One of Israel daily! I appreciate your prayers, and any and all Godly advice. Thank you and may the Holy One of Israel bless you and the loved ones with love, joy, peace, and patience! In hope, peace, and love, Ken Miller kmillerbloggerablogbyken@gmail.com JESUS is the Holy One of Israel! Jesus is Lord! Love one another. Love is the fulfilling of the Law. We love, because He first loved us. 1John4:19 JESUS is the Bread of Life!!!! Please help end child pornography in much less than 6 years!!! We love, because HE first loved us.

In hope, peace, and love . . . .

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1John 1:9 Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master, where dwellest thou? He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone. The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. I say this as a concession, not as a command. I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from GOD; one has this gift, another has that. Now to the unmarried and widows I say this: It is good for them to remain unmarried, as I am. But if they cannot control themselves, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion. To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife. To the rest I say this (I, not the LORD): If a brother has an unbelieving wife and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And if a woman has an unbelieving husband and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his believing wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to GOD, which giveth us the victory through our LORD JESUS Christ. I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people — for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases GOD our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one GOD and one mediator between GOD and mankind, the man Christ JESUS, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time. And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles. Love rejoices in the truth. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs. Love takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices in the truth.… But he who unites himself with the LORD is one with HIM in spirit. Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a man can commit is outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from GOD? You are not your own;… Those who belong to Christ JESUS have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us walk in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying one another.… If we confess our sins, HE is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. HE chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we would be a kind of first fruits of HIS creation. My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires.… Psalm 16:11 “You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.” Hate evil, love good, And establish justice in the gate! Perhaps the LORD God of hosts May be gracious to the remnant of Joseph. We have different gifts according to the grace given us. If one’s gift is prophecy, let him use it in proportion to his faith; if it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is giving, let him give generously; if it is leading, let him lead with diligence; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. Love must be sincere. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Out do yourselves in honoring one another.… teaching us, that denying the impiety and the worldly desires, soberly and righteously and piously we may live in the present age, You know that when you were pagans, you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. Therefore I inform you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “JESUS be cursed,” and no one can say, “JESUS is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. There are different gifts, but the same Spirit.… Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town. Look, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. But beware of men; for they will hand you over to their councils and flog you in their synagogues.… We are not commending ourselves to you again. Instead, we are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you can answer those who take pride in appearances rather than in the heart. If we are out of our mind, it is for GOD; if we are of sound mind, it is for you. For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that One died for all, therefore all died.… Large crowds were traveling with JESUS, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. for bodily exercise is profitable for a little; but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life which now is, and of that which is to come. Are we trying to provoke the LORD to jealousy? Are we stronger than HE? “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is edifying. No one should seek his own good, but the good of others.… For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for HE is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Give thanks to the LORD, for HE is good; For HIS lovingkindness is everlasting. Enter HIS gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. For the LORD is good; HIS lovingkindness is everlasting And HIS faithfulness continues to all generations. And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. But Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed Me judge or executor between you?” And He said to them, “Watch out! Guard yourselves against every form of greed, for a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Then HE told them a parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced an abundance.… you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body. in these last days God has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. Then GOD said, "Let US make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." GOD created man in HIS own image, in the image of GOD HE created him; male and female HE created them. GOD blessed them; and GOD said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth." When the believers heard this, they lifted up their voices to GOD with one accord. "Sovereign LORD," they said, "You made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, and to be generous and ready to share,… Dear sisters and brothers in Messiah Y'Shua, Greetings in the wonderful name of Jesus - the name above all names! I hope that you and the loved ones are in good health and are getting along! Good health is such a wonderful blessing from the good LORD, our Creator LORD! How is your spirit on this glorious day that the LORD has made? I am writing to you to ask for your help. I am living in Sussex County and am looking for a place to worship the LORD at. I have come to be known by the Lord for about 28 years now, and am about 67 old (divorced multiple times, more than five children and more than three wives gone until eternity? - only the good LORD knows at this point! and now living alone without any of the little loved ones). I am of Jewish heritage and consider myself to be a Jewish Christian, or a Jew. I don't know of any Messianic congregations around here, and I don't think it would be wise to travel great distances for worship. I have in the recent past have had problems with one foot (the left one), and have recently had problems with the right shoulder, but have been feeling well praise the Lord. Also, I was on a very tight budget (and thanks to our Creator Lord for all HIS blessings!!!). I don't have much in way of assets compared to rich people (or middle class people also), but compared to those living on less than $2 a day I probably have a lot! I have been greatly blessed by the good Lord, our Creator Lord, over my entire life (one time I was labeled autistic and couldn't speak [the good Lord, the Great Physician, healed me], one time I was living out on the streets, and one time I was deeply in debt [not that I believe in the "prosperity Gospel"] - to mention only three times that I was blessed by the LORD. Please let me know if I could join you in the worship of our loving, gracious, merciful Father, and our Lord and Savior - for I worship the Holy One of Israel daily! I appreciate your prayers, and any and all Godly advice. Thank you and may the Holy One of Israel bless you and the loved ones with love, joy, peace, and patience! In hope, peace, and love, Ken Miller kmillerbloggerablogbyken@gmail.com JESUS is the Holy One of Israel! Jesus is Lord! Love one another. Love is the fulfilling of the Law. We love, because He first loved us. 1John4:19 JESUS is the Bread of Life!!!! Please help end child pornography in much less than 6 years!!! We love, because HE first loved us.