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Suicide promotion bill stalled — act now to defeat it

Thursday, June 25, 2015, 1:35 pm | Randy Thomasson

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I knew this could happen. Because suicide legalization has never passed a house of the California Legislature or passed on the California ballot, and only passed the state Senate this year, I knew that SB 128, the suicide promotion bill allowing doctors to prescribe a lethal drug to a so-called “terminal” patient, was a seriously uncomfortable notion that could be stalled in the Assembly. And that’s exactly what has happened, due to a preponderance of Latino Democrats who have a Catholic background with strong values against suicide.

Will this keep California from becoming the Suicide State that teaches young people that suicide is an answer? Yes, if Californians who care make phone calls to “hold” the reluctant Democrats on the committee and make them immovable (see phone numbers below).

When the Democrat author of SB 128 pulled the bill from the hearing roster on June 22, it was because the suicide bill didn’t have 10 votes to pass in the 19-member committee. You saw how SB 128 was in trouble due to a) concerns and proposed amendments from several of the committee’s Democrats, and b) public opposition — phone calls + expert lobbying at the Capitol + more people speaking out publicly. This is why SaveCalifornia.com has been working hard, both behind in the scenes and in public, as we’ve called on Californians to oppose this suicide promotion bill.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported: “Sources said six Democrats on the committee expressed reservations, five of whom are members of the Latino caucus. Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego, confirmed she is among those who oppose the bill, citing personal reasons.”

So this is a temporary victory and is definitely good news! The 5 Democrat Latinos on the Assembly Health Committee who wouldn’t vote for suicide are: Roger Hernández of West Covina, Miguel Santiago of downtown Los Angeles, Freddie Rodriguez of Pomona, Susan Bonilla of Concord, and Lorena Gonzalez of San Diego. The other reluctant Democrat on the committee, who is not Latino, is likely either Adrin Nazarian of Van Nuys or Tony Thurmond of Oakland.

TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION: Please continue spreading the word to others and calling the swing votes on the Assembly Health Committee, which could still vote on SB 128 by between now and July 14. Tell them “The proposed amendments still allow coercion when the lethal drug is swallowed, contains a mis-definition of the word ‘terminal,” and deceptively permits a falsified death certificate. Please vote no on SB 128.”

“Sensitive, thinking Democrats”:
1. Adrin Nazarian (916) 319-2046
2. Tony Thurmond (916) 319-2015
3. Autumn Burke (916) 319-2062

Latino Democrats:
1. Roger Hernández (916) 319-2048
2. Miguel Santiago (916) 319-2053
3. Jimmy Gomez (916) 319-2051
4. Freddie Rodriguez (916) 319-2052
5. Susan Bonilla (916) 319-2014
6. Lorena Gonzalez (916) 319-2080

Committee Republicans:
1. Brian Maienschein (916) 319-2077
2. Rocky Chávez (916) 319-2076
3. Tom Lackey (916) 319-2036
4. Marc Steinorth (916) 319-2040
5. Marie Waldron (916) 319-2075
6. Jim Patterson (916) 319-2023

“We cannot allow California to become a place where we respond to human suffering by simply making it easier for people to kill themselves. Helping someone die — even if that person is desperate and asks for the help — is still killing.”
Catholic Archbishop José Gomez of Los Angeles, in his letter to Assembly Health Committee members

 

Let Jesus’ resurrection give you confidence

Sunday, April 5, 2015, 2:15 pm | Randy Thomasson

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The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of the most important events in history. It ranks right up there with the Creation and Jesus’ death on the Cross. And the Resurrection should give great confidence to true believers.

Consider that when Jesus died on the Cross in 30 A.D. to provide one-of-a-kind substitutionary atonement for believers’ sins, His disciples were afraid, sad, and scattered. They didn’t understand. Yet upon seeing the overwhelming evidence of Jesus’ amazing, physical resurrection, they became confident, glad, and united.

For Jesus’ resurrection confirmed that He was the God-Man, who had the ability to identify with (thus take the place of) sinful humans. And it convincingly demonstrated that He, as the One Who had created all things (John 1:3), had divine authority to forgive sins past, present, and future for all who confess and repent of their sins, ask for and receive Jesus’ forgiveness, and submit to Him as the new King of their lives.

Upon seeing that Jesus has resurrected Himself, just as He said He would, the formerly scared, hopeless, and defeated disciples were transformed in their minds, hearts, and souls. They now knew their identity and purpose. They now knew the meaning of life. And they knew the source of joy. And get this — they were willing to not only die for Jesus, but to live for Him and to suffer for Him as they produced great fruit, saw many lives changed, and turned their culture upside down.

Similarly, every believer today, who sincerely entrusts himself or herself to Jesus, should be glad and hopeful, not morose and hopeless. If you, like His disciples, will gaze at the resurrected Jesus, you’ll not only realize He is Who He said He was, and how much He loves you, but you’ll discover your exciting and fulfilling Reason for being, living, and working!

Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.” But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. And He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.”

When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, “Have you any food here?” So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. And He took it and ate in their presence. Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.
Luke 24:36-44 NKJV

Mormon or not, you can’t mix “LGBT rights” and religious freedom

Tuesday, February 3, 2015, 6:19 pm | Randy Thomasson

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60-second podcast: “Who’s moving the perverse ‘LGBT’ agenda forward?

Our office has gotten a lot of emails — mostly from Mormons — upset about our opposition to the Mormon hierarchy’s new mix of “LGBT rights” and religious freedom.

But I ask you, what if a Protestant Christian church said the lesbian-gay-bisexual-transsexual agenda should be the law? That business owners and property owners who oppose these unnatural perversities must abandon their values?

You would be appalled and would oppose this, wouldn’t you?

And what if a Catholic church said that homosexual-bisexual-transsexual values must be in the law so that everyone who doesn’t agree is criminal if they stand up for their moral values?

You would speak out against this today!

Now what if any religion, any church, any seemingly-moral entity — even the one to which you “belonged” — decided to support the “LGBT” political agenda but dressed it up in a “religious freedom” package? You should immediately be suspicious of what they’re saying. Because when religious freedom is “mixed” with perversity-affirming laws, religious freedom is either several curtailed or eliminated.

Consider if there were no laws requiring acceptance of homosexuality, bisexuality, and cross-dressing/”sex changes.” 100% of business and property owners would have freedom of conscience on these matters.

But if there were a “non-discrimination law” forcing acceptance of homosexuality, bisexuality, and transsexuality upon business and property owners, everyone loses their moral right to object.

Now, assume that joined with the “LGBT” law is a well-crafted, super-strong religious exemption allowing adherents of organized religion to be exempt. Perhaps this would protect as many as 20% or 30% — but only the religious folks. But don’t bet on it — liberal politicians and liberal judges are committed to their goal of stuffing religious freedom into the confining walls of a church building.

It’s a fact that religious-freedom exemptions aren’t working to protect people of faith from the tyrannical “LGBT” agenda. All over the country, there’s religious freedom in every state constitution and even religious exemptions in some of the laws promoting the homosexual-bisexual-transsexual agenda. But those laws aren’t protecting bakers, florists, photographers, and marriage chapel owners who disagree with homosexual “marriage,” are they?

I have Mormon friends and vendors, and love them all. And despite my detractors’ claims, I’ve read the “religious freedom + lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender rights” statement of the Mormon Church hierarchy. Sadly, it’s ignorant at best and deceptive at worst.

Hopefully you already know that advancing the unnatural, unhealthy, unbiblical, and tyrannical homosexual-bisexual-transsexual agenda is a huge problem in our culture and goes against the Bible too.

Confirming their unprincipled act is the Mormon leaders’ own admission that they “compromised” with homosexual activists – see the last paragraph, which reads (my highlights in bold):

The Church’s approach represents a desire to bring people together to encourage mutually respectful dialogue. Sister Marriott stressed, “We are at our best as fellow citizens when the push-pull of different viewpoints, freely and thoroughly aired in national debate, leads ultimately to compromise and resolution and we move on as a nation, stronger than before.”

What changed at the Mormon Church’s Jan. 27 news conference, which simultaneously called for both religious freedom and laws that permit homosexuals, bisexuals, and transsexuals to dominate others? The Mormon Church has supported religious freedom for years — it’s historically been in their self-interest. What’s new and being pushed forward is the Mormon Church’s championing of the “lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender” agenda.

Mormon Church spokesman Dallin Oaks said it (my highlights in bold):

Today, state legislatures across the nation are being asked to strengthen laws related to LGBT issues in the interest of ensuring fair access to housing and employment. The leadership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is on record as favoring such measures.

We call on local, state and the federal government to serve all of their people by passing legislation that protects vital religious freedoms for individuals, families, churches and other faith groups while also protecting the rights of our LGBT citizens in such areas as housing, employment and public accommodation in hotels, restaurants and transportation—protections which are not available in many parts of the country.

Do you see what’s happened? The homosexual activists groups have been lobbying the Mormon Church for several years, and the Mormon hierarchy has given in. In fact, they caved in 2009 when they first supported homosexual-bisexual-transsexual laws in Salt Lake City. And then, in 2013, Mormon leaders supported openly homosexual Boy Scouts in scout troops and on camping trips.

Stop and think. Whenever you advance the cause of evil, even a little bit, evil is winning. So if someone says, “local, state, and federal governments should all pass laws forcing homosexual-bisexual-transsexual values on every business owner and every property owner, except for the religious folks” – watch out!

Because when religious freedom clashes in court with immoral laws, religious freedom has either been very narrowly defined or ignored. So when the Mormon Church tries to mix the “LGBT” agenda with religious freedom, you know what’s going to win and what’s going to lose. What the Mormon Church has done is antithetical to a biblical church, especially when Mormon leaders themselves admit they’ve “compromised” with homosexual activists.

TAKE ACTION: Please call the Mormon headquarters in Salt Lake City at 801-240-1000. Tell them you want to leave a message for church leaders: “Homosexual and transsexual behavior are unbiblical. Please repent of your promotion of these immoral and harmful behaviors.” And when the receptionist says, “The news conference was about upholding religious freedom,” just tell them, “Don’t give that canned answer. The Mormon church has always stood for religious freedom. What’s new is that you’re now in favor of forcing homosexual-bisexual-transsexual agenda laws upon the majority of the public, which is a terrible role model for children.”

And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves
before men, 
but God knows your hearts. For what is highly
esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.”
Jesus Christ in Luke 16:15