May-Jun, Year of Our Lord, 1993
Number 943
A humble dwelling built upon a rock is far better than a mansion built upon sand.
May the Grace and Peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
When I am talking with people on the phone, the number one problem I run up against is unbelief. People think they have to obtain permission from men before they can do something. And because of their unbelief, they are afraid to venture out on faith.
For instance, a man phoned me the other day and said that he was being called to start a radio station and tell thousands of lost souls about Jesus Christ. Then he told me about the Federal licenses he was obtaining. I asked him if he had ever considered that maybe Jesus wants him to set up that radio station without man's permission and just start preaching Jesus. "Oh no, I can't do that. The Feds would come in and shut me down in no time and then I couldn't do the Lord's work."
Maybe the Lord's work for this man is to set up a radio station under the Kingdom of Heaven. If the Feds try to close him down during the battle, Jesus will be preached the way He really wants to be preached, not the way we think He ought to be preached. What we perceive to be the way Jesus wants the gospel preached, might only be our own vain imaginings. I believe that Jesus is preached by our taking up the cross and following Him.
We recently watched a movie called, "The Inn of the Sixth Happiness." It is the true story of Gladys Aylward, who receives a calling from God to go to China as a missionary. She rejects her citizenship with Great Britain, but makes the mistake of becoming a citizen of China. She is a missionary. Why should she take on citizenship with any of the kingdoms of the world?
Her purpose for being in China was to preach renunciation of the world, not friendship with the world. She was a representative of the Kingdom of Heaven for the Most High. Yet even this woman, in spite of all the good she did, missed the boat because she still yoked herself with the kingdoms of the world. She should have come out from among them and been separate, as the Scripture commands.
What happens to many of us is that we want the goal so much, that we have a log in our eye. We grow weary of being persecuted and decide to compromise with the world. We forget about establishing proper foundations. We want to move on, preaching what we think is the Gospel, and yet not taking the time and energy to first lay the proper foundation.
We are struggling over what is more important - the end goal, or the way the goal is obtained. It is more important to pursue the goal honorably, than it is to reach the goal. Even if you do not make it to the end, you are still highly honored if your means are faithful and true. (2 Timothy 2:5)
God says we are a peculiar people. We are His nation, separate and apart from the kingdoms of the world. That is our calling. Whatever we build, it must be on the Rock. If they destroy us, they destroy only our body. But they cannot destroy the foundation. The Rock cannot be destroyed.
Since the beginning of the Embassy of Heaven, we have been battling with establishing our foundation under the Kingdom of Heaven. Though we are still very tiny, a humble dwelling built upon a rock is far better than a mansion built upon sand. (Matthew 7:24)
Paul Revere, Pastor
Let Paul Revere from 'heaven' ride - he isn't hurting anybody
The Oregonian, Thursday, March 17, 1994
To the Editor: After reading the article in the Northwest section, "Embassy of Heaven pastor fails to show up in court" (March 4), about Paul Revere from "heaven," I feel the authorities did the best thing by releasing him from their custody. This action most likely avoided an incident similar to the Randy Weaver case - another failure to appear, but which turned into disaster.
In Revere's case, we're talking about a guy whose message is love, unlike separatism or cultism. There was no mention of firearms, drunken driving or any other danger to society. So what if the county official says Revere can't distinguish between heaven and earth? The guy didn't claim to be Jesus Christ.
Many respectable people claim to carry the message of Jesus Christ, and look how many different Christian sects there are. Maybe this self-proclaimed "heaven bureaucrat" knows something we don't. Let him make his midnight ride while we are soundly asleep.
BETH MALI
Creswell, Oregon
Within minutes of my making an appearance inside the Sublimity Post Office, the City of Stayton police are combing the streets. This letter was written in response to this situation.
May 20, Year of our Lord, 1994
Carol Moll, Postmistress
Sublimity Postal Service
Sublimity, Oregon 97385
Dear Carol,
Grace and Peace to you and your staff.
In the course of performing the duties of your office, you may be asked to do something that results in harm to one of Christ's little ones. What should you do? You are not the first one to anguish over whether to obey men or obey God.
Right now certain enemies of Jesus Christ are seeking to destroy us and the message of the Kingdom of Heaven. The enemy needs your help to determine when we are in town. Before you help them in their destruction, consider the example of the Hebrew midwives or Rahab the harlot, as recorded in the Holy Bible. They lied and made excuse to protect the innocent and righteous. And God was pleased and dealt favorably with them.
During the time of Moses' birth, Hebrew midwives were ordered by the Egyptian Pharaoh to kill all male babies as they were being born. The midwives did not do as the Pharaoh commanded, but saved the male children. When the Pharaoh asked why the male babies were being saved, the midwives lied. Because the midwives feared God, God dealt well with them and provided them with households (Exodus 1:15-21).
Prior to the Israelites entering the promised land, two spies were sent to view the land. Rahab the harlot hid them. When the king asked her to bring out the men she had hidden, she lied and said the men had gone out the gate. "Where the men went I do not know, pursue them quickly, for you may overtake them." In truth, she had hidden the men on her roof. She lied to protect their lives. In turn for her kindness, her household was spared destruction when the Israelites took over the land (Joshua, Chapter 2 and 6:17).
As a principal, you are responsible, not only for the acts done with your own hands, but also for the acts done by those who are under your charge. We realize that if you openly defy orders, you may jeopardize your job. Please consider the methods of the above-mentioned Bible figures who lied, yet were found worthy before God.
We urge you to obey God rather than men when it comes to those who are going about the Lord's business. Take pity on your own soul. For what you do to the least of Christ's little ones, you do to Him.
We love you in Christ Jesus.
In the authority of Jesus Christ,
EMBASSY OF HEAVEN
Paul Revere, Pastor
Someone
came up to me and said, "Didn't Jesus say to take up your sword
and come follow me?" No, but that is what many people think when
they find two swords mentioned in the Scripture. They believe
Jesus wants His followers to carry physical weapons. Jesus' actual
words were, "If you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy
one."
This passage in scripture can be confusing when taken out of context. Does Jesus want us to turn the other cheek, or meet violence with violence? We need to look at what is happening when Jesus talks about buying a sword. The event is recorded at Luke, Chapter 22:35-38. Jesus and the apostles finished the last supper together. In a few hours Jesus will be arrested and will soon fulfill the prophesy, "He was numbered with the transgressors" (Isaiah 53:12).
Jesus asks his disciples, "When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?" "Nothing," they answered. He said to them, "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. It is written: 'And he was numbered with the transgressors'; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment." The disciples said, "See, Lord, here are two swords." "That is enough," he replied. (Luke 22:35-38) NIV.
Notice that when the disciples come up with two swords that Jesus says, "That is enough." If we are talking about building up military strength, would two swords be enough? Are two swords enough to defend 12 people? Hardly. Each man should have his own sword.
Jesus said two swords were enough because His purpose was not to build up an armed force, but to fulfill the prophecy in Isaiah 53:12, "And He was numbered with the transgressors." Our Lord was being accused of rebellion. Rebels must have weapons to create an insurrection. The two swords would make it appear that the disciples were leading an armed rebellion.
The real message of this scripture is precisely the opposite of taking up weapons. Jesus was so committed to carrying out His mission, that He instructed His apostles to carry a couple swords so that they would appear to be transgressors. He deliberately provided the evidence to convict Himself as an evildoer.
Jesus taught that the way to overcome evil was by doing good, not by wielding the sword. The two swords were only for a show of men so that the scripture could be fulfilled. When Peter tried to actually use the sword as a weapon, Jesus rebuked him. "Put your sword back in its place, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?" Matthew 26:52-54 NIV.
"It is the Spirit who teaches us how to answer our enemies. If a man strikes me, I should not pull out a revolver and shoot him. The Spirit of the Lord doesn't teach me revenge."
D.L. Moody
Don Smith, nRa "a smatterer in
the law"
c/o 813 W Madison
Phoenix AZ 85007-9999
Special Pleader Not At The Bar
Lt
Bill Putnam
100 High NE
Salem, Oregon
5/6/94 8 am
Greetings
Recently published accounts of your dealings with Paul Revere prompt me to write. You may not be aware of your liability for your actions. I would like to call to your attention:
18 USC 11 Foreign government defined
"body of insurgents within a country. . ."
18 USC 112 Protection of . . . internationally protected persons
18 USC 241 Conspiracy against rights
18 USC 1116(b)4(B) "any other representative,"
26 USC 1331 Federal question
"civil actions arising . . . laws, or treaties . . ." respondent superior is applicable Rhodes v Witchita (1981, DC Kan) 516 F Supp 501
I would like to suggest to you that you've willfully misunderstood what Mr Revere has told you. The conveyances that his church uses are not vehicles. Your actions against him may come within the ambit of the proscribed activities in 18 USC 112. As a stateless person Mr Revere is protected by the United Nations Declaration of Rights, which the US has agreed to. It specifically guarantees the right to travel. Oregon is very likely a country within the meaning of 18 USC 11. As a representative of these Christians, Mr Revere is protected both by US and United Nations law from your enforcement actions against him.
He has specifically told you that he is neither resident nor citizen. As you'll see in Shaffer v Heitner (1977) 433 US 186, his physical presence in Oregon is not sufficient to confer jurisdiction on the State of Oregon. As you'll see in Hafer v Melo (1991, US) 112 S Ct 358, you may have personal liability for actions outside your jurisdiction, if you had reasonable cause to know you were acting outside your jurisdiction. This letter is your reasonable cause to know the limits of your jurisdiction. You may want to consult counsel personally.
Respectfully,
Don Smith
copy: US Attorney, Portland; US District Court, Portland; Oregon Attorney General; Marion County Sheriff; Paul Revere
The reason that the Embassy of Heaven does not seek the United States courts or the State courts at any level is because the kingdoms of this world have nothing to say, nor can they render any decisions, regarding the Kingdom of Heaven. It is out of their jurisdiction.
We don't care what decisions the United States Supreme Court makes or even the municipal courts because they have no bearing on what we are going to do in the Kingdom of Heaven.
If we seek them out, then we acknowledge that the several States and the United States are the higher authorities over the Kingdom of Heaven. This we can never do. No matter how much evil or damage they do to us, it does not give us license to do evil in return. What we must do is love those who hate us and do good to those who persecute us. In this way, we pour coals of fire upon their head. This is hard on our flesh, but by loving our enemies, we show we are truly representatives of the Kingdom of Heaven.
The specific Scripture that comes to mind is when messengers were sent to a village, and the people did not receive Jesus. When James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?" (Luke 9:54).
Jesus' responded, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them" (Luke 9:55-56).
When evil is done to us, we don't retaliate, we suffer. Through our suffering, eventually some people will realize that we have never used weapons of destruction against the Kingdoms of the world. We have only stood in obedience to the Kingdom of Heaven through our Lord Jesus Christ.
In the Kingdom of Heaven, the Golden Rule is the law by which all other laws depend. First is that you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. And the second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:37, 39)
Our battleground is that the States make laws out of their own imaginations. They may be good laws, they may be bad laws, but they are not laws of the Kingdom of Heaven. They are laws of the State. They are laws of the kingdoms of this world and they are made by people who want to be as gods, lording over and controlling others.
Most people cite Romans 13 as a basis for obeying the State authorities. In assuming the State as their higher authority, they forget that Jesus said you cannot obey two masters (Matthew 6:24). We must remember that a master is an authority. Jesus was saying, "You cannot obey two authorities." You cannot obey the State and the Kingdom of Heaven.
The State, as an unbeliever in Our Lord Jesus Christ, has already made its bed. It never has and never will render decisions, at any level, that promote the Kingdom of Heaven. And we, as citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven, must never submit ourselves to authorities who try to lure us away from the true government of the Kingdom of Heaven and place us under a false authority.
Heaven Road Report
News from those traveling in Heaven vehicles.
Michael Stevens, ambassador, received a signed copy of an ORDER TO DISMISS AND QUASH BENCH WARRANT. An assistant U.S. Attorney motioned the United States District Court to dismiss the charges and quash all bench warrants in the case. The order was signed on April 19, 1994 by Judge Robert Bryan.
The incident leading to the ORDER TO DISMISS AND QUASH BENCH WARRANT originated in June 1993, when Michael Stevens and Glen Stoll entered Fort Lewis Army Base as missionaries for the Kingdom of Heaven. The military police willfully refused to acknowledge the Kingdom of Heaven documents and military police gave them citations for violations of Washington State motor vehicle statutes.
In August, Federal Marshals, armed with automatic weapons, raided the Embassy of Heaven allegedly looking for these two "heinous criminals" who failed to display State papers. Michael Stevens was arrested during the raid and spent the next 29 days fasting in five jails in two different States. He was released without agreeing to anything and ordered to appear for trial. Michael continued going about the Lord's business and ignored the judge's order, since the judge lacks jurisdiction over the Kingdom of Heaven.
Michael is praising the Lord that the United States District Court is dropping the matter. Michael filed no paperwork in this case, but simply confessed his allegiance to Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of Heaven and while in jail, laid his life down in prayer and fasting.
Date of Incident: Spring, 1994
Ambassador: Terrance L. Keiffer
Mission field: Ohio
I was coming out of a restaurant and noticed a police officer examining the Heaven license plates. When I approached the car, the officer asked to see my identification. I showed him my Heaven driver license and said I was a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven.
The officer examined the license and said, "This looks authentic, but if you are not from the United States, where is your passport?" I told him it was at the Embassy. The officer advised, "In the future, I suggest you carry your passport with you." Then he bid me a good day. No citations were issued.
The Road to Heaven is dotted with many tempting parking places.
In the Spring of 1993, the United States Secret Service completed an investigation of the Embassy of Heaven for possible violations of State and Federal law related to our issuing Heaven traveling documents. Apparently, several States had contacted the Federal government with questions as to the legality of the Heaven driver licenses, vehicle titling and registration documents, and Heaven vehicle plates.
The Secret Service decided to try a head-on collision with the Embassy of Heaven. Special Agent Timothy Fidel called us and claimed that our Heaven documents violated State and Federal law. He alluded that there would be trouble if we continued making documents. We asked Fidel what the Federal and State interest was in the Embassy of Heaven. No place in our publications or on the documents themselves do we claim that the Heaven documents are founded on the State or Federal government. Fidel had to admit there was no Federal or State interest.
When Fidel realized that we could not be intimidated out of making Heaven documents, he announced that the Attorney General's office had determined that the Heaven documents violated no Federal laws and they were closing the investigation.
We assume the Attorney General reported back to the States of Oregon, California, and Washington that there is no Federal interest in the Heaven documents. Since the Feds cannot help the States shut down those traveling under the authority of Heaven, the States have several options. One option is to ignore us. Another option is to harass us by confiscating our Heaven vehicles and throwing us in jail. They can make it appear that we are breaking State law and try to bring us under State intent, instead of Kingdom of Heaven intent.
Another option for the States, is to try a direct attempt at shutting down the production of Kingdom of Heaven documents, which they have chosen not to do. The States have elected not to attempt a head-on collision, which would bring to issue the validity of our Heaven documents.
What the States are doing right now when they see a Heaven vehicle on the highways, is pretend we are breaking State law. They cite us with violations of State statutes and sometimes haul us to jail or confiscate our cars. They willfully ignore the fact that we have traveling documents from the Kingdom of Heaven, an authority outside the jurisdiction of the several States.
Our only recourse is to do better and better at bringing the issue to a head-on collision. We want the head-on collision. The State does not. The State is trying to avoid the head-on collision by ignoring our foundation and purpose for using the highways. When we are stopped by law enforcement, we need better documents that declare that we are citizens of Heaven using the highways in the Kingdom of Heaven for the purpose of fulfilling the Great Commission. To achieve that objective, we are now issuing Kingdom of Heaven passports.
"And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them."
Mark 16:20
The
biggest shortcoming of a driver license is that it is not a
foundational document. It does not openly declare where your
citizenship is and what your purpose is for using the highways. A
driver license is an internal document granting permission by an
authority to use something that belongs to that authority. State
driver licenses grant permission to use the highways claimed by
the State.
Let's assume someone is traveling inside the physical boundaries of Oregon. She is stopped by law enforcement and the officer asks to see a driver license or other identification. Now if she is visiting from Germany, she probably would pull out her German passport. This would show the officer that she was not a resident of one of the several States. The passport establishes that she is someone outside the jurisdiction of the United States. She is operating under a foreign authority. The passport requests that she be allowed to pass without delay or hindrance. Normally, the law enforcement officer would not cite a German citizen for local violations of the motor vehicle code. The officer would merely explain that she was driving the wrong way on a one way street and send her on her way. The officer lacks jurisdiction over German citizens.
Now let's assume you are traveling inside the physical boundaries of Oregon in a Heaven vehicle. You are stopped by law enforcement and asked for identification. You pull out your Heaven driver license. That's not what the officer expects to see. He wants to see your State driver license, since you are on the State highways. You might tell the officer you are not using the highways in the State, you are using the highways in the Kingdom of Heaven. However, by that time, things may be confused because the officer is already assuming you are a State resident, using an unauthorized driver license. You have failed to show any foundational documents that declare you are a foreigner. Thus, the officer treats you as a disobedient State resident.
The State still thinks you are under their authority. Even though you have a driver license issued out of the Kingdom of Heaven and our Father owns the highways, the State still perceives you are using the highways in the State. You probably will be cited because a Heaven driver license does not qualify as a grant of permission to use the highways in the State.
The Kingdom of Heaven Passport, on the other hand, is right up front. It is a greeting and declaration of your citizenship. The Passport also states that you are evangelizing upon the highways in the Kingdom of Heaven and requests that you pass without delay or hindrance. The Kingdom of Heaven Passport is not a license. It is not a grant of permission. It is an official declaration of your citizenship and purpose for traveling. I believe that we will have a better chance of overcoming the State's demands by using a Passport for identification. If they still want to see a driver license, we can show them our Kingdom of Heaven driver license. Now we have two pieces of identification that support each other.
We do not need the State's permission to use their highways because we are not using their highways. The Kingdom of Heaven passport establishes that we are citizens of Heaven using the highways in the Kingdom of Heaven. It is not the physical ground itself, but our purpose which establishes whether we are on the highways in the State or the highways in the Kingdom of Heaven. The Kingdom of Heaven Passport lays the ax to the root because the State cannot claim we are using their highways. Our passport spells out that we are citizens of Heaven using our Father's highways for the purpose of evangelizing.
Our Lord Jesus Christ commands citizens of Heaven to go to all nations to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom. Most nations have set up ports of entry to regulate the movement of people. Those who desire to move past a checkpoint, normally must show a passport.
Why can't we just fill out a passport application for the country where we were born in the flesh? The problem is that each country requires the passport applicant to state under oath that he or she has not made a formal declaration of faith and allegiance to any other sovereign. A citizen of Heaven has been born again from above. His primary and only allegiance must be to Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of Heaven, not to any government of the world. Therefore, it would be wrong to apply for a passport from any world government, for no man can serve two masters (Matthew 6:24).
If we received a passport from a government of the world, and used it to carry the Gospel to other nations, we would be hypocrites. To get the passport, we would have to deny the Kingdom of our Christ, thus placing ourselves among the false prophets who, "even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction" (2 Peter 2:1). Christ is a jealous God: "Whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 10:33).
There's no way a citizen of Heaven can apply for a passport from a government of the world. (Matthew 4:8-9) We are placed in the untenable position of having to deny Christ in order to be recognized by the State. But if nations require foreigners to show passports at their borders, how can we carry out Christ's commission to teach the Gospel to all the nations?
A passport is nothing more than evidence of permission, from a sovereign to his citizen, to travel to foreign countries and to return to his own land, as well as a request to foreign powers that such citizen be allowed to pass freely and safely.
When Christ calls His citizens to travel to foreign countries, including the United States, the proper Passport Authority would be Christ's own Body, the Church.
Any passport issued by a true sovereign is valid. Unquestionably, the Lord God of the Holy Bible is sovereign of heaven and earth and His Church is competent to issue passports. It should be obvious that someone with a Kingdom of Heaven Passport is truly a missionary or minister of God. The Passport itself is compelling evidence that the bearer loves Jesus Christ too much to deny His citizenship in Heaven for the sake of traveling more expediently with a passport from a government of the world.
We are a separated people who are not to be counted among the nations. (Numbers 23:9, 1 Peter 2:9). Since our Passport was not issued by a government of the world, it may be considered by some officials as "irregular." Nations either honor God and His missionaries, or they do not.
Kingdom of Heaven Passports are used on a case-by-case basis. Obviously, if our appearance and conduct are not Christlike, it is unlikely that we will be well-received. By the same token, even the most exemplary citizen of Heaven could be detained by a skeptical border agent.
Any form of detention should be viewed as the fulfillment of our Lord's prophecy that you shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the nations. (Matthew 10:18) At such times, He tells us, "Do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you" (Matthew 10:19-20).
Whatever happens, wherever you go with a Kingdom of Heaven Passport, remember that the Lord will go before you and will be your rear guard. (Isaiah 52:12)
The purpose of the Kingdom of Heaven Passport is to proclaim to all the kingdoms of the world that Jesus Christ is Lord and Him alone. (Isaiah 37:20)
The Kingdom of Heaven Passport has a burgundy vinyl cover with gold embossing. The first page extends the greeting of peace to all whom this may concern. We ask that the citizen of Heaven named herein pass without delay or hindrance for the purpose of evangelizing upon the highways in the Kingdom of Heaven in obedience to our Savior.
On the opposite page is a picture, personal data, baptismal date, signature, the issuing authority, issuing date and expiration date. The passport expires seven years after being issued.
The next three pages contain important information about our government, the ownership and authority to use the highways, our role as ambassadors, the Supreme Law of the Land, and rewards and warnings to those who receive or reject the Gospel of the Kingdom, along with pertinent scripture quotations.
Pages 5 through 28 are for Acknowledgements. We don't use the word "Visas," because it implies that we are asking permission to enter their country. Since the earth is the Lord's, there are no territorial boundaries for the Kingdom of Heaven. With our Passports, the Acknowledgement pages give the customs official an opportunity to recognize that we come in the name of the Most High.
On the last page is a place to pencil in addresses and telephone numbers of where you are currently staying, where you usually stay, and the name and address of someone to contact in case of an emergency.
The interior pages are watermarked with the Kingdom of Heaven seal and made into security paper with a design of crosses, overlaid in blue.
Anyone who has acquired citizenship in the better country known as the Kingdom of Heaven, by being born again through baptism, is eligible for a Kingdom of Heaven Passport. Anyone requesting a passport declares the following:
I declare that I am baptized in the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. I am a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven and I give my allegiance to Jesus Christ (Yahshua), the Son of God (Yahweh). I will obey the Supreme Law of the Land as stated at Matthew 22:37-40, "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." I renounce all allegiance and fidelity to every foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty whatsoever and to the world itself.
The renouncing of every foreign state or sovereignty includes renouncing your allegiance to the United States of America and any State therein, and any other government that is foreign to the Kingdom of Heaven.
|
Kingdom of Heaven Passport Request forms are available through the Embassy of Heaven. (See Passport Brochure) |
Our friend Phil returned from Mexico after three weeks of treatment for his clogged arteries. The clinic is dedicated to healing in the name of Jesus Christ and uses chelation therapy, oxygen and other alternative treatments. These doctors in Mexico are successfully healing degenerative diseases without drugs or surgery.
When Phil left the clinic, the doctors recommended that he avoid eating three foods that are big troublemakers. When these foods are eaten on a regular basis, they can lead to both heart disease and cancer.
The three worst foods that play havoc with our health are:
People use margarine and decaffeinated coffee thinking they are choosing healthy alternatives to butter and regular coffee. Just the opposite is true. Advertising claims have bamboozled us into thinking these artificially concocted "nonfoods" are better than the natural foods God provides for our health. The manufacturers of these products are seeking to feed their own bellies at our expense.
Margarine. If you believe the advertisements, margarine supposedly has less fat than butter, is lower in calories, and is rich in polyunsaturated oil. In truth, margarine is 80 percent fat, just like butter, and has the same amount of calories.
Worst of all, in the process of making margarine, the polyunsaturated oils are converted to saturated oils. Hydrogen is bubbled through the oil to make it solid at room temperature. Hard margarine is as saturated as butter. Soft margarine is 60-80 percent saturated fat. Both are man-made, artificial fats.
The
hydrogenation process alters or destroys the fatty acids, making
them unusable by the body. Take some margarine in your hands and
notice it will not melt when you squeeze or rub it against your
fingers. What do you expect your bloodstream to do with these
plastic particles? Your body cannot process these man-made fats.
They build up in your body and over time, the residue that
accumulates in the cells can kill you. Deaths from heart disease
and cancer are highest among those who consume hydrogenated fats.
What are the other ingredients in margarine besides hydrogenated fat? These include phony color and artificial butter flavor; emulsifiers and plasticizers like lecithin and monoglyceride; synthetic vitamins; salt and seven different "permissible" preservatives including the sorbates, isopropyl citrate and disodium EDTA.
By taking polyunsaturated oil and hardening it, margarine makers are offering us the very saturated fats they claim to be helping us avoid. Margarine is a scam. If your doctor recommends that you switch to margarine as a healthy alternative to butter, he is promoting the scam. Who would ever prefer a glop of congealed grease on their food instead of a little real butter?
Coffee
- Most people don't think of coffee as a drug. Yet the caffeine in
the coffee is a stimulant of the central nervous system, similar
to cocaine. Caffeine is addictive and causes withdrawal symptoms
when discontinued. Decaffeinated coffee is no better. The
decaffeinating process usually requires a highly caustic chemical
solvent that permeates the bean. Decaffeinated coffee drinkers
ingest the chemical residue.
It takes one cup of coffee or tea twenty-four hours to pass through the kidneys and urinary tract. Whether the coffee is decaffeinated or not, it is still acid-forming. If the body does not eliminate these harmful acids, problems develop. The more acid in the blood, the more the body will retain water in an attempt to neutralize it. This water retention adds weight to your body.
Coffee
has been linked to increased blood pressure, birth defects,
diabetes, kidney failure, gastric ulcers, cancer of the pancreas,
trembling of muscles, restlessness and insomnia. Coffee drinking
upsets the blood sugar level, as it forces the pancreas to secrete
insulin.
Some people can quit drinking coffee at once. Others have to wean themselves from it slowly. Others cannot quit at all. Our friend Phil weaned himself from his morning cup of coffee by drinking 1 tablespoon of blackstrap molasses dissolved in a cup of hot water. Another idea for those who crave a hot drink is to try hot water and lemon juice, or an herb tea.
Ice cream - When you sit down to a bowl of ice cream, you may be eating furcelleran, alcin, calcium sulfate, gum karaya, gum tragacanth, mono- and diglycerides, polysorbate 65 and 80, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, propylene glycol alginate, microcrystalline cellulose, dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate, sodium citrate, disodium phosphate, tetrasodium pyrophosphate and sodium hexametaphosphate.
If
you've ever had a bowl of real old-fashioned ice cream, hand
cranked from rich cream, real fruit and salt-packed ice, you know
something different is being done to ice cream today. That
something different is about sixty various additives which
simulate real flavor and real color, and add phony creaminess and
texture, prevent crystal formation during storage, and do whatever
else is necessary to cut the cost of adding real food ingredients.
You might think you are eating a "natural" ice cream. But how do you know? The word "natural" is not defined. And ice cream manufacturers are NOT REQUIRED by law to list the additives used in the manufacture of their product. Consequently, most ice creams today are synthetic from start to finish. The dairy ingredients alone can be as varied as dried cream, skim milk, buttermilk, evaporated milk or cheese whey. Even artificial color does not have to be listed on the package. There is no way to know by reading the label, which, if any, of the many optional ingredients are used in your favorite brand of ice cream. Here is what you might be eating, without even knowing it:
Diethyl glycol - a cheap chemical used as an emulsifier instead of eggs. Diethyl glycol is the same chemical used in anti-freeze and in paint removers.
Piperonal - used in place of vanilla. This chemical is used to kill lice.
Aldehyde C17 - used to flavor cherry ice cream. It is an inflammable liquid which is also used in dyes, plastics and rubber.
Ethyl acetate is used to give ice cream a pineapple flavor. It is also used as a cleaner for leather and textiles. Its vapors have been known to cause chronic lung, liver and heart damage.
Butyraldehyde is used in nut-flavored ice cream. It is one of the ingredients of rubber cement.
Amyl acetate is used for its banana flavor. It is also used as an oil paint solvent.
Our
friend used to work at an ice cream factory. He wore a gas mask
when he poured the chemicals into the vats of ice cream. That
should give you a clue as to what is being used in the recipe for
commercial ice cream. The next time you are tempted to enjoy a
dish of ice cream, think of it as a mixture of anti-freeze, oil
paint solvent and lice-killer and perhaps you won't find it so
appetizing.
While researching this article, we came across a product in the supermarkets called Old Fashion All Natural Ice Cream - No Artificial Anything. We called up the manufacturers, Peninsula Creamery, Palo Alto, California 94301. They assured us there were no chemical stabilizers or artificial additives in their product. This ice cream is only available on the West Coast. Although Old Fashion Ice Cream still contains sugar and homogenized milk, at least you can avoid a host of chemical additives.
Banana Soft-Serve
A delicious and easy alternative to commercial ice cream is Banana Soft-Serve. It takes nothing more than a banana from the freezer to produce a creamy, smooth-textured frozen dessert. It is hard to believe there is neither cream nor sweetening in this dessert.
Peel fully ripe bananas, allowing one large banana per serving. Place in an airtight plastic bag in the freezer. When frozen, cut banana in chunks and place in a food processor fitted with a steel blade, or in a blender. Process until banana breaks up, passes the icy stage, and becomes creamy and whipped with air. The consistency will be that of frozen custard. You can also run the frozen bananas chunks through a Champion juicer, fitted with the blank. We prefer using the Champion juicer. Spoon into a bowl, a paper cup or a cone. You can substitute up to half the bananas with frozen strawberries, peaches, or other frozen fruits.