Coming Religious Persecution, and a promotion for the film “Monumental”

Coming Religious Persecution, and a promotion for the film “Monumental”

Written by Scott Cooper

An often quoted verse from Romans – “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

Ah – but let’s read the context – then please continue below!

Romans 8:26 – 39:

“And in the same way, the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.  And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.  For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first born among many brethren; and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

What then shall we say to these things?  If God is for us, who is against us?  He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?  Who will bring a charge against God’s elect?  God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns?  Christ Jesus is He who died, yes rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  Just as it is written,

“For Thy sake we are being put to death all day long.  We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

What started my thoughts this morning was the thought, “Nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus.”  So I did a search.  This part of Romans was written to the church that was being persecuted in ways unimaginable to us, yet Paul is writing these words to encourage these believers to stand firm.

Persecution is not new.  It has been prevalent in every civilization since the church was formed.  We have been blessed in America up until this point because we understood that our republic was formed by people who had escaped Europe for religious freedom.  The Colonies in the new world were started in a search for freedom.  People were driven to this continent because they were fleeing religious persecution.  Our forefathers were faithful to educate the history of our founding up until about the 1960’s.  It is true that each State, which had its own religious denomination, bonded to together to fight for complete freedom from a tyrannical government, that had oppressive taxes which was stifling their ability to simply exist.  However we must not forget that most of our forefathers were driven to this continent primarily for religious freedom.

Like our beginning being formed due to religious persecution, the demise of our republic will end, as a result of a tyrannical government that seeks to control everything, through taxes, fees, fines and the controlling of our behavior – and this will ultimately lead back to a loss of religious freedom, unless we stop this trend now and re-educate the American public about our past.  Anyone who is paying attention to the news and the rhetoric, who cannot see this – I believe is simply blinded and incapable of seeing what is happening – but that does not change the fact that religious persecution is coming to America at a rapid pace, and it is being driven by a desire to fund an out of control government.

Many are choosing to work diligently within the system to ensure Conservatives who understand the philosophical principles of Plato, Thomas Moore, Thomas Hobbes and Karl Marx which we are opposed to as well as the principles of John Locke, Charles de Montesquieu and Alexis de Tocqueville to return our republic back to the principles of limited government, the rule of law, individual rights, personal responsibility and private property.  It was these principles of the second set of philosophers that led to the prosperity in America that has been unprecedented in the history of man.  Ultimately, failure to return us to these principles will not only lead to the demise of The United States of America, it will lead to what tyrannical governments have done through the centuries, religious persecution.

You can read from others, as well as my previous blogs to find ideas of what needs to be done in the civic arena.  A great starter would be to attend the one night viewing of “Monumental” on March 27, 2012.  

It is my hope that you will not only attend this movie, but that you will organize “your personal sphere of influence” to attend this movie as well.  Talk to your friends, your co-workers, those who attend church with you, and those in any civic organizations you belong to and organize large groups to attend this movie nationwide on Tuesday March 27, 2012.  It will be in theaters one night only.

In order to reclaim our future – we need to start by looking at our past!

Here is a preview of the movie – Monumental:

Click Here to Find Monumental on Facebook!

To learn more about how Kirk Cameron and his team decided to produce this film, I encourage you to watch his interview with Glenn Beck.

To my friends in the Fredericksburg region - stay tuned for details on an organized effort to go as a group - but in the mean time, click here are the lists of current theaters it will be playing near us.

Why I am Supporting Jamie Radtke in Virginia’s 2012 U.S. Senate Primary Race

Why I am Supporting Jamie Radtke in Virginia’s 2012 U.S. Senate Primary Race

Written by Scott Cooper

Preface:

2012 is going to be a decisive year for the future of The United States of America. 

Most of those paying attention to the 2012 elections have their attention focused on the Presidential election.  The Presidential election is critically important; however it is the tireless minority of true conservatives that were elected in 2010 to both houses of Congress, who joined the few that were already there, who have fought valiantly for the conservative cause.  I was in Washington last spring on the day of The Debt Limit Increase Vote.  In a small group setting, I had the privilege to hear from several of the Freshman Congressmen, as well as Congresswoman Bachmann who had literally just come from Caucus Meetings where attempts had relentlessly been made to force them to tow the party line.  I could literally see the stress in the eye’s, facial expression and body language of one freshman congressman, the tremendous pressure he had just been placed through was clearly visible in his demeanor – yet this individual stood firm, against the leadership OF HIS OWN PARTY!  I am convinced that in 2012 we must send significant re-enforcements to these entrenched conservatives in both houses of the U.S. Legislative body.  While I pray a true conservative wins the White House, history has shown both Parties need accountability, thus we need strong conservatives in Congress to keep both parties in check, regardless of what happens with the Presidential race.

I am engaged in The Tea Party in my local community, in the state of Virginia and Nationally. I hold elected leadership positions in both a local group as well as in the Virginia Tea Party Patriot Federation, which is a coalition of almost 50 Tea Parties, representing the majority of counties in the Commonwealth.  I mention that simply because my personal endorsement is being done as an individual who has been studying all of the six candidates, now five since Tim Donner dropped out, since January and February of 2011. 

Why Jamie Radtke?

Even though Jamie has been involved in holding elected officials accountable for over 15 years, I first heard of Jamie Radtke in 2009, shortly after the Tea Party Movement began.  I continued to follow her activities from a distance through that year.  While we shared a couple of e-mails, I did not know her personally.  In December 2009, many citizens were travelling to Washington DC to protest Obamacare.  Following the scheduled rally outside the U.S. Capital, I had arranged meetings with both of the Virginia Senators.  I had a few people coming with me, but I wanted more, so on the morning of the event I called Jamie to tell her about the two appointments.  She informed me that she had a prior commitment, but would pass the information on to some key players.  Within minutes of getting off the phone with Jamie, my phone started ringing due to her spreading the message.  Our meeting that afternoon with Senator Warner had over 100 people in it.  Many of those people showed up because of Jamie Radtke’s influence.  That was my first exposure to Jamie Radtke’s leadership and influence.  That last sentence is something I want to stress.  Leadership is influence.  I love the quote by John C. Maxwell, “He who thinks he leads, but has no followers is only taking a walk.”  Jamie is not on a walk, she has an army of followers behind her.

The media likes to downplay the movement that Jamie led, but the fact of the matter is she led a grassroots volunteer organization in Richmond that had over 5,000 members.  Following that she co-founded and led a coalition of like-minded groups from around the entire commonwealth of Virginia which today consists of almost 50 like-minded organizations.  Anyone who has ever led a volunteer coalition, which consists of a multitude of “Type A” personalities, understands that this is not a small accomplishment.  Those that minimalize it have never done it.  While leading that organization her “Team” organized the largest Tea Party Convention held to date in our nation, and it was only for the state of Virginia.  Those who are planning the sequel convention view this accomplishment with awe, because it is known we have extremely huge shoes to fill – and a record to maintain.

An interesting side-note, at the time of the convention in October of 2010, I remember watching her now competitor George Allen on the stage with Ken Cuccinelli and others, and thinking that George Allen was desperately trying to ride the coat-tails of this movement.  To me, it seemed odd that George Allen was even on the stage in front of the 2,200+ Virginian conservatives who had gathered to learn how to reverse the trends in our country that he had been a part expediting while he was Senator the first time – when Republicans had controlled both sides of Pennsylvania Avenue!

In the last 12 months I have personally gotten to know Jamie.  There are a few main reasons she has my support:

First, through personal conversations, as well as attendance at events, I know that she is not only a woman of great influence, but she is a woman of substance, who can speak intelligently about all the issues.  In a recent Candidate Forum, she articulated policy solutions on every question raised, not in generalities like career politicians, but with specificity.  In addition to her ability to articulate policy ideas in conversation Jamie has surrounded herself with policy experts who are volunteering their time and expertise to her campaign and will continue to be there when she is our Senator.

Second, she is a servant leader.  There is so much I could say here.  I will simply say that I have personally witnessed her do the hard work of holding elected officials accountable as well as organize groups to do the same.  She expects accountability to continue once she is in office, and I know for a fact that you will never have to worry if your phone call will be returned once she is in office.  She knows that “We The People” are in charge, and she will not forget that when she is our Senator.

Third, I have personally seen her resolve conflict.  She is known for being able to disagree without being disagreeable, and this is a trait that is sorely needed in Washington.  In my opinion, if you cannot demonstrate this type of leadership at the local and state level, we cannot expect it to be demonstrated at the Federal level.  Jamie Radtke has demonstrated her ability to navigate the waters of building coalitions, and I am confident the standard she bears at home will be carried out in Washington.

Fourth, Jamie is a woman of character.   John Adams said “Our Constitutional Republic would be wholly inadequate without virtuous leadership.”  I believe this is true, and know Jamie meets this standard.

Finally, I already mentioned her influence.  It takes an Army of grassroots activists who will give their time, talent and treasure to make a candidate’s vision a reality.  Each of her competitors who want to take on the establishment candidate, are men of noble character with good ideas, passion and a desire to take our republic back to the principles we hold so dear.  I have personally met and like each of these men, however the reality is passion and ideas alone will not win the election.

All except one candidate, who entered the race in January have been campaigning for almost a year or longer and Jamie is the only “Non-Establishment Candidate” who has been able to raise the financial backing required and establish the grassroots network required to defeat George Allen.  I personally know and can attest to her leadership structure set up across the entire commonwealth, and you can review the Federal Election Reports for yourself.  When you take out loans the candidates have given to their own campaigns, Jamie has raised more than all the other 4 “non-establishment candidates” combined.  The list of individual donors to her campaign is 500 % greater than all her competitors combined.  This is a key indicator of who can win against George Allen.

If you live in Virginia, and you truly want to change Washington, and have a Senate that will hold the Executive branch accountable, regardless of who wins the White House, I encourage you to take a strong look at Jamie Radtke, and then get behind her in the Virginia Primary.  If we allow our Primary vote to be split, we will not send the conservative we need to Washington, so I implore you to look at all the reasons I listed above, especially my final point.

Click here for a brief introduction of Jamie, and if you want to know more, please check out Jamie’s website and sign up for her updates.

The Idea You Can Influence That Which You Refuse To Participate In

**

The Idea You Can Influence That Which You Refuse To Participate In

Written by Scott Cooper

I have felt since last summer, and I still believe that our Presidential nominee would not be decided until the actual convention in August in Tampa.  That being the case, there are two important points for my friends who don’t pay attention or engage until the last minute.

1.       If you hope to have influence in that process, you need to get involved in the GOP at your local level.  If you are not yet engaged – you are running out of time.  In Virginia every locality is having Mass Meetings, where local leadership will be decided.  At those meetings it will also be decided which Delegates will go to our State Convention.  That will lead to the process of who will be chosen to represent you at the National Convention in Tampa.  Click here to learn about your localities “Calls” or “Mass Meetings” and plan to not only attend, but bring as many conservative friends as you can.

2.      You cannot influence that which you refuse to participate in.  Many tell me, I simply do not have time to attend these meetings.  My response – when our freedom is gone, I do not want to tell my grandkids that they do not have the freedom their parents had, because I was too busy to attend the meetings required to retain their freedom.

In closing, in my opinion, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is not a conservative.  To those who chose him “because he is the candidate who can win,” I am reminded of John McCain – our last nominee who was chosen “because he could win.” 

In the words of Ronald Reagan, “the time for pastels is over, we need Bold Colors” (paraphrased).  We do not need Liberalism “light,” we need a stark contrast to bring out those who typically would stay home.  As you know, only two candidates made it to the ballot in Virginia, Mitt Romney and Ron Paul.  Rick Santorum is who I am supporting.  It is for that reason that for the Virginia Presidential Primary on March 6^th, I will be voting for Ron Paul – to ensure the liberal “light” candidate Mitt Romney is denied the Virginia Delegates in Tampa.

You cannot influence that which you refuse to participate in.  If you see our country going off the tracks, and you are not engaged within the system to get it back on track, in the future you will need to explain to your grandchildren someday why you made that choice.  It is my prayer that you make the right choice.

**  Image above was used from this linked article.

The Time is Now!

The Time is Now!
Written by Scott Cooper

In the last several Tea Party meetings, you may have heard the phrase – we have entered “Tea Party 2.0!”  In a nutshell, many of us initially became engaged in The Tea Party Movement because of Obama-care; however over time we have realized that if those who “claimed” to be conservative remained conservative, Obama-care would have never happened and there would be no need for the Tea Party. 

While our effort started with rallies and protests, it has progressed to working strategically and diligently within the system for change.  Some realized this very early on – and some still have not caught on, that our best hope to reclaim our republic is to work within the system – and that means joining the party that most closely aligns to our core values and principles at the local level.

Stated another way, nationwide, as the Socialists and Communists took over the Democratic Party – many Democrats, rather than fighting for their party placated to the extreme left, abandoned their party and moved into the Republican Ranks.  Those who were in position within the GOP to protect the ideals and vision of the conservative movement did not do so.  Indeed they were, over time, moved to the left, and now the GOP is now filled with and controlled by RINO’s.

The Media likes to talk about the Tea Party being a potential Third Party and that is exactly what the media and the left wants – because they know once we go down that road, we lose.  Critical thinking Tea Party Leaders recognize that we must work within the system for change.  I will take it one step further – the only third party that I care to see in the United States is when The Tea Party effectively moves the GOP back to its core principles, forcing out the RINO’s (I mean Democrats) back to their own party to clean up that mess, thus forcing the Communists and Socialists out of the Democratic Party, forcing them (The Communists and Socialists) to run as a third Party.  They are indeed the vast minority in our republic, and they need to be relegated to that status.

When that happens, the Tea Party will have done its job.  However in order for this dream to become reality – we must personally engage in the party that is closest to our ideals.  This needs to be done in large numbers, across the country.  It needs to begin immediately.  That means signing up and becoming a member of the local body.  Yes, that will require more meetings, but the price of going to more meetings is far less than what our founders paid.  You cannot influence that which you refuse to participate in! 

In your county or locality you may be blessed to be led by individuals who are true conservatives and are moving in the right direction.  I live in such a county.  If that is the case, just like our few (very few) conservative elected officials in DC need reinforcements, so does your local committee.  Chances are your local GOP does not have conservatives in leadership roles.  Therefore I encourage, no I implore you, to attend the first meeting of the year of your local GOP, and join.

If you live in Virginia, in 2012, most, if not all Statewide GOP Committee Positions are up for elections.  These elections will be conducted at Mass Meetings and Conventions.  You must play a role in these elections.  These Committee elections take place only once every four years.  These elections will determine the type of nomination process that takes place for elections in Virginia in 2014 and beyond.  If we cannot impact the process by which our candidates are nominated, we automatically are at a disadvantage when it comes to elections.  Look at the 2012 VA U.S. Senate Primary as an example.  Honestly, there are many within the system, and the media that want us to be at that disadvantage, and that is why this process is critical.  In Virginia, if we do not engage in the system now, we will be at this disadvantage for another four years, and by that time we may have lost our republic.

In closing, I want to make two very important points.  First, there are many within the GOP who are true conservatives, who want and need our help.  Many of these folks have been in this fight for decades and they see our potential as an answer to prayer.  However we need to enter humbly and be willing to join them in the fight and be willing to serve.  Anger will not accomplish our objectives.  Service and action will.   Second and finally, this thought process is still considered controversial among some within the Tea Party Movement.  Many want to maintain a non-partisan stance, doing only Educational Seminars and remain predominately issues driven and open to all sides.  This is noble and should continue as groups – but we will not win if we as individuals do not engage in the process.  There are countless “Think Tanks” and civic organizations that have been educating for decades, and their efforts did not prevent us from getting to the brink we now sit on.  Our movement has the advantage of large numbers of individuals.  These individuals must get engaged “in the system” for us to truly reclaim our republic. 

As groups, continue your educational seminars, but as individuals, get involved in the local GOP.  As I stated before, you cannot influence that which you refuse to participate in!  Time is running out.  The Time is now.

Putting Off The Challenge

Putting Off The Challenge

Written by Scott Cooper

Someone said to me today, in reference to a specific 2012 electoral race – that perhaps the time to challenge the establishment is in the next cycle, not now. 

This was in reference to a U.S. Senate race where the GOP favored candidate was once a prominent elected official who had the stature to become President during a time when the GOP controlled both legislative bodies and the Executive branch of the Federal Government.  Despite the control they wielded 5 – 11 years ago, they did not have the vision to see the devastation that was coming our way and work to stop it.

If we cannot muster the drive and energy to challenge the establishment who did not have the vision prevent the brink we are now facing, there very well may not be a next time.  Our Constitutional Republic is on the brink, and the time is now.  Study the voting record of and/or investigate the principles and core philosophical beliefs that drive each candidate.  If your candidate does not have core philosophical beliefs that drive them, or their votes do not back up what they claim are their beliefs – you should probably reconsider your support.   Once you have done that – get engaged.   Don’t sit on the sidelines – please, your country is at stake.

We need leaders – not managers.  Pick your LEADER, then, go to work to get them elected.  

Focusing on Free Markets During Business Hours

Focusing on Free Markets During Business Hours
Written by Scott Cooper

To all my grassroots friends out there that are diligently working to reclaim our republic for Individual Rights, Personal Responsibility, Fiscal Responsibility, Free Markets, Personal Charity and Constitutionally Limited Government – I applaud your efforts.  Please don’t stop, for we will reclaim our republic for these principles we hold so dear!

With only a few exceptions – in 2012, during business hours I will exclusively be working on the “Free Market” part of that effort.  If you call me during the business hours to discuss anything else, including elections, you my likely go to my Voicemail.  Please don’t take it personally.  I promise to call you back within 48 hours, either during the early morning hours, or after East Coast Business hours have concluded!

2012 is going to be an AWESOME year!

Subscribe to Weekly Updates!

If you like what you find here, feel free to subscribe to my weekly updates!

Email Marketing You Can Trust