Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
9. And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10. Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Self righteousness is one of those sins that originates from pride, this sin was condemned by both the Father and the Son.
1. Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength. 2. Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. 3. The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters. 4. The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty. 5. The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon. 6. He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn. 7. The voice of the LORD divideth the flames of fire. 8. The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh. 9. The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory. 10. The LORD sitteth upon the flood; yea, the LORD sitteth King for ever. 11. The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.
As time continues on we are watching an attempt by the current administration to transform parts of our failing behemoth of a government. As I mentioned in an earlier post, although I don’t particularly care for the Don, I do applaud some of the policies he is introducing and doing.
Unlike several previous administrations he is trying to keep some of his initial campaign promises which I think is good but I have little faith in this current system. The deep state is entrenched at all levels of government, federal, state, and local.
DEI for one, state and local governments can and will continue observing those asinine policies as will corporations and businesses. There is the separation of powers that still remains in the Constitution, albeit only a shadow, but regardless it remains and is essential in a Republic. The president isn’t a king and doesn’t reign supreme. His powers and authority are still limited by Constitutional restraint, even if it’s not practiced.
The things being done by executive order can be undone by the next incoming Administration, that’s why we shouldn’t place much faith that these “Orders” will remain long. There may be initial benefits and if they remain there’ll be longterm benefits to the nation, buts that’s one of those ify things in politics.
Freeing the J6ers and the prolifers and the silk road guy I applaud, the border and the attempt at trimming the fat from Washington’s backside, applaud that as well, killing wokeism, another thumbs up. But one thing seems to be missing, his call for national repentance…
Why call for a day of national repentance? Why not? Hasn’t our nation sinned? Haven’t we as a people turned our back away from the Father and the Son? Hasn’t the moral fabric of our society been ripped away bit by bit for sixty plus years now? Are we so arrogant to think that our nations greatness is a result of the people alone?
America needs to humble itself and repent, asking our GOD for forgiveness. Then and only then will America be great again.
8. And the multitude crying aloud began to desire him to do as he had ever done unto them. 9. But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews? 10. For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy. 11. But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them. 12. And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews? 13. And they cried out again, Crucify him. 14. Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him.
This is what’s considered antisemitic by the Frankists pretending to be Jews.
America has the appearance of being fractured socially and politically into various clicks and groups, each vying with and against one another. Yet one thing I saw this cycle on the maps anyway, was red or republican majority covered more than 90% of this country, save for those traditional locations of socialist-progressives, that being Metropolitan areas.
So with this election cycle the majority of people seem to have rejected the socialist-progressive mandates and authoritarianism.
Or have they?
After watching and experiencing the fake-covid mania sweep across the country and the world I have little faith in citizens or mankind in general. First being the biblical concept of the heart of man being deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, also the outright inability of people to think for themselves, they will believe anything, as their mind conceives as a “benevolent governments”, tells them. Masking works…not, six feet distance works…not, the Vax works…not…. shutdowns and isolation, it was all fake. Millions of jobs were lost, businesses shut down, lives lost or ruined and destroyed, all because the majority believed the lies.
Now we stand at a precipice of this country, the Don has a mandate and at face value I agree with most of it. But if you look deeper you’ll soon realize he and his handlers are as fake as the opposing party. The left wanted authoritarianism but their extremes of societal norms are to far for most citizens to accept. The right, hands down, brings authoritarianism into existence by appealing to the more normal values of society at large and passes the repulsive laws the left is incapable of passing. It’s all theater and showmanship, the left becomes the antithesis of society then the right has a mandate to push back. One example is illegal immigrants, the left allows them to flood the country, the majority of people want safe protected borders and communities. With the illegals the right now has a mandate to deport, as stated by the Don and his incoming Administration… sounds good, it’s been done before. Then looking at their proposals it includes biometric identifications, internment camps, possible induction into military service in exchange for citizenship and on it goes. All of these ideas are conditioning of the population for a surveillance society, worse than what we have now.
If anyone thinks these measures will stop with illegals I have a bridge to nowhere for sale. It was the right that created the Patriot Act 1 & 2, the NDAA which allows indefinite detention of American citizens, it was a republican administration that brought us the lockdowns, the fake covid and fake Vax that’s killing millions. Now with 90% of the country leaning red and this incoming Administration leaning toward authoritarian measures do you think the citizens are going to deny the Don his moment? The Don wants revenge, not for justice but for his narcissistic mindset. If he wanted justice for the sake of justice and reforming and/or purging the system then I’d be praising his efforts, but knowing the narcissistic mindset it’s hard to fathom him doing right for rights sake. The left continued the rights atrocities with their asinine mandates.
What we are seeing is a left/right march into tyranny and the majority of citizens will march right along supporting the efforts of authoritarianism.
Most self-professed Christians seem to be entranced with the Don and are slobbering over his footsteps. Society seems to think the Don will be America’s savior, Savior, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but he isn’t. Yes God put him there for a reason. What was that reason? In my mind it’s to show those self-righteous folks on the right that they aren’t any better than the soulless husks of the left. Sin is sin regardless of what foot is stepping. When the right introduces tyranny under the guise of national security they’ll soon realize many of their own will be heading to to camps as well.
Do I think things will get better? Nope. The economy/financial markets will crash, in the fear they’ll introduce some type of endtimes beast financial system based on biometrics. A semblance of peace will come but then war, death, real disease and famine and death and hell following. Yes I do think we are in the prelude to the biblical defined tribulation period defined in Daniel and Revelations.
Revelations 3:1… These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. 2. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. 3. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. 4. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. 5. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
I don’t follow politics as often as I use to, primarily because it’s mostly theater and fake. The system of bureaucracy that exists within this country has created a fourth branch of government that attempts and in many ways controls more aspects of our lives than most care to imagine.
Now we have the dawn of unabashed assassination attempts in our country on a former President. No I’m not a Trump sycophant, I do support his approach to America first though and many of his policies. The so-called deep state cannot allow him in office again because one thing Trump is good at is getting even.
If this country allows a former President and current leading candidate to get killed by deep state provocs then this country only exists as a banana Republic, a shadow of what the founders intended.
America has become a cesspool of sin and wickedness, pride and debauchery echo everywhere. People invoke God’s name to bless America without even understanding what that means. They never tell people to Bless God’s name when throughout the book of Psalms His name is both blessed and praised.
In Jeremiah 5 we read this, 30. A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; 31. The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?
History doesn’t repeat itself, it echoes. Here we can see that if this nation falls because it accepts corruption, lies and deceit that’s because the people love to have it that away.
1. Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. 2. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. 3. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? 4. Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 5. But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 6. Who will render to every man according to his deeds: 7. To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: 8. But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 9. Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; 10. But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: 11. For there is no respect of persons with God.
In chapter 1 of Romans you can read about the debasement of mankind due to their wickedness and evil, chapter 2 begins with a reprimand against those who judge and condemn the sinfulness described in 1.
When those judging are actually doing the same wicked acts here we are told they also will be judged by the Lord.
The Father is no respecter of persons, we all are held to the same standards, either we seek to have a relationship with God or we do not.
Hell is filled, not because God rejected those people, but because they rejected Him.
4. Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. 5. Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered. 6. Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.
All throughout Scripture, truths can spring forth, as in these verses. In 4 we read we are to put our trust in the LORD, do not respect the proud,as in putting them on a pedestal above others because of their pride. The angels who fell with Lucifer did this same thing. He fell because of pride, they followed because they trusted in his pride and they turned aside to his lies as millions of people do every day.
GOD’S many works and HIS thoughts are directed toward believers. Sometimes those works and thoughts may be hard to see but rest assured, they’re still there because HE loves HIS children.
Jesus was the final sacrifice for sin, there is no more need for burnt offerings or sin offerings. Verse 6 is prophetic in nature and meaning in that it is fulfilled hundreds of years later with the death and resurrection of our Messiah, Jesus the Christ.
“…8. Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: 9. On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him: 10. But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. 11. My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined. 12. Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food. 13. But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth...”
Sometimes in our life with GOD, as with Job during his trials of faith, it seems that the Father is nowhere to be seen. Yet we can read here that in whatever trials people of faith have to endure He is always there, allowing us to learn, trying our faith to make us stronger. If we persevere and come through faithfully then when it’s all said and done we shall come forth as gold, pure and untarnished.
It’s recorded that our Savior said in Luke 6:22. “Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.” In several passages we can read where our standing is in this sinful and wicked world, yet if we remain faithful we know where this leads and how it ends.
In Ephesians 2 18 through 22 we read thus: 18. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. 19. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20. And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21. In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22. In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Through Christ we can see our beginning and end, that being part of the household of Father. So if you do not think or feel the Father working in your life, rest assured, if you remain faithful and persevere to the end our destiny is guaranteed.
25. For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: 26. And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: 27. Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.
Job is believed to be one of the oldest books in the Bible, here in his misery Job knows that he will see GOD with his own flesh, his redeemed body he receives at the resurrection. So even in the oldest books of Scripture the fathers of our faith knew of and believed in a future resurrection, one where they would see their redeemer.
Being over halfway through this read I’m finding it refreshing that there are some Christians out there putting together pieces and parts of things going on in the American Christian circles, thing I’ve been talking to individual’s about quite a while.
Megan’s book clarifies how deeply the left or as it’s truly called, evil, has penatrated the Churches in America. The evil of the climate activists to the sexual perversions, from the Covid vaccine pimping pastors to our political classes.
The book is very insightful, well written and documented. It’s easy to see how the churches are dying a slow painful death of a thousand cuts. It’s because of compromising shepherds who have fallen into and follow after the way of Balaam, looking for profit.
The old saying, “So goes the pastor so goes the church… so goes the church so goes the nation” can be easily seen and understood with Megan’s work in Shepherds for Sale.
Prayers going out to Megan and her family, may the Lord bless her ministry. May the Lord burden enough hearts of believers to pick up her book and perhaps change a few lives for the better.
There are times when your heart and mind seems to get lost in the morass of everyday trivialities, whether you begin to be numbed by the increasing waves of news and fake narratives constantly being thrown in your face or just the repetitious workloads required to just make a living in todays inflationary world. Sometimes it’s necessary just to step back and disengage from the world, to give both your mind, body, and spirit a little respite.
Being a Christian and have a Biblical worldview I always revert to my guidebook when “things” in life need clarification, whether through the Wisdom provided by Scripture or just the assurances we as believers have.
In Romans 12:2. “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
In 2 Corinthians 4:15. “For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
16. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
17. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
18. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
In these verses I found some proverbial succor in my time of need. In a renewing of my mind I find in Romans 12:2 the admonition to not conform to this world, ie. not giving in to the anger or bitterness and outright sin that permeates so much of todays society. By renewing our mind we can be prepared to assertively prove what is the good, acceptable, and perfect will of GOD.
Some will cry out that you cannot know the perfect will of GOD… To those I point to Romans 12, if Paul taught believers they could then why can’t we also?
Knowing the will of the Father for our lives is a growth type of event, like an earthly father letting their children grow and learn, teaching them as the need teaching, but loving them enough to let them learn life at their own pace without spoiling them.
In 2 Corinthians 4, I find in verse 16 and 17 that regardless of our physical conditions, whether be disease or persecution or just extremely bad events in life, as our outward man of flesh will perish daily our inward man, our soul is renewed day by day. Whatever it is that numbs our life, dulling our senses or our heart, we can overcome that dulling of our spirit daily by turning to our Savior Jesus the Christ. This is renewing is done through both an active prayer life and reading of Scripture, also through continually sharing the Gospel with a fallen world.
As believers we should remember that everything in this world will pass away but we live forever in Christ. In whatever condition this body is in our inward man remains faithful.
The world wants people to be focused on their version of civilization, thinking that civilization is what lasts, but as believers we need to remember that the civilisations of this old world will perish and that it’s man that will last, eternally with the Father.
Both you and I are eternal beings as are all other people we meet and interact with. When you look into the eyes of your newborn child or dying parent you’re looking into the eyes of an eternal being. Graced by GOD to live forever, either in His presence as a believer and faithful child or not in His presence as a rebellious and wicked person.
Christians are taught in Scripture that regardless of our condition in this life its just a pin prick of time compared to the life coming after this temporal tent we call a body is gone.
I’ll end with this audio from CS Lewis…
There was a time, not so long ago, that communities and families would celebrate Holidays in a near traditional manner. For Easter they would remember Good Friday represented the death of Jesus the Christ. They would have various services denoting the death, burial, and resurrection of the Son of God. Families would take time for gatherings or picnics, egg hunts or other games. Families actually once existed to spend time together expressing love for each other as they felt appropriate.
Nowadays they either spend time playing internet-based games or on internet-based social networking. Some watch their sport and almost all ignore the true meaning of the season, that being Jesus our Savior.
I haven’t posted in months due to wordpress shadowbanning and i was looking at other platforms such as substack, but their payment arrangements with Stripe has gone full censorship deepstate retard, meaning they aren’t paying their writers if they violate stripes vague community standards.
I tried Gab but thats just an Intel honeypot as is Bastyon.
Twitter/X with Elon is a pay to get noticed site, instagram is as fake as fakebook.
Whatsapp and telegram I have no interest in.
It seems the internet-based social networking is coming apart at its seams.
There was a time when fakebook was clean and easy to utilize for networking but Suckerburg and his Intel provocs screwed that up.
So I’ll keep A Layman’s Discourse alive as long as the Lord allows.
Starting off this day at 0500 with some prayer and thoughts, I thought I’d comment on a few things I’ve been keeping up on in the news. Primarily the Israeli Palestinian war.
Through the years, I’ve always tried to stay abreast of events in the Middle East, if for nothing more than a morbid curiosity of prophecy as it may relate to current events.
Yes, I grew up with a dispensationalist/pretribulational perspective of Scripture and eschatology. I’m not going to say after 43 yrs of accepting Christ as my Savior that I agree with either perspective in its entirety, although I do utilize those views and others when I interpret Scriptures and its relationship and understandings in my daily walk with my Savior.
Concerning the current events unfolding in both the Middle East and here at home I believe that Believers need to be putting their proverbial “house” in order because I do believe these events are leading us into those dark days known as the endtimes or last days.
I know most claiming the mantle of Christianity are drooling at the thought of an endtime scenario thinking they aren’t going to be here but raptured away into safety and that they won’t see any of what’s referred to as the tribulations that will manifest as the endtime events unwind. This view is generally referred to as a pretribulational eschatology, one I do not subscribe to. I lean towards the prewrath view that believers will be raptured out before the last set of judgments begin.
For those drooling over the rapturing of the Church, I think they may be putting the cart before the horse, so to speak. Primarily because they have been lulled into that escapist mindset that they won’t have to endure any hardships associated with the endtimes scenario, also referenced in some circles as the Day of the LORD. In Joel chapter 2, we read this concerning that particular day, 2. A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.
Also in Zephaniah 1 we read these words: 14. The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. 15. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, 16. A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. 17. And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung.
So that Day of the LORD isn’t going to be simply a day of feasting and joyous reunions, it’s going to be a horrible day of judgments and retribution, desolation and wasting away with the deaths of untold millions.
Yes, I do understand those suffering during these times will be unbelievers, but it must also be understood what the Father said in Ezekiel 33:11. Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
GOD is a GOD of not only love but holiness and righteousness, too. These last two attributes give HIM the sole authority to judge and punish wickedness.
Also in Ezekiel 18:23Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?
In these two verses alone we can see the Father’s will expressed in that HE doesn’t find any pleasure in the wicked dying but that they should turn away from their wickedness “or in christian vernacularrepent“.
Yes, believers should continually say “Come quickly Lord Jesus” and be looking for and rejoicing when that day occurs, but we also need to understand it’s going to be filled with sorrow because of the loss of life those lost souls going to he’ll.
In Heaven believers are going to have stand before that one man who never sinned, Jesus the Christ, and give an account for not reaching out to others with the message of redemption as stated in 2 Corinthians 5:10. For we must all appear before the judgmentseat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
So while the events in the Middle East have our attention and some believers are desirous of a fulfillment of prophecy there, personally I refrain from wishing that end result of a lost world, although it may be deserving of it.
Please try and reach all of those within your circle of influence with the Good News of forgiveness and redemption through Jesus the Christ, if the Spirit impresses upon your heart if they continually spurn the message of the Cross, then shake their dust off and try to reach others with the message of Christ.
As we read in John 14:6. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me
There is no other way to the Father, Jesus himself admitted such. No Mohammed, no Buddha, no witchcraft, no neopaganism, nothing except by Jesus.
Florida’s relatively lax pro-life protections compared with neighboring Republican states could be drawing out-of-state women to travel to Florida for abortions, just as they would to far-left states like California and New York.
Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at a campaign rally at the Cheyenne Saloon on November 7, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. Photo by Octavio Jones/Getty Images
This article has been updated following publication to provide further clarity regarding the ACHA data.
TALLAHASSEE, Florida (LifeSiteNews) — Despite its reputation as a “right-wing paradise,” Florida recorded a 14-year-high of over 82,000 abortions in 2022, the same year the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, a grassroots pro-life group is warning.
The group’s leader is nonetheless hopeful that Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ strong popularity among his conservative base and apparent eye on national leadership could provide the crucial opportunity to get strong pro-life laws enacted in 2023.
Tallahassee-based grassroots lobbying group Florida Voice for the Unborn flagged the rising abortion rate in a February 15 press release.
In the statement, the group pointed out that Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration (ACHA) reported February 3 that 82,192 abortions were performed in the state the year of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark June 24 reversal of Roe v. Wade.
That’s compared with 79,817 abortions reported in 2021 and 74,868 in 2020.
Earlier reports of declining abortion rates weren’t based on up-to-date data
Florida Voice for the Unborn argued that previous reports suggesting that the state’s abortion numbers had declined by 14.5% had relied on early data that weren’t representative of the Sunshine State’s true abortion numbers.
The ACHA has yet to release its final statistics for 2022, suggesting the final tally for the year could be even higher. On December 2, the agency reported that just 68,217 abortions had been committed in the state last year, suggesting that abortion rates had ticked down. That wasn’t the final report, though. In its February 3 update, the ACHA reported that that number was up to 82,192.
As noted by Florida’s Voice, the ACHA’s “Yearly reports encompassing abortions through the entire year are typically not compiled until well into the next year.” Abortion facilities must submit their monthly reports “within 30 days following the preceding month,” according to the agency’s rules.
For reference, the final ACHA numbers for 2021 weren’t completed until May, 2022. The numbers for 2020 were compiled in March, 2021.
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Florida’s abortion regulations are looser than those of many neighboring states
In a phone conversation February 17, Florida Voice for the Unborn founder and executive director Andrew Shirvell, J.D. told LifeSiteNews that Florida’s 1989 state Supreme Court decision declaring that Florida women had a “right to abortion” under the state constitution’s privacy amendment has formed the basis for the Sunshine State’s abortion policy to date.
While Gov. DeSantis has helped make the Supreme Court more conservative with his judicial appointments, Shirvell said it has been difficult to get a law before the court to successfully challenge the erroneous 1989 decision.
“A lot of that has to do with, unfortunately, Gov. DeSantis’ lack of leadership, lack of prioritization of defending the unborn in the legislature, and we’ve had very weak legislative leaders on these issues,” he contended. “All that has culminated in the place we’re in today, which is: abortion numbers are rising, even though Roe v. Wade has been overturned, and our state has sadly become, you know, an abortion destination.”
Florida’s rising abortion numbers contrast with the strong pro-life actions taken by many neighboring southern states.
Georgia bans abortion as soon as a baby’s heartbeat can be detected, which is usually about six weeks’ gestation. In nearby Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Texas, abortion is now a criminal offense throughout pregnancy. South Carolina, meanwhile, allows abortion up to 22 weeks after the reversal of its heartbeat bill, and North Carolina allows abortion on demand up to 20 weeks.
Thus, while tougher than the laws currently on the books in the Carolinas, Florida’s 15-week abortion ban falls far short of the life-saving rigor of many of its Republican neighbors.
That comparative laxity could be drawing abortion-seeking women from out of state to travel to Florida for abortions, just as they would to far-left states like California and New York that openly advertise themselves as abortion sanctuaries.
Over 6,700 out-of-state women obtained abortions in Florida in 2022
According to data from ACHA, 6,708 of the abortions committed in Florida in 2022 were performed on mothers who came from out of state, compared with 4,873 in 2021 and 3,988 in 2020.
“In the year that Roe v. Wade was overturned, it is outrageous that Florida has transformed into an abortion destination state,” Shirvell said in his group’s Wednesday press release. “Even more appalling, however, is that unlike the other states with exceptionally high abortion numbers, such as California and New York, Florida is led by pro-life Governor Ron DeSantis, who has a pro-life supermajority Legislature.”
Shirvell argued that Gov. DeSantis, who many see as a strong contender for the U.S. presidency in 2024 after earning widespread support among conservatives for fighting liberty-crushing COVID-19 measures, backing law enforcement, limiting abortion, and working to uproot radical ideologies from the classroom, has “lacked the political courage to stop the record amount of bloodshed that has repeatedly occurred on his watch here in the ‘Red’ state of Florida.”
While 82,192 abortions is the highest Florida has recorded in recent years and coincides with the elimination of the federal “right to abortion,” it’s not a record for the state.
“We’re talking about hundreds and hundreds of innocent preborn babies being violently ripped apart and disposed of like garbage every single day here in Florida,” Shirvell said. “And, quite frankly, by his stubborn lack of meaningful action since the formal fall of Roe v. Wade last June 24th, Governor DeSantis seems intentionally indifferent to the horrendous plight of unborn children in his so-called ‘Free State of Florida.’”
LifeSiteNews has reached out multiple times to Gov. DeSantis’ office to obtain its reaction to Florida Voice for the Unborn’s report and the recently released abortion numbers. This article will be updated if response is provided.
DeSantis signed a 15-week abortion ban last year and has promised to sign more pro-life legislation
In a previous statement to LifeSiteNews, deputy press secretary Jeremy Redfern backed up DeSantis’ February 1 comments affirming that he would sign a bill banning abortions at six weeks if such a bill were to land on his desk.
The statement also directed LifeSite to the governor’s similar response during a December press conference. Asked about whether he would sign a potential heartbeat bill, the governor said, “I’m willing to sign great [pro]-life legislation. That’s what I’ve always said I would do.”
According to DeSantis’ office, “The Declaration of Independence promises three inalienable rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness — and we stand for all of them.”
The success of the state’s current 15-week abortion ban is seen by the DeSantis administration as a crucial hurdle to clear before it can pursue further pro-life action.
Signed into law in April 2022, the measure has been beset by court challenges. In July, the governor’s office told LifeSiteNews that the “pending state legal battle must necessarily be resolved before future legislative action can occur.”
The state Supreme Court agreed to consider a challenge to the constitutionality of the 15-week ban on January 23.
Shirvell argued, however, that the Florida governor and legislature aren’t doing enough.
He told LifeSiteNews on Friday that had DeSantis and the GOP-dominated legislature been “more proactive” and not “dragged its feet” ahead of the rollback of Roe, it could have been positioned to enact tougher pro-life laws upon Roe v. Wade’s fall rather than waiting on the state Supreme Court to rule on its 15-week ban months later, in 2023.
In a post-Roe America, Florida doesn’t need ‘half measures’
In his press release, Shirvell argued that Florida need not settle for “[h]alf measures” like a heartbeat bill. “Unborn children in Florida have waited for justice for far too long.”
“Just as in Texas, every single abortion facility in Florida must be permanently shut-down [sic].” he said.
Shirvell told LifeSiteNews on Friday that his group and other grassroots pro-life organizations within the state are pushing for a “trigger law” during the upcoming special legislative session that would work to ban all abortions within 30 days after the state Supreme Court rules on the constitutionality of the 15-week ban.
“That’s forward-thinking,” he said, arguing that the governor and legislature have failed to prioritize the pro-life issue in the state. “We’re going to keep pressing until we get full protections [for the unborn], but it’s very frustrating here in Florida.”
Shirvell told LifeSite that his group sees this year as a key time to push the Florida government toward better pro-life laws.
“We are putting the gas at full-throttle because this is the window of opportunity,” he said, pointing to “the super-majority pro-life legislature and a governor who is at the peak … of his power with a 19-point re-election victory and a mandate from the people” as well as apparent “national aspirations.”
“We have to strike while the iron is hot,” he said, vowing to continue fighting on behalf of the preborn.
Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at a campaign rally at the Cheyenne Saloon on November 7, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. Photo by Octavio Jones/Getty Images
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