DISCOURAGING: Corruption In The Church And The Duty To Withhold Support

Wednesday, December 24, 2025

https://tomrenz.substack.com/p/its-called-the-clot-shot-for-a-reason?publication_id=792813&post_id=181396315&isFreemail=true&r=69c48n&triedRedirect=true

It’s Called the Clot Shot for a Reason & Is Trump Being Set Up?
Dec 12, 2025
Tom Renz’s Newsletter
For God, family, and Country – The fight against corruption.

*** begin quote ***

Corruption In The Church And The Duty To Withhold Support

Near the end, I talk about one more institution that has betrayed a sacred trust. The Catholic Church has paid out enormous sums in settlements over clergy sexual-abuse cases, while dioceses continue to use parishioner donations to fund legal defenses that often prioritize the institution over abused children.

As a Catholic myself, I call for a simple act of conscience. Quit tithing until the Church stops using the collection basket to shield predators and starts openly confronting the rot. Giving money to an institution that will not protect the innocent is not charity.

*** end quote ***

In a very pointed issue, Tom Renz’s Newsletter made several insightful points that I intend to blog about.  This is one.

The Catholic Church has strayed from “religion” into “politics”, with stops along the way at “hedonism” (sexual promiscuity with birth control), “murder” (abortion on demand), 
“condoning suicide” (euthanasia), “gay rights” (pedohilia priest blessing homosexual marriage), and finally “political corruption” (becoming a branch of Gooferment by taking money to “resettle” illegal immigration).

To misquote Reagan, … … 

“I didn’t leave the Democratic party, the Democratic Party left me.” ― Ronald Reagan  

… … the good people and me didn’t leave the Church, the Catholic Church left us.

So sad, and as I have said before —  

https://reinkefaceslife.com/2023/11/12/discouraging-any-wonder-why-the-catholic-ghurch-has-lost-its-moral-authority/

— the Catholic Church has lost its “moral authority”.

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MONEY: A dollar bill, it has no objective value

Tuesday, December 23, 2025

https://bigthinkmedia.substack.com/p/what-happens-when-intelligence-outgrows?publication_id=2863167&post_id=181390292&isFreemail=true&r=58ecz2&triedRedirect=true

The Big Think Interview with Yuval Noah Harari

  • What happens when intelligence outgrows its creators
  • We built genius machines, and gave them our blind spots.

Big Think
Dec 13, 2025

*** begin quote ***

If you consider, for instance, a dollar bill, it has no objective value whatsoever, at least not for human beings. Maybe termites can eat it, but humans can’t eat dollars, they can’t drink them. There is nothing useful you can do with them. They nevertheless have value because the greatest storytellers in the world, the finance ministers, the bankers, the investors, they tell us a story that this piece of paper is has value. I can use it to buy bread or potatoes or bananas or anything else.

As long as millions of people believe in this story, they are willing to work, for instance, on constructing and nuclear reactor because at the end of the month, they get these few colorful pieces of paper. Today, of course, it’s not even paper. Most of the money in the world today is not paper notes and metal coins. It’s just digital information moving between computers. But as long as people still have trust in the story about these digital information, it works.

*** end quote ***

As the tin foil hat survivalists preach, at some point in time, “We, The Sheeple” will recognize that:

  • “Inflation is always and everywhere a monetary phenomenon” — Milton Friedman

  • “Inflation is theft, you’re stealing value from people who save money.”-Ron Paul

  • “The gold standard did not collapse. Governments abolished it in order to pave the way for inflation. The whole grim apparatus of oppression and coercion — policemen, customs guards, penal courts, prisons, in some countries even executioners — had to be put into action in order to destroy the gold standard. Solemn pledges were broken, retroactive laws were promulgated, provisions of constitutions and bills of rights were openly defied. And hosts of servile writers praised what the governments had done and hailed the dawn of the fiat-money millennium.” — Ludwig von Mises

And, when the SHTF, people will seek band aids, beans, bullets, and bullion.  The farmer, the carpenter, the electrician, and the plumber will thrive.  The politicians, bureaucrats, celebrities, and influencers will starve.

Hope I never have to live thru it.

But it seems unavoidable.

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GUNS: If we respected people’s constitutional right, and provided practical means for citizens to exercise that right … … 

Monday, December 22, 2025

https://nypost.com/2025/11/20/us-news/queens-senior-citizen-who-fatally-shot-would-be-mugger-headed-to-prison-for-four-years/

Metro
Senior citizen who saved himself from would-be mugger is heading to prison because of NYC’s ‘draconian’ laws
By Kevin Sheehan and Ben Kochman
Published Nov. 20, 2025, 5:16 p.m. ET

*** begin quote ***

A Queens senior citizen who shot dead a man who tried to rob him will spend four years in prison after admitting to toting an unlicensed revolver — as his lawyer ripped the city’s “draconian” gun laws.

Charles Foehner, 67, pleaded guilty to one count of criminal weapons possession Thursday in a deal to end his case more than two years after he fatally shot would-be thief Cody Gonzalez, who charged at him near his Kew Gardens home.

The Queens District Attorney’s Office chose not to prosecute Foehner, a retired doorman, for Gonzalez’s killing after he told cops that he’d defended himself from a mugger who lunged at him late at night holding what looked like a knife — but which turned out to be a pen

Foehner was not charged with manslaughter after claiming self-defense, but pleaded guilty to a lesser gun charge.  But prosecutors slapped Foehner with a slew of weapons raps for the unlicensed handgun and for an arsenal of illicit handguns, revolvers and rifles inside his home in the quiet neighborhood. 

*** and ***

“If we respected people’s constitutional right, and provided practical means for citizens to exercise that right, Mr. Foehner would not be in the position he is in today,” Kenniff added.

*** end quote ***

So, let me understand this, the Queens DA Melinda Katz didn’t prosecute a “hard to win” case but did prosecute an “easy to win” one and insisted on a harsh punishment.

Sounds like “prosecutorual misconduct” to me.

Buffing up the old political resume and punishing self-defense.

Without allowing “self-defense”, “We, The Sheeple” has no defense against career criminals and the crazy insane that are allowed to roam at will.

Fighting this injustice is a just a war of attrition against a Gooferment bureaucrat with unlimited funds.

One would hope that:

  • the Queens voters would put a curse on the Queens DA Melinda Katz at the next election.  
  • And, that Queens DA jurors would “inflict” justice on their prosecutions by jury nullification of the top count in EVERY trial.
  • Additionally, Queens residents should lodge Bar Complaints on EVERY lawyer in the Queens District Attorney’s Office
  • Badger the Governor Kathy Hochul to correct this miscarrage of justice
  • Everyone should vote against EVERY incumbent lawmaker in New York City and Albany who have “repeatedly frustrated the rights of law-abiding Americans, New Yorkers, that possess firearms.  All candidates should be questioned on this issue.

That should get the attenton of ALL current and potential politicians and bureaucrats.

Where is the Federal Gooferment’s politicians and bureaucrats standing up for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.  At the very least, federal funds for “law enforcement”  should be impounded until rights are restored.

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SURVIVAL: Body Of Teen Who Jumped Off Manahawkin Bridge Located

Sunday, December 21, 2025

https://patch.com/new-jersey/southbrunswick/s/jvd5u/body-of-teen-who-jumped-off-manahawkin-bridge-located-police?utm_source=alert-breakingnews&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=alert&user_email=6977bb79afc18d89968a6a0494d4b398a8e9e97df94217a36edb8fcfd93b518e&user_email_md5=cff302c94eb4f6351922680bba576fdd&lctg=512c02461e240a9c3f318080

Body Of Teen Who Jumped Off Manahawkin Bridge Located: Police

  • A 19-year-old was seen jumping from the bridge on Nov. 25; his body was recovered Wednesday evening, Stafford police said.

Veronica Flesher’s profile picture
Posted Thu, Dec 18, 2025 at 9:07 am ET

*** begin quote ***

Editor’s Note: If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline for free, confidential support, 24 hours a day.

*** and ***

MANAHAWKIN, NJ — The body of a 19-year-old seen jumping from the Manahawkin Bridge just before Thanksgiving has been found, Stafford police said.

*** end quote ***

Hopefully, that troubled individual is at peace now.  So sad.  I don’t know why they did that, but I hope someone finds out.

Nothing could be that bad.  

Dona Nobis Pacem

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POLITICAL: Voting Laws Every State Should Enact Right Now

Saturday, December 20, 2025

https://www.democracydocket.com/opinion/seven-voting-laws-every-blue-state-should-enact-right-now/

Seven Voting Laws Every Blue State Should Enact Right Now
By Marc Elias
November 28, 2025

*** begin quote ***

1. Enact a statutory right to vote for every eligible citizen.
2. Ban signature matching of mail-in ballots.
3. Count all ballots postmarked by Election Day.
4. Guarantee voters they will not have to wait more than 30 minutes in line.
5. Ban third-party voter challenges and other forms of vigilantism.
6. Provide criminal and civil remedies for voter intimidation.
7. Revise and strengthen election-certification laws.

*** end quote ***

Remember the Dead Old White Guys were opposed to “democracy”.

“The Founders knew that a democracy would lead to some kind of tyranny. The term democracy appears in none of our Founding documents. Their vision for us was a Republic and limited government.” — Walter E. Williams

Remember they saw the (bloody) French Revolution, as well as the many “slave uprisings” in the New World.

“If voting made any difference they wouldn’t let us do it.” — Emma Goldman ― often incorrectly attributed to American humorist Mark Twain ― but very very true imho!

“The greatest fallacy of democracy is that everyone’s opinion is worth the same.” — Robert A. Heinlein

All that being said:

  • I agree with #1 and #2.
  • The rest I’m not so sure are improvements or do-able.
  • I’d add a few of my own

#8 Voter Id — mandatory —  citizens only —  indelible ink like in India

#9 Voter Competency —  no “nursing home” voting blocks —  not sure how to enforce that but should be easy to figure out

#10 Voter crypto signature —  if iPhone and Android can do passkeys then the USA can do it too

#11 Fraud and Campaign contributions penalties with teeth 

#12 Political Campaign contributions limited amounts, from real individuals, and all domiciled in the district

#13 Paper ballots only!  No machines.

#14 Repeal the 17th Direct Election of Senators and return it to the State legislators

#15 Ranked Choice voting nationwide

I thing that about covers it.  I’m sure I’ll think of some more.

Laugh!

As if anyone cares.

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CORRUPTION: Many senators are possibly criminally involved in money laundering

Friday, December 19, 2025

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/12/massive-democrat-money-laundering-discovered-names-include-gretchen/

Massive Democrat Money Laundering Discovered – Names include Gretchen Whitmer, Jon Ossoff and Cory Booker
by Jim Hoft Dec. 15, 2025 8:00 am1022 Comments

*** begin quote ***

Epilogue It now can be seen that Senators Cory Booker, Mark Kelly, Elissa Slotkin, Raphael Warnock, Adam Schiff, Jon Ossoff, Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar are heavily and possibly criminally involved as recipients of what is obviously a massive money laundering effort that probably spans the past two decades! This grouping of 42 seniors, AKA “smurfs” reveals the dedicated efforts of some very determined, corrupt individuals to launder money into the Democratic sphere of campaign finance. These 42 persons are “alleged” to have donated over 7.4 million dollars in over 32,000 separate donations. The ActBlue scheme of “Too Small, Too Many To Find” has been discovered! This current revelation is just a current snapshot of what will be an ongoing and probably ever growing investigatory effort.

Stay Tuned Fellow Patriots and please share this as you are able! The Best (Or Worse) is Yet to Come!

Bob Cushman – Investigative Reporter The Freedom Press https://michiganscorruption.com

*** end quote ***

The ActBlue scheme of “Too Small, Too Many To Find” and that of WinRed need to be thoroughLy investigated.  And all involved sent to jail.  PERIOD!

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OBSERVATION: Justice has been done? Second-time should get the death penalty!

Thursday, December 18, 2025

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15381311/Shocking-moment-killer-paedophile-shot-dead-street-freed.html

Shocking moment killer paedophile is shot dead in the street just hours after he was freed from prison
By FRANCINE WOLFISZ, NEWS REPORTER
Published: 19:06 EST, 13 December 2025 | Updated: 19:21 EST, 13 December 2025

*** begin quote ***

Despite his initial confession, he later told a court he did not remember whether he was responsible.

Bruno’s mother, Josiana Aparecida da Silva, said she felt both pain and relief after learning of Ferreira da Silva’s death.

She said: ‘I am happy, not because of my son – my son is dead, he cannot come back – but I am happy that he won’t kill anyone else.

‘No more children will die because of him.’

She added in an interview with a local TV station that ‘justice has been done, but for me it took too long,’ Metro reported.

‘I had the courage to go and see the man who killed my son when he was tried but I regretted it because I was filled with hatred and wanted to kill him.

‘I thought I wouldn’t have the courage to kill him, but today, seeing him dead, I know that if I had had the opportunity to kill him, I would have done so, as a mother.’

*** end quote ***

Personally I’m surprised he survived prison time.  In the USA, paedophiles don’t usually survive.  

Since there is very little chance of “rehabilitation”, this is one of those areas for this gun-owning pro-life pro-choice little L libertarian where I am conflicted.  

I understand the need for the death penalty for inmates who harm correctional officers; don’t like it but it’s the exception that proves the rule.

Paedophiles, since they can’t change, are in the same category for me; maybe second time offenders should too be subject to the death penalty.

Sigh!

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TECHNOLOGY: AT&T Photo Storage app “discontinued” — Google Graveyard, the AT&T ashcan

Wednesday, December 17, 2025

*** begin quote ***

The AT&T Photo Storage app was discontinued on October 20, 2025. To ensure your treasured memories are safe, please make sure to retrieve your stored photos and videos before February 1, 2026.

*** end quote ***

the AT&T ashcan!

Of course, no reduction in price. Argh!

#AT&T_ashcan, #Google Graveyard

Technology’s version of shrinkflation!!!

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INTERESTING: A genius idea that should come to the USA

Tuesday, December 16, 2025

https://medium.com/@tomwhitwell/52-things-i-learned-in-2025-edeca7e3fdd8

{tip of the old tin foil hat to Tom Whitwell for the lead!}

52 things I learned in 2025
Tom Whitwell

*** begin quote ***

Every receipt for every purchase in Taiwan includes a lottery number worth up to £250k. It’s a tax compliance scheme with benefits. [Pablo Musumeci]

*** end quote ***

https://www.pablomusumeci.com/p/taiwans-receipt-lottery-the-genius

{tip of the old tin foil hat to Pablo Musumeci for the idea!}

Taiwan’s Receipt Lottery: The Genius Tax Trick on Desperation

  • Gambling is illegal in Taiwan. And yet, every receipt is a lottery ticket. Here’s what it taught me about luck, dreams, and the price we pay for hope.

Pablo Musumeci
Feb 03, 2025

*** begin quote ***

I buy a black tea at 7-Eleven, grab my receipt, and instinctively crumple it into a ball. To me, it’s trash. But in Taiwan, even trash can be worth a fortune.

The cashier stops me. “Wait,” she says, pointing at the numbers printed at the top. “Maybe lucky.”

Turns out, every receipt here is a ticket for the tǒngyī fāpiào, the bimonthly national lottery. But this isn’t just a game, it’s a tax system in disguise. Businesses must issue receipts to prevent under-the-table deals. To ensure customers actually demand them, the government adds an incentive: every receipt could be a winning ticket.

It’s genius. And strange. Gambling is illegal in Taiwan, yet the government runs its own lottery. Funded by the very taxes it’s designed to collect, it’s a perfect loop: sell hope to the poor, then use their losses to build the roads they’ll keep driving to dead-end jobs—with neatly folded receipts in their pockets.

*** end quote ***

As much as I think “taxes are theft” and that “tax evasion” is a problem, I can’t let a “good idea” be a complete enemy of my idea of the “perfect society”.  (That would an completely voluntary Anarcho-capitalist State.)

“What do you call it when someone steals someone else’s money secretly? Theft. What do you call it when someone takes someone else’s money openly by force? Robbery. What do you call it when a politician takes someone else’s money in taxes and gives it to someone who is more likely to vote for him? Social justice.” — Thomas Sowell

Le mieux est l’ennemi du bien. — attributed to Voltaire 1770

(Literal translation: The best is the enemy of the good. Better translation: The perfect is the enemy of the good. Variant translation: The better is the enemy of the good. Better known translation: The perfect is the enemy of the good.)

So until the USA becomes what I see as Utopia, this would be an excellent compromise along the way to being the “shining city on the hill”.

The various Gooferments run lotteries now.  Why not one like this that has minimal cost to society and might even be fun!

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DISCOURAGING: Requiescat In Pacem Rob Reiner and wife Michele

Monday, December 15, 2025

https://nypost.com/2025/12/15/us-news/rob-reiners-son-nick-in-custody-after-horrifying-murder-of-princess-bride-director-and-wife/

US News breaking
Rob Reiner’s son Nick charged with murder, held on $4M bail in slaughter of ‘Princess Bride’ director and wife Michele
By Joe Marino and Patrick Reilly
Published Dec. 15, 2025
Updated Dec. 15, 2025, 10:26 a.m. ET

# – # – # – # – #

I’m saddened by this tragedy.  While I was never a fan of Rob Reiner’s politics, I would never wish this or any “bad luck” on him.  

Like Charlie Kirk’s assassination, the Bondi Beach anti-Semitism, the Brown University killings, it’s all just to horrific to hear.  Maybe during these Holy-Day observances, we should all take time to reflect how “hate” needs to be stomped down.  

I remember in the movie “Ghandhi” there was a quote about when the religious tensions between Hindus and Muslims erupted into nation-wide violence. Gandhi declares a hunger strike, saying he “will not eat until the fighting stops”. (Note to self: Watch again and capture that powerful line.)  

Maybe we all have to adopt a similar attitude: “ … … until the killing stops!”]

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