by John Price
55
Emmanuel United Evangelical Church
Columbus, Indiana
“I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.” (Revelation 17:6-NIV)
Pastor Conner couldn’t stand it any longer. His evening newscast had been interrupted by an emergency news flash with the President speaking from the Oval Office. Pastor Conner watched the President’s brief speech in which he announced and then signed an executive order creating and mandating the American Citizen Loyalty Oath. Pastor Conner knew that he couldn’t remain silent any longer. He earlier publicly proclaimed that he would not sign the administration’s loyalty oath demanded from church leaders, stating that his sole loyalty was to Christ and His church, not to a politician. Even though his church was a designated evangelical church and was attended very Sunday by green-shirted CCC Conservators who recorded his every word, he nevertheless decided he would speak out opposing this latest action by his President. He knew he had to speak out.
Pastor Conner was in his church office preparing for the church service which was to start in ten minutes. A knock on his door was followed by one of his deacons entering with a troubled countenance. Pastor Conner asked with a smile, “Jim, why the long face? Nobody showed up for services?”
“Hardly, Pastor, it’s a packed house, especially with the forty some CCC folks.”
“Forty some? We normally only see two or three of the green shirts. What gives?”
“That’s not the bad part. The bad part Pastor is that each one is armed. They’re packing handguns and full ammo belts. I know what our rules are so I’ve already asked them to leave their guns outside. They refused. Refused rather nastily, I might add. One of the green shirts who appears to be their leader snarled at me that they were here in force because of your sermon title that was in Saturday’s newspaper, you know, Why the President’s Citizens Loyalty Oath is Treason. What do you want me to do Pastor?”
“Whew! Well, I expected some kick back, but not like this, and especially before I’ve even given my sermon. The McAlister Act not only prohibits what it calls ‘hate speech’, but also any criticism of a public official. Someone in DC must have a relative in Columbus who read Saturday’s church page and tipped the CCC.”
“Let’s face it Pastor. You’re a target. You became a target when you said you wouldn’t sign the church leaders’ loyalty oath, saying only Jesus was King. There are at least forty green shirts who live in this area, most of whom were unemployed when they were hired. So I’m not surprised that they know all about today’s sermon. Again, what do you want me to do? They’re not going to dis-arm, that’s clear.”
“No, they won’t dis-arm. We need to pray that they won’t use their arms. We’ve all heard the rumors about what happened in that church out in California. Okay, let’s go into the sanctuary and start the service. Pass the word to the guys on our security team.”
The church’s forty two uninvited visitors were seated as a block in three rows near the front. None were smiling. Two had digital recorders in obvious sight. After the announcements and the worship songs, during which the Conservators stayed seated and didn’t join in the singing, Pastor Conner stood to deliver his sermon.
“Members and visitors, welcome to our church services today. My topic is quite simple. May one’s government force its citizens to pledge loyalty to the government and to its elected and appointed leaders? When the President announced that he was unilaterally imposing this new mandate on us as American citizens, he compared his actions to those of Henry VIII. That infamous British king likewise forced thousands of his people, nobility, anyone involved in church leadership and any person in public office to sign a loyalty oath to the King. Sir Thomas More even lost his head for refusing to sign the King’s loyalty oath. What a terrible thing to suggest that Americans should be forced to do what an English tyrant imposed. I can only conclude that America is now ruled by a tyrant, by a man who….”
“Stop. STOP right there, sir,” the words were shouted by the leader of the Conservators, standing and pointing his finger at the pastor in his pulpit. “You are in direct violation of the McAlister Hate Speech Prevention Act, the federal Hate Crimes Act and the President’s several executive orders on this subject. I am authorized to arrest you for these criminal acts and to impose on you, sir, the penalties associated with these laws. Please step down, sir, to be conveyed from this facility.”
Pastor Conner knew there was a possibility that he would be arrested, based on what he had heard from other pastors of churches around the country with whom he had been speaking. He had decided that he would not resist arrest and that he would go peacefully with the federal agents, hoping to be found innocent later in court. The church’s attorney had warned him, though, that under new laws and executive orders there was a high probability that he would be detained without ever going to trial. He told his pastor client that he also might immediately be imprisoned by one of the new DHS Emergency Courts, created by the President because so many federal court judges had resigned or refused to sit on mass defendant cases. Pastor Conner didn’t want to endanger anyone in the congregation, so he stepped down from the pulpit and was marched swiftly up the aisle and out the back doors, as his shocked congregation wept and prayed for their spiritual leader.
Within seconds of the Conservators hustling their prisoner out the door of the sanctuary, two loud pops were heard. Congregants who owned and used guns knew what they had just heard. Those in the back of the sanctuary rushed to the now closed doors, pushed them open and saw what they most feared. Their beloved pastor was face down on the entry steps, blood flowing from two bullet holes in the back of his head. A deacon screamed at the Conservators, “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? YOU’VE KILLED OUR PASTOR. YOU BEASTS….YOU….DESPICABLE….”
The leader of the CCC troops turned to the objecting deacon, saying with a smirk, “He resisted arrest. We can’t allow that, you know….In fact, you’re interfering with an officer of the law. We can’t allow that, either.” He then coldly shot the deacon between the eyes, waving his gun towards other church members, who fell back from the bloody scene spread before them.
56
Small Group Bible Study, Home of Hannah & Gary
Birmingham, Alabama
Scott was ready for a fight, or at least for a spirited argument, at tonight’s small group. Over the last few weeks he had spoken with each member of their Bible study small group. Scott had a general idea as to which members were leaning towards fleeing America and which members rejected the whole idea as preposterous He had prayed for wisdom and skill in controlling what he knew was the most controversial part of their study. It was one thing, Scott knew, to study prophecies about a future powerful, wealthy and influential end times nation. It was quite another thing to conclude that the prophesied evil nation, the mother of abominations, was one’s own country, and then decide to flee from it. Scott trusted that he was ready.
After opening prayer, Max spoke up, “Scott. Last week in our study Tom made it pretty clear, it seemed to me, that he is giving real serious thought to fleeing. My dear wife confirmed that she’s leaning that way. Tom, is it alright to ask Marty, here in small group, how she’s thinking? Are you guys in agreement?”
Tom replied, “Marty’s an adult, she’s never been known to be shy. Ask away.”
Marty looked around the group, uttered a silent prayer and then said, “I don’t want to spook anyone out, but I had a dream two years ago that I’ve not been able to forget. I know. I know. Dreams might just be a bad pizza the evening before. But, I also know from scripture that God sends dreams and visions. Did He send my dream? I can’t say for sure, of course. What I can say is that this dream definitely got my attention. What I saw was America in flames. Violence in the streets. Lots of blood. Very frightening images of Americans being shot dead by what looked like government troops, but not dressed in the traditional military uniforms that we are used to s
eeing. Different. I can’t describe them, except that they looked official, but not like any military uniform I have ever seen. Like a civilian uniform, but looking like a military person wearing it. Does that make any sense? It didn’t really to me, either.”
“Marty,” Beau said, “I’d be the last to say that God doesn’t speak to people in dreams. The Bible is full of dreams initiated by God, to direct, to warn, to confirm….you name it. What did you conclude from your….rather frightening….dream?
“I believed then….and I believe now….that God sent the dream, to show me what would someday happen in America. Then, when I read the prophecies that God gave us through Jeremiah describing violence and blood and the lion cubs growling in the Daughter of Babylon those verses really got my attention. I saw the prophecies as, you know, like confirmation of my dream. You ask if I’m on board with Tom? I was on board before Tom even knew there was a ship,” Marty said, chuckling.
Scott asked, “I understand from my conversations with you all that Tom and Marty, and Max and Liz, are either seriously considering or making plans to flee America. That’s a big percentage of our small group. Is there anyone else? Sally is not on board, so we’re not at that stage. Not yet, anyway.” How about you guys, Hannah?
“Scott, until my Uncle Paul was shot and killed I frankly thought people who wanted to move out of the country were conspiracy nuts….you know….not quite dealing with a full deck. I’ve been forced, though, by his death at the hands of my own government to completely re-evaluate. This study has come at a perfect time for me. Why? Because I see now that God loves us so much that He was willing to tell us the future to warn us. Why? Not just to tickle our intellectual curiosity, but so we could take action. Like the Bible says, the prudent see the danger coming….”
“And they hide from it,” Gary finished his wife’s quote, “Or the NIRV says ‘they go to a safe place’. The NIV says they ‘take refuge’. Look, I understand it. Especially, now after Hannah lost her uncle, but I’m the part of our family who’s the realist. I’ve been watching the economy, what’s going on in DC and all that. I’m the first to admit that it’s scary stuff, but what are we supposed to do, just sell everything, quit our jobs, jump on planes to who knows where, and pray it all works out? That sounds like bad stewardship to me.”
Hannah, patting her husband’s knee, said slowly, “Honey….the way you phrase it….it does sound kind of….crazy, but how do you think it sounded to Abraham when God told him to adios from his family and friends in Haran? Or to the new Christians in Judah who were moved out after Stephen was stoned? I was just reading II Chronicles 11. After Israel was split into two nations, Judah and Israel, the new king of Israel fired the Lord’s priests, and replaced them with priests who worshipped goats and calf idols. Verse 16 says that ‘those who had their hearts set to seek the Lord God of Israel’ left Israel along with God’s priests and moved to Judah. Verse 17 says that by moving to Judah they ‘strengthened the kingdom of Judah’. People who think they would never, under any circumstances, move from their country are essentially saying that God can’t use them to spread the Gospel in another part of the globe.”
Max asked, “Gary, my brother, how do you handle the ten verses telling God’s people to flee from the Daughter of Babylon? Those warnings seem clear enough to me. If you conclude that America is the rich and powerful super power that the Prophets meant when they described the Daughter of Babylon…. Babylon the Great….Mystery Babylon, then how do you avoid doing what God says to do….to flee?”
“Max,” Gary responded, “You’re there and I’m not yet….I studied the same thirty clues to the identity of Mystery Babylon that you studied, but….”
“But….what? Who else could these verses possibly apply to? France? Italy? Greece? Come on, Gary, why do you think America’s not depicted in the last days prophecies, you know, when the Antichrist arises? Like Pastor Lester Sumrall suggested….America’s not shown in the very last days because by then it’s off the stage. Simple as that.”
“I agree that these clues couldn’t possibly apply to ancient Babylon….not even close….no deep water sea ports, only a small Jewish population, ancient Babylon has already been punished, it was never destroyed in one day, one hour, etc., I can’t argue for ancient Babylon,” Gary responded.
Liz jumped in, “Gary, I was where you were for a while. I know that Mystery Babylon can’t be ancient Babylon and it’s certainly not a church or denomination. Not even close. Those clues only really work for a nation, as the verses say, with cities in the nation. As I said last week, I’m warming up to the idea of moving. I’ve been Skyping with friends in Central America. There’s a big, beautiful world out there. Our friends are involved with a new start up church, which has blossomed and grown. They’re ministering to the people in their town. Happy as clams.”
Gary, feeling that he was being targeted for not agreeing, asked, “Beau, you haven’t said anything. Where are you and Audrey on this?”
“Don’t know. Not yet, anyway,” Beau replied, “But we’ve sure been talking a lot about the possibility. I read yesterday an article that said over three hundred thousand Americans emigrate out of the U.S. every year. This wasn’t a Christian article, it was a secular analysis of Americans leaving, mostly because of economic reasons, the article said. Rumors are rampant at my company that we’re going to have big time lay-offs. I’ve asked around some, but no one wants to confirm or deny the rumors. One rumor was that everybody at my mid-management level will be let go. I’m concerned, naturally. The idea of trying to find a job in this economy is unappealing, to say the least.”
Gary listening carefully to Beau’s answer, said, “But, Beau, you didn’t answer my question. Where are you and Audrey on fleeing? Are you saying you’re only interested in emigrating if you get fired from your job?”
“No, Beau, but obviously that might be an incentive to move.”
“I don’t want to scare anybody,” Max interjected, “But how many pastors and priests need to be arrested and charged with hate crimes for preaching from the Bible before we get the idea that it’s time to get out of Dodge? How many Christians and Jews need to be persecuted? Or even shot, like Hannah’s uncle, and others we’ve heard about, before we get the idea that maybe we’re not wanted here? Plus, and this is a big point to consider. We haven’t talked about it tonight, but America’s going to pay a big price for forcing Israel to give up the land that God said not to ever give up. They would have never signed that peace treaty except for U.S. pressure.”
Gary had heard enough. He turned to Max and asked, “OK, Max, you’ve said you’re gonna’ flee, big guy, when will that happen? Two years….three years….ever?”
Max glanced at Liz, who nodded her head affirmatively. Max said, “Might as well tell you now. Liz and I listed our house yesterday. We’re flying out next week on a ten day exploratory trip to two Central American countries to take a look at where we will be moving. Our plan is to be moved offshore within two months, give or take.”
The room was silent.
Finally, Gary spoke up., “I’m sorry, Max, I was a little flippant there. I’m happy for you guys….I’ve got probably a hundred questions to ask, which I’ll defer until we’ve got more time….But….wow….that’s big news. I think we just moved from being a Bible study to a Bible doer….so to speak. You’re serious about this.”
“Serious as a heart attack, Gary.”
Scott, sensing that the small group needed to process what the members had just heard, concluded the discussion. Gary stood and hugged Max and Audrey, followed by the other members. Everyone in the room knew instinctively that their corner of the world had just changed.
57
Unit 4501, 700 Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, Illinois
700 Lake Shore Drive had long been considered by Chicago’s business and financial community as the premier condo tower on the Lake Michigan waterfront. It looked out on the Chicago River to the south, on the Loop to the southwest and on
the Navy Pier and the Lake to the east. The fifty story condo tower boasted some units in the multiple million price range, thus limiting its accessibility to the wealthy. With the downturn in the economy, though, some condo units were available for annual rentals.
One of the those actively seeking to rent a condo unit at 700 Lake Shore Drive was Muhammad ben Sarkori. That was his actual name, but for the last nine years since his student visa had expired, he had been known as Alfred H. Carlsberg. His parents were both light-skinned, which allowed Alfred to be able to pass for what he claimed to be, a German citizen, whose parents were from Sweden and Italy. Upon arriving in Chicago, Alfred rented offices in what was then known as the Sears Tower, with the name on the door and the building directory reading AHC Global Trading and Finance, Inc. Alfred had one employee, a secretary born in Saudi Arabia, educated in London and on the payroll of al Queda, of which Alfred was a sleeper operative arising from his family’s financial support of al Queda for several years.
For the first few years that Alfred was in Chicago he immersed himself in managing a modest portfolio of investments for a Saudi family, whose name nor location never appeared on any trading documents. All trades were in the name of AHC Global. Alfred had been instructed to earn what he could on the twenty million dollar portfolio, with part of the earnings to be uses to rent a high-end, well-located condo. Alfred was to locate and lease a condo unit in one of Chicago’s Lake Shore Drive locations, as centrally located as possible, and as high in the building as possible.
Alfred and his Saudi born assistant carefully scanned realtor websites to find just the right condo. In March, Alfred’s assistant found a condo that appeared to be newly available on the market for lease. It was a 3,300 square feet three bedroom condominium on the forty-fifth floor of the fifty floor tower. It was located on the south side of the building with an expansive view of downtown Chicago. The listing price was two million six hundred thousand dollars. On inquiry Alfred learned that the seller would be willing to lease for eighty-five hundred dollars per month. Within three weeks the lease had been signed. Soon after Alfred and his assistant turned the key and entered the living room, with its breathtaking view of the nation’s third largest city.