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On this 4th of July, as I was working on my web site, it occurred to me that
I really ought to have a page summarizing what the American Study Group
was/is all about with the hopes that people might consider forming groups
locally among like-minded friends, if they are not already doing so.

The URL of that page is
http://www.greaterthings.com/Constitution/American_Study_Group/

DESCRIPTION:
Taking a scriptural approach to Constitutional freedom and political
activism. Encouraging fellowship of like-minded patriots under God.

BACKGROUND & PHILOSOPHY
Some of you were involved in that group when it was in its zenith back in
1990, 1991. It filled a void for people because they can't talk about God
when in a political setting, and they can't talk about politics in a
religious setting. The group was designed to speak about what the
scriptures have to say on the subject of freedom. This, of course, did not
endear the group to those who do not love the Constitution and who are in
positions of control, exercising unrighteous dominion.

Many have wrongfully thought that I discontinued the group because of direct
pressure from the general authorities of the LDS Church. That is not the
case. For whatever reason, during an emergency meeting of group leaders,
the Spirit of God very strongly impressed unanimously on all present that
the group should be discontinued. The group had served a key purpose, and
now God had other things in mind.

It is true that at that time there was an increasing misunderstanding of the
group by leaders in the LDS Church. Members of the group were being
threatened by their bishops and stake presidents that if they continued
participating that they could have their temple recommends taken away. Some
were even threatened with excommunication from the church. Indeed not long
after that, a many hundreds of excommunications took place, and a good
number of those people had been involved in the American Study Group. As
people awoke to a sense of the awful situation we face in this country and
in the world because of the rise of a secret combination that seeks to
overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries; they realized
that wolves have crept in among the flock of religion as well, including the
LDS Church. This eye-opener lead to the realization of other ways as well
that the church culture has departed from the ideals of doctrine set forth
in the scriptures. Such belief was perceived as threatening to the church;
and such individuals, if even moderately vocal about their convictions, were
put out of the church.

I have found it interesting to observe that many of these people who awoke,
but who were not disciplined by the Church because they were more quiet or
because they backed down on their stance, ended up being even more blind
about the state of affairs in the church than the general lay membership.
Perhaps "blind" is not even the right word. A better word would be
"unaffected," failing to be riled in their spirits by the inconsistencies
and hypocrisy that abound; going with the flow and sustaining the status quo
without endeavoring to set things straight, fearing that if they were to
lift a hand, they might end up getting cast out like so many of their
patriot friends who they don't associate with anymore because they are now
considered "apostates," for to associate too closely with such would be to
jeopardize their own standing in the church.

In saying this, please do not construe me to mean that if a person is not
cast out of the LDS church then it must mean he/she is not a true patriot
and righteous defender of freedom and truth. I know many people who have
been able to walk this fine line with membership fully in tact. I believe
that like the United States of America, though the LDS church has veered far
from its moorings in Christ and freedom, it nevertheless hangs by a thread
of legitimacy before God and will be set in order.

And who sets it is order? God.

And how does God design to do it?

Through us -- any who will awake and put on strength and trust in him and
serve as his vessels on earth.

We will set the government of God and the church of God aright. The 144,000
will consist of those who were thus engaged.

And so we come back to the American Study Group. Some people are already
joining together regularly to study and to be facilitate one another in
their activities to restore the freedoms of this land. Political
organizations abound.

However, I would argue that there is yet a lack of a scriptural mooring and
focus in any groups currently in existence -- at least that I am aware of,
thinking especially of the LDS community, which people have been given more
light and knowledge on the subject of the gospel and the proper role of
government than any other people on earth, and hence are most accountable.

And so once again, I present to you the American Study Group as an avenue
whereby people can get together to study freedom from a scriptural point of
view as well support one another in activities that promote freedom and
overcome the threats to freedom that abound today like never before.

The Internet has made it possible for communities to develop independent of
geography -- for study groups of like-minded people to form on whatever
tickles their fancy. I have thoroughly enjoyed my involvement in David's
Outcasts e-mail discussion group.

However, we may not always have the ready access to the Internet that we now
enjoy. Chaos could disrupt these lines of communication that have created
these virtual communities.

What is needed to supplement these virtual associations is real live
associations in real live gatherings, where people meet face to face, shake
hands, look each other's eyes, communicate spirit to spirit, and develop a
camaraderie that will help them through the difficult days ahead as freedom
faces its most difficult challenges ever.

In a way, this phase of the American Study Group is a form of a militia,
because each chapter, however, large or small, presents a common ground of
trust, knowing who will be fighting along side oneself when the time comes
that marauders wander the landscape, when tyrants go house to house seeking
to enslave every last person, and when the edicts declare that none will be
able to buy or sell without taking the mark of the beast.

After posting my question a few days ago, "When is enough? Insurrection vs.
Tyranny," I have done quite a bit of introspection as well as research into
the militia movement.
http://www.greaterthings.com/Constitution/enough.htm
Though I have long procrastinated getting involved in any such thing, I have
begun to feel a tug in this direction. But I don't want to get involved in
some redneck shoot-'em-up, blast 'em to hell mentality group. I want the
focus to be strongly spiritual and merciful. I want to be in the midst of
some of the very neat people I've met around here, each of us on our best
behavior, not worst.

But the American Study Group should not be synonymous with militia, though
it should be compatible and supplementive. It's primary purpose is
fellowship of likeminded gospel patriots. The study and the activism flow
from that community camaraderie.

Neither do I envision this rebirth of the American Study Group to have a
strong central governing structure. Rather it is an idea to be picked up by
whomever. The extent to which they communicate with other groups is up to
them. No one needs to get permission from headquarters to begin their own
group. Nor do they need to report their activities to some upper command.
Let God and their conscience be their guide. Nevertheless, some larger
orchestration may at times be beneficial.

So on this 4th of July, 2000, my invitation to you is to become involved in
a local American Study Group, if you are not already involved in such a
fellowship. Let's be bolstered for the victory that is promised in this
Revolution that we are in the midst of even now, seeking for freedom for all
mankind instead of this New World Order global dictatorship.

Sincerely,

Sterling D. Allan
http://www.greaterthings.com/Constitution/American_Study_Group/

p.s. If anyone in the Provo area wants to get together today, I will be at
the Rock Canyon park at 2:00 pm with family and Brian Gibson. Potluck and
fun.

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