Pandemic

NO WHOLESOME ENVIRONMENT FOR ADOLESCENTS

WorldNetDaily.com reports on a study entitled: “Sex, Drugs, and Delinquency in Urban and Suburban Public Schools.” The article states: “Many parents have fled urban schools seeking a safer and more wholesome environment for their children, but the Manhattan Institute says its survey indicates families face similar issues in the suburbs” (www.worldnetdaily.com).

Some of the issues include: sexual promiscuity, smoking, under-age drinking, use of illegal drugs and engagement in delinquent behavior. Neither environment accounted itself very well. Students, untrained in morality or in the fact that it is God Who establishes the ultimate standards for human behavior, were about equally engaged in bad behaviors whether in urban or suburban areas.

One very telling aspect of this study points out the incredible moral decline that has befallen young people in the United States: “Urban and suburban schools are virtually identical in terms of WIDESPREAD SEXUAL ACTIVITY. Two-thirds of all suburban and urban 12th graders have had sex; 43 percent of suburban 12th graders and 39 percent of urban 12th graders have had sex with a person with whom they did not have a romantic relationship” (Emphasis added).

This last category, “a person with whom they did not have a romantic relationship,” shows just how much the laws of God are being trampled underfoot and ignored in our generation. In this light, all need to consider what Galatians 6:7 states: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” This is an absolute and exacting law. Unfortunately, society is bringing judgment upon themselves, and this is poignantly sad for the young people of our generation who simply have not been taught God’s ways!

PANDEMIC?

The past two weeks have witnessed the emergence of an avian influenza in Asia that has lead to human deaths due to severe respiratory disease. “The World Health Organization has called for a united international effort–similar to the SARS response–to combat bird flu as the human death toll from the virus mounts” (www.cnn.com 1/27/2004).

“Since late last year, the flu has struck hundreds of thousands of birds and prompted widespread poultry culls in South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam and Japan. In Vietnam, the problem began last October” (www.nature.com 1/13/04). The article from Nature continues: “Spates of bird flu are viewed with alarm because they are a probable source of the NEXT HUMAN PANDEMIC.”

This article also points out the underlying reason that such fear is aroused by this current outbreak: “Fortunately, these viruses lacked the ability to hop easily between people, which helped to contain the problem. But a future strain might pick up this ability, either by mutating, or by mixing genes with a human flu virus. A virus capable of human-to-human transmission could rip through a population with little natural immunity, experts warn. ‘The ensuing virus would then be highly pathogenic and transmissible. This is why the World Health Organization [WHO] and the Vietnamese authorities are treating this matter seriously,’ says Shigeru Omi, WHO’s regional director for the western Pacific.”

Other articles reporting about this outbreak point out that there is a tendency for some nations to either cover-up cases in their own areas or to be overly cautious and slow in determining that infections are occurring. This frightening specter of non-cooperation leads some experts to conclude that an actual pandemic of global proportions could result. As witnessed in the SARS incident of last year, the financial blow to national economies can be catastrophic.

Jesus Christ warned that in the time period leading up to His return, “…there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and PESTILENCES; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven” (Luke 21:11). Many of these kinds of things are happening even now; however, the Bible clearly teaches those who will listen and believe these warnings that we are now just at the forefront of these long prophesied events. This same chapter (21) shows us the approach we must take: “Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man” (v.36).

MEDIA LIES

In a stunning turn of events, “Tony Blair bounced back from looming political disaster yesterday with a combative endorsement of Lord Hutton’s report, which vindicated his conduct over Iraq and the Kelly affair, routing the Tory leader, Michael Howard, and other critics” (www.politics.guardians.co 1/29/04).

Continuing… “[Mr. Blair] angrily recalled how he had been accused of ‘lying, deceit and duplicity’ by the BBC and the Tories.” The toll on the British Broadcasting Corporation was swift: “The chairman of the BBC resigned on Wednesday and the broadcaster apologized for some of its reporting on the buildup to the war in Iraq after an inquiry by a senior judge lambasted the corporation. The report by Lord Hutton criticized journalist Andrew Gilligan, the BBC’s management and its supervisory board of governors, for a radio report saying the government ‘sexed up’ intelligence in a dossier on Iraqi weapons” (www.reuters.com 1/28/04). This reporting actually led to the suicide death of a Dr. Kelly when he was revealed as a source for the mis-reported story.

The Guardian article continues quoting Mr. Blair: ” ‘The communication by the media of information on matters of public interest and importance is a vital part of life in a democratic society. However the right to communicate such information is subject to the qualification–which itself exists for the benefit of a democratic society–the false accusations of fact impugning the integrity of others, including politicians, should not be made by the media.’ ”

Last year the United States experienced similar outrageous examples of reporters fabricating stories – often times not even witnessing the events they were supposed to be covering. And this kind of societal breakdown comes on the heels of highly publicized scandals involving some of the largest corporations in the nation. Greed for power, wealth and fame has overwhelmed far too many in positions of public trust and responsibility.

In the one sure and dependable source for truth, we will do well to heed the warning that God has for our generation: “…O My people! Those who lead you cause you to err, And destroy the way of your paths” (Isaiah 3:12). Then note this timely commentary found in Isaiah 59:4: “No one calls for justice, Nor does any plead for truth. They trust in empty words and speak lies; They conceive evil and bring forth iniquity.” Then, in verses 14-15: “Justice is turned back, And righteousness stands afar off; For truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. SO TRUTH FAILS, and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey.”

A RISING TIDE

Not so front, and not so center, is the issue of illegal immigration along the border between the U.S. and Mexico in this election year of 2004. Although President George Bush has proposed legalizing the status of illegal aliens in the United States as temporary workers, most politicians are generally looking the other way.

However, the flow of illegals threatens to virtually eliminate the border. In practical fact, that may already be the situation. “According to the German news agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur, the study (by a Mexican government agency) was conducted by the National Population Council, or Conapo. It found the number of illegals coming from Mexico each year now exceeds 1 million. The report says about one-third of those who enter illegally, 390,000 annually, achieve their goal of staying in the U.S” (www.WorldNetDaily.com 1/26/04).

Some estimates place the number of Mexican illegals now living in the U.S. at over 10 million!

State of the Union

STATE OF THE UNION

On the heels of political attention directed to the Iowa caucus; both the US press along with media worldwide turned their focus on President George Bush’s State of the Union address on Tuesday night of this past week.

Beyond the political banter and positioning for President Bush’s upcoming campaign season for another term as president, there was a very somber warning. From the text of the speech delivered by Mr. Bush, we quote these words: “Our greatest responsibility is the active defense of the American people. Twenty-eight months have passed since Sept. 11, 2001–over two years without an attack on American soil–and it is tempting to believe that the danger is behind us. That hope is understandable, comforting–and FALSE. The killing has continued in Bali, Jakarta, Casablanca, Riyadh, Mombassa, Jerusalem, Istanbul and Baghdad. The terrorists continue to plot against America and the civilized world (State of the Union Address, 2004, By President George Bush–emphasis added).

The goal of terrorists remains the United States proper. Unimaginable destruction that would make even the disaster of 9/11 pale is within the realm of possibility. In a review of articles from the February 2004 issue of “Whistleblower Magazine”, one article notes an amazing quotation of the US vice-president: “Vice President Dick Cheney’s chilling assessment that nuclear terror is ‘the major threat’ facing America: Calling a WMD attack on the U.S. ‘one of the most important problems we face today,’ Cheney added: ‘To contemplate the possibility of them unleashing that kind of capability–of that kind of weapon, if you will, in the midst of one of our cities–that’s a scary proposition’ ” (www.shopnetdaily.com 1/21/2004).

Scary, indeed! Traditional explosives coupled with nuclear waste materials could render population centers uninhabitable. Biological agents leading to widespread illness and death are considered as probable future occurrences–in fact, some experts believe terrorism of this sort has already taken place in recent months with the widespread and sudden introduction of diseases such as the West Nile Virus.

Already, the financial might of the United States has been rocked by terrorist acts. Without large government infusions of money for the airlines, air travel in North America could have collapsed. The American way of life has been inalterably changed based on the element of constant fear. As President Bush stated following the attacks of 9/11, the U.S. is no longer protected by our surrounding oceans.

Beyond these frightening events in the news, we need to be reminded of the stern warnings which God issued for His people Israel and their descendants in both Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28. Of particular note is verse 17 of Leviticus 26: ” ‘I will set My face against you, and YOU SHALL BE DEFEATED BY YOUR ENEMIES. Those who hate you shall reign over you, and you shall flee when no one pursues you.’ ” Verse 37 adds: ” ‘…you shall have no power to stand before your enemies.’ “

“CLOSING THE GAP…”

In evaluating the strong Euro and the falling dollar, a report from a national radio program stated that Europe was “closing the gap” in which the U.S. has been the dominant economic power in the world while nations such as France and Germany along with other European nations trailed behind.

In fact, as we have been continually reporting in this weekly “Update,” Europe is emerging on far more fronts than just economic. Political movements are creating allies among the nations of central Europe that are destined to catapult them into a dominant world role. There is now more than just a stirring of religious fervor as Pope John Paul II exerts dramatic papal influence in European as well as world events.

The pope has waged an ongoing diplomatic campaign against the U.S.-led war with Iraq. He has been particularly outspoken in his opposition to any kind of “pre-emptive” use of power such as the kind of actions in its war against terror that the U.S., under President Bush, has adopted.

AGI Online reports that, “…next Friday the pope will receive American vice president Dick Cheney at the Vatican, while tomorrow (Friday, January 23, 2004) the Spanish prime minister Aznar will meet with the [pope]” (www.agi.it).

Events such as these reflect the changing dynamics of international influence as new power-blocks are emerging. Biblical prophecy speaks of a coming national punishment called “…the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7). Furthermore, the Bible also reveals that Britain and the United States will bear the brunt of this punishment because of their great national sins, and because these nations are the modern descendants of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. Our booklets deal more specifically with prophetic events for these times in which we live. You are also welcome to contact us directly with any questions.

ISRAEL SMOLDERS!

The fires are never quenched in the nation of Israel. The slightest provocations make headlines around the world. This week was no different.

“Israeli planes attacked Hezbollah targets in south Lebanon on Tuesday, threatening an escalation of clashes along a border that has been relatively calm for nearly four years” (AP News 1/21/2004). This in turn has led to broader accusations and threatening pronouncements between Syrian and Israeli officials. Events such as this reveal the tinder-box status of life in the Middle East.

Compounding the situation is a possible indictment against Prime Minister Sharon. “An Israeli court charged a real-estate developer Wednesday with paying more than a half-million dollars in bribes to Ariel Sharon–a case that could force the prime minister to step aside” (www.comcast.net 1/21/2004).

The article continues: “Sharon is also being investigated for alleged involvement in illegal campaign financing. If Sharon is charged, he would be forced to suspend himself from office while the case is pending. But the prime minister could also face pressure from the public and his own party to step down before that.”

The potential for changes in national leadership exist around the globe. The U.S. has a presidential election in which the re-election of George Bush is certainly a question mark. Although very active in spite of serious health problems, Pope John Paul II is considered extremely fragile. Prime Minister Tony Blair has taken heavy political body blows because of his support for the U.S.-led Iraqi war. Leadership across Europe is now being second-guessed following the failure of finalizing a European constitution. Add to this the explosive emergence of China’s economic might, and we see a world that is destined to undergo many dramatic changes in the coming months.

U.S. Draft?

BEWARE — IS THE U.S. DRAFT COMING?
The indications are increasing that a military draft might be reinstated in the United States, following the next presidential election in the autumn of 2004. A Senate Version of a bill to create a draft for MEN AND WOMEN who are U.S. citizens or RESIDE in the country, known as Bill S 89 IS, is pending with the Committee on Armed Services. Section 2 of the proposed bill reads: “It is the obligation of every citizen of the United States, and every other person residing in the United States, who is between the ages of 18 and 26 to perform a period of national service [for a minimum of two years].” The proposed bill allows, under Section 8, for “conscientious objection” from combatant training, requiring the qualified person to participate “in military service that does not include any combatant training component.” It also allows the transfer of a conscientious objector, “at the discretion of the President,” to a “national service program for performance of such person’s national service obligations.”

As WorldNetDaily reported on January 13, 2004, in addition to Senate Bill S. 89 IS, the “House of Representatives’ version of the bill, H.R. 163, also attempts to reinstate the draft, but it only applies to men from 18-22 years of age.” The newspaper went on to report that Aaron Russo, a Libertarian candidate for president, authored and supported a petition, stating that these attempts to reinstate the draft constitute “infringement upon our personal freedoms.” The paper reminded its readers that last Fall, the Selective Service System had posted a notice on their Webpage saying the agency was looking for people to serve on local draft boards. The paper continued: “Libertarian commentators CLAIM THE GOVERNMENT IS GETTING THINGS PREPARED SO IF THE DRAFT IS REINSTATED, CONSCRIPTION CAN BEGIN AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.”

YELLOWSTONE CLOSE TO ERUPTION?

The Idaho Observer reported in December 2003 that “Yellowstone National Park happens to be on top of one of the largest ‘super volcanoes’ in the world,” and that the next eruption is “long overdue.” According to the article, it “could be 2,500 times the size of the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption.”

The article reported that “In July, 2003, Yellowstone Park rangers closed the entire Norris Geyser Basin because of deformation of the land and excessive high ground temperatures… There was no choice but to close off the entire area. Everything in this area is dying: The trees, flowers, grass and shrubs. A dead zone is developing and spreading outward. The animals are literally migrating out of the Park. Then during the last part of July one of the Park geologists discovered a huge bulge at the bottom of Yellowstone Lake. The bulge has already risen over 100 feet from the bottom of the Lake and the water temperature at the surface of the bulge has reached 88 degrees and is still rising… The Lake is now closed to the public. It is filled with dead fish floating everywhere. The same is true of the Yellowstone river and most of the other streams in the Park. Dead and dying fish are filling the water everywhere. Many of the picnic areas in the Park have been closed.”

The article then pointed out the following: “The irony of all this is THE SILENCE BY THE NEWS MEDIA AND OUR GOVERNMENT. VERY LITTLE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE FROM YELLOWSTONE PERSONNEL OR PUBLICATIONS. What mainstream news stories do appear underscore the likelihood of a MASSIVE VOLCANIC ERUPTION.”

On the other hand, the University of Utah published the following on their Webpage:

“We do not know [when Yellowstone will erupt again]… [Yellowstone] scientists [have] NOT detected signs of activity that suggest an eruption is imminent.” They also state that it is “NOT TRUE” that “the next eruption of Yellowstone is overdue.”

The Idaho Observer totally disagreed with that representation. It quoted “a source that has demonstrated first-hand knowledge of the park’s history and recent geothermal events,” as saying: “The American people are not being told that the explosion of this ‘super volcano’ could happen at any moment. When Yellowstone does blow, some geologists predict that every living thing within six hundred miles is likely to die.”

When reading such alarming reports, we most certainly must not ignore the problem, nor try to downplay it, nor put our heads in the sand, thinking that thereby the problem will go away. At the same time, we must be aware of “sensationalized” news without basis in fact. However, in the case of Yellowstone, the report of the Idaho Observer appears to be very credible. The Bible warns that in the last days, terrible times will come, and that the ultimate situation would be so bad on earth that ALL HUMANS would die, if Christ would not intervene.

In that light, volcanic eruptions, just like the one described in this section, would most certainly be a distinct possibility.

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER’S BUDGET CUTS PROPOSAL

After the initial enthusiasm over Arnold Schwarzenegger’s election as California’s new governor, his budget cuts proposal, introduced last Friday, January 9, 2004, has found an overwhelmingly negative response by the national and international press.

According to USA Today, the budget proposal calls for an increase in tuition by California state and community students — in spite of Mr. Schwarzenegger’s election promise that he would “not touch” education. University students would have to pay 10 to 40 % more, and Community College students would pay 8 dollars per unit more — from 18 to 26 dollars.

The paper also pointed out that the proposal would include caps on enrollment for the State’s health insurance program for the poor and elderly, and the elimination (!) of some medical benefits for the poor and disabled (!).

Associated Press commented on Saturday, January 10:

“Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s plan to wipe out a $14 billion shortfall next year without new taxes relies on some of the same kind of borrowing and one-time solutions he previously criticized for causing the state’s fiscal crisis. The governor’s proposal, unveiled Friday, cuts more than $4 billion in spending from a variety of services, with nearly half of the belt-tightening– about $1.7 billion — coming from welfare programs and the state’s health insurance plan for the poor and disabled.”

In the German Press, both the conservative “Die Welt” and the left-liberal “Der Spiegel” published an identical article on January 9, 2004, stating that “Arnie’s budget cuts hit first and foremost the old, welfare recipients, and students.”

AMERICAN LABOR MARKET A DISASTER — WHILE THE EURO CLIMBS AND CLIMBS

Der Spiegel reported on January 9, 2004, that the figures in December 2003, regarding the creation for American new jobs, are a disaster. While 150,000 new jobs had been expected and hoped for, only 1,000 new jobs had, in reality, been created. The article continued that the number of unemployed decreased somewhat in December, but that this is another NEGATIVE indication for the disastrous status of the American labor market. The reason for the decrease was, according to the American Economy Department, that about 433,000 unemployed did not even bother to register to find a new job, as no new jobs were available.

The magazine quoted American economy experts as saying that these figures represent an extremely disappointing picture of the American labor market.

The New York Times reported on January 7, 2004: “With its rising budget deficit and ballooning trade imbalance, the United States is running up a foreign debt of such record-breaking proportions that it threatens the financial stability of the global economy, according to a report made public today by the International Monetary Fund.”

At the same time, on January 9, the Euro reached another record high against the U.S. dollar of 1.2867, according to “Die Welt.” Acc
ording to the paper, the reason for this recent record high is the revelation of the disappointing failure of the United States to create new jobs.

CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION IN THE U.S.?

WorldNetDaily reported on January 7, 2004, about a scandalous decision of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. According to the article, “A devout Christian employee who was fired for posting quotes from the Bible condemning homosexuality lost an appeal in federal court yesterday. The San Francisco-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, regarded as the nation’s most liberal, ruled Hewlett-Packard Co. did not violate the rights of Richard Peterson when it fired him for posting the verses ON HIS DESK IN RESPONSE TO COMPANY POSTERS FEATURING HOMOSEXUAL EMPLOYEES, Reuters reported.”

LET’S GO TO MARS?

As Fox News and USA Today reported on January 15, 2004, President Bush has proposed that Americans return to the moon and travel to Mars by 2020. He said that “mankind is drawn to the heavens for the same reason we were once drawn to unknown lands and across the open sea.” Our Editorial in the next Update will address this erroneous thinking. Suffice it here to quote the incredible costs associated with this new proposal. According to USA Today, “the cost of the human and robotic missions to the moon and Mars would total roughly $120 billion by 2020,” while the U.S. faces a budget deficit this year “of $500 billion.” In addition, some scientists have already come forward and stated that the costs for the new moon and Mars travel proposal will, realistically, reach roughly 1 TRILLION dollars. These astronomical figures should be viewed in consideration of the tragic fact that human beings die EACH DAY because of HUNGER AND STARVATION.

TONY BLAIR AND IRAQ

www.thescotsman.co.uk published a disturbing article on January 12, 2004, quoting Great Britain’s Tony Blair as saying: “In the 23 months I was there, I never saw anything that I would characterize as evidence of [Iraq’s possession of] weapons of mass destruction.” The paper continued: “The Prime Minister’s position on weapons of mass destruction has been shifting since July last year, when he said he was confident evidence of ‘weapons programmes’ would be found in Iraq as opposed to the actual weapons detailed in the dossier HE USED TO JUSTIFY WAR. Yesterday, he also appeared to drop his claims that the Iraqi Survey Group, which is still scouring Iraq for Saddam’s hidden arsenal, had found ‘clandestine laboratories.'”

THE IRAQ WAR — A POLITICAL PRODUCT?

Associated Press and Reuters reported on January 14, 2004, about a speech by Senator Edward Kennedy, condemning the Bush Administration in unprecedented terms for having marketed the Iraq war as a “political product… to win elections.” The speech was broadcast live on ESPN2.

“The U.S. Senate’s leading liberal Democrat Wednesday accused the Republican White House of breaking faith with Americans by forcing them into an unnecessary war with Iraq,” according to Reuters. The article continued to quote Kennedy as saying that President Bush “put ‘a spin on the truth to justify a war that could well become one of the worst blunders in more than two centuries of American foreign policy. If Congress and the American people knew the whole truth, America never would have gone to war.'” The article continued: “[Kennedy] said the administration ‘has broken faith with the American people, aided and abetted by a congressional majority willing to pursue ideology at any price, even the price of distorting the truth.”

Associated Press added: “Kennedy said the administration’s march to war in Iraq did not make America safer, but instead has given Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida new life and made war on terrorism harder to win. ‘The war has made America MORE HATED IN THE WORLD,’ said Kennedy. ‘And it has made our people more vulnerable to attacks both here and overseas.'”

The article continued: “Asked about the speech, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Bush worked to exhaust all diplomatic means before going to war. ‘The president took the action he did because his most solemn obligation is to protect the American people,’ said McClellan. ‘And America is more secure because of the action that we took in Iraq.'”

VATICAN TARGETED?

As WorldNetDaily reported on December 27, 2003, “Terrorists planned to observe the celebrated birth of Jesus Christ on Christmas Day with a 9-11-style attack on the Vatican, according to Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi. “‘A hijacked plane into the Vatican. … An attack from the sky, is that clear?’ Berlusconi is quoted as saying in the Milan newspaper Libero. ‘The threat of terrorism is very high in this instant. I passed Christmas Eve in Rome to deal with the situation. Now I feel calm. It will pass.’

According to the paper, the premier said news of the attack on Rome was ‘precise and verified.’ He offered no details about where the information came from… Reuters reports Berlusconi later denied making the statements attributed to him by the daily, and accused its reporter of making up the quotes.”

Other papers said that Berlusconi made the denials after he came under attack from colleagues who charged Berlusconi with breaching confidentiality. The Vatican did not comment.

EARTHQUAKE IN IRAN

WorldNetDaily reported on December 27, 2003: “International offers of aid poured in to Iran as rescue teams from all over the world joined a massive search for survivors in the wake of the 6.3-magnitude earthquake that flattened the historic city of Bam, killing as many as 40,000 people… While rescue workers have pulled hundreds out of the rubble — including an infant — thousands of others are feared still trapped alive…

“But as the death toll soars from the world’s most serious earthquake since 25,000 were killed in the western Indian state of Gujarat in 2001, Tehran continued its longstanding hostility toward Israel, declaring it would not accept its assistance.

“‘The Islamic Republic of Iran accepts all kinds of humanitarian aid from all countries and international organizations with the exception of the Zionist regime,’ Jahanbakhsh Khanjani, a spokesman for Iran’s Interior Ministry, said following word that unofficial Israeli sources were considering sending aid to Iran.”

A CORE EUROPE?

As NEWS-Networld reported, Austria’s Chancellor Schuessel is opposed to the concept of a “core Europe.” This concept had been proposed by Germany and France after the failed attempt in December to create a European Constitution for all European member states. Schuessel said, “This is not the kind of Europe that I want. We want to use all our strength to create a European Constitution for all 25 member states.” Nevertheless, he added: “If we should not be able to create a European Constitution…, and there should be a core Europe, then we will do everything that we will be a part of it.”

STRONG EURO — WEAK DOLLAR

As Der Spiegel Online and Reuters reported on December 31, 2003 and January 1,2004, “The euro broke above a $1.25 barrier FOR THE FIRST TIME on Monday.” While the euro “climbs and climbs,” traders “expect a further decline of the value of the U.S. dollar.” Amazingly, the Bush Administration sees no cause for concern, having, as one commentator put it, “an evident policy of benign neglect, if not outright approval of a cheaper dollar.” Reuters stated: “In just under a year since taking office last January, Treasury Secretary John Snow has toned down the former hard-line U.S. commitment to a ‘strong dollar,’ effectively endorsing the fall by saying that its value ‘reflects the fundamentals of the demand and supply for currencies.'”

EUROPE IN THE “NEW YEAR”

AFP reported on January 1, 2004: “Buoyed by a strong euro and mindful of EU expansion, Europe’s leaders used their New Year’s messages to urge their peoples to work hard to meet the challenge of ensuring economic renewal and stability, in an uncertain and increasingly interconnected world.” Quoting Germany’s Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, the paper wrote: “‘Germany, which has Europe’s biggest economy, ‘will not be the only country to benefit by us acting decisively to modernize. THE WHOLE OF EUROPE IS LOOKING AT OUR EFFORTS IN HOPE,’ the chancellor said.” Quoting British Prime Minister Tony Blair, the paper continued: “‘Boom and bust, economic uncertainty… used to be the British disease. We have cured that disease,’ Blair said.”

Whatever the British “disease,” the Bible makes it clear that it has not been cured. At the same time, the Bible predicts that Germany will be Europe’s leading power in the last days. Note this remarkable prophecy for our days, in Hosea 5:13: “When Ephraim [Great Britain and other Anglo-Saxon English-speaking nations] saw his sickness…, Then Ephraim went to Assyria [modern Germany and other German-speaking nations] And sent to King Jareb [the final leader of a United Europe, apparently a German or an Austrian]; Yet he cannot cure you… For I [God] will be like a lion to Ephraim…”

Also, note this prophecy for our time in Hosea 7:11: “Ephraim also is like a silly dove, without sense… They go to Assyria. Wherever they go, I will spread My net on them; I will bring them down like birds of the air; I will chastise them According to what their congregation has heard. Woe to them, for they have fled from Me! Destruction to them, Because they have transgressed against Me.”

To learn more about the future of continental
Europe and Great Britain, please read our free booklets, “Europe
in Prophecy” and “The
Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.”

“U.S. DISTRACTED – AND THE WORLD CHANGED”

This was the headline of an article, published by UPI on December 26, 2003. The author, Martin Walker, continued:

“While the Bush administration focused relentlessly on the war in Iraq and its confused and bloody aftermath, the rest of the world has been busy reshaping the geopolitical map that has prevailed since the end of the Cold War. In Europe, Russia, China, India, the Middle East and South America, regional powers have been adjusting to the new realities of American military and strategic dominance, and to potential American weaknesses in the longer term.

“Some of those vulnerabilities, like the endemic U.S. trade deficit and the return of massive federal budget deficits, or the threat from militant Islam and the rise of China, are obvious. Others, like Europe’s slow withdrawal from its traditionally subordinate status, or Russia’s attempt to reassert control over the newly independent states who were once part of the Soviet Union, are less clear…

“With India, China and Pakistan all nuclear powers, Asia is now assuming the geopolitical importance and hair-trigger danger that Europe suffered in the Cold War. And the European Union itself remains a major player, even though its two nuclear powers, Britain and France, were on opposite sides of the argument over the Iraq war. Indeed, the growing cohesion of the EU, both as an economic actor through the euro currency, and as a strategic actor through its Common Foreign and Security Policy, is one of the striking features of the emerging new world order.

“Bickering over its budget and its draft new constitution, the EU is a quarrelsome work in progress, but the overall trend towards integration is clear. Even in the year when U.S. defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld spoke of a division between “Old” and “New” Europe over Iraq, the loyal British signed up with the French and Germans for a new EU defense structure, subtly independent from the U.S.-led NATO and able to mount military operations separately from the United States…

“But as the EU enlarges, with Cyprus joining on May 1, 2004 and Turkey now formally accepted as a candidate member, the EU is moving closer and closer to the Middle East. This is a region where European and American interests have traditionally been at odds, from the Suez crisis of 1956, the refusal of landing rights to U.S. aircraft resupplying Israel in the 1973 Yom Kippur war, to this year’s Iraq war.

“The EU and U.S. are the world’s two economic giants, each accounting for almost a quarter of global GDP, and their joint failure in 2003 to secure progress at the World Trade Organization summit at Cancun, Mexico, was an important warning sign…

“Brazil’s radical new President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva symbolizes the way that Latin America is increasingly determined to go its own way, despite the powerful tradition of U.S. influence. The EU now invests more in Latin America than the United States, and China is now Argentina’s largest market — signs of erosion in Washington’s role…

“The British, French and German foreign ministers crafted a deal this year to bring Iran’s nuclear ambitions back within the non-proliferation rules of the International Atomic Energy Authority, and China has become a key player in the North Korean negotiations… this is no longer the lonely American superpower running the show…

[Russian Vladimir] Putin’s… clampdown on the Russian media and the arrest of the oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, and the renewed centralization of authoritarian power in the Kremlin along with the ruthless repression in Chechnya, make Russia look more like the old Tsarist system. Putin’s recent bullying of former Soviet republics like Georgia and Moldova suggests that the old Russian imperial pretensions are far from dead…

“The question is whether the main players in the Middle East, whether Israel defying American advice against building more settlements on Palestinian land, or Saudis terrified that relaxing their hold will make an al-Qaida coup more feasible, see it quite Washington’s way.

“That has been the problem in the year 2003. For all America’s wealth and power, the world did not see matters Washington’s way, and began making their own, alternative arrangements. And with the United States about to become even more distracted by the introspection of a presidential election year, the world’s other major powers in Europe and Asia will have even more room to maneuver and craft a world in which America no longer rules the roost. Historians may yet look back [at this era]… when America’s moment of undisputed power began to give way to a new balance among a series of regional powers, each able to challenge American dominance in its own sphere of influence.”

Mad Cow Disease

MAD COW DISEASE IN THE U.S.?

As Associated Press reported on December 24, 2003, “Federal officials insisted Wednesday that the food supply remains safe, even as a fallout began from the apparent discovery of the first case of mad cow disease in the United States. The impact was evident almost immediately: EIGHT [ASIAN] NATIONS, INCLUDING JAPAN, SOUTH KOREA AND TAIWAN, HALTED U.S. BEEF IMPORTS… JAPAN IS THE LARGEST OVERSEAS MARKET FOR U.S. BEEF…”
Japan imposed an indefinite ban and planned to recall certain meat products already on the market, according to USA Today.

Other articles pointed out that the second-largest overseas market for U.S. beef is South Korea, and that Japan and South Korea “were followed by other key Asian buyers such as Singapore, Malaysia, [Hong Kong], and Taiwan, while Australia and New Zealand said they would stop U.S. beef at their ports pending the outcome of U.S. [examination] on the infected animal.” As USA Today reported on December 24, in addition to the eight Asian nations, Mexico has also blocked the import of American beef.

As Bild reported, the European Union does not intend to block any further import of American beef, “as the import of most of the American beef into Europe is already banned, due to the treatment of American beef with hormones.”

Associated Press reported on December 25 that “A British lab provided initial independent confirmation Thursday that the United States has its first case of mad cow disease.” The article continued: “The [U.S.] government is trying to find the herd the cow was raised with, since the cow likely was sickened SEVERAL YEARS AGO from eating feed made partly from an infected cow. The incubation period in cattle is FOUR TO FIVE YEARS… Authorities were also scrambling to find where the meat cut from the animal was sent. The Agriculture Department already has issued a recall for 10,410 pounds of beef.”

It was also stated in the press that “Mad cow disease eats holes in the brains of cattle. It sprang up in Britain in 1986 and spread through countries in Europe and Asia, prompting massive destruction of herds and decimating the European beef industry. People can contract a form of mad cow disease if they eat infected beef or nerve tissue, and possibly through blood transfusions. The human form of mad cow disease so far has killed 143 people in Britain and 10 elsewhere, none in the United States.”

Der Spiegel Online explained that mad cow disease is caused by the practice of feeding to cattle recycled brains of animals, and “animal flour” (i.e., ground animal bones) in general. As one observer pointed out: “The food industry’s practice of using every last piece of slaughtered animal has meant that unwholesome remains now re-enter the food chain as food for another animal. Recent outbreaks of ‘mad cow disease’ have been caused by this practice… This would never normally occur in nature; left to their own devices, cows would not eat meat.”

According to Associated Press of December 25, “John Stauber, the author of ‘Mad Cow U.S.A.,’ said the U.S. hasn’t done enough to keep [Mad Cow Disease] out of the country. Cattle get sick by eating feed that contains tissue from the brain and spine of infected animals. The United States has banned such feed since 1997. ‘Here’s the problem, the feed ban has been grossly violated by feed mills,’ Stauber said… Stauber also said he believes the ban is ineffective because it exempts blood from cattle, which Stauber said could transmit mad-cow type diseases… Dr. Stanley Prusiner, a neurologist at the University of California at San Francisco [and a Nobel laureate], who discovered the proteins that cause mad cow disease, said he warned… recently that it was ‘just a matter of time’ before the disease was found in the United States.”

EARTHQUAKE IN CALIFORNIA

Associated Press reported on Tuesday, December 23, 2003:

“More aftershocks rattled the area Tuesday following a magnitude-6.5 earthquake that jolted the central California coast… Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger… declared a state of emergency for San Luis Obispo County… Residents from San Francisco to Los Angeles were shaken by Monday’s quake, the first to cause [two] fatalities in the state since a magnitude-6.7 temblor hit Northridge in 1994… The quake was centered on a series of faults that run parallel to the San Andreas Fault… Monday’s quake was the state’s most powerful since 1999, when a nonfatal magnitude-7.1 quake struck the desert near Joshua Tree. The last one of a similar size in the area was in 1952.”

LATEST NEWS ON AUSTRIA’S JOERG HAIDER

Recently, the world has not heard much of Joerg Haider, governor of the Austrian State of Carinthia. This does not mean that Haider has become a non-entity. Quite to the contrary. Last week’s developments proved the opposite, and showed once again that Haider is a person to be reckoned with.

As Yahoo! Nachrichten and Der Spiegel Online reported on December 17, 2003, Haider questioned on Austrian public television that the Americans had in fact captured Saddam Hussein. He said that the person captured could be one of Saddam’s many doubles, and that the DNA testing of his saliva was meaningless, as they did not have a prior sample for comparison. He added that the reports of Saddam’s capture were “pretty much fraudulent” and constituted “an American play of ham actors.” He stated that the Americans needed a success story to help solve President Bush’s dilemma.

Haider continued by comparing President Bush with Saddam Hussein and Israel with a dictatorship similar to China and Iraq before the war. When asked whether he preferred Saddam to Bush, Haider said, “This is a tough call, because both have violated international law and both have violated human rights. The only difference is that one had the luck to lead a world power, and therefore the ability to make the laws, while the other was a weak dictator.”

Many Austrian politicians condemned Haider for his remarks. This prompted Haider to respond even further. As NEWS-Networld and “Kleine Zeitung” reported this week, Haider published one-page advertisements in newspapers in Carinthia, defending his statements and adding, “The truth hurts.” His ads stated that the goal of the American war “was not freedom and justice, but the possession of Iraqi oil.” He charged the United States with having “provided Hussein with weapons and poison gas in the past — as long as it served U.S. interests.” He claimed that “George Bush repeatedly misrepresented the facts to the world community,” and that Pope John Paul II and Mikhail Gorbachev share Haider’s position.

The further condemnatory reaction of Austrian politicians prompted Haider to additional press releases and statements. As NEWS-Networld reported, Haider said on Austrian radio that there was a difference between the published opinion and the public opinion. He claimed that he had received many phone calls from Austrians “who were happy that someone was saying what many in Austria were thinking.”

NEWS Online published on December 23 a commentary by popular Austrian columnist, Peter Pelinka, titled, “No good year for Europe.” He stated: “2003 was not a good year. Not for Austria…, not for the world (Joerg Haider is correct in one point: The politics of President Bush are indeed extremely dangerous, but one cannot compare him with the bloody dictator Saddam), and especially not for Europe…”

NO GOOD YEAR FOR EUROPE?

Austrian columnist Peter Pelinka stated in his commentary, published by NEWS Online: “It is truly a paradox: National borders have become meaningless in a globalized economy…, 80 percent of the laws (including for Austria) are made by the European Parliament…, the ‘old Europe’ grows together with the ‘new Europe,’ following historical rules… The U.S. author, Charles Kupchan… remains optimistic: He describes the United States as a decreasing and Europe as an increasin
g world power, based on the rules of world history. He sees Europe experiencing now what the United States accomplished in the 19th century.”

WHAT’S NEXT FOR EUROPE?

Der Spiegel Online published on December 20 an interview with Joschka Fischer, Germany’s foreign minister, following the failed attempt of the constitution summit to create a European Constitution. He called the failure “a beneficial shock.” He continued: “To my mind there won’t be a ‘European nucleus.’ Instead, there will be different nuclei, different speeds. But there will be A GROUP OF COUNTRIES WHICH ARE INVOLVED EVERYWHERE, the nucleus of the nucleus, so to speak.”

According to Reuters of December 13, 2003, French President Jacques Chirac had already “called for smaller ‘pioneer groups’ of countries to forge ahead with closer integration in defense, economic policy and justice… German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder… took a similar line: ‘If we don’t manage in the foreseeable future to reach a consensus, then there will emerge a Europe of two speeds.'”

The breakdown came when Poland and Spain insisted to uphold the Nice agreement in 2000, which gave Poland and Spain nearly the same voting rights as Germany, whose population is twice as large as theirs. On the other hand, Germany, France and Belgium were determined to change the agreement to gain more voting power.

The Bible predicts that in the end, there will be ten nations or groups of nations ruling over Europe. The most recent development could constitute a giant leap toward the final fulfillment of that prophecy. For more information, please listen to our recent split sermon on the issue, titled, “Europe — Now What?” The sermon has been posted at http://www.eternalgod.org/audio/index.php.

IS THE PLANET MARS BECOMING GERMAN?

With this incredible headline, German boulevard paper Bild “informed” its readers on December 21 that the first European spacecraft will be landing on Mars on December 25. It continued, “In three days, Mars is German.” To “prove” this claim, the article stated, “Key portions of the landing device were made in Germany.” The name of the spacecraft is “Beagle 2.” It was the ship “Beagle,” on which Charles Darwin developed his key ideas of the evolution theory. And so, scientists are hopeful that they will now find traces of water and proofs for alien life on planet Mars.

“USA SABOTAGES BILLION EUROS PROJECT
IN ‘OLD EUROPE'”

This was one of the headlines of Spiegel Online, dated December 22. The article continued, “The political fight between the United States and the ‘old Europe’ has now reached science. In order to revenge itself for France’s ‘No’ to the Iraq war, Washington wants to prevent the construction of a development reactor, which will be worth billions of Euros, in Iter, France. The reactor,” said the magazine, “could solve man’s energy problem… The project has been worked on for eight years by the EU, Japan, the USA, China, Russia and South Korea. It will cost 10 billion Euros… The decision where to build the reactor was postponed until February 2004… While Russia and China preferred the location of Iter in France, the USA, South Korea and Japan voted for Rokkasho in Japan.”

UNACCEPTABLE CHRISTIAN ZEAL?

The left-liberal German magazine, Der Spiegel, published an article, titled, “All Over the World for God.” It stated: “Thousands of German missionaries are trying to convert non-believers in far-off lands. While the large churches are gradually withdrawing, more and more Christian sectarians are disseminating MEDIEVAL SUPERSTITION by DUBIOUS METHODS. Both groups consider the THEORY OF EVOLUTION TO BE NONSENSE… they consider HOMOSEXUALITY TO BE A SIN, ABORTION EQUALLY SO, AND PREMARITAL SEX IS TABOO. Posing as foreign aid workers they also go about their missionary work in countries where Christians are unwelcome or even persecuted. THEIR CLAIM TO RELIGIOUS ABSOLUTENESS IS HARDLY LESS ZEALOUS THAN THAT OF MUSLIM EXTREMISTS. Many Jesus advertisers also show little concern for the fact that they are DESTROYING THE PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES. No wonder that the Germans are sometimes unwelcome.”

Whether public opinion likes it or not, the theory of evolution IS false (see our booklet, “Evolution — a Fairy Tale for Adults”); homosexual conduct is sinful (see our Updates Nos. 99 and 104); and abortion and premarital sex are wrong (see, regarding abortion, our booklet, “Are You Already Born Again?”). Further, to follow God’s way of life will bring persecution. The Bible is replete with examples where the “peaceful coexistence of local communities” was destroyed, due to persecution from those who rejected God’s truth.

GERMAN NEO-NAZI BAND CONVICTED

As der Stern reported on December 22, three right-extreme German musicians were convicted for creating and participating in a criminal organization. This is the first time that a German court has made such a judgment. The writer of the band received a jail term of three years and six months. The court found that he was guilty of disseminating Nazi propaganda and of committing a hate crime. The other two band members were set free on parole. The court found that the band members were partially responsible for right-extreme acts of violence, committed by third parties, as the band disseminated their music by CD in Germany (the CD had been produced in foreign countries). The band had only performed once in public. As Der Stern reported, the court held that “they had violated the dignity of man of many foreigners; they had glorified the Nazi time; severely badmouthed German politicians; and RIDICULED THE POPE and religious communities.”

NO KERCHIEFS FOR GERMAN TEACHERS?

According to “Kleine Zeitung,” a newspaper from Carinthia, Austria, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has demanded that German teachers, as well as any other public officials, do not wear kerchiefs. The article pointed out: “As justification, he stated that Germany is a secular country: ‘We are influenced by three great traditions: the Greek-Roman philosophy; the Christian-Judaic religion; and the inheritance of enlightenment.'”

One needs to ask: How can Germany be a “secular” country, if it is influenced by Christian and Jewish religions and by the Greek-Roman philosophy? The truth is, of course, that Germany is NOT a secular country, and that the separation between church and state, as it is known to exist in the United States, does NOT exist in the same way in Germany.

ROMAN CATHOLICISM AND EUROPE

According to Associated Press of December 22, “Pope John Paul II said Monday that an expanding Europe must recognize the important contributions that Christianity has made to the continent over the centuries.” The article quoted the pope as saying: “I can’t but note that Europe is going through a CRUCIAL PHASE OF ITS HISTORY while widening its borders to other peoples and nations… It is important that Europe, enriched through the centuries by its Christian faith, confirms these origins and revives its roots.'”

SAINTHOOD FOR EMPEROR CHARLES I OF HAPSBURG?

As Associated Press reported on December 20, “the Vatican on Saturday attributed a miracle to the last emperor of Austria-Hungary, paving the way for the eventual beatification and sainthood of Charles I… Beatification requires evidence of a miracle after the person’s death (!) and is the last formal step before possible sainthood. Charles’ miracle reportedly came when a cloistered nun in Brazil prayed for his beatification in the 1970s and was cured of a deadly disease, [according to] the emperor’s grandson George Hapsburg.”

Emperor Karl I of Austria (1887-1922), known as Charles IV of Hungary, was Austria-Hungary’s last emperor. He became Austrian Emperor on November 21, 1916, and King of Hungary on December 30, 1916. He abdicated at the end of the war in 1918. He sought exile in Switzerland in March 1919. He was denied
domicile in Hungary, and died in Spain in 1922 of pneumonia. His wife, Zita of Bourbon-Parma, lived for a further 67 years, dying in Switzerland at the age of 96.

DO CHRISTMAS CAROLS MAKE US SICK?

Associated Press reported on December 22, 2003, that “Labor unions in the Czech Republic demanded Monday that stores stop playing Christmas carols incessantly or pay compensation for causing emotional trauma to sales clerks. Some stores here play the same songs all day — and play them loudly. Employees say shifts have become unbearable… Unions in neighboring Austria have lodged similar complaints against stores there.”

To Tell a Lie…

We have published a comprehensive booklet, titled, “Don’t Keep Christmas,” in which we explain, in detail, why Christmas celebrations are wrong and prohibited in Scripture. This booklet includes many quotes from historical records, proving that Christmas celebrations took place long before the birth of Christ. They were kept to honor pagan deities, such as the Persian sun god Mithras, who was born on December 25. By contrast, as our booklet proves on pages 23-25, Christ was not, and could not have been, born on December 25, or anywhere near that date.

Note the following quote regarding Mithras from pages 13 and 14 of our booklet, “Don’t Keep Christmas,” citing excerpts from an article of a popular magazine:

“Mithras is the name of that transcendent being from whom they expect salvation. And each year in the winter they celebrate his birthday: in the night of December 25 with a sort of service, which we could call today midnight mass… The birthday of Jesus was declared [by Emperor Constantine and the Council of Nice in 325AD] to be on the same day on which Mithras was supposedly born… Until then, Christians had not celebrated Christmas.”

In fact, early Christians refused to celebrate Christmas, as they considered it to be a pagan feast. Quoting from page 3 of our booklet, “Don’t Keep Christmas”: “Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart, Vol. 3, concurs: ‘The celebration of Christmas on December 25 in the church begins only in the middle of the 4th century. Until then, the opposition against it was in some cases very severe…, since it was considered a pagan custom to celebrate with festivities the birthdays of kings.'”

Our booklet presents historical evidence that Christmas carols, Christmas gifts, Christmas candles and Christmas cakes, as well as the Christmas tree, are all of pagan origin, and had been used to worship pagan gods and goddesses. In regard to the Christmas tree, note this quote from page 22 of our booklet, “Don’t Keep Christmas”:

“Let’s also notice Jer. 10:2-5: ‘Thus says the Lord: ‘Do not learn the way [Note in the Lamsa Bible: ‘Religion’] of the Gentiles; do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven, for the Gentiles are dismayed at them. For the customs of the peoples are futile; for one cuts a tree from the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the ax. They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with nails and hammers so that it will not topple. They are upright, like a palm tree, and they cannot speak; they must be carried, because they cannot go themselves. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, nor can they do any good.’

“Here we find a description of the Christmas tree. Some have said, however, that Jer. 10 only talks about a wooden idol that was carved out of a tree, but that it does not refer to decorating a Christmas tree per se. Remember, though, that the pagans believed that their gods — Attis, Osiris, Dinosus — lived as tree spirits in pine trees. They believed that their gods actually changed into those trees, and they carried these sacred trees to a certain place of worship, decorated them, and adored them as deities.

“Jer. 10 condemns any kind of religious worship that includes the decoration of a pine tree or a ‘green tree’ (1 Kings 14:23), as well as the religious doctrines associated with such customs. Lamsa continues Jer. 10:8 as follows: ‘But altogether the vain doctrines of wooden image worship shall be utterly destroyed and consumed.'”

Our booklet also explains how gradually the Roman Catholic Church “adapted” those pagan customs to make the Christian faith more attractive to Gentiles. Quoting from Earl W. Count, 4000 Years of Christmas, it is stated on page 12 of our booklet: “‘The [Roman Catholic] Church finally succeeded in taking the merriment, the greenery, the lights, and the gifts from Saturn [a Roman sun god patterned after the Persian sun god Mithras] and giving them to the Babe of Bethlehem.'”

The age-old question is, however, why is it so important to know that Christmas and its customs were a pagan invention? What is wrong with “Christianizing” those pagan customs? We might not be able to bring Christ BACK into those customs (as He was never part of them in the first place), but why can’t we bring those customs to Christ and use them to worship Him in that way?

Simply, because the Bible prohibits us to do so. The concept of adding pagan practices to godly worship, known as “syncretism,” is condemned throughout Scripture. Again, we encourage our members, subscribers and friends to read or re-read our booklet, “Don’t Keep Christmas,” for a more comprehensive analysis of this important question.

In short, we read in Deuteronomy 12:29-32, that God commanded Israel that “you do not inquire after their [pagan] gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way…”

What could be clearer? God commands us NOT to worship Him in the way that the Gentiles did. Christmas was a pagan festival in honor of pagan gods. God FORBIDS us to worship Him in that way. We read in Matthew 15:7-9 that we worship Christ IN VAIN when we teach “as doctrines the commandments of men” or pagans. The Ryrie Study Bible comments regarding the passage in Deuteronomy 12:30: “The Israelites were not even to inquire about the worship of the Canaanites, lest they be tempted to INCORPORATE ASPECTS OF IT INTO THEIR WORSHIP OF GOD.”

That is, exactly, what the Roman Catholic Church did. That is exactly what God PROHIBITS His people from doing!

Throughout the Bible, God tells us NOT to ADD to God’s Word (Deuteronomy 4:1-2; Proverbs 30:5-6). This prohibition includes adding customs to our worship of God, which God did not prescribe, but which were used to honor pagan gods. Note this final quote from page 26 of our booklet, “Don’t Keep Christmas”:

“So if we contend that Christmas is a festival that honors God, then we add to God’s Word, which has nothing to say about the celebration of Christmas… Let’s also note how the apostle Paul approached the Christians in Corinth… he tells them in 1 Cor. 4:6: ‘… Do not go beyond what is written’ (NIV). A similar reminder is recorded in the second letter of John. He states in verse 9: ‘For if you wander beyond the teaching of Christ, you will leave God behind; while if you are loyal to Christ’s teachings, you will have God too’ (Living Bible). Those who do celebrate Christmas ‘go beyond what is written,’ and ‘wander beyond the teaching of Christ,’ thereby leaving ‘God behind.'”

Zimbabwe Resigns From Commonwealth

IRAQ WAR OPPONENTS BARRED FROM BIDDING

As Associated Press reported on December 9, 2003, “The Pentagon has formally barred companies from countries opposed to the Iraq war from bidding on $18.6 billion worth of reconstruction contracts… The ruling bars companies from U.S. allies such as France, Germany and Canada from bidding on the contracts because their governments opposed the American-led war that ousted Saddam Hussein’s regime.”

Reuters added the following in their report of December 9, 2003:

“The move is likely to anger France and Germany and other traditional allies in NATO and the U.N. Security Council who are being blocked out of prime contracts after their opposition to the war.” Procurement specialist Prof. Steven Schooner from George Washington University was quoted as saying, “This kind of decision just begs for RETALIATION and a TIT-FOR-TAT RESPONSE from countries (such as Germany, France and Russia).” The article also explained that there are “more than 60 countries eligible for contracts funded by the $18.6 billion appropriated by Congress to rebuild Iraq. The list included Britain, Australia, Poland, Japan, Italy, Norway, Spain, Turkey, Jordan, Egypt, South Korea, the Philippines, Romania and Saudi-Arabia.”

As could be expected, the European press of barred countries reacted furiously. Der Spiegel Online reported: “Governmental officials condemned the decision and announced resistance.” The German government spoke of an unacceptable decision and of “extremely selfish economic interests” of the United States. Associated Press added that Joschka Fischer said, “We will be speaking about it with the American side.” Russia reminded the United States of their promise to allow the entire international community to help reconstruct Iraq, according to Der Spiegel Online.

Associated Press added that it will be “difficult for [Canada] to give further money for the reconstruction of Iraq.” Canada has contributed so far $225 million to the rebuilding effort. The article also pointed out that “The White House… said Wednesday that countries wanting a slice of that lucrative pie must participate militarily in the post-war effort. Responding to the ANGRY RESPONSE FROM GERMANY, CANADA AND OTHER U.S. ALLIES, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said the policy was ‘appropriate and reasonable.'” Earlier, U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz had cited “national security reasons” for the decision.

Associated Press reported on December 11, 2003: “A conference of companies seeking $18.6 billion in reconstruction costs in Iraq has been delayed by eight days until December 19… The delay comes amid a FUROR over a Pentagon memo barring countries that didn’t support the U.S.-led war from bidding on the reconstruction contracts… [The government] declined to comment on whether the delay was linked to the dispute over the Pentagon directive.”

In a related article, Associated Press stated on December 11, 2003: “Europe’s foreign affairs chief… called the U.S. decision… ‘ [extremely] unhelpful.’… But the British government said Washington was fully entitled to limit construction contracts in Iraq to countries that were part of the U.S.-led coalition. The White House said THE BAN WAS NOT UP FOR RECONSIDERATION… The European Commission called the contract ban a ‘political mistake,’ and said it would examine the contracts to see if Washington had violated its commitments to the World Trade Organization… French President Jacques Chirac, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and Russian President Vladimir Putin all raised the contracting issue during previously scheduled telephone calls with President Bush on Wednesday… [The] conservative French newspaper Le Figaro said Thursday the exclusion was ‘bordering on PROVOCATION.’ ‘For the United States, it is truly a shame that the politics of George W. Bush be presented, once again, in such a petty manner,’ the newspaper said. ‘THE ANTI-AMERICANISM THAT NEEDS TO BE COMBATED IS GOING TO BE REVIVED.’… Russia signaled it would take a hard line on reconstructing after being excluded from the contracts. ‘Iraq’s debt to the Russia Federation comes to $8 billion and as far as the Russian government’s position on this, it is not planning any kind of a write-off of that debt,’ [the Russian government stated]… [It] suggested the CONTRACT BAN COULD UNDERMINE THE INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN AGAINST TERRORISM.”

Der Spiegel Online published several articles on December 11, addressing the worldwide reactions to Washington’s decision. German politicians spoke of “REVENGE AND BLACKMAIL.” The magazine pointed out that German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder would like to see “constructive conduct” in accordance with “international law.” U.N. General-Secretary Kofi Annan, who was visiting Germany, asked the U.S. government to REVISE their decision. The magazine reported, too, that China is “angry,” and that they have voiced their concern. It added, “Pentagon Spokesman Larry Di Rita said that ‘this is not a final list. It might perhaps include additional countries.'”

Reuters reported on December 11 that President Bush rejected European criticism. He was quoted as follows: “It’s very simple. Our people risked their lives. Friendly coalition folks risked their lives, and therefore the contracting is going to reflect that, and that’s what the U.S. taxpayers expect.”

Not everyone in the United States agreed with the Pentagon’s ruling. As A.P. reported, “Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean… cited the policy as an example of the Bush administration’s ‘confrontation’ approach ‘all over the world.'” He added, “We are now the most feared country on the face of the earth but no longer the most respected.”

As God’s Church has announced for decades, the relationship between the United States and Europe WILL deteriorate. Some, who once understood this truth, have forgotten it and have looked for and begun to preach “alternative” end-time scenarios. However, there is NO ALTERNATIVE for the truth of the Bible.

UPDATE ON EUROPEAN CONSTITUTION

As FT.com reported on December 5, 2003, “The European Union risks falling apart if heads of government put in place a flawed constitution next week, according to Valery Giscard d’Estaing, the former French president who was the architect of the draft constitution.” The article continued: “Mr. Giscard d’Estaing told the European parliament: ‘History teaches us that bad constitutions, those which are felt to be unjust or ineffective by citizens, lead to revolution or rebellion.’… Should EU leaders fail to overcome their differences next week, Mr. Giscard d’Estaing suggested they should then allow ‘time for reflection,’ possibly until after the June parliamentary decisions, rather than rush into a new round of talks: ‘If there is no political will today… there would be nothing to expect from pushing the negotiations.'”

The article pointed out that “Germany is leading to push to have a system where voting clout is closely tied to population size… On the size of the future European Commission…, [Mr. Giscard d’Estaing] reiterated his belief that the EU’s executive could not operate effectively with as many as 31 commissioners… The draft constitution proposes having 15 commissioners with full voting powers.”

Associated Press reported on December 8 that “European Union foreign ministers admitted defeat Monday in their efforts to find a constitutional compromise between countries seeking greater integration and those who fear a European superstate. Their failure after nearly two months of arduous negotiations diminished hopes for a deal on a first-ever EU constitution despite a weekend deadline for action. The ministers said the issue was so divisive it could only be resolved by EU leaders, who arrive Friday for a two-day summit.”

The article continued:

“The countries also remained at odds over how to bolster the EU’s defense policy without endangering s
ecurity ties with the United States or trampling on some countries’ cherished neutrality. In an eleventh-hour appeal, neutral EU nations Sweden, Ireland, Finland and Austria objected strongly to a proposed mutual defense pledge, similar to NATO’S, stating that if one EU member is attacked, the others are obliged to provide assistance… Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini, who chaired the talks, said he would revise the clause for a new proposal… De Villepin [of France] WARNED Frattini NOT TO WATER IT DOWN… ‘The solidarity as expressed in this clause must not be downgraded,’ he told reporters.”

Der Spiegel Online reported on December 10, 2003, that “Great Britain’s Prime Minister Tony Blair is apparently concerned that he will be treated less than equal by Germany and France regarding the battle for the EU constitution.” The two countries stated, according to the article, that they would work together more closely if a EU Constitution should not become reality at this point.

In an additional article, Der Spiegel Online reported on December 10 about the “European Fear of ‘Francallemagne.'” It pointed out: “A new German-French power bloc is developing in Europe. Smaller nations are looking at this development with concern.” The article continued: “It’s all about power in Europe… Joschka Fischer declared that there would be smaller groups in Europe if a European Constitution should not be adopted… Especially Britain looks with suspicion at the new love between the former arch-enemies, Germany and France… The message: Be aware of a powerful Germany, and be even more aware of a powerful Germany together with an already powerful France… Former German Chancellor, Helmut Schmidt, is also not supportive of a German-French power bloc. ‘We need a new agreement for a greater Europe, and not one for France and Germany,'” he was quoted in the article.

Associated Press reported on December 11, 2003, that “a new draft constitution has failed to resolve divisions among European Union governments on a voting system for the enlarged union, with growing signs leaders will miss their weekend deadline for agreement. Instead nations hardened their positions as they prepared for the summit of EU leaders starting Friday to debate the union’s first-ever constitution. EU officials have said about 100 issues remain to be decided, including whether God should be mentioned in the charter and whether there should be a majority voting on foreign policy.”

Der Spiegel Online quoted Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi as saying, “If we reach an agreement, that would be a MIRACLE. But sometimes, miracles happen.” The magazine stated, too, that Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski announced that he does not agree with the current draft EU constitution. Jean-Claude Juncker, Prime Minister of Luxembourg, warned that a failure would be catastrophic for Europe. He was quoted as saying that this was the last chance for Europe to reach a political union for all European member states. Otherwise, he added, the core states of the EU might go their separate ways. This would then place a grave responsibility on the countries which originally founded the European Community in 1957, i.e., Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.

Prophecy is marching on. The Bible reveals that ultimately, ten nations or groups of nations will lead Europe. It is exciting to see how this will work out on the political scene. It is important to watch these world events, as their fulfillment indicates the imminent return of Jesus Christ.

US RETREATS FROM GERMANY

Associated Press reported on December 8 that “the United States briefed NATO allies Monday on plans for an overhaul of American forces in Europe that may see tens of thousands of troops transferred from Cold War-era bases in Germany to new bases closer to potential trouble spots.” The article pointed out that “U.S. officials have previously said the realignment is likely to close or scale down many of the permanent bases set up in Germany and other NATO nations to face the Soviet threat. Instead troops will be shifted to smaller, lightly equipped centers ready for rapid deployment to places like the Middle East, the Balkans or Central Asia.”

AUSTRALIA JOINS U.S. MISSILE DEFENSE

Reuters reported on December 4, 2003, that “Australia has decided in principle to join a U.S.-led missile defense system, strengthening military ties with Washington.” The article pointed out, too, that “Australia has also joined the U.S. Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program to develop an advanced stealth fighter-bomber.” Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer was quoted as follows: “Our long and vigorous alliance with the United States benefits the security of both countries and will be strengthened by our participation in missile defense.” The article continued: “Canberra’s decision to join the U.S. program could spark renewed accusations by some Asian neighbors that Australia is playing ‘deputy sheriff’ for Washington in the Asia-Pacific region.”

ZIMBABWE RESIGNS FROM COMMONWEALTH

As Der Spiegel Online reported on December 8, 2003, the African state of Zimbabwe, formerly known as Rhodesia, resigned from the Commonwealth of Nations, after Zimbabwe’s membership had been suspended last year, due to alleged governmental election fraud and a refusal of President Mugabe to open the country to democratic reforms. During a Commonwealth summit in Nigeria, the vast majority of especially Western countries voted for a continuation of the suspension, while eight African countries were asking to revoke the suspension.

The Commonwealth of Nations represents one-third of the world population. It is a loose and voluntary confederation of currently 53 independent sovereign states, formed mostly by the United Kingdom and most of its former colonies. It was formerly known as the British Commonwealth, and many still call it mistakenly by that name.

As nationmaster.com explains, the Commonwealth is the successor of the British Empire and has its origins in the Imperial Conference of the late 1920s. After World War II, the Empire was gradually dismantled, “partly owing to the rise of independent movements in the then subject territories (most importantly India…), and partly owing to the British Government’s straitened circumstances resulting from the cost of the war. Burma (now Myanmar) (1948) and South Yemen (1967) are among the only former colonies that did not join the Commonwealth on independence. Ireland was a member, but left the Commonwealth upon becoming a republic in 1949.”

The article continued:

“India is the most populous member, with a billion people at the 2001 census, while Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nigeria each contain more than 100 million people. Tuvalu, in contrast, has only 11,000 inhabitants… One member of the present Commonwealth was never attached to the British Empire [i.e.,] Mozambique. [It] applied for and received membership in 1995… Fiji and Pakistan have had their memberships suspended in recent years because of military coups… South Africa’s membership was effectively suspended during the apartheid era… but was reinstated… in 1994. Nigeria was suspended between 1995 and 1999. Pakistan had earlier left on January 30, 1972… but rejoined in 1989. Zimbabwe was suspended in 2002 over concerns with the electoral and land reform policies of Robert Mugabe’s… government. Charles de Gaulle once suggested that France, though it was never a member of the British Empire (even if for centuries English/British monarchs claimed the title ‘King of France’), should apply for Commonwealth membership. This never happened.”

The current Commonwealth Members and their membership dates are as follows:

Antigua and Barbuda (1981); Australia (1931); The Bahamas (1973); Bangladesh (1972); Barbados (1966); Belize (1981); Botswana (1966); Brunei (1984); Cameroon (1995); Canada (1931); Cyprus (1961); Domini
ca (1978); Fiji (1970, left in 1987, rejoined in 1997); The Gambia (1965); Ghana (1957); Grenada (1974); Guyana (1966); India (1947); Jamaica (1962); Kenya (1963); Kiribati (1979); Lesotho (1966); Malawi (1964); Malaysia (1957); Maldives (1982); Malta (1964); Mauritius (1968); Mozambique (1995); Namibia (1990); Nauru (1999); New Zealand (1931); Nigeria (1960, was suspended in 1995, but readmitted in 1999); Pakistan (1947, left in 1972, rejoined in 1989); Papua New Guinea (1975); Samoa (1970); Seychelles (1976); Sierra Leone (1961); Singapore (1965); Solomon Islands (1978); South Africa (1931, left in 1961, rejoined in 1994); Sri Lanka (1948); St. Kitts and Nevis (1983); St. Lucia (1979); St. Vincent and The Grenadines (1979); Swaziland (1968); Tanzania (1961); Tonga (1979); Trinidad and Tobago (1962); Tuvalu (1978); Uganda (1962); United Kingdom (1931); Vanuatu (1980); Zambia (1964).

As mentioned above, Ireland left in 1949; Pakistan has been suspended since 1999; and Zimbabwe was suspended on March 20, 2002, and left on December 8, 2003.

From the above-mentioned Commonwealth Member states, the following 17 member states recognize the Queen of England, represented by a governor-general, as their Head of State, according to Swishweb.com, 2002:

Antigua and Barbuda; Australia; Bahamas; Bangladesh; Barbados; Belize; Canada; Grenada; Jamaica; New Zealand; Papua New Guinea; St. Kitts and Nevis; St. Lucia; St. Vincent and the Grenadines; Solomon Islands; Tavula; and Mauritius.

It may also not be widely known or commonly recognized that the following 20 member states are still monarchies, according to the Commonwealth of Learning, June 1999:

Antigua and Barbuda; Australia; The Bahamas; Barbados; Belize; Canada; Grenada; Jamaica; Lesotho; Malaysia; New Zealand; Papua New Guinea; St. Kitts and Nevis; St. Lucia; St. Vincent and the Grenadines; Solomon Islands; Swaziland; Tonga; Tuvalu; and the United Kingdom.

At one time the Commonwealth of Nations, formerly called the British Commonwealth, was a very powerful group of nations under British control. This is no longer the case, as nationmaster.com points out:

“With the mutual decline of interest in each other as former British colonies forge closer relationships with non-Commonwealth trading partners and close geographical neighbors, the Commonwealth’s direct political and economic importance has declined.”

Both Great Britain’s rise to power and the influential formation of a British-controlled Commonwealth, as well as Britain’s and the British Commonwealth’s political and economic decline were prophesied to occur thousands of years ago in the Bible. We will continue to inform our readers about these startling developments, as they are happening in front of our very eyes.

EU WARNS ISRAEL

As AFP reported on December 3, “The EU delivered a stern warning to Israel, declaring that its security barrier ‘must not invade’ Palestinian territory.” The article continued: “While Israel’s ‘fundamental’ security needs were obvious, ‘the route of the wall must not invade Palestinian territory,’ … [Italy’s Foreign Minister] Franco Frattini [said]. ‘We have repeated that frankly and many times to our Israeli friends,’ he added.”

EU MILITARY

Although a meeting of the European Foreign Affairs Ministers of last Friday and Saturday in Naples, Italy, did not reach agreement on the final wording of the European Constitution in such areas as voting powers and a reference to Christian heritage in the Constitution, much was accomplished during the meeting. As AP reported on November 29, “A plan by France, Britain and Germany to craft an INDEPENDENT MILITARY ROLE FOR THE EUROPEAN UNION while keeping NATO as the continent’s primary defender WON BROAD SUPPORT Saturday from foreign ministers meeting to draft a new EU constitution.” The article continued:

“The plan would create a planning and command cell for the EU at NATO’S military headquarters in southern Belgium… The draft text reads: ‘If a member state is the victim of an armed aggression on its territory, the other member states shall give it aid and assistance by all the means of their power.'”

Donald Rumsfeld criticized this proposal. The United States is very skeptical regarding the European desires for an independent army. As Der Spiegel Online reported on December 1, 2003, German Foreign Minister Peter Struck rejected Mr. Rumsfeld’s concerns, stating that the proposal intends to”strengthen the European pillar of NATO. The proposal does not intend to compete with NATO, but it is an addition.”

EU CONSTITUTION IN DOUBT?

As AP reported on November 29, “[fifteen] foreign ministers facing a deadline in two weeks for a final draft European Union constitution must still decide whether it should provide for a foreign minister or mention God when the expanded grouping [of ten new member states] enters the world stage [next May].” If the charter would be agreed on during the next summit in Brussels on December 12 and 13, it would take effect January 1, 2005. As Zenit reported on November 26, “at least eight countries — Spain, Italy, Ireland, Malta, Poland, Portugal, the Czech Republic and Slovakia — of the 25 that will make up the European Union beginning next May are calling for the introduction of a reference to Christianity in the preamble of the future Constitution. The Pope has voiced his support for this proposal repeatedly. France and Belgium have rejected the proposal.”

Another hurdle is the allocation of voting power. German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said in November: “You can’t just go and give 82 million Germans 29 votes, and then give a combined 80 million Poles and Spaniards 54 votes.” On foreign policy, Great Britain objects to the title of foreign minister, arguing it suggests a European super-state.

FISCHER PREDESTINED TO BE EU FOREIGN MINISTER?

As euobserver.com reported on December 1, 2003, “the current German Foreign Minister, Joschka Fischer is ‘pre-destined’ to be the EU’s first Foreign Minister, according to close friend and colleague Daniel Cohn-Bendit.” The article quoted Cohn-Bendit as saying, “You can hear it all over Europe.” He predicted that once Schroeder and Fischer win the next German elections in 2006, thereby guaranteeing Fischer’s continued post as German Foreign Minister, Fischer could then go to Brussels. Der Spiegel Online reported that, according to close friends of Fischer, Fischer never gave up his goal to become EU Foreign Minister.

US ANTI-TERRORISM PROGRAM ENDED

As USA Today reported on December 2, 2003, “The Bush administration is ending an anti-terrorism program that required tens of thousands of foreigners to register and stay in contact with the government while visiting the USA. The program, created after the 2001 terrorist attacks, required men and boys from 25 mostly Middle Eastern countries to re-register after 30 days and again one year after arrival.”

Those 25 countries are:

Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Egypt, Eritrea, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Lebanon, Morocco, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Somalia, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

The article pointed out the relative failure of this program, as follows: “But critics noted that would-be terrorists were least likely to register with the government and get fingerprinted and photographed. And on Monday, Asa Hutchinson, the Department of Homeland Security’s border and transportation chief, acknowledged that no ‘national security leads’ came out of it.” In addition, the negative side-effects of the program were described as follows:

“Of the 83,519 visitors registered since November 2002, nearly 14,000 were told to appear in court. Officials said most of those likely will be deported for minor visa violations.”

Beginning in January, the US government will enforce a new “entry-exit program for visitors” at airports and seaports nationwide. According to the article, “visitors with visas will be digitally photographed and fingerprinted. Those who would have been required to register under the old program [men and boys from 25 mostly Middle Eastern countries, listed above] will be put through a second, more detailed round of questioning.” 
 

European Force

As Associated Press reported on November 24, “British Prime Minister Tony Blair and French President Jacques Chirac… announced plans for a small rapid-reaction force of EU peacekeepers… Blair and Chirac said the European Union should be capable of dispatching a 1,500-strong force within 15 days to respond to a crisis.” The article continued: “The United States generally is supportive of the EU boosting its military brawn, but wants the Europeans to rely on NATO to plan and run operations. Washington is worried about plans, strongly advocated by France, to set up a separate planning and command headquarters for running military operations outside the NATO… Earlier this year, European defense ministers agreed to establish a 60,000-strong force that could be deployed within 60 days if the U.N. requested it.” The article quoted Timothy Garden of the Royal Institute of International Affairs, stating that the rapid-reaction force “showed a commitment to boosting Europe’s defense capability and would encourage other member states to bolster their military strength.”

EUROPE ANTI-SEMITIC?

As Der Spiegel Online reported on November 24, Israel’s Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, accused the Europeans of being inherently and collectively anti-Semitic. In an interview with EUpolitix.com, he stated: “What we are facing in Europe is an anti-Semitism that has always existed, and it really is not a new phenomenon.” According to Der Spiegel, Sharon also denied that one could distinguish between anti-Semitism and criticism of the Israeli government, stating, “There is no distinction today. We talk about collective anti-Semitism. The state of Israel is a Jewish state, and the positions against the state of Israel are accordingly.” He continued that Israel cannot afford to turn over their fate to the Europeans. He also said that the increasing number of Muslims in the EU certainly endangers the life of Jewish people.

On November 25, The Guardian quoted Yaron Ezrahi, an Israeli political scientist, as responding to Sharon’s remarks, as follows: “We should bear in mind that during the time of the peace process, when Rabin and Peres were leading, Israel was the favourite of the west… There was so much support from Europe and its public. Why was anti-Semitism so limited during the time Rabin and Peres led the peace process and gave the world the message that Israel was prepared to abandon the occupied territories? Sharon has a long record of calling Israeli critics of his policies traitors, and foreign critics anti-Semites. The left is concerned that Sharon’s policies are endangering Israel’s future by FUELLING VIRULENT AND VIOLENT ANTI-SEMITISM.”

SUPPORT FOR HOHMANN?

As Der Spiegel Online reported on November 25, more than “1000 CDU and CSU-members have signed a statement” to “critically support” Martin Hohmann. Hohmann had been stripped of his right to vote in parliament for the CDU, due to a controversial speech in October. The joint statement was published in the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung,” criticizing the party leaders of CDU and CSU (Angela Merkel and Sigmund Stoiber) for their conduct toward Hohmann. Similar ads had been published before in other daily newspapers. The most recent statement read that Hohmann’s speech was “partially problematic, but not anti-Semitic.” The statement included a quote from history professor Arnulf Baring, who had said on German TV: “Of course, his speech is problematic, but his expulsion is a poor witness for the CDU and for the liberal foundational understanding in this country.” The recent statement was initiated by Fritz Schenk, former moderator of a popular TV broadcast on German public television, the “ZDF-Magazin.”

SPAIN VS. UNITED STATES?

As Der Spiegel Online reported on November 25, the Spanish Government “had been one of the most supportive voices for Bush’s Iraq war. Now, foreign minister Ana Palacio admitted that the situation in Baghdad is worse than it was under Saddam Hussein.” The article continued: “According to Spanish press releases, the minister said that we have ‘a serious security problem in Baghdad.'” Spain’s Minister-President, Jose Maria Aznar, was quoted as stating that the alliance made “mistakes” after the war.

ATTACK ON FREE PRESS IN IRAQ?

As Associated Press reported on November 24, “the U.S.-appointed government raided the offices of Al-Arabiya television on Monday, banned its broadcasts from Iraq and threatened to imprison its journalists. Media groups said the action called into question the future of a free press in the country.” The article continued to explain that the station was banned from working in Iraq “for broadcasting an audiotape a week ago of a voice it said belonged to Saddam Hussein.” The Iraqi Governing Council declared, through its current council president, that “Al-Arabiya incites murder because it’s calling for killings through the voice of Saddam Hussein.”

The Council’s action was sharply criticized and condemned by numerous organizations and individuals, including the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ); the Paris-based media watchdog group Reporters Without Borders (RWB); and Josh Friedman, head of international programs at Columbia University’s School of Journalism in New York. They warned of “heavy-handed actions… toward the media that make us apprehensive about the future of free press freedoms in Iraq” (CPJ), and of “methods… that are contrary to the promise of setting up a democracy in Iraq” (RWB).

FUTURE OF EU CONSTITUTION

As www.thescotsman.co.uk reported on Tuesday, “Britain is preparing to abandon the European Union constitution if the differences between the 15 member states cannot be resolved.” The news release continued: “In an attempt to break the deadlock, Italy — which holds the EU presidency — is to present a compromise draft to foreign ministers at the end of this week.” In addition, the article pointed out: “Ian Davidson, the MP for Glasgow Pollok and chairman of Labour against the euro, was glad to hear that the British government was considering walking away from the proposed EU constitution. He said: ‘Since it was all about the creation of an EU superstate, I welcome the fact that Britain is prepared to walk away from something not in the national interest.'”

The proposed European constitution was also criticized again by the Catholic Church. As Zenit reported on November 20, the Catholic Church has been insisting that the future constitution “includes a reference to Europe’s Christian roots.” Cardinal Paul Poupard, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture, said: “The defense carried out by the Pope has, as its objective, the VERY IDENTITY OF EUROPE.” He also criticized the present wording of Article 51 of Title VII of the proposed constitution, as it might allow to “distinguish between sects, alternative religious movements, and deep-rooted Churches in Europe.”

OUTRAGE OVER BUSH REMARKS

As WorldNetDaily reported on November 24, “many Evangelical Christians in the U.S… are outraged over President George Bush’s statement [on Thursday, during a joint press conference in England with Tony Blair] that Christians and Muslims worship the same God.” The article continued: “Bush’s equivalence of the Judeo-Christian and Muslim gods brought reactions of shock and dismay from Christians in the U.S. Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention, the nation’s largest Protestant denomination, was… saying the president ‘is simply mistaken… The Bible is clear in this: The one and true god is Jehovah, and his only begotten son is Jesus Christ.'” The article also quoted Ted Haggard, president of the National Association of Evangelicals, as contradicting the president and as saying: “The Christian God encourages freedom, love, forgiveness, prosperity and health. The Muslim god appears to value the opposite.”

Religious Rights Threatened

TERROR IN ISTANBUL

As USA Today reported on November 20, 2003, at least two explosions in Istanbul “hit the high-rise headquarters of the London-based HSBC bank and the British consulate on Thursday, killing at least 25 people and wounding nearly 400.” Der Spiegel Online reported that the death toll might reach 100, and that British Consul General Roger Short was killed. USA Today continued: “The attacks, which Turkish media reported were suicide bombings, coincided with the visit of President Bush to London and were blamed on al-Qaeda… Turkish authorities said the same groups were behind Saturday’s nearly simultaneous synagogue bombings in Istanbul, which killed 23 people and the two attackers [both Turks]… On Sunday, the al-Qaeda terror network claimed responsibility for the bombings.”

The city of Istanbul has a rich history. Originally called Byzantium, it was named Constantinople in 324 by Roman emperor Constantine I. Like Rome, Constantinople was built on seven hills. The name was changed to Istanbul in 1930. It is the largest city in Turkey. Historically, it had been the capital of the Byzantine Empire and later of the Ottoman Empire. As Funk and Wagnalls New Encyclopedia points out, “Istanbul is famous as one of the most often besieged cities in the world. Before the Turkish conquest its assailants included the Arabs (673-78, 717-18), the Bulgarians (813, 913), and the armies of the Fourth Crusade, which twice succeeded in taking the city (1203, 1204). After Constantinople fell to the Turks in 1453, the city became the capital of the Ottoman, or Turkish, Empire; it was the capital of present-day Turkey until 1923, when the newly founded Turkish Republic declared Ankara (then Angora) the capital. From 1918 until 1923 Great Britain, France, and Italy occupied the city.”

The encyclopedia also states that “Istanbul is the headquarters of the Ecumenical Patriarch of the Eastern Orthodox church and the archdiocese of the Patriarch of the Armenians in Turkey; the city has nearly 200 Christian churches.”

Turkey has been understood as modern “Edom” in Biblical prophecy. The prophetic book of Obadiah foretells the future of Turkey. Sadly, it shows that Turkey and its major cities, including Istanbul, will have to face further terror, sieges, war and death.

DANGER FROM THE SUN?

Associated Press reported on November 15 about the recent “solar fireworks,” asking the question whether more is to come. The article stated, “The sun is demanding everyone’s attention, three weeks into perhaps the most dramatic and unexpected chain of eruptions ever observed… There have been as many as 11 salvos since October 19. And the fireworks could reach a new crescendo by Thanksgiving… NASA scientists compare it to a blizzard in July – in California… The biggest solar storm to affect Earth in the recent cycle was October 28… It caused a blackout in Sweden, damaged two Japanese satellites and upset radio communications and navigation systems for jets and ships. Airlines in the northern latitudes flew lower to protect passengers from extra doses of radiation… Scientists worry that a new round of eruptions could do more of the same or worse. Each solar burst hurls into space huge clouds of superheated, charged particle clouds that are 13 times the size of Earth… What will the sun do next? Astronomers can only watch and wait.”

VIOLENCE NECESSARY?

On his recent trip to Great Britain, President Bush told academics gathered at Banqueting House on November 19, 2003: “In some cases, the measured use of force is all that protects us from a chaotic world ruled by force… There are principled objections to the use of force in every generation and I credit the motives behind these views… Those in authority, however, are not judged only by good motivations. The people have given us the duty to defend them and that duty sometimes requires the violent restraint of violent men… Let us never forget how Europe’s unity was achieved: by allied armies of liberation and NATO’S armies of defense.”

From his point of view, President Bush is correct. The people did elect him, as their President and as the Commander-in-Chief, to be protected from violent men, if need be, by force. That is one of the reasons why a true Christian who rejects violence and puts his trust in God, should not participate in governmental elections.

U.S. DOLLAR KEEPS FALLING

Bloomberg.com reported on November 15 that “for the first week, the dollar dropped 2.2 percent, the biggest decline since May 9.” The article quoted a chief investment officer, saying, “Dollar weakness is a trend that is well entrenched.” Another expert was quoted as saying, “We see the dollar… going down.” A senior currency strategist added, “The U.S. dollar is being shunned.” At the same time, the EU predicts that “Europe’s economic growth will accelerate next year,” according to the article.

GAY RIGHTS ON THE MARCH…

“Massachusetts’ highest court ruled Tuesday that same-sex couples are legally entitled to wed under the state constitution,” according to MSNBC News Service. The majority opinion stated that “barring an individual from the protections, benefits, and obligations of civil marriage solely because that person would marry a person of the same sex violates the Massachusetts Constitution.” The article pointed out that the “Massachusetts Legislature… has been considering a constitutional amendment that would legally define marriage as a union between one man and one woman.”

It continued: “Gay and lesbian advocates had been cheered by a series of advances this year, including U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down anti-sodomy laws, the ordination of an openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church, and a Canadian appeals court ruling that it was unconstitutional to deny gay couples the same marriage rights as heterosexual couples… In addition to Vermont, courts in Hawaii and Alaska have previously ruled that the states did not have a right to deny marriage to gay couples. In those two states, the decisions were followed by the adoption of constitutional amendments limiting marriage to heterosexual couples.”

In an article by Christianity Today that was posted on November 19, 2003, several conservative commentators were quoted as expressing outrage regarding the recent decision of the Massachusetts Supreme Court. Family Research Council President Tony Perkins called it “the most intolerant act of judicial tyranny in recent memory.” Focus on the Family founder James Dobson was quoted as saying, “This is a very sad day in the life of this country, and one that I believe invites the very judgment of God as we move arrogantly away from our moral underpinnings… He will not be mocked, and He warned us through the prophet Isaiah, ‘Woe to those who call evil good and good evil.'” Syndicated Columnist Cal Thomas was quoted as saying that the judges “are playing God.” He wrote: “It is like morally corrupt ancient Israel when there was no king ‘and everyone did what was right in his own eyes.'”

Robert Knight, director of Concerned Women for America’s Culture and Family Institute, was quoted by Christianity Today, as follows: “Christians are sure to be targets of persecution for their beliefs if ‘gay’ marriage is given legal backing.” The article concluded, “In any case, this decision is huge news, both in itself and in its implications.”

… WHILE RELIGIOUS RIGHTS ARE THREATENED

Associated Press reported on November 14 that Alabama chief justice Roy Moore was ousted “for refusing to remove a Ten Commandments monument from the state courthouse.” The article continued: “The nine members of the Court of the Judiciary handed out the harshest penalty possible, saying Moore left them with no choice by repeatedly insisting he would never obey a federal judge’s order to move” the monument from the courthouse.

Moore’s legal opponents announced that they “intend now to file a complaint
with the Alabama State Bar Association asking that Moore be disbarred.” If this should happen, the consequences for any Christian judge or lawyer in Alabama might be catastrophic. It could mean, for instance, that a Christian lawyer, who is conscientiously opposed to serving on a jury, might have to obey an order to serve and thereby to violate his religious convictions, or face disbarment.

A poem was circulated this year over the Internet that has been attributed to Judge Roy Moore. Here are some excerpts:

“Babies piled in dumpsters,
Abortion on demand.
Oh, sweet land of liberty,
Your house is on the sand.

Our children wander aimlessly
Poisoned by cocaine,
Choosing to indulge their lusts,
When God has said abstain.

….

You think that God’s not angry,
That our land’s a moral slum?
How much longer will He wait
Before his judgment comes?”

GERMANY AND FRANCE?

Deutsche Welle, a German television broadcasting company, published an article on November 14, wondering about the future relationship between France and Germany. It stated, “If a French newspaper is right, German-French ties could go from its current love affair status to downright marriage in the future, with foreign, defense and economic policy being merged. Already united in their opposition to the Iraq war, their miserable economies and desire to keep power in the European Union in the hands of the big players, France and Germany might have even more in store. The French newspaper Le Figaro reported this week that the governments in Paris and Berlin are thinking about merging important policy fields as well… In particular the smaller countries, among them the ten new members of the European Union, fear a French-German axis could turn into a formidable bloc in the EU decision-making process… The two [France and Germany] are also in favor of a constitution provision that would limit the number of seats in the powerful European Commission in the future to the current 15.”

GERMANY’S ONGOING PARANOIA

As Associated Press reported on November 14, “Germany’s Christian Democrats [CDU] on Friday stripped a lawmaker [Martin Hohmann] of his rights to vote with or speak for the conservative opposition party in parliament.” This move followed his controversial speech on October 3, which was labeled by much of the press as “anti-Semitic.” The article also pointed out that the CDU has “also begun moves to expel Hohmann from the party entirely, a process that could take years.” Der Stern reported on November 14, that 195 of the CDU members of parliament voted for the expulsion. Nevertheless, the CDU leadership was “surprised” that 28 members of parliament voted against it, 16 members abstained, and four votes were invalid. Before the vote was cast, “letters, emails or phone calls were received by the CDU, criticizing the planned expulsion of Hohmann,” according to Der Spiegel, dated November 13. Numerous resignations of party members from the CDU were also registered.

Hohmann had addressed the CDU members of Parliament before the vote, asking for forgiveness. He stated, according to Der Spiegel of November 13:

“I have apologized three times… I have trusted the promise of [a journalist] not to reveal the identity of [Army General Guenzel, who had congratulated Hohmann on his speech in a personal letter]… The main sentence of my speech stated: ‘Neither the Germans nor the Jews are a people of perpetrators.’… Contrary to this main sentence, [another journalist] stated on October 30 on public television: ‘Hohmann calls Jews a people of perpetrators.’ This report was false. With this malicious change the journalist started the media scandal.”

Hohmann also said, according to the magazine: “In my Parliamentary address of June 6, 2003, pertaining to the Treaty between the state of Germany and the German Jewish Community, I quoted, with conviction, a passage from the book of Genesis, to warn against any attacks on Jews. God told Abraham: ‘I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ I am very saddened that I am now publicly viewed as someone who has hurt the feelings of the Jews, or who is an Anti-Semite. My goal was the opposite. My wife and my children suffer, too, because I am labeled as an Anti-Semite. I have apologized several times. I want to do everything to heal the hurt caused by me, and I beg once again for forgiveness.”

PACT SIGNED

“The Holy See and Brandenburg signed an agreement to regulate relations between the Catholic Church and the majority-Protestant German state,” according to Zenit, of November 13. The press statement of the Vatican explained: “The teaching of Catholic religion in public schools and the ecclesiastical management of schools and institutions of formation at all levels will also be regulated.” The Vatican Information Service added on November 13: “The present accord… departing from agreements with the German Reich and Prussia which are still in force… and acknowledging the reciprocal independence of Church and state and their desire for mutual cooperation, gives a permanent code to the relations between the Catholic Church and the state.”

It is obvious from the foregoing that there is not really an independence of church and state, when Catholic religion is being taught in public schools.

ZIMBABWE’S UNCERTAIN FUTURE

We were given a letter from a citizen of Zimbabwe, describing the terrible situation in that African country. Sadly, little, if anything, has been made public in the Western press. We are bringing a few excerpts from the letter:

“You probably know about the governmental doctors’ strike. They wanted their salaries hiked… The government refused, and now there is a mass exodus of these people… Things here are pretty bad. I believe we are standing at a turning point. There could either be a magical political resolution or there will be civil war. The minimum wage for a gardener is currently 12 K a month. Bread costs 3 K a loaf. How many loaves is that a month? Four. So someone with a family to support [has to] survive on four loaves of bread a month… Unemployment is increasing every day… If war breaks out…, the value of the houses is gone… In a developed country, if you work in a fast-food restaurant, you can at least rent an apartment and have food on the table. There is no chance of that here… I tell you plainly, I don’t see things continuing like this for much longer.”