Anniversary of Destruction of Dresden

As the Associated Press reported on February 13, 2005, “Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder warned Germans not to forget their Nazi past Sunday as far-right supporters rallied in Dresden on Sunday to protest a devastating Allied bombing in Second World War that killed an estimated 35,000 residents 60 years ago. Schroeder said the anniversary was an occasion for people everywhere to unite against the ‘inhumanity of war.’ But the rally – and fears of street clashes – cast a shadow over a day of remembrance and reflection on the U.S.-British air raids, which set off firestorms and destroyed the centuries-old city centre. ‘Today we grieve for the victims of war and the Nazi reign of terror in Dresden, in Germany and in Europe,’ [Schroeder] said in a statement. ‘We will oppose in every way these attempts to reinterpret history. We will not allow cause and effect to be reversed.'”

The article of The A.P. continued: “Some 5,000 far-right activists later rallied at the Saxony legislature and then marched through the city. Heading the march were leaders of the nationalist, anti-immigrant National Democratic party, which won seats in the legislature last fall. Dozens of marchers carried flaming torches and loudspeakers blared music by Richard Wagner, Hitler’s favourite composer. Banners described the attack as a ‘bomb Holocaust’ and said, ‘The day of revenge will come.’

“At least 4,500 people demonstrated against the far right, and police were out in force to keep the two sides apart. At dusk, residents in the old town lit 4,000 candles that were arranged to spell ‘This city is sick of neo-Nazis’ in Germany.”

According to the German press, including Bild Online and Der Spiegel Online, the number of those who demonstrated against the Neo-Nazis was FAR GREATER than the figures reported by the Associated Press. Bild Online stated that more than 50,000 (!) residents of the city of Dresden [not, as stated by The A.P., 4,500] demonstrated AGAINST the Neo-Nazis.

Chancellor Schroeder is absolutely right, when he warns against the abominable activities of Neo-Nazis in Germany; the re-writing of history; and the attempt to reverse cause and effect. He is also to be applauded for pointing out the inhumanity of war — ANY war! The Bible agrees with this assessment — war only leads to more war and terrible suffering, pain and death of many innocent people. The death of 35,000 civilians in Dresden 60 years ago is only one example of the many cases of history, which prove this point beyond the shadow of any doubt. And still — have we learned the lesson of history? Sadly, the answer is a resounding, NO! Man still thinks that war may solve ANYTHING — and so, we still hear of wars and of rumors of wars (compare Matthew 24:6). Paul’s words are still true today: “Their feet are swift to shed blood; Destruction and misery are in their ways; And the way of peace they have not known” (Romans 3:15-17).

Election Results in Iraq — Good or Bad?

As The Associated Press reported on February 13, 2005, “Clergy-backed Shiites and independence-minded Kurds swept to victory in Iraq’s landmark elections, propelling to power the groups that suffered the most under Saddam Hussein and forcing Sunni Arabs to the margins for the first time in modern history, according to final results released Sunday. But the Shiites’ 48 percent of the vote is far short of the two-thirds majority needed to control the 275-member National Assembly… Interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, the secular Shiite chosen by the United States to lead this country for the last eight turbulent months, fared POORLY – his ticket finishing a distant third behind the religious Shiites and Kurds. ..

“The election results highlighted the SHARP DIFFERENCES among Iraq’s ethnic, religious and cultural groups – many of whom fear domination not just by the Shiites, estimated at 60 percent of the population, but also by the Kurds, the most pro-American group with about 15 percent. The results also draw attention to the close and longtime ties between now-victorious Iraqi Shiite leaders and clerics in neighboring IRAN. The Shiite ticket owes its success to the support of Iraq’s clerics, including Iranian-born Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.”

In spite of the optimistic reactions to Iraq’s elections, the fact that the person supported by the US fared poorly; that the different groups in Iraq are sharply at odds with each other; and that the elected Iraqi Shiite leaders have close ties with Iran raises cause for concern regarding the future developments in Iraq.

Iran and the West

The Associated Press reported on February 13, 2005, that “Germany appealed Saturday for the United States to join Europe in ending Iran’s isolation, saying economic and security incentives were needed to persuade Tehran to abandon its nuclear ambitions… Germany, France and Britain are leading European efforts to persuade Iran to drop activities that could be used to develop nuclear weapons, and have been offering technical assistance and trade talks as incentives… The United States has worried Europeans by refusing to rule out military strikes if diplomacy fails. Washington has urged the Europeans to take a tougher line by threatening Tehran with U.N. sanctions.”

In a related article, The Associated Press reported on February 13, 2005, that “Iran rejected a European demand to stop building a heavy-water nuclear reactor that provides a simpler way of extracting weapons-grade fuel, and it warned the United States on Sunday ‘not to play with fire’ by repeatedly threatening Tehran. Iran has indicated previously it will keep its heavy-water reactor, but Sunday’s announcement that it will not replace it with a light-water reactor was the clearest statement yet of its nuclear plans and represented a hardening of its position… The statement underscored the unresolved differences between Iranian and European negotiators, who are continuing their talks over Iran’s nuclear program even as the United States escalates its criticism of Iran.”

It is interesting that it is, again, Germany, in alliance with France and Britain, which is taking a leading role on the world scene. It is also noteworthy that Europe (especially Germany and France) and the United States are, once more, in disagreement — in this case, as to how to deal with Iran. If European peace efforts fail (as the U.S. contended happened in the case of Iraq), will the U.S. once again pursue its course of action toward Iran without, or even against, the interests and concerns of the Europeans? The distinct possibility exists — and we are called upon to watch events like these, as they could very well lead to a further fulfillment of end-time prophecy.

NATO Forces in the Middle East?

The Associated Press reported on February 12, 2005, that “NATO should be ready to play a major role in supporting any peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, if the two sides ask for its help, the alliance’s top diplomat [Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer] said Saturday… Also, German Defense Minister Peter Struck told the conference his country was ready to take part in any NATO peacekeeping mission in the region… In Munich, [Scheffer] underlined NATO’s long peacekeeping experience and its ability to bring together the United States – Israel’s close ally – and Europeans, who are perceived as closer to Palestinians… However, officials from France and some other European nations have expressed caution about entering the Middle East. Israeli officials are wary about bringing in a NATO force, and some Arab leaders have doubts about an alliance led by the United States… The EU’s foreign affairs chief, Javier Solana, also called for increased international assistance for the revived peace process, particularly by supporting the Israeli pull out from Gaza and aiding economic development for the Palestinians.”

The Bible prophesies that Jerusalem WILL BE surrounded by armies — in the future (compare Luke 21:20, 22, 24). We also know from Scripture that it will be a mighty European military force, under German leadership, which will enter the Middle East, perhaps with the declared goal to create or maintain peace in the region. The present discussion, as reported in the quoted article, is therefore worth observing.

NATO Outdated?

As RFE/RL reported on February 14, 2005, “German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder surprised participants at an international security conference over the weekend by suggesting the NATO alliance is outdated. Speaking through Germany’s defense minister [Peter Struck], Schroeder [who did not attend the meeting] told the meeting in the German city of Munich that NATO no longer is the main vehicle for setting trans-Atlantic strategy… ‘[NATO] is no longer the primary place where trans-Atlantic partners consult and coordinate their strategic ideas,’ Struck said. ‘The same goes for the dialogue between the European Union and the United States, which in its present form does not correspond with the growing weight of the alliance or the new challenges of trans-Atlantic cooperation.’… Schroeder’s comments came as a shock. Several European and U.S. delegates [including U.S. Defense Secretary Rumsfeld] told the conference they regretted Schroeder was not present to explain his remarks. Struck said he was not in a position to do so but added that it was not Schroeder’s intention to put NATO in the grave but to improve international cooperation. [Struck] began by saying circumstances in both Europe and the United States had changed with the end of the Cold War and Europe wanted to be more deeply involved in decision-making.”

Whether or not Chancellor Schroeder’s comments are “premature,” the Bible clearly reveals that in the future, NATO will indeed lose more and more importance and influence, and it will be replaced by a powerful European power bloc, which will be ultimately at odds with the United States.

Assassination in Lebanon

As The Associated Press reported on February 15, 2005, “An angry mob attacked Syrian workers in southern Lebanon Tuesday and another group threw stones and set fires outside a Syrian government office in Beirut, blaming Damascus for the bomb that killed former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Syria has denied any involvement in Hariri’s assassination, which raised fears that Lebanon might revert to the political violence of the 1970s and ’80s, and the U.S. Embassy in Beirut warned Americans in the Lebanese capital to exercise extreme caution. Condemnation and expressions of shock came from around the Arab world and beyond. The United States called Monday’s attack ‘a terrible reminder’ that Lebanon still must shake free of occupation by Syria, which maintains 15,000 troops [there]… since the civil war ended in 1990 and has the final say in internal Lebanese politics. Before his assassination, Hariri had positioned himself in opposition to a faction more solidly backed by Syria.”

USA and France

Reuters reported on February 7, 2005, that “France wants a fresh start in relations with the United States and both sides have much to contribute to a renewed transatlantic partnership, Foreign Minister Michel Barnier said.” At the same time, Barnier added, however: “Alliance doesn’t signify allegiance… A renewed transatlantic alliance must be based on two pillars (European and American).” The article also pointed out that “France was encouraged by the election in Iraq on Jan. 30 and by a ‘renewed determination’ in Bush’s efforts over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Barnier said. But Washington must understand the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is central and there will be no progress toward democracy in the Middle East unless it is addressed, he said.”

The Associated Press reported on February 8, 2005, that “Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Tuesday urged Europeans to move beyond disagreements with the United States and join forces to spread liberty…. France was the most vocal opponent of President Bush’s handling of the war with Iraq, and Rice did not engender any goodwill in Bush’s first term when she said the United States should ‘punish France, ignore Germany and forgive Russia’ for their opposition to the invasion. Rice chose Paris for the major address of her first official tour of Europe, and offered words of encouragement and a promise of cooperation. ‘America stands ready to work with Europe on our common agenda, and Europe must stand ready to work with America,’ she said.”

Abortions in the U.S.A.

On February 7, 2005, CNSNews.com reported about an alarming development in the United States — that of increasing numbers of abortions amongst African-Americans. The article pointed out: “During America’s commemoration of Black History Month, some pro-life activists are charging that legalized abortion has led to a ‘black genocide’ of more than 14 million unborn African-American babies.”

The published figures are staggering. To summarize from the article:

— For every five African-American women who get pregnant, three have an abortion;
— Since 1973, more than twice as many blacks have died from abortion than from heart disease, cancer, accidents, violent crimes and AIDS combined;
— Blacks make up about 12 percent of the population in the United States but account for 32 percent of the abortions; and
–About 1,450 black infants are aborted every day in this country.

Israel and the Palestinian State

Reuters reported on February 8, 2005, that “Israeli and Palestinian leaders declared a cease-fire Tuesday at a summit in Egypt aimed at ending more than four years of bloodshed… But Islamic militants [especially Hamas] behind suicide bombings and rocket attacks said they were not bound by Abbas’s cease-fire, though they would continue to follow a de facto truce at his behest… Political analysts also sounded a cautious note amid the fanfares of optimism [by politicians and governmental leaders around the globe], pointing out the gap remaining on issues that led to the collapse of talks for a Palestinian state on land occupied by Israel in the 1967 war — such as on borders and whether Palestinian refugees get a ‘right to return’ to land in what is now Israel. Some 3,350 Palestinians and 970 Israelis have been killed since September 2000… Despite the optimism voiced by the politicians, many political analysts saw little advance at the summit.”

Only two days later, on February 10, 2005, Reuters reported about the fragile nature of the “truce,” as follows: “Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas fired three of his top security chiefs Thursday after militants broke a cease-fire he had agreed with Israel by bombarding Jewish settlements in Gaza with mortars. After the attacks, Israel had put off security coordination talks scheduled as a follow-up to Tuesday’s groundbreaking meeting in Egypt with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. But an Israeli official said troops would not retaliate after some 50 mortar bombs and rockets hit settlements in Gaza. There were no casualties in the attacks by militants who have refused to participate in Abbas’s cease-fire gesture, and plans for him to reconvene with Sharon next week at the Israeli leader’s desert ranch remained in place… In another reminder of armed chaos in the Palestinian street challenging Abbas, dozens of gunmen including Hamas militants had stormed into a Gaza City prison Thursday and shot dead three inmates in a settling of scores between feuding clans… Hamas militants said the barrage was to avenge the death of a Palestinian shot dead by Israeli troops from a settlement on Wednesday. Troops said they fired on suspected intruders. Palestinians said the man was a civilian walking near his home.”

Byzantium and Bavaria

An article which appeared on the Internet, reported that “An exhibition exploring Europe’s Byzantine heritage, which opened in November, is bringing the fascinating but little-understood epoch to life at the Bavarian State Archeological Collection in Munich.” The article pointed out: “Founded in the fourth century when the capital of the Roman Empire was transferred from Rome to Constantinople- modern-day Istanbul – the Byzantine Empire flourished around the eastern Mediterranean for half a millennium….

“Bavaria’s fascination for Byzantine art and culture is at least as old as mad Ludwig II, the 19th century Bavarian king known for using state money to fund his outrageously extravagant castles. Ludwig II incorporated elements of Byzantine art into his castles, most prominently into the interiors of his castle Neuschwanstein. Bavaria has also long been home to the scholarly study of Byzantine history and culture. Germany’s first program dealing with Byzantium was created in 1897 at the University of Munich and remained the country’s only such program until 1945. Thus it may interest many local visitors that a Bavarian countess became the Kaiser of Byzantium in the 12th century, or that Augsburg became the ‘cradle of German Byzantium’ in the 16th century. Critics have suggested that the exhibition overplays the Bavarian influence on European Christendom, but for a state with much pride in its religious character, that’s par for the course.”

EU and the Catholic Church

“VIS” reported on February 4, 2005, from Vatican City that “Josep Borrell Fontelles, president of the European Parliament… met… with Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano and Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo, secretary for Relations with States… President Borrell Fontelles… explained some of the parliament’s current activities and the prospects arising from the enlarging of the European Union, expressing the hope that the constitutional treaty will be ratified by all States. The president, in harmony with the position the Holy See has always maintained, was careful to underline the nature of the European Union as a ‘moral force,’ with its own message of ever valid civilization, to be proposed even in the broader international context… The conversation also touched on problems arising from the presence of three great European bodies – the European Union, the Council of Europe, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) – with agreement on the need for a clarification of their relationship. The Cardinal Secretary of State also highlighted the importance of the apostolic nunciature accredited to the European Union, in order to favor fruitful dialogue on issues of current importance.”

Human Cloning?

AFP reported on February 8, 2005, that “The scientist who created Dolly the sheep, the world’s first cloned mammal, has been given a licence to clone human embryos for medical research, triggering an outcry among opposition groups… [Ian] Wilmut’s team plans to extract stem cells from patients with MND [Motor Neurone Disease] and implant them in unfertilised eggs to create cloned embryos. They will then harvest stem cells from the embryos to grow motor neurones — the long nerves which transmit electrical messages from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles.

“The technique will not be used to correct the disease, which is caused by the death of motor neurones and affects about 5,000 people in Britain, but the study of the cells could help to develop future treatments. Wilmut shot to fame in July 1996 when he created Dolly the sheep, the first mammal ever to be cloned from an adult cell. Dolly was put down two years ago this month after she developed a lung disease. Critics of embryo cloning fear that Britain is one step closer to authorising the creation of human clones, but Wilmut dismissed such fears. ‘This is not reproductive cloning in any way. The eggs we use will not be allowed to grow beyond 14 days,’ he said.”

The Associated Press added on February 8, 2005, that “It is the second such license approved since Britain became the first country to legalize research cloning in 2001… The first license was granted in August to a team at Newcastle University that hopes to use cloning to create insulin-producing cells that could be transplanted into diabetics. Such work, called therapeutic cloning because it does not result in a baby, is opposed by abortion foes and other biological conservatives because researchers must destroy human embryos to harvest the cells.”

Tsunamis Threaten the U.S.

As The Associated Press reported on February 8, 2005, “While the deadly tsunami in the Indian Ocean has focused attention on that part of the world, great waves also pose a threat to the United States. A tsunami struck the Virgin Islands in 1867 claiming 23 lives, and geologic evidence shows giant waves have struck several times over the last 3,500 years, affecting what is now Washington, Oregon and northern California… A 1755 earthquake that devastated Lisbon, Portugal, generated a wave that caused damage in the Caribbean… And there have been reports of a potential threat to the East Coast of the United States from waves that could be generated by landslides in the Canary Islands, across the Atlantic… Tsunami, caused by undersea earthquakes or volcanoes, can travel across the ocean at the speed of a jet plane, suddenly rising up to as high as 90 feet when they reach the shore… sedimentary evidence indicates six or seven severe tsunami have struck that state’s coast over the last 3,500 years, averaging about one such wave every 500 years.”

In a related article, www.smh.com.au reported on February 8, 2005, that “The tsunami that devastated South-East Asia was much bigger than was first believed, reaching heights of 30 metres, the size of a 10-storey building, and speeds of 13.7 metres a second.

“Scientists have found evidence in the Indonesian province of Aceh which shows the world has seriously underestimated the damage tsunamis can wreak… Vasily Titov, a tsunami computer modeller at the Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory in Seattle, which is host to some of the world’s top tsunami scientists,… said the findings showed scientists needed to rework their theories on tsunamis and would probably prompt a serious upgrade in the predicted size of the tsunami expected from a major quake off the US’s north-west coast. ‘Our worst-case scenario may not be the worst-case scenario,’ he said… Tim Walsh, a chief hazards geologist with the US Government, warned that a tsunami similar in size and destructive power to the December 26 one would strike the US if the plates in the Pacific Ocean collided. ‘We look a lot like the Indian Ocean,’ he said.”

Royal Marriage in England

As CNN reported on Thursday, February 10, 2005, “Britain’s Prince Charles is to marry his longtime lover, Camilla Parker Bowles, the royal family has announced. The wedding will be a civil ceremony in Windsor Castle on April 8, followed by a service of prayer and dedication in St. George’s Chapel at which the Archbishop of Canterbury will preside… On their marriage, Parker Bowles will be given the title of Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall. When Charles becomes king, Camilla will not be known as Queen Camilla but as the Princess Consort, according to Charles’ office… Diana was divorced from Charles — heir to Queen Elizabeth II — when she died. Charles’ marriage is a sensitive issue because Parker Bowles divorced in 1995 and her former husband Andrew, a former army officer, is still alive. Charles would be the supreme governor of the Church of England if he took the throne, and some Anglicans remain opposed to the remarriage of divorcees. The church is officially neutral on the issue, but former Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey recently urged the couple to marry.”

Evolution — Scientific?

Reuters reported, on February 4, 2005, about the death of Ernst Mayr, “a Harvard University evolutionary biologist called ‘the Darwin of the 20th century.'” The article pointed out that Mayr “almost single-handedly made the origin of species diversity the central question of evolutionary biology that it is today.”

However, it’s not that simple! University Professor of Law, Michael C. Dorf, wrote in an editorial, published by the Los Angeles Daily Journal on December 30, 2004, that the “two strongest arguments [of the intelligent-design literature] appear to point to the general absence of intermediate forms in the fossil record and to unanswered questions about how certain new, complex patterns of animal bodies could have arisen through random mutation and natural selection.”

Of course, another powerful argument against evolution, not mentioned by Dorf, is the fact that there is absolutely no evidence that one species (for instance, a dog) could develop into another species (for instance, a cat). This cannot occur today, as scientists are forced to grudgingly admit, and there is no proof that it ever could have happened before. If we follow the postulate of science to explain the past by what we can prove today, we must conclude that evolution could not have happened! The evolutionary mandate of the occurrence of so-called macro-mutations (changes from one species into another species, as distinguished from micro-mutations or changes within a species) is without any scientific proof — as more fully explained in our booklet, “Evolution — A Fairy Tale for Adults?”

In spite of the fact that evolution, as taught by Darwin (and scientists like the late Ernst Mayr), could not have happened, Dorf concluded that the courts should not allow the teaching of intelligent design in public schools, as “the fact that some phenomena remain unexplained by natural selection hardly shows that natural selection… will not eventually provide (!) the best account of these phenomena.”

Is this a scientific expression — or is it a dogma of religious wishful thinking?

State of the Union Address 2005

As The Associated Press reported on February 2, 2005, “President Bush challenged a hesitant Congress on Wednesday to take political risks to make Social Security ‘permanently sound,’ saying the nation’s costliest social program was headed for bankruptcy unless changed. Bush’s plan would cut guaranteed retirement benefits for younger Americans but would not affect checks for people now 55 and older… He pledged to confront regimes that promote terror and pursue weapons of mass destruction, and singled out Syria and Iran… Bush also promised to push forward for Mideast peace, including $350 million in aid to the Palestinians… With the United States spending more than $1 billion a week in Iraq, Bush urged Congress to support his request for an additional $80 billion.”

To quote from the transcript of President Bush’s speech, as published by WorldNetDaily on February 2, 2005:

“Tonight, with a healthy, growing economy, with more Americans going back to work, with our Nation an active force for good in the world – the state of our union is confident and strong… So next week I will send you a budget that holds the growth of discretionary spending below inflation, makes tax relief permanent, and stays on track to cut the deficit in half by 2009… Thirteen years from now, in 2018, Social Security will be paying out more than it takes in. And every year afterward will bring a new shortfall, bigger than the year before. For example, in the year 2027, the government will somehow have to come up with an extra 200 billion dollars to keep the system afloat – and by 2033, the annual shortfall would be more than 300 billion dollars. By the year 2042, the entire system would be exhausted and bankrupt. If steps are not taken to avert that outcome, the only solutions would be drastically higher taxes, massive new borrowing, or sudden and severe cuts in Social Security benefits or other government programs… For the good of families, children, and society, I support a constitutional amendment to protect the institution of marriage…. I will work with Congress to ensure that human embryos are not created for experimentation or grown for body parts, and that human life is never bought and sold as a commodity…

“We are working closely with governments in Asia to convince North Korea to abandon its nuclear ambitions… The only force powerful enough to stop the rise of tyranny and terror, and replace hatred with hope, is the force of human freedom… To promote peace in the broader Middle East, we must confront regimes that continue to harbor terrorists and pursue weapons of mass murder. Syria still allows its territory, and parts of Lebanon, to be used by terrorists who seek to destroy every chance of peace in the region. You have passed, and we are applying, the Syrian Accountability Act – and we expect the Syrian government to end all support for terror and open the door to freedom. Today, Iran remains the world’s primary state sponsor of terror – pursuing nuclear weapons while depriving its people of the freedom they seek and deserve. We are working with European allies to make clear to the Iranian regime that it must give up its uranium enrichment program and any plutonium re-processing, and end its support for terror. And to the Iranian people, I say tonight: As you stand for your own liberty, America stands with you. “

The Democrats are strongly opposed to President Bush’s plans to privatize social security. The Democratic National Committee also pointed out, on February 2, 2005, that ” Experts recently announced that Bush’s growing $8 trillion dollar debt translates to roughly $26,000 per person… 4.3 million more Americans are now in poverty… 5.2 million more people are uninsured today than in 2000.”

To quote from the transcripts of the “Democratic Reponse” to the State of the Union Address, by Senator Harry Reid (Democratic Leader in U.S. Senate — Nevada) and Rep. Nancy Pelosi (House Democratic Leader — California):

“After World War II, through the Marshall Plan, we rebuilt Europe and they went from poverty to an economic powerhouse. Today, we need to invest in our nation’s future with a Marshall Plan for America – to build the infrastructure our economy needs to go – and grow…. This 21st century economy holds great promise for our people. But unless we give all Americans the skills they need to succeed, countries like India and China will take good-paying jobs that should be ours… And that’s why we so strongly disagree with the president’s plan to privatize Social Security… it’s wrong to replace the guaranteed benefit that Americans have earned with a guaranteed benefit cut of 40 percent or more… The Bush plan would take our already record high $4.3 trillion national debt and put us another $2 trillion in the red. That’s an immoral burden to place on the backs of the next generation….”

“Despite the best efforts of our troops and their Iraqi counterparts, Iraq still faces a violent and persistent insurgency. And the chairman of the National Intelligence Council said in January that Iraq is now ‘a magnet for international terrorists.’ … Yet, the gaps in our security exposed by those attacks remain… airline cargo still goes uninspected, shipping containers go unscreened and our railroads and power plants are not secure… The greatest threats to our homeland security are the tons of biological, chemical, and even nuclear materials that are unaccounted for or unguarded.”

The Run from the U.S. Dollar

As WorldNetDaily reported on February 3, 2005, “Decisions by the world’s two wealthiest men to bet on a further weakening of the U.S. dollar, coupled with China’s lack of confidence in American currency should grab the attention of every working person, says Craig Smith, CEO of Swiss America Trading… Citing widening U.S. trade and budget deficits and a federal debt of $7.62 trillion, [Bill] Gates said in a TV interview at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland last weekend he expects the dollar to extend its three-year decline…

“Smith said the actions of Buffett, worth more than $42.9 billion, and Gates, $46.6 billion, [to sell the dollar and to buy foreign currencies] are significant in light of the lack of confidence recently expressed by leaders of the world’s fastest growing economy, China, which has its currency pegged to the dollar… Since the beginning of 2002, the dollar has dropped 26 percent against a basket of six major currencies, and the trade deficit grew to a record $609 billion. In addition, the Bush administration expects the budget deficit this year to hit an all-time high of $427 billion.”

The EU Constitution — Unknown in Europe?

On January 28, 2005, the EUobserver reported that “one third of EU citizens [are] unaware of [the] European Constitution.” The article continued to explain that “a new poll has shown that a high percentage of EU citizens feel they know little about its content and a third are completely unaware of the document… Thirty-three percent have never heard of the new EU charter which was signed with great ceremony last year and is to be put to a referendum in at least nine member states – starting in Spain next month. In individual member states, the figures are higher – 50% of Britons, 45% of Irish and 39% of Portuguese are unaware of the document.”

In addition, “only 39% of citizens know that the Constitution does not foresee the creation of a direct European tax; meanwhile only 38% of respondents know that the President of the European Council will not be directly elected by citizens…”

The article also pointed out that most people in the UK are opposed to the ratification of the EU constitution (while, at the same time, 50% don’t even know of its existence). The article explained: “The UK, which many feel may reject the Constitution in its planned referendum next year, has among the most extreme results. At 30%, it has the most people against the Constitution; while, at 20%, the least in favour of the document. This contrasts strongly with Italy and Belgium where the figures in favour are 72% and 70% respectively.”

The article stated in its concluding remarks: “The Constitution, which will introduce an EU foreign minister, a permanent chair of the EU and greater powers to the European Parliament, has to be ratified by all 25 member states before it can come into force.”

In light of these statistics, and the lack of knowledge amongst many Europeans as to what the EU Constitution entails, the following prophecy in Revelation 13:3 is remarkable: “And all the world [inside and outside Europe] marveled and followed the beast” [a modern resurrected Holy Roman Empire, forming right now in Europe].

Australia vs. Europe?

The Australian reported on January 31, 2005, that Australia’s “John Howard has lashed out at ‘old Europe’, describing criticism of the US as ‘unfair and irrational’, as global tensions grow over the Iraq war and free trade. During a vigorous panel debate on US global relations at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, several European officials attacked President George W. Bush’s Iraq policy, but Mr Howard stood up to defend his ally. Earlier in the summit, Mr Howard attacked the European Union over the reintroduction of wheat export subsidies, which he said harmed underdeveloped nations and were contrary to free trade. ‘Some of the criticism (of the US) by some of the Europeans is unfair and irrational,’ Mr Howard said in the panel debate, organised by Britain’s BBC TV. ‘I mean the negative mindset of the last five minutes (of this debate) is ridiculous – of course America has made mistakes,’ he said. Later Mr Howard told The Australian he found the European ‘irrational level of anti-Americanism’ perplexing. ‘It is a sign of parochialism and it is disturbingly intense.’ He said the BBC debate ‘was based on an anti-American mindset which was established right at the beginning by the moderators from the BBC’. “Mr Howard said anti-Americanism had already affected world co-operation. ‘But it is very important to remember it is confined to sectors of Europe – not all Europeans. In that debate there was a significantly different tone taken by the Latvian President to that taken by the German and other contributors,’ Mr Howard said. ‘The British have a different view through their Government, but there remains in Britain some of the old jealousies that have always been there. I found the French and German attitude has lingered longer than I thought it might, and longer than is in anyone’s interests.'”

The Bible describes ongoing “jealousies” between the United States of America and Great Britain. It also prophesies increasing feelings of Anti-Americanism in Europe, especially in leading nations, such as Germany.

Elections in Iraq — Legitimate or not?

On February 2, 2005, The Associated Press filed this report about the recent elections in Iraq:

“Iraq’s leading Sunni Muslim clerics said Wednesday the country’s landmark elections lacked legitimacy because large numbers of Sunnis did not participate in the balloting, which the religious leaders had asked them to boycott… Large numbers of majority Shiite Muslims and Kurds participated in Sunday’s election for a new National Assembly and regional parliaments. Although no results or turnout figures have been released, U.S. officials say participation appeared much lower in Sunni areas where the insurgency is strongest. The low turnout has been blamed variously on the clerics’ own boycott call and on fears of insurgent reprisals against those who voted… “In its first statement since the balloting, the Association of Muslim Scholars said the vote lacked legitimacy because of low Sunni participation. The association months ago urged Sunnis to shun the polls because of the presence of U.S. and other foreign troops, and insurgents threatened to kill anyone who voted. Iraqi officials have acknowledged voting problems, including a ballot shortage in Baghdad, Basra and Mosul, which have substantial Sunni populations and which also may have contributed to a low Sunni turnout. With many Sunnis having stayed away, a ticket endorsed by the Shiite clergy is expected to gain the biggest number of seats in the 275-member National Assembly, followed by the Kurds and a list headed by interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, a secular Shiite. Shiites comprise an estimated 60 percent of Iraq’s 26 million people, and Shiite candidates were expected to fare best regardless of Sunni turnout. However, low Sunni participation was believed to have reduced the totals of other tickets.”

Russia and China — a New Power Bloc?

The Associated Press reported on February 2, 2005, that “Russia and China will hold regular security consultations, President Vladimir Putin and a visiting Chinese official announced Wednesday, moving to further strengthen close military cooperation between the two Cold War-era adversaries… Putin hailed an increasingly close cooperation between the former Communist rivals, saying that ‘relations in the political, economic and security sphere and in the field of military cooperation have been developing intensively.'”

The article continued to point out: “The maneuvers, set to begin in August, were seen by many observers as Russia’s response to the cooling of relations with the United States and other Western nations, most recently over the presidential election in Ukraine… After decades of rivalry, Moscow and Beijing have developed what they call a strategic partnership since the 1991 Soviet collapse, pledging their adherence to a ‘multipolar world,’ a term that refers to their opposition to a perceived U.S. domination in global affairs. China has purchased billions of dollars worth of fighters, missiles, submarines and destroyers, becoming the No. 1 customer for struggling Russian defense industries.”

The Bible prophesies that Russia and China will unite, militarily, to form a mighty power bloc. Ultimately, it will find itself in opposition to Europe.

Terrorists in Germany?

On February 1, 2005, The Associated Press reported about the arrests of suspected terrorists in Germany: “In coordinated nationwide raids last month, police arrested 15 people on suspicion of belonging to an extremist network allegedly centered on Ulm and neighboring Neu Ulm… In the Jan. 12 raids, 700 police officers searched 60 mosques, homes and shops across Germany. Suspects included nationals of Germany, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya and Bulgaria; police said their activities included raising money, producing fake passports, and recruiting people for jihad, or holy war. The Ulm area operation focused on the mosque and an Islamic Information Center… The raids were part of a general crackdown on Islamic extremism in Germany that included the apprehension of three Ansar el Islam suspects alleged to have plotted to assassinate Iraqi interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi when he visited Berlin in December, and the arrest of two others at the end of January on suspicion they belong to al-Qaida.”

Global Warming a Deadly Threat

AFP reported on February 2, 2005, about the widely underestimated deadly threats of global warming. The article pointed out that “Global warming will boost outbreaks of infectious disease, worsen shortages of water and food in vulnerable countries and create an army of climate refugees fleeing uninhabitable regions, a conference here was told.”

According to the article, “Global warming will also add significantly to Earth’s worrisome water problems. Already around 1.4 billion people live in water-stressed areas, a term defined as having less than 1,000 cubic metres (35,000 cubic feet) of water per person per year… Most of them live in southern and southwest Asia, the Middle East and the Mediterranean. By the 2050s, water availability in these water-stressed regions — but also in parts of central, north and south America — may be further crimped because of changed rainfall patterns. Between 700 million and 2.8 billion people in such areas will be affected, depending on population growth and the pace of temperature rise… Between the 1970s — when temperatures first rose significantly — and the year 2000, climate change cost around 150,000 lives from malnutrition, diarrhoea, malaria and floods. That tally will ‘approximately double’ by 2020, mainly because of diarrhoea, which is propagated easily in floods, and hunger, [an expert] said.”

Germany’s Staggering Unemployment Rate

Bloomberg reported on February 2 about Germany’s unprecedented unemployment rate since WW II. The article stated: “German unemployment jumped to the highest since World War II as new rules added welfare recipients to the jobless register…The number of people out of work in January rose by 227,000 to 4.71 million in seasonally adjusted terms [However, as is pointed out below, the accurate figures seem to be much higher.]… Germany’s rising unemployment contrasts with the U.S., where the jobless rate probably remained unchanged at 5.4 percent in January as 200,000 jobs were created outside farming, a Bloomberg survey of 70 economists showed… In December, Germany had the second highest unemployment rate after Spain among the 12 countries that share the euro, at 10 percent on a comparable basis. The rate in France was 9.7 percent. In the U.K., the latest available comparable rate is 4.6 percent for October….

“‘Unemployment has grown steadily over the last three decades and then reunification came on top of that,’ [a German expert said.] ‘There is no silver bullet for the reduction of unemployment and if anybody claims this can be done quickly then that’s simply false.’ While the German economy resumed expansion in 2004 after three years, there’s been no corresponding growth in job numbers… Germany is losing 1,200 full-time jobs a day… Siemens AG, Germany’s largest engineering company, plans to shed about 700 jobs at its fixed-line networks unit in Munich and Berlin, the company said Jan. 28. T-Mobile International AG, Deutsche Telekom AG’s wireless unit, plans to eliminate as many as 1,200 jobs in Germany by the end of 2006 to cut costs.”

According to Bild Online, the reality of Germany’s unemployment figures is even much worse. In an article, dated February 2, 2005, the German tabloid writes: “In Germany, there are 6.5 million without work… And even that is not the whole truth. In addition to the 6.5 million, there is the ‘silent reserve,’… people who are not entitled to benefits and who therefore don’t even register with the government, as they could not find a job… An improvement is not in sight. The [government] has already announced increasing figures for February.”

In a strongly worded commentary to the German government, the tabloid wrote: “Do you even care for these people [who are without work]?… In our country, [employees of the government] are disconnecting electricity in private homes, as the unemployed cannot afford paying electricity bills. Thousands of Germans are living without light or heat. Do you know… how many Germans are freezing today?”

Historians will recall that the unprecedented unemployment rate in Germany after WW I, and the inability of the government to improve the situation, was one of the reasons why Hitler came to power.

The Next Pope

The Associated Press reported on February 2, 2005, that in light of the pope’s recent health crisis, speculations of a successor have been increased. The article pointed out: “After 26 years in the papacy, Pope John Paul II has outlived many of the men once considered possible successors. Should he die, there would be no clear favorite, making the question of papal succession as unpredictable as any in recent history…

“On the theory the cardinals may seek a transitional figure, one name that has emerged in Rome is Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, a German who heads the powerful Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. He’s 77 and has proposed retiring several times to John Paul, but the pope has turned him down. Ratzinger is favored by those who want assurances the conservative policies of John Paul – opposition to contraception, women priests and any loosening of mandatory celibacy for priests – won’t be relaxed, according to a prelate who closely follows the succession maneuvers.

“Another camp is touting Cardinal Oscar Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga of Honduras, who at 62 is seen as a dynamic churchman from Latin America. Other prominent names mentioned include Cardinal Francis Arinze, a Vatican-based Nigerian; Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina; Cardinal Godfried Danneels of Belgium; Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera of Mexico; Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn of Austria and Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi of Italy [and] Brazilian Cardinal Claudio Hummes… But Chicago Cardinal Francis George does disqualify one group – his fellow Americans. ‘An office like the papacy needs to be free. And to some extent, even the appearance of being in some sense captured by, as we say now, the world’s only superpower, would not be helpful to the mission of the church,’ he told reporters in Rome during a 2003 visit.”

President Bush and the Foreign Press

On January 21, 2005, csmonitor.com reported about the overwhelmingly negative reaction of the foreign press to President Bush’s second inaugural speech. The article pointed out:

“… So when Mr. Bush made it clear on Thursday that he was not about to ‘turn back from his doctrine of taking pre-emptive action, in the interests of American security (or, as he would put it, American freedom)’ as the BBC characterized his speech, there was little room for [the] noted British understatement in the headline of the Beeb’s stellar roundup – ‘World press electrified by Bush vision.’ ‘Hold on to your hats, this may be the most ambitious presidency ever.’ That’s the message from one Israeli paper [Haaretz] after President George W. Bush’s inauguration – a message echoed across the world’s press. For China’s press his speech raises the question whether Washington will head further down a ‘unilateral’ path in foreign relations. One Polish paper heralds the speech as the dawn of a conservative revolution, while in Germany and Turkey there’s a bleak forecast for the new Bush era.”

The article continued: “Iraq was never mentioned by name, yet its recent history resonated when Bush applied Abraham Lincoln’s words: ‘those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves; and, under the rule of a just God, cannot long retain it’ to his own phrase ‘the rulers of outlaw regimes.’ This was too much for The Toronto Star which called such language ‘unabashedly aggressive.’… The BBC viewed such words as ‘warning bells… ringing in foreign capitals such as Tehran and Damascus.'”

Der Spiegel Online editorialized last week, that no matter what President Bush tries to do, it always seems to backfire and invite criticism. Even though he is right on many issues, according to the magazine, it seems he can’t get many foreign supporters for any of them.

This is a remarkable observation, but why would this be the case? The answer becomes clear in light of Biblical prophecy for the United States of America. Speaking to the modern house of Israel (Ephraim and Manasseh, i.e., the GB and USA ), Isaiah states: “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the LORD has spoken: ‘I have nourished and brought up children, And they have rebelled against Me. The ox knows its owner And the donkey its master’s crib; But Israel does not know, My people do not consider… The whole head is sick, And the whole heart faints. From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it… When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood” (Isaiah 1:2-3, 5-6, 15).

Japan Shows Its Muscles

As The International Herald Tribune reported on January 22, 2005, “Japan is once more going from strength to strength, and this time not just on the economic front. Militarily, diplomatically and in terms of cultural influence and general global activism, Japan is transforming itself, and at speed – not merely into a ‘normal’ country, but into a formidable player across a wide front. Militarily, the Japanese have embarked on a huge upgrade of their overall power-projection capabilities, reinforced by a big expansion of intelligence resources and of their already large satellite program.”

The article continued to explain: “In effect, this is a farewell to the old ‘Yoshida doctrine,’ which based security strictly on national self-defense. Instead, it ushers in a new phase of ‘equal partnership’ defense arrangements, especially with the United States, with interlocking ground, air and maritime forces at an unprecedented level of interoperability and intimacy… In short, Japan is re-emerging as a major military power both in East Asia and globally.”

These developments are highly remarkable, as Japan, according to Biblical prophecy, will play a strong military role in an upcoming conflict between Europe and Asia.

Weather Chaos in Midwest and Europe

On January 22, 2005, itemonline.com stated: “Hundreds of airline flights were canceled Saturday and fleets of road plows were warmed up as a paralyzing snowstorm barreled out of the Midwest and spread across the Northeast with a potential for up to 20 inches of snow driven by 50 mph wind. Storm warnings were posted from Wisconsin to New England, where the National Weather Service posted blizzard warnings in effect through Sunday.”

The Boston Globe reported on January 27, 2005, that “The dazzling oceanside setting that makes Cape Cod a tourist destination contributed yesterday to another furious onslaught of snow that fell from Falmouth to Provincetown, as Massachusetts endured a winter storm that helped set a record for the highest monthly snowfall in 113 years.”

Bild Online reported on January 27, 2005, about chaotic weather conditions in Europe, with snowstorms and blizzards in Majorca and Algiers, and snow and frozen roads in Sicily. Bild Online stated: “Majorca encountered the biggest snowstorm for 100 years… The weather conditions in Algeria have not been as bad since the 50’s… In Germany, temperatures dropped to minus 20 degrees Celsius [in some areas].”

USA vs. GB vs. Iran?

In a remarkable development, showing potential disharmony between the United States of America and Great Britain over the issue of Iran, “JACK STRAW [Great Britain’s foreign minister] has drawn up a dossier putting the case against a military attack on Iran amid fears that President George W Bush’s administration may seek Britain’s backing for a new conflict,” according to The Sunday Times of January 23, 2005.

The article explained: “Straw and his officials fear that hawks in Washington will talk the American president into a strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities, just as they persuaded him to go to war in Iraq… The document says a peaceful solution led by Britain, France and Germany is ‘in the best interests of Iran and the international community.’ It refers to ‘safeguarding Iran’s right to the peaceful use of nuclear technology’… The approach contrasts with the government’s two Iraq dossiers, which were trumpeted to make the case for war… Fears in London of an attack were fuelled when Dick Cheney, the American vice-president, said that Iran was ‘top of the list’ as a trouble spot for the administration. Rice said it was an ‘outpost of tyranny’… The message that the British government wants no part in another war in the Middle East will be reinforced by Tony Blair when he meets Bush in Brussels next month and at an Anglo-American summit in Washington after the British general election, which is expected in May.”

The article continued: “In a YouGov poll for The Sunday Times today, 65% of [the] people said that Britain should not support American military action against Iran, compared with 16% who were in favour. However, a consensus is emerging among the ‘neoconservative’ hawks in Washington who are close to Bush that European-led diplomacy with Iran is failing to produce results. A prominent Washington defence hawk said: ‘At some point the Americans are going to turn to the Europeans and say: “The goal is disarmament but all we are getting is arms control. It’s time for a bigger stick.”‘”

This developing disagreement over Iran MIGHT be one of several contributing factors to the prophesied disharmony between the United States of America and Great Britain in the near future. Isaiah 9:21 states: “Manasseh [modern USA] shall devour Ephraim [modern GB], and Ephraim Manasseh, Together they shall be against Judah.”

USA’s Astronomical Budget Deficit!

Bloomberg.com reported on January 24, 2005, that “Germany and France said the drop in the dollar has unfairly punished European economies and called for coordinated action by the U.S., Asia and Europe to stem the currency’s decline. German Finance Minister Hans Eichel and his French counterpart, Herve Gaymard, said the U.S. current account and budget deficits were the chief causes of the euro’s 34 percent rise against the dollar the past three years.”

In addition, The Associated Press reported on January 26, 2005, that “China has lost faith in the stability of the U.S. dollar and its first priority is to broaden the exchange rate for its currency from the dollar to a more flexible basket of currencies, a top Chinese economist said Wednesday.”

It was also reported by Bloomberg.com that “The U.S. must attract about $1.8 billion of investment a day from overseas to fill the current-account gap and maintain the value of the dollar, based on Bloomberg calculations. The shortfall increased to a record $164.7 billion in the third quarter… The federal budget deficit widened to a record $412.3 billion in the year ended on Sept. 30.”

It is evident that this cannot go on much longer. It should be obvious that the USA is facing an UNAVOIDABLE terrible economic disaster in the near future. This is true, even though it was announced during a press conference on Wednesday, January 26, 2005, that the Bush administration will propose to Congress how to cut the deficit in half, while, at the same time, asking for another 80 billion dollars (!) to be spent in Iraq. It should be clear, however, that these ideas will not help in the long run.

The situation in at least parts of Iraq can only be described, objectively, as chaotic. Elections are scheduled for Sunday, but due to violent attacks by Iraqi “insurgents,” some, if not many, of the Iraqi people will not vote. The most recent U.S. helicopter crash in Iraq, killing all 31 marines on board, which was apparently due to mechanical failure, is another indication that the U.S. endeavors in Iraq are simply not blessed. Most Americans would agree with this assessment, stating, according to published opinion polls, that the Iraq war was a failure.

Iraq Before Elections

On January 26, 2005, Zenit published an interesting interview with Chaldean Bishop Louis Sako of Kirkuk (Iraq). He clearly favors elections and warns against an early withdrawal of the American troops from Iraq (President Bush just stated that he cannot foresee that American troops will withdraw from Iraq within a year, according to Bild Online, dated January 27, 2005). Bishop Sako stated in the interview:

“The elections are something immense and new. Nothing of the kind has happened in the past 50 years: first because of clashes and revolts, then due to 35 years of dictatorship. There has never been freedom of expression. But now, anything is possible: If there are people and parties arguing and clashing, that is because they are free to do so. Now, Iraqis must learn to discuss in a civil manner. But the people of Iraq have never been trained for coexistence; they have always lived in the midst of violence: three wars, a dictatorship, 13 years of embargo. This is why freedom is not used in a responsible way and problems arise… There are, of course, people who are frightened by threats, but I say that achieving normality has its condition, and this condition is the election process…

“The media is a big problem in Iraq: a lot of lies and provocations are being written and broadcast. It’s enough to think of al-Jazeera and al-Arabiya that are misinforming a great deal, in what amounts to utter fanaticism, which even Iraqi Muslim leaders themselves have condemned. These television broadcasters are continuously trying to spark violence against the Americans and even against Iraqis… But if the Americans leave Iraq today, there will be civil war between Kurds, Arabs, Sunnis, Shiites, Muslims, Christians… The U.S. must stay on until Iraqis can take command of the nation. For the moment, they can’t do this, the necessary structures are not yet in place.”

Swastika a “Harmless” Good Luck Charm?

On January 20, 2005, www.news.bbc.co.uk and Der Spiegel Online reported about the Hindu reaction to German MEPs call “for a Europe-wide ban of the symbol [swastika] after Prince Harry wore it on a fancy dress costume.” According to the articles, “Hindu Forum spokesman Ramesh Kallidai said the swastika had been a Hindu good luck charm for centuries.” He described it as “the second most sacred symbol in the Hindu tradition which has been used for 5,000 years to ward off evil.”

The articles explained that “Displaying the swastika is illegal in Germany. However… a similar ban in the UK would have an adverse affect on Hindus who regarded a swastika in much the same way as a Christian viewed a cross.”

The articles also pointed out the fact that “The Hindu swastika faces to the right, unlike the one adopted by the Nazis which faces to the left.”

To understand the German concern in this entire matter, we need to look at the recent origin and purpose of Hitler’s swastika.

Klaus P. Fischer explains in his outstanding work, “Nazi Germany — A New History,” on page 38, Hitler’s relationship with Georg Lanz von Liebenfels (1874-1954), “a man who gave Hitler many of his racial ideas.” Liebenfels “disseminated his racial ideas in his periodical Ostara, a magazine usually adorned with a swastika on its front page.” Liebenfels was “a former Cistercian monk in the Heiligenkreuz monastery… Liebenfels also gathered like-minded cultists in a ruined castle in upper Austria at Werfenstein. Here he hoisted a swastika and chanted magical incantations to the Teutonic spirits… Hitler actually met Liebenfels on one occasion, asking him for some back issues of Ostara. In fact, the swastika symbol, the racial theory of history, the Holy Grail of Aryan purity, the extermination of apelike humans (Tiermenschen) — all these mental aberrations were prefabricated for Hitler by Liebenfels.”

Fischer continues to state, on pages 129-130:

“Hitler placed great emphasis on the need for symbols and myths in party organization. As early as August 1920, he approved the swastika as the party’s prime symbol… [T]he swastika had been used by a variety of voelkisch groups and paramilitary organizations, but as a symbol it dates back to ancient times [For instance, the ancient Assyrians used the swastika as well]. In Sanskrit the word swastika originally meant ‘good luck,’ and in the pictorial records of various religions… the swastika denoted an object of veneration. The final swastika emblem, although approved by Hitler, was not Hitler’s idea but came from a design by Dr. Friedrich Krohn… Hitler approved this design except for one modification–namely, that the arms of the swastika extended in right rather than in left angels. He later explained the symbolic meaning of this design by saying that ‘in the red we see the social idea of the movement, in the white the national idea, in the swastika the mission of the fight for the victory of the Aryan man, and at the same time also the victory of the idea of creative work which in itself is and always will be anti-Semitic.'”

Auschwitz Remembered

BBC News reported on January 27, 2005: “Holocaust survivors and world leaders have held an emotional ceremony in Poland, 60 years after the liberation of the Nazis’ Auschwitz death camp… ‘It seems as if we can still hear the dead crying out,’ Israeli President Moshe Katsav told the crowd. The Nazi regime murdered six million Jews and many others during what became known as the Holocaust. Auschwitz, the largest of the Nazi camps, where 1.1 million people died, was liberated by the advancing Soviet army on 27 January 1945. Expressing fears over a resurgence in anti-Semitism in Europe, Mr Katsav questioned whether the memory of the Holocaust had lost its power to deter attacks and insults against Jews…

“Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski and Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the crowd. But German President Horst Koehler remained silent, in recognition of Germany’s role as perpetrator of the Holocaust. Touring the camp with survivors before the ceremony, he said: ‘We have the duty to ensure that something like this never happens again – and we Germans in particular.’… Other world figures at the ceremony included US Vice-President Dick Cheney and UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw. In the nearby Polish city of Krakow, before the ceremony in Auschwitz, Mr Putin spoke out against anti-Semitism and admitted that it was a problem in his country… French President Jacques Chirac, opening an exhibit in honour of French victims, said his country must bear its responsibility for the deportation of Jews from Nazi-occupied France. In the German capital, Berlin, parliament held a special ceremony including an address by a German-Jewish camp survivor, Arno Lustiger, and the readings of poems by a man murdered in Auschwitz.”

President Bush’s Second Inaugural Address

As The Associated Press reported on January 20, 2005, “President Bush sought in his second inaugural speech to define his new term as a fight for freedom in every nation with the ‘ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our world.’ At home, he urged a divided nation to find the unity it had felt after the Sept. 11 attacks… Yet seeking to soften an image sometimes seen as aggressive around the world, Bush said America does not want to impose ‘our own style of government on the unwilling.’ And while he led the nation into wars in Afghanistan and Iraq during his first term, he said that spreading freedom is not ‘primarily the task of arms.’… [President Bush] sought to reassure U.S. allies that America did not want to stand alone in the fight for freedom. ‘All the allies of the United States can know: We honor your friendship, we rely on your counsel, and we depend on your help,’ Bush said. ‘Division among free nations is a primary goal of freedom’s enemies.'”

President Bush’s statements to the allies of the United States have to be seen as a direct response to mounting fears, especially in Europe, that Mr. Bush will continue, what has been perceived by many Europeans, as an American course of action without regard for the concerns, desires and wishes of friends and allies.

In that respect, Mr. Bush’s statements in his second inaugural speech were reminiscent of his first inaugural address in January of 2001, although subsequent events created the perception in many parts around the world that President Bush did not deliver, at least in respect to America’s allies, what he had stated at that time. In his first inaugural speech, President Bush had said:

“The enemies of liberty and our country should make no mistake, America remains engaged in the world, by history and by choice, shaping a balance of power that favors freedom. We will defend our allies and our interests. We will show purpose without arrogance.”

Many hope that President Bush’s words in his second inaugural address will be followed by action. But widespread fear and skepticism remain — especially in Europe. Der Spiegel Online reported on January 20, 2005, that according to a poll conducted by the BBC in 21 countries, 60 percent fear that under President Bush’s leadership, peace and world security will be threatened. 58 percent believe that the world will become more dangerous under President Bush. Only the majority in India, Poland and the Philippines believes that President Bush’s policy will make the world safer.

In particular, when asked whether President Bush will have a positive or a negative impact on world peace within the next four years, 77 percent of Germans answered, “negative,” while only 14 percent answered, “positive.” In France, the results were very similar (75 percent say, “negative,” 13 percent say, “positive”). In Great Britain, 69 percent believe that his impact will be negative, while 29 percent state that it will be positive. The strongest disapproval rate was received in Turkey where only 6 percent believe that Mr. Bush will have a positive impact on the world’s security and peace, while 82 percent believe that his impact will be negative. This may be somewhat surprising to some observers, as the United States is strongly advocating EU membership of Turkey, while many Europeans are opposed to it and US involvement in the matter.

Prophecy clearly shows that the United States of America will lose, ultimately, most support in the world. Friends and allies will turn out to become America’s enemies. For more information on this important Biblical revelation, please read our free booklet, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.”

Israel Member of EU?

UPI reported on January 11, 2005, that “Israel could be a future member of the European Union, a top EU official suggested Tuesday. Germany’s [Guenter] Verheugen, vice-president of the European Commission in Brussels…, claimed, in the long-term, he would ‘not even rule out monetary union,’ in which Israel would adopt the euro as its currency… Verheugen said he could ‘imagine Israel being widely integrated into the European economic structures’ and ‘being a full participant in the internal market.’ Two years ago… Verheugen caused a stir by first raising the possibility of a special relationship between Israel and the EU, and spoke of ‘a single market from Oslo to Jerusalem.'”

This kind of wishful thinking notwithstanding, Bible prophecy strongly indicates that Israel will not become a member of the EU, as the EU will be at odds with the state of Israel. Instead, the EU, under German leadership, will form an alliance with certain Arab nations AGAINST Israel.

The Apocalypse and the Catholic Church

WorldNetDaily reported on January 12, 2005: “Pope John Paul II commented on the Apocalypse, saying that the increase in violence and injustice in the world is the work of a furious Satan who doesn’t have ‘much time left’ and ultimately will be defeated.” The article quoted the pope as follows: “Satan, the original adversary, who accused our brothers in the heavenly court, has now been cast down from heaven and therefore no longer has great power. He knows he has not much time left because history is about to see a radical turning point in freedom from evil and therefore he is reacting full of great fury.”

These comments are highly remarkable. It is indeed correct that Satan and his demons know that they have but a very short time, as Revelation 12:12 and James 2:19 indicate. We also read in Romans 16:20: “And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly.”

Death Toll in Indonesia

According to a report published by www.news-leader.com, “An official document posted here says that nearly 210,000 people in Indonesia are dead or missing from the Dec. 26 tsunami, a death toll that appears to be far higher than officials have reported publicly. Rescue workers think even that number may be low. The Indonesia toll would bring the total of dead and missing from the tidal surge across the Indian Ocean to nearly 272,000, ranking the tsunami as the fifth or sixth deadliest natural disaster in about 250 years.”

The article continued: “The new death toll came as Indonesian officials restricted the movements of foreign relief workers, U.N. employees and journalists in devastated north Sumatra, the Indonesian island that took the brunt of the tsunami’s force, and said foreign military units would be allowed to work in the country for only a limited time. Indonesia’s vice president told the United States and other nations that have sent troops to deliver relief that their forces won’t be permitted to remain in Sumatra longer than three months, and should leave as soon as their work is completed. The blunt comments seemed to end what had been tacit Indonesian acceptance of a foreign presence in an area that has been off limits to foreigners for years.”

A New King of Israel?

The Jerusalem Post reported the following on January 12, 2005:

“According to a group of 71 Jewish scholars who met this week in the Old City of Jerusalem in the form of a modern-day Sanhedrin – a duplicate of the religious tribunal which convened during the time of the Second Temple – a coronation day is growing closer… For the past several years a group called the Monarchists has conducted extensive research into the lineage of several families in an effort to discover who has the closest bloodline to the biblical King David – a requirement for any future Jewish king. Rabbi Yosef Dayan from Psagot, known for his recent threats to place a death curse on Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, is said to be a leading candidate to become the ‘king of Israel.’ ‘Dayan has the best lineage to King David,’ several members of the Sanhedrin told The Jerusalem Post.” The article continued:

“Some of the other ideas discussed at the Sanhedrin meeting included the construction of an altar on the Temple Mount to be used for the Passover Offering during the upcoming holiday. One of the ideas, members said, is to climb the Mount and build the altar within minutes and sacrifice the lamb before security forces can stop them… Participants also discussed [Baruch] Ben-Yosef’s idea [a leading Sanhedrin member] of reinstating the Sanhedrin’s authority to announce Rosh Hodesh, the beginning of the new lunar month. ‘It is very important to reinstate the Sanhedrin’s authority to announce the month, because it will force people to understand that God gave us the power to control the calendar and our own destiny,’ Ben-Yosef said.”

School Forced to Continue Teaching Lies

The Associated Press reported on January 13, 2005, that “A federal judge Thursday ordered a suburban Atlanta school system to remove stickers from its high school biology textbooks that call evolution ‘a theory, not a fact,’ saying the disclaimers are an unconstitutional endorsement of religion. ‘By denigrating evolution, the school board appears to be endorsing the well-known prevailing alternative theory, creationism or variations thereof, even though the sticker does not specifically reference any alternative theories,” [the] U.S. District Judge… said.”

By hiding behind the misinterpreted mantle of “separation between Church and state,” school children are not permitted to even question the unscientific theory of evolution. What a travesty in a country claiming to be “educated.” And how true are God’s words about our modern societies (compare 1 Corinthians 1:20-21): “… Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through [their human] wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached (that is, in the eyes of the so-called “educated” establishment) to save those who believe” (the truth — and not falsehoods like evolution!).

An Asian Century?

As “timesofindia” reported on January 14, 2005, “The rise of China and India as global players is heralding an Asian Century in place of a receding American Century, a US intelligence report said on Thursday. In a far reaching projection, the CIA-commissioned report compared the rise of the two Asian giants to the advent of a united Germany in the 19th century and a powerful United States in the 20th century, and said the event will transform the world’s geopolitical landscape, with impacts potentially as dramatic as those in the previous two centuries.”

This report is interesting in light of the fact that in the very end, an army from Asia, which will be fighting a mighty European power bloc, is described as “two hundred million” (Revelation 9:16). Only the combined manpower of many Asian nations, including China, India, Japan, and Russia, could produce such a mighty army. This battle between Europe and Asia is also described in the book of Daniel. We read, in Daniel 11:44-45, that a future European leader will be troubled by “news from the east and the north…; therefore he shall go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many… yet he shall come to his end, and no one will help him.”

Europe Won’t Break Up

On January 17, 2005, “scotlandonsunday” reported about a CIA forecast, warning that Europe may break up within 15 years “unless it radically reforms its ailing welfare systems.” We know from Biblical prophecy, of course, that Europe will NOT break up, but that it will become the greatest power bloc on the globe. In light of this understanding, the following comments from the CIA report are startling:

“The report predicts that America’s relationships with Europe will be ‘dramatically altered’ over the next 15 years, in a move away from post-Second World War institutions. Nato could disappear and be replaced by increased EU action. The EU, rather than Nato, will increasingly become the primary institution for Europe, and the role Europeans shape for themselves on the world stage is most likely to be projected through it,’ the report adds.”

Fire in Australia

According to www.news.com.au, dated January 15, 2005, “Scientists believe 500,000 Australian homes are at high risk of being destroyed by fire because of their proximity to the bush. They said 334,000 homes within 80m of the bush had a 60 per cent chance of burning down if the nearby grass or trees caught fire. And another 155,000 homes in the next 50m were in serious danger. The predictions came days after the most devastating Australian bushfire since 1983, in which nine people died, including four children, in South Australia.”

Hitler and Pope Pius XII

Reuters reported on January 15, 2005, that “Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler gave one of his generals a direct order to kidnap Pope Pius XII during World War [II]…Two but the officer did not obey, Italy’s leading Roman Catholic newspaper reported Saturday…. [According to the report] Hitler feared the Pope would be an obstacle to his plans for global domination and because the dictator wanted to eventually abolish Christianity and impose National Socialism as a sort of new global religion.”

The article also pointed out that “Church officials accumulat[e] evidence to back efforts to have Pius eventually made a saint. But the reports of Hitler’s contempt for Pius have contrasted with other versions by historians and authors who have depicted Pius as being pro-German and have accused him of intentionally turning a blind eye to the Holocaust.”

These reported incidents could very well serve as a type or forerunner in respect to what is clearly prophesied to happen. The Bible predicts, in the 17th chapter of the book of Revelation, that at one time in the near future, a military power and a religious power will work together, but that in the end, the political power will turn against and fight the religious power. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.”

Bad Weather in California

The Associated Press reported on Sunday, January 9, and Tuesday, January 11, 2005, about unprecedented bad weather conditions in California. The articles pointed out:

“Areas of the Sierra Nevada, famous for paralyzing amounts of snowfall, have been hit with a dumping like they haven’t seen in generations, with steep drifts stranding an Amtrak train, knocking out the Reno airport and shutting down major highways across the mountains… Storms also have caused flooding in Southern California and Arizona, deadly avalanches in Utah and ice damage and flooding in the Ohio Valley… Rain lashed water-logged Southern California again Tuesday, hampering efforts to find survivors buried by a mud slide in a coastal community and prompting hundreds to flee a mountain town before a rain-swollen lake spills over a dam. The succession of storms that have brought heavy snow to the mountains of Northern California and astonishing amounts of rain to the south was blamed for the deaths of at least 12 people. The National Weather Service said Tuesday that downtown Los Angeles had recorded its wettest 15 consecutive days on record, with a total of 17 inches of rain falling in the period ending Monday… In La Conchita, a small community on a spit of land between the hills south of Santa Barbara and the Pacific Ocean, a massive mudslide Monday killed three people [later upgraded to ten], injured eight and left 21 unaccounted for.”

Bad Weather in Europe

As ABCNews reported on January 9, 2005, “Eight people have been killed, more than 1,000 homes flooded and almost 200,000 others left without power as violent storms swept through northern Europe, bringing hurricane force winds and violent rain. Denmark, southern Sweden and the British Isles bore the brunt of the conditions, with 100 people forced to spend the night on a ferry after it ran aground in south-west Scotland.”

The Scotsman reported on Wednesday, January 12, 2005: “Two people were dead and 60,000 homes without power last night as hurricane-force winds caused chaos throughout large parts of Scotland, bringing destruction across the country. Wind speeds of 124mph were recorded in the Western Isles as the most damaging storms for more than a decade swept in from the Atlantic.”

EU’s Trade Partners

The EUobserver reported on January 10, 2005, that the “EU has leap-frogged the US and Japan to become China’s biggest trade partner, according to Chinese media… In the year up to November, trade volumes between the EU and China reached 159.3 billion dollars — up 34.7 percent on the same period in 2003. The UK, the Netherlands, France, Germany and Italy are the main trading partners…, accounting for 72 percent of Europe’s trade with Beijing.”

AFP reported on January 11, 2005, that “The European Union (EU) is to resume talks with Iran on a trade and cooperation accord this week, following Tehran’s suspension of uranium enrichment activities, the European Commission said.”

EU’s Military

While the EU becomes more and more an economic power bloc, it is still lagging far behind the United States in its military development. That, at least, is the opinion of Nicholas Burns, Washington’s ambassador to the Alliance. According to an article, published by the EUobserver on January 10, 2005, “Mr Burns said that while the US spends 420bn dollars per year on defence, the rest of the NATO members combined (24 European countries plus Canada) spend less than half that amount. The Ambassador said the gap is ‘worrisome’ but reserved praise for some countries such as the UK, France, Norway and Denmark for their defence spending and capabilities and the Czech Republic for specialising in biological and chemical decontamination… Calling it ‘our biggest problem’, Mr Burns also criticised European countries for having large reserves of troops but with such a small percentage that are actually deployable. Only 3-5% of European forces can be ‘deployed beyond European national borders.’ This contrasts with up to 75% on the US side. ‘This is truly a problem of a huge dimension that Europe must grapple with’, said the ambassador.”

These interesting comments show that Europe has not yet reached the point where it can be considered as superior or even equal to American military forces. However, the Bible prophesies that it will reach that point in time. It is perhaps ironic that the United States is pushing Europe to spend more and more money for an effective military, which, once established, will ultimately be used AGAINST the United States, as Biblical prophecy clearly reveals. For more information, please read our free booklets, “Europe in Prophecy,” and “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.”

Islamic Extremists in Europe

The Associated Press reported on Saturday, January 8, 2005, that “Islamic extremists accused of plotting to kill Iraq’s prime minister in Germany are smuggling battle-hardened fighters from Iraq to Europe, raising a potential new terrorist threat on the continent, according to German officials.” The article continued: “About 100 Ansar al-Islam supporters are in Germany alone, officials say. Mullah Krekar, the group’s spiritual head, has lived for years as a refugee in Norway, and investigators believe that the group has also recruited volunteers in Italy and Britain. Estimates of its total membership range between about 500 and 1,000.”

The Associated Press reported on January 12, 2005, that “Police arrested 14 people during raids of apartments and mosques in five German states Wednesday in a crackdown on an Islamic extremist organization suspected of aiding terrorists, authorities said… The suspects are alleged to have raised money through smuggling and producing false papers to ‘pursue their ideological goals,’ the prosecutor’s office said in a statement. They ‘equipped people with false documents, making possible illegal residency in the country and outside, and supported other like-minded groups,’ the statement said. ‘In addition, they are accused of spreading their beliefs in racial hatred and recruiting people for “jihad”,’ the statement said, using an Islamic word often interpreted as meaning ‘holy war.'”

Election of Palestinian Authority President

The Associated Press reported on Monday, January 10, 2005, about world leaders’ reactions to “the election of Mahmoud Abbas as Palestinian Authority president, saying it showed Palestinians want to reform their government and find a negotiated solution with Israel.”

The article stated in particular (emphasis added): “German Chancellor Gerhard SCHROEDER said his country and other European nations would do everything possible to help Abbas create an ‘independent, viable and democratic’ Palestinian state. ‘I trust that the Palestinian people will follow the path you have chosen of renouncing violence and carrying out comprehensive reforms,’ Schroeder wrote in a telegram to Abbas, whom he invited to visit Germany. Russian President Vladimir PUTIN also sent a message to the Palestinian leader, looking forward to cooperation on achieving ‘a just Palestinian-Israeli settlement on the basis of the “road map” (peace plan) and resolutions of the UN Security Council’… President BUSH said he would welcome Abbas to the White House, extending an invitation he refused to offer to the late Yasser Arafat… Abbas, who has spoken out against violence, is widely seen as a pragmatist committed to resuming peace talks with Israel, although he faces the TOUGH TASK of reining in POWERFUL ARMED groups.

“British Foreign Secretary Jack STRAW congratulated Abbas after the landslide victory in the vote to replace Arafat… ‘The challenge now is for the new president to use his mandate to lay the foundations for a new Palestinian state,’ [he said]… European Commission President Jose Manuel BARROSO said the election of the pragmatic Palestinian ‘adds to the credibility of the peace process.’… Austria’s foreign minister, Ursula PLASSNIK, called Abbas’ election ‘an encouraging step toward peace’ in the Middle East.’ … ‘Japan will work actively to support the Palestinian Authority’s efforts at peace,’ Prime Minister Junichiro KOIZUMI said… Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong QUAN said Monday that… ‘China is happy about the smooth election. We accept the choice made by the Palestinian people and sincerely hope that the newly elected leader will lead the Palestinian people to the early achievement of their goal of establishing their own state,’ he said.”

World leaders express their hope for peace in the Middle East, coupled with the idea of a Palestinian state. One hotly debated issue is whether the city of Jerusalem will have to belong to that new Palestinian state — a Palestinian demand which is totally unacceptable to Israel. The Bible prophesies that there will be no permanent peace in that part of the world, until Jesus Christ returns.

As if to confirm the foregoing observation, Reuters reported on January 12, 2005: “Palestinian militants killed a Jewish settler and wounded three soldiers in a Gaza ambush on Wednesday, challenging new Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas’s quest for a cease-fire to help him talk peace with Israel… Wednesday’s killings threatened a relapse into what has been an intractable cycle of violence that, unless quickly checked, could stall fresh internationally backed momentum toward Middle East peace negotiations, frozen since 2000.” The AFP added: “Four Palestinian militants and an Israeli settler were killed in a rash of violence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, puncturing the optimism that has greeted the election of a new Palestinian leader.”

Japan’s Missile Defense

Yahoo.com reported on January 9, 2005, that “Japan has decided to use its missile defense system solely to intercept ballistic missiles targeting Japan, not missiles that pass over Japan and target other countries including the United States… The government has decided to limit the scope of interception by the missile defense system, to be deployed in fiscal 2007, because intercepting missiles that are targeted at other countries would be construed as collective self-defense [which would be prohibited by the Japanese Constitution]… Political analysts say, however, that Japan will likely be hard-pressed by the United States, which is expected to show discontent over the decision.”

The United States and Germany

The Houston Chronicle reported on its Webpage on January 8, 2005, that “The United States and Germany view the world in vastly different ways, but a February meeting between President Bush and Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder is expected to bolster a trans-Atlantic relationship strained by the Iraq war.”

The article continued:

“The get-together is not expected to resolve divisions over Iraq, environmental protection and the U.S. refusal to join the International Criminal Court, which prosecutes war crimes. But diplomats and analysts say the meeting is a signal that Washington and Berlin remain partners in a world of terrorism and changing strategic alliances… Berlin’s strong opposition to the war and its insistence not to commit troops to Iraq have agitated a Bush administration desperate to strengthen coalition forces in a show of international solidarity… European analysts say Bush needs to re-engage the continent at a time when the European Union is expanding and Moscow is feeling isolated. But German media are wondering what Schroeder can expect from talks with a U.S. president who largely ignores Europe and acts unilaterally…

“Bush and Schroeder are not political soul mates; their relationship is one of forced congeniality. Officials in their administrations haven’t helped much. A Schroeder official once compared Bush to Adolf Hitler, and U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld referred to Germany as old Europe… Despite differences with Washington, Germany remains wary of aspirations by Paris to counterbalance the United States with a stronger European partnership. Yet Schroeder has broadened his international endeavors and in recent months simultaneously courted Washington and Moscow. The German media reported that the chancellor, perhaps in a gamble that could hurt him with the United States, was strengthening ties with Putin.

“Schroeder’s re-election in 2002 was mainly attributed to his opposition to the Iraq war. Many Germans now want reconciliation over Iraq and improved relations with America… Bush faces his own domestic pressures. Some conservative supporters of the president want to continue punishing Germany over Iraq. This comes as the United States is closing military bases in Germany and moving them east — an indication that Western Europe is less strategically important for fighting the global threats that arose after the Cold War. Germans also are concerned that U.S. foreign policy may veer more isolationist once Condoleezza Rice replaces Colin L. Powell as secretary of state.”

International Governmental Help for Asia

Bloomberg News Special Report published on January 6, 2005, “a list of aid pledged by governments as of 6 p.m. Hong Kong time today to countries affected by the Dec. 26 Asian earthquake and tsunami, which left more than 155,000 people dead or missing. The information is drawn primarily from foreign ministry Web sites and official news agencies. Israel, Luxembourg and Pakistan didn’t announce the value of aid they’re providing in the form of supplies and human resources. Donations by companies and individuals aren’t included.”

The published list is set forth below. When studying the same, it is amazing that Germany and Japan have pledged the highest amounts — exceeding, as of January 6, the U.S. pledge by $338 million and $150 million, respectively. It is also noteworthy that the governments of rich Arab nations have pledged, in comparison, little or nothing, although many of the people who died in Asia were Muslim.

Country/Entity Pledged Amount

Germany $688 million
Japan $500 million
U.S. $350 million
Norway $164 million
U.K. $94 million
Italy $93 million
Canada $93 million**
Sweden $75 million
Denmark $75 million
Spain $66 million
France $65 million
China $60 million
South Korea $50 million
Taiwan $50 million
Australia $46 million***
EU $41 million
Netherlands $36 million
Saudi Arabia $30 million
Switzerland $23 million
U.A.E $20 million
Belgium $16 million
Singapore $15 million
Ireland $13 million
Portugal $11 million
Kuwait $10 million
Czech Republic $9.4 million
Luxembourg $6.6 million
New Zealand $7 million
Finland $6 million
Greece $4 million
Hong Kong $4 million
Turkey $1.3 million
Hungary $1.2 million
Vietnam $450,000
Poland $323,000
Latvia $190,150
North Korea $150,000
Lithuania $134,080
Estonia $42,325

**Includes donations from the provinces of British Columbia and Ontario.

***Australia will provide Indonesia with a further A$1 billion ($765 million) in grants and loans over five years, Prime Minister John Howard said today.

Spectacular Crime Unsettles Northern Ireland

On January 7, 2005, The Daily Telegraph reported that “The Provisional IRA is ‘responsible’ for the £26.5 million Ulster bank raid.” That crime was committed at the Northern Bank in Belfast last month. It has been described as a “violent and brutal crime which has national and international implications… with victims suffering from trauma. Families of staff were kidnapped and abandoned in the run-up to the raid.” The amount taken during the raid was £26.5 million.

The newspaper reported that “the Northern Bank intends to replace its entire current series of notes in a bid to thwart the gang in the ‘largest theft ever of waste paper’. Don Price, chief executive, ordered the unprecedented move which it is understood will involve the withdrawal of up to £300 million in paper currency after talks with police chiefs. All existing £10, £20, £50 and £100 notes will be replaced with new ones, a process which will cost £5 million. It will take eight weeks before the new notes are in circulation. A statement confirmed: ‘All new notes will be of the same design as the old ones, but will be printed in a different colour, feature a new Northern Bank logo and bear new prefixes to their serial numbers.’ More than half of the missing millions included brand-new notes which could be detected immediately, but the drastic decision to carry out a total re-issue is aimed at preventing used notes filtering into the Northern Ireland economy.”

These drastic actions might ensure that, in this case, the particular crime will not pay — but at what price will this be accomplished! Only when the Kingdom of God is established here on this earth, can we truly say that there won’t be a successful future for criminals and their crimes.

China’s Population Explosion

The Associated Press reported on January 7 about China’s dilemma with its population explosion. The article introduced this dilemma, as follows:

“Greeted by national television coverage of his first bath, a boy born Thursday was declared China’s 1.3 billionth citizen in a blaze of publicity to promote the government’s controversial ‘one child’ birth limits.” The article continued:

“The government says that without the policy, China would have at least 200 million more mouths to feed, straining farm, water and other resources. But critics say the plan has led to forced abortions and other abuses. Foreign experts say China’s true population could be hundreds of millions above 1.3 billion because many rural families have unreported children. The one-child limit is also frequently ignored by urban couples who can afford the fines or are desperate for a son to carry on the family name and care for them in old age. Couples who have unsanctioned children can face heavy fines, the loss of jobs and forced sterilization. But government spokesmen deny that women are coerced into having abortions, saying forced abortions aren’t sanctioned and officials who carry them out can be punished.”

China’s Growing Navy

The International Harald Tribune published an article on December 31, 2004, stating that “China’s Growing Navy Worries [the] U.S.” The article pointed out:

“Ever since the U.S. Marine Corps defeated Japanese forces here 60 years ago, the Marianas have been widely considered an American lake. Now, the United States may have to get used to sharing the western Pacific with China, the world’s rising naval power. According to military analysts, China is rapidly expanding its [navy]. ‘China is embarking on a $10 billion submarine acquisition and upgrade program and is buying destroyers and frigates and equipping them with modern antiship cruise missiles.’… The rise of China’s navy is watched with apprehension in the Pacific, where, down through the centuries, the islands have long been playthings for the world’s maritime powers: Spanish, American, British, French, German and Japanese.”

The article concluded: “‘The Chinese influence in the Pacific islands will be very, very big, bigger than Japan’s today,’ Hiroshi Nakajima, executive director of the Pacific Society, an academic group, predicted in a recent interview here. Eventually, Nakajima said, ‘Chinese interests and the American interest will clash.'”

Mexico Advises How to Illegally Enter the USA

The following incredible report was published by www.wnd.com and reprinted by WorldNetDaily on January 2, 2005:

“The government of Mexico is raising eyebrows with a new comic book offering advice on how to cross the border into the U.S. illegally. Called ‘The Guide for the Mexican Migrant,’ the 32-page book published by Mexico’s Foreign Ministry uses simple language to offer information on safety, legal rights and living unobtrusively in America…. Illustrations depict illegal wading into a river, trying to evade U.S. Border Patrol and crouching near a hole in a border fence. Immigrants are also shown hiking through the desert with rock formations similar to those in Arizona and being caught by an American agent…. The Mexican consul general of Phoenix, Carlos Flores Vizcarra, said the reality is many migrants will try to cross the border illegally, and the book appears to be a means of protection.”

Iraq

As AFP reported on January 12, 2005, “Public support [in Great Britain] for the war in Iraq has fallen to a record low, with only 29 percent of Britons believing that it was the right thing to do… For the first time, more supporters of the governing Labour Party think that the war was the wrong thing to do, by 44 percent to 37 percent… The survey also found that women are more hostile to the war than men while men are more concerned than women that elections should go ahead.”

In a related article, AFP stated on January 12, 2005, that “Iraqi leaders acknowledged that parts of the country remain too dangerous to conduct the election, while the US military has reportedly ended a long and fruitless hunt for weapons of mass destruction… As the clock ticked down to polling day on January 30, fears of internal Iraqi political strife mounted, as a top Shiite party vowed to cleanse the security forces of ex-Baathists and Allawi’s Iraqi National Accord party cried foul over the alleged use of religion by Shiite political candidates.”

Prince Harry’s Bad Taste

The Associated Press reported on January 13, 2005, that “Jewish groups and lawmakers criticized Prince Harry on Thursday for wearing a Nazi uniform to a costume party, with one group urging him to visit the Auschwitz death camp, despite an apology from the grandson of Queen Elizabeth II. The 20-year-old prince apologized Wednesday in a statement after a British newspaper printed a picture of him wearing the uniform with a swastika armband while clutching a cigarette and a drink at a party on Saturday… The Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles expressed outrage and urged Prince Harry to travel to Poland later this month to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp… The queen will commemorate the Holocaust and 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz by inviting survivors of the Nazi death camps and British World War II veterans who liberated them to a reception at St. James’ Palace… A former Buckingham Palace spokesman said he believed Prince Charles was too easy on his sons. ‘I’m sorry, the Prince of Wales, he’s a humanitarian and he does some terrific work, but I don’t think he has … the right discipline over his children, particularly Prince Harry,’ Dickie Arbiter told Sky News TV.”

Death Toll in Asian Catastrophe

Some American news programs, such as CNN, have consistently understated the official death toll of the terrible tragedy in Asia. When the German news already announced during the last week of December that the death toll was, at that time, over 100,000, CNN still stated that it was under 80,000. On December 30, 2004, CNN gave the official figure as 118,000, while the official toll was, at that time, at least 125,000, according to the Drudge Report. Quoting from “My Way,” it was stated: “Asia’s tsunami death toll soared above 125,000 on Thursday as millions scrambled for food and clean water and rumors of new giant waves sent many fleeing inland in panic. Aid agencies warned many more, from Indonesia to Sri Lanka, could die in epidemics.”

By now, the official death toll stands at 155,000. However, the real figures are, without any doubt, astronomically higher.

Bernama.com reported that the death toll “in Acheh, the region worst hit by last Sunday’s tsunami, may exceed 400,000 (!) as many affected areas could still not be reached for search and rescue operations, Indonesia’s Ambassador to Malaysia… said Thursday.”

The Times of India reported that “there are indications that the number of dead projected by authorities is way below the reality.”

The Los Angeles Times reported on December 31, 2004:

“As the toll from this week’s earthquake and tsunami in Asia continues to climb, the certainty about how many people have died is another casualty of the disaster. With entire villages swallowed by the sea and beach dwellers swept away along thousands of miles of coastline, hundreds or thousands of people have disappeared with no one left behind to report them missing. To prevent disease, bodies are being bulldozed into mass graves before they have been identified. Many of the corpses still unburied four days after the tsunami no longer are recognizable… In Sri Lanka, Muslim officials tried to bury the dead within a day in accordance with Islamic tradition, before the official count started. In Indonesia’s Aceh province, corpses were scooped into mass graves before pictures could be taken. Officials simply guessed how many could fit into each pit. In many places, there had never been a census, so without knowing how many people had lived there, authorities can only estimate how many may have died.”

AFP also just announced that “India’s last active volcano… has erupted in the aftermath of the huge earthquake,” and that people “have been evacuated from Barren Island since the eruption begun.”

Religious Beliefs and Superstitions

Regarding the religiously-motivated reactions to the terrible disaster in Asia, the differences could not be greater. As was reported by washingtonpost.com on December 31, 2004, “people of different faiths search for meaning.” The article was titled, “Seeking the hand of God in the waters.” It was pointed out:

“In a world of Muslims and Christians and Jews and Hindus and Buddhists, with the disaster in South Asia so far claiming more than 110,000 lives [by now in excess of 155,000] — many of them children — folks all over the world, in all places of worship, are pondering similar questions… Shlomo Amar, Israel’s Sephardi chief rabbi, has said, ‘This is an expression of God’s great ire with the world. The world is being punished for wrongdoing — be it people’s needless hatred of each other, lack of charity, moral turpitude.’ Some organizations in India say the tsunami is ‘divine retribution’ for the arrest of Jayendra Saraswati, a Hindu religious leader….

“On his Web site Watch.org, Bill Koenig writes: ‘The Biblical proportions of this disaster become clearly apparent upon reports of miraculous Christian survival. Christian persecution in these countries is some of the worst in the world.’ Eight of the 12 countries hit — Malaysia, Burma, Bangladesh, Somalia, Maldives, Sri Lanka, India and Indonesia, he says — ‘are among the top 50 nations who persecute Christians.’… Sutadhara Tapovanaye, a Buddhist monk for 38 of his 48 years, tries to explain it differently. This, he says, is a part of life, the dynamics of nature, an always-changing world… Martin E. Marty, professor emeritus of religious history at the University of Chicago, has… been an ordained Lutheran minister since 1952. ‘It’s only natural to repose yourself in the will of God,’ he says. ‘If you’re a believer, then you must believe that God, somehow, is a presence in all of this. But God didn’t tell anybody that you go through life without disasters.'”

None of these comments give comprehensive answers. Nor does the opinion of the Archbishop of Canterbury, who admitted, according to an article of the news.telegraph.com.uk of January 2, 2005: “This makes me doubt the existence of God.” The article stated: “The Asian tsunami disaster should make all Christians question the existence of God, Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, writes in The Telegraph today…. Dr Williams, who, as head of the Church of England, represents 70 million Anglicans around the world…, adds: ‘The question, “How can you believe in a God who permits suffering on this scale?” is therefore very much around at the moment, and it would be surprising if it weren’t – indeed it would be wrong if it weren’t.'”

For a full explanation as to the real REASONS for this terrible disaster, please read our previous Update (#174), and listen to Dave Harris’ sermon, “Not of This World,” as well as to our StandingWatch program on the topic.

Sadly, this world is in utter spiritual darkness! True UNDERSTANDING is needed as never before.

Ratzinger the Next Pope?

Time Magazine published a remarkable article on January 2, 2005, titled, “Rome’s Next Choice?” The article stated:

“Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, the chief architect of Pope John Paul II’s traditionalist moral policy, has long been a bugaboo for liberal Catholics. But they had stopped worrying that the German might one day ascend to St. Peter’s throne. His hard-line views and blunt approach had earned him the epithet of panzerkardinal and too many enemies. Well, their worrying may now resume. Sources in Rome tell TIME that Ratzinger has re-emerged as the top papal candidate within the Vatican hierarchy…

“There are no immediate signs that John Paul’s health has taken a turn for the worse, and he has publicly ruled out becoming the first Pope in eight centuries to retire voluntarily. But as his long papacy grows ever longer, some feel the next conclave will seek a shorter-term ‘transitional’ figure. Ratzinger, 77, may fill that bill. His doctrinaire ways have been tempered of late by a deft and more pragmatic approach to issues such as rising Western secularism and Islamic fundamentalism. During the recent U.S. controversy about giving Communion to pro-choice candidates, Ratzinger authored a careful letter to American bishops reasserting the Vatican’s antiabortion stance without dragging the Holy See into election-year theatrics. ‘There was a stigma,’ said the Vatican official of Ratzinger. ‘He rises above that now.'”

The New York Post added on January 3, 2005, that Ratzinger, a “hard-nosed German cardinal known as the ‘Panzerkardinal’ has re-emerged as a front-runner to become the next pope.”

Cardinal Ratzinger has already been, according to some commentators, the most influential personality in the Vatican. He is certainly a person to take note of. IF he should become the next pope, he might or might not turn out to be just a “transitional” figure.

The Catholic Church and the Jews

As the Associated Press reported on January 2, 2005, “A document that surfaced recently has revived debate about the Vatican’s attempt to keep control over some Jewish children protected from Nazis by Christian families. The 1946 circular apparently instructed French church authorities that Jewish children baptized as Roman Catholics, for safety or other reasons, should remain in the church — even if that meant not returning them to their own families once the Nazi occupation ended.”

The article continued: “The document, published last week in Italy’s Corriere della Sera newspaper, caused a stir for its tough, clear wording… One Jewish leader called the letter ‘horrible.’ ‘It’s a dry, bureaucratic document, which has no feeling for the Holocaust, I’m sorry to say,’ Amos Luzzatto, president of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities, told the Apcom news agency. The one-page document, dated Oct. 23, 1946, advised French church authorities on how to handle information requests from Jewish officials, asking them not to put anything in writing.’ Children who have been baptized must not be entrusted to institutions that cannot ensure their Christian education,’ says a copy of the French-language letter obtained by The Associated Press. One of the letter’s most jarring lines says that children whose families survived the Holocaust should be returned, ‘as long as they had not been baptized.’

“That stance on baptism predated the Holocaust by nearly a century. In 1858, papal guards took a 6-year-old Jewish boy named Edgardo Mortara from his family in Bologna, Italy, after hearing that he had been secretly baptized by a Catholic housemaid.”

Priest Apologized for Telling the Truth

As the Los Angeles Daily Journal reported on November 22, 2004, a Catholic priest from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles apologized in writing to parents “for telling kindergarten to third-grade students at a private Catholic school [during a morning Mass] there is no Santa Claus.” The Archdiocese hastened to add that “the priest didn’t have permission to tell children there is no Santa Claus.” According to the article, a parent felt that the priest took the “innocence” out of his daughter’s childhood, who does not believe anymore in Santa Claus.

What a mixed-up and confused world we are living in, where religious teachers are not allowed to tell children the truth!

U.S. Marine Corps Jails C.O.

A thought-provoking article was published on January 1, 2005, by bellagio.org, reporting about the jail sentence of a Conscientious Objector in the U.S. army because of his refusal to carry a weapon. The article stated:

“U.S. Marine Cpl. Joel D. Klimkewicz says he’s willing to clear land mines and risk his life for his country. He’s just not willing to pick up a gun. Because of his new-found religious faith, the Birch Run native is spending his holidays behind bars as a conscientious objector, convicted by military superiors who see him as a disobedient soldier. ‘I couldn’t see Jesus Christ taking human life,’ said Klimkewicz in a phone interview from the Camp LeJeune military prison. ‘In my faith, what I believe is that we’re all citizens of heaven. Citizens of heaven are of all nations, and I refuse to take a life of a fellow citizen of heaven.’

“This month, a Marine Corps court sentenced 24-year-old Klimkewicz — a combat engineer who is a member of a Seventh-day Adventist Church — to seven months behind bars for refusing an order to pick up a weapon for training. He received a reduction in rank to private and a bad conduct discharge. Since joining the church a year ago and becoming a conscientious objector to combat, he has taken some criticism from friends who have questioned his patriotism.”

The Marine Corps questioned Klimkewicz’s sincerity and charged that he refused to pick up a weapon, as he does not want to go to Iraq. The Marine Corps claims that he was sentenced for refusing to obey the order of a superior officer, not because he requested to be recognized as a conscientious objector.

In a related article by Der Spiegel Online, dated November 17, 2004, it is stated that currently 2,000 U.S. reserves have applied for C.O. status, or refuse to serve for other reasons, including age. The magazine claimed that on November 7, 2004, out of 2,500 reserves, 733 reserves did not show up in their barracks, and that out of 4,000 former soldiers, 1,800 applied for exemptions.

Otto von Habsburg

Der Stern Online published, on December 13, 2004, an interesting interview with Dr. Otto von Habsburg (92), the oldest son of the last emperor of Austria and Hungary. For 20 years, the Austrian Otto von Habsburg had been a member of the European Parliament, representing the Bavarian party, CSU. When asked about the beatification of his father in 2004, and a future role of the monarchy, he stated:

“A reference to God in the European Constitution is very important. We need a higher authority for our principles. And who — apart from God — could that be?… Theodore Roosevelt once asked Emperor Franz-Josef what the role of a monarchy would be in the modern world. His answer: ‘To protect the people from their government.’… The monarchy can establish continuity.”

Most Foreign Languages

AFP reported on December 23, 2004, that “Britons are the worst in Europe when it comes to speaking a foreign language… Britain comes bottom of the pile of 28 countries… behind Hungary… and neighbouring Ireland… Luxembourg performed best… followed by the Netherlands… and Denmark… The report also showed while English is the most common second language across Europe, German, Russian and French are more widely spoken in some countries… In Romania, as many people speak French as English. French is also strong in Italy and Portugal. German is widely spoken in central Europe and the Baltic countries, with more Czechs and Slovaks speaking German than English.”

Putin’s Imperial Dreams

A commentary by Vytautas Landsbergis, Lithuania’s first president after independence from the Soviet Union, was published on December 19, 2004, by The San Diego Union Tribune. In the article it is pointed out:

“To divide a people in order to conquer them is an immoral strategy that has endured throughout recorded history. From Alexander the Great to Stalin the Cruel, variants of that strategy have been used to keep nations in thrall to the will of an emperor. We are now seeing the strategy at work again as President Vladimir Putin stealthily seeks to restore Kremlin supremacy over the lands treated as ‘lost’ when the Soviet Union imploded in 1991…

“Europe and the world are… being tested. Russia is passing from being the Russian Federation of Boris Yeltsin to a unitary authoritarian regime under Vladimir Putin and his former KGB colleagues. Europe, America, and the wider world must see Putin’s so-called ‘managed democracy’ in its true light, and must stand united against his neo-imperialist dreams. The first step is to make Russia honor its binding commitment to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, to remove its troops from Moldova and Georgia.”

Worst December in New Zealand

Surprise about this winter in New Zealand was raised by nzherald.co.nz of January 4, 2005, when stating: “Yes, it was a shocker… Snow, frost, hail and a tornado marked the first month of summer, with the coldest temperatures recorded in December since 1945. National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research figures for last month show it was the fifth coldest since records were established in 1853….The record-breaking low temperatures not only kept the summer clothes in the cupboard but slowed the growth and ripening of berries, stone fruit and crops…. Auckland recorded only 174 hours of sunshine – 83 per cent of the normal figure and the third lowest since records began in 1963.”

Historical Catastrophe in Southern Asia — WHY?

As many articles reported on Sunday, December 26, 2004, “the world’s most powerful earthquake in 40 years triggered massive tidal waves that slammed into villages and seaside resorts across Asia on Sunday.” The extent of the disaster was not immediately foreseen. The death toll has been rising daily and, as of Thursday, December 30, it has been verified as exceeding 120,000, with the fear that it may double, due to epidemics and diseases. Tens of thousands of people are still missing. About 5 million people are homeless. On Thursday, Bild Online called this disaster “the greatest natural catastrophe of all times.”

According to an article, published by Bild Online on December 26, this has been the WORST tsunami, in terms of lost human lives, in the recorded history of man. The second worst tsunami was recorded in August of 1883, when 36,000 died in the region of Indonesia, followed by the death of 26,000 in Japan on June of 1896.

As news programs pointed out, the earthquake in Asia hit exactly, TO THE DAY (referred to by some as the “Second Christmas Day”), one year after the devastating earthquake, which hit Iran in December of 2003.

As the BBC reported, “the sea surges produced by the earthquake off Indonesia have swept 6,000 km (3,700 miles) to hit east Africa and islands off its coast. Waves struck Kenya and Somalia after hitting Mauritius, Reunion and the Seychelles on the way.”

WorldNetDaily reported on December 26: “The largest earthquake in the past 40 years (with a magnitude of 9.0 on the Richter scale) and the resulting deaths of thousands from 33-foot tidal waves [some reported 40-foot tidal waves] are being compared by an American reporter (of the Washington Post) to descriptions of disaster from Holy Scripture.” The article continued that the quake was “the biggest since a 9.2 temblor hit Prince William Sound Alaska in 1964. “

On December 27, the Associated Press reported that the disaster caused by the quake and the tsunami, with a speed of 500 mph before crashing into the region’s shorelines, “may be the COSTLIEST disaster in history, reaching billions of dollars.” So far, “over 350 million dollars have been raised or pledged worldwide for relief in Asian countries swept by tidal waves,” according to AFP of December 30, 2004.

Yahoo-News explained in its article of December 28, 2004 the incredible power of that earthquake: “…it made the Earth wobble on its axis and permanently altered the regional map… The 9.0-magnitude temblor that struck 250 kilometers (155 miles) southeast of Sumatra island Sunday may have moved small islands as much as 20 meters (66 feet)…”

The Associated Press reported on December 28, 2004, that the quake might have been “equal to detonating a million atomic bombs.”

Tom Skilling, WGN-TV chief meteorologist, stated on December 28, 2004: “Incredibly, the magnitude 9.0 earthquake… caused a vertical displacement of so much material that the rotation period of the Earth has been permanently altered. By a tiny but measurable amount, the Earth is now rotating more quickly on its axis, and the 24-hour day is now one ten-thousandth second shorter.”

The Drudge Report, as well as The New York Times, warned its readership again of a dire scenario which was first published in August of 2004, stating that “The bad news is tens of millions of people along the eastern seaboard of the United States and Canada may drown if the slow slippage of a volcano off north Africa becomes a cataclysmic collapse… [A] giant tidal wave or tsunami triggered by such a collapse would hit the other islands of the Spanish-owned Canaries within an hour and reach the north African coast within two hours.”

People all over the world have asked the question: Why does “Nature” treat us that way? Locals wondered why “the god of the waters” wants to destroy them? Christians raised the question: “Why does God allow it?” On December 30, 2004, Der Spiegel Online initiated a discussion amongst its readership, to respond to the question whether God even exists.

These are critical and very important questions. We need to understand that this is NOT God’s world. This world is ruled by Satan (Luke 4:5-7). Satan has great wrath, because he knows that his time is short (Revelation 12:12). God the Father will send Christ back soon to bring peace and happiness to this world, while banishing Satan (Revelation 11:17-18; 20:1-3).

In the meantime, God has allowed man to go his own way and to follow Satan’s way of life. Man is called upon to repent, to turn to God and to give Him glory (Acts 17:30; Luke 24:47; Revelation 16:9). Most, however, have been refusing to do so. And so, Christ predicted that further devastating catastrophes and disasters will occur in the future, to wake us up. Notice these frightening prophecies:

“And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon and in the stars; and on earth distress of nations, with perplexity, THE SEA AND THE WAVES ROARING; men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken” (Luke 21:25-26). Of course, Christ also predicted that there will be “famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places” (Matthew 24:7).

It is true that God promised never to bring or allow a worldwide flood to destroy the earth and cut off ALL flesh, as had happened in the days of Noah (compare Genesis 9:11). Nowhere does the Bible contain a promise, however, that local floods would not destroy parts of the earth. God will allow these things to happen, as man has rebelled against his Maker. Many “willfully forget” or are “willfully ignorant” (2 Peter 3:5) that a time of reckoning and accounting is coming! God asks all of us to cease walking in the futility of our minds as many of the Gentiles of that day were walking, “having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart” (Ephesians 4:18).

God wants all of us to come to our senses. Future disasters, including an all-encompassing world war, IS prophesied! Many will perish during these terrible times, including many innocent people. It WILL happen, UNLESS we all, collectively, REPENT (compare Luke 13:1-5).

For more information, please read our free booklets: “Europe in Prophecy,” “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord,” and “And Lawlessness Will Abound…”

More on Christmas…

Professing Christians all over the world have celebrated Christmas this year with ever-increasing activities. Although some may feel that Christmas is somehow of Christian origin, most know better — or at least, they should, and they can know. After all, it is no secret that Christmas, and its customs, is pagan to the core.

Der Spiegel Online published an article on December 24, 2004, stating that Christmas trees are a “PAGAN custom.” The article continued: “It was customary in oldest cultures to surround oneself in the winter time with fir trees. The trees were to appease ghosts.”

Bild Online published an entire series on the “Jesus Miracle.” In the articles, the tabloid pointed out:

“The early Christian Church transferred the birth of Christ to December 25, according to Vatican researcher Dr. Barbaglio. In Rome, the feast of Sol Invictus [‘the invincible Sun god”] was celebrated (at that time)… Emperor Aurellian combined both feasts in 274 A.D… According to Dr. Percy A.H. Seymor, the gospel of Luke contradicts the idea that Christ was born on December 25, as shepherds kept the flocks by night. That would have been impossible in the winter, as it would have been far too cold. The sheep only stayed outside from spring to autumn.”

Muslims in Europe

In its article of December 25, 2004, the Chicago Tribune reported about the growing influence of Muslims in Europe. It was pointed out:

“What is happening in Europe may provide a partial preview of what lies ahead for the United States and its fast-growing Muslim population. For the first time in history, Muslims are building large and growing minorities across the secular Western world – nowhere more visibly than in Western Europe, where their numbers have more than doubled in the past two decades. The impact is unfolding from Amsterdam to Paris to Madrid, as Muslims struggle – with words, votes and sometimes violence – to stake out their place in adopted societies…

“By midcentury, at least one in five Europeans will be Muslim. That change is unlike other waves of immigration because it poses a more essential challenge: defining a modern Judeo-Christian-Islamic civilization. The West must decide how its laws and values will shape and be shaped by Islam… Thirteen hundred years after the Frankish King Charles Martel repelled Muslim armies from the central city of Tours, Islam is now the second religion of France; there are about 10 times as many Muslims as Jews… The effect is amplified by the decline of European Christianity. The number of people who call themselves Catholic, the continent’s largest denomination, has declined by more than a third in the past 25 years…

“The results are stark. Within six years, for instance, the three largest cities in the Netherlands will be majority Muslim. One-third of all German Muslims are younger than 18, nearly twice the proportion of the general population. With that growth, and the deepening strains between the U.S. and the Islamic world, radical Muslim clerics have found no shortage of adherents. A 2002 poll of British Muslims found that 44 percent believe attacks by al-Qaida are justified as long as ‘Muslims are being killed by America and its allies using American weapons.'”

Putin Shows His Muscles

As The New York Times reported on December 24, 2004, “President Vladimir Putin on Thursday strongly defended the takeover of the main subsidiary of the Yukos oil company by a state oil company and expressed deep irritation at what he described as Western double standards over elections and support for popular uprisings in post-Soviet states. As Russia moves toward greater centralization, Putin’s remarks amounted to a restatement of his existing positions. They were also an explanation of views that are driving the nation in an autocratic direction. And they were notable at moments for their defiant tone, and even for the president’s sharply personal lines of attack.”

The article continued: “Putin was personally dismissive of President Aleksander Kwasniewski of Poland, who helped mediate the political crisis in Ukraine after the fraudulent election there on Nov. 21 and who recently said in an interview that a Russia without Ukraine is better for the world’s leading countries. Assuming a biting tone, Putin made a veiled reference to his own KGB service, and suggested that Kwasniewski was an opportunist. He noted, for example, that in his youth the president of Poland worked for Soviet interests as a member of the Communist Party’s youth wing.”

Regarding Putin’s future, the article pointed out: “By law, Putin is limited to two consecutive terms. He is serving the first year of his second term now. The possibility of his seeking a third term, either by a change to Russia’s constitution for the 2008 race or a return to politics in 2012, has been source of speculation.”

Subsequently, The Associated Press reported on December 27, 2004, that “Once-bitter rivals RUSSIA AND CHINA will hold a MASSIVE JOINT MILITARY EXERCISE on Chinese territory next year involving submarines and possibly strategic bombers… Many observers saw the announcement as Russia’s response to a spat with the United States and other Western nations over the disputed election in Ukraine.” The article pointed out that “Putin and other Russian officials allege that the United States improperly influenced Ukraine’s elections by funding democracy-building organizations.”

The article continued: “After decades of rivalry, Moscow and Beijing have developed what they call a strategic PARTNERSHIP since the Soviet collapse. China has become the No. 1 customer for Russia’s struggling defense industry, purchasing billions of dollars worth of fighters, missiles, submarines and destroyers.”

Iraq a Failure?

IPS reported on December 27, 2004, that “One of the oldest U.S. overseas relief organizations [American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)] has called for the United States to immediately withdraw from Iraq in light of the continuing carnage and Washington’s failure to restore basic services or revive the country’s economy.” The article also explained that “A majority of 56 percent of respondents in a Washington Post-ABC News poll released Tuesday concluded that, given the cost in military casualties, the conflict ‘was not worth the fight.'” According to the Board of AFSC, “‘it is now clear that the continuing U.S. military presence in Iraq is counterproductive and wrong. The occupation has lost the trust of the Iraqi people. We abhor the violence–each day Iraq becomes less safe for the occupied, the occupiers, and those who seek to relieve the suffering.'”

Godless Britain?

AFP reported on December 27, 2004, that “Less than half of all Britons [44 percent] now believe in God, a sharp drop from the more than three-quarters of the population who said they were believers in 1968.” The article continued: “A majority of people in Britain neither hopes nor fears for a life after death, with just about a third believing in heaven, and even fewer in hell and the devil… The proportion who do not believe in God has trebled from 11 percent in the late-1960s to 35 percent today.”

Britain’s “Dealings” With Homosexuality

The Daily Mail reported the following on December 24, 2004:

“Schools are being urged to advertise gay lifestyles to children in a Government drive to ‘challenge homophobia.’ In an attempt to clamp down on supposedly homophobic language, the guidelines say that teachers should be reported if they report boys as ‘sissies,’ accusing them of standing around ‘like a mothers’ meeting’ or call them a ‘bunch of girls.’ Staff are asked to put up flyers for Gay Pride marches and Mardi Gras festivals. They are told that promoting a ‘positive stance’ on homosexuals and lesbians can help tackle homophobic bullying. The guidance which applies to all ages from nurseries upwards, drew a furious response from Church leaders and family campaigners who say it went too far.

“The booklets which were sent to every local education authority this month, also urge schools to:
– invite in gay visitors and speakers to act as “sexual minority role models” where there are no homosexual members of staff
– keep written records of every homophobic phrase used, either by staff or pupils
– form a ‘homophobia working party’ to increase awareness of homophobic bullying
– teach pupils about homosexual public figures such as MP’s and entertainers
– avoid generic language that assumes parents and staff always have partners of the opposite sex.”

The article continued:

“Local education authorities are expected to make the guidance known to all schools in their area. Schools are urged to ‘normalise sexual minorities’ by putting up information on gay and lesbian issues in corridors and waiting areas. Staff are told never to leave unchallenged any homophobic language including the uses of ‘gay’ as a generic insult. The guidance was produced jointly by the Department for Education and Department of Health.”

Euro On The Rise!

Reuters reported on December 27, 2004, that “The dollar fell to new lows against the euro on Monday [the value of the euro exceeding 1.35 dollars]… The euro hit its highest level in almost a year against sterling at 70.64 pence. The euro also rose to its highest in 18 months against the yen at 140.80 yen as traders assessed the economic impact from the deadly tsunami that devastated parts of Asia over the weekend.”

Der Spiegel Online and Bild Online commented on December 27, 2004, that the euro’s climb appears to be unstoppable, and stated that some experts predict a rise to 1,50 or 1,60 dollars by the end of 2005.

Christmas 2004 … in “New Europe”

AFP reported on December 22, 2004: “Driven by Christmas shopping fever and growing hunger for material goods, Europeans in former communist states are putting aside a historic aversion to taking out loans as their spending habits change and a new generation of debtors takes root… At no time is the desire for material things more visible than during the Christmas season, when people cram malls while banks flood airwaves from Budapest to Riga with ‘Christmas credit’ promotions.

“As Christmas shopping nears climax, ‘New Europeans’ sink deeper in debt. ‘Our consumer loans and credit card demands soar some 40 percent above the monthly average during the holiday season,’ said [a spokesperson of] Hungary’s largest bank… In Poland, several banks promise Christmas loans at low interest rates, even zero percent, but in return they charge ‘hefty’ commissions… Among Romanians, considerably poorer than the new EU members but hopeful of joining the Union in 2007, the consumer culture is also taking hold. Instead of the Christmas credit schemes, so-called ‘personal credits’ of under 3,000 euros are proving a runaway hit with those short of money in the holiday season.”

The article continued to point out that many “New Europeans” have, throughout the year, adopted a philosophy of buying now and (perhaps) paying later. For instance, in “Hungary, household debt increased five-fold in the past four years, fuelled by state subsidized mortgage loans that increased 11-fold from 2000 to 2004… More than 200,000 Hungarians are registered on a ‘black list’ of debtors who have missed credit payments…”

… in the United States of America

On December 19, 2004, the British news service, news.telegraph.com, pointed out that there is a “growing campaign in America to remove any trace of Christmas from public life.”

However, this campaign has nothing to do with a realization that Christmas is of pagan origin and should not be celebrated in a Christian nation. Rather, it is motivated by a–wrongly understood and interpreted–concept of separation between Church and State.

The article explained: “Across the United States, celebrations for what many Americans now refer to as the ‘C word’ have been all but restricted to churches and private homes. In Wichita, Kansas, a local newspaper ran an apology after referring to a ‘Christmas tree’, rather than a ‘community tree’ at the city’s Winterfest celebration. In Denver, a Christian church float was barred from the city’s parade while Chinese lion dancers and German folk dancers were welcomed. In parts of Florida, fir trees have been banned this year from government-owned property. A mayor in Massachusetts issued a formal apology to anyone offended by a press release that mistakenly described the town of Somerville’s holiday party as a ‘Christmas party’. Schools in Florida and New Jersey have banned all carols and elsewhere in Washington state a school principal banned a production of A Christmas Carol mainly because Tiny Tim prays: ‘God bless us, every one.’ In one New Jersey school district, where the singing of Christmas carols has long been abandoned, officials have this year forbidden children’s orchestras to play songs such as Silent Night because that might remind people of their Christian content.”

Although a ban of Christmas for the RIGHT reasons would be desirable and pleasing in God’s sight, the present attempts are all motivated by WRONG reasons. And as can be expected, as the article pointed out, “The fightback, however, has begun. Showdowns are taking place across the country as individuals, and conservative and religious groups, come out against the zealous interpretation of the separation of Church and State… Organisations such as the Americans United (AU) for Separation of Church and State believe that the campaign to put Christ back into Christmas is being pushed by conservative Christian groups buoyed by the victory of President George W Bush and the religious Right in last month’s elections.”

The sad part is that Christ can’t be put back into Christmas, as Christ was NEVER IN CHRISTMAS to begin with. Christmas is not a Holy Day that a Christian nation should be keeping. But this is NOT because of POLITICAL correctness, but because of a deep and sincere respect for God and His Word.

Conservative Christians lament that, as the article explains, “President Bush’s holiday greetings card, posted to a record two million recipients this year, carries a line from Psalm 95 — ‘Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song’ — [but] there is no mention of Christmas on the White House website. Even Fox News, the conservative television network, cannot bring itself to wish a merry Christmas to its viewers. Instead, ‘Happy Holidays’ is flashed up to the tune.”

And so some have started to fight to bring “Christ back into Christmas.” THAT fight cannot be won. For more information on this all-important issue, please read our free booklet: “Don’t Keep Christmas.”

… in Europe and the USA

On December 21, 2004, the British webpage, news.telegraph.co.uk, reported: “The Christmas message of peace, love and goodwill appears to have been replaced by one of drink, shopping and crime… The holiday season is also accompanied by higher than normal rates of murder, burglaries and drunk-driving… The increase in alcohol consumption was highest in Britain… In terms of actual alcohol consumed per person, only Germans knock back more wine, beer and spirits in December than the British. The average German imbibes 1.2 litres of pure alcohol per person, compared to the typical Briton’s 1.02 litres…. December is one of the more popular months for murders and burglaries across Europe. In Britain, the Christmas period triggers a 4.2 per cent rise in murders (to 0.17 deaths per 100,000 people). Elsewhere the seasonal increase is higher — a 5.7 per cent rise in America, France and Italy, and 6.4 per cent in Germany. Britain has a lower murder rate than its [Christian European] rivals… In America there are 0.74 deaths per 100,000 people, while in France there are 0.41 deaths. But the UK’s burglary rate is the highest in the survey — nearly 120 burglaries per 100,000 people compared to 62 in America and 67 in Italy.”
A seeming paradox is the fact that, in spite of these terrible figures of doom and gloom, “British church attendances increase by 220 per cent around the holiday period — compared to a 240 per cent increase in Germany and a 112 per cent rise in America.”

At the same time, the article continued to point out:

“However, Britain has the lowest proportion of churchgoers among [Christian European] countries. Just 16 per cent of people go to church in December in the UK — compared to 55 per cent of Americans, 49 per cent of Italians and 20 per cent of French. The British also spend more than most at Christmas. According to the statistics, based on 2003 data, the UK spends an average $2,006 (£1,081) per person in the shops in December — less than America, but more than the other [Christian European] countries.”

We believe these figures speak for themselves…

… in Germany

The English press reported on December 5, 2004, about the efforts of a German Catholic priest to abolish Santa Claus and replace him with St. Nicholas. This rather bizarre article by Reuters pointed out:

“A German priest fed up with the growing commercialism of Christmas launched an anti-Santa Claus campaign on Thursday featuring bumper stickers that proclaim: ‘This is a Santa-free zone.’ Eckhard Bieger, a Roman Catholic priest in Frankfurt, said he is all for the holiday season, gift exchanges and family celebrations. But he believes the twinkly-eyed old man in a red costume is a commercial fraud. ‘Santa Claus is a creation of the advertising industry and Coca-Cola to further commercial interests,’ Bieger told Reuters. ‘I don’t have anything against Christmas presents and don’t want to disappoint children,’ he said. ‘My aim is to put St Nicholas back at the center of attention rather than this Santa Claus figure, which is just an empty shell.'”

The article continued: “Swedish-American Artist Haddon Sundblom created the rosy-cheeked Santa used in Coca-Cola’s Christmas advertisements in 1931, and Bieger complained that it has been imitated ever since. Christina Jacob, spokeswoman for Coke’s Germany subsidiary Coca-Cola GmbH, said the company was proud Sundblom had created the Santa Claus character the world knows today for the Coca-Cola ad campaigns used during the 1930s and 1940s. ‘Sundblom used a cheery-faced Coca-Cola truck driver as his model for the portrait,’ said Jacob… ‘We’re naturally all proud that Coca-Cola is so closely entwined with the Christmas season.'”

Reuters pointed out: “The modern Santa is a far cry from the severe St Nicholas who meted out punishment or gifts to children in continental Europe or the Old Christmas figure who aided drunken festivities of the English… Bieger said he wanted to revive a tradition in which St Nicholas went from house to house on the night of December 6 and put sweets into shoes of well-behaved children.”

However, as with so many Christmas traditions, the concept of St. Nicholas is also of pagan origin–and the story of a saint giving presents to obedient children on December 6 is a fabrication. For proof, please read our free booklet, “Don’t Keep Christmas.”

Arnold Schwarzenegger the Next U.S. President?

The Associated Press reported on December 18, 2004, that Gov. Schwarzenegger gave an interview to the German “Sueddeutsche Zeitung.” According to A.P., “Schwarzenegger was guarded on suggestions that he harbors presidential ambitions, saying only that a debate on whether the constitution should be amended to allow foreign-born citizens to run was ‘overdue.'” The article pointed out that “Schwarzenegger became an American citizen in 1983, 15 years after he immigrated from Austria. He has said he’d consider running for president if such an amendment passed but also [has] taken pains to say it shouldn’t be created specifically for him.”

In the same interview, Schwarzenegger “suggested… that the Republican Party should move ‘a little to the left,’ a shift that he said would allow it to pick up new voters.” According to A.P., he “said that ‘the Republican Party currently covers only the spectrum from the right wing to the middle, and the Democratic Party covers the spectrum from the left to the middle… I would like the Republican Party to cross this line, move a little further left and place more weight on the center,’ he was quoted as saying. ‘This would immediately give the party 5 percent more votes without it losing anything elsewhere.'”

Conservative speakers of the Republican Party subsequently criticized Schwarzenegger for his comments, according to press releases in the U.S.

In other news, according to the November 2004 issue of “California Lawyer,” the “passage of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s $105.4 billion state budget may have soothed the greatest of California’s fiscal woes, but for many of the state’s regulatory agencies the budget burn has only gotten worse. Ongoing cuts and the fiscal realities of recent years have been especially tough on consumer protection–and left some beleaguered agencies scrambling to perform even basic regulatory functions.” The article pointed out that the agencies most affected are: Adult Protection Services; California Highway Patrol; Fair Political Practices Commission; California Department of Real Estate; and Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education.

Worldwide Epidemic Coming?

On December 20, 2004, the Associated Press reported that “Health officials warned Monday that the world was close to its next pandemic — a powerful and highly contagious mix of avian influenza and flu virus that would likely be centered in Asia. Authorities also warned that humans, and not animals as initially thought, would probably be the carriers… WHO had warned previously that bird flu mixed with a human flu virus could spread rapidly and cause as many as 7 million deaths.”

U.S. Presidents

The November 2004 issue of ABA Journal (the Journal of the American Bar Association) pointed out: “Since George Washington’s first Inauguration in 1789, the United States has had 42 presidents. More than half of them — 25 to be exact — have been lawyers.” In quoting an expert, author and commentator, Paul Finkelman, the article stated: “Lincoln was not only the nation’s greatest president but the one most deeply influenced by his earlier career as a lawyer… An example of how Lincoln thought like a lawyer… is the Emancipation Proclamation, which Lincoln issued in 1863 amid the fury of the Civil War to free slaves only in the states that had seceded from the Union. While some historians have criticized the document as too limited and cautious…, it was ‘a deeply lawyerly’ endeavor for Lincoln, drafted so that it would not be overturned by a dubious Supreme Court.”

The article continued: “Only four of the first 16 presidents were not lawyers, and from the end of the Civil War to the end of World War I, only Andrew Johnson, Ulysses S. Grant and Theodore Roosevelt were not lawyers. But in the nearly 60 years since the end of World War II, only three men–Nixon, Clinton and Gerald Ford– have been lawyers.”

War Crime Defendants Representing Themselves…

ABA Journal published an interesting and thought-provoking article in its December 2004 edition, titled, “Foolish Like a Fox.” The article stated:

“He who represents himself has a fool for a client, goes the adage. But it’s also a truism that the courtroom can serve as a stage for a defendant–especially when that defendant is a deposed national leader intent on inflaming political unrest among his followers. That is just the kind of spectacle Slobodan Milosevic created by representing himself before the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia [ICTY], according to some observers. And, they say, the same thing could happen if Saddam Hussein, the toppled leader of Iraq, asks to represent himself before a war crimes tribunal formed by that country’s provisional government.”

The article continued (emphasis added): “‘Milosevic started out as a villain,’ says [Michael P.] Scharf [a law professor and director of the International Law Center at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland]. ‘Now he’s the fourth most popular person [in Serbia] behind two sport stars and a rock star, and he got ELECTED TO PARLIAMENT IN A LANDSLIDE LAST DECEMBER. He campaigned during cross-examination. He used cross-examination as his presidential debate.’ The consequences of giving Saddam free rein in representing himself could even be greater, says Scharf. ‘I think if Saddam Hussein were to do the same things as Milosevic, you would fuel the insurgency and anti-U.S. sentiments throughout the Middle East, and it would lead TO CIVIL WAR,’ says Scharf.”

The article pointed out: “But in Saddam’s case, a decision on whether to allow him to conduct a pro se defense might depend partly on whether any lawyers are even available to represent him, says Douglas Stringer, an attorney in Portland, Ore., who served as a prosecutor with the ICTY in 1997-2002. ‘My understanding is that you have a defense team in Jordan that has been threatened with death should any of them come to Iraq… Very strict measures have to be created to even have them come to the ground in Iraq. He may be forced to defend himself because his lawyers can’t be present.'”

Christmas Deadliest Day for Americans

According to a study, published by Reuters on December 14, 2004, “Christmas is the deadliest day of the year for Americans with 12.4 percent more deaths than normal.” The report continued: “More Americans die from heart attacks and other natural causes on Christmas, the day after and on New Year’s Day than on any other days of the year, the researchers reported… In all, Phillips and colleagues counted more than 42,000 ‘extra’ deaths during the holidays over a 26-year period. Only two years did not see this phenomenon — 1973, when oil prices peaked and people tended not to travel, and 1981, when a severe recession also kept Americans at home…The report fits in with a study published in March that found heart attack patients sent to hospitals during the winter holidays are more likely to die than those admitted during the rest of the year. Clinics, emergency rooms and other health facilities do not operate at top efficiency over the holiday period, said Dr. Trip Meine, a cardiologist at Duke University in North Carolina, who led the study released at an American college of Cardiology meeting.”

Russia and China Form Power Bloc

On December 13, 2004, AP reported that “China and Russia will hold their first joint military exercise next year, the Chinese government said Monday, as President Hu Jintao called for an expansion of the rapidly growing alliance between the former Cold War rivals.The announcement came during a visit to Beijing by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov, who was expected to discuss expanding the Kremlin’s multibillion-dollar annual arms sales to China… The announcement of military exercises comes two months after Beijing and Moscow settled the last of their decades-old border disputes that led to violent clashes in the 1960s and ’70s.

“The agreement was signed during an October trip to Beijing by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who said relations had reached ‘unparalleled heights.’ That visit also produced a pact to jointly develop Russian energy resources… China has become the Russian arms industry’s No. 1 customer, and is expected to buy $2 billion in weapons this year. Russia is a key supplier for the Chinese military’s effort to modernize its arsenal and back up frequent threats to invade Taiwan, the self-ruled island that Beijing claims as its territory… The United States and the European Union have banned weapons sales to China since its bloody 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy protesters. But Moscow has supplied Beijing with high-performance Su-27 fighters and other top-of-the-line arms.”

The Financial Times reported on December 5, 2004, that “President Jacques Chirac has championed lifting the ban imposed after the Tiananmen Square massacre which the EU believes implies a near-pariah status China no longer deserves.” At the same time, according to the article, the United States is “fiercely opposed to lifting the ban.” Regardless, Biblical Prophecy shows that Russia and China will become a mighty military and economic power bloc, which will ultimately be at odds with the European Union. We are seeing now the beginnings of these developments.

The Wisdom of the World…

Associated Press reported on December 9, 2004, that “A British philosophy professor who has been a leading champion of atheism for more than a half-century has changed his mind. He now believes in God – more or less – based on scientific evidence, and says so on a video released Thursday.At age 81, after decades of insisting belief is a mistake, Antony Flew has concluded that some sort of intelligence or first cause must have created the universe. A super-intelligence is the only good explanation for the origin of life and the complexity of nature, Flew said in a telephone interview from England.

“Flew said he’s best labeled a deist like Thomas Jefferson, whose God was not actively involved in people’s lives… biologists’ investigation of DNA ‘has shown, by the almost unbelievable complexity of the arrangements which are needed to produce (life), that intelligence must have been involved,’ Flew says in the new video, ‘Has Science Discovered God?’… Flew told The Associated Press his current ideas have some similarity with American ‘intelligent design’ theorists, who see evidence for a guiding force in the construction of the universe. He accepts Darwinian evolution but doubts it can explain the ultimate origins of life.”

What a mixed-up world, where scientists — supposedly leaders in factual thinking — produce such nonsensical ideas. First atheists, some now believe in a god which is not actively involved in people’s lives. Although they may admit in a “first cause” for the existence of the universe, they also accept Darwinism, but may doubt that it can explain the ultimate origins of life! What incredible confusion and lack of true understanding. How relevant are the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:20-21: “Where is the wise?… Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?… the world through [its] wisdom did not know God.”

Intruders in Your Home

On December 2, 2004, a frightening article was published by www.usatoday.com, stating that “Unprotected PCs can be hijacked in minutes.” The article continued: “Simply connecting to the Internet– and doing nothing else–exposes your PC to non-stop, automated break-in attempts by intruders looking to take control of your machine surreptitiously. While most break-in tries fail, an unprotected PC can get hijacked within minutes of accessing the Internet. Once hijacked, it is likely to get grouped with other compromised PCs to dispense spam, conduct denial-of-service attacks or carry out identity-theft scams…

” [The] results vividly illustrate how automated cyberattacks have come to saturate the Internet with malicious programs designed to take the quickest route to break into your PC: through security weaknesses in the PC operating system… Test results underscored the value of keeping up to date with security patches and using a firewall. Computer security experts say firewalls, which restrict online access to the guts of the PC operating system, represent a crucial first line of defense against cyberintruders. Yet, an estimated 67% of consumers do not use a firewall, according to the National Cyber Security Alliance… Each PC was connected to the Internet via a broadband DSL connection and monitored for two weeks in September. Break-in attempts began immediately and continued at a constant and high level: an average of 341 per hour against the Windows XP machine with no firewall or recent security patches, 339 per hour against the Apple Macintosh and 61 per hour against the Windows Small Business Server. Each was sold without an activated firewall.”

These abominable crimes committed by Internet intruders only show the depths of depravity this world has reached. Nothing is sacred anymore. And it will get much worse!

Is the U.S. Draft Coming?

On December 12, 2004, www.suntimes.com resurrected the discussion about a possible draft in 2005. The article pointed out that although some experts dismiss the idea, others are not so sure.

“‘It boils down to one thing, and that is Iraq and how long can we sustain the military deployment there,’ says Charles V. Pena, director of defense policy studies at the Cato Institute…With the troop levels in Iraq about to be increased to 150,000 and another 30,000 in Kuwait, that might not be too long, Pena argues. The volunteer military operates under what it calls a 3-1 rotation schedule, which requires two stateside units for every one deployed overseas so that troops can be rotated in and out of harm’s way. That means the armed services need three times as many troops as are actually deployed — 540,000 in the case of Iraq and Kuwait. More than 1.4 million men and women are on active duty, but just 499,543 of them are in the Army, which is handling the bulk of the fighting in Iraq. ‘And that does not take into account the other deployments we have around the globe,’ Pena says. ‘The active Army is not large enough to maintain a 3-1 deployment ratio, which is why you see the National Guard and reserves being used. ‘We’re stretched, and so the question will not go away: Does that mean we might have to resort to a draft?'”

Pena is not convinced that this has to be the case. As the article continued:

“If the situation worsens in Iraq, he thinks politicians might move toward mandatory national service, in which all young people are required to either perform some sort of community work or enlist in the military. The military component could be made more attractive by making it a shorter term than, for instance, emptying bedpans at a nursing home. The military option would also carry the added benefit of providing job training.”

This proposal would only implement what has been in force and effect in Germany for many years. Germany has had a mandatory draft, but conscientious objectors are permitted to perform some sort of community work (for example, working in hospitals or nursing homes), which term is longer than the required military duty.

Doctors: Yushchenko Poisoned with Dioxin

The Associated Press reported on December 11, 2004: “Dioxin poisoning caused the mysterious illness of Ukrainian presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko, a doctor said Saturday, adding that the poison could have been put in his soup. ‘There is no doubt about the fact that Mr. Yushchenko’s disease has been caused by a case of poisoning by dioxin,’ said Dr. Michael Zimpfer, director of Vienna’s private Rudolfinerhaus clinic. Zimpfer said Yushchenko’s blood and tissue registered concentrations of dioxin–one of the most toxic chemicals–that were 1,000 times above normal levels. ‘It would be quite easy to administer this amount in a soup,’ Zimpfer said, adding that tests showed the dioxin was taken orally. ‘There is suspicion of third party involvement.'”

According to the Associated Pres of December 16, 2004, “Opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko said Thursday that he was sure he was poisoned by the Ukrainian government and believes it most likely happened at a dinner he had with the country’s top security service officials.” If proof for the source of this attempted murder can be established, the consequences in the Ukraine could be catastrophic.

“At the same time, he [Yushchenko] said Ukraine would move to integrate more closely into European structures and possibly aim at an associate membership in the European Union in three to five years,” according to AP.

Four Deadly Storms in the Philippines

AFP reported on December 11, 2004: “Four storms that struck the Philippines in one month left almost 1,800 dead and missing with 4.588 billion pesos (81.49 million dollars) in damage, the civil defense office said.The toll is expected to rise further as the search continues for victims of the last two weather disturbances, a tropical storm locally codenamed Winnie which hit on November 29 and typhoon Nanmadol which struck the country on December 2.”

45 Million Children to Die in Next Decade

OneWorld US pointed out on December 6, 2004 that, “Unless the world’s wealthiest countries comply with their past pledges, some 45 million children in the world’s poor countries will die needlessly over the next decade, according [to] a new report released Monday by British-based development group, Oxfam. Despite the fact that Group of Seven (G7) countries Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Britain, the United States, and Canada are richer than they have ever been, they are spending only half as much in real terms in development assistance as they did in 1960, according to the report, ‘Paying the Price.'”

The article continued: “And of the paltry assistance they do provide about US$50 billion a year only about 40 percent of the money is actually spent in poor countries; the rest of it is spent in the wealthy countries themselves. Even, then, much of the aid is late in arriving. … ‘The world has never been wealthier, yet rich nations are giving less and less,’ according to Jeremy Hobbs, Oxfams executive director. ‘Across the globe, millions of people are being denied the most basic human needs: clean water, food, health care and education. People are dying while leaders delay debt relief and aid.’… ‘Unless world leaders act now to deliver [an] historic breakthrough on poverty,’ said Hobbs, ‘next year will end in shameful failure.'”

Anglican Church Could ‘Self-destruct’ over Gay Clergy Issue

AFP reported on December 11, 2004: “The Anglican church is deeply divided and could ‘implode and self-destruct’ over gay clerics and other sensitive issues, a senior advisor to the Archbishop of Canterbury warned. Jayne Ozanne, in a private document to Archbishop Rowan Williams leaked to Saturday’s edition of The Times, predicted that the Anglican church would ‘fragment into various divisions over a range of internal issues’ and could wind up as an ‘underground movement’ comparable to World War II resistance groups.

“Williams late last month criticized conservatives within his worldwide church, with some 70 million followers, for their vocal hostility to homosexuals. … ‘I see a time of great persecution coming, which will drive Christianity all but underground in the West. I believe that this will primarily take the form of a social and economic persecution, where Christians will be ridiculed for their faith and pressurised into making it a purely private matter,’ she [Ozanne] wrote.”

Mixed Signals for Further EU Enlargement

EUOBSERVER stated on December 11, 2004: “As the EU looks set to open membership negotiations with Turkey at the end of next week, over a third of its citizens are opposed to further enlargement of the 25-nation bloc… Those against enlargement rises to 43% when citizens only from the 15 ‘old’ member states are considered, according to a eurobarometer poll published on Friday (10 December). Austrians and Germans have the highest percentages of citizens against enlargement (62% and 57% respectively) – both countries have common borders with new member states.

“In France, where President Jacques Chirac has been fighting rising sentiment against Turkish EU membership – fifty-one percent said they are against further enlargement…. The EU is expected to take on Romania and Bulgaria in 2007 while Turkey is not expected to join until at least 2015 – a decision on whether to open negotiations with Ankara will be taken at the EU summit on 16-17 December.”

Europe’s Far Right Consider Coalition

EUOBSERVER reported on December 10, 2004: “Europe’s far right parties are considering forming a pan-European movement together.Filip Dewinter, the leader of an extremist separatist party in Belgium, told the Vienna-based News on Thursday that they were considering creating an extreme right grouping in the European Parliament. This would encompass Austria’s Freedom Party, Italy’s Lega Nord, France’s National Front, the Dutch New Right Party and de Winter’s own Vlaams Belang – all strongly anti-immigrant. Mr Dewinter said he is considering Jörg Haider, leader of Austria’s Freedom Party, to be the head of the movement. ‘I’ve had several talks with Jörg Haider and have the feeling that he’s interested in this cooperation’, said Mr Dewinter. ‘I’m proposing to Jö;rg Haider that he be the top candidate of our movement’. Mr Haider became well known in Europe when, after doing so well in the 1999 elections in Austria, his party joined the centre-right government – resulting in sanctions by other member states against the country. If the talks come to fruition, the coalition would run on a single platform in the European elections in 2009.”

Romania Finishes EU Talks

EUOBSERVER reported on December 9, 2004: “Following a last minute diplomatic push, Romania managed on Wednesday evening (8 December) to close EU pre-accession talks. This is a technical achievement with the political closure of talks expected on 14 December, during a meeting of EU foreign ministers. Finishing negotiation on all parts of EU legislation was crucial ahead of the EU Summit next week, when Romania’s accession in 2007 is expected to be confirmed by leaders of the 25-nation bloc… Until 2007, Romania and Bulgaria will be under close observation following the introduction of a so-called safeguard clause that gives the EU the possibility of delaying entry for a year if commitments made by the countries during negotiations are not met… Romania has been lagging behind its neighbour Bulgaria, which already closed EU talks in June. Both countries are due to sign the Accession Treaty in spring 2005 paving the way to join the EU two years after that.”

Chirac and Schröder Push for Constitution “Yes” in Spain

EUOBERSERVER reported on December 9, 2004: “French President Jacques Chirac confirmed on Wednesday (8 December) that he and German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder will travel to Barcelona in the weeks before the Spanish referendum on the Constitution, to lend their support. The two leaders will attend a ‘teaching’ meeting to explain the Constitution on 11 February, according to Le Monde.

“The Spanish will be the first to put the Constitution to a popular vote — on 20 February. Mr Chirac said that the Spanish would be in the ‘first row’ of European integration and called on Spaniards to ‘show the way’ to other countries with a ‘massive yes’. Opinion polls consistently show that a majority of Spanish people are in favour of the Constitution. Confirming that he would ‘engage without holding back’ in the campaign, the French President also said the campaign should not be ‘ruined by internal politics’. Mr Chirac himself is set to have a difficult time persuading the French people to vote ‘yes’ to the Constitution as he tries to avoid the issue becoming entangled in the question of whether Turkey should become an EU member – a large section of the French population are against this.”