Update 1008

Arrogance Is Contrary to God’s Law

by Frank Bruno

Eric Rank’s Sermonette a few weeks ago on the challenge of a prideful spirit stimulated many thoughts for me. As Mr. Rank shared his impressions, I too have allowed myself to bask in the glow of my own prideful humanity. I’ve learned that the things that I have succeeded at have been the result of God’s hand, and the moments that have not gone well were either lessons or challenges that I must learn or overcome. Still, this world celebrates success, and the pride that can accompany achievement can cause people to believe in the power of their inflated wisdom.

This is not to say that we cannot be pleased when we achieve something we’ve worked hard for. However, when being pleased becomes boastful, even with oneself, then we have indeed crossed the line in God’s eyes. We must acknowledge God’s supremacy in our lives.

I too have spoken about pride and on leadership, and the tendency for people to respond to a diligent and sincere leader, and not as much to a person who is in your face about his or her skills and victories. So, what is this factor that triggers the movement from sincerity to boastfulness? In a word: arrogance!

This editorial is not intended to be a commentary on specific leaders—but on the attitude that is so prevalent in the world, among the world’s leaders, and frankly—so many people. This is not a trait that is limited to one political party or movement. It is also an attitude that we’ve come to expect with popular sports and entertainment stars. But this character trait is not limited to the rich and famous, and to be fair, there may be humble people among them.

However, humility is not a virtue that this world generally appreciates. Society tends to consider humble people to be push-overs or worse. Yet even the Harvard Business School offers a course on the value of quiet power as a leadership skill. Now, a quiet person can still be an arrogant person, but humility and arrogance are typically opposite ends of the spectrum.

In the Book of Micah, we see the two types juxtaposed—on the one hand a boastful person suggesting that sacrifices and riches would impress God, and on the other hand a merciful, kind and just person who humbles himself before God.

We read in Micah 6, 6-8: “With what shall I come before the Lord, And bow myself before the High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, With calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams Or ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?”

Edgar Schein, professor emeritus at MIT Sloan School of Management and an expert on leadership and culture, once asked a group of his students what it meant to be promoted to the rank of manager. They said without hesitation, “It means I can now tell others what to do.” And yet, a management column in the Wall Street Journal offered a different headline: “The Best Bosses Are Humble Bosses.” The article referred to a study at Arizona State University in 2014 that reported that humble leaders “inspire close teamwork, rapid learning and high performance in their teams.” It even reported that one HR consulting firm was planning to introduce an assessment to identify personality traits that include “sincerity, modesty, fairness, truthfulness, and unpretentiousness.”

These are traits that would be unheard of in a political campaign. Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Vladimir Putin, Darth Vader and so many others are not characters that we describe as humble and forthright, but it is easy to build a movie plot around them. For some reason, this personality type is still integral in the eyes of many to the likelihood of success—whether the aim is good or evil.

In 1 Peter 5:5, we are told:”Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for ‘God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.’”

It is troubling to witness politicians invoking God at will as a bludgeon against their rivals. Sadly, this is increasingly used as a method to illustrate superiority over the opposition. At the conclusion of the State of the Union address, the President asks that “God bless the United States of America”—but few understand that there is a contract that comes along with following God. Our part of the contract is straightforward: obeying Him and following His commandments. Can we obey God and be an arrogant person, out for him- or herself? We have our guidance in Mark 10:43-45:

“Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.  And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

God requires an attitude of service in His people—not arrogance. When we think of other faiths we may think of gold, and the finest fabrics, and some of the most exclusive real estate in the world. Leaders of these organizations live as monarchs and not as humble servants of God. John 13:14 illustrates what is expected of us: “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.”

God sent His Son to save us as the ultimate sign of His love for us. This should humble us and cause us to evaluate our arrogance and self-righteous behavior. We must recognize that we are to be humble and caring towards one another and most certainly in our relationship with God the Father and His Son. We cannot impress God with material success, anything we do to achieve fame and notoriety, or anything we possess. What God demands of us is simple: obey Him and live as He commands.

This Week in the News

The Freedom Convoy

The Guardian wrote on January 28:

“Earlier this month, Canada began requiring any truckers arriving from the US be fully vaccinated against coronavirus. Those who are not vaccinated… are required to quarantine for 14 days…. A convoy of truckers and their supporters is set to converge on the Canadian capital in a protest which has spiralled from frustrations over vaccine mandates into calls for the repeal of all public health measures – and even the overthrow of the federal government.”

The USA imposed similar requirements for truckers entering the USA.

Breitbart wrote on January 27:

“Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has labelled the anti-mandatory vaccination trucker convoy… a ‘fringe minority’ with ‘unacceptable views.’…

“Wednesday’s comments come after Canadian mainstream media outlets… have painted many of the truck convoy participants as having links to ‘far-right groups.’ The claim has been rejected by Tamara Lich, one of the Freedom Convoy organisers…

“The allegations are not the first time Canadian politicians or media have equated those against lockdowns or vaccination policies to white nationalists or far-right extremists. Last year in March, former Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi claimed that anti-mask and anti-lockdown protestors were extremists…”

One wonders who the extremists are.  According to Fox News, dated January 28, the convoy of truckers is 70 kilometers or 43.5 miles long. Protests are now all over Canada, not just in Ottawa. For whole families to be out protesting in -20C to -30C for hours, they must be determined.

The Daily Mail wrote on January 30:

“Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his family have left their home in the national’s capital Ottawa for a secret location as up to 50,000 truckers gather to protest against the country’s vaccine mandate and Covid lockdowns. .. Trudeau said Friday that the truckers’ views — which he described as anti-science, anti-government and anti-society — posed a risk not only to themselves but to other Canadians as well… Despite security concerns, there have been no incidents at the rally…

“Elon Musk… tweeted praise for the truckers, saying: ‘If you scare people enough, they will demand removal of freedom. This is the path to tyranny. ‘He’d earlier tweeted that ‘Canadian truckers rule’… As many as 32,000, or 20 percent, of the 160,000 Canadian and American cross-border truck drivers may be taken off the roads due to the mandate…

“In a list of demands, the organizers of the Freedom Convoy are calling for an end to vaccine passports and for the federal government to respect the rights of the unvaccinated. Trudeau hit the brakes on their demands. ‘What we are hearing from some people associated with this convoy is completely unacceptable,’ he said. ‘We know the way through this pandemic is to get everyone vaccinated.”

Who is “we”?

Breitbart wrote on January 29:

“Former President Donald Trump on Saturday praised the ‘freedom convoy’ of Canadian truckers protesting against Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s coronavirus health mandates… ‘The Canadian truckers… who are resisting bravely these lawless mandates are doing more to defend American freedom than our own leaders by far,’ he said, speaking to a crowd in Conroe, Texas.

“He made clear that he supports the convoy’s movement, saying, ‘and we want those great Canadian truckers to know that we are with them all the way.’”

What impact the demonstrating truckers will have on the Canadian government and even many Canadians who support draconian restrictions, is unclear.

The Calgary Herald wrote January 29:

“… the Canadian Trucking Alliance said on Sunday that they ‘strongly disapprove’ of the cross-Canada trucker protest and that the vast majority of Canadian truck drivers are vaccinated with estimates upwards of 90 per cent…”

Trudeau the Coward

Fox News wrote on January 31:

“Critics are slamming… Trudeau as a ‘coward’ for reportedly fleeing his residence in the country’s capital of Ottawa as a massive anti-vaccine mandate protest converged on the city. ‘What a complete coward. He won’t even face the citizens he has discriminated against,’ Fox News contributor Lisa Boothe tweeted. The protests have been peaceful, with most disturbances coming in the form of honking horns, chanting and dancing. ..

“Critics in both the U.S. and Canada lambasted and mocked the prime minister as ‘gutless’ and ‘cowardly’ for fleeing the protesters instead of addressing their concerns over health freedom. “

Of course, there were occasional incidents where monuments were defaced, which are now being used by the government to attack the truckers and launch criminal investigations. In all likelihood, these incidents were not even committed by any of the truckers but by elements who always appear at peaceful demonstrations to commit their despicable acts. According to the mass media, “violence” broke out at the Alta. Border, “after multiple trucks and tractors broke through police lines Tuesday afternoon.”  But  Alberta Premier Jason Kenney only said that “he received reports from the scene ‘of people aligned with the protesters assaulting RCMP officers, including in one instance trying to ram members of the RCMP, later leading to a collision with a civilian vehicle’” (The Western Producers, February 1).

In addition, Breitbart wrote on February 2:

“Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have confirmed to Breitbart News that no officers have been assaulted by protesters at the Alberta border blockade despite the assertion from the province’s Premier, Jason Kenney, that they had…. 

“As first reported by Rebel News, the assault claim was untrue, and RCMP Cpl. Curtis Peters, who is on the ground in Coutts, independently confirmed to Breitbart News that no such assault took place, and the incident with the vehicle was an accident that occurred between civilians. ‘There were no RCMP officers assaulted,’ he said. ‘There was an assault that took place between two civilians. One of them was a protester who had been traveling the wrong way on a one-way lane of highway and then got in a collision with the innocent person. … But we haven’t had any assaults of police.’ According to Peters, the collision caused a fight to break out between the drivers.”

It can be expected that the truckers will be labeled by Trudeau’s  government once again as “dangerous and violent extremists.”  

Zero Hedge wrote on January 31:

“[The] Canadian Prime Minister was accused of hypocrisy when he suddenly was nowhere to be found late last week as a convoy of truckers rolled into Ottawa to protest the government’s COVID mandates. Many scoffed at Trudeau’s sudden disappearing when confronted by a massive crowd of protesters, many carrying signs mocking his comment that the truckers and their supporters were part of a “tiny fringe minority”.

“Making matters worse for the PM, Canadian media reported Monday morning that Trudeau had been diagnosed with COVID, despite receiving a booster dose early this month on Jan. 4. [He tweeted from his undisclosed location that he was feeling fine.]

“Is it possible to get infected with COVID while being boosted and in hiding? Or has Trudeau really been stricken with COWARD-19?”

Trudeau’s Berlin Wall of Covid Totalitarianism

Ron Paul wrote on January 31:

“We all remember where we were when the Berlin Wall came down. While it may have seemed that communist rule would go on forever, when the people decided that they had enough suddenly the wall fell. Just like that. Thus it is after two years of Covid authoritarianism that in Canada the largest truck convoy in history has smashed through the Berlin Wall of tyranny. I have watched as… Canada… turned into one of the most repressive countries on earth…

“Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau had been basking in his ability to terrorize the population in the name of fighting a virus. He was so confident in his seemingly unlimited power that he felt he could ridicule any Canadian with different views. The prime minister said in a recent interview that unvaccinated Canadians were ‘extremists,’ ‘misogynists,’ and ‘racists.’

“When the Canadian truckers stood up to his tyranny and began their historic convoy to Ottawa, he thought he could continue ridiculing people…  Less than a week later, as tens of thousands of trucks began entering the capital with millions of supporters behind them, the ‘brave’ Canadian prime minister had fled the city and shuffled off to an undisclosed location…

“The Canadian mainstream media is obviously just as obedient to the regime as ours. They ignored the Freedom Convoy for as long as possible. There was almost no reporting. Then, when it became impossible to ignore, they began to attack and ridicule instead of trying to report it accurately. It was disgusting and almost comical to see a ‘reporter’ from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation suggest that the Canadian Freedom Convoy was cooked up by Putin and the Russians!…

“This protest is so important because it’s not limited to Canada. The truckers are being supported worldwide, and a similar convoy is being planned from California to Washington, DC. In a US where grocery store shelves are increasingly bare, the truckers have more leverage than the powers-that-be would like to admit. [The Daily Mail reported on January 31 that “Australian drivers have taken inspiration from a ‘Freedom Convoy’ in Canada to drive to Canberra and protest against vaccine mandates [as] Victoria’s Premier has warned booster shots will soon be mandatory. Protesters from all around the country arrived in the nation’s capital on Monday as part of the ‘Convoy to Canberra’ demonstration. The convoy of cars between Pheasants Nest, NSW and the capital trailed for several kilometres.”].

“If I were prime minister of totalitarian Australia or New Zealand – or most anywhere in Europe – I would be getting pretty nervous right now. Just as the Covid tyranny descended across the globe in a seemingly coordinated fashion, now that the Berlin Wall of the tyrants has been breached, it’s just a matter of time before the shockwaves are felt far and wide.”

Let’s hope Ron Paul is right. According to the Edmonton Sun, dated January 31, a remarkable change in attitude has happened, as “A majority of Canadians now say it is time to end COVID restrictions, according to an Angus Reid poll, a sharp increase from when the same question was asked in early January. The latest poll, taken Jan. 27-28, found 54% want restrictions to be lifted compared to just 39% who wanted restrictions lifted when the same question was asked two weeks earlier.”

We received the following report from one of our Canadian members:

“The things happening in our capital are on everyone’s mind here… a very special event, that the main media has basically blocked out, or if they say anything, they bash everyone there and pick on minute details. There has been NO violence, no arrests as per Ottawa police dept, in spite of the media and politicians describing the protesters as extremists. Many pastors at an open air service on Parliament Hill were telling our Prime Minister and the government to bring back God’s word to the parliament and schools.”

The Nonsense of Mandatory Vaccinations

LifeSiteNews wrote on January 28:

“Thrice vaccinated German politician Ricarda Lang (28) has tested positive for COVID-19 only hours after giving a speech in favor of mandatory vaccination at the German parliament Wednesday. Lang is currently running to become the leader of the Green party… Lang, who says she is bisexual, had done two rapid tests on Tuesday and Wednesday morning, both of which came back negative. On Wednesday night, after she gave a speech in support of mandatory vaccination in Germany, she received the results of a PCR test which came back positive… Lang claimed she had ‘no symptoms,’ which she attributed to the fact that she has been vaccinated three times against COVID-19…

“Meanwhile, far left member of parliament Sahra Wagenknecht, who is unvaccinated and one of the most outspoken German politicians in the fight against vaccine mandates, tested positive as well, and has no symptoms, either. Lang also argued that vaccination against COVID ‘protects very reliably against severe courses and death,’ despite the fact that fully vaccinated people actually represent a majority of hospitalizations in many countries…”

Breitbart wrote on January 28:

“Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) has tested positive for coronavirus, according to a statement from his office released on Friday night. The 74-year-old Senator, who is fully vaccinated and boosted, is asymptomatic. Romney’s wife, Ann, tested negative for coronavirus.”

Another Rock Star stands up to Vaccine Mandates

Breitbart wrote on January 28:

“Detroit rocker Kid Rock says if venues implement vaccine or mask mandates for concerts on his upcoming ‘Bad Reputation Tour,’ fans will ‘be getting your money back, because I won’t be showing up.’… Kid Rock noted that his tour ‘actually scratched Buffalo, New York, off the list because of that — and Toronto, Canada, and several other cities we were looking at.’…

“On Monday, Kid Rock released a politically charged song, titled, ‘We the People,’ bashing mandates in response to the Chinese coronavirus, and slamming President Joe Biden and Dr. Anthony Fauci.”

Fauci should be in so much Trouble

Breitbart wrote on January 28:

“Dr. Anthony Fauci suggested his political opponents are ‘bad people’ and need to be healed by accepting his political opinions, the Washington Post reported Friday. While Fauci called a U.S. senator a moron during his last Senate committee hearing, he told the Post his political opponents are feeling ‘pain’ and ‘suffering’ and are ‘rebelling’ against society…

“The Post also interviewed Fauci’s old boss, Dr. Francis Collins, who recently resigned. Collins told the Post he is worried about Fauci being too focused on those who politically oppose Fauci’s opinions…

“Fauci’s political opponents have struck a chord with independents, according to polling. A majority of 53 percent of Democrats believe Fauci should resign from his position, while 46 percent said he should stay. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) have accused Fauci of lying to Congress about his financials and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) medical investments. President Joe Biden’s top medical adviser also reportedly owned a $10.4 million investment profile in 2020 that included Chinese companies.”

Apart from worrying signs of Fauci “losing it” mentally and his conflicting medical recommendations, he stands accused of suppressing reports suggesting that the Chinese virus was manufactured in labs, and he still has to account for allegedly supporting Chinese labs being engaged in gen-altering experiments and the despicable torturous experiments on beagles.  Fauci should resign for sure, and he must give an account for his alleged wrongdoings. Note the following article.

The New York Post wrote on January 28:

“Fauci… should be under federal investigation answering serious questions about his knowledge of the National Institutes of Health’s reckless funding of dangerous gain-of-function research of bat coronaviruses at China’s Wuhan lab via EcoHealth Alliance while overseeing the government agency.

“And [he] should be explaining shocking new information and emails obtained by Fox News’ ‘Special Report’ program exposing Fauci’s reported role in withholding vital information about the true origins of the suspected bioengineered coronavirus and subsequent alleged cover-up at the outset of the pandemic beginning in January 2020. The fact that [he] reportedly failed to disclose this critical information to the public is beyond frightening; it’s a dereliction of duty warranting his immediate dismissal and full investigation by authorities…

“Over the course of the pandemic, Fauci has been instrumental in getting social media networks and Big Tech to censor anyone spreading ‘misinformation’ about vaccines or lab leak ‘conspiracy theories’ while spreading misinformation himself to America and the world…”

BLM in Hot Water?

The Washington Examiner wrote on January 27:

“No one appears to have been in charge at Black Lives Matters for months. The address it lists on tax forms is wrong, and the charity’s two board members won’t say who controls its $60 million bankroll…

“BLM’s shocking lack of transparency surrounding its finances and operations raises major legal and ethical red flags…

“BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors appointed two activists to serve as the group’s senior directors following her resignation in May amid scrutiny over her personal finances. But both quietly announced in September that they never took the jobs due to disagreements with BLM…”

The New York Post wrote on February 2:

“California’s Department of Justice is pursuing Black Lives Matter over its murky $60 million coffers — warning the group’s shadowy leadership that it will be ‘personally liable’ for any fees or fines. The state’s Attorney General Rob Bonta sent a formal warning to the controversial activist group on Monday… BLM was given 60 days to file tax and charity documents for 2020 — the year it previously confirmed  collecting a staggering $90 million, with at least $60 million left over after expenses and grants.”

CNN Boss Resigns in Disgrace

Fox News wrote on February 2:

“Embattled CNN boss Jeff Zucker walked away from the liberal network on Wednesday after failing to disclose a “consensual relationship” with a CNN staffer….

“Under Zucker, CNN has recently been plagued by scandals,  embarrassing headlines and struggles to attract an audience, leading critics to wonder if he would be shown the door once a planned merger between Warner Media and Discovery is finalized later this year. However, the sudden resignation before the potential deal was finalized sent shock waves across the media industry.”

Biden’s FCC Nominee Gigi Sohn

The New York Post wrote on January 29:

“Gigi Sohn’s journey to the Federal Communications Commission has seen more volatility than the Nasdaq… new, troubling details have emerged that could further taint her nomination to one of the country’s most important and powerful regulators of big business... Sohn, a vocal, progressive telecom lawyer and activist who co-founded an advocacy group funded by…  billionaire George Soros,  is being vehemently opposed by Senate Republicans. She has received at best lukewarm support from moderate Dems in the Senate, making her nomination a tough lift for the Biden administration.”

Wikipedia wrote the following about Gigi Sohn:

“Gigi Sohn has been married to her wife, Lara Ballard since August 2007… not much of her wife Lara’s life is known to the world… Gigi Sohn only has a daughter in terms of her children. She adopted her in 2004 even before marrying her wife Lara… the current whereabouts of her daughter are also not accessible along with her name and age. Biden’s nomination choices for his new government including Sohn have been termed as ground-breaking by NPR.”

German Government’s Fight against Telegram

Breitbart wrote on January 29:

“Nancy Faeser, Germany’s current Minister for the Interior, has distanced herself from previous threats she made against the popular encrypted messaging service, Telegram. The app has proved popular amongst the so-called ‘lateral thinker’ anti-lockdown movement within the country, and is frequently used to help organise and coordinate anti-lockdown protests in the Federal Republic.

“According to a report by Der Spiegel, Faeser had previously threatened to block the app from Germany over concerns to do with ‘hate speech’, as well as ‘violence and hatred on the internet’… The minister had also requested for Apple and Google to throw Telegram off of smartphone app stores over the messaging services transgressions, saying that both tech companies had a ‘social responsibility’ to do so.

“However, Faeser has suddenly stepped back on her fiery rhetoric, distancing herself from her previous remarks about shutting the service down in Germany. ‘Of course it’s not my goal to switch off Telegram,’ Der Spiegel reports Faeser as saying on Thursday, instead arguing that she was merely attempting to ‘increase the pressure’ on the company with her shutdown comments.

“While Germany’s political class may not approve of the app, the act of shutting off the service in Germany, according to Der Spiegel would be logistically very difficult. Russian authorities had reportedly tried — and failed — to shut out the messaging service from the country in 2018, resulting in nothing but embarrassment for the Kremlin as the app bypassed restrictions. Meanwhile, it seems doubtful whether the app will acquiesce to Germany’s demands for moderation, with two fine warnings sent to the company — which is located in Dubai — not receiving any response.

“Instead, the Federal Republic has begun looking at more direct approaches to the issue, with Der Zeit reporting that The Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) has set up a task force to deal with people who break the law on the platform.”

The question is, WHAT LAW are they referring to?

German Police Officers Raid School

LifeSiteNews wrote on January 31:

“A German school not registered with the government, where children were being taught in a mask-free environment, was closed following a raid by heavily armed police on January 20. The school had been set up by parents in an effort to protect their children from some of the most traumatic and long-term damaging effects of COVID restrictions such as mask mandates currently imposed on school children in Germany. According to local reports, the raid took place after the police was tipped that school-aged children were being taught at a private property in a small town near Erlangen in Bavaria during school hours.

“Following the raid, the city of Erlangen stated that the school, which was ‘operating without a permit,’ had been closed… there had been previous unsuccessful searches at the school, including an attempt by police to gain access to the building without a warrant… some 30 to 35 police officers successfully stormed the property in full gear, masked in black, and equipped with batons and automatic weapons. The entrance door of the school was broken open with a battering ram…

“The 15 children, aged 4 to 14, who were present on that day attempted to flee to the upper floor but were stopped by the officers. They were then separated from their parents and gathered on the second floor before being questioned individually for four hours… the police used intimidation tactics in order to obtain information from the children, telling them that they would be placed into juveniles’ homes if they refused to provide their names. The police also told the parents that they would have to file a missing person’s report before their children could be returned to them.

“Money and school equipment were also confiscated by the police. The city of Erlangen stated that any confiscated property would be returned following an investigation. In their previous schools, the children had been forced to wear a mask from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., even while using the restroom. When eating, the mask could only be lifted, but not removed completely. One of the mothers characterized this as a ‘torture method’ and reported that some children even fainted at home after having been forced to wear the mask all day… In Germany, children are forced to attend school in government-sanctioned environments. Private schools essentially follow a curriculum outlined by the government. Homeschooling is banned.”

Germany’s school system is an abomination.

Austria’s Growing Dictatorship

Bloomberg wrote on February 1:

“Austria is embarking on a dramatic public health experiment from Tuesday, with a controversial new law that makes Covid-19 vaccines mandatory for everyone.  Multiple European countries have stigmatized people who refuse a vaccine, but Chancellor Karl Nehammer’s government is going further and will start criminalizing holdouts.  Police will begin checking the vaccination status of people on the street and during traffic stops. Beginning in mid-March, offenders who haven’t had a shot will face fines rising to as much as 3,600 euros ($4,050).

“Political and public-health analysts suggest the policy is replete with risk. With opposition lawmakers rebelling and tens of thousands of protesters regularly thronging Vienna’s streets, Nehammer — less than two months in the job — is facing a huge test….

“Denmark, which has one of the highest vaccine rates in the world, last week reclassified Covid as no longer a threat to society.”

The West’s Capitulation to Russia

The Daily Mail wrote on January 24:

“If Russia does invade – and with thousands of troops and materiel massed on the border that could happen any day – the whole Western political class should hang their heads in shame. Through disunity and mixed messaging they have handed Putin a gift-wrapped opportunity to expand his autocratic empire at Ukraine’s expense.

“Guarantor of peace for more than 70 years, Nato is wracked with division. Germany is reluctant to offend Putin because it is a slave to Russian energy. French President Emmanuel Macron undermines the alliance further, describing it as ‘brain-dead’ and calling for the creation of an EU army… Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden says a ‘minor incursion’ might not be enough to justify the most extreme sanctions. Could there be a more open invitation?…

“If Europe fails Ukraine, Putin’s greedy eye will fall next on some other former Soviet state. We should have learned by now that appeasing tyrants never works.”

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 24:

“Germany, Austria and Hungary are more closely linked to the Russian economy than, say, Portugal or the Netherlands; and, because the EU requires unanimity to pass any political actions, the only thing that the European Commission has at the moment is a list of possible sanctions, tucked away in a drawer in Brussels…. [They]  would have to be coordinated with the United States and the United Kingdom, which has also announced unspecified plans for sanctions.”

American Troops to the Region

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 28:

“US President Joe Biden said Friday he will soon send a small number of US troops to bolster the NATO presence in Eastern Europe… ‘I’ll be moving troops to Eastern Europe and the NATO countries in the near term. Not too many,’ Biden told reporters.”

Newsmax added:

“The Pentagon has placed about 8,500 U.S. troops on stand-by for possible deployment to Europe amid Russia’s military build-up near Ukraine’s border.”

Politico stated:

“The president told reporters on Tuesday that he does not foresee U.S. troops moving into Ukraine.”

3,000 More US Troops to Europe

Fox News reported on February 2:

“Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby told reporters Wednesday that the current situation around Ukraine ‘demands that we reinforce the deterrent and defensive posture on NATO’s eastern flank… To be prepared for a range of contingencies, the United States will soon move additional forces to Romania, Poland and Germany,’ he said.

“Kirby announced that 1,000 American troops will be repositioned from Germany to Romania, while another 2,000 are set to be deployed to Europe from the U.S. in the coming days… These troops are separate from the 8,500 currently based in the U.S. who were placed last week ‘on a heightened preparedness to deploy’ if needed, Kirby added.”

Deutsche Welle clarified on February 2:

“Under the plan, the US will reportedly send about 2,000 American troops to Poland and Germany, while 1,000 troops would move from Germany to Romania…. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby stressed they would not be fighting in Ukraine…. Following the announcement, the Kremlin said the deployment was a ‘destructive’ move.”

If they won’t be fighting in Ukraine, what’s the point?

While Johnson Acts, Biden Sleeps

The Sun wrote on January 29:

“AS UKRAINIAN mothers and grandfathers practise drills with wooden rifles to protect their homeland, Joe Biden once more sits on his hands and hopes. The US president who abandoned millions to starve in Afghanistan has again failed to truly stand up and be counted in the face of tyranny.

“It is into this moral void that Britain — freed from a paralysed EU led by a ­thoroughly compromised Germany — has honourably stepped… the PM [Boris Johnson] today vows to protect Ukraine from Russian aggression by land, sea, and air.

“Thankfully, he is not merely offering warm words. He has rightly pledged to double within days the number of UK Armed Forces in Eastern Europe — backed by fighter jets, rocket launchers and warships. It is a significant show of support for our threatened ally…

“Fundamental freedoms in the world are at risk – not to mention the lives of countless innocent Ukrainians. The stakes could not be higher.”

Biden’s Offers of Appeasement

The New York Post wrote von February2:

“The White House floated an offer to Russian President Vladimir Putin that would allow Kremlin access to key NATO bases in exchange for Moscow de-escalating tensions over its military buildup on Ukraine’s border.

“The proposal was included in Washington’s response last week to Moscow’s demands for so-called ‘security guarantees’ from the West, including barring Ukraine and other former Soviet states from becoming NATO members and rolling back forces from Eastern Europe. … The five-page US response also indicates willingness to discuss refraining from installing ground-based missile systems or deploy combat forces in Ukraine if Russia agrees to do the same. “

Putin’s Many Options

The Daily Mail wrote on January 28:

“Vladimir Putin is weighing up how to respond after the US and NATO rejected his security demands around Ukraine, with Biden warning an attack is likely to come in February when the ground freezes solid, allowing Putin’s tanks to roll in. If he’s right, that gives Zelensky just a few weeks to prepare his defenses, with the main question being: Where will Putin attack, and what will his targets be?

“MailOnline has pulled together expert opinion and open source information to lay out the strongman’s likely options, from cyberattacks and sabotage to assaults on ports, nuclear reactors, the seizure of key military bases and infrastructure such as powerplants and bridges. Defending all this is the daunting task facing Ukraine’s military, if Putin decides to take the plunge.”

The Daily Mail also published in its article charts with five options which Putin has to conquer Ukraine. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10442787/How-Putin-invade-Ukraine-amid-warnings-imminent-attack.html

Russia Sends Blood Supplies to Ukraine Border

Reuters wrote on January 28:

“Russia’s military buildup near Ukraine has expanded to include supplies of blood along with other medical materials that would allow it to treat casualties, in yet another key indicator of Moscow’s military readiness, three U.S. officials tell Reuters.

“Current and former U.S. officials say concrete indicators — like blood supplies — are critical in determining whether Moscow would be prepared to carry out an invasion, if Russian President Vladimir Putin decided to do so…

“The Pentagon has previously acknowledged the deployment of ‘medical support’ as part of Russia’s buildup. But the disclosure of blood supplies adds a level of detail that experts say is critical to determining Russian military readiness. ‘It doesn’t guarantee that there’s going to be another attack, but you would not execute another attack unless you have that in hand,’ said Ben Hodges, a retired U.S. lieutenant general now with the Center for European Policy Analysis research institute.”

Ukraine Gone in 48 Hours?

Express wrote on January 29:

“AN ALLY of Vladimir Putin claimed it would take the Kremlin no more than 48 hours to win over Ukraine in case of war.

“Konstantin Malofeev, a Russian tycoon said to be a sponsor of several pro-Kremlin Orthodox and ultra-conservative projects, claimed ‘open military conflict between Russia and Ukraine’ can only go one way given the massive ‘difference in military potential’ between the two. Calling the crisis a ‘suicidal conflict’, he largely blamed the West for it… ‘It will take 48 hours maximum, and we cannot talk about different fronts’…

“Mr Malofeev… considers NATO’s and its allies’ actions  a provocation rather than an attempt to stop the conflict from going any further. He claimed: ‘We consider Ukraine as a country temporarily occupied by the Anglo-Saxon special services, in which there is no sovereign power, which is completely under the control of these special services…’ Putin… wants under no circumstances [to] see Kyiv being made part of the [NATO] alliance.”

Germany the Key?

Express wrote on January 29:

“RUSSIA and Ukraine’s growing tension has an ‘80 percent chance’ of erupting into a full-blown conflict by the end of February, former US Army chief Ben Hodges warned… ‘The only thing that is going to stop it is if Germany and the rest of Europe are 100 percent force-squared against what Russia is doing. Germany is the key… Germany, they don’t have the self-confidence right now. They don’t know who they are in Europe.’

“He also suggested Vladimir Putin might look to wait until the end of February before pushing ahead with any military action in Ukraine… ‘The two big factors are the Beijing Winter Olympics, I don’t imagine he’s going to want to upstage his friend’s big show. He waited until the end of his Sochi Olympics in 2014 before he invaded Ukraine. The other thing, of course, is getting everything in place.’”

Focus wrote on January 29:

“The Western world is behind Ukraine – except for the Germans. The failed delivery of 5,000 steel helmets not only caused jokes in the US media, but also made the Americans doubt the federal government’s foreign policy abilities. ‘Is Germany a reliable US partner?’ – the ‘Wall Street Journal’ answered the question already in its headline with a clear ‘no’. The conservative daily newspaper is by no means alone with this opinion. Left- and right-wing US media currently seem to be in agreement: The American press reacted with astonishment and were in some cases stunned by Germany’s hesitant attitude to the Ukraine crisis. Open criticism of the federal government is getting louder and louder…

“[The New York Times] calls Olaf Scholz’ attitude towards Ukraine a ‘shambles’… Bloomberg News also describes the German chancellor as the ‘weakest link in the Ukraine crisis’ . .. ‘Berlin puts Russia’s interests ahead of those of the West’, according to the ‘Wall Street Journal’,[continuing:] Cheap natural gas and the appeasement of Putin are more important to the Germans than their solidarity with allied democracies. It is hardly understandable that President Joe Biden continues to call Germany America’s most important ally – there can no longer be any talk of a credible partner…

“The Germans as reliable allies – this image is becoming increasingly difficult to believe, NBC concludes, and wonders whether Germany’s focus is on its relations with America and Europe – or on those with Russia.”

If Germany is the key, then Ukraine is doomed.

Germany’s Ex Chancellor Supports Putin

Bild Online wrote on January 29, 2022:

“Ex-Chancellor and Putin friend Gerhard Schroeder (77, SPD) apparently no longer has any inhibitions when it comes to twisting the facts in the Ukraine crisis. While the world looks on in fear at the approximately 130,000 Russian soldiers who could invade Ukraine at any time, Schröder accuses Ukraine of fueling the conflict and provoking Putin’s revenge.

“‘I really hope that the saber-rattling in Ukraine will finally stop,’ he said on the podcast ‘The Agenda’. ‘What I have to hear there, also about blame being laid on Germany because of the reasonable rejection of arms deliveries, that sometimes knocks the bottom out of the barrel.’…

“Only someone can speak that way who makes a lot of money as top manager of the state-owned companies Nord Stream 2 and Rozneft. CDU’s foreign politician Norbert Röttgen described Schröder as ‘Putin’s paid henchman!'”

How the EU Can Become a Superpower

Euractiv wrote on January 27:

“The EU is losing its relative significance at the global stage every day; while we have the potential to be a superpower, it must be unlocked by necessary reforms, such as moving to qualified-majority voting in foreign affairs, according to Dr Federiga Bindi, expert on the EU’s foreign policy at a Citizens’ Panel of the Conference on the Future of Europe (CoFoE)…

“‘ As long as one country can block decisions, we will always go with the lowest common denominator. … Getting rid of unanimity is the number one priority in foreign and security policy… In terms of their individual military potential, even the strongest EU member states like France have puny armies compared to the rest of the world. In addition, maintaining separate armed forces is a huge waste of money… The reality is that our armed forces, at least at the leadership level, are already highly integrated. Their commanders genuinely talk to each other and work together. Still, we need more integration on the lower levels…”

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.

How important are relationships with God and with each other? – Part 2

In the first part of this series, we looked at the relationship between God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.   In the second part, we will give an outline of biblical information to show just how important inter-personal relationships are with other human beings, and how bad relationships can be disastrous for everyone involved.

Relationships – Man’s interpersonal relationships with fellow man.

In Genesis 1:26, we read that God spoke about creating man who was to be made in His image with God’s end goal of reproducing Himself through man. As God is a Family, He wanted man to become part of His Family—to ultimately join Him in His Family as born-again immortal God beings. In Genesis 2:21-25, we read that a woman was made and that husband and wife, as well as their children, were to be a human family (compare Genesis 1:28). This was to be a physical pattern of the ultimate purpose of enlarging the God Family. However, Adam and Eve failed to obey God, and so there were conversations in chapter 3 where God spoke to Adam and his wife after they had eaten of the forbidden fruit and where, as a consequence, God expelled them from the Garden of Eden, thereby preventing them to eat from the Tree of Life and obtain God’s Holy Spirit and finally eternal life.

Since the dawn of civilisation, man’s relationship with fellow man has been a constant problem.  Adam obeyed Eve in eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, which he should not have done, and the first child born to Adam and Eve was Cain who killed his brother Abel, because Abel’s works were righteous, while Cain’s works were evil (1 John 3:12). As mankind multiplied, so did the problems, and it became so bad that Noah was instructed to build an ark and that those on board that ark would be the only ones who would survive the Flood, and that was after only 1,650 years after the creation of man.

Why would this be so?

In his booklet “Military Service and War,” Mr Herbert Armstrong wrote the following on pages 10 and 11:

“There are the two broad, general philosophies or WAYS OF LIFE.

“God’s WAY is the WAY of LOVE (which is outgoing concern)—of being God-centered , loving and obeying God ahead of all else—and loving fellow man (including enemies) as one’s self. It is the way that believes Jesus when He says it is more blessed to GIVE than to receive (Acts 20:35). It is THE WAY of cooperation, helping, sharing.

“SIN is THE WAY of vanity, self-love, self-centeredness, selfishness, greed, competition, grasping, taking, getting, accumulating, acquiring; and of jealousy, envy, malice, resentment, strife, hatred, murder. It is the OPPOSITE of God’s way. It is the way of WAR.

“In the SIN WAY OF LIFE, love of SELF is balanced by an equal hostility or lack of concern for others—although the ‘empirical self’ usually includes those one feels allied with—such as wife or husband, one’s club, team, group, or country. In GOD’S WAY, concern for others is in equal balance to love of self.

“These are the two OPPOSITE WAYS OF LIFE—opposite ATTITUDES of HEART. One is the way of righteousness, the other the way of SIN.

“God is LOVE. His whole character is that of LOVE and OUTGOING CONCERN. HE IS THE GIVER of every good and precious gift. In love for us humans, God GAVE His Son – gave His Law that it might go well with us! God desires to GIVE each of us His Holy Spirit, and eternal life!

“This gives you the broad, general PRINCIPLE of God’s LAW—the basis and foundation of the Government of God.

“The entire Law may be summed up in the one word, LOVE. It is love toward God, and love toward neighbor—the two great commandments. The first four of the Ten Commandments define, in principle, HOW to love God. The last six, love toward fellow man. These, in turn, are applied in principle to specific cases.

“Military service, bearing arms (for use against humans), killing, war, is directly contrary to God’s Law in principle! It is not THE WAY of giving, sharing, helping, serving… The one specific point of God’s basic Law concerning war is the sixth of the Ten Commandments, ‘Thou shalt not kill.’”

(Please also read our free booklet, “The Ten Commandments,” and, especially in this context, chapter 9, “The Sixth Commandment,” as well as our free booklet, “Should YOU Fight in War?” ).

From these insightful observations, it becomes clear WHY we have had interpersonal relationship problems from the dawn of civilisation.

From the biblical record, there was rebellion and a self-centered attitude from the first family on earth right on to the time that Noah was given his commission.   This was brought about by man’s behaviour, as we read in Genesis 6:5: “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Adam and Eve took what was not theirs—they ate from the forbidden fruit of the Tree of Knowledge—and at the time of Noah, “the sons of God” –descendants from Adam and Eve’s son Seth—“took wives for themselves” from “the daughters of men”—descendants of the evil Cain (compare Genesis 6:1-2). These women were idol worshippers and of a different race, and God did not approve of such a marriage. As Eve looked at the Tree of Knowledge and “saw” “that it was pleasant to the eyes” (Genesis 3:6), so the descendants of Seth “saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful” (Genesis 6:2). In both cases, their desire for what was forbidden led to sinful and evil conduct. (For more information, please read our Q&A, “Did angels have sexual intercourse with women and thereby produce giants?”).

After the Flood, man again went his own way, as we read in Genesis 11 about the Tower of Babel, when men disobeyed God by assembling at one place, rather than filling the earth (Genesis 9:1; 11:4). God intervened, as we read in Genesis 11:6-9: “And the Lord said, ‘Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.  Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.’  So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city.  Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.”

So, God saw to it that they ultimately did what they were at first unwilling to do. God will always make sure that His plan is carried out.

As man was scattered all over the earth, again God and His Ways have generally been ignored with man’s governments holding sway and developing their own laws and ideas.   Other gods were of man’s own making with the usual results. All of this occurred, of course, under the inspiration of Satan who has deceived the whole world (Revelation 12:9).

Then God chose Israel to be His nation and, although there were some good times and mainly bad times in their history, as both the houses of Israel and Judah did what was right in their own eyes, disobeying God, the Messiah came through the lineage of Judah—one of the 12 tribes of Israel (compare Hebrews 7:14; Matthew, chapter 1; and Revelation 5:5).

Jesus came to fulfil (fill to the full, expand) the Law of God (compare Matthew 5:17-20), and while the true Church of God has always maintained the knowledge of God’s Law,  it has in these end times continued to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom to the world as a witness, as Jesus Himself preached and emphasised that the Law of God must be kept.

Satan is the “god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4) and “the prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2). He is the same evil spirit, in serpent form, which lied to Eve and persuaded her to take of the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil which, as he claimed, God had selfishly withheld from them (see Genesis 3:1-7). This has been at the heart of all of the problems that man experiences with both himself and his fellow man.

(For more information on the two trees in the Garden of Eden, please read our free booklet, “Human Suffering, Why… and How Much Longer?,” and especially in this context, chapter 2, “The Two Trees.”).

Before we discuss in detail how we should, as Christians, react and behave, let us have a brief look at how people form their relationships in the first place, and why true and proper relationships are important. We read the following on the website of  theologyofwork:

“Many people form their closest relationships when some kind of work—whether paid or not—provides a common purpose and goal. In turn, working relationships make it possible to create the vast, complex array of goods and services beyond the capacity of any individual to produce. Without relationships at work, there are no automobiles, no computers, no postal services, no legislatures, no stores, no schools, no hunting for game larger than one person can bring down. And without the intimate relationship between a man and a woman, there are no future people to do the work God gives. Our work and our community are thoroughly intertwined gifts from God. Together they provide the means for us to be fruitful and multiply in every sense of the words.”

(To be Continued)

Lead Writers: Brian Gale (United Kingdom) and Norbert Link

Preaching the Gospel and Feeding the Flock

compiled by Dave Harris

“Germany’s March into its Prophesied Horrible Dictatorship,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary: Germany’s March into its Prophesied Horrible Dictatorship – YouTube 

Do we realize how much Germany has already embraced a dictatorial system? This program gives some examples about Germany’s autocratic school system, from schools to governmental officials to judges, punishing and persecuting parents who are willing to follow God and obey His commandments. Most Germans are in support of the government’s dictatorial conduct, and the war against minorities on so many different levels  is escalating on a frightening scale. What can the individual Christian do?

“2022 in der Prophezeiung,” is the title of this Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “2022 in Prophecy.”

“Makellos,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath in Germany by Daniel Blasinger, is now posted. Title in English: “Flawless.”

“Germany is the Key?—Comments on News and Prophecy, January 29, 2022,” presented last Sabbath by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

With the probability of Russian invasion in Ukraine in February, Germany is being described as holding the key to stop Putin. But so far, Germany has done nothing to make a difference, and the left- and right-wing US media is astonished and stunned by Germany’s hesitant attitude. Germany’s new chancellor, Olaf Scholz, is viewed as the “weakest link” in the Ukraine crisis, and Germany is no longer perceived as a credible partner and a reliable ally.

“True Passion,” the first split sermon presented last Sabbath by Michael Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Is there anything that we are truly passionate about?  Are we enthusiastic about God’s law?  There are many examples of those who were truly passionate about God’s law, including God’s plan for mankind.

“Water,” the second split sermon presented last Sabbath by Kalon Mitchell, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Water – the most abundant resource on planet earth and the most widely used by humans. What does the Bible say about this precious resource and how does it tie into our Spiritual lives?  Is there anything we should know about what God plans to do with the water on this earth in the near future?

Comments on News and Prophecy, February 5, 2022 / The Spirit Bears Witness

On February 5, 2022, Norbert Link will present “Comments on News and Prophecy, February 5, 2022,” and the sermon, titled, “The Spirit Bears Witness.”

The live services are available, over video and audio, at http://eternalgod.org/live-services/ (12:30 pm Pacific Time; 1:30 pm Mountain Time; 2:30 pm Central Time; 3:30 pm Eastern Time; 8:30 pm Greenwich Mean Time; 9:30 pm Central European Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

Current Events

by Norbert Link

We begin with the unparalleled “Freedom Convoy” by Canadian (and other) truckers against the coronavirus restrictions and mandatory vaccinations; report on Dr. Fauci’s and BLM’s many problems; and Germany’s attempts to censor “politically incorrect” platforms.

Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Germany’s March into its Prophesied Horrible Dictatorship.”

We continue to report at length about the deeply troubling developments pertaining to Russia and Ukraine, and the lack of confidence in Germany’s new government.  In this context, please watch our new presentation, “Germany is the Key?– Comments on News and Prophecy, January 29, 2022.” 

Throughout this section, we have underlined pertinent statements in the quoted articles, for the convenience and quick overview of the reader.

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