Remembering 9-11
Fox News reported in September 11:
“President Trump commemorated the Sept. 11 attacks for the first time as commander-in-chief on Monday… sharing words of strength on the 16th anniversary of that tragic day… The president, a New Yorker, was joined by first lady Melania Trump to observe a moment of silence first at the White House in remembrance of the nearly 3,000 American lives lost in the attacks — when hijackers led by Usama Bin Laden crashed airplanes into New York City’s World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field near Shanksville, Pa.
“The moment of silence at 8:45 a.m. commemorates the moment the first plane, American Flight 11, struck the north tower of the World Trade Center. The second plane, United Flight 175, struck the south Twin Tower at 9:03 a.m. 16 years ago…
“Trump went on to honor the ‘nearly 5 million’ men and women who have joined the ranks in the last 16 years to defend the United States of America. Since 9/11, nearly 7,000 service members have died. The president’s remarks come after the administration announced a renewed Afghanistan policy late last month. A senior U.S. official confirmed to Fox News that the president signed off on sending an additional 4,000 troops to Afghanistan…
“Meanwhile, Vice President Pence led the ceremony in Shanksville, where Flight 93 crashed into an open field at 10:03 a.m. 16 years ago. Many believe the passengers on that flight prevented a larger attack by fighting back…”
Incredibly, while totally denying overwhelming proof to the contrary, many still believe in conspiracy theories, claiming that the terrorist attack was an “inside” job.
Supreme Court Sides With Trump
The Week wrote on September 13:
“The Supreme Court on Tuesday blocked a federal appeals court ruling issued last week that would have let refugees with support from resettlement agencies enter the U.S., despite President Trump’s travel ban. About 24,000 people could be affected by the 5-4 ruling, which was issued without comment.”
Hurricane Irma Hits Florida
Fox News wrote on September 11:
“Irma weakened to a Category 1 storm as the massive hurricane zeroed in on the Tampa Bay region early Monday after hammering much of Florida with roof-ripping winds, gushing floodwaters and widespread power outages. The hurricane’s maximum sustained winds weakened to 85 mph…
“More than [6] million homes and businesses — and counting — have lost power in Florida as Hurricane Irma moves up the peninsula…
“Irma set all sorts of records for brute strength before crashing into Florida, flattening islands in the Caribbean and swamping the Florida Keys. It finally hit the mainland as a big wide beast, but not quite as monstrous as once feared. The once-Category 5 storm lost some of its power on the northern Cuba coast.”
The Week added on September 11:
“‘It’s the worst storm I’ve ever seen,’ National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration tropical weather program meteorologist Bill South told CNN.”
Thankfully, the hurricane lost some strength before hitting the US mainland. Otherwise, the devastation would have been much worse. We DO believe that the prayers of many asking God for intervention were heard.
The Week wrote on September 13:
“Days after Hurricane Irma made landfall in Florida, the state is starting to assess the damage and begin recovery efforts. On Tuesday, 2.3 million customers regained power, though millions remain without it. In the Keys, where 25 percent of homes were destroyed in devastating 130 mph winds and a 10-foot storm surge, residents are being allowed to return. An estimated 94,000 people remain in Florida shelters.”
Big Earthquake Rattles Mexico
Reuters wrote on September 7:
“At least 32 people [but the death toll is expected to be at least 80] were killed after a massive 8.1 magnitude earthquake, one of the biggest recorded in Mexico [and the biggest within a century] struck off the country’s southern coast late on Thursday… The quake was apparently stronger than a devastating 1985 temblor that flattened swathes of Mexico City…”
The quake struck as Mexicans were preparing for hurricane Katia.
Global Warming Responsible?
The Huffington Post wrote on September 8:
“There’s a bit of an apocalyptic vibe in the air… it has been alarming to watch hurricanes Harvey and Irma strike land in rapid succession. Now José, a Category 4 storm and Katia, a Category 3 storm, are not far behind.
“Harvey created unprecedented flooding in Texas, and Irma is the most powerful tropical cyclone ever to take shape in the Atlantic Ocean. The French island of St. Martin has been 95 percent destroyed…
“Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo declared on Thursday that Irma is a ‘concrete manifestation’ of global warming… But the connection between climate change and hurricanes is complicated, with several separate questions to consider. Is climate change causing more hurricanes?…
“To see what science has to say, HuffPost France interviewed Robert Vautard, a climatologist with France’s National Center for Scientific Research who specializes in the relationship between extreme events and climate change: … ‘it’s hard for the models to predict how rising temperatures will specifically affect storms… there are a lot of uncertainties… predictions can’t be relied upon at this point…’
“In short, even if scientists aren’t sure about the number and potency of future tropical storms, they are fairly certain these storms will cause more damage…
“Harvey caused historic flooding in Texas. Is this proof that global warming is already making hurricanes worse?… [Vautard:] ‘It’s too early to say…’”
Others, like Pope Francis, bowing to the god of “science,” are convinced that man-made global warming is the answer, and in voicing that unproven opinion, they deny any supernatural involvement. Note the next article.
Apocalyptic Thoughts Amid Nature’s Chaos
The New York Times wrote on September 8:
“Vicious hurricanes all in a row… Wildfires bursting out all over the West… off the coast of Mexico, a monster of an earthquake.
“You could be forgiven for thinking apocalyptic thoughts, like the science fiction writer John Scalzi who… declared that this… ‘feels like the End Times are getting in a few dress rehearsals right about now’… And just last month darkness descended on the land as the moon erased the sun…
“If you thought that, you would be wrong, of course… Spates of hurricanes, even major ones, are common in late summer and early fall, the height of hurricane season. Especially destructive hurricanes are not unknown either, and climate change may be making more of them…
“Wildfires have been happening out West for millenniums, though humans have made things worse. Climate change plays a role here, too…
“And earthquakes — they happen all the time, and the numbers of quakes, from weak to powerful, is unwavering when averaged over time. There is roughly one ‘great’ quake, of magnitude 8 or higher, per year. Mexico was the unlucky winner this time…
“In deeply religious communities, the recent sequence of catastrophic events and threats — terror and nuclear weapon tests, as well as natural disasters — can be understood more easily through prophecy than logic.
“Richard Hecht, a professor of religious studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, said that many believers could indeed see this chaotic summer as a sign of the end of times. ‘End of times fantasies have been a central part of American religiosity since the beginning, so it shouldn’t be any surprise’ if many people sense its approach, Dr. Hecht said. ‘It’s one thing to believe the ministers’ or preachers’ calculations of the end of days. But now you have objective truths: Charlottesville, the solar eclipse, Hurricane Harvey, the earthquake in Mexico, Hurricane Irma. ‘These are events no one can dispute,’ he continued…”
The eclipse had nothing to do with any end-time “signs.” However, it would be foolish to just ignore the increasing natural disasters as just “bad luck.” Please view our StandingWatch programs, “Why Unprecedented Wildfires” and “False Endtime Predictions for 2017” .
North Korea’s Nuclear Test Much More Powerful than Originally Reported
The Huffington Post reported on September 13:
“New analysis of North Korea’s Sept. 3 nuclear test ― the regime’s sixth-ever and most powerful to date ― suggests it could have been twice as strong as previously thought.
“Initial estimates had put the blast’s yield at about 120 kilotons, but updated seismic data reveals it was likely around 250 kilotons ― approximately 17 times as powerful as the bomb used to decimate the Japanese city of Hiroshima during World War II…
“The United Nations Security Council approved fresh sanctions against Pyongyang in a unanimous vote on Monday, slashing the cap on crude and refined oil exports to the country by 30 percent. The sanctions also ban textile imports from North Korea ― a vital industry in the Hermit Kingdom. North Korea responded to the ‘vicious’ sanctions by vowing to inflict ‘the greatest pain’ the U.S. has ever suffered…”
The Daily Mail wrote on September 14:
“North Korea launches ANOTHER missile over Japan in the Pacific as regime taunts the world – and this time Seoul swiftly retaliates with its own test.”
Deutsche Welle added on September 14:
“This latest provocation came a day after the North threatened to destroy Japan.”
No Gay Marriage and Abortion Even in Case of Rape
The Daily Mail wrote on September 6:
“Jacob-Rees Mogg said his devout Catholic faith meant he could not support gay marriage. A potential candidate to replace Theresa May as Tory leader faced a furious backlash today after saying he ‘morally’ opposes abortion for women who have been raped… ‘I’m completely opposed to abortion. Life begins at the point of conception,’ he said…
“The teaching of the Roman Catholic Church on abortion has been consistent for nearly 2,000 years. It has always maintained that abortion is a grave sin comparable to murder… The Church regards rape as an evil crime inflicted on an innocent victim. However, in Catholic eyes, to follow rape with an abortion is to perpetrate a second crime against another innocent victim: the unborn child… Those who undergo or procure abortion suffer excommunication – a ban from attending church and receiving sacraments…”
Abortion is a sin, no matter what the circumstances. Please view some of our older StandingWatch programs on this topic, including, “When Is Abortion Allowed? and “Abortion… Right or Wrong?” and “Why Abortion Is Murder in God’s Eyes.”
Brits and Canadians Uncertain about Evolution
Religion News Service wrote on September 7:
“According to a new survey published this week, the majority of Britons, including adherents of the major faiths, now accept evolutionary theory. Even so, 19 percent of religious people in Briton (and 29 percent in Canada) found it somewhat difficult, difficult or very difficult to accept evolutionary science.
“… significant numbers of British people without religious beliefs and even atheists do not find that evolution provides a satisfactory explanation for the development of human consciousness and the origins of what can be called spiritual aspects of human nature… Those surveyed included Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs.”
Even though the majority of Brits and Canadians believe in the ungodly concept of evolution, there are at least some who question what must be called the most ridiculous explanation for the existence of human life.
Who Dominates the EU Parliament?
The EUObserver wrote on September 11:
“MEPs from Germany and Italy continue to exercise the most influence in the European Parliament, while the British begin to slip in a ranking compiled by an NGO… The more obvious heavy-hitters still dominate with the EU parliament’s president, Antonio Tajani, ranking in first place. Italian socialist group leader Gianni Pittella and German centre-right group leader Manfred Weber share the second spot, followed by the liberal group leader, Belgian MEP Guy Verhofstadt…
“Despite having lost Martin Schulz, the former EU parliament president, the Germans still dominate – with large delegations in both the EPP and S&D groups. Their numbers mean they are able to jockey for key positions and take the lead, or so-called rapporteur positions, on policies floated by the European Commission. German MEPs chair five committees in the parliament.
“The Italians are also able to squeeze more influence than their French counterparts. Italians have the largest delegation in the S&D, but also manage to exert pressure in fringe groups…
“While the British may have dropped influence, given their eventual exit from the European Union, there are exceptions. Among them is Claude Moraes, a socialist MEP from the UK, who chairs the parliament’s civil liberties committee. Moraes ranks sixth in the list…”
It should come as no surprise that the Germans, the Italians and also (to some extent) the French are dominating the European Parliament.
A Stronger European Super-State
The EUObserver wrote on September 13:
“European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker… has argued for a more united and effective EU that is based on freedom, equality and the rule of law, and signalled that he wants all EU countries to become full eurozone and Schengen area members by 2019 – except those with opt-outs. He described a post-Brexit EU with all member states part of the banking union… He also wants to see the EU take on a stronger role internationally…
“One of his other key ideas is to merge the presidencies of the European Commission and the European Council into a single position, in order to have one clear leader of the EU. ‘Europe would be easier to understand if one captain was steering the ship,’ he argued.”
Juncker’s vision is partly right and partly wrong. While there WILL BE a European leader steering the ship, it will still be a Europe of two speeds…
The British mass tabloid, The Sun, wrote on September 14:
“ARROGANT Euro chief Jean Claude Juncker told Britain we’ll regret Brexit – before detailing his extraordinary vision of a Brussels-controlled EU super-state… [He] left critical MEPs open mouthed as he spelled out plans for an unprecedented power grab to ‘unite’ Europe…
“He signalled Brussels should… create a European ‘FBI’ and an EU Army by 2025… And while saying the door to Turkey joining the EU was closed ‘for the foreseeable future’ he said there would ‘always be an outstretched hand’ to the Turkish people…
“[He] said: ‘Europe was not made to stand still. It must never do.’… Name-checking France’s Jacques Delors – the godfather of the European project – he added: ‘Jacques Delors taught me that Europe only moves forward when it is bold.
“The single market, Schengen and the single currency were all written off as pipe dreams before they happened. And yet these three ambitious projects are now a reality.”
“He added: ‘The wind is back in Europe’s sails. We now have a window of opportunity but it will not stay open forever. ‘Now is the time to build a more united, stronger and more democratic Europe for 2025.’
“Former Cabinet Minister Iain Duncan Smith told the Sun: ‘This tells you why the vote last year makes sense… ‘It’s the future of the EU – the march of the super-state.’…
“Nigel Farage said: ‘… It’s truly the most worrying speech I’ve heard in all my years. More Europe in every single direction, and all of it to be done without the consent of the people.’”
The following is the perspective of the World Socialist Website (wsws), dated September 14:
“[Juncker’s] address sent a clear message: amid the collapse of the EU’s relations to long-standing allies, above all Washington and London, it must prepare for global trade war and pursue a military policy independent of the United States…
“Juncker [called] for the accelerated formation of what would be an EU army… Juncker’s claim that NATO, including Washington and London, want the formation of an EU defense union is nothing more than an attempt to downplay the rapid rise of [a] US-EU conflict… military tensions are rising rapidly between Washington and the EU, and particularly the Berlin-Paris axis…
“After Britain’s exit from the EU… Germany and France have rapidly revived plans for an aggressive EU military policy independent of the United States…
“Remarkably, Juncker’s speech did not mention Russia…”
The viewpoint of the Socialists must be seen in light of their anti-Western propaganda and their attempts to white-wash an aggressive and war-mongering Russia. Nevertheless, some of the comments quoted above are quite interesting.
Sweden Prepares for War
Euronews reported on September 4:
“When Sweden’s centre-left government announced last month that it would boost military spending by 8.1 billion krona (851 million Euro) over the next three years – in addition to the 500 million krona already added last Spring – the country’s defence minister Peter Hultqvist said the move would send an ‘important signal’… Another sign of that intention was the reintroduction… of a partial draft…
“Why, then, is Sweden flexing its military muscles now and what, if any, are the new threats that the Scandinavian nation faces? There are three main explanations behind the boost in military spending… First, the deteriorating European security order, second a new pattern of military training emerging in Russia, and third the fact that the Swedish Armed Forces do not have sufficient funds to meet their own goals…
“Sweden could be pulled into a military conflict should one erupt in its neighbouring region… While Sweden is not a Nato member, the country actively cooperates with the US-led military alliance in peace and security operations. This month also marks the first stage of Sweden’s largest joint military drill with Nato in 20 years… “If a major crisis happens, Sweden will find itself in a tricky situation. The super powers will decide then.’”
All of this shows the need—in the European mind—for a powerful European army.
Russian Persecution of Christians Continuing…
Christian Headlines wrote on September 8:
“Concerns among Russian Christians that the government’s antiterrorism legislation, adopted last year, would take away their religious freedom have been proven true.
“The Yarovaya Laws, named for the lawmaker who sponsored them, ban proselytizing, preaching, and praying outside recognized religious institutions. Forum 18 counted 186 cases filed since enforcement began, with roughly half the charges against various Christian denominations and individuals or Christian-affiliated organizations. Officials later dismissed only about 20 percent of the cases. Punishments ranged from fines and confiscation of materials to orders for deportation.
“Since July 2016, authorities have prosecuted Christian churches and individuals for announcing an upcoming service, conducting home prayer meetings, distributing religious calendars, failure to fully display a church name, and organizing a concert.
“In one of the first cases against a Christian, officials in Noyabrsk charged Baptist Union Pastor Aleksei Teleus for allowing children to play on the playground outside his church, where they might overhear sermons and prayers or gain access to religious literature. Officials called it an ‘unsanctioned children’s camp’ and fined the pastor 5,000 roubles (about $85).
“Independent Baptist missionary Don Ossewaarde became the first American prosecuted under the law for holding a worship service in his home. Courts up to and including Russia’s Constitutional Court, the country’s highest, ruled against his multiple appeals.
“Authorities also targeted members of other religions, including Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hare Krishnas, and Jehovah’s Witnesses. In the most extreme example of persecution under the law, Russian officials labeled Jehovah’s Witnesses “extremists,” liquidated their property, and banned them entirely.”
We have continually warned that the persecution of religious minorities in Russia will continue, while the West stands idly by, doing absolutely nothing.
“Bones of Peter Found?” – Yeah, Right!
The Telegraph wrote on September 11:
“Bones attributed to St. Peter have been found by chance in a church in Rome during routine restoration work, 2,000 years after the apostle’s death. The relics of the saint, who is regarded as the first Pope, were found in clay pots in the 1,000-year-old Church of Santa Maria in Cappella in the district of Trastevere, a medieval warren of cobbled lanes on the banks of the Tiber River…
“[A worker] came across two Roman-era pots with inscriptions on their lids indicating that inside were not only bone fragments from St Peter but also three early popes – Cornelius, Callixtus and Felix – as well as four early Christian martyrs…
“It is not yet known how or why the relics came to be interred in the Church of Santa Maria in Cappella, which was consecrated in 1090. One theory is that they were transferred there from the Vatican by Pope Urban II at a time of schism within the Catholic Church.
“While Urban was generally recognised as the legitimate pope, he faced a challenge from an anti-pope, Clement III, who had set up a rival power base in Rome, backed by the Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV. The church in Trastevere was closely linked to Pope Urban and may have been seen by him as a secure place in which to hide the bones…
“[Peter’s] remains were interred in a tomb on the Vatican Hill, where the Emperor Constantine later built a church, which in the 16th century was replaced by the current imposing basilica. During excavations under St Peter’s Basilica that began after the Second World War, archaeologists discovered a funerary monument with a casket built in honour of Peter and an engraving in Greek that read ‘Petros eni’, or ‘Peter is here’…
“The remains were forensically examined in the 1960s, with experts concluding that they belonged to a man in his early sixties who lived in the first century AD. That was proof enough for Pope Paul VI, in 1968, to declare them the bones of St Peter…”
So, now there are remains of Peter on the Vatican Hill AND in the church of Santa Maria? Of course, the whole idea that Peter was killed and buried in Rome and that his remains are still there is absolutely false and a complete hoax. For more information, please read our free booklet, “The Ten European Revivals of the ancient Roman Empire.”
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.
