Our Culture of Violence and Death
The Federalist wrote on May 27:
“As the country reels over the Texas massacre, where 19 children and two adults were gunned down by a single shooter who was barely more than a child himself, the question on everyone’s mind is why? Why would any person march into an elementary school and open fire on innocents? And why can’t we overcome such evil?
“… it’s impossible to look honestly at mass shootings and ignore the culture of death that prompts them. This culture is much deeper than abortion… That barbaric ritual is in many ways just another piece of rotten fruit from the same Godless tree. It’s in rejecting the Creator’s authority and the truth that He made every human being in His own image and for His glory, not our own, that our society embraces death.
“After all, if there is no God who assigns value to human life, we really are nothing more than aimless clumps of cells without worth or eternal purpose…
“In addition to euphemizing the murder of the unborn, we’ve cultivated an antisocial culture of screen addiction then used it to dispense violence as entertainment… When children misbehave, we diagnose and medicate them rather than discipline them.
“When we don’t like something, we tear it down even if it doesn’t belong to us… We’ve created a culture of death, and now we have to live in it.”
.. and unless there is a change of heart, we will die in it…
Trump’s Change of Heart?
Mediaite reported on May 27:
“Former President Donald Trump was reportedly ‘shaken’ after a 2019 massacre at an El Paso Walmart, and asked a chief advisor, ‘What are we going to do about assault rifles?’
“The New York Times noted the country’s 45th president was also disturbed by the 2018 shooting in Parkland, Florida, at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. The massacre left 17 dead and another 17 injured. Trump made news at the time by saying he was open to imposing some restrictions on firearms. He dropped the issue following a meeting with the NRA.
“The Times reported: ‘Unbeknownst to the public, however, Mr. Trump again pushed inside the White House for significant new gun-control measures more than a year later, after a pair of gruesome shooting sprees that unfolded over 13 hours. Those discussions have not previously been reported. On Aug. 3, 2019, a far-right gunman killed 23 people at a Walmart store in El Paso. Early the next morning, a man shot and killed nine people outside a bar in Dayton, Ohio. Both assailants used semiautomatic rifles. At the White House the next day, Mr. Trump was so shaken by the weekend’s violence that he questioned aides about a specific potential solution and made clear he wanted to take action, according to three people present during the conversation.
“According to sources who were then close to Trump, he questioned if there was anything that could be done about the legality of popular AR-15 rifles. Trump asked former acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney: ‘What are we going to do about assault rifles?’ Mulvaney’s reported response: ‘Not a… thing.’ According to the Times, Trump asked Mulvaney, ‘Why,’ and was told, ‘Because… you would lose.’”
As the next article shows, Trump gave in, and today, as he is preparing for a come-back in 2024, he fully endorses the gun lobby.
The New York Post wrote on May 27:
“Former President Donald Trump on Friday said that the gunman who murdered 21 people at a Texas elementary school is ‘damned’ to ‘burn in the fires of hell’ as he read aloud each victim’s name to a tolling bell… ‘The monster who committed this crime is pure evil,’ Trump said. ‘While those he slaughtered are now with God in heaven, he will be eternally damned to burn in the fires of hell.’
“Trump offered an array of policy suggestions to prevent school shootings, including allowing teachers to concealed-carry firearms… Trump defiantly pressed for protecting the rights of gun owners. ‘The existence of evil is one of the very best reasons to arm, law abiding citizens,’ Trump said…
“He did not endorse any gun control measures — as he did during his presidency… As president, Trump upset gun rights advocates in 2018 by expressing a willingness to enact reforms in response to the murder of 17 people at a Parkland, Fla., high school by 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz, who used a legally purchased AR-15-style rifle. Trump endorsed a higher age limit for AR-15 rifles, background checks for private gun sales and reforms to let police ‘take the guns first, go through due process second’ to reduce the risk posed by mentally ill people.
“Later that year, the Trump administration banned ‘bump stocks’ that hasten the firing rate of semiautomatic rifles in response to that tool’s role in the murder of 60 people at a Las Vegas concert in 2017.”
Sadly, it appears that if a Republican wants to become elected, he cannot oppose the powerful NRA conglomerate.
How America can even allow an 18-year-old boy to purchase an AR-15-style rifle, with the only conceivable reason to shoot and kill, is beyond comprehension. America’s fascination with and glorification of guns is something that the rest of the world cannot understand. Parents should and must do everything they can to fight against any fascination of their children with guns, rather than encouraging it in any way. Also, what we all must do is to pray for our children and grandchildren daily, that God would protect them from such unspeakable evil perpetrated by mad violent people under demonic influence and possession.
No Handgun Ban in the USA
Newsmax wrote on May 31:
“Law Professor Joseph Blocher of Duke University told Newsweek on Tuesday that there is ‘no chance either politically or constitutionally’ that a handgun ban similar to Canada’s could be implemented in the United States… ‘The Supreme Court has been clear that the Second Amendment protects the fundamental right to have a handgun in the home for self-defense,’ he added.
“The law professor’s statement comes after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced new legislation in his country’s parliament that seeks to prohibit the ability to ‘buy, sell, transfer or import handguns anywhere in Canada.’
“The proposed Canadian law is in reaction to a series of mass shootings that have hit the U.S. recently, including one that resulted in 10 deaths at a supermarket in Buffalo on May 14 and another at a Texas elementary school on May 24, where 19 children and two teachers died…
“‘So, even if handgun prohibition were politically feasible [in the USA], the courts will strike it down,’ [Blocher] added…”
When Christ rules this earth, no one will have a gun in his or her home for the purpose of self-defense. Trudeau’s announcement must be seen, however, in the light of his desire to remain as Canada’s unquestionable dictator.
War Propaganda
The Ron Paul Institute wrote on May 27:
“With Russia’s war in Ukraine now in its fourth month, mainstream media consumers have been treated to seemingly endless headlines and analysis of Russia’s extensive military losses. At the same time Ukrainian forces have tended to be lionized and their battlefield prowess romanticized, with essentially zero public information so far being given which details up-to-date Ukrainian force casualties, set-backs, and equipment losses.
“But for the first time The Washington Post is out with a surprisingly dire and negative assessment of how US-backed and equipped Ukrainian forces are actually fairing. Gone is the rosy idealizing lens through which each and every encounter with the Russians is typically portrayed. WaPo correspondent and author of the new report Sudarsan Raghavan underscores of the true situation that ‘Ukrainian leaders project an image of military invulnerability against Russia. But commanders offer a more realistic portrait of the war, where outgunned volunteers describe being abandoned by their military brass and facing certain death at the front.’
“As many careful and less idealistic observers suspected the whole time, a steady stream of both wartime propaganda and one-sided social media feeds where it seems the only tanks being blown up are Russian ones has served to present a very skewed portrayal of the battlefield to the Western public…
“The Washington Post report belatedly admits the avalanche of propaganda based in a pro-Kiev, pro-West narrative from the outset: ‘Videos of assaults on Russian tanks or positions are posted daily on social media. Artists are creating patriotic posters, billboards and T-shirts. The postal service even released stamps commemorating the sinking of a Russian warship in the Black Sea.’
“The report then pivots to the reality of an undertrained, poorly commanded and equipped, rag-tag force of mostly volunteers in the East who find themselves increasingly surrounded by the numerically superior Russian military which has penetrated almost the entire Donbas region. ‘Ukraine, like Russia, has provided scant information about deaths, injuries or losses of military equipment…”
In the end, Ukraine and Russia will be united against Europe. However this will come about, whether by Russian occupation or due to a “peace” agreement between Russia and Ukraine, remains to be seen.
How the World Finances Putin’s War
Money Control wrote on June 1:
“In early March, as the US and its allies unleashed a wave of sanctions on Russia, President Joe Biden stood in the White House and said they wanted to deal a ‘powerful blow to Putin’s war machine.’ But as the war in Ukraine approaches its 100th day, that machine is still very much operational. Russia is being propelled by a flood of cash that could average $800 million a day this year — and that’s just what the commodity superpower is raking in from oil and gas. For years, Russia has acted as a vast commodity supermarket selling what an insatiable world has needed: Not just energy, but wheat, nickel, aluminum and palladium too…
“Russia is far from unscathed by the sanctions, which have made it a pariah across the developed world. Corporate giants have fled, many walking away from billions of dollars of assets, and the economy is heading for a deep recession. But Putin can ignore this damage for now, because his coffers are overflowing with the revenue from commodities, which have become more lucrative than ever thanks to the surge in global prices driven in part by the war in Ukraine… Russia’s oil-and-gas revenue will be about $285 billion this year… That would exceed the 2021 figure by more than one-fifth. Throw in other commodities, and it more than makes up for the $300 billion in foreign reserves frozen as part of the sanctions.
“Europe is only slowly weaning itself off this dependency. That’s giving Moscow time to find other markets — such as… China and India — to limit any damage to export revenue… The ruble has become another symbol used by Putin to project strength… to become the world’s best-performing currency against the dollar this year. Putin… said he’ll allow exports of grain and fertilizer only if the sanctions on his country are lifted…
“One of the big holes in the sanctions against Russia is the willingness of other nations to continue oil purchases… Indian refiners purchased more than 40 million barrels of Russian oil between the start of the Ukraine invasion in late February and early May. That’s 20% more than Russia-India flows for the whole of 2021… China is also strengthening its energy links with the country, securing cheaper prices by buying oil that’s being shunned elsewhere. It’s boosted imports and is also in talks to replenish its strategic crude stockpiles with Russian oil.
“It’s a similar story for steelmakers and coking coal. Imports from Russia rose for a third month in April to more than double last year’s level… And some sellers of Russian oil and coal have tried to make things easier for Chinese buyers by allowing transactions in yuan… The vast majority of the world is not involved in imposing sanctions…. The trade will go on, the need for fuels will be there… and buyers in Asia or the Middle East will step up…
“About 40% of the EU’s gas needs are met by Russia… European deliveries even jumped in February and March as the invasion caused a price spike in European gas hubs, making purchases from Russia’s Gazprom PJSC cheaper for most customers with long-term contracts. Volumes have decreased since then, thanks to warmer weather and record inflows of liquefied natural gas from the US and other countries. There’s also been disruptions because of military activity, and Russia itself halted supplies to Poland, Bulgaria and Finland, which refused Putin’s demand to pay in rubles. [Also, exports to the Netherlands and Denmark are being stopped.]
“Even as the EU reduces its dependency — Germany says it’s down to 35% from 55% — there are complications at every step…”
“Solutions” fail.
Olaf Scholz Keeps on Wavering… Why?
Politico wrote on May 27:
“The German chancellor, who has steadfastly refused to visit Kyiv or even say he wants Ukraine to ‘win’ the war, has been under heavy fire since March for hesitating on delivery of tanks to Ukraine. When Scholz last month bowed to pressure and agreed to send some heavy weapons, he surprised the Ukrainians, allies and experts with his decision to provide anti-aircraft tanks, which Kyiv hadn’t asked for, while continuing to hold off on the delivery of the battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles Ukraine had been urging the West to send.
“Scholz’s latest scolding came this week from Polish President Andrzej Duda, who accused the German government of breaking its promises on military support for Ukraine, which just entered its fourth month of intense fighting. Poland has donated over 200 of its own Soviet-made tanks to Ukraine and was counting on Germany to replace them with modern German equivalents, Duda said, adding that Berlin had not honored a commitment to do so….
“Even before Russia’s latest invasion, Ukraine has urged Germany, the world’s fifth-largest arms exporter, to send tanks, most notably the Marder infantry fighting vehicle and the Leopard battle tank. However, ‘there is an absence of political will to really do something,’ Andrij Melnyk, the Ukrainian ambassador to Germany, told POLITICO.
“The German government presented various arguments for why it wasn’t able to comply with Kyiv’s request, first saying that it could not deliver weapons to crisis zones, and then… arguing that German tanks required too much training for Ukrainian soldiers, before also backtracking on that claim. Berlin further argued that it could not spare any tanks from its own reserves. Yet German defense companies like Rheinmetall say that they could directly deliver decommissioned tanks from their stocks — if Scholz authorized them to do so. (Defense contractors require government permission before exporting arms.)… Ukrainian officials say they began discussing the Marder deal as far back as March with Rheinmetall, which told them it could deliver within weeks. But so far, Berlin has refused to greenlight the deal.
“This week, German Deputy Defense Minister Siemtje Möller came up with a new justification for holding back the Marders… claiming that NATO countries had collectively agreed to not send any Western-type battle tanks or infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine. Möller’s comments triggered an immediate backlash from the German center-right opposition. ‘Such an agreement does not exist,’ said Roderich Kiesewetter, a lawmaker from the Christian Democratic Union, arguing that Möller had ‘promulgated false information. The absence of any agreement ‘is confirmed by different sources, among others, directly by NATO,’ he added.
“Möller has since backpedaled via a spokesperson, arguing that she had merely intended to point out that other allies like the U.S. were also not supplying Ukraine with modern Western-made armored combat vehicles, such as the American M1 Abrams, the U.S.’s main battle tank. Yet, given that the American tanks are located thousands of kilometers away in North America and would require much more intensive training than Germany’s Marders, which could be delivered to the Ukrainian border in less than 24 hours, Möller’s argument has struck many allies as fairly eccentric.
“What’s more, the U.S. has been Ukraine’s main arms supplier… and unlike Germany, it hasn’t made promises to Ukraine its hasn’t fulfilled….
“The chancellor has in recent weeks repeatedly argued in background discussions with journalists that he does not want to repeat the mistakes of Wilhelm II, the last German emperor, who played a key role in Europe’s fatal descent into World War I in 1914…. In other words, when it comes to actually winning the war, Ukraine shouldn’t look to Berlin.”
What game is the German government playing?
Germany’s €100 Billion Deal
Politico wrote on May 30:
“After weeks of negotiations, German politicians finally reached a deal on a massive €100B military modernization fund… [It] will raise Germany’s annual military spending from roughly €50 billion to an average of €70 billion over the course of five years. That would put Germany in line with the NATO goal to spend 2 percent of economic output on defense — a commitment Berlin has so far blatantly violated. However, the deal reached on Sunday night falls short of enshrining the 2 percent target in the German constitution. Instead, it says the benchmark should be reached ‘on a multi-year average,’ meaning Germany might spend more than 2 percent in some years due to major military investments, but less in others….
“Although Germany’s official list of military investments is secret, there is one huge project the government has made public: The purchase of U.S. F-35 stealth fighter jets… Notably, these high-tech jets should, if worst comes to worst, be able to carry U.S. nuclear weapons… Sunday’s deal specifies that the new money must be used for Bundeswehr investments, raising hopes among German defense companies like Rheinmetall that they will get fresh orders for new tanks and ammunition…
“Given that the €100 billion will be spent over five years, Germany is unlikely to soon have more tanks and artillery to donate to Ukraine…
“Scholz’s government has been hammered internationally in recent months for being too hesitant to provide Ukraine with military support. While Scholz’s pledges to make Germany a more prominent European military power are being welcomed in many EU capitals, especially in the east, many nations are waiting to see if those words are followed by deeds. On that front, Scholz’s track record so far is quite thin.”
Scholz Being Pushed Again…
Breitbart wrote on June 1:
“German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Wednesday his country will rush modern anti-aircraft missiles and radar systems to Ukraine… His promise to Kyiv came just hours after U.S. President Joe Biden announced he was releasing advanced rocket systems to help Ukrainian forces repel their Russian invaders…”
Of course, a “promise” by Scholz, which he was pushed to make, does not mean that it will be carried out any time soon.
Weak Germany Loses Authority
Express wrote on June 1:
“Germany and Austria have ruled out any future European Union embargo on Russian gas imports after a Brussels summit agreed a partial oil ban last night… Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are already pushing to step up Russian energy sanctions to keep the pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin, but other EU countries said the bloc had hit the political limit. Setting the scene for a new clash over sanctions, Karl Nehammer, the Austrian chancellor, said that there could be no question of suspending gas imports because of the effect on major European economies, such as Germany’s. He said, in a reference to the German chancellor ruling out any moves towards a ban during talks last night: ‘The gas embargo will not be a topic, Olaf Scholz has made this clear as well.’…
“The crumbling of German authority was on vivid display this week as EU heads of state and government struggled to reach an agreement to embargo Russian oil and to overcome the stubborn opposition of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.”
Hungary was permitted to keep importing its needs for oil from Russia. Hungary gets more than 60% of its oil from Russia. Scholz is viewed by observers as the weakest and most inconsequential and irrelevant chancellor in the history of Germany. But Germany’s lack of influence will change under a new leadership.
Denmark Reconsidering its “Neutrality”
Courthouse News Service wrote on May 25:
“In 1992, Danes voted against the Maastricht Treaty, which established the European Union. Instead, the Danish Parliament suggested joining the treaty with several significant reservations as a compromise. Denmark joined the bloc but kept its own currency, maintained a line between Danish national citizenship and EU citizenship, and opted out of EU justice, police and defense policies. The latter means that Denmark does not contribute soldiers, financing and equipment for EU-led military operations abroad… The only EU-related defense efforts from the Danish government have involved sending police on civilian missions for peacekeeping purposes. Otherwise, the small Nordic country has abstained from 11 EU operations in global hotspots, mainly on the African continent.
“But now, in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the defense reservation has been put up for a new referendum. On June 1, Danish citizens will vote on whether to lift the 30-year-old military opt-out. In March, the Danish government announced an agreement on an updated national security policy. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen emphasized how she wishes to go all-in on the defense collaboration with the EU…
“The defense reservation is heavily debated in the Danish public and media. Political opponents of lifting it have warned of the prospect of an EU army and how Denmark can become an involuntary pawn in large military operations caused by strategic considerations of bigger EU member states, such as France. But supporters argue that [the] time has come for Denmark to take responsibility for security in Europe and abroad… The share of Danish voters who support joining the EU defense pact has grown to 42%… Twenty-eight percent of Danes are opposed to lifting the country’s defense reservation while 22% are undecided.”
It will be interesting to observe where the Nordic nations of Denmark, Sweden and Finland—all descendants of the ancient house of Israel—will end up in relationship with a united Europe, a core Europe, and a European Army.
Denmark Voted to Join the EU’s Defence Policy
The Guardian wrote on June 1:
“Denmark has voted overwhelmingly to join the EU’s common defence policy, becoming the last of the bloc’s members to sign up… The referendum on Wednesday, in which voters backed the government’s proposal by 66.9% to 33.1%, followed historic applications by Denmark’s previously non-aligned Nordic neighbours, Finland and Sweden, to join Nato last month…
“Participation in the EU’s defence policy will allow Denmark, a founding Nato member, to take part in joint EU military operations, such as those in Bosnia, Mali and Somalia, and will allow Danish officials to stay in the room when EU colleagues discuss defence issues…
“‘The political significance will outweigh the military contribution,’ said Kristian Soby Kristensen, a senior researcher at Copenhagen University’s Centre for Military Studies. Those opposed to abandoning the opt-out argued that the EU’s defence cooperation is hampered by excessive bureaucracy and inefficient decision-making, and that a joint European defence would come at the expense of Nato.”
The Not-So-Hidden Truth About Pope Pius XII
DNYUZ wrote on May 27:
“David Kertzer… a 74-year-old historian… cut through a crowd lined up to see Pope Francis, showed his credentials to the Swiss Guards and entered the archives of the former headquarters for the Holy Roman Inquisition. Over the last few decades, Mr. Kertzer has turned the inquisitive tables on the church. Using the Vatican’s own archives, the soft-spoken Brown University professor and trustee at the American Academy in Rome has become arguably the most effective excavator of the Vatican’s hidden sins, especially those leading up to and during World War II.
“The son of a rabbi… participated in the liberation of Rome as an Army chaplain… [A new book] documents the private decision-making that led Pope Pius XII to stay essentially silent about Hitler’s genocide and argues that the pontiff’s impact on the war is underestimated. And not in a good way…
“The current pope, Francis, said ‘the church is not afraid of history,’ when in 2019 he ordered the archives of Pius XII opened. But as Francis wrestles with how forcefully to condemn a dictator, this time Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, Mr. Kertzer has unearthed some frightening evidence about the cost of keeping quiet about mass killings.
“Mr. Kertzer makes the case that Pius XII’s overriding dread of Communism, his belief that the Axis powers would win the war, and his desire to protect the church’s interests all motivated him to avoid offending Hitler and Mussolini, whose ambassadors had worked to put him on the throne. The pope was also worried, the book shows, that opposing the Führer would alienate millions of German Catholics. The book further reveals that a German prince and fervent Nazi acted as a secret back channel between Pius XII and Hitler, and that the pope’s top Vatican adviser on Jewish issues urged him in a letter not to protest a Fascist order to arrest and send to concentration camps most of Italy’s Jews…
“Defenders of Pius XII, whose case for sainthood is still being evaluated, have long argued that he worked behind the scenes to help Jews, and that anti-Catholic enemies have sought to stain the institution by sullying the pontiff… But the urge to protect Pius’s reputation, according to Mr. Kertzer, reflects a more general refusal by Italy — and apologists in the Vatican — to come to terms with their complicity in the Second World War, the Holocaust and the murder of Rome’s Jews…”
Actually, Pope Pius’ collaboration with the Italian and German Nazis has been known for a long time. One revealing book in this regard is David Kertzer’s work, “The Pope and Mussolini,” which was published in 2014.
Pope Francis’ Political Move and Pelosi’s “Defense”
Fox News reported on May 29:
“Pope Francis on Sunday named as cardinal San Diego Bishop Robert W. McElroy, a Roman Catholic leader who had spoken out against the calls for bishops to exclude pro-choice politicians like President Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi from Holy Communion over their stances on abortion.
“The move comes in the wake of San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone’s announcement earlier this month that he would bar Pelosi from receiving Holy Communion due to her stance on abortion. In naming McElroy, Francis passed over Cordileone, who holds a higher rank…
“Despite Cordileone’s clear declaration, Pelosi received Holy Communion at the 9 a.m. Mass at Holy Trinity in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C., last Sunday. Pelosi defended her position and condemned Cordileone’s move in remarks last Tuesday. She claimed the issue of abortion is not just about terminating a pregnancy because the people criticizing its legality and morality also oppose contraceptives, family planning and in-vitro fertilization… ‘This decision… [is] not consistent with the Gospel of Matthew,’ she argued.”
For Pope Francis to say that the issue of the eucharist should not be politicized and then heavily politicize it himself is stunning.. .and then maybe not. Pelosi’s “defense” conveniently muddles the issues of abortion and conception.. but the ban on conception (a wrong teaching by the Catholic Church) was not at issue here. The gospel message according to Matthew most certainly does NOT endorse or even allow for abortion.
Iraq to Become Arch-Enemy of Israel?
Israel Today wrote on May 27:
“Iraq on Thursday passed a new law criminalizing the normalization of relations with Israel, ostensibly ending any hope that it would eventually sign on to the Abraham Accords. Those violating the law could face the death penalty or life in prison. It was passed by an overwhelming majority of 275 lawmakers out of Iraq’s 329-seat parliament…
“The US State Department on Thursday issued a statement decrying the new Iraqi law: ‘The United States is deeply disturbed by the Iraqi Parliament’s passage of legislation that criminalizes normalization of relations with Israel. In addition to jeopardizing freedom of expression and promoting an environment of antisemitism, this legislation stands in stark contrast to progress Iraq’s neighbors have made by building bridges and normalizing relations with Israel, creating new opportunities for people throughout the region.’”
The Algemeiner added:
“The provisions outlaw ‘contact and communication of any kind and means with the occupying Zionist entity, its nationals, and representatives, whether individuals or institutions or organizations, for any reason.’ Also prohibited are any ‘financial or moral assistance’ to the State of Israel or Israeli organizations, alongside the ‘promotion of any ideas, ideologies, principles, or Israeli or Zionist conduct, in any form.’”
The law also states this:
“This law aims to achieve the following: 1. Criminalizing normalization with the Zionist entity in any form. 2. Preventing the establishment of diplomatic, political, military, economic or cultural relations or any other form of relations with the occupying Zionist entity… It is forbidden to normalize and establish diplomatic, political, military, economic, cultural, or any other relationship with the Zionist entity.”
The law also forbids any Iraqi to travel to Israel and to visit any Israeli institution throughout the world.
The Bible indicates in Psalm 83 that Iraq (possibly identified as parts of “Moab”) might belong to a confederacy of Israel’s enemies determined to destroy and obliterate the state.
Will Netanyahu Return?
The Jerusalem Post wrote on May 27:
“Since the current coalition came together, it has appeared impossible that Netanyahu could ever form a government again, overcoming both the political vetoes of key figures on the Right and his ongoing corruption trial. But over the past two weeks, the eulogies have been halted, and even the most anti-Netanyahu media have started speaking seriously – and objectively – about the possibility of a Netanyahu comeback…
“Over the past couple weeks, the top state’s witness, former Communications Ministry director-general Shlomo Filber, has repeatedly harmed the prosecution by denying key elements in its story about how Netanyahu tried to evade the law. The prosecution was scolded by the judges for seeking to change the indictment in Case 4000 following Filber’s apparently self-contradictory testimony. Even legal analysts who have repeatedly predicted that Netanyahu will end up in jail wrote that the prosecution has lost its momentum in the trial… Netanyahu’s associates said Wednesday that they have never been more relieved that he did not accept a plea bargain before the departure of former attorney-general Avichai Mandelblit.
“The second reason for renewed optimism about a potential Netanyahu comeback is the rapid disintegration of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s inner circle in the Prime Minister’s Office. Over the past two weeks, he lost his powerful diplomatic adviser, Shimrit Meir, and his loyal chief of staff, Tal Gan-Zvi…
“A successful comeback after he failed in four elections still remains far-fetched. But he has surprised both his strongest supporters and worst enemies before. Don’t rule out being surprised once again.”
It would be extremely premature to rule out a comeback of Netanyahu. It was predictable from the outset that the current coalition government would not hold.
Clinton Lawyer Michael Sussmann Acquitted—No Surprise
Techno Fog wrote on May 31:
“The acquittal is no surprise. This is a DC jury, after all. In the Roger Stone case, for example… a juror lied to get on the panel (That judge didn’t care.) Making matters worse, the Sussmann judge wrongly allowed for a woman to remain on the jury, despite the fact that her daughter and Sussmann’s are on the same high school crew team. One can’t help but think that juror had her own daughter’s interests in mind – the cohesion of the crew team, sparing her of teenage drama, etc. – when she reached a decision…
“On the facts, the evidence was more than sufficient to prove Sussmann’s guilt. Sussmann lied to then-FBI general counsel James Baker via text message in order to get a meeting to pass the Alfa Bank hoax materials to the FBI. Sussmann lied again during the meeting – stating he was not there on behalf of a client – in order to get the FBI to open an investigation into the Trump Organization’s purported ties with Alfa Bank….
“I won’t say the verdict doesn’t matter. Of course it matters. It would have proven that a DC jury can convict one of their own. It would have resulted in accountability for lying to the FBI. Not the gravest of crimes, but it is still a crime…”
The judge in the case was an Obama appointee. Several jurors were Clinton supporters. So how could this have been a fair trial? But it shows again how corrupt our legal system is.
The USA Under Biden… the New Sodom and Gomorrah
The Federalist wrote on May 25:
“K-12 schools must allow boys into girls’ private areas to obtain federal funds for lunches, breakfasts, and snacks, the Biden administration announced this month…
“Under this new demand, establishments that accept any federal food funding, including food stamps, must also allow males who claim to be female to access female private spaces, such as showers, bathrooms, and sleeping areas. Such organizations must also follow protocols such as requiring staff to use inaccurate pronouns to describe transgender people and allowing male staff to dress as women while on the job.
“Religious institutions, however, qualify for a waiver exempting them from these requirements… Organizations may request a religious exemption by submitting a written declaration to the Secretary of Agriculture identifying the provisions that conflict with a specific tenet of the religious organization…
“Government schools can receive no exemption…
“Parents have told The Federalist that their daughters no longer use the bathrooms or locker rooms at their public schools because they don’t feel safe there. Many parents are finding after the fact that school districts are helping their children live as the opposite sex and hide that from their families….”
This is awful. How a professing “Christian” government and nation can endorse such blatantly ungodly concepts is beyond belief.
“Important” to Support Family-Friendly Gay Parades
Insider Paper wrote on May 31:
“There is no reason to avoid LGBTQ+ parades, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), despite the recent outbreak of monkeypox virus, which has been confirmed in over 435 cases in nearly 24 countries… While the virus is not a sexually transmitted infection… the most recent outbreak appears to have been spread among men who have sex with other men.
“The WHO, on the other hand, emphasized that anyone can contract monkeypox and that it is critical to show support for the LGBTQ+ community. ‘It’s important that people who want to go out and celebrate gay pride, LGBTQ pride, to continue to go and plan to do so,’ Andy Seale, strategies adviser at WHO’s department of sexually transmitted infections programmes, said… ‘Most of these events – the official events – are outdoors, they’re family friendly…’
“… people expressed concern about upcoming pride marches in New York on June 26 and Berlin on July 23, among other cities.”
Travel Restrictions Lifted for Germany?
Deutsche Welle wrote on May 25:
“Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said that, as of next Wednesday, people entering Germany would no longer have to show proof of vaccination or negative test result or demonstrate a recent recovery from the coronavirus… ‘Until the end of August, we will suspend the 3G rule on entry,” Lauterbach [said]. It is not clear what will happen from September onward… Stricter rules will remain in force for people entering from ‘virus-variant’ areas…
“Earlier this month, Germany said it had no plans to lift the mask mandate for flights coming into the country despite new EU guidance.”
Lauterbach has lied many times before or walked back his “promises.” It will remain to be seen what is going to happen… especially beginning in September.
European Payback
Express wrote on May 28:
“Brexit has resulted in many changes for Britons since it came into force at the beginning of 2021. Holidays to EU countries have been impacted, with British citizens now having to pay extra to travel to Europe. From next year, UK passport holders travelling from Britain will have to pay to get a visa…. This means Britons will have to pay to enter 27 countries, all of which are in the EU.
“To acquire a visa, British holidaymakers will need to have it issued through the European Travel Information and Authorisation System if they’re travelling for less than 90 days during an 180 day period. This applies to anyone travelling to any EU country by plane, boat, or car.
“The visa must be applied for 96 hours before departing on a trip, and will cost €7, or £5. Travellers younger than 18 years old and older than 70 will be the only ones not required to get one. Applicants will be asked for information about their identity, passport, education, job, recent travel, and criminal convictions. The visa will last for three years, but expires when a person’s passport expires.
“… Under new requirements, Britons must have a specific length of time left on their passport in order for it to be classed as valid for travel… A passport issued by non-member states hoping to visit the Schengen Area must have been issued in the past 10 years. If your passport doesn’t meet these rules, you need to apply for a new passport before travelling to the countries affected…’
More paperwork… more money… more time wasting… more complicated procedures. But Europe’s payback because of the Brexit has only just begun.
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.
