On November 8, 2014, Robb Harris will give the sermon, titled, “Appreciating Our Salvation.” 

The live services are available, over video and audio, at www.cognetservices.org (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.

This week Brittany Maynard, a 29-year-old woman facing a rare and debilitating form of brain cancer, chose to end her life. Maynard “suffered increasingly frequent and longer seizures, severe head and neck pain, and stroke-like symptoms. As symptoms grew more severe she chose to abbreviate the dying process by taking the aid-in-dying medication she had received months ago,” stated a spokesman for Compassion & Choices.

Stephen Hawking, a renowned physicist who has battled ALS for over 20 years, commented on assisted suicide in 2006, saying, “I think it would be a great mistake. However bad life may seem, there is always something you can do, and succeed at. While there’s life, there is hope.”  Recently he has changed his position and feels those with terminal illness and pain should be able to end their lives as they see fit.  “We don’t let animals suffer, so why humans?” he told the BBC, noting that there should be adequate protections so that no one is condemned to die against their wishes.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control, over 40,000 suicides were reported in 2012, making it the 10th leading cause of death in the US.  Suicides are nothing new but legalizing them is a growing change.  Many of the arguments supporting legal suicide seem plausible, especially when we hear such emotional stories. But emotions should not rule our will!  We must submit to the Will of God, of which most of the world has no knowledge.  “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are on the road to destruction. The god of this age has blinded the minds of those who don’t have faith so they couldn’t see the light of the gospel that reveals Christ’s glory” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4, Common English Bible, CEB).

An opponent of assisted suicide, Diane Coleman, President of Not Dead Yet, said this week, “Brittany Maynard’s story is incredibly heart-wrenching. When you look at assisted suicide based on one individual, it often looks acceptable. But when you examine how legalization affects the vast majority of us — especially those most vulnerable — the dangers to the many far outweigh any alleged benefits to a few.”

One fundamental point lacking in most arguments either for or against assisted suicide is this:  What is God’s Will?  We understand this world is ruled by Satan, and he imposes his will mercilessly upon it.  But that doesn’t negate God’s Will or His desire for humanity.  God alone wills who should live or die.  “The LORD! He brings death, gives life, takes down to the grave, and raises up!” (1 Samuel 2:6, CEB).

While Christ was alive on earth, He knew that His death had been pre-appointed.   He agreed to die, not with dignity or in comfort with loved ones. Instead He died a most undignified and painful death.  His brethren abandoned Him during His trials.  And during His last moments on earth, even God the Father separated Himself from His Son, “and about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’” (Matthew 27:46).

Christ did not commit suicide, but He agreed with the Father as to the time and manner of His death. He gave the world opportunity—eternal life because of His sacrifice.  We owe the Creator nothing less than to live a life, like our elder brother, constantly fulfilling God’s Will. 

We begin with reports on the USA, its mid-term elections and its prophesied demise in these end times and address the ongoing discussion of the coming exit of the UK from the EU.

We continue speaking of new elections in Eastern Ukraine; the debate on man-made global warming; an alleged spectacular finding which would prove the historical accuracy of a biblical narrative; the turmoil in the Middle East surrounding the Temple Mount in Jerusalem; Germany’s dilemma; the controversial revelation of Apple’s CEO as to his sexual orientation; post-birth abortions; the “rudderless” Catholic Church and interesting brain discoveries.

We conclude with articles on suicide and the belief in extraterrestrial life.

Mid-Term Election and the Ebola Virus

BBC News reported on November 3:

“There are two stories running big in the United States at the moment – the mid-term elections and Ebola. For Barack Obama, it is as though the two have become horribly confused. For it seems all the Democratic Party hopefuls fighting in the key Senate seats… are treating him as though he were infected by Ebola. That is to say they want Mr Obama to go through the 21-day quarantine that health workers from West Africa are undergoing. In a sealed tent, somewhere in the White House. And nowhere near their states. He is being kept away from the key swing states. When he has turned up, some candidates have cited ‘scheduling difficulties’ or ‘diary confusion’ to explain why they didn’t meet him…

“In truth, there is not much love for the Republicans either… All of which begs the question – what difference will it make if the Republicans do take control of the Senate [which they did, see next article]… Some are predicting that it will be gridlock on steroids. In other words, just like before – only worse… The Republicans will be looking at the presidential elections in 2016, and it is not a great campaign slogan to say ‘we controlled both houses, and got nothing done’. And the same pressure will be on the president…”

The US Mid-Term Election Results and Consequences

BBC News reported on November 5:

“The Republicans have won control of the Senate in the US mid-term elections, increasing their power in the final two years of Barack Obama’s presidency. The Republicans also increased their grip on the House of Representatives and now control both chambers of Congress for the first time since 2006….

“The Republicans will now have the power to complicate, if not block completely, Mr Obama’s agenda in the last two years of his tenure in the White House. Control of the Senate will also enable the Republicans to stymie his ability to name new federal judges, cabinet members and senior government officials.”

The Next Two Most Dangerous Years for America

Charles Hurt wrote the following in The Washington Times, on November 5:

“If President Obama suffered a ‘shellacking’ in the 2010 elections, then what he endured Tuesday night was nothing short of a vicious gangland beatdown the likes of which have rarely been seen before in the history of electoral politics. This, of course, is a wonderful and well-deserved outcome. But beware: America now enters the two most dangerous years of her existence — or certainly the most dangerous since the Great Depression and possibly going all the way back to the Civil War.

“Not to dismiss the promising results of Tuesday’s election. Voters clearly and forcefully rejected the party, politics and policies of President Obama. They slapped his socialist agenda back into the days of Soviet gulags, where it belongs. His grand visions of mighty government ruling unchecked over desperate ghettos have been snuffed out…

“The silver lining for Democrats today is now they now have the perfect excuse… And this is where things get very, very dangerous for America. President Obama still has two more years left in his final term. Already, he has demonstrated again and again that he has no regard for the constitution or the legitimacy of laws when they do not suit his agenda. He flaunts his disregard for the constitutional process, dismisses laws he doesn’t like and rewrites others.

“He mocks the powers of Congress. The Supreme Court has slapped him down more than any president in recent times. All of this as he tells us he is an expert on constitutional law. Now come his very explicit threats to pass more illegal and unconstitutional presidential edicts to grant amnesty to illegal aliens already in the United States. This, in turn, will issue invitations for millions more illegals to come streaming across the border.

“It will not end at immigration. Unchecked power is addictive. Disowned by Democrats and made to feel irrelevant in this election, President Obama’s enormous and unjustified ego is deeply wounded. He is frustrated and feels caged, cornered. This is when people like him are most dangerous…

“President Obama is not a listener. He is not a negotiator. He is not a learner. He will just take what he wants. It is easier that way. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s court-packing scheme during the Great Depression was nothing like the strains this president has put on Constitution. Indeed, not since the Civil War has America faced such a dire threat to her existence as a lawful, constitutional republic…

“To bind the union, Abraham Lincoln took an economic and political war and elevated it into something higher. He made it about emancipating slaves and won. And saved the Republic. This president does the opposite. He got elected promising to elevate politics but instead finds unity and sows discord, often inciting racial divisions.

“America’s only hope today is that President Obama finally turns to the bust of Lincoln he keeps in the Oval Office and listens…”

The USA—The End of a Global Power

The Washington Times wrote on November 2:

“The Berlin Wall fell 25 years ago… It was the beginning of the end of the American republic, and the end of the beginning of the American empire.

“The Cold War victory left the United States with no rival superpower… So we embraced practices emblematic of the Soviet Union, for instance, detention without accusation or trial or indiscriminate spying on citizens without warrants… we became arrogant… and thrilled by objectless, purposeless domination for the sake of domination.

“The United States paradoxically came to resemble the global tyranny the Cold War was fought to defeat…

“A 1992 draft of a Defense Department document authored by Paul Wolfowitz urged U.S. military force pre-emptively to destroy any pre-embryonic new rival… Few if any in the nation’s political leadership asked then or later why U.S. global domination achieved not through the peaceful influence of example but through the sword would advance justice or promote an elevated moral order…

“And then came the predictable gratuitous wars and spiraling national debt.

“We evicted Saddam Hussein from Kuwait in 1991 to reinstate a tyrannical dynasty. We dispatched troops to Somalia to alleviate a humanitarian crisis and got Black Hawk Down and the Al Shabab terrorist organization.

“We rained bombs on Bosnia and got an ethnically partitioned nation between Muslims, Croats, and Serbs.

“We initiated war against Serbia over Kosovo and set a precedent for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s annexation of Crimea.

“We continued war in Afghanistan long after the perpetrators of 9/11 had been killed or captured.

“We invaded Iraq in 2003 and joined its sequel internecine war against the Islamic State in 2014.

“We have carried the global, perpetual war against international terrorism to Pakistan, Yemen, Nigeria, Syria, the Philippines, and elsewhere.

“We endowed the president of the United States with power to exterminate any person on the planet whom he decrees based on secret, uncorroborated evidence may endanger the national security now or in the future…

“Whom the Gods would destroy they first intoxicate with limitless power…”

It is indeed correct that with the fall of the Berlin Wall and the unification of Europe, the political landscape began to dramatically change. Europe, under German leadership, is predestined to play an important leading role in these end times, while the downfall of America and the UK is likewise prophesied. This is due to the fact that God gave His blessings to these two powers, in fulfillment of His unconditional promise to Abraham, but He also predicted that His blessings would be taken away again if these powers would continue sinning against Him. As this proved to be the case, we are observing the beginning of the prophesied downfall of the USA and the UK, as well as Canada, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.

UK’s Exit from the EU Possible

The Guardian wrote on November 2:

“David Cameron has been warned by German chancellor Angela Merkel that she would rather see the UK leave the European Union than change freedom of movement rules, according to reports. Downing Street on Sunday did not deny that the conversation had taken place, after German newspaper Der Spiegel said Merkel had rejected Cameron’s demands for a cap on unskilled migrants. Sources told the newspaper that the chancellor said demands for any changes to freedom of movement rules represented a ‘point of no return’ and that this would be it for the UK’s membership.”

BBC News added on November 2:

“This is the first time that Mrs Merkel has acknowledged that the UK’s exit from the EU is possible, Der Spiegel said… A Downing Street spokesman said Mr Cameron would make a speech on immigration before Christmas, and stressed ‘you can be sure he will always put Britain first.’”

BBC News wrote on November 3:

“Chancellor George Osborne has insisted the UK will pursue its ‘national interest’ in Europe despite German warnings about its future in the EU… The suggestion that Angela Merkel would rather see Britain leave the EU than accede to changes to the EU’s freedom of movement principle has raised political temperatures in the UK. Within the political establishment in Berlin there is increasing frustration with the UK. They do not know what David Cameron wants and are increasingly sensitive to demands that appear to be endlessly changing…

“Speaking to journalists on Monday, Mrs Merkel’s spokesman – Steffen Seibert – said this was ‘not a bilateral matter between Germany and Britain but between Britain and all of its European partners’. It was up to the UK to ‘clarify’ what wider role it wanted to play in the EU, he added…

“UKIP leader Nigel Farage said he took the German warning seriously, saying that their ‘politicians do not bluff’ and it was not possible to have an ‘a la carte menu’ in Europe. ‘David Cameron will fiddle around the edges and end up satisfying nobody,’ he told the BBC. And Labour said Mr Cameron was ‘losing allies and influence’ in Europe. ‘His weakness within his own party means he now risks pushing Britain towards exit from Europe altogether,’ said shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander.”

Once the UK will have exited from the EU, the beginning of the UK’s downfall will have begun.

Elections in Eastern Ukraine

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 3:

“Germany has criticized Moscow for recognizing the results of the elections in rebel-held eastern Ukraine. Russia has said the polls amount to a ‘mandate’ for the separatist leaders to negotiate with Kyiv… The outcomes of Sunday’s elections came as no surprise, with the favorites winning easily. Interfax cited local elections officials who said that Alexander Zakharchenko won with almost 79 percent of the votes cast in Donetsk, while Igor Plotnitsky took 64 percent in Luhansk. Elections held in the rest of Ukraine late last month produced a pro-Western parliament…”

The EUObserver added on November 3:

“German chancellor Angela Merkel [was] warning at the last EU summit in Brussels that the vote is designed to create another Russia-sponsored ‘frozen conflict’ in Europe, alongside Transniestria in Moldova and Abkhazia and South Ossetia in Georgia.”

With the elections in Eastern Ukraine, Russia has received new “encouragement” for their course towards the take-over of the entire Ukraine.

Weather Channel Founder John Coleman Challenges Man-Made Global Warming

Newsmax reported on November 2:

“The idea that there is significant man-made global warming is ‘a whole lot of baloney,’ Weather Channel co-founder John Coleman insisted on CNN’s ‘Reliable Sources’ Sunday morning. ‘The government only gives money to scientists who will present their hypothesis,’ said Coleman, a meteorologist who helped found The Weather Channel 32 years ago. ‘They don’t have any choice; if you are going to get the money, you have to present their position. Those are the ones the government pays for. That doesn’t make it right, that only means it’s bought and paid for.’

“But Coleman, who debunked climate change in a letter to UCLA last month, told show host Brian Stelter Sunday that he resented him introducing him as a climate change ‘denier.’ ‘That is a word meant to put me down,’ he told him. ‘I’m a skeptic about climate change, and I want to make it… clear that [Weather Channel CEO David] Kenny is not a scientist, I am.’… ‘There is no consensus in science,’ said Coleman. ‘Science isn’t a vote. Science is about facts. If you get down to the hard cold facts, climate change is not happening. There is no significant man-made global warming now.’…

“Coleman said he and other scientists will ‘keep battling’ but meanwhile, he hopes that people will research online and find websites that ‘present the papers that show that none of this alarmism about ice and heat waves and droughts, none of it is happening.’”

Coleman, now retired, stated in the interview that he was not only the co-founder, but the founder of the Weather Channel. His voice in the debate on man-made global warming cannot be easily dismissed.

Remains of Pharaoh’s Drowned Army Found?

World News Daily wrote on October 24:

“Egypt’s Antiquities Ministry announced this morning that a team of underwater archaeologists had discovered that remains of a large Egyptian army from the 14th century BC, at the bottom of the Gulf of Suez, 1.5 kilometers offshore from the modern city of Ras Gharib… The scientists lead by Professor Abdel Muhammad Gader and associated with Cairo University’s Faculty of Archaeology, have already recovered a total of more than 400 different skeletons, as well as hundreds of weapons and pieces of armor, also the remains of two war chariots, scattered over an area of approximately 200 square meters. They estimate that more than 5000 other bodies could be dispersed over a wider area, suggesting that an army of large size who have perished on the site.

“Many clues on the site have brought Professor Gader and his team to conclude that the bodies could be linked to the famous episode of the Exodus. First of all, the ancient soldiers seem to have died on dry ground, since no  traces of boats or ships have been found in the area. The positions of the bodies and the fact that they were stuck in a vast quantity of clay and rock, imply that they could have died in a mudslide or a tidal wave.

“The shear number of bodies suggests that a large ancient army perished on the site and the dramatic way by which they were killed, both seem to corroborate the biblical version of the Red Sea Crossing, when the army of the Egyptian Pharaoh was destroyed by the returning waters that Moses had parted. This new find certainly proves that there was indeed an Egyptian army of large size that was destroyed by the waters of the Red Sea during the reign of King Akhenaten…”

If proven to be true, this would indeed be a tremendous testimony for the accuracy of the Bible even in historical respects.

The Status Quo Will or Won’t Change?

The Associated Press reported on November 2:

“After months of escalating violence, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday made his clearest attempt yet to cool tempers, saying he won’t allow changes to a long-standing ban on Jewish worship at the Muslim-run site, despite such demands from ultranationalists in his coalition. Netanyahu’s reassurances to Muslims came just days after the religious feud over the Old City shrine, known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as the Temple Mount, threatened to spin out of control.

“Israel closed the compound for a day last week, a rare move, after a Palestinian shot and wounded a prominent activist who has campaigned for more Jewish access to the site. Angered by the closure, Jordan, the custodian of the mosque compound, warned it might seek diplomatic sanctions unless Israel halts what a Jordanian official said were ‘repeated violations’ at the site. The U.S. has urged Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to show restraint…

“It remained unclear to what extent Netanyahu is willing to clash with coalition members lobbying for a greater Jewish presence at the shrine, the holiest in Judaism as the site of former biblical temples… On Saturday evening, Housing Minister Uri Ariel of the Jewish Home party, a key coalition partner, ignored appeals to tone down the rhetoric. At a rally for Yehuda Glick, the rabbi wounded by the Palestinian gunman last week, Ariel was quoted as saying that ‘the status quo on the Temple Mount will change.’

“Under that status quo, Muslim authorities reporting to Jordan continued to administer the site, home to the Al-Aqsa and Dome of the Rock mosques, after east Jerusalem’s capture by Israel in 1967. Jews were allowed to visit, but not to pray there…

“The wrangling over the shrine comes at a time when a negotiated solution for Jerusalem, claimed by Israelis and Palestinians as a capital, is out of reach. U.S.-led peace talks collapsed earlier this year, and there’s not enough common ground between the sides to warrant resumption. Netanyahu rejects any withdrawal from east Jerusalem – the area sought by the Palestinians as the capital of a future state. Instead, the Israeli leader is promoting housing construction for Jews in east Jerusalem, including an announcement last week that plans for more than 1,000 new settlement apartments there would move forward…

“In Israel, Jewish access to the Temple Mount has turned from a fringe issue into a mainstream idea. After 1967, most rabbis considered Jewish prayer at the Temple Mount a sacrilege. But since the 1990s, nationalist clerics have been pressing for an increased Jewish presence, triggering angry reactions by Muslims who argue the site is exclusively theirs…”

CS Monitor wrote on November 2:

“Today Moshe Feiglin walked on the holiest site in Judaism and posed for photos in front of the Dome of the Rock, a revered Muslim shrine that rests where many believe the Jewish Temple once stood. In doing so the Israeli member of parliament fueled growing Muslim-Jewish tensions around Jerusalem’s Temple Mount…

“Mr. Feiglin’s action was a direct challenge to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s call this morning for parliament to exercise ‘responsibility and restraint’ around the Temple Mount complex…

“Feiglin, like Yehuda Glick, the rabbi currently recovering from the murder attempt last week, favors building Judaism’s Third Temple on the site, which would require the destruction of both the Dome of the Rock and, many Muslims believe, the nearby Al Aqsa mosque…

“For both Israelis and Palestinians, this compound is not only a sacred space but the front-line of their battle for sovereignty over Jerusalem…”

The Middle East will engulf in utter chaos when the Jews begin with the building of the Third Temple on the Temple Mount.

Jerusalem Is Ours!

On November 5, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave the following speech to the Knesset at a session marking the 19th anniversary of the assassination of prime minister Yitzhak Rabin (published by The Times of Israel, dated November 6):

“The murder of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin is a low point in the history of our people, a despicable and contemptible act that threatened to drag us into the depths of self-destruction…

“If there is one idea around which we have all united for hundreds and thousands of years, it is Jerusalem. Jerusalem is different than most world capitals: It is not just a capital city, it is our heart and soul and it is the foundation for our existence as a sovereign nation. Ten days before his murder, at an event marking 3,000 years of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, Yitzhak Rabin said, ‘In Israel there is one subject on which we do not disagree – the wholeness of Jerusalem and its continued existence and strengthening as the capital of Israel. There are not two Jerusalems; there is only one Jerusalem. As far as we are concerned, Jerusalem is not a subject for compromise and there is no peace without Jerusalem.’ Rabin later emphasized, ‘Jerusalem was ours, it is ours and it will remain so forever.’

“Distinguished guests, over the past several months, and especially over the past several days, we have witnessed a campaign of wild incitement against the State of Israel… This front of hatred is directed at all of us… we must stand together and say clearly and without apology: Unified Jerusalem is our capital and it will remain so. We are in a battle for Jerusalem. It may be a prolonged battle. I am certain we will be victorious. For some people, the issue of Israel’s sovereignty in Jerusalem is an instrument of political struggle. Our presence in Jerusalem, the capital of the Jewish people for 3,000 years, is called a provocation. They simply want to uproot us from here. They try to rewrite history, deny our brave affinity for Jerusalem and claim that we are trying to change the status quo on the Temple Mount, spread lies that we want to harm or destroy the Al-Aqsa Mosque or change the prayer arrangements for Muslims on the Mount…

“No country in the world is willing to barter over its capital. Yitzhak Rabin said the same thing when he established his government 22 years ago. ‘The government is determined,’ he said, ‘that Jerusalem is not up for debate. The coming years will be marked by an expansion of building in Greater Jerusalem. All Jews, religious and secular alike, swear, “If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill.”’ May these words from Yitzhak Rabin serve as a beacon for us and may his memory be blessed.”

Increasing Strife

Reuters reported on November 5:

“Increasing strife over Jerusalem’s most volatile holy site plunged relations between Israel and Jordan into crisis on Wednesday, with Amman recalling its ambassador for the first time since the countries’ 1994 peace treaty.

“In a sign of tensions, a Palestinian rammed his car into pedestrians in Jerusalem’s city center on Wednesday, killing an Israeli paramilitary border policeman before he was shot dead by police. More than a dozen people were injured.

“In a second attack later, a van driven by a Palestinian hit three soldiers in the occupied West Bank. One was seriously injured and two others suffered moderate wounds, an Israeli ambulance service spokesman and police said.”

The Times of Israel wrote on November 6:

“Jerusalem is starting to burn. Religious fervor is intensifying… ”

Turkey Gets Involved

In a related article,  Times of Israel wrote on November 6:

“Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called Israeli actions on the Temple Mount ‘barbaric and despicable’ on Thursday, Turkish news agency Anadolu reported. In a press conference before departing for Turkmenistan, Erdogan added that ‘Israel is preparing the ground for the failure of inter-religious and inter-ethnic dialogue around the world… Israel has already been isolated in the Middle East, but if such actions continue, Israel will also become marginalized at the world level,’ he continued. ‘The occupation of al-Aqsa is not only a concern of Palestinians or Arabs, but of the whole Muslim world… Israel’s barbaric behavior will leave it alone in the world,’ Erdogan told Anadolu.”

The Middle East will engulf in utter chaos when the Jews begin with the building of the Third Temple on the Temple Mount.

Germany’s Dilemma

The Local wrote on October 31:

“Germany finds itself in a complicated relationship with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). At home, police must investigate anyone who flies the flag, but in the Middle East they are the best hope of beating back the Islamic State…

“The PKK, which is believed to have 13,000 supporters in Germany, has been banned in the country for many years in response to its armed struggle against Turkey. In the early 90s the PKK attacked Turkish government buildings in Germany and in 1993 even stormed the Turkish Consulate in Munich. As recently as 2012, Germany’s parliament reaffirmed the ban on the PKK. The parliamentary state secretary for the interior ministry said at the time the PKK was a ‘destructive’ force which undermined ‘peaceful co-existence’ between Kurds and Turks in Germany.

“In northern Iraq, German weapons and training are being delivered into the hands of the PKK’s one-time Kurdish rivals, the peshmerga, but their fighters have not been able to put up the same level of resistance as the PKK and the two groups are increasingly working together. It means arms the German government provides to the peshmerga could end up with a group classified as a terrorist organization by the EU.

“But with a fighting force of 15,000, the PKK is Germany’s and the West’s best hope of staving off Isis advances and German Kurds are joining the fight, putting domestic security forces in a difficult position…”

Apple CEO–Proud to Be Gay

USA Today wrote on October 30:

“Apple CEO Tim Cook publicly confirmed he is gay in an opinion piece published Thursday, making him the highest-profile chief executive to come out… ‘While I have never denied my sexuality, I haven’t publicly acknowledged it either, until now,’ writes Cook. ‘So let me be clear: I’m proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me.’

“Reaction has been mostly positive… Public confirmations of sexuality have increased in Hollywood, and have started to appear in the sports world…  But it’s rare to see in the business world, which makes the revelation by Cook — head of one of the world’s most profitable companies — a much bigger deal….”

God does not bestow a “great gift” of homosexuality on anyone. God calls it an abomination. Another abomination is covered in the next article.

Acceptance of Post-Birth Abortions on the Rise

The College Fix reported on October 29:

“A trend seen by prolife activists that frequently engage college students on campuses nationwide is the growing acceptance of post-birth abortion, or killing the infant after he or she is born, campus prolife outreach leaders tell The College Fix… not only do they see more college students willing to say they support post-birth abortion, but some students even suggest children up to 4 or 5-years-old can also be killed, because they are not yet ‘self-aware.’ ‘We encounter people who think it is morally acceptable to kill babies after birth on a regular basis at almost every campus we visit,’ said Mark Harrington, director of Created Equal. ‘While this viewpoint is still seen as shocking by most people, it is becoming increasingly popular.’

“Campuses where the high school, college students, local activists and staff members of Created Equal have encountered this opinion include Purdue, University of Minnesota, and University of Central Florida. And at Ohio State earlier this year, the group captured a debate on video between one of its members and an older woman on campus who defended infanticide…

“Kristina Garza, spokeswoman for Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust, a prolife organization that often sets up anti-abortion displays on campuses along the West Coast, said her group also frequently encounters college students who accept infanticide. ‘For those who are firmly for abortion, because they understand it kills a human being, it’s very easy for them to accept killing a human being after birth,’ Garza said…

“Garza said there’s an explanation for it. For one, the arguments put forth by Peter Singer and other philosophers who support infanticide are given as reading assignments to college students. Singer wrote in 1979 that ‘human babies are not born self-aware, or capable of grasping that they exist over time. They are not persons … [therefore] the life of a newborn is of less value than the life of a pig, a dog, or a chimpanzee.’”

The Catholic Church–A Ship Without a Rudder?

USA Today reported on November 2:

“A senior American cardinal in the Vatican says that under this pope, the Roman Catholic Church is ‘a ship without a rudder’’ and the faithful ‘are feeling a bit seasick.’

“Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput complains that a recent Vatican conference called by Pope Francis produced ‘confusion,’ adding, ‘Confusion is of the devil.’ A group of conservative lay Catholics say they felt ‘betrayed’ by a preliminary report from the conference that proposed a more welcoming attitude toward gay men and lesbians… for these and other U.S. Catholic conservatives and traditionalists, the papacy of Francis also seems to be infuriating, worrying or just plain puzzling…

“Many conservatives struggle to get a handle on Pope Francis, who since taking office last year warned against an ‘obsessive’ concern with culture war issues, such as abortion and gay marriage; encouraged discussion of church teaching on things like contraception and divorce; and asked, regarding gay men and lesbians who profess religious faith, ‘Who am I to judge?’’…”

Interesting Results of Brain Study

CBS News reported on October 31:

“When researchers showed disgusting images of snakes, roaches, garbage, vomit, mutilated bodies and open wounds to participants in a Virginia Tech study, they found significant differences between the way liberals and conservatives reacted, on a neural level… The more strongly a person’s brain reacted to seeing disgusting images, the more likely they were to hold conservative views. The same discrepancy did not exist in their responses to positive images.

“The authors point out in the paper, published in the journal Current Biology, that this is the first brain study to find multiple points of differentiation in activity when comparing the emotional processing of images in liberals versus conservatives. Several parts of the brain lit up in conservatives, while others were activated in liberals… Indeed, watching the brain’s reaction to a single disgusting image was sufficient to guess each subject’s political orientation…

“The study did not determine exactly how or why liberal brains differ from conservative ones, only that the two types of brains lit up in two different patterns when viewing the same images.” 

The Right To Determine When to Die?

USA Today wrote on November 2:

“Brittany Maynard, the 29-year-old face of the controversial right-to-death movement, has died. She captivated millions via social media with her public decision to end her life… The statement said Maynard suffered ‘increasingly frequent and longer seizures, severe head and neck pain, and stroke-like symptoms.’ She chose to take the ‘aid-in-dying medication she received months ago.’…

“One commenter on Twitter posted… ‘To die with dignity still eludes many. May you find peace.’ Another had mixed feelings. ‘Brain cancer is a horrific way to die but, being raised traditional Catholic, suicide still a no-no,’ a commenter wrote.

“Maynard was diagnosed with a stage 4 malignant brain tumor. She moved with her family from California to Oregon, where she could legally die with medication prescribed under the [Oregon law.]

“Tim Rosales, spokesman for Patients Rights Action Coalition based in Princeton, N.J., said that for every Brittany Maynard, there’s a Barbara Wagner, an Oregon woman who fought her insurance company when it said it would cover drugs for her suicide but not for chemotherapy to fight her lung cancer. ‘We have to look at assisted suicide in much broader terms,’ Rosales said in a phone interview Sunday evening. ‘Obviously, we’re very saddened to hear the news about Brittany Maynard. However, that being said, suicide or assisted suicide sends the wrong message to a lot of young people [who] are [in] the country, particularly those who are dealing with psychological or physical challenges or serious illnesses.’

“An evangelical inspirational speaker and Catholic seminarian who has brain cancer has been outspoken about Maynard’s decision. ‘I understand she may be in great pain, and her treatment options are limited and have their own devastating side effects, but I believe Brittany is missing a critical factor in her formula for death: God,’ said Joni Eareckson Tada last month…

“Four other states, including Washington, Montana, Vermont and New Mexico, allow patients to seek help from doctors in dying… Under the Oregon law, the person must be capable, an adult, live in state and have been diagnosed with a terminal illness that will lead to death within six months.”

According to the Bible, we are not to take the life of a human being, including our own life. However desperate and painful a situation might be, we are to trust in God and His decision as to when our life will end. At the same time, suicide is quite different from the ending of artificially prolonged life.

“How to Prepare Earth for Extraterrestrial Life”

On September 25, 2014, Collective Evolution and the Huffington Post reported the following:

“A couple of months ago top US astronomers gathered in front of congress to let them know that extraterrestrial life exists without question. Their main argument was the size of the universe, emphasizing that there are trillions of stars out there, with one in every five most likely harboring an Earth-like planet. It’s also important to keep in mind that planets do not have to be ‘Earth-like’ in order to harbor life… This time, NASA and the Library of Congress have teamed up bringing together scientists, theologians, philosophers and historians from around the globe for a two day symposium in order to discuss how to prepare the world for extraterrestrial contact, whether it be microbial organisms or intelligent beings…

“One of the theologians present was Brother Guy Consolmagno, who is the new president of the Vatican Observatory Foundation. This is what he had to say: ‘I Believe [alien life exists], but I have no evidence. I would be really excited and it would make my understanding of my religion deeper and richer in ways that I can’t even predict yet, which is why it would be so exciting.’ He is urging the public not to be so surprised when extraterrestrial life is discovered, because it will be discovered. He even said that he would be happy to baptize them, if it’s intelligent extraterrestrial life that’s discovered. The Vatican has been very open to the idea of intelligent extraterrestrial life, and they’ve expressed these views for a very long time…

“In the United States alone, at least half of all Americans say that we’re not alone in the universe. Fifty percent of Americans already believe that there is some form of life on other planets, while only seventeen percent think that there isn’t. A quarter of Americans believe that intelligent extraterrestrial visitors have already come to Earth and have been doing so for a long time…

“Scientists estimate that at least 10 billion habitable Earth-sized planets exist in the milky way alone (one galaxy out of billions)…

“Some of the most extraordinary statements about UFOs and extraterrestrials come from persons who have held some of the highest positions known…”

As we pointed out in our recent Q&A series on pre- and post-Adamic life, there is no biblical evidence that there is any extra-terrestrial life. The Bible teaches quite the opposite. But it is interesting that according to the Book of Revelation, mankind will try to fight the returning Jesus Christ, riding on a white horse, and accompanied with an angelic army on white horses. Will mankind be so deceived to believe that hostile extraterrestrial beings will try to take over the world?

Let’s first examine the question about those who are disfellowshipped.. 

Paul stated: “Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear” (1 Timothy 5:20). The Church of God in Corinth experienced just such a situation when one among them committed incest, and the sinning person was put out:

“In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (1 Corinthians 5:4-5).

Carefully note that while the punishment was public and forceful, Paul’s objective was to protect the Church and to save the individual (compare 2 Corinthians 13:10). That is what happened, for, we find that later on, Paul told the members to restore him to fellowship because of his repentance:

“This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much SORROW. Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things. Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices” (2 Corinthians 2:6-11).

The key to understanding this example is the fact that the man repented of his sin. His sorrow was deeply felt. He did not become bitter and resentful against God to the point of rejecting Him in his life.

Another example is found in the Old Testament. In this case David committed adultery with Uriah’s wife and then arranged his murder.  When Nathan the prophet confronted him with God’s judgment, David immediately admitted his sin:

“So David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the LORD.’ And Nathan said to David, ‘The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die’” (2 Samuel 12:13).

David repented of his sins. In Psalm 32:1, 5 and in Psalm 51, David pours out his heart in praise to God for forgiving and restoring him. Quoting from some of what David wrote reveals the kind of attitude that God will accept from those whose sins have separated them from the Church of God:

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me” (Psalm 51:10-11).

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise” (Psalm 51:17).

God’s fervent desire is for those who are sinning to repent:

“‘But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him; because of the righteousness which he has done, he shall live. Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?’ says the Lord GOD, ‘and not that he should turn from his ways and live?’” (Ezekiel 18:21-23).

Those who have been called into the Church of God and then choose to leave, for any number of reasons, must wake up—before it is too late! Jesus taught in a parable known as “The Prodigal Son” about the willingness of the father to have his son return:

“‘And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.” But the father said to his servants, “Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” And they began to be merry’” (Luke 15:20-24).

This parable reflects the attitude of God, Himself, as we can also note in verses 7 and 10 of Luke 15:

“‘I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance… Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.’”

In His messages to the Church of God, from its beginning to the time of His return, Jesus Christ sternly warned many in generation after generation to repent! (Compare Revelation 2 and 3.) Why? For a whole multitude of reasons—which could ultimately lead to some having their names blotted out of the Book of Life! (Compare Revelation 3:5.)

Those who remain faithful to God and Jesus Christ also bear a responsibility to fellow members who stumble in their calling:

“Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins” (James 5:19-20).

Also:

“Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself” (Galatians 6:1-3).

The ominous truth for the Church of God during the coming years is that a falling away will continue and become even worse! In recent years we have witnessed the wholesale departure of long-standing members and ministers—often embracing the very doctrines they had once rejected as false and inspired by Satan—the spiritual ruler of this world. God’s commandments, statutes and judgments—all laws of life—were cast off as burdens, and membership within the true body of believers was summarily rejected. 

Coming to the irretrievable state of having committed the unpardonable sin is a process of hardening of one’s heart and spiritually searing the conscience, so that a person no longer cares or even wants to repent. Judgment is then self-imposed—the second death and eternal destruction.

God—through Jesus Christ—will judge all of us according to our ways. That judgment is now on the household of God—the Church (compare 1 Peter 4:17). The beginning point for anyone who has left the Church is to repent! The ministry is very willing to counsel anyone who seeks restoration in the Church!

And unless some might erroneously believe that they have committed the unpardonable sin by being out of the Church, consider what Daniel wrote:

“‘And some of those of understanding shall fall, to refine them, purify them, and make them white, UNTIL THE TIME OF THE END; because it is still for the appointed time’” (Daniel 11:35).

If you are among those who have become separate from the Church of God, NOW is the time to turn back to God!

Lead Writer: Dave Harris

“Mid-Term Elections—Victory or Defeat for America?,” is the title of a new StandingWatch Program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

The U.S. mid-term elections were held—with a stunning victory for the Republicans and an equally stunning defeat for the Democrats and the President. But even though the Republicans have gained the majority in the House and the Senate, will this drastically change the political landscape of America? Or are those correct who predict a “gridlock on steroids” for the next two years and warn that we are now facing the “two most dangerous years of America’s existence”? Why is it that others state that the fall of the Berlin Wall 25 years ago was the beginning of the end of the American Republic? This program gives you answers and offers our free booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America.” It also encourages our viewers and listeners to give us feedback to our programs in writing or via the telephone.

“Probleme mit Anderen Sind Lösbar!,” is the title of this week’s German sermon. In English, the title is, ”Probems with Others Can Be Solved.”

“The Sword of the Spirit,” the sermon from last Sabbath by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Paul admonishes us to take the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. This is a vital part of the armor of God. Paul does not refer to a physical sword, and when we take the spiritual sword, we must know what God’s Word is; how God’s Spirit motivates us; and why we must speak and do the Word of God. Only then will (we) be able to conquer Satan and his servants.

by Delia Messier
 
When my nephew was 9 years old, his parents asked me if I could take care of him for one week. They were worn out and at their wits end with him.  His behavior had gotten so bad that they were afraid of him, and not knowing what he might do to them when they were asleep, they would lock their bedroom door at night.
 
I was willing to take him but with the understanding that I would spank him if and when necessary.  They would not spank him themselves, but they knew that I would treat him with love and respect, so they agreed to the condition.
 
When they left him with me, the first thing I did was to take him aside and explained to him how precious he was to all of us. And that while he was with us, I had expectations of him and also cited the things that would not be tolerated; letting him know that if necessary I would spank him, and how this would be done.
 
As the hours passed that day, he went out of his way to test me, and he received the appropriate corrections, which were always followed with hugs and kisses. I would let him know that I cared for him and what kind of person he was and what kind of person he would grow up to be—and that I was helping him to be this person that he really wanted to be!
 
The next morning things continued the same, but by 10 am he asked to call his father. “Sure,” I said, thinking that he had had enough!  “Hi Dad,” he said,  “I LIKE IT HERE, CAN I STAY LONGER?”
 
Today, my nephew has grown up with children of his own, and some years ago he expressed to us that he was very thankful for those spankings and that they changed his life.  Is spanking your children out of control parenting? Or is it children who are never spanked who have out of control parents?

On November 1, 2014, Norbert Link will give the sermon, titled, “The Sword of the Spirit.”

The live services are available, over video and audio, at www.cognetservices.org (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.

Now that the Feast of Tabernacles is over, we face a long stretch before the Spring Holy Days are upon us. Our spiritual batteries should be fully charged to carry us to the spring.

It is encouraging to see growth in the Church’s membership with seven baptisms performed at the Feast in Germany this year, to the joy of everyone there. But we must also bear in mind that growth comes in two forms.  One is growth within the membership; the other is growth in grace and knowledge of Christ, which is very important.

Our stance on not being willing to compromise may seem to hinder magnificent growth in numbers, yet we must always bear in mind that we can accomplish more with ten zealously committed and truly converted individuals than with one hundred or even one thousand lukewarm and unmotivated social “followers.”

We have a command from God to move forward in the preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom, which is the only hope for mankind, and to do it with zeal.  God has no pleasure in an individual who looks back, once he has put his hand to the plough (compare Luke 9:62).

The world needs to hear the good news of the coming Kingdom of God, and the sinning nations of the House of Israel, namely the USA, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa, need to hear the Ezekiel warning message of coming disaster and slavery, which must occur before Jesus returns.

God’s Church must preach the Gospel with boldness, without shrinking back. Because of man’s foolishness, all flesh on this planet would be destroyed, if Christ was not to intervene, and hopefully, some who will hear the warning will respond and become Spirit-begotten members of the Family of God.

The Feast of Tabernacles has been an opportunity to charge up our batteries and energize ourselves for the push to get the Gospel message out to the world.  Individually, we must stay close to God in order to be useful instruments in His hands and according to His divine Will.

It’s onward and forward without looking back, since the time is nearer than it was last year, and we need to work hard to get the job done. Then the end of the present evil age will come. This world’s madness will cease, and Christ will establish a wonderful world of peace and harmony which is what the Feast of Tabernacles pictures. At that time, we will assist Christ in bringing mankind their opportunity for eternal salvation.

Let’s not lose sight of that goal, and let us remain firm in our commitment to God to get the task done soon.

We begin with reporting about interesting developments of potentially significant prophetic importance pertaining to the UK and continental Europe. We continue with the shaky relationship between America and its partners and foes, including Israel, China, Iran and Russia; address events in Syria, Egypt and Canada; point out the ongoing fight of Israelite nations against physical circumcision and other religious freedoms; report on remarkable events within and pertaining to Pope Francis and the Roman Catholic Church; and conclude with articles about the “demon” of Artificial Intelligence; the Ebola virus and Halloween.

“One Step Closer to the Exit”

Mail-On-Line wrote on October 24:

“Brussels’ shock demand for £1.7billion more from Britain has pushed us closer to leaving the EU, a furious David Cameron admitted yesterday. The Prime Minister insisted the payment – which works out at £56 for every taxpayer – was ‘not going to happen’… Britain was told to pay more because its economy has performed better than expected. But countries including France whose economies have under-performed will receive multi-million-pound rebates – something critics said was essentially a reward for their ‘basket case’ economic policies…

“But Germany’s powerful leader Angela Merkel – whose country is set to receive a rebate – suggested Britain would eventually end up paying the vast sum, and said she had no problem with the calculations. And Jose Manuel Barroso, the outgoing president of the European Commission, indicated that the £1.7billion bill was not up for negotiation.

“It emerged that Chancellor George Osborne had known about the demand on Tuesday but, embarrassingly, he had not passed on the information to the Prime Minister, who did not find out until Thursday. David Cameron was left red-faced as he was forced to admit he had been kept in the dark for days about the shock £1.7billion demand after George Osborne failed to inform him… And according to Labor, the Office for National Statistics might have known about it five months ago…

“UKIP leader Nigel Farage said the only way to avoid the surcharge was by leaving the Union. ‘The EU is like a thirsty vampire feasting on UK taxpayers’ blood. We need to protect the innocent victims, who are us,’ he added.”

In an accompanying polemic article, Mail-On-Line wrote on October 24:

“Like some despotic colonial power, the European Commission under its ex-Maoist president Jose Manuel Barroso suddenly demands an arbitrary levy from the UK of £1.7billion – nearly £30 for every man, woman and child in this country. This outrageous charge is a crushing blow to David Cameron as he tries to persuade an increasingly sceptical British public that the EU (whose accounts, of course, have never been signed off, so dubious are its figures) can be made to change its profligate, anti-democratic ways.

“For Nigel Farage and Ukip, it’s an absolute gift in the run-up to the Rochester and Strood by-election… Socialist France, an economic basket-case, is the biggest beneficiary – receiving £800million to keep its huge, unreformed public sector afloat. Have British families really gone through years of sacrifice so French civil servants can continue to retire on gold-plated pensions at 60?…

“The Barroso raid will convince many voters that this simply cannot be achieved within the EU. If the Commission wanted to give a boost to Britain’s growing number of Eurosceptics, it could hardly have come up with a better strategy.”

The “Express” wrote on October 25:

“FURIOUS David Cameron last night conceded that Britain had been pushed closer to a European Union exit after receiving an eye-watering £1.7billion Brussels bill… Calls for the UK to withdraw from the EU intensified yesterday…

“In an angry intervention, he interrupted a summit discussion on economic policy to confront European Commission President Jose Barroso over the cash demand. He accused the Eurocrat of having ‘no idea’ of the impact the ‘vast’ invoice would have on the UK. Speaking at a news conference at the end of the summit, he said the ‘completely unjustified and sudden production of a bill for Britain of £1.7billion’ had provoked ‘downright anger’ in him.”

However, there is, as always, another side to the story. Die Zeit Online reported on October 24 that the UK agreed to the calculation formula in 1995, and other German and European papers added that the UK had received substantial subsidies in the past, based on this automatic formula, when it “under-performed.”

Deutsche Welle wrote on October 24:

“British Prime Minister David Cameron on Friday vehemently dismissed a request from the European Union for an additional 2.1-billion-euro payment into the bloc’s coffers after a revision of official data showed the United Kingdom’s economy was doing well… EU members pay into the bloc’s budget according to the strength of their respective economies. In the past, when the UK economy was shrinking, London received money back. Now that its economy is recovering, its contribution has been adjusted upwards.

“An EU official called the revision a ‘technical matter’ and said it came up every year. But the request for more money comes at an inopportune time for Prime Minister Cameron, who faces staunch resistance at home to the 28-member bloc by euroskeptic political parties…

“European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, in response to Cameron’s objections, said rules were rules and they should not be questioned. He noted that EU member states had voted in favor of the budget scheme…”

BBC News added on October 26:

“Europe expects the UK to pay an extra £1.7bn towards the EU budget ‘and that’s that’, a vice president of the European Parliament has said. Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, a German MEP, said the EU would be ‘exasperated’ if the UK tried to avoid payment.”

The EUObserver wrote on October 27:

“The UK has to pay its outstanding €2.1bn bill by 1 December or face monthly penalties, EU budget commissioner Jacek Dominik said Monday (27 October) in a press conference. Dominik said he was ‘surprised’ to witness the ‘anger’ of British Prime Minister David Cameron who last week vowed not to pay the bill at such short notice.

“The commissioner said British officials knew since 17 October, when all member states were presented with their corrected share of the EU budget, based on changes in their gross national income (GNI) compared to what they had projected. ‘What is extremely important is to remember that these figures are presented by member states based on their own statistics and approved by Eurostat,’ Dominik said…

“Asked if Britain could delay or pay the bill in tranches, Dominik said such measure would require a qualified majority among member states in the EU council. ‘It would be extremely difficult to do it. The regulation on own resources also concerns the British rebate, if you open up this act for future negotiations, you open a Pandora box,’ he said…

“He said that in case Britain does not transfer the money by 1 December, the EU commission will first write a letter asking for explanations. If the explanations are not credible and the payment continues to be delayed ‘for weeks or months’, the EU law foresees penalties of at least two percent of the total bill plus 0.25 percent for each month of delay.”

Bild Online asked on October 25: “Are the British Leaving the EU?” The mass tabloid opinionated that Cameron will not be able to avoid the demanded payment on or about December 1, even though Cameron declared angrily in Brussels that he will not pay. The paper quoted a modified famous statement from William Shakespeare: “To pay or not to pay—that is the question.”

What is important for us is to realize that the prophesied rift between the UK and continental Europe is widening. See also the next article:

Merkel Blocks Cameron

The Sunday Times wrote on October 26:

“Angela Merkel has delivered a potentially fatal blow to David Cameron’s attempt to cap immigration from the European Union. The German chancellor told The Sunday Times that she would not support Cameron’s plans to limit freedom of movement within the EU as part of his planned renegotiation of Britain’s relationship with Brussels.

“The prime minister has pledged to make changes to freedom of movement a ‘red line’ in a new deal and is preparing to pledge to bring in quotas for low-skilled EU migrants. But questioned by this newspaper during an EU summit in Brussels, Merkel categorically denied that there was any possibility of Germany supporting any limitations on the freedom of movement — a potentially terminal intervention from Britain’s key ally.”

We Need a European Army

Die Welt wrote on September 30:

“Europe needs a unified army after all… It is high time for [the unification of] European military forces… Because of the bad condition of the German Bundeswehr, we are confronted with a historical opportunity to think about… a European security policy… Military forces should not be established nationally, but need to be European… A European army would open up new areas of activities… The preservation and increase of freedom, peace and security is no longer the responsibility of just one nation, but it has become a European challenge. A European army would meet that challenge.”

We will observe very soon the creation of a powerful and extremely efficient European Army.

Violence in Germany

The Local wrote on October 28:

“Further far-right protests, of the kind seen in Cologne on Sunday, are being planned in Berlin and Hamburg, leading to fears of violence spreading to other cities. The scale and violence of what was billed as an anti-Salafist demo caught police by surprise on Sunday. Forty-five people were injured in fighting around the ‘Hooligans against Salafists’ march, 44 of them police officers, and 17 people were arrested. Police used tear gas and water cannon to try to control more than 4,000 people who took to Cologne’s streets.

“Far-right protests are not unusual in Germany, but the size of the Cologne march was. Under an anti-Islamic banner, organizers managed to unite different far-right and football hooligan factions. The far-right scene hailed the protest as the ‘Miracle of Cologne’ and protesters are set to mobilize in other cities this month under the motto, ‘Cologne was just the beginning’. A similar demonstration is planned in Hamburg and Berlin on Saturday November 15th..  The ‘Hooligans against Salafists’ group is also planning a demonstration on November 15th in Berlin at the Brandenburg Gate. City politicians are looking to ban the protest.

“German police union DPolG also fears the violence seen in Cologne will spread. DPolG president Rainer Wendt told dpa news agency: ‘It will not be restricted to Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne. It is possible in all cities.’” 

The Ukrainian Election

BBC News wrote on October 26:

“Ukraine’s political culture is notoriously fractious. And the issues facing the country, such as how to enact reform, battle corruption or fight the war in the east, will provide fertile ground for disagreement.

“Within the parties themselves there are a number of question marks – especially among the numerous war heroes and battalion commanders who populate the candidate lists. Though their battlefield bravery is not in doubt, their political views are not entirely clear. Where they stand on the problems the country faces remains to be seen.”

The EUObserver wrote on October 27:

“Ukraine exit polls show a strong win by pro-Western parties, a snub to the far-right, and a surprisingly good result for elements of the former regime… The CEC also reported turnout of 52 percent nationwide, rising to over 70 percent in the west, but falling to some 30 percent in government-controlled regions in the east.

“Meanwhile, three parts of the country – some 4.8 million people out of Ukraine’s 46 million population – did not vote: Crimea (annexed by Russia), and parts of Donetsk and Luhansk in east Ukraine (which are held by pro-Russia rebels).  The situation means 27 seats in Ukraine’s 450 seat parliament will be left symbolically vacant.

“Rebel chiefs, speaking to Russian media, denounced the elections as a ‘farce’. Boyko also accused authorities of corruption, calling the vote the ‘dirtiest’ ever in Ukraine… Rebel chiefs in Donetsk and Luhansk are now planning to hold their own vote on 2 November in an effort to cement claims to independence.”

Deutsche Welle added on October 28:

“The Kremlin will recognize upcoming elections in Ukraine’s separatist eastern regions…  entrenching the split between the Western-leaning national government in Kyiv and the pro-Kremlin separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk… Moscow has also agreed to recognize the results of Ukraine’s national elections last Sunday, in which pro-Western parties secured a parliamentary majority.”

How the USA Is Emboldening Putin

The Washington Times wrote on October 23:

“Russian military provocations have increased so much over the seven months since Moscow annexed Crimea from Ukraine that Washington and its allies are scrambling defense assets on a nearly daily basis in response to air, sea and land incursions by Vladimir Putin’s forces.

“Not only is Moscow continuing to foment unrest in Eastern Ukraine, U.S. officials and regional security experts say Russian fighter jets are testing U.S. reaction times over Alaska and Japan’s ability to scramble planes over its northern islands — all while haunting Sweden’s navy and antagonizing Estonia’s tiny national security force.

“The White House months ago leveled economic sanctions on several Russian businesses and political players, and recent weeks have seen President Obama intensify his rhetoric toward Moscow. But many in Washington’s national security community say the response is simply not firm enough and that, as a result, Mr. Putin actually feels emboldened to push the envelope — Cold War-style…

“Mr. Putin has appeared undeterred. NATO officials confirmed this week that the Russian air force flew an Ilyushin-20 spy plane into Estonian airspace Tuesday, triggering a swift reaction from NATO fighter jets patrolling the area. The incursion came just days after Sweden made international headlines by scrambling a fleet of naval vessels to search for a suspected submarine sighted about 30 miles off the coast of Stockholm in the Baltic Sea… regional analysts… say they’d be surprised if the sub was not Russian. The development, the analysts say, fits within a growing list of similar Russian actions, including some directly challenging U.S. territory.

“The North American Aerospace Defense Command scrambled jets to scare off two Russian strategic bombers that suddenly appeared to conduct practice runs in airspace just 65 miles off Alaska in June. A similar incident occurred in September, with U.S. and Canadian fighters scrambling to deter six Russian aircraft, including two nuclear bombers, two fighter jets and two refueling tankers, according to news reports…”

Putin Blames America

The Washington Times wrote on October 25:

“Russian President Vladimir Putin blamed the U.S. for the crisis in Ukraine and radical Islamic terrorism and claimed there is ‘no true democracy’ in America during a speech on Friday… He [said] that Russia was not responsible for the unrest in Ukraine, insisting that the U.S. had pushed the country into chaos and tried to ‘remake the whole world based on its interests’…

“During his speech, which Reuters described as a ‘diatribe … that was reminiscent of the Cold War,’ Mr. Putin blasted American society and government… ‘The bear isn’t asking anyone for permission. The bear is considered a strong and very traditional animal… [but] will not surrender,’ Mr. Putin said…”

The Eurasian Economic Union (EEU)

The Guardian wrote on October 28:

“Until the last moment Alexander Lukashenko, the president of Belarus, held out for 7 October, to coincide with Vladimir Putin’s birthday. But in the end the parliament in Minsk ratified the treaty on Eurasian Economic Union on 9 October, the day before its first three members – Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan – were due to meet.

“It would be simplistic to reduce the nascent EEU to a toy in the hands of the Russian president. When it comes into force, on 1 January 2015, it will be the most advanced organisation for regional cooperation the former Soviet bloc has seen…

“… [According to Putin] this organisation will be the equal of the EU and other major regional entities, a powerful bloc that will matter on the world stage. Its official formation is also intended to show the world that Russia has fully recovered, while crowning Putin’s efforts to pull together the states making up the post-Soviet sphere of influence. Those who deride the scheme see it as an attempt to restore the empire…

“Ukraine, with its population of 45 million, was supposed to play a key role in the EEU… Ukraine had to be punished, for wanting to move closer to Europe but also for refusing to join the EEU, after Yanukovych’s demise…”

More Russian Provocations and Europe’s Response

The Washington Post wrote on October 29:

“NATO said Wednesday that it had intercepted a large number of Russian aircraft flying close to European airspace in the past two days, in an ‘unusual’ series of incidents that brought Russian bombers as far afield as Portugal.

“The aircraft — at least 19 in all — offered reminders of Russian air power at a time of the worst relations between the West and Russia since the Cold War. Russian military aircraft have significantly increased their activity in Europe since the conflict in Ukraine began earlier this year, with NATO scrambling to intercept aircraft more than 100 times in 2014. But a NATO official said the scale of the latest incidents was the most provocative this year.

“Over the Atlantic Ocean and the North, Black and Baltic seas, Russian bombers, fighter jets and tanker aircraft were detected flying in international airspace, NATO said. There were no incursions into national airspace, a violation of sovereignty that would have significantly amplified the seriousness of the four incidents, three of which took place on Wednesday…

“U.S. officials regard the flights as a show of force by the Putin government… In at least one of the four incidents, the aircraft had switched off their transponders and had not filed flight plans with civilian air traffic controllers. That means that civilian air traffic control cannot track them, potentially creating a risk for civilian planes.

“That incident took place around 3:00 a.m. in Western Europe on Wednesday, when four Tu-95 long-range strategic nuclear bombers and four Il-78 tanker aircraft flew over the Norwegian Sea. Norwegian F-16 fighter jets scrambled to intercept them. Six of the planes returned to Russia, but two of the bombers skirted the Norwegian coast, flew past Britain — sending Typhoon fighter jets to scramble in response — and then finally looped west of Spain and Portugal, attracting Portuguese F-16s. Then the two bombers appeared to return to Russia…

“Fighter jets from Norway, Britain, Portugal, Turkey, Germany, Denmark, Finland and Sweden were involved in responding to the Russian aircraft… Finland and Sweden are not members of NATO, and they have long refrained from joining the defensive alliance, which was formed after World War II as a bulwark against the Soviet Union. But military incidents with Russia this year have caused both countries to start to reevaluate their positions…

“The incidents appear to have set European militaries on edge this week. British fighter jets were scrambled Wednesday to bring a civilian Antonov cargo jet into a London airport; it stopped responding to radio calls from air traffic controllers while flying over the British capital. That caused a supersonic boom that was audible across a large stretch of southeastern England.”

“The Weakest of US Presidents”

Newsmax wrote on October 23:

“President Barack Obama is ‘the weakest of U.S. presidents’ and his time in the White House has been ‘humiliating,’… said Ali Younesi, senior adviser to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, in comments coming as the United States is trying to persuade his country to join the international coalition fighting against the Islamic State. His words could also be a sign that the Rouhani regime does not intend to concede to the United States’ demands concerning Iran’s nuclear program… ‘Americans witnessed their greatest defeats in Obama’s era…’

“Younesi is not alone in his criticism of Obama, with even former members of the president’s staff… critiquing Obama’s leadership skills…

“Saeed Ghasseminejad, an Iranian dissident and associate fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), told Free Beacon that Obama believes ‘by rewarding Iran and permitting it to do whatever it wants in the region, the mullahs in Tehran will be convinced to compromise.’ However, Iran now controls three Arab capitals, Damascus, Beirut, and Baghdad, he said, and its allies just captured a fourth one, Sana in Yemen. Further, Iran’s economy has improved significantly. ‘Unfortunately, it does not seem that the mullahs reached the conclusion desired by the administration,’ he said. ‘Iranians believe this administration is weak, it has lost its economic leverage over Iran and there is no credible military option on the table…”

Iran remains undeterred by American and Western “protests,” as can be seen by Iran’s hanging of a woman who killed a man for raping her.

Where Are the Real Alternatives?

Newsmax wrote on October 24:

“Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney should by no means make a bid for the presidency in 2016 because ‘he had his chance and he blew it,’ says real estate mogul Donald Trump… Trump also expressed his disappointment with Romney’s performance in the final four weeks of the 2012 campaign against President Barack Obama… ‘That was an election that, frankly, should have been a much easier election than the probable 2016 candidate Hillary [Clinton]. That was an election that should have been won by the Republicans.’ …

“Meanwhile, a Washington Post/ABC News poll out earlier this week found that Romney had the highest support among likely voters of any potential 2016 candidate, with 21 percent. A Bloomberg/Des Moines Register poll last week showed that Romney would be the only potential GOP candidate who would beat former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Iowa in a hypothetical match-up.  Specifically, 44 percent of likely Iowa voters said they would support Romney, compared to 43 percent who said they would back Clinton.”

None of that sounds too appealing…

China Buys New York’s Waldorf Astoria Hotel

Bloomberg wrote on October 7:

“New York City’s Waldorf Astoria hotel is set to become the biggest prize yet for buyers from China who have been pouring money into U.S. real estate as they seek stable investments outside their country… The Waldorf deal follows such high-profile New York acquisitions as Shanghai-based Greenland Holding Group Inc.’s purchase this year of a 70 percent interest in the Atlantic Yards project in Brooklyn…

“Earlier last year, a group including Zhang Xin, co-founder of Shanghai’s Soho China Ltd., took a 40 percent stake in midtown Manhattan’s General Motors Building, one of New York’s most-valuable office towers… $1.4 billion deal was the largest Chinese purchase of a U.S. building before the pending Waldorf sale… Chinese investors will have bought $2.7 billion of New York-area real estate in 2014, topping last year’s $2.6 billion…”

The Bible prophesied that due to the nation’s sins, Americans will become the tail and foreigners the head.

The Death Toll of the American Air Strikes in Syria

The Washington Post wrote on October 24:

“The United States launched its first airstrikes on militants in Syria on Sept. 23, and has continued the onslaught since. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Thursday that 533 people have been killed in airstrikes since they began. That group counted 32 civilian deaths, including six children and five women… The human rights organization said that the number of militants could be much higher.”

Apart from the fact that God condemns war, the death of just one innocent person (“casualty of war”) is one too many.

Crisis between USA and Israel

The Associated Press reported on October 25:

“A top Israeli minister says there is a ‘crisis’ in in the country’s relations with the United States that must be fixed. Finance Minister Yair Lapid’s comments Saturday came a day after U.S. officials said the Obama administration refused Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon’s requests to meet several top national security aides.

“The White House and the State Department rejected Israeli proposals for meetings with Vice President Joe Biden, National Security Adviser Susan Rice and Secretary of State John Kerry on his five-day trip to the United States. The administration is still miffed over negative comments Yaalon made about Kerry’s Mideast peace efforts and nuclear negotiations with Iran.”

More Turmoil in the Middle East

Al Arabiya News wrote on October 28:

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Monday to keep building in all of Jerusalem, hours… after his government unveiled a plan to build 1,000 housing units in the eastern part of the city which the Palestinians demand for their future state… East Jerusalem is home to the city’s most sensitive Jewish, Christian and Muslim holy sites. Israel says the whole city will forever be its capital, citing historical, religious and security reasons. The international community, including the United States, does not recognize Israel’s annexation of the eastern sector of Jerusalem. The Palestinians seek it as their future capital and oppose any Israeli construction there…

“In an urgent letter sent to Washington on Sunday night, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas urged Americans to intervene in what he termed as ‘Israeli escalation in East Jerusalem.’ Abbas warned that if Israel continued with its current measures, including proposals that would allow Jews to pray at the Temple Mount compound, it would lead to an eruption of violence that would spiral out of control…

“Meanwhile, Palestinian authorities have asked the U.N. Human Rights Council to appoint an impartial inquiry commission to investigate the death of eight Palestinians who were killed by Israeli forces since the beginning of 2014… ‘We call on the U.N., the European Union and the United States to take immediate punitive actions so that Israel bears responsibility for the use of live weapons and the killing of Palestinian citizens,’ PLO member Hanan Ashrawi said.”

Israel Closes Temple Mount

The Times of Israel reported on October 30:

“Israel decided Wednesday night to prohibit access to the Temple Mount Thursday to both Muslims and Jews until further notice, following the shooting in Jerusalem of Rabbi Yehudah Glick, a right-wing activist with the Temple Mount Faithful… Right-wing activists, including some members of Knesset, had called to march on the Temple Mount en masse Thursday morning in response the shooting which left Glick in serious, but stable, condition.

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for an increased police presence in Jerusalem, as security forces were on high alert across the country… Glick was shot three times outside the Jerusalem’s Begin Center following a conference about the Jewish presence on the Temple Mount. Police were still searching for the unidentified assailant who was wearing a helmet and was said to have fled the scene on a motorcycle.

“Glick had finished a speech at a conference at the Begin Center, entitled ‘Israel returns to the Temple Mount.’ Eyewitnesses said that after the event, a man with an Arabic accent approached Glick and asked him for his identity. The man then shot the victim, got on the motorcycle and fled…

“Housing Minister Uri Ariel, a proponent of a Jewish presence in east Jerusalem, said that the bullets fired at Glick ‘were aimed at all Jews who wish to pray on the Temple Mount,’ 24 news reported. He also demanded open Jewish access to the site in response… US-born Yehudah Glick, a resident of the West Bank settlement of Othniel, near Hebron, previously worked as the executive director of the Temple Institute, an organization that prepares vessels and garments for a future Jewish temple, before joining the Temple Mount Faithful…

“The shooting came amid weeks of rising tensions between Israelis and Palestinians in Jerusalem. Last week a Palestinian man drove a car into a crowded train platform located along the seam separating East and West Jerusalem, killing two. In the days following, Palestinians have clashed continuously with Israeli police in Arab neighborhoods of the capital. Israel responded to the rise in violence by increasing its police presence, deploying an additional 1,000 officers to the city. The shooting took place as diplomats convened a UN Security Council meeting to discuss the growing tensions in Jerusalem.”

Egypt Declares State of Emergency

Deutsche Welle reported on October 25:

“Egypt has declared a [three-month] state of emergency across much of the Sinai Peninsula [near the borders with Israel and the Gaza Strip] after a suicide car bombing that killed some 30 troops. A curfew was also introduced, while the border with the Gaza Strip was closed… [It] also ordered a three-hour curfew for the northern Sinai Peninsula, which has been plagued by Islamist violence…

“A decision was also taken to close the Rafah border crossing into the Gaza Strip, the only point of entry into the territory that is not controlled by Israel.”

Islamist Terrorist Attacks in Canada

Newsmax wrote on October 22, 2014

“A gunman attacked Canada’s parliament on Wednesday, with gunfire erupting near a room where Prime Minister Stephen Harper was speaking, and a soldier was fatally shot at a nearby war memorial, jolting the Canadian capital. The gunman in the parliament building was shot dead, and Harper was safely removed…

“Two U.S. officials said U.S. agencies had been advised the suspect was a Canadian convert to Islam… It was unclear whether there was any connection between Wednesday’s shootings and an attack on Monday when a convert to Islam ran down two Canadian soldiers with his car, killing one, near Montreal, before being shot dead by police in the first fatal attack on Canadian soil tied to Islamic militants. Canada’s prime minister called the Ottawa shooting the country’s second terrorist attack in three days.”

The War Against Circumcision Continues in Israelite Countries

JTA wrote on October 22:

“A new poll indicates that 74 percent of Denmark’s citizens believe circumcision should be fully or partially banned… Two Danish parties favor a ban, while others are divided on the issue. Only 10 percent of the 1,000 people surveyed believed the decision should be left to parents… Sweden and Norway also are discussing circumcision bans. Earlier this year, Norway’s association of nurses urged the government to outlaw the procedure.”

Denmark, Sweden and Norway are part of the ancient House of Israel. 

Assault Against Religious Liberty

Newsmax wrote on October 15:

“The city of Houston has issued subpoenas to a group of pastors requesting any sermons they’ve written that cover the subject of homosexuality, gender identity, or mention of Annise Parker, the city’s first openly lesbian mayor. The subpoenas came after pastors protested against Houston’s new non-discrimination ordinance that the city council passed in June which, among other clauses related to sexuality and gender identity, would allow men to use the ladies room and vice versa in an effort to protect transgender rights…

“Russell Moore, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, said in a statement he is ‘simply stunned by the sheer audacity’ of the subpoenas… Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz blasted the subpoenas, calling the move ‘shocking and shameful… For far too long, the federal government has led an assault against religious liberty, and now, sadly, my hometown of Houston is joining the fight,’ Cruz said in a statement. ‘This is wrong. It’s unbefitting of Texans, and it’s un-American. The government has no business asking pastors to turn over their sermons.’”

Newsmax added on October 25:

“Houston Mayor Annise Parker’s decision to issue subpoenas for sermons from the city’s Christian pastors was for ‘much larger political and constitutional stakes’ than just to coerce disclosure from the ministers, says Newt Gingrich… ‘The Mayor of Houston’s recent subpoena of sermons by Christian pastors in the country’s fourth largest city is a shocking violation of First Amendment rights to free speech and free exercise of religion,’ says Gingrich… ‘There is no clearer violation of First Amendment freedoms than for government officials to attempt to censor religious speech.’

“… there is an established strategy to paint protecting traditional moral values and ‘opposition to newly-invented sexual and gender identity rights’ as being malicious, says Gingrich. This was recently backed by the 2013 Supreme Court decision that invalidates the definition of marriage as being between one man and one woman. ‘Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in the majority opinion that the only purpose of those who supported this traditional definition of marriage was to “disparage,” “injure,” “degrade,” “demean,” and “humiliate” certain groups of fellow citizens,’ says Gingrich.”

We can expect more and more governmental intrusion into and assaults against religious liberty and the teaching of the Bible.

Francis Not a Valid Pope?

The Independent wrote on October 25:

“The Catholic Church is changing – and the gates of reaction shall not prevail against it… Can you be more Catholic than the Pope? The American arch-reactionary Pat Buchanan clearly thinks so. He has been lambasting Pope Francis for sowing ‘confusion among the faithful’ by refusing to defend ‘the unchanging truths of Catholicism’. Indeed, says the US Catholic paleo-conservative, the Pope may be ‘speaking heresy’, which would imply that Francis is ‘not a valid pope’.

“Yet how does this high-octane indignation square with widespread reports at the end of last week that a liberal Pope had been defeated by doctrinaire traditionalists in his attempts to make the Church more welcoming to gays and divorcees? The fortnight-long Extraordinary Synod on the Family ended with headlines like: ‘Pope snubbed’ and ‘Liberal Hopes Dashed’.

“The answer is that, as the dust settles, what has become clear is that, for all the hoo-ha made by conservative cardinals, the overall outcome has been a remarkable advance for those who want the Catholic Church to be more compassionate and inclusive. The vociferous minority who tried to box the Pope into a corner, on gays and divorcees who remarry, may have won one small battle. But they are losing the wider war…

“The truth is that this Synod was extraordinary in many ways. The story began last year when Pope Francis asked for a questionnaire to be sent out all around the world to find out what ordinary Catholics thought about the teachings of their church on a range of controversial issues like premarital sex, contraception, divorce, remarriage and same-sex relationships.

“This had never been done before. Indeed, previous popes made it clear that they did not want to know what the people in the pew thought. They should just pray, pay and obey. Next Pope Francis focused the agenda by inviting one of the Church’s major progressives, Cardinal Walter Kasper of Germany, to make the case to his fellow cardinals for lifting Rome’s ban which forbids Catholics who have divorced and remarried from receiving Communion.

“Then, at the opening of the Synod, the Pope binned the approach of previous popes which discouraged debate, silenced theologians and suppressed dissent. Instead he announced he wanted a strong and vigorous debate. People should listen with humility but speak with clarity and boldness. There was to be no self-censorship by cardinals who feared their views might upset the Pope. This stood in stark contrast to previous synods where Vatican officials went round privately telling participants not to mention certain subjects.

“The Pope certainly got the frank debate he wanted. It was so open that, halfway through the synod, an interim report on the discussion between the 190 cardinals, bishops and others was described as a ‘pastoral earthquake’ because of its unprecedented language of welcome and appreciation for gay people, as well as remarried Catholics and cohabiting couples.

“It was immediately met by strong dissent from a conservative minority who felt their views were unrepresented in the interim report… The vehemence of the response had its impact. When the bishops came to vote on the gay and remarriage issues most voted in favour of a more compassionate approach. But the votes did not achieve the two-thirds majorities desired in synods. The media reported that as a defeat for Pope Francis.

“The reality was different. The way the Church governs itself has been significantly changed. Bishops are now openly discussing ideas for which they could have been investigated, censured, silenced or fired under previous papacies. And a growing number of reform-minded bishops voted against the final text because it was too conservative rather than too liberal. The Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, said he did not vote for the final wording on gays because it did not include the words welcome, respect and value…

“Pope Francis will want to bring along the majority of people with his instincts for change. But he will continue to send out signals of his desire. He will continue to appoint bishops who share his vision… Change is coming in the Catholic Church. The blustering of an outraged conservative minority will not hold back the tide.”

Interestingly, conservative bishops say that it was just a small liberal minority who unsuccessfully advocated change regarding the hotly-contested issues of marriage, homosexuality and communion. See the next article.

Split in the Catholic Church?

Newsmax wrote on October 21:

“A leftist element within the Vatican was behind a controversial church document calling for liberal attitudes toward gays, divorce and remarriage, Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights [said]. The liberal bishops who wrote it made a calculated gamble that it would pick up steam when they flagrantly leaked it to the press, Donohue said… On Saturday, Catholic bishops — after a two-week meeting called a synod — passed a revised document that spells out the Roman Catholic Church’s position on homosexuality, marriage, divorce, and sex.

“The document was missing passages from a draft released earlier in the week that had a surprisingly liberal acceptance of gays, unwed Catholics who live together, and remarried divorcees who want to receive Holy Communion. Several gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender groups praised the earlier document, but some bishops then went public to blast the draft and insist the church was not changing…

“Donohue said there remains a split among top bishops about how the church should move forward on divorce and remarriage. ‘There’s no question. That’s the big split…’

“Donohue thinks the church will not waver on marriage [as being between a man and a woman]… After the revised document was released, Pope Francis said on Sunday that the Church should not be afraid of change and new challenges.”

Is a big split coming in the Catholic Church? 

Pope Adopts Big Bang and Evolution

Mail On Line reported on October 27:

“The Big Bang, which scientists believe led to the formation of the universe some 13.8billion years ago, was all part of God’s plan, Pope Francis has declared. The Pope said the scientific account of the beginning of the universe and the development of life through evolution are compatible with the Catholic Church’s vision of creation. He told a meeting of the Vatican’s Pontifical Academy for Sciences: ‘The Big Bang, which today we hold to be the origin of the world, does not contradict the intervention of the divine creator but, rather, requires it.’ But he said Christians should reject the idea that world came into being by chance.

“Likewise, evolution was all part of God’s plan, he explained… The Catholic Church no longer teaches creationism – the belief that God created the world in six days – and says that the account in the book of Genesis is an allegory for the way God created the world.”

Of course, the Pope is wrong… again. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Evolution—A Fairy Tale for Adults.”

“Demonic” Artificial Intelligence (AI) Our “Biggest Existential Threat”

The Independent wrote on October 26:

“Tesla chief executive Elon Musk has described artificial intelligence as a ‘demon’ and the ‘biggest existential threat there is’, in his latest dramatic statement about technology… The business magnate, inventor and investor, who is also CEO and CTO of SpaceX, and chairman of SolarCity, has warned about artificial intelligence before, which he believes could be more threatening than nuclear weapons…

“The ethical issues around AI were highlighted earlier this year when Google bought the British start-up DeepMind for $400 million (£242m). The London-based firm, founded by chess prodigy Demis Hassabis, specialises in algorithms and machine learning for e-commerce and games. But Mr Hassabis has also predicted that AI machines will learn ‘basic vision, basic sound processing, basic movement control, and basic language abilities’ by the end of the decade. Google has acquired a slew of robotics firms, including Boston Dynamics

“That purchase – Google’s largest European acquisition – came just months after it bought Boston Dynamics, a firm that produces life-like military robots. Google has reportedly set up an ‘ethics board’ in wake of the purchases but concerns remain.”

The article also sets forth several AI inventions which are already in operation:

“Lincor–A bedside computer that entertains patients while engaging them with relevant information and advice.

“SwiftKey–Understands the context of language and how words fit together.

“Celaton–Applies AI to labour-intensive clerical tasks.

“Darktrace–Uses advanced mathematics to detect abnormal behaviour in organisations instantly in order to manage risks from cyber attacks.”

The Washington Free Beacon added on October 27:

“Swarms of highly intelligent militarized robots are predicted to hit the battlefield in the near future and could spark a modern day arms race, according to a report released Monday by the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). Teams of interconnected robots will change the way America and other countries fight their wars, providing them with more range and the ability to conduct ‘suicidal missions’ without risk to living humans…

“The study predicts that in the very near future, advances in technology will allow ‘swarms of robotic systems’ to effect ‘dramatic, disruptive change to military operations’—and that the United States must significantly step up its focus on these technologies or risk losing its status as the world’s preeminent fighting force…

“While the United States and other major powers have made great advances in unmanned technologies—such as drones and other remotely piloted devices—the report predicts that global militaries will soon enter a race to perfect the tactic known as ‘swarming,’ in which droves of militarized robots act together on the battlefield…

“However, severe U.S. defense budget cuts known as sequestration threaten to stymie America’s investment into these critical new technologies and could leave the country vulnerable to enemies, according to the report… ‘the number of combat ships and aircraft in the U.S. inventory has steadily declined, even during periods of significant growth in defense spending. Today’s acute fiscal pressures only exacerbate these trends, forcing a crisis not only in military modernization and readiness, but also in the ability to field sufficient quantities to be relevant in future fights,’ the report warns.”

Ebola Airborne or Droplet Borne… or Both?

Newsmax wrote on October 14:

“No virus that causes disease in humans has ever been known to mutate to change its mode of transmission. This means it is highly unlikely that Ebola has mutated to become airborne. It is, however, droplet-borne — and the distinction between the two is crucial… Doctors mean something different from the public when they talk about a disease being airborne. To them, it means that the disease-causing germs are so small they can live dry, floating in the air for extended periods, thus capable of traveling from person to person at a distance. When inhaled, airborne germs make their way deep into the lungs.

“Chickenpox, measles and tuberculosis are airborne diseases. Droplets of mucus and other secretions from the nose, mouth and respiratory tract transmit other diseases, including influenza and smallpox. When someone coughs, sneezes or, in the case of Ebola, vomits, he releases a spray of secretions into the air. This makes the infection droplet-borne. Some hospital procedures, like placing a breathing tube down a patient’s air passage to help him breathe, may do the same thing.

“Droplet-borne germs can travel in these secretions to infect someone a few feet away, often through the eyes, nose or mouth. This may not seem like an important difference, but it has a big impact on how easily a germ spreads. Airborne diseases are far more transmittable than droplet-borne ones.”

Incurable worldwide disease epidemics will increase in these end times.

Weird Things About Halloween and Satanism

The Huffington Post wrote on October 24:

“You may already think that Halloween is a pretty bizarre holiday… Chances are you really have no idea just how weird Halloween truly is…

“Halloween’s origins come from a Celtic festival for the dead called ‘Samhain.’ Celts believed the ghosts of the dead roamed Earth on this holiday, so people would dress in costumes and leave ‘treats’ out on their front doors to appease the roaming spirits…

“According to ancient Roman records, tribes located in today’s Germany and France traditionally wore costumes of animal heads and skins to connect to spirits of the dead. This tradition continued into modern day celebrations of Samhain, the Celtic holiday that inspired Halloween in America. On this day, merry-makers often dressed as evil spirits simply by blackening their faces. The leader of the Samhain parades wore a white sheet and carried a wooden horse head or a decorated horse skull… Young people also celebrated by cross-dressing…

“The jack-o’-lantern comes from an old Irish tale about a man named Stingy Jack. According to folklore, Stingy Jack was out getting sloshed with the Devil when Jack convinced his drinking partner to turn himself into a coin to pay for the drinks without spending money. Jack then put the Devil, shaped like a coin, into his pocket, which also contained a silver cross that kept the Devil from transforming back. Jack promised to free the Devil as long as the Devil wouldn’t bother him for a year, and if he died, the Devil could never claim his soul. Jack tricked the Devil again later, getting him to pick a piece of fruit out of a tree and then carving a cross into the bark when the Devil was in the branches. This trick bought Jack another 10 years of devil-free living.

“When Jack finally died, God decided he wasn’t fit for heaven, but the Devil had promised never to claim his soul for hell. So Jack was sent off to roam Earth with only a burning coal for light. He put the coal into a turnip as a lantern, and Stingy Jack became ‘Jack of the Lantern’ or ‘Jack o’ Lantern.’ Based on this myth, the Irish carved scary faces into turnips, beets and potatoes to scare away Stingy Jack or any other spirits of the night…

“Studies have shown that Halloween actually makes kids act more evil… putting costume-wearing kids into groups and introducing a clear object of desire, such as candy, has been shown to lead to ‘deindividuation.’ This psychological term explains what happens when a group of maturing young minds begins to care less about the consequences of their individual actions, leading them to do things that they might not do alone.

“One study in particular found that unsupervised costumed children in groups were far more likely to steal candy and money than both non-costumed kids and children not in a group…”

Halloween is a demonically-inspired and Satan-worshipping festival. True Christians must have NOTHING to do with it. Note also the following article by the Huntington Post, dated September 19:

“Have you ever wondered what a Satanic children’s coloring book might look like? Well, thanks to the great state of Florida you can now know for certain. Behold, the ‘The Satanic Children’s Big Book of Activities,’ a coloring book that is being disseminated across Orange County public schools… The details: A Christian group received permission to distribute Bibles and other religious materials to their students, leading atheist groups to appeal for an equal opportunity. It wasn’t long before the Satanic community hopped on board as well.

“‘If a public school board is going to allow religious pamphlets and full Bibles to be distributed to students — as is the case in Orange County, Florida — we think the responsible thing to do is to ensure that these students are given access to a variety of differing religious opinions, as opposed to standing idly by while one religious voice dominates the discourse and delivers propaganda to youth,’ the Satanic Temple’s spokesperson, Lucien Greaves, explained in a statement. ‘I am quite certain that all of the children in these Florida schools are already aware of the Christian religion and it’s Bible, and this might be the first exposure these children have to the actual practice of Satanism. We think many students will be very curious to see what we offer.’”

We hope and pray that parents and schools will be intelligent enough NOT to have curious children and young pupils try to find out anything related to the damnable curse of Satanism. 

“Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.”

Circumstances such as described in these verses are difficult for all concerned, but what Paul is instructing can be clearly understood and followed. When these guidelines are obeyed, the results will lead to peace within the Church of God.

The reason that obstinate, divisive people must be dealt with is that the faithful membership needs to be protected, and this is a solemn responsibility placed upon the ministry, in particular:

“Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you” (Hebrews 13:17).

Rebellious people want to “tell their side” of a matter and to put their slant on things. However, the way that these kinds of problems should be handled is through counsel with the ministry and not by tales of discord among the brethren. A characteristic common to those who are disgruntled and who have become openly defiant is an unwillingness to submit to the leadership established by Jesus Christ. Oftentimes, this attitude is accompanied with an unyielding and absolute refusal to discuss matters with a minister of God.

If someone is disorderly, contentious or promotes different doctrines—including challenging the organization and administration of the Church of God—the Bible clearly teaches that this must not be allowed to continue. This kind of opposition causes confusion. It plants seeds of doubt and questioning. By disruptive and argumentative murmuring, people begin to believe lying testimonies—even to the point of having their faith compromised, and unless repented of, to losing the Holy Spirit and eternal life in God’s Kingdom (compare Hebrews 6:4-6).

While it may be heart breaking to separate from those who once walked with us in the way of Christianity but have now become disobedient, God’s instructions must not be ignored or watered down!

Consider these powerful admonitions:

“But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned” (Titus 3:9-11);

“But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother” (2 Thessalonians 3:13-15);

And,

“I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner–not even to eat with such a person. For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? But those who are outside God judges. Therefore ‘put away from yourselves the evil person’” (1 Corinthians 5:9-13).

Earlier in chapter 5, Paul identified the sin of one of the members. His correction was not only to the individual, but to the membership who willingly permitted this man to continue to be among them.

Paul’s message to the Corinthians regarding their affiliations left little room for compromising:

“Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever” (2 Corinthians 6:14-15)?

People who do not continue in the truth of God are in grave danger of falling back into the world—the society whose god is Satan (compare 2 Peter 2). Their light will fade into darkness, and they will become an unbeliever. This is why we have such strong warnings against fellowshipping with dissident individuals. In his day, Paul had to contend with those who rejected the leadership of Christ—as we do in our time:

“Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame–who set their mind on earthly things” (Philippians 3:17-19).

The option for anyone is always open to quietly leave our fellowship without trying to cause alienation or to have others follow them. Yet, one must keep in mind the stern pronouncement made by Samuel to King Saul: “‘For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry’” (1Samuel 15:23).

How then should the faithful members treat those who no longer walk with us?

Here, godly wisdom is vital. Some will be weak and need encouragement, and we can pray that God will help them—leading them to repentance (It is only God who can grant them repentance—compare 2 Timothy 2:24-26). Others, who are blatantly rebellious and full of resentment and accusations, must be avoided. Understand that these attitudes are often masked by deceptive representations in order to justify themselves.

There may be times when an individual is publicly identified for causing division, and the ministry will so note that person (compare 2 Timothy 1:15; 2:17; 3 John 1:9). In addition, it is the responsibility for each member to avoid those who contend with the Church of God—even if their situation is dealt with more privately. Being a sympathetic ear to those who are in rebellion is very dangerous!

Remember and mark well what Jesus said would occur in the time leading to His return:

“‘And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another’” (Matthew 24:10).

The faithful people of God must heed the instructions we have been given! We must not compromise with the decisions of the Church of God which are made to protect us and to maintain peace and harmony among ourselves.

Let us also apply what the apostle John taught. His instructions were given several decades following the establishment of the Church of God in 31 AD, and they apply today equally as they did then:

“Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward. Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds” (2 John 1:8-11).

Lead Writer: Dave Harris

We are pleased to announce the addition of radio station KERI-AM 1410, in Bakersfield, California, which will now be playing the StandingWatch Program on Sundays from 2:00 to 2:15 pm. In additon, a new promotional ad has been recorded by Mike Link for the StandingWatch program. Wilkins Radio Network, Inc., headquartered in Spartanburg, SC, will play this ad over the 19 radio stations on which our program is now heard–for more information, check out our schedule: http://www.standingwatch.org/radioPrograms

We are in the process of posting video and audio recordings of our English and German sermons and sermonettes from the Fall Holy Days, and several are already available. Please check YouTube and our website for these and for additional postings.

“How Weird Is Halloween?,” is the title of a new StandingWatch Program presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

The Huffington Post wrote recently: “You may already think that Halloween is a pretty bizarre holiday… chances are you really have no idea just how weird Halloween truly is.” And it is indeed. This program gives you some little-known facts about the absolutely ridiculous and grotesque origin of this strange holiday. But it is not harmless by any means. In fact, getting involved in Halloween could become dangerous and even devastating for you and your loved ones. We offer our free booklet, “Man’s Holidays and God’s Holy Days.”

“One Step Closer to UK’s Exit from EU” is the title of a new StandingWatch Program presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

The Bible strongly suggests that the UK will leave the EU, and recent events might have accelerated the process. Mail On Line accused the EU of outrageous conduct of a despotic colonial power, while Germany accused the UK of hypocritical behavior. In any event, calls for the UK to withdraw from the EU intensified. This program explains what is behind the most recent upheaval, and why we are confident that the UK will find itself soon outside the confines of the EU, which will, in turn, signal the beginning of a devastating and all-encompassing world war. We offer our free booklet, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.”

“Do NOT Pray to Angels!,” is the title of a new StandingWatch Program presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

Recently, Pope Francis encouraged Roman Catholic Church members to pray to the “archangels” Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, and to recite the prayer to “Saint Michael” often. This program shows you why it is extremely dangerous to pray to or contact angels, and it explains that the Bible prohibits you from doing so. It also warns you that you might instead contact fallen angels or demons, who are also called “familiar spirits,” since they want to familiarize themselves with you. We are offering our free booklet, “Angels, Demons and the Spirit World.”

“Was ist die Sünde gegen den Heiligen Geist?,” is the title of the German sermon to be played this Sabbath. In English the title is: “What is the Sin Against the Holy Spirit?”