Current Events

US Democrats….

The Washington Post wrote on May 8:

“On the West Coast to raise millions of dollars for his party, President Obama spent the second half of this week preaching to rich supporters about why Democrats are better than Republicans. It sounded like a conventional stump speech in the windup to the midterm battle… Listen closely, however, and you could hear the president making a much more dramatic statement about the importance of this year’s elections…

“He described the public’s dissatisfaction with Washington as nearly at a tipping point, where working-class Americans see leaders as unresponsive to their most basic concerns. If that were to continue, he said, more middle-class Americans could dismiss the political process completely…

“The president rejected the idea that America was in decline, but he said it could happen if the right steps weren’t taken to invest in the economy… what was striking about his comments this week was that he described the stakes for the midterm elections in almost catastrophic terms… Obama’s remarks suggest that, despite the progress made since the financial crisis and recession from 2008 to 2009, he sees the country as deeply vulnerable if gridlock endures…”

President Obama recognizes that Democrats are in big trouble. But so are Republicans, as the next article shows.

… vs. Republicans

The Washington Times wrote on May 9:

“Gay marriage and abortion, divisive issues within the Republican party, have flared again at the RNC’s meeting here, with Nevada’s delegation firing back at criticism of its April decision to remove anti-abortion and anti-gay language from its state platform.

“Angered by an email from Oklahoma Republican National Committee member Carolyn McLarty… the Nevada delegation sent a stinging rebuke to the 168-member national committee. ‘The removal of two social issues from our platform does not mean that “we” as individual people are “for” gay marriage or “for” abortion, the email said… The delegation also took issue with Mrs. McLarty, an evangelical Protestant and staunch opponent of abortion, calling its action an ‘attack on God and family.’…

“Grass-roots Republicans themselves are divided over whether abortion should be banned nationally by a constitutional amendment or whether it’s a matter of states’ discretion.”

A house divided cannot stand. Both Democratic and Republican voters are hopelessly confused, as are their representatives. And most deny the undeniable—that America IS in decline and facing its inevitable downfall. No amount of sugarcoating can hide this basic truth, and no baseless hope in the “American Way” can delude the realization that America’s sins separate the people from God.

“Voting” in Eastern Ukraine

Deutsche Welle reported on May 11:

“Pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine’s eastern industrial regions said turnout for their referenda Sunday was ‘overwhelming’… That was rejected by Ukraine’s Western-backed interim administration in Kyiv, which described the balloting as a ‘criminal farce.’ Presidential chief of staff Sergei Pashinsky said no voting was taking place in wide parts of eastern Ukraine – a sprawling region with 6.5 million inhabitants. They were being asked to approve a declaration of so-called sovereign people’s republics in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions…

“Sunday’s referenda went ahead despite appeals by Western powers for a Ukrainian presidential election on May 25 and a call by Russian President Vladimir Putin for the rebels to postpone their ballot… Officials in battle-scarred Mariupol said there were merely eight polling centers for half a million voters. At several locations, ballot boxes were seen outdoors, among other places in Mariupol and at the village of Ternovoe (pictured) in the Luhansk region.

“Polling lacked international monitors. Western correspondents said balloting was similar to the March referendum in Crimea, which was annexed by Russia days later. Ballot papers used on Sunday were printed without safeguards against duplication and voter registration was patchy.”

Bulgaria—in the Kremlin’s Grip

Der Spiegel Online wrote on May 12:

“Concerns are growing within the German government that the European Union’s most impoverished member state, Bulgaria, could fall into the grips of Moscow’s influence…

“Bulgaria is an easy target for the Kremlin because the country is almost entirely dependent on energy imports from Russia to survive. One third of its economic output is either directly or indirectly controlled by Moscow… Bulgaria’s governing coalition — of the Bulgarian Socialist Party and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms party, which represents the country’s Turkish minority — is considered closely aligned with Moscow. It includes an illustrious group of former Communist Party members, intelligence service workers and Bulgarian oligarchs who do business with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s minions…

“Relations are so close that Russia apparently even has direct influence on Bulgarian lawmaking…

“Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev, an independent politician who is fighting openly with his government because he wants to keep Bulgaria on a course toward the West… warned of dangerous developments across the entire region. He fears Putin could destabilize Bulgaria and the Balkans and seek to bring it under its sphere of influence…

“In Berlin, the Bulgarian president pushed for a more determined stand against Russia in the EU. ‘We are currently experiencing a historical moment in which Europe should not be using calculators to add up the consequences of sanctions,’ Plevneliev said…”

The Powerful Resurgence of Putin’s Russia

The New York Times wrote on May 9:

“Putting his personal seal on the annexation of Crimea, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia arrived in the naval port of Sevastopol on Friday, where he used the anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany to assert that Moscow had the right to take over the Black Sea peninsula.

“Over the past decade, Mr. Putin has gradually turned Victory Day into a celebration of resurgent Russian power and nationalism. The visit to Sevastopol, in southwestern Crimea, the historical home of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, was a potent manifestation of his goal of reviving Russia as a global power.

“The West reacted to the annexation in March with sanctions against Mr. Putin’s closest circle of advisers and a few significant companies. By going to Sevastopol, the Russian president was effectively telling Western leaders that Moscow would do as it pleased…

“The annexation provoked the worst tensions between Russia and the West since the height of the Cold War…

“The secretary general of NATO, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, condemned Mr. Putin’s visit as ‘inappropriate.’ Speaking in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, Mr. Rasmussen said that NATO considers the annexation illegal, The Associated Press reported. Mr. Rasmussen also said that NATO had ‘no visible evidence’ that Russia was withdrawing its 40,000 troops from the border with Ukraine, as Mr. Putin said he would on Wednesday…

“Mr. Putin’s visit came just hours after a thundering Victory Day parade, a lengthy review of Russia’s refurbished military and advanced hardware, rolled through Red Square in Moscow… In the parade, the tribute to the annexation of Crimea was not subtle, as the first vehicles to enter the square behind row after row of tightly choreographed marching soldiers made clear. The first vehicle, an armored personnel carrier from a Black Sea Marines brigade, flew a big Crimean flag.”

 Deutsche Welle added on May 9:

“President Vladimir Putin has led parades in Moscow’s Red Square – to mark the ex-Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany – and then in Crimea… During his televised Red Square address in Moscow, Putin said May 9 remained Russia’s ‘most important holiday’…

“Despite Western sanctions and condemnation of Russia’s annexation in March of the southern Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, it emerged on Thursday that Putin was likely to be welcomed to Normandy, France, next month… The June 6 commemoration will mark the 70th anniversary of the US-led Allied D-Day landings in France in 1944 that opened a western front against occupying Nazi forces while Soviet troops advance on Nazi Germany from the east…”

The cowardly behavior of the West is incredible. The barbaric and murderous actions of Stalin’s invading Russian army, causing havoc in Germany at the end of World War II, is nothing to be proud about. Even though Russia is celebrated today for fighting Nazi Germany, Stalin was no better than Hitler. 

Recasting Russian Superiority—Trouble for the Future

The Christian Science Monitor wrote on May 9:

“Victory Day, Russia’s annual homage to the 27 million Soviet citizens who died in the colossal struggle to defeat Nazi Germany, has always been more than a day of remembrance. Both Soviet and Russian leaders have sought to enhance their own legitimacy by bathing in the reflected light of that triumph, and blatantly used the annual parade of tanks, troops, and intercontinental missiles to advertise continuing military prowess.

“But there were some fresh notes this year that suggest the Kremlin may be recasting Soviet nostalgia and a sense of Russian superiority into a new doctrine: one that would gather ethnic Russians and other former Soviet ‘compatriots’ into a new Moscow-dominated empire that will once again challenge the West. This idea, combined with a renewed taste for military expansionism that was test-driven in Crimea, may spell more trouble in future…

“In his speech after signing the treaty to join Crimea with Russia, Mr. Putin spoke evocatively of Russia’s humiliation at being treated like a vanquished country after the cold war ended, and of his anger at how the West exploited Russia’s weakness to expand NATO eastward into former Soviet territory. The final straw, he said, was US and European encouragement of a street revolt in Kiev that brought a pro-Western government to power that did not represent the interests of millions of Russians and compatriots in Ukraine’s east…

“That kind of talk clearly works with Russia’s public. Putin’s popularity ratings have soared since the Ukraine crisis began, especially after the annexation of Crimea. A late April survey by the independent Levada Center found a near-record 82 percent of Russians approved of Putin’s job performance. Russian media commentators have consistently claimed that the pro-Western interim government in Kiev is dominated by fascists, making the clear suggestion that Moscow’s pushback against the new Ukrainian regime is in some way a continuation of the Soviet Union’s war against Nazi Germany. The same thought seemed to lurk between the lines of Putin’s Victory Day speech as well.”

Bild Online reported on May 9 that former German Foreign Minister and Vice-Chancellor, Joschka Fischer, warned of Putin’s militaristic and violent ambitions and stated that if Ukraine falls, more will fall. The Bible says that once the European Beast is in power, troubling rumors from the East will motivate him to attack Russia and China. What we are experiencing now might give us a hint as to how these developments will come about. See the next article.

Russia and China

Bloomberg reported on May 9:

“Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to open the door to Chinese money… Putin is turning to Asia as financing from the U.S. and EU tightens and capital outflows surge… Russia has been building trade ties with China, including long-term oil deals worth hundreds of billions of dollars… China is Russia’s largest trading partner with $95.6 billion of business in 2012…  Russia will develop ties with China and the two countries’ union will be a ‘significant factor’ affecting the architecture of modern international relations, Putin said…

“Putin’s decision, coming as competition from U.S. and European financing slows, may offer China a good opportunity to gain access to Russia’s economy. Joining existing resource projects will probably be more appealing than starting from scratch… Russia is also seeking China’s help to build a bridge to the annexed Crimean peninsula…

“Russia’s relations with China are developing steadily…”

Talmud to Become Israel’s Law?

Israel National News wrote on May 9:

“Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu reportedly revealed at a Likud conference on Wednesday some remarkable facets of the Basic Law he submitted last Thursday, which would enshrine Israel’s status as the nation-state of the Jewish people… he intends to make the Hebrew calendar, which is based on Jewish law, the official calendar of Israel… The new law also would establish the Talmud, the core work of Jewish law, as an official basis for Israeli state law…

“Netanyahu stressed the law would not restrict the rights of non-Jewish citizens of Israel… ‘They want a Palestinian national state to be built beside us, and to turn the State of Israel, meanwhile, into a bi-national state, Jewish-Arab, within our restricted borders,’ Netanyahu argued, saying the new Basic Law would prevent such a situation.”

If adopted, this would not make many nations happy.

Satanic Black Mass Celebration at Harvard University

CBS wrote on May 8:

“A reenactment of a Black Mass celebrating Satan is scheduled to take place at Harvard University on Monday evening. It has outraged the Catholic Church, but the group holding the event says it’s educational. The Harvard Extension Cultural Studies Club is hosting the Satanic Temple from New York…

“In a recent statement, Pope Francis warned of the danger of being naïve about or underestimating the power of Satan, whose evil is too often tragically present in our midst…

“Harvard University says it supports the rights of students and faculty.”

This is plain foolishness and blasphemy. Left-liberal Harvard University should be ashamed of itself for allowing, under the disguise of liberty and freedom, the open worship of Satan and his most blatant idolatries.

Subsequently, crimson.com wrote on May 12:

“Although the Harvard Extension School Cultural Studies Club dropped its sponsorship of a reenactment of a satanic ‘black mass’ ritual earlier in the night, members of the New York-based Satanic Temple gathered for what appeared to be a black mass on the second floor of the Hong Kong restaurant and lounge shortly after 10 p.m. Monday. About 50 people, mostly dressed in black and some wearing face makeup, were present for the ceremony. A consecrated host, believed by Catholics to be the body of Christ, was not used in the ritual…

“The ritual came after the cancellation of a black mass reenactment organized by the Harvard Extension School Cultural Studies Club, which had the event scheduled for Monday evening in Cambridge Queen’s Head Pub in Memorial Hall. Shortly before the planned starting time, the club said that it was moving to an off-campus site, citing in an email that ‘misinterpretations about the nature of the event were harming perceptions about Harvard and adversely impacting the student community.’…

“The club emphasized in the 5 p.m. email that Harvard had not asked them to move the event from its previous location, the Cambridge Queen’s Head Pub in the basement of Memorial Hall, and commended the University for affirming its members’ rights to free speech and assembly. ‘Harvard always demonstrated that it understood its responsibility to defend protected student speech. That was always made clear to us,’ the club wrote in a second email.”

The Devil IS Real!

The Washington Post wrote on May 10:

“A darling of liberal Catholics and an advocate of inclusion and forgiveness, Pope Francis is hardly known for fire and brimstone. Yet, in his words and deeds, the new pope is locked in an epic battle with the oldest enemy of God and creation: The Devil.

“After his little more than a year atop the Throne of St. Peter, Francis’s teachings on Satan are already regarded as the most old school of any pope since at least Paul VI, whose papacy in the 1960s and 1970s fully embraced the notion of hellish forces plotting to deliver mankind unto damnation…

“Since its foundation, the church has taught the existence of the Devil. But in recent decades, progressive priests and bishops, particularly in the United States and Western Europe, have tended to couch Satan in more allegorical terms. Evil became less the wicked plan of the master of hell than the nasty byproduct of humanity’s free will. Even Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, a lofty German theologian, often painted evil with a broad brush.

“Enter the plain-talking first pope from Latin America, where mystical views of Satan still hold sway in broad areas of the region. During his time as cardinal of Buenos Aires before rising to the papacy, Francis was known for stark warnings against ‘the tempter’ and ‘the father of lies.’…

“Vatican officials talk about a resurgence of mystical rites in the church, including exorcism — or the alleged act of evicting demons from a living host. Cardinals in Milan; Turin, Italy; and Madrid, for instance, recently moved to expand the number of exorcists in their dioceses to cope with what they have categorized as surging demand… ‘The sad truth is that there are many bishops and priests in our church who do not really believe in the Devil,’ said the Rev. Gabriele Amorth, the 89-year-old priest who is perhaps the closest thing the church has to a Hollywood-style exorcist…

“In a rare glimpse of an official exorcism last week, in a white-tiled room outfitted with images of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary, Amorth wrapped his purple sash around a Neapolitan housewife in her 40s who said she was afflicted by multiple demons. He then began chanting in Latin, commanding the devils inside her to reveal themselves.”

According to the report, the housewife was possessed by five demons who were “cast out” by the Catholic priest. We do not believe that true exorcisms can be accomplished through the superstitious hocus-pocus implemented by the Catholic Church, but we do believe, of course, that the Devil and demons exist.    

Pope Francis’ Political Ambitions

Fox News wrote on May 9:

“Pope Francis has spent a year on the Throne of Peter. In that time, his modest style and high-minded ideals have ignited a new optimism and fervor among Roman Catholics, including those who left because of disagreements with some of its teachings. Francis has gone out of his way to voice support for the world’s poorest citizens, rightly noting that their plight is too often ignored or brushed aside. Until this week, his statements have called for voluntary action by wealthier countries and individuals as the right way to relieve economic inequality. He appealed to our better selves, and in so doing, made us all ask if we could be kinder and more generous. The answer, of course [is, that we should be.]

“On Friday, however, Francis chose a meeting with – of all people — officials of the United Nations to endorse what he called ‘the legitimate redistribution of economic benefits by the state, as well as indispensable cooperation between the private sector and civil society.’ By appearing to sanction what amounts to forced redistribution, Francis grievously exceeded his authority and became what amounts to a robe-wearing politician. He also exposed his Church, one of the wealthiest institutions in the world, to inevitable charges of hypocrisy…”

Vatican Announces Jesus Is Not Coming Back?

The Examiner reported on May 2:

“A spokesperson for the Vatican officially announced that the coming of the Lord may not happen. They stated from the looks of it, Yashua, the only begotten Son of God will not return per John 14:1-3. Cardinal Giorgio Salvadore told WWN [Waterford Whispers News] reporters that Jesus may have been drinking (perhaps from the last Supper with his disciples) when he uttered the statements of his return. He rationalized that people make promises they can’t keep when they’re drunk…

“Yes, people should stop ‘waiting’ on a future return of Christ. His presence arrived almost two thousand years ago when he came in judgment upon the city of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. These were the days of vengeance upon Jerusalem for persecuting and murdering the Son of God, the apostles and saints…”

WWN also wrote on April 18:

“The Vatican defended Jesus’ broken promise, claiming ‘he was probably drinking wine’ at the time when he made the comments. ‘Having the ability to turn water into wine had its ups and its downs,’ added Cardinal Salvadore. ‘We all make promises we can’t keep when we’re drunk. Jesus was no different.’ The church said it will now focus attentions on rebuilding its reputation around the world, but will keep an optimistic mind for the savior’s second coming.”

There has been quite a discussion on the Internet as to whether the above-quoted comments were actually made, due to the fact that apparently no mainstream paper or news agency reported them. But this is not conclusive, as our new StandingWatch program, “Does the Vatican Question the Return of Christ?,” points out.

Male Syphilis Explodes in the USA

Breitbart wrote on May 12:

“The sometimes-deadly disease syphilis is exploding in the United States, with most of the increase since 1995 among men who have sex with men (MSM), according to a new report from the Atlanta-based Center for Disease Control (CDC).

“As recently as 2000, researchers believed the total elimination of syphilis was within reach. The recent dramatic increases in infections, coupled with the observation that syphilis closely tracks with other diseases like AIDS, have the medical and scientific community deeply concerned. The CDC report considers ‘the increase in syphilis among MSM is a major public health concern.’… The report also says that ‘men contributed an increasing proportion of cases, accounting for 91.1% of all primary and secondary syphilis cases in 2013.’

“Most of the increases came from men who have sex with men, which were responsible for 77% of cases in 2009 but 83.9% in 2012, what the report calls ‘the vast majority of male… syphilis cases.’ The report warns that the numbers in the new report are likely far less than the true number because only 34 states and the District of Columbia fully report sex of sex partners…”

Austrian Transvestite Wins European Song Contest

Mail On Line reported on May 11:

“Bearded Austrian drag queen Conchita Wurst wins… the Eurovision Song Contest 2014… Pushing the boundaries of gender identity is nothing new at Europe’s annual song contest, which is known for its eclectic, sometimes unlistenable lineup of techno beats, love songs and pop tunes.

“Prior to her performance, the transvestite has faced a barrage of homophobic and transphobic attacks from within her own country and from other countries including Russia, Armenia and Belarus, who branded the contest a ‘hotbed of sodomy’, the BBC has reported…

“The annual competition is supposed to be completely removed from politics. Still, every time Russia got votes from mainly neighboring countries, many in the audience of 10,000 booed. And when Moscow gave its respective 8, 10 and 12 points to Armenia, Azerbaijan and Belarus – all former Soviet republics – more boos were heard.”

BBC News added on May 10:

“Collecting her trophy on stage the singer said: ‘This night is dedicated to everyone who believes in a future of peace and freedom. You know who you are – we are unity and we are unstoppable.’

“Speaking backstage later, Wurst said she felt Europe had taken a stand by voting her the winner. ‘I dream of a world where we don’t have to talk about unnecessary things like sexuality, who you love. I felt like tonight Europe showed that we are a community of respect and tolerance,’ she said.”

The Local wrote on March 11:

“Austria won, and they deserved to, too – it was a victory for vulnerability, emotional songs and also for the right of men in beards to wear dresses if they want to.”

The Local added on May 12:

“American photographer David LaChapelle has designed a provocative poster for this year’s Life Ball in Vienna – depicting the transgender model Carmen Carrera, pictured nude, as both a man and a woman. Carrera appears under the slogan: ‘I am Adam – I am Eve – I am me’. The image is designed to communicate a message of tolerance and acceptance, according to Life Ball organiser Gery Keszler…

“Vienna’s annual Life Ball is the biggest charity event in Europe supporting people with HIV or AIDS. This year it takes place on 31st May. LaChapelle’s poster will be on display around Vienna… Conchita Wurst’s victory at the Eurovision Song Contest is a happy coincidence, Keszler said. She will perform ‘Rise Like A Pheonix’ live on the main stage at the Life Ball.”

The signs of the time…

The Powerful European Parliament

Der Spiegel wrote on May 8:

“European voters generally pay little attention to [the] European Parliament, but over the years, the body has become increasingly powerful. Already, a representative in Brussels wields more influence than one in Berlin. And the gap is growing…

“At the beginning of the 1950s, when the EU was still the European Coal and Steel Community, there was nothing but the ‘Common Assembly,’ which had little more than consultative duties. Once the Treaties of Rome went into effect in 1958, the body wanted to rename itself the European Parliament…

“The first direct elections didn’t take place until 1979 and only in 1987 was the European Parliament allowed to adopt its current name. The Treaty of Maastricht, signed in 1993, granted parliament a role in lawmaking for the first time. Subsequent treaties — Amsterdam (1997), Nice (2003) and Lisbon (2009) — expanded the body’s power to include a say in almost all areas of policymaking…

“Members of the traveling circus that is the European Parliament would be pleased by a further gain in power. It would finally put them at the center of power in Europe.”

While Europe is uniting—and a charismatic political leader cannot be that far off to rule the continent—anti-American feelings are growing there. Stern Online reported on May 8 that one third of Austrians desire the return of a “Fuehrer.” And the same magazine wrote on May 7 that Putin takes ice-cold advantage of the crisis in Ukraine, but that America’s negligent politics are to be blamed for the crisis.

Several Fires Burn in San Diego County

The Associated Press reported on May 14:

“A fast-moving wildfire ignited hillsides and destroyed more than two dozen homes Wednesday in the coastal city of Carlsbad as weary firefighters scrambled to control multiple blazes in Southern California on the second day of a sweltering heat wave. Flames were shooting up along canyon ridges as thick black smoke darkened blue skies over the small city, about 30 miles north of San Diego, known for its Legoland California amusement park that was closed Wednesday because of a power outage.

“Mandatory evacuations were in progress, and more than 11,000 notices were sent to homes and businesses… The blaze was one of several wildfires that firefighters in San Diego County were battling amid hot, dry and windy conditions…

 “Another wildfire further north, forced the evacuation of residents in military housing at Camp Pendleton, and the closure of an elementary school on the Marine Corps base. A third fire spread from a burning vehicle on coastal Interstate 5 to roadside brush near the northwest corner of the Marine base. Earlier, authorities reported 25 percent containment of a 2.42-square-mile fire that broke out Tuesday and forced thousands of people to flee the Rancho Bernardo area of San Diego. In Santa Barbara County, a 600-acre blaze near the city of Lompoc was 50 percent contained.

“State fire officials say triple digit temperatures and the drought were setting conditions for an unusually busy firefighting season…”

The fire season has just started. This might become a very hot summer.

“Scientists Slam Latest Doomsday Climate Report”

Newsmax wrote on May 11:

“Climatologists and other experts are blasting a new climate change report from the Obama administration, calling it a ‘litany of doom’ that objective scientists won’t take seriously.

“The National Climate Assessment (NCA), an 840-page report compiled by 300 scientists and experts that was released at a White House event on Tuesday, warns that climate change is a clear and present danger. ‘Climate change, once considered an issue for a distant future, has moved firmly into the present,’ according to the report. Rising temperatures, it asserts, will be responsible not only for more drought, wildfires, flooding, and sea level rise, but also an increased risk of heat-related deaths…

“Heartland Institute Senior Fellow James Taylor declared: ‘Leading authors of this report include staffers for activist groups like the Union of Concerned Scientists, Planet Forward, the Nature Conservancy, and Second Nature. Few objective climate experts will take this report seriously. Even those scientists who are not overtly affiliated with environmental activist groups were almost uniformly on the record as global warming alarmists before being chosen to write this report.’

“Mark Morano offered a round-up of reactions to the global warming report on his Climate Depot website.

“Former Colorado State University climatologist Dr. Roger Pielke Sr.: ‘That much of the media accepted the NCA without questioning its findings and conclusions either indicates they are naïve or they have chosen to promote a particular agenda and this report fits their goal.’

“Dr. Judith Curry, chairwoman of the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology: ‘The report effectively implies that there is no climate change other than what is caused by humans, and that extreme weather events are equivalent to climate change. Worse yet is the spin being put on this by the Obama administration.’

“Competitive Enterprise Institute Senior Fellow Marlo Lewis: The report is ‘designed to scare people and build political support for unpopular policies such as carbon taxes. Alarmists offer untrue, unrelenting doom and gloom.’

“Dr. Roy Spencer, principal research scientist at the University of Alabama in Huntsville: Part of the report ‘is just simply made up. There is no fingerprint of human-caused versus naturally-caused climate change.’

“Weather Channel Co-founder John Coleman: The report is a ‘litany of doom,’ a ‘total distortion of the data and an agenda-driven, destructive episode of bad science gone berserk.’

“Climate Depot’s Morano said: ‘By every measure, so-called extreme weather is showing no trend or declining trends on 50-100-year timescales. Droughts, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes are not increasing due to man-made global warming. Why does the report now call “global warming” a new name, so-called “climate disruption”? Simple answer: Due to earth’s failure to warm — no global warming for nearly 18 years — another name was necessary to attempt to gin up fear. This report is predetermined science.’”

Der Spiegel Online added on May 12:

“Meteorologist Lennart Bengtsson has long been considered a cool head in the often heated conflict over global warming. In an interview, he defends his decision to join an organization that is skeptical of climate change.

“The debate over climate change is often a contentious one, and key players in the discussion only rarely switch sides. But late last month, Lennart Bengtsson, the former director of the Hamburg-based Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, one of the world’s leading climate research centers, announced he would join the academic advisory council of the Global Warming Policy Foundation (GWPF).

“GWPF, based in Britain, is a non-profit organization and self-described think tank. Conservative politician Nigel Lawson founded the organization in 2009 in order to counteract what he considered to be an exaggerated concern about global warming… [Bengtsson said:] ‘It is frustrating that climate science is not able to validate their simulations correctly. Since the end of the 20th century, the warming of the Earth has been much weaker than what climate models show… the scientific report… does not bring up the large difference between observational results and model simulations…’”

Man-Made Climate Change or Global Warming–or Neither? You’ll be the Judge.

This Week in the News

We start reporting about unpleasant and disturbing developments in America’s political landscape; continue with events in Ukraine, Russia and China; speak of Israel’s desire to adopt the Talmud as Israel’s national law; address the belief in the devil and the celebration of a black mass; report on Pope Francis’ political ambitions and other occurrences within the Catholic Church; point out the dramatic rise of male syphilis in the USA; address a bearded Austrian drag queen’s victory in Europe’s prestigious national Song Contest; reveal the virtually unknown wide-ranging powers of the European Parliament; and conclude with a scientific debate on the truth or falsity of man- made climate change.

Update 639

Christ’s Parables in the Book of Luke

On May 17, 2014, Norbert Link will give the sermon, titled, “Christ’s Parables in the Book of Luke.”

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.

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Life or Death

by Michael Link

We are faced with decisions that we have to make every single day and many decisions that people make are either simplistic, common sense decisions or they can be poor and costly ones.  We see how our leadership in this nation has made poor decisions, especially ones that are unconstitutional and absolutely contrary with what the Bible teaches.  It goes hand in hand with what the Bible predicts, and it will not improve until Christ’s return.

In regard to decisions that we are faced with, it comes down to the choices that we have to make.  We have to know within ourselves just what is the right or wrong choice. We have to be careful with our decision making since we are the minority in this world who believe the truth, for WE are the called out ones, the hated ones (compare Matthew 10:22; John 15:18).  Because of this responsibility we have, there is a lot of pressure we are faced with in this world, since we have to live as examples and stay true to our faith.  We can’t compromise with our beliefs, but we must stand up for what is right.  People will know by our convictions and our actions where we stand.

Now we know that God does not change and He never will.  He will not compromise (Malachi 3:6).  His purpose for mankind is the same today, as it was then!  Every person on this earth makes choices, every day, whether they will live righteously or not. But there is one critical difference. While the world continues to go its evil way, there is a group of people that God has called out of this world; to come out from the evil ways, and to live their lives based upon His laws, His statutes, and His judgments!  Even God had a choice to make, choosing those out of the world for a purpose (1 Corinthians 1:26-29).

We are supposed to live as examples and shine as lights.  Each of us being called to this Way of Life, make choices every day. Will we obey God or not? Will we walk in His Way or not? Will we attempt to worship Him in a false way, by worshipping false gods? Will we bow down to gods made with human hands, wooden or stone images? Will we dishonor God by taking His name in vain? Will we faithfully keep and properly observe His Sabbath and His Holy Days?  Will we keep man-made holidays originating from pagan origins? Will we kill another human being, for instance in war, or even murder him in our thoughts through the sin of hatred? Will we steal from others, including our brethren, or steal from God by not giving Him what is owed to Him through tithes and offerings?  Will we lie against our neighbor or God? Will we covet that which does not belong to us, thus sinning against our God?

The world continually finds itself in the struggles of evil.  We have to make sure that we don’t become a part of that.  God has His eyes on us.  Judgment is now on the house of God! With every decision we come to, with every choice we make; God is taking notice! He is ready and able to help in times of need (compare Psalm 34:15-20, 22). Will we do what is right in God’s eyes, in reference to our mates and our children, and in reference to our neighbor?  Each time we break a law of God, it is the result of a wrong choice we have made!

Noah was righteous before God.  Because of the choice made by this one man, God decided that He would allow life to continue on the earth for mankind, starting over with this one righteous man and his family, including the animals brought onto the ark. 

When it came to the obedience of His law, God chose Israel as the nation He would work through to continue to carry on His Way on the earth, because of Abraham’s right choices. Sadly, Israel chose to disobey God.

David was a man after God’s own heart. Jesus Christ walked upon the earth in the flesh and lived a perfect life. Each of these men had to make choices every day. God was pleased overall with the choices they made, and of course, in the case of Christ, He was always pleased.

After God had delivered Israel from the hands of the Egyptians and had revealed to them once again His righteous and perfect Law, He had given them a choice, as He gives us that same choice.  Let us see what this choice is: “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil… I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live (Deuteronomy 30:15, 19).”

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We start reporting about unpleasant and disturbing developments in America’s political landscape; continue with events in Ukraine, Russia and China; speak of Israel’s desire to adopt the Talmud as Israel’s national law; address the belief in the devil and the celebration of a black mass; report on Pope Francis’ political ambitions and other occurrences within the Catholic Church; point out the dramatic rise of male syphilis in the USA; address a bearded Austrian drag queen’s victory in Europe’s prestigious national Song Contest; reveal the virtually unknown wide-ranging powers of the European Parliament; and conclude with a scientific debate on the truth or falsity of man- made climate change.

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US Democrats….

The Washington Post wrote on May 8:

“On the West Coast to raise millions of dollars for his party, President Obama spent the second half of this week preaching to rich supporters about why Democrats are better than Republicans. It sounded like a conventional stump speech in the windup to the midterm battle… Listen closely, however, and you could hear the president making a much more dramatic statement about the importance of this year’s elections…

“He described the public’s dissatisfaction with Washington as nearly at a tipping point, where working-class Americans see leaders as unresponsive to their most basic concerns. If that were to continue, he said, more middle-class Americans could dismiss the political process completely…

“The president rejected the idea that America was in decline, but he said it could happen if the right steps weren’t taken to invest in the economy… what was striking about his comments this week was that he described the stakes for the midterm elections in almost catastrophic terms… Obama’s remarks suggest that, despite the progress made since the financial crisis and recession from 2008 to 2009, he sees the country as deeply vulnerable if gridlock endures…”

President Obama recognizes that Democrats are in big trouble. But so are Republicans, as the next article shows.

… vs. Republicans

The Washington Times wrote on May 9:

“Gay marriage and abortion, divisive issues within the Republican party, have flared again at the RNC’s meeting here, with Nevada’s delegation firing back at criticism of its April decision to remove anti-abortion and anti-gay language from its state platform.

“Angered by an email from Oklahoma Republican National Committee member Carolyn McLarty… the Nevada delegation sent a stinging rebuke to the 168-member national committee. ‘The removal of two social issues from our platform does not mean that “we” as individual people are “for” gay marriage or “for” abortion, the email said… The delegation also took issue with Mrs. McLarty, an evangelical Protestant and staunch opponent of abortion, calling its action an ‘attack on God and family.’…

“Grass-roots Republicans themselves are divided over whether abortion should be banned nationally by a constitutional amendment or whether it’s a matter of states’ discretion.”

A house divided cannot stand. Both Democratic and Republican voters are hopelessly confused, as are their representatives. And most deny the undeniable—that America IS in decline and facing its inevitable downfall. No amount of sugarcoating can hide this basic truth, and no baseless hope in the “American Way” can delude the realization that America’s sins separate the people from God.

“Voting” in Eastern Ukraine

Deutsche Welle reported on May 11:

“Pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine’s eastern industrial regions said turnout for their referenda Sunday was ‘overwhelming’… That was rejected by Ukraine’s Western-backed interim administration in Kyiv, which described the balloting as a ‘criminal farce.’ Presidential chief of staff Sergei Pashinsky said no voting was taking place in wide parts of eastern Ukraine – a sprawling region with 6.5 million inhabitants. They were being asked to approve a declaration of so-called sovereign people’s republics in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions…

“Sunday’s referenda went ahead despite appeals by Western powers for a Ukrainian presidential election on May 25 and a call by Russian President Vladimir Putin for the rebels to postpone their ballot… Officials in battle-scarred Mariupol said there were merely eight polling centers for half a million voters. At several locations, ballot boxes were seen outdoors, among other places in Mariupol and at the village of Ternovoe (pictured) in the Luhansk region.

“Polling lacked international monitors. Western correspondents said balloting was similar to the March referendum in Crimea, which was annexed by Russia days later. Ballot papers used on Sunday were printed without safeguards against duplication and voter registration was patchy.”

Bulgaria—in the Kremlin’s Grip

Der Spiegel Online wrote on May 12:

“Concerns are growing within the German government that the European Union’s most impoverished member state, Bulgaria, could fall into the grips of Moscow’s influence…

“Bulgaria is an easy target for the Kremlin because the country is almost entirely dependent on energy imports from Russia to survive. One third of its economic output is either directly or indirectly controlled by Moscow… Bulgaria’s governing coalition — of the Bulgarian Socialist Party and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms party, which represents the country’s Turkish minority — is considered closely aligned with Moscow. It includes an illustrious group of former Communist Party members, intelligence service workers and Bulgarian oligarchs who do business with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s minions…

“Relations are so close that Russia apparently even has direct influence on Bulgarian lawmaking…

“Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev, an independent politician who is fighting openly with his government because he wants to keep Bulgaria on a course toward the West… warned of dangerous developments across the entire region. He fears Putin could destabilize Bulgaria and the Balkans and seek to bring it under its sphere of influence…

“In Berlin, the Bulgarian president pushed for a more determined stand against Russia in the EU. ‘We are currently experiencing a historical moment in which Europe should not be using calculators to add up the consequences of sanctions,’ Plevneliev said…”

The Powerful Resurgence of Putin’s Russia

The New York Times wrote on May 9:

“Putting his personal seal on the annexation of Crimea, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia arrived in the naval port of Sevastopol on Friday, where he used the anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany to assert that Moscow had the right to take over the Black Sea peninsula.

“Over the past decade, Mr. Putin has gradually turned Victory Day into a celebration of resurgent Russian power and nationalism. The visit to Sevastopol, in southwestern Crimea, the historical home of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, was a potent manifestation of his goal of reviving Russia as a global power.

“The West reacted to the annexation in March with sanctions against Mr. Putin’s closest circle of advisers and a few significant companies. By going to Sevastopol, the Russian president was effectively telling Western leaders that Moscow would do as it pleased…

“The annexation provoked the worst tensions between Russia and the West since the height of the Cold War…

“The secretary general of NATO, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, condemned Mr. Putin’s visit as ‘inappropriate.’ Speaking in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, Mr. Rasmussen said that NATO considers the annexation illegal, The Associated Press reported. Mr. Rasmussen also said that NATO had ‘no visible evidence’ that Russia was withdrawing its 40,000 troops from the border with Ukraine, as Mr. Putin said he would on Wednesday…

“Mr. Putin’s visit came just hours after a thundering Victory Day parade, a lengthy review of Russia’s refurbished military and advanced hardware, rolled through Red Square in Moscow… In the parade, the tribute to the annexation of Crimea was not subtle, as the first vehicles to enter the square behind row after row of tightly choreographed marching soldiers made clear. The first vehicle, an armored personnel carrier from a Black Sea Marines brigade, flew a big Crimean flag.”

 Deutsche Welle added on May 9:

“President Vladimir Putin has led parades in Moscow’s Red Square – to mark the ex-Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany – and then in Crimea… During his televised Red Square address in Moscow, Putin said May 9 remained Russia’s ‘most important holiday’…

“Despite Western sanctions and condemnation of Russia’s annexation in March of the southern Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, it emerged on Thursday that Putin was likely to be welcomed to Normandy, France, next month… The June 6 commemoration will mark the 70th anniversary of the US-led Allied D-Day landings in France in 1944 that opened a western front against occupying Nazi forces while Soviet troops advance on Nazi Germany from the east…”

The cowardly behavior of the West is incredible. The barbaric and murderous actions of Stalin’s invading Russian army, causing havoc in Germany at the end of World War II, is nothing to be proud about. Even though Russia is celebrated today for fighting Nazi Germany, Stalin was no better than Hitler. 

Recasting Russian Superiority—Trouble for the Future

The Christian Science Monitor wrote on May 9:

“Victory Day, Russia’s annual homage to the 27 million Soviet citizens who died in the colossal struggle to defeat Nazi Germany, has always been more than a day of remembrance. Both Soviet and Russian leaders have sought to enhance their own legitimacy by bathing in the reflected light of that triumph, and blatantly used the annual parade of tanks, troops, and intercontinental missiles to advertise continuing military prowess.

“But there were some fresh notes this year that suggest the Kremlin may be recasting Soviet nostalgia and a sense of Russian superiority into a new doctrine: one that would gather ethnic Russians and other former Soviet ‘compatriots’ into a new Moscow-dominated empire that will once again challenge the West. This idea, combined with a renewed taste for military expansionism that was test-driven in Crimea, may spell more trouble in future…

“In his speech after signing the treaty to join Crimea with Russia, Mr. Putin spoke evocatively of Russia’s humiliation at being treated like a vanquished country after the cold war ended, and of his anger at how the West exploited Russia’s weakness to expand NATO eastward into former Soviet territory. The final straw, he said, was US and European encouragement of a street revolt in Kiev that brought a pro-Western government to power that did not represent the interests of millions of Russians and compatriots in Ukraine’s east…

“That kind of talk clearly works with Russia’s public. Putin’s popularity ratings have soared since the Ukraine crisis began, especially after the annexation of Crimea. A late April survey by the independent Levada Center found a near-record 82 percent of Russians approved of Putin’s job performance. Russian media commentators have consistently claimed that the pro-Western interim government in Kiev is dominated by fascists, making the clear suggestion that Moscow’s pushback against the new Ukrainian regime is in some way a continuation of the Soviet Union’s war against Nazi Germany. The same thought seemed to lurk between the lines of Putin’s Victory Day speech as well.”

Bild Online reported on May 9 that former German Foreign Minister and Vice-Chancellor, Joschka Fischer, warned of Putin’s militaristic and violent ambitions and stated that if Ukraine falls, more will fall. The Bible says that once the European Beast is in power, troubling rumors from the East will motivate him to attack Russia and China. What we are experiencing now might give us a hint as to how these developments will come about. See the next article.

Russia and China

Bloomberg reported on May 9:

“Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to open the door to Chinese money… Putin is turning to Asia as financing from the U.S. and EU tightens and capital outflows surge… Russia has been building trade ties with China, including long-term oil deals worth hundreds of billions of dollars… China is Russia’s largest trading partner with $95.6 billion of business in 2012…  Russia will develop ties with China and the two countries’ union will be a ‘significant factor’ affecting the architecture of modern international relations, Putin said…

“Putin’s decision, coming as competition from U.S. and European financing slows, may offer China a good opportunity to gain access to Russia’s economy. Joining existing resource projects will probably be more appealing than starting from scratch… Russia is also seeking China’s help to build a bridge to the annexed Crimean peninsula…

“Russia’s relations with China are developing steadily…”

Talmud to Become Israel’s Law?

Israel National News wrote on May 9:

“Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu reportedly revealed at a Likud conference on Wednesday some remarkable facets of the Basic Law he submitted last Thursday, which would enshrine Israel’s status as the nation-state of the Jewish people… he intends to make the Hebrew calendar, which is based on Jewish law, the official calendar of Israel… The new law also would establish the Talmud, the core work of Jewish law, as an official basis for Israeli state law…

“Netanyahu stressed the law would not restrict the rights of non-Jewish citizens of Israel… ‘They want a Palestinian national state to be built beside us, and to turn the State of Israel, meanwhile, into a bi-national state, Jewish-Arab, within our restricted borders,’ Netanyahu argued, saying the new Basic Law would prevent such a situation.”

If adopted, this would not make many nations happy.

Satanic Black Mass Celebration at Harvard University

CBS wrote on May 8:

“A reenactment of a Black Mass celebrating Satan is scheduled to take place at Harvard University on Monday evening. It has outraged the Catholic Church, but the group holding the event says it’s educational. The Harvard Extension Cultural Studies Club is hosting the Satanic Temple from New York…

“In a recent statement, Pope Francis warned of the danger of being naïve about or underestimating the power of Satan, whose evil is too often tragically present in our midst…

“Harvard University says it supports the rights of students and faculty.”

This is plain foolishness and blasphemy. Left-liberal Harvard University should be ashamed of itself for allowing, under the disguise of liberty and freedom, the open worship of Satan and his most blatant idolatries.

Subsequently, crimson.com wrote on May 12:

“Although the Harvard Extension School Cultural Studies Club dropped its sponsorship of a reenactment of a satanic ‘black mass’ ritual earlier in the night, members of the New York-based Satanic Temple gathered for what appeared to be a black mass on the second floor of the Hong Kong restaurant and lounge shortly after 10 p.m. Monday. About 50 people, mostly dressed in black and some wearing face makeup, were present for the ceremony. A consecrated host, believed by Catholics to be the body of Christ, was not used in the ritual…

“The ritual came after the cancellation of a black mass reenactment organized by the Harvard Extension School Cultural Studies Club, which had the event scheduled for Monday evening in Cambridge Queen’s Head Pub in Memorial Hall. Shortly before the planned starting time, the club said that it was moving to an off-campus site, citing in an email that ‘misinterpretations about the nature of the event were harming perceptions about Harvard and adversely impacting the student community.’…

“The club emphasized in the 5 p.m. email that Harvard had not asked them to move the event from its previous location, the Cambridge Queen’s Head Pub in the basement of Memorial Hall, and commended the University for affirming its members’ rights to free speech and assembly. ‘Harvard always demonstrated that it understood its responsibility to defend protected student speech. That was always made clear to us,’ the club wrote in a second email.”

The Devil IS Real!

The Washington Post wrote on May 10:

“A darling of liberal Catholics and an advocate of inclusion and forgiveness, Pope Francis is hardly known for fire and brimstone. Yet, in his words and deeds, the new pope is locked in an epic battle with the oldest enemy of God and creation: The Devil.

“After his little more than a year atop the Throne of St. Peter, Francis’s teachings on Satan are already regarded as the most old school of any pope since at least Paul VI, whose papacy in the 1960s and 1970s fully embraced the notion of hellish forces plotting to deliver mankind unto damnation…

“Since its foundation, the church has taught the existence of the Devil. But in recent decades, progressive priests and bishops, particularly in the United States and Western Europe, have tended to couch Satan in more allegorical terms. Evil became less the wicked plan of the master of hell than the nasty byproduct of humanity’s free will. Even Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, a lofty German theologian, often painted evil with a broad brush.

“Enter the plain-talking first pope from Latin America, where mystical views of Satan still hold sway in broad areas of the region. During his time as cardinal of Buenos Aires before rising to the papacy, Francis was known for stark warnings against ‘the tempter’ and ‘the father of lies.’…

“Vatican officials talk about a resurgence of mystical rites in the church, including exorcism — or the alleged act of evicting demons from a living host. Cardinals in Milan; Turin, Italy; and Madrid, for instance, recently moved to expand the number of exorcists in their dioceses to cope with what they have categorized as surging demand… ‘The sad truth is that there are many bishops and priests in our church who do not really believe in the Devil,’ said the Rev. Gabriele Amorth, the 89-year-old priest who is perhaps the closest thing the church has to a Hollywood-style exorcist…

“In a rare glimpse of an official exorcism last week, in a white-tiled room outfitted with images of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary, Amorth wrapped his purple sash around a Neapolitan housewife in her 40s who said she was afflicted by multiple demons. He then began chanting in Latin, commanding the devils inside her to reveal themselves.”

According to the report, the housewife was possessed by five demons who were “cast out” by the Catholic priest. We do not believe that true exorcisms can be accomplished through the superstitious hocus-pocus implemented by the Catholic Church, but we do believe, of course, that the Devil and demons exist.    

Pope Francis’ Political Ambitions

Fox News wrote on May 9:

“Pope Francis has spent a year on the Throne of Peter. In that time, his modest style and high-minded ideals have ignited a new optimism and fervor among Roman Catholics, including those who left because of disagreements with some of its teachings. Francis has gone out of his way to voice support for the world’s poorest citizens, rightly noting that their plight is too often ignored or brushed aside. Until this week, his statements have called for voluntary action by wealthier countries and individuals as the right way to relieve economic inequality. He appealed to our better selves, and in so doing, made us all ask if we could be kinder and more generous. The answer, of course [is, that we should be.]

“On Friday, however, Francis chose a meeting with – of all people — officials of the United Nations to endorse what he called ‘the legitimate redistribution of economic benefits by the state, as well as indispensable cooperation between the private sector and civil society.’ By appearing to sanction what amounts to forced redistribution, Francis grievously exceeded his authority and became what amounts to a robe-wearing politician. He also exposed his Church, one of the wealthiest institutions in the world, to inevitable charges of hypocrisy…”

Vatican Announces Jesus Is Not Coming Back?

The Examiner reported on May 2:

“A spokesperson for the Vatican officially announced that the coming of the Lord may not happen. They stated from the looks of it, Yashua, the only begotten Son of God will not return per John 14:1-3. Cardinal Giorgio Salvadore told WWN [Waterford Whispers News] reporters that Jesus may have been drinking (perhaps from the last Supper with his disciples) when he uttered the statements of his return. He rationalized that people make promises they can’t keep when they’re drunk…

“Yes, people should stop ‘waiting’ on a future return of Christ. His presence arrived almost two thousand years ago when he came in judgment upon the city of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. These were the days of vengeance upon Jerusalem for persecuting and murdering the Son of God, the apostles and saints…”

WWN also wrote on April 18:

“The Vatican defended Jesus’ broken promise, claiming ‘he was probably drinking wine’ at the time when he made the comments. ‘Having the ability to turn water into wine had its ups and its downs,’ added Cardinal Salvadore. ‘We all make promises we can’t keep when we’re drunk. Jesus was no different.’ The church said it will now focus attentions on rebuilding its reputation around the world, but will keep an optimistic mind for the savior’s second coming.”

There has been quite a discussion on the Internet as to whether the above-quoted comments were actually made, due to the fact that apparently no mainstream paper or news agency reported them. But this is not conclusive, as our new StandingWatch program, “Does the Vatican Question the Return of Christ?,” points out.

Male Syphilis Explodes in the USA

Breitbart wrote on May 12:

“The sometimes-deadly disease syphilis is exploding in the United States, with most of the increase since 1995 among men who have sex with men (MSM), according to a new report from the Atlanta-based Center for Disease Control (CDC).

“As recently as 2000, researchers believed the total elimination of syphilis was within reach. The recent dramatic increases in infections, coupled with the observation that syphilis closely tracks with other diseases like AIDS, have the medical and scientific community deeply concerned. The CDC report considers ‘the increase in syphilis among MSM is a major public health concern.’… The report also says that ‘men contributed an increasing proportion of cases, accounting for 91.1% of all primary and secondary syphilis cases in 2013.’

“Most of the increases came from men who have sex with men, which were responsible for 77% of cases in 2009 but 83.9% in 2012, what the report calls ‘the vast majority of male… syphilis cases.’ The report warns that the numbers in the new report are likely far less than the true number because only 34 states and the District of Columbia fully report sex of sex partners…”

Austrian Transvestite Wins European Song Contest

Mail On Line reported on May 11:

“Bearded Austrian drag queen Conchita Wurst wins… the Eurovision Song Contest 2014… Pushing the boundaries of gender identity is nothing new at Europe’s annual song contest, which is known for its eclectic, sometimes unlistenable lineup of techno beats, love songs and pop tunes.

“Prior to her performance, the transvestite has faced a barrage of homophobic and transphobic attacks from within her own country and from other countries including Russia, Armenia and Belarus, who branded the contest a ‘hotbed of sodomy’, the BBC has reported…

“The annual competition is supposed to be completely removed from politics. Still, every time Russia got votes from mainly neighboring countries, many in the audience of 10,000 booed. And when Moscow gave its respective 8, 10 and 12 points to Armenia, Azerbaijan and Belarus – all former Soviet republics – more boos were heard.”

BBC News added on May 10:

“Collecting her trophy on stage the singer said: ‘This night is dedicated to everyone who believes in a future of peace and freedom. You know who you are – we are unity and we are unstoppable.’

“Speaking backstage later, Wurst said she felt Europe had taken a stand by voting her the winner. ‘I dream of a world where we don’t have to talk about unnecessary things like sexuality, who you love. I felt like tonight Europe showed that we are a community of respect and tolerance,’ she said.”

The Local wrote on March 11:

“Austria won, and they deserved to, too – it was a victory for vulnerability, emotional songs and also for the right of men in beards to wear dresses if they want to.”

The Local added on May 12:

“American photographer David LaChapelle has designed a provocative poster for this year’s Life Ball in Vienna – depicting the transgender model Carmen Carrera, pictured nude, as both a man and a woman. Carrera appears under the slogan: ‘I am Adam – I am Eve – I am me’. The image is designed to communicate a message of tolerance and acceptance, according to Life Ball organiser Gery Keszler…

“Vienna’s annual Life Ball is the biggest charity event in Europe supporting people with HIV or AIDS. This year it takes place on 31st May. LaChapelle’s poster will be on display around Vienna… Conchita Wurst’s victory at the Eurovision Song Contest is a happy coincidence, Keszler said. She will perform ‘Rise Like A Pheonix’ live on the main stage at the Life Ball.”

The signs of the time…

The Powerful European Parliament

Der Spiegel wrote on May 8:

“European voters generally pay little attention to [the] European Parliament, but over the years, the body has become increasingly powerful. Already, a representative in Brussels wields more influence than one in Berlin. And the gap is growing…

“At the beginning of the 1950s, when the EU was still the European Coal and Steel Community, there was nothing but the ‘Common Assembly,’ which had little more than consultative duties. Once the Treaties of Rome went into effect in 1958, the body wanted to rename itself the European Parliament…

“The first direct elections didn’t take place until 1979 and only in 1987 was the European Parliament allowed to adopt its current name. The Treaty of Maastricht, signed in 1993, granted parliament a role in lawmaking for the first time. Subsequent treaties — Amsterdam (1997), Nice (2003) and Lisbon (2009) — expanded the body’s power to include a say in almost all areas of policymaking…

“Members of the traveling circus that is the European Parliament would be pleased by a further gain in power. It would finally put them at the center of power in Europe.”

While Europe is uniting—and a charismatic political leader cannot be that far off to rule the continent—anti-American feelings are growing there. Stern Online reported on May 8 that one third of Austrians desire the return of a “Fuehrer.” And the same magazine wrote on May 7 that Putin takes ice-cold advantage of the crisis in Ukraine, but that America’s negligent politics are to be blamed for the crisis.

Several Fires Burn in San Diego County

The Associated Press reported on May 14:

“A fast-moving wildfire ignited hillsides and destroyed more than two dozen homes Wednesday in the coastal city of Carlsbad as weary firefighters scrambled to control multiple blazes in Southern California on the second day of a sweltering heat wave. Flames were shooting up along canyon ridges as thick black smoke darkened blue skies over the small city, about 30 miles north of San Diego, known for its Legoland California amusement park that was closed Wednesday because of a power outage.

“Mandatory evacuations were in progress, and more than 11,000 notices were sent to homes and businesses… The blaze was one of several wildfires that firefighters in San Diego County were battling amid hot, dry and windy conditions…

 “Another wildfire further north, forced the evacuation of residents in military housing at Camp Pendleton, and the closure of an elementary school on the Marine Corps base. A third fire spread from a burning vehicle on coastal Interstate 5 to roadside brush near the northwest corner of the Marine base. Earlier, authorities reported 25 percent containment of a 2.42-square-mile fire that broke out Tuesday and forced thousands of people to flee the Rancho Bernardo area of San Diego. In Santa Barbara County, a 600-acre blaze near the city of Lompoc was 50 percent contained.

“State fire officials say triple digit temperatures and the drought were setting conditions for an unusually busy firefighting season…”

The fire season has just started. This might become a very hot summer.

“Scientists Slam Latest Doomsday Climate Report”

Newsmax wrote on May 11:

“Climatologists and other experts are blasting a new climate change report from the Obama administration, calling it a ‘litany of doom’ that objective scientists won’t take seriously.

“The National Climate Assessment (NCA), an 840-page report compiled by 300 scientists and experts that was released at a White House event on Tuesday, warns that climate change is a clear and present danger. ‘Climate change, once considered an issue for a distant future, has moved firmly into the present,’ according to the report. Rising temperatures, it asserts, will be responsible not only for more drought, wildfires, flooding, and sea level rise, but also an increased risk of heat-related deaths…

“Heartland Institute Senior Fellow James Taylor declared: ‘Leading authors of this report include staffers for activist groups like the Union of Concerned Scientists, Planet Forward, the Nature Conservancy, and Second Nature. Few objective climate experts will take this report seriously. Even those scientists who are not overtly affiliated with environmental activist groups were almost uniformly on the record as global warming alarmists before being chosen to write this report.’

“Mark Morano offered a round-up of reactions to the global warming report on his Climate Depot website.

“Former Colorado State University climatologist Dr. Roger Pielke Sr.: ‘That much of the media accepted the NCA without questioning its findings and conclusions either indicates they are naïve or they have chosen to promote a particular agenda and this report fits their goal.’

“Dr. Judith Curry, chairwoman of the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology: ‘The report effectively implies that there is no climate change other than what is caused by humans, and that extreme weather events are equivalent to climate change. Worse yet is the spin being put on this by the Obama administration.’

“Competitive Enterprise Institute Senior Fellow Marlo Lewis: The report is ‘designed to scare people and build political support for unpopular policies such as carbon taxes. Alarmists offer untrue, unrelenting doom and gloom.’

“Dr. Roy Spencer, principal research scientist at the University of Alabama in Huntsville: Part of the report ‘is just simply made up. There is no fingerprint of human-caused versus naturally-caused climate change.’

“Weather Channel Co-founder John Coleman: The report is a ‘litany of doom,’ a ‘total distortion of the data and an agenda-driven, destructive episode of bad science gone berserk.’

“Climate Depot’s Morano said: ‘By every measure, so-called extreme weather is showing no trend or declining trends on 50-100-year timescales. Droughts, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes are not increasing due to man-made global warming. Why does the report now call “global warming” a new name, so-called “climate disruption”? Simple answer: Due to earth’s failure to warm — no global warming for nearly 18 years — another name was necessary to attempt to gin up fear. This report is predetermined science.’”

Der Spiegel Online added on May 12:

“Meteorologist Lennart Bengtsson has long been considered a cool head in the often heated conflict over global warming. In an interview, he defends his decision to join an organization that is skeptical of climate change.

“The debate over climate change is often a contentious one, and key players in the discussion only rarely switch sides. But late last month, Lennart Bengtsson, the former director of the Hamburg-based Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, one of the world’s leading climate research centers, announced he would join the academic advisory council of the Global Warming Policy Foundation (GWPF).

“GWPF, based in Britain, is a non-profit organization and self-described think tank. Conservative politician Nigel Lawson founded the organization in 2009 in order to counteract what he considered to be an exaggerated concern about global warming… [Bengtsson said:] ‘It is frustrating that climate science is not able to validate their simulations correctly. Since the end of the 20th century, the warming of the Earth has been much weaker than what climate models show… the scientific report… does not bring up the large difference between observational results and model simulations…’”

Man-Made Climate Change or Global Warming–or Neither? You’ll be the Judge.

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When we ask God for healing and are not healed, does this mean that we don’t have enough faith?

The question of sickness and healing has confused many people. Some don’t believe in godly healing; others claim that given enough faith, God will heal every sickness in this life. Some carry with them feelings of guilt, as they prayed to God for healing and were not healed, concluding that the reason must be their fault and their lack of faith. Some conclude that if we prayed to God for healing “in accordance with” or “subject to” His Will, this would already signify our doubt in God’s intervention. Some say that when Paul asked God for healing (compare 2 Corinthians 12:7-10), Paul did not really have the faith that God would heal him. They make the same argument regarding Elisha (2 Kings 13:14, 20-21), stating that Elisha was not healed because he did not have the faith that he would be healed.

We should be able to see that these conclusions cannot possibly be correct. To suggest that Paul and Elisha did not have enough faith in God’s healing is absolutely wrong. But those ideas show the confusion some people have regarding this often-misunderstood topic of sickness and healing.

It is true, of course, that when we are sick, God commands us to call for the elders of His Church to anoint us with oil—a symbol of God’s Holy Spirit—and to pray for us, and Scripture says that the prayer of faith will “save the sick,” and God will ”raise him up.” And we are also encouraged to pray for one another that we may be healed (James 5:13-16). But how is this passage to be understood, and what all is involved here?

We have prepared a free booklet, titled, “Sickness and Healing—What the Bible Tells Us.” We are going to quote pertinent excerpts in this Q&A, strictly focusing on the question of faith and healing:

“Some say that if we only have enough faith in God to heal, then we have an unconditional promise for healing in each and every case. But… this is not correct. If it were so, why was the apostle Paul not healed? Why were righteous prophets, like Elisha, not healed? …

“God may very well heal in this life, and quickly. Although God may heal people with little or no faith in Him, He generally only does so, if we believe that He can and will heal us. But without faith, there is no reason to think that God will heal us. Christ healed a blind man, saying to him: ‘according to your faith let it be to you’ (Matthew 9:29). He healed the demon-possessed daughter of a Gentile woman when He saw the woman’s faith. He said to her: ‘O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire!’ (Matthew 15:28). He healed a blind man, telling him: ‘Your faith has made you well’ (Luke 18:42). Sarah was healed and received a child, ‘because she judged Him faithful who had promised’ (Hebrews 11:11).

“… this does not mean that if we only have enough faith, we have an absolute unconditional promise that God will heal us immediately. More than faith may be involved. God may decide that it is best for us not to be healed right away. We need to always submit to the will of God, saying, as Christ did in the garden of Gethsemane: ‘O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will… O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done’ (Matthew 26:39, 42). Christ did not doubt God’s power to intervene; likewise, we must never doubt God’s power to heal. Still, Christ was willing to submit to the Father’s will. Christ prayed to the Father, as it says in Mark 14:36: ‘Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.’”

To interject, we must understand that it may NOT be God’s Will to heal us right away, or completely, or at all, in this life. And there are reasons for that. To argue with and deny this, we are really “tempting” God or better “testing Him severely,” trying to force OUR Will on Him. Some have done this, refusing to take medical help–for instance, an insulin-dependent diabetic refuses to take insulin–“believing” that God would heal the person of diabetes. In some cases, they nearly died, and some did, in fact, die. This is not unconditional faith—it is “foolishness” and unbiblical conduct.

To continue:

“Christ experienced what it was like to suffer in the flesh, so that He could become our merciful High Priest (Hebrews 2:17; 4:14–16; 5:6–8). All of us need to be compassionate and merciful toward others. In going through trials and suffering, including [a prolonged] sickness, we develop empathy for others who are also afflicted with sickness (compare 2 Corinthians 1:3–7). This may be, at times, one of the reasons why God may decide not to heal us right away.”

This is an important observation which we must never overlook when contemplating the issue of sickness and healing. Christ was familiar with sickness (Isaiah 53:3), so that He could become our MERCIFUL High Priest—knowing how it is like to be sick—and we must experience similar occurrences so that we can empathize with those who are sick and become merciful and compassionate people.

Continuing:

“Without faith, however, we have absolutely no guarantee that God will heal us, even though He otherwise might have done it. Notice the following revealing examples: We read that Christ ‘did not do many works’ in Nazareth ‘because of their unbelief’ (Matthew 13:58). We are even told in Mark 6:5–6 that He could not do mighty works there because of their unbelief. If we do not have enough faith in God, then we are to pray and fast in order to GROW in faith. Christ said that given enough faith, ‘nothing will be impossible for you’ (Matthew 17:20). At the same time, He explained to His disciples that they needed to pray and fast MORE in order to be given the kind of faith that was necessary to cast out a powerful demon (verse 21)…

“Faith is necessary for healing, but faith alone is not enough. Our way of life has a great deal to do with whether God may choose to heal us or not. We read in 1 John 3:22: ‘And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.’ (Compare, too, Matthew 21:22.) If we please God, by keeping His commandments, then we CAN have confidence that God WILL heal us, in HIS time, and when it is BEST for us.”

To summarize at this point, in order to be healed, we need to have faith and we must live lives which are pleasing to God, which includes, keeping His commandments in the letter and in the spirit.

Related to this is another extremely important condition that we must fulfill so that we can look confidently towards healing. We state the following:

“… James says in chapter 5, verses 13–16: ‘Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray… Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.’

“We are being told in James 5:16 that we are to ‘confess [our] trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that [we] may be healed.’ The Greek word for ‘trespass,’ paraptoma, is used in numerous additional passages, for instance in Galatians 6:1; Ephesians 2:1; 2:5; or 2 Corinthians 5:19. It is consistently and correctly translated in the New King James Bible as ‘trespasses’ in those passages. We are told in Colossians 2:13 that God, upon our repentance, forgives us all of our ‘trespasses.’ We are also told that if we forgive men their ‘trespasses,’ our Father will forgive us our ‘trespasses’… [What] we need to confess to our brother or sister, in order to obtain his or her ‘forgiveness,’ are those [trespasses] that we have committed against our brother or our sister. Mark 11:25–26 tells us: ‘And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.’

“Unresolved problems between brethren might even prevent healing of physical sickness. James 5:16 tells us, ‘Confess your trespasses to one another [with the goal to ‘clear the air’], and pray for one another, THAT you may be healed.’ After all, Christ told Peter to forgive his repenting brother ‘seventy times seven’ (Matthew 18:22). In Peter’s question, the brother had sinned against Peter and had come to him to express to him his sorrow—in other words, to ‘confess’ to Peter his trespass or sin against Peter.

“We also read in Luke 17:3, ‘Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.’ Notice, too, Matthew 5:23–24, ‘Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First, be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.’

“If we commit a sin or trespass against someone else, resulting in an offense and a problem within our relationship with that other person, we are to ‘confess’ our sin or trespass to that person, asking him or her for forgiveness, with the goal of restoring our relationship…

“The Scripture in James 5:14–16 is a command for us, that if we are sick, we are to ask for God’s true ministers to anoint us with oil [a symbol of God’s Holy Spirit of power] and to pray over us. We have to pray with faith, and we have to repent of our sins, if our sickness is a result of sin. This shows that not every sickness is the result of sin, but sin CAN be the cause of it. Further, we have to repent of our trespasses towards others, and we have to forgive others the trespasses committed against us. Then, we are told, God will heal us if we are sick. He might do it immediately, or within a short while. But then again, He might not do it in this life. He will, however, do it without question at the time of our resurrection. We read that God will raise up the sick person. The word for ‘raise up’ is the same Greek word used when God talks about the resurrection from the dead.

“The connection is clear: IF we fulfill the conditions mentioned in James 5, we WILL be in the resurrection, having had our sins and trespasses forgiven and our sicknesses healed. If, on the other hand, we do NOT repent of our sins AND of our trespasses committed against our brothers and sisters, and if we do not forgive our brothers and sisters their trespasses, we will NOT be in the resurrection, nor will we receive physical healing from God.

“In effect, God is saying: ‘I will raise you up, perhaps right now to honor your faith in Me, but for sure at the time of Christ’s return, IF you have faith in Me and IF you repent of your sins and IF you confess your trespasses to your brother and sister, against whom you have sinned, thereby bringing about reconciliation between the two of you.’ We are not to confess sins against God to others, but if we have wronged another human being, we must go to that person and bring about reconciliation.”

And still, even if we had “perfect” faith and lived a “perfect” life and had brought about perfect reconciliation with our brother and sister, God might STILL NOT heal us in this life from a particular sickness. Why not? Because God might have in mind a superior purpose for us in this life which He deems much more important than our healing from temporary frailties. We state in our booklet:

“If we REALLY love God, then we will have developed such a close relationship with Him that we will understand and accept the fact that God may respond to our plea for healing with the words, ‘Not yet, My child.’ God will make His Will known to us as He did to Christ in the garden, and to Paul, and we will accept it, knowing that God will never do anything that is bad for us. We will understand that ‘all things work together for good to those who love God’ (Romans 8: 28). When Paul understood that God would not heal him from his sickness in this life, he said, ‘Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities… for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong’ (2 Corinthians 12:9–10).

“At the same time, we are not to give up. In Paul’s case, God revealed it very clearly to him, leaving no doubt that He would not heal him. But even Paul asked three times for healing before God made His will known to him. We must, therefore, in faith, continue to pray to God for healing when we are sick, never doubting that He can heal us and that He will do so (compare James 1:6–8), unless important reasons prevent Him from doing so. We must never have the frame of mind, ‘I will ask God for healing, but I’m not sure whether He will heal me, since He might not be able to, or want to.’ Rather, we must be convinced that God WILL heal us, and we must ask Him in faith, while making sure that we do everything we can so that God is not prevented from healing us by our conduct (such as lack of faith, refusal to repent of sin, etc.).”

Christ died for us so that we can have forgiveness of sins. He suffered for us so that we can have healing from our sicknesses. His Sacrifice accomplishes both, and because of it, we can have eternal life in God’s Kingdom. When we are born-again members of the Family of God, we will have a new body… a spiritual body, freed from sickness and decay. Some say that applying God’s promise for healing to the “next life” is insufficient as by then, we do not need healing. But we do. It is not self-evident or to be taken for granted or that God owes it to us that we enter the Kingdom of God with “healthy” bodies. We only will do so because of the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ. And even those who die with sickness in this life and are resurrected in the Second Resurrection as physical beings will be resurrected with healed physical bodies. This fact is not self-evident or to be taken for granted either… it is only going to occur BECAUSE of Christ’s Sacrifice and God’s promise that He will heal our physical infirmities.

To conclude, if we are sick, we are to pray to God for healing and avail ourselves of the privilege of calling for the elders of His Church to anoint us with oil and to pray for us. MANY were healed who did this – some miraculously in an instant. Others did not experience immediate healing, or healing at all in this life, but lack of faith or ungodly living or lack of reconciliation with others did not HAVE to be the reason. We must of course make sure that we do our part, and we must then have the unshakable confidence and trust that God WILL heal us—in HIS due time—never questioning Him, and never trying to ”force” Him to do what WE want Him to do, even though it would not be in our best interest and might even prevent us from entering His Kingdom. We might not fully understand all the reasons why someone is not healed right away or at all… but we MUST have the absolute faith and conviction that God knows everything; that He can do everything; and that He will do everything that we ask… in His due time and subject to His Will.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

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Preaching the Gospel and Feeding the Flock

A new Member Letter has been written and mailed this week. In it, Dave Harris reviews prophecies given to help Christians prepare for future trials and points to the need to more fervently draw close to God.

“Does the Vatican Question the Return of Christ?,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

A spokesperson for the Vatican, Cardinal Giorgio Salvadore, allegedly announced that the coming of Christ may not happen. The Cardinal reportedly said that Jesus may have been drinking when he uttered the statements of His return, and that people make promises they can’t keep when they’re drunk. Other religious teachers postulate as well that Jesus will not return, or that He has already returned. Why does the Bible condemn these views as deceitful, blasphemous and ungodly?

“Warum Heilt Gott Mich Nicht?,” is the title of this week’s new German sermon–the title in English: “Why Doesn’t God Heal Me?”

“The Book of 2 Thessalonians,” the sermon given by Norbert Link this past Sabbath is now posted. Here is a summary:

What significance does Paul’s prophetic writing have for us today? Who is the son of perdition and the man of sin, sitting in the temple of God, claiming to be God?  What is meant with “antichrist”? Are God’s people still going to face the falling away from the truth? Does the Bible teach that Christ returns twice? How does God send strong delusion?

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How This Work is Financed

This Update is an official publication by the ministry of the Church of the Eternal God in the United States of America; the Church of God, a Christian Fellowship in Canada; and the Global Church of God in the United Kingdom.

Editorial Team: Norbert Link, Dave Harris, Rene Messier, Brian Gale, Margaret Adair, Johanna Link, Eric Rank, Michael Link, Anna Link, Kalon Mitchell, Manuela Mitchell, Dawn Thompson

Technical Team: Eric Rank, Shana Rank

Our activities and literature, including booklets, weekly updates, sermons on CD, and video and audio broadcasts, are provided free of charge. They are made possible by the tithes, offerings and contributions of Church members and others who have elected to support this Work.

While we do not solicit the general public for funds, contributions are gratefully welcomed and are tax-deductible in the U.S. and Canada.

Donations should be sent to the following addresses:

United States: Church of the Eternal God, P.O. Box 270519, San Diego, CA 92198

Canada: Church of God, ACF, Box 1480, Summerland, B.C. V0H 1Z0

United Kingdom: Global Church of God, PO Box 44, MABLETHORPE, LN12 9AN, United Kingdom

Does the Vatican Question the Return of Christ?

A spokesperson for the Vatican, Cardinal Giorgio Salvadore, allegedly announced that the coming of Christ may not happen. The Cardinal reportedly said that Jesus may have been drinking when he uttered the statements of His return, and that people make promises they can’t keep when they’re drunk. Other religious teachers postulate as well that Jesus will not return, or that He has already returned. Why does the Bible condemn these views as deceitful, blasphemous and ungodly?

Download Audio Download Video 

The Book of 2 Thessalonians

What significance does Paul’s prophetic writing have for us today? Who is the son of perdition and the man of sin, sitting in the temple of God, claiming to be God?  What is meant with “antichrist”? Are God’s people still going to face the falling away from the truth? Does the Bible teach that Christ returns twice? How does God send strong delusion?

Download Audio 

Current Events

The Fear of War

BBC News wrote on May 5:

“Four Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and an army helicopter shot down by pro-Russian militants near the eastern city of Sloviansk, Kiev says… Pro-Russian militants have seized government buildings in a dozen or more Ukrainian cities in the east. Kiev accuses Moscow of supporting and arming the gunmen – a claim denied by the Kremlin…

“On Sunday, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk accused Russia of executing a plan ‘to destroy Ukraine and its statehood’. He was speaking two days after dozens were killed in violence in the southern Ukrainian port city of Odessa. ‘Russia’s aim was to repeat in Odessa what is happening in the east of the country,’ he said, insisting Kiev had not lost control of the region.

“The clashes on Friday left more than 40 dead, mostly pro-Russian separatists killed in a building fire.”

The Local added on May 6:

“‘There is a threat of a point of no return, a moment when the escalation can no longer be stopped and we will literally stand on the threshold of war in Eastern Europe,’ [German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter] Steinmeier said in a letter published by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung on Tuesday.”

Bild Online asked on May 6:

“How close is war?” The tabloid concluded: “We don’t know the answer, but the fear of war escalates day by day.”

Christ warned: You will hear of wars and rumors of wars; and that this is part of the beginning of sorrows.    

Putin a Fascist, Not a Communist?

Der Spiegel Online wrote on May 2:

“Some like to idealize Vladimir Putin as the ideological successor to the left-wing Soviet leaders, but that’s sheer nonsense. His speeches offer clear evidence that his points of reference originate in fascism…

“There remains a tendency to view the Kremlin’s foreign policy primarily from a geopolitical perspective — namely that the country is seeking to recover some of the territory it lost when the Soviet Union dissolved. But when Putin speaks of the enemy of the Russian people, he is speaking about something deeper and more basic. The forces against which he has declared war are not only seeking to expand their influence further and further into the East — they are also going after the Russian soul. That’s what he means when he says that Russia must put up a fight against the West…

“Even today, many are having trouble recognizing the true nature of a man who is currently in the process of turning the European peace order on its head. Perhaps we don’t have the courage to make the right comparisons because they remind us of an era that we thought we had put behind us. Within Germany’s Left Party and parts of the center-left Social Democrats, Putin is still viewed as a man molded in the tradition of the Soviet party leader, who stood for an idealized version of Socialism. The old knee-jerk sense of solidarity is still there. It is based on a misunderstanding, though, because Putin isn’t post-communist. He’s post-fascist.

“A search for the right historical analogy should focus on the events of Rome in 1919 rather than Sarajevo in 1914. It won’t take long… to identify traits that were also present at the birth of fascism. There’s Putin’s cult of the body, the lofty rhetoric of self-assertion, the denigration of his opponents as degenerates, his contempt for democracy and Western parliamentarianism, his exaggerated nationalism.

“Enemies of freedom on the far right in Europe sensed the changing political climate early on. They immediately understood that, in Putin, someone is speaking who shares their obsessions and aversions. Putin reciprocates by acknowledging these like-minded individuals…

“When they were first introduced one year ago, people also failed to recognize the true meaning of Russia’s new anti-gay laws. But today it is clear that it marked the emergence of the new Russia. What began with an anti-gay law is now continuing at another level: The logical progression of the belief that certain groups are inferior is the belief in the superiority of one’s own people.

“And when Putin evokes the myth of Moscow as a ‘Third Rome,’ it is clear he is assigning the Russian people with an historic mission. Responsibility is falling to Russia not only to stop Western decadence at its borders, but also to provide a last bastion for those who had already given up hope in this struggle. But he is also saying that Russia can never yield. ‘Death is horrible, isn’t it?’ Putin asked viewers at the end of his television appearance. ‘But no, it appears it may be beautiful if it serves the people: Death for one’s friends, one’s people or for the homeland, to use the modern word.’ That’s as fascist as it gets.”

Based on our own observations, Putin’s popularity is growing among the German people. They are viewing and admiring him as a strong man and can hardly hide their wish for the rise of someone like him in Germany. 

No Cursing in Russian Movies

CNN reported on May 7:

“Thinking about making a film? Better leave out the foul language if you want it to be seen in Russia. The same goes for plays. Even rock stars will need to leave their potty mouths at home. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed off on a new law Monday that bans swearing at arts, cultural and entertainment events in the country. Any new film containing obscene language won’t be granted a distribution certificate, so there’s no chance of seeing it at the movie theater.”

This is of course good at first sight, as is his strong stance against homosexual conduct, but even these developments show striking parallels with the Hitler regime which enforced “good things” for their ulterior plans.

The West Is Helpless

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 2:

“With Russia uninterested in a negotiated deal and the West unable to sway events on the ground, the situation in eastern Ukraine could inadvertently spiral out of control, an Oxford University Russia expert [Neil MacFarlane] tells DW:

“‘The Ukrainian interim government is seeking to legitimize itself through elections later this month. It is not, I gather, in Russia’s interest to see that government legitimized, therefore, you mess up the elections. If the elections can’t be properly held in the east then the elections are partial and you can claim that they are not fully free and fair…

“The larger point, leaving eastern Ukraine aside, is that Russia claims a right to protect its interests and its citizens. But what does this mean not just in Ukraine, but also in Georgia or for that matter in Kazakhstan or… in the Baltics…[?]  As to what the West can do, the question should be phrased: What is the West willing to do and is there a West as an identity? It’s pretty clear that the Americans have a more forthright or robust approach on sanctions. It’s also clear that there is resistance to more robust sanctions in Europe, not least because of our economic ties with Russia and the business interests that would be potentially damaged…

“‘NATO has said that it is willing to slightly reinforce its NATO allies in the region, but in very small numbers, but nobody has said anything at all about substantial military support for Ukraine itself. Basically we have an asymmetry here: the Russians are perfectly willing to give logistical and military support to people in Ukraine who are unhappy and we are not willing to do that. There is really very little we can do. We can increase sanctions, but sanctions have an effect in the longer term – not immediately. I think we are pretty stuck here. I don’t think we have enough consensus on what to do, and I don’t think we have as much will as we would need to stand up to the Russians in eastern Ukraine.”    

When the Blind Lead the Blind…

The EUObserver wrote on May 5:

“Nato has changed its assessment of the Ukraine crisis, saying Russia is more likely to foment rebellion than to invade. The alliance’s military commander, US general Philip Breedlove, told a conference in Ottawa on Monday (5 May): ‘Today I would tell you I don’t think that’s [invasion] the most likely course of action … I think now that [Russian leader Vladimir] Putin may be able to accomplish his objectives in eastern Ukraine and never go across the border with his forces.’… He noted that Russian special forces are probably operating in east and south Ukraine, however. ‘Remember that Putin denied their presence and now he has admitted to their presence in Crimea. The same thing will come out of Ukraine as time rolls out.’

“With the US and the EU saying they will not impose economic sanctions on Russia unless there is a full-scale invasion, Breedlove added: ‘In that case, I think it’s the most troublesome for Nato because if the forces do not come across the border, my guess is that many will want to try to quickly go back to business as usual.’ He also told press in a separate meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper that ‘Russia’s aggression in Ukraine has caused a paradigm shift’… Harper, for his part, described events in Ukraine as ‘a slow-motion invasion on the part of the Putin regime’…

“The Russian foreign ministry… published a file describing the February revolution in Ukraine as a ‘coercive rebellion’ carried out ‘under the influence of extremists from ultranationalistic and neo-Nazi forces, and with the active multidimensional support of the USA and the European Union and its members’…”

NATO’s and the West’s willful blindness and ignorance are shocking…

Germany Angry with US Republicans

The Local wrote on May 2:

“German lawmakers fumed on Friday over ‘vicious’ criticism by senior US senators of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s stance on Ukraine… John McCain, a former Republican candidate for the White House, on Thursday accused Merkel of standing in the way of firmer measures against Russia over its actions in Ukraine due to Berlin’s lucrative business ties with Moscow… Republican Senator Jeff Sessions echoed the rebuke, saying there needed to be ‘a clearer, more focused, more unified position, and Germany is right there in the middle of it.’

“The remarks sparked outrage in Berlin, with top-selling newspaper Bild saying McCain had ‘attacked’ Merkel with ‘crass’ comments. A leading MP from Merkel’s conservative Christian Democratic Union, Karl-Georg Wellmann, told news website Spiegel Online that McCain’s accusation that industry called the shots for the German government was ‘vicious nonsense’… In a parting shot, he added: ‘McCain would do better to ensure that the closest allies are no longer spied on,’ referring to revelations that the US National Security Agency snooped on foreign leaders including Merkel.

“The Social Democrats, junior partners in Merkel’s grand coalition government, also took umbrage at McCain’s comments. ‘It’s poor form,’ parliamentary deputy Rolf Muetzenich told Spiegel. ‘McCain feels insecure because his Russia policy of containment and military build-up is very controversial, even in the US.’… Germany, Europe’s top economic power, gets about one-third of its oil and gas from Russia and has strong trade ties with Moscow.”

Yes, the truth hurts and its rejection may make one angry. The fact that Merkel did accomplish absolutely nothing during her visit in the USA regarding the NSA spying scandal does not make the Germans happy, either.    

Bulgaria Caught in the Middle

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 27:

“Tensions between Russia and Ukraine have highlighted a split in Bulgarian society, with its historical ties both east and west. Responses range from sympathy for the Russians, to fear of Putin’s power games. Bulgarians remain bound to Russia by alphabet, religion, and history. Although the southeastern European country with its 7.3 million inhabitants doesn’t share a common border with Russia, it continues a long and complicated relationship with its ‘big brother.’…In the official Bulgarian version of history, Russia was the ‘ liberator from the Turkish yoke,’ since Bulgarian statehood was reestablished after the Russo-Turkish War in 1877-88.

“But historian Plamen Tzvetkov sees this as a propaganda cliché uncritically repeated in history books and by the media. ‘Most Bulgarians don’t even know that the peace treaty of 1878 had nothing to do with their “liberation,'” Tzvetkov told DW. ‘Rather, it sealed the Russian army’s long-term occupation of Bulgaria, and served to push through Russian power interests in the Bosphorus…’

“Bulgaria came under the Soviet sphere of influence after World War II, taking its place among other Eastern Bloc nations as a USSR-aligned communist regime until the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989. Public opinion in Bulgaria is deeply split on whether Russia was a liberator or an occupier…

“Although Bulgaria is a member of the European Union and officially supports the EU position on Ukraine, it is also dependent on Russian gas, and is being governed by a cabinet dominated by traditionally Russia-friendly socialists. But quiet – or loud – support for Putin goes beyond history and energy supplies. Many citizens of the EU’s poorest member state have been disappointed by EU membership, and are almost gratified by the new hostilities between the Kremlin and Brussels…

“Thousands of Russian citizens own property in Bulgaria, Russian lobbyists are very active in Bulgaria’s economy and media, and it’s feared that the old Eastern Bloc networks could experience a revival…

“Now Bulgaria stands between West and East once again, being yanked back and forth between Moscow and Brussels. Where once Bulgarians pinned hope on EU membership, today many are disappointed. At the same time, observers doubt that the nation could fall back into Moscow’s direct sphere of influence. And yet there is clearly an anti-European mood in the country…”

China Plans for North Korean Regime Collapse

The Telegraph wrote on May 5:

“China has drawn up detailed contingency plans for the collapse of the North Korean government, suggesting that Beijing has little faith in the longevity of Kim Jong-un’s regime… the Chinese report says key North Korean leaders should be detained in special camps where they can be monitored, but also prevented from directing further military operations or taking part in actions that could be damaging to China’s national interest.

“The report suggests ‘foreign forces’ could be involved in an incident that leads to the collapse of internal controls in North Korea, resulting to millions of refugees attempting to flee. The only route to safety the vast majority would have would be over the border into China. The Chinese authorities intend to question new arrivals, determine their identities and turn away any who are considered dangerous or undesirable…

“The release of the study comes just days after Beijing issued a thinly veiled warning to Pyongyang, ahead of a fourth anticipated nuclear test, that China would ‘by no means allow war or chaos to occur on our doorstep.’ China, which is North Korea’s sole remaining significant supporter, also refused to export any crude oil over its border to the North in the first three months of the year.”

Reuters added on April 30:

“China said on Wednesday it would conduct joint naval drills with Russia in the East China Sea off Shanghai in late May, in what it called a bid to deepen military cooperation… The Beijing government… is swiftly ramping up military spending… China and Russia have close diplomatic, security and economic ties, and regularly carry out military exercises together.”

New Dictatorship and Totalitarianism in Egypt

APF wrote on April 29:

“An Egyptian court sentenced 682 alleged Islamists and Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Badie to death on Monday, a lawyer and prosecutor said, after two brief sessions the defense partly boycotted. The same court in the southern province of Minya also reversed 492 of 529 death sentences it passed in March, commuting most of those to life in prison. The court, presided over by judge Said Youssef Sabry, had sparked an international outcry with its initial sentencing last month amid an extensive crackdown on supporters of ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi…

“Under Egyptian law, death sentences are referred to the country’s top Islamic scholar for an advisory opinion before being ratified. A court may choose to commute the sentences, which can later be challenged at an appeals court…

“The Brotherhood urged the world to act against ‘gross human rights violations and injustice committed by the military junta in Egypt against its own people’… Amnesty International condemned Monday’s death sentences.”

These political sentences, which were apparently reached after just 10 minutes of “trial,” show the new emerging totalitarianism of a country and a people presently unfit for true democracy. The evil seeds of the Arab Spring are now being harvested.    

Iraq in Turmoil

The Washington Times wrote on April 28:

“Amid increasing violence by a resurgent al Qaeda, Iraqis will vote this week in the first parliamentary elections since the departure of U.S. troops in 2011 as the country edges closer to outright sectarian warfare and the government moves closer to Iran… Although the U.S. provides military support to Iraq, Washington’s influence… is waning as Mr. al-Maliki develops close ties with Iran… Conflict between Shiite and Sunni Muslims has ignited a ferocious cycle of violence. Iraq is experiencing its worst bloodshed since the height of the sectarian conflict that nearly tore the country apart from 2006 to 2008…”

Another failed American “experiment.”    

Asteroid Hurtles Past Earth

The Independent wrote on May 6:

“Unbeknown to most of us here on Earth, a huge asteroid the size of a double-decker bus hurtled past our planet over the weekend… Days after it was spotted by astronomers, the space rock passed within 186,000 miles (300,000 kilometres) of Earth… And although it may sound like a large distance, the asteroid travelled within the Moon’s orbit, which on average takes the satellite 238, 855 miles (384,399 kilometres) away from Earth.

“The asteroid, known [as] HL 129, was about 7.6 metres (25 feet) wide and made its closest approach to Earth at 4.13am EDT (8.13am GMT) on Saturday… Nasa scientists and researchers across the world keep a constant look-out for potentially dangerous asteroids that could crash into Earth – with deadly consequences. Former astronaut Ed Lu said earlier this year that it was only ‘blind luck’ that the planet had not suffered a catastrophic hit from an asteroid.

“He told Wired.co.uk: ‘While most large asteroids with the potential to destroy an entire country or continent have been detected, less than 10,000 of the more than a million dangerous asteroids with the potential to destroy an entire major metropolitan area have been found by all existing space or terrestrially-operated observatories…’ In 2013 over 1,000 people were injured after an asteroid exploded above the Russian city of Chelyabinsk.”

Polio Health Emergency

BBC News wrote on May 5:

“The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the spread of polio is an international public health emergency. Outbreaks in Asia, Africa and Middle East are an ‘extraordinary event’ needing a co-ordinated ‘international response’… It recommends citizens of affected countries travelling abroad carry a vaccination certificate. It says Pakistan, Cameroon, and Syria ‘pose the greatest risk of further wild poliovirus exportations in 2014.’… Polio mainly affects children under five years old. The virus is transmitted through contaminated food and water, and multiplies in the intestine. It can then invade the nervous system, causing paralysis in one in every 200 infections. It is capable of causing death within hours…

“The WHO also lists Afghanistan, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Iraq, Israel, Somalia and Nigeria as ‘posing an ongoing risk for new wild poliovirus exportations in 2014.’ It is only the second time in the WHO’s history it has made such a declaration, the first being during the swine flu pandemic of 2009… Syria, which was polio-free for 14 years, was re-infected with the virus from Pakistan.  Refugees are still pouring out of Syria, to Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, and checking whether all of them have been vaccinated will be impossible…”

MERS in the USA

The Associated Press reported on May 3:

“Health officials on Friday confirmed the first case of an American infected with a mysterious virus that has sickened hundreds in the Middle East. The man fell ill after flying to the U.S. late last week from Saudi Arabia where he was a health care worker… Saudi Arabia has been at the center of a Middle East outbreak of MERS that began two years ago…. Overall, at least 400 people have had the respiratory illness, and more than 100 people have died. All had ties to the Middle East region or to people who traveled there.

“Experts said it was just a matter of time before MERS showed up in the U.S., as it has in Europe and Asia… MERS belongs to the coronavirus family that includes the common cold and SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, which caused some 800 deaths globally in 2003. The MERS virus has been found in camels, but officials don’t know how it is spreading to humans. It can spread from person to person, but officials believe that happens only after close contact.

“Not all those exposed to the virus become ill. But it appears to be unusually lethal — by some estimates, it has killed nearly a third of the people it sickened. That’s a far higher percentage than seasonal flu or other routine infections. But it is not as contagious as flu, measles or other diseases. There is no vaccine or cure and there’s [no] specific treatment except to relieve symptoms.”

Antibiotic Resistance with Worldwide Devastating Implications

Reuters wrote on April 30:

“The spread of deadly superbugs that evade even the most powerful antibiotics is no longer a prediction but is happening right now across the world, United Nations officials said on Wednesday. Antibiotic resistance has the potential to affect anyone, of any age, in any country, the U.N.’s World Health Organisation (WHO) said in a report. It is now a major threat to public health, of which ‘the implications will be devastating’. ‘The world is headed for a post-antibiotic era, in which common infections and minor injuries which have been treatable for decades can once again kill,’ said Keiji Fukuda, the WHO’s assistant director-general for health security…

“Drug resistance is driven by the misuse and overuse of antibiotics, which encourages bacteria to develop new ways of overcoming them… One of the best known superbugs, MRSA, is alone estimated to kill around 19,000 people every year in the United States – far more than HIV and AIDS – and a similar number in Europe.”

More False Signs and Wonders

The Telegraph wrote on April 28:

“When doctors told preacher Todd Burpo his four-year-old son was going to die from a burst appendix he railed against God for taking him to heaven too soon. What he did not expect was that little Colton would not only survive his near-death experience on the operating table but would come back full of stories of the angels and rainbows he had seen while unconscious. He told his parents that while visiting heaven he met John the Baptist and the Virgin Mary, and sat at Jesus’ knee. And now his extraordinary claims have been turned into a film, Heaven is for Real, which has become a huge word of mouth hit across America and is due to open in Britain next week.

“It was only when the little boy described in detail watching his father as he shouted in despair at God in a hotel anteroom, something he could not have known about, that Mr Burpo began to believe he was dealing with more than a little boy’s drug-induced hallucinations. Colton went on to recognize a photograph of a great-grandfather he had never met and talked about a sister he said told him she had ‘died in their mother’s tummy’. The family had never discussed the baby his mother Sonja lost to a miscarriage a year before Colton’s birth, or told him about his father’s rant against God as he lay on the operating table. These details helped to convince them that Colton’s claims were true, and Mr Burpo went on to write a book about his experiences.

“Also called Heaven is for Real, it became an unlikely bestseller, spending three years at the top of the charts. Now, 10 years after Colton’s brush with death on a hospital operating table, it has been made into a film starring Greg Kinnear as Todd Burpo. Opening on Easter weekend, the movie was an instant hit, taking $22.5 million (£13.4 million) in its first three days…”

It is clear to us that these events, if indeed real, have nothing to do with any godly revelation. Rather, they would constitute false “signs and wonders” initiated by demons to deceive a naive world in rejecting the truth of the Bible and instead believing a lie. We can expect increasing occurrences of such nature. The false concept of reincarnation or “near-death” experiences (if not just caused by the ongoing working of the brain) is clearly of Satanic origin.

Vatican Guilty of Torture

The Washington Times wrote on May 4:

“The Vatican is a signatory to the anti-torture and child protection treaties, both of which require periodic reports about efforts to implement policies and promote change… The Vatican’s report stated that ‘the Holy See condemns the use of torture as a grave violation of the Commandment “You shall not kill” and works towards its abolition. The Holy See condemns other acts of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, which may not amount to torture but are equally contrary to the inherent dignity of the human person and his or her integrity and identity.’

“Advocates for abuse victims, however, see hypocrisy between the church’s proclamations and its practices… Siding with survivors network, the World Organization Against Torture said that by allowing rape and other sexual abuse, ‘the Holy See has failed its duties to prevent torture and other acts of ill-treatment within its jurisdiction, thereby violating [the Convention Against Torture].’”

Even though serious, the Bible’s description of the Catholic Church’s history of blatant torture—as well as future prophecies yet to be fulfilled—are of so much greater proportions.

This Week in the News

We begin with reporting on escalating developments in Ukraine and Russia’s obvious ambitions for world domination, increasing the fear of another World War. While the West stands idly by, is fooling itself, and finds itself in a self-inflicted paralysis due to its own economic interests, Russia and China are moving closer together. At the same time, China is already preparing for the collapse of the North Korean regime.

In other news, we are pointing out Egypt’s new dictatorship and Iraq’s turmoil; and we are stressing the real danger through asteroids and the emergence of worldwide diseases.

We conclude with articles about false signs and wonders—including so-called “near-death” experiences—and the uncomfortable role the Catholic Church finds itself in pertaining to “torture” and sexual abuse of children.    

Update 638

The Book of 2 Thessalonians

On May 10, 2014, Norbert Link will give the sermon, titled, “The Book of 2 Thessalonians.”

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.

 

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When Can We Expect God’s Fury For Modern Israel?

by Terry Grade

God is very clear about a time that is coming when modern day Israel (including the USA, the UK, Australia and New Zealand, as well as the Jews) will be taken captive and be scattered among the nations due to their disobedience to God’s laws.  We find this clearly explained in Leviticus 26 and how this will come about. These events come in four different stages where God will increase His punishment on Israel to bring them to repentance.  Each time He increases the punishment seven times.

In Leviticus 26:14-17 we find the first stage. God states that if they reject His laws and fail to follow His commands, Hewill cause horrific diseases to devastate them!  Their crops will be planted in vain as their enemies will consume them.  Their enemies will defeat them and rule over them.  They will flee when no one is pursuing them.  Leviticus 26:18-20 states if after all this they still will not listen and will not repent of their sins, He will punish them seven times over.  He will break the pride of their power and the land will not produce food due to drought conditions.

In Leviticus 26:21-23 is the second stage.  If they continue to refuse to listen and obey, He will cause wild beasts to attack and destroy their livestock and the people, making them so few in population that their roads will be deserted.

Leviticus 26: 24-26 is the third stage.  God continues to warn thatif they still will not repent and obey, He will punish them yet another seven times for their sins.  He will cause disease and pestilence to decimate them.  They will fall into the hands of their enemies due to their weakness. God will cut off their supply of food so that ten women or families will bake bread in one oven and they will divide it among themselves and yet it will not be enough to keep them from being hungry – a sign of famine.

Leviticus 26: 27-39 is the fourth stage.  God continues to pour out His fury seven times more due to their stubborn unwillingness to repent.  The unthinkable will occur when they will eat the flesh of their own children because they are starving!  The cities are laid waste, the land is desolate and their enemies will be astonished by what they see happen to this rebellious people.  Modern day Israel will be taken captive by their enemies.  They will have become so weakened and terrorized by all they have experienced they will be fearful at the smallest of sounds and unable to stand before their enemy.

Notice each stage is increased by seven times more punishment!  All because they refuse to repent and obey God’s laws.

Leviticus 26:40-45 explains what will become of those who remain alive after all these horrible events take place.  If they will repent, our merciful God will forgive them and restore them once again.  We will be able to assist in this restoration if we continue to be loyal servants of God and yield ourselves to Him as He guides and directs us with His Holy Spirit in His truth, and continue in the work He has given us to do. We are to warn the nations of their impending disaster if they refuse to obey Him! The warnings are clear!       

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We begin with reporting on escalating developments in Ukraine and Russia’s obvious ambitions for world domination, increasing the fear of another World War. While the West stands idly by, is fooling itself, and finds itself in a self-inflicted paralysis due to its own economic interests, Russia and China are moving closer together. At the same time, China is already preparing for the collapse of the North Korean regime.

In other news, we are pointing out Egypt’s new dictatorship and Iraq’s turmoil; and we are stressing the real danger through asteroids and the emergence of worldwide diseases.

We conclude with articles about false signs and wonders—including so-called “near-death” experiences—and the uncomfortable role the Catholic Church finds itself in pertaining to “torture” and sexual abuse of children.    

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The Fear of War

BBC News wrote on May 5:

“Four Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and an army helicopter shot down by pro-Russian militants near the eastern city of Sloviansk, Kiev says… Pro-Russian militants have seized government buildings in a dozen or more Ukrainian cities in the east. Kiev accuses Moscow of supporting and arming the gunmen – a claim denied by the Kremlin…

“On Sunday, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk accused Russia of executing a plan ‘to destroy Ukraine and its statehood’. He was speaking two days after dozens were killed in violence in the southern Ukrainian port city of Odessa. ‘Russia’s aim was to repeat in Odessa what is happening in the east of the country,’ he said, insisting Kiev had not lost control of the region.

“The clashes on Friday left more than 40 dead, mostly pro-Russian separatists killed in a building fire.”

The Local added on May 6:

“‘There is a threat of a point of no return, a moment when the escalation can no longer be stopped and we will literally stand on the threshold of war in Eastern Europe,’ [German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter] Steinmeier said in a letter published by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung on Tuesday.”

Bild Online asked on May 6:

“How close is war?” The tabloid concluded: “We don’t know the answer, but the fear of war escalates day by day.”

Christ warned: You will hear of wars and rumors of wars; and that this is part of the beginning of sorrows.    

Putin a Fascist, Not a Communist?

Der Spiegel Online wrote on May 2:

“Some like to idealize Vladimir Putin as the ideological successor to the left-wing Soviet leaders, but that’s sheer nonsense. His speeches offer clear evidence that his points of reference originate in fascism…

“There remains a tendency to view the Kremlin’s foreign policy primarily from a geopolitical perspective — namely that the country is seeking to recover some of the territory it lost when the Soviet Union dissolved. But when Putin speaks of the enemy of the Russian people, he is speaking about something deeper and more basic. The forces against which he has declared war are not only seeking to expand their influence further and further into the East — they are also going after the Russian soul. That’s what he means when he says that Russia must put up a fight against the West…

“Even today, many are having trouble recognizing the true nature of a man who is currently in the process of turning the European peace order on its head. Perhaps we don’t have the courage to make the right comparisons because they remind us of an era that we thought we had put behind us. Within Germany’s Left Party and parts of the center-left Social Democrats, Putin is still viewed as a man molded in the tradition of the Soviet party leader, who stood for an idealized version of Socialism. The old knee-jerk sense of solidarity is still there. It is based on a misunderstanding, though, because Putin isn’t post-communist. He’s post-fascist.

“A search for the right historical analogy should focus on the events of Rome in 1919 rather than Sarajevo in 1914. It won’t take long… to identify traits that were also present at the birth of fascism. There’s Putin’s cult of the body, the lofty rhetoric of self-assertion, the denigration of his opponents as degenerates, his contempt for democracy and Western parliamentarianism, his exaggerated nationalism.

“Enemies of freedom on the far right in Europe sensed the changing political climate early on. They immediately understood that, in Putin, someone is speaking who shares their obsessions and aversions. Putin reciprocates by acknowledging these like-minded individuals…

“When they were first introduced one year ago, people also failed to recognize the true meaning of Russia’s new anti-gay laws. But today it is clear that it marked the emergence of the new Russia. What began with an anti-gay law is now continuing at another level: The logical progression of the belief that certain groups are inferior is the belief in the superiority of one’s own people.

“And when Putin evokes the myth of Moscow as a ‘Third Rome,’ it is clear he is assigning the Russian people with an historic mission. Responsibility is falling to Russia not only to stop Western decadence at its borders, but also to provide a last bastion for those who had already given up hope in this struggle. But he is also saying that Russia can never yield. ‘Death is horrible, isn’t it?’ Putin asked viewers at the end of his television appearance. ‘But no, it appears it may be beautiful if it serves the people: Death for one’s friends, one’s people or for the homeland, to use the modern word.’ That’s as fascist as it gets.”

Based on our own observations, Putin’s popularity is growing among the German people. They are viewing and admiring him as a strong man and can hardly hide their wish for the rise of someone like him in Germany. 

No Cursing in Russian Movies

CNN reported on May 7:

“Thinking about making a film? Better leave out the foul language if you want it to be seen in Russia. The same goes for plays. Even rock stars will need to leave their potty mouths at home. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed off on a new law Monday that bans swearing at arts, cultural and entertainment events in the country. Any new film containing obscene language won’t be granted a distribution certificate, so there’s no chance of seeing it at the movie theater.”

This is of course good at first sight, as is his strong stance against homosexual conduct, but even these developments show striking parallels with the Hitler regime which enforced “good things” for their ulterior plans.

The West Is Helpless

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 2:

“With Russia uninterested in a negotiated deal and the West unable to sway events on the ground, the situation in eastern Ukraine could inadvertently spiral out of control, an Oxford University Russia expert [Neil MacFarlane] tells DW:

“‘The Ukrainian interim government is seeking to legitimize itself through elections later this month. It is not, I gather, in Russia’s interest to see that government legitimized, therefore, you mess up the elections. If the elections can’t be properly held in the east then the elections are partial and you can claim that they are not fully free and fair…

“The larger point, leaving eastern Ukraine aside, is that Russia claims a right to protect its interests and its citizens. But what does this mean not just in Ukraine, but also in Georgia or for that matter in Kazakhstan or… in the Baltics…[?]  As to what the West can do, the question should be phrased: What is the West willing to do and is there a West as an identity? It’s pretty clear that the Americans have a more forthright or robust approach on sanctions. It’s also clear that there is resistance to more robust sanctions in Europe, not least because of our economic ties with Russia and the business interests that would be potentially damaged…

“‘NATO has said that it is willing to slightly reinforce its NATO allies in the region, but in very small numbers, but nobody has said anything at all about substantial military support for Ukraine itself. Basically we have an asymmetry here: the Russians are perfectly willing to give logistical and military support to people in Ukraine who are unhappy and we are not willing to do that. There is really very little we can do. We can increase sanctions, but sanctions have an effect in the longer term – not immediately. I think we are pretty stuck here. I don’t think we have enough consensus on what to do, and I don’t think we have as much will as we would need to stand up to the Russians in eastern Ukraine.”    

When the Blind Lead the Blind…

The EUObserver wrote on May 5:

“Nato has changed its assessment of the Ukraine crisis, saying Russia is more likely to foment rebellion than to invade. The alliance’s military commander, US general Philip Breedlove, told a conference in Ottawa on Monday (5 May): ‘Today I would tell you I don’t think that’s [invasion] the most likely course of action … I think now that [Russian leader Vladimir] Putin may be able to accomplish his objectives in eastern Ukraine and never go across the border with his forces.’… He noted that Russian special forces are probably operating in east and south Ukraine, however. ‘Remember that Putin denied their presence and now he has admitted to their presence in Crimea. The same thing will come out of Ukraine as time rolls out.’

“With the US and the EU saying they will not impose economic sanctions on Russia unless there is a full-scale invasion, Breedlove added: ‘In that case, I think it’s the most troublesome for Nato because if the forces do not come across the border, my guess is that many will want to try to quickly go back to business as usual.’ He also told press in a separate meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper that ‘Russia’s aggression in Ukraine has caused a paradigm shift’… Harper, for his part, described events in Ukraine as ‘a slow-motion invasion on the part of the Putin regime’…

“The Russian foreign ministry… published a file describing the February revolution in Ukraine as a ‘coercive rebellion’ carried out ‘under the influence of extremists from ultranationalistic and neo-Nazi forces, and with the active multidimensional support of the USA and the European Union and its members’…”

NATO’s and the West’s willful blindness and ignorance are shocking…

Germany Angry with US Republicans

The Local wrote on May 2:

“German lawmakers fumed on Friday over ‘vicious’ criticism by senior US senators of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s stance on Ukraine… John McCain, a former Republican candidate for the White House, on Thursday accused Merkel of standing in the way of firmer measures against Russia over its actions in Ukraine due to Berlin’s lucrative business ties with Moscow… Republican Senator Jeff Sessions echoed the rebuke, saying there needed to be ‘a clearer, more focused, more unified position, and Germany is right there in the middle of it.’

“The remarks sparked outrage in Berlin, with top-selling newspaper Bild saying McCain had ‘attacked’ Merkel with ‘crass’ comments. A leading MP from Merkel’s conservative Christian Democratic Union, Karl-Georg Wellmann, told news website Spiegel Online that McCain’s accusation that industry called the shots for the German government was ‘vicious nonsense’… In a parting shot, he added: ‘McCain would do better to ensure that the closest allies are no longer spied on,’ referring to revelations that the US National Security Agency snooped on foreign leaders including Merkel.

“The Social Democrats, junior partners in Merkel’s grand coalition government, also took umbrage at McCain’s comments. ‘It’s poor form,’ parliamentary deputy Rolf Muetzenich told Spiegel. ‘McCain feels insecure because his Russia policy of containment and military build-up is very controversial, even in the US.’… Germany, Europe’s top economic power, gets about one-third of its oil and gas from Russia and has strong trade ties with Moscow.”

Yes, the truth hurts and its rejection may make one angry. The fact that Merkel did accomplish absolutely nothing during her visit in the USA regarding the NSA spying scandal does not make the Germans happy, either.    

Bulgaria Caught in the Middle

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 27:

“Tensions between Russia and Ukraine have highlighted a split in Bulgarian society, with its historical ties both east and west. Responses range from sympathy for the Russians, to fear of Putin’s power games. Bulgarians remain bound to Russia by alphabet, religion, and history. Although the southeastern European country with its 7.3 million inhabitants doesn’t share a common border with Russia, it continues a long and complicated relationship with its ‘big brother.’…In the official Bulgarian version of history, Russia was the ‘ liberator from the Turkish yoke,’ since Bulgarian statehood was reestablished after the Russo-Turkish War in 1877-88.

“But historian Plamen Tzvetkov sees this as a propaganda cliché uncritically repeated in history books and by the media. ‘Most Bulgarians don’t even know that the peace treaty of 1878 had nothing to do with their “liberation,'” Tzvetkov told DW. ‘Rather, it sealed the Russian army’s long-term occupation of Bulgaria, and served to push through Russian power interests in the Bosphorus…’

“Bulgaria came under the Soviet sphere of influence after World War II, taking its place among other Eastern Bloc nations as a USSR-aligned communist regime until the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989. Public opinion in Bulgaria is deeply split on whether Russia was a liberator or an occupier…

“Although Bulgaria is a member of the European Union and officially supports the EU position on Ukraine, it is also dependent on Russian gas, and is being governed by a cabinet dominated by traditionally Russia-friendly socialists. But quiet – or loud – support for Putin goes beyond history and energy supplies. Many citizens of the EU’s poorest member state have been disappointed by EU membership, and are almost gratified by the new hostilities between the Kremlin and Brussels…

“Thousands of Russian citizens own property in Bulgaria, Russian lobbyists are very active in Bulgaria’s economy and media, and it’s feared that the old Eastern Bloc networks could experience a revival…

“Now Bulgaria stands between West and East once again, being yanked back and forth between Moscow and Brussels. Where once Bulgarians pinned hope on EU membership, today many are disappointed. At the same time, observers doubt that the nation could fall back into Moscow’s direct sphere of influence. And yet there is clearly an anti-European mood in the country…”

China Plans for North Korean Regime Collapse

The Telegraph wrote on May 5:

“China has drawn up detailed contingency plans for the collapse of the North Korean government, suggesting that Beijing has little faith in the longevity of Kim Jong-un’s regime… the Chinese report says key North Korean leaders should be detained in special camps where they can be monitored, but also prevented from directing further military operations or taking part in actions that could be damaging to China’s national interest.

“The report suggests ‘foreign forces’ could be involved in an incident that leads to the collapse of internal controls in North Korea, resulting to millions of refugees attempting to flee. The only route to safety the vast majority would have would be over the border into China. The Chinese authorities intend to question new arrivals, determine their identities and turn away any who are considered dangerous or undesirable…

“The release of the study comes just days after Beijing issued a thinly veiled warning to Pyongyang, ahead of a fourth anticipated nuclear test, that China would ‘by no means allow war or chaos to occur on our doorstep.’ China, which is North Korea’s sole remaining significant supporter, also refused to export any crude oil over its border to the North in the first three months of the year.”

Reuters added on April 30:

“China said on Wednesday it would conduct joint naval drills with Russia in the East China Sea off Shanghai in late May, in what it called a bid to deepen military cooperation… The Beijing government… is swiftly ramping up military spending… China and Russia have close diplomatic, security and economic ties, and regularly carry out military exercises together.”

New Dictatorship and Totalitarianism in Egypt

APF wrote on April 29:

“An Egyptian court sentenced 682 alleged Islamists and Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Badie to death on Monday, a lawyer and prosecutor said, after two brief sessions the defense partly boycotted. The same court in the southern province of Minya also reversed 492 of 529 death sentences it passed in March, commuting most of those to life in prison. The court, presided over by judge Said Youssef Sabry, had sparked an international outcry with its initial sentencing last month amid an extensive crackdown on supporters of ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi…

“Under Egyptian law, death sentences are referred to the country’s top Islamic scholar for an advisory opinion before being ratified. A court may choose to commute the sentences, which can later be challenged at an appeals court…

“The Brotherhood urged the world to act against ‘gross human rights violations and injustice committed by the military junta in Egypt against its own people’… Amnesty International condemned Monday’s death sentences.”

These political sentences, which were apparently reached after just 10 minutes of “trial,” show the new emerging totalitarianism of a country and a people presently unfit for true democracy. The evil seeds of the Arab Spring are now being harvested.    

Iraq in Turmoil

The Washington Times wrote on April 28:

“Amid increasing violence by a resurgent al Qaeda, Iraqis will vote this week in the first parliamentary elections since the departure of U.S. troops in 2011 as the country edges closer to outright sectarian warfare and the government moves closer to Iran… Although the U.S. provides military support to Iraq, Washington’s influence… is waning as Mr. al-Maliki develops close ties with Iran… Conflict between Shiite and Sunni Muslims has ignited a ferocious cycle of violence. Iraq is experiencing its worst bloodshed since the height of the sectarian conflict that nearly tore the country apart from 2006 to 2008…”

Another failed American “experiment.”    

Asteroid Hurtles Past Earth

The Independent wrote on May 6:

“Unbeknown to most of us here on Earth, a huge asteroid the size of a double-decker bus hurtled past our planet over the weekend… Days after it was spotted by astronomers, the space rock passed within 186,000 miles (300,000 kilometres) of Earth… And although it may sound like a large distance, the asteroid travelled within the Moon’s orbit, which on average takes the satellite 238, 855 miles (384,399 kilometres) away from Earth.

“The asteroid, known [as] HL 129, was about 7.6 metres (25 feet) wide and made its closest approach to Earth at 4.13am EDT (8.13am GMT) on Saturday… Nasa scientists and researchers across the world keep a constant look-out for potentially dangerous asteroids that could crash into Earth – with deadly consequences. Former astronaut Ed Lu said earlier this year that it was only ‘blind luck’ that the planet had not suffered a catastrophic hit from an asteroid.

“He told Wired.co.uk: ‘While most large asteroids with the potential to destroy an entire country or continent have been detected, less than 10,000 of the more than a million dangerous asteroids with the potential to destroy an entire major metropolitan area have been found by all existing space or terrestrially-operated observatories…’ In 2013 over 1,000 people were injured after an asteroid exploded above the Russian city of Chelyabinsk.”

Polio Health Emergency

BBC News wrote on May 5:

“The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the spread of polio is an international public health emergency. Outbreaks in Asia, Africa and Middle East are an ‘extraordinary event’ needing a co-ordinated ‘international response’… It recommends citizens of affected countries travelling abroad carry a vaccination certificate. It says Pakistan, Cameroon, and Syria ‘pose the greatest risk of further wild poliovirus exportations in 2014.’… Polio mainly affects children under five years old. The virus is transmitted through contaminated food and water, and multiplies in the intestine. It can then invade the nervous system, causing paralysis in one in every 200 infections. It is capable of causing death within hours…

“The WHO also lists Afghanistan, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Iraq, Israel, Somalia and Nigeria as ‘posing an ongoing risk for new wild poliovirus exportations in 2014.’ It is only the second time in the WHO’s history it has made such a declaration, the first being during the swine flu pandemic of 2009… Syria, which was polio-free for 14 years, was re-infected with the virus from Pakistan.  Refugees are still pouring out of Syria, to Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, and checking whether all of them have been vaccinated will be impossible…”

MERS in the USA

The Associated Press reported on May 3:

“Health officials on Friday confirmed the first case of an American infected with a mysterious virus that has sickened hundreds in the Middle East. The man fell ill after flying to the U.S. late last week from Saudi Arabia where he was a health care worker… Saudi Arabia has been at the center of a Middle East outbreak of MERS that began two years ago…. Overall, at least 400 people have had the respiratory illness, and more than 100 people have died. All had ties to the Middle East region or to people who traveled there.

“Experts said it was just a matter of time before MERS showed up in the U.S., as it has in Europe and Asia… MERS belongs to the coronavirus family that includes the common cold and SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, which caused some 800 deaths globally in 2003. The MERS virus has been found in camels, but officials don’t know how it is spreading to humans. It can spread from person to person, but officials believe that happens only after close contact.

“Not all those exposed to the virus become ill. But it appears to be unusually lethal — by some estimates, it has killed nearly a third of the people it sickened. That’s a far higher percentage than seasonal flu or other routine infections. But it is not as contagious as flu, measles or other diseases. There is no vaccine or cure and there’s [no] specific treatment except to relieve symptoms.”

Antibiotic Resistance with Worldwide Devastating Implications

Reuters wrote on April 30:

“The spread of deadly superbugs that evade even the most powerful antibiotics is no longer a prediction but is happening right now across the world, United Nations officials said on Wednesday. Antibiotic resistance has the potential to affect anyone, of any age, in any country, the U.N.’s World Health Organisation (WHO) said in a report. It is now a major threat to public health, of which ‘the implications will be devastating’. ‘The world is headed for a post-antibiotic era, in which common infections and minor injuries which have been treatable for decades can once again kill,’ said Keiji Fukuda, the WHO’s assistant director-general for health security…

“Drug resistance is driven by the misuse and overuse of antibiotics, which encourages bacteria to develop new ways of overcoming them… One of the best known superbugs, MRSA, is alone estimated to kill around 19,000 people every year in the United States – far more than HIV and AIDS – and a similar number in Europe.”

More False Signs and Wonders

The Telegraph wrote on April 28:

“When doctors told preacher Todd Burpo his four-year-old son was going to die from a burst appendix he railed against God for taking him to heaven too soon. What he did not expect was that little Colton would not only survive his near-death experience on the operating table but would come back full of stories of the angels and rainbows he had seen while unconscious. He told his parents that while visiting heaven he met John the Baptist and the Virgin Mary, and sat at Jesus’ knee. And now his extraordinary claims have been turned into a film, Heaven is for Real, which has become a huge word of mouth hit across America and is due to open in Britain next week.

“It was only when the little boy described in detail watching his father as he shouted in despair at God in a hotel anteroom, something he could not have known about, that Mr Burpo began to believe he was dealing with more than a little boy’s drug-induced hallucinations. Colton went on to recognize a photograph of a great-grandfather he had never met and talked about a sister he said told him she had ‘died in their mother’s tummy’. The family had never discussed the baby his mother Sonja lost to a miscarriage a year before Colton’s birth, or told him about his father’s rant against God as he lay on the operating table. These details helped to convince them that Colton’s claims were true, and Mr Burpo went on to write a book about his experiences.

“Also called Heaven is for Real, it became an unlikely bestseller, spending three years at the top of the charts. Now, 10 years after Colton’s brush with death on a hospital operating table, it has been made into a film starring Greg Kinnear as Todd Burpo. Opening on Easter weekend, the movie was an instant hit, taking $22.5 million (£13.4 million) in its first three days…”

It is clear to us that these events, if indeed real, have nothing to do with any godly revelation. Rather, they would constitute false “signs and wonders” initiated by demons to deceive a naive world in rejecting the truth of the Bible and instead believing a lie. We can expect increasing occurrences of such nature. The false concept of reincarnation or “near-death” experiences (if not just caused by the ongoing working of the brain) is clearly of Satanic origin.

Vatican Guilty of Torture

The Washington Times wrote on May 4:

“The Vatican is a signatory to the anti-torture and child protection treaties, both of which require periodic reports about efforts to implement policies and promote change… The Vatican’s report stated that ‘the Holy See condemns the use of torture as a grave violation of the Commandment “You shall not kill” and works towards its abolition. The Holy See condemns other acts of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, which may not amount to torture but are equally contrary to the inherent dignity of the human person and his or her integrity and identity.’

“Advocates for abuse victims, however, see hypocrisy between the church’s proclamations and its practices… Siding with survivors network, the World Organization Against Torture said that by allowing rape and other sexual abuse, ‘the Holy See has failed its duties to prevent torture and other acts of ill-treatment within its jurisdiction, thereby violating [the Convention Against Torture].’”

Even though serious, the Bible’s description of the Catholic Church’s history of blatant torture—as well as future prophecies yet to be fulfilled—are of so much greater proportions.

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In a previous Q&A, which addressed how Christ became a Man, you mentioned that Jesus Christ was the “only-SO-begotten” Son of God. What do you mean by this term? Doesn’t the Bible talk about the “only begotten” Son of God?

It is absolutely correct that Jesus Christ is referred to, in English translations of the Bible, as the “only begotten” Son of God.

We read in John 1:17-18:

“For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.”

This passage addresses the fact that Jesus Christ came to reveal the Father and the spiritual intent of the law, and that He made forgiveness of sin possible. He is referred to as the “only begotten Son” (some translate, the only begotten God), being in the “bosom” of God the Father, thereby showing the intimate and close relationship between the two members of the God Family.

In John 3:16, a similar statement is made:

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

We can only obtain salvation and eternal life through Jesus Christ—the “only begotten Son”—and as one initial step, we must believe in His Sacrifice. But His death does not save us; we will be saved by His Life which He lives in us through the Holy Spirit.

And so, we read in 1 John 4:9:

“In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.”

On the other hand, converted Christians are also referred to as God’s begotten sons and daughters and His begotten children; and Christ is called the firstborn among many brethren. When we receive God’s Holy Spirit, we are begotten children of God; and when we are changed to immortal Spirit beings at the time of Christ’s return, we become God’s born again children. Likewise, when Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead, He became the first-BORN Son of God.

We read in John 1:12-13:

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name; who were born [begotten], not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

God must call us; it has nothing to do with our will to be called. And when we respond and “receive” the truth, we can become begotten children of God at the time of our baptism, when we receive the Holy Spirit. In the passage above, the term “begotten” should be used. The Greek word is “gennao” and can mean “begotten” or “born,” and it can even describe the process from begettal to birth.

In Galatians 4:4-7, this development is further explained:

“But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, ‘Abba, Father!’ Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”

Christ never sinned. He became a Man—fully flesh—to overcome sin in the flesh and to die for us, paying the penalty for our sins. We were under the law—its penalty—and so He was placed under the penalty of the law to make our redemption possible. We can receive God’s Holy Spirit and become sons and daughters of God—first begotten children and finally born again children. The term “adoption” is an incorrect rendering—the better translation is “sonship.”

Paul elaborates in Romans 8:14-23:

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption [better: sonship] by whom [which] we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit [itself] bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together… For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God… because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God… we who have the firstfruits of the Spirit [are] eagerly waiting for the adoption [sonship], the redemption of our body.”

As converted Christians in whom God’s Spirit dwells, we are begotten sons and daughters of God. We have already obtained sonship—we are already God’s (begotten) sons. But when we are changed into Spirit beings, we will obtain the full sonship of immortal born again God beings in God’s Family, as we are told in 1 John 3:1-2.

There is a fundamental difference between Jesus Christ, the “only” begotten Son of God, and converted Christians, who are also called begotten sons of God. Christ has always existed; there was never a time when He did not exist. Since all eternity, He was the second member of the God Family—the Word or Logos, the Spokesman of God the Father, as John 1:1 explains. He was always the Son, as God was always the Father.

But when Christ became a human being as the “only begotten” of the Father (John 1:14), He became a BEGOTTEN Son of God IN THE FLESH. While we—flesh and blood human beings—become begotten children of God through the gift of the Holy Spirit in us, Christ—the immortal God being—became FLESH and the begotten Son of God through the miracle of transformation from Spirit to flesh. He was the ONLY Personage who was EVER begotten in this way, and in that sense, He was the only SO begotten Son of God. We also read that since His conception as a human being in Mary’s womb, He had God the Father’s Holy Spirit within Him without measure.

Notice how Christ’s miraculous transformation and begettal took place.

We read in Matthew 1:18-25:

“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit… an angel of the Lord appeared to [Joseph] in a dream, saying, ‘…that which is conceived [literally: begotten] in [Mary] is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS [Savior], for He will SAVE His people from their sins.’ So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.’”

A parallel account of the announcement of the virgin birth can be found in Luke 1:26-38. Notice especially the angel’s saying in verses 31-32, 35: “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest… The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.”

No other human being was conceived and begotten in this way, and therefore, Christ IS the only begotten Son of God in that sense. But Christ is also the firstborn among many brethren, and converted Christians are also begotten sons of God. To emphasize the distinction between Christ’s “begettal” and our “begettal,” we referred to Christ as the only SO begotten Son of God, indicating that while others will also be called begotten sons of God, their “begettal” does not occur in the same way and does not describe the same process as Christ’s begettal did.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

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Preaching the Gospel and Feeding the Flock

Norbert and Johanna Link have returned from their almost month-long visit in Germany. Many important decisions were made in firmly establishing our European activities by the Church. Mr. Link will be giving further announcements in our live broadcast this coming Sabbath.

“Do the Dead Work Miracles?,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

Pope John Paul II became a saint after two miracles were attributed to him after his death. A four-year-old child had a near-death experience during which he allegedly communicated with his dead sister. True or false? Is something like this possible? Are the dead still alive? Can they work miracles or communicate with us? Or are we dealing here with terrible deceptions of demonic origin? What does your Bible say? Order our free booklet, “Do We Have an Immortal Soul?”

“Neu! Wie Gott Mensch Wurde,” is the title of this week’s German sermon. Mr. Link discusses how Jesus became a human being, and addresses the issue that He was the “only-begotten” Son of God. Title in English: “How God Became Man.”

All six German sermons, which Mr. Link gave while in Germany, have been posted on the Web. They include five messages on the entire letter to the Galatians and Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians. You can view the sermons at www.aufpostenstehen.de

“Retten Sie Ihre Ehe!,” is the tile of a new AufPostenStehen program, which advertises our free new German booklet on Happy Marriages and Families. Title in English: Save Your Marriage!

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Walking the Extra Mile…

by Phyllis Bourque

In my earlier years in the church, a friend confided in me that she was having a problem with someone else in the church, and she wanted some advice on how to handle the situation. While I felt sympathetic toward her and did not want her to be treated unkindly, I did not fully understand her struggle. In effect, I had not “walked the extra mile” with her.

Now– many years and many trials later– I understand better that God tailors our trials for our benefit in order to help us incorporate His character into our lives. I most certainly still have much to learn, but I do believe that the greater benefit of what I learn through trials now will be extended to those whom I may have the privilege of guiding in the Millennium. This is encouraging to me! Of course, by then I will have been given perfect wisdom, but I think that what I learn through my present human experiences will also be a contributing factor to being a successful teacher/counselor/intercessor at that time.

I acknowledge that Jesus Christ has already “walked the extra mile” in laying down His life for me, and I know that He draws on His human experiences when interceding to the Father on my behalf. I want to be able to do the same for those who will be under my care in the future, effectively extending God’s tender mercies to them as He is now doing for me.

With this in mind, I can approach any trials or problems as challenges to my necessary spiritual growth, all in preparation for my future position as a Spirit Being in the Family of God. Therefore, I should be encouraged and hopeful in all circumstances, as God wants me to be, rather than becoming frustrated or discouraged, as Satan wants me to be. I am committed to learning now, so that I can teach in the future.

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How This Work is Financed

This Update is an official publication by the ministry of the Church of the Eternal God in the United States of America; the Church of God, a Christian Fellowship in Canada; and the Global Church of God in the United Kingdom.

Editorial Team: Norbert Link, Dave Harris, Rene Messier, Brian Gale, Margaret Adair, Johanna Link, Eric Rank, Michael Link, Anna Link, Kalon Mitchell, Manuela Mitchell, Dawn Thompson

Technical Team: Eric Rank, Shana Rank

Our activities and literature, including booklets, weekly updates, sermons on CD, and video and audio broadcasts, are provided free of charge. They are made possible by the tithes, offerings and contributions of Church members and others who have elected to support this Work.

While we do not solicit the general public for funds, contributions are gratefully welcomed and are tax-deductible in the U.S. and Canada.

Donations should be sent to the following addresses:

United States: Church of the Eternal God, P.O. Box 270519, San Diego, CA 92198

Canada: Church of God, ACF, Box 1480, Summerland, B.C. V0H 1Z0

United Kingdom: Global Church of God, PO Box 44, MABLETHORPE, LN12 9AN, United Kingdom

Do the Dead Work Miracles?

Pope John Paul II became a saint after two miracles were attributed to him after his death. A four-year old child had a near-death experience during which he allegedly communicated with his dead sister. True or false? Is something like this possible? Are the dead still alive? Can they work miracles or communicate with us? Or are we dealing here with terrible deceptions of demonic origin? What does your Bible say? Order our free booklet, “Do We Have an Immortal Soul?”

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Current Events

Catholic Superstitions

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 27:

“On Sunday morning, Pope Francis declared two former popes, John XXIII and John Paul II, saints before a crowd of hundreds of thousands in Vatican City’s St. Peter’s [Square.] The double-canonization, which was attended by Pope Francis’ predecessor, Pope emeritus Benedict XVI, was a first in the Catholic Church’s 2,000 year history… In a Latin prayer, Pope Francis said ‘we declare and define Blessed John XXIII and John Paul II be saints and we enroll them among the saints, decreeing that they are to be venerated as such by the whole church.’… Relics of the two new saints were then brought to the altar. Blood from John Paul II was brought by Costa Rican woman Floribeth Mora, whose recovery from a brain aneurism in 2011 was declared the miracle required for John Paul’s canonization. The relic for John XXIII was a small piece of his skin…
 
“Along with the multitudes of pilgrims, leaders from more than 90 nations were due to attend the canonization celebrations, according to the Vatican. These included the Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe, former Polish president and Solidarity leader Lech Walesa and the kings of Spain and Belgium… Leading the Catholic Church from 1958 to 1963, John XXIII called the Second Vatican Council, which changed many aspects of church life including allowing Mass to be held in local languages instead of just Latin. He also encouraged greater dialogue with followers of other faiths, in particular Jewish people… John Paul II was pontiff from 1978 to 2005 and became known for helping to hasten the end of the Cold War and bring down communist rule in Eastern Europe. He also established the popular World Youth Days. His canonization will be the fastest declaration of sainthood in modern history… Earlier this week, critics questioned the appropriateness of declaring Pope John Paul II a saint, citing an abuse scandal linked to an order of priests which he and his closest advisors had strongly supported…”

Big Business Sponsors Catholic Church Event

NBC News wrote on April 26:

“He has railed against the ‘tyranny’ of global capitalism and the ‘idolatry of money, but even Pope Francis needs a little corporate coin sometimes – as proven by the list of sponsors for Sunday’s canonizations. An oil and gas giant, several banks and Switzerland—based food megacorp Nestle are among more than a dozen financial backers of the Rome event…

“The Catholic Church sits upon enormous assets – the Vatican Bank manages $8 billion worth of worldwide investments as well as 33,000 accounts for clergy and parishes – but its governing body, the Holy See, made a loss of $18.4 million in 2011.”

Pope Francis’ Clever Move

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 27:

“The two former popes canonized on Sunday (27.04.2014) by their successor represent opposing positions in the Catholic Church. Pope Francis’ move has placed him squarely between the two poles – a clever diplomatic chess move ahead of important decisions he will have to make.

“John Paul II, sometimes called the ‘Pilgrim Pope’ because of his many travels abroad, distinguished himself during the political unification of Europe. At the same time, he set the Church on a conservative track. Pope John XXIII, meanwhile, ‘tore doors and windows open to let a fresh wind into the Church,’ as one Catholic historian put it. He initiated the Second Vatican Council, with all the reforms it brought, and opened the Church to the people.

“Any canonization reflects on the pope who does the canonizing – even if he did not initiate the process himself. It reveals something of his interpretation of his office. The Polish conservative on the one hand, the Italian reformer on the other: Pope Francis is positioning himself between the two… This is clever a move, and it is the only way that Francis can build the bridges so vital to a Church facing a number of expectations. Following the election of the modest but charismatic Francis a year ago, a stubborn tug-of-war between reformers and traditionalists has been going on behind the scenes at the Vatican – and not only there…

“Sunday’s double-canonization shows that Pope Francis remains an ambiguous figure. But as anyone can now see, he has left all his options open.”

Peace Talks Suspended

JTA wrote on April 25:

“President Obama said it may be time for a pause in Middle East peacemaking in the wake of a breakdown in Israel-Palestinian talks… The crisis began March 29, when Israel failed to meet a deadline to release the final 26 of 104 Palestinian prisoners it had pledged to release at the outset of renewed talks last July. It escalated within days when the Palestinians violated their own pledge not to apply to join international agreements while talks were underway.

“The crisis deepened on Wednesday when the Palestinian Authority signed a unity agreement with Hamas, the group controlling the Gaza Strip that has been designated as terrorist by Israel, the United States and the European Union. Israel suspended the talks formally on Thursday… Netanyahu’s security cabinet ‘decided unanimously that it will not negotiate with a Palestinian government that incorporates Hamas, a terrorist organization that seeks the destruction of Israel.’”

John Kerry Blames Israeli and Palestinian Leaders

The Daily Beast wrote on April 27:

“If there’s no two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict soon, Israel risks becoming ‘an apartheid state,’ Secretary of State John Kerry told a room of influential world leaders in a closed-door meeting Friday. Senior American officials have rarely, if ever, used the term ‘apartheid’ in reference to Israel, and President Obama has previously rejected the idea that the word should apply to the Jewish state. Kerry’s use of the loaded term is already rankling Jewish leaders in America—and it could attract unwanted attention in Israel, as well.

“It wasn’t the only controversial comment on the Middle East that Kerry made… Kerry also repeated his warning that a failure of Middle East peace talks could lead to a resumption of Palestinian violence against Israeli citizens. He suggested that a change in either the Israeli or Palestinian leadership could make achieving a peace deal more feasible. He lashed out against Israeli settlement-building. And Kerry said that both Israeli and Palestinian leaders share the blame for the current impasse in the talks.”

The New York Times added on April 28:

“Secretary of State John Kerry issued an unusual statement Monday evening expressing his support for Israel after a controversy erupted over a politically charged phrase [see above] he used in a private appearance… During his push for a comprehensive peace agreement, Mr. Kerry has repeatedly warned that Israel could face economic pressure from European nations as well as Palestinian violence and a demographic time bomb at home — meaning Jews could become a minority in Israel and the territories they control — if Israel did not negotiate an agreement that led to an independent Palestinian state…

“[Kerry] said that he had been a staunch supporter of Israel during his years as a senator and had spent many hours since working with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli officials… Mr. Kerry added that he did not believe that Israel was an ‘ partied state’ or intended to become one. Mr. Kerry did not dispute he had used the phrase but said it had led to a ‘ misimpression’ about his views. ‘If I could rewind the tape, I would have chosen a different word to describe my firm belief that the only way in the long term to have a Jewish state and two nations and two peoples living side by side in peace and security is through a two state solution,’ he said.

“J Street, a pro-peace Jewish organization,  defended Mr. Kerry. ‘Instead of putting energy into attacking Secretary Kerry, those who are upset with the secretary’s use of the term should put their energy into opposing and changing the policies that are leading Israel down this road,’ it said in a statement.”

Regardless, the Bible indicates that Israel WILL become an “apartheid state”; that is, it will become more and more isolated and without any true supporters.

Rise of the Hungarian Far-Right

Reuters reported on April 27:

“Tens of thousands of Hungarians joined a protest march on Sunday against anti-Semitism, three weeks after the far-right Jobbik party won nearly a quarter of votes cast in a national election.

“Budapest’s annual ‘March of the Living’ has drawn an increasing number of participants in recent years to commemorate the deaths of around half a million Hungarian Jews during the Holocaust in World War Two.

“The marchers, many holding European Union and Israeli flags, attended the inauguration of a Holocaust monument on a bank of the Danube where Jews were executed during the war. They then marched in silence through the city to an old railway station from which trains departed 70 years ago for Nazi death camps…

“Jobbik denies being anti-Semitic but does little to dispel its reputation for intolerance. Its followers are often openly hostile to Jews and other ethnic and religious minorities.

“‘Anti-Semitism has risen. You can feel that in all segments of society: in politics, in media, in schools and in social intercourse,’ said another marcher, Gyorgy Burjan, a retired engineer, adding that Jobbik had capitalized on that.”

US and EU Sanctions of Little Consequence

The Washington Post wrote on April 29:

“The sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle were supposed to roll back the chaos besetting eastern Ukraine. But here in Russia’s blossoming capital, such a retreat is nowhere to be seen. Some targets of the sanctions are sitting down for softball interviews on Kremlin-controlled TV channels. Moscow’s stock market rebounded Tuesday for the second day in a row after the latest round of sanctions turned out to be weaker than expected. Chaos is spiraling in eastern Ukraine, where pro-Russian separatists stormed a regional government building in the roiling city of Luhansk on Tuesday. And tens of thousands of Russian troops remain arrayed on Ukraine’s border…  some of the targets have rolled their eyes, saying the United States and Europe are only inflicting wounds on themselves…

“But sanctions targeting individuals rather than industry sectors are unlikely to have a big effect on behavior, said Kirill Rogov, a senior researcher at the Gaidar Institute for Economic Policy in Moscow. ‘No one will stop buying oil or gas because of these sanctions,’ he said.”

In Germany, the mood of the German people is sympathetic towards Mr. Putin, while the official newscasts and the mainstream press struggle to paint a somewhat negative picture. The embrace of former Chancellor Schroeder and Putin and their celebration of Putin’s birthday have caused some initial consternation among politicians, but they were quick to put a spin on it, indicating that Schroeder might have spoken in private to Putin to encourage him to pursue a more peaceful action… which appears rather doubtful.

Merkel Says No War!

The Globe and Mail reported on April 30:

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday ruled out military intervention in the dispute with Russia over Ukraine and said she was counting on a diplomatic resolution to Europe’s worst crisis since the Cold War ended.

“In a speech to about 1,200 people in Frankfurt, Germany’s financial capital, ahead of the European parliamentary elections next month, Merkel said the lessons of two world wars in the last century could not be forgotten…

“’I’ll continue working towards a good partnership with Russia,’ said Merkel.

“’We will not resolve our conflicts in Europe with military means. Military solutions can be excluded,’ she added to loud applause.

“Germany, which relies heavily on Russia for natural-gas supplies, has been trying to defuse tensions over Ukraine and is seen in the West as reluctant to ratchet up sanctions against Moscow.”

Russia Accuses West of Wanting to Control Ukraine

The Associated Press reported on April 25:

“Accusing the West of plotting to control Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov declared Friday that the pro-Russia insurgents in eastern Ukraine will only lay down their arms if the Ukrainian government clears out the Maidan protest camp in Kiev. ‘The West wants — and this is how it all began — to seize control of Ukraine because of their own political ambitions, not in the interests of the Ukrainian people,’ Lavrov said. He added the pro-Russia insurgents will disarm and vacate buildings ‘only if Kiev authorities get down to implementing the Geneva accords, clear out that shameful Maidan and liberate the buildings that have been illegally seized.’

“Ukraine’s reaction was swift. ‘The world has not yet forgotten the second World War, but Russia is already keen on starting a third world war,’ acting Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk retorted.”

Gauck vs. Errdogan

The Local wrote on April 29:

“Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Errdogan on Tuesday rejected criticism from Germany’s president who said he was ‘scared’ by the Turkey’s recent spate of rights abuses. ‘I think he still thinks of himself as pastor,’ Erdogan told parliament, a day after he met with German President Joachim Gauck who is on a four-day visit to Turkey.

“Gauck, an outspoken former Lutheran pastor, gave a harsh indictment of recent actions by the Turkish government during speeches in Ankara on Monday – particularly efforts to ban Twitter and YouTube and increase control over the judiciary in response to protests and a corruption scandal. ‘I must confess that these developments are scaring me,’ Gauck said in a speech at the Middle East Technical University.

“He added that the rule of law was in danger from efforts to muzzle the opposition. ‘I ask myself if judicial independence is still guaranteed if the government purges so many prosecutors and police, and prevents them from shedding light on crooked developments… or manipulates decisions in its favour,’ Gauck said during his four-day visit to the country.  But Erdogan said Gauck’s approach ‘upset’ him.”

That Turkey has become a dangerous country regarding personal liberties and freedoms, there can be no doubt. President Gauck’s criticism was more than justified, and Errdogan’s reply was more than weak. What diminishes Gauck’s credibility substantially is his personal lifestyle—living together with another woman, while still being married.

Britain No Longer a Christian Country

BBC News wrote on April 27:

“Britain is now a ‘post-Christian’ country, former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams has said… Lord Williams said Britain was not a nation of believers and that the era of widespread worship was over… It comes after Prime Minister David Cameron said people in Britain should be confident of its status as ‘a Christian country’…

“Lord Williams, who retired from being the leader of the Church of England in 2012, said: ‘If I say that this is a post-Christian nation, that doesn’t mean necessarily non-Christian. It means the cultural memory is still quite strongly Christian.’

“He added: ‘But [Britain is] post-Christian in the sense that habitual practice for most of the population is not taken for granted. A Christian nation can sound like a nation of committed believers and we are not that. Equally, we are not a nation of dedicated secularists. It’s a matter of defining terms. A Christian country as a nation of believers? No…”

Don’t Quote Churchill in Britain

The Washington Times wrote on April 29:

“Quoting Winston Churchill’s opinions on Islam contributed to a U.K. politician’s arrest — and possible imprisonment of up to two years. Paul Weston, chairman of the party Liberty GB, was making a speech Saturday outside the Winchester Guildhall in Hampshire, when he quoting the famous prime minister, the Independent reported.

“After a member of the public complained, Mr. Weston was subsequently arrested for religious harassment when he did not comply with officers’ orders to leave the area. The text that contributed to Mr. Weston’s arrest came from Churchill’s book ‘The River of War: An Account of the Reconquest of the Sudan,’ written by the former prime minister in 1899 during his time as an Army officer in Sudan.

“Mr. Weston read the following passage, among others, by Mr. Churchill, the Blaze reported: ‘The fact that in Mohammedan law every woman must belong to some man as his absolute property, either as a child, a wife, or a concubine, must delay the final extinction of slavery until the faith of Islam has ceased to be a great power among men. Individual Moslems may show splendid qualities – but the influence of the religion paralyses the social development of those who follow it. No stronger retrograde force exists in the world. Far from being moribund, Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytizing faith.’”

To get arrested for quoting Winston Churchill’s comments on Islam is another example for the inevitable downfall of Great Britain.

1 In 7 Americans Couldn’t Survive a Week Without a Job

Newsmax wrote on April 26:

“Fourteen percent of Americans, or about one in seven, say they would experience ‘significant financial hardship’ within a week if they lost their job, a Gallup survey reveals. Another 29 percent say they would face financial troubles within a month if they no longer received a paycheck, while 26 percent wouldn’t survive financially more than four months without a job. Just 17 percent could survive for up to one year, and 14 percent could last more than a year, according to Gallup’s poll of adults employed full-time or part-time in all 50 states.

“And among those with an annual household income of less than $50,000, 45 percent could not last one month and 25 percent could not last even a week… More than 60 percent of adults ages 18 to 34 could go only one month or less before experiencing hardship…

“Gallup concludes: ‘With long-term unemployment a serious problem in recent years, many U.S. workers are not in a position financially to go a month, or even a week, without finding a new job if laid off. That underscores the economic hardship that unemployment of any length can bring on U.S. families, particularly for younger and lower-income workers.’”

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