On February 22, 2014, Norbert Link will give the sermon, titled, “Do Good to Those Who Hate You!”

The services can be heard 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.

It seems that many news reports that I encounter emphasize and glorify the scientific discoveries of man. You don’t have to work very hard to find this kind of reporting. Some recent examples that I came across included reporting on scientific findings about genetic patterns in homosexual men, linking specific chromosomes to sexual preference, and the genetic engineering of viruses to thwart the growth of brain cancer tumors. These weren’t part of a scientific report in some obscure journal either. These reports were part of standard daily reporting by the BBC. If journalism can be used as a barometer for popular opinion, it is safe to say that societal trust in conclusions made in scientific research is the norm.

The scientific apologist will be quick to say that proper science provides insight into observed facts, has no agenda, no bias, and therefore must be trusted. Even with these high standards of rigor that are so important to scientific research, conclusions once thought to be immutable have flip-flopped in the past, and will do so in the future. Scientific research and conclusions are limited by the finite capacities of man, which explains why theories do change as more information becomes available. Even so, you will struggle to find many people in modern society who will trust in the truly immutable promises of God over contrary conclusions made in scientific research. It is a sad commentary to say that science has become a god of this age.

However, we know that God does not lie (Hebrews 6:18) and God does not change (Malachi 3:6). What can be trusted more than that which does not change? This plain truth, God’s Word as it is presented in the Bible, is more trustworthy than anything concluded by the limited intellect of man. What a blessing it is to have enough insight to believe it. 

Once we learn about the truth of God – the one that is worth believing – it boggles the mind that anyone could trust in anything different. Why is it that so many refuse to trust in God? Why is it that so many trust in the limited knowledge of man instead? Certainly, the influence of Satan causes many to reject or turn away from God and favor the pride of man. But it also takes a certain state of mind and a specific state of being to completely have faith in God. Spiritual conversion is necessary in order to obtain the Spirit of God, and thereby gain spiritual understanding (1 Corinthians 2:11). Unfortunately, this is not a popular path to follow for man – at least not yet.

In this present age we can expect that trust in the pride of mankind will increase, and that faith in God’s truth will be rejected or wane throughout most of the world. Of this we have been warned: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the LORD’” (Jeremiah 17:5). However, we also have this encouragement to guide us:  “‘Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD’” (Jeremiah 17:7).  In whom will you choose to trust?

We begin with reporting on the futility of war, using examples from the past, present and future; and continue with articles on the EU and its growing alienation from America.

We are also reporting on the different facets of ongoing and unchecked criminal spying and hacking activities, and other violations of our privacies.

We speak on the Superstar status of Pope Francis, and address the debate on climate change or global warming, and radiation-related developments.

2014—A Special Year

Der Spiegel Online wrote on February 14:

“This year will be a historic one, marking three important anniversaries: the 100th anniversary of the eruption of World War I, the 75th anniversary of the start of World War II and the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall…”

The Futility of War — “Christians in Iraq Worse Off Now Than Under Saddam”

Newsmax wrote on February 16:

“The persecution of Christians in Iraq is worse today than it was before a United States-led force deposed brutal dictator Saddam Hussein, a Republican congressman declared. ‘As we witness the black flag of al-Qaida again fly over cities such as Fallujah, which we had won at the cost of so much American blood, we wonder how it is that for Christians in Iraq, life appears to be worse now than it was under the vicious dictator Saddam Hussein,’ Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey said at a Tuesday hearing of a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee.

“One of the witnesses at the hearing was Archbishop Francis Chullikat, who served as the papal nuncio to Iraq. Chullikat said the violence that children in particular have seen — including the killing of Christians — will ‘leave a lasting scar’ on that generation. Chullikat said ‘flagrant and widespread persecution of Christians rages even as we meet.’

“Smith disclosed that the population of Christians in Iraq has decreased from 1.4 million in 1987, prior to the first Gulf War, to an estimated 150,000 today. ‘Much of this exodus has occurred during a time in which our country invested heavily in blood and treasure in seeking to help Iraqis build a democracy,’ Smith said.

“In one of the most horrific recent attacks against Christians in Iraq, militants launched two separate bomb attacks against Christians celebrating Christmas, killing at least 37. In one attack, a car bomb went off near a church during Christmas Mass in Baghdad’s southern Dora neighborhood, killing at least 26 people and wounding 38, police said. Earlier that day, a bomb exploded at an outdoor market in a Christian neighborhood, killing 11 people and wounding 21.

“Smith added that ‘researchers from the Pew Center have documented incidents of harassment of religious groups worldwide — a term defined as including “physical assaults; arrests and detentions; desecration of holy sites; and discrimination against religious groups in employment, education, and housing” — and has concluded that Christians are the single most harassed group today.’”

America’s declared “noble” goal for invading Iraq to bring more freedom and democracy to the people backfired terribly and created a situation which is worse than it was prior to the invasion. Of course, the war was fought based on misleading, inaccurate and deceiving information, and many commentators feel that the real goal had nothing to do with bringing democracy to Iran. In any event, America’s conduct contributed to the prophesied alienation between America and the rest of the world. In regard to the issue of warfare, please view our StandingWatch program, “Should Christians Fight in War?” 

Iran Prepares for War Against USA

The Washington Examiner wrote on February 14:

“Iran’s surprising decision to move warships off the Atlantic coast poses a potential catastrophic threat to America from a nuclear or electromagnetic pulse attack, according to an expert who foresaw Iran’s move. Peter Pry, an expert on EMP attacks, said the ships are likely a dry run for a future attack, a maneuver meant to lull Washington into complacency while also embarrassing President Obama and his effort to convince Tehran to give up production of a nuclear bomb in return for a lifting of some economic sanctions…

“Pry said the ships are probably conducting a test for a future visit from an Iranian freighter that would launch the attack. ‘I think the Iranian Navy patrols off our coasts may be intended to lull us into complacency, to get the U.S. Navy accustomed to an Iranian naval presence in our hemisphere, so eventually they could contribute to “Zero Hour” and the great day when the Mullahs decide to drop the nuclear hammer on America,’ said Pry… Pry… one of the nation’s leading authorities on EMP, revealed that Iran recently purchased Russia’s Club-K missile launcher, which can be hidden in tractor-trailer-sized cargo boxes.”

America’s naivety in respect to Iran is topped by its indifference towards the dangers confronting the country from the outside and the inside. America’s downfall IS inevitable.

Nazi Scientists Worked on Malaria-Carrying Mosquitoes as a Weapon

The Local wrote on February 14:

“Nazi scientists worked on ways to use malaria-carrying mosquitoes as a weapon, according to researchers… Until now, it had been generally thought by experts that the Nazis only intended ever to use biological weapons defensively… But tests with mosquitoes infected with malaria were never carried out and Hitler opposed biological warfare, according to Reinhardt.

“He and his team published their findings in the Endeavor scientific journal in December. It states how in 1942 head of the SS, Heinrich Himmler, set up the Dachau institute to study the physiology and control of insects that inflict harm to humans.

“Institute leader Eduard May had, Reinhardt said, an interest in dragonflies before Himmler put him – for reasons unknown – in charge of the Dachau institute. Reinhardt said: ‘I have a special interest in dragonflies so really came across the mosquito plan by accident.’”

The coming world war will be fought, no doubt, with chemical, biological and nuclear weapons.

Eurozone’s Growth

The Telegraph wrote on February 14:

“The eurozone has taken a major step towards recovery with the single currency’s four major economies all growing for the first time in almost three years. Germany, Italy, and France all registered expansion in the final three months of 2013, official figures showed, with France avoiding a dreaded double-dip recession and Germany, the region’s biggest economy, performing better than had been expected.

“Along with Spain, which last month recorded its best quarterly growth since 2008, the countries led the 18-currency bloc to growth of 0.3pc in the final three months of 2013. The four biggest economies in Europe had not grown in unison since the first quarter of 2011.”

The “Revival” of Europe under German-French Leadership?

The EUObserver wrote on February 17:

“The French and German leaders will in Paris on Wednesday (19 February) discuss what France is calling ‘the revival of Europe.’ French President Francois Hollande has announced that his meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her ministers will launch three projects: harmonisation of French and German corporate tax; the creation of a joint company, on the model of aeronautic firm Airbus, specialising in renewable energy; and ‘a Franco-German partnership for European defence.’

“He said in a speech last month the initiatives will open a new chapter in European politics after the economic crisis. Harking back to the idea of France and Germany as the engine of EU policy-making, he added that Wednesday’s summit will also ‘establish a basic principle: namely, that our governments are to collaborate from an early stage on all large projects. Initiatives for Europe must first be agreed between France and Germany,’ he said. ‘This Franco-German momentum will enable us … to revitalise the European ideal.’”

The Local added on February 19:

“France and Germany have decided to send elements of the Franco-German Brigade to Mali: the first deployment under the aegis of the EU and in an African location,” a statement said after a security and defence meeting in Paris between the two countries… The statement said the troops sent would integrate into a European mission in Mali to train soldiers… The Franco-German brigade… was set up in 1989 to increase military cooperation between the World War II-era foes…”

For more information on Europe’s rise, please read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.”

European Communication Network to Circumvent USA

Reuters reported February 15:

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Saturday she would talk to French President Francois Hollande about building up a European communication network to avoid emails and other data passing through the United States… Merkel said in her weekly podcast that she disapproved of companies such as Google and Facebook basing their operations in countries with low levels of data protection [such as the USA] while being active in countries such as Germany with high data protection…

“[Merkel said:] ‘Above all, we’ll talk about European providers that offer security for our citizens, so that one shouldn’t have to send emails and other information across the Atlantic. Rather, one could build up a communication network inside Europe.’…

“Government snooping is a particularly sensitive subject in Germany due to the heavy surveillance of citizens practised in communist East Germany and under Hitler, and there was widespread outrage at the revelations of NSA surveillance by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden… Germany has been pushing, so far in vain, for a ‘no-spy’ agreement with Washington.”

Due to America’s NSA spying activities and the Obama Administration’s short-sighted refusal to consent to a no-spy agreement with Europe, the prophesied alienation between the USA and Europe continues, and Europe is being pushed into a position of creating even more of a powerful fortress in many different respects, keeping out of Europe and barring American power, interests and activities.

“Americans Only Understand the Language of the Wild West”

Der Spiegel Online wrote on February 18:

“Away from the public eye, the German government is moving toward implementing plans to turn its own spies against partner countries like the United States, putting allies on the same level as the Chinese, Russians and North Koreans. The stubbornness of the Americans, who have answered few relevant questions from Germany during the National Security Agency spying scandal, has angered the new government… ‘They’re like cowboys who only understand the language of the Wild West,’ sources in Merkel’s party say, referring to the Americans’ intractability…

“The plans for monitoring allies are already well developed. Section 4 in the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, where just 100 specialists had been employed, is to be significantly expanded… The changes mean that, nine months after the NSA affair, the German government is steering towards a serious confrontation with the US. It would mark a break with the decades-long practice of allowing Western partners to essentially do as they please in Germany…”

Europe’s Economic Boycott against Israel

The Christian Science Monitor wrote on February 16:

“The European Union, Israel’s No. 1 trading partner, accounts for about a third of its total trade, and was long the favored destination for Jordan Valley produce. But these fruits and vegetables are grown on land that Israel has occupied since 1967. For a growing number of European consumers, that’s a problem. They say that buying such produce is supporting the illegal confiscation and control of land and water resources that should be in Palestinian hands.

“The campaign is starting to bite. Last year, Jordan Valley farmers lost an estimated $29 million, or 14 percent of revenue, because they were forced to find alternative markets for their exports, such as Russia, where prices are 20 to 60 percent lower. Pepper exports to Western Europe have stopped completely, and grape exports are likely to be phased out this year because of consumer pressure…

“According to a 2013 BBC poll, public opinion of Israel is worsening. Favorability ratings dropped 8 percent in both Spain and Germany, to the single digits. Even in Britain, the first European country to formally support the establishment of a Jewish state, only 14 percent of citizens have a positive view of Israel today. EU citizens and lawmakers alike have long opposed Israeli policies, but popular discontent… is increasingly pressuring businesses and governments to take more concrete action…

“In September a Dutch engineering firm, under pressure from the government, dropped plans to build a sewage treatment plant in East Jerusalem, and in December, a Dutch water company cut ties with Israel’s national water carrier over its operations in the West Bank. But it’s not just the Dutch. Germany announced in January that it would not renew research grants to Israeli companies that do business over the Green Line, the de facto border before Israel captured East Jerusalem and the West Bank in the 1967 war… Germany’s move prompted concern that if Israel’s best friend in Europe, still burdened by the guilt of the Holocaust, takes such steps, every other EU country could follow suit…”

Denmark Bans Religious Slaughter of Animals

The Independent wrote on February 18:

“Denmark’s government has brought in a ban on the religious slaughter of animals for the production of halal and kosher meat, after years of campaigning from welfare activists. The change to the law, announced last week and effective as of yesterday, has been called ‘anti-Semitism’ by Jewish leaders and ‘a clear interference in religious freedom’ by the non-profit group Danish Halal.

“European regulations require animals to be stunned before they are slaughtered, but grants exemptions on religious grounds. For meat to be considered kosher under Jewish law or halal under Islamic law, the animal must be conscious when killed. Yet defending his government’s decision to remove this exemption, the minister for agriculture and food Dan Jørgensen told Denmark’s TV2 that ‘animal rights come before religion’.

“Commenting on the change, Israel’s deputy minister of religious services Rabbi Eli Ben Dahan told the Jewish Daily Forward: ‘European anti-Semitism is showing its true colours across Europe, and is even intensifying in the government institutions.’ Al Jazeera quoted the monitoring group Danish Halal, which launched a petition against the ban, as saying it was ‘a clear interference in religious freedom limiting the rights of Muslims and Jews to practice their religion in Denmark’.

“The ban has divided opinions in the country, particularly after it recently made headlines for animal welfare policy after Copenhagen Zoo slaughtered the ‘surplus’ young male giraffe Marius… Last year politicians in Britain said they would not be outlawing religious slaughter despite ‘strong pressure’ from the RSPCA, the National Secular Society and other activists.”

Ukraine in Uproar

Newsmax reported on February 19:

“The office of Ukraine’s embattled president says he and leaders of the country’s raging protests have called for a truce. The brief statement late Wednesday came after President Viktor Yanukovych met with top leaders of the protests that flared into violence on Tuesday that has left at least 26 people dead… Yanukovych had moved to quell the growing insurgency by granting sweeping powers to the army and police after a region declared independence from his government, risking wider conflict.

“Reeling from the bloodiest clashes in a three-month standoff, the Russian-backed leader’s security service said Wednesday it was undertaking a nationwide anti-terrorism operation to restore public order and protect state borders. That move would give the military the right to search, detain, and even fire on Ukrainians in the course of the operation, the Defense Ministry said…

“Obama said the United States condemns the violence in the strongest terms and holds Ukraine’s government primarily responsible to ensure it is dealing with peaceful protesters appropriately… The European Union moved toward freezing the assets of Ukraine’s most powerful officials…

“Russia blames ‘extremists’ and ‘radical elements’ for the escalation of violence… Russia, which said this week it would renew funding for Ukraine, blamed the United States and the EU for the violence…”

The Washington Post added on February 20:

“Fierce fighting broke out Thursday between government forces and protesters in the Ukrainian capital, shattering a truce declared hours earlier and leaving scores of people dead. A top human rights official said at least 50 people were killed in the clashes that erupted Thursday morning in the streets around Kiev’s Independence Square. Other estimates of the death toll were considerably higher…

“In Washington, the White House called on Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych  to ‘immediately withdraw his security forces’ from downtown Kiev and to ‘respect the right of peaceful protest.’ The statement Thursday also urged protesters ‘to express themselves peacefully.’ In Brussels, the 28-nation European Union decided unanimously Thursday in an emergency meeting to impose sanctions against Ukrainian officials deemed responsible for the violence… The E.U. also announced a suspension of arms sales to Ukraine…

“Videos indicated that some protesters have sniper rifles, and police were shown shooting automatic weapons… A truce reached late Wednesday between President Viktor Yanukovych and three main opposition political leaders has not been formally renounced, but the fighting demonstrated how neither side appears to have control over its armed contingents…

“The pressure on Ukraine — internal and external — has only increased, and the two sides are so far apart that reconciliation appears impossible. They are now faced with the challenge of getting the country back on track even without reconciling politically… Abroad, the Western nations and Russia blamed each other for supporting one of the two sides in Ukraine’s long-running political crisis…”

Syrian Electronic Army Attacks Forbes

The website of cnet.com reported on February 14:

“The Syrian Electronic Army has attacked Forbes, stealing user data and posting fake stories to its Web site. The hacking group announced the exploit on Friday, showing several screenshots of the WordPress-based backend of the Forbes.com Web site. The organization said in a tweet that more than 1 million user e-mails and passwords were successfully stolen and will be published at some point.

“Forbes acknowledged that its Web site and publishing platform were the targets of a hack in a Facebook post on Friday… IBTimes… talked to a spokesperson for the SEA, who said the attacks are based in its belief that Forbes’ ‘hate for Syria is very clear and flagrant in their articles’…

“The Syrian Electronic Army is one of the more active hacking groups. Last year, the organization hacked into Viber’s database, hijacked a Thomson Reuters Twitter feed, and took aim at both the Onion and BBC Twitter accounts. Earlier this year, the group also broke into several Microsoft Twitter accounts.”

And there seems to be no one able or willing to deal with these despicable criminal hackers.

Silly Governmental “Justification” for Video-Surveillance Cameras

Fortune reported on February 13:

“Is the video-surveillance system that blankets Manhattan from Midtown to the Battery, river to river, really not so different from an earlier anti-crime innovation, street lights? That’s what Richard Daddario, deputy commissioner for counterterrorism under former New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, once told me. Street lights mean criminals can’t operate with impunity under cover of darkness. Cameras, same principle, slightly extended.

“‘That comparison seems a bit disingenuous and silly,’ according to Glenn Cohen, a professor at Harvard Law School, who spoke about privacy and technology recently at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study in Cambridge, and corresponded with me afterward by e-mail. ‘Lights don’t have the potential for “function creep” whereby they are introduced for one purpose but then used for something quite different in the future, like social security numbers. Lights are temporary in their effect and don’t record what we do for the indefinite future. Finally, there are few activities that people actually want to do in the dark in public, so losing darkness is not a loss to many people, if anyone. By contrast, there are many activities we want to undertake without being recorded and watched…’

“In the post-Snowden era, alas, such concerns can seem almost quaint. A street-corner surveillance camera, easily evaded by ducking indoors, is one kind of intrusion. A smartphone that tracks our movements and hoards for future inspection by parties unknown [of] our emails, blog posts, photos and tweets, is something else altogether.

“Like it or not, we have entered the era of assumed ubiquitous snooping, and we have not begun to parse the implications… Can the law protect us? We shouldn’t count on it…”

Let’s face it, we have gone far beyond a George Orwellian “1984” Big Brother mentality, when NOTHING is sacred anymore to our governments. Forget the right of privacy… the “exceptions” are so manifold that one could not even begin to write them all down. And the average American, indifferent, detached and non-involved, seems to not even care, while governmental officials invent ridiculous excuses to justify such blatantly ungodly and SINFUL behavior.

Most of our Christian churches—including even many of the Sabbath-keeping Church of God organizations–have been fearfully and suspiciously silent about such intrusions, and our main stream media and networks—“conservative” and “liberal” alike–have only half-heartedly “reported” about some of the most egregious violations, and even then, they were quick in interviewing a representative of either party to advance arguments as to why such activities are justified.

Especially in light of the appointment of czars and the issuing of executive orders to circumvent Congress, some, if not many in Europe—including older people who have experienced and still remember the horrors of World War 2–have begun to accuse the American government of trying to become as dictatorial as Hitler and Mussolini. Such impression, whether right or wrong, will not in any way build confidence and friendship between America and Europe.

Pope Francis—The “Super Pope” and Crowd Pleaser

The Associated Press reported on February 14:

“A year ago this past Tuesday [February 11], Pope Benedict XVI said in a voice so soft that cardinals strained to hear (and in a Latin not all could easily follow) that he was becoming the first pontiff to resign in more than half a millennium. On the eve of the anniversary, Benedict’s longtime private secretary credited the stunning decision with opening the way to the ‘enormous impact’ Pope Francis is having on the church and the world at large.

“Monsignor Georg Gaenswein’s comments sent a message of continuity between the awkward, bookish Benedict and his charismatic, superstar successor — the first Jesuit pope and the first pontiff from Latin America… ‘We are all seeing the impact that Pope Francis is having on the world, not just the faithful in the church but in the world. It’s an enormous impact…’

“Gaenswein is in the historically unique situation of serving two popes: While he remains Benedict’s secretary, lives with him in his retirement home in the Vatican gardens and takes daily walks with him in the afternoon, Gaenswein is also the head of Pope Francis’s household…

“As the anniversary of that momentous resignation day approached, Vatican officials have sought to stress Benedict’s generosity, courage and service to the church in deciding to step down as they battle to preserve his legacy amid the increasing temptation to contrast his often problematic papacy and reserved personality with his crowd-pleasing successor. It’s no easy feat when no one ever made a ‘Super Pope’ wall painting of Benedict or created a life-size chocolate statue of him — as has been the case with Francis….

“Benedict has largely stuck to his retirement pledge to live his remaining years ‘hidden from the world’ in a converted convent in the Vatican gardens… Francis seems perfectly at ease with the pope next door; they exchanged visits over the Christmas holidays, and they not only speak frequently by phone but also exchange written notes…”

Pope Francis—the Gentle Pontiff?

CNN wrote on February 19:

“In the year since Francis was elected Pope, the media have told us a certain story about this man ‘from the ends of the Earth,’ as he once described himself. Francis, we are told, is warm and friendly, gentle and compassionate. He embraces the poor, the disfigured, the outcast. These attributes pose a sharp contrast, we are informed, to his mean-spirited, judgmental and arrogant predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who was known for his fancy vestments and aloof, academic attitude.

“If Francis has the common touch, the story goes, Benedict was firmly out of touch, perched on an ivory tower far inside the Vatican. To many Catholics this media-driven contrast between the two Popes is laughable.

“Benedict may have been unpopular with the world and many of its opinion-makers, but those who loved him… knew a far different man than is cruelly caricatured in the media. We welcomed Benedict’s theology and liturgical vision… And when Benedict did say something likely to be deemed offensive, he was often extremely careful about the way in which he said it. In fact, he was much more careful not to offend than [Francis]… bluntness is a double-edged sword, and some of [Francis’] speeches and sermons have offended some of the papacy’s biggest supporters. This, of course, counters the image of Francis as the ‘gentle, pastoral shepherd.’ In sifting through media reports, I was shocked by how often the Pope criticized Christians and by the severity of his insults…

“Indeed, here’s some of the names the Pope has actually called people: ‘pickled pepper-faced Christians,’ ‘closed, sad, trapped Christians,’ ‘defeated Christians,’ ‘liquid Christians,’ ‘creed-reciting, parrot Christians,’ and, finally, those ‘watered-down faith, weak-hoped Christians.’ Catholics who focus on church traditions are ‘museum mummies,’ the Pope says. Nuns who fail to inspire faith in the church are ‘old maids,’ and the Vatican hierarchy has at times been ‘the leprosy of the papacy,’ in Francis’ words.

“Indeed, men of the cloth face the brunt of Francis’ fulminations. He has called some of them ‘vain’ butterflies, ‘smarmy’ idolators and ‘priest-tycoons.’ He’s described some seminarians as potential ‘little monsters.’… some Catholics have felt alienated by Francis’s criticisms, as if they are under attack. In blasting the status quo, it can sometimes seem as if the Pope is slighting the most faithful members of the church.”

California’s Ongoing Exceptional Drought—Is Climate Change Responsible?

The Telegraph wrote on February 14:

“For California this is the third year of little or no rain. More than 90 per cent of the state is in ‘severe to exceptional drought’. Records have been kept since the 1840s and last year was the driest yet. Some farm areas received less rain than Death Valley in 2013.”

The Washington Times wrote on February 14:

“While touring areas of California ravaged by a historic drought, President Obama on Friday sounded an ominous warning and said that even if the federal government takes meaningful action to combat climate change, much of the damage already has been done… ‘The planet is slowly going to keep warming for a long time to come,’ Mr. Obama said…

“Mr. Obama and many Democrats, along with their supporters in the environmental community, have held up extreme weather events such as California’s drought, Hurricane Sandy and others as proof that global warming is wreaking havoc all across the planet. But the issue remains bitterly divisive, and many lawmakers believe Mr. Obama’s dire warnings are grossly overstated. The heated debate over climate change has led to near gridlock on Capitol Hill, with Republicans and some Democrats standing in staunch opposition to major legislative proposals to address the issue.”

The Drudge Report linked to an article on February 16, stating: “If February ended today, this would be the third coldest winter on record in the US, after 1979 and 1899.”

The Washington Post wrote on February 16:

“Secretary of State John F. Kerry, calling climate change perhaps the world’s most fearsome weapon of mass destruction, urged developing nations on Sunday to do more to cut greenhouse-gas emissions as he derided climate-change skeptics at home and blamed big companies for hijacking the debate.

“Kerry painted a picture of looming drought and famine, massive floods and deadly storms as a result of global warming, and he urged ordinary citizens in developing nations to speak out on the issue and demand more from their political leaders. He labeled those who denied the evidence of climate change as ‘shoddy scientists and extreme ideologues.’”

So, is it man-made global warming or man-made climate change? Are they, or which one of them, causing droughts in California, terrible winters in large parts of the USA, and flooding in the UK? Apparently, something seems to be wrong with this inconsistent picture, and polemic accusations by proponents against those who dare to ask questions don’t help. Many may not know or recall that late Michael Crichton (M.D. and author of Jurassic Park) concluded in his remarkable novel, “State of Fear,” with interesting arguments, that one cannot prove man-made global warming. San Diego’s famous KUSI weather man and founder of the Weather Channel, John Coleman, came to the same conclusion. Are these skeptics “shoddy scientists and extreme ideologues”?

Radiation Leak at New Mexico Military Nuclear Waste Site

Reuters reported on February 16:

“Unusually high levels of radioactive particles were found at an underground nuclear waste site in New Mexico on Saturday… U.S. officials were testing for radiation in air samples at the site where radioactive waste, such as plutonium used in defense research and nuclear weapon making, is dumped half a mile below ground in an ancient salt formation… A different part of the site was evacuated this month after a truck used to haul salt caught fire…”

We are playing with fire, and serious disasters involving our nuclear power plants are bound to occur.

US Lawsuit Charges Japanese Company with Negligence over Radiation

The website nextgov.com reported on February 19:

“The USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier experienced radiation levels 30 times above normal while its crew conducted disaster relief operations off the coast of Japan in March 2011 after a tsunami damaged reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, according to a new analysis published on Monday. That analysis came just days after 79 Reagan crewmen filed an amended lawsuit in federal court in San Diego against the plant’s operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co. The plaintiffs seek $1 billion in damages, claiming the company was negligent in construction and operation of the plant and during the subsequent meltdown of its reactors following the tsunami March 11, 2011.

“Kyle Cleveland, a sociology professor at Temple University Japan, cited transcripts of a conference call between high level Navy and Energy Department officials in an article in the Asia-Pacific Journal… The transcripts… show concern among U.S. officials discussing the level of radioactivity on the Reagan on March 13… Troy Mueller, deputy administrator for naval reactors at Energy, said the radiation is ‘about 30 times what you would detect just on a normal air sample out at sea . . . So it’s much greater than what we had thought. We didn’t think we would detect anything at 100 miles.’…

“The law firm Bonner & Bonner, based in Sausalito, Calif., charged in its lawsuit against Tokyo Electric Power that crewmen on the Reagan exposed to radiation from the Fukushima plant ‘now endure a lifetime of radiation poisoning and suffering which could have and should have been avoided,’ if the company had not been negligent in construction and operation of the facility. The suit also charged that sailors aboard the Reagan ‘have been and will be required to undergo further medical testing, evaluation and medical procedures, including but not limited to chelation therapy, bone marrow transplants and/or genetic reprogramming.’

“Sailors on the Reagan were exposed to both airborne radiation and radiation from contaminated seawater, the suit said. One plaintiff said the ship was taking in sea water, ‘but obviously the ship can’t filter out the radiation. Water we all showered with, drank, brushed our teeth, and had our food cooked with.’ Tokyo Electric Power registered as a California foreign corporation in 2003. As a result, TEPCO is subject to the jurisdiction of the United States Federal District Court, the suit said.”

When dealing with the Father’s and Christ’s relationship with His Church, we find that the Bible pictures the same through several analogies. One of these analogies is the concept of a marriage agreement—we read that both in the Old and in the New Testament, the “congregation in the wilderness”—Old Testament Israel—and the Body of Christ—New Testament Israel or the Church of God—are pictured as entering a marriage agreement with the LORD or YHWH, who was none other than Jesus Christ. In other words, the old covenant and the new covenant are compared with marriage agreements. We read that Christ—the bridegroom—will marry His Church—the bride.

At the same time, we read that we are Christ’s brothers and sisters, and that God is our Father—as He is also the Father of Jesus Christ. When we receive God’s Holy Spirit, we are called begotten children of God, and we will become born-again children at the time of our change to immortal spirit beings in God’s Family. The new covenant also includes for us a promise of inheritance. We are called co-heirs with Christ. All these meaningful analogies contain very important spiritual principles and teachings for us.

In our free booklet, “And Lawlessness Will Abound,” we identify both the old and the new covenant as marriage agreements, while explaining the difference between betrothal and marriage:

“Let’s read… Hosea 2:16, 18–20… ‘And it shall be, in that day, Says the LORD, That you will call Me My Husband…In that day I will make a covenant for them With the beasts of the field, With the birds of the air, And with the creeping things of the ground. Bow and sword of battle I will shatter from the earth, To make them lie down safely. I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and justice, In lovingkindness and mercy; I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, And you shall know the LORD.’

“We are introduced here to the concept that this New Covenant, which includes physical blessings of peace and prosperity, is compared with betrothal and marriage… betrothal… can roughly be compared with a binding agreement of engagement that can only be annulled through a divorce. God compared His covenant with ancient Israel at Mount Sinai with a marriage agreement (compare Ezekiel 16:8; Isaiah 54:5; Jeremiah 31:32)—but this marriage ended in divorce, as Israel broke the agreement and sinned against God (Isaiah 50:1; Jeremiah 3:8)…

“The New Covenant is a marriage agreement. The consummation of our marriage with Jesus Christ—the bridegroom and the Lamb—is still in the future. This is where the biblical concept of betrothal becomes important. In biblical times, the parties went through a period of ‘betrothal’ before they actually consummated the marriage. Mary was already betrothed to Joseph when she was found to be with child (Matthew 1:18). Since they had not consummated the marriage, Joseph thought that Mary was guilty of fornication. But Mary and Joseph were already called, at the time of their betrothal, husband and wife (Matthew 1:19–20, 24; compare also Deuteronomy 28:30). Betrothal was a binding agreement or contract of marriage, and it could only be severed through a divorce. With this contract, the husband had promised his wife to consummate the marriage with her, after a certain period of time.

“In the same way, we, when we became baptized, entered into a covenant with God, and into a contract of betrothal with Jesus Christ. The consummation of our marriage will occur, once Jesus Christ returns to establish His Kingdom. At that time, we will be immortal Spirit beings—born-again members of the God Family.”

In our booklet, “Is That in the Bible? The Mysteries of the Book of Revelation,” we state the following about the bridegroom—Jesus Christ—and His bride—the Church of God, which is and will be composed of all past, present and future Christians:

“Jesus Christ is the bridegroom who will marry the bride upon His return… Jesus spoke of Himself as the ‘bridegroom’ (Luke 5:34–35). When Jesus was on this earth, He taught that He would be taken away and that no ‘marriage’ would be consummated at that time. Note, as well, that Jesus gave a parable indicating that He, as the bridegroom, would return (compare Matthew 25:1–13). In this story, Jesus began His teaching with these very important words: ‘The kingdom of heaven shall be LIKENED to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom’ (Matthew 25:1).

“Jesus presented this example of bridegroom and virgins (that is, the bride) as a means of instructing His Church to be ready for His return. Most importantly, the Church was to remain vigilant and not let God’s Holy Spirit (the ‘oil’ for their lamps) fade out of their lives! He would only marry those who were ready. John the Baptist also referred to Jesus as the bridegroom (compare John 3:29)…

“The fact remains that Jesus Christ will marry His Church! We find this specifically promised in Revelation 19. Verse 7 states: ‘Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.’ Understand that the wife spoken of here is comprised of ALL of the saints—ALL of those counted WORTHY for the first resurrection. Christians who live just before Christ’s return, also must be prepared—just as the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25 so clearly teaches.

“Carefully consider what is stated in Revelation 19:8: ‘And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is THE RIGHTEOUS ACTS of the saints.’ The focus for who will be in this wedding ceremony centers on those who are righteous—that is, those who obey God! Here we gain insight to the fact that Christ will marry those who live righteous lives—something only possible through having the help of God’s Holy Spirit!…

“In the Old Testament, God says that He is the Husband of Israel: ‘For your Maker is your husband, The LORD of hosts is His name; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth’ (Isaiah 54:5). Even as Israel rejected God, He reminded them of Who He was: “Return, O backsliding children,” says the LORD; “for I am married to you…”’ (Jeremiah 3:14)…

“Speaking to Israel of a future time—a time when God will establish His Kingdom on the earth: ‘“And it shall be, IN THAT DAY,” Says the LORD, “That you will call Me ‘My Husband…’”’ (Hosea 2:16). Then, in verses 19–20, we find that God promises to join Israel to Himself in an unending marriage: ‘“I WILL BETROTH YOU TO ME FOREVER; Yes, I will betroth you to Me In righteousness and justice, In lovingkindness and mercy; I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, And you shall know the LORD.”’ It is important to realize that God will ‘betroth’ Israel in the future—AFTER Christ’s return and the FIRST resurrection. This shows that the ‘bride’ cannot only include those in the first resurrection.

“The qualities the bride brings to this marriage are: righteousness, justice, lovingkindness, mercy and faithfulness. These are fruits of God’s Holy Spirit, fruits that Christians—the saints, the bride of Christ—are to possess (compare Galatians 5:22–23).

“…the Bible also speaks of a ‘bride’ in an even greater context… ‘Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, “Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God’ (Revelation 21:9–10). Earlier, in Revelation 21, verse 2, we find this overview: ‘Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.’

“Please note that the holy city, spoken of as the ‘bride,’ will descend to this earth after the first resurrection, the Millennium and the Great White Throne Judgment. At that time, the heavenly Jerusalem, placed on earth, is compared with the bride; that is, it will be comprised of ALL of God’s saints. Most commentaries understand this analogy. For example, Jamieson, Fausset and Brown say that the bride in Revelation 21:2 is ‘made up of the blessed citizens of the “holy city,”’ and the Ryrie Study Bible states that ‘the heavenly city [when here on earth] will be the abode of all the saints, the bride of Christ…’ Again, we see that the ‘bride’ includes more than just the saints of the first resurrection.

“The spiritual consummation of the marriage between Christ and His Church, as well as the spiritual ‘marriage supper’ celebration [compare Revelation 19:9], will be ongoing—as physical marriage supper celebrations in biblical times lasted for several days (compare Rienecker, Lexikon zur Bibel, under ‘Marriage’)…”

It is important to realize, in this context, that these are spiritual analogies. There will of course not be any physical consummation of the marriage agreement when Christ returns to marry His bride. Even though the Bible states that the spiritual “supper” celebration and the wedding feast will take place at the time of Christ’s return, indicating that its physical manifestation can be “observed” by physical people (compare our booklets, “Are You Predestined to Be Saved?” and “The Gospel of the Kingdom of God,” as well as our Q&A on the marriage supper), the main emphasis is on the spiritual “consummation”—an analogy drawn from the physical marriage concept.

We need to understand that there is nothing stated in Scripture that another physical manifestation of a marriage supper will take place at the end of the Millennium or at the end of the Great White Throne Judgment period. This would not be necessary, anyhow, if the primary purpose of the physical manifestation of the marriage supper and the wedding feast at the time of Christ’s return was to witness to and be observed by physical people who will not be in the Kingdom at the time of Christ’s Second Coming (cp. Matthew 22:11; Matthew 25:10-11; Luke 13:28-29), as there will be no more physical people alive at the end of the Millennium, and, following that, at the end of the Great White Throne Judgment. Those who did not qualify by that time will have died, to be resurrected and burned up in the third resurrection.

On the other hand, the spiritual consummation of the marriage will endure forever, and it will include all those who will later become part of the immortal bride. As the physical and spiritual betrothal period is not limited to one particular event, but it describes a process requiring some time, so the spiritual consummation of the marriage is by no means limited to the day of Christ’s return, but the “spiritual” marriage union between Christ and the bride will continue for all eternity.

It is therefore important that we do not carry the analogies too far. For instance, even though we might reflect on the fact that husbands and wives are to become “one,” thereby gaining further understanding of Christ’s statements that ALL of His disciples—His bride–are to become “one,” other analogies are likewise of equal importance and must be viewed as complementary principles. For instance, spiritual brothers and sisters of Christ must have, of course, the same unity as is depicted through the analogy of Christ—the Bridegroom—marrying His bride, and as is expressed by Christ when He prayed to the Father that the disciples are to become “one” as God and Christ are “one.”

In addition to some of the principles, explained above, showing WHY the Bible uses the analogy of a marriage between Christ and the Church, we state further principles insofar in our free booklet, “The Keys to Happy Marriages and Families.” Discussing the role of the wife in a marriage, but applying it here to the role of the Church towards Jesus, we state:

“Notice 1 Corinthians 11:3, ‘But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.’ … As God the Father is the head of Christ, so the man or husband is the head of the woman or wife. God the Father and Jesus Christ are totally one—totally united in mindset, in goal, in purpose. And they love each other perfectly. God the Father said, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased’ (cp. Matthew 3:17). God LOVED the Son (John 3:35). And Christ LOVED the Father (John 14:31). He submitted to the Father, even to the point of death, knowing that His Father loved Him deeply, and that He would never ask Him to do anything that would be bad for Him. If a man wants to be the head of his wife and family, as he should be, he needs to act as God the Father acted toward Christ, and, in turn, his wife is to act toward her husband as Christ acted toward the Father…

“This willingness to share creates mutual trust… Christ LOVED the Father, and the Father LOVED the Son. Still, Christ knew that the Father was His Head, and He honored Him. He respected Him. He did what was pleasing to Him… Christ accepted the Father as His Head because He knew Him. He knew that His Father would never abuse His authority over Him…”

The marriage analogy expresses the thought that we must be OBEDIENT to our Husband—Jesus Christ. So we see that the marriage analogy complements the analogy of God being our Father and we being His children. God is not our physical Father, and we are not His physical children, but He is our spiritual Father, and we are His spiritual children. And as the spiritual bride or wife is to be subject to Christ in everything, so we, as spiritual children of God, are to be subject to the Father in everything. And as Christ loves His bride, so the Father loves His children. In fact, we read that the Father loves us with the same love with which He loves Christ, and that Christ loves His bride with the same love with which the Father loves Him (John 17:23; 15:9).

The marriage analogy is complemented with the analogy of inheritance.

In our free booklet, “And Lawlessness Will Abound,” we state the following in this regard:

“In addition, this marriage contract with Christ is also an agreement to inherit what had been promised, through covenants, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and to their descendants. It is not only a will, or a testament that can be changed by the testator at any time before his death, but it is a legally binding, enforceable agreement. In any event, the testator, Jesus Christ, who inherited the promises from Abraham and his offspring, did already die, so His will, as promised to us by a contract, cannot be changed anymore. A will or a testament, in biblical times, was more like a mutual contract of inheritance. In fact, the Greek word for ‘covenant’ and for ‘testament’ is exactly the same, i.e., ‘diatheke.’ Both parties had to agree to the terms of the covenant of inheritance. This contract could be based on certain conditions, and the agreement could only be carried out, and the inheritance obtained, if both parties fulfilled the conditions…

“We, as spiritual Israelites, must be married in order to obtain the inheritance. The New Covenant tells us to whom we have to be married—Jesus Christ. But a marriage can only occur and last if both parties are willing to marry each other, and to remain faithful to each other. Christ has already made a marriage agreement with us—a betrothal—and He will spiritually consummate His marriage with us at His return, if we remain faithful (Revelation 19:7–9; Matthew 22:2; 25:1)… if we become disobedient and rebellious and begin again to practice the wrong way of life, Christ has the right to divorce us…

“We can understand, then, what the New Covenant means for us today. It is a contract, which is based on God’s law. God called and chose us to become a party to His contract. By our obedience to God’s laws, we show Him that we want to become parties to His covenant (Acts 5:32). When we are baptized, we enter into a covenant relationship with the Father and Jesus Christ. This agreement contains conditions that we must fulfill. It promises us a certain inheritance in the future, including sonship in God’s Family, kingship over this earth and the universe, and priestly functions. This future inheritance is being preserved for us right now in heaven.

“This contract is also a marriage agreement. We are already betrothed to Jesus Christ and we are to consummate the marriage with Him, when He returns to establish His Kingdom. In addition, this contract includes a will or a testament from the testator, Jesus Christ, to share with us the promises that He inherited as the Seed of Abraham. Christ’s will shows us how we must live worthy of Him, and it requires of us to do so, so that He will consummate His marriage with us, and so that we can take possession of our promised inheritance….”

Christ will consummate the marriage with us and share His inheritance with us, if we stay faithful. Another analogy describes vividly what will happen to us if we don’t remain faithful. It is the analogy of us being children of God—begotten children at the time of the receipt of the Holy Spirit—and born again children at the time of our change to spirit beings. But if we—as begotten children—become unfaithful, the analogy of physical abortion pictures our ultimate spiritual fate, preventing us from ever being born into God’s Family.

In our booklet, “Are You Already Born Again?,” we state the following:

“In this physical life, one is not born immediately at the time of conception. There is a time interval between conception and birth. A human baby must be conceived. A human baby must grow in the womb (the period of gestation). A human baby gains life of its own through birth.

“The same principles apply to our spiritual birth. Although we will be born again at the time of our resurrection or our change to immortality, something else must happen first so that we CAN become born again. The Bible describes this prior event as spiritual conception or ‘begettal.’ Simply put, before we can be born again, we must be begotten again—a spiritual begettal. This spiritual begettal takes place at the time of our baptism, after repentance, and after coming to an understanding of, and belief in, Christ’s sacrifice and the gospel of the Kingdom of God. At the time of baptism we then receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, through the laying on of hands, as a down payment—a guarantee—(Ephesians 1:14; 2 Corinthians 5:5) of our ultimate new birth at our resurrection to spirit.

“In applying the analogy of human birth to spiritual birth, the receipt of God’s Spirit at conversion is a type of spiritual begettal. With the receipt of God’s Spirit, we acquire God’s divine nature (2 Peter 1:4), but there is still another step in the process. Just as an embryo must grow and develop, we must also grow spiritually and develop the fruit of the Spirit—the actual character of God. God considers those who have received His Spirit as being His children (2 Corinthians 6:17–18). Finally, Spirit-begotten children become SEPARATE SPIRIT BEINGS upon being born again—at their resurrection and change to immortality…

“After we have received the gift of the Holy Spirit and have begun our journey to our final birth into the Kingdom of God, we can still become spiritually ‘aborted,’ so to speak… As there is the possibility of a physical miscarriage or abortion, so there is the possibility of a spiritual miscarriage or abortion… God, our Father, will never abort us, unless we force Him to do so, by refusing to grow and to obey Him… In applying human abortion to the spiritual realm, however, spiritual abortion, unlike human abortion, is self-inflicted. When God aborts a spiritual child, it is because His child has rejected Him. It is the child who commits spiritual suicide…  Those who want to commit spiritual suicide are free to do so (Matthew 22:13; 24:51; 25:30, 41, 46).”

Of course, there are further analogies in the Bible, especially referring to those who are being called to salvation in this day and age. The Bible calls them firstfruits—Jesus Christ being the first of the firstfruits—indicating that the rest of mankind will be called in the future, after the return of Jesus Christ, during the Millennium and the Great White Throne Judgment. Another analogy compares the body and the bride of Christ with a temple—a holy building in the Lord—being built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, with Christ being the chief cornerstone of the foundation of that temple.

Considering all of the above-described analogies, we should take great comfort, but also great care that we, as Christ’s bride and His brothers and sisters, as well as God the Father’s children, concentrate on becoming worthy to stand before the Son of Man at His return, to be born into the Kingdom and Family of God, “consummating” our marriage with Christ, and inheriting the promises.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

“Should Christians Fight in War?,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:
 
While some Christian authors claim that a Christian must not participate in the wars of this world, many feel the opposite. But who is right? Why are there no records of Christian soldiers prior to A.D. 170, and how did the concept of a righteous war develop? Were the early Paulicians and Waldenses correct when they rejected warfare, or when they later became warrior people? Was the Worldwide Church of God under Herbert Armstrong correct in refusing the participation in war, or is the current renamed group correct in endorsing warfare? Our free booklet, “Should You Fight in War?” gives you the answers.

The press proof for “Hidden Secrets In The Bible” has been approved, and printing has now begun. We anticipate completion within 2 to 3 weeks. This booklet is also now posted on our website, www.eternalgod.org.

A new StandingWatch Talking Points program ( “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America”) has been recorded by Pastor Rene Messier in which he reviews highlights of our booklet. In addition, Pastor Brian Gale has presented a new StandingWatch Talking Points program (“The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord”) dealing with biblical warnings covered in our booklet. Aided by the video production skills of Johanna Link, these presentations introduce many of our booklets specifically to audiences in Canada and the United Kingdom.

“Tu Gutes Denen, Die Dich Hassen,” is the title of this week’s German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. The title in English: “Do Good to Those who Hate You.”

by Delia Messier

It was an exciting time in my twenties when God called me into His Way of Life, opened my eyes, and made me part of His Church–the spiritual Body of Christ—when I learned the truth and received those answers that I always wanted to know.

My life was all about learning and re-learning the right way! My first 20 years were full of rich, bountiful spiritual food, given to me by God’s servants  in and out of season! But then, things began to change, when doctrinal heresy crept into the Church organization that I was attending. Slowly our spiritual food became more milk, less meat, while adding a little poison —  “new truths” —  a better understanding —  the need for “more loving,” so we were told.

Trusting my teachers, thinking that they were telling me the truth, but having difficulty understanding and accepting these “new truths,” I concluded that not believing them was a problem on my part. I just was not getting it!   Things didn’t seem to add up! So weakened by several years of bad spiritual diet with watered-down poisonous food, my prayers and personal Bible studies became strenuous and very  frustrating.

So many left the truth those days, washing their hands of everything, and even I was tempted to go with the flow. But still, in the end, deciding that I needed to do God’s Will and not my own, being so confused, I would pray that He would help me to know and understand. After some time, I decided to re-read an article in our Church newspaper. The first paragraph in the Editorial was the sentence: “The 10 commandments have been done away with.”   What?   How come, I didn’t see that article before?  But I had read it—I just had not grasped what it was telling me.

I was so spiritually sick that my eyes had not seen it. They had been shut, when I had read it. There it was in black and white–bold as could be!  And even though I had not realized what I had seen the first time, I had begun to swallow it.

God had to re-open my eyes! I saw clearly now that the article was teaching a lie!  I had been fed lies — evil  seeds planted and growing.  Soon I could have been dead oblivious to the most outrages lies! I realized that God had saved me from the grips of death by re-opening my eyes again to the truth.

Today I know that  I have to be very careful to whom I am listening and where I attend services. Satan will try to plant seeds, if I listen to the wrong source, and they will affect me,  even if I think I am strong and can’t possibly be fooled.

I learned that I have to be where the true spiritual food is rich and bountiful, and I have to make sure that I prove all things, having confidence in God’s servants that have proven to be His true servants and who remain faithful, and doing what I need to do, always confirming all things in the Bible, trusting God and following His servants as they follow Christ.

On February 15, 2014, Robb Harris will give the sermon, titled, “Satisfied with Our Calling?”

The services can be heard 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.

Have you measurably progressed in your spiritual life to become a Christian of sound judgment and discernment? Are you able to choose right over wrong? Can you apply God’s laws in your everyday living?

In the Book of Hebrews, those of us who have been called to salvation are confronted with a challenging self-examination:

“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:12-14).

To progress in spiritual maturity, we are to increase day-by-day in attaining godly perfection (compare Matthew 5:48; Ephesians 4:13). While we do initiate life-changing actions at the beginning of God’s calling, our conversion involves continual growth.

Peter cautions us that we must “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…” (2 Peter 3:18).

Even Jesus grew in spiritual maturity, as Luke 2, verse 52, states: “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” During this process, Jesus faced the same kinds of things we face: “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).

The ultimate goal of Jesus becoming our perfect High Priest was accomplished in order that we might also reach perfection in the Family of God. Quite clearly, we still face many challenges before that time arrives, and we must not become stagnant in our Christian living.

We have been given the Holy Spirit of God—a help by which we can grow to become more and more like Jesus Christ.  If Jesus is truly living His life in us, then we will be growing in Christian maturity—a test we absolutely must pass!

We begin with focusing on American-German distrust, as well as on Germany in general—it’s past, presence and prophesied future. We continue with reporting on the Middle East and America’s relationship with Israel and Iran; speak about developments within the USA and the Roman Catholic Church; and conclude with a report on controversial human behavior pertaining to animals.

Nulangate and German Anger

The Washington Post wrote on February 7:

“Germans were already smarting from revelations that U.S. intelligence listened in on the phone conversations of Chancellor Angela Merkel. Then came Nulandgate. On Thursday, a video was posted on YouTube in which Victoria Nuland, the top U.S. diplomat for Europe, disparagingly dismissed European Union efforts to mediate the ongoing crisis in the Ukraine by bluntly saying, ‘F— the E.U.’ On Friday, Merkel, through press attache Christiane Wirtz, described the gaffe as ‘absolutely unacceptable,’ and defended the efforts of Catherine Ashton, the E.U.’s foreign policy chief. ‘The chancellor finds these remarks absolutely unacceptable and wants to emphasize that Mrs. Ashton is doing an outstanding job,’ Wirtz said.

“Still freshly furious over the phone-tapping scandals, Germans took to Twitter and other social media in a litany of bitter comments… In Brussels, E.U. officials remained publicly mum. Though the story played big across the continent, the official response beyond Germany appeared relatively muted. But the Germans were not the only ones smarting. Reactions among Austrian members of the European Parliament ranged from outrage to schadenfreude. ‘Victoria Nuland must step down after these remarks, otherwise there has to be a suspension of negotiations about the E.U.-U.S. free-trade agreement,’ Jörg Leichtfried, leader of the Austrian Social Democratic delegation in the European Parliament, told the Austrian press agency APA, according to the daily Die Presse.

“Nuland quickly apologized for the comments, with the United States pointing the finger Thursday at the Russians for recording and posting her private conversations with U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey R. Pyatt… Nevertheless, analysts said the unscripted moment served to underscore a serious point: the increasingly strained nature of the U.S. relationship with continental Europe — and, first and foremost, with Germany. In the aftermath of the exposure by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden of U.S. intelligence-gathering efforts in the region, distrust of the American agenda in Germany has jumped appreciably.

“Experts say the image of the United States has suffered deeply, with the Nuland gaffe reinforcing perceptions of American heavy-handedness at a highly sensitive time. This week, for instance, the Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper published fresh allegations that the United States had wiretapped former German chancellor Gerhard Schröder. In response, Schröder gave an interview to the Bild newspaper in which he said, ‘The U.S. has no respect for a loyal ally and for the sovereignty of our country.’

“Olaf Boehnke, head of the Berlin office of the European Council on Foreign Relations, said the gaffe could not have come at a worse time. To some extent, German officials — particularly Merkel — have sought to put the wiretapping scandal behind them, pragmatically attempting to move forward and mend the transatlantic relationship. Nuland’s comments, he said, had just made that effort more difficult, particularly with the increasingly skeptical German public. ‘It was really the worst thing that could happen; Germans will be going home tonight to discuss this at dinner,’ Boehnke said. ‘It fits into a broader picture that German people have of the U.S. betraying the trust in them.’”

BBC News wrote on February 7:

“The conversation between Ms Nuland and Mr Pyatt reveals deeper tensions between America and Europe. Washington seems to prefer a deal brokered by the UN rather than Brussels. If true, that would bruise the feelings of EU officials. They believe this is their crisis to solve. Today’s comments and accusations are a reminder that this crisis is far from over and that it has the potential to cause division and tension even between allies.”

The Local quoted the Geman newspaper, “Die Welt,” as follows on February 7:

“‘Not even those affected were surprised by Nuland’s unladylike turn of [a] phrase she used to express her negative judgment of the Europeans,’ Die Welt wrote. ‘In a different phone call, which can also be heard on YouTube, top German diplomat Helga Schmid can be heard complaining that the USA feel the EU is being ‘weak’ on Ukraine. Nuland’s conversation with Pyatt makes it clear how intensively the West, especially the US, are concerning themselves with the current uprising in Ukraine and what they think of opposition leaders,’ it added.”

The Bible prophesied long ago that the relationship between the USA and Europe (Germany in particular) will worsen until outright war will ensue between the two power blocs. A modern “King of Assyria” will be used by God to punish the sinful modern house of Israel—especially the USA and the UK. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.” Also, please take note of the next two articles, dealing with Germany’s history, which were written from a German perspective. As is so often the case, events of today and tomorrow can be explained, at least in part, by reviewing events of the past.

Obama—“No No-Spy Agreement with Europe”

The EUObserver wrote on February 12:

“US President Barack Obama after meeting his French counterpart in Washington poured cold water on European hopes that the US will sign no-spy agreements with countries like France and Germany. Obama said there is no country in the world the US has such agreements with, not even the UK.”

Germany’s Bad Memories of Hyperinflation

Der Spiegel Online wrote on February 7:

“There’s a number that illustrates the brutal dynamics of the hyperinflation of 1923 better than anything else. It’s the number four. In the fall of 1923, prices were doubling in Germany approximately every four days… Three generations after the collapse of the German mark, the fear of hyperinflation is more alive today than ever before.

“The global glut of money as a result of the financial crisis has evoked painful memories of the great inflation that began with the beginning of World War I in 1914 and ended in chaos in 1923. Each new report on the need for billions in Europe’s crisis-ridden countries reignites concerns over the stability of money. According to a poll by the Allensbach opinion research firm, Germans fear inflation even more than life-threatening diseases like cancer…

“The euro has proven to be more stable than the deutsche mark ever was. Economists are more concerned that prices will decline on a broad scale, crippling the economy. It makes no sense to invoke terrible visions of 1923 today, says economic historian Hans-Joachim Voth. ‘A repeat is unthinkable,’ he notes. The Germans suffer from a sort of ‘collective psychosis,’ concludes Voth, who teaches in Barcelona…

“Families today still remember the horrifying reports of what once happened to grandparents and great-grandparents. The fate of someone like Berlin author Maximilian Bern illustrates the extent of despair. In 1923, Bern withdrew his savings, more than 100,000 marks, from the bank. But 100,000 wasn’t much compared with the 2.5 quintillion marks in circulation at the end of October. Years earlier, the money would have been enough to pay for Bern’s retirement, but now it was worth no more than the price of his last subway ticket. Bern went home, locked his door and died of hunger. Doctors, teachers and professors had not only lost everything they owned, but also their confidence in the state. In 1914, many had gone to war with enthusiasm, and they had bought bonds, which generally yielded a five-percent return. The government collected 98 billion marks, but not a pfennig of the money was repaid…

“People felt cheated, both of victory in the war and their money in the bank. The same bitter experience was repeated a generation later, when the Third Reich came to an end. This double loss of confidence shaped the civil society of the postwar period. Its members yearned for stability and order and were sharply opposed to experiments, especially with their money. This need for security — in other words, their aversion to risk — is practically proverbial to this day in Germany…

“In 1948, the Allies had decreed that the Bank of the German States was not to be ‘subject to the directives of any political entities or public agencies, with the exception of the courts.’ It was something then Chancellor Konrad Adenauer could never accept…  This is the irony of history: Washington and Paris, the Western wartime allies, once decreed complete independence and strict budgetary discipline for the Bundesbank, but now the mentors are violating their own principles.”

Germany’s Two Wars

On February 7, Der Spiegel Online published a lengthy article about Germany’s role in World War I and World War II, and the subsequent conduct of Germany’s enemies. We will be quoting quite extensively from this article, as it puts into perspective current conditions in Europe and it will give the reader a better understanding as to why things happened there in the past—and why and how prophecies will come to pass in the near future:

“As its name indicates, World War I was the first truly global conflict, the effects of which only a few nations managed to escape…  While Germany lost two million soldiers in World War I — more than any other country — that number was more than doubled in World War II. The situation was reversed among Germany’s adversaries in the West. More than twice as many Britons and four times as many Frenchmen died on the battlefields of World War I than in World War II…

“It is difficult to say how many German soldiers perceived the cease-fire as a shock, as Hitler did. But by the time the Treaty of Versailles was signed, the dream of exacting revenge for the humiliation Germany had suffered became an obsession… For many historians, there is a direct line between Verdun and Stalingrad… In their view, the years between 1914 and 1945 merge into a single, uninterrupted conflict interrupted by a prolonged cease-fire…

“The Treaty of Versailles seemed to confirm all fears… Under Article 231 of the treaty, Germany was forced to concede that it was solely responsible for the war — a genuflection from which the victorious powers derived their claim for extensive reparations… It was the United States that turned the tide in World War I… By August, some 1.3 million men had been shipped from the United States to Europe…

“Today Versailles is seen as a cardinal error, with the French playing the role of the victor seeking revenge. In truth, however, it was the United States that did not live up to its responsibility. Wilson drafted a new world order, in which all nations were granted a right to self-determination. But when it came to stepping into America’s new role as a hegemon, Congress withdrew its support by forcing the president to agree to a strict policy of nonintervention. The Europeans were on their own once again, but this time it was in a different configuration than before the beginning of the war.

“The British, who had entered the war as the world’s creditors, emerged from it as debtors to the United States. While the French were one of the victorious powers, they were in fact no longer a major military power… it was Germany that would hazard another war — precisely what the Treaty of Versailles was intended to avert…

“The indecisiveness of the United States, its political elites divided over how to assume their role as a new world power, was already apparent in the peace negotiations. The resulting peace was one with conditions that were insufficiently draconian to permanently weaken the German Reich, and yet too severe not to give rise to a desire among the losers to reverse the peace when the next opportunity arose…

“Germany’s total war reparations, enforced with massive threats, amounted to 132 billion gold marks, payable in 66 annual installments, together with 26 percent of the value of its exports. Present-day Germany was still suffering the consequences until 2010, when Berlin made its last interest payment on foreign bonds it had issued after World War I to satisfy the Allies’ demands for reparations. The most agonizing aspect of the war repayment was its duration.

“Hardly anyone was as familiar with the Germans’ smoldering resentment (or knew how to take advantage of it) as the private from Munich. Within three years, Adolf Hitler went from being an unknown veteran to the ‘King of Munich,’ a man who could fill the city’s largest beer halls with his appearances. The fact that the Allies had forced Germany to sign the Treaty of Versailles was a central theme of Hitler’s speeches. At his rallies, he never failed to mention ‘shameful and humiliating peace’ that had condemned Germany to ‘servitude’ for the foreseeable future. Humiliation at the hands of the victorious powers became a collective trauma that united Germans far beyond the circle of supporters of the rising Nazi Party…

“Until 1929, the German economy had managed to keep itself more or less afloat, partly as a result of American investments. Now the creditors from abroad were withdrawing their money, plunging the German Reich directly into the vortex of the Great Depression. The deflationary policy of Reich Chancellor Heinrich Brüning drove unemployment numbers to well over six million.

“Despite the defeat in 1918, the pride of the German officer corps was still intact. It was clear to everyone, beginning with the general staff, that the French would never have achieved victory on their own… When Germany invaded France in 1940, the Wehrmacht had learned from past mistakes. In the first war, German attacks had frequently failed due to an inability to bring up additional artillery and infantry quickly enough to preserve the momentum of attack achieved by shock troops.

“Now the tank force was being combined with dive bombers, which functioned as airborne artillery. This enabled German troops to advance at speeds previously believed to be impossible. German troops reached the Meuse River in two days, and after six weeks France was forced to capitulate. It was the greatest defeat of a proud nation in military history. When the French laid down their arms, half of their soldiers had not even arrived in the combat zone yet.

“For the majority of German officers, the victory over France was the gratification they had desired. But for their commander-in-chief, the western campaign was merely one stage in a much more extensive war of conquest. As a result, the world was transformed into a hell on earth once again, and what began as a war of revenge ended in a war of extermination more complete and boundless than the massive slaughter of World War I.

“What was to be done with Germany? The Allies now faced the same question a second time, in the summer of 1944. By the time the Americans had landed in Normandy, everyone knew that the Third Reich’s days were numbered. But the victorious powers were confronted with the same problem they had faced a quarter of a century earlier: How to prevent the Germans from planning the next war soon after their defeat.

“One of the men who had been pondering this issue for some time was US Treasury Secretary Henry Morgenthau. He believed that the Germans were a people with an unquenchable thirst for war. Because there would no longer be anyone to stand in the way after a third attempt to achieve global dominance, the goal was to figure out how to prevent them from doing so. It was a question of survival, not just for Europe [but] for all of mankind.

“In September 1944, Morgenthau submitted a plan to the president in which he proposed the large-scale destruction of German heavy industry. Anything that could be used to produce weapons was to be destroyed, seized or placed under international control. This meant the elimination of Germany’s chemical, steel and electrical industries… Morgenthau had influential adversaries. Both the American State Department and senior military officials stationed in Germany were strictly opposed to sending Germany back to the Middle Ages… But the treasury secretary had both the strength of his convictions and the ear of President Roosevelt. Their wives were good friends, and the two couples socialized with each other.

“In addition, Roosevelt had little sympathy for what he called the ‘Huns.’… ‘We have got to be tough with Germany,’ Roosevelt told to his secretary of state. ‘You either have to castrate the German people or you have got to treat them so they can’t just go on reproducing people who want to continue as in the past.’

“Morgenthau seemed to prevail at a meeting between Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in Quebec in September 1944. Churchill… initially had strong objections to the plan… But then money came into play and decided the issue. Churchill urgently needed a new loan from the United States. With that hurdle out of the way, the two commanders-in-chief placed their initials under a document agreeing on the transformation of Germany into a ‘country principally agricultural and pastoral in character.’

“That the Germans were eventually spared this fate is thanks the US public outcry over the plan and fear of the Russians. If Roosevelt dreamed of a long-term alliance with the Soviet Union, his successor Harry S. Truman had no illusions about the character of Russian dictator Joseph Stalin. Churchill, too, did not have to be convinced of Stalin’s malevolence…

“Everything was done differently this time. Instead of rubbing the faces of the defeated in the extent of their humiliation by demanding submission, the United States carefully guided the country back into the family of nations. The victors also practiced leniency in the courts, limiting their prosecutions to a small number of leading war criminals. The majority escaped with a formal interrogation, with which the requirements of denazification were satisfied. Only two decades later, in the Auschwitz trials starting in 1963, did a true investigation of the crimes begin…

“The notion that they could never be allowed to possess weapons again is a view that the Germans, only too happy to be disarmed, completely internalized over the years. Pacifism had become national policy by the time the peace movement began. Even the swearing in of new recruits by torchlight can be a source of discomfort. When the Germans decide to do something, they do it thoroughly. In a strange reversal of roles, they had assumed the role of the reformed criminal who lectures others on how to bring about peace without weapons…

“To this day, the mistrust among Germans hasn’t disappeared completely. In the European debate, the suspicion that things could change drastically once again is a subliminal but clearly perceptible motif. Hardly any appeal to European solidarity makes do without a reference to the war and the resulting obligation to keep the peace. Integration into Europe is seen as a sort of self-shackling of the German giant, intended to relieve its neighbors’ fears of the country’s size and economic might…

“During the euro crisis, there has been a noticeable decline in the Germans’ desire to contribute to peace in Europe through transfer payments. But the ongoing impact of the memory of both world wars remains evident in the fact that an EU-critical party has yet to win seats in German parliament. Until his death in 1967, Morgenthau remained convinced that the Germans could not be pacified. ‘You are too young to be able to evaluate whether the Morgenthau plan was a mistake,’ he told his biographer when he tried to get Morgenthau to admit that his plan was wrong. ‘And I’ll bet you — though I won’t be around to collect — that you’re going to have to fight Germany again before you die.’

“Like many historians, the former US treasury secretary saw World War I as the beginning — not of a Thirty Years’ War but of a Hundred Years’ War.”

And so, even though Morgenthal, Roosevelt, Churchill and others did not understand biblical prophecies, it is interesting to note that another World War will break out in this century, involving, at first, Germany and the USA… but this time, it will be a war between the United States of Europe—under German leadership—and the USA and Great Britain.

Will the Bundeswehr be Deployed More Often in the Future?

Deutsche Welle reported on February 8:

“In Mali, the Bundeswehr is being trained for future military interventions, says Christine Buchholz in a DW interview. The Left party politician accompanied Defense Minister von der Leyen on her latest trip to Africa… ‘I believe that the deployment of the Bundeswehr doesn’t have much to do with Mali itself. Mrs. von der Leyen, President Gauck and Foreign Minister Steinmeier have oriented their policy toward more foreign military deployments, and so they are looking for more trouble spots. That’s the higher objective. Of course it’s also about the training of the Malian army which can then be deployed in the north. But the main purpose is the training of the Bundeswehr for future assignments in Africa.

“For the defense minister, the trip also seemed to be about creating images to counteract the low acceptance of the German population regarding foreign assignments of the Bundeswehr… Mali is also a training ground for the Bundeswehr. During the Mali mission, the Bundeswehr refueled warplanes in-flight during deployment for the first time. That is an exercise under real-life conditions in Africa. Insofar, I expect that the Bundeswehr is now being trained to intervene in comparable conflicts. I also expect that there will be more engagements in the future. They will be very different – they won’t all be such large missions like the one in Afghanistan. In different ways, the Bundeswehr will be deployed more often.”

New International Assignment for German Bundeswehr?

Deutsche Welle wrote on February 12:

“The German armed forces, the Bundeswehr, may be facing a new foreign assignment – the German foreign office confirmed Wednesday that it is considering participating in the planned destruction of Syrian chemical weapons on a US ship in the Mediterranean. The German navy may participate by providing security to the American ship where the destruction will take place.

“Berlin had already offered to destroy Syrian chemical weapons on German soil, which would take place at a state-owned company in Munster, Lower Saxony… According to a United Nations mandate, the regime of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad must destroy all chemical warfare agents by June 2014. However, the removal of toxic substances – including sarin and mustard gas – has been slow going… Assad’s regime has said it remains committed to the June deadline, but that security problems… were causing delays…

“Peace talks between the two warring parties continued in Geneva on Wednesday, but little progress has been made. They came even as warplanes bombed the rebel-held town of Yabroud, near Syria’s border to Lebanon.”

“Merkel Toppled from Popularity Throne”

The Local wrote on February 7:

“Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has overtaken Angela Merkel to become Germany’s most popular politician, a poll on Friday showed, with the Chancellor slipping from the top spot for the first time in two years… Seventy percent of respondents said they were satisfied or very satisfied with how the Social Democrat (SPD) veteran was performing in his job as foreign minister, compared to 69 percent for Merkel. 

“Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble, from Merkel’s CDU party, occupied third place, as 68 percent of those polled said they were happy with his work… Poll respondents were less pleased with the performances of Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen, who fell six points to 43 points, while Horst Seehofer, the leader of the Christian Democrats’ Bavarian sister party, the CSU, plunged ten points to 38 percent. Von der Leyen has started in her new post by looking to increase German troop numbers abroad, something which does not sit well with most Germans.

“Steinmeier, who served as foreign minister from 2005-09, has also been busy globetrotting in a sign Germany will pursue a more active foreign policy.”

Steinmeier, a Lutheran, is married and has one daughter. He studied law and served in many different political capacities, including that of Vice Chancellor. Merkel and Schaeuble are also Lutherans.

“Bosnia-Hercegovina Protests Break Out in Violence”

BBC News reported on February 7:

“Demonstrators in Bosnia-Hercegovina have set fire to government buildings, in the worst unrest since the end of the 1992-95 war. Hundreds of people have been injured in three days of protests over high unemployment and perceived inability of politicians to improve the situation… Black smoke could be seen coming from the presidency building in Sarajevo…

“About 40% of Bosnians are unemployed. The unrest began in Tuzla earlier in the week, with protests over the closure and sale of factories which had employed most of the local population. This appears to be a case of simmering frustration boiling over. Two decades on from the siege of Sarajevo, Bosnia has fallen off the international radar – and its people feel they have been forgotten. And not just by the wider world, but their own government.

“The administration is split along ethnic lines – and seems incapable of agreeing on anything but its own above-average pay packets.This has left the rest of Bosnia’s citizens struggling to move forward. Even practical matters like national identity cards, get mired in ethnic politics. At one point last year, desperate mothers formed a human chain around the main government building, begging for identity cards for their babies.

“The economic situation is desperate. Four in ten are unemployed – in large part due to a series of botched privatisations. That is what sparked the initial protests in Tuzla – but empathy with their cause brought demonstrators out in towns across Bosnia…”

American Presbyterian Church Angers Israel

JTA wrote on February 7:

“A study guide on Zionism published by an arm of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is drawing expressions of outrage from Jewish groups. The guide is ‘worthy of a hate group, not a prominent American church,’ said Rabbi Steve Gutow, president of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, the umbrella body for Jewish public policy groups.

“The study guide by the church’s Israel Palestine Mission Network is titled ‘Zionism Unsettled.’ It posits that a ‘pathology inherent in Zionism’ drives the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and rejects theologies that uphold Zionism. It also calls for an ‘expanded, inclusive’ understanding of the Nazi genocide that would apply its lessons not just with respect to the persecution faced by Jews but also to the plight of the Palestinians, among others. The guide urges a ‘renunciation of the morally hazardous claims of a hierarchy of victimhood.’

“The Israel Palestine Mission Network advises the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) but does not necessarily speak for the church, according to mission network’s website. But the JCPA noted that the church funds and must approve the expenditures of the mission network. ‘As such it is impossible to separate the toxic actions of IPMN from the PCUSA without the kind of clarification from PCUSA officials that remains sorely missing,’ Gutow said in the statement.

“The Simon Wiesenthal Center warned that the guide could result in Jews cutting off ties with the church. ‘If this book reflects the feelings of the PCUSA, the Simon Wiesenthal Center will divest all contacts from this institution and call on other Jewish organizations to do the same,’ the center said in a statement. The American Jewish Committee called the guide ‘a devastating distortion of Jewish and Israeli history, aimed at nothing less than eradicating the State of Israel.’”

“The guide was released ahead of the church’s biennial General Assembly, taking place this June in Detroit. The gathering will once again consider recommendations that it divest from companies that deal with Israel’s military. Similar resolutions have been narrowly defeated in the past.”

Vast Majority of Israelis Don’t Trust Obama, Kerry and America

Breitbart wrote on February 7:

“A new poll by Israel’s Geocartography Institute found that 70% of Israeli Jews do not trust the U.S. to protect Israeli security interests in negotiations with the Palestinian Authority, according to the Jerusalem Post. The poll… also revealed that 75% of Jewish Israelis do not trust President Barack Obama, with degrees ranging from ‘definitely no’ to ‘not completely.’

“In addition, the poll found that two-thirds of Israelis agree with their government’s recent criticisms of statements by Secretary of State John Kerry. In recent months, Kerry has warned that Israel could face boycotts and even a ‘third intifada’ if it did not reach a deal with the Palestinians. U.S. officials were at pains to stress that Kerry did not mean to threaten Israel but to warn Israel about what other parties might try to do to it.”

The relationship between the USA and Israel will steadily deteriorate, until Israel will have been forsaken by all of its allies.

Israel Minister of Housing Wishes Construction of Third Temple

The website of israelvideonetwork.com wrote on February 2, 2014:

“The Israel Minister of Housing and Construction Uri Ariel on Friday expressed his wish to see the construction of a ‘Third Temple’ in place of the Al-Aqsa Mosque that is currently occupying the temple mount. Uri Ariel said ‘The first Temple was destroyed in 586 BCE, the second Temple in 70 CE, and ever since the Jewish People have been mourning its loss.’

“He then went on to say ‘Al-Aqsa Mosque is currently in place of the temple, despite the temple being much holier than it. Al-Aqsa Mosque is only the third most holy mosque in Islam.’ ‘Now that Israel has once again become a Jewish sovereign state, the desire to rebuild the Temple is growing stronger and strong’ he added.”

Uproar in Israel’s Knesset Over European Parliament President Martin Schulz’s Speech

Deutsche Welle wrote on February 12:

“European Parliament President Martin Schulz came under fire Wednesday after making remarks in the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, about the water usage of Palestinians and Israelis in the occupied West Bank.

“In his speech, Schulz said that when he was in Ramallah earlier in the week, a young Palestinian had asked him ‘why an Israeli can use 70 cubic liters of water daily and a Palestinian only 17?’ He then added, ‘I haven’t checked the data. I’m asking you if this is correct.’

“The remarks caused the Knesset to break out in turmoil. Right-wing Jewish Home Party member Moti Yogev shouted at him, ‘Shame on you, you support someone who incites against Jews.’ Yogev and Naftali Bennett, Economy Minister and Jewish Home party leader, then left the hall. Bennett immediately took to his Facebook page: ‘I will not tolerate duplicitous propaganda against Israel in the Knesset … and especially not in German.’

“Likud Party member Moshe Feiglin, known for his extreme statements, was absent for the speech because, ‘it is inappropriate that a speech is given in the parliament of the Jewish state, in the language used when our parents were thrust into the railway wagons and in the crematoria,’ he wrote on Facebook.

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in his own address to the Knesset, accused Schulz of repeating claims without fact-checking. ‘Check first,’ he said. Israeli media quoted Israel’s national water authority as saying the figures quoted by Schulz were inaccurate with West Bank settlers consuming 1.7 times more water per person, instead of 4.2 times more.

“In his speech, Schulz also said ‘the Palestinians have the right to self-determination and equality,’ and that they want to ‘live in peace and have unlimited freedom of movement,’ which he said they are denied in Gaza. Shortly before his Knesset speech, Schulz had complained of sensitivity in Israel against criticism from Europe…”

The Times of Israel wrote on February 12:

“Left-wing MKs reacted angrily to a right-wing walkout during the speech of EU Parliament President Martin Schulz in the Knesset Wednesday…  ‘The behavior of the Jewish Home MKs was shameful and scandalous,’ said opposition leader MK Isaac Herzog (Labor). ‘I think some of the [MKs] didn’t even hear the speech,’ he told Israel Radio shortly after the incident. ‘My colleagues and I were embarrassed. We know Martin Schulz. He defends Israel’s position, including in the European Parliament.’

“Schulz’s speech included ‘deep, historic words about the justice of Israel, about the Shoah and its lessons, about the battle against anti-Semitism and against evil; it was very impressive. And then he talked about our relationship with the Palestinians and the founding of a Palestinian state alongside Israel as part of the two-state solution. We have to get used to the fact that even our friends around the world are sometimes critical of us, and they’re going to say it. In the Knesset itself far worse things are said,’ Herzog added…

“Schulz had used the speech, delivered in his mother tongue of German, to reassure Israel of the European Union’s friendship, asserting that it plans no boycott against Israel and is committed to the Jewish people’s right to live in peace and security…

“‘I’m not familiar with the facts about water quotas,’ said Herzog, ‘but these are claims that can be dealt with, looked into, respectfully. Don’t put on a show. [Much of Schulz’s speech] would make Israel proud around the world, and we can only hope that every member of the EU Parliament will study it.’

“Meretz chair MK Zahava Gal-on was even harsher in her criticism. Responding to Jewish Home MKs’ complaints that criticism of Israel in German was especially problematic, she said in a statement: ‘The use of the Holocaust as a way to avoid dealing with international criticism isn’t just disgusting, it’s ridiculous.’ Jewish Home MKs were angry that Schulz ‘had dared to say that Israel needs to think about its relationship with the Palestinians,’ she said.”

America Is “Lying” and Still Iran’s Enemy

The Times of Israel wrote on February 8:

“Iran’s Supreme Leader said American officials are ‘lying’ when they say they are not seeking regime change in Iran… Khamenei also urged officials not to pin hopes for economic recovery on the sanctions relief from a landmark deal reached with world powers on Tehran’s nuclear program… Khamenei has given his blessing to Rouhani’s outreach policies. But he also has held to the line that the United States is fundamentally Iran’s adversary.”

The Associated Press reported on February 8:

“Iranian warships dispatched to the Atlantic Ocean will travel close to U.S. maritime borders for the first time, a senior Iranian naval commander said Saturday… The fleet, consisting of a destroyer and a helicopter-carrying supply ship, began its voyage last month from the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas. The ships, carrying some 30 navy academy cadets for training along with their regular crews, are on a three-month mission…

“IRNA quoted Haddad as saying the fleet is approaching U.S. maritime borders for the first time. The Islamic Republic considers the move as a response to U.S. naval deployments near its own coastlines. The U.S. Navy’s 5th fleet is based in Bahrain, just across the Persian Gulf.”

Iran Prepares for War Against USA and Israel

The Washington Times wrote on February 12:

“A leading military chief in Iran said America’s threats against Tehran mean next to nothing — and that it’s the United States that better watch it. ‘We are ready for the decisive battle against the U.S. and the Zionist regime,’ said Gen. Hassan Firouzabadi, the chief of staff of Iran’s Armed Forces, according to Fars News, Iran’s government-run news agency. ‘If we are targeted from the U.S. bases in the region, we will hit those bases.’

“The general also said that Iran’s been prepping for war against the United States and Israel for the past 10 years… The bellicose threats come as the West, led by U.S. influence, forged a deal with Iran to freeze its nuclear activity for six months in exchange for relaxed international economic sanctions.”

How America Forsakes Its Poor

The Huffington Post wrote on February 6:

“Democrats failed on Thursday to win enough Republican votes to reauthorize long-term unemployment benefits for more than a million workers cut off in December. At least five Republicans needed to vote for the bill in order for it to advance, but only four did. The bill failed 58-to-40. Even if the Senate eventually passes an extension of unemployment benefits, which seems unlikely, Republican leaders in the House of Representatives have been unenthusiastic about holding a vote.

“More than 1.7 million long-term jobless Americans have missed out on benefits since the federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation program lapsed on Dec. 28. Since 2008, the program had provided extra weeks of benefits to laid-off workers who use up the standard six months of state benefits. Democrats tried to sweeten the deal by banning millionaires from receiving benefits. Thursday’s measure would have required unemployment claimants to certify they’d earned less than $1 million in the previous year; previously, there was no income restriction…

“Congress routinely installs temporary federal benefit programs when the economy sours, then lets them expire when it improves. Democrats say that with an unprecedented 3.9 million Americans unemployed six months or longer, it’s too soon to drop the benefits…

“Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said the Senate would try again… Last week, Reid told the story of a 57-year-old Nevada woman who’d written him to say that since her unemployment benefits stopped, she’s been couch surfing at friends’ houses. He revisited the story at a press conference on Thursday. ‘She couldn’t pay her rent,’ he said. ‘I hadn’t heard the term, some of the younger people probably have — she’s been couch-surfing. She’s been going from friend to friend to sleep on their couch. She said, “How do you think it makes me feel?’”’

Sadly, these real tragic life stories are no exceptions, but are becoming more and more common place in a country which prides itself of helping the poor. We might be doing this in other countries, granting them financial assistance beyond control, but what about our own people?

How America Punishes Its Poor

The Huffington Post wrote on February 12:

“In recent years, local governments throughout the United States have locked up growing numbers of people for failing to pay their legal debts… a new report takes a closer look at the emergence of modern-day ‘debtors’ prisons’ in Washington state, specifically.

“People throughout the state are often sent to jail because they can’t afford to pay the heavy fines and legal fees issued by county courts… The county’s District Court fines people for misdemeanors… defendants are often ordered to pay for the cost of their trials… Throughout the state, defendants frequently must pay fines, fees and other charges exceeding several thousand dollars per conviction, accruing interest at the rate of 12 percent per year…

“Under the U.S. Constitution, Americans can’t be jailed for failing to pay their debts when the reason for their failure to pay is poverty. But in Washington and other states, county governments get around that by insisting poor defendants could find a way to pay if they simply tried hard enough…

“In Ohio, a woman who couldn’t pay a $250 legal debt was held in jail for over a month… thousands of courts in Southern states jail people who can’t keep up with the fees imposed on them by private probation companies. Some states have begun curtailing their versions of the practice. In Ohio, the state Supreme Court announced last week that it would hand out ‘bench cards’ to state judges, encouraging them to offer payment plans to people who couldn’t afford their fines.”

Weak US Economy

BBC News wrote on February 7:

“The US economy added 113,000 jobs in January, the second month in a row the figure has been weaker than expected. Economists had predicted the US Labor Department would report an increase of about 180,000 new jobs… Getting America back to work is unfinished business… there were declines in hiring in retail, utilities, government, and education and health employment… Earlier this week, an unexpectedly weak manufacturing report raised concerns about the strength of the US economy and sent the Dow Jones tumbling by 326 points.”

Obamacare Problems

Newsmax wrote on February 12:

“The White House has been dealt a stunning new blow on Obamacare sign-up numbers with reports showing that only about half of the people ‘enrolled’ at healthcare exchanges in various states have actually paid their premiums. With the March 31 deadline for enrollment just seven weeks away, the number of sign-ups in federal and state marketplaces has slowed down to an alarming figure since the sudden surge in the latter part of December and early January.

“But the bigger problem for the Obama administration is that roughly 50 percent of consumers who had supposedly enrolled for President Barack Obama’s healthcare reform have missed their payment deadline for January 1.”

House and Senate Raise Debt Ceiling

Breitbart wrote on February 12:

“According to an analysis by the Senate Budget Committee Republican staff, the national debt when the debt ceiling comes back into effect [on March 15, 2015] will be $18.2 trillion, about $1 trillion more than the current, $17.2 trillion debt…

“After House Republicans failed to agree on a plan to include spending cuts and reforms in their debt ceiling bill, Speaker John Boehner brought a ‘clean’ debt ceiling increase to the House floor yesterday, which passed with mostly Democrats and 28 Republicans.

“The Senate just advanced its version of the legislation, voting to invoke cloture on the bill by a vote of 67-31… The vote puts the bill on the fast-track to a signature from President Obama.”

Deutsche Welle added on February 12:

“… [the] bill which will allow the US to continue borrowing normally for the next 13 months, also known as ‘raising the debt ceiling’…  the US Treasury will be able to pay its current debts, estimated at more than $17 trillion (12.5 trillion euros) until March 15, 2015.”

IRS to Tax American Gold Medalists

On February 7, 2014, the Drudge Report linked an article from the website of Americans For Tax Reform, stating this:

“As 230 U.S. Olympic athletes gear up to compete in the 2014 Winter Games, the only thing colder than the slopes at Sochi is the fact that any prizes awarded by the U.S. Olympic Commission (USOC) will be taxed by the IRS. Many Americans don’t realize that the U.S. taxes income earned abroad, and as such even the winnings of Olympic athletes are subject to the reach of the IRS.

“The USOC awards prizes to U.S. Olympic medal winners: $25,000 for gold, $15,000 for silver, and $10,000 for bronze. Relative to each athlete’s income tax bracket, some top earners such as Shaun White could end up paying over a third (39.6 percent) of their winnings to the IRS.

“Additionally, because the U.S. is one of only a handful of developed countries that tax income earned abroad, it is likely America’s competitors will not be subject to such a tax. Taken together – the tax on Olympic athletes and the tax on income earned abroad – it can be said the U.S. has officially ‘earned the Gold’ for having one of the most backwards and illogical tax codes in the world.”

Amen to that last comment.

Sweeping Changes for Same Sex Couples in Justice Department

Reuters wrote on February 8:

“Attorney General Eric Holder plans widespread changes within the U.S. Justice Department to benefit same-sex married couples, such as recognizing a legal right for them not to testify against each other in civil and criminal cases, according to excerpts of a speech on Saturday. The changes are designed to keep pushing for gay rights in the United States after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last year said the federal government cannot refuse to recognize same-sex marriages carried out in states that allow them.

“U.S. law has long included a ‘spousal privilege’ that protects communications between a husband and wife so they cannot be forced to be incriminating witnesses against each other in court. In addition to extending the privilege to same-sex couples in situations involving the Justice Department, Holder said he plans to put same-sex couples on the same legal footing as opposite-sex couples in other areas, including how certain debts are handled in federal bankruptcy proceedings and visitation policies at federal prisons.

“‘In every courthouse, in every proceeding, and in every place where a member of the Department of Justice stands on behalf of the United States, they will strive to ensure that same-sex marriages receive the same privileges, protections, and rights as opposite-sex marriages under federal law,’ Holder said in the speech excerpts released in advance…

“Holder will also make same-sex married couples equally eligible for death benefits paid to the surviving spouses of law enforcement officers who have died on duty and for benefits from the September 11 victims’ compensation fund, according to the speech excepts. The Justice Department runs both programs…

“Only 13 U.S. states have legalized gay marriage. In states where same-sex marriage is not legal, spousal privilege for same-sex couples is not guaranteed. In politically conservative Kentucky, for example, a state judge in September denied a woman’s request for spousal privilege to shield her from testifying against her partner in a capital murder case.”

Worldwide Disagreements of Catholics with Their Church

The Washington Post wrote on February 8:

“Most Catholics worldwide disagree with church teachings on divorce, abortion and contraception and are split on whether women and married men should become priests, according to a large new poll released Sunday and commissioned by the U.S. Spanish-language network Univision. On the topic of gay marriage, two-thirds of Catholics polled agree with church leaders.

“Overall, however, the poll of more than 12,000 Catholics in 12 countries reveals a church dramatically divided: Between the developing world in Africa and Asia, which hews closely to doctrine on these issues, and Western countries in Europe, North America and parts of Latin America, which strongly support practices that the church teaches are immoral. The widespread disagreement with Catholic doctrine on abortion and contraception and the hemispheric chasm lay bare the challenge for Pope Francis’s year-old papacy and the unity it has engendered…

“19 percent of Catholics in the European countries and 30 percent in the Latin American countries surveyed agree with church teaching that divorcees who remarry outside the church should not receive Communion, compared with 75 percent in the most Catholic African countries.

“30 percent of Catholics in the European countries and 36 percent in the United States agree with the church ban on female priests, compared with 80 percent in Africa and 76 percent in the Philippines, the country with the largest Catholic population in Asia.

“40 percent of Catholics in the United States oppose gay marriage, compared with 99 percent in Africa.

“The poll… focused on 12 countries across the continents with some of the world’s largest Catholic populations. The countries are home to more than six of 10 Catholics globally…

“Seventy-eight percent of Catholics across all countries surveyed support the use of contraceptives, which violate the church’s teaching that sex should always be had with an openness toward procreation… More than 90 percent of Catholics in Argentina, Colombia, Brazil, Spain and France support the use of contraception. Those less inclined to support it were in the Philippines (68 percent), Congo (44 percent) and Uganda (43 percent). In the United States, 79 percent of Catholics support using contraception… The poll also showed 66 percent of Catholics opposing same-sex marriage, with majorities in eight of the 12 countries surveyed agreeing with church doctrine…

“Critics say [Pope Francis’] solicitation of opinions wrongly gives the appearance that Catholicism is a democracy. Others… say there’s no evidence that he would touch doctrine… Any change would be a complex undertaking, as Catholics are going in many directions… Catholics in Brazil, the most populous Catholic country, widely reject some core church teachings but are seeing a surge in men becoming priests for the first time in decades. Filipino Catholics… support church teachings on some social issues but have a powerfully charismatic faith that isn’t focused on being in step with church leaders.”

It has always been the policy of the Roman Catholic Church to open its doors to people of all kinds of different beliefs, convictions and persuasions, placing a “Christian” mantle on their pagan worship. This type of syncretism is one reason for the utter confusion within the Church.

Final Draft Agreement Between Catholic Church and Palestine

Zenit wrote on February 7:

“A Holy See-Palestinian commission announced Thursday that there is ‘great satisfaction’ at progress toward the final draft of an agreement that will regulate aspects of Church life and activity in the Holy Land…  The talks were chaired by Hanna Amireh, member of Executive Committee of the PLO and head of the Presidential Higher Committee for Church Affairs of the State of Palestine, and by Archbishop Antoine Camilleri, under-secretary for Relations with States of the Holy See.

“‘The discussions took place in a cordial and constructive atmosphere,’ the Holy See reported…  ‘The Palestinian side expressed its warm welcome to Pope Francis in view of his upcoming visit to the Holy Land.’”

Catastrophic Ice Storm in the USA

BBC News wrote on February 12:

“A ‘catastrophic’ ice storm wreaking havoc in the American South is now poised to pummel the eastern seaboard, say forecasters. More than 350,000 people are reportedly without power and 3,300 US flights have been cancelled due to ice and strong winds… North Carolina and Virginia are bracing for up to 1ft (30cm) of snow as the storm rolls north… The National Weather Service said it was an event of ‘historical proportions’, drawing comparisons with similar weather systems that struck the Atlanta area in 2000 and 1973…

“North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory urged residents to ‘stay smart’, asking people to charge their mobile phones and find batteries for radios and flashlights in anticipation of power cuts. Traffic was snarled in the state, especially in the city of Raleigh, as the snow began to fall in the early evening and prevented crews from clearing roads.”

The Weather Channel added on February 12:

“Winter Storm Pax continued its second wave of wintry weather Wednesday, dumping freezing rain and sleet across a wide area that could experience catastrophic conditions for a prolonged period of time. In North Carolina, snowfall led to a disastrous commute Wednesday afternoon in Raleigh and Charlotte…”

“Meanwhile, a Deluge in the UK…”

The Daily Mail wrote on February 8:

“A wave bigger [than] the hamlet of Sennen Cove, in West Cornwall, was seen crashing over the cliffs today as a series of devastating storms swept in bringing gales of up to 80mph. There are more than 300 low-level flood alerts and nearly 200 medium-risk flood warnings in place across Wales and southern and central England as north as Hull – two of them pose ‘a danger to life’. Today’s storms are expected to be at least as severe as those which caused widespread destruction across southern England last week leaving swathes of the country under water.”

BBC News added on February 12:

“Further flooding is expected in parts of the UK, as forecasters warn stormy weather could bring the ‘strongest’ winds of winter and a month’s rainfall in the coming days.”

One member of UKIP (United Kingdom Independence Party – “get the UK out of Europe” party) said that because of homosexuality etc., the country was having all these problems. The Guardian newspaper wrote on February 10 that “A UKIP councillor who blamed the Christmas and new year floods on the passage of gay marriage laws has been suspended from the party, Ukip said on Sunday, reversing an earlier view that he was entitled to his opinion.  Henley-on-Thames councillor David Silvester, who defected from the Tories in protest at David Cameron’s support for same-sex unions, said he had warned the prime minister of ‘repercussions’ if gay marriage went ahead.   He was suspended by Ukip after defying a request not to do further interviews on his beliefs following his initial claims made in a letter to a local newspaper. The move came as leader Nigel Farage launched a clearout of ‘extremist, nasty or barmy’ views from the party ahead of polls in May.”

This is just a tiny foretaste of what is to come when the nation is truly told about its sins! 

Appalling Conduct Towards European Zoo Animals

The Associated Press reported on February 9:

“Copenhagen Zoo killed a 2-year-old giraffe and fed its remains to lions as visitors watched, ignoring a petition signed by thousands and offers from other zoos and a private individual to save the animal. Marius, a healthy male, was put down Sunday using a bolt pistol… Visitors, including children, were invited to watch while the giraffe was then skinned and fed to the lions… the zoo, which now has seven giraffes left, followed the recommendation of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria to put down Marius… because there already were a lot of giraffes with similar genes in the organization’s breeding program.

“The Amsterdam-based EAZA has 347 members, including many large zoos in European capitals… EAZA membership isn’t mandatory, but most responsible zoos are members of the organization… [The] zoo had turned down offers from other ones to take Marius and an offer from a private individual who wanted to buy the giraffe for 500,000 euros ($680,000)… [The zoo] turned down an offer from Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Britain, which is a member of EAZA, because Marius’ older brother lives there and the park’s space could be better used by a ‘genetically more valuable giraffe.’… Copenhagen Zoo also turned down an offer from a zoo in northern Sweden, because it was not an EAZA member…

“EAZA said it supported the zoo’s decision to ‘humanely put the animal down and believes strongly in the need for genetic and demographic management within animals in human care.’ However, the organization Animal Rights Sweden said the case highlights what it believes zoos do to animals regularly. ‘It is no secret that animals are killed when there is no longer space, or if the animals don’t have genes that are interesting enough,’ it said in a statement…

“Elisa Allen, spokeswoman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals in the U.K., said Marius’ case should serve as a wake-up call for anyone who ‘still harbors the illusion that zoos serve any purpose beyond incarcerating intelligent animals for profit…  Giraffes rarely die of old age in captivity, and had Marius not been euthanized today, he would have lived out his short life as a living exhibit, stranded in a cold climate, thousands of miles away from his true home.’”

This kind of animal cruelty and the destruction of perfectly healthy animals for arbitrary or no reasons won’t be allowed anymore, when Christ rules on this earth.

It is interesting to look at the definition of this phrase. One of many definitions that can be found on the Internet makes the point well:

”They say that if you put a frog into a pot of boiling water, it will leap out right away to escape the danger. But, if you put a frog in a kettle that is filled with water that is cool and pleasant, and then you gradually heat the kettle until it starts boiling, the frog will not become aware of the threat until it is too late.   The frog’s survival instincts are geared towards detecting sudden changes.

“This is a story that is used to illustrate how people might get themselves into terrible trouble.  This parable is often used to illustrate how humans have to be careful to watch slowly changing trends in the environment, not just the sudden changes. It’s a warning to keep us paying attention not just to obvious threats but to more slowly developing ones.”

Looking at all the evidence to see whether the story is true or not is not within the compass of this particular Q&A.   The analogy raises a very interesting way that society, under the sway of Satan (2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:2), brings about the change it desires, even if the process is over the long term.   Examples of this will show how true the analogy can be. 

First of all, let us look at homosexuality which is roundly condemned in the Bible.  Genesis 18 and 19 show that this was one of a number of sins for which Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed. Other passages on the subject include Leviticus 18:22; 20:13. In Scriptures such as Deuteronomy 23:17; 1 Kings 14:24; 1 Kings 15:12; and 2 Kings 23:7, the Hebrew term “qedeshim” is used for “perverted” persons, describing those practicing sodomy and prostitution in religious rituals. New Testament passages include Romans 1:25-27, 32 (condemning those who even approve of such acts); 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; 1 Timothy 1:9-10; and Revelation 21:8.  We are admonished to live by every Word of God (Matthew 4:4), and so these references must be taken seriously.

In England, Henry VIII introduced the first legislation under English criminal law against sodomy with the Buggery Act of 1533, making buggery (a British English term, which is very close in meaning to the term sodomy) punishable by hanging—a penalty not lifted in England and Wales until 1861.

In the UK, the Sexual Offences Act 1967 was an Act of Parliament which decriminalized homosexual acts in private between two men, both of whom were 21 years of age or older.   Section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988 stated that a local authority “shall not intentionally promote homosexuality or publish material with the intention of promoting homosexuality” or “promote the teaching in any maintained school of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship.”   However, it was repealed on 21 June 2000 in Scotland as one of the first pieces of legislation enacted by the new Scottish Parliament, and on 18 November 2003 in the rest of Great Britain.

The politicians feel that homosexuals should have “equality” in law, and it is their reasoning for approving behaviour, which is an abomination in the sight of God.   It seems that anyone now citing biblical proof stating that this practice is wrong could be guilty of a “hate” crime showing how far we have come in such a degenerate society.

So we can very briefly see that in the UK, it was an offence punishable by hanging until that act was repealed, then it was still illegal until 1967, then promotion of homosexuality was banned in schools, then repealed, and many politicians apologised for this as they saw public opinion moving quite quickly in the direction of approval and then civil partnerships and now same-sex “marriages”.   All this took many decades, even hundreds of years to get from the death penalty to men “marrying” men and women “marrying” women, and all the time, public opinion was being manipulated and softened towards the acceptance of this ungodly practice.   For the biblical teaching on this subject, please see our Q&A #184 on 11th March 2005, entitled “The Biblical Teaching on Homosexuality”.

Next we may look at abortion.   Wikipedia states that “The Abortion Act 1967 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom legalising abortions by registered practitioners, and regulating the free provision of such medical practices through the National Health Service (NHS). Apparently this was introduced in order to reduce the amount of disease and death associated with illegal abortion.”

Abortions were made legal in the United States in a landmark and controversial 1973 Supreme Court judgement, often referred to as the Roe v Wade case.   On the “Women’s History website” it states that “While many celebrated the decision, others, especially in the Roman Catholic Church and in theologically conservative Christian groups, opposed the change.  ‘Pro-life’ and ‘pro-choice’ evolved as the most common self-chosen names of the two movements, one to outlaw most abortions and the other to eliminate most legislative restrictions on abortions.”

The BBC reported in 2009 that “The Church of England encourages people to think through the issue of abortion very carefully and recognises that each individual will have differing views on the subject.  However, the Church’s governing body, The General Synod, has passed resolutions on the matter which provide a coherent Church of England position.  The Church of England combines strong opposition to abortion with a recognition that there can be – strictly limited – conditions under which it may be morally preferable to any available alternative.  The Church of England shares the Roman Catholic view that abortion is ‘gravely contrary to the moral law’.”

Figures in a UK newspaper report on 25th May 2010 stated that there were 189,100 abortions in 2009 for women living in England and Wales.  A total of 48 women had had seven or more abortions.  Most of these were funded by the National Health Service (NHS) which paid for 94 per cent of all terminations.  The report said that the figures could reignite the debate into whether some women use abortion as a form of contraception, rather than a last resort to unplanned pregnancy.

Over the years attitudes have changed, little by little, regarding abortion, and it is now commonplace in many countries around the world.   What was once seen as a shocking thing is now considered part of everyday life in many countries.   Over time, with plenty of publicity and exposure, most have now accepted that this is the right thing to do in some or many circumstances.   The Bible tells us that it is always wrong (Please read our free booklet “Are You Already Born Again?” and view the StandingWatch programme, “Why Abortion Is Murder in God’s Eyes,” dated 13th November 2013).

Another area where the frog in boiling water analogy has been very effective is the concept of “living together or co-habiting”.   In our weekly Update #199, dated 24th June 2005, we quoted from “Psychology Today” as follows:  “Thirty or 40 years ago, cohabitation was relatively rare, mainly the province of artists and other questionable types, and still thought of as ‘living in sin.’  In 1970 only about 500,000 couples lived together in unwedded bliss.   Now, nearly 5 million opposite-sex couples in the United States live together outside of marriage; millions more have done it at some point… Some evidence indicates that women have less control over the progress of the cohabiting relationship.   She may assume they’re on the road to marriage, but he may think they’re just saving on rent and enjoying each other’s company… Cohabiting men may carry their uncertainty forward into marriage, with destructive consequences. A 2004 study… found that men who had lived with their spouse pre-maritally were on average less committed to their marriages than those who hadn’t…”

Since this report some nine years ago, co-habitation has continued to flourish and is now an unquestioned part of society.   Fifty years ago it would have been completely unacceptable, seen as “living in sin,” but over the years, opposition has gradually dwindled away and very few seem to question it any longer.   However, the Bible has much to say about fornication – for a full explanation, please see our Q&A #226, “Does the Bible Permit Adultery and Pre-Marital Sex?”

One other secular matter is a prime example of the frog in boiling water principle working effectively.   After Princess Diana died in 1998, much was made of Prince Charles’s extra marital affair with Camilla Parker-Bowles.   A plan was put in place to have her accepted, as there was much hostility towards her at that time.  

After several years of the marketing of Camilla, she and Prince Charles married in 2005.   At the time, one report stated that “The couple have had to make some controversial adjustments in the hope of gaining public acceptance for the marriage, most notably the pledge that if Charles becomes King, Camilla won’t be named Queen, instead she’ll carry the title of Her Royal Highness, the Princess Consort.”   Another report stated that “If you go back five years ago, the memory of Diana was still very fresh.  And it’s still reasonably fresh with a lot of people, seven and a half years after her death.  And it would’ve been wrong five years ago to go through it.”

Since then, the propaganda machine has been in continuous action, so that now, contrary to public opinion in 1998 and 2005, polls show that she is now accepted in her position as the Duchess of Cornwall. 

In a report in 2012 about the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Celebrations, these comments were made:   “Only 10 years ago she attended the Golden Jubilee Party at the palace and sat in the background behind the Royal Family trying not to ignite controversy over her relationship with the heir to the throne.  For years she was the ‘other woman’, but yesterday Camilla’s increased prominence demonstrated she has been truly accepted as part of the Windsors’ future in the Queen’s new slimmed-down version of the Royal Family.  Her Majesty’s decision to have Camilla sitting in the Landau’s seat in the absence of Prince Philip, who was suddenly taken ill, emphatically told the country her daughter in law is now an important part of ‘The Firm’.  This was reaffirmed by Camilla’s appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony with the Queen, Charles, William, Kate and Harry just a few moments later, as well as her seat just one along from the Queen in the royal box during Monday’s rock extravaganza.”

The spin doctors were given a task that, over the years, they have accomplished in getting her accepted by those who were initially opposed to her place in the Royal Family.

Please note this reference taken from page 5 of our free booklet “Should You Fight in War?”:  “Notice that NOT seeking peace and pursuing it is labeled as ‘evil.’  Refraining our tongues from evil means to refrain from speaking evil about our enemy.  Each war begins with words, with propaganda, with hateful comments about others, until a government’s decision to attack and fight against a foreign country – the enemy – seems to be justified in the eyes of the citizens. As a prime example, Adolph Hitler could never have convinced many Germans to approve of ‘total war,’ if his propaganda machine, under Joseph Goebbels, had not carefully prepared them, far in advance, for such a viewpoint.”

These examples show how public opinion can be manipulated, given time.  It probably goes a good way to explaining Isaiah 5:20: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”   It appears that almost anything can be addressed, changed or manipulated, given enough time, and with Satan in charge of our society at this time, we should not be surprised.

Unfortunately, man always seems to think that he knows best when God’s Word says differently.  The old saying that it is “a cinch by the inch but hard by the yard” is an excellent way of getting acceptance of an unpopular matter, usually over a protracted period of time.   Let us never forget that the frog in boiling water analogy can be very effective in getting this point across.  Also let us never forget that it is a tool that Satan uses very successfully, even in the Church, as we saw in the 1990’s, when destructive heresies were subtly introduced, and as we have seen subsequently, when many in the Church of God forsook most, if not all of the truth which they had once seemingly understood (For a full explanation of these horrible events, please read our free booklet, “Are You Already Born Again?” ).

We have to be very careful that we are not taken in, particularly in the Church, by “the frog in boiling water” analogy!

Lead Writer: Brian Gale (UK)

A new member letter has been written by Rene Messier. In this letter, Mr. Messier examines the stark condition of society in the nations of the modern House of Israel–showing the urgency for finishing the Work God has given to His Church.

“Rebellion in the Christian Church?,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

The results of a worldwide survey for Catholics reflect a devastating disagreement between teaching and practice. This can also be observed in most other churches in mainstream Christianity. But who is right, and who is wrong? Is it right or wrong to divorce, to use contraceptives, to have sexual relationships outside of marriage, or to endorse abortion, self-sex marriages and homosexual practices? While Pope Francis is viewed as a reformer, retired Pope Benedict is “the fixed star of the traditionalists” in the Catholic Church, “setting the standard” for them today. What does this all mean, also in light of the prophesied “false prophet” to manifest himself within traditional Christianity in the next few years?

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“Wie den Krieg abschaffen?'” is the title of a new German sermon asking and answering the question as to how we could get rid of war. Title in English: “How to Abolish War?” This is the second in a new series of German sermons in which Norbert Link addresses choices which lead to war or to peace.

The files for our booklet, “Hidden Secrets in the Bible” are ready to be sent to the printer.

“Old Testament Laws—Still Valid Today?,” is the title of a new booklet, written by Norbert Link, which has entered the second stage of review. Here is the opening paragraph of the Foreward:

“Do the Old Testament laws apply to us today? How can we determine if they do, and to what extent? The answers to these questions require careful consideration of the Scriptures in order to fully appreciate why God gave these laws in the first place and what, if anything, they mean for us today.”