On June 16, 2012, Norbert Link will give the sermon, titled, “The End of Europe.”

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). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

Driving to where we meet for Sabbath Services this past week, my wife and I noticed an ominous billowing plume of smoke—the tell-tale sign of an erupting forest fire.
 
Now, the city of Fort Collins, Colorado, is making national and international news because of its close proximity to what has become a raging inferno consuming over forty-thousand acres, including reports of terrible destruction and even death.
 
For those so suddenly displaced and virtually fleeing for their lives, the loss has been heart-rending. The possessions of a lifetime are gone. The future is bleak and uncertain, and their way forward will doubtless leave them emotionally wounded along with the challenge to rebuild their lives.
 
The outpouring of help has been remarkable, and this community has been blessed with abundant resources for just times like this. This disaster is proving to be life-changing for a lot of people, but it is—as many disasters are—manageable.
 
However, for those who closely follow the prophetic teachings of the Word of God, we know that the world is on the threshold of such cataclysmic occurrences that no one is prepared, and few will even survive. For those who do, it will be in a world that has been saved from the brink of total annihilation.
 
Here is how Jesus Christ spoke of this future, and how He promised help for those who are faithful to Him—called here and other places in the Bible, the “elect”:
 
“‘And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened’” (Matthew 24:22). 
 
Of course this is very encouraging for us who seek to follow the lead of Jesus Christ and to be obedient to God, but what about everyone else? Do we have any responsibility for others? While many will help in times of need and prove to be generous following times of difficulty, our challenge is to provide the help BEFORE disaster comes!
 
The way we are to do this is to boldly proclaim the gospel of the Kingdom of God; to teach a true understanding of what it means to be a Christian; to reach out to those who respond and to help them become a part of God’s “elect.”
 
Disaster is coming, and we have been given an understanding from God about the future. Will we be prepared, personally, and will we be the ones who help alert the world of the tribulation which will devastate all people?

We begin with an interesting analysis pertaining to Germany’s current leadership role in Europe, and raise the question whether Germany and Europe are repeating the mistakes of the 1930s. We are already beginning to see potentially frightening developments, which might limit the liberties and freedoms of European citizens, while the Eurozone looks at Germany as their savior and is willing to accept enhanced European (and thereby less national) governance and political EU unification.

At the same time, Germans are becoming disillusioned with President Obama and America, and this is even true, to an extent, for some Jewish voters in the USA.

Turning our attention to the Middle East, we are reporting about the desire of an Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood candidate to take over Jerusalem and declare it to be the capital of Egypt, and we report on Russia’s shameful conduct regarding Syria. But while accusations fly between Russia and the USA over weapon deliveries to Syria and other Middle Eastern countries, it appears that neither Russia nor the USA could claim righteousness in the matter.

We conclude with several articles on Russia’s development towards a totalitarian and oppressive police state under Vladimir Putin, while certain Asian nations, including Russia and China, are moving closer together in defiance of European desires and preferences.

Has Germany Failed to Learn from History?

Der Spiegel Online wrote on June 12:

“The European Union was created to avoid repeating the disasters of the 1930s, but Germany, of all countries, has failed to learn from history. As the euro crisis escalates, Berlin should remember how the banking crisis of 1931 contributed to the breakdown of democracy across Europe.

“… today’s Germans appear to attach more importance to the year 1923 (the year of hyperinflation) than to the year 1933 (the year democracy died). They would do well to remember how a European banking crisis two years before 1933 contributed directly to the breakdown of democracy not just in their own country but right across the European continent… While 24 European regimes had been democratic in 1920, the number was down to 11 in 1939…

“Giving up some sovereignty is inevitable. However, becoming subject to a ‘neo-colonial’ submission of one’s fiscal policy to Germany… is not acceptable… [Germans] must understand that the costs of a breakup of the euro zone would be astronomically high — for themselves as much as for anyone. After all, Germany’s current prosperity is in large measure a consequence of monetary union. The euro has given German exporters a far more competitive exchange rate than the old deutsche mark would have. And the rest of the euro zone remains the destination for 42 percent of German exports. Plunging half of that market into a new Depression can hardly be good for Germany.

“Ultimately, as Chancellor Merkel herself acknowledged last week, monetary union always implied further integration into a fiscal and political union. But before Europe gets anywhere near taking this historical step, it must first of all show that it has learned the lessons of the past. The EU was created to avoid repeating the disasters of the 1930s. It is time Europe’s leaders — and especially Germany’s — understood how perilously close they are to doing just that.”

But have we learned our lessons? Hardly! Note the next article as well. And so, the Bible predicts that Europe, under German leadership, will become a totalitarian power bloc—and liberties and freedoms of its citizens will be severely limited.

Europe Could Limit Movement of People and Money

On June 12, the Associated Press reported:

“European officials are working on range of contingency scenarios covering action that could be to control the movement of people and money in the event of Greece abandoning the euro currency, a European Union spokesman admitted Tuesday. [A] spokesman said Tuesday that, legally, limits could be imposed on movement of people and money across national borders within the EU if it’s necessary to protect public order or public security.”

Germany Will Save the Eurozone

The Wall Street Journal wrote on June 4:

“Germany will ultimately take whatever steps necessary to keep the euro zone intact, said Deutsche Bank’s former Chief Executive Officer Josef Ackermann on Monday. ‘If it comes to worst, before the euro zone collapses, everything will be done to bail the euro zone out,’ Ackermann said… Later he said that he had ‘no doubt’ that the German people would support a rescue operation for the euro zone. ‘Destruction is much more expensive than further construction. A demolition of the euro zone will create chaos in Europe and probably also in many parts of the world,’ he said… Ackermann said a Greek exit from the euro-zone would be ‘very difficult but manageable.’”

And so, the Eurozone (perhaps in a slightly different configuration than right now) will be saved; the euro will not fail; and Germany will come to the rescue, if need be. And, there will be political unification.

“Europe Needs Enhanced Governance in Eurozone”

Reuters reported on June 13:

“Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy… said that while each country had to take its own measures to clean up public finances and reform the economy, only closer European integration could solve the crisis… European Union leaders plan to call for much stronger banking and fiscal integration and enhanced governance in the euro zone at a summit later this month…”

Germans Become Disillusioned with Obama and America

Der Spiegel Online wrote on June 13:

“Germans were ecstatic when Barack Obama took over the keys to the White House from George W. Bush. Now, though, a new Pew Research Center survey shows that disillusionment with the US president is widespread in Germany and that Obama has not lived up to the high expectations Europeans had of him… Germans are disappointed in the US president’s unilateralism; his use of force, particularly drone strikes; his inaction with regard to the Israeli-Palestinian situation and his lack of effort in curbing climate change.

“Nevertheless, they still have overwhelming confidence in Obama’s overall international leadership. In fact, at 87 percent, Germans are the most supportive in Europe… and nine out of 10 Germans want to see Obama re-elected…

“Obama’s personal popularity has always exceeded German support for America. And today only half the Germans (52 percent) have a favorable view of the United States… Among the eight European nations surveyed, only in Greece (35 percent) is pro-American sentiment weaker… Germans also don’t see America as an economic superpower… [Only] 13 percent say the U.S. plays that role. No other Europeans judge American economic prowess so harshly.

“This decline in support for the United States is closely linked to Germans’ critical views of Obama’s handling of particular international concerns… one of the signature Obama security policy initiatives — drone strikes targeting extremist leaders and groups in nations such as Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia — have drawn German criticism. Fifty-nine percent of Germans disapprove of such actions, about the median for Europe…

 ”In retrospect, hopes for an Obama presidency were unrealistically high, especially among Europeans… Reality was unlikely to live up to these expectations… this new survey suggests frustrations with Obama and the United States are mounting. And leaders in Berlin, Washington and elsewhere need to be cognizant of their implications, especially if the American people give Obama a second term.”

The Local wrote on June 13:

“Germans are feeling less positive towards the United States and disappointed with their erstwhile hero, President Barack Obama, with significant opposition to the US use of drones to target and kill terrorists. The US enjoyed a huge surge of popularity within Germany in 2009 when Obama succeeded President George W. Bush…

“Yet there seems to be a certain complacency, or possibly lack of interest since the election four years ago which brought Obama to power. Then 56 percent of Germans said they were following the race to the White House closely, whereas now that figure is just 36 percent.”

In spite of these concerns, it is amazing that almost 90 % of Germans would support President Obama’s re-election. This is undoubtedly due to misinformation and complacency, but Germans are also very concerned of a Republican President, as they still remember and strongly reject the troublesome Bush-era.

Jewish Support for Obama Plummets

Newsmax reported on June 10:

“President Barack Obama has seen a 10-point plunge in support among Jewish voters… The move is significant because American Jews have been bedrock supporters of the Democratic Party for decades. Often regarded as instinctively liberal but hawks on support for Israel, Jews are a key voting bloc in Florida, one of a handful of high electoral vote ‘swing’ states Obama must win to defeat Romney. Their votes also could make a difference in a close race in Ohio or Pennsylvania.

“The Republican Jewish Coalition notes the 29 percent of Jewish voters who support Romney, represents the ‘highest level of Jewish support for a Republican presidential candidate in 24 years.’ RJC Executive Director Matt Brooks said that if the numbers hold in November, they would spell ‘a disaster’ for Obama and his party.”

Jerusalem to Be Occupied by Egypt?

On June 7, Al Alarabiya News reported the following:

“If Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohammed Mursi became president, Egypt’s new capital will no more be Cairo, but the new capital will be Jerusalem, a prominent Egyptian cleric said at a presidential campaign rally, which was aired by an Egyptian private TV channel. ‘Our capital shall not be Cairo, Mecca or Medina. It shall be Jerusalem with God’s will. Our chants shall be: “Millions of martyrs will march towards Jerusalem”,’ prominent cleric Safwat Hagazy said, according to the video aired by Egypt’s religious Annas TV on Tuesday…

“‘The United States of the Arabs will be restored on the hands of that man [Mursi] and his supporters. The capital of the [Muslim] Caliphate will be Jerusalem with God’s will,’ Hegazy said, as the crowds cheered, waving the Egyptian flags along with the flags of the Islamist Hamas group, which rules the Gaza Strip. ‘Tomorrow Mursi will liberate Gaza,’ the crowds chanted. ‘Yes, we will either pray in Jerusalem or we will be martyred there,’ Hegazy said…

“Voting for Mursi… would mean handing Egypt to an Islamic movement [which] has monopolized power since the uprising.”

These are interesting developments in the Middle East which could trigger ultimate military intervention of Europe, as prophesied in Scripture.

Egypt in Chaos

CNN wrote on June 14:

“Egypt’s highest court declared the parliament invalid Thursday, and the country’s interim military rulers promptly declared full legislative authority, triggering a new level of chaos and confusion in the country’s leadership. The Supreme Constitutional Court found that all articles making up the law that regulated parliamentary elections are invalid, said Showee Elsayed, a constitutional lawyer. The ruling means that parliament must be dissolved, state TV reported.

“Parliament has been in session for just over four months. It is dominated by Islamists, a group long viewed with suspicion by the military. The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, in control of the country since Mubarak’s ouster, said that it now has full legislative power… The court also ruled that former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafik. the last prime minister to serve under ousted President Hosni Mubarak, may run in a presidential election runoff this weekend…

“Some analysts also called it a coup… Shadi Hamid, director of research at the Brookings Doha Center, said the court rulings are the ‘worst possible outcome’ for Egypt and the transition to civilian rule is ‘effectively over.’”

“Suicides No. 2 Cause of Death in Military”

USA Today reported on June 14:

“The most common way that U.S. servicemembers die outside of combat is by their own hand, according to an analysis released by the Pentagon on Wednesday. Since 2010, suicide has outpaced traffic accidents, heart disease, cancer, homicide and all other forms of death in the military besides combat, the report says. One in four non-combat deaths last year were servicemembers killing themselves.

“This year, suicides among troops occur on average once a day, according to Pentagon figures obtained by USA TODAY. The data, first reported by the Associated Press, show that after the end of the Iraq War, suicides may become more common than combat deaths. There were 154 confirmed or suspected suicides this year through June 3, while 127 troops died in the Afghanisthan War, Pentagon data show.

“Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told Congress on Wednesday that he has directed all military branches ‘to immediately look at that situation and determine what’s behind it, what’s causing it and what can we do to make sure it doesn’t happen.’ All the services except the Navy are seeing increases in suicide among active-duty members this year… The Army — which has the highest suicide rate… is spending about $75 million to understand why it is happening and what to do about it. No one so far has answers, said Army Col. Carl Castro, who leads researchers trying to find effective forms of prevention and treatment…”

Accusations Fly Between Russia and USA Over Syria

The Guardian wrote on June 13:

“The US has alleged that Russian-made weapons are killing Syrians on ‘an hourly basis’ as the feud between Washington and Moscow over the arming of the Assad regime intensified Wednesday. In the face of a strong denial from the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, the US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, stood by her assertion that Russian attack helicopters are on their way to Syria in a move that would ‘escalate the conflict quite dramatically’.

“The state department spokeswoman, Victoria Nuland, repeated the claim and ratcheted up the confrontation by saying that the Russians have also been resupplying arms used against the civilian population… Lavrov… said Russia is supplying weapons only for self-defence. ‘We are now finishing the fulfilment of contracts that were signed and paid for a long time ago. All of (the contracts) are solely for means of air defence,’ he said. Lavrov said the arms are ‘only something that Syria would need in the event of an armed attack on it from without’…

“The Russian foreign minister turned the tables on the US by accusing the Americans of arming the Syrian opposition… Nuland denied the charge… However, there is growing evidence that US allies in the region, principally Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, are arming the opposition Free Syrian Army… Nuland also said there was ‘no comparison’ between Russia sending weapons to Syria and the US arming the monarchy in Bahrain, which has brutally put down civilian demonstrations with the help of the American-supplied Saudi military resulting in scores killed and thousands arrested. Some are alleged to have died under torture.”

Russia Rejects Foreign Intervention in Syria

CNN wrote on June 9:

“After days of international shuttling on what to do with the troubling situation in Syria, Russia’s foreign minister said Saturday his country will never agree to foreign intervention. Despite warnings of Syria spiraling into a civil war, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a televised briefing in Moscow there was no alternative other than implementing Special Envoy Kofi Annan’s peace plan, despite its failures. ‘The situation looks more and more grim,’ Lavrov said. ‘For the first time since the beginning of this crisis we see the question of foreign intervention. And our position remains unchanged. We will never agree to sanction the use of force in the U.N. Security Council.’

“He called foreign intervention a ‘dangerous game’ and said it would have serious consequences in the entire region. He also blamed the recent violence, which has included horrific reported massacres in Houla and Qubeir, in part to opposition groups being supported by other nations. Russia, along with China and four Central Asian nations, has signed a joint declaration rejecting armed intervention in Syria and reiterating support for Annan’s peace plan. Russia and China — both Security Council members — have also blocked proposed United Nations efforts to punish President Bashar al-Assad’s regime with sanctions.”

Russia is acting purely because of self-interest, as it is heavily involved in all kinds of monetary and military operations with Syria. We also see consensus reached between Russia, China and four other Asian nations, which is in opposition to the desired course of action of Western powers.

Russia Turns to a Police State

Financial Times Deutschland wrote on June 13:

“Russia is becoming a police state that increasingly often drags in opposition leaders for interrogation and searches their apartments… Since March presidential elections, … Putin has been slowly tightening the thumbscrews. It’s not just the new laws governing demonstrations, which cut back massively on freedom of assembly rights, but also the increasing ‘unexplainable’ hacker attacks on critical websites. Together they reveal a clear policy of intimidation. It is not impossible that Putin’s chicanery will fundamentally change the culture of protest in Russia. There is a real chance that the educated middle class could give birth to violence.”

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung wrote on June 13:

“…  change is taking place in Russian society, one which might be slowed by repression, but cannot be stopped. It remains unclear, however, what the results might be…”

Enough of KGB Rule in Russia?

CNN wrote on June 13:

“Antigovernment slogans and calls for change resounded in Moscow’s central boulevards Tuesday, suggesting that Russian authorities’ recent moves to suppress dissent haven’t damped the opposition’s spirits. In the first major protest since President Vladimir Putin began a new six-year term May 7, Muscovites of all ages and political convictions flooded the city center, chanting ‘Russia without Putin’ and ‘Enough of KGB rule.’ The event was dubbed the ‘March of Millions’ to symbolize the wave of discontent that has enveloped Russia’s largest cities since disputed parliamentary elections in December…

“Tuesday’s protest, which fell on the Russia Day holiday, came on the heels of a concerted effort by authorities to limit opposition protesters’ room to maneuver… Moscow police on Monday carried out raids on the homes of as many as 15 opposition figures… Amnesty International later condemned the searches as politically motivated.

“On Friday, Putin signed into law draconian legislation increasing fines to $10,000 for participants and $30,000 for organizers involved in protests that are unauthorized, attract larger crowds than permitted, or cause damage or injury.”

Putin will try to rule brutally and with an iron fist. Will he prevail, or will he be leading his country into civil war? Only time will tell.

How Russians View Europe

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 13, 2012:

“The ongoing euro crisis appears to have diminished the enthusiasm of the Russian people towards the European Union. They have become much more critical over the past year with regards to Russia’s relations with the EU… The number of supporters for Russia becoming a member of the EU (38 percent) appears to have stayed the same, but the number of opponents has increased. Almost half of the respondents (47 percent) reject the idea that Russia should join the EU. That is 11 percent more than last year…

“From a Russian perspective, the main objective of the European Union is to promote economic growth (55 percent). It is these core issues that the EU in recent months has neglected, but that the Russians find the most important. The debt crisis in the eurozone has dampened economic growth. And Russian confidence in the EU has also disappeared… Forty percent of those surveyed believe a main objective of the EU is territorial expansion. One in five said it was the development of a universal security system, the same number who believed it was to further European interests in the world. This presents a fundamental problem…

“At the same time, Russians do not think their country has an especially positive image within Europe… Just under a quarter of respondents say Russia is thought of as a reliable strategic partner. Twenty-two percent were more skeptical, suggesting that Russia, especially within Europe is seen as a wayward superpower with imperial ambitions…

“Weakness within the European Union has also had an effect on any bilateral relationship between the EU and Russia. In April 2011, 52 percent of those surveyed rated relations as friendly and amicable; current DW-Trend respondents indicate this has dropped to 43 percent.

“However, the relationship between Germany and Russia has suffered less. Although the proportion expressing a belief the relationship between two countries was friendly has dropped six percent to 24 percent, a clear majority, 70 percent of the Russian population, see German-Russian relations as either friendly or amicable.”

Of course, there is really no realistic possibility that Russia would ever join the EU. At the same time, the relationship between Germany and Russia will ultimately become hostile.

China on Collision Course with Europe

Reuters reported on June 12:

“China will take swift counter-measures that could include impounding European aircraft if the EU punishes Chinese airlines for not complying with its scheme to curb carbon emissions, the China Air Transport Association said on Tuesday. The warning came as the U.N.’s aviation body expressed concern about the growing threat of bilateral reprisals.

“Chinese airlines, which have been told by Beijing not to comply with the European Union’s Emissions Trading Scheme, refused to meet a March 31 deadline for submitting carbon emissions data. A new stand-off looms after EU Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard said the carriers would have until the end of this week to submit their data or face enforcement action…

“China is among a raft of countries including India, Russia and the United States that have protested against the inclusion of all flights using EU airports into the emissions scheme.”

The developments between Europe and especially China and Russia need to be watched with great care, as the relationship between the Asian and European countries will deteriorate drastically.

A fundamental statement of John the Baptist can be found in John 3:36 to the effect that he who believes Jesus Christ will inherit eternal life, but that God’s wrath rests upon a person who does not “obey” Christ (compare the correct rendering in the Revised Standard Version).

John had refused to baptize those who came to him without having shown fruits of repentance, challenging them with the question as to who had warned them to flee from the wrath to come (Matthew 3:7-12; Luke 3:7-17). In Matthew 23:33, Christ reiterated John’s warning, ultimately equating the wrath of God with the condemnation of hell fire. That is, if someone refuses to repent and obey God, ending up in committing the unpardonable sin, he will be destroyed in the lake of fire.

Colossians 3:6 tells us that the wrath of God will come upon the children of “disobedience.” 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9 adds that Christ will take vengeance on them that “do not obey” the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

It is important to realize that we are going to face God’s wrath if we refuse to obey Him. The book of Revelation announces in vivid terms what will happen to mankind when God pours out His wrath on rebellious and disobedient people (Revelation 6:15-17; 11:18; 14:9-10, 19; 15:1, 7; 16:1, 19; 19:15).

On the other hand, 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 states that Jesus Christ delivered us from the wrath to come since we turned from idols to serve the living God. 1 Thessalonians 5:9 reconfirms that God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through Jesus Christ.

And so, the Bible emphasizes repeatedly that we must be obedient to God, in order to escape His wrath and inherit eternal life. In Acts 4:19; 5:29, 32, we read that we must “obey” God rather than man (if there is a conflict), and that God gives His Holy Spirit only to those who “obey” Him (which includes continuing obedience even after we have become converted, so that God can provide us with a steady supply of the Holy Spirit on a daily basis, rather than taking the Holy Spirit away from us).

We read in Acts 6:7 that when the number of disciples multiplied in Jerusalem, many priests became also “obedient to the faith.” Romans 1:5; 16:26 speaks as well of “obedience to” or “of the faith”; and Romans 15:18 says that Christ, using Paul as an instrument, is making the Gentiles “obedient,” while Romans 16:19 explains that their “obedience” has become known to all.

2 Corinthians 10:5-6 even states that we must bring our thoughts into captivity to the “obedience of Christ,” and once our obedience has been fulfilled or perfected, we will be able to rule with and under Christ, to deal with and revenge all the disobedience of rebellious men.

Peter admonishes us to be “obedient children” (1 Peter 1:14) who have purified our souls in “obeying the truth” through God’s Spirit (verse 22).

John explains that we know God when we keep His commandments; that we are liars when we say we know Him and don’t keep them; and that the love of God is being perfected in us to the degree that we do keep them (1 John 2:3-5). He even states that we know that we love God’s children, when we love God and keep His commandments (1 John 5:2-3).

Paul has much to say about obedience and disobedience in his letter to the Hebrews. He explained that the Israelites who had left Egypt could not enter the Promised Land because of sin, unbelief and “disobedience” (Hebrews 3:17-19; note that in verse 18, the correct rendering is “disobedience,” not “that believed not,” as the Authorized Version renders it. The New King James Bible and the Luther Bible translate it correctly.). Again, in Hebrews 4:6, 11, Paul states that they were unable to enter the Promised Land because of “disobedience” (as it should be in both verses, compare the New King James Bible and Luther; the Authorized Version renders incorrectly “unbelief” in both passages).

In Hebrews 5:9, we are told that Christ became the author of eternal salvation for all those who “obey Him”; and Hebrews 8:10-12 quotes a prophecy from the Old Testament to the effect that God will write His Law in the hearts and minds of the people, so that they will know Him and obey the Law and not sin anymore (compare also Hebrews 10:15-17).

In the very last book of the Bible, the Book of Revelation, the need for obedience of God’s Law is stressed again. In Revelation 12:17, we are told that Satan will persecute members of the Church of God who keep the commandments of God. In Revelation 14:12, we read about those who, in the face of persecution, have the patience of the saints and the faith of Jesus, and who keep the commandments of God. Finally, God warns those who refuse to obey God’s commandments and who instead live in and practice sin, that they will not enter the heavenly Jerusalem (Revelation 21:27; 22:15).

At the same time, He tells us that we are blessed when we keep His commandments, so that we may enter the holy city (Revelation 22:14); and when we overcome sin, self, society and Satan, we will inherit all things and won’t have to die the second death in the lake of fire (Revelation 21:7-8).

We are left with the strong encouragement that we are to continue living in righteousness and holiness if we want to enter the Family of God (Revelation 22:11), knowing that Christ will return soon to give us our reward in accordance with our works (Revelation 22:12). We cannot afford beginning to slip and fall and turn away from the Holy Word of God, by giving heed to human fables and fairy tales and demonic philosophies which will try to convince us that we don’t need to be obedient to God’s Law, because we are now under grace. Paul says that the condemnation of those is just who teach such heresy.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

A new StandingWatch program was recorded and posted on YouTube and our website (www.standingwatch.org), titled, “Does Lincoln’s Ghost Haunt the White House?” Could we communicate with ghosts or the spirits of deceased or departed loved ones? Is it true that the ghost of Abraham Lincoln appears in the White House, and that, in general, the White House is haunted? What is necromancy? And what does the Bible have to say about all of this?

The audio portion of this program will be broadcast on our radio programs, beginning this Sunday.

A new German sermon was posted on YouTube and on our website, www.aufpostenstehen.de titled, “Niemand Faehrt Gen Himmel…” (“No One Ascends to Heaven…”).

A reminder for those wishing to attend the Feast of Tabernacles with us for 2012–please review details posted on our website under the “FEASTS” heading. Our locations for this year are Pismo Beach, California, and Deganwy, North Wales.

by Phyllis Bourque

I have just recently turned away from 50+ years of working for other people, and have finally embraced retirement!  But in doing so, I find myself keenly aware that there are more years of human life behind me than in front of me, something I hadn’t really thought about until now.  As I survey the landscape of life behind me, it is littered with mistakes, regrets, pain and sorrow, but also sprinkled generously with love, laughter and hope.  God has blessed me with many abilities, as well as opportunities to develop those abilities. He has allowed me to accomplish much in my lifetime, but He has also provided trials for my correction and learning along the way.  It has been a full life, and while retirement is a major turning point in my life, I needn’t dwell on regrets of the past.  I need to keep moving forward.

I am now engaged in reevaluating, reprioritizing, and refocusing my life.  I’m going through closets, drawers, and boxes, beginning to destash and purge what is no longer important, and bringing to the forefront those things that are of greater value.  Though my remaining years are shorter, I still have some goals I would like to reach. In particular, I want to pursue my interest in music, as well as other creative endeavors; I want to shore up certain relationships; and I want to improve my health.  I believe these are worthwhile efforts, and I also believe that this is an opportune time to make some course corrections in my life.

Yet for all the changes I have in mind, the most worthwhile effort of all is for me to continue to improve my character, with the help of God’s Spirit, each and every day.  I have come to see that, regardless of what situation I am in, I must always press forward in my personal conversion if I expect to be found faithful at Christ’s return. When I focus on the hope of eternal life just beyond my remaining human years, it brings a smile to my heart. I find it awesome to think about living a life in which I will always be progressing in the right way, working alongside many other Spirit beings, under the direction of Jesus Christ, to change the world from dark to light, from evil to good, from wrong to right.

And I think to myself… what better motivation is there to keep me moving forward?!

On June 9, 2012, Robb Harris and Eric Rank will give split sermons, titled, respectively, “A Broken People” and “Cause and Effect.”

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). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

On June 10, 2012, we are broadcasting the memorial service for Frau Marlene Link, which will be held in Ramona, California. The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org (12:00 pm Pacific Time; 1:00 pm Mountain Time; 2:00 pm Central Time; 3:00 pm Eastern Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

As we are preparing for my mother’s memorial service, we have been going through old pictures and video footage, triggering the return of almost forgotten memories. A particular photograph may have led to all kinds of warm thoughts and feelings—a special video clip might have brought back to mind the entire circumstances of that unique precious moment. I was reminded of a song which Elvis Presley made famous: “Memories.” In it, this line is repeated: “Memories, pressed between the pages of my mind. Memories, sweetened thru the ages just like wine…”

Indeed, memories can be sweet and become sweetened. In reflecting on my relationship with my mother, those are the memories I want to cherish. Of course, there were, on occasion, not-so-pleasant times, as they will be in any relationship—but I’d like to forget those. I don’t want to dwell on them or even be reminded of them.

Far too many seem to want to concentrate on and remember negative incidents and occurrences; they might even hold grudges against someone who has already died. That does not do them any good; in fact, those feelings can eat them up and literally destroy their whole being. Paul tells us to meditate on that which is of good report and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8). How thankful can we be that God has promised us, for His own sake, to forget our sins and remember them no more (Isaiah 43:25). Shouldn’t we behave likewise toward others?

Cherishing good memories will do good for our own souls. Solomon wrote in Proverbs 10:7: “The memory of the righteous is a blessing” (New Revised Standard Version), or, “The memory of the just will be blessed” (New American Bible). Not only do we have “happy memories of good men” (so the Living Bible), but the righteous’s memories of others will be good memories, and they will therefore be a blessing to others and to himself.

Our memories of loved ones who fall asleep should be “sweetened thru the ages just like wine.” But we should not wait until death—it is so much better to work on and maintain a loving and caring relationship with them while they are still alive. Solomon encourages us to take it to heart—and respond accordingly–when we go to a house of mourning, because “that is the end of all men” (Ecclesiastes 7:2). We all will die and have to give account to God for how we lived (Romans 14:12).

Let’s make the best of our lives and do good, as we have opportunity (Galatians 6:10). Note Solomon’s admonition in Proverbs 3:27: “Refuse no kindness to those who have a right to it, if it is in your power to perform it” (New Jerusalem Bible). Our loved ones are entitled to our kindness—let us not fail to grant it. Our future sweet and sweetened cherished memories of our loved ones must not be the product of our imagination and wishful thinking, but rather, they ought to be an accurate reflection of our true and genuine loving relationship with them.

An interesting article is asking the question whether a “German populist” will arise soon, due, in part, to the failure and refusal of the German political “establishment” to deal with pressing issues. We are also focusing on the ongoing euro crisis and show that not only will the euro survive, but Germany is also pushing—or is being pushed—to help in establishing a European monetary or fiscal union which would severely limit the powers of national governments. In that context, the concept of a “two-speed Europe” is being re-visited.

We are continuing with our report on the rocky relationship between Germany and Israel, which we began in the last Update, bring to focus an overlooked development pertaining to the fall of Muammar Gaddafi;  revisit the frightening and suspect developments regarding American drone wars with new prospects that such highly controversial governmental action might very soon affect Americans in their own country; and focus again on the highly secretive meetings of the Bilderbergers.

We speak of Russia’s and China’s desire to move closer together; and conclude with several articles dealing with social and religious issues. While President Obama declares the month of June as “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month” and Europe has been described as the most “gay-friendly” continent in the world, such “evolving” thought processes are mirrored by quite different developments within the Catholic Church, showing corruption and power struggles, as well as “lies, intrigues and bitter feuds between rival parties” in high places. And finally, we report that drug-resistant strains of Gonorrhea have spread to countries across the world, and speak of a ghost story related to the White House which might make your hair stand on end.

Coming—a German Populist?

Reuters wrote on May 31:

“How many countries will Germany need to bail out before it has erased the guilt of the Holocaust? That is the provocative question posed by Thilo Sarrazin [a former regional politician and Bundesbank governor]… In a much-quoted passage, he says supporters of eurobonds are driven ‘by that very German reflex according to which atonement for the holocaust and the world wars will never be complete until we have delivered our entire public interest, and even our money, into European hands.’ This title has raced to the top of best-seller lists and sent jittery markets into panic…

“An opinion poll last week provides just the latest proof that Sarrazin has his finger on the national pulse: Over half of Germans think their country has suffered by joining the euro, while 79 percent reject eurobonds as a solution to the crisis… the German political establishment is falling over itself to bury his arguments… many topics are declared outside the realm of political competition. As a result, all mainstream parties are in favor of Europe, the euro and the Atlantic alliance, and against war, inflation and nationalism. The result is a restricted political sphere where politicians have often been able to act against public opinion without fear of challenge… But those who dare cross the threshold of political correctness – as Sarrazin has repeatedly done – tap into a vast reservoir of pent-up popular frustration. And because the establishment cartel turns them into outcasts rather than arguing with their views, this reservoir continues to grow…

“It is unlikely that the anti-charismatic Sarrazin will end up becoming the German equivalent of Holland’s Geert Wilders or Austria’s Joerg Haider. But the refusal of mainstream politicians to make the case for European integration or to engage in full-throated political competition with their opponents could pave the way for someone equally undesirable to claim that mantle. It would be a tragic paradox if the German establishment’s guilt over past extremism hampers its ability to overcome the populists of the future.”

Even though the euro will not collapse (compare also the next article) and Germany will not forsake the euro or leave the Eurozone, the warning in the article is well expressed. Partially due to the manipulative conduct of Germany’s “mainstream” politicians not to address or deal with politically incorrect or inexpedient issues (inexpedient for their political career in their respective parties, that is), and their consensual habit to tell the German people what they must and must not think, an extreme “populist” WILL arise in Germany. But most don’t realize that that strong charismatic politician will be pro-Europe—not against it—but he will see to it that all power and authority over Europe will ultimately end up in his hands.

The Euro Will Not Fail

The EUObserver reported on June 4:

“Top EU officials Herman Van Rompuy and Jose Manuel Barroso have told Russia that the euro is a safe bet.  The two men spoke alongside Russian leader Vladimir Putin in a press briefing after the 29th regular EU-Russia summit, held on Monday (4 June) in St Petersburg.

“Van Rompuy promised to publish a blueprint for deeper EU economic integration ‘by the end of this year’ and predicted that eurozone GDP will grow between 1 and 3 percent in 2013. ‘There is no way back for the euro, there is only the way ahead of more integration … As for what happens if we fail, I will not answer hypothetical questions. We will not fail. We will not fail,’ he said.”

And Van Rompuy is right—the euro will NOT fail. Note also the next article.

Estonia Is Booming Because of the Euro

On June 5, 2012, CNBC reported the following:

“Sixteen months after it joined the struggling currency bloc, Estonia is booming. The economy grew 7.6 percent last year, five times the euro-zone average. Estonia is the only euro-zone country with a budget surplus. National debt is just 6 percent of GDP, compared to 81 percent in virtuous Germany, or 165 percent in Greece… Estonia’s achievement is all the more remarkable when you consider that it was one of the countries hardest hit by the global financial crisis. In 2008-2009, its economy shrank by 18 percent. That’s a bigger contraction than Greece has suffered over the past five years.

“How did they bounce back? ‘I can answer in one word: austerity. Austerity, austerity, austerity,’ says Peeter Koppel, investment strategist at the SEB Bank… At a recent conference of European and North American lawmakers in Tallinn, Koppel was lambasted by French and Italian parliamentarians when he suggested Europeans had to prepare for an ‘inevitable’ decline in living standards, wages and job security, in order for their countries to escape from the debt crisis…

“Estonians have endured some of the harshest austerity measures with barely a murmur. They even re-elected the politicians that imposed them… memories of the grim days of Soviet occupation make it easier to accept sacrifices today. Among the young, there is a widespread awareness that in a nation of just 1.3 million people, the freedom and opportunities their generation enjoy depends on unity in times of crisis…”

So, it’s obvious that the institution of the euro is not the cause for financial problems—it is the way in which governments spend the money and go into heavy debt.

Germany Pushing for European Fiscal Union

Reuters reported on June 3:

“When Jean-Claude Trichet called last June [in Aachen, Germany, where Charlemagne was crowned as the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire] for the creation of a European finance ministry with power over national budgets, the idea seemed fanciful, a distant dream that would take years or even decades to realize, if it ever came to be. One year later, with the euro zone’s debt crisis threatening to tear the bloc apart, Germany is pushing its partners for precisely the kind of giant leap forward in fiscal integration that the now-departed European Central Bank president had in mind.

“After falling short with her ‘fiscal compact’ on budget discipline, German Chancellor Angela Merkel is pressing for much more ambitious measures, including a central authority to manage euro area finances, and major new powers for the European Commission, European Parliament and European Court of Justice…

“Until states agree to these steps and the unprecedented loss of sovereignty they involve, the officials say Berlin will refuse to consider other initiatives like joint euro zone bonds or a ‘banking union’ with cross-border deposit guarantees – steps Berlin says could only come in a second wave. The goal is for EU leaders to agree to develop a road map to ‘fiscal union’ at a June 28-29 EU summit… European countries would then put the meat on the bones of the plan in the second half of 2012… including a timetable for overhauling EU treaties, a step Berlin sees as vital for setting closer integration in stone… If European countries go ahead, the steps would represent the most significant policy leap since they agreed to give up their national currencies and cede control over monetary policy 13 years ago.

“But the hurdles are daunting… Spain, whose banking troubles have made it the latest target of financial markets, signalled over the weekend that it was on board with a key element of the plan… But other states, including the bloc’s second-biggest member France, have deep reservations about ceding so much sovereignty… But even if the Germans do win over the French and other sceptical countries like Finland and Austria, there are serious doubts about whether a 5-10 year plan for closer integration – weighed down by lengthy national debates over treaty change – will be enough to restore investor confidence now… As long as the Greek nightmare continues and doubts about Spain’s banks persist, no amount of closer integration is likely to calm investor nerves…

“Another problem with the German-led drive is that of democratic legitimacy. Many of Europe’s struggling citizens already blame technocrats in Brussels for their troubles. And lawmakers across the bloc are keen to safeguard their right to veto EU decisions. Against that backdrop it will be extremely difficult for leaders to convince their electorates about the integration steps under consideration in Berlin and other capitals. To address this, officials are mulling a significant strengthening of the role of the European Parliament (EP), which is directly elected by the bloc’s citizens… ‘The issue is that democratic control will now take place at a European level, and not at a national one,’ [a French] official said. ‘I think the problem is not so much the European people but the European politicians who don’t want to relinquish their power. There you will see a lot of resistance.’”

Still, fiscal and even military union will come—at least for core European nations, and perhaps after a prolonged crisis in Europe which may seem to allow for no other option. And then, out of that fiscal and military union will emerge, through flattery, a charismatic leader who was not originally chosen for that office. It is even possible that this leader had once an influential position, but that he received a  “deadly wound” or suffered political defeat, which would be cured or healed in time. Once in power, his mind will change. The Bible indicates that that leader might be a homosexual, and it calls this leader the beast, the king of the North, and King Jareb of Assyria. Note the following articles.

The Daily Mail added on June 5:

“European leaders are edging closer to a federal union in response to the financial crisis engulfing the Continent. In crisis talks yesterday, Britain and the US joined forces to urge Germany to create a central Brussels body that could assume sovereignty over individual countries’ budgets and fiscal policies.

“There is growing frustration in London and Washington at Germany’s reluctance to take steps towards a single economic government… fears were aired yesterday in a conference call between finance ministers from the G7 group of leading nations… They fear a core eurozone, led by Germany, would be in a powerful position to push whatever policies it wanted affecting the rest of the 27-member EU… German Chancellor Angela Merkel confirmed this week that measures to create a closer union for countries in the euro were being considered…”

So, this article states that other countries are pushing Germany to create a central Brussels fiscal body. The article from Reuters, quoted above, says the exact opposite—that it is Germany pushing the others. So whoever pushes and is being pushed—it is clear all want to create such a fiscal union. Deutsche Welle wrote on June 6, 2012:

“Faced with impending economic disaster, European leaders are thinking up new ways to save the single currency. ‘A secret plan to save Europe’: That’s how the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag described it this weekend… European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, Eurogroup chief Jean-Claude Juncker and European Central Bank President Mario Draghi were all working behind the scenes on a master plan… Last week, Barroso indicated that EU leaders were ready to discuss a closer economic union amidst mounting concerns about Spain… Barroso did not specify exactly what he meant by a ‘full economic union.’…”

But it won’t stay with just a fiscal or full economic union, as the next articles show.

“United States of Europe May Be the Only Way to Save Euro”

The Guardian wrote on June 4:

“It is a measure of the speed at which the politics of the euro crisis is changing… By announcing there could be no censorship of the eurozone to-do list, [Merkel] meant tabling radical, federalist steps involving gradual loss of national sovereignty over budgetary, fiscal, social, pensions, and labour market policies with the aim of forging a new European political union over five to 10 years.

“The USE – United States of Europe – is back. For the eurozone, at least. Such ‘political union’, surrendering fundamental powers to Brussels, Luxembourg and Strasbourg, has always been several steps too far for the French to consider. But Berlin is signalling that if it is to carry the can for what it sees as the failures of others there will need to be incremental but major integrationist moves towards a banking, fiscal, and ultimately political union in the eurozone.

“It is a divisive and contested notion which Merkel did not always favour. In the heat of the crisis, however, she now appears to see no alternative… The impact of ‘the project’ will be immense, if it takes off… A much more entrenched two-speed Europe would emerge, with key decision-taking centred in the eurozone and not in an EU of 27 or 28.

“The gap between Britain and core Europe might become unbridgeable, generating only mutual rancour and ultimately ending the UK’s unhappy EU dalliance… In the third year of muddling through, the choices facing Europe’s leaders are getting starker – the death of the euro or the birth of a new European federation.”

The answer is clear from the Bible: There WILL BE a political union of core European countries—but apparently without Britain.

Political Union and Two-Speed Europe

Deutsche Welle reported on June 7, 2012:

“The German chancellor… [Angela] Merkel sees the future of the EU in a closer political union that gives Brussels more authority. ‘We don’t only need a currency union, we also need a so-called fiscal union…’ she said in an interview with German broadcaster ARD aired on Thursday. ‘And we also need first and foremost a political union, meaning we must cede responsibilities to Europe step by step,’ she added.

“Merkel acknowledged that the EU now has ‘different speeds’ referring to the countries in the eurozone and those that have their own national currencies. She said the differences would become more pronounced over time, because the euro countries would inevitably draw closer together. ‘We can’t stand still because [others] don’t yet want to come along,’ she said.”

The EUObserver added on June 7:

“… the Chancellor [made] the clearest case yet for a two-speed Europe in matters of economic integration. While these statements and similar comments she has made in the past are raising expectations about what the 28 June summit in Brussels can achieve, the German leader cautioned against thinking that it would lead to a big bang solution for the European Union. But even despite Merkel’s traditional down-playing of expectations ahead of an EU meeting – the summit is increasingly taking on a high-stakes feel…”

The Local stated on June 7:

“Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday that she would work towards a European political union even if that meant a two-speed approach.”

“Israel’s Deployment of Nuclear Missiles on Subs from Germany”

Der Spiegel Online wrote on June 4:

“Many have wondered for years about the exact capabilities of the submarines Germany exports to Israel. Now, experts in Germany and Israel have confirmed that nuclear-tipped missiles have been deployed on the vessels. And the German government has long known about it…

“Deep in their interiors, on decks 2 and 3, the submarines contain a secret that even in Israel is only known to a few insiders: nuclear warheads, small enough to be mounted on a cruise missile, but explosive enough to execute a nuclear strike that would cause devastating results. This secret is considered one of the best kept in modern military history. Anyone who speaks openly about it in Israel runs the risk of being sentenced to a lengthy prison term.

“Research SPIEGEL has conducted in Germany, Israel and the United States, among current and past government ministers, military officials, defense engineers and intelligence agents, no longer leaves any room for doubt: With the help of German maritime technology, Israel has managed to create for itself a floating nuclear weapon arsenal: submarines equipped with nuclear capability…

“In Germany, the government’s military assistance for Israel’s submarine program has been controversial for about 25 years, a topic of discussion for the media and the parliament. Chancellor Angela Merkel fears the kind of public debate that German Nobel literature laureate Günter Grass recently reignited with a poem critical of Israel. Merkel insists on secrecy and doesn’t want… the details of the deal to be made public. To this day, the German government is sticking to its position that it does not know anything about an Israeli nuclear weapons program…

“For Israel, a country about the size of the German state of Hesse, which could be wiped out with a nuclear strike, safeguarding this threat potential is vital to its very existence. At the same time, the nuclear arsenal causes countries like Iran, Syria and Saudi Arabia to regard Israel’s nuclear capacity with fear and envy and consider building their own nuclear weapons…

“Helmut Schmidt went even further, long before Grass. ‘Hardly anyone dares to criticize Israel here, out of fear of being accused of anti-Semitism,’ the former chancellor told Jewish American historian Fritz Stern. Yet Israel is a country, Schmidt suggests, that ‘makes a peaceful solution practically impossible, through its policies of settlement in the West Bank and, for far longer, in the Gaza Strip.’ He also condemns the current chancellor for, in his view, allowing herself to be essentially taken hostage by Israel.

“Schmidt says, ‘I wonder whether it was a feeling of closeness with American policies, or nebulous moral motives, that led Chancellor Merkel to publicly state in 2008 that Germany bears responsibility for the security of the State of Israel. From my point of view, this is a serious exaggeration, one that sounds very nearly like the type of obligation that exists within an alliance… Germany has a particular responsibility to make sure that a crime such as the Holocaust never again occurs. Germany does not have a responsibility for Israel’…

“For Chancellor Merkel, on the other hand, there was never any doubt that she would do what Israel asked, even at the cost of violating Germany’s own arms export guidelines. The rules, amended in 2000 by the SPD-Green coalition government, do allow weapons to be supplied to countries that are not part of the EU or NATO in the case of ‘special foreign or security policy interests.’ But there is a clear regulation for crisis regions: The rules state that supplying weapons ‘is not authorized in countries that are involved in armed conflicts or where there is a threat of one.’ There is no question that that rule would include Israel. But that did not stop the chancellor from making a deal for the delivery of submarine number 6 — just as she was not deterred by Netanyahu’s unwillingness to make compromises…

“Still, disappointment within the Chancellery is running high, as Netanyahu has simply ignored Merkel’s requests. Israel’s policy of settlement continues unabated… Merkel has apparently reached the conclusion that there’s no point in saying anything further to Netanyahu, since he’s sure not to listen in any case…”

As mentioned in our previous Update, the relationship between Israel and Germany is a rocky one, and many Germans are not thrilled with the course of their government. How long will Germans tolerate conduct, as described in the article, stemming from their leaders and Israel’s politicians? How long will German politicians “cooperate”? The revelation that Germany is providing Israel with the opportunity to deploy nuclear warheads on German submarines is most certainly not going to be ignored.

Fall of Gaddafi Not Good News for Fight Against Locusts

The Financial Times wrote on June 5:

“The death of Muammar Gaddafi continues to reverberate across Africa – this time in the form of desert locusts. The Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations warned on Tuesday that croplands in Niger and Mali were at imminent risk from locust swarms moving south from Libya and Algeria. The revolution in Libya played a major role in allowing the pests to breed, it said.

“‘The fall of Gaddafi was an enormous factor, to be honest,’ said Keith Cressman, FAO senior locust forecasting officer. ‘It depleted the Libyans’ capacity to monitor and respond as they normally would.’ Insecurity along the Libya-Algeria border – a fallout from the uprising – meant that teams are still unable to properly spray the affected areas.

“Desert locusts have the capacity to destroy vast areas of croplands. During a plague, a swarm can stretch for several hundred square kilometres comprising billions of locusts, each capable of eating its own weight in food a day… Desert locust swarms formed in Libya and Algeria in mid-May, after good rains and the resultant growth of vegetation on which they feed. The first swarms have already been sighted in northern Niger, which is currently experiencing a food crisis…”

Highly-praised and politically “correct” revolutions might have negative repercussions which we might not even think of—apart from instability and insecurity, as can be seen presently in Egypt where the Islamist “Muslim Brotherhood” and representatives from the “old Regime” are fighting for political leadership.

Use of Drones All Over America?

WorldNetDaily reported on June 1:

“America is not a battlefield, and its citizens are not ‘insurgents in need of vanquishing,’ argues a civil rights attorney who is urging the governor of Virginia to move forward carefully in the state’s use of the remote-controlled aerial vehicles.

“‘A rapid adoption of drone technology before properly vetting the safety, privacy and civil liberties issues involved would be a disaster,’ said John W. Whitehead, founder of the Rutherford Institute, in a letter to Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell today. Whitehead was reacting to a radio interview in which McDonnell said that the use of drones in American skies was ‘great’ and ‘the right thing to do.’ The governor said the abilities that made drones effective on a battlefield also would make them effective in America…

“WND recently reported the federal government is moving quickly to open the skies over America to drones for commercial and government purposes. Veteran Washington Post and Fox News commentator Charles Krauthammer is forecasting ‘rifles aimed at the sky all across America’… the federal government announced it is beginning to allow public safety agencies to fly unmanned aircraft – drones – with fewer and fewer restrictions… Congress has adopted the position of encouraging more drone flights, with the ‘goal of adapting technology used by the military in Iraq and Afghanistan.’… not only can drones spy on people, many of them now are armed.”

As we reported in our last Update and addressed in our StandingWatch video and radio programs (see the posting of the radio program on www.standingwatch.org), “Does God Approve of US Drone Attacks?”, most Americans are indifferent regarding the use of drones in foreign countries such as Afghanistan and Pakistan, even though thousands of civilians and children have already been killed in the process, being labeled as casualties of war. But apart from legitimate privacy concerns, what if those drones are being also used soon in our own country to kill innocent Americans? This possibility is not far-fetched, given the preparations of Congress and the Feds. Will American citizens wake up to these real and frightening dangers, before it is too late and before they themselves have become the targets of uncontrolled governmental violence and even death?

What’s Bilderberg Up To?

WorldNetDaily wrote on June 2:

“An intense and amplified police presence outside the Westfields Marriott Convention Center greeted the more than 1,000 protestors of the Bilderberg Conference on Day 3 of the secret conclave that gathers global leaders of finance and government. More than 35 uniformed police officers guarded the primary entrance of the Westfields Marriott, where Bilderberg attendees were quickly shuttled in and out amidst a hail of verbal assaults from protestors, the primary question constantly being asked by those in [the] crowd being why these world leaders were meeting behind closed doors and a wall of armed security.

“‘We know you are in there, the world knows you are in there, and we know what you are up to,’ shouted radio personality Alex Jones… who hosts the radio program ‘The Alex Jones Show’ and runs the popular news site Infowars.com… Comparing the Bilderberg Conference to the shadowy globalist group that controlled S.H.I.E.L.D. in this summer’s mega blockbuster ‘The Avengers,’ Jones said that the United States was losing its sovereignty to a cabal of unelected and unaccountable globalists with the ultimate goal of subjugating the U.S. military to the control of the United Nations and NATO generals… Wired.com reported that the Pentagon pulled out of working on ‘The Avengers’ film, because they couldn’t ascertain who the fictional, multinational peace-keeping organization answered to… ‘That is the ultimate goal of Bilderberg, the end of American sovereignty and the implementation of a globalist elite that controls every aspect of your life,’ said Jones…

“Daniel Estulin, author of ‘The True Story of the Bilderberg Group,’ contends the idea behind each and every Bilderberg meeting ‘is to create what they themselves call the aristocracy of purpose between European and North American elites on the best way to manage the planet… In other words… the creation of a global network of giant cartels, more powerful than any nation on Earth, destined to control the necessities of life of the rest of humanity’…

“Four years ago there were rumors that Barack Obama had been picked as the Democratic presidential nominee. Two days after the event, Hillary Clinton bowed out. Observers also point out George H.W. Bush attended in 1985. He became president in 1988. Bill Clinton attended in 1991. He became president a year later. Tony Blair attended in 1993. He became prime minister of England in 1997. Romano Prodi attended in 1999. Later that year he became president of the European Union Commission. In 2004, Sen. John Edwards spoke to the group. He was later anointed the Democratic vice presidential nominee by presidential candidate John Kerry.

“Estulin… described the group as ‘a vehicle through which private financier oligarchical interests were able to impose their policies on what is nominally sovereign governments’… The meetings are private, invitation-only for about 150 individuals from the worlds of politics, business, finance, energy, media and nobility. No resolutions are voted on, no minutes are taken and no statements are issued.

“Estulin has cited David Rockefeller’s own admission. Rockefeller, a Bilderberg member, wrote: ‘Some even believe we are part of a secret cabal working against the best interests of the United States, characterizing my family and me as ‘internationalists’ and of conspiring with others around the world to build a more integrated global political and economic structure – one world, if you will. If that’s the charge, I stand guilty, and I am proud of it.’”

“In 2009, Bilderberg Chairman Etienne Davignon boasted that the Euro single currency was a recommendation of the Bilderberg group.”

Especially interesting is the statement that the euro was a recommendation of the Bilderberg group. Since former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl was extremely instrumental in creating the euro, being referred to in Germany as the “father of the euro,” it must be asked what direct or indirect relationship, if any, he had with the Bilderberg group. In any event, if all the alleged facts mentioned in the above-quoted article, and in articles quoted in our previous Update, are true, then all of us are in deep trouble. Note the next article as well.

Why Do Greens Attend Bilderberg Conferences?

Der Spiegel Online wrote on June 6:

“Industry leaders from around the globe, heads of government and leaders of organizations such as the World Bank and the World Trade Organization gathered over the weekend in Chantilly, Virginia for the 60th edition of the fabled Bilderberg conference on finance and foreign affairs. The list of participants reads like a global who’s who of the rich and powerful. Outgoing Deutsche Bank CEO Josef Ackermann was there, as was Shell CEO Peter Voser, Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann. Jürgen Trittin, co-floor leader of the Green Party in German parliament, was also in attendance.

“Now Trittin has found himself having to defend his participation after many people asked what a Green Party leader — one who represents the left wing of his party, no less — was doing at the secretive annual gathering. The politician… has been the subject of a flood of criticism since his return from the US.

“The German business news magazine Wirtschaftswoche has described the Bilderberg conference, which takes place at a different location each year, as ‘the most admired circle of power.’ Critics of globalization, including many Green Party supporters, would rather describe it as the most dangerous circle of power. For them, the exclusive, invitation-only meetings, named after the Hotel de Bilderberg where the first conference was held in 1954, represent a kind of informal, non-democratic world government.

“According to the Bilderberg website, ‘the meeting is private in order to encourage frank and open discussion.’ But the fact that the media is excluded from the meetings has encouraged the proliferation of conspiracy theories. For many people on both extremes of the political spectrum, Bilderberg represents a kind of secret society which meets to make deals on issues of global importance. Some even see it as an attempt to create a totalitarian world government, dubbed a ‘new world order.’…

“Unfortunately for Green Party politician Trittin, many of his own supporters subscribe to the Bilderberg conspiracy theories… Tritten is not, however, the first Green Party politician to take part in Bilderberg. Former Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer attended the conference in 2008. That was, however, after Fischer had already retired from active politics.”

Still, Fischer’s attendance at the Bilderberg conference in 2008 is remarkable. One might wonder what, if anything, was discussed in regard to his future political career.

Russia and China Moving Closer Together

On June 5, 2012, AFP wrote the following:

“Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in China on Tuesday for a three-day visit aimed at bolstering a crucial alliance that has seen the giant neighbours block further action against Syria. Both energy and foreign policy cooperation are high on the agenda… Putin’s China trip, his first to Asia since starting an historic third term last month, comes after failed attempts by EU leaders to sway him on Syria — a Soviet-era ally Moscow still supplies with arms.

“Beijing and Moscow have walked in lockstep on Syria to growing anger from Arab and Western nations, with EU President Herman Van Rompuy telling Putin in Russia on Monday that world powers needed to ‘find common messages on which we agree’… Putin has been keen to play up the importance of Russia’s at-times uneasy ties with China, which have grown stronger in the past year as both used their veto power on the UN Security Council to block action against Damascus.

“Although the two nations had periodic border conflicts and viewed each other with suspicion in Soviet times, foreign minister Sergei Lavrov declared this weekend that Russia had an exemplary partnership with China on foreign policy. ‘All in all, we consider the cooperation on foreign policy on all levels between Russia and China a successful model of coordination between partners,’ Lavrov said in comments posted on the Russian foreign ministry’s website. Beijing’s state-run China Daily newspaper also played up the relationship between the two countries in an editorial on Tuesday, saying it was in ‘good shape’ and ‘bodes well for the future’…

“Putin is a frequent guest of Chinese leaders, last visiting Beijing in October in his then capacity as prime minister. It was his only foreign trip after he announced in September his plan to run for president. A month after his trip, he was awarded a Chinese version of the Nobel prize for ‘keeping world peace’.”

The cooperation between Russia and China and other Far Eastern countries will continue, ultimately leading to war between them and Europe.

June Declared as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month

The Christian Post wrote on June 2:

“President Barack Obama called on Americans to celebrate evolving attitudes toward the homosexual community as he proclaimed June as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month.

“This June, let’s take some time to celebrate teachers and students who take a stand against bullying openly gay and lesbian service members’… he urged. Obama made the proclamation Friday and expressed again his evolved personal belief in ‘marriage equality for same-sex couples’ ‘because we must treat others the way we want to be treated.’ He cited the Golden Rule when he first revealed on May 9 that he now believes gay and lesbian couples should be able to get married… His proclamation for LGBT Pride Month comes just after a group of African-American pastors requested a meeting with Obama to discuss their concerns over his ‘endorsement of gay marriage as a civil right.’ The Coalition of African American Pastors says they’re disappointed and heart-broken over the president’s new stance.

“Obama has declared June as LGBT Pride Month every year since taking office in 2009. Considered the most pro-gay president in history, Obama has repealed the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy in the military to allow gays to serve openly, stopped defending the Defense of Marriage Act in court, and after many years of ‘evolving’ expressed support for same-sex marriage, among other things… The president vowed to continue to ‘advance the rights of LGBT Americans’ and called on Americans to… ‘celebrate the great diversity of the American people.’”

President Obama is really pushing the envelope. Not that this is so surprising—given his extremely liberal views throughout his political life… and his activities before he entered politics. And so, we are not hearing about an Obama declaration of a specific month to celebrate “True Christian Standards,” nor do we learn about “the Married Couple between a Man and a Woman Pride Month.” Not that it would really matter that much—except, it would make his preference for conduct which the Bible terms to be abominable less obvious, and he would at least apply the Golden Rule correctly, rather than misinterpreting it for behavior for which it was never intended. If anyone thinks that such actions and proclamations by President Obama and his Administration have no serious consequences for the direction of this country, think again and read the next article, as published by WorldNetDaily on June 4:

“A ruling from Judge Tim L. Garcia in the New Mexico Court of Appeals says states can require Christians to violate their faith in order to do business, affirming a penalty of nearly $7,000 for a photographer who refused to take pictures at a lesbian ‘commitment’ ceremony in the state where same-sex ‘marriage’ was illegal. The women complained under the state’s anti-discrimination requirements and a state commission, the New Mexico Human Rights Commission, imposed the penalty, which now has been affirmed by the appeals court judges. The judges explained in the 45-page ruling that the photography company is a ‘public accommodation’ and those cannot discriminate under state law based on ‘sexual orientation.’…

“When the district judge’s decision arrived, it seemed to substantiate the concerns of opponents of a federal ‘hate crimes’ bill signed into law by President Obama during his first year in office that gives homosexuals special rights. Attorney General Eric Holder admitted in a congressional hearing that under the measure an attack on a homosexual would be dealt with differently than one on another citizen.”

But America is by no means alone or unique in its “evolution” towards acceptance of same-sex marriages. Please note the next article:

Europe the Most “Gay-Friendly” Continent on the Globe

The EUObserver wrote on June 6, 2012:

“Despite a recent surge in homophobia and differences between countries, Europe on the whole remains the most gay-friendly continent on the globe. Nowhere on the old continent – except in Turkish-controlled north Cyprus – is homosexuality illegal, ‘making Europe a region that stands out,’ according to Ilga, a global umbrella organisation for LGBT (lesbian, gay, bi- and transsexual people’s) rights, in a report released last month.

“France was the first to decriminalise same-sex sexual acts between consenting adults shortly after the French Revolution in 1791. Armenia was the latest, in 2003. By contrast, roughly 40 percent of countries – mostly in Africa and the Middle-East – still penalise homosexuality. Some even execute gay people – Mauritania, Sudan, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Yemen, as well as parts of Nigeria and Somalia.

“There are countries outside Europe which are catching up on toleration, notably in Latin America. Argentina, for example, recently passed a law on gender change that experts say goes well beyond those adopted in Europe… Big differences exist within Europe, with the east being less gay-friendly in general. Sexual minorities in Russia in particular are not as well off as they would be in, say, Germany or the UK.

“Russia’s legal code lacks the most basic protection from discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. Recently, St Petersburg adopted laws banning the homosexual ‘propaganda’ – a move widely regarded as contrary to the freedom of expression. The European Parliament last week in a resolution singled out Russia along with Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Lithuania and Hungary, where similar laws have been tabled, condemning homophobia…

“Of the 10 countries in the world that allow same-sex couples to marry, seven are in Europe. EU law prohibits LGBT discrimination in employment situations. Europe is alone in having openly gay heads of government – in Iceland and in Belgium. It is most intolerant of hate crimes and most compliant with allowing adoption for same-sex couples or with recognising gender change…”

The Widening Catholic Scandal

Der Spiegel Online wrote on June 4:

“Though Pope Benedict XVI’s personal butler has been arrested in connection with the ‘Vatileaks’ scandal, new documents released over the weekend indicate he had powerful backers that remain unidentified. The secret documents expose the pontiff’s awkward and helpless leadership in the Church… There’s no doubt that this flood of paper out of the Vatican is a sign of what the Italian weekly magazine Panorama calls one of the ‘worst crises in the history of the Holy See’… Despite the butler’s arrest, the leaks continued over the weekend…

“[Journalist] Nuzzi’s revelations open a unique window onto the inner workings of the Vatican and furnish proof of how the game of politics is played in the domain of the Holy Father. They show that, just like elsewhere, there are lies, intrigues and bitter feuds between rival parties… there is a memo the pope sent to the Vatican’s ambassador in Berlin, in which he gives the ambassador permission to complain to Chancellor Angela Merkel about criticizing Benedict’s behavior in the affair surrounding the controversial Catholic splinter group, the Society of St. Pius X…

“The questions have yet to be answered about who slipped Nuzzi the documents and who was keen for the world to find out about the allegedly deplorable state of affairs within the Vatican. Nevertheless, there is much speculation on St. Peter’s Square… These speculations often have something to do with power struggles between senior Italian Church officials intent on putting their favorite candidates in good positions for the next papal election. Others speculate that it involves a conspiracy against Bertone, the No. 2 official in the Vatican and confidant of the pope, whom many view as excessively high-handed. Supporters of this theory point to the fact that, in the wake of the recent child-abuse scandal, there was already a period in which even people within the Church were calling for Bertone’s dismissal.”

Will these scandals and power plays in the Catholic Church lead to the arrival of an extremely powerful pope? Or will the current pope feel the pressure and react with strength and determination to the butler’s backers of the breach of trust in the Catholic Church?

Gonorrhea Is Spreading

Reuters and The Guardian wrote on June 6 and 7:

“Drug-resistant strains of gonorrhea have spread to countries across the world… Scientists reported last year finding a “superbug” strain of gonorrhea in Japan in 2008 that was resistant to all recommended antibiotics and warned then that it could transform a once easily treatable infection into a global health threat. The World Health Organisation (WHO) said those fears were now reality with many more countries, including Britain, Australia, France, Norway and Sweden reporting cases of the sexually transmitted disease resistant to cephalosporin antibiotics – normally the last option against gonorrhea… more than 106 million people [are] newly infected with the disease every year…

“If left untreated, gonorrhea can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirths, severe eye infections in babies and infertility in both men and women. It is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases in the world and is most prevalent in south and south-east Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. In the United States alone, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the number of cases is estimated at around 700,000 a year… Gonorrhea can be prevented through safer sexual intercourse…”

The truth is, it can be prevented through no sexual intercourse outside marriage.

Ghosts in the White House

Roll Call reported on June 6:

“House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) celebrated the 25th anniversary of her election to Congress today at an event moderated by television personality Rachel Maddow… Pelosi… recounted an unusual anecdote about how the ghosts of past women leaders spoke to her at her first White House meeting as Speaker… Maddow [who is openly gay] began the conversation by recounting how in Pelosi’s first remarks after being elected in June 1987, the new Member said she had come to address HIV/AIDS issues. ‘As a gay kid growing up in the San Francisco Bay area in the 1980s … you became the person who all of us believed that no matter where we lived, anywhere in the country, that you were our Member of Congress,’ Maddow said…

“Finally, the Minority Leader offered a story from her first White House meeting after Democrats won control of the House in 2006, propelling her to Speaker. The meeting, between Bush and the leadership of the House and Senate to discuss the legislative agenda, was the first time a woman represented either the Senate or the House in such a setting. Though she’d been to the White House many times before, Pelosi said she suddenly felt ‘really closed-in in my seat’ on this occasion.

“‘I realized that on that chair with me was Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Alice Hall, Lucretia Mott, you name it, they were all there. Sojourner Truth. They were all there on that chair with me. And I could hear them say “at last we have a seat at the table,”’ Pelosi said.”

Since there are no ghosts of those who have died, IF what Mrs. Pelosi described is accurate and not just based on imagination, these “ghosts” speaking to her would have been demons. (For more information, please read our free booklet, “Angels, Demons and the Spirit World”). It is interesting that according to many reports, the ghost of Abraham Lincoln, as well as the ghosts from other Presidents, supposedly reside in or haunt the White House.

The Wikipedia Encyclopedia writes:  “There have been several stories about ghosts of former Presidents revisiting the White House. However, the most common and popular is that of Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln’s Ghost, or to others as The White House Ghost, is said to have haunted the White House since his death.”

The website of haunted-places.com states:  “The White House has a reputation for being one of the most haunted homes in America. President Harry Truman said the place was haunted ‘sure as shooting.’ Kennedy’s Press Secretary James Haggerty admitted to sensing the presence of Lincoln’s ghost in the White House, and Clinton’s Press Secretary Mike McCurry admitted he was a believer… Hillary Rodham Clinton said: ‘There is something about the house at night that you just feel like you are summoning up the spirits of all the people who have lived there and worked there and walked through the halls there.’…

“There have been many séances in the White House, but the majority occurred during the administration of Abraham Lincoln. While living in the White House, he and his wife held several séances in the Green Room in an attempt to contact the spirit of their son, Willie, who died there… In his book The Choice, Bob Woodward of Watergate fame describes how in 1995, a séance was held by psychic Jean Houston in the White House solarium, during which Hillary sank into a trance and channeled the spirits of Eleanor Roosevelt and Mahatma Gandhi…

“Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands was a guest of the White House when she heard a knock on her bedroom door in the middle of the night. When she answered it, Lincoln stood before her with his famous top hat and all. The Queen fainted, and when she came [to], he was gone. Britain’s Winston Churchill refused to sleep there after sighting President Abraham Lincoln’s ghost lurking about… in the Lincoln Bedroom… He couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw Abraham Lincoln standing by the fireplace in the room, leaning on the mantle. The two men looked each other in the face… as Lincoln’s apparition slowly faded away.

“Theodore Roosevelt, Herbert Hoover, Margaret Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, Jacqueline Kennedy, Ladybird Johnson [wife of Lyndon Johnson], Susan Ford [Gerald Ford’s daughter], and Maureen Reagan [Ronald Reagan’s daughter] have all admitted sensing the presence of the Civil War president in the White House… Maureen, and her husband, Dennis Revell, both saw Lincoln’s transparent form next to the bedroom’s fireplace.”

On July 9, 2009, Weekly World News reported this:

“Just as Bill Clinton did before him, President Barack Obama is now getting help in the White House – from Abraham Lincoln’s ghost! A government insider has revealed that Honest Abe’s apparition has been seen in the Oval Office on several occasions, quietly conferring with the President on vital world issues!… In a 1993 issue, Weekly World News stunned the world with its exclusive story that the Great Emancipator was helping President Clinton guide America’s ship of state through troubled waters…”

This is eerie and spooky… but it shows where the leaders and influential people of the world—including those from the United States of America—might get their inspiration from.

In a previous Q&A we discussed the meaning of grace. We pointed out that grace does not dispense with individual responsibility. In this Q&A, we will show in more detail what God expects of us.

It is claimed that the New Testament teaches that we are no longer obligated to keep God’s Law, and that especially Paul made clear that the Law is no longer binding for us. This is a terrible and, quite frankly, abominable doctrine stemming from demons.

An important tool for right Bible study is to look first at the clear and plain passages, before trying to understand the more difficult ones. Even Peter said that Paul wrote a few things, which are difficult to understand, and that the unlearned try to misinterpret and twist them for their own purposes (2 Peter 3:16). Let’s not make the same mistake, but look at Paul’s clear and plain statements.

And so, Paul is telling us in Romans 2:13 that the doers of the law, and not the hearers, will be justified. (James 1:25 says the same thing, and James 2:8-12 shows that the law is a reference to the Ten Commandments, and that we are guilty of the transgression of the entire law if we break just one of the Ten Commandments. Compare also James 4:11-12).

In Romans 2:22-23, Paul reconfirms that he is speaking of the Ten Commandments (referring to idolatry and adultery as examples), when he says that we dishonor God when we break the law.

In Romans 2:27, he states that those who keep the law, even though they are physically uncircumcised, will judge those who are physically circumcised, but who transgress the law—clearly referring to the Ten Commandments.

Romans 3:31 does away with the wrong concept that because of faith, we are no longer bound to keep the law. Rather, Paul says here that we do not make void the law of God through faith, but quite to the contrary, we are establishing the law.

To leave no doubt as to how Paul felt about the law of God, he tells us in Romans 7:12 that the law is holy, and that the commandment (that is, any one of the Ten Commandments) is holy and just and good.

He also adds in Romans 7:14 that the law of God is spiritual, and he states in Romans 8:7, 9, that the carnal mind does not and cannot obey the law of God in its final spiritual application, and that one must have God’s Spirit dwelling in us to be able to obey the law of God.

In Romans 13:8-10, Paul emphasizes that God’s Law is a law of love, and that we fulfill the law (at least the portion of the law which deals with our relationship with our fellow man) when we love our neighbor. He stresses the same in Galatians 5:14, stating that all the law (dealing with our fellow man) is fulfilled by us when we love our fellow man; and he says in Galatians 6:2 that we fulfill the law of Christ when we love our neighbor by bearing his burden.

However, many have a wrong concept of love, thinking that we can love someone while breaking God’s law. This is totally false. When we break God’s law, we do NOT love our fellow man. God’s Law DEFINES for us what true love is. We read in 1 John 5:3 that “this IS the love of God, that we keep His commandments.” When we commit adultery with our neighbor’s wife, we do not love our neighbor or his wife. When we kill or lie to or steal from our neighbor, we do NOT love him.

But Paul says in Galatians 5:22-23 that when we love our neighbor and live in peace with him, have patience with him and bring joy to his life, etc., then we do not transgress the law, because against such right conduct and feeling, there is no law. In other words, the law does not prohibit right conduct. It does not tell us, for example, not to have peace with your neighbor.

The same is expressed in 1 Timothy 1:9-10 where we read that the law is not made for the righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, and then Paul lists numerous examples of sinful conduct. This statement must not be twisted to say that the righteous is under no obligation to keep the law. Rather, as long as he lives righteously, he obeys it and the law is not convicting him as a transgressor; but once he begins to disobey it, he lives no longer in righteousness and has become a transgressor of the law.

And so, Paul tells us that if we are unrighteous and abide in the kinds of sins which he listed in 1 Timothy 1:9-10, we will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

(To Be Continued)

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

A new member letter has been written and sent out this week. It is also posted on our website (www.eternalgod.org). In the letter, Eric Rank reminds us of the importance of involvement in and support for God’s Work and for one another, and he explains how this can be done.

A new StandingWatch program was recorded and posted on YouTube and our website (www.standingwatch.org), titled, “Germany—Israel’s Friend or Foe?” German-Israeli relations have never been easy. Even though Germany is officially considered one of Israel’s closest allies, most Germans view Israel as aggressive and feel that Germany has no special obligation towards Israel. Some historians state that no friendship exists between Germany and Israel, and that in German eyes, Israel is one of the most unpopular states in the world. Recent revelations have not helped that Israel has been deploying nuclear missiles on submarines which were received from Germany. What does all of this mean in the light of biblical prophecy?

The audio portion of this program will be broadcast on our radio programs, beginning this Sunday.

A new German sermon was posted on YouTube, titled, “Gottes Zorn ueber den Ungehorsam” (“God’s Wrath for Disobedience”).

A reminder for those wishing to attend the Feast of Tabernacles with us for 2012–please review details posted on our website under the “FEASTS” heading. Our locations for this year are Pismo Beach, California, and Deganwy, North Wales.