Euro Flawed from the Beginning?

Mail-On-Line wrote on February 12:

“The European single currency is facing an ‘inevitable break-up’ a leading French bank claimed yesterday. Strategists at Paris-based Société Générale said that any bailout of the stricken Greek economy would only provide ‘sticking plasters’ to cover the deep- seated flaws in the eurozone bloc. The stark warning came as the euro slipped further on the currency markets and dire growth figures raised the prospect of a ‘double-dip’ recession in the embattled zone… Claims that the euro could be headed for total collapse are particularly striking when they come from one of the oldest and largest banks in France – a core founder-member… The euro slid almost 1 per cent to $1.357 yesterday, meaning it has lost 10 per cent of its value since November. The pound rose to 1.14 euros.

“David Cameron… told the Tories’ Scottish conference: ‘… If I am elected for as long as I am prime minister the United Kingdom will never join the euro.’ The French bank’s warning was echoed by Mats Persson, Director of the Open Europe think-tank, which campaigns for reforms in Brussels. He said: ‘The eurozone is facing a fully-fledged crisis. The Greece episode has made it painfully clear how flawed the euro project was from the very beginning…’

“Harvard University Professor Martin Feldstein, a long-standing skeptic on the euro, yesterday said the single currency ‘isn’t working’ because member governments have no incentive to keep their public debts under control. Axel Weber, President of Germany’s Bundesbank, warned the German economy will contract this year. The eurozone faces the danger of a ‘doubledip’ recession after Germany’s economy retreated into stagnation.

“Figures [from the European Commission] published yesterday revealed that the countries who have joined the euro collectively grew a mere 0.1 per cent in the fourth quarter of last year… The figures… are a blow to Britain’s embattled manufacturers, which count the eurozone as their biggest export market.”

However, this pessimistic viewpoint about the euro is refuted by others, pointing out that especially Britain should look at their horrific budget deficit, before blaming the eurozone, as the next articles show.

Britain Rejoices Over Decline of Euro–But Has Its Own Problems…

The LATimes wrote on February 13:

“It’s not hard to find some smug smiles in Britain these days as the rest of Europe grapples with a debt crisis that has cast doubt on the future of the euro. This island nation has fiercely resisted adoption of the single regional currency and has clung to the pound as a symbol of tradition and independence.

“Before a summit of European Union leaders this week, his usual Scottish dourness barely succeeded in masking Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s schadenfreude when he declared that the euro’s problems were for euro-using nations such as France and Germany to solve, not British taxpayers.

“But Britain is in no position to sit back and relax, much less crow, analysts say, not when its own economy is still in such shaky condition, its credit rating in danger of an embarrassing downgrade and its government sinking deeper into debt.

“The global downturn has hit Britain particularly hard, in part because of London’s status as an international financial center. Britain’s was the last of the major economies technically to emerge from recession, and that only barely: It grew by a tiny 0.1% in the final quarter of last year, and economists fear it could just as easily start contracting again.

“Like many other countries, including the United States, Britain went on a spending spree to stimulate demand during the recession’s darkest days, funding infrastructure projects and cash-for-clunkers-style rebates. And as elsewhere, that has compounded a budget deficit now at a level not seen since World War II.

“In fact, as a percentage of gross domestic product, Britain’s yawning deficit is close to that of Greece, whose 12.7% shortfall triggered the euro crisis. Athens’ deficit is more than four times the prescribed limit for countries in the so-called Eurozone and investor panic over a possible default has hammered the euro’s value…

“Just as Greece has unveiled an austerity plan to get its finances in order, Britain must soon bite the fiscal bullet as well. Exactly what and how deeply to cut is already shaping up as the dominant issue in the national election that must be held by early June. The opposition finance spokesman, George Osborne of the Conservative Party, caused a minor stir in December when he said that Britain might be on the same path to misery as Greece…

“As for Greece, Britain may yet be on the hook for bailing it out, despite distaste for the idea. If the EU as a whole, instead of just the Eurozone, decides to give credit assurances for Athens or to issue EU-wide bonds, then British taxpayers will have no choice but to be involved because Britain remains one of the 27 EU member states.”

In addition, BBC News reported on February 17 that the “UK inflation rate rose to 3.5% in January – the fastest annual pace for 14 months – from 2.9% the month before.” And Times on Line added on February 18 that “The [British] Government is on course to run up a higher budget deficit this year than Greece after dire figures on the public finances today showed that it borrowed £4.3 billion more than it received in taxes in January, the first time this has happened.”

The Strong Eurozone and Wrong US Politics

In a Spiegel interview, dated February 12, European Central Bank Chief Economist Jürgen Stark discussed the threat of a Greek bankruptcy, disruption in the euro zone and the growing problem of excessive national debts in countries that have adopted Europe’s common currency. We are bringing you the following excerpts from the interview:

“We have been in a global crisis for more than one-and-a-half years now. We still can’t say whether it’s over… There were many skeptics at the beginning of the currency union. Since then, the euro has experienced 11 successful years. However, the current crisis has shown that we are all moving in unknown terrain. For instance, the central banks have had to adopt measures that I would have considered to be impossible only two years ago. But all market players and currencies have been put to the same test since the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy. That, by the way, happened on the other side of the Atlantic and led to the tsunami that then hit Europe.

“… the Greeks had a double-digit and not a single-digit budget deficit, which is close to 13 percent of the gross domestic product… Greece covered it up for a long time with an extremely generous spending policy… I would like to see better supervision. This is where Eurostat (the European Union’s statistical office) and the European Commission, in particular, can play a role. We should all learn from the mistakes of the past. Greece was living beyond its means. That has to be corrected now… [Greece] has to regain the confidence of the markets. Ireland was in a similar situation and has since regained some confidence… The responsibility for setting its house in order clearly lies with the Greek government…

“We began with 11 countries and we have 16 today. The euro zone was never a closed affair. The goal is and must continue to be that all 27 EU countries have the same currency in the end. However, this cannot result in the currency zone drifting apart… Great Britain has a budget deficit of the same magnitude as Greece’s. The US budget deficit is also more than 10 percent of GDP. All advanced economies are currently having problems. In fact, it is astonishing to see where most of the criticism of the euro is coming from at the moment… much of what they are printing reads as if they were trying to deflect attention away from problems in their own backyard.

“Yes, everyone is a sinner at the moment. But we also happen to be dealing with the consequences of the worst recession in 80 years. That’s one of the reasons so many governments have yielded to the enormous pressure, in some cases, to take on huge debts. A renaissance of the government’s role in the economy was celebrated. The politicians were proud that they could finally rescue something. But who will rescue the state in the end?… Things cannot be allowed to go so far that the state has to be rescued… We cannot take that approach [of the United States, where the Fed prints money and buys treasury bonds].”

Euro Is Here to Stay

This week, the EUObserver published the following comments:

“The financial turmoil arising from the Greek government’s indebtedness is likely to have a profound effect of the future constitutional development – and enlargement – of the European Union. So anyway it seems to me.  All the improbable articles in the British press about the threatened collapse of the euro and the end of civilisation as we know it are, in a sense, correct.  Apart, that is, from the euro collapsing.

“The euro will not collapse; it is one of the world’s reserve currencies, underpinned by the world’s largest trading block. And if in recent months there has been some readjustment against the dollar that is principally the result of the dollar recovering some of its value lost in the aftermath of the collapse of Lehman Brothers and other Wall Street institutions.

“Greece – and a number of other countries in the European Union – are, as we know, burdened with unsustainable budget deficits and high levels of public debt.  Britain, though not in the eurozone, is among them.  Whether Britain’s public finances would have been in better order had she not – in an act of hubris – turned her back on the Single Currency project in 1997 and 1998 – is a moot point.

“What is certain is that the pound has in the last year or two lost some 20 per cent of its external value – something that impoverishes us all and whose lesson – (you can’t make yourself richer by devaluing) we thought had long been learned. Certainly Britain’s finances will not again meet the qualifying terms for joining the euro for many a long year to come…”

Based on biblical prophecy, we can safely say that the euro is here to stay, and that more and more European countries will join the eurozone. Interestingly, in all likelihood, countries like Britain and Sweden won’t accept the euro. There are prophetic reasons for this. For more information, please read our free booklets, “Europe in Prophecy,” “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord,” and “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America.”

Greece and the Euro Zone

On February 15, Reuters reported the following:

“A majority of Germans want debt-ridden Greece to be thrown out of the euro zone if necessary and more than two-thirds oppose handing Athens billions of euros in credit, a poll published on Sunday showed. Vocal opposition to aid for Greece from members of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s coalition also grew at the weekend with several senior politicians expressing skepticism, especially as Germany’s own recovery is fragile… Merkel has adopted a cautious stance on support, saying while Greece will not be left on its own, it is up to Athens to sort out its own problems… Merkel’s coalition partners, the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) are even more resistant to helping Greece.”

The Associated Press reported on February 15:

“Germany has rejected the idea of setting up a special fund to bail out eurozone countries, like Greece, that run into budget trouble. Finance Ministry spokesman Michael Offer said Monday that a European Monetary Fund would not help a case such as Greece’s. He said there was ‘no way around’ painful austerity measures being pushed through by the Greek government.

“Offer said Greece must reduce its budget deficit by four percentage points this year and bring it down to 3 percent of gross domestic product by 2012. That is in line with requirements for participation in the common currency. Greece’s debt trouble has shaken confidence in the 16-country currency union and pushed the euro to a nine-month low against the dollar.”

Whether Greece will remain a member of the euro zone will have to be seen. Bible prophecy indicates that Greece will cooperate with a united Europe and especially with the last ten nations or groups of nations, as described in Revelation 17, but it is unlikely that it will be one of the ten nations.

The EU Shows “Strength”

The Telegraph wrote on February 16:

“The European Union has shown its righteous wrath by stripping Greece of its vote at a crucial meeting next month, the worst humiliation ever suffered by an EU member state.

“The council of EU finance ministers said Athens must comply with austerity demands by March 16 or lose control over its own tax and spend policies altogether. It if fails to do so, the EU will itself impose cuts under the draconian Article 126.9 of the Lisbon Treaty in what would amount to economic suzerainty.

“While the symbolic move to suspend Greece of its voting rights at one meeting makes no practical difference, it marks a constitutional watershed and represents a crushing loss of sovereignty.”

A New Era of Strong EU Politics?

On February 12, Der Spiegel reported about the reaction of the German media pertaining to the decision of the EU Parliament to block an agreement with Washington on sharing European bank data.

The magazine wrote:

“The move marks a new era in EU politics, write German commentators, who largely agree that the European people now have more power as a result of the Lisbon Treaty… What looked on Thursday like a setback for the war on terrorism — to members of the Obama administration — was cheered in Europe on Friday as a victory for citizens’ rights. The European Parliament moved Thursday to reject a George W. Bush-era agreement that allowed United States authorities to inspect European bank transfers… The unambiguous vote — 378 to 196 — comes against a background of shifting power in the EU…

“A crucial development is that the EU’s new constitution — the so-called Lisbon Treaty, which came into effect on Dec. 1, 2009 — gave the popularly elected parliament new powers over EU policy, which the representatives on Thursday showed they were eager to use. One of those powers is the requirement that any international EU treaty must be given parliament’s stamp of approval before it can be ratified. Most German commentators on Friday welcome the vote as a sign of health, strength and democratic right in an EU that long suffered from a democratic deficit.

“The center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung writes: ‘… Some Washington officials will moan, but EU lawmakers have done a service to trans-Atlantic relations in the long run. Because now Washington will understand: Terrorism can be fought together, but not at the cost of European citizens’ rights…’

“The Financial Times Deutschland writes: ‘… The SWIFT controversy is a perfect chance for the parliament to prove its effectiveness… This revolt against the SWIFT agreement is a foretaste of decisions in the coming years, particularly on security. The European Council and European Commission will now have to take the parliament seriously.’

“Business daily Handelsblatt likewise writes: ‘Good news at last from Europe: The controversial SWIFT agreement between the EU and Washington has collapsed.'”

Europe is destined to become more and more powerful, and it is predestined to become a real challenge to the USA.

German Government Divided…

Deutsche Welle reported on February 12:

“Guido Westerwelle, Germany’s foreign minister and vice-chancellor [as well as leader of Germany’s coalition party, FDP], remains defiant over controversial comments he made after the social welfare program Hartz IV was declared unconstitutional this week. After the ruling came out, Westerwelle said that the debate about Hartz IV had ‘socialist elements’ and that ‘those who promise effortless wealth, are inviting Roman decadence.’

“Germany’s highest court has ordered the government to recalculate the payments it makes under the Hartz IV program for the unemployed. The ruling has triggered a debate about whether to raise benefit payments for children, for example [Note: In Germany, every parent is paid a certain benefit amount for his child. The more children, the higher the payments.] Westerwelle’s comments sparked calls for an apology, but the foreign minister was sticking to his guns on Friday.

“‘Those who work must earn more than those who do not,’ he said in Berlin. ‘I must be allowed to say that in Germany. Everything else is socialism. I speak a language that people understand,’ he added. But chancellor Angela Merkel as well as coalition partners from the [Bavarian] Christian Social Union (CSU) have distanced themselves from Westerwelle…

“The opposition parties were even more vociferous in their anger. Social Democrat and premier of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, Kurt Beck, said Westerwelle was completely off track and should apologize. He also called him ‘arrogant’ and said that ‘his (Westerwelle’s) comments are a slap in the face of those who work hard but do not earn enough to live without state benefits.’ [However, this is not really the issue of debate.] The Greens were also up in arms. ‘This stirring up of social unrest is undignified for a German foreign minister and vice chancellor,’ said Renate Kuenast, who is the leader of the Green party in parliament.

“Politicians from the Left party agree [with the Greens]… Union representatives also condemned the comments… But, perhaps most importantly, voters also seem to be going off the Free Democrats. ‘Westerwelle has lost his compass,’ said the head of the Forsa polling institute, Manfred Guellner.”

Guido Westerwelle responded by calling his critics “hypocrites,” as many of those attacking him are “responsible” for the current disaster. According to Deutsche Welle, dated February 17, “Merkel herself finally admonished her foreign minister at the CDU rally Wednesday evening, after days of no public comment on the matter. ‘I have made it clear that, what Guido Westerwelle said, is not my words,’ Merkel said. ‘It is not my style.'”

However, the article continued:

“‘It had to be said what needed to be said,’ Westerwelle told FDP supporters… Of course, as foreign minister he was obligated to follow a diplomatic tone when abroad. But, he said when in Germany, he would ‘continue to belong to the club of clear debate.’ ‘The left-wing zeitgeist may criticize me for it, but the fact remains: work has to be worth it and someone who works more has to get more than someone who doesn’t work at all,’ he said… Westerwelle at least got some support from the head of the CDU’s Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), Horst Seehofer…”

Guido Westerwelle is correct in what he says. But since politics is not only dirty and hypocritical business in the United States and Great Britain, but also, of course, in Germany, his political “friends” and opponents criticise him because they fear a substantial loss of votes in the upcoming state elections. And so, one cannot permit vice-chancellor Westerwelle to express what many believe, but don’t dare to say, because it is just not “politically correct.”

However, it is FACTUALLY correct! Germany IS embracing socialist elements (as are the United States and Great Britain), and it IS “inviting Roman decadence”–which ultimately led to Rome’s fall. The Bible tells us in 2 Thessalonians 3:10: “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.” As mentioned above, parents with many children [especially from certain ethnic minorities] can easily live from benefit payments for their children, coupled with unemployment and/or welfare payments and payments for housing. And it is the hard-working gainfully employed or self-employed German citizens who support and finance this system through the payment of heavy and stiff taxes.

Catholic Church Scandal Widens in Germany…

Deutsche Welle reported on February 15:

“A lawyer representing victims of a sex abuse scandal at Catholic schools in Germany said on Monday that the number of cases was three times higher than at first believed. News of the abuse allegations involving around 30 former pupils first surfaced in late January, when a former priest admitted that he forced boys to have sex at the elite Canisius College in Berlin from 1975 to 1983.

“Since the revelation, many more former pupils have come forward with allegations against clerics and laymen at Jesuit colleges and other Catholic schools across the country. The Jesuits have since issued an apology, admitting they covered up abuse that had taken place at schools in Berlin, Hamburg, St. Blasien, Goettingen and Hildesheim in the 1970s and 1980s. The worldwide order also confirmed cases in Spain and Chile.”

The San Diego Tribune reported on February 10:

“The Catholic Church faces yet another child abuse scandal, this time in Pope Benedict XVI’s native Germany. The scandal began last month with allegations that three priests at the elite Canisius Jesuit high-school in Berlin had sexually abused students in the 1970s and ‘80s. The magazine Der Spiegel also published an article last weekend that said nearly 100 clerics and lay people had been suspected of abusing children and teenagers nationwide since 1995.”

Catholic Church Scandal in Ireland…

Deutsche Welle reported on February 15:

“Pope Benedict XVI began talks on Monday with a delegation of Irish bishops summoned to the Vatican to discuss a child sex abuse scandal, which has shaken the Catholic Church in Ireland.

“The talks, which are to last two days, stem from a report last November about unchecked child abuse in the archdiocese of Dublin over a period of nearly 30 years. The Murphy Commission report detailed a litany of abuse perpetuated by priests against more than 300 victims and strongly criticized the Irish church’s handling of the situation…

“Revelations of pedophile priests also have rocked the Church in recent months after similar scandals in the United States and Australia… Anti-abuse campaigners, meanwhile, have called on Pope Benedict to visit Ireland to meet the victims of the pedophile scandal. Christine Buckley, herself an abuse survivor… criticized that many of the accused Irish priests had left Ireland and gone to countries such as Australia and America, where they continued their abuse.”

BBC News added on February 16:

“As the Roman Catholic Church prepares to celebrate the penitential rites of Lent, during which the faithful beg forgiveness for their sins, an unprecedented act of private penance has been held behind closed doors at the Vatican.

“Pope Benedict spent two days in one of the Vatican’s sumptuous marble audience halls closeted with 24 Irish bishops who both individually and collectively confessed to him their shortcomings and omissions in the paedophile clergy scandal which has shocked the entire Catholic world.

“… we know from the official Vatican communique issued at the end of this extraordinary crisis meeting that the Pope strongly condemned the child abuse scandal which has been the subject of an official Irish government inquiry… Pope Benedict did not spare his words in addressing his Irish bishops. He said that child abuse was a ‘heinous crime’ as well as a ‘grave sin’. He lambasted the bishops for failing to act effectively over cases of sexual abuse of young people.

“Seated at two long tables, the red-clad bishops were invited by the Pope to describe individually… how they had dealt with cases of priestly paedophilia in their own dioceses, and to explain why so many cases had been systematically covered up during a period of decades. Although four Irish bishops have tendered their resignations over the scandals, only one of them has had his resignation accepted by the Vatican…

“At stake is not only the credibility of the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland, but also a lot of Church money… The Vatican fears that just as in similar scandals of priestly paedophilia in other parts of the world, including the United States, claims by paedophilia victims in Ireland could eventually bankrupt several religious orders as well as individual dioceses…

“The sexual abuse of minors by Catholic clergy has been reported from many countries, and dealing with these scandals has in fact been a worldwide problem for the Pope… But the crisis within the Irish church goes deeper perhaps than in any other country with a significant Catholic population.”

The Associated Press and USA Today reported on February 18:

“Pope Benedict XVI told Irish bishops at a special summit meeting Tuesday to be courageous in confronting the pedophile priest scandal that has rocked that Catholic nation’s church, but took no action on victims’ demands the Vatican take some responsibility… activists troubled by what they contend is a pattern of Vatican denial of responsibility were branding the talks a failure…

“Victims had already warned the talks would be a failure unless the pope demanded resignations of bishops who had any role in concealing wrongdoing. They also demand that the pope accept in full the findings of the Irish investigations, which some church officials in Ireland have criticized as unfair.

“[Irish Church leader Cardinal Sean] Brady said Irish church leaders needed to do penitence for the scandal that would be ‘the equivalent of sackcloth and ashes’ and have a ‘change of heart.'”

President Obama Preparing to Use His Executive Power

The New York Times wrote on February 13:

“With much of his legislative agenda stalled in Congress, President Obama and his team are preparing an array of actions using his executive power to advance energy, environmental, fiscal and other domestic policy priorities. Mr. Obama has not given up hope of progress on Capitol Hill, aides said, and has scheduled a session with Republican leaders on health care later this month. But in the aftermath of a special election in Massachusetts that cost Democrats unilateral control of the Senate, the White House is getting ready to act on its own in the face of partisan gridlock heading into the midterm campaign…

“Any president has vast authority to influence policy even without legislation, through executive orders, agency rule-making and administrative fiat. And Mr. Obama’s success this week in pressuring the Senate to confirm 27 nominations by threatening to use his recess appointment power demonstrated that executive authority can also be leveraged to force action by Congress.

“Mr. Obama has already decided to create a bipartisan budget commission under his own authority after Congress refused to do so. His administration has signaled that it plans to use its discretion to soften enforcement of the ban on openly gay men and lesbians serving in the military, even as Congress considers repealing the law. And the Environmental Protection Agency is moving forward with possible regulations on heat-trapping gases blamed for climate change, while a bill to cap such emissions languishes in the Senate…

“The use of executive authority during times of legislative inertia is hardly new; former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush turned to such powers at various moments in their presidencies… But Mr. Obama has to be careful how he proceeds because he has been critical of both Mr. Clinton’s penchant for expending presidential capital on small-bore initiatives, like school uniforms, and Mr. Bush’s expansive assertions of executive authority, like the secret program of wiretapping without warrants…

“Another drawback of the executive power strategy is that actions taken unilaterally by the executive branch may not be as enduring as decisions made through acts of Congress signed into law by a president…”

Those who might have thought that in times of crises, the USA could never become a dictatorship ruled by a few in office should perhaps reconsider.

War in Afghanistan

Reuters reported on February 15:

“U.S. Marines leading one of NATO’s biggest offensives against Taliban Islamic militants in Afghanistan are facing fierce resistance in some areas, bogged down by heavy gunfire, snipers and booby traps. Marine units have tried twice since Sunday to reach a bazaar in Marjah, the last militant stronghold in the country’s most violent province, Helmand, only to be pushed back. Coming under heavy gunfire and sniper attacks — one assault lasted over an hour — they were forced to call in Harrier jets and attack helicopters with Hellfire missiles.

“There have been conflicting assessments of how much progress NATO has made, but it seemed clear that the campaign to seize insurgent-held areas before a planned 2011 troop reduction could drag on for weeks… The assault, one of the biggest in the eight-year war, is the first test of U.S. President Barack Obama’s plan to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan, where the Taliban have made a steady comeback since a U.S.-led invasion ousted them in 2001.

“The Marines’ efforts to close in on Taliban snipers in Marjah’s bazaar came a day after the compound the U.S. troops are holding in the heart of the town was attacked several times, showing the Taliban are not confined to one area. Afghanistan is a top foreign policy issue for Obama so failure here could be seen as damaging to his presidency. Much of the operation’s success in Helmand province depends on whether the administration wins residents’ trust and Afghan troops are able to keep the Taliban from returning…

“NATO and the Afghan government’s credibility rests on limiting civilian casualties, and NATO commanders told Marjah residents to stay at home during the offensive. NATO rockets killed 12 civilians by accident on Sunday in the attack on Marjah, a farming area criss-crossed by canals, a breeding ground for insurgents and lucrative opium poppy cultivation, which Western countries say funds the insurgency.”

The Washington Post wrote on February 18:

“Although U.S. and Afghan forces have made steady inroads here since beginning the largest joint military operation of the war four days ago, they control only a few modest patches of this farming community, principally around the two biggest bazaar areas. Much of Marja has not yet been patrolled by troops on the ground, and video images from surveillance drones have shown Taliban fighters operating with impunity in those places.

“U.S. and NATO commanders were not certain whether the insurgents who have lorded over Marja for the past three years would stay and fight, or flee to parts of Afghanistan with fewer international security forces. It appears clear, however, that many Taliban members here have opted to stay — at least for now.

“That may mean many more weeks of arduous house-to-house clearing operations for Marines and Afghan forces in this 155-square-mile area, making this a far more complex and dangerous mission than initially envisaged…”

The Afghan war is dragging on. Conditions in the country are worse than they were before the invasion began eleven years ago.

Iran and Saudi-Arabia’s Ambiguous Stance

The Associated Press reported on February 15:

“Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister on Monday expressed doubts about the usefulness of more sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program. Prince Saud al-Faisal told a news conference in the Saudi capital that the threat posed by Iran’s nuclear ambitions demands a more immediate solution than sanctions. He described sanctions as a long-term solution, and he said the threat is more pressing.

“The Saudi minister spoke at a joint appearance with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who is in the Persian Gulf to shore up support for new sanctions against Iran. The Saudi minister also said efforts supported by the U.S. to rid the Middle East of nuclear weapons must apply to Israel… He didn’t identify a preferred short-term resolution.

“U.S. officials traveling with Clinton said privately they were uncertain what al-Faisal meant, since the Saudi government has been explicit in its support of sanctions against Iran. They said he appeared to be suggesting that sanctions may not be effective and that other action could be required.”

If he implies military actions against Iran, is he also implying military actions against Israel?

Israel In Trouble… Again…

The EUObserver wrote on February 18:

“The Israeli ambassadors to the UK and Ireland have been summoned to explain the use of fake passports by the hit squad that killed a senior Hamas leader in Dubai three weeks ago… the British Foreign Office has requested that the country’s ambassador to the UK ‘share information’ on how it was that six counterfeit versions of passports held by dual British-Israeli citizens came to be used in the operation…

“On 20 January, Mohammed al-Mabhouh, who was attached to the al-Qassam Brigades, the group’s military wing, and, according to Israeli sources, was the lead gun-runner from Iran to Gaza, died in mysterious circumstances in a Dubai hotel. The Dubai police investigating his death have revealed that Mr al-Mabhouh had been poisoned by eleven individuals travelling on European passports from the UK, Ireland, France and Germany…

“Separately, the case has widened to Austria, with Vienna on Wednesday announcing an investigation into the assassination after it was revealed that the killers used mobile phones with Austrian numbers.

“Israeli officials are concerned that the incident has opened a diplomatic rift between the Jewish state and the UK and that similar summonses could occur in Paris and Berlin, according to Haaretz, the Israeli daily newspaper. Dublin has suggested to London, Paris and Berlin that a joint investigation be carried out, according to one Israeli official.

“Meanwhile, foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman said there was no proof that the Mossad was responsible for the murder, noting nevertheless Israel’s “policy of ambiguity” regarding its intelligence service. At a memorial rally for the slain Palestinian in Gaza on Wednesday, Hamas politburo chief Khaled Meshal called on EU states to hold Israel to account… ‘Israel deserves to be placed on the terror list.'”

The Bible shows that Israel will be forsaken by all the nations, including its closest allies, the USA and Great Britain. Contrary to a wide-spread belief in a friendship agreement between Europe and Israel just prior to the beginning of the Great Tribulation, the Bible nowhere prophesies that there will ever be such an agreement.

Britain’s Corrupt Political System

The Daily Express wrote on February 8:

“Britain’s standing in the world has fallen dramatically while our debts have soared. Our democracy has been corrupted, our economy shattered, our freedoms removed and our national identity weakened.

“Yet in the face of these disasters, support for the Labour Party [Democrats] remains remarkably strong. The bulk of the blame for Labour’s resilience is being heaped on Tory [Conservative] leader David Cameron, who is accused of being over-cautious and indecisive. There is some justification in these charges. The Conservatives seem to have neither a clear economic plan, nor any robustness on crime, immigration or Europe. But the weakness of the Tories’ prospects is not entirely Cameron’s fault. Even if he were a cross between Winston Churchill and Benjamin Disraeli, the Conservatives would still be struggling to make headway. For the truth is that for decades the entire political system has been outrageously biased in favour of Labour…

“In recent opinion polls, Labour’s support has consistently hovered at 30 per cent, no matter what the depth of the recession, the splits in the Cabinet, the expenses abuses of ministers or the politically correct idiocies of the Government. To some critics this seems utterly bizarre, a sign that the British public has taken leave of its senses. But in truth, the 30 per cent conundrum is easily explained. The fact is that Labour has developed three large voting blocs which guarantee that its vote will not fall much below a third of the electorate, no matter how dismally the government performs.

“These three blocs comprise public sector employees, immigrants and welfare claimants, all of whom are dependent on the state either for their living or their residency here. It is no coincidence that each of these three groups has massively expanded during the past 13 years of Labour rule, with crude party advantage playing a vital role in this policy.

“The public sector has grown by at least one million people since 1997, not counting all the staff in quasitate positions like contractors or GPs. Moreover, workers on the state payroll have enjoyed higher pay [raises], better pensions, shorter hours, longer holidays and greater job security than their counterparts in the private  sector. In many Labour strongholds, the public sector is now by far the largest employer.

“Similarly, mass immigration has significantly helped Labour’s cause, especially since the Government is radically extending the franchise by dishing out more than 200,000 British passports a year. According to authoritative studies, around 80 per cent of migrants and ethnic minorities back Labour, while the pressure group operation Black vote claims that at least 70 marginal seats at the coming election will be decided by the ethnic minority vote.

“The full cynicism of Labour’s eagerness to exploit immigration for electoral ends was laid bare in the diaries of former minister Chris Mullin, who at one point privately bewailed the Government’s reluctance to tackle misogynistic abuses in Asian culture… But then added, ‘At least 20 seats, including Jack Straw’s, depend on Asian votes.’

“The third great bloc is made up of benefits claimants, on whom over £180billion a year is now spent. Thanks to remorseless expansion of the welfare system under Brown, there are more than five million people of working age living on social security. They are hardly likely to vote for a tougher regime under the Tories.”

Politics all over the world is dirty business. Political parties and politicians come to power and stay in power, not necessarily because of achievements and competence, but far too often because of political maneuvering, sickening compromise and the “buying” of necessary votes. This is true–not just in our political systems–but everywhere where a candidate for whatever office or position is dependent on the votes of others.

Europe’s Voice Does Not Move Anyone

Der Spiegel Online wrote on February 9:

“The relationship between the US and the European Union is cooling. By declining to come to Spain for a trans-Atlantic summit, President Barack Obama made it clear that Brussels is far down on his priority list… The message, though, couldn’t have been any clearer. The president has plenty of time in his schedule to visit Australia and Indonesia in March… but the European Union has slipped far down on his priority list. The Europeans are none too pleased. Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Zapatero defiantly told a confidant that the US shouldn’t forget that Europe is ‘an economic power and an important political actor’…

“All too often, Europe gets lost in diplomatic protocol… At the Madrid summit, the unassuming Belgian Herman van Rompuy, who has been president of the European Council since December, was insistent that he be the first to greet Obama. But advisers to Zapatero, the Spanish host, refused. After all, the Spanish prime minister also currently holds the position of ‘president of the European Council.’ The EU, as it happens, is still holding on to its tradition of bestowing a rotating ‘presidency’ on a different EU member state every six months…

“A compromise was eventually found. Zapatero would get to say the first ‘hi,’ Rompuy would then be able to sit to the right of Obama at dinner. But soon enough, other EU top brass voiced complaints. The seat planned for Rompuy was actually a privilege reserved for European Commission President Manuel José Barroso, who is in third place on the current scale of most important people in Brussels…

“And what about Catherine Ashton, the EU’s new ‘high representative for foreign and security policy’? Her role at the summit hadn’t even been addressed. The skirmishing does little to dispel the unfavorable impression Americans have about Europe’s foreign policy…

“Europe seems intent on using etiquette to compensate for its diminishing role on the world stage. No one wants to admit what everyone can see: Europe’s voice doesn’t move anyone at the moment — neither future major powers, like India and Brazil, nor leaders in Washington, Moscow or Beijing. And how could it? The EU may be a successful economic community, but it is just as deeply divided on questions of foreign and security policy as it is on issues like climate change and inner security.

“When it comes to foreign policy, each member state is looking out for its own interests. This is particularly clear when it comes to relations with the United States. The Brits continue to guard over their ‘special relationship,’ French President Nicolas Sarkozy always tries to edge his way to Obama’s side in group photos — and then the Spaniards wanted to use the US-EU summit to bask in the spotlight.

“Now officials are searching for a substitute date for the EU-US summit — possibly in the autumn, when Obama plans to fly to Portugal for a NATO summit. But the more important question is whether European leaders have really listened to the ‘wake-up call for Europe’ that many EU observers are speaking of following this American affront.”

Europe is realizing that it is becoming irrelevant on the world scene. Strong forces within the EU will try to change that development.

As the next articles show, the ongoing European duplicity of its member states can clearly be seen in their dealings with Iran. And now, Europe is beginning to reap what it has been sowing.

Iran’s Duplicity

AFP wrote on February 7:

“Iran will begin enriching uranium to 20 percent from Tuesday, the Islamic republic’s atomic chief announced on Sunday just hours after being told to do so by hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The decision raises the stakes in a dispute with the West less than a week after Iran had appeared to accept a UN-drafted nuclear deal on the supply of fuel for a research nuclear reactor in Tehran. Ahmadinejad’s move drew fire from Britain and the United States, and analysts said it was a bid to exert pressure on Washington and drive a wedge between the six powers over attempts to impose new sanctions on Tehran…

“Britain and the United States condemned the declaration… US Defence Secretary Robert Gates called for mounting ‘international pressure’ on Iran… A Western analyst who asked not to be named said Iranian declarations such as Ahmadinejad’s on Sunday were attempts to ‘delay potential sanctions by dividing the six world powers without backing down on the nuclear programme.'”

Iran a Nuclear State

On February 11, Mail-On-Line reported:

“Iran is now a ‘nuclear state’, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced this morning. As Gordon Brown warned that the world’s patience is wearing thin, Ahmadinejad told scores of cheering Iranians that the Islamic Republic is capable of producing weapons-grade uranium.

“He spoke as tens of thousands of people took to the streets in Tehran to mark the 31st anniversary of the Islamic revolution. Despite fears of violence, opposition supporters found themselves largely overwhelmed by the clerical regime and pro-government demonstrators.

“The massive security clampdown appeared to succeed in preventing protesters from converging into a cohesive demonstrations.”

Iran’s Chess Game With the World’s “Super Powers”

Deutsche Welle wrote on February 8:

“Since 2004, the European Union has publicly claimed the united position that the row over Iran’s nuclear program should be resolved diplomatically, but has reserved the right to back United Nations Security Council sanctions if Iran does not comply to international demands. Yet, consistently since that time, individual nations have indicated a willingness to establish independent relationships with Iran, both political and economic, which seemingly ignore Brussels’ position. Europe claims to be united, but a closer examination shows that this unity is an illusion.

“For instance, Germany has developed deep business ties with Iran, with more than 50 German companies basing their offices there. Trade volume between the two has increased steadily over the last decade despite UN sanctions, with Germany having the largest share of Iran’s export market. Italy also has developed a strong relationship, both political and economic, with Iran. Last year Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini met with his Iranian counterpart Manouchehr Mottaki in Tehran to discuss a host of matters from the Italian, not EU, perspective. Italian companies also have frequently done business with Tehran, selling them goods and services that could have both military and civilian uses.

“These relationships have helped Iran to sustain and continue its nuclear program. As of Tuesday, Tehran plans to enrich uranium at a higher level than previously, prompting the United States to renew its call for heavy sanctions against Iran…

“The EU’s public front masks internal disagreement and double-speak. Charting a course for allies to have a united front will be difficult, let alone getting countries like China and Russia, reluctant  to punish Iran, to back stronger sanctions. And as the international community dithers over what action to take, Israel is looking to Europe to take the lead. The prospect of unilateral Israeli action looms…

“US President Barack Obama has followed through on his promise to diplomatically engage Iran, taking a much different approach than predecessor George W. Bush. But no progress has been made, despite promising talks last fall in which Iran appeared to agree to a deal to move nuclear fuel out of the country. Yet the deal was abandoned by the Iranians at the last moment…

“This lack of faith, combined with Iran’s insistence that it would not retreat from what it deems its right to develop a nuclear program, has led to a recent escalation in tone from Washington. At the end of January, White House officials indicated that they would  increase missile defenses in the Middle East to protect Gulf state allies against Tehran. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has publicly pressed China for tougher sanctions.

“The United States also has begun to pressure European allies to lessen business ties with Iran. It seems to have had an affect; last week, German manufacturer Siemens announced that it would cut future trade ties with Iran. Italian companies have yet to do the same, but Italy’s Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi indicated last week that a nuclear Iran was not acceptable.

“France holds the UN Security Council’s presidency this month and is widely expected to bring a resolution calling for strict sanctions…

“Even with the United States and its allies on the same page, Russia or China still need to support sanctions if they are to succeed. China has close energy relations with Tehran – energy which is needed to sustain China’s economic growth – and is loath to do anything that risks them. Russia, meanwhile, has been Iran’s loudest defender. It has provided Tehran with a number of materials, from weapons to heavy machinery with dual-use nuclear purposes. Moscow has consistently watered down sanctions in the past, and has yet to indicate whether it would be willing to revisit that stance…

“The United States did itself no favors by recently announcing a deal to sell weapons to Taiwan. But other factors in the Middle East might force China’s hand and compel them to acquiese to sanctions supported by the United States and its European allies…

“Israel has used unilateral military force in similar situations in the past, taking out nuclear sites in Iraq and suspected nuclear sites in Syria. Iran presents a more unique challenge, as its nuclear sites are spread around the country and are difficult to target.”

Even though Israel may be looking at Europe to lead in this controversy with Iran, Europe, due to their financial interests, may not be willing to do so. America, on the other hand, might not want to, either. So, Israel may face a situation where it alone might try to act decisively, even including using military force. This might be a fatal development.

As Die Süddeutsche Zeitung wrote on February 8:

“All this is triggering a tragic momentum that will boost all those who favor a military strike against Iran. But we should be careful: before engaging in all the careless talk about military options, the arsenal of alternative options must be exhausted.”

At the same time, the Frankfurter Rundschau pointed out the undesirable results of tough economic sanctions: “… the UN veto powers plus Germany are walking a tightrope. There are no special sanctions that could target just the regime or the Revolutionary Guards. Sanctions only make sense if they really hurt — and that inevitably entails hurting the population. The regime could seize on that as an opportunity to call for the great national struggle against the evil rest of the world and to choke off its domestic opposition…”

Germany For European Army

The EUObserver wrote on February 8:

“German foreign minister Guido Westerwelle has said Berlin supports the long term goal of creating a European army, which will bolster the EU’s role as a global player… Mr Westerwelle, who is just a few months into the job as Germany’s top diplomat as part of a ruling Christian Democrat and liberal coalition, suggested that moving further on common security and defence will be the ‘motor for greater European integration’…

“Under EU rules, member states with certain military capacities and the political will to move in this direction can club together to move forward on common defence. In recent years, the need for an EU army has often been floated in political discussions – politicians in France, the UK and Poland have also spoken favourably of the idea…

“Within the EU’s 27 member states, France and the UK have the greatest defence means. Their co-operation and willingness is seen as essential for any possible development of EU military defence… Britain called for enhanced military action between itself and France… Analysts suggest that the pressure on defence budgets caused by the economic downturn may spur further defence sharing among EU member states.”

Germany is becoming painfully aware of Europe’s present political irrelevancy in world affairs. Voices for a unifying European army are becoming louder, as the next article shows as well.

“The EU ‘Has No Vision of Where We Are Heading'”

On February 9, Der Spiegel Online published an interview with former European Commissioner Günter Verheugen, whose 10 years in office ended Tuesday. We are bringing you the following excerpts from Mr. Verheugen’s comments:

“With the 27 members that it has today, compared to the 15 that it had back then, the EU has obviously changed dramatically… There seems to be no vision within the Union of where we are heading. There is no consensus over where the borders of the EU should lie in the future, and there is no consensus over how we should define our role in the world… The Americans expect more participation in global affairs from our side…

“Take the war in Iraq, which the overwhelming majority of Europeans opposed. It wasn’t possible to bring Europe’s weight to bear and to dissuade the Americans from pursuing this folly. From the very beginning, we Europeans were divided into two irreconcilable camps regarding this issue… I believe that having a global role won’t be possible as long as Europe continues to see itself exclusively as a ‘soft power.’ It’s an illusion to think that you can conduct global politics just with humanitarian assistance and diplomacy. One also needs to have the means to enforce your decisions…

“I believe it’s necessary to have a common EU military force, for reasons of efficiency apart from anything else. Today, Europeans have 2 million soldiers under arms, but they are not even able to deploy 60,000 of them somewhere…

“Probably it could only be those heads of government [to create a defense project] who have both a strong desire to lead and a European vision. But it is precisely those member states who are currently strongest that lack both of those things. Take Britain, for example. Elections are about to be held there, and if the pollsters are right, there’s probably going to be a new government which isn’t particularly pro-Europe and which will therefore be unwilling to push European integration forward.

“[The Franco-German motor is] not running perfectly at the moment. And even if it were, it would no longer be enough. We need at least three countries from the group of the strongest member states which don’t always immediately form a kind of blocking alliance within the EU in order to hinder each and every proposal that is put on the table… We had Britain, but we can’t depend on it anymore. We also don’t need to talk about Italy at the moment. Spain is in a critical economic situation and isn’t able to exercise a leadership role. Poland is heading in that direction, but [it] still got a long way to go…

“Reinvigorating this partnership [between France and Germany] would be a good thing for Europe whatever happens, particularly if France and Germany don’t just revert to pushing their own national interests…”

Europe will build a most powerful unifying army, and it stands to reason, based on biblical prophecies, that Britain will not have a part in it. For more information, please read our free booklets, “Europe in Prophecy” and “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America.”

European Parliament Rejects SWIFT Deal for Sharing Bank Data With US

Deutsche Welle reported on February 11:

“The European Parliament has voted against a controversial deal that would have led the EU and US to share bank transfer data, something Washington has said is crucial for counter-terrorism investigations… The parliamentarians resisted appeals from Washington to continue a nine-month interim agreement allowing US authorities to monitor Europeans’ financial transaction data from SWIFT, an international banking transfer system…

“‘The majority view is that the correct balance between security, on the one hand, and the protection of civil liberties and fundamental rights, on the other, has not been achieved,’ European Parliament head, Jerzy Buzek, said in a statement after the vote… The United States expressed its regret after the vote, calling it a ‘setback for EU-US counter-terror cooperation’…

“A temporary agreement with the US was ratified by EU member countries in November – just one day before the European Parliament would have taken on its additional Lisbon powers. With the Lisbon Treaty now in force, the European Parliament’s rejection of the interim deal can be seen as a drive to ensure that its expanded powers are respected in practice.

“The Lisbon Treaty allows the parliament to decide jointly with EU governments on legal affairs, and the SWIFT vote happened to be the first opportunity for the deputies to demonstrate their new strength… The EU Commission, which was in favor of the deal from the outset, is now faced with the task of re-starting negotiations with the US for a new data sharing agreement, one that completely ensures EU data protection standards.”

The Wall Street Journal wrote on February 11:

“In the runup to the vote, Washington put considerable pressure on the parliament to clear the deal, saying access to the sensitive financial information has been vital for foiling terrorist activity, including a planned attack on a transatlantic flight. Several senior U.S. officials, including Vice-President Joe Biden and the secretaries of state and the Treasury, told numerous EU officials, including parliamentarians, ‘about the importance of this agreement to our mutual security,’ the U.S. mission said in a statement.”

The outcome was unexpected. As Der Spiegel Online commented on February 11:

“The demonstration of European power surprises Washington. [It’s a] slap in the face for Washington.”

Germany’s Catholic Sexual Abuse Scandal

Der Spiegel Online wrote on February 8:

“The Catholic Church in Germany has been shaken in recent days by revelations of a series of sexual abuse cases. Close to 100 priests and members of the laity have been suspected of abuse in recent years. After years of suppression, the wall of silence appears to be crumbling…

“It started when Berlin’s Canisius College, an elite Jesuit high school, recently disclosed the sordid past of a number of members of the order, who had abused students at the school in the 1970s and 1980s. After that, new victims began coming forward on a daily basis. By last Friday, at least 40 of them had accused three Jesuit priests of molesting children and adolescents, first in Berlin and later at the St. Ansgar School in Hamburg, the St. Blasien College in the Black Forest and in several parishes in the northern German state of Lower Saxony…

“For decades, German bishops tried to look the other way when their pastors engaged in sexual abuse, as well as to downplay the problem by characterizing it as isolated incidents. Now they are finally revealing their own figures, though hesitantly. According to a SPIEGEL survey of Germany’s 27 dioceses conducted last week, at least 94 priests and members of the laity in Germany are suspected or have been suspected of abusing countless children and adolescents since 1995…

“A tremor is currently passing through the Catholic Church in Germany. It could be merely the beginning of an earthquake of proportions which have so far only been seen in the American and Irish Church. Tens of thousands of abuse cases were brought to light in both countries. Could Germany be next?

“The scandal is just beginning, and yet it has already made a deep impression: on parents, who expect Catholic schools to provide their children with moral guidance; on the victims, who are now confronting their dark past after living with it half their lives; and on the faithful, who now regard their church with dismay. Their shock stems not only from the fact that there are pedophiles in the church, as there are elsewhere in society. It also comes from the fact that the church systematically protected the perpetrators and ignored the victims, and that it repressed and covered up sexual abuse in its own ranks for decades — and in doing so enabled pedophile priests to leave behind a trail of emotional devastation throughout Germany.

“… the clerics are still a long way from any sort of true self-criticism or far-reaching analysis, because it would require them to examine the Church’s repressed sexual morality that is dictated from above. It would require an honest discussion about celibacy and its consequences, particularly when it comes to the Church’s recruitment practices. In a church that is having trouble attracting men to the priesthood, particularly as a result of the ban on marriage, the number of good candidates has become so small that too many inappropriate candidates get admitted…

“In addition to the Canisius College and the schools in St. Ansgar and St. Blasien, there have now been revelations of abuse at the Jesuits’ Aloisius College in Bonn’s Bad Godesberg neighborhood, where entire generations of children of politicians and diplomats went to school… Many parents in Germany have long regarded Catholic schools as an attractive alternative to poor quality public education… But now cracks are beginning to appear in this carefully cultivated image…

“Whenever rumors surfaced in Catholic schools, parishes, youth groups and children’s homes, or victims overcame their shame and reported the abuse, the church would downplay the cases, characterizing them as isolated, regrettable exceptions or the misconduct of an errant priest. This was the position taken by the Vatican and by German bishops, who were unwilling to accept that the problem could lie in the system itself. But what happens when the number of cases begins to rise, as it did in other countries?

“In the United States, it also began as a problem of individual priests who had molested altar boys or students. Like their German brothers, American Catholic bishops tried for years to protect the priests, downplaying the accusations and ignoring the victims — until US courts, politicians and the public started demanding answers, and forced them to pay compensation. In the state of Delaware and elsewhere, for example, lawmakers lifted the statute of limitations, leading to a flood of new lawsuits. The resulting rulings forced dioceses to open their archives. More and more victims came forward, and in the end the Catholic Church in North America was overrun by the biggest scandal in its history.

“The US bishops concluded that there were credible accusations against around 5,000 priests involving the abuse of about 12,000 children and adolescents since 1950. Several dioceses, including Tucson, Arizona and San Diego, California, had to seek bankruptcy protection when they were unable to pay the financial settlements ordered by the court on hundreds of claims that had been filed. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles alone was ordered to pay more than $660 million (€470 million) in damages, which represented a substantial share of the more than $2 billion paid out by the US Catholic Church as a whole. A series of sex scandals also shook Ireland, where a commission concluded that about 35,000 children were beaten and abused in Catholic children’s homes and orphanages between 1914 and 2000…

“The prevailing view at the Vatican is that the public outcry over abuse cases is used as an excuse to revive old animosities toward the Catholic Church as a whole, as well as to fuel the usual criticism of the pope by secular intellectuals and the disenchanted…

“Celibacy, which has only been a general requirement since 1139, is seen as the main reason for the repressed accumulation of sexual urges, which sometimes erupts in brutal ways, within the clergy. Celibacy and the prohibition of marriage are rigorous standards that not all members of the clergy can live up to. Although surveys and studies have produced a wide range of figures on the sexual behaviors of Catholic priests, they all arrive at the same conclusion: Very often, the sanctimonious show of chastity in the church is at odds with reality. According to a US survey, two-thirds of priests adhere to their vows of chastity, while the rest have sex in all shapes and forms: heterosexual, bisexual, homosexual, monogamous, promiscuous.

“There is widespread agreement that this climate of repressed sexuality promotes sexual molestation of children in schools, homes and parishes. A number of studies in the United States conclude that about 2 percent of all Catholic priests are pedophiles. When applied to Germany, this figure suggests that of a total of 20,000 Catholic clergy, at least 400 could potentially be pedophiles…

“The Vatican’s attitudes toward homosexuality are particularly inhibited, despite the fact that it is somewhat widespread within the church and appears to be relatively tolerated, as long as it is not discussed… many priests who become sex offenders have never learned to develop close and intimate relationships…

“In light of its recruitment problems, the church accepts almost anyone who decides to become a priest. However, few in the official church are willing to admit that the new recruits include more and more young men who find the priesthood so appealing in part because they believe it will allow them to conceal their sexual problems. It is a vicious circle… the official church stubbornly adheres to the vow of celibacy and the prohibition on marriage…”

These terrible scandals turn back the dark curtains from a worldwide church organization which, in order to protect its image and status, has been willing to ignore terrible crimes which were being perpetrated by pedophile priests on helpless young victims. As pointed out in the article above, enforced celibacy and the Catholic church’s dubious and unbiblical stance on the holy institution of marriage are contributing
largely to a culture where priests (and nuns) are trying to find fulfillment in the practice of homosexual conduct. However, the growing criticism of outraged parents and victims, as well as society as a whole, could back-fire. The Catholic church, being pushed more and more into a corner due to appropriate criticism, might respond by attacking its critics, in order to solidify the priesthood and the faithful within its own ranks. Historically, the Roman church has had its terrible episodes of incredible abominable crimes, perpetrated by popes and priests, which were oftentimes accompanied by violent attacks on their critics.

You might also want to read our Q&A in Update 339 for the Week ending April 11th, 2008, addressing the issue of Compulsory Celibacy.

Economy on Road to Recovery?

The Associated Press reported on January 29:

“The economy boomed at the end of 2009, growing at the fastest rate in more than six years. Now if only it could keep it up. The economy expanded at an annual rate of 5.7 percent in the fourth quarter, the second straight quarter of growth. But analysts warn it’s unsustainable.

“Consumer spending, chilled by double-digit unemployment and scant wage gains, remains weak. And the benefits of government aid and higher company output to feed stockpiles will dwindle. Many analysts predict gross domestic product will expand at a rate closer to 2.5 to 3 percent in the current quarter and 2.5 percent or less for the year. That won’t be enough to significantly reduce the unemployment rate, now 10 percent. In fact, most analysts expect the rate to keep rising for months and to remain close to 10 percent through year’s end. To drive down the jobless rate by just 1 percentage point this year, the economy would have to grow by 5 percent for the whole year. No one thinks that will happen…

“Roughly two-thirds of the quarter’s growth came from increased manufacturing as businesses drew down their stockpiles of goods at a slower rate. But companies will eventually let those inventories fall again unless consumers — who account for about 70 percent of the economy — spend more. Unlike past rebounds driven by the spending of ordinary shoppers, this one appears to hinge on spending by businesses, foreigners and — until it runs out — government stimulus.

“History suggests this isn’t the recipe for a strong recovery… Still, the overall news for 2009 wasn’t good. Friday’s report showed economic activity for the year fell by 2.4 percent — the sharpest drop since 1946. It was the first annual decline since 1991… If gains from inventories and exports are taken out, the economy last quarter grew at just a 1.7 percent pace.”

As we warned for a long time, belief in a substantial recovery of the U.S. economy is just wishful thinking. The sad reality is that we are reaping what we have been sowing… and what we are still planning to sow, as the next two articles show.

The U.S. Budget — “Spend-While-You-Can”

The Wall Street Journal wrote on February 2:

“One rule of budget reporting is to watch what the politicians are spending this year, not the frugality they promise down the road. By that measure, the budget that President Obama released yesterday for fiscal 2011 is one of the greatest spend-while-you-can documents in American history… The budget reveals that overall federal outlays will reach $3.72 trillion in fiscal 2010, and keep rising to $3.834 trillion in 2011.

“As a share of the economy, outlays will reach a post-World War II record of 25.4% this year. This is a new modern spending landmark, up from 21% of GDP as recently as fiscal 2008, and far above the 40-year average of 20.7%… All of this spending must be financed, and so deficits and taxes are both scheduled to rise to record levels… But this is a giant tax increase on American companies that operate overseas, and it includes no offsetting cut in the U.S. 35% corporate tax rate, which is among the highest in the world… Even these tax increases won’t be enough to pay for the spending…”

The U.S. Budget — “A Recipe for Financial Disaster”

USA Today wrote on February 2:

“Since taking office last year, President Obama has been preaching fiscal restraint while practicing something else. Nothing shows this more than the budget he released Monday. His administration is planning a deficit for this year of almost $1.6 trillion.

“… the budget plan forecasts an endless flow of red ink that will push the American economy relentlessly toward a perilous economic precipice. This is, of course, Obama’s failing. But it is also testament to years of dysfunction in Washington by both parties.

“To make the mind-boggling budget numbers easier to understand, it helps to subtract eight zeroes. Say you earned $21,000 this year, spent $37,000 and borrowed $16,000 to cover the difference. Maybe you could get away with this for a year or two to get through unusually hard times. Beyond that, though, it’s a recipe for financial disaster. Such is the fate facing the federal government. The recession turned an already yawning budget gap into a chasm…

“What causes the most concern is not that Obama’s budget forecasts three $1 trillion-plus deficits in a row, including the one he inherited from George W. Bush. It is the large deficits projected even when the stimulus will be done and presumably the economy will be in much better shape. The deficits for 2013 through 2015 all run above $700 billion a year…

“Most important, Obama has not laid the groundwork for going after the real problem behind the nation’s grim fiscal outlook… America is on a collision course with the kind of debt crisis associated with Third World countries.”

U.S. Budget Outlook “Bleak”

MoneyNews.com reported on January 29:

“Global equities are “vulnerable to correction” after rallying from their March lows and as governments around the world withdraw stimulus measures, says investor Jim Rogers.

“‘We’re overdue for a correction,’ Rogers says… ‘We have huge amounts of money printed throughout the world. It’s going to cause currency instability. It’s going to cause more inflation. It’s going to cause higher interest rates.’

“The Congressional Budget Office has called the U.S. budget outlook ‘bleak,’ in a forecast that hurts the chances for extending Bush-era tax cuts and raises pressure for fiscal belt-tightening, The Wall Street Journal reports.

“In its annual report, the nonpartisan CBO… said the government will run an aggregate deficit of about $6 trillion during the next decade, a level that many economists worry could lead to currency shock, inflation, crippling interest rates or other economic maladies. By the end of 2020, ‘debt is projected to climb to $15 trillion, or 67 percent of gross domestic product,’ CBO director Doug Elmendorf said on his blog post. ‘With such a large increase in debt…interest payments on the debt are poised to skyrocket.'”

Unemployment on the Rise

The Associated Press wrote on February 4:

“The number of newly laid-off workers filing initial claims for jobless benefits rose unexpectedly last week, evidence that layoffs are continuing and jobs remain scarce. The rise is the fourth in the past five weeks. Most economists hoped that claims would resume a downward trend that was evident in the fall and early winter.”

Huge Bailout for Social Security?

CNNMoney wrote on February 4:

“… another huge bailout is starting, this time for the Social Security system. A report from the Congressional Budget Office shows that for the first time in 25 years, Social Security is taking in less in taxes than it is spending on benefits. Instead of helping to finance the rest of the government, as it has done for decades, our nation’s biggest social program needs help from the Treasury to keep benefit checks from bouncing — in other words, a taxpayer bailout… without the interest income, Social Security will be $28 billion in the hole this fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30…

“Social Security hasn’t been cash-negative since the early 1980s, when it came so close to running out of money that it was making plans to stop sending out benefit checks. That led to the famous Greenspan Commission report, which recommended trimming benefits and raising taxes, which Congress did. Those actions produced hefty cash surpluses, which until this year have helped finance the rest of the government. But even then, it was clear the surpluses would be temporary. Now, years earlier than projected, Social Security is adding to the government’s borrowing needs…

“Social Security currently provides more than half the income for a majority of retirees. Given the declines in stock prices and home values that have whacked millions of people, the program seems likely to become more important in the future as a source of retirement income, rather than less important.

“It would have been a lot simpler to fix the system years ago, when we could have used Social Security’s cash surpluses to buy non-Treasury securities, such as government-backed mortgage bonds or high-grade corporates that would have helped cover future cash shortfalls. Now it’s too late… Until this year, Social Security was a problem for the future. Now it’s a problem for the present.”

The Afghan Conference–Unrealistic and Doomed to Failure

Der Spiegel Online wrote on January 29:

“The Afghanistan conference on Thursday ended with a long list of plans and promises. But how realistic is NATO success in the war-torn country?… Still, will the conference really make much of a difference in Afghanistan? German papers on Friday aren’t so sure.

“The left leaning daily Die Tageszeitung writes:

“‘It is not a new idea to make demands of the Afghan government. However, they have never before been as unrealistic as they are now. Such demands will only succeed if there are consequences should they not be met. NATO is just as dependent on Karzai as he is on NATO: It is inconceivable that Karzai would be dropped just because he failed to meet his targets. After all, the alliance needs a reasonably intact government in order to pull off a face-saving withdrawal. The fact that even a big electoral fraudster is considered good enough for this role shows just how desperate NATO is.’

“Conservative daily Die Welt writes:

“‘… Yesterday, Taliban leaders rejected outright the reconciliation policy of the ‘occupiers.’ The London conference has dodged the question of what to do if the plan does not work out. Any answer to this is not under discussion at the moment. This agreement gives the impression that none of the parties would be responsible should the project fail. If the reconciliation of Taliban sympathizers and civilian society are derailed, the participants of the London conference… would be able to say, to themselves and their voters, that they have tried to improve this situation using all their powers, both military and otherwise’…

“The left-leaning paper Berliner Zeitung writes: ‘… It is an illusion to think that the Afghan police and army will develop into respected forces in the near future. There is not enough time and state wages will not rise enough to make the security forces resist corruption and the temptation to ally themselves with those making money from drugs.'”

The Western world will not win their war against Afghanistan. And especially the USA will have to learn the hard way that without God on their side, everything will turn against them.

The Difficult War in Afghanistan

AFP wrote on January 31:

“To force the Taliban leadership to the negotiating table… US military officials have said there needs to be greater success on the battlefield — and this is where the Marines come in. But the challenges on the ground are immense. Fields are littered with improvised explosive devices (IEDs) responsible for most of the deaths of foreign troops in Afghanistan, which hit a record 520 fatalities last year.

“The Taliban are also entrenched in their strongholds holding sway over the population and setting up shadow governments across the country, meaning they have the local intelligence that the Marines desperately need… Five Marines were killed in southern Afghanistan in two days of January alone in IED blasts and ambushes.

“… the Marines prepare a full-on assault on Marjah in the coming weeks or months. Marjah has a population of at least 60,000. Built in the 1950s with US government help, it was intended to be a model agricultural town with an irrigation system flowing from the Helmand river. But instead of legitimate crops, poor farmers plant opium poppy, the trafficking and sale of which bankrolls the Taliban movement.

“The Marines’ mission is to show US strength, assist in installing government control in Helmand province and let the local population know they have arrived. The challenge however is huge. Taliban militants harass the villagers at night, warning them of trouble if they help US troops. Under the cover of darkness, they also plant IEDs in fields the Marines have to cross.”

Everything Seems to Work Against the USA

The Times wrote on February 1:

“President Karzai announced a timetable for the first round of peace talks with the Taleban yesterday as US troops admitted that they may have bombed an Afghan army base by mistake… Speaking in Kabul for the first time since he returned from last week’s London conference, Mr Karzai called on militants in Pakistan to return home and make peace so that US-led forces could withdraw. The Taleban have called repeatedly for all foreign forces to leave Afghanistan as a precondition of talks.

“… details emerged of an [U.S.] attack south of the capital that left four Afghan soldiers dead and at least seven injured… Afghan troops in a remote outpost mistook the American patrol for insurgents and opened fire. Nato said that the Americans, on a joint patrol with Afghan commandos, returned fire before calling in an airstrike…

“Hours earlier, an interpreter opened fire at a base in the same province, killing two US soldiers before being shot… Afghan authorities confirmed the account, saying that the interpreter had argued with troops over pay.”

Brussels Disgruntled–Obama to Skip EU-US Summit

Deutsche Welle reported on February 2:

“Brussels is disgruntled by US President Barack Obama’s decision not to attend the EU-US summit in May. Washington, however, insists the move is not meant as a snub against Brussels… Obama is increasingly facing challenges implementing his domestic reform agenda and has indicated that in 2010 he will spend more time on home soil. His approval ratings in the US have dropped as the economic recovery has been slow to translate onto the job market…

“US Assistant Secretary of State Philip Gordon on Monday told reporters that it never had been on Obama’s agenda to attend the Spanish summit… Obama’s absence at the summit would likely be regarded as a blow for Brussels. The new president of the European Council, Herman van Rompuy, has yet to formally meet with Obama.”

On February 3, Der Spiegel Online reported on German media reactions to President Obama’s refusal to attend the summit:

“While it is certainly plausible that Obama’s prime motivation is to focus his attention on his difficult domestic agenda, there are some indications of growing frustration in Washington with the EU’s confusing structures. State department spokesman P.J. Crowley told reporters on Tuesday that the EU leadership was part of the problem, indicating that there was a lack of clarity on both sides as to where and how the annual summits would be held…

“‘The very fact that the summit is taking place in Spain, after the establishment of a more permanent presidency and a high representative, is indicative of the fact that the EU is still in institutional limbo,’ Charles A. Kupchan, a senior fellow for European studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, told the Associated Press…

“While Obama’s election was widely welcomed across the Atlantic in 2008 after the often fraught dealings with his predecessor, George W. Bush, relations have not been particularly smooth with the new White House…

“The center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung writes: ‘… It’s understandable that the Americans no longer have any desire to get involved in bizarre intra-European affairs.'”

“The conservative Die Welt writes: ‘… As for Europe, Obama’s refusal of the invitation is a pity…’

“The center-right Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung writes: ‘… The Europeans now have their dream president, and he obviously has better things to do than jet across the Atlantic to spend a few hours chatting with them… But, seriously, does Obama have nothing to discuss with the EU that is important to him and that might be worth the flight over? Or does he not even consider the EU as being all that relevant?… perhaps it will now dawn on the Europeans that they are not the center of this president’s attention.'”

As we have foretold for many years, the relationship between the USA and Europe will deteriorate. In addition, as was pointed out above, Europe is still not totally united–but the Bible says that it will soon become the most powerful bloc on earth. For more information, read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.”

Tensions Between USA and Iran Heighten Dramatically

The Guardian wrote on January 31:

“Tension between the US and Iran heightened dramatically today with the disclosure that Barack Obama is deploying a missile shield to protect American allies in the Gulf from attack by Tehran. The US is dispatching Patriot defensive missiles to four countries – Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait – and keeping two ships in the Gulf capable of shooting down Iranian missiles. Washington is also helping Saudi Arabia develop a force to protect its oil installations.

“American officials said the move is aimed at deterring an attack by Iran and reassuring Gulf states fearful that Tehran might react to sanctions by striking at US allies in the region… Washington is also concerned at the threat of action by Israel, which is predicting that Iran will be able to build a nuclear missile within a year, a much faster timetable than assessed by the US, and is warning that it will not let Tehran come close to completion if diplomacy fails…

“Washington is also concerned that if Iran is able to build nuclear weapons, other states in the region will feel the need to follow. Israel is the only country in the Middle East to already have atomic bombs, although it does not officially acknowledge it…”

Washington’s and Iran’s Mixed Signals

The Financial Times wrote on February 2:

“On a day when Washington sought to make sense of favourable comments from Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad, president of Iran, about a compromise previously spurned by Tehran, Dennis Blair, US national intelligence director, said the final decision about nuclear arms was Iran’s to make.

“Other US officials were seeking clarification on Mr Ahmadi-Nejad’s remarks about a deal offered by the US and allies last year under which most of Tehran’s low-enriched uranium would be sent abroad to be processed into fuel for a medical research reactor. Mr Ahmadi-Nejad said on Tuesday that Iran would have ‘no problem’ giving the west its low-enriched uranium and taking it back when it was enriched for use in the reactor… Iran had previously balked at the idea of handing over uranium unless fuel was returned straight away…

“‘The real question is, “Are they serious?”‘ said a state department official.”

And the real answer is, of course not. Iran is trying to buy time, as the next article shows, while producing the bomb. And Washington’s attempts to walk away from any responsibility is not helpful.

Washington’s policy towards Iran is one of glaring inconsistencies and indecisiveness. It is truly amazing that such a small country like Iran can hold the USA hostage in such a dramatic way.

Iran Plays Cat and Mouse with the West

The Times wrote on February 4:

“President Ahmadinejad demonstrated yesterday that he has become a master of playing cat and mouse with the West — and this time the mouse was real. Once again, the Iranian leader offered a last-minute concession to head off the West’s drive for new sanctions against the Islamic republic [stating that Iran had “no problem shipping enriched uranium abroad”].

“At the same time, Iran thumbed its nose at UN restrictions on its ballistic missiles programme by sending a rocket into space carrying a mouse, two turtles and some worms…

“Mr Ahmadinejad hailed the launch as a breakthrough that would help to break ‘the global domineering system’ of Western powers. At a ceremony for a new satellite he said that Iran hoped to send astronauts into space soon. Western experts suggested that the space programme provided cover for the development of long-range missiles capable of carrying a nuclear pay-load… A senior Western diplomat acknowledged that Mr Ahmadinejad’s gambit could buy Iran more time.”

Former Mentor Highly Critical of Obama

The Times wrote on February 1:

“President Obama’s self-confidence borders on complacency. He is ill served by senior staff, especially his Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel. He does not appear to be learning on the job as he did when campaigning for the White House. His Administration is too deferential to Congress, too reliant on the President’s personal charm, and as a result is regarded by its enemies as weak and ineffectual.

“As Mr Obama prepared to release his $3.8 trillion (£2.4 trillion) budget today, this assessment of his first year in office came not from one of his established critics on the Right, but from one of his most respected mentors — his former professor at Harvard Law School, Chris Edley… Professor Edley, who worked in the Clinton and Carter Administrations, added: ‘I wouldn’t give [Obama] as high a grade as President as I gave him when he was my student. I know he can do better.’

“He reserved the harshest criticism for Mr Emanuel, the second-most powerful figure in the White House, who has been pilloried by liberals for appearing to undermine Mr Obama’s healthcare reforms since the loss of a crucial Senate seat to the Republicans…

“Mr Edley lamented the failure of the White House to force Congress into line, as President Lyndon Johnson would have done… The professor fears that Mr Obama’s best chance to deliver the change he promised may have been wasted… The Administration’s biggest mistake, he said, has been to pander to Congressional vanities by leaving the two chambers to argue about their own versions of healthcare reform with little concrete guidance from the White House…”

While President Obama is criticized by his former professor at Harvard Law School, Mr. Obama’s strongest challenger, “Republican” Senator Scott Brown, is giving equally confusing signals, as the next article shows.

Brown Backs Abortion Rights

The Associated Press reported on January 31:

“Republican Sen.-elect Scott Brown of Massachusetts says he opposes federal funding for abortions, but thinks women should have the right to choose whether to have one. Brown tells ABC’s ‘This Week’ that he disagrees with his party’s position that the Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion should be overturned.

“Brown says the abortion question is one that’s best handled by a woman, her family and her doctor. He also says more effort needs to go into reducing the number of abortions in the U.S. Brown has said the GOP shouldn’t take his vote for granted on every issue. He says he’s fiscally conservative but more moderate on social issues.

“Brown recently won the Senate seat long held by liberal Democrat Edward M. Kennedy, who died last summer.”

Merkel Isn’t Doing That Good

Der Spiegel Online wrote on February 1:

“Chancellor Angela Merkel’s new center-right coalition has been in office for 100 days this week, and media commentators aren’t impressed with its performance or with Merkel’s leadership.

“Chancellor Angela Merkel’s first 100 days in power at the head of a new center-right government following her re-election in September have been marred by infighting on economic and foreign policy and opposition accusations of cronyism and incompetence.

“Merkel has been accused by members of her Christian Democratic Union of failing to show leadership, and opinion poll ratings for her coalition of conservatives and pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) have been falling ahead of an important regional election in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany’s most populous state, in May…

“Business daily Financial Times Deutschland writes: ‘The center-right government has agreed [to] just one law in the 100 days since it took office. And now prominent members of the FDP want to reverse a key part of that legislation… That’s more than populism. That is tantamount to dismantling oneself… It shows that the FDP and to some extent the conservatives as well, are stumbling their way through government without a coherent strategy.’

“Center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung writes: ‘… The glow of victory has vanished and members from the parties’ own ranks are opposing the federal government because they’re increasingly panicking about a regional election campaign.’

“Left-wing Die Tageszeitung has a photomontage of a blind Merkel being led by a blind guide dog in the shape of FDP leader Westerwelle. ‘Neither of them has a vision of society, neither has any idea how to make an export-orientated nation like Germany fit for the future. It’s been one major mistake after another… There are no clear policies on financial market regulation, on social or education policy or on a future-oriented energy policy. It’s reckless to think that doing nothing is enough to avoid making mistakes…’

“Conservative Die Welt writes: ‘Angela Merkel faces a dilemma. The leadership style that enabled her to get to the pinnacle of politics is now increasingly becoming a burden and is endangering her power. Her internal critics expect Angela Merkel to exert more authority and decisiveness… But such so-called leadership skills are diametrically opposed to the consensus-seeking, moderating style with which the 55-year-old has so far run her party…'”

It appears that the world is presently lacking decisive leadership. And while we do not expect any strong leader to arise in the USA, the Bible shows that a very powerful political personage will arise in Europe in a very short time. Unfortunately, this will bring the world to the brink of annihilation.

Voodoo in Haiti

The Telegraph wrote on February 1:

“Every evening, Monique Henri offers thanks to the voodoo deity Ogu Feray at a shrine in her home for sparing her family from the earthquake. She used to be a regular worshipper at her local Catholic church. But these days she goes there less often. The disaster has moved voodoo centre-stage in Haiti. Yesterday, 1,000 members of the national convention of voodoo priests met in an emergency session to formulate their response to it. Failure to take decisive action, they warned, could bring down another disaster on the shattered country.

“The devastation in Haiti has led many in the traumatised population to seek solace in faith and mysticism and there has been a move by some to turn back towards the old religion, with a marked rise in the numbers taking part in voodoo ceremonies and rituals.

“… the foreigners have trouble competing with voodoo, the fusion of African religions and Christianity which found its first adherents among the original slave population, and which is now deeply ingrained in the culture of the country. It’s a faith that leaps barriers: as the Haitian saying goes, people here are ’60 per cent Catholic, 40 per cent Protestant and 100 per cent voodoo.'”

The Bible predicts that in the end time, the world will refuse to repent and submit to God and rather continue to worship demons (Revelation 9:20). Haiti is not an exception, as the next article about the U.S. Air Force shows.

U.S. Air Force’s Worship Areas for Pagan Worship

The Associated Press reported on February 1:

“The Air Force Academy has set aside an outdoor worship area for Pagans, Wiccans, Druids and other Earth-centered believers… A double circle of stones atop a hill on the campus near Colorado Springs has been designated for the group, which previously met indoors… Lt. Col. William Ziegler, one of the academy’s chaplains, said designating the space is part of the school’s effort to foster religious tolerance and to defend the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom…

“The school also has worship facilities for Protestant and Catholic Christians, Jews, Muslims and Buddhists… The academy has about 4,000 cadets. The school is one of five U.S. service academies, including West Point and Annapolis. Cadets graduate as second lieutenants.”

Pope Condemns U.K. “Equality Rights” Laws

AFP wrote on February 2:

“Gay-rights campaigners and secularists called on Tuesday for protests during a visit to Britain by Pope Benedict XVI this year after he condemned equality legislation seen as friendly to gays… [The pope said] that ‘the effect of some of the legislation designed to achieve this goal has been to impose unjust limitations on the freedom of religious communities to act in accordance with their beliefs. In some respects it actually violates the natural law upon which the equality of all human beings is grounded and by which it is guaranteed.’

“Observers said the pontiff was referring to legislation that took effect on January 1, 2009 preventing adoption agencies — including Catholic ones — from discriminating against gay couples.”

Mail-On-Line wrote on February 2:

“The Pope yesterday hit out at Britain’s equality legislation, claiming Harriet Harman’s attempts to bring in new laws enforced sinful behaviour.

“The National Secular Society (NSS) today said it would mount a protest campaign against the visit made up of gay groups, victims of clerical abuse, feminists, family planning organisations and pro-abortion groups among others.

“His remarks have been interpreted as an attack on the Sexual Orientation Regulations which forced Catholic adoption agencies to consider gay couples as potential adoptive parents. By the time the regulations came into force in January last year, five of the agencies in England and Wales had cut ties with their Roman Catholic dioceses in order to comply with the new laws…

“Despite praising Britain’s ‘firm commitment to equality of opportunity for all members of society’, the world’s most powerful religious leader turned his guns on Miss Harman’s equality agenda, which many in the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church say could force them to hire homosexuals or transsexuals.

“The powerful attack from Rome will deepen Miss Harman’s difficulties over her Bill. The criticism, unexpected by ministers since it comes from abroad, follows last week’s emphatic rejection by the House of Lords of clauses Catholic churches feared would force them to hire actively homosexual priests and staff, or force Catholics to allow women to become priests. Miss Harman’s Bill has already provoked deep opposition from the Church of England…

“When he visits the UK the Pope is expected to address MPs and peers on the issue of religious freedom from the spot in Westminster Hall where Sir Thomas More was condemned to death in 1535 for opposing the adultery of Henry VIII.”

While the Roman Catholic Church has been officially condemning homosexuality, Jesuit priests perpetrated despicable sex abuse crimes against boys in Germany and other countries, as the next article reports.

Sex Scandal at German Catholic School

The Local wrote on February 2:

“The scope of a child sex abuse scandal that was uncovered at an elite Berlin Catholic school last week has spread to other parts of Germany and beyond, the provincial superior for the country’s Jesuit order… has revealed.

“In addition to the 20 victims who have come forward at the Canisius College in Berlin, three from Hamburg and another two from the town of St. Blasien in the state of Baden-Württemberg have also said they were abused by the same two priests in the 1970s and 1980s]. There are also indications from Church files that one of the perpetrators… may have also sexually abused children in Chile and Spain up until 1990.

“In a statement addressed to his victims over the weekend, the 65-year-old former sports teacher Wolfgang S., who left the order in 1992, said it was ‘a sad fact that I abused children and young people for years under pseudo-educational pretexts’… Wolfgang S., who currently lives in South America, claimed that he had informed his Jesuit superiors of his dark past in 1991. Jesuit provincial leader Dartmann said over the weekend that the order did know of his crimes, and has hired a lawyer ‘to ascertain what the Jesuits specifically knew at the time, and what steps were taken.’

“According to Dartmann, Wolfgang S. taught between 1975 and 1979 at the Canisius College before moving on to the Saint Ansgar School in Hamburg between 1979 and 1982. Then in 1982 he went the St. Blasien in the Black Forest and stayed until 1984 before moving on to Chile in 1985. He was also reportedly under psychiatric care while he served in Hamburg and St. Blasien.

“The second suspect in the Canisius case, 69-year-old former religion teacher Peter R., taught religion at Canisius College between 1972 and 1981 in Berlin, before he moved on to Göttingen to work with youth between 1982 and 1989. He was suspended between 1989 and 1992, and then left the order in 1995. The church now has no contact with him, Dartmann said.”

No French Citizenship for Burqua-Wearing Muslims

On February 3, Deutsche Welle reported:

“France’s Prime Minister Francois Fillon said Wednesday on Europe 1 radio he would sign a decree sent to him by Immigration Minister Eric Besson refusing citizenship to a Moroccan man. The reason, he said, was that the man stated in his application he would never allow his wife to leave the home without a full veil and that a woman ‘is an inferior being.’ Fillon said the applicant does not respect French values of secularism and equality of the sexes… The applicant’s wife is a French citizen, Fillon said.

“France has made similar citizenship decisions in the past. A veiled Moroccan woman was denied citizenship by a French court two years ago because the court claimed her ‘radical’ practice of Islam was incompatible with French values…

“This most recent case comes as France engages in a heated national debate about what it means to be French and whether the burqa has a place in French society. President Nicolas Sarkozy has said the burqa was ‘not welcome’ in secular France, and last week a parliamentary commission recommended banning burqas in schools, hospitals, government offices and on public transportation. Sarkozy and his government have pushed for some sort of burqa ban.”

These decisions by the French government show the ongoing struggle of a Catholic country against non-Catholic beliefs–especially the Muslim faith. We can expect those controversies to intensify and to become (more) violent in the near future.

Guilty of Homicide for Failing to Seek Medical Help

The Oregonian on February 2:

“A Clackamas County jury found Jeffrey and Marci Beagley guilty today of criminally negligent homicide for failing to seek medical care for their 16-year-old son Neil Beagley [who] died June 17, 2008, of an undiagnosed and untreated urinary tract blockage. Instead of taking their son to a doctor when he became ill, the Beagleys treated him with faith healing – prayer, anointing with oil and laying on of hands.

“The Beagleys will be sentenced Feb. 18. They could face a maximum of 10 years in prison, although the normal sentencing range for people with no criminal history would be 16 to 18 months in prison. They could also be sentenced to probation… The Beagleys are the first parents from the Followers of Christ church in Oregon City to be convicted of homicide in the faith-healing death of a child.

“Legislators cracked down on faith healing in 1999, due in large part to a history of child deaths associated with the members of the church. A change in law eliminated the spiritual treatment defense for cases involving second-degree manslaughter and first- and second-degree criminal mistreatment.”

It is important that Christian parents know of the stance of their government regarding faith healing of children. Note this excerpt from page 36 of our booklet, “Sickness and Healing–What the Bible Tells Us”:

“If, as a parent, your individual conviction prohibits you from consulting doctors or taking medications, then you are not to violate your conviction (compare Romans 14:23). But it is always good to evaluate your conviction based on the Bible, to make sure that it is not the product of human reasoning or pre-conceived notions. In addition, the law in most countries prescribes that, as a parent, you are to seek medical help for your sick child. If you fail to do so, the government might take your child away from you, or, if the child should die, you may face charges of involuntary manslaughter, or worse.

“Additionally, faith is necessary in order to be healed. But what if your child does not have the required faith? God does not transfer your faith to that of the child. The Bible clearly states that God does not apply the righteousness of the parents to the children (Ezekiel 14:19–20). Romans 14:22 asks, ‘Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God!’

“This is not to say that parents are not to teach their children the necessity of having faith in God when they are sick. They are, in fact, supposed to encourage them to ask God for healing by asking the elders of the church to anoint them with oil and to pray over them. We are only addressing here those parents who, because of conscientious reasons, would refuse to consult and work with doctors and get medical help. Even though parents are to teach their children to place their faith in GOD for healing, they should not withhold medical help from them, if it is due (compare Proverbs 3:27).”