On January 23, 2010, Norbert Link will give the sermon, titled, “Mercy.”

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org (12:30 pm Pacific Time; 1:30 pm Mountain Time; 2:30 pm Central Time; 3:30 pm Eastern Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

Knowing what we know separates us from those who believe differently. Others might casually recognize this fact, but it certainly should be more than apparent among those who have been called by God.

It is God’s intention and according to His purpose that how we live is unlike others. Jesus prayed for His followers, and we must never lose sight of the deep implications of what He requested from the Father:

“‘I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth, Your word is truth’” (John 17:14-17).

We see from this that it is God’s TRUTH that sets us apart from others.

The apostle John emphatically draws the contrast between Christians and those who follow another path: “We know that WE are of God, and the WHOLE WORLD lies under the sway of the wicked one” (1 John 5:19).

The Word of God describes those who are guilty of disobedience as walking in darkness—as not practicing the truth (compare 1 John 1:6). Although we all were once guilty of this destructive way of living, we are to be different: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8).

Our separation from those who are deceived is as distinctly and vividly contrasted as light is to darkness! We have become parted from the ways of this world! Yet, as we continue to serve God, the somber darkness of this age deepens. Remember—Jesus said, “‘YOU are the light of the world’” (Matthew 5:14).

Having come this far, how do we face what is surely going to happen? We know the prophecies of God, and believing them, we definitely don’t want the same fate as those who defy God and impudently rebel against His revealed Truth. Even as we now live in–but separate from– the world, so must we continue, and we find this promise:

“But the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever BRIGHTER unto the perfect day” (Proverbs 4:18).

The earthquake in Haiti will not be the last BIG earthquake predestined to occur very soon. Since last Sunday, several earthquakes, ranging from magnitude 5.8 to 6.3, were reported worldwide. And while the USA has assumed a leadership role in Haiti to deal with the crisis, it is being blamed for apparent shortcomings, and especially France has begun to accuse the USA of trying to occupy Haiti. And while President Obama had to face a huge and extremely embarrassing loss in liberal Massachusetts exactly one year after he took power, the relationship between the USA and China is bound to deteriorate, which will greatly hurt the US economy.

At the same time, it is felt that German engagement is a key factor for European success in the Middle East. Evidence is also mounting that the fanatic Iranian regime or Hezbollah were responsible for the murder of Masoud Ali Mohammadi, and Germans, including the two big churches, are becoming increasingly frustrated with German military involvement in Afghanistan in lieu of the recent terrorist attack of the Taliban. We conclude with a report of the pope’s visit to Rome’s main synagogue, highlighting the ongoing troubled relationship between the Vatican and the Jews.

Big Earthquakes in USA

LiveScience reported on January 15:

“As disaster crews and scientists investigate the havoc wrought in Haiti, questions emerge as to whether such a vastly destructive disaster could happen at home in the United States. In fact, cities are located near dangerous earthquake zones all throughout the country, from the most infamous on the West Coast to potential time bombs in the Midwest and even on the Eastern Seaboard…

“Stretching from northern Vancouver Island in Canada to northern California is the Cascadia subduction zone, where one giant plate of the Earth’s surface is diving deep beneath another one. ‘The very largest earthquakes all occur on subduction zones,’ said seismologist Geoffrey Abers at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University in New York. ‘These are also the faults that make very large tsunamis that propagate across ocean basins to cause a lot of damage.’

“These ‘megathrust earthquakes’ that threaten Seattle, Portland and Vancouver can be magnitude 9 or greater, geological records reveal… The Seattle Fault runs right through downtown Seattle…

“The most well-known earthquake zone in the United States is the San Andreas Fault, where the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate are sliding past each other, running along heavily populated areas of California. Still, other fractures in the earth threaten the state as well, such as the Hayward Fault that lies mainly on the east side of San Francisco Bay, and [a] previously unknown fault that caused the 1994 Northridge quake… Geologists expect the Los Angeles area will eventually be struck by an earthquake larger than any seen in recorded history…

“Three of the largest earthquakes in North America recorded in history originated from the New Madrid fault system over the course of two months from 1811 to 1812. These magnitude 7 events shook with enough power to apparently force the Mississippi River to temporarily flow backward. The quakes — the largest ones ever known in the center of the United States — have raised fears of a ‘big one’ there sometime this century. The closest cities to the New Madrid fault system are Memphis and St. Louis…

“The ancient Ramapo Fault runs near New York City… A number of other ancient faults go from Canada all the way at least to South Carolina… Alaska experiences the most earthquakes in the United States, more per year than the combined total of the rest of the country. The nation’s largest recorded earthquakes have all happened there as well. ‘The last big earthquake in 1964 there was the largest ever recorded in the United States at magnitude 9.2,’ Abers said. ‘It destroyed several towns and it heavily damaged Anchorage. The risk of tsunami is high for coastal areas as well…'”

We can expect many more big earthquakes to occur soon on a worldwide scale. On January 17, Reuters reported that “A 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck off the southern coast of Argentina on Sunday… The quake was centered about 220 miles (355 km) southeast of Ushuaia, Argentina, at a depth of 6.2 miles (10 km).” On January 18, Reuters reported that “A magnitude 6.0 earthquake hit Guatemala’s Pacific coast near the border with El Salvador on Monday, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. It said the quake, 64.2 miles (103.3 km) deep, was centered 60 miles (97 km) southeast of Guatemala City.” CNN reported on January 19: “A 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck Tuesday off the Cayman Islands…” The Washington Post reported on January 20 that Haiti was hit “by a 6.1-magnitude tremor — one of the strongest aftershocks since the 7.0-magnitude quake crippled this city eight days ago.”

“America Must Tread Carefully in Haiti”

On January 18, Der Spiegel Online reported on the German reaction to America’s involvement in Haiti, which has been overwhelmingly positive. However, it is also pointed out that in this world of political maneuvering and jealousies, hidden dangers are lurking for the US.

The magazine wrote:

“UN chief Ban Ki-moon has appealed for patience as anger mounts in Haiti over the tardiness of the relief effort and aid groups criticize the US management of the airport… The aid is starting to get through to Haiti. But it is insufficient and it is not reaching enough of the people who desperately need it…

“The US is preparing to send in more troops to deal with the aftermath of the 7.0 quake… While planes and ships are descending on the country to provide relief, the US- controlled airport is proving to be a bottleneck and the ports cannot be used because of quake damage…

“The center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung writes:

“In this catastrophe the United States is showing its best side. Helping its neighbors in their hour of need is one of America’s primary virtues. Washington is reacting to the crisis in Haiti with a kind of general mobilization, even an invasion of mercy. The humanitarian superiority of the US has already raised suspicions. France has criticized the abrasive way the Americans at the airport have taken command, as the completely helpless government in Port-au-Prince abandons control to the US soldiers.

“‘This kind of criticism will only increase as soon as thousands of GIs go on patrol in order to provide temporary security. America must tread carefully in Haiti — after decades of interference and occupation. No one can help more at the moment than the superpower. Later, however, many will claim to know how things could have been done better. The good deed of today can in the long term become a terrible curse.’

“The Financial Times Deutschland writes:

“‘The frustration of the foreign aid workers’ and the helpless people in the face of a humanitarian disaster is understandable. However, the bottlenecks occurring in Haiti are unavoidable and the criticism is unfair. When an earthquake completely destroys the already weak infrastructure of a poor country, then blockages are unavoidable…

“‘One thing is striking about the operation in Haiti: The US has taken a leading role. Not only is it sending an enormous amount of material and personnel, it is also coordinating much of the aid coming from other countries. However, it would be negligent if the international community were to depend on the US or other big powers to do the same in future disasters — the US reacted far too late in the case of the tsunami five years ago…’

“The center-right Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung writes:

“‘As if the international aid organizations didn’t have better things to be doing, a narrow-minded rivalry has begun over the “leadership.” Mexico has already called for a session of the UN Security Council with the aim of strengthening the role of the US in handling the relief effort. And in Europe, too, people are seeking the limelight by attacking the US, which is putting in motion the massive capabilities of its forces, providing huge amounts of money and mobilizing prominent fundraisers.

“No power in the world is better placed to get things off the ground. That is the political truth: Nothing works without… America’s determined involvement, no matter how generous other providers of aid may be. Without Washington’s long-term engagement, Haiti has no future…'”

The world is still hoping for and looking to the United States for leadership. But confidence in American accomplishments will diminish more and more. Even now, the US is blamed for apparent shortcomings, dealing with Haiti, while nobody else has been willing to assume any leadership role in this crisis.

France Accuses the US of Trying to “Occupy” Haiti

Britain’s Times on Line has been much more critical towards the humanitarian relief efforts in Haiti. In its article of January 18, titled, “France and America bicker as Haiti aid fails to reach city,” the paper wrote the following:

“The international effort to deliver humanitarian aid to the victims of last week’s Port-au-Prince earthquake was hit by bickering today as a French government minister accused the Americans of trying to occupy Haiti instead of helping it. Thousands of American soldiers have poured in to Port-au-Prince airport since President Obama announced that he was ordering a ‘swift and aggressive’ campaign to help millions of Haitians left homeless by last week’s 7.0 magnitude earthquake.

“Six days after the quake, however, precious little aid is getting beyond the airport perimeters – largely because of security concerns – and aid agencies with long experience of operating in disaster zones have complained that their flights in are being blocked unnecessarily. Among the aircraft turned back by American air traffic controllers who have assumed control at Port-au-Prince airport was a French government Airbus carrying a field hospital… Speaking to Europe 1 radio from an EU ministerial meeting in Brussels this morning, Mr Joyandet said that the UN would have to clarify the role of the US in the Haitian aid effort. ‘It’s a matter of helping Haiti, not occupying Haiti,’ he said…

“One of the MSF flights turned back on Saturday was carrying a large inflatable hospital of a type that MSF have used in various disaster zones since the Kashmir earthquake four years ago. The flight was diverted to the neighbouring Santa Domingo and the hospital and the medical supplies are having to be brought in overland…

“Ordinary water supplies are polluted and broken, and bottled water is selling for $6 a bottle on the black market in the streets. On the rare occasion that a water truck appears on the streets, it is mobbed. Even the most visible camp for homeless people… has not a single fixed water supply, aid distribution point or clinic to assess the needs of the wounded… At the airport, many soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division have been hanging around since Wednesday night without leaving the complex. One of them, Private First Class Patrick Jones, told The Times that only a few supplies of food and water had arrived…

“The delays are causing anger and frustration, and leading to unrest and violence. Witnesses report large-scale, organised looting by groups of youths armed with knives in the tight grid of streets next to the Champs de Mars homeless camp, stripping the last remaining supplies from the empty city… A New York Times [newscaster] reported seeing four alleged looters dumped by police at the national cemetery, three dead and one dying from gunshot wounds. Mobs of Haitians are also reported… taking the law into their own hands, with at least one confirmed case of a looter lynched to death.

“Dorsainvil Robenson, a policeman chasing down looters in the capital, said: ‘We do not have the capacity to fix this situation. Haiti needs help … the Americans are welcome here, but where are they? We need them here on the street with us.’”

Der Stern Online added on January 19 that “one week after the earthquake, Haiti might drown in chaos.”

President Obama’s Huge Loss in Massachusetts

The election of Republican Scott Brown as new senator of Massachusetts will have tremendous negative consequences for President Obama and the Democrats. The importance of Brown’s victory cannot be over-emphasized.

The Associated Press reported on January 19:

“In an epic upset in liberal Massachusetts, Republican Scott Brown rode a wave of voter anger to win the U.S. Senate seat held by the late Edward M. Kennedy for nearly half a century, leaving President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul in doubt and marring the end of his first year in office…

“The loss by the once-favored Democrat Martha Coakley in the Democratic stronghold was a stunning embarrassment for the White House after Obama rushed to Boston on Sunday to try to save the foundering candidate. Her defeat on Tuesday signaled big political problems for the president’s party this fall when House, Senate and gubernatorial candidates are on the ballot nationwide.

“Brown’s victory was the third major loss for Democrats in statewide elections since Obama became president. Republicans won governors’ seats in Virginia and New Jersey in November… Brown will become the 41st Republican in the 100-member Senate, which could allow the GOP to block the president’s health care legislation. Democrats needed Coakley to win for a 60th vote to thwart Republican filibusters.

“The trouble may go deeper: Democratic lawmakers could read the results as a vote against Obama’s broader agenda, weakening their support for the president. And the results could scare some Democrats from seeking office this fall. The Republican will finish Kennedy’s unexpired term, facing re-election in 2012.”

Reuters added on January 20:

“Dealing a stunning blow to Obama, Republican Scott Brown won a bitter election battle in Massachusetts on Tuesday seen by some analysts as a sign of voter anxiety over the president’s policies amid double-digit unemployment and a sluggish economic recovery. Brown’s win deprived Democrats of a crucial 60th Senate vote they need to pass the healthcare bill… and push through other big measures on climate change and financial regulatory reform…

“The election upset in Massachusetts compounded the problems confronting Obama as he reached the one-year anniversary of the day he took office with soaring paeans to hope and change. Since then, Obama’s public approval rating has fallen from 70 percent-plus at his inauguration to around 50 percent now, among the lowest of recent presidents at this stage in their tenure…”

Times On Line wrote on January 20:

“Republicans scored an historic victory overnight that put President Barack Obama’s agenda in jeopardy exactly a year after he took power – and which could kill his plans for healthcare reform. A little-known Republican state legislator won Edward Kennedy’s old seat in the US Senate in Massachusetts in what appeared to be a massive protest vote against the party that controls both chambers of Congress and the White House… Scott Brown, a lawyer, military officer and former male model, has promised to use his Senate vote to defeat the Democrats’ healthcare reform, which was on the brink of passage after decades of trying.

“Democrats pledged to try to push through healthcare reform despite the loss, but they risk a popular backlash if they do so… The Democrats now face failure on healthcare or the risk of employing strong-arm tactics that could be devastatingly unpopular. The most straightforward would be to force through a vote in the Senate before Mr Brown is officially certified as a senator – thereby using their old 60-seat super majority. Another option would be persuading the Democrat majority in the House to vote through the weaker version of the healthcare bill that had already been passed by the Senate.

“A more convoluted approach would be to pass the Senate’s bill and repackage the additional measures into a budget reconciliation bill – this kind of legislation can be passed with a simple majority of 51 in the 100-seat Senate. All three approaches would be dismissed as dishonest by the Republicans although the latter tactic was used by George W. Bush to force through two sets of tax cuts.

“The only other options available to Mr Obama are to persuade one or two Republican senators to change their minds on the issue, probably at the cost of further concessions, or to give the legislation up altogether and risk limping towards the mid-term elections in November having failed to achieve his defining domestic policy pledge.

“The Democrats’ defeat in Massachusetts was particularly ironic because healthcare reform was Senator Kennedy’s lifelong passion until his death from brain cancer in August… The state – often considered the most liberal in America with legal gay marriage and its own universal healthcare plan – has not elected a Republican to its other Senate seat since 1972.”

German Reactions to President Obama’s Defeat

Der Stern commented on January 20 that with the defeat of the Democrats in Massachusetts, President Obama’s image as a “messiah” has clearly and totally evaporated.

Der Spiegel Online wrote on January 21:

“The World Bids Farewell to Obama… German commentators say it is the end of hope…

“The Financial Times Deutschland writes: ‘… For everyone else in the world, this means that they will have to bid farewell to a candidate for whom the hopes were so high. They will have to say goodbye to the charisma they fell in love with. Obama will be staying home after all.’

“The left-leaning daily Die Tageszeitung writes: ‘In addition to health care reform, Obama’s reputation has primarily been harmed by the high unemployment rate and the increasingly unpopular war in Afghanistan. It will become even more difficult in the future for the president to push projects through successfully. Not just because Republicans now have a means of preventing it, but also because the Democratic camp is deeply divided. Some would like to see the party shift toward the center — wherever that may be — whereas others want the party to position itself to the left. Such a battle is hardly a good sign for the mid-term elections in November. Massachusetts could prove to be an omen.’

“The center-right Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung writes: ‘Of course the president rejects the interpretation that the Massachusetts election was a referendum on his first year in the White House. But he cannot ignore the fact that his health care reform package is not popular, the situation of the country’s finances is seen as threatening and many voters blame the high unemployment rate on the party in power — on the Democrats, led by Obama…'”

Ahead–Stormy Relations Between China and USA

The Financial Times wrote on January 18:

“Google’s clash with China is about much more than the fate of a single, powerful firm. The company’s decision to pull out of China, unless the government there changes its policies on censorship, is a harbinger of increasingly stormy relations between the US and China. The reason that the Google case is so significant is because it suggests that the assumptions on which US policy to China have been based since the Tiananmen massacre of 1989 could be plain wrong. The US has accepted – even welcomed – China’s emergence as a giant economic power because American policymakers convinced themselves that economic opening would lead to political liberalisation in China.

“If that assumption changes, American policy towards China could change with it. Welcoming the rise of a giant Asian economy that is also turning into a liberal democracy is one thing. Sponsoring the rise of a Leninist one-party state… is a different proposition. Combine this political disillusionment with double-digit unemployment in the US that is widely blamed on Chinese currency manipulation, and you have the formula for an anti-China backlash.

“Both Bill Clinton and George W. Bush firmly believed that free trade and, in particular, the information age would make political change in China irresistible… So far, the facts are refusing to conform to the theory…

“Google’s decision to confront the Chinese government is an early sign that the Americans are getting fed up with dealing with Chinese authoritarianism… To date, the Obama administration has based its policy firmly on the assumptions that have governed America’s approach to China for a generation… But, after being censored by Chinese television in Shanghai and harangued by a junior Chinese official at the Copenhagen climate talks, Barack Obama may be feeling less warm towards Beijing…

“Even if the administration itself does not move, the voices calling for tougher policies against China are likely to get louder in Congress. Google’s decision to highlight the dangers of cyberattack from China will play to growing American security fears about China. The development of Chinese missile systems that threaten US naval dominance in the Pacific are also causing concern in Washington. Impending US arms sales to Taiwan are already provoking a dispute…

“A trade war between America and China is hardly to be welcomed. It could tip the world back into recession and inject dangerous new tensions into international politics…”

On January 21, 2010, Times On Line wrote the following:

“Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, dramatically raised the stakes with China over internet freedom today, insisting that that [sic] those who carried out cyber attacks should face ‘international condemnation.’… Mrs Clinton said she expected China to make a thorough and transparent investigation of cyber attacks on Google… ‘The United States and China have different views on this issue. And we intend to address those differences candidly and consistently.’ Mrs Clinton also criticised China for restricting Internet access and erecting other electronic barriers to the free flow of information.”

America is predestined to lose more and more power and influence in the world. Deteriorating relationships with China will hurt greatly the US economy.

“Falling into the Abyss”

Deutsche Welle reported on January 20:

“Speaking in parliament on the second day of a four day session to debate her government’s 2010 budget proposals, Chancellor Angela Merkel said… ‘We have managed to do the right thing to prevent falling into the abyss…’

“The draft budget, proposed by Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, foresees the highest deficit in Germany’s post-war history. Total expenditures for 2010 are expected to reach some 325 billion euros; 33 billion euros more than last year. The largest, single outlay at nearly 147 billion euros is earmarked for social services. Schaeuble warned that public spending would be cut in 2011 and said ‘grave decisions lie ahead’…

“Merkel said the goal of her government was to bring the economy ‘intelligently out of the slump’ and defended controversial tax cuts agreed on by her center-right coalition. The chancellor said she aimed to have the economy back to its pre-crisis growth levels by 2013.”

Chancellor Merkel’s choice of words (“falling into the abyss”) is quite remarkable in light of a prophecy in Revelation 9, stating that the ancient Roman Empire would be revived, under German leadership, by coming out of “the bottomless pit” (or “abyss” in Greek; compare the rendering in the New International Version; the Revised English Bible; and the New Jerusalem Bible, among others.).

“German Support Key to European Efforts in Middle East”

The Netzeitung wrote on January 18:

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a historic… joint cabinet meeting in Berlin with top ministers on Monday. The gathering of the two governments, the second ever after a similar meeting in Israel two years ago, will address urgent security issues such as Iran and underline the strong bond forged in the wake of the Holocaust. Netanyahu and German Chancellor Angela Merkel were also to hold bilateral talks focused on efforts to revive Middle East peace talks…

“Media have widely reported that Israel has ordered a sixth Dolphin-class diesel submarine from Germany… The submarines are believed to have a range of 4,500 kilometres (2,800 miles) and the capacity to launch nuclear-capable cruise missiles…

“Germany is playing a leading role in efforts to broker a prisoner exchange between Israel and the Islamist Hamas movement for an Israeli soldier held by Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip since 2006…

“Meanwhile Avi Primor, the former Israeli ambassador to Berlin, on Monday called on Germany to back an international security force to ensure peace and stability in the Middle East… He said Germany would not necessarily have to send troops to the region, but that Berlin needed to take the political responsibility for its creation… [Primor] said German support was key to European efforts in the Middle East…”

Europe, under German leadership, will soon intervene in the Middle East to bring “peace” to that war-stricken region. However, this intervention will only lead to more war.

“Who Killed Masoud Ali Mohammadi?” — Terrorists “Above Iran’s Law”

Der Spiegel Online wrote on January 18:

“The recent assassination of physicist Masoud Ali Mohammadi in Tehran was baffling even by Iranian standards. The regime claims he was murdered by foreign agents, while some observers think he may have been killed to warn other opposition supporters. There is even speculation that Hezbollah was involved…

“The killing is one of the most puzzling in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran, a country not exactly lacking in assassinations… Tehran… did everything it could to create the impression that foreign powers were behind the attack…

“It is certainly true that the Israeli government fears nothing more than nuclear weapons falling into the hands of a fanatical regime that threatens its existence… But why would agents have wanted to kill Mohammadi? His friend Shirzad says that he ‘cannot recall that he did any research on nuclear issues’…

“This suggests that the assassination could also have been meant as a warning to other people who were tempted to step out of line… A militant group from Lebanon… which maintains close ties to its fellow Shiites in Iran, has experience with the use of explosives to liquidate its enemies, namely Hezbollah, which, with Tehran’s help, has been fighting archenemy Israel for years from its base in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah members are also believed to be supporting the fanatics in Iran in their efforts to quell the ‘green rebellion’ in the streets of Iranian cities…

“Could the attack on the professor bear the signature of Hezbollah involvement, as members of the opposition speculate? On the other hand, Tehran’s intelligence agencies are very technically adept and could easily have built any type of bomb themselves… Whoever Tehran’s Chief Prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi presents as the killer, he is highly unlikely to belong to Hezbollah or the government security apparatus. In Iran, the members of those organizations are considered to be above the law.”

A7-News reported on January 19:

“Evidence is mounting that Hizbullah may have been behind last week’s assassination of Professor Ali Mohammadi… Within a day of the assassination, Iran accused ‘Zionists’ and the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of being responsible for the murder. The government on Monday warned it will take revenge against the two countries.

“An opposition group has claimed that a Hizbullah assassin was photographed at the scene of the bomb explosion and that Iran hired its ally Hizbullah to carry out the murder in order to scare opposition forces. A blogger associated with the opposition named the possible assassin as Abu Nasser Hossein, identifying him as a prominent Lebanese Hizbullah member who has been in Tehran and who has been involved in suppressing demonstrations…

“The bomb blast, a rarity in Tehran although not uncommon in outlying areas of Iran, was similar to the modus operandi of Hizbullah explosions in Lebanon.”

It appears very likely that Iran’s fanatic and totalitarian regime was behind this murder–either directly or through Hezbollah or Hizbullah–to intimidate opponents and to gain support from the Iranian people for military or terrorist actions against Israel and the USA. At the same time, any meaningful “sanctions” against Iran appear highly questionable, in light of the economic interests involved, as the next article shows.

One-Billion-Euro Deal Between Germany and Iran

AFP reported on January 20:

“Iran has signed a one-billion-euro (1.44-billion-dollar) deal with a German firm to build 100 gas turbo-compressors… The contract provides for the unnamed German firm to transfer the know-how to build, install and run the equipment needed to exploit and transport gas… The German company has already delivered 45 such turbo-compressors to Iran… Industry experts said [that the company is apparently]Siemens… But the National Iranian Gas Company… denied the signing of a deal.

“The reported 2010-2015 deal for material not under an international embargo comes as the Islamic republic faces the threat of new financial, technological and international trade sanctions over its disputed nuclear programme… Iran has the world’s second largest proven global gas reserves after Russia but so far has played only a minor role on the gas export market…

“The government daily Iran Daily said the contract was signed at the start of the week and would be a ‘relief for many German businesses that have long complained about restrictions on trade with Iran’ under sanctions. Germany and China are Iran’s top trading partner after the United Arab Emirates…”

Ongoing Violence in Afghanistan

Times On Line reported on January 18:

“Taleban militants struck in the heart of the Afghan capital today, launching suicide attacks on key government targets around Hamid Karzai’s presidential palace. Kabul’s streets were all but abandoned as traders fled their stalls amid fears of more spectacular attacks. Shops and banks closed early as smoke billowed across the city during a four-hour battle to restore order.

“At least ten people including seven insurgents and a child were killed and almost 40 people were injured when a Taleban suicide squad launched a series of coordinated attacks on the edge of the presidential palace, where more than a dozen new Cabinet ministers were being sworn in…

“A few hundred metres… away gunmen attacked the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Justice, the Afghanistan National Bank, a shopping centre and a cinema… A Taleban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahed said 20 suicide bombers had infiltrated the city. ‘This is the work of our Holy Warriors,’ he said…

“It was the biggest assault on the capital since October 28 when gunmen disguised as police officers stormed a guest house used by United Nations staff, killing at least 11 people including three UN employees. In February last year suicide squads stormed the Justice Ministry, while in January 2008 a similar tactic was used to overrun security guards outside the five star Serena hotel.”

German Media Comments on Terrorism in Afghanistan

On January 19, 2010, Der Spiegel Online published excerpts from the German press regarding the terrorist attack in Afghanistan:

“In its coverage, SPIEGEL ONLINE writes: ‘In the run-up to the Afghanistan conference in London, the attack is evidence of how vulnerable security is in the capital city. As much as politicians would like to discuss perspectives for a withdrawal in London, the Taliban (attack) clearly shows that this intent is hardly realistic right now. The security situation is too precarious…’

“The center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung writes: ‘The Taliban have shown once again that they can have a relatively large impact at relatively little cost. It took only 20 of its well-coordinated fighters to carry the war into the Afghan capital. The attack shows how terrorism can keep on harassing a society and curtailing its freedoms. It also shows how poorly prepared the Afghan security forces are to combat it. Kabul was paralyzed for five hours until the gunfire finally stopped. There was little coordination among the security forces, and a lot of confusion…’

“The conservative Die Welt writes: ‘…The goal is… to prove that Karzai’s government and its Western protectors are not even capable of protecting themselves. If they can’t do that, then how are they supposed to protect the average man, woman or young girl making her way to school?… If the insurgents can continue long enough to spark the rejection and protests of voters in Germany and elsewhere, then they will have won…’

“The left-leaning daily Die Tageszeitung writes: ‘The aim of the attack had less to do with military objectives and more with propaganda… The Taliban demonstrated that there can be no military security in Afghanistan. In the process, they wanted to show that US President Barack Obama’s strategy of a surge aimed at defeating the Taliban militarily cannot succeed. That will make it more difficult for other countries to increase their troop levels and increase pressure to reach a political solution based on the Taliban’s conditions, which include the withdrawal of all foreign troops.'”

Even though the German press wants to convince their readers that the war in Afghanistan must continue and troop withdrawals would be a mistake, the German public is increasingly opposed to Germany’s involvement. Now, the German Catholic and Protestant Churches have joined the opposition to the war, as the next article shows.

German Catholic and Protestant Churches Criticize Afghan War

The Netzeitung wrote on January 18:

“Germany’s Catholic bishops echoed Protestant criticism of the country’s military presence in Afghanistan…

“Munich Catholic Archbishop Reinhard Marx told broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk on Sunday that Margot Käßmann, head of Germany’s Protestant churches, had raised an important debate about the country’s role in Afghanistan. Käßmann has been the subject of intense criticism by politicians and the DBwV German Military Association after condemning the military operation in Afghanistan as immoral, but Marx told the station that the row was ‘long overdue.’

“And head of Germany’s Catholic Bishop’s Conference Robert Zollitsch called for a re-evaluation of military service in Afghanistan and ‘new decisions.’ On Monday the Protestant church umbrella organisation the EKD greeted this support from the Catholics… The debate over the morality of military service in the region expanded as more violence erupted there over the weekend.

“German soldiers opened fire on a car speeding towards a checkpoint in northern Afghanistan, killing an Afghan and wounding another, the military said Sunday… The shooting follows a similar incident on Friday in which German troops shot and injured another Afghan driver whom they said had been speeding towards a checkpoint.

“Germany has the third largest international contingent in the NATO force with about 4,300 troops, most of them in the north where security has deteriorated this year with a sharp rise in attacks on foreign forces.”

Pope Visits Rome’s Main Synagogue

AFP reported on January 17:

“The role of the Roman Catholic Church during the Holocaust hung over a landmark visit Sunday by Pope Benedict XVI to Rome’s main synagogue. ‘Unfortunately many remained indifferent’ as the Nazis slaughtered millions of Jews before and during World War II, the German-born pope said in a speech often punctuated by applause in the cavernous temple. But silence greeted his assertion that the Holy See ‘performed actions of support, often hidden and discreet’…

“The much-anticipated visit came barely a month after the pope angered many Jews by moving his wartime predecessor Pius XII, accused of inaction during the Holocaust, further on the road to sainthood. The Catholic Church has long argued that Pius XII, who was pope from 1939 to 1958, saved many Jews who were hidden away in religious institutions, and that his silence was born out of a wish to avoid aggravating their situation. Speaking before the pope, the head of Rome’s Jewish community demanded access to Vatican archives on Pius XII…

“Benedict’s visit, announced in October, appeared at risk of being cancelled amid howls of protest over a papal decree bestowing the title ‘venerable’ on Pius XII. Adding fuel to the fire, the head of the Roman Catholic Church on Friday urged Vatican doctrinal experts to speed rapprochement with a Catholic fraternity that includes a Holocaust-denying bishop, Richard Williamson… Israel’s ambassador to the Holy See attended but remarked that ‘Catholic anti-Judaism still exists.'”

The relationship between the Catholic Church and the Jews will not improve, but gradually deteriorate.

As a beginning point in answering your question, first consider these comments from the NASB Study Bible regarding “suffers violence,” as translated in Matthew 11:12: “The Greek here is taken in a passive sense. In this context its passive meaning is, ‘suffers violent attacks.’ The verse emphasizes the ongoing persecution of the people of the kingdom.”

The statement by Jesus in Matthew 11:12 reflects the violence of persecution against representatives of the Kingdom of God. Specifically, those in the forefront of proclaiming the future establishment of God’s Kingdom on the earth are targets of mortal violence.

In the account of the ministry and message of John, we find this record: “In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!’” (Matthew 3:1-2). John also foretold the Christ (compare verses 11-12)—note what He proclaimed: “From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand [margin: “has drawn near”]’” (Matthew 4:17).

Subsequently, we find this statement from Jesus about both John the Baptist and Himself: “‘But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise, the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.’ Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist” (Matthew 17:12-13).

John the Baptist, who came is the “‘spirit and power of Elijah’” (Luke 1:17), was murdered at the order of Herod. The grisly account of the beheading of John is found in Matthew 14, verses 1-12.

Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God (compare John 3:16), was murdered at the hands of the Roman governor, Pilate, along with the demands of His own people! While even Pilate tried to avoid ordering the death of Jesus, those Jews who had assembled to accuse Jesus made the proceedings personal in their hatred when they responded to Pilate: “And all the people answered and said, ‘His blood be on us and on our children’” (Matthew 27:25).

Following the Day of Pentecost and the establishment of the New Testament Church of God, the followers of Christ suffered persecution: Peter and the apostles were beaten (Acts 5:40); Stephen was martyred (compare Acts 7); Herod killed the apostle James (compare Acts 12:1-2); and Paul suffered terrible violence once he was converted to Christianity (compare 2 Corinthians 11:22-33).

Jesus warned His followers to be prepared to be treated unjustly. Notice the following three passages:

“‘Remember the word that I said to you, “A servant is not greater than his master.” If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also’” (John 15:20).

“‘These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world’” (John 16:33).

“‘Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake’” (Matthew 24:9).

Christians are representatives of the Kingdom of God—they are called “ambassadors for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20). As such, those who are the citizens of this world and of this age in which Satan is the ruler—even its god—will reject us (compare John 12:31; 2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 John 5:19). Jesus said in Matthew 10:34-39:

“‘Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.’”

Notice that Jesus confronted those who rejected Him and His message: “‘You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it’” (John 8:44).

No one who follows the lead of Satan, who is the father of all violence, can or will have access to the Kingdom of God, which is presently in heaven, but which will come to and be established on earth. The record of the Bible is that Satan has tried to take over the realm of heaven, and he utterly failed in his rebellion (compare Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:11-17). Jesus spoke of this angelic rebellion when He said, “‘…I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven’” (Luke 10:18).

Satan has continued to foment violence against those who repent, who turn to God and to the promise of His Kingdom. He will also again seek to fight God, and, as prophecy shows, he will again fail:

“And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him” (Revelation 12:7-9).

Even after Jesus Christ returns to the earth and establishes God’s Kingdom for a period of 1,000 years, Satan, once he is released, will make a final violent attempt to deceive and motivate humans and to lead them in an attack on God’s ruling government (compare Revelation 20:7-9). Following these events, as Revelation 20:10 shows, Satan the devil will never again have access to God or the realm of God.

In addition, Jesus’ statement in Matthew 11:12 also emphasizes the fact that God’s disciples must STRIVE with all their might to enter the Kingdom of God (compare Luke 13:24).

Scofield Reference Notes point out: “It has been much disputed whether the ‘violence’ here is external, as against the kingdom in the persons of John the Baptist and Jesus; or that, considering the opposition of the scribes and Pharisees, only the violently resolute would press into it. Both things are true. The King and His herald suffered violence, and this is the primary and greater meaning, but also, some were resolutely becoming disciples.”

The Ryrie Study Bible adds: “Since the time John began preaching, the response has been violent, whether by vicious opponents or enthusiastic supporters.”

John 6:15 even reports that some of Christ’s overly zealous supporters “were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king,” and that Jesus “departed again to a mountain by Himself alone.”

Christ also refers to the fact in Matthew 11:12 that some would try to “press into” the Kingdom of heaven in the wrong way–thinking that they do not have to keep God’s law anymore (compare Luke 16:16-17). In addition, “violent people” killed Christ so that they did not have to give up their authority and power (compare John 11:48-50). They refused to enter the Kingdom of God and tried to take it forcefully away from others. Jesus said about the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23:13: “‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.'”

Because the faithful people of God continue to proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, this very activity brings about violent reactions, arguments and persecutions. As the Nelson Study Bible writes: “… violent people forcibly oppose the kingdom with their hostility… As Christ’s kingdom advances, so do the attacks against it.” This is Satan’s world in terms of government, and he is inspiring violence in defense of his position. Even at the present time and on into the near future, Christians do and will suffer violent attacks on behalf of the kingdom of heaven!

For more information, please read our free booklet, “The Gospel of the Kingdom of God”.

Lead Writers: Dave Harris and Norbert Link

A new StandingWatch program was posted on StandingWatch and YouTube. It is titled, “Haiti–Where Was God?” In the program, Norbert Link asks the questions:

Why do natural catastrophes happen–like the terrible earthquake in Haiti? Why does God not prevent them? Why does He allow man’s wars and the evil which he inflicts on his fellow-man? The Bible warns us that much more terrible times will come soon, and it tells us WHY!

A corresponding German version of the English StandingWatch program was posted on our German website and YouTube, titled, “Haiti–Wo War Gott?”

A new German sermon was recorded this week and posted on http://aufpostenstehen.de/ and http://www.blip.tv/file/3112950. It is titled, “Erfolgreiche Kindererziehung” (“Successful Childrearing”).

Our recently recorded German sermon, “Neid–ein toedliches Gift, Teil 2” (“Envy–A Deadly Poison, Part 2”) was posted on http://aufpostenstehen.de/ and on  http://www.blip.tv/file/3089089

Many years ago, I heard a religious pop song. It was not particularly artful or that appealing, but one line was repeated over and over, and it stuck in my mind. Even today, I sometimes think of that song and its reiterated question. It was a simple one: “Are you ready…?”

In Matthew 24:44, Jesus gave all of His disciples this sobering warning: “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Christ referred to our need to be ready at all times–because nobody knows the day of his death. When we die, we will be awakened within the next second of our consciousness. For those, who die in Christ, it is as if they were immediately with Christ (Philippians 1:23)–even though, in reality, years may pass, before they hear the voice of the Son of Man calling them out of their graves (John 5:28-29). Christ’s warning to be ready is an ongoing and continuing one: “He is coming” to His disciples at an unexpected hour, as Matthew 24:44 says.

The question is, Are we ready NOW–TODAY–for His Coming? Or are we delaying and waiting for tomorrow to become serious or make necessary amends? Consider this: Tomorrow may never come for you. You may DIE tonight! Think of the rich man who was anxious to lay up many goods for many years, but God said to him: “Fool! This night your soul will be required of you… So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:20-21). James gives us a similar warning: “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit’; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (James 4:13-14).

We need to make sure that we are ready “today.” That we obey God’s Word today! That we are ready TODAY to give a defense to everyone who asks us about our faith (compare 1 Peter 3:15). At the same time, as Ecclesiastes 5:1 says in the Authorized Version, we must be attentive in Church services and “READY to hear” and to listen to the message, “with a view of obedience” (Ryrie Study Bible), and we must apply the words of instruction and correction to ourselves.

It is important that we reject TODAY any rebellion and unbelief. Rather than delaying, Hebrews 3:7, 13 admonishes us: “TODAY, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion… exhort one another DAILY, while it is called, ‘Today,’ lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin…” (compare Hebrews 4:7; Psalm 95:7).

When God speaks to us today, we must respond immediately. Exodus 34:11 tells us: “Observe what I command you THIS DAY.” Shortly before his death, Joshua challenged the people of Israel: “… choose for yourselves THIS DAY whom you will serve… But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15). God tells us that He is READY to judge us (1 Peter 4:5)–but are WE ready for His judgment? We might think so, but Jesus Christ reminded us that even though our spirit might be ready, the flesh is weak (Mark 14:38).

Christ told the church in Sardis to be “watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are READY to DIE” (Revelation 3:2). This is not the kind of readiness we want to have! He continued: “Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you” (Revelation 3:3).

Nobody knows the day of his death. Today is the time for change. Today is the time to embrace and uphold the right and reject the wrong.

When we give our word, let us not delay to keep it. Ecclesiastes 5:4-6 tells us: “When you make a vow [a promise] to God [or another person], do not delay to pay it… Why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy the work of your hands?”

When we have opportunity to do good, let us not delay to do it. Proverbs 3:28 tells us: “Do not say to your neighbor, ‘Go and come back, And tomorrow I will give it,’ When you have it with you.” Paul admonished the wealthy to be “rich in good works, READY to give, willing to share… that they may lay hold on eternal life” (1 Timothy 6:18-19).

How often have we missed today’s opportunities to do good to others–thinking that we can do it tomorrow–or the day after that? Let’s not wait. Let’s give flowers to the living, as we have opportunity. Let’s be “READY for every good work” (Titus 3:1; compare Galatians 6:10).

Are you ready…? An old Latin proverb says, “Carpe diem.” It means, “Seize the day!” Make the most of it. Take advantage of the moment. Don’t delay. Don’t wait for tomorrow–because your tomorrow may never come.

We begin by addressing the irresponsible “opinion” of some “experts,” saying that the U.S. recession is over, and quote from a British paper, showing that America is actually sliding deeper into depression. Another article is wondering whether the USA will have to declare bankruptcy one of these days.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s alleged racial comments have prompted interesting reactions from politicians of all parties and persuasion–showing again the deeply self-serving nature of politics. We also report on a possible religious exemption from mandatory health care insurance, and show in articles about the most recent major earthquakes in Haiti and California, what may be in store for the entire globe.

Turning to the war-stricken areas of Afghanistan and the Middle East (including Iran and Israel), several articles show the ability of man to devise more and more sophisticated weapons and war machinery and his inability to live in peace. All of this points to the prophesied scenario of a soon-coming man-made Great Tribulation which will threaten the very survival of all human life.

We conclude with an interesting discovery that the Great Pyramid of Giza was not built with the help of forced labor. The Bible may indicate what famous biblical personage built that pyramid.

“America Slides Deeper Into Depression”

The Telegraph wrote on January 10:

“December was the worst month for US unemployment since the Great Recession began… [Is] History repeating itself? President Obama has been accused by some economists of making the same mistakes policymakers in the US made in the Great Depression, which followed the Wall Street crash of 1929… The labour force contracted by 661,000. This did not show up in the headline jobless rate because so many Americans dropped out of the system. The broad U6 category of unemployment rose to 17.3pc. That is the one that matters…

“The home foreclosure guillotine usually drops a year or so after people lose their job, and exhaust their savings. The local sheriff will escort them out of the door, often with some sympathy… defaults and repossessions have been running at over 300,000 a month since February [of 2009]. One million American families lost their homes in the fourth quarter. Moody’s Economy.com expects another 2.4m homes to go this year…

“The home seizures are occurring despite frantic efforts by the Obama administration to delay the process… It takes heroic [naivete] to think the US housing market has turned the corner… The fuse has yet to detonate on the next mortgage bomb…Professor Tim Congdon from International Monetary Research said the Fed is baking deflation into the pie later this year, and perhaps a double-dip recession…”

Even though overly optimistic “experts” are telling us that the RECESSION is over, the reality is that we are sliding deeper into DEPRESSION! Irresponsible sugar-coating notwithstanding, we must face the facts. Almost two years ago, we warned in our StandingWatch program that DEPRESSION for the USA is a distinct possibility, and we gave advice to our viewers as to how to prepare for the times ahead. 

Will Americans Flirt Soon With Bankruptcy?

The Financial Times wrote on January 11:

“When Americans are asked what they want – lower taxes, more lavish social spending or the world’s best-funded military machine – their collective answer tends to be ‘all of the above’. The result is that the US is piling up debt… What should worry Americans is that, with entitlement spending set to surge, there is no credible plan to bring the budget deficit under control over the medium term.

“But if the US keeps running huge deficits, sooner or later the country will start flirting with bankruptcy… Sometimes, if a government is truly rotten… it is a good thing if a fiscal crisis leads to political collapse. But for most normal countries, it is much better to get close to the edge of national bankruptcy than actually to go over the Niagara Falls of sovereign default… An actual sovereign default… can destroy confidence and trust among citizens and investors for years.”

It is perhaps beyond imagination that the greatest nation on earth might have to face the possibility of economic ruin! But as we are moving farther and farther away from God, our economic prosperity is by no means guaranteed.

Politics and Racism in America

The Wall Street Journal wrote on January 12:

“[U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry] Reid is apologizing to all and sundry for saying in private in 2008 that Barack Obama should run for President because he was ‘light-skinned’ and spoke with ‘no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one.’ Republicans are calling for Mr. Reid to resign, on grounds of the Trent Lott precedent.

“When the Republican leader in 2002 joked at a birthday party for Strom Thurmond that America might have been better off had the one-time Dixiecrat won his 1948 Presidential campaign, Democrats demanded Mr. Lott’s resignation… Mr. Lott resigned, notwithstanding his profuse apologies.

“In contrast, Mr. Obama and various black Democrats have rushed to Mr. Reid’s defense… here’s hoping the President will be equally quick to absolve the next Republican who says something stupid about race… it would be edifying to the American public to hear this President say so on behalf of someone who isn’t a partisan ally.

“Some Americans, white and black, might be more insulted by Mr. Reid’s implication that most Americans—45 years after the Civil Rights Act of 1964—are still so residually racist that they would only vote for a black candidate who isn’t really . . . black. In reality, we saw in November 2008 that Americans were more than ready to elect a black politician who campaigned to be President of all Americans…

“The irony is that Democrats are increasingly the victims of this kind of racial politicking. Bill Clinton’s dismissal of Mr. Obama as a Jesse Jackson-style ‘black candidate’ hurt his wife’s candidacy in 2008. Democratic Congressman Artur Davis, vying to become the first black governor of Alabama, has been declared a traitor to his race for having voted against Nancy Pelosi’s health bill.

“Mr. Reid’s allies are even now responding to critics by playing the race card. Democrats are pointing to the NAACP’s voting assessments of Republicans who have called on him to resign. ‘Senator Reid’s record provides a stark contrast to actions of Republicans to block legislation that would benefit poor and minority communities—most recently reflected in Republican opposition to the health bill,’ says Congressional Black Caucus leader Barbara Lee (D., Calif.). Thus do Mr. Reid’s ill-chosen words morph into the accusation that Republicans are racist for opposing government health care…”

Politicians of all “color” are indeed looking for whatever “argument” or accusation they could use for their advantage. Politics is indeed a dirty business.

Religious Exemption from Mandatory Health Care Insurance?

The Watertown Daily Times wrote on January 9:

“Federal health care reform will require most Northern New Yorkers — but not all, it turns out — to carry health insurance or risk a fine. Hundreds of Amish families in the region are likely to be free from that requirement.
 
“The Amish, as well as some other religious sects, are covered by a ‘religious conscience’ exemption, which allows people with religious objections to insurance to opt out of the mandate. It is in both the House and Senate versions of the bill, making its appearance in the final version routine unless there are last-minute objections…

“Lawmakers reportedly included the provision at the urging of Amish constituents, although the legislation does not specify that community and the provision could apply to other groups as well, including Old Order Mennonites and perhaps Christian Scientists…

“Marci A. Hamilton, who teaches at the University’s Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, wrote at Findlaw.com in August, ‘If the government can tolerate a religious exemption, then it must do so evenhandedly among religious believers with the same beliefs…

“Congressional aides said the exemption is based on a carve-out the Amish have had from Social Security and Medicare taxes since the 1960s. Whether Amish businesses, however, would fall under the bill’s mandates is still an open question. Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., who was a key negotiator on the Senate bill, supports the religious exemption, said a spokesman… who called the provision a ‘no brainer.'”

Major Earthquake in Haiti

ABC News reported on January 12:

“A major earthquake struck just off the coast of Haiti late this afternoon, reportedly causing extensive damage in the capital of Port-au-Prince… The quake had a magnitude of 7.0…”

AFP added on January 13:

“Already the poorest nation in the Americas, Haiti has been hit by a series of disasters recently and was battered by hurricanes in 2008… Seventy per cent of Haiti’s population lives on less than two dollars per day, and half of its 8.5 million people are unemployed… food insecurity already affects more than a quarter of Haiti’s population.”

The Associated Press wrote on January 13:

“The strongest earthquake in more than 200 years rocked Haiti on Tuesday… USGS geophysicist Kristin Marano called it the strongest earthquake since 1770 in what is now Haiti. In 1946, a magnitude-8.1 quake struck the Dominican Republic and also shook Haiti, producing a tsunami that killed 1,790 people… ‘Parliament has collapsed. The tax office has collapsed. Schools have collapsed. Hospitals have collapsed,’ [President Rene] Preval told the Miami Herald… Even the main prison in the capital fell, ‘and there are reports of escaped inmates,’ U.N. humanitarian spokeswoman Elisabeth Byrs said in Geneva. The Roman Catholic archbishop of Port-au-Prince was among the dead, and the head of the U.N. peacekeeping mission was missing.”

The Los Angeles Times wrote on January 14:

“On Wednesday, President René Préval described the destruction as ‘unimaginable.’ Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive said a preliminary assessment led him to fear that the number of dead could be ‘well over 100,000.'” The German press reported that the number of dead could be over 500,000.

Der Spiegel Online wrote on January 14:

“US Secretary of State Clinton has compared the catastrophe to the 2004 tsunami in southeast Asia… the Red Cross estimates that a total of 3 million people have been affected… Police and soldiers from the UN peacekeeping troops cleared the rubble, directed the traffic and security. But they were unable to prevent the looting of the many damaged shops.

“Meanwhile, there were fears of more plundering in the city. ‘At present, people are only thirsty, but when they start to starve we will have an apocalypse here,’ German journalist Anne Rose Schön said in an interview over Skype. During her journey to Port-au-Prince, she said she had witnessed a rising aggression among the city’s inhabitants. ‘Half of this city has been devastated,’ said Schön, who has lived in Haiti for more than a decade. She warned of an increase in the risk of disease…”

Major Earthquake in California

The Los Angeles Times wrote on January 10:

“The day after a powerful earthquake rocked the Northern California city of Eureka, residents woke today to a mess: toppled chimneys, downed traffic signals, and shattered nerves as minor aftershocks continued to rattle windows… there were no reports of major injuries caused by the magnitude 6.5 temblor, which struck offshore at 4:27 p.m. about 33 miles southwest of the coastal city of 26,000. More than 25,000 people were initially left without power…

“Centered about 13 miles deep, the quake was felt as far north as central Oregon, as far south as Santa Cruz and as far east as Reno, the U.S. Geological Survey said. ‘It was a monstrous one,’ said Phil Burns, owner of Mity Nice Bakery Cafe Restaurant in Eureka, which is about 80 miles south of the Oregon border. ‘Usually, they’re sharp, but this one was very wiggly. It was rolling in all directions.’

“In the south Eureka fishing village of King Salmon… residents raced to the only access road to the closest higher ground, the 150-foot-high Bell Hill, in case of a tsunami… None materialized, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Residents of Northern California coastal communities have reason to worry about tsunamis. In 1964, a magnitude 9.2 earthquake off the Alaskan coast sent a catastrophic tsunami to Crescent City, north of Eureka.

“… the area where the earthquake occurred was in the Mendocino Triple Junction, where three tectonic plates collide: the Pacific, North American and Juan de Fuca. It is one of the most seismically active parts of the San Andreas fault system that runs through the state… The last major quakes in the offshore region… were magnitude 7.2 and 6.6 temblors in June 2005.”

God warns of major earthquakes here and there in these end times. These will be one sign of the “beginning of sorrows.” We can indeed expect big earthquakes to rattle this globe in the not-too-distant future.

China’s Ally–Iran

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 12:

“The so-called P5+1 nations (UN Security Council permanent members the US, Russia, China, Britain and France together with Germany) are set to meet later this week to discuss Iran’s failure to agree to a solution that would assuage concerns about Tehran’s nuclear program…

“The meeting has been called after Tehran did not meet a deadline set by the US at the end of 2009 to accept a deal that would have seen uranium being taken out of Iran and returned as enriched fuel rods needed in the production of nuclear energy…

“But chances of any progress toward… punitive measures are slim. China, in particular, does not see eye to eye with the US on the potential threat posed by Iran… The Chinese leadership is also no great believer in sanctions in general.

“… the question of sanctions is not the only issue on which Beijing is closer to Tehran than to Washington… the popular protests in Iran that arose last year after the controversial reelection of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad probably remind Chinese leaders of the pro-democracy demonstrations in China in 1990, which Beijing suppressed with military force…

“Iran is China’s third-largest supplier of crude oil… Iran also supplies the Asian giant with significant quantities of natural gas… China is also one of the leading exporters of products to Iran, and the relationship between the two countries has rapidly been growing closer in recent years.”

With the possibility of China’s veto, we should not expect anything meaningful resulting from the meetings of the P5+1 nations. Israel and the USA are being pushed more and more into the position of having to attack Iran militarily.

Iran Accuses USA and Israel of Terrorist Attack

BBC News reported on January 12:

“Iranian state media have accused Israel and the US of being involved in a bomb attack which killed an Iranian physicist in Tehran… saying there were signs of Israeli and US involvement ‘in the terrorist act’. The US state department dismissed the allegation as ‘absurd’.

“Masoud Ali Mohammadi… was killed by a remotely-controlled bomb. Reports in the Iranian media described Mr Mohammadi as a nuclear physicist, but it appears that his field of study was quantum theory… reports said his name appeared on a list of academics backing opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi before the 2009 presidential election.

“Tensions have been high in Iran since the disputed election led to mass protests against the government… The opposition in Iran will fear that Tuesday’s blast will be used against it as part of a crackdown…”

The current Iranian regime might indeed try to “capitalize” on the death of Ali Mohammadi–as Hitler justified the “Reichskristallnacht” (“Night of the Long Knives”) against Jews after a Jewish socialist had allegedly burned down the Berlin Reichstag building. We might see further terrible oppression and violence in Iran, as well as terrorist attacks against Israeli and American facilities. Iran has vowed that Mohammadi’s murder will have “consequences” for Iran’s enemies.

Science Fiction Nightmare–Armies of Robots…

The Wall Street Journal wrote on January 13:

“Israel is developing an army of robotic fighting machines… In 10 to 15 years, one-third of Israel’s military machines will be unmanned, predicts Giora Katz, vice president of Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd., one of Israel’s leading weapons manufacturers…

“Over 40 countries have military-robotics programs today… Even Hezbollah… flew four Iranian-made drones against Israel during the 2006 Lebanon War… U.S. forces have around 7,000 unmanned vehicles in the air and an additional 12,000 on the ground… In 2009, for the first time, the U.S. Air Force trained more ‘pilots’ for unmanned aircraft than for manned fighters and bombers…

“Military analysts say unmanned fighting vehicles could have a far-reaching strategic impact on the sort of asymmetrical conflicts the U.S. is fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan and that Israel faces against enemies such as Hezbollah and Hamas. In such conflicts, robotic vehicles will allow modern conventional armies to minimize the advantages guerrilla opponents gain by their increased willingness to sacrifice their lives in order to inflict casualties on the enemy.

“However, there are also fears that when countries no longer fear losing soldiers’ lives in combat thanks to the ability to wage war with unmanned vehicles, they may prove more willing to initiate conflict… Israel and the U.S. have already faced backlash over civilian deaths caused by drone-fired missiles in Gaza, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Those ethical dilemmas could increase as robots become more independent of their human masters.”

There does not seem to be an end to man’s ability to devise weapons and machines for war. In the end, man will cause a time of such Great Tribulation that no “flesh” would be saved alive, if it weren’t for God’s intervention. But God will make an end to man’s war-like ambitions, and Christ will come to “destroy those who destroy the earth” (Revelation 11:18) and to make “wars cease to the end of the earth” (Psalm 46:9).

The Wild West of Afghanistan

ABC News reported on January 12:

“Guns displayed in public in this part of the world [Afghanistan] are not usually reason for a second glance. They’re everywhere… Lawlessness is part of the culture, and everyone seems to own at least one weapon. Centuries ago, the Silk Road, the major trade route between Europe and Asia which passed right through here, helped eventually [turn] this place into the eastern version of the Wild West.  

“Today, there is a virtual arms race among the nearly 2,000 militias which abound in this country, all armed to the teeth. The Northern Alliance alone, historically one of the most powerful militias, is still said to have more than 7,000 weapons. To fill the void created by inadequate police and courts, guns settle many disputes here, whether tribal, domestic or personal — and there is often little doubt who the winner is.

“… there is not much of a gun control debate here… Cultural change in this part of the world is glacial. ‘The vision of a gun free Afghanistan,’ says the UN, ‘remains as elusive as ever.'”

This Satan-inspired world believes that guns are a major solution to our problems. When Jesus Christ rules this earth, then man will understand the error of his ways. Then, the people will “beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore” (Isaiah 2:4).

Slaves Did Not Build the Great Pyramid

Times on Line wrote on January 11:

“The long-held image of slaves toiling in the Egyptian desert to build the Great Pyramids of Giza was challenged this week by the discovery of new tombs along the pyramids. Egypt’s chief archaeologist, Zahi Hawass, said that the tombs supported the view that the pyramids were built by free, paid workers — not slaves. ‘These tombs were built beside the king’s pyramid, which indicates that these people were not by any means slaves,’ said Mr Hawass. ‘If they were slaves, they would not have been able to build their tombs beside their king’s.’

“The 4,150-year-old tombs belonged to workers who toiled on the pyramids of Khufu and Khafre, he said. Graffiti on the walls of the tombs calls them ‘friends of Khufu’. Experts say that workers’ tombs from the 4th Dynasty were cone-shaped constructions of mud bricks covered in white plaster — probably meant to mimic the nearby pyramids of the kings.

“The discovery sheds new light on the labourers of that time, said Hawass, showing that the makers of the pyramids ate and toiled. The men who took part in building the pyramids ate well — consuming meat regularly. Hawass said that the ten thousand labourers working on the pyramids ate 21 cattle and 23 sheep sent to them daily from farms in northern and southern Egypt. The work was done in three-month shifts, after which labourers were given the honour of building their mud tombs within the shadow of the pyramids…

“The Greek historian, Herodotus, visited Egypt several thousand years after Khufu’s pyramid was built. He wrote that Khufu forced his people to ‘labour as slaves for his own advantage’ thus prompting the first accounts that the pyramids were built by slaves.

“The myth that Jewish slaves built the pyramids began towards the end of the first century AD, when the Jewish historian Josephus listed pyramid building among the hardships that ancient Hebrews had to endure during their years in Egypt. His idea has persisted, though modern-day historians have concluded that the Great Pyramids were built thousands of years before the Hebrews would have arrived in Egypt.”

We have said for many years that the Great Pyramid of Giza was possibly built by the biblical Job–long before the Israelites became slaves in Egypt. Biblical indications can be found in Job 38:4-7, where God compares the creation of the earth with the building of a pyramid. As a righteous man, Job would not have forced slaves to build the Pyramid. For more information, please watch or listen to Norbert Link’s two video-and audio-recorded sermons, titled, “Lessons from the Book of Job,” Parts 1 and 2, as posted on our Website, dated April 25 and May 2, 2009.

Our answer addresses strictly the situation in the USA. In regard to other countries, any pledge or its wording would have to be examined on an individual basis, although the principles expressed herein would most certainly apply.

The short answer whether or not it is permissible for a Christian to pledge allegiance to the U.S. flag is that the Church of the Eternal God does not feel that it is biblically problematic for a Christian or his children to do so. However, if someone has conscientious problems in that regard, he must of course follow his convictions (compare Romans 14:23).

For our non-American readers, the current version of the Pledge of Allegiance states the following: “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

Our short answer is in accordance with the position which was stated by the Worldwide Church of God (WCG), under its late human leader, Herbert W. Armstrong, who died in 1986. As we are upholding the teachings of WCG under Mr. Armstrong, unless the letter or the spirit of Scripture shows the understanding to be in need of modification (see our Statements of Beliefs), we do not feel that we ought to deviate from this teaching. We also note that in regard to issues which are perhaps less clearly expressed in Scripture, God has given His Church the right to make binding administrative decisions (see Q&A on binding and loosing authority).

The teaching of the WCG under Mr. Armstrong has been as follows, as stated in a letter from the Letter Answering Department:

“Since the words ‘one nation under God’ are used, we are certainly free to take this pledge. It is then understood that our allegiance is pledged only so far as we are not forced to disobey God’s laws. The Bible commands us to be good citizens of the country in which we live. We know God has set government over all human beings, and every Christian should ‘be subject unto the higher powers’ (Rom. 13:1). This is with the understanding that our greater, higher, FIRST allegiance belongs to God.

“A similar question involves saluting the flag. Some believe that saluting the flag is idolatrous. However, saluting is not in itself an act of worship, but merely a matter of showing respect. Through Paul, God commands us to render respect and honor where they are due (Rom. 13:1-7).

“We salute the flag, not because it is the symbol of another god, but because it stands for the freedom and blessings which the Most High God has given this nation.”

As expressed above, our foremost allegiance is to God. We pledge allegiance to our flag (or to the nation it represents) only to the extent that the government does not require us to disobey God’s laws, either deliberately or inadvertently (Acts 5:29). We should not view allegiance to country as a sole, absolute or ultimate allegiance. Rather, we are merely declaring to which country we are pledging national allegiance. We have many allegiances—to our spouse and family, our employer, our church organization, our sports team, etc. Our most important allegiance is our allegiance to God and the Kingdom of God. Any allegiance that supersedes allegiance to God is of course idolatry. The clause “under God” expresses an allegiance that is UNDER one’s allegiance to God. Just as we pay taxes and comply with the laws of the land, we should also render honor and respect where it is due. It would therefore not be wrong to salute or pledge allegiance to the flag, if and when the occasion calls for it.

A pledge is not to be confused with an oath. Christ tells us not to swear (compare Matthew 5:33-37), but pledging is not tantamount to swearing. In fact, the word “pledge” has a wide variety of meaning. Black’s Law Dictionary defines a pledge as “a promise or agreement by which one binds himself to do or forbear something.” Pledging to do something is promising to do it; such as pledging money to a fund or to a favorite charity, especially at regular intervals.

The thesaurus also defines a pledge as “a binding commitment to do or give or refrain from something; ‘an assurance of help when needed.'” A pledge may include a solemn vow of poverty or fidelity. We may pledge to honor our husband or our wife. We may pledge our honor or our silence. A few dictionaries define a pledge as an oath; however, this is technically incorrect. They would also define an “affirmation” as an “oath”–which is likewise technically incorrect.

As a pledge is simply a promise to do or not to do something, it is obvious that children, once they are old enough to understand the meaning of a promise, can give a “pledge.” It is of course expected of the parents to explain to their children the meaning of the “Pledge of Allegiance.”

In an editorial, the late Senior Pastor of the Church of the Eternal God, J. Edwin Pope, wrote the following about the Pledge of Allegiance and related topics (see Update 221, December 9, 2005):

“The Pledge of Allegiance to flag and country was originally written by Francis Bellamy in August, 1892. A minor change in a couple of words was made in 1924, and in 1954 the words ‘under God’ were added to the pledge… The motto, ‘In God We Trust’ was placed on U.S. coins largely because of increased religious sentiment existing during the Civil War. After many appeals in favor of such a move, Secretary of the Treasury, Salmon P. Chase, instructed James Pollock, Director of the Mint at Philadelphia, by letter dated November 20, 1861, as follows: ‘Dear Sir: No nation can be strong except in the strength of God, or safe except in His defense. The trust of our people in God should be declared on our national coins. You will cause a device to be prepared without unnecessary delay with a motto expressing in the fewest and tersest words possible this national recognition.’

“Samples were presented and the present wording which is used on U.S. coins today was adopted and passed by the U.S. Congress on April 22, 1864. This motto, ‘In God We Trust,’ was added to $1 silver certificates with printings beginning in 1957. In 1964, the motto was added to Federal Reserve Notes in the amounts of $1, $5, $10, as well as with the $5 United States Note, and in 1966 the motto was added to the $50, and $100 Federal Reserve Notes.

“But a program of stamping out religion on national currency began in 1978 and continues today… Programs are ongoing to declare the Pledge of Allegiance as ‘unconstitutional’ and to not allow it to be recited in public schools because it contains the words ‘under God’…

“God established this great nation as He promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and to the sons of Joseph. Yet, just as He raised it up, He will put it down if it continues to move in the direction upon which it has now established as its course. We, as a people of God, must not cover our faces to what is looming upon the horizon, as prophesied in the Word of God.”

By way of legal background, we sometimes hear that pledging allegiance to the flag is strictly voluntary in each and every circumstance, but this is not necessarily the case, at least not from a practical standpoint. We read the following in the Encyclopedia of Everyday Law:

“In ‘West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette,’ the Supreme Court ruled that requiring the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools violated the First and Fourteenth Amendments… The decision’s practical effect is to permit voluntary recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance but to forbid mandatory requirements that students participate. The decision itself has not been challenged in court, but its requirements have not always been observed. In the 1990s, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) repeatedly defended students in school districts who suffered reprisals for failing to participate in the Pledge of Allegiance. In 1998, for instance, the ACLU filed a federal lawsuit against the Fallbrook Union High School District of San Diego, California, after school officials required a dissenting student to stand silently during the pledge, leave the classroom, or face detention; settling the case out of court, the school district agreed to change its policy…

“The situation for the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools is… mixed. Most states, in fact, still have decades-old laws relating to the pledge. Thirty-two states mention some form of school participation in their laws, while twenty states require students to recite it… Following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks upon the United States,… outpourings of patriotism and strong renewed interest in having students recite the pledge pushed the issue back to the forefront, with some governments declaring they would use old laws and others vowing to pass new ones.”

We should note that pledging allegiance to the U.S. flag is not necessarily a reflection of improper patriotism. Herbert W. Armstrong did note that there is a “KIND of patriotism which, indeed, IS wrong in the sight of God” (Plain Truth, October 1964). It is that kind of patriotism which is expressed in the form of loyalty to country, as OPPOSED TO other countries. It includes an automatic HOSTILITY toward other countries—either passive or active. THAT kind of patriotism, which is specifically manifested in war, is unchristian (For more information, please read our free booklet, “Should You Fight in War?”).

On the other hand, it is not wrong to love our own country—or even to love our own self. But it is wrong to love ourselves more than others. The Pledge of Allegiance, when properly understood, expresses the principle of right patriotism, specifically including the words “one nation under God.” That makes it clear that our allegiance is to God before country. Love and concern for one’s own country—without discrimination or prejudice against or hostility towards other nations, peoples or races—is not wrong.

In addition, it expresses our desire that our country should be a nation under God–sadly realizing at the same time that our nation is drifting farther and farther away from God and His laws. The same can also be said about our desire for “liberty and justice for all”–knowing that true justice and liberty will only come when Jesus Christ will rule here on earth. It is only then that this nation will REALLY become a nation under God, with true liberty and justice for all of its citizens.

At the same time, many in the Church of God sing the song, “Onward Christian Soldiers,” in their weekly Sabbath services. This hymn includes the line, “We are not divided, All one body we; One in hope and doctrine, One in charity.” Sadly, the reality is that these words are not accurate today; rather, we find the body divided, due to different organizations with diverse doctrines and opinions. But it is not wrong to sing these words, anticipating the time when there will be no more schisms within the spiritual body of Christ.

In conclusion, the Church of the Eternal God does not teach that pledging allegiance to the U.S. flag is inherently wrong or opposed to the Bible or biblical principles. If, however, individuals are conscientiously opposed to participation, then they must follow their conviction. At the same time, as is the case with all matters of individual conscience which are not taught per se by the Church, they must be careful not to attempt to influence others to follow their example, as this might cause division in violation of official Church teaching.

In addition, note our cautionary remark on individual conscience, as stated in our free booklet, “God’s Commanded Holy Days“:

“It would be advisable, though, to review the Scriptures to see whether your conscience is based on the Bible or merely on man-made traditions. God never accepts our conviction as justification for the violation of His law, and man-made regulations can, as we saw, cloud the intent of God’s commandments in the minds of men.” In cases of uncertainty, it would be advisable to consult with the ministry.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

A new member letter was sent out this week and posted on the Web. In the letter, Norbert Link discusses the perilous times in which we live and our duty and responsibility as Christians not to conform to the philosophies and not to engage in the politics of this war-stricken world.

A new StandingWatch program was posted on StandingWatch and on YouTube. It is titled, “Never Spank Your Child?” In the program, the following is discussed: The British paper, The Telegraph, reported on January 3, 2010, that occasional proper spanking of children up to the age of eleven has positive results, angering children’s right campaigners. What does the Bible say about proper child rearing and discipline?   

A German sermon was recorded this week and posted on the Web. It is titled, “Neid–ein toedliches Gift, Teil 2” (“Envy–A Deadly Poison, Part 2”).

by Eric Rank

Living at the latitude and altitude that I do in Colorado, the months of winter guarantee a healthy dose of cold temperatures and snow. This is most significant to me because I commute to my job by bicycle every day. Unless the weather is unreasonably nasty, this daily trek is something I look forward to. However, with winter darkness, ice and snow, this wintery commute can be quite dangerous.

If I was the only person on the road, the danger I face would be irrelevant. Snowy and icy roads are nothing compared to the treacherous cars traveling on those roads with me. I have planned my route to work very carefully in order to avoid traffic as much as possible, but I still come into contact with several vehicles.

When I do come into contact with other cars, I often have to make decisions about exactly what to do. Should I speed up and take a dominant position in the road to avoid a dangerous shoulder? Should I slow down and wait patiently for cars to pass or turn? Sometimes it can be quite difficult to determine what the safest choice is. But certainly, making the wrong choice, whether in haste or hesitation, can put lives at risk.

My spiritual life is not much different. An action I choose to take might affect myself and others in a completely different way depending on the timing. An offer to help someone might come too late to truly be helpful. I may make a decision on a quick impulse, finding myself committed to something I later regret. As a Christian, I know that what I do and how I do it is very important. However, the time I take in performing those actions is also important to consider, whether speed or patience is required.