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.

On January 9, 2010, Dave Harris will give the sermon, titled, “Why Prophecy?”

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.

The word “conformity” can have both good and bad connotations. It is defined as “similarity in form or character; agreement; action or behavior in correspondence with socially accepted standards, conventions, rules, or laws.”

The world has just kept some of its festivals, and many have conformed to keeping Christmas and New Year because of peer pressure; not wanting to upset children, parents or family; or because it was a good excuse for a few days off work with, in many cases, riotous and wanton celebration.

Of course, there were those who kept those days moderately and in good conscience–although they were “sincerely wrong”–but even such people are becoming the minority, as the supposedly religious “Christian” aspect fades from view for the majority.

Had many not spent lavishly at the end of the year, businesses who rely on this trade may have been put out of business and that could have exacerbated an already fragile economic situation. But that was not the reason that people spent; it was simply what they wanted to do.

People conform for all sorts of selfish and personal reasons: Wanting to belong; not wanting to be ostracized in their society; wanting to be seen at various functions or with organizations; attending church because it’s the “thing to do” especially at Christmas and Easter; and so on. This conformity is something with which a true Christian must not be involved.

However, conformity can be a good thing when channeled the right way. I am referring to conformity to the Way of God, conformity to His Word and conformity to His Commandments (compare Romans 12:2). This is not self-seeking, but a humble approach to the One Who gives us every breath we breathe.

Conformity to God and His Way is totally opposite to the conformity that this world practices, particularly at the time of the year that has just passed. When we conform, let us be in line with our God and not in tune with what the world expects of us. Then we will always be in a winning situation!

We begin with an article by Reuters, listing the possible economic and political crises we might be confronted with in 2010, and continue with several reports on Yemen which has been labeled as the “newest hotbed of international terrorism.” However, the sad truth is that Yemen is not really a “new” operation base for al-Qaida and other radical Islamist organizations. Rather, the USA and Western nations have been sleeping at the switch and ignoring the growing problems. Now, as the German media reports, there are no real solutions for dealing with the dilemma, and Yemen is accusing the USA of having created at least part of the debacle.

We then report on President Obama’s many challenges–all of them very dangerous, and none of them easily solvable. His appointment of a transgender as Senior Technical Advisor to the Commerce Department does not help and is not a light matter in the eyes of God Who condemns such practices in His Word. The lack of spiritual leadership in this country could also be seen in the willingness of the head of the nation’s evangelical non-denominational megachurches to give the opening prayer during the swearing-in ceremony of the new lesbian mayor of Houston.

While the Los Angeles Times states the opinion that the last decade was the worst in modern American history, Reuters feels that the prospects for any American recovery are extremely slim. We most certainly agree with this assessment in the light of biblical prophecy.

The discussion in Germany regarding the unpopular Afghan war was fueled again by statements from the head of the German Lutheran Church and Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, pleading for an end to the war and withdrawal of all German troops–a move which would create further friction between the USA and Germany.

Turning to social issues, we quote from an article by the Telegraph, advocating occasional spanking of young children; speak on the terrible rise of the misuse of alcohol in Britain; explain the German pagan customs and demonic practices of New Year’s; and conclude with reports about the astonishing intelligence of dolphins.

This world’s conditions deteriorate with alarming speed, as man has rejected God! While the world believes in the Satanic concept of evolution and involves itself with Satanic rites, for instance on New Year’s, it rejects God Who has created animals and man–and Who has told us what to believe; how to live; and how to raise our children. Sadly, this world has it all backwards. It is high time that the light of God’s truth shines in this darkness (John 1:5), and that those, who have the light, make every effort to continue to believe and walk in it, lest darkness overtake them, as it has the rest of the world (John 12:35-36).

Crises Loom for 2010

Reuters reported on January 4:

“For global markets, probably the main political risk would be one of the world’s more troubled economies defaulting or coming close to default on its sovereign debt… Worries over Dubai, Ukraine and Greece have all spilled over into global markets in the last month, and all three look set to remain under economic and political pressure in the coming year… Among those in the spotlight over public debt will be euro zone weak links Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece and Spain — dubbed insultingly the PIIGS — as well as non-euro Britain…

“A number of important elections loom this year, with U.S. mid-term congressional elections coming alongside likely changes of leadership in Britain and Brazil, as well as a host of votes in emerging Europe that could have wider consequences… Any signs Britain is heading towards a hung parliament will unsettle sterling…

“The United States and China are already by far the two most important countries in terms of political clout. In 2010, China is set to overtake Japan as the second-largest global economy… Pressure on China to allow the yuan to appreciate will become ever more intense in 2010 as economic storm clouds evaporate… Beijing will not want to jeopardise economic growth by letting the currency rise too quickly, and does not welcome being told what to do by Washington or the European Union… If President Barack Obama imposes more tariffs, under pressure from Congress and domestic industry, expect sparks to fly…

“Ongoing confrontation over Iran’s nuclear programme remains a risk, particularly for energy markets, and the situation is complicated by deepening domestic instability following last year’s disputed presidential election… North Korea continues to be dangerously unpredictable, with potential scenarios ranging for a war to the death of leader Kim Jong-il — an event that might prompt a reunification that could prove financially crippling for South Korea…

“Both Nigeria and Thailand could face market uncertainty over the health of their president and king respectively. Both were hospitalised in 2009. Analysts expect al Qaeda and its allies to try to spark conflict between nuclear-armed neighbours Pakistan and India… And Pakistan’s weak government, under threat on several fronts, may have its own reasons to focus popular anger on India.

“The attempted bombing of an airliner bound for Detroit on Christmas Day shows that attacks on Western targets also remain a threat.”

The Yemen Debacle

Der Spiegel wrote on January 4:

“Eight years after the 9/11 attacks, [Yemen] is the place the latest generation of Islamist terrorists have chosen to make their ‘base’… In the US, the failed attack by the suspected bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab on the Northwest Airlines flight has reawakened a fear of terrorism that had been painstakingly overcome. The focal point of this fear is no longer Afghanistan, where 68,000 US troops are stationed, or Iraq, with 120,000 US troops. Nor is it Pakistan, where it is assumed Osama bin Laden and the leadership of the old al-Qaida, are holed up. It is Yemen…

“Washington has been investing huge sums in military infrastructure in Yemen: In 2006 they provided the country with $11 million (€7.6 million) and by 2009 the sum had increased to $70 million (€48.5 million)…

“The more the Americans stepped up the pressure on al-Qaida in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the more attractive Yemen became as a place to retreat to. And even though many Islamist leaders were arrested in Yemen and others ended up in the US detention camp at Guantanamo Bay, the young Islamists kept coming in their droves, mainly from Africa and Southeast Asia. Hundreds of Somalis, Indonesians and Malaysians attended al-Zindani’s notorious Iman University in San’a and returned home as firebrand preachers. Yemen proved to be particularly useful for members of the Saudi Arabian branch of al-Qaida… Several members relocated to Yemen, including the two Guantanamo returnees…

“For Washington and the West, Yemen poses a challenge where all the possible courses of action are equally unattractive. Leaving the country to its own devices and its tribes could lead to a Somalia-style failed state. Increasing military operations and engaging more strongly in the fight against terrorism would, however, turn the population further against the US, as has happened in Pakistan.”

No Success in Yemen?

In an accompanying article, Der Spiegel Online stated on January 4:

“After the foiled attack on a US airliner, Yemen is suddenly the focus of the war on terror. As embassies shut and Yemeni security forces intensify their operations against al-Qaida, the US is doubling its counterterrorism aid to the impoverished country. German commentators, however, doubt that the West will be any more successful here than in Afghanistan…

“The United States, the United Kingdom and now France have taken the precaution of shutting their embassies in the Yemeni capital San’a, while US transport authorities have reacted by heightening security checks for passengers flying from 14 ‘terror linked’ countries on Monday. The foiled Dec. 25 attack may also have the knock-on effect of making it even more difficult to close the US detention center at Guantanomo, as half of the remaining inmates are from Yemen…

“Yemen, the ancestral home of Osama bin Laden, is friendly to [the] West, but its central government is weak outside the capital and it has a history of tolerating militants. Yemen was the site of the bombing of the USS Cole back in 2000 which killed 17 US sailors and an attack by al-Qaida on the US embassy back in 2008 killed one American…

“The conservative Die Welt writes: ‘The US public are now pretty upset to discover that for almost a decade their media, their intelligence agencies and their former President George W. Bush had ignored the strengthening terror network in Yemen…’

“The left-leaning Die Tageszeitung writes: ‘With its unstable societal and political structures, Yemen is very similar to Afghanistan. It is therefore hardly surprising that al-Qaida has shifted its base here following severe setbacks in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Yemen offers al-Qaida fighters a quasi natural headquarters on the Arabian peninsula… The US is reacting to this real threat by arming the central power in Yemen and by joining — still in a limited manner — the military fight against the Islamists. It is doubtful if this kind of war will be any more successful in Yemen than it has been in Afghanistan.’

“The center-right Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung writes: ‘London and Washington want to arm the fragile government of President Saleh for the war against the terrorists. At the same time the Pentagon is honing in on targets for possible attacks by drones in the east of the country. However, just as they are in Afghanistan and Pakistan, America and the world are faced with a dilemma. The governments are too weak to take on the terrorists…'”

The Yemen Dilemma–“America Shares the Blame”

On January 4, Der Spiegel Online published the following comments by Yemeni Major General Jahja Abdullah:

“America also shares the blame for the al-Qaida danger: Washington built up the Islamic fighting units that were meant to bring the Soviets to their knees in Afghanistan during the Cold War. They were followed by the Taliban, al-Qaida and similar Islamic-aligned groups that are today fighting against America and the civilized world… In the north, the al-Qaida conspirators have taken advantage of the fighting between the army and the Houthis and taken the initiative themselves. But they are fighting against a sea of Yemeni people who hate them. Most of the militants aren’t even Yemeni citizens. We have captured some who come from Somalia and other African countries and even from Arabian brother countries — like Algeria and Libya, where things had gotten too difficult for them.

“… these bandits who falsely call themselves ‘defenders of Islam’ are being supported from outside of our borders — with weapons, money and propaganda… I am not referring to the Iranian government, but rather to ‘certain circles in Iran’ that have very much taken al-Qaida under their wings. We have come across ships in Yemen territorial waters with Iranian crews who were carrying weapons supplies. At the very least, the Iranian media have clearly sided with the rebels and they have portrayed the Houthis as having their own state. But it is no longer as easy to smuggle in goods and accomplices because the Saudi Arabian navy is providing our fleet with support in securing the Red Sea coast…

“A lot of militants definitely come from Somalia, which has spiralled out of control and where al-Qaida members are able to go into hiding with relative ease. And then they come across the sea to Yemen. Poverty, lack of opportunities, a distorted image of Islam, the disintegration of Iraq into bloody religious division — these are all factors that explain the continued survival and threat presented by violent Islamists… Our people — of all parties and faiths, and the opposition — have declared war on al-Qaida. No Yemeni will stand silently when extremists attack girls’ schools in Sanaa (the capital) and tear the legs off girls.

“… the destruction of the Iraqi state was a huge mistake. But to withdraw from Afghanistan now would be a catastrophe for the whole world, because al-Qaida will try to remain active there. The reports from news agencies confirm that every day. In Yemen, we need more support in the battle against militant Ultras at all levels. Those who aid Yemen are helping to defend the entire world against criminals disguised in religious clothes.”

President Obama’s Hopeless Challenges

The Financial Times wrote on January 3:

“Obama snowed under by his promises of action… national security has shot to the top of his to-do list with the attempted Christmas day terrorist attack and the holes in the US’s intelligence systems it exposed. His challenges in Afghanistan, meanwhile, deepened with a New Year’s day suicide attack that killed eight Central Intelligence Agency officers…

“The president’s desk was far from empty when he left Washington on Christmas eve – the healthcare reform legislation he wanted to sign before the end of 2009 still requires a lot of work, as does financial regulation, while the unemployment rate remains in double ­digits. This year Mr Obama will have to juggle two wars and a growing al-Qaeda threat against a slew of domestic tasks, all the while grappling with the reality that his political honeymoon is over…

“With so many pressing tasks on his agenda, the criticism of the president’s first year in office that he was trying to do too much at once looks set to be repeated… if the voting public perceive the president to be focusing too much on second-tier issues, even if they were presidential campaign pledges, he will be seen to be out of touch…

“‘What [Americans] are seeing is weakness, waff­ling, and wandering through the wilderness without an ideological compass,’ Drew Westen, professor at Emory University, wrote in a blog on the Huffington Post website. ‘That’s a recipe for going nowhere fast…'”

President Obama on the Defensive

Der Spiegel Online wrote on January 7:

“President Barack Obama has slammed the ‘near-disastrous’ intelligence failures surrounding an attempted Christmas Day terror attack on a Northwest Airlines jetliner… A jury in Michigan on Wednesday indicted Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, 23, on six counts for his bid to bomb the Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Detroit. The failed plot has raised a number of questions about the effectiveness of US security and intelligence. It has also put Obama firmly on the defensive.

“On Tuesday, Obama said that the review into the terrorist watch listing system had revealed ‘human and systemic failures.’ He said it showed that US intelligence agencies missed a series of alerts related to Abdulmutallab. The terror suspect was known to have extremist links, but was still able to board the plane. In addition, Obama has said that US intelligence agencies were aware that the al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula terror group aimed to attack targets in the United States over the holidays.

“Earlier this week, the US president summoned members of the security services to the White House and voiced his anger over their shortcomings. ‘The bottom line is this: The US government had sufficient information to have uncovered this plot and potentially disrupt the Christmas Day attack, but our intelligence community failed to connect those dots,’ he said. ‘This was not a failure to collect intelligence, it was a failure to integrate and understand the intelligence that we already had.’

“But German editorialists on Thursday asked whether Obama was too tardy in his reaction to the security debacle…

“SPIEGEL ONLINE Washington correspondent Gregor Peter Schmitz writes: ‘The images speak for themselves: Nearly a year after taking office, Obama has now become an anti-terrorist president. His spokesman Robert Gibbs already speaks of the “War on Terror,” as if George W. Bush were still in power. This speech leaves no doubt as to Obama’s determination… The only question which remains is whether his statement comes too late… Obama now must shake off this impression of mismanagement…’

“The left-wing Tageszeitung writes: ‘Barack Obama has never — not even during his electoral campaign — made a secret of the fact that he does not rule out war as a political tool. Otherwise he would not have been elected. Those in Europe who believed that his statement wasn’t serious, and was accompanied by a knowing wink towards the pacifists, only have themselves to blame. Military strength and the willingness to use it, are fundamental in the United States, which has not had territorial wars since the mid-19th century. You don’t have to like it, but ignoring this global political reality … reveals naivety. Whoever saw Obama as a prince of peace has made a mistake…’

“The business daily Handelsblatt writes: ‘All of a sudden President Barack Obama has presented himself as a determined fighter of terrorism… Obama has avoided dealing with the anti-terrorist theme for a year. Now it has caught up with him. Obama is facing the same issues as George W. Bush. But he has not come up with any new answers than those of his predecessor… Obama will only manage to restore confidence in the safety of the country if he succeeds in presenting a concept that is both efficient and lean. That is not an easy task given that the heads of the intelligence services often like to spend more time arguing than organizing the defense of their country. Following the recent debacle, Obama must realize that, alongside all his other problems, he now has a new issue to deal with — and urgently.'”

President Obama Appoints Transgender

ABC News reported on January 4:

“President Obama recently named Amanda Simpson to be a Senior Technical Advisor to the Commerce Department. In a statement, Simpson, a member of the National Center for Transgender Equality’s board of directors, said that ‘as one of the first transgender presidential appointees to the federal government, I hope that I will soon be one of hundreds, and that this appointment opens future opportunities for many others’…

“Simpson — a former test pilot who had worked for the company for more than a generation — transitioned from male to female and was instrumental in convincing the military contractor to add gender identity and expression to its equal employment opportunity policy. She later ran unsuccessfully for Congress and was a delegate for then-Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, to the Democratic National Convention in 2008.”

Where Are our Spiritual Leaders?

USA Today wrote on January 5:

“Annise Parker, the newly-elected happens-to-be-lesbian mayor of Houston was sworn in Monday and the opening prayer was given by … Rev. Joel Osteen. Is your head spinning? Osteen heads the nation’s most mega of evangelical non-denominational megachurches, Lakewood Church in Houston where about 45,000 people cycle through a revamped sports stadium for services every weekend.

“Osteen has been all over telling folks (Larry King, Whoopi Goldberg) for years that homosexuality is not ‘God’s best’… But ‘God’s best’ is a phrase Osteen never finishes…”

“It Was the Worst of Times”

The Lost Angeles Times wrote on January 2:

“The first decade of the 21st century saw the American dream slip further away from most Americans… No deceit was more malevolently corrosive than the fiction that this was a period of expansive prosperity in which significant numbers of our people were able to share in the American dream of financial security. All the triumphalist rhetoric emanating from Wall Street and the White House notwithstanding, this was — materially speaking — a disastrous decade for U.S. families.

“For the first time since World War II, according to the departments of Commerce and Labor, an average American’s net worth actually fell — by a whopping 13%. By way of comparison, and to demonstrate just how anomalous such a decline is, consider that net worth grew 44% in the 1990s; 35% in the 1980s; 12% in the 1970s (even with the Carter administration’s ‘stagflation’); 25% in the 1960s; and 26% in the 1950s.

“The employment picture was no better. Though the U.S. population has grown by 35 million since 2000, employment has increased just 0.5% over the last 10 years. For the first time since the federal government began keeping such statistics, the number of private sector jobs actually declined. (In both the 1980s and 1990s, employment grew by 20%, and in the 1960s it climbed by 31%.)

“Meanwhile, as the private sector’s flight from its pension obligations became virtually general, tens of millions of Americans were compelled to trust their retirements to the equity markets through 401(k) accounts. It was a bonanza for Wall Street, which raked in commissions and fees, and a disaster for working families, because the decade ended without any gains in the stock averages…

“Even though most American families had two working adults throughout the last decade, many had to borrow simply to maintain their standard of living. People maxed out their credit cards and tapped their home’s equity — something that proved catastrophic when the value of houses collapsed. With incomes and employment stagnant, families had nowhere to turn. Not so employers. While most lacked the managerial creativity to grow their businesses, they found a way to keep profits up by laying off huge numbers of people and simply working those who remained — too frightened to protest — harder…”

Bible prophecy has long predicted that in these end times, the American dream of prosperity will fade away. And as the next article indicates, the new decade will not bring us substantial recovery. For more information, please read our free booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain And America.”

U.S. Growth Prospects Deemed Bleak in New Decade

Reuters wrote on January 3:

“A dismal job market, a crippled real estate sector and hobbled banks will keep a lid on U.S. economic growth over the coming decade, some of the nation’s leading economists said on Sunday… Many predicted U.S. gross domestic product would expand less than 2 percent per year over the next 10 years. That stands in sharp contrast to the immediate aftermath of other steep economic downturns, which have usually elicited a growth surge in their wake…

“One reason is that U.S. consumers remain heavily indebted… Another is that many of the country’s largest banks are still largely dependent on funding from the U.S. Federal Reserve and the implicit backing of the Treasury Department. Kenneth Rogoff… of Harvard… cited government programs giving large financial institutions access to zero-cost borrowing as artificially padding their bottom lines.”

Germans Upset With Afghanistan War

Der Spiegel Online wrote on January 4:

“The head of Germany’s Protestant church, Bishop Margot Kässmann… told the Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper before Christmas: ‘Even by the broadest standards of the Protestant Church in Germany, this war cannot be justified and that the armed conflict must be ended as soon as possible.’ She also said that German troops should be withdrawn as soon as possible. [The] bishop repeated her view in a sermon on New Year’s Day and in an interview with the mass-circulation Bild newspaper on Monday…

“Opinion polls show most Germans agree with Kässmann that the troops should come home. But politicians from Chancellor Angela Merkel’s center-right coalition government lined up to criticize her…

“Germany has over 4,200 troops in Afghanistan, the third-largest contingent in the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). The mission has become increasingly unpopular in Germany as violence has increased. Merkel’s second term has been dogged by controversy over Germany’s role in Afghanistan after a German-ordered air strike in September killed civilians. Merkel’s government has said it will wait to decide on whether to deploy more troops until after the international conference on Afghanistan in London at the end of January.

“Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle echoed the call for an exit strategy, telling newsweekly Focus in an interview published on Monday that the international Afghanistan conference should start the process of ‘handing over responsibility for security to Afghanistan from 2010 onwards.’ Westerwelle had said in an interview with Stern magazine last week that he may boycott the Jan. 28 conference if it focuses only on deploying more troops…

“The statement by Westerwelle… has highlighted divisions on Afghanistan in the German government. Philipp Missfelder, the foreign policy spokesman of the CDU’s parliamentary group, said: ‘I cannot imagine that the German foreign minister would boycott the Afghanistan conference, because Germany and France in [particular] have a special interest in the success of this conference and were among the initiators.’

“SPD Chairman Sigmar Gabriel said… Westerwelle was letting Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg take the lead in defining Germany’s foreign policy strategy. ‘That’s not in line with our constitution. We don’t want foreign policy to be militarized,’ Gabriel said.”

The Afghan War may prove to become one distinctive nail in the coffin of U.S.-German relationships.

God Knew It All Along…

The Telegraph wrote on January 3:

“A study found that youngsters smacked up to the age of six did better at school and were more optimistic about their lives than those never hit by their parents. They were also more likely to undertake voluntary work and keener to attend university, experts discovered. The research, conducted in the United States, is likely to anger children’s rights campaigners who have unsuccessfully fought to ban smacking in Britain. Currently, parents are allowed by law to mete out ‘reasonable chastisement’ on their children, providing smacking does not leave a mark or bruise. These limits were clarified in the 2004 Children’s Act.

“But children’s groups and MPs have argued that spanking is an outdated form of punishment that can cause long-term mental health problems. Marjorie Gunnoe, professor of psychology at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, said her study showed there was insufficient evidence to deny parents the freedom to determine how their children should be punished. She said: ‘The claims made for not spanking children fail to hold up…’

“Teenagers who had been hit by their parents from age seven to 11 were also found to be more successful at school than those not smacked but fared less well on some negative measures, such as getting involved in more fights. However, youngsters who claimed they were still being smacked scored worse than every other group across all the categories… The findings were rejected by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, which has fought to ban smacking…”

Notwithstanding the “opinions” of God- and Bible-Defying “Experts” and “Psychologists,” the Holy Scriptures have much to say about proper child rearing, including the occasional need for spanking. For more information, please read our free booklet, “The Keys to Happy Marriages and Families.”

Britain Drowned in Alcohol

The Sun wrote on January 2:

“Experts reckon Brits got through a staggering £100 millions of booze as revellers drank pubs and clubs across the country dry – resulting in thousands being violently ill… In the West Midlands the Ambulance Service said they dealt with an emergency 999 call every nine seconds in the first three hours of 2010. Overall, New Year’s Day was the busiest in their history dealing with a staggering 1,418 calls…

“Overall, the cost of treating drunks has almost doubled in just five years, rising to £2.7billion in 2006/7 compared with £1.47billion in 2001/2.”

The book of Hosea has much to say about modern-day Britain, referred to in prophecy as Ephraim. Hosea 4:11 says that “harlotry, wine and new wine enslave the heart.”

Silvester or New Year’s–German Style

Netzeitung wrote on December 31:

“Silvester is the German name for New Year’s Eve – owing to the fourth century Pope Sylvester I. Eventually made a saint by the Catholic Church, his feast day is observed on December 31… Sylvester’s day became associated with New Year’s Eve with the reform of the Gregorian calendar in 1582, when the last day of the year was fixed at December 31. But despite the holiday’s Christian name, many German New Year’s traditions can be traced back to the pagan Rauhnächte practices of heathen Germanic tribes, which took place at the end of December and beginning of January.

“Instead of recognizing a single day as the winter solstice, the Germanic tribes observed twelve Rauhnächte – hairy nights, so called due to the furry forms of the deep winter demons – or Rauchnächte – smoky nights, due to the practice of smoking the spirits out of one’s house on January 5. Bringing very little sun to the northern regions, the twelve Rauhnächte were considered days outside of time, when the solar and lunar years were allowed to re-synchronise. Silvester took place right in the middle of the twelve Rauhnächte and was the night of the god Wotan’s wild hunt, a time of particular commotion and celebration.

“As in many other countries, the Germans celebrate Silvester with fireworks, champagne, and boisterous social gatherings. Making noise is key: the ruckus of fireworks, firecrackers, drums, whip-cracking and banging kitchen utensils has been driving away evil winter spirits since the days of the Germanic Teutons…

“Besides being a fun spectacle, the light of pyrotechnic displays also provides a surrogate sun during the dark Silvester night. Suffering the winter bleakness in their northern regions more than anyone, the Teutons feared that the sun, which they thought of as a wheel that rolled around the earth, was slowing to a stop during the darkest days of winter. Perhaps as a sign of protest, they lit wooden wheels on fire and sent them rolling down mountains and clubbed trees with flaming cudgels. These practices are likely forerunners to the Silvester firework tradition.

“The belief that the sun was slowing to a stop also led to the German tradition of doing no work on New Year’s Eve: everything should stand just as still on earth. Above all no one should do any laundry, because the god Wotan made his rounds with his army of devils for a wild hunt during Silvester and would be terribly angry if he got caught in any clotheslines.

“Because the twelve Rauhnächte – now associated with the twelve days of Christmas made famous by the partridge in a pear tree – were days outside of time, all manner of supernatural events were possible. Spirits of all sorts charged through the night, either embodying the horror of winter or chasing it away. These figures still emerge in the Perchtenläufen of the Alpine areas of Germany, when troll-like forms cavort about with bells to drive away winter. Perchtenläufen take place in different Alpine cities between Advent and January 5, the last of the Rauhnächte.

“The Rauhnächte were also a time when the future for the New Year could be divined. Silvester in Germany still calls for oracle traditions, which often take the form of party games. Bleigießen (lead pouring) is the most popular Silvester fortune-telling tradition. Party-goers melt small lead forms with a candle in an old spoon and pour them into cold water. The lead hardens into a shape that supposedly bears a certain meaning for the New Year… Other oracle traditions on Silvester include swinging a pendulous object, such as a necklace or watch, and asking it a yes-or-no question…

“For those who go out on Silvester, good luck charms and New Year’s greetings are often exchanged. Acquaintances may give good luck charms to each other in the form of ladybugs, four-leaf clovers, horseshoes and pigs…”

As can be seen, the origins of Silvester or New Year’s are thoroughly pagan and even demonic. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Is That in The Bible–Man’s Holidays or God’s Holy Days.”

Amazing Intelligence of Dolphins

Sunday Times wrote on January 3:

“Studies into dolphin behaviour have highlighted how similar their communications are to those of humans and that they are brighter than chimpanzees. These have been backed up by anatomical research showing that dolphin brains have many key features associated with high intelligence…

“Dolphins have long been recognised as among the most intelligent of animals but many researchers had placed them below chimps, which some studies have found can reach the intelligence levels of three-year-old children. Recently, however, a series of behavioural studies has suggested that dolphins, especially species such as the bottlenose, could be the brighter of the two. The studies show how dolphins have distinct personalities, a strong sense of self and can think about the future…

“In one study, Diana Reiss, professor of psychology at Hunter College, City University of New York, showed that bottlenose dolphins could recognise themselves in a mirror and use it to inspect various parts of their bodies, an ability that had been thought limited to humans and great apes. In another, she found that captive animals also had the ability to learn a rudimentary symbol-based language.

“Other research has shown dolphins can solve difficult problems, while those living in the wild co-operate in ways that imply complex social structures and a high level of emotional sophistication. In one recent case, a dolphin rescued from the wild was taught to tail-walk while recuperating for three weeks in a dolphinarium in Australia. After she was released, scientists were astonished to see the trick spreading among wild dolphins who had [learned] it from the former captive.

“There are many similar examples, such as the way dolphins living off Western Australia [learned] to hold sponges over their snouts to protect themselves when searching for spiny fish on the ocean floor.”

God created dolphins and apes with an animal spirit. This spirit is qualitatively different from the spirit of man, and of course from God’s Holy Spirit. However, these spirits explain, to an extent, certain abilities of animals and men; and the absence of the Holy Spirit in man also makes clear why unconverted people cannot understand godly truth. For more information on this highly intriguing and largely misunderstood topic, please read our free booklet, “The Theory of Evolution–a Fairy Tale for Adults.” 

The ceremony of “laying on of hands” is mentioned as one of the basic doctrines of God’s Church (Hebrews 6:2). However, when reading quite a few commentaries, the very existence of that doctrine is commonly denied–nor is there any understanding as to what this doctrine contains.

The “laying on of hands” is a symbolic act, setting individuals apart for God’s special intervention. Already in Old Testament times, it was understood as symbolizing the imparting of godly blessings (Genesis 48:13-20), His authority and spiritual power (Numbers 27:18; Deuteronomy 34:9). In New Testament times, especially after the establishment of the New Testament Church, the laying on of hands has been exclusively performed through God’s true ministers and serves to show that God works through His ministers.

The following sets forth several examples of laying on of hands, as practiced today by the Church of the Eternal God and its corporate affiliates in Canada and Great Britain:

1) Baptism and Laying on of Hands

There is no promise in the Bible that since the foundation and establishment of the New Testament Church in 31 A.D., someone will receive the Holy Spirit without prior proper baptism as an adult–after repentance and belief in Christ’s Sacrifice–and the laying on of hands by God’s ordained ministers. This symbolic act sets the baptized person aside or sanctifies him or her for the divine purpose of receiving from God His Holy Spirit.

We stated the following in our Q&A on baptism through ordained ministers:

“The biblical record indicates that only ordained ministers of God should perform baptisms. The reason is that the baptism is done for the purpose of receiving the Holy Spirit. We need to remember that following baptism by immersing under water, the minister is to pray over the person and to lay his hands on their head so that the person can receive the Holy Spirit. The Bible shows that without the laying on of hands, a person normally does not receive the Holy Spirit.

“Notice this in Acts 8:12-17: ‘But when they believed Philip [one of the original seven deacons, Acts 6:5] as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized… Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He [better translated: it – the Holy Spirit, which is not a Person, but God’s POWER] had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit… Simon [Magus] saw that THROUGH THE LAYING ON OF THE APOSTLES’ HANDS the Holy Spirit was given…’ (Compare, too, Acts 19:5-6).”

2) Healing and Laying on of Hands

Luke 4:40 shows that Christ laid His hands on sick people when He healed them. We also find that only God’s ministers were given special authority from God to pray for the sick and to lay their hands upon them (while anointing them with oil). Notice James 5:14-15: “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up.”

Mark 6:13 describes how God used the apostles to heal the sick: “And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.” In Mark 16:18, Christ adds the following: “… they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

The laying on of hands accompanies an elder’s prayer for the afflicted. We read in Acts 9:17: “And Ananias… laying his hands on him he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus… has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” We then read, in verse 18, that “Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.” (For a thorough discussion that Ananias was in fact an elder, read our Q&A on baptism.)

We also read in Acts 28:8: “And it happened that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and dysentery. Paul went in to him and prayed, and he laid his hands on him and healed him.”

Taking all these passages together, God instructs us, when we are sick, to call for the elders of His Church to pray for us and to anoint us with oil – a symbol of the Holy Spirit – and to lay hands on us, so that we can be healed (James 5:14-15; Mark 16:18). If such a personal ministerial visit is not possible, then elders are permitted to use and pray over a cloth, anointing it with a drop of oil as the symbol of the Holy Spirit, laying or placing their hands on the cloth, and asking God to heal the sick person who will receive this cloth. This is based on numerous passages in the Bible, showing us that people were healed when touching the garments of Christ (Mark 6:56) or the aprons or handkerchiefs from Paul’s body (Acts 19:11-12).

Acts 19:11-12 shows that “God worked unusual miracles BY THE HANDS OF PAUL, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.” While many times Christ and the apostles cast out demons by their word (Matthew 8:16; Mark 6:13; Acts 16:16-18), without the laying on of their hands, we find that in Luke 13:11-16, Christ cast out a Satanic spirit of infirmity by laying His hands on the sick and afflicted person.

3) Marriage and Laying on of Hands

In our Q&A on Christian marriage ceremonies, conducted by God’s ordained ministers, we state the following:

“During the ceremony, the minister emphasizes the purpose of marriage, and that the couple is entering into a life-long COVENANT with God. He also places his hands on the couple, while asking God in prayer to sanctify the marriage and to set aside the couple for the holy purpose of the marriage relationship. (That God’s minister lays hands on the couple is highly significant: The Biblical procedure of laying on of hands is done for ‘sanctification,’ that is, for the purpose of setting the person or persons aside for a holy purpose.).”

4) Blessing of Little Children and Laying on of Hands

Jesus Christ, while here on the earth, specifically and ceremonially blessed little children: “And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them” (Mark 10:16; compare Matthew 19:13-15). The Church of God now follows this example by setting aside a time during the annual Feast of Tabernacles celebrations to bless little children, and especially, to ask God to grant them His protection and guidance. This, then, has become a “custom” or “tradition” of the Church.

5) Ordination and Laying on of Hands

Ordinations of deacons and deaconesses and elders are done strictly through the ministry, and they are always accompanied by the laying on of hands–setting the ordained person aside for the godly office of a deacon or deaconess or an elder (Acts 6:2-6; 1 Timothy 4:14; compare also 1 Timothy 5:22). Notice especially 2 Timothy 1:6: “Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you THROUGH THE LAYING ON OF MY HANDS.” This procedure is also applied when a deacon is raised to the office of an elder, and when an elder is raised to a higher rank within the ministry, such as pastor or evangelist.

The Jamieson, Fausset and Brown commentary states about the ordination, as described in Acts 6:6: “… when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them–the one proclaiming that all official gifts flowed from the Church’s glorified Head, the other symbolizing the communication of these to the chosen office-bearers through the recognized channels.”

As we can see, the doctrine of “laying on of hands” is very important–it is in fact foundational for our very salvation. This doctrine requires and demands a functioning godly ministry. God has established this procedure for His Church: “For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, And people should seek the law from his mouth; For he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts” (Malachi 2:7). It is an awesome responsibility to stand as representatives of God and Jesus Christ in matters such as these. Likewise, lest we look upon the administration of God’s Church lightly, let us also consider the warning of Hebrews 5:4 concerning what God has ordained: “And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was.”

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

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