The Western World’s Subjugation to Muslim Immigrants

Der Spiegel Online published the following on February 12:

“In the summer of 2007, Tiny Muskens, a liberal Catholic and the former bishop of the Dutch city of Breda, proposed replacing the word ‘God’ with the word ‘Allah.’ Allah, he said, is a nice name for God and, for this reason, we shouldn’t feel uncomfortable about referring to God as Allah. A short time later, the Social Democratic mayor of Brussels, Freddy Thielemans… instructed Brussels police officers not… eat in public during the month-long Ramadan fast, so as not to offend Muslims. A bit farther south, in Zurich, police officers were asked to acquaint themselves with Islamic culture by voluntarily refraining from eating or drinking for an entire day during Ramadan… Meanwhile, the BBC announced a new policy on its Web site’s ‘Section on Islam’: Any mention of the Prophet Muhammad was to be followed by the phrase ‘Peace be upon him.’… It didn’t take long before the British Home Office announced a new rule applicable to all official government statements: Phrases like ‘war on terror’ and ‘Islamic extremism’ were no longer to be used.

“And now a British cleric wants to introduce Shariah [Islamic law] in England. Mind you, this is not just any pastor from some tiny village in Wales, but rather the spiritual leader of the Anglican Church, Rowan Williams, archbishop of Canterbury. According to Williams, Britain must consider the fact that some citizens cannot identify with British law. Accepting some aspects of Shariah, he argued, could help to avoid social tension. Under Williams’ proposal, people involved in marital conflicts and financial disputes would be able to choose between British law and Shariah…

“The proposal by the archbishop of Canterbury is evidence of more than just an unbelievable naiveté. It also reveals how far the idea of preventive capitulation in the face of an unsolvable problem has advanced.”

Danish and Swedish Newspapers Go On the Offensive

Deutsche Welle reported on February 13:

“Five major daily Danish newspapers, 10 smaller papers and a Swedish daily reprinted on Wednesday, Feb. 13, one of the 12 drawings of Mohammed that a Danish paper had published two years ago and which triggered global protests. The drawing was a caricature of the Prophet, whose head was adorned with a turban that looked like a bomb with a lit fuse. In republishing the cartoon, editors vowed to defend freedom of expression.

“The act was in response to news on Tuesday that police had foiled a murder plot against the cartoonist. ‘We are doing this to document what is at stake in this case, and to unambiguously back and support the freedom of speech that we as a newspaper will always defend,’ wrote the Berlingske Tidende, which reprinted the cartoon in its Wednesday edition… One editorialist in the Danish paper Politiken commented that the murder plot was an attack on Denmark’s democratic culture.”

No Mosques in Parts of Austria

On February 12, IOL published the following article:

“The provincial government of Carinthia, a southern Austrian province, on Tuesday passed a law effectively banning the construction of mosques or minarets. The controversial legislation, passed with the votes of the Conservative People’s party and the right-wing Alliance for Austria’s Future was a sign against the ‘advancement of Islam’, provincial governor Joerg Haider said. The legislation links the construction of mosques with rules concerning the overall look and harmony of towns and villages, thereby aiming at preventing their construction…

“Haider, a former leader of the right-wing Freedom Party that in its heyday enjoyed the support of up to 27 percent of Austria’s voters with its anti-immigration rhetoric, praised the new rules as a ‘guidepost’ for Europe…”

President Bush Signs Economic Stimulus Plan

The Associated Press reported on February 13:

“President Bush signed legislation on Wednesday to send $300 to $1,200 rebate checks to millions of Americans as a ‘booster shot’ for the economy. Rebates are to go out beginning in May to taxpayers and low-income people…

“Most taxpayers will receive a check of up to $600 for individuals and $1,200 for couples from the Internal Revenue Service, with an additional $300 per child. People earning at least $3,000 and those who owe little or no taxes would get $300 for singles, $600 for couples. Those making more than $75,000 and couples with income exceeding $150,000 are to get smaller rebates — $50 less per $1,000 they make over those thresholds…

“Economic analysts generally believe the $168 billion package Bush signed will help prevent the current downturn from ballooning into a crisis. But if the rebates don’t spur a consumer spending spree strong enough to cure what ails the economy, Congress is ready to throw more money at the problem… In the meantime, economists are debating how effective the rebates will be, with critics arguing that debt-burdened consumers will use the money to pay bills rather than spending the checks and spurring growth.”

General Motors Suffered Huge Loss in 2007

CNNMoney.com reported on February 12:

“In an effort to shave ongoing losses, General Motors offered lucrative buyouts Tuesday to 74,000 employees – its entire U.S. hourly workforce. The nation’s largest automaker announced the latest round of buyouts as it reported another loss on its core auto operations in the fourth quarter, which combined with charges taken earlier in the year left GM with a company-record $38.7 billion net loss for 2007.
 
“To try to stem automotive losses that have dogged the company since 2005, the company is making a range of offers, up to cash payments of $140,000 to the remaining 74,000 GM workers represented by the United Auto Workers union. The goal is not to reduce headcount but rather to bring in new workers at a lower cost…

“The company also saw pretax losses grow in its European operations and profits decline in the Asia-Pacific region that has become increasingly important for the company’s fortunes.”

U.S. Economy Clearly in Trouble

The Associated Press reported on February 14:

“Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told Congress Thursday that the country’s economic outlook has deteriorated and signaled that the central bank is ready to keep on lowering a key interest rate — as needed — to shore things up. In remarks to the Senate Banking Committee, Bernanke said the one-two punch of the housing and credit crises has greatly strained the economy. Hiring has slowed and people are likely to tighten their belts further, as they are pinched by high energy prices and watch the value of their single biggest asset — their homes — weaken, he warned. ‘The outlook for the economy has worsened in recent months, and the downside risks to growth have increased,’ Bernanke said…

“‘Our economy is clearly in trouble,’ said the committee’s chairman, Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn. Restoring investor and consumer confidence, he said, is critical ‘if we are going to get back on our feet again.’… Economic growth practically stalled in the final three months of last year, and some economists believe it may actually be contracting now. By one rough rule of thumb, a recession occurs when there are two consecutive quarters — six straight months — when the economy shrinks.”

Exxon Mobil Cut Off From Venezuela’s Oil

The Associated Press reported on February 12:

“Venezuela’s state oil company said Tuesday that it has stopped selling crude to Exxon Mobil Corp. in response to the U.S. oil company’s drive to use the courts to seize billions of dollars in Venezuelan assets. Exxon Mobil is locked in a dispute over the nationalization of its oil ventures in Venezuela that has led President Hugo Chavez to threaten to cut off all Venezuelan oil supplies to the United States. Venezuela is currently the United States’ fourth largest oil supplier…

“Meanwhile, Venezuelan state television has begun airing short anti-Exxon segments, with a message appearing on the screen in red text reading: ‘Exxon Mobil turns oil into blood.’ The U.S. remains the No. 1 buyer of Venezuelan oil… Venezuela is selling the U.S. a daily average of 1.5 million barrels of crude and other products derived from oil.”

The Melting Pot of the USA

USA Today reported on February 12:

“… according to projections released Monday by the Pew Research Center… show that by 2050… one in five Americans will have been born outside the USA… Whites who are not Hispanic, now two-thirds of the population, will become a minority when their share drops to 47%… Hispanics, already the largest minority group, will more than double their share of the population to 29%… Blacks will remain 13% of the population. Asians will go to 9% from 5%… The gap between the number of working-age people and the children and seniors who depend on them will widen as boomers age. There will be 72 young and elderly for every 100 people of working age by 2050…The ethnic and racial profile of the nation could change because of inter-marriage. It’s not clear how the children and grandchildren of multiracial and multi-ethnic unions will identify themselves in the future.”

Senior Military Commander of Hezbollah Killed

Deutsche Welle reported on February 13:

“The Shi’ite militia group Hezbollah has said that one of its senior military commanders has been killed in Syria. Imad Mughniyah was killed in a car bombing in a residential area of Damascus late on Tuesday. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the US welcomed the death of Mughniyah who was alleged to be responsible for bombings and kidnappings on Western facilities in Lebanon in the 1980’s. The US had a 25 million dollar bounty on the head of Mughniyah for his role in the hijacking of a US airliner in 1985. Hezbollah and Iran blame Israel for his assassination, an accusation Israel has denied.”

Calls for “Retaliation” Against Israel

The Associated Press reported on February 14:

“The purported leader of al-Qaida’s affiliate in Iraq called in a new posting on a militant Web site on Thursday for attacks on Israel and proposed that Iraq’s territory be a ‘launching pad’ to seize Jerusalem. In the 30-minute audiotape, Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, said to head the Islamic State of Iraq, lashed out at Arab and Palestinian groups — especially the Palestinian Hamas — for failing to liberate the Palestinians… The new posting came as Israeli security instructed embassies and Jewish institutions around the world to go on alert for fear of revenge attacks for a car bomb that killed a top-wanted terrorist, Imad Mughniyeh, late Tuesday in the Syrian capital. Hezbollah has accused Israel of killing the militant, whose funeral was being held Thursday, but Israel has denied that.

“… al-Baghdadi said the ‘Islamic state in Iraq will be the cornerstone for the return of Al-Quds’ and added the group was trying to use Iraq’s western province of al-Anbar as a launching pad for missiles against Israel — the same way the late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein fired 31 missiles against the Jewish state in the Gulf War.”

German Court Rules Surveillance of Scientology Legal

Deutsche Welle reported on February 13:

“An administrative appellate court in Muenster… found that the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution was within its authority to keep Scientologists under observation… In the statement announcing the verdict, the court said that there were ‘numerous indications’ that the Scientology organization promoted a form of society ‘in which central constitutional values such as the dignity of mankind and the right to equal treatment would be suspended or restricted.’ ‘In particular, there is the suspicion that in a scientological society only Scientologists would enjoy civil rights,’ the court decided…

“The German court also heard testimony concerning a number of anti-democratic remarks made by Hubbard. The court found… no evidence of the movement distancing itself from those opinions. The Church of Scientology says it will appeal the ruling and called for an end to the surveillance. ‘The German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution should finally end this farce and turn its attention to real enemies of the Constitution and real danger so as to do what it is there for: to protect the German constitution and the basic rights of the people,’ the organization said.”

Israel and Germany–Don’t See Eye to Eye

Der Spiegel Online reported on February 13:

“Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert visited Berlin Monday and Tuesday, where he met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel for discussions on topics including the countries’ shared concerns on Iran’s putative nuclear ambitions… On other topics, Israel and Germany share less common ground. The square-off between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip has intensified as the militant group continues to launch daily salvos of rockets into Israel and suicide bombers have struck after a year-long hiatus. In response, Israel has tightened restrictions on the Gaza Strip, which has intensified the humanitarian crisis there. Israel has also not ruled out a full-scale military campaign…

“The right-leaning Die Welt writes: ‘… Germans and Israelis are seeing less and less eye to eye… For the Germans, war is the worst possible thing that can happen, but for the Israelis that thing is aggression, which in its most extreme form can only be stopped with war…’

“The center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung writes: ‘Germany only has limited opportunities to exert influence… The most important job for Europe’s governments is to continue encouraging Israel to choose another path’…

“The business daily Handelsblatt writes: ‘Germany is really a dependable ally of Israel’s. But this partnership is skating on thin ice. When the (respected German polling institute) Allensbach Institute for Public Opinion Research conducted a survey in January asking people which countries Germany should cooperate with, Israel landed in last place. That’s not surprising when you know that nearly half of all Germans view (Israel) as the largest threat to world peace. You can’t make the blanket statement that aggressive anti-Semitism lies behind these views. What is probably more symptomatic of the image of Israel that many Germans have can be seen in the sentiment expressed by a young woman in a discussion last week in Berlin, when she said: ‘Israel is building itself into its own prison, just like East Germany once did. But hopefully this wall will fall, too.'”

A Historic Moment For Europe

The EUObserver wrote on February 8:

“The French parliament has approved the new EU treaty, making France the first of the large member states to ratify the document and drawing a line under the shock ‘No’ vote of almost three years ago when French voters rejected the original EU constitution… Europe Minister Jean-Pierre Jouyet told parliament on Thursday that ratification was a ‘historic moment for France’ while foreign minister Bernard Kouchner said ‘this treaty deserves to be appreciated for its value: as an important moment in the construction of the European ideal.’ ‘This is excellent news, a great victory for France which has gone from being the country holding up Europe to being the one that pulled Europe out of gridlock,’ said government spokesman David Martinon… The French ratification… makes France the fifth country after Hungary, Slovenia, Malta and Romania to approve the treaty.

“The treaty introduces a powerful foreign policy chief, a permanent president of the European Council and gives greater legislative powers to the European Parliament. It must be ratified by all 27 member states to come into force. Ratification is expected to take place through the year. Germany plans to ratify in June while others such as Spain will follow suit later in the year. Only Ireland has pledged to have a referendum. Meanwhile, the ratification saga continues in Slovakia. Its treaty approval process has become tangled up in a separate dispute between government and opposition parties over a media bill, which the opposition say is too restrictive.”

Slovenia will most certainly not be in a position to stop European unification. Either they will come around and ratify the treaty, or they will find themselves outside European confines. The same would be true for any other of the smaller European countries.

The Soon-Coming European Military Muscle

The Associated Press reported on February 9:

“French Defense Minister Herve Morin accused the United States of a ‘schizophrenic’ approach to European security Saturday and also criticized other European allies for an ‘infantile’ dependence on American power. Morin complained to U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and other delegates at an international security conference that the U.S. was constantly pushing European allies to take on a greater defense burden, but resisted French-led efforts to build a security role for the European Union… French President Nicolas Sarkozy is keen to improve trans-Atlantic relations and is considering a return of France’s armed forces to NATO integrated military command 40 years after Gen. Charles de Gaulle pulled them out over concern about American domination of the alliance. But France is expected to link the return to American backing for a greater EU defense role…

“The French minister also took a swipe at other European allies for cutting defense budgets and preferring to rely on American protection rather than building up European military muscle. ‘Europe does not assume enough responsibility, it simply falls into dependence,’ Morin complained. ‘European nations must do more to share the defense burden…

“German Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung and NATO’s Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer both welcomed signs that France is considering a return to full membership of the military structure. ‘I hope that France will get more involved in the alliance,’ Jung told the meeting.”

Armageddon on the Horizon

The Daily Mail reported on February 8:

“Vladimir Putin has accused the United States of starting a new arms race on Russia’s doorstep. Moscow will respond by modernising its military and weapons systems, he said yesterday. In a speech containing tough rhetoric aimed at the West, the Russian president said Nato expansion and U.S. plans for a missile defence shield in Eastern Europe had kicked off an arms race… [He said:] ‘We drew down our bases in Cuba and in Vietnam. What did we get? New American bases in Romania and Bulgaria, and a new third missile defence shield in Poland… The Kremlin has said that U.S. plans to deploy ten missile interceptors in Poland and a radar in the Czech Republic would threaten Russia’s security. And it dismissed U.S. claims that the sites are to deter a missile threat from Iran… ‘We are being forced to take retaliatory steps,’ he said.”

Der Spiegel Online added on February 13:

“Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters on Tuesday that Russia could aim missiles at Ukraine if leaders in Kiev decide to join NATO and host part of the alliance’s controversial anti-missile shield… The statement was the clearest warning so far that Russia would resist the march of NATO membership to the Black Sea.”

Global Warming or New Ice Age?

The Drudge Report published the following article by RIA, which was originally written on or about January 22:

“Temperatures on Earth have stabilized in the past decade, and the planet should brace itself for a new Ice Age rather than global warming, a Russian scientist said in an interview with RIA Novosti Tuesday. ‘Russian and foreign research data confirm that global temperatures in 2007 were practically similar to those in 2006, and, in general, identical to 1998-2006 temperatures, which, basically, means that the Earth passed the peak of global warming in 1998-2005,’ said Khabibullo Abdusamatov, head of a space research lab at the Pulkovo observatory in St. Petersburg…

“Had global temperatures directly responded to concentrations of ‘greenhouse’ gases in the atmosphere, they would have risen by at least 0.1 Celsius in the past ten years, however, it never happened, he said. ‘A year ago, many meteorologists predicted that higher levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere would make the year 2007 the hottest in the last decade, but, fortunately, these predictions did not become reality,’ Abdusamatov said. He also said that in 2008, global temperatures would drop slightly, rather than rise, due to unprecedentedly low solar radiation in the past 30 years, and would continue decreasing even if industrial emissions of carbon dioxide reach record levels. By 2041, solar activity will reach its minimum according to a 200-year cycle, and a deep cooling period will hit the Earth approximately in 2055-2060. It will last for about 45-65 years, the scientist added…

“Mankind will face serious economic, social, and demographic consequences of the coming Ice Age because it will directly affect more than 80% of the earth’s population, the scientist concluded.”

Whether global warming or a new ice age, the consequences for our planet would be equally devastating. Based on the Biblical prophecies, both a temporary “cooling off” and a “warming” of the planet appear to be possible, even though we must understand that the prophecies will be fulfilled, in most cases, through SUPERNATURAL events. Note Biblical passages such as Isaiah 13:10; 30:26; Revelation 8:12;16:8-9, 12.

Huge Rubbish Dump in the Pacific Ocean

The Daily Mail reported on February 12:

“A rubbish dump twice the size of the United States has been discovered floating in the Pacific Ocean. The vast expanse of debris, made up of plastic junk including footballs, kayaks, Lego blocks and carrier bags, is kept together by swirling underwater currents. It stretches from 500 nautical miles off the Californian coast, across the northern Pacific, past Hawaii and almost as far as Japan. Because the rubbish, which has been called a ‘plastic soup’ and a ‘trash vortex’, is translucent and lies just below the water’s surface it cannot be seen in satellite photographs.

“American oceanographer Charles Moore discovered the Great Pacific Garbage Patch by chance in 1997 while taking a short cut home from a yacht race… He warned that the rubbish could double in size over the next decade if consumers do not cut back on their use of plastics. More than a million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals die every year as a result of plastic rubbish. Syringes, cigarette lighters and toothbrushes have all been found inside the stomachs of dead seabirds. The rubbish can also be dangerous for humans, because tiny plastic pellets in the sea can attract man-made chemicals which then enter the food chain… The rubbish dump is made up of two linked areas either side of Hawaii. Around one-fifth of the junk is thrown off ships or oil platforms, while the rest comes from the land.”

Human-To-Human Transmission of Bird Flu Virus

The Associated Press reported on February 13:

“The daughter of an Indonesian women who tested positive for bird flu has also contracted the virus, the World Health Organization said Wednesday, in what could be a case of human-to-human transmission. The 14-year-old girl was in critical condition at a Jakarta hospital, WHO said on its website. The girl’s 38-year-old mother has been in hospital with the bird flu virus since Jan. 26. ‘She was exposed to her sick mother…and spent time in a neighbourhood where chickens and other birds were found,’ the WHO statement said, adding the source of infection is still under investigation. Further tests will be needed to establish whether the daughter contracted the virus from contact with her mother or from an infected chicken or its droppings – the source of most of Indonesia’s 103 fatal cases.

“Cases of possible human-to-human transmission are watched closely because they increase the chance of the virus mutating into a form that is easily passed among humans, which could possibly trigger a global pandemic. The World Health Organization said the virus passed between humans, although in a limited way, in one large cluster of cases in a single family on Indonesia’s Sumatra Island in 2006. The H5N1 strain of bird flu has killed at least 226 people worldwide since it started ravaging poultry stocks in Asia five years ago, WHO said.”

Beware of Cyberthieves!

CNN reported on February 13:

“… cyberthieves use a… type of subterfuge — phishing — to cover their identities and wipe out bank accounts. Phishing occurs when fraudulent e-mails that appear to be from a legitimate source are sent in an effort to obtain sensitive information from a user… Of the top 20 companies targeted by phishing in 2007…, 19 are in the banking industry. Computer users are often tricked into visiting fraudulent sites because of ‘danger, danger’ e-mail subject lines like ‘account security measures,’ ‘important notice’ or ‘(your bank name) security notice.’

“One sneaky thing some malware (malicious threats) does is to modify a user’s server information. For example, a user types www.bankofamerica.com into his or her browser. But instead of the computer using the service provider’s server, which would take the user to the real Bank of America server, the computer uses a bogus server run by phishers — and that takes the user to a fake Bank of America server. The phishers take the user’s login information and empty the account. Most users, even the savvy ones, wouldn’t know that their server settings have been hijacked…

“Though tech-savvy, proudly paperless home computer users may shun those so-20th-century snail mail bank statements, it might be worth it to go retro and compare your online banking information with the paper record… criminals in Brazil have figured out ways to wipe out bank accounts and leave no trail in an individual’s online account. And bank customers may be out of luck if the theft goes unnoticed for a while. Usually, banks give only 90 days to remediate an account problem.”

Jews Still Don’t Like Catholic Prayer…

Reuters reported on February 7:

“The top Vatican cardinal in charge of relations with Jews on Thursday denied a new prayer for their conversion was offensive and said Catholics had the right to pray as they wished. Cardinal Walter Kasper spoke in an interview in a leading Italian newspaper a day after world Jewish leaders said the new prayer could set back inter-religious dialogue by decades. ‘I must say that I don’t understand why Jews cannot accept that we can make use of our freedom to formulate our prayers,’ Kasper, a German, told the Corriere della Sera.

“The Vatican on Tuesday revised a contested Latin prayer used by a traditionalist minority on Good Friday, removing a reference to Jewish ‘blindness’ over Christ and deleting a phrase asking God to ‘remove the veil from their hearts’. Jews criticized the new version because it still says they should recognize Jesus Christ as the savior of all men. It asks that ‘all Israel may be saved’ and keeps an underlying call to conversion that Jewish leaders had wanted omitted.

“‘We think that reasonably this prayer cannot be an obstacle to dialogue because it reflects the faith of the Church and, furthermore, Jews have prayers in their liturgical texts that we Catholics don’t like,’ Kasper said… Jewish organizations… criticized the new version. ‘While we appreciate that some of the deprecatory language has been removed … we are deeply troubled and disappointed that the framework and intention to petition God for Jews to accept Jesus as Lord was kept intact,’ Abraham Foxman, U.S. national director of the ADL, said in a statement.”

However, the Catholic Church is correct in pointing out that all men–including Jews–MUST accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. The BIBLE makes it very clear that we cannot be saved except through Jesus Christ (compare Acts 4:12). Whether men like it or not–that is the truth!

Lent, the Virgin Mary and the Healing of the Sick

VIS reported on February 10 that according to the Pope, “the beginning of Lent this year coincides with the 150th anniversary of the apparition of the Virgin Mary at Lourdes (11 February 1858). ‘The message the Virgin Mary continues to proclaim at Lourdes’, he said, ‘recalls the words that Jesus pronounced at the very beginning of His public mission: … “Convert and believe in the Gospel”, pray and do penance. Let us welcome Mary’s invitation, which echoes that of Christ, and ask her to enable us “to enter” with faith into Lent, to live this period of grace with inner joy and generous commitment’. The Pope concluded his pre-Angelus remarks by entrusting the sick and their carers to the Virgin Mary…”

Regarding the role of the Virgin Mary in the Catholic Church, please make sure to read our Q&A on the Nicolaitans in this Update.

New Chief Named for German Catholic Church

Deutsche Welle reported on February 13:

“Robert Zollitsch, archbishop of Freiburg, unexpectedly has been named Karl Lehmann’s successor as head of the German Catholic Church. He’s considered a liberal and recommends making celibacy optional for priests… Zollitsch has a reputation for not shying away from both touchy political topics and church disputes… He was born in 1938 to a German family in Filipovo in former Yugoslavia. They were expelled after the Second World War and fled to Germany.”

Bishop of Church of England: “We DON’T Go to Heaven When We Die”

WorldNetDaily reported the following on February 10:

“A bishop described as ‘one of the most formidable figures in the world of Christian thought’ is now challenging the widely held belief that Christians go to heaven when they die. N.T. ‘Tom’ Wright, the fourth most senior cleric in the Church of England who has been praised for his staunch defense of the literal resurrection of Jesus Christ, has published a new book in which he says people do not ascend to God’s dwelling place. Instead, God will be coming back to Earth. ‘Never at any point do the Gospels or Paul say Jesus has been raised, therefore we are… all going to heaven,’ Wright told Time Magazine…

“In the Gospel of John, Jesus himself is quoted as saying, ‘And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.’ (John 3:13)…

The article continued quoting Wright as follows:

“Jesus’ resurrection marks the beginning of a restoration that he will complete upon his return… Wright says much of ‘traditional Christianity’ has been influenced by pagan philosophies…

“While Wright’s view may seem stunning to many of today’s Christians, it is the same view held by some famous names in the Protestant Reformation. In 1520, Martin Luther blasted Catholic ideas ‘that the soul is immortal; and all these endless monstrosities in the Roman dunghill of decretals.’ A decade later, English Bible translator and martyr William Tyndale echoed the idea Christians are completely dead until Jesus returns, as he voiced opposition to ‘heathen’ ideas of people having immortal souls at birth: ‘The true faith putteth [setteth forth] the resurrection, which we be warned to look for every hour. The heathen philosophers, denying that, did put [set forth] that the souls did ever live. And the pope joineth the spiritual doctrine of Christ and the fleshly doctrine of philosophers together; things so contrary that they cannot agree…'”

Even though Wright’s positions contain the usual mixture of truth and error–so his unbiblical concept that the souls of men will enter an intermediate conscious state upon death–he nevertheless understands that we do not go to heaven when we die. The truth is this: When we die, we enter into a “dreamless sleep,” but we will be awakened within the next second of our consciousness through a resurrection from the dead. The Bible does not picture death as the entrance into a painful or worrisome uncertain intermediate state–but rather as an unconscious “sleep,” followed by a beautiful and mind-boggling awakening for those who died in Christ. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Do We Have an Immortal Soul?”

U.S. Elections–Super Tuesday

Der Spiegel Online wrote on February 6:

“The race for the Democratic nomination remains open after Super Tuesday as Hillary Clinton won the California primary and most states on the wealthy East Coast, but Barack Obama won more states overall. John McCain clinched delegate-rich primaries to strengthen his lead in the Republican race…

“Obama won 12 states and Clinton took eight. Clinton’s wins included the key prizes of California and New York on the biggest day of presidential voting in the United States ahead of November’s election…

“Republican contender John McCain won nine states, including key victories in California and big Northeastern states to take a strong lead in the Republican race. But Republican rivals Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee kept their hopes alive and vowed to fight on. Romney won six states and Huckabee won five…”

However, The Associated Press reported on February 7: “Mitt Romney will suspend his presidential campaign for the Republican nomination…, effectively ceding the nomination to John McCain.”

In a related article, The Associated Press reported on February 7: “Democrat Barack Obama raised $7.2 million in less than 48 hours post Super Tuesday and rival Hillary Rodham Clinton collected $4 million, giving him a financial edge that’s caused consternation within a Clinton campaign… Clinton acknowledged Wednesday that she loaned her campaign $5 million late last month as Obama was outraising and outspending her heading into Feb. 5 Super Tuesday contests.”

German Analysis of the U.S. Democratic Election

Der Spiegel Online wrote on February 6 about the Democratic election:

“Barack Obama has powerful allies… But Barack Obama also has a powerful opponent he has so far been unable to beat: the middle ground of American society. The majority of that middle ground is still refusing to follow his message of change and hope. Converted into power, the most important currency of politics, that means that the senator from Illinois is strong — but not strong enough — to topple Hillary Clinton. She’s ahead in the fight for the Democratic nomination, but her lead is narrowing…

“Try as he might, Obama is failing so far to win over ordinary people. It’s hard to whip up enthusiasm among the down-to-earth voters of the center ground, people who are too preoccupied with the everyday problems of life to get swept up by Obama’s grand pledge to turn over a new leaf in the history book. His message doesn’t have much impact among them… These people aren’t excited, they’re worried. They’re not content, but they have no desire for revolution either. You don’t come across such people in the pages of American newspapers, but the real world is full of them. THEY’RE SKEPTICAL ABOUT POLITICS…

“Obama is inspiring millions of Americans, but there are also millions who find him too young, too smart, too smooth, too unscarred. He’s hardly lived his life and already wants to take home the big prize. The modern part of the country may celebrate him as a pop star, but the majority is still listening to country music.

“Harvard professors might support him, but in Massachusetts, the state surrounding the Harvard campus, Clinton won on Super Tuesday… The rich and famous climbed on stage for Obama in California… But [Clinton] managed to win over the ordinary people… This is no campaign of left against right. This is a HISTORIC ELECTION in which the center of society is trying to stand its ground. The center is shrinking, in Europe as well as in America.”

German Analysis of the U.S. Republican Election

Der Spiegel Online wrote on February 6 about the Republican election:

“It’s been an unbelievable comeback. A year ago, you could have pretty much written the obituary for John McCain’s 2008 campaign. And now, one day after Super Tuesday, he’s firmly at the helm of the Republican ship. His battle, though, hasn’t just been with Democrats. Some of his most vicious enemies are part of his own party…

“John McCain’s victory was surprisingly clear. His opponent Mitt Romney won a handful of the smaller states, including Massachusetts, where he used to be the governor. Mike Huckabee, the politically gifted Baptist preacher from Arkansas, performed surprisingly well and won in four Southern states, which makes Romney’s successes look even feebler…

“Right-wing commentators and hosts of the big radio talk shows have joined forces to create a veritable anti-McCain brigade. For weeks now, right-wing talk show host Rush Limbaugh has agitated against McCain on his program. The closer the Vietnam hero gets to the nomination, the meaner the attacks become. McCain ‘has stabbed his party in the back so many times,’ Limbaugh rages. ‘I can’t even say how often.’ The radio host says that he would prefer to have his party lose the election over having it be led by McCain. ‘If I believe the country will suffer with either Hillary, Obama or McCain, I would just as soon the Democrats take the hit … rather than a Republican causing the debacle.’

“James Dobson, the head of an arch-conservative Christian group that espouses family values, warned recently on another radio talk show that: ‘I am convinced Sen. McCain is not a conservative and, in fact, has gone out of his way to stick his thumb in the eyes of those who are.’ These right-wing radio programs are very popular. Each week, Limbaugh alone reaches over 13.5 million listeners.

“But it’s clear that the voters have not listened to the drums beating loudly against McCain. And, instead of transforming Mitt Romney into a kingmaker, it now appears that the influence of the right-wing opinion-makers is smaller than had previously been believed… As Barack Obama’s success also shows, Americans are LOOKING FOR A LEADER and not for someone who, like Romney, adapts his beliefs to whichever way the wind blows…

“More than anything else… this vote was one about CHARACTER. The voters’ beliefs are often at odds with John McCain’s, but they put a high value on his character… This explains what is actually a rather paradoxical situation. America’s tanking economy has become one of the most important election issues, but it is not one of McCain’s strong suits. Nevertheless, he is still winning because his character outshines everything… else. The same holds true when it comes to the war in Iraq. McCain is one of the war’s unshakeable advocates, and he only has differences with President George W. Bush when it comes to the question of which strategies are the correct ones. Nevertheless, the former Marine pilot is also currently [attracting] the votes of Republicans opposed to the war.”

How the World Views the U.S. Presidential Race

The Associated Press reported on February 1:

“America’s extraordinary presidential campaign has captivated politicians and ordinary people around the globe. With SO MUCH AT STAKE in the race for the White House, the world is watching with an intensity that hasn’t been seen since the Clinton era began in 1992…

“‘[Non-Americans]  feel there’s a real chance to work with the U.S.,’ said Julianne Smith, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies. ‘America’s image in the world is really on the line.’ Non-Americans, she said, are looking for someone who can ‘restore faith in the United States.’

“Obama, perhaps not surprisingly, is generating most of the buzz abroad. ‘Der schwarze Kennedy,’ some German admirers are calling him: ‘The black JFK.’ ‘He is young, charming and sexy!’ the mass-circulation newspaper Bild gushed. ‘Obama is now the ideal projection screen for hopes and expectations in Europe’ and the U.S. alike, said Christian Hacke, a professor at the University of Bonn.

“… in Europe, where some see Obama as untested, support for Clinton is widespread, and nostalgia for her husband’s charisma runs deep. When scandals rocked the Clinton White House, most Europeans responded with a Gallic shrug. ‘Nobody in Europe ever took Bill Clinton’s problems in office seriously,’ said Patrick Dunleavy, a political scientist at the London School of Economics. ‘Nobody could ever understand why Americans were so upset. Bill Clinton was always a fantastic presence in Europe.’

“The Republican presidential hopefuls, by contrast, are not highly regarded in Europe: Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee are seen as too religious, and the 71-year-old McCain as too old. To Britons, history’s most popular postwar presidents were Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton because of their perceived levelheadedness and intelligence, said Dunleavy. The most despised? President Bush and Ronald Reagan ‘because they were seen as erratic and unpredictable,’ he said.

“Yet Democrats don’t rule the entire world of public opinion. Saad al-Hadithi, a political analyst in Baghdad, contends the Republican candidates are more committed to Iraq and have a better approach. ‘They show more support to the political progress and to combating terrorist groups in Iraq,’ he said. ‘The Democrats, especially Hillary Clinton, are calling for the withdrawal of U.S. forces, but they are not offering an alternative. Such a withdrawal while the Iraqi security forces are still weak will lead to disastrous results.’

“Russia’s leaders also consider Republicans more pragmatic, said Nkolai Petrov, an analyst with the Carnegie Moscow Center. But the Kremlin, Petrov said, would likely have ‘serious concerns’ if McCain wins the Republican nomination because of the Arizona senator’s harsh and persistent criticism of Vladimir Putin’s autocratic government…

“Africans naturally gravitate toward Obama, whose father was from Kenya. Israelis, though, seem to prefer Hillary Clinton… because of her experience and the backing Bill Clinton gave to the Jewish state during his two terms as president.

“Amid the raging debate over immigration, Mexicans arguably have more at stake in the U.S. election than any other nation. But President Felipe Calderon doesn’t think very highly of any of the candidates. ‘The only theme,’ he declared in December, ‘is to compete to see who can be the most swaggering, macho and anti-Mexican… People all around the world are pretty worried,’ he said. ‘They want a president who will restore a kind of U.S. legitimacy in the world.'”

Federal Interest Rate Cuts–A Double-Edged Sword?

Der Spiegel Online reported on January 31:

“In a drastic step, the Fed has lowered its key interest rate to 3.0 percent, the second large cut in two weeks…. Interest rate cuts are a double-edged sword. On the one hand, cheap money is a boon for the economy and stock market: If banks have access to cheap money, then theoretically companies should also be able to take out loans at better conditions…

“But on the other hand, interest rate cuts — especially extraordinary rate cuts announced between scheduled meetings, like last week’s — also raise fears. When the US Federal Reserve takes drastic measures, the inevitable suspicion arises that they know more than the rest of the world: Do they have data which shows that the economy is cooling faster than is feared?…

“More significant than this diffuse anxiety are allegations by many analysts that the Fed’s attempted CURE IS WORSE THAN THE DISEASE. With his policy of holding interest rates low, ex-Fed chief Alan Greenspan is accused by some of being partly responsible for laying the foundations for the subprime real estate crisis…

“Greenspan lowered interest rates 11 times in 2001 — from 6.5 percent to finally just 1.75 percent. The following year, rates even fell to 1 percent… By making these cuts, Greenspan saved the US economy… from disaster.  At the same time, he made money so cheap that Americans who would never have got credit before were suddenly being given loans — and to an extent which exceeded any reasonable limits…”

America’s Terrible Financial Situation

The Associated Press reported on February 4:

“The record $3.1 trillion budget proposed by President Bush on Monday would produce… a huge jump in the deficit to $410 billion this year and $407 billion in 2009, the White House says, just shy of the record $413 billion set four years ago.

“But even those figures are optimistic since they depend on rosy economic forecasts and leave out the full costs of the war in Iraq. The White House predicts the economy will grow at a 2.7 percent clip this year, far higher than congressional and private economists expect, and the administration’s $70 billion figure for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan is simply a placeholder until the next president takes office.

“Bush’s lame-duck budget plan is likely to be ignored by Congress, which is controlled by Democrats and already looking ahead to November elections. His long-term projections are mostly academic since he’s leaving office next January… Bush is leaving his successor an ENORMOUS FISCAL DILEMMA…

“‘There was an assumption that in the short term… the budget would start to correct and that we could balance in the short term,’ said Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, top Republican on the Budget Committee. ‘But with the stimulus package and with the continuing war costs, that’s not going to happen. In fact it’s going to get very serious when you’re hitting $400 billion deficits.’… Some of Bush’s proposals are hopelessly unrealistic…

“Seven years ago, Bush took over a government predicted to generate $5.6 trillion in surpluses over 10 years. Those estimates were flawed, but there’s no question he’s leaving his successor a budget in far weaker fiscal shape than he inherited. For instance, when he took office the total federal debt held by the public was $3.3 trillion… Now, debt held by the public – including foreign governments – is expected to reach $5.4 trillion this year and $5.9 trillion in 2009… Some $2.3 trillion is foreign held.”

America’s terrible financial state of affairs should not be surprising to Bible scholars. For more information, read our free booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America.”

Euros in New York

Reuters reported on February 6:

“In the latest example that the U.S. dollar just ain’t what it used to be, some shops in New York City have begun accepting euros and other foreign currency as payment for merchandise… The increasingly weak U.S. dollar, once considered the king among currencies, has brought waves of European tourists to New York with money to burn and looking to take advantage of hugely favorable exchange rates.”

Al Qaeda Preparing New Strike Against America

The Washington Times wrote on February 6:

“Senior al Qaeda leaders have diverted operatives from Iraq across the globe and are increasing preparations to strike the United States, senior intelligence officials told the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence yesterday… The officials added that al Qaeda is recruiting Westerners to terror camps in Pakistan… [and that] al Qaeda had plans to specifically target the White House…

“The most active al Qaeda affiliate in northwestern Africa is the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb, which intelligence officials said poses a ‘significant threat to U.S. and European interests in the region.’ Further, al Qaeda ‘has been able to retain a safe haven in Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) that provides the organization many of the advantages it once derived from its base across the border in Afghanistan’ making it a training hub for terrorists seeking to attack the United States and its allies…  the Pakistani military has not been able to disrupt al Qaeda operations in the tribal border region… the U.S. military is prohibited by Pakistan from pursuing al Qaeda fighters or Taliban that flee Afghanistan across the border after conducting attacks.”

Tennessee Governor on Tornadoes: “The Wrath of God…”

The New York Times wrote on February 7:

“Residents in five Southern states rose Wednesday to widespread clusters of destruction caused by an unusually ferocious winter tornado system. At least 54 people were killed and scores more were injured… Arkansas and Tennessee were the hardest hit, with Arkansas reporting 13 dead and Tennessee 30…

“‘The wrath of God is the only way I can describe it,’ Gov. Phil Bredesen of Tennessee said after surveying the damage by helicopter. ‘I’m used to seeing roofs off houses; houses blown over. These houses were down to their foundations, stripped clean.’ The governor said 1,000 houses in Tennessee were destroyed.”

Afghanistan–New Crisis Between USA and Germany

Der Spiegel Online reported on February 1:

“On Friday morning, Germany Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung rejected a call by United States Secretary of Defense Robert Gates for Berlin to send combat troops to southern Afghanistan, where a Taliban-led insurgency has destabilized efforts to establish a democracy in the country.

“This week, German Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung received a letter from his American counterpart Robert Gates making it clear that the US expects more from the Germans…

“The letter’s negative tone put German politicians on the defensive on Friday… a spokesman for Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government, Ulrich Wilhelm, said there were currently ‘no thoughts’ about making a change to the existing mandate for the Bundeswehr’s deployment in Afghanistan — a move that would require parliamentary approval in the Bundestag — and that the chancellor had rejected Gates’ demand. In all of her talks, Wilhelm said, the chancellor has repeatedly made clear that the scope of the current mandate is ‘not up for discussion’ — and that remains the government’s ‘firm position.’

“Earlier Friday, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who also serves as vice chancellor representing the center-left Social Democrats in Merkel’s government, rejected Gates’ call for the deployment of Bundeswehr soldiers in hard-fought southern Afghanistan.”

Der Stern commented on February 1:

“The American demand to send German troops to southern Afghanistan has hit Berlin like a bomb. Now there is a dark cloud between Berlin and Washington… The experiment Afghanistan is about to fail… Gates wants to change the U.S. strategy… Most Afghans condemn the brutal military actions of the West which have cost the lives of many civilians… But the Germans are not in a position to give advice… Those who want to talk must participate in the action…”

The Telegraph reported on February 4:

“Nato has faced one of its greatest tests since the Cold War after America accused Germany of failing to fight the Taliban… Behind this disagreement between the two allies, disclosed in a ‘stern’ exchange of letters between their defence ministers, lies a crucial dispute over ‘burden sharing’ which threatens the credibility of the alliance… All of Nato’s 26 member states agreed to mount the mission in Afghanistan and 42,000 troops have been deployed in the country.

“However, only four Nato members – Britain, America, Canada and Holland – have sent large numbers of soldiers to southern Afghanistan, where the Taliban insurgency is strongest. These countries, notably Britain with 7,800 troops, are conducting the lion’s share of the campaign against the Taliban. Germany has 3,200 troops in Afghanistan – but they are deployed in the relative safety of the north…

“Stephen Harper, the Canadian prime minister, has told Gordon Brown that his country will withdraw the 2,500 troops it has in the southern province of Kandahar unless other Nato countries contribute 1,000 troops. If this happens, the Dutch government would come under pressure to do the same, leaving America and Britain to fight the Taliban with little help.”

Der Spiegel Online reported on February 6:

“The German government on Wednesday rejected accusations from NATO allies that it wasn’t bearing its fair share of the burden in Afghanistan and reiterated its refusal of a US request for German troops to be deployed from the relatively peaceful north to help fight a Taliban insurgency in the south. German Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung said Germany was already the third-biggest troop provider in Afghanistan and that redeploying troops away from the north would be a ‘decisive mistake.’ He did however repeat Germany’s vague pledge to provide its NATO allies with military assistance when required, and announced that Germany will be sending a unit of combat troops to northern Afghanistan to replace the 250-strong Norwegian Quick Reaction Force being withdrawn.”

New President of Europe… With Real Powers?

The Guardian wrote on February 2:

“Tony Blair has been holding discussions with some of his oldest allies on how he could mount a campaign later this year to become full-time president of the EU council, the prestigious new job characterised as ‘president of Europe’. Blair, currently the Middle East envoy for the US, Russia, EU and the UN, has told friends he has made no final decision, but is increasingly willing to put himself forward for the job if it comes WITH REAL POWERS TO INTERVENE IN DEFENCE AND TRADE AFFAIRS… Apart from Blair, two other candidates most often mentioned are the former Austrian chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel, promoted by Germany, and the current Luxembourg prime minister, Jean-Claude Juncker.”

Tony Blair–To Be or Not to Be…?

Reuters reported on February 5:

“Tony Blair is unlikely to be the first president of the European Union, EU diplomats and politicians say… Insiders say Blair has little chance because Britain is too disconnected from the EU mainstream, and he remains too divisive a figure because of his enthusiastic support for the U.S.-led war in Iraq which split Europe in 2003… Britain has not joined the single currency or the Schengen zone of passport-free travel, and… Blair had negotiated elaborate opt-outs from the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights and police and judicial cooperation… Valery Giscard d’Estaing, the former French president, joined the ‘Stop Blair’ chorus, underlining Britain’s absence from the central European economic project of the last decade — the euro.

“Some EU officials question what Blair has achieved in seven months in the Middle East… Blair might garner support from north European states such as the Netherlands, Sweden and Poland that favour a free-market, looser form of European integration, but opposition in countries such as Germany, France, Italy and Spain would outweigh that.

“[Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude] Juncker, [chairman of finance ministers of the 15-nation euro zone,] whose Eurogroup term expires conveniently at the end of this year, made clear his own interest in the role in a French newspaper interview on Monday PROVIDED IT HAD REAL POWER. ‘It will all depend on the precise job description. I have no intention of just cutting ribbons like a president of the French Fourth Republic,’ he told business daily Les Echos…”

Many European politicians begin to express more forcefully that the new President of Europe must have REAL powers. Ultimately, he will–but this won’t be good news for the world. Please read our free booklet, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.”

Adoption of the EU Lisbon Treaty

The EUObserver reported on February 4 about developments in France:

“French MPs have voted in favour of amending their country’s constitution to allow adoption of the EU Lisbon Treaty… Following the constitutional amendment, the National Assembly and Senate will hold separate votes on the adoption of the treaty on Thursday. Although the Socialists would have preferred a referendum on the treaty, they intend to vote Yes to the treaty itself…

“The Lisbon Treaty replaces the Constitutional Treaty voted down in referendums in France and the Netherlands in 2005… Last week, a poll by French left-wing newspaper Liberation said that 59% of French voters favoured a referendum on the treaty and 33% approved of its adoption by parliament.”

The EUObserver added on February 5 about events in the UK:

“Four UK Labour MPs are facing disciplinary action for taking part in a campaign for a referendum on the EU’s Lisbon treaty against the Labour-led government’s wishes… The move comes ahead of unofficial referendums on the EU’s new document… The mock popular votes are aimed at putting pressure on the country’s prime minister, Gordon Brown, who has opted for parliamentary ratification of the EU treaty.

“The Labour party had previously promised to organise a referendum on the original European Constitution in its pre-election manifesto, but it now argues that the current Lisbon treaty – which contains most of the constitution’s innovations – is a different document.”

The article continued:

“Meanwhile, Romania became the fourth country to ratify the EU treaty… The green light from Bucharest means a continuation of the new EU member states’ lead in the ratification marathon, with Hungary, Slovenia and Malta preceding the Black Sea country with the move. ‘This is another important step towards our objective of a new treaty in force by 1 January 2009,’ European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso said in a statement. ‘I hope that other member states will quickly follow the lead given by the four countries that have now approved the Treaty,’ he added.”

The march towards European unification is unstoppable. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.”

European Peacekeeping Force in Chad–What’s REALLY Behind It?

Der Spiegel Online wrote on January 29:

“After months of delay, the European Union finally agreed Monday to deploy a 3,700-strong peacekeeping force to Chad and the Central Africa Republic to help humanitarian aid workers and refugees seeking to escape the chaos in the neighboring Darfur region of Sudan… French soldiers will make up more than half of the force. Thirteen other countries — though not Germany — have also pledged to contribute troops.

“The rebellion raging in Darfur since 2003 has led to an estimated 200,000 deaths and 2.5 million refugees, many of whom have fled into neighboring countries in the hope of finding safety. But Chad itself is currently facing its own turmoil…

“German commentators seem skeptical… believing that France’s historical ties to its former colony and its interests in the region make its INTENTIONS MORE THAN JUST HUMANITARIAN.

“The center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung writes: ‘The European Union has needed three more months than promised to get soldiers on the march in order to help the refugees from Darfur and Chad. The Europeans have had to listen to a lot of criticism on account of this delay. Some have complained that it is scandalous that the EU is incapable of quickly mustering a few thousand men and a handful of helicopters. Others accuse it of really lacking the political will to provide assistance in a lost corner of Africa… Many countries, among them Germany, have held back — but not out of callousness. They do not see the deployment as being useful toward solving the Darfur crisis…’

“The left-leaning Berliner Zeitung also expressed skepticism about the stated aims of the mission: ‘The Chad mission is not what it seems. What, then, is it? France, the former colonial power in Chad, is contributing the largest contingent. France protects the rebel, dictator and Gadhafi-sidekick [Chad’s President] Idriss Deby, both of whom launched a coordinated invasion of Darfur at the end of the ’80s. France keeps its military staging point for Africa in Chad along with the continent’s longest airstrip. Now [French] President Sarkozy has used massive pressure to ‘Europeanize’ the deployment to Chad, though the more precise word is ‘camouflage.’ So, why the big charade? Strategically speaking, Chad is ONE OF THE THREE MOST IMPORTANT COUNTRIES IN AFRICA, next to Djibouti and Eritrea, both of which are NEAR THE SEA PASSAGE to the Gulf. Chad’s neighbor Niger has vast amounts of uranium, and there are vast amounts of oil in three other neighbors — Nigeria, Libya and Sudan…'”

Europe Ueber Alles?

Recently, there have been several stories surrounding the Serbia/Kosovo quagmire, but interestingly, the perceived solution seems to evolve around membership for Serbia in the EU. Piece by piece, Europe is rising as a formidable force to extinguish historical differences that have created the patchwork of nations on this continent.

Reuters reported on February 5:

“Serbia’s prime minister on Tuesday denounced plans to sign an accord with the European Union as a trick to lure it into rubber-stamping an independent Kosovo, piling pressure on a creaking ruling coalition. The statement by Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica exposed a deep rift with pro-Western President Boris Tadic over Serbia’s EU accession drive and could threaten plans to sign a deal that would put Serbia on the road to membership.

“Tadic won re-election on Sunday on a pledge of pursuing EU membership no matter what happens with Serbia’s breakaway province where the 90-percent Albanian majority is poised to declare independence this month, with the West’s backing…

“‘After the referendum confirmation of our country’s European orientation, not a single party or politician can prevent what our citizens want and that is that we sign this agreement and join the EU as soon as possible,’ said deputy PM Bozidar Djelic.”

Europe Concerned About Berlusconi’s Possible Comeback

Der Spiegel Online wrote on February 6:

“Attempts to form an interim government in Italy have failed and President Giorgio Napolitano has been forced to dissolve parliament and call fresh elections for April… Observers outside Italy may be looking on in disbelief but it appears that media magnate [and former two-time Prime Minister] Silvio Berlusconi is about to be given another crack at power in Rome… [Prime Minister Romano] Prodi’s government fell victim to the inherent weakness of the system, after a tiny Catholic party withdrew its support, provoking the collapse of the coalition on Jan. 24. His administration had been consistently undermined by bickering between the nine ruling parties, particularly the Catholic and Communist groups.

“There is a widespread assumption that Berlusconi will win the forthcoming snap elections… media commentators are already predicting more instability ahead… The left-leaning Die Tageszeitung is pessimistic about the role Berlusconi is likely to play in Europe. ‘With him it will be almost impossible to reliably agree on a European position, for example if the Iran crisis were to escalate. Then Berlusconi will decide as he always does: on the basis of short-term opportunistic considerations. He won’t strengthen Italy in this way — but he is sure to weaken Europe.'”

Terror Is Back in Israel

Der Spiegel Online wrote on February 5:

“Terrorists struck again in Israel on Monday in the first suicide bombing the country has seen in a year. It was an attack that politicians and military officers say they have seen coming for days. The bloody deed, which claimed the lives of one Israeli woman and the two suicide bombers, came as no surprise for many Israelis. Now that the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt is open, it has become easier for terrorists to reach Israel from Gaza. Security experts have been warning that terrorists in Gaza would see this as a new opportunity — and would take advantage of it. This week, they were proven right…

“The nonchalance with which Israel has accepted the gaps in its border fence is astonishing. At the international airport in Tel Aviv, Israeli border agents question arriving passengers in painstaking detail before issuing entry visas, and the West Bank is being sealed off with a security fence. But at its border with Egypt, Israel tolerates ‘that anyone can get in who wants to get in,’ says Israeli Interior Minister Meir Sheetrit. Israel’s roughly 300-kilometer (186-mile) desert border with Egypt is not secured and in many places not even marked by a fence. Israeli intelligence is aware of at least 30 locations where it is possible to cross the border between the two countries without having to pass through a border control. Many of Israel’s military observation posts are either permanently or often unmanned. This lack of security is attributable to successive administrations’ unwillingness to pay the necessary costs of a fence that would run upwards of €500 million ($734 million), as Sheetrit estimates…

“The situation is more explosive than ever…  In recent days, Palestinians have taken advantage of the open border to bring weapons and ammunition into the Gaza Strip, including armor-piercing grenades, rockets and anti-aircraft missiles… dozens of Palestinian activists trained in Iranian camps have also returned to Gaza in recent days… Israeli hardliners are calling for a large-scale military campaign against the Gaza Strip so that Israel can put a stop to the terrorists once and for all. But… there is no evidence that military force is even capable of solving the problem.”

Israel to Build Egypt Border Fence

On February 6, 2008, The Jerusalem Post reported the following:

“Israel will soon begin construction of a security fence along certain parts of the Israeli-Egyptian border, it was decided Wednesday in a meeting between the prime minister, defense minister, foreign minister and security officials. The fence will be built in northern Nitzana and southern Eilat, regions considered to be particularly vulnerable to infiltration. Monitoring of other areas will be reinforced by additional ground forces and aerial observation measures.

“The need for a fence along the open border with Egypt was highlighted recently by the breaching of the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, which allowed hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to move freely between the two territories, as well as – Israel believes – enabling many terrorists to sneak into Sinai. The construction of the fence is expected to LAST SEVERAL YEARS and may force across-the-board budget cuts of an estimated NIS 1 billion.”

Human Embryo With Three “Parents”

On February 5, 2008, BBC News reported the following shocking and outrageous example of so-called “artificial creation” and subsequent destruction or murder of human life, under the guise of “scientific research and advancement”:

“Scientists believe they have made a breakthrough in IVF treatment by creating a human embryo with three separate parents. The Newcastle University team believe the technique could help to eradicate a whole class of hereditary diseases, including some forms of epilepsy. The embryos have been created using DNA from a man and two women in lab tests… Within hours of their creation, the nucleus, containing DNA from the mother and father, was removed from the embryo, and implanted into a donor egg whose DNA had been largely removed… The embryos then began to develop normally, but were DESTROYED [within] six days…

“… the Newcastle work has attracted opposition. Josephine Quintavalle, of the pro-life group Comment on Reproductive Ethics, said it was ‘risky, dangerous’ and a step towards ‘designer babies.’ ‘It is human beings they are experimenting with,’ she said. ‘We should not be messing around with the building blocks of life.’ Mrs Quintavalle said embryo research in the US using DNA from one man and two women was discontinued because of the ‘huge abnormalities’ in some cases.”

President Bush’s Final State of the Union Address

On January 28, President Bush gave his final State of the Union address. We are publishing the following excerpts:

“Most Americans think their taxes are high enough… There is only one way to eliminate this uncertainty: make the tax relief permanent. And Members of Congress should know: If any bill raising taxes reaches my desk, I will veto it…

“On matters of science and life… I call on the Congress to pass legislation that bans unethical practices such as the buying, selling, patenting, or cloning of human life…

“We must also find a sensible and humane way to deal with people here illegally. Illegal immigration is complicated, but it can be resolved. And it must be resolved in a way that upholds both our laws and our highest ideals.

“… one Army brigade combat team and one Marine Expeditionary Unit have already come home [from Iraq] and will not be replaced. In the coming months, four additional brigades and two Marine battalions will follow suit. Taken together, this means more than 20,000 of our troops are coming home. Any further drawdown of U.S. troops will be based on conditions in Iraq and the recommendations of our commanders… The mission in Iraq has been difficult and trying for our Nation. But it is in the vital interest of the United States that we succeed… By contrast, a failed Iraq would embolden extremists, strengthen Iran, and give terrorists a base from which to launch new attacks on our friends, our allies, and our homeland…

“This month in Ramallah and Jerusalem, I assured leaders from both sides that America will do, and I will do, everything we can to help them achieve a peace agreement that defines a Palestinian state by the end of this year. The time has come for a Holy Land where a democratic Israel and a democratic Palestine live side-by-side in peace…

“Iran is funding and training militia groups in Iraq, supporting Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon, and backing Hamas’ efforts to undermine peace in the Holy Land. Tehran is also developing ballistic missiles of increasing range and continues to develop its capability to enrich uranium, which could be used to create a nuclear weapon. Our message to the people of Iran is clear: We have no quarrel with you, we respect your traditions and your history, and we look forward to the day when you have your freedom. Our message to the leaders of Iran is also clear: Verifiably suspend your nuclear enrichment, so negotiations can begin… America will confront those who threaten our troops, we will stand by our allies, and we will defend our vital interests in the Persian Gulf.

“On the homefront, we will continue to take every lawful and effective measure to protect our country. This is our most solemn duty. We are grateful that there has not been another attack on our soil since September 11. This is not for a lack of desire or effort on the part of the enemy. In the past 6 years, we have stopped numerous attacks, including a plot to fly a plane into the tallest building in Los Angeles and another to blow up passenger jets bound for America over the Atlantic…

“America is leading the fight against global hunger. Today, more than half the world’s food aid comes from the United States… America is leading the fight against disease. With your help, we are working to cut by half the number of malaria-related deaths in 15 African nations. And our Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief is treating 1.4 million people… I call on you to double our initial commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS by approving an additional $30 billion over the next 5 years…

“By trusting the people, our Founders wagered that a great and noble Nation could be built on the liberty that resides in the hearts of all men and women. By trusting the people, succeeding generations transformed our fragile young democracy into the most powerful Nation on earth and a beacon of hope for millions. And so long as we continue to trust the people, our Nation will prosper, our liberty will be secure, and the State of our Union will remain strong. So tonight, with confidence in freedom’s power, and trust in the people, let us set forth to do their business…”

We are not going to comment in detail on the above-quoted excerpts, as they basically speak for themselves. However, we would like to make one notable exception, by pointing out the following:

The Bible makes it very clear that this Nation became powerful because of the MERCY OF GOD–TRUST IN THE PEOPLE HAD ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. Because of Abraham’s unconditional FAITH IN GOD AND his OBEDIENCE of THE LAW OF GOD, God promised his descendants, among other things, to become a PROSPEROUS AND POWERFUL NATION. But God also said that if Abraham’s descendants, in these modern times, were to disobey God and forsake their trust in Him, they would lose their prosperity and wealth. For further information, please read our free booklets, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America,” and “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.”

No Troop Reductions in Iraq this Summer?

Following President Bush’s speech on Monday night, indicating possible troop reductions in Iraq, the Associated Press reported on Tuesday, January 29:

“The Bush administration is sending strong signals that U.S. troop reductions in Iraq will slow or stop altogether this summer, a move that would jeopardize hopes of relieving strain on the Army and Marine Corps and revive debate over an open-ended U.S. commitment in Iraq.

“The indications of a likely slowdown reflect concern by U.S. commanders that the improvement in security in Iraq since June… is tenuous and could be reversed if the extra troops come out too soon.”

USA Unprepared for an Attack?

The Associated Press wrote on January 31:

“The U.S. military isn’t ready for a catastrophic attack on the country, and National Guard forces don’t have the equipment or training they need for the job, according to a report. Even fewer Army National Guard units are combat-ready today than were nearly a year ago when the Commission on the National Guard and Reserves determined that 88 percent of the units were not prepared for the fight…

“The commission’s 400-page report concludes that the nation ‘does not have sufficient trained, ready forces available’ to respond to a chemical, biological or nuclear weapons incident, ‘an appalling gap that places the nation and its citizens at greater risk.’

“‘Right now we don’t have the forces we need, we don’t have them trained, we don’t have the equipment,’ commission Chairman Arnold Punaro said in an interview with The Associated Press. ‘Even though there is a lot going on in this area, we need to do a lot more. … There’s a lot of things in the pipeline, but in the world we live in — you’re either ready or you’re not.'”

Peace in the Middle East?

Der Spiegel Online wrote on January 29 about the situation in Gaza and blamed America and Israel for the debacle. It stated the following:

“The mass jailbreak of Gazans into Egypt revealed the bankruptcy of both Israel’s policy of collective punishment and Bush’s attempt to make Mideast peace… Of the mass breakout, the Associated Press wrote, ‘It … reminded the world that 1.5 million Gazans, many already bitterly poor, cannot remain locked up indefinitely.’ It may have reminded the world of that, but it certainly didn’t remind America… The Congress and the presidential candidates, Democratic and Republican, ignored the Gaza crisis, or weighed in with predictably pro-Israel statements. Even the most progressive candidate, Barack Obama, went out of his way to take Israel’s side…

“Yes, Israel has the right to defend itself against the Qassam rocket attacks. But it was not forced to cut off power, medicine and food to do that. It chose to impose that siege (with Bush’s obvious, if unspoken, blessing) because it hoped that by punishing the people of Gaza, they would overthrow their Hamas-led government. One need not defend Hamas to recognize that ‘sending a message’ by punishing the people who live under its rule is a textbook case of collective punishment, which is illegal under international law…

“The Gaza jailbreak represents the end of Bush’s delusional attempt to broker an Israeli-Palestinian peace. Annapolis is now dead, killed before it even started. The fatal flaw of Bush’s approach was that it assumed that dividing the Palestinians would lead to peace, when just the opposite is true…

“Collectively punishing the people of Gaza, far from causing them to rise up and throw out Hamas, as Bush and [Israel’s President] Olmert fantasized, only further radicalized them. American and Israeli intransigence and ineptitude have only succeeded in strengthening the hard-liners and weakening the moderates…

“The recent Gaza jailbreak showed that a deal is urgently necessary. The pot just boiled over. It hasn’t exploded yet, but if it does, it won’t just be the Palestinians and Israelis who get burned.”

Will “Foreigners” Control U.S. Economy?

World Net Daily wrote on January 31:

“Sovereign Wealth Funds in six Persian Gulf countries – including Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar – have now amassed $1.7 trillion, positioning them for attempts to control major banks and securities firms in the U.S…  Increasingly, U.S. investment bankers are traveling to the Middle East to meet what Business Week calls the ‘New Kings of Wall Street.’… Among U.S. companies, including many of the largest banks and financial institutions, there are many candidates that now or soon may be more than willing to receive capital infusions from foreign sources.

“… a national outrage broke out in 2006 when a Dubai company… proposed to take over operation of some 22 U.S. ports… In the closing months of last year, foreign investments announced to help major U.S. banks and financial institutions received, by comparison, almost no public outcry. Many believe that’s largely because the infusion of foreign capital was perceived by the public as necessary as troubled U.S. financial institutions scrambled to find capital required to continue [operations]…”

Economy Stimulus–Not So Fast

The Associated Press reported on January 29:

“The House, seizing a rare moment of bipartisanship to respond to the economy’s slump, overwhelmingly passed a $146 billion aid package Tuesday that would speed rebates of $600-$1,200 to most taxpayers. The plan, approved 385-35 after little debate, would send at least some rebate to anyone with at least $3,000 in income, with more going to families with children and less going to wealthier taxpayers.

“It faced a murky future in the Senate, though, where Democrats and some Republicans backed a larger package that adds billions of dollars for senior citizens and the unemployed, and shrinks the rebate to $500 for individuals and $1,000 for couples. That plan… would deliver checks even to the richest taxpayers, who are disqualified under the House-passed measure. Both versions would provide tax breaks to businesses to spur equipment and other purchases…

“Congressional leaders are aiming to send the measure to Bush by Feb. 15. But the divergent plans — and bids by Senate Democrats and Republicans to swell the package with more add-ons — could drag out that schedule.”

Reuters reported on January 31:

“The Senate Finance Committee approved a $157 billion economic stimulus package on Wednesday that offers smaller tax rebates to more people than a plan passed by the House of Representatives. The committee approved the bill as the full Senate prepared to begin debate as early as Thursday on competing versions of an economic stimulus plan lawmakers hope will encourage consumer and business spending to help stave off an election-year recession.

“President George W. Bush wants the Senate to accept the $146 billion package passed Tuesday by the House… The Finance Committee bill, approved on a vote of 14-7, would provide a flat $500 tax rebate to individuals and $1,000 for couples, plus $300 per child. The rebates also would go to about 20 million low-income retirees on Social Security who would not receive checks under the $146 billion House stimulus bill.”

In addition to this political wrangling, unanswered questions remain as to how, exactly, these proposed rebates would have to be handled by the recipients. Are they taxable income which will have to be declared on income tax returns, and for which tax will have to be paid? Or, worse yet, as some local TV newscasters have suggested, are they merely loans to be repaid to the IRS? If so, that would be a most ridiculous attempt to stir up the economy.

Also, the question has been asked where the money for the rebates is supposed to come from. One political candidate for President has suggested repeatedly that it would be borrowed from China, and that the rebate money itself would be used by most recipients to buy products made in China–thereby helping the Chinese economy, rather than the U.S. economy.

The American Financial Sickness

On January 28, 2008, Der Stern Online wrote in an article, titled, “Farewell to America”:

“The US mortgage crisis affects the financial world and financial experts worldwide. But even if the US financial sickness is transmitted again to the rest of the world–the days are numbered when the USA determined the economic fate of the world.”

AFP reported on January 30 that the US “economy nearly stalled in the fourth quarter with a growth rate of just 0.6 percent, capping its worst year since 2002,” and that “Fears of a recession have grown.” It added: “The fourth-quarter’s performance was much weaker — half the pace — than economists were expecting.”

Bloomberg added on January 30:

“Citigroup Inc., Merrill Lynch & Co., UBS AG and other banks may be forced to post up to $70 billion in writedowns should bond insurers lose their top credit ratings, according to Oppenheimer & Co. analyst Meredith Whitney. Citigroup, Merrill Lynch and UBS AG, which have already suffered the biggest losses from the collapse of the subprime mortgage market, according to Bloomberg data, hold 45 percent of the ‘entire market risk,’ Whitney wrote in a note to clients dated yesterday.”

“Searching For Mr. Europe”

Der Spiegel Online wrote on January 28:

“Less than one year from now, the European Union will choose its first long-term president… It took years for the European Union to finally agree that it should even have a president. Now, with just 12 months to go before the 27-member bloc is set to inaugurate its first full time leader, the name-game surrounding the position has begun in earnest. And so has the backbiting.

“Until now, the bloc’s leadership was passed around on a rotating basis, with a new country taking the helm every six months. But according to the terms of the Lisbon Treaty, signed in the Portuguese capital in December and currently in the process of being ratified across the continent, the new ‘President of the European Council’ will hold office for a two-and-a-half year term.

“Tony Blair is one prominent name that has been bandied about recently. The former British prime minister is said to have a good shot, and he has powerful friends. French President Nicolas Sarkozy has thrown his support behind Blair for reasons of both personality and politics…

“But numerous Social Democrats and most Christian Democrats, along with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, aren’t as impressed. On Monday, the Daily Telegraph also reported that senior allies of current Prime Minister Gordon Brown were plotting to wreck Blair’s ambitions for the post out of concern that his appointment could reignite old divisions within his Labour Party…”

It is interesting that even though the European member states still need to ratify the Lisbon treaty, it appears to be a foregone conclusion by mainland European commentators that the treaty WILL be ratified–with the result that Europe WILL have its first long-time president within ONE YEAR.

A European Party to Defend Against “Islamisation”?

BBC News reported on January 25:

“The heads of far-right parties from Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria and France said their aim was to defend Europe against ‘Islamisation’ and immigrants. At a news conference in Vienna, they said they expected to launch the party by 15 November. The move comes several months after the collapse of a far-right bloc in the European Parliament… The far-right leaders need support from seven EU parties to launch the group, but [Freedom Party leader Heinz-Christian] Strache said that the goal was to have ‘more than 10 parties as members and ideally one party from each EU country.'”

No More Mosques and Minarets in Parts of Austria

Der Spiegel Online reported on January 29:

“A far-right party in the Austrian state of Carinthia, led by the notorious right-wing politician Jörg Haider, is trying to ban the construction of mosques and minarets. They’ve presented a draft law designed to prohibit ‘unusual’ buildings that don’t fit in with traditional architecture… ‘With the help of this law, it will be de facto impossible to construct mosques or minarets in Carinthia,’ Uwe Scheuch, the minister responsible for urban planning, told journalists Saturday… Scheuch, who belongs to Haider’s right-wing Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ) party, insisted, however, that the law would not infringe on Austria’s constitutional right to freedom of religion.
 
“Officially, the law is not aimed directly at mosques and minarets, but at ‘unusual’ buildings that stand out ‘because of their unusual architecture or size (height).’… BZÖ will need the support of the conservative Austrian People’s Party if it is to get the draft law passed in the state government. That seems assured…

“The draft law reflects a growing wave of anti-Muslim sentiment in Austria, where Muslims make up around 4 percent of the population. Another Austrian state, Vorarlberg, which has the highest proportion of Muslims in Austria, is also considering a ban on minarets. Erwin Pröll, the governor of the state of Lower Austria, who belongs to the People’s Party, recently described minarets as ‘alien’ to Austrian culture in a television interview… Meanwhile, in Germany, a planned mosque in Cologne has also been causing controversy.”

Europe–A Club of “Christians”?

AFP reported on January 27:

“Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan warned the European Union against becoming a ‘club of Christians’ as he pushed Saturday for Ankara’s membership in the bloc… EU heavyweights France and Germany are both opposed to full Turkish membership, and French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been particularly vocal on the issue, arguing that the mainly Muslim country does not belong in Europe. Babacan regretted that the issue of religion had apparently become a factor in the debate on Turkey’s accession… Babacan also argued that allowing Turkey into the EU would allow the bloc to act as a bridge between the West and the Islamic world… ‘The Turkish military has been a good supporter of Turkey’s EU accession process … although it is not a black and white thing,’ he said.”

Angela Merkel Under Fire After State Vote Debacle

AFP wrote on January 28:

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel faced tough questions Monday after her conservatives suffered heavy losses in a key state election… Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) lost their absolute majority and finished just one-tenth of a percentage point ahead of the Social Democrats (SPD) in Hesse, home to the business capital Frankfurt. The chancellor had vocally backed the law-and-order campaign and was sharply criticised for the drubbing her party took in Hesse Sunday. Merkel ‘must ask herself how this was possible and also take a look at herself in the search for answers,’ the top-selling Bild newspaper said. The election was Merkel’s first genuine test at the ballot box since she came to power in 2005 at the head of a fractious power-sharing government of the CDU and the SPD…

“The conservatives’ bitterly divisive campaign based on tough measures to deal with young criminals from immigrant backgrounds appeared to have seriously backfired, allowing a strong lead in the polls to vanish in just a few weeks. As expected, the CDU scored a clear victory in the neighbouring state of Lower Saxony in another election held Sunday, but turned in a weaker score than four years ago… If the conservatives lose control of Hesse, it is likely to put further strain on Merkel’s already fragile ‘grand coalition’, with each party trying to sharpen its profile on hot-button issues including taxes, health care reform and foreign policy. Federation of German Industry chief Juergen Thumann said he found the political trend troubling. ‘The shift to the left in Germany continues,’ he told business daily Handelsblatt. ‘We are watching current developments with the greatest concern.’ The CDU faces another fight to hold on to power next month when voters go to the polls in the city-state of Hamburg.”

How Hitler Came To Power 75 Years Ago–Warning Signs for Us Today!

Deutsche Welle reported on January 30:

“On Jan. 30, 1933, Hitler was named German chancellor, spelling the end to the Weimar Republic — Germany’s convulsive experiment with democracy between 1919 and 1933. The period was dubbed the ‘Weimar Republic’ by historians in honor of the city of Weimar, where a national assembly convened to write and adopt a new constitution for the German Reich following the nation’s defeat in World War I.”

Deutsche Welle interviewed Eric Weitz, chairman of the history department at the University of Minnesota. We are quoting the following excerpts:

“There was despair in abundance to be sure. Two million Germans died in World War I, 4 million were wounded, and men who came back were often severely wounded, both physically and psychologically. Women at the home front during the war, experienced four years of intense privation. And afterwards there came the post-war crisis — readjustment and hyperinflation…

“If we look at the economy and the election of 1928 just prior to the onset of the Great Depression, we can see a move back to the center politically and signs of serious economic progress… Without the Depression, the republic would at least have had a chance. It had managed to survive the hyperinflation of 1923… But it was the [Depression] that came from the United States to Germany very fast and very strongly that certainly unleashed the final blow.

“… in 1928, the Nazi party was a marginal, unimportant political group which had very little resonance beyond some very distinctive places that were already in depression before the Great Depression — agricultural areas in particular… In a depression especially, people look for solutions and the republic was not offering any to the economic crisis. From 1930 onwards, Germany was governed under a presidential dictatorship because the political system was so fragmented that the Reichstag could not assemble or function in parliamentary majority. So the chancellor from spring of 1930 onwards, Heinrich Brüning and his successors, governed largely through emergency powers proclaimed by the president, Field Marshall Paul von Hindenburg.

“But I do want to underscore the fact that the Nazis never received a majority vote in a popular, freely contested election. In the summer of 1932, they received 37.4 percent of the vote — the highest they would ever receive. It’s a significant jump to be sure but that’s not a majority and the popular phrase that one hears so often in the United States, ‘the German people elected Hitler to power or elected the Nazis to power’ — that’s wrong, it’s inaccurate, it’s untrue. THE NAZIS WERE NEVER ELECTED TO POWER. In the next election, in the [Fall] of 1932, they already lost a significant percentage of the support they had gained in the summer. The Nazi party was in disarray. At the very end, they came to power because the establishment conservative elite, a coterie of powerful men around President Hindenburg, HANDED POWER OVER to the Nazis. That alliance is what ultimately killed the republic.”

These were interesting developments pertaining to the NINTH REVIVAL of the ancient Roman Empire (see our Q&A in this Update). When we focus on the final and last resurrection of the Roman Empire, we note that something similar will happen again–although on a much broader European scale. We read in Revelation 17:12-13 that ten future leaders of European nations or groups of nations will HAND POWER OVER to a charismatic European military leader, called “the beast” in prophecy.

Germany’s “Brave” and “Humble” Self-Accusations?

The International Herald Tribune wrote on January 28:

“Most countries celebrate the best in their past. Germany unrelentingly promotes its worst… This Wednesday marks the 75th anniversary of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party taking power in Germany, which remarkably has prompted yet a new round of soul-searching… ‘Where in the world has one ever seen a nation that erects memorials to immortalize its own shame?’ said Avi Primor, the former Israeli ambassador to Germany, at an event commemorating the Holocaust and the liberation of Auschwitz on Friday in Erfurt. ‘Only the Germans had the bravery and the humility.’

“It is not just in edifices and exhibits that the effort to come to terms with this history continues unabated. The Federal Crime Office last year began an investigation into itself: trying to shine a light on the Nazi past of its founders after the end of the war. And earlier this month the federal prosecutor overturned the guilty verdict of the communist Marinus van der Lubbe, the Dutchman executed for allegedly setting the Reichstag fire, the 75th anniversary of which is Feb. 27… Germany’s relationship with its Nazi history still regularly generates controversy…”

It is within Germany’s official and publicly announced political correctness to deal repeatedly, openly and predominantly with Germany’s Nazi past–as dutifully pronounced by politicians and the mainstream press. However, many Germans (most of them were not even born yet when Nazi Germany collapsed) are growing increasingly tired of this policy which keeps wallowing in the mud of the past. And if Germany’s political scene and press are not careful, those habitual actions of commemorating the shameful past, could very soon backfire.

How Many More Monuments for Berlin?

Der Spiegel Online wrote on January 29:

“The federal government on Monday announced that two new Holocaust monuments — within walking distance of the sprawling, five-acre Jewish memorial — will soon be completed. One will be dedicated to the gay and lesbian victims of the Holocaust. And in February, construction will begin on another new monument dedicated to the Sinti and Roma, often called Gypsies, who died in the Nazi camps.”

The article continued:

“… advocates for other groups persecuted and murdered by the Nazis [including] Soviet prisoners of war… looking for memorials of their own… A group representing those imprisoned and sentenced to death for deserting the German army is also interested in a memorial. The Third Reich likewise persecuted Jehovah’s Witnesses as a group and also killed thousands of handicapped people. None of those groups have a prominent place in central Berlin.”

Will Germany Be Further Embroiled in the Afghan War?

Der Spiegel Online wrote on January 30:

“A day after NATO formerly requested that Germany send combat troops to Afghanistan and two days after Canada warned it would leave if more help didn’t come south, Germans are debating whether sending more troops means more danger… Germany will make a final decision in the coming weeks as to whether it will deploy up to 250 combat troops to the country to supplement the 3,500 German soldiers already serving there, primarily in the more peaceful north… The German media on Wednesday looked at the implications of the NATO request, which could see Germany further embroiled in Afghanistan…

“The center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung writes: ‘There’s no reason to panic, but there surely is reason to worry. …The arguments of the critics who are warning of the dangers of the new Afghanistan deployment are justified. The politicians should stop playing them down and allaying them. It is right to not change the German army’s basic strategy in Afghanistan and to not go on the offensive against the Taliban…’

“The conservative Die Welt writes: ‘Germany cannot turn down the request from Brussels, demanding loyalty and solidarity with the allied partner countries — the US, Canada, the Netherlands, Great Britain — who are under constant fire in Afghanistan… But there must be more truthfulness [by NATO] in the discussions concerning Germany’s deployment.’

“The left-leaning Berliner Zeitung writes… ‘”Of course, it’s easy for the Americans to point the finger at the other allies. But it’s also true that it was in no way the case that all Europeans were convinced of the usefulness of the mission to Afghanistan in the first place. (It) is far away. The overthrow of the Taliban is already six years behind us, and yet the allies are preparing themselves to stay there for many more years. The burdens have already been enormous. There’s no chance that voters are going to allow further adventures.'”

Deutsche Welle added on January 30:

“Reacting to the news that NATO planned to send more troops to his country to counter the threat of a resurgent Taliban backed by supporters of al Qaeda, [Afghan President Hamid] Karzai said training the Afghan police and army was more important than sending more foreign troops to the country.”

India’s Most Serious Outbreak of Bird Flu

Reuters reported on January 28:

“Bird flu has spread to 13 of West Bengal’s 19 districts… In neighboring Bangladesh, the disease has spread to 29 of… its 64 districts. Experts fear the H5N1 strain found in both countries could mutate into a form easily transmitted from person to person, leading to a pandemic… The World Health Organization has said it is India’s most serious outbreak of bird flu. Over 1.5 million birds have already been culled since the deadly H5N1 virus hit the state earlier this month. Another half a million chickens and ducks will be slaughtered in the next few days, officials said.”

Human Kidneys for Sale

USA Today reported on January 29:

“India is reeling from the news that a ring of doctors may have taken kidneys from hundreds of poor people and then sold them to wealthy patients from around the world…  Two weeks ago, NDTV filmed the suspected mastermind telling a reporter that he would charge 15 lakhs (about $38,000) to facilitate and perform a kidney transplant… ABC News says Indian police are holding two U.S. citizens they suspect of trying to purchase kidneys from the ring. ‘Five foreign tourists, including the two Americans, were found Saturday in what police described as a “luxury guest house,” awaiting kidneys. There was reportedly a transplant waiting list of some 40 foreigners from at least five countries,’ the network reports from Mumbai.”

Terrible Violence in Kenya

The Associated Press reported on January 28:

“Thousands of machete-wielding youths hunted down members of President Mwai Kibaki’s Kikuyu tribe Monday in western Kenya’s Rift Valley, torching homes and buses, clashing with police, and blocking roads with burning tires… The death toll has soared over 800… 255,000 people [have been] driven from their homes this month… The bloodshed has transformed this once-stable African country, pitting longtime neighbors against one another and turning tourist towns into no-go zones.”

AFP added on January 28:

“Mobs in Kenya hacked and burnt dozens of people to death on Monday as tribal violence ignited by flawed presidential elections over a month ago threatened to spiral out of control. The upsurge in violence… has undermined the latest mediation efforts, led by Kofi Annan, to try to resolve the political deadlock since President Mwai Kibaki’s disputed re-election… The European Union warned it would cut aid to Kenya unless Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga, who claims he was robbed of victory in the December 27 election, showed they were seeking a solution to the crisis.”

USA Today added on January 29:

“A gang beheaded a doctor in apparent retaliation for the slaying of an opposition lawmaker Tuesday… In western Kenya’s Rift Valley, where much of the violence is focused, thousands of machete-wielding youths from both Kikuyu and Luo tribes hunted each other down, burned homes, and clashed with police who appeared overwhelmed… Human rights groups and officials charge the violence in Kenya has become organized [‘by hidden hands’].”

AFP reported on January 30 that “Kenyan police have been given orders to shoot to kill in a bid to stem weeks of violence…”

On January 31, The Associated Press wrote:

“A police officer gunned down an opposition lawmaker in Kenya Thursday, the second such killing this week in a country that has been gripped by ethnic violence since its disputed presidential election, officials said.

“National police chief Hussein Ali said lawmaker David Too was killed in ‘a crime of passion’ involving the girlfriend of the traffic policeman arrested in the shooting. But the opposition called it an assassination, making clear they saw it as part of the country’s deepening ethnic strife.

“After the killing, thousands of people from Too’s Kalenjin ethnic group sought revenge by setting houses on fire and blocking roads with rocks on the outskirts of the western town of Kericho, near the slain lawmaker’s constituency. Other tribes fled to the police station for fear of reprisals. Similar violence broke out in other towns.”

Sodom in Brazil

AFP wrote on January 30:

“The Brazilian city of Recife is to distribute morning-after pills to women during carnival after public prosecutors on Tuesday rejected a Catholic Church lawsuit claiming the initiative promoted sex and provided ‘abortions.’ ‘The pill has no abortive effect, as the archdiocese claims, and its distribution is in no way an incentive to have sex,’ the prosecutor… told AFP. On top of its legal defeat, the church has come under fire from the Brazilian government for attempting to sway public health policy.

“‘The (Recife) mayor’s office is right and the church is wrong, again,’ Health Minister Jose Gomes Temporao said Sunday, as the issue was coming to a head. ‘The morning-after pill is used with medical guidance and is a matter of public health, not religion,’ he said, adding that he believed the church was alienating youths with its stance…  Morning-after pills must be used within 72 hours of unprotected sexual intercourse. They work by blocking fertilization. According to the newspaper Pernambuco, the archbishop at the center of the storm, Jose Cardoso Sobrinho, is not prepared to back down on the issue, and had threatened excommunication to any church-goers who use the pill.”

Man-Made Catastrophes…

The Associated Press reported on January 27:

“A large U.S. spy satellite has lost power and could hit the Earth in late February or early March, government officials said Saturday. The satellite, which no longer can be controlled, could contain hazardous materials, and it is unknown where on the planet it might come down, they said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the information is classified as secret. It was not clear how long ago the satellite lost power, or under what circumstances… The spacecraft contains hydrazine… [which is] a toxic chemical and can cause harm to anyone who contacts it.

“[John] Pike, [a defense and intelligence expert] said it’s not likely the threat from the satellite could be eliminated by shooting it down with a missile, because that would create debris that would then re-enter the atmosphere and burn up or hit the ground. Pike… estimated that the spacecraft weighs about 20,000 pounds and is the size of a small bus.”

The Associated Press added on January 30:

“The U.S. military is developing contingency plans to deal with the possibility that a large spy satellite expected to fall to Earth in late February or early March could hit North America… the size of the satellite suggests that some number of pieces will not burn up as the orbiting vehicle re-enters the Earth’s atmosphere and will hit the ground.

“…the spy satellite is designated by the military as US 193. It was launched in December 2006 but almost immediately lost power and cannot be controlled. It carried a sophisticated and secret imaging sensor but the satellite’s central computer failed shortly after launch.”