On January 21, 2006, Norbert Link will give
the final sermon on certain aspects in the life of Abraham, titled,
“Abraham, Part 2.”

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at 12:30 pm Pacific Time (which is 2:30 pm Central Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

This past Monday the United States of America observed a day in
honor of Dr. Martin Luther King. The event brought to mind the whole
concept of freedom in this country and in the world as a whole. People
desire freedom wherever they are situated and are willing, as history
clearly reveals, to sacrifice all, including their lives, to obtain it!

There
are many freedoms that are available to citizens of the United States,
Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Western Europe,
which many take for granted; yet, such freedoms — as freedom of
religion, freedom of speech and of the press, and freedom to own land
and other properties — are not readily available in many countries
around the world. We often refer especially to the United States as the
land of the free.

But
is mankind truly free today, anywhere in
the world, including in the USA? As we approach God’s annual Spring
festivals, the first of God’s seven annual festivals of the year —
Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread — we remain thankful to our
God for having revealed to us the knowledge and truth of these days and
for having made it possible for us to observe these days in this
country, as well as in other countries, relatively without duress.

But
when you think of the holidays observed by most —
Christmas, Easter, Halloween, etc. – we ask the question; “…is
mankind truly free?” Are people who have become hooked on drugs truly
free? When people live their lives daily according to the dictates of
this world, are they truly free?

The Scriptures reveal in John
8:34 that “…whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.” Are not all men
slaves to sin? And, are slaves free men? But, how does one become free
from such a captivity, with this world being under the control and
dictates of Satan, and with the carnal pulls of the flesh, which we all
experience continually, affecting many of the decisions we make?

Jesus
Christ tells us in John 8:31-32 that one must abide in His Word if he
would be a free man. Note, particularly, verse 32: “And you shall know
the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Yes, without truth, it
is impossible for one to become totally free — free from Satan’s
influence and free from the world which he controls today. But one who
is faithful to God and His Truth can become truly free!

Later, in
John 17:17, we see that Christ gives us instruction through a very
meaningful prayer to the Father, in which He says: “Sanctify them by
Your truth. Your Word is truth.” It is the Word of God which truly
separates us from this world, and it is God’s Word wherein Truth is
found!

The world, however, does not yet understand this
revelation from God, not having been called of Him and therefore not
having received the love of the Truth, such that they have the freedom
to walk in it. Most have been deceived by the god of this world, Satan
the devil, and by their pleasure in the unrighteousness found in the
world (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12).

But, those who have been called
of God and who have remained faithful to that calling do have the
opportunity to obtain true freedom. Such opportunity has been made
possible by the life of Jesus Christ and the sacrifice He made for the
good of all mankind! In Romans 8:32, Paul asks the question “…how
shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” “All things”
would surely include freedom in this world!

Our obligation, then,
is to remain faithful to the calling we have received from the Father.
Paul tells us in Galatians 5:1: “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by
which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a
yoke of bondage.”

Many brethren have failed to follow this
instruction of Paul, an apostle of Christ, found in the book of
Galatians. Let us all take extreme care to never take lightly the
benefits afforded to us in the calling we have received. And let us
remain faithful to what we have proven over and over to be the
unchangeable Law and Truth of God; for through such conduct, we remain
being “truly free” in this world of sin!

U.S. Economy in Big Trouble

The Economist reported on January 12, 2006:

“The economy that Alan Greenspan is about to hand over [when he retires on January 31] is in a much less healthy state than is popularly assumed… he is leaving behind: the biggest economic imbalances in American history… Part of America’s current prosperity is based not on genuine gains in income, nor on high productivity growth, but on borrowing from the future. The words of Ludwig von Mises, an Austrian economist of the early 20th century, nicely sum up the illusion: ‘It may sometimes be expedient for a man to heat the stove with his furniture. But he should not delude himself by believing that he has discovered a wonderful new method of heating his premises.’… America kept the world going during troubled times. But now it is time for others to take the lead.”

On January 16, The Pravda published the following alarming article:

“The United States is heading to financial crisis at top speed. That is correct, America will default on its foreign debt sooner or later if the actual trends remain unchanged. Consequently, the whole dollar-based world (including savings in U.S. currency) may crumble. In actuality, the public have grown tired of numerous forecasts regarding an imminent collapse of the U.S. economy. The picture looks pretty grim this time around. Several factors will have an extremely detrimental effect on the dollar, according to U.S. Secretary of the Treasury John Snow who forwarded a letter full of ominous predictions to 21 members of U.S. Congress…

“In his letter, Snow predicts a crisis in February this year. Citing U.S. government forecasts, Snow believes that America’s foreign debt currently standing at $8,184 trillion will hit the debt ceiling as early as February-March 2006. For decades the White House has been borrowing money to cover expenditures that exceeded the real economic growth rates. As a result, the U.S. public debt currently totals to $8.1 trillion, a huge figure compared to the U.S. GDP that is slightly above $11 trillion…  An additional minimum amount of $171 billion in foreign loans over the limit is required to satisfy the needs of the U.S. economy (though growth rates are far from being spectacular), otherwise the U.S. will face the first foreign debt default in its history. ‘We will run out of funds for financing the government operations by mid-March at the latest even if the U.S. Department of the Treasury takes all possible legal measures to keep the foreign debt ceiling from going up,’ says Snow. Under his scenario, the government will have to take ’emergency measures’ to pay the bills. The measures mostly boil down to cutting the spending in all areas from social sector to national security.”

The article continued:

“… a number of events are due [to] take place in March. The events look very alarming to the world of the dollar. First, Iran is to officially switch into the euro in its foreign trade operations including oil exports. Second, China is hinting at a potential increase of the euro share in its Central Bank basket of currencies. The dollar share currently holds 70% of the basket. The dollar will be severely affected should the two countries, an oil and gas producer and a manufacturer, take action in a simultaneous manner.”

Iran Threatens the West

The Observer reported on January 15:

“Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the hardline President of Iran, launched an angry tirade against the West yesterday, accusing it of a ‘dark ages’ mentality and threatening retaliation unless it recognised his country’s nuclear ambitions. In a blistering assault, Ahmadinejad repeated the Islamic regime’s position that it would press ahead with a nuclear programme despite threats by the European Union and United States to refer Iran to the UN Security Council, where it could face possible sanctions. He added that Iran was a ‘civilised nation’ that did not need such weapons. Iran insists its nuclear programme is a wholly peaceful attempt to generate electricity.”

Regarding the nature of the threat of retaliation, The Observer speculated:

“Iran is the world’s fourth-largest oil producer and analysts have predicted that any disruption to its supplies could have a grave impact on global markets.”

North Korea Threatens the USA

CBS reported on January 13: “North Korean three-star General Ri Chan Bok tells correspondent Dan Rather that if the U.S. invades his country, he will use nuclear weapons to defend it… Does the general think that the United States might attack North Korea? ‘We firmly believe that the United States will carry out its policies on our country, even if they have to use military means,’ Gen. Bok tells Rather. ‘What we can say to you definitely right now is that we currently have nuclear weapons,’ he threatens.”

Germans and Americans

On January 16, Der Spiegel Online published an interesting article about the differences between Americans and Europeans. The magazine stated:

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s recent trip to Washington has a lot of people talking about ‘common values’ among conservatives. But a US conservative is a different species from a European conservative… since the beginning of her [Merkel’s] term in November, it’s been post-Cold War realities — including secret CIA prisons in Europe, extraordinary renditions, and Guantanamo — which have defined the US-German relationship. Indeed, given such differences, one wonders just what exactly are those ‘common values’ so often touted by conservatives on both sides of the Atlantic?… British historian Tony Judt recently pointed out that Europe and America have been lumped together in an entity known as ‘the West’ only since Word War II. It’s an entity that held strong from Pearl Harbor through the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.”

The magazine concluded that a reference to “common values” should be dropped, as there is more division than agreement on true “values”–even amongst American and German conservatives.

Merkel in Russia and Washington

On January 16, Der Spiegel Online reported about Angela Merkel’s first visit to Russia as German Chancellor, stating:

“Chancellor Angela Merkel’s first visit to Moscow as German leader has heralded a cooler, more businesslike approach to Russia compared with the unquestioning friendship displayed by her predecessor Gerhard Schröder… Germany’s new chancellor, Angela Merkel, signalled a decidedly no-nonsense approach during her inaugural visit to Moscow on Monday that reflected concern in Berlin about an excessive dependence on Russian gas and Russian human rights abuses… The contrast in atmosphere compared with Schröder’s days could not have been greater. Yet analysts say the end of close personal ties won’t lead to a marked deterioration in relations between the two countries, simply because too much is at stake. It’s a cold economic fact that they need each other — Germany gets over 30 percent of its natural gas supplies from Russia and trade between the two countries surged 30 percent last year.”

The magazine summarized Merkel’s recent trips to Washington and Moscow, as follows:

“Merkel has won praise for her reserved, sober style on the international stage and was given credit for brokering a European Union budget deal last month. Her inaugural visit to Washington last Friday also went off smoothly despite her criticism earlier in the week of the detention of terror suspects without trial in Guantanamo Bay.”

However, when President Bush and Chancellor Merkel were asked during a joint press conference about the Guantanamo Bay prison camp, President Bush made it very clear that Washington had no intentions of closing it down any time soon. Chancellor Merkel did not take a strong position on that occasion, rather choosing to dance around the issue. It is perhaps noteworthy that subsequently, according to a news report, dated January 18, the European Parliament “demanded” of the USA the “immediate closure of the Guantanamo Bay prison camp, condemning the American practice of incarcerating hundreds of suspects” (Bild Online, January 18, 2006).

Did Germany In Effect Support the Iraq War?

Der Spiegel Online reported on January 17, 2006, about an outcry in Germany, after it was revealed that Germany collaborated with the United States during the Iraq war, even though former Chancellor Schröder publicly condemned the war. The article pointed out:

“Revelations that information from German intelligence agents in Baghdad was passed along to Washington, while former chancellor Gerhard Schröder publicly condemned the US-led war in Iraq, have caused an uproar in Berlin.”

The magazine continued to ask:

“So what was it? Hypocrisy at the highest levels or simply pragmatic realpolitik? Certainly, it would be naive to believe that just because Schröder refused to back US President George W. Bush’s plans for invading Iraq that all military and intelligence ties between Berlin and Washington would be cut… In an investigative report aired by German public broadcaster ARD late last week, a former Pentagon employee alleged that two Baghdad-based BND agents supplied useful intelligence to the US military’s Defense Intelligence Agency that helped American forces choose bombing targets.

“The most dramatic example of the alleged assistance may have been the April 7, 2003 attempt on the life of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. According to ARD’s Pentagon source, US intelligence received a tip that morning of a column of black Mercedes limousines near a restaurant often frequented by Saddam and other government leaders. It was thought that Saddam might be among the passengers. US officials reportedly called up German intelligence and asked them to have their agents do a drive-by of the restaurant. The German agents in Baghdad confirmed the existence of a convoy of armored vehicles outside the building and not long afterwards, four satellite-guided bombs obliterated the site. But that claim has been forcefully denied by the current BND [Germany’s Foreign Intelligence Agency] head, Ernst Uhrlau, who at the time was intelligence director at the chancellery…

“Berlin did, however, inform Washington that it had two BND agents operating in Baghdad. And once the war began, the German spooks quickly became highly valuable to US intelligence officials. Several times the Americans asked the Germans to clarify important details, such as whether or not Saddam Hussein’s claim was real that trenches around Baghdad had been filled with gasoline and would be set on fire as US forces approached… In exchange, the Americans provided the Germans with classified details about planned military operations — all valuable information for a German government that had been isolated by Washington because of its outspoken opposition to the war.”

The article published the following concluding remarks:

“While the whole episode may seem like a tempest in a tea cup to observers in Washington, it could have serious repercussions for the government in Berlin. The potential impact of the affair surrounding the two BND agents has been magnified by recent revelations about several other incidents of dubious cooperation with the United States on highly controversial matters in the war on terror. Sometimes that involved Berlin looking the other way while Washington bent the rules on human rights and sometimes the Americans simply misused German intelligence.”

Eavesdropping Without Court Approval Illegal?

The Associated Press reported on January 16, 2006, that former Vice President Al Gore accused President Bush that he “broke the law by eavesdropping on Americans without court approval.” Gore was quoted as saying: “What we do know about this pervasive wiretapping virtually compels the conclusion that the president of the United States has been breaking the law repeatedly and insistently.” The article continued to point out:

“Gore… said the concerns are especially important on the [Martin Luther] King holiday because the slain civil rights leader was among thousands of Americans whose private communications were intercepted by the U.S. government. King, as a foremost civil rights activist in the 1950s and 60s, had his telephone conversations wiretapped by the FBI, which kept a file on him and thousands of other civil rights and anti-Vietnam war activists.”

AFP reported on January 17, that “Civil liberties groups fired double-barrelled lawsuits at US President George W. Bush, challenging the legality of his domestic eavesdropping programme and demanding its immediate suspension. The suits were filed in New York by the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) and in Detroit by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and a host of other advocacy groups. Both actions sought an injunction that would prohibit the government from conducting surveillance of communications in the United States without judicial warrants.”

The news agency continued:

“The New York Times on Tuesday reported that much of the domestic spying conducted by the NSA after the September 11, 2001 attacks was unproductive and led federal agents to dead ends or innocent Americans. The monitoring of international telephone calls and computer messages placed by Americans to suspected terrorists abroad, and vice versa, produced such a huge amount of unfiltered information that it overwhelmed the FBI, current and former officials told the newspaper.”

First Elected African Female Leader

The Associated Press reported on January 16 about Africa’s first elected female head of state, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who was sworn in Monday as war-battered Liberia’s new president. The article explained about Liberia:

“Founded by freed American slaves in 1847, Liberia was prosperous and peaceful for more than a century, bolstered by abundant timber and diamond wealth. But back-to-back civil wars from 1989 to 2003 brought the country to its knees, killing 200,000 people and displacing half the nation’s population of 3 million. It is now one of the world’s poorest countries, ranked 206th in terms of per capita income out of 208 countries on 2004 World Bank list. Today, not even the capital has running water or electricity: the rich rely on generators, the poor on candles. Unemployment is 80 percent.”

Focusing on Liberia’s new leader, the article continued:

“Born in Liberia in 1938, Sirleaf worked her way through college in the United States by mopping floors and waiting tables. She graduated with a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard in 1971 and took top jobs in Liberia, including finance minister, and senior positions at Citibank, the World Bank and the U.N. Twice imprisoned in Liberia in the 1980s for political reasons, she returned during a break in fighting in 1997 to run for president. She lost to Taylor, but tried again last fall, emerging victorious.”

We wish Ellen Sirleaf all the best in her endeavor to return peace and prosperity to this once peaceful and prosperous country.

War on Terror to Last for Decades?

The Daily Telegraph reported on January 17:
“Biological weapons pose a far more serious long-term terrorist threat to the West than nuclear weapons, according to Washington’s leading counter-terrorism expert. And Henry ‘Hank’ Crumpton, the newly-appointed head of counter-terrorism at the US State Department, believes that it is simply a matter of time before international terrorist groups such as al-Qa’eda acquire weapons of mass destruction and use them in attacks… [He also] warned yesterday that the ‘war on terror’ was likely to last for decades.”

Crumpton also had some harsh criticism for America’s European allies, stating:

“But despite the initial success achieved during the Afghan war in 2001, he expressed disappointment with the support Washington had received from its European allies since hostilities ended. ‘The job was not finished and it is not finished now.’ Bin Laden, who escaped to Pakistan, was ‘in all probability’ still alive, he said. The regime of President Assad in Syria also seriously threatens western security, he says. ‘The regime continues to support terror organisations. And we know that the Baathist leadership fled to Damascus taking with them money and terrorist expertise, and we cannot rule out the fact that some of that expertise related to WMD.'”

The word Zion first appears in the Bible as the name of the ancient
Jebusite fortress called the city of Jebus which was situated on a hill
within the subsequent boundaries of Jerusalem. 2 Samuel 5:7 states:
“Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion (that is, the City of
David).” Note that from this original conquest, the area was enlarged:
“Then David dwelt in the stronghold, and called it the City of David.
And David built all around from the Millo and inward” (2 Samuel 5:9;
also, 1 Chronicles 11:4-9).

The hill upon which Solomon built the
temple was Mount Moriah — a different location than that of the
original City of David. David purchased from Ornan the Jebusite the location on which the
temple of God would later be built by Solomon
(Compare 1 Chronicles 21:18-30 and 2 Chronicles 3:1).

Tracing the
earlier history of the site, we find that Israel’s two tribes of Judah
and Benjamin were given this as a part of their inheritance in the land
God promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Benjamin’s share included the
city of Jebus — which is part of what became the city of Jerusalem
(Compare Joshua 18:28). Judah’s boundaries also included the area
bordering the city of Jebus (Compare Joshua 15:8).

However, the
Biblical record shows that when Judah and Benjamin began to take their
inheritances by force, they were unable to drive out the Jebusites
(Compare Joshua 15:63 and Judges 1:21). Part of the area belonging to
Judah was captured but not the fortress of Zion (Compare Judges 1:8).

In
the time of Abraham, the place where the city of Zion was built was
known as Salem. It is from this city that Melchizedek reigned as king
and priest of “God Most High” (Genesis 14:18).

In the New
Testament, further explanation concerning this remarkable site is given
in Hebrews 7:1-3: “For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the
Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the
kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all,
first being translated ‘king of righteousness,’ and then also king of
Salem, meaning ‘king of peace,’ without father, without mother, without
genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made
like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.”

The meaning
of Zion continued to expand in its usage throughout the Bible. Zion
became synonymous with Jerusalem and Israel and was applied to the land
and people that God had chosen, as well. For example, Jerusalem and its
inhabitants are personified as the “daughter of Zion” (Compare Isaiah
62:11; Zechariah 9:9; and, Matthew 21:5).

Zion is
especially significant regarding the many prophetic statements
concerning the establishment of God’s Kingdom on the earth and the
location of His rule.

“For the LORD has chosen Zion; He has
desired it for His dwelling place: ‘This is My resting place forever;
Here I will dwell, for I have desired it’” (Psalm 132:13-14). Zion is
called the “…city of God” (Psalm 87:3) and the “…city of the great
King” (Psalm 48:2).

Note this prophecy about Zion, picturing
the future reign of God, as found in Zechariah 2:10-12: “‘Sing and
rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell
in your midst,’ says the LORD. ‘Many nations shall be joined to the
LORD in that day, and they shall become My people. And I will dwell in
your midst. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me to
you. And the LORD will take possession of Judah as His inheritance in
the Holy Land, and will again choose Jerusalem.’”

Another
reference states: “For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word
of the LORD from Jerusalem” (Isaiah 2:3). Psalm 102, verse 16,
explains: “For the LORD shall build up Zion; He shall appear in His
glory.”

The physical location of Zion is the place on this earth
where Jesus Christ will assemble those who have part in the first
resurrection (or who are changed from mortal to immortal — compare 1
Corinthians 15:51-52 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18): “Then I looked, and
behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and
forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their
foreheads” (Revelation 14:1).

We should also realize that a
“Mount Zion” exists in the spirit world, describing the place of God’s
presence and of His unending rule over His creation (compare our free
booklet, “Angels, Demons and the Spirit World.”)
Speaking to Christians, the author of Hebrews says: “But you have come
to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly
Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly
and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the
Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the
Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that
speaks better things than that of Abel” (Hebrews 12:22-24).

That
“heavenly Jerusalem,” which will come down from heaven to earth, is
further described in Revelation 21 and in verses 1-5 of chapter 22.
Here, in the context of “…a new heaven and a new earth” (21:1), the
throne of God and of the Lamb will be placed in the New Jerusalem —
the holy city.

We see, then, that the meaning of Zion is far more
than its original designation as a Jebusite stronghold or fortress.
Zion depicts the headquarters for governmental administration — that
is, for God’s rule in and from heaven; for a united Israel under King
David; and eventually for the rule of God’s government over mankind.
Importantly, Zion also describes the people and the land of promise as
a symbol of the hope that God has prepared for all nations!

Lead Writer: Dave Harris

A new StandingWatch program
was recorded on Thursday, which is titled, “Beware of False Prophets!”
In the program, Mr. Link discusses the confusion created by those who
try to determine the exact time of Christ’s return, and who
misinterpret Biblical prophecy.

On January 14, 2006, Norbert Link will give the final sermon on
certain aspects in the life of Abraham, titled, “Abraham, Part 2.”

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at 12:30 pm Pacific Time (which is 2:30 pm Central Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

In the latest member letter, which you will receive shortly, Mr.
Link mentions that Mr. Armstrong, in the latter part of his life,
preached repeatedly about the two trees. Mr. Link also states that Mr.
Armstrong remarked on numerous occasions that some “just did not get
it.” We remember well those sermons, which he gave on that subject, and
I am glad that some of us did get it and remained faithful to God and
His way.

For the benefit of those who were not around then, or
who might not have been church members, I want to discuss just what Mr.
Armstrong meant by these statements.

The two trees are mentioned
in Genesis 2:16-17 and Genesis 3:1-6, respectively. They are called the
“tree of life,” and the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” They
represent two ways of life. One–the tree of life–is the give way, the
way of co-operation and love, which will lead to eternal life. The
other one–the tree of the knowledge of good and evil–is the get way,
the way of competition and strife, which, if not repented of, will
ultimately lead to eternal death, from which there is no resurrection.

The
one way is based on the demonstration of love by keeping the
commandments of God. The first four of the Ten Commandments show us how
to love God; the last six show us how to love our neighbor. The get way
is going against God’s laws and results in sinning.

History has
shown that many people, who were viewed once as being Church members,
“did not get it,” since they turned their backs on God and went back
into the world. Peter compares this action with a dog turning to his
own vomit.

It is really a matter of choice. God lamented that
fact when He asked: “Why will you die, O Israel?” They were making the
wrong choice, adopting the way of get which leads to pain, suffering
and death. In Deuteronomy 30:15-16, God tells ancient Israel (and
spiritual Israel today): “See, I have set before you today life and
good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the LORD your
God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes,
and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the LORD your
God will bless you in the land which you go to possess.”

God
continues His warning in Deuteronomy 30:19-20: “I call heaven and earth
as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and
death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and
your descendants may live; that you may love the LORD your God, that
you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your
life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land
which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to
give them.”

Notice that we demonstrate LOVE through obedience.
Let us not become part of future statistics, listing those who are not
getting it, brethren, but let us rather ensure, through faithful
obedience, that we make the right choice. Let us always turn from the
tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and let us continue to choose
the tree of LIFE.

Iran and the Mahdi

On January 6, 2006, WorldNetDaily published an interesting article about the belief of the President of Iran in the near arrival of an Islamic Messiah, the Mahdi. The paper pointed out:

“Iranian President Mahmoud’s Ahmadinejad’s mystical pre-occupation with the coming of a Shiite Islamic messiah figure–the Mahdi–is raising concerns that a nuclear-armed Islamic Republic could trigger the kind of global conflagration he envisions will set the stage for the end of the world.”

The article continued that the Iranian President’s “apocalyptic religious zealotry has received less attention” than it should have. It related an interesting episode in the life of the President:

“In a videotaped meeting with Ayatollah Javadi-Amoli in Tehran, Ahmadinejad discussed candidly a strange, paranormal experience he had while addressing the United Nations in New York last September. He recounts how he found himself bathed in light throughout the speech. But this wasn’t the light directed at the podium by the U.N. and television cameras. It was, he said, a light from heaven… Ahmadinejad wasn’t the only one who noticed the unearthly light. One of his aides brought it to his attention. The Iranian president recalled being told about it by one of his delegation: ‘When you began with the words “in the name of Allah,” I saw a light coming, surrounding you and protecting you to the end.’ Ahmadinejad agreed that he sensed the same thing… ‘On the last day when I was speaking, one of our group told me that when I started to say “Bismillah Muhammad,” he saw a green light come from around me, and I was placed inside this aura,’ he says… Ahmadinejad’s ‘vision’ at the U.N. is strangely reminiscent and alarmingly similar to statements he has made about his personal role in ushering in the return of the Shiite Muslim messiah.

“He sees his main mission, as he recounted in a Nov. 16 speech in Tehran, as to ‘pave the path for the glorious reappearance of Imam Mahdi, may Allah hasten his reappearance.’ According to Shiites, the 12th imam disappeared as a child in the year 941. When he returns, they believe, he will reign on earth for seven years, before bringing about a final judgment and the end of the world. Ahmadinejad is urging Iranians to prepare for the coming of the Mahdi by turning the country into a mighty and advanced Islamic society and by avoiding the corruption and excesses of the West… Ahmadinejad and others in Iran are deadly serious about the imminent return of the 12th imam, who will prompt a global battle between good and evil (with striking parallels to biblical accounts of ‘Armageddon’).”

Subsequently, the paper reported on January 10, 2006, that the Iranian President told a crowd of theological students in Iran’s holy city of Qom that “Islam must prepare to rule the world.”

Muslims Pray for Salvation

The Associated Press reported on January 9, 2006, that “More than 2 million Muslim pilgrims from 178 countries prayed for salvation Monday at Mount Arafat, Islam’s most sacred site… With hands raised to heaven, the mass of pilgrims converged on the mount, not far from Mecca and the site of the last sermon by Islam’s 7th century prophet Muhammad three months before he died in 632… Islam requires that all Muslims who are financially and physically able make the hajj at least once. Sheik Abdul-Aziz al-Sheik, the kingdom’s grand mufti, said Muslims faced critical challenges, among them accusations of terrorism and human rights abuses and calls for revisions in their school textbooks. ‘Oh, Muslim nation, there is a war against our creed, against our culture under the pretext of fighting terrorism. We should stand firm and united in protecting our religion,’ he said, speaking at a mosque on the plain of Mount Arafat. ‘Islam’s enemies want to empty our religion from its contents and its meaning. But the soldiers of God will be victorious,’ said al-Sheik, the Saudi kingdom’s top religious authority…

“The Kaba, the huge cube-like edifice, is considered the focal point of the hajj. It also serves as the Qibla, or center of the Islamic world toward which all Muslims turn in prayer. The Quran declares the Kaba was the first place of worship designated by God. Muslims believe that the Kaba was built by Abraham on the foundations of an earlier temple built by Adam, the progenitor of all mankind.”

Disputed African Border

The Associated Press reported on January 9, 2006, that “The United States launched a diplomatic initiative Monday to try to mark the contested border between Ethiopia and Eritrea, a dispute that led to a 2 1/2-year war in an area where both countries are again massing troops… Ethiopia has refused to implement the international boundary commission’s April 2002 ruling, which awarded the key town of Badme to Eritrea. Angry that the ruling was not enforced, Eritrea in October banned U.N. helicopter flights and vehicle movements at night on its side of the buffer zone… Everybody recognizes that the goal must be the demarcation of the border and normalizing relations between the two poverty-stricken countries so they can focus on development rather than spend money preparing for a possible war.”

Ethiopia and Eritrea are regions filled with historical significance. In the 4th century AD the region, later known as Eritrea, was part of the ancient Ethiopian kingdom of Aksum. Italy occupied some coastal regions in 1885 and established a colony in 1890, calling it Eritrea, from the Roman name for the Red Sea. From 1936 to 1941 this colony was joined with Italian-occupied Ethiopia and Italian Somaliland to form Italian East Africa.

As Mr. Armstrong pointed out in the Plain Truth, June 1967, the prophecy of Daniel 11:40 was fulfilled in February/March of 1896, when King Menelik II of Ethiopia ‘pushed at’ the Italians at Aduwa, and when subsequently, in 1935, Mussolini came against Ethiopia “like a whirlwind.” He did, however, not enter the “Glorious Land”–this prophecy of Daniel 11:41 will still have to be fulfilled by a modern European leader. Whether the prophecy in Daniel 11:40 will be fulfilled a second time, will have to be seen.

Earthquake in Greece

On January 8, 2006, “A powerful earthquake shook Greece,” according to an article in The Associated Press. The article continued: “The Athens Geodynamic Institute said the epicenter of the 6.9-magnitude quake was located beneath the seabed about 125 miles south of Athens and 12 miles east of the island of Kithira in the Sea of Crete. ‘It was a very powerful quake which shook all of Greece…’, institute head Giorgos Stavrakakis said. ‘The quake occurred deep undersea and that’s what saved us.’ The earthquake was felt as far away as Cairo, Egypt, [and] across southern Italy but there were no reports of damage or injuries, Italian news reports said… scientists project that as many as 6 million people may have felt the earthquake.”

Alaska Volcano

WorldNetDaily reported on January 11: “The Augustine Volcano in Alaska could erupt in hours or days, according to the Alaska Volcano Observatory… Over the past six hours, earthquake activity beneath Augustine has increased markedly… The volcano showed signs of unrest last week with steam explosions and blasts of ash from the summit… The volcano hasn’t seen much activity since it erupted in 1986, spraying ash over the city of Anchorage, Alaska’s most populated city.”

Pat Robertson in the News

The Associated Press reported on January 5, 2006, about Pat Robertson’s highly controversial statements. The article pointed out: “Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson suggested Thursday that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s stroke was divine punishment for ‘dividing God’s land.’ ‘God considers this land to be his,’ Robertson said on his TV program ‘The 700 Club.’… Sharon, who ordered Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza last year, suffered a severe stroke on Wednesday… Sharon ‘was dividing God’s land and I would say woe unto any prime minister of Israel who takes a similar course to appease the EU (European Union), the United Nations, or the United States of America,’ Robertson said.”

In a follow-up article, The Associated Press reported on January 11: “Israel will not do business with Pat Robertson after the religious leader suggested Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s massive stroke was divine punishment for the Gaza withdrawal, a tourism official said Wednesday. Robertson is leading a group of Christian evangelicals who have pledged to raise $50 million to build a large Christian tourism center in Israel’s northern Galilee region, where tradition says Jesus lived and taught. But Ido Hartuv, a spokesman for Tourism Minister Avraham Hirschson, said Israeli officials were furious with Robertson.”

The article also pointed out that “Robertson’s comments drew condemnation from other Christian leaders and even President Bush.”

British Values Under Siege

On January 9, 2006, The Daily Mail published an article by columnist Melanie Phillips, titled, “Who will save us from the zealots who treat common sense as bigotry?”

In the article, the following was stated:

“Not for the first time, this country appears to have taken leave of its senses. Ed Greening served for five years on Wiltshire County Council’s adoption panel. As a Christian, he thought that adoption by same-sex couples was wrong, and so he abstained whenever the panel approved such an arrangement. This accommodation, however, was not enough. Last month he was told he would not be re-appointed to the adoption panel because, according to advice from its lawyers and the national Commission for Social Care Inspection excluding people as adopters on the grounds of sexual orientation was ‘not an option’. This is the outcome of an adoption law which recently came into effect and which gives the same status as adopters to samesex couples as to heterosexuals.

“… But what is happening is that same-sex couples are actually being preferred to heterosexual couples who are being turned down as adopters, because the new law means that if adoption panels choose heterosexual couples, they might be accused of discrimination against samesex couples. Or at least, that’s the excuse that’s been given. Of course, such panels would never be accused of discrimination against heterosexual couples, even though that is patently what is happening.

 “.. As a result, vulnerable children are to be deprived of the most favourable home life and subjected instead to potential disadvantage – simply to pander to the doctrine that gay lifestyles have to be treated in an identical fashion to heterosexual ones, and anyone who objects is a bigot… And these doctrines represent a deliberate attack on the traditional values of our society and their replacement by what used to be considered irregular behaviour. Where once homosexuals were excluded from public life, now it is those who uphold traditional family values who are excluded.

 “… British values are under siege. The freest and most tolerant society on earth now leads the way in intimidation, moral degradation and lies. The need to identify, reclaim and defend the real centre ground, in order to rescue the progressive ideal of social justice which has been taken hostage, is the single most urgent task in British politics.”

Austria and the EU Constitution

The Independent reported on January 9, 2006, that “Austria has pledged to help bring Europe’s constitution out of cold storage as its EU presidency started amid calls to salvage key elements of the treaty. With no sign of agreement among EU member states on how to proceed, Ursula Plassnik, the Austrian Foreign minister, yesterday promised new consultations before decisions in June on what to do next. Ms Plassnik called for a ‘new step in the debate on the future of Europe’ under the ‘constitution process which has slowed down and which is now covered in a blanket of snow, waiting for Spring’. She added: ‘What we need is climate change.'”

Praise for Merkel’s Courage

Der Spiegel Online published an article on January 9, 2006, praising German Chancellor Angela Merkel for her courage. It is rare that the left-liberal magazine praises a conservative politician, but in this case, the praise was for Merkel’s criticism of Washington. The article stated:

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel says an institution like the US Guantanamo terror prison, where suspects are held without trial or charges, ‘cannot’ and ‘must not’ exist. German Newspapers representing the entire political spectrum are praising her frank criticism of Washington. “

The article continued, quoting excerpts from other newspapers:

“In an editorial, the conservative Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung says ‘America and its president should be grateful for this criticism.’ … the conservative Die Welt… describes Merkel’s visit [this week in Washington] as a sobering one, ‘free of illusion.’… The left-leaning Berliner Zeitung praises Merkel for her statements, seeing it as yet another example of the fine stateswoman who is emerging. ‘As so often, Merkel has been underestimated in foreign policy,’ the paper writes. ‘Within a few weeks she has not just freed herself from the suspicion of being diplomatically naive,’ it says, ‘she has even managed to approach the US government with a self-confidence which Schröder could never have ventured after his election campaign escapades.’ The [right-leaning] tabloid Bild newspaper… describes Merkel’s statement as ‘courageous’ and marking a turning point in German human rights history…  ‘If Merkel speaks frankly with our American friends, she can be all the more uninhibited in demanding human rights elsewhere.’ The paper also notes that Murat Kurnaz, a native of Bremen, is still being held at Guantanamo, denied of his right to legal due process.”

The short answer is, No. We read in 1 Corinthians 6:18 that we are
to “flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the
body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.”
Members of God’s Church are also told not to “make provisions for the
flesh, to fulfill its lusts (Romans 13:14).” Further, they are
commanded to “abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should
know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in
passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God” (1
Thessalonians 4:3-5).

Regarding this last passage, the Ryrie
Study Bible comments that this “means either mastery over one’s own
body, keeping it pure (1 Cor. 9:24-27),” or that it “refers to an
honorable marriage (vessel = wife, as 1 Pet. 3:7).” A third possibility
is a warning for a man not to try to “obtain” for himself a
vessel–that is, a future wife–“in passion of lust.” The Nelson Study
Bible explains: “Paul strongly urged the Thessalonians not to
participate in any sexual activity outside of marriage… Sexual
involvement outside of marriage dishonors God, one’s marriage partner
or future spouse, and even one’s own body.”

The Old Testament
very clearly reveals God’s stance on adultery–a sexual sin which
involves at least one married partner. We read in Leviticus 21:10 that
“The man who commits adultery with another man’s wife… the adulterer
and the adulteress, shall surely be put to death.” There is no room for
adultery by consent from the non-involved mate. This is the reason why
Abram’s and Sarai’s conduct–to bring forth offspring through
intercourse between Abram and Sarai’s maid Hagar–constituted adultery
in God’s eyes.

The commandment against adultery included not
only a married woman who has had sexual intercourse with her husband,
but also a virgin “betrothed” to her husband, prior to the consummation
of the marriage. Betrothal in Biblical times was a binding and
enforceable contract, containing promises to marry each other. The
Bible considered betrothed partners as husband and wife, and a
betrothal could only be dissolved by a decree of divorce.

We read
in Deuteronomy 22:23-24: “If a young woman who is a virgin is betrothed
to a husband, and a man finds her in the city and lies with her, then
you shall bring both out to the gate of that city, and you shall stone
them to death with stones, the young woman because she did not cry out
in the city [thereby consenting to the adulterous conduct], and the man
because he humbled his neighbor’s wife [even though she was only
“betrothed,” and the marriage had not yet been consummated]; so you
shall put away the evil from among you.”

On the other hand, as
Deuteronomy 22:25-27 continues to point out, “… if a man finds a
betrothed young woman in the countryside, and the man forces her and
lies with her, then only the man who lay with her [i.e., the rapist] shall die. But you shall do nothing to the young woman; there is in the
young woman no sin deserving of death [since the rapist forced himself
upon her; there was no consent to this act by the woman], for just as
when a man rises against his neighbor and kills him, even so is this
matter. For he found her in the countryside, and the betrothed young
woman cried out, but there was no one to save her.”

In case there
were no witnesses to the act of adultery, God had provided for a
procedure to determine the guilt or innocence of an accused wife, if
the husband so desired (compare Numbers 5:11-31).

In the New
Testament, Christ even warned His followers not to look at a married
woman with lust or evil thoughts–wanting to commit adultery with
her–because such uncontrolled desire already constitutes adultery in
the mind and heart (Matthew 5:27-28; compare Proverbs 6:23-35). Please
note that Christ did not say that one can look at another man’s wife
with evil thoughts, as long as the wife’s husband “consents” to this.
At the same time, Christ also taught that every sin can be forgiven,
upon genuine repentance. He refused to condemn the woman caught in the
very act of adultery, when He saw her humiliation and repentance
(compare John 8:1-12). God also requires mercy and compassion. Joseph,
being a righteous man, intended to leave Mary secretly when he thought
that she, who was betrothed to him, had committed adultery. He just
wanted to put her away secretly, “not wanting to make her a public
example” (Matthew 1:18-19).

In addition, we do find a remarkable difference in the Old Testament in case of fornication between two unmarried young people.

We
read in Exodus 22:16-17: “If a man entices a virgin who is NOT
betrothed, and lies with her, he shall surely pay the bride-price for
her to be his wife. If her father utterly refuses to give her to him,
he shall pay money according to the bride-price of virgins.”

Deuteronomy 22:28-29 adds:

“If
a man finds a young woman who is a virgin, who is NOT betrothed, and he
seizes her [this goes beyond mere enticement] and lies with her, and
they are found out, then the man who lay with her shall give to the
young woman’s father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife
because he had humbled her; he shall not be permitted to divorce her
all his days.”

The fine of the bride-price was steep, which was
“meant to discourage young men from reckless behavior… This law
warned young men that they would be made responsible for their actions”
(Nelson Study Bible, comments to Exodus 22:16-17 and Deuteronomy
22:28-29).

Matthew Henry’s Commentary adds that this is “a law
that he who debauched a young woman should be obliged to marry her…
This law puts an honour upon marriage and shows likewise how improper a
thing it is that children should marry without their parents’ consent.”

Even
in the case of a somewhat forceful conduct by the man [which should, of
course, never happen; see the terrible “Dinah incident” and its
consequences in Genesis 34], he had the responsibility, if so required
by the young woman’s father, to marry her, thereby restoring her honor
and providing for her until death–without any right to divorce her.
These principles still apply today in God’s Church. If two young
unmarried people in the Church commit fornication (even though they
should not do so and are sinning, if they do), they should be aware
that, excluding extraordinary circumstances, they have a
responsibility, before God, to complete their marriage responsibilities
which they, in effect, already began through their conduct. If one
party is not in the Church, then the situation is slightly different,
as 1 Corinthians 7:39 requires that a marriage in the Church should
only occur “in the Lord”; that is, between two believers.

God
wants us to have happy and productive marriages, and He is against any
conduct which could destroy or jeopardize the success of a present or
future marriage. If such conduct occurs, God is willing to forgive, but
He still requires appropriate behavior to guarantee the success and
endurance of the current or future marriage relationship.

For further information, please read our free booklet: “The Keys to Happy Marriages and Families.”

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

A new member letter
has been written and will be sent out shortly. In the member letter,
Mr. Link remembers Mr. Armstrong and his death on January 16, 1986, as
well as the legacy he left us. The letter has been posted on the Web.

On January 7, 2006, Norbert Link will give the sermon, titled, “Abraham.”

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at 12:30 pm Pacific Time (which is 2:30pm Central Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

 Right NOW–it really is time to flee! But what should we flee from and where should we flee?

Throughout New Testament Church history, the people of God have
anticipated a time when circumstances would necessitate a hazardous
escape in times of eminent peril. Jesus said as much in Matthew 24 when
He specifically identified events that would signal unparalleled world
turmoil, and He told His disciples to be ready (Compare verses 15-22).
In addition, we find His stern warning to watch and pray in order that
we might escape the calamitous end-time events heralding His return to
the earth and the end of this age (Compare Luke 21:34-36). Without
question, this will be a time for Christians to flee to the physical
safety that God will provide for those who are faithful and obedient.

However,
there is another time to flee. There are circumstances and reasons for
Christians to flee–right now! We must flee from sin. Paul succinctly
said: “Flee sexual immorality…” (1 Corinthians 6:18). He instructed
Timothy to flee the enticements of money and to “…pursue
righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness,” and to
“Fight the good fight of faith”; to “lay hold on eternal life…” (1
Timothy 6:11-12).

We also find this vital key to withstanding the
influence of the perverted spiritual ruler of this age: “Therefore
submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).
Our focus must be to come out of this world–we must even, at times,
take the position of fleeing from sin (Compare Revelation 18:4). We
can’t afford to snuggle up to those things that are wrong, because,
inevitably, we are lured into a series of descending compromises that
end up in full-blown sin. That sin leads to death (Compare James
1:14-15)!

If we want life–the kind that God promises that is
eternal–we must be prepared to separate ourselves from what is
often times the easy and familiar. We must develop an attitude of
urgency! We must turn totally to God’s way! We must not go along in a
sleepy-eyed slumber, because our life really is on the line!

When
you confront sin–any sin–it’s time to flee! Turn to God and flee to
Him. Do what God says and you really will find safety–both now and in
all of the dangerous circumstances that certainly lie ahead for all
Christians!

Austria Looks South

The International Herald Tribune wrote on December 31, 2005:

“Austria, once an imperial power in southeastern Europe, is reasserting its economic influence in its former territories and intends to encourage political change in the region when it takes over the European Union presidency Sunday… Austria never really abandoned Central Europe or the Balkans. Even after the collapse in 1918 of the Austro-Hungarian Empire–which at its height stretched from Silesia in what is now Poland to Transylvania in Romania–Vienna remained a beacon for writers, composers and artists from across the region. When Stalin put up the Iron Curtain in 1948, Vienna took on a new status, providing a refuge for people fleeing the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, the failed Prague Spring of 1968, and persecuted Jews fleeing from the former Soviet Union. But it was in the summer of 1989, months before the collapse of the Berlin Wall, that Foreign Minister Alois Mock of Austria and his Communist Hungarian counterpart, Gyula Horn, took the action that was to change the face of Europe. On an abandoned stretch of land that marked the Austrian-Hungarian border, Mock and Horn literally cut through the barbed wire that divided Western and Eastern Europe and allowed 700 East Germans to reach the West without being shot. This breach, later widened after negotiations between Hungary and West Germany, allowed tens of thousands of East Germans to leave the country and precipitated the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War.

“The breach also opened new investment opportunities in the East. But because of the Balkan Wars of the 1990s, Austrian companies concentrated on Eastern and Central Europe. Only now are they venturing into the Balkans, anticipating the boom that EU membership for Romania and Bulgaria, planned for 2007, will bring to the region. Austria’s Economy Ministry says the increase in investment has been enormous. Total investment by Austria in southeastern Europe–Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Romania, and Serbia and Montenegro–reached E5.9 billion, or $6.9 billion, in 2004, an increase of 57 percent over the previous year. In the same period, Austrian investment in Eastern Europe rose 17 percent…

“And it is not just trade that is on the rise. Politics is playing an ever more important role, with Austria sometimes at loggerheads with its 24 EU partners over the bloc’s policies toward its southern neighbors. In early October, Austria stood alone among the EU members in resisting the start of accession talks with Turkey. In return for its support, it insisted that the EU start negotiations with Croatia as well. After days and nights of intense talks, the EU agreed that both countries could begin accession negotiations.”

Many Austrians and Germans are descendants from the ancient Assyrians, as the Bible and historical records reveal. And the Bible contains startling prophecies for modern Assyria in these end times. It is therefore important for us to watch developments in Germany and Austria.

Iran’s Nuclear Power

AFP reported on January 4, 2006:

“A day after Iran notified the UN atomic watchdog of its decision to ‘start research on the technology of nuclear fuel in a few days,’ the country’s chief official for the nuclear file, Ali Larijani, said the decision was ‘not negotiable.’ His comments followed similar remarks late Tuesday by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who was quoted by state television as saying Iran would not ‘step back’ on its decision to resume nuclear fuel work.The increasingly hardline tone from Iranian leaders came despite calls from the International Atomic Energy Agency, Europe and the United States to maintain its suspension of enrichment-related activities.

“Germany, a member of the EU-3 negotiating team that also includes Britain and France, said it viewed Iran’s latest announcement with ‘concern,’ and added that it could ‘throw into doubt the exploratory talks’ to be held in Vienna on January 18. France also urged Iran to withdraw plans to resume research on its nuclear programme, warning that future talks could be put on hold… A Western diplomat said that Tehran’s gesture ‘is the sign that shows Iran’s negotiations with the EU are on their last legs.'”

The Guardian reported about another concern in its article, dated January 4. It was pointed out: “The Iranian government has been successfully scouring Europe for the sophisticated equipment needed to develop a nuclear bomb, according to the latest western intelligence assessment of the country’s weapons programmes. Scientists in Tehran are also shopping for parts for a ballistic missile capable of reaching Europe, with ‘import requests and acquisitions … registered almost daily’, the report seen by the Guardian concludes.”

USA vs. Iran

Der Spiegel Online reported on December 30, 2005:

“Recent reports in the German media suggest that the United States may be preparing its allies for an imminent military strike against facilities [as early as 2006] that are part of Iran’s suspected clandestine nuclear weapons program… DDP [a German news agency] also reported that the governments of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Oman and Pakistan have been informed in recent weeks of Washington’s military plans. The countries, apparently, were told that air strikes were a ‘possible option,’ but they were given no specific timeframe for the operations.”

State of Emergency in California

AFP reported on January 4, 2006, that “Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger broadened the state of emergency in storm-hit northern California as flood waters subsided… ‘Conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property exist,’ Schwarzenegger said in his written decrees. ‘The series of storms brought unusually heavy rains that caused flooding, mudslides, the accumulation of debris, washed out and damaged roads, and the loss of human life.’… Damage estimates climbed past 100 million dollars on Tuesday.”

AFP had reported in a previous article, dated January 3, that “Violent weather across the United States has brought a tempestuous start to 2006, as wildfires swept across southern parts of the country Monday and storms triggered floods in California… Monday’s storm drenched usually sunny southern California, flooding roads and causing landslides in the Los Angeles area. The storm also soaked the Rose Parade, an annual event just north of Los Angeles featuring flowery floats, for the first time since 1955… Meanwhile, runaway fires that have killed at least four people continued to rage across the southern central US states of Texas and Oklahoma, forcing residents to flee [from] burning homes.”

In a TV broadcast on January 3, CNN claimed that the weather conditions in California, Texas and Oklahoma are related. According to the program, the same storm drenching California moved toward Texas and Oklahoma and picked up hot air over the Arizona desert. It caused the prolonged draught in Texas and Oklahoma to continue, raising the fire dangers in those states.

America’s Image

Der Spiegel Online reported on January 4, 2006:

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel can look forward to the red-carpet treatment in Washington next week as US President George Bush — who never got on with her predecessor Gerhard Schröder — hopes to signal a fresh start. But a top German official warns that despite improving trans-Atlantic ties, America’s reputation among the European public is waning.”

The article continued:

“‘I’m concerned that the image of America as a haven of state legality where the state protects the personal freedom of individuals has suffered,’ said Karsten Voigt, the German Foreign Ministry’s co-ordinator for German-American cooperation… ‘I hope people in the US are aware of the problem.’ Voigt said… public opinion in Germany and other European countries remained highly critical of US government policy…  While the Iron Curtain divided Germany, the relationship was clear– the United States was West Germany’s protector. The fall of communism had ended Germany’s need for protection and thrust it into the new role of having to help solve crises elsewhere in the world, said Voigt. ‘In the last century we either caused the crisis or were at the center of it,’ said Voigt. ‘We were automatically involved. Now we have to decide whether we get involved…'”

Russia and Europe

Der Spiegel Online reported on January 6, 2006:

“Following a few days of concern that Europe might be in for a very cold winter, Russia and the Ukraine… announced they had managed to end their dispute over natural gas pricing– conveniently just in time for Orthodox Christmas break.”

But even though Russia bowed to European pressure, the waves have not calmed down, and Europe’s suspicions about Russia’s intentions remain. The magazine explained:

“But many officials in the European Union remain unsettled after Moscow simply turned off the tap on Jan. 1 following Kiev’s refusal to pay more for its gas. The episode has raised doubts whether Russia — which supplies some 25 percent of the EU’s natural gas — can be a reliable partner for Europe’s energy needs. Western commentators said Russian President Vladimir Putin was using Russia’s gas wealth as a weapon to intimidate its neighbors and shore up Russian influence in the region. Western-leaning Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko has annoyed Moscow by aiming to take Ukraine into the European Union and NATO — a move which would further reduce Russia’s influence over the states of the former Soviet Union.”

In a previous article, dated January 3, Der Spiegel Online had explained the precarious situation, as follows:

“The supply stop has already led to reduced natural gas deliveries to France, Italy, Austria, Hungary and Poland by as much as 35 percent… Germany, Europe’s largest economy, gets about 30 percent of its gas from Russia… The conservative German daily Die Welt wrote: ‘Moscow still regards its western neighbors as a back yard in which self-will isn’t tolerated and is even punished.’ Business daily Handelsblatt wrote that Russia had shown it wasn’t an honest and reliable supplier of gas… The United States government was quick to express its concern. ‘Such an abrupt step creates insecurity in the energy sector in the region and raises serious questions about the use of energy to exert political pressure,’ State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said… German Economics Minister Michael Glos… warned Moscow it must act responsibly if it wants Germany to import more Russian gas in the future.”

The article continued:

“The affair has also fuelled criticism of Schröder for agreeing to take a top job in the Russian-German consortium building a gas pipeline under the Baltic Sea straight from Russia to Germany, a move seen tainted with favoritism given Schröder’s friendship with Putin. The undersea pipeline has been condemned by Poland, the Baltic states and Ukraine because it could be used by Moscow to raise pressure on its closest neighbors, since Russia could shut off eastern pipelines while continuing supplies to Western Europe. ‘A former German chancellor manning the Russian gas cannon. What an absurd idea!’ wrote German mass circulation daily Bild.”

Britons in Debt

According to an article in The Independent, which was published on January 3, Britons are in debt to the tune of 1.13 trillion pounds. It was predicted that 66,000 people will go bust this year. The average household debt is 7,650 pounds (excluding mortgage debts). Two-thirds of EU credit card debt is British. One in five students owes at least 15,000 pounds.  Finally, 40% of women keep debts secret from their partners, and half of all heavy debtors suffer from depression.

Ridiculous Italian Court Ruling

As The Times reported on January 3, 2006, “an Italian judge has ordered a priest to appear in court this month to prove that Jesus Christ existed.” A militant atheist wrote a book claiming that there is no historical evidence that Jesus Christ existed. When a Catholic priest disputed this claim, the atheist sued him for “abusing popular credulity” or “abuse of popular belief” [“Abuso di Credulita Popolare”] and for “impersonation” [“Sostituzione di Persona”], both offenses under the Italian Penal Code–hence the ridiculous ruling by an Italian Superior Court judge in this ridiculous lawsuit. The Times continued to report about some of the evidence for Christ’s human existence on earth, as follows:

“The Gospels say that Jesus was born to the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem, grew up in Nazareth, preached and performed miracles in Galilee and died on the Cross in Jerusalem. In his Antiquities of the Jews at the end of the 1st century, Josephus, the Jewish historian, refers to Jesus as ‘a wise man, a doer of wonderful works’ who ‘drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles.’ Muslims believe Jesus was a great prophet. Many Jewish theologians regard Jesus as an itinerant rabbi who popularized many of the beliefs of liberal Jews. Neither Muslims nor Jews believe he was the Messiah and Son of God. Tacitus, the Roman historian who lived from 55 to 120, mentions ‘Christus’ in his Annals. In about 120 Suetonius, author of The Lives of the Caesars, says: ‘Since the Jews constantly made disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus, Emperor Claudius expelled them from Rome.'”

Signs of the Time

Our English correspondent sent us the following synopsis from British newspaper headlines and quotes, pertaining to the last three weeks, describing appalling conditions in Great Britain. When reading these reports, do we need to be surprised when the Bible tells us that God IS going to punish Great Britain for its sins?

“Acceptance of same-sex ‘marriages.’ 12-year old children offered nicotine patches. Top 100 UK companies facing ‘black hole’ of 75 billion pounds final salary pension schemes thus putting retirees in financial jeopardy. Only one crime in 100 results in offender being prosecuted. About 140 people end up in hospital every weekend because of ‘binge’ drinking. Cherie Blair (Tony Blair’s wife) uses a practice from white witchcraft before important meetings known as ‘casting a circle’. In one school, a woman ‘wican’ (witch) is teaching children about witches as long as they come with a parent. Mobile phones from one company give children a hot line to hard porn. Alarming rise in weapons used by street criminals. Britain is the drug capital of Europe with the highest rate of amphetamine abuse and with the worst record for taking ecstasy; it also has the highest rate of seizures of heroin (per UN statistics).”

Are Western Powers Losing the Battle?

On December 30, 2005, Great Britain’s The Daily Mail published the following article:

“We were sickened when the Americans thought it necessary to incarcerate terror suspects in the most degrading conditions at Guantanamo Bay. We were sickened when we saw those pictures of Iraqi prisoners being abused by their U.S. captors at Abu Ghraib. We were sickened when America used phosphorus to ‘shake and bake’ the people of Fallujah, burning many of them to death, women and children included. And we remain deeply uneasy at persistent reports on the ‘extraordinary rendition’ of prisoners flown to remote camps to be tortured–especially as Mr Blair sees no reason to investigate whether those CIA flights used British airports.

“So what are we to make of the latest claims that British and Greek security agents colluded in the kidnap and torture of 28 Pakistani suspects in Greece, after the London bombings on July 7? Greek politicians say British intelligence orchestrated the abduction. A leading Athens newspaper has named the MI6 station chief who was allegedly in charge. Greece’s Supreme Court prosecutor says the case ‘warrants detailed attention’. One thing is sure. When the war on terror supposedly defends freedom, democracy and Western values, it simply isn’t good enough for Foreign Secretary Jack Straw to dismiss these accusations as ‘complete nonsense’ and leave it at that. The tragedy is that the Western powers are losing the battle for hearts and minds. No longer are they perceived as commanding the moral high ground.”

The Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation

Der Stern Online reported a while back about the battle of Austerlitz on December 2, 1805, when Napoleon I beat the allied armies of Austria and Russia, “ending the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation.” This battle is sometimes called the Battle of the Three Emperors, because Napoleon, Francis of Austria and Alexander of Russia were all present on the field. Of course, Napoleon himself brought about the eighth resurrection of the ancient Roman Empire–but not “of the German Nation.” The article continued to point out that on August 6, 1806, Emperor Francis of Austria abdicated as German Emperor. According to the article, “after almost 900 years the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation ceased to exist.”

But it did not cease to exist forever. The Roman Empire, under German and Austrian leadership, experienced another revival under Hitler, and the final revival or resurrection of the “Holy Roman Empire” is happening right now in Europe. According to the Bible, ten mighty European nations or groups of nations, which will perhaps be called “core nations,” will unite continental Europe and then turn over their authority to a charismatic and powerful political leader–who will be either a German or an Austrian.

For more information, please read our free booklets: “Europe in Prophecy” and “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.”

Sharon’s Farewell From Politics?

Der Spiegel Online reported on January 5, 2006: “After a serious stroke, it appears Israeli leader Ariel Sharon’s political career could be at an end. He came into office as a settlement-loving hawk, but he will leave it as a pragmatist who brought some hope for peace in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict… Even if Sharon recovers, he is unlikely to return to politics. An Israeli cabinet member said Thursday that it is clear to all that Sharon will be unable to continue his work as prime minister… Israeli private television channel 10 also cited members of Sharon’s family saying that he could recover from the stroke but would never return to office… The biggest worry surrounding Sharon’s stroke is that his absence could be a destructive blow to the Middle East peace process and, coming less than three months to go before elections, it could give a boost to hardliners surrounding former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. And though Sharon is disliked by Palestinians, who consider him an enemy who led brutal military campaigns against their people, he did demonstrate his ability to compromise through his decision to withdraw all Israeli settlements last year in the Gaza Strip… His absence from the political scene now threatens the steps that have been made towards peace in the region. Ultimately, his departure could push the process backwards, with the Palestinians, Israelis and even Americans looking for a new starting point.”

Top This One

We might have thought that we heard it all. But then, an incredibly stupid news report catches our attention. Like the following one about an “unusual wedding” between an eccentric British millionaire and a dolphin. Yes, you read correctly. Here is the story:

“Till death do us part? An unusual wedding ceremony was held in the southern resort town of Eilat on Wednesday, as Sharon Tendler, a 41-years-old Jewish millionaire from London married her beloved Cindy, a 35-years-old dolphin, Israel’s leading newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported Thursday. The groom, a resident of the Eilat dolphin reef, met Tendler 15 years ago, when she first visited the resort. The British rock concert producer took a liking to the dolphin and has made a habit of traveling to Eilat two or three times a year and spending time with her underwater sweetheart… After a years-long romance, Tendler decided to embark on the highly unusual path of tying the knot with her beloved dolphin. Last week, she approached Cindy’s trainer Maya Zilber with the extraordinary request… And so on Wednesday afternoon, the thrilled bride, wearing a white dress, walked down the dock before hundreds of astounded visitors and kneeled down before her groom, who was waiting in the water. Cindy, escorted by his fellow best-men dolphins, swam over to Tendler and she hugged him, whispered sweet nothings in his ear, and kissed him in front of the cheering crowd. After the ceremony was sealed with some mackerels, Tendler was tossed into the water by her friends so that she could swim with her new husband.”

What a mockery of the Godly ordained institution of marriage. How far will this world drift away from our Creator, before He has had enough?

For more information on the Godly purpose for marriage, please read our free booklet, “The Keys to Happy Marriages and Families.”

Creation or Evolution?

500 to 700 million copies of the Bible are produced each year. The Bible has been translated into 2,287 languages. The average reader needs 50 hours to read the entire Bible. If one reads four chapters a day, one has completed the book within a year (according to the magazine, Focus). But how many believe in the accuracy of the Biblical record?

Surprising as it may sound, many Germans claim that they do. They say that they believe the Biblical account of the creation of man, thereby rejecting the Evolution theory. According to Der Spiegel Online, dated December 20, 2005, “Germans… believe in the literal record of the Bible. Every second German believes that a higher Power created life on earth.” The article continued: “Perhaps Germans are much more religious than originally assumed… In West Germany, 54 percent believe in a creative Power outside natural laws… 58 percent of the German people over 50 years old do not believe that apes and men had the same predecessor.”

The Austrian news agency, NetWorld, reported that Christoph Schoenborn, Archbishop of Vienna, criticized the theory of Evolution. He coined the fundamental question: “Is man a product of time and chance, or was a Will responsible for his existence?” He also rejected the concept of “theistic evolution,” as it only allows for God at the beginning of the evolutionary process, without any subsequent involvement and intervention. He sided with Thomas Aquinas who postulated that the Creator is not only the Originator, but also the One Who carries, upholds and directs the Creation.

For more information, please read our free booklet, “Evolution–a FairyTale for Adults?”

We must be very careful that we don’t fall into the trap of trying
to say that what Paul taught was just an instruction for his time, some
2,000 years ago–and that it is not necessarily binding for us today.
This wrong understanding was epitomized by an Anglican Bishop who, when
challenged on a particular issue a few years ago, wrote:

“My
disagreement stems partly from my understanding of the way in which I
read the Bible, praying that the Holy Spirit will enlighten my
understanding of what statements are unchangeable and what are
conditioned by social and cultural norms of the time in which God spoke
to those involved.”

He fell into the trap of “cherry picking”
those portions of Scripture that suited his particular stance and
ignoring those which he considered no longer applicable. This is a very
dangerous thing to do because God clearly states that “ALL
Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped
for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

The problem with the
“social and cultural norms of the time”-approach is that it allows the
culture of the day to become more important than God’s clear
instructions!

It is true that Paul said in 1 Corinthians 7:25:
“Now concerning virgins: I have no commandment from the Lord; yet I
give judgment as one whom the Lord in His mercy has made trustworthy.”
The question is, did Paul, as an apostle of Jesus Christ, have the
authority, under godly inspiration, to “bind and loose” (Matthew
16:19)? That is, was he permitted to explain with authority, under
godly inspiration, God’s will on a certain matter, even though the
written record–until that point in time–might not have been totally
clear? Since he undoubtedly did have such authority, his commandments,
as revealed and retained in God’s Word, are binding for us today. When
Paul said, although there was no WRITTEN law, he was communicating
God’s inspiration to him. Therefore, it has the same strength as a
written command. God inspired it to be written down in the Bible, so it
has now become part of the written commandments as well. A
transgression of God’s written law (not just the Ten Commandments, but
all of God’s words which are still binding today) is sin. After all,
sin is defined in Scripture as the transgression of the law (1 John
3:4, Authorized Version).

The New King James Commentary has this to say about 1 Corinthians 7:25:

“Paul
is now about to deal with another subject about which the Corinthians
had written him (cf. 7:1). I have no commandment of the Lord. In our
Lord’s instruction regarding marriage and divorce recorded in the
Gospels, there is no record of His speaking directly to this issue. And
so, the apostle says, yet I give my judgment. This again is not to say
his advice is less inspired than something he may or may not quote from
our Lord. Rather, Paul gives advice under the inspiration of the Holy
Spirit in order to fulfill this obligation to the Lord to be faithful.”

Matthew Henry’s Commentary makes these observations about this same verse:

“He
[Paul] acted faithfully, and therefore his direction was to be regarded
as a rule of Christ: for he gave judgment as one who was a faithful
apostle of Christ. Though Christ had before delivered no universal law
about that matter, he [Christ] now gives direction by an inspired
apostle, one who had obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.”

It
is important to note that Paul’s writings are now Scripture. In 2 Peter
3:16 we read: “…as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of
these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which
untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do
also the rest of the Scriptures.”

This is critical
understanding because this verse reveals that there will be those who
will twist Scripture [including Paul’s writings], not only for their
own purposes, but to their own destruction; and, secondly, it states
that Paul’s writings were considered Scripture. Jesus Christ is the
same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8) and the Word of God,
likewise, is unchangeable. We must not “cherry pick” Scripture. Rather,
we must take the Bible in its entirety. That includes Paul’s writings
which are part of Scripture and which cannot be dismissed as only
applicable to his own time.

Lead Writer: Brian Gale

A new StandingWatch program
was posted on the Web, titled, “Stay Committed!” In the program, Mr.
Link discusses the importance of staying committed to our physical and
spiritual obligations.

by Eric Rank

They call it “The Problem of Evil.” The argument
states: If there is a God who is perfect and good in every way, why
does evil exist in this world? For many, this apparent contradiction
brings people to intellectually reason that God does not exist.
However, not only do we know that the existence of God cannot be
determined by our limited intellectual capacity for logic alone, we
also understand that the existence of evil is something that God allows
for a reason.

The fact that God allows evil to exist in this
world begs the question of why He allows it. The answer is simple. It
is part of God’s plan for us all to overcome evil, following Christ’s
example. Just as God placed the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil
in the midst of the Garden of Eden to test the obedience of Adam and
Eve, evil exists in this world to test our obedience. The existence of
evil does not contradict the existence of God, but rather, it exists so
that our character may be refined when we overcome it.

We
are
provided with a choice in life. Choose righteousness, or choose evil.
Choose life, or choose death. We know through God’s Word that he wants
us, and even commands us, to choose righteousness. He gives us the
option to overcome evil, but He does not force us to do it. Overcoming
evil and sin is our responsibility every single day. If we obey His
Word, and remain faithful until the end, we will have the opportunity
to be a part of God’s Kingdom.

On December 31, 2005, Dave Harris will give the sermon, titled, “The Word of God.”

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at 12:30 pm Pacific Time (which is 2:30 pm Central Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

How many acts of kindness should we perform each day? The answer for
Christians should be obvious–as many as we possibly can and have
opportunity to. But sadly, in this selfish and unkind world, we often
fall short, being influenced negatively by our society.

There can
be no doubt that especially our Western societies have increasingly
become more and more “unkind.” When I grew up, it was expected of
younger people, for example, to show kindness to the older generation.
When a young person sat in a public bus and an older person approached,
it was expected of the younger one to stand up and offer his seat to
the older person. Today, such conduct would be the rare exception,
because we have become more and more self-centered. Younger people are
not taught anymore to show love and kindness to others, including
showing respect and rising up before the hoary head (Leviticus 19:32).
Indeed, the perilous times just preceding Christ’s Return are described
in this way: “For men will be lovers of THEMSELVES… unthankful…
unloving… despisers of good…” (2 Timothy 3:1-4).

Of course,
it is very much within our human nature to forget to show kindness to
others. Even though young Joseph, as a captive in an Egyptian prison,
prophesied to the imprisoned chief butler that he would be freed,
pleading with him, in return, to “show him kindness” and get him also
out of prison, the butler just forgot him (Genesis 40:14, 23). The
children of Israel did not remember God and refused to show kindness to
the house of Gideon, after his death (Judges 8:34-35). King Joash acted
in the same way, after he had originally done what was right in the
eyes of God (2 Chronicles 24:2). However, later in his life he failed
miserably: “Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness which
Jehoiada his father [foster father] had done to him, but killed his
son” (2 Chronicles 24:22).

But people CAN be kind, if they want
to be. The unconverted “barbarians” showed Paul and his companions
“unusual kindness” when they were shipwrecked and escaped to the isle
of Malta, by kindling a fire and made them all welcome, “because of the
rain … and the cold” (Acts 28:1-2). How much more ought
Christians and their children show kindness to others! This includes
looking for opportunities to show and carry out acts of kindness. We
read that the “law of kindness” is in the mouth of the virtuous woman
(Proverbs 31:26). King David was willing to show “the kindness of God”
to one of Saul’s sons (2 Samuel 9:3), by restoring to him all the land
of Saul, and by letting him eat at his table (verse 7). In fact, we
read that God and men desire to see kindness in a person (Proverbs
19:22).

Paul commended himself as a minister of God by showing
kindness (2 Corinthians 6:4, 6). He encouraged us to put on, as the
“elect of God,” “tender mercies [and] kindness” (Colossians 3:12), and
told us to be kind and tenderhearted to one another (Ephesians
4:32). Peter encourages us to give all diligence to add to our
Christian growth “brotherly kindness” (2 Peter 1:5, 7).

Kindness
requires action! We need to be kind in thought, word and deed. Kindness
is defined as the quality of BEING kind, and includes kindly FEELINGS
as well as kind ACTS of service. When we realize how kind God is toward
us (Ephesians 2:4-7; Titus 3:4), we ought to be kind to others,
including, but not limited to, those who are showing us kindness (2
Samuel 10:2). We are to become like God the Most High, who is even kind
to the unthankful and evil (Luke 6:35).

When God’s love is in us,
we WILL BE kind (1 Corinthians 13:4), as the fruit of God’s Spirit
includes “kindness” (Galatians 5:22). Therefore, as we have
opportunity, let us do good to all, by showing kindness, especially to
those who are of the household of faith (Galatians 6:10).

Spying on Americans

Germany’s left-liberal and highly popular magazine, Der Spiegel, made a very provocative and somewhat offensive statement in its online edition of December 22, when it titled its article: “Bush’s Impeachable Offense.”

We are bringing you excerpts from the magazine’s articles, as well as from AFP, a French news agency. We are not taking any position as to whether or not the conclusions reached in the articles are factually or legally correct. It is, however, our commission to make you aware of this controversy, as it shows the ongoing and progressive deterioration between the United States of America and continental Europe. The reporting is indicative of how many Europeans view the current US administration with disfavor and disdain. As we pointed out before, this development was prophesied in God’s Word thousands of years ago. And it will continue, until the war of words will end up in a real–bloody and devastating–war between these two power blocs–unless the people of the United States of America, as well as countries such as Great Britain and Canada, repent of their sins against Almighty God.

Der Spiegel Online stated:

“Yes, the president committed a federal crime by wiretapping Americans, say constitutional scholars, former intelligence officers and politicians. What’s missing is the political will to impeach him… Norman Ornstein, a scholar at the conservative American Enterprise Institute, said, ‘I think if we’re going to be intellectually honest here, this really is the kind of thing that Alexander Hamilton was referring to when impeachment was discussed.”… former Nixon White House counsel John Dean called Bush ‘the first president to admit to an impeachable offense.’… ‘The American public has to understand that a crime has been committed, a serious crime,’ Chris Pyle, a professor of politics at Mount Holyoke College and an expert on government surveillance of civilians, [said.] ‘Looking at this controversy objectively, you inevitably end up with a question of impeachment,’ says Jonathan Turley, a professor at the George Washington University School of Law…

“On Dec. 18, Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., the highest-ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, released a 250-page report detailing Bush’s misconduct and, on his Web site, called for the creation of a select committee to investigate ‘those offenses which appear to rise to the level of impeachment.’… While noted experts — including a few Republicans — are saying Bush should be impeached, few think he will be… Similar fears are voiced by Bruce Fein, a former associate deputy attorney general under President Ronald Reagan. Fein is very much a member of the right… Suddenly, though, Fein is talking about Bush as a threat to America. ‘President Bush presents a clear and present danger to the rule of law,’ he wrote in the right-wing Washington Times on Dec. 20. ‘He cannot be trusted to conduct the war against global terrorism with a decent respect for civil liberties and checks against executive abuses’… What alarms Fein is not only that Bush has broken laws but also that he has repeatedly shown contempt for the separation of powers. Fein wants to see congressional hearings that would explore whether Bush accepts any constitutional limitation on his own authority… [Fein says:] ‘We just can’t sacrifice our liberties for ourselves and our posterity by permitting someone who thinks the state is him, and nobody else, to continue in office.’

“In fact, though, that may be EXACTLY WHAT AMERICA IS PERMITTING BUSH TO DO. ‘Politically, I see no possibility that impeachment will succeed,’ says Jonathan Entin, a professor of political science and law at Case Western Reserve University… ‘The only question here is the political one,’ says Pyle of Mount Holyoke College. A former military intelligence officer, Pyle blew the whistle on the U.S. Army’s domestic spying program during the Vietnam War. He believes that Bush has committed an impeachable offense — and that right now there’s no prospect he will be impeached. ‘This president has admitted committing the crime. He just claims he’s above the law,’ Pyle says. ‘So the issue is: Is the president above the law?’ If so, Pyle continues, ‘then we need not argue over the PATRIOT Act. We do not need the PATRIOT Act, because THE PRESIDENT CAN DO ANYTHING HE WANTS IN TIME OF WAR. He can ignore all the criminal laws of the United States, including the laws against indefinite detention and against torture. I don’t think we want to go down that road.'”

In a related article, Der Spiegel Online reported on December 22 that “Earlier this week, Judge James Robertson resigned from a special court that issues warrants for electronic surveillance and searches in terrorism cases, shortly after the New York Times reported that the National Security Agency had intercepted hundreds of phone calls and e-mail messages by American citizens without seeking permission from the court. Robertson was protesting President George W. Bush’s domestic spying policy, according to the Washington Post. Bypassing the special court may be an impeachable offense, but Bush and his Attorney General have claimed it was a legal measure to track down terrorists quickly after Sept. 11. The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, or FISA… is highly secret and tends to help federal officers do their work; but it needs to hear ‘probable cause’ before it issues a warrant. An emergency provision even allows warrantless eavesdropping for 72 hours in certain cases. Robertson, according to his friends, worried about the ramifications of fast-and-loose domestic spying in the name of fighting terrorism. ‘He would not want the process to be compromised,’ a lawyer friend of Robertson’s told the Los Angeles Times. Tainted or illegally-gathered information — lacking a judge’s authorization — CAN’T BE USED to prosecute terrorist suspects in an American court.”

The French-based AFP is still stronger in the way of their reporting. In their article of December 22, it was stated:

“For a week, Bush has been defending his secret 2002 order enabling the NSA to monitor, without a warrant, international telephone and electronic mail of US citizens suspected of ties to Al-Qaeda. Critics have charged that the unprecedented move is an abuse of power and a violation of the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which requires a warrant to conduct wiretaps and electronic surveillance. The White House has fired back that Bush’s move is legal under the US Constitution and a congressional resolution, passed after the September 11 attacks, that authorized the use of force in Afghanistan. In 2004 and 2005, Bush repeatedly argued that the controversial Patriot Act package of anti-terrorism laws safeguards civil liberties because US authorities still need a warrant to tap telephones in the United States. ‘Any time you hear the United States government talking about wiretap, it requires — a wiretap requires a court order,’ he said on April 20, 2004 in Buffalo, New York. ‘Nothing has changed, by the way. When we’re talking about chasing down terrorists, we’re talking about getting a court order before we do so,’ he added.”

Other American constitutional scholars and politicians maintain that President Bush’s actions were legal. However, many Europeans are convinced that they were not–and this fact, among many others, WILL influence European politicians in their dealings with the US Administration.

Turkey and the EU

The Associated Press reported on December 27 of another interesting development in Turkey, raising doubts that Turkey will ever become of full member of the European Union. The article pointed out:

“Turkish prosecutors said Tuesday they had begun an investigation to determine whether a European Parliament lawmaker should be prosecuted for insulting Turkey’s armed forces, a decision likely to further STRAIN THE COUNTRY’S TIES WITH THE EUROPEAN UNION. EU officials have already criticized Turkey for putting Orhan Pamuk, the country’s best known novelist, on trial on charges of insulting the country and have called on Turkey to do more to protect freedom of expression at a time when Turkey is seeking to join the bloc. A group of nationalist lawyers last week called for the prosecution of Joost Lagendijk, the head of the EU parliament’s committee on Turkey, who reportedly told Turkish journalists that the Turkish military was provoking clashes with autonomy-seeking Kurdish rebels… It is a crime to insult the army in Turkey.”

Europeans for Europe

The EUobserver reported on December 20, 2005, that “Europeans generally back the idea of an EU constitution and reject Turkish EU accession… Of the 25 member states, Austria and the UK appear the most eurosceptic, with just 32 percent of Austrians and 33 percent of Brits saying EU membership is a good thing for their country, followed by Latvia (36 percent), Finland (38 percent) and Sweden and Hungary (both 39 percent). On the other side of the coin are the union’s greatest supporters, Luxembourg (82 percent) and Ireland (73 percent)…

“Remarkably, in the Netherlands, a country that overwhelmingly rejected a European constitution in June, a whole 70 percent of citizens say that EU membership is a good thing… 63 percent of EU citizens believe that the EU will work better with a constitution in place… The number of Europeans opposed to further enlargement has grown since the spring, from 38 percent to 39 percent, with Austria, Germany and France in particular concerned about expansion, and Greece, Slovakia and Poland most in favour… Meanwhile, support for EU membership among Turks themselves has dropped from 66 percent in spring to 52 percent this autumn, while 77 percent of Europeans back Swiss and Norwegian accession.”

Muslims Wait for a Mahdi

The Christian Science Monitor reported on December 21, about the vivid expectations of many Muslims for the arrival of their Messiah–a Mahdi. The article pointed out:

“For those who believe, the devotion is real. Tears stream down the cheeks of 2,000 men ripe for the return of the Mahdi, the 12th Imam they expect will soon emerge to bring justice and peace to a corrupt world… Among the true believers is Iran’s hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who predicted with ‘no doubt’ his June election victory, months in advance, at a time when polls gave him barely 1 percent support… From redressing the gulf between rich and poor in Iran, to challenging the United States and Israel and enhancing Iran’s power with nuclear programs, every issue is designed to lay the foundation for the Mahdi’s return… The Mahdi’s eventual return is an article of faith for Shiite Muslims that taps deeply into Persian consciousness and mystical tradition.”

Wasps Fighting Terrorism?

In the Old Testament, God told ancient Israel that He would use hornets to fight against Israel’s enemies. Now, scientists state that in the near future, wasps could be used to fight terrorists. USA Today reported on December 27:

“Scientists at a Georgia laboratory have developed what could be a low-tech, low-cost weapon in the war on terrorism: trained wasps. The tiny, non-stinging wasps can check for hidden explosives at airports and monitor for toxins in subway tunnels… [Joe] Lewis [a U.S. Agriculture Department entomologist] and his partner, University of Georgia biological engineer Glen Rains, say their device is ready for pilot tests and could be available for commercial use in five to 10 years. Rains says the wasps could one day be used instead of dogs to check for explosives in cargo containers coming in to the nation’s seaports, in vehicles crossing at border checkpoints, at airports and anywhere else where security should be tight…

“The wasps may also be trained for medical uses, including detecting cancer or ulcers by smelling someone’s breath. They probably can be trained like dogs to find bodies buried in rubble, Rains says… When the wasps pick up an odor they’ve been trained to detect they gather by the vent–a response that can be measured by the computer or actually seen by observers. Lewis says the wasps, when exposed to some chemicals, ‘can detect as low as four parts per billion, which is an incredibly small amount.’ He says the ‘ability to capture nature and its marvels is … revolutionary.’ Rains says, ‘The sensitivity of animals (and insects) to chemicals in general is probably beyond what we can comprehend. We don’t really know what the limits are.'”

U.S. Birthright Citizenship

The Associated Press reported on December 26 about a debate in the United States pertaining to birthright citizenship. According to the law, each person born in the USA is automatically a US citizen, regardless of the citizenship of his or her parents. Other countries have different laws. In Germany, for instance, the place of birth is immaterial. Under German law, a person is only automatically a German citizen when at least one parent is German–even if he is born abroad.

The article of The Associated Press pointed out:

“A proposal to change long-standing federal policy and deny citizenship to babies born to illegal immigrants on U.S. soil ran aground this month in Congress, but it is sure to resurface–kindling bitter debate even if it fails to become law. At issue is ‘birthright citizenship’–provided for since the Constitution’s 14th Amendment was ratified in 1868. Section 1 of that amendment, drafted with freed slaves in mind, says: ‘All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States.’

“Some conservatives in Congress, as well as advocacy groups seeking to crack down on illegal immigration, say the amendment has been misapplied over the years, that it was never intended to grant citizenship automatically to babies of illegal immigrants. Thus they contend that federal legislation, rather than a difficult-to-achieve constitutional amendment, would be sufficient to end birthright citizenship.”

Some of those opposing such a change in the law point at the situation in Germany. As the article continued to explain:

“Lucas Guttentag, director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, said some Western European nations with different policies have suffered problems. ‘Look at Germany–the children of guest workers are not citizens,’ he said. ‘That creates enormous social and racial tensions. That’s the opposite of where we want to go.'”

Big Brother in Britain

On December 22, The Independent reported that “Britain is to become the first country in the world where the movements of all vehicles on the roads are recorded. A new national surveillance system will hold the records for at least two years. Using a network of cameras that can automatically read every passing number plate, the plan is to build a huge database of vehicle movements… cameras [will be able] to read number plates automatically night and day to provide 24/7 coverage of all motorways and main roads, as well as towns, cities, ports and petrol-station forecourts.”

Canada a New Haven for Pedophiles?

According to a shocking article by WorldNetDaily, which was published on December 27, 2005,  Canada’s Supreme Court has given green light to sex clubs, involving boys and girls as young as 14, and has thereby opened Pandora’s Box for pedophiles. The article explained:

“The Canadian Supreme Court ruling that redefined obscenity for that nation and legalized group-sex clubs, combined with Canada’s unusually low age of consent–14–will result in an influx of pedophiles to America’s neighbor to the north, contends a former consultant to the U.S. Justice Department… [Judith] Reisman, [word-renowned scholar and author]… says the court’s decision sends a clear message to pedophiles: ‘You don’t have to go to Asia anymore. Pedophiles can have the blond, blue-eyed kids in Canada, too.’… The liberalization of the Canadian courts, the author contends, shows ‘that pedophiles or politicians who refuse to prosecute these types of crimes are in power more than ever in Canada.'”

Almighty God’s Holy Scriptures condemn pedophiles in no uncertain terms. God also holds those accountable who know of such deviant behavior and do nothing about it [and this does not exonerate or exclude political or church leaders], even though it would be within their power to stop it. God tells us that it will be HE who will intervene in due time, when man refuses to right the wrong, and that He will hold accountable both the perpetrator and the inactive observer.

Is the Pope Above the Law?

The Associated Press reported on December 23 about a deeply disturbing development in a civil sex-abuse lawsuit against a Catholic seminarian and his ultimate superior, the pope. As it was stated in the article, “A U.S. judge in Texas dismissed Pope Benedict XVI from a civil lawsuit accusing him of conspiracy to cover up the sexual abuse of minors by a seminarian, ruling Thursday that the pontiff has immunity as a HEAD OF STATE. U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal cited a motion filed by the Justice Department, known as a ‘Suggestion of Immunity,’ in which the government said allowing the lawsuit to proceed would be ‘INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE UNITED STATES’ FOREIGN POLICY INTERESTS.’ After a suggestion of immunity is filed, it is the COURT’S DUTY to surrender jurisdiction,’ Rosenthal wrote.

“Joseph Ratzinger–Benedict’s former name–is named as a defendant in the civil lawsuit, accused of conspiring with the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston and some of its officials to cover up the abuse of three boys during the mid-1990s… Lawyers for one of the alleged victims argued in the lawsuit that a May 18, 2001, letter Ratzinger wrote to bishops around the world was evidence that he was involved in a conspiracy to hide [the seminarian’s] crimes and to help him escape prosecution…”

Daniel Shea, lead council for the plaintiffs, stated that an appeal was being considered. “‘I think it’s a setback for the American people that the administration ever gave the Vatican diplomatic immunity to begin with, and that it’s using that to shield them from the conduct that’s involved in here,’ he said. The pope’s lawyer, Jeffrey Lena, said the ruling was significant in that Benedict was identified as ‘head of a foreign state, the Holy See.’ Some plaintiffs have sought to identify Benedict as only head of a religious entity. Lena said Rosenthal’s ruling recognized that ‘the pope is entitled to immunity like any foreign sovereign without any special limitations imposed upon his immunity JUST BECAUSE HE IS A RELIGIOUS LEADER.'”

Archbishop Justifies Christmas

Even though the “Christmas Days” for 2005 seem to be past in most Western countries, the aftermath is still very much noticeable. Therefore, let us review the Catholic Church’s position on the matter–but let us do so with OPEN eyes.

A reader sent us the following article, introducing it as follows: “What a spin. Satan definitely has done a good job of deceiving this world!! “

Here are excerpts from the “spin”-article:

In the Catholic Sentinel, Archbishop John Vlazny wrote on December 22: “The origins of Christmas can be traced back to a Roman festival called Saturnalia. In the second half of December, Romans had a seven-day celebration in HONOR OF SATURN, the god of agriculture. Since the winter solstice fell around Dec. 25 on the Julian calendar, the Romans ENACTED RITUALS to commemorate the lengthening of days marked by this solstice. In St. John’s Gospel, the coming of Jesus is often described as the coming of the Light. The early Christians TOOK OVER THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHT FROM THE PAGANS and made it their own festival of Light, the Light… Jesus, the Christ. My CONCERN would be that we might not be on guard and thereby ALLOW THE FEAST TO BE TAKEN BACK BY THE PAGANS of our own day! No, I am not trying to make them celebrate Christmas. But I am very concerned that you and I continue to celebrate Christmas. After all, we are the ones who bask in the glow of the Light of Christ whenever we gather for Eucharist or hear the Word of God proclaimed. We are the ones who are called to be light for others. How could we ever celebrate ‘holidays’ instead of Christmas?… Gift-giving at Christmas is not a tradition of human origins. Gift-giving at Christmas traces it roots to the great gift of Jesus, sent by the Father, to rescue us from our sinfulness and suffering. God continues to share the gift of Jesus with the world through the church. When we exchange gifts at Christmas, WE ARE TRYING TO BE CHRIST for one another, a practice at the very core of Christian discipleship…

“With the celebration of Midnight Mass, we begin the great feast of Christmas. It doesn’t end the next day! NEW YEAR’S DAY, THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS, THE FEAST OF MARY AS MOTHER OF GOD, is also our World Day of Prayer for Peace. The OFFICIAL CLOSING OF THE CHRISTMAS SEASON WILL TAKE PLACE ON SUNDAY, JAN. 8, when we shall celebrate the feast of the Epiphany. I encourage you to enjoy ALL THESE CHRISTMAS FEASTS and to make the most of the many graces shared among us in this holy season. Yes, it’s Christmas. For some it’s just another holiday. Too bad for them.”

But why shouldn’t we give “Christmas” back to the pagans, since it was admittedly taken away from them? After all, God COMMANDS His followers NOT to worship Him in the way in which pagans worshipped or worship their gods. He says that He does NOT accept that kind of worship! Also, in regard to the claim that gift-giving at Christmas traces its roots to the great gift of Christ, nothing could be further from the truth! This should be obvious when considering that in Catholic Italy, it is not even Santa Claus who brings gifts to the children on January 6 (!), but the old, ugly, “wise” WITCH Befana. She comes through the chimney and places her gifts in the children’s shoes (compare Bild Online, December 24, 2005).

However one wants to put a spin on things, Christmas celebrations are WRONG. Human traditions don’t tell you what is right or wrong. ONLY GOD DOES. But very few today are willing to listen to God.

No More Limbo

As UPI reported on December 28, “Theologian advisers to Pope Benedict XVI have disposed of the Roman Catholic doctrine of limbo started in the Middle Ages by St. Thomas Aquinas. Limbo is the place, Catholics have believed for centuries, to which unbaptized babies are consigned. While official Vatican removal of the doctrine could be a year or more away, the pope, then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, said in 1984 that, ‘Limbo has never been a definitive truth of the faith,’ The New York Times reported. ‘Personally, I would let it drop, since it has always been only a theological hypothesis,’ the cardinal said while serving as Pope John Paul II’s doctrinal watchdog. Ideas about limbo have been changing since the 1960s Second Vatican Council. Pope John Paul II omitted the term from an updated catechism and, shortly before his death, asked the Vatican’s theological commission to consider the question of unbaptized babies, the newspaper reported.”

Roman Polanski Speaks Out

In a rare interview with Der Spiegel Online, popular and oftentimes controversial film-maker Roman Polanski (“The Pianist”) talked about his experiences as a nine-year-old boy in Poland during World War 2. Polanski (72) stated in the article, which was published on December 25:

“The real pain was my separation from my parents… I did not know that my mother was murdered a few days after her arrest in Auschwitz. I only learned after the war that she was pregnant… I hid in a stable. It belonged to a terribly poor Catholic farmer who did not know that I was Jewish… I was lucky that I did not look like a Jew. Otherwise, he [and his wife] would have reported me to the Germans… All Poles were anti-Semitic.This was a part of their culture after one thousand years of Vatican propaganda. Every farmer would have slain you with his ax if you had told him that Jesus was a Jew. It is unimaginable what they would have done to you, if you had told them that the Virgin Mary was Jewish… I watched [from the outside] through the wired fence [movies which were shown to the prisoners in the concentration camp.]… Between the movies, paroles were broadcast, such as, ‘Jews=lice=typhus.’… Later, all children in the Ghetto were shot.”

Earth Created For Life

The Russian paper, Pravda, published an interesting article on December 28, claiming that the “Latest geophysical discovery [is] to overturn all concepts of Earth’s history.” In the article, it was pointed out:

“Our planet assumed the present form 4.5 billion years ago. It has not virtually changed the original appearance ever since. Earth was suitable for conceiving and developing life forms from the first moments of existence. A team of Western researchers reject the theories about Earth being completely covered with oceans before the first marine species stepped onto the shore…  ‘Looks like Earth formed in the wink of an eye,’ says one of the researchers, Dr. Steven Moses at the University of Colorado. ‘If the theory proves to be right, all today’s concepts concerning the formation of Earth will have to be completely revised… According to researchers, the new findings indicate that the earth’s crust, its oceans and atmosphere existed from the very beginning, and the planet Earth was suitable for life in those prehistoric times.'”

In the passage in question, Paul was addressing the yearly Passover
ceremony. Beginning in 1 Corinthians 11:23, Paul reminded the disciples
of the event when Christ instituted the New Testament symbols of bread
and wine at the annual Passover service (compare verses 23-26). He then
continued:

“Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup
of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood
of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the
bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy
manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s
body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.”

The
Sacrifice of Jesus Christ includes His death for the forgiveness of our
sins, as well as His suffering for our physical healing. While the
symbol of the wine points to Christ’s shed blood for the forgiveness of
sins, the symbol of the bread points to His physical suffering for our
physical healing.

Passages regarding the forgiveness of our
sins, by our acceptance of His supreme Sacrifice, can be found in
Isaiah 53:12; Matthew 26:28; Hebrews 9:11-14; 1 John 1:7; and Romans
5:6-11.

Passages regarding our physical healing, by our
acceptance of His supreme Sacrifice, can be found in Isaiah 53:3-5;
Psalm 103:1-3; and Matthew 8:16-17. The symbol of the broken bread,
pointing to Christ’s wounded, torn body and His stripes, stands for our
physical healing.

When Paul talked about the need that we
discern the Lord’s body, he was addressing Christ’s PHYSICAL body which
was beaten for our physical healing. Some have said that Paul was
talking about Christ’s SPIRITUAL “broken” body, the Church. They claim
that Paul wanted to make reference to the broken, shattered condition
of the Church (having in mind many different corporate Church
organizations). They teach that we don’t experience physical healing if
we are responsible for any of the divisions in the different Church
organizations, thereby failing to “discern” the spiritual body of
Christ–the Church. It is true that we cannot expect to be healed, if
we refuse to be spiritually reconciled or “healed” with God and with
His people. It is also true that we cannot expect physical healing if
we don’t repent of our sins and trespasses or refuse to forgive our
brethren their trespasses against us (James 5:13-16). However, this
does not mean that Paul was addressing our discernment of the Church,
as Christ’s body, in 1 Corinthians 11. Rather, he spoke clearly of the
idea that we must consider the totality of Christ’s
Sacrifice–including His broken PHYSICAL body–if we want to experience
physical healing.

Let us again notice the context: Paul quotes
Christ in verse 24, saying that we are to eat bread, “which is [or,
which symbolizes] My body which is broken for you.” We are obviously
not to “eat” the Church, but we are to internalize Jesus Christ in our
lives so that He can live in us continuously (compare Galatians 2:20).
That is why we read in John 6:48-58 that we need to partake of the
annual Passover symbols of bread and wine to have a continued part with
Christ. We are also told in 1 Corinthians 11:26 that we proclaim the
death of Christ until He returns, when we eat the bread and drink the
wine on the annual occasion of the Passover service. Obviously, Paul
was not addressing the Church in verse 26, but the body and blood of
Jesus Christ. Paul continues with the same theme in verse 27: “Whoever
eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy
manner…”

Again, there is no hint that Paul was suddenly
talking about anything else but Christ’s physical body–it was CHRIST
Who was tortured and killed. Verse 28 continues that we must eat the
bread and drink the cup after self-examination. Verse 29 warns us that
we eat and drink judgment to ourselves, if we don’t eat the bread AND
drink the wine in a worthy manner, “not discerning the Lord’s body.” It
is still the same theme and context; to say that Paul suddenly
addressed the Church as Christ’s [spiritual] body, while still talking
about eating the bread and drinking the wine, is introducing a thought
which is clearly not contained in that passage. After all, if the
“Lord’s body” was suddenly meant to refer to the spiritual body of
Christ–the Church–are we to EAT the CHURCH (verse 29)? And what would
the meaning of the “blood” be in that context (same verse)–as we are
to eat AND to drink? It is obvious that the analogy of Christ’s body
referring to the Church simply does not fit in 1 Corinthians 11:29.

The
Bible Commentary: Revised agrees: “Every Christian is unworthy, but
Paul defines his meaning as not discerning (lit. not distinguishing)
this bread as signifying the body… of the Lord. Some think body here
refers to the church (cf. 10:17), but a change of meaning from v. 27
seems unlikely.”

Matthew Henry’s Commentary concurs: “The
Corinthians came to the Lord’s table not discerning the Lord’s
body–not making a distinction between that and common food.”

Unger’s
Bible Handbook explains the meaning of the passage in this way: “in an
unworthy manner … means in an attitude of unconfessed sin, and thus
being guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, transgressing against
the very essence of the meaning of Christ’s death… Self-examination
is necessary… to avoid condemnation and consequent chastening,
entailing physical weakness, sickness and even death.”

In
conclusion, when we partake, during the annual Passover ceremony, of
the bread and the wine (as well as the preceding footwashing ceremony,
compare John 13:1-17), we must understand and accept, in faith, the
supreme meaning of the totality of Christ’s Sacrifice. If we discern
Christ’s body, with the knowledge that CHRIST was severely beaten and
then killed on our behalf, we understand that we can have forgiveness
of our sins, as well as physical healing, because of what Christ did
for us: “…having made peace through the BLOOD of His cross… now He
has reconciled [you to the Father] in the BODY of HIS FLESH THROUGH
DEATH, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His
sight–if indeed you CONTINUE in the faith…” (Colossians
1:20-23). And: “By that will [of God the Father] we have been
sanctified through the offering of the BODY of Jesus Christ once and
for all” (Hebrews 10:10). And finally 1 Peter 2:24: “… who Himself
bore our sins in His own BODY on the tree, that we, having died to
sins, might live for righteousness–by whose stripes you were healed.”

The
message rings loud and clear: As Christ suffered and died for us in His
own body, we are to discern His sacrifice and let Him live in us, so
that we can live for Him.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

The hard copies of our new booklet, “Are You Predestined to be Saved?” were sent out Tuesday.