The U.S. House passage of sweeping health care legislation has by no means ended the political battle. Apart from the fact that some of the more critical changes won’t become effective for at least four or more years, Republicans have already announced that they will try to get the entire legislation repealed and that they are challenging major provisions in court. Der Spiegel argues that the continuing US health care debate may not be that positive for President Obama himself, and it may be very bad for the rest of the world. 

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton issued a strong warning to Israel, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ruled out halting settlement construction in the city of Jerusalem. Israel is facing total isolation. French President Sarkozy suffered a bruising defeat in regional elections, and the political upheaval surrounding German Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg continued.

Finally, the pope’s letter of apology, strictly directed to the Irish church, was deeply disappointing–and no confidence was restored in the Vatican’s willingness to really deal with the mounting problems regarding their pedophile priests. Especially in Germany and Austria, the pope’s silence on the WORLDWIDE sex scandal was highly condemned. But even the reputation of the very person of the pope is at stake. As Die Tageszeitung wrote: “…the pope shies away from any debate about sexual morality in the church. And one can only hope that his public silence about the abuse cases in Germany, is not because the pope himself was unhappily involved in such a case when he was the archbishop of Munich…”

The controversy surrounding Greece’s problems continues, and even though some critics suggest that the euro will be abandoned, we can safely say, based on biblical prophecy, that this won’t happen. Several articles, quoted below, state quite categorically that the euro is here to stay, even though they do not conceal the fact that the euro is built on lies, and that some EU countries–especially Germany–will emerge within the EU, “calling the shots as Europe’s de facto lender”… and leader. 

At the same time, we see Germany’s current government in disarray, and the popularity of Germany’s recent “rising star”–Defense Minister Karl Theodor zu Guttenberg–is diminishing. Time magazine informs us that “Germans are disgruntled.” Nevertheless, Germany has become the world’s third largest weapons dealer.

The sex scandal of the Roman Catholic Church is continuously widening. In a feeble attempt to counteract the charges, “the Vatican has rallied around the pontiff, claiming that ‘certain elements’ had launched a targeted campaign to discredit the Catholic Church.” This reaction was undermined by the statement of the chief exorcist of the Catholic Church, claiming that “the devil is in the Vatican.”

The British Telegraph wonders whether President Obama has reached the end of his road; other articles report that US-Israeli relations are at an all-time low; an article by the Sacramento Bee magnifies the incredible incompetence of U.S. governmental agencies; The Times warns of Putin’s desire for a resurging powerful Soviet Union; and media reports suggest that the USA and/or the EU will take military action against Iran with or without U.N. approval.

This issue focuses heavily on events in Europe.

We begin this section by reporting on the collapse of the Dutch government, which was mainly caused by disagreements on how to proceed in Afghanistan. The highly unpopular Afghan war might force other individual European governments to either withdraw their troops or to risk political defeat. At the same time, the EU–as a unified entity–is getting more and more involved, politically and militarily, in countries such as Afghanistan.

Looking merely after its own economic interests, France struck a military deal with Russia, thereby antagonizing and frightening other European countries. Israel warns that Britain and the USA may be next in line to be accused of war crimes, and Europe is struggling to resolve the Greece debacle which is blamed to a large extent on secretive U.S. dealings. The German government is asking the Catholic Church to deal with its problems of sexual child abuse through deviant priests. At the same time, Germany’s female leader of the Protestant church resigned over an incident of drunk driving.

An interesting article discusses the Habsburg legacy, and we conclude with an admission of scientists that they make mistakes–showing that our trust must never be in science if it contradicts the Word of God.

We begin by reporting on remarkable events in Europe. Due to a temporary decline of the euro and a surge of the dollar, voices were heard claiming the inevitable break-up of the euro zone. These voices do not understand biblical prophecy. The euro is here to stay, and it is predestined to become the most powerful currency of the world’s most powerful political and military entity. The EU has begun to show its new-found powers, as established in the Lisbon Treaty. In a surprising move which angered the USA, the European Parliament blocked an agreement with Washington on sharing European bank data.

Turning to events in Germany, the country’s coalition government is hopelessly divided. The (correct) position of Germany’s Vice Chancellor on the welfare “reform” is being openly criticized by the Chancellor and other high-ranking officials, and of course by the opposition. Politics can again be seen at its worst.

In the middle of the political turmoil in Germany, the Roman Catholic Church is facing another sex abuse scandal of perhaps historical proportions, while trying to “deal” with the sex scandal in Ireland. 

Focusing on the USA, with much of his legislative agenda stalled in Congress, President Obama is seriously considering using his executive powers in a wide variety of issues. This brings to light the unsettling question as to when democracy ends and dictatorship begins. The U.S. Marines leading one of NATO’s biggest offensives against the Taliban in Afghanistan are facing fierce resistance, and there are different opinions on how much progress NATO has made or will make.

Finally, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister expressed doubts about the usefulness of more sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, demanding instead “a more immediate solution,” and Israel finds itself in trouble again with Britain, France, Germany and other nations.

In this edition, we focus primarily on events pertaining to and affecting Europe. We begin with an article about Britain, showing how interest groups and political maneuvering are trying to keep a party and a leadership in power which have–by all objective standards–shown themselves to be politically bankrupt.

We then address the present difficulties that European unification is facing. It is being proposed that because of European disarray, America’s President has no need to even listen to or meet with Europeans. The duplicity of European and other nations in dealing with Iran is now being matched by Iranian duplicity in its dealings with Europe and others.

Realizing the sad state of European affairs, especially German politicians are now pleading for a unifying European army–realizing that Britain will probably not have a part in such a project. At the same time, frictions between Europe and America continue.

We conclude with a lengthy report on Germany’s Catholic sexual abuse scandal, which is casting a very dark and disturbing light on the very “image and system” of the Catholic church itself.

The state of the U.S. economy appears to be hopeless. No recovery is in sight, nor should we expect any substantial improvement. Instead, we are told that the latest U.S. budget is “a recipe for financial disaster” and that America’s debt crisis can be associated with Third World countries.

The recent Afghan conference was a total and complete failure, and it is interesting how everything seems to work against the USA. Brussels is upset with Washington, and Europe is becoming painfully aware that it must do more to achieve influential and powerful unification. Tensions between the USA and Iran are heightening, in spite of empty words and “promises” from the Iranian government, and mixed signals from Washington show an ongoing policy of glaring inconsistencies and indecisiveness.

While Barack Obama’s mentor goes public with his criticism of the President’s performance, Republican challenger Scott Brown continues to make controversial remarks in an effort to distance himself from the Republican GOP, and Germans become increasingly dissatisfied with their current government.

In Haiti, survivors thank their voodoo gods and goddesses for protection, as, according to a Haitian saying, “people here are ’60 per cent Catholic, 40 per cent Protestant and 100 per cent voodoo.” At the same time, the U.S. Air Force “accommodates” cadets by setting aside an outdoor worship area for Pagans, Wiccans, Druids and other Earth-centered believers.

While the pope criticizes British equality rights laws as endorsing homosexual conduct, an ever-widening scandal in Germany and elsewhere sheds a terrible light on Jesuit priests who committed sex crimes against boys.

The government of Catholic France is refusing to grant citizenship to Muslims unwilling to cease wearing burquas, and a jury in Oregon convicts parents who believe in divine healing “of criminally negligent homicide for failing to seek medical care for their 16-year-old son.” We conclude with an excerpt from our free booklet, titled, “Sickness and Healing–What the Bible Tells Us,” addressing parental responsibilities in cases of sick children.

While we hear about lofty promises and representations about “the end” of the U.S. recession and recovery being just around the corner, the housing market and the debt deficit paint quite a different picture. And while Hillary Clinton is upset about international criticism of U.S. engagement in Haiti, the controversies between the USA and Germany over Afghanistan are continuing.

Notwithstanding Angela Merkel’s highly unpopular decision to send more German troops into Afghanistan–a decision which could lead to her political demise–the Afghan war proves to be another nail in the coffin of deteriorating relationships between the USA and Germany. At the same time, German anger begins to be directed against those who claim Germans are not good soldiers and are not doing enough in Afghanistan.

While the relationship between Germany and Iran is (temporarily) worsening, at least in part due to inhumane activities of the Iranian government, a US Court recognized that Germany engages in persecution of religious minorities.

The Telegraph, in commenting on President Obama’s State of the Union address, wrote that “Barack Obama gets an F for world leadership.” And even domestically, looking at the seemingly insurmountable problems that this nation is facing–with no true answers being offered by our politicians–President Obama’s “optimism” sounded shallow and unconvincing, when he said, referring to the recession: “The worst of the storm has passed.” Or when he stated: “I have never been more hopeful about America’s future than I am tonight. Despite our hardships, our union is strong. We do not give up. We do not quit. We don’t allow fear or division to break our spirit.”

At the same time, a revealing article on the background of Mr. Obama’s greatest current challenger, Scott Brown, shows the depth of trouble this country is in. It reminds us of a biblical prophecy in Isaiah 9:13-16 about the modern house of Israel (i.e., the USA, Great Britain, Canada and other English-speaking nations). That passage reads:

“For the people do not turn to Him who strikes them, Nor do they seek the LORD of hosts. Therefore the LORD will cut off head and tail from Israel, Palm branch and bulrush IN ONE DAY. The elder and honorable, he is the head; The prophet who teaches lies, he is the tail. For the leaders of this people cause them to err, And those who are led by them are destroyed.”

We conclude with an article about the unchristian and sick custom of self-flagellation, showing how far this world has turned away from the true God of the Bible.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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