Hamas Reign of Terror

The Times of Israel reported on August 12:

“Israel may wish that Gaza’s dire situation would push residents of the Strip to rise up against their Hamas rulers, but more than a month into Operation Protective Edge, there are very few indications of that happening…

“Bassem Eid, a veteran Jerusalem-based human rights activist and political analyst, said that Gazans are reluctant to demonstrate for fear of Hamas… ‘Hamas has a physical presence in almost every house in Gaza and can listen to what’s being said. It’s a Stasi regime par excellence,’ he continued, referring to the East German secret police notorious for its eavesdropping capabilities…

“‘The population is much more scared of Hamas than it is of the Israeli soldiers,’ Eid said. Hamas, for its part, is more worried about the possible return of control of the Gaza Strip to the Palestinian Authority than it is of an Israeli military incursion…

“Palestinian Authority media repeatedly gives credence to Eid’s reports of an atmosphere of terror in Gaza. Official Palestinian news agency WAFA has told of Fatah activists being placed under house arrest by Hamas from the early days of the Israeli operation. Fatah’s official Facebook page reported shots being fired at the legs of Fatah members, including the bodyguards of Fatah official Abdullah Ifranji…

“But Mkheimer Abusada, a political science professor at Gaza’s Al-Azhar University, said that anti-Hamas demonstrations were unlikely to emerge in a society which largely regards Israel as the main cause of its suffering. ‘Even if there’s anger at Hamas, people are mostly angry at Israel,’ Abusada told The Times of Israel in a phone conversation from Gaza. ‘Hamas may bear responsibility for the war, but it’s Israel which is destroying homes and killing civilians.’ (Of almost 2,000 deaths reported by health officials in the Hamas-run Strip, Israel says 750-1,000 are Hamas and other gunmen.)…

“Hamas and other armed factions in Gaza have launched over 3,000 rockets and mortar shells into Israel during Operation Protective Edge, many of them from densely populated areas. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has charged Hamas with using the civilian population in Gaza as ‘human shields’ — firing rockets and building tunnels from residential areas, providing Gazans with no protection, and sometimes even urging civilians to remain in fighting zones despite IDF warnings — while Hamas’s leadership has taken to hiding in underground tunnels. But Abusada indicated that Gazans viewed themselves as victims of Israel, not Hamas…”

There is a REASON why Hamas has been rightly classified as a terrorist organization. All the sugarcoating by analysts such as Professor Abusuda notwithstanding, it is surprising that people cannot see what is really going on. Of course, one looks for a scapegoat, and Israel has always been an easy target. This has been prophesied to occur, especially in these end times. 

There Will Be Miracles… If You Believe…

Jews News wrote on August 6:

“An Israeli commander claimed that hundreds of Israeli lives were saved recently when ‘the hand of God’ stopped a Hamas rocket:

“‘A missile was fired from Gaza. Iron Dome precisely calculated [its trajectory]. We know where these missiles are going to land down to a radius of 200 meters. This particular missile was going to hit either the Azrieli Towers, the Kirya (Israel’s equivalent of the Pentagon) or [a central Tel Aviv railway station]. Hundreds could have died. We fired the first [interceptor]. It missed. Second [interceptor]. It missed. This is very rare. I was in shock.

“‘At this point we had just four seconds until the missile lands. We had already notified emergency services to converge on the target location and had warned of a mass-casualty incident. Suddenly, Iron Dome (which calculates wind speeds, among other things) shows a major wind coming from the east, a strong wind that … sends the missile into the sea. We were all stunned…’

“One Hamas member was asked why they couldn’t aim their rockets better and actually hit an Israeli target. He responded: ‘We do aim them, but their God changes their path in mid-air.’ The first prime minister of Israel, David Ben Gurion, said this once: ‘In Israel, in order to be a realist, you must believe in miracles.’”

Israel’s Existence Has Nothing to Do with the Bible?

Yes News wrote on August 3:

“In a special interview with Die Tagespost last week, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Fouad Twal, named by Pope Benedict to represent the Vatican in the Jewish State, declared that ‘Israel’s existence as such has nothing to do with the Bible.’ He then compared Christians’ condition in today’s Jerusalem with Jesus’ Passion: ‘We Christians never forget that even our Lord himself suffered and was mocked in Jerusalem.’…

“A few days ago, Patriarch Twal responded enthusiastically to the agreement reached between Hamas and Fatah. He also denounced ‘the Judaization of Jerusalem’ and attacked Israel for ‘trying to transform it into an only Hebrew-Jewish city, excluding the other faiths.’… Twal’s position on Israel and the Bible has been embraced at the highest levels in the Catholic Church. The Vatican synod in 2010 declared that Israel cannot use the Biblical concept of a promised land or a chosen people.”

Perhaps a review of both the Bible and historical evidence might be helpful to these so called scholars and theologians!

Israel’s Monetary Costs of the Gaza War

The Times of Israel wrote on August 12:

“… through last week, including both direct military expenses and indirect hits to the Israeli economy, the total cost of the four-week conflict is estimated at $2.5 billion to $3.6 billion… [For instance] Iron Dome intercepted 584 of [the Hamas’ rockets] — at $50,000 a piece. That comes to a total of $29 million, or about $1 million per day…

“Israeli planes have bombed Gaza approximately 4,900 times during the war — roughly 150 times a day… each of the Air Force’s 4,900 sorties cost $15,000, for a total of over $73 million…”

What a terrible waste of money, while millions of people starve for lack of food.

Little Progress at Cairo Truce Talks

JTA wrote on August 12:

“Negotiators at the Israel-Hamas truce talks in Cairo said they were still far from an agreement. Palestinian officials said Tuesday that the current three-day cease-fire between the sides will be the final one unless Israel and Hamas make progress toward a truce. The cease-fire, which began Monday, is the second three-day truce between the sides after a month of fighting…

“Hamas is demanding an end to Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip and the building of an airport and seaport, and Israel is demanding Gaza’s demilitarization…”

It was announced on August 14 that Hamas and Israel agreed to extend the truce for five days to continue negotiations in the Egyptian capital. However, there will be no lasting peace in the Middle East until Jesus Christ returns.

Waiting Too Long to Stop ISIS?

Breitbart wrote on August 8:

“Yazidis in Iraq are telling stories of mass murder and rape to their relatives abroad – including in Israel… [According to Der Spiegel Online, dated August 11, “Yazidis [is] an ancient, pre-Muslim religious community, with roots in Zoroastrianism, whose members worship seven angels, including a peacock angel, in addition to god.”]

“Obama announced action against the Islamic State as if that chamber of horrors sprang into existence last night, and he immediately leaped into action against it.  Nonsense.  He’s known this stuff was happening for weeks and months.  Contrary to his feeble excuses about learning everything at the same time we do, by watching the news, he gets presidential intelligence briefings.  The brutality shown by ISIS toward Christians has been a matter of record for a long time, and Obama said nothing.  No surprise the Islamists are even more brutal toward the Yazidis, who they consider ‘devil worshipers.’

“This was all as predictable as the sunrise, but Obama did nothing, said nothing, until global media lit up with pictures of those fifty thousand people stranded on the slopes of the mountain that looms above their ancestral homeland, dying of hunger and exposure…

“Foreign policy is all about timing.  Stopping ISIS when it was on the move into Mosul – with an almost laughably small initial invasion force that nevertheless caused Iraqi forces to break and run – would have been relatively simple…  Ejecting them from their conquered territory is impossible with only a few targeted bombing runs.  They’re mixed in with civilian targets now, and they won’t hesitate to take hostages.  They can threaten to blow up the Mosul dams.  They’re far stronger, better armed, and better financed than they were when they first came across the Syrian border…

“And no matter what happens next, there’s no way to bring back the people ISIS has already murdered, no way to undo the rape and pillage.  Obama treats foreign policy like he’s in college writing a thesis about something that happened a long time ago.  But the present is bad, and the future might be worse.  If ISIS uses its manpower and resources to launch terror strikes in the West – something they are very interested in doing – the same people trying to cover for Obama’s incompetence today will be asking why nobody stopped the Islamic State long ago, when it could have been done with relative ease…”

Sunnis and Turks Support ISIS

Der Spiegel Online wrote on August 11:

“The IS advance would hardly be possible without support from Iraqi Sunnis.

“… the American air strikes on IS positions still won’t solve the fundamental conflicts in these two countries… the lack of strong governments in Iraq and Syria has allowed the IS to operate freely in large swaths of the region…  the Turks have sealed the border to Kurds attempting to flee. At the same time, Turkish officials are doing hardly anything to hinder jihadists who travel in and out of Turkish airports as they make their way into the region…”

ISIS Wants Conflict with USA

Newsmax wrote on August 10:

“ISIS has said it desires a direct conflict with the United States on American soil, and the current conflict may also be serving as a lure for new members… ISIS has stated it intends to form a caliphate, or Muslim religious state, and is known for its brutality, including beheadings, of non-Muslims and even non-Sunnis. It formerly was an al-Qaida affiliate, but broke from the group after al-Qaida criticized it for its tactics.

“Members of the Iraqi army laid down their arms and fled earlier this year as ISIS forces advanced. As a result, ISIS now possesses American weapons left for the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Malaki. It also has raided banks and taken over oil wells, adding to its power…

“Of ISIS’s estimated 10,000 members, up to half are thought to be from outside Iraq and Syria. And about 100 Americans are thought to have tried or succeeded in traveling to ISIS territory. That trouble[s] U.S. officials because they fear those Americans could return to launch terror attacks on the homeland.”

Iraq’s Political Turmoil –Shiites vs. Shiites

The New York Times wrote on August 11:

“Iraq’s president formally nominated a candidate on Monday to replace Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki. The step broke a months-long political deadlock, but it also seemed to take Iraq into uncharted territory, as Mr. Maliki gave no signal that he was willing to relinquish power.

“The Obama administration, which has been pushing Iraqi lawmakers to name a replacement for Mr. Maliki, added to the pressure on him by welcoming the nomination of the candidate, Haider al-Abadi, a member of Mr. Maliki’s own Shiite Islamist Dawa Party…

“The nomination of Mr. Abadi came hours after a dramatic late-night television appearance in which a defiant Mr. Maliki challenged the Iraqi president, Fuad Masum, and threatened legal action for not choosing him as the nominee…

“The United States has been reluctant to help the Iraqi government militarily as long as it is led by Mr. Maliki, a Shiite Islamist who is seen by many as exacerbating sectarian and ethnic tensions, alienating some Sunnis and driving them to join the militants…”

The Washington Post wrote on August 11:

“Iraq’s president chose a veteran Shiite politician to lead the government on Monday, setting the stage for a vicious political showdown in a country already struggling to contain an extremist Islamist insurgency…

“In his eight years in power, Maliki has consolidated power in his hands, ruling in a dictatorial style that has chipped away at his support among fellow Shiites and Sunnis alike. He is widely blamed for the fostering [of] an environment that has allowed for Sunni extremists from the Islamic State to seize control of huge chunks of Iraqi territory…” 

BBC News reported on August 14 that due to worldwide pressure, Maliki stepped down. The article stated:  

“Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has stepped aside, ending political deadlock in Baghdad as the government struggles against insurgents. He resigned on state TV to make way for Haider al-Abadi, who was asked by Iraq’s president to form a government. Mr Maliki had been under intense pressure to make way for Mr Abadi, a deputy speaker of parliament…

“There had been fears that Mr Maliki might use the power base he built up through his control of the armed forces to stay in power. But, with his own party and the Shia clerical establishment, not to mention influential outside powers such as Iran and America and the entire international community backing Mr Abadi, the writing was clearly on the wall for MrMaliki’s hopes of clinging to power.”

 

USA Provides Weapons to Kurds

The Telegraph wrote on August 11:

“The Obama administration has begun directly providing weapons to Kurdish forces who have started to make gains against Islamic militants in northern Iraq, but the aid has so far been limited to automatic rifles and ammunition.

“Previously, the US only sold arms to the government in Baghdad, some of which would then be transferred to the Kurdish forces in the north.”

Germany Might Send Weapons to Iraq

The Local wrote on August 12:

“Germany said on Tuesday it was ready to send non-lethal military aid such as armoured vehicles to help Iraq push back against the advance of Islamist insurgents… Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen said that, aside from humanitarian aid, Germany could possibly send equipment such as helmets, night-vision equipment, booby-trap detectors and medical supplies for Iraqi soldiers…

“Von der Leyen reiterated her government’s official position that Germany as a rule does not send arms into conflict zones but added that, if a ‘genocide’ loomed in Iraq, this question should be ‘debated intensively’ in Germany.

“Several German politicians across the party spectrum, including Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel, have suggested the rule may have to be reviewed in light of the IS onslaught across vast areas of northern Iraq. Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier also signalled a willingness to pave the way for German weapons shipments to support Baghdad, citing the ‘existential threat’ posed by the IS…”

Sending weapons to volatile areas is never without great risk. But it is interesting that the German stance on the matter is apparently changing.

Back Into Iraq

The Huffington Post wrote on August 11:

“Obama has stated that the U.S. will not become the Iraqi government’s air force. Such an unequivocal declaration, though, presupposes that there is a functional substitute — and one that will be available in time to deal with military threats of the first order that could emerge literally any day. So, this is a typical Obama fudge. Barack Obama is a temporizer, a devotee of half-measures, ‘too clever by half’ as with his time-table limited mini-surge in Afghanistan in 2009.

“… He too often deceives himself that verbal declarations or pat phrases constitute a policy or program. Although the preferred course of action is far from clear, evasion of the tough issues and postponement of hard choices will lower the odds on coming up with wise decisions once they have to be taken…

“What are Obama’s time-frames? They seem to be confused… Certainly, there are no signs of a general strategy emerging in Washington.

“What role (explicit, tacit, or pantomime) for other outside powers, e.g. Iran, Turkey, Syria and Egypt?… On this question, too, we have no signs of the Obama administration’s overall thinking — much less the outlines of a strategy… This is a major liability and potentially highly dangerous…”

Regarding the President’s time frame, the Washington Post wrote on August 12: “Obama vacations as the world burns.”

Clinton vs. Obama

Newsmax wrote on August 10:

“Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has put the largest amount of space yet between herself and a rapidly more-unpopular President Barack Obama, calling his refusal to ‘build up a credible fighting force’ in Syria to battle the Assad regime a ‘failure’ that led to jihadists such as the Islamic State (ISIS) moving in… 

“Goldberg notes in his article that Clinton’s separation from Obama was only a matter of time, and as she comes closer to announcing her own candidacy, she was notably more blunt in her interview with him…”

Deutsche Welle added on August 11:

“Clinton… ‘is basically a believer in the use of military force for humanitarian purposes and is less sensitive than President Obama is…’ says David C. Unger, the long-time member of the New York Times Editorial Board…  As Obama’s previous secretary of state, Clinton had strongly argued for arming the Syrian opposition, but that argument lost out against a more cautious approach generally favored by Obama and others in the administration.”

 

Arming the Rebels?

The Daily Beast wrote on August 11:

“The argument that America should have done more in Syria, made for years by foreign policy leaders in both parties and several members of Obama’s senior national security team, was brought back to the fore this past weekend. Obama and Hillary Clinton gave dueling interviews in which they publicly split on whether the security and humanitarian catastrophe in Syria could have been avoided if the United States had played a larger role. Obama’s outburst on July 31, one week prior, reveals the criticism was already getting to him, even before the White House tried to deflect Clinton’s remarks as pre-presidential political posturing.

“Just before the congressional recess, President Obama invited over a dozen Senate and House leaders from both parties to the White House to talk about foreign policy. According to two lawmakers inside the meeting, Obama became visibly agitated when confronted by bipartisan criticism of the White House’s policy of slow-rolling moderate Syrian rebels’ repeated requests for arms to fight the Assad regime and ISIS.

“According to one of the lawmakers, Sen. Bob Corker asked the president a long question that included sharp criticisms of President Obama’s handling of a number of foreign policy issues—including Syria, ISIS, Russia, and Ukraine. Obama answered Corker at length… But days after the White House meeting, Corker wrote a blistering op-ed for The Washington Post criticizing Obama’s handling of foreign policy. ‘Today, after three years of bold rhetoric divorced from reality, 170,000 Syrians are dead, and we are not innocent bystanders. The president encouraged the opposition to swallow deadly risks, then left them mostly hanging,’ the senator wrote. ‘Extremist groups from Syria have surged into Iraq, seizing key territory and resources, and are threatening to completely undo the progress of years of U.S. sacrifice.’

“Top Democratic lawmakers agreed with Corker and Clinton that doing more to support the moderate rebels would have at least had a chance of averting or mitigating the current crisis, which has now spread to large parts of Iraq as ISIS expands its newly declared Caliphate…

“In a New York Times interview published Aug. 8, Obama said that the idea arming the rebels would have made a difference had ‘always been a fantasy.’ ‘This idea that we could provide some light arms or even more sophisticated arms to what was essentially an opposition made up of former doctors, farmers, pharmacists and so forth, and that they were going to be able to battle not only a well-armed state but also a well-armed state backed by Russia, backed by Iran, a battle-hardened Hezbollah, that was never in the cards,’ Obama said…

“Not all lawmakers support arming the rebels; Sen. Rand Paul, for example, is on the record opposing the use of U.S. military resources to fight ISIS in Iraq or Syria. Also, Clinton and many lawmakers acknowledge that arming the rebels was risky and might not have worked. The weapons could’ve fallen into the extremists’ hands…”

Arming rebels is indeed a very dangerous endeavor. Now, the discussion has shifted to arming the Kurds and others in Iraq to defend against ISIS, as previous articles discuss. However, today’s “friends” can very quickly become tomorrow’s enemies. Osama Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein are prime examples.

The Lawless United States—Always at War Somewhere

The Huffington Post wrote on August 10:

“Ukraine. Gaza. Syria. Yemen. Pakistan. If it feels like the United States is always at war somewhere, that’s because it is. Not just Iraq and Afghanistan – the two wars we all know about. And, granted, we’re not only talking boots on the ground. It’s our money, our weapons and – more often in recent weeks – our Secretary of State, engaged in high-stakes diplomacy to uneven results… investigative journalist Kevin Gosztola put the U.S. war count at 74. These are mostly unannounced and undeclared wars against enemies that have different aspirations, strategies and ideologies…

“While the eyes of the American media and public might have shifted back to Iraq for now, just a week ago they were, momentarily, back on Afghanistan. In another example of how dangerous the country still is for our military, we heard about the killing of Major General Harold Greene, who was killed by an Afghan soldier in a green-on-blue gunfire exchange… Three in four Americans believe that history will judge the war in Afghanistan a failure…

“What we are leaving behind is in fact… ‘more war, and more terror.’ What we’re leaving behind in terms of our reputation is the idea of American lawlessness… Our lawlessness doesn’t just hurt us abroad. Lawlessness has encroached into the U.S.’s domestic affairs, with the NSA’s almost Orwellian reach into civic life…”

There is indeed a connection between fighting in war and engaging in lawlessness. Please read our free booklets, “Should YOU Fight in War?” and “And Lawlessness Will Abound…”

Wild West in Ferguson, Missouri

The Washington Post wrote on August 14:

“The killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown by a police officer in Ferguson, Mo., has produced a rare and surprisingly unified response across the ideological spectrum, with Republicans and Democrats joining to decry the tactics of the city’s police force in the face of escalating protests… Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.)… criticized what he called the growing militarization of local police forces…

“The images of police in riot gear, with armored vehicles and heavy weaponry, shooting a tear-gas canister at an Al Jazeera camera crew… have drawn alarming reactions from the left and the right.

“The rough treatment and detainment of two journalists, Wesley Lowery of The Washington Post and Ryan Reilly of the Huffington Post, has added to the public outrage about the Ferguson Police Department’s handling of the protests over Brown’s killing.”

Erdogan Becomes Head of State in Turkey… Is This Bad for the World?

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 11:

“The Turkish presidential election is decided: [Outgoing] Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will become head of state [i.e., President]. It’s a bitter win, and not just for opponents of further Islamization…

“The outcome was fully democratic and therefore irrefutable. That’s one side of the coin. But on the other side is the fear that Turkey could now head further down the path of transformation into an Islamic republic – with increasing religious requirements for citizens in everyday life.

“With Erdogan’s victory, the secular reforms of Turkey’s founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk fall further to pieces… Erdogan was chosen because he gave the Turkish people a whole new sense of self-esteem based on religious values…

“Surrounded by ongoing crises in places like Iraq and Syria, and the conflicts in Gaza/Israel and Ukraine/Russia, not to mention the recently renewed fighting between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, Erdogan must overcome fears that he will only add fuel to these fires. It’s something he has often done in the past. The EU – and especially Germany – will have to cope with an increasingly uncomfortable relationship with Erdogan…”

Der Spiegel Online wrote on August 6:

“Erdogan, 60, has been in power for 11 years, and because he can no longer serve as prime minister after three terms in office, he has now [been elected as] president… [He] has become more and more authoritarian with each election win. He has had protests quelled and critics arrested, and has gradually implemented Islamic moral values…

“Istanbul law professor Bertan Tokuzlu believes that… [Erdogan] will transform Turkey into a one-man state, once and for all… Erdogan himself makes no secret of how he intends to govern in the future. In a television interview in late July, he announced his intention to introduce a presidential system, and he cited China and Russia as models…”

Turkey will continue to play a very controversial role in the near future. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Middle Eastern and African Nations in Bible Prophecy.” 

 

“High Probability” for Russian Invasion in Eastern Ukraine

The New York Times wrote on August 11:

“The prospect of a Russian intervention in eastern Ukraine appeared to rise sharply on Monday, threatening to take to new lows what is already the sharpest East-West confrontation of the post-Cold War era.

“As the Kremlin announced it had sent a convoy of humanitarian aid to Ukraine under the auspices of the International Red Cross, the secretary-general of NATO said there was a ‘high probability’ of a Russian attack…

“With increasing urgency, Western governments have condemned in advance any Russian aid missions, which they fear could serve as a pretext for a military incursion to support hard-pressed pro-Russian separatists fighting the Ukrainian Army in the country’s southeast…

En Route Russian “Aid” Convoy Will Be Denied Access

Deutsche Welle reported on August 12:

“Just hours after Russia deployed 280 trucks carrying humanitarian aid to eastern Ukraine on Tuesday morning, a spokesperson from Ukraine’s military said the convoy would be denied access at the border… pointing out that Russia’s army was managing the convoy and that its contents had not been verified by the ICRC [Red Cross].

“… The aid column is expected to complete its 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) journey from Moscow to eastern Ukraine within two to three days… French President Francois Hollande [said] that he had ‘grave concerns’ prompted by the ‘possibility of a unilateral Russian mission on Ukrainian soil.’…

“According to… NATO, roughly 45,000 Russian soldiers have been deployed to Russia’s southwest, close to the country’s border with Ukraine.”

The EUObserver added on August 12:

“The Red Cross says it has no agreement to govern what will happen when Russian ‘aid’ trucks arrive at Ukraine’s border…

“The UN estimates that some 168,000 people have fled from east Ukraine to Russia over the past three months of fighting, while another 117,000 people have become ‘internally displaced’… The Red Cross said on Monday: ‘The situation is critical – thousands of people are reported to be without access to water, electricity, and medical aid’.”

The Bible shows that ultimately, Russia and Ukraine will collaborate and become “friends,” at least temporarily. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Biblical Prophecy — From Now Until Forever”. See also our Q&A on the prophetic relationship between Russia, Ukraine and continental Europe. 

The Paralyzed US Superpower

Der Spiegel Online wrote on August 5:

“John Kerry has spent months rushing from one conflict to the next, but has little [to] show for it. His failures are symptomatic of an America that lacks a foreign policy identity — and of a country that seems uncomfortable with its role as a superpower…

“In recent days, global diplomacy has seemed like an absurd form of theater, with John Kerry in the role of the tragic hero. He doesn’t look like the secretary of state from a world power, Haaretz jeered, but like ‘an alien who just disembarked his spaceship in the Mideast’…

“The helplessness of the world’s most important foreign minister shows just how little influence the US still has in the Middle East. And with each failure, Washington’s influence in the rest of the world erodes as well. A civil war is raging in eastern Ukraine, an agreement with Iran over its nuclear program is still a long way off, Islamist terrorists now control large swaths of Iraq — and the US doesn’t appear to be in a position to do anything about it.

“… as part of a government that is steering America away from its traditional role as global hegemon, Kerry also embodies the dilemma of the United States’ global role in the 21st century: How successful can a US foreign policy be if it depends more on strong words than it does on tanks and aircraft carriers?…

“The US remains the world’s only superpower, but it is also on the search for a new foreign policy identity. It is a country divided…”

The USA has lost the pride of its power, as was prophesied to occur thousands of years ago.

Did Israel Spy On John Kerry?

JTA wrote on August 3:

“Israeli intelligence reportedly eavesdropped on telephone conversations made by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry during Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations. In addition to Israel, at least one other intelligence agency also listened in on the phone calls, the German weekly Der Spiegel reported…

“‘Revelations of the eavesdropping could further damage already tense relations between the US government and Israel,’ der Spiegel wrote.”

USA And British People Condemn Israel

JTA wrote on August 3:

“‘The United States is appalled by today’s disgraceful shelling outside an UNRWA school in Rafah sheltering some 3,000 displaced persons, in which ten more Palestinian civilians were tragically killed,’ State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement Sunday. ‘The coordinates of the school, like all U.N. facilities in Gaza, have been repeatedly communicated to the Israeli Defense Forces…’

“The State Department statement was the harshest condemnation of Israeli actions in Gaza… ‘The suspicion that militants are operating nearby does not justify strikes that put at risk the lives of so many innocent civilians.’”

JTA added on August 3:

“Much of the British public is ‘deeply disturbed’ by the impact of Israel’s operation in Gaza, the new foreign secretary of England said, and the response could be more widespread anti-Semitic attacks… Anti-Semitic incidents [in Britain] have doubled since Israel began its operation in Gaza nearly a month ago…”

Anti-Semitism Worldwide

The Hill wrote on August 26:

“The civilian casualties, though almost certainly overstated to include Hamas fighters in civilian clothes, are tragic.  The death of so many children is heartbreaking.

“But… Anti-Semitism has reared its head almost everywhere there are pro-Palestinian street protests.

“A heavily Jewish section of Paris was looted and attacked as crowds shouted ‘Gas the Jews,’ in what correctly has been called a pogrom.  Multiple synagogues and Jewish centers in Paris and elsewhere in France were firebombed, and neo-Nazi salutes were center stage.

“In Berlin protesters shouted ‘Jew, cowardly pig, come out and fight.’ While in Frankfurt they carried signs such as ‘The Jews are Beasts’ and the Star of David is ‘The Star of the Devil.’

“In the Hague, Netherlands, crowds chanted ‘death to all Jews,’ shocking local officials.  In England, particularly London, there have been over 100 anti-Semitic incidents, and anti-Israel protesters pushed The Protocols of the Elders of Zion anti-Semitic tract.

“And it was not just overseas.  In Miami, protesters chanted ‘Jews, remember Khaybar, the army of Muhammed is returning’ commemorating an Islamic war victory. In Boston, pro-Israel supporters had to be rescued from an angry crowd that shouted ‘Jews back to Birkenau’ and ‘Drop dead, you Zionazi whores.’  A pro-Israel student was attacked by a woman insisting that Jerusalem would be cleansed of Jews, while another crowd shouted that ‘Jews better learn how to swim.’…”

These horrible developments are not just rare exceptions of a few deceived and hateful Islamists. Sadly, they are becoming more and more commonplace. At the same time, Israel is not helping in winning the support of others, as the next article shows.

Israel’s Fears And The Military Messianic Right

On August 5, Der Spiegel Online published an interview with Israeli sociologist Eva Illouz. We are bringing you the following excerpts from her comments:

“Israel has a split, schizophrenic self-awareness: It cultivates its strength and yet cannot stop seeing itself as weak and threatened… Israel is a colonial military power, a militarized society and a democracy all folded into one… It is a militarized civil society because almost every family has a father, son or brother in the army and because the military plays an enormous role in the ordinary mentality of ordinary Israelis and is crucial in both political decisions and in the public sphere… But it is also a democracy, which grants rights to gays and makes it possible for a citizen to sue the state…

“The messianic right has progressively gained power in Israel. It used to be marginal and illegitimate; it is now increasingly mainstream. This radical right sits in Parliament, controls budgets and has changed the nature of discourse. Many Israelis do not understand the radical nature of the right in Israel. It successfully disguises itself as ‘patriotic’ or ‘Jewish.’ …

“Fear is deeply engrained in Israeli society. Fear of the Shoah, fear of anti-Semitism, fear of Islam, fear of Europeans, fear of terror, fear of extermination. You name it. And fear generates a very particular type of thinking… You always think about the worst case scenario… many Israelis still hold on [to] the view they are morally superior…

“The real danger to Israel and its sustainability comes from within. The fascist and racist elements are no less a security threat than the outside enemies… Israelis pay a price, but we are not really aware of it… People don’t make a connection between the bad living conditions they have and the amount of resources invested in the settlements and in the army…  Israeli society has become very insensitive. Not only to the suffering of others, but also to its own suffering.”

Trust in weapons and the military will lead to the ultimate downfall of any country.

A New Order For The Middle East

On July 21, Der Tagesspiegel (translated by Federal Foreign Office) published the following article by German Foreign Minister Frank‑Walter Steinmeier:

“We Europeans are preoccupied by the Ukraine crisis. Meanwhile, the Middle East is coming undone. The uprising against the Syrian dictator Bashar al‑Assad first turned into a civil war and then into a regional proxy war. Now the crisis in Syria is affecting neighbouring Iraq and has reignited the smouldering embers of the conflict there, which had not been resolved.

“Shiites are fighting against Sunnis, radical against even more radical fundamentalists, Kurds against Arabs, terrorists against democrats and against dictators. Neighbouring countries in the region, as well as major powers, are providing their proxies with money, as well as arms. The international community has not adopted a coherent approach. Some are acting out of a sense of responsibility, while some are reckless, some defensive and others proactive. Neither those involved nor outsiders can say exactly whether the other side is acting out of strength or weakness.

“Millions of people have sought refuge in neighbouring countries, thus placing a crushing burden on state‑provided services there. The ISIS terrorist group is extending its power base in Syria and Iraq and wants to sweep away the existing states…

“We should think about a new order for the Middle East which could redefine and guarantee the security interests of all parties… Parallel interests which could form a basis for a new order are there: all neighbouring countries and the international community are united in their concern that terrorist groups such as ISIS could become a permanent fixture. None of the states in the region want to see force being used to move borders. All of them are afraid that arms could fall into the wrong hands and be used against them. And it is in the best interest of all of them to ensure that minorities within their countries, whether ethnic or religious minorities, do not drift into open hostility towards the state.

“No‑one expects such efforts to lead to overnight success. However, a start should be made, and the sooner the better. We owe that not only to people in the regions where tens of thousands have been murdered and millions forced to leave their homes. For this will also help ensure our own security. Syria is a training ground for thousands of European jihadists who practice there what they subsequently want to carry out in our cities. And there is a real threat that Iraq will go the same way.

“This cannot be allowed to happen. For this conflict concerns us, and much more so than many want to believe.”

In due time, Europe will attempt to create such a new order for the Middle East. Steinmeier’s words almost sound prophetic.

Germany May Have a Decisive Role in Gaza

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 7:

“In an article to be published Friday in the Bild newspaper, Frank-Walter Steimeier said that he could see Germany having a role in Gaza following Israel’s month-long war there… ‘Together with our European partners, we are ready to make a contribution, for example with an EU monitoring mission of the border crossing,’ Steinmeier told Bild. ‘We are holding intensive talks with all sides to work out what would be necessary for this,’ he added.

“On Wednesday, a diplomatic source said Germany, Britain and France would consider reactivating a European mission to monitor the flow of goods across Gaza’s border with Egypt… Launched in 2005, the EU Border Assistance Mission monitored the Rafah border crossing after Israel pulled its troops out of Gaza, but it was discontinued two years later after Hamas seized power in the coastal territory.”

The Local added on August 7:

“‘The Germans, as Europe’s political leaders, must take a very decisive role in the Gaza conflict,’ Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman told the Bild newspaper on Thursday. He also called for Germany to bring EU governments together to develop a solution to avert the unfolding economic and humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.

“Lieberman demanded that Germany and the EU send inspectors in to the region to oversee trade between the Palestinians and neighbouring countries. Germany should ‘take responsibility as instigator of such a mission,’ said Lieberman, with the aim of preventing violence escalating further.”

“The Man Who Would Be Kaiser”

The Irish Times wrote on August 2:

“[After] Germany lost a second World War, the Allies in occupied Berlin passed a law stating: ‘The Prussian state, which from early days has been a bearer of militarism and reaction in Germany, has de facto ceased to exist.’…

“Prussia dominated Germany’s history for centuries. Mention Prussia to Germans today and they’ll trot out the ‘Prussian virtues’ – discipline, punctuality, deference to hierarchy – that many outsiders consider utterly German traits…

“Prince Georg [Kaiser Wilhelm II’s great-great-grandson] has no crown – and is not a prince under the law of the Federal Republic of Germany, which recognises the old title Prince of Prussia only as part of his surname – but has the calm energy of a man on a mission: to exhume and rehabilitate his family’s history, good and bad. His striking resemblance to Kaiser Wilhelm II, he jokes, makes it a delicate affair…

“[Prince Georg lost] his father when he was just a year old. In 1994 he lost his grandfather Louis Ferdinand snr, making the [then] 18-year-old head of the house of Hohenzollern…  Although they lost their aristocratic titles in 1918, the Hohenzollerns and other former ruling houses live on around Germany…

“The Hohenzollerns’ unhappy role in German history continued after 1918. Before Kaiser Wilhelm died in exile, in the Netherlands, in 1941, his son August Wilhelm flirted with the Nazis in the hope of taking back the throne. The relationship cooled after Hitler took office…

“After seven decades in the Third Reich’s shadow, Prussia is emerging again as a new generation of Germans shuffle the historical hand they have been dealt… Berlin is back on the political map and Germany’s role in Europe is shifting before our eyes. Understanding this country, and how it sees itself, means taking Prussia out of historical quarantine.

“Prince Georg sees Germany’s role in Europe differently from previous generations. He dismisses as absurd the former chancellor Helmut Schmidt’s recent remark that Third Reich crimes exclude Germany from a leading role in Europe for centuries to come. ‘I think it is clear to all that Germany should assume a leading role in Europe,’ he says.

“And what does he think about the leader shaping this new role, Chancellor Angela Merkel? ‘She represents the positive Prussian virtues of modesty, conscientiousness and sense of duty.’ Is such generous praise a sign that Georg Friedrich Prinz von Preussen, the man who would be kaiser, is happy to remain in the conditional tense? ‘The question of a return of the monarchy is not relevant at the moment,’ he says…”

Maybe not “at the moment”…

German Officer New Head Of U.S. Army Europe [USAREUR]

Army Times wrote on July 31:

“A German Army brigadier general [Markus Laubenthal] who recently served with NATO forces in Afghanistan is assuming duties as the chief of staff of U. S. Army Europe, the first time a non-American officer has held that position…

“Army sources in Europe said the first-ever assignment of a German general to the USAREUR staff is unrelated to the political furor over the spying revelations, but does reflect the increased importance of multinational operations in NATO… [It] is part of an American effort to give a more multi-national flavor to its major overseas commands.”

Germans are becoming more and more powerful and influential on the world scene.

Pope Celebrates Jesuits, Canonizes First Follower

Zenit wrote on August 6:

“Pope Francis on Saturday celebrated the feast of St. Peter Favre, the first follower of the founder of the Society of Jesus. St. Peter was the first of St. Ignatius’ followers, as Ignatius set the foundations for what would become the Society of Jesus.

“Some compare Pope Francis, the first Jesuit Pope, to St. Peter Favre. For his part, Francis has noted his own devotion to the saint, and as Pontiff, dispensed with some of the requirements of the canonization process in order to declare him a saint…

“Many note that Fr. Favre and Pope Francis have many characteristics in common and share many of the same ideas. Like Francis, Fr. Favre supported Catholic reform and was a pioneer of ecumenism…

“Fr. Favre became a canonized saint through the process of ‘equivalent’ canonization, which Pope Francis used also for now Saint John XXIII, canonized this April 27. ‘Equivalent’ canonization is a rare procedure, meaning popes can declare that someone who has enjoyed widespread reverence over time deserves veneration by the universal Church without having to go through the usual canonization steps. These steps include proving two miracles attributed to the candidate’s intercession. With ‘equivalent’ canonization, the Pope can override the two miracle requirement enabling the individual to become a canonized saint.”

The Jesuits have been viewed with great suspicion… and that for convincing reasons. Under Pope Francis, this perception is gradually changing. And not unlike President Obama who is circumventing Congress and the Senate through more and more “executive orders,” so Pope Francis ignores “usual canonization steps” by unilaterally declaring someone a saint through “equivalent canonization.”

Pope Pleads for Help

Reuters reported on August 7:

“Pope Francis appealed to world leaders on Thursday to help end the crisis in northern Iraq after a sweeping advance by radical Islamic state militants forced thousands of residents of Iraq’s biggest Christian town to flee their homes.

“‘His Holiness addresses an urgent appeal to the international community to take action to end the humanitarian tragedy now underway, to act to protect those affected or threatened by violence and to provide aid, especially for the most urgent needs of the many who have been forced to flee and who depend on the solidarity of others,’ the Vatican said in a statement.”

The Telegraph wrote on August 7:

“Islamic State, the jihadist group formerly known as Isis, have occupied churches in Iraq, removing crosses and destroying manuscripts, witnesses report, having overrun Kurdish troops forcing 200,000 to flee.”

Obama Authorizes Air Strikes in Iraq “If Needed”

The New York Times reported on August 7:

“President Obama said Thursday that United States military aircraft had dropped food and water to thousands of Iraqis besieged by Islamic militants on a mountaintop in northern Iraq… the president said he had directed the United States military forces to conduct targeted airstrikes on the militants if they moved to take Erbil, threatening the American citizens and military personnel there.

“And he said that at the request of the Iraqi government, he had authorized the military to use airstrikes to help provide humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi citizens, many of them religious minorities, who are trapped on the mountain.”

Twelve Years Of CIA Lawlessness?

The Huffington Post wrote on August 6:

“Twelve years. The time has flown by. Seems like just yesterday that the Justice Department sent over its torture memos to then-CIA General Counsel John Rizzo, ramping up a CIA torture program that horribly abused more than a hundred men, killing a few of them. No one at the CIA was ever even charged with a crime. Some agents, in fact, got job promotions…

“The CIA, with the backing or orders of the White House, ran a worldwide network of secret prisons where it tortured men with barbaric techniques… kidnapped people from European streets; and then reportedly lied to Congress, the White House, and the Justice Department about it.

“The lawlessness continued, even after horrified Americans found out what was happening. More legal memos were written to try to keep torturing, even after Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) convinced Congress to pass yet another law to stop it. Top CIA officials ordered evidence — videotapes of men being subjected to simulated drowning — destroyed before investigators could view them…

“CIA officials, and all Bush officials, dodged any criminal indictments, were protected from lawsuits by courts that deferred to CIA secrecy and immunity claims, and did whatever they could to get in the way of Senate investigators. The lawlessness remains because the Constitution’s system of checks and balances is broken. The president, Congress, and the courts seem unwilling or unable to hold the CIA accountable.

“Incredibly, more than 200 CIA employees who were involved in the torture program are today still employed at the CIA. The acting general counsel of the CIA until this past March was the very same person who had been one of the CIA’s top torture lawyers a decade ago…

“The lawlessness seems to be coming to a head this year. The CIA’s internal watchdog, its inspector general, just gave a report to the Senate Intelligence Committee that found that the CIA spied on the computers used by the Senate committee to investigate the CIA torture program…

“An uncontrolled — and seemingly uncontrollable — CIA threatens the very foundations of our Constitution… It is long past time for Congress and the president to forever ban the CIA from holding anyone in its custody and running a secret prison. But President Obama must also stand up to the CIA and to John Brennan himself…”

There is little hope that this will happen. A country allowing for and engaging in more and more lawlessness disconnects itself from the Author of all righteous Law—the God of the Bible. 

Why Armored Tanks for Californian City Police Department?

The Daily Mail wrote on August 7:

“A war of words has broken out over police force in California getting a new armored vehicle built more for a state of war than patrolling in the Golden State. The Salinas Police Department recently issued a news release proudly announcing the arrival of the armored truck built to survive minefield explosions, which it got compliments of federal taxpayers as part of a program to convert military equipment to law-enforcement use.

“Critics took to the police department’s Facebook page to ask exactly why a city of 150,000 on the northern California coast really needs a vehicle designed for battlefield use. It’s more likely to be used against its own citizens, they said…

“This country only two months ago saw rangers for the National Park Service – National Park rangers, for God’s sake – turn into a bunch of storm troopers keeping World War II vets out of their own monument, and visitors from ‘recreating’ at Yosemite…”

Eleven Countries At Risk Of Default

USA Today wrote on August 1:

“After years of bitter court battles with creditors, Argentina has defaulted on its debt… the country missed necessary bond payments on July 31, triggering the default announcement…

“Alongside Argentina, Moody’s currently lists [these] 10 other countries… at risk of default:

“Ecuador… Egypt… Pakistan… Venezuela… Argentina… Belize… Cuba… Cyprus… Greece… Jamaica… [and the] Ukraine.”

More countries might soon follow, or they are already in the same category, without being listed in the article. Many fear that another worldwide great depression might not be that far off. Also notice the next article.

The Sanctions Game

The Guardian wrote on August 6:

“Vladimir Putin has banned the import of agricultural goods from countries that have imposed sanctions on Russia in a tit-for-tat move that deepens the economic standoff between the Kremlin and the west… The import ban follows a threat of retaliation from Russia’s prime minister, Dmitry Medvedev, in response to the grounding of the budget airline subsidiary of Aeroflot as a result of EU sanctions. Russian officials are reported to be considering banning European airlines from flying to Asia over Siberia.

“Food has also been caught up in political tensions between Russia and the west. In recent days Russian food safety authorities have banned the import of Polish fruit and vegetables, while McDonald’s cheeseburgers and milkshakes are being investigated…

“The import ban will hit all EU countries and the United States, which last week stepped up punitive action against Russia in response to Moscow’s support for eastern separatists in Ukraine, unwavering despite the downing of Malaysian airliner MH17…

“Russia is Europe’s second largest market for food and drink and has been an important consumer of Polish pig meat and Dutch fruit and vegetables. Exports of food and raw materials to Russia were worth €12.2bn (£9.7bn) in 2013, following several years of double-digit growth… Russia banned EU pork at the start of the year as the Ukraine crisis escalated, cutting off 25% of all European pig meat exports in a move that the European Commission said exposed European farmers to significant losses.

“Russia’s state-owned banks have been cut off from Europe’s capital markets, while Russian defence and energy firms will no longer be able to import hi-tech western equipment that could have been used for military purposes, fracking or Arctic oil exploration.”

Ebola Outbreak

Reuters wrote on July 25:

“A Liberian man who died in Nigeria’s commercial capital Lagos on Friday tested positive for the deadly Ebola virus, Health Minister Onyebuchi Chukwu said… If confirmed, the man would be the first case on record of one of the world’s deadliest diseases in Nigeria, Africa’s biggest economy and with 170 million people, its most populous country…

“Nigeria has some of the continent’s least adequate healthcare infrastructure, despite access to billions of dollars of oil money as Africa’s biggest producer of crude…”

Deutsche Welle added on August 7:

“Liberians stocked up on food Thursday after President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf announced emergency powers lasting 90 days. ‘Operation White Shield’ allows Liberia’s government to contain the epidemic by restricting movement, deploying troops and giving police the power to impose quarantines on badly affected communities.

“Lacking the medical equipment and training to handle the new disease, some 32 health workers have already died of Ebola in Liberia and many sick people have gone untreated after doctors deserted their posts…

“In eastern Sierra Leone – the worst-hit area of that country – police chief Alfred Karrow-Kamara said security forces had been deployed on Wednesday ‘to establish a complete blockade’ of the Kenema and Kailahun districts, setting up 16 checkpoints on major roads. ‘No vehicles or persons are allowed into or out of the districts,’ he added.

“The World Health Organization reports that 932 people of the 1,700 diagnosed so far have died…”

Bloomberg added on August 7:

“As the death toll rises in West Africa amid the worst Ebola outbreak on record, a separate threat is compounding the problem: the rainy season and the malaria that comes with it. In Sierra Leone, with the most Ebola cases in the epidemic, a fearful population is failing to seek medical attention for any diseases, health officials say. If they have malaria, the feeling is they don’t want to go near a hospital with Ebola cases. If it’s Ebola, they don’t believe the hospitals can help them anyway, instead turning to traditional healers.

“It’s a widening challenge complicated by the fact that Ebola, malaria and cholera share common symptoms early on, including fever and vomiting, which can cause confusion among patients…”

Europe’s Unique Success In Spacecraft Maneuvering… But At What Price?

BBC News wrote on August 6:

“Europe’s Rosetta probe has arrived at a comet after a 10-year chase. In a first for space history, the spacecraft was maneuvered alongside a speeding body to begin mapping its surface in detail… ‘We’re at the comet!’ said Sylvain Lodiot of the European Space Agency (Esa) operations centre in Germany… Getting a spacecraft to match the speed of a comet and effectively ride alongside it is a landmark in space exploration… The comet is travelling at 55,000km per hour (34,175 mph). The spacecraft’s speed has been adjusted so that in relative terms it will be flying beside the comet at a slow walking pace of 1m/sec (2.2mph, 3.6kph)…

“Total cost of the mission is said to be 1.3bn euros.

“… in November… mission controllers will attempt to put the Philae lander on the surface. The lander will use harpoons to anchor itself and will carry out a series of experiments, including drilling into the material that makes up the comet.

“The mission aims to add to knowledge of comets and their role in ferrying the building blocks of life around the early Solar System.”

We will be spending 1.3bn euros for this “mission” to ultimately “prove” the creation of life without a Creator. Also, a top NASA representative announced recently on American television that the only (!)  reason for the existence of NASA and its costly endeavors is to find alien life somewhere out there. What an incredible waste of money and resources.

Ebola Crisis Spreads

Herald Sun reported on July 31:

“A leading medical charity has warned that the outbreak of the deadly west African Ebola virus is out of control and there are fears it ‘can only get worse’. 
 
“Doctors Without Borders (MSF) says the crisis gripping Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone could spread to other continents and warns there is no overarching strategy to handle the world’s worst-ever outbreak of the disease.

“Amid rising fears that the deadly virus could spread to the US, there are already plans to subject even healthy Americans into forced quarantine in the event of an Ebola pandemic.

“Western doctors are now on the lookout for symptoms of the disease after the death of US citizen Patrick Sawyer, who travelled through a major transport hub in Nigeria[,] prompted fears that the disease could spread to the US.

“Symptoms of the disease, which has anywhere from a 50 to 90 per cent mortality rate, include headache, fever, joint and muscle aches, weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, and lack of appetite.

“There are now fears that the deadly and highly contagious virus will be passed on through air travel.”

North Korea Threatens US

Yahoo News wrote on July 28:

“A top-ranking North Korean military official has threatened a nuclear strike on the White House and Pentagon after accusing Washington of raising military tensions on the Korean peninsula.

“The threat came from Hwang Pyong-So, director of the military’s General Political Bureau, during a speech to a large military rally in Pyongyang Sunday on the anniversary of the armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean War.

“Hwang, who holds the rank of vice marshal in the Korean People’s Army, said a recent series of South Korea-US military drills, one of which included the deployment of a nuclear-powered US aircraft carrier, had ramped up tensions.

“‘If the US imperialists threaten our sovereignty and survival… our troops will fire our nuclear-armed rockets at the White House and the Pentagon — the sources of all evil,’ Hwang said in his speech broadcast Monday on state television.”

While no one believes North Korea actually possesses the capability to deliver on these threats, the next article shows what they can do to create problems which nag at the heels of American influence.

North Korea Arms Hammas

National Post reported on July 27:

“Hamas is attempting to negotiate a new arms deal with North Korea for missiles and communications commitment that will allow it to maintain its offensive against Israel, according to Western security sources.

“Security officials say the deal between Hamas and North Korea is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars and is being handled by a Lebanese-based trading company with ties to the militant Palestinian organization.

“Hamas officials are believed to have already made an initial cash downpayment to secure the deal and are hoping that North Korea will soon begin shipping extra supplies of weapons to Gaza.

“’Hamas is looking for ways to replenish its stocks of missiles because of the large numbers it has fired at Israel in recent weeks,’ said a security official. ‘North Korea is an obvious place to seek supplies because Pyongyang already has close ties with a number of militant Islamist groups in the Middle East.’

“Using intermediaries based in Lebanon, Hamas officials are said to be intensifying their efforts to sign a new agreement with Pyongyang to provide hundreds of missiles together with communications equipment that will improve the ability of Hamas fighters to coordinate operations against Israeli forces.”

Mid-East Crisis: Death and Blame

BBC reported on July 30:

“Israel attacked a UN-run school housing refugees in Gaza despite warnings that civilians were there, the UN has said.

“UN spokesman Chris Gunness said ‘the world stands disgraced’ by the attack, in which 15 died and dozens were hurt.

“Israel said an initial inquiry suggested soldiers responded to mortar fire. It called a partial, four-hour humanitarian ceasefire but Hamas, which controls Gaza, said it was meaningless.

“More than 1,300 Palestinians and 55 Israelis have died in the conflict.

“Most of the Palestinian deaths have been civilians.

“Fifty-three Israeli soldiers have been killed along with two civilians. A Thai worker in Israel has also died.

“Israel launched its offensive in Gaza after a surge in rocket fire from the territory.

“Hamas says it will not stop fighting until the blockade, maintained by both Israel and Egypt, is lifted.”

The Globe And Mail wrote on July 30 contrasting the differing positions of the US and Canada:

“The United States is condemning Israel’s shelling of a U.N. school in the Gaza Strip that was sheltering displaced Palestinians.

“It’s the sharpest criticism the U.S. has levelled at Israel over the more than three weeks of fighting between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza.

“White House spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan says the U.S. is also ‘extremely concerned’ that thousands of Palestinians aren’t safe in U.N.-designated shelters in Gaza even though Israel’s military has told them to evacuate their homes.

“Prime Minister Stephen Harper reiterated his government’s hard line on Hamas Wednesday, saying the organization is solely responsible for the death and destruction in Gaza following almost a month of fighting between Israel and Hamas militants.

“’Obviously no one likes to see the suffering and loss of life that has occurred,’ Harper told reporters in Air Ronge.

“’That said, we hold the terrorist organization Hamas responsible for this. They have initiated and continue this conflict and continue to seek the destruction of the state of Israel.’”

Kerry Creates More Crisis

TPM wrote on July 28:

“Obama administration officials were fuming Monday over a torrent of Israeli criticism of Secretary of State John Kerry’s latest bid to secure a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.

“In unusually harsh language, officials said the criticism of Kerry could put the relationship between the U.S. and Israel in jeopardy. They also said the personal attacks on Kerry crossed a line and were particularly disappointing at a time of active conflict.

“Israeli media commentators have leveled almost nonstop criticism at Kerry in recent days over his attempts to bring Qatar and Turkey — two countries viewed by Israel as strong Hamas supporters — into the cease-fire negotiations. Kerry was also being accused of abandoning some of Israel’s key demands during the negotiations.

“In trying to implement the cease-fire over the weekend, ‘U.S. Secretary of State of State John Kerry ruined everything,’ wrote columnist Ari Shavit in Monday’s Haaretz, Israel’s leading liberal newspaper. ‘Very senior officials in Jerusalem described the proposal that Kerry put on the table as a ‘strategic terrorist attack’.”

Putin’s “Little Green Men”

Foreignpolicy.com reported on July 30:

“As Malaysia Airlines’ 298 passengers died over the skies of eastern Ukraine, so did the last trace of hope that Russian President Vladimir Putin would back down from his support of eastern Ukraine’s separatist rebels or agree to a negotiated settlement to the seven-month-long conflict. Since the deadly incident, it is no longer in doubt whether or not the future of eastern Ukraine — or Novorossiya (New Russia), as pan-Slavic nationalists call it — will be decided by force. The only question remaining is how deadly the fight will be.

“At the moment, the government in Kiev is ramping up its fight to reclaim Ukraine’s restive eastern regions. At the same time, thousands of Russian troops are amassed along Ukraine’s eastern border, and not just the elite Airborne or Spetsnaz troops that took over Crimea in February, but also units designed to fight conventional wars and armies, like Ukraine’s. The result could be explosive.

“There was little Ukraine could do to stop the “little green men” who invaded Crimea. By the time Kiev had realized what was going on, Russia’s most elite and best-trained Naval Infantry, Airborne, and Spetsnaz troops (including the new Senezh unit, which seized the Crimean parliament) had prevented Ukrainian reinforcements from entering Crimea. But the separatist militiamen in eastern Ukraine, despite being equipped, trained, and funded by Moscow, are a different story. There, Kiev retains a vast advantage in firepower, [material], and troops, along with the implicit backing of the international community against an increasingly fragmented and uncoordinated separatist movement.”

Vladimir Putin is playing a very high stakes game, and it now seems inevitable to avoid a major conflict in Ukraine–an action that will only serve to further unify European plans for creating their own powerful military!

ISIS Forces All Christians Out of Mosul

On July 19, 2014, The Associated Press wrote the following:

“The message played over loudspeakers gave the Christians of Iraq’s second-largest city until midday Saturday to make a choice: convert to Islam, pay a tax or face death. By the time the deadline imposed by the Islamic State extremist group expired, the vast majority of Christians in Mosul had made their decision. They fled…and headed for the largely autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq or other areas protected by the Kurdish security forces.

“Their departure marks the latest — and perhaps final — exodus of Christians from the city, emptying out communities that date back to the first centuries of Christianity, including Chaldean, Assyrian and Armenian churches.”

Minorities Persecuted by ISIS and Iraqi Militias

The New York Times added on July 18:

“Christians are among several minorities who are being systematically expelled or killed by ISIS…

“Among them are Yazidis, a tiny sect that has survived for centuries and whose theology fuses elements of Islam, Christianity and Zoroastrianism; Shabaks, who are often described as Shiites whose language is close to Persian and who take beliefs from different traditions; and Shiite Turkmen. The Yazidis and the Shabaks are being persecuted in the Sinjar area west of Mosul… The United Nations has documented scores of abductions and killings as well as the destruction of shrines.

“The United Nations report noted that extrajudicial killings had also been carried out by Iraqi security forces and allied militias, and warned that the executions on both sides might constitute war crimes…

“As the Christians leave Mosul, ISIS has painted the Arabic letter that means ‘Nasrani,’ from Nazrene, a word often used to refer to Christians, on their homes. Next to the letter, in black, are the words: ‘Property of the Islamic State of Iraq.’ The militants have also told Muslims who rent property from Christians that they no longer need to pay rent, said a businessman who rents from a Christian. The landlord now lives in Lebanon.”

This is so reminiscent of the systematic persecution and ultimate extermination of Jews and other minorities in Nazi Germany. The demons which possessed Hitler’s henchmen resurface now in ISIS and others.

Persecution of Christians in the Middle East

Breitbart wrote on July 22:

“Jews are not the only religious minority in the Middle East under fire… Christians have come under the heaviest hand in the Middle East in generations thanks to the weakness of the United States…

“The rise of the Islamic State in Syria and the Levant (ISIS) has led to the wholesale slaughter or exile of hundreds of thousands of Christians…

“Thousands upon thousands of Christians have been forced from Syria… opposition fighters drove some 80,000 Christians from Homs alone…

“The rise of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt led to a massive spike in persecution of Christians within the country.

“… the Christian population under Palestinian rule has dwindled with each passing year….Even though Hamas denies involvement in the attacks and claims that it is attempting to protect the small, ancient Christian community in Gaza, attacks on the 3,000 Christians residing there have increased since the Muslim terror militia came [to] seized power…

“Iran has been a disaster area for Christians since the fall of the Shah, but an increasing number of Iranian Christians are fleeing the country now…  Christians have been persecuted in Iran with more and more alacrity as fear of the United States wanes…

“Christianity is no more welcome in Libya after the Arab Spring than under the rule of Muammar Gaddafi before it…

“In the 1970s, before the collapse of the country [Lebanon] into Islamist violence, Christians represented a majority of the population. Now, that number has dropped to 34%…. continued violence and the rise of Islamist groups like Hezbollah has dramatically decreased the Christian population.

“No wonder Pope Francis stated in November 2013, ‘We will not resign ourselves to imagining a Middle East without Christians.’ That reality is already well within imagination, thanks to the Islamist Spring…  and the persecution of Christians continues to increase in other countries, including Turkey, Nigeria, and Pakistan.”

Worldwide Demonstrations Against Israel

The Times of Israel wrote on July 19:

“Tens of thousands protested in London Saturday afternoon against Israel’s military operations in Gaza, denouncing Israel as a terrorist state and castigating British Prime Minister David Cameron for backing Israel’s right to self-defense against Hamas rocket fire… Saturday’s demonstration in London came on the heels of numerous protests Thursday and Friday worldwide, including Cairo, Istanbul, Cape Town, Berlin, New York and Washington. Many of the protests have turned violent… Calls for the destruction of the Jewish state were heard in both Turkish cities [Ankara and Istanbul].”

Anti-Semitic “demonstrations”, instigated and stirred up by Palestinians, radical Islamists and ignorant and gullible “observers,” are a sign of our time. Note the next article.

Anti-Israel Demonstrations Instigated by Islamist Groups

Deutsche Welle wrote on July 22:

“In many European cities, what began as peaceful protests turned into outpourings of anti-Jewish sentiments and violence against counter-demonstrators. The situation became particularly heated in France… The Gaza conflict has stirred up public opinion in Europe, and it has brought Israel-hatred to Germany along with it… the current demonstrators are mostly members of Islamist groups…

“Many of the participants openly express support for Hamas, Lebanon’s Hezbollah or Islamic jihad… there is a perfidious tactic behind the Islamists’ campaign… In a recent survey by the ‘Stern’ magazine, more than half of respondents place the blame for the conflict on both Israel and Hamas – and 86 percent believe that Germany should not publically stand on the Israeli side… In the meantime, pro-Gaza demonstrations are set to continue in Germany and other European countries…”

Turkey Condemns Israel

The Times of Israel wrote on July 19:

“Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Israel of ‘barbarism that surpasses Hitler’ during its ground invasion of Gaza… He has been speaking out strongly against Israel during its offensive against Hamas in Gaza, which has killed more than 300 Palestinians. Hamas has fired some 1,500 rockets at Israel and carried out a series of terrorist infiltrations via tunnels and from the sea in recent days.

“Erdogan accuses Israel of using disproportionate force and has said the operation there has derailed efforts to normalize Turkish-Israeli ties…

“Early Saturday, the Israeli Foreign Ministry issued a travel warning to Israeli citizens against nonessential travel to Turkey… Israel decided Friday to pull some of its diplomatic staff out of Turkey in the wake of violent protests targeting the buildings of its embassy and consulate in Ankara and Istanbul, an embassy spokesman said, as well as recent statements that accused Israel of attempting a ‘systematic genocide’ on the Palestinian people…

“Turkey’s foreign minister also ‘vehemently’ condemned Israel’s ground invasion of Gaza…”

The Bible shows that Turkey (biblical Edom) will become a fierce enemy of the Jews and support military actions against the state of Israel. 

UN Warns Israel of War Crimes

BBC News reported on July 23:

“The UN’s top human rights official has condemned Israel’s military actions in the Gaza Strip, saying that war crimes may have been committed… She also condemned Hamas for ‘indiscriminate attacks’ on Israel.”

South Africa Praises Adolf Hitler

Newsmax reported on July 20:

“An aide with the African National Congress, South Africa’s ruling party, has drawn sharp rebukes from Jewish groups for an outrageous Facebook post praising Adolf Hitler for the Holocaust. Rene Smit, a social media manager with the ANC in the Western Cape province, posted an image of Hitler with the comment: ‘Yes, man, you were right!’ Below Hitler’s face were the words: ‘I could have killed all the Jews, but I left some of them to tell you why I was killing them.’ …

“Smit’s original post came just days after ANC Deputy Secretary General Jessie Duarte posted a statement on the ANC’s website comparing Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians to Nazi war crimes.”

With all these unqualified attacks on Israel, one should not forget who the real terrorists are. Please note the next article.

Hamas’ Abominable Terrorist Activities

The Telegraph wrote on July 20:

“Hamas militants sent a donkey laden with explosives on a suicide mission in one of the most unconventional tactics yet seen in the fighting in Gaza, the Israeli army has said. Troops said they were forced to open fire on the animal – blowing it up – as it approached their position in the southern city of Rafah, near the Egyptian border…

“‘They used this donkey as a human shield, or an animal shield, if you like,’ said… an army spokesman. ‘Anything, an animal or an international building, that can help make use of innocent people or international [citizens], they will use it.’… Soldiers in the field have reported ‘multiple incidents’ of dogs trying to approach with explosives attached to them, according to the army.”

Bild Online added on July 18 that Hamas uses children, families, sick and old people as “human shields,” placing them in locations where they are bound to be killed by the Israeli rockets, while the cowardly Hamas leaders seek protection in bunkers.

Why Hamas Tunnels Must Be Destroyed

The Washington Times wrote on July 22:

“A Hamas force wearing Israeli army uniforms emerged from a tunnel inside Israel and inflicted losses on Israeli troops before being wiped out… Israeli losses as of tonight in the four-day-old incursion were 25 dead and several score wounded. An Israeli official said the number of Hamas combatants killed amounted to ‘several hundred.’ Hard fighting was continuing in Gaza as dusk fell, with artillery and air strikes pounding Hamas positions. The fighting focused on the town of Shujaiya. Located only a mile from the Israeli border, it is the source of many tunnels leading towards the border…

“Meanwhile… Hamas gunmen have been killed in the past two days after they emerged from the mouths of tunnels inside the Gaza Strip. Ten of them emerged from a tunnel inside a mosque. Among them was a female suicide bomber who attempted to charge the Israeli soldiers… A senior Israeli officer in Shujaiya said yesterday that one tunnel he had examined was 27 meters deep—equivalent to a seven-story building—and was lined with at least 800 tons of reinforced concrete. He said the existence of such tunnels leading into Israel would have permitted Hamas to send commando forces at night through all of them simultaneously to wreak havoc in the Israeli villages in the area.”

Sunni World Bitterly Divided

The Times of Israel wrote on July 19:

“… the continuing escalation of the conflict in Gaza has actually got nothing to do with Israel itself. Unfortunately, Israel has found itself tangled up in a battle of far wider proportions — a war between two competing axes in the Sunni Muslim world. On the one side are Egypt and the Palestinian Authority, with Jordan and Saudi Arabia likely to join them… On the other, Qatar, Turkey and Hamas, as well as other global supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood.

“This is a proxy war for all intents and purposes… Hamas remains committed to the destruction of Israel. But Hamas is firing rockets at Tel Aviv and sending terrorists through tunnels into southern Israel while aiming, in essence, at Cairo. It is backed in this by Doha and Ankara.

“… the Sunni war rages and the possibility of a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel becomes more remote. Abbas is still trying to bridge the gap between the parties — between Qatar, Turkey and Egypt, that is; not between Hamas and Israel. But it’s doubtful he will be the man to reunite the bitterly divided Sunni world.”

It is interesting that the Muslims are terribly divided amongst themselves. Not only are Shiites and Sunnis at each other’s throats, but Sunnis are fighting against each other. The view that an Arabic “King of the South” will arise in the Middle East, who will unite all the hostile Sunni and Shia nations under his banner, sounds far-fetched and hardly believable, nor is it in accordance with biblical teaching. For the biblical revelation on this matter, see our free booklet, “Middle Eastern and African Nations in Bible Prophecy.”

Flights to Israel Suspended or Cancelled

JTA reported on July 22:

“The Federal Aviation Administration prohibited all U.S. airlines from flying to Israel for at least 24 hours. All three U.S. carriers with nonstop flights to Israel – United, U.S. Airways and Delta Airlines — canceled their flights to Tel Aviv on Tuesday… The FAA order came after a rocket fired from Gaza struck and destroyed a home in Yehud, an Israeli town about a mile from Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv…

“A slew of other airlines also canceled their flights to Tel Aviv, including Air Canada, Lufthansa, Austria Airlines, Germanwings, Turkish Airlines and Swissair…

“Delta diverted a flight en route to Tel Aviv from New York’s Kennedy Airport on Tuesday… Delta said it made its decision to suspend all flights to Tel Aviv ‘in coordination with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’ and ‘to ensure the safety and security of our customers and employees.’ Korean Air suspended its flights to Tel Aviv last week.”

The Washington Examiner commented on July 22:

“For Hamas, [the ban] could be the biggest break the Islamist group has had since the most recent fighting started — potentially increasing Israeli’s physical and psychological isolation from the rest of the world. The airport handles about 14 million travelers a year.

“Most of the more than 2,000 rockets fired at Israel in the past two weeks have had little effect. Only two Israeli civilians have died, and the Iron Dome missile system — partially funded by the U.S. and incorporating U.S. technology — has been almost 90 percent effective at intercepting rockets fired at populated areas.”

“Russians Did It! Putin’s Rebels BLEW UP MH17 Plane”

Sunday Express wrote on July 19:

“… damning evidence emerged that Moscow supplied the Buk anti-aircraft ­system to pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine… US President Barack Obama also laid the blame for the outrage on Russia while investigators from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe were blocked from accessing the crash site by rebel forces…

“President Obama confirmed that the plane was shot down from Donetsk, in eastern Ukraine, which is controlled by Putin supporters fighting for independence. He said the rebels could not ‘shoot down fighter jets without sophisticated equipment and sophisticated training and that’s coming from Russia’…

“Among the dead were 80 children, including three babies, and more than 100 Aids experts on their way to a conference.”

Russia Is to Blame… One Way or the Other

The Washington Post wrote on July 18:

“This plane crash is a result of the Russian invasion of eastern Ukraine, an operation deliberately designed to create legal, political and military chaos. Without this chaos, a surface-to-air missile would not have been fired at a passenger plane.

“From the beginning, the Russian government… sent Russian mercenaries and security service operatives… With the help of local thugs, these Russian security men besieged police stations, government offices and other symbols of political authority to delegitimize the Ukrainian state. In this task, they were assisted by the Russian government and by Russia’s state-controlled mass media… Just in the past week, Russian reporting on Ukraine reached a new pitch of hysteria, with fake stories about the supposed crucifixion of a child…

“Into this ambiguous and unstable situation, the Russians cynically funneled a stream of heavy weapons: machine guns and artillery and, eventually, tanks, armed personnel carriers and anti-aircraft missiles. In recent days, the separatist forces were openly using man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS) and boasting of having taken down large Ukrainian transport planes, clearly with Russian specialist assistance.

“Indeed, Strelkov on Thursday afternoon reportedly boasted online of having taken down another military plane before realizing that the plane in question was MH17. The blog post was removed. In late June, several different Russian media sources published photographs of Buk anti-aircraft missiles that they said had been captured by the separatists — though they were probably outright gifts from Russia. These posts have also been removed.”

Separatists Shoot Down Two Ukrainian Fighter Jets

Deutsche Welle reported on July 23:

“Separatists have shot down two Ukrainian fighter jets just under a week after the crash of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17. According to reports, the two pilots managed to parachute out… the planes went down about 25 kilometres (15 miles) from the crash site of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17… Local health officials say that fighting since the removal of Ukraine’s previous president in February has led to the deaths of 432 people and left 1,015 injured.”

Russia Supplied Missile Launchers to Separatists

The Washington Post wrote on July 19:

“The United States has confirmed that Russia supplied sophisticated [Buk] missile launchers to separatists in eastern Ukraine and that attempts were made to move them back across the Russian border after the Thursday shoot-down of a Malaysian jet liner, a U.S. official said Saturday…

“Russia and the rebels have denied any involvement in the attack on the Boeing 777…

“In an oped column in the Sunday Times, British Prime Minister David Cameron said: ‘The growing weight of evidence points to a clear conclusion: that flight MH17 was blown out of the sky by a surface-to-air missile fired from a rebel-held area. If this is the case then we must be clear what it means: this is a direct result of Russia destabilising a sovereign state, violating its territorial integrity, backing thuggish militias and training and arming them.’”

Putin’s and the rebels’ denial of any involvement is ridiculous and blatantly untruthful. Such lies would be laughable, if they were not that horrible. Putin, a former KGB spy,  should be viewed as a ruthless “leader” without any credibility. From all the evidence available, it is abundantly clear and beyond the shadow of any doubt that Putin’s Russia is directly or at least indirectly responsible for the terrible situation in eastern Ukraine and the most recent destruction of almost 300 innocent lives in shooting down the Malaysian passenger plane. One may also still ponder, in this context, what actually happened to the previous Malaysian airliner which disappeared without any trace. 

Bild Online reported on July 22 that a Russian rocket killed 298 people on board of the Malaysian airliner, but that the Euro bosses are intimidated by Putin. The paper wrote that they are behaving in a “despicably passive” way. Even further sanctions are being hotly debated, partly due to German business bosses warning that sanctions might hurt the economy. In addition, London has been recently described as a “safe haven” and the “Las Vegas” for “Russian investors.”

According to Der Spiegel Online, Europe’s hesitancy might cause a further rift with the USA.

On the other hand, we also understand that Bible prophecies show that, ultimately, Russia and Ukraine will join forces and collaborate militarily against continental Europe. 

Japan’s New Military Drone Ambitions

The website of defenseone.com reported on July 21:

“For decades Japan has been the world’s playground for design innovation. But now it may become ground zero for the future of something far more hostile: military drones. The country has positioned itself as one of the unlikely players in the escalating global race for military drones… A veteran Japanese politician even warned that the country’s re-armament looked like ‘a kind of pre-war revival.’…

“Japan is now in a position it hasn’t been in for nearly 70 years, when it gave up its right to engage in conflict outside its borders… The country will invest [$372 million] in the coming decade to drastically expand its virtually non-existent military unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) program… which would make Japan’s the fastest growing UAV program in the world… The military alliances could quickly devolve into something much larger. Japan’s drone situation isn’t just a boom, it’s a potential game changer with global implications…”

Berlusconi Acquitted

The Local wrote on July 19:

“An Italian appeals court on Friday cleared Silvio Berlusconi of having sex with an underage prostitute and abuse of power in a surprise ruling that will strengthen the former prime minister on the political scene…

“The [decision] effectively scraps Berlusconi’s seven-year sentence and lifelong ban from holding public office…”

Like a cat with nine lives, we should not dismiss Berlusconi quite yet from any future political role in Europe.

What It Means to Be a German

The victory of the German national soccer [football] team in the World Cup has caused understandable euphoria in Germany. Some have hastily concluded that this event has now given rise to renewed German feelings of nationalism. They even tried to use biblical passages for their opinion. Their conclusion, however, is premature and unrealistic. American audiences became very supportive of their American soccer team, but no one would suggest that this has caused a renewed feeling of American nationalism. International success in sporting events comes and goes, without a real lasting effect. On the other hand, growing self-confidence can be observed in Germany, but it is still a country uncertain of itself. This will change in time.

The following article in Der Spiegel Online, dated July 17, gives an interesting picture of the present status in Germany—pointing out some facts which might not be realized by some.

“[Germany] has indisputably become a nation of immigration…  Germany [is] ranking second in the world after the United States in attracting permanent immigrants, beating out even such melting pots as Britain and Canada… Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative Christian Democrats still don’t like thinking of Germany as a country of immigration, and the nation could also be a lot more generous in its handling of refugees. Some immigrants, on the other hand, could also make more of an effort to integrate.

“Germany has become one society, but also a diverse one — and that is contributing to this new lightness of being. This is also reflected in the national football team, for which immigrants have since become indispensable, with players like Mesut Özil, a Turkish-German, Jerome Boateng, who has a German mother and a father [who] originates from Ghana, and Sami Khedira, who has Tunisian roots…

“Nothing occupies Germans more than the idea of Hitler’s return, regardless in what form. It could be a swastika tattooed on the chest of a Russian opera singer at the Bayreuth Wagner festival that sparks a massive debate. Or it could be a rower on the German national team who is engaged to a neo-Nazi, which again triggers a national uproar… People from other countries also sometimes like to hold us prisoner of our own history. Even during the semifinal against Brazil, this celebration of beautiful football and lightness, some felt compelled to evoke the Nazis. ‘The Germans have stormed into a foreign country and taken charge,’ tweeted New York Times Washington correspondent Binyamin Appelbaum…

“Today we can remember the past with anger and with sadness, but without becoming overly uptight about it… German virtues… too contribute to the country’s lightness. Prosperity makes life easier and improves moods everywhere. And prosperity, thanks to hard work, discipline and harmony, is currently on the rise… Fully 42 million people have jobs in Germany, more than ever before, and wages have risen substantially…

“Angela Merkel… runs a country that regained its sovereignty with reunification… A strong feeling of self-confidence is bound up in Germany’s lightness… A German chancellor thinking beyond the country’s borders? Here too, things have changed.

“… the US is making it difficult for the Germans to stand by their side…

“One still can’t speak of a relaxed German nation; rather it is a country that is losing its inhibitions. It is finding its way back to itself, but is still searching for its role in the global community. Should it sit quietly in the corner or should it take on a leadership role reflective of its size and economic strength? What is missing is a national team coach, one that stipulates a clear path forward.”

This national team coach will arise in due time.

July 20, 1944

Deutsche Welle reported on July 20:

“On July 20, 1944, Adolf Hitler cheated death when military officers planned an assassination attempt. It took a long time until the Germans came to honor those who took part in the coup attempt…

“In the summer of 1951… [o]nly a third… had a positive opinion about the men and women who had tried unsuccessfully to overthrow the Nazi regime…The resistance fighters [especially Count Stauffenberg] came mainly from the German aristocracy and the upper echelons of the Wehrmacht… [They] were portrayed [by the Nazi Government] as traitors who had broken the oath of allegiance they had sworn to Adolf Hitler. This opinion was shared by many Germans even after the end of the Second World War.

“But Theodor Heuss, West Germany’s first postwar president, played a key role in persuading Germans that the resistance against Hitler was not treason and Stauffenberg’s insubordination was even honorable. ‘The oath of allegiance was paid to a man who formally, legally, morally and historically had many cases of perjury behind him,’ Heuss said in 1954, on the tenth anniversary of the attempted assassination. It was the first official memorial service for the resistance fighters of July 20… ‘There have been cases of refusal to carry out orders that have achieved historic greatness.’…

“In 1958, Social Democrat Carlo Schmid said there was a moral obligation to kill a tyrant… It is striking how often speeches and debates of that era address the limits of oaths and obedience, with a ‘duty to commit high treason’…

“A remarkable memorial service took place in 1990: the first all-German remembrance for the resistance. East Germany’s communist leadership had ignored the assassination attempt for decades, mainly because the conservative and aristocratic conspirators around Stauffenberg did not match the socialist ideal… In 1990, Herzog [Constitutional Court President Roman Herzog, later German president] warned about people ‘who have done nothing but look the other way.’ Even today, he said, most people would behave that way…

“In this respect, the words of Theodor Heuss in 1954 are still valid today: ‘The legacy is still effective, the obligation has not yet been removed.’”

In a related article, Deutsche Welle wrote:

“President Joachim Gauck said [on July 20, 2014] that the events of July 20, 1944 were a reminder to Germans about the importance of ‘bravely standing up for our values.’… Earlier, the president had taken part in a church service in Berlin Cathedral, where the head of the council of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), Nikolaus Schneider, said it was important to honor the efforts to resist Hitler made by the conspirators.”

These reports mix truth with error, which is not surprising; given the fact that humanity as a whole is still eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, deciding for themselves what is right and wrong. God, in the Bible, reveals to us true knowledge and understanding—including how to behave as true Christians in a hostile environment and in a world ruled by Satan—but most reject this precious truth, as Adam and Eve neglected to eat from the tree of life which would have given them godly knowledge.

Very Few Support U.S. Drone Strikes and Spying

“People around the world overwhelmingly oppose U.S. drone strikes targeting extremists in countries such as Pakistan, Yemen, and Somalia, a new poll reveals… A majority of respondents in only three nations approve — the United States (52 percent), Israel (65 percent), and Kenya (53 percent), which has suffered terrorist attacks in recent years.

“The strongest opposition to the strikes is in Venezuela, where 92 percent disapprove and just 4 percent approve… followed by Jordan (90 percent disapprove), Greece (89 percent), and Nicaragua (88 percent). A majority of respondents in several strong U.S. allied nations also disapprove of the drone strikes against extremists, including South Korea (75 percent disapprove), Italy (74 percent), France (72 percent), Germany (67 percent), and the United Kingdom (59 percent). Not surprisingly, just 3 percent of respondents in Pakistan approve of the strikes.

“… people around the world generally oppose the National Security Agency’s surveillance practices. Asked if they consider U.S. monitoring of citizens from their country ‘Acceptable’ or ‘Unacceptable,’ 81 percent say it is unacceptable and just 12 percent consider it acceptable.  Sixty-two percent say U.S. monitoring of Americans is unacceptable.

“Asked about monitoring of leaders in their country, 73 percent say it is unacceptable. However, 64 percent of respondents believe that monitoring terrorist suspects is acceptable, and just 29 percent say it is unacceptable… overall ratings for the United States remain mostly popular… 65 percent have a favorable view of America, while 25 percent have an unfavorable view. The lowest favorable rating in the survey is in Egypt, just 10 percent.”

Sadly, the overall ratings for the United States will dramatically change in the not-too-distant future, when only very few will retain a favorable view of America.

Big Earthquake Hitting Los Angeles Inevitable

The Telegraph wrote on July 19:

“The southern section of the San Andreas fault that runs near the city [of Los Angeles] has not had a ‘mega-quake’ of more than magnitude-7.5 since 1680 and it is, according to seismologists, more than a century overdue.  A flurry of lesser earthquakes in recent months has refocused attention on whether America’s second city can withstand a major hit…

“‘A big earthquake is inevitable,’ Los Angeles’ recently appointed ‘quake tsar’ Dr Lucy Jones, told The Telegraph. ‘Each earthquake that happens increases the probability. We know… it will happen. We know everything but the time.”

It is indeed only a matter of time.

“Extreme Concern” Over Terrorist Bomb

NewsMax wrote on July 13:

“New intelligence reports indicate that Yemeni bomb-makers are joining terrorists in Syria to build new types of virtually undetectable bombs, says Attorney General Eric Holder… Holder called the prospect ‘more frightening than anything I think I’ve seen as attorney general … ‘

“The Yemen-based bomb-builders… have traveled to Syria to meet with members of the Islamic State (ISIS), the group that has declared a caliphate in parts of Syria and Iraq… About 7,000 people with American or European passports have joined the fighting on behalf of the Islamic State, and officials fear they may attempt to return and carry out acts of terrorism in the West.”

These concerns are most certainly valid.

Middle East Conflict—No Winners but a Big Loser

The Washington Post wrote on July 12:

“… the latest bout of fighting in and around the Gaza Strip has produced no clear winners. But it has yielded a nearly indisputable loser: Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who… has now been relegated to bystander status as his two longtime foes once again slug it out.

“… Here in the West Bank, where Abbas and his allies have long held sway among Palestinians, residents speak admiringly of the Islamist militant group Hamas, which controls Gaza, while despairing that Abbas’s advocacy for nonviolence has led nowhere…

“The overall impact is the opposite of what the United States has long sought in the Middle East — a strengthened hand for Abbas and marginalization for Hamas and other militant groups…”

Ultimately, all will be losers, and only the return of Jesus Christ will bring an end to the madness of our futile wars.

Israel Launches Ground Invasion

The New York Times wrote on July 16:

“A senior Israeli military official said Wednesday the likelihood of a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip was ‘very high’… The stark assessment came as Israel bombed 60 targets, most of them in northern Gaza, after warning 100,000 residents to evacuate their homes by 8 a.m. via leaflets, text messages, and automated telephone calls. The Palestinian death toll reached at least 205 by late afternoon, including four children killed in a strike on the seashore…

“Scores of rockets from Gaza continued to fly into Israel, several of them intercepted by the Iron Dome missile-defense system over Tel Aviv and the southern city of Ashkelon. Hamas, the militant Palestinian faction that dominates Gaza, on Wednesday officially rejected an Egyptian cease-fire proposal that Israel had initially approved Tuesday morning…  the [Israeli] government moved to call up 8,000 additional reservists, adding to the 42,000 already mobilized…

“Mr. Netanyahu has been under pressure from some members of his cabinet and party to start a ground operation…”

Subsequently, Israel began a ground invasion on July 17, 2014. JTA reported:

“Israel launched a ground incursion into the Gaza Strip to destroy tunnels it says are used for terrorist activities. The Israel Defense Forces’ spokesman’s office announced the operation by a ‘large IDF force’ late Thursday on its Twitter feed following the order given by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister MosheYaalon… The operation is limited for now to tanks targeting 10 tunnels in Gaza, the IDF said… Israeli troops earlier Thursday stopped an attempted Hamas infiltration from the Gaza Strip, forcing 13 infiltrators back into tunnels.”

Anti-Semitism Worldwide

Breitbart wrote on July 14:

“With Hamas’ decision to begin firing hundreds of rockets into Israel, precipitating Israeli action to stop that rocket fire, anti-Jew sentiment has now exploded full-force onto the public scene. This isn’t unprecedented – each time Israel acts in its own self-defense, whether in Gaza or in southern Lebanon, Jew-haters around the world have utilized the opportunity to target Jews.

“Such evil has now shown its ugly face around the world. Here are the latest incidents across the globe against Jews, utilizing Israel’s defensive activities as an excuse:

“Los Angeles. When some 2,000 Israel supporters showed up at the Federal Building in Los Angeles on Sunday, a group of pro-Palestinian men – they were identifiable by the large Palestinian flags they carried – attacked the demonstrators with sticks. LAPD attempted to stop the fight, and the attackers reportedly drove off in their truck…

“Paris. Anti-Jewish thugs attempted to break into a Paris synagogue carrying bats and chairs… The synagogue was full of Jews memorializing the three Jewish boys killed by Hamas operatives.

“Frankfurt. Neo-Nazi protesters threw stones at police. Fellow anti-Israel protesters, who numbered 2,500, screamed ‘God is great’ and ‘children-murderer Israel.’ One sign stated, ‘You Jews Are Beasts!’ The groups apparently tried to find Jewish institutions to attack after their rally. According to the Jerusalem Post, ‘student organization Left-SDS, Islamists and some members of the Neo-Nazi group National Socialists Rhein-Main attended the anti-Israel protest. Flags from Turkey, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Hamas were on display at the protest. Banners compared Prime Minister Netanyahu with Adolf Hitler.’ Police reportedly allowed demonstrators to use ‘a police vehicle and loudspeaker to blast anti-Israel slogans.’

“Seattle… pro-Israel rallies were met with anti-Israel rallies in the city with protesters screaming ‘anti-Israel slogans calling for the destruction of the Jewish state while waving signs and marching through the downtown sidewalks…signs comparing Jews to Nazis were commonplace.’… posters utilizing the blood libel were present in the crowd, including ‘a Jew eating a gentile child along with a cup of blood to wash it all down.’

“Boston. Pro-Israel protesters were called ‘Jesus killers’ and swarmed at a rally outside the Israeli consulate…

“As Israel’s enemies are emboldened in the Middle East, Jews’ enemies are emboldened around the globe. It is no surprise, then, to watch as Jews across the world come under attack, given the unprecedented level of tacit and spoken global support for anti-Israel activity.”

JTA added on July 13:

“Rocks were thrown at police in Berlin during a protest by some 1,000 demonstrators — most of them Palestinians — against Israel’s military campaign in Gaza… By some estimates, Berlin is home to 35,000 Arabs of Palestinian origin.”

The Bible prophecies that the poison of anti-Semitism will spread and grow. As it occurred in the past, so will all again become targets who are considered “Jewish.” This will include true Christians who keep the Sabbath and the annual Holy Days and who abide by the biblical dietary laws. Martin Luther once wrote a terrible tirade against the Jews and all other Sabbath-keepers (“Gegen alle Juden und die den Sabbat halten.”) Many feel that Luther and others set the stage for Hitler’s diabolical conduct of mass murder against millions of Jews and other minorities, including some Christian “sects.” Something similar will happen again—only this time, it will be so much worse.

Syria’s Assad’s Position as Secure As Ever

Reuters reported on July 16:

“Bashar al-Assad was sworn in for a new term as Syria’s president on Wednesday, after an election which his opponents dismiss as a sham but which he said proved he had achieved victory after a ‘dirty war’ to unseat him. Once written off in the West as certain to fall, he launches his seven-year term in his securest position since the early days of the three-year-old war.

“Those close to Damascus say he now believes his Western and regional foes will be forced to deal with him as a bulwark against Sunni Islamist militants who advanced across northern Iraq last month. At his inauguration he delivered a defiant speech, vowing to recover all Syria from Islamist insurgents and warning that Western and Arab countries would pay dearly for supporting rebels he described as terrorists.”

This article proves once more how human imagination and concepts of the future can drastically change within a heartbeat.

Malaysian Passenger Aircraft Crashed in Eastern Ukraine

Deutsche Welle reported on July 17:

“[A] Malaysian airliner has crashed in eastern Ukraine near Donetsk. The Boeing 777 was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur… On board reportedly were 295 people [the accurate count seems to be 298, including three infants] — 280 [or 283] passengers and 15 crew members…”

It is presumed that everyone on board was killed.

ABS News added on July 17:

“A statement from the Foreign Ministry in Kiev said, ‘A large passenger aircraft Boeing 777, performing a flight between Amsterdam and Kuala Lumpur, was shot down in the eastern part of Ukraine… by the Russian Buk missile system as the liner was flying at an altitude of 10,000 meters… because the Russian air defense systems was affording protection to Russian mercenaries and terrorists in this area.’”

Breitbart reported on July 17:

“Fox News’ Geraldo Rivera  said, ‘I believe Vladimir Putin has the blood of these airline passengers on his hands.’”

Subsequently, it was reported (but not independently verified by the respective governments) that at least 23 Americans, one Canadian, four Germans, 154 Dutch, six Brits, four Belgians, 27 Australians, 45 Malaysians, 11 Indonesians, and three Philippine citizens were killed.

Bild Online reported that Kiev and the USA “are convinced” that “pro-Russian rebels” shot down the plane with Russian weapons—perhaps erroneously believing that the plane was an Ukrainian fighter jet. The Sun wrote: “Putin was facing universal condemnation last night after pro-Russian separatists shot down a passenger jet carrying 295 people over Ukraine.”

Also note these additional messages:

The Associated Press wrote on July 17:

“An Air Force fighter jet has been shot down by an air-to-air missile fired from a Russian plane, a spokesman for Ukraine’s Security Council said Thursday. Andrei Lysenko also said Ukrainian troops had been fired upon by missiles from a village just inside Russia…Pro-Russia rebels, meanwhile, claimed responsibility for strikes Wednesday on two Ukrainian Sukhoi-25 jets…

“On Monday, Ukraine said one of its military transport planes carrying eight people was shot down by a missile fired from Russian territory. Security Service chief Valentyn Nalyvaichenko said he had ‘unconditional evidence’ that Russia was involved in downing the craft… Rebels claimed to have shot that plane down.”

The situation involving Russia and the Ukraine is bound to escalate.

Germany Demands a No-Spy-Agreement–Growing Anti-Americanism in Germany

The Guardian wrote on July 12:

“Germany is determined to extract a public commitment from the US over future spying activity… Anger is running so high in Berlin that several earlier overtures by the US have this week been rejected by Berlin, which instead asked the CIA’s station chief to leave the country…

“‘We need to find something that satisfies the German public mood,’ said the senior German diplomat on Friday, who warned of growing anti-Americanism in the country…”

Experts agree that the USA will never enter into a formal no-spy agreement, but the hope is that something “informal“ could be worked out, and if this could be achieved, that it will not be broken at the next “expedient” opportunity.

Widespread German Support for Decision to Expel CIA Top Spy

The Local wrote on July 11:

“… ordering America’s top spy to leave Berlin was ‘unprecedented’ in the German-US relationship…  ‘The expulsion confirms a noteworthy increase in the level of frustration felt by the political elite [in Germany],’… ‘People’s trust in America has been decreasing ever since 2003 with the Iraq War.’…

“The Süddeutsche Zeitung called the expulsion ‘an unequalled act of protest against American arrogance’…

“Former Defence Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg wrote in Bild, the country’s biggest-selling tabloid, that Barack Obama risked raising anti-Americanism in Germany…

“The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung warned Germany and America were ‘on the threshold of a diplomatic war’… ‘Merkel is not Obama’s poodle. The message which she sent him now was necessary and without ambiguity…’

“Journalist Jakob Augstein, meanwhile, quoted Britney Spears in his Spiegel Online column. ‘The Americans spied on us again. Oops! And they humiliated us again. Oh, baby, baby! They played with our hearts. We thought it was love. But that was a mistake.’ Augstein added: ‘The bitter truth is the relationship between the Americans and us resembles that between a dog and its owner. And unfortunately the American owner doesn’t love the German dachshund. The owner only needs it to occasionally fetch something.’…”

These excerpts show the disgust of many Germans with American duplicity.

Wake-Up Call for USA–Is Obama Losing Germany?

Deutsche Welle wrote on July 12:

“Expelling intelligence officials is an act usually associated with countries with which the US does not maintain friendly relations… disappointment with Obama is widespread…

“Listening in on the German chancellor’s telephone was inexcusably ‘stupid,’ as former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in Berlin…

“The New York Times soberly noted that German-American relations have reached their low point with the expulsion of the CIA’s representative from Berlin. Experts on Germany in Washington view the events more dramatically: President Obama, they fear, is on the verge of losing Germany.”

In fact, he has already lost Germany.

Most Challenging Crisis Since End of World War II

Deutsche Welle wrote on July 14:

[Klaus Scharioth, Germany’s ambassador to Washington from 2006 to 2011, said:]

“… this is a very very serious crisis… If the United States wants to know what the Germans are thinking, what the people in the foreign ministry or in the chancellory are thinking they should just call. That’s very easy. I know from my days in Washington in office that we have such a close relationship that we talk practically about everything and we also don’t hesitate to talk about differences. So there is and was no reason for this kind of espionage. And therefore I think this was basically a waste of taxpayers’ money…

“Yes I think [this is the most profound and challenging crisis in German-American relations since the end of the World War II].”

On July 15, Deutsche Welle ran the following headline: “Moronic spying may turn German friends into enemies.”

It continued:

“… it is Washington, and not Europe, that is presently – in the most stupid manner imaginable – endangering the most important alliance in the history of the world… An increasingly neutralist Germany now has a further reason to continue drifting away from America… American tone deafness over espionage is nothing less than a cancer that could effectively end the vital alliance as we know it between these two great powers.”

We hear these words, but do we really grasp what is being said here? For many decades, we have proclaimed that the relationship between the USA and Germany will deteriorate, and that hostilities and WAR will be the consequence. Now we are seeing the beginning of these developments, but most do not understand the signs of the time… including many of those who once had some knowledge of biblical prophecy. But their desire to be part of the world; their involvement with futile activities; and their setting of wrong “priorities,” as well as their willingness to compromise with God’s truth, have clouded their spiritual understanding.

No More Trust in the American President

The Financial Times wrote on July 13:

“… less than 40 per cent of Germans consider the US a trustworthy partner… Most Americans say they no longer personally trust Mr Obama. And fewer than 30 per cent express trust in the office of the presidency…

“Mr Obama has now played golf 179 times – considerably more than George W Bush, his golf-loving predecessor. Mr Obama dislikes spending time with fellow politicians. But he seems happy to attend endless fundraisers. He has now clocked up 393 fundraising events since becoming president, almost double that of Mr Bush.

“If Mr Obama put half as much effort into co-opting or wrongfooting his opponents as he does raising cash from the wealthy, people might be less sceptical…  If you seek an explanation for why Mr Obama riles so many voters – and not just Tea Party conservatives – the perception of double standards is at the root of the problem.”

These are interesting comments, describing a leader who is unwilling or unable to lead.

Impeach and Sue President Obama?

Breitbart wrote on July 16:

“A week after former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin called for President Barack Obama’s impeachment over his lawlessness on illegal immigration… two in three Republicans believe impeachment is justified and a majority of independents believe that Obama has exceeded his constitutional limits.

“A YouGov/Huffington Post poll found that 49% of Americans, 89% of Republicans, and a majority of independents (52%) ‘think that President Obama has exceeded the constitutional limits of Presidential authority.’ But 35% of Americans ‘say impeaching Obama would be justified,’ including 8% of Democrats, 37% of independents, and 68% of Republicans.”

The Washington Times wrote on July 15:

“A prominent law professor and avowed supporter of the Obama White House will tell the House on Wednesday that the president has created one of the biggest constitutional crises in the country’s history and will endorse House Republicans’ effort to sue to rein him in.

“Jonathan Turley, a professor at George Washington University, will say President Obama is trampling the founders’ vision for the country in his push to circumvent Congress, and he will demand Republicans and Democrats alike forget their party labels to unify against this White House’s power grab.”

The “United States of America” (USA), a/k/a the “Unsuccessful Superpower (of) America”

The Huffington Post wrote on July 14:

“… And speaking of the ‘sole superpower,’ it remains true that no combination of other militaries can compare with the U.S. military or the moneys the country continues to put into it and into the research and development of weaponry of the most futuristic sort…

“In addition, the U.S. still maintains hundreds of military bases and outposts across the planet… In 2014, it still garrisons the planet in a way that no other imperial power has ever done…

“And yet, recent history is clear: that military has proven incapable of winning its wars against minor (and minority) insurgencies globally, just as Washington, for all its firepower, military and economic, has had a remarkably difficult time imposing its desires just about anywhere on the planet.  Though it may still look like a superpower and though the power of its national security state may still be growing, Washington seems to have lost the ability to translate that power into anything resembling success.

“Today, the U.S. looks less like a functioning and effective empire than an imperial basket case, unable to bring its massive power to bear effectively from Germany to Syria, Iraq to Afghanistan, Libya to the South China Sea, the Crimea to Africa.  And stranger yet, this remains true even though it has no imperial competitors to challenge it… All in all, the situation is puzzling indeed… the wounds Washington has suffered on numerous fronts in these last years are self-inflicted. Just what kind of decline this represents remains to be seen.”

We have recently published several articles of writers who begin to point out that America lost all its wars since the end of World War II. However, it is a puzzle to them as to why this should be, since America is still THE superpower of the world. But the explanation is very simple: God has withdrawn His support and protection from this country. The reasons are described in our free booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America.”

Putin vs. Britain vs. USA over Falkland Islands

The Telegraph wrote on July 14:

“Vladimir Putin has weighed into Argentina’s dispute with Britain over the Falklands, backing Buenos Aires’ bid to open ‘negotiations’ over the islands’ future… Phyll Rendell, head of the Falklands legislative assembly, responded to Mr Putin’s comments by insisting that the islands’ status as a British overseas territory was of its own choosing… Mr Putin’s visit to Argentina came as part of a charm offensive to woo Latin American nations back into Moscow’s sphere of influence. It is seeking to take advantage of Argentina’s ongoing run-ins with Washington…

“The Russian expression of support for Argentina’s claim to the Falklands comes amid growing British frustration with America’s equivocal stance on the issue. Anxious not to upset Argentina, President Barack Obama’s administration has remained ‘neutral’ on the dispute, a stance that has caused some annoyance given Britain’s firm backing of the US in Iraq and Afghanistan.  In April, a House of Commons inquiry into the health of the ‘special relationship’ said: ‘We are disappointed that the US administration fails to give priority to the principle of self-determination in its position on sovereignty of the Falkland Islands.’”

The Bible shows that even Britain (modern Ephraim) and America (modern Manasseh) will be against each other. The same can be said about the relationship involving Canada (which is also a part of Ephraim). As Breitbart reported on July 14, the “Canadian Prime Minister condemned Obama for not supporting Israel.” Breitbart continued that now Canada has become the ONLY friend of Israel, and that the USA can no longer be viewed as one of Israel’s true friends.

Women Bishops in the Church of England

BBC News wrote on July 14:

“The Church of England has voted to allow women to become bishops for first time in its history…

“The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said he was ‘delighted’…

“It is hard to exaggerate the significance of today’s decision at the York Synod. It breaks a hitherto unbroken tradition of exclusively male bishops inherited from the first Christians almost 2,000 years ago…

“The Archbishop of York said it was a ‘momentous day’ … Mr Cameron said it was a ‘great day for the Church and for equality’… Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg praised Archbishop Welby’s ‘leadership’ on securing the Yes vote, adding that it was a ‘big moment’ for the Church of England.

“Labour leader Ed Miliband said it was “wonderful news’… The Anglican Communion has the largest Christian denomination in Britain and a presence in more than 160 countries. Women bishops are already in office in a number of provinces including the US, Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.”

This latest move is in complete violation of the Holy Bible. It is interesting that the Roman Catholic Church happens to follow the Bible on this issue, but it stated at the same time that they will in no way abandon their desire to continue to build close ties with the Anglican Church of England. It can be expected that the Catholic Church, in its ongoing attempts to bring back all “daughter churches” into its fold, will be willing to make some “compromises” in order to reach that goal.

“‘One in 50’ Catholic Priests, Bishops and Cardinals a Pedophile

The Independent wrote on July 14:

“Pope Francis has revealed that ‘reliable data’ collected by the Vatican suggests that one in every 50 members of the Catholic clergy is a paedophile… He pledged that he would drive away the ‘leprosy’ of child abuse that was infecting the ‘house’ of Catholicism… He also warned of much greater figures for people who were aware of the existence of abuse – sometimes within their own families – but who stayed silent because of corruption or fear…

“His comments came a week after the Pope met with six victims of clerical paedophilia to apologise for their abuse at the hands of priests. The meeting, with six British, Irish and German Catholics, was designed to acknowledge the gravity of the Church’s guilt and complicity.”

That figure might even be much higher.

HIV Exploding Among Homosexual Men and Transgender Women

AFP wrote on July 14:

“HIV infections are rising among gay men in many parts of the world, the World Health Organization warned Friday, urging all men who have sex with men to take antiretroviral drugs to prevent infection. ‘We are seeing exploding epidemics,’ warned Gottfried Hirnschall, who heads WHO’s HIV department…

“While images of skeletal men dying of AIDS in the 1980s pushed the world to act, a younger generation that has grown up among new treatments that make it possible to live with HIV are less focused on the disease, he suggested. Today, this group is 19 times more likely than the general population to be infected by HIV, Hirnschall said…

“Globally, transgender women and injecting drug users, for instance, are around 50 times more likely than the general population to contract HIV…”

Again—the signs of the time are clearly visible, but most are unwilling or unable to connect the dots.

“Billions Could Starve…”

NBC News reported on July 6:

“The once bounteous quantities of water that flowed under his farmland in the Texas Panhandle are a distant memory–pumped to the last drop. Now there is only one source of water… the sky above…

“The scope of this mounting crisis is difficult to overstate: The High Plains of Texas are swiftly running out of groundwater supplied by one of the world’s largest aquifers – the Ogallala. A study by Texas Tech University has predicted that if groundwater production goes unabated, vast portions of several counties in the southern High Plains will soon have little water left in the aquifer to be of any practical value.

“The Ogallala Aquifer spreads across eight states, from Texas to South Dakota, covering 111.8 million acres and 175,000 square miles. It’s the fountain of life not only for much of the Texas Panhandle, but also for the entire American Breadbasket of the Great Plains, a highly-sophisticated, amazingly-productive agricultural region that literally helps feed the world…

“‘This country became what it became largely because we had water security,’ says Venki Uddameri, Ph.D., director of the Water Resources Center at Texas Tech…

“With the world population increasing, and other critical global aquifers suffering equally dramatic declines, scientists acknowledge that if the American Breadbasket cannot help supply ever-growing food demands, billions could starve. ‘The depletion of the Ogallala is an internationally important crisis,’ says Burke Griggs, Ph.D., consulting professor at the Bill Lane Center for the American West at Stanford University…”

Sadly, terrible famine and drought are exactly what the Bible has pronounced thousands of years ago, especially for the USA. For more information, please read our free booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America.” 

Pope Francis—“Sunday Day of Rest for ALL”!

The Associated Press wrote on July 5:

“Pope Francis has lamented the abandoning of the traditionally Christian practice of not working on Sundays, saying it has a negative impact on families and friendships. Francis on Saturday traveled to Molise, an agricultural region in the heart of southern Italy where unemployment is chronically high. While he said poor people need jobs to have dignity, he indicated that opening stores and other businesses on Sundays as a way to create jobs wasn’t beneficial for society… He added: ‘Maybe it’s time to ask ourselves if working on Sundays is true freedom.’

“He said that spending Sundays with family and friends is an ‘ethical choice’ for faithful and non-faithful alike. Francis, 77, appeared to have bounced back from a spate of illnesses which have caused him to cancel several appointments recently. He flew by helicopter to Molise for a full day of activity, including a lunch appointment with poor people and a visit to a prison.”

Sunday is the day of worship for pagans and Gentiles—NOT for true Christians. But Sunday worship is also part of the mark of the beast which will be inflicted on most people. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.”

 

While the US Retreats, Russia Takes Over

Yahoo News reported on July 9:

“As the crisis [in Iraq] has deepened, U.S. contractors, U.S. Embassy personnel and most of the U.S. service members from the embassy’s Office of Security Cooperation have abandoned the threatened capital. The exodus has coincided with Russian contractors and support personnel pouring into BIAP to help launch the 25 Russian SU-25 warplanes that Moscow is rushing to Iraq in its hour of need…

“Thus in June U.S. contractors employed by Bell Helicopter, Beechcraft and General Dynamics Land Systems have all pulled their support personnel out of Iraq, depriving Iraqis of maintenance and repair for their U.S.-manufactured Bell ARH-407 armed reconnaissance helicopters, Beechcraft T-6 military trainer aircraft and M-1 tanks. Given the deteriorating security situation, a knowledgeable source says that virtually all U.S. contractor personnel have left Iraq…

“Making matters worse, that Iraqi arsenal notably does not yet include a single one of the 34 F-16 fighters that Iraq has had on order since 2010; nor the 24 Apache helicopter gunships on order that were held up by Congress until last January and still have not flown; nor the 24 Beechcraft AT-6 Texan II armed turboprop planes that the State Department approved for sale to Iraq back in May.

“The retreat of U.S. contractor and embassy personnel, and failure to follow through in a timely fashion on U.S. promises of military equipment for Iraq, is feeding a widespread narrative of declining American influence and commitment to the Middle East. The perceived power vacuum as the U.S. military presence wanes has been noted by adversaries and allies alike.

“The perception of a U.S. retreat from the region was reinforced by the Obama administration’s failure to follow through on promised military strikes against Bashar Assad’s regime in Syria after it used chemical weapons last year, emboldening Assad’s security forces and badly demoralizing the more moderate Syrian rebel factions. Those secular Syrian rebel groups last week threatened to lay down their weapons altogether if more military equipment and support was not forthcoming.

“Against U.S. wishes, Massoud Barzani, the president of the autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq, declared that he will soon hold a referendum on Kurdish independence, reportedly with a green light from NATO ally Turkey. Saudi Arabia has repeatedly distanced itself from Washington in disagreements over U.S. nuclear talks with Iran, inaction in Syria and opposition to the military coup in Egypt. Critics say a pattern is developing of once staunch allies going their own way out of frustration with U.S. inaction.

“Meanwhile, U.S. tentativeness before and during the Iraq crisis is in marked contrast to the approach of Russia and Iran, which rapidly sent military advisers and support personnel to bolster the regime of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. The first of the SU-25s began arriving in Baghdad aboard Russian military transports last week. Speaking to the BBC, Al-Maliki complained that if Iraqi Security Forces had the necessary airpower represented by the F-16s, they could have turned back the juggernaut offensive launched by the Islamist militants of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) and allies among the Sunni tribes…”

The Failure of US Middle East Policy

Deutsche Welle reported on July 10:

“US dithering in the Middle East threatens years of peace work – and is destroying the country’s influence in the region. Many are blaming the president, calling him weak and indecisive…

“Over just a few years, the Middle East has been transformed into a region overcome by a single highly dangerous crisis. Conflict in Libya, Egypt, Iran and Syria, the bloody fighting tearing apart Iraq and the dramatically re-inflamed Palestinian-Israeli confrontation are back at the focus of world attention…

“Following Palestinian rocket attacks and Israeli reprisals, the conflict threatens to reach a new level of escalation with a possible large-scale Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip. After the peace initiative promoted by US Secretary of State John Kerry went nowhere, the Americans are now seemingly powerless, their efforts in tatters.

“The liberal Washington Post [says] the fighting in Iraq is a particularly dramatic example of the failure of current US Middle East policy. The paper’s Jackson Diehl writes ‘the Obama administration’s strategy of re-creating a unified Iraq under a strong central government will, like its previous Middle East schemes, prove a mirage.’…

“The administration’s indecisiveness has badly wounded US standing in the region. It is weaker than it has been in a long time. The Obama administration threatened the Egyptian generals with an end to the billions in military aid if they continued human rights violations, only for Secretary of State John Kerry to travel to Cairo a short time later to sheepishly announce the resumption of military aid – only a few days after supporters of former President Morsi were sentenced to death en masse…

“Ultimately, the region needs an outside power to serve as mediator…”

Such a “mediator” will arise on the world scene, but it will not be the United States.

Barack Obama–Incompetency or Conspiracy?

The Washington Times wrote on July 6:

“Maybe we’ve been conned. There’s a growing recognition that Barack Obama is an incompetent poser, working out of his depth, and his administration is the gang that can’t shoot straight. There’s a lot of evidence to support that belief.

“Everything he touches becomes a bloody mess, like crushed bones and bits of flesh caught in the tracks of a tank slicing through a rank of soldiers (or civilians). Iraq, Syria, Egypt — all gone, as prospects for countries with a prosperous and democratic future. The ‘reset’ with Russia, meant to ensure that America and the replacement republic of the old Soviet Union can be friends, is a reset, sure enough. The new Russia looks more like a reset to the Cold War, more adversary than friend, transformed by a feckless American president and an ambitious Russian leader eager to take advantage of weak and incompetent American leadership.

“The ‘humanitarian crisis’ on the southern border is the most persuasive evidence of all that America is adrift in a sea of incompetence, blown about by every ill wind that blows. The mighty ship of state is bereft of a rudder, traveling in endless circles with the captain stumbling on the bridge, trying to make sense of navigation charts he can’t read.

“However, this may be ascribing to incompetence what is better explained by conspiracy. Mr. Obama promised in 2008 that he intended to transform America, and he is well on his way. Anyone who looked closely at the man and the influences that shaped who he would become risked being called a racist, a nativist, a bigot and a redneck yahoo. He was the messiah everyone was waiting for.

“The ruins of American foreign policy are not likely to catch the attention of a culture drunk on the entertainment of the trivial, the trifling and the unimportant. But everybody begins to notice when the chaos comes close, when those responsible for monitoring the border begin to tremble and sag under the weight of a tsunami of illegal immigration. The scary implications for the future of the exceptional nation begins to weigh on Congress.

“This week, a Texas congressman who does not have the luxury of looking the other way because he sees trouble in every direction he looks, said what the nice people think must never be said. The tsunami will change everything. ‘Either we’re going to enforce our laws and remain strong, economically or otherwise, or we ignore the rule of law and go to being a Third World country,’ Rep. Louie Gohmert, a Republican, told Fox News. ‘You’ve got to follow the law. You cannot bring hundreds of thousands of people in this country without destroying the country. Then there’s no place that people can dream about coming.’

“No one knows this better than Barack Obama. Making the United States over into a Third World country is exactly what this president is about. He is of the Third World. He spent his formative years in the Third World, and when his mother, obsessed with the Third World, brought him back to America, he sought out the company of those who dreamed of making America over into the world’s largest welfare state…”

The Bible prophesied that because of our national sins, the country will experience an unprecedented downfall due to incompetent and helpless leadership.

USA No Longer a Country?

Newsmax reported on July 8:

“Conservative commentator Pat Buchanan has slammed President Barack Obama’s ‘inaction’ on the immigration crisis while warning that a country that cannot control its borders is no longer a country… ‘As Ronald Reagan said, “A country that won’t or can’t control its borders is not a country anymore,”’ Buchanan said.

“‘What’s happening on our southern border and Europe is [that] the failed states of the Third World are driving people basically to try to seek to have what exists in the West and the United States. But the truth is, if you do not get control of folks pouring into your country from all over the world, they will alter the character and composition of your country and change it forever without the consent of the American people.’…

“Buchanan blamed former President George H.W. Bush for helping to create the current crisis by not securing the border back in the early 1990s when he said 5,000 illegal immigrants were crossing the border every weekend. ‘If the government had acted then we would be dealing not with 12 million or 20 million, but 3 million. Many of them would have been gone. But it’s a failure of both political parties, presidents of both parties…”

NSA Greatest Threat to American Society Since US Civil War

Deutsche Welle wrote on July 3:

“A former NSA technical chief has told Germany’s parliament that the US agency has become a ‘totalitarian’ mass collector of data… William Binney described the US National Security Agency in Berlin on Thursday as an entity that had abandoned every rule-of-law principle and breached the democratic freedoms of citizens.

“Testifying, Binney accused the NSA of having a ‘totalitarian mentality’ and wanting ‘total information control’ over citizens in breach of the US constitution. It was an approach that until now the public had only seen among dictators, he added. Mass collection was ‘senseless’ and did not help in counterterrorism, and actually hindered the agency’s capabilities, Binney said. The NSA represented the ‘greatest threat’ to American society since the US Civil War of the 19th century, Binney added.

“Binney left the NSA as its technical chief in 2001 shortly [after] it began mass scanning in the wake of 9/11 hijack attacks by al Qaeda terrorists on New York and Washington…

“Another former NSA staffer, Thomas Drake, who left the NSA after trying to use official complaint channels, told the inquiry that almost all data that transited Germany was accessed by the NSA and Germany’s BND foreign intelligence service — or the NSA alone. The US government was exercising the ultimate form of control, Drake said, adding that the German BND’s silence on the issue was ‘terrible.’… Drake said the United States would soon become a ‘real surveillance’ nation in which the private lives of individuals were becoming more and more the property of the state…”

German Government Powerless?

The Local wrote on July 4:

“… critics said the German government is looking increasingly powerless against the capabilities of the NSA and British GCHQ.

“The government’s only answer had been to tell citizens to keep themselves safe online by encrypting their data, said Konstantin von Notz, Green MP and chairman of the German parliamentary inquiry into the NSA affair. ‘And now we find out that the very ones who encrypt and use that are the ones being watched. That is perverse and insane,’ he told the broadcaster.

“… the German inquiry heard evidence from former NSA employees-turned-whistleblowers Thomas Drake and William Binney, who gave weight to serious allegations against the German intelligence service (BND).  Drake said the BND had become a ‘vermiform appendix of the NSA,’ referring to accusations it had been passing data on German citizens on to the American service – an act forbidden under Germany’s constitution.”

German “Double Agent” Creating a Stir—“Huge Breach of Trust of Transatlantic Relationship”

Deutsche Welle wrote on July 7:

“The fallout from the arrest of a German ‘double agent,’ who was allegedly filtering information to the NSA, continues to create a stir…  The [BND] employee was detained on suspicion of espionage…

“The suspect allegedly sold 218 documents to an unnamed US intelligence agency for 25,000 euros ($33,000)… The German daily tabloid newspaper Bild reported on Friday that three of the 218 documents were related to Germany’s parliamentary inquiry into NSA surveillance operations. The suspect allegedly received orders directly from the US embassy…

“German parliamentarians across the political spectrum… have already expressed outrage over the allegations. ‘If it turns out to be true that a BND employee worked for the US embassy for years, it would be a huge breach of trust in the transatlantic relationship,’ Stephan Mayer, the internal affairs spokesman for Merkel’s conservative parliamentary grouping, told Bild.”    

American Conduct Either “Stupid” or “Shameless”—Whoever Is Responsible “Must Go”—Obama Either “Lied” or “Not in Control”

The New York Times wrote on July 6:

“With mystery enveloping a German intelligence service employee accused of spying — reportedly for the United States — German officials and commentators on Sunday angrily demanded a response from Washington, warning that an already troubled relationship was at risk of deteriorating to a new low…

“President Joachim Gauck, whose role is largely ceremonial but who increasingly speaks out on daily matters, told German television that if it turned out that the United States had been spying on Germany, ‘then that is really a gamble with friendship, with a close alliance.’ ‘Then we really have to say, Enough,’ Mr. Gauck added…

“Perhaps the most striking sign of the strained relationship was Germany’s decision to summon the American ambassador, John B. Emerson, to the Foreign Ministry on the Fourth of July, just before the American Embassy’s holiday party for hundreds of guests. The newsmagazine Der Spiegel reported that the ambassador had smiled and greeted guests, but that the tension was noticeable: ‘It was as it has so often been recently when official America meets official Germany. The facade was perfect, but behind it there was little accord.’…

“Over decades of friendship since 1945, sharp language like that of recent months has been rare in German-American dealings. Those ties have been strained since last summer, when documents leaked by Edward J. Snowden, a former National Security Agency contractor, suggested that the N.S.A. had monitored the electronic data of millions of Germans. The German government then appeared to receive assurances from Washington that nothing illegal had occurred. But the subsequent revelation that Ms. Merkel’s own cellphone had been monitored stirred new anger in a nation that remembers the role played by a snooping state under the Nazis and the Communists.

“The German government tried reaching a ‘no spy’ accord with Washington, but the Obama administration rejected the idea. Months of attempts to restore relations have yielded the beginnings of a dialogue about how to deal with electronic data, cybersecurity and privacy. Those talks, and much else, would be jeopardized if the Americans recruited an agent, German commentators warned.

“Stefan Kornelius, the foreign editor of the newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung and usually a pronounced Atlanticist, wrote a blistering commentary on Saturday, saying it was hard even to summon words to describe the potential damage. If United States intelligence agencies acted as suggested, he wrote, that would be ‘either stupid or shameless.’ Either way, relations would turn icy, because confirmation of the espionage accusations would mean either that President Obama does not have the intelligence services under control, or that he lied when trying to smooth things over in recent months, Mr. Kornelius said. ‘The United States must now make plain publicly in whose name, and why, the German partner service was infiltrated,’ Mr. Kornelius added. ‘Whoever is responsible for this damage must go — in Washington just as in Berlin.’”

Der Spiegel Online commented that the USA underestimates the gravity and severity of the problem, ignoring the underlying Anti-Americanism of a growing minority of the German people.

German Spying on US?

The Independent wrote on July 8:

“Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government is planning to scrap a no-spy agreement Germany has held with Britain and the United States since 1945 in response to an embarrassing US-German intelligence service scandal which has deeply soured relations between Berlin and Washington. The unprecedented change to Berlin’s counter-espionage policy was announced by Ms Merkel’s Interior Minister, Thomas de Maizière. He said that Berlin wanted ‘360‑degree surveillance’ of all intelligence-gathering operations in Germany.

“The intelligence services of the Allied victors, the United States, Britain and France, have hitherto been regarded as ‘friendly’ to Germany. Their diplomatic and information-gathering activities were exempted from surveillance by Berlin’s equivalent of M15 – the Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND). But Mr de Maizière told Bild that he was now not ruling out permanent German counter-espionage surveillance of US, British and French intelligence operations. His remarks were echoed by Stephan Mayer, a domestic security spokesman for Ms Merkel’s ruling Christian Democrats. ‘We must focus more strongly on our so-called allies,’ he said.”

“Enough Is Enough!”

The Local wrote on July 7:

“Following a spate of scandals where US agencies including the NSA targeted subjects in Germany – including the illegal tapping of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cell phone – the new case was one apparent double-cross too many, national and regional media said. ‘Enough grumbling,’ Zeit Online commented on Monday. ‘The Federal Republic is not some kind of tin-pot state where hostile or allied intelligence services can do whatever they like. If – or rather because – the US government and its machinery are making a laughing stock of all notions of German-US friendship, then it’s time to get tough,’ the paper wrote…

“In a Spiegel magazine survey conducted amid the latest revelations, 57 percent of respondents now favoured ‘greater independence from the United States.’ And 69 percent said their trust in the US had recently plummeted… Another 60 percent of respondents in the Spiegel survey, however, said they wanted ‘greater independence’ in German relations with Russia, with another 40 percent calling for active closer cooperation.

“Meanwhile, the Stuttgarter Zeitung on Sunday commented that the paltry sum of €25,000 that was supposedly paid for the 218 documents showed how casually the United States was prepared to gamble with its relations with Germany. The latest spy scandal clearly showed US ‘disdain for democratic institutions and contempt for the smaller partner,’ the paper wrote.

“‘We now have the next confirmation that we are not such good friends as people would have us believe,’ agreed Tagesspiegel.”

A Second Spy Case?

The Associated Press reported on July 9:

“German authorities are investigating a second spy case reportedly involving the U.S., a week after the arrest of a German intelligence employee cast a new shadow over relations between the two countries. Federal prosecutors said Wednesday that police raided properties in the Berlin area on ‘initial suspicion of activity for an intelligence agency.’… ‘We have investigations in two cases of suspected espionage, a very serious suspicion,’ government spokesman Steffen Seibert told reporters in Berlin…

“The daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported, without naming sources, that the man being investigated worked at Germany’s Defense Ministry and is suspected of spying for the United States. Die Welt newspaper reported, also without naming sources, the man was a soldier in the German army who had aroused the suspicion of Germany’s military counter-intelligence agency because of his close contacts to alleged U.S. spies.”

The Local added on July 9:

“The Attorney General’s Office confirmed on Wednesday they were investigating a further case of espionage in Germany, allegedly involving a US agent who was reportedly an army officer at Germany’s Ministry of Defence.”

The Local wrote on July 10:

“Germany has asked the United States’ spy station chief in Berlin to leave the country in retaliation for the latest espionage scandal, marking a new low in recent relations between the countries…”

This latest case will further strain transatlantic relations.

Tensions Mount in the Middle East

Deutsche Welle reported on July 8:

“Israel has launched an aerial offensive, targeting Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip… At least nine people were injured in the Gaza Strip early Tuesday morning in an air raid by the Israeli military. Warplanes targeting Hamas militants struck more than 30 sites as part of Israel’s ‘Operation Protective Edge.’…

“On Monday, air sirens were sounded across southern Israel as militant group Hamas stepped up its attacks, which have been occurring frequently in recent days. The Israeli army reported that the Gaza Strip-based group had launched dozens of rockets in quick succession… Meanwhile on Monday, three of the six men arrested for the murder of the 16-year-old Palestinian, Mohammed Abu Khdeir, admitted their guilt.”

Breitbart wrote on July 8:

“Photos have surfaced… showing Israeli tanks and armored vehicles stationed on the border with the Gaza Strip.”

BBC News added on July 9:

“Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon said on Wednesday that the campaign against Hamas would expand in the next few days and ‘exact a huge price’. Israel has warned it may send ground troops into Gaza. It has authorised the call-up of up to 40,000 military reservists. Hundreds of reservists have already been drafted.”

JTA wrote on July 9:

“Hamas claimed responsibility for three rockets fired at Dimona in southern Israel, saying the terror group was aiming for the city’s nuclear reactor.”

Again—EU Condemns Israel

The EUObserver reported on July 8:

“EU countries have urged Palestinian militants to stop firing at Israel, while ‘deploring’ Israel’s killing of civilians. They said in a statement on Tuesday (8 July) the EU ‘strongly condemns the indiscriminate fire into Israel’ from the Gaza strip, while adding it ‘deplores the growing number of civilian casualties, reportedly among them children, caused by Israeli retaliatory fire’…

“For its part, the US on Tuesday urged both sides to ‘de-escalate’.  A US State Department spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, added that Palestinian ‘terrorists’ are ‘deliberately targeting’ Israeli civilians. ‘No country can accept rocket fire aimed at civilians, and we certainly support Israel’s right to defend itself’”.

ISIS Becomes IS

Newsmax wrote on July 7:

“The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has shortened its name to Islamic State (IS) because the militant insurgent group is looking to establish a ‘universal kingdom’ of believers, said Lt. Col. Ralph Peters. ‘Now that they’ve dropped to just IS, Islamic State, it tells you that they’re looking far beyond Iraq and Syria,’ Peters, a retired Army Lt. Col., told Fox News…

“Peters said the IS fighters are so dedicated to their beliefs that they are ‘willing, and even anxious, to die for their beliefs.’ This stands in opposition to the Iraqi army, which saw many of its members retreat as the ISIS threat advanced…”

It has also emerged that ISIS is in possession of chemical weapons and nuclear material.

ISIS Destroys Presumed Tombstone of Jonah

Mail On Line reported on July 9:

“This is the shocking moment ISIS militants took sledgehammers to Iraqi tombstones  – smashing them to pieces.

“The rebels, who are members of the Islamic State terror group, were filmed attacking centuries-old graves in the north-west city of Mosul in Ninevah province…One of the devastated tombstones belonged to the Prophet Jonah (Younis in Arabic) and was revered by Muslims and Christians alike, according to Iraqi authorities.

“The prophet, who is the central figure in the Hebrew Bible’s Book of Jonah, is best known for being swallowed by a fish or a whale, depending on translation… The attack is the latest in the ISIS’s violent rampage across Iraq.

“Earlier this week, a series of images emerged showing the destruction of almost a dozen Shia and Sunni religious shrines in Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, and the town of Tal Afar, which is also currently under ISIS control… ISIS militants believe giving special veneration to tombs and relics is against the teachings of Islam…”

Final Showdown in Eastern Ukraine?

The New York Times wrote on July 8:

“Rebel fighters in eastern Ukraine may be on the defensive, but they are not melting away, at least not here in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine’s regional capital. Over the weekend, hundreds of them poured into this city after the Ukrainian military forced them out of Slovyansk, a stronghold north of here. Now they are preparing for a final showdown with the Ukrainian military that they say is coming soon.

“Whether it does is an open question. Moscow, whose support the rebels say they cannot live without, has called for a negotiated truce and seems to be unwilling to come to their aid, at least openly. But negotiations have faltered. Ukraine recently called off a cease-fire, worrying that it was playing into the rebels’ hands. On Tuesday, hopes for talks seemed to flicker again. On a surprise visit to Slovyansk, Ukraine’s president, Petro O. Poroshenko, emphasized that he was prepared to negotiate with those ready ‘to lay down their arms’ and opt for ‘a future amnesty’… Mr. Poroshenko has refused to deal directly with the leaders of the armed separatist rebellion.

“It was far from clear that such an offer would suit any of the rebels, who are far from defeated. In the neighboring city of Luhansk, which, like Donetsk, was also occupied this spring, a rebel leader said his forces had actually pushed back government troops in recent days, according to the Russian news agency Interfax. On Tuesday, Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, reiterated the Kremlin’s demand for a cease-fire in the Ukrainian conflict, and said Mr. Poroshenko was being counterproductive by demanding that insurgents surrender before engaging in any peace talks…

“The government in Kiev also warned that it was prepared to take the cities of Donetsk and Luhansk by force… Moscow’s role remains a mystery. But rebels seem to be growing increasingly disenchanted with what they call meager support…”

Domestic Backlash Against Putin Over Ukraine?

The Christian Science Monitor wrote on July 7:

“Russia’s leading ultranationalist philosopher, sometimes labeled ‘Putin’s Brain,’ says that Kremlin ‘hesitations’ over extending military support to east Ukraine’s embattled pro-Russian rebels could lead to a domestic political backlash against Vladimir Putin.

“Alexander Dugin, whose extreme right-wing ‘Eurasianist’ ideology has often seemed to foreshadow Kremlin actions, says that war between Russia and Ukraine is inevitable. Mr. Putin’s apparent decision to abandon retreating east Ukrainian rebels to their fate risks turning into outright betrayal, which could split Putin from his key electoral base of ‘patriotic’ Russians, he says. ‘Putin started this by signaling that Russia should defend east Ukraine from attacks by Kiev military forces,’ Mr. Dugin told the Monitor in a phone interview Monday. ‘He declared the unity of the Russian World, and this was understood by leaders in east Ukraine that Russia would help them. But after a difficult struggle inside the Kremlin, the decision to help has been delayed. This is seen as a sign of betrayal by the patriots…. I wouldn’t call it betrayal yet. But Putin has changed the timing, and this has created a very critical situation,’ he says.

“Dugin is widely viewed as chief ideologist for the hawkish wing of Russia’s ruling elite, and his persistent influence inside the Kremlin has been widely documented. A good deal of Western commentary portrays him in somewhat hyperbolic terms as ‘Putin’s Rasputin,’ or the guiding mind behind Kremlin geo-strategy…

“Russians are almost evenly split on extending military aid to east Ukraine’s insurrection, though most oppose direct Russian intervention in the conflict… 64 percent support Russian volunteers participating in the conflict on the rebel side, and majorities consistently say Moscow should do more to back the rebels. But 68 percent also say they fear the local conflict could develop into full-blown war between Russia and Ukraine, while 54 percent worry it could grow into ‘World War III.’… On [the] one hand, people want Russia to give more backing [to the Ukrainian rebels]. On the other hand, they deeply fear [a] catastrophic development of the situation…

“Russians have grown increasingly alarmed and pessimistic about the drift of events in next-door Ukraine, and more than three-quarters now believe things are going to get ‘markedly worse’ in the near future.

“Dugin, who is in regular contact with east Ukrainian rebel leaders, says that without more Russian aid they probably can’t hold out more than a few weeks against the full-scale Ukrainian military operation now arrayed against them. He says that Putin’s ‘hesitations’ will come back to haunt him if he fails to come to east Ukraine’s assistance. ‘When Kiev finishes with the revolt in Donetsk and Luhansk, the next target will be Crimea,’ which was annexed by Russia in March, he says. ‘War is inevitable. Either we start to fight now, or we shall have to fight later.’

“Dugin alleges that Putin is holding back from taking this fateful step out of fear of Western sanctions and hopes that he can work with European leaders to fashion a negotiated peace settlement. ‘Putin’s dilemma is that he could lose the momentum of the Russian Spring, while no matter what he does he will never win any understanding from the West,’ he says. ‘The US uncritically supports Kiev’s military operation against east Ukraine, and it will support them if they attack Crimea. There is nothing to gain by waiting,’ he adds…

“‘Putin has realized that it was easier to start these events than to end them,’ says Nikolai Petrov, a professor at Moscow’s Higher School of Economics. ‘We can see that Putin is not interested in more direct involvement in Ukraine’s civil strife. But there are influential forces in Russia who are clamoring for action, and Putin cannot ignore them,’ he adds.”

New Scottish Law—Reminiscent of Hitler, Stalin and Communist East Germany

The website of reason.com wrote on June 30:

“Scotland wants to treat all families as potentially abusive and appoint a ‘named person’ (that is, a guardian) as soon as the child is born and up through age 18 to oversee the parenting. This ‘shadow parent’ would be empowered by the government under the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act, which will take effect in 2016… in substance, the role of the named person is not actually to supplant the family, to state-raise children, but rather to insert a surveying, coercive authority – a spy – in the midst of every family…

“This idea grows out of the conviction that… all children are in danger at all times, and hence need constant oversight. Sometimes it’s the police arresting a dad for letting his kids play outside, sometimes it’s the police arresting a mom for letting her children walk to the pizza shop, and sometimes it’s even the local library reporting a mom who let her kids, 12 and 15, walk home without coats on a night the authorities deemed too cold.

“True danger lies in the notion that the state should decide if you are parenting your kids correctly. The care of your own children is not up to you.”

Another Example—Don’t Serve on a Jury!

The Huffington Post wrote on July 8:

“An Iowa terminal cancer patient showed up to court Tuesday wrapped in a blanket, still wearing hospital identification wristbands, to testify at his trial on felony marijuana charges. He’s been barred from a defense that explains the marijuana was to relieve his aggressive and rare cancer of the blood vessels.

“Benton Mackenzie, 48, faces up to five years in prison if he’s convicted of marijuana manufacturing and conspiracy for growing plants he says he used to make canabidiol, or CBD, a non-psychoactive compound in cannabis, to treat his tumors…

“Mackenzie was rushed out of Scott County District Court on Monday to a hospital after complaining of extreme pain and hallucinations. He suffers from severe angiosarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer of the blood vessels that produces large skin lesions. His family said he was treated for anemia and other symptoms overnight…

 “District Judge Henry Latham in May barred Mackenzie from using his condition as a defense for growing marijuana… Mackenzie has said he’s been threatened with jail if he discloses his medical condition in court. Mackenzie on Tuesday filed a motion arguing that a law that Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad (R) signed in May that legalize the use of CBD oil to treat epilepsy should protect his use of the oil. The new law, however, focuses narrowly on treatment for ‘intractable epilepsy’ and does not apply to Mackenzie, Latham ruled Tuesday.

“‘The change in law benefits only a small group of Iowans with the most organized lobbying efforts,’ Des Moines Register editorial board wrote over the weekend. ‘Other sick Iowans should have legal access to marijuana extracts, too. These include people with painful and debilitating conditions like cancer, spinal cord injuries and severe arthritis, who may benefit from the drug. But if these people obtain cannabis oil, they will still be considered criminals in this state.’”

Judge Latham’s decision makes a fair trial virtually impossible. This is another example why true Christians must NOT serve on a jury. Sadly, far too many members in the broader Church of God community miss this point entirely and become complicit in and responsible for the rendering of false judgments and unjust guilty verdicts.

The Future World of Lying Robots

Business Insider wrote on July 5:

“‘Today there’s no legislation regarding how much intelligence a machine can have, how interconnected it can be… [You are] going to see that the top species will no longer be humans, but machines.’

“These are the words of Louis Del Monte, physicist, entrepreneur, and author of ‘The Artificial Intelligence Revolution.’ Del Monte spoke to us over the phone about his thoughts surrounding artificial intelligence and the singularity, an indeterminate point in the future when machine intelligence will outmatch not only your own intelligence, but the world’s combined human intelligence too.

“The average estimate for when this will happen is 2040, though Del Monte says it might be as late as 2045. Either way, it’s a timeframe of within three decades. ‘It won’t be the “Terminator” scenario, not a war,’ said Del Monte. ‘In the early part of the post-singularity world, one scenario is that the machines will seek to turn humans into cyborgs. This is nearly happening now, replacing faulty limbs with artificial parts. We’ll see the machines as a useful tool. Productivity in business based on automation will be increased dramatically in various countries. In China it doubled, just based on GDP per employee due to use of machines.’

“‘By the end of this century,’ he continued, ‘most of the human race will have become cyborgs [part human, part tech or machine]. The allure will be immortality… The concern I’m raising is that the machines will view us as an unpredictable and dangerous species.’

“Del Monte believes machines will become self-conscious and have the capabilities to protect themselves. They ‘might view us the same way we view harmful insects.’ Humans are a species that ‘is unstable, creates wars, has weapons to wipe out the world twice over, and makes computer viruses.’ …

“A 2009 experiment showed that robots can develop the ability to lie to each other. Run at the Laboratory of Intelligent Systems in the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale of Lausanne, Switzerland, the experiment had robots designed to cooperate in finding beneficial resources like energy and avoiding the hazardous ones. Shockingly, the robots learned to lie to each other in an attempt to hoard the beneficial resources for themselves. ‘The implication is that they’re also learning self-preservation,’ Del Monte told us…”

Kenya’s Bull Elephants at Brink of Extinction

The Times Magazine wrote on July 5:

“There are a dozen tuskers left in Kenya: the spectacular bull elephants, whose tusks fetch poachers $1 million each, are on the brink of extinction. And five weeks ago, the most iconic of them all, 45-year-old Satao, was killed.”

God will destroy those who destroy the earth and wipe out animals for pecuniary gain.

The Elephant Cried

Huffington Post reported on July 7:

“For 50 years, Raju the elephant was abused, held shackled in spiked chains and forced to live off scraps from passing tourists. All that changed when he was rescued last weekend by wildlife conservationists who said the animal cried when he was finally set free.

“Wildlife SOS, a group established in 1995 to protect endangered wildlife in India, set out to rescue Raju on the night of July 2. Raju is around 50 years old and was likely captured as a baby and bought and sold many times over the course of his life. He was forced to work as a begging elephant in Allahabad. His legs were bound in spiked chains that made walking difficult and left him with chronic wounds. He was also beaten…

“Raju was in chains 24 hours a day, an act of ­intolerable cruelty. The team were astounded to see tears roll down his face during the rescue,’  Pooja Binepal, a spokesman for Wildlife SOS, said, per the Mirror. ‘It was incredibly emotional. We knew in our hearts he realized he was being freed. Elephants are majestic and highly intelligent animals. We can only imagine what torture the past half a century has been for him.’

“[Nikki Sharp, the executive director of Wildlife SOS-USA]… echoed Binepal’s statement while speaking with HuffPost. ‘[The rescue team] went in to rescue him and [his captors] had bound him up so tightly that he was in a lot of pain,’ she said. ‘The vet and our team came with fruits and just started speaking softly to him and to reassure him that we were there to help, and it was at that time that tears flooded down his face. The founder of Wildlife SOS, who was there are the time of the rescue, said …. that really caught him off guard. They’ve done a lot of elephant rescues and the fact the tears were just coming down … he was weeping. It was an emotional moment and everyone was more motivated to get him on the truck and to safety.’…”

“These Creatures Are More Fact Than Fiction”

The Huffington Post published an interesting article on July 7 about mystical creatures which are believed in existence today. While excluding the obvious incredibility of some legends, we are bringing you excerpts about two samples which have the benefit of at least some credibility—the “Loch Ness” monster and “Mokole Mbembe”:

“… while believing in… sea serpents or the like might throw someone’s credibility into question, consider that people who believed in the giant squid, the platypus and the Komodo dragon were ultimately proven correct. These three very real creatures were long considered the stuff of myth and make-believe.

“Is it really so far-fetched to imagine that other fabled beasts could also occupy the realms of reality? We’ll leave the formal investigations to the cryptozoologists and for now take a look at some of the more interesting creatures that cultures around the world believe in…

“The legend of the Loch Ness monster stretches back to the sixth century, when it was first referenced in the biography of St. Columba. The Irish missionary reportedly stumbled upon a funeral for a man who had been killed by a loch (the Scottish word for ‘lake’) serpent. People’s beliefs about the monster were reinvigorated in the 1930s when a couple reported the first modern-day sighting of it…

“Many early explorers of the Congo Basin wrote about an other-worldly beast they observed or heard tales of during their travels. With a long neck and an elephantine body, the creature has been described as a water-dwelling monster that looks like a sauropaud dinosaur, according to National Geographic. It is known as Mokole Mbembe in the Likouala region of the Congo, which is said to be its home.

“To date, there have been more than 50 expeditions to try and figure out whether the creature is the last living species of the dinosaur. Thus far, researchers have come up empty-handed. However, according to BBC, 80 percent of the Likouala region of the Congo has yet to be charted. That’s 66,000 square kilometers of unexplored terrain. ‘I’d put Mokele-mbembe in the same category as the Loch Ness Monster,’ Bill Laurance, a professor at James Cook University in Australia, told the BBC. ‘My gut sense is that the likelihood of the creature actually existing today is small. However, one thing you learn early on in science is never say never. We are still discovering new species all the time.’”

For more information, please read our Q&A on the existence of sea monsters.  

Obama Sends More Troops to Iraq

Fox News wrote on June 30:

“President Obama announced Monday that he is sending approximately 200 American troops to Iraq to reinforce security at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and the Baghdad International Airport, as the country wages a bloody battle against jihadists. The troops will serve a different mission in Iraq than the 275 advisory troops sent to Iraq earlier this month in response to advances by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant/Syria (ISIS). The additional troops will serve to solely augment security.

“Obama notified House and Senate leaders in a letter on Monday. Obama said the additions include security forces, rotary-wing aircraft, and support for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. Obama has ruled out sending combat troops back into Iraq, but he said the additional troops will be equipped for combat. He said their purpose is to protect U.S. citizens and property if needed.”

What double talk. No combat troops in Iraq, but the troops are equipped for combat…?

Iraq’s Christians See Putin As Savior

The Daily Beast wrote on June 29:

“Iraq’s Christians have some legitimate grievances. Once protected by Saddam—though subject to the same tyrannical rulings as the rest of the population—the community was left brutally exposed when the civil war that followed the US invasion of 2003 devolved into bitter sectarian strife. Many Christians had initially rallied to the U.S.-led coalition’s side, enlisting as army translators and hailing its early successes, but as Western troops outgrew their welcome, Christians were damned by their association with the occupying powers…

“Among the many charges leveled at the U.S. and its partners is that it failed to exercise a duty of care towards a minority whose secure position it had undermined… Meanwhile, Putin’s continuing defense of Assad in neighboring Syria, at a time of peak unrest in Iraq, is seen as an admirable demonstration of Russia’s commitment to minority rights.”

Putin–the Savior of Iraqi Christians? His “defense” of Assad has NOTHING to do with any wish to protect minorities. His brutal actions against minorities in Russia and its former satellite states prove this without any doubt.

“Islamic State” in Iraq and Syria?

BBC News reported on June 30:

“Jihadist militant group Isis has said it is establishing a caliphate, or Islamic state, on the territories it controls in Iraq and Syria.It also proclaimed the group’s leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, as caliph and ‘leader for Muslims everywhere’.

“Setting up a state governed under strict Islamic law has long been a goal of many jihadists. Meanwhile, Iraq’s army continued an offensive to retake the northern city of Tikrit from the Isis-led rebels.

“… the announcement of the establishment of a caliphate is rich with religious, cultural and historic significance… In the recording, the rebels also demanded that all Muslims ‘pledge allegiance’ to the new ruler and ‘reject democracy and other garbage from the West’.

“… a caliphate [is] an Islamic state ruled by a single political and religious leader, or Caliph. Caliphs are regarded by their followers as successors to the Prophet Muhammad and the leader of all Muslims. [The] first caliphate came into being after Muhammad’s death in 632. In the centuries which followed, caliphates had dominion in the Middle East and North Africa. The last widely accepted caliphate was abolished in 1924 by Turkish leader Kemal Ataturk after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire…”

Three Israeli Teenagers Murdered by Hamas Terrorists?

JTA wrote on June 30:

“The bodies of three kidnapped Israeli teenagers were found in the West Bank in a field north of Hebron… It is believed that the bodies were dumped in haste and covered quickly. The teens reportedly were killed shortly after they were abducted on June 12… One of the teens… is a dual American-Israeli citizen…

“Shortly after the news was made public, rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip on southern Israel. Israel’s Shin Bet security service and the Israel Defense Forces on Thursday identified two West Bank Palestinian men affiliated with the terrorist group Hamas… as the alleged kidnappers. The suspects, who live in Hebron, have been missing since the kidnapping…

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a Facebook post said, ‘Hamas is responsible and Hamas will pay.’… Hamas warned Israel against taking revenge for the murders. ‘If the occupiers carry out an escalation or a war,’ Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told the French news agency AFP, ‘they will open the gates of hell on themselves.’”

Subsequently, the Times of Israel reported on Monday that “Israeli Air Force struck 34 targets in the Gaza Strip early Tuesday, carrying out ‘precision strikes’ against Hamas and Islamic Jihad structures.” It also reported that “Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas spoke to several world leaders Monday night, hours after the bodies of the three kidnapped Israeli teenagers were found near Hebron in the West Bank, and asked them for help in reining in an Israeli response… Abbas is said to be anticipating a firm Israeli demand that the Palestinian Authority end its unity pact with Hamas.”

Further Bloodshed and Murder

Deutsche Welle reported on July 2:

“Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday accused extremist Jewish settlers of ‘killing and burning a little boy’ and demanded Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemn the murder and punish those who carried it out… Shortly afterwards, Netanyahu issued a statement condemning the ‘despicable murder’ and urged Israeli authorities speed up their investigation into Wednesday’s incident.

“Secretary of State John Kerry added his own condemnation, saying in a statement, ‘There are no words to convey adequately our condolences to the Palestinian people.’ President Barack Obama’s national security advisor Susan Rice said on Twitter that the murder of 16-year-old Mohammed Abu Khder was ‘heinous’ and called on both Israelis and Palestinians to avoid a cycle of retribution and revenge.

“Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip, said Israel would ‘pay’ for the teenager’s kidnap and murder.”

Ramadan “Enforced” by US Military on US Personnel in Muslim Nations

The website of thegatewaypundit wrote on June 28:

“The US Air Force kicked Christian Gideon’s volunteers off base in March. The Bibles were too offensive and violated the separation of church and state rule. But US military personnel are expected to adhere Islamic practices during Ramadan.

“Stars and Stripes reported:

“‘U.S. personnel accustomed to drinking their coffee on the drive to work will have to put that habit on hold for about a month. It’s one of a few lifestyle changes Americans will have to make during the holy month of Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Officials expect Ramadan to begin at sunrise on Saturday, depending on when the new moon is sighted. The holy month lasts for approximately 30 days — until about July 28. For Muslims around the world, Ramadan is a month of fasting and devotion to God. Most Muslims fast from dawn to sunset, when families gather for Iftar — the meal that breaks the fast.

“‘For the 8,200 U.S. personnel living here, and those serving throughout the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility — including service members, civilian personnel, contractors and family members — the month may require changing some daily routines. Businesses and government offices will reduce hours and most restaurants will be closed during daylight hours.

‘‘While not required to fast during Ramadan, in Bahrain, Americans can be fined or detained by local authorities for eating, drinking or smoking in public when off-base during daylight hours. Navy officials are requiring U.S. personnel to dress more conservatively off-base during Ramadan. Although not a requirement by Bahraini authorities, the Navy is demanding that men wear long-sleeved shirts and women wear sleeved blouses that cover their elbows. Also, men must wear long trousers, and women should wear pants or skirts that cover the knees.’”

Religious Persecution

The Huffington Post wrote on June 24:

“Judge William F. Kuntz II has ruled to uphold a New York City policy that bars unvaccinated children from attending school when another student has a disease preventable by a vaccination… In the ruling, Kuntz wrote that the Supreme Court, ‘strongly suggested that religious objectors are not constitutionally exempt from vaccinations.’

“Three families filing suit contended that the school policy preventing their unvaccinated children from attending school at risky times is a First Amendment violation of religious freedom… [The parents]  had decided not to vaccinate their children on the grounds of ‘sincere religious belief.’… Kuntz cited a 109-year-old ruling on public health as a precedent in this case. He also pointed to a more recent Brooklyn federal court decision that said, ‘the free exercise clause of the First Amendment does not provide a right for religious objectors to be exempt from New York’s compulsory inoculation law.’”

Religious liberties and freedoms are being taken away from the American citizens. In this context, the following article should be of interest, reporting on a scandal in Ireland in the 1930’s—but those kinds of occurrences are clearly not limited to Ireland or restricted to the past.

The Horrible Story of Child Vaccinations in Ireland

The Daily Mail reported on June 6, 2014:

“Scientists secretly vaccinated more than 2,000 children in religious-run homes in suspected illegal drug trials, it emerged today. Old medical records show that 2,051 children and babies in Irish care homes were given a one-shot diphtheria vaccine for international drugs giant Burroughs Wellcome between 1930 and 1936.

“There is no evidence that consent was ever sought, nor any records of how many may have died or suffered debilitating side-effects as a result. The scandal was revealed as Irish premier, Enda Kenny, ordered ministers to see whether there are more mass baby graves after the discovery that 800 infants may be buried in a septic tank outside a former mother and baby home in Tuam, Co. Galway.

“Michael Dwyer, of Cork University’s School of History, found the child vaccination data by trawling through tens of thousands of medical journal articles and archive files. He discovered the trials were carried out before the vaccine was made available for commercial use in the UK. Homes where children were secretly tested included Bessborough, in Co. Cork and Sean Ross Abbey in Roscrea, Co. Tipperary, both of which are at the centre of the mass baby graves scandal.

“Other institutions where children may also have been vaccinated include Cork orphanages St Joseph’s Industrial School for Boys, run by the Presentation Brothers, and St Finbarr’s Industrial School for Girls, run by the Sisters of the Good Shepherd. In Dublin, it is believed that children for the trials came from St Vincent’s Industrial School, Goldenbridge, St Joseph’s School for Deaf Boys, Cabra, and St Saviours’s Dominican Orphanage.

“But Mr Dwyer said: ‘What I have found is just the tip of a very large and submerged iceberg… the fact that reports of these trials were published in the most prestigious medical journals suggests that this type of human experimentation was largely accepted by medical practitioners and facilitated by authorities in charge of children’s residential institutions.’…

“Historian Catherine Corless, whose discovery of the suspected mass baby grave at Tuam was revealed by the Mail earlier this week, said her study of death records for the St Mary’s home run by Catholic Bon Secours nuns from 1925-1961 pointed to the existence of the mass grave… St Mary’s was one of several such ‘mother and baby’ homes for ‘fallen women’ who had become pregnant outside marriage in early 20th century Ireland…

“The ‘mother and baby’ homes accommodated women who were ostracised from their own families and had nowhere else to turn. Under conservative Catholic teaching of the time, children born outside of marriage were not baptised and were therefore denied a Catholic burial on consecrated ground.”

But they were apparently used as guinea pigs for vaccination research and experimental drugs with the result that many of them died and were secretly “buried” in “unconsecrated” ground.

Another Wrong Decision by the US Supreme Court

The Associated Press reported on June 30:

“The U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way Monday for enforcement of a first-of-its-kind California law that bars psychological counseling aimed at turning gay minors straight…The law says professional therapists and counselors who use treatments designed to eliminate or reduce same-sex attractions in their patients would be engaging in unprofessional conduct and subject to discipline by state licensing boards. It does not cover the actions of pastors and lay counselors who are unlicensed but provide such therapy through church programs.”

The Bible says: “TRAIN UP a child in the way he should go…” Becoming a homosexual is NOT the way…

Sabbath Laws in Israel

JTA wrote on June 30:

“Israel’s interior minister, Gideon Saar, rejected an amendment to a Tel Aviv statute that would have allowed some stores to stay open on the Sabbath and holidays… Saar said… was not explained why it was essential for the stores to remain open on the Sabbath rather than meet the public’s needs during the rest of the week…

“It is illegal in Israel to open retail businesses on the Jewish Sabbath, which begins at sundown Friday and ends after sunset Saturday. Businesses that remain open are levied modest fines. Saar did, however, approve the Sabbath opening of businesses in the Tel Aviv Port, Jaffa Port and Hatahana D, the renovated Old Train Station complex. Convenience stores in gas stations also may remain open…

“Also Sunday, a proposed bill to allow public transportation on the Sabbath was rejected by the Knesset’s Constitution, Law and Justice Committee. Three government ministers voted in favor, three against and three abstained. One who abstained… was quoted as saying… that ‘there should be public transportation, but not entirely – the Shabbat is a special day and should be kept as such…’”

“‘House of One’: World’s First Church-Mosque-Synagogue in One?”

The website of charismanews.com wrote on June 23:

“Berlin is no stranger to division. Yet it’s in this German city that the three monotheistic faiths of the world will gather together in one building, perhaps for the first time ever. The ‘House of One,’ winner of an architectural contest, is planned to house three worship centers—one for Christians, one for Muslims and one for Jews, according to BBC.

“The combined church-mosque-synagogue will be comprised of three distinct houses of worship, unique in shape, yet equal in size. Most interesting is the fact that, of the three clerics spearheading the project, it was the Christian pastor’s idea. Pastor Gregor Hohberg, a Protestant, chose for the ‘House of One’ the former location of St. Peter’s church, Berlin’s first church (dating back to the 12th century), which was destroyed after sustaining heavy damage during World War 2…

“‘We can [get along with each other],’ the Jewish leader involved, Rabbi Tovia Ben Chorin, said…The imam involved, Kadir Sanci, commented that the project was a testimony to the peacefulness of nonviolence of the Muslim community.

“While the house of worship is a great showing of tolerance, is it biblically sound?…

“In a passage of striking relevance, the Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18: ‘Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” And, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”’

“While the God of the Bible is not held in temples made of human hands (Acts 17:24), his true temples—Christ’s followers in whom the Holy Spirit dwells—must be kept just as pure as the holy places of ages past.”

What we are seeing here are further attempts to create a universal religion of all faiths. These attempts will fail. Ultimately, it will be the Jews and all Sabbath-keeping Christians who will be hated by all the others.

Pope Says Communists Are Closet Christians

Reuters wrote on June 29:

“Pope Francis, whose criticisms of unbridled capitalism have prompted some to label him a Marxist, said in an interview published on Sunday that communists had stolen the flag of Christianity. The 77-year-old pontiff gave an interview to Il Messaggero, Rome’s local newspaper, to mark the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, a Roman holiday.

“He was asked about a blog post in the Economist magazine that said he sounded like a Leninist when he criticized capitalism and called for radical economic reform. ‘I can only say that the communists have stolen our flag. The flag of the poor is Christian. Poverty is at the center of the Gospel,’ he said, citing Biblical passages about the need to help the poor, the sick and the needy. ‘Communists say that all this is communism. Sure, twenty centuries later. So when they speak, one can say to them: “but then you are Christian,”’ he said, laughing.”

This is SO wrong. Communism has absolutely NOTHING to do with true Christianity. If anything, it is a Satanic counterfeit of true Christianity.

Vatican Recognizes “International Association of Exorcists”

The Associated Press reported on July 2:

“The Vatican has formally recognized the International Association of Exorcists, a group of 250 priests in 30 countries who liberate the faithful from demons. The Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano reported Tuesday that the Vatican’s Congregation for Clergy had approved the organization’s statutes and recognized the group under canon law.

“More than his predecessors, Pope Francis speaks frequently about the devil, and last year was seen placing his hands on the head of a man purportedly possessed by four demons in what exorcists said was a prayer of liberation from Satan. The head of the association, the Rev. Francesco Bamonte, said the Vatican approval was cause for joy. ‘Exorcism is a form of charity that benefits those who suffer,’ he told L’Osservatore.”    

The Fantasy of a “Secret Rapture”

The Washington Times wrote on June 26:

“Millions of people disappear without a trace, leaving behind chaos and anarchy while a lone hero emerges to stand between mankind and the end of the world. For some, this is known as the Rapture, the preamble to the apocalypse. For Hollywood, it means a biblical blockbuster. ‘Jesus explicitly warned about “that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven,”’ said Craig Detweiler, professor of communication at Pepperdine University. ‘But producers and directors can’t resist the temptation to speculate.’

“HBO on Sunday premieres its latest series, ‘The Leftovers,’ based on the book of the same name by Tom Perrotta, which chronicles the aftermath of millions of people vanishing. Later this year, Nicolas Cage stars in ‘Left Behind,’ based on the best-selling postapocalyptic novel series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins…

“The Rapture often is related to the biblical apocalypse, the end of the world and the second coming of Jesus Christ. In fact, the concept is not Bible-based but is commonly attributed to 19th century religious leader John Nelson Darby 

“Darby didn’t coin the term ‘rapture,’ but it’s a reference in his thinking that ‘those of us believers on earth, when this moment Christ comes back, believers will simply vanish and will meet Christ in the air’… Once all believers are safely in heaven, the earth will go through a ‘tribulation period.’”

The concept of a secret or even open “rapture” to heaven is nowhere taught in the Bible; in fact, the Bible teaches the exact opposite. It was first developed by Jesuit monks and later taught due to a special “revelation” of the Holy Spirit, which was clearly wrong in other respects as well. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Is That in the Bible—The  Mysteries of the Book of Revelation.”

Jean Claude Juncker Appointed to Top EU Job—“UK Edges Closer to EU Exit”

The Independent wrote on June 28:

“Britain took another step towards the EU exit door as David Cameron warned that Jean-Claude Juncker’s appointment to the top job in Brussels would make it harder to persuade the public to remain in the 28-nation bloc. Mr Cameron’s stark warning came after he suffered a humiliating defeat in his lonely battle to stop the veteran federalist becoming president of the European Commission. At a Brussels summit, EU leaders voted 26-2 to nominate Mr Juncker after Mr Cameron demanded an unprecedented formal vote on a post traditionally settled by consensus. Hungary’s Viktor Orban was the only leader to back the Prime Minister.

“Asked if the crushing setback had taken the UK closer to an EU exit, Mr Cameron told a press conference: ‘The job has got harder of keeping Britain in a reformed Europe. The stakes are higher…’

“Mr Cameron described Mr Juncker’s appointment as a ‘serious mistake’ and said it was a ‘bad day for Europe,’ which had taken a ‘big step backwards’…  During the summit, Mr Cameron warned his fellow leaders they could ‘live to regret’ the appointment…

“Mr Cameron’s uncompromising stance over Mr Juncker has strained his relations with some of his natural allies, including Germany’s Angela Merkel… Francois Hollande, the French President, said: ‘David Cameron spoke about the major interest of a country that could slip away from the EU: we can understand this political domestic issue, but at the same time there is no such thing as a veto. in Europe we need to learn to live together in the framework of rules and treaties, there’s no other way’…

“There was stinging criticism from other countries about the way Mr Cameron had campaigned against Mr Juncker. “It was noisy and counter-productive,” a diplomat from one natural UK ally said…  Ed Miliband, the Labour leader, said: ‘On Europe, David Cameron has now become a toxic Prime Minister. He cannot stand up for Britain’s national interest because when he supports something, he drives our allies away.’

“John Redwood, the Eurosceptic former Tory Cabinet minister, said: ‘If the rest of the EU continue to be so unsympathetic to UK requirements, more UK voters will draw their own conclusions about the desirability of our continued membership.’”

The Express wrote on June 27:

“Angry critics claimed the Prime Minister had left the UK virtually isolated in Europe. But Tory MPs were celebrating the defeat as a sign of loosening ties between Britain and Brussels…  in some EU capitals, the verdict on Mr Cameron’s stance was less complimentary. The German newspaper Bild said: ‘Cameron is becoming more and more the Wayne Rooney of EU politics: he lines up, he loses, he goes home.’”    

Who Is Jean-Claude Juncker?

The EUObserver wrote on June 27:

“Britain’s tabloid The Sun portrayed him as ‘the most dangerous man in Europe’… All the buzz surrounding Britain’s opposition to his nomination has made him probably the first widely-known head of an EU institution. But who is Jean-Claude Juncker?

“The 59-year old Luxembourg politician was the EU’s longest serving prime minister until last year, when he lost his post due to an illegal wiretapping scandal. Luxembourg’s intelligence service (SREL) last year was embroiled in a scandal when it emerged that it had carried out illegal wiretaps, kept secret files on people and run a fictional counterterror operation to cover for a Russian oligarch.

“Juncker said he was not aware of the abuses, but he had to step down, prompting early elections, in which his party gained the most seats. But the Grand Duke of Luxembourg tasked Liberal Xavier Bettel, not Juncker, with forming a government.

“Often portrayed as a ‘veteran’ in EU politics, Juncker was a finance minister when Germany was governed by Chancellor Helmut Kohl, with whom he helped lay down the foundations of the euro… From 2005 until 2013, Juncker was also chairman of the Eurogroup of eurozone finance ministers, which became instrumental in negotiating and supervising bailout packages for the countries that faced bankruptcy in the euro crisis: Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Spain and Cyprus.

“Back in 2011, during a debate in Brussels recorded by EUobserver Juncker admitted that he often had to lie to journalists about secret meetings held at the height of the euro-crisis, in order to prevent markets from betting against troubled countries. ‘I am for secret, dark debates,’ he quipped. He recalled an instance where journalists asked him if there would be a meeting in Paris the following weekend. ‘I said no. I had to lie. I am a Christian Democrat, a Catholic, so when it becomes serious we have to lie. The same applies to economic and monetary policy in the Union… I’m ready to be insulted as being insufficiently democratic, but I want to be serious,’ Juncker said…”

The admitted lying of a top politician in the EU is another reason why true Christians shouldn’t vote for any politician, as we should know that we cannot really rely on their promises. In politics, lying can be seen as a means to an end without any reference to the 9th Commandment.   That is the problem with compromise – being true to conviction is trumped by “political necessities.”  No doubt we will see much greater deceits when the charismatic political leader (the “beast”) and the religious leader (the “false prophet”) are in power.    

The Role of the European Commission President

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 28 

“The European Commission president is a key figure in the most important EU body, analogous to a head of state, with a broad policy mandate.. He is appointed to a five-year position by the EU’s 28 heads of state and government and confirmed by the European Parliament… The president first starts work six months after the inaugural session of the European Parliament.

“The president determines the European Commission’s policy agenda. Through his political leadership, he plays a decisive role in the development of the EU. He represents the Commission abroad, such as at the meetings of the G7 group of seven leading industrialized nations and at European Council meetings. He also takes part in the important policy debates of the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament. The president appoints the other commissioners in consultation with heads of government…”

Angela Merkel Real Enemy of the UK?

The Daily Mail wrote on June 30:

“Forget tipsy Jean-Claude Juncker. Our real EU enemy is German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Initially, she agreed with David Cameron that Juncker was a useless candidate for presidency of the EU Commission. But then she supported the ill-regarded Luxembourger. Why? Because she could easily manage him and he suited her purposes better than the main alternative candidate who is her Socialist rival in Germany.

“Meanwhile, surprise is expressed about how several other national leaders who had agreed with Cameron privately that Juncker was unacceptable then voted otherwise. This is to misunderstand the nature of the European Union. In theory, the 28 independent nations enjoy equal rights, but in practice it’s run by Angela Merkel.

“There’s fancy talk about EU community spirit and a vision of  what ‘Europe’ can be in the world, but the truth is that Merkel is Queen Bee and the 27 other national leaders are her drones… patience is running out with the EU, in Europe and here at home. Only the UK and Hungary — which voted with Cameron last Friday — have recognised this…

“Fans of Europe used to argue that membership of the EU would entail no loss of sovereignty. Now they say it doesn’t matter. But it does matter to many people… The cynicism of powerful Frau Merkel, backing the useless Juncker, is a wake-up call: the EU is headed for a United States of Europe, run by Germany… The public demand for a restoration of national powers frightens our EU rulers. They worry over where it can end.”

So now, we have two “real enemies” of the UK… Jean Claude Juncker, the “most dangerous man in Europe,” and Angela Merkel, the “Queen Bee” ruling over “27 drones.” Such polemics are not going to make continental Europeans too happy.  

America’s New Dictatorship

The Washington Times wrote on June 20:

“With so much happening internationally and the number of scandals, crises and general screw-ups of the Obama administration here at home, it’s worth noting a disturbing development here on the domestic front: a rapidly expanding police state… We all know about the scope of National Security Agency (NSA) spying. It’s fair to say at this point in our lives that the notion of privacy is all but dead and gone…

“Spying is one thing, but control is, in fact, key. During the Obama administration, most of us have grown concerned about the massive buy-up of ammunition of various federal agencies. The U.S. Postal Service, the Department of Agriculture, the Commerce Department and even the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, among so many other agencies, have acquired billions of rounds of ammunition…

“The New York Times reports, ‘During the Obama administration, according to Pentagon data, police departments have received tens of thousands of machine guns; nearly 200,000 ammunition magazines; thousands of pieces of camouflage and night-vision equipment; and hundreds of silencers, armored cars and aircraft.’

“Silencers? Machine guns? Now why would local law enforcement need that sort of gear? They do if they’re conditioning everyone, including local law enforcement itself, to believe that a police state is necessary and inevitable…”

Very frightening indeed. Orwell’s 1984 is becoming grim reality…. See also the next article.

Medical Marijuana Defense “Irrelevant”?

US News reported on June 23:

“Attorney General Eric Holder swooped into Spokane, Washington, without public notice Friday to visit with federal prosecutors, but his trip didn’t immediately benefit a group of indicted medical marijuana patients nicknamed the Kettle Falls Five.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington, based in Spokane, is not backing down in its multiple-felony case against four family members and a friend who tended a rural marijuana garden for what they say was personal medical use.

“The case, easily the highest-profile prosecution involving medical marijuana this year, is nearing trial as federal lawmakers consider cutting the purse strings for such enforcement.
 
“Prosecutors argued Monday during a conference call with federal Judge Fred Van Sickle and defense attorneys that the defendants should not be allowed to tell jurors the marijuana was for medical use. ‘There is no right to present irrelevant evidence,’ Assistant U.S. Attorney Caitlin Baunsgard said, dismissing the applicability of state medical marijuana law to federal charges. ‘Medical marijuana is not a defense.’ ‘What they were doing was illegal under federal law,’ Assistant U.S. Attorney Earl Hicks said…

“Van Sickle said he agreed with prosecutors and was unlikely to reconsider his May decision barring that defense. ‘These things are not relevant and they would confuse the jury,’ he said…

“The Kettle Falls Five prosecution appears to fly in the face of 2009 guidance from Holder’s Department of Justice that prosecutors should avoid going after medical marijuana patients. It also comes as Holder’s department allows Colorado and Washington to unfurl regulated and taxed recreational marijuana markets…

“Harvey, a co-defendant alongside his wife, a son and daughter-in-law, and a family friend – all of whom have conditions that qualify them for medical pot under state law – was lobbying Congress to pass legislation to block the Drug Enforcement Administration and federal prosecutors from going after medical marijuana in states that allow it. The House of Representatives voted 219-189 on May 30 in favor of a spending bill amendment that would do just that. A Senate version of the amendment is being sponsored by Sens. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Cory Booker, D-N.J….”

The Obama Administration is being accused of operating under false pretenses, while giving false and misleading assurances. It is alleged that the denial of the medical Marijuana defense is just one of many examples of a government which is not reliable.

True Christians Must Have No Part in Jury Duty System!

The following report is even more revealing and exemplifies once again why a true Christian must NEVER allow him- or herself to become an active participant in the jury duty system. Those who believe and teach otherwise are ignorant and lacking experience of the operations of the legal system.

The Huffington Post wrote on June 23:

“Larry Harvey, 70; his wife, Rhonda Firestack-Harvey, 55; their son Rolland Gregg, 33; daughter-in-law Michelle Gregg, 35; and family friend Jason Zucker, 38, sought to present evidence that the marijuana they grew was, in fact, legal under state law, doctor-recommended and appropriate for each family member’s condition. ‘The jury will never hear that there was a sign [at the grow site] for medical marijuana,’ lawyer Douglas D. Phelps, who represents Rolland Gregg, said during Monday’s hearing. ‘They’ll never hear that the defendants had a use for the marijuana that was medicinal. They’ll never hear how they intended to use the crop, the purposes that they would use it for or that the doctors believed that the amounts they were growing was consistent with their medical necessity.’

“The federal government charged each defendant with six felonies, including manufacturing, possession and distribution of marijuana and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Their lawyers said the family kept multiple guns for hunting and defense at their home, which lies in the wilderness of northeast Washington state near the U.S.-Canadian border. They have encountered black bears, cougars and coyotes at their front door on several occasions, according to the lawyers. Federal prosecutors argue that the presence of firearms shows the defendants were involved in drug trafficking.

“… a number of studies over the years have shown the medical potential of cannabis, from fighting cancer to controlling blood sugar. There have also been multiple attempts to reschedule the drug since the 1970s. ‘One must reasonably conclude that there is an accepted safety for use of marijuana under medical supervision,’ said a motion filed by the Harvey family’s attorneys that prompted Monday’s hearing. ‘To conclude otherwise, on this record, would be unreasonable, arbitrary, and capricious.’ The motion was quoting then-DEA Administrative Law Judge Francis Young’s response to a 1988 petition to reschedule marijuana.

“‘Decades after this judicial acknowledgment of the irrationality of classifying marijuana as a Schedule I controlled substance, the possession and cultivation of this plant remains subject to the harshest criminal penalties authorized under the Controlled Substances Act of 1972,’ the Harvey family’s motion said. ‘Despite the federal prohibition, science has forged ahead to prove Judge Young correct, and in the twenty-first century, cannabis has been proven to be a harmless yet effective medication for treating, and possibly preventing, serious illnesses.’

“At the DEA’s own behest, the Food and Drug Administration is currently considering loosening federal regulation of marijuana. However, in its latest guidelines regarding cannabis, published Friday, the FDA states that it still ‘has not approved marijuana as a safe and effective drug for any indication’ despite ‘significant interest in the potential utility of marijuana for a variety of medical conditions.’”

One MUST ask, why not?

America’s Presbyterian Church vs. Israel

The Associated Press wrote on June 21:

“The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) on Friday became the most prominent religious group in the United States to endorse divestment as a protest against Israeli policies toward Palestinians, voting to sell church stock in three companies whose products Israel uses in the occupied territories…

“The American Jewish Committee, a policy and advocacy group based in New York, said the vote was ‘driven by hatred of Israel.’ But Heath Rada, moderator for the church meeting, said immediately after the vote that ‘in no way is this a reflection of our lack of love for our Jewish brothers and sisters.’… Israeli officials, along with many American Jewish groups, denounced the campaign as an attempt to delegitimize the Jewish state… The vote was the subject of intense lobbying both from within and outside the church.”

This article shows at least two things: Hate-driven action speaks louder than hypocritical words of love; and these kinds of votes include intense lobbying and bring about questionable results. Another article of questionable votes of the Presbyterian Church is featured later in this Current Events section.

JTA reported on June 21:

“Some of the delegates promoting the resolution were at pains to distance it from the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement, noting that the measure targeted only American companies profiting from West Bank security systems, and successfully added amendments making the distinction clear.

“Others said that the resolution, coupled with an anti-Zionist tract released earlier this year by a church committee, allied the church with groups that seek to dismantle Israel. The ‘decision will undoubtedly have a devastating impact on relations between mainstream Jewish groups and the national Presbyterian Church (USA),’ Rabbi Steve Gutow, the president of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, the umbrella body for Jewish public policy groups, said in a statement…

“Other groups anticipating a rift included the Anti-Defamation League, the Union for Reform Judaism, StandWithUs and the American Jewish Committee…”

The Washington Times added on June 22:

“Speaking on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’ on Sunday, Mr. Netanyahu said the move demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of the Middle East… ‘It should trouble all people and of conscience and morality because it’s so disgraceful,’ he said of the vote. ‘You come to Israel and you see the one democracy that upholds basic human rights, that guards the rights of all minorities, that protects Christians. …

“‘Most Americans understand Israel is a beacon of civilization and moderation. I would suggest to the Presbyterian organizations — fly to the Middle East. Come and see Israel for the embattled democracy that it is and then take a bus tour. Go to Libya, go to Syria, go to Iraq, and see the difference. And I would give them two pieces of advice: make sure it is an armor-plated bus, and second, don’t say that you’re Christians.’”

Egypt’s New Dictatorship

The Washington Post wrote on June 21:

“The Muslim Brotherhood’s spiritual leader and over 180 others were sentenced to death Saturday by an Egyptian court in the latest mass trial following last year’s overthrow of the country’s Islamist president. The ruling by the southern Minya Criminal Court is the largest confirmed mass death sentence to be handed down in Egypt in recent memory and comes from Judge Said Youssef, who earlier presided over the mass trial. It is the second death sentence for the Brotherhood’s Supreme Guide Mohammed Badie since the crackdown against his group began…

“Initially, Youssef sentenced some 683 people to death over the attack, then sent the case to Egypt’s Grand Mufti, the country’s top spiritual leader. The Mufti offered his opinion, then sent the case back to Youssef to confirm his sentence. Lawyers for the accused said they planned to appeal…

“The mass trials have drawn worldwide rebuke. However, the trials have continued with many Egyptians appearing to approve of the heavy-handed measures… Saturday’s hearing lasted for less than 15 minutes…”

One Egyptian dictatorship is replaced by another… America just announced that they will support the new Egyptian leadership militarily… a wrong decision which is bound to backfire.

Deutsche Welle reported on June 22:

“After President Mohammed Morsi was ousted almost a year ago, the US froze some of its $1.3 billion (956 million euros) in annual military aid to Egypt. About $575 million in suspended funds have been released over the past ten days and are to be used to pay existing defense contracts, according to the State Department. Washington has also said it is to provide ten Apache attack helicopters to help soldiers battling militants in the Sinai peninsula. Kerry said they would arrive ‘very soon.’”

In a further move, an Egyptian court has even convicted non-Egyptian journalists by falsely labeling them as terrorists or operating with terrorists—in an obvious attempt to suppress any truthful reporting about Egypt’s oppressive government.

The New Islamic State of ISIS

AFP wrote on June 22:

“The militants, led by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) jihadist group, have begun imposing an extreme interpretation of Islamic law in the days since they took the city [of Mosul in northern Iraq]… The city, known before 2003 for its historic sites and parks and in later years as a hub for deadly violence, fell on June 10 to the militants, who subsequently overran surrounding Nineveh province and swathes of other territory… After seizing control, gunmen declared Nineveh a part of their Islamic state and issued a document outlining new rules.

“The 16-point document announced the prohibition of the selling and consumption of alcohol and drugs as well as smoking, and forbade gatherings and carrying weapons. Women are to wear non-revealing clothes and keep to their homes, while ‘shrines’ are to be destroyed. All depictions of people are considered idolatrous under the militants’ extreme interpretation of Islam, and gunmen have removed various statues from the city in recent days, including some depicting famous poets.

“Abu Ramzi, one of Mosul’s Christians who did not flee the city, said militants destroyed a statue of the Virgin Mary in front of a church. The militants also distributed a document to mosques in the city ordering that they not make or publish any statement not approved by ISIL, and designated a specific mosque for the acceptance of the ‘repentance of apostates’. ISIL has also appointed representatives for different areas of the city who are to conduct a survey of its residents.

“One resident who fled said a neighbour told him that gunmen came to check empty houses in the area and find out who owns them… ‘They asked about my house, my (religious) sect and my phone number,’ he said. The gunmen left a message that he had two days to return and renounce his Shiite faith, or the house would be burned.”

The radical interpretation of the militant Islamists pertaining to some provisions in the Koran mirrors, to an extent, the radical interpretation of orthodox Jews and Christian Fundamentalists pertaining to some passages in the Old Testament. For a much clearer understanding as to what the Old Testament does and does not say, and how it applies to us today, please read our brand-new booklet, “Old Testament Laws—Still Valid Today?”

ISIS Claims to Have Nuclear Weapons to Use Against Israel

On June 23, WorldNetDaily reported the following:

“The well-organized army of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, claims it has access to nuclear weapons and a will to use them to ‘liberate’ Palestine from Israel as part of its ‘Islamic Spring,’ according to a WND source in the region.

“Franklin Lamb, an international lawyer based in Beirut and Damascus, said the move is part of the ISIS aim of creating a caliphate under strict Islamic law, stretching from the Mediterranean Sea to Iraq… Lamb said that in Iraq alone, some 6 million Iraqi Sunnis recently have become supportive of the ISIS lightning strikes in the Sunni portion of the country…

“ISIS access to nuclear weapons could come from Sunni Pakistan, which is home to more than 30 terrorist groups. Pakistan possibly has transferred nuclear weapons to the chief bankroller of its nuclear development program, Sunni Saudi Arabia… The Saudis… also have provided billions of dollars to ISIS…”

Judge Who Sentenced Saddam Killed by ISIS

The website of gatewaypundit.com wrote on June 22:

“Judge Rauf Rashid, the man who sentenced Saddam Hussein to death, has reportedly been captured and killed by ISIS terrorists. Several Arab News websites are reporting the news… Wikipedia says he is dead: ‘On 16 June 2014, Abd al-Rahman was arrested by ISIS rebels during 2014 Northern Iraq offensive. Two days later, it was reported that ISIS captured and executed him.’ Iraqi officials have not denied the news.”

US Troops Not Welcome in Iraq

Sky News reported on June 21:

“A Shia cleric loyal to anti-US cleric Moqtada al Sadr has warned that the 300 US military advisers en route to Iraq will be attacked. In a sermon from Baghdad’s Sadr City district, Nassir al Saedi threatened what he called ‘the occupier’, saying: ‘We will be ready for you if you are back.’

“The warning comes after President Barack Obama announced the deployment of US military advisers made up mostly of special forces. Their aim is to help the Iraqi government in its fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), the group of Sunni extremists who have seized cities and towns across northern Iraq.

“Al Saedi’s threats highlight a potentially dangerous secondary front for US forces heading to Iraq. Moqtada al Sadr’s militia fought the Americans in at least two rounds of street warfare during the eight years US troops were on the ground there.”

Iran Opposed to American “Help”

The Times of Israel wrote on June 22:

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday warned close ally the United States against working with arch-foe Iran in the effort to pull Iraq back from the brink…  ‘What you’re seeing in the Middle East today in Iraq and in Syria is the stark hatred between radical Shiites — in this case led by Iran — and radical Sunnis led by al-Qaeda and ISIS and others,’ Netanyahu told NBC’s ‘Meet the Press,’ referring to ISIL.

“‘Now both of these camps are enemies of the United States, and when your enemies are fighting each other, don’t strengthen either one — weaken both,’ said Netanyahu…”

Rand Paul vs. Dick Cheney: Should US Stay Out of Iraq or Get Involved?

The Huffington Post wrote on June 22:

“As the Islamist militia group ISIS gains new ground in Iraq, capturing four more towns near the Syrian border and barreling towards Baghdad, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is holding strong to his belief that the United States should stay out of the conflict in the region. On CNN’s ‘State of the Union’ Sunday, Paul ruled out ground troops in Iraq and said that as president, he would ask Congress before getting involved at all…

“Paul also responded Sunday to some of Obama’s critics in the Republican Party, who say he should have overthrown Syrian President Bashar Assad following evidence that he used chemical weapons on citizens last year… ‘We went into Libya and we got rid of that terrible Qaddafi, now it’s a jihadist wonderland over there,’ Paul said, referring to Libya’s former dictator. ‘There’s jihadists everywhere. If we were to get rid of Assad it would be a jihadist wonderland in Syria. It’s now a jihadist wonderland in Iraq…’

“‘You have to ask yourself, are you willing to send your son, am I willing to send my son to retake back a city, Mosul, that they weren’t willing to defend themselves?’ Paul said. ‘I’m not willing to send my son into that mess.’

“Former Vice President Dick Cheney strongly disagreed with Paul on Sunday. ‘Rand Paul, with all due respect, is basically an isolationist,’ Cheney said on ABC’s ‘This Week.’ ‘He doesn’t believe we ought to be involved in that part of the world. I think it’s absolutely essential. One of the things I worried about 12 years ago — and that I worry about today — is that there will be another 9/11 attack and that the next time it’ll be with weapons far deadlier than airline tickets and box cutters.’”

Please read our free booklet, “Should You Fight in War?” 

Cameron’s Waterloo

Der Spiegel Online wrote on June 19:

“British Prime Minister David Cameron is determined not to let Jean-Claude Juncker become president of the European Commission. But he is increasingly isolated. He might face his Waterloo as early as next week.

“Reading the newspaper hasn’t been particularly pleasurable for Jean-Claude Juncker in recent days. First, British historian Timothy Garton Ash compared him to King Louis the XVI, who was executed by the guillotine. Then, the Swiss paper Weltwoche lumped him together with Hitler and Mussolini and the British tabloid Sun described him as ‘the most dangerous man in Europe.’…

“The situation is a delicate one: British Prime Minister David Cameron continues to categorically reject Juncker as the next president of the European Commission. Yet a majority in the European Parliament supports the former Luxembourg prime minister. The European Council, made up of EU heads of state and government, has the power of nomination, but the body is divided.

“Several voices, including the influential German weekly Die Zeit last week, have called on Juncker to withdraw his candidacy as a final service to Europe. It is a potential solution that Berlin, too, could live with, despite Chancellor Angela Merkel’s official support for Juncker’s candidacy. But Juncker, 59, has no intention of doing Merkel and Cameron that favor. It’s a matter of principle, he argues. He campaigned as the lead candidate for European conservatives ahead of last month’s EU elections, with the assumption being that the winner would become Commission president. Should he not be confirmed for that office, he says, it amounts to voter betrayal.

“More than anything, though, a European power struggle is afoot. If Cameron prevails, the European Council will continue to reign supreme and the Parliament will continue to look like little more than a European debate club…  Cameron’s warning — that if Juncker was named to the position, it could accelerate Britain’s exit from the EU — had its intended effect. Almost all significant UK parties are opposed to Juncker, who they see as a European technocrat unable to reform the Commission. Only the EU-skeptic party UKIP is in favor or Juncker, say pro-EU voices in Britain, noting that a Juncker presidency would make it even easier for the party to sell its anti-Europe message…

“One leading member of Merkel’s CDU says Cameron has acted ‘incredibly clumsily, from a strategic perspective.’ … Even a meeting last week between Cameron, Merkel, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Swedish leader Fredrik Reinfeldt only hurt the British position… ‘Cameron is increasingly isolating himself,’ says Elmar Brok, a member of European Parliament for the CDU. ‘In the end, there will be a clear majority for Juncker in the Council.’ Even Council President Herman Van Rompuy has recently said that Cameron could be isolated.” 

BBC News wrote on June 26:

“David Cameron’s bid to block Jean-Claude Juncker becoming the next European Commission president looks set to fail after his allies changed tack… both the Netherlands and Sweden now say they will back Luxembourg’s ex-PM.”

Britain’s way out of the EU is just a matter of time…

Italy’s Push for a “United States of Europe”

The Telegraph wrote on June 22:

“Matteo Renzi, the Italian prime minister, has said that Italy will push for a ‘United States of Europe’ during its six-month EU presidency, in a move likely to raise hackles in Britain. Launching an appeal to convince European leaders to show ‘that a stronger and more cohesive Europe is the only solution to… solve the problems of our time’, Mr Renzi said: ‘For my children’s future I dream, think and work for the United States of Europe.’

“He further called for “courageous leaders” to work towards achieving that goal – something that Britain has always objected to. In 1988 Margaret Thatcher, then prime minister, dismissed the idea that the United States might be a model for the future of Europe and David Cameron is actively trying to prevent the election of a committed federalist, Jean-Claude Juncker, to the head of the European Commission.

“Italy takes over the rotating EU presidency from Greece on July 1. Its job will be to steer the EU at a time when the so-called ‘European Project’ is coming under renewed attack, in the wake of an EU-wide surge in support for Eurosceptic parties in the recent European elections.

“Mr Renzi… said it was vital to show that the EU ‘is not only a common past but a common destiny.’”

How to Boost the EU’s Military…

The EUObserver wrote on June 25:

“The European Commission on Tuesday (24 June) laid out plans on how to boost the EU’s military and defence industries. It wants to create a single market on defence, make it more profitable, and intensify and merge research with the civil sector. Antonio Tajani, the EU industry commissioner, said greater defence collaboration is needed between member states to enable the EU to ‘adequately face its security challenges’… ‘It is vital that the European defenceindustry remains a world-leading centre for manufacturing and innovation, creating highly qualified jobs and growth,’ he said in a statement…

“Among the ideas is to create drones capable of carrying out both civil and military operations. It wants the European Defence Agency (EDA) to prepare a ‘new process for developing defence and hybrid standards in Europe’… Another idea is to shift the ‘control of industrial and technological assets’ away from national governments to a new system at the EU level…”

Austria Defies USA

Deutsche Welle reported on June 24:

“Austrian energy company OMV and Russia’s Gazprom signed a contract on Tuesday for the construction of the South Stream pipeline’s Austrian section. It came just hours before Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Vienna for a one-day visit.

“While OMV general director Gerhard Roiss said the South Stream pipeline would ‘ensure energy security for Europe, particularly for Austria,’ the US embassy in Vienna launched a thinly veiled attack on the move. In a statement, it said that trans-Atlantic unity had been essential in ‘discouraging further Russian aggression’ and that the Austrians ‘should consider carefully whether today’s events contribute to that effort.’

“In a meeting with Austrian president Heinz Fischer, Putin slammed the criticism by saying that ‘our American friends… want to supply Europe with gas themselves. They do everything to derail this contract…’ Fischer also defended the project, stating that ‘no one can tell me why… a gas pipeline that crosses NATO and EU states can’t touch 50 kilometers (31 miles) of Austrian territory.’

“Putin and Fischer also emphasized Russia’s and Austria’s close business ties, with Putin calling Austria an ‘important and reliable’ partner. Austria was the first western European country to sign, in 1968, long-term gas supply deals with Moscow. Russia is Austria’s third-biggest non-EU trading partner after the United States and Switzerland.

“While Austria is a member of the EU and should, therefore, endorse the bloc’s visa bans and asset freezes against Russia, Fischer said on Tuesday that he opposed sanctions against Moscow. But he also told Putin Moscow’s annexation of Crimea violated international law. South Stream, which will cost an estimated $40 billion (29.4 billion euros), is designed to carry Russian gas to the center of Europe. Russia currently supplies a third of Europe’s gas… The pipeline will stretch across Russia, under the Black Sea and then through Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary and Slovenia to Austria.

“Gazprom’s partners for the offshore part of the project are Italy’s ENI, Germany’s Wintershall Holding and France’s EDF.”

“Polish-American Alliance Worth Nothing and Harmful”

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 22:

“A Polish magazine says it has a recording of the country’s foreign minister saying Warsaw’s relationship with Washington is worthless… The weekly magazine Wprost on Sunday published a short transcript of a recorded conversation it says features Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski speaking to then-Finance Minister Jacek Rostowski last year. ‘You know that the Polish-American alliance is worth nothing,’ Sikorski is quoted as saying, before adding that it was ‘even harmful because it creates a false sense of security.’…”

Ebola Outbreak Totally Out of Control

The Associated Press wrote on June 20:

“The Ebola outbreak ravaging West Africa is ‘totally out of control,’ according to a senior official for Doctors Without Borders, who says the medical group is stretched to the limit in responding. The outbreak has caused more deaths than any other of the disease, said another official with the medical charity. Ebola has been linked to more than 330 deaths in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, according to the World Health Organization…

“The Ebola virus, which causes internal bleeding and organ failure, spreads through direct contact with infected people. There is no cure or vaccine, so containing an outbreak focuses on supportive care for the ill and isolating them to limit the spread of the virus… the only way to stop the disease’s spread is to persuade people to come forward when symptoms occur and to avoid touching the sick and dead.

“… this outbreak is particularly challenging because it began in an area where people are very mobile and has spread to even more densely populated areas, like the capitals of Guinea and Liberia. The disease typically strikes sparsely populated areas in central or eastern Africa, where it spreads less easily… By contrast, the epicenter of this outbreak is near a major regional transport hub, the Guinean city of Gueckedou.”

The worldwide spread of contagious diseases is prophesied to occur in these end times. Note the next article as well, and read our free booklet, “Is That in the Bible?–The Mysteries of the Book of Revelation.” 

Illegal Aliens Bring Terrible Diseases to the US

World Net Daily wrote on June 19:

“Health professionals are warning of a ‘humanitarian crisis’ festering in Texas and Arizona as a result of unchecked border crossings of illegal-immigrant children into border communities. Cramped conditions and the spread of difficult-to-treat diseases has doctors worried in the wake of a massive influx of children coming across the Mexican-U.S. border, many of them from Central and South America. Outbreaks of scabies, lice, dengue fever, tuberculosis and other diseases – many of them contagious – are already being documented among the children and in some border agents who work among them…

“… some rare cases of leprosy have even been reported in immigrants coming across the approximately 2,000-mile border with Mexico… a scabies outbreak began more than a month ago, and now reports of various viruses are beginning to surface. Scabies is a contagious skin disease marked by a severe, painful rash. Tuberculosis is an airborne communicable disease caused by bacteria that is spread from person to person. Symptoms include fever, night sweats, coughing, chest pains and weight loss…

“Late last week, Texas public health officials confirmed a new wave of dengue fever has cropped up in the southernmost tip of Texas, marking the first outbreak the state has seen since 2005…”

The White House’s Fascination with LGBT Rights

Reuters wrote on June 19:

“The United States on Thursday cut aid to Uganda, imposed visa restrictions and canceled a regional military exercise in response to a Ugandan law that imposes harsh penalties on homosexuality. The White House said in a statement the measures were intended to ‘reinforce our support for human rights of all Ugandans regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.’

“Homosexuality is taboo in most African countries and illegal in 37, including in Uganda where it has been a crime since British rule. Uganda’s new law, signed by President Yoweri Museveni in February, imposes jail terms of up to life for ‘aggravated homosexuality’ which includes homosexual sex with a minor or while HIV-positive. Widely condemned by donor countries, the law also criminalizes lesbianism for the first time and makes it a crime to help individuals engage in homosexual acts…

‘Uganda is a key Western ally in the fight against Islamic extremism in Somalia, where Ugandan troops [form] the backbone of the African Union force battling al Qaeda-aligned militants…

“In Kampala, a government official asked about the U.S. measures said that Uganda would not alter its decision to toughen laws against homosexuals. ‘Uganda is a sovereign country and can never bow to anybody or be blackmailed by anybody on a decision it took in its interests, even if it involves threats to cut off all financial assistance,’ [a] government spokesman… said.”

Note the following reported excerpts from President Obama’s speech on June 17 during a LGBT fundraiser:

“…Pride Month is a time for celebration, and this year we’ve got a lot to celebrate. If you think about everything that’s happened in the last 12 months, it is remarkable. In nine more states you’re now free to marry the person you love—that includes my two home states of Hawaii and Illinois. The NFL drafted its first openly gay player. The U.S. Postal Service made history by putting an openly gay person on a stamp—the late, great Harvey Milk smiling from ear to ear… we’ve been able to do more to protect the rights of lesbian and gay, and bisexual and transgender Americans than any administration in history… We repealed ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,’ because no one should have to hide who you love to serve the country we love… Before I took office, only one openly gay judge had been confirmed in history. We have 10 more…”

Nothing to be proud of, really.

In Germany Too…

On June 21, 2014, the website of berlin.de reported the following:

“The first Christopher Street Day (CSD) in Berlin was celebrated on the 30th of June 1979. Since then the gay community has extended its political agenda, broadened the definition of diversity and pushed the fight for equality.  Up to 500,000 people celebrate the CSD in Berlin, which is also known as the biggest gay-lesbian ‘holiday’…

“The Christopher Street Day is held in memory of the first big uprising of homosexuals against police assaults in Greenwich Village (New York, USA) on June 27, 1969. The so-called Stonewall Riots took place in a bar called Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street. In Germany, Christopher Street Day was celebrated in 1979 in Bremen and Berlin for the first time.”

The website of visitberlin.de added:

“Christopher Street Day is held in Berlin in June of every year. Lesbians, gay men, transgender people, intersex and bisexual people demonstrate here for equal rights and protest against all forms of discrimination in society. But it is also a joyful occasion, as on CSD, demonstrators celebrate the rights they have won over the last few decades. Pride Week traditionally takes place the week prior to CSD in Berlin, which is packed full with parties, events, and street festivals…

“CSD Berlin is a huge party on the streets of Berlin – and at the same time it is becoming increasingly more political. For example, people protest for equal marriage rights. Every year, there is a special motto which sums up the main CSD demands. About half a million people demonstrate for the rights of homosexual, bisexual, transsexual, and transgender people – heterosexual people also come along to support them…”

The website of cologne.de reported on June 6:

“Cologne stands for ‘joie de vivre’, cultural diversity, tolerance and optimism. For many years now, Cologne has established itself as one of Europe’s centres for gay and lesbian life.

“The most important event in the gay and lesbian calendar is the Christopher Street Day (CSD). Every year on the first weekend of July half a million participants and visitors celebrate and demonstrate in the city centre. Aside from the partying and the fun, there is always a political focus that is illustrated through a new motto each year. For those who are lucky enough to visit Cologne for longer than a weekend, during the two weeks prior to the CSD there are all kinds of gay and lesbian events on offer…

“Together, on the 6th July at the CSD Parade they will demonstrate that lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transsexuals will be equally treated legally and socially accepted… Cologne Pride and WomenPride offer something for every gay and lesbian, and their friends.”

Those who adhere to the injunctions of the Bible will soon become a much hated and despised “minority,” “unworthy of living” in a “tolerant” and “enlightened” democracy…

Presbyterian General Assembly’s Vote on Same-Sex Marriages an “Abomination”

The Associated Press reported on June 19:

“The top legislative body of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) voted by large margins Thursday to recognize same-sex marriage as Christian in the church constitution, adding language that marriage can be the union of ‘two people,’ not just ‘a man and a woman.’

“The amendment approved by the Presbyterian General Assembly requires approval from a majority of the 172 regional presbyteries, which will vote on the change over the next year. But in a separate policy change that takes effect at the end of this week’s meeting, delegates voted to allow ministers to preside at gay weddings in states where the unions are legal and local congregational leaders approve. Nineteen states and the District of Columbia recognize same-sex marriage.

“The votes, during a national meeting in Detroit, were a sweeping victory for Presbyterian gay-rights advocates. The denomination in 2011 eliminated barriers to ordaining clergy with same-sex partners, but ministers were still barred from celebrating gay marriages and risked church penalties for doing so…

“Bill Norton, of the Presbytery de Cristo, which covers parts of Arizona and New Mexico, urged the assembly to delay any changes. ‘We are laying hands on something that is holy, that God has given us, so we need to be sure any changes we make are in accord with God’s will revealed in Scripture,’ Norton said…

“The conservative Presbyterian Lay Committee decried the votes in Detroit as an ‘abomination.’…  ‘The General Assembly has committed an express repudiation of the Bible, the mutually agreed upon Confessions of the PCUSA, thousands of years of faithfulness to God’s clear commands and the denominational ordination vows of each concurring commissioner,’ the Presbyterian Lay Committee said in a statement.

“Of the mainline Protestant denominations, only the United Church of Christ supports gay marriage outright. The Episcopal Church has approved a prayer service for blessing same-sex unions. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has eliminated barriers for gay clergy but allows regional and local church officials to decide their own policies on ordination and blessings for same-sex couples…”

The Bible is very clear on this issue, and “debates” only ensue because the “carnal mind” is enmity to the law of God; it does not want to and cannot be subject to God’s Will. 

Methodists Divided on Same-Sex Marriages

The Guardian wrote on June 24:

“A United Methodist Church appeals panel has overturned the church’s decision to defrock a pastor who presided over his son’s same-sex wedding ceremony and said he would perform other gay marriages if asked. He can return to the pulpit.

“The nine-person panel ordered the church to restore Frank Schaefer’s pastoral credentials, saying the jury that convicted him of breaking church law erred when fashioning his punishment. ‘I’ve devoted my life to this church, to serving this church, and to be restored and to be able to call myself a reverend again and to speak with this voice means so much to me,’ an exultant Schaefer told the Associated Press, adding he intends to work for gay rights ‘with an even stronger voice from within the United Methodist Church’.

“The church suspended Frank Schaefer, of Pennsylvania, last year for officiating his son’s 2007 wedding. The church then defrocked Schaefer because he wouldn’t promise never to preside over another gay ceremony. Schaefer appealed, arguing the decision was wrong because it was based on an assumption he would break church law in the future.

“The appeals panel, which met last week to hear the case, upheld a 30-day suspension that Schaefer has already served and said he should get back-pay dating to when the suspension ended in December. The jury’s punishment was illegal under church law, the appeals panel concluded, writing in its decision that ‘revoking his credentials cannot be squared with the well-established principle that our clergy can only be punished for what they have been convicted of doing in the past, not for what they may or may not do in the future.’

“The topic of gay marriage has long roiled the United Methodist Church, the nation’s second-largest Protestant denomination. Hundreds of Methodist ministers have publicly rejected church doctrine on homosexuality, which allows for gay members but bars ‘self-avowed practicing homosexuals’ from becoming clergy and forbids ministers from performing same-sex marriages.

“Traditionalists say clergy have no right to break church law just because they disagree with it. Some conservative pastors are calling for a breakup of the denomination, which has 12 million members worldwide, saying the split over gay marriage is irreconcilable…”

Pope Takes on the Mafia

Reuters reported on June 21:

“Pope Francis on Saturday took on one of Italy’s most dangerous organised crime groups, calling it an example of ‘the adoration of evil and saying Mafiosi ‘are excommunicated’. The pope, speaking about the ‘Ndrangheta crime group during a mass in… southern Italy, issued the strongest attacks on organised crime since the late Pope John Paul lambasted the Sicilian Mafia in 1993. ‘Those who in their lives follow this path of evil, as mafiosi do, are not in communion with God. They are excommunicated,’ Pope Francis said in impromptu comments at a mass before tens of thousands of people.

“He told the crowd: ‘This evil must be fought against, it must be pushed aside. We must say no to it.’ He branded the ‘Ndrangheta as the ‘adoration of evil and contempt of the common good’ and said the Church would exert its full force in efforts to combat organised crime.”

The pope is surely living dangerously. 

Sun Worship and Mass Yoga Practice at Stonehenge

The Associated Press reported on June 21:

“Self-styled Druids, new-agers and thousands of revelers have watched the sun rise above the ancient stone circle at Stonehenge to mark the summer solstice – the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. English Heritage, which manages the monument, says some 36,000 sun-watchers gathered on the Salisbury Plain about 80 miles (130 kilometers) southwest of London on Saturday. Police say the event was peaceful with only 25 arrests, mainly for drug offenses.

“Couples kissed, dancers circled with hoops and revelers took part in a mass yoga practice as part of the free-form celebrations. Stonehenge was built in three phases between 3000 B.C. and 1600 B.C. and its purpose… remains under study. An icon of Britain, it remains one of its most popular tourist attractions.”

Everything goes… only God’s Truth is being suppressed in this Satanic world…

Schools With Dictatorial Authority in Britain

The Telegraph wrote on June 23:

“A defiant mum says she is prepared to go to prison after her son’s primary school banned him from attending her wedding. Clare Whitelegg, 30, is flouting the ruling by taking her nine-year-old son Riley Bryant out of school to witness her tying the knot with fiancé Andy McLeary, 37. Police communications operator Clare wrote to Clive Church of England School in Shrewsbury, Shrops., asking for permission to let Riley miss three days this week.  But the school refused, claiming the wedding failed to fulfil the criteria of ‘exceptional circumstances’ necessary to legitimately take children out of class in term time.

“The couple, from Shrewsbury, Shrops., are now facing a criminal prosecution by taking Riley out of school so he can watch them get married in Clare’s hometown of Newquay, Cornwall… If parents fail to ensure their children attend school, they may be issued with penalty notices of £50 to £100. Prosecution can result in a fine of up to £2,500, a jail sentence of up to three months or a community sentence.

“Miss Whitelegg and Mr McLeary, a police officer with West Mercia Police, have been together for three years and will tie the knot in Newquay on Tuesday. Parents can put in requests for term-time holidays, but they are granted or refused entirely at the head teacher’s discretion and are not a parental right.”

This is truly ridiculous, and our so-called individual freedoms in “democratic” countries are highly dubious… Governments take over with questionable means and results…

“Prehistoric Remains Complicate Picture of Human Evolution”

The Washington Post wrote on June 19:

“In a cave in northern Spain, a team of scientists has retrieved the remains of 28 prehistoric humans, members of an enigmatic species that could be described as a little bit Neanderthal. They had Neanderthal faces, with heavy brows and protruding noses. They had powerful mandibles and mouths that could open extremely wide, indicating that they used their teeth as gripping tools. But they didn’t have the large skulls or other robust skeletal features seen in the prototypical Neanderthals who, hundreds of millennia later, roamed Ice Age Europe…

“The discovery does not dramatically change the general picture of human evolution, but it complicates it a bit, providing new evidence that there were many distinct, and largely isolated, human species existing simultaneously…

“[Scientists] think these proto-Neanderthals possessed the power of speech and lived in social groups… There are few human ancestors more intriguing than the Neanderthals, who could be described as the best example in the history of the planet of an intelligent species that has gone extinct. They had large craniums and larger brains than modern humans (although that doesn’t mean they were smarter). They existed as recently as about 30,000 years ago, when their kind disappears from the fossil record.

“How they died out, and why, and to what extent they may have interbred with anatomically modern humans is an ongoing source of debate and contentiousness among highly credentialed scientists… But as a species, the Neanderthal vanished. In their place came anatomically modern humans, who evolved in Africa and are the ancestors of everyone alive today.

“The Neanderthals, [one expert] said, ‘obviously were very intuitively smart. They were great toolmakers. They were ingenious. They were resourceful. They were living through difficult times.’…”

The sad truth is, Evolutionists and Scientists do not know what they are talking about. The reason is that they reject God’s infallible Word, the Bible, and come up with their fanciful ideas as to how there could be human beings today without a Creator. All their speculations regarding the Neanderthal and “related species” are just wrong. For an accurate understanding, please read our free booklet, “The Theory of Evolution—a Fairy Tale for Adults?” 

Thanks to America, Britain and Their Allies, Iraq Is Falling Apart

The Independent wrote on June 13:

“Iraq is breaking up… Government rule over the Sunni Arab heartlands of north and central Iraq is evaporating as its 900,000-strong army disintegrates…

“The nine-year Shia dominance over Iraq, established after the US, Britain and other allies overthrew Saddam Hussein, may be coming to an end. The Shia… will have great difficulty in re-establishing their authority over Sunni provinces from which their army has fled…

“The Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that Iran would act… Iran emerged as the most influential foreign power in Baghdad after 2003. As a fellow Shia-majority state, Iraq matters even more to Iran than Syria. Iran will be deeply alarmed by the appearance of a fanatically Sunni proto-state hostile to all Shia in western Iraq and eastern Syria…”

Nobody should be able to deny that the 2003 invasion caused the present crisis in Iraq. But some do, one of whom is Tony Blair.

According to BBC News, dated June 15, Blair “told the BBC there would still be a ‘major problem’ in Iraq even without the toppling of Saddam Hussein in 2003.” The article went on to say that “Critics have rejected the comments as ‘bizarre’ with one accusing Mr. Blair of ‘washing his hands of responsibility’… Sir Christopher Meyer, Britain’s ambassador to the US from 1997 to 2003, said the handling of the campaign against Saddam Hussein was ‘perhaps the most significant reason’ for the current sectarian violence.”

We would have to agree with Sir Christopher Meyer.

According to the Independent, dated June 15, 2014, Tony Blair even “rejected claims that he was to blame, saying that if the West had not rid Iraq of Saddam Hussein, the crisis in the Middle East would be worse.” 

This is really the epitome of self-delusion and irrational self-justification, but it is also a very dangerous line of thinking.

America Powerless—Again!

On June 11, the Independent wrote:

“Events in northern Iraq are a fearsome demonstration of what has become ever clearer over the last three years: America is losing control of the Middle East. A region seen since the discovery of oil as the central pivot of Western international policy is victim to raging wars which Washington and its allies are powerless to stop… It may be of little consolation to President Obama and certainly no mitigation for his critics, but everyone else is losing control too…

“As for Iraq, to say that its rulers have proved inadequate to the task of maintaining sovereignty and unity… would be a euphemism. Western diplomats lavished praise on them for two successful elections even as they lost a third of the country to jihadists…

“Some will ask is this really how a century of western policy is to end?

“Is this the purpose for which so many thousands of British, American and other lives have been lost?”

The American military adventure in Iraq was a terrible mistake, and the condition over there is now much worse than it had EVER been before. But has the USA learned from its mistakes?

Obama Sends US Troops to Iraq

The Daily Mail wrote on June 16:

“President Obama announced on Monday evening that US ground troops ‘equipped for combat’ are being sent to Iraq – just days after claiming that no American soldiers would be deployed to the war-torn country. In a letter to Congress, the president said American troops will be returning to Iraq only three years after they left and their deployment began on Sunday.

“However, Obama said that their only purpose will specifically be to protect US personnel and the US Embassy in Baghdad – and not join in the fierce fighting raging outside the Iraqi capital… Much of the embassy staff will stay in place, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement released Sunday. The statement did not say the number of personnel affected. The embassy, along the Tigris River in Baghdad’s Green Zone, has about 5,000 personnel and is the largest U.S. diplomatic post in the world.”

Deutsche Welle added on June 16:

“Obama said he was notifying Congress under the War Power Resolution, which allows a US president to deploy troops without the consent of the houses, but places a 60-day time limit on the length of time troops are stationed.”

Iraq Powder Keg Could Ignite Broader Conflict

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 18:

“Sitting at the heart of the Middle East, Iraq shares a border with virtually every major power in the region. The rapid advance of Sunni Islamist militants in Iraq could spark a broader regional conflict. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal warned a meeting of Arab and Muslim leaders in Jeddah on Wednesday that ‘this grave situation that is storming Iraq carries with it the signs of civil war whose implications for the region we cannot fathom.’

“Al-Faisal called on Iraq’s Shiite-led government to address the grievances of the country’s Sunni community. He also warned against ‘foreign interference’ in Iraq, a veiled jibe at Saudi Arabia’s archrival, Iran. Tehran has said that it would intervene on behalf of Iraq, if Baghdad asked for assistance in its fight against the Sunni extremist Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The Wall Street Journal has reported that Iranian units have already been deployed to protect Shia holy sites in Karbala and Najaf and to stabilize the situation in Baghdad…

“Formerly called al Qaeda in Iraq, the Sunni militants who now make up ISIS have used the civil war in Syria to regroup, after they were decimated by US troops during Washington’s occupation of Iraq. The recent advances made by ISIS against Baghdad present both risks and opportunities for the Saudis and the Iranians…

“As Iran and Saudi Arabia stake out their positions, NATO member Turkey also has vital interests at stake in the Iraq crisis… Ankara has long been concerned about a move by Iraqi Kurdistan toward greater independence, which it fears could embolden Turkey’s own Kurdish minority. In the past, Turkish forces have regularly conducted cross-border raids into northern Iraq, targeting alleged Kurdish militants there…”

Iran, a Shia state, is worried about the Sunni extremists. Iran’s involvement is strictly for self-serving purposes, and to establish itself as the dominant nation in the region.

According to Bild Online, dated June 16, 2014, the radical murderers of ISIS want to go back to 630 AD, prohibiting the consumption of alcohol and assembling together. Hands of thieves are to be cut off, and women are only to leave their houses if absolutely necessary. Citizens are to be ordered to pray at least five times a day. At the same time, this ungodly terrorist organization is apparently publically executing members of the Iraqi army and others by beheading them. Experts say that ISIS looks at Allah as their god of war; that they want to resurrect the wars of Mohammed, which were fought around 630 AD; and that their goal is to establish a Sunni “state of God,” stretching from Sinai to Kuwait and from Southern Turkey to Northern Saudi Arabia.

Is ISIS Planning to Attack Britain?

Breitbart wrote on June 18:

“Prime Minister David Cameron claimed this afternoon the extreme Islamist group ISIS are planning to attack Britain. Speaking during Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons today, Cameron warned that the threat is now bigger than jihadis returning from terror training in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

“Latest figures suggest that some 400 Britons are fighting for ISIS in Syria, but the number may be far greater if you also factor in Iraq…”

“This is a War, and Russia Is Involved”

On June 14, following the activities of Pro-Russian separatists shooting down a Ukrainian aircraft carrying 49 soldiers near the eastern city of Luhansk, Deutsche Welle conducted and published an interview with Kyryl Savin from the Heinrich Böll Foundation’s Kyiv office. We are quoting some excerpts:

“This is the biggest misfortune in the Ukraine government’s anti-terrorist operation. On the one hand, there is, of course, grief over the tragic deaths of the soldiers, especially among family members. At the same time, there’s also growing anger aimed at the government, the president, and those responsible, who have allowed something like this to happen. Because everyone is wondering: how could a military aircraft land at an airport that wasn’t secure?…

“That [this is part of a war] has been the case in my opinion for the past few weeks, essentially since Russian tanks crossed the Ukrainian border… Russia still won’t admit that it’s involved in this war… But honestly, we’ve been dealing with Russian weapons for some time. These tanks don’t just suddenly appear on the street so that they can be used against the Ukrainian military. I’m convinced that it is a war, and the next thing we’ll see is likely to be a major battle for the city of Luhansk…

“In my view [it is] absolutely obvious [that Russian President Vladimir Putin is supplying the separatists with weapons on a large scale]. It’s also not the first time this kind of thing has happened. Just a few weeks ago in eastern Ukraine, a military helicopter was shot down using the same missiles. These are advanced weapons that can’t simply be bought anywhere on the market, not even on the Russian black market. Every expert knows that. They should just stop with the lies and speak plainly: This is a war, and Russia is a party in this military conflict…

“I think that the [Ukrainian] military will now come down much harder on the separatists. There is a lot of anger among the public. People are wondering why the newly elected President Petro Poroschenko isn’t doing anything, either to bring about negotiations and peace, or to move with force and take quick decisive action. So far neither has happened…”

The connections and common interests between Putin and Poroschenko have, so far, not been properly analyzed in the mass media.

Fates of Russia and Ukraine “Intertwined”

The New York Times wrote on June 14:

“Ukraine continues to dominate public discourse in Russia. Nothing else really competes…

“Various factors fuel all the attention. First, naturally, is the worry that a full-blown war could erupt out of the skirmishing just across the border, with the Russian military involved overtly or covertly. Second is the sense that the fates of the two countries are intertwined, rooted in a shared history and culture, as well as myriad family ties. Third, and perhaps most telling, the March annexation of Crimea put most Russians in a euphoric mood that has not diminished. The fact that the annexation has infused the public with a sense of greatness they had lost sent Mr. Putin’s favorability ratings soaring above 80 percent month after month, and the government itself keeps its focus firmly on Ukraine. His political allies are ecstatic…

“Despite the simmering conflict next door, experts of all stripes note a distinctive shift in mood that remains firmly in place three months after Crimea’s annexation. Ukraine and its Western allies condemn the annexation as illegal, but there is no sign anyone is trying to get Crimea back.”

The fates of Russia and Ukraine are indeed “intertwined,” in that they will ultimately become allies which will be hostile to Europe.

Tensions Escalate Between Russia and Ukraine—No More Gas for Ukraine?

The Washington Times wrote on June 16:

“Russian authorities said Monday they will cut off gas supplies to Ukraine over unpaid bills, leaving the struggling nation in a tight spot to heat homes and fuel businesses. ‘Gazprom supplies to Ukraine only the amount that has been paid for, and the amount that has been paid for is zero,’ said Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov in The Associated Press.

“He also said that supplies will continue to be delivered to Europe [almost 15% of gas used in Europe comes from Russia via Ukraine] and it’s still Ukraine’s responsibility to make these supplies get there. At the same time, Gazprom did send a statement to the European Commission warning of a ‘possible disruption in the gas transit,’ AP said. The worry is Ukraine might siphon off some of Europe’s gas supplies.

“The financially struggling Ukraine has been in arrears on gas payments for some time.”

BBC News added on June 16:

“Ukraine says Russia has cut off all gas supplies to Kiev, in a major escalation of a dispute between the two nations…

“Earlier this month, Gazprom gave Ukraine more time to settle its gas bill after receiving a part-payment of $786m (£469m). Ukraine said it refused to clear its debts completely in protest at Gazprom’s recent 80% price increase. Gazprom ended its discount price for Ukraine… in April.

“Before the discount was cancelled, Ukraine’s gas bill was heavily reduced by Russia to $268 per 1,000 cubic metres. The price is now $485.50 per 1,000 cubic metres, the highest in Europe…

“Heading into the negotiations, Kiev said it was ready to make the $1.95bn payment if Russia cut its price to $326 per 1,000 cubic metres. But Russian President Vladimir Putin said $385 per 1,000 cubic metres was his final offer.”

Europe Turns On Israel

The Times of Israel wrote on June 16:

“Jerusalem has summoned the European Union’s top representative in Israel to the Foreign Ministry to protest a declaration the Union issued together with the Arab League, calling it one-sided and biased against Israel…  ‘The declaration was so blatantly one-sided, it basically read as if it was dictated by the Arab League,’ a senior Foreign Ministry official told The Times of Israel. ‘It hails the Fatah-Hamas union and praises the Palestinians’ “commitment to democracy and human rights,” but doesn’t reflect negatively in any way on the rockets fired from Gaza at our citizens, or anything else the Palestinians do wrong.’

“The 10-page declaration does not explicitly mention Hamas, nor does it mention rocket attacks against Israeli civilians or any other form of Palestinian terrorism, merely condemning ‘all acts of violence against civilians’ and calling for ‘full respect of international humanitarian law.’ On the other hand, the declaration… is not short of harsh criticism for alleged Israeli violations. For instance, the European and Arab foreign ministers expressed concern over the ‘grave humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip largely caused by the closure imposed by the Occupying Power,’ according to the declaration.

“The ministers also ‘stressed their common position that Israeli settlements, the separation barrier built anywhere in the occupied Palestinian territory, home demolitions and evictions are illegal under international law and constitute obstacles for peace and they endanger the viability of the two-state solution.’ Furthermore, the ministers reaffirmed their concern regarding ‘unilateral measures’ in violation of international law, such as the ‘settlement activities in occupied East Jerusalem.’ They called for the release of Palestinian prisoners ‘in accordance with previous agreements’ and demanded an end to Israel’s ‘excessive use of administrative detention in contravention of international law.’

“The European and Arab ministers also welcomed the establishment of the Palestinian unity government ‘as an important element for reaching a two-state solution,’ calling on Israel to cooperate with the new government. ‘The Ministers welcomed Palestine’s commitment to democracy and human rights as expressed by its accession to relevant international treaties and conventions,’ the statement read…”

EU Very Late in Condemning Kidnapping of Israeli Teens

The Jerusalem Post wrote on June 17:

“Following Jerusalem’s fury over a lack of response from Ashton’s office… the EU condemned on Tuesday the kidnapping of three Israeli teenagers in the West Bank, calling for their immediate release and safe return five days after the abduction took place… The European Union’s remarks trailed various statements from other entities in the international community that poured in by Sunday, immediately following announcements that the yeshiva student[s] had been taken from a hitchhiking point in Gush Etzion.

“On Monday, diplomatic sources in Jerusalem said EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton’s failure to quickly condemn the kidnappings of Israeli youths had ‘not gone unnoticed.’ The officials said that while the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Spain, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the International Committee of the Red Cross all condemned the kidnappings by Sunday, as of Monday afternoon there was no statement from Ashton or her office.

“In a public address on Monday night, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu urged the entire international community to condemn the attack. The European Union had been among those that had not spoken out…”

One wonders why not….

Gay Parade in Tel Aviv—Biggest of its Kind in the Middle East

The Times of Israel wrote on June 14:

“Tel Aviv was draped in rainbow colors Friday, and many of the city’s streets were closed off as over 100,000 revelers took part in the annual Gay Pride parade… Drag queens wearing heavy makeup, dresses with sequins and high heels bounced along to the music alongside scantily clad men and women.

“The city’s Gay Pride parade is the largest event of its kind in the Middle East. Tel Aviv is one of the few places in the Middle East where gays feel free to walk hand-in-hand and kiss in public. The city has emerged as one of the world’s most gay-friendly travel destinations in recent years, in sharp contrast to the rest of the region…

“Tel Aviv’s openness to gays stands in contrast to conservative Jerusalem, just a short drive away. Still, Jerusalem has a small gay scene and an annual pride parade, albeit on a much smaller scale. Gays serve openly in Israel’s military and parliament and many popular artists and entertainers are gay. However, leaders of the gay community say Israel still has far to go in promoting equality.

“Officially, there is no gay marriage in Israel, primarily because there is no civil marriage of any kind. All Jewish weddings must be conducted through the Jewish rabbinate, which considers homosexuality a sin and a violation of Jewish law. But the state recognizes same-sex couples who marry abroad.

“Across the rest of the Middle East, gay and lesbian relationships are mostly taboo. The pervasiveness of religion in everyday life, along with strict cultural norms, plays a major factor in that. Same-sex relations are punishable by death in Iran, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Yemen.

“Among most Palestinians, gays tend to be secretive about their social lives. In the West Bank, a 1951 Jordanian law banning homosexual acts remains in effect, as does a ban in Gaza passed by British authorities in 1936…

“According to The Daily Beast, some 100,000 gay tourists are expected to arrive in Tel Aviv this year, drawn by the city’s massive marketing push as a gay-friendly, Sabbath-breaking, free-loving hotspot on the beach…

“On Tuesday a rainbow flag indicating support for the LGBTQ community was raised over the US embassy in Tel Aviv for the first time, according to US ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro. ‘For the first time in history,’ wrote Shapiro on his Facebook page, ‘the US Embassy in Tel Aviv has raised the Pride flag together with our American flag. We are proud to join with the municipality of Tel Aviv-Yafo and its residents in celebrating LGBT Pride Week.’”

These events in Tel Aviv and elsewhere are an abomination in God’s eyes. Why do we wonder that God is angry with the modern nations of the ancient houses of Israel and Judah, especially America and Judah? But the entire Western World is engulfed in the same ungodly conduct.

As Der Tagesspiegel reported on June 13, a German lawyer and conservative politician in Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party (CDU), Sven Heibel, recently remarked that practicing homosexuality, especially in public, should be viewed again as a crime. He referred to the fact that about 20 years ago, it still was a crime in Germany (old paragraph 175 of the Criminal Law Code), and he quoted several Old Testament passages condemning homosexuality (Leviticus 18:23 and Leviticus 20:13). The aggressive and condemnatory backlash was predictable, and the CDU immediately “clarified” that Heibel’s comments did not reflect the stance of the party. His opinion was characterized by the German opposition as “despising mankind” and not in line with “democratic values.” So God, who does not change and is the same yesterday, today and forever, is despising mankind? Or is it the modern philosophy of blind and deceived politicians, educators, sociologists and other “experts” who have it all wrong?

Pelosi Pressures Catholic Archbishop to Skip Traditional Marriage March

The Washington Times reported on June 16:

“House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi sent a letter to San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, urging him to cancel his appearance at a march for traditional marriage on the Supreme Court this Thursday. The National Organization for Marriage plans to march on the Supreme Court in Washington, and Mr. Cordileone is one of the featured speakers… 

“‘We share our love of the Catholic faith and our city of San Francisco,’ Mrs. Pelosi reportedly wrote to Mr. Cordileone, urging him to abandon an event in which some of the participants, she said, show ‘disdain and hate towards LGBT persons.’ ‘If someone is gay and is searching for the Lord and has good will, then who am I to judge him?’ she asked. ‘While we may disagree on the subject of marriage equality, we do agree that every person is a child of God, possessed of the spark of divinity and worthy of respect.’

“The second annual March for Marriage seeks to draw thousands to the Supreme Court in support of “traditional marriage.” Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum are also slated to speak… San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom sent a joint letter last week asking Mr. Cordileone not to attend the march, and an outline petition demanding the same has garnered some 20,000 signatures…”

Obama Drafts Executive Order to “Protect” LGBT Rights

The Huffington Post reported on June 16:

“President Barack Obama has directed his staff to draft an executive order that would ban workplace discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees of federal contractors, a White House official told The Huffington Post. The move is the clearest indication to date that the administration is prepared to take action on LGBT rights where Congress has fallen short…

“The administration has been calling on Congress to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would make it illegal for employers nationwide to fire or harass someone based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. The bill passed the Senate, but as it stalled in the House, pressure mounted on the president to act in ways that don’t require legislative approval…

“The timing of the announcement comes a day before Obama is set to give remarks at a Democratic National Committee LGBT gala in New York City and coincides nicely with his designation of June as LGBT Pride Month…

“Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), a sponsor of the Senate’s ENDA bill, praised Obama’s move and noted that most people don’t even know that it’s still legal to fire someone based on their sexual orientation or gender identity in 32 states.”

Obama’s Presidency Is Over

The Washington Examiner wrote on June 18:

“President Obama’s approval rating has dropped to 41 percent, a majority of Americans disapprove of his handling of foreign policy issues, he has lost support from the Hispanic community and Americans actually think his administration is less competent than the Bush White House post-Hurricane Katrina, according to a new survey from the Wall Street Journal and NBC News. In short, the poll is nothing but bad news for the president.

“NBC News’ Chuck Todd said Tuesday [:]…‘This poll is a disaster for the president… You look at the presidency here: Lowest job rating, tied for the lowest; lowest on foreign policy. His administration is seen as less competent than the Bush administration, post-Katrina. On the issue of do you believe he can still lead? A majority believe no. Essentially the public is saying your presidency is over,’ Todd added.”

The NSA Scandal Won’t Go Away

Der Spiegel Online wrote on June 18:

“An analysis of secret documents leaked by Edward Snowden demonstrates that the NSA is more active in Germany than anywhere else in Europe… much remains unknown about the full scope of the intelligence service’s activities in Germany… The German government has sent lists of questions to the US government on several occasions, and a parliamentary investigative committee has begun looking into the subject in Berlin… Neither the government nor German lawmakers nor prosecutors believe they will receive answers from officials in the United States…

“According to Paragraph 99 of Germany’s criminal code, spying is illegal on German territory, yet German officials would seem to know next to nothing about the NSA’s activity in their country. For quite some time, it appears, they didn’t even want to know…

“Is it possible that the German government really knew nothing about all of these NSA activities within Germany? Are they really — as they claimed in August 2013 in response to a query from the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) – ‘unaware of the surveillance stations used by the NSA in Germany’? That is difficult to believe, especially given that the NSA has been active in Germany for decades and has cooperated closely with the country’s foreign intelligence agency, the BND, which is overseen by the Chancellery.”

Pope Francis Attempts to Defend the Indefensible!

The Times of Israel wrote on June 14:

“Pope Francis defended Pius XII’s record during World War II, calling the former pope ‘the great defender of the Jews.’…

“Critics have long accused Pius of not having done enough to help Jews during the Holocaust, while the Vatican has asserted he worked behind the scenes to save Jews… Pius XII was declared ‘venerable’ and put on the path to sainthood in 2009.

“The pope also noted the failures of the Allied powers to act more forcefully during the Holocaust. ‘I also want to say that sometimes I get “existential hives” when I see that everyone takes it out against the Church and Pius XII, and they forget the great powers,’ Francis said. ‘Did you know that they knew the rail network of the Nazis perfectly well to take the Jews to concentration camps? They had the pictures. But they did not bomb those railroad tracks. Why? It would be best if we spoke a bit about everything.’”

The Roman Catholic Church, the Protestant Church and the Allies are all guilty for failing to prevent the mass murders in Nazi Germany against Jews; Christians who dared to stand up; Arabs and a whole other range of racial, ethnic or religious minorities.

Francis Attacks Greed and Influence of Military

The Daily Mail wrote on June 14:

“Pope Francis has launched a scathing attack on the global economic system, warning it is near collapse because of a ‘throwaway culture’ of greed and the ‘atrocity’ of youth unemployment… The 77-year-old also criticised the economy – which he said had ‘fallen into a sin of idolatry, the idolatry of money’ – for surviving on the profits of war…

“Pope Francis… denounced the influence of war and the military on the global economy. He said: ‘Since we cannot wage the Third World War, we make regional wars. And what does that mean? That we make and sell arms.’…

“Pope Francis, who was elected in March 2013 after the resignation of former Pope Benedict, has been trying to reform the finances of the Vatican for the past year. Earlier this month, he sacked the five-man board of the Vatican’s financial watchdog, the Financial Information Authority, to pave the way for drastic change…”

The pope’s attack against making profits from the sales of war was obviously also directed against the Vatican Bank, as it reportedly participated greatly in such activities. Whether the pope can bring about substantial changes in this regard appears to be very doubtful.

Does Vatican Hide Pope Francis’ Declining Health?

The website of au.itimes.com wrote on June 18:

“From a hardworking and physically resilient stature since accepting the post in March 2013, Pope Francis has decided to take a breather from his demanding job to cancel all his audiences and daily masses in the month of July. The Vatican’s official news service on Monday announced the 77-year-old Argentinean spiritual leader of the 1.2-billion strong Roman Catholic church has suspended his popular Wednesday audiences in July, including his daily Mass at the Casa Santa Marta where he lives. The latter will be suspended till August.

“… there is more than meets the eye regarding the spiritual leader’s sudden desire to rest. ‘Close observers are noting that the Pope’s physical body may be failing to keep up with his youthful energy and vigor, especially considering he only has one fully functioning lung,’ longtime Vatican correspondent Edward Pentin said. Just last week, Pope Francis surprised the world when he took his first-ever two-day leave from work. ‘Some in the Holy See are beginning to openly discuss concerns about Francis’ condition and asking if the Holy Father is overtaxing himself.’

“In May… [health] expert Dr. Peter Hibberd noted the pope’s increasing difficulty breathing and weight gain of at least 20 pounds since taking office. Since the pope no longer has ample time to exercise, coupled with a rigorous workload, Hibberd said Pope Francis could be slipping in[to] a form of chronic heart failure which is common among victims of significant lung disorders. ‘His immunity will be challenged when under stress, and more frequent pauses to recover from otherwise small insults-such as colds, sore throats, and minor injuries-can be expected to increase in the future unless he paces himself.’

“Cardinal Telesphonre Placidus Toppo of India, a papal confidante, told Italy’s Libero newspaper that he found the pope in one of their meetings ‘very tired and fatigued’…”

No Creationism in British Schools—Must Teach Instead Ungodly Theory of Evolution

The website of politics.co.uk reported on June 18:

“Creationism cannot be taught as a valid scientific theory in any free school or academy, the government has said. The move, which came in a little noticed document last week, marks a significant victory for secular campaigners, who have long fought to ensure the freedom granted to free schools and academies does not allow religious ideas to be taught in science classes.

“New clauses for church academies published on June 9th clarify the meaning of creationism and state that it is a minority view within the Church of England and Catholic church… The move is the culmination of a long campaign by secularists, who first succeeded in getting creationism banned from all future free schools, then future stand-alone academies and then finally all future multi-academy trusts.

“It is the first time the rule has applied to current free schools and academies, however… The new church academies clauses state: ‘Clauses 2.43 and 2.44 of the funding agreement… explicitly require that pupils are taught about the theory of evolution, and prevent academy trusts from teaching “creationism” as scientific fact.

“‘Creationism’, for the purposes of clauses 2.43 and 2.44 of the funding agreement and clause 23E above, is any doctrine or theory which holds that natural biological processes cannot account for the history, diversity, and complexity of life on earth and therefore rejects the scientific theory of evolution… ‘The secretary of state acknowledges that clauses 2.43 and 2.44 of the Funding Agreement, and clauses 23E and 23G above do not prevent discussion of beliefs about the origins of the Earth and living things, such as creationism, in Religious Education, as long as it is not presented as a valid alternative to established scientific theory.’”

Even though “creationism” has its problems—including the erroneous idea that the earth is only 6,000 years old and the failure to recognize the true God of the Bible as the Creator of all things, the injunction to teach evolution as a scientific fact to our school children is appalling, unscientific and ungodly. It shows, however, the increasing atheistic approach in our Western societies, and especially in Great Britain. For more information, please read our free booklet, “The Theory of Evolution—a Fairy Tale for Adults.” 

President Obama Under Bi-Partisan Attack

The Washington Times wrote on June 8:

“While abroad in Europe last week, President Obama vehemently defended his decision to swap five Taliban guerrillas for Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl…

“By defiantly stating he won’t apologize, Mr. Obama has tied his future to the prisoner exchange, analysts say, which may prove much more difficult to defend back at home than it was thousands of miles away in Europe. The actions and words of lawmakers frustrated they weren’t informed before the exchange took place, as required by law; the Army’s investigation into whether Sgt. Bergdahl deserted his unit; and the future actions of the freed Taliban commanders, no explanations or speeches by the president, will determine where the story goes from here, according to some specialists…

“Less than 48 hours after Mr. Obama returned to Washington, lawmakers from his own party continued to raise questions about why the administration chose to keep Congress in the dark, disregarding laws stating they must be informed 30 days prior to any prisoner exchange. ‘This whole sort of deal has been one that the administration has kept very close, and in the eyes of many of us, too close,’ Sen. Dianne Feinstein, California Democrat, said Sunday… While Ms. Feinstein was somewhat reserved in her criticism, Republicans have gone several steps further.” 

President Obama Guilty of Crime?

Western Journalism reported on June 8:

“Shepard Smith [from Fox News] asked Judge Andrew Napolitano whether or not the Taliban prisoner exchange was legal under the NDAA H.R. 1960 Statute.  The judge explained that the swap was illegal because taxpayer dollars were spent to remove these prisoners from Guantanamo Bay without giving Congress 30 days-notice.  However, Napolitano goes a step further by pointing out that Obama has provided material assistance (human assets) to the Taliban, which has been identified by Congress to be a non-state terrorist organization.  This is a crime punishable by imprisonment of 10 years to life, which covers all Americans–including the President.”

Even though such prosecution will never happen, the most recent developments show the uncomfortable position, which President Obama finds himself in, as he is facing criticism from Republicans and Democrats alike. As even liberal reporters have pointed out, the White House severely misjudged the public reaction to the swap, thinking that most would approve of the deal.

House Majority Leader Cantor’s Stunning Defeat

The Washington Times wrote on June 10:

“House Majority Leader Eric Cantor lost his Republican primary Tuesday in a stunning defeat to [economics professor] Dave Brat, a little-known tea party-backed challenger, in one of the biggest upsets in recent political history… Mr. Canor… was widely presumed to be the next House speaker should John A. Boehner, Ohio Republican, step aside… But Mr. Brat managed to gin up some energy among the Republican right flank by, among other things, characterizing Mr. Cantor’s qualified support for granting legal status to some young illegal immigrants, known as dreamers, as a betrayal of conservative principles.

“Regardless of his political future, Mr. Cantor’s loss would appear to quash any lingering hope of the GOP-controlled House passing comprehensive immigration reform this year.”

America’s Immigration “Policies” Don’t Work

The Washington Times wrote on June 9:

“There’s a surge on the border… This is a mass movement of immigrants that threatens to transform the nation.

“Children are walking hundreds of miles across a hostile environment with little more than the clothes on their backs, accompanied by neither a parent nor other responsible adult. The numbers of these children making the treacherous journey are much higher than the Obama administration has acknowledged…

“Americans are a kind and generous people, and photographs of a sea of small, frightened and hungry faces in U.S. shelters along the southern border are enough to break a million hearts. President Obama, whatever he intended, is largely responsible. Lured by lax immigration enforcement and the promise of citizenship as ‘dreamers,’ the Obama children’s hour is changing the mission at the border from ensuring security to providing emergency assistance… This is a disaster, sure enough, but it’s a man-made disaster.

“Untended children leaving their homes in Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador to head north is anything but natural… Coming to America now means getting free citizenship, free health care, welfare benefits and even an Obamaphone. Illegal aliens crossing the border into Texas say news reports in their Central American homelands encourage them to risk the journey northward with the promise that if they make it to the U.S. border, they won’t be turned away…

“The children’s surge is another consequence of the president making good on his vow to ‘fundamentally transform’ America. He is endangering the lives of thousands of children south of the border.”

And Here Comes Vice President Biden…

The Local reported on June 11:

“US Vice President Joe Biden suggested Germany was hostile towards immigrants in a speech on Tuesday, in which he described the US as the only ‘non-xenophobic’ major economy in the world…

“However, the facts would seem to disagree with Biden’s thoughts about Germany… Germany had experienced an immigration boom in the last five years, making it the second most popular destination for permanent immigrants in the world… more than 15.3 million people living in Germany have a migrant background…”

While dealing or not dealing with America’s self-inflicted consequences of its immigration “policies,” Vice President Biden points his finger at other countries…

Another Shooting at High School

The Washington Times wrote on June 10:

“Calling the failure to pass gun-control laws the biggest frustration of his time in office, President Obama on Tuesday said America ‘should be ashamed’ of its gun laws, decried the type of violence seen again Tuesday at an Oregon school, and praised a country that more or less banned all long guns…

“Mr. Obama said the U.S. does not conform to the rest of the ‘advanced, developed’ world when it comes to gun laws, resurrecting his plea for restrictions on the sale of firearms…  ‘A couple of decades ago Australia had a mass shooting similar to Columbine or Newtown, and Australia just said, “Well, that’s it. We’re not doing — we’re not seeing that again,” and basically imposed very severe, tough gun laws, and they haven’t had a mass shooting since. I mean, our levels of gun violence are off the charts. There’s no other advanced, developed country on earth that would put up with this,’ he said.

“Mr. Obama made gun violence a focus of his presidency in the aftermath of the December 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. He attempted to rally Congress to action, but despite some bipartisan support for a bill to expand background checks, no gun legislation has cleared either the House or Senate. On Tuesday, a student at a high school near Portland, Ore., killed a fellow student before taking his own life.

“In the face of such crimes, Mr. Obama blamed the political power of the National Rifle Association for inaction on Capitol Hill. ‘And most members of Congress — and I have to say to some degree this is bipartisan — are terrified of the NRA. The combination of, you know, the NRA and gun manufacturers are very well financed and have the capacity to move votes in local elections and congressional elections. And so if you’re running for office right now, that’s where you feel the heat,’ he said. … ‘Right now, it’s not even possible to get even the mildest restrictions through Congress. We should be ashamed of that.’”

The Washington Post added on June 10:

“This shooting is at least the 74th since the December 2012 massacre in Newtown, Conn., according to the group Everytown for Gun Safety.  Half of those shootings have occurred in 2014.”

This is an atrocity indeed, and on this point, whatever his motives, President Obama is right. America’s insane fascination with its guns is ungodly and even beyond human logic.    

America’s Wars Don’t Work

The Huffington Post wrote on June 10:

“The United States has been at war — major boots-on-the-ground conflicts and minor interventions, firefights, air strikes, drone assassination campaigns, occupations, special ops raids, proxy conflicts, and covert actions — nearly nonstop since the Vietnam War began.  That’s more than half a century of experience with war, American-style, and yet few in our world bother to draw the obvious conclusions.

“Given the historical record, those conclusions should be staring us in the face.  They are, however, the words that can’t be said in a country committed to a military-first approach to the world, a continual build-up of its forces, an emphasis on pioneering work in the development and deployment of the latest destructive technology, and a repetitious cycling through styles of war from full-scale invasions and occupations to counterinsurgency, proxy wars, and back again.

“So here are five straightforward lessons — none acceptable in what passes for discussion and debate in this country — that could be drawn from that last half century of every kind of American warfare:

“1. No matter how you define American-style war or its goals, it doesn’t work. Ever.

“2. No matter how you pose the problems of our world, it doesn’t solve them. Never.

“3. No matter how often you cite the use of military force to ‘stabilize’ or ‘protect’ or ‘liberate’ countries or regions, it is a destabilizing force.

“4. No matter how regularly you praise the American way of war and its ‘warriors,’ the U.S. military is incapable of winning its wars.

“5. No matter how often American presidents claim that the U.S. military is ‘the finest fighting force in history,’ the evidence is in: it isn’t…

“Just look at the effects of American war in the twenty-first century.  It’s clear, for instance, that the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 unleashed a brutal, bloody, Sunni-Shiite civil war across the region (as well as the Arab Spring, one might argue)…

“The U.S. military has not won a serious engagement since World War II:  the results of wars in Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq ranged from stalemate to defeat and disaster.  With the exception of a couple of campaigns against essentially no one (in Grenada and Panama), nothing, including the ‘Global War on Terror,’ would qualify as a success on its own terms, no less anyone else’s.  This was true, strategically speaking, despite the fact that, in all these wars, the U.S. controlled the air space, the seas (where relevant), and just about any field of battle where the enemy might be met.  Its firepower was overwhelming and its ability to lose in small-scale combat just about nil…

“A military whose way of war doesn’t work, doesn’t solve problems, destabilizes whatever it touches, and never wins simply can’t be the greatest in history, no matter the firepower it musters…”

These comments should resonate loud and clear with those who still remember Herbert Armstrong’s dogmatic declaration more than 30 years ago, that America has won its last war (World War II) and will not win any more wars.

Iraq Faces Another War

The New York Times wrote on June 10:

“Sunni militants spilling over the border from Syria seized control Tuesday of the northern city of Mosul, Iraq’s second largest, in the most stunning success yet in a rapidly widening insurgency that threatens to drag the region into war… The Iraqi army apparently crumbled in the face of the militant assault, as soldiers dropped their weapons, shed their uniforms for civilian clothes and blended in with the fleeing masses. The militants freed thousands of prisoners and took over military bases, police stations, banks and provincial headquarters, before raising the black flag of the jihadi group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria over public buildings. The bodies of soldiers, police officers and civilians lay scattered in the streets…

“The swift capture of large areas of the city by militants aligned with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria represented a climactic moment on a long trajectory of Iraq’s unraveling since the withdrawal of American forces at the end of 2011. The rising insurgency in Iraq seemed likely to add to the foreign policy woes of the Obama administration, which has faced sharp criticism for its swap of five Taliban officers for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl… Maliki ordered a state of emergency for the entire country and called on friendly governments for help…”

Deutsche Welle added on June 10 

“Insurgents from the jihadist Islamist State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) took control of Tikrit on Wednesday afternoon… Tikrit is 150 kilometers (95 miles) north of Baghdad, and the hometown of former dictator Saddam Hussein.”

Pakistani Taliban Launches Deadly Attack

Deutsche Welle reported on June 9:

“A spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban has claimed responsibility for Sunday night’s attack on Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport, which killed more than 20 people, saying it was in revenge for attacks on their strongholds along the country’s border with Afghanistan. ‘It is a message to the Pakistan government that we are still alive to react over the killings of innocent people in bomb attacks on their villages,’… a Taliban spokesman told the Reuters news agency.

“The Pakistani Taliban, an alliance of Islamist militant groups seeking to topple the Islamabad government and set up a Sharia state, is separate from but allied with the Taliban in Afghanistan…

“The death toll from the fighting was not immediately clear, with news agencies reporting between 23 and 28 people killed, including the 10 gunmen who had stormed a terminal used mostly for cargo flights. Most of those killed appeared to be airport and other security staff… [Reportedly,] seven of the attackers were shot dead by [government] forces, while three others wearing suicide vests blew themselves up after being surrounded by soldiers…

“Also on Sunday, at least 22 people were reported killed in a gun and suicide attack in Pakistan’s south-western Baluchistan province. The attack apparently targeted [Shiite] pilgrims in a hotel in the border town of Tuftan, where they were staying after returning from a visit to holy Muslim sites in Iran. It wasn’t immediately clear whether there was a connection between this attack and the airport assault.”

Sadly, terrorist organizations like the Taliban, Hamas, Hezbollah and now the ISIS are alive and well, and they have by no means given up their “fight” against anyone who does not agree with them.

Egypt’s New President – Worse Than Mubarak and Morsi?

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 8:

“The former head of the army, Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, has been sworn in as Egyptian president in a ceremony in Cairo… opponents fear a return to autocratic rule…

“The swearing-in confirms the 59-year-old el-Sissi in the position of head of state that he has held de facto for nearly a year after topping President Mohammed Morsi.  El-Sissi won a landslide victory in May 26-28 presidential elections, receiving 96.9 percent of the vote. His only rival, leftist leader Hamdeen Sabbahi, managed to glean just three percent.

“The election was criticized as invalid by the opposition, as the turnout was only around 50 percent… The election was boycotted by Morsi’s now-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, which has been subjected to a massive security clampdown. Thousands of Morsi’s supporters have been rounded up since July last year, when the army, then led by el-Sissi, ousted the Islamist president… More than 1,400 people have been killed in violence following Morsi’s departure from power.

“The crackdown on the Brotherhood seems likely to continue…

“More than three years ago, US President Barack Obama withdrew Washington’s long-standing support for Hosni Mubarak… Today, the White House is cooperating with Egypt’s latest military-commander-turned-president, Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, in what some analysts say is a return to the old status quo of US support for military rule… [Some say] that current US policy is worse than during the Mubarak era [since] Mubarak… originally came to power through a legal succession of power after the assassination of President Anwar Sadat in 1981…

“In the case of el-Sissi, he led the military overthrow of Mohammed Morsi, an Islamist and Egypt’s first democratically elected president. The military subsequently cracked down on the Muslim Brotherhood and Morsi’s supporters, leading to hundreds of deaths and thousands of arrests. Morsi has been imprisoned and is now facing the death penalty. [Critics say that this] is a coup and that it [shows that the United States is willing to be with any government regardless of any kind of legitimacy or background…

“Washington, for its part, has avoided labeling el-Sissi’s putsch as a military coup. Had the White House called Morsi’s overthrow a coup, the US would have been obligated under federal law to cancel all military aid to Egypt… [Critics] who are against the coup look at America as part of this process; as part of overthrowing a democratic process; as part of trying to contain the popular uprisings; and as part of trying to manage the process of potential change in the region… [and refer] to US policy in Egypt as ‘business as usual.’”

The political alliances of the USA with questionable foreign leaders and countries are bound to back-fire. God condemns such alliances in the strongest terms.

Iran Meets Turkey

Times of Israel wrote on June 9:

“Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani met with Turkish officials in Ankara Monday, with discussions on developments in Syria and bilateral ties on the agenda. Rouhani is on a two-day trip to Turkey, with eyes on restoration of once fruitful relations in trade and security. The trip is the first official Iranian presidential visit to Turkey since 1996…  ‘It is a necessity [for Iran and Turkey] to cooperate in all aspects, as well as issues regarding North Africa, Palestine and the Middle East,’ he said…

“Shiite Iran is the main regional ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad, but Sunni-majority Turkey has moved from trying to encourage reform in Syria to overtly supporting the armed opposition. Rouhani on Monday congratulated Assad on his re-election for a third seven-year term last week, in a poll ridiculed by Syrian opposition groups and their Western and Arab backers…

“Rouhani is expected to sign agreements with Turkey aimed at improving ties that have been strained over the war in Syria… Iran is… an important trading partner for Turkey…”

Turkey – biblical Edom — will still play a very important prophetic role in the future. Ultimately, it will align with Israel’s enemies and behave with great cruelty against the Jewish nation.

Syria—Where Are the “Ten Righteous”?

The Times of Israel wrote on June 9:

“Eighty percent of the opposition fighters in Syria have ‘a clear Islamist agenda,’ a senior Israeli intelligence officer said on Monday… Brig. Gen. Itai Brun, head of Military Intelligence research, assessed in a presentation to the Herzliya Conference on Monday that of a total of some 120,000 men fighting the Assad regime, some 50,000 are Salafists who would like to see Islam implemented in the future Syria, belonging to groups like Al-Nusra Front. Approximately 30,000 support a more moderate political Islam, akin to the ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood. The number of global jihadists, members of organizations such as ISIS, is around 15,000, or 13 percent of the fighting body. Only 20 percent of Syria’s fighters, Brun estimated, could be categorized as ‘secular.’ ‘The Islamist nature of the [Syrian] opposition will have, I believe, a great impact on the future Syria,’ Brun said.

“… a Syrian opposition member affiliated with the pro-Western Free Syrian Army warned of the expanding influence of Al-Nusra Front in Syria’s south. The group, dubbed a terror organization by the US, is better funded and better equipped than the Free Syrian Army, and has therefore managed to draw a large number of local fighters from the ranks of the FSA. The Assad regime outnumbers the rebels almost 3:1, boasting 300,000 fighters, 100,000 of whom belong to pro-regime militias, Brun said…

“Brun surprised observers last April when he announced that Israel had proof of Assad’s use of sarin nerve gas, months before a deadly regime strike on a suburb of Damascus sparked international pressure that forced Assad to forgo his country’s chemical arsenal. He said that now, the regime has submitted or domestically destroyed most of its chemical arsenal, but continues to drop explosive barrels with chlorine on civilian populations. Syria has used up ‘a large part’ of its missile arsenal against its own civilian population, and its tanks and air force are currently in disrepair, he said.”

Francis Meets and Prays with Peres, Abbas and Bartholomew

Reuters reported on June 8:

“The Israeli and Palestinian presidents began an unprecedented meeting with Pope Francis on Sunday to pray together in the hope that the gesture will relaunch the Middle East peace process. Francis, who made the surprise invitation to Shimon Peres and Mahmoud Abbas last month during his trip to the Holy Land, welcomed the two leaders…

“The three, accompanied by Patriarch Bartholomew, spiritual head of the Orthodox Christians, were… driven together in a white mini-van to what the Vatican has called a ‘neutral’ site in the Vatican gardens with no religious symbols… ‘We have gathered here, Israelis, Palestinians, Jews, Christians and Muslims, so that each of us can express his or her desire for peace for the Holy Land and for all who dwell there,’ the master of ceremonies said as the service began…

“Religious representatives of the three religions – Judaism, Christianity and Islam – then began prayers for peace in Italian, Hebrew, Arabic and English… Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the key Israeli decision-maker, [was] not attending… [He] has made no direct comment on the meeting, but… he suggested that prayer is no substitute for security…

“The event, which the pope asked believers of all religions to join in prayer, marked the first time that Jewish, Christian and Islamic prayers were held in the tiny city state that is the headquarters of the 1.2 billion-member Roman Catholic Church…”

In an accompanying article, Reuters wrote on June 8:

“The pope spoke after Jewish rabbis, Christian cardinals and Muslim Imams read and chanted from the Old Testament, the New Testament and the Koran in Italian, English, Hebrew and Arabic in the first such inter-religious event in the Vatican… the fact that Francis’s bold move has managed to bring together the two presidents… shows his desire to engage political leaders, offering inter-religious dialogue as a building block.”

Breitbart added on June 9:

“On Sunday, Islamic Prayers and readings from the Quran were heard from the Vatican for the first time in history… Pope Francis hoped that inter-faith dialogue would promote peace between the Israeli and Palestinian people… A representative from the Holy See said Friday that the prayers would be a ‘pause in politics.’ However, skeptics have noted that the very act of bringing Jewish, Christian, and Muslim leaders together to ‘pray for peace’ is a politically-charged move in and of itself.

“The event… featured readings from several texts of the monotheistic faiths. The Tanakh (Hebrew scriptures), New Testament, and the Quran… featured in the ceremonies. Afterwards, Francis, Peres, and Abbas were called upon to read religious verses of their choosing.”

Even though nobody expects that these kinds of meetings will bring about a lasting peace between Israel and its enemies, it is important to realize that the Catholic Church is getting more and more involved in inter-religious activities and in political affairs—especially, as they pertain to the Middle East. Our free booklets, “Biblical Prophecy—From Now Until Forever,” and “The Ten European Revivals of the Ancient Roman Empire,” explain these developments in the light of biblical prophecies.

EU Threatens Action Against Israel

The EUObserver wrote on June 5:

“The EU has threatened to take action against settlers after Israel backed the building of 1,466 more Jewish homes on Palestinian land in the West Bank. EU countries said in a joint communique on Thursday (5 June) the move is ‘unhelpful to peace efforts’ and called on Israel to ‘reverse the decision’. They added that if it doesn’t, they will ‘act accordingly’ and ‘fully and effectively implement existing legislation in relation to settlements’.

“The threat refers to plans to publish a code of conduct for EU retailers on how to label settler-made products – a move likely to fuel consumer boycotts and to harm Israel’s image… Israel announced the new housing units as a price tag for Palestine’s formation of a unity government… Israel’s housing minister, Uri Ariel, himself a far-right settler, said the new housing units come because ‘when Israel is spat upon, it has to do something about it’.”

Europe will ultimately become a bitter enemy of Israel, and its “actions” will include military intervention in the Middle East.

Jean-Claude Juncker Most Dangerous Man in Europe?

The EUObserver wrote on June 6:

“EU commission president-hopeful Jean-Claude Juncker has not given up on his bid for the post despite British opposition, but EU leaders are nowhere near an agreement on him. Speaking at a meeting of centre-right MEPs on Thursday (5 June), Juncker said: ‘I will not fall on my knees before the British.’

“He also complained about a negative campaign in the British media… The British tabloid The Sun on Tuesday listed ‘six reasons why Juncker is the most dangerous man in Europe’…

“Juncker needs a so-called qualified majority of EU leaders to back his nomination. British Prime Minister David Cameron has made it clear that he would under no circumstance agree to Juncker, as the ex-Eurogroup chief is seen as part of an old guard rather than the reform that Cameron is pushing for…

“Obama also weighed in on the debate, warning against Britain leaving the EU… ‘It’s always encouraging for us to know that Britain has a seat at the table in the wider European project. It would be difficult to imagine that project going well in the absence of Great Britain,’ Obama said.”

Britain will leave the EU. It is just a matter of time. (Note the next article as well.) The idea that Juncker is the most dangerous man in Europe is of course far-fetched, but the Bible prophesies that a powerful political leader of German or Austrian descent will arise in Europe… and he WILL BECOME one of the two most dangerous men in Europe—the other one being a false religious leader.

Germany vs. Britain

The Guardian wrote on June 6:

“In Germany… it has been a week of unusually candid words about Britain’s future in the European Union. ‘If the Brits want to go their own way and leave the EU, let them,’ said Hans-Peter Uhl, a politician from Angela Merkel’s sister party, the Bavarian CSU…

“Der Spiegel, still Germany’s most influential news publication, compared Britain and Europe to ‘a relationship in which both people make each other unhappy but fail to draw the conclusions’‚ in a leader article bluntly headlined ‘Join up or leave’.

“Yasmin Fahimi, the general secretary of the Social Democrats, said it was farcical that EU leaders were allowing themselves to be blackmailed by a country ‘which doesn’t understand Europe and rails against Europe’s success in order to improve its national profile’.

“Has Cameron, by his resistance to Merkel’s preferred choice of Juncker for EU commission president, managed to plunge Anglo-German relations to a new low just as he is more reliant on his German counterpart’s support than ever? Few doubt that Merkel, the ‘British chancellor’ (as Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung had it), has a genuine interest in keeping Britain in the union. Cameron is tactically useful to her at European level, allowing her to hide behind his aggressive behaviour when it is in her interest and point the finger when he oversteps the mark…

“‘We’ve come to realise that Germany and Britain really have quite a different understanding of democracy at European level,’ said Nicolai von Ondarza, a senior associate at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs…

“Sociologist Ulrich Beck… told the Guardian that ‘Great Britain plays a very ambivalent role, because it never took the European elections seriously in the first place, but now finds itself in the anti-democratic camp’. Beck suggests that the background to the current tension between Germany and Britain is that many feel that the UK’s relationship with the EU has reached a breaking point…

“‘The “my way or the highway” strategy that Margaret Thatcher pioneered is certainly getting on a lot of Germans’ nerves, because they feel Cameron is constantly setting ultimatums rather than trying [to] seek a compromise,’ said Thomas Matussek, a former German ambassador to Britain…”

Balkan States Would Like to Join the EU

The Local wrote on June 8:

“Balkan countries have a ‘clear prospect’ of joining the European Union, but the process will be long, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said… Greece became the first Balkan state to join the EU in 1981, followed by Slovenia in 2004, Romania and Bulgaria in 2007 and Croatia in 2013.

“Other Balkan EU hopefuls besides Serbia and Kosovo are Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania and Bosnia.”

Back to the USSR?

Breitbart wrote on June 8:

“Putin said the fall of the USSR was the greatest geopolitical tragedy of the 20th century. He was a top KGB man in St. Petersburg before he moved to Moscow. During his first presidency and when he was prime minister, he bullied ex-Soviet states in order to dissuade them from forming closer ties to the West and Europe. In 2008, Russia and Georgia engaged in a war over South Ossetia and Abkhazia. It did not last long, but it is one of the reasons why Georgia wants to join NATO.

“Former Georgian Prime Minister and representative to NATO Ambassador Grigol Mgaloblishvili told Breitbart News Russia wants to cripple much of Eastern Europe. ‘The main objective of Russia is to regain its sphere of influence over the post-Soviet states,’ he said. ‘After violating international law, after invading and occupying territories of European nations and violating the basic principles and consensuses of the post-Cold War order, Moscow has not paid any political price.’

“His latest power grab is Ukraine. He bullied President Viktor Yanukovych to turn down a trade deal with the European Union for a $15 billion bailout and cheap gas. Russia cut the price of gas to $268.50. Yanukovych’s actions were met with a three-month protest in Kiev and he was ousted on February 22. In retaliation, Russia and Gazprom decided to use gas as a political tool and raised the price to $485 per 1,000 cubic meters. Gazprom also threatened to cut off gas if Ukraine does not pay off its debt and Putin made a few remarks that Europe’s supply could be in danger if they do not help Ukraine.

“In mid-March, Putin annexed Crimea, a Black Sea peninsula, from Ukraine to ‘protect the ethnic Russians and Russian speakers’ in the country. Pro-Russian forces erupted in east Ukraine after Crimea was annexed, but Putin claimed Russia was not involved. Donetsk and Luhansk held a referendum on May 11 and claimed independence from Kiev. On May 25, it was revealed Chechens from Russia were in Donetsk. These men told… Financial Times that Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, who is very friendly with Putin, sent them. The new prime minister of Donetsk People’s Republic is Alexander Borodai, a Russian citizen from Moscow.

“Due to Russia’s actions, other countries believe they might be Putin’s next target. A Russian diplomat told the United Nations Human Rights Council that Moscow is concerned about the treatment of Russian speakers in Estonia. Russia’s ambassador to Latvia told a radio station Russia will grant citizenship to ethnic Russians in the country.

“Moscow implemented a new law that accelerates the citizenship process for any ethnic Russian or Russian speakers from another country. They also passed a law that allows them to intervene in a country they feel [is] mistreating any ethnic Russians or Russian speakers.”

This article summarizes accurately some of the past events which show clearly that it is Putin’s desire to restore the former Soviet Union—including with violent means and military invasions…

“Beast” Asteroid Flies By Earth

Scientific American wrote on June 6:

“This Sunday (June 8), the near-Earth asteroid 2014 HQ124—which some observers have nicknamed ‘The Beast’—will give the planet a relatively close shave, coming within 777,000 miles (1.25 million kilometers) at its closest approach, or about 3.25 times the distance from Earth to the moon.

“There is no chance of an impact on this pass, researchers stress. But at 1,100 feet (335 meters) wide, 2014 HQ124 could do some serious damage if it slammed into us. ‘This one would definitely be catastrophic if it hit the Earth,’ [according to] asteroid impact expert Mark Boslough…

“If 2014 HQ124 is one solid piece of rock—its composition isn’t known for certain—the strike would unleash an explosion with a yield of about 2,000 megatons, Boslough added. For comparison, the atomic bomb the United States dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima during World War II packed about 15 kilotons. (One megaton is equivalent to 1,000 kilotons.)…

“Asteroid 2014 HQ124 was discovered on April 23, just six weeks ago—not nearly enough time to deflect the asteroid if it were on a collision course with Earth… Scientists estimate… that they’ve found about 95 percent of the potential ‘civilization-enders’ out there—mountain-size asteroids at least 0.6 miles (1 km) across. But there are probably more than 1 million near-Earth asteroids at least 100 feet (30 m) wide, and less than 1 percent of them have been discovered.”

We should not dismiss the possibility that major asteroids could hit the earth. The Bible indicates that such clashes might occur.    

China’s Dog Meat Festival 2014

The International Business Times wrote on June 9:

“Activists are calling for a boycott of this year’s Yulin Dog Meat Festival, where thousands of dogs are slaughtered and eaten in China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. It is estimated that around 10,000 dogs were killed and eaten at last year’s Yulin Summer Solstice Dog Meat Festival… An animal rights lawyer in Beijing said that official claims that all dogs are bred by local dog farmers is false… according to research there are no such farms and… all dogs are abducted from the streets…

“Another… factor… is poor food safety… butchers slaughtering the dogs are at risk of rabies, while the meat is not properly quarantined or inspected, increasing the chance of food safety problems… local residents say animal rights activists should not interfere with the festival. One local told China Daily: ‘It is our tradition and our right to eat dog meat. If we are cruel and brutal, what about those who eat pork, beef and chicken?’

“An opinion piece in the Global Times said that banning the festival outright will not work due to the widespread participation, so instead authorities should work to implement stricter regulations to improve safety and welfare.”

Of course, the only real solution is to abstain from eating meat which the Bible describes as “unclean.” Dogs as well as pigs are “unclean” or inappropriate for human consumption, whereas beef and chicken can be eaten. However, self-willed and God-defying carnal men will never submit to the Holy Bible’s directives. But the situation will fundamentally change when Jesus Christ returns to establish God’s rule and government here on earth. 

Sodom and Gomorrah in Today’s “Christian” Churches and Universities

The Washington Times wrote on June 9:

“The most visible Episcopal church in the U.S. is hosting its first openly transgender priest this month… Cameron Partridge is set to give the June 22 sermon at the Washington National Cathedral in Northwest…

“Dean of the cathedral… Gary Hall, said in a statement that he hopes Mr. Partridge’s presence sends a message of support for the transgender community. ‘We at Washington National Cathedral are striving to send a message of love and affirmation, especially to LGBT youth who suffer daily because of their gender identity or sexual orientation,’ he said. ‘We want to proclaim to them as proudly and unequivocally as we can: Your gender identity is good and your sexual orientation is good because that’s the way that God made you.’

“The General Convention of the Episcopal Church in 2012 approved the ordination of transgender persons. The convention also approved a rite of blessing for same-sex unions, a decision that’s been a major contributor to the fracturing of Episcopal congregations. The cathedral performs same-sex marriages…

“Mr. Partridge is the Episcopal chaplain at Boston University and a lecturer and counselor for Episcopal and Anglican students at the Harvard Divinity School. He completed his transition to male in 2001, according to Boston University. Mr. Hall also announced that… Gene Robinson, the first openly gay Episcopal priest, would be presiding the same service with Mr. Partridge. He retired from his post as a bishop in New Hampshire and now works at the Center for American Progress.”

It is that kind of “progress” that God strongly condemns.

Demonic Slender Man Strikes Again?

The website of nbcsandiego.com wrote on June 9:

“A Cincinnati woman attacked by her 13-year-old daughter is blaming the fictional online demonic entity Slender Man for the girl’s behavior. Slender Man is the same character police say two Wisconsin 12-year-old girls claim influenced them to stab another girl earlier this month.

“The woman [said] that her 13-year-old daughter attacked her with a knife in their kitchen. ‘She had her hood up and had her hands covered with her sleeves and the mask,’ the woman said, adding that her daughter was ‘someone else during [the] attack.’

“The woman says she discovered disturbing references to Slender Man in her daughter’s writing. ‘We found things that she had written and she made reference to Slender Man. She also made references to killing,’ the mother told WLWT. ‘She even created a world for Slender Man in the game Mine Craft.’

“Slender Man, a tall, faceless being in a black suit, is a fictional character notorious for stalking and terrorizing children. The Cincinnati woman says her daughter’s attack may have been an attempt to appease Slender Man…”

Our Abominable American “News” Casts – Why Waste Your Time?

The Huffington Post wrote on June 9:

“Not too long ago in our recent past there used to be television shows — entertainment, we called it — and we also had the news. More serious, not worthy of high ratings — informative, you might say. Now we have entertaining news, not entertainment news like Entertainment Tonight, but a soap opera version of the news. Every day we have the drama of America, heroes and villains.

“The drama of the just-released American soldier from Afghanistan is today’s new drama. Freed at last after five years of captivity. Welcome homes signs… and then the darker story. Was he a traitor? Was one American soldier vs. five Taliban radicals too high a price to pay? Why does his father have a beard? Should the president be impeached for not informing Congress? We are fascinated. Emotions are high. It’s perfect television drama. It captures our imagination. Congress is involved. It is all-consuming. It is the Great Distraction.

“And while this soap opera plays out, our country sinks deeper and deeper into a paralysis of total and complete incompetence… We watch our middle class disappear, our infrastructure collapse, our quality of life slide deeper down the rabbit hole, and the band plays on…

“Television news/entertainment is our Roman Circus. An electric circus that works as a daily distraction. It placates us, it’s our daily sugar dose, it makes the medicine go down better. Every morning the new talking points for the day begin. Throughout the night, the writers create the storyline for the day. You hear one Congress person after another use the same wording. How they want to act it out is their own privilege. The same thoughts play out. Some use outrage, indignation, sarcasm, but the story line must hold.

“And as soon as the story begins to lose momentum? The big switch! The next news/entertainment must fill the space… Is Obama a dictator or is he too weak? Is there something wrong with Hillary’s brain or not? That’s worth a day of questions and no answers. The fact that she’s not running for at least a year and a half is not of consequence. The question ‘still must be asked.’ And you can always come back to ‘Where’s that plane?’ — or Benghazi, of course. The rule of thumb is investigations must take a very long time. Otherwise the story could come to an end too quickly.

“As long as we are diverted from the real truth, their goal is accomplished… The goal is to quiet the populace. Silence the voices of outrage. And it works… the Romans ruled for centuries. They understood the mission: Feed the masses bread and circus.”

These comments are spot on and absolutely correct. The American “news” channels – as well as just about all the other “news” channels around the world — are an absolute atrocity—a complete abomination, filled with propaganda and ideologies, fruitless “discussions,” useless entertainment and silly showmanship. You will not find a good and proper diet of balanced news reports on ANY American TV channel, and especially NOT the news that is truly relevant in the light of biblical prophecy. Therefore, don’t waste your time and read our weekly Updates instead.