Easter 2005

As you may be aware, the Church of the Eternal God and its corporate affiliates in Canada and the UK do not celebrate Easter, for Biblical reasons, as taught both in the Old and in the New Testament. For a full explanation, please re-read our
Editorial in Update #89 (for the week ending April 18, 2003), titled, “Why We Don’t Celebrate Easter.”

A Temple in Jerusalem?

In our last Update, we discussed from the Scriptures, whether the Jews will build a temple in Jerusalem prior to Christ’s return. We saw that the Scriptures indicate that they might do so.

In this light, the following report by the BBC is quite remarkable. As was stated on March 15, 2005, on www.news.bbc.co.uk, “Jewish extremists are plotting to take over the Temple Mount in an attempt to thwart Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza, an Israeli TV station has reported. Channel Two showed a video of the plotters, including rabbis and far-right extremists, in a meeting to discuss ways to occupy the holy site… The meeting took place at a secret location in the Old City of Jerusalem, the TV station said. It involved representatives from 30 different groups. Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei has appealed to Israel to stop any action against the compound. ‘We warn that the region will explode if there is any attack against al-Aqsa,’ Mr Qurei told reporters.”

The article continued to point out: “The Temple Mount compound, in the old city in East Jerusalem, covers an area of 35 acres. The site is holy to Jews because it is the site of the First and Second Temple in ancient times. It is known in Jewish tradition as the ‘abode of God’s presence.’ The same area is known to Muslims as the Haram al-Sharif (the Noble Sanctuary). It is of deep religious, political and national significance to Palestinians and to Muslims around the world.”

In this context, another article posted on www.templemount.org, which is dated March 18, 2005, is quite interesting. The rather lengthy article is titled, “Preparations for a Third Jewish Temple.” In the article, it is pointed out:

“Number 20 of the 613 commandments in the Torah (according to Maimonides) calls for the building of a Temple… in Jerusalem if one does not exist or orders the maintenance of a Temple if it exists. Orthodox Jews during the diaspora call for the eventual building of the Temple in Jerusalem.”

The article continued: “For centuries the Jews did not possess their homeland—they were forced to wander as strangers and vagabonds across the face of the earth. Deep within the Jewish heart has been a longing for a return to the land and a rebuilding of the Temple. The Temple is also a symbol of prosperity granted them from heaven, and a reminder of better days that the nation had in the days of David and Solomon. Desire for the restoration of the Temple has been the prayer of the Orthodox Jew since the destruction of the Second Temple in AD 70.

“A rebuilt temple could also be a unifying force for this small beleaguered nation… In 1982, after years of disagreement about methods of approach, three groups of devout Jews, The Jerusalem Temple Foundation, To the Mountain of the Lord, and The Faithful of the Temple Mount combined their forces to plan for and build the Third Temple. More recently The Temple Institute has begun to build the sacred vessels to be used in the Third Temple… If a new Temple is to be constructed then there must be a functioning priesthood to perform the proper rites and ceremonies. Such a priesthood is now in the works…

“The problem of restoring the sacrificial system is one that devout Jerusalem Jews have been researching with great zeal and diligence…. According to Rabbi Goren, a 1967 survey of the Temple Mount shows the exact location of the First and Second Temples as well as the site of the Ark of the Covenant. By elimination, the rabbi determined the exact areas on the Temple Mount where a Jewish sanctuary could be constructed without violation of the ancient decree not to tread on holy soil… Most Orthodox Jewish believers in Jerusalem who are working towards the building of the Third Temple believe that the Ark of the Covenant is safely hidden in a chamber under the Temple Mount. They feel certain God has preserved the Ark for 25 centuries and that it will be available when the Temple is restored…”

In addition, as we reported before, a Sanhedrin was also recently re-established, which is another interesting development in light of the possibility for the rebuilding of a Third Temple.

Earthquake in Japan

As The Associated Press reported on March 20, 2005, “a powerful earthquake jolted southern Japanese islands on Sunday… The magnitude-7.0 temblor, which hit west of Kyushu Island at 10:53 a.m., was centered at an unusually shallow depth of 5.5 miles below the ocean floor, the Japanese Meteorological Agency said. At least one aftershock with a magnitude of 4.2 was recorded. Minutes after the shaking began, the agency warned of the possibility of a 20-inch tsunami triggered by the seismic activity. Such waves can grow to towering heights as they approach land, and authorities cautioned residents near the water to move to higher ground. But the agency withdrew the warning after about an hour…. On Dec. 26, a magnitude-9.0 quake triggered a massive tsunami that devastated Asian and African coastlines in nearly a dozen nations, killing at least 174,000 people… On Oct. 23, a magnitude-6.8 earthquake struck Niigata, about 160 miles northwest of Tokyo, killing 40 people and damaging more than 6,000 homes. The jolt was the deadliest to hit Japan since 1995, when a magnitude-7.3 quake killed 6,433 people in the western city of Kobe.”

US vs. Europe?

On March 21, 2005, the EUobserver reported about yet another controversy between the United States and Europe. It titled its article: “EU-US air row escalates.” The report continued: “The EU and US dispute over the state subsidies to major aircraft producers has escalated over the weekend. Newspaper reports indicate that an hour-long tense phone call between the EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson and outgoing US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick ended abruptly on Friday evening (18 March), with both of them suggesting the other had finished it unexpectedly. Both parties are now threatening to take their case to the World Trade Organisation, despite their previous deal to avoid a costly legal clash over the government support for Airbus and Boeing. The tension is rising mainly due to the impending deadline–11 April–for finding a compromise solution that the two parties agreed on in January. US officials are complaining that the Europeans are not sufficiently willing to eliminate subsidies. On the other hand, the Europeans suggest that they want ‘an equivalent contribution’ from the US for putting on the table the launch aid it provides for the development of Airbus aircraft, according to AFP.”

Drug Treatment of Depression?

In a controversial article, Dr. Nathaniel S. Lehrman maintained that “The Drug Treatment Of Depression Is One Of The Greatest Fallacies In The History Of Medicine.” In his article, which was published on August 15, 2002, on redflagsweekly.com, he pointed out:

“Depression is not a disease, such as pneumonia or malaria. Rather, depression is usually a psychophysiological reaction to an individual’s current psychosocial interactions. Depressive reactions are also seen in animals exposed to continuing levels of stress from which they cannot escape. When thinking of depression, think of fever, which is also a reaction of mind and body to a set of complex conditions… It has been known for centuries that talking with a caring counsellor can help depressed people. If the counsellor is cheerful and confident (which seems less frequent today), and conveys that confidence to his client, the latter’s chances of relief will be greater. Religion and its officiants have provided these services over the years. And personal caring has been seen as an essential part of the doctor-patient relationship and is known to have a considerable impact on medical interactions; in psychiatry, that impact may be even greater… I found depressed patients relatively easy to treat after we established the current causes of their distress.”

Dr. Lehrman continued to point out the importance of the counsellor’s correct diagnosis of the patient. He explained that a correct diagnosis necessitates, or may depend on the patient’s interaction with a doctor, rather than on just biology. Unfortunately, according to Dr. Lehrman, this fundamental premise has been more and more overlooked or ignored by medicine in recent years. He pointed out in his article:

“Today’s psychiatrists listen less to patients’ problems, focus more on their reactions (anxiety, depression, disorganization), and then, on the basis of those reactions, ‘diagnose’ – and medicate – much more quickly. But while these drugs may make patients feel better (too often they have the opposite effect), they will not help the patients in the long run unless they produce more effective energy in the patients so they can then solve their problems better. And this is quite rare.”

Dr. Lehrman concluded his article, as follows: “We find ourselves in this increasingly difficult situation because psychiatry has badly mishandled depression in its all-consuming reliance on drugs as the first line of treatment.”

Israel Erased from Canadian Passports

It almost sounds like a scene from a bad science fiction movie. But it appears to be incredible reality! As WorldNetDaily reported on March 15, 2005, “Under a new passport policy in Canada, ‘Israel’ cannot be specified as the country of birth for Canadian citizens born in Jerusalem. Canadian Jews are being told by their government to surrender their passports so the word ‘Israel’ can be removed if it appears next to the name of the Jewish state’s declared capital, according to a report by Israel National News.” The article continued to point out:

“A 2004 ruling by the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. mirrors the Canadian policy. The court ruled American consular offices in Israel need not register the birthplace of an American citizen born in Jerusalem as ‘Jerusalem, Israel,’ but merely as ‘Jerusalem.”’

The unanswered question is, “Why?” What is the motive and rationale behind this strange policy?

A Time to Mourn

We reported in our last Update about the terrible mass murder in Wisconsin during a church service. One of the best editorials in newspapers and magazines,which we have seen, was published on March 13, 2005, in the Journal Sentinel. We are bringing you the following excerpts from that editorial:

“Words are inadequate to describe the horror that took place Saturday at the Sheraton Hotel in Brookfield. Some 80 people came together from communities scattered in southeastern Wisconsin and northeastern Illinois to worship, as they were wont to do on Saturdays, when a member of their ranks pulled out a pistol and started firing. Eight died, including the assailant, who turned the pistol on himself. Another four were wounded. The tragedy brings to mind Ecclesiastes, which says there is a time and a place for everything. This is the time to mourn, rather than to make sense of it all. In truth, this tragedy makes no sense, except perhaps to the gunman…

“Now we express our most profound sorrow to the survivors, in the spirit of the strangers who spontaneously expressed their condolences by decorating a snowbank on the hotel grounds with flowers – a gesture that symbolizes the pervasiveness of hope amid bleakness. Notably, some who left the flowers told reporters they did not know those attending the service.

“Saturday’s incident goes to show that gun madness may erupt anywhere. Surely, few situations feel as safe as a church service, where you put yourself in the hands of a higher power in communion with others. Yet a gun-wielding man disturbed that sacred haven and rained down death and destruction on the congregation.

“Saturday’s carnage followed on the heels of two other shooting incidents that got national play. A man who held a grudge against the judicial system allegedly shot to death the mother and husband of a Chicago federal judge and then shot himself to death last week as police were closing in on him in West Allis. And in Atlanta a man being brought to court for a rape trial overpowered a deputy and took her gun, then entered the courtroom and killed the presiding judge and court reporter, a deputy who tried to stop him and a federal agent during his flight from authorities.

“At a later time, we must try to decipher the lessons of the tragedy. The authorities should trace how [the assailant in Wisconsin] got his gun. Did he do so legally? Are there any safeguards that can be put in place to keep guns out of the hands of would-be mass killers? Gun violence has dropped in America. Can it drop more drastically? Can the nation improve the detection and treatment of mental illness to the point of preventing mass killings? Those are questions to explore in the future. But right now we mourn.”

More Senseless Murders in Minnesota

As The Associated Press reported on March 22, 2005, “A heavily armed teen accused of killing his grandparents [actually, he killed his grandparent, a former police officer, and his female companion] later smiled [a survivor subsequently denied this and stated that the killer did not smile, but that he had a mean face] and waved during a rampage at a high school as he gunned down seven more people, brushing off pleas to stop and asking one of his victims whether he believed in God… [The killer subesquently took his own life.] The rampage at Red Lake Indian Reservation in far northern Minnesota was the nation’s worst school shooting since the Columbine High School massacre in 1999 that left 13 people dead. When the rampage was over, 10 people were dead, including the gunman’s grandfather; a woman who may have been his grandfather’s wife or girlfriend [in fact, she was his girlfriend]; a school security guard; a teacher; and five other students. At least 14 others were wounded, officials said… Relatives told the St. Paul Pioneer Press that Weise was a loner who usually wore black and was teased by other kids. Relatives told the newspaper his father committed suicide four years ago, and that his mother was living in a Minneapolis nursing home because she suffered brain injuries in a car accident…. The rampage in Red Lake was the second fatal school shooting in Minnesota in 18 months. Two students were killed at Rocori High School in Cold Spring in September 2003. Student John Jason McLaughlin, who was 15 at the time, awaits trial in the case.”

It was also reported in the national and international news that the killer, 16-year-old Jeff Weise, posted numerous messages in 1984 on a talkboard hosted by a Neo-Nazi organization, identifying himself as “Todesengel” (angel of death). He admired Hitler and his ethnic cleansing program, loved to watch video games and listened to punk rocker Marilyn Manson, according to Bild Online, Der Spiegel Online and Stern Online. Survivor Cody Thunder stated in a televised interview on March 24, 2005, that Weise had talked about guns and shooting people, and that he wore, on occasion, his hair like “devil’s horns,” to “appear to be evil.”

EU and China

As Reuters reported on March 22, 2005, “China’s tougher stance on Taiwan threatened to derail European Union efforts to boost ties with Beijing on Tuesday and delay lifting the EU’s arms embargo… Any delay would be warmly welcomed by the United States, which has pledged to defend Taiwan in the event of an attack and urged the EU to retain the ban… French President Jacques Chirac sees boosting trade and diplomatic ties with China as a way of counter-balancing U.S. power in the world and won the backing of other EU leaders last December to prepare the lifting of the embargo by June 30… Opposition to the move is strong in Germany, with rights groups and others pointing to continued abuses in China. ‘This is no time to open up arms trade to China. There should be no withdrawal of the embargo because of the human rights situation,’ Elmar Brok, a German conservative in the European Parliament, told Reuters.”

However, as The Associated Press reported on March 23, 2005, “Maintaining the European Union’s 15-year arms embargo against China… is ‘unfair,’ and European leaders are leaning toward lifting it, the bloc’s foreign policy chief said Wednesday… Washington, meanwhile, has hardened its opposition to European arms sales to China and urged the EU to maintain the embargo in the wake of Beijing’s new law authorizing a military attack on Taiwan.”

This development is not surprising at all, given the fact that economic interests seem to play a major role in European thinking. As the Associated Press remarked:

“Chirac, in an interview published in Wednesday’s editions of the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun, said lifting the embargo was aimed at improving relations with the Asian economic giant, not selling weapons.”

This issue could, however, become another nail in the coffin of deteriorating U.S.-E.U. relationships.

Legal Battles Surrounding Ms. Terry Shiavo’s Fate

As AFP reported on March 23, 2005, “A federal appeals court turned down an emergency request by the parents of a severely brain-damaged woman in Florida to have her feeding tube reinserted [Subsequently, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to overturn the federal appeals court’s decision, and a Florida state court refused to grant custody to the state of Florida for the purpose of reinserting her feeding tube]… The US Congress passed an extraordinary bill over the weekend changing the jurisdiction of the case from state to federal courts, which President George W. Bush signed into law early Monday. The law allowed Schiavo’s case to go before a federal judge.” In an interview with Fox on March 24, 2005, Judge Robert Bork called this bill “highly problematic,” as it was singling out the Terry Schiavo situation.

Emotions are running high in this case, which lead to renewed discussions, nationally and internationally, on the correct or incorrect conduct in cases like the one of Ms. Terry Schiavo. Schiavo suffered severe brain damage 15 years ago. Her husband says Schiavo told him that she wouldn’t want to be kept alive in a vegetative state. Her parents say she needs treatment and another opportunity for life.

The above-mentioned article continued:

“Throughout the dispute, political leaders have brushed aside concerns of overstepping their constitutional limits and government intrusion into family affairs with the passage of the bill. A CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll found that Americans supporting the decision to stop feeding Schiavo outnumbered those opposed by 56 to 31 percent. A nationwide poll conducted for ABC News found that 70 percent of Americans considered Congress’ intervention in the case ‘inappropriate.’

On March 22, 2005, Maggie Gallagher published an editorial on the Web, discussing some of the complex issues of this case. Apart from the disagreement as to what Ms. Schiavo’s wishes were or would have been, the question still remains about what Ms. Schiavo’s health conditions really are. Gallagher voiced the following opinions:

“‘Persistent vegetative state’ was a diagnosis invented in order to cope with patients who are not brain-dead, but severely mentally disabled. The claim is that such people have no cognition, no self-awareness at all, but of course we cannot know for sure what such patients experience. The fact that a number of patients have emerged from persistent vegetative states after many years ought to be a flashing warning sign: There’s still someone there, even if that person is unable to communicate. Does that person have a right to life? Is her life sacred too? Or if we find her condition sufficiently repulsive, do we have the right to kill her?

“Nor is there agreement that Terri is in a vegetative state right now. Her family disputes it, saying she sometimes responds to their loving gestures and words. Their perceptions are dismissed as wishful thinking. But a neurologist who was nominated for the Nobel Prize in 1999 (and who examined Terri Schiavo several years ago) told BP News that Terri is not in a vegetative state. She sometimes responds. Terri (he says) has been able to swallow pudding in the past, and can swallow her own saliva right now. With therapy, she might not even need the feeding tube. ‘They are truly withholding food from a person who is awake, alert, and can eat and swallow.'”

At the same time, the Miami Herald stated on March 22, 2005, in its editorial that Congress probably violated the U.S. Constitution:

“Congress’s intervention in the Terri Schiavo case is an extraordinary and probably unconstitutional intrusion into a personal family matter that traditionally has been the province of state courts. Simply put, Congress and the president didn’t like the outcome of a case that already had been fully vetted in state court. So they challenged the case in federal court, alleging a violation of Ms. Schiavo’s civil rights… Congress’ action is disturbing in many ways.

“Anyone even superficially aware of the Schiavo case knows that it involves a family’s most difficult decision: When to terminate medical support to a loved one who cannot sustain life on their own… for most, the decision to stop or continue life-sustaining support is made without public fanfare by a surviving spouse, child, parent or relative… On its face, Congress’ decision seems to violate a basic division of our governing structure, which assigns certain duties to the state and others to the federal government. The state court, not Congress, is empowered to hear family and probate matters. Yet Congress has passed a law, applicable to one person, without having considered the factual evidence on which the courts’ decisions were based… For Congress to intrude so wantonly in a family dispute is astonishing. For Congress to substitute its judgment — unvarnished by the evidence and facts of the case — for that of Florida’s courts is wrong.”

On March 22, 2005, the Catholic Church issued a formal statement on the case, as reported by The Associated Press: “The Vatican pressed its campaign to keep Terri Schiavo alive Tuesday, saying that pulling the plug on the brain-damaged Florida woman amounted to capital punishment for someone who has committed no crimes. In a front-page editorial, the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano… said [the federal court] had condemned Schiavo to an ‘atrocious death: death from hunger and thirst.’ ‘After all, Terri’s destiny appears not unlike that of many men and women who in the United States get capital punishment for their crimes,’ said the paper. ‘But Terri has committed no crimes, if not that of being “useless” to the eyes of a society incapable of appreciating and defending the gift of life. Of any life,’ said the paper.”

The discussions in this highly controversial case will continue. However one may want to look at this issue — it is very important that one makes his or her wishes known ahead of time, in a formal document, such as a “living will,” so that at least no doubts remain in that regard. As experts have pointed out, it is important to state in the document, not only what not to do in such a case, but also, what to do.

Continental Europe and England

On Saturday, February 26, 2005, the Daily Mail published an insightful article about the future relationship between continental Europe and England. The rather cumbersome headline read: “Birth Certificate for the United States of Europe — Germany lets the cat out of the bag over what the EU constitution really means.”

The newspaper continued to state:

“The new EU constitution was heralded as the ‘birth certificate of the United States of Europe’ last night… Hans Martin Bury, Germany’s Europe minister, said the constitution was more than just a ‘milestone.’ ‘I think the EU constitution is… the framework for… an ever closer union.’ His remarks contradicted those of Jack Straw, who claimed earlier this month that the constitution would mark an end to the transfer of British sovereignty to Brussels… Shadow Foreign Secretary Michael Ancran said: ‘Once again a European politician [Mr. Bury] has told the truth… The EU constitution would mean the beginning of the end for British independence…’ Neil O’Brian, director of the Vote No campaign, said: ‘…The reality is that the constitution would mean even more power for officials in Brussels who are not elected…'”

The article continued to point out:

“In 2003, German foreign minister Joschka Fischer said it [the EU constitution] was ‘the most important treaty since the formation of the European Economic Community.’ He has referred to a ‘single European state bound by one European constitution.’ Former European Commission president Romano Prodi has spoken of ‘a change of centuries of history.'”

As Bible prophecy reveals, there will arise on the world scene a mighty and powerful United States of Europe. We are seeing its beginning stages developing in front of our very eyes. The Bible also indicates that England will NOT be part of Europe’s final configuration. In this light, England’s resistance to the adoption of the EU constitution is highly remarkable.

Germany a New Leader?

As www.german-foreign-policy.com reported in early March, “the German government would like to break US resistance to Germany’s receiving a permanent seat on the UN Security Council and will offer military compromises in return… Berlin is prepared to make a ‘substantial’ military ‘increase’ and relieve US strain, if Washington is willing to pay the price. To underline this military preparedness, the German Minister of Defense announced (in the wings of the Munich Conference) supplementary overseas deployments of the German military. In repeated allusions to Berlin’s demand for a permanent seat on the Security Council, Schröder and Fischer hinted that NATO ‘is not the principal setting for transatlantic partners to consult and coordinate their strategic intentions.’ The international ‘challenges’ are more of a political nature. Because Germany sees itself as ‘co-responsible for international stability and order’, it must also insist upon having ‘its say’ in political matters. ‘Our aspiration for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council arises from this context of attaining legitimization’, Schröder said on February 22… Washington boycotted German attempts to gain big-power status in the UN Security Council and the attempt to politically enter the league with the USA, Russia and the Peoples Republic of China. Washington is also supported by Italy and Poland, who are suspicious of German endeavors aimed at hegemony.”

Even though the publication seems to be motivated, to an extent, by a desire to propagate anti-German propaganda, it is remarkable that the article correctly points at Germany’s future. As Bible prophecy reveals, Germany will become the most powerful and influential European country in a few years from now.

Europe — a New Military Superpower?

On March 2, 2005, www.timesonline.co.uk published another insightful article, titled, “High-tech weapons help Europe to close military gap with US.” In the article, the following was pointed out: “The European Union is to develop unmanned drones, new armoured vehicles and advanced communication systems in a strategy to become a military superpower and close the defence technology gap with the United States. The programme involves setting up a joint EU fighter-pilot training programme and co-ordinating the testing of military equipment on proving grounds and in wind tunnels. The initiatives from the newly-created European Defence Agency represent the EU’s first step in military research and development. They are aimed at transforming the EU from being solely a political power, in charge of policies such as agriculture and trade, to a military one, capable of sending troops around the world to enforce a foreign policy agreed by its member states.”

Again, we are seeing the beginning of a MILITARY European super power, as clearly prophesied to happen in Scripture.

Europe vs. the USA?

Another remarkable commentary was published on the webpage of www.washingtontimes.com, on March 1, 2005, titled, “Perfect Storm Warning.” The article stated:

“Imagine a world where Russia and the European Union of 25 nations, and Russia and China, and the EU and China, all find more in common with each other than with the United States. Unimaginable, you correctly say. But the seeds of such an anti-U.S. entente were planted in Europe last week.”

The article continued to point out that the USA wants France, Germany and the UK to continue negotiating with Iran, as the USA could not give legitimacy to the Iranian clerics to do so. The Bush administration also stated that it would leave it to Europe to deal with China, and that it would await the outcome of their action, according to the article. The article continued: “On the third front – Russia’s democracy deficit… Democracy, as understood in Washington, is not on Mr. Putin’s agenda. Nor could it be after 1,000 years of authoritarian rule, including 70 years of totalitarian communism.”

The upshot is, of course, that Russia will continue developing a totalitarian regime, as envisioned by Putin. The world will stand by and watch. As prophesied, Europe will at first have economic ties with Russia and China. But ultimately, a seemingly friendly relationship between Europe on the one hand, and Russia and China on the other hand, will become hostile. At the same time, world influence of the United States will steadily decrease.

Lebanon in Uproar

As WorldNetDaily reported on March 14, 2005, “An estimated 800,000 rallied this afternoon in central Beirut in the largest anti-Syrian protest in Lebanon since the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, and one of the largest protests in recent Middle East history. Crowds from across Lebanon gathered in Martyrs’ Square in central Beirut, a few miles from Hariri’s grave, to demand the immediate withdrawal of Syrian troops [from] the country, the firing of Syrian-backed intelligence forces, and an international inquiry into Hariri’s killing…

“Some were worried the protests could spill over into violence. There have been reports from the opposition that Syrian-backed forces have been shooting in civilian areas to provoke a conflict and precipitate a deteriorating security situation that would require Damascus to delay removal of its nearly 20,000 troops from Lebanon… Political sources told reporters Lebanese authorities were pondering a ban on future demonstrations to be enforced by the country’s army… Today’s rally follows protests yesterday and last week organized by Hezbollah forces in which hundreds of thousands packed into a central Beirut meeting square, chanting support for Syrian troops to maintain positions in Lebanon and denouncing America in what has been called a massive show of strength by pro-Syrian elements.”

In an additional article, The Associated Press stated, on March 14, 2005: “Hundreds of thousands of anti-Syrian demonstrators flooded the capital Monday in the biggest protest ever in Lebanon, surpassing the turnout for an earlier pro-Damascus rally organized by the Islamic militant Hezbollah. In a show of national unity, Sunnis, Druse and Christians packed Martyrs’ Square as brass bands played and balloons soared skyward. The rally, perhaps the biggest anti-government demonstration ever staged in the Arab world, was the opposition’s bid to regain momentum after two serious blows: the reinstatement of the pro-Syrian prime minister and a huge rally last week by the Shiite group Hezbollah…

“As Syria pulls its troops toward the border for an eventual withdrawal from the country it has controlled for decades, both the pro-Syrian government and the opposition have been whipping up crowds in a duel of people-power one-upmanship… The Shiite group has organized large rallies in the past, but its showing last week was a sign of its determination to make sure no future Lebanese government would consider peace with Israel or pressure Hezbollah to disarm… The large Sunni turnout also suggests many in the community were shaken by the size of the Hezbollah rally and wanted to show their own strength. Shiites make up about a third of Lebanon’s population, and Hezbollah is the country’s best armed and best organized faction. Sunnis form the country’s third biggest group after the Shiites and the Christians.”

As can be clearly seen from these reports, the situation in Lebanon is highly explosive. Will the situation be resolved peacefully, or will the powder keg explode, setting the whole region of the Middle East on fire?

Mass Murder in Wisconsin

As The Journal Sentinel and many other publications around the world reported on March 12, 2005, “A man neighbors described as quiet and devout opened fire on a group of men, women and children attending a weekly church service [of the Living Church of God] Saturday at a Brookfield hotel, killing eight people – including himself – and seriously wounding four others.” The shooter was later identified as Terry Ratzmann, 44, who lived with his mother and sister in New Berlin.

Speculations ran and are still running high, as to why Ratzmann committed these horrible crimes. Much has been written in the press. Some assumptions have been made as if they were statements of fact — which are not supported by the evidence, as officially released by governmental investigators. Sadly, some reports have suggested that Ratzmann’s horrific crimes were somehow related to the teachings and practices of his church. Again, there has not been shown any credible connection in this regard, and some of the allegations and rumors have been expressly denied by officials of the Living Church of God. As Edwin Pope points out in this week’s editorial, the real culprit of this terrible atrocity is none other than Satan the devil, the “god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4), whom the Bible also identifies as the “destroyer” (compare Revelation 9:11, referring to Satan as “abaddon” in Hebrew, meaning “destruction,” and “Apollyon” in Greek, meaning “destroyer”), and as a “murderer from the beginning” (John 8:44).

On March 13, 2005, the Living Church of God published a press release, stating: “‘We are also saddened by the loss of Pastor Randy Gregory, his youngest son James, and all those who died. Our thoughts go out to his wife Marjean, who is fighting for her life and is in critical condition at a local hospital, and to her family and all those who were injured; we are praying for their recovery,’ Crockett said.” Crocket is director of business operations and spokesman for the Living Church of God. The press release also pointed out that its “Members believe that they should ‘live peaceably with all men’ (Romans 12:18).”

We are also quoting the following excerpts from a report by Mike Hanisko, Pastor of the United Church of God congregation in Milwaukee, WI:

“As you can well imagine, the events that took place at the Living Church of God services this past Sabbath have shaken the entire community here. The emotional impact on both the LCG [Living Church of God] and UCG [United Church of God] congregations has been devastating… As in many metro areas, most of our UCG members know most of the LCG members and have maintained a good relationship with them. I personally knew all those who were killed except for the shooter. Randy Gregory and I have had several joint counseling sessions with member families where one mate was a UCG member and the other a LCG member… I have spent a good part of the last two days at the hospital where the victims were taken and where many LCG and UCG members have been gathering. Sheldon Monson, who pastors for LCG in the Twin Cities, has also been here, and he and I have been talking with the members and together anointed Matt Kaulbach last night. Church members from both LCG and UCG congregations have been providing food and other help to all the families directly affected by the tragedy… The local community has been very supportive, and as often happens in these kinds of tragedies, a makeshift memorial has sprung up near the hotel where the shootings took place. Many have left flowers, cards and other mementos at that location.”

We are also publishing excerpts from a moving report by Jon Gregory, of March 14, 2005. Jon’s dad, Pastor Randy Gregory, and Jon’s brother, James, were murdered during the shooting, and his mother, Marjean, is in the hospital, in critical condition. Jon writes: “Thank you for your prayers, love, and support. These are very trying times on us all. The most important thing you can do now is pray. Pray for all the victims’ families including mine. To give you an update on my mom, she is making a miraculous recovery…Today, Mr. [Charles] Bryce [Director of Church Administration of the Living Church of God] and Mr. Monson were there to help me tell my mom the news, which she was already somewhat aware that my little brother and Dad had been shot and killed… Keep praying that she has the faith and the strength to get through this. For me, pray that I have the faith and wisdom to get through tough decisions and seemingly insurmountable problems. God will never give us more than we can handle, and my friends and family have helped me through this so much along with the victims’ families who are also dealing with this tragedy.”

Let us keep the families of the deceased and the injured in our minds and prayers. We are listing their names below, as we have received them from various reports:

Killed were:

Randy Gregory, Pastor of the Milwaukee LCG congregation
James Gregory, Randy’s son, age 17
Gerald Miller
Gloria Critari
Bart Oliver, age 15
Harold Diekmeyer
Richard Reeves

Wounded were:

Gloria Critari’s 10 year old granddaughter, Lindsey, who was treated and released.
Marjean Gregory, Randy’s wife who is in critical condition
Angel Baricak, a 20 year old lady. She is in satisfactory condition.
Matthew Kaulbach, 21 years old. Matthew is in satisfactory condition and is expected to be released from the hospital in a few days.

Our prayers and hearts go out to these innocent victims of a Satanically-inspired act. As mentioned, some sensational newspapers and reporters have tried, and will continue to try, to somehow connect this horrendous crime with the teaching of God’s Church, especially in regard to end-time prophecies. Of course, a world cut off from God does not and cannot understand the signs of the times (compare Matthew 16:2-3). But those who do understand (compare Matthew 24:32-35), have a compelling duty to proclaim God’s Word, in season and out of season (2 Timothy 4:2), “as a witness,” and THEN the end WILL come (Matthew 24:14).

Germany and the Arab World

On March 10, 2005, www.wsws.org published a remarkable article, titled, “German Chancellor Schröder’s business trip to the Gulf States.” The article pointed out:

“US President George W. Bush had hardly finished his four-day European tour when German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder began a seven-day tour of the Arabian peninsula. He travelled to seven Gulf States, five of which had never before received a visit from a German head of government. Schröder’s journey casts into sharp relief the reasons for the INCREASING TENSIONS between the US and Germany, which were barely concealed during Bush’s stop in Mainz. At stake are naked ECONOMIC and STRATEGIC interests — not peace, stability, liberty or democracy, as the official propaganda of both sides would have one believe.

“The Gulf possesses the world’s largest supplies of oil, the most important strategic raw material for the economy of the twenty-first century. Moreover, thanks to the billions of dollars that flow into their coffers as a result of the high price of oil, those in power in the Gulf States are among the biggest international investors and purchasers of Western products. Schröder’s journey was aimed at cashing in on German reservations towards the Iraq war and US policy in the Middle East. To some extent, the German chancellor was acting as a poacher in what is usually considered Washington’s preserve — a region that the US endeavours to keep firmly under its influence economically and politically. The billion-dollar contracts for the reconstruction of war-torn Iraq went nearly exclusively to American companies and, to a lesser degree, British firms… According to Ulrich Schäfer, writing in the Sueddeutsche Zeitung, Schröder’s message read: ‘Our vacuum cleaner can do everything. The German economy sucks up everything.’

“America’s aggressive actions in the region have UNSETTLED many Arab regimes. They fear the loss of their power if the US further DESTABILIZES the region or brings about further ‘regime changes’ — as is presently being attempted in Lebanon, Syria and Iran. Washington’s close collaboration with ISRAEL is also a cause of constant tension.

“Schröder’s offering of German products, investment in German companies and the redenomination of foreign currency holdings out of dollars and into euros represents an attempt to lure the Gulf States with an alternative strategic orientation — AWAY FROM THE US and TOWARDS GERMANY. The German government attaches ‘great strategic significance’ to the region, according to the correspondent of Germany’s leading financial daily, the Handelsblatt, who accompanied the chancellor on his journey. A comment in the Sueddeutsche Zeitung makes this even clearer. ‘The chancellor is using the economic power of German enterprises for a second mission,’ the newspaper writes. ‘He wants to entrench the Federal Republic of Germany as a CENTRAL POWER IN WORLD POLITICS…'”

The article concluded with the following remarks:

“Schröder’s journey to the Gulf States makes clear that his demands for more power and influence for Germany, which he aired at the Munich Security Conference last month, were meant seriously… [T]he growing rivalry between the great powers in the struggle for markets and economic influence must inevitably lead to INCREASING INTERNATIONAL TENSIONS AND THE GROWTH OF MILITARY CONFLICTS.”

The Bible reveals that there WILL BE a confederacy between Germany and certain Arab nations in the Middle East. It is also prophesied that that alliance will be in competition, BOTH ECONOMICALLY AND MILITARILY, with the United States of America, Great Britain and the state of Israel. Mr. Schroeder’s business trip to the Gulf States could be a step toward the fulfillment of those Biblically prophesied developments.

Old and New Europe

The International Herald Tribune reported on Friday, March 4, 2005, that “‘New Europe’ renews its links with the old.” The article stated: “Frustrated by travel restrictions and uneasy about the war in Iraq, citizens of Central Europe who once pledged allegiance to the United States are now recalling their European roots and looking to a united Europe for their economic and political futures… A decade ago, Central Europe was heavily focused on getting into the U.S.-dominated North Atlantic Treaty Organization and assuring their security in the region. At that time, Hungarians, Poles, and Czechs spoke worriedly about the possibility that Russia might be a menace to its neighbors again.

“But now, Central Europeans are paying attention to building their economies and making their mark in a united Europe… Western Europeans are buying Budapest real estate, and the local newspapers are owned largely by Swiss and German interests… The cultural and political differences between Europe and the United States are present as well. Europeans in general are at odds with Americans on matters such as the death penalty, the environment and the roles of international institutions and religion… Hungarians and Czechs overwhelmingly oppose the war in Iraq, despite the support from their governments. Polish popular opposition to the war, muted at first, has grown.”

Based on Biblical prophecy, we can safely say that “old” and “new” Europe will unite and that they will, in time, develop a mighty power bloc in competition with and hostile to the United States of America. For further information, please read our free booklet, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.”

Israel’s New Sanhedrin

On March 8, 2005, www.israelnationalnews.com reported about startling developments within the state of Israel. The article stated:

“The reestablished Sanhedrin has concluded extensive deliberations on the disengagement plan, rejecting it as a contradiction to the Torah of Israel. The current format of the Sanhedrin is the renewal of the historic Sanhedrin, Judaism’s highest legal-religious tribunal during Holy Temple times. The 71-man assembly convened in one of the Holy Temple chambers, and existed from several decades before the Common Era until roughly 425 C.E. The renewed body was launched last year in Tiberias, and convenes in Jerusalem.”

This renewed body, which might gain strong influence in Israel, issued the following proclamation on Monday:

“The disengagement plan, involving the uprooting of Jewish communities in Gaza and Samaria and the abandonment of these areas to a foreign entity, is in direct contradiction to the Torah of Israel, and is null and void. Future governments of Israel will have to re-conquer the areas in question… The Government of Israel and the Knesset, in their present form and power structure, are institutions that have no authority according to Jewish Law to render decisions that contradict the Torah of Israel… Any Jew–including a soldier or policeman–who supports the uprooting, whether directly or indirectly, whether by voting in its favor, or by giving counsel, or by supplying vehicles or materials, and certainly anyone who actively participates in the uprooting, thus transgresses a large number of Torah commandments, such as not standing idly by one’s neighbor’s blood (Lev. 19,17)… By this declaration, the Sanhedrin, as the link of continuity of the Torah received by Moses at Sinai, hereby expresses the stance of Israel’s Torah… The Sanhedrin, as the representative of the Jewish people throughout history, hereby affirms that the Jewish people — regardless of this or that government — does not relinquish, and is not entitled to relinquish, so much as the span of a solitary man’s foot of the Land of Israel according to its Biblical boundaries, for it is [God’s] land.”

Lebanon and Syria

On March 8, 2005, The Associated Press reported about most recent and unsettling developments in Lebanon. The article stated: “Hundreds of thousands jammed a central Beirut square Tuesday, chanting support for Syria and anti-U.S. slogans in a thundering show of strength by the militant group Hezbollah–a rally that greatly outnumbered recent demonstrations against Syria’s presence in Lebanon. The demonstration came hours before Syria began redeploying its troops within Lebanon to an area closer to the two countries’ border. President Bush, who rejects this as a half-step, said Tuesday that ‘freedom will prevail in Lebanon’ and demanded that Syria withdraw completely. But that was not the sentiment among the protesters in Riad Solh square.”

Hezbollah has been labeled as a terrorist organization by the U.S. Administration. They are a Shiite group, while the former prime minister of Lebanon, Rafik Hariri, who was recently murdered, was a Sunnite.

Some have claimed that the above-mentioned demonstration was a hoax. The WorldNetDaily stated on March 9, 2005: “The giant Hezbollah rally that drew nearly half a million purported supporters of Syria’s occupation of Lebanon actually was a staged hoax with non-Lebanese citizens, Syrian workers, students and municipal employees coerced into joining the protest, former Lebanese Prime Minister Michel Aoun told WorldNetDaily in an exclusive interview this morning.”

Whether WorldNetDaily’s report is correct or not, it is clear that Hezbollah — a militant Shiite group–is supportive of Syria, and it can be expected that they will not stand idly by, if Syria should withdraw its troops.

Which Ten Commandments?

On March 8, 2005, www.msnbc.com and Newsweek published a controversial article about the public display of the Ten Commandments. As the article pointed out, “The state of Texas has a statue of the Ten Commandments on the grounds of the capitol building, similar to thousands of Ten Commandment plaques hanging all over the country. An Austin lawyer challenged the Texas display as a violation of the First Amendment’s rejection of government sponsorship of religion… Last week, the Supreme Court finally heard the case, along with a suit against two Kentucky counties that have been displaying the Commandments. During the oral arguments, the Bush administration and Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott argued that the Ten Commandments is such a fundamental part of our national culture and heritage that they are, effectively, non-religious. Even Justice Antonin Scalia, who openly expressed his support for public displays of the Commandments, mocked Abbott’s argument. ‘If you don’t believe that it sends a religious message, you’re kidding yourself’, he said. (The Supreme Court’s decision in the cases is pending).”

The article then pointed out the crux of the matter, by stating:

“I also found that nobody knows all 10 of the Ten Commandments. ‘Honor your parents, don’t covet your neighbor’s wife, don’t lie, don’t kill, don’t steal, um, um, how many is that’ said Kristen, a woman from Brooklyn. ‘Don’t steal, don’t bear false witness, don’t kill, don’t commit adultery, and honor your parents,’ said Olga, who was smoking a cigarette outside her office. ‘Don’t kill, don’t commit adultery, don’t covet thy neighbor’s stuff, don’t steal, and honor your parents,’ said Dan, who rents out a six-seat ‘party bike’ in Times Square. No matter whom I interviewed, the same five or six commandments kept coming up. And no matter whom I interviewed, I heard the same thing: ‘They should be displayed,’ said Dan. ‘They’re just the basic rules that everyone can agree on.’ And then I reminded them about the other four or five commandments. One: I am the Lord thy God. Two: Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. Three: Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. Four: Keep the Sabbath. And then people started changing their minds… Besides, there’s hardly any unanimity about what the Ten Commandments even are. The Protestant and Jewish decalogue is basically the same, but the Catholic Church got rid of the ‘make no graven images’ commandment…, so the Church split the 10th commandment–don’t covet your neighbor’s wife or stuff–into separate commands.”

Of course, even the Protestant and Jewish Decalogue is not the same! It may READ the same, but Protestants and Jews have totally different ideas as to what it says. Most professing Christians, Catholics and Protestants alike, have replaced the Fourth Commandment (instructing us to keep the Sabbath holy) with their human tradition to keep Sunday holy. Sunday, however, was never a day which was holy to God. It was set aside by pagans to worship the sun god Baal and other sun gods. The Bible calls this practice an abomination. For more information, please read our free booklets, “Don’t Keep Christmas,” and “God’s Commanded Holy Days.”

When we hear the argument that this country must publicly display the Ten Commandments, let’s ask the question first: “Which Ten Commandments?”

Crisis in Lebanon

The Associated Press reported on March 1, 2005:

“Hundreds of protesters blowing whistles and chanting anti-Syrian slogans returned to central Beirut on Tuesday after forcing out the pro-Damascus prime minister, and Lebanon’s president sought candidates for a new government. About 400 people marched through downtown demanding the resignation of pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud and the withdrawal of Syrian soldiers. On Monday, 25,000 flag-waving demonstrators demanded – and got – Prime Minister Omar Karami’s resignation…

“Elsewhere in the country, shops, businesses and banks reopened after a one-day strike Monday to protest the Feb. 14 assassination of former prime minister and billionaire businessman Rafik Hariri, whose killing was the catalyst for the massive, peaceful protests demanding Syria release its military and political hold on Lebanon. Syria keeps about 15,000 troops in Lebanon and all key political decisions get a stamp of approval from Damascus, but pressure from Lebanese as well as from abroad, including the United States, has led to talk of a troop withdrawal…

“The dramatic developments – reminiscent of Ukraine’s peaceful ‘Orange Revolution’ last year — were broadcast live across the Arab world, including Syria, where some people have access to satellite TV. They could provoke a strong response from Syria and perhaps plunge this nation of 3.5 million back into a period of uncertainty, political vacuum OR WORSE.”

AFP added on March 1, 2005: “Lebanon faced an uncertain future after the dramatic resignation of pro-Syrian Prime Minister Omar Karameh in the face of massive public protests sparked by the murder of his predecessor Rafiq Hariri… The anti-Damascus opposition which spearheaded the campaign against the government hailed the move but vowed it would not stop its protests until Syria was out of Lebanon… Since the bombing, international pressure led by the United States has mounted on Syria with suspicion it may have had a hand in the Hariri bombing. Hariri’s killing had raised fears of a return to the sectarian strife that ripped the country apart during the 1975-1990 civil war, but the murder served to unite various religious and political groups in their calls for an end to Syria’s domination.”

On March 2 and 3, 2005, additional news items were reported pertaining to the crisis in Lebanon. According to an article of The Associated Press, which was published on March 2, “President Bush increased pressure on Syria Wednesday, demanding it withdraw its troops from Lebanon.” In a follow-up article, The Associated Press stated on March 3, that “Syria has told Arab countries it needs to keep 3,000 troops and early-warning stations inside Lebanon to maintain its security despite international pressure for a full withdrawal, an Arab diplomat said Thursday. At a meeting in Cairo, meanwhile, Arab leaders publicly urged Syria to follow through on a 1989 accord to withdraw its troops from neighboring Lebanon, with no timetable set – even as they negotiated behind the scenes to push Syria to move quickly. Syria, which has 15,000 troops in Lebanon, has said it would comply with the accord.”

In addition, Reuters reported on March 3 that “Russia and Germany joined an international chorus of demands for Syria to leave Lebanon… ‘Syria should withdraw from Lebanon, but we all have to make sure that this withdrawal does not violate the very fragile balance which we still have in Lebanon, which is a very difficult country ethnically,’ Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told the BBC late on Wednesday… German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, visiting Yemen, also called on Syria to take its troops out immediately. ‘Lebanon should be given an opportunity for sovereignty and development and this can only be achieved by compliance with Security Council resolutions that stipulate immediate Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon,’ Yemen’s state news agency quoted him as saying at a meeting with his Yemeni counterpart on Wednesday.”

The AFP published an article on March 3, 2005, titled, “Lebanon in political limbo as screws tighten on Damascus.” The article continued: “Lebanon’s embattled president was struggling to find a new premier after the opposition insisted on a Syrian pledge for a troop pullout before it would hold talks on joining a new government.”

Crisis in the United States

The “Executive Intelligence Review” reported on February 25, that “A series of international conferences… has led to the open airing of panic within the international financial elite. Top on the agenda is concern over the U.S. dollar, which declined about 30% between early 2002 and early 2004, but, equally importantly, the debt-drowned condition of the U.S. economy, which an increasing number of bankers believe cannot be sustained.”

Austria and Hitler

On February 28, 2005, China Daily reported about Austria’s past dealings with Hitler and Nazism. The article pointed out: “The latest look at the country’s relationship to Hitler is through the melodic looking glass of ‘The Sound of Music’ — the first full staging in Austria of a musical beloved the world over but virtually unknown in the nation it portrays. After years of denial, official Austria has turned in the past two decades from depicting itself as a victim of Adolf Hitler to acknowledging its key role in the Holocaust. But some Austrians remain sensitive to the country’s Nazi past, and Saturday’s premiere in German, with actors dressed as Nazi storm troopers standing guard in the audience, a theater box filled with mock Nazi dignitaries, and a huge swastika banner draped onstage dredged up painful memories…

“Still, Joerg Haider powered his rightist Freedom Party into the government in 2001 with populist rhetoric sometimes tinged with anti-Semitism. Though he has toned down his comments in recent years and his Freedom Party has lost much of its support, it still has an extreme right-wing element known to admire Hitler. Last year, a poll showed that more than a third of Austrians believe the Nazi era was in some ways positive.”

In other news, the EUobserver stated on February 20, 2005, that “A large majority of Austrians are in favour of a common European army, a poll has found. The survey, presented on Thursday (19 February) by the Austrian society for European Politics, found that 75% of those asked would like such an army. Of these, 42% would be in favour of just having a European army to replace all national armies. Austria, along with Finland, Sweden and Ireland, is one of the neutral member states of the European Union.”

USA and Europe

On February 27, 2005, www.suntimes.com published a remarkable article about an indifferent and somewhat arrogant approach of Americans and US governmental institutions toward the rising power bloc of Europe. The article was titled: “U.S. can sit back and watch Europe implode.” It continued to state, in light of President Bush’s visit in Europe:

“And at the end what’s changed? Will the United States sign on to Kyoto? No. Will the United States join the International Criminal Court? No. Will the United States agree to accept whatever deal the Anglo-Franco-German negotiators cook up with Iran? No… Until the shape of the new Europe begins to emerge, there’s no point picking fights with the terminally ill. The old Europe is dying…”

The truth is, the “old” Europe is not dying, but emerging! The final and last resurrection of the ancient Roman Empire, which later became known as the Holy Roman Empire, under Catholic leadership, IS happening right now! And the United States of America will NOT find itself on friendly terms with that new emerging power bloc, but in fierce competition. For more information, please read our free booklets: “Europe in Prophecy” and “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.”

Iraq and the Sabbath

The following article may pose the question, as to whether the US has inadvertently created a “Frankenstein monster” in Iraq. As The Associated Press reported on February 27, 2005, “Iraqis are complaining about their first-ever weekend break, and some high-school students even went to class Saturday to protest a decision introducing a second weekly day off that coincides with the Jewish Sabbath… ‘We don’t want Saturday! It’s a Jewish holiday!’ students chanted as they marched in protest last week to the governor’s office in Baqouba, 35 miles northeast of Baghdad… ‘We will keep going to school with determination and persistence’ on Saturday, sixth-grader Nassen Dawoud said. ‘We can’t be like Jews. Saturday is a Jewish holiday and I hope the government listens to us,’ sixth-grader Nada Alwan said. The influential Sunni Association of Muslim Scholars, believed to be close to the insurgency, said that by making Saturday a weekend ‘the invaders, the occupiers are trying to impose their principles’ on Iraq… In Ramadi, the heart of the insurgency in the so-called Sunni Triangle, the head of Anbar University decided to change the weekend on its own. ‘The official weekend is Thursday and Friday,’ the university announced.”

US Nuclear Weapons in Germany

On February 10, 2005, the China News reported that: “The United States still keeps as many as 480 nuclear weapons at air bases across Europe… Short-range nuclear bombs are stored under American control and regulated by secret military agreements at eight bases in Germany, Britain, Italy, Belgium, Turkey and the Netherlands, the study said. American and allied air forces regularly rehearse nuclear bombing missions at training ranges in Europe in the case a war calls for striking nuclear, chemical or biological weapons sites or command posts in countries that threaten to use unconventional arms, the study said. Military officials confirmed that the training continued as part of prudent military contingency planning.The stockpile’s presence and its long-term fate have caused simmering tensions among senior NATO political and military officials, the officials were quoted as saying. “

The EUobserver added: “Germany tops the list hosting some 150 US nuclear weapons at two locations: Ramstein and Büchel. France and the United Kingdom, in addition, have approximately 350 and 185 nuclear weapons respectively but the United States is the only country that has nuclear weapons outside its own territory.”

The big question is, of course, whether in the case of a future crisis, Europe will use some of these US weapons against the United States? Has the US created a “Frankenstein monster” in Europe as well?

The New Europe

In a recent article, titled, “A fatal blow for liberty,” the EUobserver warned against the ratification of the EU Constitution. It stated: “The draft constitution contains… critical changes, argues Roland Vaubel, professor of political economy at Mannheim University… Finally and irreversibly, the parliaments of the member countries would lose control over the distribution of competencies between the union and its members. The constitution marks the end of their sovereignty in the union.”

Biblical prophecy reveals that 10 European “core” nations or groups of nations will ultimately “give their authority” to a central power (compare Revelation 17:12-14) — thereby giving up their individual competencies and sovereignties.

In this context, the following report, which was published on March 1, 2005 by www.telegraph.co.uk, may be interesting: “Plans have been drawn up to create an ad-hoc ‘core’ of countries determined to pursue closer integration, in case Britain rejects the draft treaty establishing a European constitution, it was claimed yesterday [by] [s]enior officials close to the German chancellor, Gerhard Schröder… They [the core nations] would work on eight or nine chosen goals, such as merging their armed forces and embassies. France and Germany would lead the core, inviting Belgium, Luxembourg, and other pro-integration EU states to join them. Britain would become increasingly irrelevant.”

The Pope’s New Book

The Pope’s new book has angered Jews and other interest groups. In the book, the Pope compared the Holocaust with today’s abortions. Jewish leaders in Germany and elsewhere sharply criticized the Pope for “belittling the Holocaust.” Cardinal Ratzinger was quick to “explain” that this had not been the Pope’s intention. The news.telegraph.co.uk added the following comments about the Pope’s book, on February 23:

“The Pope published a new book yesterday strongly attacking the ‘negative’ society of the West, calling it a godless ‘anti-Gospel and new totalitarianism’ masquerading as democracy… John Paul II’s fifth book, printed first in Italian, blames the moral permissiveness of the West for undermining society with divorce, free love, abortion, euthanasia, and genetic manipulation.”

Special Report — President Bush in Europe and Russia

Before President Bush began his trip to Europe and Russia, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported on Sunday, February 20, 2005, about President Bush’s “mission to heal European relations.” In the front-page article, the following astonishing and telling comments were published:

“With U.S.-European relations thawing and U.S.-Russian ties frayed, President Bush departs today in a five-day fence-mending trip to the heart of some of the harshest criticism of American foreign policy… The president’s decision to begin his three-country trip in Brussels, Belgium…. is seen as highly significant by European diplomats, who feel Bush finally is giving a UNITED EUROPE THE RESPECT IT DESERVES… Bush is scheduled to spend tomorrow [Monday] and Tuesday in Brussels, a city some in the administration call ‘THE BELLY OF THE BEAST’ BECAUSE IT IS HOME TO THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION AND IS WHERE MANY PLANS ARE HATCHED TO BUILD UP EUROPEAN INFLUENCE AS COUNTERWEIGHT TO AMERICAN SWAY.”

In the book of Revelation, the presently developing European power bloc is indeed identified as the last resurrection of the Holy Roman Empire, or, “the beast.” It is therefore remarkable that some in the Bush administration use this term to refer to the city of Brussels — the seat of the European Parliament — as the “belly of the beast.” The Bible shows that the relationship between the United States of America and the European power bloc, in its final configuration, will NOT be friendly. The following excerpts from various publications show that we have clearly reached the beginning stages of these Biblically prophesied developments:

Reuters reported on February 19, 2005, that President Bush “is taking issue with a Chirac notion that a united Europe would serve as a counterbalance to the United States… Bush as well took exception to German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder’s recent comment that NATO was no longer ‘the primary venue’ for trans-Atlantic dialogue.”

On February 18, 2005, The Associated Press stated: “… throughout Europe — in countries like Italy whose governments supported the Iraq war and in those like France which vehemently opposed it — antagonism toward Bush remains widespread… For Europeans, the friendlier new Rice doctrine seems to amount to this: We’d be delighted to work with you — as long as it’s on the U.S. agenda of spreading democracy around the world. Most Europeans think that’s a very dangerous idea. A recent German Marshall Fund poll indicated that 65 percent of the French felt American leadership in the world was undesirable. Europeans are all the more wary of U.S. leadership because they feel they were lied to about the main reason for going to war in Iraq: Weapons of mass destruction. A German poll this month illustrated just how widespread the feeling is in Europe that Washington can’t be trusted. The Infratest dimap research group survey indicated about 70 percent of Germans believe the United States was already planning an attack on IRAN over its nuclear program.”

In spite of the friendly appearances for the cameras and the press, President Bush and Chancellor Schroeder remain sharply divided on certain issues. As The Associated Press reported on Wednesday, February 23, 2005, “Bush and Schroeder remain far apart on the subject of how to make Iran give up any plans it has to build such an arsenal, although both said they agreed that the end result must be a nuclear-arms free Iran.” In addition, according to the report, “The two remain far apart… on Europe’s desire to end a 15-year-old arms embargo on China.”

Reuters added in an article, dated February 23, 2005: “‘Europe is America’s closest ally,’ Bush said on the second stop of a European tour. ‘In order for us to have good relations with Europe we have to have good relations with Germany.'”

Although this statement is absolutely correct, Biblical prophecy and present reality show that it is more or less wishful thinking. The article continued: “Germans remain bitter about the Iraq war and polls show they do not trust Bush, who told a Berlin audience in May 2002 he had ‘no war plans on my desk’ 10 months before the invasion.”

The German press has been rather outspoken in regard to the Bush visit to Germany. Der Spiegel Online referred to President Bush as the “most endangered man in the world” (“Bush-Besuch,” February 17, 2005). Former German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt wrote in Die Zeit that the relationship between the United States and Europe is a “question of dignity.” He stated: “We Europeans don’t want to be vassals. We want to maintain our dignity.” In a related article, Die Zeit wrote that the “temperature between Europe and the United States will remain chilly” — mainly because of “different interests.” The German newspaper raised the question whether the real reason lies in the fact that it is just popular these days, in the eyes of the world, to differ from the United States.

Der Spiegel Online reported on February 23, 2005, that President Bush avoided supporting his father’s [former U.S. President George Bush’s] expressed opinion that Germany and the United States are to be the leaders in the world, to guarantee freedom and peace. Der Stern reported that even after President Bush’s visit to Germany, 80 percent of Germans believe that Bush will continue to refuse to listen to his European allies in questions of foreign politics.

Euobserver.com published several additional articles, dated February 23, 2005, showing the remaining and even deepening rift between the United States and Europe, including Germany. The publication pointed out:

“US President George W. Bush has resisted calls from some quarters in Europe for a forum other than NATO to discuss transatlantic relations… ‘In order for NATO to be vital it’s got to be relevant, and if it stays stuck in the past it’s slowly but surely going to fade into oblivion”, said the president. His remarks were a rebuff to French President Jacques Chirac who on Tuesday backed a call by Germany suggesting that NATO was no longer the ‘primary venue’ for transatlantic relations. ‘Europe and the United States are real partners. So we need to dialogue and listen to each other more’, said Mr Chirac.”

In addition, President Bush and President Putin continued to disagree on certain important issues. As The Associated Press reported on Thursday, February 24, 2005, “President Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed Thursday on new efforts to keep nuclear arms out of dangerous hands, but their sharp differences over Russian backsliding on democracy spilled into an open and sometimes prickly exchange.”

Biblical prophecy shows that the United States will become more and more isolated in the world. Alliances will be formed without or even in opposition to the United States. It is also revealed in Scripture that a mighty power bloc in the East, consisting of countries such as Russia, China, Japan, and India, will be at odds with Europe in the near future. For more information, please read our free booklets, “Europe in Prophecy,” and “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.”

Anniversary of Destruction of Dresden

As the Associated Press reported on February 13, 2005, “Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder warned Germans not to forget their Nazi past Sunday as far-right supporters rallied in Dresden on Sunday to protest a devastating Allied bombing in Second World War that killed an estimated 35,000 residents 60 years ago. Schroeder said the anniversary was an occasion for people everywhere to unite against the ‘inhumanity of war.’ But the rally – and fears of street clashes – cast a shadow over a day of remembrance and reflection on the U.S.-British air raids, which set off firestorms and destroyed the centuries-old city centre. ‘Today we grieve for the victims of war and the Nazi reign of terror in Dresden, in Germany and in Europe,’ [Schroeder] said in a statement. ‘We will oppose in every way these attempts to reinterpret history. We will not allow cause and effect to be reversed.'”

The article of The A.P. continued: “Some 5,000 far-right activists later rallied at the Saxony legislature and then marched through the city. Heading the march were leaders of the nationalist, anti-immigrant National Democratic party, which won seats in the legislature last fall. Dozens of marchers carried flaming torches and loudspeakers blared music by Richard Wagner, Hitler’s favourite composer. Banners described the attack as a ‘bomb Holocaust’ and said, ‘The day of revenge will come.’

“At least 4,500 people demonstrated against the far right, and police were out in force to keep the two sides apart. At dusk, residents in the old town lit 4,000 candles that were arranged to spell ‘This city is sick of neo-Nazis’ in Germany.”

According to the German press, including Bild Online and Der Spiegel Online, the number of those who demonstrated against the Neo-Nazis was FAR GREATER than the figures reported by the Associated Press. Bild Online stated that more than 50,000 (!) residents of the city of Dresden [not, as stated by The A.P., 4,500] demonstrated AGAINST the Neo-Nazis.

Chancellor Schroeder is absolutely right, when he warns against the abominable activities of Neo-Nazis in Germany; the re-writing of history; and the attempt to reverse cause and effect. He is also to be applauded for pointing out the inhumanity of war — ANY war! The Bible agrees with this assessment — war only leads to more war and terrible suffering, pain and death of many innocent people. The death of 35,000 civilians in Dresden 60 years ago is only one example of the many cases of history, which prove this point beyond the shadow of any doubt. And still — have we learned the lesson of history? Sadly, the answer is a resounding, NO! Man still thinks that war may solve ANYTHING — and so, we still hear of wars and of rumors of wars (compare Matthew 24:6). Paul’s words are still true today: “Their feet are swift to shed blood; Destruction and misery are in their ways; And the way of peace they have not known” (Romans 3:15-17).

Election Results in Iraq — Good or Bad?

As The Associated Press reported on February 13, 2005, “Clergy-backed Shiites and independence-minded Kurds swept to victory in Iraq’s landmark elections, propelling to power the groups that suffered the most under Saddam Hussein and forcing Sunni Arabs to the margins for the first time in modern history, according to final results released Sunday. But the Shiites’ 48 percent of the vote is far short of the two-thirds majority needed to control the 275-member National Assembly… Interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, the secular Shiite chosen by the United States to lead this country for the last eight turbulent months, fared POORLY – his ticket finishing a distant third behind the religious Shiites and Kurds. ..

“The election results highlighted the SHARP DIFFERENCES among Iraq’s ethnic, religious and cultural groups – many of whom fear domination not just by the Shiites, estimated at 60 percent of the population, but also by the Kurds, the most pro-American group with about 15 percent. The results also draw attention to the close and longtime ties between now-victorious Iraqi Shiite leaders and clerics in neighboring IRAN. The Shiite ticket owes its success to the support of Iraq’s clerics, including Iranian-born Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.”

In spite of the optimistic reactions to Iraq’s elections, the fact that the person supported by the US fared poorly; that the different groups in Iraq are sharply at odds with each other; and that the elected Iraqi Shiite leaders have close ties with Iran raises cause for concern regarding the future developments in Iraq.

Iran and the West

The Associated Press reported on February 13, 2005, that “Germany appealed Saturday for the United States to join Europe in ending Iran’s isolation, saying economic and security incentives were needed to persuade Tehran to abandon its nuclear ambitions… Germany, France and Britain are leading European efforts to persuade Iran to drop activities that could be used to develop nuclear weapons, and have been offering technical assistance and trade talks as incentives… The United States has worried Europeans by refusing to rule out military strikes if diplomacy fails. Washington has urged the Europeans to take a tougher line by threatening Tehran with U.N. sanctions.”

In a related article, The Associated Press reported on February 13, 2005, that “Iran rejected a European demand to stop building a heavy-water nuclear reactor that provides a simpler way of extracting weapons-grade fuel, and it warned the United States on Sunday ‘not to play with fire’ by repeatedly threatening Tehran. Iran has indicated previously it will keep its heavy-water reactor, but Sunday’s announcement that it will not replace it with a light-water reactor was the clearest statement yet of its nuclear plans and represented a hardening of its position… The statement underscored the unresolved differences between Iranian and European negotiators, who are continuing their talks over Iran’s nuclear program even as the United States escalates its criticism of Iran.”

It is interesting that it is, again, Germany, in alliance with France and Britain, which is taking a leading role on the world scene. It is also noteworthy that Europe (especially Germany and France) and the United States are, once more, in disagreement — in this case, as to how to deal with Iran. If European peace efforts fail (as the U.S. contended happened in the case of Iraq), will the U.S. once again pursue its course of action toward Iran without, or even against, the interests and concerns of the Europeans? The distinct possibility exists — and we are called upon to watch events like these, as they could very well lead to a further fulfillment of end-time prophecy.

NATO Forces in the Middle East?

The Associated Press reported on February 12, 2005, that “NATO should be ready to play a major role in supporting any peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, if the two sides ask for its help, the alliance’s top diplomat [Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer] said Saturday… Also, German Defense Minister Peter Struck told the conference his country was ready to take part in any NATO peacekeeping mission in the region… In Munich, [Scheffer] underlined NATO’s long peacekeeping experience and its ability to bring together the United States – Israel’s close ally – and Europeans, who are perceived as closer to Palestinians… However, officials from France and some other European nations have expressed caution about entering the Middle East. Israeli officials are wary about bringing in a NATO force, and some Arab leaders have doubts about an alliance led by the United States… The EU’s foreign affairs chief, Javier Solana, also called for increased international assistance for the revived peace process, particularly by supporting the Israeli pull out from Gaza and aiding economic development for the Palestinians.”

The Bible prophesies that Jerusalem WILL BE surrounded by armies — in the future (compare Luke 21:20, 22, 24). We also know from Scripture that it will be a mighty European military force, under German leadership, which will enter the Middle East, perhaps with the declared goal to create or maintain peace in the region. The present discussion, as reported in the quoted article, is therefore worth observing.

NATO Outdated?

As RFE/RL reported on February 14, 2005, “German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder surprised participants at an international security conference over the weekend by suggesting the NATO alliance is outdated. Speaking through Germany’s defense minister [Peter Struck], Schroeder [who did not attend the meeting] told the meeting in the German city of Munich that NATO no longer is the main vehicle for setting trans-Atlantic strategy… ‘[NATO] is no longer the primary place where trans-Atlantic partners consult and coordinate their strategic ideas,’ Struck said. ‘The same goes for the dialogue between the European Union and the United States, which in its present form does not correspond with the growing weight of the alliance or the new challenges of trans-Atlantic cooperation.’… Schroeder’s comments came as a shock. Several European and U.S. delegates [including U.S. Defense Secretary Rumsfeld] told the conference they regretted Schroeder was not present to explain his remarks. Struck said he was not in a position to do so but added that it was not Schroeder’s intention to put NATO in the grave but to improve international cooperation. [Struck] began by saying circumstances in both Europe and the United States had changed with the end of the Cold War and Europe wanted to be more deeply involved in decision-making.”

Whether or not Chancellor Schroeder’s comments are “premature,” the Bible clearly reveals that in the future, NATO will indeed lose more and more importance and influence, and it will be replaced by a powerful European power bloc, which will be ultimately at odds with the United States.

Assassination in Lebanon

As The Associated Press reported on February 15, 2005, “An angry mob attacked Syrian workers in southern Lebanon Tuesday and another group threw stones and set fires outside a Syrian government office in Beirut, blaming Damascus for the bomb that killed former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Syria has denied any involvement in Hariri’s assassination, which raised fears that Lebanon might revert to the political violence of the 1970s and ’80s, and the U.S. Embassy in Beirut warned Americans in the Lebanese capital to exercise extreme caution. Condemnation and expressions of shock came from around the Arab world and beyond. The United States called Monday’s attack ‘a terrible reminder’ that Lebanon still must shake free of occupation by Syria, which maintains 15,000 troops [there]… since the civil war ended in 1990 and has the final say in internal Lebanese politics. Before his assassination, Hariri had positioned himself in opposition to a faction more solidly backed by Syria.”

USA and France

Reuters reported on February 7, 2005, that “France wants a fresh start in relations with the United States and both sides have much to contribute to a renewed transatlantic partnership, Foreign Minister Michel Barnier said.” At the same time, Barnier added, however: “Alliance doesn’t signify allegiance… A renewed transatlantic alliance must be based on two pillars (European and American).” The article also pointed out that “France was encouraged by the election in Iraq on Jan. 30 and by a ‘renewed determination’ in Bush’s efforts over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Barnier said. But Washington must understand the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is central and there will be no progress toward democracy in the Middle East unless it is addressed, he said.”

The Associated Press reported on February 8, 2005, that “Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Tuesday urged Europeans to move beyond disagreements with the United States and join forces to spread liberty…. France was the most vocal opponent of President Bush’s handling of the war with Iraq, and Rice did not engender any goodwill in Bush’s first term when she said the United States should ‘punish France, ignore Germany and forgive Russia’ for their opposition to the invasion. Rice chose Paris for the major address of her first official tour of Europe, and offered words of encouragement and a promise of cooperation. ‘America stands ready to work with Europe on our common agenda, and Europe must stand ready to work with America,’ she said.”

Abortions in the U.S.A.

On February 7, 2005, CNSNews.com reported about an alarming development in the United States — that of increasing numbers of abortions amongst African-Americans. The article pointed out: “During America’s commemoration of Black History Month, some pro-life activists are charging that legalized abortion has led to a ‘black genocide’ of more than 14 million unborn African-American babies.”

The published figures are staggering. To summarize from the article:

— For every five African-American women who get pregnant, three have an abortion;
— Since 1973, more than twice as many blacks have died from abortion than from heart disease, cancer, accidents, violent crimes and AIDS combined;
— Blacks make up about 12 percent of the population in the United States but account for 32 percent of the abortions; and
–About 1,450 black infants are aborted every day in this country.

Israel and the Palestinian State

Reuters reported on February 8, 2005, that “Israeli and Palestinian leaders declared a cease-fire Tuesday at a summit in Egypt aimed at ending more than four years of bloodshed… But Islamic militants [especially Hamas] behind suicide bombings and rocket attacks said they were not bound by Abbas’s cease-fire, though they would continue to follow a de facto truce at his behest… Political analysts also sounded a cautious note amid the fanfares of optimism [by politicians and governmental leaders around the globe], pointing out the gap remaining on issues that led to the collapse of talks for a Palestinian state on land occupied by Israel in the 1967 war — such as on borders and whether Palestinian refugees get a ‘right to return’ to land in what is now Israel. Some 3,350 Palestinians and 970 Israelis have been killed since September 2000… Despite the optimism voiced by the politicians, many political analysts saw little advance at the summit.”

Only two days later, on February 10, 2005, Reuters reported about the fragile nature of the “truce,” as follows: “Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas fired three of his top security chiefs Thursday after militants broke a cease-fire he had agreed with Israel by bombarding Jewish settlements in Gaza with mortars. After the attacks, Israel had put off security coordination talks scheduled as a follow-up to Tuesday’s groundbreaking meeting in Egypt with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. But an Israeli official said troops would not retaliate after some 50 mortar bombs and rockets hit settlements in Gaza. There were no casualties in the attacks by militants who have refused to participate in Abbas’s cease-fire gesture, and plans for him to reconvene with Sharon next week at the Israeli leader’s desert ranch remained in place… In another reminder of armed chaos in the Palestinian street challenging Abbas, dozens of gunmen including Hamas militants had stormed into a Gaza City prison Thursday and shot dead three inmates in a settling of scores between feuding clans… Hamas militants said the barrage was to avenge the death of a Palestinian shot dead by Israeli troops from a settlement on Wednesday. Troops said they fired on suspected intruders. Palestinians said the man was a civilian walking near his home.”

Byzantium and Bavaria

An article which appeared on the Internet, reported that “An exhibition exploring Europe’s Byzantine heritage, which opened in November, is bringing the fascinating but little-understood epoch to life at the Bavarian State Archeological Collection in Munich.” The article pointed out: “Founded in the fourth century when the capital of the Roman Empire was transferred from Rome to Constantinople- modern-day Istanbul – the Byzantine Empire flourished around the eastern Mediterranean for half a millennium….

“Bavaria’s fascination for Byzantine art and culture is at least as old as mad Ludwig II, the 19th century Bavarian king known for using state money to fund his outrageously extravagant castles. Ludwig II incorporated elements of Byzantine art into his castles, most prominently into the interiors of his castle Neuschwanstein. Bavaria has also long been home to the scholarly study of Byzantine history and culture. Germany’s first program dealing with Byzantium was created in 1897 at the University of Munich and remained the country’s only such program until 1945. Thus it may interest many local visitors that a Bavarian countess became the Kaiser of Byzantium in the 12th century, or that Augsburg became the ‘cradle of German Byzantium’ in the 16th century. Critics have suggested that the exhibition overplays the Bavarian influence on European Christendom, but for a state with much pride in its religious character, that’s par for the course.”

EU and the Catholic Church

“VIS” reported on February 4, 2005, from Vatican City that “Josep Borrell Fontelles, president of the European Parliament… met… with Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano and Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo, secretary for Relations with States… President Borrell Fontelles… explained some of the parliament’s current activities and the prospects arising from the enlarging of the European Union, expressing the hope that the constitutional treaty will be ratified by all States. The president, in harmony with the position the Holy See has always maintained, was careful to underline the nature of the European Union as a ‘moral force,’ with its own message of ever valid civilization, to be proposed even in the broader international context… The conversation also touched on problems arising from the presence of three great European bodies – the European Union, the Council of Europe, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) – with agreement on the need for a clarification of their relationship. The Cardinal Secretary of State also highlighted the importance of the apostolic nunciature accredited to the European Union, in order to favor fruitful dialogue on issues of current importance.”

Human Cloning?

AFP reported on February 8, 2005, that “The scientist who created Dolly the sheep, the world’s first cloned mammal, has been given a licence to clone human embryos for medical research, triggering an outcry among opposition groups… [Ian] Wilmut’s team plans to extract stem cells from patients with MND [Motor Neurone Disease] and implant them in unfertilised eggs to create cloned embryos. They will then harvest stem cells from the embryos to grow motor neurones — the long nerves which transmit electrical messages from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles.

“The technique will not be used to correct the disease, which is caused by the death of motor neurones and affects about 5,000 people in Britain, but the study of the cells could help to develop future treatments. Wilmut shot to fame in July 1996 when he created Dolly the sheep, the first mammal ever to be cloned from an adult cell. Dolly was put down two years ago this month after she developed a lung disease. Critics of embryo cloning fear that Britain is one step closer to authorising the creation of human clones, but Wilmut dismissed such fears. ‘This is not reproductive cloning in any way. The eggs we use will not be allowed to grow beyond 14 days,’ he said.”

The Associated Press added on February 8, 2005, that “It is the second such license approved since Britain became the first country to legalize research cloning in 2001… The first license was granted in August to a team at Newcastle University that hopes to use cloning to create insulin-producing cells that could be transplanted into diabetics. Such work, called therapeutic cloning because it does not result in a baby, is opposed by abortion foes and other biological conservatives because researchers must destroy human embryos to harvest the cells.”

Tsunamis Threaten the U.S.

As The Associated Press reported on February 8, 2005, “While the deadly tsunami in the Indian Ocean has focused attention on that part of the world, great waves also pose a threat to the United States. A tsunami struck the Virgin Islands in 1867 claiming 23 lives, and geologic evidence shows giant waves have struck several times over the last 3,500 years, affecting what is now Washington, Oregon and northern California… A 1755 earthquake that devastated Lisbon, Portugal, generated a wave that caused damage in the Caribbean… And there have been reports of a potential threat to the East Coast of the United States from waves that could be generated by landslides in the Canary Islands, across the Atlantic… Tsunami, caused by undersea earthquakes or volcanoes, can travel across the ocean at the speed of a jet plane, suddenly rising up to as high as 90 feet when they reach the shore… sedimentary evidence indicates six or seven severe tsunami have struck that state’s coast over the last 3,500 years, averaging about one such wave every 500 years.”

In a related article, www.smh.com.au reported on February 8, 2005, that “The tsunami that devastated South-East Asia was much bigger than was first believed, reaching heights of 30 metres, the size of a 10-storey building, and speeds of 13.7 metres a second.

“Scientists have found evidence in the Indonesian province of Aceh which shows the world has seriously underestimated the damage tsunamis can wreak… Vasily Titov, a tsunami computer modeller at the Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory in Seattle, which is host to some of the world’s top tsunami scientists,… said the findings showed scientists needed to rework their theories on tsunamis and would probably prompt a serious upgrade in the predicted size of the tsunami expected from a major quake off the US’s north-west coast. ‘Our worst-case scenario may not be the worst-case scenario,’ he said… Tim Walsh, a chief hazards geologist with the US Government, warned that a tsunami similar in size and destructive power to the December 26 one would strike the US if the plates in the Pacific Ocean collided. ‘We look a lot like the Indian Ocean,’ he said.”

Royal Marriage in England

As CNN reported on Thursday, February 10, 2005, “Britain’s Prince Charles is to marry his longtime lover, Camilla Parker Bowles, the royal family has announced. The wedding will be a civil ceremony in Windsor Castle on April 8, followed by a service of prayer and dedication in St. George’s Chapel at which the Archbishop of Canterbury will preside… On their marriage, Parker Bowles will be given the title of Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall. When Charles becomes king, Camilla will not be known as Queen Camilla but as the Princess Consort, according to Charles’ office… Diana was divorced from Charles — heir to Queen Elizabeth II — when she died. Charles’ marriage is a sensitive issue because Parker Bowles divorced in 1995 and her former husband Andrew, a former army officer, is still alive. Charles would be the supreme governor of the Church of England if he took the throne, and some Anglicans remain opposed to the remarriage of divorcees. The church is officially neutral on the issue, but former Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey recently urged the couple to marry.”

Evolution — Scientific?

Reuters reported, on February 4, 2005, about the death of Ernst Mayr, “a Harvard University evolutionary biologist called ‘the Darwin of the 20th century.'” The article pointed out that Mayr “almost single-handedly made the origin of species diversity the central question of evolutionary biology that it is today.”

However, it’s not that simple! University Professor of Law, Michael C. Dorf, wrote in an editorial, published by the Los Angeles Daily Journal on December 30, 2004, that the “two strongest arguments [of the intelligent-design literature] appear to point to the general absence of intermediate forms in the fossil record and to unanswered questions about how certain new, complex patterns of animal bodies could have arisen through random mutation and natural selection.”

Of course, another powerful argument against evolution, not mentioned by Dorf, is the fact that there is absolutely no evidence that one species (for instance, a dog) could develop into another species (for instance, a cat). This cannot occur today, as scientists are forced to grudgingly admit, and there is no proof that it ever could have happened before. If we follow the postulate of science to explain the past by what we can prove today, we must conclude that evolution could not have happened! The evolutionary mandate of the occurrence of so-called macro-mutations (changes from one species into another species, as distinguished from micro-mutations or changes within a species) is without any scientific proof — as more fully explained in our booklet, “Evolution — A Fairy Tale for Adults?”

In spite of the fact that evolution, as taught by Darwin (and scientists like the late Ernst Mayr), could not have happened, Dorf concluded that the courts should not allow the teaching of intelligent design in public schools, as “the fact that some phenomena remain unexplained by natural selection hardly shows that natural selection… will not eventually provide (!) the best account of these phenomena.”

Is this a scientific expression — or is it a dogma of religious wishful thinking?

State of the Union Address 2005

As The Associated Press reported on February 2, 2005, “President Bush challenged a hesitant Congress on Wednesday to take political risks to make Social Security ‘permanently sound,’ saying the nation’s costliest social program was headed for bankruptcy unless changed. Bush’s plan would cut guaranteed retirement benefits for younger Americans but would not affect checks for people now 55 and older… He pledged to confront regimes that promote terror and pursue weapons of mass destruction, and singled out Syria and Iran… Bush also promised to push forward for Mideast peace, including $350 million in aid to the Palestinians… With the United States spending more than $1 billion a week in Iraq, Bush urged Congress to support his request for an additional $80 billion.”

To quote from the transcript of President Bush’s speech, as published by WorldNetDaily on February 2, 2005:

“Tonight, with a healthy, growing economy, with more Americans going back to work, with our Nation an active force for good in the world – the state of our union is confident and strong… So next week I will send you a budget that holds the growth of discretionary spending below inflation, makes tax relief permanent, and stays on track to cut the deficit in half by 2009… Thirteen years from now, in 2018, Social Security will be paying out more than it takes in. And every year afterward will bring a new shortfall, bigger than the year before. For example, in the year 2027, the government will somehow have to come up with an extra 200 billion dollars to keep the system afloat – and by 2033, the annual shortfall would be more than 300 billion dollars. By the year 2042, the entire system would be exhausted and bankrupt. If steps are not taken to avert that outcome, the only solutions would be drastically higher taxes, massive new borrowing, or sudden and severe cuts in Social Security benefits or other government programs… For the good of families, children, and society, I support a constitutional amendment to protect the institution of marriage…. I will work with Congress to ensure that human embryos are not created for experimentation or grown for body parts, and that human life is never bought and sold as a commodity…

“We are working closely with governments in Asia to convince North Korea to abandon its nuclear ambitions… The only force powerful enough to stop the rise of tyranny and terror, and replace hatred with hope, is the force of human freedom… To promote peace in the broader Middle East, we must confront regimes that continue to harbor terrorists and pursue weapons of mass murder. Syria still allows its territory, and parts of Lebanon, to be used by terrorists who seek to destroy every chance of peace in the region. You have passed, and we are applying, the Syrian Accountability Act – and we expect the Syrian government to end all support for terror and open the door to freedom. Today, Iran remains the world’s primary state sponsor of terror – pursuing nuclear weapons while depriving its people of the freedom they seek and deserve. We are working with European allies to make clear to the Iranian regime that it must give up its uranium enrichment program and any plutonium re-processing, and end its support for terror. And to the Iranian people, I say tonight: As you stand for your own liberty, America stands with you. “

The Democrats are strongly opposed to President Bush’s plans to privatize social security. The Democratic National Committee also pointed out, on February 2, 2005, that ” Experts recently announced that Bush’s growing $8 trillion dollar debt translates to roughly $26,000 per person… 4.3 million more Americans are now in poverty… 5.2 million more people are uninsured today than in 2000.”

To quote from the transcripts of the “Democratic Reponse” to the State of the Union Address, by Senator Harry Reid (Democratic Leader in U.S. Senate — Nevada) and Rep. Nancy Pelosi (House Democratic Leader — California):

“After World War II, through the Marshall Plan, we rebuilt Europe and they went from poverty to an economic powerhouse. Today, we need to invest in our nation’s future with a Marshall Plan for America – to build the infrastructure our economy needs to go – and grow…. This 21st century economy holds great promise for our people. But unless we give all Americans the skills they need to succeed, countries like India and China will take good-paying jobs that should be ours… And that’s why we so strongly disagree with the president’s plan to privatize Social Security… it’s wrong to replace the guaranteed benefit that Americans have earned with a guaranteed benefit cut of 40 percent or more… The Bush plan would take our already record high $4.3 trillion national debt and put us another $2 trillion in the red. That’s an immoral burden to place on the backs of the next generation….”

“Despite the best efforts of our troops and their Iraqi counterparts, Iraq still faces a violent and persistent insurgency. And the chairman of the National Intelligence Council said in January that Iraq is now ‘a magnet for international terrorists.’ … Yet, the gaps in our security exposed by those attacks remain… airline cargo still goes uninspected, shipping containers go unscreened and our railroads and power plants are not secure… The greatest threats to our homeland security are the tons of biological, chemical, and even nuclear materials that are unaccounted for or unguarded.”

The Run from the U.S. Dollar

As WorldNetDaily reported on February 3, 2005, “Decisions by the world’s two wealthiest men to bet on a further weakening of the U.S. dollar, coupled with China’s lack of confidence in American currency should grab the attention of every working person, says Craig Smith, CEO of Swiss America Trading… Citing widening U.S. trade and budget deficits and a federal debt of $7.62 trillion, [Bill] Gates said in a TV interview at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland last weekend he expects the dollar to extend its three-year decline…

“Smith said the actions of Buffett, worth more than $42.9 billion, and Gates, $46.6 billion, [to sell the dollar and to buy foreign currencies] are significant in light of the lack of confidence recently expressed by leaders of the world’s fastest growing economy, China, which has its currency pegged to the dollar… Since the beginning of 2002, the dollar has dropped 26 percent against a basket of six major currencies, and the trade deficit grew to a record $609 billion. In addition, the Bush administration expects the budget deficit this year to hit an all-time high of $427 billion.”

The EU Constitution — Unknown in Europe?

On January 28, 2005, the EUobserver reported that “one third of EU citizens [are] unaware of [the] European Constitution.” The article continued to explain that “a new poll has shown that a high percentage of EU citizens feel they know little about its content and a third are completely unaware of the document… Thirty-three percent have never heard of the new EU charter which was signed with great ceremony last year and is to be put to a referendum in at least nine member states – starting in Spain next month. In individual member states, the figures are higher – 50% of Britons, 45% of Irish and 39% of Portuguese are unaware of the document.”

In addition, “only 39% of citizens know that the Constitution does not foresee the creation of a direct European tax; meanwhile only 38% of respondents know that the President of the European Council will not be directly elected by citizens…”

The article also pointed out that most people in the UK are opposed to the ratification of the EU constitution (while, at the same time, 50% don’t even know of its existence). The article explained: “The UK, which many feel may reject the Constitution in its planned referendum next year, has among the most extreme results. At 30%, it has the most people against the Constitution; while, at 20%, the least in favour of the document. This contrasts strongly with Italy and Belgium where the figures in favour are 72% and 70% respectively.”

The article stated in its concluding remarks: “The Constitution, which will introduce an EU foreign minister, a permanent chair of the EU and greater powers to the European Parliament, has to be ratified by all 25 member states before it can come into force.”

In light of these statistics, and the lack of knowledge amongst many Europeans as to what the EU Constitution entails, the following prophecy in Revelation 13:3 is remarkable: “And all the world [inside and outside Europe] marveled and followed the beast” [a modern resurrected Holy Roman Empire, forming right now in Europe].

Australia vs. Europe?

The Australian reported on January 31, 2005, that Australia’s “John Howard has lashed out at ‘old Europe’, describing criticism of the US as ‘unfair and irrational’, as global tensions grow over the Iraq war and free trade. During a vigorous panel debate on US global relations at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, several European officials attacked President George W. Bush’s Iraq policy, but Mr Howard stood up to defend his ally. Earlier in the summit, Mr Howard attacked the European Union over the reintroduction of wheat export subsidies, which he said harmed underdeveloped nations and were contrary to free trade. ‘Some of the criticism (of the US) by some of the Europeans is unfair and irrational,’ Mr Howard said in the panel debate, organised by Britain’s BBC TV. ‘I mean the negative mindset of the last five minutes (of this debate) is ridiculous – of course America has made mistakes,’ he said. Later Mr Howard told The Australian he found the European ‘irrational level of anti-Americanism’ perplexing. ‘It is a sign of parochialism and it is disturbingly intense.’ He said the BBC debate ‘was based on an anti-American mindset which was established right at the beginning by the moderators from the BBC’. “Mr Howard said anti-Americanism had already affected world co-operation. ‘But it is very important to remember it is confined to sectors of Europe – not all Europeans. In that debate there was a significantly different tone taken by the Latvian President to that taken by the German and other contributors,’ Mr Howard said. ‘The British have a different view through their Government, but there remains in Britain some of the old jealousies that have always been there. I found the French and German attitude has lingered longer than I thought it might, and longer than is in anyone’s interests.'”

The Bible describes ongoing “jealousies” between the United States of America and Great Britain. It also prophesies increasing feelings of Anti-Americanism in Europe, especially in leading nations, such as Germany.

Elections in Iraq — Legitimate or not?

On February 2, 2005, The Associated Press filed this report about the recent elections in Iraq:

“Iraq’s leading Sunni Muslim clerics said Wednesday the country’s landmark elections lacked legitimacy because large numbers of Sunnis did not participate in the balloting, which the religious leaders had asked them to boycott… Large numbers of majority Shiite Muslims and Kurds participated in Sunday’s election for a new National Assembly and regional parliaments. Although no results or turnout figures have been released, U.S. officials say participation appeared much lower in Sunni areas where the insurgency is strongest. The low turnout has been blamed variously on the clerics’ own boycott call and on fears of insurgent reprisals against those who voted… “In its first statement since the balloting, the Association of Muslim Scholars said the vote lacked legitimacy because of low Sunni participation. The association months ago urged Sunnis to shun the polls because of the presence of U.S. and other foreign troops, and insurgents threatened to kill anyone who voted. Iraqi officials have acknowledged voting problems, including a ballot shortage in Baghdad, Basra and Mosul, which have substantial Sunni populations and which also may have contributed to a low Sunni turnout. With many Sunnis having stayed away, a ticket endorsed by the Shiite clergy is expected to gain the biggest number of seats in the 275-member National Assembly, followed by the Kurds and a list headed by interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, a secular Shiite. Shiites comprise an estimated 60 percent of Iraq’s 26 million people, and Shiite candidates were expected to fare best regardless of Sunni turnout. However, low Sunni participation was believed to have reduced the totals of other tickets.”

Russia and China — a New Power Bloc?

The Associated Press reported on February 2, 2005, that “Russia and China will hold regular security consultations, President Vladimir Putin and a visiting Chinese official announced Wednesday, moving to further strengthen close military cooperation between the two Cold War-era adversaries… Putin hailed an increasingly close cooperation between the former Communist rivals, saying that ‘relations in the political, economic and security sphere and in the field of military cooperation have been developing intensively.'”

The article continued to point out: “The maneuvers, set to begin in August, were seen by many observers as Russia’s response to the cooling of relations with the United States and other Western nations, most recently over the presidential election in Ukraine… After decades of rivalry, Moscow and Beijing have developed what they call a strategic partnership since the 1991 Soviet collapse, pledging their adherence to a ‘multipolar world,’ a term that refers to their opposition to a perceived U.S. domination in global affairs. China has purchased billions of dollars worth of fighters, missiles, submarines and destroyers, becoming the No. 1 customer for struggling Russian defense industries.”

The Bible prophesies that Russia and China will unite, militarily, to form a mighty power bloc. Ultimately, it will find itself in opposition to Europe.

Terrorists in Germany?

On February 1, 2005, The Associated Press reported about the arrests of suspected terrorists in Germany: “In coordinated nationwide raids last month, police arrested 15 people on suspicion of belonging to an extremist network allegedly centered on Ulm and neighboring Neu Ulm… In the Jan. 12 raids, 700 police officers searched 60 mosques, homes and shops across Germany. Suspects included nationals of Germany, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya and Bulgaria; police said their activities included raising money, producing fake passports, and recruiting people for jihad, or holy war. The Ulm area operation focused on the mosque and an Islamic Information Center… The raids were part of a general crackdown on Islamic extremism in Germany that included the apprehension of three Ansar el Islam suspects alleged to have plotted to assassinate Iraqi interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi when he visited Berlin in December, and the arrest of two others at the end of January on suspicion they belong to al-Qaida.”

Global Warming a Deadly Threat

AFP reported on February 2, 2005, about the widely underestimated deadly threats of global warming. The article pointed out that “Global warming will boost outbreaks of infectious disease, worsen shortages of water and food in vulnerable countries and create an army of climate refugees fleeing uninhabitable regions, a conference here was told.”

According to the article, “Global warming will also add significantly to Earth’s worrisome water problems. Already around 1.4 billion people live in water-stressed areas, a term defined as having less than 1,000 cubic metres (35,000 cubic feet) of water per person per year… Most of them live in southern and southwest Asia, the Middle East and the Mediterranean. By the 2050s, water availability in these water-stressed regions — but also in parts of central, north and south America — may be further crimped because of changed rainfall patterns. Between 700 million and 2.8 billion people in such areas will be affected, depending on population growth and the pace of temperature rise… Between the 1970s — when temperatures first rose significantly — and the year 2000, climate change cost around 150,000 lives from malnutrition, diarrhoea, malaria and floods. That tally will ‘approximately double’ by 2020, mainly because of diarrhoea, which is propagated easily in floods, and hunger, [an expert] said.”

Germany’s Staggering Unemployment Rate

Bloomberg reported on February 2 about Germany’s unprecedented unemployment rate since WW II. The article stated: “German unemployment jumped to the highest since World War II as new rules added welfare recipients to the jobless register…The number of people out of work in January rose by 227,000 to 4.71 million in seasonally adjusted terms [However, as is pointed out below, the accurate figures seem to be much higher.]… Germany’s rising unemployment contrasts with the U.S., where the jobless rate probably remained unchanged at 5.4 percent in January as 200,000 jobs were created outside farming, a Bloomberg survey of 70 economists showed… In December, Germany had the second highest unemployment rate after Spain among the 12 countries that share the euro, at 10 percent on a comparable basis. The rate in France was 9.7 percent. In the U.K., the latest available comparable rate is 4.6 percent for October….

“‘Unemployment has grown steadily over the last three decades and then reunification came on top of that,’ [a German expert said.] ‘There is no silver bullet for the reduction of unemployment and if anybody claims this can be done quickly then that’s simply false.’ While the German economy resumed expansion in 2004 after three years, there’s been no corresponding growth in job numbers… Germany is losing 1,200 full-time jobs a day… Siemens AG, Germany’s largest engineering company, plans to shed about 700 jobs at its fixed-line networks unit in Munich and Berlin, the company said Jan. 28. T-Mobile International AG, Deutsche Telekom AG’s wireless unit, plans to eliminate as many as 1,200 jobs in Germany by the end of 2006 to cut costs.”

According to Bild Online, the reality of Germany’s unemployment figures is even much worse. In an article, dated February 2, 2005, the German tabloid writes: “In Germany, there are 6.5 million without work… And even that is not the whole truth. In addition to the 6.5 million, there is the ‘silent reserve,’… people who are not entitled to benefits and who therefore don’t even register with the government, as they could not find a job… An improvement is not in sight. The [government] has already announced increasing figures for February.”

In a strongly worded commentary to the German government, the tabloid wrote: “Do you even care for these people [who are without work]?… In our country, [employees of the government] are disconnecting electricity in private homes, as the unemployed cannot afford paying electricity bills. Thousands of Germans are living without light or heat. Do you know… how many Germans are freezing today?”

Historians will recall that the unprecedented unemployment rate in Germany after WW I, and the inability of the government to improve the situation, was one of the reasons why Hitler came to power.

The Next Pope

The Associated Press reported on February 2, 2005, that in light of the pope’s recent health crisis, speculations of a successor have been increased. The article pointed out: “After 26 years in the papacy, Pope John Paul II has outlived many of the men once considered possible successors. Should he die, there would be no clear favorite, making the question of papal succession as unpredictable as any in recent history…

“On the theory the cardinals may seek a transitional figure, one name that has emerged in Rome is Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, a German who heads the powerful Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. He’s 77 and has proposed retiring several times to John Paul, but the pope has turned him down. Ratzinger is favored by those who want assurances the conservative policies of John Paul – opposition to contraception, women priests and any loosening of mandatory celibacy for priests – won’t be relaxed, according to a prelate who closely follows the succession maneuvers.

“Another camp is touting Cardinal Oscar Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga of Honduras, who at 62 is seen as a dynamic churchman from Latin America. Other prominent names mentioned include Cardinal Francis Arinze, a Vatican-based Nigerian; Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina; Cardinal Godfried Danneels of Belgium; Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera of Mexico; Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn of Austria and Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi of Italy [and] Brazilian Cardinal Claudio Hummes… But Chicago Cardinal Francis George does disqualify one group – his fellow Americans. ‘An office like the papacy needs to be free. And to some extent, even the appearance of being in some sense captured by, as we say now, the world’s only superpower, would not be helpful to the mission of the church,’ he told reporters in Rome during a 2003 visit.”

President Bush and the Foreign Press

On January 21, 2005, csmonitor.com reported about the overwhelmingly negative reaction of the foreign press to President Bush’s second inaugural speech. The article pointed out:

“… So when Mr. Bush made it clear on Thursday that he was not about to ‘turn back from his doctrine of taking pre-emptive action, in the interests of American security (or, as he would put it, American freedom)’ as the BBC characterized his speech, there was little room for [the] noted British understatement in the headline of the Beeb’s stellar roundup – ‘World press electrified by Bush vision.’ ‘Hold on to your hats, this may be the most ambitious presidency ever.’ That’s the message from one Israeli paper [Haaretz] after President George W. Bush’s inauguration – a message echoed across the world’s press. For China’s press his speech raises the question whether Washington will head further down a ‘unilateral’ path in foreign relations. One Polish paper heralds the speech as the dawn of a conservative revolution, while in Germany and Turkey there’s a bleak forecast for the new Bush era.”

The article continued: “Iraq was never mentioned by name, yet its recent history resonated when Bush applied Abraham Lincoln’s words: ‘those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves; and, under the rule of a just God, cannot long retain it’ to his own phrase ‘the rulers of outlaw regimes.’ This was too much for The Toronto Star which called such language ‘unabashedly aggressive.’… The BBC viewed such words as ‘warning bells… ringing in foreign capitals such as Tehran and Damascus.'”

Der Spiegel Online editorialized last week, that no matter what President Bush tries to do, it always seems to backfire and invite criticism. Even though he is right on many issues, according to the magazine, it seems he can’t get many foreign supporters for any of them.

This is a remarkable observation, but why would this be the case? The answer becomes clear in light of Biblical prophecy for the United States of America. Speaking to the modern house of Israel (Ephraim and Manasseh, i.e., the GB and USA ), Isaiah states: “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the LORD has spoken: ‘I have nourished and brought up children, And they have rebelled against Me. The ox knows its owner And the donkey its master’s crib; But Israel does not know, My people do not consider… The whole head is sick, And the whole heart faints. From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it… When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood” (Isaiah 1:2-3, 5-6, 15).

Japan Shows Its Muscles

As The International Herald Tribune reported on January 22, 2005, “Japan is once more going from strength to strength, and this time not just on the economic front. Militarily, diplomatically and in terms of cultural influence and general global activism, Japan is transforming itself, and at speed – not merely into a ‘normal’ country, but into a formidable player across a wide front. Militarily, the Japanese have embarked on a huge upgrade of their overall power-projection capabilities, reinforced by a big expansion of intelligence resources and of their already large satellite program.”

The article continued to explain: “In effect, this is a farewell to the old ‘Yoshida doctrine,’ which based security strictly on national self-defense. Instead, it ushers in a new phase of ‘equal partnership’ defense arrangements, especially with the United States, with interlocking ground, air and maritime forces at an unprecedented level of interoperability and intimacy… In short, Japan is re-emerging as a major military power both in East Asia and globally.”

These developments are highly remarkable, as Japan, according to Biblical prophecy, will play a strong military role in an upcoming conflict between Europe and Asia.

Weather Chaos in Midwest and Europe

On January 22, 2005, itemonline.com stated: “Hundreds of airline flights were canceled Saturday and fleets of road plows were warmed up as a paralyzing snowstorm barreled out of the Midwest and spread across the Northeast with a potential for up to 20 inches of snow driven by 50 mph wind. Storm warnings were posted from Wisconsin to New England, where the National Weather Service posted blizzard warnings in effect through Sunday.”

The Boston Globe reported on January 27, 2005, that “The dazzling oceanside setting that makes Cape Cod a tourist destination contributed yesterday to another furious onslaught of snow that fell from Falmouth to Provincetown, as Massachusetts endured a winter storm that helped set a record for the highest monthly snowfall in 113 years.”

Bild Online reported on January 27, 2005, about chaotic weather conditions in Europe, with snowstorms and blizzards in Majorca and Algiers, and snow and frozen roads in Sicily. Bild Online stated: “Majorca encountered the biggest snowstorm for 100 years… The weather conditions in Algeria have not been as bad since the 50’s… In Germany, temperatures dropped to minus 20 degrees Celsius [in some areas].”

USA vs. GB vs. Iran?

In a remarkable development, showing potential disharmony between the United States of America and Great Britain over the issue of Iran, “JACK STRAW [Great Britain’s foreign minister] has drawn up a dossier putting the case against a military attack on Iran amid fears that President George W Bush’s administration may seek Britain’s backing for a new conflict,” according to The Sunday Times of January 23, 2005.

The article explained: “Straw and his officials fear that hawks in Washington will talk the American president into a strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities, just as they persuaded him to go to war in Iraq… The document says a peaceful solution led by Britain, France and Germany is ‘in the best interests of Iran and the international community.’ It refers to ‘safeguarding Iran’s right to the peaceful use of nuclear technology’… The approach contrasts with the government’s two Iraq dossiers, which were trumpeted to make the case for war… Fears in London of an attack were fuelled when Dick Cheney, the American vice-president, said that Iran was ‘top of the list’ as a trouble spot for the administration. Rice said it was an ‘outpost of tyranny’… The message that the British government wants no part in another war in the Middle East will be reinforced by Tony Blair when he meets Bush in Brussels next month and at an Anglo-American summit in Washington after the British general election, which is expected in May.”

The article continued: “In a YouGov poll for The Sunday Times today, 65% of [the] people said that Britain should not support American military action against Iran, compared with 16% who were in favour. However, a consensus is emerging among the ‘neoconservative’ hawks in Washington who are close to Bush that European-led diplomacy with Iran is failing to produce results. A prominent Washington defence hawk said: ‘At some point the Americans are going to turn to the Europeans and say: “The goal is disarmament but all we are getting is arms control. It’s time for a bigger stick.”‘”

This developing disagreement over Iran MIGHT be one of several contributing factors to the prophesied disharmony between the United States of America and Great Britain in the near future. Isaiah 9:21 states: “Manasseh [modern USA] shall devour Ephraim [modern GB], and Ephraim Manasseh, Together they shall be against Judah.”

USA’s Astronomical Budget Deficit!

Bloomberg.com reported on January 24, 2005, that “Germany and France said the drop in the dollar has unfairly punished European economies and called for coordinated action by the U.S., Asia and Europe to stem the currency’s decline. German Finance Minister Hans Eichel and his French counterpart, Herve Gaymard, said the U.S. current account and budget deficits were the chief causes of the euro’s 34 percent rise against the dollar the past three years.”

In addition, The Associated Press reported on January 26, 2005, that “China has lost faith in the stability of the U.S. dollar and its first priority is to broaden the exchange rate for its currency from the dollar to a more flexible basket of currencies, a top Chinese economist said Wednesday.”

It was also reported by Bloomberg.com that “The U.S. must attract about $1.8 billion of investment a day from overseas to fill the current-account gap and maintain the value of the dollar, based on Bloomberg calculations. The shortfall increased to a record $164.7 billion in the third quarter… The federal budget deficit widened to a record $412.3 billion in the year ended on Sept. 30.”

It is evident that this cannot go on much longer. It should be obvious that the USA is facing an UNAVOIDABLE terrible economic disaster in the near future. This is true, even though it was announced during a press conference on Wednesday, January 26, 2005, that the Bush administration will propose to Congress how to cut the deficit in half, while, at the same time, asking for another 80 billion dollars (!) to be spent in Iraq. It should be clear, however, that these ideas will not help in the long run.

The situation in at least parts of Iraq can only be described, objectively, as chaotic. Elections are scheduled for Sunday, but due to violent attacks by Iraqi “insurgents,” some, if not many, of the Iraqi people will not vote. The most recent U.S. helicopter crash in Iraq, killing all 31 marines on board, which was apparently due to mechanical failure, is another indication that the U.S. endeavors in Iraq are simply not blessed. Most Americans would agree with this assessment, stating, according to published opinion polls, that the Iraq war was a failure.

Iraq Before Elections

On January 26, 2005, Zenit published an interesting interview with Chaldean Bishop Louis Sako of Kirkuk (Iraq). He clearly favors elections and warns against an early withdrawal of the American troops from Iraq (President Bush just stated that he cannot foresee that American troops will withdraw from Iraq within a year, according to Bild Online, dated January 27, 2005). Bishop Sako stated in the interview:

“The elections are something immense and new. Nothing of the kind has happened in the past 50 years: first because of clashes and revolts, then due to 35 years of dictatorship. There has never been freedom of expression. But now, anything is possible: If there are people and parties arguing and clashing, that is because they are free to do so. Now, Iraqis must learn to discuss in a civil manner. But the people of Iraq have never been trained for coexistence; they have always lived in the midst of violence: three wars, a dictatorship, 13 years of embargo. This is why freedom is not used in a responsible way and problems arise… There are, of course, people who are frightened by threats, but I say that achieving normality has its condition, and this condition is the election process…

“The media is a big problem in Iraq: a lot of lies and provocations are being written and broadcast. It’s enough to think of al-Jazeera and al-Arabiya that are misinforming a great deal, in what amounts to utter fanaticism, which even Iraqi Muslim leaders themselves have condemned. These television broadcasters are continuously trying to spark violence against the Americans and even against Iraqis… But if the Americans leave Iraq today, there will be civil war between Kurds, Arabs, Sunnis, Shiites, Muslims, Christians… The U.S. must stay on until Iraqis can take command of the nation. For the moment, they can’t do this, the necessary structures are not yet in place.”

Swastika a “Harmless” Good Luck Charm?

On January 20, 2005, www.news.bbc.co.uk and Der Spiegel Online reported about the Hindu reaction to German MEPs call “for a Europe-wide ban of the symbol [swastika] after Prince Harry wore it on a fancy dress costume.” According to the articles, “Hindu Forum spokesman Ramesh Kallidai said the swastika had been a Hindu good luck charm for centuries.” He described it as “the second most sacred symbol in the Hindu tradition which has been used for 5,000 years to ward off evil.”

The articles explained that “Displaying the swastika is illegal in Germany. However… a similar ban in the UK would have an adverse affect on Hindus who regarded a swastika in much the same way as a Christian viewed a cross.”

The articles also pointed out the fact that “The Hindu swastika faces to the right, unlike the one adopted by the Nazis which faces to the left.”

To understand the German concern in this entire matter, we need to look at the recent origin and purpose of Hitler’s swastika.

Klaus P. Fischer explains in his outstanding work, “Nazi Germany — A New History,” on page 38, Hitler’s relationship with Georg Lanz von Liebenfels (1874-1954), “a man who gave Hitler many of his racial ideas.” Liebenfels “disseminated his racial ideas in his periodical Ostara, a magazine usually adorned with a swastika on its front page.” Liebenfels was “a former Cistercian monk in the Heiligenkreuz monastery… Liebenfels also gathered like-minded cultists in a ruined castle in upper Austria at Werfenstein. Here he hoisted a swastika and chanted magical incantations to the Teutonic spirits… Hitler actually met Liebenfels on one occasion, asking him for some back issues of Ostara. In fact, the swastika symbol, the racial theory of history, the Holy Grail of Aryan purity, the extermination of apelike humans (Tiermenschen) — all these mental aberrations were prefabricated for Hitler by Liebenfels.”

Fischer continues to state, on pages 129-130:

“Hitler placed great emphasis on the need for symbols and myths in party organization. As early as August 1920, he approved the swastika as the party’s prime symbol… [T]he swastika had been used by a variety of voelkisch groups and paramilitary organizations, but as a symbol it dates back to ancient times [For instance, the ancient Assyrians used the swastika as well]. In Sanskrit the word swastika originally meant ‘good luck,’ and in the pictorial records of various religions… the swastika denoted an object of veneration. The final swastika emblem, although approved by Hitler, was not Hitler’s idea but came from a design by Dr. Friedrich Krohn… Hitler approved this design except for one modification–namely, that the arms of the swastika extended in right rather than in left angels. He later explained the symbolic meaning of this design by saying that ‘in the red we see the social idea of the movement, in the white the national idea, in the swastika the mission of the fight for the victory of the Aryan man, and at the same time also the victory of the idea of creative work which in itself is and always will be anti-Semitic.'”

Auschwitz Remembered

BBC News reported on January 27, 2005: “Holocaust survivors and world leaders have held an emotional ceremony in Poland, 60 years after the liberation of the Nazis’ Auschwitz death camp… ‘It seems as if we can still hear the dead crying out,’ Israeli President Moshe Katsav told the crowd. The Nazi regime murdered six million Jews and many others during what became known as the Holocaust. Auschwitz, the largest of the Nazi camps, where 1.1 million people died, was liberated by the advancing Soviet army on 27 January 1945. Expressing fears over a resurgence in anti-Semitism in Europe, Mr Katsav questioned whether the memory of the Holocaust had lost its power to deter attacks and insults against Jews…

“Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski and Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the crowd. But German President Horst Koehler remained silent, in recognition of Germany’s role as perpetrator of the Holocaust. Touring the camp with survivors before the ceremony, he said: ‘We have the duty to ensure that something like this never happens again – and we Germans in particular.’… Other world figures at the ceremony included US Vice-President Dick Cheney and UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw. In the nearby Polish city of Krakow, before the ceremony in Auschwitz, Mr Putin spoke out against anti-Semitism and admitted that it was a problem in his country… French President Jacques Chirac, opening an exhibit in honour of French victims, said his country must bear its responsibility for the deportation of Jews from Nazi-occupied France. In the German capital, Berlin, parliament held a special ceremony including an address by a German-Jewish camp survivor, Arno Lustiger, and the readings of poems by a man murdered in Auschwitz.”

President Bush’s Second Inaugural Address

As The Associated Press reported on January 20, 2005, “President Bush sought in his second inaugural speech to define his new term as a fight for freedom in every nation with the ‘ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our world.’ At home, he urged a divided nation to find the unity it had felt after the Sept. 11 attacks… Yet seeking to soften an image sometimes seen as aggressive around the world, Bush said America does not want to impose ‘our own style of government on the unwilling.’ And while he led the nation into wars in Afghanistan and Iraq during his first term, he said that spreading freedom is not ‘primarily the task of arms.’… [President Bush] sought to reassure U.S. allies that America did not want to stand alone in the fight for freedom. ‘All the allies of the United States can know: We honor your friendship, we rely on your counsel, and we depend on your help,’ Bush said. ‘Division among free nations is a primary goal of freedom’s enemies.'”

President Bush’s statements to the allies of the United States have to be seen as a direct response to mounting fears, especially in Europe, that Mr. Bush will continue, what has been perceived by many Europeans, as an American course of action without regard for the concerns, desires and wishes of friends and allies.

In that respect, Mr. Bush’s statements in his second inaugural speech were reminiscent of his first inaugural address in January of 2001, although subsequent events created the perception in many parts around the world that President Bush did not deliver, at least in respect to America’s allies, what he had stated at that time. In his first inaugural speech, President Bush had said:

“The enemies of liberty and our country should make no mistake, America remains engaged in the world, by history and by choice, shaping a balance of power that favors freedom. We will defend our allies and our interests. We will show purpose without arrogance.”

Many hope that President Bush’s words in his second inaugural address will be followed by action. But widespread fear and skepticism remain — especially in Europe. Der Spiegel Online reported on January 20, 2005, that according to a poll conducted by the BBC in 21 countries, 60 percent fear that under President Bush’s leadership, peace and world security will be threatened. 58 percent believe that the world will become more dangerous under President Bush. Only the majority in India, Poland and the Philippines believes that President Bush’s policy will make the world safer.

In particular, when asked whether President Bush will have a positive or a negative impact on world peace within the next four years, 77 percent of Germans answered, “negative,” while only 14 percent answered, “positive.” In France, the results were very similar (75 percent say, “negative,” 13 percent say, “positive”). In Great Britain, 69 percent believe that his impact will be negative, while 29 percent state that it will be positive. The strongest disapproval rate was received in Turkey where only 6 percent believe that Mr. Bush will have a positive impact on the world’s security and peace, while 82 percent believe that his impact will be negative. This may be somewhat surprising to some observers, as the United States is strongly advocating EU membership of Turkey, while many Europeans are opposed to it and US involvement in the matter.

Prophecy clearly shows that the United States of America will lose, ultimately, most support in the world. Friends and allies will turn out to become America’s enemies. For more information on this important Biblical revelation, please read our free booklet, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.”

Israel Member of EU?

UPI reported on January 11, 2005, that “Israel could be a future member of the European Union, a top EU official suggested Tuesday. Germany’s [Guenter] Verheugen, vice-president of the European Commission in Brussels…, claimed, in the long-term, he would ‘not even rule out monetary union,’ in which Israel would adopt the euro as its currency… Verheugen said he could ‘imagine Israel being widely integrated into the European economic structures’ and ‘being a full participant in the internal market.’ Two years ago… Verheugen caused a stir by first raising the possibility of a special relationship between Israel and the EU, and spoke of ‘a single market from Oslo to Jerusalem.'”

This kind of wishful thinking notwithstanding, Bible prophecy strongly indicates that Israel will not become a member of the EU, as the EU will be at odds with the state of Israel. Instead, the EU, under German leadership, will form an alliance with certain Arab nations AGAINST Israel.

The Apocalypse and the Catholic Church

WorldNetDaily reported on January 12, 2005: “Pope John Paul II commented on the Apocalypse, saying that the increase in violence and injustice in the world is the work of a furious Satan who doesn’t have ‘much time left’ and ultimately will be defeated.” The article quoted the pope as follows: “Satan, the original adversary, who accused our brothers in the heavenly court, has now been cast down from heaven and therefore no longer has great power. He knows he has not much time left because history is about to see a radical turning point in freedom from evil and therefore he is reacting full of great fury.”

These comments are highly remarkable. It is indeed correct that Satan and his demons know that they have but a very short time, as Revelation 12:12 and James 2:19 indicate. We also read in Romans 16:20: “And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly.”

Death Toll in Indonesia

According to a report published by www.news-leader.com, “An official document posted here says that nearly 210,000 people in Indonesia are dead or missing from the Dec. 26 tsunami, a death toll that appears to be far higher than officials have reported publicly. Rescue workers think even that number may be low. The Indonesia toll would bring the total of dead and missing from the tidal surge across the Indian Ocean to nearly 272,000, ranking the tsunami as the fifth or sixth deadliest natural disaster in about 250 years.”

The article continued: “The new death toll came as Indonesian officials restricted the movements of foreign relief workers, U.N. employees and journalists in devastated north Sumatra, the Indonesian island that took the brunt of the tsunami’s force, and said foreign military units would be allowed to work in the country for only a limited time. Indonesia’s vice president told the United States and other nations that have sent troops to deliver relief that their forces won’t be permitted to remain in Sumatra longer than three months, and should leave as soon as their work is completed. The blunt comments seemed to end what had been tacit Indonesian acceptance of a foreign presence in an area that has been off limits to foreigners for years.”

A New King of Israel?

The Jerusalem Post reported the following on January 12, 2005:

“According to a group of 71 Jewish scholars who met this week in the Old City of Jerusalem in the form of a modern-day Sanhedrin – a duplicate of the religious tribunal which convened during the time of the Second Temple – a coronation day is growing closer… For the past several years a group called the Monarchists has conducted extensive research into the lineage of several families in an effort to discover who has the closest bloodline to the biblical King David – a requirement for any future Jewish king. Rabbi Yosef Dayan from Psagot, known for his recent threats to place a death curse on Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, is said to be a leading candidate to become the ‘king of Israel.’ ‘Dayan has the best lineage to King David,’ several members of the Sanhedrin told The Jerusalem Post.” The article continued:

“Some of the other ideas discussed at the Sanhedrin meeting included the construction of an altar on the Temple Mount to be used for the Passover Offering during the upcoming holiday. One of the ideas, members said, is to climb the Mount and build the altar within minutes and sacrifice the lamb before security forces can stop them… Participants also discussed [Baruch] Ben-Yosef’s idea [a leading Sanhedrin member] of reinstating the Sanhedrin’s authority to announce Rosh Hodesh, the beginning of the new lunar month. ‘It is very important to reinstate the Sanhedrin’s authority to announce the month, because it will force people to understand that God gave us the power to control the calendar and our own destiny,’ Ben-Yosef said.”

School Forced to Continue Teaching Lies

The Associated Press reported on January 13, 2005, that “A federal judge Thursday ordered a suburban Atlanta school system to remove stickers from its high school biology textbooks that call evolution ‘a theory, not a fact,’ saying the disclaimers are an unconstitutional endorsement of religion. ‘By denigrating evolution, the school board appears to be endorsing the well-known prevailing alternative theory, creationism or variations thereof, even though the sticker does not specifically reference any alternative theories,” [the] U.S. District Judge… said.”

By hiding behind the misinterpreted mantle of “separation between Church and state,” school children are not permitted to even question the unscientific theory of evolution. What a travesty in a country claiming to be “educated.” And how true are God’s words about our modern societies (compare 1 Corinthians 1:20-21): “… Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through [their human] wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached (that is, in the eyes of the so-called “educated” establishment) to save those who believe” (the truth — and not falsehoods like evolution!).

An Asian Century?

As “timesofindia” reported on January 14, 2005, “The rise of China and India as global players is heralding an Asian Century in place of a receding American Century, a US intelligence report said on Thursday. In a far reaching projection, the CIA-commissioned report compared the rise of the two Asian giants to the advent of a united Germany in the 19th century and a powerful United States in the 20th century, and said the event will transform the world’s geopolitical landscape, with impacts potentially as dramatic as those in the previous two centuries.”

This report is interesting in light of the fact that in the very end, an army from Asia, which will be fighting a mighty European power bloc, is described as “two hundred million” (Revelation 9:16). Only the combined manpower of many Asian nations, including China, India, Japan, and Russia, could produce such a mighty army. This battle between Europe and Asia is also described in the book of Daniel. We read, in Daniel 11:44-45, that a future European leader will be troubled by “news from the east and the north…; therefore he shall go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many… yet he shall come to his end, and no one will help him.”

Europe Won’t Break Up

On January 17, 2005, “scotlandonsunday” reported about a CIA forecast, warning that Europe may break up within 15 years “unless it radically reforms its ailing welfare systems.” We know from Biblical prophecy, of course, that Europe will NOT break up, but that it will become the greatest power bloc on the globe. In light of this understanding, the following comments from the CIA report are startling:

“The report predicts that America’s relationships with Europe will be ‘dramatically altered’ over the next 15 years, in a move away from post-Second World War institutions. Nato could disappear and be replaced by increased EU action. The EU, rather than Nato, will increasingly become the primary institution for Europe, and the role Europeans shape for themselves on the world stage is most likely to be projected through it,’ the report adds.”

Fire in Australia

According to www.news.com.au, dated January 15, 2005, “Scientists believe 500,000 Australian homes are at high risk of being destroyed by fire because of their proximity to the bush. They said 334,000 homes within 80m of the bush had a 60 per cent chance of burning down if the nearby grass or trees caught fire. And another 155,000 homes in the next 50m were in serious danger. The predictions came days after the most devastating Australian bushfire since 1983, in which nine people died, including four children, in South Australia.”

Hitler and Pope Pius XII

Reuters reported on January 15, 2005, that “Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler gave one of his generals a direct order to kidnap Pope Pius XII during World War [II]…Two but the officer did not obey, Italy’s leading Roman Catholic newspaper reported Saturday…. [According to the report] Hitler feared the Pope would be an obstacle to his plans for global domination and because the dictator wanted to eventually abolish Christianity and impose National Socialism as a sort of new global religion.”

The article also pointed out that “Church officials accumulat[e] evidence to back efforts to have Pius eventually made a saint. But the reports of Hitler’s contempt for Pius have contrasted with other versions by historians and authors who have depicted Pius as being pro-German and have accused him of intentionally turning a blind eye to the Holocaust.”

These reported incidents could very well serve as a type or forerunner in respect to what is clearly prophesied to happen. The Bible predicts, in the 17th chapter of the book of Revelation, that at one time in the near future, a military power and a religious power will work together, but that in the end, the political power will turn against and fight the religious power. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.”