Church of God News

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

COGwriter

Today Iran announced:

Iran to build 10 nuclear plants, beef up military

By Borzou Daragahi Los Angeles Times Staff WriterFebruary 8, 2010…

Iranian officials trumpeted new nuclear and military ambitions Monday in the face of domestic political discord and stepped up international talk of tightening economic sanctions against the Islamic Republic…

Iranian military officials also announced plans to build new military planes, aerial drones and anti-aircraft missiles in a flurry of pronouncements hailing national achievements ahead of annual commemorations of Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution on Thursday, when a burgeoning opposition movement and security forces are expected to clash on the streets of Tehran and other cities…

Ahmadinejad ordered Salehi to produce the 20% enriched uranium fuel on Sunday. Salehi said the fuel would be produced at Iran’s Natanz enrichment facility but left the door open to a compromise.  http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fgw-iran-nuclear9-2010feb09,0,4196757.story

So, Iran keeps moving forward with its nuclear and military plans.

Also notice the following:

What You Need to Know About Iran

Thursday, February 04, 2010
By Glenn Beck

…{Iranian} President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced Iran will deliver a “telling blow” to global powers on February 11 (the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution)…

There’s another thing that Ahmadinejad says that no one pays attention to…

IRANIAN PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD (through translator): Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the universe, and peace and blessings upon our masters and prophet Mohammed and his pure household and his noble companions. Oh, God, hasten the arrival of Imam al-Mahdi and grant him good health and victory, and make us his followers and those who attest to his rightfulness…

“Hasten the return of Imam al-Mahdi.” What’s he talking about? He’s talking about the 12th Imam. He’s a “12er.” What is that? If journalists weren’t so busy trying to land jobs with the Obama administration (14 to be exact), they’d look into that.

The “12ers” believe that the Mahdi, or 12th Imam, will soon return. This is end times, stuff. They are different than most Muslims because they believe that the return needs to be hastened. It’s not a good idea to hasten the return of the Chosen One, because to do that, the world has to be in chaos, carnage and even genocide — so the Messiah comes and brings peace.

“12ers” are so dangerous that at one point the Ayatollah Khomeini banned them.

So when President Ahmadinejad says he wants to vaporize Israel, he’s not just trying to trick people; it’s not a power bluff. He thinks he’s fulfilling prophesy by doing that. He thinks he’s the John the Baptist for the coming of the Messiah.  http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,584891,00.html

Now, although the announcement by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad planned for this Thursday may be new, the idea that he wants to help bring in the final “Mahdi” is not.

Some have speculated that the reason for Iran’s interest in nuclear technology is so that it can began an attack that will result in this final Islamic leader rising up.

Both biblical and Islamic prophecy tell of a time when a leader will rise up that will lead what appears to be Islamic nations to battle those of Europe (this Islamic leader is called the King of the South in Daniel 11:40-43).  Prior to that time, however, temporary cooperation against the descendants of physical Israel (Psalm 83)  and some type of peace deal are expected in both biblical and Islamic sources (see Germany Wants EU Army and a Middle East Peace Deal).

And while the final Imam/Mahdi has not yet risen up, almost all Shi’ite Muslims and many Sunni Muslims are expecting this.  Since millions of Muslims are expecting to have this leader rise up, it should come to no surprise that someone will rise up and convince many of the Muslims that he is this final Mahdi.

The words of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for the Mahdi are the hope of many Muslims in the Middle East and elsewhere.  Those in the West would be wise to understand where this is expected to lead.

Two articles of possibly related interest may include:

Is There A Future King of the South? Some no longer believe there needs to be. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? What does the Bible say?
The Arab World (and Iran) In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam?  How might Iran be involved.

Nicolas Sarkozy

COGwriter

France has agreed to sell at least one advanced warship to Russia:

13:53 GMT, Monday, 8 February 2010

France and Russia in warship deal

France has agreed to sell Russia an advanced warship and is considering a request from Moscow for three others, French defence officials say.

It would be the first arms deal of its kind between Russia and a Nato member.

It remains unclear when or where the 23,000-tonne Mistral class warship will be built.

The deal…would increase Russia’s capacity to launch amphibious offensives…

French President Nicolas Sarkozy had approved the sale of one Mistral, but Moscow naval officials had then asked for a further three ships, said Jacques de Lajugie of the French arms agency DGA.

The deal has not yet been signed.

With an estimated cost of up to 500 million euros, the Mistral is an assault ship that can carry troops, helicopters and armoured vehicles.

Russia has reportedly been keen to buy the 980ft (299m) ship from France to modernise an ageing armoury.

The prospect that the ship could be used against Nato members or their allies has raised concerns in some parts of the alliance. A US official travelling with defence secretary Robert Gates to Paris on Monday said “we have questions” for France about the order.  http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8504045.stm

There are hints in the Bible that the final European Beast power and Russia will cooperate for a time (including the time of the destruction of the USA and its Anglo-allies).

But the Bible is very clear that Russia and its allies will ultimately turn against the European power (Daniel 11:44; Jeremiah 50:41-43).  This is a dangerous move by France.  Transport ships will likely be involved in moving a portion of the 200,000,000 man army warned about in Revelation 9:16.

More biblical information can be found in the following articles:

Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States?
Russia: Its Origins and Prophesied Future Where do the Russians come from? What about those in the Ukraine? What is prophesied for Russia and its allies? What will they do to the Europeans that supported the Beast in the end?
Is Russia the King of the North? Some claim it is. But what does the Bible teach?
Asia in Prophecy What is Ahead for Asia? Who are the “Kings of the East”? What will happen to nearly all the Chinese, Russians, Indians, and others of Asia? China in prophecy, where? Who has the 200,000,000 man army related to Armageddon?

Berlin Reichstag

COGwriter

Germany is now publicly admitting that it wants an EU army:

Germany supports European army: foreign minister

AFP – Feb 6, 2010

MUNICH, Germany — Germany supports the creation of a European army in the long term so that the EU can be a “global player,” Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle told the Munich Security Conference on Saturday.

“The long-term goal is the establishment of a European army under full parliamentary control.

“The European Union must live up to its political role as a global player. It must be able to manage crises independently. It must be able to respond quickly, flexibly and to take a united stand,” he said…

The concept of a European army was set out in the 27-nation EU’s reforming Lisbon Treaty,” he said.

“United Europe will only be secure if my generation, which has never experienced war, suffering or hunger, is strongly committed to European integration,” Westerwelle said.

“And my generation has a chance to extend this cooperation model far beyond Western Europe, perhaps even to the whole of the European continent.”

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iMHrBIZmMW5VgTUtbl0XQ3X6MO7g

Most are unaware that the 27 nations of the European Union surrendered much of their individual sovereignty once the Lisbon Treaty went into effect on December 1, 2009 (but I did report about it, please see the article European empire formed today, might it become Babylon?).

Last month Germany met with Israel in a move that according to the Living Church of God may fulfill biblical prophecy:

German-Israeli Relations Tighten. Germany and Israel met for the first-ever joint cabinet meeting in Berlin. On the table for discussion were Iran, the Middle East peace process, and German aid to the Israeli military. Israel has acquired three Dolphin-class submarines from Germany, with two additional subs to be delivered. Each is a conventional submarine but can be upgraded to support a nuclear payload. Although the current German administration is highly supportive of Israel, there is increasing dislike for Israel among the German populace. All this is occurring while Germany continues to support and increase trade with Iran (Jerusalem Post online, January 18, 2010). Bible prophecy indicates that, at the end of the age, Germany will again lead Europe, likely as the head of the Beast Power. One of the actions of the Beast will be to promote a seven-year peace treaty involving nations in the Middle East (Daniel 9:27; Psalm 83:5-8). It appears Germany is working to develop relationships with nations throughout the Middle East. God may use these German-led activities to bring a temporary “peace” to the Middle East—until the Beast breaks the treaty after just 3½ years (see Daniel 9:27). (World Ahead Weekly Update.  Living Church of God.  February 4, 2010).

In Munich on last Friday, a peace conference was began:

Munich Security Conference

“The 46th Munich Security Conference opened here on Friday, with about 300 high-level officials covering themes from Afghanistan, Middle East stability to global energy security, arms control, world power shifting and NATO’s new strategy.

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi is to deliver an opening speech on China’s role on the current international stage.”

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2010-02/06/c_13165407.htm

What does all of this mean?

It means that Germany expects that the EU will be strong, that it plans to be an international player, that it expects to make a deal with Israel, and it plans on being a power broker in the Middle East.

Biblical, Catholic, Islamic, and other prophecies have long taught that such a situation will take place.  However, these sources also suggest that the European power will break the peace deal.

Since the Living Church of God referred to biblical prophecy, instead of repeating that, notice what Islamic certain prophecy teaches:

Rasaullah [Muhammed] said: “There will be four peace agreements between you and the Romans [Christians].  The fourth agreement will be mediated through a person who will be the progeny of Hadrat Haroon [Honorable Aaron -- Moses' brother] and will be upheld for seven years…

[Ibn Zubair Ali] …a life of peace as a result of a peace agreement between you and the Banil Asfaar (Romans) which they will break and attack you.

(both are cited by Bob Thiel in 2012 and the Rise the Rise of the Secret Sect).

Notice that Catholic prophecies tell of a time that one of their leaders will attack those that follow Islam:

Rudolph Gekner (died 1675): A great prince of the North with a most powerful army will traverse all Europe, uproot all republics, and exterminate all rebels. His sword moved by Divine power will most valiantly defend the Church of Jesus Christ. He will combat on behalf of the true orthodox faith, and shall subdue to his dominion the Mahometan Empire…Peace will come to the world.

Pseudo-Methodius (7^th century):…At that same time the Muslims will be killed and they will know the tribulation…The Lord will give them to the powers of the Christians whose empire will be elevated above all empires…The Roman King (Great Monarch) will show a great indignation against those who will have denied Christ in Egypt or in Arabia.

(both are cited by Bob Thiel in 2012 and the Rise the Rise of the Secret Sect).

Thus prophecies from many sources show that some type of peace deal is expected, but that a European power is expected to overpower those in the Middle East.  Some specifically discuss the end of the State of Israel.

The stage is being set right now for the fulfillment of that and other prophecies.

More information can be found in the following articles:

European empire formed yesterday, but few in America seemed to notice On December 1, 2009, the largest peacefully formed empire in the history of the world formed, yet most in the USA are totally unaware of it.
Catholic Prophecies: Do They Mirror, Highlight, or Contradict Biblical Prophecies? People of all faiths may be surprised to see what various Roman and Orthodox Catholic prophets have been predicting as many of their predictions will be looked to in the 21st century.
End of Mayan Calendar 2012–Might 2012 Mean Something? Are there Mayan calendar predictions for change in 2012? Changes were centuries ago predicted by the Hopi Native Americans. Do Mayan/Hindu/Hopi/Buddhist/New Age/Nostradamus prophecies have any value here? Why might Satan have inspired this date? Does the Dresden codex show destruction of the earth by flood? Can the great tribulation start before 2012? How might Barack Obama be involved in 2012?
2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect This is a link related to a book by Bob Thiel (COGwriter). This also has YouTube videos related to 2012.
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States?
Is There A Future King of the South? Some no longer believe there needs to be. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? What does the Bible say?
The Arab World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam?

World Currencies

COGwriter

ICG’s Murray Allatt reported the following last night:

Then there is the news that the US government has sought to raise it’s debt ceiling to $14.3 trillion but that US Treasury think that ceiling will be reached by the end of the month.

See story:  click here

Compare that with Australia. Last year the Australian Government raised it’s debt ceiling to AU$200 billion. Previously,  it was just AU$75 billion. Current Australian Government debt is AU$120 billion expected to rise to AU$315 billion + over the next 2 or 3 years following “stimulus” spending (borrowing). Australia’s population is about one fifteenth that of the USA. And Australia does not know how it will pay it’s debt off!

See story:  click here

But Australia and the United States are not causing world market heartburn right now. We have heard that Greece may face national bankruptcy due to sovereign debt. The same applies potentially to four other EU countries, with Spain at the forefront. Can Germany and France prop up this much debt in Europe? The accompanying article leads with a great truism, very neglected in our western “democracies”, but precisely why all of our western democracies face financial ruin and potentially political destruction – and why a different system may be just around the corner, in prophecy called “the Beast Power”.

““A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy…”

Alexander Fraser Tytler, Scottish lawyer and writer, 1770

As I mentioned here two days ago (see EU Leaders Angry over Obama Snub), structural change is prophesied for Europe (Revelation 17:12-13).  And debt could be a factor in that change.

LCG reported the following in its latest update:

U.S. Deficit: What Can Happen? In 2009, the U.S. posted a record one-year deficit of $1.4 trillion… and the deficit spending continues. Like many nations around the globe, the US has elected to “spend” its way out of the current budget crisis. In response, “China, the biggest U.S. foreign creditor, has been warning Washington to rein in the ballooning deficit. If the Obama administration fails to make headway, China and other creditors could demand higher rates for U.S. Treasury bonds” (Reuters, January 23, 2010). In response to China’s demands, President Obama has asked Congress to set up a council to look at ways to rein in the deficit. Meanwhile, China continues to fund U.S. deficit spending. In a prophetic warning, God warned millennia ago of the woes of debt, “Woe to him… who loads himself with many pledges… Will not your creditors rise up suddenly? Will they not awaken who oppress you? And you will become their booty. Because you have plundered many nations, all the remnant of the people shall plunder you…” (Habakkuk 2:6-8). The near future does not bode well for the U.S., because it has broken God’s laws and principles. However, there is hope when Christ returns to set up His kingdom on this earth. “‘Therefore do not fear, O My servant Jacob,’ says the LORD, ‘nor be dismayed, O Israel; for behold, I will save you from afar, and your seed from the land of their captivity. Jacob shall return, have rest and be quiet, and no one shall make [him] afraid” (Jeremiah 30:10).

The debt situation in the USA will be a major factor in its destruction.  Australia and the UK as well.  Nations need to realize that the Bible is clear that debt is NOT the answer to economic problems, but is a curse:

15 “But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:…

43 “The alien who is among you shall rise higher and higher above you, and you shall come down lower and lower. 44 He shall lend to you, but you shall not lend to him; he shall be the head, and you shall be the tail. (Deuteronomy 28:15, 43-44)

Countries need to heed what the Bible teaches.

As far as Europe, prophecy shows that its structure will change and despite current problems, it will be the leading economic power in the world for a short-while before Jesus returns to reign.

Some articles of related interest may include:

Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
Prophecies of Barack Obama? Eight reasons why Barack Obama is apocalyptic and eight reasons why Barack Obama is not the Antichrist. This article includes many biblical and non-biblical prophecies, from around the world, that seem to discuss Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist?  Might Barack Obama set the stage for the kings of the North and South as at least one Shiite prophecy suggests?  This is the longest and most complete article on this page on Barack Obama prophecies. Read it and decide for yourself if President Obama seems to be fulfilling various prophecies.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States Some claim that Barack Obama is the prophesied “son of Kenya”, based up an early 20th century writing.
Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism? Was the millennium (sometimes called chiliasm) taught by early Christians? Who condemned it. Will Jesus literally reign for 1000 years on the earth? Is this time near?
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? When does the six thousand years of human rule end?
Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2010, 2011, or 2012? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord?
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? What is ahead for Europe?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States?

COGwriter

Earlier today I visited CGG’s website, and although there was no particularly relevant CGG news there to report here, it had a link to the following news story about Oprah Winfrey:

Christian Apologists: Be Careful of Oprah’s Spiritual Teachings

By Michelle A. Vu|Christian Post Reporter

Vienna, VA. – She is persuasive, influential and does a lot of good, but Christians should be careful when Oprah speaks about spirituality, warned two apologists who recently co-authored a book on the subject.

To a crowd of more than 1,500 people at McLean Bible Church outside of Washington, D.C,. on Friday evening, renowned apologist Josh McDowell and up-and-coming apologist Dave Sterrett explained the danger of adopting Oprah’s spiritual teachings from a Christian perspective.

They pointed out that the talk show queen and the spiritual teachers she promotes teach pantheism – God is all and all is God – and that there are multiple paths to reach God. She also emphasizes that people should carry out their inner longings instead of restraining themselves if the act is said to be a sin by the Bible.

“Here is where you got to be careful,” emphasized McDowell. “Not only Oprah but others use Christian or religious terminologies that Christians would accept as Christian.”

“The Christian God is a personal creator God which all truth resides, who is totally outside of ourselves and outside of our universe,” explained the best-selling author of More Than a Carpenter. “When Oprah and others refer to God, it is an impersonal force. And I think one way that comes out is that they will say, ‘Look within you and find yourself from within. Find that God-consciousness. That is God.’”…

McDowell warned Friday that reliance on this inner consciousness is dangerous because it can justify sin since people should follow what they feel rather than an absolute Truth. McDowell recalled an episode on an Oprah Winfrey Show last year where former evangelical leader Ted Haggard, who was involved in a gay sex and drug scandal, and his wife Gayle were guests. Gayle said that her husband has struggled with homosexuality since he was 12 years old and that he is trying hard to bring the desires under control and defeat it.

Oprah reacted by standing up and saying she disagrees and that one needs to look within oneself, to find the inner longings and live them out in order to be authentic.

“But wait just a minute,” the respected apologist cautioned. “What if he was a child abuser? Would Oprah say the same thing? To be consistent she has to. What if he was a rapist? She would have to say the same thing.”…

The apologists also addressed the opinion of Oprah and others who subscribe to religious pluralism – which says multiple religions, often contradicting, are equally true – saying that Christians are intolerant for saying Jesus is the only way. The apologists pointed out that people who say they cannot tolerate people who say Jesus is the only way are in fact showing they are intolerant with that statement. If they were as open-minded as they claim, the authors argued, they would tolerate people who disagree with them.

“I am not called in the Bible to be tolerant,” McDowell declared emphatically. “I am not. I refuse to be tolerant. I think it demeans people. I am not called to be tolerant; I am called to be loving. I am not called to tolerate people; I am called to love people…

Meanwhile, Melanie McFarland, 29, a member of McLean Bible Church, appreciated McDowell’s argument that if people followed Oprah’s teaching on acting on their inner longings then child-abuse and rape would be acceptable…She added, “I don’t watch Oprah but it’s just amazing people take her word and don’t look for the truth.”  http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100125/christian-apologists-be-careful-of-opra-s-spiritual-teachings/index.html

Having only ever watched Oprah Winfrey’s show once in its entirety, I have little direct observation about her beliefs.  However, based upon her endorsement of Barack Obama when he was a presidential candidate, and I few other things I have heard her say in interviews, the fact that she is reportedly promoting a pantheistic form of religion comes as little surprise.  Many secular people of fame also do so.

Because many millions do watch and pay attention to Oprah, it is probably wise to point out that she does not seem to base many of her beliefs upon the Bible.  But then again, neither do her Protestant critics.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

What is the Meaning of Life? Who does God say is happy? What is your ultimate destiny? Do you really know? Does God actually have a plan for YOU personally?
The Bible: Fact or Fiction? This is a booklet written by Douglas Winnail that answers if the Bible is just a collection of myths and legends or the inspired word of God.
Read the Bible Christians should read and study the Bible. This article gives some rationale for regular bible reading.
What is the Appropriate Form of Biblical Interpretation? Should the Bible be literally understood? What do the writings of the Bible, Origen, Herbert W. Armstrong, and Augustine show?
The History of Early Christianity Are you aware that what most people believe is not what truly happened to the true Christian church? Do you know where the early church was based? Do you know what were the doctrines of the early church? Is your faith really based upon the truth or compromise?
Hope of Salvation: How the Living Church of God differ from most Protestants How the Living Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants, is perhaps the question I am asked most by those without a Church of God background.

Lech Walesa, former President of Poland

COGwriter

Former leader of Poland’s Solidarity movement made some observations about the direction of the USA:

Walesa’s Warning

Investor’s Business Daily – Feb 2, 2010

The champion of Polish freedom tells America it’s no longer that shining city on a hill. As it slouches toward socialism, he warns, those yearning to breathe free in the world can no longer look to the U.S. for help.

They were the giants of their age. Together, President Ronald Reagan, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Pope John Paul II and a little known shipyard worker named Lech Walesa stood up to Soviet communism and brought freedom to the captive nations of Europe… Arguably the father of Polish democracy, Walesa knows a little bit about tyranny, socialism and the slippery path to both, and came to warn us about the path we’ve been on…

He no longer thinks we are the last best hope for mankind.

“The United States is only one superpower. Today they lead the world. Nobody has doubts about it, militarily,” the Polish leader said. “They also lead economically, but they’re getting weak.

“But they don’t lead morally and politically anymore. The world has no leadership. The United States was always the last resort and hope for all other nations. There was the hope, whenever something was going wrong, one could count on the United States. Today, we lost that hope.”

Walesa led the Solidarity movement in Poland. He was in a sense a community organizer, but not in the mold of a Saul Alinsky. He sought to liberate his people, not control them.

The marches and protests that led to Polish freedom were a precursor to America’s tea party movement that likewise seeks to throw off the chains of a command-and-control society and restore genuine economic and political freedom.

The Soviet empire had its commissars. Our government has its czars, and Walesa definitely feels the America that was his friend is moving in the wrong direction. He sees our quest for redistribution of income as not different from the Marxist credo — from each according to his ability, to each according to his need.

In a video-taped interview, Walesa saw a hint of socialism creeping into America’s domestic policies. He spoke of “the issue with the banks” and how “the government wastes all the money … building a bureaucracy — just for itself.”

Indeed, it seems the only growth sector in the U.S. is its government and the unions that exist not for the prosperity and freedom of their members, but for the power and influence of their leaders.

Poland had Lech Walesa. We have the SEIU’s Andy Stern ,who says that if those who disagree with command-and-control government do not bow to the power of persuasion, they will bow to the persuasion of power.

It has been a long journey for Walesa from the Gdansk Lenin Shipyards to Chicago’s Back of the Yards. He’s the man who turned an illegal independent trade union into a force for freedom in communist Poland. He served as Poland’s president from 1990 to 1995.

He has witnessed a lot of history and knows when people refuse to learn from it.

In Walesa’s view, something needs to be done to restore America’s strength and leadership. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ibd/20100203/bs_ibd_ibd/20100202issues

Yes, the USA is heading down a path where it is more and more losing whatever “moral leadership” that it once had.  And what the USA needs, but is not likely to get, is national repentance.

Those who think that the USA can possibly continue as the major economic and military power in the world without a major change in its policies and practices are ignoring not only the facts of debt, etc. in the USA, they are also ignoring the facts of history.

A citizen of a former Communist nation sees some it.  Perhaps you can see even more?

Some articles of related interest may include:

Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
Prophecies of Barack Obama? Eight reasons why Barack Obama is apocalyptic and eight reasons why Barack Obama is not the Antichrist. This article includes many biblical and non-biblical prophecies, from around the world, that seem to discuss Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist?  Might Barack Obama set the stage for the kings of the North and South as at least one Shiite prophecy suggests?  This is the longest and most complete article on this page on Barack Obama prophecies. Read it and decide for yourself if President Obama seems to be fulfilling various prophecies.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States Some claim that Barack Obama is the prophesied “son of Kenya”, based up an early 20th century writing.
Are You Saved? Do You Love Jesus? What is a True Christian? What is the Gospel? Evangelist Richard Ames answers those important questions.
2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect This is a link related to a book by Bob Thiel (COGwriter). This also has YouTube videos related to 2012. The book has a chapter titled Barack Obama, the Future Islamic King of the South, and the End of America.
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? What is ahead for Europe?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States?

COGwriter

US President Obama’s cancellation of a summit meeting this May has angered some EU leaders:

U.S. Slights a Disunited Europe New York Times – Feb 3, 2010

BERLIN — With President Barack Obama’s decision to skip a United States-European Union summit meeting next May in Madrid, Europe’s egos were badly bruised. José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, the Spanish prime minister, and José Manuel Barroso, the E.U. Commission president, were angry and embarrassed. They saw Mr. Obama’s nonattendance as a snub.

It could signal an emerging shift in the trans-Atlantic relationship, analysts and diplomats believe.

As the United States moves ahead in redefining its role in the post-Cold War era — believing it is high time that Europe took care of its own security — Europe is caught in a quandary. It hankers after a past that relied on U.S. protection, but it wants to break free and become a global player in its own right.

This ambivalence was captured by the U.S. secretary of state, Hillary Rodham Clinton, who was in Paris last week giving a lecture at the École Militaire. She tried to convince her audience that Mr. Obama was not turning his back on Europe. American troops, said Mrs. Clinton, would remain in Europe…

“E.U. leaders say they want a stronger Europe, but they are beholden to their national governments,” said Nick Witney, defense expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations in Paris and a former high-ranking E.U. official.The endless squabbles inside the European Union exasperate the United States. But as America’s top diplomat, Mrs. Clinton was not provoking a fight. What she appeared to make clear was that the United States needed a strong Europe. “It is critical to our security and our prosperity. And we need European leadership in the 21st century,” she said…

“It is not clear who is speaking for Europe,” said Stephen Flanagan, defense expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. “The great hope that the naming of Catherine Ashton,” the European Union’s new foreign policy chief, “would lead to coherence has not turned true,” he said.

…Europeans yearn to be taken seriously by big players like the United States, China and Russia. But other E.U. experts said it was time that Brussels, before pursuing unrealistic global ambitions, begin taking a hard look at its own backyard. “There is a lot of unfinished business closer to home, such as Bosnia, Turkey, Cyprus and defense capabilities, to name but a few,” Mr. Witney said.http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/04/world/europe/04iht-letter.html

Mrs. Clinton’s comment that a strong Europe “is critical to our security and our prosperity. And we need European leadership in the 21st century” shows that she is unaware that Bible prophecy shows that a strong Europe will emerge–but that it will eventually take over the USA and the nations of its Anglo-allies (such as the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand).

Essentially, the Obama Administration indicated that partially because of confusion related to its understanding of the Lisbon Treaty, US President Obama would not attend.  Notice the following:

EU shambles over Barack Obama visit shows failure of Lisbon Treaty…

By Mats Persson
Published: 11:05AM GMT 04 Feb 2010

The EU has been left nursing a bruise to its ego this week after US President Barack Obama decided that a trip to Madrid for what has become an annual EU-US summit did not fit into his travel plans. The public humiliation is compounded by the fact that the EU’s latest vanity project, the Lisbon Treaty, contributed to the decision…

Among many other things, the Lisbon Treaty, which created an EU president, foreign minister and diplomatic service, in addition to the six-month rotating EU presidency held by national governments, has always been seen by the European elite as a means of projecting European influence on the global stage. It was meant to answer that old Henry Kissinger question about who to call in Europe.

The EU thought that by simply giving the world one number to call, Europe would finally be able to agree on something the world wanted to hear.

However, at the most recent time of asking, the EU’s various presidents simply argued about who should answer the phone, with EU president Herman Van Rompuy and the Spanish EU presidency, led by Prime Minister Jose Luis Zapatero, reportedly vying to shake the ‘great’ man’s hand first.

An unnamed US State Department official painted a worryingly dysfunctional portrait of post-Lisbon Treaty Europe: “We don’t even know if they’re going to have one [a summit]. We’ve told them, ‘Figure it out and let us know.’”

The botched summit has led to a stream of finger-pointing within European diplomatic circles, with President Van Rompuy denying all involvement in its organisation. The meeting “was prepared by the Spanish,” said Dirk De Backer, Van Rompuy’s spokesman. “The permanent presidency has never been involved.”   http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/7155154/EU-shambles-over-Barack-Obama-visit-shows-failure-of-Lisbon-Treaty.html

Currently, the EU has a certain structural confusion.  But that will change.  As will its attitude towards domination (Isaiah 10).

The Book of Revelation indicates that some structural confusion will exist in Europe until its leaders decide that the maximum power they can provide should be given to one leader–the final Beast power (Revelation 17:12-13)!

Some articles of related interest may include:

Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
Prophecies of Barack Obama? Eight reasons why Barack Obama is apocalyptic and eight reasons why Barack Obama is not the Antichrist. This article includes many biblical and non-biblical prophecies, from around the world, that seem to discuss Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist?  Might Barack Obama set the stage for the kings of the North and South as at least one Shiite prophecy suggests?  This is the longest and most complete article on this page on Barack Obama prophecies. Read it and decide for yourself if President Obama seems to be fulfilling various prophecies.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States Some claim that Barack Obama is the prophesied “son of Kenya”, based up an early 20th century writing.
End of Mayan Calendar 2012–Might 2012 Mean Something? Are there Mayan calendar predictions for change in 2012? Changes were centuries ago predicted by the Hopi Native Americans. Do Mayan/Hindu/Hopi/Buddhist/New Age/Nostradamus prophecies have any value here? Why might Satan have inspired this date? Does the Dresden codex show destruction of the earth by flood? Can the great tribulation start before 2012? How might Barack Obama be involved in 2012?
2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect This is a link related to a book by Bob Thiel (COGwriter). This also has YouTube videos related to 2012. The book has a chapter titled Barack Obama, the Future Islamic King of the South, and the End of America.
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? What is ahead for Europe?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States?

COGwriter

Below, but in the same left-hand website column that starts off with the terms “David Hulme” “hulmevision”, COGaIC’s Peter Nathan reported the following this week:

Frederick L. Simmons opened the symposium he had sponsored with the American Jewish University in Los Angeles…

Ziony Zevit, Professor of Biblical Literature and Semitic Languages at AJU-LA, had assembled a panel under the rubric of “A Day of Archaeological Insight: What Do We Mean When We Say Monotheism?” To address the subject, Zevit had brought together several notable archaeologists and biblical studies experts from the East Coast. Drs. Barry Gittlen from Towson University and Steven Fine of Yeshiva University, New York, discussed the archaeological evidence while Mark Smith from New York University and Jeffrey Tigay from the University of Pennsylvania discussed the biblical aspects. Some three hundred people assembled to hear their deliberations as part of the Whizin Center for Continuing Education program and AJU.

Professor Zevit made it abundantly clear from the outset that we were dealing with a difficult term and that the audience should expect some surprises…

Professor Jeffrey H. Tigay’s background in Deuteronomy equipped him to address the subject of “Monotheism in the Hebrew Bible.” He noted in opening that YHWH was a personal name and that the issue of monotheism is not that of “one god,” but of “the only god.” He opined that monotheism as commonly understood had no real part in Scripture. He showed that the Shema, contained in Deuteronomy 6:4 is not a monotheistic statement. Its claim to be a monotheistic statement was post-biblical. The scriptures normally used to support monotheism in the Hebrew Bible are not philosophical statements, but rather statements of historical reality to the authors and audience…

John J. Collins, Holmes Professor of Old Testament at Yale, summed up the situation described in the Dead Sea Scrolls at the start of the Christian era. This is a fitting description of the early followers of Jesus Christ as well.

[M]onotheism hardly seems the right word to describe the religion of the Dead Sea
Scrolls. To be sure, the supremacy of the Most High is never in doubt. But this is not a
God who dwells alone…(Religion in the Dead Sea Scrolls, 2000, 27).

I know that some of the above is somewhat technical, but the point is that the Hebrew scriptures do allow for the idea that there was God the Father (”the Ancient of Days” in Daniel 7:9) and God the Son (”One like the Son of Man” Daniel 7:13) and that the Hebrew does not limit the Godhead to one being.

This is a concept that unitarians and Jehovah’s Witnesses often seem to misunderstand.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Was Unitarianism the Teaching of the Bible or Early Church? Many, including Jehovah’s Witnesses, claim it was, but was it?
Similarities and Differences Between the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Living Church of God Both groups claim to represent the original Christian faith.  Do you know much about them? Both groups have some interesting similarities, but many major differences. Would you like information on how to deal with Jehovah’s Witnesses?
Is The Father God? What is the view of the Bible? What was the view of the early church?
Jesus is God, But Was Made Man Was Jesus fully human and fully God or what?
Binitarian View: One God, Two Beings Before the Beginning Is binitarianism the correct position? What about unitarianism or trinitarianism?

COGwriter

The CERN Large Hadron Collider is seemingly accelerating its testing:

Large Hadron Collider to jump to maximum energy

New Scientist – Feb 2, 2010

The Large Hadron Collider is going to skip medium-energy proton collisions, jumping straight to its maximum energy in 2013, after it finishes collecting lower-energy data and has its circuitry upgraded.

The particle accelerator, located outside Geneva, Switzerland, has recovered from its 2008 accident. And in 2009 it broke the world record for particle collision energy when its two oppositely directed proton beams each reached 1.18 TeV, for a total energy of 2.36 TeV.

That made it slightly more powerful than its US competitor, Fermilab, which has been colliding particle beams with energies of 1 TeV, adding up to a total energy of 2 TeV.

After a brief holiday hiatus, the LHC is getting ready to start up again. Its managers have decided to carry out collisions for two years at 3.5 TeV per beam. At the end of 2011, it will shut down for a year for circuitry upgrades, returning in 2013 at its maximum design energy of 7 TeV per beam, or 14 TeV in total.

There had been talk of pushing the LHC to a middling energy of 5 TeV per beam prior to the shutdown at the end of 2011. But scientists apparently decided that was not worth the risk. During the shutdown, the LHC’s electrical connections will be upgraded, making it more robust against short circuits of the kind that caused the 2008 accident.

While the LHC ramps up to maximum energy, Fermilab still has a chance of beating it to the discovery of the long-sought Higgs particle – responsible for endowing other particles with mass – but only if the Higgs turns out to be relatively lightweight.

http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2010/02/large-hadron-collider-to-jump.html

This collider device will grant Europeans technologies, some of which I strongly suspect will give its leaders military superiority for a time (cf. Revelation 13:3-4).

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? What is ahead for Europe?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States?
End of Mayan Calendar 2012–Might 2012 Mean Something? Are there Mayan calendar predictions for change in 2012? Changes were centuries ago predicted by the Hopi Native Americans. Do Mayan/Hindu/Hopi/Buddhist/New Age/Nostradamus prophecies have any value here? Why might Satan have inspired this date? Does the Dresden codex show destruction of the earth by flood?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
Large Hadron Collider may result in military applications The Europeans have the largest physics project on the planet. Some scoff, but might it result in military applications? May the Large Hadron Collider help fulfill Revelation 13:4?
2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect This page contains some concepts and prophecies related to 2012 and a book.  This also has YouTube videos related to 2012 and beyond.  It also discusses the Large Hadron Collider.

COGwriter

It appears that some in the mainstream media is starting to wake up to the fact that abstinence programs work:

Abstinence-only programs might work, study says

By Rob Stein

Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Sex education classes that focus on encouraging children to remain abstinent can persuade a significant proportion to delay sexual activity, researchers reported Monday in a landmark study that could have major implications for U.S. efforts to protect young people against unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases.

Only about a third of sixth- and seventh-graders who completed an abstinence-focused program started having sex within the next two years, researchers found. Nearly half of the students who attended other classes, including ones that combined information about abstinence and contraception, became sexually active.

The findings are the first clear evidence that an abstinence program could work.

“I think we’ve written off abstinence-only education without looking closely at the nature of the evidence,” said John B. Jemmott III, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania who led the federally funded study. “Our study shows this could be one approach that could be used.”

The research, published in the Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine, comes amid intense debate over how to reduce sexual activity, pregnancies, births and sexually transmitted diseases among children and teenagers. After falling for more than a decade, the numbers of births, pregnancies and STDs among U.S. teens have begun increasing.

The Obama administration eliminated more than $170 million in annual federal funding targeted at abstinence programs…

“This new study is game-changing,” said Sarah Brown, who leads the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. “For the first time, there is strong evidence that an abstinence-only intervention can help very young teens delay sex.”

The study is the first to evaluate an abstinence program using a carefully designed approach comparing it with several alternative strategies and following subjects for an extended period of time, considered the kind of study that produces the highest level of scientific evidence.

“This takes away the main pillar of opposition to abstinence education,” said Robert Rector, a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation who wrote the criteria for federal funding of abstinence programs. “I’ve always known that abstinence programs have gotten a bad rap.”

Longtime critics of the approach praised the study, saying it provides strong evidence that such programs can work and might merit taxpayer support…Based on the findings, Obama administration officials said programs like the one evaluated in the study could be eligible for federal funding.  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/01/AR2010020102628.html?hpid=topnews

I would add that pre-marital abstinence eliminates sexually-transmitted diseases, reduces heart-ache, eliminates unmarried pregnancies, is in accordance with the Bible, and leads to a better overall life.

The Bible specifically teaches:

14 “You shall not commit adultery.  (Exodus 20:14)

18 Flee sexual immorality. 19 Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. (1 Corinthians 6:18-19)

4 Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.
(Hebrews 13:4)

Recent infamous incidents such as those involving John Edwards (see Commentary: Adultery, deceit and duplicity), Tiger Woods, and others suggest that they would have been much better off too to heed the instructions in the Bible.  The sexual teachings in the Bible are not just for teenagers.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

The Ten Commandments Reflect Love, Breaking them is Evil Some feel that the ten commandments are a burden. Is that what Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and John taught?
Prophecies of Barack Obama? Eight reasons why Barack Obama is apocalyptic and eight reasons why Barack Obama is not the Antichrist. This article includes many biblical and non-biblical prophecies, from around the world, that seem to discuss Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist?  Might Barack Obama set the stage for the kings of the North and South as at least one Shiite prophecy suggests?  This is the longest and most complete article on this page on Barack Obama prophecies. Read it and decide for yourself if President Obama seems to be fulfilling various prophecies.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States Some claim that Barack Obama is the prophesied “son of Kenya”, based up an early 20th century writing.
Successful Parenting: God’s Way This is a new booklet by Dr. J. Fall.