Watchman Newsletter for December 7, 2007This newsletter is printer-friendly! It will change format automatically when you print it.
The Coming War on the Saints
Watchman Wordpress
(December 7, 2007) - This collection
of information regarding the building war on religious fundamentalism
and the military and civilian resources built into law to deal with it
and power over them shifting toward Javier Solana. Read
Constance Cumbey,
Bjorn
(farmer),
Richard Peterson and
Fulfilled
Prophecy for more detailed, focused and up-to-date information on
these developments. On the political end, this is confirming the
conclusions of the
HIStory, Our Future timeline of events leading to an
abomination of desolation in 2009.
EU embassy mergers 'are step closer to a superstate' Daily
Mail (December
6, 2007) - Europe yesterday took another big step towards
becoming a superstate by proposing joint EU embassies throughout the
world. The suggestion comes only days before the signing of the
controversial EU treaty, which will create a European diplomatic service
and a new post of EU foreign minister. The European Commission unveiled
plans yesterday for travellers to be able to use the consular services
of any EU country and suggested members could merge their embassies. It
also proposed standard rules on the type of help that should be given to
European citizens when abroad. EU foreign relations commissioner Benita
Ferrero-Waldner said: 'We need to step up co-operation at EU level and
work with member states to protect our citizens.' Under the proposals,
travellers who run into problems abroad would be able to use the
consular services of any of the EU's 27 members. There would also be
standardised rules on the difficult problem of repatriation of corpses
from abroad. Any of the EU's 490million citizens are already supposed to
be able to use another member state's consulate if their country is not
represented abroad. But co-operation between countries' embassies and
consulates is patchy. The commission said it wanted to make consulates
more aware of their duties regarding EU travellers who lose a passport
or get arrested. Last night a commission official who helped draft the
proposal said: 'When a family member dies abroad, it is a nightmare. I
could imagine a common stance for the repatriation of corpses.' He said
consulates could pool resources by, for example, allowing a small EU
country to use a consulate belonging to a larger member. The commission
said EU citizens make 80million trips a year outside Europe and up to
50million EU citizens live outside Europe. There are only three
countries outside the EU where all 27 members are represented - China,
Russia and the U.S. The proposals come days before the signing of the
European Reform Treaty, formerly the European Constitution, in Lisbon.
Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague said: 'It is a good thing for EU
countries to help each others' citizens abroad where they don't have
embassies. 'But the EU Commission's proposals go far further than that.
This is a clear step towards an EU takeover of British consulates.' Recommendation 666 Emergency Powers Incorporated Into EU Treaty Fulfilled Prophecy (December 6, 2007) - Here's big news for students of end-times prophecy. The Assembly of the Western European Union has just released a consolidated version of the provisions of the "Lisbon Treaty" (the European Union's new Reform Treaty) that relate to the EU's common foreign and security policy. The document shows how the Lisbon Treaty incorporates the emergency powers from the Western European Union's Assembly Recommendation 666. This means that, in the event of a crisis, the new High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy will have the same extraordinary powers to step in and take control of the EU's military that the old High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy did. This appears to, in effect, enshrine Recommendation 666 into the new treaty. Compare the clause from the Lisbon Treaty with the correlating clause from Recommendation 666. The Lisbon Treaty says (see Article 16, page 10): 2. In cases requiring a rapid decision, the High Representative, of his or her own motion, or at the request of a Member State, shall convene an extraordinary Council meeting within 48 hours or, in an emergency, within a shorter period. The WEU's Assembly Recommendation 666 says (see No. 12):
Bjorn Freiberg,
of Europe, a long-time contributor on the FP discussion board, talks
about this in depth at
his blog. To learn more about the prophetic implications of WEU
Assembly Recommendation 666, read about it
here. Staying tuned!
Does the Bible Hold the Missing Key to the Current UFO
Debate
Christian Newswire
(December 5, 2007) -
Recent high-profile discussions about UFOs and the call
by former pilots and officials for full government disclosure concerning
what is known -- if anything -- about these strange aerial sightings
have people of all walks of life speculating about the nature and
intention of extra-terrestrial entities. Among others, Bible scholars
have long been intrigued by the weight of historical evidence suggesting
unearthly contact by interdimensional beings. Theological discussion on
this topic has grown recently due to the increase in sightings of
unexplained phenomena. Some believe this may be a sign that the earth is
teetering toward an epic event.
Hitler a Hero on Palestinian Authority Radio
World Net Daily
(December 5, 2007) - A Palestinian
Authority radio contest featured a laudatory biography of Adolf Hitler
replete with his military victories, heroism and no mention of the
Holocaust. "His golden year was 1940, when his armies invaded Denmark,
Norway, Luxembourg, Holland, and Belgium and defeated France…By mid
1942, his country controlled the largest land area in Europe…He refused
to surrender and continued to fight for two more years, but, his bitter
end came in the spring of 1945 when he took his own life…Who is he?" was
the question broadcast as a Voice of Palestine radio contest on November
27. The question was part of the official
Palestinian Authority-run radio’s Ramadan quiz - rebroadcast this past
week, and documented by
Palestinian Media Watch (PMW). The broadcast presents Hitler
heroically, detailing his two Medals of Honor in World War I, his rise
to power, his launching of World War II and specifies country after
country that he conquered. “Not surprisingly, though citing his
victories and 'bitter' fall in great detail, the Holocaust is not
mentioned,” the latest PMW report states. “This is consistent with
Palestinian education in general which erases the Holocaust from
history." A
recent PMW report on the new 12th grade PA history schoolbook showed
that many pages were dedicated to the history of World War II and even
to Nazi racism, but neither Jews nor the Holocaust were mentioned.
According to the PMW report, “[I]t is important to understand that the
revulsion of Hitler expected in the West is not true in Palestinian
society. Palestinians can be found who are named "Hitler" as a first
name: Hitler Salah [Al Hayat Al Jadida (Fatah), Sept. 28, 2005], Hitler
Abu-Alrab [Al Hayat Al Jadida (Fatah), Jan. 27, 2005], Hitler Mahmud
Abu-Libda [Al Hayat Al Jadida (Fatah), Dec.18, 2000.] Articles have
appeared in both Fatah and Hamas newspapers which demonstrate Hitler's
admired status.” The Voice of Palestine contest offered a prize of 600
shekels to the person who guessed Hitler's name. more...
Homosexodus! Students flee forced 'gay' agenda
World Net Daily
(December 4, 2007) -
Parents in California have started reacting to the
state's newly mandated homosexual indoctrination program by pulling
their children out of classes, and state Superintendent of Public
Instruction Jack O'Connell is warning districts they'll lose money if
that happens. A spokeswoman for
a ministry called Considering Homeschooling said she already has
seen an overwhelming increase in requests for information about
homeschooling. As a result, spokeswoman Denise Kanter told WND that her
group is sending out 5,000 DVD packages to churches around the state
that include basic "how-to" information to provide parents a direction
to turn when they choose to protect their children from the new school
agenda. The new law demands, "No teacher shall give instruction nor
shall any school district sponsor any activity that promotes a
discriminatory bias because of a characteristic [including perceived
gender.]" "With the passing of SB 777, a Christian parent cannot, in
good conscience, send their child to a public school where their child
will be taught or coerced into a lifestyle or belief system that is
contrary to the faith they hold dear," Kanter told WND. "Fortunately, SB
777 has caught the attention of many churches and pastors here in
California, and as they should, they are calling on their congregants to
take their children out. To help in this endeavor, our ministry has sent
and will continue to send out free packages directly to churches
containing information on how they can encourage their congregants to
homeschool their children, as well as how to create in-church parent led
schools," she said. "We hope our resources will encourage Christians to
focus on the importance of not leaving Christ out of a child's
education," she said.
WND columnist Olivia St. John
reported California's "raging ideological" battle prompted students to
pack up their backpacks and stage a two-day boycott to protest the plan
that has the state "force-feeding children perverse material and videos
vile enough to garner an R-rating in the local multiplex." "Evidently,
some are beginning to wake up to the fact that their children are no
longer receiving true education, but are being clandestinely recruited
into sick social movements threatening to tear families apart at the
seams," she wrote. "When it comes to actively promoting sin to public
school children, the homosexuals are light years ahead of adulterers,
fornicators and substance abusers, who haven't yet implemented
student-run organizations to convince children that such lifestyle
choices are normal," she continued. In California, parents told the
Inland Valley Press Enterprise they were pulling their children from
public school classrooms in protest of the law. Donna Myers, whose three
daughters were attending Norte Vista High in Riverside, said the new law
has no application to reading, writing and arithmetic. "We have rights,
too. Enough is enough," she told the newspaper. And Betty Voltz also
told the newspaper her son and daughter were boycotting the public
district. "They don't allow religion in school but they're going to
allow homosexuality in schools. That makes no sense," she said. Randy
Thomasson, president of
the Campaign for Children and Families, said there is reason for
alarm. He said the new law effectively requires school instruction and
school activities to portray homosexuality, bisexuality and
transsexuality to the six million children in public schools in a
positive light. "The new law states that 'No teacher shall give
instruction nor shall a school district sponsor any activity that
promotes a discriminatory bias because of' … (homosexuality,
bisexuality, and transsexual or transgender status). Including
instruction and activities in the anti-discrimination law goes much
further than 'streamlining.' This incremental and deceitful approach to
achieving their goals is a favorite and effective tactic of liberals.
Expanding the law is not 'streamlining' the law," Turney wrote. "Mr.
O'Connell's doublespeak reveals his – and his peers' – arrogant attitude
toward their 'gullible' constituents. In fact, parents are not stupid
and they recognize that their authority is being undermined by such
subversive school policies. This is nothing less than an attempt to
confuse the public about the true intention of SB 777," she said. "The
terms 'mom and dad' or 'husband and wife' could promote discrimination
against homosexuals if a same-sex couple is not also featured," said
Turney. "Parents want the assurance that when their children go to
school they will learn the fundamentals of reading, writing and arithmetic – not
social indoctrination regarding alternative sexual lifestyles. Now that
SB 777 is law, schools will in fact become indoctrination centers for
sexual experimentation," she said. more...
CAIR called 'turnstile' for terrorist suspects
World Net Daily
(December 4, 2007) - 'Proven record
of senior officials being indicted, imprisoned, deported from U.S.'
As the Council on American-Islamic Relations lobbies
Congress to help strike its
name from a list of co-conspirators in a federal terror case, WND
has learned the Muslim group's ties to terrorism and extremism are far
more extensive than first believed. Although CAIR is a nonprofit
organization, it does not disclose complete directories of its staff or
advisory boards, and even refuses to make its federal tax filings
readily available to the public. But a review of federal criminal court
documents, past IRS 990 tax records and Federal Election Commission
records detailing donor occupations, reveals that Washington-based CAIR
has been associated with a disturbing number of convicted terrorists or
felons in terrorism probes, as well as suspected terrorists and active
targets of terrorism investigations. "Their offices have been a
turnstile for terrorists and their supporters," said one FBI veteran
familiar with recent and ongoing cases involving CAIR officials. As
previously reported,
three CAIR officials have been linked to terrorism. But WND has
learned that at least 11 other CAIR officials have been caught up in
terror investigations, bringing the total to 14. Congressional leaders
say they are warning lawmakers and other Washington officials to
disassociate from the group due to its growing terror ties. "Groups like
CAIR have a proven record of senior officials being indicted and either
imprisoned or deported from the United States," said U.S. Rep. Sue
Myrick, R-N.C., co-founder of the House Anti-Terrorism/Jihad Caucus.
CAIR itself recently was named as an unindicted
co-conspirator in an alleged scheme to funnel $12 million to the
terrorist group Hamas. In the Holy Land Foundation case, federal
prosecutors also listed CAIR as a member of the U.S. branch of the
Muslim Brotherhood, a worldwide jihadist movement that gave rise to
Hamas, al-Qaida and other terrorist groups. The government will retry
the Holy Land case, which ended in a hung jury. "There was a lot of
evidence presented at the recent Holy Land Foundation trial which
exposed CAIR and others as front groups for the Muslim Brotherhood in
the United States," Myrick said. Still, CAIR is lobbying House Judiciary
Committee Chairman John Conyers and other sympathetic members of
Congress to pressure the Justice Department to expunge its name from the
case, arguing the negative publicity has hurt membership and
fundraising. The federal judge during the trial refused a written
request by the group to strike its name from the list of
co-conspirators. The petition is still pending before the court.
CAIR denies supporting terrorism and continues to claim
to be a "moderate" voice for Muslims in America. The group says its
critics are the extremists, including radio personality Michael Savage,
whom the group is now attacking with a boycott campaign. So far it has
convinced Wal-Mart, OfficeMax, AT&T, JCPenney and other companies to
stop advertising on Savage's popular show. In response, Savage last week
filed a lawsuit against CAIR, accusing the organization of being a
"political vehicle of international terrorism" that seeks to do
"material harm to those voices who speak against the violent agenda of
CAIR's clients." Ibrahim Hooper, communications
director for CAIR,
told WND the group would not comment on Savage's action until the
document had been reviewed. CAIR, which runs 33
offices and chapters nationwide, also recently helped defeat an
anti-terror plan by Los Angeles police to map the local Muslim community
for extremist neighborhoods. Now it's pressuring GOP presidential
hopeful Mitt Romney to back down from his position against appointing a
Muslim to his Cabinet. Critics counter that CAIR has no legitimate voice
to make such complaints, because the group is itself an extremist
organization that has employed or appointed to its boards of directors
and advisers an inordinate number of radical co-conspirators, suspected
and convicted terrorists, and other criminals. Indeed, the list is long
and growing, and includes: more...
CAIR – anything but 'American'
World Net Daily
(December 4, 2007) -
I'm proud of my friend and colleague Michael Savage today
for standing up against the un-American bullies at the so-called
"Council on American-Islamic Relations." I'm here to endorse
his lawsuit and offer any help he needs in combating these thugs who
seek to narrow the public debate in America, apparently to conform to
the wishes and standards of their foreign supporters in some of the most
vicious police states in the world. This is an important case. It's
about the defense of freedom of speech. It's about the defense of truth.
It's about the defense of justice. And it's about fighting for the
American way.
Please read the suit for yourself – and join me in making a sacrificial
monetary contribution to the fight. But I also want to share some
information to consider that is not addressed in this lawsuit.
CAIR, a powerful and well-funded lobby group, has been
targeting Savage's radio advertisers with a campaign of lies and
intimidation. Every single advertiser has been pressured, and a few have
caved in to the heavy-handed threats. Each of us who cares about
preserving Savage's unique voice on the airwaves needs to pull out all
the stops in support of the advertisers who remain. I have done this
already. I urge you to do the same. Likewise, you need to know who and
what this group is really all about.
In April 2005, the founder of the Texas chapter of CAIR, Ghassan Elashi
was found guilty of supporting terrorism – the third CAIR figure to
be convicted on federal terrorism charges since 9/11. Elashi, along with
two brothers, was convicted in Dallas of channeling funds to a
high-ranking official of the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, Mousa
Abu Marzook. CAIR is a spin-off of the Richardson,
Texas-based Islamic Association For Palestine, or IAP, which was founded
by Marzook. Former FBI counterterrorism chief Oliver Revell has called
the IAF "a front organization for Hamas that engages in propaganda for
Islamic militants." Marzook, deputy chief of
Hamas' political bureau in Syria, founded the IAP in 1991. At its
conferences in the United States, the IAP hosted leaders of Hamas and
the Muslim Brotherhood. Marzook was deported in 1997. It was not the
first conviction for Elashi. As chairman of the Holy Land Foundation
charity in Dallas, Elashi was convicted last year of making illegal
technology shipments to two countries on the U.S. list of
terrorist-sponsoring states, Libya and Syria. Four brothers, including
Bayan and Basman, also were convicted. Other CAIR figures convicted
since 9/11 are Randall Todd "Ismail" Royer, a former communications
specialist and civil-rights coordinator, and Bassem Khafagi, former
director of community relations.
Royer was sentenced to 20 years in prison on charges he trained in
Virginia for holy war against the United States and sent several
members to Pakistan to join Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Kashmiri terrorist group
with reported ties to al-Qaida. In a plea bargain, Royer claimed he
never intended to hurt anyone, but admitted he organized the holy
warriors after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. After
his arrest, Royer sought legal counsel from Hamas lawyer Stanley Cohen,
who said after 9/11 he would consider serving as a defense lawyer for
Osama bin Laden if the al-Qaida leader were captured.
Khafagi, was arrested in January 2003, while serving with
CAIR, and convicted on fraud and terrorism charges. Current CAIR leaders
also have made statements in support of Hamas and the domination of the
United States by Islam. more... CNN faces lawsuit over 'fringe militia' World Net Daily (December 4, 2007) - Activist David Bossie and Citizens United are threatening to sue CNN for claiming he and his group are part of a "fringe militia." Bossie, the president of Citizens United, says he is pursuing claims against the cable network for its reporting in a Nov. 28 show called "Broken Government – Campaign Killers," hosted by Campbell Brown. The CNN show also referred to Bossie as a "dirty trickster." Bossie says he is seeking, through legal counsel, "a formal apology and public retraction of those statements." "If no retraction is forthcoming, CU will then bring legal action to hold CNN accountable for these and other misrepresented facts," the statement said. "These baseless allegations were a disservice to CU and its 500,000 members, CNN and its audience, and to general principles of responsible, fact-based journalism." In an e-mail to CNN Senior Producer Melissa Dunst Lipman, Citizen United's Quin Hillyer argued that "not only is Citizens United hardly a 'fringe' group (unless consistent and open association with the former Speaker of the House, a current leading presidential candidate, and numerous other leading Republicans can be considered 'fringe'), but to refer to it as a 'militia' is a clear and obvious falsehood. We demand a retraction. The e-mail, reported by the blog FishbowlDC, also took issue with Brown's claim, "Many mainstream Republicans have denounced his tactics." Hillyer, the group's director of strategic communications, said the "only example she offered was of the elder President Bush complaining about an ad 15 years ago that Mr. Bossie did not produce." "As both Ms. Brown and you, yourself, Ms. Lipman, consistently represented to us that your interest was in Citizens United, rather than in anything done by other groups or people at other times , we challenge you to produce anything approaching 'many' mainstream Republicans who have denounced Mr. Bossie's tactics as president of Citizens United," he wrote. "Furthermore, Ms. Brown said that 'mainstream Republicans may distance themselves from Bossie.' I challenge her to find mainstream Republicans, right now, in 2007, who are familiar with the work of Mr. Bossie at Citizens United and yet who distance themselves from him or his organization." Bossie, author of "The Many Faces of John Kerry," is a former chief investigator for the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Government Reform and Oversight. He led probes during President Clinton's two terms, ranging from the Whitewater land deal to foreign money schemes in the 1996 campaign and the transfer of dual-use technology to China. Bossie also authored "Intelligence Failure: How Clinton's National Security Policy Set the Stage for 9/11." He co-authored "Slick Willie: Why America Cannot Trust Bill Clinton" in 1992 and "Prince Albert: The Life and Lies of Al Gore" in 2000. As WND reported in August, in response to uproar from angry viewers and a media watchdog report, CNN advertisers distanced themselves from a special series entitled "God's Warriors," produced and anchored by the network's chief international correspondent, Christiane Amanpour. The Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America called an episode of the series that focused on Judaism "one of the most grossly distorted programs" ever aired on mainstream American television.
IAEA: US Iran report matches UN agency Associated
Press (December 4, 2007) - A new
U.S. intelligence review that concludes Iran stopped developing a
nuclear weapons program in 2003 is consistent with the U.N. atomic
watchdog agency's own findings and "should help to defuse the current
crisis," the organization's chief said Tuesday. "Although Iran still
needs to clarify some important aspects of its past and present nuclear
activities, the agency has no concrete evidence of an ongoing nuclear
weapons program or undeclared nuclear facilities in Iran," International
Atomic Energy Agency director-general Mohamed ElBaradei said in a
statement. ElBaradei said he viewed "with great interest" Monday's
release of a U.S. National Intelligence Estimate that said Tehran halted
nuclear weapons development in late 2003 under international pressure.
The chief U.S. envoy to the IAEA, Gregory L. Schulte, said the U.S.
assessment contained "some positive news" and raised hopes of a peaceful
and diplomatic end to the standoff. "It does make us more hopeful that
diplomacy can succeed, but for diplomacy to succeed, we still need to
keep the pressure on while giving Iran a negotiated way out," Schulte
told reporters in Vienna. But "Iran's nuclear file is not closed," he
said, adding that the U.S. report "shows we were right to be concerned."
The U.S. report noted that Iran continues to enrich uranium, and senior
officials in Washington said that means it still may be able to develop
a weapon between 2010 and 2015. Monday's finding was a shift from two
years ago, when U.S. intelligence agencies said they believed Tehran was
determined to develop a nuclear capability and was continuing its
weapons development program. It suggests that Iran is susceptible to
diplomatic pressure, the officials said. more...
Report: World food prices to rise Associated
Press (December 4, 2007) - Food
prices are set to rise around the globe after years of decline, with
climate change making it harder for the world's poorest to get adequate
food, according to a report released Tuesday. Rising global temperatures
as well as growing food consumption in rapidly developing countries such
as China and India are pressuring the world food system, meaning that
food prices will rise for the foreseeable future, according to the
International Food Policy Research Institute. Joachim von Braun, the
director of the Washington-based research group, said food prices have
been in a declining trend since scientists began developing high-yield
plant varieties decades ago, "but the days of falling food prices may be
over." "The last time the world experienced such food price increases
was in 1973 to 1974 ... but today the situation is completely different.
For one, the climate risk and climate change situation has increased,
the climate vulnerability has increased," von Braun told reporters in
Beijing. The institute said in a report that hunger and malnutrition
could rise as poor agricultural communities most sensitive to the
environment, such as in Africa, are hurt. Dependency on food imports
will also increase as cereal yields decline in those countries. The
world's agricultural production is projected to decrease by 16 percent
by 2020 due to global warming, the report said, with land used for
certain crops shrinking. For example, it said land to grow wheat could
almost disappear in Africa. It said growing demand in rapidly developing
countries such as China and India for processed food and expensive meat
and dairy products is driving up prices for those goods, as well as for
staple grains used to feed cattle. In addition, switching to crops used
for biofuels will also reduce the amount of available food and increase
prices, it said. Trade barriers for food should be eliminated,
especially in developed nations, the report recommended, so small
farmers can earn more money. "A world facing increased food scarcity
needs to trade more, not less," the report said. The European Union and
the United States have been reluctant to cut support for their own
farmers and reduce trade barriers in world trade talks. more...
Savage Sues Muslim Group Newsmax
(December 3, 2007) - Nationally syndicated
radio host Michael Savage has filed a lawsuit against CAIR, the Counsel
on American-Islamic Relations, charging that the Muslim group has
misused copyright material from his show. The group, which identifies
itself as the nation's leading watchdog group protecting the rights of
Muslims, has used clips of Savage's radio show to raise funds and to get
supporters to demand Savage's sponsors cease advertising on his “Savage
Nation” broadcasts. Savage’s show which originates in San Francisco,
California reaches over eight million listeners per week, according to
the lawsuit. The suit adds that his Web site MichaelSavage.com receives
2.3 million page views per month. In the suit he alleges that instead of
being what it claims to be — a civil rights organization — it is
actually a political organization “designed to advance a political
agenda that is directly opposed to the existence of a free society that
includes respect and dignity for all people and all religions. “The
copyright infringement herein is part of this plan. CAIR’s fundamental
purpose is to be a lobbyist for foreign interests,” an allegation that
the lawsuit backs up with numerous examples of CAIR’s activities. In a
Nov. 1, 2007 statement CAIR, which described itself as “A prominent
national Islamic civil rights and advocacy group” urged “radio listeners
of all faiths to contact companies that advertise on Michael Savage's
nationally-syndicated radio program to express their concerns about the
host's recent anti-Muslim tirade. CAIR charged that Savage “screamed
attacks on Muslims, Islam, and the Quran, Islam's revealed text, during
his Oct. 29, 2007, program,” and claimed that an unspecified number of
concerned listeners contacted the group CAIR about Savage's alleged
attacks on Islam.” CAIR cited what it called “Savage's shouted
anti-Muslim attacks,” using copyrighted material from that show: "I'm
not gonna put my wife in a hijab. And I'm not gonna put my daughter in a
burqa. And I'm not getting on my all-fours and braying to Mecca. And you
could drop dead if you don't like it. You can shove it up your pipe. I
don't wanna hear anymore about Islam. I don't wanna hear one more word
about Islam. Take your religion and shove it up your behind. I'm sick of
you." more...
Evangelical Leaders Reiterate Call for Two-State Solution for Israel and
Palestine Christianity
Today (December 3, 2007) -
Over
80 educators and ministry heads affirm efforts to negotiate lasting
peace, and warn of consequences of failure.
This week the Bush State Department is devoting its full diplomatic
efforts toward bringing a two-state resolution to the Israel-Palestine
conflict. Over the past few months, they have put on a full-court press
to gather a broad representation of Arab world leaders to join Israeli
and Palestinian negotiators for a historic meeting in Annapolis,
Maryland. Now, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian
National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas have agreed to a program of
sustained and focused negotiations throughout 2008. With these cautious
but hopeful beginnings, over 80 evangelical leaders have signed a
statement indicating their belief "that the way forward is for the
Israelis and Palestinians to negotiate a fair, two-state solution."
These leaders—including Christian college and seminary presidents,
denominational heads, and other ministry leaders—pledge their "ongoing
support for the security of Israel," and state that "unless the
situation between Israel and Palestine improves quickly, the
consequences will be devastating" for Israel. Palestinians with little
economic opportunity "are increasingly sympathetic to radical
solutions." The full text of their statement and the list of signatories
follow. more... I think this is one of the consequences of not understanding Bible prophecy and what it says about the future. These leaders aren't looking at what the Bible says will happen to those that come against Israel. God said He would put Israel in the land and Jeremiah 30:20 says, "Their children also shall be as aforetime, and their congregation shall be established before me, and I will punish all that oppress them." Read Ezekiel 36,37 as well. Remember it is when everyone says peace and safety that sudden destruction comes. Recognizing the Bible's prophesies is much different from actively participating in what it says will happen. These things will happen without our help and given the judgment for those that come against Israel and God's putting Israel in the land, I think it is an error for Christians to get involved. We should pray for the peace of Jerusalem and Israel knowing that will only happen when Christ returns and sets up His eternal kingdom. Who doesn't want peace and security? But be careful of who you are trusting to give it to you. The Bible says the end-times is anything but a time of peace and security and the men fomenting the chaos are doing so to implement their control of the world, not to bring peace. The spirit of antichrist destroys many with peace, Daniel 8:25, much like the loss of freedom because of terrorism and in the name of peace and security. It's all about control and power for these elite who are working with the spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:11-20 Israel's security is guaranteed by God and will be shown when Iran, Turkey, Russia, Libya and others are destroyed in the mountains of Israel. However, I do believe Israel will be divided, I just don't want to be involved with it happening.
UN kicks off Bali climate conference Associated Press (December
3, 2007) - Faced with melting polar ice caps and worsening
droughts, climate experts at a massive U.N. conference Monday urged
quick action toward a new international pact stemming an increasingly
destructive rise in world temperatures. A key goal of the two-week
conference, which opened with delegates from nearly 190 countries in
attendance, will be to draw a skeptical United States into an agreement
to cut emissions of carbon dioxide and other so-called greenhouse gases.
While the U.S. delegation declared it would not be a "roadblock" to a
new agreement, Washington remains opposed to steps many other countries
support, such as mandatory emissions cuts by rich nations and a target
for limiting the rise in global temperatures. The American position
suffered a blow Monday when the new Australian prime minister signed
papers to ratify the Kyoto Protocol climate pact. The move leaves the
U.S. — the world's top emitter of greenhouse gases — as the sole
industrial power not to have joined. Conference leaders urged delegates
to move quickly to combat climate change. "The eyes of the world are
upon you. There is a huge responsibility for Bali to deliver," said Yvo
de Boer, the executive secretary of the conference. "The world now
expects a quantum leap forward." The conference kicked off amid growing
global momentum for dramatic action to stop rising temperatures that
scientists say could lead to swamping of coastal areas and islands by
higher oceans, the wiping out of species, economic havoc and a spike in
natural disasters such as storms, fires and droughts. The Bali meeting
will be the first major conference of its kind since former Vice
President Al Gore — due to arrive next week — and a U.N. scientific
council won the Nobel Peace Prize in October for their environmental
work. The immediate aim will be to launch negotiations toward a pact to
replace the Kyoto Protocol when it expires in 2012, and set an agenda
for the talks and a deadline. The U.N. says such an agreement
should be concluded by 2009 in
order to have a system in place in time. more...
Iran Says Ties With Syria Rock Solid
Associated Press
(December 3, 2007) - Iran's
adversaries cannot harm the strong ties between Tehran and Damascus,
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Sunday, a week after Iran appeared to
chide Syria for its decision to take part in a Mideast summit in the
United States. State-run television quoted Ahmadinejad as telling
Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister Faysal Mekdad that "enemies cannot
damage real and firm Tehran-Damascus relations." Though Iran never
directly criticized Syria for attending the summit in Annapolis, Md.
last week, Ahmadinejad and other top officials said the summit was
doomed to fail and scolded Arab nations for going. Tehran was not
invited to the meeting. But Syria's attendance and Iran's harsh
criticism of the meeting appeared to indicate at least some tension
between the two allies — a rare event in the past decades. During his
meeting Sunday with Ahmadinejad, Mekdad gave the Iranian president a
written message from Syrian President Bashar Assad and underlined the
strategic relationship between the two countries, Iran's official news
agency, IRNA, reported. No details of the message from Assad were given.
Both Ahmadinejad and Mekdad said Iran-Syrian ties remained strong.
Mekdad also said Syrian would "never let anyone harm the friendly ties"
between Iran and Syria, IRNA reported. Syria said it decided to send
Mekdad to the summit only after the issue of the Israeli-occupied Golan
Heights was added to the agenda. During the trip, the Syrian delegation
shook hands with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice — indicating a
slight thaw in the diplomatic chill between Washington and Damascus.
U.S. officials had hoped the Annapolis meeting could mark a start to
moving Syria out of its alliance with Iran and Hamas and Hezbollah, both
of which are Iranian-backed militant groups. more...
Cantwell aide arrested in sex sting; quickly fired
Komo TV
(December 3, 2007) -
A former aide to Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., was in
federal custody after being arrested on a charge of attempting to
sexually exploit a minor. James Michael McHaney was fired Friday from
his job as a scheduler for Cantwell, hours after he was arrested by FBI
agents. The FBI said in court papers that McHaney is accused of trying
to set up a meeting with a witness posing online as a teenage boy.
McHaney, who appeared in federal court on Saturday, was being held
without bond pending a court hearing on Wednesday, said Channing
Phillips, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office for the District of
Columbia. According to court papers, McHaney, known as Mike, tried to
arrange a lunchtime meeting with an unidentified person posing as a
13-year-old boy. When the witness, working under the supervision of the
FBI, asked whether McHaney was interested in sex with a 13-year-old,
McHaney allegedly replied, "I'll be there," the court papers said. He
later asked for a photo of the child, the FBI alleged. News of the
arrest was first reported on the Web site,
www.thesmokinggun.com.
Congressional records show McHaney worked as a scheduler in Cantwell's
Washington, D.C., office since at least July 2006. Cantwell's chief of
staff, Michael Meehan, issued a statement Monday night saying McHaney
had been fired. "Late Friday afternoon the FBI informed our office that
a Senate employee was arrested. The employee was immediately fired. Our
office has and will continue to fully cooperate with the ongoing federal
criminal investigation. Senator Cantwell has zero tolerance for crimes
against children," Meehan said. McHaney's lawyer, Thomas Abbenante, did
not immediately return a telephone message seeking comment late Monday.
Yet another earthquake shakes Israel
Israel Today
(December 2, 2007) - A mild
earthquake was felt throughout central Israel on Sunday morning, the
fourth tremor to hit the region in the last two weeks. The Geophysical
Institute of Israel reported that the latest earthquake had registered
at 4.0 on the Richter scale, and that its epicenter was the Dead Sea.
Last Saturday, a 4.1 earthquake originating in Israel's central coastal
plain strongly shook the country. Earlier that week, two mild
earthquakes again centered on the Dead Sea struck the region. Israeli
experts have been warning of a large-scale earthquake for years, and of
the widespread damage it is expected to cause due to a general failure
to comply with safety building regulations.
Rockefeller and the New World Religion Old-Thinker News (December 2, 2007)
The Rockefeller family, while they
are by no means the only major players in world affairs, have
contributed large amounts of resources to the creation of a world
government. Utilizing vast monetary resources which were initially
amassed by the oil empire of John D. Rockefeller Sr., their efforts
have gone into nearly every area of significance. From politics,
media, to education, the Rockefellers are a force to be reckoned
with. [1] One vitally important and often overlooked method of
influence that the Rockefellers have enjoyed is in the realm of the
church and religion. It comes as little surprise, given their long
term goal of world government, that the Rockefeller family would
approve of and support a societal outlook favorable to globalism.
The use of religion is one method that, in Rockefeller's eyes,
looked to be a promising means of accomplishing this goal. Early
programs such as the Interchurch World Movement focused on the
maintenance of harmonious relations between people in America's
growing industrial society. Later endeavors such as the World
Council of Churches would trend towards being global in nature with
goals moving beyond that of simply maintaining class stability in
America to elimination of national sovereignty and world governance.
While some methods have been changed over time, and names of
organizations have been altered, the overarching agenda of
Rockefeller has remained the same. As the documents will show,
multiple attempts have been made to urge the Christian churches to
get behind programs for world governance. If the attempts were not
spearheaded by Rockefellers themselves, significant financial
support was provided to organizations sharing their vision for the
world. A discernable pattern emerges, with the ability to look back
at history, that escalating world crises have served as convenient
launching points for incrementally larger pieces of the world
government agenda. If this pattern continues - and there is little
doubt that it will - we will inevitably see greater pieces locked
into place after future crises. On May 31, 2007, speaking in
Istanbul Turkey at a conference organized by Akbank [2], Henry
Kissinger alluded to this pattern of crises, stating that,
Utopian ideals of a world civilization and a world government have always existed. No matter how well meaning and egalitarian they may sound, history has shown us that centralized systems almost always lead to corruption and abuse of power. Given the actions of the Rockefeller family in providing support to the Bolshevik revolution, [4] their instrumental role in the spread of eugenics policies to Nazi Germany, [5] and David Rockefeller's proud exclamation, "Some.. believe we are part of a secret cabal working against the best interests of the United States, characterizing my family and me as 'internationalists' and of conspiring with others... to build a more integrated global political and economic structure - one world, if you will. If that is the charge, I stand guilty, and I am proud of it," [6] it would seem that the solution of world government is rising out of crises that the proponents of such a system are fostering. It should be reiterated that while the Rockefeller family has been involved with promoting the ideas of world government and actively pursuing its formation, the idea did not originate with them. Utopians throughout history have promoted ideas of a world civilization and a world government, often with humanitarian aims. For example, as documented by Frederick Charles Hicks in his 1920 book "The New World Order", Royal Society member John Bellers presented in the year 1710,
The Interchurch World Movement (1919 - 1920) In the aftermath of the bloody
conflict of World War I, the League of Nations was presented as a
solution to the horrendous problems that the world had witnessed. During
the same time period that the League of Nations was formed, John D.
Rockefeller Jr. launched the Interchurch World Movement (IWM) in 1919.
[1] The Interchurch World Movement was the first attempt by Rockefeller
to consolidate the churches into a corporate like structure which would
exercise control over their activities. The "stability of government",
and the promotion of "harmonious relations" between people in an
industrial society that the Rockefeller family was already dominating
was a driving force behind the IWM. Charles E. Harvey, professor of
history at California State University, wrote a history of the
Interchurch World Movement in a 1982 paper titled "John D.
Rockefeller, Jr., and the Interchurch World Movement of 1919-1920: A
Different Angle on the Ecumenical Movement". Harvey traces
the roots of the "social gospel" and the resulting battle between
fundamental Christians and liberalism back to Rockefeller's Interchurch
World Movement. Upon investigating the IWM, Harvey found that
the historical information that most historians and researchers were
using to research the IWM had been directly prepared by the lawyer of
John D. Rockefeller Jr., a man named Raymond B. Fosdick. The doctored
information, writes Harvey, was "...compiled precisely to conceal the
real role Rockefeller played in the organization." more...
Earth's tropics belt expands Associated Press (December
2, 2007) - Earth's tropical belt seems to have expanded a couple
hundred miles over the past quarter century, which could mean more arid
weather for some already dry subtropical regions, new climate research
shows. Geographically, the
tropical region is a wide swath around Earth's middle stretching from
the Tropic of Cancer, just south of Miami, to the Tropic of Capricorn,
which cuts Australia almost in half. It's about one-quarter of the globe
and generally thought of as hot, steamy and damp, but it also has areas
of brutal desert. To meteorologists, however, the tropics region is
defined by long-term climate and what's happening in the atmosphere.
Recent studies show changes that indicate an expansion of the tropical
atmosphere. The newest study, published Sunday in the new scientific
journal Nature Geoscience, shows that by using the weather definition,
the tropics are expanding toward Earth's poles more than predicted. And
that means more dry weather is moving to the edges of the tropics in
places like the U.S. Southwest. Independent teams using four different
meteorological measurements found that the tropical atmospheric belt has
grown by anywhere between 2 and 4.8 degrees latitude since 1979. That
translates to a total north and south expansion of 140 to 330 miles. One
key determination of the tropical belt is called the Hadley circulation,
which is essentially prevailing rivers of wind that move vertically as
well as horizontally, carrying lots of moisture to rainy areas while
drying out arid regions on the edges of the tropics. That wind is
circulating over a larger area than a couple decades ago.
more...
Killing with a Clear Conscience A Time, Times, and Half A Time (December 2, 2007) - Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy Part I: In my early writings on this blog space, I warned of the Militarization of the Alliance of Civilizations. A militarized Alliance of Civilisations is necessary for the High Level Group (HLG) to successfully conduct a war on extremism and terrorism. Most people consider those objectives to be positive. I may have too had I not read the AoC’s definitions of terrorism. When Kofi Annan first introduced the AoC, he said that the problem (civilizational tensions) is not with the faiths, but with the faithful. The AoC has since expanded on this statement. Accordingly, if you read a religious text and apply an interpretation that becomes an “exclusive” truth claim, you have thereby entered a theology of hatred and have terrorist leanings. That, they say, is a root cause of terrorism. During the Doha Debates HLG member John Esposito said:
This poses a significant problem for most monotheists
as our religious texts make exclusive truth claims. What escapes
Esposito’s attention is that most of us enjoy freedom—we can choose our
faiths and worship as we please. We respect and defend others’ rights to
do likewise. This is called respect, not hatred. Perhaps Esposito’s
vision of democracy is entirely different than mine.
Nearly a year ago I had archived a counter-terrorism piece from the Office on Drugs and Crime’s website which says:
(This link is no longer on the website, but the same
material can be found here.)
This prompted me to check and see if the Interregional Crime and Justice
Research Institute shared the same wisdom. Sure enough, I found
counter-terrorism material by Giandomenico Picco. Picco was Kofi Annan’s
personal representative who worked on the Dialogue Among Civilizations
project and later was instrumental in
the startup
of the Alliance of Civilizations initiative. Picco’s contribution to
the AoC is certain to have a significant impact world’s religious
populations as he has most disturbingly defined terrorism which can be
found in UN publication
International Terrorism and Governmental Structures.
Here Picco explains that there are two types of terrorism, those being
tactical and strategic. Tactical terrorist are associated with groups
such as Hezbollah. Hezbollah, Picco explains, has a both a political and
military branch whereby negotiations are possible. Strategic terrorism
is based on religious belief. It is altogether different--more
radical—of which there can be no negotiation. more...
A Must-Hear Sermon Fulfilled Prophecy (December 2, 2007) - Why aren't more sermons like the one preached last Sunday by Pastor Randy Bloem of Revival Baptist Church in Scranton, Pennsylvania? (Listen to "Things to Ponder, Part 2.") Bloem challenges his church to ponder and prize the prophecies about Christ's Second Coming -- a teaching neglected in churches today. He urges his church members to have such a great love for their Lord that they long for His return, like a young woman would long for her fiance to return from the war in Iraq so they can get married. He also goes through the many fulfilled prophecies that indicate the Second Coming is near -- from the return of Israel to her land in 1948, to the revival of the Roman Empire under 10 kings and one powerful leader who is connected with the number 666, to Israel's willingness to give up her God-given land in exchange for peace. While I disagree with Bloem about one or two things -- I believe the 70th week of Daniel may already have started Jan. 1, 2007, while he thinks it's still just around the corner, and I'm not convinced the United States' destruction is prophesied in Ezekiel 39:6 -- I'm elated to see a pastor who is warning His flock of the coming tribulation and Christ's soon return. Would that more of our evangelical leaders be awake to the prophecies. Instead, last week, over 80 of them issued a statement applauding the Annapolis Summit last Tuesday and urging Christians to support the division of Israel's land. (Read about it here.) These leaders include many seminary presidents and heads of well-known ministries, like Wheaton College, Fuller Theological Seminary, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Gordon College, Denver Seminary and Christianity Today magazine. According to them, the only way Israel can ever have peace with the Palestinians is to give up her land. Yet, God is angered by attempts to divide Israel's land and says Israel will never have lasting peace until she stops relying on the nations for help and turns to Him. These evangelical leaders remind me of the Jewish religious leaders who failed to recognize the prophecies about Christ's first coming. Not only do they fail to see the signs, they're actually working against God's will. Bloem's message is both convicting and motivating. If you have time today and especially if you didn't make it to church, I urge you to listen to it -- and get excited about Christ's Second Coming! Temple Institute Announces: High Priest's Crown is Ready! Israel National News (December 2, 2007) - The Temple Institute in Jerusalem announces the completion of the Tzitz, the High Priest's headplate - now ready for use in the Holy Temple. The tzitz is made of pure gold, was fashioned over the course of a more than a year by the craftsmen of the Temple Institute, and is ready to be worn by the High Priest in the rebuilt Holy Temple in Jerusalem. The words "Holy for G-d" are engraved on the headplate, in accordance with Exodus 28:36. A short video clip presenting the tzitz can be viewed here. Rabbi Chaim Richman, International Director of the Temple Institute, explained to Arutz-7 that until it can actually be used, the tzitz will be on view in the Institute's permanent exhibition display, together with other vessels and priestly garments fashioned for use in the Holy Temple by the Institute. Legal Aspects: Impurity and Hekdesh: Rabbi Yisrael Ariel, Director of the Institute, explained some of the Halakhic [Jewish legal] aspects of the fashioning of the vessels for the Temple. "For one thing," he said, "they are made in impurity - for now we are impure, and will remain impure until we are able to have a Red Heifer whose ashes can be used in the Torah-prescribed purification ceremony. If no Red Heifer is available, then the High Priest must even serve in the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur in a state of impurity." Asked whether the fact that the vessels are dedicated for the Temple does not render them hekdesh (consecrated) and therefore forbidden for any other use, Rabbi Ariel explained, "There are two stages. First of all, we make it very clear to the donors and to the craftsmen that the ultimate purpose of these vessels is not to be used for exhibitions or the like, but rather for the fulfillment of Torah commandments in the Holy Temple. They must know this in advance. However, to gain the actual status of hekdesh, we similarly make it clear that this does not happen until the vessel is actually brought in to the Temple Mount for use in the Temple. This means that someone can try on and measure the headplate, for example, without worrying that he is benefiting in any way from something that has been consecrated to the Temple." Menorah Moves Closer to Temple Mount Rabbi Richman noted that in less than two weeks from now, on Rosh
Chodesh Tevet, the famous Menorah (candelabrum) - suitable for use in
the Holy Temple, familiar to visitors to the Cardo section of the Old
City of Jerusalem - will be relocated to the landing of the wide
staircase that leads down from the Jewish Quarter to the Western Wall.
It will be protected inside the same type of glass structure that now
houses it. more...
Unclear EU treaty troubles leaders Web
India 123 (December 1, 2007) -
European leaders who have agreed to a new treaty for the European Union
are trying to figure out what the document means. The Reform Treaty
gives the president of the European Commission, the president of the
European Council and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs
and Security Policy responsibilities that overlap,
The EU Observer reported. That could mean the division of labor depends
on who has the stronger personality at any given time. Slovenia holds
the EU presidency for the first half of 2008. Igor Sencar, the Slovenian
ambassador to the union, said at least 40 items in the treaty need to be
clarified before it takes effect in
2009. EU officials are already displaying
nervousness about the treaty, Sencar said. The Hammer and Tongs behind the Hugs of Annapolis DEBKAfile (December 1, 2007) - No one at UN headquarters in New York remembers a case of a draft resolution being abruptly withdrawn hours before a UN Security Council session was scheduled to approve it. This is what happened to a US draft that would have endorsed President Bush’s announcement three days earlier at the Annapolis Middle East conference of Israeli and Palestinian consent to work toward a settlement of their conflict before the end of 2008. The Council had been called into closed session Thursday night, Nov. 30 to endorse the Annapolis declaration. The text was buried hastily in an undignified scramble by the Bush administration after two days of sharp words between the White House and prime minister Ehud Olmert and his threat not to turn up for talks with the Palestinians. This incident led also to the first real falling-out between President George W. Bush and his secretary of state Condoleezza Rice. He blamed her for seeking to bolster the Annapolis declaration by Security Council endorsement, thereby exposing the hyped-up event to the world as a charade and his own declaration as too flimsy to stand up. The head of the Israeli mission, Danny Gillerman, denied being fully briefed on the American text - a diplomatic figure of speech which applies equally to the situation of the Israeli delegation at the Middle East conference in Annapolis and since. But as soon as the Israeli ambassador heard that Khalilzad had obtained the consent of the five permanent members of the Security Council to a closed session for approving the US draft, he urgently alerted Olmert and Livni in Jerusalem. Gillerman warned them that a closed session means that neither Israel nor the Palestinians would be present or given a hearing. And that was not the only undesirable aspect:
Ambassador Gillerman alerted the
Israeli prime minister and foreign minister to the short distance from
UN sponsorship of the process to the dispatch of international troops to
the region as a buffer between Israel’s counter-terror forces and the
Palestinian terrorists ruling the Gaza Strip and West Bank. In the
Israeli ambassador’s opinion, the US initiative to bring the world body
in as a party to the Annapolis declaration originated with Secretary
Rice. She sought to punish Israel for not following her lead at the
conference. He pointed out that the application to the UN directly
contravened Rice’s own accords with the Israeli foreign minister.
Gillerman’s heads-up to Jerusalem sparked an urgent series of phone
calls between the prime minister’s office and the White House. Olmert
made no bones about threatening to pull out of the entire diplomatic
track charted at Annapolis if the Security Council were to be brought in
over its head. After 36 hours of hammer and tongs, US ambassador to the
UN, Zalmay Khalilzad, was instructed to call off the Council session and
withdraw the text. But recriminations on the American side for an
unprecedented loss of face were just as bitter. The White House accused
state department officials of egging Rice on to circumvent the
agreements Bush and Olmert had concluded and running off half-cocked to
the world body in a manner which left the administration red-faced.
Khalilzad was urgently recalled to Washington. When State Department
officials pushed the blame for the shambles on him, accusing him of
drafting the Security Council resolution without consulting the
secretary of state, the US ambassador’s aides shot back with a strong
denial. This incident also brought to the surface the frustrations
experienced by Israel’s delegation to the Annapolis conference, DEBKAfile’s
political sources report. US officials consistently neglected to inform
Olmert or foreign and defense ministers Tzipi Livni and Ehud Barak of
steps pre-coordinated with the Palestinians and Arab ministers,
presenting them as accomplished facts. When Israeli leaders flew out of
Washington Wednesday night, Nov. 28, none had yet been informed that the
White House had named Ret. Gen. James Jones to chair the
“US-Israel-Palestinian mechanism” accompanying the Palestinian-Israel
talks. When they read about it in the media, Olmert protested the
general's role, and it was downgraded to liaison officer. Neither did
the Americans bother to inform Israel about consultations with the
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov for a follow-up conference in
Moscow at the beginning of 2008. There, Israel will be required to agree
to the return of the Golan to Syria.
Unclear EU treaty
provisions causing 'nervousness' EU
Observer (November 28, 2007) -
Although the ink has barely dried on the EU's new treaty, analysts are
already scratching their heads as to how the document, with its unclear
division of power between the EU's top politicians, is going to work in
practice. Come 2009, when the Reform Treaty is supposed to click into
place, there will be three big jobs to be had in Brussels - the
president of the European Commission; the president of the European
Council and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security
Policy. The three have overlapping job descriptions that are set to be
defined only by the strength of the personalities involved, meaning that
the treaty, agreed in October after years of wrangling, could be laying
the ground for a political hornet's nest. Igor Sencar, Slovenia's EU
ambassador, says there are "at least 40 elements" in the treaty that
have to "considered and understood" during the course of next year.
Speaking at the European Policy Centre think tank in Brussels on
Wednesday, Mr Sencar – whose country will run the EU during the first
half of next year – says he already feels the "nervousness" in Brussels
about the lack of clarity in the document. The questions run from
pinning down the exact powers of the EU president; agreeing who the
president will be; to sorting out the funding, personnel and scope of
the diplomatic service as well as looking at issues such as whether the
EU's police body, Europol, needs to be adjusted and how national
ministers will fit into the EU decision-making process. Mr Sencar
indicated that the issues will have to be dealt with by EU leaders and
that a "common view" should be drawn up by the end of next year.
Meanwhile academics and commentators in Brussels are already picking
holes in the proposed political set-up contained in the new treaty. Dr
Andreas Maurer from the German thinktank Stiftung Wissenschaft und
Politik in a recently published paper notes that the future EU
president, who can hold office for up to five years risks becoming EU
leaders' "play ball" because the office lacks its own ministry. "Does
the new president have sufficient personnel, administrative and
financial resources at his disposal" to carry out duties such as
leading, preparing and giving a sense of continuity to leading EU
projects, such as on climate change and energy, asks the paper. It also
questions whether EU leaders will really stand behind the president on
major issues and points out that there could be a "legitimacy" problem
because the president is not actually accountable to anyone – neither
MEPs or MPs. The foreign minister post creates its own set of problems
partly because it is not completely clear where his or her duties begin
and that of the council president and commission president end. Dr
Maurer's paper notes that the new foreign minister, who will be both
vice-president of the commission as well as chairing the regular EU
foreign minister meetings, will have an "unusually large range of
duties." A crucial point will be whether the foreign minister assumes
the trade and development aspects of EU foreign policy when chairing the
foreign ministers' meeting. If the minister does, "it will put into
question" the "autonomy and the political profile of the commission" –
which traditionally has strong powers in this area. more... According to Bible prophecy, a little horn will rise up among 10. Daniel 7:7,8 What is happening according to this article is an orginization of power centered around the foreign minister position. Commissioners responsible for trade and development will answer to the foreign minister, and these three positions are overlapping. We know that 10 kings are going to give their power and authority to the antichrist. Revelation 17:12-14 The world will worship the beast and feel powerless against him. Revelation 13:1-5 What this all leads to is the creation of a position that fits with Bible prophecy in centering power over trade and foreign policy through the WEU, the 10 member-state military arm of the EU. Is this all coincidence or are we closer to great tribulation than most realize. Read the HIStory, Our Future Bible studies for more Biblical reasoning. Europe and Peacekeeping Missions in the Middle East WEU Document C/1985 53rd Session (November 6, 2007) - The WEU is the military arm of the EU - excerpts: 107. The military capabilities exist: these are the national forces with their ongoing process of transformation of doctrines, capabilities and technologies. It is up to the member states to assume their responsibilities and to decide whether the Union to which they have transferred a portion of their sovereignty should have access to their capabilities, for the good of all. A Union that is stronger and more involved on the international stage also means greater prosperity and security for its members. The Middle East may well put the Union sorely to the test, but a passive stance is no longer an option. It is precisely this Euro-Mediterranean area, the cradle of the ancient cultures that continues to shape our societies to this day, that forms the contact point between the “West” and the Arab-Muslim world. At the end of the day it is a matter of survival and of our common future.
What is Robert Schuller 'rethinking'? WorldNet
Daily (October 30,
2007) - It's an all-star conference set for the Crystal Cathedral
in Garden Grove, Calif., Jan. 17-19. Former President George H.W. Bush
will speak. Chuck Colson will make a presentation. Larry King will be
there. Rupert Murdoch will address attendees. Ben Stein will appear. And
Kay Warren, wife of Saddleback Church mega-pastor Rick Warren, will join
Robert Schuller, the white-haired, bespectacled purveyor of "possibility
thinking." What could such a diverse group have in common? What's the
topic? Well, it's a little vague. It's called the "Rethink Conference,"
and Schuller promises 30 "Aha!" moments from the 30 different speakers
confirmed for the event. Not everyone is thrilled about this meeting
of the minds. Some, including Christian author and
former New Age devotee Warren Smith, suspect an agenda to subvert the
church – to take the focus off biblical truth and absolutes.
"From my perspective as a former New Age follower, I believe that Robert
Schuller's mission has always been to 'rethink' and 'change' biblical
Christianity into something 'new' – as in New Age/New Spirituality," he
says. Smith's
"Deceived on Purpose: The New Age Implications of the Purpose-Driven
Church" documents Schuller's contacts and endorsements of New Age
stars such as Gerald Jampolsky, Neale Donald Walsch and Bernie Siegel.
"As a former New Age follower I could hardly believe it," says Smith.
"On October 17, 2004, more than 20 years after his first appearance on
the 'Hour of Power,' New Age leader Gerald Jampolsky was once again
Robert Schuller's featured guest. I was not surprised on one level,
because I had always been aware of Schuller's affection for New Age
teachings. What did surprise me was Schuller's willingness to still be
so openly aligned with a veteran New Age leader like Jampolsky." Smith
says it was Jampolsky who first introduced him to "A Course in
Miracles," the best-selling book New Age bible that taught him "there is
no sin," "a slain Christ has no meaning" and "the recognition of God is
the recognition of yourself." All of Jampolsky's books, according to
Smith, are based on "A Course in Miracles." But yet, there was Schuller
on his TV show recommending all of Jampolsky's "fabulous" works. He even
noted he sold some of them in the Crystal Cathedral bookstore. And,
according to Smith, for awhile, Schuller even hosted "A Course in
Miracles" study groups in his church. It's not a one-way street, either,
says Smith. New Age leaders like Walsch, author of the best-selling
"Conversations With God," and Jampolsky go out of their way to praise
Schuller, too. "They know that Robert Schuller has always been open to
spiritual compromise," he says. According to Smith, Schuller has always
"done a good job of softening up the church" for what he sees as
unbiblical New Age ideas. And that's just what he expects the "Rethink
Conference" is all about. If indeed that's what the conference is all
about, some other big names are going along for the ride. They include
Christian pollster George Barna, former heavyweight champ George
Foreman, American Center for Law and Justice founder Jay Sekulow, Gary
Smalley and "The Case for Christ" author Lee Strobel. "Never before have
we gathered such dynamic leaders who will challenge us to think outside
the box as we grapple with a changing culture and our response to it,"
said Schuller. The conference will not only be attended by thousands at
the Crystral Cathedral, but it will be telecast by satellite around the
world by Church Communication Network, according to organizers. "These
culture pioneers know what is center-stage in our culture right now and
also what is breaking on the horizon," says Rethink Conference executive
director Bill Dallas. "This conference will confront outdated and
pre-conceived ideas, offer new perspectives and open our minds to all
kinds of possibilities that connect us with out shifting culture without
compromising our core values." Smith just wonders about those "outdated
and pre-conceived ideas." "The church does not need to 'rethink' and
'compromise' its God-given biblical doctrines to accommodate the world,"
he says. "It needs to rethink its willingness to follow worldly leaders
like Robert Schuller."
Read the related commentary by Warren Smith
Likud official infers Temple Mount not Jewish holy place
Jerusalem
Newswire
(October 17, 2007) - The head of the
Likud Party's foreign relations department gave a massive boost to the
claims of Islam - Israel's most implacable enemy - Tuesday when he
inferred that Jerusalem's Temple Mount was not sacred to the Jewish
people. The Temple Mount is the Jewish people's holiest site. Arab and
other Muslim leaders and clerics, who assert that the hill is Islam's
third holiest site, have long and fiercely maintained that the Jews have
no historical connection or claim to the outcrop the Bible calls God's
"holy hill." While secular Jews often appear content to limit their
"right" to the Western Wall, Israelis who have the fear of the Lord and
who know that their nation's First and Second Temples were built on top
of the mount will not agree to relinquishing it to the followers of
another god. Zalman Shoval, a former ambassador to the United States,
and traditionally a right thinker on Israeli security issues, told a
meeting of the Foreign Press Association that the Likud - which is led
by former Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu - could allow an Arab or
Muslim country to administer the site for the sake of securing peace for
Israel. "It is not in Israel's interest to be in any way in charge of
the holy places other than those of the Jewish faith," the secular
Shoval said, adding he believed there were "ways to adopt formulae to
this end." Using politico-speech (universally known as the language of
compromise) Shoval first insisted that "the question of Israel's
sovereignty in Jerusalem, and first and foremost the Temple Mount, is
not negotiable." But he then reminded his audience that "actually there
have been plans for a long time" to find a way around this "immovable"
political reality. "Arab and Muslim countries, Jordan for instance,
could play a leading role," and it was even possible that the
Palestinian Authority could "run" the Temple Mount if there were real
peace. more...
'Make peace with us – or we'll kill you!'
World Net Daily
(October 12, 2007) - An open letter
issued by a group of 138 Muslim scholars, clerics and academics issued
an "invitation" to the Vatican, the archbishop of Canterbury and other
Christian leaders to "make peace" with Islam. At least, that is the way
most mainstream news reports styled it – "an invitation to make peace."
It was actually more of an ultimatum than it was an invitation. Boiled
down to its essence, the letter warned Christians to "make peace with us
or we'll kill you." The letter just phrases it more nicely. "As Muslims,
we say to Christians that we are not against them and that Islam is not
against them – so long as they do not wage war against Muslims on
account of their religion, oppress them and drive them out of their
homes." It was hard to know what to make of that statement. If it refers
to the war on terror, it was Osama bin Laden who declared this a war of
religions, in which he identified his enemies as Christian Crusaders and
Jews. The so-called "invitation" to make peace with Islam suggests that
the price of peace is Islamic freedom to make war on others without fear
of retaliation. At no point in the conflict has anyone other than Islam
defined it as a conflict between Christians and Jews against Islam.
The statement was timed to coincide with the end of the
Islamic month of Ramadan and one year after the pope inflamed the
sentiments of the Religion of Perpetual Outrage by quoting the words of
an obscure 14th century Byzantine emperor. The letter was hailed by
Newsweek as "something of a miracle" – treating it as if were an olive
branch being offered by the victim to the aggressor, if only the
aggressor were humane enough to accept it. Gushed Newsweek in it's
column headlined,
"Give Peace a Chance" – as if it were the West who opposed peace and
had suddenly run amok attacking innocent Muslims everywhere – "It is
addressed to Christianity's most powerful leaders, including the pope,
the archbishop of Canterbury and the heads of the Lutheran, Methodist
and Baptist churches, and, in 15 pages laced with quranic and biblical
scriptures, argues that the most fundamental tenets of Islam and
Christianity are identical: love of one (and the same) God, and love of
one's neighbor." I hardly know where to begin
to address that statement. In the first place, if it were true, then no
Muslim could make a credible argument to his co-religionists based on
the most fundamental tenets of Islam that there is any eternal reward to
be had for killing one's enemy in jihad. If it were true, then the word
"jihad" wouldn't be an Islamic concept. There is no identical
fundamental belief within Judaism or Christianity that ascribes special
spiritual benefits to dying in religious combat. In fact, there is no
such concept of "religious combat" of any kind in Christianity or
Judaism. The Bible relates combat involving Jews against their enemies,
but those were territorial political battles, not battles to impose
Judaism on the vanquished. Jews don't particularly encourage converts,
and Christians believe that conversion can only be accomplished by the
Holy Spirit. The job of the Christian is limited to sharing the Gospel,
not imposing it by force or threats. Christians are taught by no less an
authority than the Lord Himself, "And whosoever will not receive you,
when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for
a testimony against them." The Quran tells the faithful that, should an
infidel reject Islam, "you will fight against them until they submit."
And of course, those who continue to reject are to be slaughtered. The
document is peppered with references to the Islamic contention that
Muslims, Christians and Jews all worship the same God, which got rave
reviews from the press. Time magazine enthused, "The letter notes
that 'whilst Islam and Christianity are obviously different religions –
and whilst there is no minimizing some of their formal differences,'
both require believers to believe in only one god, and it's the same
god." Time, in its excitement, is emulating Newsweek's style of making
sweeping theological pronouncements disguised as
news. From their perspective, who can blame them? If you don't believe
in any god at all, what difference does it make? One god is as good as
the next – or as some Americans would say, as offensive as the other.
Islam not only demands that its followers believe that Allah is the same
god as the God of Christians and Jews; it demands that Christians and
Jews agree. Neither Christianity nor Judaism imposes that requirement on
their adherents, although Christians and Jews generally agree that the
God of Israel is also the God of Christianity. Not because one side or
the other demands it, but because both understand from the Bible that
the nature of the God of Israel and the God of Christianity are the
same. The mainstream media embraced the letter as vindication of their
long-held but difficult to believe faith in the existence of a vast,
moderate Islamic majority that follow the kinder, gentler Islam that we
keep hearing about, but for which we see little evidence. That is one
way of interpreting it, if you really squint hard. Unfortunately, there
are verses in the Quran that nobody wants to talk about – probably
because nobody wants to consider the awful implications of their
meaning. The ignorance of our political leaders and the media concerning
Islam's true beliefs is beyond deplorable; it is more in the range of
criminal negligence in time of war. Under Islamic law, before Islam can
make war against the infidel with Allah's blessings, the infidels must
first be offered an opportunity to submit to Islam. Osama bin Laden has
just recently asked the leaders and people of the United States to
embrace Islam. So has Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. All these letters offer the
West the "opportunity" to submit to Allah as being equal to God. They
also warn that, should their offer be rebuffed, "The very survival of
the world is at stake." Islam just finished the feast of Ramadan. Here
is what the Quran says should be the attitude of all Muslims at the end
of this sacred feast season: "So when the sacred months have passed
away, then slay the idolaters [particularly Jews and Christians]
wherever you find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie
in wait for them in every ambush. …" (Quran, Surah 9.5) The irony of our
leaders' and media's response is mind-boggling. This is not an offer of
peace – it is a prelude to war. In the cold light of day it means, "Make
peace with Islam and Allah, or we'll kill you."
Why Study Bible Prophecy? BrittGillette.com (September 23, 2007) - Is Bible prophecy really important? And if so, how important? And aren’t people who expend more than a passing moment examining bible prophecy simply uneducated crackpots and lunatics yearning for the destruction of the world? These are just a few of the questions bombarding today’s Christians when it comes to the study of bible prophecy. That bible prophecy is irrelevant to the Gospel or a mere playground for the mentally unstable is a message we constantly receive from the media, pop culture, and many so-called church leaders. It’s unfortunate, because this false image of bible prophecy has succeeded in turning many Christians away from the Gospel. Although recent history is marked by an untold number of date setters and false prophets claiming to speak for God, this is no reason to ignore bible prophecy. Such people were never true Christians, but rather enemies of God in disguise. So instead of relying on the words of ministers, priests, journalists, and other humans, let’s examine the primary source. Here’s what the bible says about prophecy, including every verse of God’s Holy Word:“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God’s way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NLT) The word “all” includes bible prophecy, and that’s good, considering more than 25% of the bible is fulfilled or yet to be fulfilled prophecy. Why is so much of the bible dedicated to prophecy? There are many reasons, but in the end, there is only one purpose: to direct the attention of the human race to Jesus Christ.
Previously fulfilled prophecies lend unprecedented credibility to the bible’s claim to be the Word of God, and the Messianic prophecies fulfilled by the birth, ministry, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus of Nazareth authenticate his claim to be the one true Christ. In essence, bible prophecy is the most powerful witness to the divinity of Christ. So don’t listen to those who claim that bible prophecy distracts us from the true Christian mission. Quite to the contrary, all bible prophecy points to Jesus Christ Himself. more... |
Watchman Bible Study Guide
Fulfilled
Prophecy Watchman Online Calendar Latest Bible Studies News Sites Earth Changes WA State Emergency Management Division End Times Research Internet Radio Sites |
|
Be not overcome
of evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21 In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work herein is archived under fair use without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in reviewing the included information for personal use, non-profit research and educational purposes only. Ref. |
watchmanbiblestudy.com
