The Update

On December 21, 2024, Dave Harris will present the sermonette, titled, “The Foundation of Faith,” and Eric Rank will present the sermon, titled, “Understanding and Overcoming Shame.”

The live services are available, over video and audio, at http://eternalgod.org/live-services/ (12:30 pm Pacific Time; 1:30 pm Mountain Time; 2:30 pm Central Time; 3:30 pm Eastern Time; 8:30 pm Greenwich Mean Time; 9:30 pm Central European Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

It’s still only a matter of a few weeks since we were keeping the annual Feast of Tabernacles as instructed by God, where we heard many messages about the greatness of God and the wonderful future just ahead of us.   We will also have enjoyed fellowship with people of like-mind and the cares and concerns of life in general will have been put to one side in order to enjoy this annual celebration which is unlike anything else we experience in our normal activities.  As we returned home, we were soon back into our everyday routines and again fighting against Satan and his society.

In his Editorial dated 14th July 2023 entitled “Get Mad!” Mr. Norbert Link wrote the following:

“In order to fulfill our responsibility effectively and convincingly, we must ourselves feel anger and hatred for the injustice, wickedness, rebellion against God and the lies and misrepresentations we observe daily, from the very top down, starting with the ‘heads of the house of Jacob’ and the ‘rulers of the house of Israel, Who abhor justice And pervert all equity’ (Micah 3:9). This anger must be reflected in our speaking and writing in order to be convincing. When we speak about the horrible sinful conduct of our leaders and the people, and don’t show convincingly how mad and really outraged we are about it, we will not wake anybody up (Ephesians 5:14).”

And so, after each Feast, it is back to having to live in a godless system and doing everything we can to get behind the Work that the Church is doing in anticipation of the return of Jesus Christ.

Mr Link writes about “the horrible sinful conduct of our [National] leaders and the people” and it is interesting to see that three consecutive UK Prime Ministers oversaw changes that the nation now accepts as the norm, but changes that God totally condemns in His Word.

Tony Blair (1997-2007) followed by Gordon Brown (2007-2010) and then David Cameron (2010-2016) all pursued, over a period of 19 years as leaders of the UK, the promotion of homosexuality and, it appears, were proud of their achievements in this regard.

The gov.uk website on the History of the UK Government states as follows: “Why is history important? Governments are remembered for their leaders and the course they set for their country.”   Quite so, and what these three leaders achieved has helped to set us on the path of destruction that now lies before us.   The promotion of perversion is something that people seem to be so proud of!  But not God!

This UK government website has this to say about Tony Blair:

“Major Acts – Civil Partnership Act 2004: allowed legal recognition of civil partnership relationship between two people of the same sex.”

The same website has this to say aboutDavid Cameron: 

“Major acts – Fixed Term Parliaments Act 2010 Academies Act 2010 Education Act 2011 Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 Succession to the Crown Act 2013.”

In 2009, The Christian Institute reported that “Gordon Brown is in negotiations with France and Spain in an attempt to get British civil partnerships legal recognition in EU member states. These negotiations form part of Gordon Brown’s campaign for ‘gay rights’ recognition across Europe.  During an interview with a gay lifestyle magazine, Mr Brown said: “I’m fighting to get all the countries in Europe to recognise civil partnerships carried out in Britain.’”

Since David Cameron left the Prime Ministerial office in 2016, there have been 5 Prime Ministers, none of whom have shown the slightest interest in rectifying this God-defying legislation probably because it has become so ingrained in society that to do so would signal their immediate political demise.

Recently, in November 2024, two well-known female professional footballers who are engaged, announced that they were expecting a baby. While this news received much support from well-wishers across the game, it also prompted what one fans’ group called “hateful comments” on social media.  Chelsea Pride, an LGBTQ+ supporters’ group, condemned the comments in a statement posted on social media platform X. “Homophobia has no place in football, at Chelsea, or in our society,” it said.  Another headline said that it was “another reminder of how far society has to go,” meaning that full acceptance of this practice was not yet achieved.

It appears that there were “homophobic” comments on social media. Exactly what they were are not explained but it could be that saying such behaviour is unacceptable and that homosexuality is wrong is counted today as homophobic. We are told that we do not only have to accept such behaviour but approve of it and, whenever possible, promote it.

This societal acceptance and promotion of sin has become accepted conformity and part of the grievance industry.   And I am hopping mad about it!

A question to always ask is what have been the fruits of this behaviour.   We now have, in the UK, the most sinful sexual conduct ever seen in this once great nation.   We have (supposedly) over 70 different sexual designations and the weirdest conduct ever seen.   

But there’s even more outrageous and ridiculous behaviour.  In June 2023, the Daily Mail reported that “Britain’s strictest headteacher has said children allowed to self-identify as animals, moons and holograms should be moved to another school by their parents.” This was already seen as saying too much. It was demanded that the headteacher had to allow such self-identification of children at any school.

And so, if children want, they are now allowed to self-identify as whatever comes into their minds.   What on earth are their parents doing to allow this gross stupidity?  It has got to the stage that if our ten-year-old pet chihuahua wanted to self-identify as a human being, it is hardly likely that any criticism would be made of it, such is the state of play in our educational system and society today!   (I jest, but only just!) 

Isaiah 3:4-5 is an excellent commentary which will be ignored by most people: “I will give children to be their princes, And babes shall rule over them. The people will be oppressed, Every one by another and every one by his neighbor; The child will be insolent toward the elder, And the base toward the honorable.”

And finally, in this Editorial, I get very upset indeed when I hear blasphemy on a daily basis, taking the Name of God, of both the Father and of Jesus Christ, in vain by so many in society today, from the very young to the oldest, not seeming to care one jot about what they are saying.   Am I mad about that?   Absolutely!

I have just mentioned these areas briefly where I am mad and outraged about what is going on.   And there’s more, but space does not permit me to expand further.  I hope that it shows in this Editorial that we should get mad at what is going on in this Satan-inspired society!

by Norbert Link

We begin with reporting on mysterious drones hovering over parts of the United States and Germany. Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled,  “The DRONES! No Danger? Are You Kidding?”

We continue with crumbling, failing and collapsing governments in France, Canada, Germany, Romania, South Korea, and Syria.

We continue with Israel’s attacks on Syria and deliberations to attack Iran.

We address Trump’s highly controversial idea to end birthright citizenship and his popular idea to end daylight saving time.

We conclude with an article stating that tattoos are not well-received in Germany.

Throughout this section, we have underlined pertinent statements in the quoted articles, for the convenience and quick overview of the reader.

The DRONES… Don’t Trust Biden Administration’s “Assurances”

The Editorial Board of the New York Post wrote on December 13:

“Gaslighting as usual, the White House is telling Americans freaked out by the drones hovering ominously over parts of New York and New Jersey [as well as Pennsylvania and Maryland]: Everything’s fine! Just trust us! Since the first known spotting Nov. 18, at least 3,000 sightings have followed in New Jersey alone, and it’s spread to Staten Island and The Bronx…

“Pushed by local leaders to address exactly what… has been happening in US airspace for nearly a month, National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby had the nerve to brush off concerns. ‘Many of the reported sightings are actually manned aircraft that are being operated lawfully,’ he insisted, and there’s no evidence the UFOs pose a threat. Which might be reassuring if he hadn’t just indicated that the White House has no clue where the drones are coming from…

“Americans aren’t stupid; most people can tell the difference between an airplane or helicopter and the type of eerie, floating objects that have been reported. And the Biden crew has absolutely blown its credibility on this front: Earlier this year, the White House stayed hush-hush about a Chinese spy balloon that it knew was taking a tour of American military bases. They fully planned to keep it a secret forever, only to be foiled when civilians spotted the craft…

“If the US government actually has no idea what the drones are or who’s operating them, that’s a scandalous national-security failure… People are scared: Car-sized objects that could be armed or equipped with surveillance gear are literally hanging over their heads…”

Kirby stated on Fox News on December 16 that the drones were mainly unmanned aircraft, but perfectly legal, posing no threats whatsoever to America’s security.  

Breitbart wrote on December 13:

“President-elect Donald Trump joined the conversation on the ongoing sightings of mysterious unidentified drones and called for the government to ‘shoot them down.’ In a post on Truth Social, Trump questioned if the drone sightings could be ‘happening without’ the government’s knowledge and added that the government should provide the public with answers. ‘Mystery Drone sightings all over the Country,’ Trump wrote in his post. ‘Can this really be happening without our government’s knowledge. I don’t think so! Let the public know, and now. Otherwise, shoot them down!!! DJT.’”

Subsequently, Trump said that the government knows, that Biden knows, but that they are hiding their knowledge. He also stated that he does not believe that the drones are coming from foreign entities. This seems to be a rather odd conclusion in light of the evidence. Note the next articles.

Drones Over US Air Base in Germany

Reuters wrote on December 13:

“Unidentified drones have been sighted over sensitive industry locations and the U.S. air base at Ramstein in Germany in recent weeks, the Spiegel news magazine reported on Friday, citing a confidential report by German security authorities.

“The report flagged numerous drone sightings made in the evening hours of Dec. 3 and 4 over the air base, according to Spiegel.”

What’s Going on With the Drones?

Report 24 wrote on December 13:

“Recent videos show such drones potentially firing weapons and releasing unknown substances. A warning has now been issued to emergency services to stay away from crashed drones for health reasons…

“Specifically, in the last few days, images have emerged of a drone firing at some unknown target with an unknown weapon. Tracers streaked across the sky. Another drone is said to have sprayed a substance into the air about which nothing is known…

“Now the FBI and New Jersey State Police have released a fact sheet to address first responders called to drone crash sites. Key recommendations include avoiding physical contact with the drone and establishing a 100 meter wide isolation and evacuation zone in all directions…

“First responders are instructed to wear full personal protective equipment (PPE) with self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) when securing the perimeter and are warned not to re-enter the once established isolation zone.

“In addition, responders are instructed to notify local law enforcement and the FBI, as well as request assistance from hazardous materials response teams and bomb disposal squads to assess the situation… Use of radiation monitors is also advised, and attention should be paid to possible electronic interference in the area. The incidents should be classified as criminal offenses and reported, using established protocols to prevent violence and terror….”

This does not sound like harmless drones which pose no threats to American security. It has been suggested that the drones could be searching for radioactive material which went missing in early December.

Drone Sightings Aren’t Just in Northeast

USA Today wrote on December 18:

“The boom in drone sightings ignited a month ago in New Jersey that quickly spread across the Northeast has swept across the nation, and military bases are front and center amid the chaos and controversy. Last week a drone incursion over Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio forced the closure of its airspace for several hours. In Utah, drones were recently spotted near Hill Air Force Base…

“In California, residents of Venice Beach reported seeing unexplained drones Sunday, and Rep. Paul Ruiz, D-California, expressed concern this week over recent sightings in the Coachella Valley. Camp Pendleton, 40 miles north of San Diego, saw at least six drone  incursion over its airspace last week alone, a spokesperson for the Marine base told ‘The War Zone’ on Tuesday…

“President Joe Biden dismissed conspiracy theories… ‘So far no sense of danger’… Biden’s comment reaffirmed a joint statement issued this week by the Department of Homeland Security, FBI, FAA and the Pentagon saying that − based on preliminary investigations − the sightings appear to include legal commercial, hobbyist and law enforcement drones, as well as airplanes, helicopters and ‘stars mistakenly reported as drones.’ No threat of national security or public safety had been determined from more than 5,000 reported sightings, the statement said…

“The House Intelligence Committee received a closed-door briefing on drones Tuesday with representatives from Justice, Defense and Homeland Security departments…”

WHY a closed-door briefing?

Targeting Military Sites

In a related article, USA Today wrote on December 18:

“There have been hundreds, perhaps thousands, of drone incursions at remote military installations, drawing little public attention. But they have disrupted sensitive operations… In the vast, sparsely populated areas that are home to many military installations, the response is often too little, and way too late… the Pentagon had been too passive in the face [of] the growing threat.

“Spy drones could collect sensitive information on U.S. military activities that could tip off adversaries to future deployments… For example, aerial surveillance could show the movement of ammunition from arsenals to port as the Pentagon prepared for war. A drone could also provide real-time video of the rapid response of Special Forces soldiers out of Fort Liberty… F-22 fighters, the most sophisticated warplanes in the Air Force fleet, may have been the target of mysterious waves of drones that soared over Langley Air Force Base in Virginia last year…

“… sites of drone incursions include White Sands Missile Range,… the Army’s only land range for testing long-distance missiles, explosives and artillery…

“Drones have already taken lives at U.S. military bases abroad. In January, a drone attacked Tower 22, a U.S. base in Jordan, killing three American soldiers [and] wounding more than 40. A one-way drone, which is programmed with a target and doesn’t need direction in mid-air, was used in the attack.

“The current drone mania also echoes the Chinese spy balloon incident that riveted the country in 2023.  The Pentagon monitored the balloon, bristling with spyware, as it passed over sensitive military sites on its transit across the country…”

It has been suggested that at least those drones that are over US military sites are adversarial and most likely are coming from the People’s Republic of China.

France’s New Prime Minister… For How Long?

AFP wrote on December 13:

“President Emmanuel Macron on Friday named centrist Francois Bayrou as prime minister, handing him the daunting task of hauling France out of months of political crisis. Bayrou, 73, the leader of the MoDem group, which is allied to Macron’s party, was appointed nine days after parliament ousted Michel Barnier’s government in a historic no-confidence vote following a standoff over an austerity budget…

“Bayrou is the sixth prime minister of Macron’s mandate, with his predecessor, Barnier, being France’s shortest-serving premier, having lasted only three months. Bayrou also is Macron’s fourth prime minister this year. The newly appointed premier faces the immediate challenge of forming a cabinet that can survive a no-confidence vote in a divided parliament and thrashing out a 2025 budget in a bid to limit economic turmoil…

“Several sources told AFP that the morning meeting between Macron and Bayrou had been a stormy affair, with the president initially leaning toward naming his loyal Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu as premier. Losing his temper, Bayrou threatened to break the alliance with Macron, who decided it would be best to turn to Bayrou in the name of unity, the sources said… Mujtaba Rahman, Europe director at risk analysis firm Eurasia Group, said: ‘In the long history of the Fifth Republic [founded in 1958], this may have been the first time that a prime minister chose himself.’”

This does not appear to describe a stable government which could survive its challenges for long. But France is only one of quite a few unstable governments which are ready to collapse or which have already collapsed.

Canadian Government Crumbles

Daily Mail wrote on December 16:

“Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is on the brink of resigning as his liberal government crumbles around him… Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland… quit on Monday after clashing with Trudeau on issues including how to handle possible U.S. tariffs, dealing a huge blow to an already unpopular government…

“The resignation by Freeland, 56, who also served as deputy prime minister, is one of the biggest crises Trudeau has faced since taking power in November 2015.  It also leaves him without a key ally when he is on track to lose the next election to the official opposition Conservatives….

“Trudeau can be toppled if the opposition parties unite against him on a vote of no confidence, though that cannot happen until late January at the earliest… Polls show the Liberals are set to be crushed in an election that must be held by late October 2025.”

Trudeau’s time to step down has long passed.

Trudeau Governor of 51^st State?

Newsmax wrote on December 18:

“President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday questioned why the U.S. provides Canada with subsidies and suggested it should become a U.S. state. ‘No one can answer why we subsidize Canada to the tune of over $100,000,000 a year? Makes no sense!…  Many Canadians want Canada to become the 51st State. They would save massively on taxes and military protection. I think it is a great idea,’ he added. ‘51st State!!!’

“Trump has needled Canada and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over the last few days following the shock resignation of Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland. ‘The Great State of Canada is stunned as the Finance Minister resigns, or was fired, from her position by Governor Justin Trudeau,’ Trump wrote Monday…”

Could Canada Become the 51^st State of the USA?

National Post wrote on December 12:

“… if either Canada as a whole, or some portions of it, would want to join the United States they would have to go through Section 41 of the Constitution Act of 1982. Which means that consent would have to be given for the departure from Canada of a particular jurisdiction by the Senate, and the House, and the legislatures of all 10 provinces… Once that decision is taken, either by all 10 provinces or by some but not others, then there must be admission into the United States. And that is a completely separate process. That is based on Article IV, section 3, clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution, which essentially says that by a simple vote of the U.S. Congress, new territories can be incorporated into the U.S. and can become states. The most recent example of that occurred with Hawaii which became a state on August 21, 1959, pursuant to a statewide referendum in Hawaii and then federal legislation.

“The second possibility is by purchase. A lot of the American states were purchased, for example, in the Louisiana Purchase, and that’s how states on the western side of the Mississippi became first territories and eventually states… If you recall during his first term, President Trump talked about simply buying Greenland…

“The third option:… Outright invasion. In upstate New York, close to Ottawa, they have the 10th Mountain Division, which are elite troops of the U.S. Army. It wouldn’t… take much for them to drive up to Ottawa and say you’re now part of us… The United States has historically added a new state that had formerly been an independent country: That’s how we annexed Texas in 1845.

“The constitutional provision authorizing the addition of new states is found at Article IV, section 3, clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution: ‘New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union; but no new State shall be formed or erected within the Jurisdiction of any other State; nor any State be formed by the Junction of two or more States, or Parts of States, without the Consent of the Legislatures of the States concerned as well as of the Congress.’…

“The Congress then passes an enabling act authorizing the admission of the new states on some statutorily specified set of conditions. For Utah’s admission, Congress insisted that the Utah Constitution outlaw polygamy, for instance. Then the population of the proposed state generally votes in a referendum to approve or reject the conditional admission…

“At the time of our Revolution against the British Empire, the Continental Congress actually invited Canada to join the Union as a state — and, when they did not rise up against the British, we Americans invaded…”

The article concludes that all of this is absolutely absurd. But even though it was perhaps meant as a joke by Trump, stranger things have happened.

German Government Collapses

DNYUZ rote on December 16:

“Chancellor Olaf Scholz lost a confidence vote in the German Parliament on Monday, a defeat that effectively ended the increasingly unpopular government he has led since 2021 and set the stage for elections early next year [planned for February 23].

“The collapse of the government just nine months before elections had been scheduled was an extraordinary moment for Germany. This will be only the fourth snap election in the 75 years since the modern state was founded, and it reflected a new era of more fractious and unstable politics in a country long known for durable coalitions built on plodding consensus. The confidence vote, in the same month that the French government fell, deepens a crisis of leadership in Europe at a time of mounting economic and security challenges. The war in Ukraine has reached a pivotal moment. President-elect Donald J. Trump is set to take office in the United States. And now, Europe’s largest economy is in the hands of a caretaker government.

“Mr. Scholz had little choice but to take the unusual step of calling for the confidence vote after his three-party coalition splintered in November, ending months of bitter internal squabbling and leaving him without a parliamentary majority to pass laws or a budget. But the political uncertainty could last for months. The elections are expected to be held on February 23, but even if, as expected, his party does not finish first, Mr. Scholz would remain in place as a caretaker chancellor until weeks after that. He would step down only after a new coalition forms, which will probably not happen until April or May.

“Seven parties will go into the campaign for Parliament with a realistic chance of gaining seats, and some on the political fringes — especially on the right — are poised for strong showings, according to polls…

“It is an inopportune time for Germany to be plunged into a grueling winter election campaign and a political freeze that could last until a new government takes power. ‘The timing is absolutely terrible for the E.U. — basically, these multiple crises are hitting the E.U. at the worst possible time, because the bloc’s traditional engine is busy with itself,’ Jana Puglierin, of the European Council on Foreign Relations, said, referring to Germany and France…

“… in Germany’s fractious political landscape, no single party is likely to win an outright majority, leading to potentially tricky negotiations to build a coalition more functional and durable than the one that failed…”

We feel that the new German government will fail exactly as the current one has, having no chance for survival, unless something really drastic occurs.

Merz Is Doing Everything Wrong

t-online wrote on December 12:

“Friedrich Merz has wanted to become Chancellor for at least 20 years. Now he is on the verge of fulfilling his dream – and fails… He has been waiting for this chance for decades, working for his comeback in the CDU, rallying the party behind him as much as possible, shaping it into a new one after the diffuse Merkel era, has become the Union’s candidate for chancellor and is well ahead in the polls. His life’s goal of becoming Federal Chancellor is within reach. And suddenly he slips up, stumbles, stammers. He no longer speaks like himself, but sounds like the sounding board of all those who talk to him… And Merz wants to do everything right – and yet does everything wrong…

“Work longer until retirement? It wasn’t meant that way. A real economic turnaround? Yes, yes, but not in the way the FDP demands. Taurus for Ukraine? Yes, yes, but first Ukrainian soldiers would have to be trained on this weapon in Germany for months…

“On top of that, he is already wildly handing out ministerial positions in his future cabinet to all possible coalition partners, as if he were already Chancellor – and then withdrawing them again… Given the current situation, Olaf Scholz can no longer win this election, that’s true. But Merz can still lose his.”

Germany to the Right?

Barron’s wrote on December 17:

“Germany’s conservative opposition, leading in the polls ahead of February 23 elections, on Tuesday outlined plans to shift the EU powerhouse firmly to the right on immigration, social and economic policy. Friedrich Merz, head of the Christian Democrats (CDU), is tipped to replace Social Democrat Chancellor Olaf Scholz, whose term the conservatives have slammed as ‘three lost years’ for the stuttering economy.

“A day after Scholz lost a confidence vote he had called to pave the way for the early elections, Merz charged that the chancellor had ‘lost the confidence of a majority of the population a long time ago’. Merz — long a party rival of the CDU’s more moderate ex-chancellor Angela Merkel — has steered a return to the party’s right-wing roots to try to win support of voters tempted by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

“In their campaign programme published Tuesday, the CDU and its Bavarian allies the CSU vowed to ‘stop illegal migration’ and scale down benefits for rejected asylum seekers to a ‘bed, bread and soap’ minimum. They also pledged ‘zero tolerance’ on crime, more video surveillance in public spaces and to ‘shut down mosques where hate and anti-Semitism is being preached’.

“Much of the platform may be softened in the coalition talks that typically follow German elections, but for now the alliance vowed to reverse two decades of more centrist rule dating back to the Merkel years. They promised a ‘fundamental shift in migration policy’ and criticised Merkel’s welcome to refugees, without naming her…

“The alliance also said it would reverse the legalisation of marijuana enacted by Scholz’s three-party alliance with the Greens and the liberal FDP, which collapsed in early November. The CDU also said it opposed efforts to liberalise abortion rules [and] a new gender self-determination law…

“In contrast, the campaign of the Social Democrats (SPD), the traditional defenders of the working class, emphasises better wages, stable pensions and benefits such as free school lunches… It wants to lower taxes for 95 percent of earners and raise them for the super-rich, while also increasing the minimum wage from 12 to 15 euros per hour…

“On security, both major parties vow to keep helping Ukraine in its war with Russia, and spending two percent of GDP or more on Germany’s defence. While the CDU programme remains vague on what weapons to ship to Kyiv, the SPD insisted it opposes sending long-range missiles because ‘Germany and NATO must not themselves become parties to the war’.”

What Russia Wants…

Focus wrote on December 14:

“There is constant talk about how a war with Russia can be prevented, even though we have been at war for a long time… The Russians send contract killers who liquidate people they don’t like… They hack into our networks and infiltrate social media…

“Most Germans think that if Putin has imposed his will in Ukraine, there would be peace. But it’s no longer about Ukraine. The man in Moscow has stated in several speeches that he dreams of a great Russian empire that would reverse the downfall of the Soviet empire.

“Since the summer, people around Putin have only been talking about the ‘so-called Baltics’. And once you’re done with Lithuania and Latvia, why not reach for Poland? By the way, Dresden was also once a Russian sphere of influence.

“Soldiers… closely monitor where barracks are constructed and supply routes are established. Russia is working hard to expand its military capabilities. It has the ambition to expand the war. And there is a militarization of society that is ready to support the expansion…

“Will there be an attack?… Russia appears strong because we are so weak… This is the Russia that is preparing to defeat the West. It should be possible for Europe to counter this. However, you have to do something about it.

“I don’t know whether things would be better under Chancellor Merz… A lot depends on whom the CDU forms a coalition with when it receives the government mandate in February. In Berlin everyone is preparing for a grand coalition (with the SPD). But perhaps this should be reconsidered in the Adenauer House….”

A grand coalition between the CDU and the SPD has miserably failed in the past.

A Europe to Moscow?

Die Welt wrote on December 14:

“AfD state leader Björn Höcke wants to make the Russia-Ukraine war a focus of the federal election campaign. At the Thuringian state party conference he called for ’emancipation’ from the USA and a Europe ‘whose spine runs from Paris via Berlin to Moscow’… If CDU leader Friedrich Merz becomes Chancellor, ‘German soldiers would, in the worst case scenario, send rockets to Moscow, where Russian soldiers and Russian civilians would be killed,’ claims Höcke. ‘Whoever votes for Merz is voting for war.’…

“In his speech, Höcke takes a look at history since the Cold War. At that time the world situation was bipolar – on the one hand the Soviet Union, on the other the USA. After the fall of the Wall, the era of unipolarity entered, with the USA as the only superpower… The Americans ‘acted as a new colonial power’ – and in doing so ‘made a lot of enemies’…

“Europe must become an independent, autonomous pole in a new, multipolar world order, says Höcke. ‘We have to emancipate ourselves from the United States of America… And in the worst case, they turn Europe into a theater of war.’…

“At the end of his speech, Höcke refers to the former French President Charles de Gaulle… In 1959, De Gaulle spoke of an ‘alliance from the Atlantic to the Urals’. Helmut Kohl and Mikhail Gorbachev called this a ‘common house of Europe’ in 1989. In 2010, Vladimir Putin then called for ‘the creation of a harmonious economic community from Lisbon to Vladivostok’. Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron later took this up word for word.

“De Gaulle also dreamed of a ‘sovereign Europe without foreign hegemonic influence from outside’, Höcke continues. ‘And he dreamed of a Europe whose spine runs from Paris via Berlin to Moscow. I find this dream very attractive.’”

No one wants to enter into a coalition with the AfD. But the AfD is a force to be reckoned with.

Court Annuls Romanian Election

Atlantic Council wrote on December 16:

“It’s never a good thing when presidential elections are annulled. But that’s just what happened in NATO and European Union (EU) member Romania earlier this month…

“On November 24, Georgescu, a formally fringe mystic nationalist, earned the most votes in the first-round presidential election. Then, just before the second round runoff, the Romanian Constitutional Court announced that it was annulling the results of the first round. The court’s decision was based on declassified Romanian government assessments of foreign (Russian) election interference, including using the social media platform TikTok to promote Georgescu. US intelligence officials privately confirmed to me that the allegations are credible. Still, evidence of Russian interference in European and US elections is abundant. No country before Romania has cancelled a presidential election because of it.

“By contrast, Romania’s parliamentary elections were held without incident on December 1. The parliamentary elections produced a strong result for the three centrist governing parties—the center-right liberals, the center-left social democrats, and the Hungarian minority party—plus a fourth liberal party. These four parties are now in negotiations to form a new coalition government… The new government will then have to rerun the cancelled presidential election, likely early next year. Outgoing President Klaus Iohannis will probably remain in office until then…

“The twin shocks—Georgescu’s rise and the annulment of the presidential election—have shaken the hitherto complacent centrists in Romania. While the accusations of Russian interference (and attempted sabotage) are plausible, given that the Kremlin engages in such activities throughout the West, Georgescu’s popularity is not simply a foreign import. That a man regarded as a fringe character even by fellow nationalists could rise within a few weeks from near obscurity to a leading contender for the presidency speaks to broad social dissatisfaction with the Romanian centrist parties, which have been trading control of the government back and forth for years. 

“My Romanian interlocutors expressed embarrassment, even shame, at the court’s annulment of the election, and they agreed that it set a terrible precedent for the country and the region. They also acknowledged that the centrist parties had lost touch with Romanian society and its cultural and economic dissatisfactions that, when spelled out, sounded similar to those of unhappy right-wing voters in Germany (particularly in the former East Germany), France, and to some degree the United States. In Romania, there is a widespread sense, accurate or not, that the establishment has been focused on itself, not on the problems faced by ordinary citizens, and that traditional national values and even national sovereignty were being lost. 

“More thoughtful liberals told me that Georgescu’s rise was, in effect, a protest vote against centrist complacency, not a vote for the candidate’s weird brand of nationalism and Romanian fascist nostalgia…

“Whether Georgescu will be allowed to compete given various irregularities in his campaign… is not clear. If he is not allowed to compete, the credibility of the rerun presidential election will be questioned within and without the country. If he is allowed to compete, he could win. In that case, a nationalist president and centrist government could rapidly find themselves at loggerheads. The resultant political paralysis could hamper governance, raising social frustrations still more.

“Romania’s communist dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu was repressive and economically incompetent, even by communist standards. When Romanians overthrew his rule in swift (and violent) revolt in December 1989, it was one of the poorest countries in Soviet-dominated Europe. No longer. After a slow start, Romania’s free-market reforms kicked in. The country’s economy has quadrupled in size since 1989, and it has joined NATO and the EU. Even as the current political crisis took hold, Romania gained admission to the EU’s Schengen area, meaning free travel within the bloc. It was a big deal for Romanians, and everyone I spoke with in Bucharest regarded it as a major national achievement. 

“But success as seen from afar and in context does not seem enough to assuage Romanian voters. The political dissatisfaction common throughout Europe and the United States has hit Romania hard…”

South Korea President Yoon to Be Impeached?

The Sun wrote on December 14:

“SOUTH Korea has voted to impeach President Yoon over his controversial martial law declaration that sparked mass protests in the country. Lawmakers successfully voted on Saturday, in a second attempt, to remove Yoon from office after his spectacular martial law U-turn last week. 204 out of 300 cast their votes to remove the leader on allegations of insurrection, while 85 voted against. This meant members of his own People Power Party voted against the leader, despite the group boycotting the first vote…

“Yoon declared he would ‘not give up’ despite the vote and called for officials to maintain government stability… Yoon is now suspended from office while the Constitutional Court has 180 days to decide whether to restore the controversial leader or finalise the decision. He could become the second South Korean president to be successfully impeached, if the courts uphold parliament’s vote.”

None of that contributes to the stability of the South Korean government.

Syria Was Never a Democracy

Focus wrote on December 13:

“Annalena Baerbock [Germany’s minister of foreign affairs] wants to make Syria a democratic country… At the end there should be free elections, says Baerbock… We don’t even know whether the Syrian population wants free elections. Free elections, a pluralistic democracy, religious freedom, women’s rights – these are all a Western ideal. Other countries think and act differently… Syria was never a democracy…

“Ms Baerbock has now transferred eight million euros. To whom actually? The reconstruction of the largely destroyed country is likely to cost between 200 and 400 billion euros, which only the sheikhdoms could finance, especially Qatar…

“If you as a Federal Republic want to invest in this country, which does not know democracy but has corruption in all areas of government, then only if clear, tough and comprehensible conditions for government and social development are formulated. Well-intentioned but poorly provided help is likely to end up with the wrong people.”

And that is SO predictable!

Public Executions in Syria

Report 24 wrote on December 13:

“The West is celebrating the fall of President Assad and the rise to power of the HTS Islamists in Damascus. But in the Syrian capital they are celebrating their ‘moderate jihad’ with public executions – and with the implementation of Sharia law. One dictatorship replaces the other. Are the Syrians now going from bad to worse?

“The BBC extols ‘moderate jihad’ in Syria as thousands gather ‘excitedly’ for public executions… The Western media… is literally falling over itself in portraying al-Jolani and his HTS militias as enlightened reformers. The absurdity of the man who was radicalized by the September 11 attacks and who attacked American troops in Iraq with booby traps is now being styled as a poster boy for ‘moderate Islam’ is hard to beat.

“Meanwhile, there are countless videos circulating on social media of alleged Assad supporters being shot and tortured by the ‘moderate’ rebels… In their desperate search for ‘moderate’ forces in Syria, the Western media appears to be prepared to accept even obvious excesses of violence as an expression of the will to reform. It is a dangerous distortion of reality…”

Turkey Ready to Invade?

The Jerusalem Post wrote on December 17:

“The United States is increasingly alarmed that Turkey and its militia allies are preparing for a large-scale military incursion into Syrian territory controlled by US-backed Kurdish forces, according to an exclusive Wall Street Journal report on Tuesday… One US official, speaking to the WSJ, warned that ‘a cross-border operation could be imminent.’…

“In response to the escalating situation, Ilham Ahmed, a senior official in the Kurdish civilian administration in Syria, penned a letter to President-elect Donald Trump, urging him to pressure Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to abandon the planned operation. Ahmed’s letter… stated that Turkey aimed to seize control of Kurdish territory before Trump’s inauguration, thereby forcing the new administration to recognize Ankara’s authority in the region. ‘If Turkey proceeds with its invasion, the consequences will be catastrophic,’ Ahmed’s letter was cited as saying, noting that such an operation could displace more than 200,000 Kurdish civilians and threaten Christian communities in the area. The letter reportedly appealed to Trump’s prior assurances of support for the Kurdish forces, reminding him of his past promises that ‘the United States wouldn’t abandon the Kurds.’…

“The WSJ further noted the precarious position of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish-led group working alongside US troops to eliminate the remaining elements of the Islamic State… Last week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Turkey in an effort to de-escalate tensions. Blinken sought assurances from Erdogan to limit operations against Kurdish forces but was unable to secure any commitments…”

Syria in the Abyss

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on December 18:

“Syria has entered the abyss – the demons of al-Qa’eda, ISIS, and the most intransigent elements of the Muslim Brotherhood are circling the skies. There is chaos, looting, fear, and a terrible passion for revenge scalds the blood. Street executions are rife.

“Maybe Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) and its leader, Al-Joulani, (following Turkish instruction), thought to control things. But HTS is an umbrella label like Al-Qa’eda, ISIS and An-Nusra, and its factions have already descended into factional fighting. The Syrian ‘state’ dissolved in the middle of the night; the police and army went home, leaving weapons depots open for the Shebab to loot. The prison doors were flung (or prised) open. Some, no doubt, were political prisoners; but many were not. Some of the most vicious inmates now roam the streets….”

Israel to Attack Iran’s Nuclear Sites?

Breitbart wrote on December 12:

“Israel’s Army Radio reported Thursday that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) began preparing plans for Israel to attack Iran’s nuclear sites after destroying nearly 90% of Syria’s air defense capabilities, which had formerly protected Iran…

“Iran has been pursuing nuclear weapons for decades, but began enriching uranium rapidly after President Joe Biden took office… Israel and the U.S. have long considered a military strike on the nuclear program as a last resort.

“The U.S. has discouraged Israel from pursuing such an attack, and Israel was deterred in the past by the presence of Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, which was thought to be able to launch thousands of rockets at Israel at once. But with Israel’s stunning success against Hezbollah over the past few months, that deterrent is gone. In a recent retaliation against Iran for a massive ballistic missile attack on Israel, Israel attacked at least one nuclear facility.

“In that same attack, Israel also reportedly destroyed much of Iran’s air defense system, leaving the country without any way to prevent future attack. It also reportedly damaged Iran’s missile sites and missile production facilities.

“Israel’s leaders may believe that the need for an attack is urgent, for two reasons. First, the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump has signaled that it wants to wrap up the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Second, Iran may conclude that it has no choice but to accelerate its development of nuclear weapons, having lost most of the other deterrents it attempted to create in its ‘ring of fire’ of terrorist organizations surrounding Israel.

“Previously, Israel would not have considered a strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities without consulting the U.S. But in recent days, Israel attacked the Syrian military without waiting for the Biden administration to agree. Israel is unlikely to wait for the lame-duck White House to weigh in, and may rely on the previous statements of President-elect Trump, who said earlier this year that Israel should attack Iran’s nuclear sites in response to its missile attacks.”

Time wrote on December 12:

“President-elect Donald Trump, TIME’s 2024 Person of the Year, sat down for a wide-ranging interview at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Fla., on Nov. 25:

“‘… numbers of dead soldiers that have been killed in the last month are numbers that are staggering, both Russians and Ukrainians, and the amounts are fairly equal… It’s crazy what’s taking place. It’s crazy. I disagree very vehemently with sending missiles hundreds of miles into Russia. Why are we doing that? We’re just escalating this war and making it worse. That should not have been allowed to be done. Now they’re doing not only missiles, but they’re doing other types of weapons. And I think that’s a very big mistake, very big mistake. But the level, the number of people dying is number one, not sustainable, and I’m talking on both sides. It’s really an advantage to both sides to get this thing done…

“‘And I disagree with the whole thing, because it should have never happened…

“‘I think that the Middle East is an easier problem to handle than what’s happening with Russia and Ukraine… October 7 was a horrible thing. Everyone is forgetting conveniently about October 7, but that was a horrible day for the world, not for Israel, for the world…

“‘I want everything to end… I don’t want people from either side killed, and that includes whether it’s Russia, Ukraine, or whether it’s the Palestinians and the Israelis and all of the, you know, the different entities that we have in the Middle East. There’s so many different entities… I support whatever solution we can do to get peace. There are other ideas other than two state, but I support whatever, whatever is necessary to get not just peace, a lasting peace… I’m not saying that’s a very likely scenario, but I want a long lasting peace, a peace where we don’t have an October 7 in another three years. And there are numerous ways you can do it. You can do it two state, but there are numerous ways it can be done…

“‘[Back to the Russia-Ukraine war:] I think the most dangerous thing right now is what’s happening, where Zelensky has decided, with the approval of, I assume, the President, to start shooting missiles into Russia. I think that’s a major escalation. I think it’s a foolish decision…

“‘[When asked whether he trusts Netanyahu:] I don’t trust anybody…’”

Interesting…

Israel on the Attack

The Sun wrote on December 16:

“… a colossal explosion erupted in Syria, marking the ‘heaviest strikes’ to hit the region in over a decade – and even registering on the Richter scale. Astounding video showed a giant mushroom-cloud fireball filling the sky alongside deafening sounds – with claims that the blast was caused by an Israeli strike… the ground-shaking blast measured the same as a 3.0-magnitude earthquake on nearby seismic sensors.

“Dozens of other Israeli attacks were seen across Syria on Sunday with warplanes reportedly launching pinpoint strikes on weapons depots… The blitz raged for at least 30 minutes…

“Meanwhile, there have been reports of Israeli tanks spotted ‘less than 20 miles’ from Damascus after they entered Syria for the first time in 50 years. After Syrian rebels ousted the tyrant President Assad, Israeli forces seized the Golan Heights region and other defensive positions.”

Israel Closes Embassy in Dublin

Politico wrote on December 15:

“Israel is closing its embassy in Dublin in protest against Ireland’s decisions to recognize Palestinian statehood and to accuse the Israelis of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, who confirmed the embassy closure in a statement Sunday, condemned Ireland for what he called its ‘extreme anti-Israel policies.’…

“Israel’s move follows a steady downward spiral in relations with Ireland, which has a history of expressing sympathy for the Palestinian cause… The final straw for Israel appears to have been the Irish Cabinet’s decision last week to get more involved in South Africa’s year old case accusing Israel of genocide at the International Court of Justice in The Hague…”

Israel vs. Ireland

Times of Israel wrote on December 17:

“Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar castigates comments made today by Ireland’s president, who accused Israel of breaching Lebanon’s and Syria’s sovereignty and charged, without evidence, that Jerusalem is seeking to establish settlements in Egypt. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar yesterday defended his decision to close Israel’s embassy in Ireland, saying that Dublin ‘encouraged’ antisemitism under a prime minister he accused of hating Jews… Sa’ar says: ‘Once an antisemitic liar — always an antisemitic liar’…

“Concluding his combative statement, Sa’ar brings up Ireland’s failure to join the Allies in fighting Nazi Germany in World War II. ‘Let us not forget that Ireland was at best neutral during World War II. At that time, the free world was fighting Hitler’s axis while Ireland sat on the side and did nothing.’”

Ending Birthright Citizenship?

Newsmax wrote on December 16:

“President-elect Donald Trump has identified ending birthright citizenship as a top priority for his second administration, setting him up for a showdown over the controversial issue with Democrat lawmakers and the Supreme Court. Congressional Republicans say that foreign nationals are taking advantage of the Constitution’s 14th Amendment – which grants citizenship to everyone born in the United States – to gain a permanent foothold in the country, which the framers never envisioned. They told The Hill that they believe Trump has the authority to take executive action and reinterpret the 14th Amendment’s language to exclude the children of foreign-born individuals from receiving citizenship if they are born on U.S. soil…

“Adopted in 1868 in the aftermath of the Civil War, the 14th Amendment states that ‘all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.’ While the language has traditionally been interpreted as granting citizenship to anyone born in the United States, conservatives argue that it must be reinterpreted to exclude those who visit the U.S. in order to have their children gain automatic citizenship,”

The language of the 14^th Amendment is very clear. To just “reinterpret” it via executive action should be doomed to fail. But in the USA these days, everything could be possible. For practical purposes, to try to distinguish (if that is the goal) between those who visit the U.S. “in order to have their children gain automatic citizenship” or whether they came to the USA for other reasons would possibly meet insurmountable problems.

What is also totally unclear at this point is whether Trump wants to repeal or “reinterpret” the 14^th Amendment retroactively (this would be a scandal of unheard proportions) or “just” for the future. In any event, to abolish or “reinterpret” the 14th Amendment seems to be a somewhat bone-headed un-American idea. Many other countries allow birthright citizenship as well. Others should allow it.

Collateral Arrests of Non-Criminal Migrants

Newsmax wrote on December 18:

“Although President-elect Donald Trump’s mass deportation plan will center on illegal migrants with criminal histories, border czar Tom Homan warns that other migrants undoubtedly will be subject to ‘collateral arrests.’ … migrants whose only accused crime was entering the U.S. illegally should expect deportation, especially if they are residing with someone who’s the target of an arrest warrant… [Homan said:] ‘We expect a lot of collateral arrests.’…

“While ICE under the Biden administration prioritized arresting illegal migrants with criminal convictions for serious crimes, Trump is expected to include anyone unlawfully present in the country… The border czar said Trump’s deportation plan will begin on Inauguration Day, Jan. 20…”

This was clear from the outset.

Ending Daylight Saving Time?

The New York Post wrote on December 13:

“President-elect Donald Trump announced Friday that he’ll back Republican-led efforts to eliminate daylight saving time, arguing that the twice-a-year ritual of adjusting clocks is ‘inconvenient’ and ‘very costly.’… In 2022, the Senate unanimously approved a bill that would make daylight saving time permanent. The Sunshine Protection Act was introduced by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) — Trump’s pick to lead the State Department — but never received a vote in the House…. ‘This ritual of changing time twice a year is stupid,’ the Florida Republican senator said at the time, noting that ‘locking the clock has overwhelming bipartisan and popular support.’

“75% of Americans are against seasonal time adjustments…  Arizona and Hawaii are the only states that have locked their clocks, following standard time throughout the whole year.

“The origins of daylight saving time date back to World War I, when the Standard Time Act of 1918 was passed in an effort to conserve energy for the war effort. Entrepreneurs Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy — tapped by Trump to make government more efficient — have signaled they’d support eliminating clock changes.”

This idea was gladly adopted by Hitler in World War II. It’s about time to do away with the stupid “war-originating” and “war-perpetuating” daylight saving time.

Tattoos Unpopular in Germany

ntv wrote on December 12:

“Tattoos are also very common in Germany [20% are said to have them], but many people find tattooed people less beautiful. This is the result of a new study… The models pictured completely without tattoos were consistently rated as the most beautiful, while those with extreme tattoos scored the lowest… the model photos with facial tattoos received the worst rating…

“Not everyone is happy with their tattoos in the long term; some people want to get rid of them. In a 2019 survey… 6.8 percent of tattooed people said they regretted their tattoos. Since 2021, only doctors in Germany have been allowed to remove tattoos with a laser. More extensive treatments can cost several thousand euros, which those affected have to pay for themselves.

“The less tattooed you are, the more beautiful you appear to others – this is how the results of the study can be summarized according to the head of the study…”

Amen to that… apart from the fact that the Bible prohibits tattoos.
Acknowledgement and Disclaimer:

These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.

We have published a booklet which deals with the origin and practices of the holiday known as Christmas (“Don’t Keep Christmas”). Secular history also fully documents the many aspects of worship associated with Christmas observance, and one of the most widespread traditions involves that of Christmas trees.

The use of an evergreen tree for religious observance was founded in pagan worship practices. Its origin far predates Christianity. From history.com, “History of Christmas Trees,” we find these comments:

“Long before the advent of Christianity, plants and trees that remained green all year had a special meaning for people in the winter. Just as people today decorate their homes during the festive season with pine, spruce, and fir trees, many ancient peoples hung evergreen boughs over their doors and windows. In many countries it was believed that evergreens would keep away witches, ghosts, evil spirits, and illness…

“Germany is credited with starting the Christmas tree tradition—as we now know it—by the 16th century when sources record devout Christians bringing decorated trees into their homes. Some built Christmas pyramids of wood and decorated them with evergreens and candles if wood was scarce…

“Most 19th-century Americans found Christmas trees an oddity. The first records of Christmas trees being cut for display comes from the 1820s in Pennsylvania’s German community, although trees may have been a tradition there even earlier. As early as 1747, Moravian Germans in Pennsylvania had a community tree in the form of a wooden pyramid decorated with candles. But, as late as the 1840s, Christmas trees were seen as pagan symbols and not accepted by most Americans…

“It is not surprising that, like many other festive Christmas customs, the tree was adopted so late in America. New England’s first Puritan leaders viewed Christmas celebrations as unholy. The [pilgrims’] second governor, William Bradford, wrote that he tried hard to stamp out ‘pagan mockery’ of the observance, penalizing any frivolity…

“In 1659, the General Court of Massachusetts enacted a law making any observance of December 25 a penal offense; people were fined for hanging decorations. That stern solemnity continued until the influx of German and Irish immigrants in the 19th century undermined the Puritan legacy.”

In our booklet, “Don’t Keep Christmas,” we say on pages 23-24:

“Let’s also notice [Jeremiah] 10:2-5: ‘Thus says the Lord: ‘Do not learn the way [Note in the Lamsa Bible: “Religion”] of the Gentiles; do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven, for the Gentiles are dismayed at them. For the customs of the peoples are futile; for one cuts a tree from the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the ax. They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with nails and hammers so that it will not topple. They are upright, like a palm tree, and they cannot speak; they must be carried, because they cannot go themselves. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, nor can they do any good.’

“Here we find a description of the Christmas tree. Some have said, however, that [Jeremiah] 10 only talks about a wooden idol that was carved out of a tree, but that it does not refer to decorating a Christmas tree per se. Remember, though, that the pagans believed that their gods ‑ Attis, Osiris, Dionysus ‑ lived as tree spirits in pine trees. They believed that their gods actually changed into those trees, and they carried these sacred trees to a certain place of worship, decorated them, and adored them as deities.”

Most of the world’s claimants to Christianity now fully embrace the many aspects of “keeping Christmas”—including bringing an evergreen tree or its symbolic equivalent into their homes and businesses in the time leading up to December 25th.

Even governments celebrate the selection and decoration of Christmas trees with great public ceremonies, such as tree lighting and gift-giving. Perhaps no other country has so fully adopted this practice as the United States. Now, many non-Christian people embrace Christmas—especially, its frivolity and commercialism.

Catholicism, representing the largest number of adherents to modern Christianity, is the source for the term Christmas, literally meaning, “mass on Christ’s day” (compare britannnica.com).

The Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal organization founded by an American Catholic priest in 1882, is very active in perpetuating Christmas observance internationally. Note the mission statement concerning their program, “Keep Christ in Christmas”:

“Promote the true spirit of Christmas in homes, schools, parishes and communities. Councils will evangelize society through their faithful acts, celebrations and a variety of activities.

“The Knights of Columbus offers multiple activities that promote Christmas and the season of Advent in their proper context: Journey to the Inn, Spread the Light of Christ, Crèche or Advent Wreath Blessing, and the Christmas Poster Contest. These programs are centered on the example of the Holy Family and the Nativity of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

“The Keep Christ in Christmas (KCIC) Program brings all KCIC activities together under one umbrella. It encourages councils to prompt their neighbors to shift from a preoccupation with materialism to the light of Christ and the spirit of giving. KCIC activities include whatever efforts best suit the parish and community of a particular council and do not need to originate from the Supreme Council.”

Countless other organizations, both secular and religious, actively support the many aspects of Christmas observance. However, ask someone WHY they observe Christmas or WHY they have a Christmas tree, and the answer centers on emotional aspects such as family time, the “spirit of giving,” or many other self-professed reasons.

Exactly how Jesus Christ fits into all of this, what the relevance of a fir tree is, or whether the commemoration of December 25^th finds support in the Word of God concerning what Christians believe and practice, does not pass the test of what is TRUTH!

In fact, God condemns this kind of false worship, and every aspect of Christmas observance is founded on deceptive lies! We have already noted the explicit warning from God in Jeremiah, chapter 10, concerning the use of a tree as idol worship. Note what God states about man-made religious practices:

“‘I hate, I despise your feast days, And I do not savor your sacred assemblies. Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them, Nor will I regard your fattened peace offerings. Take away from Me the noise of your songs, For I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments. But let justice run down like water, And righteousness like a mighty stream’” (Amos 5:21-24).

One must seriously consider whether the observance of Christmas and the use of all the associated paraphernalia, such as a Christmas tree, as well as the common decoration of houses and Christmas-related “things” or “kitsch” in front yards is something God hates and despises! We realize, of course, that we cannot escape what is going on around us. We can hardly enter a building this time of year where there is no Christmas tree (or, in many cases, a cross for that matter), or, when we enter a shop, never-ending silly Christmas songs (“Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer”) are being played. What we are addressing here is our individual participation in those activities, including decorating or assisting in decorating a Christmas tree.

Do you call yourself a Christian? You can test yourself for proof by comparing your religious practices with what God commands. For instance, do you keep God’s commandment to observe the Sabbath day (Exodus 20:8-11), the seventh day of the week (Genesis 2:2-3), or do you observe Sunday, the first day of the week? Do you keep God’s commanded Holy Days (Leviticus 23), or do you participate in New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Easter and Halloween? Do you falsely worship God through the idolatry of passed-down customs and practices, such as Christmas and the placing of a tree to adorn your home, or do you obey the commandment of God to not do these demonic inspired activities?

Christmas celebrations completely smother society in much of the world. Media, whether in print, in movies, or over the Internet, endlessly promotes “Christmas time.” “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year” suddenly becomes the accepted form of greeting as December 25^th draws near. But this activity does not bring people closer to God the Father or His Son, Jesus Christ! Rather, this kind of blind worship is forbidden by God:

“And God spoke all these words, saying:‘I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments’” (Exodus 20:1-6).

God very specifically reveals HOW TO WORSHIP HIM. Celebrating Christmas with figurines representing Jesus and His family are an absolute abomination in God’s eyes! Yet, people have become so emotionally transfixed with all things pertaining to Christmas that most would not even consider rejecting the traditions of this holiday and instead investigate the Bible (and history) for the Truth!

The set up and use of Christmas trees in one’s home or business to pay tribute to Jesus Christ is false worship, and it is condemned by God. Then there’s the maddening flurry of purchasing and gift-giving, the drinking parties, the emotional Christmas family gatherings, the seasonal music, including the singing of Christmas carols—everything associated with Christmas observance is wrong in God’s eyes, and it is indeed sin!

As this world struggles to “Keep Christ in Christmas,” will you believe what the Bible reveals, that Christ has NEVER been in Christmas! Will you reject the worthless customs and traditions of Christmas and ask God to reveal His Truth to you? It can be found in the true good news Jesus Christ brought—the gospel of the Kingdom of God!

Lead Writer: Dave Harris

compiled by Dave Harris

“The DRONES! No Danger? Are You Kidding?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is the summary:

The many sightings of drones hovering over America and its military bases are no laughing matter, nor are these drones harmless. We are told that they don’t pose a danger to national security, but those assurances don’t ring true. Nor are opinions that they do not come from a foreign “enemy.” Reviewing the available evidence, what conclusions CAN we come to in regard to these drones? And what does this all mean?

“Die DROHNEN! Keine Gefahr? Sie scherzen wohl!” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This German program covers the same topics as described above.

We have posted our first Bible Story short video in German, “Die Schöpfung” (The Creation), on our German YouTube and Aufpostenstehen Website. Created by our members Evelyn Gerz and Andreas Rätz through AI technology, it is the start of a series. We plan to do the same in English shortly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2iE4AgYjKU 

“Memorial for Margaret Adair,” was conducted on Sunday, December 15, 2024, and this service is now posted. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AI81HalPidw

“Leben Sie mit Christus in himmlischen Regionen?” is the title of this Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Do You Live with Christ in Heavenly Places?”

“Es gibt ein Zu Spät,” last Sabbath’s German sermonette presented by Johann Schell, is now posted. Title in English: “There Is Such a Thing as Too Late.”

“Wir WERDEN gross sein!” last Sabbath’s German sermon presented by Michael Link, is now posted. Title in English: “We Will Be Great!”

“What Does God Require of Us?” is the title of last Sabbath’s first split sermon, presented by Paul Niehoff. Here is the summary:

God has a number of requirements for us to live by, which are stated in many places throughout the Bible. However, there is one verse that summarizes what these requirements are, and that is found in the book of Micah.

“A Sinless Human Life,” is the title of last Sabbath’s second split-sermon, presented by Frank Bruno. Here is the summary:

In this Split Sermon we will consider various scriptures that help us in our study of the sinless human life of Jesus Christ. We understand that Jesus lived a fully human life, yet did so without sinning. This enabled Him to take on the sins of the world and offer salvation for true Christians who believe in Him and obey the commandments of the Father.