Comments on News and Prophecy, December 2, 2023 / Choices, Consequences, Cause and Effect

On December 2, 2023, Norbert Link will present “Comments on News and Prophecy, December 2, 2023,” and Rene Messier will present the sermon, titled, “Choices, Consequences, Cause and Effect”.

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.

This Week in the News

Hamas Is Rejoicing

The Editorial Board of the Wall Street Journal wrote on November 21:

“The deal again shows the moral gulf between the two sides. Hamas kidnapped Israeli children as young as nine months to use as hostages and spring its jihadists who have been arrested or convicted in a fair trial for their crimes. Israel takes military risks to save its citizens. Hamas risks Palestinian civilians to save itself.

“Even as Israelis rejoice for the women and children who will return home, they know Hamas is rejoicing too. Its war crimes have been rewarded. It will steal fuel from its own people to power its terror tunnels. Its shattered northern Gaza brigades will use the cease-fire to regroup, escape from weak positions and set more ambushes for Israeli troops. Israel’s leaders made this deal knowing that their soldiers will pay for it…

“Expect Hamas to drag out the cease-fire in hopes of making it permanent. Dribbling out 10 hostages a day, Hamas could stall for a few weeks. Or what if it claims after day two that Israel has broken the deal and hostage releases will continue only after Israel holds off for another few days? What if it pulls that trick over and over?

“The domestic and international picture will become more complicated for Israel. At home a nation united will be divided over how long to wait. Abroad, the pressure to continue the cease-fire indefinitely will grow, and Israel can expect harsher criticism when it resumes fighting. Israelis know all this, but they are willing to accept the costs to retrieve the captives.

“They are also unwavering in their determination to overthrow Hamas. The Israeli cabinet says fighting will resume immediately once the cease-fire is up…

“Much depends on the Biden Administration. Complaints from the Democratic left are no reason to let the Hamas jihadists who carried out the Oct. 7 massacre stay in power in Gaza. President Biden has said Hamas needs to be destroyed. If he means it, he will back Israel’s right to resume fighting and finish the job after hostages are released.”

The Biden Administration has made its position crystal clear. Note the next article.

No More American Support for Israel?

Israel Today wrote on November 22:

“The White House says it won’t support Israel’s plan to expand its operations into the south of the Gaza Strip unless it shows it will protect the Palestinian civilians there.

“In a Tuesday press call, US National Security Council Spokesman John Kirby said the United States won’t support Israel ‘moving forward with operations in the south absent a clearly articulated plan for how they’re going to protect the lives of the hundreds of thousands of people’ there.”

The Bible says that finally, America—and Britain—will be against Israel. Frictions are already materializing at this point. See the next article.

Israel’s Dilemma Is America’s Fault

Israel Today wrote on November 24:

“As if Israelis weren’t traumatized enough by the depraved Hamas pogrom on Oct. 7, the hostage deal concluded this week cruelly deepened their agony… Israel is no longer in control of events. At a stroke, it has yielded control of the war to Gaza’s Hamas leader… As the former US National Security Advisor John Bolton declared: ‘… Hamas will take advantage of that to reposition or extricate some of its leaders, move the hostages around and otherwise prepare for the next stage of combat’…

“Hamas is an enemy of mankind that the world has never seen before… the deal makes an eventual victory for Hamas more likely. Having agreed to this ceasefire, Israel will find itself under increasing pressure from America and the West for additional and longer ceasefires ‘to get more of the hostages out.’

“Israel is in this terrible situation principally because of America. The fingerprints of the Iranian regime were all over the Oct. 7 pogrom. Iran is also behind the attacks on Israel currently being mounted from Syria and Lebanon. Yet it was the Obama and Biden administrations whose appeasement of Iran empowered it to fund, arm, train and direct proxy armies, including Hamas, Hezbollah and Syrian militias bent upon Israel’s destruction.

“It is the Biden administration that, five weeks after the Hamas pogrom, funneled a further $10 billion in sanctions relief into Tehran’s coffers. It is the Biden administration that forced Israel to make the deal with the hostages. It is the Biden administration that is now pressuring Israel not to continue its war in the south of Gaza where it intends to finish off Hamas… America has been leveraging its military support for Israel to force it to run the war in accordance with the Biden administration’s aims: to continue to appease Iran and to create a state of Palestine. Both those aims pose a mortal threat to Israel’s security and existence…

“Israel’s terrible dilemma over the hostages is reminiscent of the unspeakable choices forced upon the Jewish councils who administered the ghettos of Europe during the Holocaust, and whom the Nazis forced to provide lists of people to deport to the death camps or risk the murder of everyone in the ghetto…”

These are strong words.

They Lie About Everything

Newsmax wrote on November 24:

“Caroline Glick, who was a member of Israel’s negotiations team in the 1990s peace talks with then-Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, told Newsmax on Friday that the current talks with Hamas aren’t the same, as the situation now involves ‘sadistic terrorists’ who are holding almost 240 hostages, including babies and their parents. ‘The negotiations here are the sort of negotiations that a woman who’s being raped would have with a terrorist who’s holding a gun to the head of her child while she’s being raped,’ Glick said…

“Glick… added that when she was involved in the ‘so-called peace talks’ with Arafat and the Palestine Liberation Organization, ‘they lied to us about everything.’ ‘Every single one of the commitments they accepted on themselves in the framework of all of the peace treatments or agreements that we signed with them over a period of six or seven years, they didn’t abide by any of their obligations to Israel, so they were operating in bad faith but smiling at that time,’ she said. ‘Now things have deteriorated significantly… The minute that you start negotiating with terrorists you basically become their hostages.’

“And even with the cease-fire, Israel will need to return to the war as quickly as possible, said Glick. ‘These monsters simply cannot be allowed to continue to exist,’ she said. ‘The greatest fear here is that [with] the cease-fire that we have, we’re going to face massive and intense pressure from the Biden administration not to go back and finish the job that we started.’’

The New York Post Editorial Board wrote on November 24:

“Hamas’ first hostage release has confirmed some very telling facts about the terrorists: 1) They’re ruthless liars; 2) they’ll victimize anyone they can, and 3) they think they can get America to break with Israel.

“One of those released Friday was… a woman whom Palestinian Islamic Jihad (the No. 2 terror group based in Gaza) repeatedly announced days ago was killed by an Israeli airstrike. That is, PIJ reported her as dead for pure propaganda purposes — to make the world think the Israeli government was killing hostages…

“It’s no surprise that terrorists lie — but US and world media keep giving Hamas’ claims equal footing with anything Israel’s government says, even when it comes to such long-established and widely reported facts as the way Hamas had major terror bases around and even in the al-Shifa hospital…

“Hamas and PIJ see Biden administration support for Israel as soft: They want it to make Israel agree to a ‘permanent’ cease-fire, or at least to greatly extend this one so they can resupply as much as possible from all the humanitarian aid flowing into Gaza… If the cease-fire ends with Americans still held hostage, we guarantee the terrorists will soon claim the Israelis have killed one of them — and if that doesn’t work, they’ll kill an innocent themselves to produce the ‘proof.’”

Hamas is a terrorist group of murderers and liars.  Their lying has been seen throughout this recent struggle to support their evil cause. Satan is called a murderer and the father of lies (John 8:44). One does not negotiate with the Devil! And the Palestinians are by no means innocent. Note the next article.

Biden Sound Asleep

Israel Today wrote on November 23:

“One of the reasons why Palestinian leaders refuse to condemn Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre is because they know that many Palestinians support the atrocities committed by the Iran-backed Palestinian terrorist group… A public opinion poll published on Nov. 14 showed that 75% of Palestinians support Hamas’s murder spree, including rape and beheadings, as opposed to only 13% who disapprove…

“The poll also showed that 68% of the Palestinians in the West Bank said they ‘extremely support’ the butchering of Israelis, while another 14.8% said they ‘somewhat’ support it. In total, 87.7% of the Palestinians in the West Bank have a positive sentiment toward Hamas. Only 10.2% of the Palestinians living in the West Bank have a negative sentiment toward Hamas.

“Another, but less surprising, result of the poll is that 80% of Palestinians reject both the ‘one-state’ and ‘two-state’ solutions, and instead demand all the territory between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea—in short, the entire State of Israel.

“The findings of the poll shatter the claim made by US President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken that Hamas is not representative of most Palestinians. Sadly, the results show, without doubt, that the Biden administration is completely clueless about the anti-Israel sentiment among a large majority of the Palestinians. That a majority of Palestinians want to replace Israel with an Iran-backed terror state also shows that the Biden administration and most European governments are engaging in extreme self-deception when they talk about the need to promote a ‘two-state solution.’…

“Hamas named its massacre ‘Operation Al-Aqsa Flood,’ presumably in response to peaceful and routine visits by Jews to Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, which are permitted, by mutual agreement, to open-air areas that are outside of the mosque. Hamas claimed that the name of the massacre came in response to supposed ‘Israeli violations in the courtyards of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque.’ There were, of course, no ‘violations’ by Jews…

“‘The [Israeli] enemy desecrated the Al-Aqsa Mosque and dared to visit prophet Mohammed’s place of worship,’ said Hamas arch-terrorist Mohammed Deif, one of the masterminds of the Oct. 7 massacre. Addressing Palestinians, he added: ‘Start marching now toward Palestine, and do not let borders or restrictions deprive you of the honor of jihad [holy war] and participating in the liberation of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.’

“… the only solution most Palestinians are willing to accept is one that leads to the murder of all Jews and the destruction of Israel. It remains to be seen whether the latest Palestinian slaughter of Jews serves to awaken the Biden administration and the Europeans to this inconvenient, uncomfortable fact.”

Sadly, it won’t. And so, the Western propaganda that Palestinians want a two-state solution is nothing more than fake news and a hoax. They want the total destruction of Israel.

Kissinger Dead

 Deutsche Welle wrote on November 30:

 “Henry Kissinger… was born on May 27, 1923, the son of Louis, a Jewish high school teacher, and Paula Kissinger, in the Bavarian city of Fürth. In 1938, when Kissinger was 15, he emigrated to the United States with his parents to escape the persecution of Jews by the Nazis…

“After the construction of the Berlin Wall, Kissinger advised then-President John F. Kennedy against military retaliation. In 1968, President Richard Nixon named him national security adviser. Four years later, in 1973, Kissinger became secretary of state. Kissinger remained in that office after Nixon resigned in the wake of the Watergate scandal…

“In 1973, Kissinger was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, an honor that was, in light of the US role in the Vietnam War, highly controversial…

“… he not only recognized China’s rise to becoming a great power early on and consequently helped engineer a new US relationship with the People’s Republic, he also identified the potential for peace that arose after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Furthermore, he played a supporting role as an adviser on German reunification.

“… Following the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, and US wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, Kissinger warned of a rupture in the trans-Atlantic partnership… Kissinger has repeatedly made the case for a strong Europe. In 2012, during the eurozone crisis, he warned of the threat of Europe falling back into the old nation-state system…

“In one of his final public interviews, shortly after the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, he told Welt TV that Germany had let in too many immigrants, warning that the conflict could spark a regional conflagration….”

Special Counsel Jack Smith’s Incredible Demands and Witch Hunt of the American People

Breitbart wrote on November 29:

“Special Counsel Jack Smith, in a search warrant sent to X, formerly Twitter, requested a vast swathe of information about the account of former President Donald J. Trump, as well as information on the millions of accounts that interacted with it — even those that liked a tweet by Trump in the timeframe of October 2020 to January 2021.

“The heavily redacted search warrant requests a list of all users who liked or retweeted posts from Trump between October 2020 and January 2021, including ‘all associated logs and metadata,’ which could cover location data. This extraordinarily expansive request would result in data on millions of American users being turned over to the DOJ.

“X/Twitter initially delayed complying with the request,…  resulting in a $350,000 fine levied against the company.

“The warrant also requests all IP addresses associated with Trump’s account, and a list of all devices used to log in to it. This means that any staffer or aide who logged into the account would have the information divulged to the special prosecutor.

“All information on Trump’s ‘connect’ and ‘notification’ tabs was requested, as well as all search history, blocks, mutes, and even drafted tweets.

“The warrant instructed X/Twitter not to notify Trump of the search order. The company attempted to overcome this in court, but failed…’

This is alarming and deeply upsetting. Such conduct by Smith and the court is worthy of a dictatorship such as Russia or China, but terribly unworthy of the USA. When will the American people wake up? Note the next article.

Daily Mail wrote on November 26:

“Donald Trump’s legal team filed a document Monday arguing the ex-president had a legitimate ‘good faith’ basis to question the results of the 2020 election results. The… filing also demanded government prosecutors to turn over communications between President Joe Biden and his family members with the Justice Department.

“Trump’s lawyers… claim in the filing that the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021 [did not result from] any directions from President Trump.’ The defense made 59 requests including the identification of ‘informants and other undercover operatives‘ involved in the January 6 Capitol attack as well as information regarding security measures carried out that day….”

They could have also asked for all communication between Special Prosecutor Jack Smith and the Justice Department, the Biden Administration, the courts and other prosecutors, based on the appearance of conspiracy and lack of objectivity, but such request would surely be denied based on confidentiality, privilege and privacy. So, what happened to the privacy of those Americans whom Jack Smith is trying to persecute with his outlandish search warrant directed at Twitter/X?

At the same time, Breitbart reported on November 30:

“In an order Thursday, the First Judicial Department of the Appellate Division for the Supreme Court of New York vacated an interim relief that blocked Justice Arthur Engoron’s initial gag on Trump, prohibiting him from making public statements about his law clerk, Allison Greenfield.“

The reputation of the judicial system is suffering more and more. Note the next article.

Soviet-Type Decision by NY State Supreme Court Appellate Division

LifeSiteNews wrote on November 24:

“The New York State Supreme Court Appellate Division’s Fourth Judicial Department has reversed a lower court’s ruling against a regulation called Rule 2.13 allowing the government to involuntarily and indefinitely detain individuals for the purported sake of public health. ‘The language in the [regulation] makes it crystal clear that the DOH [Department of Health] can pull you from your home (and your life) and, with the force of police, hold you anywhere they deem appropriate, including “other residential or temporary housing,’” explained attorney Bobbie Anne Cox, who is representing Uniting NYS and state legislators. The regulation says ‘they don’t have to prove you are sick, they can hold you for however long they want, and there is no way for you to get out of lock up or lock down,’ unless a detained person obtains legal representation and sues.

“The lower court had ruled in July 2022 that the regulation was unconstitutional and lacking due process, but the state appealed that ruling. The Appellate Division then ruled unanimously on November 17 that the plaintiffs lacked standing because they hadn’t been forcibly quarantined. ‘The court seems to insinuate that the only person with the right to sue is someone who has been forcibly locked in their home against their will, or ripped from their home, taken from their loved ones, and thrown into a quarantine detention center, facility, institution, camp, etc…The court insinuates that apparently only that person would be injured,’ explained Cox.

“‘The idea that the State Health Department will lawfully quarantine a New Yorker against their will sounds Soviet,’ reacted state Sen. Mark Walczyk. “The Judiciary has a role to play in checking the Executive and I’m deeply disappointed the Appellate Division missed the opportunity to draw the line at tyranny…”

America is becoming more and more a dangerous autocratic dictatorship. What is happening in left-wing democratic New York State might soon be seen in other US States.

Extraordinary Violence in Dublin

Le Monde wrote on November 22:

“Thursday night’s violence in the Irish capital – which erupted after three children were wounded in the stabbings – was of a level not seen in decades, according to police.  A night of torched vehicles and shop looting sparked in Dublin after a knife attack outside a school was of an ‘extraordinary’ level of violence unseen in decades, police said Friday, November 24. The violence started when a group broke through a police cordon Thursday in the area where three young children and a women who was caring for them were injured in a knife attack.

“Groups went on to torch busses and trams and loot shops in one of Dublin’s most famous thoroughfares, O’Connell Street. Garda Commissioner Drew Harris told a press conference in the Irish capital on Friday that multiple Irish police officers were injured in a running battle with the group that stormed the crime scene on Thursday night. Rumours on social media about the nationality of the assailant who police only described as a man in his fifties, helped fuel unrest following the attack…

“Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said that protesters who battled police and looted shops were motivated by ‘hate’ and brought ‘shame on Ireland’… ‘As a country, we need to reclaim Ireland. We need to take it away from the cowards who hide behind masks and tried to terrify us with their violence,’ said Varadkar…

“For his part, Harris blamed a ‘complete lunatic faction driven by far-right ideology’ for the disorder…  Ireland has been facing a chronic housing crisis, with the government estimating that there is a deficit of hundreds of thousands of homes for the general population. Widespread dissatisfaction has fed into a backlash against asylum seekers and refugees, and far-right figures have promoted anti-immigration sentiment at rallies and on social media with claims that ‘Ireland is full.’”

Breitbart had quite a different take on the situation. It wrote on November 25:

“Poor Irish people staged a riot in central Dublin following the stabbing of three children by a man described as a homeless migrant, yet the Irish establishment is portraying the Thursday-night anti-migration riots as merely ‘hate,’ ‘lunatic’ and ‘far-right.’

“The unprecedented riots come after years of growing community protests against the migration that is impoverishing Irish people with rising rents and flatlining wages. So far, none of the established Irish political parties have sought to curb or reduce the impact of migration on Ireland’s people… ‘that [riot was] an expression of the disconnect that has been festering amongst disadvantaged young men for a long time,’ reported an anti-establishment Irish news outlet, Grip.ie, which added: ‘But the media, like the government and the Opposition, were eager to change the conversation, and Dublin city centre being set on fire gave them perfect cover to do so. So the usual nonsense about the “far-right” started immediately, and the front pages are full of those photographs this morning.’

“The government offered a very different view… Ireland’s… prime minister Leo Varadkar… portrayed the government as the victim of the drama…In 2020, Vardakar defended the deadly and destructive Black Lives Matter looting and riots in the United States…

“The government is a coalition of establishment parties, all of which support mass migration that has pushed a huge number of Irish people into poverty. So the government’s dismissal of the rioters is expanding the political opportunity for anti-establishment parties…

“Conor McGregor, the very popular Irish martial arts fighter, slammed the establishment media and government for ignoring the migration-caused crime and poverty…”

As so often, Ireland’s failing government blames others for the country’s misery, rather than looking at themselves.

Germany’s Debacle

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 25:

“The rules are clear: The German state must make ends meet with the money it takes in. That’s what is written in the constitution. It’s called the Schuldenbremse, or debt brake. Only in exceptional circumstances can the debt brake be lifted, and the government take on new debt. From 2014 to 2019, the federal government was able to comply with these conditions as the budget was always balanced. But then came the coronavirus pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Bundestag suspended the debt brake several times, and the government was able to borrow billions.

“Finance Minister Christian Lindner’s goal was to put an end to this trend of suspending the debt brake and consolidate the budget. Now he feels compelled to suspend the debt brake retroactively for 2023 as well.

“Since the Federal Constitutional Court declared the financing of the Climate and Transformation Fund (KTF) to be unconstitutional, the government’s current budget planning has become inapplicable. The €60 billion ($66 billion) that the coalition of the center-left Social Democrats (SPD), Greens, and neoliberal Free Democrats (FDP) paid into this special fund after taking office in 2021 had been left over from the coronavirus pandemic and hadn’t been used. The judges ruled that setting aside emergency loans for the future and spending them in ways not approved by the Bundestag isn’t permissible. The decision caught the coalition off guard, and now there has been widespread confusion about how to react to it. Especially since the KTF isn’t the only special fund.

“The German armed forces have a special fund of €100 billion for example, though since this (is) backed by the constitution, it is presumably unaffected. [However, this is not undisputed. It was reported that this fund is affected, but the government later declared that it is not. The question is, in light of all the lies spread by the government, whom are we to believe?]

“The situation is different with the Economic Stabilization Fund (WSF), a crisis fund of up to €200 billion primarily designed to finance energy price controls. It was set up in 2022, and a large part of the money was earmarked for 2023 and 2024. [This fund is clearly affected and can basically not be used.]… Finance Minister and FDP leader Lindner has now imposed a budget freeze

“But what happens then? The SPD, Greens, and FDP appear stumped. One reason for this is that the three parties have fundamentally different positions. The coalition is made up of two more left-leaning parties and one neoliberal party… the SPD and Greens refuse to budge on their climate and social policy goals, which come at a high cost…

“The debt brake is a thorn in the side of many in the SPD and Greens… in view of Germany’s miserable economic data

“Is Germany once again the ‘sick man of Europe’? While the economy is growing in many other countries around the world, Germany hasn’t been able to get back on its feet and has even slipped into recession in 2023. Since the coronavirus pandemic, the German economy has recorded the lowest economic growth in the eurozone, with no rapid turnaround in sight.

“The country is struggling with high energy costs and a shortage of skilled workers. The railroads, roads and bridges are as dilapidated as are many the public buildings, especially schools and universities. Digital infrastructure leaves a lot to be desired…

“What happens in Germany is of international interest. If Europe’s largest economy reduces its investments and spending, it will be felt first by its European neighbors and then by the rest of the world… a reform of the [debt break] rule is only possible with two-thirds majority support in parliament, which currently doesn’t exist.

“The conservative opposition parties CDU and CSU have ruled out any changes… The FDP shares these policy positions. However, the CDU/CSU and FDP don’t have a majority in parliament….”

Of course, changing the debt brake rule would mean, Germany will go out borrowing money to no end, to be able to pursue its controversial climate change goal and other even more controversial green policies. How is that going to help the country?

The miserable state of affairs will change, and Germany will rise again, but NOT under the present divided government.

The Shift to the Right That Actually Isn’t One At All

Report 24 wrote on November 25:

“The recent landslide victory of Wilders’ PVV in the Netherlands is just another step in the changing face of European politics. Mass immigration, migrant riots, foreign crime and terrorism are just one of many reasons for the subjective ‘shift to the right’. Viewed objectively, given the center’s shift to the left, one would rather have to speak of a ‘readjustment‘…

“All it takes is actually a comparison of the current political positions of ‘centre parties’ such as the SPD, CDU/CSU and FDP in Germany or the SPÖ or ÖVP in Austria with those of 30, 40 or 50 years ago. Much of what is considered ‘right’ today was not so long ago a centrist position

“… to put it simply, the normal worker or employee just wants to earn enough money to support his family, go on vacation and not have to worry in old age. Gender asterisks and political correctness? The majority don’t care about that because it doesn’t affect everyday life. But if contributions into the social systems due to mass immigration have to be increased, if there is no longer any increase in purchasing power and if there is a threat of poverty in old age, then people do care. And this whole shift to the left in politics has led in exactly this direction.

“Who would have thought, for example, at the end of the 1990s that the Union [CDU] would one day jump on the left-green bandwagon of climate fanatics, initiate a catastrophic ‘energy transition’ and make German industry dependent on the whims of nature when it comes to wind and sun? The current Ampel coalition is basically just continuing what was started under Angela Merkel. Just with a lot more vehemence and pressure. If, instead of traditional sex education and biology education, schools are shown drag queen porn shows, things won’t get any better.

“And then there are the effects of mass immigration from countries with completely different (sometimes archaic) cultures…

“However, the parties and politicians defamed as ‘right-wing populists’ by the left-liberal pseudo-mainstream are interested in such problems and grievances. What’s more, they are becoming a new ‘mainstream’ by increasingly receiving vote shares of a third or more in elections and surveys in more and more countries. For the establishment, this is a ‘shift to the right’, but in reality, this development is simply a natural correction to find a political balance. A one-sided political landscape with a left-liberal unity party consisting of several factions is no longer a democracy, but in fact a kind of dictatorship in which dissenting opinions are defamed.”

This “readjustment” and “natural correction” is attracting more and more voters.

The Pope’s Jewish Problem

Crux wrote on November 26:

“When Pope Francis was elected in 2013, the forecast among those invested in Jewish-Catholic dialogue generally was rosy. The new pope brought considerable background to the relationship, given that Argentina has the largest Jewish population in Latin America and the sixth largest outside Israel – indeed, the first kosher McDonalds outside Israel was located in a Buenos Aires shopping center…

“And yet, the fact of the matter is that Pope Francis long has had a Jewish problem, and it’s come to the fore anew amid the current war in Gaza. To some extent, the issue is political, having to do with the instinctive sympathy history’s first pope from the developing world feels for the Palestinian cause… There’s also a theological dimension to the angst Francis has generated in Jewish circles, including his frequently disparaging references to the ‘Pharisees… Moreover, there’s a perception that Francis’s campaign to build bridges with Islam sometimes comes at the expense of solidarity with Jews…

“These three sources of tension – the politics of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, the theological approach to Judaism, and the inter-faith balancing act vis-à-vis Islam — are all coming to a head amid the current conflagration. The criticism of the pope’s response to the Gaza war started almost immediately…

“The rabbis wondered aloud what the point has been of decades of Jewish-Catholic dialogue when, in a time of need, what Jews get from the pope isn’t solidarity but ‘diplomatic acrobatics, balancing acts…’

“… it’s impossible to ignore the signs of growing tension. Recently an Italian Jew named Vittorio

Mascarini, who leads a Zionist organization in Italy, wrote in the Jewish News Syndicate: ‘If it continues to maintain its ambiguous position, the Holy See risks its entire relationship with Israel and world Jewry.’

“The war in Gaza has already taken an enormous toll. For Francis, who clearly aspires to be a peace-maker, it undoubtedly would be especially agonizing should his relationship with Jews and Judaism end up being among the casualties.”

In light of the foregoing,  the following article by Israel 365 News, dated November 26, is truly remarkable:

“On Wednesday, the Pope met with families of hostages taken by Hamas. He also met with Palestinians whose relatives were security prisoners in Israeli jails or were in Gaza. No media representatives were present at the meetings but members of the Palestinian delegation told the media that the pope had described Israel’s actions as ‘genocide’. The Vatican spokesman, Matteo Bruni, said he didn’t believe that Francis used that term… The Palestinian delegation insisted nonetheless that Pope Francis described Israel’s military incursion as ‘genocide.’

“After the meeting, the Pope made a speech in St. Peter’s Square  in which he said that he heard ‘how both sides suffer’ and how the war between Israel and Hamas has ‘transformed from war to terror.’…

“The American Jewish Committee tweeted gratitude for the pope’s meeting with families of the hostages and calling for their release, while also criticizing his other remarks and asking for clarification. ‘Hamas’ butchering and kidnapping of civilians is terrorism. Israel’s self-defense is not,’ the AJC wrote. ‘Vatican, please clarify.’”

The Pope’s “balancing act” shows, in effect, where he and the Vatican REALLY stand.

Francis Punishes Critical American Cardinal and Bishop

The Daily Mail wrote on November 29:

“Pope Francis has kicked conservative US Cardinal Raymond Burke out of his Vatican apartment and stripped him of his salary after he criticized the pontiff’s pro-LGBT stance… Burke… is the second American prelate to face punishment in what appears to be a new phase of Francis’ pontificate. This reform-minded period seems to have accelerated with the arrival in September of Francis’ hand-picked new doctrine czar, Argentine Cardinal Victor Fernández.

“Earlier this month, Francis forcibly removed the bishop of Tyler, Texas, Joseph Strickland, another conservative who had also become one of Francis’ critics.

“…  the two seemingly were at odds over COVID-19 vaccines. Francis had been a big proponent of the vaccines and had lashed out at vaccine skeptics, who included some conservative Catholics.”

Did Francis ever repent of and apologize for his inappropriate support of experimental Covid-19 vaccines?

Jesuit Priest: TrumpIs Antichrist, Vote For Biden

Breitbart wrote on November 29:

“In his piece [for the leftwing Religious News Service,]  titled ‘In a World Where Christ Is King, Authoritarian Leaders Can Only Be Antichrists,’ [Jesuit Thomas] Reese asserted that ‘anti-democratic leaders’ like Trump are promising to ‘deliver justice by any means necessary.’…  Reese made reference to the holiday [“the liturgical feast of Christ the King”] to contrast Christ’s kingdom with that of ‘antichrists’ like Donald Trump…

“In 2020, Father Reese stumped for Joe Biden, urging his fellow Catholics to join the ‘grassroots’ group ‘Catholics for Biden.’… Reese also attempted to convince Catholics that it is okay to vote for Catholic candidates who openly flout Church teaching on issues such as abortion… Reese acknowledged that most Catholic Democrats disregard the Church’s moral teaching and ‘agree with Biden that abortion should be legal,’ which removes any moral obstacle for supporting him.”

Did and does the pope know about this “Jesuit logic,” and did and does he endorse his fellow Jesuit’s viewpoint? The liberals in the Vatican and the Catholic Church are clearly winning… for now.

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.

Update 1092

Comments on News and Prophecy, December 2, 2023 / Choices, Consequences, Cause and Effect

On December 2, 2023, Norbert Link will present “Comments on News and Prophecy, December 2, 2023,” and Rene Messier will present the sermon, titled, “Choices, Consequences, Cause and Effect”.

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.

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You Must Stay Strong…

by Thilo Hanstein (Germany)

These words, “You have to stay strong”, can easily be uttered by outsiders, when the affected person is clearly suffering under certain circumstances.

One might try to strengthen the other person with these words, but whether that alone will help is debatable. And sometimes, I come across people who simply ask, “How are you?” as they walk by, and without paying any attention to my response, they either do not reply at all or just say, “…then take care”.

The world has become very short-lived in its actions, and nobody seems to have any honest care for their neighbor. Society in my neighborhood has changed a lot for the worse, and I would even say that this applies to the whole world.

Not only have people become very superficial and almost everyone thinks only of themselves, but also antisemitism has returned in the most brutal way all over the world. I would argue that antisemitism never went away, it just, for a brief period, didn’t manifest itself to the outside world, and sadly, this condition only lasted for a generation. The words, “We must never forget,” are of no special value.

For true Christians, it is not difficult to recognize that this world is ruled by none other than Satan, who is also called the Devil, the dragon, and the old serpent.

Personally, I have never heard so many war reports in my entire life as these days, and I have to admit that it makes me, as well as certainly others, sad, angry and worried, when I think about it or see or hear about it in the media – but then again, I am also at the same time hopeful in anticipation of the coming of Christ, that it will happen soon after all. It’s all like a merry-go-round of emotions.

And then I ask myself: “Am I even ready for the coming of Christ? And how will I then stand before Him? Will I even be worthy before Him? Will I fail miserably by then or will I remain strong in this last dramatic time?”

We could very well face terrible wars, persecution, betrayal of our own brothers and sisters, and even persecution from our own family. And we must constantly remind ourselves that Jesus Christ pointed out the following to us in the Bible:

“And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:6-8).

These are precisely the times we are currently experiencing; nevertheless, it is not yet the end, but the beginning of sorrows. And then, Christ said:

“‘Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved” (Matthew 24:9-13).

This message from Christ does not seem to point to a rosy future. One factor or another can cause somebody to lose their balance completely, so they may run out of inner strength and fail miserably. Many will have to go through a terrible and merciless tribulation after falling away from the Truth. Some will be able to come out of this tribulation, as Christ tells us; but others may indeed fail and even end up fighting a hateful and murderous battle against God until their ultimate bitter destruction.

We read in Revelation 7:4-9 that of all the tribes of Israel, 144,000 will come out of this tribulation and will be sealed, as well as a great multitude which no one could number. But then we also read in Revelation 16:9-11 about people filled with hate who blaspheme God despite great plagues and pain.

It must be absolutely clear to us: “But he who endures [and stays strong] to the end shall be saved.”

But we cannot do this by our own strength, as we have already learned from the Word of God. We need God’s power, His help and strength. This can only be achieved through prayer, Bible study and thinking about what we have read, occasional fasting and strong faith without any doubts. And we must be there with and for each other, for we all have one faith, one hope, one confidence, one love, one Lord, one God and one Spirit of power in us.

In his second letter to Timothy, Paul wrote the following words, which also have great significance for us today:

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day. Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit [which] dwells in us” (2 Timothy 1:7-14).

All in all, this means for each and every one of us: “You must stay strong!”

Initial translation: Daniel Blasinger

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by Norbert Link

We begin with further developments in the Middle East in light of the ill-advised Israel-Hamas deal (please view in this regard our previous StandingWatch program, titled,  “The Foolish Hamas-Israel Deal—and What It Means!”), while placing special emphasis on the lies of the Palestinians and Hamas; the perception that America and President Biden are at fault for Israel’s “dilemma”; the fear that America will backstab Israel; and the feeling that Biden is “sound asleep” and lacking a clear view of reality, while the Middle East is burning. Please view our most recent StandingWatch program, titled, Will There Ever Be a Two-State Solution?”

We continue with an outlandish request by Special Counsel Jack Smith, totally violating the rights of millions of American citizens; speak on truly appalling laws and court decisions in New York State, placing the freedom of its citizens in the unscrupulous hands of the government; and we report on unparalleled violence in Dublin, Ireland, with completely opposed reports as to its cause.

We point out Germany’s ever-increasing debacle due to a completely incompetent and out-of-touch “leadership”; publish an interesting, but controversial perspective on the so-called shift to the right that actually isn’t one at all”; and conclude with the dubious position of the pope and the Vatican regarding their “Jewish problem” and the Catholic Church’s persecution of its critics.

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

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Hamas Is Rejoicing

The Editorial Board of the Wall Street Journal wrote on November 21:

“The deal again shows the moral gulf between the two sides. Hamas kidnapped Israeli children as young as nine months to use as hostages and spring its jihadists who have been arrested or convicted in a fair trial for their crimes. Israel takes military risks to save its citizens. Hamas risks Palestinian civilians to save itself.

“Even as Israelis rejoice for the women and children who will return home, they know Hamas is rejoicing too. Its war crimes have been rewarded. It will steal fuel from its own people to power its terror tunnels. Its shattered northern Gaza brigades will use the cease-fire to regroup, escape from weak positions and set more ambushes for Israeli troops. Israel’s leaders made this deal knowing that their soldiers will pay for it…

“Expect Hamas to drag out the cease-fire in hopes of making it permanent. Dribbling out 10 hostages a day, Hamas could stall for a few weeks. Or what if it claims after day two that Israel has broken the deal and hostage releases will continue only after Israel holds off for another few days? What if it pulls that trick over and over?

“The domestic and international picture will become more complicated for Israel. At home a nation united will be divided over how long to wait. Abroad, the pressure to continue the cease-fire indefinitely will grow, and Israel can expect harsher criticism when it resumes fighting. Israelis know all this, but they are willing to accept the costs to retrieve the captives.

“They are also unwavering in their determination to overthrow Hamas. The Israeli cabinet says fighting will resume immediately once the cease-fire is up…

“Much depends on the Biden Administration. Complaints from the Democratic left are no reason to let the Hamas jihadists who carried out the Oct. 7 massacre stay in power in Gaza. President Biden has said Hamas needs to be destroyed. If he means it, he will back Israel’s right to resume fighting and finish the job after hostages are released.”

The Biden Administration has made its position crystal clear. Note the next article.

No More American Support for Israel?

Israel Today wrote on November 22:

“The White House says it won’t support Israel’s plan to expand its operations into the south of the Gaza Strip unless it shows it will protect the Palestinian civilians there.

“In a Tuesday press call, US National Security Council Spokesman John Kirby said the United States won’t support Israel ‘moving forward with operations in the south absent a clearly articulated plan for how they’re going to protect the lives of the hundreds of thousands of people’ there.”

The Bible says that finally, America—and Britain—will be against Israel. Frictions are already materializing at this point. See the next article.

Israel’s Dilemma Is America’s Fault

Israel Today wrote on November 24:

“As if Israelis weren’t traumatized enough by the depraved Hamas pogrom on Oct. 7, the hostage deal concluded this week cruelly deepened their agony… Israel is no longer in control of events. At a stroke, it has yielded control of the war to Gaza’s Hamas leader… As the former US National Security Advisor John Bolton declared: ‘… Hamas will take advantage of that to reposition or extricate some of its leaders, move the hostages around and otherwise prepare for the next stage of combat’…

“Hamas is an enemy of mankind that the world has never seen before… the deal makes an eventual victory for Hamas more likely. Having agreed to this ceasefire, Israel will find itself under increasing pressure from America and the West for additional and longer ceasefires ‘to get more of the hostages out.’

“Israel is in this terrible situation principally because of America. The fingerprints of the Iranian regime were all over the Oct. 7 pogrom. Iran is also behind the attacks on Israel currently being mounted from Syria and Lebanon. Yet it was the Obama and Biden administrations whose appeasement of Iran empowered it to fund, arm, train and direct proxy armies, including Hamas, Hezbollah and Syrian militias bent upon Israel’s destruction.

“It is the Biden administration that, five weeks after the Hamas pogrom, funneled a further $10 billion in sanctions relief into Tehran’s coffers. It is the Biden administration that forced Israel to make the deal with the hostages. It is the Biden administration that is now pressuring Israel not to continue its war in the south of Gaza where it intends to finish off Hamas… America has been leveraging its military support for Israel to force it to run the war in accordance with the Biden administration’s aims: to continue to appease Iran and to create a state of Palestine. Both those aims pose a mortal threat to Israel’s security and existence…

“Israel’s terrible dilemma over the hostages is reminiscent of the unspeakable choices forced upon the Jewish councils who administered the ghettos of Europe during the Holocaust, and whom the Nazis forced to provide lists of people to deport to the death camps or risk the murder of everyone in the ghetto…”

These are strong words.

They Lie About Everything

Newsmax wrote on November 24:

“Caroline Glick, who was a member of Israel’s negotiations team in the 1990s peace talks with then-Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, told Newsmax on Friday that the current talks with Hamas aren’t the same, as the situation now involves ‘sadistic terrorists’ who are holding almost 240 hostages, including babies and their parents. ‘The negotiations here are the sort of negotiations that a woman who’s being raped would have with a terrorist who’s holding a gun to the head of her child while she’s being raped,’ Glick said…

“Glick… added that when she was involved in the ‘so-called peace talks’ with Arafat and the Palestine Liberation Organization, ‘they lied to us about everything.’ ‘Every single one of the commitments they accepted on themselves in the framework of all of the peace treatments or agreements that we signed with them over a period of six or seven years, they didn’t abide by any of their obligations to Israel, so they were operating in bad faith but smiling at that time,’ she said. ‘Now things have deteriorated significantly… The minute that you start negotiating with terrorists you basically become their hostages.’

“And even with the cease-fire, Israel will need to return to the war as quickly as possible, said Glick. ‘These monsters simply cannot be allowed to continue to exist,’ she said. ‘The greatest fear here is that [with] the cease-fire that we have, we’re going to face massive and intense pressure from the Biden administration not to go back and finish the job that we started.’’

The New York Post Editorial Board wrote on November 24:

“Hamas’ first hostage release has confirmed some very telling facts about the terrorists: 1) They’re ruthless liars; 2) they’ll victimize anyone they can, and 3) they think they can get America to break with Israel.

“One of those released Friday was… a woman whom Palestinian Islamic Jihad (the No. 2 terror group based in Gaza) repeatedly announced days ago was killed by an Israeli airstrike. That is, PIJ reported her as dead for pure propaganda purposes — to make the world think the Israeli government was killing hostages…

“It’s no surprise that terrorists lie — but US and world media keep giving Hamas’ claims equal footing with anything Israel’s government says, even when it comes to such long-established and widely reported facts as the way Hamas had major terror bases around and even in the al-Shifa hospital…

“Hamas and PIJ see Biden administration support for Israel as soft: They want it to make Israel agree to a ‘permanent’ cease-fire, or at least to greatly extend this one so they can resupply as much as possible from all the humanitarian aid flowing into Gaza… If the cease-fire ends with Americans still held hostage, we guarantee the terrorists will soon claim the Israelis have killed one of them — and if that doesn’t work, they’ll kill an innocent themselves to produce the ‘proof.’”

Hamas is a terrorist group of murderers and liars.  Their lying has been seen throughout this recent struggle to support their evil cause. Satan is called a murderer and the father of lies (John 8:44). One does not negotiate with the Devil! And the Palestinians are by no means innocent. Note the next article.

Biden Sound Asleep

Israel Today wrote on November 23:

“One of the reasons why Palestinian leaders refuse to condemn Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre is because they know that many Palestinians support the atrocities committed by the Iran-backed Palestinian terrorist group… A public opinion poll published on Nov. 14 showed that 75% of Palestinians support Hamas’s murder spree, including rape and beheadings, as opposed to only 13% who disapprove…

“The poll also showed that 68% of the Palestinians in the West Bank said they ‘extremely support’ the butchering of Israelis, while another 14.8% said they ‘somewhat’ support it. In total, 87.7% of the Palestinians in the West Bank have a positive sentiment toward Hamas. Only 10.2% of the Palestinians living in the West Bank have a negative sentiment toward Hamas.

“Another, but less surprising, result of the poll is that 80% of Palestinians reject both the ‘one-state’ and ‘two-state’ solutions, and instead demand all the territory between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea—in short, the entire State of Israel.

“The findings of the poll shatter the claim made by US President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken that Hamas is not representative of most Palestinians. Sadly, the results show, without doubt, that the Biden administration is completely clueless about the anti-Israel sentiment among a large majority of the Palestinians. That a majority of Palestinians want to replace Israel with an Iran-backed terror state also shows that the Biden administration and most European governments are engaging in extreme self-deception when they talk about the need to promote a ‘two-state solution.’…

“Hamas named its massacre ‘Operation Al-Aqsa Flood,’ presumably in response to peaceful and routine visits by Jews to Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, which are permitted, by mutual agreement, to open-air areas that are outside of the mosque. Hamas claimed that the name of the massacre came in response to supposed ‘Israeli violations in the courtyards of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque.’ There were, of course, no ‘violations’ by Jews…

“‘The [Israeli] enemy desecrated the Al-Aqsa Mosque and dared to visit prophet Mohammed’s place of worship,’ said Hamas arch-terrorist Mohammed Deif, one of the masterminds of the Oct. 7 massacre. Addressing Palestinians, he added: ‘Start marching now toward Palestine, and do not let borders or restrictions deprive you of the honor of jihad [holy war] and participating in the liberation of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.’

“… the only solution most Palestinians are willing to accept is one that leads to the murder of all Jews and the destruction of Israel. It remains to be seen whether the latest Palestinian slaughter of Jews serves to awaken the Biden administration and the Europeans to this inconvenient, uncomfortable fact.”

Sadly, it won’t. And so, the Western propaganda that Palestinians want a two-state solution is nothing more than fake news and a hoax. They want the total destruction of Israel.

Kissinger Dead

 Deutsche Welle wrote on November 30:

 “Henry Kissinger… was born on May 27, 1923, the son of Louis, a Jewish high school teacher, and Paula Kissinger, in the Bavarian city of Fürth. In 1938, when Kissinger was 15, he emigrated to the United States with his parents to escape the persecution of Jews by the Nazis…

“After the construction of the Berlin Wall, Kissinger advised then-President John F. Kennedy against military retaliation. In 1968, President Richard Nixon named him national security adviser. Four years later, in 1973, Kissinger became secretary of state. Kissinger remained in that office after Nixon resigned in the wake of the Watergate scandal…

“In 1973, Kissinger was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, an honor that was, in light of the US role in the Vietnam War, highly controversial…

“… he not only recognized China’s rise to becoming a great power early on and consequently helped engineer a new US relationship with the People’s Republic, he also identified the potential for peace that arose after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Furthermore, he played a supporting role as an adviser on German reunification.

“… Following the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, and US wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, Kissinger warned of a rupture in the trans-Atlantic partnership… Kissinger has repeatedly made the case for a strong Europe. In 2012, during the eurozone crisis, he warned of the threat of Europe falling back into the old nation-state system…

“In one of his final public interviews, shortly after the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, he told Welt TV that Germany had let in too many immigrants, warning that the conflict could spark a regional conflagration….”

Special Counsel Jack Smith’s Incredible Demands and Witch Hunt of the American People

Breitbart wrote on November 29:

“Special Counsel Jack Smith, in a search warrant sent to X, formerly Twitter, requested a vast swathe of information about the account of former President Donald J. Trump, as well as information on the millions of accounts that interacted with it — even those that liked a tweet by Trump in the timeframe of October 2020 to January 2021.

“The heavily redacted search warrant requests a list of all users who liked or retweeted posts from Trump between October 2020 and January 2021, including ‘all associated logs and metadata,’ which could cover location data. This extraordinarily expansive request would result in data on millions of American users being turned over to the DOJ.

“X/Twitter initially delayed complying with the request,…  resulting in a $350,000 fine levied against the company.

“The warrant also requests all IP addresses associated with Trump’s account, and a list of all devices used to log in to it. This means that any staffer or aide who logged into the account would have the information divulged to the special prosecutor.

“All information on Trump’s ‘connect’ and ‘notification’ tabs was requested, as well as all search history, blocks, mutes, and even drafted tweets.

“The warrant instructed X/Twitter not to notify Trump of the search order. The company attempted to overcome this in court, but failed…’

This is alarming and deeply upsetting. Such conduct by Smith and the court is worthy of a dictatorship such as Russia or China, but terribly unworthy of the USA. When will the American people wake up? Note the next article.

Daily Mail wrote on November 26:

“Donald Trump’s legal team filed a document Monday arguing the ex-president had a legitimate ‘good faith’ basis to question the results of the 2020 election results. The… filing also demanded government prosecutors to turn over communications between President Joe Biden and his family members with the Justice Department.

“Trump’s lawyers… claim in the filing that the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021 [did not result from] any directions from President Trump.’ The defense made 59 requests including the identification of ‘informants and other undercover operatives‘ involved in the January 6 Capitol attack as well as information regarding security measures carried out that day….”

They could have also asked for all communication between Special Prosecutor Jack Smith and the Justice Department, the Biden Administration, the courts and other prosecutors, based on the appearance of conspiracy and lack of objectivity, but such request would surely be denied based on confidentiality, privilege and privacy. So, what happened to the privacy of those Americans whom Jack Smith is trying to persecute with his outlandish search warrant directed at Twitter/X?

At the same time, Breitbart reported on November 30:

“In an order Thursday, the First Judicial Department of the Appellate Division for the Supreme Court of New York vacated an interim relief that blocked Justice Arthur Engoron’s initial gag on Trump, prohibiting him from making public statements about his law clerk, Allison Greenfield.“

The reputation of the judicial system is suffering more and more. Note the next article.

Soviet-Type Decision by NY State Supreme Court Appellate Division

LifeSiteNews wrote on November 24:

“The New York State Supreme Court Appellate Division’s Fourth Judicial Department has reversed a lower court’s ruling against a regulation called Rule 2.13 allowing the government to involuntarily and indefinitely detain individuals for the purported sake of public health. ‘The language in the [regulation] makes it crystal clear that the DOH [Department of Health] can pull you from your home (and your life) and, with the force of police, hold you anywhere they deem appropriate, including “other residential or temporary housing,’” explained attorney Bobbie Anne Cox, who is representing Uniting NYS and state legislators. The regulation says ‘they don’t have to prove you are sick, they can hold you for however long they want, and there is no way for you to get out of lock up or lock down,’ unless a detained person obtains legal representation and sues.

“The lower court had ruled in July 2022 that the regulation was unconstitutional and lacking due process, but the state appealed that ruling. The Appellate Division then ruled unanimously on November 17 that the plaintiffs lacked standing because they hadn’t been forcibly quarantined. ‘The court seems to insinuate that the only person with the right to sue is someone who has been forcibly locked in their home against their will, or ripped from their home, taken from their loved ones, and thrown into a quarantine detention center, facility, institution, camp, etc…The court insinuates that apparently only that person would be injured,’ explained Cox.

“‘The idea that the State Health Department will lawfully quarantine a New Yorker against their will sounds Soviet,’ reacted state Sen. Mark Walczyk. “The Judiciary has a role to play in checking the Executive and I’m deeply disappointed the Appellate Division missed the opportunity to draw the line at tyranny…”

America is becoming more and more a dangerous autocratic dictatorship. What is happening in left-wing democratic New York State might soon be seen in other US States.

Extraordinary Violence in Dublin

Le Monde wrote on November 22:

“Thursday night’s violence in the Irish capital – which erupted after three children were wounded in the stabbings – was of a level not seen in decades, according to police.  A night of torched vehicles and shop looting sparked in Dublin after a knife attack outside a school was of an ‘extraordinary’ level of violence unseen in decades, police said Friday, November 24. The violence started when a group broke through a police cordon Thursday in the area where three young children and a women who was caring for them were injured in a knife attack.

“Groups went on to torch busses and trams and loot shops in one of Dublin’s most famous thoroughfares, O’Connell Street. Garda Commissioner Drew Harris told a press conference in the Irish capital on Friday that multiple Irish police officers were injured in a running battle with the group that stormed the crime scene on Thursday night. Rumours on social media about the nationality of the assailant who police only described as a man in his fifties, helped fuel unrest following the attack…

“Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said that protesters who battled police and looted shops were motivated by ‘hate’ and brought ‘shame on Ireland’… ‘As a country, we need to reclaim Ireland. We need to take it away from the cowards who hide behind masks and tried to terrify us with their violence,’ said Varadkar…

“For his part, Harris blamed a ‘complete lunatic faction driven by far-right ideology’ for the disorder…  Ireland has been facing a chronic housing crisis, with the government estimating that there is a deficit of hundreds of thousands of homes for the general population. Widespread dissatisfaction has fed into a backlash against asylum seekers and refugees, and far-right figures have promoted anti-immigration sentiment at rallies and on social media with claims that ‘Ireland is full.’”

Breitbart had quite a different take on the situation. It wrote on November 25:

“Poor Irish people staged a riot in central Dublin following the stabbing of three children by a man described as a homeless migrant, yet the Irish establishment is portraying the Thursday-night anti-migration riots as merely ‘hate,’ ‘lunatic’ and ‘far-right.’

“The unprecedented riots come after years of growing community protests against the migration that is impoverishing Irish people with rising rents and flatlining wages. So far, none of the established Irish political parties have sought to curb or reduce the impact of migration on Ireland’s people… ‘that [riot was] an expression of the disconnect that has been festering amongst disadvantaged young men for a long time,’ reported an anti-establishment Irish news outlet, Grip.ie, which added: ‘But the media, like the government and the Opposition, were eager to change the conversation, and Dublin city centre being set on fire gave them perfect cover to do so. So the usual nonsense about the “far-right” started immediately, and the front pages are full of those photographs this morning.’

“The government offered a very different view… Ireland’s… prime minister Leo Varadkar… portrayed the government as the victim of the drama…In 2020, Vardakar defended the deadly and destructive Black Lives Matter looting and riots in the United States…

“The government is a coalition of establishment parties, all of which support mass migration that has pushed a huge number of Irish people into poverty. So the government’s dismissal of the rioters is expanding the political opportunity for anti-establishment parties…

“Conor McGregor, the very popular Irish martial arts fighter, slammed the establishment media and government for ignoring the migration-caused crime and poverty…”

As so often, Ireland’s failing government blames others for the country’s misery, rather than looking at themselves.

Germany’s Debacle

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 25:

“The rules are clear: The German state must make ends meet with the money it takes in. That’s what is written in the constitution. It’s called the Schuldenbremse, or debt brake. Only in exceptional circumstances can the debt brake be lifted, and the government take on new debt. From 2014 to 2019, the federal government was able to comply with these conditions as the budget was always balanced. But then came the coronavirus pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Bundestag suspended the debt brake several times, and the government was able to borrow billions.

“Finance Minister Christian Lindner’s goal was to put an end to this trend of suspending the debt brake and consolidate the budget. Now he feels compelled to suspend the debt brake retroactively for 2023 as well.

“Since the Federal Constitutional Court declared the financing of the Climate and Transformation Fund (KTF) to be unconstitutional, the government’s current budget planning has become inapplicable. The €60 billion ($66 billion) that the coalition of the center-left Social Democrats (SPD), Greens, and neoliberal Free Democrats (FDP) paid into this special fund after taking office in 2021 had been left over from the coronavirus pandemic and hadn’t been used. The judges ruled that setting aside emergency loans for the future and spending them in ways not approved by the Bundestag isn’t permissible. The decision caught the coalition off guard, and now there has been widespread confusion about how to react to it. Especially since the KTF isn’t the only special fund.

“The German armed forces have a special fund of €100 billion for example, though since this (is) backed by the constitution, it is presumably unaffected. [However, this is not undisputed. It was reported that this fund is affected, but the government later declared that it is not. The question is, in light of all the lies spread by the government, whom are we to believe?]

“The situation is different with the Economic Stabilization Fund (WSF), a crisis fund of up to €200 billion primarily designed to finance energy price controls. It was set up in 2022, and a large part of the money was earmarked for 2023 and 2024. [This fund is clearly affected and can basically not be used.]… Finance Minister and FDP leader Lindner has now imposed a budget freeze

“But what happens then? The SPD, Greens, and FDP appear stumped. One reason for this is that the three parties have fundamentally different positions. The coalition is made up of two more left-leaning parties and one neoliberal party… the SPD and Greens refuse to budge on their climate and social policy goals, which come at a high cost…

“The debt brake is a thorn in the side of many in the SPD and Greens… in view of Germany’s miserable economic data

“Is Germany once again the ‘sick man of Europe’? While the economy is growing in many other countries around the world, Germany hasn’t been able to get back on its feet and has even slipped into recession in 2023. Since the coronavirus pandemic, the German economy has recorded the lowest economic growth in the eurozone, with no rapid turnaround in sight.

“The country is struggling with high energy costs and a shortage of skilled workers. The railroads, roads and bridges are as dilapidated as are many the public buildings, especially schools and universities. Digital infrastructure leaves a lot to be desired…

“What happens in Germany is of international interest. If Europe’s largest economy reduces its investments and spending, it will be felt first by its European neighbors and then by the rest of the world… a reform of the [debt break] rule is only possible with two-thirds majority support in parliament, which currently doesn’t exist.

“The conservative opposition parties CDU and CSU have ruled out any changes… The FDP shares these policy positions. However, the CDU/CSU and FDP don’t have a majority in parliament….”

Of course, changing the debt brake rule would mean, Germany will go out borrowing money to no end, to be able to pursue its controversial climate change goal and other even more controversial green policies. How is that going to help the country?

The miserable state of affairs will change, and Germany will rise again, but NOT under the present divided government.

The Shift to the Right That Actually Isn’t One At All

Report 24 wrote on November 25:

“The recent landslide victory of Wilders’ PVV in the Netherlands is just another step in the changing face of European politics. Mass immigration, migrant riots, foreign crime and terrorism are just one of many reasons for the subjective ‘shift to the right’. Viewed objectively, given the center’s shift to the left, one would rather have to speak of a ‘readjustment‘…

“All it takes is actually a comparison of the current political positions of ‘centre parties’ such as the SPD, CDU/CSU and FDP in Germany or the SPÖ or ÖVP in Austria with those of 30, 40 or 50 years ago. Much of what is considered ‘right’ today was not so long ago a centrist position

“… to put it simply, the normal worker or employee just wants to earn enough money to support his family, go on vacation and not have to worry in old age. Gender asterisks and political correctness? The majority don’t care about that because it doesn’t affect everyday life. But if contributions into the social systems due to mass immigration have to be increased, if there is no longer any increase in purchasing power and if there is a threat of poverty in old age, then people do care. And this whole shift to the left in politics has led in exactly this direction.

“Who would have thought, for example, at the end of the 1990s that the Union [CDU] would one day jump on the left-green bandwagon of climate fanatics, initiate a catastrophic ‘energy transition’ and make German industry dependent on the whims of nature when it comes to wind and sun? The current Ampel coalition is basically just continuing what was started under Angela Merkel. Just with a lot more vehemence and pressure. If, instead of traditional sex education and biology education, schools are shown drag queen porn shows, things won’t get any better.

“And then there are the effects of mass immigration from countries with completely different (sometimes archaic) cultures…

“However, the parties and politicians defamed as ‘right-wing populists’ by the left-liberal pseudo-mainstream are interested in such problems and grievances. What’s more, they are becoming a new ‘mainstream’ by increasingly receiving vote shares of a third or more in elections and surveys in more and more countries. For the establishment, this is a ‘shift to the right’, but in reality, this development is simply a natural correction to find a political balance. A one-sided political landscape with a left-liberal unity party consisting of several factions is no longer a democracy, but in fact a kind of dictatorship in which dissenting opinions are defamed.”

This “readjustment” and “natural correction” is attracting more and more voters.

The Pope’s Jewish Problem

Crux wrote on November 26:

“When Pope Francis was elected in 2013, the forecast among those invested in Jewish-Catholic dialogue generally was rosy. The new pope brought considerable background to the relationship, given that Argentina has the largest Jewish population in Latin America and the sixth largest outside Israel – indeed, the first kosher McDonalds outside Israel was located in a Buenos Aires shopping center…

“And yet, the fact of the matter is that Pope Francis long has had a Jewish problem, and it’s come to the fore anew amid the current war in Gaza. To some extent, the issue is political, having to do with the instinctive sympathy history’s first pope from the developing world feels for the Palestinian cause… There’s also a theological dimension to the angst Francis has generated in Jewish circles, including his frequently disparaging references to the ‘Pharisees… Moreover, there’s a perception that Francis’s campaign to build bridges with Islam sometimes comes at the expense of solidarity with Jews…

“These three sources of tension – the politics of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, the theological approach to Judaism, and the inter-faith balancing act vis-à-vis Islam — are all coming to a head amid the current conflagration. The criticism of the pope’s response to the Gaza war started almost immediately…

“The rabbis wondered aloud what the point has been of decades of Jewish-Catholic dialogue when, in a time of need, what Jews get from the pope isn’t solidarity but ‘diplomatic acrobatics, balancing acts…’

“… it’s impossible to ignore the signs of growing tension. Recently an Italian Jew named Vittorio

Mascarini, who leads a Zionist organization in Italy, wrote in the Jewish News Syndicate: ‘If it continues to maintain its ambiguous position, the Holy See risks its entire relationship with Israel and world Jewry.’

“The war in Gaza has already taken an enormous toll. For Francis, who clearly aspires to be a peace-maker, it undoubtedly would be especially agonizing should his relationship with Jews and Judaism end up being among the casualties.”

In light of the foregoing,  the following article by Israel 365 News, dated November 26, is truly remarkable:

“On Wednesday, the Pope met with families of hostages taken by Hamas. He also met with Palestinians whose relatives were security prisoners in Israeli jails or were in Gaza. No media representatives were present at the meetings but members of the Palestinian delegation told the media that the pope had described Israel’s actions as ‘genocide’. The Vatican spokesman, Matteo Bruni, said he didn’t believe that Francis used that term… The Palestinian delegation insisted nonetheless that Pope Francis described Israel’s military incursion as ‘genocide.’

“After the meeting, the Pope made a speech in St. Peter’s Square  in which he said that he heard ‘how both sides suffer’ and how the war between Israel and Hamas has ‘transformed from war to terror.’…

“The American Jewish Committee tweeted gratitude for the pope’s meeting with families of the hostages and calling for their release, while also criticizing his other remarks and asking for clarification. ‘Hamas’ butchering and kidnapping of civilians is terrorism. Israel’s self-defense is not,’ the AJC wrote. ‘Vatican, please clarify.’”

The Pope’s “balancing act” shows, in effect, where he and the Vatican REALLY stand.

Francis Punishes Critical American Cardinal and Bishop

The Daily Mail wrote on November 29:

“Pope Francis has kicked conservative US Cardinal Raymond Burke out of his Vatican apartment and stripped him of his salary after he criticized the pontiff’s pro-LGBT stance… Burke… is the second American prelate to face punishment in what appears to be a new phase of Francis’ pontificate. This reform-minded period seems to have accelerated with the arrival in September of Francis’ hand-picked new doctrine czar, Argentine Cardinal Victor Fernández.

“Earlier this month, Francis forcibly removed the bishop of Tyler, Texas, Joseph Strickland, another conservative who had also become one of Francis’ critics.

“…  the two seemingly were at odds over COVID-19 vaccines. Francis had been a big proponent of the vaccines and had lashed out at vaccine skeptics, who included some conservative Catholics.”

Did Francis ever repent of and apologize for his inappropriate support of experimental Covid-19 vaccines?

Jesuit Priest: TrumpIs Antichrist, Vote For Biden

Breitbart wrote on November 29:

“In his piece [for the leftwing Religious News Service,]  titled ‘In a World Where Christ Is King, Authoritarian Leaders Can Only Be Antichrists,’ [Jesuit Thomas] Reese asserted that ‘anti-democratic leaders’ like Trump are promising to ‘deliver justice by any means necessary.’…  Reese made reference to the holiday [“the liturgical feast of Christ the King”] to contrast Christ’s kingdom with that of ‘antichrists’ like Donald Trump…

“In 2020, Father Reese stumped for Joe Biden, urging his fellow Catholics to join the ‘grassroots’ group ‘Catholics for Biden.’… Reese also attempted to convince Catholics that it is okay to vote for Catholic candidates who openly flout Church teaching on issues such as abortion… Reese acknowledged that most Catholic Democrats disregard the Church’s moral teaching and ‘agree with Biden that abortion should be legal,’ which removes any moral obstacle for supporting him.”

Did and does the pope know about this “Jesuit logic,” and did and does he endorse his fellow Jesuit’s viewpoint? The liberals in the Vatican and the Catholic Church are clearly winning… for now.

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.

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UFOs—Aliens, Angels or Demons?

Man’s fascination with UFOs and aliens seems to know no bounds. Apart from science fiction movies, more and more reports are being published of people claiming to have seen UFOs or of having had “close encounters of the third kind,” including having allegedly been the victims of alien abductions.

In a recent article by Politico, dated November 17, it was stated:

“Early in Ronald Reagan’s second term, he asked his Soviet counterpart a seemingly off-the-wall question… Reagan turned to his Cold War enemy and said: ‘What would you do if the United States were suddenly attacked by someone from outer space? Would you help us?,’ Gorbachev later recounted. ‘I said, “No doubt about it.” He said, “We too.”’…

“Reagan… had an encounter with a UFO while riding in a plane in the 1970s. Reagan, it turns out, wasn’t the only president who has had a more than passing interest in the possibility of extraterrestrial life. For the past half-century, almost every president has come to office pledging — publicly or privately — to get to the bottom of UFOs…

“Jimmy Carter spotted his UFO while waiting for a Lion’s Club event to start on Jan. 6, 1969… [According to Politico, this UFO was later explained as a man-made natural phenomenon, “a high-altitude rocket-released barium cloud.”]

“Most recently, in 2021, former President Barack Obama spoke about the mystery [saying] ‘that there’s footage and records of objects in the skies that we don’t know exactly what they are. We can’t explain how they moved, their trajectory. They did not have an easily explainable pattern.’”

And so, conspiracies abound to the effect that the government is hiding the truth about aliens and that the remains of an alien body or bodies are kept secret in Roswell.

It must be pointed out that many reported UFO “sightings” and “encounters” can be explained naturally. After all, UFO means “unidentified flying object”—and many, if not most of those “sightings” have a natural origin. When it comes to “strange” occurrences such as alleged encounters or even abductions etc., they can often be explained with hallucinations, wishful thinking and wild human imagination. But some of the reports might be very real, and if so, how can they be explained?

Most associate UFOs with the existence of aliens, even though the Bible nowhere suggests that aliens exist—or have existed—on other planets. While the argument is that the mere biblical silence does not deny their existence, it would be strange if God, the Creator of EVERYTHING, visible and invisible, never even gives a hint of the possibility of such extraterrestrial human-like existence on other planets. From beginning to end, the Bible deals with the human existence on earth… including when man in the future will have been made immortal on a new earth and a new universe.

And so, some associate UFOs, if they believe in them, not with aliens, but with demons or angels.

We state the following in our free booklet, “Angels, Demons and the Spirit World”: 

“Satan and his demons can show great signs and wonders…  Haunted houses, poltergeists, séances, communication with the dead, and contacts with ‘aliens’ are all clearly of demonic origin…

“Satan and demons have the power to transport a human being from one place to another (Matthew 4:5, 8; Luke 4:5, 9). This explains strange encounters with UFOs, where ‘abducted’ people are sometimes found hundreds of miles away from their residence, without knowing how they got there…

“It appears from Scripture that demons cannot materialize themselves the way that angels can. Demons cannot appear as men. They can, however, create an illusion, or an apparition that might look very real to people…”

When we research the topic on the Internet, we find that more often than not, it is claimed that UFOs are holy angels manifesting themselves in some way. It is sometimes claimed that UFOs give us a glimpse of the fights between angels and demons (which do exist, as passages in the book of Daniel clearly prove; compare Daniel 10:13, 20)… even though UFO sightings do not even remotely picture such fights; or that angels have manifested themselves in many different ways, and that they can appear in whatever form and shape they want. This, too, is manifestly wrong. Angels are created spirit beings, but when they manifest themselves, they do so by showing their true appearance in the physical realm, but of course not as glorified spirit beings, except in visions. On the other hand, remember that demons cannot manifest themselves as physical beings (but they can create illusions and apparitions and “lying wonders”).

Furthermore, some say that the Bible proves the existence of UFOs by claiming that fallen angels had sexual intercourse with women. This false teaching is based on a wrong understanding of the passage in Genesis 6. As we explain in our free booklet,  Heavens and Earth… Before and After the First Man,” in chapter 5, that passage describes forbidden sexual relationships between human beings— the unrighteous descendants of Cain and the righteous descendants of Seth.

Is it conceivable, then, that some UFOs could be the manifestations and the activities of holy angels?

Those who propose this concept give certain biblical examples of human encounters with God’s angels (while others use those same examples to “prove” the existence of aliens).

Ezekiel repeatedly saw in a vision four cherubim (Ezekiel, chapters 1 and 10). Some have used this description to say that they depict aliens with spaceships—an idea which had been made popular by Swiss author Erich von Däniken in the late 1960s and more recently by the 2009 movie “Knowing” with Nicolas Cage.

What Ezekiel saw was a clear manifestation, in a vision, of angelic beings carrying the throne of Christ, who in turn delivered a powerful message to Ezekiel to pass on to the people. By contrast, no godly messages are contained in or communicated by UFOs or “alien abductions.”

David saw an angel with a drawn sword to punish Israel. David immediately understood the message and asked God for forgiveness and for the angel to stop slaughtering the Israelites (2 Samuel 24:16-17). In Luke 1, Gabriel appears to Zacharias and to Mary with a clear message. Daniel saw an angel in a vision in Daniel 9 and 10, who passed on a detailed message from God. On the other hand, no clear or even hidden UFO or alien message is communicated to anyone (except in science fiction movies), but all it does is confuse people—and God is not the author of confusion (compare 1 Corinthians 14:33).

We also read that angels appear unrecognized (compare Hebrews 13:2; the example given has to do with testing Christians to see how hospitable they are). Practical examples could perhaps be the appearance of two angels to Lot and to the people of Sodom. Their appearance and their message had clear purpose—to see how many righteous were in Sodom, and to lead Lot out of Sodom before its destruction.

We point out the following in our free booklet, Angels, Demons and the Spirit World”:

“Hebrews 1:14 says about angels: ‘Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?’ Psalm 34:7 adds: ‘The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him [that is, ‘who will inherit salvation’], And delivers them’…

“God sends forth His angels to ‘minister,’ that is, to serve and help man achieve his potential to inherit salvation—eternal life in the Family of God. With this understanding, let’s take note of the particular services that angels are called upon to perform.”

We then explain in our booklet seven purposes, namely:

  • God’s angels protect us from harm;
  • God’s angels are sent to direct, guide and lead us on our path to spiritual salvation;
  • God’s angels guide us in physical ways;
  • God’s angels give us encouragement and strength;
  • God’s angels serve us by punishing the unrighteous;
  • God’s angels serve us when they punish us for our sin;
  • God’s angels serve us by fighting Satan and his demons.

On the other hand, we should realize that what God’s angels don’t and won’t do is:

  • To confuse us;
  • To give us uncertain “messages”;
  • To appear just for show, without any purpose or message;
  • To manifest themselves in ways which clearly do not depict their real appearance, even in the physical realm. Our booklet, Angels, Demons and the Spirit World,” describes the appearance of angels, and they in no way resemble descriptions of those who claim that they had encounters with UFOs and were the victims of alien abductions. Those abductions might have appeared very real to the persons, and it is interesting that many times, they do not “remember” exactly or at all what has happened to them… as somebody under hypnosis has normally no recollection of what happened during the hypnosis when he is “awakened.” (That is why we should NEVER allow someone to hypnotize us.) It is also interesting that many times, those who claimed that they had encounters with aliens had a certain proclivity for the acceptance of such encounters. Finally, the description of those aliens are very similar, so as to create the illusion of their real existence; whereas it seems to be a complete hoax, inspired by demons, to confuse mankind. Again, demons cannot materialize themselves, but they can create illusions which may look very real. Appearances of the “Virgin Mary” might be classic examples.

As pointed out above, when angels do manifest themselves to us, they do it for a clear purpose… to help us, to test us, or to encourage us. Nothing like that can be said about the sightings of UFOs which seem to have no godly purpose at all. What possible godly purpose could there be in UFO sightings? But they give room for speculations regarding the existence of aliens and extraterrestrial spaceships—many times combined with the idea that they are out there to destroy us. If we consider the appearance of UFOs as a godly warning, then we should remember that God condemns those who practice astrology and who observe the clouds or planets for guidance. Deuteronomy 18:14 says, literally, that we are not to observe the clouds—as the study and motion of the clouds was a common way of foretelling good or bad fortune. 2 Chronicles 33:6 draws a clear connection between observing times (or clouds), using enchantments and witchcraft, and dealing with a familiar spirit (a demon) and with wizards.

Could it be that Satan is “preparing” mankind for Christ’s return in the sense that Satan is convincing mankind that the coming Christ will be in fact a hostile alien who will have to be destroyed? We read that armies will fight Christ and His holy angels when they appear (Revelation 17:14; 19:11-14, 19). They may perhaps think He is the Antichrist… or the leader of hostile aliens, riding on “white horses,” which they may interpret as strangely construed “spaceships.”

To summarize, there is little room to assume that UFOs and “close encounters of the third kind” are alien or angelic manifestations. Rather, the evidence points to the divisive activities of demonic forces with the declared goal to confuse and deceive a gullible and God-defying mankind.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

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Preaching the Gospel and Feeding the Flock

compiled by Dave Harris

“Will There Ever Be a Two-State Solution?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

While the war between Israel and Hamas is ongoing, with a temporary cease fire to carry out a ridiculous deal, many are already advocating a permanent cease fire and a two-state solution. They are totally ignorant about the true feelings of most Palestinians. The Bible tells you that some Arab nations, Turkey and Europe under German leadership will try, not to create a two-state solution, but something which would be altogether different, but they won’t succeed.

“Wird es jemals zu einer Zweistaatenlösung kommen?” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Will There Ever Be a Two-State Solution?”

“Über Scham und Sünde,” last Sabbath’s German sermonette presented by Andreas Ratz, is now posted. Title in English: “About Shame and Sin.” 

“Nowhere to Hide,” last Sabbath’s sermonette presented by Eric Rank, is now posted. Here is a summary:

We cannot hide from God. He knows about everything we do. He even knows our most secret thoughts. Do we consider this to be an intrusion on our privacy or do we treat it with honor, knowing that He has an intimate relationship with us?

“Will There Ever Be Peace?” last Sabbath’s sermon presented by Dave Harris, is now posted. Here is a summary:

We hear of “wars and rumors of war,” but we are not hearing of true peace!

Is peace actually possible, now?

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How This Work is Financed

This Update is an official publication by the ministry of the Church of the Eternal God in the United States of America; the Church of God, a Christian Fellowship in Canada; and the Global Church of God in the United Kingdom.

Editorial Team: Norbert Link, Dave Harris, Rene Messier, Brian Gale, Johanna Link, Eric Rank, Michael Link, Anna Link, Kalon Mitchell, Manuela Mitchell, Dawn Thompson

Technical Team: Eric Rank, Shana Rank

Our activities and literature, including booklets, weekly updates, sermons on CD and video and audio broadcasts, are provided free of charge. They are made possible by the tithes, offerings and contributions of Church members and others who have elected to support this Work.

While we do not solicit the general public for funds, contributions are gratefully welcomed and are tax-deductible in the U.S. and Canada.

Donations can be sent to the following addresses:

United States: Church of the Eternal God, P.O. Box 270519, San Diego, CA 92198

Canada: Church of God, ACF, Box 1480, Summerland, B.C. V0H 1Z0

United Kingdom: Global Church of God, PO Box 44, MABLETHORPE, LN12 9AN, United Kingdom

Nowhere to Hide / Will There Ever Be Peace?

On November 25, 2023, Eric Rank will present the sermonette, titled, “Nowhere to Hide,” and Dave Harris will present the sermon, titled, “Will There Ever Be Peace?”

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.

This Week in the News

Javier Milei–New President of Tumultuous Argentina

The New York Post wrote on November 19:

“Argentina elected libertarian outsider Javier Milei as its new president on Sunday, rolling the dice on an outsider with radical views to fix an economy battered by triple-digit inflation, a looming recession and rising poverty…

“Milei’s challenges are enormous. He will have to deal with the empty coffers of the government and central bank, a creaking $44 billion debt program with the International Monetary Fund, inflation nearing 150% and a dizzying array of capital controls…

“… he faces a highly fragmented Congress, with no single bloc having a majority, meaning that he will need to get backing from other factions to push through legislation.”

The Daily Mail wrote on November 19:

“Milei – who is also a prominent economist and radio chat-show host – has spoken about his preference for threesomes, why he believes poor people should be free to sell their body parts, and how he enjoys communicating via telepathy with his dead dog for political advice.

“The far-Right libertarian is also an admirer of Donald Trump…  He prefers to call himself an anarcho-capitalist, which means he’d like to rip up as much government intervention in people’s lives as he can and leave it all to the free market… [His plan] includes getting rid of Argentina’s public health and education systems…

“Milei… has repeatedly taken aim… at Pope Francis, his compatriot, calling him… the ‘representative of the evil one on Earth’ in brutal social media posts…

“A recent biography by journalist Juan Luis González revealed Milei studies telepathy in his spare time and has a medium to ‘communicate’ with [his dog] Conan, who died in 2017, asking him for advice on political matters. Astonishingly, Milei hasn’t denied the claims…

“[He was raised] a Catholic and now said to be converting to Judaism

“He wants to see Argentina ditch the peso and adopt the US dollar as its national currency… he believes his natural allies would be the US and Israel, saying: ‘I don’t want to have anything to do with the communists of Cuba, China and North Korea.’

“On the ever thorny question of the Falkland Islands, which Argentina unsuccessfully tried to grab from Britain in 1982 during the prime ministership of Margaret Thatcher, one of his icons, Milei proposes copying the UK’s transfer of Hong Kong to China in 1997…”

Fox News added on November 19:

“With war unfolding in Israel, Milei also proved popular with the nation’s large Jewish community, the largest in Latin America…”

More of Milei’s Controversial Ideas

LifeSiteNews wrote on November 20:

“Milei called the global agenda to push abortion a ‘bloodthirsty policy, in which some humans believe they should decide who should live and who should not…’

“The designated president of Argentina called the alarmist climate change narrative a ‘socialist lie’…

“While the eccentric politician called out modern ‘sexual education’ as a ‘post-Marxist program’ seeking to destroy the family, he also said that he is against ‘marriage as an institution’ regulated by the state and that people should be free to marry whoever they want, including people of the same sex….”

Milei—a “mixed bag” for sure. Many voters have said they were voting for him as the “lesser evil.”

Trump Congratulates Milei

Mediaite wrote on November 19:

“Former President Donald Trump along with a whole host of other online conservative influencers celebrated the victory of far-right outsider Javier Milei in Argentina’s presidential election…

“‘I am very proud of you. You will turn your Country around and truly Make Argentina Great Again,’ the president wrote to his followers.”

THAT will have to be seen…

Huge Victory of Geert Wilders in the Netherlands

The Associated Press wrote on November 23:

 “Anti-Islam populist Geert Wilders won a huge victory in Dutch elections…  in a stunning lurch to the far right… The result will send shockwaves through Europe, where far-right ideology is on the rise, and puts Wilders in line to lead talks to form the next governing coalition and possibly become the first far-right prime minister of the Netherlands…

 “Wilders’ election program included calls for a referendum on the Netherlands leaving the European Union… He says he wants no mosques or Islamic schools in the country, although he has been milder about Islam during this election campaign than in the past…

 “‘The Dutch will be No. 1 again,’ Wilders said. ‘The people must get their nation back.’ But Wilders, who has in the past been labeled a Dutch version of Donald Trump, first must form a coalition government before he can take the reins of power. That will be tough as mainstream parties are reluctant to join forces with him and his party, but the size of his victory strengthens his hand in any negotiations…

 “Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who… has similarly harsh stances on migration and EU institutions, was quick to congratulate Wilders. ‘The winds of change are here! Congratulations,’ Orban said…

 “The result is the latest in a series of elections that is altering the European political landscape. From Slovakia and Spain, to Germany and Poland, populist and hard-right parties triumphed in some EU member nations and faltered in others.”

 Barron’s added on November 23:

 “Wilders’s PVV may not be able to build a coalition to make him prime minister so he can join the other 26 EU members at their summits. And his hardline plans to expel immigrants would be unlikely to survive legal challenges in the Dutch or European courts. But Europe’s support for Ukraine, grand plans to fight climate change… could be endangered.

“European elections to be held in June will be a new test of Wilders’s popularity… The Netherlands is the seventh most populous EU country and its MEPs — along with right-wingers from countries like Poland, Italy, France and Hungary — could form a powerful group… The PVV… could join the National Rally (RN) of France’s Marine Le Pen and Germany’s AfD in the assembly’s Identity…”

The AfD was also quick in congratulating Wilders.

Deutsche Welle added on November 23:

“Wilders’ victory is expected to have far-reaching consequences in the Netherlandfs and Europe. The anti-EU politician has vowed to halt all immigration, slash Dutch payments to the union and block the entrance of any new members, including Ukraine… Italian far-right leader and Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini also congratulated Wilders. ‘Congratulations to our friend Geert Wilders… for this extraordinary electoral victory. A new Europe is possible.’…

 “From calling Moroccans ‘scum’ to holding competitions for cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, Wilders has built a career from his self-appointed mission to stop an ‘Islamic invasion’ of the West… he was convicted for insulting Moroccans — and death threats that have meant he has been under police protection since 2004.

 “Born in 1963 in southern Venlo, close to the German border, Wilders grew up in a Catholic family with his brother and two sisters. His mother was half-Indonesian, a fact Wilders rarely mentions…”

Newsmax added on November 23:

“Wilders… promised ‘zero immigration’ into the Netherlands by closing the borders and deporting illegal immigrants… He has… likened the Quran to Adolf Hitler’s ‘Mein Kampf’… A decade ago, a ‘Prime Minister Geert Wilders’ would have been unthinkable. But so would a ‘Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’ in Italy. Politics in modern Europe is genuinely unpredictable. And with traditional parties and politicians collapsing, the unthinkable happens with increasing frequency….”

Averting Government Shutdown For Now

The Associated Press wrote on November 17:

 “President Joe Biden signed a temporary spending bill a day before a potential government shutdown…

“The spending package keeps government funding at current levels for roughly two more months while a long-term package is negotiated. It splits the deadlines for passing full-year appropriations bills into two dates: Jan. 19 for some federal agencies and Feb. 2 for others, creating two dates when there will be a risk of a partial government shutdown. The two-step approach was championed by new House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, and was not favored by many in the Senate, though all but one Democrat and 10 Republicans supported it…

“The spending bill does not include the White House’s nearly $106 billion request for wartime aid for Israel and Ukraine. Nor does it provide humanitarian funding for Palestinians and other supplemental requests, including money for border security…”

This was more like a Pyrrhic victory. One wonders how long Johnson will remain the House speaker.

No Slam Dunk Cases Against Trump

On November 17, the New York Post published the following opinion by Jonathan Turley, attorney and professor at George Washington University Law School:

“Trump’s greatest threat of conviction remains in Florida, where he is facing federal charges related to his retention of classified documents. But the judge in that case seems inclined to delay it, perhaps even until after the election. And with reports that President Biden will not face charges in his own handling of classified documents, Trump has a political rallying cry that — correctly or not — he’s being treated differently.

“So that leaves the two cases surrounding the 2020 election.

“In Georgia, a slew of former lawyers are taking pleas with promises to testify if called. Some of their depositions have been leaked, much to the dismay of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. She has reason to be alarmed because some of the leaked interviews hit hard at the weakest link in her conspiracy case. For instance, Sidney Powell stated that Trump clearly believed that he had won the election when he was challenging the results in the courts and Congress. Powell pleaded to misdemeanors for a deal that avoids jail time and preserves her ability to resume the practice of law. She notably did not plead guilty to the sweeping racketeering charges brought by Willis to link Trump in an effort to subvert the election.

“I previously wrote that the Achilles heel of the racketeering case was Trump’s state of mind: ‘As a threshold matter, one problem is immediately evident. If Trump actually did (or does) believe that he did not lose the election, the indictment collapses.’ That’s exactly what Powell argues. Trump had ‘general instincts that something wasn’t right here’… That supplies a key defense for Trump: that he believed assurances from counsel that he had a case to make in challenging the election.

“Powell’s statement will also present challenges to special counsel Jack Smith, who has a parallel case in Washington, DC. While both prosecutors benefit from heavily favorable jury pools in staunchly Democratic strongholds, it requires only one holdout juror to result in a hung jury. Smith has admitted that Trump’s election claims were protected under the First Amendment but claims that, at some point, they became criminal lies. But Smith fails to explain when that line was clearly crossed — a dangerous ambiguity for free speech, particularly in the context of an election.

“Smith ignores past election challenges by Democrats that were made without factual or legal support, including the challenge in Congress to certify Trump’s victory in 2016 by figures like Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.). The statement of Powell only magnifies those concerns over the lack of a clear line between political advocacy and criminal conduct in future cases…

“Trump has long been portrayed as a megalomaniac in the media who never apologizes or accepts failure. It is perfectly consistent that a man long described as having an inflated self-image would not accept that he is a loser. That long-held journalistic view is now a viable criminal defense….”

Also, the gag order by biased judge Arthur Engoron in the New York case against Trump and his attorneys was stayed by the Court of Appeal, allowing Trump to continue making statements against the biased clerk. His motion for a mistrial because of alleged misconduct by Engoron and his clerk was, of course, denied by Engoron, who was subsequently accused by Trump attorney Alina Habba of refusing to take responsibility.

The fact that Biden will apparently not be indicted for illegally retaining documents should convince everyone how weaponized and corrupt the Justice Department has become. Unlike Trump, Biden was not President when he retained the classified documents in his garage, in China Town and at other places, so he did not have any privilege or legal justification to retain those documents. The same is true, by the way, for Hillary Clinton. Why are they not being indicted? So, the illegal witch hunt against Trump by an authoritarian radical left-wing government and its corrupt agents continues.

Also, a Colorado district judge ruled that Donald Trump must be placed on the ballot in the 2024 presidential contest. Even though she ruled, quite ridiculously, that Trump did engage in insurrection on January 6, 2021, she also ruled that he was not an officer of the United States as defined by the Fourteenth Amendment, which is only limited to “Senator or Representative in Congress” and “elector of President and Vice President” but does not include the “President.”

As Breitbart explained on November 17:

“A federal court in New Hampshire recently dismissed a similar case… A Minnesota state court recently dismissed a lawsuit aiming to keep Trump off that state’s primary ballot. And a Michigan Court of Claims judge ruled that the Secretary of State must list Trump on the ballot as well. An appeal is likely. The Colorado case, or another similar case in another state, could likely land before the Supreme Court, which has never before ruled on the Civil War-era amendment.”

E-Bikes Set New York on Fire

The New York Post wrote on November 19:

“A powerful fire obliterated a Brooklyn brownstone. Three people from three generations of the West family, ages 33 to 81, perished.  As has become common over three years, the cause was a battery charging an e-scooter, blocking exits. 

“So far, 17 of this year’s 93 fire deaths are from such batteries. Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh calls it ‘devastating.’

“Twenty-seven New Yorkers have died in these fires since 2021, the year after the city legalized e-bikes and similar devices. (No one had ever died in such a fire before.) …  e-battery fire deaths exceed electrical fire deaths…

“The only way to prevent more deaths is for the FDNY to call for a ban on residential e-battery storage and charging, just as it bans home storage of gasoline and other flammable or hazardous materials…”

e-Bikes ARE dangerous.

Why Antisemitism in Christian Churches

Israel 365 News wrote on November 19:

“A deeply disturbing trend has been emerging in the last 6 weeks since the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas. I am seeing antisemitism within the Conservative Christian camp in many arenas…  However, this form of antisemitism is not out-and-out Jew-hatred. It is much more subtle, and therefore, perhaps more dangerous…

“How can this be?

“I believe it goes back to the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden… I believe it is because these newscasters over-focus on the DARK SIDE. They are plucking fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil and eating mostly EVIL fruit

“What is Replacement Theology?  In a nutshell, it is the false teaching that the church has replaced Israel, that the covenants God made with Israel and the Jewish people are null and void, and that those covenants now apply to the church. The ‘New Testament’ has replaced the ‘Old Testament’.   Nothing could be further from the truth!…

“The roots of Replacement Theology [go] back many centuries. One of those roots goes back to Martin Luther, the father of the Protestant Reformation… did you know that he wrote a book… called ‘On the Jews and their Lies’?  It was filled with hateful diatribes against the Jews. 

“… Did you know that, 400 years later, the Nazis revered Martin Luther, and his book was widely circulated and read? And did you know that ‘Kristallnacht’, the ‘Night of Broken Glass’, happened not on just any random day, but was chosen to happen on Nov 9-10, 1938, in honor of Martin Luther’s birthday? (his date of birth: Nov 10, 1483)

“His words were put into ACTION by the Nazis 400 years later. So one of the ROOTS of Replacement Theology gave us a very evil fruit! Kristallnacht is what kicked off the Holocaust. The Western civilized world was silent. The churches were silent…”

Antisemitism can be seen, not only in Arab nations, in pro-Hamas supporters demonstrating in the streets of London, Paris, Washington DC and Berlin, as well as on college campuses, and in liberal leftists who are funding the Pro-Hamas demonstrations in America—it can also be seen in “Christian” churches, which is truly disturbing.

Worldwide Volcanic Eruptions

Israel 365 News reported on November 17:

“… at least 19 volcanoes are currently erupting around the world… The eruptions are on several disperse continents and countries but particular focus is being directed towards Iceland where scientists warn that a recent week-long wave of over 1,200 earthquakes presages a period of prolonged and intense seismic unrest. The strongest quake measured 3.8 but the micro-quakes signalled activity below the surface.

“Scientists estimate that a layer of magma is about 500 meters below the surface and is working its way to the surface… But the real fear is that an eruption is part of a 1,000-year cycle of volcanic activity that will likely cause eruptions for centuries…

“The last volcano in Iceland to cause international mayhem was Eyjafjallajökull, which erupted in 2010. A huge ash cloud that rose five miles into the sky and grounded flights across Europe, forcing its airspace to shut down.

“The topic of ‘volcanoes’ became relevant to the conflict in Israel. On Saturday, Hezbollah claimed to have fired a Burkan 2-H missile at Israel bearing a 100 kilogram warhead. Burkan means ‘volcano’ in Arabic.”

The Devastating Impact of Nuclear War on the USA

Daily Mail wrote on November 17:

“About 300 million people in the United States would be put at risk of death from exposure to radioactive fallout in the four days following a nuclear attack, according to a new report that models the possible effects of such a grim event. 

“If the US is attacked with nuclear weapons, an adversary would most likely concentrate all fire on the country’s intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch facilities (silos). Any retaliatory attack from the US would come from these silos, located in Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Wyoming — and taking them out would be an enemy’s first priority…

“Depending on weather conditions, 90 percent of the population of the lower 48 U.S states, as well as people living in Mexico’s northern states and the most populous regions of Canada, would be at risk of receiving lethal doses of radiation…

“The editors of Scientific American commissioned the special report because the US government is in the midst of a $1.5 trillion project to refresh its obsolete nuclear weapons, including the ones stored at these silos in the western states. Their message is unambiguous: ‘We should rethink this miserable folly rather than once again squandering our wealth while driving a new arms race.’”

Even though most feel that a nuclear attack might be launched on the USA by Russia or China, the truth is that it will be another, basically overlooked power which will destroy the USA in a nuclear war.

France’s Long-Range Ballistic Missile Test

Newsmax wrote on November 19:

“France has successfully test-fired an M51.3 long-range ballistic missile, boosting the credibility of France’s nuclear deterrence capabilities…

“The missile, which did not carry a nuclear weapon, was fired from the French army’s Biscarosse missile testing site in southwest France and landed in the North Atlantic, ‘hundreds of kilometers from any coastline’ the ministry said, without giving further detail…”

American Presidents’ Fascination with UFOs

Politico wrote on November 17:

“Early in Ronald Reagan’s second term, he asked his Soviet counterpart a seemingly off-the-wall question… Reagan turned to his Cold War enemy and said: ‘What would you do if the United States were suddenly attacked by someone from outer space? Would you help us?’ Gorbachev later recounted. ‘I said, “No doubt about it.” He said, “We too.”’…

“Reagan… had an encounter with a UFO while riding in a plane in the 1970s.

“Reagan, it turns out, wasn’t the only president who has had a more than passing interest in the possibility of extraterrestrial life. For the past half-century, almost every president has come to office pledging — publicly or privately — to get to the bottom of UFOs…

“Like his Oval Office predecessors, the former Arkansas governor [Bill Clinton] had expressed interest in aliens as soon as he had taken the oath of office…

Jimmy Carter spotted his UFO while waiting for a Lion’s Club event to start on Jan. 6, 1969… As Carter campaigned in ’76 against Ford, he promised he would open up the nation’s UFO secrets… But, once in the Oval Office, Carter never followed up on his pledge. Whatever the government was hiding would stay hidden…

“Most recently, in 2021, former President Barack Obama spoke about the mystery — what the government by then called UAPs, unidentified anomalous phenomenon — telling late night host James Corden, ‘When I came into office, I was like ‘All right, is there the lab somewhere where we’re keeping the alien specimens and spaceship?’ And you know, they did a little bit of research and the answer was ‘no.’ But what is true — and I’m actually being serious here — is that there’s footage and records of objects in the skies that we don’t know exactly what they are. We can’t explain how they moved, their trajectory. They did not have an easily explainable pattern.’

“It was a remarkable statement and one that hinted at how long-standing — and real — the mystery of UFOs was, even to commanders in chief who, presumably, would have had access to answers if there were ones.”

It must be admitted that many reported UFO “sightings” and “encounters” can be explained naturally, or because of wild human imagination. But some of the reports might be very real, and if so, they would be based on Satanic and demonic deception.

More Trouble for the German Government

“Deutsche Welle wrote on November 21:

“A matter-of-fact announcement was issued by the Finance Ministry on Monday evening: With immediate effect, a spending freeze applies to almost the entire budget for 2023, it read. This drastic step was taken due to ‘the need to review the overall budgetary situation for the federal budget,’ read a statement from the ministry.

“The government is sending the message that it considers last week’s dramatic landmark ruling by Germany’s highest judges to have much more severe consequences than initially thought… [It] was a political bombshell for Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his federal government. It ruled that the government cannot reallocate €60 billion meant to fight the COVID-19 pandemic to instead address climate change.

“… Germany’s three-way coalition government is not marching in one direction… the government’s approval rating among voters has hit rock bottom. Fresh elections would therefore likely hurt all three parties. The SPD, Greens and FDP are desperately seeking a solution — one that’s nowhere in sight.”

Focus added on November 22:

“Next ‘Ampel’ [German coalition government] shock… 200 billion euro fund can no longer be used.

“After the budget ruling of the Constitutional Court, the Federal Ministry of Finance also blocked the Economic Stabilization Fund (WSF). Due to the Karlsruhe decision, the WSF credit authorizations ‘could no longer be used in 2023 according to the current legal situation’, it says…

“‘In order to avoid further burdens on the budget for this year and burdens for future financial years’, ‘all of the expenditures for 2023 which have not been spent already… are blocked with immediate effect,” it says… ‘Consent from the Federal Ministry of Finance’ is therefore required for any WSF expenditure that is still necessary.”

The spending freeze also included the German military.

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 23:

“German Finance Minister Christian Lindner plans to present a supplementary budget next week for the current year that lifts borrowing limits… A decision to suspend a so-called debt brake will allow the government to significantly increase new borrowing this year…”

As a consequence, one of the Coalition parties (the FDP) is going to ask their members in a formal poll as to how they feel about staying in or departing from the government.

Erdogan in Germany

Reuters wrote on November 17:

“Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Friday suggested that Germany supported Israel in the Gaza war out of guilt over the Holocaust and drew a contrast with Turkey, which he said was able to speak without bias…. ‘Those who feel indebted to Israel cannot speak freely. We did not go through the Holocaust process, we don’t have such a situation, because our respect for humanity is different,’ the Turkish president said…

“Erdogan’s comment in Berlin went to the heart of Germany’s post-war identity, which is based on deep atonement for the Holocaust. Germany systematically killed 6 million Jews and 5 million other victims during World War Two. Modern Israel was founded in 1948 as a safe haven for Jews. [Chancelor] Scholz did not respond directly to Erdogan’s remarks but restated Germany’s commitment to Israel’s right to defend itself.

“… Erdogan’s trip was his first visit to Germany in four years. Erdogan, whose party faces key local elections next year, could benefit from Scholz’s backing for modernising Turkey’s customs union with the European Union and visa-free EU travel for Turks. Scholz, dealing with a court ruling that blew a 60-billion-euro hole in his budget, a coalition row over the economy and rising immigration, needs Ankara’s help in stemming migration to the EU…

“Scholz declined to respond to a question on whether he would approve the sale of the 40 Eurofighter warplanes that Turkey wants. His approval would be needed since Germany is a member of the British-French-Spanish consortium that makes them. Erdogan said he could go elsewhere if Scholz did not agree… Berlin would also like to see Turkey give its final approval to Sweden’s accession to the NATO military alliance. Though Erdogan has dropped his objections, the Turkish parliament has yet to ratify Sweden’s membership.”

Aljazeera added on November 17:

“The two countries have always been, as characterised by Scholz’s spokesman, ‘uncomfortable partners.’ Berlin has been a loud critic of Erdogan’s clampdown on domestic dissent… Despite their differences, economic cooperation between the two countries has continued, with bilateral trade reaching a record 51.6 billion euros ($56.2bn) in 2022.

“Germany is home to the largest Turkish diaspora abroad. A majority of the Turkish community of three million are supporters of Erdogan.”

The Local wrote on November 17, prior to Erdogan’s arrival in Germany:

“The daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung said Germany offered the ‘ideal stage’ for Erdogan to position himself as a voice for the ‘global south’. ‘As the loudest critic of Israel, he is underlining his demand for leadership of the Islamic world,’ said the daily…

“Josef Schuster, president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, said Erdogan did not deserve to be trusted. ‘Anyone who not only denies Israel’s right to exist but also actively fights against it should not a be a partner for German politicians,’ he told newspaper group RND.”

“Israel’s End Is Near”

Israel Today wrote on November 19, prior to his arrival in Germany:

“Turkish President… Erdogan told his country’s parliament on Wednesday that Israel would soon be destroyed. ‘Right now, I am openly saying with clear conscience that Israel is a terrorist state,’ said Erdoğan.

“While this comment was widely reported, his subsequent remarks went largely unnoticed. ‘Hey Israel: You have an atomic bomb, a nuclear bomb. And you are making threats with this. We know this. And your end is near,’ said Erdoğan. ‘You can have as many nuclear bombs as you want, but you’re on your way out,’ he added.

“Turkish lawmakers responded to the message with a thunderous standing ovation.”

Israel will NOT be totally destroyed, but it will receive a “wound”—a military defeat—prior to the Great Tribulation, and it will be occupied during the Great Tribulation by a foreign power. Turkey will have a terrible part in this.

Erdogan Sharply Attacks the Federal Government After His Visit to Germany

Focus wrote on November 19:

“As soon as he returned to Turkey, the ruler [Erdogan] attacked the federal government harshly. According to ‘Bild’, the Turkish president accused the federal government in a speech of being involved in a ‘crusader-imperialist structure’.

“‘Unfortunately, I discovered that during my visit last night,’ the Turkish president was quoted as saying by the tabloid newspaper. ‘I saw that with President [Frank-Walter Steinmeier] and with the other one too’—the ‘other one’ was a reference to Chancellor [Olaf] Scholz.”

This love-hate relationship between Germany and Turkey does not prevent economic and military cooperation.

“Deal” Between Israel and Hamas

Deutsche Welel wrote on November 22:

“Israel and Hamas agreed on Wednesday to a four-day pause in fighting in Gaza to allow the release of 50 hostages held in the strip in exchange for 150 Palestinians imprisoned in Israel… Hamas said hundreds of humanitarian, medical and fuel aid trucks would be allowed to enter Gaza during the temporary truce… ‘The number of those released will be increased in later stages of implementing the agreement,’ the Foreign Ministry in Qatar [which “mediated” the deal] wrote on X, formerly Twitter…

“The agreement came amid mounting pressure from the hostages’ families and the international

community… ‘The government of Israel is obligated to return home all of the hostages,’ Netanyahu’s office wrote on X… Netanyahu… said the war in the Gaza Strip would continue after the pause until his government has achieved all its goals, including the elimination of Hamas, which is considered a terrorist group by Israel, the European Union, the United States, and others…

“Israel said it would extend the four-day pause by an additional day for every ten hostages released by Hamas. Israel’s Justice Ministry published a list of 300 names of Palestinian prisoners who could be freed. The list represents twice the number of people initially slated for release — 150 Palestinian women and children.

“Meanwhile, Hamas said the truce would not halt their broader fight. ‘As we announce the striking of a truce agreement, we affirm that our fingers remain on the trigger, and our victorious fighters will remain on the look-out to defend our people and defeat the occupation,’ it said.”

Daily Mail added on November 22:

“Among those released are operatives of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Fatah and the Popular Front and some were tried in military courts and some in civilian courts. Half will be released in the first stage with the second depending on how the ceasefire and exchange of hostages goes.”

It is clear that as of now, with this deal, Hamas has won and Israel has lost. As one observer commented: Hamas is getting all what they want.

Newsmax wrote on November 22:

“Not only has President Joe Biden’s watch seen two wars erupt, in Ukraine and Gaza, but  pro-Hamas leftists have forced Israel to negotiate with terrorists, former Trump administration Ambassador Ric Grenell told Newsmax Wednesday… America under past presidents would hunt the terrorists down and eradicate them, Grenell lamented… Biden’s administration is ‘pressuring Israel to cut deals,’ and even unfair ones, Grenell continued… ‘Israel had to go into its prisons to find 150 people who were convicted of crimes, brutal crimes in some instances, to exchange for 50 innocent people — 50 of the 200,’ Grenell said…

Negotiating with terrorists is never a winning strategy and only further ups ‘the ante’ for hostages, including for a Biden administration that was forced to release $6 billion to Iran before Hamas’ Oct. 7 terrorist attack… ‘This is outrageous, and it’s going to make us less safe.’”

Sadly, Grenell is absolutely correct.

Ukraine’s Membership in the EU—“Light Years Away”

The Associated Press wrote on November 19:

“Hungary’s prime minister said Saturday that Ukraine is ‘light years away’ from joining the European Union…

“Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said he and his government would ‘resist’ talks scheduled for mid-December on whether to formally invite Ukraine to start membership negotiations. Admitting a new country requires unanimous approval from all existing member countries, giving Orbán a powerful veto… Orbán said… that standing in the way of Ukraine joining the EU would be one of his government’s top priorities in the coming months…

“Orbán… has argued that negotiations should not begin with a country that is at war…”

Ukraine will not become part of the EU. Rather, Ukraine will be united with Russia.

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.

Update 1091

Nowhere to Hide / Will There Ever Be Peace?

On November 25, 2023, Eric Rank will present the sermonette, titled, “Nowhere to Hide,” and Dave Harris will present the sermon, titled, “Will There Ever Be Peace?”

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.

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Arbitrary Ethics

by Eric Rank

I took an introductory course in Philosophy when I was in my first semester of college. While I don’t remember a lot of what I learned at that time, I do recall our discussions about various theories of morality. Utilitarianism is one such theory that measures whether an action is right or wrong on a continuum of how much happiness it would produce. According to this theory, the most virtuous actions are the ones that produce the most happiness and least unhappiness. In a purely carnal sense, it sounds appealing. But it is troublesome to consider that there is no standard by which an action could be viewed as being right in an absolute sense. Morality is judged purely based on the arbitrary whim of humanly defined happiness produced in the individuals affected. This bothered me then, and it bothers me now. I never cared to take any additional courses in the field of ethics because to me it seemed that it was all baseless rhetoric.

Today we see the dominant ethics in our society disturbingly driven by what man judges is right, without any regard to an authoritative standard. Modern society wants to do what it wants, and condemns anyone who says that an action is wrong. As such, abortion, stealing, lying, and perversions of all sorts are confoundingly celebrated by so many. The ethics of mankind today seem to be based only upon hedonistic, self-serving desire. I find this quite disturbing.

We know from the pages of the Bible that behaving without the guidance of God’s immutable standard of law will lead to a disastrous outcome. “For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish” (Psalm 1:6). A sinful practice of life is one that ignores God’s commandments, choosing instead to be directed by personal desire. By way of contrast, living a righteous Way of Life requires learning and practicing obedience to God’s laws. But the carnal nature of people fights against this standard. Carnal desire is at enmity with God (compare Romans 8:7). Therefore, without God to set the standard of ethics, people are doomed to perish!

It’s unfortunate that such a simple Truth is so undesirable to man. Ironically, rates of depression and suicide are so high, yet people don’t consider whether their code of ethics based on maximizing carnal pleasure might be the root cause. The answer for how to make a correction is simple. God makes the path to joy, prosperity and success very clear: “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” (Joshua 1:8). Not only does obedience to God’s law lead to righteousness, it also leads to a truly happy life. Many of us who have decided to try this out have proven it to ourselves. God’s Way works.

We are privileged to know that God establishes the true standard by which we can discern between actions that are right and wrong. We don’t have to worry about figuring it out for ourselves or debating with our peers. We can be satisfied in knowing that the Truth was established long ago, and that it works then, now, and forever. “Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And Your law is truth” (Psalm 119:142). The world around us might be lost, but we have a perfect standard to live by.

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by Norbert Link

We begin with the surprising election of controversial “outsider” and Trump supporterJavier Milei as the new president of tumultuous Argentina and a description of Milei’s—at times—outrageous ideas and behavior; and we continue with the stunning victory of Geert Wilders (the Dutch “Donald Trump”) in the Netherlands; and a last-minute effort to avert—for now—a governmental shutdown in the USA and an analysis of the legal troubles for Donald Trump.

We speak—again—on the real dangers of e-bikes; and some of the reasons for antisemitism in “Christian” churches.

We report on worldwide volcanic eruptions and the devastating consequences of a nuclear attack on the USA (which is biblically prophesied to occur). We also address France’s ambitions to prove its nuclear abilities.

We continue with the fascination of American Presidents with UFOs; more trouble for the German government; Turkish President Erdogan’s controversial visit in Germany and his outlandish statements; and the highly controversial Israel-Hamas “deal”; and we conclude with Hungary’s assessment of the improbability of Ukraine’s membership in the EU.

Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled,  “The Foolish Hamas-Israel Deal—and What It Means!”

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

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Javier Milei–New President of Tumultuous Argentina

The New York Post wrote on November 19:

“Argentina elected libertarian outsider Javier Milei as its new president on Sunday, rolling the dice on an outsider with radical views to fix an economy battered by triple-digit inflation, a looming recession and rising poverty…

“Milei’s challenges are enormous. He will have to deal with the empty coffers of the government and central bank, a creaking $44 billion debt program with the International Monetary Fund, inflation nearing 150% and a dizzying array of capital controls…

“… he faces a highly fragmented Congress, with no single bloc having a majority, meaning that he will need to get backing from other factions to push through legislation.”

The Daily Mail wrote on November 19:

“Milei – who is also a prominent economist and radio chat-show host – has spoken about his preference for threesomes, why he believes poor people should be free to sell their body parts, and how he enjoys communicating via telepathy with his dead dog for political advice.

“The far-Right libertarian is also an admirer of Donald Trump…  He prefers to call himself an anarcho-capitalist, which means he’d like to rip up as much government intervention in people’s lives as he can and leave it all to the free market… [His plan] includes getting rid of Argentina’s public health and education systems…

“Milei… has repeatedly taken aim… at Pope Francis, his compatriot, calling him… the ‘representative of the evil one on Earth’ in brutal social media posts…

“A recent biography by journalist Juan Luis González revealed Milei studies telepathy in his spare time and has a medium to ‘communicate’ with [his dog] Conan, who died in 2017, asking him for advice on political matters. Astonishingly, Milei hasn’t denied the claims…

“[He was raised] a Catholic and now said to be converting to Judaism

“He wants to see Argentina ditch the peso and adopt the US dollar as its national currency… he believes his natural allies would be the US and Israel, saying: ‘I don’t want to have anything to do with the communists of Cuba, China and North Korea.’

“On the ever thorny question of the Falkland Islands, which Argentina unsuccessfully tried to grab from Britain in 1982 during the prime ministership of Margaret Thatcher, one of his icons, Milei proposes copying the UK’s transfer of Hong Kong to China in 1997…”

Fox News added on November 19:

“With war unfolding in Israel, Milei also proved popular with the nation’s large Jewish community, the largest in Latin America…”

More of Milei’s Controversial Ideas

LifeSiteNews wrote on November 20:

“Milei called the global agenda to push abortion a ‘bloodthirsty policy, in which some humans believe they should decide who should live and who should not…’

“The designated president of Argentina called the alarmist climate change narrative a ‘socialist lie’…

“While the eccentric politician called out modern ‘sexual education’ as a ‘post-Marxist program’ seeking to destroy the family, he also said that he is against ‘marriage as an institution’ regulated by the state and that people should be free to marry whoever they want, including people of the same sex….”

Milei—a “mixed bag” for sure. Many voters have said they were voting for him as the “lesser evil.”

Trump Congratulates Milei

Mediaite wrote on November 19:

“Former President Donald Trump along with a whole host of other online conservative influencers celebrated the victory of far-right outsider Javier Milei in Argentina’s presidential election…

“‘I am very proud of you. You will turn your Country around and truly Make Argentina Great Again,’ the president wrote to his followers.”

THAT will have to be seen…

Huge Victory of Geert Wilders in the Netherlands

The Associated Press wrote on November 23:

 “Anti-Islam populist Geert Wilders won a huge victory in Dutch elections…  in a stunning lurch to the far right… The result will send shockwaves through Europe, where far-right ideology is on the rise, and puts Wilders in line to lead talks to form the next governing coalition and possibly become the first far-right prime minister of the Netherlands…

 “Wilders’ election program included calls for a referendum on the Netherlands leaving the European Union… He says he wants no mosques or Islamic schools in the country, although he has been milder about Islam during this election campaign than in the past…

 “‘The Dutch will be No. 1 again,’ Wilders said. ‘The people must get their nation back.’ But Wilders, who has in the past been labeled a Dutch version of Donald Trump, first must form a coalition government before he can take the reins of power. That will be tough as mainstream parties are reluctant to join forces with him and his party, but the size of his victory strengthens his hand in any negotiations…

 “Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who… has similarly harsh stances on migration and EU institutions, was quick to congratulate Wilders. ‘The winds of change are here! Congratulations,’ Orban said…

 “The result is the latest in a series of elections that is altering the European political landscape. From Slovakia and Spain, to Germany and Poland, populist and hard-right parties triumphed in some EU member nations and faltered in others.”

 Barron’s added on November 23:

 “Wilders’s PVV may not be able to build a coalition to make him prime minister so he can join the other 26 EU members at their summits. And his hardline plans to expel immigrants would be unlikely to survive legal challenges in the Dutch or European courts. But Europe’s support for Ukraine, grand plans to fight climate change… could be endangered.

“European elections to be held in June will be a new test of Wilders’s popularity… The Netherlands is the seventh most populous EU country and its MEPs — along with right-wingers from countries like Poland, Italy, France and Hungary — could form a powerful group… The PVV… could join the National Rally (RN) of France’s Marine Le Pen and Germany’s AfD in the assembly’s Identity…”

The AfD was also quick in congratulating Wilders.

Deutsche Welle added on November 23:

“Wilders’ victory is expected to have far-reaching consequences in the Netherlandfs and Europe. The anti-EU politician has vowed to halt all immigration, slash Dutch payments to the union and block the entrance of any new members, including Ukraine… Italian far-right leader and Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini also congratulated Wilders. ‘Congratulations to our friend Geert Wilders… for this extraordinary electoral victory. A new Europe is possible.’…

 “From calling Moroccans ‘scum’ to holding competitions for cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, Wilders has built a career from his self-appointed mission to stop an ‘Islamic invasion’ of the West… he was convicted for insulting Moroccans — and death threats that have meant he has been under police protection since 2004.

 “Born in 1963 in southern Venlo, close to the German border, Wilders grew up in a Catholic family with his brother and two sisters. His mother was half-Indonesian, a fact Wilders rarely mentions…”

Newsmax added on November 23:

“Wilders… promised ‘zero immigration’ into the Netherlands by closing the borders and deporting illegal immigrants… He has… likened the Quran to Adolf Hitler’s ‘Mein Kampf’… A decade ago, a ‘Prime Minister Geert Wilders’ would have been unthinkable. But so would a ‘Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’ in Italy. Politics in modern Europe is genuinely unpredictable. And with traditional parties and politicians collapsing, the unthinkable happens with increasing frequency….”

Averting Government Shutdown For Now

The Associated Press wrote on November 17:

 “President Joe Biden signed a temporary spending bill a day before a potential government shutdown…

“The spending package keeps government funding at current levels for roughly two more months while a long-term package is negotiated. It splits the deadlines for passing full-year appropriations bills into two dates: Jan. 19 for some federal agencies and Feb. 2 for others, creating two dates when there will be a risk of a partial government shutdown. The two-step approach was championed by new House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, and was not favored by many in the Senate, though all but one Democrat and 10 Republicans supported it…

“The spending bill does not include the White House’s nearly $106 billion request for wartime aid for Israel and Ukraine. Nor does it provide humanitarian funding for Palestinians and other supplemental requests, including money for border security…”

This was more like a Pyrrhic victory. One wonders how long Johnson will remain the House speaker.

No Slam Dunk Cases Against Trump

On November 17, the New York Post published the following opinion by Jonathan Turley, attorney and professor at George Washington University Law School:

“Trump’s greatest threat of conviction remains in Florida, where he is facing federal charges related to his retention of classified documents. But the judge in that case seems inclined to delay it, perhaps even until after the election. And with reports that President Biden will not face charges in his own handling of classified documents, Trump has a political rallying cry that — correctly or not — he’s being treated differently.

“So that leaves the two cases surrounding the 2020 election.

“In Georgia, a slew of former lawyers are taking pleas with promises to testify if called. Some of their depositions have been leaked, much to the dismay of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. She has reason to be alarmed because some of the leaked interviews hit hard at the weakest link in her conspiracy case. For instance, Sidney Powell stated that Trump clearly believed that he had won the election when he was challenging the results in the courts and Congress. Powell pleaded to misdemeanors for a deal that avoids jail time and preserves her ability to resume the practice of law. She notably did not plead guilty to the sweeping racketeering charges brought by Willis to link Trump in an effort to subvert the election.

“I previously wrote that the Achilles heel of the racketeering case was Trump’s state of mind: ‘As a threshold matter, one problem is immediately evident. If Trump actually did (or does) believe that he did not lose the election, the indictment collapses.’ That’s exactly what Powell argues. Trump had ‘general instincts that something wasn’t right here’… That supplies a key defense for Trump: that he believed assurances from counsel that he had a case to make in challenging the election.

“Powell’s statement will also present challenges to special counsel Jack Smith, who has a parallel case in Washington, DC. While both prosecutors benefit from heavily favorable jury pools in staunchly Democratic strongholds, it requires only one holdout juror to result in a hung jury. Smith has admitted that Trump’s election claims were protected under the First Amendment but claims that, at some point, they became criminal lies. But Smith fails to explain when that line was clearly crossed — a dangerous ambiguity for free speech, particularly in the context of an election.

“Smith ignores past election challenges by Democrats that were made without factual or legal support, including the challenge in Congress to certify Trump’s victory in 2016 by figures like Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.). The statement of Powell only magnifies those concerns over the lack of a clear line between political advocacy and criminal conduct in future cases…

“Trump has long been portrayed as a megalomaniac in the media who never apologizes or accepts failure. It is perfectly consistent that a man long described as having an inflated self-image would not accept that he is a loser. That long-held journalistic view is now a viable criminal defense….”

Also, the gag order by biased judge Arthur Engoron in the New York case against Trump and his attorneys was stayed by the Court of Appeal, allowing Trump to continue making statements against the biased clerk. His motion for a mistrial because of alleged misconduct by Engoron and his clerk was, of course, denied by Engoron, who was subsequently accused by Trump attorney Alina Habba of refusing to take responsibility.

The fact that Biden will apparently not be indicted for illegally retaining documents should convince everyone how weaponized and corrupt the Justice Department has become. Unlike Trump, Biden was not President when he retained the classified documents in his garage, in China Town and at other places, so he did not have any privilege or legal justification to retain those documents. The same is true, by the way, for Hillary Clinton. Why are they not being indicted? So, the illegal witch hunt against Trump by an authoritarian radical left-wing government and its corrupt agents continues.

Also, a Colorado district judge ruled that Donald Trump must be placed on the ballot in the 2024 presidential contest. Even though she ruled, quite ridiculously, that Trump did engage in insurrection on January 6, 2021, she also ruled that he was not an officer of the United States as defined by the Fourteenth Amendment, which is only limited to “Senator or Representative in Congress” and “elector of President and Vice President” but does not include the “President.”

As Breitbart explained on November 17:

“A federal court in New Hampshire recently dismissed a similar case… A Minnesota state court recently dismissed a lawsuit aiming to keep Trump off that state’s primary ballot. And a Michigan Court of Claims judge ruled that the Secretary of State must list Trump on the ballot as well. An appeal is likely. The Colorado case, or another similar case in another state, could likely land before the Supreme Court, which has never before ruled on the Civil War-era amendment.”

E-Bikes Set New York on Fire

The New York Post wrote on November 19:

“A powerful fire obliterated a Brooklyn brownstone. Three people from three generations of the West family, ages 33 to 81, perished.  As has become common over three years, the cause was a battery charging an e-scooter, blocking exits. 

“So far, 17 of this year’s 93 fire deaths are from such batteries. Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh calls it ‘devastating.’

“Twenty-seven New Yorkers have died in these fires since 2021, the year after the city legalized e-bikes and similar devices. (No one had ever died in such a fire before.) …  e-battery fire deaths exceed electrical fire deaths…

“The only way to prevent more deaths is for the FDNY to call for a ban on residential e-battery storage and charging, just as it bans home storage of gasoline and other flammable or hazardous materials…”

e-Bikes ARE dangerous.

Why Antisemitism in Christian Churches

Israel 365 News wrote on November 19:

“A deeply disturbing trend has been emerging in the last 6 weeks since the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas. I am seeing antisemitism within the Conservative Christian camp in many arenas…  However, this form of antisemitism is not out-and-out Jew-hatred. It is much more subtle, and therefore, perhaps more dangerous…

“How can this be?

“I believe it goes back to the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden… I believe it is because these newscasters over-focus on the DARK SIDE. They are plucking fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil and eating mostly EVIL fruit

“What is Replacement Theology?  In a nutshell, it is the false teaching that the church has replaced Israel, that the covenants God made with Israel and the Jewish people are null and void, and that those covenants now apply to the church. The ‘New Testament’ has replaced the ‘Old Testament’.   Nothing could be further from the truth!…

“The roots of Replacement Theology [go] back many centuries. One of those roots goes back to Martin Luther, the father of the Protestant Reformation… did you know that he wrote a book… called ‘On the Jews and their Lies’?  It was filled with hateful diatribes against the Jews. 

“… Did you know that, 400 years later, the Nazis revered Martin Luther, and his book was widely circulated and read? And did you know that ‘Kristallnacht’, the ‘Night of Broken Glass’, happened not on just any random day, but was chosen to happen on Nov 9-10, 1938, in honor of Martin Luther’s birthday? (his date of birth: Nov 10, 1483)

“His words were put into ACTION by the Nazis 400 years later. So one of the ROOTS of Replacement Theology gave us a very evil fruit! Kristallnacht is what kicked off the Holocaust. The Western civilized world was silent. The churches were silent…”

Antisemitism can be seen, not only in Arab nations, in pro-Hamas supporters demonstrating in the streets of London, Paris, Washington DC and Berlin, as well as on college campuses, and in liberal leftists who are funding the Pro-Hamas demonstrations in America—it can also be seen in “Christian” churches, which is truly disturbing.

Worldwide Volcanic Eruptions

Israel 365 News reported on November 17:

“… at least 19 volcanoes are currently erupting around the world… The eruptions are on several disperse continents and countries but particular focus is being directed towards Iceland where scientists warn that a recent week-long wave of over 1,200 earthquakes presages a period of prolonged and intense seismic unrest. The strongest quake measured 3.8 but the micro-quakes signalled activity below the surface.

“Scientists estimate that a layer of magma is about 500 meters below the surface and is working its way to the surface… But the real fear is that an eruption is part of a 1,000-year cycle of volcanic activity that will likely cause eruptions for centuries…

“The last volcano in Iceland to cause international mayhem was Eyjafjallajökull, which erupted in 2010. A huge ash cloud that rose five miles into the sky and grounded flights across Europe, forcing its airspace to shut down.

“The topic of ‘volcanoes’ became relevant to the conflict in Israel. On Saturday, Hezbollah claimed to have fired a Burkan 2-H missile at Israel bearing a 100 kilogram warhead. Burkan means ‘volcano’ in Arabic.”

The Devastating Impact of Nuclear War on the USA

Daily Mail wrote on November 17:

“About 300 million people in the United States would be put at risk of death from exposure to radioactive fallout in the four days following a nuclear attack, according to a new report that models the possible effects of such a grim event. 

“If the US is attacked with nuclear weapons, an adversary would most likely concentrate all fire on the country’s intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch facilities (silos). Any retaliatory attack from the US would come from these silos, located in Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Wyoming — and taking them out would be an enemy’s first priority…

“Depending on weather conditions, 90 percent of the population of the lower 48 U.S states, as well as people living in Mexico’s northern states and the most populous regions of Canada, would be at risk of receiving lethal doses of radiation…

“The editors of Scientific American commissioned the special report because the US government is in the midst of a $1.5 trillion project to refresh its obsolete nuclear weapons, including the ones stored at these silos in the western states. Their message is unambiguous: ‘We should rethink this miserable folly rather than once again squandering our wealth while driving a new arms race.’”

Even though most feel that a nuclear attack might be launched on the USA by Russia or China, the truth is that it will be another, basically overlooked power which will destroy the USA in a nuclear war.

France’s Long-Range Ballistic Missile Test

Newsmax wrote on November 19:

“France has successfully test-fired an M51.3 long-range ballistic missile, boosting the credibility of France’s nuclear deterrence capabilities…

“The missile, which did not carry a nuclear weapon, was fired from the French army’s Biscarosse missile testing site in southwest France and landed in the North Atlantic, ‘hundreds of kilometers from any coastline’ the ministry said, without giving further detail…”

American Presidents’ Fascination with UFOs

Politico wrote on November 17:

“Early in Ronald Reagan’s second term, he asked his Soviet counterpart a seemingly off-the-wall question… Reagan turned to his Cold War enemy and said: ‘What would you do if the United States were suddenly attacked by someone from outer space? Would you help us?’ Gorbachev later recounted. ‘I said, “No doubt about it.” He said, “We too.”’…

“Reagan… had an encounter with a UFO while riding in a plane in the 1970s.

“Reagan, it turns out, wasn’t the only president who has had a more than passing interest in the possibility of extraterrestrial life. For the past half-century, almost every president has come to office pledging — publicly or privately — to get to the bottom of UFOs…

“Like his Oval Office predecessors, the former Arkansas governor [Bill Clinton] had expressed interest in aliens as soon as he had taken the oath of office…

Jimmy Carter spotted his UFO while waiting for a Lion’s Club event to start on Jan. 6, 1969… As Carter campaigned in ’76 against Ford, he promised he would open up the nation’s UFO secrets… But, once in the Oval Office, Carter never followed up on his pledge. Whatever the government was hiding would stay hidden…

“Most recently, in 2021, former President Barack Obama spoke about the mystery — what the government by then called UAPs, unidentified anomalous phenomenon — telling late night host James Corden, ‘When I came into office, I was like ‘All right, is there the lab somewhere where we’re keeping the alien specimens and spaceship?’ And you know, they did a little bit of research and the answer was ‘no.’ But what is true — and I’m actually being serious here — is that there’s footage and records of objects in the skies that we don’t know exactly what they are. We can’t explain how they moved, their trajectory. They did not have an easily explainable pattern.’

“It was a remarkable statement and one that hinted at how long-standing — and real — the mystery of UFOs was, even to commanders in chief who, presumably, would have had access to answers if there were ones.”

It must be admitted that many reported UFO “sightings” and “encounters” can be explained naturally, or because of wild human imagination. But some of the reports might be very real, and if so, they would be based on Satanic and demonic deception.

More Trouble for the German Government

“Deutsche Welle wrote on November 21:

“A matter-of-fact announcement was issued by the Finance Ministry on Monday evening: With immediate effect, a spending freeze applies to almost the entire budget for 2023, it read. This drastic step was taken due to ‘the need to review the overall budgetary situation for the federal budget,’ read a statement from the ministry.

“The government is sending the message that it considers last week’s dramatic landmark ruling by Germany’s highest judges to have much more severe consequences than initially thought… [It] was a political bombshell for Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his federal government. It ruled that the government cannot reallocate €60 billion meant to fight the COVID-19 pandemic to instead address climate change.

“… Germany’s three-way coalition government is not marching in one direction… the government’s approval rating among voters has hit rock bottom. Fresh elections would therefore likely hurt all three parties. The SPD, Greens and FDP are desperately seeking a solution — one that’s nowhere in sight.”

Focus added on November 22:

“Next ‘Ampel’ [German coalition government] shock… 200 billion euro fund can no longer be used.

“After the budget ruling of the Constitutional Court, the Federal Ministry of Finance also blocked the Economic Stabilization Fund (WSF). Due to the Karlsruhe decision, the WSF credit authorizations ‘could no longer be used in 2023 according to the current legal situation’, it says…

“‘In order to avoid further burdens on the budget for this year and burdens for future financial years’, ‘all of the expenditures for 2023 which have not been spent already… are blocked with immediate effect,” it says… ‘Consent from the Federal Ministry of Finance’ is therefore required for any WSF expenditure that is still necessary.”

The spending freeze also included the German military.

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 23:

“German Finance Minister Christian Lindner plans to present a supplementary budget next week for the current year that lifts borrowing limits… A decision to suspend a so-called debt brake will allow the government to significantly increase new borrowing this year…”

As a consequence, one of the Coalition parties (the FDP) is going to ask their members in a formal poll as to how they feel about staying in or departing from the government.

Erdogan in Germany

Reuters wrote on November 17:

“Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Friday suggested that Germany supported Israel in the Gaza war out of guilt over the Holocaust and drew a contrast with Turkey, which he said was able to speak without bias…. ‘Those who feel indebted to Israel cannot speak freely. We did not go through the Holocaust process, we don’t have such a situation, because our respect for humanity is different,’ the Turkish president said…

“Erdogan’s comment in Berlin went to the heart of Germany’s post-war identity, which is based on deep atonement for the Holocaust. Germany systematically killed 6 million Jews and 5 million other victims during World War Two. Modern Israel was founded in 1948 as a safe haven for Jews. [Chancelor] Scholz did not respond directly to Erdogan’s remarks but restated Germany’s commitment to Israel’s right to defend itself.

“… Erdogan’s trip was his first visit to Germany in four years. Erdogan, whose party faces key local elections next year, could benefit from Scholz’s backing for modernising Turkey’s customs union with the European Union and visa-free EU travel for Turks. Scholz, dealing with a court ruling that blew a 60-billion-euro hole in his budget, a coalition row over the economy and rising immigration, needs Ankara’s help in stemming migration to the EU…

“Scholz declined to respond to a question on whether he would approve the sale of the 40 Eurofighter warplanes that Turkey wants. His approval would be needed since Germany is a member of the British-French-Spanish consortium that makes them. Erdogan said he could go elsewhere if Scholz did not agree… Berlin would also like to see Turkey give its final approval to Sweden’s accession to the NATO military alliance. Though Erdogan has dropped his objections, the Turkish parliament has yet to ratify Sweden’s membership.”

Aljazeera added on November 17:

“The two countries have always been, as characterised by Scholz’s spokesman, ‘uncomfortable partners.’ Berlin has been a loud critic of Erdogan’s clampdown on domestic dissent… Despite their differences, economic cooperation between the two countries has continued, with bilateral trade reaching a record 51.6 billion euros ($56.2bn) in 2022.

“Germany is home to the largest Turkish diaspora abroad. A majority of the Turkish community of three million are supporters of Erdogan.”

The Local wrote on November 17, prior to Erdogan’s arrival in Germany:

“The daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung said Germany offered the ‘ideal stage’ for Erdogan to position himself as a voice for the ‘global south’. ‘As the loudest critic of Israel, he is underlining his demand for leadership of the Islamic world,’ said the daily…

“Josef Schuster, president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, said Erdogan did not deserve to be trusted. ‘Anyone who not only denies Israel’s right to exist but also actively fights against it should not a be a partner for German politicians,’ he told newspaper group RND.”

“Israel’s End Is Near”

Israel Today wrote on November 19, prior to his arrival in Germany:

“Turkish President… Erdogan told his country’s parliament on Wednesday that Israel would soon be destroyed. ‘Right now, I am openly saying with clear conscience that Israel is a terrorist state,’ said Erdoğan.

“While this comment was widely reported, his subsequent remarks went largely unnoticed. ‘Hey Israel: You have an atomic bomb, a nuclear bomb. And you are making threats with this. We know this. And your end is near,’ said Erdoğan. ‘You can have as many nuclear bombs as you want, but you’re on your way out,’ he added.

“Turkish lawmakers responded to the message with a thunderous standing ovation.”

Israel will NOT be totally destroyed, but it will receive a “wound”—a military defeat—prior to the Great Tribulation, and it will be occupied during the Great Tribulation by a foreign power. Turkey will have a terrible part in this.

Erdogan Sharply Attacks the Federal Government After His Visit to Germany

Focus wrote on November 19:

“As soon as he returned to Turkey, the ruler [Erdogan] attacked the federal government harshly. According to ‘Bild’, the Turkish president accused the federal government in a speech of being involved in a ‘crusader-imperialist structure’.

“‘Unfortunately, I discovered that during my visit last night,’ the Turkish president was quoted as saying by the tabloid newspaper. ‘I saw that with President [Frank-Walter Steinmeier] and with the other one too’—the ‘other one’ was a reference to Chancellor [Olaf] Scholz.”

This love-hate relationship between Germany and Turkey does not prevent economic and military cooperation.

“Deal” Between Israel and Hamas

Deutsche Welel wrote on November 22:

“Israel and Hamas agreed on Wednesday to a four-day pause in fighting in Gaza to allow the release of 50 hostages held in the strip in exchange for 150 Palestinians imprisoned in Israel… Hamas said hundreds of humanitarian, medical and fuel aid trucks would be allowed to enter Gaza during the temporary truce… ‘The number of those released will be increased in later stages of implementing the agreement,’ the Foreign Ministry in Qatar [which “mediated” the deal] wrote on X, formerly Twitter…

“The agreement came amid mounting pressure from the hostages’ families and the international

community… ‘The government of Israel is obligated to return home all of the hostages,’ Netanyahu’s office wrote on X… Netanyahu… said the war in the Gaza Strip would continue after the pause until his government has achieved all its goals, including the elimination of Hamas, which is considered a terrorist group by Israel, the European Union, the United States, and others…

“Israel said it would extend the four-day pause by an additional day for every ten hostages released by Hamas. Israel’s Justice Ministry published a list of 300 names of Palestinian prisoners who could be freed. The list represents twice the number of people initially slated for release — 150 Palestinian women and children.

“Meanwhile, Hamas said the truce would not halt their broader fight. ‘As we announce the striking of a truce agreement, we affirm that our fingers remain on the trigger, and our victorious fighters will remain on the look-out to defend our people and defeat the occupation,’ it said.”

Daily Mail added on November 22:

“Among those released are operatives of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Fatah and the Popular Front and some were tried in military courts and some in civilian courts. Half will be released in the first stage with the second depending on how the ceasefire and exchange of hostages goes.”

It is clear that as of now, with this deal, Hamas has won and Israel has lost. As one observer commented: Hamas is getting all what they want.

Newsmax wrote on November 22:

“Not only has President Joe Biden’s watch seen two wars erupt, in Ukraine and Gaza, but  pro-Hamas leftists have forced Israel to negotiate with terrorists, former Trump administration Ambassador Ric Grenell told Newsmax Wednesday… America under past presidents would hunt the terrorists down and eradicate them, Grenell lamented… Biden’s administration is ‘pressuring Israel to cut deals,’ and even unfair ones, Grenell continued… ‘Israel had to go into its prisons to find 150 people who were convicted of crimes, brutal crimes in some instances, to exchange for 50 innocent people — 50 of the 200,’ Grenell said…

Negotiating with terrorists is never a winning strategy and only further ups ‘the ante’ for hostages, including for a Biden administration that was forced to release $6 billion to Iran before Hamas’ Oct. 7 terrorist attack… ‘This is outrageous, and it’s going to make us less safe.’”

Sadly, Grenell is absolutely correct.

Ukraine’s Membership in the EU—“Light Years Away”

The Associated Press wrote on November 19:

“Hungary’s prime minister said Saturday that Ukraine is ‘light years away’ from joining the European Union…

“Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said he and his government would ‘resist’ talks scheduled for mid-December on whether to formally invite Ukraine to start membership negotiations. Admitting a new country requires unanimous approval from all existing member countries, giving Orbán a powerful veto… Orbán said… that standing in the way of Ukraine joining the EU would be one of his government’s top priorities in the coming months…

“Orbán… has argued that negotiations should not begin with a country that is at war…”

Ukraine will not become part of the EU. Rather, Ukraine will be united with Russia.

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.

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How can parents teach their young children about God?

One of the greatest parental responsibilities is to TEACH their children about God. In fact, God Himself is quoted in the Bible when He spoke of Abraham, saying:

‘For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice, that the LORD may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him’” (Genesis 18:19).

The Authorized Version is even more emphatic, stating: “For I know him, THAT he WILL command his children… and they SHALL keep the way of the LORD…” Similar the NIV.

When God chose and redeemed Israel from Egyptian captivity, He commanded that the people should love Him with total commitment and that their children should be taught to do the same:

“‘Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates’ “ (Deuteronomy 6:4-9).

Christians also face the great challenge set forth by God to teach their children about Him, as Ephesians 6:4 states:

“And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.”

Quite obviously, teaching children requires a conscious commitment from parents, and that dedication should, where possible, begin before children are born. Couples planning to marry ought to prepare by discussing child-rearing goals and methods. For those who already have children, planning and preparations are still a necessity. As shown in the preceding biblical quotes, parents must, themselves, be anchored in the Word of God to teach their children properly and successfully.

The purpose of this Q&A is to address training young children about God and the Bible, and that training begins with the example of the parents.

Many parents wait longer than they should to begin teaching their children about God. They assume that small children are not ready until a point well beyond when they could—and should—have started teaching their children the basics about God and His Way of Life. Never forget that children are most impressionable at their youngest age.

At what age should we start teaching the Scriptures to our children? God’s Word should be an important and natural part of life from very early childhood on. We expect small children to grow up learning songs, stories, the names of colors and the sounds animals make. Why not take advantage of the incredible, sponge-like learning capacity of a small child and start planting the most important seed of all—God’s instructions—within them?

Here are some strategies for teaching the Bible itself. The Bible is a large book, and to introduce its study to our children, we must first present it in small, manageable portions according to their age level. Decide what subjects you wish to cover and think about how to present them in a user-friendly way. You may choose to cover a topic over several sessions. Focus on presenting important biblical teachings that they can use throughout their lives. Examples could include the Creation, the Exodus, the Ten Commandments, the life of David, Jesus Christ, lessons from the various “heroes” of the Bible, and as they get older, proofs of God’s existence and the history of the New Testament Church.

How much time should we spend per session? Find the balance in setting a time that is neither unreasonably long, nor so short that it gives the impression God’s Word is a low priority in our day. For instance, how long can a preschooler sit to watch a television show or hear a story read to them? How long can an elementary-age child sit to listen to a teacher read a book?

Before launching into your teaching session, take a few minutes to do your “homework.” Preview the lesson and compile your ideas.

Here are some suggestions and recommendations to help set up your Bible curriculum. Certainly, there are many other ideas that you, the parents, will have.

READING THE BIBLE

There are many good materials to read, but ultimately there is no substitute for the Bible itself. You cannot go wrong by starting in Genesis and reading on through the Bible. Alternate methods are also fine. For young children, consider skipping over long lists such as genealogies, or briefly summarizing them. You may also want to paraphrase some passages, putting them into your own words in simple language your child can understand, instead of reading the text as written. Your reading will become much more effective as you add your own comments to the passages you read. Ask questions to make them think (this is very important). Tell a little story that gets a point across. Act out the scenario. Anything you add along these lines is well worth the effort.

Whenever your child learns to read, present him or her with a Bible of his or her own. In order for our children to learn the Bible and become familiar and comfortable with handling it, they need to have one! It should be a true Bible (such as the New King James Bible), not a pseudo-Bible or children’s story-book-type volume. It should contain all the same Scriptures a regular Bible has. Thumb tabs are also very helpful for children to find books faster.

As the child becomes a more proficient reader, the publications of the Church of the Eternal God will serve as helpful study aids for parents. Bible atlases, Bible dictionaries and other reference materials can be introduced to the youth. In turn, parents can summarize important concepts in terms appropriate to their children’s learning level.

MEMORY WORK

Memorizing is a normal part of life for a child—from the alphabet to nursery rhymes to state capitals. It should be a normal part of life to memorize the most important information of all—God’s Words. Memorizing specific Scriptures and learning what they mean can be fun. A child is ready to start memory work by the age of three. Start by choosing short verses to learn. This will build your child’s confidence. Teach them one phrase or word from the verse at a time. Say a word (or phrase), then point to your child to supply the next word.

Show your child where the verse is found in the Bible. Mark their Bible with a special color to identify verses they have memorized. Say the book, chapter and verse, before and after the Scripture. Recite the verse several times a day in your child’s presence so that it becomes familiar to them. Do not simplify the verses. It is important to teach God’s Word as it is recorded. Clarify any words they don’t understand.

It is not wrong to offer an age-appropriate reward. Make the rewards immediate if possible. Rewards could include small treats, prizes, stars on a chart, a trip to the store, or special time with mom or dad. Having them share their accomplishment by reciting it to someone else (grandparents, teacher, etc.) is very beneficial, too. Children like to feel they have accomplished something.

PICTURES AND ARTWORK

As the saying goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Some Bible resource books (Bible dictionaries, Bible encyclopedias, etc.) contain good diagrams or pictures. A word of caution regarding pictures, however: A child’s mind is very impressionable, and a picture can stick in the mind for a long time. This also goes for adults. We should avoid using pictures such as those that depict God the Father, Jesus Christ [either when He was here on earth, as a Man, or in His present state as an immortal God Being], Satan the Devil, angels or demons, and men with long hair (except for Nazarites).

PROPS

Props are a great teaching aid. A complete interactive felt or flannel board teaching system used to teach and tell both Old and New Testament Bible stories is an excellent tool for illustration. This makes the Bible story come to life and lets the child interact and become part of the story—giving the child a chance to use his senses of hearing (listening to the story being read or told), seeing and touching. You can easily create a felt board by simply gluing a large piece of felt to a rectangular piece of cardboard. Have the children draw or color pictures of Bible characters and props onto heavy paper or poster board, cut them out, and then place Velcro adhesive on the back of each piece. The kids will love it! Also, you can purchase the felt board projects at your local Bible Book Store or Online but be sure to remove items that are inappropriate.

MAKE A TIMELINE

Starting with the beginning of the Bible, you may want to consider having your child start a timeline of the sequence of the major events you are reading about through the Bible. You could provide a short roll of paper to make a continuous timeline that can be rolled up later. Children could draw and color pictures they have created on this timeline.

TEACHING A CHILD TO PRAY

The beginning of the child’s prayer life is essentially an activity. A mother might ask the question: “When shall I begin to teach my little child to pray?” This question should be met by another: “When do you intend to start teaching your little child a language?” If the father and mother kneel by the child’s bed long before he can notice consciously what is happening, the child grows up during this event: “Mom and dad speaking to Someone whom they respect and love and cannot see.” Let your child see you praying. Children learn by example.

Our children and grandchildren need to understand that we, as Christian parents and grandparents, talk to God in prayer on a regular basis. Asking a blessing at mealtime, prayer of anointing for illness and prayers given at Church services provide important examples of our relationship with God. These illustrations become a Way of Life.

SUPPLEMENTAL

Using other Bible materials from the Internet can be very helpful, if they adhere to the Truth and correct doctrines, but parents must be careful to closely monitor what they use.

Make this a pleasant time for the child. By making it special, we are showing we place special value on God’s Word and the privilege of studying it. Pick an area with a table, if possible, where the setting and atmosphere are clearly “study time” and minimize distractions. Clear the table of clutter. Leave the television, their computer or their “devices” off and mute distractions such as cell phones. Be sure to begin each study session with a brief prayer together, asking for God’s help in understanding His Word.

These recommendations are suggestions as a starting point for prospective parents, parents, and grandparents. Understanding that God created humankind to eventually become part of His eternal Family makes the training of our children one of life’s most important and rewarding endeavors!

Lead Writer: Dave Harris

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Preaching the Gospel and Feeding the Flock

compiled by Dave Harris

“The Foolish Hamas-Israel Deal—and What It Means!” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

Israel and Iran’s proxy, Hamas, agreed to a four-day pause or ceasefire to allow the release of 50 innocent hostages [out of more than 200 hostages] in exchange for 150 Palestinians imprisoned in Israel. Israel said it would extend the four-day pause by an additional day for every ten hostages released by Hamas, and it published a list of 300 names of Palestinian prisoners who could be freed. Among those released are operatives of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Fatah and the Popular Front who had been convicted of sometimes brutal crimes. It has been claimed that the Biden administration pressured Israel to cut this unfair deal. This comes after the Biden administration released $6 billion to Iran, in exchange for five American hostages, before Hamas’ Oct. 7 terrorist attack. What does this all mean in the light of biblical prophecy?

“Können Sie Gott vergeben?” is the title for this Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Can You Forgive God?”

“Menschengebote und ihre Folgen,” last Sabbath’s second split sermon presented by Johann Schell in Germany, is now posted. Title in English: “Human Commandments and their Consequences.”  

“To Do Justly,” the sermonette  presented last Sabbath by Paul Niehoff, is now posted. Here is a summary:

God is not impressed by how many physical sacrifices we make. But He is very pleased when we live a life of justice, mercy and humility. He is concerned with our attitude and how we interact with others in a right manner.

“Answering Criticism of God,” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Brian Gale, is now posted. Here is a summary:

This sermon looks at the nonsense of evolution, atheism, proof that God must exist, the Bible being true, an instruction manual for mankind and the question of choice. We also see that blessings and cursings accrue from our behavior towards God and fellow man.

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This Update is an official publication by the ministry of the Church of the Eternal God in the United States of America; the Church of God, a Christian Fellowship in Canada; and the Global Church of God in the United Kingdom.

Editorial Team: Norbert Link, Dave Harris, Rene Messier, Brian Gale, Johanna Link, Eric Rank, Michael Link, Anna Link, Kalon Mitchell, Manuela Mitchell, Dawn Thompson

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To Do Justly / Answering Criticism of God

On November 18, 2023, Paul Niehoff will present the sermonette, titled, “To Do Justly,” and Brian Gale will present the sermon, titled, “Answering Criticism of God.”

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.

This Week in the News

What Did Major Media Know About Hamas’s Attack, and Did Photojournalists Collude With Hamas?

Israel 365 News wrote on November 10:

“Ethical questions are now being raised about  Gaza-based freelance photojournalists from major media who were embedded with the Hamas terrorists on October 7, documenting their horrific deeds. One media watchdog asked whether the photojournalists and their employers had foreknowledge of the attacksHonest Reporting reviewed the images of the attack published by AP, CNN, The New York Times and Reuters

“CNN said in response that it ‘decided to suspend all ties with Hassan Eslaiah’… a freelance photojournalist who has worked with a number of international and Israeli outlets…

“After Honest Reporting’s shocking article, a spokeswoman for the Associated Press quoted by the Daily Wire denied any advance knowledge of the attack… The New York Times made a similar denial…

“The Israeli government took the Honest Reporting revelations seriously. A statement by the Prime Minister’s office read: ‘Gaza-based photojournalists employed by the world’s leading news agencies who captured images of the Hamas massacre on October 7 in Gaza-border communities, and who appear to have had foreknowledge of the planned attack were accomplices in crimes against humanity; their actions were contrary to professional ethics.’

“Government minister Benny Gantz, a member of the cabinet and chairman of the National Unity party, came out strongly against the journalists. ‘Journalists found to have known about the massacre, and still chose to stand as idle bystanders while children were slaughtered – are no different than terrorists and should be treated as such,’ Gantz tweeted.

“Israel’s Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi sent a letter to the four news outlets calling for an investigation into the photographers’ possible ‘collusion with the terrorist organization Hamas-ISIS.’…”

Simple denials from those news agencies won’t do. If it should be confirmed that those journalists knew about and participated, in one way or another, in Hamas’ murderous attack on October 7, that would be a scandal of unbelievable proportions.

On November 10, Newsmax published an article of The Associated Press, saying the following in their “defense”:

Several of the world’s biggest news organizations — CNN, The New York Times, The Associated Press and Reuters — issued statements Thursday denying they knew about the attack ahead of time… The Times said the accusation that anyone at the newspaper had advance knowledge of the attacks or accompanied Hamas was ‘untrue and outrageous,’ and put journalists in Israel and Gaza at risk. Rushing into danger in conflict zones already puts freelance photojournalists at risk, the newspaper said…

“Both AP and CNN said Thursday that they would no longer work with Eslaiah, one of the freelance photographers. HonestReporting posted a photo of Eslaiah being kissed by Hamas leader Yehia Sinwar.”

However, such denials may not do the trick.

Senator Cotton Wants Answers

Newsmax reported on November 10:

“‘Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., wants answers from news organizations that used firsthand images and information from Hamas’ Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel shortly after the massacre began.

“Cotton on Thursday sent letters to Attorney General Merrick Garland and to executives of CNN, the AP, Reuters, and the Times. Cotton demanded that Garland open an investigation into the outlets, and the news organizations were asked to provide answers as to their involvement with Hamas. ‘If your employees, as part of their work, participated in terrorist activities or if your organization or employees provided material support (including any funding) to Hamas, the leadership of your organization may also face criminal penalties under federal law,’ Cotton wrote to the news organizations. 

“The Times on Friday responded to Cotton, saying that his letter ‘exacerbates’ the ‘spread of disinformation and incendiary rhetoric’ around journalists covering the war. ‘You are merely parroting disinformation harvested from the internet based on a website that has conceded it had no evidence for its claims,’ Times Vice President and Deputy General Counsel David McGraw wrote in a letter to Cotton.  McGraw added that ‘[n]o employee of The Times was embedded with Hamas, or had advance knowledge of the attack, or played any role in the savage massacre of that day.’

“Cotton then responded to McGraw’s letter: ‘Falsehoods circulated on the internet are not “reports,'” Cotton, repeating McGraw’s line, posted on X. ‘ The NYTimes just described its own “newsroom.” What you don’t say is that your freelance photographers—pictured riding with the Hamas terrorists on 10/7—had no advance knowledge. Is that also your claim?’ Cotton added.”

“This Is How the Terrorist Photographer Used Propaganda”

Bild Online wrote on November 11:

“He is a friend of a terrorist leader. He has posted videos explaining how to kill Israelis – with a battering ram or a shot in the head. And he has photographed for the world’s major agencies: the Palestinian photographer Hassan Eslaiah from the Gaza Strip.

“His images were the first the world saw after learning that Hamas had launched a large-scale attack on Israel and started a war. The photos were distributed by major news agencies and TV channels. They were also shown by BILD. Trusting that the major Western news agencies adhere to their standards and that they know whose photos they are distributing. That they can vouch for them – as far as this is possible in war zones.

“Now the world knows: They were Hamas propaganda images. Photographers like Hassan Eslaiah were at the forefront and apparently knew in advance about the barbaric terrorist attack by Hamas, in which 1,200 people were ultimately massacred and violated and around 240 were kidnapped.

“One thing is clear: the photos are NOT fake. But they misrepresent the situation. They are not reporter photos or news photos. Hassan Eslaiah and all the photographers who spread the October 7 Hamas propaganda like him have deceived the world. Eslaiah created mass murder without bodies. His pictures only show what they are supposed to show: heroic perpetrators. They leave out what doesn’t fit into the picture: the victims. The brutality, the carnage. The pain. He photographed past all of this. Something like that can only be done consciously. Only on purpose.

Every news agency that distributed the photos of him UNCHECKED was complicit…

“Hassan Eslaiah managed to photograph the carnage – without even one of the 1,400 corpses appearing in his photos from the kibbutz. Only one photo shows a dead person lying in front of the entrance gate… Hassan Eslaiah provided clean images – his streets were also strangely empty. He must have done one thing above all else: looked away intensely…

“In Israel, Hassan Eslaiah only photographed the perpetrators – as heroes. He didn’t photograph suffering. No victims. He was the man who was trusted by so many industry giants – the New York Times even defended him after the scandal!… He acts differently in Gaza. From there too, Eslaiah only delivered Hamas propaganda – WITH the suffering of the Palestinians.

“In view of the photos from Israel, the question must be asked: What can one actually believe about what one sees in the Gaza photos by photographers like Hassan Eslaiah? In addition, the man also worked as a stringer for CNN and the New York Times – i.e. as an informant, as a journalistic source on site. After the scandal, the question arises: Which images from Gaza can we still believe?”

A more alarming question is: What can we believe at all from “reports” published by CNN, The New York Times, and other left-wing mass media outlets?

Dershowitz Takes On Obama

Fox Business News wrote on November 10:

“Expressing outrage over former President Barack Obama’s call for an end to Israeli ‘occupation,’ Harvard Law professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz expanded on why he’s never talking to the Democratic president again. ‘I think he always had a deep hatred of Israel in his heart. He hid it very well… He’s never been supportive of Israel. And finally, his true feelings have come out now that he’s no longer president and doesn’t have to be elected… He has contributed enormously to the problem because he is respected among young people. And if he says the occupation is unbearable and that anything can be done to stop it, he is encouraging people to engage in their antisemitic, anti-Israel and anti-American attitudes. He should be ashamed of himself. He should apologize, but he won’t.’

“Dershowitz’s commentary comes after he claimed Thursday that any relationship with Obama is ‘over’ following the 44th president’s onstage statements about the Israel-Hamas war… The Harvard professor on Friday accused Obama of lying ‘through his teeth’ about what the former president called an ‘unbearable’ occupation of Gaza. ‘To compare those disputed claims with the rapes, beheadings, burnings, kidnappings, it’s just obscene and despicable,’ Dershowitz said. ‘And what it does is it lends support to those students basically, who are saying, ‘Well, what Hamas really did was not so bad… It was in response to the occupation…  If Hamas is not stopped in its tracks from doing the terrorist acts, they will bring them to the United States.’”

Respect for Dershowitz who exposes Obama for what he really is and believes.

A Colossal Joke…

Breitbart wrote on November 12:

“… the Biden administration’s official position went from pro-Israel to functionally pro-Hamas in a matter of days… This is all appalling, if not entirely unexpected… as usual, there is method to his madness… Biden knows shifting to focus to Islamophobia at this particular moment has little potential to succeed, at least in the traditional sense. So, he resorted to yet another tried and true tactic: offload his toughest battles to… Kamala Harris. Biden has also tasked Harris with the broken border and Artificial Intelligence…

“This is clearly sabotage. Harris cannot win on these issues… Effectually, he is keeping Harris in her place so that she’ll never surpass him politically… While Biden assigned her another impossible mission (solving Islamophobia), her husband, longtime entertainment lawyer Doug Emhoff, was absurdly tasked with the leading efforts to confront antisemitism…

“It’s all a colossal joke…”

Massive Support for Israel?

JTA wrote on November 14:

“Organizers of a pro-Israel rally at the National Mall in Washington on Tuesday claimed that 290,000 people showed up for the event, making it one of the largest gatherings of Jews in U.S. history at a time when an ongoing war in Gaza has sharply divided public opinion around the world. An additional 250,000 people watched the event through a live stream, organizers added…

“In more than three hours of speeches on Tuesday, a range of politicians, actors, musicians, activists and U.S. college students presented a strong front in support of Israel and spoke about the rise of antisemitism around the world since Hamas’ attacks on Oct. 7 and Israel’s subsequent war in Gaza. Many speakers also demanded the safe release of the more than 200 hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza.

“… subtle differences in messaging… emerged from the prominent Democrats and Republicans who spoke, and also between the Biden administration and Israel.

Mike Johnson, the newly installed Republican speaker of the House, said the United States would reject widespread calls for a ceasefire. ‘The calls for a ceasefire are outrageous,’ he said to loud cheers. Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, both New York Democrats, did not mention a ceasefire. The Biden administration… differs with Israel on the degree to which there should be pauses in fighting to bring humanitarian assistance into Gaza.

“Biden is under intense pressure from a number of congressional progressives as well as some staffers in the State Department and elsewhere to force Israel to declare a ceasefire.

“… It was not clear why Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, the minority leader, was unable to attend…

“An array of Jewish organizations across the political spectrum attended the event. The inclusion of some of the more right-wing speakers, including Johnson and Pastor John Hagee — the head of the influential Christians United for Israel group who is an opponent of LGBTQ rights — caused controversy before the rally…

“But several speakers, including liberal CNN analyst Van Jones, called for the protection of Palestinian lives while emphasizing Israel’s right to defend itself… Dr. Rochelle Ford, the president of Dillard University in New Orleans, a historically Black university, said it was time to ‘stand with Israel, and to stand with the Palestinians who suffer under Hamas’ cruel rule in Gaza.’”

It has been emphasized that at this point, a two-state solution would be an impossibility. And so, anti-Semitism and anger towards Israel will continue.

Judge Engoron’s Bias and Bizarre Behavior

Fox News wrote on November 10::

“The No. 3 House Republican leader is wading into the dramatic New York civil trial of former President Donald Trump, accusing the judge involved of exhibiting ‘bias’ and ‘bizarre behavior’ in the courtroom. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., filed an ethics complaint against Judge Arthur Engoron on Friday morning in a letter to the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct.

“‘I write today to express my serious concerns about the inappropriate bias and judicial intemperance shown by Judge Arthur F. Engoron in New York’s lawsuit against President Donald J. Trump and the Trump Organization,’ Stefanik said in her letter. ‘This judge’s bizarre behavior has no place in our judicial system, where Judge Engoron is not honoring the defendant’s rights to due process and a fair trial,’ the letter continued. ‘These serious concerns are exacerbated by the fact that the defendant is the leading candidate for President of the United States, and it appears the judicial system is being politicized to affect the outcome of the campaign,’ Stefanik wrote…

“‘Judge Engoron has gone on to gag and fine President Trump for merely criticizing Judge Engoron’s law clerk, which is core political speech protected by the First Amendment,’ Stefanik said. ‘If anyone in America must have the constitutional right to speak out against the judge, his staff, the witnesses, or the process, it’s a defendant going through a process he believes is politicized and weaponized against him… Judge Engoron’s bizarre and biased behavior is making New York’s judicial system a laughingstock.’”

Engoron’s unethical conduct and bias should be obvious to any objective observer. Whether the complaint will be successful in liberal New York ruled by Democrats is a different matter.

“Are the Feds Targeting (New York’s Mayor) Eric Adams Because He Criticized Joe Biden?”

The New York Post wrote on November 10:

Seizing Mayor Adam’s phones and tablet on the street in public is the latest sign the feds aren’t simply investigating him: They’re out to inflict maximum embarrassment in a political vendetta, presumably in retribution for the noise he’s made about President Biden’s disastrous border policies.

“The mayor is easy to find, 24/7/365: What reason to ambush him publicly… except to humiliate him? And why else make sure his No. 1 press enemy, The New York Times, gets the story first?

“Mind you, this follows the opening raid in this investigation — which stormed the home of his top fund-raiser while Adams was in the air en route to Washington to press Biden on his failure to help the city bear the multibillion-dollar cost of caring for the illegal migrants the (president) is waving into the country.

That one leaked to the Times first, too. And sources told The Post that timing was also intentional; the feds denied it — but of course they would…

“The mayor won’t appreciate us making this point, but this resembles the multiple prosecutions of ex-President Donald Trump: Even where Trump has crossed lines (e.g., in holding on to classified documents), the feds’ zealousness is all out of proportion in his case vs. other notorious violators of the same statutes, such as Hillary Clinton and Biden himself.

“Weaponizing the FBI and Justice Department for political purposes is a major threat to democracy, no matter the victim. Congress needs to start asking tough questions about the Adams case.”

What we are seeing in this country is not only a threat to democracy… it has reached the point, in many instances, of the conduct of an autocratic dictatorial banana republic.

Don’t Dismiss Kennedy

CNN wrote on November 12:

“There are few things you can be more certain of in life than a Democrat or a Republican winning a US presidential election. We don’t usually do third parties or independents in this country. Chances are Democrat Joe Biden or Republican Donald Trump will be elected a year from now.

“But it would be foolish to dismiss what the current polls are telling us: Independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is polling higher than any independent or third-party candidate in a generation. He, along with other non-major-party candidates, has a real chance to affect the outcome of the 2024 election

“Take a look at a recent [poll]: Kennedy hit 22% among registered voters… We don’t know where Kennedy will end up, obviously; however, his numbers in the swing states should be turning heads… Kennedy was in the high teens to upward of 25%…”

It does not appear that Kennedy would become President, but his influence on election results could be dramatic. It is also far from certain that Biden will ultimately be the Democratic nominee.

Trump: “Genie Is Out of the Box”

The Huffington Post wrote on November 10:

“Former President Donald Trump said that he would be justified in telling federal prosecutors to go after his political rivals if he wins the White House next year, suggesting it would simply be payback for Democrats doing the same to him. ‘What they’ve done is they’ve released the genie out of the box,’ Trump said in an interview…

“In response to a Univision question about his claims that the Justice Department and FBI had been ‘weaponized’ and whether he would do the same if put back in the Oval Office, Trump said: ‘It’s not unique but it’s unique for the United States. Yeah, if they do this — and they’ve already done it — but if they want to follow through on this, yeah, it could certainly happen in reverse.’…

“The Univision interview is not the first time Trump has said or hinted that he would try to use his official powers for revenge if he once again wins the White House… ‘I am your warrior. I am your justice. And for those who have been wronged and betrayed: I am your retribution,’ he said at the Conservative Political Action Conference in March…

“Trump has already started thinking about individuals he would like to see investigated or prosecuted if he wins another term, and… his associates are looking at potentially invoking the Insurrection Act on his first day in office, which would give him broad emergency powers. Among the targets on Trump’s list, according to the [Washington] Post, are former White House chief of staff John Kelly and former Attorney General William Barr, as well as retired Army Gen. Mark Milley, the former chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.”

There would be many more targets, if it came to that.

Trump’s Alleged Immigration Plans

DNYUZ wrote on November 11:

“Former President Donald J. Trump is planning an extreme expansion of his first-term crackdown on immigration if he returns to power in 2025…

“Mr. Trump wants to revive his first-term border policies, including banning entry by people from certain Muslim-majority nations and reimposing a Covid 19-era policy of refusing asylum claims — though this time he would base that refusal on assertions that migrants carry other infectious diseases like tuberculosis.

“He plans to scour the country for unauthorized immigrants and deport people by the millions per year… Mr. Trump wants to build huge camps to detain people while their cases are processed and they await deportation flights…

“In a public reference to his plans, Mr. Trump told a crowd in Iowa in September: ‘Following the Eisenhower model, we will carry out the largest domestic deportation operation in American history.’ The reference was to a 1954 campaign to round up and expel Mexican immigrants…

“In a second Trump presidency, the visas of foreign students who participated in anti-Israel or pro-Palestinian protests would be canceled. U.S. consular officials abroad will be directed to expand ideological screening of visa applicants to block people the Trump administration considers to have undesirable attitudes…

“Similarly, numerous people who have been allowed to live in the country temporarily for humanitarian reasons would also lose that status and be kicked out, including tens of thousands of the Afghans who were evacuated amid the 2021 Taliban takeover and allowed to enter the United States. Afghans holding special visas granted to people who helped U.S. forces would be revetted to see if they really did…

“Mr. Trump would try to end birthright citizenship for babies born in the United States to undocumented parents — by proclaiming that policy to be the new position of the government and by ordering agencies to cease issuing citizenship-affirming documents like Social Security cards and passports to them…

“In interviews with The New York Times, several Trump advisers gave the most expansive and detailed description yet of Mr. Trump’s immigration agenda in a potential second term. In particular, Mr. Trump’s campaign referred questions for this article to Stephen Miller, an architect of Mr. Trump’s first-term immigration policies who remains close to him and is expected to serve in a senior role in a second administration… ‘Trump will unleash the vast arsenal of federal powers to implement the most spectacular migration crackdown,’ Mr. Miller said…

“Mr. Miller said Mr. Trump would try again to end DACA. [DACA, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, is an Obama-era program that shields from deportation and grants work permits to people who were brought unlawfully to the United States as children.] And the 5-4 majority of the Supreme Court that blocked the last attempt no longer exists: A few months after the DACA ruling, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died and Mr. Trump replaced her with a sixth conservative, Justice Amy Coney Barrett…

“Mr. Miller said Mr. Trump would invoke Title 42, citing ‘severe strains of the flu, tuberculosis, scabies, other respiratory illnesses like R.S.V. and so on, or just a general issue of mass migration being a public health threat and conveying a variety of communicable diseases.’…

“… the Trump team plans to build ‘vast holding facilities that would function as staging centers’ for migrants waiting to be flown to other countries, Mr. Miller said. Such an undertaking would be fast-tracked…  the new camps would likely be built ‘on open land in Texas near the border’… ‘Bottom line,’ he said, ‘President Trump will do whatever it takes.’”

The Daily Mail added on November 12:

“It has been revealed that Trump would expand his first-term immigration crackdown… if he is re-elected in 2024…

“To aid US Immigration and Customs Enforcement in sweeping roundups of undocumented people, Trump would reassign federal agents and deputize local police and National Guard troops volunteered by Republican-run states…

“To underwrite the massive operation if Congress refused, Trump would redirect Pentagon funds as he did with his border wall in his first term… ‘We’ll stop the invasion on our southern border and begin the largest domestic deportation operation in American history,‘ Trump said on Saturday…”

If all of this is true, then Trump’s immigration plans are cause for great concern. That right-wing radical Stephen Miller is one of his major immigration advisors, as he had been before, does not help the situation at all. Miller also pleaded in the past for the end of chain immigration (children applying for US residency for their parents). He has been described as an “immigration hypocrite” by his uncle, stating that Stephen Miller supports policies that would have condemned his own Jewish family to death if they had been enacted a century ago. Miller’s maternal uncle, David Glosser, described how Miller’s great-great-grandfather Wolf-Leib Glosser fled the Belarusian shtetl of Antopol, arriving in the United States in 1903, “with $8 to his name.” “I have watched with dismay and increasing horror as my nephew, who is an educated man and well aware of his heritage, has become the architect of immigration policies that repudiate the very foundation of our family’s life in this country,” Glosser said in 2018. (Compare for example “The Times of Israel,” dated August 13, 2018.)

Germany’s Failed Asylum Policy

Focus wrote on November 12:

“The heated situation in the Middle East conflict is reflected in the Berlin facilities of the Arche children’s and youth welfare organization… Arche spokesman Wolfgang Büscher has experienced the hatred of Muslim young people first-hand over the past few days…

“‘First we cut the throats of the Jews, then the gays and finally the Christians! ‘ This is what young people said on site, writes the Bild newspaper. Büscher confirms threats of this kind…

“The radicalization has been evident for years. But the integration problems with Muslim children and young people in the aid facility have apparently not yet become as clear as they have been since the Hamas attack… Across Germany, the Arche looks every day after up to 7,000 children and young people from socially disadvantaged families in more than 30 facilities. The adolescents receive free lunch, help with homework and more. Between 60 and 70 percent of older people are of Arab origin. In Hellersdorf, where more than 12,000 young people are looked after, around half are Muslim.

“Most of the Muslims living in East Berlin have come to Berlin since the major refugee movement from Syria in 2015, says Büscher. The integration there has apparently borne little fruit… Instead of distributing the refugees throughout the city, they would be concentrated in hot spots. Criminal clans and religious extremists tried to reach these children and young people…

“The schools’ concerns about the charged atmosphere among parts of the student body are immense…”

Germany is slowly becoming aware of its disastrous immigration and integration policy, basically instituted by Angela Merkel.

More Trouble for Germany’s Government

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 15:

“Germany’s highest court has ruled that the government’s 2021 reallocation of unused coronavirus pandemic credit is unconstitutional. The government’s climate action budget is now €60 billion short [money which will have to be found elsewhere.]

“In December 2021, the German coalition government agreed on an unusual budgetary maneuver that saw €60 billion ($64 billion) of untapped credit secured to help combat the effects of the pandemic reallocated to its so-called climate and transformation fund…

“A total of 197 conservative opposition lawmakers argued that the move effectively gave the government fiscal room to maneuver to which it wasn’t constitutionally entitled. They said this could set a precedent for Germany’s financing of future crises… Germany’s Federal Audit Office also described the budget maneuver as ‘constitutionally dubious,’ saying that the government did not provide adequate justification for the ‘misappropriation’ of money intended to combat the pandemic…

“The constitutional court agreed with those arguments…”

Shakeup in Britain… Cameron Back, Braverman Sacked

The Associated Press wrote on November 13:

“Former British Prime Minister David Cameron made a shock return to high office on Monday, becoming foreign secretary in a major shakeup of the Conservative government… Cameron, who led the U.K. government between 2010 and 2016, was appointed by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in a Cabinet shuffle in which he sacked [Home Secretary Suella] Braverman… who drew anger for accusing police of being too lenient with pro-Palestinian protesters. She was replaced by James Cleverly, who had been foreign secretary.

“Cameron’s appointment came as a surprise to seasoned politics-watchers. It’s rare for a non-lawmaker to take a senior government post, and it has been decades since a former prime minister held a Cabinet job… Cameron’s appointment brings back to government a leader brought down by Britain’s decision to leave the European Union. Cameron called the 2016 EU membership referendum, confident the country would vote to stay in the bloc. He resigned the day after voters opted to leave.

Sunak was a strong backer of the winning ‘leave’ side in the referendum. Cameron’s return, and Braverman’s sacking, are likely to infuriate the Conservative Party’s right wing and inflame tensions in the party…  Prominent right-wing lawmaker Jacob Rees-Mogg said sacking Braverman was ‘a mistake, because Suella understood what the British voter thought and was trying to do something about it.’… In a highly unusual attack on the police last week, Braverman said London’s police force was ignoring lawbreaking by ‘pro-Palestinian mobs.’ She described demonstrators calling for a cease-fire in Gaza as ‘hate marchers.’… Last week Braverman wrote an article for the Times of London in which she said police ‘play favorites when it comes to protesters’ and acted more leniently toward pro-Palestinian demonstrators and Black Lives Matter supporters than toward right-wing protesters or soccer hooligans. The article was not approved in advance by the prime minister’s office, as would usually be the case.

“…Braverman, a 43-year-old lawyer, has become a leader of the party’s populist wing by advocating ever-tougher curbs on migration… Last month she called migration a ‘hurricane’ that would bring ‘millions more immigrants to these shores, uncontrolled and unmanageable.’…

“Critics say Braverman has been building her profile to position herself for a party leadership contest that could come if the Conservatives lose power in an election expected next year. The bold changes are an attempt by Sunak to reset his faltering government. The Conservatives have been in power for 13 years, but opinion polls for months have put them 15 to 20 points behind the opposition Labour Party amid a stagnating economy, persistently high inflation, an overstretched health care system and a wave of public sector strikes…”

The Daily Mail added on November 13:

“Rishi Sunak is facing a revolt by the Tory right… after David Cameron made a shock comeback to the Cabinet…. [It is]  a decision that sent an earthquake through Westminster,.. Just weeks ago Lord Cameron condemned Mr Sunak’s decision to downgrade the HS2 rail project. Incredulous Tory MPs, who deeply deeply distrust the peer after he headed the Remain campaign before quitting in the wake of the 2016 referendum, also slammed him for fostering closer relations with China as premier…

“Worryingly for the PM, a snap YouGov poll has found that just 24 per cent of Brits think the return of Lord Cameron is a good idea, compared to 38 per cent who fear it is a bad one… The stunning move triggered turmoil on Conservative WhatsApp groups…”

Military Conscription in Europe

Euro Weekly News wrote on November 10:

“With a war in Ukraine, the potential for more Middle Eastern countries to become embroiled in the latest Israel-Palestine fighting, a potential reigniting of conflict in Kosovo and an ever-growing threat from Russia and China, it looks like a European rethink on military conscription may be on the cards.

“Since the end of the Cold War, the fall of the Berlin Wall and a shift to the liberal centre ground in European politics, many countries abandoned military conscription as an unnecessary and expensive measure. Out of the 29 European countries that are members of NATO, including Turkey, only six have kept up compulsory military service since 1993.

“Europe’s focus shifted away from defence in general, with the EU’s combined spending on defence between 1999 and 2021 increasing by only 20 per cent, in comparison to a 66 per cent increase by the US, a jaw-dropping 292 per cent increase by Russia and a truly staggering 592 per cent increase by China. Given those comparisons, it looks like the EU has taken its eye off the ball and become somewhat complacent that the long-term situation of peace and stability was rather more permanent than it’s proved to be. 

“Looking at the countries with military conscription, one notable thing that stands out is their proximity to Russia. Finland, which of course suffered an invasion by Russia during the 1939 Winter War, has one of the highest rates of conscription in the world. Every year, around 27,000 conscripts are trained with 80 per cent of Finnish male citizens completing the service which can range between nine months and a year for unarmed service and six, nine months or a year for armed service. Penalties for evading military service in Finland are harsh with a penalty of 173 days in prison with no parole, minus any served days. 

“Other Russian neighbours, Ukraine and Lithuania, reinstated compulsory military service after Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. In the Ukraine, military service is compulsory for men aged 18 to 26 and in Lithuania for men aged 18 to 25.  Latvia is reinstating compulsory military service from 2024 with all men aged 18 to 27 being required to undergo 11 months of service and in Estonia there’s compulsory military or governmental service for men aged between 18-27 for eight to 11 months.

“In the Nordic area, Norway brought back conscription in 2016 with all 18-year-olds in Norway of both genders having to present themselves for military service… Sweden started partial conscription in 2018 for both genders…

“Other European countries with conscription include Switzerland, where every male has to serve at least 245 days in the armed forces, Greece (12 months for men between 19 and 45), Austria (six months for men over the age of 18) and Denmark where every male over the age of 18 is subject to being called upon on the basis of a draw…

Germany suspended military service in 2011, but it can be reintroduced if the Bundestag determines there is a need for defence.  Defence Minister, Boris Pistorius, has led increasing calls to introduce compulsory military service again, saying ‘Abolishing it was a mistake and could demonstrate the importance of these institutions for the functioning of our society.’…

Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister, Matteo Salvini, has opined on compulsory military service several times, believing that ‘a year of teaching the rules, good manners and duties would make good citizens.’…

The UK ended conscription in 1960 and there has been no official discussion on reintroduction…

Portugal has voluntary service for 18-30-year-olds who wish to participate and technically conscription is possible if there aren’t sufficient volunteers, however, there has been no discussion in the country on changing that position.

Spain abolished conscription in 2001, retaining the right to mobilise citizens aged between 19-25 years in the event of a national emergency. However, like the UK and Portugal, does not appear to be considering any reinstating of conscription…”

Military conscription in all of Europe is coming, and this is really bad news for freedom-loving and peace-loving people.

Ukraine’s Dilemma

Spiegel International wrote on November 10:

“Weeks after the terrorist attack in Israel pulled the world’s attention away from Kyiv’s plight, the situation in Ukraine is bleak… There has been little progress on the front, and only a massive increase in Western military aid could help. But it doesn’t appear that such aid will be forthcoming, particularly with a new war in the Middle East taking much of the West’s attention away from Ukraine. Indeed, it is even possible the United States will start reducing its support, and the European Union wouldn’t likely be able to make up for that shortfall…

For Ukraine, the end to U.S. aid would be no less than a disaster. After around 600 days of war, the Ukrainian army is suffering from huge shortages. At the very top of Kyiv’s list of priorities are weapons for air defense… The German government is… the largest provider of military aid to Kyiv after the U.S. But that aid won’t be enough to deliver a win for Ukraine in the war. As German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has emphasized repeatedly, it may not even be enough to ensure that Ukraine doesn’t lose..

“Although the EU has pledged by far the largest sums of money to Ukraine, amounting to around 77 billion euros by the end of July, when it comes to purely military assistance, the U.S. is indispensable. Washington has already supplied Ukraine with around 42 billion euros worth of armaments, more than all EU member states combined. The EU, so far, has committed around 25 billion euros in military aid, with most of it coming from Germany.

“All experts agree that it would be impossible for the Europeans to compensate for the loss of U.S. military aid to Ukraine… Politicians and military officials don’t believe that Germany is in a position to expand its military aid to Ukraine. They say there’s nothing left to give from the German armed forces’ sparse stocks. Germany’s defense industry needs to produce faster…

“But what happens if the budget situation in Germany deteriorates – or Donald Trump becomes president again in the U.S.? Nobody in Berlin is particularly eager to speculate on such questions these days.

“At the EU level, no significant increase in spending for Ukraine is in sight…

War weariness is also spreading within the EU, a development that Zelenskyy himself recently lamented in an interview. ‘The scariest thing is that part of the world got used to the war in Ukraine,’ the Ukrainian president told Time magazine. ‘Exhaustion with the war rolls along like a wave. You see it in the United States, in Europe.’

“… skepticism is particularly widespread in Germany. Nowhere were the responses to Ukraine more negative than in the country… But Ukraine skeptics in Germany don’t need to worry too much about Ukraine joining the EU anytime soon. That’s a long way off – as was shown in Brussels this week – if it ever takes place at all…  To become an EU member state, a country must have stable institutions that safeguard democracy and rule of law. It must have a functioning economy, also in order to be able to withstand the competitive pressure within the EU internal market…

“The dispute over money could also act as a brake…  if Ukraine became a member of the EU today, it would receive a net 18 to 19 billion euros from the EU budget each year. By comparison: Poland, which is by far the largest net recipient of EU funds in absolute terms, received just under 12 billion euros net in 2022… Ukraine would be entitled to around 85 billion euros in agricultural funds alone from the EU’s seven-year financial framework.

“… the biggest obstacle to Ukraine’s accession must first be removed: the war with Russia. It is unclear how an end to that war will be defined. When the Russians are completely expelled from Ukraine’s territory? If there’s a peace treaty? Or will it suffice if the weapons have been silent long enough?

“These issues are also explosive for the EU because it has a mutual assistance clause similar to NATO’s: In the event of an armed attack on a member state, ‘the other Member States shall have towards it an obligation of aid and assistance by all the means in their power,’ Article 42 of the Treaty on the European Union states says. Unlike the NATO defense alliance, though, the EU’s promise of support is toothless, given that it is not backed by military power.

“‘Ukraine’s accession to NATO should happen in parallel to its accession to the EU,’ demands German Green Party politician Hofreiter. But to a degree even greater than for EU membership, it is only conceivable that Ukraine could join NATO once the war with Russia has ended. And who knows what will be left of Ukraine by then?”

Ukraine will become part of Russia again, no matter what the USA, Europe or Ukraine may want…

Replacing Zelensky?

Asia Times wrote on November 11:

“There is a growing consensus that the West (meaning the United States with the help of the UK) wants to replace Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky… Either Zelensky will be forced to call a Presidential election, scheduled for next March, and then be replaced, or, if he resists, he will be replaced anyway in a Maidan-style upheaval.

“The US has pushed changes in Ukraine’s leadership before, and the current State Department undersecretary [Nuland]… was behind the earlier operation. A 2014 phone call between Nuland and the then-US ambassador to Kiev [Pyatt]…  was intercepted and the content of the call was leaked to the press. The call is interesting because Nuland and Pyatt were selecting an ‘acceptable’ presidential candidate for Ukraine, and they enlisted then-Vice President Joe Biden to help. Note that along with Biden, Jake Sullivan, then and now Biden’s national security advisor, was also enlisted in selecting Ukraine’s next President…

“Washington has let it be known through controlled leaks that its carefully orchestrated plan for Ukraine’s counter-offensive was not followed by Zelensky…

“Zelensky has a second problem, which… has damaged his relationship with [America and Britain]. That problem is the growing perception that Ukraine is losing the war… In Washington’s view the best thing to do is to negotiate a deal with the Russians… If there are no negotiations, inevitably Ukraine will fail militarily… However, Zelensky is against any negotiation with Russia and is demanding that all Russian forces leave Ukraine and that Russian ‘war criminals’ be brought to trial…

“Zelensky… is not going to volunteer to quit, so the problem of how to get him to step aside is unresolved. Even more daunting, holding presidential elections in March may be too late to save Ukraine.”

Whether these reported concerns and alleged attempts to replace Zelensky are true will have to be seen.

Transgender People To Be Included in Catholic Church’s Practices

Glad.org wrote on November 9:

“The Vatican has announced sweeping new policies welcoming transgender people in the church’s sacramental life, further reflecting Pope Francis’ pastoral focus on LGBTQ people.

“In October, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández signed a statement, with the approval of Pope Francis, affirming that transgender people can be baptized, become official godparents, and act as a witness for weddings in the Catholic faith. “

AFP added on November 11:

“LGBTQ rights campaigners welcomed a Vatican statement that transgender people can be baptised as a step towards a more inclusive Catholic Church, but denounced caveats that provide cover to those who object.

“In a document published on Wednesday, the powerful Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, one of the main departments that manages the affairs of the Holy See, said transgender believers can be baptised if it would not cause scandal or confusion. The document, written in response to questions from a Brazilian bishop and approved by Pope Francis, also raised no objections to baptism for the children of same-sex couples, either adopted or born through surrogacy. In reality, such baptisms already occur in different dioceses around the world…

“The Vatican statement said that transgender believers ‘can receive baptism, under the same conditions of other faithful, if there is no situation in which there is a risk of generating public scandal or uncertainty among the faithful’

“‘It is definitely a step towards a more inclusive church and a reminder that transgender Catholics are not only people but Catholics too,’ US Jesuit priest James Martin, a well-known advocate for LGBTQ believers, told AFP… Martin… said that ‘there is, of course, a risk that some dioceses and parishes will continue to exclude them.’ But he said it was ‘difficult to see’ what the ‘scandal’ might be that precludes a baptism, adding: ‘Frankly, the bigger scandal would be to continue to exclude them from the life of the church.’”

The Catholic Church, under Pope Francis, is drifting more and more into absolutely ungodly behavior.

China’s Unconscionable Experiments

Science Alert wrote on November 10:

“Scientists in China have announced the birth of a primate like no other, with eyes that shined green and fingertips that glowed yellow – and those were just the observable features. Beneath the skin and deep within its genes, this creature was apparently even more remarkable.

“The lab-born male monkey was the product of an unprecedented experiment, which used the pluripotent stem cells of two genetically distinct fertilized eggs from the same monkey species to create one living and breathing long-tailed macaque…  It survived for just ten days, which means the ongoing health of chimeric monkeys is still a problem to be solved.

“In a media conference, the lead author of the paper, geneticist Jing Cao from CAS, said that this was a basic scientific advance because it proves for the first time that rich non-human primate chimeras are possible.

“The field of chimeric animal research isn’t without a spectrum of ethical concerns…”

Man wants to play God. The outcome will be disastrous for all involved.

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.

Update 1090

To Do Justly / Answering Criticism of God

On November 18, 2023, Paul Niehoff will present the sermonette, titled, “To Do Justly,” and Brian Gale will present the sermon, titled, “Answering Criticism of God.”

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.

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What Happened to Truth

by Paul Niehoff (Australia)

This is an interesting question that has been answered in Isaiah 59:14-15. “…For truth is fallen in the streets, and equity cannot enter. So truth fails, And he who departs from evil makes himself a prey.” From this it seems that truth can be difficult to find.

We note that at this current time, three words that were used very rarely or even unknown previously have come into prominence. They are all concerned in some way with truth or lies, more often with lies and deception.

These words are “misinformation, disinformation and malinformation.” Misinformation has the meaning of false information, but the person using it believes it is true. In this case there is not necessarily any malice. Disinformation has the meaning of false information that the person using it knows it to be false. It is a deliberate lie, usually with malice. The third word, malinformation, is based on truth but can be used to inflict harm on a person, organisation or country. Malinformation can also apply to a truth that an organization or government does not want revealed.

Of these three words, the one that was used in the past was disinformation, especially in the Soviet Union, in order to discredit political opponents with the intended result of their ineffectiveness or destruction.

Of these three words, none are directly used in the Bible, but the actions they engender are used. The most prominent one being disinformation. We first encounter this when Satan deceived Eve by telling her that if she ate the forbidden fruit, she would not surely die (Refer to Genesis 3:4). As we read about Satan in John 8:44, last part, “When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar, and the father of it.”

Both in the Old Testament and the New Testament, God gives us warnings of false prophets. In the Old Testament, God’s warnings were so strong that a false prophet who turns people away from God was to be put to death. (Refer Deuteronomy to 13:5). In the New Testament, Christ warns us against false prophets in Matthew 7:15. These false prophets were and are using disinformation as an attempt to deceive God’s people. 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 informs us that Satan’s ministers were and are transforming themselves into ministers of righteousness, and that they would receive the appropriate outcome. Their intention again was and is to deceive.

A very pertinent example of disinformation was when a lying spirit was put in the mouths of all of Ahab’s prophets, who encouraged him to go to battle so as to obtain victory. This lie resulted in the death of Ahab, the king of Israel. Refer to 2 Chronicles 18:19-34.

An example of malinformation happened when Satan tempted Christ. In Luke 4:9-11 we read, “Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, ‘If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. For it is written: “He shall give His angels charge over You, to keep You,” and, ‘In their hands they shall bear You up, lest You dash your foot against a stone.”’” While the quote was accurate, its purpose was to cause Christ to sin. Hence it was malinformation.

As for misinformation, there are examples of probable misinformation in the epistles. In 1 Corinthians 15:12 we read, “Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection from the dead?” This example shows that some members in the Church at Corinth were teaching that there was no resurrection. If they believed that then they were teaching misinformation.

In 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2, we are warned, “Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.” This would appear to be misinformation. However, if members were claiming that this information was from the true ministers of God, then this would be deliberate disinformation.

So, we have many warnings in the Bible about being deceived, either mistakenly or deliberately. We are also aware that Satan deceives the whole world (Refer to Revelation 12:9). So, we must be well aware of the contents, examples and warnings in the Bible and trust those who have proven to have been faithful in transmitting God’s truth to us over the years. In this way, we will not be deceived by misinformation, disinformation or malinformation. We will understand what truth is, and for us, it will be a part of our lives, remembering that Christ said, “I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6).

So, while truth has fallen in the street for the vast majority of people, it will not be so for us. We will know the truth and the truth shall make us free (John 8:32).

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by Norbert Link

We begin with what appears to be a major scandal, affecting big news agencies and the alleged prior knowledge and presence of their journalists or “freelance” reporters supplying them with “news stories” and photographs of the Hamas terrorist attack on Gaza on October 7.

We continue with Professor Dershowitz’s reaction to former President Barack Obama’s statements on Israel; a colossal Biden joke; a massive demonstration for Israel; and we speak on New York Judge Engoron’s bias and bizarre behavior in the “case” involving Donald Trump, his children and his organization. We also address the controversial conduct of the FBI in targeting New York’s Mayor Eric Adams.

We point out the somewhat overlooked role of Robert F Kennedy Jr. in the political arena; and report on Donald Trump’s controversial statements and his alleged immigration plans which would be deeply disturbing and highly objectionable, if true. We speak on Germany’s failed asylum policy and other problems; a political shakeup in Britain; and current and anticipated military conscription in Europe, which paints a dark picture for the future.

We are addressing Ukraine’s dilemma and alleged plans by the USA and other countries to replace Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky. Please view in this context our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Is Ukraine Losing the War?”

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

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What Did Major Media Know About Hamas’s Attack, and Did Photojournalists Collude With Hamas?

Israel 365 News wrote on November 10:

“Ethical questions are now being raised about  Gaza-based freelance photojournalists from major media who were embedded with the Hamas terrorists on October 7, documenting their horrific deeds. One media watchdog asked whether the photojournalists and their employers had foreknowledge of the attacksHonest Reporting reviewed the images of the attack published by AP, CNN, The New York Times and Reuters

“CNN said in response that it ‘decided to suspend all ties with Hassan Eslaiah’… a freelance photojournalist who has worked with a number of international and Israeli outlets…

“After Honest Reporting’s shocking article, a spokeswoman for the Associated Press quoted by the Daily Wire denied any advance knowledge of the attack… The New York Times made a similar denial…

“The Israeli government took the Honest Reporting revelations seriously. A statement by the Prime Minister’s office read: ‘Gaza-based photojournalists employed by the world’s leading news agencies who captured images of the Hamas massacre on October 7 in Gaza-border communities, and who appear to have had foreknowledge of the planned attack were accomplices in crimes against humanity; their actions were contrary to professional ethics.’

“Government minister Benny Gantz, a member of the cabinet and chairman of the National Unity party, came out strongly against the journalists. ‘Journalists found to have known about the massacre, and still chose to stand as idle bystanders while children were slaughtered – are no different than terrorists and should be treated as such,’ Gantz tweeted.

“Israel’s Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi sent a letter to the four news outlets calling for an investigation into the photographers’ possible ‘collusion with the terrorist organization Hamas-ISIS.’…”

Simple denials from those news agencies won’t do. If it should be confirmed that those journalists knew about and participated, in one way or another, in Hamas’ murderous attack on October 7, that would be a scandal of unbelievable proportions.

On November 10, Newsmax published an article of The Associated Press, saying the following in their “defense”:

Several of the world’s biggest news organizations — CNN, The New York Times, The Associated Press and Reuters — issued statements Thursday denying they knew about the attack ahead of time… The Times said the accusation that anyone at the newspaper had advance knowledge of the attacks or accompanied Hamas was ‘untrue and outrageous,’ and put journalists in Israel and Gaza at risk. Rushing into danger in conflict zones already puts freelance photojournalists at risk, the newspaper said…

“Both AP and CNN said Thursday that they would no longer work with Eslaiah, one of the freelance photographers. HonestReporting posted a photo of Eslaiah being kissed by Hamas leader Yehia Sinwar.”

However, such denials may not do the trick.

Senator Cotton Wants Answers

Newsmax reported on November 10:

“‘Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., wants answers from news organizations that used firsthand images and information from Hamas’ Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel shortly after the massacre began.

“Cotton on Thursday sent letters to Attorney General Merrick Garland and to executives of CNN, the AP, Reuters, and the Times. Cotton demanded that Garland open an investigation into the outlets, and the news organizations were asked to provide answers as to their involvement with Hamas. ‘If your employees, as part of their work, participated in terrorist activities or if your organization or employees provided material support (including any funding) to Hamas, the leadership of your organization may also face criminal penalties under federal law,’ Cotton wrote to the news organizations. 

“The Times on Friday responded to Cotton, saying that his letter ‘exacerbates’ the ‘spread of disinformation and incendiary rhetoric’ around journalists covering the war. ‘You are merely parroting disinformation harvested from the internet based on a website that has conceded it had no evidence for its claims,’ Times Vice President and Deputy General Counsel David McGraw wrote in a letter to Cotton.  McGraw added that ‘[n]o employee of The Times was embedded with Hamas, or had advance knowledge of the attack, or played any role in the savage massacre of that day.’

“Cotton then responded to McGraw’s letter: ‘Falsehoods circulated on the internet are not “reports,'” Cotton, repeating McGraw’s line, posted on X. ‘ The NYTimes just described its own “newsroom.” What you don’t say is that your freelance photographers—pictured riding with the Hamas terrorists on 10/7—had no advance knowledge. Is that also your claim?’ Cotton added.”

“This Is How the Terrorist Photographer Used Propaganda”

Bild Online wrote on November 11:

“He is a friend of a terrorist leader. He has posted videos explaining how to kill Israelis – with a battering ram or a shot in the head. And he has photographed for the world’s major agencies: the Palestinian photographer Hassan Eslaiah from the Gaza Strip.

“His images were the first the world saw after learning that Hamas had launched a large-scale attack on Israel and started a war. The photos were distributed by major news agencies and TV channels. They were also shown by BILD. Trusting that the major Western news agencies adhere to their standards and that they know whose photos they are distributing. That they can vouch for them – as far as this is possible in war zones.

“Now the world knows: They were Hamas propaganda images. Photographers like Hassan Eslaiah were at the forefront and apparently knew in advance about the barbaric terrorist attack by Hamas, in which 1,200 people were ultimately massacred and violated and around 240 were kidnapped.

“One thing is clear: the photos are NOT fake. But they misrepresent the situation. They are not reporter photos or news photos. Hassan Eslaiah and all the photographers who spread the October 7 Hamas propaganda like him have deceived the world. Eslaiah created mass murder without bodies. His pictures only show what they are supposed to show: heroic perpetrators. They leave out what doesn’t fit into the picture: the victims. The brutality, the carnage. The pain. He photographed past all of this. Something like that can only be done consciously. Only on purpose.

Every news agency that distributed the photos of him UNCHECKED was complicit…

“Hassan Eslaiah managed to photograph the carnage – without even one of the 1,400 corpses appearing in his photos from the kibbutz. Only one photo shows a dead person lying in front of the entrance gate… Hassan Eslaiah provided clean images – his streets were also strangely empty. He must have done one thing above all else: looked away intensely…

“In Israel, Hassan Eslaiah only photographed the perpetrators – as heroes. He didn’t photograph suffering. No victims. He was the man who was trusted by so many industry giants – the New York Times even defended him after the scandal!… He acts differently in Gaza. From there too, Eslaiah only delivered Hamas propaganda – WITH the suffering of the Palestinians.

“In view of the photos from Israel, the question must be asked: What can one actually believe about what one sees in the Gaza photos by photographers like Hassan Eslaiah? In addition, the man also worked as a stringer for CNN and the New York Times – i.e. as an informant, as a journalistic source on site. After the scandal, the question arises: Which images from Gaza can we still believe?”

A more alarming question is: What can we believe at all from “reports” published by CNN, The New York Times, and other left-wing mass media outlets?

Dershowitz Takes On Obama

Fox Business News wrote on November 10:

“Expressing outrage over former President Barack Obama’s call for an end to Israeli ‘occupation,’ Harvard Law professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz expanded on why he’s never talking to the Democratic president again. ‘I think he always had a deep hatred of Israel in his heart. He hid it very well… He’s never been supportive of Israel. And finally, his true feelings have come out now that he’s no longer president and doesn’t have to be elected… He has contributed enormously to the problem because he is respected among young people. And if he says the occupation is unbearable and that anything can be done to stop it, he is encouraging people to engage in their antisemitic, anti-Israel and anti-American attitudes. He should be ashamed of himself. He should apologize, but he won’t.’

“Dershowitz’s commentary comes after he claimed Thursday that any relationship with Obama is ‘over’ following the 44th president’s onstage statements about the Israel-Hamas war… The Harvard professor on Friday accused Obama of lying ‘through his teeth’ about what the former president called an ‘unbearable’ occupation of Gaza. ‘To compare those disputed claims with the rapes, beheadings, burnings, kidnappings, it’s just obscene and despicable,’ Dershowitz said. ‘And what it does is it lends support to those students basically, who are saying, ‘Well, what Hamas really did was not so bad… It was in response to the occupation…  If Hamas is not stopped in its tracks from doing the terrorist acts, they will bring them to the United States.’”

Respect for Dershowitz who exposes Obama for what he really is and believes.

A Colossal Joke…

Breitbart wrote on November 12:

“… the Biden administration’s official position went from pro-Israel to functionally pro-Hamas in a matter of days… This is all appalling, if not entirely unexpected… as usual, there is method to his madness… Biden knows shifting to focus to Islamophobia at this particular moment has little potential to succeed, at least in the traditional sense. So, he resorted to yet another tried and true tactic: offload his toughest battles to… Kamala Harris. Biden has also tasked Harris with the broken border and Artificial Intelligence…

“This is clearly sabotage. Harris cannot win on these issues… Effectually, he is keeping Harris in her place so that she’ll never surpass him politically… While Biden assigned her another impossible mission (solving Islamophobia), her husband, longtime entertainment lawyer Doug Emhoff, was absurdly tasked with the leading efforts to confront antisemitism…

“It’s all a colossal joke…”

Massive Support for Israel?

JTA wrote on November 14:

“Organizers of a pro-Israel rally at the National Mall in Washington on Tuesday claimed that 290,000 people showed up for the event, making it one of the largest gatherings of Jews in U.S. history at a time when an ongoing war in Gaza has sharply divided public opinion around the world. An additional 250,000 people watched the event through a live stream, organizers added…

“In more than three hours of speeches on Tuesday, a range of politicians, actors, musicians, activists and U.S. college students presented a strong front in support of Israel and spoke about the rise of antisemitism around the world since Hamas’ attacks on Oct. 7 and Israel’s subsequent war in Gaza. Many speakers also demanded the safe release of the more than 200 hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza.

“… subtle differences in messaging… emerged from the prominent Democrats and Republicans who spoke, and also between the Biden administration and Israel.

Mike Johnson, the newly installed Republican speaker of the House, said the United States would reject widespread calls for a ceasefire. ‘The calls for a ceasefire are outrageous,’ he said to loud cheers. Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, both New York Democrats, did not mention a ceasefire. The Biden administration… differs with Israel on the degree to which there should be pauses in fighting to bring humanitarian assistance into Gaza.

“Biden is under intense pressure from a number of congressional progressives as well as some staffers in the State Department and elsewhere to force Israel to declare a ceasefire.

“… It was not clear why Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, the minority leader, was unable to attend…

“An array of Jewish organizations across the political spectrum attended the event. The inclusion of some of the more right-wing speakers, including Johnson and Pastor John Hagee — the head of the influential Christians United for Israel group who is an opponent of LGBTQ rights — caused controversy before the rally…

“But several speakers, including liberal CNN analyst Van Jones, called for the protection of Palestinian lives while emphasizing Israel’s right to defend itself… Dr. Rochelle Ford, the president of Dillard University in New Orleans, a historically Black university, said it was time to ‘stand with Israel, and to stand with the Palestinians who suffer under Hamas’ cruel rule in Gaza.’”

It has been emphasized that at this point, a two-state solution would be an impossibility. And so, anti-Semitism and anger towards Israel will continue.

Judge Engoron’s Bias and Bizarre Behavior

Fox News wrote on November 10::

“The No. 3 House Republican leader is wading into the dramatic New York civil trial of former President Donald Trump, accusing the judge involved of exhibiting ‘bias’ and ‘bizarre behavior’ in the courtroom. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., filed an ethics complaint against Judge Arthur Engoron on Friday morning in a letter to the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct.

“‘I write today to express my serious concerns about the inappropriate bias and judicial intemperance shown by Judge Arthur F. Engoron in New York’s lawsuit against President Donald J. Trump and the Trump Organization,’ Stefanik said in her letter. ‘This judge’s bizarre behavior has no place in our judicial system, where Judge Engoron is not honoring the defendant’s rights to due process and a fair trial,’ the letter continued. ‘These serious concerns are exacerbated by the fact that the defendant is the leading candidate for President of the United States, and it appears the judicial system is being politicized to affect the outcome of the campaign,’ Stefanik wrote…

“‘Judge Engoron has gone on to gag and fine President Trump for merely criticizing Judge Engoron’s law clerk, which is core political speech protected by the First Amendment,’ Stefanik said. ‘If anyone in America must have the constitutional right to speak out against the judge, his staff, the witnesses, or the process, it’s a defendant going through a process he believes is politicized and weaponized against him… Judge Engoron’s bizarre and biased behavior is making New York’s judicial system a laughingstock.’”

Engoron’s unethical conduct and bias should be obvious to any objective observer. Whether the complaint will be successful in liberal New York ruled by Democrats is a different matter.

“Are the Feds Targeting (New York’s Mayor) Eric Adams Because He Criticized Joe Biden?”

The New York Post wrote on November 10:

Seizing Mayor Adam’s phones and tablet on the street in public is the latest sign the feds aren’t simply investigating him: They’re out to inflict maximum embarrassment in a political vendetta, presumably in retribution for the noise he’s made about President Biden’s disastrous border policies.

“The mayor is easy to find, 24/7/365: What reason to ambush him publicly… except to humiliate him? And why else make sure his No. 1 press enemy, The New York Times, gets the story first?

“Mind you, this follows the opening raid in this investigation — which stormed the home of his top fund-raiser while Adams was in the air en route to Washington to press Biden on his failure to help the city bear the multibillion-dollar cost of caring for the illegal migrants the (president) is waving into the country.

That one leaked to the Times first, too. And sources told The Post that timing was also intentional; the feds denied it — but of course they would…

“The mayor won’t appreciate us making this point, but this resembles the multiple prosecutions of ex-President Donald Trump: Even where Trump has crossed lines (e.g., in holding on to classified documents), the feds’ zealousness is all out of proportion in his case vs. other notorious violators of the same statutes, such as Hillary Clinton and Biden himself.

“Weaponizing the FBI and Justice Department for political purposes is a major threat to democracy, no matter the victim. Congress needs to start asking tough questions about the Adams case.”

What we are seeing in this country is not only a threat to democracy… it has reached the point, in many instances, of the conduct of an autocratic dictatorial banana republic.

Don’t Dismiss Kennedy

CNN wrote on November 12:

“There are few things you can be more certain of in life than a Democrat or a Republican winning a US presidential election. We don’t usually do third parties or independents in this country. Chances are Democrat Joe Biden or Republican Donald Trump will be elected a year from now.

“But it would be foolish to dismiss what the current polls are telling us: Independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is polling higher than any independent or third-party candidate in a generation. He, along with other non-major-party candidates, has a real chance to affect the outcome of the 2024 election

“Take a look at a recent [poll]: Kennedy hit 22% among registered voters… We don’t know where Kennedy will end up, obviously; however, his numbers in the swing states should be turning heads… Kennedy was in the high teens to upward of 25%…”

It does not appear that Kennedy would become President, but his influence on election results could be dramatic. It is also far from certain that Biden will ultimately be the Democratic nominee.

Trump: “Genie Is Out of the Box”

The Huffington Post wrote on November 10:

“Former President Donald Trump said that he would be justified in telling federal prosecutors to go after his political rivals if he wins the White House next year, suggesting it would simply be payback for Democrats doing the same to him. ‘What they’ve done is they’ve released the genie out of the box,’ Trump said in an interview…

“In response to a Univision question about his claims that the Justice Department and FBI had been ‘weaponized’ and whether he would do the same if put back in the Oval Office, Trump said: ‘It’s not unique but it’s unique for the United States. Yeah, if they do this — and they’ve already done it — but if they want to follow through on this, yeah, it could certainly happen in reverse.’…

“The Univision interview is not the first time Trump has said or hinted that he would try to use his official powers for revenge if he once again wins the White House… ‘I am your warrior. I am your justice. And for those who have been wronged and betrayed: I am your retribution,’ he said at the Conservative Political Action Conference in March…

“Trump has already started thinking about individuals he would like to see investigated or prosecuted if he wins another term, and… his associates are looking at potentially invoking the Insurrection Act on his first day in office, which would give him broad emergency powers. Among the targets on Trump’s list, according to the [Washington] Post, are former White House chief of staff John Kelly and former Attorney General William Barr, as well as retired Army Gen. Mark Milley, the former chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.”

There would be many more targets, if it came to that.

Trump’s Alleged Immigration Plans

DNYUZ wrote on November 11:

“Former President Donald J. Trump is planning an extreme expansion of his first-term crackdown on immigration if he returns to power in 2025…

“Mr. Trump wants to revive his first-term border policies, including banning entry by people from certain Muslim-majority nations and reimposing a Covid 19-era policy of refusing asylum claims — though this time he would base that refusal on assertions that migrants carry other infectious diseases like tuberculosis.

“He plans to scour the country for unauthorized immigrants and deport people by the millions per year… Mr. Trump wants to build huge camps to detain people while their cases are processed and they await deportation flights…

“In a public reference to his plans, Mr. Trump told a crowd in Iowa in September: ‘Following the Eisenhower model, we will carry out the largest domestic deportation operation in American history.’ The reference was to a 1954 campaign to round up and expel Mexican immigrants…

“In a second Trump presidency, the visas of foreign students who participated in anti-Israel or pro-Palestinian protests would be canceled. U.S. consular officials abroad will be directed to expand ideological screening of visa applicants to block people the Trump administration considers to have undesirable attitudes…

“Similarly, numerous people who have been allowed to live in the country temporarily for humanitarian reasons would also lose that status and be kicked out, including tens of thousands of the Afghans who were evacuated amid the 2021 Taliban takeover and allowed to enter the United States. Afghans holding special visas granted to people who helped U.S. forces would be revetted to see if they really did…

“Mr. Trump would try to end birthright citizenship for babies born in the United States to undocumented parents — by proclaiming that policy to be the new position of the government and by ordering agencies to cease issuing citizenship-affirming documents like Social Security cards and passports to them…

“In interviews with The New York Times, several Trump advisers gave the most expansive and detailed description yet of Mr. Trump’s immigration agenda in a potential second term. In particular, Mr. Trump’s campaign referred questions for this article to Stephen Miller, an architect of Mr. Trump’s first-term immigration policies who remains close to him and is expected to serve in a senior role in a second administration… ‘Trump will unleash the vast arsenal of federal powers to implement the most spectacular migration crackdown,’ Mr. Miller said…

“Mr. Miller said Mr. Trump would try again to end DACA. [DACA, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, is an Obama-era program that shields from deportation and grants work permits to people who were brought unlawfully to the United States as children.] And the 5-4 majority of the Supreme Court that blocked the last attempt no longer exists: A few months after the DACA ruling, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died and Mr. Trump replaced her with a sixth conservative, Justice Amy Coney Barrett…

“Mr. Miller said Mr. Trump would invoke Title 42, citing ‘severe strains of the flu, tuberculosis, scabies, other respiratory illnesses like R.S.V. and so on, or just a general issue of mass migration being a public health threat and conveying a variety of communicable diseases.’…

“… the Trump team plans to build ‘vast holding facilities that would function as staging centers’ for migrants waiting to be flown to other countries, Mr. Miller said. Such an undertaking would be fast-tracked…  the new camps would likely be built ‘on open land in Texas near the border’… ‘Bottom line,’ he said, ‘President Trump will do whatever it takes.’”

The Daily Mail added on November 12:

“It has been revealed that Trump would expand his first-term immigration crackdown… if he is re-elected in 2024…

“To aid US Immigration and Customs Enforcement in sweeping roundups of undocumented people, Trump would reassign federal agents and deputize local police and National Guard troops volunteered by Republican-run states…

“To underwrite the massive operation if Congress refused, Trump would redirect Pentagon funds as he did with his border wall in his first term… ‘We’ll stop the invasion on our southern border and begin the largest domestic deportation operation in American history,‘ Trump said on Saturday…”

If all of this is true, then Trump’s immigration plans are cause for great concern. That right-wing radical Stephen Miller is one of his major immigration advisors, as he had been before, does not help the situation at all. Miller also pleaded in the past for the end of chain immigration (children applying for US residency for their parents). He has been described as an “immigration hypocrite” by his uncle, stating that Stephen Miller supports policies that would have condemned his own Jewish family to death if they had been enacted a century ago. Miller’s maternal uncle, David Glosser, described how Miller’s great-great-grandfather Wolf-Leib Glosser fled the Belarusian shtetl of Antopol, arriving in the United States in 1903, “with $8 to his name.” “I have watched with dismay and increasing horror as my nephew, who is an educated man and well aware of his heritage, has become the architect of immigration policies that repudiate the very foundation of our family’s life in this country,” Glosser said in 2018. (Compare for example “The Times of Israel,” dated August 13, 2018.)

Germany’s Failed Asylum Policy

Focus wrote on November 12:

“The heated situation in the Middle East conflict is reflected in the Berlin facilities of the Arche children’s and youth welfare organization… Arche spokesman Wolfgang Büscher has experienced the hatred of Muslim young people first-hand over the past few days…

“‘First we cut the throats of the Jews, then the gays and finally the Christians! ‘ This is what young people said on site, writes the Bild newspaper. Büscher confirms threats of this kind…

“The radicalization has been evident for years. But the integration problems with Muslim children and young people in the aid facility have apparently not yet become as clear as they have been since the Hamas attack… Across Germany, the Arche looks every day after up to 7,000 children and young people from socially disadvantaged families in more than 30 facilities. The adolescents receive free lunch, help with homework and more. Between 60 and 70 percent of older people are of Arab origin. In Hellersdorf, where more than 12,000 young people are looked after, around half are Muslim.

“Most of the Muslims living in East Berlin have come to Berlin since the major refugee movement from Syria in 2015, says Büscher. The integration there has apparently borne little fruit… Instead of distributing the refugees throughout the city, they would be concentrated in hot spots. Criminal clans and religious extremists tried to reach these children and young people…

“The schools’ concerns about the charged atmosphere among parts of the student body are immense…”

Germany is slowly becoming aware of its disastrous immigration and integration policy, basically instituted by Angela Merkel.

More Trouble for Germany’s Government

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 15:

“Germany’s highest court has ruled that the government’s 2021 reallocation of unused coronavirus pandemic credit is unconstitutional. The government’s climate action budget is now €60 billion short [money which will have to be found elsewhere.]

“In December 2021, the German coalition government agreed on an unusual budgetary maneuver that saw €60 billion ($64 billion) of untapped credit secured to help combat the effects of the pandemic reallocated to its so-called climate and transformation fund…

“A total of 197 conservative opposition lawmakers argued that the move effectively gave the government fiscal room to maneuver to which it wasn’t constitutionally entitled. They said this could set a precedent for Germany’s financing of future crises… Germany’s Federal Audit Office also described the budget maneuver as ‘constitutionally dubious,’ saying that the government did not provide adequate justification for the ‘misappropriation’ of money intended to combat the pandemic…

“The constitutional court agreed with those arguments…”

Shakeup in Britain… Cameron Back, Braverman Sacked

The Associated Press wrote on November 13:

“Former British Prime Minister David Cameron made a shock return to high office on Monday, becoming foreign secretary in a major shakeup of the Conservative government… Cameron, who led the U.K. government between 2010 and 2016, was appointed by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in a Cabinet shuffle in which he sacked [Home Secretary Suella] Braverman… who drew anger for accusing police of being too lenient with pro-Palestinian protesters. She was replaced by James Cleverly, who had been foreign secretary.

“Cameron’s appointment came as a surprise to seasoned politics-watchers. It’s rare for a non-lawmaker to take a senior government post, and it has been decades since a former prime minister held a Cabinet job… Cameron’s appointment brings back to government a leader brought down by Britain’s decision to leave the European Union. Cameron called the 2016 EU membership referendum, confident the country would vote to stay in the bloc. He resigned the day after voters opted to leave.

Sunak was a strong backer of the winning ‘leave’ side in the referendum. Cameron’s return, and Braverman’s sacking, are likely to infuriate the Conservative Party’s right wing and inflame tensions in the party…  Prominent right-wing lawmaker Jacob Rees-Mogg said sacking Braverman was ‘a mistake, because Suella understood what the British voter thought and was trying to do something about it.’… In a highly unusual attack on the police last week, Braverman said London’s police force was ignoring lawbreaking by ‘pro-Palestinian mobs.’ She described demonstrators calling for a cease-fire in Gaza as ‘hate marchers.’… Last week Braverman wrote an article for the Times of London in which she said police ‘play favorites when it comes to protesters’ and acted more leniently toward pro-Palestinian demonstrators and Black Lives Matter supporters than toward right-wing protesters or soccer hooligans. The article was not approved in advance by the prime minister’s office, as would usually be the case.

“…Braverman, a 43-year-old lawyer, has become a leader of the party’s populist wing by advocating ever-tougher curbs on migration… Last month she called migration a ‘hurricane’ that would bring ‘millions more immigrants to these shores, uncontrolled and unmanageable.’…

“Critics say Braverman has been building her profile to position herself for a party leadership contest that could come if the Conservatives lose power in an election expected next year. The bold changes are an attempt by Sunak to reset his faltering government. The Conservatives have been in power for 13 years, but opinion polls for months have put them 15 to 20 points behind the opposition Labour Party amid a stagnating economy, persistently high inflation, an overstretched health care system and a wave of public sector strikes…”

The Daily Mail added on November 13:

“Rishi Sunak is facing a revolt by the Tory right… after David Cameron made a shock comeback to the Cabinet…. [It is]  a decision that sent an earthquake through Westminster,.. Just weeks ago Lord Cameron condemned Mr Sunak’s decision to downgrade the HS2 rail project. Incredulous Tory MPs, who deeply deeply distrust the peer after he headed the Remain campaign before quitting in the wake of the 2016 referendum, also slammed him for fostering closer relations with China as premier…

“Worryingly for the PM, a snap YouGov poll has found that just 24 per cent of Brits think the return of Lord Cameron is a good idea, compared to 38 per cent who fear it is a bad one… The stunning move triggered turmoil on Conservative WhatsApp groups…”

Military Conscription in Europe

Euro Weekly News wrote on November 10:

“With a war in Ukraine, the potential for more Middle Eastern countries to become embroiled in the latest Israel-Palestine fighting, a potential reigniting of conflict in Kosovo and an ever-growing threat from Russia and China, it looks like a European rethink on military conscription may be on the cards.

“Since the end of the Cold War, the fall of the Berlin Wall and a shift to the liberal centre ground in European politics, many countries abandoned military conscription as an unnecessary and expensive measure. Out of the 29 European countries that are members of NATO, including Turkey, only six have kept up compulsory military service since 1993.

“Europe’s focus shifted away from defence in general, with the EU’s combined spending on defence between 1999 and 2021 increasing by only 20 per cent, in comparison to a 66 per cent increase by the US, a jaw-dropping 292 per cent increase by Russia and a truly staggering 592 per cent increase by China. Given those comparisons, it looks like the EU has taken its eye off the ball and become somewhat complacent that the long-term situation of peace and stability was rather more permanent than it’s proved to be. 

“Looking at the countries with military conscription, one notable thing that stands out is their proximity to Russia. Finland, which of course suffered an invasion by Russia during the 1939 Winter War, has one of the highest rates of conscription in the world. Every year, around 27,000 conscripts are trained with 80 per cent of Finnish male citizens completing the service which can range between nine months and a year for unarmed service and six, nine months or a year for armed service. Penalties for evading military service in Finland are harsh with a penalty of 173 days in prison with no parole, minus any served days. 

“Other Russian neighbours, Ukraine and Lithuania, reinstated compulsory military service after Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. In the Ukraine, military service is compulsory for men aged 18 to 26 and in Lithuania for men aged 18 to 25.  Latvia is reinstating compulsory military service from 2024 with all men aged 18 to 27 being required to undergo 11 months of service and in Estonia there’s compulsory military or governmental service for men aged between 18-27 for eight to 11 months.

“In the Nordic area, Norway brought back conscription in 2016 with all 18-year-olds in Norway of both genders having to present themselves for military service… Sweden started partial conscription in 2018 for both genders…

“Other European countries with conscription include Switzerland, where every male has to serve at least 245 days in the armed forces, Greece (12 months for men between 19 and 45), Austria (six months for men over the age of 18) and Denmark where every male over the age of 18 is subject to being called upon on the basis of a draw…

Germany suspended military service in 2011, but it can be reintroduced if the Bundestag determines there is a need for defence.  Defence Minister, Boris Pistorius, has led increasing calls to introduce compulsory military service again, saying ‘Abolishing it was a mistake and could demonstrate the importance of these institutions for the functioning of our society.’…

Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister, Matteo Salvini, has opined on compulsory military service several times, believing that ‘a year of teaching the rules, good manners and duties would make good citizens.’…

The UK ended conscription in 1960 and there has been no official discussion on reintroduction…

Portugal has voluntary service for 18-30-year-olds who wish to participate and technically conscription is possible if there aren’t sufficient volunteers, however, there has been no discussion in the country on changing that position.

Spain abolished conscription in 2001, retaining the right to mobilise citizens aged between 19-25 years in the event of a national emergency. However, like the UK and Portugal, does not appear to be considering any reinstating of conscription…”

Military conscription in all of Europe is coming, and this is really bad news for freedom-loving and peace-loving people.

Ukraine’s Dilemma

Spiegel International wrote on November 10:

“Weeks after the terrorist attack in Israel pulled the world’s attention away from Kyiv’s plight, the situation in Ukraine is bleak… There has been little progress on the front, and only a massive increase in Western military aid could help. But it doesn’t appear that such aid will be forthcoming, particularly with a new war in the Middle East taking much of the West’s attention away from Ukraine. Indeed, it is even possible the United States will start reducing its support, and the European Union wouldn’t likely be able to make up for that shortfall…

For Ukraine, the end to U.S. aid would be no less than a disaster. After around 600 days of war, the Ukrainian army is suffering from huge shortages. At the very top of Kyiv’s list of priorities are weapons for air defense… The German government is… the largest provider of military aid to Kyiv after the U.S. But that aid won’t be enough to deliver a win for Ukraine in the war. As German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has emphasized repeatedly, it may not even be enough to ensure that Ukraine doesn’t lose..

“Although the EU has pledged by far the largest sums of money to Ukraine, amounting to around 77 billion euros by the end of July, when it comes to purely military assistance, the U.S. is indispensable. Washington has already supplied Ukraine with around 42 billion euros worth of armaments, more than all EU member states combined. The EU, so far, has committed around 25 billion euros in military aid, with most of it coming from Germany.

“All experts agree that it would be impossible for the Europeans to compensate for the loss of U.S. military aid to Ukraine… Politicians and military officials don’t believe that Germany is in a position to expand its military aid to Ukraine. They say there’s nothing left to give from the German armed forces’ sparse stocks. Germany’s defense industry needs to produce faster…

“But what happens if the budget situation in Germany deteriorates – or Donald Trump becomes president again in the U.S.? Nobody in Berlin is particularly eager to speculate on such questions these days.

“At the EU level, no significant increase in spending for Ukraine is in sight…

War weariness is also spreading within the EU, a development that Zelenskyy himself recently lamented in an interview. ‘The scariest thing is that part of the world got used to the war in Ukraine,’ the Ukrainian president told Time magazine. ‘Exhaustion with the war rolls along like a wave. You see it in the United States, in Europe.’

“… skepticism is particularly widespread in Germany. Nowhere were the responses to Ukraine more negative than in the country… But Ukraine skeptics in Germany don’t need to worry too much about Ukraine joining the EU anytime soon. That’s a long way off – as was shown in Brussels this week – if it ever takes place at all…  To become an EU member state, a country must have stable institutions that safeguard democracy and rule of law. It must have a functioning economy, also in order to be able to withstand the competitive pressure within the EU internal market…

“The dispute over money could also act as a brake…  if Ukraine became a member of the EU today, it would receive a net 18 to 19 billion euros from the EU budget each year. By comparison: Poland, which is by far the largest net recipient of EU funds in absolute terms, received just under 12 billion euros net in 2022… Ukraine would be entitled to around 85 billion euros in agricultural funds alone from the EU’s seven-year financial framework.

“… the biggest obstacle to Ukraine’s accession must first be removed: the war with Russia. It is unclear how an end to that war will be defined. When the Russians are completely expelled from Ukraine’s territory? If there’s a peace treaty? Or will it suffice if the weapons have been silent long enough?

“These issues are also explosive for the EU because it has a mutual assistance clause similar to NATO’s: In the event of an armed attack on a member state, ‘the other Member States shall have towards it an obligation of aid and assistance by all the means in their power,’ Article 42 of the Treaty on the European Union states says. Unlike the NATO defense alliance, though, the EU’s promise of support is toothless, given that it is not backed by military power.

“‘Ukraine’s accession to NATO should happen in parallel to its accession to the EU,’ demands German Green Party politician Hofreiter. But to a degree even greater than for EU membership, it is only conceivable that Ukraine could join NATO once the war with Russia has ended. And who knows what will be left of Ukraine by then?”

Ukraine will become part of Russia again, no matter what the USA, Europe or Ukraine may want…

Replacing Zelensky?

Asia Times wrote on November 11:

“There is a growing consensus that the West (meaning the United States with the help of the UK) wants to replace Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky… Either Zelensky will be forced to call a Presidential election, scheduled for next March, and then be replaced, or, if he resists, he will be replaced anyway in a Maidan-style upheaval.

“The US has pushed changes in Ukraine’s leadership before, and the current State Department undersecretary [Nuland]… was behind the earlier operation. A 2014 phone call between Nuland and the then-US ambassador to Kiev [Pyatt]…  was intercepted and the content of the call was leaked to the press. The call is interesting because Nuland and Pyatt were selecting an ‘acceptable’ presidential candidate for Ukraine, and they enlisted then-Vice President Joe Biden to help. Note that along with Biden, Jake Sullivan, then and now Biden’s national security advisor, was also enlisted in selecting Ukraine’s next President…

“Washington has let it be known through controlled leaks that its carefully orchestrated plan for Ukraine’s counter-offensive was not followed by Zelensky…

“Zelensky has a second problem, which… has damaged his relationship with [America and Britain]. That problem is the growing perception that Ukraine is losing the war… In Washington’s view the best thing to do is to negotiate a deal with the Russians… If there are no negotiations, inevitably Ukraine will fail militarily… However, Zelensky is against any negotiation with Russia and is demanding that all Russian forces leave Ukraine and that Russian ‘war criminals’ be brought to trial…

“Zelensky… is not going to volunteer to quit, so the problem of how to get him to step aside is unresolved. Even more daunting, holding presidential elections in March may be too late to save Ukraine.”

Whether these reported concerns and alleged attempts to replace Zelensky are true will have to be seen.

Transgender People To Be Included in Catholic Church’s Practices

Glad.org wrote on November 9:

“The Vatican has announced sweeping new policies welcoming transgender people in the church’s sacramental life, further reflecting Pope Francis’ pastoral focus on LGBTQ people.

“In October, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández signed a statement, with the approval of Pope Francis, affirming that transgender people can be baptized, become official godparents, and act as a witness for weddings in the Catholic faith. “

AFP added on November 11:

“LGBTQ rights campaigners welcomed a Vatican statement that transgender people can be baptised as a step towards a more inclusive Catholic Church, but denounced caveats that provide cover to those who object.

“In a document published on Wednesday, the powerful Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, one of the main departments that manages the affairs of the Holy See, said transgender believers can be baptised if it would not cause scandal or confusion. The document, written in response to questions from a Brazilian bishop and approved by Pope Francis, also raised no objections to baptism for the children of same-sex couples, either adopted or born through surrogacy. In reality, such baptisms already occur in different dioceses around the world…

“The Vatican statement said that transgender believers ‘can receive baptism, under the same conditions of other faithful, if there is no situation in which there is a risk of generating public scandal or uncertainty among the faithful’

“‘It is definitely a step towards a more inclusive church and a reminder that transgender Catholics are not only people but Catholics too,’ US Jesuit priest James Martin, a well-known advocate for LGBTQ believers, told AFP… Martin… said that ‘there is, of course, a risk that some dioceses and parishes will continue to exclude them.’ But he said it was ‘difficult to see’ what the ‘scandal’ might be that precludes a baptism, adding: ‘Frankly, the bigger scandal would be to continue to exclude them from the life of the church.’”

The Catholic Church, under Pope Francis, is drifting more and more into absolutely ungodly behavior.

China’s Unconscionable Experiments

Science Alert wrote on November 10:

“Scientists in China have announced the birth of a primate like no other, with eyes that shined green and fingertips that glowed yellow – and those were just the observable features. Beneath the skin and deep within its genes, this creature was apparently even more remarkable.

“The lab-born male monkey was the product of an unprecedented experiment, which used the pluripotent stem cells of two genetically distinct fertilized eggs from the same monkey species to create one living and breathing long-tailed macaque…  It survived for just ten days, which means the ongoing health of chimeric monkeys is still a problem to be solved.

“In a media conference, the lead author of the paper, geneticist Jing Cao from CAS, said that this was a basic scientific advance because it proves for the first time that rich non-human primate chimeras are possible.

“The field of chimeric animal research isn’t without a spectrum of ethical concerns…”

Man wants to play God. The outcome will be disastrous for all involved.

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.

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Can you explain the sin of Achan in Joshua 7 and God’s subsequent punishment?

In Joshua 7, we are told that Israel lost their battle against the people of Ai, because God did not help them. The reason was that Achan had taken “from the accursed things” of Jericho. These “accursed” things were devoted to God and not to be used for personal pleasure, and as Joshua 6:18 states, the person taking those things would become accursed and make the camp of Israel a curse and trouble it. Taken from the accursed things constituted sin and the transgression of God’s covenant (Joshua 7:11). It constituted idolatry and theft from God (to whom those things had been devoted to be destroyed or placed in God’s treasury, compare Joshua 6:19).

As the story unfolds, Achan’s sin is revealed, and punishment is inflicted.

The nature and extent of the punishment has been the subject of much controversy.

Some claim it meant the execution of Achan and his family and all of his animals, as well as the destruction of his goods. If so, what would have been the reason?

Commentaries are divided when addressing the reason, and we will give examples below of the most common explanations.

The first line of thinking is that the children were innocent, but had to be killed anyhow, to serve a bigger purpose.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary stated:

“Achan took some of the spoil of Jericho. The love of the world is that root of bitterness… We should take heed of sin ourselves, lest by it many be defiled or disquieted, Hebrews 12:15; and take heed of having fellowship with sinners, lest we share their guilt. It concerns us to watch over one another to prevent sin, because others’ sins may be to our damage…”

The Pulpit Commentary pointed out:

“Commentators have largely discussed the question how the sin of Achan could be held to extend to the whole people. But it seems sufficient to reply by pointing out the organic unity of the Israelitish nation. They were then, as Christians are now, the Church of the living God. And if one single member of the community violated the laws which God imposed on them, the whole body was liable for his sin, until it had purged itself by a public act of restitution (see Deuteronomy 21:1-8). So… Paul regards the Corinthian Church as polluted by the presence of one single offender, until he was publicly expelled from its communion (see 1 Corinthians 5:2, 6, 7).”

It should be pointed out, however, that in regard to the sin committed by the “single offender” in Corinth, the whole congregation knew about it and refused to act; in fact, they had become proud of their “tolerance” (see especially 1 Corinthians 5:2, 6).

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers wrote, in commenting on Joshua 7:24-25:

“And his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had.—All were evidently destroyed together… For any other sin but this, Achan must have suffered alone. ‘The children shall not be put to death for the fathers.’ But in this case, warning had been given that the man who took of the accursed thing, or chêrern, would be an accursed thing like it, if he brought it into his house (Deuteronomy 7:26), and would make the camp of Israel chêrem also… and thus Achan’s whole establishment was destroyed as though it had become part of Jericho. It is not necessary to assert that the family of Achan were accomplices. His cattle were not so, and yet they were destroyed. See also 1 Chronicles 2:7, where his line is not continued. Observe also the incidental reference to the fact in Joshua 22:20. ‘That man perished not alone in his iniquity.’

“The severity of the punishment must be estimated by the relation of Achan’s crime to the whole plan of the conquest of Canaan. If the destruction of the Canaanites was indeed the execution of the Divine vengeance, it must be kept entirely clear of all baser motives, lest men should say that Jehovah gave His people license to deal with the Canaanites as it seemed best for themselves. The punishment of Saul for taking the spoil of Amalek (1 Samuel 15), and the repeated statement of the Book of Esther that the Jews who stood for their lives and slew their enemies, the supporters of Haman’s project, laid not their hands on the prey, are further illustrations of the same principle. The gratification of human passions may not be mingled with the execution of the vengeance of God…”

This last comment presupposes that the children were innocent, but had to be killed anyhow so that others could not question God’s righteousness.

The Benson Commentary wrote:

“Why did God punish the whole society for this one man’s sin? All of them were punished for their own sins, whereof each had a sufficient proportion; but God took this occasion to inflict the punishment upon the society. 1st, Because divers of them might be guilty of this sin, either by coveting to do what he actually did, or by concealing his fault, which, it is probable, could not be unknown to others, or by not sorrowing for it, and endeavouring to purge themselves from it: 2d, To make sin the more hateful, as being the cause of such dreadful judgments: and, 3d, To oblige all the members of every society to be more circumspect in ordering their own actions, and more diligent to prevent the miscarriage of their brethren.”

This commentary allows at least for the possibility that the children were not innocent. It also repeats the idea that they should have paid closer attention to what their father was doing.

And so, some commentaries follow a second line of thinking, concluding that the children were not innocent, but participants in their father’s sin.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary wrote::

“His sons and daughters were put to death with him. It is probable that they helped to hide the things; they must have known of them.”

Barnes’ Notes on the Bible agreed, stating:

“It would appear too that Achan’s family must have been accomplices in his sin; for the stolen spoil could hardly have been concealed in his tent without their being privy thereto.”

Even apart from active participation, the Bible also commanded witnesses to report the crimes they were aware of. We read in Leviticus 5:1:

“If a person sins in hearing the utterance of an oath, and is a witness, whether he has seen or known of the matter–if he does not tell it, he bears guilt.”

Also note Proverbs 29:24:

“Whoever is a partner with a thief hates his own life; He swears to tell the truth, but reveals nothing.”

As we have seen, all commentaries quoted above concluded that Achan’s children were executed.

However, other commentaries pursue a third line of thinking and feel that it is possible that only Achan was executed, and not his family.

The Benson Commentary wrote:

“It is very probable, Achan being an old man, that his children were grown up, and the things which he had stolen being buried in the midst of his tent, it is likely they were conscious of the fact, as the Jewish doctors affirm they were; and if they were not accomplices in his crime, yet, at least, they concealed it. This is said, on the supposition that they were stoned and burned. But, according to the LXX., who say nothing of his children, only he was put to death. And it is not necessary to understand even the Hebrew text as affirming any thing further. It says, all Israel stoned him with stones, without mentioning his family.

“And what it afterward adds, And burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones, may be understood of the oxen, and asses, and sheep which belonged to Achan, and which God willed to be destroyed, together with his tent, and other effects, to excite a greater horror of his crime. For the brute creatures, though not capable of sin, nor of punishment, properly so called, yet, as they were made for man’s use, so they may be justly destroyed for man’s good. And as they are daily killed for our bodily food, it surely cannot seem strange that they should sometimes be killed for the instruction of our minds, that we may hereby learn the contagious nature of sin, which involves innocent creatures in its destructive effects.”

It should also be pointed out that the killing of the animals was not a willful and deliberate act by the people, but it was in pursuance of God’s explicit commandment.

The Jamieson, Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary stated:

“As the divine law expressly forbade the children to be put to death for their father’s sins (Deuteronomy 24:16), the conveyance of Achan’s ‘sons and daughters’ to the place of execution might be only as spectators, that they might take warning by the parental fate; or, if they shared his punishment (Joshua 22:20), they had probably been accomplices in his crime, and, indeed, he could scarcely have dug a hole within his tent without his family being aware of it.”

Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible wrote:

“… and his sons and his daughters; who… were not brought forth to be put to death, only to be spectators of the sentence of judgment, and the execution of it, that they might keep themselves from such evil things; though, as Achan may be supposed to be a man in years, being but the fourth generation from Judah; his sons and daughters were grown up in all probability, and might be accessories in this affair; and so, as some Jewish writers remark, were worthy of death, because they saw and knew what was done, and were silent and did not declare it; and it seems by what is said [in] Joshua 22:20, that they died as well as Achan, since it is there said, ‘that man perished not alone in his iniquity’; though it may be interpreted of his substance, his cattle, perishing with him; and indeed from Joshua 7:25, it seems as if none were stoned but himself, that is, of his family; no mention is made of his wife, who, if he had any,…  knew nothing of the matter, it being hid from her…

“… ‘and all Israel stoned him with stones’; hence some gather, that only Achan himself suffered death, and not his sons and daughters; ‘and burnt them with fire’ after they had stoned them with stones; which the Jewish commentators understand of his oxen, asses, and sheep… likewise his tent, and household goods, the Babylonish garment, gold and silver, were burnt, and he himself also.”

It was also pointed out by the Keil and Delitzsch Bible Commentary on the Old Testament that this clause in verse 25 “does not refer to the stoning as a capital punishment, but to the casting of stones upon the bodies after they were dead and had been burned, for the purpose of erecting a heap of stones upon them as a memorial of the disgrace.” Compare Joshua 8:29; 2 Samuel 18:17.

It should be noted, however, that God killed David’s son because of David’s sin of adultery and murder, even though the child was innocent. God gave the reason in 2 Samuel 12:14: “…because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die.” But this was an extraordinary circumstance and did not reflect the rule that a child would not die for the sin of his father.

In fact, the “discussion” between God and Abraham regarding the destruction of Sodom is quite illuminating on this point. When God announced to Abraham that He would destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham responded:

“‘Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it? Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?’” (Genesis 18:23-25). God told him that He would not destroy Sodom if ten righteous people would be found there, but as it turned out, not even ten righteous persons dwelled in Sodom. Still, God delivered righteous Lot (and even his less righteous wife and daughters), showing that He would not destroy the righteous with the wicked.

We also read that many in Israel died because of David’s sin of numbering the army, but they were guilty too. It says that God’s anger was aroused against Israel (2 Samuel 24:1).

As was pointed out above, Achan did not perish alone in his iniquity (Joshua 22:20), but this does not have to refer to his family, but it might refer to all of Israel because they lost their battle at Ai, when about 36 men died (Joshua 7:5). In fact, this conclusion is warranted based on the context of Joshua 22 which contains a warning for the congregation of Israel.

Also, in the rebellion of Korah (compare Numbers 16), not all his family members died, as subsequently, some of the sons of Korah wrote many psalms (compare Psalm 42; 44; 45; 46; 47; 48; 49; 84; 85; 87; and 88). This means that they were not punished for the sin of their father.  This is remarkable, as the wording is quite similar to the one used in the episode about Achan. Regarding Korah, we read:

“So they got away from around the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the door of their tents, with their wives, their sons, and their little children. And Moses said: ‘By this you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them of my own will. If these men die naturally like all men, or if they are visited by the common fate of all men, then the LORD has not sent me. But if the LORD creates a new thing, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the pit, then you will understand that these men have rejected the LORD.’ Now it came to pass, as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men with Korah, with all their goods” (Numbers 16:27-32).

It says specifically in Numbers 26:11: “Nevertheless the children of Korah did not die.”

In Joshua 7:15, the warning that the one taken from the accursed things would be burnt, “he and all that he has,” does not have to refer to Achan’s family; it could very well refer to his possessions, such as his animals and other physical belongings.

Regarding animals, God would have destroyed the animals in Nineveh as well, if the people of Nineveh had not repented. Sometimes, He does this to show the gravity of man’s sins. Because of it, the beasts of the field and the birds of the air and the fish of the sea will be destroyed (Hosea 4:3). We read that when God pours out the seven last plagues over this sinful earth, “every living creature in the sea” will die (Revelation 16:3). In Noah’s Flood, all the animals on land and in the air were killed, mostly because of man’s sins as “his wickedness was great in the earth” (Genesis 6:5). Only those in the Ark survived.

This being said, it should be pointed out that the nature of animals may change and become wicked and hostile due to the influence of evil people, who in turn are being influenced by Satan the Devil. We read, for instance, that apparently due to the wickedness of man at the time of Noah (see again Genesis 6:5), animals had become corrupted too:

“The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. And God said to Noah, ‘The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth’” (Genesis 6:11-13).

Based on all the arguments presented herein, it appears doubtful that Achan’s children were executed with Achan. If they were, they would have had knowledge of Achan’s sin and would have done nothing about it, perhaps even agreeing with their father’s conduct and having become proud of their tolerance, as had been the case regarding the church in Corinth. It appears, however, that God required that Achan’s animals were to be killed and subsequently stoned and burned, to show the magnitude of Achan’s sin and the consequence not just for himself, but also for animals.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

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Preaching the Gospel and Feeding the Flock

compiled by Dave Harris

“Is Ukraine Losing the War?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

Many feel that Ukraine might be losing the war with Russia—especially if military aid from the USA would be decreased–and that urgent peace negotiations with Russia are inevitable. As Zelenskyy would be unwilling to negotiate with Russia, many push for change in Ukraine’s government. Will Ukraine ever become a member of the EU and NATO? What does the Bible say about the identity of the Ukrainian people and the future for both Russia and Ukraine?

“Verliert die Ukraine den Krieg?” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program presented by Norbert Link. This program covers the same topic as presented above. 

“Ehre geben und empfangen”, this Sabbath new German split sermon presented by Michael Link, is now posted. Title in English: “Giving and Receiving Honor.”

“Zeugnis geben ,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath in Germany by Jens Herrmann, is now posted. Title in English: “Give Testimony.”

“The Righteous and the Wicked,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Dave Harris, is now posted. Here is a summary:

The world we are in is filled with wickedness, and “As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one.’” Are there any exceptions—and where does that leave each one of us?

“Be Strong,” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Eric Rank, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Throughout the Bible we find the encouraging admonition to be strong. From whom can we find strength? And once found, what are we accountable to do with the strength we put to work in our lives?

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How This Work is Financed

This Update is an official publication by the ministry of the Church of the Eternal God in the United States of America; the Church of God, a Christian Fellowship in Canada; and the Global Church of God in the United Kingdom.

Editorial Team: Norbert Link, Dave Harris, Rene Messier, Brian Gale, Johanna Link, Eric Rank, Michael Link, Anna Link, Kalon Mitchell, Manuela Mitchell, Dawn Thompson

Technical Team: Eric Rank, Shana Rank

Our activities and literature, including booklets, weekly updates, sermons on CD and video and audio broadcasts, are provided free of charge. They are made possible by the tithes, offerings and contributions of Church members and others who have elected to support this Work.

While we do not solicit the general public for funds, contributions are gratefully welcomed and are tax-deductible in the U.S. and Canada.

Donations can be sent to the following addresses:

United States: Church of the Eternal God, P.O. Box 270519, San Diego, CA 92198

Canada: Church of God, ACF, Box 1480, Summerland, B.C. V0H 1Z0

United Kingdom: Global Church of God, PO Box 44, MABLETHORPE, LN12 9AN, United Kingdom

The Righteous and the Wicked / Be Strong

On November 11, 2023, Dave Harris will present the sermonette, titled, “The Righteous and the Wicked,” and Eric Rank will present the sermon, titled, “Be Strong.”

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