This Week in the News

“Egyptair Crash Most Likely Terrorism”

Newsmax wrote on May 19:

“It’s still early to say what brought down the Egyptair jet overnight [crashing in the Mediterranean Sea], but ‘if you had to come down on the side of the scale, it would be terrorism,’ and this is a ‘real issue’ with regard to the potential of an insider threat at U.S. airports, Rep. Pete King said Thursday.

“‘It is not official but indicators are in that direction and you know what happened in the past with Egyptair, knowing how ISIS has been talking about it,’ the New York Republican, a member of the House Homeland Security Committee and the chairman of the House Counterintelligence Subcommittee [said]…

“‘Certainly when it comes to France and European countries insiders, that is where the real threat I think comes. Obviously you have to check passengers going on board but insider threat is in many ways more difficult to stop and I know the French intelligence has been very concerned about the presence of Islamist supporters, working at airport, being at the airport.’”

The Last European Revival of the Ancient Roman Empire

The Telegraph wrote on May 15:

“The European Union is pursuing a similar goal to Hitler in trying to create a powerful superstate, Boris Johnson says. In a dramatic interview with the Telegraph, he warns that while bureaucrats in Brussels are using ‘different methods’ from the Nazi dictator, they share the aim of unifying Europe under one ‘authority’…

“The former mayor of London, who is a keen classical scholar, argues that the past 2,000 years of European history have been characterised by repeated attempts to unify Europe under a single government in order to recover the continent’s lost ‘golden age’ [of peace and prosperity] under the Romans… ‘The euro has become a means by which superior German productivity is able to gain an absolutely unbeatable advantage over the whole eurozone.’…”

BBC News reported on May 15:

“Lord Bramall, a former head of the British army, said making a comparison between the EU and Nazi Germany was ‘absurd’… But Tory Leave campaigner Jacob Rees-Mogg said Mr Johnson’s comments were ‘absolutely true’… Conservative MP Chris Grayling said Mr Johnson’s comparison represented the words of a ‘historian who was doing a piece of historical analysis’. He said: ‘If you look 10 years down the road, there are clear plans to create a federation in the eurozone that is going to dominate. It is going to look like a United States of Europe.'”

The Daily Mail wrote on May 15:

“Mr Johnson was defended today by former work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith. He told the BBC: ‘I think the whole process of trying to drive Europe together by force or by bureaucracy or whatever other means ultimately makes problems, and that’s what he was saying… And he is using some historical parallels to explain it – the Habsburgs, the Holy Roman Empire. All through his [interview, he points out] this great idea that somehow there is a thing called greater Europe. Whether or not you like the linguistics of this or whatever, my point remains the same.’…

“Mr Johnson’s remarks come amid reports Mr Cameron has acknowledged his long-time rival has become his most likely successor as Conservative leader and Prime Minister. Defeat in the June 23 referendum is thought likely to end Mr Cameron’s time in both jobs…”

Mr. Johnson’s comparison is not absurd at all, but it is true. Napoleon and Hitler (as well as the Habsburgs under Charles V.) did indeed resurrect the ancient Roman Empire under one authority, as did political leaders before them (such as Charlemagne and Otto the Great). What Mr. Johnson failed to mention is the role which the Roman Catholic church played in these European resurrections. Mr. Johnson would obviously know about the church’s role with his education as a keen classical scholar. The reason why Boris Johnson didn’t mention the Roman Catholic church might PERHAPS be that Iain Duncan-Smith, one of his colleagues in the Brexit campaign, is a leading Catholic. For more information, please read our free booklet, The Ten European Revivals of the Ancient Roman Empire.”

Austria: Hofer Against or With Kern?

The EUObserver wrote on May 17:

“The far-right candidate for president in Austria has said he does not want an EU membership referendum and has no plans to exit the euro or Schengen areas… Hofer came top in the first round of the presidential election on 24 April, with 36 percent, and is the favourite to win the run-off on Sunday (22 May)… ‘Austria pronounced itself for [EU] accession. We have adapted our whole system to the EU. Therefore I am not for an EU exit,’ Hofer [said]…

“He did not say whether he supported the euro or not, but said that he would not support a unilateral Austrian exit from the single currency. ‘A euro exit cannot work if Austria is alone in doing it. If there is a problem with the euro, we could go only in unison with Germany,’ he said…

“At a domestic level, the far-right leader reaffirmed that he wanted to maintain the cap on the number of people allowed to file an asylum request… Hofer said he doubted that integration could work in Austria and suggested he could organise a referendum to ban minarets in the country…”

Deutsche Welle reported on May 17:

“Austria’s new chancellor, Christian Kern, said his Social Democrats would continue to govern with their conservative coalition partners. But he also did not categorically rule out future ties with the far-right FPÖ… He said his party would not sell its soul merely to stay in power. ‘If we don’t comprehend that this is our last chance, the two big parties are going to disappear,’ said Kern, criticizing the infighting within the grand coalition in particular. ‘If we continue like this, we only have a few more months until we completely lose the trust of the people.’…

“Kern may soon have to work with a right-wing president, if Norbert Hofer (FPÖ) wins the second round vote… The FPÖ has been a major player in Austrian politics for years, but the recent influx of refugees – and Austria’s position on the so-called ‘Balkan Route’ leading refugees inland towards Germany – has given the populist party a renewed boost…”

Stiff Fines for Online Hate Speech in Germany

The Local wrote on May 18:

“‘Insults and incitement to hatred are almost normality in many public comment sections,’ Stiftung Warentest wrote in a Facebook post on Tuesday. In an attached image, the consumer organization… illustrates a number of examples, along with the fines their authors eventually received.

“Someone who wrote that ‘these vermin deserve to be stoned and shot up against the wall’ was fined €1,380 by a German court. Another user who wrote ‘I would be for re-opening the gas chambers and shoving the whole brood in there’ had to cough up €4,800. A comment directed at Jews came in for a €5,000 fine (saying that the Jews were also responsible for the Holocaust), while someone calling for Chancellor Angela Merkel to be ‘publicly stoned’ had to pay €2,000.

“All of the fines outlined by Stiftung Warentest fall short of that handed out to anti-Islam group Pegida’s founder Lutz Bachmann, who was ordered to pay €9,600 for describing refugees as ‘cattle’ and ‘scum’ in Facebook posts. ‘Victims of internet hate aren’t powerless,’ Stiftung Warentest explained in their post, which contains links to websites for 11 German state police forces where victims of hate can report abusers…

“But some commenters on Facebook were not so positive. ‘Aren’t you ashamed of supporting the regime in taking away Germans’ basic human right to free speech?’ one man wrote in a post… Others complained that Facebook was still not doing enough to fight hate speech on its platform despite its repeated promises to the German government. ‘Here on Facebook you can even report a Holocaust denier [explicitly against the law in Germany] and get an answer from Facebook that it’s “free speech”’, one person wrote.”

Ethiopia—the African Lion

Deutsche Welle reported on May 18:

“Following its economic success, Ethiopia has been dubbed the ‘African Lion.’…

“For the past five years, Ethiopia, Africa’s second-most populous country and one of the West’s most strategic partners in the continent, has indeed been enjoying rapid growth. Germany enjoys a strong trading relationship with the East African nation, ranking the fifth largest buyer of Ethiopian goods, behind Somalia, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia and China. According to official figures, the total value of Ethiopian exports to Germany, mainly coffee and textiles, is set to increase to 185 million euros ($209 million) in 2016. On the other hand, German exports to Ethiopia are worth much more, amounting to 238 million euros ($268 million)…

“However, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), in its recent outlook, said overall growth in Ethiopia was projected to slump to 4.5 percent, down from 10.2 percent the previous year. One of the contributing factors is said to be the drought that has gripped the country. Figures compiled by the Ethiopian government and its humanitarian partners suggest that more than ten million Ethiopian[s] are now critically short of food.

Asked by DW whether the drought affects German investors in Ethiopia, Germany’s Economic attaché to Ethiopia, Patrick Wegner replies: ‘Not so much.’ According to the diplomat, not many German companies are active in the agricultural sector yet, instead mainly sell machinery and vehicles. Michael Frick, CEO of German company INPROCON International, has come to Munich to call on business leaders to invest in Ethiopia. ‘There is huge potential for business opportunities. The country enjoys a very good business environment,’ he tells DW. His company has been active in Ethiopia since 2007. It is among the foreign firms involved in Ethiopia’s ambitious dam construction plans, set to generate much-needed energy for economic growth.

“But critics have time and again pointed to the flipside of Ethiopia’s economic success story. It’s capital is home to the African Union’s headquarters, but political stability in the country remains elusive, as crises in the Oromia and Gambela regions continue to pop up. Political activists are handed harsh penalties for daring to speak out openly, and the parliament is made up exclusively of politicians of the ruling EPRDF coalition (Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front), in power since 1991.

“Wegner stresses that the German government is ‘in a close reform dialogue with the Ethiopian government,’ and is ‘attempting to improve the investment climate in the country.’ Investors speak positively about the relative absence of corruption in comparison to neighboring countries, but echo concerns of IMF and World Bank about red tape in the telecoms and banking sectors. In investment as in marriage, it takes two to tango, as the saying goes. Only then will the Ethiopian ‘lion’ be ready to jump.”

“We Did Not Need to Drop the Bomb”

Salon.com wrote on May 11:

“We didn’t need to drop the bomb — and even our WW II military icons knew it… When President Obama visits Hiroshima later this month, he might do well to reflect on the views of another President who was also the five-star general who oversaw America’s military victory in World War II. In a 1963 interview on the use of the atomic bomb against Hiroshima, President Dwight D. Eisenhower bluntly declared that ‘…it wasn’t necessary to hit them with that awful thing.’

“Eisenhower was even more specific in his memoirs, writing that when he was informed by Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson the bomb was about to be used against Japan ‘…I had been conscious of a feeling of depression and so I voiced to him my grave misgivings, first on the basis of my belief that Japan was already defeated and that dropping the bomb was completely unnecessary, and secondly because I thought that our country should avoid shocking world opinion by the use of a weapon whose employment was, I thought, no longer mandatory as a measure to save American lives…’

“Eisenhower was not alone. Many of the top military leaders, mostly conservatives, went public after World War II with similar judgments. The President’s chief of staff, William D. Leahy–the five-star admiral who presided over meetings of the Joint Chiefs of Staff…  declared in his 1950 memoir: ‘It is my opinion that the use of this barbarous weapon at Hiroshima and Nagasaki was of no material assistance in our war against Japan. The Japanese were already defeated and ready to surrender….My own feeling was that in being the first to use it, we had adopted [an] ethical standard common to the barbarians of the Dark Ages. I was not taught to make war in that fashion, and wars cannot be won by destroying women and children…’

“Just a few weeks after the bombing, the famous ‘hawk’ who led the Twenty-First Bomber Command, Major General Curtis E. LeMay, stated publicly that ‘… the atomic bomb had nothing to do with the end of the war at all.’”

“… Many of those who had access to secret intelligence showing Japan’s desperate attempts to end the war were deeply disturbed by the bombing. Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, commander in chief of the Pacific Fleet stated publicly two months after Hiroshima: ‘The Japanese had, in fact, already sued for peace before the atomic age was announced to the world with the destruction of Hiroshima and before the Russian entry into the war… The atomic bomb… played no decisive part, from a purely military standpoint, in the defeat of Japan….’…

“As the 40th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima approached in 1985, former President Richard Nixon reported that ‘[General Douglas] MacArthur once spoke to me very eloquently about it, pacing the floor of his apartment in the Waldorf. He thought it a tragedy that the bomb was ever exploded. MacArthur believed that the same restrictions ought to apply to atomic weapons as to conventional weapons, that the military objective should always be limited damage to noncombatants… MacArthur, you see, was a soldier. He believed in using force only against military targets, and that is why the nuclear thing turned him off…’”

Some, like Breitbart in their article of May 14, argue that dropping the bombs on Japan was necessary because “the alternative to using the two atomic bombs was a US Army invasion of the Japanese homeland beginning in October 1945. It would likely have extended well into 1946… The atomic bomb saved over two million lives, Japanese and American.” However, the above-quoted article shows that this common perception is erroneous.

USA Launches Missile Defense System in Romania

CNN reported on May 12:

“The U.S. launched a new ground-based missile defense system in Romania Thursday, sparking fresh tensions with Russia…

“The U.S. has long insisted that the shield is directed against rogue states like Iran and not intended to target Moscow’s missiles, but Russian officials have slammed the move as an ‘attempt to destroy the strategic balance’ in Europe…

“The system is to be turned over to NATO command and will be housed at a U.S. naval support facility in Deveselu, Romania, the site of a Romanian military base. Construction will begin on an additional anti-missile platform in Poland on Friday…

“The Romania installation is the first land-based defensive missile launcher in Europe and will join other elements of the NATO defensive shield, including a command-and-control center at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, a radar installation in Turkey and four ships capable of identifying enemy missiles and firing their own SM-3s based in Rota, Spain…

“Heather Conley, the director of the Europe Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, told CNN that Russia has previously suggested that it could retaliate for the missile defense system by stationing S-300 surface-to-air missile systems in Crimea and Kaliningrad, its European enclave located between Poland and Lithuania.

“Obama had previously drawn criticism from politicians in the U.S. and Europe for canceling the Bush-era plan to station land-based interceptors in Poland and the Czech Republic in 2009. Obama was further criticized for announcing the change on the day of the 70th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s invasion of Poland during World War II… Obama’s posture made the Poles and Czechs ‘very concerned’ that the entire missile defense project would be abandoned by his administration…

“Conley said that the Obama administration might have switched gears on the Bush plan in part because it may have been trying to ‘buy time in order to make the case’ to Russia that the new system was not directed against them… But she added, ‘Despite an incredible amount of consultations with Russia, the Russians never bought the argument that the system was not directed at them.’

“Tensions between the U.S. and Russia have increased in recent years following the Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and intervention in Eastern Ukraine. In recent months, Russian military aircraft have flown within 50 feet of U.S. planes and ships, actions which Pentagon spokesman, Capt. Jeff Davis, said had ‘the potential to unnecessarily escalate tensions between the two countries.’”

Even though there are increased tensions right now between Russia and the USA, these two nations will not go to war against each other prior to Christ’s return, but biblical prophecy reveals that dangerous tensions between Russia and Europe WILL lead to war between those two power blocs.

Putin Under Pressure to Become Ready for War

The Huffington Post wrote on May 17:

“Something significant happened in the last few days of April, but it seems the only person who noticed was Stephen Cohen, a professor emeritus of Russian studies at New York University and Princeton University… Cohen notes that a section of the Russian leadership is showing signs of restlessness, focused on President Vladimir Putin’s leadership.

“… the issue coming to a head in the Kremlin is whether Russia is sufficiently prepared for further Western efforts to ensure it does not impede or rival American hegemony. Can Russia sustain a geo-financial assault, if one were to be launched? And is such a threat real or mere Western posturing for other ends?

“What is so important is that if these events are misread in the West, which is already primed to see any Russian defensive act as offensive and aggressive, the ground will already have been laid for escalation. We already had the first war to push back against NATO in Georgia. The second pushback war is ongoing in Ukraine. What might be the consequences to a third?…

“General Alexander Bastrykin, the head of Russia’s Investigative Committee (a sort of super attorney general, as Cohen describes it) [said] that the West is preparing for war against Russia and that Russia’s leadership does not appear to be aware of or alert to the danger the country faces… Then, Cohen notes, a retired Russian general entered the fray to confirm that the West is indeed preparing for war — he pointed to NATO deployments in the Baltics, the Black Sea and Poland, among other places — and underlines again the unpreparedness of the Russian military to face this threat. ‘This is a heavy indictment of Putin,’ Cohen says of the revelations from this analysis. ‘It is now out in the open.’

“For some time there have been indications that a key faction within the Kremlin, one that very loosely might be termed ‘nationalist,’ has become deeply disenchanted with Putin’s toleration of the Washington Consensus and its adherents at the Russian central bank and in other pivotal economic posts. The nationalists want them purged, along with Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev’s perceived Western-friendly government. Putin may be highly popular, but Medvedev’s government is not. The government’s economic policy is being criticized. The opposing faction wants to see an immediate mobilization of the military and the economy for war, conventional or hybrid. This is not about wanting Putin ousted; it is about pushing him to wield the knife — and to cut deeply.

“What does this faction want apart from Russia preparing for war? They want a harder line in Ukraine and for Putin to reject U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s snares in Syria. In short, Kerry is still trying to force Assad’s removal and continues to push for further U.S. support for the opposition… the Obama administration is acting to weaken Putin and Lavrov’s hand, and therefore strengthening the hand of those in Russia calling for a full mobilization for war…”

Unlimited War Powers for the President

The Huffington Post wrote on May 15:

“Congress Is OK With Unrestrained War Powers…

“President Barack Obama launched his war against the self-described Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, nearly two years ago. Rather than go to Congress to seek approval within the 60 days required by the War Powers Act, his administration relied on the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force that was passed to attack Al Qaeda. The authorization specifically grants authority to pursue the culprits behind the Sept. 11 attacks as well as their supporters. ISIS did not exist then.

“Obama did request new authority last year, but Republicans never brought it up for consideration, saying it was too limited and would tie the hands of future presidents… In the meantime, the 2001 AUMF, which has no end date, remains effective…”

 To give such unlimited war powers to ANY President is indeed very dangerous.

Obama—THE War President

The New York Times wrote on May 14:

President Obama came into office seven years ago pledging to end the wars of his predecessor, George W. Bush. On May 6, with eight months left before he vacates the White House, Mr. Obama passed a somber, little-noticed milestone: He has now been at war longer than Mr. Bush, or any other American president. If the United States remains in combat in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria until the end of Mr. Obama’s term — a near-certainty given the president’s recent announcement that he will send 250 additional Special Operations forces to Syria — he will leave behind an improbable legacy as the only president in American history to serve two complete terms with the nation at war.

“Mr. Obama, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009 and spent his years in the White House trying to fulfill the promises he made as an antiwar candidate, would have a longer tour of duty as a wartime president than Franklin D. Roosevelt, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard M. Nixon or his hero Abraham Lincoln.

“Granted, Mr. Obama is leaving far fewer soldiers in harm’s way — at least 4,087 in Iraq and 9,800 in Afghanistan — than the 200,000 troops he inherited from Mr. Bush in the two countries. But Mr. Obama has also approved strikes against terrorist groups in Libya, Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen, for a total of seven countries where his administration has taken military action…

“Publicly, Mr. Obama acknowledged early on the contradiction between his campaign message and the realities of governing. When he accepted the Nobel in December 2009, he declared that humanity needed to reconcile ‘two seemingly irreconcilable truths — that war is sometimes necessary, and war at some level is an expression of human folly.’…

“On Oct. 21, 2011, he announced that the last combat soldier would leave Iraq by the end of that year, drawing that eight-year war to a close. ‘Our troops will definitely be home for the holidays,’ Mr. Obama said at the White House. Less than three years later, he told a national television audience that he would send 475 military advisers back to Iraq… By last month, more than 5,000 American troops were in Iraq.

“A furious firefight this month between Islamic State fighters and Navy SEALs in northern Iraq… harked back to the bloodiest days of the Iraq war. It also made the administration’s argument that the Americans were only advising and assisting Iraqi forces seem ever less plausible.

“Afghanistan followed a similar cycle of hope and disappointment. In May 2014, Mr. Obama announced that the United States would withdraw the last combat soldier from the country by the end of 2016… ‘this is how wars end in the 21st century.’

“Seventeen months later, Mr. Obama halted the withdrawal, telling Americans that he planned to leave more than 5,000 troops in Afghanistan until early 2017, the end of his presidency. By then, the Taliban controlled more territory in the country than at any time since 2001. Taliban fighters even briefly conquered the northern city of Kunduz. In the bitter battle for control, an American warplane mistakenly fired its missiles into a Doctors Without Borders hospital, killing 42 people and prompting accusations that the United States had committed a war crime…”

The human carnal mind does not know the way to peace. Wars, fought by humans cut off from God, are ALWAYS wrong and NEVER necessary. Unless man learns this bitter lesson, wars will not end.

Senate Approves Bi-Partisan Legislation Allowing Lawsuits Against Saudi Arabia for 9/11 Terror Attack

Breitbart wrote on May 17:

“On Tuesday, the Republican-controlled Senate unanimously approved bi-partisan legislation that would allow for families of the victims of the devastating 9/11 terrorist attacks to sue the government of Saudi Arabia. The move stands in stark defiance to veto threats and opposition from President Barack Obama’s White House, which is concerned about America’s relationship with the Sunni-dominated Kingdom.

“Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) co-sponsored the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act and are calling upon the House of Representatives to follow suit… Despite bipartisan ownership of and support for the bill, the Obama administration has threatened a veto. Also on Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest echoed the administration, warning of ‘unintended consequences’ and saying, ‘It’s difficult to imagine the president signing this legislation.’

“At a recent press conference, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) also voiced skepticism about the legislation, saying, ‘I think we need to review it to make sure we are not making mistakes with our allies and we’re not catching people in this that shouldn’t be caught up in this.’ Fox News notes that Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), who serves as the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, also warned that the legislation, if passed, would alienate the kingdom and undermine America’s relationship with their longstanding ally in the Middle East.

“In spite of the reservations and veto threats from President Obama, Schumer said he believes the power of the Senate will be greater than the president’s. ‘I think we easily get the two-thirds override if the president should veto,’ Schumer reportedly said…

“Last month… Saudi Arabian and other Gulf press lashed out at President Obama prior to his visit to Riyadh over the potential passage of the bill, accusing a ‘schizophrenic’ Congress of being in cahoots with Iran in holding the kingdom responsible for involvement in the attacks. Similar to sound bites coming out of the White House, they said the move will likely cause irreversible damage to U.S.-Saudi ties.

“Iran’s role in the 9/11 attacks has been the subject of great debates over the past 15 years. The 9/11 Commission Report stated that some of the hijackers went through Iran but did not have their passports stamped there, suggesting the regime may have had knowledge about the attacks. Additionally, the report suggests that Hezbollah, which is a terrorist organization sponsored by Iran, had provided ‘advice and training’ to al-Qaeda members.

“Although none of the 19 hijackers who carried out the 9/11 attack were Iranian, this past March U.S. District Judge George Daniels in New York ordered Iran to pay over $10 billion in damages to families of victims who died that day. According to Russian television, that same judge had cleared Saudi Arabia earlier of culpability in the attack. Fifteen of the hijackers were Saudi Arabian citizens, two were from the United Arab Emirates, and one each were from Egypt and Lebanon.”

Piers Morgan: Donald Trump—the Next US President?

On May 4, 2016, the Daily Mail published the following article by Piers Morgan, British broadcaster and former CNN moderator:

“The Trump Train has decimated 17 Republican opponents… Now it has the Clinton Chariot in its sights… It’s going to be the greatest collision since Muhammad Ali climbed into the ring with George Foreman in Zaire 42 years ago for the Rumble in the Jungle…

“But the more immediate story today is how Donald Trump has waged one of the most maverick campaigns in political history to storm to a place in this race which barely anyone thought possible. Regardless of whether you agree with him or not… there can be no doubt that he has electrified U.S. politics in a way nobody has ever seen…

“He’s the ultimate outsider. Trump’s not a politician and he doesn’t speak or behave like a politician… He’s direct… Trump’s appeal comes from his natural aversion to political correctness, and his willingness to speak his mind even if it upsets people… He knows how to close a deal… The way he’s seen off 17 candidates so far has been extraordinary to observe… He’s owned the media… It’s comical to watch American’s finest journalists now competing to beat themselves up over who most ‘underestimated’ the Trump Train. They all spent months and months gleefully handing over their airspace and newspaper pages [to Trump]…

“He’s been very tough on the key issues about which many millions of Americans crave toughness from their current leaders but don’t feel they’re getting it: immigration, terrorism, jobs and China. Trump hasn’t mucked about, he’s gone straight for the rhetoric jugular; screaming for his Wall to stop illegal Mexicans entering the country, a short-term Muslim ban ‘to figure out what’s going on’ with Islamic fundamentalists, a ‘devastating’ blitz to ‘wipe out’ ISIS, and new trade deals to stop China’s ‘rape’ of the U.S. economy and labor markets. His messages are short, simple, explosive and eye-catching. That, whatever your view of his comments, is good politics…

“Someone attacks him, he attacks them so hard back they wish they’d never started. Trump’s campaign is littered with the political corpses of those who tried to dance with the Donald. Just ask Mitt Romney or Jeb Bush. Both went to war with their conventional political weapons, only to find Trump was deploying the nuclear equivalent and they got instantly vaporised…

“He cracked social media. I loved Trump’s tweets long before he ran for president because they were so outrageous, amusing and provocative. I assumed he’d tone them down once he entered the race, but if anything he’s been even more controversial. With nearly 8 million followers now, Trump’s got the perfect platform to vent his wrath, humour and political beliefs. That number dwarfs any other candidate and gives him a powerful voice that’s resonated with many Americans…

“He exudes chilling confidence. This has been incredibly infectious. Love him or loathe him, Trump’s truly astonishing self-belief makes even his many enemies sit back in wonderment. Nothing seems to shake him or his implacable belief that only he can ‘Make America Great Again’. Americans like that in their leaders…

“Behind every good man is an even better woman, so goes the saying. Trump has a veritable army of them now standing around him at public events… led by his daughter Ivanka and wife Melania. They’re all beautiful, independent females who look smart and sound smart. That’s a major electoral plus for Trump who’s had to counter relentless allegations that he’s sexist. The Trumps are a walking, talking, impossibly glamorous First Family in the making. Optics matter in an election and they LOOK the part…

“He’s a winner. Now, there’s no denying it. The critics poured scorn when he first entered the race last summer, most saying he’d be ‘gone in three weeks’. The same critics then claimed in December that he had ‘no chance’ of winning the Republican nomination. Now, as it’s clear that he has, they’ve all trebled-down to insist he ‘cannot possibly’ beat Hillary Clinton in a general election. Really? In England, a small soccer team called Leicester City just won the elite Premier League at odds of 5000-1. Nobody gave them a chance but a combination of strong leadership, high energy, sharp focus and sheer determination allowed them to beat off all-comers and pull off one of the greatest shocks in sporting history. How? The establishment teams just never thought it could happen…until it was too late.”

It appears more and more likely to many observers that Trump will become the next US President.

Being at Odds with UK’s David Cameron and London’s Sadiq Khan

Deutsche Welle added on May 16:

“Donald Trump… fired back at the UK’s prime minister on Monday morning, after David Cameron had called the real estate mogul ‘divisive, stupid and wrong.’ Cameron’s comments were made in reference to an earlier statement by Trump that the US should ban all Muslim immigrants, and the prime minister suggested that a visit from the candidate would unite all of the Britain against him. ‘It looks like we’re not going to have a very good relationship, who knows,’ Trump said in an interview with Piers Morgan for British broadcaster ITV…

“Cameron doubled down on his sentiments after the piece aired. ‘The prime minister has made his views on Donald Trump’s comments very clear. He disagrees with them,’ said a Downing Street spokesman.

Trump also addressed comments made by London mayor Sadiq Khan, who has criticized the controversial candidate as ignorant about Islam. Initially, Trump had said he would consider a visit from Khan ‘an exception’ to the Muslim ban. ‘He doesn’t know me, never met me, doesn’t know what I am all about. I think they are very rude statements. Frankly, tell him I will remember those statements. They are very nasty statements,’ Trump told Piers Morgan. ‘It is ignorant for him to say that.’

“Morgan then asked Trump about his thoughts on the upcoming referendum over British membership to the European Union. ‘I’ve dealt with the European Union. It’s very, very bureaucratic; it’s very, very difficult. In terms of Britain, I would say, “What do you need it for?” But again, let people make up their own mind,’ Trump replied.”

These comments are interesting because Trump admitted that he will never forget when people attack him personally. However, on May 17, Trump changed his tune again, as Newsmax reported:

“Donald Trump appeared to change tack on Tuesday about his future ties with British Prime Minister David Cameron, saying he expects them to have ‘a good relationship’ if he becomes the U.S. president, after predicting the opposite in an interview aired just the day before in response to criticism from the UK leader.”

Bernie Sanders Accused of Inciting Violence and Becoming “Divisive”

 The left-liberal pro-Clinton and anti-Trump paper, The Washington Post, wrote on May 18:

“Bernie Sanders won yesterday’s Democratic primary in Oregon by 8 points, and Hillary Clinton has declared victory in Kentucky. The AP says the Bluegrass State remains too close to call. The front-runner leads by about 2,000 votes out of half a million cast, less than one-half of 1 percent… Sanders pulled no punches as he celebrated the returns in California last night. He blamed his losses on closed primaries and called on the Democratic Party to ‘open the doors’ and ‘let the people in.’…

“The comments came at the end of a long day, during which Nevada’s Democratic Party filed a formal complaint accusing Sanders of inciting ‘actual violence’ among his supporters at last weekend’s state convention… Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), chair of the Democratic National Committee, told CNN that Sanders’s response to the chaos has been ‘anything but acceptable.’ The Vermonter dismissed the claims as ‘nonsense,’ detailing grievances about how Nevada and other states have handled their delegate selection processes. ‘At that convention, the Democratic leadership used its power to prevent a fair and transparent process from taking place,’ Sanders said, casting the episode as just the latest example of the national party trying to silence the grass roots.

“There are growing fears that the July convention in Philadelphia could be chaotic, perhaps even violent.  Sanders is quickly becoming a figure every bit as divisive and polarizing among Senate Democrats as Ted Cruz is in the eyes of his Republican colleagues…

“We’ve reached another pivot point in the race. The donnybrook at the convention has been a wake-up call for many liberal commentators, who have viewed Bernie positively because of his success at pulling Hillary to the left. But a new mindset has begun to take hold: If Trump becomes president, Sanders will deserve a big share of the blame…”

Bernie Sanders has no realistic chance of winning the Democratic nomination, largely due to the rigged system within the Democratic Party and the undemocratic role which “Super-Delegates” are playing within that party. But Sanders is in fact forcing Clinton (who has a hard time winning against Sanders) to focus on him, while presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump is virtually assured of the Republican nomination.

Pope Francis—“Conquest Is Integral Part to Islam as a Religion”

Breitbart wrote on May 17:

“Choosing his words carefully, Pope Francis recognized that the idea of conquest is integral to Islam as a religion, though he was quick to add that some might interpret Christianity in the same way… Asked point blank what he thought of the widespread fear of Islam in the West, Francis replied that his impression is that most people don’t fear ‘Islam as such’ but rather ‘Daesh [the Islamic State] and its war of conquest, drawn in part from Islam.’

“The Pope went on, however, to acknowledge that the ‘idea of conquest is inherent to the soul of Islam,’ while immediately adding that ‘one could also interpret the end of Saint Matthew’s gospel, where Jesus sends out his disciples to all nations, as the same idea of conquest.’

“It wasn’t clear whether the Pope actually believes that Jesus’ mandate to his disciples to evangelize the nations was truly equivalent to violent Islamic jihad, or whether he merely said this in order to appear balanced and self-critical…

“The Pope expressed his fundamental belief that ‘coexistence among Christians and Muslims is possible.’ ‘I come from a country where they live together in good familiarity,’ Francis said. ‘The Muslims venerate the Virgin Mary and Saint George. In a country in Africa, I’ve been told that for the Jubilee Year of Mercy, Muslims wait in a long line at the cathedral to pass through the Holy Door and pray to the Virgin Mary…’’

To suggest that Christ preached the idea of a violent conquest of Christianity is ludicrous. Christ told Peter: “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword” (Matthew 26:52).  It is true, however, that many times, the Roman Catholic Church abused the concept of true Christianity and engaged in violent crimes and torturous conduct.

The Catholic Church and Our Pets

Breitbart wrote on May 16:

“In his jubilee audience over the weekend, Pope Francis said that Christians should be careful not to confuse feeling sorry for animals with love for one’s neighbor. ‘How many times we see people who are attached to cats [and] dogs, and then ignore their neighbor in need, and that’s not right’ the Pope lamented… Francis said that the Christian virtue of piety and mercy shouldn’t be confused with the compassion we feel towards our pets. It sometimes happens, he said, ‘that we have these feelings toward animals, and yet remain indifferent in the face of the suffering of our brothers and sisters.’

“This isn’t the first time the pontiff has expressed concern that people pay more attention to animals than to human beings. A year ago, the Pope expressed his bewilderment when he read about what people spend their money on, saying that it reflects how twisted people’s values are. ‘After food, clothing and medicine,’ he said, ‘the fourth item is cosmetics and the fifth is pets. That’s serious.’…

“Pope Francis is also on record for counseling married couples not to have pets instead of children. At a special Mass for 15 couples in the Vatican in 2014, the Pope cautioned couples against substituting cats and dogs for children, saying it will only lead to solitude and the ‘bitterness of loneliness’ in old age. During his homily, the Pope said that owning pets may be ‘more comfortable’ than raising children, but did not offer the same opportunities for love and godliness.

“For its part, the Catechism of the Catholic Church says that ‘animals are God’s creatures… men owe them kindness…’ The Catechism also states, however, that it is ‘unworthy’ to spend money on animals that should as a priority go to the relief of human misery. ‘One can love animals; one should not direct to them the affection due only to persons,’ it says.”

Transgenderism a Superstitious Belief and Mental Disorder

Newsmax wrote on May 16:

“A tweet by a Princeton professor has questioned the very idea of transgenderism, dismissing it as superstition without any basis in fact… Robert P. George, the McCormick professor of Jurisprudence at Princeton, wrote on Twitter: ‘There are few superstitious beliefs as absurd as the idea that a woman can be trapped in a man’s body (and vice versa)…”

“George, who is the chairman of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, warned that ‘with Obama’s bathroom edict, the right of parents to direct the upbringing and education of children is in graver peril than ever.’ The tweet comes after the Obama administration’s letter on Friday instructing educators nationwide to allow transgender students to use the bathroom of their chosen gender, stating that federal statutes bar discrimination against such students.

“The Obama order escalated an already hotly debated political issue that has led North Carolina and the Justice Department to sue each other over a new law in that state that requires those using public bathrooms to do so according to their gender at birth…

“George’s opinion is not only that of an individual professor. The American College of Pediatricians has issued a statement that children who consider themselves a different gender than they are have a mental disorder called ‘gender dysphoria’ and should not be treated as if they are making a healthy decision, as the Obama ruling does. Although the doctors put out the statement a few months ago, it reads as if it is a direct and very severe criticism of the administration’s directive to educators.

“‘Conditioning children into believing that a lifetime of chemical and surgical impersonation of the opposite sex is normal and healthful is child abuse,’ the doctors stated. ‘Endorsing gender discordance as normal via public education and legal policies will confuse children and parents, leading more children to present to “gender clinics” where they will be given puberty-blocking drugs.’

“The American College of Pediatricians statement made clear that ‘a person’s belief that he or she is something they are not is, at best, a sign of confused thinking. When an otherwise healthy biological boy believes he is a girl, or an otherwise healthy biological girl believes she is a boy, an objective psychological problem exists that lies in the mind not the body, and it should be treated as such.’”

Newsmax added on May 17:

“The state of Texas is fighting against President Barack Obama’s directive ordering public schools to allow students to use the bathroom matching their gender identities because the order is just another example of the president turning ‘the Constitution upside down,’ the state’s Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday. ‘By him issuing this directive, it is totally against what Congress chose to do,’ Abbott [said]…

“‘Congress is the branch of government in charge of making policy. Congress voted on this very issue. Congress voted not to add transgender to the Civil Rights Act, or to Title 9.’ However, he continued, Obama is acting as a king, acting as a dictator, by imposing this as absolutely contrary to what the Constitution allows.”

The Young, Gay, Conservative German Chancellor-in-Waiting”

Politico wrote on May 12, 2016:

“Jens Spahn is positioning himself, with no apologies, to take Angela Merkel’s seat… Jens Spahn is a walking contradiction who just might be the answer to Germany’s ruling Christian Democrats’ biggest and mostly unspoken problem: What to do the day that Angela Merkel passes from the scene. As a young, openly gay man who has built up credibility on serious policy areas such as finance and health, the 35-year-old Spahn has the potential to rejuvenate the aging party and broaden its appeal — while keeping its conservative core satisfied…

“Spahn, who is currently deputy finance minister, certainly doesn’t lack the ambition to one day make a bid for the top job. He joined the CDU youth wing at the age of 15 and ran for the Bundestag (lower house of parliament) seven years later, telling an interviewer at the time that he planned to ‘to crawl all the way up to the front in Berlin.’ He won a seat. Asked 14 years later about that youthful display of raw ambition, he told POLITICO: ‘As (post-war chancellor Konrad) Adenauer allegedly once said: “Sometimes, you have to make yourself really unpopular before being taken seriously.”’

“CDU insiders say the chancellor finds Spahn loud and self-confident to the point of impudence. Wolfgang Schäuble, the 73-year-old finance minister, doesn’t care for Spahn’s bumptious nature, according to party members — but made him his deputy last year anyway, and appreciates how well-prepared he is for meetings and his willingness to tackle budget offenders head-on…

“There was a moment, after the 2013 elections, when Spahn appeared to have peaked too soon. Convinced after Merkel’s reelection victory that he would be named health minister, Spahn was left to stew in the position he had already had for four years, as the conservatives’ spokesman on health policy in the Bundestag. He bounced back in spectacular style: By the CDU national convention in December 2014, he had built enough backing to bid for a seat on the executive committee, the decision-making inner circle of the CDU.

“His speech began like those of the other candidates, reeling off conservative clichés about ‘the party of hard-working people,’ and the applause was suitably tepid. Then he took a breath. There must be no compromising of Germany’s central values, he said… ‘I don’t ever want to experience another attack or insults when I walk through Berlin hand-in-hand with my boyfriend.’ The speech won loud applause and helped secure Spahn one of the seven seats on the executive committee, ousting, of all people, the man who had beat him to the health ministry job.

“Spahn appeals to both conservatives and progressives by insisting that immigrants embrace values like tolerance… Spahn’s homosexuality makes some older CDU politicians squirm, as they grasp for euphemisms to describe his ‘family situation’ or speak of him, like one delegate at the last party congress, as ‘a pleasant homosexual.’ This isn’t a role Spahn wants to be reduced to, but he sees no contradiction in being a gay conservative, recalling David Cameron’s celebrated remark that he defended same-sex marriage not despite being a Conservative, but ‘because I am a Conservative.’…

“Other leading CDU politicians of his generation are also putting themselves forward as modern conservatives. Julia Klöckner, a popular party vice-chairperson, has criticized feminists for what she considers misconstrued tolerance of misogyny among Muslims. Paul Ziemiak, head of the CDU’s youth organization, is one of the loudest critics of Merkel’s open-doors policy on refugees while emphasizing his own immigrant background as the son of two Poles…

“‘Never underestimate how conservative he is, including in ethical questions and when it comes to societal issues,’ said Daniel Bahr, a friend and contemporary of Spahn and a former health minister from the Free Democrats (FDP). Spahn is still something of a dark horse when it comes to talk about the CDU succession, with more frequent mention of the 57-year-old Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen and 43-year-old Klöckner, though she blotted her copybook by failing to win an election in her home state in March…

“Spahn’s relative youth means he’ll only be a contender once Merkel steps aside… He is quite capable of criticizing the chancellor directly, while not wanting to fall out with her completely. When Europe’s refugee problem became an overwhelming crisis last fall, and hundreds of thousands of refugees flocked to Germany alongside would-be economic migrants, Spahn was one of the loudest advocates within the CDU for taking a tougher stance than the chancellor. He hosted the presentation last November of a book of essays by 22 conservative authors, which was followed by a panel discussion that produced a torrent of criticism of Merkel’s refugee policy. The headline in the conservative daily Die Welt afterwards was: ‘Angela Merkel needs to be afraid of this book.’”

Update 736

A Growing Relationship With God; You’re Different!

On May 21, 2016, Robb Harris will present the sermonette, titled, “A Growing Relationship With God,” and Dave Harris will present the sermon, titled, “You’re Different!”

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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Loss

by Eric Rank

The prospect of suffering loss is something that strikes fear into the hearts of many, if not all of us. The potential loss of a home, job, money, possessions, loved ones, opportunity, reputation, and a volume of other seemingly important things may motivate us to protect ourselves so we can keep those things. We engage in activities like buying insurance, averting risks, and making contingency plans. These are all fine actions to take. But, as we make attempts to keep hold of things that are important to us, there is very little that we can truly control with our own power. While we do whatever we can, we must remember that God is the One who is ultimately in control of the circumstances of our life. Yet, there is one very important matter that we do have control over, and which we cannot survive without.

When we consider the things that we might worry about losing, it is most important that we work to protect our salvation. Our salvation is worth protecting above all. Everything else – everything – is trivial by comparison. This gift of salvation is unique in the manner that it is completely under our control, and, as a result, is something that we alone are responsible for keeping or losing.

Knowing that the gift of salvation is our most valuable possession and that all else is far less important by comparison, it is imperative that we balance our attention and invest our resources accordingly. Do we spend time keeping our relationship with God healthy? Do we spend an unnecessary amount of time, energy, and other resources trying to keep control over those things that we should trust in God to protect? By putting our faith in God to support our needs, and basing our actions on our faith, we free ourselves from the worry of this world and can focus on more important matters. We control our own destiny by the way we manage our conversion.

Paul wrote that his strengths and prior accomplishments, as measured by worldly metrics, were a liability to him relative to his spiritual conversion and growth. “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:7-8). This perspective should be one that we all share. The possessions and advantages that we might have in this world are useless in the ultimate endeavor we seek—to be part of God’s Family.

This means that we cannot become too attached to the things of this world that we might fear losing, if such attachment causes us to compromise our relationship with God. It hurts to suffer loss in our lives, but most loss that we experience only has a temporary effect. We have to remember that the loss of our opportunity to live an eternal life is the greatest loss and the only thing for which there is no recovery. As Jesus reminds us in Luke 17:33, “Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.”

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We begin with the crash of an EgyptAir jetliner bound from Paris to Cairo with 66 people aboard. Most authorities feel that the crash was caused by terrorists. 

We continue with Boris Johnson’s remarkable comments to the Telegraph, claiming that the EU desires to revive the concept of the ancient Roman Empire under one authority, similar to what Napoleon and Hitler did. Mr. Johnson is the former mayor of London and the “most likely successor” to David Cameron as Prime Minister. He is a strong proponent for the Brexit to be decided by a referendum in June. He was heavily criticized by those who speak out against a Brexit, but Mr. Johnson is basically correct with his assessment. Please view our new StandingWatch program on this issue, titled, “Does the EU Follow Napoleon and Hitler?”

We continue with most recent developments in Austria (and their political closeness to Germany) and with hate laws in Germany; speak about Ethiopia, the “African lion”; and quote a remarkable article, citing startling comments by American presidents (including Dwight Eisenhower and Richard Nixon) and conservative military leaders (including General MacArthur), disagreeing with America’s decision to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

We speak on renewed and increased tensions between America and Russia due to America’s launch of a new missile defense system in Romania; and on pressure which Vladimir Putin is facing from Russian nationalists; and we address the American President’s power to declare war. We also point out that President Obama, the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, has been a war president for longer than any other American president, according to the New York Times. At the same time, we report that the Senate enacted controversial legislation permitting law suits against the Saudi Arabian government for the 9/11 terrorist attack.

We publish articles from or pertaining to British broadcaster and author Piers Morgan regarding Donald Trump; report on Bernie Sanders’ role in the “Democratic” election process; speak on outrageous comments by Pope Francis regarding Islam and Christianity; address the Catholic church’s position on pets; and quote statements alleging that transgenderism is a “superstitious belief” and a “mental disorder.”

We conclude with an article about Jens Spahn, German deputy finance minister, whom Politico describes as “the young, gay, conservative German Chancellor-in-waiting.”

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“Egyptair Crash Most Likely Terrorism”

Newsmax wrote on May 19:

“It’s still early to say what brought down the Egyptair jet overnight [crashing in the Mediterranean Sea], but ‘if you had to come down on the side of the scale, it would be terrorism,’ and this is a ‘real issue’ with regard to the potential of an insider threat at U.S. airports, Rep. Pete King said Thursday.

“‘It is not official but indicators are in that direction and you know what happened in the past with Egyptair, knowing how ISIS has been talking about it,’ the New York Republican, a member of the House Homeland Security Committee and the chairman of the House Counterintelligence Subcommittee [said]…

“‘Certainly when it comes to France and European countries insiders, that is where the real threat I think comes. Obviously you have to check passengers going on board but insider threat is in many ways more difficult to stop and I know the French intelligence has been very concerned about the presence of Islamist supporters, working at airport, being at the airport.’”

The Last European Revival of the Ancient Roman Empire

The Telegraph wrote on May 15:

“The European Union is pursuing a similar goal to Hitler in trying to create a powerful superstate, Boris Johnson says. In a dramatic interview with the Telegraph, he warns that while bureaucrats in Brussels are using ‘different methods’ from the Nazi dictator, they share the aim of unifying Europe under one ‘authority’…

“The former mayor of London, who is a keen classical scholar, argues that the past 2,000 years of European history have been characterised by repeated attempts to unify Europe under a single government in order to recover the continent’s lost ‘golden age’ [of peace and prosperity] under the Romans… ‘The euro has become a means by which superior German productivity is able to gain an absolutely unbeatable advantage over the whole eurozone.’…”

BBC News reported on May 15:

“Lord Bramall, a former head of the British army, said making a comparison between the EU and Nazi Germany was ‘absurd’… But Tory Leave campaigner Jacob Rees-Mogg said Mr Johnson’s comments were ‘absolutely true’… Conservative MP Chris Grayling said Mr Johnson’s comparison represented the words of a ‘historian who was doing a piece of historical analysis’. He said: ‘If you look 10 years down the road, there are clear plans to create a federation in the eurozone that is going to dominate. It is going to look like a United States of Europe.'”

The Daily Mail wrote on May 15:

“Mr Johnson was defended today by former work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith. He told the BBC: ‘I think the whole process of trying to drive Europe together by force or by bureaucracy or whatever other means ultimately makes problems, and that’s what he was saying… And he is using some historical parallels to explain it – the Habsburgs, the Holy Roman Empire. All through his [interview, he points out] this great idea that somehow there is a thing called greater Europe. Whether or not you like the linguistics of this or whatever, my point remains the same.’…

“Mr Johnson’s remarks come amid reports Mr Cameron has acknowledged his long-time rival has become his most likely successor as Conservative leader and Prime Minister. Defeat in the June 23 referendum is thought likely to end Mr Cameron’s time in both jobs…”

Mr. Johnson’s comparison is not absurd at all, but it is true. Napoleon and Hitler (as well as the Habsburgs under Charles V.) did indeed resurrect the ancient Roman Empire under one authority, as did political leaders before them (such as Charlemagne and Otto the Great). What Mr. Johnson failed to mention is the role which the Roman Catholic church played in these European resurrections. Mr. Johnson would obviously know about the church’s role with his education as a keen classical scholar. The reason why Boris Johnson didn’t mention the Roman Catholic church might PERHAPS be that Iain Duncan-Smith, one of his colleagues in the Brexit campaign, is a leading Catholic. For more information, please read our free booklet, The Ten European Revivals of the Ancient Roman Empire.”

Austria: Hofer Against or With Kern?

The EUObserver wrote on May 17:

“The far-right candidate for president in Austria has said he does not want an EU membership referendum and has no plans to exit the euro or Schengen areas… Hofer came top in the first round of the presidential election on 24 April, with 36 percent, and is the favourite to win the run-off on Sunday (22 May)… ‘Austria pronounced itself for [EU] accession. We have adapted our whole system to the EU. Therefore I am not for an EU exit,’ Hofer [said]…

“He did not say whether he supported the euro or not, but said that he would not support a unilateral Austrian exit from the single currency. ‘A euro exit cannot work if Austria is alone in doing it. If there is a problem with the euro, we could go only in unison with Germany,’ he said…

“At a domestic level, the far-right leader reaffirmed that he wanted to maintain the cap on the number of people allowed to file an asylum request… Hofer said he doubted that integration could work in Austria and suggested he could organise a referendum to ban minarets in the country…”

Deutsche Welle reported on May 17:

“Austria’s new chancellor, Christian Kern, said his Social Democrats would continue to govern with their conservative coalition partners. But he also did not categorically rule out future ties with the far-right FPÖ… He said his party would not sell its soul merely to stay in power. ‘If we don’t comprehend that this is our last chance, the two big parties are going to disappear,’ said Kern, criticizing the infighting within the grand coalition in particular. ‘If we continue like this, we only have a few more months until we completely lose the trust of the people.’…

“Kern may soon have to work with a right-wing president, if Norbert Hofer (FPÖ) wins the second round vote… The FPÖ has been a major player in Austrian politics for years, but the recent influx of refugees – and Austria’s position on the so-called ‘Balkan Route’ leading refugees inland towards Germany – has given the populist party a renewed boost…”

Stiff Fines for Online Hate Speech in Germany

The Local wrote on May 18:

“‘Insults and incitement to hatred are almost normality in many public comment sections,’ Stiftung Warentest wrote in a Facebook post on Tuesday. In an attached image, the consumer organization… illustrates a number of examples, along with the fines their authors eventually received.

“Someone who wrote that ‘these vermin deserve to be stoned and shot up against the wall’ was fined €1,380 by a German court. Another user who wrote ‘I would be for re-opening the gas chambers and shoving the whole brood in there’ had to cough up €4,800. A comment directed at Jews came in for a €5,000 fine (saying that the Jews were also responsible for the Holocaust), while someone calling for Chancellor Angela Merkel to be ‘publicly stoned’ had to pay €2,000.

“All of the fines outlined by Stiftung Warentest fall short of that handed out to anti-Islam group Pegida’s founder Lutz Bachmann, who was ordered to pay €9,600 for describing refugees as ‘cattle’ and ‘scum’ in Facebook posts. ‘Victims of internet hate aren’t powerless,’ Stiftung Warentest explained in their post, which contains links to websites for 11 German state police forces where victims of hate can report abusers…

“But some commenters on Facebook were not so positive. ‘Aren’t you ashamed of supporting the regime in taking away Germans’ basic human right to free speech?’ one man wrote in a post… Others complained that Facebook was still not doing enough to fight hate speech on its platform despite its repeated promises to the German government. ‘Here on Facebook you can even report a Holocaust denier [explicitly against the law in Germany] and get an answer from Facebook that it’s “free speech”’, one person wrote.”

Ethiopia—the African Lion

Deutsche Welle reported on May 18:

“Following its economic success, Ethiopia has been dubbed the ‘African Lion.’…

“For the past five years, Ethiopia, Africa’s second-most populous country and one of the West’s most strategic partners in the continent, has indeed been enjoying rapid growth. Germany enjoys a strong trading relationship with the East African nation, ranking the fifth largest buyer of Ethiopian goods, behind Somalia, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia and China. According to official figures, the total value of Ethiopian exports to Germany, mainly coffee and textiles, is set to increase to 185 million euros ($209 million) in 2016. On the other hand, German exports to Ethiopia are worth much more, amounting to 238 million euros ($268 million)…

“However, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), in its recent outlook, said overall growth in Ethiopia was projected to slump to 4.5 percent, down from 10.2 percent the previous year. One of the contributing factors is said to be the drought that has gripped the country. Figures compiled by the Ethiopian government and its humanitarian partners suggest that more than ten million Ethiopian[s] are now critically short of food.

Asked by DW whether the drought affects German investors in Ethiopia, Germany’s Economic attaché to Ethiopia, Patrick Wegner replies: ‘Not so much.’ According to the diplomat, not many German companies are active in the agricultural sector yet, instead mainly sell machinery and vehicles. Michael Frick, CEO of German company INPROCON International, has come to Munich to call on business leaders to invest in Ethiopia. ‘There is huge potential for business opportunities. The country enjoys a very good business environment,’ he tells DW. His company has been active in Ethiopia since 2007. It is among the foreign firms involved in Ethiopia’s ambitious dam construction plans, set to generate much-needed energy for economic growth.

“But critics have time and again pointed to the flipside of Ethiopia’s economic success story. It’s capital is home to the African Union’s headquarters, but political stability in the country remains elusive, as crises in the Oromia and Gambela regions continue to pop up. Political activists are handed harsh penalties for daring to speak out openly, and the parliament is made up exclusively of politicians of the ruling EPRDF coalition (Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front), in power since 1991.

“Wegner stresses that the German government is ‘in a close reform dialogue with the Ethiopian government,’ and is ‘attempting to improve the investment climate in the country.’ Investors speak positively about the relative absence of corruption in comparison to neighboring countries, but echo concerns of IMF and World Bank about red tape in the telecoms and banking sectors. In investment as in marriage, it takes two to tango, as the saying goes. Only then will the Ethiopian ‘lion’ be ready to jump.”

“We Did Not Need to Drop the Bomb”

Salon.com wrote on May 11:

“We didn’t need to drop the bomb — and even our WW II military icons knew it… When President Obama visits Hiroshima later this month, he might do well to reflect on the views of another President who was also the five-star general who oversaw America’s military victory in World War II. In a 1963 interview on the use of the atomic bomb against Hiroshima, President Dwight D. Eisenhower bluntly declared that ‘…it wasn’t necessary to hit them with that awful thing.’

“Eisenhower was even more specific in his memoirs, writing that when he was informed by Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson the bomb was about to be used against Japan ‘…I had been conscious of a feeling of depression and so I voiced to him my grave misgivings, first on the basis of my belief that Japan was already defeated and that dropping the bomb was completely unnecessary, and secondly because I thought that our country should avoid shocking world opinion by the use of a weapon whose employment was, I thought, no longer mandatory as a measure to save American lives…’

“Eisenhower was not alone. Many of the top military leaders, mostly conservatives, went public after World War II with similar judgments. The President’s chief of staff, William D. Leahy–the five-star admiral who presided over meetings of the Joint Chiefs of Staff…  declared in his 1950 memoir: ‘It is my opinion that the use of this barbarous weapon at Hiroshima and Nagasaki was of no material assistance in our war against Japan. The Japanese were already defeated and ready to surrender….My own feeling was that in being the first to use it, we had adopted [an] ethical standard common to the barbarians of the Dark Ages. I was not taught to make war in that fashion, and wars cannot be won by destroying women and children…’

“Just a few weeks after the bombing, the famous ‘hawk’ who led the Twenty-First Bomber Command, Major General Curtis E. LeMay, stated publicly that ‘… the atomic bomb had nothing to do with the end of the war at all.’”

“… Many of those who had access to secret intelligence showing Japan’s desperate attempts to end the war were deeply disturbed by the bombing. Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, commander in chief of the Pacific Fleet stated publicly two months after Hiroshima: ‘The Japanese had, in fact, already sued for peace before the atomic age was announced to the world with the destruction of Hiroshima and before the Russian entry into the war… The atomic bomb… played no decisive part, from a purely military standpoint, in the defeat of Japan….’…

“As the 40th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima approached in 1985, former President Richard Nixon reported that ‘[General Douglas] MacArthur once spoke to me very eloquently about it, pacing the floor of his apartment in the Waldorf. He thought it a tragedy that the bomb was ever exploded. MacArthur believed that the same restrictions ought to apply to atomic weapons as to conventional weapons, that the military objective should always be limited damage to noncombatants… MacArthur, you see, was a soldier. He believed in using force only against military targets, and that is why the nuclear thing turned him off…’”

Some, like Breitbart in their article of May 14, argue that dropping the bombs on Japan was necessary because “the alternative to using the two atomic bombs was a US Army invasion of the Japanese homeland beginning in October 1945. It would likely have extended well into 1946… The atomic bomb saved over two million lives, Japanese and American.” However, the above-quoted article shows that this common perception is erroneous.

USA Launches Missile Defense System in Romania

CNN reported on May 12:

“The U.S. launched a new ground-based missile defense system in Romania Thursday, sparking fresh tensions with Russia…

“The U.S. has long insisted that the shield is directed against rogue states like Iran and not intended to target Moscow’s missiles, but Russian officials have slammed the move as an ‘attempt to destroy the strategic balance’ in Europe…

“The system is to be turned over to NATO command and will be housed at a U.S. naval support facility in Deveselu, Romania, the site of a Romanian military base. Construction will begin on an additional anti-missile platform in Poland on Friday…

“The Romania installation is the first land-based defensive missile launcher in Europe and will join other elements of the NATO defensive shield, including a command-and-control center at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, a radar installation in Turkey and four ships capable of identifying enemy missiles and firing their own SM-3s based in Rota, Spain…

“Heather Conley, the director of the Europe Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, told CNN that Russia has previously suggested that it could retaliate for the missile defense system by stationing S-300 surface-to-air missile systems in Crimea and Kaliningrad, its European enclave located between Poland and Lithuania.

“Obama had previously drawn criticism from politicians in the U.S. and Europe for canceling the Bush-era plan to station land-based interceptors in Poland and the Czech Republic in 2009. Obama was further criticized for announcing the change on the day of the 70th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s invasion of Poland during World War II… Obama’s posture made the Poles and Czechs ‘very concerned’ that the entire missile defense project would be abandoned by his administration…

“Conley said that the Obama administration might have switched gears on the Bush plan in part because it may have been trying to ‘buy time in order to make the case’ to Russia that the new system was not directed against them… But she added, ‘Despite an incredible amount of consultations with Russia, the Russians never bought the argument that the system was not directed at them.’

“Tensions between the U.S. and Russia have increased in recent years following the Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and intervention in Eastern Ukraine. In recent months, Russian military aircraft have flown within 50 feet of U.S. planes and ships, actions which Pentagon spokesman, Capt. Jeff Davis, said had ‘the potential to unnecessarily escalate tensions between the two countries.’”

Even though there are increased tensions right now between Russia and the USA, these two nations will not go to war against each other prior to Christ’s return, but biblical prophecy reveals that dangerous tensions between Russia and Europe WILL lead to war between those two power blocs.

Putin Under Pressure to Become Ready for War

The Huffington Post wrote on May 17:

“Something significant happened in the last few days of April, but it seems the only person who noticed was Stephen Cohen, a professor emeritus of Russian studies at New York University and Princeton University… Cohen notes that a section of the Russian leadership is showing signs of restlessness, focused on President Vladimir Putin’s leadership.

“… the issue coming to a head in the Kremlin is whether Russia is sufficiently prepared for further Western efforts to ensure it does not impede or rival American hegemony. Can Russia sustain a geo-financial assault, if one were to be launched? And is such a threat real or mere Western posturing for other ends?

“What is so important is that if these events are misread in the West, which is already primed to see any Russian defensive act as offensive and aggressive, the ground will already have been laid for escalation. We already had the first war to push back against NATO in Georgia. The second pushback war is ongoing in Ukraine. What might be the consequences to a third?…

“General Alexander Bastrykin, the head of Russia’s Investigative Committee (a sort of super attorney general, as Cohen describes it) [said] that the West is preparing for war against Russia and that Russia’s leadership does not appear to be aware of or alert to the danger the country faces… Then, Cohen notes, a retired Russian general entered the fray to confirm that the West is indeed preparing for war — he pointed to NATO deployments in the Baltics, the Black Sea and Poland, among other places — and underlines again the unpreparedness of the Russian military to face this threat. ‘This is a heavy indictment of Putin,’ Cohen says of the revelations from this analysis. ‘It is now out in the open.’

“For some time there have been indications that a key faction within the Kremlin, one that very loosely might be termed ‘nationalist,’ has become deeply disenchanted with Putin’s toleration of the Washington Consensus and its adherents at the Russian central bank and in other pivotal economic posts. The nationalists want them purged, along with Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev’s perceived Western-friendly government. Putin may be highly popular, but Medvedev’s government is not. The government’s economic policy is being criticized. The opposing faction wants to see an immediate mobilization of the military and the economy for war, conventional or hybrid. This is not about wanting Putin ousted; it is about pushing him to wield the knife — and to cut deeply.

“What does this faction want apart from Russia preparing for war? They want a harder line in Ukraine and for Putin to reject U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s snares in Syria. In short, Kerry is still trying to force Assad’s removal and continues to push for further U.S. support for the opposition… the Obama administration is acting to weaken Putin and Lavrov’s hand, and therefore strengthening the hand of those in Russia calling for a full mobilization for war…”

Unlimited War Powers for the President

The Huffington Post wrote on May 15:

“Congress Is OK With Unrestrained War Powers…

“President Barack Obama launched his war against the self-described Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, nearly two years ago. Rather than go to Congress to seek approval within the 60 days required by the War Powers Act, his administration relied on the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force that was passed to attack Al Qaeda. The authorization specifically grants authority to pursue the culprits behind the Sept. 11 attacks as well as their supporters. ISIS did not exist then.

“Obama did request new authority last year, but Republicans never brought it up for consideration, saying it was too limited and would tie the hands of future presidents… In the meantime, the 2001 AUMF, which has no end date, remains effective…”

 To give such unlimited war powers to ANY President is indeed very dangerous.

Obama—THE War President

The New York Times wrote on May 14:

President Obama came into office seven years ago pledging to end the wars of his predecessor, George W. Bush. On May 6, with eight months left before he vacates the White House, Mr. Obama passed a somber, little-noticed milestone: He has now been at war longer than Mr. Bush, or any other American president. If the United States remains in combat in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria until the end of Mr. Obama’s term — a near-certainty given the president’s recent announcement that he will send 250 additional Special Operations forces to Syria — he will leave behind an improbable legacy as the only president in American history to serve two complete terms with the nation at war.

“Mr. Obama, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009 and spent his years in the White House trying to fulfill the promises he made as an antiwar candidate, would have a longer tour of duty as a wartime president than Franklin D. Roosevelt, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard M. Nixon or his hero Abraham Lincoln.

“Granted, Mr. Obama is leaving far fewer soldiers in harm’s way — at least 4,087 in Iraq and 9,800 in Afghanistan — than the 200,000 troops he inherited from Mr. Bush in the two countries. But Mr. Obama has also approved strikes against terrorist groups in Libya, Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen, for a total of seven countries where his administration has taken military action…

“Publicly, Mr. Obama acknowledged early on the contradiction between his campaign message and the realities of governing. When he accepted the Nobel in December 2009, he declared that humanity needed to reconcile ‘two seemingly irreconcilable truths — that war is sometimes necessary, and war at some level is an expression of human folly.’…

“On Oct. 21, 2011, he announced that the last combat soldier would leave Iraq by the end of that year, drawing that eight-year war to a close. ‘Our troops will definitely be home for the holidays,’ Mr. Obama said at the White House. Less than three years later, he told a national television audience that he would send 475 military advisers back to Iraq… By last month, more than 5,000 American troops were in Iraq.

“A furious firefight this month between Islamic State fighters and Navy SEALs in northern Iraq… harked back to the bloodiest days of the Iraq war. It also made the administration’s argument that the Americans were only advising and assisting Iraqi forces seem ever less plausible.

“Afghanistan followed a similar cycle of hope and disappointment. In May 2014, Mr. Obama announced that the United States would withdraw the last combat soldier from the country by the end of 2016… ‘this is how wars end in the 21st century.’

“Seventeen months later, Mr. Obama halted the withdrawal, telling Americans that he planned to leave more than 5,000 troops in Afghanistan until early 2017, the end of his presidency. By then, the Taliban controlled more territory in the country than at any time since 2001. Taliban fighters even briefly conquered the northern city of Kunduz. In the bitter battle for control, an American warplane mistakenly fired its missiles into a Doctors Without Borders hospital, killing 42 people and prompting accusations that the United States had committed a war crime…”

The human carnal mind does not know the way to peace. Wars, fought by humans cut off from God, are ALWAYS wrong and NEVER necessary. Unless man learns this bitter lesson, wars will not end.

Senate Approves Bi-Partisan Legislation Allowing Lawsuits Against Saudi Arabia for 9/11 Terror Attack

Breitbart wrote on May 17:

“On Tuesday, the Republican-controlled Senate unanimously approved bi-partisan legislation that would allow for families of the victims of the devastating 9/11 terrorist attacks to sue the government of Saudi Arabia. The move stands in stark defiance to veto threats and opposition from President Barack Obama’s White House, which is concerned about America’s relationship with the Sunni-dominated Kingdom.

“Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) co-sponsored the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act and are calling upon the House of Representatives to follow suit… Despite bipartisan ownership of and support for the bill, the Obama administration has threatened a veto. Also on Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest echoed the administration, warning of ‘unintended consequences’ and saying, ‘It’s difficult to imagine the president signing this legislation.’

“At a recent press conference, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) also voiced skepticism about the legislation, saying, ‘I think we need to review it to make sure we are not making mistakes with our allies and we’re not catching people in this that shouldn’t be caught up in this.’ Fox News notes that Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), who serves as the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, also warned that the legislation, if passed, would alienate the kingdom and undermine America’s relationship with their longstanding ally in the Middle East.

“In spite of the reservations and veto threats from President Obama, Schumer said he believes the power of the Senate will be greater than the president’s. ‘I think we easily get the two-thirds override if the president should veto,’ Schumer reportedly said…

“Last month… Saudi Arabian and other Gulf press lashed out at President Obama prior to his visit to Riyadh over the potential passage of the bill, accusing a ‘schizophrenic’ Congress of being in cahoots with Iran in holding the kingdom responsible for involvement in the attacks. Similar to sound bites coming out of the White House, they said the move will likely cause irreversible damage to U.S.-Saudi ties.

“Iran’s role in the 9/11 attacks has been the subject of great debates over the past 15 years. The 9/11 Commission Report stated that some of the hijackers went through Iran but did not have their passports stamped there, suggesting the regime may have had knowledge about the attacks. Additionally, the report suggests that Hezbollah, which is a terrorist organization sponsored by Iran, had provided ‘advice and training’ to al-Qaeda members.

“Although none of the 19 hijackers who carried out the 9/11 attack were Iranian, this past March U.S. District Judge George Daniels in New York ordered Iran to pay over $10 billion in damages to families of victims who died that day. According to Russian television, that same judge had cleared Saudi Arabia earlier of culpability in the attack. Fifteen of the hijackers were Saudi Arabian citizens, two were from the United Arab Emirates, and one each were from Egypt and Lebanon.”

Piers Morgan: Donald Trump—the Next US President?

On May 4, 2016, the Daily Mail published the following article by Piers Morgan, British broadcaster and former CNN moderator:

“The Trump Train has decimated 17 Republican opponents… Now it has the Clinton Chariot in its sights… It’s going to be the greatest collision since Muhammad Ali climbed into the ring with George Foreman in Zaire 42 years ago for the Rumble in the Jungle…

“But the more immediate story today is how Donald Trump has waged one of the most maverick campaigns in political history to storm to a place in this race which barely anyone thought possible. Regardless of whether you agree with him or not… there can be no doubt that he has electrified U.S. politics in a way nobody has ever seen…

“He’s the ultimate outsider. Trump’s not a politician and he doesn’t speak or behave like a politician… He’s direct… Trump’s appeal comes from his natural aversion to political correctness, and his willingness to speak his mind even if it upsets people… He knows how to close a deal… The way he’s seen off 17 candidates so far has been extraordinary to observe… He’s owned the media… It’s comical to watch American’s finest journalists now competing to beat themselves up over who most ‘underestimated’ the Trump Train. They all spent months and months gleefully handing over their airspace and newspaper pages [to Trump]…

“He’s been very tough on the key issues about which many millions of Americans crave toughness from their current leaders but don’t feel they’re getting it: immigration, terrorism, jobs and China. Trump hasn’t mucked about, he’s gone straight for the rhetoric jugular; screaming for his Wall to stop illegal Mexicans entering the country, a short-term Muslim ban ‘to figure out what’s going on’ with Islamic fundamentalists, a ‘devastating’ blitz to ‘wipe out’ ISIS, and new trade deals to stop China’s ‘rape’ of the U.S. economy and labor markets. His messages are short, simple, explosive and eye-catching. That, whatever your view of his comments, is good politics…

“Someone attacks him, he attacks them so hard back they wish they’d never started. Trump’s campaign is littered with the political corpses of those who tried to dance with the Donald. Just ask Mitt Romney or Jeb Bush. Both went to war with their conventional political weapons, only to find Trump was deploying the nuclear equivalent and they got instantly vaporised…

“He cracked social media. I loved Trump’s tweets long before he ran for president because they were so outrageous, amusing and provocative. I assumed he’d tone them down once he entered the race, but if anything he’s been even more controversial. With nearly 8 million followers now, Trump’s got the perfect platform to vent his wrath, humour and political beliefs. That number dwarfs any other candidate and gives him a powerful voice that’s resonated with many Americans…

“He exudes chilling confidence. This has been incredibly infectious. Love him or loathe him, Trump’s truly astonishing self-belief makes even his many enemies sit back in wonderment. Nothing seems to shake him or his implacable belief that only he can ‘Make America Great Again’. Americans like that in their leaders…

“Behind every good man is an even better woman, so goes the saying. Trump has a veritable army of them now standing around him at public events… led by his daughter Ivanka and wife Melania. They’re all beautiful, independent females who look smart and sound smart. That’s a major electoral plus for Trump who’s had to counter relentless allegations that he’s sexist. The Trumps are a walking, talking, impossibly glamorous First Family in the making. Optics matter in an election and they LOOK the part…

“He’s a winner. Now, there’s no denying it. The critics poured scorn when he first entered the race last summer, most saying he’d be ‘gone in three weeks’. The same critics then claimed in December that he had ‘no chance’ of winning the Republican nomination. Now, as it’s clear that he has, they’ve all trebled-down to insist he ‘cannot possibly’ beat Hillary Clinton in a general election. Really? In England, a small soccer team called Leicester City just won the elite Premier League at odds of 5000-1. Nobody gave them a chance but a combination of strong leadership, high energy, sharp focus and sheer determination allowed them to beat off all-comers and pull off one of the greatest shocks in sporting history. How? The establishment teams just never thought it could happen…until it was too late.”

It appears more and more likely to many observers that Trump will become the next US President.

Being at Odds with UK’s David Cameron and London’s Sadiq Khan

Deutsche Welle added on May 16:

“Donald Trump… fired back at the UK’s prime minister on Monday morning, after David Cameron had called the real estate mogul ‘divisive, stupid and wrong.’ Cameron’s comments were made in reference to an earlier statement by Trump that the US should ban all Muslim immigrants, and the prime minister suggested that a visit from the candidate would unite all of the Britain against him. ‘It looks like we’re not going to have a very good relationship, who knows,’ Trump said in an interview with Piers Morgan for British broadcaster ITV…

“Cameron doubled down on his sentiments after the piece aired. ‘The prime minister has made his views on Donald Trump’s comments very clear. He disagrees with them,’ said a Downing Street spokesman.

Trump also addressed comments made by London mayor Sadiq Khan, who has criticized the controversial candidate as ignorant about Islam. Initially, Trump had said he would consider a visit from Khan ‘an exception’ to the Muslim ban. ‘He doesn’t know me, never met me, doesn’t know what I am all about. I think they are very rude statements. Frankly, tell him I will remember those statements. They are very nasty statements,’ Trump told Piers Morgan. ‘It is ignorant for him to say that.’

“Morgan then asked Trump about his thoughts on the upcoming referendum over British membership to the European Union. ‘I’ve dealt with the European Union. It’s very, very bureaucratic; it’s very, very difficult. In terms of Britain, I would say, “What do you need it for?” But again, let people make up their own mind,’ Trump replied.”

These comments are interesting because Trump admitted that he will never forget when people attack him personally. However, on May 17, Trump changed his tune again, as Newsmax reported:

“Donald Trump appeared to change tack on Tuesday about his future ties with British Prime Minister David Cameron, saying he expects them to have ‘a good relationship’ if he becomes the U.S. president, after predicting the opposite in an interview aired just the day before in response to criticism from the UK leader.”

Bernie Sanders Accused of Inciting Violence and Becoming “Divisive”

 The left-liberal pro-Clinton and anti-Trump paper, The Washington Post, wrote on May 18:

“Bernie Sanders won yesterday’s Democratic primary in Oregon by 8 points, and Hillary Clinton has declared victory in Kentucky. The AP says the Bluegrass State remains too close to call. The front-runner leads by about 2,000 votes out of half a million cast, less than one-half of 1 percent… Sanders pulled no punches as he celebrated the returns in California last night. He blamed his losses on closed primaries and called on the Democratic Party to ‘open the doors’ and ‘let the people in.’…

“The comments came at the end of a long day, during which Nevada’s Democratic Party filed a formal complaint accusing Sanders of inciting ‘actual violence’ among his supporters at last weekend’s state convention… Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), chair of the Democratic National Committee, told CNN that Sanders’s response to the chaos has been ‘anything but acceptable.’ The Vermonter dismissed the claims as ‘nonsense,’ detailing grievances about how Nevada and other states have handled their delegate selection processes. ‘At that convention, the Democratic leadership used its power to prevent a fair and transparent process from taking place,’ Sanders said, casting the episode as just the latest example of the national party trying to silence the grass roots.

“There are growing fears that the July convention in Philadelphia could be chaotic, perhaps even violent.  Sanders is quickly becoming a figure every bit as divisive and polarizing among Senate Democrats as Ted Cruz is in the eyes of his Republican colleagues…

“We’ve reached another pivot point in the race. The donnybrook at the convention has been a wake-up call for many liberal commentators, who have viewed Bernie positively because of his success at pulling Hillary to the left. But a new mindset has begun to take hold: If Trump becomes president, Sanders will deserve a big share of the blame…”

Bernie Sanders has no realistic chance of winning the Democratic nomination, largely due to the rigged system within the Democratic Party and the undemocratic role which “Super-Delegates” are playing within that party. But Sanders is in fact forcing Clinton (who has a hard time winning against Sanders) to focus on him, while presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump is virtually assured of the Republican nomination.

Pope Francis—“Conquest Is Integral Part to Islam as a Religion”

Breitbart wrote on May 17:

“Choosing his words carefully, Pope Francis recognized that the idea of conquest is integral to Islam as a religion, though he was quick to add that some might interpret Christianity in the same way… Asked point blank what he thought of the widespread fear of Islam in the West, Francis replied that his impression is that most people don’t fear ‘Islam as such’ but rather ‘Daesh [the Islamic State] and its war of conquest, drawn in part from Islam.’

“The Pope went on, however, to acknowledge that the ‘idea of conquest is inherent to the soul of Islam,’ while immediately adding that ‘one could also interpret the end of Saint Matthew’s gospel, where Jesus sends out his disciples to all nations, as the same idea of conquest.’

“It wasn’t clear whether the Pope actually believes that Jesus’ mandate to his disciples to evangelize the nations was truly equivalent to violent Islamic jihad, or whether he merely said this in order to appear balanced and self-critical…

“The Pope expressed his fundamental belief that ‘coexistence among Christians and Muslims is possible.’ ‘I come from a country where they live together in good familiarity,’ Francis said. ‘The Muslims venerate the Virgin Mary and Saint George. In a country in Africa, I’ve been told that for the Jubilee Year of Mercy, Muslims wait in a long line at the cathedral to pass through the Holy Door and pray to the Virgin Mary…’’

To suggest that Christ preached the idea of a violent conquest of Christianity is ludicrous. Christ told Peter: “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword” (Matthew 26:52).  It is true, however, that many times, the Roman Catholic Church abused the concept of true Christianity and engaged in violent crimes and torturous conduct.

The Catholic Church and Our Pets

Breitbart wrote on May 16:

“In his jubilee audience over the weekend, Pope Francis said that Christians should be careful not to confuse feeling sorry for animals with love for one’s neighbor. ‘How many times we see people who are attached to cats [and] dogs, and then ignore their neighbor in need, and that’s not right’ the Pope lamented… Francis said that the Christian virtue of piety and mercy shouldn’t be confused with the compassion we feel towards our pets. It sometimes happens, he said, ‘that we have these feelings toward animals, and yet remain indifferent in the face of the suffering of our brothers and sisters.’

“This isn’t the first time the pontiff has expressed concern that people pay more attention to animals than to human beings. A year ago, the Pope expressed his bewilderment when he read about what people spend their money on, saying that it reflects how twisted people’s values are. ‘After food, clothing and medicine,’ he said, ‘the fourth item is cosmetics and the fifth is pets. That’s serious.’…

“Pope Francis is also on record for counseling married couples not to have pets instead of children. At a special Mass for 15 couples in the Vatican in 2014, the Pope cautioned couples against substituting cats and dogs for children, saying it will only lead to solitude and the ‘bitterness of loneliness’ in old age. During his homily, the Pope said that owning pets may be ‘more comfortable’ than raising children, but did not offer the same opportunities for love and godliness.

“For its part, the Catechism of the Catholic Church says that ‘animals are God’s creatures… men owe them kindness…’ The Catechism also states, however, that it is ‘unworthy’ to spend money on animals that should as a priority go to the relief of human misery. ‘One can love animals; one should not direct to them the affection due only to persons,’ it says.”

Transgenderism a Superstitious Belief and Mental Disorder

Newsmax wrote on May 16:

“A tweet by a Princeton professor has questioned the very idea of transgenderism, dismissing it as superstition without any basis in fact… Robert P. George, the McCormick professor of Jurisprudence at Princeton, wrote on Twitter: ‘There are few superstitious beliefs as absurd as the idea that a woman can be trapped in a man’s body (and vice versa)…”

“George, who is the chairman of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, warned that ‘with Obama’s bathroom edict, the right of parents to direct the upbringing and education of children is in graver peril than ever.’ The tweet comes after the Obama administration’s letter on Friday instructing educators nationwide to allow transgender students to use the bathroom of their chosen gender, stating that federal statutes bar discrimination against such students.

“The Obama order escalated an already hotly debated political issue that has led North Carolina and the Justice Department to sue each other over a new law in that state that requires those using public bathrooms to do so according to their gender at birth…

“George’s opinion is not only that of an individual professor. The American College of Pediatricians has issued a statement that children who consider themselves a different gender than they are have a mental disorder called ‘gender dysphoria’ and should not be treated as if they are making a healthy decision, as the Obama ruling does. Although the doctors put out the statement a few months ago, it reads as if it is a direct and very severe criticism of the administration’s directive to educators.

“‘Conditioning children into believing that a lifetime of chemical and surgical impersonation of the opposite sex is normal and healthful is child abuse,’ the doctors stated. ‘Endorsing gender discordance as normal via public education and legal policies will confuse children and parents, leading more children to present to “gender clinics” where they will be given puberty-blocking drugs.’

“The American College of Pediatricians statement made clear that ‘a person’s belief that he or she is something they are not is, at best, a sign of confused thinking. When an otherwise healthy biological boy believes he is a girl, or an otherwise healthy biological girl believes she is a boy, an objective psychological problem exists that lies in the mind not the body, and it should be treated as such.’”

Newsmax added on May 17:

“The state of Texas is fighting against President Barack Obama’s directive ordering public schools to allow students to use the bathroom matching their gender identities because the order is just another example of the president turning ‘the Constitution upside down,’ the state’s Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday. ‘By him issuing this directive, it is totally against what Congress chose to do,’ Abbott [said]…

“‘Congress is the branch of government in charge of making policy. Congress voted on this very issue. Congress voted not to add transgender to the Civil Rights Act, or to Title 9.’ However, he continued, Obama is acting as a king, acting as a dictator, by imposing this as absolutely contrary to what the Constitution allows.”

The Young, Gay, Conservative German Chancellor-in-Waiting”

Politico wrote on May 12, 2016:

“Jens Spahn is positioning himself, with no apologies, to take Angela Merkel’s seat… Jens Spahn is a walking contradiction who just might be the answer to Germany’s ruling Christian Democrats’ biggest and mostly unspoken problem: What to do the day that Angela Merkel passes from the scene. As a young, openly gay man who has built up credibility on serious policy areas such as finance and health, the 35-year-old Spahn has the potential to rejuvenate the aging party and broaden its appeal — while keeping its conservative core satisfied…

“Spahn, who is currently deputy finance minister, certainly doesn’t lack the ambition to one day make a bid for the top job. He joined the CDU youth wing at the age of 15 and ran for the Bundestag (lower house of parliament) seven years later, telling an interviewer at the time that he planned to ‘to crawl all the way up to the front in Berlin.’ He won a seat. Asked 14 years later about that youthful display of raw ambition, he told POLITICO: ‘As (post-war chancellor Konrad) Adenauer allegedly once said: “Sometimes, you have to make yourself really unpopular before being taken seriously.”’

“CDU insiders say the chancellor finds Spahn loud and self-confident to the point of impudence. Wolfgang Schäuble, the 73-year-old finance minister, doesn’t care for Spahn’s bumptious nature, according to party members — but made him his deputy last year anyway, and appreciates how well-prepared he is for meetings and his willingness to tackle budget offenders head-on…

“There was a moment, after the 2013 elections, when Spahn appeared to have peaked too soon. Convinced after Merkel’s reelection victory that he would be named health minister, Spahn was left to stew in the position he had already had for four years, as the conservatives’ spokesman on health policy in the Bundestag. He bounced back in spectacular style: By the CDU national convention in December 2014, he had built enough backing to bid for a seat on the executive committee, the decision-making inner circle of the CDU.

“His speech began like those of the other candidates, reeling off conservative clichés about ‘the party of hard-working people,’ and the applause was suitably tepid. Then he took a breath. There must be no compromising of Germany’s central values, he said… ‘I don’t ever want to experience another attack or insults when I walk through Berlin hand-in-hand with my boyfriend.’ The speech won loud applause and helped secure Spahn one of the seven seats on the executive committee, ousting, of all people, the man who had beat him to the health ministry job.

“Spahn appeals to both conservatives and progressives by insisting that immigrants embrace values like tolerance… Spahn’s homosexuality makes some older CDU politicians squirm, as they grasp for euphemisms to describe his ‘family situation’ or speak of him, like one delegate at the last party congress, as ‘a pleasant homosexual.’ This isn’t a role Spahn wants to be reduced to, but he sees no contradiction in being a gay conservative, recalling David Cameron’s celebrated remark that he defended same-sex marriage not despite being a Conservative, but ‘because I am a Conservative.’…

“Other leading CDU politicians of his generation are also putting themselves forward as modern conservatives. Julia Klöckner, a popular party vice-chairperson, has criticized feminists for what she considers misconstrued tolerance of misogyny among Muslims. Paul Ziemiak, head of the CDU’s youth organization, is one of the loudest critics of Merkel’s open-doors policy on refugees while emphasizing his own immigrant background as the son of two Poles…

“‘Never underestimate how conservative he is, including in ethical questions and when it comes to societal issues,’ said Daniel Bahr, a friend and contemporary of Spahn and a former health minister from the Free Democrats (FDP). Spahn is still something of a dark horse when it comes to talk about the CDU succession, with more frequent mention of the 57-year-old Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen and 43-year-old Klöckner, though she blotted her copybook by failing to win an election in her home state in March…

“Spahn’s relative youth means he’ll only be a contender once Merkel steps aside… He is quite capable of criticizing the chancellor directly, while not wanting to fall out with her completely. When Europe’s refugee problem became an overwhelming crisis last fall, and hundreds of thousands of refugees flocked to Germany alongside would-be economic migrants, Spahn was one of the loudest advocates within the CDU for taking a tougher stance than the chancellor. He hosted the presentation last November of a book of essays by 22 conservative authors, which was followed by a panel discussion that produced a torrent of criticism of Merkel’s refugee policy. The headline in the conservative daily Die Welt afterwards was: ‘Angela Merkel needs to be afraid of this book.’”

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January 16, 1986–No Further Understanding or Change? (Part 2)

Since you believe that Mr Herbert W Armstrong had the ministerial rank of “apostle,” what is your response to those who believe that there is to be no further understanding or change after he died on January 16th 1986?

Our original Q&A on this subject, as quoted in the first part of this series, covered 1 Corinthians 11 v 1: “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.”   In some other translations “imitate” is translated as “follow” and so the words follow and imitate seem to be interchangeable – but are they?   Dictionary definitions are as follows:

Follow: go after as an admirer; strive after; aim at

Imitate: mimic; try and get as close to the real thing as possible; impersonators

“Mimetes” is the Greek word translated imitate (see Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries).   So we need to know – and be sure – what Scripture says and imitate any leader only according to revealed Scriptural instruction and not to add on any unnecessary, unwanted, unwarranted or personal opinions or baggage.

The Christian life, as revealed in the Bible, is one of overcoming and growing spiritually toward the goal of being spiritually mature like Christ.   God expects us, as Spirit-begotten Christians to be developing more and more of the very character of Christ as we learn to follow His Way of Life.

Imitate is to get as close to the original as possible, not just following which is a much looser term.   It indicates being skin-tight.   To follow is a much looser term and whilst it can be correct in many ways, the word imitate is much more all-encompassing.   Imitate is to do everything Christ did and wants us to do according to His perfect example.   So this is not striving after words but making sure that we fully understand the difference and take to heart the original meaning of “mimetes” which is to imitate.   And that is much more important than just following and so we can only follow those who faithfully and loyally preach and teach the way of God as revealed in His Word and as we have seen, some of the original apostles’ writings have been incorporated in the Word of God which cannot contradict itself.    Any apostles since then have not been unique as were the original ones and, therefore, we must not follow them as if their writings were holy writ.

One such proponent of “nothing can be changed after 16th January 1986” states the following:  “We see in chapter 4 (1 Corinthians 4:14-16) above, that Paul clearly instructed the Corinthian Church to follow him – as he was their apostle, sent to them by Christ. However, many people try to use another passage, also found within First Corinthians, to justify a position of not following the apostle sent to them and through whom they were enlightened. The passage is: “Be ye followers of me, even as I also [am] of Christ” (I Cor 11:1). Such people claim that this verse implies only following someone in so far as they follow Christ, and rejecting any aspect or teaching that does not comply.”

It would appear that this is written to emphasise the need to follow Mr Herbert Armstrong at this end-time.   However, we read in 1 Corinthians 3:1-4 a section of Scripture that implies exactly the opposite.   It states: “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.  I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?  For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?”   We can read from this passage that partiality was not to be countenanced and yet it appears that, as written above “that Paul clearly instructed the Corinthian Church to follow him – as he was their apostle” which would negate the instruction on non-partiality.   There appears to be somewhat of a contradiction here.

It is also worth noting that Mr Armstrong said just before his death that the church membership should follow the Pastor General of the Worldwide Church of God after his death.   Mr Joseph W Tkach was appointed and, along with Mr Tkach’s son and some others, led the Church in a completely different direction.   That organisation, now called Grace Community International, is part of mainstream Christianity with just about every teaching understood during Mr Armstrong’s tenure of office being changed.   Mr Armstrong undoubtedly said this in good faith, but had his instruction been followed the true Church of God would have been destroyed.   However, Jesus said that He would guide His Church, be with it always, and that the grave would never prevail against it (Matt. 16:18; 28:20).   To have followed this instruction would have been an unmitigated disaster, but as this would have been Mr Armstrong’s instruction at his death, it could not have been changed according to those who feel that everything that was in place on 16th  January 1986 would have to have complied with that instruction to their great detriment.   Just this one issue shows what a disaster it would have been to adopt such a faulty instruction and reasoning even though it was given in good faith.

God will use His ministry as He sees fit and if there is greater understanding of a particular doctrine, then we should embrace that.   Being stuck in a time warp (whatever date that may be) can only stunt personal growth which we are charged to pursue.

Ephesians 4:11-15 is quite clear in delineating the offices that God has in His Church and how those so ordained have the responsibility to speak only the truth:

“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ…”

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers opines on 2 Peter 3:18 as follows:  “The Apostle ends, as he began, by exhorting them to that sound knowledge which he sets forth as the sure basis of all Christian activity, whether the knowledge be full and mature, as in 2 Peter 1:2-3; 2 Peter 1:8; 2 Peter 2:20 or to be acquired and increased, as in 2 Peter 1:5…” (which is about fruitful growth in the faith”).

Some claim that nothing can be changed after the death of an apostle, and since Mr Armstrong was an apostle, nothing can be changed after his death in 1986.

Even though we need to realize that the Bible speaks about more apostles than just the original twelve apostles who followed Christ during His lifetime, we also need to observe important distinctions.

An apostle is someone who is being sent out to proclaim the gospel. In Matthew 10:1-5, the names of the original twelve apostles are given. Compare also Luke 6:12-16. The list includes Judas Iscariot who was later disqualified and replaced by Matthias–one of two candidates who had accompanied the other apostles “all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us” (Acts 1:21-26).

The Bible mentions additional apostles after the New Testament Church was founded–including Paul and Barnabas (Acts 14:4 with Acts 13:50) and James, the half-brother of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:5-9).

As we stated before, we read that the Church was founded on the apostles and prophets, with Christ being the chief corner stone. But the apostles, mentioned therein, are foremost the original twelve apostles (with Matthias having replaced Judas), because we read that the Heavenly Jerusalem has “twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” The apostle Paul was later chosen to become the apostle to the uncircumcision, as Peter was the apostle to the circumcision. And he was used powerfully by God to write inspired and sacred texts which were included in the Bible, and which were recognised by Peter as inspired and holy writings.  But ultimately, it was one of the original apostles, John, who canonised the Bible, after the death of Paul and Peter, as we explain in our free booklet, “The Authority of the Bible.” 

We read in Acts 12:1-2 that one of the original twelve apostles, James, the brother of John, was killed by Herod. But later, in Acts 15 (AFTER the death of one of the original apostles), important changes were made in the Church, holding that physical circumcision was no longer necessary.  The discussion followed teachings by Paul and Peter regarding the need for circumcision, and it was James, the half-brother of Christ and the apostle over the Church in Jerusalem, who pronounced the final decision. The idea that no changes can be made in the Church after the death of an apostle (James, the brother of John) is therefore clearly wrong.

Some claim that Herbert W Armstrong was the end-time Elijah who restored all things and since everything was restored, nothing can be changed. This erroneous concept has been thoroughly disproved in our Q&A on “The Mission of the End-Time Elijah.” 

Some claim that Mr Armstrong’s book “Mystery of the Ages” deserves the status of an inspired writing equal to the Bible. This false claim has been disputed by Mr Armstrong himself who stated, when he passed out copies of his book to Ambassador College students, that his book was written to help with understanding the Bible better, but that it was in no way to be viewed as holy Scripture.

With this latest information and all of the previous material mentioned earlier in this Q&A (and all of the others), we feel that these cover this subject comprehensively and answers the views held, no doubt sincerely, by those who may feel otherwise.

Lead Writers: Brian Gale (United Kingdom) and Norbert Link

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Preaching the Gospel and Feeding the Flock

The Member Letter (May 2016) has been mailed and is now posted.

Comment from a subscriber to our publications:

“Please send me the new booklet “Punishment for Our Sins“.  Of all the booklets that have been put out by the churches of God, your booklets are the best!  I’ve been a long time member of the Church of God… and I’ve read just about everything that has been published by a Church of God. Thank you so much for the comprehensive work that is put into the booklets that you publish!”

“Does the EU Follow Napoleon and Hitler?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

Boris Johnson, former major of London and presumptive successor of David Cameron, claimed that the EU is pursuing a similar goal to Hitler and Napoleon in trying to revive the ancient Roman Empire and to create a powerful superstate. While he was severely criticized for this comparison, the Bible shows that he is absolutely correct.

Glauben Sie an Engel und Dämonen?” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. This features our new German booklet, “Angels, Demons and the Spirit World.” Title in English: “Do You Believe in Angels and Demons?”

“Verstehen Sie Endzeit-Prophezeiungen?” is the title of this week’s new German sermon. It uses the theme of last week’s sermonette, but with much more information. Title in English: Do You Understand End-Time Prophecies?

“A Successful Marriage,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

In what way is the physical marriage a copy or pattern of our spiritual marriage with Christ? What does this mean for our prophetic understanding? Can we say that our marriage covenant with Christ is successful if we are lacking in prophetic knowledge and engaging in unwarranted and unbiblical speculations? After all, the Holy Spirit of Christ is a Spirit of prophecy.

“Testing Faith,” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Michael Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

How is our faith being tested? There are many examples of individuals in the Bible who have had their faith tested many times, but how did they respond? What about second chances? What does the Bible have to say about that?

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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

A Successful Marriage; Testing Faith

On May 14, 2016, Norbert Link will present the sermonette, titled, “A Successful Marriage,” and Michael Link will present the sermon, titled, “Testing Faith.”

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

Austria’s Migrant Problem

AFP wrote on May 6:

“An Austrian man has been arrested for allegedly placing two pig heads on an Islamic center and mosque being built in the southern city of Graz…

“Last month the interior ministry [of Austria] said there was a 54 percent rise in extremist and racist incidents in 2015, ranging from vandalism and assaults to fanning hatred against foreigners.  Austria took in 90,000 asylum-seekers in 2015, making it the European Union’s second-largest recipient per capita, while around 10 times that number passed through.

“The influx, as well as a number of highly publicized sexual assaults by migrants, has prompted the government to take a harder line on immigration and has boosted the far-right Freedom Party (FPOe). On April 24 FPOe candidate Norbert Hofer came a clear first in the first round of elections for the… post of president with 35 percent of the vote. Bookmakers expect him to win a runoff on May 22.”

Heads Begin to Roll in Austria

The Local wrote on May 9:

Austria’s Chancellor Werner Faymann is stepping down and will also resign as head of the Social Democrats. He told a press conference on Monday that Austria needed a chancellor whose party stood behind him and that the government needed a new start.

“Faymann’s future looked highly uncertain after his party’s candidate was knocked out of the presidential race and there were disagreements within the party over the migrant crisis, and whether to cooperate with the right-wing Freedom Party…

“Hofer, 45, who presents himself as the friendly and reasonable face of the FPOe, will now face Alexander van der Bellen, a former head of the Greens who came second, in a runoff on May 22. The two hapless candidates from the ruling coalition parties were relegated into distant fourth and fifth places, failing to make it through to the runoff with just 11 percent of the vote each.This historic failure means that for the first time since 1945, there will not be a president from within these two parties in Vienna’s Hofburg palace. This in turn could mean that the new president might make use of some of the considerable powers afforded to the head of state under Austria’s constitution that until now have been not been used.”

Deutsche Welle added on May 9:

“Austrian Werner Faymann has stepped down as chancellor and leader of the Social Democrats… his resignation throws the future of… Austria’s government into question.

“Next to Germany’s Angela Merkel, Faymann was one of the longest ruling leaders in Europe. But his inability to tackle systemic problems caused his downfall. While Social Democratic leaders say his departure will help them rebuild the party, their government coalition partner, the conservative Austrian People’s Party, could decide to change allegiances and side with the far-right Freedom Party and call for a new election. Should that happen, Austria could be the first western European country to elect the first far right government since World War Two. ‘Austria could be the beginning of the return of the right,’ said Alexandra Foederl-Schmid, editor-in-chief of Der Standard. ‘This is a very real possibility.’…

“Austria has been deeply divided over many issues, but perhaps the toughest issue has been how to solve the refugee crisis. Last year, when the wave of migrants turned into a rush, Faymann stood beside Merkel in welcoming those fleeing war. When the country was overwhelmed with 90,000 asylum requests, Faymann, who prided himself on a ‘stable’ governing style, was at a loss for what to do. The party seemed ruderless; he left the policy to governing partner, the People’s Party, which has erected fences, resurrected border controls and announced an upper limit on the number of asylum seekers the country will accept this year…”

A Fence between Austria and Italy?

The Washington Post wrote on May 8:

“Since the days of ancient Rome, conquering armies have traversed the Brenner Pass, a scenic gorge in the Alps connecting the boot of Italy to the heart of Europe. Now, nations to the north fear that this vital passage will become the funnel for a new ‘invasion’ of migrants. A thousand miles away in Greece, the main migrant route into Europe is shutting down amid stricter border controls in the Balkans and a deal with Turkey to stop new arrivals from the Middle East, Africa and beyond. Yet as one door closes, concern is mounting in a host of countries that the poor and desperate may find another way in.

“Claiming that as many as 1 million more migrants are massing in Libya with the aim of crossing into Europe through Italy, the Austrians, for instance, are laying the groundwork for an emergency fence between the jagged Alpine peaks at its Italian border. To stop the feared hordes, the Swiss are threatening to call out the army (yes, Switzerland has an army). The Germans and the French, meanwhile, are joining an effort to extend ‘crisis’ checks already in place at various European Union borders…  Some Austrian politicians are backing a possible fence at the Brenner Pass…

“‘We can’t be the social security for Africa,’ said Rudi Federspiel, a regional leader in the right-wing Freedom Party of Austria from the bordering province of Tirol. ‘Most of these people are Muslims, not Roman Catholics.’ Those migrants already in Austria, he insisted, are causing serious social problems: ‘We have rapes. Rapes in the city. Rapes all over the place. Because [Muslim] men don’t accept women. . . . They are not on the same level’ as Europeans…

“Austria has now adopted a hard line on new migrants. But [Norbert] Hofer has called for even tougher measures, including stricter border controls. He mocked the barrier — a chain-link fence with no barbed wire – that Austria has erected at its border with Slovenia as a ‘garden fence’ with holes in it…”

Most Germans Growing Tired of Merkel and the Two Main Parties

The Local wrote on May 10:

A poll published on Tuesday shows that just under two-thirds of Germans do not want Chancellor Angela Merkel to run for office again in elections next year64 percent responded that she should not. Other polling figures show that if an election were held now, Germany’s two main political parties would barely scrape together 50 percent of the vote between them. In the separate survey conducted by INSA for Bild, the Union – a combination of Merkel’s Christian Democratic Party (CDU) and Bavarian sister party the Christian Social Union (CSU) – only polled at 30.5 percent…

“With the Social Democratic Party (SPD) polling at 19.5 percent, that meant that the two parties which make up the ‘grand coalition’ which governs Germany would only win 50 percent of the vote. This figure is a drop of 17 percent on the last national election and would have been unthinkable up until recently… Things have become so bad for the SPD that rumours have been swirling in the media that their leader Sigmar Gabriel plans to stand down. Gabriel has denied the reports… In the poll, the AfD [“Alternative for Germany”] gained support to move up to 15 percent, the Green party stayed at 13 percent, with the Left party at 10 percent…”

Islam No Part of Europe

Breitbart wrote on May 6:

“A new poll has revealed that a large majority of Germans don’t believe Islam is a part of Germany, and many fear Islamisation…

“The poll was conducted to shed light on what many in the public think of the recent debate between the mainstream politicians and the anti-mass migration Alternative for Germany (AfD)… A few mainstream politicians have conceded to the view of the AfD like Christian Democratic Union parliamentary leader Volker Kauder who said that Muslims belong in Germany but like the AfD he believe[s] that public displays of Islam like minarets should not dominate German skylines and that the calls to prayer should not be heard across all German cities.

 “Eastern Germany, the home of the PEGIDA movement and the region in which the AfD have had their greatest electoral success voted the most consistently against Islam. 65.7 per cent of Eastern Germans polled rejected the idea of a German Islam and among supporters of the AfD the number rose to over 90 per cent.

 “The poll also asked Germans their views and fear of a potential Islamisation of their country. Almost half of those polled  (46 per cent)  think Germany is undergoing, or is at risk of becoming, Islamised…

 “A similar poll was conducted in France earlier this week which saw French from the left and right end of the political spectrum reject the idea of Islam in general, following the Paris and Brussels terror attacks. The poll showed a huge change of attitudes in France compared to the past. In 1989 when a similar poll was conducted around 33 per cent of those surveyed were favourable to new mosques being built compared to now when the number has shrunk to only 13 per cent.

“In Eastern Europe Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban rejected the idea of Islamisation in his country entirely. He said that the constitution of Hungary forbid Islamisation saying it protects Hungary’s culture and language and added, ‘we have the right to choose whom we want and don’t want to live with.’”

Turkey’s Dictatorship with EU Support

On May 11, 2016, Breitbart published an editorial by Geert Wilders, controversial member of the Dutch Parliament and leader of the right-wing Party for Freedom (PVV), which is currently by far the biggest party in the Dutch polls.

“Look at every country where Islam is dominant and you will see a total lack of freedom and democracy. Islam and freedom are absolutely incompatible. And yet, we are importing it into our western societies… Take Turkey, for example. Turkey’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has never made a secret of his aim to strengthen the powers of Islam…

“Last month, the Turkish President demanded criminal prosecution of German comedian Jan Böhmermann. The latter had ridiculed Erdogan with a critical poem on German television. German Turks began to threaten Böhmermann to such degree that he had to request police protection and go into hiding. At the same time, the German authorities started criminal proceedings against the comedian, based on a 19th century German penal law which forbids insulting the representatives of foreign states.

“The criminal proceedings were started with the explicit consent of German Chancellor Angela Merkel… This week, Erdogan demanded [of] a German court to stop Mathias Döpfner, the CEO of the Springer publishing company, from defending the comedian.

“Fear of violent Turkish immigrants also forced a hamburger restaurant in Cologne to shut down. Its owner, Jörg Tiemann, had put a burger with goat cheese on the menu, calling it ‘the Erdogan burger.’ Erdogan supporters immediately responded with threats against owner and staff, forcing the restaurant to close its doors.

“Then, there is the case of Ebru Umar, a Dutch journalist of Turkish descent. Four weeks ago, she wrote a column criticizing the Turkish Consulate in Rotterdam. Following the Böhmermann incident, the Consulate had called on Dutch Turks to report incidents of ‘insults’ against Erdogan in The Netherlands. One week later, while on holiday in the Turkish seaside resort Kusadasi, Umar was arrested and only released on condition that she not leave Turkey…

“Next June, the European Union wants to allow visa free travel for Turks. [Our comment: Actually, the plan was to allow it in July, but according to recent news reports, it may be delayed until at least October.] For decades, the EU elites have been promoting Turkish EU membership, eagerly backed by President Barack Obama and by Hillary Clinton…”

Pope Francis Receives EU’s Charlemagne Prize for “His Contribution to European Unification”

AFP wrote on May 6:

“Pope Francis… urged EU leaders to ‘tear down the walls’ and build a fairer society… ‘Today more than ever, their vision inspires us to build bridges and tear down walls,’ he told a Vatican audience including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has been at the centre of the EU’s attempts to resolve its biggest refugee crisis since the war ended in 1945…

“Francis’s comments came in a speech as the 79-year-old pontiff was presented with the EU’s Charlemagne Prize for his contribution to European unification… European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and European Parliament President Martin Schulz explained the decision to give the award to such a regular and prominent critic of the EU in a column for France’s Le Monde.

“‘Some will joke that the European Union must be in a bad way if it is in need of papal assistance,’ they wrote. ‘We are convinced that Pope Francis deserves this prize, however, simply because he has sent Europe a message of hope… After all, at times when the words ‘Europe’ and ‘crisis’ are often uttered in the same breath it is easy to forget what Europe has achieved and what it is capable of.’”

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 6:

“Since 1950, the Charlemagne Prize (‘Karlspreis’ in German) has been awarded to personalities and institutions that have rendered outstanding services to the unification of Europe. The first winners included former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and longtime German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer. On Friday, Pope Francis became the 58th recipient of the award.

“Friday marked only the second time that the prestigious prize was awarded outside of Aachen town hall in western German. In 2004, the accolade was awarded to [severely ill] Pope John Paul II, again in the Vatican, where he received the ‘extraordinary Charlemagne prize’ [for his role in the collapse of Eastern Europe’s communist regimes]…”

On May 5, Deutsche Welle explained the following about the “Karlspreis”:

“The prize is named for Charlemagne, or Charles the Great, the Franconian king – and later Holy Roman Emperor – revered as the ‘Father of Europe.’ Charlemagne created an empire with an efficient administration across what is today western Europe – by means of brutal force and bloody wars like that waged against the pagan Saxons. He built the foundation for a European identity. Aachen was his imperial capital; through the 16th century, this was where German kings were crowned…

While the pope is happy to receive the prize, he isn’t coming to Aachen for the ceremony, so the committee and a throng of European politicians are headed to the Vatican instead. Another novelty: The Prize is traditionally awarded on Ascension Day, but since Pope Francis is busy on this Catholic holiday, the award ceremony is now scheduled to take place in the Sala Regia at the Apostolic Palace a day later, on Friday…

Charlemagne had close, mutually beneficial ties to the Holy See. In Rome on Christmas Day in the year 800, Pope Leo III crowned the Franconian king as the first western European emperor. Just a year earlier, Charles had saved the pope from being toppled by political adversaries. The interdependence between the empire and the papacy was to influence European politics for centuries to come…”

This shows how desperate the European political powers have become that they are willing to seek the help of the pope. Biblical prophecy predicts once again (as had occurred under Charlemagne and subsequent “holy emperors”) a collaboration between the political European powers and the Roman Catholic Church—the fallen woman riding the seven-headed beast (Revelation 17), and a future “beast” working hand in hand with a future “false prophet.”

“The [Catholic] Church Must Play Her Part in the Rebirth of Europe”

On May 6, Zenit published the pope’s address at being awarded the Charlemagne Prize. We are quoting the following excepts:

“In the last century, Europe bore witness to humanity that a new beginning was indeed possible. After years of tragic conflicts, culminating in the most horrific war ever known, there emerged, by God’s grace, something completely new in human history. The ashes of the ruins could not extinguish the ardent hope and the quest of solidarity that inspired the founders of the European project… Europe, so long divided, finally found its true self and began to build its house…

“To the rebirth of a Europe weary, yet still rich in energies and possibilities, the Church can and must play her part. Her task is one with her mission: the proclamation of the Gospel… Only a Church rich in witnesses will be able to bring back the pure water of the Gospel to the roots of Europe…”

Cruxnow.com added on May 6:

“This witness, he said, must also include efforts towards full Christian unity.”

“Brexit Could Trigger World War Three

The Mirror wrote on May 9:

“David Cameron has pleaded for Britain to stay in the EU to help prevent the Continent being ripped apart by another conflict.

“Mr Cameron today highlighted the UK’s role in bringing peace to Europe as he hit the referendum campaign trail… He referred to Britain’s role in ‘pivotal moments in European history: Blenheim, Trafalgar, Waterloo, our country’s heroism in the Great War and, most of all, our lone stand in 1940’. He added: ‘What happens in our neighbourhood matters to Britain. That was true in 1914, 1940, 1989…. and it is true in 2016.’

“And he recalled how Winston Churchill ‘argued passionately for Western Europe to come together, to promote free trade and build institutions which would endure so our continent would never again see such bloodshed’.”

Even though Mr. Cameron’s comments might be viewed as just some more concocted “arguments” to justify staying in the EU, it is undoubtedly true, based on biblical prophecy, that a Brexit would set the stage for World War III—but in ways other than those apparently considered by Mr. Cameron.

“Londonistan”—Give Glory to Allah on London Buses

Breitbart wrote on May 8:

“Britain’s largest Islamic charity says it wants to ‘break down barriers’ and portray Islam positively by launching a new advertising campaign which will slap the phrase ‘glory to Allah’ on the side of London buses. The new campaign by Islamic Relief is, ostensibly, targeted at raising donations for their Ramadan aid to Syria, but is attracting attention for the ‘hundreds’ of buses which will be decorated with the phrase ‘Subhan’Allah’, or ‘Glory to Allah’.

“Muslims reading the advert are told that to “gather the rewards of Ramadan”, they must to donate to Islamic Relief, an organisation which had its accounts with banking giant HSBC closed after ‘concerns that cash for aid could end up with terrorist groups abroad’.

“Public transport has been chosen for the Islamic re-branding in London, Manchester, Leicester, Birmingham, and Bradford – all UK locations with high and growing Muslim populations, reports the Sunday Times.

“That the announcement of the new campaign came the day after London crowned its first Muslim leader, Mayor Sadiq Khan. Islamic Relief called it a ‘nice irony’ that the two events coincided…

“And while the Times omits the background of Islamic Relief in their reporting, they do admit the posters may ‘raise eyebrows’ among Christians in Britain.”

Shocking Statistics about Hunger in the UK

The Guardian wrote on May 7:

“More than 8 million people in Britain live in households that struggle to put enough food on the table, with over half regularly going a whole day without eating, according to estimates of hunger in the UK. One in 10 adults suffered moderate levels of food insecurity in 2014, placing the UK in the bottom half of European countries on hunger measures, below Hungary, Estonia, Slovakia and Malta… hunger in the UK is far more widespread than rising charity food use indicates, according to the analysis of UN data by the Food Foundation thinktank…

“The foundation estimates that 4.7 million people aged over 15 were severely food-insecure, meaning they were [too] poor [to] afford enough food and sometimes went without. A further 3.7 million were classed as moderately food-insecure.

“… a series of other studies have shown that poverty and rising food prices are key drivers not just of food insufficiency but inability to buy healthy food such as fruit and vegetables…

“The European countries with the lowest levels of food insecurity were Sweden (3.1%), Germany (4.3%) and Denmark (4.9%). The highest rates were measured in Lithuania (19.6%), Romania (18.9%) and Greece (17.2%).”

The Bible prophesied that the UK and the USA will be plagued by hunger and famine in these end times.

Trump Considering Defaulting on the National Debt

The Huffington Post wrote on May 6:

“The presumptive GOP nominee has an idea for dealing with American debt and infrastructure… Trump laid out his plan during a CNBC appearance… Interest rates on U.S. debt are very low right now, and have been for years. This makes it a great time for the government to borrow money and spend it on public needs… The economy would grow, boosting tax receipts for the federal government which would make the new debt easy to manage… ‘I would borrow, knowing that if the economy crashed, you could make a deal,’ Trump told CNBC… Another way to describe this plan: ‘I would default on the national debt.’…

“The U.S. government owes $12.8 trillion to the public. The majority of this money is owed to American citizens and businesses…”

Newsmax added on May 8:

“Donald Trump has proposed that he will slash the $19 trillion national debt by persuading creditors to accept less than full payment… ‘What do we do with all of the money that we owe everybody when rates go up and now all of a sudden we have to borrow at two points more. One point more even is devastating. But two, three, four, five points more. It’s a real dilemma,’ he told CNBC. ‘I would borrow, knowing that if the economy crashed, you could make a deal,’ Trump said…
“Experts… told the Times that Trump’s proposal was ‘fanciful,’ saying there was no reason to think America’s creditors would accept anything less than 100 cents on the dollar, regardless of Trump’s deal-making prowess…

“Meanwhile, other prominent financial voices think Trump just may be onto something concerning his debt strategy…”

Several months ago, we considered the possibility that Trump might want to default on the national debt, as one American President did in the past, and as Hitler did as well. The comments in some news outlets that the US NEVER defaulted on their debt is manifestly wrong. Subsequently, Trump reportedly said that one cannot default on the US national debt, as the USA could always print more money. Neither of these inconsistent statements helps in having great confidence in the soundness of Trump’s financial plans regarding the national debt.

Middle Eastern Leaders Seek Help from Russian… Not the USA… Why?

Politico wrote on May 8:

“The United States has significantly more military capability in the Middle East today than Russia—America has 35,000 troops and hundreds of aircraft; the Russians roughly 2,000 troops and, perhaps, 50 aircraft—and yet Middle Eastern leaders are making pilgrimages to Moscow to see Vladimir Putin these days, not rushing to Washington. Two weeks ago, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu traveled to see the Russian president, his second trip to Russia since last fall, and King Salman of Saudi Arabia is planning a trip soon. Egypt’s president and other Middle Eastern leaders have also made the trek to see Putin.

“Why is this happening, and why on my trips to the region am I hearing that Arabs and Israelis have pretty much given up on President Barack Obama? Because perceptions matter more than mere power: The Russians are seen as willing to use power to affect the balance of power in the region, and we are not…

“Putin’s worldview is completely at odds with Obama’s. Obama believes in the use of force only in circumstances where our security and homeland might be directly threatened…

But in the Middle East it is Putin’s views on the uses of coercion, including force to achieve political objectives, that appears to be the norm, not the exception—and that is true for our friends as well as adversaries…

“Middle Eastern leaders… realize they need to be talking to the Russians if they are to safeguard their interests… Obama’s recent trip to Saudi Arabia did not alter the perception of American weakness and our reluctance to affect the balance of power in the region. The Arab Gulf states fear growing Iranian strength more than they fear the Islamic State…

“Arabs and Israelis alike are looking to the next administration. They know the Russians are not a force for stability; they count on the United States to play that role…”

But the irony is that even under a new administration, the USA won’t play a role of stability in the Middle East.

Alabama’s Top Judge Suspended in Gay Marriage Dispute

The Associated Press reported on May 7:

“Alabama’s Supreme Court Chief Justice was suspended on Friday as he faces possible removal from the bench for ordering state probate judges not to grant marriage licenses to gay couples, despite contrary rulings by a federal court and the U.S. Supreme Court. The Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission charged Chief Justice Roy Moore, an outspoken opponent of same-sex unions, with violating the state’s judicial ethics laws, an allegation that could potentially remove him from office…

“The legality of gay marriage had been at the center of a national debate for years until the Supreme Court ruled in June that the U.S. Constitution provides same-sex couples the right to marry, handing a historic triumph to the American gay rights movement. Despite the ruling and a federal court ruling that made gay marriage legal in Alabama, Moore issued in January an administrative order to state probate judges, ordering them not to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, according to court documents…

“Moore said in a statement that the commission has no authority over administrative orders or the court’s ability to prohibit probate judges from issuing same-sex marriage licenses… Moore wrote in his order that the U.S. Supreme Court ruling was at odds with a decision in March 2015 by the Alabama Supreme Court that instructed probate judges to stop issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

“The conflicting opinions had resulted in ‘confusion and uncertainty,’ Moore said… Until the Alabama Supreme Court decides the matter, probate judges ‘have a ministerial duty not to issue any marriage license,’ he said… Moore, a Republican, has been a hero of conservative causes before. In 2003, he was removed from office after a federal judge ruled he was placing himself above the law by refusing to take down a Ten Commandments monument. He won the chief justice job back in 2012…”

The problem is, once you are actively participating in the judicial system as a judge, you are forced to violate your conscience even if a particular statute or ruling by a higher or the highest court is clearly violating God’s Supreme Law.

Gay Rights Victory in Italy against Catholic Church

CBS News reported on May 11:

“Italy joined the rest of Europe on Wednesday in giving some legal rights to gay couples after a years-long battle and opposition from the Catholic Church to anything that smacked of authorizing gay marriage… Gay rights activists hailed the vote as historic, given that Italy was the last of the European Union’s 28 nations to grant legal recognition to civil unions. But they voiced disappointment that the government had sacrificed a provision to allow gay adoption to ensure passage…

“The Vatican, which holds sway politically and socially in overwhelmingly Catholic Italy, maintains that marriage is a lifelong bond between man and woman.

“Premier Matteo Renzi praised the vote as ‘writing another important page for the Italy that we love.’… Italy’s leading Catholic bishop, Monsignor Nunzio Galantino, had criticized the government’s decision to put the bill to a confidence vote to ensure passage, saying it was a ‘loss for everyone.’”

Current Events

In this issue, we report on remarkable developments in Austria, Germany and the rest of Europe, which are all linked, to one extent or another, to the ongoing migrant crisis.

We focus on the decision to grant the Charlemagne Prize (Karlspreis) to Pope Francis, even though he did little to deserve the prize which is supposed to be awarded to “personalities and institutions that have rendered outstanding services to the unification of Europe.” This shows, however, the desperate desire of European politicians to get the Catholic Church involved in their efforts to unify Europe, and the Church, according to Pope Francis, must be willing to “play her part in the rebirth of Europe.”

We speak on developments in the UK, including David Cameron’s warning of World War III in case of a Brexit, “Londonistan,” and shocking statistics on hunger in the UK.

We conclude with inconsistent comments by Donald Trump on the national debt; the lack of confidence of Middle Eastern leaders in the Obama Administration; the suspension of Alabama’s top judge for his stance on gay marriages; and a gay rights victory in Catholic Italy.

Update 735

A Successful Marriage; Testing Faith

On May 14, 2016, Norbert Link will present the sermonette, titled, “A Successful Marriage,” and Michael Link will present the sermon, titled, “Testing Faith.”

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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Are you Satan’s Helpless Victim?

by Norbert Link

During my many years in the Church of God, I have observed firsthand many Satanic attacks on God’s people and the Church itself.  I was still in Germany when I learned, second-hand, that the Attorney General of the State of California, being used by disgruntled disfellowshipped members and ministers, was launching a massive illegal attack on the Church, but when I later came to Pasadena and worked in the Legal Department, I could see that it had clearly been Satan’s goal to totally destroy the Church of God. In that, Satan failed.

Subsequently, another Satanic attack was launched against Herbert Armstrong, the late human leader of the Church, as well as the Church organization, when attempts were made to smear Mr. Armstrong’s reputation and to fraudulently gain possession of half of the Church’s property. In this, Satan failed again.

When Mr. Armstrong died, his successor, being at least partially used by liberal men who were hostile towards Mr. Armstrong and his teachings, changed just about every Church doctrine, until their organization had ceased to be a part of the Body of Christ and had instead become a mainstream “Christian” part of the great apostasy with all of its pagan ideas, and even though far too many followed their evil lead, Satan failed in his attempt to influence ALL of God’s people to depart from the truth.

In due time, further splits within the Church of God organizations occurred (as they are bound to continue in the future), which were also undoubtedly, at least in part, motivated and inspired by Satan, but again, Satan did not succeed in destroying completely ALL of God’s people. But the Bible has prophesied that due to the many Satanic attacks, many will fall away in the future (2 Thessalonians 2:3), and most of those who will stay in God’s Church will become lukewarm (Revelation 3:6), tired and worn out. We read in Daniel 7:25 about a religious power which “persecutes” the saints, but the word actually means, “wears out,” comparing it with a garment which wears out by degrees, and as applied to many of the saints, they become tired and worn out due to constant harassment and persecution.

However, the Bible also promises that a faithful remnant of the Philadelphia era WILL EXIST in these end times, who will be counted worthy to escape the terrible Great Tribulation and to stand before the Son of Man (Revelation 3:10; Luke 21:36)… and we are NOT saying that that remnant is limited to just one particular organization, even though we surely believe that our organizations are part of this remnant.

Therefore, we should expect that Satan will especially try now to attack this very remnant with great wrath, because he knows that his time is short (Revelation 12:12). And that is EXACTLY what is happening. Satan IS on a rampage to DESTROY God’s people, and his attacks have become so violent and all-encompassing as never before in my experience within the Church of God. I am foremost speaking of personal problems which God’s true begotten sons and daughters have to endure at this point.

HOW are they to win this Satanic battle? It is clear, they CANNOT win it on their own. They MUST allow God to fight for them, but they must be WILLING tools in the process. Since Satan IS walking about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he can devour, God’s people must have God’s help to resist the devil, and they must be steadfast in the faith—having the faith that Satan WILL be defeated (1 Peter 5:8-9; Romans 16:20).

God tells us in Ephesians 6:11-12:

“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness [or better: wicked spirits] in the heavenly places [or: high places].”

In order to be victorious, we MUST put on the ENTIRE armor of God, which is described in Ephesians 6:10-18. It can be summarized as follows:

Our waist must be girded with God’s truth (verse 14).

We have to put on the breastplate of God’s righteousness (verse 14).

Our feet must be shod with the preparation of God’s gospel of peace (verse 15).

We must take God’s shield of faith (verse 16).

We must wear God’s helmet of salvation (verse 17).

We must also take the sword of God’s Spirit, which is the word of God (verse 17).

And last but not least, we must pray always with all prayer and supplication in God’s Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints (verse 18).

We have published a free booklet, Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians — How to Understand It,” in which we discuss in detail every aspect of God’s armor, which is VITAL for our spiritual survival and salvation. You SHOULD take the time to carefully study [again] our booklet and PUT INTO PRACTICE what God is telling you.

Make no mistake! We are ever SO CLOSE to the return of Christ, and Satan knows it. Do you? In his incredible wrath and anger, Satan will VERY SOON bring about the Great Tribulation—leading to a time of such terrible proportions that no one would survive if Christ were not to return. The Great Tribulation is foremost directed against the modern houses of Israel and Judah and especially God’s saints. The Bible clearly shows that another massive martyrdom of the saints will occur at that time (Revelation 6:9-11). But Satanic persecution against God’s people will already begin PRIOR to the Great Tribulation (Mark 13:12-13; Luke 21:16-17)!

As an Evangelist in God’s Church, let me tell you: THAT persecution has clearly begun, and you NEED God’s constant protection, help and HIS armor, if you do not want to fail and fall away from God.

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In this issue, we report on remarkable developments in Austria, Germany and the rest of Europe, which are all linked, to one extent or another, to the ongoing migrant crisis.

We focus on the decision to grant the Charlemagne Prize (Karlspreis) to Pope Francis, even though he did little to deserve the prize which is supposed to be awarded to “personalities and institutions that have rendered outstanding services to the unification of Europe.” This shows, however, the desperate desire of European politicians to get the Catholic Church involved in their efforts to unify Europe, and the Church, according to Pope Francis, must be willing to “play her part in the rebirth of Europe.”

We speak on developments in the UK, including David Cameron’s warning of World War III in case of a Brexit, “Londonistan,” and shocking statistics on hunger in the UK.

We conclude with inconsistent comments by Donald Trump on the national debt; the lack of confidence of Middle Eastern leaders in the Obama Administration; the suspension of Alabama’s top judge for his stance on gay marriages; and a gay rights victory in Catholic Italy.

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Austria’s Migrant Problem

AFP wrote on May 6:

“An Austrian man has been arrested for allegedly placing two pig heads on an Islamic center and mosque being built in the southern city of Graz…

“Last month the interior ministry [of Austria] said there was a 54 percent rise in extremist and racist incidents in 2015, ranging from vandalism and assaults to fanning hatred against foreigners.  Austria took in 90,000 asylum-seekers in 2015, making it the European Union’s second-largest recipient per capita, while around 10 times that number passed through.

“The influx, as well as a number of highly publicized sexual assaults by migrants, has prompted the government to take a harder line on immigration and has boosted the far-right Freedom Party (FPOe). On April 24 FPOe candidate Norbert Hofer came a clear first in the first round of elections for the… post of president with 35 percent of the vote. Bookmakers expect him to win a runoff on May 22.”

Heads Begin to Roll in Austria

The Local wrote on May 9:

Austria’s Chancellor Werner Faymann is stepping down and will also resign as head of the Social Democrats. He told a press conference on Monday that Austria needed a chancellor whose party stood behind him and that the government needed a new start.

“Faymann’s future looked highly uncertain after his party’s candidate was knocked out of the presidential race and there were disagreements within the party over the migrant crisis, and whether to cooperate with the right-wing Freedom Party…

“Hofer, 45, who presents himself as the friendly and reasonable face of the FPOe, will now face Alexander van der Bellen, a former head of the Greens who came second, in a runoff on May 22. The two hapless candidates from the ruling coalition parties were relegated into distant fourth and fifth places, failing to make it through to the runoff with just 11 percent of the vote each.This historic failure means that for the first time since 1945, there will not be a president from within these two parties in Vienna’s Hofburg palace. This in turn could mean that the new president might make use of some of the considerable powers afforded to the head of state under Austria’s constitution that until now have been not been used.”

Deutsche Welle added on May 9:

“Austrian Werner Faymann has stepped down as chancellor and leader of the Social Democrats… his resignation throws the future of… Austria’s government into question.

“Next to Germany’s Angela Merkel, Faymann was one of the longest ruling leaders in Europe. But his inability to tackle systemic problems caused his downfall. While Social Democratic leaders say his departure will help them rebuild the party, their government coalition partner, the conservative Austrian People’s Party, could decide to change allegiances and side with the far-right Freedom Party and call for a new election. Should that happen, Austria could be the first western European country to elect the first far right government since World War Two. ‘Austria could be the beginning of the return of the right,’ said Alexandra Foederl-Schmid, editor-in-chief of Der Standard. ‘This is a very real possibility.’…

“Austria has been deeply divided over many issues, but perhaps the toughest issue has been how to solve the refugee crisis. Last year, when the wave of migrants turned into a rush, Faymann stood beside Merkel in welcoming those fleeing war. When the country was overwhelmed with 90,000 asylum requests, Faymann, who prided himself on a ‘stable’ governing style, was at a loss for what to do. The party seemed ruderless; he left the policy to governing partner, the People’s Party, which has erected fences, resurrected border controls and announced an upper limit on the number of asylum seekers the country will accept this year…”

A Fence between Austria and Italy?

The Washington Post wrote on May 8:

“Since the days of ancient Rome, conquering armies have traversed the Brenner Pass, a scenic gorge in the Alps connecting the boot of Italy to the heart of Europe. Now, nations to the north fear that this vital passage will become the funnel for a new ‘invasion’ of migrants. A thousand miles away in Greece, the main migrant route into Europe is shutting down amid stricter border controls in the Balkans and a deal with Turkey to stop new arrivals from the Middle East, Africa and beyond. Yet as one door closes, concern is mounting in a host of countries that the poor and desperate may find another way in.

“Claiming that as many as 1 million more migrants are massing in Libya with the aim of crossing into Europe through Italy, the Austrians, for instance, are laying the groundwork for an emergency fence between the jagged Alpine peaks at its Italian border. To stop the feared hordes, the Swiss are threatening to call out the army (yes, Switzerland has an army). The Germans and the French, meanwhile, are joining an effort to extend ‘crisis’ checks already in place at various European Union borders…  Some Austrian politicians are backing a possible fence at the Brenner Pass…

“‘We can’t be the social security for Africa,’ said Rudi Federspiel, a regional leader in the right-wing Freedom Party of Austria from the bordering province of Tirol. ‘Most of these people are Muslims, not Roman Catholics.’ Those migrants already in Austria, he insisted, are causing serious social problems: ‘We have rapes. Rapes in the city. Rapes all over the place. Because [Muslim] men don’t accept women. . . . They are not on the same level’ as Europeans…

“Austria has now adopted a hard line on new migrants. But [Norbert] Hofer has called for even tougher measures, including stricter border controls. He mocked the barrier — a chain-link fence with no barbed wire – that Austria has erected at its border with Slovenia as a ‘garden fence’ with holes in it…”

Most Germans Growing Tired of Merkel and the Two Main Parties

The Local wrote on May 10:

A poll published on Tuesday shows that just under two-thirds of Germans do not want Chancellor Angela Merkel to run for office again in elections next year64 percent responded that she should not. Other polling figures show that if an election were held now, Germany’s two main political parties would barely scrape together 50 percent of the vote between them. In the separate survey conducted by INSA for Bild, the Union – a combination of Merkel’s Christian Democratic Party (CDU) and Bavarian sister party the Christian Social Union (CSU) – only polled at 30.5 percent…

“With the Social Democratic Party (SPD) polling at 19.5 percent, that meant that the two parties which make up the ‘grand coalition’ which governs Germany would only win 50 percent of the vote. This figure is a drop of 17 percent on the last national election and would have been unthinkable up until recently… Things have become so bad for the SPD that rumours have been swirling in the media that their leader Sigmar Gabriel plans to stand down. Gabriel has denied the reports… In the poll, the AfD [“Alternative for Germany”] gained support to move up to 15 percent, the Green party stayed at 13 percent, with the Left party at 10 percent…”

Islam No Part of Europe

Breitbart wrote on May 6:

“A new poll has revealed that a large majority of Germans don’t believe Islam is a part of Germany, and many fear Islamisation…

“The poll was conducted to shed light on what many in the public think of the recent debate between the mainstream politicians and the anti-mass migration Alternative for Germany (AfD)… A few mainstream politicians have conceded to the view of the AfD like Christian Democratic Union parliamentary leader Volker Kauder who said that Muslims belong in Germany but like the AfD he believe[s] that public displays of Islam like minarets should not dominate German skylines and that the calls to prayer should not be heard across all German cities.

 “Eastern Germany, the home of the PEGIDA movement and the region in which the AfD have had their greatest electoral success voted the most consistently against Islam. 65.7 per cent of Eastern Germans polled rejected the idea of a German Islam and among supporters of the AfD the number rose to over 90 per cent.

 “The poll also asked Germans their views and fear of a potential Islamisation of their country. Almost half of those polled  (46 per cent)  think Germany is undergoing, or is at risk of becoming, Islamised…

 “A similar poll was conducted in France earlier this week which saw French from the left and right end of the political spectrum reject the idea of Islam in general, following the Paris and Brussels terror attacks. The poll showed a huge change of attitudes in France compared to the past. In 1989 when a similar poll was conducted around 33 per cent of those surveyed were favourable to new mosques being built compared to now when the number has shrunk to only 13 per cent.

“In Eastern Europe Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban rejected the idea of Islamisation in his country entirely. He said that the constitution of Hungary forbid Islamisation saying it protects Hungary’s culture and language and added, ‘we have the right to choose whom we want and don’t want to live with.’”

Turkey’s Dictatorship with EU Support

On May 11, 2016, Breitbart published an editorial by Geert Wilders, controversial member of the Dutch Parliament and leader of the right-wing Party for Freedom (PVV), which is currently by far the biggest party in the Dutch polls.

“Look at every country where Islam is dominant and you will see a total lack of freedom and democracy. Islam and freedom are absolutely incompatible. And yet, we are importing it into our western societies… Take Turkey, for example. Turkey’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has never made a secret of his aim to strengthen the powers of Islam…

“Last month, the Turkish President demanded criminal prosecution of German comedian Jan Böhmermann. The latter had ridiculed Erdogan with a critical poem on German television. German Turks began to threaten Böhmermann to such degree that he had to request police protection and go into hiding. At the same time, the German authorities started criminal proceedings against the comedian, based on a 19th century German penal law which forbids insulting the representatives of foreign states.

“The criminal proceedings were started with the explicit consent of German Chancellor Angela Merkel… This week, Erdogan demanded [of] a German court to stop Mathias Döpfner, the CEO of the Springer publishing company, from defending the comedian.

“Fear of violent Turkish immigrants also forced a hamburger restaurant in Cologne to shut down. Its owner, Jörg Tiemann, had put a burger with goat cheese on the menu, calling it ‘the Erdogan burger.’ Erdogan supporters immediately responded with threats against owner and staff, forcing the restaurant to close its doors.

“Then, there is the case of Ebru Umar, a Dutch journalist of Turkish descent. Four weeks ago, she wrote a column criticizing the Turkish Consulate in Rotterdam. Following the Böhmermann incident, the Consulate had called on Dutch Turks to report incidents of ‘insults’ against Erdogan in The Netherlands. One week later, while on holiday in the Turkish seaside resort Kusadasi, Umar was arrested and only released on condition that she not leave Turkey…

“Next June, the European Union wants to allow visa free travel for Turks. [Our comment: Actually, the plan was to allow it in July, but according to recent news reports, it may be delayed until at least October.] For decades, the EU elites have been promoting Turkish EU membership, eagerly backed by President Barack Obama and by Hillary Clinton…”

Pope Francis Receives EU’s Charlemagne Prize for “His Contribution to European Unification”

AFP wrote on May 6:

“Pope Francis… urged EU leaders to ‘tear down the walls’ and build a fairer society… ‘Today more than ever, their vision inspires us to build bridges and tear down walls,’ he told a Vatican audience including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has been at the centre of the EU’s attempts to resolve its biggest refugee crisis since the war ended in 1945…

“Francis’s comments came in a speech as the 79-year-old pontiff was presented with the EU’s Charlemagne Prize for his contribution to European unification… European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and European Parliament President Martin Schulz explained the decision to give the award to such a regular and prominent critic of the EU in a column for France’s Le Monde.

“‘Some will joke that the European Union must be in a bad way if it is in need of papal assistance,’ they wrote. ‘We are convinced that Pope Francis deserves this prize, however, simply because he has sent Europe a message of hope… After all, at times when the words ‘Europe’ and ‘crisis’ are often uttered in the same breath it is easy to forget what Europe has achieved and what it is capable of.’”

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 6:

“Since 1950, the Charlemagne Prize (‘Karlspreis’ in German) has been awarded to personalities and institutions that have rendered outstanding services to the unification of Europe. The first winners included former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and longtime German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer. On Friday, Pope Francis became the 58th recipient of the award.

“Friday marked only the second time that the prestigious prize was awarded outside of Aachen town hall in western German. In 2004, the accolade was awarded to [severely ill] Pope John Paul II, again in the Vatican, where he received the ‘extraordinary Charlemagne prize’ [for his role in the collapse of Eastern Europe’s communist regimes]…”

On May 5, Deutsche Welle explained the following about the “Karlspreis”:

“The prize is named for Charlemagne, or Charles the Great, the Franconian king – and later Holy Roman Emperor – revered as the ‘Father of Europe.’ Charlemagne created an empire with an efficient administration across what is today western Europe – by means of brutal force and bloody wars like that waged against the pagan Saxons. He built the foundation for a European identity. Aachen was his imperial capital; through the 16th century, this was where German kings were crowned…

While the pope is happy to receive the prize, he isn’t coming to Aachen for the ceremony, so the committee and a throng of European politicians are headed to the Vatican instead. Another novelty: The Prize is traditionally awarded on Ascension Day, but since Pope Francis is busy on this Catholic holiday, the award ceremony is now scheduled to take place in the Sala Regia at the Apostolic Palace a day later, on Friday…

Charlemagne had close, mutually beneficial ties to the Holy See. In Rome on Christmas Day in the year 800, Pope Leo III crowned the Franconian king as the first western European emperor. Just a year earlier, Charles had saved the pope from being toppled by political adversaries. The interdependence between the empire and the papacy was to influence European politics for centuries to come…”

This shows how desperate the European political powers have become that they are willing to seek the help of the pope. Biblical prophecy predicts once again (as had occurred under Charlemagne and subsequent “holy emperors”) a collaboration between the political European powers and the Roman Catholic Church—the fallen woman riding the seven-headed beast (Revelation 17), and a future “beast” working hand in hand with a future “false prophet.”

“The [Catholic] Church Must Play Her Part in the Rebirth of Europe”

On May 6, Zenit published the pope’s address at being awarded the Charlemagne Prize. We are quoting the following excepts:

“In the last century, Europe bore witness to humanity that a new beginning was indeed possible. After years of tragic conflicts, culminating in the most horrific war ever known, there emerged, by God’s grace, something completely new in human history. The ashes of the ruins could not extinguish the ardent hope and the quest of solidarity that inspired the founders of the European project… Europe, so long divided, finally found its true self and began to build its house…

“To the rebirth of a Europe weary, yet still rich in energies and possibilities, the Church can and must play her part. Her task is one with her mission: the proclamation of the Gospel… Only a Church rich in witnesses will be able to bring back the pure water of the Gospel to the roots of Europe…”

Cruxnow.com added on May 6:

“This witness, he said, must also include efforts towards full Christian unity.”

“Brexit Could Trigger World War Three

The Mirror wrote on May 9:

“David Cameron has pleaded for Britain to stay in the EU to help prevent the Continent being ripped apart by another conflict.

“Mr Cameron today highlighted the UK’s role in bringing peace to Europe as he hit the referendum campaign trail… He referred to Britain’s role in ‘pivotal moments in European history: Blenheim, Trafalgar, Waterloo, our country’s heroism in the Great War and, most of all, our lone stand in 1940’. He added: ‘What happens in our neighbourhood matters to Britain. That was true in 1914, 1940, 1989…. and it is true in 2016.’

“And he recalled how Winston Churchill ‘argued passionately for Western Europe to come together, to promote free trade and build institutions which would endure so our continent would never again see such bloodshed’.”

Even though Mr. Cameron’s comments might be viewed as just some more concocted “arguments” to justify staying in the EU, it is undoubtedly true, based on biblical prophecy, that a Brexit would set the stage for World War III—but in ways other than those apparently considered by Mr. Cameron.

“Londonistan”—Give Glory to Allah on London Buses

Breitbart wrote on May 8:

“Britain’s largest Islamic charity says it wants to ‘break down barriers’ and portray Islam positively by launching a new advertising campaign which will slap the phrase ‘glory to Allah’ on the side of London buses. The new campaign by Islamic Relief is, ostensibly, targeted at raising donations for their Ramadan aid to Syria, but is attracting attention for the ‘hundreds’ of buses which will be decorated with the phrase ‘Subhan’Allah’, or ‘Glory to Allah’.

“Muslims reading the advert are told that to “gather the rewards of Ramadan”, they must to donate to Islamic Relief, an organisation which had its accounts with banking giant HSBC closed after ‘concerns that cash for aid could end up with terrorist groups abroad’.

“Public transport has been chosen for the Islamic re-branding in London, Manchester, Leicester, Birmingham, and Bradford – all UK locations with high and growing Muslim populations, reports the Sunday Times.

“That the announcement of the new campaign came the day after London crowned its first Muslim leader, Mayor Sadiq Khan. Islamic Relief called it a ‘nice irony’ that the two events coincided…

“And while the Times omits the background of Islamic Relief in their reporting, they do admit the posters may ‘raise eyebrows’ among Christians in Britain.”

Shocking Statistics about Hunger in the UK

The Guardian wrote on May 7:

“More than 8 million people in Britain live in households that struggle to put enough food on the table, with over half regularly going a whole day without eating, according to estimates of hunger in the UK. One in 10 adults suffered moderate levels of food insecurity in 2014, placing the UK in the bottom half of European countries on hunger measures, below Hungary, Estonia, Slovakia and Malta… hunger in the UK is far more widespread than rising charity food use indicates, according to the analysis of UN data by the Food Foundation thinktank…

“The foundation estimates that 4.7 million people aged over 15 were severely food-insecure, meaning they were [too] poor [to] afford enough food and sometimes went without. A further 3.7 million were classed as moderately food-insecure.

“… a series of other studies have shown that poverty and rising food prices are key drivers not just of food insufficiency but inability to buy healthy food such as fruit and vegetables…

“The European countries with the lowest levels of food insecurity were Sweden (3.1%), Germany (4.3%) and Denmark (4.9%). The highest rates were measured in Lithuania (19.6%), Romania (18.9%) and Greece (17.2%).”

The Bible prophesied that the UK and the USA will be plagued by hunger and famine in these end times.

Trump Considering Defaulting on the National Debt

The Huffington Post wrote on May 6:

“The presumptive GOP nominee has an idea for dealing with American debt and infrastructure… Trump laid out his plan during a CNBC appearance… Interest rates on U.S. debt are very low right now, and have been for years. This makes it a great time for the government to borrow money and spend it on public needs… The economy would grow, boosting tax receipts for the federal government which would make the new debt easy to manage… ‘I would borrow, knowing that if the economy crashed, you could make a deal,’ Trump told CNBC… Another way to describe this plan: ‘I would default on the national debt.’…

“The U.S. government owes $12.8 trillion to the public. The majority of this money is owed to American citizens and businesses…”

Newsmax added on May 8:

“Donald Trump has proposed that he will slash the $19 trillion national debt by persuading creditors to accept less than full payment… ‘What do we do with all of the money that we owe everybody when rates go up and now all of a sudden we have to borrow at two points more. One point more even is devastating. But two, three, four, five points more. It’s a real dilemma,’ he told CNBC. ‘I would borrow, knowing that if the economy crashed, you could make a deal,’ Trump said…
“Experts… told the Times that Trump’s proposal was ‘fanciful,’ saying there was no reason to think America’s creditors would accept anything less than 100 cents on the dollar, regardless of Trump’s deal-making prowess…

“Meanwhile, other prominent financial voices think Trump just may be onto something concerning his debt strategy…”

Several months ago, we considered the possibility that Trump might want to default on the national debt, as one American President did in the past, and as Hitler did as well. The comments in some news outlets that the US NEVER defaulted on their debt is manifestly wrong. Subsequently, Trump reportedly said that one cannot default on the US national debt, as the USA could always print more money. Neither of these inconsistent statements helps in having great confidence in the soundness of Trump’s financial plans regarding the national debt.

Middle Eastern Leaders Seek Help from Russian… Not the USA… Why?

Politico wrote on May 8:

“The United States has significantly more military capability in the Middle East today than Russia—America has 35,000 troops and hundreds of aircraft; the Russians roughly 2,000 troops and, perhaps, 50 aircraft—and yet Middle Eastern leaders are making pilgrimages to Moscow to see Vladimir Putin these days, not rushing to Washington. Two weeks ago, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu traveled to see the Russian president, his second trip to Russia since last fall, and King Salman of Saudi Arabia is planning a trip soon. Egypt’s president and other Middle Eastern leaders have also made the trek to see Putin.

“Why is this happening, and why on my trips to the region am I hearing that Arabs and Israelis have pretty much given up on President Barack Obama? Because perceptions matter more than mere power: The Russians are seen as willing to use power to affect the balance of power in the region, and we are not…

“Putin’s worldview is completely at odds with Obama’s. Obama believes in the use of force only in circumstances where our security and homeland might be directly threatened…

But in the Middle East it is Putin’s views on the uses of coercion, including force to achieve political objectives, that appears to be the norm, not the exception—and that is true for our friends as well as adversaries…

“Middle Eastern leaders… realize they need to be talking to the Russians if they are to safeguard their interests… Obama’s recent trip to Saudi Arabia did not alter the perception of American weakness and our reluctance to affect the balance of power in the region. The Arab Gulf states fear growing Iranian strength more than they fear the Islamic State…

“Arabs and Israelis alike are looking to the next administration. They know the Russians are not a force for stability; they count on the United States to play that role…”

But the irony is that even under a new administration, the USA won’t play a role of stability in the Middle East.

Alabama’s Top Judge Suspended in Gay Marriage Dispute

The Associated Press reported on May 7:

“Alabama’s Supreme Court Chief Justice was suspended on Friday as he faces possible removal from the bench for ordering state probate judges not to grant marriage licenses to gay couples, despite contrary rulings by a federal court and the U.S. Supreme Court. The Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission charged Chief Justice Roy Moore, an outspoken opponent of same-sex unions, with violating the state’s judicial ethics laws, an allegation that could potentially remove him from office…

“The legality of gay marriage had been at the center of a national debate for years until the Supreme Court ruled in June that the U.S. Constitution provides same-sex couples the right to marry, handing a historic triumph to the American gay rights movement. Despite the ruling and a federal court ruling that made gay marriage legal in Alabama, Moore issued in January an administrative order to state probate judges, ordering them not to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, according to court documents…

“Moore said in a statement that the commission has no authority over administrative orders or the court’s ability to prohibit probate judges from issuing same-sex marriage licenses… Moore wrote in his order that the U.S. Supreme Court ruling was at odds with a decision in March 2015 by the Alabama Supreme Court that instructed probate judges to stop issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

“The conflicting opinions had resulted in ‘confusion and uncertainty,’ Moore said… Until the Alabama Supreme Court decides the matter, probate judges ‘have a ministerial duty not to issue any marriage license,’ he said… Moore, a Republican, has been a hero of conservative causes before. In 2003, he was removed from office after a federal judge ruled he was placing himself above the law by refusing to take down a Ten Commandments monument. He won the chief justice job back in 2012…”

The problem is, once you are actively participating in the judicial system as a judge, you are forced to violate your conscience even if a particular statute or ruling by a higher or the highest court is clearly violating God’s Supreme Law.

Gay Rights Victory in Italy against Catholic Church

CBS News reported on May 11:

“Italy joined the rest of Europe on Wednesday in giving some legal rights to gay couples after a years-long battle and opposition from the Catholic Church to anything that smacked of authorizing gay marriage… Gay rights activists hailed the vote as historic, given that Italy was the last of the European Union’s 28 nations to grant legal recognition to civil unions. But they voiced disappointment that the government had sacrificed a provision to allow gay adoption to ensure passage…

“The Vatican, which holds sway politically and socially in overwhelmingly Catholic Italy, maintains that marriage is a lifelong bond between man and woman.

“Premier Matteo Renzi praised the vote as ‘writing another important page for the Italy that we love.’… Italy’s leading Catholic bishop, Monsignor Nunzio Galantino, had criticized the government’s decision to put the bill to a confidence vote to ensure passage, saying it was a ‘loss for everyone.’”

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January 16, 1986–No Further Understanding or Change? (Part 1)

Since you believe that Mr Herbert W Armstrong had the ministerial rank of “apostle,” what is your response to those who believe that there is to be no further understanding or change after he died on January 16th 1986? (Part 1)

It is true that there are those who believe that understanding can only come through an apostle and since there are no apostles alive today, everything that was understood at the time of Mr Armstrong’s death is to remain so and any further understanding is not to be countenanced.   Of course, some have declared themselves to be apostles (and prophets) but self-declaration is not tantamount to unchallenged approval.

We have covered a number of matters via Q&A’s, editorials and member letters and it is worth mentioning these before we start looking at this overall question.

Q&A – Some state that the Church of God must not change any of the teachings established by Herbert W Armstrong prior to his death in 1986.   It is further stated that his doctrinal understanding has the weight of uncanonised Biblical truth.   As a basis for this position, 1 Corinthians 11:1-2 is quoted.   Our answer to this belief is set forth in the following response.    (10th March 2006)

Q&A – Does the Church of the Eternal God and its corporate affiliates believe in and practice hierarchical government?

Q&A – The term “Apostle”

Editorial – Why Are We Not All Together?

Editorial – The Mission of the End-Time Elijah

Editorial – Where to Go?

Editorial – Beware of Apostasy in God’s Church

Editorial – Whom God Uses

Editorial – Herbert Armstrong and his Legacy

Editorial -New Truth or New Understanding?

Member Letter – January 2015

One of the misunderstandings that is commonly made by some is when talking about “new knowledge”.   As the editorial above (“New Truth or New Understanding”) clearly shows, it is not new truth but new understanding, as the truth has always been there and it is God who gives understanding of His Word and His Way.

It is also appropriate at this stage to quote from our “Statement of Beliefs” under “Doctrinal Foundation” as follows:

“The major doctrines of the Church are those, which were taught by Herbert W. Armstrong, derived from the Biblical teachings as followed by God’s faithful servants, and originally established by Jesus Christ through the founding of His Church in the time of His chosen early apostles. Since we are to increase in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, we are committed to review and alter any of our teachings, if and when proven to be wrong by the Bible.”

The first Q&A listed should be re-read as it contains a number of explanations which are vital in understanding this whole question.   However, there are a number of other matters which we will now address.

We read in Ephesians 2:19-22 the following: “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,  in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”

It is clear that the household of God is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone.   But the apostles we are reading about are the very ones whom Jesus Christ Himself chose whilst He was on earth.   The apostles’ doctrine is now part of the Bible and any apostles since the canonisation of the Bible cannot alter the original doctrine and understanding. For more information on the issue of canonisation, please read our free booklet, “The Authority of the Bible.” 

Because of the understanding in Ephesians 2:20, the Bible gives us a flawless foundation because Christ was perfect and the New Testament writings by the apostles is truth because only the truth has been preserved. (Please note that Paul wrote additional letters which have not been preserved in the Bible.)

The original apostles were handpicked by Christ for a very special role, not least of which was to record the acts and teachings of Jesus whilst He was here on earth, plus other information about church administration etc., and to make sure that these things were added to the Hebrew Scriptures to deliver to us God’s complete and perfect revelation to mankind.   In 2 Peter 1:13-15, we read: “Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me.  Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease.”

We know that the Roman Catholic church feels that they have the authority to change biblical teachings wherever they deem it necessary to do so.   They have “changed” the 7th day Sabbath to the 1st day of the week (Sunday); they ignore God’s Holy Days and keep paganised holidays (Christmas, Easter etc.) and have long been involved in syncretism  to build their membership.   However, the true Church of God keeps rigidly and faithfully to the Scriptures.   We read in Jude verse 3: “Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.”

Mr Herbert Armstrong taught the truth from the Bible; truth that may have been hidden or not understood for centuries, but it was always there in the Bible and God revealed it to Mr Armstrong who taught according to Biblical injunction.   He has not added to it nor taken away from it in the sense that he did not proclaim as godly truth “new doctrines” which were not contained in Scripture, and that he did not delete doctrinal truth which was clearly revealed in the Bible. Otherwise he would have been guilty of adding or taking away Scriptures which is condemned (see Deuteronomy 4:1-2; 12:32; Proverbs 30:5-6 and Revelation 22:18-19).

Was Mr Armstrong an apostle in the same way that the 1st century apostles were? The answer is that he was clearly not.

The original apostles were special because they were eye witnesses as we read in 2 Peter 1:16: “For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.”

The original apostles were also given power to work miracles.

God put doctrine into His Church through THE apostle (Jesus Christ).   See the Q & A on the term “Apostle”.   Also see Hebrews 3:1-4 where we read: “Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house. For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house. For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God.”

All theology must confirm to what the original apostles taught.   This was “once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).

The apostleship of the original apostles is unique because of all of these points.   But even they were not infallible—they were human beings who made mistakes. However, their writings, as preserved in the Bible, are infallible. Any writings of subsequent apostles since the book of Revelation and the close of the apostolic era have not been infallible – only God’s Word is – and we must, therefore, always be true only to the Word of God.   We need to grow in grace and knowledge (2 Peter 3:18) and not be stuck in a time warp where nothing can be changed after 16th January 1986, otherwise any such growth is stunted.

How many times did we hear Mr Armstrong say: “Don’t believe me. Believe your Bible”?   Did anyone ever hear him repudiate that statement?

Mr Armstrong changed the Church’s understanding on divorce and remarriage when he came more fully to understand this matter.   However, there are some who cling to the old understanding and they don’t believe that that should have been changed.   Pentecost was changed from a Monday to a Sunday when Mr Armstrong came to understand this more fully.

The authority of the apostles enabled their writings, as appropriate, to become part of the written Word of God.   These original apostles were unique in their work and ministry and their written contribution is included as part of the Bible.   Any “apostle” since then does not have the same authority and any of their writings are not part of the Word of God.   One proponent of the “frozen in time” concept has written that “Mystery of the Ages” and other material by Mr Armstrong from that period of time (1978-1985) should be recognised for what they actually are – un-canonised apostolic writings.   We are not quite sure what this means; if it means that the writings of Mr Armstrong may be without any error then they could be on dangerous ground.

(To Be Continued)

Lead Writer: Brian Gale (United Kingdom)

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Preaching the Gospel and Feeding the Flock

A new Member Letter (May 2016) has been written by the ministry. In this letter we review the recent Church Conference along with encouraging reports from Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

In addition, we warn of Satan’s relentless attacks on God’s people as this world faces a time of unprecedented trouble. This letter will be mailed next week along with our newest booklet, “Punishment For Our Sins.”

“Why Would Pope Francis Receive the EU’s Charlemagne Prize?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

Pope Francis received this week the prestigious European Charlemagne Prize for “outstanding services to the unification of Europe.” But why? After all, Pope Francis did virtually nothing to promote European unity. Even the leaders of the EU Commission and the EU Parliament recognized that this award could be viewed as a joke. In addition, why are David Cameron’s comments about the possible consequences of a Brexit truly prophetic… even though it is doubtful that Mr. Cameron realized what he was saying?

Können wir uns selbst vergeben?” is the title of this week’s new German sermon. Title in English: “Can We Forgive Ourselves?”

Global Trailer — Are You Already Born Again? This presentation by Pastor Brian Gale is now posted. Here is a summary:

If you are a religious person, have you ever been asked if you have been born again? In fact do you believe that you ARE born again? Is it really that important to understand whether we are only begotten again or already born again? Isn’t all of this just a matter of semantics?

“True Repentance,” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

What is the difference between true repentance—godly sorrow in a godly manner—and the sorrow of the world? What are the seven aspects of true repentance, and what is its end result?

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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

Preaching the Gospel and Feeding the Flock

A new Member Letter (May 2016) has been written by the ministry. In this letter we review the recent Church Conference along with encouraging reports from Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

In addition, we warn of Satan’s relentless attacks on God’s people as this world faces a time of unprecedented trouble. This letter will be mailed next week along with our newest booklet, “Punishment For Our Sins.”

“Why Would Pope Francis Receive the EU’s Charlemagne Prize?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

Pope Francis received this week the prestigious European Charlemagne Prize for “outstanding services to the unification of Europe.” But why? After all, Pope Francis did virtually nothing to promote European unity. Even the leaders of the EU Commission and the EU Parliament recognized that this award could be viewed as a joke. In addition, why are David Cameron’s comments about the possible consequences of a Brexit truly prophetic… even though it is doubtful that Mr. Cameron realized what he was saying?

Können wir uns selbst vergeben?” is the title of this week’s new German sermon. Title in English: “Can We Forgive Ourselves?”

Global Trailer — Are You Already Born Again? This presentation by Pastor Brian Gale is now posted. Here is a summary:

If you are a religious person, have you ever been asked if you have been born again? In fact do you believe that you ARE born again? Is it really that important to understand whether we are only begotten again or already born again? Isn’t all of this just a matter of semantics?

“True Repentance,” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

What is the difference between true repentance—godly sorrow in a godly manner—and the sorrow of the world? What are the seven aspects of true repentance, and what is its end result?

Preaching the Gospel and Feeding the Flock

Michael Link and Norbert Link have safely returned from Germany where they observed Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread with the brethren there. We are very pleased to announce the baptism of nine people, which took place near the end of the Feast. More information will be presented during this week’s Sabbath services.

All English and German video sermons which were given on the First and Last Days of Unleavened Bread and the following Sabbath have been posted on the Web.

“A European Army under German Control,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

Do you realize that we will see very soon a powerful European army under German command, with the exclusion of the UK?  Before you disagree, listen to the facts as to what is ALREADY transpiring in Europe, which have been greatly ignored by the American mass media. Learn as to why the current and next American Presidents are viewed as great threats to European security and interests. And did you know about the new rising star of Austria, future President Norbert Hofer, who MIGHT play an important role in European politics?

“Hat Christus das Gesetz ans Kreuz genagelt?” is the title of this week’s new German sermon. The titled in English, “Did Jesus Nail the Law to the Cross?”

Testing Faith; True Repentance

On May 7, 2016, Michael Link will present the sermonette, titled, “Testing Faith” and Norbert Link will present the sermon, titled, “True Repentance”.

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.

Current Events

With Ted Cruz’s and John Kasich’s decisions to quit the Republican race, Donald Trump manifested himself as the “presumptive” GOP nominee. Now, the “showdown of the century” between Trump and presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton will begin. While many commentators and news analysists doubted until the very end that Trump would become the GOP nominee, this publication has hinted at this very strong possibility ever since Trump entered the race. Even more, we have also stated for a while that it appears very likely that Trump will be the next American President.

In this issue, we quote extensively from Trump‘s first foreign affairs speech, setting forth what his plans are for America and the rest of the world. And while his phrase “America first” has sent some shock waves around the world, a similar phrase has been coined by a new rising star in Austrian politics—right-wing conservative Norbert Hofer who is expected to become the next Austrian president.

Focusing on Russia and the UK, we publish articles about Putin’s world view and warn that America under the Obama Administration is playing a very dangerous game; and we are reporting on a new crisis caused by German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s ill-advised and unpopular “support” of Turkish dictator Tayyip Erdogan.

We conclude with several articles discussing the increasing military involvement of Germany and the European desire to create a European Army under German leadership and control, while the UK is attempting, unsuccessfully, to resist such efforts. Please view our new StandingWatch program on this topic and the situation in the USA and Austria, titled, “A European Army under German Control.”

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